‘Wow! I did it!’

As planned, I became the ward of the Pluto Ducal House.

With the decision made, I bid farewell to Eva and my friends at the orphanage. I didn’t have much to pack, so my hands were free.

But my heart felt anything but light. After all, I had spent four years with them in my first life and two weeks with them in this one.

‘Leaving was hard during the tutorial too, and now I have to leave again….’

“You’re going to such a wonderful place. Congratulations, Crescent. Be healthy and happy!”

“Thank you, Director. I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done for me!”

“The pleasure was mine, Crescent. Meeting you has been such a blessing.”

“Hehe, it was for me too.”

Although it was a moment of parting, I held back my tears. I didn’t want to cry, even as some of the children sniffled softly behind me.

Just as I was about to climb into the carriage, led by Lady Rearwin’s hand, I heard a voice call out to me.

“You’re really leaving?”

I turned around to see Cyrill, who hadn’t been anywhere in sight earlier, standing there.

“Huh? Oh, yeah….”

“That’s a shame.”

With a faint smile, Cyrill took a few steps closer.

Why was he smiling while saying it was a shame?

“Oh, well. Take care, Cyrill.”

“We’ll see each other again someday.”

“Will we?”

Somehow, I doubted it.

Still, Cyrill had been a friend I spent four years with before my regression. Although we hadn’t been particularly close, it would be strange to say we weren’t friends at all.

After all, he was the one I spoke with the most at the orphanage.

During the tutorial, I hadn’t been able to connect much with the other children. I had been too burdened by the aftermath of losing my father and the fear of someone discovering I was the Demon King’s daughter.

Instead, I buried myself in studying, trying to uncover the truth about the potion my father drank.

Throughout that time, Cyrill had always approached me first.

Looking back, I regretted not being kinder to him.

“…Alright. Thank you. Let’s meet again someday.”

“Sure, take care.”

Cyrill smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly.

There wasn’t a hint of regret or sadness in his gaze.

***

The Pluto estate was located northwest of the capital, the heart of the Sientri Empire.

Its reputation in the empire could be summarized in a single phrase: “A dangerous yet mystical region where Magi occasionally appear.”

Despite the presence of Magi, the estate was sustained by the overwhelming Divine Power of the Pluto family.

‘To think I’m actually going to see it with my own eyes…!’

I felt a mix of excitement and wonder.

Although there were many individuals in the empire born with Divine Power, the Pluto family’s Divine Power was unparalleled, almost as if it had been blessed directly by the gods. Meteor, in particular, was a shining example of this power.

As I marveled at the thought, the maids of the Pluto estate led me somewhere.

The estate was so vast and grand that it made my head spin.

No matter how far back I tilted my head, I couldn’t see the ceiling. Everywhere I looked, there was shimmering marble and gilded decor.

“This must be your first time in a place like this, right? The Marchioness searched tirelessly for a special young lady to sponsor, and it seems she’s finally found someone extraordinary.”

“Thank you.”

I forced a small smile in response to the maids’ kind words. Even though my smile was slight, the maids lit up as if their day had been made.

They soon brought me to a luxurious bathroom and treated me with great care, washing my hair gently with fragrant bubbles.

‘Wow….’

They even washed my hair so well!

Not as well as my dad would have, though…!

“You’re even more dazzling after a bath, my lady!”

“You’re absolutely glowing!”

Once my hair was dried and I changed into fresh clothes, the maids couldn’t stop gushing.

Glancing in the mirror, I had to admit—I looked pretty good.

‘Well, I am my father’s daughter, after all.’

If my dad saw me now, he would’ve declared an angel had descended from the heavens and showered me with every embarrassing compliment imaginable.

“You must be tired from your journey. The Marchioness has instructed that you rest as long as you need to recover.”

“Okay!”

“Hohoho.”

After answering brightly, I was led to a nearby room.

Climbing carefully onto the bed, I buried myself under the covers.

The soft, lightweight bedding wrapped around me like a warm hug, filling me with a sense of peace and comfort.

“If you need anything, just ring the bell over there when you wake up.”

“Thank you.”

The maids left with gentle smiles, and I was finally alone.

As I closed my eyes, thoughts of my dad came to mind. If he was worried about me, I wished I could tell him not to.

But there was no way to do that.

I felt tears threatening to form and quickly forced my thoughts in another direction.

‘I wonder when I’ll meet Meteor.’

After all, in nine years, he would be the one to completely vanquish the Great Demon King Baal.

While I, too, wanted to see the Demon King disappear, my father—Lloyd Delight—needed to be saved.

To do that, I needed enough strength to face the Demon King.

‘I’ll have to build a strong connection with the male lead who’s destined to defeat him….’

Meteor was the closest person to the Grand Demon Subjugation, and I couldn’t let him kill Baal without me. If that happened, I’d lose my chance to save my father forever!

‘…Though that won’t happen for a while.’

With a quiet sigh of relief, I let myself drift off to sleep. The long carriage ride had left me quite exhausted, and I quickly sank into a deep slumber.

***

How long had I slept?

I didn’t dream—it felt as though I’d been nestled in a cloud.

But then I heard a faint sound, like something brushing against the blanket.

Rustle, rustle…

…What was that?

Was someone here to wake me?

The faint presence stirred me from sleep. Turning over instinctively, I slowly opened my eyes.

At first, my vision was blurry from drowsiness. But as it cleared, I could make out a small figure lying with their back toward me.

Silver hair gleamed faintly as it spilled across the pillow.

‘…A person?’

The bed was so large that the distance between us wasn’t close, yet it felt like they were right beside me. I couldn’t even blink.

Then, as if sensing me, the figure stirred and opened their eyes. Wide, brilliant blue eyes stared back at me, filled with equal parts shock and confusion.

For a moment, we both simply gazed at each other in silence.

“…Who are you?”

“……”

I wasn’t the one to speak first.

Since when had this person been in the same bed as me?

“Who are you? Did you come from the Demon Realm? Are you here to ensnare someone…?”

“Huh? The Demon Realm?”

Why bring up the Demon Realm all of a sudden?

Did he sense Magi from me?

For a brief, panicked moment, I wondered if he had somehow discovered that I was the daughter of Baal.

But that couldn’t be.

Not at this stage, where no one knew my secret.

Before my thoughts could spiral further, he spoke again.

“I don’t sense any Magi at all… What’s your deal?”

“I-I’m from the Ebony Orphanage. I came here with the Marchioness.”

“What? Don’t tell me you’re….”

Realization dawned in his expression.

Yes, this boy’s name was Meteor Pluto.

In my first life, I had met him when he was thirteen. Now, he was only nine years old.

Seeing him four years younger made him surprisingly cute. His round forehead and luminous eyes were still sharp and intense, but his cheeks were adorably plump and soft.

But that wasn’t the issue here.

‘Why were we in the same bed?!’

Meteor suddenly sat up straight, and I followed suit, scrambling to sit upright.

“The orphanage? So Mother really brought back a girl she wanted to sponsor?”

“That seems to be the case….”

“!”

Meteor appeared too stunned to speak further.

Was he upset about his mother bringing home a girl to sponsor?

Feeling awkward, I gave him a sheepish smile.

“This is strange….”

“What is?”

“…Your lips are shaped like a heart.”

Was it like this when he was thirteen?

Meteor’s upper lip curved perfectly like the top of a heart, and his lower lip was slightly rounded, forming a plump, rosy heart shape.

Even the subtle upward tilt of his lips was charming.

I found myself fascinated by the unusual and endearing shape, smiling as I admired it—when suddenly, Meteor slapped a hand over his mouth.

His face turned bright red as he pointed a finger at me and scooted backward.

“D-Don’t look at my lips!”

“Huh?”

“Ugh, argh!”

Thud!

“…!”

What just happened?

For some reason, Meteor had fallen off the bed.