Chapter 17
That black lump of metal was the very ironstone personally sent by the information broker, Della Tura, for appraisal.
When Magia had last seen it, it had been safely covered with a long, rounded glass lid—but now, the lid had been removed.
There was even a chair placed next to the desk, one that hadn’t been there before.
Realizing what had happened, Magia turned to look at Nivellia again.
“Did you touch it?”
“…….”
“I’m not mad. But you’d better answer.”
“N-Nini isn’t scared of the Archmage!”
Nivellia puffed herself up bravely—but quickly gave in and confessed.
“I just touched it a little bit…”
She held up her small fingers.
“Right here… my fingernail just barely brushed it. I didn’t touch touch it, just a teeny tiny bit.”
“Kitty, you’re in big trouble now.”
Magia put on a grave expression.
“You touched a cursed stone. Your finger’s going to rot away. Then it’ll spread to your whole body…”
“That’s a lie! You’re lying!”
“Look at your fingernail. It’s black, isn’t it?”
Panicked, Nivellia looked down at her nail—and sure enough, the tip was stained black.
“…Hiiieeeek!”
Terrified, she ran straight to Magia.
“It hurts! It huuuurts!”
“I knew you’d cause trouble someday.”
“Waah! Waaaaah!”
“What are you crying about? Come here.”
Magia pulled out a small knife from the drawer, placed the bawling Nivellia on her lap, and started working.
“Stop crying.”
“Nooooo!”
“Fine, cry all you want.”
Enduring the ear-piercing shrieks, Magia gently scraped under Nivellia’s fingernail with the blade.
The blackened part fell away cleanly.
“All done.”
At those words, Nivellia immediately stopped crying.
In truth, it had just been iron dust from the stone, caught under her nail when she brushed it out of curiosity.
“…….”
Nivellia stared in wonder at her now-clean nail.
Her long lashes, still wet with tears, fluttered as she blinked.
“If you sneak into someone’s room and mess with things again, don’t expect me to fix it next time.”
“But you’re Nini’s subordinate, so you have to.”
“I’m not your subordinate, you brat.”
Jumping down from Magia’s lap, Nivellia wiped her nose with a sniff and gave a polite bow.
“Thanks for saving me.”
“Well, at least you have good manners. But how did you even get here?”
“I came before, so I remembered!”
“Ah, when you and your brother came to sell mushrooms?”
The Tower’s research lab was strictly off-limits to outsiders unless given express permission.
Apparently, Magia had forgotten to revoke Nivellia’s temporary access from when she visited before.
‘Still, impressive memory.’
Feeling oddly proud, Magia reached out to pat her head—but Nivellia dodged frantically.
“Fine, whatever. I’ll take you back to kindergarten.”
Magia stood up again, motioning her along.
But Nivellia pouted stubbornly and didn’t budge.
“Why? You don’t want to go back?”
“There’s too many strangers…”
“What’s this, kitty? When did you get so timid?”
“But… but if I hit them, I’d get in trouble with the law…”
“Ah, so you ran away to protect justice, huh?”
Magia crouched down to meet her eyes.
“But what about the wolf? You’re his boss, remember? A boss can’t just abandon their underling.”
“…….”
Nivellia’s lips jutted out sulkily.
‘…I see.’
It was about Aref.
“Nini doesn’t need him. He’s a meanie… a no-good womanizer…”
Muttering like a sulky kitten, Nivellia grumbled to herself.
When Ardores had explained that Aref would go to kindergarten to study, Aref had been thrilled.
At first, Nivellia was excited too.
But once they got there, she found it overwhelming—too many strangers, too many unfamiliar faces.
Even though she was uncomfortable, she stuck it out for Aref’s sake.
But Aref, busy soaking up his lessons, barely even noticed her.
So Nivellia had stormed out.
She was upset.
“He wasn’t like that before… he changed…”
“Don’t talk like you’re a wife four years into marriage.”
Magia clicked her tongue in understanding.
“So basically, you ran away like a little kid having a tantrum.”
“Nini’s not a kid. Nini’s a cat.”
“You’re a cat, but you’re still a kid. Also part human.”
Magia met Nivellia’s eyes seriously.
“Nini.”
He said softly.
“Aref doesn’t remember anything.”
“…….”
“So there are going to be a lot of times when you feel sad. He doesn’t remember when he was a wolf like you.”
“Nini knows…”
“And Aref had a hard life. He didn’t grow up in a warm home, eating good food, living happily like you did.”
For Aref, everything now was a brand new experience: warmth, comfort, happiness.
“Sometimes, you have to be patient. People can’t always live however they want. Not even strong little cats.”
“Even Nini has to be patient?”
“Yes. Even you.”
“…….”
“People are different from cats. We live together, compromise, care for each other. That’s what it means to live as a person.”
“…….”
“So just because Aref forgot about you for a little while, you can’t run away sulking like this.”
“…Okay.”
Nivellia slowly nodded.
But after a moment, she asked in a shaky voice, her biggest fear spilling out.
“But… what if he forgets me again because he’s busy studying?”
“Then tell him not to forget.”
“Is that enough?”
“The Aref I knew—well, the wolf from 40 years ago—he always found his way back to you.”
“…….”
“Even if he can’t remember, he’s still looking for you now.”
Magia held out his hand.
Seeing it, Nivellia placed her small hand in his.
“Come on, kitty. Let’s go back to kindergarten.”
“Okay.”
“And from now on, show some respect when you talk to adults.”
“But Nini’s older. Lived longer.”
“Well… that’s technically true.”
Ding-dong.
When they arrived on the kindergarten floor, sure enough, they heard the teachers’ frantic voices searching for Nivellia.
As soon as they spotted her with the Archmage, they rushed over.
Nivellia quickly hid behind Magia’s leg.
“Nini!”
“Oh, Archmage! How did Nini end up—!”
The teachers looked almost ready to cry, like they had just been through a terrible ordeal.
“…….”
Nivellia couldn’t look away.
“Looks like she took the wrong elevator. I happened to find her and brought her back. You must’ve been worried. Thanks for your hard work.”
“We’re so sorry. We should’ve watched her more carefully…!”
The teachers bowed their heads deeply, apologizing to Magia.
At that moment, the classroom door slowly opened.
A head of blond hair peeked out—it was Aref.
He scanned the hallway nervously, and when he saw Nivellia, he immediately dashed out.
Standing in front of her, Aref opened his mouth like he wanted to say something loudly—but hesitated, then closed it.
“Um…”
“…….”
“Where… where did you go…?”
“…….”
“I looked everywhere for you…”
“…….”
Nivellia lifted her head slightly.
Magia caught her eye and gave a small shrug, as if to say, See, kitty? I told you.
“Nini lacks ‘consideration,'” Muniel said quietly, resting her chin on her hand.
“Part of it’s because she’s still young, but mostly, she doesn’t really think of herself as human. That’s why she acts and speaks without much thought.”
“It’s probably because she’s lived longer as a cat,” Ardores said, moving a white chess piece across the board.
Muniel’s eyes narrowed slightly when her black piece was captured.
Ardores smiled back, his own expression soft.
Their chess match was drawing to a close.
“Still, it’s time for her to start changing. She can’t keep living selfishly forever. She has to grow.”
“Honestly, I’m surprised.”
“Why?”
“I thought you liked that side of her.”
“I do. I still do.”
Nivellia’s energy was refreshing to watch.
But if she continued to say whatever she wanted without thinking, she could hurt others—
and Muniel wasn’t the kind of person to ignore that.
“Life isn’t something you live alone. You need to learn manners, and consideration.”
“You’re right.”
“Only in stories do characters get to live however they want and still be loved.”
“…….”
Muniel’s black rook captured Ardores’ white bishop.
“This isn’t a story anymore.”
Now, the white king stood exposed, just two squares away from checkmate.
“Heh, I win.”
“I can never seem to beat you.”
“You lose because you love me.”
“Now that you’ve said it yourself, I don’t even know how to respond.”
Ardores laughed lightly and stretched his stiff shoulders as he stood.
“…About that story.”
“Yeah?”
“To be honest, I still can’t fully believe it.”
“You mean you believe Nini was a cat, but you think Aref’s reincarnation is just a dream?”
Muniel teased him.
Ardores was about to admit how selfish he sounded, but Muniel smiled warmly and stopped him.
“It’s normal. You’re just trying to believe because you love me.”
“Doesn’t it bother you? That even after all these years, even with these wrinkles, I still can’t completely believe you?”
“No. I’m not hurt, because you’re still trying.”
The old couple leaned against each other, gazing out at the spring garden.
“But this time… it’s really starting, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
The warm afternoon sun spilled across Muniel’s face.
In Ardores’ eyes, she looked, for a fleeting moment, like the young woman from forty years ago.
The Saintess who had once saved the world smiled and said,
“It’s already begun.”
“Welcome back!”
Caleo greeted Nivellia and Aref warmly as they returned from kindergarten.
“…….”
“…….”
But something was clearly wrong with the two children as they got off the carriage.
Aref was normally quiet and serious, but— “Nini?”
“…….”
Nivellia drooped her shoulders like a drenched kitten, looking utterly defeated.
Whatever had happened at kindergarten had left her looking like a woman burdened with great sorrow.
“Sweetheart? What’s wrong? Are you sick?”
“Father…”
“Yeah, Daddy’s right here…”
Huh?
Caleo’s eyes widened so much it looked like they might pop out.
