“How is it? Can you feel the mana?”
“No… Not at all…”
Sylvia bit her lip with a downcast expression.
I drew the sword from within me and handed it to her, but it seemed she still couldn’t sense the mana.
Her frail arms struggled to even hold it still, her hand trembling as she gripped the sword.
Sylvia eventually let go of the sword, and it was reabsorbed into my chest.
“With your current strength, you can’t even swing it properly…”
“It’ll be fine. We’ll find a way to overcome this soon enough.”
“Really…?”
I gently patted Sylvia’s head as tears welled up in her eyes, silently comforting her.
She seemed to have taken her duty as a bodyguard too heavily to heart.
Even if Sylvia were to lose her strength or her ability to use mana, I had no intention of abandoning her.
‘This girl… Her cheeks are softer than I expected…’
But since when did Sylvia’s head and cheeks feel so pleasant to touch?
As I continued stroking her hair and cheeks, an indescribable sense of satisfaction welled up within me.
It was then that I felt a sharp sting on the back of my head.
Startled, I turned around to find—
“…”
Charlotte and Julia awkwardly hiding behind some bushes, peeking in my direction.
Damn it. Did I just plant seeds of unease in my future wives?
Hurriedly withdrawing my hand from Sylvia’s face, she blinked in surprise and stepped back in embarrassment.
“Ah, apologies. Your warmth made me do it unconsciously…”
“…It’s fine.”
“But, my Lord, your tone has become gentler, and you’ve been unusually kind to me.”
“It must be your imagination.”
“When we got off the carriage earlier, you offered your hand first.”
“You seemed to have difficulty getting down, that’s all.”
“You’ve never reached out to touch my face before, but now you pat me at every opportunity.”
“…”
“You used to tell me to stay out of sight or remain in the shadows when I stood silently in your office. But now, you keep telling me to sit comfortably by your side and even offer me a chair.”
“…”
“In any case, it’s clear your treatment of me has changed.”
“…”
Silence. Quiet down, Sylvia. My future wives are listening!
The sharp stinging sensation in the back of my head intensified, a clear sign of growing suspicion.
“I know my Lord has a soft spot for children, and I understand. But there’s no need to treat me specially.”
“Sylvia…”
“There’s no need to show me such kindness or regard. I’m just a powerless bodyguard who can’t generate or sense mana anymore. Please treat me as I am, Lord Aslan.”
“…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ swallows back tears of regret.]
Sylvia placed her hand on her chest and looked up at me earnestly.
Her sincere gaze made the lighthearted moment weigh heavily on my heart.
Even though her appearance had changed, Sylvia believed her essence had not.
She wasn’t wrong—she had indeed become a powerless bodyguard.
I couldn’t refute her words and remained silent.
Children grow. They have futures as adults.
But for Sylvia, who had regressed in appearance due to mana erosion, no growth or future seemed possible.
This harsh reality loomed over her like a shadow.
“I’ll find a way to fix this, no matter what.”
“Yes… Please…”
Sylvia’s dejected voice trailed off as she hung her head.
I lightly patted her head again before turning away, my heart burdened with unease.
An inexplicable buzzing sensation filled my chest.
***
“So, this is all I could gather from the archives…”
I began collecting as many books as possible on mana erosion.
Thanks to my past studies in Black Magic, the mansion’s library contained a few relevant volumes.
However, they provided no meaningful insights.
Mana erosion causing physical regression was an exceedingly rare condition.
The chances of finding a case where it was successfully overcome were slim—possibly nonexistent.
“Lord Aslan, I brought some clothes! Would you like to try this on?”
“Ugh… This frilly outfit won’t suit me…”
“What? Not suit you? It’ll look adorable! Just imagine trying it on in front of Julia and Charlotte… Hehe…”
“Yuri, your drool is showing.”
Watching Sylvia blend well with the children brought a smile to my face.
Yet, a persistent sense of unease lingered within me.
It was likely the same for Sylvia.
Even while playing dress-up, making snacks, and smiling with the children.
Her expression often resembled that of a racehorse with an injured leg or a retired police dog forced to leave its prime.
This thought spurred me to continue my research without pause.
I combed through every archive I could find—
From the library at the Imperial Magic Academy to the royal palace archives.
Anything, no matter how minor, that might help Sylvia overcome her plight.
“So, the rumors were true that you’ve been frequenting the library these days.”
“Y-Your Majesty!?”
While flipping through the shelves, I froze in surprise at the familiar voice that rang out by my ear.
I turned around to see the palace archive completely empty—save for myself and the Empress.
“Don’t worry. Everyone has willingly left, so you can speak freely here.”
“Y-Yes, Your Majesty…”
“So? Don’t you have something to say to me?”
“…?”
The Empress fixed me with a pointed gaze, her eyes brimming with expectation.
She seemed incredibly confident about something.
Something to say?
I don’t think I have anything…
“I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s concern, but I assure you there’s no matter to trouble you with at the moment.”
“…Surely, you must have something to ask of me?”
When I politely declined, her expression turned sullen, and her tone dropped noticeably, as if her mood had taken a sharp dive.
I hadn’t considered troubling her with my book search; it didn’t feel right to bother the Empress about something like this.
“And didn’t I say you could speak freely? Are you dismissing my goodwill by refusing to relax when I cleared this space for you?”
“Didn’t you just say everyone willingly left a moment ago?”
“…Forget that. I misspoke.”
She growled faintly, her tone rough, as if trying to sound intimidating.
But instead of feeling threatened, I found myself taken aback by how unthreatening she actually was.
Still, it seemed best to humor her intentions.
“The truth is, my bodyguard has been afflicted by mana erosion, causing severe damage to her mana detection faculties…”
“Oh?”
As I finally confessed the situation, the Empress reacted as though hearing it for the first time.
But her awkward responses made it clear she already knew everything.
Of course, she must have known—why else would she come here first?
Her transparent behavior was glaringly obvious, but I still explained everything honestly.
“Her body reverted to that of a thirteen-year-old? Such a fantastical—ah, no, dreadful turn of events. Truly heartbreaking… and yet… fascinating—ah, I mean, tragic!”
“Your Majesty, I…”
“But why didn’t you bring her here today?”
“At her request, I temporarily relieved her of her duties as my bodyguard.”
“How could you…”
Her tone turned sharp as she clicked her tongue in frustration.
Clearly, she had been eager to see Sylvia in her current thirteen-year-old form.
To be fair, young Sylvia is quite adorable—nothing like the imposing presence she carried as an adult, with her broad shoulders and powerful chest.
Wait a moment… does this mean Charlotte could be similarly affected in the future…?
The thought made my vision blur momentarily.
“Next time, bring her along.”
“Excuse me? Next time?”
“You said you’re looking for a way to restore her, didn’t you? I might have a solution. Bring her to the palace.”
“…!?”
The Empress spoke with a meaningful smile.
Could she truly know a solution?
Her confident tone made it seem certain, and I felt my heart race with anticipation.
“May I ask how Your Majesty knows of such a method?”
“Are you questioning the basis of my confidence? How insolent. But… it’s simple. The answer you seek stands right before you.”
“…!”
The case I’ve been searching for—
A person whose body regressed due to mana erosion, losing their ability to detect mana, but managed to recover.
Could the Empress herself be that person?
Stunned by this unexpected revelation, I stood there, speechless.
It was only after a long pause that I managed to voice a pressing question.
“Then… does that mean Your Majesty was unable to overcome her young age and remained as you are now…?”
“…This is the recovered state, you fool. Watch your words.”
Ah. So, she did recover.