“I’ve lost something… I searched everywhere it might be, even asked the maids if they’d seen it.”
Apparently, he had been rushing around because of that, only to be suddenly called away over something concerning Serge.
“Oh my. What did you lose?”
“A keychain. The key itself is still intact, so I think the loop must’ve loosened and fallen off.”
If the key was still there, then just losing the keychain didn’t seem like something that would normally cause such a reaction.
“Is it an important item? Maybe something someone gave you as a gift?”
“Yes, something like that.”
“Would you like me to help look for it?”
“That’s quite all right. I wouldn’t dare trouble the Young Madam with something so trivial.”
“I don’t mind, really… But if I happen to see anything that looks like a keychain, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you.”
Yuan gave a polite nod and hurried off.
Though he called it a trivial matter, it seemed the item was rather important to him.
If it got thrown out mixed with trash, that would be a problem—hence his urgency.
‘…Hmm.’
Railey thought for a moment, then headed straight out to the garden through the terrace.
Spring was passing and summer nearing—the garden was filled with colorful, blooming flowers.
It was a beautiful sight, but Railey hadn’t come out just to admire the view.
There was something she’d been wanting to test out, and with Yuan’s situation, this was a good chance to try.
After confirming she was alone, Railey crouched in a corner of the garden.
“…Hey, are you here?”
Her whisper was so soft, it was barely louder than her breathing.
Yet at that faint voice, something remarkable happened in her field of vision.
Tiny, palm-sized beings with butterfly-like wings and human forms began to appear.
They looked exactly like the fairies one might imagine from old tales.
“As I thought… You were here.”
Railey smiled, and the fairies all fluttered toward her, scattering stray thoughts as they pleased.
[Hi, hi!]
[Let’s play, let’s play, let’s play!]
She watched them circle around her.
‘Just as I thought… I can see them clearly.’
When she was younger, Railey had mentioned the fairies to her family a few times.
But no one else could see them. She had been scolded for ‘lying.’
They brushed it off as the kind of ‘imaginary friends’ kids often invent.
But even now, with her mental maturity raised by memories of a past life, the fairies appeared before her—undeniably real.
‘Why is it only me who can see them? Fairies never even came up in the original story…’
Railey once wondered if she had some kind of special ability.
But she soon gave up on that hope.
The standard assessments by the Mage Tower and Temple—common for nobles—showed that Railey had neither magic nor divine power. She was just an ordinary person.
She couldn’t even use the fairies to do anything special.
To begin with, she couldn’t properly communicate with them.
Although they appeared when she called, the fairies rarely responded to her words in a coherent way.
Instead, they simply bombarded her with stray thoughts or waves of intense emotion.
Still, Railey considered the fairies a source of comfort—like lucky charms or silent friends.
For someone like her, who had always been alone, beings that expressed affection toward her were precious.
“I feel a little better knowing you’re here… You know, I suddenly learned about a tragic future, and it’s been making me anxious.”
[Play, play!]
[Happy, happy, happy!]
As usual, there was no real answer, but she found even that oddly reassuring.
“One day, I’ll have to leave this place… But until then, I hope I can get along with the Duke and the Young Master.”
Even as she said it, Railey couldn’t help but feel bitter about her own helplessness.
If she were the kind of reincarnated heroine seen in so many novels—blessed with amazing powers—she might’ve been able to completely derail the original plot.
“You? What could someone as useless as you possibly do?!”
“Always so slow! Can’t even understand simple words!”
Her parents’ constant harsh words, hurled at her without end, were sadly not untrue.
Even knowing the future, the most Railey could do was prepare to escape… and maybe, with the scraps of her conscience, leave behind a few clues to help Elestine survive the coming destruction.
[Cheer up, cheer up!]
[Play, play, play!]
Almost as if they sensed her sadness, the fairies began sending waves of encouragement.
Railey lifted her head and smiled.
“Thanks. For now, I’ll just focus on adapting to life at the Duke’s estate. I wonder… what does the Duke like?”
It was an idle thought, born out of her desire to make a good impression on the head of the household—her father-in-law.
Unexpectedly, the fairies responded with thoughts.
[Rima, Rima!]
[Duke, Rima, likes!]
Railey’s eyes widened.
“Rima… That’s the name of the late Duchess, isn’t it?”
She had guessed as much, given that the Duke never remarried.
And just as she thought, the Duke had deeply loved his wife.
[Rima liked the Duke too!]
[They both liked each other!]
It wasn’t just a one-sided affection.
They had loved each other fiercely.
Losing someone he had cherished so deeply—Rima’s death must have left a permanent scar on Duke Walter’s heart.
‘Better not bring up the Duchess in front of the Duke, then.’
Railey mentally tucked that information away and got to the point.
“By the way… you know the Duke’s aide, Yuan?”
[Play, play!]
“He said he lost a keychain. Do you guys know where he might’ve dropped it?”
Even as she asked, Railey didn’t expect much.
Fairies were capable of seeing into people’s hearts, as shown by how they understood the Duke’s feelings.
But their communication was unreliable at best.
Most of the time, even when she asked something directly, they just scattered stray thoughts and disappeared.
But luck seemed to be on her side today.
One of the fairies who heard her question fluttered through the air and suddenly exclaimed.
[Keychain, follow! Keychain, follow me!]
“Wow! Thank you!”
Railey quickly followed the fairy as it flew ahead.
It led her to a corridor in the annex.
The fairy gently landed on the floor and sent her a proud wave of thought.
[Here it is, here it is!]
Railey let out a sigh when she saw where the keychain had fallen.
“No wonder no one could find it.”
The hallway was lined with side tables that displayed what looked like artifacts or ornaments, and the keychain had slipped underneath one of them, into a blind corner.
It must have fallen from Yuan’s pocket as he moved hurriedly and slid under the furniture.
“…But this really doesn’t match Yuan’s image at all.”
Railey had always imagined him using simple, practical accessories, but the keychain was the complete opposite—colorful beads and jewels arranged to form flowers and butterflies, radiating a soft, sweet vibe.
Of course, based on what he’d said earlier, it was probably a gift, so it made sense that he hadn’t picked it out himself.
[I did good, right? Right?]
“You did. Thank you.”
Railey smiled brightly, and the fairy twirled in delight before disappearing.
Having grown up with coldness even from her own family, Railey had always found comfort in the fairies’ presence.
Grateful once again for their help, she went off to find Yuan.
***
“I found something that looks like a keychain. Is this yours by any chance?”
Railey had no doubt it was his—she trusted that fairies never lied—but she asked anyway, pretending to be unsure.
Yuan’s eyes widened the moment he saw what she held.
“…Ah! Yes, that’s it!”
“I was worried it might not be, but I’m glad. It’s a very pretty keychain.”
“You must’ve thought it didn’t suit me.”
“That’s not what I meant—!”
“No, it’s fine.”
He said with a faint smile.
“This was a gift from my younger sister. She made it herself.”
At that moment, a realization struck Railey.
She finally understood why the name ‘Yuan’ had felt so familiar to her from the beginning.
‘In the original story, I’m sure…’
