Friends.
I wasn't sure how much energy I had for playing along with that, but I didn't say anything.
While we were waiting, she hummed a quiet tune.
That tune… I didn't know the lyrics, but something about it stuck with me.
It was the same one I remembered hearing during my last life. Not just from her, but from someone else too, though I was unable to recall who that person was.
'It must be someone from Wageah,' I thought, then pushed the memory away.
Not long after, her friend arrived.
She was tall, with light brown hair tied into an elegant twist.
Her amber eyes sparkled whenever she laughed, and her gown was a deep red with golden embroidery.
The way she moved showed she was used to being noticed.
"Lyra!" she called warmly as she stepped into the pavilion. "It's been too long!"
My mother's face brightened as she stood and greeted her. "Marianne! I'm so glad you could come."
So, that was her name.
Marianne Vonn, I learned.
Vonn as in Vonn Gold Dealers.
They were a big company that owned several gold mining operations and trade lines across the world.
Goldsmiths, jewelers, and high-end businessmen. Even I had heard of them in my past life.
'Strange, I don't remember the Vonn family being close to Mom and Dad.'
'And I don't think these people were the CEO of the company in my last life.'
They hugged lightly, the way old friends did after years apart.
Then Marianne's gaze shifted to me.
"And this must be your little one."
She crouched down a little, smiling warmly.
"He looks so handsome already. I bet he is going to steal the hearts of all girls like Adrian when he grows up."
The corner of my mother's smile twitched.
She quickly changed the topic. "He started crawling already. He crawls so much these days and doesn't let anyone carry him at all."
Marianne laughed softly. "Then he's ahead of my daughter. She still prefers to sit and demand to be carried around."
As if on cue, a small figure toddled into view. A nursemaid guided her carefully.
The girl had curly light-brown hair and big amber eyes that looked almost exactly like her mother's.
She wore a frilly white dress with a ribbon tied at the waist.
Her eyes landed on me right away.
For a moment, we just stared at each other.
"Go on, young lady. Say hello." The nursemaid gave her a gentle push forward.
She stumbled a few steps, then plopped down in front of me.
I didn't say anything.
My eyes caught on the small golden pin clipped into her hair.
'That can't be real gold… right?'
While I sat quietly, my attention drifted to the talk between my mother and Marianne.
They laughed softly while sipping tea. Their voices carried lightly in the breeze.
But the more I listened, the heavier something felt in my chest.
If they were so close… then why weren't they there in my last life?
Where were they when my dad died?
I didn't remember Marianne Vonn at all.
She never visited our estate. She was not there during the funeral, and she did not come after that either.
I frowned.
If they were such old friends, then why had I never heard of her before?
While the mothers talked, the girl—Seris—kept staring at me.
Her gaze didn't wander. She barely blinked.
It was strange how focused she was.
Then she lifted her finger and pointed straight at me.
"Let's play."
Both mothers turned their heads.
"Oh? She wants to play with him?" my mother asked with a small smile.
Marianne looked surprised, then happy.
She adjusted her daughter's dress as she spoke. "Looks like it. She's usually shy around other children. This is the first time she's done this."
I sighed inwardly.
'Do I need to start acting again?'
Before I could even grunt in protest, the choice was made for me.
They set us down on a soft mat near the table.
The mat was thick and smooth, clearly expensive.
Seris crawled toward me first.
Her movements were quick, steady, and more confident than most children her age.
One of her servants stepped forward, carrying a small chest.
Inside were toys.
Blocks, rings, shapes with holes. Some were made from wood, some metal, some plastic.
They looked polished and clean, shining under the sunlight.
Seris reached in, pulled out a cube, and held it toward me.
Her face was serious, as if she was giving me something important.
I wasn't interested. I glanced at it, then looked away.
She didn't give up. She placed the cube in front of me, then grabbed another and clacked them together.
"Play," she said with a little grin.
I ignored her.
She leaned closer, shoving the cube toward me again. "Play!"
I sighed.
My mother's eyes were on me, filled with expectation. She clearly wanted me to make a friend.
Reluctantly, I shifted forward and reached for the cube.
But before I could touch it, Seris reached deeper into the chest and pulled out something else.
It was small and round, shaped like a crown. Its surface gleamed faintly.
My breath caught in my throat.
'Wait… is that gold?'
It wasn't fake.
The crown's edges glimmered with real gold plating.
The Vonn family really was wealthy, if they let their daughter play with a toy decorated with actual gold.
But wealth wasn't what froze me.
My eyes stayed fixed on the crown.
Gold.
A precious metal, yes. A sign of wealth, yes.
But for me, it was something more.
"Lord of Shadows!"
Yuna's voice burst into my head.
She had woken up and was staring at the toy with wide eyes.
"T-that's gold. It's a mana stone! You can use it to absorb mana and become a Mage!"
My heartbeat quickened.
I hadn't seen any mana stone in this life yet. I had been searching for months.
And now, one sat in front of me, held casually in a little girl's hands.
Seris giggled and shook the crown-shaped toy. The sound of clinking gold filled the air.
"Pretty," she said. She placed it down between us like it was no big deal.
I stared at it, every nerve in my body buzzing.
This wasn't just a toy.
It was the key to what I needed.
My eyes were fixed on it.
Seris noticed.
She tilted her head, then smiled brightly. "You want?"