Despite having made an agreement with the Crown Prince, Althea never truly believed him. In the novel she knew, the man was merely a deceiver who would destroy her life until the very end.
Although the Crown Prince guaranteed her safety, Althea still thought of another plan: escape. To get away from him as quickly as possible.
And the first thing that came to her mind—she had to start a new life using her original appearance. No need to wait, no need to contemplate. The situation was already urgent. She only needed one thing: Morfida.
However, there was an obstacle. Althea could not read or write. Even sending a letter was impossible for her.
That night, her room door creaked open.
Caspian entered with a calm step, carrying an oil lamp. The dim light highlighted his face, which looked as if it had been sculpted by the hand of a god: a sharp jaw, a straight nose, thin lips with a deadly curve. His pair of dark blue eyes glowed faintly, like a deep ocean full of secrets.
His smile was captivating, but the aura emanating from him made Althea's heart clench. No matter how beautiful the face, his presence made her skin crawl.
"I apologize for the intrusion," he said, his low voice filling the room. The voice was deep, almost seductive to the ear, but with a firmness that restrained breath. He placed a pen, ink, and documents on the table. "I just want everyone to believe... how I cannot be away from you."
His words sounded sweet, yet his gaze was piercing. Althea felt like a rabbit being watched by a tiger.
Her life in the palace that day had only revolved around two things: sleeping and eating. The table in front of her was never empty—always full of new food. The servants, who were once rude, now served carefully, as if afraid of making a mistake. Althea knew they merely considered her a fat woman who loved to eat.
Just then, while biting into a pastry, her gaze fell upon the paper on the table.
Caspian noticed it. He leaned in, the distance between them instantly narrowing. The faint scent of cinnamon mixed with metal filled the air.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, his lips forming a thin, beautiful—yet terrifying—smile.
"I wasn't looking at you. I was looking at that paper."
Caspian raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing important on that paper." His voice was gentle, but the flat tone sent a shiver down Althea's spine.
Carefully, Althea took the plunge. "Could I ask a favor of you... to write a letter for me?"
"Oh?" Caspian's smile bloomed. Beautiful, almost tempting, but his eyes were cold. "Should I write a love letter for you?" he said, his tone sounding mocking, full of cynicism, even though his lips looked too charming when he spoke it.
"No... I want you to write a letter to my servant. Tell her I am here and I need her. I want her to come."
Caspian leaned back in his chair, his movement relaxed yet full of menace. "Do it yourself."
"I... I cannot read or write."
Caspian just stared at her for a moment, then a low laugh broke from his lips. The sound was beautiful, deep, almost alluring—but full of derision. "So that's why you're called stupid? I thought you were like other Ladies who know when to be humble... and when to show potential."
He bent down, the pen dancing quickly over the paper. When finished, he tapped the paper with his fingertip, then looked at Althea.
"Turns out you truly are stupid."
Althea frowned, trying to restrain her anger.
Caspian's smile widened, too handsome not to be alluring, but the coldness enveloping him erased all charm.
"Relax. You don't need a letter to call your servant. I will convey your message to my subordinate. Besides..." he held up the paper, "the contents of this letter are quite different from what you requested."
Althea felt her stomach churn. Every word that came from Caspian's lips sounded sweet, but tasted like poison.
***
Just when Althea was about to despair, her room door creaked again. The figure she was waiting for finally arrived: Morfida.
"Lady..." she whispered, immediately kneeling by the side of the bed.
Althea gripped her hand tightly. "Morfi, we have to run away. Quickly change me back... I can't stay here any longer. That Crown Prince is just using me. He could discard me, or even kill me, at any moment!"
Morfida looked at her for a long time, her expression shifting from concern to deep confusion.
She studied her Lady's face, trying to decipher the sudden panic in her eyes.
"Lady, please calm yourself," she said gently, her voice laced with worry. "What do you mean... he will kill you? Where did you hear such a terrible thing?"
Althea opened her mouth to explain about the novel, about the execution at the stake, about the cruel fate that awaited her, but the words died in her throat.
How could she explain something that sounded so absurd?
A story from another world?
A predetermined destiny from a book?
It sounded like the ramblings of a madwoman even to her own ears.
Frustration welled up inside her, hot and suffocating.
She pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to push past the panic and think logically. She couldn't explain the source, but the danger was no less real.
She let out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Morfida" she whispered, her voice tight with a plea that went deeper than words. "Please. Just trust me on this."
Morfida stared intently at her, then nodded. "Alright, Lady. If that is your wish, I will try."
She raised both hands, her fingers emitting a faint light. Waves of mana began to swirl in the air, warm then penetrating the skin. Althea closed her eyes, waiting for the miracle to work.
But a few seconds later, the magical light that was supposed to form the illusion... suddenly dispersed. It shattered like glass hit by a stone.
Althea opened her eyes, gasping. "Why...?!"
Morfida was stunned, her face pale. The hand still hovering in the air trembled violently.
"I... I don't understand. My mana is flowing, but your body—this body—is rejecting it. It's as if there is something binding your form. A power even stronger than my magic."
A chilling silence enveloped the room. Althea tightly grasped her worn gown, her body trembling between fear and despair.
"So... I'm really trapped in this body?" she whispered, almost inaudibly.
Morfida took a long, deep breath, as if weighing her words carefully. "Lady… this isn't just your body resisting my magic. It seems… there is another mana trapped inside you. I can feel it—a great power awakening. Your body is undergoing a magical awakening, and that process is blocking my spell."
Althea stared wide-eyed. "A magical awakening…?!"
"Yes. Although it won't last forever… I don't know how long it will continue." Morfida's eyes gleamed with anxiety. "If you truly wish to change your form, or to understand the exact reason behind this, there is only one path—we must go to the witches' coven and seek answers from the elders."
***
After explaining the secret journey to the crown prince as a stroll with a servant.
Caspian, just as she had expected, didn't seem to care and instead said, "Do as you please."
Their status as (one-sided) business partners, the lack of love, and Althea's position as an ugly girl, the daughter of a poor baron who couldn't read, left Caspian completely unsuspicious.
The next day, Althea continued her journey.
Their journey to the coven was filled with extreme caution.
Althea hid behind a worn and tattered hood, while Morphida led the way. The scent of incense and ancient books greeted them as they finally arrived at the stone hall where the witches gathered.
An old witch, clad in pitch-black robes, studied Althea from behind crystal glasses. The lines on her face were deep, but her gaze was sharp, as if it were penetrating the deepest layers of Althea's soul.
"Hmm..." The old witch stroked her white beard and murmured thoughtfully. "The magic within you... is indeed strange. We don't know how long it will take for it to emerge. But one thing is certain: a great power, long sealed, is about to be unleashed."
Althea swallowed. "A great power... within me?"
The old witch nodded slowly.
"Yes. But don't rejoice yet, my lady. Magic is like a blade. It can protect you... or it can wound you from within. Every witch in this world has its limits: for every power used, there is always a side effect."
Although her mysterious powers surprised her, there was one thing on Althea's mind right now: Mofrida, the witch who had been changing her form until now.