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Chapter 02
Preparing for the Ball
Diana was a very ordinary farmer’s daughter who valued her own life more than anyone else’s.
Thanks to that, she had managed to avoid falling from the 7th-floor tower and being smashed to pieces. That was lucky.
“…Um, is there anything you need, my lady?”
The way she addressed her changed from “miss” to the respectful “my lady,” and now her back bent automatically, like a wound-up spring.
Anastasia felt… surprisingly good.
“Yes.”
“What should I prepare?”
“What should I prepare?”
After turning ten, she had lived trapped in this tower.
It was because of something that happened when she was ten.
Prince Louis Yanpots, the first prince of the Yanpots royal family, had shown interest in her.
Her older sister, Je니스, could not allow that.
She persuaded their father, whispering that they must lock up the witch’s daughter before she could influence the royal family. At the same time, Sorvan also wanted to get rid of Anastasia, who was a thorn in his side.
“Diana.”
“Yes.”
“When is this year’s masquerade ball?”
Diana’s face turned pale. If the family found out that Anastasia planned to attend the ball… Diana would not be the only one in trouble.
“…A-are you really going to the ball, my lady?”
“Why? Is that a problem?”
Anastasia no longer wanted to hesitate or think things over.
She had already given sacrifice and devotion in her past life.
Now, she needed to take what belonged to her.
“W-well… um…”
“Go downstairs and prepare the carriage. If I remember correctly, it’s tomorrow night.”
“Is… is that enough?”
“No. Prepare hot water too. Do you think I’ll go to get clothes without washing?”
Her sharp tone was different from before, and Diana started to sweat.
Just yesterday, she couldn’t even say a word without the girl trembling…
But now, she was the one afraid. The small girl in front of her felt like a sharp eagle showing its claws.
“Y-yes! I’ll prepare it right away!”
“Wait.”
Anastasia stopped Diana and slowly walked toward her.
“Y-yes, my lady…?”
Diana stepped back without thinking.
Tap.
Her back hit the stair railing.
There was nowhere left to go.
“W-what are you doing…?”
Anastasia understood how cunning humans could be. And she also vaguely knew how hard it was to change people’s perception.
“I didn’t say to bring it. I said to prepare it.”
She raised her small, pale hand and grabbed Diana by the collar.
“…Eek!”
She pushed her forward, and Diana’s back bent dangerously, resting on the railing.
“P-please, my lady! I was wrong! I was wrong! Kyahhh!”
At this point, everyone in the mansion would be watching. Diana was known for being very loud.
“It’s nothing, Diana.”
“Y-yes…?”
“I just… know a shortcut to the first floor.”
Tap.
As soon as Anastasia let go of her collar, Diana realized there was nothing holding her up.
A complete free fall.
“Kyaaaaaaa!!!”
A long, sharp scream echoed through the mansion’s garden.
When Diana had fallen about two-thirds of the way down the tower, Anastasia snapped her fingers.
Thud.
The impact was softened.
The pain in her hips was probably no different from a normal fall.
Anastasia leaned over the railing and called out:
“I’ll give you 10 minutes. Fill the bath with water. Otherwise, I’ll show you a faster way down next time. Do you want to know how?”
“N-no!!”
Diana ran inside as if her butt was on fire.
“…I should have done this sooner.”
Thinking about it calmly, she realized something.
In this kingdom, she was the only real witch.
The church priests might claim to use divine miracles, but they could only heal wounds or give incomplete prophecies.
The mage towers? Those had already disappeared long ago.
The Etranger family had once been a great family of mages. But as the era of magic ended and mysterious powers disappeared, they lost most of their power.
“Probably, up until my father’s generation, they were still somewhat mages.”
Maybe Sorvan Etranger had wanted to prove his family was still a magical lineage, even if he had to use a witch as a surrogate.
Otherwise…
He wouldn’t have treated Anastasia like a tool.
In her previous life, Anastasia had been nothing more than a strategic weapon and a political tool for the Etranger family.
At that moment, a single strand of long black hair fell from her shoulder.
“…Huh?”
Diana had short brown hair. Anastasia’s hair was long and golden.
Black hair… as far as she remembered, there was no one with black hair in this mansion.
“…Whose hair is this?”
She carefully picked it up.
At that moment, a sharp headache struck her head.
“…Ah.”
She suddenly lost strength and sat down.
Long black hair.
Flowing beneath a helmet.
“…That was strange.”
The last spell she had used was an ancient great magic called the “Lightning of False Accusation.”
At its peak, it could be called divine punishment. But now, no one could use that lightning anymore.
Even after being struck by it, she had not died.
Only after her father, Sorvan, cut her wrist with a knife did she lose all her strength and lose consciousness.
How did she survive?
That divine punishment of lightning that struck dozens of times even after the caster died…
How?
“…No way.”
After all those lightning strikes that destroyed Aquila Castle, the last thing she remembered…
Was being covered by the monster of Aquila Castle.
That warmth was not from cold ruins.
Something had protected her.
From lightning and falling debris.
“…If not, I would have died under the rubble. My father or sister would never bother to move the debris just to mock my corpse.”
Her heart ached.
Maybe even that monster… or that knight who looked like him…
Had a story of his own.
“…I just killed him.”
Anastasia clenched her small fist.
The distance to Aquila Castle was a two-day carriage ride.
She missed the man she had seen only once.
The man who had stabbed himself with a sword to resist her spell.
Why did he protect her in the end?
Was it repentance?
Even though he was already becoming a monster?
The warmth she felt in his arms was more comforting than any family she had ever known.
She held his black hair in her hand and thought:
After tomorrow’s ball, the first place she must visit is Aquila Castle.
“Lady!”
The bath water must have been ready.
“Alright. I’m coming down.”
She lightly touched her neck and spoke louder with magic.
Then she grabbed her skirt and jumped over the railing.
All the servants looked at her.
A girl in white nightwear falling from the sky. Shining like sunlight. Pale skin, almost transparent. Golden hair like melted gold.
And a slow, unreal descent.
When her feet touched the grass, Anastasia realized something had changed.
The way people looked at her.
“What are you looking at?”
Her small voice made the servants freeze.
But that wasn’t what she wanted.
“Don’t you greet me?”
Her deep blue eyes narrowed.
“G-good morning, my lady!”
“You are as beautiful as ever, my lady!”
Empty compliments.
Rumors spread quickly in the mansion. No one wanted to fall like Diana.
Before, those words made her happy.
Now, she could see through them.
“Good. Thank you for your hard work.”
Everyone bowed before authority.
“The bath water is ready over here…”
Diana guided her, and the servants stepped aside.
“Who will assist me with bathing?”
“P-pardon…?”
There was no one.
Until now, no one had ever helped her bathe.
She usually just used a bucket of cold water.
Even that was brought by Diana while complaining.
“None?”
“Well… um…”
“Forget it. I don’t need help.”
She tapped Diana’s forehead lightly and walked inside.
“…Yes.”
Diana followed with a tearful expression.
“The mansion is quiet.”
“The master, madam, the eldest lady, and the young master all went out to get their clothes tailored.”
Good.
Otherwise, they would have complained loudly about the bath and everything else.
The bathroom was on the second floor. Diana opened the door.
Anastasia began undoing her nightgown and untied her hair.
“Go upstairs and bring my clothes.”
Diana’s eyes widened.
“…Clothes?”
“And the carriage. I’m going to the city to get clothes.”
“…What?”
Anastasia turned back.
Her deep blue eyes were like the ocean.
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
Her voice was cold like a blade.
“I-I understand. I’ll prepare everything…”
“Good. Thank you.”
BANG!
With a wave of her hand, the door slammed shut.
Diana walked toward the stables, feeling like crying.
