Clang, clang, the sound of metal striking echoed continuously.

  What is it... exactly?

  I've heard this sound before.

  I don't remember when, but definitely.

  The noise was coming from below.

  I looked down but saw nothing.

  Darkness enveloped everything around me.

  Reaching out, something smooth caught at my ankle.

  I don’t know what it is.

  But even my young mind understood it wasn’t good.

  Young mind... young?

  She is twenty years old.

  With the new year, she had turned twenty-one and was already married.

  ‘Yes, I’m married.’

  Her husband might look a bit fierce and his smile terrifying, but he’s kind and stronger than anyone else.

  The man who brought color into the drab life of a witch.

  Suddenly, Tatiana felt scared.

  Could all of that have been an illusion?

  Her husband, who looks at her and smiles, saying she is cute—was he just a figment of her desires?

  Was he not real?

  ‘No... no... he’s real. He must be right beside me….’

  Looking around, she found herself alone in the enveloping darkness.

  Only a vast space where not even her own form was visible stretched around her.

  ‘Where am I?’

  Her current state was all mixed up.

  She felt young yet held the memories of an adult, and she was in a place she had never experienced before.

  What is this?

  During her childhood with her master, she often woke from dreams.

  Unable to remember the dreams, she found herself crying out of fear.

  ‘It feels similar to now….’

  Blinking a few times, the pitch-black space seemed to brighten slightly.

  Bending down to see what caught her foot, she saw a silver shackle.

  It was adorned, yet unmistakably a fetter, like those used on prisoners.

  The silver ring around her ankle was attached to a long chain.

  The chain stretched out into the darkness, its end hidden.

  Where it led was not visible.

  Suddenly, a man's voice filled the air.

  "[...Your Highness is the princess of the Duchy of Saramoons. That... suspicion of being a witch, taken in by the witch Dorothea...]" Saramoons... princess... witch... Dorothea...

  Several words in the man's speech echoed loudly.

  As if to drown out his voice, another man spoke.

  "[...My daughter... I will not let you go... never... ever...]" The man's words filled her head.

  It felt like she was trapped in a room filled with his voice.

  She had heard this voice before.

  It was unmistakable....

  At that moment, her master’s voice boomed in her mind.

  "[...I hope not to use this, but someday you might need this memory. My powers are not meant to harm others. I didn't intervene to endanger a young princess unknowingly. You will need these memories to protect yourself.]" The master’s voice sounded different.

  When speaking to Tatiana, it was always gentle and kind, but now it was infinitely cold and emotionless.

  It didn't seem human.

  It was devoid of emotion.

  Another woman’s voice added shortly after.

  [The child must not be revealed as a descendant of our royal blood. Even if the princess carries our blood, being a witch makes her an outsider. We cannot allow her to retain memories. Witches do not arise in our royal line. That must remain an unchangeable truth. Witch Dorothea, erase the child's memories.]

  [Your Majesty, the Queen. If you insist on that, don't expect my help. I will not distort the King’s memories. If not me, no one else in this world can stop his obsession. It’s impossible to separate the princess from him. If that’s acceptable, then so be it.] The Queen's voice tore through like a scream, overriding the master's voice.

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  [Are you disobeying my orders? If so, then....] The Queen's voice threatened the master.

  ‘Master…’

  I should help, a thought that deeply saddened me.

  Their sharp conversation continued a few more times, and then a new voice joined.

  [When the princess turns twenty, the guardian star will reach her. Once it touches her, she will be fine. That star will consume the King's obsession because it holds power strong enough to destroy all.] A gentle, warm voice continued.

  [There are several paths before you, Princess, and each leads to a very miserable future. Saramoons is not unrelated. It will be a calamity that sweeps across the entire country.] [

  [How terrible!] Someone gasped, letting out a small scream.

  It was probably the Queen.

  A soothing voice followed, comforting her.

  [If the princess can remain hidden in this world and from the King's eyes until the guardian star reaches her, all misfortune will dissipate like fog. Your Majesty, the Queen, I, the Witch of Foresight, promise you. As long as the princess is under the guardian star, the fact that a witch exists within the royal family will not spread.] The Witch of Foresight declared and approached closer.

  It must have been her.

  From much closer now, she heard her master’s whispering voice.

  [Little princess, it's okay. The guardian star staying with you is stronger than any I have seen. Under it, you will surely be happy. Though born a solitary star, a witch, you are different. Show us that even a witch can find happiness with someone.] Her gentle breath tickled my ear.

  The scent of herbs, unique to witches, filled her nose.

  It was just like her master.

  Then, the real voice of my master came very close.

  [Until you turn twenty, I will take care of you. Become my apprentice. I am already old and not sure if I can live that long, but I will persevere with vigor.] The master’s voice continued.

  [When you need it one day, you will remember. You are Riana Margarita Baeji, the legitimate princess of the Kingdom of Saramoons, a witch, and my apprentice. With all my heart, I hope for your happiness.] The last words were one of the blessings of the spirits.

  Usually, blessings are not included in hypnosis.

  The master must have considered that she might die before the hypnosis wore off.

  Even if she regained her memory when not around, or even if she were to die tomorrow suddenly, she blessed her so the spirits’ protection could keep her safe.

  ‘Master, I remembered. I have remembered.’

  It was from a very young age, so she don’t know much.

  Only a few fragmented scenes and the words spoken during the hypnosis remained clear.

  At that time, she didn’t understand a word they said.

  But now, as an adult, she can vaguely understand the predicament I was in.

  It must have been fascination that caused her father, the King, to become obsessed.

  Normally, fascination grows stronger with repeated encounters and increasing contact.

  But for some reason, it seemed particularly strong from the beginning with the King.

  Or, was it like that with all men?

  Her master once said.

  Your fascination is unusually strong, so risky that it had to be sealed when you were young.

  She had mentioned that it could potentially lead to a mental breakdown, but it had to be done.

  Suddenly, she glanced down at her ankle where a chain caught her eye.

  This had been done just before meeting my master.

  Before that, there was nothing on my ankle.

  A voice, much like the King's, suddenly echoed in her mind.

  [Riana, my dear princess. With this, no one can take you from me. Only I possess the key, so it's safe. You are no longer in danger. Father will protect you.] His voice was filled with affection.

  Indeed, he must have loved Tatiana as a father.

  Much too obsessively.

  Tears streamed down.

  ‘But still, you protected me, Master.’

  Witches are usually abandoned.

  Though they are rarely killed directly due to the fear of curses, the moment it is revealed that someone is a witch, they are left by family in the woods.

  Most die bitten by beasts or starve lost in the woods.

  If lucky, some are found and raised by other witches, but that’s rare.

  Tatiana thought she was such a case.

  But she wasn't.

  She was even luckier.

  Even if being a witch is a fearful existence, defying the will of a king would mean death.

  Among witches, some indeed were burnt at the stake for incurring the wrath of powerful figures.

  It’s said that burning a witch purifies the curse, she had heard that somewhere.

  The master said it was a ridiculous lie, but people believe what they want.

  Despite the risks, the master rescued her from the King and took her into care.

  Hypnosis is not perfect.

  Rarely, but it can indeed come undone.

  Knowing this risk, the master saved her, a stranger.

  The days with the master were quiet and happy.

  Not only was she rescued, but she knew she was loved.

  As fragments of memory resurfaced, the master’s voice resonated powerfully.

  [Remember, Princess. Your fascination was so strong that even my powers could barely contain it. So....] Huh?

  Master, what are you saying?

  Master… that’s… uh….

  Tatiana blinked her eyes wide open.

  "Master, then!"

  With her exclamation, a huge face suddenly filled her vision.

  Gasp!

  Startled, she involuntarily held her breath.

  That seemed right.

  An incredibly terrifying face was right up against hers.

  For a moment, she thought she had encountered a monster.

  But no.

  This face.

  ‘The guardian star… it was real.’

  Yes, with a face having such destructive power, anything would be shattered.

  Suddenly, she laughed.

  Master, I found it.

  My own guardian star.

  I will be happy. No, I am happy now.

  Just as the Witch of Foresight said, just as the master wished me happiness.

  “No! That’s not it! There’s big trouble, Rafa.”

  ***

  Tatiana, her body constricted to the point of breathlessness, pounded on her husband's back as he held her tightly.

  Tatiana did not wake up for a whole day.

  She lay as if dead.

  What if she never woke up?

  Worry weighed on me like a boulder, and for the first time in my life, I knew what true fear was.

  I had never been this scared, even when I was attacked by a bear in the Forest of Magic.

  It was painful, tormenting, and a bit scary, but my fighting spirit had always outweighed my fear.

  But now, I was helplessly terrified.

  Without Tatiana, I would be alone forever.

  I would never meet someone as wonderful again.

  No, that’s not it.

  It’s not my selfishness; I genuinely care for her.

  I don’t even know when I came to love her this much.

  I was aware that I fell in love at first sight, but I never thought it would be this deep.

  I really like her.

  I love her.

  While she did not awaken, I held her hand and watched over her continuously.

  There are doctors in this city.

  But the doctors of this era seem rather quackish.

  As soon as they saw Tatiana, they said they would draw blood.

  I called them, wanting to know the cause of her collapse, but they immediately talked nonsense.

  With a drill-like instrument in hand, they approached Tatiana, so I chased them away.

  The Ducal house's official looked as though he would die of remorse right then and sent for a doctor from the Ducal house.

  I don’t know the cause, but it wouldn’t be that person’s fault.

  However, what he said seemed to have triggered something.

  After all, there’s only so much I can do.

  Thinking it best, I first took out the feathers I had been keeping and placed them on her.

  I tried dripping some into her mouth with a spoon, but she couldn’t swallow.

  Movies suggest feeding her with a kiss, but that doesn’t work either.

  I ended up ingesting the feather water myself, robustly.

  And finally, after about a day, she abruptly opened her eyes.

  "Master, then!"

  Tatiana, what on earth are you talking about?

  You were just lying there like a princess pricked by a spindle, asleep in the forest.

  Do you know how worried I was?

  And you suddenly sit up like nothing happened....

  Good, it’s really good. I’m so glad you woke up.

  I leaned in to check on her, and she looked terribly frightened.

  It was as if she had seen a monster.

  Maybe she had forgotten me.

  I was scared she might say she had completely lost her memory, so I hugged her tightly.

  I was terrified.

  I felt like crying.

  Holding her tightly, she pounded on me and exclaimed.

  “No! That’s not it! There’s big trouble, Rafa.”

  Ah, she hadn’t forgotten.

  That’s a relief.

  The tears I had held back fell like a waterfall with no restraint.