Curse

Alicia raised her chin slightly in confusion. "What rumor?"

"It came from the north, from Marquis Os's territory. They say that a magical Moving Castle wanders the Polar Snowfield, and a Sorcerer with magic lives inside.

"He is handsome and immensely powerful. He devours the hearts of beautiful young girls. They say several girls in that town have already had their souls taken."

Alicia frowned. "Did the families of those girls report it?"

"I don't know, but that is what the rumor says," the maid replied.

Alicia's brow relaxed slightly. "All right, you may leave. I wish to rest."

The maid nodded, bowed to Alicia, and carefully backed out of the room.

Alicia silently rose from her seat and felt her way toward her bed. Then, she distinctly sensed that there was someone else in the room.

She turned toward where she sensed the person—the direction of the bedchamber balcony.

She frowned slightly.

"Is there anything else?"

But then, she caught an unbearably pungent scent, like perfume made from a hundred different fragrances. Her sense of smell was keen, so almost none of the palace maids wore perfume.

This person was not a maid. Alicia realized it almost instantly, and her heart tightened at that moment.

"Who are you?" Alicia asked with a frown. "Please leave immediately, or I will call for someone!"

"They cannot hear you."

The person spoke. As expected, it was a woman. Her voice was pleasant, yet carried a lofty arrogance.

"This place is so plain. It hardly seems like somewhere an Imperial Princess should live. Are you unwelcome in the royal family?"

Alicia could sense the woman gradually approaching her, evaluating the room in a haughty tone as she walked.

Soon, she stood before Alicia. Without touching her at all, Alicia's ornate crown-like blindfold slipped off by itself.

The woman extended a hand and lifted Alicia's chin, as though examining her face.

After a moment, she spoke again.

"What an enviable face. No wonder it drew that man's attention."

Alicia instinctively stepped back. The pungent fragrance made her dizzy. Aside from her own breathing and the other person's, the surroundings were almost completely silent—an unnerving silence.

"Madam, I think there may be some misunderstanding between us?"

By now, she had realized that the woman before her was likely connected to the mysterious man from the banquet, and perhaps possessed mysterious powers as well.

"A misunderstanding?" The woman seemed to have heard something amusing. "You are covered in his scent. I would never mistake it."

Alicia fell silent for a moment. "What do you want?"

"I came to teach you a lesson."

The woman said, "I will make you understand how foolish it is to anger the Wilderness Witch."

Hearing the woman's near-pronouncement of judgment, even Alicia felt anger rise within her.

"You were the ones who came after me! What does this have to do with me?!"

Perhaps because of fear, her voice was gradually becoming strange.

"If you must blame someone, blame that face of yours," the Wilderness Witch said.

After a pause, she continued, "Mm. This is what you truly look like."

Then, as though she had remembered something, she added, "Oh, right. You cannot see. That takes away some of the fun."

She seemed to cast some kind of magic. Alicia only felt as though the black curtain that had covered her eyes was pulled aside, and her mind began processing the images her eyes conveyed.

Everything around her was no longer limited to sounds and scents. She could see.

She saw the room she had lived in for nearly twenty years. Just as the woman had said, it was indeed somewhat plain and simple.

Soon, she saw the woman who had just spoken with her.

She was dressed extravagantly, with a mink stole draped over her elbows. Her black gown was studded with diamonds that glittered and flashed. Most striking of all was the enormous hat on her head, adorned with genuine dyed ostrich feathers, reflecting the diamonds' flickering pink, green, and blue hues, though it still somehow appeared black.

Aside from her sumptuous attire, her face was exquisitely made up and beautiful. Her chestnut-brown hair made her seem very young.

"Remember to pass a message to Shaya."

The Wilderness Witch spoke.

"Tell him that I will find him.

"And do not tell anyone about the curse you have been placed under."

With that, she left. Like that man, she vanished without a trace, leaving only the clock at the side swinging back and forth like a funeral bell.

Very soon, Alicia sensed that something was wrong with her. She put both hands to her face and felt loose, wrinkled folds of skin.

She looked at her hands. They, too, were covered in wrinkles and thin as sticks, the veins on their backs bulging, their knuckles rising like little hills.

Her black dress hung down to her legs. Lowering her head, she saw shriveled, aged ankles and feet that distorted the shape of her shoes. They were the feet of a ninety-year-old, without a doubt.

Alicia found that she had to shuffle to reach the glass beneath the clock. Reflected in it was a somewhat panicked face—a haggard old woman's face, waxen and sallow, with sparse white hair and slightly clouded eyes staring back at her from the mirror, rather frighteningly.

Her panic came quickly and faded just as quickly. Perhaps it was because she had never seen much of her own youthful, beautiful appearance in the first place.

"Do not worry, old thing."

Alicia looked at the old woman in the glass. "You look quite healthy. You should still live for a long time."

She shuffled over to the bed and sat down, beginning to consider what she should do now.

She definitely could not remain in the palace. The Imperial Capital had only just gone through the incident of Marquis Os being possessed by an evil spirit. If anyone suspected she was possessed as well, these old bones of hers would never withstand those so-called exorcism rituals.

But where should she go?

Even Alicia was somewhat surprised by her own calmness. She quickly accepted her circumstances. Perhaps it was because she no longer had to continue living out her former Fate.

She thought Prince Ernst probably would not like how she looked now.

Of course, she still had to find a way to lift this curse.

Suddenly, Alicia seemed to think of something. She climbed down from the bed and paced back and forth with shuffling steps.

A Sorcerer's curse naturally had to be dealt with by a Sorcerer. Alicia remembered the rumor the maid had just told her.

Marquis Os was the one who had disappeared, and this rumor had come from Marquis Os's territory. Alicia did not believe that was a coincidence. She had a feeling that she might encounter that man again.

Let me think. These clothes fit me perfectly, so that must be because of magic. I need to bring some money and food. They say it is very cold there, so I must bring my coat and shawl too.

With that in mind, she headed toward the wardrobe. Every joint creaked with her movements, and Alicia had no choice but to hunch over and walk slowly.

She was quite glad that she was a fairly sturdy old woman. She did not feel weak or unwell, only somewhat stiff.

She shuffled to the wardrobe, took out a shawl, and wrapped it around her head and shoulders. Old people could not catch a chill.

Then she packed her coat into a piece of blue cloth. Next, she went to the dressing table, pulled open a drawer, and took out a cross-shaped brooch set with a red gemstone that glowed warmly beneath the kerosene lamp.

I should be able to get quite a bit of money for this at a pawnshop, Alicia thought.

After confirming there was nothing else she needed to bring, she took a deep breath and carefully walked toward the door.