Good Night

"What are you?"

Alicia was somewhat surprised by how calm she was at that moment. One advantage of growing old was that there was nothing left to fear.

"A fire demon. You can call me Cassifa," Cassifa said.

"You say you're... a demon?" Alicia stared at the flame before her, her expression rather strange.

As though sensing that it had been underestimated, Cassifa indignantly flared brighter. The firewood crackled beneath its flames.

"I'm bound here by a contract! I can't leave this place by even a single step."

"Then it seems the two of us are alike. We're both victims of magic," Alicia said.

The crackling from within the hearth became a little livelier as Cassifa continued.

"The curse on you is ancient, and very powerful."

Hearing that, Alicia seemed to snap awake from a dream. "You can tell!?"

Her voice rose unconsciously as she asked urgently, "Can you break this curse?"

The flames burned silently for a while, those eyes carefully examining Alicia.

"It won't be easy. It's very complicated. I need to study it."

"About how long will it take?" Alicia asked.

"It'll take some time." It looked at Alicia, a flash of cunning passing through its eyes. "How about we make a deal?

If you agree to break the contract binding me, I'll lift your curse."

Alicia fell silent. Making a deal with a demon was not a wise choice; every story she had heard since childhood had told her as much.

"What are you still hesitating for?" Cassifa said. "Do you want to stay like this forever?"

"Everyone has to go through this stage eventually, don't they?" Alicia said.

"But they've already had their fill of youth. You haven't." Cassifa said, "This magic has cut at least sixty years off your lifespan."

Alicia nodded gravely. "That doesn't surprise me."

She looked at Cassifa, then suddenly asked the question that concerned her most. "Who did you make this contract with?"

"Shaya," Cassifa said. "The Sorcerer Shaya."

So it really was him, Alicia thought. For some reason, the unease in her heart settled. Perhaps it was because she no longer had to face the unknown.

She looked around once more.

So this was his castle.

"Not only am I trapped here and unable to move at all, I also have to bear responsibility for all the magic in this castle." Cassifa's voice became somewhat breathless. "I have to carefully conceal his existence, maintain the castle, make it move, and even heat the bathwater."

"That sounds pitiful," Alicia said.

"It's extremely pitiful!" Cassifa emphasized. "I'm being exploited."

"But you're a demon. In every story, demons exploit people. There's never been a case of someone exploiting a demon," Alicia teased.

Though she still did not entirely believe it, that did not stop her from finding it amusing.

"He's a very cunning Sorcerer," Cassifa said.

Alicia was silent for a moment as she considered it carefully. "If... you really can lift my curse, then perhaps I can agree to your request."

"Deal!" Cassifa said excitedly. Its face stretched longer as the flames surged. "Break my contract, and I can lift your curse immediately!"

"You have to tell me how to break the contract," Alicia said.

Cassifa blinked at her, then looked away. "Just as you cannot reveal the curse on you, our contract also has a confidentiality clause. I cannot violate the contract."

"Are you playing me?" Alicia said.

"If you observe carefully and listen closely, you'll find the answer," Cassifa crackled. "Believe me, it will benefit both of us."

It sounded very sincere, and Alicia reluctantly believed it.

"Then it seems I'll have to stay in this castle. But will that person let me remain?"

"We can think of something slowly," Cassifa said. "Shaya is very easygoing, and he likes helping people. Not long ago, he saved some poor fellow who was nearly frozen to death on the snowfields."

"Come to think of it, I still don't know. Is he in the castle now?" Alicia asked.

"No. I don't know when he'll return either."

"Good." Alicia nodded. "Then hurry and think of something. Preferably before he comes back."

She leaned comfortably against her chair and waited for it to think. The flames burned before her. Cassifa was very quiet while thinking; apart from the crackling of firewood burning in the flames, all was silent.

The white noise made her drowsy. She did not know whether it was magic, especially when Cassifa finally began chanting a song in an unknown language. It was very tranquil, and she fell into a deep sleep almost completely defenseless.

Who knew how long passed before, with a click, the great doors slowly opened...

Shaya entered from outside. Somewhat weary, he took off his coat and placed it to one side. Then he sat on the red sofa opposite and gently exhaled.

He quietly watched the little old lady sleeping in his chair without speaking.

"I told her everything you told me to say," Cassifa said. "Can she really break our contract?"

"Never question Fate's choice," Shaya murmured softly.

He looked at Cassifa with some curiosity. "How did she get in?"

Cassifa could not tell at a glance that this old lady was Alicia. Its perception was not that strong.

"I don't know. The moment she shouted for it to stop outside, the castle slipped out of my control. It took quite a while to recover, and then she somehow broke through my defenses. Was it because of Fate?"

Shaya thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Fate would not manifest in that way."

"You mean..."

"The template used by this Fate differs between the novel and the film. In the novel, the heroine possesses magic, though she herself does not know it.

"And in the film..."

Shaya fell silent for a moment. After recalling it for a while, he said, "She should have it there as well. It simply was not specifically mentioned due to time constraints."

Cassifa's eyes widened as it looked curiously at Alicia. "If that's the case, then her magic is..."

"Word Spirit," Shaya murmured.

"She was born with that ability. Her talent is quite remarkable," Cassifa said.

Shaya thought for a moment. "She is of royal blood. Perhaps one of her ancestors was an exceptionally powerful mage. Otherwise, they could not have created such a vast empire. There is mystery flowing in her blood.

"And because of that, she was chosen to bear this Fate."

He raised his head and quietly watched Alicia's profile. As she sank into sleep, the curse upon her revealed another form.

Reflected in the flickering firelight at one side, her skin became smooth and rosy once more. Long black hair spilled loosely around her. Even though her sleeping posture was not very graceful, it could not conceal her beauty.

At the banquet before, the crown-like, magnificent mask had concealed most of her face. Though it had indeed lent her an air of mystery, it had also hidden much of her radiance.

"This should be a form of magic that manifests one's inner self," Cassifa said. "Her heart carries an age that does not belong to someone her age."

Shaya nodded. "But that isn't all. It has a second layer."

"Troublesome," Cassifa said.

Shaya smiled. "Only troublesome for now."

He rose from the sofa, picked up the coat beside him, and gently draped it over Alicia. Then he said softly,

"Good night. Sweet dreams."

Then he turned and walked toward the stairs.