Episode 08
Clements had placed me inside a deep trunk after removing all his belongings. Clutching the long hem of the cloak I had worn in the forest, I carefully climbed out over the high edge.
Now came the real problem.
I fixed my gaze on the shortest path from my current position to the door and steadied my resolve. The room assigned to the Crown Prince was spacious—far enough that both the trunk and the route to the door were well separated from the bed where Clements slept.
But based on extensive “statistical analysis” gathered from countless stories, 99.8% of male leads in romance fantasies were absurdly light sleepers. Especially in situations like this—when someone tried something in their room while they slept—they had an extremely high probability of waking up at the worst possible moment.
‘Hmm…’
If I got caught sneaking out, it was game over—instant death, metaphorically speaking. There was no way he’d believe that the chick he cherished was actually me. And if I revealed I was Bella’s maid, things might spiral even further out of control.
‘Right. This is the only way.’
I pulled out the pouch that had saved me countless times in moments of danger. Inside was powdered, dried Habil root.
Planning to hold a sleeping agent under the male lead’s nose…
I’m really sorry for overstepping my role as a side character!
Holding my breath so completely it felt like I’d stopped breathing altogether, I moved step by step. I felt like a thief creeping through the night.
When I finally reached him, the sight of Clements up close…
He looked like a sorrowful angel sculpted from marble.
Beautiful—achingly so.
But I didn’t have the luxury to admire it.
“So please… let loving Bella be your answer.”
As I used the pouch, the faint tension in his expression faded. His face smoothed into perfect stillness—pure, undisturbed peace.
The frantic pounding of my heart slowly calmed.
At night, the Monahan estate was practically my domain.
For eight years, I had memorized every guard rotation, every shadowed corridor, every blind spot—sneaking Bella out of the estate had made sure of that.
“Bella!”
I reached her room without hesitation and called out softly.
But it was empty.
“…What?”
She wasn’t there.
At this hour, she should have either transformed into a black panther and stared blankly out the window… or been asleep.
If she wasn’t in her room, it meant she had gone outside in that form.
“How?! Without anyone to watch for her? And with outsiders all over the estate because of the Crown Prince?”
Panic surged through me. Bella, who was already like a child left unattended near water, had vanished.
I searched everywhere—the dressing room, the bath, every possible corner—before rushing out into the corridors.
“Where are you?!”
I scoured every place she might have passed through or hidden in.
Nothing.
Silence.
Eventually, I dragged myself back to her room empty-handed.
The only small relief was that she hadn’t been discovered. If someone had seen her, there would have been a commotion.
So she had escaped safely.
But where?
“She might be in the forest… looking for me.”
If that were the case, we had completely missed each other.
What should I do?
Wait here until morning?
…No.
By dawn, I would turn back into a helpless chick.
I had to act before then—for the sake of the story, and to break this curse.
In the end, I sat at Bella’s desk and began writing a note.
[My dear Bella, it’s me—Ophelia. I’m sorry for making you worry. The truth is…]
I paused.
What was I supposed to say?
That I had encountered terrifying magical beings in the forest and been cursed just like her? That the Crown Prince had taken me and wouldn’t let me go?
No. That would only make her worry more. And if she confronted Clements…?
That would completely destroy what little chance remained between them.
No—this was something I had to resolve on my own.
So I continued writing.
I told her I was safe. That I wouldn’t be able to return for a while, but I would definitely come back to her side.
After hesitating, I added one more thing.
That the Crown Prince seemed well-suited to her—and maybe she should try getting closer to him.
Once finished, I placed the note where she couldn’t miss it and hurried out.
As a noble-born servant, I had more freedom of movement than most.
Over the past eight years, I had left the estate late at night countless times after finishing my duties.
Which meant—
I could pass through the main gate without raising suspicion.
“Ophelia! Where have you been? Do you know how much everyone’s been searching for you?”
“Uncle Pero, were you looking for me too? I’m sorry… I finished the errand a while ago, but I had some time left and ended up taking a nap in one of my secret spots!”
“Aigoo…”
“When I woke up, people were calling my name everywhere, it was already dark… I was so embarrassed I thought I’d die! My lady even told me to just go home!”
Eight years of protecting my lady’s secret had honed my ability to lie convincingly.
As expected, the loyal gatekeeper swallowed it whole, clicking his tongue.
“Honestly… how exhausted must you have been to nap like that in broad daylight? Go home and get some rest. Be careful on your way.”
“Yes, sir! Thank you for your hard work!”
I gave him a knight’s salute—right fist to left chest.
Though he had never officially become a knight, he trained diligently in his spare time and admired them deeply.
Behind me, I heard him mutter in embarrassment.
“Kids these days… honestly…”
I’m sorry for deceiving you, Uncle…
Pulling my hood low, I headed toward a bookstore that stayed open late into the night.
To break this curse, I needed magic.
The problem was that in this remote countryside, finding a proper mage was nearly impossible.
So instead, I came here—my regular bookstore.
“Well, if it isn’t Ophelia! Perfect timing. I was starting to feel offended you hadn’t shown up lately.”
“Hello, Simon.”
A cheerful young man greeted me from behind a pile of books.
This being a romance fantasy world, even a minor shopkeeper like him would be considered handsome by normal standards.
Not that I became a regular because of his looks. Absolutely not.
“Busy lately? Oh—and I heard from the capital that ‘The Princess Is a Hypochondriac’ Volume 6 is almost done. Want me to reserve a copy?”
“Ah—yes, please. I’d really appreciate that.”
Simon could read my taste like a book—my reading history, favorite authors, current interests, even what I’d want next.
…Another AlphaGo, honestly.
But wait.
If the story followed the original plot, Bella and Clements would soon return to the imperial palace… and I would go with them.
Would I even be here to pick up that book?
Probably not.
“…Actually, I’m here to order something else today.”
“Oh? You’re not buying that? Did the author kill someone off or something?”
“…No, but…”
That oddly specific example made me uneasy.
“So what are you looking for, Lady Ophelia?”
“I told you, I’m not a lady—I’m a lady’s maid.”
He liked to tease me like that.
“Please get me books on magic.”
“…Magic?”
His reaction was as if a student who only read light novels suddenly asked for Olympiad-level science textbooks.
Well… it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“Yes. Not blue magic—red magic… or even black magic. Anything related to summoning or curses.”
Magic wasn’t all the same.
Blue magic was the most modern—built on logic, knowledge, and structured study. It was what people usually meant when they talked about “learning magic.”
Red magic, on the other hand, came from ancient times—based on instinct, rituals, and spiritual intuition.
And black magic…
That dealt with beings tied to the demon realm.
Once, red magic had dominated the world.
But times had changed.
The empire’s official religion had suppressed it, and the great families who practiced it had mostly fallen.
Which led to one inevitable question:
In a land like Hornwood—close to the demon realm, filled with magical fog, curses, and strange phenomena…
What kind of magic do you think still lingers there?
