After the incident at the palace, Alteraz was escorted back to her chambers under the watchful eyes of the household guards. Word of her "sudden insanity" had spread quickly through House de Florencia, and all of the finest physicians were summoned without delay.
They examined her pulse, checked her pupils, and carefully assessed the flow of mana within her body. Their expressions grew grave as they whispered among themselves. When they finally stepped back, they all agreed that the young lady had lost her memory.
Alteraz quietly accepted this judgment, using it to her advantage while concealing her true awareness.
Now she lay against the silk cushions of her bed, staring at the intricate carvings on the ceiling. The world felt distant and muted, as though she were watching it through glass.
A fantasy novel she had once read to escape her miserable life had become her reality. If she had known that death would free her from that suffocating existence, perhaps she would not have resisted it so desperately.
Alteraz slowly pushed herself upright. The dizziness that had plagued her earlier was fading as recoil her thoughts. Whatever force had brought her into this world, she had escaped her old life and now stood at the beginning of something new.
A gentle knock sounded at the door, and the head physician entered, carrying a tray of herbs and several small glass vials filled with shimmering liquid.
"Young miss," he greeted respectfully, bowing. "How are you feeling?"
"My body feels weak," she said evenly. "But my mind feels incomplete. There are gaps in my memory. Tell me clearly... what's wrong with me?"
She was not lying. Even though she inhabited this body, its memories remained beyond her reach.
The physician inclined his head as he spoke. "Young miss, your mana core ruptured."
"Ruptured?" Alteraz echoed, her eyes widening. "How did that happen? What did I do?"
"You attempted to accelerate your growth," he continued. "You consumed enhancement substances beyond what your current mana core could withstand. The strain destabilized your core and caused it to fracture. That's why the backlash affected your memory."
Alteraz nodded slowly. Oh... great. So basically Alteraz was an addict, she thought.
"I have prepared medicines to stabilize your core and gradually restore balance. As your mana settles, your memories may return naturally."
"Wait..." Something clicked in her mind. "You said I have mana, right? Does that mean I can use magic?"
Hearing this, the physician chuckled softly. "Yes, young miss. Everyone in House de Florencia has mana. Though I must say, your curiosity is… unusual."
Alteraz felt heat creep up her face. She quickly waved a hand.
"Leave the medicine. I will take it later. You may go."
"As you command," he said with a bow before exiting.
When he left, Alteraz pressed the bell beside her bed. A short while later, Atila entered, pushing a meal cart.
"You called for me, young miss?"
"Yes," Alteraz replied. "Sit. I need answers. Start again with my full name."
Atila hesitated, then complied. "You are Alteraz Montemari Contese de Florencia. You are the direct disciple of Grandmaster Dane Zhangxuan and is placed in the line of succession for the House of de Florencia. The title Contese marks you as his direct disciple, granting you the surname de Florencia and formal recognition within the house."
She listened quietly, piecing together fragments of what she remembered from the novel she once read.
Dane Zhangxuan had become the head of House de Florencia at only twenty. Shortly after his ascension, he had taken in an orphaned girl whose parents were found dead under mysterious circumstances.
A fragile child with eyes too old for her age but she has an unbreakable spirit, and that child was this body.
"Am I his only disciple?" she asked.
"No" Atila said. "There are many disciples under him, but your position stands above most."
"Then what about my current relationship with him?" she asked.
Atila blinked at her, clearly startled by the question. Realizing the misunderstanding, Alteraz quickly corrected herself.
"I mean" she added, "are we close or not?"
Atila hesitated at first, but Alteraz's eyes told her to continue. "It has been strained, young miss."
"Why?"
"Y-you discovered the truth about your parents' deaths," Atila said quietly. "One of the Ten Masters, Master Lucian, was responsible."
The name settled heavily in the room.
Oh...
Alteraz could only respond inwardly as a wave of melancholy washed over her without warning.
Atila's words confirmed what the novel had once described. Alteraz had once devoted everything to her master, her purpose centered entirely on him. That foundation broke when the truth about her parents surfaced. What she never learned was that his silence had been protection, not abandonment. By the time that truth could have mattered, distance had already solidified between them. Slowly, the surrounding events began to shift in a way that placed Alteraz at the center of every misfortune, subtle enough to avoid proof, but consistent enough to shape perception.
"So that was it," she murmured.
"You... you sought revenge, my lady," Atila said softly, her voice trembling. "You tried to assassinate Master Lucian."
She closed her eyes before continuing.
"Grandmaster Zhangxuan stopped you. He was trying to protect you. If you had succeeded... or if the attempt had become public..." Her voice faltered. "You would have been executed, my lady."
Alteraz exhaled slowly as she processed the information. A drop of water landed on her hand, and only then did she find out she was crying. Beside her, Atila immediately regretted bringing it up, but before she could console her, Alteraz softly asked her to leave. Atila lowered her head and left the room without another word.
Alteraz wiped the tears from her face. They were not hers, but the lingering grief left behind in this body.
"What a tragic little story you had," she said to herself.
She stood up and walked to the mirror. The reflection staring back was pale and sickly, but something colder now lingered behind the gaze.
"I'm sorry, Alteraz," she said quietly. "What happened to you is no longer my concern."
A faint grin formed in her lips.
"Still… I'll drag you to the top of this world, even if I have to break everything in my way to put you there."
She met her reflection.
"Take it as my payment of borrowing your life."