Mira carefully pushed open the tower door.

Before her lay a vast, pitch-black space, where nothing was visible. But contrary to her expectations, there were no vicious hounds suddenly leaping out, nor the blazing flames of the dragon rushing toward her.

She sighed in relief, turned around, and waved to the people who had come to escort her: “Go back. There’s nothing happening here.”

From behind a distant boulder, several heads peeked out, watching her.

When they saw that Mira had not been reduced to ashes by the dragon's flames, their anxious hearts eased somewhat.

Then, a shadow dashed out.

The hearts of the group tightened again, rising to their throats.

“Princess!”

“Your Highness!”

But the figure paid no heed to their calls, stumbling forward toward the tower.

One person stopped the attendants who were calling out.

“Quiet! Do you want to be discovered? We’ll all be burned alive.”

The group exchanged uncertain glances, too afraid to speak or move. Their eyes fixed on the shadow rushing toward the tower.

“Mira!” A young girl ran madly toward the ominous tower. She kept her eyes on Mira, unaware of the protruding bones underfoot.

Everyone watched in horror as the girl fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

Mira was stunned by the princess’s actions. She lifted her skirt and quickly ran a few steps, nimbly crossing the ground littered with bones, and scooped the fallen girl up.

“I’ll do it,” Princess Maria of the kingdom clung tightly to Mira’s waist, burying her head in her chest, sobbing quietly. It was unclear if she was crying because of the fall or out of genuine concern for Mira.

“I don’t want you to do this for me! Mira, you need to run with the money. You’re strong; they won’t be able to catch you.”

Mira, dressed in a gorgeous wedding gown, couldn’t help but laugh despite herself. She called out to the princess, “Maria, I’m fine.”

Maria lifted her tear-streaked face, a far cry from her usual dignified appearance as a princess.

“Really?” She didn’t believe it. After all, it was Mira herself who had told the king she would take her place as the bride.

Maria knew Mira was a witch, but witches were still afraid of pain.

“Yes,” Mira smiled faintly. She was the same age as Maria, but it felt as if she were comforting a child.

“I’m very strong.”

Eventually, Maria was pulled away by her attendants. They were too terrified of provoking the dragon.

After all, if the dragon discovered the bride had been switched, it would surely bring disaster.

Mira was left standing alone in the clearing in front of the tower.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back to save you.” Reflecting on Maria’s last words, Mira smiled and shook her head, dismissing the idea.

Maria...

Mira thought, she was a well-loved little princess, meant to marry a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom. As for her, Mira, she was the infamous evil witch, the one who was supposed to be burned alive.

The little princess wanted to save her. It was impossible. Those who loved her wouldn’t allow it.

Mira looked down at her luxurious wedding dress.

I have to rely on myself, Mira. She told herself. So what if it’s a dragon? You’re a witch, Mira, a powerful witch.

Mira gave herself a bit of confidence. She straightened her dress and pushed open the broken wooden door to the tower again.

The tower—an ominous structure in the mountains of the eastern part of Dekano Kingdom—was the home of the temperamental and bloodthirsty dragon.

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Eighteen years ago, on the night of the princess’s full moon celebration, the terrifying dragon descended from the sky and burned half of the castle with its fiery breath.

In the end, the wizard from the Magic Nexus intervened, negotiating between the humans and the dragon to stop the massacre. The dragon returned to its tower, but at the cost of yearly tributes of cattle and sheep. Moreover, when the princess turned eighteen, she would become the dragon’s bride.

Mira had heard this legend when she was very young. Her mentor was the wizard who had mediated between humans and dragons.

The dragon’s tower had always been a place that wizards refused to speak of.

Dark, damp, and smelling of mildew—this was Mira’s first impression of the tower.

She covered her mouth and nose, snapping her fingers, and a steady, bright flame appeared at her fingertips.

Mira immediately realized this was a dangerous move. She extinguished the flame. After waiting for a moment with no signs of danger, she snapped her fingers again.

The crisp sound echoed loudly in the darkness, but the surroundings remained eerily silent.

Could the dragon have left? Mira wondered, but she hadn’t heard of any recent dragon attacks.

But that was probably for the best. She still had some time to prepare her magic.

Mira was a skilled witch with powerful magic. But she didn’t have the right magical tools yet, and there were many complex spells she couldn’t perform on her own. Setting up a magic circle in advance was a common practice for witches in this world.

After all, suitable magical tools were rare, and finding the right ones was incredibly difficult.

A steady flame once again appeared at the tips of Mira’s fingers.

The light filled the space at the base of the tower.

Contrary to what Mira had imagined, the place was filled with scattered books.

She bent down and picked up one of them.

"The Essence of Teleportation Magic"

Mira blinked. Teleportation magic? That was a legendary magic, one that had been lost for many years.

The dragon actually studied knowledge? She shook her head, brushing away the thought.

It was said that dragons had a tendency to collect things. What if the dragon liked to collect books...?

As if to validate this absurd thought, the further Mira went into the tower, the more books were scattered around, their variety growing wider.

Mira stopped, raised her hand, and the light source lifted with her.

A figure was buried under a pile of books. From the figure’s build, it looked like a man.

Mira furrowed her brow. A thief who broke into the tower?

But everyone knew the tower belonged to the dragon. Everyone knew it was dangerous. Who would think of sneaking in to steal something here?

Mira took a few steps forward and stopped by the man’s side. She frowned, muttering a spell under her breath. Then, cautiously, she extended her leg and nudged the man with her toes.

He didn’t move.

Mira kicked him again. The man groaned in pain.

Mira jumped back in surprise.

He was still alive.

“Hey.”

Mira quickly crouched down, pushing the old books off the man, one by one, until his body was fully revealed.

She smelled something like burning.

Had he been burned by dragon fire? Yet he was still alive?

Mira felt a shock and carefully flipped the man over.

A pale face greeted her. Even the warm orange glow of the flame couldn’t add any color to his complexion.

A handsome man, yet he looked like he was on the verge of death.