The ceremony that marked the end of a project that lasted for a year and a half went surprisingly smoothly. Neither the early spring rain nor the minute of silence in honor of the deceased Holiness Imara could darken the mood. For months, both sides worked hard to dig miles of soil and reinforce the banks of the canal, facing a shortage of funds, the struggles of some bribed officials, and stubborn farmers who refused to sell certificates of rights to cultivate land. While in Kushane, the whole project garnered deserved attention, newspapers on the Castro's side remained silent.

Now, standing at the podium shaking hands with the Minister of Agriculture and Water Supply, all these trials seemed insignificant in the face of the grand result to Cornelia. She smiled, humbly accepting praise from the man in front of her.

"I simply restarted a long-forgotten project. And I'm deeply grateful to Kushane's people for supporting the idea and putting so much effort into its realization."

"No need to belittle your contribution, Your Highness," the minister slightly nodded at his servant. At this signal, the gifts that the two parties had exchanged with each other were taken from the podium. “It was a pleasure working with you. Who knows, we may very well change territories in two and a half years."

The political foresight of the neighboring kingdom was admirable. If only Castro shared the same vigor in this regard, then the irrigation canals stretching from the Teena River to the southern regions of the West would have been finished a long time ago...

Exchanging pleasantries and answering questions from journalists, Cornelia tried to shake off those heavy thoughts. After all, the project had been completed, and even if the drought returned this year, the kingdom would suffer less. She spotted two reporters from the Castro Times and Farmer's Almanac, who were brave enough to attend the event. Although the latter was a smaller publication, it was still a good sign that someone came despite the pressure of the king's iron grip. Cornelia met with the gaze of her accompanying officer. He understood everything without words. His trusted soldiers would guard those two, to make sure that no "unfortunate accidents" befall the reporters.

The celebration lasted longer than she had originally thought it would. Leaving in the middle was offensive, so Cornelia spent the whole time smiling and talking with Kushane's officials. When the formal part and buffet were over, she could finally say goodbye. After getting into the carriage, she took off her headscarf and leaned back into the coach. A young maid who accompanied her offered a flask of water to the princess. Cornelia shook her head and closed her eyes. The facial muscles felt sore from the never-ending smile for the last few days.

Several minutes passed before Cornelia finally opened her eyes. The handmaid in front of her stole glances at the window, looking curiously at the scenery. Her round babyface was brimming with joy. 'She was waiting and standing a lot these days too', thought Cornelia, and asked out loud, "Aren't you tired?"

"Not at all, Your Highness!" cheerfully reported the maid. "If I didn't serve Your Highness, I wouldn't have ever gotten a chance to see many new places."

"Still, let's make a brief stop and eat. The minister told me about a nice restaurant nearby. It's a good opportunity to try local dishes."

It turned out to be a good idea indeed. Feeling pleased, Cornelia watched as the food in front of the knights and servants disappeared with the speed of light. While a few people seemed to miss the lack of alcohol, she enjoyed the strong and aromatic coffee. In her thoughts, the princess thanked the minister for the excellent recommendation and ordered another cup. There were many customers, but the waiter took the order right away.

The place was full of noise, conversations, and laughter. It felt relaxing, unlike the strict official ceremonies. Only the intense stare of Dietrich sitting across the table made things harder to enjoy.

"I swear on my mother’s grave, it’s true. My friend heard it from the villagers themselves. They said that one of them had turned to be a Magic Snatcher."

This particular talk instantly attracted her attention. She didn't expect to hear the term in such a place. Cornelia glanced at the table next to them - a Kushane man and a few listeners gathered around him. Her obvious curiosity made Dietrich frown.

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"I heard about them, too," answered one of the men at a nearby table. "But humans can't wield magic. Then, how could something like that happen?"

"Exactly," said the man, adding, "So whatever means they use to get magic, it already makes them nonhuman."

His listeners nodded in agreement and, in turn, started to share their thoughts on the topic.

"This is so exciting, don't you think, Your Highness?" the maid's eyes were brimming with curiosity and energy. But before Cornelia could reply, Dietrich's opinion shattered that youthful excitement.

"This is just yellow papers talk. And even if it's true, meeting such a monster would be unfortunate for poor lady like you."

The girl pouted, muttering that she was not poor at all. The knight's eyes were all on the princess, but without receiving a likable answer he stood up and left the hall. Cornelia finished her drink and also left the table. One by one, the knights and servants followed the example of the princess. After the payment had been done, the delegation was once again ready to move on.

"How rude of him to interrupt someone else's conversation, just to spoil the mood!" exclaimed the maid, without making an effort to speak in low voice, when they left the restaurant and boarded the carriage.

"It's just an unpleasant topic for Dietrich," said Cornelia. "But in regard to this rumor, even if it sounds exciting, it's actually a highly unlikely one. It often comes to be a lie when an acquaintance's acquaintance is mentioned."

"I suppose so," reluctantly agreed the young girl.

'Now I know that the Magic Snatchers of the first generation have abilities limited to elemental magic. Shapeshifting is an impossible task for them. But it's not like I can reveal it to her.' Leaning back in the soft back of the carriage chair, Cornelia watched the changing scenery.

It took a while, but in the end, she could find Lazaretto. The place, disguised as a tuberculosis hospital for soldiers on paper, was actually a complex of several buildings hidden behind a high fence. The first time she visited, the guards were so flustered by the sight of the princess that they couldn't think of a proper excuse to stop her from entering. She used this opportunity to investigate as much as possible.

This place, with its living barracks, training grounds, and research facilities, hid many secrets. Uncovering them was like peeling an onion. Layer by layer, and the feelings it caused also were similar to cutting onions. However, even now, some areas were beyond her reach. She was fortunate when the doctor responsible for Magic Snatchers simply shrugged and went back to work when the guards had doubts about the princess's visit. This silent indifference allowed Cornelia to come and leave Lazaretto. Not that the other inhabitants were glad to see her.

Magic Snatchers were in civil service, receiving medical help and a salary from the beginning of their lives. They were born in Lazaretto, and after their deaths, their bodies were returned there for research. This was the second reason why rumors that got the maid excited could not be true. Magic Snatchers were hybrids born from humans and nymphs. Other methods of obtaining magic have failed, according to Dr. Neumann's claims. 'And knowing the deep hatred between our species, I feel sick just thinking about how they achieved this. The underground levels of Lazaretto are probably restricted to me for the same reason. Jack was right when he said that facing the truth hurts.'

Cornelia watched as raindrops began to fall again on the carriage window, trailing down. There were still too many questions. Many of them she only got vague guesses about, like how other countries created and trained their Magic Snatchers. 'I wish I could talk to Lord Cheda about this. But it's not a topic for a letter and I don't know when we will be able to meet in person.' The maid started to nod off, tired from the road and a long day. The princess was left alone with her thoughts and memories. And one particular question that has been bothering her for a while and was too early to ask Dr. Neumann about - why were people who could perform powerful magic content with the lives they led? 'Would they rebel, they could easily break free and even overthrow the king. Even if they are treated as well-paid employees, it doesn't make sense.'