The last thing Ingrid remembered was going to a festival with her father a year before her abduction. Then, a stampede occurred, and she was swept away by the fleeing crowd and lost consciousness. When she woke up a year later, she was back in her father's palace, with no memory of the intervening time.

Since then, Ingrid kept having this terrible feeling that someone was keeping watch on her—looming like a constant, chilling presence. As she grew, that inexplicable fear grew with her.

It felt like there was this constant alarm in her head telling her to flee.

"Lady Joan, six years ago my daughter was abducted by some bas~terrible man. My child..." The grand duke paused and looked at Ingrid with a worried gaze. He had always tried to avoid speaking of that year in front of Ingrid. But certain things can only be solved with the knowledge of those involved—especially now that her memories seem to be manifesting themselves as a nightmare.

"She was held captive by the King of Serus for almost a year. I don't know what got into that mad king, but he suddenly decided to return my child to me. But when Ingrid was returned, she had no recollection of what happened while she was in that scou~man's domain. Could it be that her memories of that place were so traumatic that she chose to forget them on her own?"

All eyes turned to Ingrid.

When Grand Duke Rasmus learned that Ingrid had no memory of her abduction, he was actually a bit relieved. He thought it was for the best. Back then, despite her memory, Ingrid revealed a drastic change in her personality. She was once a cheerful and active child. But since returning, she rarely spoke and would often be found staring at the emptiness.

A day after Ingrid was returned to their doorstep, the empire's best physicians and healers were summoned to the Lennox household. But the moment the young Ingrid saw the people in white coats, she went hysterical. She screamed and ran, as if she had seen a hideous monster. Some healers tried to pin her down, but this only made things worse. The poor, frightened child began biting and scratching anyone who touched her.

Hearing his daughter's broken cries, Grand Duke Rasmus couldn't bear it any longer and dismissed everyone. That incident made Ingrid even more closed off.

It took several months of effort before she allowed anyone near her except for her close servant, Lily, and the Grand Duke. Two years later, she finally allowed Alana to examine her after she had a bad fever. But it was on the condition that Alana doesn't wear a white coat. Since then, physicians in the Lennox residence have been banned from wearing white coats.

It was only a year ago when she finally allowed other physicians to examine her. But they were only allowed to come one by one and must not have a white coat. Nevertheless, she still prefers Alana as her primary physician.

Sensing that they were about to talk about something sensitive, Elias instructed the servants to leave. The only ones left in the room were him, Alana, Roan, and the grand duke.

Elias swiftly pulled a chair for Lady Joan to sit on. "Thank you, child. Well, her memory loss does not seem to be something she inflicted upon herself—no, I'm sure of it. It isn't self-inflicted. Rather, it was caused by magic."

Ingrid's fist unconsciously clenched. She suddenly had the impression of a hideous smile and glowing hand hovering over her head at the mention of magic. The thought left goosebumps on her skin.

"Young lady, since when have you started having such nightmares?" Lady Joan asked, her wisdom-filled eyes looking at Ingrid with gentle kindness.

Lady Joan's tone was always soft, never commanding, yet that gentleness in her makes a person yearn to respect her more. No wonder the grand duke has such high regard for Lady Joan.

Ingrid pondered for a moment before answering, "I believe it's been a year, Lady Joan. However, I've never had such nightmares in succession until now. It's supposed to only happen the night that I experienced stress."

Lady Joan nodded. "It seems that magic sealing your memory is gradually weakening. I believe this is the reason why your sealed memories are leaking into your dreams."

"The mind is a rather complex thing. Magicians who deal with the mind could be counted with one finger. To tamper with the mind is to fight against a person's will. But the stronger the will, the more powerful the mind becomes."

Grand Duke Rasmu's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by this, Lady Joan?"

"My lady, can you still remember what occurred during the time that your memory manifested as a nightmare?"

It took a long time before Ingrid could answer. Everyone waited for her response with a calm anticipation.

"I believe it was after I almost caused a stampede after my veil was snatched by someone in the crowded street."

At that time, Ingrid and Lily were taking a stroll through the market of Rudbeckia, one of the two cities comprising their grand dukedom. The Lennox residence was also situated in this city. No one paid her any attention as she walked through the busy street in her veiled hat—a common sight for noble ladies visiting the common market.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

But while Ingrid was looking at some accessories, someone suddenly grabbed her veiled hat from behind. If not for the Light Knights swift response, a disaster would have occurred. Luckily, they never left her side and simply blended with the crowds as to not make her uncomfortable.

However, that incident truly frightened Ingrid as it reminded her of the stampede during the hunting festival. Later that night she had the most terrible nightmare.

"If I am not mistaken, a huge incident involving the young lady also happened before she had a series of nightmares the past few days," Lady Joan guessed.

Ingrid nodded her head. She instinctively glanced at her father who seemed to be in a deep thought. Ingrid wondered if he found out it was the prince that helped her.

"How peculiar," the old lady expressed. The wrinkles on her face formed a deeper crease as she frowned.

"What do you mean, Lady Joan?" asked Grandpa Roan.

"Like I said, the mind is related to the will. The stronger the will, the more powerful the mind. However, her sealed memories appeared when she was in her weakest. Worst, it came in her sleep in the form of a nightmare where she has no control over anything! Which means..."

"The weakening of the seal has nothing to do with Lady Ingrid's will." All eyes turned to Elias. Elias shifted on his feet, uncomfortable at being stared at.

"Then is it possible that the magic cast in her mind had simply worn over the years?" This time it was Alana who asked.

Lady Joan shook her head. "Mind magic is greatly dependent on the subject's will. Indeed, it is possible that the magic would slowly wear down, given that the subject gained a will strong enough to overpower the caster's magic. But in the young lady's case..."

There was a hint of sadness and empathy in Lady Joan's eyes when she looked at Ingrid. Without saying another word, everyone in the room understood what she meant. They've all witnessed Ingrid's life these past few years. Though she may seem lively at times, they could tell that despite her memory of that place being gone, the scars that were brought by that part of her past never healed.

"Are you saying the caster himself deliberately weakened the seal in Ingrid's memory?" Grand Duke Rasmus's face darkened.

He only knew of one man capable of using such magic—that bastard king himself.

"But why would the caster seal the young lady's memory only to unseal it again?" Grandpa Roan asked with a frown, expressing the question that Grand Duke Rasmus was thinking.

"That I do not know," Lady Joan answered. "But there is one thing I am sure of—her memories were not sealed for her benefit but for the benefit of the one who sealed it. While I was probing lady Ingrid's mind, I sensed deep malice woven through the magic sealing her memories."

Suddenly, the pressure in the atmosphere dropped. Their eyes nervously shifted to the grand duke, who was sitting beside Ingrid with a brooding face. Elias quickly moved closer to Grand Duke Rasmus and was about to attempt calming him down. But Lady Joan, noticing the shift in the grand duke's emotion, simply patted his hand. In an instant, the heavy atmosphere vanished, replaced by a serene calm.

Elias was stunned when he saw how easily Lady Joan calmed the grand duke's raging emotion. A thought crossed his mind. If he could learn whatever that trick is, he would have his job cut out for him. He reminded himself to ask Lady Joan if she could teach that technique to him later.

"Now I shall give you two choices." Lady Joan held Ingrid's hand. Her palms felt rough against Ingrid's skin, but they held a warmth that made her feel calm and secure.

"One, I will get rid of the malicious magic that sealed your memories and seal it once more with my power. Or two, I will hasten the process of your recovery by weakening the seal even more."

Ingrid hesitated. Even the mere thought of the things in her nightmare makes her body quake. If she were to relive those moments, would she be able to handle it? However, a nagging feeling inside her was telling her to remember—that she must remember or it will be too late.

Ingrid was about to speak when the grand duke raced her to it.

"We'll go with the first option. There is no need for my daughter to relive whatever she suffered in that place!" Everyone could hear the slight tremor in the grand duke's voice when he spoke. His voice was flooded with pain, helplessness, and anger for his daughter.

Ingrid was already miserable, even without her memory. Grand Duke Rasmus could still vividly remember looking into her lifeless eyes during those first few months after she returned. The memory of those days still haunts him.

Over the past ten days, he'd caught a glimpse of those same lifeless eyes again, and it scared him. If reliving those memories meant his daughter would become an empty shell, then she was better off without them.

"No," Ingrid said in a firm voice.

Grand Duke Rasmus looked at his daughter in disbelief. "What do you mean no?"

"I want to remember," she answered while looking straight into her father's eyes, determined.

"Ingrid!" Grand Duke Rasmus roared, causing Ingrid to flinch.

"I will remember!" Ingrid yelled back without breaking eye contact. She knew her father was simply doing this for her own sake. But is it really alright for her to remain a fragile flower locked in her tower, away from the winds and storm? Can she really live her entire life like that?

"You.will.not! And that is final!"

Ingrid was about to argue back when Lady Joan intervened.

"Now, now," Lady Joan said calmly and turned to the grand duke. "Child, I know you are simply after the well-being of your daughter. But as I've said, the stronger the will, the more powerful the mind. Now that she is determined to remember the memories she'd lost, it is close to impossible to seal her memory."

Grand Duke Rasmus fell silent.

"Now it's your time to choose. We can still forcefully seal the young lady's memory."

Grand Duke Rasmus' face brightened, while Ingrid became anxious. She opened her mouth to speak only to be cut off by Lady Joan before she could utter a word.

"But, if the young lady resists, we will risk damaging her mind. The stronger she resists, of course, the greater the damage. Death isn't out of the possibilities."

The Grand Duke's heart sank. He glanced at his daughter, whose face seemed determined. He was instantly reminded of Ingrid's childhood—she had always been a stubborn child. Once she decided on something, nothing could stop her from achieving it.

Grand Duke Rasmus smiled bitterly. In the past six years, Ingrid had never once opposed him. She'd obediently agree on everything he decided, even when it was something that she wished to do. Her meekness had made him forget that Ingrid was once a child full of fire in her.

Grand Duke Rasmus let out a deep sigh. Left with no other choice, he reluctantly agreed, "Very well."