CHAPTER 367: ALICE, A BORN WITCH-I

When Alice first laid eyes on Circe, it was from the velvet-draped comfort of her carriage.

The girl stood at the edge of the woods, sunlight catching in her hair like fire through glass. There was a fragile beauty to her, one that seemed untouched by the world’s cruelty, even as whispers called her cursed.

Unlike Circe, who was shunned and cast out for her magic, Alice had been spared such disgrace. Adopted young into a wealthy household, she had been taught the language of nobles: how to smile, how to speak, how to never let the mask slip. And when she discovered her strange gift, that ability to make objects bend to her will without so much as lifting a finger, Alice had hidden it quickly. To be different was to be despised, and Alice had learned early that survival meant sameness.

She lived with her secret quietly, never honing her ability, yet never resenting it either. It was simply there, like a shadow at her side. Harmless, so long as she kept it unseen.

At least, that was what she believed, until she began to hear the rumors. Rumors of a beautiful girl, abandoned in the forest, marked by the same strangeness she herself carried.

Curiosity gnawed at Alice until she could no longer ignore it. That afternoon, she ordered the carriage to stop and, cloaked in safety behind its gilded windows, she watched Circe from afar.

Her heart twisted with a strange blend of intrigue and disdain. Could her power be like hers? she wondered. And how foolish must she be to brandish it so openly? Did the girl not realize that power, when revealed, was nothing more than a curse, an invitation for hatred?

And yet... Alice could not help her curiosity.

When Alice stopped the carriage and saw the shabby cabin outside the place, she could only mock at the small house’s appearance, so ugly and so old as if a few blow of wind would have destroyed the houses into nothing.

Someone of such power would live here? So foolish.

And yet when she saw the girl walking out of the cabin, all of Alice’s sarcasm disappeared from her head.

The girl that had walked out was undeniably beautiful.

Her fair skin glowed under the sun. Birds and butterflies floated all over her as if they were mesmerized by her, sunlight laced itself through the girl’s dark hair as if the forest itself sought to crown her. The rumors of Kings and Crown princes falling for her, didn’t seem to be far off.

Even from a distance, Alice could tell Circe was different and it was not because of her clothes, or her solitude, but because she carried herself without fear. There was no hesitation in her step, no attempt to shrink into the shadows.

Alice tightened her grip on the carriage doorframe. She leaned forward, unknowingly admiring Circe from afar.

Circe had used her magic to move aside the little lambs that were fighting. She had the laundries fly from her hands, floating over the hanger while she looked into the books on her hands, as if the solitude, those disgusted gaze, and the thought of being shunned by others had never once bothered her.

It was as if... she was the center of the world, a realization that hit Alice like a thunder. All this time, she had thought she was the center of the world, looking down on the others around her for being stupid akin to a mindless lamb who would follow others who gave it grass to feed.

But seeing how free Circe was, she had finally realized that perhaps she was one of those lambs, always so constricted by the rules of society unlike Circe who was always true to herself, walking on the path she wanted without minding whether she would be alone or hatred as a result of it.

Since that day, Alice continued to study on Circe.

She studied that despite liking to be alone, Circe was a kind hearted woman. She easily helped the same humans who had hated her, giving medicines and food until those who realized her kindness began to worship and follow her, learning how to make medicine from her and soon named themselves as "sorcerers".

Alice was quite delighted to find out that despite so many people who seemed to idolize Circe, Circe herself never had a friend.

She didn’t seem bothered by it but through Alice’s study, she realized that perhaps deep down Circe wanted a friend.

That was when she introduced herself to Alice.

Unlike her, it was Circe’s first time to ever have a friend so tricking her into thinking that she was a good friend was quite easy.

She had first made herself as a kind person, similar to Circe by helping a homeless young girl with bread on the path that Circe would take for sharing breads.

When Circe saw her, Alice pretended to be surprised, "I didn’t know that there are people here helping the homeless."

Circe was taken aback but quickly delighted to find that there was someone who seemed to think the same as her.

"Ah, do you often help the homeless?" Circe asked with a smile, her green eyes mirrored Alice’s and for the first time Alice realized that perhaps the source of their power came from the color of their eyes.

Were they related? It couldn’t be as their faces were utterly different and this girl was nice, unlike her who had only pretended her entire personality to fit in.

"What’s your name?" Circe asked and when she smiled it was as if Spring had bloomed. Holding to Alice’s hands she introduced herself happily, "My name is Circe and yours?"

"Alice," Alice said with a smile but her smile was darker than Circe could notice. "Say, are you the one who lived in the forest?"

Circe was taken aback, a bit shy as she nodded her head. As she thought Alice would turn away in fear upon knowing that she has powers none could understand, but the next second, Circe surprised her by holding tight to her hands, "I have wanted to talk to you for a long time... you see, I have similar powers as yours."