After the incident at the palace, Alteraz was escorted back to her chambers beneath the watchful eyes of the household guards. Word of her sudden insanity had spread quickly through House de Florencia, and all of the physicians were summoned without delay. They examined her pulse, observed her pupils, and placed careful hands over her chest to sense the unstable currents of mana beneath her skin. Their expressions grew increasingly grave as they whispered among themselves. When they finally stepped back, their conclusion was unanimous. The young lady was suffering from amnesia.
--
Now she lay against the silk cushions of her bed, staring at the intricate carvings along the ceiling. The world felt distant and muted, as though she were watching it from behind glass. One of the reincarnation novels 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. And yet she was not dead. She was here. Alive. Breathing. Given another chance.
Alteraz slowly pushed herself upright. The dizziness that had plagued her earlier was beginning to fade, replaced instead by a quiet and unsettling clarity. Fear did not take root in her heart. Instead, something sharper did. Whatever force had brought her into this world, one truth stood firm. She had escaped her old life. And now she stood at the beginning of something new.
A gentle knock sounded at the door. 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?"
She studied him carefully before answering. "My body feels weak," she said evenly. "But my mind feels incomplete. There are gaps in my memory. Tell me clearly. What happened to me?"
The physician inclined his head. "Young miss, your mana ruptured."
She remained composed, though her fingers tightened slightly against the sheets. "Explain."
"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. The backlash disrupted your memory."
Alteraz nodded, absorbing the explanation. "So my memories were affected because my mana collapsed," she murmured.
"Exactly," he said. "I have prepared medicines to stabilize your core and gradually restore balance. As your mana settles, your recollection may return naturally."
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she asked impulsively, "So… does that mean I have magic?"
The physician let out a soft chuckle, a playful glint in his eyes. "Yes, young miss, everyone in House de Florencia has magic. But I must say, your curiosity is… amusing."
Alteraz narrowed her eyes, unimpressed. "Leave the medicines. I will take them when I can. You may go."
"As you command, young miss," he said, bowing, a faint smile still lingering, before exiting the room.
Alteraz pressed the bell beside her bed, and after a short while, Atila entered, pushing a meal cart before kneeling respectfully.
"You called for me, young miss?" she asked.
"Yes," Alteraz replied. "Sit. I need answers. Begin again with my full name."
Atila blinked in surprise but complied. "You are Alteraz Montemari Contese de Florencia," she began. "You are the direct disciple of Grandmaster Dane Zhangxuan and placed in the line of succession for the position as the head House de Florencia. The title Contese signifies that you are his direct disciple. Because of that distinction, you were granted the surname de Florencia, marking your formal place within the house."
Alteraz's mind began to piece together the fragments she remembered from the novel she had once read. The story had been vivid in her memory, and now it collided with the reality of this body.
She recalled how Dane Zhangxuan, at only twenty years old, had assumed leadership of House de Florencia and sworn to protect the family and its legacy. Shortly after his ascension, he had stumbled upon a young orphaned girl. Her parents had been found dead under mysterious circumstances. The story described the orphan as tiny, fragile, with eyes too old for her age, yet she had a spirit that refused to break. The Grandmaster, moved by compassion, had brought her into the house and trained her as his direct disciple. She was not of the de Florencia bloodline. She had been adopted. That orphan was this body. Every hardship, every trial, every silent struggle had been endured by this body, andA shiver of amusement and malice ran through Alteraz. She despised the heroine for every calculated move, every life that had been sacrificed to advance her.
"Am I the only disciple?" she asked quietly.
"There are many disciples and masters within the house," Atila replied. "However, as the Grandmaster's direct disciple, your position surpasses most others."
Alteraz nodded slowly. "And my relationship with the Grandmaster? Was it good?"
Atila hesitated. "It has been strained, young miss."
A subtle tension filled the air. "Why?"
Atila lowered her gaze. "You discovered the truth regarding your parents' deaths. One of the Ten Masters of this house, Master Lucian, was responsible."
The name lingered heavily in the room. Alteraz felt something crack within her chest. A surge of grief rose unexpectedly, fierce and suffocating. Tears slipped down her cheeks, not hers, but the original owner's.
"Master Lucian," she repeated softly.
Her thoughts sharpened as she recalled the finer threads of the story. The original Alteraz had been once a devoted disciple to the Grandmaster. However after unveiling the truth, she was blinded by grief and anger over her parents' deaths and attempted to take matters into her own hands, believing Zhangxuan had abandoned her. In reality, he had been protecting her all along. Before this misunderstanding could ever be clarified, the heroine had stepped in. She allowed Alteraz's demise to unfold in a way that cemented Zhangxuan's affection for her. In the end, all of them, including Zhangxuan, had been used, discarded, and taken for granted while the heroine thrived on their sacrifices and influence.
"You sought revenge," Atila continued, her voice trembling. "You attempted to assassinate him in your anger. But Grandmaster Zhangxuan intervened. He restrained you to protect your life. Master Lucian is powerful and ruthless. Had you succeeded or failed publicly, you would have faced execution."
"Leave"
Hearing this, Atila apologized and was left no choice but to leave
Alteraz wiped the tears away, blinking through the haze of her emotions. And then a thought struck her, sharp and dangerous. Now she knows the reason why the original Alteraz had taken those enhancement substances, risking everything, had been revenge. Every reckless choice had been driven by anger and the desire to grow stronger fast. She had burned herself trying to claim power that was never hers, all for vengeance. That body, that life, had been shaped by rage and sorrow. And now, it was hers to live differently.
A slow, deliberate smile curved her lips. She rose from the bed and walked toward the mirror. The reflection staring back at her was pale and marked by exhaustion, yet behind those eyes burned something sharp and awakening.
"How interesting," she murmured to her reflection.
A slow, deliberate smile curved her lips.
Her mana would recover.
Her power would grow.
And when the heroine finally stepped into this world, she would not find a broken orphan clinging to resentment. She would find a rival already standing at the center.
"I'm sorry, Alteraz. Your pain, your grudges, they are not mine. I will live for myself now to get what I wanted and any revenge I take… will be for me alone"