#4: Finding

~Thalia's POV~

"I swear I could've put it somewhere," I muttered under my breath, searching the upper cabinet while standing on a pile of chair just to reach the top shelf. My hands brushed over jars and small containers, but there was no sign of the Violet Mistflower.

I sighed heavily, that rare herb really does exhaust me when finding it.

I wouldn't be able to complete the remedy I was working on. My eyes scanned the shelves again, hoping it had just been misplaced. Where did I put it?

Just as I stretched to check the far corner of the cabinet, the door to the clinic burst open, startling me. I lost my footing on the chair, my balance slipping in an instant making me fall

"Miss Thalia!" Alena's worried voice called out as she rushed in. Before I could hit the ground, a soft, shimmering cloud materialized beneath me, catching me mid-fall.

I blinked in surprise, heart racing as I found myself safely cradled by the magical cushion. "Thanks, Alena," I managed, trying to steady my breathing as the cloud gently lowered me to the floor.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"Yeah, just startled," I said with a small smile, brushing myself off. "Though I think I'll avoid standing on chairs for a while."

We both chuckled but was interrupted when someone in the room cleared their throat

"What is it this time? Is it tax, we already paid last week- oh" my words was suddenly caught in my throat.

Oh no... I gulped, instantly recognizing him. It was him, the prince I had saved in the forest. If I remembered correctly, his name was Matteo? And he had soldiers trailing behind him

Why is he here?

Did he find out already?

Are they here to arrest me?

Oh no...

"M-my apologies" I said and bowed to greet him while Alena did the same behind me

"I assume you've heard the King's declaration," Prince Matteo said, his gaze bore into mine, making it clear he wasn't here to negotiate.

"Miss Thalia Alleger," he continued, "please come with us. No questions asked... Don't make this complicated for both our sakes."

My heart sank, a mix of fear and confusion swirling within me. My mind raced, trying to think of a way to respond without making the situation worse.

Alena tensed behind me, her usual cheerfulness replaced with visible concern.

"Y-you can't just take Miss away, she did nothing wrong... I am a witness" She bravely said while standing in front of me, acting as my shield

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm. 'Great... just great, Thalia, now you're officially in trouble. Good job' I said to myself as I faced the Prince "What does the King want with me?" I said calmly despite the turmoil threatening to burst inside me

"Don't worry, this will just be a check up... We just need to clarify something"

"So... I should go with you back in the capital? or you'll do it here"

"Please come with us" The soldier behind him spoke while the others walked out the clinic.

"Wait... doesn't that also mean that Alena should also come?" I asked making Matteo stopped in his tracks

"She doesn't need to," Prince Matteo said, cutting me off before I could finish. His tone was dismissive, and his piercing gaze flicked over me briefly before shifting away. "I can already tell by her weak mana earlier that she's not the woman we're looking for."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of the clinic, his soldiers following close behind.

So they're really trying this hard to find me... I thought, my hands trembling slightly as I clasped them together. Summoning almost every woman in the kingdom just to get a hold of me.

However, they didn't know who I was yet, but it was only a matter of time before someone connected the dots.

I let out a shaky breath, glancing toward the door where Prince Matteo had just left. If they're this determined, how long can I keep hiding?

"Alena..." I faced her, placing my hand in her shoulder "Please look after the Clinic while I'm gone and protect the herbs, don't let them rot. Okay? I'm counting on you" I said with a smile, trying to assure her that I'm going to be fine

"Miss... Be careful always out there" She uttered and pulled me for a hug and pulled away seconds after

"So, how long am I going to stay there?" I asked the soldier, standing there, waiting for me

"Considering you're no. 57 in line, Miss... It'll last maybe a week or so" He answered making me nod

no. 57? That's some numbers, how many woman did they pull out exactly? And how long will the process take?

"I'll prepare some clothes then-"

"Not necessary, Miss," he interrupted politely. "Everything has been prepared for you at the castle during your stay."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, sure,"

When we walked outside, I could see a carriage prepared, for me?

Before I could step inside, William appeared "I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Thalia... I tried to exclude you but-"

"No, William, its fine.... They won't do anything to harm me, don't worry" I assured with a smile while he hold my hand

"I'll visit you if I can" He smiled, tightening his grip on my hand before letting go

As I got into the carriage, we then began to travel back to the capital...

On our way, I can't help but getting nervous. What if they did find out? Are they going to kill me? I can't help but gulped, and the scenery isn't helping ease my mind.

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When I woke up, I wasn't in the carriage anymore. Instead, I found myself lying on an elegant bed in a lavishly decorated bedroom. The room was adorned with intricate furniture, soft drapes, and a faint, sweet scent that lingered in the air.

I sat up quickly, my heart racing. How did I not notice someone moving me? I thought

I should've woken up... that's so unlike me.

Maybe they used magic to knock us out? That's possible

As I stood in front of the door, I was hoping it was lock but when I turned the handle. It wasn't Are we free to go out whenever we want?

Well, no one's here to answer my question so I just went out, walking at the halls but stopped when I heard some commotions outside the walls.

Wait... what the heck?

I stood by the exit.... There are almost hundreds of woman outside, asking questions from the knights standing on the balcony.

This place... a high walls circling this isolated place, separating us from the outside world

Is this... part of the process?

"This is insolence, do you know who I am? I am the third Miss of the Alfera Clan, I can have you fired if you won't let me out!" One woman from the crowd yelled at the knights but they seemed to not care.

Not until she suddenly used her magic as vines erupted from the ground, snaking toward a knight stationed nearby, their sharp tips aiming to strike.

The sudden attack caused the crowd to disperse, screams filling the air as they backed away from her.

But her attack became futile when the vines was burnt to ashes by another person, their flames appearing out of nowhere. Before she could recover, someone else used an invisible force, sending her flying through the air until she hit the ground hard, tumbling as a deep gash opened on her face.

A man stepped forward "Using your father's influence to attack the knights? Are you asking for your death, little girl? Are you trying to defy the King's orders?"

The crowd fell silent, tension thick in the air as the injured woman glared up at him.

I saw her eyes widen in shock as realization struck her. She quickly dropped to her knees on the rocky ground, bowing low until her forehead nearly touched the dirt.

"P-Prince Matteo, please, forgive my insolence," she stammered, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to cause a ruckus."

The crowd remained silent, all eyes on Prince Matteo as he stood there. I can tell, his presence alone was enough to make everyone freeze, their breaths held as they awaited his response.

I hid among the crowd, keeping my head down as I twisted my hand subtly, releasing a faint thread of magic to analyze the area. My senses expanded, scanning every person present. One hundred and twenty-four... there are 124 women in this field, I noted, focusing on the details around me.

I just need to know, to analyze the place.

With so many of us gathered, it'd be difficult for the knights to pinpoint who had just used magic, but I couldn't be careless.

My magic is undetectable unless someone was actively searching for it.

Fifty-seven mundanes, I counted—ordinary people with no magical powers.

Forty-six mages, I continued, each one carrying varying levels of magical energy.

And then my heart sank. Twenty-one fractured.

This wasn't good. If the knights discovered that there were fractured women among us, they wouldn't hesitate to kill them.

I swallowed hard. Fractured, a person with unwanted or dangerous powers, often despised or feared.

And the King's orders are clear... any fractured person caught is to be executed.

However, there were exceptions, those fractured who managed to prove their worth or usefulness to the Kingdom could sometimes earn a reprieve. But such cases were rare, and mercy wasn't something the knights were known for.

As I expand my powers in this field more, I gulped... There are knights watching us secretly above the walls,

What made it worse was what I sensed among them.... aethersights.

Aethersights were rare individuals with the ability to see mana flows, even the faintest traces left behind when magic was used. They could easily detect anyone manipulating mana, even subtle spells like mine.

Panic bubbled within me as I quickly stopped using my magic, withdrawing my power and locking my mana deep within myself.

Stay calm, I told myself, controlling my breathing as I suppressed my energy completely. If they saw even the smallest flicker of magic coming from me, I'd be done for.

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