A story that had completely disappeared.
A story no one remembered.
Even if it was forgotten by everyone else in the world, the memory of that moment with him remained unchanged within her.
On that day, he said to her, “We will definitely be together someday. One day, we will surely be happy.”
She waited for him for an unimaginable amount of time.
For countless hours, she walked forward without looking back.
That was how she embarked on a long journey, her heart locked away.
She walked and walked, never stopping. For countless hours, until her mind went blank.
All of it—for that moment with him—she only waited and waited.
In the end, she became exhausted.
The lonely, endless journey drained her, leaving her without the strength to press forward.
The cherished promise of childhood, so carefully treasured, now felt like it had fallen to the ground, turning into a mere shadow of reality.
It was heartbreaking.
Why, in her entire life, could she never obtain what she truly desired?
That sadness consumed her.
But even then, she couldn’t bring herself to hate him. Even if he had forgotten everything they once shared as children. Even if she, the foolish woman, still clung to the promise they had made back then.
Because she still loved him.
***
A thousand years ago, there was a man revered by all as the greatest mage under the heavens.
His name was, Castana.
In an age when magic was nothing more than an imitation of natural phenomena, Castana stood as a legendary mage, akin to the masters of modern magic.
After the establishment of a unified empire on the continent, Castana was granted the title of Marquis by the emperor.
Over the course of the next millennium, the Castana family solidified its reputation as the most prestigious lineage of magic across the continent.
That alone was an extraordinary feat.
Great mages were exceedingly rare, with no more than five appearing in any given era. Yet, within the Castana Marquis family, one great mage emerged in nearly every generation, ensuring the family’s continued prominence in magic.
However, the Castana mages cared little for the world’s opinions or accolades. To them, the title of “prestigious mages” was nothing but an inflated misconception.
They knew the truth.
Even as the past lingered, they understood better than anyone that the current Marquis of Castana no longer lived up to such lofty praise. Even at that moment, their legacy was slowly eroding.
A thousand years ago, during an era of savagery when the science of magic was still undeveloped and mages held less status than unrefined swordsmen, Castana was an unparalleled genius.
In that primitive age, Castana performed feats that defied the natural laws, akin to miracles even by modern standards. He changed the heavens themselves, wielding power unimaginable in today’s world.
Yet, as a millennium passed, and magic advanced to dazzling heights, no one from the Castana lineage ever surpassed the first Marquis. On the contrary, the magical talent of the bloodline steadily declined over the generations.
The Castana mages grew restless.
The weight of potentially tarnishing the name of the great Castana of a thousand years ago loomed over them. The anxiety of following the fate of the Duchy of Estel, which had fallen into irrelevance, consumed them.
They could not accept such an end. It must not be allowed to happen.
As it had been for the past thousand years, the name Castana had to remain synonymous with the “leading family of magic” for eternity.
Thus, the Castana family convened, desperate to find a solution. After extensive debates and countless arguments, they arrived at a conclusion—a solution laced with madness.
The first Marquis of Castana had been an unparalleled mage, a figure unmatched in history. But the family’s current struggles stemmed from the gradual dilution of the magical talent within their bloodline.
The answer, therefore, was clear: they needed to “create” a successor with the same extraordinary talent as the first Marquis.
And so, the mad experiment began.
By collecting the blood of family members known for their magical aptitude, they sought to artificially “produce” a child with exceptional magical talent through alchemy.
But that alone was insufficient.
Over a thousand years, the once-glorious Castana bloodline had thinned. They desired a lineage that carried a purer, deeper connection to the first Marquis.
Using magic, they forcibly accelerated the growth of these artificially created children.
Through forced “breeding,” they attempted to produce descendants with even greater talents and a more profound Castana lineage.
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Check out my other projects: Rehabilitating the Villainess, Pushover Extra Trains the Villainesses, My Wife is the Devil, Transmigrated as the Butler of a Defeated Heroine, My Summons Are Special