Mary burst through the door and jumped to the bed.
It wasn’t as soft as she expected, but it was enough.
“Finally!
A bed!”
Athissa shook her head while watching Mary roll around with a happy grin.
“Are you settled now?” Athissa asked.
“Yes!
But I’m full.
So I’ll just read some books before sleeping,” Mary said as she sat up, looking at Athissa at the door.
“That’s good.
I’ll be going now too,” Athissa smiled and slowly closed the door.
Athissa smiled softly.
They had eaten their fill and found three empty rooms to accommodate them.
Although it cost several silvers.
“Lady,” the coachman called from behind.
He was fresh out of a bath.
Athissa turned around and offered a smile.
Even though she disliked him, she needed to be polite.
“I haven’t gotten your name,” Athissa said.
“Roger,” he said, lowering his head slightly.
Athissa could sense his hostility towards her.
She didn’t know if she had done something that triggered his ill feeling, but she also preferred to stay out of his way.
“Nice to meet you,” Athissa replied.
Roger was silenced for a few seconds before meeting Athissa’s eyes.
“I’m saying this for our own sake.
We’ll be traveling again after lunch.
So don’t wander too much or you’ll gather too much attention and cause trouble.”
Roger lowered his head before passing Athissa and went to his room.
“Oh wow,” Athissa’s mouth hung open.
She didn’t know if Roger said those words as a caring gesture or as a threat.
Athissa clutched her bag and headed to her room, which was across Mary’s.
She shut the door quietly and walked to the bed.
“Hmph, as if I’m going to wander around aimlessly.
I still want to look around town,” Athissa pouted.
It was rare for her to travel since her status restricted her from doing so, but now she was out of the capital.
She would gladly do what she wanted.
That was to roam around.
“I should wake up early tomorrow and check the market,” Athissa muttered.
She grabbed her bag and looked for her hidden stash of silver coins when a black box dropped on the bed.
“Huh?
Why is it here?”
Athissa frowned.
She recognized the box; it was the one she found accidentally in her hidden room.
She grabbed the box and opened it, revealing the ring.
For a few seconds, she simply stared at it.
The silver ring lay quietly inside the black box, looking completely ordinary.
Too ordinary.
Athissa narrowed her eyes.
“Why did this suddenly fall out of my bag?”
She was certain she had placed the box inside one of the trunks.
“That’s weird.
Did I hallucinate or is this a sign of aging?”
Athissa slowly looked at the ring.
The ring remained still, as though mocking her confusion.
She picked it up.
The moment her fingertips touched the cold silver surface, a strange sensation traveled through her hand.
She immediately stiffened.
“What was that?”
A faint warmth spread from the ring.
Then, slowly, a thin line of light appeared around it.
Her eyes widened.
“Oh.”
The light disappeared.
Athissa blinked.
Then she waited, but nothing happened.
“…Oh?”
She waited for another few seconds, but still nothing.
Athissa frowned and held the ring closer to her face.
“Did I imagine that?”
She turned the ring around.
There were strange symbols engraved along the inner band.
Athissa had never noticed them before.
“What kind of writing is this?”
The symbols were incredibly tiny, almost invisible unless she looked closely.
They curved around the inside of the ring like a hidden inscription.
“Well, it seems this ring came from ancient times,” Athissa said carelessly.
Then she wore it on her ring finger.
The band was slightly larger, but it suddenly shrank to fit her finger.
Immediately, the ring flashed a blinding light.
“AH!”
Athissa tried to remove the ring, but before she could, a voice echoed inside her mind.
[Spatial magic detected.]
Athissa froze.
Her mouth slowly opened.
“…What?”
[Owner recognized.]
Athissa stared at the ring.
“Owner?”
[Spatial storage unlocked.]
Silence.
Athissa remained completely motionless.
Then she looked around her room, but there was no one.
She looked under her bed.
No one.
She glanced toward the window.
Still no one.
“…Mary?”
No answer.
Athissa looked back at the ring.
“Am I crazy if I thought the ring just spoke to me?”
The ring did not answer.
Athissa stared at it for several more seconds.
She tried thinking of every possible reason why that happened, but it was absurd.
“Maybe I’m just too tired.”
She tried to remove the ring and mindlessly touched the matte, black center stone.
Then the room disappeared.
Or rather—
Her surroundings did.
Athissa suddenly found herself standing in an endless white space.
Her eyes widened.
The ground beneath her feet was invisible, yet she could somehow stand.
There were no walls.
No ceiling.
No doors.
Only brightness stretching endlessly in every direction.
Athissa’s body stiffened.
“Am I… dead?
Is this heaven?”
Her voice echoed.
Athissa shivered at the idea that she was dead.
She pinched herself to check and immediately felt pain.
“Ouch!”
She rubbed her skin and stumbled backwards.
Then she felt something hit her back.
A table.
It was the single item inside.
At the top of it lay a piece of paper.
“What is this?” Athissa said and went closer.
She grabbed the paper, curious about its content.
Then she read it out loud.
“My beloved daughter,
If you’re reading this letter, then it means the ring has finally recognized you as its owner.
I don’t know how much time has passed since I left this world, nor what kind of life you have lived up to this moment.
There are many things I wished I could have told you myself.
Unfortunately, fate did not grant me that opportunity.
This ring is an inheritance passed down through our family.
It is not an ordinary ring.
The magic sealed within it can store objects in a separate space.
You may place your belongings inside and retrieve them whenever you wish.
As long as you possess the ring, the space within it shall belong to you.
But, my daughter, you must use it carefully.
Do not reveal its existence to others unless you have no other choice.
There are people in this world who would kill to possess even a fraction of what this ring can do.
Greed can turn even the kindest person into a monster.
Trust carefully.
But if you can, don’t trust men.
And most importantly—
Do not allow anyone to take this ring from you.
There are still many secrets surrounding our family and this ring.
Perhaps one day you will discover the answers I was unable to give you.
I am sorry that I could not remain by your side.
I hope that you have grown into a kind and strong woman.
No matter where you are, remember this:
You were loved.
You have always been loved.
With all the love in my heart, Athissa.
Love, Mother.”
Dear readers, please enjoy this chapter.
A few things are about to make sense.
Unfortunately, you may not like the answers.
Have fun.