Chapter 26: The Village Hidden in the Mountains

“What’s wrong?”

The girl beside her stirred awake, voice still groggy.
Althea said nothing, just clung tightly to Tina, her furrowed brow refusing to relax.

The final scene of her dream left her breathless, heart heavy as if blocked.
“Nightmare?”

“Yeah…”

Tina asked tentatively, “Too tired, maybe? How about putting my treatment on hold?”

But Althea, after a pause, remained resolute. “No.”

Giving up over a random dream would betray Tina’s life-risking sacrifice.
Besides, this was her only lead—the library had no other curse-related books.

She had to try.
Seeing Althea’s determination, Tina could only offer quiet comfort:

“Don’t worry, Althea. Dreams are the opposite of reality. A scary nightmare means a happy ending.”

…

Days passed since that talk.
Althea grew busier.

She was preparing for a mountain expedition, clearing her schedule to make time for the climb to visit the legendary guardian beast.
The book described the beast as benevolent—how could it go mad like in her dream?

The missing pages, likely holding critical details, frustrated her.
Tina, on the other hand, was the opposite extreme.

Her routine was limited to spying through the puppet, circling the palace, or watering the Hyperion tree in the garden.
“When will you grow big?” she mused.

Time was running out—Althea would be ready in two or three days.
Then, they’d part ways.

So, Tina decided to leave something for Althea.
A heartfelt blessing, or perhaps something to deepen her lifelong regret—either way, actions spoke louder than intentions.

Tina felt like a scummy witch, scheming to extend her life at any cost.
Knowing the ending and adding to someone’s pain wasn’t great—

Or so she thought.
She was actually having fun writing little notes, imagining Althea’s reactions.

“All set.”

Tina prepared her “last words” and secretly placed a tracking spell on Althea to follow her when the time came.
For the remaining days, she’d spend as much time with her as possible.

After all, this was just a simulation—emotions, no matter how deep, weren’t real.
Investing too much would trap her first.

Over the next few days, Tina was more affectionate than ever, sticking close the moment Althea returned. This unusual enthusiasm surprised Althea, stirring a hint of unease.
Tina kept trying to dissuade her from the plan, but Althea brushed it off every time.

And so, the final day arrived.
Althea rose early, planning to leave the palace quietly.

She claimed illness to take a day off, having rushed through most documents, leaving the rest to an assistant.
Barring surprises, she’d return by evening.

But before she could exit the hall, a familiar figure blocked her path.
“Tina? What are you doing here?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? What’s so important you’re hiding from me?”

Althea didn’t want to explain. The journey was risky, and if Tina knew, she’d insist on coming.
She didn’t want Tina in danger—one person bearing the consequences was enough. “Just a short trip. Don’t worry, go rest.”

Tina lowered her head, looking forlorn. “You’re going alone to find that so-called solution, aren’t you? Have you ever thought—I don’t care if you cure me. I just want you by my side.

If you don’t come back safely, leaving me, a disabled person, alone in this world with no one to rely on—that’s the most hopeless way to live, isn’t it?”

Althea was speechless, struck by the truth in Tina’s words.
She’d been selfish, focused on easing her own guilt, never considering what Tina would face if she died.

“Even so, you’re still going to take the risk?” Tina’s question cut deep.

“…I won’t fail.”

“Alright then.” Tina forced a smile. “I wish you a safe return. I’ll be waiting.”

With that, she wheeled back to the palace, leaving Althea standing alone.
Regret hit her. Her response had hurt Tina, assuming she could shoulder everything alone without sharing the burden with her partner.

It was arrogant, a lack of trust, failing to treat Tina as an equal.
This could drive a wedge between them. True love wasn’t one-sided sacrifice but mutual effort, running toward each other.

Since Tina had accepted her leaving, Althea resolved to apologize with good news upon her return.
With that hope, she set off quietly.

The tome’s map showed the mountain wasn’t far from the palace—almost connected.
Yet, strangely, no one had ever climbed it or found the seal, which puzzled Althea.

After traveling about twenty kilometers by carriage, she spotted a small village.
“This must be it, but why doesn’t it match the map?”

The village sat on a plain, with no hills or even exposed rocks in sight.
Odder still, it seemed under a force field—residents lived contentedly but never left.

After observing fruitlessly, she told the driver to wait and ventured in to investigate.
But as she crossed the village gate, a wave of dizziness hit her.

When she opened her eyes, the plain behind her was gone, replaced by a snowy downhill path, empty of anyone.
The driver had vanished in a blink.

The spring-like village was now snow-covered, surrounded by endless peaks.
“What’s going on? Did I… cross somewhere?”

The thought lasted a second before Althea dismissed it.
Crossing required advanced time-space magic, let alone a spell allowing anyone to enter.

After thinking, she reached a logical conclusion:
The hill was concealed by an illusion, restricting residents from leaving, likely to guard its secret.

This confirmed she was in the right place.
Althea trekked up the snowy mountain, soon meeting locals.

To her surprise, their clothing was millennia old, made of crude fabric.
Thankfully, basic communication was possible.

A passing villager seemed to recognize her. “Guest, are you from outside?”

Althea was confused. “Outside? You know you’re in an enclosed space?”

“Correct. As you say, we’ve been trapped here for a thousand years, unable to leave across generations.”

The villager’s expression turned regretful. “We’ve seen others like you, but after realizing they couldn’t leave, most took their own lives.”

“…That’s tragic. Do you know who did this?” Althea probed, suspecting a link to her goal.

“A witch. She sealed the guardian beast and cut off this hill from the outside. We can enter but not leave.”

“Did she return?”

“No, she didn’t care about our lives. Though, recently, some black-robed people came, saying they were looking for the beast and the witch.”

Black robes—Mistmoon Cult? Why were they here too?
“Where’d they go? Can you point the way?”

The villager gestured to a cliffside path. “There. If you’re following, hurry—they’re likely close.”

“Thanks.”

Althea didn’t know the cult’s aim, but it couldn’t be good. They might interfere with the beast, ruining her chance to cure Tina.
“I have to catch up.”

Unbeknownst to her, not far behind, a familiar figure struggled with a wheelchair.
“Damn it, why’s this mountain path so rough!”