Episode 2
“Kyahat!”
With a tipsy shout, Bella emptied her fifth bottle of wine.
“Why… why is everyone so obsessed with marriage?!”
Her little house on the hill shook with her outburst.
But no matter how much she yelled, the words she heard earlier in the day wouldn’t leave her head:
> “Miss Bella, at your age you should already have three kids! How long are you going to use the same excuse? Hurry up and get married so you can make this world a little less lonely!”
> “So Bella’s the only unmarried one left in Piroche now, huh?”
Normally, she wouldn’t have cared about such talk.
But today was different.
“Mom, your daughter got dumped today. I didn’t even confess, and I got dumped anyway…”
Michael Potts.
He was Bella’s coworker—and the first man who’d ever made her dream of a future together.
But now…
“How could such a perfect man marry such a horrible woman?! Huh? Can you understand that?”
She shouted at something sitting in front of her.
A large teddy bear her mother had made for her birthday just stared back silently.
Since she’d grown up with no friends, that teddy bear had become her only listener.
That’s why she always kept two chairs at the table and two pillows on her little bed—one for her, one for her “friend.”
Those small, silly habits were the only things that filled her loneliness.
When no answer came, Bella’s eyes began to fill with tears.
Still lying on the floor, she reached out a hand.
Shhhrrr—
A faint circle of light formed in the air, and the Book of Oracion appeared, glowing faintly.
“It never grants my wishes anyway…” she mumbled.
The Oracion Magic.
A spellbook that could make any spoken wish come true.
But there was one rule: you could never use it for yourself.
Still, she kept it—because of her mother’s last words.
> “Bella, never lose the Oracion… You must save this world.”
That was what Simone had said the night before she was taken away by the imperial soldiers.
A few days later, news came that Simone was dead, and Bella’s father was arrested for “betraying” the Empire.
Thud!
Bella slammed her forehead against the table at the painful memory.
After losing her parents, she had always prayed whenever she could—for a peaceful home like her mother used to dream of, for happiness, for a world without war.
But none of it ever came true.
All she had left was her growing loneliness.
“Why… why can’t I have just one thing?”
Tears slipped down her cheek. Then, as if making up her mind, Bella whispered:
“Dear God, I know you’re listening. I believe you’re listening.”
“If it’s not too much… please…”
She slowly opened her eyes.
“Please send me just one person who will love me.”
Her beige eyes gleamed faintly—half desperation, half madness.
“I want him to be tall—at least a head taller than me! So handsome even the gods would be jealous! Kind, righteous, strong, good at catching bugs, good at cooking… a perfect husband like in fairy tales… please send him to me.”
She rattled off the words like a machine gun.
And then, just like that—fell asleep.
***
“Bella, look. This is what a rainbow is.”
As Simone spoke, a small rainbow appeared before Bella’s eyes.
Red like fruit, pink like spring, green like summer, white like winter—in a blink, the dark attic filled with light and color.
“Wow, that’s amazing! Forget rainbows, show me a wild bear next, Mom!”
“…What?”
Bella threw up her little hands in excitement.
Her thin frame showed under her clothes, but Simone pretended not to notice.
Oracion.
The power to make anything come true.
Simone came from a long line of Oracion users.
Anything was possible—except interfering with life and death.
So why… why couldn’t she use that power to feed and clothe her daughter?
Simone’s heart ached.
She smiled again and asked gently,
“Why do you want to see a bear, sweetheart?”
“Well, a big bear could protect you from Dad!”
Simone’s eyes trembled.
Her tiny daughter, barely reaching her knees, was already worrying about her.
Tears welled up as Simone hugged her tight, covering her with the gray strands of her hair—and the Book of Oracion.
“Bella, you must meet someone good someday.”
“What’s a ‘good person,’ Mom?”
“Well… by the time you find that out, you’ll probably be grown and far away from me.”
Bella looked up at her mother’s gentle face.
For some reason, her mother’s words felt like goodbye.
But she didn’t understand why—not until a few days later, when Simone was dragged away by the imperial soldiers.
***
“Ugh…”
Bella stretched, wincing.
She always did this in the morning to “grow taller,” but today her head throbbed.
“Ow, my head… huh—ugh!”
Even her breath smelled like alcohol.
Then she remembered—she’d downed five bottles last night.
“…Idiot.”
Thank goodness it was her day off.
She groaned at the thought of how much she’d drunk.
At least she’d had a nice dream—she’d seen her mom again after so long.
‘Wait… why am I sleeping on the edge of the bed?’
She opened her eyes halfway.
“Huh?”
Her shoes and brown cape were neatly folded on the side.
Even the bottles she’d left on the floor were stacked neatly by the door.
‘That’s weird…’
“Guess I’ve started cleaning when I’m drunk now.”
Well, if that was her new drinking habit, it wasn’t a bad one.
Still half asleep, she turned over—
and her nose bumped into something solid.
‘Huh? Was the wall always this close?’
Sniff sniff.
A faint smell of vanilla.
‘Strange. That’s where my teddy bear should be. Why would it smell like vanilla?’
Feeling uneasy, Bella opened her eyes.
And right then—a pair of green eyes, bright like summer leaves, filled her vision.
“Hello, my fiancée.”
“…What?”
A man?
Frozen, Bella blinked.
Golden hair, emerald eyes—he looked exactly like the prince she always described in fairy tales for the children at the orphanage.
The man smiled softly.
“Did you sleep well? Your snoring sounded just like the soothing sound of the waves.”
“….”
‘Mom… am I still drunk? Or still dreaming?’
She shut her eyes again.
‘This must be a dream. No way something this unrealistic could be real.’
Still, it was a nice dream.
She decided to just enjoy it and drift back to sleep.
But then—the man lightly tapped her nose.
“Bella. I know beautiful women like to sleep in, but can’t you spare a thought for the poor man who waited all night just to gaze into your eyes?”
‘Maybe it’s the fruit wine from last night. Even his words sound sweet…’
The man chuckled.
“Well, if words don’t work…”
And with a teasing tone—he began to lean closer.
