Chapter One
In the far reaches of the Albelion region, near a lonely cliff, a woman stood holding a torn book as though it were her most precious treasure.
The cliff was a place of quiet solace. Warm sunlight brushed her skin, the scent of grass drifted through the air, and the wind whispered as it moved through the trees. Beneath their shade, the cool air wrapped around her gently. She closed the book, pressing it to her chest, and allowed herself a small smile.
Her name was Alice.
After finishing her reading, she began the familiar walk home. Her house stood near the edge of the cliff—a modest wooden structure, just large enough to shelter a family of four. Yet now, it belonged to her alone.
She opened the door.
"Hmmm… hmm…"
She hummed a soft, low tune as she stepped inside.
The walls of the house were lined with old photographs and albums, all thickly covered in dust. Faces stared out from the frames, blurred and forgotten by time. No one had lived here for years. No one except Alice.
She paused before a large mirror.
Golden-yellow hair fell over her shoulders, glowing faintly like a sunflower beneath the sun. Her skin, however, was pale—so pale it seemed as though it had never known warmth. She stared at her reflection, her eyes fixed on something far beyond the glass. They were eyes filled with longing… and pain. Eyes that desired something she could never reach.
As she combed her hair, her gaze drifted to a photograph hanging on the wall.
A warm smile bloomed across her lips.
Something beautiful stirred within her chest as she looked at the image—something gentle, tender, and alive. A feeling she had not allowed herself to feel in a long time.
Then—
A cold, chilling voice echoed inside her mind.
"Come.
Meet me at the clock tower.
I shall give you what you desire.
Come to me."
The voice reverberated violently within her head.
Alice clutched her temples and screamed.
"Ahhh! Shut up!"
Her breath came fast and sharp. After a long moment of silence, she straightened herself.
Alice decided to go.
She reached for the door, then hesitated. Turning back, she looked once more at the photograph.
"I'm leaving, darling," she whispered.
Warmth surrounded her as she spoke. Then she stepped outside.
The Clock Tower of Albelion stood at the heart of the region—the central domain of grand wizards and powerful mages. It was the capital itself, towering above all else.
When Alice arrived before it, she let out a slow sigh.
"Haa…"
A man with a dark, gloomy face and a long beard stood guard at the massive gates. The moment he saw her, his eyes widened with excitement.
"Miss Alice? Is that truly you?" he exclaimed. "How many years has it been? And how is he—"
"He?"
Alice's gaze snapped to him, sharp enough to kill.
The man froze. He immediately understood that another word about him would be his last.
"O-oh… forgive me. My mistake," he stammered. "What brings you here, Miss Alice? Is there anything you require?"
"I have business here, Alex," Alice replied, her voice calm—but laced with restrained fury. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Alex laughed nervously. "Of course not! Why would I? This place is practically yours. Who am I to interfere with your work?"
"Good," Alice said coldly. "Then move."
She approached the gate.
The doors of the clock tower were twice the size of an elephant. There were no handles, no buttons, no mechanisms that an ordinary person could use.
Alice stopped before them.
"Open."
Her voice was quiet. Commanding.
The gates obeyed.
They opened slowly with a deep, thunderous sound.
Alex watched with a grin spread across his face.
Alice stepped inside.
As the gates closed behind her, a shadow emerged beside Alex.
"Grand Wizard," the shadow whispered, "won't this cause trouble? Why did you let her enter?"
Alex sighed, his voice turning cold. "She's a nightmare. Even if I wanted to stop her, I couldn't. And frankly… I don't have a death wish today."
Inside, the clock tower was powered by magic stones and ancient runes. Every wall, every pillar, every corner was carved with stories of the past. Soft light glowed from the stones embedded deep within the structure.
The tower had one hundred and one floors.
Alice stepped onto a wooden platform.
"Rise."
The platform surged upward at terrifying speed, reaching the top floor in seconds.
From there, she walked down a dark corridor where sunlight could not reach. Shadows swallowed the walls and doors lining the path. Without hesitation, she moved forward.
She stopped before a pitch-black room.
"Haaa…" she exhaled.
Opening the door, she stepped inside.
A cold breeze brushed against her skin.
"I'm here," Alice said firmly. "Now speak. What do you want? Who are you?"
Laughter echoed through the darkness.
"Hehehe…"
"Oh? Me?" a voice replied. "I am nobody. And does it really matter who I am?"
Alice's expression hardened.
"Then I don't care to know," she said. "But how do you know me? What do you want from me?"
A dark face emerged before her, twisted into a grin.
"I can help you find your child," it said softly. "As for your husband…"
It chuckled. "I know nothing about him."
That was enough.
Alice's fury exploded.
Flames of yellow and orange burst from her trembling hands.
"Shut the hell up," she roared. "You bastard! You do not command me. You do not control me. And you will never interfere in my life!"
The floor shattered beneath her power as if it were nothing more than fragile glass.
The dark face vanished.
Alice stood there, breathing heavily, her body shaking uncontrollably. Slowly, she regained her composure, pulled her hair back, and turned away.
She descended to the ground floor.
Alex was already there, pale and shaken.
"Oh," he muttered. "You did it again."
"Get the hell away from me," Alice snapped.
Alex stepped aside immediately, allowing her to leave.
By the time Alice reached home, her strength was gone. Her face was pale, her body heavy—as though she had lost the will to live.
She opened the door.
Her eyes fell upon the photograph on the wall.
A fragile smile appeared. Tears filled her eyes.
She wiped them away and walked toward it. Pressing her hands against the wall, she faced the image.
"Where are you?" she cried. "Why did you leave me? You promised… you promised you would stay with me forever."
Her voice broke.
"Why did you lie to me?"
Her sobs filled the empty house as her heart shattered, desperate to see him once more.