The Ancient Magus' Bride: Shadow Bride, Moonlit Promise
She has no magic. No family. No place to belong. But when the "beloved child of night" arrives at Glendower College, Lucy Webster's cursed gift—her strange, unwanted perception—may be the only thing standing between Chise and the darkness closing in around her.
Lucy Webster has spent eight years surviving. Surviving the massacre that took her family. Surviving the whispers that call her cursed. Surviving as an auditor at a college of magic where she's tolerated at best—and hated at worst. With
The Ancient Magus' Bride: Shadow Bride, Moonlit Promise - Hands soaked in moonlit grass—an unreachable warning and a collapsing night
The air in the antiquarian archives was stagnant, thick with the smell of old paper and dust.
Lucy Webster traced her fingertip along the page of a thick forbidden-arts tome. Her shoulder-length black hair hung beside her downturned face. Through the gaps in her bangs, her deep brown eyes moved slowly across the text.
*"The magic of the one who serves as a vessel will not return until it has been drained completely."*
She read the sentence three times. Sweat from her fingertip dampened the edge of the page. The taste of iron spread across the back of her tongue. She clenched her back teeth.
(Chise.)
The space behind her breastbone tightened as if bound by fine wire.
Since that night in the archives when Finn had threatened her, Lucy had come here every day. To hammer every last word of the soul-resurrection spell into her memory. The hardness of the wooden chair bit into her lower back. She straightened her posture.
She turned the page. The sound of paper scraping echoed far too loudly.
*"The vessel continues to pour the magic dwelling within its body into the caster. It cannot refuse. It cannot escape."*
Lucy's fingertip trembled. Her index fingernail left a white mark on the page's edge.
(Cannot refuse.)
(Chise is—by that man—)
Her detection ability sounded its alarm—quietly, but with certainty. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
Lucy settled back into the hard chair of the archives.
(I have to confirm it.)
(The moment Chise's magic is actually being drained.)
(With my own eyes.)
It was a dangerous gamble. Finn Earnsworth. A misshapen sorcerer with goat horns. Every time her detection ability touched that man's magic, it gave off the thick, stagnant stench of death.
(But—)
(I'm the only one who's noticed.)
Chise trusted Finn. Her brother Seth had brushed her off—*none of my concern.*
(So—)
(I'll do it.)
Lucy closed the tome. Dust swirled softly into the air. The fine particles, caught in the western sunlight slanting through the window, glittered gold.
Her evening lecture passed in a haze.
The herbalism practicum room. On the stone worktable, moonflower leaves glowed with silver veins. The professor's voice came from far away.
"Webster."
Lucy was staring absently out the window. Her own reflection in the glass was blurred.
"Miss Webster."
Called a second time. Lucy startled and raised her head. The professor was frowning at her. The crease between his brows was deeper than usual.
"...I'm sorry."
Lucy apologized in a small voice. It scraped out of the back of her throat.
"What's gotten into you today? This isn't like you."
The professor's voice carried through the practicum room. Lucy lowered her head. Her bangs fell across her eyes. At the edge of her vision, the student beside her pointedly turned away.
"...No, it's nothing."
(No. I have to focus.)
But her head was full of the forbidden text. *"Will not return until drained completely."* The words spun round and round. A pulse beat inside her temple.
"Can the Webster girl really keep up as an auditor like that?"
Someone's voice drifted from nearby. A deliberately audible whisper.
"Right? She was spacing out again today. Does she even care?"
"Who knows? Aren't auditors usually like that?"
Lucy pretended not to hear. She pinched a moonflower leaf between her fingers on the worktable. The fine hairs on the leaf's surface scraped against her fingerprint.
(I'm used to it.)
(It's nothing new.)
But today, those voices cut deeper than usual. A dull ache spread beneath her heart.
(Can I really protect Chise?)
(From that man?)
(Someone like me—someone people whisper about behind her back?)
Lucy clenched her fist on the worktable. Her nails dug into her palm. The pain kept her conscious. Crescent-shaped marks remained on her hand.
Night came.
In her dormitory room, Lucy stood watching outside the window without closing the curtains. The moon floated white in the sky. The wooden window frame had gone cold, stealing the warmth from her fingertips.
(Tonight.)
(I'll confirm it.)
Lucy drew a deep breath. Her lungs filled with cold air. Something pounded violently deep in her chest.
(I'm scared.)
(But I have to go.)
Lucy threw on a thin cardigan and left her room. The doorknob stuck to her sweaty palm.
The dormitory corridor was dead silent. The old wooden floor creaked with every step. Lucy muffled her footsteps and went outside.
The night garden—Lunaria.
Moonflowers radiated a pale silver light. Each time the wind blew, the leaves swayed and the light spread like waves. A sweet fragrance dissolved into the air. Lucy stopped at the garden's entrance.
(There.)
Deep within the moonflower patch. Two figures. Lucy's heart leaped violently. It felt like a fist slamming against the inside of her ribs.
(Chise.)
(And—)
(Finn.)
Lucy held her breath and approached. Hiding in the shadows of the moonflowers, one step, then another. Stems brushed against the hem of her skirt.
Soon, the two figures came into clear view. Chise stood there. Her red hair, lit by the moonflowers' glow, shone like fire. Finn stood directly before her. Silver long hair. Jade-green eyes. Goat horns. White gloves. Finn was holding both of Chise's hands as if cradling them.
"Miss Chise. Your magic is truly beautiful. It's as though it has captured the moonlight itself."
Finn's voice slid smoothly through the quiet night garden. Deep in her ears, that voice coiled around her, slick and warm.
"Finn... I feel so warm... and sleepy..."
Chise's voice was dreamy and slack. As if she were inside a dream. Lucy stared at the scene.
(Something is wrong.)
Her detection ability began to sound its alarm. Stronger than ever before. The alarm reverberated inside her skull.
(Chise's magic—)
Lucy's eyes flew wide. Her nictitating membranes pulled back.
(It's flowing.)
The immense magic overflowing from Chise's entire body. It was being drawn into Finn's fingertips like fine threads. Silver threads of light. Unmistakably different from the moonflowers' glow—a dense, concentrated flow of magic.
(That man—he's draining Chise's magic.)
(Right now. As we speak.)
Every hair on Lucy's body stood on end. Something cold crawled from the nape of her neck down to her waist. Each vertebra was traced by fingers of ice.
(I have to stop him.)
(Right now.)
(Chise—away from that man.)
Before she could think, Lucy was running. She pushed through the moonflowers. Silver leaves brushed her clothes, her cheeks. Cold dew clung to her face.
"Get away from Chise!"
Lucy's scream cut sharply through the night garden. She thrust herself between them. And she tore Chise's hands from Finn's grasp. Chise's fingertips were burning hot inside Lucy's palms.
"Lucy...?"
Chise looked at Lucy with a startled expression. Her pupils were dilated.
"Why are you here...?"
"You're draining Chise's magic, aren't you! I saw you!"
Lucy glared straight at Finn. Finn took a step back. A wounded expression surfaced on his face. His brows lowered slightly.
"Miss Lucy. It seems you're laboring under a misunderstanding."
Finn's voice was utterly calm. The fact that its temperature never changed was, if anything, more unsettling.
"I was merely tending to the moonflowers with Miss Chise."
"Liar! I saw it! Chise's magic flowing into your fingertips!"
Lucy raised her voice. Her throat creaked.
(I'm not wrong.)
(I saw it with my own eyes.)
"Lucy, what are you talking about...?"
Chise's voice was trembling. Her vocal cords quivered faintly.
"Finn is helping me figure out how to handle my power properly. He's a kind person."
"No! That man is trying to steal your power! He's trying to make you into a vessel!"
Lucy shouted. The words were torn from her throat.
(Understand.)
(Please.)
(Chise.)
"Lucy... why would you say something like that...?"
Chise's eyes wavered. Disappointment surfaced in them. Lucy felt she had seen that look somewhere before. In her own eyes, in the mirror.
"Finn sees me properly. He thinks seriously about my power, too. So why would you say something so cruel, Lucy...?"
"Chise, please. Just listen to me..."
Lucy gripped Chise's hand back. But Chise slowly pulled her hand away. Her fingers came undone, one by one.
"I'm going to go talk with Finn."
With that, Chise lined up beside Finn.
"Miss Chise, it's all right. I'm here with you."
Finn placed a hand gently on Chise's shoulder. He looked at Lucy. Deep within those jade-green eyes, something froze for an instant. Something closed coldly behind his pupils.
(This man—)
(He knows exactly what he's doing.)
A chill ran down Lucy's spine. An ice needle pierced her from the base of her backbone.
"Well then, Miss Lucy. Good night."
Finn gave an elegant bow and walked away with Chise.
"Lucy... see you tomorrow."
Chise turned back and said it quietly. But her voice had already lost its usual bright ring. Lucy heard that change clearly, deep in her ears.
The two figures dissolved into the light of the moonflowers. Lucy stood rooted to the spot. Her legs wouldn't move. Her knee joints had locked up as if rusted shut.
(Why?)
(Why won't it reach her?)
Strength drained from Lucy's knees. She crumpled to the ground. Moonflower leaves brushed coldly against her tear-wet cheeks. The leaf edges drew thin lines across her face.
Lucy covered her face with both hands. Damp breath leaked between her fingers.
"Why... why won't it reach her..."
Her voice shook and was swallowed by the night garden.
(I saw it. I definitely saw it.)
(Chise's magic flowing into that man.)
(And yet—)
(Why am I the one who becomes the villain?)
Tears spilled through the gaps between her fingers. The moonflowers' pale light illuminated her tear-streaked cheeks, merciless. The night wind struck her wet face, cold.
How long had she stayed like that? Eventually, she slowly raised her head. The moon had climbed high. The muscles in her neck ached.
(I won't lose.)
(I absolutely won't lose.)
Lucy stood on trembling legs. Her knees were shaking.
(I'll examine that barrier again.)
(There has to be some clue.)
Lucy left the night garden. She did not return to the dormitory. Her feet carried her, as if of their own accord, toward the Earnsworth forest.
The forest before dawn was wrapped in deep darkness. Tree roots tangled around her ankles. Lucy opened her detection ability to its fullest. The flow of magic surfaced in her mind like a map.
(That way.)
She walked the path to the old ritual site without hesitation. Only the sound of fallen leaves underfoot broke the silence. Wet leaves squelched beneath her soles.
Eventually, a moss-covered stone structure came into view. Lucy stopped.
(The barrier.)
Her detection ability caught the transparent membrane covering the entrance. Stronger than last time. The membrane's surface pulsed faintly.
(It's gotten stronger.)
Lucy gently touched her fingertip to the barrier.
—*Crack.*
Sharp pain shot from her fingertip through her entire arm. Lightning raced through her bones.
"—gh!"
Lucy pulled her hand back. Her fingertip was numb. She had lost all feeling in her middle and ring fingers.
(But—)
(I won't give up.)
Lucy crouched before the barrier. She focused her detection ability. Reading the flow of the barrier's magic. Sweat beaded on her forehead.
(Here.)
(The flow here is slightly disturbed.)
Lucy traced the flow of magic on the ground with her fingertip. Finger marks remained on the surface of the soil.
(But this alone—)
(I can't exploit the gap.)
Time passed. The sky began to pale. Birdsong came from far away.
(It's already morning.)
Lucy pulled her hand away from the barrier. Her fingertips had no sensation left. They were her own hands, yet they looked like someone else's.
(That's enough for today.)
Lucy stood. Exhaustion pressed down on her whole body. The backs of her eyelids were heavy.
(I have to get back to the dormitory.)
Lucy left the forest and started down the path to the do
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