CH 205

Now, in the present, Yuliana was convinced it hadn’t been a dream. “They really threw the sheets out without burning them, as the book said.” If they’d been in the imperial palace, the bedding would’ve been incinerated without ever making it outside the palace walls. Not only sheets, but clothes and anything else deemed no longer needed was immediately burned. The masses assumed that the palace rule had been put in place because the extravagant overconsumption was a sign of the emperor’s greatness, but Yuliana knew the truth. Items that were used by a person could be used as a medium for curses.

Having found what she had wanted, Yuliana hastily made her escape from the garbage. After waking a long way back to a discreet location, she pulled a note out of her pocket.

“A part of the target’s body. Check—since the book said hair would do as well… And now…” Yuliana stared down at the paper in her hand, which was the next item the book had instructed her to find.

Look under the jewelry box you brought.

She had rummaged through her bag for the jewelry box and examined its bottom, discovering a secret inner compartment. Yuliana hurled the box to smash it open and was surprised to find a single piece of paper hidden. She recognized its contents immediately. ‘I never thought there would still be remnants of forbidden magic.’

In a time before the Mage Tower was established, mages were outlaws that used their powers at will and conducted research without restriction. As a result, many spells used in those days were both terrible and vile. Most of the dangerous magic had been lost regulations were placed after the formation of the mage Tower, but rarely some would be discovered in unexpected places. Just like the piece of paper that was now in Yuliana’s hand.

This was a spell for murder—one that inflicted death in the most excruciatingly painful manner imaginable. Yuliana hadn’t been able to fully bring herself to trust the book even after obtaining the spell, which was why she’d followed its second instruction and came to the garbage dump. The result was her securing a strand of the empress’s hair.

All the doubts in her mind were clear now—that book was real. ‘Who is it that’s helping me?’ It was unlikely that her helper held good intentions. Someone who delivered instructions for murder in such a suspicious way could hardly be a good person. But what did it matter? As long as she could kill the empress, Yuliana would accept anyone’s help with gratitude.

As she passed by a noisy street, Yuliana caught sight of the banner announcing the festival then. “Fireworks on the last day…” she muttered. The banner advertised in large letters that an impressive firework display would close out the festival, promising to be the largest display in the empire.

“Fireworks…” The corner of Yuliana’s lips twisted into a sneer, as distorted mirth colored her features. There would be very pretty and big fireworks indeed, and… “The finale will surely explode the most brilliantly.”