"What did you say?" Vlad was startled and turned to look at Mina.
"I said, this is my mother-in-law's witchcraft scroll. I saw her burn it once," Mina replied, looking just as confused.
"Are you sure you read it correctly, Mina?" Vlad asked, frowning slightly.
Mina leaned in and examined the scroll again, this time more carefully. After a moment, she spotted something unusual.
"Wait… this one's different from the one my mother-in-law burned," she said, pointing at a line that had been deliberately smudged out.
Vlad hadn't expected the scroll to be anything significant, but Mina's recognition sparked his curiosity.
"What's different about it?" he asked quickly.
Mina shook her head. "I don't remember much. I only asked her about it once out of curiosity, but she took it and burned it without saying anything."
Seeing the disappointed look on Vlad's face, Mina felt guilty for not being able to help. But then something clicked in her memory.
"Oh! Before she burned it, she said, 'Good thing we weren't born in that era.'"
"That era?" Vlad murmured. "Could she have meant something from thousands of years ago?"
There was no way to know more, so Vlad pushed the thought aside. Whatever had happened in ancient times didn't concern him now.
He stood up, wrapped his arms around Mina's waist, and lifted her effortlessly. With a soft cry of surprise, Mina was carried to the bed at the back of the room.
They lay together, their bodies entwined, and after a moment of quiet intimacy, they drifted into sleep.
"Sister Mina, are you ready? We're leaving soon!"
"Coming! I'll be right there~"
Mina emerged from the room with a large, bulging bundle strapped to her back.
"Oh my god, Sister Mina! I said just the essentials!"
"Are you trying to move the whole house?"
Marishka stared in shock at the massive pack nearly burying Mina. Her mouth hung open in disbelief.
Mina gave a sheepish smile, clearly realizing she might've overdone it.
The two quickly hoisted the bundle onto the carriage waiting outside. Not seeing Vlad around, Mina turned to Marishka with a puzzled look.
"Marishka, where did Vlad go?"
"Master had a few things to take care of. We'll meet him in Sage Town," Marishka explained gently.
Mina nodded and, without further questions, climbed into the carriage beside her newly acquainted sister. Together, they left the small town Mina had called home for over a decade.
On the road, they encountered Adrianna's family and traveled together toward Sage Town.
Elsewhere, the other witches—led by Muriel and Aleera—had already set off, though along a different route.
Meanwhile, Vlad was already on his way to the heart-shaped lake known as the Jibalo Banshee Lake.
As night fell, small points of green light flickered into view and began to spread, blanketing the entire forest in an ethereal glow. In minutes, the woods were transformed into a dreamscape of soft, glowing color.
The Jibalo Banshee sat on a large rock beside the lake, staring blankly into the water as she often did these days.
Her long legs occasionally dipped into the lake, lazily kicking at the surface and sending sparkling droplets into the air.
The cool water kissed her feet, but it couldn't soothe the restlessness in her heart.
Then, out of nowhere, waves of green light began to rise throughout the forest. Mesmerized, the banshee turned her head.
Tiny glowing insects were fluttering through the air. She'd never seen anything like them before.
Curious, she raised her gold-covered arms and gently caught one.
Its belly glowed with green light, like a star plucked from the night sky. A look of awe lit her delicate face. Surrounded by the beautiful lights and drifting fireflies, she felt a joy she hadn't known in ages.
She stood and began to dance.
"Do you like it?"
A deep, familiar voice spoke softly beside her.
Startled, her whole body froze. She turned, heart racing.
A tall figure had appeared beside her without a sound.
"It's him!" she thought, eyes wide with disbelief.
She moved to jump into the lake in panic, but the voice called out again:
"This is the gift I prepared for you. Do you like it?"
Her body paused mid-motion. She turned around slowly, her gemstone-studded lips parting in astonishment. A small red serpent flicked its tongue from her mouth, a platinum stud gleaming on it.
"You did this… for me?" she asked. Her voice was unpolished, yet hauntingly beautiful.
Vlad stepped closer. Under her stunned gaze, he gently lifted her chin and brushed his fingers across her lips, touching the tiny red gems.
"Yes. I think I've fallen for a little fairy who lives in the water," he murmured. "But she's shy and won't come out. Tell me, what should I do?"
The banshee's eyes widened. She finally understood—the surprises she'd seen these past few days had been his doing.
"So... all this time, you were preparing these surprises for me?" she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
"What do you think, little fairy?" he teased.
"I thought you left... that you'd never come back. I kept waiting… hoping to see you again," she whispered.
A single tear slid down her cheek. Overcome, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing quietly.
Vlad smiled slightly, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
He wrapped his arms around her slim waist and gently traced the gemstones on her back.
"Little fairy, don't cry. I don't even know your name yet," he whispered in her ear.
She raised her head, eyes shy, and shook it slowly.
"I don't have a name," she said.
"That won't do. Everyone needs a name."
"Let me give you one. Is that okay?"
As she looked into Vlad's gentle eyes, she felt her heart flutter. She was already completely under his spell.
"How about… Siren?" Vlad said after a pause. "It suits a little fairy like you."
He wasn't great at naming things, so he simply borrowed the name from Greek mythology.
But the banshee didn't care. Hearing him call her Siren, her eyes lit up. She nodded eagerly and hugged him tightly, unwilling to let go.
They stood there in silence, wrapped in each other's arms. For her, this moment was enough.
Vlad smiled again.
She truly was naive when it came to love—but that just meant he would have to guide her himself.