It was a long time ago.
A girl was imprisoned in a stone tower, kept under the strictest guard.
Her features, so brimming with loveliness and grace, would have captivated any man who beheld her. Some went as far as to say she shone more brightly than any flower or jewel in existence.
But within her body, she harbored a rare and terrible power that blighted all things.
It was a horrific force that stripped away the sanity of others; proximity alone drained their life force, festering their skin and even eroding their minds.
As a result, she had rarely ever spoken to another living soul.
And yet, one person dared to call out to her.
"Good evening."
Night after night, a man would slip past the guards' watchful eyes to reach her through a small window—the girl's only glimpse of the world outside.
Two months had passed since he first began making his way to the stone tower.
During that time, the girl would listen to the man’s voice, but she never offered a reply.
It was only after another month had passed that she finally spoke.
"Why haven't you lost your mind?"
The man, questioned so abruptly, did not falter.
"Because I am strong. A power like yours is not enough to erode me."
He spoke with a nonchalant air, waiting for her next words.
"Liar. You must be using some kind of magic to ward it off, if only a little. My father ordered you to come and humor me, didn't he?"
"No, that is not the case."
"Then reach your hand through this window. If you can touch me without fear, I will believe you."
"If that is all it takes to earn your trust, then I would be glad to."
The man reached his hand through the small window.
The girl recoiled in shock. Despite having issued the challenge herself, she did not take his hand; instead, she scrambled away from the opening.
She had meant to test the man, but she felt as though she were the one being tested.
"Are you a fool? Or merely an idiot?"
"I don't see the point in using two words that mean the same thing, but I assure you I am neither."
"...Then it's reckless abandon. That's enough—pull your hand back before it's too late."
However, the man made no move to withdraw.
Rather than peering inside, he reached blindly into the darkness of the tower, his arm waving as he desperately tried to find her.
The girl watched him. "You really are a fool, aren't you?"
"I find that offensive. You were the one who told me to touch you. If I am a fool for trying, then so are you for asking."
"You're the first person to ever call me a fool."
"I am honored."
"...I wasn't complimenting you. Enough of this. Pull your hand back."
"No. I have no intention of withdrawing until you have taken my hand."
The girl let out a deep sigh.
She retreated even further into the shadows so that even her breath would not reach him.
Sensing that her voice had drifted away, the man’s hand finally slumped, hanging despondently against the stone.
"Nothing good will come of touching me."
"I disagree."
The girl was momentarily stunned by the man's unwavering conviction.
However, she quickly composed herself.
"I... If you are so certain something good will come of it, then tell me what."
"At the very least, you will understand that I am not like the others."
"There's no need for that. This is the last time I will warn you. If you don't want me to alert the knights, take your hand and leave."
The man's arm didn't move an inch. He seemed to be weighing his options.
Then, as if he had been struck by a brilliant idea, he spoke with renewed brazenness.
"What must I do for you to take my hand?"
The girl sighed again, a frustrated "Ah, geez!" escaping her lips.
Faced with the man’s stubbornness, she decided to silence him with an impossible task.
"If you bring me certain items to suppress my power, I will take your hand. I might even meet you face-to-face and kiss it."
Because she was dealing with someone who wouldn't take no for an answer, her tone had become uncharacteristically sharp and haughty.
It was not how she normally spoke. She was secretly surprised by her own behavior, and though her heart ached at her harshness, she was desperate to make him give up.
"Tell me what I must find. I will bring them to you, without fail."
"...Are you serious?"
When the man replied that he was, the girl exhaled slowly.
"Fine. Then I'll tell you."
The girl repeated the words she had once heard from a legendary magic tool crafter.
If she remembered correctly, a woman named Mirim Altia had said:
"Bring me a Dragon King's Horn Fragment, the Phoenix Blood of the one who rules the Sky Continent, and the Giant's Tears that sleep on the seabed."
Hearing that, the man finally withdrew his hand.
The girl felt a wave of relief, thinking he had finally been discouraged—but she also felt a pang of disappointment. She was plagued by a complex knot of emotions.
However, she had misunderstood his silence.
"Thank you for telling me."
The man did not look through the window, but he laughed happily under the moonlight.
"I will bring them all to you within the year."
"Wait—! Wait a minute!"
"It's a promise. Please, wait for me. Just make sure you do not go back on your word."
"I said wait! I—!"
The man’s presence vanished.
He was gone in an instant, disappearing as suddenly as morning mist.
Confused and overwhelmed, the girl sank weakly to the floor.
"...Liar. It's impossible."
She whispered the words to the empty room, but in her heart, she prayed he was not a liar.
Because for the first time in her life, someone had stayed by her side and spoken to her for so long. She found herself making a single wish.
He didn't even have to bring the items she asked for.
She simply prayed... that he might find his way back to her side once more.