𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇. enhypen

seventeen

Hanbin tapped his chin. "What an odd name."

"I've never heard a name like that either." Jihye let the journal fall onto its back. "The entries were dated before I was even born so I don't know whether this person is still alive or not."

Hanbin suddenly recalls Jihye mentioning a book with the same language- or which was now newly acknowledged as a code. "What about the other one you said you saw in the castle? Is it also a spell book?"

"I haven't read it yet. But I am one hundred percent sure it's by the same person." Jihye said tentatively, clasping her hands together. "And if it's filled with more spells, I'm glad it didn't end up in the hands of someone else."

Hanbin's stomach twisted uncomfortably and he felt a sour taste in the back of his mouth at the thought of the journal reaching someone else with darker intentions. They could easily use their newly learned spells for selfish and harmful reasons, going as far as forcing the King to step down from the throne. It would be absolutely anarchy.

Just then the bell that hung from the shop's entrance jiggled, announcing the arrival of his second customers of the day. "Someone came in." Hanbin informs, his voice alarmed. Other townsfolk shouldn't know that the East Princess was inside his shop, without any sort of guards or security. For all Hanbin knew, if word were to get that Jihye was there, a mob was certain to form outside.

Hanbin begins pushing journal towards Jihye for her to put it away. "You need to hide your face or they'll see you're the-" He stops once he turns back to face Jihye, only for it not to be her. Instead of there being the young and dollish looking Princess he knew, there was now a bit older aged maiden with curly blond hair and a prominent beauty mark under her left eye.

"There's no need for that." Jihye said in an altered voice that wasn't her own. Hanbin had almost forgotten how much of a talented Magian Jihye was, she could quickly cast a transmutation spell with no difficulty.

She looked down at her hands and saw they also looked different, bigger than her own. Jihye wondered how the person she borrowed their appearance from was doing. She had no way of knowing as they had only been a random commoner Jihye saw once in Acacia.

With her unfamiliar hands, Jihye grabs the journal and tucks it back into her satchel. Relieved that Jihye wouldn't be recognized, Hanbin doesn't stop his customers as they wander closer to the two of them. "Welcome to the Hollow Bookshop! I'll be right with you in a moment." Hanbin greets as he briefly looks the newcomers over. Jihye can see them open their mouths to acknowledge him in return, but he's already looking away again and leaning against the counter. "I wish we could continue chatting but it looks like I have some other customers I need to take care of."

"Make sure to keep that spellbook safe and hidden. You can't have anyone know of those spells until we find out who, what, and why." Hanbin whispers low enough for only them to hear. "I now fear there are things we have yet to discover. And finding out the unknown always comes with a price."

"I'll make sure to keep it safe." Jihye said and gestured vaguely towards her satchel. Her voice felt strange on her tongue, but grew to like the deeper tone of the person she mimicked. "And find out the truth of its origin."

Hanbin wanted to tell her to not obtrude further in things that could possibly be perilous for both her and others. Who knew whether the author was out there still searching to recover their lost journal. Or worse- they could possibly be willing to take lives just to get them back into their hands. But would she even listen if he said something? From the few years he's known her, Hanbin could tell she was the type to live by her own beliefs and rules. Jihye was incredibly hardheaded and couldn't be bothered to do as someone suggested.