Chapter 76: Shadows of Deception

**Thelma Zane’s Point of View** The story of the pure white witch and the southern Duke was a hauntingly beautiful tale, filled with both sorrow and love. Yet, as I sat beside Aldrich in the field of daisies, I couldn’t help but see it through the lens of a princess and a general. Beneath the romantic tragedy lay layers of political intrigue, personal grudges, and a bitter history that still cast long shadows over our present. “So,” I mused aloud, “does this mean that the southern Duke and the witches have a personal vendetta beyond the national conflict between werewolves and sorcerers?” Aldrich nodded thoughtfully. “It seems that way. The southern Duke’s survival is inextricably tied to the pure white witch. Her death may have saved him, but it also painted a target on his back. The sorcerers, blinded by their grief and rage, would have seen him as a symbol of their loss—a perfect object for their revenge.” I considered this. Pure white witches were incredibly rare, their exi