The Devil's Cursed Witch

Despite creating unintentional chaos among the beastmen working inside the palace, the human culprit was sleeping soundly in her bed. When she finally woke up a little later than usual, she was welcomed by discomfort in her lower abdomen.

'I feel so tired...I don't want to get out of bed...'

She subconsciously rubbed her abdomen and rolled into a ball, wanting to get more sleep, but then she felt an uncomfortable warm moistness between her legs.

Her eyes flew open. 'Wait? Is it already...?'

She sat up in bed and pushed away the blanket covering her.

'Please let me be wrong,' she begged as she hurriedly checked her dress and the bed. To her horror, the pristine white bed sheet and her clothes were stained red with blood.

'Oh, no! What should I do? This is so shameful!' she panicked. 'Wash, I need to wash. Water! I need water. Where--ah! Should I wash this in the side chamber?'

She tried to get out of the bed, but she had a bad cramp in her stomach and whined in pain. "Ouch...I hate this monthly cycle...The first day is definitely the worst...but I need to get out of bed or else the stain will spread..."

It just so happened that Reya and Clio found her in a curled position on the floor beside her bed when they entered.

"Miss Ember! Are you alright?"

"What happened, Miss?"

The two servants approached her with obvious distress, scared to see her squatting on the floor with her hands on her stomach and her face buried in her knees.

Since early in the morning, the elves had been checking from time to time if Ember had awoken, not disturbing her since they thought she exhausted herself from studying yesterday. That was why no one tried to wake her even though it was way past her usual morning meal. They never expected to see her look as pale as a ghost when they returned.

Ember looked at the two with a painful expression and shook her head. Her eyes were on the verge of tears.

"W-What happened?" Clio asked in worry.

Reya noticed the stained bedsheet and had a guess. "Estrous cycle?"

Clio followed Reya's gaze and understood.

"Miss Ember, it's alright," Reya tried to console her.

"It's not alright at all," Ember said in annoyance. "I wish I won't get them ever....ahh!"

"Don't say it like this, Miss Ember. Let me help you wash up," said Clio as she waited for Ember to accept her hand and help her stand up.

With much effort, Ember managed to stay steady on her feet with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, I soiled the sheets and my dress as well. I should clean them--"

"No, no, Miss. Things like these, allow us to take care of them. I will change it. It's fine," Reya assured while Clio took Ember to the bath and helped get her clean and take care of the bleeding.

After changing the bed sheets into clean ones, Reya appeared in the bath and helped Ember along with Clio.

Because of her situation, she washed up quickly, not letting herself stay in the water for long. She was just content to take care of that annoying bleeding. She hated it whenever she ended up soiling her dress and bed like this. After changing into new clothes with the help of the two, Ember returned to her bedchamber and could not help but want to lay in bed once more.

The two servants arranged the morning meal for her inside her chamber instead of in the dining hall as Ember looked in pain.

"I don't think I can eat anything...Ugh..." She frowned in pain and curled in bed.

"Miss Ember, you can have this herbal concoction once you eat something. This will help you lessen the pain," Reya said and Ember immediately looked at the bottle in her hand.

"You can give it to me."

"No, Miss, you need to eat something first."

Ember agreed reluctantly and fed herself without really tasting the food, and only then did Reya give her the herbal concoction. The effect was almost immediate--not even half an hour after, she could feel the pain in her abdomen turn into a dull ache. She sighed in relief as it was no longer as bad as a while ago, where she was sweating coldly due to the terrible cramps.

"Thank you for helping me," Ember said as she sat leaning back at the headboard of the bed. Clio dutifully arranged the softest cushions behind her.

"It's our duty to help you, Miss Ember." Clio passed her a glass of water to get rid of the taste of medicine in her mouth and said, "But you should be thankful to Miss Yula who had already prepared everything for this moment. She said we need to be ready because humans get a monthly estrous cycle."

"Miss, do you humans really get it once a month?" Reya asked as if she could not believe it. Clio also had a curious expression, waiting for Ember herself to personally confirm it.

Ember looked at the two elves in surprise. "You mean bleeding? Don't all females get it monthly?"

The two shook their heads.

"No. We don't get it monthly."

"It depends on the race, Miss, but none of the other races has it monthly too."

Ember felt like she had heard something wrong and asked casually before taking another sip of water. "If not monthly, then how often...?"

"For us elves and the females of the beast race, we get our estrous cycle once a year," Reya answered. "Fairies don't have them since they are spirits...as for the witches, I heard they can control them whenever they want?"

"What, they--cough--what?!"

Ember choked on the water she was drinking and ended up spitting and coughing.

She could not hold back her shock as she continued coughing. The two servants hurried to ease her, taking away the glass in her hand.

"Miss Ember, are you okay?"

"Yes--cough--I'm fine...I was just...surprised...haaa..."

'Once a year?'