Io’s Cursed Betrayal

Eighteen-year-old Io, toiling in paddy fields and dreaming of friendship at the Hanami celebration, finds more than she bargained for in Draco, the General's son. Naive and trusting, she falls for Draco, who, despite being promised to another, courts her while fighting for his right to choose his own bride. However, his magical mother's deceit unravels Draco's efforts. Io, upon discovering his betrayal, flees. Draco, realizing his family's treachery, abandons his obligations to be with Io. They reunite, but the next day, Io's accidental fury harms Draco, leading to their permanent separation. Weeks later, Io discovers she is pregnant and informs Draco's family. His mother, enraged by Io's perceived harm to her child, curses Io to become a monster for a thousand years, condemning her to a life without love or her child, and dictating her death. Io's demise will trigger the revelation of how her anger impacted others, a revelation that will reshape the world she will never inhabit.