Der Spiegel des Cyprianus

In the shadow of an ancient castle perched on a lonely hill, spring light fights its way through towering firs and oaks, while inside the walls a quiet grief lingers. The count’s only son lies pale and fever‑ridden, watched over by his grieving mother and the loyal housekeeper, both bound by duty and past hurts. As the young countess—once spurned and now returned to care for the child of her former rival—keeps vigil, the old nurse begins to recount the legend of the Mirror of Cyprianus, a story that once steadied the hearts of those who heard it.

The whispered tale reaches back a century, when a compassionate countess struggled with childlessness, war‑torn lands, and the relentless hopes of the poor. Her own sorrow and the castle’s turbulent history intertwine with the mysterious mirror, suggesting that reflections may hold more than mere images. This early portion sets a mood of melancholy, lingering mystery, and the promise that the past may yet illuminate the present.