Behind the narrow crack in the door, tears formed in the little girl’s eyes as she listened to her father’s cold words.
"Let us separate."
Although that word was said only once, it repeated in Izel’s ears again and again without stopping.
Tears flowed in the eyes of the little eight-year-old girl as she pushed the door open, while her pleading voice echoed through the room.
"Mom... Dad... no... please no..."
Her words were broken as she choked on her crying, but for some reason her father never responded at all, as if neither of them noticed her existence in the first place.
At the same time, the blue flowers outside trembled, and thin lines appeared between their tightly closed petals, showing the first signs of separation.
An ethereal blue light shone as it filled the garden.
Even so, the little girl watched her parents separate... a scene still carved deep within Izel, and today it was summoned once more.
But not as a memory... as reality.
Before her tear-filled eyes, the world distorted as it rebuilt itself.
And everything returned to the beginning.
But in a way that had never existed in her memories.
Something new.
...
’Stop... please stop...’
Inside her small room, Izel sat hugging herself on her bed.
Her body trembled violently while she shut her eyes tightly, as if trying to hide herself from the world.
At the same time, she covered her ears to stop the sounds from slipping into her mind.
But it was useless.
As if her hands did not exist at all, the loud sounds came from outside and flooded the little girl’s head.
Sounds of screaming.
Loud and unnatural screaming.
As if someone was suffering pain that could not be endured.
Someone familiar.
She should have gone to see what was happening... but she was afraid.
Afraid to the point that she could do nothing but sit there and tremble in her bed.
"Mom... Dad..."
...
It was great to be born into the imperial family.
But to be born as the princess herself was even greater.
After all, it meant you began this life directly at the top.
But more importantly, you had a chance to take the family’s greatest inheritance.
The throne.
But for Ellen, it was not that important.
Because she had an older brother.
A talented and highly trusted brother... more worthy of that throne than her.
Or at least, he should have been.
In a large training ground stood a beautiful fourteen-year-old girl. Her black hair was tied behind her head while her red eyes stared forward in deep concentration.
Around her, pieces of metal flew rapidly as they struck the targets at the far end of the vast ground, the sound of metal impacts echoing for a while before stopping completely.
"Huff... huff."
Ellen breathed as sweat dripped from her chin onto the plated floor beneath her.
"Excellent work from my little sister."
A playful voice slipped in from one corner of the place.
Ellen turned her head toward the source of the voice and saw a young man in his early twenties standing at the edge of the training ground with medium-length black hair and red eyes exactly like hers.
His handsome face carried an amused smile while his strong body leaned against the smooth wall.
Ellen let out a tired breath before reaching toward her tied hair and releasing it, then walking toward the side of the ground where her older brother stood.
Zen Asterval.
The person who would inherit the throne from their father.
She reached a small table and picked up a white towel, wiping the sweat from her face.
But her eyes could not help being drawn toward her brother standing there as she asked,
"Since when have you been there?"
Zen shrugged.
"From the beginning... of course I would not miss my dear sister’s training while I am free."
While hiding her face behind the towel, Ellen asked again with a trace of embarrassment,
"Then how was my performance?"
"You are amazing for your age. Well, even at this age I am sure you could pass the entrance test to the Axis."
Ellen heard her brother’s praise while hiding her face behind that towel, pretending to wipe herself.
But she was hiding her embarrassed expression instead.
"Really, or are you only praising me because I am your sister?"
Without her noticing, Zen had already reached her and pulled the towel away from her face.
"Look at my shy little sister hiding her face when she receives praise."
He said that in a voice full of amusement as he threw the towel aside, revealing Ellen’s slightly reddened face.
Ellen frowned in annoyance.
"No, I am not shy."
Zen tilted his head.
"Then why is your face red?"
The moment he said that, Ellen’s face reddened even more and her expression turned angry.
"Obviously because of the training."
"Really? Then why is it getting worse?"
He said that as he moved closer, while her face grew redder.
In the next moment she raised her hand and pushed him aside before walking toward the exit.
"Stop bothering me, idiot."
Zen’s faint laughter sounded from behind, along with some words.
"Come on, Ellen, you are a princess. You should not be this shy from mere praise... what if you become the next empress? Will your face turn red because one of your followers praised you?"
Ellen gave him a look over her shoulder.
"You are there for that, so there is no need for me to worry about it."
She walked out of the training room, ignoring her older brother’s teasing.
Yes, she was a shy girl when receiving praise... not only from her brother but from almost anyone.
But it did not really matter, because in the end she would not become an empress or anything like that, since she never cared about competing for the throne in the first place.
From the beginning, Ellen saw Zen as more worthy of it than herself.
So she did not want to ruin their relationship for the sake of power... even if it was something tempting.
The moment Ellen left the training room, a smile formed on her face while a faint happy laugh escaped between her teeth.
"I am amazing."
...
Because she did not possess that urgent desire for power, Ellen’s life as a princess was happy, avoiding the troubles her family had suffered for centuries.
But that did not last forever.
One day, Ellen walked inside a grand palace located in a remote area far from the capital. It was none other than her brother’s palace, where he spent most of his time.
So after some thought, she decided to make a surprise visit without any notice.
And so here she was now walking inside her brother’s palace without him knowing.
’Why does this place seem like this?’
She frowned as she noticed the strange atmosphere here.
It had been two years since she last came here, and even then her brother’s palace had seemed somewhat strange.
From the lack of servants to the heavy atmosphere here... it was strange, yes, but twelve-year-old Ellen at that time had not cared.
But today the place was truly strange... very strange.
Until now she had not met anyone... no guards outside, no servants doing their work.
Yet despite that, the place was clean and orderly... as a sign that someone had been taking care of the place not long ago.
The only sound heard in the great halls was the sound of her footsteps striking the luxurious marble floor.
"Where is everyone?" she muttered, her voice seeming louder in the silence.
’Is he planning to sell this place or something?’
For a moment she thought her brother was trying to sell this remote palace.
But she soon wandered through most of it until she reached an open door at the end of one corridor.
Behind the door was a staircase leading downward, with lights on the walls showing the path.
Ellen stepped toward the door.
"Is this a door to the basement?"
The moment her foot passed inside, a strong metallic smell assaulted her nose and made her eyes widen.
She recognized what it was immediately.
’Blood.’
The fourteen-year-old girl frowned as she swallowed audibly, freezing in place there, not knowing what she should do next.
Part of her wanted to go down and see what was happening below... another part only wanted to turn back.
’What should I do?’
But after some thought, curiosity won in the end.
Ellen stepped down the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible and hide her presence in preparation for anything.
With every step, many thoughts and fears moved through her head.
’Is my brother okay?’
But among them, the state of her older brother was the most important.
Ellen soon reached the bottom of the stairs, and there she saw the source of that smell.
Her heartbeat quickened while her breathing became heavier, and fear dug into her depths.
And most importantly, she heard her brother’s voice.