A gentle breeze swept through the empire, carrying the sweet scent of freshly blossomed flowers. The rustling of new leaves signaled the arrival of spring, painting the world anew.
Yet, in a forgotten corner of the imperial palace, where a secluded residence stood in eerie silence. Black roses and their venomous thorns coiled around its walls, creating an ominous sight. The palace, though grand, appeared abandoned—its dark atmosphere exuding an unsettling aura.
A sudden, piercing scream shattered the stillness.
Inside one of the lavishly adorned rooms of the abandoned palace, a six-year-old girl stood with an authority far beyond her years.
Snow-white hair tumbled over her waist, framing a face delicate enough to be mistaken for porcelain, yet her azure eyes burned with a fury that could rival the fiercest storms.
Her attire, vibrant and regal, shimmered beneath the light, and an exquisite necklace shimmered around her neck—a peculiar piece, seemingly ancient yet brimming with a strange energy.
Before her, three maids knelt, their heads bowed, bodies trembling under the weight of her gaze.
"Where are the rose petals in my bath?" the little girl demanded, voice sharp as broken glass. "Did I not explicitly order a bath filled with rose petals?"
The maids remained silent, fear weighing down their throats. Finally, one dared to whisper, voice barely audible:
"T-There are petals in your bathwater, Your Highness…"
The girl's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in their depths.
"WHERE?" Her voice thundered. "There are so few I can barely tell if they are rose petals or mere specks of dust! How dare you speak back to me? Do you think yourself above your station?"
The maid collapsed immediately, forehead pressed to the cold marble.
"P-Please forgive my insolence, Your Highness!" she cried, her voice shaking like a leaf in the wind.
But the little girl's anger was far from sated. It flared like wildfire, consuming every ounce of reason.
Just then, a calm voice cut through the tension:
"Your Highness, here are your rose petals!"
A girl with warm brown hair, dressed in the garb of a personal maid, stepped into the room, a plate of petals in hand. Her expression calm and unyielding despite the raging storm before her.
However with a sweep of her tiny arm, the princess sent the plate flying. Rose petals scattered like crimson snow across the floor.
"I will punish you all today! None of you shall be forgiven!" she shrieked, fury trailing in every syllable.
Storming out of the room, she was followed closely by the brown-haired girl, pleading with concern:
"Your Highness, please slow down! You might get hurt!"
The princess ignored her, without so much as glancing back, barked—
"I will punish you all so severely that— AHHH..."
Her words were cut off by a sharp gasp. She had reached the top of the grand staircase without realizing it. A misstep sent her body tilting forward, gravity taking hold.
The world spun in a dizzying blur as she tumbled down the staircase, her small frame striking the cold, unforgiving marble at every turn.
"YOUR HIGHNESS!!!"
The terrified scream of the brown-haired girl echoed through the hall, but it became twisted and fragmented in the princess's spinning vision, each sound warping and stretching as the world pitched and rolled around her.
When the tumbling finally ended, she lay at the bottom of the staircase, sprawled across the cold, hard marble.
Blood pooled beneath her head, her vision blurred, and an icy numbness spread through her body.
"Your Highness!!!"
The girl raced down the steps toward her, her horrified scream echoing in the vast hall. But it barely registered as darkness began to close in around the little princess.
Suddenly unfamiliar faint, blurry images flashed before her eyes— Unfamiliar yet familiar peoples, towering buildings, foreign technology, people wielding powers beyond her comprehension. Each fragment carried a sense of déjà vu, unfamiliar yet familiar.
Her head throbbed painfully as a torrent of memories surged within her, overwhelming, unstoppable.
Ding...
Just as the darkness was consuming her, a chime echoed softly in the void, clear and crisp like a drop of water falling into a still lake.
A translucent screen flickered into existence before her dimming vision, its deep blue glow casting a faint light in the emptiness. Strange symbols danced across it before shifting into legible text.
[ System Activation: The Eternal Life System has been reactivated. ]
[ From this moment forward, System » E.L.S. « is once again at your service. ]
The princess barely made sense of the words before excruciating pain wracked her mind.
[ Congratulations. All past memories is being awakened. ]
The brilliance of the panel intensified, surrounding her in a cascade of luminous fragments like shards of shattered glass, each carrying a sliver of lost knowledge.
A sharp pain lanced through her skull as fragments of countless lives rushed into her mind, a flood so overwhelming it threatened to shatter her very being. Her breathing grew ragged, her consciousness teetering on the edge.
More screens emerged, overlapping one another, their messages flashing in urgent red.
Ding…
Ding...
A warning flared across the system's interface, its letters now bold, urgent.
[ ⚠ Danger! ⚠ Danger! The host is experiencing severe mental overload. ⚠ ]
A suffocating force gripped her, an invisible tide pulling her deeper into unconsciousness.
[ ⚠ Immediate action required! ⚠ The system will induce a protective coma until all memories are stabilized. ]
The world around her shattered into infinite fragments of light, dissolving into an endless abyss.
The last thing she saw was the faint glow of the panel fading into the void— before everything went completely black.
Darkness engulfed her entirely.
A Week Later –
A faint rustling of curtains stirred the stillness of the room. Sunlight streamed through the heavy curtains, casting a golden glow over the room, illuminating the soft folds of silk sheets and brushing against the pale form nestled within them.
Nestled in silk sheets, the little princess's eyelids fluttered open.
The ceiling above seemed familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same. A dull, persistent ache throbbed at the back of her head, a painful reminder of her recent fall.
For a long moment, she lay still, unmoving, letting her mind drift in the murky waters of fragmented memories.
Then, with slow, deliberate effort, she attempted to sit up. A sharp stab of pain shot through her head, but she endured it, gritting her teeth.
Then, some faint voices reached her ears—hushed, tinged with worry.
"She hasn't woken up for an entire week. What to do?"
"The physician said she will be fine."
"Her Highness has yet to awaken. What if—"
"She'll wake up soon. We must have faith—"
At the sound of movement, two figures rushed to her side— The same brown-haired girl with worried hazel eyes and a silent knight standing tall yet tense. their faces filled with concern.
The girl leaned closer, words spilling out in a single breath:
"Your Highness! Are you alright? Do you feel any discomfort? Should I call for the royal physician?"
The princess did not answer. Her gaze, sharp yet unreadable, fixated onto the blue panel floating in the air before the girl.
[Character Information ]
[Name: Cassia ]
[Identity: Personal Maid of the Princess (Commoner) ]
[Relation: Personal Maid ]
[[ Skills:
Cooking: Competent (34)
Combat: None (0)
Defense: None (0)
Agility: None (0)
Intelligence: Clever (26) ]]
[Abilities: Skilled in household tasks, capable of cooking. ]
[Special Ability: Possesses latent magical power but lacks formal training. ]
[Characteristics: Practical, straightforward, slightly strict. ]
[Potential: Has an innate talent for summoning magic, though undeveloped. ]
[Trait: Devotedly loyal to the princess. ]
[Preference: Enjoys order and cleanliness; dislikes unnecessary distractions. ]
[Backstory:
She is a commoner with untapped magical potential, Cassia never had the opportunity to test her abilities. Once the princess's father helped her in a time of need. That's why after his death, she swore unwavering loyalty to his daughter, dedicating herself to the princess's service. ]
The princess's gaze then shifted towards the knight.
[Character Information ]
[Name: Gerald ]
[Identity: Knight of the Princess (Commoner) ]
[Relation: Personal Knight ]
[[ Skills:
Cooking: Basic (10)
Combat: Highly Skilled (49)
Defense: Steadfast (37)
Agility: Nimble (48)
Intelligence: Perceptive (46) ]]
[Ability: Mastery of swordsmanship. ]
[Special Ability: Speed. ]
[Characteristics: Quiet, reserved, and gentle. ]
[Potential: Notably fast in battle, capable of swift maneuvers. ]
[Trait: Deeply loyal to the princess. ]
[Preference: Values honor and discipline; dislikes disloyalty.]
[Backstory:
Despite his exceptional skills as a knight, Gerald's status as a commoner limited his rise in rank, confining him to the role of the princess's personal guard. However, rather than resenting his position, he has accepted it with unwavering dedication, vowing to protect the princess at all costs. ]