Your life is still peaceful.
[Although the basic foundation of the magic system has been completed, there is still a lot you need to do.]
[In theory, after creating a magic system, it takes a long time to wait for it to germinate, take root, and develop in the era. Only in this way can the mystery of this era be gathered between blood and imprints, passed down to future generations, and manifested in "reality."]
[While waiting, you can also 'water' it to speed up the rooting of the magic system.]
[You opened the Royal Court Library and announced that anyone can come to read, look at books, and even borrow them.]
[All princes, ministers, nobles, and even civilians living near the Kremlin will have the right to study.]
[Nicholas II had doubts about your decision. He came to discuss it with you and was eventually convinced. You told him that this was the only way to ease the internal conflicts in the Tsarist Empire.]
[Nicholas II believed you, and you did not deceive him.]
[The books and knowledge you spread are the seeds of the 'Book of Law' that have not yet sprouted. They can make your mysterious system grow faster. The stronger you are, the more likely you are to change your current predicament.]
[So every day, outsiders visited the palace and entered the library.]
[But they were mostly aristocrats, and they didn't come for the books.]
They came for you.
[But you didn't care.]
[Because you spent every day with Anastasia—you read or wrote together.]
[You enjoyed this quiet atmosphere. When you looked up, you could see the girl thinking seriously about the book in her hand. Even though what she held was actually a romantic novel, she looked as if she were pondering a world-shaking philosophical question.]
[You smiled knowingly.]
[The princess came to her senses and realized you were laughing. She quickly swapped the book for an actual philosophy volume.]
[Three minutes later—]
She fell asleep.
[You laughed out loud.]
[The princess blushed when you woke her up.]
[On the 523rd day of your arrival at the palace, the number of books in the library continued to decrease and was constantly replenished, but the number of visitors declined.]
[On the 524th day, fewer people came.]
[By the 525th day, the library was nearly deserted.]
[You sensed something strange in the air.]
[You heard that Nicholas II was planning to leave the Kremlin and tour the country.]
[You sensed the truth behind it.]
[Sure enough—]
[On the 544th day, Nicholas II formally signed the war preparation agreement.]
[His national tour had been a prelude to war. He had been planning it for a long time, hoping to deflect internal tensions through foreign conflict.]
[July of the same year.] [The Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Tsarist Empire began mobilizing for war.]
[August.] [The German Empire issued an ultimatum to Russia and France.]
[August 3: Germany declared war on France.] [August 5: Austria-Hungary declared war on the Tsarist Empire.]
The year is 1914.
[The First World War, unprecedented in human history, spread across most of the world. Over 65 million people were directly involved, affecting 2 billion lives.]
[This year, you are still studying and writing in the Kremlin, in the Tsarist Empire.]
[This marks your third year in the palace.]
[On this day, the Royal Library is empty.]
Anastasia is also rarely seen.
[You know—it's time to step out of the library. It's time to truly step into history.]
...
"Our First and Second Armies on the Eastern Front have successfully advanced into Prussia and are entering Germany!"
"Our troops have reached German territory."
"Urgent report—"
"Our Second Army was ambushed near Pnenberg and was completely wiped out!"
Military reports flooded the Kremlin in Moscow like snowflakes.
In the silent palace hall, princes and ministers looked at each other in unease. Outside, the October wind howled. The temperature had plummeted, winter was approaching, and dark clouds cast long shadows across the city.
Within the brightly lit chamber, heavy curtains veiled the windows.
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna sat on the throne meant for Nicholas II, robed in a magnificent Victorian gown and crowned with a laurel wreath. She gazed at the ministers below, wanting to speak but finding no words.
Yes—
With the Tsar now on the frontlines, Alexandra ruled in his stead.
Though once a noble lady, she was not merely a decorative figure. In times of crisis, she could govern.
But today, she felt powerless.
Not because of the chaotic war reports.
In fact, since Nicholas II's arrival at the front, morale had improved.
What worried her more were the domestic reports hidden among the war dispatches.
—In recent days—
Cities like Murmansk, Irkutsk, and Yekaterinburg had erupted in riots incited by enemy agents. Opportunists profiteered off the war, leaking state secrets for personal gain.
The front was chaotic. The rear was in turmoil.
Alexandra kept her composure.
After all— She must defend the rear lines. The enemy could not be allowed to win.
"Perhaps we should cooperate with the revolutionaries," a minister suggested cautiously. "Their leader was jailed in Austria-Hungary. They've been suppressing riots and aligning with our stance against foreign powers."
"Nonsense," another minister objected. "They stir unrest and undermine our Empire. They want to overturn our way of life!"
Revolutionaries, foreign agents, speculators—chaos emerged everywhere.
Alexandra furrowed her brow.
She understood: the Empire had not been ready for war. The people had not supported it.
Yet Nicholas had marched forward without regard.
"It's... frustrating," Alexandra sighed.
Three days had passed since Nicholas left. The ministers argued daily, offering no solutions.
Then—
A cold gust blew through the hall.
The wind stirred the gauze curtains and silenced the room.
Everyone turned.
A man stepped into the palace.
"I can sense the restlessness from outside."
The visitor stood tall, dressed in black priest's robes. Handsome, backlit by the doorway, he seemed to glow with divine light.
Lucan Leuvist smiled.
He said: "I think what you need—" "—is a little revelation."
Queen Alexandra's eyes brightened.
Hope had arrived.