The Arsedium Empire has no Empress.

Long ago, during the reign of the current Emperor Julius, back when he was still the Crown Prince, the woman who was meant to become Empress lost her life due to political strife.

Before Julius ascended to the position of Crown Prince, he had already married a woman, the Crown Princess, who bore him children. However, she left this world too soon, leaving behind only three children.

Julius, still a Crown Prince at the time, ultimately killed his older brother, who was both his wife’s murderer and his political rival, and took the throne. Yet, unable to forget his wife, he chose to leave the Empress’s position vacant, bringing in only a consort to solidify his foundation as the new Emperor. He decreed that no one was to covet the position of Empress.

Later, unwilling to see his children experience the same bloody political struggles as his generation, he preemptively designated Allen von Arsedium, the eldest of the three children born to the late Crown Princess, as the Crown Prince. He emphasized family unity and cooperation over competition.

Fortunately, Allen, appointed as the Crown Prince, was a strong child with the qualities of a competent ruler.

He vividly remembered the death of his mother in the family’s violent power struggles. As a result, he was deeply wary of disputes among family members and carried a sense of duty to protect his younger siblings. This sense of responsibility strengthened his resolve to maintain his position as Crown Prince and to cultivate his abilities.

The second child, the First Princess Riana, also detested politics and power struggles, having witnessed the devastating effects they had on her parents. She entered a political marriage early on and withdrew from all pursuits of power.

...And then there was the youngest, the Second Princess Alicia, who chose to hone her martial skills and cultivate her own strength.

Alicia had been only four years old when her mother passed away. She had witnessed the entire harrowing scene with her own eyes.

Even now, Alicia vividly remembers it.

The happy moments when her mother sat beside her bed, telling her bedtime stories with a gentle voice.

—"Aaaaah!"

And the “death” that followed, engulfing her and her mother in its wake.

At the mere age of four, all Alicia could do was tremble helplessly as she watched her mother die before her eyes. That incident left an indelible trauma within her.

Though her siblings, Allen and Riana, managed to overcome the tragedy and envelop Alicia with their love, Alicia herself could not move past that day.

Whenever she felt her mother’s absence, she cursed her own weakness and helplessness. Her nights were plagued with nightmares.

For a mere four-year-old child to endure such an event was overwhelming. Witnessing the death of a beloved parent at such a tender age was a burden far too great to bear. It was only natural that she couldn’t overcome it.

Thus, she began to train herself, determined to grow stronger and overcome that day.

She believed that if she could become strong enough to never feel that helplessness again, she could perhaps pull out the thorn embedded deep within her soul.

Ordinarily, the notion of a royal princess, especially a woman, practicing martial arts would have been scandalous. But Emperor Julius, Crown Prince Allen, and First Princess Riana understood her.

They did not stop her from pursuing her training, even allowing her to venture into the labyrinth. After all, it had already been established that the labyrinth wasn’t as dangerous as it seemed.

As long as one avoided the trials and kept their wits about them, there were no major threats. And in the rare case of extreme danger, divine blessings allowed for emergency escapes.

It was treacherous, but not excessively so. Most importantly, Alicia possessed remarkable talent in martial arts. By the time she entered the academy, few in the royal guard could rival her skills.

Everyone believed she could navigate the labyrinth without significant trouble. Some even dared to hope she might reach the innermost depths, the fabled hundredth level that no one had ever achieved.

Not that anyone sent her with such expectations, but they all trusted that Alicia would be fine.

Even Alicia herself believed so.

But…

“Ugh…!”

She emerged from the labyrinth carrying a problem far graver than anyone could have imagined.

A demon.

Or rather, what some called an “evil god,” had taken residence within her body and exited the labyrinth alongside her.

The polytheistic church, devoted to the celestial gods, called for her immediate execution, claiming it was the only way to protect the empire’s dignity. Meanwhile, the empire struggled desperately to shield her.

And amidst all this…

“Haaah…!”

Alicia endured a torment far greater than anyone could comprehend.

***

“And so, the prince lifted the curse on the princess, and they lived happily ever after.”

The warmth of a soft blanket, the gentle touch running through her hair, and the sweet, soothing voice drifting into her ears.

“Did you like the story, Ellie?”

“Yes! It was wonderful!”

It was a moment of utter peace and happiness.

The young girl spoke, her eyes sparkling.

“Mother, I’m a princess too, right?”

“Of course. My Ellie is the prettiest princess of all.”

“Then if I get cursed, will a prince come to break it too?”

“Of course. The most wonderful prince will come to save you.”

“Wow…”

Dreaming of fairy tales, the young girl’s innocent eyes lit up with excitement.

Most people would find it adorable.

But the observer was not “most people.”

“…”

Behind the mother and child, a young woman stood silently, gazing at the scene with hollow eyes.

Her white hair gleamed under the soft light, and her pink eyes, identical to her mother’s, held a distant sorrow. Her features were perfect, her figure shaped by meticulous training and care.

She was a young woman in the prime of her beauty, but her expression was a twisted contrast to her appearance.

Her lips curled into a bitter smile. Despite her angelic looks, the cold, derisive expression etched on her face gave her a paradoxical, tainted beauty.

A tear slid down her weary, empty gaze, but no one noticed. And that made her feel all the more wretched.

“A prince… A prince, really?”

She scoffed at the child’s naive fantasy of a fairy tale.

To her, such stories were nothing more than meaningless drivel—empty words that held no promise of hope or salvation.

At that moment, the young girl continued her chatter, oblivious to the woman’s torment. And then—

Bang!

“!”

The door to the room burst open, and something entered.

“@&$!&#@!#@$#!”

It was like a black mist, swirling and shifting as though trying to assume a human shape.

The shadowy figure let out incomprehensible sounds as it lunged toward the mother and child.

“No!”

The mother threw herself at the shadow to protect her child. And then—

“Aaaaah!!!”

The mother was swallowed by the shadow.

Drip…

Blood began to pour from beneath the shadow’s form, flowing like a waterfall.

The blood filled the room, engulfing the trembling child on the bed.

And before long, the woman who had been watching everything found herself back in the form of the young girl, shaking and crying.

“No… hic… no…”

Though the nightmare had repeated countless times, the woman, fused with her younger self, could only relive the helplessness and despair.

“Urk… Ugh… No more… I can’t…”

The blood filled her lungs, her stomach, her throat. It consumed her completely.

“Is it painful?”

And then, someone appeared before the girl—no, the woman trapped in her nightmare.

It was a woman.

With white hair, a pink left eye, and a blooming flower where her right eye should have been.

Aside from the flower, she was identical to the young girl.

“It’s okay. It’s natural to feel pain.”

Her voice was gentle, almost comforting.

“A useless child who could do nothing but tremble while her mother died deserves to suffer, don’t you think?”

“So, go ahead and suffer as much as you want.”

“This is your punishment. So…”

“Please, disappear in pain.”

“Hic… sniff…”

She found herself beginning to believe it. That she deserved to suffer. That she should vanish in agony.

“It’s okay. You can disappear.”

“It’s fine to be useless.”

“You were just a child. Weak and powerless.”

“You’re still the same now. So, it’s okay to disappear.”

“Hic… sniff…”

But in the end, fear crept back in.

She didn’t want to disappear. She didn’t want to die as something useless.

…She didn’t want to die at all.

That desperate, selfish survival instinct…

Flash!

Once again, it dragged her back to a life filled with unbearable pain.

***

Flash!

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Second Princess Alicia von Arsedium of the Arsedium Empire opened her eyes.

“Hic… cough, cough…”

She wiped away the tears streaming from her eyes and coughed with her dry throat.

“Hah… hah…”

After taking several ragged breaths, she looked around her.

Ahaha, you chose pain again?
How foolish. Why won’t you just disappear?
Doesn’t it hurt? Why do you endure it?
Do you still believe in the hope of fairy tales?

“Shut up!”

The words flashing before her eyes and the mocking voices disoriented her mind.

She waved her hand furiously to scatter the hallucinations and voices, then surveyed her surroundings.

Squish… squish… squelch…

“Ellie…”
“It’s so painful… Ellie…”
“I love you… So please…”
“Disappear.”

The blood and shadows quivered and swirled, coalescing into grotesque shapes. The forms resembled her mother, making them all the more unbearable.

Alicia ignored the hallucinations as best she could, her eyes falling on the rosary resting on the table. She grabbed it hurriedly.

“Hah… hah…!”

Fwoooosh!

A radiant holy light enveloped her body, dispelling the hallucinations and voices she had been enduring.

It should have brought her relief, but instead…

“Urgh…!”

Her face twisted in agony. Clutching her mouth, she stumbled toward the washbasin.

“Bleeegh…!”

She vomited bile. Having eaten nothing for days, her stomach was empty.

And yet…

Drip…

Blood mixed with the bile she expelled—a stark indicator of how dire her condition had become.

“…Cough… So now my body rejects even divine power…”

The seed of the demon was parasitizing her body, gradually transforming her into something demonic.

As the demonic seed consumed her body, the dark energy—magi—grew stronger, and her body began rejecting divine power and other energies entirely.

In truth, Alicia had already been severely corrupted. Her physical form had become nearly indistinguishable from that of a demon.

Yet she endured, as her mind was still her own.

“Hah… hah…”

She dry-heaved several more times before collapsing onto the floor, her expression weary and drained.

“Disgusting.”

The sensation of forcibly injecting herself with divine power was revolting—like swallowing a mop soaked in filth.

How much longer could she endure this? Should she even try?

“Ugh!”

As the thought crossed her mind, she shook her head violently.

No. She couldn’t give up. She mustn’t.

Her father, Emperor Julius, and her brother Allen hadn’t abandoned hope. Even her elder sister Riana, despite being far away after her marriage, worried for her.

If she gave up, she would betray their faith in her.

Even if she could never fill the void left by her mother, Alicia cherished them as her family. Without their care, she might have broken down and become a hollow shell long ago.

“…I can’t go on like this.”

Remaining cooped up in her room only let her thoughts spiral further into despair.

She decided to take a walk, hoping to clear her head. The late hour meant there wouldn’t be any students or staff outside.

Throwing on a light cloak, she stepped outside.

The cool night air greeted her as she left the dormitory in her simple shoes.

“Whew…”

Her spirits felt marginally lighter. She stood at the dormitory’s entrance, inhaling and exhaling deeply.

“Maybe I’ll just walk to the garden… Hmm?”

It was then that she caught a faint, familiar scent.

Alicia took a deeper breath.

Sniff…

“Ah…”

It was sweet, like the scent of confections.

Unlike the repugnant sensation of divine power, this aroma was tantalizing and irresistible.

It was… reminiscent of…

“Those sweet treats I used to share with Mother…”

Compelled by the nostalgic scent, Alicia followed it. It was a fragrance she had dearly missed, a scent that felt like her mother’s presence.

“Hah… hah…!”

Her expression lit up. Unconsciously, she had begun running toward the source of the aroma, her cloak slipping off her shoulders and vanishing into the wind.

She ran, drawn by that sweet scent.

The scent of something that might erase the vile divine power from her body, replacing it with sweetness beyond measure.

Rustle… rustle…

She pushed through the shrubs in the garden, her face devoid of reason. As she emerged from the bushes…

“Hah… hah…!”

“…Hmm.”

A man stood there.

His hair was as dark as the starless night sky, his eyes hidden behind narrow slits, and his beauty seemed almost too perfect, like a masterpiece crafted by an artist.

Alicia stared at him blankly for a moment before her gaze fell on the object he was holding.

“H-huh…?”

The sweet scent was emanating from the man—or rather, from what he held in his hand.

And when Alicia’s eyes landed on it, they trembled.

A horn.

It was a horn. She couldn’t tell which creature it belonged to.

But that wasn’t the important part.

Ssssshh…

The horn exuded a dense, oppressive magi. Realizing this, Alicia’s vacant expression crumbled, and she collapsed to her knees.

The source of the sweet scent she had followed was none other than demonic energy—magi.

Could it be that she had been drawn to magi?

“Oh…”

So, this is what I’ve become. I’ve fallen so far.

To think I would be so corrupted as to find this wretched energy as sweet and alluring as a confection.

I don’t know anymore.

There was no hope in sight.

Recalling how she had lost her reason and chased the magi, she felt nothing but shame.

I’m filthy.

I’m no different from a demon.

The polytheistic church, devoted to the celestial gods, would stop at nothing to execute her for what she had become. And in doing so, her father and siblings, who tried to protect her, would suffer.

A single tear rolled down her remaining eye.

I’m… useless. Worse, I’m a menace to the world.

Perhaps it would be better to give up and die.

As that thought crossed her mind…

“Hm… Are you all right?”

The man, who had been observing the horn before storing it in a subspace, turned his attention to her. Startled, Alicia blurted out.

“Don’t come near me!”

“…”

“I-I’m… I’m…”

A dangerous existence. A demon. She wanted to say it, but the words wouldn’t come out. She could only clutch the flower blooming in her right eye as though trying to tear it away.

“…You look like a pitiful victim.”

The man ignored her protests and approached her. Alicia, still seated on the ground, scrambled to retreat.

“D-don’t…”

“It seems to be a parasitic form. Judging by the extent of the corruption, it’s progressed significantly. Were you drawn here by the magi?”

“…!”

At his words, she froze, still covering her right eye. The man smiled faintly.

“Oh, pardon me. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Yujin, the newly appointed professor at the academy. Are you a student here?”

“I… I…”

Flustered, Alicia stammered. Yujin chuckled and continued.

“Well, you seem the right age to be a student, and you came from the dormitory, so I suppose you are. Don’t worry.”

Yujin knelt, lowering himself to her eye level—or at least as close as he could with his eyes still narrow slits.

“I may not be a full professor yet, but as an educator and an adult, I have a duty to prioritize students.”

As he spoke, a crimson magical circle appeared on his hand.

“Ah…”

Alicia’s breath caught as she stared at it.

The intricate spell, incomprehensible in its dimensionality, soon resolved itself into something simple—a series of surfaces, lines, and points.

Slide…

Yujin reached out toward the flower blooming in her right eye.

Tap.

His fingers brushed against the petals, and then—

Fwoooosh!

“Ah…!”

A crimson light engulfed her, and a strange calm washed over her.

Her strength drained away, leaving her in a state of pleasant drowsiness. It felt as though a significant burden had been momentarily lifted.

Whatever had been holding her together within her body began to slumber.

“Ah…”

“You seem exhausted. For now, get some rest.”

Through her blurring vision, Alicia caught a glimpse of Yujin’s crimson eyes and gentle smile.

That was the last thing she remembered.