"Once upon a time, long before the rise of kingdoms and crowns, there was a world where humans did not walk alone. Creatures not born of flesh and bone—spirits of wind, beasts carved from stone, and guardians forged in fire—lived beside mankind. In those early days, there was no border between the mortal and the otherworldly. They shared the land. They shared the sky.
But harmony was fragile.
As humans grew in number, so did their ambition. Peace became an inconvenience. Differences turned to fear, fear turned to hatred, and hatred gave way to war. What began as border disputes became blood feuds; what began as survival turned into conquest. The forests burned, the rivers ran red, and the cries of battle echoed endlessly.
Year after year, the bloodshed continued, unceasing. And then, in the heart of the world, something ancient stirred.
He had been asleep for centuries beneath the mountain—a fire-breathing guardian forged not by gods, but by the world itself. The dragon was said to have been placed on the earth to keep balance between races, a silent watcher meant never to interfere. But even stone can crack, and even fire can rise when the winds scream loud enough.
Awoken by the deafening chaos of man's endless war, the dragon rose.
He did not come with wisdom or warning. He came with wrath.
In a single night, entire armies were reduced to ash. Cities vanished beneath his wings. Fields of steel and blood became craters of flame. He made no distinction between right and wrong, soldier or king. To him, all who fed the war were the same.
And then, as quickly as he appeared, the dragon vanished..."
Lyn narrated the fantasy book she just bought for me, as if she were experiencing it herself.
"Some say he dissolved into smoke, others that he returned to slumber beneath the scorched earth. But my grandma said the dragon had broken the one law that bound him. He had slain mortals—that's why the heavens erased him without a single trace. He was supposed to be the guardian among us."
I let out a big sigh.
I am Quisette Chrysafi Yu, a young lady of the Yu Family, known for its strong military background. The girl in front of me is my personal servant, Lyn.
"Or maybe he became a mortal just like us, hiding and seeking vengeance. You know, it's only folklore. That's not something we should believe in," I said with a joking laugh.
"Young Lady!" Lyn pouted and faced me, "Kids around your age in my village usually believe in this creature—how could you not, Milady?"
Oh right. I'm still ten years old.
"It's simple." I proudly crossed my arms. "I am the young noble lady from the House of Yu, raised with utmost respect and intelligence."
"…with utmost respect and intelligence," Lyn repeated at the same time, making us both laugh. She knows me too well.
"Oh, you forgot something important, Young Lady Quis." Lyn then pulled out a paper that looked as though it had been carefully kept. "It's time for you to enroll in the capital. You've been invited by the royal family!"
Lyn exclaimed with pure joy.
I stood up, covering my mouth in awe. I couldn't believe it.
Oh my freaking goodness.
"Let's go pack my darn clothes!" I laughed like a villain in a movie.
Finally! After ten years of being stuck behind these tall walls, I'm no longer the secluded youngest child!
Oh, yes. I've been reincarnated into this body since it came out of its mother's womb—oh, she's my mother in this lifetime as well.
And where am I in this part of the universe?
That's the hell I don't know.
I better find it out!