A voice rose in my prison cell behind the pitch-black darkness.
The creaking of the iron door echoed through the stone walls, sending chills down my spine. In the pitch darkness, I couldn't distinguish who was coming. Only footsteps… heavy, determined, threatening. Then, I felt a hand on my chin—cold, hard, merciless.
"How much longer will you keep defending your country, crown princess?"
The voice echoed mockingly. Then another voice, sharper and more contemptuous:
"Oh, come on… You must be stupid. Everyone thinks you're dead. If we did something to you here, who could help?"
I stayed silent. I wasn't weak enough to bow to their threats. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, a slap hit my face. My head was thrown to the side violently. Blood leaked from my mouth as I spat on the floor and raised my eyes to look at him.
"I don't plan to give you anything."
He withdrew angrily. The other, younger one shouted impatiently:
"Brother, I think we should kill her. It's been almost six months, and this girl doesn't intend to talk."
His eyes locked on me, filled with hatred and darkness.
"Listen to me, Laurantia… This is your last warning. You give what you're told, or else… we'll do whatever it is we do with your name."
The door creaked shut again. Footsteps faded away. Silence returned. But this silence was a herald of death. I was obviously going to die. Again? After struggling so much, while living my second life… No. I must not die.
"I am Laurantia Elizabeth Charlotte Margaret de Draethsi von Nocratis. I cannot die. I must not die…"
At that moment, a voice rose from the darkness. Strange, yet familiar in tone:
"Get me out."
I squinted, looking into the darkness. "What?"
"Get me out. They mercilessly executed me, Empress."
I recoiled in shock. "Do you know me?"
"How do you think you went back to the past?"
"What do you want?"
"It's good that you get to the point. Activate your revenge. I will help you."
"Why should I trust you?"
"You don't have the option not to trust, Empress… or should I say Laurantia?"
"And what if I don't?"
"Then you'll die like a fool. Reveal me. I will help you."
"Alright. I will reveal you. What should I do?"
"You already know what to do. This isn't the first time you're using me."
"So, it's you… Uriel."
"You are as clever as expected."
I felt a pang in my chest. It was as if I had been waiting for this moment for years. My chains were loosening. I raised my hand.
"Come forth, Uriel!"
A black aura rose from my body. Power began to flow through my veins. The iron door of the cell vanished in an instant. The loud crash echoed through the corridor.
"Hah… What's happening there? Oh my God, what is that?!"
I stood up and passed by a trembling prisoner beside me. He retreated in fear.
"M-Monster! This must be reported to the authorities immediately!"
I remembered why I hated humans. Laurantia, they were too stupid to wait for you to leave on your own.
"Uriel… I realized, for the first time, you allowed me to use my first name."
"Don't be arrogant, Laurantia. I am the one who granted you this power."
"You're wrong. Choosing me increased my power. But I was already strong."
I turned my back on him and approached. Just as I was about to draw my sword, I destroyed his hand. He writhed in pain. He kicked me, but I didn't budge. Apparently, he was not the amateur I expected. I picked up the sword from the ground and stabbed him in the heart. Then I continued on my way.
This night was long and the key to my freedom. I looked down at my clothes. They were slave garments. Since I was presumed dead, it was understandable that I wore slave clothes. The brooch I wore that night was an imperial jewel. They must have sold it within six months. Anyway… I had to focus on escaping. I would find the brooch later.
As I moved between the rooms, I came across a shelf. Folded hooded vests were on it. Finding it was an invaluable chance. I put one on and summoned Uriel.
"Take control, Uriel."
"I'm surprised you said that, Laurantia."
A black aura rose from my body, beginning to fill the entire room. First, I wanted to check if anyone was still alive. Although I was the heir here, there were many slaves from different races.
I went to the cell diagonally to the left. I entered. There were six cells inside. I freed them all with my power.
A slave called out:
"You are the savior… Thank you!"
"You saved our lives!"
"It's nothing. I'm giving you ten minutes to leave this place. It will be destroyed. Get out immediately."
The slaves looked at each other first—worried, uncertain. Then:
"You're free. You may go."
They jumped for joy. They emptied the rooms and went down to the lower floor. I continued to explore. The lower floors were full of guards but strangely empty. I had already killed thousands of people.
I spread my aura over a wider area. Suddenly, the place shook as if in an earthquake. Then my aura enveloped the entire building.
"Uriel… Come on. Time to destroy."
The aura spread around the building. Everything disappeared. It was erased as if nothing had ever been there.
I looked around. The environment was unexpectedly ruined. The houses were looted.
"You must teach that bastard a lesson in this life. You died because of the rumor that you were dead, but he wasn't dead. Also… I love revenge."
"Are we sure there's no war going on here?"
"I don't know. But something is definitely going on here. Angel Uriel…"
"Did you know I was an angel from the start?"
"Is that really a question? You know I came from the past. Even though I wasn't an angel user back then…"
"Do you remember what happened to you?"
"What do you think?"
"So you know that you were sent back to the past not only by me but with the help of other angels as well."
"I partially know."
"You must teach that bastard a lesson in this life. You died because of the rumor that you were dead, but he wasn't dead. Also… I love revenge."
"I didn't die. Only my honor and love died. I don't care what you love or don't love."
"I know."
"Wait a minute… How long have you been thinking about me?"
"I'm not thinking, dear. I just enjoy what you do, my Empress."
"Don't call me Empress. And you noticed, didn't you? The future has changed."
"I noticed. But who cares? You have to deal with it."
Uriel's voice echoed deep in my mind as I quickened my steps. Walking through the ruined streets, the stones beneath my feet were stained with blood. The sky was gray, as if even the sun had turned its back on these lands. The wind carried the scent of burning. Everything was silent, but this silence was the ominous calm just before the storm.
"How about activating the sword, Aur?"
Uriel's voice startled me. Aur… yes, that ancient sword. I brought my hand to my waist. The cold metal's texture echoed on my fingers. I grasped the sword. Suddenly, a black light surrounded me. The sword seemed to awaken. There was a spirit inside, and that spirit was speaking to me.
I kept walking. Bodies… everywhere. Some were still warm. I bent down and checked their pulses. There was a war, yes. But where? When had it started? Why had it started? As these questions swirled in my mind, screams from the northeast pierced my ears.
"How am I hearing something so far away? Is this your doing?"
"Yes. Because I wanted you to see more horror, I wanted to show you what's happening to you."
"I see… That voice in my head… Are you really an angel?"
"HEY! I told you not to ignore me!"
"Alright, alright… Don't shout, let's go."
I started moving. The houses around me were filled with corpses. The walls were painted with blood. I entered a house. I was looking for something valuable, but nothing was left.
"Where is the Empress's honor? Up and searching for things to steal."
"If you want to live, you'll need it."
"Tch… You're shameless."
I left the house. Truly, everything had been taken. As I approached northwest, the number of corpses increased. Then I heard a voice. Two people were diagonally across from me. I immediately hid behind a house. I started watching. One was carrying the other's corpse.
"For God's sake… What is happening here?"
I followed them. They entered a forest. I moved silently between the trees. But I noticed one thing: my footprints were visible. I quickly put my right shoe on my left foot and my left shoe on my right foot. That way, I could confuse my trail. In some places, I took off my left shoe and stepped on the ground with my bare foot. This would make them think I was heading east.
Finally, they reached a spot. They threw the corpse into a pit.
"The soldiers kill, but we suffer the consequences. What a wonderful country!"
"Shut up! This place is surrounded by Draethis soldiers. What would you do by not obeying their orders?"
"Draethis… This is my empire!"
"We declared war on them here even though it's not clear whether they were responsible for the death of Archduke of Windsoria and Crown Princess Laurantia!"
"SHUT UP! They killed our only princess! She refused their land demands from Archduke Windsorias!"
"So what? Does that directly mean they did it?"
"Shut your mouth! What would you do if someone heard you?!"
At that moment, someone in uniform approached. His armor was the knight uniform of the Draethis Empire. Silver embroidery gleamed on the black fabric. The dragon emblem on his shoulder shouted his loyalty.
I was still hiding. My heart was pounding in my chest, but a smile appeared on my face.
"Uriel… This night is just beginning."
— "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!"
The commander's voice echoed off the stone walls. It was deep, authoritative, and full of anger. The metal parts of his armor clanged as he walked, every step sounding like a threat. The soldiers around him flinched and averted their eyes.
— "Nothing, commander…"
The voice was shaky, defensive. But the commander's eyes scanned the area with envi-
— "What kind of mistake is this?! We are soldiers, not at home! Pull yourselves together!"
— "You're right, commander… We will be more careful."
The commander looked angrily at a knight. He rolled his eyes, then turned his back and walked away. The sound of his armor echoed down the corridor.
After the commander left, one of the soldiers raised his head. There was anger in his eyes. He turned to the soldier beside him:
— "What are you doing? Who gave you the right to interfere?!"
He raised his fist and struck the man's face hard. The other was thrown back and fell to the ground. The silence was violently broken.
— "Know this… I don't care what you do at all. I gave the necessary warning. If you keep making noise, you'll be taken to the other side. If you want to go, don't drag me with you."
At that moment, Uriel intervened. His voice was like a whisper coming from the darkness:
— "Laurantia… Do you see? The man did well, didn't he?"
Laurantia rolled her eyes. She turned away. Her shoulders were tense, her face determined.
— "Now is not the time for this."
Uriel fell silent. Laurantia took a deep breath.
— "What are you planning?"
— "I will go to the heart of Windsoria."
Uriel's voice was filled with curiosity:
— "The capital… Luxembourg?"
— "Yes. Apparently, they hold Windsoria responsible for my family's death. They're not wrong. Before my family died, the Empress had killed my father, the steward of the Windsoria Empire. They probably don't even know we've been imprisoned."
Uriel's voice echoed like a dark proposal:
— "Do you want us to destroy them?"
Laurantia shook her head slowly. Her eyes were lost in the distance.
— "It takes power to destroy them. And I've just started using my powers."
Uriel said in a mocking tone:
— "Use me—"
Laurantia interrupted sharply:
— "Do you think I don't know that using you too much will shorten my life? Anyway… Let's leave here. There's no hope for these people."
Uriel fell silent. Laurantia started walking. While looking into the distance, Uriel spoke again:
— "What will you do? Walk to Luxembourg? It would take you at least two months."
Laurantia stopped. She looked down at the ground. Then she lifted her head:
— "I will go to Luxembourg. But not now. The priority right now… is the Kingdom of Sorphiel."
Uriel said with surprise:
— "Priority? What do you mean?"
Laurantia took off the hood from her head. Moonlight hit her hair. Her gray hair shone defiantly against the night.
— "Don't you see? Gray hair… Only appears in the Nocratis Imperial family. I will grow stronger and take my throne. From those who killed my family and those who tried to kill me."
Uriel smiled:
— "Oh… Nice plan. I like it. But as I said, Sorphiel is no less than Luxembourg."
Laurantia narrowed her eyes. Determination could be read from her face.
— "First, let's get out of here… We'll think about that later."