The annulment. The false accusations. The weight of rejection.
Serena Alveir had fallen into the abyss of despair.Every step she took—whether in the academy or the capital—was met with scornful gazes and fearful whispers.
She had become a stranger in a world that once embraced her.
And yet, in that very solitude…something ancient, long dormant in her blood, began to stir.
Fractures of the Heart
That night, under a starless sky, Serena sat alone in her chamber.
In her trembling hands was a newspaper, the headline screaming at her:
"Crown Prince Annuls Engagement with Woman Linked to Demons."
The article twisted truth into venom, painting her as a villain in the eyes of the people.
Her hands shook, blue eyes brimming with tears.
"No matter what I do… no one will ever believe me again."
She closed her eyes, suffocated by despair so heavy it threatened to steal her breath.
A Chance Discovery
Two days later, the headmaster assigned several students to clean out an abandoned storage hall sealed for decades.
But fear of "dark remnants" drove them all away.
In the end, Serena was ordered to go alone.
Dust and cobwebs filled the room, but what caught her eye was a faded arcane seal etched upon the inner wall.
As she drew near, the weakened sigils flickered faintly—as though responding to something within her.
"What… is this?"
When her fingers brushed the symbols, the seal shattered.
A stone staircase revealed itself, spiraling downward into the depths.
The Forgotten Hall
She descended into a vast hidden chamber beneath the academy.
Walls glowed faintly with ancient inscriptions—letters she recognized dimly.Her father had once called it the Language of the Stars.
At the center stood a stone altar, upon which rested a fragment of silvery-blue crystal, glowing softly.
The air was heavy, yet it carried a strange warmth—like a voice calling to her blood.
Then, a whisper echoed clearly this time:
"Heir of Alveir… will you accept our covenant?"
Truth in Her Blood
Visions flooded her mind.
She saw the ancestors of House Alveir—warriors unlike others, who did not rely on contracted spirits.
Instead, they bore the Star Covenant—a bond woven directly with the constellations above.
In the age of ancient wars, they fought demons with silver fire burning through their veins,bodies etched with lines of celestial light.
But time had buried the covenant, leaving only forgotten legends.
Tears slid down Serena's cheeks as she clutched her chest.
"Then… I was never cursed to be a shadow. I was born to be a light."
An Oath in Darkness
She stepped onto the altar and knelt before the crystal.
"Even if the world denies me—even if I lose my honor—I will not forsake the vow of House Alveir."
"If this blood carries the Star Covenant, then I will claim it—to become the sword that protects this world."
The crystal blazed. Silvery-blue light engulfed her.
Lines resembling constellations etched themselves across her arms, across the blade she held, before sinking into her flesh.
A New Power
When Serena opened her eyes again, her blue irises shimmered with a faint silver glow.
She felt it—not ordinary magic, not borrowed power from spirits—but the faith of the stars themselves flowing through her veins.
The blade in her hand glimmered faintly with star-lines, like fragments of the night sky.
Her shattered heart began to mend—not because others believed in her, but because she began to believe in herself once more.
The Watcher
From the shadows at the stairway, Kyren Adelric stood silently.
He had watched everything without interfering, his gaze carrying both relief and sorrow.
In a whisper meant only for himself, he murmured:
"Good… you chose to rise again, Serena.""This time… I won't let you be taken from me."
Valkyria's Smile
Meanwhile, Irena Valkyria received word that Serena had been vanishing nightly—rumors spreading among students of strange light beneath the academy.
She lifted a glass of wine, lips curving into a cold smile.
"So, you've found something, haven't you, Serena?""But no matter what power you awaken… I'll see it branded as your new sin."
Closing Scene
The girl cast into despair heard the forgotten call of the stars.
An ancient covenant awakened in her blood—the true legacy of House Alveir.
It was the first spark of light that could tear through the darkness.
But at the same time… it marked her as the next target of those who pulled the strings from the shadows.