The ballroom glowed with gold and laughter. Music flowed like wine. Delicacies danced on silver trays. Students smiled and swayed in rhythm—unaware that beyond the joy and candlelight, history was about to split in two.
While the celebration roared on, Overlord Selenus Eleanora silently slipped away, her graceful steps vanishing into the private upper chamber of the academy.
She sat by candlelight. On her desk lay two letters—unopened, yet heavy with consequence.
She reached for the first one, its seal pressed in imperial crimson.
From the Royal Empire of Surandha.
Her hand trembled slightly as she read:
To the Esteemed Grandmaster Selenus Eleanora, known as Commander of the Ivory Vortex and Keeper of the Skyblessed Archive,
I, Vikrama Surandha, Emperor of the Royal Empire of Surandha, write to you not as a mere ascendant —but as a seeker of balance in a world that teeters on the edge of power and prophecy.
It has now been a while since the breath of the Almighty Queen vanished. Her ascension seems to have failed. Her body was found… but hollow, scorched, and void of divine presence. The era of her dominion has ended, whether by will or force.
After intense observation, our Prime Chancellors and the High Seers of Surandha have confirmed that the Forbidden Forest of Sarpavana no longer holds the seals that once barred mortals.
The evil mists have parted. The ancient boundaries are breaking. And within those woods lie the extraterrestrial war treasures—artifacts said to have been forged during the Astral Wars, capable of turning empires into god realms.
We are not fools. We are not alone. The Ariel and Taras Empires have already pledged arms. A joint operation is now in motion.
We formally request your cooperation and logistical support from the Eleanora Domain. Those who stand aside will be left behind in the age to come. Those who resist… may be considered threats to the sacred accord.
The forest will be ours. The power shall return to human hands. And those who remember the pain of the gods will not kneel again.
I await your affirmation.
— Vikrama Surandha, Emperor of Surandha, Commander of the Eastern Divine Legions
Selenus set the letter down slowly.
"They're serious... the three great empires are moving. If we oppose them, we're finished. But if we join them and they're wrong—if the queens aren't truly gone—"
She sighed. Her heart pounded with dread.
"I can't make a decision like this in haste. Not tonight."
She reached for the second letter. No seal. No name. But the handwriting sparked a soft smile on her lips.
"…This one's from her."
She opened it gently, folding it open like a memory.
Did you seriously just let Rudra and Saki into your academy? I know you've got a sharp mind and a cold glass of wine for a heart, but seriously—did you even LOOK at their robes?
Not just some stitched embroidery. That's the Queen's Crest, sweetheart.
Six hands, a sun, and an inverted crescent moon fused into a crown, and the Sword of Legacy was carved with demonic spider silk.
Do you remember what happened the last time someone wore that crest? Right. You don't. Because they turned that entire kingdom into smoke.
I don't know who trained them, what woke them, or how they ended up in your academy, but let me make one thing clear:
Do. Not. Mess. With. Them.
They're not killers by default. In fact, they're freakishly calm. Polite. Mysterious. But if anyone in your realm—be it noble brat, overconfident instructor, or dimwit prince—provokes them without knowing who they truly are…
The Eleanora Domain will become a crater, and I don't want my sister buried in ashes, got it?
Be smart. Be subtle. Give them space. Let them do their thing. If they leave peacefully, great. If they get hurt, just start writing your will.
Anyway, I'm leaving the domain. Going home. I like being alive. Get some rest. Stop working late. Delegate more. And please stop drinking wine in your tower with no ventilation.
Don't die, dummy.
Love, your dangerously hot and smarter younger sister
The letter slipped from Selenus's hands.
She stared into nothing—face pale, lips parted.
And then… she collapsed to the floor.
Time moved gently in the Eleanora Domain.
Rudra and Saki immersed themselves in their studies—learning the customs, laws, politics, and philosophies of the humanlands with quiet intensity. Their pace was steady, their caution sharp.
Yet, one mystery lingered in Rudra's heart like a thorn:
The Five Sovereigns.
No matter how many books he read, scrolls he translated, or lectures he attended, he found nothing. The truth of the sovereigns had been swallowed by time… or hidden.
And every evening, like a soft ritual, he met Crystal under the moonlit garden swing. They shared what they'd learned in class, their dreams, their favorite colors, even awkward jokes. Their different grades—Scholar and Warrior—meant nothing when the stars above were the same.
But in the shadows, eyes burned.
Prince Varuna and his followers watched. Their envy sharpened by repetition. Day after day, they saw Rudra and Crystal… laughing, connecting, dancing.
Prince Varuna, "Why is one woman not enough for him? I just want to kill him while those two girls watch him die, and that Saki, that woman, is really something to reject me in a dance, and she is going to regret this for her life, and I will make it happen."
And though the prince masked it well, others among his followers did not. Whispers turned to murmurs. Mistrust became malice. Plans were born—not by the prince, but by those around him. And he had no idea how cruel they were becoming.
One fine day, Rudra approached the grand doors of the Dean's chamber.
He knocked once, then entered.
"Dear Madam," he began, polite and composed. "I've been searching the library… but I couldn't find a single thing about the Five Sovereigns. Is there any place I could look deeper?"
Grandmaster Selenus smiled faintly, a flicker of knowing in her eyes.
"Ah, the Sovereigns… yes, they are incredibly secretive. Even among historians, they're spoken of in half-truths and myths. But… we do have one book about them. "Why do you need info about five sovereigns?
Rudra's eyes lit with hope. I have something to ask them, and it is so important to meet them.
"However," she continued, "the book is under the care of one of our senior researchers. He's currently working on a private project and doesn't like distractions. If you assist him with his research, he may grant you access."
She smiled. "Shall I introduce you to him tomorrow?" May I know one thing? Where are you from?
Rudra offered a gentle, heartfelt smile. "Of course, madam. I'd be honored." And I'm from Sarpavana, and it is my homeland.
The Dean chuckled to herself as he left. Huh, he is really from Sarpavana, and that is Queen's crest without a doubt, and he seems like royalty, and there is only one royal family in Sarpavana, and that is the Queen's family. It is really a troublesome matter, and those fools with their ascendant power are thinking of taking over the sarpavana, but now I'm enlightened, so taking the humans' side will really make Eleanora's domain into ruins. This is the best time to reply, Vikrama.
"The Mighty Emperor or Surandha, Vikrama Surandha.
For the assistance you asked for, the invasion of Sarpavana, I can't give helping hands, and nobles in my domain seemed to be in fear, and I can't let my domain fall into warfare.
And my suggestion is the queens are not only the powerhouses in Sarpavana, take it to the mind, and please refrain from the thought of invasion, that is for your safety."
Selenes Eleanora, Dean of Eleanora Academy.
That boy smiles like a storm hiding behind sunlight.
By the time Rudra exited, night had fallen. The stars were soft, and the breeze cool. But something was missing.
Saki had left earlier that day—called to the polar region for urgent matters involving the loosening seals under Sarpamukhi, tied to the Queen's disappearance. She had told Rudra she would return in a few days.
So, he waited.
He waited by the swing. Their usual place.
But Crystal didn't come.
Not that night. Not the next morning.
Worried, Rudra approached her dorm and spoke to a young beastkin girl who was her roommate.
The girl rubbed her eyes sleepily and handed him a folded letter.
"She left this on the table," she said. "Told me to give it to you if you came."
Rudra unfolded the note.
Dear Rudra,
I got a sudden call from my parents. Something important. I had to leave for home. I'll be gone for a few days.
Take care of yourself. And tell Layla… tell her to stay safe too.
Yours lovingly, Crystal.
Rudra stood silently for a moment, the letter in his hands.
He whispered to himself, almost too softly to hear—
"...But Crystal said she had no parents."