The Kingdom of Edelweiss had always been known as a land of resilience.
Its people survived harsh winters, powerful storms, and generations of conflict beneath the cold skies of the southern continent. Strength was respected deeply within the kingdom not merely physical strength, but also the strength of character, conviction, and courage.
And among the royal children of the Ethyria bloodline, one princess embodied that spirit more fiercely than most.
Princess Liana Alethea Ethyria.
The Fifth Child of the Edelweiss Royal Family.
A princess whose honesty was as sharp as an arrow and whose courage burned brightly like the first flowers of spring after a long winter.
Princess Liana was born on Monday, April 1st, 1130, during the season of spring.
According to the ancient traditions of Edelweiss, children born during spring inherited what the kingdom called the Blood of Spring—a bloodline associated with courage, growth, honesty, renewal, and unwavering spirit.
The elders often described Spring Blood as:
"Strength blooming quietly beneath the cold."
And truly, that description suited Liana perfectly.
Unlike her siblings, who each possessed different personalities and ambitions, Liana carried a unique combination of bravery and sincerity that made her stand out naturally within the royal family.
She spoke honestly.
Acted directly.
And never hid her feelings behind false politeness.
Yet despite her bold personality, she remained kind-hearted and deeply respectful toward others.
From childhood onward, it became obvious that Princess Liana was not interested in the quiet and elegant lifestyle expected from many noble daughters.
She loved movement.
Adventure.
Challenges.
Competition.
The outdoors.
And above all else
Freedom.
Whenever palace servants searched for her, they usually found her somewhere outside the castle walls.
Sometimes riding horses through snowy fields.
Sometimes practicing archery near the forest edges.
Sometimes climbing places she absolutely should not have climbed.
And occasionally
To the endless panic of the royal guards
standing dangerously high atop castle walls simply because she "wanted to see the view better."
"Princess Liana! Please come down immediately!"
"I'm fine!"
"You are standing on the edge!"
"That's why the view is amazing!"
The guards nearly fainted every single time.
Princess Elara, the youngest sibling, admired Liana greatly because of her adventurous spirit.
In many ways, the two sisters shared similar personalities.
Both loved exploration.
Both hated being confined.
Both dreamed of experiencing the outside world freely.
The difference was that Elara approached adventure with childish curiosity, while Liana approached it with fearless determination.
To Elara, adventure sounded exciting.
To Liana, adventure felt necessary.
As children, the two sisters often sneaked away from palace supervision together.
Though usually, Liana was the one leading the chaos.
"Are you sure this is allowed?" Elara whispered nervously once while the two climbed across palace rooftops during sunset.
"No."
"…Then why are we doing it?"
"Because it's fun."
Elara immediately agreed.
The royal family suffered emotionally afterward.
Despite her playful side, Princess Liana possessed extraordinary seriousness regarding one particular subject
Strength.
Not superficial strength.
Not power used for pride.
But strength used to protect others and defend justice.
That belief led her toward the military path from an incredibly young age.
Unlike Princess Aira, who loved arts and culture, Liana became fascinated by warriors, military history, and combat training.
She admired disciplined knights.
She respected soldiers protecting the kingdom.
And she strongly believed women were equally capable of becoming powerful leaders and fighters.
In fact, even as a small child, Liana openly declared this belief without fear.
One evening, while eating dinner with King Ethan Edelweis XI and Queen Alysandra Valyria, the young princess suddenly placed both hands dramatically upon the dining table.
"Father!"
King Ethan blinked in surprise.
"Yes?"
"A woman's courage is no less than a man's!"
The royal dining hall immediately fell silent.
Nearby servants froze nervously.
Meanwhile, Queen Alysandra calmly sipped tea, already accustomed to her daughter's sudden declarations.
Liana continued passionately.
"Women can become warriors, leaders, generals, adventurers, and protectors too!"
King Ethan stared at his daughter for several seconds.
Then suddenly
He burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
Liana looked confused.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Because," the king replied while smiling proudly, "you sound exactly like a future commander giving a battlefield speech."
The young princess crossed her arms confidently.
"Maybe I will become one."
King Ethan's laughter slowly softened into warmth.
Then he looked at his daughter seriously.
"My child… of course women can become brave leaders."
Liana's eyes sparkled immediately.
"Really?"
"Of course."
The king leaned slightly closer.
"But bravery alone is not enough."
The room grew quiet.
"A true leader must be brave in justice and truth," King Ethan continued calmly. "Strength without wisdom becomes destruction. Courage without kindness becomes cruelty."
Liana listened carefully.
"Be wise," her father said softly. "Not foolish."
For once, the energetic young princess became completely serious.
Then she sat upright proudly and answered loudly:
"I'm ready, Father! I will remember your words until the last drop of my blood!"
King Ethan laughed warmly again.
"That's good, my daughter."
He gently patted her head.
"Father is proud of you."
Queen Alysandra smiled lovingly beside them.
"And Mother is proud of you too."
Liana looked toward her mother immediately.
The queen's gentle expression softened further.
"But I also want you to remember something important."
"What is it, Mother?"
"Always remain humble," Queen Alysandra said calmly. "Always remain honest. And never trample upon the dignity or self worth of another woman."
Liana nodded firmly.
"Okay, Mother!"
Then, raising her tiny fist dramatically into the air, she shouted:
"Ready!!!"
The entire royal dining hall burst into laughter.
That moment became one of the family's favorite memories for years afterward.
As she grew older, Liana stayed true to those childhood convictions.
At an age when many noble daughters focused solely on etiquette and court culture, Princess Liana boldly entered the Royal Military Academy.
The decision shocked countless nobles.
Some criticized her openly.
"A princess should behave more elegantly."
"Military training is too dangerous."
"She should focus on noble duties."
Liana ignored every criticism without hesitation.
"If men can endure military training," she once said confidently, "then so can I."
And she proved it.
The military academy was notoriously brutal even for experienced noble sons.
Long endurance drills.
Combat exercises.
Weapon training.
Cold-weather survival lessons.
Archery precision.
Horseback combat.
Most students struggled immensely during their first months.
Liana thrived.
Not because training was easy.
But because she genuinely loved overcoming challenges.
Her favorite discipline quickly became archery.
The moment she held a bow properly for the first time, instructors immediately noticed her natural talent.
Her focus became frighteningly precise.
Her posture remained stable.
And once she concentrated fully, her arrows rarely missed targets.
Even senior instructors praised her skill.
"Princess Liana shoots with confidence," one military mentor observed. "Not hesitation."
Outside formal training, she also loved horseback riding immensely.
Unlike Princess Aira's graceful riding style or Prince Ryker's aggressive speed, Liana rode with fearless freedom.
She often traveled through forests, hills, and snowy roads simply to explore unfamiliar places around the kingdom.
Sometimes she invited Elara along for adventures.
Sometimes Kael secretly supervised from a distance to ensure they stayed safe.
And sometimes
Unfortunately
they returned covered in mud, bruises, and terrible excuses.
"What happened to both of you?" Queen Alysandra asked one evening.
Elara nervously looked away.
Liana answered honestly.
"We fell into a river."
"…Why?"
"We were investigating something."
"What were you investigating?"
Liana paused briefly.
"A suspicious frog."
Silence filled the room.
King Ethan nearly choked trying not to laugh.
Despite her courage and adventurous nature, Liana remained deeply compassionate toward people.
She hated injustice passionately.
She protected weaker students at the academy.
She openly challenged arrogant nobles when necessary.
And unlike many warriors obsessed with pride, Liana never viewed strength as a tool for domination.
To her, strength existed to defend others.
That belief made her deeply respected among ordinary citizens and soldiers alike.
Even military veterans admired her determination.
"Princess Liana fights like someone protecting the future," one knight once remarked quietly.
Perhaps that was true.
Because beneath her fearless personality and adventurous spirit, Liana carried something even more powerful
Conviction.
The conviction to live honestly.
To stand proudly without fear.
To protect justice regardless of expectations placed upon her.
And beneath the blooming skies of springtime Edelweiss, Princess Liana Alethea Ethyria continued growing into a young woman whose courage inspired everyone around her.
A princess.
An archer.
A warrior.
A dreamer.
And perhaps someday…
A leader capable of proving to the world that bravery was never defined by gender
But by the strength hidden within the human heart itself.