Warm sunlight filtered through the tall crystal windows, scattering across the chamber in soft, golden streaks. The morning air carried the scent of fresh lilies from the palace gardens, mingling faintly with the fragrance of rose oil that lingered in the room.
Shellia stirred, her dark hair cascading across the white silk pillow as she blinked herself awake. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was—the Imperial Palace, not her residence at the Emerald duchy. She inhaled deeply, her senses flooded by the faint traces of divine mana still clinging to the walls.
Before she could rise from the bed, a soft knock came at the door.
"Come in," she called, her voice still laced with sleep.
The door opened quietly, revealing Diana Dravienne. Her pale-blue hair shimmered under the morning light like strands of moonlit silk, falling straight down to her waist. Her pink eyes, calm and distant, reflected the composed grace of her noble bloodline.
