King Arthur remained seated, his expression calm—but his mind raced.
The aura that had erupted from Mei Lin's awakening orb…
It reminded him of someone.
Princess Ariel.
The colors were nearly identical—green, blue, and gold—but Mei Lin's aura was far denser, deeper, and far more unstable. Arthur narrowed his eyes.
So the Lin girl…
---
Inside the Head Priestess's office, the priest spoke hurriedly.
"That child… Mei Lin Lin has awakened two classes."
The Head Priestess stiffened.
"Impossible."
"Yet it is true," the priest insisted. "Only once every two hundred years does such a phenomenon appear. One in a billion among humans."
The priestess's thoughts drifted to another secret.
A child in the Braveheart Kingdom… also with two classes.
Only the royal family, the Holy Church, and the king himself knew of that case.
After a long silence, the priestess spoke decisively.
"We will inform only the Lin Family."
"But Your Holiness—"
"The King of Hiroshima does not trust them," she said coldly. "And I do not trust him."
The matter was sealed.
---
Nine Years Later
Braveheart Kingdom
The capital was alive with celebration.
Banners danced in the wind as royalty and nobles from across the continent gathered to celebrate Princess Gaya's fourteenth birthday. Three royal families had answered the king's invitation, filling the palace with music, laughter, and intrigue.
Yet the birthday girl herself was not among the crowd.
She stood quietly in the royal garden with her closest friend—
Luo Chaos.
A half–dark elf and the heir of the Chaos Family.
Luo presented her with a small velvet box.
Inside lay a blue diamond necklace, radiant and refined.
Gaya gasped. "It's beautiful!"
When she leaned forward to hug him, footsteps interrupted them.
Her younger sister, Sia, approached—eyes burning with suppressed anger.
"Sia?" Gaya asked gently. "What's wrong?"
"I'm fine," Sia replied sharply.
Before the tension could grow, Prince Shan Yu of the Mana Dynasty Kingdom arrived.
He stepped between Gaya and Luo.
"Stay away from her," Shan Yu ordered coldly. "Princess Gaya will be my future wife."
Luo froze—then bowed politely.
"I apologize if I caused discomfort," he said calmly before leaving.
Sia tried to follow him, but Luo stopped her.
"Please… don't."
---
Back inside the palace, Princess Ariel of Hiroshima searched the crowd.
"Where is Princess Gaya?"
"She's with the heir of the Chaos Family," someone whispered. "A half dark elf."
Ariel hesitated.
A dark elf…?
When she finally found him, fear crept into her chest. Dark elves were rare—almost mythical.
Luo noticed her gaze and tried to leave.
"Luo!" Princess Gaya called suddenly.
He froze.
Ariel approached nervously. "I—I'm Princess Ariel."
Luo bowed respectfully. "Luo Chaos. It's an honor."
"Do you know where Princess Gaya is?"
"She's in the royal garden."
"Thank you."
"It was my pleasure."
---
> Note:
The Chaos Family is one of Braveheart Kingdom's greatest noble houses.
Their military strength rivals that of a small kingdom.
The family head, Jin Chaos, is an S-rank warrior and Minister of Military Affairs.
Luo's mother was the last known pure-blood Dark Elf. After giving birth to Luo, she vanished—leaving behind only an ancient elven necklace.
---
As Princess Ariel entered the garden—
She saw Princess Gaya slap Prince Shan Yu across the face.
The sound echoed.
Fury twisted Shan Yu's expression. He raised his hand—
BOOM!
A blast of compressed wind magic hurled him into the flowerbeds.
Everyone froze.
Luo stood between them, his expression cold.
"Are you hurt?" he asked Gaya quietly.
"I—I'm fine," she replied shakily.
Without another word, Luo turned and left.
Shan Yu rose from the flowers, humiliated and shaking with rage.
I will kill him, he swore.
And destroy the Chaos Family.
Luo, however, walked away unconcerned.
---
> Note:
The Mana Dynasty Kingdom possesses the highest natural mana density on the continent.
It is famed for crafting magical items and rare artifacts—
But lacks powerful warriors, ranking it seventh among human kingdoms.
---
Demon Continent — Unknown Location
A hooded figure entered a deep cavern, carrying a blood-stained bag.
Chains clattered.
In the chamber's center hung a pale girl with crimson eyes—
Katarina Kaunt, a vampire.
The figure revealed herself.
Helena Kaunt.
She threw a human heart onto the stone floor.
"Eat."
Katarina glared at her. "No."
Helena's smile twisted.
The whip cracked.
Again.
And again.
After an hour, Katarina lay broken, barely breathing—tears falling silently.
Helena looked down at her with disgust.
"You are a disgrace to our kind."
---
> Note:
Katarina Kaunt is the second princess of the Vampire Kingdom.
Her sister Helena is the current queen.
Their father died protecting Katarina's human mother—a vampire hunter.
Before dying, the Vampire King ordered peace with humanity.
Katarina honors that wish.
Helena despises it.
And far away—
Fate continued to weave its cruel design.