Koharu stood in the palace courtyard.
Her eyes were fixed on the magnificent golden light rising from the spear resting upon the altar.
It reached toward the heavens—brilliant, divine.
This was Mikail's Spear…
The sacred weapon that had been embedded in the heart of the nation for a thousand years.
The light climbed from the spear to the sky, then spread across the land like a massive shield.
Because of this shield, no demon could approach the Kingdom of Angels.
The soil was overflowing with blessing.
A single seed could sprout and bear fruit within days;
livestock grew fat and multiplied in no time.
People called these lands paradise.
But Koharu's lips curled faintly.
> "Paradise? Maybe for them…
But I was born cursed beneath this light."
---
In this kingdom, every person bore a power named after the light descending from the sky: Aurora.
Those who assimilated Aurora could use it in many ways—magic, body strengthening, sword-ki, martial arts…
Everyone displayed their power proudly.
Aurora was the pride of the Angel Kingdom.
But me…
Through Aurora, I could see people's hearts.
Their intentions… their hidden darkness.
Good hearts shone brightly—
soft colors, clear lights… like hope, like peace.
But the hearts of the wicked…
were black stains, like pitch.
And the darkest hearts I had ever seen…
belonged to my own family—the royal family.
While my siblings competed to show off their power,
I was forced to hide mine.
Because I wanted them to believe I couldn't use Aurora.
Being seen as weak, inadequate, flawed…
was easier than revealing my true curse.
So I was scorned.
And became the unwanted princess.
---
For thousands of years, the Angel Kingdom followed an unchanging tradition:
Every member of the royal family, upon turning eighteen, would stand before Mikail's Spear in a grand ceremony.
It was more than a ritual—
it was a binding.
First, they would kneel before the spear,
place their hands upon the altar,
and swear:
"My heart, my soul, and all that I am belong to the light of Mikail."
After the oath, a bond would form between them and the spear.
With the spear's blessing, the meridians within their bodies would widen.
Aurora would flow faster, deeper, limitless.
Thus, the royal family was seen as the "chosen."
The true owners of Aurora—those selected by the spear.
---
And today…
is my eighteenth birthday.
This afternoon, it will be my turn.
Just as I thought of this, someone walked past me.
My sister.
A smug smile tugged at her lips.
"You can't even use Aurora.
I came all the way here for you? Tch… what a waste of time."
Koharu turned her head.
And she saw the pitch-black stain in her sister's heart.
A heaviness sank into her chest;
she lowered her gaze.
Her sister chuckled and continued:
"You can't even look us in the eye!
After the ceremony, Mikail's Spear won't bless you.
Everyone will finally see what a failure you are.
You probably don't even have royal blood…
Who knows who that whore you call a mother slept with to spit you out!"
She walked away laughing,
while Koharu's jaw tightened.
She clenched her teeth.
Unable to say a word.