The morning sunlight poured gently through the towering crystal windows of the Edelweiss Royal Residence, casting golden reflections across the marble floors. Outside, the royal gardens bloomed beautifully beneath the cool mountain breeze, while white Edelweiss flowers swayed peacefully beneath the bright blue sky of the kingdom.
Within the grand palace halls lived the beloved youngest daughter of the royal family—Princess Elara Ethyria.
At only five years old, Princess Elara had already become one of the most adored children in the entire Kingdom of Edelweiss. Though still young, she carried herself with an unusual brightness that often caused the servants, knights, and even ministers of the palace to smile whenever she passed by.
Elara was officially granted the title of princess at the age of five, following the traditions of the Edelweiss royal bloodline. As the sixth child of King Ethan Edelweis XI and Queen Alysandra Valyria, she was born into one of the most respected royal families in the northern lands.
Yet despite her noble status, Elara never behaved arrogantly.
Instead, she was cheerful, compassionate, mischievous, and endlessly curious about the world beyond the palace walls.
She inherited her gentle personality from her mother, Queen Alysandra Valyria—often lovingly called Valy or Ria by her family—and inherited her strong physique and remarkable endurance from her father, King Ethan Edelweis XI.
The royal family often joked that Elara possessed the perfect combination of both parents.
"She has your stubbornness," King Ethan once told his queen with a laugh.
"And your recklessness," Queen Alysandra replied calmly.
Their laughter echoed warmly through the royal dining hall while little Elara innocently continued eating Pan Dulce bread beside them.
Pan Dulce was one of Elara's favorite sweets.
Every morning, after completing her lessons, she would eagerly ask the palace chefs to prepare the soft sweet bread for her. Sometimes she even sneaked into the royal kitchen herself, causing the cooks to panic whenever the tiny princess attempted to "help" with the baking.
"Princess Elara, please don't touch the flour again!"
"But I'm making art!"
"You're throwing dough at the walls!"
"It's modern art!"
Her playful behavior filled the palace with life.
However, Elara was not merely a mischievous child.
Despite her age, she possessed many talents.
She loved swimming, horseback riding, swordsmanship, and especially music.
Her lute instructor was a famous musician named Lute, an elderly expert who had lived within the royal residence for decades. Though strict with most students, Lute had a soft spot for Elara because of her genuine love for music.
"Again," Lute said patiently while adjusting the strings of the instrument.
Elara puffed her cheeks.
"I already played it perfectly."
"You skipped three notes."
"That was artistic freedom."
Lute sighed deeply while nearby servants struggled not to laugh.
Still, Elara learned quickly.
Whenever her tiny fingers touched the strings of the lute, the melodies that emerged felt strangely emotional, as though music naturally flowed through her soul.
Her older sister, Princess Aira Celestia Ethyria, often spent afternoons teaching Elara how to compose songs. Aira was renowned throughout the kingdom as an elegant and gifted musician whose performances could silence entire royal banquets.
Unlike Lute's strict methods, Aira taught gently.
"Music is not only about perfection," Aira told her one evening while the sunset painted the palace balcony orange and gold. "Music is about feelings."
Elara looked at her curiously.
"So songs can hold hearts?"
Aira smiled warmly.
"Yes. Sometimes they can even heal them."
Those words remained deeply within Elara's heart.
From that day onward, she dreamed of composing songs that could one day reach people beyond the kingdom walls.
Not only music, however, captured Elara's interest.
She also trained in swimming under a woman named Natare, a famous swimmer known throughout the northern regions. Under Natare's guidance, Elara quickly became fearless in water.
Even the royal guards struggled to keep up whenever she rushed toward the riverside.
Before strict supervision was enforced, Elara often wandered freely through the kingdom alone.
Sometimes she disappeared for hours.
The royal family nearly collapsed from panic every single time.
After several incidents, King Ethan ordered royal guards to accompany her everywhere.
At first, Elara protested dramatically.
"But the birds don't need guards!"
"You are not a bird," her father replied calmly.
"What if I become one?"
"You still need guards."
Though frustrated, Elara eventually accepted the arrangement.
Still, the guards quickly learned that protecting Princess Elara was perhaps the hardest duty in the entire kingdom.
Especially near rivers.
"Your Highness, please slow down!"
"You're too slow!"
"You jumped into the water again!"
The young princess laughed loudly while swimming through the clear river currents beneath the sunlight.
Even while supervised, Elara's adventurous spirit never faded.
Perhaps it was because her imagination had already traveled far beyond the palace long ago.
Since the age of three, Elara had secretly written her thoughts on sheets of vellum paper using black ink pens. Hidden inside wooden drawers within her room were countless drawings, maps, stories, and dreams about the outside world.
One page read:
"What truly exists beyond the kingdom? Are there strange animals? Beautiful forests? Giant oceans? I want to see everything with my own eyes."
Another page contained messier handwriting.
"I'm a princess… but can princesses have adventures too?"
Elara often stared out from her bedroom window while holding those papers close to her chest.
The world beyond Edelweiss fascinated her endlessly.
Sometimes she imagined distant kingdoms.
Sometimes mysterious mountains.
Sometimes magical creatures hidden deep within ancient forests.
Though she had never traveled outside the kingdom, her imagination already painted vivid worlds inside her mind.
And yet…
Her greatest treasure was not adventure.
It was her family.
Among all her siblings, Elara shared the closest bond with Crown Prince Kael Aerion Ethyria, the eldest child of the royal family.
Kael was admired throughout Edelweiss as a prodigy.
A master swordsman.
A skilled horse rider.
A royal commando trusted by the kingdom's special forces.
Yet despite his fearsome reputation on the battlefield, Kael became surprisingly gentle whenever Elara was near.
Every afternoon, he personally trained her swordsmanship within the palace gardens.
"You're holding the sword too tightly," Kael said.
"But I want to look cool."
"You look angry."
"I can be both."
Kael laughed softly before kneeling beside her and correcting her stance carefully.
Unlike formal instructors, Kael never forced Elara harshly.
Instead, he encouraged her.
And Elara admired him deeply.
To her, Kael was not only an older brother.
He was her hero.
The bond between them felt unbreakable.
The servants often whispered that Kael would sacrifice anything for Elara without hesitation.
And perhaps they were right.
Still, Elara also loved her other siblings dearly.
Prince Elian Ethyria Vesper, the second prince, was calm and intelligent. He loved books, strategy, and history. Elara often sat beside him in the royal library while he read ancient texts aloud to her.
Prince Ryker Flynn Ethyria, the third prince, was energetic and competitive. He constantly challenged Elara to races through the palace halls, usually ending with both siblings being scolded by royal maids.
Princess Aira Celestia Ethyria remained her musical companion and emotional guide.
Meanwhile, Princess Liana Alethea Ethyria, the fifth sibling, treated Elara like a precious doll. Liana loved brushing Elara's hair, choosing dresses for her, and comforting her whenever she cried.
Together, the six siblings created warmth throughout the enormous royal residence.
Even King Ethan, burdened endlessly by royal duties, always made time for them.
Especially for Elara.
No matter how busy he became with politics, military affairs, or kingdom matters, he never refused her requests.
Every afternoon, when possible, he rode horses together with her through the royal fields beyond the palace.
The sight of the mighty king slowing his horse for a laughing five-year-old princess became a beloved image throughout Edelweiss.
"Father!"
"Yes?"
"When I grow up…"
King Ethan glanced toward her.
"What is it?"
Elara looked toward the distant mountains beyond the kingdom borders.
"I want to see the whole world."
For a brief moment, the king fell silent.
The wind moved gently across the grassy hills while sunlight reflected against his silver armor.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
"Then become strong enough to protect your dreams."
Elara smiled brightly.
And deep within her innocent heart, the flames of adventure quietly began to grow stronger.
The world beyond Edelweiss awaited her.
And though she did not yet realize it…
Her journey had already begun.