Deep beneath the floating palace of Glimreach—
Far below the grand halls, music, and celebration—
Lay the prison.
A place not ant for ordinary criminals.
Only for those who were ant to disappear.
Execution awaited anyone brought here.
The air was damp, cold, and heavy with silence. Dim lights flickered along the stone corridors, casting long shadows across iron bars and sealed cells.
Inside one of those cells—
Ron sat on the ground, his back resting against the wall.
His clothes were torn prison garnts, his body marked with wounds and dried blood. His breathing was steady, but his condition was far from good.
In the adjacent cell—
Separated only by a thick stone wall—
Lia sat in the sa position.
Back against the wall.
Facing the opposite direction.
So close—
Yet unable to see each other.
Both of them wore cuffs around their wrists.
Mana-restraining cuffs.
A faint glow pulsed from them, suppressing any power they tried to use.
For a while—
There was only silence.
Then—
Lia spoke softly.
"...Ron."
A pause.
Ron answered, his voice low.
"...Yeah."
"How long has it been... since we were imprisoned?"
Ron closed his eyes slightly.
"I don’t know."
Lia stayed quiet for a mont.
"...Do you think our friends from the academy will co?"
Her voice carried a hint of worry.
"I’m also worried about Jax..."
"Did they find him...?"
Ron exhaled slowly.
"I don’t know, Lia."
A short silence followed.
Then he added,
"Knowing our siblings..."
"They’ve probably banned their entry into the kingdom."
Lia didn’t reply imdiately.
Instead, after a mont, she said softly,
"...Then let’s not think about that."
A pause.
"Tell sothing else."
Ron frowned slightly.
"What?"
"...How many years has it been... since we t?"
Ron’s tone sharpened a little.
"...Why are you asking that now?"
Lia gave a faint, unseen smile.
"...If we’re going to die..."
"I just want to rember..."
"...how it all started."
Ron went silent.
Then his expression softened slightly.
"...Nine years."
"It’s been nine years since we t."
Lia’s voice grew quieter.
"...Do you rember how different things were back then?"
A faint pause.
"Our siblings..."
"They were different too."
"...Back then..."
"I could feel love from my sister."
Another pause.
"You must have felt the sa from your brother... right?"
Ron didn’t answer imdiately.
Then—
"...Yeah."
"I did."
Silence filled the space again.
Then Lia spoke, her voice carrying sothing heavy.
"...What happened to them?"
--
Years ago—
Seven years after Lia’s birth.
The palace corridors of Thesris were quiet, polished, and filled with soft echoes of footsteps. Maya, now thirteen, walked forward with calm, composed steps. Her posture carried the dignity of a princess, but her eyes had changed—sharper, more aware.
Behind her followed Hans, still young at around eighteen, already carrying that sa foxy smile he never seed to lose.
Maya spoke without looking back. "Hans, what’s today’s schedule? We were supposed to handle the Lucan rchants’ trade dispute, right?"
Hans smiled lightly. "No, Your Highness. The matter has already been resolved... by the Second Princess."
Maya’s steps paused for just a fraction of a second.
"...I see."
She resud walking, voice steady. "Then what about the seafolk kingdom? They had issues with their delivery routes."
Hans hesitated slightly this ti. "That has also been handled."
"By who?" Maya asked.
"Her Majesty..." Hans answered, then added carefully, "...with the help of the Second Princess."
This ti, Maya didn’t respond. She simply continued walking, her expression unchanged.
Ahead, two maids were talking quietly.
"Did you hear? The Second Princess reached two-star warrior just three days ago."
"Really? That’s incredible... she’s so young, and already that strong. And her intelligence is just as frightening..."
They noticed Maya approaching and imdiately bowed.
Maya passed them without a word.
---
Inside her room, the mont the doors closed, the silence felt heavier.
Maya sat down slowly, leaning back against the chair. For a few seconds, she said nothing... then let out a quiet breath.
"Princess Lia did this... Princess Lia did that..."
A faint smile appeared, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
"I get it. She’s amazing. She’s my sister... and I am proud of her."
Her fingers tapped lightly on the armrest.
"But this is getting a little irritating."
Her gaze lowered.
"I’m doing my best too. I’m already a two-star warrior... a second-circle mage."
She let out a soft scoff.
"Just because she’s progressing faster doesn’t an she’s better. Only a fool would think that."
Hans, standing nearby, spoke calmly. "There are rumors... that so people believe Princess Lia might beco queen."
Maya blinked, then laughed.
"That’s ridiculous."
"She’s half commoner. Not fully royal."
She leaned slightly forward, voice calm but firm.
"And besides... she wants to beco my knight when she grows up."
For a mont, she looked thoughtful.
Then her expression slowly shifted.
"But Lia is still a blank page."
Her tone dropped.
"If soone puts the idea into her head that she could beco queen..."
"...she becos my enemy."
A quiet pause.
"I don’t want that."
She tapped her fingers again, slower this ti.
"If possible... I want to sideline her."
"...without harming her."
Maya turned her head slightly toward Hans.
"Any suggestions?"
Hans’s smile deepened just a little.
"At her age... giving her a friend might be effective."
Maya repeated softly, "A friend..."
Then her eyes brightened faintly.
"That could work."
A small, calculated smile ford.
"I have an even better idea."
She stood up.
"Hans, you rember our allied kingdom... the floating kingdom, Glimreach?"
Hans nodded.
Maya continued, "Their second prince would be perfect."
"...Ron Volkov," Hans said.
Maya nodded again.
"Yes."
"There are rumors about him. That he burned and killed the queen at birth because of his extre fla elent."
She walked slowly toward the window.
"He’s isolated. No children talk to him... except his elder brother."
Her voice softened slightly—but only slightly.
"Lia is kind. She has empathy."
"She’ll beco his friend."
Then her tone sharpened again.
"That benefits Lia... benefits Ron..."
"And benefits ."
She turned back.
"Let’s go. I need to speak with Mother."
Hans followed behind her.
That sa foxy smile still on his face.
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