Darkness pressed against the cold stone walls of the secret prison, and in its center sat a girl named Odelia —

the name I once carried in my previous life as well.

For twenty long years, this cell had been my world.

A world where breath came heavy, hope remained silent,

and life… was nothing more than a punishment.

My hands were covered in old whip marks,

my feet wounded as if the injuries were carved into my very fate.

Pain was no stranger to me — not in this life,

and not in the life before this one.

Back then too, my mother and sister had treated me like a burden,

like something unwanted.

Compared to that, the torture here felt almost familiar.

Whenever he entered the prison,

a strange wave of restlessness crawled through my chest.

Yet his question never changed.

“Why don’t you accept me?”

And my answer remained the same.

“No.”

I still remember the first day he dragged me into this prison.

The first thing he asked was:

“Why don’t you marry me, Odelia?”

I had refused without a second thought.

How could I accept him?

Every time I saw his face,

the same memory stabbed through my mind —

the moment he thrust his black blade into my father’s stomach…

the moment he poisoned my mother…

All because they refused to marry me off to him —

to Crown Prince Alexander.

My breath hitched.

He was coming.

I could feel it.

Footsteps echoed, and a tall man with black hair and golden eyes appeared before me.

A small smirk tugged at his lips as he looked closely.

“Silver hair… amethyst eyes…” he murmured.

“You remind me of someone.

How could I forget…

It’s you, Odelia. Long time no see.”

I lifted my head with effort.

“Don’t ask me again. You know my answer.”

He chuckled softly.

“Maybe.

But I don’t think your sister will be happy to hear it.”

He snapped his fingers.

“Bring Lirezi.”

My heart skipped.

My sister?

Would she look like me — broken and tortured?

But when Lirezi entered,

I felt the ground shift beneath me.

She was glowing.

Dressed in a white wedding gown,

her skin flawless,

her blonde hair shining as if freshly combed.

Not a single scar on her hands…

not a single wound on her feet.

She looked nothing like a prisoner.

Nothing like me.

“Oh sister,” she smiled sweetly.

“Why don’t you just accept him?

You didn’t even bother answering one of his questions.”

“Your Highness,” Lirezi said politely,

“could you wait outside for a moment?”

“As you wish, my mistress,” Alexander replied, leaving the room.

As soon as the door closed,

Lirezi’s smile sharpened.

“Sister, calm down.

All he wants is to make you his wife.

Is that so difficult?”

“You’ve forgotten, haven’t you?” I whispered.

“What he did to Mother and Father?”

Lirezi rolled her eyes.

“Oh please. Who remembers the dead anyway?

Forget it.

Besides… I have a third option.”

For a moment, foolish hope flickered inside my chest.

Was she planning to help me escape?

I was wrong.

Completely wrong.

“If you miss Mom and Dad so much,” she said coldly,

“why don’t you… go to them?”

She gestured at a guard.

“Bring it.”

The guard — a man named Alan — handed her a small glass bottle.

I frowned.

“What is that?”

Lirezi smirked.

“Exactly what you think.

Don’t waste time — drink it.

Or I’ll call Alexander and tell him you finally agreed to marry him.”

She extended the bottle toward me — poison swirling inside.

I looked at her.

At the sister I once loved.

At the girl who smiled while handing me death.

“You really think I’ll hesitate to drink this?”

I whispered.

“Not even for a second.”

And without breaking eye contact…

I lifted the bottle to my lips…

…and drank the poison in one swift gulp.

The moment she drank the poison, her body crumpled to the ground, a piercing scream escaping her lips. Her hands trembled violently as she gasped,

“Your path is clear now… you can finally live your life in peace.

But don’t think my last words will be simple or forgiving. No… never.”

Blood began to trickle from the corners of her mouth, yet she continued with a shaking voice,

“You may feel victorious, happy even… but this joy will not last.

You will endure a life filled with pain, betrayal, and loneliness…

and every generation after you will feel the shadow of this suffering.”

“Silence! Stop speaking nonsense!” came a harsh voice,

“How can you curse your own only sister?”

Her lips quivered, yet she held her gaze firmly,

“The same way you betrayed me… and our parents…”

As the poison took its full effect, her soul slowly separated from her body. She closed her eyes, feeling a strange relief.

“Finally… I am free from this life,” she thought, a bittersweet smile forming on her lips.

But before she could drift completely away, two mysterious men appeared, their eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.

“We’ve come to take you. Come with us,” they said in unison, their voices calm but commanding.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?

Where are you taking me?” she demanded, fear and defiance warring inside her.

“Leave all that for now. Just come,” they replied, their gaze unwavering.

“No!” she shouted, defiance sparking in her chest.

In that instant, a shimmering, swirling portal appeared, glowing with an otherworldly light. It pulled at her with an invisible force, beckoning her forward.

“What… just happened? Where did this portal come from?

I had heard that the Shrena family possessed Temporal Abilities in my first life…

But I never imagined I could use them even after death.”

Her heart pounded as she looked at the two men, frozen in shock.

“Who are they? Where did they come from?” she whispered to herself.

The portal pulsed gently, as if sensing her hesitation, yet it remained open, a gateway to something unknown and powerful.

As she stepped closer, a mix of fear and curiosity surged through her.

Could this really be… the Zoryana Empire she had only heard of in whispers and legends?

Everything she had known, every betrayal, every loss, had led her to this moment.

And yet, the journey was only beginning.

She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves, and prepared to step into the portal.

The glowing light reflected in her eyes as she whispered,

“This… this is my chance. My life isn’t over yet.

Whatever awaits me, I will face it… and I will not run.”

With a final glance at the world she was leaving behind, she stepped forward into the portal. The swirling light engulfed her completely, carrying her into the unknown…

A new life, a new adventure, and the secrets of the Zoryana Empire awaited her.

To be continued

I still couldn’t fully grasp what was happening around me. Everything felt unreal—too magical, too ancient. Obelia was quietly explaining how the Light Stone on the Royal Castle glowed brighter with every passing month and year. Its shine was more than just light; it marked the flow of time itself. But only those who possessed Ancient Magic or understood the Ancient Language could read it.

Obelia’s voice trembled slightly as she spoke, but before she could finish, the atmosphere shifted.

The two women who had been following her earlier suddenly stepped out from behind the trees. Their expressions were unreadable, but their movements were determined. Before Obelia could even move, they seized her firmly by the arms.

“Where are you taking me?!” Obelia’s voice cracked with fear.

“Nowhere harmful,” the first woman replied, her tone strangely calm yet commanding.

“We’re not here to hurt you.”

But the next moment shattered every assumption. A soft glow spread across both their bodies—gentle at first, then brighter, swirling around them like living ribbons of light. Their human forms blurred, dissolved, and reshaped until what stood before Obelia were not women but three-tailed Divine Fox Beasts, each one distinctly feminine yet overwhelmingly majestic.

The first fox, Ruru, had white fur decorated with soft pink patterns that glowed faintly.

The second, Zuru, had the same white fur but with elegant purple patterns, almost regal in nature.

Terrified, Obelia whispered,

“W-who are you? What are you?”

Ruru stepped forward gently.

“We’ll explain later. For now, there’s no time. We must complete the mission given to us by the Spirit of Light.”

Before Obelia could argue, both foxes summoned another Divine Fox—larger, older, and more powerful. She bowed her head lightly before speaking.

“Prepare her for the journey to Morin Island,” she said.

Light burst around them again. Obelia shut her eyes, but when she opened them, she was no longer in the forest. She stood instead on Morin Island, a land filled with ancient stones, swirling magic, and an eerie, unnatural wind. Waiting for them was a female mage, her cape fluttering like a restless shadow.

Obelia stepped back instinctively.

“Who are you? What is happening?”

“There’s no time,” the mage said sharply. “We must protect your soul from the Spirit of Darkness. If it finds you now, everything will fall apart.”

Before Obelia could resist, the mage grabbed her wrist and dragged her toward a small cradle. Inside it lay a newborn baby, barely days old.

“Hurry!” the mage ordered. “Place your hand on the baby’s forehead.”

“No! I don’t want to be reborn! I only wanted freedom!” Obelia screamed, struggling.

But the mage did not listen.

The moment Obelia’s hand touched the infant’s skin, an ancient formation lit up beneath them. The air cracked with magic. Light engulfed everything.

And then—

Obelia’s soul was forced into the newborn child.

The mage vanished without a trace.

From inside the tiny body, Obelia cried out…

“Who… am I?”