As proud daughter of House Monique, Aristia was raised to become the next empress of the Castina Empire. But with the appearance of a mysterious new girl, everything has fallen apart: the Emperor has turned his back, and Aristia’s miserable life as a lower queen is cut short by death. However a second chance to change her fate sees her reborn ‒to 7 years earlier! “Is this a dream or reality? Will my destiny repeat?”



The Emancipated Empress

The Castinian empire was the only empire on the continent and contained a history of nearly a thousand years.

The empire, which has been rising and falling under the rule of various empires, was in the midst of a renaissance, thanks to the election of the 33rd emperor:  Mirkang Rushana Castina.

The emperor had it all: a great personality, a good character and had a great skill set. However, the only disadvantage of Emperor Mirkang, who was perfect in all fields, was that he did not have a heir for the throne.

The royal imperial family was known for its pure bloodline for generations, and if the emperor could not provide a heir to the throne, the country had the danger of becoming a bloodbath with its successor battles.

As the emperor became more worried about the future successor, as the nobles grew more disrupt with their greed, few years later, his heir was born: Lubris Kamaluddin Shana Kastinaga.

The empire rejoiced at the news of the new heir, which led the heir to be called: "The one who will bring glory to a new morning."

However the birth of the heir came with another problem, since Lubris was born very late, there was no noblewoman who had a similar age to the heir to be engaged with.

Under the Imperial Law, the potential empresses was to be made up of daughters of noble families who had the status of marquis and higher. However, when Lubris was born, the youngest lady that had fit the requirements was already ten years old.

Moreover, oddly enough, none of the noble families had a daughter born after his birth. In the end, there was a debate among the nobles, whether the Imperial Law should be amended for this odd situation.

Luckily a year later, Aristia La Monique was born to parents whose status was those of a duke. She had golden eyes with luscious silver hair and was set aside for the heir as soon as she was born. From the moment I was born, they began to discipline me as the future empress.

Immediately after the Prince has reached his twenty-first birthday, emperor Mirkang unfortunately died. Following that event, soon after, Lubris was crowned as the 34th emperor of the Castinian empire.

However, beside the emperor was not the married girl with golden eyes with silver hair, but a girl with black hair with black eyes.

It was that mysterious girl who suddenly appeared in the imperial palace when the Prince was twenty-one years old, while Aristia was sixteen years old.

The prophesy has been fulfilled that the oracle had declared before the birth of Aristia, which everyone has forgotten, that a mysterious girl will appear as she has fallen from the heavens.

The day the empire celebrated the coronation of the new emperor that Aristia has very much looked forward to, as she imagined she would stand beside emperor as the crowd waved and cheered for her was ruined.

Aristia was forced to stand behind the emperor, as the mysterious girl with black hair took her place, and she predicted someday later on, she would have to bow down to that girl that had essentially replaced her.

°°°Preview°°°

I saw the moment when the ax of the executioner soared up into the sky and was glistening in the sunlight.

The executioner was smiling.

Like for the first time, as if he was truly happy, he was laughing to finally throw away someone like me.

"Haa Ha Ha Ha," he laughed even more.

In a lonely world that revolved around becoming the wife of the future emperor, you were my only light -- my salvation.  I thought you were the reason for why I was born.

I have comforted myself that there will be a day that you would finally become interested in me. I was glad to think I maybe i could become useful to you.

However, it looks like I was just an obstacle to you.

***Thump

The ax falls.

My consciousness gradually starts fading, as a tear falls from my eye. If I could ever repeat this life again... I... never...love you.

***Be excited for the next episodes!

What do you think will happen to Lady Aristia? Is he going to have the same tragic death as before? Or will she change her miserable story after all?

As proud daughter of House Monique, Aristia was raised to become the next empress of the Castina Empire. But with the appearance of a mysterious new girl, everything has fallen apart: the Emperor has turned his back, and Aristia’s miserable life as a lower queen is cut short by death. However a second chance to change her fate sees her reborn ‒to 7 years earlier! “Is this a dream or reality? Will my destiny repeat?”

°°°

"Waahh! Silver hair, to think this colour really existed! Hello? What's your name?"

The child of the divine, a mysterious girl whom God gave to the empire. Everyone loved her, as she laughed at me with a dull face. She was constantly praised for her innocent looks, for a smile that just looked like an idiot to me.

"To the emperor's moon, I, Aristia La Monique greets your majesty."

If things remained as what it was supposed to be, I would still possess the middle name: Castilla. However, Castilla is the middle name given to the empress or the potential empress.

When the emperor abandoned me for that mysterious girl, I gave up that middle name, as I was now deemed as unworthy to possess the honor of Castilla.

"Aristia? My name is Jieun. Can I call you Tia?"

"... ... Your Majesty, that is an honor"

Tia? Does she know that for a noble, one's pet name can only be called when someone is very familiar with the other person?

It is a well-known fact that nicknames are composed of relationships, such as a very close friend or a lover.

"Well nice to meet you. Again, they call me Jieun, let's get along in the future."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Even though Tia's face is so pretty, your speech is so stiff. Can you just relax?"

"Yes, I will obey you, Your Majesty."

"Obey? Ughh, this is not a historical drama. Don't do that, just call me comfortably. Please? It's because I feel uncomfortable when you're speaking to me this way."

It was essential to be formal between nobles, and in the imperial system, there was a rule stating to use formal language.

However, she was called the child of the divine, a mysterious girl who was loved by God, but even so, she was using common speech the commoners used and was considered to be very ignorant.

Is the law still in effect? Or is she just ignoring the law?

Let's not show any indecent behaviour, Aristia. It's a bad idea. She still doesn't know who I am.

"Tia, would you like to go outside with me?"

"Where?"

"Well, I'd like to go outside the palace, but I don't think the maids would let me go out alone. Let's just go out on a stroll together. Can you?"

"Maids?"

"Yes, the maids who take care of me. Do you know how scary these maids are? This is why I'm uncomfortable around people that are older than me."

As I mumbled this country's courtesy, suddenly Jieun looked at me vacantly. It was very unpleasant, and more like offensive.

***

Oh, poor Aristia~ Seriously, I wanna give the her a hug. I don't really like this new girl Jieun, she's got some attitude. Who agrees with me?

Maids? Aren't they are the people that look after Gina? This explains why nowadays there have been rumors about the over-benevolent empress, I guess this is the reason why.

A sigh comes out of me. It is a virtue that as a superior, she should treat those under her gentle and warm. However, everything has a boundary before it is overdone.

It eventually becomes the fault of the those on the top when their subordinates become too indulgent because they were not strict enough. It is the duty of a maid to treat her lady property, so that she feels comfortable to a certain extent.

But no matter what, there is a certain boundary that needs to be established between the maids and the empress. It looks like the maids have to be disciplined again. Ugh, another thing I have to do.

"Isn't this place really pretty"

Compared to her slim body, the strength in her body was strong, due to finally gaining the permission to explore the emperor's garden due to her "depression from staying inside the palace".

This garden aroused the memories of my childhood, a particular time in the past where the first meeting took place between me and the future emperor. Afterwards, the heir would visit me multiple times in this luxurious garden.

--"Dear."

Suddenly, the gentle breeze swept through the lush flower field. I closed my eyes, and what came to me was his lovely familiar voice that moved me to tears.

I thought I would be happy, just by being in the same place as him. But, it looks like my greed was just getting stronger and stronger day by day. Ahh... I wish I could see the emperor today.

'Tia, are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. You can stop worrying about me, Your Majesty."

As Gina turned her head towards me, she sticked out her tongue. I guess I still can't control my emotions properly, as my emotions are still being revealed in front of other people.

"What made you cry? Was there a incident that had happened lately?"

"No, it was nothing. It was just that I was thinking of things I missed."

Gina's face suddenly became sorrowful, as her bright face was no longer to be seen.

"I miss you."

"... ..."

"Mom, dad, even Jisoo who doesn't even listen to me... , I want to see you guys again."

Of course, she would also has a family that she misses. Gina's still eighteen, so it's obvious as a normal girl she would miss her family like me. This led me to be grateful that at least my dad was still with me.

Suddenly separating from her family to become a empress regardless of her own will.

"Mom, dad... ..."

As I started to feel sorry for her, I began to open my mouth to start comforting her, but suddenly I heard a cold voice behind us.

"What's going on here?"

With his cold voice, the emperor was glaring at me with his cold eyes.

"I greet the empire's sun, the emperor."

"Gina. what happened? Who made you cry?"

"Lube."

Lubris Kamarundin Shana Castina. Lube. A faint laugh came out from me.

For sixteen years, I wasn't even allowed to call his name, while Gina called his nickname so easily.

"What did you do to Gina? What did you say to Gina, that has made her cry?"

"Emperor?"

It was unfair. I have nothing to do with this. I didn't do anything to her.

"No, Lube. Tia didn't do anything to me. I just cried because I missed my family."

"Oh, then is that so. Gina go ahead and rest for a little bit. I'll go visit you later."

The scene where the emperor gazed at her with warm eyes with a tender voice, just broke my heart. I have never received that kind of treatment before.

He was so affectionate to Gina, that it left me crying inside my heart. He was still looking at Gina's disappearing figure.

I felt sick under his cold gaze, as I bowed my head silently.

"I'm warning you."

"Emperor?"

"Gina's a pure person, unlike you. You are not worthy of interacting with someone like her."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Every word that was directed to me was harsh as sharpened knives.

"Did you think the title as Empress belonged to you? It never belonged to you from the start, you were just the backup in case Gina didn't appear."

"... ..."

"I'm only going to let go of this situation this time. But, if this happens one more time, you will not get off as easily as this time."

"Yes Your Majesty, I will keep this in mind."

I suddenly grabbed my chest as my body stumbled down to the ground. What did I do to Gina? I didn't do anything to her. I just can't understand this situation.

"Your Majesty, here you are."

"What happened?"

"I was looking for you because there was this urgent work that suddenly came before us regarding the matters of the bishop."

"Ok, I understand. Go back to the office."

I looked at the documents correlating to the temple.

These documents required urgent funding due to the massive spendings by the temple lately. *Sigh* The inner palace in the office of Finance would simply not function without me at this rate. Yes, this is the value of my existence. That's why I have chosen to stay in the imperial palace.

I sighed as I got started on my work.