CH 2

“That over there is the imperial palace of Nirvanan, known as the heart of the continent, Princess,” said the lady-in-waiting.

At her words, Laniakea looked at the massive structure beyond the window.

The heart of the continent.

Some might think the nickname arrogant, but anyone who laid eyes on the palace for the first time would readily agree.

The imperial palace of the empire was that immense and magnificent.

The lady-in-waiting seemed to expect Laniakea to marvel at the sight.

Laniakea Priatra.

A princess of Priatra, a kingdom nestled in the Gigantes Mountain Range at the far eastern edge of the continent.

Having lived in such a remote place, it was natural for her to be amazed upon seeing the empire’s palace for the first time.

‘It’d be impossible to explore this place on foot.’

That was Laniakea’s honest impression of the imperial palace.

Of course, she couldn’t voice such a thought, so she instead put on a suitably impressed expression and replied with a mix of astonishment and admiration.

“It’s truly beautiful. Far more splendid than I imagined.”

Perhaps dissatisfied with Laniakea’s relatively subdued response, the lady-in-waiting hastily began elaborating further about the palace.

This gate was built during the reign of the first emperor, that garden was created by the orders of the empress of a certain emperor, and so on…

Only half-listening to the explanations, Laniakea absentmindedly took in the sights of the palace passing by the window.

This was to be her new home, but she felt no particular emotion toward the place.

* * *

The carriage carrying Laniakea entered the inner palace.

Even within the inner palace, there were over ten enormous, mansion-like buildings.

The carriage stopped in front of the largest and most opulent of them all.

“We have arrived at the Empress’s Palace.”

The empress’s palace.

At those words, Laniakea’s throat tightened.

Her arrival in the empire as a princess from a small kingdom was entirely due to the empress’s will.

Two months ago, a letter arrived at the royal house of Priatra bearing the name of the empress of Nirvanan.

The royal family was so stunned they repeatedly confirmed whether the messenger truly came from the empire.

It was understandable. Priatra was a small kingdom, tucked into a corner of the continent, insignificant in the larger geopolitical landscape.

Nestled deep within the treacherous Gigantes Mountain Range and lacking any valuable resources, it was a land no one coveted.

Still, Priatra was relatively well-known among the kingdoms of the continent.

It was the oldest surviving kingdom, and its royal family claimed descent from the fae who were said to have once inhabited the Gigantes Mountains.

As proof, Priatra’s royals were born with the light silver hair and green eyes said to be characteristic of the fae. Their beauty was so striking that it left a lasting impression on all who saw them.

If beauty were all they had, they would have been trampled by other kingdoms long ago, as beauty is a universally coveted asset.

But Priatra’s royals also inherited the power of the fae.

Most of the royal family could wield elemental magic, a near-extinct art, and its potency was immense.

The downside was that their powers only worked properly within Priatra’s territory.

Conversely, this meant that within Priatra, they were mightier than any other royalty or nobility. This strength had allowed Priatra to survive for over a millennium.

They lived quietly among themselves, so a sudden letter from the empire was shocking.

The royal family quickly opened the empress’s letter. Though it was long and filled with flowery language, the content was simple.

The empress of Nirvanan wished to wed Priatra’s third royal princess, Laniakea, to Hyperion, the first imperial prince.

The room fell silent as everyone exchanged glances, immediately understanding the empress’s intentions.

The empress wanted to attach a powerless and insignificant bride to the first prince, who had no support or backing.

Otherwise, she would not have specifically chosen Laniakea among the king’s three daughters.

Laniakea Priatra, the weakest of Priatra’s three princesses.

Unlike her sisters, who were hailed as incarnations of the first king due to their overwhelming elemental magic, Laniakea was no different from an ordinary human.

The only elemental spirits she could summon were the lowest rank, and even then, she couldn’t summon more than one at a time.

Her appearance also differed from her sisters’ perfect silver hair. Laniakea’s hair was platinum blond with a golden sheen.

To outsiders, it might have been considered beautiful, but within Priatra, it was whispered about as a tainted, dirty color.

Thus, she was the princess who always stood quietly in a corner during royal banquets before leaving unnoticed.

Her groom, Hyperion, was similarly positioned as an ambiguous figure in the empire.

Hyperion’s mother was the former empress, who passed away when he was young. The emperor remarried, and his new wife became the current empress of Nirvanan.

The empress bore three more sons. With three new heirs, the emperor cherished her deeply. As the emperor aged, her influence grew.

When Hyperion turned eight, the empress sent him to a remote monastery, citing his poor health as a result of mourning his late mother.

Having been sent to the outskirts, Hyperion only returned to the palace last year at the age of twenty-five.

In the meantime, all his political foundations were dismantled, and the empress solidified her control.

Now, no one believed Hyperion could ever ascend to the throne.

Nevertheless, the empress wanted to ensure there wasn’t even the slightest possibility left.

That’s why she sought a seemingly excellent, yet ultimately powerless, marriage partner for Hyperion.

And that partner was none other than Princess Laniakea of Priatra.

When this marriage was decided, Laniakea wondered what she could do about it.

Of course, rejecting the marriage was never an option. Priatra couldn’t refuse the empire’s request.

Above all, Laniakea decided to accept the marriage because of her family.

When she saw her parents and sisters looking delighted at the prospect of finally getting rid of the family’s disgrace, Laniakea realized it was time for her to leave.

‘Once I’m married, I’ll be able to leave Priatra.’

To Laniakea, her family had always been less than strangers.

While outsiders at least maintained some semblance of respect toward her as a princess, her parents and sisters constantly treated her as a source of shame for the royal family.

From a young age, Laniakea had dreamed of leaving the palace that treated her as defective—or, better yet, leaving Priatra altogether.

But how?

It was customary for members of the Priatra royal family to marry domestic nobles. Royals who didn’t marry were confined to the palace for life.

And yet, out of nowhere, a marriage proposal arrived from a foreign land—willed by the empress of the empire, no less, someone Priatra could never refuse.

Laniakea thought about the circumstances of her prospective husband, Prince Hyperion.

A prince with no power or influence, who only returned to the imperial palace once or twice a year at most. Someone unlikely to welcome this marriage.

Surely, even if she went to the imperial palace, he would keep his distance.

And when one of his younger brothers eventually ascended the throne, he would likely relocate outside the palace.

Naturally, Laniakea would follow him to a remote territory of the empire.

‘If that happens… I might be able to live quietly.’

Hyperion would surely be dissatisfied with this marriage as well. He might even demand a divorce before they left the palace.

Of course, there was always the possibility he might unexpectedly find her appealing.

‘Even so, it’s still better than marrying one of Priatra’s nobles.’

The noblemen of Priatra had already begun speculating about who might marry Laniakea, who was now of marriageable age.

Although not as stunning as her sisters, Laniakea’s beauty was still enough to ignite their desire.

And because she was treated as the black sheep of the royal family, they laughed amongst themselves, confident she wouldn’t complain no matter how harshly they treated her.

Unlike her powerful sisters, Laniakea wasn’t someone they feared.

Thus, the noblemen of Priatra salivated over her like hungry wolves eyeing an unclaimed piece of meat.

“If the third princess bears several children, one of them might inherit strong blood. An heir capable of using elemental magic—that would be incredible.”

Hearing such comments whispered in a corner of the banquet hall, Laniakea vowed to escape Priatra no matter what.

‘This is my chance.’

Laniakea resolved to go to the empire. To live quietly, unnoticed, in a corner of the imperial palace.

* * *

“You’ve traveled a long way. It must have been exhausting,” the empress said warmly to Laniakea, who stood before her.

Though the empress was the mother of three adult princes, she didn’t appear her age.

However, despite her youthful and beautiful face, her sharp gaze—more astute than that of seasoned statesmen—made Laniakea tense.

“Not at all. I was so busy admiring the beauty and grandeur of the empire along the way that I hardly felt tired,” Laniakea replied politely.

The empress smiled at her response.

“These are things you’ll see every day from now on. You’ll grow accustomed to them soon enough.”

From the outset, the empress spoke to Laniakea as though addressing a subordinate.

Although the royal marriage hadn’t yet taken place, and despite Laniakea’s position as a representative of Priatra, the empress showed no regard for such formalities.

“We’ll also be seeing each other often, so there’s no need for such stiffness.”

This was no accidental behavior.

As the center of the imperial palace, where intrigue and power struggles were rampant, the empress wouldn’t make such a mistake.

From the beginning, she was sending a clear message to Laniakea.

You have no choice in this marriage, and Priatra holds no power here.

“Looking at you now, I can see that the legends of Priatra weren’t exaggerated. Don’t you all agree?”

The empress glanced at her ladies-in-waiting, who nodded in agreement.

They were quietly astonished.

Everyone had heard of the beauty of Priatra’s royal family, as famous as their strength.

But rumors had it that Laniakea, the third princess, was the least impressive of her siblings.

They hadn’t expected much. Yet the moment Laniakea entered the empress’s palace, she captivated all eyes.

Her bright platinum blond hair shimmered like captured sunlight, and her green eyes resembled the lushest greenery of summer.