Chapter 2

Livia had originally planned on clinging to the crown prince's side until the end of her debutante, but now she just watches him go with simmering anger and a strange sort of emptiness.

Soon...

She isn’t given much time to herself before she is surrounded by her friends and other members of the aristocracy. She is congratulated, repeatedly. Though Livia wants nothing more than to walk away and have a moment to gather her thoughts in regroup, she can’t, not when she is once again in favor. So, she puts on another smile and keeps up with the small talk with ease.

Though she tries not to notice, Livia can’t help but see the moment Amelia and Crown Prince Rodale reunite. Even from a distance, the look on his face is one she hadn’t seen in a long time. His face softens, and a tentative smile pulls at his lips. For a second, the little boy she knew long ago peeks out. Unconsciously, her hand rests on her chest, clenching at the delicate fabric of her dress.

A small sacrifice. It will be worth it. Soon...

Livia's face refuses to show it, but a headache has been steadily growing ever since she stepped into the grand ballroom. An hour into the party and she quietly sneaks out to get some fresh air away from the noise and the crowd.

The two moons are full and bright in the night sky. Livia admires them for a few minutes before a sharp pain in her head has her stumbling and seeing double. For a brief second, she only sees a single moon and an assortment of stares that both look foreign and achingly familiar. The pain is gone as quickly as it starts.

Her face scowl as she cradles her head, “What was that all about?” she grumbles, messaging her temples.

“Sister? Sister? Sister, where are you?” Calls a small tentative voice.

Livia turns to see a small head of wavy snow-white hair peek through the patio doors.

“Liliana!?”

The head glances up, and the adorable face of her little sister brightens, “Sister!”

Livia finds herself gaping again for the second time that day, “Lily? What on earth are you doing here?” She asks in shock as her little sister comes running towards her and flings her thin arms around her.

“Papa said I could come with him! He even let me wear this pretty dress!” Liliana says, clearly overjoyed.

“B-But I thought you weren’t feeling well! Did you not have a fever earlier this day?” Livia's hand comes up to check her sister's forehead. Liliana had skin as pale as her own, and with her white hair and round red eyes, she was a rather ethereal-looking girl. Livia always likened her to a bunny in her mind, harmless and a bit weak.

“I felt better as soon as you left to get ready! Sister has the magic touch. I always feel better after you visit me when I am sick,” Liliana says with wide eyes of absolute adoration.

Livia blushes, “W-what nonsense are you spouting? Such rubbish! Now, we must get inside, it is much too cold. Come along. Are you hungry? Here, let's go get some food.” Livia offers her hand to her sister and Liliana takes it with a bright smile.

They rejoin the party together.

Just in time for the event to be triggered.

Liliana is in the middle of complaining about not being allowed to attend the Aster Academy when a loud clatter draws the attention of everyone in the room.

There, at the center of the commotion, is Amelia.

The loud noise comes from a thick expensive glass shattering to a million pieces on the marble floor. Livia can feel her face darkening. That glass was no cheap thing. Her mother had brought the best the house of Valentine had to offer, and that little girl just destroyed one of their most expensive pieces. Who even gave her that? That was only for the most important guest.

“Is she alright?” Liliana whispers beside her, looking concerned.

Indeed, Amelia was looking rather pale and blue in the face. Almost as if she was suffocating...

It’s been triggered. Finally.

What?

What has been triggered? Again, why would she think that?

“Amelia!” The crown prince shouts and rushes to the girl's side. Golden magic instantly flickers to life in his hand.

Unless he knows the spell to stop the airway from swelling up, it’s useless. Raw power won’t be enough.

The pain in her head returns with no warning, and much worse than the last time. With everyone's attention on Amelia and the crown prince, no one but her sister notices her stumbling and clutching her head with a grimace of pain.

The extravagant room around Livia flickers away, and suddenly she is sitting alone on a bed, an odd device clutched in her hand as cheerful music plays. Before she can analyze anything else the scene changes again.

Now she is in a cabin, and out the large window is a beautiful forest as far as the eye could see. Below her is a boiling cauldron with many odd ingredients about. It’s peaceful, quiet. She isn’t given much time to enjoy it as she is once again in the room, this time close enough to a flat black thing to see that it is bright and has moving pictures on it.

Wait.

Isn’t that Crown Prince Rodale?

At the bottom, the odd text...she can read it.

Ameilia: Y-Your inviting me to the party? Are you sure?

What on earth???

No.

What is Earth?

Didn’t she mean Ethetia?

“Sister? Sister, are you alright?” Liliana sounds frantic.

Hmm, should I go for Prince Rodale, again? I think there were new events added to him last month. Aah, when will the new DLC be finished? I want to meet the new targets!

Back in the odd room, her glasses fall down her nose as she talks to herself. Outside her home, a thunderstorm rages. She clicks through the texts without bothering to read them, her expression a little bored. The lights flicker overhead, and she looks up with a frown.

Then there is a deafening BOOM and a flash of bright blinding light before complete darkness.

Hmm, interesting. When I add this in, it almost works like a poison. More experiments need to be done. I should gather more ingredients.

The cauldron is no longer boiling and has been pushed to the side. A large book now lay where the cauldron once was on a beautifully crafted wooden table. The language in the book is weird. Even as a hand that seems to be Livia’s own begin to jot down more words, the meaning to them can’t be reached. She knows it. She does. Why can’t she remember?

“Livia! Livia, what is wrong??” Liliana's voice shrill voice brings her back.

The pain in her head is unbearable now and she has fallen to her knees while her sister panics over her. Livia wants to wave her off, to stop her from bringing attention to them, but she can only clutch at her head and squeeze her eyes shut.

It was only a little. The effects should be wearing off now.

Another scene.

It was her, right before the party. She standing over the expensive wine glass as the servants work around her. She reaches out, almost in a trance. Her finger trails over one of the cups, and for a moment she hears a ringing in her ears and sees how the thick glass shakes in place. Her mother finds her then, snatching her hand up as she berates her for coming down to the kitchen before dragging her off.

These are it.

Her hand picks up a single flower. It was white in the center and a deep blue near the ends. She was in the beautiful woods again. Those flowers. It was the same one that could be found in the garden back at home.

“Livia!”

The headache is gone. Her hands fall to her side. With a sort of distant numbness, she looks up.

Blazing icy blue eyes glare at her from across the room.