The sound of birds chirping could be heard from behind the bedroom window, a girl woke up from her sleep.
"Yaaawn~~"
"Serena, are you already awake, dear?" Mother called Serena from the kitchen."If you're already awake, quickly help mom with cooking."
"Okayyy~~." Little Serena hurriedly got up from her bed, immediately ran to the bathroom, and washed her face.Serena, who came out of her room, immediately went to the kitchen, seeing her mother preparing breakfast.
Serena looked at the many dishes her mother made more than usual.
"Mom, why are you cooking so much food today?" Before her mother had the chance to answer, someone came in through the back door it was her grandmother.
"A Duke is coming to visit our region, they are coming for a comparative study, they said our agriculture is progressing much better than other areas," said her grandmother in a pleading tone.
"After this, we're going to the fields. Serena, you're coming, right?" asked her grandmother, staring sharply at her.Serena frowned, a bit disappointed.
She didn't want to do such hard work again. She had grown too lazy.In her innocent little mind, Serena started thinking about what kind of nobles she had seen so far,
"Grandma… why don't we have luxurious wealth like the other noble families?"
"Aren't we also a noble family?" Serena asked curiously.
Grandmother fell silent for a moment, then smiled faintly."When you grow up, you'll understand. But one thing you must know, dear, no matter what happens... we...." her grandmother said something that made Serena realize something.
Those unspoken words that were never repeated again became a drive for Serena to grow into who she is now. Her grandmother said those words and kissed young Serena lightly on the forehead it was something simple, but it was more than enough.
Serena was still curious about her grandmother's answer, but she realized it would only waste time and slowly hurt the ones she loved.
Serena's family life, for a noble family, was considered simple.
They only ruled over a small town with minimal resources yet filled with danger, sustaining their daily needs by farming, and powering the town entirely with their salary and tax income, even though it was small. But unfortunately, because her family descended from a concubine of the former Emperor from the Imperial family her family was always stepped on by other nobles.
Since childhood, Serena didn't understand why the other noble families looked down on her family.
She always questioned why people treated her family that way, but as she grew older, she began to understand, little by little, through pain. No noble son ever wanted to marry into her family because of their status as descendants of a concubine.
The only way for their bloodline to survive was by letting other noble sons impregnate members of their family this seemed to become a sign of the sad fate of their family.
Serena couldn't accept this bitter truth. One day, when her emotions had reached their peak, she confronted her mother.
Even though deep down she knew the answer, she couldn't just accept it.Serena pushed the kitchen door open with displeasure in her heart.
---
Graaak...
The old door slammed hard against the wall.
"Mom…""Is it true that all the women in our family are only going to be tools for producing offspring for other nobles?" asked Serena with a face full of anger.
Her mother was silent, her expression filled with sorrow.
"That's our fate, dear. There's nothing we can do." Her mother hugged Serena with both arms, and slowly Serena's tears fell.
Serena clenched her fists.
No! She wouldn't accept such a fate. In her heart, a strong desire was etched to change her destiny.
From that moment on, she studied magic relentlessly from a young age, hoping that one day she could stand at the top, bowing to no one, changing the fate that had been chained to her.
Years went by, and Serena's abilities kept improving, surpassing what an ordinary noble could ever achieve.
However, just when she began to feel a glimmer of hope disaster struck.
---
The devil attacked their city.
Screams were heard from all directions, houses were burning, and people were running for their lives. Serena, with all her strength, fought desperately to protect despite her skin already bleeding; she did not stop saving every life that she could save.
"Dammit!! Don't think you can destroy my home!" Serena shouted, unleashing destruction magic towards the demons.
With great difficulty, she managed to drive the demons away. However, destruction had already occurred. The once peaceful city was now only left with rubble and fallen victims, many bodies lying in the streets, children crying over the death of their parents, a husband who lost his wife could only slash aimlessly, destroying the bodies of dead demons.
As everything felt shattered, the supreme ruler intervened.
While addressing the crisis, the rulers came to her location.
"Serena, you are indeed talented. However, no matter how great you are, you still cannot fight against the existing system," said a high nobleman with a condescending tone.
Serena bit her lip. She knew what would happen.
And she was right.
As a "punishment" for her actions against the hierarchy, she was forced to bow before the supreme ruler. She became a puppet princess, someone who had a title but no power, hands that could not move freely, only able to lift her fingers for those who held power from behind the shadows.
Serena wanted to fight.
However, she knew that if she refused, her family would be destroyed.
With a heavy heart, she accepted her fate as a puppet princess.
---
Years passed...
Within the palace, big news spread quickly.
"The crown prince has been cursed!" one of the servants shouted.
Serena, sitting on the balcony, stared at the sky with blank eyes. The news did not surprise her. She knew how corrupt this world was.
"And… the royal princess has been kidnapped by a group of mysterious witches!" a panicked voice echoed throughout the palace.
Serena closed her eyes. A thin smile appeared on her face.
This world is finally starting to change...
Perhaps this was a chance for her to be more than just a puppet. She was determined to take over the power, and that opportunity came in the form of a dangerous expedition considered a suicide mission.
"I will lead this expedition!" Serena said before the council.
The dignitaries looked at her with skeptical expressions. "Princess Serena, this is not a task suitable for a royal princess. Let the Duke's family handle it."
"No! I am more than just a spoiled princess! I have prepared myself for this! Let me prove my abilities!" Serena's voice was filled with passion and courage.
With reluctance, they allowed her.
The journey was a life-or-death gamble. Serena led her team through poisonous forests, faced ferocious monsters, and overcame deadly traps. She was injured but did not give up. When everything seemed impossible, she used her magic to save her team from ruin. In the end, they succeeded, although it cost several lives.
However, upon returning to the capital, she was confronted with cold betrayal.
"We thank the Duke family for the success of this expedition," said a council member loudly.
Serena froze.
"What do you mean? It was me! I lead this mission! I risked my life!"
The council member only stared at Serena with a look full of hatred.
"Coincidentally, to be honest, we wanted to discuss this another time but there's nothing wrong with addressing it now, Princess Serena, you are being held for scam and threats."
Furious, Serena charged at the council with all her strength but the knights restrained her, binding her hands with magic.
"Princess Serena, enough! You have made your own friends bait, then threatened others that if they revealed the truth, they would be executed, even though you are a princess, this is unacceptable even within the Imperial family, princess!"
"Unlike the Duke, he told us the truth even though his life was in danger; he deserves to be an example."
Serena's blood was boiling.
"You bastards! I will not be silenced! I fought for this! I risked my life! And now you're giving it to the Duke family?!"
The council remained unmoved.
Serena tried to fight back, but the royal family's strength was too great. She was tried in a hearing and found to be an opponent.
Her punishment
six months of detention.
---
Months passed until the sad news came; her grandmother had passed away.
"NO!" Serena cried out, thrashing about.
Tears flooded her cheeks. She had to go to her grandmother's grave! She had to!
She tried to escape that very night, taking advantage of the guards' habits. With her magic, she nearly broke through the defenses, but at the last moment, the royal forces captured her.
They dragged her back into custody.
Serena shouted, cried, and pounded on the door of her cell repeatedly. "Let me go! Please! My grandmother... my grandmother is gone... I must go! I beg you...!"
But no one cared.
For days, she cried in despair.
---
A month later, when she was finally released, Serena ran to the cemetery with a weak body. She fell to her knees in front of her grandmother's grave.
The rain soaked the ground, and Serena stood silently in front of her grandmother's grave, her heart wrapped in darkness for a moment.
"Grandma... I'm late... Forgive me... Forgive me..." Her sobs sounded heart-wrenching, echoing in the cold air.
The rain soaked her shivering body. She clutched the earth in front of her, lamenting in despair.
"I promise... I will change everything... I will not let this keep happening... I will take back what should be mine..."
Her tears mingled with the soil, but she vowed to change the fate that had been set for her.
Serena don't get stop his cry
---
"Serena... Serena!... Serena!"
Who? Who is calling me?
"Serena, you're finally awake." Serena's mother cried, tears wetting Serena's sleeping face.
Serena opened her eyes again and tried to sit up with the strength she had.
Arthur came through the door, carrying a bucket of water to compress her forehead. He was shocked to see Serena awake.
Unintentionally, Arthur dropped the bucket; water spilled everywhere. Not caring about all that, Arthur ran and stumbled for a moment before hugging Serena tightly.
"You're awake, thank you, thank you for not leaving me." Arthur's entire face was filled with tears that kept falling little by little.