She who held the world

The Grand Duchy of Esteria stood tall and proud, a symbol of magical supremacy in the continent of Aethelgard. Its walls were made of white marble that glowed under the sun, and the air was always thick with the scent of rare herbs and mana. But within this paradise of power, there existed a shadow—a place where light seemed to deliberately avoid touching. That was the West Wing, and it belonged to Celestia Vane. Inside her room, the curtains were drawn, leaving the space dim and quiet. A small figure sat on the edge of the bed, her back straight despite her young age. She was only seven years old, yet there was nothing childish about the way she held herself. Celestia lifted her small hands and looked at them. They were pale, delicate, and looked as if they would break if handled roughly. But she knew better. She knew what lay beneath this skin. ‘I really transmigrated,’ she thought, her violet eyes dimming slightly. ‘And into the body of a child no less. Well, at least I’m alive.’ Her soul was not that of a seven-year-old. It carried the weight of memories, experiences, and a mind far more mature than anyone in this world could imagine. She remembered her past life, the modern world she came from, and the moment she closed her eyes only to wake up in this magical realm. But being alive came with a price. "Lady Celestia? Are you awake?" The door creaked open, and a maid walked in. But there was no respect in her steps. She looked at the young girl with a mixture of pity and disdain. "It is time for your morning lesson. Please hurry. The Duke and Duchess are already waiting in the hall." Celestia lowered her head, her long silver hair cascading down like a waterfall, hiding her expression. She stood up slowly, her movements stiff and slow, exactly how everyone expected her to be. "Yes..." she whispered, her voice soft and almost inaudible. "I am coming." The walk towards the main hall felt like walking through a gauntlet. Servants would stop and whisper as she passed. Their eyes were sharp, judging, and full of contempt. "Look at her, walking like a zombie." "Poor bloodline. To think that the great Vane family produced someone like her." "She doesn't even have any mana. The testing crystal didn't glow even a little bit. She is truly an empty vessel." Empty vessel. Useless. Trash. These were the words that accompanied her every day. Celestia heard them all, but her face remained blank, devoid of any emotion. She kept her gaze on the floor, looking dull and vacant. ‘So noisy,’ she thought inwardly, boredom etched in her mind. ‘Don’t they have anything better to do? Insulting a child won’t make your own mana any stronger.’ She knew why she did this. She chose this path. The moment she was born, she had instinctively released her aura. The sky had turned pitch black, thunder roared without clouds, and every magical artifact in the duchy had reacted violently. It was a sign of absolute power—Chaos Magic. The magic that could create and destroy worlds. But Celestia understood immediately: In this world, power meant responsibility, and too much power meant being hunted, used, or feared like a monster. So, she made a decision. She would seal it. She would suppress the vast ocean of mana inside her until it looked like a dried-up well. She would act dull, slow, and powerless. It was the only way to live peacefully. "She is here." As she entered the grand hall, all eyes turned to her. Her family sat on the high seats. Her father, the Duke, looked away the moment he saw her, as if her presence was painful to his eyes. Her mother wore a stiff, awkward smile. And her older siblings looked at her with clear arrogance. "Celestia," her mother called out, her voice tense. "Today, the guests from the other Kingdoms will be arriving. You will stay in your place and do not speak unless spoken to. Do you understand? Do not bring shame to us." "Yes, Mother," Celestia replied monotonously, bowing her head lower. "Good. Now stand there and stay quiet." Celestia moved to the corner of the room, blending into the shadows. She stood there like a mannequin, her expression empty. To everyone, she was nothing more than a decoration, a shameful secret they had to hide. But while everyone was busy preparing for the arrival of the noble guests, Celestia’s senses were wide awake. She could hear the footsteps of guards miles away. She could feel the flow of mana in the air, twisting and turning like rivers. And most importantly, she could feel three distinct, overwhelming presences approaching the estate. ‘They are here,’ she thought calmly. ‘The three rulers. The ones who will shake this world.’ Tbc..