[: 3rd POV :]
[: Five Years Ago :]
In the deepest sanctum of the Human Imperial Palace, where no common soul or even high-ranking noble dared to tread without the Empress's consent, lay a place untouched by time—a private garden veiled in silence and sorrow.
Once, it had been a sanctuary of warmth, blooming with mana-infused flowers that sang with joy, trees that whispered lullabies to the wind, and a sky that was always enchanted to glow with a soft twilight.
But now… the colours had dulled.
The flowers no longer sang.
The winds mourned instead of hummed.
And at the centre of this forgotten paradise sat a woman upon a white stone bench, her regal gown trailing onto the moss-laced ground, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall over her shoulders—unkempt and weary.
Her name was Empress Melira Velaria.
A figure of endless wisdom.
A paragon of power and poise.
But here—here in this sacred garden—she was not a ruler.
She was simply a mother who had lost her child.
