Author's Note: Desperate plea for support.
The first war of the original story, one that would later plunge the entire continent of Astrevion into chaos, did not begin with armies marching across borders or swords clashing on battlefields.
It began with a death.
More precisely, it began after the death of the Empress of the Aurelia Solari Empire.
A single loss that shattered the balance of the imperial palace and set into motion a chain of events that would eventually ignite a war between two of the three great empires of the continent.
At the center of this tragedy stood a child.
A child whose existence alone was enough to attract admiration, jealousy, reverence, and resentment from across the entire continent.
Her name was Celestine Mira Solari Maravellion.
Even in the original story, long before fate began to twist itself around her existence, Celestine was widely known as the most envied person on the continent. Nobles whispered about her beauty, scholars spoke about her extraordinary magical power, and commoners praised her as a blessing sent by the heavens.
It was not an exaggeration.
Even the main characters of the story, those destined to shape the future of the continent, could not help but feel a trace of envy whenever her name was mentioned.
Celestine was born with everything.
She possessed the bloodline of the most powerful royal family in the Aurelia Solari Empire, the affection of the emperor himself, and a rare magical power that appeared only a handful of times throughout the empire's long history.
Most striking of all were her eyes.
Golden.
Not merely light brown or amber like those sometimes seen among the nobility, but true golden eyes, radiant and luminous like molten sunlight captured within human form.
Within the royal family of House Maravellion, golden eyes were considered the purest sign of the empire's solar bloodline.
Generations had passed without such a trait appearing, and even within the current royal family only one other person possessed them.
The emperor himself.
Because of this, Celestine's birth was immediately seen as something extraordinary.
In the entire palace, only two people shared those golden eyes.
The ruler of the empire and his daughter.
But her eyes were not the only thing that set her apart.
Celestine's appearance was often described by those who saw her as something that seemed almost unreal.
Her hair carried the same brilliant golden shade associated with the Maravellion bloodline, but in her case it seemed even more radiant than usual, as though the sunlight itself lingered within each strand. When sunlight touched it, the golden color deepened until it appeared almost luminous.
Her skin was pale and flawless like fine porcelain, and her features possessed a delicate elegance that many believed could only have been crafted by the Sun Goddess herself.
There were countless beautiful nobles across the empire, but Celestine's beauty felt different.
It was not merely pleasing to look at.
It was captivating.
Something about her presence drew the eye naturally, like sunlight reflecting across a still lake.
Even as a child, servants and nobles alike often found themselves staring at her longer than they intended.
But if beauty alone were the reason for her fame, it would not have been enough to earn her the title she carried.
What truly made Celestine extraordinary was her magic.
The Aurelia Solari Empire was known throughout the continent as the empire blessed by the power of the sun. Most of its citizens possessed some degree of solar affinity, though the strength of that power varied greatly from person to person.
Among the royal family, the strength of sun magic was traditionally far greater.
Yet even within that powerful bloodline, Celestine's abilities were considered astonishing.
She possessed an extremely strong Sun Magic affinity, far beyond what most royal descendants could achieve.
More importantly, her magic manifested in a rare and almost legendary form.
Celestine possessed the ability to wield both offensive and healing solar magic.
In the long history of the empire, most solar mages specialized in only one aspect of the sun's power.
Some could summon scorching flames of sunlight capable of incinerating enemies on the battlefield.
Others could channel the gentle warmth of the sun to heal wounds and restore vitality.
But possessing both abilities simultaneously was almost unheard of.
It was a gift so rare that only a handful of individuals had ever displayed it.
Because of this, Celestine became one of the most extraordinary children the empire had ever produced.
Her birth alone was enough to cause celebration across the capital.
But what truly shocked the entire imperial court was the name given to her.
In the Aurelia Solari Empire, names were not simply chosen for beauty or tradition.
They carried meaning.
And among those meanings, none carried greater weight than the name Solari.
The title Solari was the highest honor that could ever be bestowed upon a member of the imperial family.
It was not given lightly.
Throughout the empire's long history, only individuals who possessed an exceptionally strong connection to the sun's blessing were allowed to carry the name.
Many emperors themselves had ruled without ever being granted that title.
Yet when Celestine was born, her father made a decision that shocked the entire imperial court.
The emperor personally decreed that his daughter would carry the name Solari from the moment of her birth.
Thus she became Celestine Mira Solari Maravellion.
Within the long history of the empire, she became only the third person to ever carry the Solari name.
The decision caused an immediate stir within the council and among the noble houses.
Such an honor given to a newborn child was unprecedented.
Yet after witnessing the golden eyes she inherited and sensing the overwhelming solar power that radiated from her small body, even the most skeptical nobles found it difficult to object.
In truth, however, the emperor's decision had little to do with politics or tradition.
It was simply an expression of love.
Because to the emperor, Celestine was not merely a princess of the empire.
She was the living proof of the love he shared with the woman he cherished above all others.
The empress.
The woman who held the emperor's heart was Empress Irene Maravellion.
Her relationship with the emperor, Emperor Caeloran Maravellion, was something that had existed long before either of them ever stepped inside the imperial palace.
Their connection began when they were still children.
Their fathers had been the closest of friends, the former emperor of the empire and the legendary general who commanded its armies. The friendship between the two men was so strong that their families naturally grew close as well.
Even their wives shared a deep bond.
They were sisters.
Because of this, the two families raised their children together almost as if they belonged to the same household.
Caeloran and Irene spent their childhood side by side.
They learned together, trained together, and grew into adulthood with a bond that seemed almost unbreakable.
By the time they reached the age to marry, their union was already something everyone expected.
The empire celebrated their marriage as the joining of two powerful families.
But to those who truly knew them, it was simply the continuation of a love that had existed since childhood.
Even after Caeloran ascended the throne and became emperor, that love never faded.
To the people of the empire, their relationship became a symbol of devotion.
For years, the emperor refused to take concubines despite constant pressure from the noble council.
The reason was simple.
He did not want anyone else.
Unfortunately, love alone could not silence political pressure forever.
Years passed after their marriage, yet the imperial palace remained without a legitimate heir.
Whispers began to spread among the nobles.
An empire without a successor was always a dangerous situation.
Eventually, the imperial council forced the emperor to make a decision.
For the sake of the empire's stability, he would have to take concubines.
Reluctantly, he agreed.
Two noblewomen were chosen.
The first was Lady Victoria, the daughter of a powerful count.
The second was Lady Matilda, the daughter of a marquis.
Not long after they entered the palace, both women gave birth.
Lady Victoria gave birth to a son.
He was named Prince Alistair Maravellion, the first prince of the empire.
Because he was the emperor's first male child, many nobles quietly assumed that he would eventually become the crown prince if the empress failed to produce a child of her own.
Shortly afterward, Lady Matilda gave birth to a daughter.
She was named Princess Catherine Maravellion, the empire's first princess.
And in the story that would unfold years later, she would become the female lead of the original novel.
Time passed.
Then Lady Matilda gave birth again.
This time, she delivered another son.
The child was named Prince Frederick Maravellion, the empire's second prince.
Despite these births, however, one thing never changed.
The emperor's heart still belonged entirely to the empress.
None of the concubines were able to replace her place beside him.
Even so, the births of these children placed enormous pressure upon the empress.
Although the emperor never blamed her, the expectations of the empire weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Every noble family quietly hoped that she would produce a legitimate heir.
Because without one, the future of the empire could easily fall into dangerous disputes.
Yet the empress desired a child for a far simpler reason.
She wanted a child that belonged to her and the man she loved.
So she continued to hope.
Continued to pray.
And eventually, after years of waiting_
Her wish was finally granted.
But that miracle came with a cost no one could foresee.