Year 358, first day of the winter season in the Soleil Empire, the Rhea selection took place at Soleil's capital, Orielcast. A Rhea is a candidate to be chosen as the new Empress for the Empire. Two candidates were present at the Imperial year 358. After months of proving theirselves, a Rhea was chosen, her name was Navier Florence from the Ducal Family Florence. Which was no surprise since the Florence family had produced Empresses for generations.

A year after the Rhea selection, The Crown Prince became the new Emperor and the Empress birthed a child. Anastasia Soriel De Luxenril was the Imperial princess' name. The princess who had black hair and golden eyes, all from her father, the Emperor Nox Anthanasius De Aren Luxeril. She was a jewel in heart, mind and appearance. Her attributes were all of what a leader should have. Intelligent, powerful, confident and humble. She possessed an unusual amount of mana and was acknowledged from the Magic Tower, she also became the Captain of the first division of the Imperial knights. In short, Anastasia was the ideal Emperor.

She was not the only person who had the requirements to succeed the throne, Laurent Quirion was another suitable royal. Laurent and Anastasia were capable heirs to the throne. Both practiced swordsmanship and studied the history of the Empire together. They both were two sides of a single coin. Anastasia enjoyed Laurent's company and so did Laurent to Anastasia.

Laurent wasn't by Anastasia's side just for them to become friends, the Royal Council had decided to put them together since their births to choose which child was a suitable leader for the Empire.

Even if Anastasia was the direct and only child from the Emperor, it was a harder challenge for Anastasia to win the successor seat because she was a woman.

Laurent was favorable by majority of the Royal Council yet some disagreed and sided with the princess. He was the child of the former Rhea, Ainisha Quirion, who quickly married a king after losing the Rhea selection. Ainisha was a woman who dived and quickly made allies from tea parties and events. She had connections all around and one of them was the King of Opian, her spouse.

Back before when she was a candidate to be an empress, many agreed she had no reason to be a Rhea with all her skills lacking in so many ways. The only thing she had was her social skills and nothing beyond that. Rumors spread out that Ainisha was Emperor Nox's lover at some point and so, she took that as an advantage point to build alliances to ensure her being whether she would or not become the next empress.

Alas, she did not. But instead of facing more humiliation by staying put, marrying herself off to the king was what she did. And so, she conceived a child and set him up with the Imperial Princess to fight for the throne.

The Queen of Opian lived at the Imperial palace to keep an eye on her little prince but, her plan to regain the seat of the highest ranking of royalty did not stop there. Pressuring the Emperor and harassing him was a piece of cake because of the secret only she, and a few others knew.

The Empire soon fell into chaos and the fight for the throne between the two Royal children started to become vicious. The last fight happened at the battlefield between the Imperial princess and the Emperor. And the dispute ended with the princess being the last royal standing.

Soon enough, she was consumed with anger and agony. The longing for her family to come back pierced her heart deeper. And so

-----

Slowly fluttering her eyes open, Anastasia's eyes met the beautiful golden sun design on the ceiling. She smiled.

That looks just like the design in the Imperial palace. Wait---

Anastasia bolted right up and her eyes wondered quickly,

"Huh? Where am I--- Agh!", Anastasia held her stomach as she felt the immense pain. Looking around her surroundings, she noticed it was the familiar guest room in the Imperial palace. Her brows furrowed as she became confused. Anastasia scooted over the bed and stepped out to look outside the window. She saw the Imperial knights in---- old uniforms?

"What the...."

She was sure that she died on the ground right then and there. The horrific scenery of the Empire burning down and the blood war flashed before her eyes. The memory of her and her father battling surely happened, the evidence was on her body. What she was not sure was that why was she inside

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"Ah miss! You're awake" The voice of a young male came from her right and she quickly shot her head to the direction, backing away. The young lad had a doctor's coat with the sun engraved on his upper right chest. Her eyes widened. It was a Royal Physician!

But how... I was sure I killed every Royal Physician

She didn't think twice and she looked around for a weapon. Luckily, a fireplace poker was near in sight and she dashed to it. Leaving no second for a reaction, the physician was on the ground with the tip of the sharp metal pointed at his neck.

"Eep!"

"Where am I and why are you still alive? Were there more like you that escaped?" She spoke in a dark tone. Her eyes burst like a flame, it was intimidating. As confusing as it was, she concluded that there were a bunch of people who escaped during the Royal war and he was one of them.

He shook in fear and his voice trembled, "Miss, I do not know what you're going on about but we're in the Imperial palace of the Soleil Empire." He spoke clear enough yet he was frightened of the young lady who stood above him with a fireplace poker at his neck.

"What is the date today?" She asked while eyeing him down.

"I-it's the fourth d-day of the winter s-season. Imperial year 358." He stuttered while answering back as she neared the weapon closer and closer.

"Fourth day... Imperial year 358..." She mumbled and pondered on the thought. Year 358 was an important year but she couldn't remember what event occurred for it to be considered significant.

"Year 358.... what was---- oh!" Her memory regained. Year 358 was the year her mother won the Rhea selection. Her eyebrows furrowed in deeply

"Wait... That means----"

Her mumbling was caught off when the door opened. A knight and a man with black hair and golden eyes stood by the door. The man looked at Anastasia and found the scene of a Royal Physician on the ground with the mysterious lady holding a fireplace poker to his neck.

The clothes that this man wore was what made her sure that he was a royal. His face was familiar in her memories, dating back to the time of Anastasia looking around her father's portraits that she found by chance in the Royal Library, the name engraved on the frame was "Nox Anthanasius De Aren Luxenril"

I'm sure that this man is that "Nox" I saw in the Royal Library. Huh? So that means that this is my father?!

Dumbfounded by her discovery, she dropped the fireplace poker in shock. She started to have an internal dispute in her mind on why this was happening. She only know that these ' Traveling back in time' scenarios were only in books and yet, she happened to experience this phenomenon.

"C-crown Prince!", The Royal Physician spoke in a jumpy manner. He quickly stood up and bowed down to show respect. "Greetings to the younger sun of the Empire---"

The Crown Prince held his hand up," No need for greetings, Royal Physician. More importantly, what happened here?"

The Crown Prince turned his head to the lady who stood there. She stared back without word, still unbelieving of the situation at hand.

Why did she go back to the time where her father was still the Crown Prince. Surely with a situation like this, wouldn't going back in time to where the problem started be more favorable?

She kept on thinking why until she realized that this was an opportunity for her to save her family and to keep her father in check.

I must keep my family safe

A fire of desire lit up in the pit of her heart.

She looked at the Royal Physician then back to the Crown Prince,

But first..

"Greetings to the younger sun of the Empire. I am Athanasia.", She got on one knee and bowed her head, this was similar to how a knight would greet.

The Crown Prince raised a brow," You may rise." He ordered her and then spoke again,"Athanasia. Judging by the way you greet, you must be a knight. From what place are you from?"

"I am from the Soleil Empire, your Highness."

His highness raised a brow. A knight from his Empire? He doesn't remember any female that held the title of "knight". It was a clear rule that women couldn't become a knight for the Empire. Was this woman from another world? Or, did another knight division break a rule?

Athanasia gazed upon the knight and spoke up," I can't remember much, your Highness. It seems that the magic used on me was quite powerful to tweak my memory."

The Crown Prince's eyebrows furrowed. He was in disbelief and he wasn't sure if this girl was an enemy. The use of teleportation magic wasn't safe enough to perform, yet she appeared out of nowhere. Was she from another world that had a name similar to the Empire he lived in? The Crown Prince was curious but he hadn't felt any hostility from the girl even when he saw her threatening one of the Royal Physicians. Somehow, he felt rather comfortable nearing this young lady's presence.

"I see. You must be confused, all of a sudden you're in an unfamiliar room so I understand you would be wary of the first person you saw." The Crown Prince spoke calmly.

Anastasia hesitated but answered back. "Yes."

She felt dizzy and her breath was running quite shallow. The surroundings started to spin like a carousel. Her hand made it's way to the side of her stomach, feeling the place of her wound, she wondered why it felt rather warm.

Her eyes widened in realization. "Ah.."

The blood from the wound started to fill through and pass the bandage that covered up her wound.

Soon enough, her view started to dim and her consciousness was lost.