The roar of magical helicopter engines filled the silence above the forest.
Inside the aircraft, two people sat facing each other.
One of them was a young girl with dark red hair, its color duller than it should have been. Her eyes were closed, her posture heavy with exhaustion.
Across from her sat an older man with neatly combed white hair and a scar running across his cheek. His gaze rested quietly on her.
"Are you alright, Princess Katarina?"
Katarina slowly opened her eyes.
"Is that boy… safe, Uncle Adan?"
Adan nodded.
"Yes… he will be sent to the Osteria Academy Medical Center. Reva is being taken there as well."
Katarina released a long breath.
"Do you personally know that boy?"
She shook her head.
"No. I only know his father. He's Captain Sander — the captain of my grandmother's mansion guard."
Adan's eyes widened slightly.
"That's unexpected… I never imagined such a coincidence."
Katarina studied him carefully.
"What really happened? What was that organization after?"
Adan swallowed.
"I am not authorized to explain everything, Princess. But I can tell you this much. You may ask His Majesty for the details."
He hesitated before continuing.
"You know the artifact, the Bone of Malakar, was recently discovered."
Katarina's brows furrowed.
"We attempted to relocate it…"
A faint smile formed on Katarina's lips as she pressed a hand against her forehead.
"So… you transported it like that?"
A disbelieving laugh escaped her.
'So that's why the train was attacked… the reason I never knew before. The reason I was the only survivor back then…
But the Bone of Malakar was never supposed to be stolen there.'
She exhaled slowly and looked back at him.
"Then why were you so late, Uncle? You let them take it?"
Adan sighed and scratched the bridge of his nose.
"…Because the artifact was a fake."
Katarina's eyes widened — an expression she would never have shown at this age in her previous life.
'So I was right… the Bone of Malakar wasn't meant to be there.'
"A fake? What do you mean?"
"You may ask the king for the details. I apologize, Princess."
Katarina covered her face with both hands.
'So people died… just because they sent someone carrying a fake artifact as bait?
Nausea twisted in her stomach.'
She lowered her hands, fury now burning in her eyes.
"You're all insane! Sacrificing lives just for that?! Can you still call yourselves protectors of humanity?!"
Adan lowered his head, shoulders slumping.
He had no answer.
Only silence accompanied the rest of their flight.
The magical helicopter descended and landed within a secluded section of the human kingdom.
The door slid open with a sharp hiss.
Katarina stepped out without another word, the wind lifting her pink-red hair behind her.
Her footsteps never slowed. Even as guards greeted her, she walked straight ahead, unwavering.
An elderly man with neatly combed black hair hurried toward her, worry clear on his face.
"Princess, are you alright? You must receive treatment immediately."
Katarina ignored him and kept walking.
"No, Ben. I will meet Father first. Where is he?"
Ben's eyes widened.
"His Majesty is currently in a meeting. Princess, you should be trea—"
Katarina stopped and turned toward him.
"The kingdom's only princess was attacked by rebels. Am I truly forbidden from seeing him because of a meeting?"
Ben stiffened.
"N-No, Princess. The king simply ordered me to treat you first. He will meet you afterward."
She shook her head.
"I will see him now. He's in his office, isn't he?"
She turned and resumed walking.
"You don't need to escort me. I'll treat myself later."
Ben watched her departing back, speechless, rubbing his forehead.
"She's still the same as ever… but she called me Ben?"
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"That's strange."
Her footsteps echoed through the palace corridor. Paintings and vases lined the walls. Though the exterior looked traditional, the interior felt far more advanced.
Katarina stopped before a set of double doors.
She inhaled deeply and pushed them open.
Bang.
Her gaze swept across the room.
Four people inside turned toward her, surprise dominating their expressions.
She focused on three of them.
"Uncle Clay, Uncle Thomas, Uncle Russ. May I speak with Father for a moment?"
Thomas stood first, sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere.
"Ah, yes, Princess. We were just finishing. Are you alright? Were you injured?"
"I'm fine."
Thomas smiled stiffly and quickly pulled the other two away before they could speak.
Katarina ignored them.
Her eyes fixed on the man before her.
He approached her, but she sat down first without acknowledging him.
He sighed softly and sat across from her, brushing his red hair back.
"I'm sorry, Rina. It was a mistake. I never expected you to choose that train."
Katarina exhaled sharply.
"Is that all, Father? What really happened? Why did you do it?!"
The king sighed.
"I'm sorry for putting you in danger."
A hollow laugh escaped her.
"You didn't just endanger me. You endangered innocent civilians!"
The king's eyes widened.
"You did all of that as a diversion? Sending someone who couldn't even use mana as bait?"
Katarina pressed her fingers against her temple.
"Two boys fought to protect that artifact. One is dead. The other is critically injured. Reva and I could have died too."
She stared directly at him.
The king leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily.
"That was a mistake, Katarina."
"You know what the Bone of Malakar is. The Dark Side rebels seek it to break the magical barrier of the Silent Mountains."
He straightened again.
"We had to safeguard it until the dragons retrieved it."
Another sigh escaped him.
"And that decision was unanimously approved by the royal council and supporting families."
Katarina rubbed her forehead.
"…Who proposed it?"
"…Thomas."
Her eyes widened.
She gripped the chair tightly before suddenly standing.
The king rose as well.
"What is it, Rina?"
She looked at him with empty eyes.
"Please… don't ever do something like that again. You are the king… and you are my father."
Her head lowered.
"A king should never allow his people to die meaninglessly."
The king's body trembled.
He stepped forward, trying to embrace her—but Katarina pushed him away.
"Don't do that again, Father. Please… never again."
He could only stand there in silence as she walked out, leaving the door open behind her.
Her hurried footsteps echoed through the palace halls.
A door slammed somewhere behind her.
One hand clutched her stomach while the other covered her mouth.
"Huek—!"
She vomited, saliva dripping as tears formed in her eyes.
Leaning against the bathroom wall, she wiped her mouth.
"…Disgusting."
A knock sounded.
"Princess… are you alright? Should I call a doctor?"
Katarina exhaled slowly.
"No, Tina. I'll just take a bath."
"I will prepare it for you."
"No… I'll do it myself."
"…Are you truly alright, Princess?"
"Yes… I'm fine."
She rose but didn't open the door.
"By the way… where is Mother?"
"The Queen is currently away. After hearing the news, she rushed back, but she will only arrive tonight"
"I see… you may go, Tina."
"Yes, Princess."
Warm water filled the bath, scented with flowers.
Katarina removed her clothes herself — something impossible for her younger self in her previous life.
She slowly relaxed, releasing a heavy breath as she closed her eyes.
The train incident resurfaced in her mind.
A boy fighting desperately… protecting a fake artifact.
A boy who should have died.
Yet he survived.
Her father had often complained about how weak and cowardly that boy was.
But today, she had witnessed the opposite.
Katarina opened her eyes.
"He's different… far too different. What really happened?"
She closed them again and submerged herself completely.
'There is still much I must do. I must minimize casualties… prepare the stage better… and watch that boy.'
'Alex Sander.'
'I hope I can survive.'
Silence filled the princess's bathroom.
And far away, silence also ruled a place consumed entirely by darkness.
A consciousness awakened.
The darkness felt familiar.
'Alex…? Are we awake?'
The voice was unfamiliar, yet it brought immense relief.
'Krystal? Is that you? I didn't expect we could communicate even here.'
'Of course. I am bound to your soul.'
Alex nodded instinctively.
'I see… Since we're here, isn't this the perfect time to know each other better? What exactly are you? And how can you help me?'
A brief pause followed.
'I don't know what I am. I was simply ordered to help you.'
'…I see.'
'What I know is that I can see the memories of your soul — and your current body as well…'
'And?'
'It seems the more you grow stronger, the' more I can understand… and assist you.'
Alex frowned.
'So the stronger I become, the stronger you become too?'
'Yes.'
'Interesting. The power system here is completely different from my old world.'
'Of course. Your current mana core is at E+ rank — the average level.'
Alex clicked his tongue.
'And this body is ridiculously weak. Can you help me learn?'
'Of course.'
He suddenly remembered something.
'Can I still use my old power? My seven soul cores would help me survive, at least.'
'You can… but judging from your memories, the process will be extremely painful. And your current body is still too weak.'
Alex sighed.
'So everything comes back to this weak body.'
'About earlier — who attacked the train?'
'Based on the clone ability and your memories… it was Ray of the Dark Side.'
'Dark Side? What's that?'
'A traitor organization. Those who betrayed their own races.'
Alex swallowed.
'Wow… sounds serious.'
He sighed again, even within the void.
'Well, we'll learn eventually. About this world too. Oh, and I saw a beautiful woman earlier. My vision was blurry, but she still looked amazing.'
'You will meet her again.'
'Really? I thought she was older than me.'
'She is your age. She will also enter Osteria Academy.'
'…And she is the princess of the human kingdom.'
'Whoa, that's a lot of information. So what's her name?'
'Katarina Mars.'
Alex nodded thoughtfully.
Suddenly, a light appeared in the darkness.
He moved toward it as sound slowly returned.
"Looks like I survived again… ah, now it's we, isn't it?"
Alex smiled.
"Let's learn slowly… and hopefully survive."
White light erased the darkness—
marking the beginning of a stranger's journey in a new world.