Chapter 2: Beginning of a Kingdom Disaster

In the beginning, in the land where the gods came together and debated, once known as the Celestial Peak, the gods decided to create a massive continent. It spanned from where the sun rises to where it sets, stretching from the frozen tundra in the north to the tropical climates in the south. All were united under one supercontinent called Aetheria.

From there, each god left the earth to pursue higher ascension, as those who remained eventually perished. Today, the gods only view the continent as a board game. Countless settlements, cities, kingdoms, and empires rose and fell under the rule of hundreds of thousands of great rulers.

Untold legends, tales, treasures, and myths were stored in the library of time. They remained locked away as secrets, buried beneath the new civilizations and nations that emerged. One nation stood out among the rest, having seen many kingdoms and empires rise, conquer, and fall into the annals of history.

This nation was known as the Ignarion Kingdom, ruled by the Ignarion dynasty for centuries. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the continent, thanks to the Hero King, Leonhart van Ignarion. He waged war after war, achieving victory after victory and bringing prosperity to the nation.

After his death, the nation was led by his son, Marcellus van Ignarion. Marcellus took a different approach than his father, seeking to align the nation's interests with those of other nations. This resulted in Ignarion becoming the richest nation in all of Aetheria, earning Marcellus the title of the second-best king in Ignarion's history.

Centuries passed, and the best kings in Ignarion were immortalized in the script of history books. Corruption within the ministerial-led government, jealousy among noble families vying for the throne, and an indifferent king who was blinded by the corrupt officials about the kingdom's problems led to a massive rebellion across the countryside.

Amid this nation's darkness, the Emberstrand family emerged, having one of the closest ties to the royal family. You might wonder where this tie originated. It dated back centuries to Ealdred van Emberstrand, the closest friend and top strategist who had helped the Hero King achieve his goals of conquering nations in the past.

Shamelessly, the Emberstrand family, like other families with close ties to the royal family, sought the protection of the corrupt king. This decision would ultimately lead to dire consequences. But for the full story, we must wait until the revelation. I, Ardentia van Emberstrand, was born during this time of despair that loomed over the kingdom's uncertain future.

***

Overlooking the vast field owned by my father, I sat there, leaning my head to the side of the window, looking slightly bored and slowly closing my eyes, taking in the serenity of the moment.

"Already feeling bored? I thought this is what you wanted."

I flinched at the sound of a girl behind me. Her voice carried a hint of sarcasm as I quickly turned to see my three-year-old twin sister, now with red long and wavy hair, sapphire like eyes and also wearing a casual dress, my face turning neutral as I observed her grin with a snarky undertone.

"What does a foolish goddess have to do with what I'm doing here, Aurellis?" I huffed, troubled by her sudden appearance and trying to calm myself.

"How rude. Shouldn't you be grateful that I came with you, human?" Her face maintained her wicked grin as she approached closer and closer.

"Wasn't it Votarion who forced you to come here?" I retorted.

"I see, so you want to play it this way, huh, human?" She then grabbed both my shoulders and tilted her head.

"Your authority over me has been nullified by the fact you're a human now, Aurellis," I countered as I noticed her grip on my shoulders growing stronger. It seemed I had struck a nerve.

"You know, I could just send you somewhere else, not to this world, right?"

"I'm afraid you're just talking nonsense if you continue, sis—"

"Shut up!" She shouted as her breathing grew heavier. I was aware that she was still sulking about being unfairly transported to this world alongside me, but the opportunity to understand her emotions and personality better made it a tempting temptation to resist.

Steps outside the door could be heard, and a woman's voice called out.

"Master, it's time for dinner! Your dad is calling for both of you!"

We exchanged wide-eyed glances before quickly acting out the scene of both of us peacefully sleeping in our beds.

The door opened, revealing a teenage girl with short brown hair, brown eyes and most importantly, brown cat ears that drooped down from her head, dressed in a black and white maid outfit. She looked into our bedroom to find both of us looking as if we had just woken from a nap. She slowly closed the door before going downstairs to inform our parents about us, unaware that we were secretly awake, waiting for that kind of reaction from her.

Every day passed just like that, with me not learning or doing much of anything until both my sister and I reached the age of seven. That was when our father, for the first time in my life, called us into a room and sat down at a marble table.

In anticipation, both of us were seated in different chairs, readying ourselves for what our father was about to say.

"Listen here, my dear Ardentia and Aurellis. Today is the day I believe both of you are ready to take in the magic that has been passed down through our generations and also all the teachings that I've acquired throughout my life working with it. So, are both of you ready, my children?"

We had already heard in advance from the guards and maids who had worked with our father that the age at which nobility passes their magic to their children is seven, so the first part didn't surprise us. We were only caught off guard by the second part.

"It's quite rare for someone, especially in the higher nobility, to grant their children access to something they've honed for years, don't you think, sis?" I muttered softly, and she nodded in agreement.

In quick succession, after we exchanged a look, we focused our gaze on our father and simultaneously nodded.

"Yes, father!"

With that, our father stood up from his chair and touched both of our foreheads as he closed our eyes and chanted something. My body began to feel hot as something inside me stirred. Was it mana? I thought ecstatically as the heat in my body slowly subsided.

I opened my eyes to find my sister waiting for me. She waved her hands in front of my eyes, and our father crouched beside her, checking if I was okay because it took me a while to open my eyes. A sigh of relief escaped him as he had been getting a bit worried about why I had kept my eyes closed for so long.

***

"A request from one of the villagers?" I asked my sister, who had just been informed by our father. "It's strange for a noble to send their eight-year-old children on such a dangerous journey," my sister, Aurellis, pondered.

Her suspicion wasn't misplaced, as many of the villages and small towns surrounding the city did not welcome nobility, perceiving them as mere flaunters of wealth. Even those who tried to be benevolent were treated with the same disdain as those who threw lavish parties in the midst of starving villages.

"What should we do about this, then, brother?" A small grin played on her face as she tested me. "Isn't it obvious?" I retorted. 

"Indeed, it is. I'm surprised you caught on to the solution so quickly, though." Her tone carried a hint of mockery, but after hearing that kind of voice for almost 8 years, I was used to it.

Both of us then headed to our separate rooms, gathering supplies for this brief visit. After a while, we returned to the living room, each carrying a basket filled with items we deemed useful.

"Are you ready?" She said with a smirk. 

"More than you, sis," I replied, matching her smirk.

Moments later, we arrived at the village, dressed in typical village attire and cloaked to disguise ourselves. We started walking through the village.

Countless starving children and people lay scattered on the streets, creating a gloomy atmosphere. Though our faces remained stoic, we felt a mixture of sympathy and unease as we observed the dire conditions.

One of the children locked eyes with us, dread evident in his gaze. His bony frame hinted at malnourishment. Our initial reaction was fear, caught off guard by the child's prolonged stare. However, we regained our composure and approached him with care, not wishing to frighten him.

I reached into my sister's basket and retrieved a piece of bread, extending it toward him. At first, the child appeared confused, struggling to comprehend the unexpected gift. Eventually, he reached out and started eating the bread.

Watching him eat only deepened our sense of helplessness. The realization that we couldn't immediately change the conditions in this village or countless others weighed on us. I understood that I needed to take action before it was too late.

Unbeknownst to us, someone in the distance watched as we fed the child, a paragon of kindness who should not have witnessed this scene. He muttered to himself, 

"I can't believe he's still allowing the villages outside the capital to starve... I guess I've 2 jobs instead of one, well, I couldn't really complaint"