White Princess' Awakening

Every newborn should start as a baby, right?

But... 

What if you're not started as a baby, but as a child? 

This was the peculiar case that unfolded as she found herself standing on the desolate, silver plains of the moon. 

Behind her stood the imposing Millenium Castle, rising tall and majestic against the eerie moonlit backdrop. This magnificent fortress served as the very place where she had first opened her eyes, a birthplace unlike any other, for instead of emerging from her mother's womb, she awoke from slumber within a coffin.

In front of her stretches the lunar landscape, its cold, ashen surface under the eerie glow of Earth in the distance. 

There is an conspicuous old man donning a slick black coat jazzed up with some snazzy white stripes running down the sleeves, and to top it off, he's rocking a gold chain snugged around his waist.

Her eyes met an old man. 

At a glance, she knew who this old man was... 

"So... You were my father's murderer?" She stared at the old man emotionlessly. 

"Well, it should be like that." The old man felt awkward when he encountered the child suddenly asking him if he was her father's murderer and didn't know what to say except this. 

He is not surprised by her knowledge about him being her father's murderer, as in all parallel worlds, she was bestowed with Gaia's knowledge about the world itself, so the world held no secrets from her.

Upon closer examination, he has to admit that in terms of appearance, posture, and demeanor, she was very similar to Crimson Moon. 

Blonde hair with crimson eyes, a regal posture, and a cold demeanor were like a miniature of Crimson Moon itself standing before him. 

She rocked a stylish white dress adorned with a sleek black bow tie and a matching black skirt. 

The dress featured a chic collar and sported short sleeves, perfectly complemented by her black shoes and crisp white socks.

Moreover, the raw power that emanated from her was enough to detonate the moon. 

Despite his calm demeanor and casual attitude toward life, the old man managed to achieve the impressive feat of defeating Crimson Moon, the king of the moon and ruler of death in the Crimson Moon War. 

The war happened to be in 300 AD, one century away from this current timeline. The war, known as the Crimson Moon War, ended with the defeat of Crimson Moon and the victory of the Mage Association led by him. 

Of course, his war against Crimson Moon was not without consequences; his blonde hair and his youth were taken away from him as he grew older and weakened, at the price of defeating her. 

Yes, he was weakened; however, it didn't mean he was weak. He was still as strong as his prime, but the power that he could cast was limited, so he did not overdraw his lifespan. 

So, despite the child being more powerful than him in terms of raw power, a fight is not all about power; it's technique and experience that make the difference. 

"Did you come here to kill me?" After a moment of silence, she saw an awkward silence between them and broke it with a more awkward question. 

Given the old man's intense stare, it's not surprising why she suspected that this old man wanted to get rid of his archrival's daughter. 

His impressive magic power that he wielded, despite the mystery already fading, proved that he didn't need to cast Ether or rely on external factors to use his power, making him a formidable opponent for her if they fought. 

As a Second Magic User, he didn't need any of them. 

"Nope. I don't kill newborns. That's not very cool." The old man joked, which turned out his joke was not so great as she glared at him. 

This old man must have a screw loose in his head for sure; after murdering someone's father, he still had the mood to joke. 

"I'm Zelretch, and who are you, Princess?" 

"I don't have a name. My father already died. And you were the first one that I met. Shall you honor me with a name?" She said. 

"Well, it seems we will get along with each other just fine. Shall I call you Arcueid Brunestud? That name befits a princess like you, how about it? Do you like it?" Zelretch offered. 

"I shall be called Arcueid Brunestud then. What's next, old man? Do you want to leave? I think you have no other business here." Arcueid made a 'shoo' gesture, indicating that she politely wanted to send Zelretch away. 

"Oh... So cold, Princess. As much as I hated your father, I already like you. Do you want to come with me?" Zelretch was amused by Arcueid's response and didn't take it to heart.

Instead, he offered her adoption. 

"So... You find a girl with a childlike figure attractive but hate mature women?" Arcueid stepped back in 'fear' as she determined to stay away from this old pervert. 

"I think you need to improve your reading comprehension, Princess. I like your character as an individual, not talking about that. Your father is a sociopath and a murderer. She doesn't even have a sense of humor. She always took pleasure in dominating others. I don't like her as a character. But I like you because you're not like your boring father, Crimson Moon." 

"You have a dark sense of humor, just like me, Princess. While your father basically acts like an asshole to everyone." Zelretch explained. It was the truth, though; no one could keep up with his rhythm. 

They were either lost or deflated. No one could keep up with him in terms of words or intelligence, which made Zelretch feel a sense of boredom occasionally, probably peeping on chaos and heroism stories in parallel worlds that could relieve boredom in his sucky life.

If he didn't feel like the story, he would intervene in the development of parallel worlds. If he didn't like it, he would change the direction to his liking, whether the consequences were good or bad. Who cared anyway? 

Moreover, indeed, Crimson Moon was a boring woman compared to her child. Even her goals and purposes felt cliché and boring in his opinion. 

As a True Ancestor and King of the Moon, Crimson Moon's dream had always been world domination, killing others, and burning the world. 

If not for Crimson Moon rallying her men for world domination, he wouldn't care about what she did and would mind his own business. 

"I don't care whether you hate me or like me. However, I have another plan for you, Princess. I think you will like it too. Or do you prefer being another puppet of Crimson Moon?" 

"What do you mean by me as her another puppet?" Arcueid asked. 

"To be precise, you were just a vessel for your father, Crimson Moon. However, Gaia has another plan for you. She doesn't like the fact that her child was used as a tool. And here we are, having this great conversation. Gaia asked me to take care of you. If you're confused about who Gaia is, she was your mother." Zelretch patiently explained. 

"What would happen if I refused? Will you kill me?" Arcueid looked at Zelretch warily. 

"I will not kill a newborn because I feel insecure. If I want to kill, I will kill when you're ready to be killed," Zelretch stated. 

"I don't give a damn whether I will regret my decision or not in the future for sparing a newborn. I don't give a damn about any of them. You do you, so do I." 

"So, what is your answer, Princess? Do you want to go back as their puppet or come with me, train your power, and take back what should belong to you with your own hand?" 

Shall she take it? 

Or go back to meet with her father's followers? 

Or shall she forge her own path? 

The decision was hers for the taking.