Evelyn sighed as she reminisced about the past, then slowly walked away from the window toward the mirror.
Stopping in front of it, she stared intensely at her reflection. There, on the tender curve of her right wrist rests a small delicate mark—an elegant circle of tiny nine stars, each one glowing like a guardian of the night. At the heart of this celestial wreath rests a crescent moon, serene and graceful, as if cradling the universe in its curve. Together, the moon and stars create a symbol of quiet strength and timeless wonder, a reminder of the sky's eternal embrace carried gently upon the skin. The only familiar thing in her endless cycles of death and rebirth.
This birthmark was in my wrist from the beginning, in the same place. It feels as though it too is caught in this endless cycle alongside me.
At first, I thought it was merely a coincidence, but no matter how many times I reincarnate, it's always on my wrist, in the same place. The reason behind this mark and what it truly signifies... remains a mystery to me.
Each new life begins without the memory of my past, and though I once hoped I could live without remembering, it always ends the same—my memories come flooding back.
Now, I've grown used to the System E.L.S. —it's become like a soul mate.
Her cold blue eyes flickered with a glint of sarcasm.
In this life, I am Evelyn de P. La Cristiane—the first princess of the Cristiane Empire and first in line to the throne. But titles are nothing more than decoration if you're not strong enough to protect them.
A princess abandoned at birth... locked away in this cold, desolate Black Rose Palace—with not a single visit from the woman who gave birth to me.
Why?
No one knows the answer.
Why. It always remain my question– but one with no answer.
A small ridiculing smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Evelyn: "E.L.S. My information."
Ding...
A familiar soft chime echoed as a glowing blue panel materialized before her eyes, casting its faint light across the dark room.
[Host Information]
[Name: Evelyn de P. La Cristiane.]
[Identity: First Princess of the Cristiane Empire { ??~?? } ]
[Cooking Skill: Culinary Legend (94) ]
[Combat Skill: Unknown—]
[Defense Skill: Unknown—]
[Agility: Unknown—]
[Intelligence: Unknown—]
[Ability: Unmeasurable.]
[Special Abilities: Sharp Brain, Special Physique, — —]
[Characteristics: —]
[Specialty: —]
[Trait: —]
[Backstory: Born with an unusual hair and eye colours. Not recognized by the Empress as her daughter and despised by her.]
Her eyes lingered on the Back Story section. She didn't fully understand what it meant.
Unusual hair and eye colour...
Her blue eyes narrowed, and she glanced at the mirror. Her fingers traced her snow white hair absently, tilting her head in confusion.
Hair shimmered like fresh snow, pure and white, cascading down in soft waves that caught the light with an almost ethereal glow. It was as though the very essence of winter had woven itself into her strands, each one gleaming with an otherworldly brightness. Eyes, deep blue like the vast ocean, held a depth that seemed to draw everything in.
What's so unusual about that? The Empress has red hair and blue eyes, and as far as she knows her father had silver hair and platinum eyes. So it's quite normal to have white hair and blue eyes.
No.. wait... something's wrong.
A sudden sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
Evelyn: "E.L.S. Scan Body."
Ding...
[Body Scanning in progress....]
Ding...
[Body Scanning Completed.]
A translucent X-ray-like panel appeared before her, outlining every inch of her small, frail-looking body.
On her slender neck, a red circle glowed faintly.
[Detected Magical Item.]
[Effect: Appearance Concealment.]
Evelyn's eyes darkened.
Her fingers brushed the ruby necklace—the only thing her mother had ever given her.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips.
Evelyn (Thoughts): How ironic... the first and only gift from my dear mother is nothing but a magical item imbued with concealment magic.
With steady fingers, she unhooked the clasp.
The moment the necklace touched her palm, light rippled through her hair. A few strands of snowy white darkened, turning inky black like midnight ink bleeding into snow.
Her blue eyes shifted—the left flaring into a deep, blood-red, like a sea of blood under a full moon, while the right softened into a vivid amethyst purple, like the glow of twilight over a quiet forest. In that instant, she looked both otherworldly and untouchable.
Evelyn touched her reflection in the mirror, murmuring to herself.
Evelyn: "So... that's why."
[It's said that 1,030 years ago, demons attacked the Empire under the Demon King's command. People were slaughtered, the empire was torn apart. No peace, only disaster for 110 years. Finally, 920 years ago, Elencia De S. La Cristiane fought against the Demon King.
With the help of the Supreme Magic Swordmaster, Seraphion Aster, Elencia defeated the Demon King, restoring peace to the Empire.
But after the battle, Seraphion Aster disappeared from sight.
The Demon King had black hair and red eyes, and from then on, those features were seen as taboo in Cristiane. Black hair and red eyes became signs of inauspiciousness.
After all, demons ravaged the empire under the command of the Demon King. So, his black hair and red eyes became the very symbols of disaster.
Even now, anyone born with those features was considered cursed.
A taboo existence.]
Hah... so that's why. Red is already bad enough; on the contrary, having two different eye colours...
Evelyn: "No wonder the wet maid disappeared after my birth. She must have been killed or chased away to keep the secret. No wonder the Empress, who never cared for me, gave me this necklace—an item that conceals my true appearance. She even ordered me not to take it off. Ha..."
Evelyn laughed bitterly as she stared at the necklace in her hand, her eyes full of sarcasm. Evelyn clenched the ruby tightly in her palm.
So... I was never abandoned out of only pure hatred. I was hidden.
Not only because she hated me—
But also because she feared me.
Knock. Knock.
A sudden knock echoed through the room. Cassy's voice was heard from the outside.
Cassy: "Your Highness, I've brought you some food. May I come in?"
Evelyn clasped the necklace back around her neck. The White hair with a mixture of black shimmered into pure white again, and the red and purple eyes faded back into blue. She walked over to the couch.
Evelyn: "Come in."