There was nothing in front of me—only darkness.
An endless void. A void without sound, shape, or feeling.
I didn't know where I was… or even who I was. I couldn't remember my name, my face, or anything about myself. The only thing that remained was knowledge—not of my identity, but of common sense.
Yeah, that's what it was. I knew how humans thought, how the world called Earth worked. But beyond that, nothing.
I also vaguely remember… dying. The process is blurry, almost as if someone had censored the memory to protect me from the trauma.
Then suddenly—warmth.
Something sweet and soft trickled down my throat, filling my fragile body with life. It felt weak and powerless, yet… brimming with a strange strength. It was difficult to explain.
The warmth spread through me like sunlight melting frost, and the sweetness pulled my consciousness back together.
I liked this feeling.
Then, I heard voices. I didn't recognize the language, yet somehow, I understood them instinctively.
POV: Third Person
Inside a grand dark castle, a well-lit chamber glowed in defiance of the gloom outside.
Shadows clung to the towering walls beyond, but within a room, warm light flickered over polished stone and ornate carvings, creating a sharp contrast to the cold darkness surrounding the castle.
"Congratulations on the birth of the prince, Lady Lucia," a maid said gently to a woman resting on a grand bed.
Across from her sat a breathtaking woman—a queen, by her bearing. She had long platinum-blue hair that shimmered like moonlight, eyes of molten gold, and a complexion so fair it seemed carved from porcelain.
Though pale from childbirth, her regal aura was unmistakable. Yet at that moment, her face was softened by a tender, maternal smile as she gazed at the newborn in her arms.
Though he hadn't made a sound or cried after birth, the gentle rise of his chest and the faint flutter of his eyelids told her he was perfectly healthy.
This woman was none other than Lucia Nova, the Queen of Dragons—sovereign of the entire Dragon Continent.
Lucia gently adjusted her blouse, pressing her soft, pink nipple to the lips of the infant. The baby immediately began to nurse, and her expression melted into pure affection.
"Such a strong spirit…" the queen murmured with a faint smile as she stroked the baby's soft hair.
A young woman—perhaps eighteen or nineteen, with the same silver-blue hair and radiant golden eyes—climbed onto the bedside.
She was non other than the first princess of the dragon continent, Milim Nava.
Her gaze was filled with curiosity and affection as she looked at her newborn brother.
"Congratulations, Mother," she said softly.
If she hadn't said the woman before her was her mother, anyone would have mistaken them for sisters.
Lucia chuckled. "Thank you, Milim."
The baby stirred. Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes as golden as the two women before him. They sparkled faintly, reflecting the warmth of the room.
Both mother and daughter froze—then smiled so brightly it was as if stars had appeared in their eyes.
"Mom, can I hold him now?" Milim asked in a pleading tone, her expression melting into a perfect puppy face.
Lucia chuckled softly. "Here, dear, but be gentle, alright?"
"Okay, okay! Give him to me already!"
Lucia carefully handed the baby over, though her golden eyes watched closely, ready to intervene at the slightest misstep.
Wait… what's happening?
A strange feeling washed over me again.
I opened my eyes and blinked in confusion.
The world tilted, and the one holding me looked younger than before—her figure smaller, her presence different.
Why does my mother look younger? And why did her breasts get smaller—wait, what?!
I tried to make a noise, but what came out was a baby's cry. My "mother" quickly scooped me back up, and I saw the familiar face I'd first seen.
Oh. So that's my real mother. Then the other one must be—
"Mom, why did you take him back?" the girl—my sister, I realized—pouted.
"He was crying, dear. I think he got scared being with someone unfamiliar," Lucia said gently, her earlier concern fading into amusement.
"Hmph! You just don't want to be separated from him. Don't make excuses!"
Lucia smiled, clearly caught. "Oh dear, looks like you found me out." She patted the bed beside her. "Come, sit with us."
Milim obeyed, sitting beside her mother and staring intently at her baby brother.
"Wow," she murmured. "He looks so much like you, Mom."
"Don't you look like me too?" Lucia teased.
"Well, I am your daughter, so it makes sense."
"…"
"…"
Lucia sighed and decided to change the subject. "Anyway, I've decided on his name."
"Oh, tell me, tell me, tell me quick, Mother!"
"Calm down." Lucia's lips curved into a gentle smile as she gazed at the infant in her arms.
"His name… will be Mellicas."