Seraphina.
It was the first voice I heard as my consciousness slowly began to return, piece by piece. A name I had never heard before, strange and majestic, as if it carried the scent of the past and something I couldn't understand. But I didn't want to open my eyes. Not yet, not now.
I decided to pretend I was still unconscious, listening silently to everything being said. The truth was, I was scared... scared of facing reality, of admitting that I was no longer in my world, and that the person I loved, Jiheon, had stabbed me without hesitation.
"How did I end up here?" I asked myself, but I already knew the answer. I was obsessed... obsessed with love. I made his life an unbearable chain, forcing myself into every detail of his life, to the point that I completely forgot about myself. Maybe being tied to me was like a heavy iron chain... a chain that led to both our ends.
"Priest, the lady is still unconscious. Shouldn't you use healing power?"
Their words cut through my thoughts. Healing? What healing were they talking about? I wondered silently, but curiosity overcame my fear. I decided to slowly open my eyes.
And the moment I opened them, I found myself before an unfamiliar scene. A man stood before me, exuding a mesmerizing presence, dressed in black robes embroidered with intricate golden patterns. His violet eyes glowed like precious stones, and his long blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders like moonlight.
I stared at him in awe, unable to comprehend what I was seeing. Before I could say anything, my eyes met his. I felt something strange... like a silent lightning bolt had struck my soul.
"Who... are you?" I whispered, but my voice barely escaped.
He smiled a faint smile, but it wasn't comforting. It was more like the smile of someone who knew everything about you, even the secrets you hid from yourself.
"I am the High Priest of the Evermore Empire, Miss Seraphina. But it seems there's much for you to learn."
Empire? Priest? This isn't a dream, is it?
I froze in place, my heart pounding violently. I didn't know I had just begun a new journey in a world that seemed to have come out of the pages of a fantasy novel... or maybe a beautiful nightmare. A world with only handsome men;
"Servant, bring food for Miss Seraphina, since the lady has been unconscious."
The voice was deep, hurried, but it reflected a commanding tone, as if the request was not just a suggestion but an order that must be executed without delay. The servant followed quickly, a hint of inherent worry in her expression, while the High Priest waved his words in the air, his voice filling the room with a wisdom that seemed precise;
At that moment, Seraphina watched them silently, unable to move anything except her eyes, which observed every movement, every word, as if she were a small bird trapped in a cage, not knowing how to escape.
"Miss Seraphina, I think things might seem confusing for you, but since the temple is responsible for you, I will take care of you and provide everything that is worthy of you."
The words slowly crept into her mind, puzzling, incomprehensible. Then he continued in a tone that carried no hesitation:
"You are the candidate... or you could say the potential bride of one of the five families that protect the Evermore Empire."
Five families? The question echoed in her mind without an answer. How could she be at the center of this mysterious game? How could she be a bride?
Seraphina, trying to process the words thrown at her, felt an unexpected anxiety coil around her heart. How could she be a wife? That was the thought that stirred a deep disturbance within her, as if she found herself drowning in unknown seas without a guide.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she tried to gather her thoughts, but the words tangled and lost their meaning in her mind. She felt the air grow heavy, and every word spoken seemed to take her farther from her old life, from the world she knew, from Jiheon, from everything.
"Is he serious?" she wondered internally, but there was a calmness in his eyes that left no room for doubt.
She didn't understand, how could she become a wife? How was she—the ordinary girl who had been trapped in a delusional love—now on the brink of a life she never wanted to be in?
As those questions swirled in her mind, she felt something heavy settle on her chest, as if she were walking in the dark, not knowing where she was headed. The atmosphere in the room was cold, despite the warmth of the fabrics surrounding her. But the strange feeling of being lost was creeping into her depths, inescapable.
She had lost the ability to speak. All she could do was stare at the High Priest, who stood before her with pride, his glowing eyes casting the same look that made her feel as though she were nothing more than a part of a larger plan, something beyond her control.
"Can I escape from this?" was the question that repeated in her mind, as the mysterious future moved closer to her piece by piece, as though she had no choice but to follow its path.
"What do you mean by bride? And where are we? I don't understand anything!"
The words left my mouth hesitantly, as if my voice wasn't even mine. I took a moment to gather my courage and ask the question that had been echoing in my head. I was facing the High Priest, and it seemed his facial expression mixed between surprise and amusement.
"Finally decided to ask, huh?" He sighed, then smiled faintly but added after a moment, "Alright, it seems I need to explain everything."
He sat on an ornate golden-patterned chair, while I took a sitting position on my bed, unable to suppress my curiosity mixed with fear.
"My name is Rialwa, the High Priest of the Golden Sun Temple, or as we often call it, the 'Golden Temple'."
"The Golden Temple?" I muttered under my breath, trying to understand.
He nodded, then continued: "It is a sacred temple located in the heart of the empire, rumored to house the magical crystal that grants the empire its power."
I stared at his face, unable to believe what he was saying. It sounded more like a fairy tale than reality.
"The temple is protected by magical layers that only priests with 'Blood of Light' can penetrate."
"Blood of Light?" I repeated, more confused.
He continued in a calm tone, as if explaining a simple lesson: "We priests are responsible for protecting the empire and maintaining its balance. We serve as guardians and advisors to the imperial family. Additionally, there are five noble families tasked with protecting the empire, each with its unique abilities."
I couldn't resist asking: "And what does this have to do with me?"
Rialwa smiled, but it was a sad smile this time. "Look, Miss Seraphina, the story is bigger than it seems. You're not just an ordinary girl. You were adopted from the orphanage because of your great sacred powers. The temple is responsible for you, and sent you to be treated at the imperial family's home because of your health condition."
"What?" My voice rose slightly, as if I refused to believe any of the words he was saying.
"And now, since you've recovered, it's time for you to play your role as a bride candidate."
"Candidate?" I gasped, my hands trembling from shock.
"Yes, a candidate to be the wife of one of the heirs of the five families protecting the empire."
I tried to process the words, but they were too much. An heir? A bride? Families?
"The five protecting families?" I asked weakly.
"Exactly. Let me explain them to you."
He then began listing them one by one, as if they were pages of a history book flipped before my eyes:
The Ravinscar Family: "Masters of shadows and stealth. The first shield of the empire."
The Florin Family: "Healers and caretakers of soldiers. Their hearts are kind, but they are extremely cautious."
The Darconia Family: "Fire and dragons. Powerful, but their ambition knows no bounds."
The Evermore Family: "Symbols of hope and the power of the phoenix. They embody the will of the empire."
Finally, the temple is also considered one of the families.
When he finished his explanation, my heart was pounding violently. Every word left a powerful echo within me.
"And that means?" I asked, barely able to speak.
"It means your fate is tied to one of these heirs. The temple will present you as a bride candidate, but before that, you must learn and showcase your sacred abilities."
I couldn't respond. I felt like the ground beneath me had completely collapsed.
"How can I be a wife?" I murmured to myself, placing my hands on my face, trying to hold back my tears.
"Oh, Miss Seraphina, don't show such sad expressions. The future is bright ahead of you." The High Priest laughed lightly.
But for me, that "future" seemed like the real prison I had been forced into.
While the High Priest continued to speak seriously about the importance of the five families in the empire, I noticed something shiny hanging from his neck.
"What is that?" I asked without thinking, pointing to the golden chain around his neck.
He stopped for a moment and looked at me. "It's a symbol of my authority as the High Priest."
I stared at it more closely, then frowned. "But it's... so small. I expected something bigger, like a huge necklace that glows or releases magical lights."
A look of surprise appeared on his face, then he lightly brushed over the necklace, as if checking what I had said. "Its size doesn't matter, it's the power it holds."
"Oh, I see." I paused for a moment, then added with a sly smile: "But it looks like a children's necklace."
He stopped talking for a moment, then raised his eyebrows in a mixed expression of frustration and astonishment. "Miss Seraphina, it seems your sense of humor... is unconventional."
"Humor? I was being serious." I said, suppressing a laugh.
He shook his head and turned away to continue explaining the map, but I was sure he was trying hard to suppress a small smile.
"Since you've been in recovery for a long time, the time has come for you to return to your normal life." The High Priest spoke quietly, looking directly at me. "In the afternoon, Lady Adeline will come. She's the best teacher you could have in the empire. All the nobles line up for a chance to have their children taught by her."
Lady Adeline? Who is she now? As the priest explained to me calmly, I felt like I was in an endless whirlpool of terms and names I could barely understand. I was listening, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.
How could I adapt to all this? A noble family? A strange body? An entire empire?
I looked at him as he continued speaking: "After you're prepared, you'll begin your first lessons
"Once you're prepared, you'll begin your first lessons. Countess Adeline is never late for her appointments."
He smiled lightly before adding,
"I believe I see worry in your eyes, but don't worry. Everything will be fine."
Fine?! What part of this seems fine?
I couldn't suppress my thoughts, and I felt my face flush with silent frustration. The High Priest, as if he had read my mind, paused for a moment and then gave a small smile.
"Oh, and by the way..." he leaned in slightly, making me instinctively pull back.
"Don't try to run away. I know this may be overwhelming, but the Empire is not a place you can easily sneak away from."
My eyes widened.
What? Did he just read my thoughts?
I tried to act innocent, but the way he raised his brow made me feel like I was an open book to him.
"Don't worry, my lady. If you have any other thoughts, I'll always be here to listen."
He chuckled softly, then turned his back and walked away, leaving me drowning in a mix of embarrassment and disbelief.
How can I hide my expressions when I think? This new body feels like it spills all my secrets!
I sat on the bed, trying to calm my racing thoughts.
So now, I am "Seraphina," the candidate to be a bride of one of the Empire's noble families. This feels like a bad dream—but it's all too real.
I looked at my hands.
It seems I'll have to adapt to this world... but who is the real Seraphina?
"My lady, the caretaker assigned to you has arrived."
A maid entered, interrupting my thoughts with her soft voice.
Alright... let this journey begin.