The first thing she felt upon opening her eyes wasn't fatigue, pain, or even confusion. It was… softness. A gentle, warm kind of softness that enveloped her entire body. Something warm rested atop her, like a thick, fluffy blanket, and somewhere nearby was a faint scent—a baby's powdery fragrance mixed with sunlight and polished oakwood. As her vision slowly cleared, what met her eyes wasn't the cracked, dingy ceiling of her old apartment, but instead a carved wooden ceiling so meticulously crafted that every swirl and pattern exuded an elegance she had only ever seen in games. Warm sunlight streamed through sheer curtains, dyeing the entire room in golden hues. She had never seen such a beautiful place—except on-screen.
She tried to move. The sensation was strange. Her hand… was too small. Tiny. Chubby. Her fingers were soft, plump, and short like a plush doll's. She lifted one arm and stared, blinking rapidly, realizing with a jolt that her body was no longer that of a sixteen-year-old girl—but that of a baby barely two months old. Her eyes widened. She tried to cry out in shock, but all that came out was a string of high-pitched, babbling sounds.
She had been reincarnated.
Though she had consumed countless stories, anime, and novels about reincarnation, living through it herself was something else entirely. For a brief moment, she thought it must be a dream. But when the ornate wooden door gently creaked open and sunlight poured into the room, casting a halo around the woman who entered carrying a soft towel, she knew: no, this wasn't a dream. This was her new reality.
The woman—with shimmering silver hair tied neatly behind her back with a pale green ribbon, porcelain-white skin, and gentle emerald eyes—looked like a fairy-tale mother come to life. Despite her calm, maternal aura, there was a sharpness to her gaze, a quiet strength in the way she moved. This was her new mother.
…
Even at only two months old, thanks to her retained memories, Airi—now Lilia von Einhart—had quickly realized she'd been reincarnated not just into any fantasy world, but into the third girl of a noble family in a grand empire.
Her mother's name was Irene von Einhart, a former magical prodigy in her youth who had since retired to a life of refined peace. She was the kind of noble lady who seemed born for starlit balls and velvet balconies—graceful, composed, and endlessly kind. Irene typically wore long dresses of soft velvet in pastel tones that flowed like a breeze, always smelling faintly of lavender and old books. Every time she lifted Lilia into her arms, it was like the world itself became gentler.
Then came a soft voice from the door, prompting Irene to glance back and answer quietly. A second figure stepped into the room—a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties, with silvery white hair cascading nearly to the floor in delicate, perfectly coiled strands. Her crimson eyes glimmered like rubies in the morning light. She wore a Gothic-style maid outfit, tailored tightly to hug every curve of her body. The skirt was short, revealing long, flawless legs; the waistline was impossibly slim, and the neckline dipped scandalously low, exposing a deep cleavage that could make even a grown man forget how to breathe.
This was Fortuna, Lilia's personal maid—and perhaps the most impossibly beautiful woman Airi had ever seen in two lives.
Fortuna's beauty was almost unfair. Her face was small and perfectly symmetrical, her features so well-balanced they seemed crafted by divine hands. Her ruby eyes sparkled mischievously, and she walked with a grace that made her seem to glide across the wooden floor. She gave Irene a polite bow, then approached Lilia's crib with a soft smile that bordered on teasing. Lilia, still in Irene's arms, felt her heart race—not from fear, but from overwhelming embarrassment. Even though her body was that of a baby, she was still Airi on the inside—a fantasy-obsessed otaku who'd seen plenty of "fanservice" in games. But this? This was too real.
Fortuna leaned in, her slender fingers gently brushing Lilia's cheek. "Awake early today, aren't we, my lady?" Her voice was sweet and soft like a breeze, with a seductive undertone that made Airi's (now Lilia's) toes curl. Lilia let out a soft, garbled squeal, utterly overwhelmed, while Irene chuckled warmly. "She's quite the bright one. Barely two months old and already recognizing voices and turning her head."
That wasn't all. Lilia had discovered something else just as incredible: she could read and understand the language of this world perfectly. Though she couldn't yet form proper words with her baby mouth, everything her mother and Fortuna said registered clearly in her mind. There was no need for study or dictionaries—the knowledge felt innate, like she had spoken it all her life. Whether it was a blessing from the mysterious voice she'd heard before dying, or some sort of reincarnation cheat skill, she didn't know. But honestly, she didn't care. She didn't come to this world to be fair.
She was Lilia. She had been chosen to live again.
She was the one who would become the Shadow Empress.
…But first, she had to get through diapers and baby talk. Rising as a Shadow Empress was one thing. But surviving the daily pampering of a doting mother and an overwhelmingly sexy maid might prove to be the real boss battle.
From the moment she was able to grasp objects with her tiny hands, Lilia spent most of her time not playing with toys like a normal child, but reading. While other toddlers were still crawling or stacking rings, Lilia—with the determination of a reincarnated scholar—quickly claimed a corner of the grand library that could overwhelm any fantasy gamer with its sheer scale. Calling it a "library" was almost misleading—it was more like a fortress of knowledge, larger than a luxurious mansion back on Earth, with towering bookshelves that reached the high ceilings, walls lined with polished mahogany, and soft lights cast from enchanted crystals that made the place glow like a dream. And there, she read. Voraciously. Every page, every arcane symbol, every ancient historical note. No text could escape her crimson eyes, burning with curiosity and razor-sharp clarity far beyond her years.
From those very books, Lilia learned that the world she had been reborn into was anything but ordinary. Though it was about the same size as Earth, this world consisted of only one massive continent, surrounded by endless oceans and skies divided by vast flows of magical energy. On that continent stood seven great nations, each a powerhouse with its own magic, military, and civilization. But among them, none could rival the Astoria Empire—the nation she had been reborn into. It was the wealthiest, most magically advanced, and most politically powerful, known as the heart of civilization across the land. And the city of her birth—Eleucia, the Holy Capital—was the jewel of the empire: a place where wealth, power, and untold secrets all converged in dazzling harmony.
What truly shocked her, though, was the identity of the Einhart family—the noble house into which she had reincarnated. Far from being an average aristocratic lineage, the Einharts were one of the Five Great Houses, wielding influence that could sway even the royal court. Their voice carried the same weight as the Grand Ministers, consulted directly by the Emperor himself, and invited to every high-level gathering and royal ceremony on the continent. In short, she hadn't just been reborn into a fantasy world—she was the precious daughter of one of the most powerful bloodlines in that world.
Fortuna—the maid who had been with her since infancy—was the first to notice the oddity about her. Expressions too complex for her age, eyes that seemed to analyze everything, sharp reactions to language and sound—it was impossible to miss. Fortuna, despite her usual grace and composed beauty, often found herself smiling with quiet intrigue whenever she saw Lilia flipping through pages with her tiny hands. "You truly are a special little one…" she once whispered, gently placing a hand on Lilia's head, her gaze filled with something deeper than affection, something beyond the allure of her flawless, almost unreal appearance.
But Fortuna wasn't the only maid in the household. Another name soon became familiar in Lilia's daily life: Lilith. If Fortuna was the soft, graceful moon, then Lilith was a blazing sun—fiery and radiant. With her bright red hair tied into a bold ponytail, sun-kissed skin, and mischievous amber eyes, Lilith had the energy of a warrior trapped in a maid's uniform—one that was daringly tailored: short on the bottom, skin-tight on top, and the chest area… well, let's just say it was astounding. Even Lilia, once an independent girl in her previous life, couldn't help but glance occasionally with a mix of awe and… envy.
Lilith's personality was lively, loud, and full of jokes—perfectly balancing Fortuna's calm presence. She loved teasing Lilia, often picking her up with one arm while spinning a romance novel with the other, laughing, "Why are you reading this stuff, little miss? Let big sis tell you some spicier stories~!" Each time, Lilia's face would flush as she glanced toward Fortuna for rescue—only to find her smiling gently, sometimes even sneaking a subtle glance at Lilith's… assets, as if mildly troubled by the sheer comparison.
Under the soft sunlight pouring through the tall windows, Lilia sat amidst a fortress of books, one hand propping up her cheek like a pondering noble, surrounded by two maids as beautiful as angels and devils. She let out a small sigh.
In this life, she had everything—status, wealth, talent, and future beauty… only one goal remained.
To conquer this entire world.
With strength, intellect, and just a touch of dark allure.