Chapter 02
The Hesenia Empire, renowned as the strongest in the world today, boasted a long history as vast as its territory.
But like all nations, Hesenia also had humble beginnings.
When Ivan Sonnier the Great, the first emperor, first ascended to the throne, his kingdom was barely 15,000 square ser. That was less than half the size of Herbon, the territory held by the prestigious Debrian family today.
Yet Ivan the Great, together with his son Versailles, tripled the territory of Hesenia. Astonishingly, this feat was achieved in just one year.
And it was during this turbulent time that Milliam emerged.
The Milliam family had long served the Roman Empire, the dominant force of the northwest. However, Zer Milliam, the ancestor of the Milliam family, sensed the unusual southeastern winds blowing from the small kingdom of Hesenia.
Possessing the Roman Empire’s most fertile and strategic military stronghold, the Milliam family abandoned their thousand-year loyalty, diplomacy, and legacy of conquest with Rome—and defected to Hesenia.
This act formed the backdrop for how the once-small kingdom of Hesenia rose to become the world’s greatest empire.
And this is also why, even a thousand years later, a mere baron’s daughter like Adelaide Milliam could be engaged to a noble house like the Count of Debrian.
“Miss, you’re up already?”
No—Adel hadn’t slept a wink. She had stayed up all night, a dim light flickering in the corner of her room, eyes fixed on her wrist, waiting for the mark to appear.
She wanted to sleep, but she couldn’t.
“Did… the mark appear?”
Hailey asked, trying her best to sound neutral. Having worked in the Milliam household for years, she knew exactly what it meant for a Milliam woman to lack a mark.
“Nothing…”
“Nothing?”
At that faint response, Hailey rushed closer to Adel and looked at her wrist.
“Miss…”
“Yeah.”
Hailey’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Miss… truly, congratulations.”
As if granted permission by those words, Adel beamed. For someone with golden hair, her features were unusually soft. At just twelve years old, Adel was already beautiful enough to make people anticipate the woman she would become.
“I can marry Ethan now, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I can really leave this house?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Adel threw her arms around Hailey’s waist.
“I’m so sad to be leaving you.”
“I’m just a maid.”
“Don’t say that. You’re like a sister to me.”
“Miss Rene might be upset to hear that.”
“Rene…”
Renerianne Milliam—soon to become the empire’s crown princess.
True to her lineage, Adel’s sister Rene had received the mark at dawn on her twelfth birthday—a crimson crescent moon on the inside of her left wrist.
The number twelve held special meaning in the Hesenia Empire.
It symbolized both completion and ending.
On the day Ivan the Great expanded the southeastern Hesenia to its furthest edges and, with Milliam’s aid, conquered the northwest Roman Empire, he declared Hesenia the world’s greatest empire—and himself as its emperor.
And on a night as dark as hell, a monk came to him.
The monk, with hair black as the night sky and eyes like a beast, delivered a prophecy:
“Only Milliam will reap the blood you have shed across this land. Hesenia will fall twice, but the third time will be eternal. Only the full moon on a night as dark as shadow can preserve this world. This is the will of God.”
So, the first emperor cast aside the wife who had borne him a son and chose a Milliam daughter as his empress.
Though now a faded legend, this thousand-year-old prophecy was also clearly written in the Empire’s founding myths and the temple’s holy scripture. Though written in ancient script and often debated, scholars have always agreed on one thing:
Only Milliam can cleanse the empire.
“I feel bad for my sister, but… I always knew I wouldn’t get the mark. I’m just a half-blood.”
“That’s not something you should feel bad about.”
Hailey looked at her with sad eyes.
A mother’s status didn’t affect the appearance of the mark. Yet Adel always called herself a half-blood because her mother was of low status.
That was because Baron Milliam had drilled it into her since childhood.
Adelaide Milliam, the half-blood.
The disgrace of the Milliam family.
And now, with no mark—she was free.
Suddenly, the door burst open and Max Milliam, head of the family, stormed in. He grabbed Adel’s left arm and, seeing the bare wrist, slapped her hard across the face.
“Useless wench.”
Adel, only twelve, was thrown to the ground but let a faint smile creep across her face. She couldn’t help it. Just a little longer—and she would finally leave this accursed house.
“You’re smiling?”
Baron Milliam caught her smirk. His face reddened, and he raised his foot. He had never gone beyond slapping her before. Would he stomp her now? Adel braced her stomach.
“Father!”
At that moment, Rene entered the room.
Now eighteen, Rene had cold silver hair and deep blue eyes—the hallmark of the Milliam line.
If Adel was the sun, Rene was the moon.
Just as the moon eclipses the sun, Rene stepped between Adel and their father.
“Don’t hit her.”
Normally, the Baron would have pushed Rene aside and hit Adel anyway. But as the soon-to-be crown princess, her word couldn’t be ignored.
“Move, Renerianne.”
“So, the noble baron now acts like a street thug?”
“She’s mine. My property.”
“No. She’s now my subject. I understand your urge to destroy what no longer holds value to you—but don’t. You, too, are my subject now. You will obey me.”
With the mark absent and no further controversy, Rene would soon enter the imperial palace. And at eighteen, she was as regal and beautiful as a fully bloomed flower.
Truly worthy of becoming the future empress of the world’s most powerful empire.
Adel had always wondered—how could someone like Rene be born to someone like Max Milliam?
Scowling, the Baron finally left. Rene, without turning her body, looked back at Adel.
“Stop smiling like that, Adel. What are you trying to do?”
“Sorry, Sister.”
But… how could I not smile? I’m so happy.
Adel, crouching behind the beautiful moon, smiled like a blooming evening primrose.
But Rene knew. Even though the mark hadn’t appeared, Adel had power. Not like the abilities seen before in Milliam history—but it was real. She had manifested.
“Pack your things.”
“Now?”
“Yes. There’s no reason to wait. Herbon territory is two days away.”
“But still…”
“Who knows what Father might try next. The sooner, the better. Pack light.”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
“I have no desire to fight you as a rival. If you don’t hurry, I won’t help you anymore.”
“O-Okay!”
Adel fully understood her sister. And Hailey immediately began packing. It took less than an hour, and just as they finished, Rene returned.
“Let’s go.”
Adel followed without protest. As her sister had said, there was no reason to stay. When they stepped out into the courtyard, a surprisingly large and lavish carriage was waiting.
“Sister, how did you…”
“Don’t be impressed. I traded all my jewelry for it. But what use are such things to me now?”
Rene would soon live a life too grand for mere trinkets.
“We couldn’t let it look like Milliam was kicking you out. Adel, listen carefully.”
Adel nodded, as if receiving divine orders.
“You are a defective product of Milliam.”
Adel’s eyes widened. She had always known it—but it was the first time her sister had called her a product, much less a defective one.
“And I am the premium product.”
But Rene wasn’t wrong.
“But in the end, we’re both just merchandise. To Baron Milliam.”
“Sister…”
“But Adel, just because he calls us products doesn’t make it true. You’re not defective, and I’m not premium.”
Rene had never spoken to her like this before. The realization that this was goodbye made Adel’s tears fall. Rene gently wiped them away.
“Don’t cry. Listen to me.
It doesn’t matter what people call you.
It doesn’t matter how they treat you.
It’s not your fault.
Do you understand me?”
