The witch’s paradise, Nebulis Sovereignty.
In just a few decades, the nation all astral mages called paradise had obtained the power to rival the Empire, the world’s largest nation. They boasted the disciplined astral corps and three powerful royal families, who had the blood of the Founder Nebulis running through their veins.
Everyone expected that the conflict between the Sovereignty and the Empire would grow, drawing in the neighboring countries even further.
And so the people of the Sovereignty expected something from their queen: overwhelming power.
They sought a queen who could lead them against the Imperial forces. Thus, what they required from their queen was the power to lead by example.
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The Nebulis palace was made up of four towers of gleaming, radiant white.
Three were called thus: the Star Spire, the Moon Spire, and the Solar Spire. And at their center stood the Queen’s Palace.
“Thank you all for gathering during this crisis.”
The grim and powerful voice of a woman echoed throughout the assembly room.
Over thirty men and women had gathered at the roundtable. They were ministers who governed over the Sovereignty and representatives of the Astral Power Institute, which commanded the astral corps.
At their center was the seventh queen, who wore purple as she stood before them.
“We have spotted what we believe to be a covert unit from the Imperial forces in proximity of the thirteenth state of Alcatroz’s border. Alcatroz has only recently been incorporated into the Sovereignty, making it the perfect place for Imperial soldiers to hide, should they get through the checkpoint. We shall need to fortify our personnel in the region and provide them with more equipment.”
She surveyed everyone at the roundtable.
“We don’t have time to discuss assigning this to someone. I will use my authority as queen to appoint a commanding officer. Does anyone object?”
Not a single person dared to say anything.
The queen’s eyes were filled with a force to be reckoned with.
Her name was Cassandra Zoa Nebulis VII, and she also served as the current head of the Zoa. Famed as the strongest head of house for her flame astral power, she had earned many victories in battles against the Imperial forces during her days as a princess.
“Then it’s settled. As I have received everyone’s consent, I declare the matter to be—”
“Th-though it may be forward, I have something to say, Your Majesty.”
Someone along the wall of the meeting room had spoken up.
An attendant clad in a black suit addressed her hesitantly, attempting to ascertain the queen’s mood.
“Not everyone is here…,” he said.
“What?”
“I am afraid…Princess Mirabella is absent…”
The attendant pointed at a seat in front of him.
It was empty.
Yes. Though the meeting had long since started, the plate reading MIRABELLA LOU NEBULIS IIX had never been flipped upright to signal the princess’s presence.
“What?!”
Cassandra’s voice was tinged with indignation.
The reigning queen was of the Zoa bloodline. And the princess missing from the meeting was from the Lou bloodline. Naturally, the queen was upset that another royal household was obstructing political affairs.
“Schwartz! Again?! Mirabella has dared to run off again?!”
“I—I am so very sorry! She absconded right before we entered the meeting room… We are doing all we can to find her…”
The middle-aged Schwartz bowed deep and low. Then he fled from the meeting room. Several Lou attendants stood in wait for him.
“Where is the princess?! Everyone, please help!”
“Haah… Again?”
“Lady Mirabella is so difficult to find once she disappears.”
“Don’t give up! Find her!” Schwartz reprimanded the slower attendants as he ran down the halls. “Based on two years of data, she’s most likely in the courtyard taking a nap. And don’t forget she may be on the roof sunbathing. There is a chance that she’s escaped from the castle, too, and we can’t forget the other possibilities!”
“You just don’t get it…”
“This is why I always say we should put a bell around her neck…”
“Just get running! But if she hears you, she’ll flee. When you go to catch her, you need to surround her quietly!”
The hallway grew even noisier. The echoes of the running attendants, Schwartz included, reverberated throughout the halls.
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“Quiet down.”
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There was a whisper.
No one noticed the youthful voice.
It had come from the hallway that Schwartz had just run past. There, using the beautifully glittering chandelier as a hammock…
“I hate meetings…”
…was Mira, murmuring as she yawned.
Mirabella Lou Nebulis IIX, firstborn daughter of the house of Lou, still had a youthfulness about her, as she was only fourteen. She was also known as the royal family’s troublemaker.
Her short, golden hair was a mess from her bedhead and showed no signs of having ever been acquainted with a comb. Perhaps that was because she hadn’t bathed in three days.
Though she was an adolescent, she was a strange one. She despised makeup and glitzy dresses, favoring garments suited to battle.
“Hwaaah…”
She let out a big yawn again.
Mira settled back into the chandelier and closed her eyes.
“Lady Mirabella!”
“Princess Mirabella, where are you?!”
She didn’t reply, of course.
“Don’t call me that…”
She hated her full name. She thought it was difficult to pronounce and not very pretty. She much preferred to be called Mira. But since she was a princess, few were willing to use nicknames around her.
“That’s enough…”
She let out a third, also large, yawn.
Mira decided she would nap until her afternoon self-training session. Atop the chandelier, she rolled over to sleep.
At around the same time…
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“Schwartz? How is my daughter’s education coming along?”