Royal Ascension: TheLady's rebirth

The council chamber emptied quickly, leaving behind only a sense of chaos barely held at bay. Alistair and the mysterious woman had swept out, their footsteps echoing like thunder. The nobles murmured nervously to one another before scattering, uncertainty clouding their expressions. Only one person lingered in the room—Kieran Valemont.

I didn't trust him. His name alone set off warning bells in my mind, and his presence, the way he moved through this space like he owned it, made my skin crawl. He stood near the massive window now, his back to me, as though dismissing me entirely.

But I couldn't leave. Not yet. Alistair's parting words echoed in my mind—This is no longer just a political game. It's a matter of survival. That was no empty warning. The attack on the western border wasn't random. It wasn't coincidence. Something bigger was at play, and I needed to understand what.

My fists clenched at my sides. Think, Sierra. The system was silent—unhelpful as always when I really needed it—so I had to rely on my wits.

I cleared my throat, forcing my voice to sound steady. "Lord Valemont," I called out.

Kieran turned slowly, as though I were nothing but an afterthought. His dark eyes met mine, unreadable, but I saw the faintest flicker of amusement tug at his lips. "Still here, Lady Angelica?" he said, his tone smooth and condescending. "I would have thought you'd run to the prince's side by now."

I took a step forward, refusing to let him intimidate me. "You seem remarkably calm for someone who just witnessed the kingdom slip closer to war."

Kieran tilted his head, his smile sharpening. "Calm is a necessity in times of chaos. Panic solves nothing." He paused, his gaze sliding over me in an unnerving way. "But I suspect you already know that, don't you?"

I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to react. "You speak like you have all the answers. Perhaps you should share them."

His eyes glinted, and I knew then that he was testing me—pushing to see how far I would go, how much I understood. "Oh, I have many answers," he said softly, "but the right ones are rarely free. Especially for someone like you."

I stiffened. Someone like me? Did he mean Angelica? Or... me? Could he sense that I wasn't who I appeared to be?

I couldn't let him control the conversation. I took another step toward him, drawing myself up to my full height. "You're right. Answers have a price. But I'm willing to pay it—if it means protecting the kingdom."

Kieran's smile faltered for the briefest moment, replaced by something sharper, darker. "And what makes you think you can protect the kingdom, Lady Angelica? Last I heard, your skills lay more in... sabotage."

I froze, his words cutting like ice. Sabotage. Angelica's past sins weren't mine, but to the world, I was her. And Kieran knew exactly how to twist that blade.

Before I could respond, he stepped closer. Too close. "The prince is playing a dangerous game," he murmured, his voice low enough that it sent a chill down my spine. "And you... you are the wildcard. You'll either save him or destroy him. Perhaps both."

I met his gaze head-on. "That's not your decision to make."

Kieran chuckled darkly, stepping back as if satisfied with what he'd seen. "Then prove me wrong, Lady Angelica. Show me that you're not the villain they all believe you to be."

And with that, he swept out of the room, his presence lingering like a shadow long after he'd disappeared.

---

I barely had time to collect my thoughts before a sharp ding rang through my mind, startling me.

System Alert: Hidden Quest Activated.

Quest: Discover the truth behind the attack on the western border.

Failure: The crown prince will lose a vital ally.

Reward: Unlock new abilities to influence key events.

The words flashed in my vision, and I stumbled back, gripping the edge of the table. A hidden quest? My pulse quickened. The system rarely handed out quests so directly. Usually, it gave cryptic warnings or vague nudges, but this... this was clear.

I took a shaky breath, my thoughts racing. The western border. That was where the attack had happened. If I was to complete this quest, I needed information. And fast. Alistair was already on his way there with the mysterious woman—whoever she was—but that didn't mean I had to sit idle.

"Think, think," I whispered to myself. The council was in chaos, the nobles scattered. No one would notice if I slipped away. If I was going to survive this world and rewrite Angelica's fate, I needed to act.

---

The castle's corridors were darker than usual as I made my way toward the records chamber. I kept my footsteps light, my breathing quiet. I wasn't sure what I was looking for—perhaps maps of the western border, reports from Edomir, anything that could give me a clue.

But as I turned the corner, I stopped dead in my tracks.

The door to the records chamber was ajar, a faint glow of lamplight spilling into the hallway. Someone else was already inside.

My heartbeat quickened. Was it Alistair? Or someone working for Kieran? Slowly, I edged closer, careful to remain hidden in the shadows.

Inside, I could hear papers rustling, followed by a frustrated muttering. I peeked around the edge of the doorway, my eyes widening at the sight.

It wasn't Alistair. And it wasn't Kieran.

It was her—the woman who had appeared in the council chamber to deliver news of the attack. The mysterious woman who had summoned the prince away.

She was hunched over a table, scanning a series of documents spread out in front of her. Her face was set in concentration, her brows furrowed as she flipped through maps and reports with practiced precision. Whatever she was looking for, she clearly didn't want to be interrupted.

Who is she? I thought, my breath catching in my throat.

Suddenly, she paused, her head snapping up as though she'd sensed me. Her gaze locked onto the shadows where I stood, and for a heartbeat, I was certain she'd seen me.

I spun on my heel, retreating down the hallway as quietly as I could. My mind raced. Who was this woman? Why was she searching through the kingdom's records? And what did she know about the attack?

But just as I reached the end of the hall, a voice sliced through the darkness behind me.

"Lady Angelica," the woman called softly, her voice carrying an eerie calm. "I know you're there."

I froze, my blood turning to ice.

And then she said something that made my heart stop.

"You shouldn't be digging into secrets that could get you killed."