Royal Ascension: TheLady's rebirth

Her voice echoed in the dim corridor, and for a moment, my brain refused to process it. She knows I'm here. My heart slammed against my ribs, my breath caught in my throat. I turned around slowly, my mind racing with possible excuses—none of which seemed convincing enough.

The woman stepped into the hallway, her lantern casting flickering shadows along the stone walls. Up close, she was even more imposing. Her features were delicate but sharp—like someone who had weathered enough storms to carve steel out of bone.

"You're as nosy as they say, Lady Angelica." Her lips curled into something between a smirk and a frown.

I straightened my back, channeling every ounce of defiance I had. "If you're going to accuse me of something, at least get to the point."

Her dark eyes studied me for a long moment, sharp as daggers. "The point," she murmured, "is that curiosity is dangerous. Especially when it comes to secrets not meant for you."

I swallowed. "And what exactly are you hiding? Rummaging through records late at night doesn't seem very innocent."

The woman's expression flickered, something unreadable passing through her gaze. "I'm searching for answers. The same as you, I suspect."

Answers? My mind latched onto the word like a lifeline. "The attack on the western border," I said, testing the waters. "You're connected to it, aren't you?"

She didn't confirm or deny it. Instead, she stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You're smarter than they give you credit for, but that doesn't mean you should play hero."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she said, her tone firm, "that you've been dragged into something far bigger than court politics or avoiding death flags. This is a war that started long before you arrived."

Her words chilled me to the core. "A war? With who?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell you that—yet. But mark my words, Lady Angelica. The attack on the western border was just the beginning. If you want to survive what's coming, don't trust anyone. Not even the prince."

My breath hitched. "Why not Alistair? He—he's trying to stop this, isn't he?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "He's trying, but sometimes good intentions pave the way to ruin." She paused, as if weighing whether to say more, then added, "Keep your eyes open. There are forces at play you don't understand."

Before I could question her further, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the far end of the hall. The woman glanced sharply over her shoulder, then back at me. "Don't follow me again, Lady Angelica," she whispered. "Some truths will only get you killed."

She turned and disappeared into the darkness before I could utter another word. I was left alone, my head spinning.

---

Back in my chambers, I paced the floor relentlessly. Her words replayed in my mind like a broken record. A war that started long before you arrived. She didn't just mean Angelica's history—she meant something deeper, older, and far more dangerous.

The system had activated a quest about the western border, and now this woman had implied that there were forces beyond my comprehension. And what's worse—she'd warned me not to trust Alistair.

I sank onto the edge of my bed, my heart pounding. Don't trust the prince. That warning clashed violently with everything I'd seen of him so far. Alistair wasn't perfect, but his resolve and loyalty to the kingdom felt genuine. Why would she try to plant doubt in my mind?

Ding!

The system's voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts.

System Notice: Quest Update.

New Objective: Investigate the royal archives for evidence of external forces behind the attack.

Time Limit: 48 hours.

A timer appeared in the corner of my vision, ticking down relentlessly.

"Of course there's a time limit," I muttered bitterly, burying my face in my hands. My head was spinning. I had so many questions and so few answers. The prince, Lord Kieran, the mysterious woman—everyone seemed to have a piece of the puzzle, but no one would give me the full picture.

I pushed myself up from the bed. Sitting here wouldn't get me anywhere. If the system wanted me in the archives, then that's where I'd go.

The royal archives were housed deep beneath the palace—rows of ancient shelves brimming with scrolls and tomes that reeked of dust and secrets. I'd managed to slip past the guards by feigning a sudden interest in my "studies," and now, I crept quietly through the shadowed aisles.

The flicker of my lantern lit the way, but the deeper I went, the more oppressive the silence became. It felt as though the very walls were watching me.

"External forces..." I murmured, trailing my fingers along the spines of ancient tomes. There had to be something here—some record of past wars or border conflicts that might hint at what was happening now.

I reached a heavy, leather-bound book titled "The Forgotten Wars: Shadows Beyond the Borderlands." The title sent a shiver down my spine. Carefully, I pulled it off the shelf and opened it, my lantern light illuminating faded ink.

The first few pages spoke of alliances with neighboring kingdoms, treaties long forgotten. But as I turned to a chapter titled The Shadow's Reign, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

It described an ancient conflict, centuries ago, against an unnamed enemy. The records were fragmented—whole paragraphs torn or burned away—but one line stood out:

"The Shadow King rose from the borders, consuming kingdoms whole. It was said he could twist men's hearts and wield darkness itself."

Shadow King? A chill ran through me as the words sank in. Was this related to the attack? Was there some ancient enemy at play here—something far beyond Kieran or Alistair's politics?

Suddenly, the soft creak of a floorboard sounded behind me.

I froze, the book slipping from my fingers. I turned slowly, my lantern shaking in my grasp.

A figure stepped out of the shadows. My breath caught as I recognized the silhouette....it was Alistair.

His gaze locked onto mine, sharp and piercing. "Lady Angelica," he said quietly, his voice echoing in the empty archive. "What are you doing here?"

I couldn't answer. My pulse thundered in my ears.

Alistair took a step closer, his expression unreadable. "Tell me... what exactly were you hoping to find in these archives?"