As Ravenna stepped down from the carriage, the grand entrance of the Imperial Palace stretched before her in all its imposing majesty. The sun cast long shadows against the towering white marble columns, their golden inlays glinting under the afternoon light. The palace gates stood open, welcoming yet suffocating, as if beckoning her back into the den of beasts.

  Before she could take another step, a mocking voice rang out, laced with familiar condescension.

  “So, how was the weather in the north?”

  Ravenna’s gaze flickered to the speaker Prince William, her ever-persistent thorn. He stood beside their father, Emperor Andrew Solarius, his arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips.

  Without missing a beat, she replied with an air of calm indifference. “Hot, as one would expect from the northern empire, brother.”

  The emperor intervened before the conversation could devolve into pettiness as always among his children. His piercing gaze settled on Ravenna as he spoke.

  “Welcome back to the capital, Ravenna. Get some rest—you’ve only just arrived.”

  His words were formal, spoken more like an edict than a warm greeting, but she expected nothing more.

  Ravenna gave a small, measured nod. "Good meeting you, Father." Her tone was neither cold nor affectionate, just matter-of-fact, as if discussing diplomatic affairs rather than familial ties.

  Turning, she reached out a hand, helping Marie out of the carriage. The young girl’s bright eyes darted around the palace grounds, her wonder barely concealed behind a veil of practiced composure. stepping onto the imperial palace was an entirely different experience.

  The emperor’s gaze landed on the unfamiliar girl, his brow slightly furrowing. "And who is this young lady?"

  Ravenna smiled, a rare expression, though one that did not quite reach her eyes.

  "Oh, I took in a disciple."

  That single statement sent a ripple of surprise through the air.

  Emperor Andrew’s eyes widened slightly, though he said nothing. It was William who let out a short, disbelieving chuckle.

  “Huh… the high and mighty Ravenna taking in a disciple? I never thought I’d see the day.” His smirk deepened as he added, “Well, I suppose it was bound to happen. Given your… attitude, you have no prospects for a normal successor, after all.”

  His words were a thinly veiled jab, an attempt to provoke her.

  Ravenna did not rise to the bait. She had long since learned that responding to a barking dog only encouraged it to bark louder. Instead, she merely turned to Marie and dusted off the hem of the girl’s cloak.

  Before William could push further, the emperor’s voice rang out—firm and unwavering.

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  “Get the young lady inside. She must be fatigued from the journey.”

  Though spoken as an instruction, the message was clear: This was not the time for petty quarrels.

  William huffed but said nothing more.

  With that, Ravenna, Marie, and their entourage of attendants and guards moved past them, stepping through the grand doors of the Imperial Palace.

  As they entered, the scent of polished stone, parchment, and distant flowers filled the air—a place unchanged yet ever treacherous.

  The Raven had returned to the nest.

  After a few hours, Ravenna had finally settled into her chambers within the Imperial Palace. The familiar rich scent of cedarwood and lavender filled the air, mingling with the warmth of the crackling fireplace.

  Marie had been given a room in the same wing, close enough to be summoned at a moment’s notice. But for now, exhaustion weighed heavily on Ravenna’s limbs. With a sigh, she undressed and slipped into a silken nightgown, welcoming the contrast between the capital’s cool night air and the dry, relentless heat of Jola.

  Here, nestled beneath soft velvet sheets, she could finally relax. The warmth of the fireplace was just enough to lull her into a deep, dreamless slumber.

  At least, that was what she thought.

  Yet, within that sleep, something felt off.

  At first, she dismissed it as nothing more than the natural sensation of her body shifting beneath the covers. But soon, the feeling became strange… intoxicatingly warm. A pleasurable heat coursed through her veins, a hypnotic trance settling over her.

  A soft sigh escaped her lips as she felt herself moving yet not by her own will.

  Then, in an instant, she became aware.

  Her eyes fluttered open, and everything was different.

  The sheets beneath her were not the ones in her chamber. In fact, the entire room was different—grander, more opulent than even the Imperial Palace itself. The bed she lay upon was unlike anything she had ever known, its pillows impossibly soft, its silken drapes embroidered with intricate celestial patterns.

  For a moment, her drowsy mind struggled to process her surroundings.

  Then, another realization struck her.

  She was naked beneath the sheets.

  Her pulse spiked, a confusion running down her mind as she clutched the fabric to her chest.

  Where am I?!

  Her breath came in slow, controlled exhales as she took in the grand chamber. The architecture was otherworldly—towering marble columns carved with golden vines, a ceiling that seemed to shimmer like a night sky, and a scent in the air that was both intoxicating and divine.

  Then she noticed it—a presence beside her.

  Turning her head sharply, her breath hitched.

  A woman lay beside her, barely concealed beneath the silken sheets.

  And she was breathtaking.

  Long, flowing hair cascaded over the pillows, glistening like strands of liquid gold. Her skin was flawless, radiating an ethereal glow, and her features were so perfect that they seemed almost otherworldly.

  No—they were otherworldly.

  Ravenna’s heart pounded violently in her chest. She couldn’t look away—something about this woman’s beauty was mesmerizing, overwhelming, inescapable.

  And then, the woman stirred.

  With a soft, melodic hum, she stretched like a feline, her eyes fluttering open. Their gaze met.

  Deep, celestial eyes—impossibly radiant—locked onto Ravenna’s.

  A chill of recognition ran through her.

  The woman giggled—a sound both enchanting and terrifying.

  "W-Who are you?! What have you d—" Ravenna’s voice caught in her throat.

  Her body trembled, not from fear, but from sheer, undeniable realization.

  She knew this face.

  She had seen countless sculptures, paintings, and holy depictions of this very figure. This presence… this radiance… it was impossible to mistake.

  And yet, here she was—lying beside her, as real as the breath in her lungs.

  The woman smiled, tilting her head as if amused by Ravenna’s shock.

  "Me?" Her voice was like a celestial melody, reverberating not only in the room but within Ravenna’s very soul. "I can't believe my most favored subject doesn’t recognize me."

  Ravenna's mind spun, her breath caught between disbelief and undeniable truth.

  For the woman beside her was none other than—

  Goddess Herptian.