New World

After spending hours poring over the books, Ivy finally pieced together the history of this world. It was also called "Earth," yet it bore little resemblance to the one she knew. Unlike her world, which had multiple named planets, this one had only one. The rest were simply stars, and rather than relying on science, its foundation rested on magic.

Earth was divided into five continents, each ruled as a separate kingdom—East, West, North, South, and Central.

Originally, this world had no magic. But a thousand years ago, a catastrophe changed everything. Magical monsters emerged, wreaking havoc across the land, and in response, humans began manifesting magical attributes. The first four attributes—water, wind, earth, and fire—became the foundation of magical combat, primarily used for offense and defense. Over the centuries, these elements evolved, giving rise to countless new attributes such as healing, ice, and lightning. 

The first humans to manifest these powers became legends, known as the Great Four. They established the North, West, East, and South Kingdoms, while the Central Kingdom was formed much later by an evolved magic user. 

Each kingdom bore its own identity. The East Kingdom, Aeltharys, was ruled by the Nephthysus family, masters of wind magic. The West Kingdom, Ravessia, was governed by the Terrasis family, who wielded earth magic. The North Kingdom, Draevenloch, was home to the Aurelmar family, gifted with water magic. The South Kingdom, Elarion, belonged to the Ashenfyr family, bearers of fire magic. The Central Kingdom, Cindralis, was different—the ruling Embercrown family had no fixed attribute. Their magic varied with each generation. 

The war between humans and monsters had raged fiercest in the central continent, leaving it a barren wasteland. It was only after the conflict ended that the Cindralis Kingdom was formed. A woman named Ellaris Embercrown, the first recorded healer, became its founder. Her father, Duce Embercrown, was a fire user, and her mother, Marlin Crystalwave, a water mage. 

After the war, Ellaris used her magic to heal the ravaged land, restoring its flora, fauna, and the many wounded souls left behind. Her efforts earned her the title of queen, and she named the kingdom Cindralis, in part to honor her father.

Over time, magic continued to evolve. Unlike the Great Four royal families—whose bloodlines remained bound to their original attributes—Cindralis thrived on unpredictability. No one could foresee what attribute a royal child would inherit. Ellaris's son, the second ruler, possessed wind magic, while his younger sister wielded lightning. The current king was a fire user, while his siblings carried diverse abilities. Some shared common attributes, while others developed entirely unique ones. The crown prince had inherited fire magic as well. 

As magic evolved, so did the world's technology. Though not as advanced as the one Ivy had come from, it had its own unique advantages. In her previous life, electricity had been the primary energy source, whereas in this world, everything ran on magic stones—the cores of slain monsters. These stones stored and released magic, functioning much like batteries. A fire user, for example, could imbue a stone with their energy, and it could then be placed in a tub to heat bathwater.

Despite magical advancements, transportation remained relatively primitive, relying on horses and carriages. Communication was handled through letters, though their delivery was hastened by wind mages or costly teleportation stones. The economy operated on a coin-based currency, where copper equaled one dollar, bronze ten dollars, silver fifty dollars, and gold a hundred dollars. Society followed a strict noble hierarchy, with dukes and duchesses at the top, followed by marquises, counts, viscounts, barons, knights, and finally, commoners.

By the time Ivy finished reading, the sky outside had darkened. She barely had time to react before a furious Anya stormed into the room, glaring at her. 

"My Lady, the physician said you need to eat and rest!" Anya scolded, hands on her hips. "All you've done is eat and read! At this rate, how will you recover in three days?" 

The maid's frustration was almost comical, her exasperation so intense it was as if steam might escape from her ears at any moment. Ivy couldn't help but laugh, which only seemed to irritate her further. Ever since Ivy had awakened in this body, Anya had noticed the stark difference in her personality. No longer the cold and cruel "Lady Ivy" of the past, she had grown bold enough to speak her mind. Despite her attitude, she was sweet—genuinely caring, and amusing to have around. Ivy had already decided that when she married, she would take Anya with her. 

Marriage. 

The thought alone soured her mood.

From being the world's best assassin to having to marry an incompetent crown prince. What a down grade.

With a dramatic sigh, Ivy mused, "Anya, let's just run away and start a new life. We can sell all my clothes and jewelry, buy land, and become landladies." 

Anya burst into laughter, shaking her head. "That's called theft, my lady. And it would be an offense against the royal family—a crime punishable by beheading." 

Ivy shuddered playfully. "Well, that doesn't sound fun." 

Anya helped her close the books and set them aside. "I've prepared your bath, my lady. After that, I'll have your dinner ready." 

Ivy allowed herself to be led to the bathroom, soaking in the warmth of the tub Anya had prepared. Afterward, she had dinner and was all but forced into bed by the persistent maid. 

Lady Ivy had been a fool to mistreat such a kind girl. 

Despite her exhaustion, sleep brought no peace.

Her dreams were haunted by the memory of her own death. She saw flashes of her final moments—cold steel, the flicker of betrayal in Jack's eyes, the sharp agony before the darkness took her.

Ivy had never feared death before, but in that dream, it felt like a nightmare.

She wasn't supposed to die.

Why had Jack betrayed her?

The emotions clawing at her were foreign—grief, rage, despair. When she woke, her breath was unsteady, and to her surprise, tears streaked her face.

She wiped them away, her fingers trembling slightly.

What the hell was that?