1 Prologue

With a cold pair of amber eyes that looked dead due to the lack of emotion, Empress Arabella silently watched as the ever so glorious and formerly undefeated Valeria Empire finally fell to ruin for the first time since its founding.

Surely, her name would go down in history as the villainous empress who caused the downfall of her own husband, the mighty Emperor Ferdinand, and the Valeria Empire that sheltered her for years.

Or did it?

Wasn't it only pain and grief that it caused her?

Ah, there was a bit of joy and warmth in the beginning, when she was nothing but a young pampered lady who knew nothing about the world.

But when she grew wiser, she realized that even those brief moments were not true.

This empire was nothing but a prison to her. It was hell.

But then again, for Arabella, she had been dead for a while so it doesn't really matter anymore.

Nothing mattered since her son's death.

Ah, wait. There is.

Revenge.

The destruction of her beloved husband and the source of his power.

. . .

The scent of burning bodies and buildings greeted her nostrils as she got closer to the edge of the window.

Black smoke rose everywhere and made dark clouds loom over the once bright and prosperous empire.

From the highest floor of the magic tower, she marveled at the sea of flames engulfing Riva which was once the beautiful and glorious capital of Valeria.

This was the fruit of her years of hard work.

All her painstaking efforts finally paid off.

It had been ten years since she plotted to ruin her husband and what he loved the most.

Power.

The power and prestige of the mighty Valerian Empire.

And now, she had succeeded.

Her husband lost his throne and Valeria was in flames.

Was she happy as she listened to the screams of their people dying?

Was she happy that the capital and the places she used to wander around were all engulfed in flames and would soon turn to ashes?

She wasn't.

But it doesn't matter.

Because she could no longer be happy.

Her heart died long ago. It was buried with her only child. That adorable kid was her happiness.

Arabella considered herself dead ever since her son died. She considered herself to have been buried along with him.

What remained was her hatred, fury, and sorrow. A strong longing to seek vengeance for her innocent and charming son.

It was what kept her alive even when she was already dead inside. She had to exact her revenge and ruin the person who mercilessly poisoned her child.

. . .

Arabella's eyes had no emotion in them despite the carnage down below.

No happiness or sadness.

Just a relief that everything was finally over. She could finally follow her beloved child.

* * *

But when she suddenly wakes up, reborn as her younger self, with a new-gained ability which enlightened her of the truth, will Arabella still be able to continue all the plots she prepared to drag her husband down once again?

Or will love find its way even amidst all the hatred and fury she holds for him and cleanse her tainted soul?