The world around me felt like it was closing in. My heart raced as I tried to understand what was happening. I couldn't move. I couldn't even think properly. I was frozen in place, my body shaking uncontrollably, and my breath came in ragged gasps. I felt a tear threatening to fall—not from sadness, but from confusion, from the overwhelming sense of helplessness.
"Who... who are you?" My voice was barely a whisper, struggling to break free. My eyes searched the room, darting between the figures who surrounded me. Why were they here? What did they want? A terrible fear gnawed at me—were they after my family?
The Li family. My family. One of the wealthiest and most influential dynasties in the fashion world. But even with such power, we had enemies. Enemies who hid in shadows and struck without warning. Was this their doing?
The old man standing before me moved his hands, and a strange glow shimmered around them—a faint light that pulsed with each motion. He turned to the men behind him, and they silently filed out of the room, leaving just the two of us.
"My lady, please," the old man said, his voice deep and calm. "I am Gu Xun. I apologize for my recklessness. I used a small calming spell to soothe your nerves. Please forgive me."
The words found their way through the fog in my mind. I looked up at him—Mr. Gu—his eyes full of sincerity. I took a shallow breath. "So... that's why I feel... relieved," I muttered. "But... what's going on? Mr. Gu, please, tell me. What is all this?"
Mr. Gu cleared his throat before speaking again. "My lady, we have waited for your return for a long time. Allow me to explain. It is a tale that spans millennia—one of sacrifice, duty, and love."
I listened as his voice took on a reverent tone.
"A thousand years ago, you were not merely a woman of wealth and grace, but the Moon Realm's representative—its peacekeeper. Your family's sacred duty was to ensure that the Sun Kingdom and the Moon Kingdom never fell into war. You and your ancestors stood between them, upholding truth, never favoring one side."
His words seemed impossible. I had only ever known a world of luxury, fame, and shallow politics. But this... this was something else.
"In time," Mr. Gu continued, "you became more than a peacekeeper. You and the Moon King grew close. Deeply close. It was love—pure and undeniable. But the Sun King, consumed by jealousy, sought to claim you for himself. Even knowing your heart belonged to the Moon King, he did not relent."
My heart pounded. The Sun King... he had wanted me? Even knowing I loved someone else?
"The Sun King proposed marriage, promising peace and unity. But if you refused, he threatened war. His greed and bitterness could not be contained. You refused him, for your heart already belonged elsewhere."
I swallowed, the story crashing down like waves over me. "So... I married the Moon King?"
Mr. Gu nodded solemnly. "Yes. And the Sun King's wrath followed. He declared war. The peacekeepers tried to intervene, but it was too late. The Moon King's grandfather, a powerful ruler, created a powerful artifact—the core. It held unimaginable power, meant to protect the Moon Kingdom and prevent war."
My breath caught. "The core...?"
"Your beloved entrusted you with half of it," Mr. Gu said. "He sent you to another world—to this world—to save you from the chaos. He sacrificed everything. They both did."
A lump rose in my throat. "Another world?" I whispered. "But... how?"
Mr. Gu's eyes dimmed, touched with sorrow. "The Moon King and his grandfather cast the two kingdoms into separate worlds, splitting the realms to end the war. Your beloved became a legend—a god to us."
I felt like I couldn't breathe. My entire life—everything I'd known—was only a fragment of something much greater.
Mr. Gu's voice turned grave. "But now the dragons stir again. Creatures of fire and vengeance from the Sun Kingdom. They seek to destroy what's left of us."
Dragons. Real, dangerous, and furious.
"We must act now, my lady," he said, stepping forward. "The time has come for you to reclaim your place. As the Moon Queen. The fate of both kingdoms rests in your hands."
I trembled. Fear and disbelief swirled inside me. I had never asked for this. Never imagined this kind of responsibility.
"Mr. Gu... I don't know if I can do this," I whispered. "I thought I was just a normal girl. Not... a queen."
His expression softened. "You are not alone. The burden is great, but you will have allies. Together, we will restore peace."
Tears welled in my eyes as I stared into the unknown. Could I truly become the queen they believed I once were? Could I save a world I didn't even remember?
Only time would tell.
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