1. Welcome to Avelion

"You're... Majesty...."

Her eyes fluttered open, greeted by a sea of unfamiliar faces. Confusion clouded her mind, but before she could speak, a wave of intense pain tore through her body, stealing her breath.

"Please... keep... pushing..."

She turned weakly toward the voice. An unfamiliar elderly woman stood nearby, dressed in a Victorian gown like something out of a historical drama.

Was she dreaming?

"Your Majesty, we need you to stay focused," the woman urged, her voice steady but urgent.

Another wave of pain tore through her lower body, and instinctively, she pushed.

Disoriented and exhausted, she fought to remain conscious, struggling to process the chaos around her.

Slowly, her vision adjusted to the dim lighting, and she took in her surroundings.

The room was unlike anything she had ever seen before.

It was spacious and grand.

Crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow over red, gold-adorned walls. At the far end stood a grand wooden door. Scarlet lay in a white canopy bed with golden curtains—a stark contrast to the sterile hospital room from before.

She looked down in shock, taking in the scene before her.

An older woman stood at the foot of the bed, firmly holding her legs apart while peering under a bloodstained blanket. Beside her, two younger women moved swiftly, assisting the older lady with practiced efficiency. Their faces were tense with concentration, focused entirely on the task at hand.

A young maid in uniform wiped her forehead with a damp cloth, eyes wide with worry.

Five strangers surrounded her, all bustling with purpose, yet she had no memory of who they were or why they were there.

'Why were they addressing her as 'Your Majesty'? Where was she?'

Before she could gather her thoughts, the old woman spoke again, her tone rising with excitement, "You're Majesty, please push! I can see the head!"

Dazed and exhausted, she followed the instructions given to her, barely registering the words as they echoed around her. Her vision blurred, and her body felt heavy, weighed down by fatigue and agony. She gripped the bed sheets tightly, her knuckles turning white as she clung to anything that could anchor her in this overwhelming sea of pain. She wished to stop; however, her body was on autopilot and kept pushing the heavy object out of her stomach.

Then, suddenly, it was over.

The sound filled the room, echoing off the walls and overwhelming every other noise.

It was loud, raw, and full of life.

Her ears were ringing, her vision still hazy, but she could hear it—the unmistakable piercing cries of a child.

"Congratulations, you're Majesty. It's a boy," the midwife announced.

Scarlet lay stunned, her chest heaving, trying to make sense of anything. She stared in confusion as the midwife and her assistants carefully cleaned the newborn. Once they finished, they handed the baby to the young maid standing nearby.

"It's a prince!" the maid beamed, joy dancing in her eyes.

Scarlet blinked, staring at the girl. She was unfamiliar yet oddly familiar—she had long brown hair tied back in a ponytail with a white ribbon. Her bright, doe-like brown eyes sparkled with joy as she looked at Scarlet. Light freckles were scattered charmingly across her upturned nose, and her red lips were curved into a cheerful smile.

Despite her youthful and cute face, her figure was quite the opposite. The black and white maid outfit hugged her curvy body, emphasizing her voluptuous silhouette and ample chest.

"Your Majesty, here is the prince," the maid said, offering the baby with a gentle smile.

Scarlet stared at the infant and then at the maid, her face filled with confusion.

'Did... Did she just give birth? Who is this girl? Was this some kind of prank?'

Noticing Scarlet's bewildered expression, the maid's smile faltered, her eyes widening in panic.

"Y-You're Majesty, please forgive me!" she cried suddenly, bowing her head. "I thought... I thought you might want to see him... before he's sent away. I didn't mean to offend—please, have mercy!"

Scarlet flinched at the girl's words, but before she could respond, the older woman in the Victorian dress stepped forward.

*SLAP*

The sound cracked like thunder. Scarlet's eyes widened in horror as the maid staggered backward, nearly dropping the baby as she crumpled to her knees.

"You stupid wench!" the woman snarled. "Get that disgusting thing out of here! Her Majesty despises it!"

The maid trembled violently, her tears flowing freely. "B-but... the rebels are closing in. If Lord Kroft fails... if we don't make it... I thought maybe—just maybe—Her Majesty would want to hold her child... one last time..."

Scarlet's mind raced, trying to piece together the situation.

'Rebels? Lord Kroft? Her child?'

The chaotic commotion startled the child awake, his cries echoing through the room.

"Stop. Bring me the child," Scarlet said her voice suddenly clear and commanding.

The maid's head jerked up. "Y-your Majesty?"

"I said—bring me that child."

The maid rushed forward and placed the baby gently in Scarlet's arms. He whimpered, curling instinctively into her warmth.

"Your Majesty, how could you touch that... that thing!" the older woman spat, face contorted with rage and disgust.

Scarlet's eyes snapped to her. "Shut up."

The woman froze, stunned into silence.

Scarlet looked back at the trembling infant. His cries softened as she held him, fragile and warm, against her chest.

She glanced up at the maid. "Did you drop him?"

The maid blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Scarlet's gaze hardened. "I won't repeat myself," she warned in her icy tone.

The maid's face drained of color as she hurriedly shook her head. "N-no, You're Majesty! I didn't! The prince is safe—I swear!" she stammered, her body trembling as she spoke.

Scarlet ignored the flustered maid, focusing instead on the tiny human cradled in her arms. Gently rocking him, she tried to soothe his cries, her movements instinctual despite the confusion swirling in her mind.

'What is happening?'

'Did... Did she just really give birth?'

'There's a rebellion? And they might die?'

'Who is Kroft?'

Question after question raced through her head, each one making her headache intensify. She struggled to piece together the fragmented information, but her eyes never left the baby's peaceful face as he slowly drifted back to sleep.

Just as she was about to gather herself, a mechanical chime echoed softly in her ears.

*PING*

[Congratulations, host, for arriving safely at Avelion Kingdom.]

Soul merging will now begin...

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Encoding Data...

10%

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Initializing Memories...

30%

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Processing skills...

50%

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Body configuration...

100%

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Soul merging has now been completed.

I hope you enjoy your stay at Avelion Empire.

Tip [!]

[Just think about it, and the game interface will appear whenever you want. And remember, reading the manual might come in handy.]

A bright blue game interface hovered in front of her; the glowing text was so clear and unmistakable.

Scarlet's eyes widened and she felt the blood drain from her face as she read the words displayed before her.

[Name: Scarlet Li Marie Vhon Salvatore

Title: 『The Tyrant Queen』]