The Sacred Bath

Emerging from the sacred grounds, Empress Karina bore a trace of exhaustion in her expression.
As the heavy stone door of the sanctuary slowly opened, the waiting maid noticed the Empress’s weary demeanor and hurriedly approached.

“Your Majesty, you…”

Karina waved her hand, declining the maid’s assistance.

“I’m fine. How are the preparations for the banquet? And where is Felicia?”

Seeing the Empress emerge fatigued from the sacred grounds, yet her first words concerned her two daughters, the maid felt a surge of admiration.
Her movements and tone softened further with care.

“Your Majesty need not worry. The banquet is small in scale and has already been arranged. As for the First Princess, she’s on her way and should arrive home in about three days.”

As the Empress’s personal maid and loyal confidante, she handled all such domestic matters, sparing Karina the burden of trivial household concerns amidst her duties to the realm.

“You’ve worked hard.”

A faint, gratified smile crossed Karina’s face as she gently patted the maid’s shoulder.
The maid, Feilin, maintained her usual respectful demeanor.

“Serving Your Majesty is my life’s honor. There’s no hardship in it.”

“You’re always like this—so cold and distant on the outside. People think you’re aloof and unapproachable, but you’re the most thoughtful and caring.
All that outer coldness hides a warm heart. It won’t be easy to find a suitor like that~”

Karina sighed playfully.

“I, Feilin, will not marry. My only wish is to serve at Your Majesty’s side for life.”

Feilin kept her head bowed, her expression unwavering.

“Is that so? I won’t force you. I’d love for you to stay by my side a few more years.
But if you ever meet that fated someone who stirs your heart, pursue them boldly. Elves are free spirits, unbound by status.”

Karina’s tone was gentle.

“Oh, and before the birthday banquet, I need you to arrange something.”

Her expression suddenly turned serious.
She reached into the hidden fold of her dress, retrieving a gemstone necklace nestled there, still warm from her body, and handed it to Feilin.

“Prepare to activate the Sacred Pool. This must be ready before Selina’s birthday banquet.”

Karina’s voice was grave, as if entrusting an immensely important task.

Feilin looked at the gemstone necklace in her hand—not her first time seeing it—and her expression flickered with hesitation.
After a moment of silence, she ventured a rare, bold question.

“Your Majesty, are you planning for Princess Selina to undergo the Sacred Bath?”

As Karina’s long-serving confidante, Feilin rarely misread her intentions.
But this time, the Empress’s command caught her off guard.

Others might not know, but as Karina’s trusted aide, Feilin understood the necklace’s significance.
It was the key to the Sacred Pool, held by each generation’s Elven Empress.
The pool’s purpose was to awaken the divine potential within the blood of elven royalty.

On the Seraris Continent, the elves’ noble status wasn’t solely due to their stunning beauty or nature’s favor.
The royal family’s absolute authority and formidable deterrence against other races were key.
Royal elves inherited the pure bloodline of the Elven Ancestor God, Themis, but unlocking its true power required awakening—an essential step.

Awakening methods varied, with some patterns.
Some unlocked their bloodline power in moments of life-or-death crisis, others through rare treasures.
But the elves, with their long lifespans, discovered a repeatable, effective method for their royalty.

The Sacred Bath was the elven royalty’s best-kept secret, preserved for millennia.
Through it, royal elves could awaken their bloodline power.
The sacred water infused pure divine energy into the body, breaking the bloodline’s shackles and enabling a swift awakening.

If divine blood was a locked treasure vault, and awakening was a random key, the Sacred Bath provided a fixed key for every royal elf.

This secret technique ensured the elven royalty’s enduring dominance.
While other races rose and fell over time, the elves, led by their powerful royalty, never declined.

But such a powerful tool came at a steep cost.
The Sacred Pool, a miracle bestowed by the Ancestor God, was not only limited to royalty but carried risks even for them.

The reason was simple: divine power wasn’t easily borne by mortals.

Divine erosion was an unsolved problem for the royal families of all races on the Seraris Continent.
Divine power contained pure divinity, which directly affected the mind and soul.
The souls of ordinary beings were too fragile to handle it, and even descendants with divine blood faced significant risks.

The consequences of failing to withstand divine erosion were singular: destruction.
The process unfolded in three stages:

1. Initial erosion altered the individual’s temperament drastically.

2. Deeper erosion irreversibly damaged and twisted the will and soul.

3. At its peak, not only the soul but the body was affected, transforming into an unrecognizable, monstrous form before death.

Thus, awakening divine blood through the Sacred Bath wasn’t inherently good.
If not for the elven royalty’s duty to uphold the race’s prosperity, they might not willingly risk their lives on such an uncertain gamble.

Fortunately, this generation’s royalty included a prodigy like Princess Felicia.
From birth, she displayed unparalleled talent, with a resilient soul and steadfast will.
At just twenty-five, she had successfully undergone two Sacred Baths, becoming the pride of the elves.
Barring surprises, when Felicia matured, she would inherit the throne from her mother, bearing the weight of the elven race’s future.

She was capable and the ideal candidate.

This was the consensus among the elves and once Feilin’s belief.
She’d assumed the Empress shared this view.
But Karina’s sudden order sparked doubt and confusion.

Opening the Sacred Pool meant someone would undergo the Sacred Bath.
Yet, it hadn’t been long enough since Felicia’s last bath to meet the required interval.
The Empress, having ascended the throne, no longer needed the pool’s power.
Excluding those two, the only candidate left was the Second Princess, Selina.

But why Selina?
Feilin couldn’t fathom it.

The Empress, having experienced the Sacred Bath, should understand its dangers better than anyone.
Felicia’s baths were obligatory as the First Princess, bearing the royal family’s responsibilities—an unavoidable, harsh choice.

Felicia had excellently harnessed her bloodline’s power, meeting expectations to lead the elves’ future.
With her elder daughter already fulfilling this role, why would a loving mother like the Empress put her innocent, adorable Second Princess in such danger?

The logic was sound and reasonable, yet the reality shattered that rationality.