The first delivery reached the royal office less than an hour after leaving the palace kitchen.
King Dan Bloodstone had been buried beneath a mountain of reports concerning trade agreements, military deployments, and border disputes when Emil arrived carrying an elegant gift box.
The king frowned. "What's this?"
"A gift from Princess Ahcehera, Your Majesty."
Immediately, both King Dan and Queen Tereza looked up.
The queen raised an eyebrow. "A gift?"
Their daughter was many things.
Intelligent, talented, meticulous, and stubborn. But gifting desserts to family members without a special occasion?
That was new.
King Dan carefully opened the box. A sweet aroma immediately escaped. The scent filled the office. Both monarchs froze.
The fragrance alone was unlike anything they had encountered before. The cake's vibrant purple color only added to the mystery.
King Dan slowly turned toward his wife. "Love."
"Hm?"
"Was our daughter possessed?"
Queen Tereza pinched the bridge of her nose. "Dan."
"I'm serious." The king pointed at the cake. "She disappeared into the kitchen for two days."
"Mm."
"She purchased animal feed."
"Mm."
"Now she's sending desserts."
Queen Tereza sighed. "She's not possessed."
"Then explain this."
"I can't."
King Dan nodded triumphantly. "Exactly."
Despite his complaints, curiosity eventually won. He picked up a fork and took a bite.
Silence followed.
Queen Tereza blinked. Her husband's expression changed dramatically.
The skepticism vanished.
The confusion vanished.
The suspicion vanished.
All that remained was astonishment.
"..."
"..."
"Dan?"
The king slowly swallowed.
Then took another bite.
And another.
Queen Tereza laughed. "That good?"
Without responding, he pushed the plate toward her.
The queen sampled the dessert. A moment later, her eyes widened. The texture was soft. The sweetness delicate. The flavor was rich yet balanced. Most importantly, it felt natural. Comforting and almost nostalgic.
"This is extraordinary."
King Dan nodded.
"Our daughter made this?"
"It appears so."
The king looked down at the remaining cake. Then, at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. Then back at the cake. His decision was immediate. The paperwork could wait. The cake could not.
Similar scenes unfolded throughout the royal family. Ahcehera's uncles, her aunts, her grandparents, and even her brothers. Everyone reacted differently.
Some demanded additional slices. Others requested the recipe. A few attempted to determine which luxury bakery had secretly produced the dessert. None succeeded.
Meanwhile, the young princess responsible for the commotion remained completely unaware. She sat near her bedroom window, watching the stars.
The galaxy stretched endlessly beyond the transparent crystal glass.
Countless worlds, civilizations, and opportunities.
A soft smile appeared on her face.
This is only the beginning.
The food business remained little more than an idea. Yet every great empire began with a single step. If she could identify more forgotten ingredients, she might genuinely revolutionize the kingdom's food industry. Perhaps even the entire galaxy.
The thought excited her. Ahcehera felt optimistic about the future.
Then her thoughts drifted toward another matter.
The wolf.
Eight days had passed.
No traces remained.
No reports.
No sightings.
Nothing.
The doctors confirmed that the creature had fully recovered before mysteriously disappearing.
A part of her felt relieved. Another part felt strangely lonely. Its decision was obvious. Wild creatures belonged to nature. Keeping it by her side forever had always been unrealistic.
Ahcehera lifted a glass of wine.
"I hope you're doing well."
The stars offered no response.
"Emil."
The robot appeared immediately.
"Yes, Mistress?"
"Book me a ticket to Agartha."
The artificial intelligence paused briefly.
"Will you be returning to the academy?"
"Naturally."
Three days remained before the Joint Military Entrance Examination. As one of the appointed examiners, her presence was mandatory. The event gathered talented youths from numerous planetary systems.
Future officers. Future commanders. Future leaders.
Many important figures would attend. Including several individuals from the original novel. The thought made Ahcehera sigh.
"I've delayed long enough."
"I will make the necessary arrangements."
"Thank you."
After Emil departed, silence returned to the room.
Ahcehera leaned back against her chair. Then her gaze landed on an old safe hidden near the corner.
A memory surfaced.
The bracelet.
The forgotten birthday gift.
Curiosity immediately returned.
Several minutes later, Ahcehera carefully removed a small wooden box. Dust covered its surface. The original princess clearly hadn't valued it.
According to her memories, the gift came from her great-grandfather. Her mother's grandfather. A respected elder who had passed away shortly after presenting it. The original Ahcehera dismissed it because it lacked jewels.
No diamonds, precious gemstones, or extravagant decorations. As a result, it had spent years collecting dust.
"Your loss is my gain."
She opened the box.
Inside rested two items. A beautiful phoenix jade bracelet. And a small knife.
Ahcehera blinked.
The combination looked suspiciously familiar.
She picked up the knife. Then looked at the bracelet. Then back at the knife.
"...No way."
Memories of countless novels from Earth surfaced. Secret inheritances, ancient treasures, blood recognition, and pocket dimensions. Her expression became increasingly strange.
"If this works, I'm going to laugh."
The rational part of her brain insisted this was ridiculous. The former webnovel reader inside her disagreed. There was only one way to know. Taking a deep breath, Ahcehera carefully sliced her fingertip.
A small amount of blood emerged. The sting barely registered. Compared to cancer treatments, this was nothing.
She allowed several crimson droplets to fall onto the jade bracelet.
Nothing happened.
For a moment.
Then everything happened.
The jade glowed.
Brilliant crimson light spread across its surface. Ancient symbols appeared. The entire room trembled. A wave of energy erupted outward.
Ahcehera's eyes widened. "Oh."
The bracelet suddenly dissolved into particles of light. They surged toward her. Before she could react, the world spun. Darkness swallowed her whole.
Warm sunlight touched her face. Birds chirped in the distance. The scent of flowers drifted through the air.
Ahcehera slowly opened her eyes. For several seconds, she simply stared.
Blue sky, green grass, flowers, trees, nature...
Everywhere.
She sat upright.
The scene remained unchanged. A gentle breeze brushed against her skin. The grass felt real beneath her fingertips. The air tasted clean.
Pure.
Unlike anything she had experienced since arriving in this galaxy. Most planets relied heavily on environmental management systems, artificial regulation, and controlled ecosystems. Yet this place felt completely natural, almost untouched.
Her heartbeat quickened. Slowly, she stood. Then turned in a full circle. The landscape stretched endlessly. Fields of flowers, rolling hills, crystal-clear rivers, ancient forests, and mountains in the distance.
No walls. No boundaries. No visible end.
Ahcehera's mouth slowly fell open.
"Impossible."
The realization struck her.
Pocket dimension?
A real pocket dimension. Not virtual reality or advanced technology. An actual independent space. Her legs nearly gave out.
The bracelet wasn't merely valuable. It was priceless. Beyond priceless. Entire kingdoms would wage wars over treasures like this. And it belonged to her.
A laugh escaped her lips.
Soon she was laughing uncontrollably.
After all the dangers and the uncertainty. After becoming the villainess princess. And after constantly worrying about her future. She finally possessed something capable of changing everything.
"This is my golden finger." Her voice echoed across the vast landscape.
For the first time since her transmigration, she possessed a true advantage. A secret no one could steal, confiscate, or destroy.
Emotion overwhelmed her. Tears formed not from sadness, but relief. She covered her face. Then laughed and cried simultaneously. The sight would have been embarrassing. Fortunately, nobody else was present.
Hours passed as Ahcehera explored. The more she discovered, the more excited she became.
Freshwater rivers, fertile soil, perfect weather, and abundant space.
The possibilities seemed endless. Soon she began planning.
First, agriculture. She would cultivate valuable plants.
Second, storage. Every important possession could be hidden here.
Third, emergency supplies. Food, medicine, equipment, and weapons. Everything necessary for survival.
Fourth, money.
Lots of money.
She needed financial security.
Fifth, research.
This dimension undoubtedly contained secrets waiting to be discovered.
As the list grew longer, her excitement intensified. For once, she wasn't merely reacting to fate. She was preparing for it, preparing to survive and thrive, to rewrite her future.
Eventually, she climbed a small hill overlooking the endless landscape. The scenery took her breath away.
"I'll call this place Cresencia."
The name drifted across the wind, as though the dimension itself acknowledged it. Ahcehera truly felt secure. No matter what dangers awaited her in the future, or how the original story unfolded, or what enemies appeared.
She finally possessed a place to call her own.
And she intended to use it wisely.