Chapter 01
Some parents who abuse their children say this:
“You should be grateful just for being born!”
“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even exist! How dare you try to go against your parents!”
Be grateful for being born.
If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have been born at all.
Even though they gave birth to their children out of their own desire, some parents abuse them as if it is only natural.
Whenever I saw people like that, I always wondered.
Why should children be grateful just for being born?
They chose to have a child because of their own desire, yet they demand gratitude… isn’t that too contradictory?
Of course, there are also many parents who sacrifice themselves for their children.
“Children are lovable just by looking at them. How could I ever hate them?”
“After giving birth, I understood. A child is so precious it wouldn’t hurt even if you put them in your eyes.”
“I don’t mind suffering as much as I have to. As long as my children are happy… I can sacrifice myself again and again.”
The clear contrast between them made a bitter laugh escape my lips.
“Alle, what are you going to do now?”
“I’m not sure….”
What should I do? How can I change this situation?
“I guess… I’ll have to change the country?”
It may sound like a dream, but I don’t want children to be abused anymore.
I hope for a society where people are acknowledged for their existence itself, instead of being judged by a single birthstone.
So that no one else becomes a victim like me.
Today, once again, I am kneeling and begging my father for forgiveness.
“Father, I was wrong. Please forgive me.”
“Something useless is not my child.”
“Father….”
“Father? Who said I was your father?”
As if my words were disgusting, Father shuddered and denied me.
It was always like this. He would turn his back to me, hands clasped behind him, busy ignoring me.
“Your birthstone is worthless, your ability is worthless. What are you even good at, Sueño?”
Father, standing by the window, asked coldly. I had nothing to say. I lowered my head, bit my lip, and swallowed my tears.
Why?
Because he was right. It was the truth.
“Hah, I’m the fool for expecting anything. What can I expect from someone whose birthstone was doomed from the start?”
Yes. Every time, my birthstone was the problem.
Why was the birthstone a problem?
Because this was Pietra.
The Pietra Empire is a country where fate is decided at birth. Abilities are determined by birthstones, and a person’s worth is judged by them. That is why parents obsess over their children’s birthstones.
“You even got an ability called ‘Maintenance’…! If you had been born as Arcles, none of this would have happened!”
“Father….”
“It was only five minutes! If you had been born just five minutes later, you would have gotten Arcles! I prepared so much for that day! And yet you couldn’t even wait and were born on the 30th!”
“Father….”
He gritted his teeth and pointed at me angrily.
“If only you! If only you had been born properly! Our family would have been perfect!”
In the end, Father shouted.
Filled with rage, he threw things around the room as if he wanted to throw me away just like that.
“Being born like that isn’t my fault!”
Through tears, I shouted at him. His movements stopped for a moment. His gaze turned toward me.
“You’re right. It’s not your fault.”
“Father….”
“You’re right. How could being born be your fault?”
He walked toward me slowly, smiling gently as if he understood me.
“Yes. If you had been a commoner. If you were a commoner, it wouldn’t matter.”
His tone sounded kind, but his expression was cold.
“But Sueño, we are nobles. What family do we belong to?”
“Aquamarina….”
“That’s right. And what kind of family is Aquamarina?”
“The family that symbolizes aquamarine and pursues honor and truth. A marquis house that has produced scholars for generations….”
“That’s right. And you, who know that so well, still say such things? For the sake of the family, you should have been born on March 31st!”
“B-But Father! I was born in March too….”
“Angel Coral Skin? What can you possibly do with something so useless!”
“It’s not Angel Coral Skin, it’s Angel Skin Coral….”
“That or this, it’s all the same!”
Standing in front of me, Father struck his chest in frustration.
“Sueño, I did not borrow the power of magic and medicine just to obtain something so weak!”
“Father….”
“Your older brother and sister were perfect! Both of them! And yet you—only you—turned out like this!”
“Father….”
“Sueño, do you know why nobles try to give birth on specific days? Because we must be different from commoners! We must show our nobility! For the sake of the family, we must give birth on certain days!”
“But I was born in March too….”
“Do you think all March births are the same? Look at your brother and sister! Your brother was born on March 5th—Royal Blue Sapphire. Your sister on March 20th—Euklas. They mean ‘luck’ and ‘thorough investigation.’ And you?”
“Father….”
“March 30th—Angel Skin Coral. Meaning ‘unchanging heart.’ Ability: Maintenance. And you dare call that a birthstone? An ability?”
Tears kept flowing at his scolding. I wanted to argue, but it was all true.
As I sobbed loudly, Father clicked his tongue.
“Third child is hopeless. I should just act like you don’t exist.”
“Father, what do you mean by that?!”
“I mean exactly that. Sueño, this is the end for us.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he muttered something. Black smoke rose and filled the room.
“No, Father! Please, save me!”
I struggled to escape the black smoke, but it was useless. The more I resisted, the harder it became to breathe. My strength drained away, as if something invisible was pressing me down.
“Sueño, do not resent me. You never suited our family from the beginning.”
Leaving those words behind, Father walked away.
And so, I quietly closed my eyes.
It was my ninth birthday.
And the day my new ability awakened.
Poke.
“Mm.”
Poke.
“Mm… what is it?”
Something kept poking me. I opened my eyes with a frown and saw an unfamiliar place.
“Where am I?”
All around me was pure white space. So white that not even an ant could exist there. And in the middle of it, I stood alone.
“Child, are you awake?”
“Who are you?”
I turned toward the voice and saw a mysterious woman.
Silver hair with a hint of purple. Light violet eyes. Pale white skin and white clothes. She looked at me with a gentle smile.
“I am the one who will save you.”
She smiled softly as she said something strange. I quickly stood up and stepped back cautiously.
“Child, there is no need to be wary. I have always been by your side.”
She introduced herself calmly.
“My name is Camilla.”
“Camilla… the god who manages souls?”
“Yes. That is what people call me.”
Camilla.
The god who manages birthstones and souls. The one who grants birthstones and abilities to new lives.
Around her floated small lights that looked like souls.
“Where is this?”
“This is Angela, the place that guides souls.”
“Ah… so I’m dead in the end….”
It felt empty. I begged for just one warm glance from my family… and what returned to me was death.
Camilla gently stroked my head.
“Child, do not be too sad. If you wish, I can let you return.”
“Return?”
“Yes.”
“No! If I go back, I’ll just be abused again!”
Just thinking about it was terrifying. Even if I returned, could I live normally? I would surely be abused again.
“Calm down. There is another option.”
“Another option?”
“Yes. I can send you back somewhere other than Aquamarina.”
Somewhere other than Aquamarina?
I was stunned.
“Why are you giving me this chance?”
“It’s because I want to.”
She shrugged lightly.
It was a good opportunity… but was it really okay?
I wanted to start over. I wanted real love instead of abuse. And I wanted revenge.
Her offer was sweet like honey.
‘Let’s try it.’
Even if it felt uncertain, I had no other choice.
“I’ll do it, Lady Camilla!”
“Then stand in front of me.”
“Yes.”
I stood before her. A purple magic circle appeared under my feet. Her voice suddenly grew deeper.
“In the country where fate is decided at birth, Pietra. Will you accept your destiny?”
Could I accept it?
“Will you live according to fate, or resist and carve out a new life?”
If I live like before, even if I return, I’ll be unhappy.
“If you desire a new life, I shall show you another path.”
“I want to live anew.”
“But I cannot promise it will be better than before.”
“I don’t care. As long as it’s not Aquamarina!”
“Then, I wish you luck.”
As soon as she finished speaking, everything went dark.
