The grand corridors of the Devil King's palace stretched endlessly, their walls adorned with intricate carvings that glimmered faintly in the dim light of enchanted chandeliers.

After a long day at school, she returned to the grand, shadowed halls of her father's palace, the home of the mighty Devil King. Her heart ached with the longing to see her mother, but her three brothers, ever protective and stubborn, refused to let her venture away from them.

Their suffocating presence only fueled her simmering anger from their past actions, a bitterness that lingered in her every interaction with them.

By her side, her little fairy companion, Milly, fluttered invisibly, a secret she fiercely guarded from the outside world. Milly's small, luminous presence was a source of comfort, but the necessity of hiding her existence made the school hours lonely.

In this peculiar life of shadows and secrets, even the moments of warmth were cloaked in a veil of solitude.

Y/N stomped along the darkened hallway, the heavy fabric of her royal gown swishing against her legs with every step.

The sheer weight of the attire frustrated her, the delicate embroidery scratching at her skin. She cursed her brothers internally for forcing her into this ridiculous outfit, her tomboyish spirit suffocated under layers of lace and silk.

"Why can't I just wear jeans and a hoodie like a normal person?" she muttered under her breath, glaring at the rich tapestry covering the walls as if they were responsible for her plight.

Perched on her shoulder, Milly, her tiny fairy companion, flitted into the air with a soft giggle. Her translucent wings sparkled in the faint light, leaving trails of glittering dust as she moved. "If you hate it so much, why not just rip it off?" she teased, spinning in mid-air with a mischievous grin.

"Because my oh-so-wonderful brothers will probably lecture me about royal decorum," Y/N shot back sarcastically. "Or worse, make me wear something even more hideous as punishment."

Milly snorted, her laughter tinkling like wind chimes. She loved Y/N's sharp tongue, but she also knew how deeply her new mortal friend struggled in this realm.

Stopping abruptly, Y/N turned to the fairy with a scowl. "Alright, Milly, where's the library? I swear I've been walking in circles for an hour."

Milly's playful grin widened as she floated lazily beside her. "Why don't you ask someone?"

Y/N crossed her arms, her voice dripping with irritation. "I'm asking you because you're supposed to know everything."

Milly shrugged, spinning in the air. "It's not my fault they don't let non-royals into the library. It's hidden behind spells, you know-royalty-only access."

Y/N paused, her curiosity piqued despite her annoyance. "Why would they do that?"

Milly fluttered closer, her voice dropping conspiratorially. "Because it's not just any library. It's filled with ancient knowledge, secrets about the Eight Realms, and the powers of the Seven Sins. If the wrong person got access..." she trailed off, her tone dark.

Y/N's brows furrowed. This only fueled her determination. She needed to learn about her brothers' powers-not just out of curiosity, but to understand the true scope of their abilities. Maybe then she could figure out how to survive in their world.

As they continued walking, Y/N spotted a maid in the distance. "Finally," she muttered, quickening her pace.

The maid glanced at her with thinly veiled disdain, her lips curling into a sneer. "What do you want, princess?"

Y/N ignored the tone and asked curtly, "Where's the library?"

The maid's eyes flickered with irritation. "Somewhere in the corridor, I suppose." Without another word, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the stone floor.

Y/N stared after her, dumbfounded. "Wow, what a great help," she muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She turned to Milly. "Remind me to thank her later for her overwhelming hospitality."

Milly giggled, flying ahead. "Just keep looking. Maybe it's hidden in plain sight."

Rolling her eyes, Y/N scanned the walls. The carvings were exquisite-intricate patterns of ravens, serpents, and flames adorned the cold stone. Her gaze landed on a particularly striking raven, its wings spread wide as if in flight.

"What am I supposed to do? Wave a wand and say wingardium leviosa?" she joked, placing her hand against the carving absentmindedly.

The moment her fingers touched the raven, the wall shimmered, the solid stone rippling like water. Before Y/N could react, she stumbled forward, her body passing straight through the wall.

"What the-!" she exclaimed, her voice cutting off as she tumbled into a vast chamber.

She landed unceremoniously on the smooth marble floor, her gown pooling around her like a defeated beast. Groaning, she pushed herself up, brushing her hair out of her face.

Milly from the other side , her tiny face alight with amusement. "Well, you found it," she said, smirking.

Y/N glanced around, her irritation momentarily forgotten. The library was unlike anything she had ever seen. Towering bookshelves stretched to the vaulted ceiling, filled with ancient tomes that seemed to hum with power. Glowing orbs floated through the air, casting a soft, golden light over the room. A massive stained-glass window depicted the Eight Realms, its colors shifting as though alive.

In the center of the room, a grand table carved from obsidian stood, its surface etched with symbols that pulsed faintly.

"This..." Y/N whispered, her eyes wide. "This is insane."

Y/N groaned, her body aching from the fall. The sting that shot through her spine was a constant reminder of how unpredictable this place was.

"Of course, it had to be like this," she muttered under her breath. "Should've known better. Even Asgard and Narnia would've failed miserably in this place." She ran a hand through her hair, the absurdity of it all almost making her laugh.

Standing up, she glanced around the library, her wide eyes taking in the vast expanse of shelves stacked high with ancient books, scrolls, and artifacts.

The glowing orbs of light drifted lazily overhead, illuminating the room in an ethereal glow. The place felt unreal, as if she'd stepped into a dream that she couldn't wake up from.

Sometimes, it was hard for Y/N to remember this wasn't some grand movie scene, the kind where magic and mythical realms were commonplace.

But here, in this moment, this was her reality. And it was insane.

She let out a sigh and began walking deeper into the rows of massive bookshelves, her hands brushing against the leather-bound spines of forgotten stories.

The air was thick with ancient knowledge, each book practically humming with secrets just waiting to be discovered. But as much as Y/N was drawn to them, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.

Her thoughts were clouded. She had no idea where to start. Which book would give her the details she needed? Which one? She cursed under her breath, frustration gnawing at her.

"This is impossible. I might as well be searching for a needle in a haystack."

She stopped, scanning the titles that seemed to blur together in her mind. Books on ancient magics, realms, and mythical creatures-none of them looked like they would have what she was seeking.

She needed to learn about the Seven Sins and their powers, but finding the right book felt like an insurmountable task. How was she supposed to pick? It was like navigating a maze.

Y/N sighed in defeat, her hand instinctively reaching to rub her temple. "50 levels of reading," she muttered sarcastically to herself. The struggle was real.

Her eyes roamed the shelves, but then something caught her attention-a particular book shining faintly from the back corner of the room.

Its cover was adorned with a gem that pulsed with an eerie, otherworldly glow. It practically called to her, as though it had been waiting for her to notice it.

Without thinking, Y/N walked toward it, a sense of purpose overtaking her. She grabbed the nearest ladder and climbed, her body moving almost instinctively toward the book.

The moment her fingers brushed against the spine, a sudden lurch of instability hit her. The ladder wobbled beneath her, its creaking echoing through the vast room.

"Crap!"

Before she could steady herself, the ladder jerked violently to one side, and Y/N felt her body lurch backward.

The book was still in her hand, but she had no time to focus on it. Her body crashed backward, her arms flailing instinctively to brace for impact.

Except... there was no impact.

Instead, Y/N landed on something soft, something... unexpected. Her breath hitched in surprise as the plush cushion enveloped her, the sensation so comforting that it almost made her forget how she got there.

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking in confusion.

"What...?" she muttered, sitting up and looking around.

She felt the soft texture of the cushion beneath her and instinctively reached for the back of her head, trying to understand where it had come from.

This was the library, not a sitting area. She was certain there had been no cushion here just moments ago.

A deep, mocking chuckle echoed in the silence of the room, making Y/N whip her head around in irritation.

There, standing casually in the shadows of a nearby shelf, was none other than her brother Namjoon-the God of Greed. His tall, imposing frame leaned lazily against one of the bookshelves, his arms crossed.

A knowing smirk danced on his lips, his eyes glinting with amusement as he took in the sight of his younger sister sprawled on a cushion she hadn't even seen appear.

"How did this cushion just appear?" Y/N asked, her voice dripping with suspicion, but she was too caught off guard to mask the irritation in her tone. "I'm sure I didn't see anything like that a second ago."

Namjoon smirked even wider, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Ah, Y/N, your memory must be even worse than I thought. You clearly don't remember the cushion being there before." His tone was playful, but there was an edge to it that suggested he wasn't going to make things easy for her.

Y/N rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to snap at him. "Seriously? No one knows how to just answer a question here without making it sound like some cryptic riddle."

She pushed herself up from the cushion, clutching the book she had finally gotten her hands on. "Whatever, Brother Namjoon, do whatever the hell you want," she muttered, turning on her heel, ready to walk away from the absurdity of it all.

As she spun around, a sudden realization made her freeze. The cushion had disappeared. She glanced down where it had been, but the floor was cold and empty.

A flicker of amusement crossed her mind, and she narrowed her eyes, turning back to face her brother.

Namjoon's smirk was now a full-blown grin, his eyes glinting with mischievous delight. He seemed to be enjoying her frustration far too much.

"What's wrong, sister?" he teased. "Didn't you enjoy your little rest?"

Y/N, unable to hold back her annoyance, threw her hands up in exasperation. "You know what? I'm done. I can't stand this anymore!"

With a swift movement, she stormed off, her footsteps echoing through the library as she marched away in a huff.

Namjoon watched her go, his amusement growing with every step she took. "You never learn, do you?" he muttered under his breath, his grin widening. He shook his head slowly. "Ah, dear sister . You are way too dumb ."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Y/N slammed the ancient-looking book onto the table with an irritated sigh, the sound echoing through the quiet, dust-filled library. The soft thud of the book's weight on the old wooden surface seemed to punctuate the frustration bubbling inside her.

She dropped into the chair, her body slumping as she tried to shake off the day's events. The overwhelming tension of her morning-being forced to interact with her bothersome brothers, navigating the palace's labyrinthine corridors, and now dealing with this frustrating, magical mess-had her on edge.

She stared down at the book, the strange symbols on the cover catching her eye once again.

It had been the one thing that had stood out to her in the endless rows of shelves, a beacon in the chaos, promising answers she so desperately sought.

But now, it mocked her with its emptiness.

The book's cover was aged, its leather cracked from centuries of wear. The gold-embossed title was written in five ancient languages, none of which she could decipher.

Her eyes moved from one language to another, trying to make sense of it, though the words were as alien to her as the stars themselves.

"பண்டைய சூனியம்"
"כישוף עתיק יומין "
"प्राचीन कृष्णमायायाः रहस्यम्"
"αρχαία μαύρη μαγεία"
"黑魔法之謎"

Y/N exhaled deeply, massaging her temple. Her frustration only deepened as she realized how little she understood about these languages. "Of course," she muttered to herself. "Why would I expect to understand this? English and Korean weren't even on the list. The world has too many ancient languages."

She flicked through the pages, expecting to find some sort of illustration or symbol that could guide her.

But as she turned each delicate, yellowed page, she was met with the same emptiness.

No words, no illustrations, just blank, ghostly sheets staring back at her. Her brow furrowed. "What the hell? How is this book supposed to work?"

Annoyed, she slammed the book shut. Her fingers twitched with impatience, and for a moment, she considered tossing the book aside. But then, a thought hit her.

This was no ordinary book. This place wasn't ordinary, and neither was she. She knew that the magic around here could sometimes take on an unpredictable nature.

Maybe the book needed something to unlock its secrets.

Her eyes narrowed, her expression shifting to one of determination. "This place is magical," she thought. "So it stands to reason that if I want to understand this, I'll need to trigger the magic somehow. There's gotta be something hidden here."

Y/N stood up abruptly, her chair scraping harshly against the floor as she grabbed the book, clutching it tightly in her arms. "I'll figure this out in my room. It's too... public here."

She began walking toward the exit, her mind racing with possibilities. How could she uncover the magic in this cursed book? She needed answers-about the Seven Sins, about her brothers' powers, and about the history buried deep within this palace.

The weight of all these secrets was almost suffocating, but she was determined to find them.

As Y/N rounded a corner, her thoughts were momentarily interrupted when she collided with someone.

The impact jolted through her body, making her stumble back slightly, her book slipping from her hands for a moment.

She groaned, rubbing the back of her head as she straightened up. "Ouch. Why can't I get a break today?"

She looked up to find herself face-to-face with none other than Duke Byun-seok, the one person she absolutely did not want to see right now. Her stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot.

There was something about him that always made her uneasy. His cool demeanor, his piercing gaze-he was someone she couldn't quite figure out, and it bothered her. He was always so calm, so collected, as if he could see through her every move.

And it made her feel exposed.

He regarded her quietly, his eyes momentarily flicking to the book in her hand, then back to her face. His voice was smooth and deep as he spoke. "Princess Y/N," he greeted, his tone surprisingly warm. "Are you well?"

Y/N forced a smile, her heart thudding a little too fast in her chest. She nodded quickly, trying to mask the unease that had suddenly flooded her.

"Yes, of course," she replied, her voice slightly more high-pitched than usual as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She cleared her throat. "I was just... getting some reading done. I'll... I'll be off now."

Duke Byun-seok's lips twitched upward in a faint smile, his gaze still fixed on her with that unnerving calm. "I see," he said, not seeming to mind her abruptness. "I won't keep you, then. But if you ever need assistance, you know where to find me."

Y/N's smile was tight, forced. She didn't want to engage further, didn't want to give him any more reason to pry into her life. "Thank you," she replied stiffly, before turning on her heel and walking away, her steps quickening as she tried to distance herself from him.

As she walked down the corridor, her thoughts remained clouded. The encounter with Duke Byun-seok had left her feeling more rattled than she cared to admit.

But she couldn't let that distraction stop her. The book, the mystery-her mind had already shifted back to that. She had more important things to worry about.

She hurried towards her room, the door to her sanctuary within reach. As she entered, she set the book down on the desk with an almost audible thud, her mind already working on how to unlock its hidden secrets.

The room was quiet and dimly lit by the flickering glow of the lanterns on the walls. Her gaze lingered on the mysterious book, a book that seemed to hold the key to everything she had been searching for.

"Alright," she muttered to herself, sitting down at the desk. "Let's figure this out."

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