Eleanor is the princess of the kingdom, the chosen one. The prophecy says she will defeat the Demon King and bring a golden age of prosperity once she becomes queen. Since she was a little girl, she has been trained in light magic that can kill demons. She was taught how to fight with swords and use a bow. Still, despite her life revolving around the prophecy and her duty to become a strong warrior, she always hated it. She hated violence, the training, and fighting. By nature, she was soft, gentle, and shy. She just wanted to have tea parties, sing songs with her mother, and sew pretty designs—but she never could.

One day, there was a festival in the capital. She wanted to attend, but she had to train like every day, so she sneaked out of the castle. There, she met a little orphan who had stolen a piece of bread out of hunger. Moved, Eleanor paid for it when the owner caught the child. They became friends, and from that day on, Eleanor would sneak out to see the orphan—her only friend.

Fearing the prophecy, the Demon King decided to invade the kingdom as soon as he had gathered a strong enough army. When he attacked, the kingdom was caught off guard and stood no chance. When the invasion reached the capital, Eleanor was terrified. She was only 16, her training incomplete, and her body still weak—she had no chance against the Demon King. Knowing this, her parents sent her away with the royal mage on horseback. She cried, knowing they would likely die. The mage took her to a secret sacred temple. There lay an ancient blessed lake, said to have been created by the gods themselves. It was toxic to normal people, but as the chosen one, Eleanor could enter it safely. The mage explained that the lake granted immense vital essence to anything that entered it. He asked her to remove her clothes and step in—she needed to become as strong as possible. Afraid, Eleanor obeyed. The moment she entered, she felt her consciousness fade as she sank deep into the lake.

When she woke, she was still in the water. She swam out, coughing, and sat at the edge. Then she froze in shock. Her body had changed. She was no longer the skinny girl she once was—now she was tall and muscular, with strong arms, powerful legs, defined abs, and a large chest. She called out to the mage, but then noticed her voice had changed too. Nearby, she saw a set of armor with a note. The mage had written that demons had found the temple and he was likely dead. He had sealed the entrance to protect her. When she read this, she realized she must now be strong enough to break the seal and escape. Tears filled her eyes as she put on the armor—it was slightly too small for her new body.

Outside, everything had changed. The sky was permanently dark, and demons roamed the land. She wandered alone through a forest until she found a small camp with a fire and a pot of soup. Hungry, she couldn’t resist and took some. The owner returned and got upset, but before anything could escalate, a demon attacked. The owner was sent flying. The demon lunged at Eleanor, and in a panicked reflex, she swung her arm—crushing the demon’s head instantly. She froze, shocked by her own strength. The camp’s owner stared in disbelief.

As they sat and talked, Eleanor realized the owner was the orphan she had once befriended. She teared up and hugged them tightly. When she asked how much time had passed, she nearly choked on her soup upon hearing the answer: 12 years.

"12 years... so I’m 28... The mage said I would wake once I reached my physical prime... so... I guess I have to face the Demon King now."

She said it while her legs trembled with fear and her hands nearly spilled the soup.