On the day my husband married my younger sister, I once again heard the divine message from the Astral Sanctuary: if I sever all ties to the mortal world within three days, I can reclaim the astral power I relinquished and return to the Astral Sanctuary.

On the first day, I publicly cut my hair to symbolize the severing of love and signed the separation letter, ending my three-year marriage to the man I once loved.

Holding my sister in his arms, he looked at me with disdain. His words dripped with mockery as he called me petty and jealous, claiming that sparing me the title of an equal wife had been his greatest act of kindness.

On the second day, I drove a blade into myself six times, severing my bond with my cherished elder brother.

He stood by, cold and unfeeling, sneering that I was nothing more than a desperate fool, resorting to theatrics to compete for his affection—a devotion he reserved entirely for my sister.

On the third day, I clenched my teeth and carved through my own flesh and bone, severing my connection to the parents who had given me life.

Enraged, they called me ungrateful and declared I was unworthy—not just of being their daughter, but even of being compared to my perfect sister.

In the end, I succumbed to exhaustion and blood loss. My spirit ascended to the Astral Sanctuary, where I reclaimed my true identity as an Astral Maiden.

When my family discovered my lifeless body left behind in the mortal realm, they all descended into madness.

While my sister consummated her marriage with my husband, I lost the child in my womb as my elder brother locked me in the woodshed.

My mother cheerfully carried two cups of celebratory wine to the bridal chamber, while my father reverently lit scented candles meant to stir passion.

As the sounds of intimacy rose and fell from the room, the whole family sighed in relief. Only I sat in the woodshed, watching the pool of blood beneath me grow larger and laughing until tears streamed down my face.

"I want to return to the Astral Sanctuary," I cried.

I was not an ordinary mortal but an Astral Maiden undergoing a trial.

My descent had brought me to the Earl's residence, a family on the verge of ruin, where I became the eldest daughter—a title as useless as dust.

Seraphine, the Mother of Heavens, pitied my suffering in the mortal world and allowed me to awaken half my astral power in a dream.

When my father, Leopold Ashthorn, had his career sabotaged by Estateins and was left teetering on the brink of ruin, I used a portion of my power to rewrite fate. The Earl's family cast off its shame and rose to prominence as a Marquisate.

When my mother, Fiona Ashthorn, spent years bedridden and blind from endless tears, clinging to life in despair, I used another portion of my power to restore her health and sight. She became the envy of the capital, a dazzling noblewoman admired by all.

When my elder brother, Gareth Ashthorn, was born with a lame leg and despaired over his inability to serve the country, I used a third portion of my power to heal him. He rose to fame as a celebrated general.

My husband, Marcus Blackwell, was simpleminded and repeatedly failed the national exams, becoming a laughingstock. I used a fourth portion of my power to grant him the Heart of Astral Clarity.

With its brilliance, he topped the national exams and became the top scholar of his year.

I was the family's treasure, their beacon of fortune. They adored, cherished, and placed me on a pedestal.

That changed when my parents found my sister, Juliana Ashthorn.

Sent away during the family's fall from grace in their days as Earls, she had grown up in exile, her face disfigured by bandits. Envious of my beauty, she knelt before me, pleading for the last portion of my astral power to restore her face.

But that last portion of astral power was my lifeline. Without it, I could never return to the Astral Sanctuary.

My parents and brother wept bitterly, their cries heart-wrenching, as they questioned how I could still think of leaving them. They insisted they could not bear to lose me as part of their family.

My husband swore on the heavens that if I became mortal, he would love and cherish me for the rest of his life, choosing love over my immortality.

Believing their words, I relented. I used my final portion of astral power to give my sister a face so beautiful it could topple kingdoms. She became renowned as the most beautiful woman in the land.

Stripped of my power, I became an ordinary mortal, useless to them.

Then my sister claimed she, too, had awakened astral power. She promised she could grant our father a higher position, make our mother healthier, bring our brother greater glory, and pave an even brighter path for my husband.

The family's affection shifted to her entirely, while their treatment of me grew increasingly cold and dismissive.

When my sister fell gravely ill, she accused me of cursing her. She demanded that my unborn child be used as medicine to cure her.

My whole family tied me down, ignoring my screams, and forcibly cut the unborn child from my womb.

My sister then claimed that to ensure the family's prosperity, she had to marry my husband, the man blessed with the Heart of Astral Clarity, as only he could continue the miracles I had once bestowed upon them.

The entire family locked me in the woodshed, fearing I might disrupt the wedding between my husband and my sister.

But what they did not know was that I no longer cared.

In three days, I would be gone, free to return home to the Astral Sanctuary.

After a night locked in the woodshed, they finally let me out.

I returned to my room, craving only a sip of tea to soothe my parched throat. But before I could bring the cup to my lips, the door burst open with a loud kick.

Standing there, furious, was Marcus, the man I had been married to for three years.

"Why won't you come to the front hall and drink the tea Julie prepared for you?" he snapped. "Don't you get it? Juliana is my equal wife now, no less than you! She offered you tea as a sign of respect. Do you really think sulking in your room will keep her out of this household?"

I set down my cup and looked at the man I had once given up being an Astral Maiden to stay with.

Calmly, I said, "Marcus, let's divorce."

His expression twisted into one of disgust. "Are you still angry about the child? That was your own fault. If you hadn't cursed Julie, she wouldn't have fallen ill! You owe her this!"

I placed a hand over my now-flat stomach, the pain in my heart as sharp as a blade.

It was already a near impossibility for a mortal and astral union to conceive a child. With Marcus' frail lineage devoid of vitality, I had endured three years of relentless suffering to carry this single pregnancy.

But the instant my sister accused me of cursing her and insisted my unborn child was her cure, Marcus tore my baby from my womb to save her.

I had done nothing, yet no one believed me.

Ignoring my pain, Marcus grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the front hall. "Divorce? Don't try to threaten me. You're not an Astral Maiden anymore. You'll never return to the Astral Sanctuary, so you'd better get used to living like an ordinary person."

I glanced at him, taking in his proud, confident demeanor. He looked nothing like the bumbling, awkward young man I had first met.

Back then…

His family mocked him, relentlessly bullying him for his perceived stupidity. I pitied him and even used my astral power to teach those wealthy bullies a lesson they would never forget.

When he tried to thank me, he was so tongue-tied that he could only clumsily hand over every piece of jewelry he owned.

"My mother says that if you like someone, you should give them the best things," he mumbled. "I don't know what's best, so I'm giving you everything I have, Miss."

Later, I used a portion of my astral power to grant him the Heart of Astral Clarity, giving him a mind of unparalleled brilliance.

He rose to the top of the national exams, became the country's first scholar, and even petitioned the Emperor for a decree to marry me.

On our wedding night, he swore to the heavens that I would be his one and only wife for this lifetime.

Yet now, Marcus was forcing me to drink tea served by his other wife.

…

The front hall was crowded with guests.

I entered disheveled and weary, drawing murmurs and sidelong glances from the crowd.

Juliana, with her devastating beauty, approached me gracefully, each step a calculated display of charm.

"Sister, please, have some tea," she said sweetly, holding out the cup.

I slapped the cup from her hands.

"Juliana, you had my unborn child killed. From this moment on, any bond between us as sisters is as shattered as that cup," I said coldly

Juliana gasped and stumbled back, hiding in Marcus' arms.

He gritted his teeth, his face dark with anger. "Elara Ashthorn! What nonsense are you spouting in front of all these people? Have you no dignity as the primary wife?"

I looked around at the gathered guests, then let out a soft, bitter laugh. "Marcus Blackwell, I've already told you. I want a divorce. From now on, Juliana is all yours."

His expression hardened. He pushed Juliana aside and stepped toward me, lowering his voice to a threatening growl. "Divorce? And then what? Who would marry you after me? Face it, you're just an ordinary woman now! No one else would want you."

I met his gaze, unflinching. "You're right. I may no longer be an Astral Maiden, but even so, you're unworthy of being my husband. As for who I'll marry in the future, it has nothing to do with you."

His face contorted with anger, the polished charm of a top scholar crumbling.

He let out a mocking laugh. "Our marriage was decreed by the Emperor himself. The only way to divorce is for you to cut your hair.

"You know what that means, don't you? A woman with no hair will never marry again. But I'll give you one last chance. Drink Julie's tea, and I'll pretend none of this ever happened—"

Before he could finish, I pulled a pair of scissors from my sleeve—the same ones I had intended to use to sew clothes for my unborn child.

Without hesitation, I raised them to my hair.

Marcus lunged at me, desperate to stop me, but he was too late. My long, carefully tended hair fell in a clean, sharp line.

"Elara, have you lost your mind?!" he shouted, grabbing me and pulling me into his arms.

"What a hassle… Fine, I'll find someone to make you a wig. Just stop this madness and apologize, so we can pretend none of this ever happened—"

I pushed him away, shaking my now-lighter head with a calm smile. "That won't be necessary. It's just hair. Now, can I have the separation letter?"

Marcus stared at me in disbelief, unable to fathom how indifferent I seemed. With the eyes of the crowd fixed on him, he had no choice but to draft the separation letter.

I took the document without hesitation and immediately went to the Magistrate's Office to file it.

…

By the next day, the paperwork was finalized, and our divorce was official.

Marcus stood tall and proud outside the Magistrate's Office, his red-rimmed eyes glaring at me.

"Elara, don't think the Ashthorn family will take you back. You have nowhere to go. I'll be waiting for you to come crawling back!”

I scoffed, refusing to dignify his words with a response. Turning on my heel, I marched directly toward the Ashthorn Estate.

My elder brother, Gareth, had already caught wind of my arrival. His soldiers stood stationed outside the gates, their presence a clear warning to keep me out.

"Look at yourself!" he barked, his tone cutting.

"The eldest daughter of a Marquis, jealous of her own sister—cutting off your hair and divorcing your husband in public?

"Go back to the Blackwells and apologize to Julie and everyone else. If you dare ruin their marriage celebrations and bring disgrace upon this family, don't ever call me your brother again!"

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I took in Gareth's imposing figure.

When I first descended to the mortal world, Gareth and I grew up side by side, our bond as close as that of true siblings.

Though born unable to stand, he had always dreamed of being the protective older brother. I still recalled how he used his crutch to drive away the drunkards who dared to harass me.

It was with my astral power that I healed his legs, granting him the strength to stand—and the combat skills of a warrior.

On the day he earned his military title, he was so brimming with pride that he took me on horseback to tour the barracks, proclaiming that every ounce of his effort had been for me, his beloved sister.

And yet, this same brother had later helped restrain me as they tore my child from my arms—all because he believed Juliana's lies.

"Elara, Julie grew up away from the family. As her elder sister, it's your duty to make it up to her," he had said back then. "Are you jealous of her awakened astral power just because you've become mortal? It's only a child. Consider it your contribution to the family."

I took out the dagger Gareth had given me on my coming-of-age day and let out a soft laugh. "Perfect. Not calling you 'brother' anymore is exactly what I want! Here, take back this dagger. From this moment on, we're no longer siblings."

Gareth scoffed, laughing as if he'd just heard a joke. "How naive. Do you think returning the dagger is enough to sever our bond? If you really want to end our sibling relationship, you'll have to follow the rule of the Three Stabs and Six Wounds. But you, pampered as you've always been—do you really think you can handle the pain?"

I smirked faintly and plunged the blade into my left arm.

"This is the first stab. To repay you for protecting me when we were children."

Gareth's eyes widened in shock as blood soaked my sleeve.

Before he could react, I drove the dagger into my thigh. "The second stab. For your care after we came of age."

Gareth's face turned pale. He cursed loudly. "Stop it! You think I'll care? You're just showing off! Even if you stab yourself full of holes, you'll never replace Julie in my heart!"

His words rang in my ears as I plunged the blade into my left shoulder with all my strength. "The third stab. To end our bond as siblings. This dagger is yours again."

I handed the blood-soaked blade to Gareth. He stood frozen, his lips trembling as though he wanted to speak.

Before he could say anything, the blood loss overwhelmed me, and I collapsed into darkness.

…

On the third day, before I had fully regained consciousness, my father, the Marquis, dragged me to my knees before him.

"You wretch!" he roared.

"Will you only be satisfied when you've torn this household apart? Yes, you've done this family some good in the past, but we haven't treated you poorly either!

"Tell me, what other young lady could get away with being as willful as you? Even without your astral powers, we've still let you be the eldest daughter of this house.

"But now, Julie has awakened her powers, which is a blessing for us all, yet you're jealous enough to curse her? Are you hellbent on destroying our family's fortune?"

My mother stood nearby, glaring at me with disgust. "Elle, you've changed. You used to be so kind and sensible. How did you become this unreasonable shrew?

"When Julie and her husband return today, you'd better apologize to her in front of everyone. If you do, we'll still recognize you as our daughter."

I met their stares with a cold smirk. "Haven't treated me poorly? Then why did you watch me bleed without lifting a finger? Why did you ignore me as I begged you to spare my child? Why did you believe every lie Juliana told but never once believed me?

"I haven't changed. You have. Or perhaps I was never truly your daughter in your hearts."

As if my words struck a nerve, my father slapped me hard across the face. "Insolent girl! How dare you speak such treacherous words?"

My mother wept, covering her face. "What kind of cursed daughter have we raised? This is such a misfortune!"

They despised me now, but I remembered when they first learned I was an Astral Maiden.

Back then, they had doted on me, showering me with affection as if I were a precious treasure. I had assumed I could accept a mortal life as long as I could stay by their sides.

I cradled my swollen cheek and laughed bitterly. "You don't want me as your daughter anymore? Funny. Weren't you the ones who begged me to stay? Fine. Let's sign a disowning deed and cut all ties between us as parent and child."

Their fury erupted like a storm.

"Elara, are you insane? Sever ties? What will people say about the Ashthorn family? What about Julie?

"Today is her homecoming celebration. Reflect on your behavior in the ancestral hall. When you've repented, you can come out. Don't you ruin her special day."

In the ancestral hall…

I sat in silence, listening to the lively sounds of my family joyfully reuniting outside.

Someone mentioned my name.

"Where's Elara?"

"Don't bother with her. Let her stay in the hall and think about her mistakes. She's gone too far this time."

I smirked, my fingers curling around the cool porcelain vase resting on the altar.

Without hesitation, I hurled it to the ground, shattering it into pieces. I picked up a shard and pressed it to my skin, carving into my flesh.

In this kingdom, even without a disowning deed, a child who cut their own bones and flesh may sever ties with their parents.

Blood pooled around me, and the room spun as darkness crept in.

Through the haze, a voice filled with pity echoed in my ears. "Congratulations, Elara the Astral Maiden. You have severed all mortal ties. Your astral power will now be fully restored. Prepare to return to the Astral Sanctuary."

Outside, an alarmed voice shouted, "Has Elara admitted her mistakes yet? What's that smell of blood?"