Once little more than a doll on a shelf, Luxeria has ascended the throne and begun her quest for revenge. Armed with incredible magic, past-life memories, and the five Sacred Swords, she cleaves away the corrupted roots of the state. Her investigation into the depths of her enemies' sins reveals a disturbing truth: a shocking number of magical children have gone missing from the city. But to what end? When our bloodthirsty queen uncovers the true horrors wrought by those in power, heads are bound to roll!
A woman reborn, Crown Princess Luxeria is derided as a doll, beautiful and docile. But that's merely the mask she wears. Powerful magic courses through her veins--magic that can corrupt hearts, erase memories, and pluck one's innermost thoughts from the air. After years of being confined to a tower, she is finally set free...only to become embroiled in a grand conspiracy that kicks off with her parents' murder. Thrust onto a tragic stage of love and betrayal, she will play her part to perfection.
Physiognomony is not only the study of a being through its physiognomy, as the layman believes, although the etymology is clear (physis—nature ; gnomon—who knows), but really the study of a being through the whole of its outward appearance ; from which it would seem to follow that Chiromancy is included in it in principle, although it has been detached from it owing to its importance. Is it necessary for me now to justify Physiognomony? It does not in fact enjoy the bad reputation of its mother Astrology. It may be currently observed. Who amongst us is not a physiognomonist when he says of some one that he has “a fine” or “a nasty” head in the ethical sense of the word ? And do we not in the same way practise instinctive astrology when we speak of people “ who are born under a lucky star” or “who always seem to be in the moon”? Who in short has not amused himself in the same way by studying passers-by in order to try and guess from their appearance their soul, their social position? According to evidence there are aristocratic faces (apart from any title of nobility) and plebeian faces, the mug of the drunkard and the pretty face of the born amoureuse, the healthy face of the active man, the mask of the brigand, the majestic type, the face of the judge, the domestic, the soldier, the priest, the scholar. It is true that the dress helps a little ; but most certainly the character leaves its mark on the features. It was only necessary to study, to classify these outward marks in order to constitute a science. The idea was old, but the system had to be organised, and this is what the famous Lavater attempted. But where Lavater, Delestre and other physio-psychologists stop, the Occultist does not stop, and saturated with Astrology, he in his turn says :—“ These signs-manual of the stars, you notice them without using the word; you say that a man is choleric after you have examined his face; I say that he is so because he was born under the maleficent influence of Mars. In short we are agreed, but you are satisfied with the observa¬tion, whereas I go back to the causes. And is it not much more interest¬ing to try and guess that the subject will be of a choleric disposition if he is born under such or other particular magnetic aspect of the Sky ? Not only is this more interesting, but this alone will be useful, for if to the birth certificate there were added a horoscopic certificate, the educational task of the parents would be rendered considerably easier.
Fleeing their dark fate, Nemaki and his faithful partner Goltarou have at least reached human civilization. However, Nemaki's search for answers is soon interrupted by his desire to help his fellow man. When he rescues an indebted shopkeeper, he makes himself the target of a criminal organization--and it's up to Goltarou to protect him from revenge.
After being banished from high society, Iris has managed to invigorate her father's domain as acting fief lord. But when an invite comes from the Queen Dowager, Iris finds herself called to court once more...just as the struggle for the crown begins to heat up. Can Iris find a way to manipulate the outcome to her own advantage, or will she become caught in the crossfire?
Can Magic Change Her Future? Days before her marriage to the king of the neighboring Sunruta Kingdom, Princess Annabel of Najir is abruptly betrayed by her fiancé and thrown into prison with her magic knight under suspicion of being a spy. After being held captive for months and informed her kingdom is no more, Annabel passes out in a burst of destructive magic, only to awaken as her twelve-year-old self, six years before her political marriage. Armed with knowledge of the dark future to come, she now has another chance to bring about a new fate. This is the story of Princess Annabel’s second chance at life, and her drive to stop the destruction of her kingdom.
After nearly being excommunicated by the Church, Iris decides to marshal her forces to take the organization down. Dean, meanwhile, reflects on his childhood, and the first time he ever crossed paths with Iris.
