The narrative begins on the night of the "Festival of Stars" in the Kingdom of Hailand, a celebration of its founding. However, instead of festive lanterns, the citizens are armed with farming tools and weapons, their faces contorted with rage. They march towards Egdiel Castle, shouting slogans of hatred against "Eardale's dogs" and those who "defile Hailand's pride."
Inside the castle, Queen Alicia Chester Yorm, wife of King Fritz and a descendant of the founding Chester family, flees with her attendants. Despite her renowned beauty, the "Blue Rose Princess," she is unable to quell the mob. Her primary concern is the whereabouts of her husband, King Fritz, who is the heir to the neighboring Eardale Empire. Their marriage, a result of a past war where Alicia's father, King James, was killed by Eardalean soldiers, is viewed by many as Hailand's subjugation. Alicia, however, loves Fritz deeply, even though his heart belongs to his favorite, Charlotte Yugdorasil.
Alicia insists on finding Fritz, defying her attendants' pleas to prioritize her own safety as the last of the Chester line. She finds Fritz in the Hall of Stars, embracing Charlotte. Despite her heartbreak, Alicia urges Fritz to escape through the waterways, where her attendants await. As Fritz and Charlotte flee, a group of armed men, including some from the Royal Guard, storm the Hall of Stars, led by a man with striking black hair and purple eyes. He confronts Alicia, demanding she step aside. Alicia bravely blocks their path, asserting her royal dignity. The leader, recognizing her lineage, maintains a semblance of respect but is filled with hatred. He reveals that Fritz is the enemy of his father and has insulted Hailand's pride. Alicia passionately defends Fritz, declaring her love for him and her duty to protect him as the symbol of Hailand. In response, the leader, identifying her as the "Poisonous Rose of National Ruin," fatally stabs Alicia. As she bleeds out, she reflects on her lost happiness and the wrong turns in her life. Her last sight is of a polished wooden cylinder rolling to a stop near her hand.
Alicia awakens in a large bed, gasping for breath, with no sign of a fatal wound. She finds herself in her childhood room, ten years old, with her father, King James, and the head lady-in-waiting, Henri Fourier, present. She realizes she has somehow returned to her past. Initially believing it to be a vivid dream caused by a fever, she soon becomes convinced it is a memory of a past life. She recalls the revolution and her death, but little else about the events leading up to it. Determined to avoid her tragic fate, she decides to keep her memories secret.
At a welcome ceremony for a delegation returning from Eardale, Alicia, despite her usual aversion to such events, decides to attend. She hopes to find clues about the man who killed her in her past life. During the ceremony, she spots him among the delegates: Clovis Cromwell, a young man with black hair and purple eyes, whose family has a dark history tied to Eardale. Clovis's grandfather was accused of plotting against Queen Catherine, the Eardalean princess who married King Henry VII, and was executed. This revelation causes Clovis immense distress.
Alicia, witnessing Clovis's suffering and realizing he is being unfairly burdened by his family's past, feels a surge of empathy. She intervenes, declaring Clovis to be capable and appointing him as her personal aide, much to the surprise of everyone, including King James and the stern Henri Fourier. King James, indulgent towards his daughter, allows it. Clovis, initially hesitant and overwhelmed, eventually accepts, his demeanor shifting from despair to a rare smile.
Later, in a dreamscape, Alicia meets a "Star Wielder," a being who reveals he granted her a second chance at life. He explains that her past life ended with the fall of Hailand due to the king's flight and her death. He confirms that her decision to appoint Clovis has already altered the future, creating a bond between them. He shows her a "hundred-color viewer," a device that manipulates reflections, as a metaphor for how her choices can change the future. The Star Wielder departs, leaving Alicia with the knowledge that she has one chance to avert her past fate.
