Athanasia's long-awaited debut at the Debutante Ball has arrived! Despite the celebratory nature of the occasion, Athy's knowledge of events from The Lovely Princess haunt her. Will Duke Alpheus again bring Jeannette and claim before everyone there she is Claude's daughter? And if he does, how will Claude respond?! Despite everything, Athanasia vulnerably shares with her father how happy their time together has made her. Ready to accept her fate, regardless of Claude's decision, Athy prepares to say goodbye.

With her Debutante Ball successfully behind her, Athanasia's social obligations are suddenly overflowing. As correspondence and tea parties fill up her plate, she almost doesn't miss Master Sorcerer Lucas, who is off in search of the World Tree. However, when one gathering goes terribly wrong and Athanasia's powers once again threaten her life, Lucas isn't there to save her; instead, inexplicably, it is Claude who rushes to his daughter's aid. His efforts come at a price, though, and upon his awakening, a terrible realization sets in!

With Luca's return from the World Tree, Athanasia finally has a way to help her father. Little do they know that a peculiar guest of Duke Alpheus has been pulling dark strings in every interaction, with the emperor being of special interest. Meanwhile, Claude's perplexing ailment seems only to ease under Jeannette's company, but he has slowly been more tolerant of Athanasia's presence. Ever hopeful for any improvement in her father's eyes, Athy must face the worst when Claude's health takes a sudden and drastic decline...

The story of Athanasia, forsaken princess of the Obelian Empire, ends with her execution at the hands of her own father-or does it? Her tragic tale is the plot of the novel The Lovely Princess. But now, a modern woman who read the book has just woken up as baby Athanasia herself, filled with her own memories and knowledge of the story she's stuck in! Determined to survive her doomed fate, infant Athanasia embarks on this new life with a plan: avoid attention and hoard valuables to fund her escape.

Everything has gone drastically wrong for Princess Athanasia and all she's worked for appears to crumble before her eyes. A magical mishap has wiped Claude's memories of his daughter and Athanasia has had to flee from the palace to avoid a painful death at his hands. Though things are bleak, Athanasia has found an eager helper and trusted confidante in Jeannette, who is happy to meet the princess in secret. Inside the palace, expressions are grim, as unexplained illness has harried the Imperial Emperor. Claude's condition is dire until an unusual solution is found-it seems Jeannette is equally useful to both father and daughter!

The emperor remains unconscious as Athanasia confronts her uncle and his claim to the throne. Unfortunately, without her father, Athy can do very little to keep the late emperor at bay. As Claude's condition continues to deteriorate, Athanasia and Lucas confront the dangerous reality of their only option-using the power of the World Tree. Its power is all-consuming, threatening to whisk away Athy's sense of self and trap her soul in the essence of the world. Against his better judgement, Lucas allows Athanasia to use the World Tree to rid her father of his curse, and though Claude awakens, Athy is slow to follow. What did she encounter in the ether that held her back?!