My name is Aurora-Maeve Annelies Jasmijn Helena, Princess of Orange, Princess of the Netherlands, and Princess of Oranje-Nassau. As the heir to the Dutch throne, I am the only child of the Queen and King.
My parents struggled with fertility for many years. Despite their best efforts, which included consulting the finest physicians in the world, they were unable to conceive.
Desperate for a child, they turned to an unconventional method—one that had once been associated with alchemy but had long been dismissed as mere fantasy with the rise of modern science.
I am the product of that method: a homunculus. My parents provided their genetic samples to a laboratory, where genetic engineering was used to create me in an artificial womb.
I was born with "Pride," one of the seven Deadly Sins as defined by mere mortals. Their limited understanding of life and existence has led them to label such qualities as sins, yet in reality, these are Traits of Success. "Pride," in particular, is the most successful of them all. It is with this trait that I was designated the codename Superbia within the homunculi experiment.
At the tender age of seven, I was tasked with subjugating my beloved sisters—Acedia of Sloth, Ira of Wrath, Luxuria of Lust, Invidia of Envy, Avaritia of Greed, and Gula of Gluttony—into submission.
Ira, Invidia, and Avaritia proved to be the most difficult to handle, but eventually, all things fell into place.
"Gula, Ira, Invidia, Avaritia, Luxuria, Acedia. Never forget who you are," I spoke to them all. "We were born with the seven traits of success, which humanity ignorantly calls 'sins.'"
I compared Gula, or Kayla, to a pig due to her insatiable nature. I urged her to embrace her true self, to seek pleasure in all forms for herself and for her sisters, no matter what the world may say or try to impose upon her.
I likened Ira, or Benesha, to a lioness. She would never bow down to anyone—not even to me. I encouraged her to fear nothing in life, to let her wrath fuel her strength in the face of any obstacle. She would protect herself and her sisters with unwavering determination, using her rage as a shield.
I compared Invidia, or Minah, to a poisonous snake, reflecting her envy. I encouraged her to harness that envy, to channel it into ambition, to rise above and reach new heights. This, in turn, could make her the greatest asset in supporting me and my sisters.
I compared Avaritia, or Eliza, to a fox, recognizing her insatiable greed. I urged her to keep every worldly gain, every possession, every scrap of wealth for herself and for us. Her cunning could serve us all well.
I likened Luxuria, or Haniya, to a cat—graceful, captivating, and irresistibly charming. I advised her to wield her allure to acquire whatever she desired, both for herself and for her sisters. The world would be hers to take.
Then, I turned to Mandane and said, "Acedia, you are like a dragon—mythical, powerful, yet unseen. Your strength lies dormant, and the world is better off never witnessing the full extent of it. Just as dragons remain hidden, it's better for us that you remain in slumber, for the time being..."
Mandane is better off remaining dormant. If she were to unleash her full potential, she could rival me—and I will not lose my authority to anyone.
She could surpass even Lilith, which could serve us in the long run. But I'd prefer to keep Lilith close rather than relinquish control over this sisterhood. I know, deep down, this may come back to haunt me in the future.
"Remember," I continued, addressing all my sisters, "no matter what happens, we are, were, and always will be sisters. They seek to divide us because they fear what we can achieve together. We are one trunk, split into seven branches, all originating from the same womb. Lilith is not one of us, and when the time comes, we will bring her down."
I paused for a moment, ensuring my message was understood.
"My last command to each of you is this: meet me again when we are older. Show me the person you have become."
The scientists at the laboratory had long feared what we might accomplish when we acted as one. They knew that if my sisters and I united our seven Traits of Success, we would become an unstoppable force, more powerful than even Lilith.