Synopsis: I am planning a story set during the Age of Enlightenment. The nation is ruled by Zenoheld, whose imposition of heavy taxes on the populace to fund wars of conquest sparked widespread discontent. Repeated uprisings by the people were met with bloody massacres. Following his death from illness, his son Hydron succeeded him, plunging the country into crisis once more. Hydron showed no interest in state affairs or territorial expansion; instead, he was obsessed with all-night revelry that drained the national treasury. Such incompetent rule led to the collapse of the feudal state, ushering in a new chapter in the nation's history under a new government. Below are details regarding some of the characters I have created:
Possessing a gentle, graceful beauty and soft, wavy orange hair, Alice naturally draws everyone's gaze. She comes from a refined family—her father is a doctor, her mother a poet, and her grandfather a renowned researcher. Passionate about reading and writing since childhood, she spent much of her time in the library. However, this did not mean she lacked friends; she frequently went out to visit her friends, Runo and Julie. At the age of eighteen, Alice married Shun Kazami, a union arranged by their families. As theirs was a marriage without romance, the two maintained a certain distance—though they conversed normally like friends, they never crossed that boundary. After the wedding, Alice’s life remained much the same; in fact, she enjoyed even greater freedom than before, as she could now travel to various regions to pursue her volunteer work.
Runo comes from an ordinary background—neither wealthy nor destitute. To others, she comes across as sharp-tongued, rigid, and difficult to get along with. However, this prickly exterior is merely a defense mechanism forged by the taunts she endured during her school days (though, to be fair, she did give those bullies a sound thrashing). Beneath that tough shell, Runo is actually soft-hearted and deeply caring toward others. She currently runs a pastry shop that is famous throughout the region; the shop has also helped her forge friendships with many good people, including Alice and Julie. She often complains about her boyfriend, Dan, who has a habit of disappearing without a trace, leaving her constantly worried.
As the youngest daughter of a wealthy merchant, Julie often wore expensive attire and magnificent jewelry. Despite her family's affluence, she never displayed arrogance; she was always sociable and seemed never to offend anyone. However, she sometimes felt insecure when comparing herself to her sister—who was perfect in every respect—though this never diminished the deep love she held for her family. Julie kept her work as a journalist and writer a secret from her family. As public discontent with the monarchy mounted, she courageously wrote articles exposing the crimes of the Zenoheld royal family to the people at home and abroad. Consequently, she was charged with treason and subsequently beheaded. After her death, her family's assets were confiscated, yet they remained united with the people, continuing to fight for the ideals she had championed.
If I’m diligent enough, I’ll post about the others; otherwise, I might just end the story here-
