Magic Beneath the Mockery

King Tyler of Asterland is fatally cursed by dark magic. To safeguard his kingdom, he launches the Trial of the Crown to choose an heir. The Shadow Council sneaks into the trial with forged divine authorization, scheming to take the throne. Tyler meets Lisa Crawford, a noble's daughter ridiculed in the capital as a rough, talentless tomboy. In truth, she is an unparalleled mage. For fifteen years, she hides her power and investigates the dark magic group that killed her mother, with her stepmother Julia among the culprits. Pulled into the crown trial, Lisa stuns everyone with her formidable magic. She defeats the Shadow Council's fighters and thwarts their plots. Digging deeper into the conspiracy, she finds the mastermind and defends Asterland. Finally, she crushes the usurpers, reveals the truth of her mother's murder, and uses ancient healing magic to cleanse Tyler's curse. The once-mocked tomboy becomes the kingdom's secret magic queen.