I really enjoyed the magic system presented in this first chapter, the magic being focused around death and immortality is really interesting to me! I also think that Selestra serves as a unique protagonist, as someone likely viewed as a villain by most of the townspeople and who is forced into a system that exploits people. At the same time, however, I thought that this beginning was extremely heavy on exposition, explaining so much about the world and Selestra's role in it rather than holding any of that back for a mystery, it just felt a little bit clumsy.