The air around her smelled too fragrant. Too warm. Too luxurious. Not the cramped room filled with books she was used to.
Alexa slowly opened her eyes.
A white ceiling adorned with gold patterns. Pale blue silk curtains. A large canopy bed. And beyond the tall glass windows—the sun shone softly above a garden of blue roses. None of this… belonged to her.
"Princess Alexa! You're awake!"
The voice of a maid standing by the bed made Alexa sit up instinctively. But her body felt strange—too light, too graceful… and too unfamiliar. She looked at her hands: slender, pale, with delicate fingers like a noblewoman's.
"Wait… Princess… who?"
With trembling steps, Alexa walked to the tall mirror in the corner of the room. And there… her reflection was no longer the Alexa from the real world.
Long silver hair like silk, golden eyes sparkling like crystals, and skin as pale as snow. A soft blue satin gown wrapped her body perfectly, embroidered with frost along the sleeves. That face—she knew it.
"Alexamysa Zevarelis."
"I've entered the novel… Tears of the Crown."
Alexa took a shaky step back, breathing heavily. This wasn't a dream. Everything felt too real. Even the magic in the air seemed alive.
She turned toward the maid now bowing anxiously.
"Please… who am I… now?" she whispered, pretending to be disoriented.
The maid looked shocked. "You… You're the youngest daughter of House Zevarelis. Duke Altair's daughter. Are you—"
Alexa nodded slowly. "...I just feel a little dizzy."
The maid quickly fetched warm water and called for others. But Alexa's attention was caught by the view outside the window.
The sky suddenly shimmered.
A long, elegant water dragon floated slowly in the air. Its scales glittered like icy crystals, reflecting the light to create violet-blue hues across the sky. Its sharp eyes gazed down upon the Southern lands with a cold majesty.
That... was the spirit of House Zevarelis.
Their ancestral guardian. Protector of the South.
Once just a description in a book… now right before her eyes.
Alexa clutched the bed's sheets tightly. In the original story, Alexamysa Zevarelis was a tragic side character. Known for her beauty and water magic, but died young to save the Crown Prince—and was forgotten.
"But I'm not the kind of girl who dies just because the plot says so."
"This time, I'm in control."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the hallway.
SLAM!
The door burst open. Three tall men rushed in with panicked expressions.
"Alexa!"
First came Lucian Zevarelis, the eldest brother: dark bluish hair and sharp, responsible eyes. Behind him was Ares—with short silver hair and a flat but worried expression. And lastly, Leonhart, the most expressive, with golden waves and a trembling smile.
"Are you hurt?" Lucian asked immediately, approaching her.
"You collapsed in the garden earlier," added Leonhart, checking her face.
"Idiot. Don't you know how to ask for help?" Ares touched her forehead—blunt but concerned.
Alexa nearly laughed. Her brothers were exactly as described in the novel. But much more alive. More… warm.
"I'm fine," she said softly.
"Just a little dizzy."
The three of them exchanged glances. But before they could ask more, a cold voice came from the balcony.
"It seems Princess Alexa has made everyone worried."
All heads turned immediately.
Thalionric Arelthia.
The Crown Prince of Solveria. Heir to the magic of light.
His golden hair shimmered under the morning sun, and his golden eyes looked directly at Alexa.
There was no crown on his head, only elegant royal garments. His face was like one carved by the gods. Calm. Cold. But sharp.
"You're finally awake..." he said, as if he had been waiting.
And Alexa knew, from that moment on…
Everything was going to change.
🌹 To Be Continued...