The sun cowardly hid away behind the mountains and the gloomy dark clouds, the winds pushed through the trees, and the smell of burning wood flooded the manor. Whilst everyone prepared for the night, a frail body laid lifelessly on the extravagant bed. The warm bedside table lamp light fell upon her face, gently caressing her cheek in a sorrowful manner, as if it knew the treacherous journey she was about to face. A single twitch under the warm light, her eyes opened.
…Where am I? Isn't it time for school? Why didn't my alarm go off?
Thoughts raced throughout the girl's head as she struggled to hoist herself up against the painfully large headboard, holding her head as memories that were none of her own flooded her head, voices echoed through her ears, and faces overwhelmed her eyes.
…
Seriously? What kind of cliché troupe is this? Please tell me I'm dreaming.
She pinched her face in hopes that she'd wake up from this unrealistic dream, which she was not granted, and was only graced with a painfully red left cheek. She sighed and scanned her surroundings as she attempted to stand up, supporting herself with the bedside table. She walked over to the gold-rimmed mirror and gasped at her reflection. Hair fell below her waist, a blinding white hue. Her eyes had a bloody red iris, with the light in them gone. She held her face and ran her fingers through her hair.
Wow… this is..me?
She stood like a piece of furniture in front of that mirror, unable to grasp the concept of her beautiful features. She shook her head to catch a hold of herself before she turned around to inspect the grandiose room. Her fingers ran across every surface she could find, inspected every drawer with caution, and opened every book she could see. Her eyes shot daggers at everything in the room, and then it fell on the door. The large double doors stood tall on the opposite side of the room. She pushed herself forward, her heart beating faster with every step. She stood in front of the door, scanning the beautiful craftsmanship, her eyes fell upon the oddly shaped gold handle. She moved her hand forward, grasping it, her stomach began to churn, making her feel this nauseous, horrid gut feeling.
…
I shouldn't go just yet. I should keep looking in the room…
Her thoughts seemed to spiral every time she attempted to open the doors. Like something was bounding her, watching her. She kept searching until something captured her eye. A white book with gold accents and an elaborate spine. It appeared to be a storybook of sorts.
There's no way it's going to be this easy, right…?
She slowly approached the book, tracing her fingers against the spines on the bookshelf. She stopped at it and stared. Amongst the plain, boring book covers, such an elaborate hardcover book stared at her, begging to be pulled out and read. She took its top and pulled it out.
"Alright, let's see which trashy novel I've read that trapped me here. 'I will conquer my fate'."
Really? Did it have to be THIS novel?
She spread open the book and read through the first chapter,
"Year 918, 4th month of the solar calendar. The coronation yada yada yada, ah yes, the classic. I'm the second villainess."
The only thing I remember about this novel is the beginning, the ending, and the annoying number of villains in this. The villainess is the original main character, a white lotus that wants to covet everything the current main character has. The rest of the villainesses are obsessed over the male lead and will do anything in their power to make him theirs, the protagonist, who also reincarnated and was the "original" villain that somehow changed the genre, made the guy that was supposed to hate her fall in love with her, and then the main villainess somehow has a change of heart, falls in love with the heroine, uses the other villainesses against each other, and then gets them executed. After that, everyone becomes happy, the main couple gets married and lives happily ever after, and whatnot. Just like every other vanilla story there is. You have got to be kidding me. Aren't all reincarnated main characters supposed to be middle-aged, overworked women who are sick of life? Why a 16 year old that's still in high school? Is my exhaustion similar to that of women in their 30s? I didn't even get hit by a car? And in a novel where someone is already reincarnated? Who is writing this?
So many questions yet no answer awaited her. She shrank down into the soft bed that laid in the room's center, for some reason, she felt exceedingly tired. She took the book and slid it into the bedside drawer as a means to hide it. She glanced at her bedside table and saw a bell. Curiosity got the better of her, and she snatched off the side.
Jingle
…
Huh, strange. Maybe no ones awak-
Crash
ok.
A loud thud, crashing, and banging came from the other side. Doors flung open as three maids, one butler, a doctor, and two nobles dressed in resting attire pushed into the room, with sweat dripping down their faces, and shock painted their faces. They spent so much time checking her to make sure she's alright. In all honesty, they seemed more scared than she was.
"Kiara, are you alright…?"
The woman who broke the silence had beautiful light brown hair, with streaks of white peeking from her scalp, that fell halfway down her back, looking extremely dishevelled as if she ran straight out of bed. Anyone who had seen her would know that was the look of a worried mother, on the verge of tears, with shaky eyes and a pale face. The man, who more than worry wore a shocked expression. He had the same fair hair that fell below the girl's shoulders, with strikingly similar facial features. You'd be a fool not to believe that that was his daughter or at least a niece at that. The maids and butler, rather than worry or shock, wore fear on their faces, they looked sick to their stomachs just by looking at her. In her eyes, she was unsure of how to act, not because of what would happen but rather…
Oh no, what do I do if I change the plot? What is happening? Should I pretend to pass out? Or lash out like Kiara always does? But Kaira's mum looks concerned, she's never been like that in the novel. What about the servants look horrified, she always tortured them, so obviously, I should act like I'm pissed, right? What situation am I even in right now? Should I even overreact? Is it granted right now? Aarrghh, think, come on, think, all these memories are utterly useless if I can remember why I'm here.
She racked her brain as hard as she could, but nothing came to mind. In that situation, she decided to choose the easiest route to get out of this sticky situation. She pretended to pass out, which is easier said than done, but at least it would help her buy time.
"WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DID SHE PASS OUT?"
The lady turned paler than the sheets her daughter laid on, rushing to her side and clasping her hand. Her father ran to his wife's side, holding her shoulders and looking over his daughter's face. Beads of sweat dripped down the doctor's face as he examined her vitals once more. He looked confused and scared as he opened his mouth to speak,
"S-she seems fine? She's just sleeping."
"Pardon?"
The father finally spoke. His voice was enough to strike fear in those whom he wished to scare and calm those whom he wished to protect. He glanced with cautious eyes so as not to scare his wife anymore.
"I'm sorry, but it's exactly what I've said, she simply fell asleep. In fact, she seems like she's in a better condition now than before."
"So what you're trying to tell me is that my daughter, who fell down a flight of stairs, who hasn't woken up for the past 3 months, is just magically ok?"
"It must be a miracle, but yes, she's fine."
Oh seriously? The typical 'she fell down the stairs and is magically good.' Are you kidding me? Couldn't the author have thought of something new? Ugh.
Although against her wishes, this poor girl now has to figure out how to recover memories that are not her own and plan for the future that is to befall her. She kept pretending until everyone was able to pry her mother away from her and put her to sleep. However, there was still a single figure that loomed over her body. Her father, who shared the same appearance as her, crouched down by her side. He placed his hand over her forehead and mumbled something she could not hear, then, in a clearer voice, he spoke,
"I know you're not asleep, but I'm not going to pry as to why you're doing this. We have a lot to discuss when you wake up. Don't try to start another fight with your brothers. Good night, Kiara."
After sitting down for a couple of minutes next to her, he stood up and walked to the door. He pushed through the double doors and shut them behind him. She sat up against her headboard after she couldn't hear footsteps anymore, and put her hand to her chest, feeling her heartbeat. That was undeniably the most terrifying thing that has happened to her, although her father didn't speak with the intent to hurt her, hearing the words "I know you're not asleep" sent chills through her spine.
Kiara's dad was never like this in the novel. What's going on?
Once again, her questions went unanswered. She decided she'd figure things out on her own, if she's done it before, she can do it again. After calming herself down, she once again pulled herself up from the obnoxiously large bed and opened the bedside table. She saw the gold-studded book, it honestly looked surreal in her eyes. She traced the pages with caution as she read through the first few chapters. Her eyes grew dull as every word she read took years off her lifespan, and more memories of the real Kiara resurged as she read through the pages. Voices flooded her head, and faces clogged her sight.
…
"Lady Kiara, you can not see his highness the Crown Prince right now. He has urgent matters to attend to."
"Hah, at least attempt to put the effort into lying. I know he has nothing scheduled for today, and I'm sure he finished his paperwork by now. He's been avoiding me for a fortnight already. High society has already begun to talk. How will I marry if my reputation is in ruins?"
The young lady stood tall with her arms crossed, with rage seething off her face. The attendant who stood in front of the large set of doors held a face filled with annoyance. The butler spoke once more,
"Lady Kiara, he was given this task with no prior warning. Please schedule for another day."
"Schedule? Are you serious? I've had this exact conversation with you eight times already. I'm not rescheduling. Tell him I must meet with him."
The man sighed and rubbed his temples. He said
"Lady Kiara, I can tell you this, the moment his highness has free time, you will be the first to meet him."
The lady dug her heels into the floor and ground her teeth,
"Fine, let him continue to ignore me, he won't be able to avoid taking me as a partner to the royal ball."
Though her heinous personality was very well known, she walked in such a poised and refined manner that she held herself with grace as she walked away from the door, her rage suppressed under a mask devoid of any emotions. She glanced out the window and saw the knights training. She paused for a moment, watching the unwavering wills of the knights as they swung their swords high above their heads. It caught her breath for a moment, then she continued down the unending hallway that stretched out before her. She felt her heart sink with every step she took. She approached the flight of stairs that led down to the door. She took her first step down, then her next, she descended at an agonizingly slow pace.
thuck
She heard the sound of someone pressing forward from down below. She stopped, glanced down, and stared in disappointment. Sky blue hair and pearl like eyes, a statement of the royal family, tall and a benevolent presence, a standard of the Crown Prince of a nation. His eyes looked up at the flight of stairs, and they fell upon the lady. His expression changed to an emotionless one,
"Kiara, I thought I told you I'm busy. Must you do this every time?"
The silence was deafening before she spoke.
"Greetings You Highness. I heard from your subordinate. I plan to reschedule for another day. I sincerely hope that you will be able to make time for me that day."
…
He stared at her in a solemn manner as she continued to descend the grandiose staircase. He stood at the foot of the stairs, continuing to look at her, looking at her with a pitiful gaze. That was the end of the line for her, she could handle being told to leave, she could handle being ignored another day, but she could not stand someone pitying her. Anger seeped through her, and she spoke.
"Your Highness, do not look at me with that gaze. It's one thing to hurt my reputation and another to hurt my pride. I hate that lo-"
Snap
She fell faster than the prince could comprehend, her heel snapped halfway down, and she fell hard. Blood streamed down her forehead as the prince flipped her over and yelled for help. Her eyes drooped as the last thing she saw was the shock of attendants nearby, and that pitiful look she despised.
…
You've got to be kidding me.