Part 1
"It's been so long since you've visited!" Your father exclaimed, pulling out a chair for you to sit. You smiled in response, feeling a slight empty ache in your chest. "I'm aware, I apologize for not visiting."
"Pah, the life of serving royalty must be busy. Tending to the king and his children and all." Your father smiled, sharp-featured softening — you even see dimples! Your father closed the bakery early when you arrived, much to the displeasure of the customer. But some just had a knowing look when smiling at you when passing, making the ache in your chest more prominent. You weren't his daughter, you were a body snatcher in a sense. You may have her memories, but you weren't really her. You never went in trying to pose as her, and nobody had asked if you were possessing her body — so far. But still, meeting her father in person and seeing how much he cared for her, you felt guilty for the first time since you transmigrated.
Should you tell him that you weren't really his daughter?
The question that dreaded you since arriving. You wonder if 'your' father noticed the changes in his daughter, and brushed them off as a result of working in the castle. You could just not tell him and play along…but you learned from Helios that you can't hide things forever. Secrets won't always be secrets, no matter how much you try to bury them.
You remember a protagonist in a danmei novel who had a similar situation as you, Shen Yuan from SVSSS. He somehow managed to hide the fact that he's an impostor even after the supposed plot. The only one who knows is Shang Qinghua, another transmigrator who was reborn into the character since childhood. You wonder if it's the working of their system that they weren't caught.
Well, unlike those two, you don't have any system to protect your secret, so it's best to rip off the bandaid sooner or later.
"Yes, it is quite busy." You replied, keeping a gentle smile on your lips. "There were also incidents that happened there—"
"Ah yes, there was talk about the princess's debut." Your father stated with concern. "Heard she was almost kidnapped if it weren't for a maid saving her. Would've been bad for the kingdom if those men succeeded! Dear, were you hurt during that?"
"Ah, sort of." You said sheepishly. "As I was that maid who saved her."
You saw the shock in his face before you continued, "Before the debut, there was also the accident of a bookcase falling on top of me. I had to be brought to the physician before going to bed."
"What in the world!? Did you break anything!?"
"No, I didn't. But..something strange happened."
Your father waited for you to continue, which you were grateful for. "When I was still unconscious, I felt like someone was pulling me in a certain direction. It was new, and when I woke up, I realized I was in a different body."
Father furrowed his brows in confusion, "Different body? What are you talking about?"
Your smile then became wry as you revealed, " I'm sorry, but the soul in this body is not the same one as you know."
The light and joyful atmosphere became heavy with tension, your father looked at you with bewildered eyes. "Not the same—Soul-switching…Then, who are you?"
Guilt and sadness make you hunch a bit as you brush a strand of hair behind your ear. "Coincidentally, I have the same name as your daughter, just from another world. In my old world, I died from an accident and when I woke up, I was in her body."
'Father' combed through his hair in stress at the revelation, "I don't understand, you say that you're a different soul, but your aura and presence are the same as my daughter —"
"I believe it's possible since our souls have similar qualities that fate decided it would be suitable to switch…I'm very sorry."
The man was devastated at the loss of his daughter, standing up before walking to the back of the bakery. You stayed sitting, trying to ignore the sniffles that were heard, trying to ignore the heaviness of your shoulders that were with guilt. Perhaps the (Y/N) from this world was having a good time in your old world, although you can't deny that she'll miss her family and friends.
Eventually, the man came out with red-rimmed eyes and a handkerchief. You do not speak for a moment, unsure of what to say next. Thankfully, it was the father who spoke, "If you're worried that I blame you, don't be. I understand it was out of your control and it's quite…frightening to find yourself in another world you have no knowledge about."
…Yeah, you're not gonna mention the novel to him.
"I..thank you for understanding."
'Father' took a deep breath, "Of course of course,"
You clasped your hands before sighing in relief, a weight on your shoulder lifted.
"If I may ask," the man started. "Who else knows?"
You purse your lips, "His Highness Prince Helios,"
"The prince!?" The man's eyes went wide, at the same time, he almost fell back on his chair if he didn't balance it in time. "I'm surprised you didn't get into trouble with the castle!"
"Yeah I almost thought I was dead, but luck seems to be on my side since he decides I would be the start of the 'New Age of Women'."
"…I never knew that the prince sided with the women."
"Me neither, I thought he was just a stuck-up, overprotective prince."
That got your father to snort, covering his lower face. "Still…I'm still a bit hesitant. I know you said you're not my daughter, internally, and your demeanor shows it. But..your whole presence still feels like her…" he trailed off.
You tilted your head, "Do you have an ability to detect auras?"
"Yes, truthfully speaking. It's a skill I developed over time, where I can detect the properties of a soul's aura." He explained. "Souls have different colors, properties, magic, etc. It was easy to identify those who have been soul-switched at first glance — no, you aren't the only person whom I met who was soul-switched — but you came as a surprise. I actually thought you were my daughter."
"Do others have this ability?"
"Not that I know of, it's only me so far."
"I see," your fingers played with each other, back straight and hair slipping to the back, you looked at the man. "Thank you for accepting me, may I ask your name so that I won't have to call you 'father' all the time?"
"All right," the man smiled with crinkled eyes. "My name is Cayn, and it's no problem helping out a lost soul."