Klaire stared out the window, or rather, Lunette. After all, she had been stuck in this body for a month now. As she popped a grape into her mouth, a deep sigh escaped her.
This was the world of the novel "The Fated One", and it was a chaotic, twisted one. Even her character was tangled in the insanity. Everything about the novel sent a chill down Lunette's spine—corruption, madness, and indecency weaved through its pages.
To start, the male lead was a deeply obsessed yandere, Prince Alaric Schaefmore, the crown prince of this Emberfall empire. His long silver hair gleamed, his bright yet cold yellow eyes standing out in a face of perfect elegance. At 6'4, he was a creature of beauty, flawless and untouchable. But Alaric had a dark secret. He was half-human, half-demon—descended from a race thought extinct for over a century. His father, Emperor Gabranth Schaefmore, knew this secret and tried to protect him in his own way, despite their distant relationship after the death of Alaric's mother, the serpent-like demon Alicia Torneau.
The female lead was Rohese Valebrook, the legitimate daughter of Count Zadimous Valebrook, a corrupted noble with only his title true to its name. With her long black hair, pink eyes, and skin pale as snow, Rohese was the perfect match for the male lead. Her stubborn, innocent yet intellectual personality had caught Alaric's attention, a breath of fresh air to someone as damaged as he was.
Klaire swallowed another grape, her thoughts drifting to her own life. What happened to her body after she transmigrated into Lunette? One minute, she was living her normal, workaholic life, and the next, a pot of flowers fell on her head, knocking her unconscious. When she woke up, she was in Lunette's body, who had just suffered a cold fever. It felt like fate—unwanted and absurd fate.
At first, Klaire felt relieved. No more endless work. But then reality hit—she was now Lunette Valebrook, the younger sister of the novel's female lead. Worse, Lunette's fate was sealed: her entire family was executed for deceiving the royal family.
It all began when the royal family ordered every firstborn noble ladies to compete for the position of the crown princess. Lunette, greedy for power, entered the competition, despite being an illegitimate daughter and not the firstborn. Her family supported her, even altering the family tree after Rohese's mother passed away, as there was no one left to stop them. Lunette's deceit was discovered, and though her crime didn't warrant execution, the prince, infatuated with Rohese, showed no mercy. Lunette's father, a madman who trafficked people illegally, was far from innocent either.
Another sigh escaped Lunette as her maid, Ashley, approached.
"My lady, you've been sighing for the past few hours," Ashley said, concerned. "Are you feeling unwell? Or still recovering from your fever?"
Lunette looked at her pitifully. Ashley, too, was destined for a grim fate. She was loyal and obedient but would suffer because of her association with Lunette.
"It's not that," Lunette replied. "I'm just...rethinking life."
Ashley tilted her head. "Why, my lady? You're still young, with a long life ahead of you. Your coming-of-age ceremony is just next month. Why not clear your mind with a little shopping?"
Her coming-of-age ceremony. Lunette grimaced internally. That event was where she'd meet the crown prince, who would be in disguise. But that wouldn't be their first meeting.
In the original novel, Lunette had met Prince Alaric when he was 20. He had escaped an assassination attempt by his stepmother, only to be captured by Lunette. At 15, she was already cruel, confining him in a dungeon for three weeks. Without his powers yet awakened, Alaric was helpless. Lunette tortured and humiliated him, cutting his hair, scarring his body, making him crawl and kneel like an animal. The only mercy she showed was not sleeping with him, though she made him sleep with others in her twisted games.
Now that Klaire is in Lunette's body, she couldn't change the past, especially her character's vile actions seven years ago. She doesn't even care for this family or their schemes. She planned to run away during the coming-of-age ceremony.
"You're right, Ashley," Lunette said with a smile. "Let's find something fun to do. Perhaps we'll go see Sister Rohese."
Ashley hurried to catch up, falling in step behind Lunette. "My lady, may I ask?"
Lunette nodded, barely slowing her pace.
"Why have you been visiting Lady Rohese so frequently lately?" Ashley's voice was curious but cautious.
Lunette stopped and turned to her maid. "I'm trying to lessen my sins," she said softly.
Ashley blinked, confused, but decided to follow quietly without pressing further.
"Sister Rohese!" Lunette called out brightly.
Rohese flinched at the sound of Lunette's voice and looked up. It was her. Rohese turned her head back, trying to avoid her. Lunette had been acting strangely lately, and Rohese wasn't sure what her younger sister was scheming this time.
"What are you doing, Sister?" Lunette asked with a smile that seemed too casual.
Rohese forced a smile in return. "I'm decocting some herbs for Mother. She's been complaining of headaches."
"Oh, I see. Mother must be overworking you as usual," Lunette said, grabbing Rohese's hand suddenly. "Sister, let's go out and have some fun."
Rohese shook her head. "I can't. Mother ordered me to prepare the herbs by this evening."
Lunette sighed dramatically. "It's fine. Ashley will take care of it. For now, let's go enjoy ourselves."
And before Rohese could protest, Lunette had dragged her out of the house.
The streets were alive with the sounds of celebration, the air buzzing with energy from the festival for the soldiers returning from war. Among those loud conversations was the mentioning of the war hero: Prince Alaric.
"Why are we in disguise, Lunette?" Rohese asked, her brow furrowed. Disguising herself wasn't unusual, but Lunette? Lunette despised commoners, yet here she was, dressed in their clothes and mingling happily.
Lunette handed her a stick of meat from a street vendor. "It's easier to blend in this way. Plus, I need to get used to the culture soon."
"Blend in?" Rohese repeated, confused. Why would Lunette ever want to blend in with commoners? Her sister had always looked down on them.
As Lunette took a bite of her food and shook her shoulders in delight, Rohese stared at her in disbelief. This was not the Lunette she knew—the Lunette who hated commoners, who would never touch street food. And yet, here she was, practically dancing with excitement over it.
Lunette spotted a jewelry shop and tugged Rohese inside. "Come on, Sister, let's look around."
As they browsed, a particular gemstone caught Lunette's eye—a pink gem that reminded her of Rohese's eyes. "Shopkeeper, I'll take this one!" she said with enthusiasm.
The shopkeeper hurriedly packed the gem, fearing Lunette might change her mind. "You've got a good eye, miss. This is a rare piece, one in a million."
Lunette smiled and paid for it, then handed the bag to Rohese as they left the shop. "Here, a gift. Something to remember me by—maybe even erase the bad memories."
Rohese blinked, staring at the gift in confusion. This wasn't the Lunette she knew. But secretly, she hoped Lunette would stay this way.
The two sisters found a spot to sit by a plaza with a fountain, the church's tall tower visible in the distance. Lunette stretched out with a contented sigh.
Rohese sat beside her, skeptical. The tension between them hung in the air until Lunette finally broke the silence.
"Is there something you want to ask, Sister?" she asked, glancing at Rohese's suspicious gaze.
Rohese stood up, crossing her arms. "Why are you being so nice to me, Lunette? Is this some form of harassment?"
Lunette laughed lightly. "Sister, you're funny."
"I'm serious. I'm not used to this," Rohese said. "You're not going to backstab me like always, are you?"
Lunette felt a pang of guilt. The original Lunette must have traumatized her deeply. "I won't," she promised. "I just... wanted to do something nice for once. Maybe I'll never have the chance again. I wanted to know what sisterhood felt like."
Klaire, in Lunette's body, thought back to her previous life. She had been an only daughter, with a distant relationship with her brother. Her parents, old-fashioned, had always favored him, leaving her to grow up feeling neglected.
Rohese sat back down, her brow furrowing in concern. "You're talking like you're going to disappear or something."
Lunette chuckled nervously, stuffing a spoonful of snacks into her mouth. "Me? Of course not. Why would I?"
"Careful, you'll choke," Rohese warned as Lunette let out a small cough.
As night fell, the two sisters returned to the mansion. In her dimly lit room, Rohese placed the pink gemstone on her vanity. Today had been long, tiring, and strange.
Could Lunette truly have changed? Was all this kindness genuine—or was there something more to it?
**Elsewhere.**
Alaric twisted a dagger deep into the thigh of a man clad in black, an assassin. The man groaned in agony as blood slowly oozed from the wound, drop by drop. Alaric's cold, lifeless eyes studied the assassin with satisfaction. "say," he said calmly, "who sent you?" He then dragged the blade across the man's leg, embedding it into the chair beneath. "Oops, did I applied too much pressure?" he chuckled darkly.
The assassin cried out in pain, desperation seeping into his voice. "I'll tell you! Please! It was the Empress!" But before he could continue, Alaric swiftly moved behind him, looping a thin wire around the man's neck. With one smooth motion, he pulled the wire taut, lifting the assassin off the chair as he struggled for breath. In moments, the wire sliced through his throat, ending his life.
"You're hardly worthy of being called an assassin. Spilling names after just a few stabs?" Alaric remarked, his voice dripping with disdain.
Edwin Fulton, the Duke of Stormland and Alaric's right-hand man, entered the tent. "Your Highness, we've received a letter from the shadows."
Alaric calmly removed his blood-stained gloves and replaced them with a fresh pair. "Dispose of this filth," he ordered. "We're returning to the palace tonight."
"Yes, Your Highness," Edwin replied, as Alaric left the tent without a second glance.