The blinding sunlight streamed through the imposing windows of a luxuriously decorated room. Soft silk sheets enveloped the delicate body of a young girl, who was slowly beginning to awaken from a deep slumber. She felt the gentle warmth of the sun on her skin and heard the distant sound of birds singing outside. However, something was terribly wrong.
"I... I shouldn't be here."
In her past life, Suzume was a twenty-two-year-old, anti-social and introverted. She avoided any form of social interaction, preferring the comfort of her small house and the screens of her devices. She spent her days locked in her room, immersed in her favorite games and anime, always on the fringes of the real world. Until one day, while going out to buy food, a brutal accident abruptly and unexpectedly ended her life.
"But wait... I died... I died, right?"
Suzume opened her eyes, and instead of the small, cluttered room she used to call home, she saw a high ceiling adorned with delicate paintings. She tried to sit up, but her body felt strange, lighter and more fragile. Looking around, she noticed she was in a room that seemed straight out of a fairy tale: intricately carved wooden furniture, heavy velvet curtains, and luxurious rugs.
"This isn't my room... Where am I?"
She struggled to get up but was taken aback by the sight of small, soft, well-kept hands. She touched her face, feeling the smooth and unblemished skin. Shock coursed through her body like a lightning bolt.
"Am I... a child?"
At that moment, the door to the room opened, revealing a tall, kindly-looking woman in a long, elegant dress. Her blonde hair was perfectly arranged in a bun, and her blue eyes sparkled with affection. The woman approached the bed, smiling tenderly.
"My dear Eveline, you've finally woken up. How are you feeling?"
Eveline. The name sounded strange in her mind, but somehow, she knew that was her name now. Vague memories began to flood her mind—images of a childhood spent in a world that wasn't hers, in an imposing mansion, with people who treated her with extreme reverence. She was no longer Suzume, the solitary girl from modern Japan. Now, she was Eveline, the only daughter of Count Reinhardt, one of the most powerful nobles in the Kingdom of Asteria.
Panic overtook her. "What's happening? How did I get here? And why do I remember another life?"
The woman beside the bed—whom she now recognized as her mother, Countess Amelia—gently caressed her face. "Don't worry, my dear. You're safe. The doctor said it was just a fainting spell due to the heat. You'll be fully recovered soon."
"Fainting spell?" Eveline repeated, confused. None of this made sense. But as she looked into her new mother's eyes, she felt a strange comfort. Though she didn't fully understand the situation, one thing was certain: she was no longer in the world where she lived as Suzume. She had been reborn into this new world as Eveline, the daughter of a count.
"I... I'm fine, Mama," she replied hesitantly, using a word she had never said before in her life. The countess smiled, visibly relieved, and embraced her tenderly.
"I'm so glad to hear that, my dear. The count will be so happy to know you're recovering."
Eveline remained silent, feeling the warmth of her mother's embrace. Her mind was still a whirlwind of confusion, but the comfort of the countess's hug was real, and for the first time in a long time, she felt something beyond loneliness.
"So, this is my new beginning..."
With this realization, Eveline decided that while she tried to understand how she ended up here, she would do her best to live this new life. Perhaps this time, she could experience more than just the loneliness she had known in her past life. And who knows, maybe she would discover the reason behind her rebirth.