When I woke again, my limbs felt heavier than they should, like I had weights strapped to me beneath the covers. A faint ache lingered in my chest, and the air seemed colder, sharper, than before. I sat up slowly, taking in the morning light filtering through the tall windows. The room looked the same—opulent, intimidating—but there was a new clarity in my head.
Last night, I had resolved to learn the truth about this body, this life I'd inherited. Today, I would act on it.
[**System Notification: Health status available for review. View now Karina?**]
"Yes," I murmured, my voice rasping. My throat felt raw, as though I'd been shouting or crying in my sleep. The translucent screen appeared before me, and I squinted to read the fine text.
[**Body Status: Critical Weakness Detected**
**Strength: 23%**
**Stamina: 18%**
**Endurance: 15%**
**Key Note: Host's body suffers from prolonged malnourishment, latent toxin exposure, and improperly healed injuries. Recovery plan required.**]
I let out a sharp breath. Malnourishment? Toxins? Injuries? None of it made sense. I'd seen the reflection yesterday: smooth skin, elegant features. My appearance didn't scream "weakened" or "damaged." But maybe that was part of the facade. An empress's body dressed up for display, even as it crumbled from within.
The system chimed again.
[**Would you like to initiate diagnostics? Estimated time: 10 minutes.**]
"Yes," I said, this time with more urgency. If I was going to survive in this world, I needed answers.
The screen shifted, lines of text scrolling rapidly as the system worked. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, stretching cautiously. My muscles tensed with effort, a clear sign of how fragile I truly was. By the time the screen beeped its completion, I was sitting upright, ready to absorb whatever it had to reveal.
[**Diagnostic Report:**
1. **Toxin Residue:** Low traces of an unknown substance found in bloodstream. Likely source: long-term ingestion or inhalation. Effects include fatigue, muscle weakness, and reduced cognitive sharpness.
2. **Injury History:** Two fractured ribs (healed improperly), dislocated shoulder (partially recovered), minor internal scarring consistent with poison ingestion.
3. **Nutritional Deficiencies:** Severe lack of essential vitamins and minerals. Effects include weakened immune system and brittle bone structure.
4. **Latent Potential:** Genetic markers indicate heightened adaptability and resilience once conditions improve.
Recommended Recovery Steps:
- Purification regimen to eliminate toxins.
- Supervised physical therapy to address muscular atrophy and injury recovery.
- Nutritional overhaul with emphasis on protein, calcium, and iron intake.
- Gradual stamina training to build endurance.**]
The words were clinical, cold, but they struck me like a slap. This body—Karina's body—had been through far more than I'd realized. Poison? Fractures? What had she endured before I arrived?
I stood and began to pace the room, my nightgown swishing softly against the marble floor. "Toxins, injuries, starvation," I whispered. "Who would do this to their empress?"
Or had she done it to herself?
The system remained silent, its screen flickering before vanishing. I was left alone with my thoughts.
By the time an attendant knocked on my door to bring breakfast, I had steeled myself. The tray was laden with delicate pastries, fresh fruit, and a pot of steaming tea. It looked exquisite, but I eyed it with suspicion.
Could this food be the source of the toxins?
"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" the attendant asked, her brow furrowed. She was young, perhaps not much older than me, with wide eyes and a nervous demeanor.
I forced a smile. "No. Everything looks wonderful. Thank you."
She curtsied and left me alone. I picked up a slice of bread, broke it apart, and sniffed it. Nothing seemed off, but then again, I wasn't exactly an expert on poisons.
[**System Notification: Scanning sustenance for contaminants. Please hold.**]
I held my breath as the screen reappeared. After a few tense seconds, the system displayed its verdict.
[**Food Status: Safe for consumption. No toxins detected.**]
Relief flooded through me, and I took a cautious bite. The bread was soft, buttery, and delicious, but I forced myself to eat slowly, savoring each mouthful. If I was going to recover, I needed to start with the basics.
Once breakfast was done, I dressed in a simple gown the attendants had laid out. My movements felt stiff, but I managed. Today, I planned to explore further, to find the answers I needed about this body and its past.
The corridors felt less intimidating now, though the weight of the crown still pressed on me. Guards saluted as I passed, and maids whispered behind cupped hands. The world around me was alive with secrets, and I was determined to uncover them.
The first place I sought was the palace archives. If the system hinted at a legacy tied to the Goldbrace lineage, the archives seemed like a logical place to start.
The librarian, an older man with spectacles perched precariously on his nose, looked surprised to see me. "Your Majesty, it is an honor. How can I assist you?"
"I need records on the Goldbrace family," I said. "Particularly any information about their health, their challenges, or... incidents."
He nodded, though his expression turned wary. "Of course. It may take some time to gather the relevant documents."
"I'll wait," I said, taking a seat at one of the nearby tables. The room was quiet, the only sounds the rustle of parchment and the occasional squeak of a chair. It gave me time to think.
The system's report had painted a grim picture, but it also hinted at potential—a strength buried beneath the layers of weakness. I just had to find a way to unlock it.
When the librarian returned, he placed a stack of books and scrolls before me. "These should cover what you're looking for, Your Majesty. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you," I said, offering a small smile. As he left, I began to sift through the materials.
Most of it was dry—genealogies, treaties, trade agreements. But buried among the mundane was a journal that caught my attention. It was bound in worn leather, its pages filled with cramped handwriting.
The entries were fragmented, but one passage stood out:
They say the sickness comes from the mines. The air down there is tainted, the veins of ore poisoned. Father insists we cannot abandon them, not with the treasury in such a state. But I fear for us all. I fear for myself.
The mines. Could that be the source of the toxins? It was a lead, at least, and one I intended to follow.
By the time I left the archives, my head was spinning with possibilities. Karina's...well now my life, had been far more complex than I'd imagined. If I was going to survive here, I needed to uncover every last secret this palace held.