"The known cold-hearted emperor took the female knight's hand to which she slowly faced him in surprise. The two stared at each other's eyes with lovely gazes. Everyone at the ball was shocked about the sudden eye-catching event. Yet the two, at the center of the crowd, could barely hold each other's breaths as they wished to embrace one another at that moment."
"Kyaaaaa!"
I turned my head in shock at the squeal.
My sister was jumping up and down on her bed, excitement written on her face.
Haha! Seems like I got too caught up in my story telling.
"Well since you're this excited, we need to tone it down for tonight."
"Okay! Then the last chapter!" My sister stopped bouncing off the bed and properly sat down, waiting for our favorite lines in this book.
I cleared my throat and stood up once again, feeling the part of a story-teller. With hands raised as if I unsheathed a blinding sword, I exclaimed. "Emperor! I offer my sword and loyalty to you."
Adjusting the pitch of my voice, lowering it, I continued. "My dearest Evangeline, there is no need for that. I offer my heart and my kingdom to you!" I exhaled, "...And they live happily ever after! The end!" I yelled in delight.
My sister laughed at that and yawned.
Hmm, it's good to see that too much excitement caused her energy to dwindle down instead of being hyped up more and more.
"Looks like you're finally off to dreamland, princess." I teased and she giggled.
My 13-year old sibling smiled and yawned again, "Then can you repeat chapter 15? about the emperor abandoning the witch empress?"
"Okay okay so lay down properly, J%c7@."
"Yes, sister."
Okay.
Where was it?
Ah! Right! Right! Chapter 15, it was right-
THUMP!
"....here..."
"Eva! Did you fall off your bed again?"
"Sorry for the noise, mother!"
I raised my bruised body and knocked on my chin, knocking the bump away. 'Oh no! Don't turn into a bump! Go go away!'
My feet eventually led me to the mirror and stared at myself. That's right.
I almost forgot due to that realistic dream but I... I had transmigrated into a novel.
Short blonde hair and pink eyes.
When I woke up in this place after getting involved in a car accident right after my sister's funeral, I was definitely shocked. Most likely scared of being in an unknown place.
But patches of memories from the owner of this body had been implanted inside my head slowly as time went on.
Before I knew it, a year had already passed.
It also didn't take me long to realize that I was inside a novel. Especially with the body that I was in, Evangeline's. The female lead of 'Springs Blossom in Winter'.
Tsk. I've always seen this before but somehow it irritates and astonishes me how pretty she had always been no matter how misplaced her hair was.
[Tug tug-]
Ah. There it is again.
I stretched my arms and legs, and readied myself for another swordsmanship training.
After being here for a year, I noticed that there's an invisible guide. That 'tugging' feeling which pulls me to do various tasks. At first it wasn't noticeable but when I reached my 7th month here, it became stronger.
It almost had me diving in mud pile at the center of the town.
By then I started to ignore it but follows on its call as a reminder for various activities that can develop the female lead's body better.
One of those activities was sword training or exercising in general.
"Ha. Goodness, this is hard."
I laid my head on the grass and left my wooden sword lying around somewhere.
Right.
I have to be strong.
According to the children's book, Evangeline was the right-hand man of the emperor. Selected because of her unrivaled talent and skill in swordsmanship.
Although I'd like to argue that there was someone else who was just as good in swordsmanship. Eren Lacquier, the right-hand man of the villainess, Sheriskia Banks, in the story.
Before the final arc, there was a subjugation mission led by Evangeline against Sheriskia Banks, and as she fled, her loyal swordsman Eren had a one-on-one fight with the female protagonist.
It was just a gap but Eren almost won against her, almost beheading Eva on the spot.
But just like every romance books, the male protagonist and emperor of the story, Cressand Geshwind, he saved her in the nick of time and killed Eren.
My sister in my past life whose name I've already forgotten would always squeak like a mouse at that cliche moment.
And I would always agree as the story-teller, but to be honest with you?
"It's such a damned cliche. If it were me, I'd like a loyal man who would sacrifice himself for me just like Eren Lacquier."
"Oh, you knew Eren?"
My eyes widened in surprise and my body shot up at the sudden footsteps and voice.
"Brother!" I ran up to him.
Due to my 15-year old body I could just hug him up to his chest. My brother, or more likely Eva's brother, Hansel Rullet, was three years older than me and was a knight's apprentice at the emperor's swordsman academy.
Currently that emperor would be the male lead's father, Jude Porsche, but his health would later deteriorate from an unknown disease five years from now and Cressand would become the youngest emperor in history.
Of course, all of this shouldn't relate to me because...
One, I am someone who lives in the outskirts of a kingdom outside of the emperor's mainland. To be honest, we live in an abandoned settlement after the great war from eons ago but since the people strive hard to become known...
It eventually developed into a really small kingdom.
Two, despite my brother being an apprentice knight in a swordsman academy lead by the Winter Empire, Eva never liked being in the same place as nobles and wouldn't have a way to connect to the nobles.
And three, Eva was originally someone fickle and end up doing more side jobs before she finally tore down her pride and entered as an apprentice with her talented sword skills.
But...
For some reason, Eva would still end up becoming the right-hand man and lover of the Emperor Cressand.
The readers would, just as usual, think that everything was fate. A road of various occurrences to reach that one final moment where both characters would think 'Ah. I have experienced all those hardships to reach this happy ending' or some bullshit like that.
Feeling a tug, my mind reeled back to the present.
Hansel had hugged me back.
In that children's novel, I liked reading about Hansel too.
As the older sibling from my past life, I've always wanted to have someone to depend on, just like Hansel.
Or so I thought.
"You're growing taller, Eva! Did you miss me? Did you? Did you?"
Ah. How could I forget?
My brother Hansel was obsessed with Eva's cuteness and beauty. He would always brag about her and supports her with no matter what decision she holds.
Even though Eva would learn to hit him when he acts like a creep or stalker, he was always fine with it.
For obvious reasons, my energy seemed to flicker away every time he does this.
"Haa..." I sighed.
"Eva, you okay? Oh! Back to my question, you know Eren?"
"Hm? Eren who?"
Damn it. I didn't think he'd remember his own question when shown Eva's sisterly love.
"You said you'd rather meet a man like Eren Lacquier."
"Oh! Right! I saw a book 'bout a character named Eren Lacquier. He was a prince charming!" I tried to sound as childish as I could.
It was a good thing that he let me get away with such weird words.
He chuckled to himself, "Well it's whatever. It's almost lunch time. Mother said we'll eat outside."
We went inside to change.
And immediately after changing, my mood turned sour.
"Tsk. This! This plot armor!"
Damn it! It feels too unfair!
"Eva? Any problems?" My brother, upon hearing my random yelling, came in.
"Yes! I'm too pretty!"
Oops.
I wanted to slap myself at those words but what I meant was that Evangeline's visuals were out of this world. Who knows how beautiful she'd actually look five years down the line, at the start of the book?
"I knew you'd come through, my sweet sister!" Hansel hugged me, at that point he rambled on and on about finally I realized how pretty I was.
The whole family simply walked to the town center where restaurants and various shops were lined up.
"My cute cute adorable pretty sister! I'm so lucky you're improving!"
I already feel so drained.
Seriously, how did Eva survive a brother like this?
Ah, I should know.
While I was hijacking my own memories, brother finally let go of me and visited an armory shop, while our parents were flirting by the fountain.
"W-what's this?"
Holy shit.
"Eva..."
"Eva!" I heard brother Hansel call out to me.
I couldn't help but feel bad as I look back to him. Damn it.
Why is the female lead... trapping herself in her room and beating her brother up when he comes in?
"Eva! Look out!"
It was then that I'd finally make out what Hansel was yelling about.
I turn towards where he's pointing and saw a carriage right in front of me.
Oh.
This happened to me before.
An accident. A crash.
Just before I passed out in anxiety, I remembered one more important detail about my past life's memory.
I finally remembered why I was so critical for this particular book.
I was the author...
And Evangeline was my little sister's name.
This book was her wish. To create a world where she was healthy and loved by many.
"No! Eva!"