The smell of lilac and gunpowder wafted through the air, a strange combination that made my nose crinkle even as my head throbbed with confusion. When I opened my eyes, I didn't recognize the room I was in.
The bed was too grand, the ceiling too high, and the air too opulent for my humble apartment. Velvet curtains swayed gently in the breeze, golden candelabras adorned every corner, and an ornate mirror reflected... someone who wasn't me.
Panic coursed through my veins as I stumbled to the mirror. Instead of my familiar face, I was staring at someone with ethereal beauty—a woman with silver hair cascading like moonlight and icy blue eyes that could pierce souls. My heart raced as fragmented memories began to surface.
Oh no.
This wasn't a dream. This was the plot of *"The Thorn Crown Chronicles"*—a webnovel I had binge-read last week. And the woman staring back at me? She was Lady Evelina Frost, the villainess doomed to die by the sword of Crown Prince Kael within a year.
I was in Evelina's body.
### The Problem with Being Evelina
Evelina wasn't just any villainess; she was the textbook definition of evil. The novel painted her as manipulative, power-hungry, and irredeemable. She bullied the heroine, orchestrated political schemes, and sabotaged alliances—all while nursing a toxic obsession with the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince, Kael Draven, was a stoic war hero with raven-black hair and storm-gray eyes. He despised Evelina, and rightly so. She had tried to poison his fiancée and ruin his reputation.
The problem was, the fiancée was the true villain, and Evelina's death in the original story paved the way for her unmasking. But none of that mattered because Evelina didn't live long enough to see the truth revealed.
And now, I was Evelina.
### A System with an Attitude
"Congratulations, host!" a chirpy voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts.
I jumped and spun around, searching for the source, but there was no one in the room.
"Down here," the voice said. A glowing orb of light floated in front of me.
"Who—what are you?" I asked, trying not to hyperventilate.
"I'm your system," it replied cheerfully. "Your mission is simple: avoid all death flags and secure a happy ending. Failure will result in your permanent death."
"Happy ending? With *who*?" I demanded, my voice rising.
"With the Crown Prince, of course!" the system chirped.
I froze.
Kael Draven. The man who hated Evelina more than anything in the world.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.
"Nope! And to help you, I'll provide occasional hints, advice, and even some minor cheats! Good luck!"
### The First Encounter
Before I could protest further, the grand doors to my chambers burst open. A tall figure stood in the doorway, his presence suffocating the air in the room.
Kael Draven.
His storm-gray eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my knees weak.
"Lady Evelina," he said, his voice cold enough to freeze fire. "Your antics have finally caught up to you."
My stomach dropped. In the novel, this was the moment Kael confronted Evelina for sabotaging the peace treaty between two neighboring kingdoms. The original Evelina had responded with venom and spite, sealing her fate.
But I wasn't the original Evelina.
I dropped into a curtsy so deep it surprised even me. "Your Highness," I said softly, keeping my head bowed. "I deeply regret any harm my actions have caused. Please, allow me to make amends."
Silence.
When I dared to look up, Kael's expression was unreadable.
"You think an apology is enough?" he asked, his tone laced with skepticism.
"No," I replied quickly. "But it's a start."
His eyes narrowed, studying me as if I were a puzzle missing half its pieces. "You've changed," he murmured, more to himself than to me.
I swallowed hard. "I hope to prove it."
### A Game of Survival
As Kael left, I collapsed onto the bed, trembling.
"System," I hissed. "This isn't a romance. This is a death trap!"
"Oh, don't be so dramatic," the system replied. "You just need to play your cards right. And who knows? Maybe the cold, brooding prince isn't as heartless as he seems."
I groaned.
Between dodging death flags, unraveling political schemes, and winning over a prince who despised me, survival seemed impossible. But one thing was certain: if I was going to live, I'd have to rewrite Evelina's story—and maybe, just maybe, find love along the way.