Lilith opened her eyes for the second time since that fateful accident. The first rays of sunlight filtered through the heavy blue velvet curtains in her room, illuminating a space that seemed taken from a luxury catalog: marble columns, hand-carved furniture, and a large portrait of herself hanging over the fireplace. She stared at it for a moment.
"So, that's me? She looks incredibly... bored."
It was true that the image showed an elegant young woman, with her back so straight it hurt just to look at it, but that version of Lilith seemed as distant as trying to reach the stars. Still in bed, she let her gaze wander across the room's details: a jewelry box that probably cost more than half the kingdom, a wardrobe full of dresses that seemed designed to suffocate anyone who wore them, and a collection of books whose mere presence seemed to judge her for her recent ignorance.
The previous day had been a parade of information. She had heard enough through the doors to understand the kind of person she had been before.
"Perfect lady," "future queen," "example for other nobles."
But Lilith couldn't reconcile that image with what she felt now. "If that was perfection, why do I feel like I'm going to throw up just thinking about it?"
Apparently, the old Lilith had been a human version of a polished diamond: bright, unbreakable, and with edges so sharp they could cut anyone who crossed her path. However, Lilith, sitting on the bed now and looking at her reflection in the mirror, didn't see any of that in herself.
"Perfect lady? I can't imagine sitting still for hours without moving a muscle, smiling as if I didn't have more emotions than a porcelain doll. Future queen... well, I just hope my ability to trip doesn't ruin that plan."
She sighed, stretching her arms as her thoughts filled with doubt. Was that really what I was? That life full of perfectionism and pressure seemed like something out of a horror story. Now, with her mind wiped clean of memories, she felt like she wanted something simpler, more honest. More... fun. But, of course, the universe had other plans for her.
She had woken up curious, honest, and a little more sarcastic than anyone had expected. Now, sitting on the bed, she wondered if that extreme perfectionism was something she really wanted to regain.
She had no idea why, though, even though they were the same person, her self with memories and her self without memories seemed like completely different people. It's curious. Am I still me? What led my previous self to be so perfectionistic to the point of being, according to others' softened words, a bit unbearable?
Before she could continue pondering her existence, a sharp knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.
A shiver ran down her spine.
"Here we go again."
The Duchess entered first. Tall, elegant, and with a presence that could shrink anyone to the size of an ant. Her dark blue dress matched the room's décor perfectly because, of course, even that had to stand out. Lilith felt like her mother was like a god who descended to Earth just to judge mortals.
Behind the Duchess, six figures entered. Each one had a posture so rigid that Lilith suspected someone had shouted "at attention!" before opening the door.
"Good morning, Lilith. I hope you're ready to begin. Allow me to introduce your new staff."
She looked at them for three seconds.
"Mother, what happened to the old ones?" Lilith asked, still trying to shake off the sleep.
The Duchess, impeccably dressed and with a gaze that could cut through steel, stood there as if time didn't exist for her. "Officially dismissed, though who knows? All of them. Their incompetence became evident after your accident. These are their replacements. They've been carefully selected to help you achieve your goals."
Ah, of course, goals.
The Duchess began the introductions as though presenting a team of elite soldiers in a military parade.
"Edric Ward, your new head butler and knight protector. A commoner, but exceptionally competent. His role is to ensure your safety and handle all physical tasks."
Edric was tall, muscular, and looked like he had stepped out of a knightly romance. He had a barely noticeable scar, surely a battle trophy. He wore a perfectly clean black uniform, and his expression was so serious that Lilith wanted to shake him just to see if he'd react. But she couldn't. That would be improper for a noble lady.
"Surely, this one doesn't smile even if they offer him a fortune."
"Oliver Baine, apprentice butler. He is here to provide you with information about other nobles and answer any current questions about high society."
Oliver, in contrast, was young, a little clumsy, and had the air of someone who still wasn't sure if they were in the right place. Lilith looked at him curiously and gave him a half-smile.
Oliver, young and nervous, could barely maintain eye contact.
"Well, at least someone here is as lost as I am."
"The Misses Emily, Evelyn, and Elise Trent. Your maids and practice companions. They are the daughters of Baron Trent, loyal to our house."
The triplets entered in unison, bowing in perfect synchronization. Lilith had to blink several times to make sure she wasn't seeing triple.
"They're like copies. Am I supposed to guess who's who all the time? Maybe I should slap them or give them something to carry so I don't get confused."
"Finally, Margaret Vale. Adopted daughter of this house."
Margaret was small, barely eight years old, and had an innocent air that contrasted with the crushing formality of everyone else. Her large eyes looked at Lilith with a mix of curiosity and admiration.
Lilith gave her a genuine smile. "Well, at least not everything here is so solemn. Looks like that's all?"
The Duchess, of course, wasn't finished. She pulled out a scroll and unrolled it with a grace that was almost terrifying. The document, which nearly touched the floor, was filled with dense, tightly packed lines.
"This is your schedule."
Lilith tried not to look directly at it, but she couldn't help it. She wished she had the ability to faint at will. She'd use it right now. Isn't this abuse? It should be illegal, and it is, my dear Lilith. There were activities from dawn until long after sunset: etiquette, dance, politics, history, equestrianism, and a multitude of classes whose mere names already exhausted her.
Lilith felt something sink in her chest.
"Everything you've learned in the last nine years must be completed in three, or less, if possible."
"Oh, sure! Easy. I just have to compress a decade of my genius self's efforts into three years and then become queen. No pressure at all."
Lilith raised her gaze to her mother, who was watching her with an expression that admitted no protest.
"Then, you will attend the Academy of Nobles for two more years. And then, the competition to become queen, which will last three years."
"What if I just don't do it? Is that an option? No? Perfect."
"And what happens if I fail?" Lilith asked, raising her gaze with a deceptively innocent look, but it was really sarcasm.
"That is not a possibility, Lilith." Her mother's voice was as cold as marble.
"Your victory is practically assured," added the Duchess.
"That's not a possibility. Not before, not now, not ever."
"Sure, because failing is something that doesn't happen in real life. I didn't know I, the epitome of noble lady, was immune to failure."
The Duchess ended her speech with a reminder that was more of a sentence:
"You are our hope to solidify our position on the throne. This is your destiny, Lilith."
"It's good to know I'm someone's life project. Maybe I should embroider that on a cushion."
Lilith nodded mechanically while her mind fluttered between scattered thoughts.
Her mother continued explaining every detail of her new regimen.
"Well, looks like being perfect is my only option. I guess I can start practicing my statue smile. Maybe I'll believe it by the end of the day."
"Anything else I should know?" Lilith finally asked, raising an eyebrow.
The Duchess leaned forward slightly, her expression leaving no room for debate. "Yes. There's no margin for error."
Lilith forced a smile. "Understood. No margin for error. I'm perfect. I'm the future queen. I'm Lilith. Is that something I can add to my list of accomplishments?"
The Duchess sighed, ignoring the comment. "Prepare yourself. You begin now."
The day had just begun, and Lilith was already exhausted.
She was already sure she hated this life, but at the same time, she couldn't help but face it with a mix of sarcasm and resignation.
"Well, if all else fails, at least I can be a scandalous noble and write a book about this. I'd call it: 'Born Not to Be Queen,' or something like that." she murmured.