Eleanor Gwendolyn was a remarkably intelligent young girl. Unlike most young ladies who preferred to learn household management at home, she followed in the footsteps of her two eldest brothers by attending an academy in a neighboring kingdom for three years to pursue knowledge.
Despite being smarter and excelling beyond all her peers, she never flaunted her abilities. In fact, she never boasted about them, even though they were the result of her hard work, which often required her to stay up all night to solve problems she didn't fully understand—because she never dared to ask the professors for help.
Why? Because Eleanor struggled to express her feelings. She was an introspective person, preferring to keep everything she felt and desired deep within her heart. She believed it unnecessary to voice her thoughts, as the outcome would likely remain the same.
Eleanor was also very closed off and would completely withdraw if anyone attempted to breach her personal space forcefully. Only a select few individuals made her feel comfortable enough to let them into her safe zone.
Because of her demeanor, she earned the nickname 'Lady Untouchable' at the academy, a title that even reverberated through the social circles of the Magnolia Empire, where her family resided.
Thus, her father, Marquess Gwendolyn, understanding his daughter's situation and deeply concerned for her well-being in solitude, decided to arrange her engagement before Eleanor left for the academy.
He carefully considered this choice, wanting to ensure that his youngest daughter's peaceful life would not be disrupted during her time at the academy by noble families attempting to approach her for power and influence.
After selecting a suitor, whom he vetted thoroughly, Marquess Gwendolyn finally engaged Eleanor to John Burbom, the son of a vassal noble from the Gwendolyn family. John Burbom, who was the same age as the Marquess' second son, had previously worked in the finance department of the Gwendolyn estate alongside his father, Baron Burbom. He was known for his kind heart and diligent work ethic.
Upon hearing the surprising news, the Burbom family knelt in gratitude for the golden opportunity to elevate their family's status.
They promptly organized a simple engagement ceremony the day before Eleanor's departure to the academy.
Everything went smoothly thereafter. Eleanor managed to live in peace during her three years at the academy. The Marquess no longer faced pressure from older nobles trying to marry off their sons to Gwendolyn's youngest daughter for political alliances.
That should have been the case, until the Gwendolyn family belatedly realized their grave mistake, as a storm had already erupted, wreaking havoc on the life of their youngest daughter.
"If only they hadn't chosen the wrong fiancé for Eleanor..." The ginger-haired girl murmured wearily as she reflected, trying to lean against the headboard of her bed, despite her body feeling as if it might break.
She reached for a small mirror, no larger than her palm, and examined her reflection closely.
There, she saw a young girl, not yet twenty years old. Her straight ginger hair cascaded softly to her chest, slightly disheveled due to the bandages on her head, complemented by her cute, tousled bangs. Her porcelain-like skin was flawless, with no blemishes, and her thin cheeks bore a natural blush. Her small pink lips looked enticing in their simplicity, although they appeared pale from the burden of pain she felt.
Her crimson eyes were sharp and sparkled perfectly, as if capable of diminishing anyone with just one glance. Yet, the light in her eyes did not reflect her personality—a shy girl who had always lived in seclusion and struggled to communicate.
Slowly, her hand reached out to touch the bandage around her head. She could feel the throb of pain swirling around the injury from the impact.
The girl in the mirror let out a heavy sigh. Her perfect face and extraordinary beauty could not conceal the weight clouding her thoughts. The dismal fate hanging over her made her exhale tiredly as if rejecting the absurd reality now upon her.
"Why did it have to be Eleanor Gwendolyn of all characters, especially in my dear younger brother's wretched novel?" She couldn't help but curse under her breath.
Why couldn't he have placed me in the body of a heroine with a bright future? Why was it Eleanor, who had the most tragic fate?
Why must it be Eleanor, who shared the same personality traits as herself? Upon reading the introduction of Eleanor for the first time, she immediately disliked her. She knew right away that her brother had created the character Eleanor Gwendolyn by perfectly mirroring her own personality.
She despised this immensely, for knowing Eleanor's sorrowful story meant she, too, was bound to a similarly tragic fate, given their shared personalities and problems.
The thought of living as her tragic doppelgänger from another world filled her with the urge to yank her brother's hair and hit him on the back as hard as she could until her frustration subsided.
Couldn't he create a character with a good fate if he wanted to copy my personality? What kind of brother would subject his sister to such a sorrowful existence?
Contemplating all this made her fight the urge to scream in despair and frustration, realizing she was now trapped in a foreign world without any clear reason or explanation.
But she didn't want to imagine what the people at the academy would think if they saw her shouting incomprehensible phrases.
Besides, she wouldn't be able to move much in this pitiful state anyway.
"Sigh..."
The pain that occasionally flared up in her head each time she tried to think forced her to surrender and lie back in her dorm room, unable to do anything but rest, despite the miserable fate sweetly waiting for her in the future.
"Lady Eleanor, may I come in?"
A voice echoed with two soft knocks, followed by the turning of the doorknob as the door to her dorm room opened, revealing a young maid dressed in a simple outfit. Her brown hair was neatly braided into two plaits that fell to her shoulders.
The young maid, named Tina, had worked for the Gwendolyn household since she was a child. She was fortunate enough to read situations adeptly, allowing her to be one of the few people Eleanor allowed into her comfort zone, as Tina never overstepped her boundaries while serving her, making her Eleanor's personal maid.
Tina's eyes were still puffy and red, a clear sign of her previous tears, and it was evident she was on the verge of crying once again.
Seeing that, she was reminded of the first time she had awakened in this strange place, surrounded by unfamiliar sensations and sounds.
"Lady...! You fell off your horse and hit your head...! Hic! The academy physician said that your chances of survival are impossible because people who fall from horses usually end up dead. Hiccc!"
Tina, who had been hysterically crying and sniffling every time she spoke, was in stark contrast to the composed maid standing before Eleanor now.
"How are you, my lady? I brought the pain relievers and the headache medicine you requested," Tina said as she placed the two medications on the nightstand.
The ginger-haired girl nodded weakly, and a serene silence began to fill the elegantly furnished academy room, which was quite luxurious for a dormitory.
Understanding the situation, Tina refrained from asking too many questions and quietly sat in the corner to avoid disturbing Eleanor's tranquility. She was truly a considerate maid, aware of her lady's demeanor.
Eleanor Gwendolyn was naturally reserved, speaking only when necessary. Therefore, it wasn't difficult for her to act in this situation, despite possessing minimal information. Their shared personality traits made everything easier.
However, she chose to remain silent for now, opting to observe her surroundings as much as possible. She didn't want to say the wrong thing when her situation was still unclear as Eleanor.
A single knock on the door broke the silence in the room.
Tina quickly opened it without waiting for a second knock.
"Oh, it's the academy physician," Tina said, her voice calm but not surprised.
Standing at the doorway was a man with white hair and a thick mustache beneath his nose, carrying a heavy briefcase in both hands.
"Am I interrupting your rest, Miss?" The physician asked, slightly hunched as he entered.
Without responding verbally, the ginger-haired girl shook her head, which caused her to groan in pain, as even that simple motion triggered a strong reaction from her head injury.
"Ugh...!!!"
"Lady Eleanor!" Tina exclaimed, her professional demeanor fading as concern filled her eyes, which were now brimming with tears, ready to spill over again.
"Oh dear, your bandage is bleeding again." The elderly physician sighed as he opened his briefcase to retrieve a fresh bandage and disinfectant after sitting down in the chair next to Eleanor's bed. "We need to change your bandage."
With Tina managing to calm herself, she and the physician carefully replaced the blood-soaked bandage with a new one.
"I advise you not to move your head for now. You must remember that the head is the most dangerous area to injure. You could die instantly if your head strikes something again," the physician said after finishing the bandage. His tone was gentle, but his words were brutally honest and straightforward.
Tina responded defensively to the physician's remarks. "Please speak more gently and kindly to Lady Eleanor; she has just survived a terrible accident!"
"Oh, I apologize. I am only concerned for Miss Eleanor's current condition since she is the only one who survived after falling from a horse—"
"Alright, alright, let me escort you back to your clinic, sir," Tina interjected, unwilling to let her lady hear the physician's blunt yet alarming comments. She gently pushed him toward the door, nodding her head in farewell to Eleanor as she closed the door behind them.
"Sigh... My head feels like it's about to split in two," the ginger-haired girl finally murmured once she was alone again.
She understood the physician's reaction.
Falling from a horse is inherently a deadly accident, with virtually no chance of survival. Most victims die on the spot.
And it wasn't inaccurate, considering Eleanor Gwendolyn was no longer alive, and the person inhabiting her body was a stranger.
Not wanting to endure such excruciating pain again, she decided to lie down with two large, soft pillows flanking her head to minimize any movement. She then chose to close her eyes for a moment.
"What else can I do? I have no choice... Very well... Let's live this life as Eleanor Gwendolyn...." she murmured before drifting off to sleep.