Mizuki woke up with a jolt, feeling the air heavy and stuffy around her. She tried to get up, but the dizzying sensation made her fall back onto the bed. What was happening? She was no longer in her room, and the place around her looked old, with dark wooden furniture and heavy velvet curtains.
"What is this place...?" Mizuki whispered, trying to calm herself.
She looked around, trying to process what was happening. It wasn't her home, nor her bed. There was a large ornate mirror on the wall and a red carpet that covered much of the floor. Something was wrong... Very wrong. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to remember what had happened before she woke up.
Then, the truth hit her. The scene of her own room at home disappeared from her mind, replaced by the image of a book. "The Scarlet Rose and the Golden Prince," her favorite novel, which she had read so many times. She knew the plot by heart... but that meant she was inside that world. And, even worse, not as the heroine, but as Elena Belmont, the villain's servant.
"No, this can't be real..." Mizuki stood up, feeling the strange sensation of being pulled into this new body. She looked down at her hands and saw Elena's thin, pale fingers.
The memory of the plot of the book made her freeze. Elena, the loyal servant of the villain Seraphina von Aurelian, would be betrayed and killed at the end of the story. She didn't want that fate. She needed to change the course of history, and fast.
"What can I do...?" Mizuki muttered to herself, as she walked to the mirror, staring at the young woman who was now in the reflection. It wasn't her, but... it was. The dark blond hair, the simple dress, the submissive posture of a servant... all of it seemed to fit the role.
The bedroom door opened with a soft creak, and an imposing figure entered. It was Seraphina, her master, the villain of the novel. She wore a purple velvet dress, and her silver hair fell like a silken waterfall over her shoulders. Her eyes, cold and calculating, watched Mizuki with an expression of mild curiosity.
"Elena, are you awake?" Seraphina's soft voice cut through the silence of the room.
Mizuki straightened quickly, trying to hide the confusion in her eyes. She had to keep up appearances. What to do now? What to say?
"Y-Yes, my lady. I… I'm awake now." Mizuki bowed, the rigid posture of a servant automatically taking control of her body. She couldn't help but feel the need to change things. She couldn't let Seraphina follow the same tragic path.
Seraphina watched her for a moment, a glint of suspicion in her eyes, but her expression soon softened.
"I received a letter from Prince Adrian." He requests our presence at the castle tomorrow. What do you think of that, Elena?" Seraphina asked, her tone disinterested. Mizuki thought quickly. In the novel, this event was the beginning of a series of intrigues that would lead to Seraphina's downfall. Interacting with the prince would be crucial, but to change the future, she needed to act differently. "Perhaps this is a good opportunity for us to gain more influence in the kingdom, my lady. Court politics are complicated, and a good impression on the prince could guarantee an advantageous alliance," Mizuki suggested, remembering how Seraphina must have been more cunning in the book. Seraphina raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Hmm… You're right. I was planning to skip this meeting, but perhaps I should reconsider. Very well, Elena, you are dismissed. Prepare yourself for tomorrow." She gestured imperatively, and Mizuki bowed once more, quickly leaving the room. As she walked through the halls, Mizuki's mind was buzzing with thoughts. She was determined to change everything, but she didn't know where to start. Prince Adrian, the heroine Lilian, and even the mysterious Duke Raphael von Aurelian… all of these characters could help or hinder her mission. She had to be careful.
However, one thing was certain: in order to change Seraphina's fate and save herself, Mizuki needed to unravel each of their true intentions.
"I can't let the story run its course… I won't let the villain die!" Mizuki muttered, clenching her fists in determination.
Deep down, she knew that the game was just beginning, and every move she made now could change everything. She had knowledge of the future, but she also had to remember one crucial thing: this was no longer the world of a romance novel. The rules could be different.
The change would begin tomorrow, when she met Prince Adrian.