Chapter 1: I Was Supposed to Die

The last thing I remembered was the blinding headlights.

A horn screamed.

Someone shouted my name.

Then—

Darkness.

...

"...Lady Selene?"

"...Lady Selene!"

A sharp poke jabbed my shoulder.

I groaned and slapped the offending hand away.

"Five more minutes..."

Silence.

Then came an ear-piercing gasp.

"Your Ladyship spoke!"

My eyes flew open.

A young girl dressed in a black-and-white maid uniform stared at me as if I'd just risen from the dead.

Actually...

Maybe I had.

The room around me was enormous.

Silk curtains framed towering windows, letting streams of morning sunlight spill across polished marble floors. A crystal chandelier glittered overhead, while expensive furniture covered every corner.

This wasn't my apartment.

I bolted upright.

"What... where am I?"

The maid looked frightened.

"My lady... are you feeling unwell?"

I ignored her.

My gaze landed on a massive gilded mirror across the room.

The woman staring back wasn't me.

Long ebony hair tumbled down her shoulders. Porcelain skin. Crimson lips. Violet eyes that looked too beautiful to belong to any ordinary person.

I reached toward the mirror.

The reflection did the same.

"No..."

My voice trembled.

"No, no, no..."

This wasn't happening.

Yesterday, I had been Seraphina Ashford—a final-year medical student surviving on instant noodles and caffeine while cramming for exams.

Today...

I looked like a character straight out of a fantasy novel.

My heartbeat quickened.

"Mirror," I whispered.

The maid blinked.

"My lady?"

"The mirror."

She hurried over and carried the standing mirror closer.

I examined every inch of my face.

Definitely not mine.

I pinched my cheek.

"Ow."

Still real.

"...I'm dead."

The maid's face turned white.

"Please don't say such terrifying things this early in the morning!"

Before I could respond, a flood of memories exploded inside my head.

Names.

Faces.

Conversations.

A life that wasn't mine.

Lady Selene Vesper.

Daughter of Count Vesper.

One of the Crown Prince's concubines.

Spoiled.

Arrogant.

Hopelessly obsessed with Prince Lucien.

Then...

The ending.

I remembered it with horrifying clarity.

Selene poisoned the prince.

She was dragged into the palace courtyard.

Publicly executed.

Beheaded.

My stomach lurched.

"Nope."

The maid tilted her head.

"...My lady?"

"I refuse."

"Refuse... what?"

"I refuse to lose my head."

The maid looked utterly confused.

I grabbed both of her shoulders.

"When is the execution?"

She screamed.

"My lady! Why are you asking that?!"

Right.

Wrong question.

I forced a smile.

"When... do I enter the palace?"

The maid blinked.

"...Today."

"..."

"..."

"...Today?"

"Yes."

She smiled nervously.

"The imperial carriage will arrive in one hour."

One hour.

ONE HOUR?!

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

I jumped out of bed so quickly that my feet tangled in the ridiculously long nightdress.

Crash!

I landed face-first on the carpet.

The maid gasped.

"My lady!"

"I'm fine!"

"...Are you sure?"

"My dignity isn't."

She helped me stand, trying very hard not to laugh.

Too late.

I had already noticed her shoulders shaking.

"You laughed."

"I-I would never!"

"You absolutely did."

"...Just a little."

I sighed.

Wonderful.

I'd been reincarnated for less than ten minutes and had already embarrassed myself.

Maybe destiny had a sense of humor.

The maid introduced herself as Lily while helping me dress.

She carefully laced a deep wine-red gown that looked beautiful...

...and impossible to breathe in.

"How do people survive wearing this?"

"They... breathe smaller, my lady."

"Breathe smaller?"

"Yes."

"What does that even mean?"

"I don't know."

We stared at each other.

Then we both burst into laughter.

At least someone here seemed normal.

Once dressed, Lily brushed my hair.

"You seem different today."

I froze.

"Different?"

"You've never smiled at me before."

Oh.

Apparently, the original Selene had been awful.

Mental note: Be nicer.

"I've decided to turn over a new leaf."

Lily blinked.

"...A leaf?"

"Forget it."

A loud trumpet echoed from outside.

Lily peeked through the window.

"The imperial carriage has arrived."

So soon?

Reality hit me like a brick.

This wasn't a dream.

I really was about to enter the palace.

The place where everyone betrayed one another with smiles on their faces.

The place where Lady Selene was destined to die.

Not if I could help it.

I took a deep breath.

"New plan."

Lily waited expectantly.

"I will stay far away from Prince Lucien."

"Very wise."

"I won't get involved in palace politics."

"Excellent."

"I definitely won't fall in love with the tyrant."

"The best decision you've ever made."

Satisfied, I nodded.

"This is foolproof."

Outside, thunder rumbled despite the clear blue sky.

Lily frowned.

"That's strange."

I wasn't paying attention.

If I simply avoided the prince, nothing bad could happen.

No romance.

No execution.

No beheading.

Easy.

...

Unfortunately...

Fate had already begun laughing at me.

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