Will this ink even come off? I muttered, turning my hands over, the black stains clinging to my skin as if they'd seeped straight into it.
"Whether it comes off or not doesn't matter! If you don't eat now, the soup will turn to stone!" Zurie shot back, crossing her arms as she threw me a look of pure disapproval.
Behind her, a pile of papers covered in scribbles of an impossible language sprawled across the table, practically screaming my insanity to the world.
"And speaking of that… where in all the gods' names did you learn this writing?" She grabbed one of the papers, her face twisting at the strange characters. "You barely remembered your own name a week ago."
"Zurie, I don't want soup. You can leave." My voice sliced through the air like a cold blade.
Her expression sank for a second. Irritation on the surface, concern leaking through her eyes. It was normal. After all, it had been only seven days since the 'young lady of House Vandelion' had fallen into the lake and come back to life without memories—at least, that was the official story.
"Anyway," she sighed, adjusting her apron. "I need to go to the Second Residence to fetch the items for the count's accommodations for the upcoming weeks."
She walked to the motionless boy near the door. "Joseph… stay here with her, alright?"
I looked over my shoulder just in time to see Joseph's gloomy eyes meet mine—before dropping to the floor, like it was a crime to look at me.
"Take him with you." I declared, almost harshly. "What?" Zurie snapped back.
"Why should I stay alone with him? I don't even remember either of you."
"B-but…"
"And I also think it's safer if I'm alone, you know?" My eyes narrowed at Joseph, glancing at him over my shoulder without a hint of expression. "Without any strangers around."
Joseph blinked, startled. Zurie's eyes flew wide in shock.
"M-Miss Diana! Regardless of that, you shou—"
"It's alright, ma'am." Joseph cut her off with a gentle bow. "If anything happens, just call us."
And without giving Zurie a chance to continue her lecture, he followed her out.
The door closed.
And I moved at that same fraction of a second, turning the key with a sharp click.
Finally, some peace.
Silence.
My body collapsed onto the absurdly soft bed. My eyes throbbed after hours of writing—maybe days—but I needed to orient myself in this place, especially without any sense of time, which had evaporated along with my old world.
This is real…
That was the hard part. It was all real.
A luxurious Victorian-style bedroom, golden frames, furniture worth more than my life.
I wasn't home.
I wasn't even in my world.
"What a fucking stroke of luck… Hahahaha…"
The laugh slipped out weak at first, then swelled into something wild and unhinged—almost hysterical.
I was definitely going insane.
But who wouldn't?
I had almost been caught by a police officer who looked exactly like that servant while trying to get rid of a pebble in my shoe, got run over, and now here I was—miraculously alive, breathing, and whole.
My only misfortune was landing inside the least prestigious daughter of House Vandelion, a background character who appeared twice in a story full of powerful lunatics.
I jumped to my feet, rushing to the mirror, ripping off the thin nightgown to study the reflection for the thousandth time.
Bright blue eyes, long reddish-brown hair, fair skin, and a face far too delicate to be useful in any fight.
The body had less muscle than my old one, and honestly, lacked a touch of health.
But… honestly? I looked stunning.
"I look like a damn K-drama idol…" I grumbled, making one of those magazine poses as I slipped the nightgown back on, staring at my own image like a stranger.
I moved toward the table covered in papers. Each one filled with scribbles in Japanese, English, and Portuguese; summaries and spoilers of The Brightest Star.
I grabbed the first sheet.
Book One: Aria, the protagonist, awakens her astral powers and ends up joining the special forces alongside Ezekiel, the crown prince infiltrated to improve his skills and learn about his people; near the end of the first book, Cael, the assistant general who returns from war carrying the enemy emperor's head and throwing it at the feet of the current emperor, is described as insane.
Another sheet.
Book Two: Aria and Cael meet at the ball where he receives the title of imperial general and is given… Diana Vandelion.
Me.
A convenient stand-in for his dead wife and a political marriage enabling him to assume the title of imperial general.
As they train together in the special division, Cael develops an obsession with Aria (is he a yandere type?), and mysteriously, Diana ends up being murdered by Cael himself, who—thanks to his status as imperial general—could kill indiscriminately as long as it wasn't a member of the imperial family.
After my death, rumors about Cael's madness grow even worse.
"Shit—" I bit my fist and flung the paper away.
I grabbed the summary of Book Three. Joseph—my personal servant—is revealed to be the prodigy of the Vandelion Third Residence during a visit from Ezekiel, being immediately recruited into the special division where he remains under Aria's care. And guess what—they fall in love.
"Three for one… that woman must be insanely hot," I muttered.
I kept reading.
Cael's demonic aura begins to manifest, showing that the demon he contracted with is going out of control. Joseph notices abnormal behavior and warns Aria, who begins an investigation during which they grow even closer.
Meanwhile, the prince takes the throne temporarily while the king recovers from a mysterious illness, leaving Aria under Joseph's care.
I grabbed more papers. Fourth, fifth, sixth book.
Threw them all into the air.
None of it mattered if I died at the end of the second.
I took a deep breath, grabbing pen and paper, sitting on the floor.
Okay.
Let's think from the points where I get screwed.
"Cael returns → Cael has a sadistic reputation → his war achievements can't be ignored and he becomes imperial general → he needs a noble title to take such a position → political marriage with Diana, who has a high rank but is an insignificant daughter → Diana dies → Cael loses his mind."
A perfect trajectory leading straight to my death.
I needed to cut that thread now.
I flipped the paper, drawing lines to list my options for avoiding my death.
1. Never meet him. Travel far away pretending to study.
2. Become precious enough as a daughter not to be used as bargaining material.
3. Join the army as a low-rank cadet and vanish from his sight.
I crossed out the third option.
I'd have to train my muscles before considering that—because in this body…
4. Flee. Or marry someone else. Anything.
I sighed.
I had no idea how much time was left before Cael's return from the war.
If he was already back, I was screwed.
I also had no idea how important Diana was. So far, nothing special had been—
Oh no. Wait.
I rushed to the papers scattered on the floor and picked up the summary of the sixth book.
A powerful cleric says that the reincarnation of the Moon Goddess had already taken place in this world, within the Vandelion family. And her assassination destabilized all divine cores connected to the goddess Goa.
Because of this, Cael—already half-insane—was sentenced to death since he had killed poor Diana. This becomes the trigger for him to lose his mind entirely, invade Lysgard gard, and seize the empire, using their army against Avennor.
Joseph becomes the new general and, alongside Aria, they cut off Cael's head and present it to Ezekiel on a platter.
After that, Aria confesses her feelings for Ezekiel, becomes empress, and has a beautiful family. Joseph is no longer mentioned, and the kingdoms remain at peace.
And at the center of all of this…
Diana Vandelion.
Me.
I was the reincarnated Moon Goddess.
If that was the trigger for Cael's downfall…
…then if I awakened the Moon Goddess' power early, he wouldn't be able to lay a finger on me.
I opened the window. The cold evening wind hit me like a blow as I sat on the ledge.
I looked at the sky, deepening into blue, sighing as the first stars appeared.
Okay.
Plan set.
1: I'll awaken my goddess powers.
2: If I fail before Cael returns, I'll marry someone and run away.
3: If that fails too… I'll kill the bastard before he kills me. I've done it before.
Simple.
"M-MISS DIANA!" A desperate voice rose from the garden. "Please step back inside! You'll fall!"
Joseph was down below, pale as a ghost, waving frantically.
In the books, powers awakened in moments of need.
So…
If I jump…
I stood up on the ledge.
Adrenaline burned through my veins, twisting my expression.
"DIANA, PLEASE, DON'T—!"
Before hearing another warning, I jumped.
The wind tore at my body, the ground rushing closer. The situation brought me an inexplicable calm.
Nothing else.
When I opened my eyes, it wasn't divine power holding me.
It was Joseph.
On his knees.
Crushing me against his chest like I might fall apart.
Servants ran around us.
But he only looked at me, terrified, searching for any injury as his hands brushed over my face.
Something pulsed inside me. My expression twisted involuntarily.
And when he saw my face, something exploded across his.
Red.
Shame?
Fear?
Relief?
"Diana…" he whispered, eyes glassy as he finally steadied his breath. "I told you… not to do anything dangerous."
A lock of my hair was tucked gently behind my ear.
Bingo.
While I work on Plan 1…
…I think I just found the victim for Plan 2.