Knock, Knock
In the bedroom, the girl with flowing golden hair was lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully,
The knock on the door continues. The girl frowns and shifts in bed, putting a pillow to her head. As the noise becomes unbearable, the girl sits up in irritation, shouting at the door,
"Moom, please stop now, I'm awake!"
The knock sound stopped, the girl sighed, and stood up, walking toward the mirror.
Seeing her messy blond hair, she picked up a comb and started brushing her hair.
After taking a quick shower and dressing up, she look last time at the mirror.
She was wearing a neat blue uniform sent by the academy,
'ahhh I wanted to sleep more, I slept late last night staring at stars, why of all days today's the day the academy has to start'
Walking outside the room, a maid approached her, bowing lightly.
"Miss Zara, Madam is in the dining room expecting you."
Zara smiled and nodded,
"Thanks, Nora, I'm going to the dining hall just now."
Seeing Zara leaving, the maid looked at her back, sighing.
'Who is making assassination attempts on my lady? She is so kind.'
Descending from the staircase, Zara enters the dining hall. after entering, her gaze fixed on a woman in a flowing white dress and long green hair reaching her back, her blue eyes staring at her calmly,
Zara smiled sheepishly, seeing her gaze fixed on her.
"Mom, I know I should have slept early at night, don't lecture me. Please."
Sophia sighed, seeing her making a puppy face. She sat on the dining chair,
"Okay, okay, sit and eat quickly, the carriage should be arriving soon,"
Zara smirked proudly at her achievement and quickly sat in the chair, eating her fill, while eating her gaze turned to the empty chair, she look at Sophia smiling mischievously.
"Mom, where is Dad? still in his office or polishing his sword skills,"
Sophia, seeing her sly face, coughed and narrowed her eyes at Zara,
"Stop talking while eating, how many times have I said it to you?"
Zara looks at Sophia, smirking.
"Mother, this is home, not some royal banquet."
Sophia's face darkened as she looked at her.
"It could be a royal banquet, and correct your habit of sleeping early, in academy lessons start very early, you will get punished if you sleep in class or come late to class."
Zara pouted her chin, puffing it out,
"Mother, I know, you said it hundreds of times this month, I'm going to call Dad for dinner."
As she was about to stand up, Sophia shook her head and said.
"You don't need to, he is not at home, the emperor called him, so he is in the palace."
Zara narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms.
"Mom, how many times did Emperor call Dad this month? What did he want?"
Sophia frowned and leaned forward, flicking her forehead.
"owwei, why did you hit me for?"
Sophia sat again, calmly sipping her tea.
"For your manners, speak properly, he is the emperor, not your uncle".
Zara mumbled in her mouth.
"Tch, I just ask, Why beat me?"
"Clop, clop." Just as she finished her breakfast, outside, a carriage's halting sound was heard in the hall.
"The carriage has arrived, it's time to go, daughter, and make sure you behave there, okay."
Zara smiled and stood up, hugging her.
"I know Mom, I will miss you."
After saying goodbye, she walked outside the main door, the light of a star similar to the sun's shine on her.
As she descended from the main stairs, a burly man knelt on one foot.
"Greetings, young miss."
Zara smirked seeing him.
"Eh, master, why are you kneeling again?"
The guard stood up, looking at Zara.
"Miss, as captain guard, I only teach you how to wield swords, I'm not your master."
"Hmm, whatever you say, Captain."
She quickly jumped on the carriage and closed the door.
Captain sighed and waved his hand, then went toward his horse.
The horse starts walking, making the carriage roll forward.
Zara rolls the curtain from the window, looking outside, as they exit the Caelvaris empire gate. Zara's eyes lit up seeing the forest their carriage passed by, lush valleys hours passed peacefully.
until the road twisted into mountains, the captain raised his hand, seeing rocks blocking the mountain road.
The guards stop seeing his raised hands, one guard beside the captain looks around in confusion.
"Captain, there is no other way we have to clear the road first."
The captain didn't reply as he looked around suspiciously.
"Watch out, there can be bandits hiding near here."
The guards become alert, hearing him.
Inside the carriage, Zara looked outside in confusion, seeing the carriage suddenly stop.
"What's happening? Why suddenly stop here?"
The guard guarding the carriage alertly turned his head toward her.
"The roads are blocked, miss, and the captain warns us that bandits could be hiding around."
Zara frowned, hearing him,
Suddenly, from the hills, bandits started attacking, muscles were bulging from their arms, and their attire was like they were barbarians.
Captain sheathed his sword, raising it high.
"Protect Miss Zara, and attack these bandits, leave no one alive."
As they attack, blood starts soaking the dirt, as knights' and bandits' heads float in the air.
Zara, seeing dead bodies, her eyes became dull as she remembered her worst experience. She quickly shook her head, ridding herself of these memories, her body trembling slightly, sweat pouring from her head.
'I I need to fight, remember the magic father taught me,'
Her eyes widen in fear as she realizes something.
'w why can't I remember any spell?"
as she was trying to cast a spell, the carriage door shook. Zara, with wide eyes, looked toward the door.
A burly man was sneering at her, holding a bloodied club. Zara's eyes turned as her gaze fell on a dead knight at his feet,
Zara's eyes became dull again, seeing the body, the bandit narrowed, seeing her face.
'Why this noble brat is not screaming?'
He swung his club, striking at her temple with enough force to make her unconscious.
Darkness swallowed her as she fell into the carriage seat.
bandit sneering, hold her feet, and drag her outside.
"We did it, boys! Look at this—we got some noble brat!" one bandit cheered.
Another reached for Zara's unconscious form— his hands near her chest.
Before he can touch her, his eyes widen as he, with shaky hands, reaches toward his neck.
His head hit the floor before his body, his eyes wide open.
"Disgusting scum," captain growled in anger, sword dripping with blood. "Take the miss to a safe place, the remaining Knights attack!"
The battle starts again. One by one, the bandits fell to their deaths. None survived as knights killed them using their aura.
Inside the broken carriage, something no one could see stirred.
A wisp of black mist slithered from the shadows, entering the carriage. It hovered over Zara's chest, searching for something.
Then the wisp tries to touch her body. Butburst!
A surge of blue-white light erupted from her body. The mist screamed silently and disintegrated into nothing.
Moments later.
Zara woke inside a warm tent, her head hurting badly.
"Ugh... what happened...?"
She clutched her temple as something surged in her head beside pain—memories that weren't hers flooded her brain.
Metal machines. Cars. Screens showing real humans. City skylines reaching the sky. Otome games.
"What... what's a car? Some kind of carriage?"
Then the memory shifted, showing an otome game. The names start flooding her mind. Stats. Routes. Villainesses. A girl named Zara.
Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes staring at the tangled sheets.
"No… no way…"
She sat up, pale and trembling.
"This… this is just a game world. An Otome game."
She whispered as the final realization came, and her face became a little pale.
"And I'm the one who will die…"
She stared into the distance with a horrified face, mumbling.
"I have the smallest magic talent… I'm not even a love interest."
Her expression improved a little.
"Well thats good. I don't want to be someone's romance option anyway."
A smirk tugged at her lips.
"This might actually be the best part."
Her eyes gleamed as she clenched her fist.
"I'll rewrite my life because I know what will happen i i can survive and become strong, so my life will not be at risk"