Veniara Ravelgrace was the second eldest sibling of the Ravelgrace royalty. She had a brother in succession to the King's throne. Her younger sister was four years younger than her.

The Ravelgrace royalty primarily controls the eastern side of the continent, ruling its capital city Valenluire. Being a part of this family was a fantasy commoner's dream.

Veniara appeared in the main book’s introduction when she was sixteen. The kingdom arranged an engagement with her and the prince of the Western Empire.

The kings of the two huge states agreed on a unity treaty and used their successors to achieve this. This unity stood for a power difference and a threat across the other countries, but it's not explained in the novel.

However, the banished first prince, who became the dark lord, kidnapped Veniara in the middle of the marriage.

After that, Veniara's spotlight vanished, and the lead male character took over. The kidnapping was too dumb and too forced. If I were in that situation, I must've escaped the kidnapper's absurdity…

Who would expect that it would become a reality soon? The memories I never had, Veniara’s memories, entered within me, merging with what I had in my earlier life.

Where is the real Veniara? Where does her soul lie now? Now that I've overtaken my body, did she vanish from existence?

I died as a slave of time and freedom. I’m supposed to be dead.

But why am I here?

It was noon the same day, and except my brother, everyone in our family sat at the long dining table, waiting for the chef to finish preparing the meals.

The dining room had identical royalty designs to my bedroom. Maids clean the walls regularly to show the purity of the place.

The maids also prepared the expensive-looking silverware in front of us. Even the spoon and fork's design had aesthetics. The thin and brittle drinking glass looked like a wine glass.

Veniara’s father, King Aldric IV, sat on the edge and center of the table. He had a muscular build, broad shoulders, and a commanding presence.

His silver hair, once dark, now reflects the wisdom gained through years of ruling. His red eyes held a mix of authority and compassion. His beard extended up to his collar bone like the king of cards.

The two beside him were Veniara's mother and little sister.

Queen Genivie had a long flowing crimson hair that reached her waist. Her blue eyes were filled with determination and wisdom. Beside mother was I, stammering in front of my blank plate.

Marina Ravelgrace, Veniara’s little sister, was a short five-year-old kid with an ideal face and long silver hair that reaches up to her waist, but her personality doesn't show it.

Behind me was the maid who was with me before, Elara. The maid assigned to Veniara's welfare named herself Elara. She might be 19 by now but she already became the royal court maid of the mansion.

No one muttered a word until the chefs served the food at the table.

The grilled meat and its spices aroma visited my nostrils as I breathed. The broth of the soup tickles my tongue to excite me.

Not only that, the vegetable salad depicts art as how the chefs planned to garnish it. This was a meal I once dreamed of eating.

Genivie, my ‘Mother,’ cried and hugged me like she was perturbed, and I was like, 'What?' Just a moment before, her piercing eyes imitated a deadly aura, and now…

"My dearest Veniara, I am gravely concerned for your well-being. Pray tell, how do you fare? Has any harm befallen you? I implore you, did you suffer any injury to your person? Your safety and health are of the utmost importance to me, and I shall spare no effort to ensure that they remain uncompromised."

" G—Genivie-san, I'm fine! Nothing hurts for what I can feel.”

“Genivie-san?” she asked, tilting her head after letting me go.

Oh my God! I accidentally called her by her name! How should I act like Veniara!? I did run through the whole novel once, but because of her little spotlight, I couldn’t remember her mannerisms.

While I inhabit her body, I should imitate her… But how do I act like a royalty!? I’m just a commoner.

“I—I’m sorry, Mother,” I stuttered. “I—I ask what happened—me”

“Is there something wrong, my dear red cat?” Queen Genivie was fond of nicknames that she called Veniara a red cat.

King Aldric IV, my ‘father,’ wheezed, like a loud speaker deafening every person in the room. “It was Marina—When she asked you to imitate like a bull, you hit your head to the pillar. And then you—” He continued laughing like he was going to die soon.

Marina, my ‘little sister,’ went with father and laughed.

"Stupid sister! Copying a bull!" Marina’s cringe sounded forced. Was she doing it for Father to like her? Kids nowadays…

It wasn’t only me who was uncomfortable; Mother was too. “This is no laughing matter, popcorn! Your daughter just had an accident. Would you show some sympathy and care, even a little bit?”

Queen Genivie used to call his husband ‘popcorn’ because of his appearance.

“I’m sorry, dear.” Father stopped laughing, but his jokes didn’t. "Pray tell, what caused the humble tomato to turn red?"

Father smiled even though we're not replying, but he caught our attention. "…Because it saw the salad dressing!"

And there goes the king's die-hard cringe laugh which was like an inserted soundtrack to spice a joke. It would be awkward and discomforting if Marina weren't there to follow up on his laughter.

I nearly smirked to respect his joke, but Mother stared at me with her furrowed eyebrows and shook her head. She might have known that I might spoil him.

According to the novel, listening to my King Aldric's dad jokes before eating is a custom. He enjoyed crafting jokes within his free time. Queen Genivie is just savage to trash his jokes.

Father, Mother, and Marina ate their meals with the proper etiquette. They were all formal in their actions, unlike me.

As they continued, I stared at my plate while my mind wandered away. Do I deserve to sit with these nobles? I couldn't hold such a luxury with my clammy hands.

The fragrance of delicious delicacies tempted me, but I’m not a noble. I’m not even a part of their family. Later, Mother noticed my blank plate that never touched food.

"My dear red cat, is there something bothering you?"

I shook my head.

"My dear, I implore you to partake in your meal. It has been prepared with utmost care and attention by the esteemed chef of our household. Consider the unfortunate fate of those who suffer from hunger, and let us honor the blessings bestowed upon us by indulging in this noble and royal feast—"

"I'm sorry, M—Mother. I have n—no appetite to eat. Please, forgive me," I muttered with a downturned look at my trembling arms over my lap.

"My dear red cat, why are you apologizing? You have committed no offense worthy of retribution."

I couldn't respond straight. My lips trembled, and water surrounded my eyes. It was a simple lunch for them that I held my tears… But I'm scared. My voice shrilled that I might burst out at any moment.

"Does the pain still trouble you? Might I suggest a soothing drink of water to ease your troubled mind? And if your appetite does not respond, there is no shame in passing on the meal," Mother suggested.

“R—Right, I need water.” I need something to soothe my voice. Cooling off might be an escape from this stress.

With her withdrawn eyebrows, Elara approached me and served water into my drink. After filling the glass, she looked at me, clearing her throat.

Did she notice that I’m not Veniara?

No… Elara gave me a gesture to calm myself. My nervousness might be too obvious as I visibly sweat. But I noticed that the glass was too clear, so I saw Marina's image in the drink.

Just the thickness of the glass was enough to call it rare. The extravagant quality resists being placed in my hand. But this was not taking advantage of expensive luxury. I need something to cleanse my throat.

While shaking, I grabbed the handle of the glass with the tip of my two fingers. The water formed waves like the sea. It took long until the glass came near my mouth.

As it touched my lips, a memory overtook my reality.

In a dark room, the soft glow of the bedside lamp casted shadows across my birth mother's face, framed by her wispy silver hair. She laid still on the crisp white sheets with her chest rising and falling in a slow rhythmic pattern.

Thin tubes snaked out from the machines that beeped softly beside her, and a cluster of wires was attached to her chest, watching every beat of her heart.

Her eyes were closed, and her peaceful expression gave the impression that she was merely napping even in critical condition. At that time, as I held her chilly hand, I couldn't help but blame myself.

As my consciousness came back, the memory paralyzed me that I temporarily lost strength out of my body. The glass fell, bounced on my lap, and broke on the ground.

My eyes wholly dilated, with my pupils losing color. Everyone in the room caught my attention. I stopped breathing, drowning in fear like I had committed a crime.

Elara rushed into me, pulling me back from where the glass broke. When she turned my body towards her, tears fell down my eyes. My dried throat lost its voice to cry.

Elara looked into my foot and discovered a glass shard stuck on it. When the huge wound excreted a pool of blood, everyone had gone into chaos. Elara asked every maid to clean the mess and delivered me back to my room.

In my room, the last thing I saw was Elara crying while treating my wounds. Before I lost consciousness, I muttered, “I don’t deserve this…”

I dreamed of a successful future away from poverty, but it wasn’t for me. I only did it for my family. I never saw myself holding elegant wares in my hands.

For many, this might be an opportunity to escape their poor lives and live in luxury. But for me, I felt cheated. I couldn’t rest easy, knowing that I’m having fun here while my family on the other side were suffering.

I lived in dignity and tact, and I never stepped on other people. I believed in karma, and I never committed any crime to get easy money.

Everything that I had now was all from my hard work, and if it’s not… I couldn’t accept it. God might be gracious to me. I might be lucky… But it was never my goal.

I need to go back to my family soon.