Chapter 2: Awakening
I don't know how I ended up in the world of The Twilight's Chronicle. The last thing I remembered was being trapped alone in a long, dark corridor. I couldn't see, hear, or feel anything. I screamed for help, but no sound came out of my mouth.
Loneliness and fear overwhelmed me, but I tried not to give up and gathered my courage. The only thing I could trust was my instinct which told me that this was just a nightmare… That I had to keep moving forward and couldn't afford to stop or retreat.
I'm not sure how long I went into the seemingly unending darkness before I noticed a thin ray of white light in the distance.
I bolted, hope swelling within me. As I approached, the light became brighter, ultimately forming the outline of a door.
"That must be the way out!"
I thought, rushing toward it. But when I broke through the light, expecting to be freed from my nightmare… I found myself trapped in this body as Luna D'Emeralia!
Yeah, I've read plenty of web novels about female protagonists reincarnating as villainous characters from stories they'd read in their past lives. I never believed it could happen.
How ironic is it that I, of all people, ended up in this exact situation?
I guess the whole myth that no one can get isekai'd (a popular term for being transported to another world in fantasy or modern fiction) as the main character is true! (╥﹏╥)
Honestly, I wouldn't mind living this new life. Luna isn't just any girl. She's a princess, specifically the first princess of the King of Emeraldine, who was initially blessed and adored by those around her. She's also blessed with stunning beauty. She has porcelain-white skin, silky silver hair, and enchanting purple eyes. But the problem is…
Shilien Argenti, Luna's biological mother in The Twilight's Chronicle, is a wicked woman consumed by her hunger for power. She's the one who raised Luna to be the heir to the throne.
At first, everything went according to Shilien's plans… thanks to the Queen of Emeraldine's poor health, which prevented her from producing an heir for the King. That was until a miracle happened when the Queen became pregnant.
Shilien then tried everything she could to sabotage the birth; using black magic and poison against the Queen. But it seemed the gods were protecting both the Queen and her unborn child, as all of Shilien's attempts failed. Eventually, Princess Chrisola was born, though the price paid was the Queen's life.
The King became heartbroken over the death of his beloved wife, who had been his one true love from the start, and then vowed never to remarry. He even made a pact declaring that no one else would ever be his queen. This made Shilien's chance to claim the throne as the new Queen vanish… and her only remaining path to power was to make Luna the new heir, replacing Chrisola. That's when Luna's dark and painful days began.
Shilien filled her with ambition, hatred, and malice towards the King, the late Queen, and Princess Chrisola. She trained swordsmanship and black magic to Luna so that one day, she could lead a rebellion and kill her half-sister.
But tragically, all her efforts ended in ruin. At the climax of the story, Shilien's life ended at the hands of her own daughter. Luna, defeated in the final battle against Chrisola and William, begged for mercy by beheading Shilien herself to avoid being killed. Afterward, she was locked away in an isolated tower and spent the rest of her life alone.
Sigh… I can't understand why nobles are always so greedy and power-hungry! Isn't being born a princess enough for Luna to live a life of luxury and happiness?
You can relax every day without working hard… Live in a grand palace, eat delicious food cooked by the best chefs, wear beautiful gowns and expensive jewelry, and party whenever you want.
Seriously, what else could you want?! So fucking ungrateful!
"Why are you staring at me like that, Luna?" Shilien's sharp voice jolted me out of my thoughts. She looked at me, who's seven years old now, with her sharp, cold, and calculating eyes.
The resemblance between us is uncanny, but the warmth a mother should have is completely absent.
"Ah… It's nothing, Mother! I was just admiring your radiant beauty, like the sun!"
"Ohohohoho! What a clever child you are!"
Ugh! Even her laugh shows how massive this woman's ego is.
Well, I'm not surprised.
In the novel, Shilien is described as one of the most beautiful women in the land of Emeraldine. She's the daughter of Duke Argenti, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in this kingdom. Thanks to her, I've inherited this stunning face and silver hair, which is said to be exclusive to the Argenti family.
Blessed with high status and looks that could captivate any men around her, Shilien was determined to become queen, believing she was the only woman worthy of being with the Crown Prince. But during the selection process for the Crown Princess, the Crown Prince fell in love with the daughter of Count Balmont, whose rank and beauty were inferior to Shilien's. And that wounded her pride.
"If you think your flattery will get you out of today's training, you're gravely mistaken. Now, repeat the posture I taught you until you do it perfectly!" Shilien cracked the whip she always carries, her favorite tool to discipline me.
"Yes, Mother!" I could only plaster a smile and obey her, even though inside… I really wanted to yank her hair and slap this bitch's face!
She made me walk across the room, keeping my head high in a perfect elegant posture, but when I stumbled, the whip slashed across my leg.
Ugh! I grit my teeth, fighting back tears.
Heeey, you bitch! I'm only seven years old! How am I supposed to master royal etiquette perfectly!?
Children from other noble families my age are probably playing and being doted on. Even if their parents have started introducing them to education early, none of them are being threatened with a whip, like what you're doing!
"Keep your head up and focus, Luna! With that way you walk, the entire kingdom will laugh at you!"
I obeyed and followed Shilien's instructions as perfectly as I could, even though my heart was pounding and my leg stinging.
Seriously, I don't know how the real Luna survived this childhood. If I weren't an adult inside this tiny body, I'd be sobbing on the floor by now.
Since being reborn as Luna, I've tried everything I could think of to win Shilien's affection. I attempted all the tricks I'd learned from web novels about reincarnated girls, like playing the role of a cute, adorable child. I hoped that at least some of it would change Shilien's behavior, so I wouldn't suffer the same tragic fate as written in the original story. But no matter how hard I tried, Shilien remained harsh and cruel, as if she had no maternal instinct at all.
"Well, today's lesson is over," Shilien said with a dismissive wave. "Rest and prepare yourself for tomorrow's training. You'll start swordsmanship lessons with Sir Owen at eight o'clock after breakfast. Don't be late!"
What?! Swordsmanship lessons??
This woman is completely insane! What kind of mother teaches her seven-year-old daughter sword fighting?!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
XLIFE
XLIFE Hi, dear readers! Noob author here! Thank you soo much to those of you who are willing to read this story! I know this is just a start and a warm-up, but there will be a lot of things waiting for you in the future. If you're interested, like this book and add it to your library so you don't miss the rest of the story. Your support means a lot to me! Leave a comment, and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone