CHAPTER 1: NEW LIFE, NEW BODY

The sound of the rain sounded heavy. The trees were dripping with water. Whenever I took a step, water splashed lightly on the bottom hems of my pants. I was walking to school, it was pretty far from school which was annoying but it kept me in shape at least, that is what's only useful about walking. I looked at the pond of water. I was wearing a dark blue baggy hoodie, which covered my head since I didn't want to get my hair wet. Some of my black hair was out from the hoodie, my hair was black as a crow, and my black eyes were staring at my reflection in the water.

Suddenly a peep was heard from my phone, I picked up my phone and glanced at the notification. "Finally the 4th volume of 'The Heroine True Story.' is out, At Least I got something to get busy with this whole week" I pressed on the novel, and carefully read through it while crossing the empty street. Suddenly the horn of a truck could be heard, I looked up and turned to my left. My eyes widened as I froze in place. The car was at high speed, it couldn't stop in time.

'Shit. I'm going to die?'

Within seconds, The truck crashed into me, I felt a couple of bones break as I flew away, slightly away from the truck, and a crunch could be heard when the truck ran me over. My head was bleeding, I couldn't move, It felt like I was paralyzed. The car hit the break, stopping.

A middle-aged man quickly got out of the truck and then ran to me with a worried expression. "Young lady! Are you okay??" I looked at him as I tried to make my hand reach him for help but failed. 'Okay? Do I look okay to you? I'm literally bleeding.'

"H-help…" I was able to let a few words out, my heart felt like it was slowing down each second as my vision slowly started to get blurry, I was in pain, I couldn't handle it, I never experienced this before. The guy slowly backed away after realizing the major injury he caused, he looked around and grabbed my backpack. Opening it as he pulled out my ID, ALICE SANIA, GRADE 8, XXXXX SCHOOL. He looked back at me.

"Alice? I'm sorry Alice…I do not want to go back to jail.." He started back to his truck with a worried expression, he only cared about himself, such selfish people.

'Am I going to die? I barely even read that piece of a junk novel. At Least now, I don't have to go to school..' I closed my eyes, my eyes slightly tearing up because of the pain I was in, My breath slowly stopped as my heart stopped pumping.

I opened my eyes slowly. I was lying down in an empty, endless room full of darkness, no light, nothing..I slowly stood up, "Am I blind?.no..i can still see my body..what the heck is this place?.." I started walking, trying to see if there were walls or anything, but nothing, nothing at all. I let out an irritated sigh. 'Is this where dead people go or something? Is this the afterlife? I certainly hate this..it is so empty and dark like a void..'

Suddenly glowing white light started to grow bigger and bigger each second as it started to reach towards me. I quickly started running away from it, not knowing what would happen if I was caught by it, I didn't want to risk it. I tripped as I turned around and the glowing white light caught me, I quickly closed my eyes.

After a second, it was warm, my head felt like it was in a big comfy pillow, and my body felt like it was wrapped in a blanket.

I opened my eyes once again, My eyes widened as I looked around, confused, I was in a large bedroom. I was laying down on a big mattress, 'd-did I get kidnapped or something? No..Impossible.I think I died. Is this heaven?'

I closed my eyes again and opened them, I'm still in the room, Why is everything red? It hurts my eyes to look at the room. I heard a knock and a voice behind the door.

"Your Highness..may I enter to prepare the bath?" It was a female voice, she sounded nervous, who was she referring her highness to? Is it me?

"U-uh yea sure.." I sounded nervous about what was going on right now. The woman entered, I looked at her, she had black short hair and brown eyes, and she was wearing a maid outfit. Is she a maid? She looked nervous though.."Your Highness, Elena Hikaruso…Greetings.." She slightly bowed to me.

'Elena? Who the heck is Elena? That is not my name..now I think about it. I feel small..' I looked at my hand, they looked tiny like it belonged to a little kid under ten..' wait. Did she say Hikaruso? Hikaruso as in the royal family of the light kingdom in the novel I was reading before I died?' 

I touched my hair as I brought a small amount of hair up to my gaze. The hair was blonde, light blonde, It was unfamiliar since this isn't my hair. My eyes widened as I quickly looked around the room, looking for a mirror, I stood up and quickly ran to the mirror.

I froze. My hair was long, blonde wavy hair, not black, and my eyes were pinkish red. I looked like a little kid under the age of 9..'What the heck?.. Is this me?... Why am I in a different body?'

"Your Highness, Elena..are you okay?" The woman's voice sounded confused as she turned to look at me.

'She said Elena…Wait Blonde hair..red eyes..Named Elena.From a royal family..' My eyes widened, 'Why the heck am I in the body of a major villainess from the novel? Okay, let's calm down..'

"Uh, just go prepare the bath.." I looked at her as I took a deep breath..as she walked away to prepare the bath for me. I am still flabbergasted by all of this.

I lay down in the tub as the maid washed my hair.

'Okay let's think about all of this ... so I died, and my soul transferred to the villainess body of the story and now she is a kid…She is a villainess because she acts like one, Hating every single human being. At the age of 18…she almost killed the heroine who is her step-sister by poisoning her, out of jealousy and hatred but the royal family caught up and imprisoned her, and then executed her..how the heck did it come to this? I don't want to die again..' 

I sighed as I looked at the maid.."How old am I?" I asked without hesitation, The maid looked at me nervously, "Your Highness is 7 years old.." She stated..'7 years old? I have time to change my fate at least..I will live peacefully without any worry..'

I walked out of the bathroom wearing a puffy dress, I looked uncomfortable since I was used to this at all. How the heck did they walk in it…or even feel comfortable..The maid looked at me with nervousness.

"Will you join your family for breakfast like usual?.." 

'Family? No, she means Elena's family. It wouldn't hurt to take a glimpse of them.' I looked at the maid and nodded. "Show me the way."

She nodded as she escorted me on the way to the dining room. The palace looked massive; I started to get tired because of those little feet I had. I glanced at the servants who passed by me, who looked scared, no, terrified by me. 

The villainess used to throw tantrums when she was a kid and would fire anyone who made a single mistake so everyone tried to avoid her even though she was a child since she would throw stuff at people.

'At least I don't have to get bothered by those people..' As the maid who escorted me opened the dining room, 5 family members stopped talking as I sat there, staring at my soul. A shiver ran through my spine. I am feeling comfortable right now, so I sat down quietly, as I glanced at each of them. 

A blonde-haired man with ocean blue eyes sits at the head of the table—he is the King, Alban Hikaruso, father of Elena and the heroine, Not biologically though. He is known to be a heartless king who only cares for the Heroine.

My older brother, Blake Hikaruso, the Crown Prince, looked just like the King. He was known for being calm and distant. Even though he was kind to our heroine, he never showed as much affection as the others. Everyone thought he was just hiding his feelings.

My second brother, Ray Hikaruso, had white hair and blue eyes. I think he was about two years older than Elena. His appearance resembled that of the previous queen, and his personality was playful and chaotic—he always liked to bully Elena but loved the heroine as a sister.

Then there was my stepsister, Yami Hikaruso, the third princess, with light pink hair and blue eyes. She was just one month older than me. Heroines are often described as the sweetest beings, and I guess that fits her well.

Lastly, sitting across from the King, was my stepmother, the Queen, Yosa Hikaruso. With her pink hair and dark violet eyes, she was nothing more than a gold digger, only after the King's money and power. I honestly don't understand why he married someone like her, although he never had feelings for her.

As I quietly ate, lost in thoughts, 'Weirdos..Look at the food, not me. But if I remember, Elena, when she was a child, said in the novel that she was desperate to do anything. Like hurting herself, hurting other people, that kind of crazy stuff just for her brothers and father's love, but they ignored her and only paid attention to Yami, which Elena's hatred and jealousy grew which caused her to try to kill Yami…'

"I heard you fell off the stairs, Elena." The king's voice sounded cold and firm.

"I guess I did.." I ate while responding. 

"You disappoint us, Elena. What kind of royalty are you?" The queen mocked me with an ugly smirk on her face. She was acting all high and mighty even though she was never royalty herself. Mocking the blood of a royal is a disappointment itself, but, of course, I kept quiet, I didn't want those thoughts out or they might kill me or something.

"Ha! You're stupid or something similar to that, Falling off the stairs just because you're desperate for affection like you're just some child!" Ray mocked me, I wanted to let out an irritated sigh and roll my eyes but I couldn't. 'Is he blind or just an idiot? I am in the form of a child.'

"Um, You know Ray. I am in fact a child. "I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I heard him let out an annoyed scoff, mumbling something under his breath.

"Brother! Be nice!" Yami said with a sweet, innocent voice as Ray affectionately patted her head. She was the complete opposite of Elena—kind and innocent. Elena, on the other hand, wasn't kind or innocent. She acted like a spoiled brat. And me? I'm neither kind nor innocent either.

I looked back at the food. The food looked delicious and yummy, I never had those expensive meals in my previous life, to be honest, I took a bite and swallowed it.

'So Yummy, Ima eat all of it since it's my chance anyways.'

'Ahem..' The king or my supposed now 'father' grabbed everyone's attention.

"Yami and Elena, The lessons will begin today for Elena. Yami's lessons Tomorrow as for Ray…You will need to take swordsmanship seriously, It isn't a request. And as for you.." Ray nodded as he silently ate his food, clearly irritated. Alban looked at Blake. "You're going back to the academy in the next two months, am I right?"

Blake nodded, But…Do I have to take lessons? The thought of me studying again made me annoyed. I didn't even want to go to school in my previous life but this life, Life hates me, I thought I was getting away from all the studying.

As we were all dismissed, A maid with brown hair and green eyes approached me as she bowed her head slightly "Shall I take you to your lessons, Your Highness?"

 I looked at her and nodded, "Actually..um..I know this is all new for you..um can you call me by my name..it would be nice." I said quietly, looking at her, clearly embarrassed.

'This is embarrassing, Why am I doing this? I need someone I trust at least..And all I know is this maid was Elena's maid since the beginning..Maybe I need her to trust me..and like me..like a trustful maid who will tell me everything..in order for her to be on my side is by acting like a sweet child.or something like that'

The maids' eyes widened, surprised by my change of personality.., "Your highness…I cannot, I am a lowly maid and you're a princess.."

"Pretty please?" I looked at her with sparkling eyes. The maid chuckled as she sighed, "Alright alright..don't do that again though…"

I tilted my head, confused as to why she said don't do that again but when she said yes, I formed a small smile.

"Thank you! What's your name again?" 

"My name is Mary. " She smiled as she walked me out of the dining hall. "Shall I take you to your lessons now, Your hig-I mean Elena?"

"Mhm, lead the way," I nodded as Mary guided me toward the library where I was to meet my tutor. The library was massive, spanning three stories with bookshelves stacked everywhere. There were private rooms and cozy corners scattered throughout, giving it the feel of a royal study or personal library. The ceiling was made of glass, allowing the sky to be visible above, though I had read in the novel that it could also be closed when needed.