POV: Katerina
A week has passed… a whole week.
Honestly? I've started doubting my own sanity.
I opened my eyes seven days ago, but the world I woke up in? Not mine.
The bed? Not my bed.
The room? Not my room.
The body? Doesn't look like me at all.
Who am I?
Katerina? Or Leona?
I still hear my old name echoing inside my head, but every day it gets quieter, like something's pulling me away little by little… like I'm reshaping into someone else, and no one even asked my permission.
This isn't a dream.
I slapped myself. Bit my arm. Cried so hard my eyes went dry.
But nothing changed…
I'm still here.
Still trapped in someone else's body.
Her name is Leona.
This past week felt like living inside a painting.
The colors are soft, the lighting gentle, and everything is… still.
Nothing screams at me, "This is a nightmare!"
But at the same time… nothing really convinces me this is real life.
Everyone around me calls me "Leona."
There's a mother—kind, warm. Looks at me like I'm her greatest treasure.
And sisters—lots of them. Each one more beautiful than comforting.
They all treat me like I belong… like I am Leona.
But I'm not.
I'm not Leona.
I scream that truth in my heart every day…
But my lips stay silent.
Am I crazy?
Am I dead?
Or is this a different world?
No one has the answer.
And the worst part?
No one even seems confused!
They all say I'm just "tired," "fragile," "in need of rest."
But the truth?
I'm a stranger… to them… and to this whole world.
The mirror? Lies.
My voice? Not mine.
Even the beat of my heart… feels like it's echoing from somewhere else.
Sometimes, all I want to do
is curl under the covers and cry… maybe the tears will take me back—
Back to my mother's arms,
to my old high school,
to the life I knew.
But instead?
I wake up to birdsong, soft sunlight, and the scent of incense filling the room.
Every morning reminds me…
I'm still here.
And going back? Isn't an option.
---
End of Katerina's POV
She was standing in front of a large mirror, in a bedroom that looked like it belonged to a princess—not the Disney kind though. No gold and sparkle. It was soft, warm, and calming.
The dress she was wearing? So not her style.
Silk that flowed across this new body, in gentle hues of light red, white, and lavender.
No sleeves—just a white silk ribbon across the chest and a simple golden belt at the waist.
She wore a light sheer haori over it, the same color palette, fastened with a small golden pin.
The maid I mean Umi helped style her hair—just how Katerina asked: two low Donates, nothing else.
She refused to wear accessories. She didn't feel like she belonged here.
Why doll up for a life that feels so… foreign?
She stood there, took a breath, and caught her reflection in the mirror…
For just a second.
Then I left the room.
---
Behind the door stood a little boy.
Same face she saw on her first day here—the mischievous one, wide-eyed, quick-tongued.
He was dressed neatly for going out, in a way only kids can pull off.
The moment he saw her, he said in an impatient tone:
> "Finallyyy! I thought I'd turn old waiting for you!"
Katerina gave a polite smile:
> "Hi. Let's go."
And they began walking together down long hallways.
Katerina called it a "house," but in reality? Closer to a palace.
Simple… but still a palace.
---
POV: Katerina
That's when my mind started working… slowly, but with purpose.
I wasn't just observing with empty eyes. No.
I was watching everything:
Colors. Sounds. Their expressions. Their steps.
They threw me into a whole new world—no instruction manual, no warning.
But fine. If the world wants to play games…
I'll outplay it.
> (The boy? His name is Rin. He's only seven, but his brain works like a college professor's. Too smart for his age. But he's not the problem… He sees me as his sister. Me? I'm trying not to get emotionally involved.)
> (The woman who was crying and screaming when I arrived? That's Leona's mom. Her Name's Sora. Looks around 45, maybe a bit older. Still walks like time never touched her.
Her eyes? So much kindness… but behind that kindness is fear. Not fear of her daughter's death. No… something deeper.
Does she love me?
Or the image of the daughter she lost?
I don't know. And honestly? I'm not digging for answers.)
The place? A mansion, but not flashy.
Big? Yes.
But it feels… warm. Cozy. Like a real home, not a movie set.
> (From day one I knew—they're not filthy rich. But not poor either. Living with dignity, but cautiously.)
(And the weird part? This isn't a small family home. Nope. This is a whole community. The father's side of the family all live together—like their own little village.)
> (Not everyone here is kind, to be honest. Some faces? Creepy. But I've dealt with masks before. I'm not dumb enough to trust easily.)
The staff? Just five.
Even the daughters help out.
The boys? Not spoiled. They've got chores too.
The heads of the household?
The grandparents.
And honestly? Their presence alone is heavy.
I didn't go near… and I won't.
I came in like a passerby, not someone looking to build a life here.
> (This place is temporary… So why put down roots?)
The only ones my heart's starting to soften toward?
The mother…
The little brother…
And a very kind maid Umi—so kind she makes you feel safe, even if everything else is falling apart.
Maybe because they treat me like "Leona"… not some intruder in her skin.
They don't ask. They don't feel pressure.
They're just… real.
And maybe—just maybe—my heart is starting to open…
Even if my mind hasn't caught up yet.
•••
End of Katerina's POV
Katerina and Rin reached the last step of the stairs.
At the door, Sora stood in her usual elegant style, wearing clothes similar to her daughter's, but in different colors and adorned with golden accessories.
She hugged her son first, kissed him on the forehead, then turned to Leona and embraced her tightly, saying to them:
> "Be careful on the way, and come back quickly from the library… don't be late."
Rin, laughing:
> "Okaaay, as long as my sister doesn't space out like she always does."
Katerina, with a playful smirk:
> "And if you focused on your books more than your mouth, maybe you'd be smarter."
Their mother laughed at the exchange and waved them off as they stepped outside.
---
Under the sunlight…
And on her first time out in this strange place…
Katerina didn't know why,
but she felt—
this new life
wasn't just a mistake,
but a story…
a story written for her.
And maybe, just maybe…
she'd come to love it someday.
---
POV: Katerina (Leona)
The Leona family house was… strange. Strange in a way that you couldn't ignore.
I'd spent days trying to understand the place, and only today did I start to notice the real details.
The house had three completely different identities.
The front had a traditional style: arched roofs, warm wooden walls, stained-glass windows like something out of a fairytale.
Comforting, safe… like it wanted to hug you.
But then I walked through the back corridor—
Suddenly, everything changed.
Biophilic design.
Indoor plants everywhere, hanging vines from the ceiling, bamboo walls, and soft natural light slipping through small openings.
The scent of mint and lavender filled the air.
It felt like I'd stepped into a tiny forest—inside the same house.
And then I reached the eastern wing…
I nearly shouted:
Creole décor?!
Inspired by French-Caribbean architecture… tall wooden windows, bold colors, embroidered couches, and white lace curtains swaying in the breeze.
What is this house? A museum?!
Despite the weird contradictions, everything felt strangely harmonious… like every corner was telling a different story.
I raised my eyebrows and looked at Rin, who was walking lazily ahead:
– "Rin, why's your house like this? Three different styles? That's rare!"
He looked up lazily and replied:
– "Yeah, it's normal here. Almost every house in the capital has more than one style. They say variety keeps people from getting bored of their homes."
The capital… oh right. I'm in the capital of the empire. Obsessed with design and full of buildings with wild tastes.
Then I remembered what my mother—Leona's mother—had said about the massive Imperial Palace in the heart of the city, home of the royal family.
A city of fantasy façades and a giant castle?
I've clearly fallen into a Korean manhwa… and I have read plenty, but never imagined a world quite like this.
(Except… there's no cold mysterious prince yet.)
---
A little later, we arrived at a small library on a quiet street corner.
The place looked more like an old café than a library!
Only two people were inside—one of them sleeping on an open book.
I stepped in and whispered:
"Where are the books? Where are the shelves? Where's life?"
I walked up to a man who looked like the librarian—bald, glasses tilted, reading a children's magazine. Yes. Children's.
I asked politely:
– "Excuse me, could you tell me the library sections?"
He replied in a bored, rehearsed tone:
– "We have a literature section, a cooking section, a fashion section, and local history."
I frowned, disappointed:
– "No section on astronomy? Or space sciences? Or theories about the universe? Anything like that?"
He closed his magazine and looked at me like I'd just asked for a sandwich at a library:
– "Unfortunately, no. And there isn't another library in the city."
What?! A whole city, and just one library? And no space section?!
I gave a forced smile, thanked him, and left. Rin followed me, asking:
– "Weird… what section were you looking for?"
I shook my head, trying to act casual:
– "Just books about… the universe, cosmic phenomena, interdimensional stuff. That kind of thing."
He stared at me for a while.
I felt… like I was about to cry.
Something inside was shattering, like this world was rejecting me:
"Even the books I love… don't exist here?"
Then Rin whispered:
– "But… there is another library."
My head shot up:
– "Where?!"
He smiled gently:
– "In the Imperial Palace. It's the royal family's private library… huge. It has everything."
A spark of joy lit up in my eyes—then vanished.
The palace?! No way I'd ever get in. I'm just a simple girl in this weird world.
A small dot in a sea of noble bloodlines.
I dropped my gaze to the ground.
Everything reminded me—I don't belong.
But Rin? He noticed.
He ran after me and grabbed my hand:
– "L—Leona… come on. I'll take you somewhere that'll make you smile."
I blinked at him, surprised:
– "Where?"
He grinned and pulled me along:
– "There's a small bakery nearby… they make cheese-and-honey pastries. You can't stay sad after trying one."
I didn't respond.
I just followed him.
Because honestly…
I didn't know what else to do.
I didn't even know how to go home.
---
In a quiet alley, not far from the little bakery that smelled of butter and honey, four boys—no older than twelve—stood in a half-circle around a slightly younger boy.
The younger one, thin and wide-eyed behind small round glasses, was trying to defend himself with all his might.
But his efforts were weak compared to the flood of mockery and bullying coming at him from the older kids.
> "Your dad drinks a lot, huh? Doesn't care about you at all!"
"What's with that body? You look like a skeleton!"
"Mr. Smartypants, why do you know how to read and write? Think you're better than us?"
"You belong in a library, not a home!"
Their words cut deep, stabbing him like knives.
Still, he tried—just tried—not to cry.
At that moment, Katerina (or Leona) happened to walk by the alley with Rin.
They were carrying a small bag of cheese-and-honey pastries, and for once, Katerina had a rare look of calm on her face after enjoying something sweet.
But the shouting drew her attention.
She stopped.
So did Rin. He looked at the scene: four boys bullying one.
Katerina frowned.
(This isn't my business… I have nothing to do with this… This is a new world, a strange place…)
But her conscience, no matter how many excuses she gave, started pounding at her chest.
Rin didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and shouted:
– "Oh wow, four against one? If each of you had a brain, maybe together you'd come up with one smart idea!"
The bullies turned, startled.
– "Who's that? Some little brat yelling at us?"
Rin stood his ground—
Even though his hands were shaking just a little.
Katrina noticed the trembling in Ryn's hands. She exhaled softly and walked quietly behind him. She had only intended to grab her brother and head back, but the scene before her changed in an instant.
One of the boys sneered and asked rudely, "What's your deal?"
She smiled calmly and replied, "Me? I just thought I'd join in the fun. You all seem to be having a great time."
To be continued…