After the accident, I thought I would die peacefully. I could clearly feel my heart stopping, my breath catching, my blood rushing with a pungent, fishy smell, and my hearing slowly fading.
Yes...
I only remember the panicked voices around me, people mentioning a multiple-vehicle accident in the middle of town and calling for an ambulance.
I thought I had died peacefully, along with all the bitter memories and betrayal from my own fiancé.
But...
"Lady... wake up. Lady, you must wake up. We will soon arrive at the palace."
What is this?
I slowly opened my eyes. A woman appeared in my vision, her face clearly showing panic.
"Lady... please!"
My head ached terribly. Memory after foreign memory flooded in.
What was happening?
Why did I...
"Lady, are you okay? Are you sick? Your face is so pale."
"Where am I?" Was all I could say. My soul hasn't fully returned, and... what exactly is this scene?
"We're in a horse-drawn carriage, Lady."
My eyes widened. My heart was pounding. This memory... why was it mixed with my own?
"Sob... I was so worried. You fainted an hour ago, Lady."
"Clarie?" I recognized the name.
"Yes, I am Clarie, Lady."
She was Clarie. The personal servant of the woman whose body I was now possessing. Was I really possessing this body? Even hell wouldn't accept my soul?
I was possessing one of the villainous characters in her own novel—a character who would die simply because she loved the main character too much. She was beheaded by her own crush, in order to save the Crown Prince's first love, who had accidentally killed one of the imperial guests.
This character was known for her immense love—even too great. She was willing to shoulder the mistakes of others for the happiness of her loved one.
I, the one who created her, was sometimes confused. Was she truly evil? But... I remembered that her death was a form of atonement for all her sins.
Yes... this villain's name was Luisa Montpensier. Daughter of Duke Montpensier, the youngest of three children.
I described Luisa as incredibly beautiful—long reddish hair and captivating amber eyes. A perfect woman, seductive, intelligent, and very popular in the capital's social circles. The future Crown Princess of the Empire, but with a cruel character. Her nickname: 'the sharp tongue,' she's the main antagonist throughout the novel.
"Lady, please say something. I'm very worried, please, Lady."
Hearing Clarie cry, I immediately snapped out of my reverie.
"I'm fine." I tried to sit up. I didn't want to worry this minor character. "Don't cry, Clarie. I'm not dead, and I'm perfectly healthy."
Clarie, who had been crying, immediately wiped her tears away. I handed her a handkerchief.
"Lady, I'm not worthy... Your handkerchief will get dirty. I'm only a servant. Forgive me, Lady."
"Use it. This is an order, Clarie."
I may be the author of this novel, but that doesn't mean I can be as cruel as the real Luisa.
"V-Very well, Lady."
Clarie complied without protest. She used the handkerchief carefully.
Huh... how is this? If I had known I would possess Luisa's body after death, I wouldn't have created such a tragic ending for her.
The Crown Prince married Luisa not for love, but for political reasons. All for the sake of this novel's heroine. In fact, the Crown Prince had to endure the suffering of marrying a woman he didn't even love.
It seems... the real Luisa cursed me for writing such a cruel fate for her. Horrible. But well... I deserved it. I am the 'God' in this story.
"Lady, do you really want to marry the Crown Prince? He won't give you love. He only married you for a political deal."
Well... the Duke's family is known to eschew power struggles. But the Duke agreed to this marriage for Luisa—for Luisa's own sake.
Even more than that, the Duke threatened the Crown Prince. If Luisa wasn't made empress, the woman the prince loved would be in danger.
I'm going crazy!
If we must set it in a novel, why not set it when Luisa hasn't yet fallen in love with the Crown Prince? A man who never even looked at her, even though she had done so much for him.
A man who didn't uphold justice, and instead seemed satisfied when Luisa replaced the main lady accused of murdering an important imperial guest.
Come to think of it... Luisa wasn't the antagonist, was she? She simply loved too deeply and was willing to do anything for it. Her cruelty was merely a form of self-protection from a cruel social environment.
"Lady, can you live without your husband's love? I know this is very impolite, and I may not have the right to say this. But, to me, your happiness is everything. I don't want anyone else to hurt you. And this marriage... is very forced. Everyone knows the Crown Prince only married you to gain political support from your family."
I let out a long sigh. Clarie was right. And the one at fault in this... is, of course, me.
I forced the Duke to marry Luisa for the sake of the plot. I exploited her father's affection without any remorse. Foolish! Love should be pursued sincerely, not through political intrigue.
This evil character drove his entire family to the abyss of hell!
Oh, Luisa... how much do you hate me? I'm sure you curse me to the bone for the cruel fate I wrote.
But then again... I can't blame anyone. I'm the author.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
Clarie looked confused for a moment. "Today you will meet the Crown Prince, Lady. Your wedding is only a few days away. This meeting is the lunch you planned a month ago."
Ahh... that part, yes. I remember this scene. And... I have to change it. It's not the wedding day yet. There are still five days.
"Okay, I understand." That was all I could say. I will change it myself. A last-minute revision of my famous work... in person.
Luisa, may you rest in peace. Forgive your 'God' who has given you a truly unfair fate.