Death was supposed to be quiet. Peaceful. Final.

So when she opened her eyes again, her first thought was panic.

The ceiling above her was unfamiliar—vaulted, ornate, and laced with gold. The air smelled like roses, ink, and something colder. Her fingers clutched velvet sheets she didn’t recognize. Her body felt the same, but everything else felt wrong.

She stumbled to her feet. Across the room, a mirror waited. She stared.

Long black hair. Dark brown eyes. Skin a little tanned with a soft, golden hue. Her own face.

"huh !!?? Did I survived but what type of hospital is this seems like some kind of shooting set and my hair...they have grown too long "

her mind was in turmoil everything felt real if not for her face and body that seemed to be hers she would have thought the reality in front of her is not hers and she has became someone else.

A knock broke the silence a maid entered in the room she was young barely seventeen and said.

" your highness you woke up"

Shelthia was startled

" huh... Who?? ...are you talking to me"

The maid get equally startled

" your highness did I do something wrong "

Shelthia: " your highness???? ....me"

"what the.....wa ..wait....no way..."

After pausing for some minutes she asked the maid.

" who am I"

Maid: " wha..what your highness"

Shelthia: " I asked who am I ??? Tell me my name can't you understand "

she yelled .

Maid: " ah.. You are Shelthia valerian Thalor , the princess of Thalor empire "

After staring at the maid blankly for some time Shelthia pinched her cheeks and slapped her face.

Maid: " your highness what happened ! "

Shelthia was stunned never in her wildest dreams did she thought something like this would happen to her she did died and now has entered in the body of a side character in the Novel.

" To catch the prince's heart" was the novel she once read as the title suggests its a story about a girl named Elira the lost daughter of count Carley who after reuniting with her family enters the capital and starts a blooming romance with the crown prince Aelric valerian Thalor .

Shelthia : "leave, I will call for you when I need something just go for now"

after the maid left the room Shelthia stared at the mirror it was indeed her face her name but the identity...she is now someone else a princess.

After one week....

In the quiet room where Selthia first awoke in this new world, she now sat comfortably, a book resting in her hands. Beside her stood the maid from earlier, watching her with a hesitant gaze, as if there was something she wished to say but couldn’t quite bring herself to voice.

Shelthia: "what is it Anna ?"

Anna: "umm your highness actually... everyone has been talking about you "

Shelthia : " oh.. What are they talking "

Anna: "that.. you have changed and... you have gone..mad"

Shelthia : "so does it bother you?"

Anna: " absolutely no your highness..actually I am really happy to see you like this"

Shelthia : " hnn then let them talk"

"Mad? Please. I just reminded them who they’re serving. I might be a princess, but they’ve been acting like I’m some kind of parasite. Guess it’s time they learned otherwise."

The palace was far too quiet for a place so grand. Too cold, too polished. Like it had been built not to be lived in, but to be watched from afar.

Selthia wandered the halls, her long hair trailing behind her like a shadow. Every servant she passed lowered their head, bowed, and stepped aside. But not with respect—out of fear. Out of habit.

“So this is how she lived,” Selthia murmured to herself. “Seen, but never heard.”

A week had passed since she’d woken up in this body. Since the accident that flung her into the world of a novel she once read for fun. But the girl she’d replaced wasn’t just a nameless extra. Selthia Valerian Thalor—Princess of Thalor—was real, and the fragments of her life were starting to piece themselves together.

The real Shelthia was cold and distant, never speaking up even when she was dissatisfied. She remained silent, as if nothing in the world truly mattered to her.

But now, it’s as if the gods themselves had suddenly blessed her with a tongue to speak.

Which, of course, drew attention.

She stepped onto the garden balcony, greeted by the crisp wind and a voice.

“You look different.”

She turned. The speaker was tall, with crimson hair and dark brown eyes as hers.

The male lead and now her brother

Crown Prince Aelric Valerian Thalor.

He studied her with a wary smile, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

“You never came to the garden before,” he said.

Selthia blinked. “ Is that so "

"shit...my damn brain who can't give intant reply I should have said something else..its the male lead!"

He chuckled softly, though his gaze remained focused.

“So I heard. The palace is buzzing. They think you’ve gone mad.”

Shelthia : " I know"

He raised a brow. “sure you do.”

both were silent Aelric was staring at her and Shelthia to avoid his gaze was staring at the sky.

" c'mon. Man I knew it I still can't talk to someone I just met I should think of this as a professional talk yeah ."

Shelthia : "so what made you come here "

Aelric: " just missing my younger sister its been a while isn't it"

Shelthia :" yeah "

They were again surrounded by silence .

Aelric narrowed his brows

" I would love to spend more time with you but there's some urgent matters, I need to go let's meet during the dinner"

He left her after that

Shelthia watched him as he leave

" huh what dinner?"

As Aelric was heading towards his office his mind was full of his sister's thoughts everything about her seemed strange for some reason.

" she never talks like that In the past whenever I visited her she would just stare at the ground or answered in yes or no nothing more nothing less but today she was actually making eye contact while talking ....its not really a bad change is it "

He smiled

"she..was looking at me "

The dining hall was grand enough to make anyone feel small.

A long table stretched beneath a vaulted ceiling painted with ancient wars and winged creatures. Gold chandeliers burned with steady flame. Servants stood at attention against the walls like statues, and not a single clink of silverware broke the silence.

Selthia sat near the end of the table, straight-backed and quiet

She was watching. Listening.

Across from her sat Crown Prince Aelric, her older brother, with a goblet in hand and a curious look in his eyes.

Next to him, their father—the Emperor—cut into his meat with all the tenderness of a general commanding a war. The man hadn’t even looked her way once.

She didn’t mind.

“You’re eating,” Aelric said suddenly, his tone lightly teasing. “That’s new.”

Selthia raised a brow. “Food is for eating right "

"what type of question is this "

The corner of Aelric’s mouth twitched. " yes'

Their father glanced up, frown deepening. “Selthia.”

Her knife paused over her roast.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

" hah finally I was wondering when he will open his mouth"

His gaze was sharp. “I heard you stormed the library yesterday.”

Selthia : " I did, am I not allowed??"

" I entered there without thinking much did he banish the princess from entering or something"

Aelric looked down quickly to hide his smirk.

Selthia twitched her brows.

"and why the hell is he smirking"

The Emperor didn’t find it amusing.

“You’re drawing attention to yourself,” he said flatly. “And not the good kind.”

Selthia stabbed a piece of carrot with unnecessary force. “I don't think I have done anything that isn't good ...for drawing attention "

" hah ..he is speaking as if I am craving this damn attention and has gone insane "

Another silence followed.

The servants didn’t breathe. Aelric was still watching her closely.

Finally, the Emperor set down his fork.

“I’ll allow your attendance at the next royal banquet ,” he said. “It’s time you acted like a princess again.”

Selthia met his eyes

" so she wasn't allowed to attend banquets"

“Of course, your majesty"

He stood without another word and left the hall.

The second he was gone, Aelric let out a low whistle. “You’re going to get yourself lock in the detention tower don't you "

She took a sip from her goblet and said "what's the detention tower??"

Aelric: "you don't know??"

Selthia : "I forgot "

"How would I know its been only one week since I came here "

Aelric :" its a tower used for domestic punishment for royals "

Selthia : "ohh"

Aelric :"so what I am saying is if you commit anything that displeases his majesty he might confine you there "

Selthia : "Have you ever experienced this interesting punishment??"

Aelric : " I did "

Selthia : "and what sin did you committed "

Aelric : " are you curious??"

Selthia without hesitation "yes"

Aelric smirked and after putting down his fork said

" I will tell you later in our next meeting"

Selthia : "what??"