Chapter 3: My Plan

I pace the room, my thoughts racing as I try to make sense of everything. So this is the first time I failed a mission. Clearly, it was a trap. The same noble who could use Telekinesis, the one responsible for my demise as Raven, must be behind it all. Was he the one who ordered Prince Hartley's assassination by the Phantom's Hand? But if he ordered the assassination of Prince Hartley through the Phantom's Hand, why kill me, the assassin? Was it an intervention by a third party? Or is there another reason to betray the Phantom Hand?

"Princess Seraphina?" Lily's voice calls from the other side of the door, jolting me back to reality. "I have arrived with the doctor."

"Uh, just a moment!" I reply, trying to hide the panic in my voice.

The door rattles as Lily tries to open it, only to find it locked. Her worry seeps through her voice as she asks, "Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," I say, quickly grabbing a silk pink dressing gown and putting it on. "Please give me a moment, I'm... in my undergarments."

I need more time to think, so I decide to fake being ill. Not that it's too far from the truth - the taste of Sablethorn berries still lingers in my mouth. That's when it hits me: Damn it, does this mean someone was trying to poison the princess? It's not the kind of poison one would take if they want to die by their own hand, but the kind of poison one gives to another person if they want them to die slowly and make it seem like natural causes. My heart pounds in my chest as the gravity of the situation sinks in.

Lily knocks at the door once more, her voice a touch urgent. "Your Highness, are you presentable now?"

"Ah, yes!" I call out, faking my best sick voice, which, admittedly, is not very good. I hurry to unlock and open the door. The maid and the doctor both raise their eyebrows as they take in my best impersonation of an ill person, which isn't very good either.

Lily guides me to the bed, her hand steady on my elbow, as though I might collapse at any moment. Once seated, the doctor begins his examination, peering into my eyes, taking my temperature, and even inspecting my tongue.

"Hum...," he mutters, making notes on a small pad. But not even the best doctor could detect Sablethorn berries poison. If he tasted it, he'd likely mistake it for blueberry juice. It requires a special kind of training to identify the substance.

"Has the princess been feeling out of sorts lately?" the doctor asks, looking up from his notes.

"Um, well..." My thoughts come to an abrupt halt, my mind blanking.

"Your Highness has been particularly tired and a bit dizzy for about a month," Lily chimes in, saving me from embarrassment.

"That's the Sablethorn berries," I think to myself, inwardly cursing whoever's responsible for poisoning the princess. The doctor nods thoughtfully, ultimately ordering me to rest for a few days. "Thank you, Doctor," I say, forcing a smile. Surprisingly, he smiles back - a genuine, warm expression that catches me off guard. It's so weird. Usually, no one smiles at me, but it's kind of...nice.

"Would you like some tea before you rest, Your Highness?" Lily offers, her voice full of concern.

"Uh, sure," I reply, almost getting up to follow her before she stops me with a gentle hand on my shoulder. 

"Where are you going?" she asks, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"Um, to the kitchen to make some tea?" I say, puzzled.

Lily laughs, her tinkling voice filling the room. "Oh, Your Highness is so funny!" I stare at her, completely perplexed. She wipes a tear from her eye before continuing. "Well, of course, I'll make the tea and you can sip it in bed."

"Ah! Yes, I was joking... haha," I stammer, feeling my cheeks heat up. That was a close one! Drinking tea in bed feels so decadent, but perhaps that's what princesses do. Lily slips out of the room, promising to return shortly.

Left alone in my chamber, I glare at the ridiculous dress I'm wearing. It's covered in laces, buttons, and clasps that seem to defy logic. All I want is to get out of this thing! I fumble with a clasp near my waist, but it refuses to budge. I twist and contort my body, trying to reach the multitude of tiny buttons running down the back of the dress.

"Ugh! How does one get out of this thing?" I mutter, frustration mounting as I continue my futile efforts. My fingers are more accustomed to handling daggers than delicate clothing. Defeated, I collapse onto the bed, still trapped in the confining fabric.

At least I have some time to sort through everything before facing the real world again. For now, I decide to keep quiet about my true identity and what I know until I can learn more about why I've been reincarnated as Princess Seraphina and who is responsible for my death as Raven.

Lily returns, balancing a tray laden with a teapot, a cup, and a small plate of biscuits. The aroma wafting from the tray makes my stomach growl, reminding me how hungry and thirsty I am.

"Your favorite, Princess," Lily says as she places the tray down on the bed with a glint in her eyes.

I take the cup she hands me, bringing it to my lips. But then a thought occurs: What if Lily is the one who has been poisoning the princess? She certainly has had ample opportunity to do so. Suspicious, I point to the window and exclaim, "What's that?!"

Lily turns to look, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What is it, Your Highness?"

Seizing the chance, I pour the contents of the cup into a nearby vase. "Don't you see it?" I lie, feigning enthusiasm. "Isn't it a beautiful Ophal bird?"

As Lily turns back to me, I pretend that I've already finished the tea and remark how delicious it was.

"Rest well, Your Highness," Lily says with a curtsy before closing the door behind her. I hear the soft click of the lock, and finally, I'm alone again.

I lean against the door, sighing in relief. I can't keep eating their food if there's even the slightest chance it might be poisoned. I've survived without proper meals before; I'll just have to do it again. As for water, there are watering cans on the balcony for the plants, so that should suffice. I refuse to die a second time.

The dress I'm wearing is still torturously uncomfortable, and I need to get out of it as soon as possible. Desperate, I grab some pruning scissors from the balcony and begin hacking away at the fabric. The sound of ripping cloth is music to my ears, and soon enough, the dress falls away, leaving me standing there, naked and free.

Walking over to the mirror, I take a moment to examine this new body. Princess Seraphina's milky skin seems to glow in the sunlight, while her round breasts and pink nipples make her all the more enticing. Her soft curves are a far cry from the toned muscles I once had, but there's no denying she's beautiful.

Turning around, I take in the sight of my round buttocks, but what truly catches my eye is the large Arcane Sigil emblazoned on my back. The design is intricate and mesmerizing, swirling lines forming a circular fractal pattern in a shade of silver-gray. The Sigil stands out vividly against my pale skin.

The royal family and some of the higher nobility in Asteria are born with an Arcane Sigil, a unique symbol imprinted somewhere on their bodies. This mark enables them to tap into the "Aether Strands"—invisible channels of raw magical energy traversing the world.

If what I know is true, then this means Princess Seraphina was an Arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic. But which type? There were branches of magic: Telekinesis, Healing, Illusion, and Divination. Each Arcanist's Sigil determined their specialization. I follow the shape of the Sigil with my eyes, trying to discern any hint of what kind of power it might represent.

There is some sort of motif in the center of the circle, but as I examine the Sigil more closely, I notice something I hadn't seen before—a scar marring its beautiful design. Could this affect the Sigil's function? Is it even possible for me to use magic? I don't have the faintest idea, but right now, there are more pressing issues at hand.

I sigh and pull away from the mirror, looking down at my arms and pinching them experimentally. They feel soft and yielding, a stark contrast to the taut muscles I remember having. I can't help but feel deflated as I continue to pinch my abdomen and thighs. This body may be beautiful and alluring, but it's also frustratingly weak! I miss the strength I once had—the result of years of rigorous training and conditioning.

"Ugh, look at these noodle arms," I mutter, flexing pathetically in the mirror. "I bet I couldn't even do one proper push-up." But I know I can't afford to dwell on my current physical limitations. "Alright, I'll whip this body into shape," I declare, striking a heroic pose.

Donning the silk pink dressing gown, I take a deep breath and head to the desk in my chambers. The room seems brighter now that I have a plan forming in my mind. As I sit down, I pull out a quill, ink, and paper, ready to jot down my thoughts.

"Alright, let's do this," I murmur under my breath. My hand hovers over the paper for a moment before I begin writing furiously, laying out my plan step by step.

My Plan:

1. Learn more about Princess Seraphina so I can impersonate her without raising suspicion.

2. Avoid danger and know who to trust; do not die again!

3. Do a thousand burpees every day to get in shape and build stamina.

4. Kill the people responsible for making me die in the first place.

5. Complete my mission and assassinate Prince Alexander Hartley.

Looking at my list, I can't help but smile. Even in this dire situation, I have something to look forward to.

"Okay, Seraphina," I say aloud, trying to get used to the name, "Time to turn this mess around!"