Capture the King's Heart

"Ugh! Can't this character just die already? Why is she so weak!" Elena grumbled, her voice laced with frustration as she tapped furiously on the console, her face inches away from the massive screen.

A deep frown etched across her features, she was ready to smash the TV in half—if only that wouldn't lead to a hefty repair bill.

"Master, I think you should take a break now! You've been gaming for 24 hours straight without rest!" Crucifix, her AI robot, hovered behind her, its voice tinged with concern.

This wasn't the first time Elena had gamed for hours on end, but 24 hours straight? No food, no water, not even a snack—this was new. This was a suicide mission.

"What the hell! Meliora! Get up, you fool!" she screamed, tugging at her hair in frustration. She kicked her feet like a child throwing a tantrum, despite being 25 years old.

Bags had formed under her eyes, her hair was a tangled mess from constant tugging, her lips were torn from incessant biting, and her eyes were bloodshot, giving her the appearance of someone possessed.

Crucifix couldn't help but blame it all on the game—the cursed game that had mysteriously installed itself on Elena's console. From the moment she found it fun, she'd been hooked, playing obsessively until she reached this state.

Crucifix hoped nothing would go wrong, but maybe it was already too late. After 72 hours of relentless gaming, frustrated by how often she died in the game, Elena finally stood up with a heavy sigh.

Her body slumped forward, her expression dark like a zombie's. She trudged to the bathroom, and as soon as she sat on the toilet to relieve herself, everything went blurry, and darkness consumed her.

She thought it was just her body resigning to sleep, and she'd wake up the next morning to continue playing Capture the King's Heart.

But she was so wrong that even slapping herself wouldn't fix it.

---

Elena Hartley was the daughter of a political official, but because they believed she amounted to nothing after graduating from college, they abandoned her, leaving her cooped up in the house with only a monthly allowance.

Of course, Elena had her own ways of making money. She was an AI engineer, software engineer, data scientist, and roboticist. Her ability to accumulate knowledge was unimaginable. After completing numerous online courses, she built her first AI, which she later upgraded into a robot with a mind of its own.

Sounds impressive, right? Not really. Elena created this AI to cater to her every need, running errands, cooking for her, and allowing her to stay indoors for days on end. She thought she was living the dream.

Until the game came and shattered it.

---

Clariant Empire

The scent of fresh air was the first thing that made Elena open her eyes. The blinding sunlight, something she wasn't used to, made her squint as she slowly sat up.

"Ugh!" she groaned. "What's with this bright sunlight? Crucifix, close the windows!" She rubbed her eyes drowsily, her vision clearing with each passing second. But something felt off.

As her surroundings came into focus, she froze, staring at a dresser with intricate designs. Panic surged through her as she jumped out of bed and rushed to the mirror.

Leaning against the ornate white table, she stared at her reflection in horror. Chestnut brown wavy hair, large brown eyes devoid of life, small pale lips—she looked sick, but her skin was still baby-smooth.

For the first time, Elena asked herself, *Who am I?*

"Who the fuck am I?!" she shouted, her brows furrowing as she bit down hard on her lip, her heart pounding like a drum.

Elena blinked, and suddenly, a blue translucent screen materialized before her eyes, floating in mid-air. Text and icons hovered in neatly arranged rows, their edges glowing with a subtle luminescence.

It looked like a basic interface with scattered information. Elena gasped as she read the details, each pulsing gently, inviting her to explore.

---

[Name: Meliora Livia Delacroix] 

[Title: Abandoned Princess of the Clariant Empire]

[Age: 21]

[Status: Alive] 

[Health: 100%] 

[Body Health: Weak, with a hideous burn mark covering the right side of her face, making you look ugly.] 

[Companion: Crucifix (Pending Materialization). Click here to materialize.] 

[Power: Sealed large amount of mana. With this huge mana, Meliora can manipulate anything and summon anything she wishes.]

---

Elena's eyes widened, her breath quickening as panic took hold. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew it was bad. 

Her head throbbed as memories that weren't hers flooded her mind, making her gasp as if she had just been pulled out of the water.

Meliora. She recognized the name and the face. With these foreign memories came the shocking realization—she was no longer Elena Hartley, but Meliora.

The very character she despised had somehow pulled her into this world, which meant—

"I died?!!!" she screamed, yanking at her hair, her eyes wide with terror.

---

[Yes, Master! You died after collapsing in the bathroom, and now you are the character in the game. Your life depends on you. However, this is no longer a game; this is your reality, Master.]

---

What the f**k!

"But that can't be! How is this possible?" Elena shook her head violently, refusing to accept the truth. "How are you here then? If this is my reality, this must be a dream." She laughed nervously, slapping her cheek.

But nothing changed. She was still standing there, trapped in this nightmare.

"Ahh!" she shrieked, cold sweat dripping down her forehead as dizziness overtook her. She slumped onto the bed, overwhelmed by the shock.

---

[As soon as I saw you lying on the floor, dead, something suddenly pulled me in, and I found myself in your mind,] Crucifix explained. But Elena was still reeling from the aftershock.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door and barged into the room without waiting for permission.

A maid dressed in a black-and-white uniform, just like in the game, strutted in haughtily, her arms crossed. Her eyes were filled with disdain as she looked down her nose at Meliora.

"The Emperor wishes to see you," she announced, her lips curling in contempt.

That's when it hit Elena—this was no time to wallow in self-pity. If she played her cards right, maybe, just maybe, she could find a way back to her world.

She sighed in frustration, raising her head to glare at the maid. "This is utter rubbish!" she hissed.

They want me to survive, right? Fine. I'll do just that.