If Ell had known she’d drown at the prime age of nineteen, she would’ve taken up the free-swimming classes offered by her college. Instead, she avoided the swimming pool only to sink into a lake. As icy water ripped through her throat and into her lungs, she decided to sign up for those lessons first thing if she survived.

  Ell did not survive.

  A burning sensation swept through her chest and into her body until it became a scorching caress on her skin. Black blotched out the deep blue of the lake until all that remained was darkness.

  Ell’s fingers twitched one last time, outstretched hands moving limply in the undercurrent. Her eyes were half open, empty gaze unfocused.

  Then the black of her pupils moved.

  It spilled into her honeyed irises then streaked across her sclera. Just as the liquid filled her eyes and swelled past her lashes like resentful tears, it was sucked back into a constricted pupil, and Ell blinked.

  Her heart throbbed with life, chest heaving with each inhale, but what slipped into each gasp was not air, but water. Yet, there was no resistance, and no suffocation. If not for the constant pressure from being submerged, and the light filtering through the lake’s surface above, Ell would have thought she was back on land.

  Cool stone met Ell’s feet. She stood blankly on the lake bed for a long time, trying to ascertain what had happened. Before she could dwell on it for long, a glowing screen popped up in front of her.

  She squinted her eyes against the brightness.

  Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she took a closer look at the white semi-transparent rectangle sparsely lettered in crimson.

  [Welcome to Blessark]

  [You have been transported into Ilai Byrun Silva. Change the original owner’s fate and survive past the original character’s ending to gain a new life.]

  Ell read over the ridiculous nonsense, laughed, and closed her eyes. She kept them tightly shut for a long time, until her racing heart calmed and she was ready to wake up from the strange dream.

  But when she opened them, she was still dreaming—at least, that’s what she tried to convince herself.

  Ell looked at the translucent screen, raised her hand, and delivered a powerful slap to herself.

  Bad news—it hurt.

  Her cheek stung as she rubbed it gently. With a grimace, she turned to the hovering text. She scanned the meager contents over and over until her eyes hurt from the screen's glare, and her head pulsed with a dull headache.

  “This is not a transmigration, is it? At least, not to the same ‘Blessark’ and ‘Ilai’ from The Tale of Arrogance, right?” Ell spoke with a stiff smile, pausing when she realized she could talk underwater. A foreboding omen littered her skin with goosebumps. There was indeed a place where water was no different from air in the web serial she was following. “This is just a very vivid dream, right?”

  The letters on the floating box changed.

  [It is.]

  She breathed a sigh of relief then choked over it as the text changed again.

  [No, you are not dreaming.]

  The annoying thing was answering her in batches.

  The fantasy web novel, The Tale of Arrogance, followed the adventures of the crown princess of a monarchy within the empire of Blessark called Jemlar. The heir to the throne, Tyra Nym Aros, overcame various adversities, stabilizing the court and protecting the people against the increasingly chaotic times.

  On the other hand, Ilai Byrun Silva was, at best, a foil to the protagonist. Put more bluntly, cannon fodder.

  Tyra was humble, while Ilai was arrogant. Tyra wanted for little; Ilai wanted all that she could get. Tyra was capable; Ilai was carefree. Tyra bloomed in her solitude; Ilai indulged in the attention of a crowd. They were nothing alike, except for a particular thing they shared: blood.

  As the Queen’s niece and Tyra’s younger cousin, Ilai enjoyed the noble title of Princess and boundless luxury.

  To live a day in her life would have been worth it if not for the succession of misfortunes that befell her after her nineteenth birthday.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Ell reached for her shoulder, seeking her pet bearded dragon for comfort. Empty water and soft silk greeted her fingertips.

  Right—she was not home anymore. Even if she were, it would make little difference. Glutton had passed away a week ago, buried next to the city’s grand Golden Lake, the same one that took her life.

  She chuckled dryly. In the end, they got buried together. Even if her life had truly ended in that lake, it would not have been much of a loss.

  Her life had been a trudge in the mist. A blur.

  Orphaned from a young age, she was tossed between relatives. The constant moving left her with silhouettes of relationships never realized. Except one. The bond between her and Glutton.

  He was the greatest inheritance she had received from her parents.

  With him gone, she had no regrets. Might as well make the most out of this rotten card she had been dealt.

  The corners of her lips curved slightly, mirroring the tail ends of her eyes that slanted imperceptibly upwards, tainting her otherwise gentle gaze with arrogance.

  She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together. “If I die in this world, do I get another transmigration?”

  —Into someone who dies in peace at old age. Or, preferably, into a new body with no prior soul.

  [No. Your life will be over.]

  Ell quirked an eyebrow. “How terrible. Leaving me to die would’ve been more merciful than having me possess such a pathetic villain with a grotesque ending.” The last time Tyra met her disgraced cousin, Ilai was maimed and disfigured so thoroughly she was unrecognizable. “Is this perhaps a punishment? I don’t think I led such a wicked life.”

  Ell stared at the screen intently, but the text did not change. She changed her question. “What exactly are you?”

  No response.

  Ell’s smile faded. “Are you ignoring me or is there a limit to the number of communications we can exchange?”

  [Ignoring you.]

  “I see. Do you have a physical form? I want to beat you up,” she asked, her voice gentle and sincere.

  [No.]

  “What a pity.” She glanced down at the ornate black robes stitched with golden thread. The floral designs were dazzling despite the dim light. A heaviness pressed her head down. She felt through her ink black hair, a smooth sensation and sharp edges pricking her fingertips. Crown?

  Ell addressed the screen again. “Say, are you useful in any way or do you just function as a bad-tempered chat bot?

  The screen flickered. [Features will unlock as the plotline progresses. Explore on your own.]

  Son of a—

  “All right then. What should I call you?” Chat bots were more fun to tease when they had names.

  [System.]

  Ell clicked her tongue. “Cliche,” she commented as she crossed her arms. “Anyway, System, how do I get out of here?” Although she knew people received a Blessing from Meregon Dwell that granted them a magical power when they reached nineteen years old, the process was not detailed.

  [Explore on your own.] The screen repeated then flickered out.

  “Don’t leave so fast, I still have a question.” Ell scanned the clear water and smooth marble stone. She looked through the clear water at a distorted sun. “The novel—this world—is it real?”

  The system's response was quick. [Real.]

  Ell could not fathom how the author came to write of a real existing world. Or perhaps, it was their writing that created it. Dwelling on it only brought on a headache, so Ell focused on getting out of the magical waters.

  The system was too tight-lipped. Ell noted it as unreliable and began to search her memories for clues.

  As she tried to recall the information she knew about the enchanted lake, Ilai’s memories sprung to her head. They all carried relevant information. Ell reviewed them for a moment then finally moved.

  Although the liquid flowed like air into her lungs, it provided the usual resistance when she walked forward and away from the lake’s heart. The generous robes added to the strain.

  The edge of the lake appeared far at first, but in a couple of heartbeats, she had already arrived. Stone curved into smooth steps at her feet. Her ascent was cautious at first, but the surface was not as slippery as she imagined, encouraging her to increase her pace.

  Ell broke through the surface. Water slipped off her face and hair, leaving what emerged from the water dry. Around Meregon, an expanse of deserted grassland unfolded. As she climbed halfway out of the water, she turned her attention to her rippling reflection.

  The novel mentioned Ilai, although no stunning beauty, was a pleasant sight to behold. The description was accurate. Ilai’s countenance was fair and rosy, features generously distinct and sharp. Her lashes cast a shadow over her eyes, deepening the bright amber encircling her pupils. A crimson mark, akin to a hook twisted upon itself, sat above her brow.

  Right—the mark of Blessing.

  All those living on Blessark were endowed with a mark of Blessing when they turned nineteen. The mark granted them a random magical ability, each governed by different rules. Time had allowed most Blessings to be thoroughly explored. Yet, Ilai’s Blessing could not be deciphered by the Council of Markings. Despite all the suffering Ilai went through throughout the story, the mark remained dull and silent.

  Ell was not too concerned about it. It was always better for something to be useless than to be a burden. Anyhow, she was quite pleased with her appearance.

  With exception of the mark, the face was quite familiar. While less delicately maintained, Ell’s face had once borne the same features.

  The sight flooded Ell with relief. Having read her fair share of transmigration novels, she was not too rattled by the sudden change of identity. But in the end, this was an unfamiliar world with unpredictable dangers. A familiar body was a rare solace.

  The system could be a great support, too, if it were less miserly.

  Ell closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The moment she stepped onto the shore, she would be back at Ilai’s birthday banquet, and the countdown towards her miserable ending would begin.

  With a long gradual exhale, Ell opened her eyes and walked out.