Before I Lose My Head

My phone screen was the only thing illuminating my dark room. I sighed as I read the final lines of my favorite chapter in the dark romance novel that had broken my heart. I turned off the phone and put it aside, my mind still captivated by the image of that tyrant prince—the ruthless, handsome villain whose very name made everyone tremble. My tears overcame me, and I fell asleep making a crazy wish: 'If only I could be there to change his fate...' But little did I know, my wish would be answered in a terrifying way! I woke up to the sound of an annoying rooster crowing, and a strong smell of straw choking my breath. I opened my eyes in shock... this wasn't my bedroom ceiling, and this wasn't my soft pillow! I looked at my hands and found them rough, covered in scratches, and I was wearing a worn-out dress of coarse linen. "Damn it, where am I?" "I rose slowly and cautiously from the bed, my heart pounding with doubt. I walked hesitantly toward the mirror, only to be met with a shocking surprise that utterly paralyzed me. The face staring back at me wasn't mine! It was the reflection of a stranger—a girl with short black hair that reached her neck, wide eyes with a captivating, mysterious gaze, and a stunningly proportioned figure that combined elegance and allure. I was looking at the body of a completely different person! "WHAT THE f**k?!" Suddenly, the wooden door creaked open, and a huge old woman, her face wrinkled and hideous, burst into the room. "!The old woman :"Lillian she yelled at me in a hoarse voice. "The old woman: "Lower your hateful voice, or you'll regret it I recoiled, looking at her with a mixture of fear and disgust at her hideous appearance. But amidst the terror of her sudden outburst, the truth struck me like a thunderbolt, and I understood... the girl she was pointing at, the owner of this body that now inhabited my consciousness... her name was Lillian! "?Excuse me... but who are you? And who am I" I asked suspiciously, my voice trembling The old woman looked at me with scoffing mockery, letting out a dry laugh. "!Don't go pretending to have amnesia just to slack off from work, you lazy girl" I furrowed my brows. "?!Work? What do you mean by work" Suddenly, the old woman's rough hand reached out and grabbed my ear painfully as she dragged me out of the room. She shoved a tattered waitress uniform at me and shouted, "!Hurry up! The customers are waiting downstairs, and we don't have time for your laziness" I stood in the narrow wooden hallway, my breath racing and my ear still stinging from her cruel grip. I looked at the tattered dress in my hands, then at the wooden staircase where loud laughter, the clinking of mugs, and the stench of cheap ale mixed with tobacco echoed from below. "Alright..." I whispered to myself, quickly throwing on the dress, trying to control the trembling in my hands. "So the original Lillian was a waitress in a village tavern. This means I am literally at the rock bottom of this world." I put on the apron, tying it around my slender waist, and took a deep breath before heading downstairs. The moment my feet hit the lower floor, a wave of noise struck me. The tavern was buzzing with burly men, peasants, and a few foreign travelers. I grabbed a heavy wooden tray and began moving between the tables, masking my fear behind my sharp features. I was just trying to survive and avoid trouble in this bizarre place. Suddenly, I froze in my tracks while placing mugs on a table where three travelers, seemingly from the capital, were seated. One of them slammed the table enthusiastically, saying, "I'm telling you, the entire imperial palace is talking about her! The Holy Maiden, Elena.. she has finally appeared at the Grand !Temple, and they say she possesses divine healing powers" Elena? The name echoed in my mind, sending a strange jolt through my chest. Why did it sound so jarringly familiar? Elena... The Holy Maiden... The Grand Temple... I paused, my thoughts racing as my mind desperately tried to connect the dots. A cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck. These weren't just random names. They were the exact details, the exact setting, and the exact female lead of the dark romance novel I was reading just last night! As the horrific realization finally struck me like a lightning bolt, my grip failed. The mug slipped from my tray, shattering loudly on the floor. This meant... I hadn't just traveled to a strange country. I was inside the novel! Hey! Watch it, girl!" one of the men snapped, but I could barely hear him over the roaring in my ears." I stepped back, my heart pounding wildly, the noise of the customers fading into the background of my mind as I wondered in horror: What chapter am I in? Then, suddenly, I remembered… Lillian! Not a heroine, just a passing village girl who gets killed in Chapter Three when the tyrannical prince—my favorite, brilliant character—sends his army to crush and burn this village to the ground simply because it sheltered some rebels! The same old brutal and thrilling style, but the problem now… I'm the one who's going to die in his m******e! "What are you doing, you i***t?! Clean up this mess right now!" the old hag yelled, cutting through my thoughts. I snapped back to reality and looked at the broken glass. I'm living on top of a time bomb planted by my favorite prince, and if I don't escape immediately, I'll die before I even get a chance to see his handsome face. I dropped to my knees, gathering the shards, my mind racing with a plan to escape and reach him.