Squealing with a mixture of loud shrieks, Yenny eventually screamed into her pillow which didn't change much of her volume. "It's still so amazing!! After all these years, I still can't believe the author put so much thought into this novel! It felt like I was really witnessing the Male Lead’s life all over again!!"
Pouting as she stared up at the ceiling, Yenny couldn’t help but to feel annoyed and sad at the ache in her chest.
"I mean...I get the whole "they had no romantic feelings for each other" bit, but did they really have to write about how the Emperor basically family-zoned her? It just seems so unfair even though the feelings were mutual I guess." Groaning out loud while muffling her screams into her pillow, Yenny stared at the wall in thought. "They had such good chemistry, but I guess it makes sense why they couldn’t work out." She giggled to herself until she started squealing again, thinking about how badass the two main leads were.

"Keep it down will you?! It's three in the morning, and I have to wake up at seven-thirty!" She paled at her older brother's non-existent threat when he stormed into her room.
Yenny quickly nodded. "S-sorry Sam! I'll go to bed now."

"Don't fucking lie." Yawning mid-sentence, Yenny held back her laughter when her brother continued. "You know damn well you're gonna stay up. You're lucky it's not a school day and that you have a few days off before your schedule gets hectic again. At least try and get some sleep." Watching her brother’s tired face become concerned, Yenny smiled before nodding.
"I'll try. Promise!" Muttering to himself as Sam scuffled back to his room after closing her door, Yenny glanced at the time and yawned herself. "Holy shit! I didn’t actually believe him when he said it was really three." Smiling to herself, Yenny had tried her best to not make even a peep.

Sighing to herself before the sigh turned into a yawn, Yenny started to re-read the comments and reviews, quietly giggling out loud just as she was about to leave her hundredth comment when her head began pounding.

'I should get some sleep before this exhaustion headache gets any worse.' Halfway through her comment, Yenny's headache got increasingly worse and she dropped the phone without finishing her sentence.
Yenny's hands pressed tightly against her head, a sharp piercing pain that felt as though her skull was being split apart arose. She opened her mouth to cry out her brother's name, but the pain was so severe that it rendered her speechless.
Terrified at how her vision had already become clouded, Yenny froze in place for a moment while crying softly, squeezing her hair in her fist before thrashing her head against the pillow like a lunatic; images and voices mixing together until Yenny realized what she was seeing and hearing, were memories that weren't really her own.

After the images and echoing sounds had finally stopped, Yenny stared out in front of her while the pain had begun to subside. But Yenny's hands continued to shake as her tears refused to cease. 'Is this a dream?' Her hurting eyes roamed slowly around the room, her shaking hands moving down to her arms to pinch herself. Gasping at the stinging and dull pain, Yenny quickly shut her mouth and stared at the door, hoping she didn’t wake up her brother. 'It's real...this is all real.' Embracing herself tightly, Yenny bit her lower lip to keep her sobs quiet. 'I really–they really did...' A heavy weight settled in her chest as she wiped her eyes and nose against her blanket, glancing at her open phone screen that had just turned off. 'They really...they really kept their end of the deal.' Her last thought came to mind after yawning absentmindedly before sleep had engulfed her. 'Then the novel might mean...the author who wrote this, was from that world too?'

                                                        * ~ *         * ~ *

'I'm tired.'
"ARE YOU TRYING TO HUMILIATE ME IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!?"
'How much longer am I going to keep taking this?'
The older woman grabbed onto her younger sister's loose hair, a yelp escaping her lips while she was screamed at. "How dare you accuse me of stealing! Why would I need your pathetic pocket change when I have my own money?!"
The younger sister couldn’t help but glare, anger rising in her chest as she gripped onto the hand holding her hair. "Because I clearly saw you taking it! I just wanted you to be the bigger person and give it back without having you make such a fuss!"
She released her younger sister's hair only to push her towards the ground. "What nonsense! Clearly you're imagining things now! You probably mistook one of the guests or your stupid friends as me!" Her eyes landed on her nervous maid, giving a knowing look as the older sister suddenly went onto her knees and began balling her eyes out, confusing the younger sister. "I-I was at the par-party this whole time! How could-how could you accuse me of being a thief? Do you think so little of me Gwenny?!"

Gwendolyn Pertho Zamora.
Known by most as the youngest daughter and future heiress of the Zamora Ducal home, and a child blessed by one of the Gods; Kessem, due to her soft pink hair and dark smokey eyes that are proof of the God's Blessing.

She stared at her sister with contempt, standing with her mouth open ready to scream, when her parents barged into the room. "GWENDOLYN!!"
Flinching at her fathers voice, he glared at her after seeing the older sister on her knees crying. Quickly making his way over to them and stopping right in front of Gwendolyn, her father slapped her hard across the face as he blocked Gwendolyn’s view of her mother comforting the crying older sister.
Gwendolyn was in shock, stumbling back a bit just before her body shook in rage wanting to retaliate, but she managed to calm herself down through sheer willpower, knowing that her getting riled up wouldn't help her. "What the hell is wrong with you! How could you think your sister's a thief!?"
Clenching her jaw at how the scene looked, Gwendolyn gave a quick glance at her sister who shed crocodile tears, watching the corners of her mouth lift up in a prideful smile when her mother began to glare at Gwendolyn.
She quickly looked back at her father before more of a misunderstanding took place. "I saw her steal my congratulatory money! I was only trying to get it back, but now she's making a scene!!"
"MAKING A SCENE!!" Flinching again at her fathers outraged voice, Gwendolyn refused to back down.
With her body vibrating from the quelling rage surfacing again; nervousness, and hopelessness began to seep into her, but she stood her ground and glared back at her father, tears threatening to spill from her eyes while screaming at the top of her lungs. "Yes, a scene!! I asked her so many times now to return the money she took, but she's making a scene so she does not have to!!"
"And where is your proof that she actually took it!?"
"Are you even hearing yourself! Why can't you just believe me? Do you really think I'd lie about this–am I not also your daughter!!” Desperation to prove herself caused Gwendolyn to feel nothing but despair.
"GWENDOLYN ENOUGH!!" Her face scrunched in confusion as her mother was the one who yelled. "Can't you see that you are upsetting Melrose more with your ridiculous theory! She was at the party the whole time, yes the only time she had left was to use the bathroom, but she came back straight after!" Her mother glared at the shaking maid who had entered just before. "Is that not what you reported to me?"

The maid fell onto her hands and knees. "Ye-yes Milady. What you say is correct, I had kept an eye on Lady Melrose as per your request, and she came back to the party after having used the bathroom just as you said."
Gwendolyn’s nails dug deep into her palms, she would have drawn blood if not for the fast-healing part of her blessing as it had already healed the bruise on her cheek. 'This is ridiculous! They're making me feel like I've gone crazy!! Why is it this hard for anyone in this family to just believe me?' Clenching her jaw tightly, Gwendolyn felt the angry tears she previously held back begin to glide down her cheeks, but didn't dare to wipe them away as she was not shown an ounce of sympathy from her parents and the still sobbing Melrose. Gwendolyn inhaled deeply, holding her breath for a moment as she closed her eyes before releasing it. 'That maid will be one of the firsts I'll kick out.' She unclenched her sore jaw with an apathetic look on her face, staring dead-eyed at her so-called family. "Since you don't care to believe me, it's obvious nothing I say will get through to you both."
"What did you sa–?!"
Gwendolyn started walking away with what little pride and dignity she had left. "I will be taking my leave first."
"GWENDOLYN STOP." Out of habit she did as she was told, looking back to her parents and sister. "Apologize to Melrose right this instant."

She just barely managed to hold back a scoff at her mothers words, knowing she'd be in bigger trouble if it was taken the wrong way. Gwendolyn held her head high up and spoke with a toneless voice. "And why should I?"
"Because that is what you do, when you've done something wrong."
Her face changed to show how outraged she was, but she still managed to keep her composure at bay. "Then shouldn't you apologize to me as well?"
"Oh stop being dramatic Gwendolyn! We are your parents, we do not need to apologize when you're the one who is hurting all of us!"
"And yet rather than yelling and screaming at me as you are now, you could have at least pretended to listen to what I have to say in a calm manner. Instead you had already branded me as a villain the moment you saw Melrose in tears."
"That still doesn't excuse the fact that you were falsely accusing your sister! We're a 'family', and you need to listen to us and apologize to her!" Her mother had the audacity to retort.
Turning her back on the three, Gwendolyn didn't want to show them her disgust. "You say we're a family, and yet it doesn't look like I have a place here." With those being her last words, Gwendolyn yanked the door wide open, startling her twin brother who looked both confused and terrified at his sister.
However, she could have cared less as she stormed away.

'Melrose this, Melrose that! What's so good about a useless older sister who just takes advantage of her family for her own selfish gains!' Her chest rose and fell just as quickly as her breaths and steps. 'I should've known better. Why did I ever think they'd change? I have to get out of here. I don’t want to show anyone else in this damn house these useless stupid tears.'
Barging into her room, she saw her personal maid Lenora making the bed. "...would you like to leave?" Feeling grateful that she was the only one who had understood her situation, Gwendolyn quickly nodded her head and wiped her dried tears from her face. "Shall I dress you in simple attire, or will you be going to the lower districts?"
Inhaling to keep herself from breaking down any further, her eyes had started to turn bloodshot from the held back tears, Lenora couldn’t help but to pity the Lady she was working under.
"Preferably something that will help in both. I don’t think I’ll be coming back home for a few days, but please do not over pack." 

Feeling like she can breathe again once the corset was finally taken off, Gwendolyn smothered any overflowing feelings of sadness and guilt she had.

"I think I’ll wear a simple chemise dress for now. Please pack a couple of gowns that do not need a lot of time to put on, a few short dresses with the length being just above the ankles maximum, and as many outdoor outfits with pants as you can pack. The chemise dress isn’t hard to put on myself, so I’ll leave after to find trustworthy escorts who can accompany us."
"Understood Milady, is that all?" After putting comfortable flats on when she finished getting dressed –temporarily shocking Lenora– Gwendolyn grabbed a bicolor hooded cape; wearing the side of the cape that showed its dark blue color over herself.
Holding the door open, she inspected the hall and saw that it was still deserted. ‘All their focus should still be towards the party.’ Turning to her lady's maid, Gwendolyn nodded with a serious look. "Also pack flat boots and comfortable shoes. We’re going to avoid drawing attention to ourselves by walking, so make sure you're also packed and dressed comfortably."
"Yes, Milady." After her bow Gwendolyn quickly closed the door only to open it once again.
"Ah! And make sure you bring all the money I earned. I don't trust leaving it here for good reasons. Just make sure you do not get caught when you meet us at the back, understood?" With a smile and giggle from Lenora, she nodded.

Making her way over to the knights training grounds, Gwendolyn had barely managed to sneak and hide from the guests and servants. ‘If I remember correctly they should both be there if they listened to what I had said earlier.’ Hearing the distant sound of metal clanging against metal, Gwendolyn smiled at the two men who were sparring.
Watching Azarios leg sweep Sir Gilbert with ease, he placed the tip of the sword against his neck. With his hands up to his face, Sir Gilbert admitted defeat. With Azarios noticing her first, he bowed which caused Sir Gilbert to look in the same direction, bowing alongside Azarios once he stood.
"Was it a light spar, or did you both go all out?" Looking at Azarios with an accusing look, he replied nonchalantly.
"It was a light spar, Milady."
"Good. I need at least two escorts when I’m leaving home for more than a day, so please wear something inconspicuous." Both bowed in understanding with the spring breeze blowing past the three; Sir Gilbert walked to the knight’s manor as Azarios stepped forward only after Sir Gilbert had left, watching Gwendolyn lost in thought. 

She sighed heavily while running her fingers through her hair anxiously. 'Of course Azarios has to come with me regardless, but Sir Gilbert is the only knight so far that I’m not so awkward around and can faithfully trust.'
Showing concern for Gwendolyn, Azarios couldn’t help but to think how pitiful she looked while thinking. "Did something happen, Milady?"
Staring up at him for a silent moment, she looked at the ground and nodded. "Yes. It’s the reason why I want to leave as soon as possible, so please hurry."
Watching a few tears slip past her eyes once more, Azarios patted her head when Gwendolyn wiped the stray tears away. "At least wait in the hallway until we’re done, please?"
Smiling as if she was never hurt or sad to put his mind at ease, Gwendolyn nodded and followed him inside.