Wrong Body, Wrong World
LEXI POV
As soon as I opened my eyes, I knew something was different. The high ceiling was unfamiliar to me.
The ceiling was very high, with paint and gold lines curving across it like in museums. I thought I was dreaming, I saw myself watching a Chinese Drama.
I blinked and sat up.
There was also something wrong with my bed. It was too soft. And the bed sheets, very soft and thick with a bit of heaviness, unlike the thin cotton in my room.
My room.
I quickly looked around.
This was not my room.
Its walls were wide and pale, tall windows with thick curtains. Sunlight could be seen entering through the gap in the curtain. Wait, was that really sunlight? Why was it red?
I looked at the wall again, and there wasn't a single poster of my favorite K-pop artist stuck on it, and there wasn't any clutter to be seen. The spacious room was very clean. It was also abnormally quiet.
My chest suddenly tightened. "Okay," I whispered. "Okay... this is... not funny."
My voice.
I suddenly stopped. This wasn't my voice.
I suddenly brought my hands up to my face. The fingers were slender. The skin is smooth, without blemishes, no cracked nail polish, and no calluses from excessive writing.
"No," I said quickly. "No, no, no…"
I pushed the blanket away and hurriedly got out of bed. The floor was cold. There was a mirror on the other side of the room.
I didn't want to look, but I did. And I wish I hadn't.
The woman staring back at me wasn't me.
She was… beautiful, long-haired, pale and well-groomed, proof of the words 'I woke up like this'. Smooth skin, no blemishes. Sharp eyes. And just above her temple, a small, curved horn peeked through her hair—delicate, almost ornamental. She looked like someone in a painting. Not human. Something… else.
I took a step closer, and she took a step closer.
I raised my hand. He did the same.
"No," I said again
I held my face. And him. This wasn't a dream. My heart started to beat faster.
"Wake up," I whispered. "You just woke up."
I closed my eyes as I opened them again. He was still there.
I jumped in shock as someone knocked on the door.
"Your Highness?" a voice called from the other side. "Are you awake?"
Your Highness?
I stared at the door as if my chest was about to explode with nervousness.
"I—" My voice caught. I cleared it. Tried again. "I… yes?"
Was my answer correct? It seemed wrong. It was too calm and composed.
The door opened before I could think.
Three women entered. All dressed the same, simple but elegant. I almost thought they were human—until I saw the small, curved horns tucked along the sides of their heads, half-hidden by their hair. My chest tightened. They looked like maids from the drama I was watching. There was just something different about them. They looked at me as if I were the center of their world. Their smiles were so perfect.
"Your Highness," one of them said, stepping closer. "You're awake."
Highness.
My stomach suddenly hurt. I felt like I was going to throw up with nervousness.
"Wait," I said, holding up a hand. "Stop. Just—wait."
They were stunned by what I did. But it was okay, at least it worked.
"What is this?" I asked. "Where am I? Who are you, people?"
The three women exchanged glances. They seemed confused, and so was I.
"Your Highness… this is your room," another said slowly. "In the royal palace."
Royal.
Palace.
This is crazy.
"I'm not—" I stopped.
What am I supposed to say? I'm not your princess, I don't know what place this is, and why I'm here.
They'll think I'm crazy. Or worse.
My breathing became even more uncomfortable.
Think, Lexi.
I looked back at the three women, all busy with their work. One was in front of a large closet. The other had come out of a room, and the other was standing in front of me as if waiting.
"What's my name?" I asked instead.
The woman next to me blinked. "…Your Highness?"
"My name," I said, sharper this time. "Say it."
"Aurelia," she answered, almost immediately. "Princess Aurelia."
Aurelia.
That name is not mine. Everything here is not mine, not even the body I have.
I swallowed. "Right," I said quietly. "Aurelia."
They became busy again after that. It was as if nothing had happened. It was as if I hadn't just woken up in someone else's body.
I was surprised when one of them grabbed me and started to undress me.
"Wait a minute..." I quickly backed away while holding on to my clothes tightly. It was only then that I noticed that even the nightgown I was wearing looked like I was about to go shopping at the mall.
They continued to approach me. So I raised one of my hands again, which was effective because they stopped.
"I can do this alone."
The three women looked at each other. "But Your Highness..."
"Trust me, I can undress by myself," I said.
The three women nodded hesitantly. One of them spoke. "Your Highness, your bath is ready."
I nodded. "O-okay."
The woman took a step, approaching me, but I quickly moved away. "W-what are you going to do?" I asked quickly.
"I'll come with you to take a bath, Your Highness," she said.
"Huh? N-no, no need. I can take a bath by myself." The woman blinked, looked confused at me, and before she could speak again, I was ahead of her. "Where is the bathroom?" I turned to the room she had come out of earlier. "Is that there?"
The woman nodded.
"Okay." I walked away from them and moved towards the bathroom. "Don't follow me, I can take a bath, okay?"
Before the woman could answer, I hurried into the room and closed the door.
-
I entered the bathroom and was stunned. The black marble floor surprised me. A large stone bathtub sits in the center, its steam warming the cold room. There were mirrors on the walls, framed in steel. A faint, metallic smell lingered in the air, the same smell as outside, and the light from the ceiling above was red; it couldn't have been daylight.
The water was hot, the feeling was so good that it contradicted the cold air that seemed to want to pull everything out of me, tension, fear, every chaotic thought. I closed my eyes and let the warmth envelop me.
For the first time since I woke up as Aurelia, I felt… very special. I laughed a little as I remembered how three women had chased me just to undress me earlier. I took a deep breath. I had no idea what was happening. How and why I had ended up in this body and this place. I'll think about that later, but for now, I'll enjoy this relaxing thing; maybe I'll be able to think about what to do next.
I don't know how many minutes I spent in the bathtub when a soft knock rang out on the stone.
"Your Highness?" a voice called. "It's time to finish your bath and get dressed."
I turned to the door. Three women entered, moving quickly but carefully. They were looking at me.
"Right… okay," I muttered, standing.
One of the women handed me a towel. The heat of the water clung to my skin as I wrapped myself in the towel.
-
They wrapped me in layers of clothing that I couldn't understand. Tight, heavy in a way that made it difficult to breathe properly. They combed my hair as if it were something fragile.
I remained silent. I wanted to do it alone, but they insisted as if they were begging, so even though it was a bit awkward to have someone serving me that I wasn't used to, I let them.
"His Majesty will be informed you're awake," one of them said.
I was taken aback. His Majesty?
"The council has been waiting," another added.
Council?
Why does a princess need to meet with the council so early in the morning?
"Why?" I asked before I could stop myself.
They looked at each other in confusion again, then hesitated to answer.
"Your Highness… do you not remember?" the first one asked carefully.
My forehead furrowed. What should I remember? Is something going to happen now?
"No," I said. It came out more honest than I meant it to.
They looked at each other again. This time, there was something else in their eyes. Worry.
"That is… concerning," one of them murmured.
Great.
Now I was the amnesiac princess.
Perfect.
"Your Highness," the first maid said, forcing a small smile. "It would be best if you proceed as usual. The royal court is already gathered."
Of course, there was no pressure.
"Right," I said, even though nothing felt right.
They led me out of the room.
-
The palace was… huge. The hallways were longer than my entire school building. There were guards at every turn. Up close, they weren't fully human. Their horns were different from those of women. Men's horns were longer and sharper, growing back from their temples instead of the sides. Some curved back, others jutted straight out, rough, uneven, like no one cared how they looked.
No one looked strange here.
Except me.
Guards bowed as I passed.
Wrong, not me, but Aurelia.
I had watched a Chinese drama show on how royalty moved and walked. I could easily imitate it. Calm and elegant, as if it couldn't break a plate.
I secretly laughed to myself. I never thought I would become a princess, literally a princess.
Inside, I could hardly help but wonder.
"What happened to her?" I whispered to myself as we walked. "To the real Aurelia…"
We stopped in front of the large doors. They were huge with a strange carving.
"This is the council chamber, Your Highness," one of them said softly.
I looked at her, and my hand suddenly went cold. The confidence I had felt earlier suddenly disappeared. There were so many 'what ifs' running through my mind.
"Okay," I whispered under my breath. "Just… don't mess this up."
The two women stood at the door while the other stayed by my side. Together, they grabbed the strange lock of the door and opened it.
-
The room was full.
Nobles. Officers. Soldiers. Everyone was lined up neatly. Every one of them turned as I entered.
My nervousness grew even stronger as the wind changed. I swallowed hard as I continued walking.
I noticed my servants following behind me. I quickly whispered.
"Where do I sit?" I whispered to one of them.
"At the far end, Your Highness."
I turned to the far side of the room and saw a man sitting on a raised chair. Older. Sharp eyes. Calm, but not kind.
The king.
My—no.
Aurelia's father.
His horns were very different from the others—long, dark horns stretched outward like a crown he no longer needed to wear. Heavy, real, and earned.
The queen sat beside him, calm and unmoving.
Her horns were thinner, more delicate, curving upward in a smooth arc, almost delicate at first glance. But they were noticeable in length. They framed her head like a silent crown, shiny and precise, impossible to ignore once you noticed.
I forced myself to walk forward even though my knees felt like they were going to give out from being so nervous.
Don't stumble. Don't panic. Don't run.
"You are late," the king said. His voice echoed effortlessly throughout the room.
"I—" I stopped myself.
Thought.
"Forgive me, Father," I said, lowering my head slightly. It felt strange saying that, but at least it worked.
"Take your place," he said.
I nodded and moved to the side, followed by the three women who stood behind me. I just stood to the side, but I still couldn't breathe; I couldn't rest. I felt like one mistake would make them know I wasn't their Princess. Besides that, I was hungry. I was already hungry. If only I had known that something amazing would happen to me when I woke up, I ate a lot last night before I fell asleep.
I lightly rubbed my stomach, and that's when I felt it. This is how it feels when someone is looking at you, no, someone is staring at you from somewhere, watching, observing.
I turned my head.
A man was standing close to the front. He was wearing black. He didn't bow and didn't look away. He just watched me. His eyes were cold.
His horns rose from his temples and curved back in a clean, perfect arc, sharp at the ends, like they could cut skin if you got too close.
"Who is that?" I whispered to the maid beside me.
The woman answered quickly. "Commander Kael, Your Highness."
Commander.
That's why he was different from all the soldiers there. He's just a dangerous kind.
I was the first to look away. I couldn't hold the stare for much longer. Because of something about the way he looked at me.
It felt like he could see right through me.
-
The meeting had begun. People were talking. Names, issues, and decisions that I couldn't understand. I tried to listen. But my mind kept drifting back to him.
Kael.
Every time I glanced in his direction, he was already looking. I wanted to be annoyed, but my hunger was getting the better of me. I frowned as my stomach continued to rumble.
"How long will this be over?" I whispered to one of my servants. "I'm hungry."
The maid glanced at me, a hint of sympathy in her eyes, but her voice remained low and cautious.
"Not long, Your Highness. Just a little longer, please try to bear with it."
She moved slightly.
"Breakfast will be ready as soon as the meeting ends," she added. "We wouldn't want you to miss it."
Her words were gentle, but I could sense her hesitation. I immediately felt that something was wrong with what I was doing.
-
The meeting ended more slowly than it had begun. One by one, people filed out. The pressure in the room eased after several hours of discussion, but not completely.
My serabante immediately whispered to me that we were going straight to the dining hall for breakfast, which is why I was excited and hurriedly turned to leave.
"Your Highness."
My steps stopped. That voice, with authority, made me turn around even though I didn't want to.
Kael was standing a few steps away now. Closer than before. Up close, he looked even more unreadable. His forehead was furrowed slightly as he stared at me.
'Shit, what a nuisance. It's already dinner, it's still stuffed.'
"Yes?" I said, trying to keep my voice even.
He didn't bow or smile. He just looked at me.
"You're different today," he said.
My heart suddenly sank.
"I don't know what you mean," I replied quickly.
A moment of silence.
Then, "You will," he said, simple words, not a question but a statement.
He stepped back after that. It was as if what he had said was enough. It was as if he didn't need anything else.
I was stunned and clutched my chest. My heart was pounding. 'Did he notice?'
-
I was walking down the hallway towards the dining hall, the three servants behind me, my hands still cold from nerves. The noise of my thoughts was louder than the sound of our footsteps.
This world is not only strange. It is not safe for me. I don't know what I have come to, but I am starting to get scared. I feel like someone is going to kill me at any moment, and it is no longer relaxing and enjoyable.
I glance down at my hands—Aurelia's hands—and fold them.
"Okay," I whisper deeply.
I am here anyway, I need to learn quickly. How to act like her. How to survive here and get out safely. And most of all… how to deal with someone like Kael.
One thing is clear. Commander Kael doesn't believe that I am Aurelia. Sooner or later, he might… he will prove it.
My three servants are chatting softly about breakfast and schedules, but I barely hear them. My gaze moves to the end of the hallway, towards the dining room doors. I can feel the pressure of the palace waiting on the other side—and I need to be ready.