1: Awakening

SERA suddenly gasped for air and slowly opened her eyes. At first, everything was blurry. She immediately grimaced in pain as she felt the sharp thud inside her chest before her vision became clear.

The pain was not of a wound or the burning sensation of fire, but a slow, suffocating ache that crawled through every inch of her body. Her lungs struggled to breathe, her heart beat weakly and her fingers trembled against the cold sheets enveloping her almost icy body.

Sera was expecting to see the familiar ceiling of her room, but instead she found a dark room decorated with amethyst crystals, and silver runes were hovering above her, glinting rapidly.

Then, a heavy scent of herbs filled the air.

"Is this a dream? Where am I?" Sera whispered, but even her own voice startled her because it sounded different.

'Did I successfully cross the Heavenly Realm?' she asked herself.

Because in her mind, the memory of her death was still vivid. She tried to search for her family, expecting that they'd welcome her. But they were nowhere in sight. Could it be that they were mad at her because she caused their demise?

"Is this the afterlife?" Sera cleared her throat several times. Because the voice was softer, weaker, and surely it didn't belong to her.

"Dad? Mom? I'm here, where are you?" she called. "I've come to reunite with you!"

She tried to sit up, but her body immediately collapsed back onto the bed. She felt too weak even in a slight movement.

"Princess!" A frightened female voice echoed through the room.

A young maid rushed toward her, the poor maid's dress were worn out, while her tears already forming in her eyes as she grabbed Sera's trembling hands.

"W-Who are you?" Sera was utterly perplexed.

"Please, do not move. The apothecary warned us that your body cannot handle any more strain. You have been unconscious for seven days! Only these healing runes are preventing you to cross the after life!"

Sera stared at the maid in confusion. "Princess? Who are you talking about?"

Sera thought she was never a princess, just a spoiled daughter of a Duke.

The maid froze, her beautiful face turned pale. "Please do not scare me. You are Princess Nesca of the Empire of Darantha!"

"D-Darantha?!" The words struck Sera like lightning. She knew something was wrong. What she was doing in Darantha? That place was the Demon Realm! The infamous Northern Empire, where a mere human could not possibly enter even if they wield high-class magic, unless they have an official invitation.

Wait, didn't she die? Why was she still in the Continent of Helvaris?

"W-Where am I? And who is Nesca?"

"You! This is the Cloud Forest in the Eastern Region of Darantha. You are the seventh princess of the current Demon King Regent. What is happening to you?" The maid was so scared seeing her mistress acting as if she was possessed.

Sera looked around the unfamiliar room, her breathing becoming faster as she tried to grasp everything.

"No. That is impossible. I am Sera Veilaris, a daughter of Duke Sergoth, I used to live in the Capital of Lumienar…" her eyes moistened as the memories of the crown prince and the saintess came to her mind.

The image of Khaevin lighting the stake that burned her to death and his evil grin as her body was slowly consumed with fire.

'Am I still alive?' Sera's eyes were questioning.

Meanwhile, the maid looked at her with fear and bewilderment.

"Princess, are you saying you do not remember anything? Don't scare me like this. I know you were on the verge of death that even the apothecary confirmed you'll not survive."

Sera massaged her temple trying to calm her raging mind. "I'm not Nesca."

Then a sudden wave of memories invaded her mind. It was so lonely that tears had cascaded in her cheeks.

'These fragment of memories is surely not mine…' Sera thought. Yet somehow, they felt painfully familiar.

She looked down at her hands and noticed they were different. They were paler and covered with faint black markings trailing her veins.

"Help me get up," she said.

The maid immediately assisted her as she slowly moved toward a nearby mirror.

"Oh, no…" The reflection made her stepped back because she couldn't believe on her own reflection.

'This is not me!' Sera panicked but she stood still, despite her wobbling knees.

In the reflection, it was young woman… staring back at her. She had beautiful purple eyes, long wavy dark hair, and delicate features that carried a noble aura. However, her body was plump, or rather swollen, and her cheeks were round, giving her a gentle appearance, a contrast to the sharp beauty expected from a demon princess.

For Sera, the lady staring at her was beautiful and unique.

Sera touched her reflection. "Purple eyes… that's the only similarities we have."

"Princess… please, snap out of it!" the maid knelt before her.

"So, this is Nesca…" Sera whispered. She thought everything was just a dream. Why would she wake up on a different body? Did the gods took a pity on her?

Before the maid could respond, a cold mechanical male voice suddenly echoed inside Sera's mind. Then a glowing blue screen appeared before her.

[Host detected.]

Sera froze. "What the heck is this?"

[Soul compatibility confirmed.]

[Transmigration successful.]

[Welcome to the Empire of Darantha.]

Sera's eyes widened and she looked around. "Who said that?"

The maid looked around nervously. "Princess, is something wrong?"

"Reveal yourself!" Sera ignored her and focused on the strange male voice.

[Initiating Revenge System.]

[System activated.]

The transparent blue screen went bigger.

She stared at it in disbelief. "A System?"

[Correct, Host.]

"What kind of system are you?" Sera asked.

[I am the Revenge System designed to assist the Host in achieving justice against those who caused suffering to the previous owner of this body.]

Sera's expression changed. "Previous owner?"

[Nesca, the seventh princess of Darantha.]

The name made her heart tighten. "What happened to her? What about me?"

[The original Nesca died due to an unknown disease after years of neglect, humiliation, and betrayal.]

"She died?" Sera clenched her fists. Was it her fault because she suddenly invaded her body?

[Yes. She's dead.]

The room fell silent. Sera realized that the young woman who had owned this body was gone for good. The princess who had endured pain alone had disappeared without anyone caring, except the maid. Sera knew it because she witnessed her fading memories a while ago.

Sera felt anger rising inside her. "How old is she?"

[In demon age, she is 70.]

'Her appearance is as young as me when I was Sera,' she noticed.

"Was she abandoned by her own family?"

[Confirmed.]

"Was she bullied because of her appearance and her weak nature?"

[Confirmed.]

Her eyes turned cold. Indeed, even if both of them had a different fate, the sufferings they endured were the same. Perhaps, she should give justice to Nesca first before she could focus in her own retribution. It would be her way of repaying Nesca for letting her inhabit her body.

"Why was she given such a cruel fate?" Sera asked the system.

[The System cannot answer.]

Sera looked at her reflection again. "You're right. She deserves revenge."

[Host has accepted the mission.]

[Main Quest Activated.]

[Revenge of the Neglected Princess.]

[Objective: Punish those who destroyed Nesca's life and uncover the truth behind her mysterious illness.]

Sera swallowed. Everything seemed to happen so fast. A system popped out of nowhere after her death, yet she was given a second chance to live inhabiting a different body.

"What happens if I complete the mission?" Sera was genuinely curious.

[Rewards will be granted.]

[You can continue another quest for your own retribution if you succeed.]

"Good. And if I fail?"

[Death.]

Sera laughed softly. "Death? Again? No way! I already died once, this time I will live for a sole purpose… revenge. For Nesca, and me!"