Birds chirped. Sunlight streamed through an open window.
Oak leaves swayed gently in the breeze.
Luna's eyes fluttered open. She sighed softly.
The room was unfamiliar. Different.
She jolted upright in the bed, murmuring,
"What...?"
She looked around, confused and disoriented.
This wasn't her room.
Suddenly—
"Argh!"
Pain shot through her head. She clutched it, wincing.
"What is this...?"
Memories not her own rushed into her mind—
faces, voices, fragments of a life she didn't recognize.
Again, pain.
She gasped, grabbing at her eye with her left hand.
Losing balance, she tumbled off the bed, landing hard on the wooden floor beside a mirror.
Light from the window struck her face, momentarily blinding her.
Then clarity.
Recognition.
The memories… the person she had seen…
It was her.
Luna.
Luna Lockheart.
She pushed herself up, dazed.
"Where am I?" she asked aloud.
Outside, joyful voices rang out—laughter, playfulness.
Drawn to the sound, Luna walked to the windowsill and peeked out.
Children ran and played beneath the golden sun.
And then, they called to her—clearly, joyfully.
"Luna!"
"Come outside! Come play!"
Something stirred in her. She smiled, responding with a shout:
"'Kay! I'm coming!"
She turned quickly and—
"Huh?"
Somehow, she was already in front of the mirror.
Had she jumped through space? Time?
She blinked, rubbing her face as she studied her reflection.
A small, petite girl stared back—
waist-long soft pink hair with gentle curls,
slim figure, slightly almond-shaped eyes,
a rounded, heart-touched face,
and eyes like soft gray-blue skies.
She looked about eight years old.
"Waaah, I'm pretty! Like a White Lily!" she exclaimed with glee.
Then her mood shifted.
"Anyway… where am I?" she sulked, puffing her cheeks in defeat.
But then she perked up, determination in her step.
"Well… let's just go with the flow!"
She darted to the door and took off down a corridor that seemed to stretch endlessly.
"Lilly! Iris! Stella! I've arrived!" she called out as she ran.
"Took you long enough, Luna!" Iris teased, arms crossed.
"I fell off the bed and forgot where the exit was, ehe~"
Luna stuck out her tongue playfully, tilting her head with closed eyes.
"Let's go to the lake!" she suddenly shouted, dashing past the group.
"Aghhh! You never give us time to think!" Lilly cried, laughing as they all took off after her.
"Let's goooo!"
"Hmmmm… I have no idea how I ended up here. Where am I? Or even… who am I?"
Luna pouted in confusion, lightly swinging her legs as she sat on the edge of a chair.
She furrowed her brows, deep in thought.
"Okay, first thing's for sure… I've reincarnated into this world."
She groaned softly, trying to organize her thoughts.
"Secondly... I need to check a few things..."
She leaned back, sighing dramatically.
"In all those stories, reincarnated people are either super-duper overpowered, crazy smart, or… terminally ill."
She blinked, slowly turning toward the chair behind her.
"Well, let's check."
With determination, Luna hopped off the chair and grabbed it with both hands.
"Ughhh… Aggghhh—" she groaned as she tried lifting it.
Suddenly—
"Aghh!" A sharp pain shot through her back.
She immediately let go and gently rubbed the sore spot.
"Okay… not strong. Definitely not smart either."
She paused, eyes wide.
"That only leaves..." gulp "...terminally ill?"
A look of pure disbelief crossed her face.
"Nooo, no way! I'm an eight-year-old kid—there's no way I'm that sick!"
She shook her hands wildly in denial, her expressions so exaggerated and full of dismay that anyone watching would instantly believe her panic.
"Well… there's no harm in checking," she muttered.
She climbed back onto her chair and raised her hand with a flourish.
"Lalla! Could you call my personal doctor? But make it secret! Pretty pwease~?"
She turned toward the maid, eyes wide with innocent sparkle, mustering all the cuteness she could summon.
The maid clutched her chest.
"Aghh! My heart! Alright, my lady—I'll do it!"
She turned to leave, but just as she was about to close the door—
"Ey! No gossiping about it, ay?" Luna called out with a mischievous glance.
The maid froze.
"Egh! Al… alright!"
She stumbled backward, dramatically clutching her heart again as if the Young Lady's cuteness had pierced her like an arrow.
"I won't tell a single soul, promise!"
With that, she quickly excused herself and disappeared down the hall.
"Your Highness! Is something troubling you? Is it your health?"
"Mr. Aux, thank you for coming. That's exactly what we're going to find out today!"
Luna smiled brightly as she reached out for a handshake.
"Oh—no need for formalities, my lady," he replied warmly, bowing slightly. "I humbly wish to help you."
His smile was sincere, kind.
"Mr. Doctor, may I have you come here, please?" Luna asked, giving a little wave to call him over.
"Yes, my lady?" he responded politely, stepping closer and awaiting her words.
"Closer," she insisted, waving him in again.
"Hmm?" the doctor murmured curiously as he leaned in.
"Whatever today's examination shows, you cannot tell anyone about it—not even my father. Aight?"
Luna's voice was sweet and innocent, yet her tone left no room for argument. She gazed up at him with such earnestness and childlike charm that Mr. Aux felt his resolve crumble instantly.
"Agh… Alright, Your Highness! I'll keep it a secret!"
Resistance was futile. Her Highness Luna's weaponized adorableness had struck again.
"Now then—let me see," the doctor said gently. "I'll use my magic to examine you, Your Highness."
"Please speak normally, Doctor. It's okay, you don't have to be that formal," Luna said with a small sigh of relief.
"Alright then, my lady. I'll keep it more casual from now on."
"Then… please, go ahead."
With a small nod, the doctor raised his hands and began casting a spell. A strange glow filled the room as arcane patterns began to dance in the air.
In her thoughts, Luna gasped.
Wahhh… Is this it? What kind of sorcery is that?
Magic…? Magic actually exists?! It's so pretty…
I can't look away... The runes, the shapes, that glowing green light… It's mesmerizing!
"Doctor… What is this?" she finally asked aloud, unable to contain her wonder.
"My lady," the doctor began, concentrating as the spell circled her slowly, "this is a diagnostic spell. I use it to examine patients—searching for illnesses, from the simplest of colds to the most dangerous of diseases, such as—"
He suddenly froze.
"..."
"...Doctor?"
"...My god... It... It can't be..."
"What's wrong, Doc?"
The doctor's eyes welled with tears. He took a shaky step back.
"My… my apologies, my lady. I… I don't know how to say this…"
"Doc, you're scaring me. Just tell me!"
He swallowed hard.
"You're ill, my lady… gravely ill. It's... it's White Death."