Mia slurped her instant noodles while scrolling through her laptop screen. The room was dim except for the soft blue glow from her desk lamp. She had been awake since midnight, reading the same webnovel she had been obsessed with for almost a month.
Crown of Thorns.
A story filled with magic, saints, betrayal, and one of the most infuriating male leads she had ever read.
"Cassian, you bastard," she muttered through a mouthful of noodles. "How do you mistreat your own fiancée? Are you stupid or just blind?"
She clicked to Chapter 100.
Seraphina, the fake saintess, was smiling sweetly again while plotting murder. As usual.
Mia rolled her eyes. "Fake witch. If I was Elara, I would've slapped you with the whole Bible."
Her phone chimed with a notification, but she ignored it. She stabbed her noodles again, flipping to the next paragraph. The scene showed Cassian accusing Elara—again—while defending Seraphina like a brainless golden retriever.
"For someone with royal blood," Mia grumbled, "you're spectacularly dumb."
She shoveled noodles into her mouth angrily.
Then it happened.
The book's screen flickered.
Mia blinked. "Huh?"
A faint glow spread across the words.
Then it brightened.
And brightened.
"Wait—hold on—what's going on?"
The entire chapter burst into white light.
Her noodles dropped from her chopsticks.
The light swallowed her vision, blinding, burning, wrapping around her like a net. She tried to back away, but her chair dissolved under her. Her breath caught in her throat. Her ears buzzed.
She reached out—her fingers touched nothing.
Then everything went silent.
And dark.
And cold.
Something slammed into her cheek.
A burning line of pain exploded across her skin.
Mia gasped—a real, painful gasp—and her eyes flew open.
The light was gone.
Instead, she was on a marble floor.
Two women held her down. Strong hands pinned her arms behind her back. A knee pressed into her spine. Her cheek was squished against freezing stone.
"What—what—" Mia choked.
Another lash hit her.
"Hold her still!" a voice snapped.
The whip cracked. Mia flinched as pain shot down her face. Her vision blurred from the force.
The room around her was tall and cold, covered in sharp silver designs. A giant mirror stood beside an ornate bed. White curtains fluttered from an open balcony.
This wasn't her apartment.
This wasn't Earth.
This~~
Her heart stopped.
She knew this room.
She had read about it a hundred times.
"No way…" Mia whispered.
The girl reflected in the mirror had long silver hair. Pale skin. Red marks blooming across her cheek.
Elara von Rosenwald.
The villainess of Crown of Thorns.
The girl who gets slapped 300 times.
The girl who dies in Chapter 5.
Mia felt a chill race down her spine.
She wasn't dreaming.
She had transmigrated into the book.
"Stop struggling," one of the maids snapped.
But Mia wasn't listening.
Because she recognized the woman gripping a whip.
Dark hair in a tight bun. Cold eyes. Sharp smile.
Lila.
Seraphina's loyal dog.
Mia's stomach twisted. This is the opening scene… the abuse scene… the one where Elara begs for mercy…
Lila lifted the whip again. "Trash like you should stay silent."
Her arm swung.
The leather cracked against Mia's cheek. Pain flared again—sharp, hot, unbearable.
Mia hissed.
But she wasn't Elara.
She didn't beg.
"Get your filthy hands off me!" she snapped, trying to pull her arm free.
Both maids stiffened.
Elara never raised her voice.
Never fought back.
Never cursed.
So Mia did it again, louder this time.
"I said LET ME GO!"
Lila's eyes widened. "Oh? So the mute rat finally speaks?"
The other maids pressed Mia harder to the marble floor.
Lila smirked. "Push her down. Let's see how long her bravery lasts."
Mia's temper snapped.
"Where's your fake saintess?" she spat. "Call Seraphina. Isn't she the one pulling your strings?"
L - silence.
Then gasps.
The maids froze.
Elara had never dared say Seraphina's name like that.
Lila's face twisted. "You insolent—!"
She whipped Mia again.
Mia snarled and lifted her head. Blood ran down her chin.
"I said—call your saintess," she growled. "Or are you scared she'll see how stupidly you do her dirty work?"
"You—!" Lila raised her hand to strike again—
The door slammed open.
A wave of white light spilled into the room.
Every maid dropped into a bow immediately.
"L-Lady Seraphina!"
Mia forced her head up, heart hammering.
There she was.
Seraphina stepped inside, glowing softly like a holy angel. Her golden hair floated around her shoulders. A faint white aura shimmered around her dress.
She looked perfect.
Too perfect.
Her eyes landed on Mia, and she gave a gentle smile filled with pity.
"Still no magic?" Seraphina sighed. "How sad."
Mia almost laughed.
Fake saintess.
Fake smile.
Fake kindness.
She lifted her chin.
"Almost as sad as your acting."
The room fell silent.
Lila's mouth dropped open.
Seraphina blinked, smile freezing. "…What did you say?"
"Oh, should I repeat it slower?" Mia asked sweetly. "Your. Acting. Is. Bad."
Whispers spread among the maids. No one breathed.
Seraphina's smile twitched. "Elara, you must be unwell. You shouldn't raise your voice."
"You're right," Mia said. "I'm unwell. Unwell from stupidity poisoning."
Seraphina stiffened. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." Mia gave a sarcastic bow despite being on the floor. "Your presence lowers my IQ."
Lila sputtered. "Elara! You dare insult the saintess?!"
"Saintess?" Mia scoffed. "She's about as holy as a moldy potato."
Gasps burst across the room again.
Seraphina's glow dimmed slightly. "You are behaving strangely today. Lila, what did she do?"
"My lady," Lila said shakily, "she refused to kneel. She insulted you. She even spit blood on the floor—on purpose!"
Seraphina folded her hands gently. "Is that true, Elara?"
Mia smirked. "Why don't you come closer and find out?"
That did it.
Seraphina's gentle mask cracked.
"You worm," she hissed. "A girl without magic dares raise her head at me?"
"Maybe if you stopped pretending," Mia said, "your acting wouldn't be so cringe."
Seraphina's eyes darkened. "Lila. Hold her still."
Lila grinned—too excited.
"Yes, my lady."
Mia tried to twist away as the maids pinned her even harder. Her cheek scraped the floor. Her breath grew tight.
Seraphina lifted one delicate hand. A ring of holy light formed around her fingers.
Mia recognized this scene.
Seraphina pretends to be merciful—
Then tries to choke Elara to near-death.
She braced herself.
"Let this humble light guide you back to humility," Seraphina said, voice cold under the sweetness.
A glowing chain burst from her palm and wrapped around Mia's throat.
The moment it touched her skin—
It burned.
Mia gagged. Her body trembled. Her lungs screamed.
Lila laughed. "Kneel, trash."
The maids pushed her shoulders, forcing her down.
But Mia gritted her teeth.
She didn't kneel.
She refused.
Her blood boiled—literally.
Something deep inside her twisted, stretched, and awakened.
The air around her vibrated.
The floor trembled.
The mirror cracked down the middle.
The candle flames flickered violently.
Seraphina's eyes widened. "What—?"
The holy chain tightened, but Mia pushed against it.
Her vision darkened at the edges.
Her heartbeat roared like thunder.
Something powerful stirred inside her. It was ancient, cold, and alive. It spread through her veins with a strength she had never felt before.
The holy chain did not simply crack. It shattered violently. The broken fragments scattered across the marble floor.
The maids screamed and stumbled backward.
Seraphina herself staggered three steps, clutching her chest.
"What… what are you?" she whispered.
Mia slowly pushed herself to her feet. Her legs shook, but she stood tall.
Her voice was calm but dangerous.
"Someone you shouldn't have pissed off."
Lila backed away in terror. "M-My lady, her eyes—!"
Mia blinked.
A faint gleam of red flickered in her reflection.
Only for a moment.
But enough to frighten the entire room.
Seraphina's holy aura flickered and shrank.
"You cannot… break my spell," she whispered, disbelief shaking her voice. "You have no magic. You are nothing."
Mia stepped forward.
Seraphina stepped back.
"Oh sweetheart," Mia said, "if I'm nothing, then how come you're the one trembling?"
"I—I'm not—!"
"You are." Mia tilted her head. "You look like you just saw your real personality."
Seraphina's face twisted. "Guards! Someone restrain her!"
No one moved.
They were too scared.
Mia smirked. "Aww. Looks like your audience isn't buying your saintess act today."
Seraphina clenched her teeth. "You will regret this."
Mia wiped the blood from her chin and smiled.