A Villainess's Redemption as a Doctor

Minseok woke with the first light of dawn breaking through the thin curtains of his chamber. 

The air was colder than he expected, and for a brief moment, he thought he was back in his old room in Seoul. 

But as his gaze swept over the unfamiliar surroundings.

The rich velvet drapes, the gilded furniture, the regal tapestries, he remembered. 

He was Seraphina Lumastra now. 

His hand moved instinctively to his chest, feeling the unfamiliar weight of a heavy brooch pinned to his gown. 

A token of royalty, no doubt. 

His fingers brushed over the smooth metal, tracing its intricate design, a family crest that had once meant nothing to him but now felt like an anchor, tethering him to this life he hadn't asked for.

The memories of his previous life, the hum of traffic, the sound of his mother's voice, the hustle and bustle of Seoul… felt distant, as if they belonged to someone else. 

It was as though he had fallen into a dream from which there was no waking.

The weight of Seraphina's life had sunk in deeper now. 

Yesterday, the king's words had echoed in his ears all night long: 'You will learn. You will see how lives are traded for power. You will understand what it means to rule'

Minseok let out a long breath and stood, trying to ignore the discomfort in his chest. 

He needed to focus. 

No amount of mourning for his old life would change his reality now. 

A knock on the door.

"Your Highness," came the voice of a soft-spoken servant. 

It was a woman, her tone respectful but distant. 

Minseok had yet to learn the names of everyone in the palace, but he knew he would soon have to. 

The palace was full of faces that only smiled at Seraphina's position, not at her as a person.

"Come in," he called out, forcing a neutral expression.

The door creaked open, and a young maid entered, holding a silver tray. 

On it sat a small dish of fruit, delicate pastries, and a cup of tea, breakfast, no doubt. 

She placed it on a side table by the window without a word.

"Is there anything else, Your Highness?" the maid asked, her eyes lingering on him for a moment before she bowed and started to leave.

Minseok hesitated. 

He should say something. 

Be kind. 

A ruler needed to inspire loyalty, not just by force but through respect. 

"Actually," he said, standing up from the window, "What is your name?"

The maid stopped and turned back, clearly surprised by the question. 

After a beat, she lowered her head again.

"My name is Rhea, Your Highness."

"Rhea," Minseok repeated. 

"How long have you worked here in the palace?"

"I've been in your service since Princess Seraphina's birth, Your Highness," she answered, a slight tremor in her voice. 

There was a guarded quality to her words, perhaps she had learned, over the years, not to speak too freely to the royal family. 

"I've been honored to serve you, though…"

Rhea trailed off, and Minseok's heart clenched. 

She had been here since Seraphina's birth. 

Rhea had seen it all, the princess's joys, her sorrows, her eventual downfall. 

This wasn't just a servant's role; it was a witness to a tragedy.

Minseok cleared his throat. 

"Thank you, Rhea. For your service. I hope we can work well together"

She nodded, but her eyes were searching his face, unsure whether to trust him. 

Minseok couldn't blame her. 

Seraphina had likely been a different person… cold, detached, and entitled. 

She wasn't supposed to be a real person in the eyes of those who served her. 

But he wasn't Seraphina. 

He was Minseok, and he needed to find his way to be a ruler in this strange world. 

"I'll be going now, Your Highness," Rhea said, stepping backward toward the door. 

"Rhea," Minseok called after her, stopping her mid-step. 

She looked back with wide eyes. 

"If… If I need to see someone, anyone, for advice or counsel, who should I seek?"

There was a long pause before Rhea spoke.

"Your Highness, perhaps the Princess's most trusted advisor, Lord Aleron, would be a good place to start. Though…" 

She hesitated again. 

"His loyalty to you is uncertain at best"

Minseok frowned. 

"Uncertain?"

Rhea lowered her voice, her gaze flicking nervously to the door. 

"Many in the court do not believe you are truly Princess Seraphina. They say the king's mind has failed him, that you are an imposter. If you wish to survive here, Your Highness, you will need to tread carefully with Lord Aleron. And with everyone"

'What?'

Minseok's heart sank. 

He had hoped for more allies in this world, but it seemed the throne was as treacherous as it was coveted. 

"..."

"Thank you, Rhea," he said, though the gratitude in his voice felt hollow.

She gave him one last hesitant look before leaving the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Minseok sank back into the chair by the window. 

He stared out at the sprawling city below, the towers of the palace standing tall above the rest. 

The weight of the world felt heavier today than it had the night before. 

He wasn't just carrying the responsibilities of a princess; he was carrying the expectations of an entire kingdom.

The king's cold gaze from the previous night flashed in his mind. 

There was no escaping his grip. 

Minseok could feel the pressure building already, suffocating him with every passing moment.

And then there was the war council, where lives would be traded for power. 

The king had said it would begin tomorrow.

Minseok's stomach churned. 

This was no longer just a political game, it was a battlefield. 

And if he wanted to survive it, he would need to learn the rules, no matter how brutal they were.

With a deep breath, he rose from his seat and walked toward the door. 

There was no turning back now.

Minseok stepped out of his chambers and into the lavish hallway of the palace, his footsteps muffled by the plush carpets beneath him. 

The air felt thick with the weight of history, each passing statue and portrait a reminder of the family that had ruled here for generations. 

The walls, adorned with tapestries depicting the kingdom's triumphs and tragedies, seemed to whisper secrets.

Secrets that Minseok would soon have to uncover.

He walked down the corridor, feeling the cool marble beneath his feet, when a figure stepped into his path, blocking the way. 

The figure was tall, with sharp features and eyes that gleamed with the coldness of a seasoned courtier. 

It was Lord Aleron.

"Ah, Princess Seraphina," he said, his voice low but laced with a clear note of curiosity. 

"I see the king's demands have already begun weighing on you"

Minseok froze for a moment, fighting the instinct to flinch. 

He had heard of Lord Aleron's reputation, ruthless, calculating, and loyal only to the power that would benefit him. 

His role as the royal advisor meant he was deeply entrenched in the palace's politics, but Minseok wasn't sure if that loyalty extended to him or Seraphina.

"Lord Aleron," Minseok said, his voice steady despite the unease building in his chest. 

He forced himself to meet the advisor's gaze. 

"I'm certain my father has shared his expectations with you as well"

Aleron's lips curled into a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. 

"The king is a man of… very specific demands. And you, my dear princess, are now his instrument. But how well you perform will determine your fate here, don't you think?"

Minseok didn't flinch. 

"I'm aware of the stakes," he replied, keeping his tone as neutral as possible. 

"But I've come to seek your counsel. I was told you are someone I should speak to if I wish to understand the ways of the court"

Aleron raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the request. 

"You wish to learn? How... unusual. But I'm willing to indulge you, Princess. After all, we wouldn't want you to fall into the same traps your predecessor did"

Minseok felt a stab of unease.

It felt as a warning and this man's fake smile was adding to his feeling of uneasiness. 

"Then perhaps you could explain the war council to me," Minseok said, deciding to take a direct approach. 

"The king mentioned that I would accompany him there tomorrow"

Aleron's smile widened, his eyes glinting with something sharp and calculating. 

"Ah, the war council. It's not something for the faint of heart. There, decisions are made with the flick of a hand. Lives are nothing but pawns on a board. But it is also where true power lies. Real power"

Minseok frowned, his mind racing. 

"Power… traded for lives. You make it sound like a game"

"It is a game," Aleron said, his voice lowering to a near-whisper. 

"A very dangerous game. But one that you, as the princess, must learn to play if you wish to survive. The war council is where your father's true ambitions are realized. Where alliances are formed and shattered in an instant. It is where you will learn what it truly means to rule"

'Disgusting'

Minseok's stomach twisted. 

This was no longer about a simple succession of power. 

It was about manipulation, strategy, and cold, hard decisions. 

The realization hit him like a wave, he wasn't just playing the role of Seraphina. 

He was now a player in a deadly political game that would require more than just medical knowledge to survive.

'I took a medical class, not a bloody political one, I… don't have what it takes…'

"Thank you, Lord Aleron," Minseok said, bowing his head slightly. 

"I will take your words to heart"

Aleron studied him for a moment longer before nodding, his smile still tight. 

"Remember, Princess, it's not enough to learn the rules. You must be prepared to break them if necessary. The court will watch you. The king will watch you. And if you fail to meet their expectations…" 

He trailed off, the implication hanging in the air.

Minseok swallowed, fighting the unease clawing at his insides. 

'Does he know? He couldn't possibly know that I'm not her… right?'

There was no way to avoid the danger he was in. 

He had to learn to navigate this world and quickly.

As Aleron turned to leave, Minseok caught a glimpse of something in the advisor's eyes, something almost… predatory. 

But before he could dwell on it further, a loud voice broke through his thoughts.

"Princess! There you are!"

Minseok turned to see a young man rushing down the hall toward him. 

He was tall, with dark brown hair and a face that seemed perpetually filled with concern. 

It was his personal guard, Captain Reiner. 

'He's pretty handsome… kind of like how I used to look like'

'Remember to be kind, play the role, and play it good'

"Captain," Minseok greeted him, relieved to see a familiar face, even if Reiner's loyalty, like Aleron's, was still unknown. 

"We've been searching for you, Your Highness," Reiner said, his expression tight. 

"The king wishes to speak with you before the council. He has prepared… something for you"

Minseok's pulse quickened. 

'... I should have expected something like this but isn't it too soon?'

The war council was tomorrow, and he hadn't expected the king to want to meet with him right now. 

"What is it?" Minseok asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

Reiner's lips tightened into a thin line. 

"I'm afraid I don't know, Princess. But it's important. The king does not make such requests lightly"

Minseok nodded, though his mind raced. 

Whatever the king had planned, it wouldn't be good. 

He could already feel the weight of his position bearing down on him, suffocating him like a shroud.

"Lead the way, Captain," Minseok said, trying to keep his voice calm, despite the unease stirring in his chest.

Reiner turned and gestured for him to follow, leading Minseok down the labyrinthine corridors of the palace. 

The further they went, the more oppressive the air seemed to become, until they finally reached the king's private chambers.

Minseok's heart hammered in his chest as the heavy wooden doors swung open.

Inside, the king sat at his grand desk, papers spread out before him. 

He looked up as Minseok entered, his gaze as cold and calculating as ever.

"Come in, Seraphina," the king said, his voice devoid of warmth.

Minseok swallowed hard. 

He was no longer just a witness to this life. 

He was now its player, and every move he made would shape his fate.

As Minseok stepped into the king's private chambers, the weight of the room hit him immediately. 

The space was dimly lit, the heavy tapestries casting shadows across the grand furniture. 

A fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a flickering light that danced across the king's solemn face.

King Feran Aldric Lumastra, Seraphina's father, sat at his desk, his expression unreadable as he scanned through a stack of documents. 

His regal bearing, the sharp angles of his face, and the icy distance in his eyes all felt so… intimidating. 

He was a ruler, not a father at least, not in the way Minseok understood it. 

The king's gaze flicked up from the papers when Minseok entered. 

He motioned for him to approach.

"Sit, Seraphina," he commanded, his voice as cold and measured as ever.

Minseok obeyed without a word, sitting across from the king. 

The silence between them was thick, almost suffocating, as the king studied him with a calculating gaze. 

There was no trace of warmth in those eyes, only the sharp expectation that Minseok had become accustomed to since the night before.

The king placed the papers aside and folded his hands on the desk. 

His gaze never wavered from Minseok. 

"Tomorrow's war council is crucial," he began, his voice low and controlled. 

"And I will not tolerate incompetence"

"You will accompany me, as I instructed, and you will learn the value of the decisions we make there"

"Lives will be weighed against power, and alliances will be forged in the fires of conflict"

"If you are to inherit anything from our bloodline, it will be the strength to command, not the weakness to show mercy"

Minseok fought the urge to shift in his seat, trying to hold onto the calm façade he had been practicing. 

The king's words were like a cold, relentless wind, stripping away any pretense of kindness or compassion. 

"I understand, Father," Minseok said, keeping his voice steady, though the word father felt strange on his tongue. 

It was an impersonal word, far from the warmth and affection one might expect between a parent and child. 

Seraphina had known nothing of true parental love. 

He didn't acknowledge the princess's title, as if he were speaking to nothing more than a tool, a pawn, to carry on his legacy. 

He noticed Minseok's worried and uneased eyes and leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing.

"I didn't have the luxury of doting on a child," the king said, his tone shifting, almost reminiscent. 

"Your mother died in childbirth. And from that day forward, there was no room for weakness in this kingdom, not for you, and certainly not for me"

"So do not expect compassion from me now. You are my daugther, yes, but only because you were born into this role"

"A princess is a title, not a gift. And you will learn how to wield it correctly"

Minseok stiffened, his breath catching slightly. 

He had been prepared for a certain level of coldness from the king, but hearing the story of Seraphina's birth, and her mother's death was a stark reminder of the reality of this world. 

There would be no room for sentiment here, not even for Seraphina's tragic past. 

The king's heart had long been hardened by years of rule and loss, and there was no space for softness or affection.

The room felt even colder now, the fire's warmth unable to chase away the chill in the air.

"Tomorrow," he continued, "you will observe the council's decisions carefully. The fate of the kingdom is on the line"

"You will see how the others manipulate their positions, how they hide their true motives behind a veil of diplomacy. This is the nature of power, betrayal, and loyalty dance on the same stage, and only the strong survive"

Minseok nodded, his thoughts racing. 

He was beginning to understand just how dangerous this world was, how deadly the power games of this court could be. 

The king's harshness, the lack of familial connection, it was all part of the kingdom's ruthless system. 

In this palace, there was no room for weakness, no room for sentimentality.

He had to learn quickly how to navigate this world of treachery, alliances, and the cold calculations of those who sought power. 

But with every word that the king spoke, Minseok found himself feeling more and more like a puppet on a string, pulled in directions that were beyond his control.

"Is that all, Father?" Minseok asked, the words slipping out before he could stop them. 

The king's eyes narrowed. 

"Do not forget, Seraphina," he said slowly, "you are the last of the Lumastra bloodline. There are no others. No siblings to take your place if you fail" 

Minseok felt the weight of those words settles like a stone in his chest. 

It was not just the kingdom's future on his shoulders, it was the future of the entire royal family, the last vestiges of a bloodline that had ruled for generations. 

The king had made it clear: Seraphina, he, was the sole heir, and if he failed, there would be no one else to take his place. 

No backup plan. 

Nothing… even if that was his destiny to die, he would make sure to at least find someone more fitting to replace him.

It was the only thing he can do.

Minseok forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat. 

"I will not fail," he said quietly, though the promise felt hollow in the pit of his stomach. 

He could feel the suffocating pressure of his new life bearing down on him—he wasn't just trying to survive now. 

He was expected to thrive, to rule, to carry the legacy of a bloodline that had been forged through years of conflict and bloodshed.

Of course, that won't be his future, not if the female lead had something to do with it.

The king stood up suddenly, his sharp movements a reminder of the power he wielded. 

"We will see," he said, his voice cold as ice. 

"Tomorrow, I expect you to be ready. And if you are not… If you falter…" 

He left the threat unfinished, but the meaning was clear. 

There would be no second chances.

'... Did he just casually… threaten his only daughter with death?'

Minseok rose to his feet, his body stiff with the weight of the king's words. 

He had no choice but to comply, to learn the ways of this cruel, unforgiving world. 

The stakes were higher than ever, and Seraphina's life, his life, was now a pawn in a game that no one could escape.

As he turned to leave, the king spoke again, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. 

"Remember, Seraphina, you carry the name of this kingdom. You will either make it great, or you will destroy it"

Minseok's breath caught. 

'Can he just stop with these threats? I get it, I know I'm fated to die!'

As Minseok stepped back into the hallway, the heavy weight of the king's words lingered in the air like an oppressive fog. 

His mind raced as he walked down the long corridors, the soft echo of his footsteps the only sound in the vast emptiness of the palace. 

The words 'last of the Lumastra bloodline' kept circling in his mind. 

There were no others. 

No siblings. 

No safety nets. 

The weight of the crown felt heavier with each passing moment, pressing him into a future he wasn't sure he was ready to face. 

In his former life, Minseok had never imagined such a future. 

He had been content in his quiet life as a doctor in Seoul. 

But now, his body, Seraphina's body, belonged to a kingdom on the brink of war, and its fate was tangled with his own survival.

He stopped, his mind racing with thousands of questions being answered by thousands of useless answers.

In this situation, he thought if he played the role right he would survive but now it was clear why the princess was cold.

This unforgiving and cold atmosphere was no place for a child.

"They couldn't even-"

"Princess Seraphina!" 

Minseok turned to see Captain Reiner approaching, his face more serious than ever. 

The captain's dark eyes studied him with a touch of concern, as though sensing the burden that had settled onto his shoulders.

'What does this man want now?'

"Your Highness," Reiner said with a small bow. 

"I was asked to escort you to your quarters for the night. The king… he has made his expectations clear"

"..."

'Hah, this situation is so damn funny and yet… I can't even laugh at how unnerving this whole thing feels'

Minseok nodded, the tightness in his chest refusing to ease. 

"Yes, Captain. I am aware"

Reiner fell into step beside him, the two walking in silence for a few moments before Reiner spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

"You don't have to do this alone, Princess. The court may be full of dangerous minds, but you are not without allies."

Minseok glanced at him, studying the captain's face. 

His words were sincere, though Minseok wasn't sure if that meant Reiner was truly trustworthy, or if this was simply another layer of the political game being played around him.

'Come to think of it… he kinda threatened me too, didn't he?'

'Regardless… I shouldn't be caught up in these useless emotions right now'

"Thank you, Captain," Minseok said, trying to sound as composed as possible. 

"But I must learn to stand on my own. The king has made it clear that there is no room for weakness here"

Reiner nodded, though he didn't look entirely convinced. 

He remained silent as they walked back to Seraphina's quarters. 

The night seemed darker now, the halls of the palace colder than before. 

It was as though the weight of the kingdom's politics had seeped into every corner of this place. 

As they reached the doors to the princess's chambers, Reiner turned to Minseok. 

"I'll be nearby if you need anything, Your Highness"

"Thank you, Captain," Minseok replied, offering a small nod.

The captain bowed and left, and Minseok entered the room alone. 

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, he felt the quietness of the space wraps around him like a shroud. 

The room, with its elegant furnishings and lavish decor, should have been a sanctuary. 

But instead, it felt like a prison. 

His prison. 

Minseok moved to the window and stared out at the dark sky, his reflection staring back at him in the glass. 

He wasn't Seraphina. 

But here, in this world, he was her. 

And for better or worse, he would have to survive as her. 

The weight of the crown, of the kingdom, of the endless expectations, pressed heavily on his shoulders. 

He wasn't sure how to reconcile the man he had been with the woman he was now trapped inside. 

Tomorrow's war council loomed ahead like a storm on the horizon. 

Decisions would be made, alliances forged, and lives would hang in the balance. 

The path to survival wouldn't be easy, and it certainly wouldn't be kind. 

But if Minseok wanted any chance at escaping the fate that Seraphina had once been bound to, he would have to learn the rules of the game. 

And he would have to learn them fast. 

With a final glance at the night sky, Minseok sighed. 

There was no turning back now.