TPHW 01

Chapter 1

I was so busy that I never even had time to look in a mirror.

When was the last time I used one?
Ah… right. My manager kept peeking at my monitor, so I placed a small mirror beside it to avoid him.

That hand mirror just sat on my desk, gathering dust.
To me, a mirror was just that kind of object.

But now… it didn’t matter.

Right now, I needed a mirror.

Very. Extremely. Desperately!

“Ah, Princess!”

The voice pierced straight through my ears.

My shoulders flinched. Andy’s voice echoed through the palace ceiling and seemed to grow louder as it bounced around.
Honestly, with that voice, she could easily pass the first round of a choir audition.

What is the music industry even doing? Leaving talent like that alone.

“You’ve been staring at the mirror for over two hours now. That’s enough.”

Andy placed both hands on her waist and stomped her feet.
It was a nagging pose that didn’t match her cute face at all—exactly like an old lady scolding someone.

This was no time for useless thoughts.

Listen carefully.

I was not a princess.

But I am a princess.

What kind of nonsense is that?

I know.
Even I don’t understand what I’m saying right now.

What on earth is going on?

“Aren’t your legs tired? Why do you stand in front of the mirror every day like this… honestly.”

Andy kept nagging non-stop.

I glanced at her through the mirror.

A woman who looked slightly younger than me was tidying up dishes on the table.
She lifted a bowl of soup that had already gone cold, grumbling like a mother complaining about a kid who didn’t do their homework.

That loud, nagging woman was my personal maid—

Andy Glanse.

Her face was cute, but apparently she was over thirty.
I thought she was my age at first. She really didn’t look it.

Ah… my thoughts drifted again.

Time to face reality.

I stared seriously at myself again.

I was definitely a princess.

“…I’m a princess.”

“I even have a personal maid.”

“I have this rare-level beauty.”

“I was born with a diamond spoon in my mouth!”

Even though I had gained an unbelievable life and appearance…

I felt miserable.

Why?

I looked into the mirror again.

Each time the candle flickered, my skin shone like pearls.
Snow-white skin.
Purple eyes like melted amethyst.
Delicate eyebrows flowed down to a sharp nose, ending at coral-colored lips.

Every time I breathed, my silver hair—long enough to reach my waist—swayed over my shoulders like threads spun from moonlight.

Truly… I was unbelievably beautiful.
A perfect princess anyone would dream of.

But what was the point?

“I’m the female lead… and of all things, a useless one!”

I grabbed my head. Silver hair slipped between my fingers.

Andy, who had been watching from afar, hurried over. Her skirt rustled as it dragged across the floor.

“Princess, are you feeling unwell?”

Her eyebrows drooped in worry.

“They said it was a miracle you woke up… Should I call the royal physician if you feel uncomfortable?”

She looked genuinely concerned.
Wide eyes. Slightly trembling voice.

Seeing that expression reminded me of three days ago.

When I first opened my eyes—

Andy was crying her eyes out, her face swollen like a goldfish.

“Princess! Princess! Do you recognize me?!”

“It’s a miracle! Your pulse was fading, and yet you woke up!”

“Wasn’t that poison supposed to have no antidote?!”

At that time, I was completely shocked.

I opened my eyes in darkness, and suddenly people around me were panicking.
A girl I had never seen before grabbed me and cried, calling me “Princess” again and again.

They were all celebrating the fact that I survived deadly poison.

People crowded even the hallway outside the door, whispering loudly.
That noise still rang in my ears.

“Princess, are you really okay? Why are you zoning out again?”

Andy waved her hand in front of my eyes.

I stared at it blankly.

Then, in a dazed voice, I asked:

“Andy… do I really look like a princess to you?”

She frowned.

After rolling her eyes, she let out a long sigh.

“The aftereffects are worse than I thought.”

She crossed her arms.

“You’ve become more absent-minded and strange than before… but you are the princess. Princess Blanche Snow.”

“No, I’m not! Think carefully! Don’t I seem different?!”

I shook my head hard. My silver hair slapped against my face.

“You’ve served me for ten years! You should know! I’m not a princess!”

Andy didn’t even react.

She clicked her tongue at me, clearly annoyed after hearing the same thing for days.

…

“There you go again. It’s not funny anymore.”

She grabbed my arm and dragged me.

Despite her small body, her strength was incredible.
She pulled me easily to the dining table.

Then she pulled out a chair and pointed at it.

I sat down obediently.

She placed a silver fork in my hand. The cold metal pressed into my palm.

“You were unconscious for over ten days. You need to recover your nutrition.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“If you don’t eat this, I’ll bring twice as much.”

“…Okay.”

I knew she was serious.

So I looked at the dishes on the table.

‘Oh.’

As expected, they were luxurious and delicious-looking.

Butter-scented roasted vegetables.
Glossy roast chicken.
Crystal dishes filled with jewel-like jelly.

So this is what a princess eats.

I should have enjoyed this situation.

But I didn’t feel happy at all.

Because…

There are many kinds of princesses.

I gripped the fork tightly. My knuckles turned white.

“Why… out of all the novels… why this one?!”

This world—

Was from a romance fantasy web novel called
<Even Though I’m a Princess, It’s Hard>

On my way to work early in the morning,
a truck rushed onto the sidewalk and sent me straight to the afterlife—along with a street tree.

But maybe the grim reaper pitied me for working myself to death.

He gave me another chance.

A chance to live inside a book.

And that life…

“I became the female lead—Blanche Snow.”

…

Out of all the web novels I’ve read…

Why this one?

It was driving me insane.

For days, I refused to believe it.

But starting today, I decided to accept reality.

If I kept denying it, I would end up experiencing the novel’s events—

The “Princess Survival” episodes.

Poisoning attempts.
Attacks from the new queen, Phetra.

The story goes like this:

Blanche is the only royal besides the king.
The new queen, Phetra, tries to eliminate her to seize the throne.

Blanche barely survives again and again—causing trouble, acting frustrating—until she finally meets the male lead and is protected.

That’s how the story ends.

Because of its frustrating plot, the novel lost its ranking and barely had readers.

I found it by chance.

The cover was pretty, so I clicked.

The story was suffocating… but the male lead was amazing.

Better than any other male lead I had seen.

So I became a fan of him.

And yet—

“Of all things, I transmigrated into that useless princess who ends up with him?!”

Well… if I just endure, the male lead will come, save me, love me, and I’ll live happily, right?

In that sense, becoming Blanche was lucky.

If I do nothing, my favorite male lead will come to me.

But—

“Being a fan is just being a fan! I never wanted to meet him and be loved by him myself!”

I stared at the luxurious food in front of me as if I wanted to destroy it.

My reflection in the silverware looked distorted.

“This is insane…”

Death hurts.

I remember it.

The moment my body was crushed.

The sound of bones breaking.
The feeling of blood filling my lungs.

…

My vision fading.

It was still vivid.

Even thinking about it made cold sweat run down my back.

I don’t want a painful death again.

I died too young in my past life.

This time… I want to live at least until eighty.

“First, I survive.”

“This situation is awful, but survival comes first.”

I muttered, strengthening my resolve.

“Damn it… life is seriously messed up.”

I stabbed the meat repeatedly with my fork.

Andy flinched and stepped back.

Then she quickly said she was going to the restroom—

And didn’t come back.

…Maybe I was too rough.

But seriously, life is messed up. What do you expect?

A heavy sigh escaped me, as if it could shake the entire palace.

“What a waste of my money… I finally started living well, and then I died.”

I still had regrets about my past life.

I was an office worker, fully devoted to consulting work day and night.

I performed better than others and got promoted early.

My salary negotiation went well. I even received a big incentive.

I was about to move into a nice officetel this month.

I had already paid the deposit.

South-facing. View of the Han River.

All my plans vanished like fog.

And now—

I woke up after being poisoned,

Living a second life as a weak and pitiful princess—

Blanche Snow.

“Since it’s come to this… stay calm.”

After finishing my meal, I stood up.

I decided to accept reality.

If I’m going to live as Jeong Yeo-jin, now as Blanche Snow—

“I won’t just sit around and get beaten.”

“Never.”