《Three Novelists' Worlds Align》


 Unseen World (1)

    The sun dipped below the horizon in two bustling cities, while it still shone in another. The winter season was harsh, thick snow blanketed the streets and covered lamp-posts damping the light it emitted. Over three swift months, the cities, filled with bustling life and activity, experienced a unique change to the atmosphere, emerging as even more vibrant than it was before. It was just a week before Christmas.


    The streets were noisy, but it was enough to bring a smile to one''s face. Small crowds were enjoying various events in the plazas, carolers going from house to house singing and spreading cheer, and cheesy Christmas songs¨Cthat never seem to get old¨Cplaying on the speakers of shopping outlets and nearby malls.


    People spend days like this with family, friends, and even lovers yet in the heart of one of the cities, Osaka, Maekawa Megumi, a first-year college student, spends it sleeping in the campus dorms. The student was sound asleep in her bed when her phone suddenly rang, vibrating in her hand where she had left it while scrolling through social media last night.


    The sudden noise jolts her awake, releasing the phone from her soft grip and letting it fall onto the ground with a loud thud. She lets out a groan and ruffles her hair, picking up the vibrating device from the floor, she looks over the screen and reads that it wasn''t an alarm but a friend calling. It was Baek Yun-hee.


    . . .


    Baek Yun-hee was inside her bedroom in a manor near the outskirts of Seoul City when she was dialling the student. Even within the large, luxurious home, 20-year-old Yun-hee felt trapped inside it. Her parents were protective if not controlling ¨C they isolated her, oversaw what she learned, and even went as far as limiting her interactions with other people, all under the guise of "protecting" her. Soon enough, they controlled the woman''s very future.


    Yun-hee had never been her own person¨Cwas never able to make her own decisions¡ªas far as she knew it was her parents who''d always made them for her and there was nothing she could do about it.


    The only salvation she sought was the old phone she secretly bought on her fifteenth birthday with the money given to her by her grandparents. The device where she discovered the world of novels and novelists; was also the world where she had found her first friend, Megumi.


    Megumi let the phone ring in her hand, she made many author friends but this one bothered her far more than the others. She didn''t mind it; she felt less lonely with her constant company, but sometimes she thought the woman was just crazy. Letting the phone ring, the student left it for a few minutes so that she could reach over to her bedside and switch on the lamp before finally picking up the call.


    "Yunhee sis~ do you know what time it is?" she asks, sounding more angry than endearing.


    "Ah," she says looking at the clock, "Good evening Megumi. I need your opinion."


    The student takes the phone away from her ear and looks at the screen to double-check the time. It was a little past 1 A.M.


    "...Good¡ªgood evening?! Yun-hee sis, it''s one! In the morning?! Could this not really wait until tomorrow??"


    "I''m afraid¡­it is tomorrow, and you told me I could call anytime¡­" she pauses, "Was this not a good time?"


    Megumi groans, becoming fully awake because of the absurd situation. She shut her eyelids for a moment and gave herself time to think, "I did say that but...that''s seriously not what I meant! And I didn''t think you''d be calling at 1 A.M. on a weekday of all days!"


    The student sighed, narrowing her eyes on the screen and gave in knowing that this was what Yun-hee did. That this wasn''t new. This happened more often than one could imagine. This was normal. So Megumi decided to listen to what was bothering her, whatever it was.


    . . .


    In the meantime, in a city situated on the opposite side of the world, the sun still lingered in the sky, casting its warm glow as the clock struck three in the late afternoon. Despite the hour, the sun had already begun setting just like it did every winter.


    In that very same metropolis lies an office in downtown Chicago, a woman in her late 20s was heading down on an elevator bundled up with warm clothes, wrapping a worn-out black scarf around her neck and bringing her bag over her shoulder.


    Emily Hughes was a twenty-eight-year-old office worker for a sales company who was now ready to head home for the day. Descending to the ground level, the elevator doors slide open and she steps out onto the spacious lobby adorned with a marble front desk and plush seating. The worker looks toward the concierge, smiles, and nods her head signaling a goodbye as she heads to the glass doors that open up to the bustling cold city outside.


    Outside, just inches away from the entrance Emily lifts her hands, palms facing upwards to feel the snowfall when a rush of cold wind brushes against her face and the tall woman shivers, tightening the scarf while she looks up to the orange hue skyline. Emily exhales, hot steam pouring out of her breath when she finally starts to make her way to the subway hoping to reach it before it gets dark.


    Realizing she had been walking too slowly, Emily checked the time and began to run when she learned that the second train had already arrived. The frustrated woman rushed and, out of the corner of her eye, noticed a small lit-up bakery next to the underground stairs that she couldn''t recall ever seeing before. Yet, before she could continue that train of thought, the speakers below echoed and announced the final call for the train. Reaching the stairs and hurrying down to get to the platform, the subway doors shut and Emily was too late.


    "Shit! No!" she shouts, the words sounding strained as she stops running to gather her breath. Emily was on the second last step, dragging her feet looking dishevelled and crouching with her hands on her knees. "If only I hadn''t worn these stupid heels!" she grumbles in between breaths while also checking her phone for the next train only to find out it was going to arrive in twenty-nine minutes.


    Emily groaned, "God, What a day this is," she thought wondering what could she possibly do with so much yet so little time. She heads up the stairs, hoping to find somewhere to wind down when she catches sight of the bakery. There was nothing else interesting, so she walked over to where the store was, just a few steps down along the subway stairs and entered through their doors.


    Emily enters the bakery and notices a young pretty woman¡ªwho seems to be the only staff around¡ªoutside the counter adjusting the cakes on display. Upon hearing the bells of the door Emily just opened the young woman meets her face and greets her, "Ah! Welcome to Mirae bakery! I''ll be with you in just a sec." she finishes up and hurriedly walks back to the cashier. Emily shoots her a smile closing in the distance between her and the register while taking in the small but cosy space.


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    Upon entering the bakery, Emily was already captivated by the distinctive interior. She takes it in closely this time and notices all the unusual pieces of decor. The intricately designed potted vines graced the shelves, while the furniture showcased elegant glass and lavishly carved wood, lined with unique metal sheets. The walls, adorned with stunning wood panelling, diverged from traditional brick and the young woman behind the counter aptly reflected the store''s unique and stylish aesthetic with her attire.


    She gazed upon a scene straight out of a fairy tale, something one could only dream of witnessing. A wide smile graced Emily''s lips as she imagined the possibility of returning to this place one day, perhaps with her son Theodore by her side.


    Setting down the finished coffee in her hands, Emily looks at the time and realises that twenty-three minutes have already passed. The worker didn''t want to miss the third train so she decided to finally leave, raising the bag she placed next to her on the ground, grabbing her wallet, and leaving a five-dollar tip. She stood up and straightened her coat while also grabbing her scarf from the backrest and wrapping it around her neck once again.


    The satisfied woman looked toward the register, but the young lady wasn''t there. "Ah, she must be in the back room," she thought to herself as Emily left without meeting her face.


    When Emily finally arrived home, she entered her small house just outside the main city. She unlocked the door and stepped inside, dropping both of her bags and setting aside her scarf and coat on a coat hanger. As she took in the sight of her home, she noticed that the lights were off, the kitchen and cabinets were ransacked, and in the living room, her husband passed out ¨C¨C she looked at him like this wasn''t anything new to her, as this was a daily occurrence to her.


    Regardless, Emily had more pressing matters to attend to than her lost cause husband. The woman''s son, Theodore, had been diagnosed with heart failure last year, and Emily had been working two jobs, which was almost ten times harder than she normally did to pay for her son''s overwhelming medical bills and afford their necessities.


    She walks up the stairs with the macaroons on a small plate and reaches for the doorknob of the first room.


    Emily slightly opens the doors and sees Theodore sitting on the bed, reading his favourite book yet again. The tall lady opened the door more widely this time and greeted her young boy. Theo looked her way and lit up, he put his book down and tried to get down before falling¡ªcoughing up blood¡ªEmily was horrified and quickly dropped the macaroons. She made her way to Theo and quickly reached for the medicine and water on the bedside table before setting him back down on his bed, looking at him with sad eyes before he spoke up.


    "You look like you''re about to cry," he says mockingly, "Don''t, that''s embarrassing and¡­I won''t know what to do." Suddenly looking away, flustered at what he said. When she hears those words, she lets out a small laugh and puts on a weak smile.


    "I''m not going to cry. I''m just¡­tired is all. Your fathers'' been a pain in the ass lately."


    He scoffs, "Lately? Like that''s not normal in this household. Just divorce the loser if he''s such a bother."


    Emily looks down for a few seconds then looks at Theo, "He has nowhere else to go if I did." she says weakly.


    "And why would you care if he has nowhere else to go Mom? You said it yourself, he''s a pain in the ass! That bastard''s just leeching off you, he deserves what''s comi¡ª" Theo''s voice had gotten louder but whenever it did, it was quickly interrupted by hard coughs.


    Emily''s eyes widen as she crouches down with both her hands on his shoulders, "Okay, Okay. Don''t overdo it, Theo, just rest. Forget about your father. I can worry about him for the two of us."


    The worried woman walks over to the scattered macaroons she dropped, crouching low enough to pick them up. "Look, after you''re well-rested, you can come down and have the other one of these."


    Theo sighs, "Alright. But you rest too, Mom. You look like hell."


    She stood up and smiled at him. Walking towards the doors with the plate of macaroons in her hand she closes it and once outside she leans on the door. She didn''t want to cry. Not when her dramatic teenage son was in there staying strong. She tries to get a hold of herself when the left side of her dress pants'' pockets vibrates. She pulled it out and looked at the screen, it was the group chat that consisted of two younger novelists she met and befriended on the novel-writing website and app,


    [Novels Come to Life]


    These two were chaotic and kept the empty parts of her life occupied so she didn''t mind that they bothered her.


    Once she clicked on the join button, the two were in the midst of an argument ¨C well, more like Megumi was arguing and Yun-hee was just answering back in a composed manner like she usually did. They fought for a bit before finally acknowledging Emily''s presence, "Big sis! What do you think?!" Megumi shouted through the screen, the office woman was dumbfounded. Context was nowhere, Megumi was just insulting Yun-hee and Yun-hee was correcting her insults. The question was vague and she didn''t know what she fell into.


    She laughs weakly before she finally replies "What exactly should I think?" trying to go for the safest answer.


    "We''re talking about Yun-hee''s arranged marriage with some man!" she fumed, "I''m telling her to accept it! To leave her oppressive parents! But she''s so adamant about not marrying!"


    "She''s getting married?!" Emily was even more stunned than before,


    "The entire point is that I don''t want to get married," Yun-hee remained resolute about her opinion, while Emily was herding her thoughts.


    "So you''re saying you don''t want freedom either?" Megumi argued, everyone feeling her anger through the phone.


    "You are putting words in my mouth Megumi. It''s more complicated than that."


    "Then why don''t you just run away?" Emily gives a joke suggestion. Trying to lower the tension.


    "Run? Away?" Yun-hee asked, confused.


    "Yeah? leave your home Yun-hee. Did you not think about it?"


    "I''ve never thought of defying my parents, so n¡ª" The young woman was swiftly interrupted by the hyper student.


    "See, that''s what''s wrong with you. You need to stand up for yourself! Why are you letting your parents decide your life?!" she pauses leaving a gap of silence in the call,


    "Why don''t¨C¨CWhy don''t we meet up then." she posed.


    "Meet up?" Yun-hee asks another question, Megumi rubs her temples with her fingers, "What are you? Slow? Yes!? Meet-up! I''ll teach you how to stand up for yourself because you''re clearly not getting it through this screen?!"


    "Megumi...some of us don''t have funds for it," Emily says, her words laced with worry.


    "Well then, you can borrow from Yun-hee. Bring your son or husband too or whatever," quickly trying to patch up the financial problem.


    "But¡ª" the worker tries to protest, "No! it''s final. We''re meeting this weekend." Megumi objects before ending the call.

 Unseen World (2)

    A few days after the phone call, the long-awaited day arrived when all three novelists decided to finally meet up. Messages in the group chat started pouring in ¨C Megumi had just arrived off the plane, while Emily was at baggage claim to retrieve her suitcase. They had originally planned to take Yun-hee out every night for the next four days, hoping to persuade her to accept the marriage. Their plan involved sneaking her out of her home, with the hope that her parents wouldn''t find out¨Cthough they hadn''t put much thought into what they would do if her parents did find out.


    Emily was the first one out of the airport. Already having claimed her suitcase, she waited just outside the double doors for the young student. The tall woman was wearing a beige puffer jacket over a thick black romper; none of them had any idea about what each other looked like, so they settled on tying a blue and yellow ribbon on their luggage, and so that''s what she did.


    Walking down the escalator and reaching the ground floor, Megumi held only a small backpack and an average-sized suitcase. She checked the group chat for any updates while walking towards the exit, and when none had shown up, she inevitably shoved her phone back into her jacket pocket.


    As the student approached the airport exit, a gentle gust of breeze revealed a yellow-blue ribbon fluttering in the wind just outside, with a tall woman standing right beside it. Catching sight of the small detail, a wide grin spread across her face. Emily, unaware of Megumi, fidgets with her phone, waiting for a message when suddenly, someone appears behind her and wraps their hands around her neck, forming what some would call a "hug."


    The office worker wheezed at the sudden approach, but knew immediately it was the cheeky first-year, "Megumi¨CMegumi, you''re...choking me!" Emily''s hands were on the student''s arms while her entire body tipped backwards at the unbalanced weight, almost falling over.


    "Ah! Sorry, big sis, I just got too excited." Megumi releases her grip and the brunette gasps for air. She holds her neck and sees the small woman closing in beside her with an apologetic expression¨Cthat didn''t seem at all sorry.


    As Emily stood up, she gazed at the smiling first-year student; Megumi, of average height, had short, messy tied-up hair in a ponytail, with her side bangs tucked behind her ears. She was wearing a stylish red racer jacket and oversized pants, exuding a casual yet confident vibe.


    "What? Surprised? I told you guys I had long hair but I decided to cut it the day before this trip to surprise ya." She beams, throwing up a peace sign with her right hand.


    "No, it''s not that. It''s just...you''re shorter than I imagined." Emily puts her hand on her chin, turning her body to her and tilting her head as if observing her.


    The first-year blinks, "Haaaah?! What does that mean?!"


    Grinning, the tall woman''s cheeks puffed and then unexpectedly burst out laughing, "I''m kidding!" she said, her face quickly placing on a neutral expression knowing Megumi''s character was utterly unpredictable. Like a ticking time bomb.


    Quickly changing the atmosphere, she waves her hand to hail out for a cab. The doubtful woman beside her leans in and narrows her eyes, "Doesn''t that mean you expected this height?"


    Emily slowly looks back and peaks at her just above her waving hands, dumbfounded at her lack of social awareness, which was much on par with Yun-hee''s, "That''s¨Cnot what I meant..." she says in a small voice, "Did you think that''s what it meant?" Megumi shrugs with her hands in her jacket''s pockets, a cab halting directly in front of them before she lets out another word.


    As the taxi sped through the winding streets, the city lights blurred into colourful streaks that reflected in the windows. Inside, they found themselves reminiscing about the conversation they''d had earlier, laughing about the last two days they''d spent packing and preparing for this much-anticipated trip. Their discussion cut short as they finally reached the hotel.


    As they exited the taxi and shouldered their bags, they stepped through the opulent revolving gold-plated doors. Emily made a beeline for the front desk to secure their pre-booked rooms, while Megumi found her gaze drawn to the extravagant spiral staircase that ascended to the first floor.


    Turning her head to take in the surroundings, she was met with the mesmerising sight of the chandeliers illuminating across the expansive lobby. In the distance, she noticed the vertical garden walls behind the two lavish L-shaped sectional couches in the lounge, which were bathed in natural light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Through the glass, she caught a glimpse of the fountain in the hotel''s garden, with its waters dancing in the afternoon sun. It was all beautiful.


    "Goddamnit Yun-hee, you and your money." Megumi frowns, "I guess your parents are the price for this luxurious life." she crosses her arms on her chest.


    "Megumi, stop cursing out Yun-hee." the brunette appears in front of her, "I got our room card, so could you bring your head down from the clouds now?" Emily says, bringing up her suitcase and heading for the elevators.


    "Oh come on, don''t tell me you don''t think this is a little pretentious, big sis," she says, hurriedly catching up with the big strides the tall woman was taking, pressing the elevator button and both being greeted with dirty-white walls that were painted with small vined gold flowers. "Okay, Forget little. Too pretentious." she corrected.


    The tall woman laughs weakly, "Did anyone ever tell you that you just...say whatever you think?" she says, worried, but also trying to find the right words, "Even if it isn''t in your...best interest."


    Megumi presses their floor button and smiles at her. "At some point in our friendship, big sis, I won''t need to say anything anymore~ Also, it''s better to be truthful, no?"


    "Well, not if the ''truth'' may hurt someone." she frets.


    "Oh c''mon! The truth always hurts." Megumi emphasises as if she knew firsthand what that sentence truly meant.


    . . .


    When they first met, both Megumi and Emily were sceptical about getting along due to their differing personalities and significant age gap which spanned almost an entire generation. However, after getting to know one another, they were pleasantly surprised to find that the student''s lively and intellectual nature, always eager to initiate discussions, complemented the worker''s composed and mature demeanour, which made her more inclined to be a great listener. These contrasting qualities led to them instantly hitting it off on the first day.


    As they explored the hotel amenities, went for a leisurely walk just beyond the hotel grounds, and ventured into the bustling city centre, they found themselves learning more about each other and growing closer.


    Emily gazed at the lively thoroughfare, watching cars whiz past, "Now, how did we get here?¡± She remarks, "Let''s go back Megumi, we''re too far from the hotel.


    "Big sis. We have an hour or two before the pickup, and I''m not going to spend it holed up in a hotel room with a TV playing movies in a language I have zero knowledge about." Megumi huffs, looking around at all the buildings and small shops. They all sat next to each other creating an architectural ensemble along the sidelines, helping them decide where to head next.


    "I''m telling Yun-hee it''s your fault if we''re late." Emily scoffs in disbelief at the situation.


    Despite the older woman''s attempts to get her attention, Megumi continued her determined stride and made her way directly to the little caf¨¦ situated just across the street. The tall woman found herself with no other option but to follow the student, ensuring that she didn''t overlook the designated pick-up time.


    While exploring the area, the pair leisurely visited quaint coffee shops and charming boutique stores offering a diverse range of products including both clothing and stationery. They intentionally avoided entering larger malls or buildings as Emily believed that fully exploring these spaces would require more time than they had allocated for their outing.


    Time went by fast, forcing them to leave a clothing store and decide to head back. As the two saw the sun starting to set, meaning it was time, the pair needed to drop off some leftovers and items Megumi had bought before heading to Yun-hee''s place. It was an hour-and-a-half train ride away, so they had to leave as soon as possible.


    ¡°You bought too much,¡± Emily wryly smiles at the bags of clothes and merchandise.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t buy anything at all,¡± Megumi mentions, organising them all in the vacuum bag she brought.


    ¡°I don''t wanna spend my entire life savings on this trip," she says, before looking at the bag Megumi was hauling her things in, "You anticipated this didn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°You could say that I¡¯m overprepared~¡± the first-year snickers.


    ¡°It¡¯s just been one day, Meg. We have to go or else we¡¯ll be late.¡± she says, ¡°And Yun-hee has something against being tardy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯m packing it up¡­Mom,¡± the first year says mockingly, swiftly making her way to the door before she hears anything more from Emily. ¡°M¨Cmom?!¡±


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    The worker shouts in disbelief, ¡°Megumi!¡± She looks out the door to see her already down the hall in the elevator, hands in her pockets acting all innocent. Emily turns off all the lights and closes the door, not being able to help but grumble under her breath about the student''s remark.


    Meanwhile, Megumi was waiting in front of the elevator for her, when she heard a ''ding'' sound coming from her pocket. Curious, she took out her phone and was surprised to see a notification from Yun-hee. It contained her exact address and an image of her home layout attached below it. Megumi opens it and her mouth gapes, "How big is your house sis??" she whispers, "Oh, all of these rich person vibes make me want to throw up."


    Suddenly, a looming shadow appears before her, leaning in beside her. After taking a moment, she realised it was just Emily. "What''s that? Is that from Yun-hee?"


    ¡°I can never get used to how tall you actually are, big sis,¡± she commented, looking at her for a quick minute before directing her attention back to the house details.


    Emily snorts, ¡°Okay¡­but that still doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    Megumi explained that Yun-hee had sent her address, along with a detailed house layout, and instructions on the best way to enter without being noticed. If they followed these directions, they could return without her parents ever realising she was gone. Once they heard the elevator ding, they stepped inside, and the two friends carefully studied the instructions. Glancing at the clock, they noticed that it was already 8:45.


    . . .


    Yun-hee looked out of her window and the slightly open balcony door as the once blue sky turned a baby pink colour. She dashed to her closet, not knowing what to wear since she''d never gone out without her parents escorting her. She looked over her dresser, where even more clothing lay, and decided to rummage through all of them.


    She was feeling incredibly anxious, a sensation she had never experienced before in her 22 years of life. Despite her age, Yun-hee had never socialised with others under the casual context of "friendship.¡± She was always stuck feeling uncertain about how to behave in social situations and found herself unfamiliar with the sensation of nerves. She experienced a sinking feeling in her stomach, and worried about all the potential scenarios where she might say the wrong things at the late-night get-together.


    Yun-hee, from an early age, struggled to connect with strong emotions, unlike her more expressive parents. She recalls the time when their housekeeper tearfully pleaded with her mother not to dismiss her, but Yun-hee remained unable to comprehend the depth of the situation.


    Similarly, she couldn''t fathom her father''s intense anger when the young girl disobeyed him, and even more so how she felt a sense of detachment from her mother''s joy in material possessions. Whenever her parents expressed such intense emotions, she felt trapped in the middle, and experienced a deep sense of unease and discomfort she struggled to define.


    Feeling and comprehending basic human emotions was a luxury Yun-hee could only ever dream of, so luckily, she learned how to adapt to her mother''s actions. She smiled when necessary, and refused when told to do so, all in an effort to avoid being yelled at or hurt. She feared that her lack of sympathy and empathy would cause her to lose the first real friends she had ever made.


    Those thoughts keep her busy as she continues searching through her wardrobe when at last, she finds an outfit to wear: a dark maxi skirt and a long light puffer jacket over a graphic tee. She grabs a red scarf to finish it off and takes her sneakers from under her bed when all of a sudden, she hears a few clunks against her window.


    It was them.


    She quickly finished tying her sneakers, locked the doors to her bedroom, and ran out to the veranda. Just a story below, Emily, with her brown coat, black shirt, and jeans, was smiling and waving, while Megumi, who wore long baggy pants paired with a green hoodie and black gloves, picked up more rocks to throw before she realised Yun-hee was already out.


    ¡°Yun-hee sis!¡± the student drops the rocks and waves with both her hands.


    ¡°Keep your voice down Megumi,¡± Yun-hee says in a sharp whisper.


    Megumi''s eyes widened in surprise as she swiftly brought her hand up to cover her mouth, trying to stifle any sound. With a determined look, she reached for her phone and began tapping on the screen, her fingers moving rapidly. Meanwhile, Yun-hee was taken aback as she felt a subtle vibration emanating from her pocket. Startled, she reached into her pocket and retrieved her phone, finding a message waiting for her from the ravenette.


    [How¡¯re you gonna get down?]


    Yun-hee puts her phone back, not replying to the message, and grabs a pair of gloves to wear. The student tilts her head, a confused expression blanketing her face as she double-checks her phone for any new messages. Suddenly, the young woman on the balcony climbs on top of its bannister and jumps to the tree branch right next to it. The two gasped, Emily, looking more worried if anything when Yun-hee jumped down like a parkour master and picked herself up dusting off the small amounts that had gotten on her clothes.


    ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡± the two said simultaneously. Yun-hee looks at them with a placid expression, ¡°I''ve had my fair share of sneaking out,¡± she says, ¡°Why are you just standing? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Megumi smirks, "So badass," she whispers under her breath before running to Yun-hee and grabbing her hand. Together, they started walking towards the small broken fence opening from which they originally entered.


    They journeyed back, the trio wandering through the bustling metropolis. The streets dazzled with a myriad of Christmas lights, while countless pubs enticed passersby with sales for the festive season. They delved into narrow back alleys decorated with street performers and an array of delectable street food. They also stumbled upon hidden convenience stores nestled within the residential neighbourhoods, and an abundance of shops sprawling as far as the eye could see.


    They window-shopped in malls, ate meals that could''ve fed ten people, and ended the first night by visiting a karaoke pub.


    Emily and Megumi stood side by side, their voices filling the room with melodies that seemed to dance through the air. Yun-hee reclined on the comfortable lounge, right behind them, taking in every moment of the two friends'' chaotic performance. She couldn''t help but smile as she watched the younger student''s exuberant joy and the older woman''s valiant effort to match her energy.


    Before she knew it, the ends of her mouth curved upward, posing a small smile. Yun-hee immersed herself in thought, reminiscing about the enjoyable moments of the night, but was taken by surprise when a delirious Megumi suddenly appeared right in front of her, "Was¨C¨Cthat a smile Yun-hee sis?" The small student''s smile turned into a grin, "That was a smile, wasn''t it Yun-hee sis?!" getting louder.


    ¡°I smile all the time. It isn¡¯t new.¡± Yun-hee says, back to her neutral expression.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. Those are the smiles you give when you accept something from your stupid parents! That one just earlier,¡± Megumi says, using her index fingers to reach the corners of her mouth, trying to lift them, ¡°That one just earlier was a genuine one, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡± Yun-hee says, not backing down from the allegations.


    ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re too fake sometimes sis.¡± she rolls her eyes.


    ¡°You have no proof, I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I smile all the time.¡±


    Megumi groans, ¡°That¡¯s not the point Yun-hee sis! You haven¡¯t smiled the entire trip here but just now you did!!!¡±


    Emily glances back to figure out what the commotion is about and only finds the usual. In-person and on-call, their relationship never changes. She chuckles, puts down the mic, and tries to drag the student away from Yun-hee to sing another song.


    . . .


    Leaving the pub as the clock struck midnight, the trio felt trashed, two of the three leaving with a fatigued complexion.


    ¡°Ah! What a night!¡± Megumi exclaims, throwing her hands up as Yun-hee smiles at the dramatic woman. The three needed to get across the long pedestrian that connected to the hotel Megumi and Emily were staying in. The two in the front, arguing about who knows what, as the tall woman in the back started laughing, as they went at it for the fifth time tonight.


    Just like Yun-hee, Emily too hadn''t felt this much fun or joy since Theodore was born. She was grateful for these two and to have three more nights like this was the exact break she needed.


    They were waiting at the traffic light as the light turned green, and as they walked with the crowd, Emily noticed a lady who passed by her, walking the opposite way. She thought about how she met this woman, feeling like she''d seen her before, and she definitely did. The worker turned back to get a second look when suddenly her chest started throbbing, the pain eventually engulfing her entire body.


    Yun-hee and Megumi almost reached the other side, when they realised the eldest wasn''t with them. Megumi swiftly turns her head and sees Emily on her knees in the middle of the crossroad. A hand was on her chest, her eyes shut while gritting her teeth, and her other hand gripped the concrete. The student stops, the weight of the situation still incomprehensible until she notices a huge grey semi-trailer truck with its bright headlights on nearing the crossroad.


    The timer on the crosswalk was slowly counting down from 30 until the red light had fifteen seconds left. Megumi widened her eyes in horror, realising the familiarity of this situation. A memory she had been trying to forget ever since she was a child.


    ¡°Big sis, get up¡­¡± she tried to shout but her voice was too small, and before she knew it her body was moving on its own. ¡°Big sis! Get up now! There¡¯s a truck coming!¡± she exclaimed, desperately reaching her hand out. Emily hears her but it¡¯s all muffled.


    The cold season didn¡¯t compensate for the heat Emily was feeling right there. Sweat dripped from her forehead, the heat messing with her thinking as she tried to get up but kept stumbling at the unusual heaviness of her body. She can feel the pain everywhere, in every corner of her body, consuming her very being.


    Yun-hee was startled when the student had suddenly tugged her hand away from her arm and ran behind her, ¡°Megu¡­¡± she stammered, looking back at where she ran off to, to realise it was to Emily.


    Yun-hee saw the truck too as the green light turned red and the vehicle neared, she took a glimpse at the driver''s seat. The man was grabbing something across the seat from him, not at all paying attention to the road. The situation infuriated her, she needed to try and at least save one of them, so she ran after Megumi.


    The student gets to Emily, and the tall woman finally sees her clearer, ¡°Big sis, you have to help me. You have to get up, there''s a truck coming, C''mon!¡± Emily sees it with its bright white headlights flashing at them, she couldn¡¯t get up, she felt like all her energy had been sucked out. ¡°Megumi¡­please, save yourself. Leave me.¡±


    The woman on her right looks at her with detest in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not losing anyone else ev¡ª¡°


    ¡°Megumi! Emily! The truck!¡± Yun-hee shouts, interrupting the student''s words, sounding even more desperate as the once-isolated woman sees her two first and only friends about to face death right in front of her eyes.


    Megumi doesn''t look back at her, but she looks at Emily with eyes that beamed with determination, not a single thought of turning back and fleeing without her. As she looked at the woman hanging on her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you.¡± Megumi says, barely able to walk at the weight of the tall woman.


    As she did, she looked around, as the bystanders watched and filmed. It disgusted her, this entire world had always disgusted her. Her head hung low, trying to keep the tall woman up, when Yun-hee finally reached them, grabbing Emily''s other shoulder.


    But they were too late, the truck was inches¨C¨Ccentimetres away. The sound of the crash echoed. Wheels of different vehicles screeched against the rough pavement, and the chatter and shouts of the crowd echoed. Before any of the three knew it, they were dead, if not dying.

 Unseen World: Maeri (3)

    The sound of the vehicles on the roads, the crowds on the sidelines and as she loses her consciousness, the familiar siren of the ambulances. Lying on the floor, she realised that she was about to go into indefinite sleep, as her eyes grew heavy and her body went numb. The woman felt the weight of someone under her arm and turned her head, only to witness the blood spreading across the floor beneath her as she stopped breathing.


    I¡¯m only 19, I promised Grandpa that I¡¯d live even after their deaths. To keep telling myself it wasn¡¯t my fault over all these years, and when I finally felt like I stopped blaming myself, it crumbled all because of an accident like this.


    The frustrated woman opened her eyes once again¡ªnot giving in to the pain her mind was protecting her from¡ªbut when she did, the air felt heavy and the once solid flood turned liquid. It wasn¡¯t the crossroads in Seoul anymore, but a sea, an ocean even ¨C a dark empty space with no air or light.


    Struggling to catch her breath as the liquid entered her lungs suddenly making breathing even more difficult. The small lady finally succumbed to the water, feeling her strength ebb away and her thoughts becoming increasingly hazy.


    . . .


    ¡°What do we do?! Doctor!¡±


    ¡°T-there¡¯s nothing we can do anymore. This type of disease¡­Marquess, it¡¯s uncurable!¡±


    ¡°Maeri, please¡­wake up.¡±


    ¡°You are a doctor! There must be something you can do!¡±


    Multiple voices clammer around the sleeping body of a small girl, whose consciousness started slipping back. The noise brought a stinging pain to her head, leaving her no choice but to open up her eyes and see what the ruckus was about, ¡°W-will you all s-shut up?¡± she said, in a small airy voice.


    ¡°Maeri? Mae my dear, are you alright?¡± a tall woman with long pale-yellow hair drew closer to her face.


    The girl felt weak, weaker than she did when the accident had happened. The attempts to make sense of her surroundings all went in vain, as her eyes wouldn¡¯t focus. But when they did, the faces of the individuals became clearer¡ªthere were five people in the room¡ªwatching over her like a museum artefact.


    Did they not know about personal space? and who¡¯s Maeri?


    The name wasn¡¯t hers, but she had trouble asking herself what exactly was.


    Her back against a pillow, finally sitting upright rather than in the sleeping position, the girl¡¯s eyes still feeling heavy, blinking profusely to keep them from closing. She was still drowsy, not having enough energy to raise her head so it had just hung low, but the sight below made her jerk.


    Moving her hands, she reached out and ran her fingers over the surface of her palms, noting their small size and pallid complexion. The surreal quality of the moment made her wonder if she was still dreaming.


    Afraid of looking at them even more, her head darts at the other people in the room with her, but the shock doesn¡¯t dissipate. Around the room were people she didn¡¯t know, staring at her with worried expressions¡ªnot letting out a single word. All of their attire seemed excessively opulent for the contemporary world, and three out of the five of them were carrying swords sheathed at their sides.


    Confusion turned into anxiety in the blink of an eye, and suddenly the young girl found herself looking towards the window ¡ª outside, there were no towering buildings or busy streets, but rather small cottage houses with out-of-date architecture nestled among lush greenery. The roads were traversed by carriages and horses instead of the usual cars and trucks. It was like she had been transported to a completely different world, one far removed from the previously fast-paced city of Seoul.


    ¡°Where¡­am I?¡± she says softly, looking back towards them with a placid look.


    The woman who had looked over, the one with the pale yellow hair, neared her, and sat at the edge of the bed with tearful eyes, ¡°Mae¡­dear, do you not know where you are?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be asking if I knew,¡± she replied, sounding more hostile than she intended.


    The woman blinks looking taken aback but nonetheless answers her questions, ¡°Maeri, you¡¯re in healer Arthur¡¯s hospice. You had gotten severely sick last night and we were afraid to death about what it meant for you, so we brought you here.¡± she weakly smiled and cupped her cheeks, the contact making the young girl soften her gaze.


    All of a sudden, the man standing on the edge of the bed with his arms crossed clicks his tongue giving off a small inaudible tut, breaking the warm, silent atmosphere, ¡°What is this supposed to mean, Chamberlain.¡± he looked toward the man in brown leathers, as he held what looked like a worn-out book, ¡°Why does she not have any memory of this place?¡± he bellows.


    ¡°I do not know my lord¡­this illness, it¡¯s not supposed to trigger memory loss, but again it is rare. To experience the very same symptoms from when a daemon bites a human, it¡¯s unprecedented that a human, much less a noble lady was born with it." He explains with swift speed, ¡°If you want me to be honest, sire, she should¡¯ve died last night, considering where her ailment was continuing.¡±


    ¡°My daughter should¡¯ve died last night?¡± he roars, ¡°Are you hoping to lose your head, Chamberlain!?¡±


    ¡°Father, enough. Arthur is just stating facts, and it¡¯s clear Mae has overcome that. Do not trouble yourself with what could¡¯ve happened, because it didn¡¯t,¡± A young lady states. Her eyes were fixed on the proud woman, as she donned a majestic army uniform, her hair neatly tied up, matching the colour of the kind woman who had sat in close proximity to her. Is she my age? Or, past age? It almost seemed plausible even if I was born centuries later.


    And, Daemons?


    The word was foreign for a 21st-century-born child. In an overwhelming barrage, every piece of information came at her all at once, leaving her completely stumped about where to begin processing it ¨C thinking maybe she should start with her current family dilemma and why this old man¡¯s so convinced that she¡¯s his daughter or why the three others in the room look at her with such pitiful yet caring expressions as if they knew the girl, and she knew them?


    It was all abnormal, she thought they were mistaken, that maybe they had gotten the wrong person. But all of those uncertainties were soon dejected with bitter evidence, because then again, there she was, sitting in an old timely bed with hands she wasn¡¯t familiar with.


    The scene outside appeared incredibly lifelike, making it difficult to believe that it was merely a creation of her imagination. She also couldn''t shake the vivid sensation of drowning that had overwhelmed her before she woke up. It all felt real.


    The woman in uniform and the old man argued as she gathered these thoughts. Shortly after, a boy who had the physique and face of a fourteen-year-old approached the same side of the bed where the kind lady sat, ¡°Sis, is it true? Do you not remember anything? Do you¡­not remember me?¡± the girl looked up at him and then away.


    All the things she didn¡¯t want to be true, were. That this wasn¡¯t Seoul, this isn¡¯t the 21st century and this was most definitely not her body. She had reincarnated into someone who should¡¯ve died, or better yet, someone already dead. She took her place and now can¡¯t even hold up a facade to trick the ones closest to her, that she was indeed okay.


    And it¡¯s not as if she doesn¡¯t remember. She just doesn¡¯t know who they all were at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she says in a small voice, still not looking his way.


    She sat there, rooted to the bed, feeling as though time had come to a standstill. After a moment, she finally turns her gaze from the bed to the kind lady, and then to him. His fists were tightly clenched at his sides ¨C his once-deep black hair had turned lustrous golden and appeared to shine even brighter than before, accentuating the determination that gleamed in his eyes.


    ¡°Ezekiel, you¡¯re oozing mana again.¡± the kind lady tenderly reached out and gently grasped his arm to soothe him. At that moment, his bright golden hair turned back to its original colour. Her eyes widened at the scene before her, and upon hearing yet another unfamiliar word, Mana.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    He takes another deep breath and places his hands on his waist, ¡°Don¡¯t worry sis, even if you don¡¯t remember who I am, I¡¯ll just have to make sure I make up for the lost memories.¡± he states.


    Happy that he wasn¡¯t defeated, the girl smiles at him, words not leaving her mouth, as she remains anxious about the situation. Thinking to herself about how it would¡¯ve been better if she had died that night, but to reincarnate to another timeline, much less what could be the past, was the least she expected. What¡¯s more is that this past, their world¡¯s past, had magic.


    Wrapping her head around this rush of information exhausted her mind beyond measure. Was this body really that weak? Even mentally?


    She was deep into thought, not letting the fatigue get in her way, but also not realising that she had zoned out until a rough voice called out to her. Raising her head and shaking it to identify where the sound had come from, the man in brown leathers approached the right side of the bed, ¡°Lady Maeri, how are you feeling? Are you in any pain?¡± he questioned, ¡°Do you remember me?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­I¡ª¡° she stops, not knowing what to say. The girl felt sluggish, but to let him think she was magically cured of all physical pain would be too suspicious. Her eyes involuntarily looked at the kind lady and as soon as she saw her, a sense of relief washed over her. Despite not recognising her, the girl found herself instinctively gravitating towards the woman, as if her body recognised her as a comforting presence.


    The young girl gazes at her, uncertain of what response to anticipate, until the woman flashes her a brief smile and nods her head. Almost as if telling him the truth was okay.


    She nods back, biting her lip and looks at the man to the right, ¡°I feel¡­weak but I don¡¯t feel any extreme pain.¡± blurting out selective truths because she couldn¡¯t trust how suspicious the facts could¡¯ve been.


    The old man at the end of the bed let out a big exhale, like a sigh of relief before he spoke, ¡°So that means last night was just another of her episodes?¡±


    ¡°It seems so.¡± The man with leathers inspected me even more, his hand glowed green as he held her arm and there, veins started becoming visible glowing the same colour, the sight of it making the young girl shiver.


    ¡°But last night¡¯s episode was more intense than the others. More powerful, it was like¡­it was already killing her.¡± the lady in the uniform blurts out. The old man darts her way and glares at her, ¡°Winifred. Watch your mouth.¡±


    She flinches and rubs her neck, letting out an apologetic smile just as the healer beside me finishes up, ¡°Im¡ªImpossible.¡± he whispers under his breath.


    Everyone in the room including the girl glanced at him as they heard his quiet remark, impatiently waiting for an explanation. ¡°The black virus, it¡­has shrunk. I mean, it¡¯s¡ªalmost as if¡ª¡±


    ¡°What exactly does that entail, Healer? Speak more clearly.¡± the boy interrupts.


    Taking a deep breath he steadies his stumbling words, ¡°It is exactly as I said. The virus that is supposedly running rampant in the lady¡¯s body is slowly retreating to its place of origin, her core. It¡¯s almost as if she¡¯s miraculously cured."


    Miraculously cured, huh.


    Now she couldn¡¯t tell them the original soul of this body was actually dead, letting out a feeble laugh before concluding that she¡¯d never admit it. The girl looked towards the rest of them, who had also received the news, seeing that their faces were lighter than when she first woke up.


    The room¡¯s atmosphere lifted and happy eyes stared back at her. Not used to the attention, the young girl became all flustered until the teenager on her left embraced her in a tight hug. The two at the end of the bed let out a smile and the kind lady¡ªtrying to keep the teenager from squeezing her to death¡ªsniffles as small tears gather at the corners of her eyes.


    But to think a disease like this retreated because she just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time was too suspicious. It didn¡¯t feel right to her. To feel lucky for this second chance all at the expense of this girl¡¯s life ¡ª it was as if god wanted her to add another thing to the list of being guilty of.


    Abruptly releasing his hold on the small girl, the man in the leathers asked to speak more privately with the old man about the disease. They excused themselves while the other three in the space started to get comfortable, asking her questions about what she¡¯d forgotten and things she remembered; which frankly, is not a lot. The small girl also had zero idea about what kind of attitude the previous owner put on either, so she never answered in full sentences in case her English was too ¡®modern¡¯ or too ¡®odd¡¯.


    In the end, when the old man came back, she¡¯d already gotten the gist of who they all were. The kind lady is her mother, Lucinda Finnehart. The young boy is named Ezekiel, her older brother; the lady in uniform is Winifred; her older sister, and the scary old man is her father, Benedict.


    She also learned that she¡¯s the youngest of all three. They came from nobility and this disease has been with her¡ªor this body¡ªsince birth, and the healer, Arthur Chamberlain, was the one who treated her all these years.


    She later discovered that they were in the kingdom of Miraevalor, and this small hospice was a place she often went to to get her treatments. This was due to her father''s lack of trust in the simple-minded noble or royal doctors, all of whom had given the same grim diagnosis: that she wouldn''t survive into adulthood. It was funny to her, the original noble-girl didn''t and neither did she.


    . . .


    Both the older men came back and her gaze followed Arthur.


    ¡°Lady Maeri, now that I¡¯ve thoroughly inspected you, and that you have given your statement about not feeling any severe physical pain. It¡¯s safe to say you can be discharged and return to the Manor.¡± Arthur states as he pulls out a small notebook, ¡°I will send someone I trust to monitor your health and stay within the premises in case anything were to happen.¡± He continues scribbling in the notebook and then looks towards my father.


    ¡°This will be her routine,¡± ripping off the page and handing it over, ¡°Since the day she developed this disease, I suspected that the virus, which has spread all across her body over the years, has suppressed most if not all of her mana power."


    Pointing towards the extra points on the bottom of the page, Arthur continued, "I added a list of herbs you can include in her meals that could help to increase or kick start her magic. The others I marked are to make sure the virus stays concentrated in her core, maybe even completely dispel it.¡±


    Benedict closely reads it while the man explains, nodding with each point. As the healer finishes, he lets us have some space before her father stops him¨Ctaking both of his hands and shaking them¨Cthanking him for all he¡¯s done for his daughter over the years.


    But, it was too early to say for sure that this rare magic disease wouldn¡¯t consume this body again, and maybe remove her this time, but she didn¡¯t plan to live long in this life either, not without two certain people.


    Eventually taking his leave, and letting them have some personal alone time with their youngest, they discussed her coming back. They even talked about holding a banquet to celebrate her health. It seemed too much at the moment, but she guessed that this was what nobles did back in the day.


    After their conversation, the father and Ezekiel made their way downstairs to retrieve the carriages. Meanwhile, the women directed their attention to the girl, who needed more suitable attire. It became apparent that she was only wearing undergarments, prompting the women to assist her in finding proper clothing.


    Luckily, her mother had prepared for this, and before she could stand up from the bed, they handed her the apparel she was to wear. The dress was made of a smooth, silky fabric that felt cool to the touch. Its length stopped just under my knees, and the colour gradient transitioned from a pure white base to a light blue hue, creating a soft and elegant visual. In the centre of the dress was a beautifully crafted indigo bow with delicate white linings, adding a touch of charm. The edges of the dress were embellished with intricate white stitches, giving it a unique and sophisticated look. Finally, the top of the dress featured dainty lace straps, enhancing its overall allure.


    The combination of these details made the dress pleasing to the eye and truly special. Modern clothes wouldn''t hold a candle to this.


    The two insisted on helping the frail girl get ready because they were afraid that she couldn''t do it alone, given that she had just recovered. They even used her own words against her, citing her previous comment about "feeling weak." Yet, her persistence prevailed, and she successfully pushed them away.


    She closes and locks the door, before leaning on it, and sinking until she sits on the floor. The small girl stared at her childlike hands, trying to decipher what her age could be. With how the previous interactions went, she¡¯d say seven to nine, give or take.


    Scanning the room for any clue that might help her, she caught sight of another door. Acting swiftly, she stood up and walked over to it. Upon opening the door, she discovered it led to a bathroom and just to her right, noticed a long mirror affixed to the wall.


    She slowly steps into view and sees that she is indeed as small as her hands¡ªtaking a step back and assessing herself. In front of her was a small pale girl, most definitely not seven or eight, probably older. She had eccentric pale blue eyes that made her look soft but deeply complemented her round face. Her lips were dry and chapped, hinting at days spent suffering with the disease, and yet the most remarkable feature was her short, pure white hair, with delicate hints of faded gold at the very tips. It was a stark contrast to her mother''s blonde locks and her father''s dark raven hair. Was it because of the illness?


    A sudden rush of understanding enveloped her as a spark of realization ignited brightly within her mind.


    Marquess, the Finnehart family, daemons, and magic.


    Maeri.


    The girl hadn¡¯t noticed because she was too focused on how reincarnation was even possible, but to think she overlooked such an important point. Finnehart, the name was far too familiar to be a coincidence. Nervous laughter echoed through the room, thinking that this kingdom might not just be another timeline in the past ¡ª way back to unwritten history. That it might just actually be an entirely separate different world perhaps even existing within another dimension.


    It was a world built on her story, her novel. And she just happens to be in the body of one of her characters.


    The youngest daughter of Marquess Finnehart, Maeri. The liability and weakest child of a military-powered family like this just so happens to also be a noble girl with no magic.

 Unseen World: Adelaine (4)

    A blanket of darkness envelops her, a thick shroud of nothingness that seems to stretch on indefinitely. Every sound was swallowed by the void, leaving her surrounded by an eerie, palpable silence.


    But even with the absence of light, she could sense the subtle differences in the air, the faint shift in temperature, and the texture that indicated her unusual surroundings. It felt as though she was adrift in some mysterious expanse, suspended in a void where time and space held no sway. Just as she was on the brink of surrendering to the languid pull of slumber, she jolted awake, the sensation of being completely weightless abruptly giving way to the unwelcome awareness, of someone who was alive.


    The young woman¡¯s mind was filled to the brim. Inside was a whirlwind of conflicted thoughts that brought bitter feelings and an unexpected ache in her chest. She takes deep breaths, trying to regain her composure as she glances around the small room, finally becoming aware of her surroundings. In an unwelcoming environment, the lady finds herself lying on top of an open book, its pages gently settling on an old, weathered, wooden table.


    She perused the document and in it was written information that seemed beyond her comprehension. ¡°Mana,¡± ¡°Powers,¡± and ¡°Channelling¡±. All words that left her even more puzzled than before, as these terms typically belonged to fantasy literature¡ªsomething a fantasy author conjures up for their make-believe world.  The young woman thought it wouldn¡¯t be at all surprising if she was in a lucid state of dreaming.


    The room she found herself in was dimly lit, with only a faint glow fluttering in through the window. Despite the low light, she could still make out the details around her; the partially burned-out candle perched precariously on the windowsill and the paragraphs written in the book below her.


    Feeling a sudden surge of anxiety, the woman closes the journal she had skimmed through and casts a second glance around the small space. What met her eyes wasn''t a beautiful sight; a disarray of bookshelves filled with haphazardly arranged books, and papers scattered across the floor. It was clear that the room had not been tended to in quite some time, nothing was in its place, as though someone had torn through the area in a frantic search of something valuable.


    The woman lets out an exasperated laugh as if there was anything of value in a dusty old room like this. Though, she didn''t want to just sit there and assume such reasons. After all, knowledge is power; and it holds superiority above everything in a world like this.


    So she stood up from the wooden chair she sat on and made an effort to survey the room for any clues. She needed signs that could pinpoint a location¡ªany signs that could tell her where she was. As she continued her search, a blast of chilly, unforgiving wind rushed through the window, forcefully flinging open the shutters and causing the once upright candle to tumble.


    She quickly made her way to the window. Seizing the rolling candelabra, she tried to put it back in its original position, but at that moment, she caught a glimpse of the outside world.


    The sun was setting just like it did during that one fateful phone call. The sounds of people mingling on the streets echoed just like the chaotic night she experienced only moments ago and as she stared out the window, a shiver ran down her spine, not because of the chill of the night, but rather the eerie sight unfolding before her.


    On the streets below were Victorian-styled apartments and cottages that sat upon brick streets, floating objects carried by men riding on horses, and foreign attire the local residents wore. It was a crowded space that wasn¡¯t at all like Seoul.


    The unfamiliar scenery outside of the messy room she was standing in made her painfully aware that everything changed, just like that, without her knowing. Realising all this her eyes shift to her own body. The woman was frightened by what she saw ¡ª a tattered cloak, and concealed beneath it a delicate cotton dress supported with a rich, brown leather corset. She didn''t wear this last night, and she most definitely did not look like this.


    Speaking of looks, she glances forward once again, to see her faint reflection in the greasy mirror. Hazel locks fell upon an unfamiliar face, and fresh green eyes looked back. As she studied her reflection, the woman noticed the red puffiness beneath her eyes and the smudged makeup right below them as dry tear-stained lines flew down on her lightly applied foundation.


    Words failed to escape her mouth, not that she needed them here, alone, in an empty room. Was she crying? She didn¡¯t recall ever crying. Perhaps it had happened without her knowing, in the heat of the moment, when the truck threatened to collide with her. Yet, the unbearable pain she had felt at that exact moment had caused her to black out before it did. Now, standing alone in this cold empty room, she was left uncertain of whether tears had actually escaped her eyes.


    Chaos ran rampant through her thoughts. Everything she had known seemed to have disappeared and was replaced by this strange, unfamiliar world. Memories of her son, her friends, and their joyful adventure prior to this all came flooding back¡ªat an overwhelming pace¡ªand as she looked around, yet again, trying to find some answer to all this, nothing came to mind.


    She couldn''t shake the feeling that they were all now out of reach, lost to whatever higher being brought her here. As she felt the reality sinking in, the young woman vividly remembered everything that had transpired. The bustling street, the lively karaoke pub, the rumble of the truck, and the anguished cries of her friends; but amidst all of these memories, one crucial detail eluded her ¡ª her own name.


    Frustration and confusion consumed her as she sank to the ground, her hands tightly clutching the weathered window sill. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if her past reality was all just a dream, a cruel distortion of her real life, which is this. But even if it were, why does she have no memory of it? How could she have no recollection of the life she apparently led, here, in this new world?


    No, she shakes her head. This wasn¡¯t her normal: her home, her son, and Seoul were far too real to be a dream, but all these connecting dots led to one thing. That she did die, she died on those streets and is now occupying an entirely different existence in a place far away from the old modern world. The woman had reincarnated. At first, it was hard to believe, but until she could find a more reasonable answer, it was settled that transmigration was real and that her being in a different body was too.


    Answering one lingering question provided some relief, but it also sparked a cascade of new inquiries. She felt an urgent need to understand everything about her current situation ¨C her inexplicable presence in this unknown body, the peculiar outside world and the identity of the person she now possessed. As she sank wearily into the chair, a sudden crimson glow illuminated the table, capturing her attention.


    The woman looks back to the window and stares at the vast horizon where mountains were nestled, and where even more foreign architecture lies. She watches the crimson sun slowly sinking in the distance, its dark light starting to fade as it becomes obscured by heavy, looming clouds.


    With a deep gulp, the nervous lady turns her attention to the candle on her right, the one that had been robbed of its fire¡ªthe candle that had fallen over just minutes ago. Picking it up, she inspects the finely crafted piece, and to her surprise, discovers foreign writing etched onto its surface, a mysterious language that somehow she finds herself able to understand: ¡°Sibaerris¡±


    A name? Or a place, perhaps. The frustrated lady had no idea, as she stood amid a room packed with hundreds of books that could help her finally answer one question.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Yet she knew she had to search through them to uncover some hint, some answer to the hundreds of questions she had in her head. Loud voices erupted from outside the door, startled, her eyes darted towards the source, fearing someone would burst into the room, but as yelling continued no one entered.


    Relief washed over her like a gentle breeze, her thought immediately returned to investigating the dimly lit room. The woman moved swiftly and purposefully, carefully scouting every inch of the area, making sure no book went unturned. With determined focus, she meticulously flipped through pages upon pages and picked up scraps of the scattered papers that were strewn across the floor. Although the pages didn¡¯t yield exactly what she was searching for, they all contained intriguing references to an unfamiliar concept known as ¡°mana¡±.


    As she glanced over the peculiar text, it struck her as odd and raised more questions. Why was she drawn to researching mana? Could it be related to the reason behind why she found herself unconscious on a table, sprawled atop a book that was also centre do around the magical arts?


    Despite the multitude of questions flooding her mind, solutions remained elusive within the confines of the small space. Frustrated, she massaged her temples, grappling with the events that had transpired and those that were currently unfolding. Adding to her bewilderment was the realisation that magic evidently existed in this place¡ªit dawned on her that she must have been reincarnated into a realm steeped in fantasy.


    . . .


    She kept looking, looking everywhere, flipping every page but found nothing at all. There was nothing important enough for her to identify where she was, and even then, the woman didn¡¯t know what exactly she was looking for.


    The words mana, magic and wielders popped up often in the resources she had read, but none of them had relayed any important information. As time went on, all of this reading made her feel disoriented and unsure of what exactly she was searching for now. Yet reading through the information available to her, she came across references to different locations and historical events which all strangely highlighted these creatures known as Daemons.


    Daemons sparked deja vu in the young woman''s mind, the sound of it being eerily familiar. Rooted from what she thinks is from the modern world name, demon, the possibility of them also being evil, underworld creatures from all these references in the books are almost a hundred percent. Although she felt a sense of familiarity, she couldn''t quite pinpoint the significance of the word to her.


    The woman couldn''t help but laugh at herself as she marvelled at the sheer number of magic books she had come across. She was determined not to waste a single second on a question that was of lesser importance and had just dove back into reading everything that was more useful. Skimming through the words written on each book she sought, she repeated the process until a few minutes had passed.


    Feeling overwhelmed, she groaned and looked up, hoping to clear her head and take a break from all the new and strange vocabulary. That''s when her eyes caught a glimpse of a glint of gold on the highest shelf of one of the bookcases - a tethered gold-bound book, standing out amongst the other journals.


    Her eyes glimmered, thinking she hit the jackpot, so she got up and grabbed the book. Luckily for her, it seemed like the young woman attained a body with a very similar height to her past one. As her fingers made contact with the journal, she realised it was heavier than she expected. In her haste, the book almost slipped from her grasp, but she managed to catch it with both of her hands just in time.


    Once she did, a small piece of paper fluttered out from between the pages, but she paid no attention to it. All she cared about at that moment was uncovering the secrets within the mysterious gold book.


    Brushing off the layer of dust coating the cover, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. It was another magic book, but this one was no ordinary journal, it was easily distinguishable from the rest. This one bore an intricate engraving on the bottom right corner of the cover. The woman didn¡¯t think much of the symbol so she added it to the growing stack of seemingly pointless volumes and knelt down once more.


    Just as she was about to turn away, the piece of paper that had fallen from it caught her eye. With nothing to lose, she reached for it and carefully examined the contents.


    Her eyes lit up with excitement, as she thought she might have stumbled upon something truly helpful. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the stillness, overshadowing even the clamour she had been hearing on the other side. The woman¡¯s heart raced as she turned towards the door, this time not expecting an unwanted visitor but rather wondering what in the world was happening out there. More yelling could be heard and small conversations could be deduced, with a mix of anxiety and determination, the woman steeled herself to step outside and uncover the source of the tumult.


    Standing over the doorknob she reaches out and twists it slowly. Her unadjusted eyes reflexively closed as the grand lights poured onto her face, revealing a magnificent chandelier that hung from the very centre of what looked like an enormous library¡ªwhich was ten times larger than the one she had seen in the hotel.


    Its illuminating bright light filled the entire space from ground level to the fourth floor¡ªto what seemed like the highest you could go.


    To her left, she noticed a small group of people standing near the edge, their faces turned downwards towards the commotion completely oblivious to her presence. Observing them closely, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that they were dressed in the same attire as she was. Yet, she didn¡¯t have much time to dwell on it as the sound of even more howls filled the air, growing louder by the second.


    Following the gaze of the individuals, she tried to find the culprits of the disturbance and saw two figures in the distance. Getting a clearer view once her eyes adjusted the light, she spotted a drunk nobleman and a distraught, dramatic noblewoman engaged in a heated argument. It struck her as peculiar that despite the disturbance they were causing, they had not been asked to leave. After all, this was a library, and one would expect disruptive individuals such as them to be promptly escorted out.


    Hurriedly walking down the stairs, she heard another cry, but this time it was more desperate. The worried lady pauses once she catches sight of the drunk man about to hit the woman. Rage filled her stomach she realised that both her feet were walking over to where the two individuals were ready to strike back if anything were to happen when someone grabbed her forearm.


    ¡°Lady Adelaine! What are you doing!¡± a soft and young voice whispers behind her. She swiftly looked back to see who had grabbed her, and was met with a confused look from a young boy; a small freckled brunet, with yet another outfit similar to her own. His appeared to be more sophisticated and more detailed than the one she was currently wearing.


    Shocked at the contact and a name she couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on, she stops her angry march towards the nobles. When she looks back at the woman who had already been hit across the face by the noble, she grits her teeth, thinking up a new solution.


    Just as she was about to demand him to let go, she felt the smaller hands tremble on her skin. Taking a swift breath to calm herself down, the tall woman whispers back, ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting we leave him be? As he strikes a woman?¡±


    The brunet looked at her with shock, ¡°What are you saying!¡± he frets, ¡°That¡¯s Viscount and Viscountess Clayfield. It¡¯s normal for them to fight, even more so in their own library!¡±


    ¡°Their library? This is their library?¡± her mouth gapes.


    ¡°Have you been hit on the head, my lady? You know more than anyone here as to why they¡¯re fighting!¡±


    The tall woman found herself increasingly bewildered as she struggled to comprehend the boy''s words. These three strangers were unfamiliar to her, and she had no recollection of ever meeting them before. However, amidst the myriad of unsettling aspects of the situation, their identities seemed to be the least of her concerns.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my memory is groggy,¡± she says, trying to not act suspicious.


    ¡°...you jest.¡± he laughs nervously.


    She looks at the freckled boy with a small smile, not saying anything. In all honesty, it was because she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting weird my lady. Is there something going on with you and your father? Even when you came in this morning, you looked more pale and worn out than usual.¡± he narrows his eyes, ¡°But¡­that doesn¡¯t explain how you miraculously have little to no memory of the Viscount and Viscountess.¡±


    Her eyes widen as she looks at the smaller individual. For one with a frail figure and a soft face, he was incredibly cunning¡ªor concluded that she was just a really bad actor and an even worse liar. To think she could get found out so easily was fairly embarrassing, and being conscious of this, her cheeks grew red.


    Looking at him as the silence of the atmosphere intensifies, another howl comes from the nobleman, ready to take a second hit. She knew this wasn¡¯t the modern world, she knew how mistreated the women were even then. She knew, so she needed to stand up for her. She shook off his grip with ease and started marching towards the couple. The boy looked at her with a desperate expression,


    Looking back at him, she winces, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll¨CI¡¯ll tell you everything after this, alright?¡±


    ¡°Tell me everything?¡± he stood still as the tall woman ran towards the couple, ¡°Tell me what¨CLady Adelaine!?¡±


    As she sprinted toward them, she realised that the distance between her and the two figures was greater than she had anticipated. The gruelling run to reach the entrance felt never-ending, as she saw the man about to go for the hit as his fist drew threateningly close to the crying woman''s face¡ªand yet within  the tense situation, only one thought raced through her mind at that critical moment.


    It was that Adelaine was her name.

 Celebratory Banquet (1)

    Maeri stepped outside the hospice and basked in the cold air the early evening emitted. She observed a mix of passersby peering into storefronts and nobles elegantly strolling through the nearby plaza. Before she knew it, her cheeks grew hot, noticing that what she was wearing was too overbearing¡ªtoo fancy¡ªfor the current setting. Sure, she was a noble, one who was born of a high title, but that didn¡¯t mean the young girl was used to environments like this.


    As she stepped further out from the clinic''s doorway, a striking brown carriage with complex golden designs and polished wooden panels came to a halt right before her. It was drawn by two magnificent silver steeds decorated with ornate masks that added an air of mystique to their already impressive presence.


    She couldn''t help but fixate on the horses, admiring the way they snorted and shook their heads, their sleek and silken manes billowing and dancing in the gentle breeze. The fascinated girl stares, a little too long for comfort before someone interrupts her idle expression, ¡°Beautiful, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    The mysterious voice behind her made her flinch as she looked back. Turning around, she instinctively prepares to unleash a sharp retort with her quick-witted tongue, but then pauses, realising that she couldn''t just lash out at anyone, especially not in this world.


    After learning her true identity, she couldn''t shake off a sense of unease. In the original story, "Underworld Bounty Hunter," the narrative unfolded in a dystopian world. To her astonishment, the current setting bore no resemblance to a dystopia. Everything, from the way people spoke to their clothing and the architecture, exuded an ancient ambience. Any novel reader would know that this was historical, and if the setting of the tale itself changed Maeri had asked herself what else did.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she softly replies back to an old man who had also stopped and admired the stunning ponies before coughing and making his way to the entrance of the hospice. When the senior had left, Maeri had learned how hoarse her voice is now that she¡¯s aware of her identity. The girl meant to make this character gravely ill, but now that she¡¯s experiencing it firsthand, it probably wasn¡¯t the best choice.


    ¡°Are you interested in horses, Mae?¡± The familiar tone of a cheeky teenage boy came from in front of her. She immediately turned away from the horses and looked towards her brother, Ezekiel, with happy eyes.


    The sudden and delightful sparkle in her eyes rendered the young boy utterly speechless for a moment. He was left dumbfounded and then burst into laughter as he gazed back at his sister; her intense stare held steady almost long enough to drill a hole right into his face.


    ¡°Did you miss me already?¡± his words cut off as he giggled between them.


    Maeri''s face turned red as her frustration boiled over. The mere thought that he could accuse her of something so untrue filled her with righteous indignation, ¡°¡­Miss you? Miss you?!¡±


    The small boy quickly shuts his mouth, surprised at his sisters¡¯ unusual tone, ¡°Mae, are you¡­perhaps¡­¡±


    She raises her eyebrows, interrupting his words, ¡°Perhaps what?¡± in a mocking manner.


    ¡°Going through puberty?¡± he whispers, leaning in close.


    ¡°P-pubert¨C¡± she yells, stopping herself once she realises that Maeri was everything her face made her out to be: soft, soft-spoken and all polite. Yet, that wasn¡¯t who the new occupant was. What was the point of keeping up a people-pleasing facade that could easily break for a short-tempered soul such as hers?


    He snorts again, ¡°This isn¡¯t like you Maeri. Did you go through some life-changing journey when you were out cold?¡±


    The situation was rather ambiguous. He wasn¡¯t entirely wrong, but then again, he wasn''t entirely right either. Despite this, the mere accusation prompted her to fall silent, consciously avoiding any unnecessary outbursts. Ezekiel observed her with inquisitive eyes, while Maeri gazed tenderly at the young boy she had brought into existence, still struggling to fully comprehend the reality of the situation. She couldn''t quite grasp the fact that he was indeed real.


    Ezekiel was a character she enjoyed writing. He was everything you¡¯d want in a brother: caring but incredibly annoying, fun but strict when needed to be. He was all an only child could ever ask for, but for the plot, he needed to die.


    Once Ezekiel reaches the age of fifteen, he will be eligible to enrol in the prestigious academy and join the ranks of top-performing students. This achievement is hardly surprising, given his lineage as the son of a distinguished Colonel. He was also a sibling to Winifred Finnehart, who attained the esteemed rank of Captain and was also among the academy''s top students. He was expected to be the best and so he was.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    After completing his training at the academy, news of daemons drastically increasing in the frontlines had spread and the soldiers'' squadron had run thin in those passing months so it was declared that new graduates were to be deployed, particularly those who had excelled in their training. It was no surprise then that Ezekiel, being among the top students, was selected for deployment, despite the increased risk involved.


    During his deployment, Ezekiel was so consumed by the escalating threat of monsters that he had no time to write home or communicate with Winifred or his father¨Cwho was also stationed in the same area. The situation with the monsters became much worse and at rapid speed did they increase their ferocity. It was a desperate year and not even six months after he was deployed Ezekiel had died of a coordinated attack from daemons and a new threat, dark magic users. The tellings of the ambush had spread, the reveal of dark magic users having a hand in the fight was a game-changer for the entire war with the monsters.


    Ezekiel was just a teenager, only seventeen years old when the life-altering event occurred. As Maeri gazed at him, a profound sense of guilt emanated from the bottom of her stomach. She couldn''t help but acknowledge that she had orchestrated the entire sequence of events. Yet, a fervent determination surged from her heart.


    She was unwavering in her commitment to save the young boy. No matter what this life had in store for her, it didn¡¯t matter. She hated her current circumstances, but she would definitely hate letting someone die because of her¨Cfor the second time¨Ceven more. Maeri knew that time was of the essence, as the relentless disease would soon consume her once she turned eighteen. The young girl was resolute in her resolve to intervene before her inevitable end, knowing that she had to save Ezekiel before it was too late.


    ¡°And what if I did?¡± she puffs her chest, both staring each other down when someone swoops her up in their arms and embraces her in a tight hug


    ¡°Oh, my beautiful Mae! Look at you, all happy and healthy now,¡± he says, releasing her from the tight hug and placing the small girl in front of him, hanging her, as his arms rest on the girl¡¯s armpits,


    ¡°You look wonderful in the dress Luci picked out for you.¡± he admires it before a demanding voice comes from behind the girl.


    "Please, Benedict, put our girl down! She has just recovered, and it''s still too early to say if the disease has been permanently dispelled. Let''s be mindful not to do anything that might endanger her progress," she implores with concern.


    His eyes quickly shifted to the woman standing behind her, and then to the small girl. He immediately set her down and apologised for his impulsive display of affection. The elderly man knelt down to meet the girl at eye level, carefully examining her pale face before gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.


    Benedict''s mind was consumed with worry, even if his outward appearance was that of a cold and harsh general, he was a father first and foremost. The thought of losing his own life paled in comparison to the idea of losing his beloved daughter. As he weakly smiled down at his small girl, Maeri noticed the dark circles under his eyes as he rose to his feet and gallantly opened the carriage doors for the women and Ezekiel.


    Maeri never expected that even the characters she didn¡¯t spend writing about were so complex. Benedict was an extremely minor side character, in the end, he would¡¯ve died of a normal death and be forgotten by the readers. A character that was only made to make a bigger name for one of the main cast. The family name he gave, and all the power that was held within it made Maeri strong even when she was one of the weakest.


    As she gazed upon the man, she realised that he encompassed so much more than what meets the eye. Not only was he a loving and devoted father, but he also selflessly served his kingdom with unwavering dedication, ultimately meeting an honourable demise in the line of duty. While readers may have overlooked his contributions, the memory and impact of his life would endure within the very fabric of the country. For Maeri, his legacy would never fade from her heart.


    . . .


    As they boarded the spacious carriage, Maeri couldn''t help but steal a glance at the distinguished older women. The glistening medals adorning Winifred''s chest, and the elegant white silk gown worn by Lucinda made them stand out in the group. Their poise and refinement seemed to overshadow even the men in the family. The young girl observed both women with the same curiosity and scrutiny she had shown towards Ezekiel and her father.


    Winifred Finnehart, her older sister and just two years older than Maeri¡¯s past age was known to be a formidable and intimidating woman. Renowned for her exceptional combat skills, she was regarded as an extraordinary fighter and was often recognised for her genius abilities. From the ages of eleven to fifteen, she consistently displayed remarkable combat prowess¨Ceven amongst her male classmates¨Cand demonstrated exceptional critical thinking. Both of these factors contributed to her academic excellence when she enrolled in, and graduated from the academy.


    It wasn¡¯t an easy road ahead for Winifred, as women who knew how to fight in this time and age were looked down upon. Even with her elevated social status, there was talk and gossip about her within the social circles and even amongst the commoners'' realm. Her notoriety led to potential marriage proposals from military-oriented families, but she also faced animosity from both men and women, with women especially feeling threatened by her capabilities.


    Yet, even with all the arrangements and letters sent, Winifred didn¡¯t care for relationships. She believed that for a woman to rise in power they had to be powerful. Even within her own family, it was survival of the fittest. If she couldn¡¯t achieve more than her brother, he would be the successor¨Che would be the head of the family¨Call because he was a man. The rigid standards and expectations within the kingdom incited suppressed anger and bitterness within Winifred. Finding herself unwilling to engage in a competition with her brother, especially when she¡¯s unsure that Ezekiel even wants the title.


    She achieved so much, in so little time, rising to the ranks of captain, and even contributing enough to her kingdom to acquire medals from the king himself. Yet, the looming possibility of Ezekiel overshadowing her achievements, perhaps even growing to be more formidable than she could ever be was a shameful fright on her part. This apprehensive sentiment of being potentially outshone by her younger brother weighed heavily on her, that foreboding shadow was a dreadful¨Cmaybe even inevitable¨C future.


    Besides all of the things that scared her, she was driven; she admired our father more than Ezekiel and Maeri combined. Her unwavering willpower and fervent passion were directly influenced by him, as he imparted all of his knowledge to her, raising her as though she were a son. She wanted to be the pinnacle of his pride, but he had already been passed over to the other-side before she had made any major achievements.


    Maeri''s eyes were fixed on her older sibling, who sat by the window with a placid expression. She was filled with an overwhelming sense of awe, as she watched yet another one of her characters come to life, living and breathing right in front of her.


    Not focusing on where she was staring made her wonder what exactly she was looking out towards. As Maeri turned her head to the left, moving the curtains of the carriage to make way for the sight outside, she was met with a hive of activity as they braced for the impending harsh winter. The familiar sights of snowdrops peeping through the snow reminded Maeri of the terrible accident that had occurred last night. The snow-draped the city in a serene but disquieting aura, a poignant reminder that she was still not ready to let go of the past.