Chapter 1

“Ugh, I’m bored with this comic. It’s chapter 200, and the hero and heroine are failing to deliver the dopamine hit I crave. This lovey-dovey stuff is so boring! I need a new comic.”

That was my thought after a two-night binge. At first, I was screaming with excitement. The plot was amazing, the characters were well-drawn, and the artist’s style was incredible. I don’t know why I love these stories so much—the chance to escape into another world and start over. The heroine waking up as a goddess or hating boys’ clothes? Pure gold! I think it’s about the thrill of imagining a new life for myself. My current life is pretty pathetic, though. I'm a thirty-something NEET, back home with my family, holed up in my room for weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if they called the police. I just read novels and comics all day, barely moving to change position. But when I'm lost in the story, I'm totally engaged, living and breathing with the characters, laughing and crying with them. I forget about real life. When I go to the kitchen for food, I feel like a cavewoman trying to avoid being seen. My family gives me that pitiful look, as if I'm dying of something! They don't realize how my excitement pushes me to get food so I can get back to the good parts of the story—like when the hero discovers the heroine is a girl! Ahhhh. That’s the best part. But it's my secret; no one else understands this level of satisfaction. Maybe I'm a manga and comic addict.

I shifted in my messy bed, careful not to kick my phone, book, or pen—all tangled together in a chaotic mess. My fluffy toy is probably buried in there too. If it were alive, it would run away.

Ugh, my hair is such a mess! I can't find my comb, and I'm too lazy to look. Ugggg.

My sister knocked, her face cold. I usually don't let anyone in, but I'm not as shy with my sister. My reluctance is definitely because my room is a disaster.

She took the leftover pizza box. She's younger than me and looks just like the heroines in my comics, but she's miserable with her exes. None of them are even close to the second male leads in my comics. That's why I hate this world. I actually have a reason to hate it.

“Aly, I think you need professional help,” she said seriously. “Mom and Dad are worried about you, and you're making life difficult for everyone. Please, get some help and try to lead a normal life.”

I avoided eye contact. I needed a strong dose of comics to recover from that. I started frantically searching for a new comic, just like an addict looking for their next fix. She left, and I finally paused. I checked my phone—I haven't left this room in a week! This comic obsession is out of control. I finally looked in the mirror—something I’d successfully avoided until this point. I didn't want to face reality, to be confronted with how much I don't resemble the beautiful characters in my comics. I looked like I crawled out of a cave! And I've definitely gained weight. Even cavemen probably had better physiques! Ugh. I wasn’t surprised by my sister's comments. I’ve been like this for six months—ever since moving back home after quitting my job. I couldn't handle a 9-to-5.

I covered my face. I know this isn't healthy. I'm a mess; I'm practically a drug addict escaping reality through comics and novels. I wish I could be reincarnated as a princess in another world or become a hero saving everyone from evil. I wish I could start over in a new world... I wish... I wish... I'm so tired. ...Time for a nap.

A wave of heat washed over me, as if I were onstage under harsh spotlights. The heat was intense; I could feel the sweat sticking to my skin. What was happening? Was I running a fever? A sharp, burning pain shot through my right waist, accompanied by the sensation of warm water trickling down. I heard indistinct mumbling. "No! No one is supposed to be here!" I thought, frantically trying to shove aside the empty cans, bottles, and tissues that littered my floor. Then, with a surge of fear and shame, I opened my eyes.

“I told you no one could enter my room!” I screamed.

The light was so intense, I had to shield my eyes. Then a cold, deep, and terrifying voice boomed, “Keep your distance!”

Confused, I looked toward the source of the voice. A massive figure stood next to me. He was clad in gleaming silver armor and full knight’s attire. I had to crane my neck to see his face. His eyes, mesmerizing yet cautious, studied me as if I were some strange monster. His arm was folded across his chest, his hand resting on what looked like a sword. His dark hair was messy, and a scar bisected his perfect cheek and jawline.

A jolt of excitement, a rush of dopamine, coursed through me. He looked so incredibly real, unlike any character I'd ever imagined. If I knew my brain could create such vivid characters in my sleep, I'd sleep forever! I was so lucky. Yet, I felt feverish and strangely clammy.

The sharp pain in my waist intensified. I screamed, clutching at it. The world seemed to shake. I looked around, and saw knights on horseback, their faces concealed by armor. The stench of blood and dirt filled the air. How real was this? This couldn't be a dream! I was still in my pajamas—my dad's oversized T-shirt (to hide my weight and eat in peace) and baggy sweatpants. But these knights reeked of iron and a dark, sticky fluid. I touched my waist; my hand came away covered in dirt and a dark, viscous liquid.

"Is this blood? Am I bleeding?" I gasped, horrified.

I cried out in pain, realizing the extent of my injury.

“Wake up, Aly! Wake up! It’s just a period cramp,” I told myself aloud.

“No,” I whispered, realizing that wasn't the case. “I’m still here.” The handsome dark-haired man was incredibly vivid. But the smell of dirt and the intense light were unnatural, like being in the midst of a real battle.

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Screams and agonized cries tore through the air, along with the sounds of crushing metal and the thunder of hooves. A foul liquid, smelling strongly of blood, washed over me. Someone nearby began mumbling in an unfamiliar tongue.

The dark-haired man turned towards the sound and then back to me.

I wiped the blood from my face with my T-shirt, which, despite having worn it for a week, was cleaner than anything in this bizarre place. Yet, the blood made it unusable. As I moved the shirt, I noticed everyone staring at me with a strange mixture of surprise and suspicion.

The dark-haired man, who looked like their commander, bellowed, “Keep fighting! And you!” He pointed his sword at me, his eyes filled with a terrifying mixture of anger and suspicion. “Are you trying to seduce my men, you creature?!”

I was stunned. Seducing them? Covered in blood, wearing a week-old, hole-ridden pajama top and ill-fitting clothes? My body, normally hidden under oversized clothing, is actually quite curvy—a tiny waist contrasted by larger hips. Perhaps I should have lifted my shirt to show the wound to clean my face. This is the body I hate! I wish I had the slim figure of a comic heroine!

The dark-haired man's command was instantly obeyed. A knight, surprisingly disgusted, pulled my clothes back, revealing my form. Before I could react, I was lifted onto the knight's shoulder as if I were a sack of potatoes. It was agonizing, and the height and build of the soldiers were staggering—at least two meters tall. I felt as though I was in a world of giants! I tried to cover my injured waist, but the heavy robe, smelling of dirt and sweat, prevented it. Suddenly, I was thrown onto a horse as if I were a piece of luggage. The events of the last few minutes had been so surreal.

The pain was unbearable. I couldn’t close my eyes. The robe kept getting in the way, as if some unseen force was trying to suffocate me. The knight cursed in his language, and then finally settled me on the horse. The impact of each stride sent waves of pain through me. The man's heavy hand on my back was both comforting and disturbing.

Finally, he positioned me upright. I was exhausted, but the pain was less sharp. The man's strong arms now held me close as the horse slowed. After a long ride, he gently lowered me to the ground, and he began to care for me as if I were a harmless creature. Other soldiers stopped to share in the moment. They spoke amongst themselves in a strange language. I sensed they were making light of a situation, probably finding my fear amusing. Perhaps it's because I can feel the emotions of others so strongly, that I hide myself away.

Suddenly, the man behind me became tense. Other knights rode up, their expressions grim. Without warning, I was flipped onto another horse, landing hard on my back. A heavy hand began to rub my body aggressively, as if someone were trying to discover something about me. It reached my breasts and my abdomen.

A triumphant laugh rang out, followed by a sickening thud. I saw an arm flung aside, and in the blink of an eye, I found myself on a different horse—a sleek, black steed. I tried to look for the knight, but all I saw was a body, headless and armless, lying on the ground. The nausea hit me hard. I fought back the urge to vomit—thank goodness I hadn't eaten anything before falling asleep. This time, I was sitting upright. The smells of dirt, grass, and sweat filled my nostrils, a welcome change from the metallic tang of blood. The arms around me were larger, stronger, but I recognized the person—the commander I had seen earlier. A strange sense of calm washed over me. I relaxed against his solid form, burying my face in the fabric of his robe, trying to acclimate to the unfamiliar smells and ward off the icy night air. I closed my eyes, willing myself to wake up back in my own bed, hoping for a warm shower and a chance to clean myself."

Battlefield

After a long night of killing and fighting the enemy on the battlefield, thunder struck with a strong light in the middle of the field, more accurately in front of the great lord commander of the dark night of the OJOM Moon Kingdom. The light was so intense that he couldn’t adjust to it. He saw a creature wearing strange white fabric, something he had never encountered in his life. It looked human, but with a different, never-before-seen brown skin tone and colorful curly hair (I don’t think they discovered hair dye). That creature appeared so clean (lol, for someone who had lived on the battlefield for years, of course, she would look clean). It was a woman's figure! He was in shock; they hadn’t seen a woman for more than two years.

Her body moved and twisted as she tried to touch her back, her golden-brown skin waist showing under the light. The curvy drop of her waist was a rare sight—like a pillow made of lightly roasted barley leaves. His thoughts froze after seeing a blade of one of his men touch that waist. His eyes widened in alarm as he asked everyone to stay away in fear. But the only thing he saw was a deep cut that had opened, blood starting to drop. He had just touched it with the tip of the blade without even applying force. The men were amazed at how soft and light the creature was. Suddenly, her eyes opened. They were small, and her face was revealed—she had a very delicate straight nose and mouth with rabbit-like eyes. Was she a woman? A human?

She made light sounds; her voice was soft compared to the harsh sounds he had been hearing for the last few years, softer even than the women in his kingdom. She moved her small hands to her face after blood splattered over her from an enemy's head rolling through the air, which was a very normal occurrence. But her reaction to the blood, as if she had never seen it in her life, caught his attention. Oh wait, what was that? Her soft, plump blooms were visible as she tried to clean her face in horror. He looked around and saw everyone near the scene just staring in silence. He felt shocked, and blood rushed to his face and body; he knew this might cause a disturbance in his army.

In a firm voice, he ordered them to keep fighting and warned that anyone who lost focus on that creature would lose their head. He looked at her, trying to sense her energy, but he could only see her body shaking in fear with the eyes of an injured prey as he hunted them. He threw his robe over her to cover her body and asked his right-hand knight to carry her with them to their base. He issued a final warning that if anyone tried to get near her, he would cut their hands and heads off.

They won the battle, but they needed to return to base to devise a new plan to eliminate the enemy commander and break their city before winter arrived. While he was strategizing, he noticed laughter and disturbances coming from the back side of his military formation—where he had asked his right-hand knight to ensure that the creature would not be harmed during the intense horse ride. He noticed her making agonizing sounds while riding and instructed him to change her position and slow down.

A messenger approached him, reporting that some men were trying to play with the woman-shaped creature for fun. His blood rushed to a boil, and in an instant, He cut off the messenger's words and went to the knight who had taken the creature, cutting his arm and head in one swing before he could make a sound. Before the creature could fall, he caught her and positioned her back at his side, placing her in front of him.

He noticed her gaze flickering back at the dead body. Expecting to hear screams, he was met with silence; instead, he observed her tense body relaxing, leaning more against him as her curly hair tumbled into his robe. He was shocked as he sensed a wave of relief surrounding her.

Did this woman figure trust him?

The men around him fell silent, and the troop continued toward the base that started to emerge beneath the breathtaking scenery of the galaxy above them...