“Aaargh!” I finally swung the last strike from my sword as the last swallow butterfly hit the flower. With a faint, almost anticlimactic pop, the flower’s health bar plummeted to zero. The oversized pest let out a faint hiss before collapsing into a pile of withered petals, its dusty pollen dispersing into the air like confetti celebrating my questionable victory.
[+45 EXP]
[+25 Weapon EXP]
I started to move my legs again, but my stamina depleted so much after striking that flower for a whole minute without rest that I couldn’t move. My legs were shaking and I turned my head, only to come face-to-face with the skeleton. Its hollow eye sockets stared back at me, so close that I could feel its non-existent breath.
Catherine, I’m sorry. It seems like I can no longer go back. I watched the skeleton raise its arm above me. I tried to lift my own arm to shield myself, but my body had long since given up. My muscles felt like wet noodles after the flower fiasco, and even the tiniest twitch seemed impossible. Even my sword, my supposed lifeline, slipped from my fingers and vanished back into the void it came from.
“I hope I can go back and play gacha again…” I muttered with a tear in my eyes. My mind wandered to all the shiny five-star Mashiro I’d never get to pull, the pity counters left unfulfilled, and the event banners I’d miss.
The skeleton finally swung down its bony arm. Instinctively, I shut my eyes tight, bracing for the inevitable pain. My fox ears twitched involuntarily, anticipating the blow. But instead of agony, I felt... something else. A light, awkward pressure on top of my head.
It was soft? Gentle? Almost like a weirdly reassuring pat. Confused, I cracked one eye open and looked up. To my complete surprise, the skeleton’s bony hand was petting my head.
“What... what are you doing?!” I stammered, utterly dumbfounded. My ears flicked under its touch as it continued the bizarrely affectionate gesture. The skeleton tilted its head slightly, as if it couldn’t understand why I looked so baffled. Its hand remained, awkwardly stroking my head like I was some kind of lost puppy. “Are you… not a bad skeleton?”
I wasn’t sure if I was asking it right, but the skull of the skeleton nodded. It wasn’t a jerky, mindless motion; it was almost like a gentleman's gesture, as if it was trying to say, "Of course, I’m a well-mannered skeleton."
“I… thought I would die again…” I said while finally gaining enough strength to wipe my tears away. My voice was shaky, “I guess you aren’t like that mean silver haired classmate that kept haunting my dream, huh?”
The skeleton paused, almost as if contemplating my words. Then, with another gentle, almost apologetic gesture, it lowered its bony hand and gave a soft, creaking nod, as if to say, “Nope, definitely not like that guy.”
I sighed in relief, no, it was… disappointment. I looked at the skeleton's hollow eyes once more, and without realizing, tears once again struck me. I absentmindedly stared at the status window next to the skeleton, that annoying game-like interface that had been floating in the corner of my vision. I finally realized what made me feel this way.
“No, I can’t…” I said, with barely any coherent babbling. “I was hoping you were gonna kill me so I might go back to earth again…”
The skeleton tilted its head, almost like it was trying to process what I’d just said. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear it looked... confused? Maybe even concerned? But then again, it was a skeleton. Could it even feel anything?
“Hey, mister skeleton.” I muttered, “why do I stay here in this world anyway? This is only my third day, but I already hate it. There’s no computer, I couldn’t just check my phone whenever I was bored, the bed here is rough, there’s no AC and there were lots of mosquitoes when I tried to sleep. And don’t even think about my daily gacha pulls. I need my gacha, okay?! Why am I even here?!”
I paused, waiting for the skeleton to give me some kind of answer, though I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. Maybe a cryptic, ancient prophecy or a motivational speech about embracing my new destiny? Or better yet, a way to actually go back to Earth, where at least I had Wi-Fi.
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Instead, the skeleton simply stared at me. its empty sockets fixed on me with an almost serene lack of judgment.
“Oh, come on, I’m not being that dramatic!” I sighed, throwing my hands up. “I mean, I’m technically still alive, right? Which is cool, but this world is like... primitive. No internet? No gaming? No food delivery? I don’t know how long I can survive here without even a snack bar for comfort.”
I sighed, exhausted, as I looked down at my frilly purple and black dress, now in tatters. My long silver hair, streaked with hints of pink, was a tangled mess from all the running and wild sword swings. Sweat clung to my skin, making everything feel even more uncomfortable.
“I need a long, chill, bath time after this,” I muttered, pushing the skeleton's hand away from my head. I stretched my arms above me, letting out a slight moan as I tried to ease the stiffness in my muscles.
I stared at the skeleton, unsure of what to do next. That is, until a sudden slash echoed through the air, and before I could even react, the skeleton was sliced cleanly in half. The bones clattered to the ground in a heap, completely lifeless.
“Are you alright, Miss?” a familiar voice called out, pulling me from my daze. I looked up to see a young, handsome guy standing there, sheathing his sword with a fluid motion. The ornament on his sword was just as beautiful as his face. “I’ve heard from the children, so I rushed here.” He gave me a reassuring smile, though his intense gaze still lingered on me as if assessing the situation.
“Ah… you are…” I muttered, my voice trailing off in a dull monotone as I tried to piece together who he was. My brain still felt foggy from the adrenaline rush and the encounter with the skeleton. The handsome stranger looked at me with a slightly puzzled but amused expression, as though he expected me to recognize him.
“Oh dear, I haven’t introduced myself yet, haven’t I?” He raised his right hand and held it flat and bowed slightly like a knight. “Greetings, my lady. I’m Scheon, the bodyguard of the merchants you saw this morning.”
His formal introduction made my brain short-circuit for a moment. I blinked, trying to process the situation, still not quite sure whether to be grateful, annoyed, or just plain confused. His handsome face and well dressed outfit gave quite the impression of a noble, even a prince rather than a bodyguard.
A long, royal blue cloak with a silver clasp hung gracefully from his shoulders, swaying gently with each movement. The cloak’s edges were embroidered with a subtle pattern, hinting at his high status. On his belt, a beautifully ornate sword rested in its scabbard, the hilt wrapped in fine leather and adorned with a gleaming gem in the center.
“I see..” I muttered, my eyes heavy with exhaustion. “Thank you, Mr. Scheon.” With a slight nod, I began to shuffle away from him, my feet dragging as I made my way toward the village.
“My lady, wait!” Scheon called out from behind me, his voice filled with urgency. I felt his presence drawing nearer as he hurried towards me, his handsome eyes sparkling with an odd mix of concern and determination. “Let me escort you.”
I sighed, feeling a little annoyed at his persistent knightley attitude. Turning my head to face him, I gave a tired but firm look. "I can walk alone. Please... leave me alone."
However, the moment I finished speaking, a loud, obnoxious rumble erupted from my stomach. My face instantly flushed red, and I quickly looked away in embarrassment, unable to meet his gaze. The sound of my stomach growling was the kind of thing that could only happen at the most inconvenient moments.
An awkward silence filled the forest. I took a peek only to see him smile, his expression soft yet knowing, as if he were waiting for me to say something. The longer I stayed silent, the more I could feel the tension building. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I muttered, "I’m not that hungry…"
“Miss, you’re practically starving,” Scheon chuckled, his smile widening. “It won’t be proper of me to leave a lady like you walking alone in the forest with her grumbling stomach. Please, allow me.”
I sighed in defeat, “Fine. You can escort me to the village.”
“Thank you, Miss,” Scheon said with a slight bow, his smile still present as he walked alongside me. His movements were graceful and measured, almost as if he were in his element. The more I observed him, the more it seemed like he was someone who took his duties very seriously—almost too seriously at times.