“It took my courage to grow and escape a life filled with suffering,” I sighed, thinking about the graduation set to happen soon.

I looked up at the gray and gloomy sky as the raindrops fell like tears from the clouds. Groundwater scattered the empty streets, reflecting the dull light of the lampposts.

In my heart, I yearned for a glimmer of warmth and optimism, a beacon of light to guide me through the darkness. Yet, as I gazed out, all I could perceive was the relentless deluge of rain, an endless torrent that mirrored my despair.

I stood on the school’s steps, watching the raindrops hit the ground. My bones chilled as if the cold water had seeped into my skin. Raindrops painted polka dots on my skirt and long-sleeved school uniform.

The students with umbrellas greeted the school goodbye. I, together with the other forgetful and underprivileged students, had no other choice but to wait.

“I’m going to be late to work again.” I opened my pocket and stared at the coins which I could count with my hands.

“It’s the right choice that I bought the cheapest pan bread in the store.” A growl in my stomach followed. I covered it with my arms with haste as my face blushed.

The intense pitter-patter of the raindrops supplied a welcome distraction from the gnawing sensation in my stomach. Unlike others, I lacked the means to buy filling and satisfying meals.

But this might be the end of my suffering. I passed the last final examination in my college. After completing the final requirements, I could now work full-time with colossal pay.

Achieving graduation was my ultimate goal, even if it meant sacrificing my relationships. Being perceived as an outcast is a price worth paying.

I never considered having friends ever since. They would only hinder my goals, triggering my temptations.

A classmate tapped my shoulder. They were in a group, carrying their umbrellas.

“Hey, Sachi, would you want to go to karaoke with us?” My classmate asked.

I stared away from her leaning face and cleared my throat. “I—I’m sorry. I c—can’t,” I replied with a chilly voice, cold and nervous.

She let out a deep sigh and slumped back her head. We lost eye contact with a frown appearing on her face.

“Sachi, this will be our last meeting. Wouldn’t you like to spend time with your friends? We are graduating soon and may never see each other again.”

Fun? I doubt that was possible, especially since Mom had an accident. While they may be my classmates, I wouldn’t go as far as calling them my friends. No one even realized that I was currently hungry.

“I need to go to work. I’m r—really sorry,” I stammered, fiddling my fingers.

“Fine, if that’s what you want. If you’d join, we wouldn’t mind sharing an umbrella with you! Let’s go, peeps.”

They opened their umbrellas and left me standing. Because it would be the last day we would meet, they let me overhear their conversation as they set out.

“I don’t really get that workaholic! What’s her problem? We wouldn’t even mind listening to her worries.”

“Don’t worry. No one can ever invite that antisocial.”

“I give up. It’s impossible to hang out with that shut-in. We just wasted our time.”

They wouldn’t have bothered me if they saw time as precious as I do. Time was my only asset, my only possession, my only power.

Time means freedom for the wealthy, but it brings hardship for impoverished people. I, Sachika Fujimoto, am one of those unfortunate people.

I’m only finishing college to bring my family out of poverty. I didn’t study because I wanted to learn. But even with my studies, I work part-time.

It’s hard and a real struggle, but who can I depend on? I’m the only one legally capable of doing this thing.

My dad passed away before Mom gave birth to our youngest sibling. Mom was diagnosed with anemia, and I can’t let her work. We don’t have any relatives to help us.

I have no choice but to survive this struggle. I limited what I ate and included my extra in my family finances. I kept as much money as I could.

Even though I fell down deep into darkness, there was no way I could surrender myself. I turned into a vessel of a hardworking spirit that will do what I’m focused on doing. But…

Graduation would soon free my soul, until I could breathe all the fresh air around me. I don’t have anything that I need to worry about. I will aim for a job with high pay and reclaim the lost relationship I’ve held for years.

Minutes later, the rain stopped, but the sky remained gray and heavy. The sun broke through the clouds, but its rays weakened the mood. The air continued chilling my skin.

The other students sheltering with me stepped out of the clear sky. I managed to walk out of the gates but never expected an event I didn’t look upon.

While staring at the ground, I saw a foot blocking my path. As I looked up, a man obstructed my path. He stood there, motionless, as the waters drenched his dark clothes.

His hood covered his head, hiding his face from the curious eyes of the students and teachers. His mask concealed his mouth, muffling his breaths.

He waited at the school gates, watching my every movement, gesture, and expression. He pulled out an untidy and torn envelope inside his coat and gave it to me.

“This… This is for you,” he stuttered and ran away like a scared kid fleeting a haunted house.

I had never seen that guy once for what I could remember. I interacted with only a few men my whole life, most of them from school or work. Could it be a prankster?

The envelope didn’t look like a love letter. It stung, partly wet, but I opened it with ease. When I opened the letter, I felt pain in my chest.

I’ll kill you.

My hands turned clammy, and my chin and lips trembled. My body froze to death, with my shaking limbs that couldn’t even move. My breath shuddered, leaving me too stunned to speak.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Why? Why does anyone want to kill me? What did I do wrong? Did I harm another person? What did I do to deserve this threat?

I didn’t know anyone who would work to such an extent of killing me. I already cut my relationships, so I couldn’t hurt anyone or myself. But this… This is impossible.

Should I call the police? But there was no recipient or sender included. If I told this to Mom, who knows what would happen to them? I don’t want to bother my family with more trouble.

I’m a soft girl. I would cry at any second if I didn’t hold it, but I shouldn’t attract public attention here. The longer it took me to realize, the longer it convinced me that it was a prank.

Walking down the street, I couldn’t help but be wary of my surroundings. With each step, my heart beats faster as I kept my eyes peeled for potential threats.

I glanced over my shoulder several times, ensuring no one followed me. When I gazed through a group of men loitering on the corner, I hastened my pace, hoping to avoid any confrontation.

Finally, I reached my destination — BookTales, a bookstore and a cafe. As I stepped into the cozy bookstore, the smell of old books and coffee greeted me.

The shelves lined with colorful spines, inviting me to explore their stories, but I need to work. Before I reached the staff room, I met the bookstore owner, Futaba-san.

She had a face that told a thousand stories, each one etched in the wrinkles and creases that adorned her skin. Her eyes were a faded blue, like the sky before a storm, and they sparkled with wisdom and kindness.

Her hair was a silvery gray, pulled back in a neat bun, and her ears were adorned with small pearl earrings. She was a kind owner who accepted me to work for her three years ago.

“Oh, good afternoon, Sachi-chan… Wait… You look pale! What happened? Are you conscious about your final exams?” she asked with lowered eyebrows.

“N—Nothing, Futaba-san,” I stuttered, followed by my forced smile. “I nailed my exams, so it’s no problem.”

I could not tell Futaba-san about the letter. She is retired already, and if I worry about her more, her high-blood pressure might attack her again.

She narrowed her eyes to me and pinched her chin. “You seem down.”

“I’m just concerned about what will happen to this bookstore after graduation.”

“Oh, right! Your contract ends the day before your graduation. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine doing things on my own, but… it might make me feel lonely for a bit,” she said with her voice fading per second.

“Futaba-san…”

I thought I worried about her, but she smiled at me instead.

“Don’t worry. Even as I age, my love for books won’t perish. Even so, I’ll miss you, Sachi-chan. Don’t forget about me when you become successful.”

“Why are you saying goodbye already, Futaba-san? I still have three weeks to stay here. We should discuss how we part ways further in time.”

“Still, you can come back here anytime. I’ll always expect you to visit me.”

“Of course, Futaba-san! To me, this feels like my second home. This was my favorite place to escape from the world. In here, I’m free.”

We talked about the end of my contract instead. Still, I wanted to hide the chaos in my mind after seeing the outrageous letter I received.

I entered the staff room and changed into my work uniform. But while I do, I’m drowned in thoughts, like my soul traveled on the other side of the world.

Am I the recipient of that letter? Did I commit some crime? What will happen to my family if it’s true? What will happen to me?

Since there was no recipient written, that must be wrongly sent. I shouldn’t become a victim of my negative thoughts. I’m still in my workplace. I need to be optimistic.

I’m not worth having a stalker. I’m not even famous or rich. I’m not the ideal person one looks up to in my school.

Stepping out of the staff room, I worked with a smile on my face while hiding the terror inside me. The more I worked, the more I forgot about the letter.

While wandering around, a book caught my attention. It had an attractive cover targeting both boys and girls. I clicked my tongue and said,

“It’s been three years, and it’s still the best-selling piece?”

It’s a book entitled ‘The Dark Lord’s Bride.’ Its story focused on the rivalry between a prince and a demon lord.

I still had doubts on why it still sat in the bestselling section. The female lead, the only likable character, died because of the absurd quarrels between the two brothers.

The main character, the prince, was a Gary Stu and only farms for girls in his harem. He didn’t do anything to save the demon lord’s bride.

For every volume it had, it only led to the protagonist defeating but not killing the other brother, who was the demon lord.

Illogicality owned every event in the book. How the heck did a fantasy world have an atomic bomb? And why the demon lord was still breathing after the 100m radius centering him had been wiped out?

Other unreasonable resolutions to the plot conflict appeared out of nowhere. Still, it would only make me nauseous to count it all.

To summarize all its bad points: The characters were flat. Grammatical errors scattered everywhere, like the editor didn’t checked it.

There was no emotional impact. Most scenes could be omitted because of unconnected subplots. I could summarize the whole series in one sentence or word:

Garbage.

I loathed this book. Why was it the top-selling novel of all time? This book never had the quality to begin with.

I took the book from its shelf, and as I stared at it, I murmured, “It’s unfair for hardworking people if this cheat gets all luck. This piece of trash deserved into the trashcan more.”

A gaze from afar pumped up my adrenaline. As I wandered around, I saw an eye from the hole on the other side of the shelf. His red glowing eyes injected fear into my blood.

The trembling of my body petrified my walk as my eyes bulged. I could feel my pulse beating from my heart. Weakness ordered my knees to kneel.

I lost my voice to ask for help as dizziness struck my vision. I still had the will, but I no longer had the strength. Fear completely invaded my body.

Later before I realized that the shelf full of books leaned and would soon crush me.

Am I going to die? Am I going to die like this!? I’ll soon finish college, yet… yet, I won’t even experience how free I could be! How could I’ve been so unlucky?

My eyes closed, which I couldn't seem to open. My ears deafened, and all I could perceive were mumblings with voices alien to me.

I realized something strange — I didn't feel any physical sensations. Even though I couldn't open my eyes, I could visualize the endless stars surrounding the vast blue light clouds as I floated between them.

I looked down and felt that I didn't even have a body, just a glowing orb of light.

Did I die!? Where am I? What happened to my body? Am I killed by someone I don't know?

This must be what it feels like to exist without a physical body. But despite the limitations of my current state, a sense of peace and tranquility surrounded me.

It was so peaceful, free from stress and problems. I no longer have to worry about the pain and suffering in the physical world.

But there seems to be something I’m forgetting…

My family was my only worry. After all, I did work hard for them, but… How would they survive without me? I didn’t bring them out from poverty yet.

Am I going to die like this?

It felt like a day after I opened my eyes again. When I opened my eyes, the bright shades of light illuminated a room foreign to me. A chandelier hanged over my lying body.

My head sat on feather-stuffed pillows with a gold-embroidered duvet. Rich tapestries covered the walls depicting scenes of glory and honor.

A mahogany dresser, a marble vanity, a leather armchair, and various elegant furniture filled the room. Roses and lavender scented the air, uttering luxury and comfort.

It's too exquisite, not fitting for a commoner like me.

I also felt like my limbs shrank. My physical body returned to me again, but everything changed from what I felt.

A breathless maid came rushing in through the door, panting and screaming in panic. She had has long, chestnut brown hair that falls in loose waves down her back.

Her bright blue eyes framed her long lashes, and her fair complexion complements a smattering of freckles across her nose. She was petite in stature and wore a simple yet elegant maid's uniform with a white apron and a neat bun at the back of her head.

"Miss Veniara!? Miss Veniara!" She hugged me like I'd escaped death. "Thank God you woke up! I thought you would soon die! This is a miracle!"

Her hands pulled my head towards her jiggling chest, surrendering myself to my bouncy fate. Instead of resisting, the confused me squished my eyebrows instead.

I don’t even know her… Wait—What did she call me!?

I pushed her away and rushed towards the royal mirror to see my face, but my body ended up a youngster, flooded with youth.

A stunning young woman with fiery red hair cascading down her waist greeted me. Her crimson-red eyes widened while staring at her own reflection.

This face looks like the female lead on the book cover of that book. This elegance and engaging aura were the same as the book cover's mascot. The more I moved my body, the more she copied it.

Don't tell me…

"DID THE BOOK EAT ME!?"

I squealed, flinching back while hyperventilating. I fell my butt on the ground, gripping the sides of my head and trying to pull my soul out.

My face turned pallid and white as my shoulders tightened in fear. I stepped away and hid my face from it. My full-tremored body trembled.

I really died in that bookstore, yet… I’m still alive, and transmigrated as the worst book’s FEMALE LEAD! I don’t want to be tortured for a decade and die another gruesome fate!

I need to escape this world, this written fate.