For what seemed like days, Jean remained in an odd state between sleep and wakefulness. Unable to move or think properly because of a persistent sadness that afflicted her. She had no idea if she was dead or alive.

She thought about crying over the end of her life. Not because she wanted to be a mother. She never felt that instinct awaken. She just wanted to feel alive. Like when she was a child. Or like every second she spent talking to Ian. Rarely had she felt so comfortable with a stranger.

During that conversation, she felt capable of anything. She overcame her fears, returning to a time when she was a brave girl. A girl silenced and oppressed by others. Maybe she could have been like him if she hadn't given up.

"I should have been like him! If I get out of here alive, I won’t hold back!"

A hopeful feeling flashed through her mind like a lightning in the dark. It forced its way through her like roots piercing the ground. Without pain or punishment. A phenomenon that created a strange flow of information that became a constant wave of whispers in her mind. A feeling that made her understand that she would never be alone again.

“[»Magic core« successfully implemented.]”

[Magic core]: Provides support for your attributes and the assimilation of new knowledge, skills and spells.

“[Welcome »Player 314.127AJ«!]”

“[New Mission: »Choose your destiny!« Reincarnation or Insertion?]”

Fear shook her impatiently, waiting for an answer, but Jean was in a state of shock and disbelief. How was it possible that she now had attributes and skills? Why was she called a player? Why did she have to choose? What was she going to play? Where was she going? A video game? It didn't seem like that.

That had to be a dream and she was in a coma in some hospital bed. Or maybe still under the rubble of the supermarket. "Damn subconscious!"

A wave of whispers made her understand that she had not died and that she couldn't be in those places. They also made her realize that she would soon be going to a new world with new possibilities. A new world where she could play a new and exciting game.

"Wait, wait, wait! Are you serious? Who are you? The God of Gamers and this is Heaven?"

Nothing answered. It was obvious that her concept of god did not match that incredible phenomenon and that it was still waiting for an answer.

Impatient, the whispers made her understand that [Reincarnation] was a new opportunity. She wouldn't remember anything from her past life because she would be reborn as something non-human.

It seemed like an interesting option, but she had plenty of experience tripping over the same rock fifteen times.

"Nah! No way!"

On the contrary, [Insertion] allowed her to remember her past existence. She would have a new customizable body, but always under human appearance.

32 years of experience were enough for her to realize that she would make the same mistakes again over and over. She chose to remember, no matter what.

After that decision, something whispered again. Something that wanted to make her realize that failure was part of the learning process. There was no reason to see failure. In fact, progress should be fun and exciting.

"A very inspiring way of thinking! What self-help book did you read it in?”

Silence reigned again. A long silence in which Jean despaired. She doubted again whether that was just the result of her delirium before she died. How was such a tempting offer possible? And... why did it seem that something was trying to convince her to move forward and forget the past?

"All right! You've won me over! What are you waiting for? Or didn't you listen to me? I want Insertion! There's no way I'm going to be reincarnated into a fucking vampire or a disgusting arachne, even if I remain a player.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Well... maybe a tabaxi... Yes! It would be nice to be a tabaxi!...Nah! Forget it! I want to be human!"

A woman's voice burst in, startling her. Calm and powerful. "That sounded a bit presumptuous, didn't it, Jean?! Besides, who the hell wants to be a tabaxi when you can be human?"

This time it wasn't a whisper. The voice echoed everywhere.

"S-sorry! Maybe I was rude, but... I thought you didn't hear me. I-I'm a little excited about being a player! It's not fake, right?"

"How curious! You show impatience, but you'll succumb to fear in no time! Don't deny it! You're an expert on the subject!"

Mind-reader detector went off. She hated those who stuck their noses where no one called them.

"W-who are you? W-what do you know about me?"

The woman sighed. "The idea of being a player makes you vibrate, doesn't it? You want so badly to be able to overcome your fear and be free again… You crave it, don't you? To be able to be the way you should have been! Do you think you could do it alone, even if you had the chance?"

Jean wanted to answer confidently, but the woman seemed to know her too well. There was no point in pretending.

"I can help you with that. It's easy for me! I can make all your wishes come true. Even the unspeakable!"

Jean endured in silence, not missing a single word. Although she found it difficult to ignore the woman's annoying arrogance, she was overly interested in that opportunity.

"Why are you so interested in helping me? Are you a helper of this game? Some kind of tutorial?"

"No, darling!"

"A compassionate spirit or something like a Gamer God?"

The woman laughed out loud. "Your concept of Gamer God is beyond me! But you could think of me as a programmer with certain permissions and limitations."

"A programmer? So... you can alter the rules?"

"No, but... What would you say if I told you that I could give you the opportunity to live with that handsome man in the new world?"

"What handsome man? Ian?!"

"Yes! The one from the supermarket! The one that wet your panties in 30 seconds!"

That woman made her feel almost as uncomfortable as her younger sister, but she was not willing to let her go. "Stop teasing me! If you have limitations, I don't see how you can give me everything you say!"

"Oh, darling! Leave that to me!"

"Can you really do it?"

"You really don't remember him!"

Jean felt her heart swell. “I knew him?! From where?! Kindergarten?! The school?!”

The woman seemed to lose her patience and abruptly changed her tone. "Stop beating around the bush! I have more to do than wait for you to remember. Do you want to make a pact or not?"

"What do I have to do?... Hey!?... Hey!!!... Please, tell me what I have to…!"

She hesitated, believing her mind was playing tricks on her again. For what seemed like agonizing hours of uncertainty, Jean waited, but it wasn't the woman who broke the silence. It was the whispers. Something in her was about to change.

“[Successful implantation of magic core in »Player 314.127AJ«!]”

“[Summoning and preparing »Customization«.]”

“Yes! This is real!"

Jean vibrated with excitement as she imagined herself in a medieval fantasy world as an unbeatable warrior with powerful magic. Master of the elements, arcane spells and divine magic.

Maybe she was going to a post-apocalyptic world. Maybe a futuristic one where everything was enhanced with implants. It didn't matter. She wanted to be everything. She always had.

She knew she was asking for too much. Maybe the rules wouldn't allow her to cover that much, but she wasn't going to miss the opportunity to try.

She also thought about Ian and the idea of going on adventures together. “Holy shit! That is better than a fucking dream!”