When the lights fade, I find myself in a bathroom.

Looking into the mirror, it's still the gorgeous Alexandra looking back at me.

It's not the same though.

While mirrors eluded me in that fantasy world, I examined myself in water reflections.

That body was of an alien.

A Beastfolk as that world called them, that only looked human at the first glance.

She had cat ears and her spine ended in a long, fluffy tail.

This body mimics a human. I say mimics since as an actual human, I can tell the difference.

It's like I'm wearing a VR headset and see my surroundings, but my senses are weak.

I try to touch the mirror and it's cold on my fingers, yet I can't feel the smooth texture.

This is a strange experience.

So this is what being in a homunculus feels like?

And this will be my life from now on?

[Notice: It takes time to attune to your new body, it will get better.]

Holy shit, the voice of the System scares the crap out of me.

Of course, it followed me, I didn't even think about it.

Okay, at least I'm not alone with this impossible mission. Did I keep my attributes too?

[Notice: This world has no Mana and cannot sustain magic. You don't have the same capabilities.]

Figures. It would have been too easy.

Looking at my reflection I fall in love with Alexandra again.

Now I understand why she wore a headband with those childish cat ears.

Thank God she didn't add a tail to her outfit though.

I can only think of one way to pull that off, and having a buttplug would be too much.

She is so beautiful I can't even comprehend.

That marble-like skin, the freckles on her statuesque nose, and that specific eye color. Hazel with a ring and that peculiar cyan hue.

[Notice: You have only one hour to finish your mission.]

Right. Well, I can already tell that it's not going to work.

"Emi is a tyrant. The most lovable little dictator you can imagine. But she doesn't take requests, won't trust strangers, and shouldn't even have a picture of me anyway."

[Notice: If you fail the mission...]

"Hold on, I didn't give up yet. I only said, that getting a picture from Emi wouldn't work."

She never specified the mission, but it calls for some material she could use. It doesn't have to come from my sister. It was her idea, but she doesn't know her.

She's waiting for me outside. To make it worse, she wouldn't recognize me.

No, if Alex told me the truth and she met with my roommate too, that's the worst part. She is with Frank.

He never saw me as a woman, but the first time he caught a glimpse of my sister, he said she was cute.

As much as it pains me, my best bet is to sneak away without meeting them and go to the student's hall. It's even better that my roommate is here.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I have a laptop there, and that's the only place I can imagine to have a few older pictures stashed away. So what now? Do I jump out the window?

There is a big one at the end of the short corridor, and it even opens, but it's on the second floor.

"Damn it, Goddess." Can I make that jump? She isn't a superhuman in this world, though I have no idea what kind of beating a homunculus can take.

[Notice: Someone approaches the door.]

Fuck. More action, less thinking. I swing out the window and notice a tree at the edge of my reach. It's to the right side, and with my 18 DEX, I can grab a branch that supports my weight.

It's already dark outside, and this part of the campus seems quiet as if I have any idea which part is that.

I toured the place once before the summer and planned to explore it further a week ago. No, in this world, it's still the same day I fell off the stairs. That's so weird.

Whether Alexandra made herself a cat in a human body or not, it feels natural to climb down the tree. Nobody saw me, so it should be safe now.

One hour? Can I make it in time?

It takes a second to orient myself, and then make a run for it. Alex had all her school gear, hand-written notes, a makeup kit, and a smartphone.

I didn't keep my inventory, it's all in a neat little handbag. It doesn't even have an extradimensional interior, she stuffed it to the brim.

Still, it doesn't weigh much so it's easy to sprint with it. Reaching the road where the semi almost ran me over this morning — a week ago — I stop to look around.

I can't make the same mistakes while I'm alone. I don't know what would happen if I died in her borrowed body, but there's nobody here to save me.

Reaching the shabby little apartment from here should take only a ten-minute walk. Let's make it five because my paranoia tells me someone is after me.

I can't see anyone, and Emi wouldn't chase after a stranger who bailed on her, but I can't shake the feeling. Reaching the building makes me realize that I don't have the keys.

We only had one set, because the Landlord said we'd have to sort copying ourselves, and Frank took it in the morning.

That is still lucky because the Goddess would've evaporated it with the rest of my body.

My phone must have met the same fate, but it was an older model anyway, and I didn't keep anything important on it.

Is it strange that I didn't miss any belonging from this world? Not even my body. And now I'm racing against time to find something that can help rebuild it.

To be clear, I'm doing this for Emi and my parents. It's not because I miss it too much.

"Okay, I told this idiot to close the balcony door in the morning. Let's hope he didn't listen to me."