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—Whoa! Where am I?!–
When I opened my eyes, I expected to see only darkness, or maybe one of those typical blindingly white spaces that are supposed to come after death. But there was none of that.
After opening my eyes—having no clue how long they'd been shut—the first thing I saw was an alleyway. It was dark, filthy, and reeked of dampness, probably mixed with blood, feces, or worse; honestly, it smelled like absolute hell. Plus, I could feel a brick wall pressing firmly against my back.
Looking around and feeling all this, the only thing I could think was that this definitely wasn't the paradise religious folks promised after you kick the bucket. And sure, I'm not a believer, but I did help people before dying of cancer, so that's gotta count for something, right?
Take Olivia, for example. She was a spoiled rich girl who also suffered from a different kind of cancer than mine. She ended up becoming a very dear friend and, if death hadn't torn us apart, there probably would've been something more. I have to admit I liked her and she liked me back, but neither of us dared to mention it—her because of the pain of being abandoned by her loved ones, and me because of my devotion to a fictional character. And, of course, because death was breathing down our necks.
But no, I was greeted by this terrible view instead. My hospital room was a thousand times better; thanks to Olivia, I'd moved from a basic ward to the VIP wing. Besides, I had her company there, unlike now, where I'm completely alone in God-knows-where.
—Ugh, it smells like shit in here. –I wave my hand in front of my nose, trying to block out the foul stench of the place.– But seriously, where the hell am I?–
Slowly, I push myself up. Using the stone wall for support, I stand and try to look past some trash cans that are blocking my view.
—Wait a second… –As soon as I'm on my feet, something feels off, and my mind starts racing. A sudden wave of dizziness hits me, forcing me to lean against the wall again to keep from falling.– Why do I feel taller than usual?–
I quickly inspect myself, hands patting down my body from head to toe—not slowly, but with the frantic speed of someone stunned by the unknown. When I finish, I'm completely absorbed by what my hands have discovered.
—This isn't my body.–
It was true. My original body was quite thin and gaunt due to the typical wear and tear of cancer. I was also bald from the chemo, unlike this body which, though also black-haired, has the vibrant shine of someone young, healthy, and full of life. In other words, it's thick and messy. Touching it, I can tell it hangs over my eyes a bit, with triangular strands of hair dipping into my field of vision and covering almost both ears, just above the lobes.
On top of that, I used to be shorter. The last time I measured myself, about three years ago, I was five-foot-three. Yeah, I was short, but that was because my obesity before the cancer—before the disease forced me to get thin—pretty much stunted my growth. If I hadn't been too lazy to lose weight back then, I probably would've hit six feet, since my Dad looked to be about that height in the photos I saw. Now, however, I feel much taller than normal. I could easily reach a lightbulb at this height. If I had to guess, I'd say I'm around six-foot-two.
—Is there a mirror around here? –I ask myself after doing a rough estimate of my height using the wall and my memory of how long a centimeter is.–
I turn my head, searching this gloomy place for anything that might give me a better look at myself. Fortunately, while I don't find a mirror, I spot a puddle. Even though the water is a bit dirty, it reflects my image perfectly.
—Ho, ho~ –A mischievous, self-satisfied smirk plays across my lips.– Who is this handsome devil~?–
I wasn't just handsome. I was striking. The kind of face a male lead in a romance Manhwa or Manga would have. Seeing myself even in a puddle was like looking at one of those generic, flawless anime characters. And it wasn't just the face. It was the body too; my hands had felt a literal six-pack under these basic clothes. I even felt like I could easily smash something—like that wooden trash bin—with a single punch. It was strange, because from the outside, I looked lean.
Thankfully, I didn't arrive butt-naked like the Terminator. That would've been too much. Right now, I can see I'm wearing a yellowish long-sleeved shirt, dark brown trousers, and brown ankle boots. I even have a belt in the same color! The coolest part is that, although the clothes look old-fashioned, they aren't dirty. Not even my body is dirty. I'm perfectly clean.
—Hmm, this body… –I say to myself, feeling the toned muscles hidden beneath these strange clothes. This muscular chest really does feel good on me.– It looks familiar.–
Then, I remember. This body it's the exact same one my character had in that video game. The same one I personally configured and chose to play the Heroic Mode of FIRK. I spent a full hour customizing him to my liking, making him look like a God standing above everyone else in terms of aesthetics, a typically cliché beauty standard. That's even why I gave him red eyes; I always saw male protagonists with that look and I really liked the gothic/mysterious vibe.
—Ah! It's my character's body, Kai, from Fantasy Isekai Romance Kingdom! –I exclaim as I finally realize it.–
Fantasy Isekai Romance Kingdom (FIRK). That was the name of my favorite game. Yeah, a name so extremely generic that it's exactly what caught my attention in the first place. Before installing it, I thought it would be just another typical otome game, since the screenshots only showed scenes typical of that genre (a beautiful blonde female character, a text box, and romance options with five male characters). However, when I installed it and played it, the game itself gave me a reality check.
First: the character design. It was exhaustive, with many, many options, like hair configuration, age, body type, shape, height, eye type and color, skin tone, and obviously the character's gender. You could even modify private parts, like adjusting a man's size or a woman's chest. Though, of course, this was only available in Heroic Mode, since in the other Mode, you had five default playable characters.
Second: The game modes. There were two. Heroic Mode and Romance Mode. The first one, Heroic Mode, was like an open-world fantasy game; it didn't just cover one location, the Arabella Empire, but the entire world, called Noelle. You could visit every existing country without restrictions most of the time. Here, you were a typical adventurer who occasionally ran into the six main protagonists and had to help them with their "save the world" problems, either for free or for a fee. If you had the right appearance, gender, and age (Handsome, Male, between 18 and 25), you could even romance and have a relationship with the Female Protagonist, Karina. Though, of course, this would earn you the hatred of the other five characters and bring you a lot of trouble in your gameplay. Only those who truly liked Karina ever tried it. The rest, like me, opted out.
The second mode, Romance Mode, was the typical otome style. First, they put you in the shoes of the "perfect" Crown Prince of the main empire, the Arabella Empire, and you had to woo the Female Protagonist—who, funnily enough, was from another world (hence the name)—while saving the world and defeating villains. And it wasn't just the Crown Prince's route. There was also the Imperial Guard's, the Black Tower Mage's, the future Elf King's, and the future Dragon Lord's. You could choose any of the five, but unlike normal otomes where the Protagonist was the one doing the wooing, here you were the one winning over her, Karina, by playing as one of those love interests.
Third: The story. Although the Romance Mode plot was your typical otome fare, the world-building, the lore, and everything else was excellent and felt very immersive; it didn't feel forced. And this improved drastically in Heroic Mode. Here, the story and lore expanded to such an extreme degree that it was incredible.
In my case, I played Romance Mode first to solidify my experience with the game, and also because both modes were unlocked from the start and Romance Mode was first on the list. I started with the Crown Prince and followed through with the routes of the other four playable male characters. Being a completionist when it comes to gaming, I perfectly cleared every route along with their respective achievements. It took me a year, playing 15 hours a day, but hey, I got every achievement—even the ones considered impossible.
Although Heroic Mode is my favorite, I hold a special place in my heart for this Mode, because it was thanks to Romance Mode that I met Olivia. While she was walking through the hospital where we were both staying, she saw me playing this Mode—or rather, she saw me fail a decision, which caught her interest. And while she used to be quite, well, stuck-up (like any rich girl), saying video games were for people of "low birth," after watching me play, she eventually got interested until she finally decided to try the game herself. Since I practically knew everything by then—it was my 15th run—I was able to teach her how to play, and eventually, this Mode became her favorite.
In my case, as I said, my favorite is Heroic Mode. This is where I configured this character, with this appearance (six-foot-two, lean but toned body, movie star face, dark red eyes), and gave him a short, easy-to-remember name: Kai. I could have chosen many others I liked, but I decided on this one because, being only three letters, easy to pronounce and remember, it was perfect for those high-action moments.
I immersed myself even deeper into this mode. I explored every corner of the world, whether it was ugly or beautiful. I explored the open zones as well as those unlocked through missions, glitches, or developer-released events. I also cleared every existing Dungeon, learned each and every one of their mechanics, and with the help of forums, I discovered every single secret—including the glitches that didn't result in a ban and helped me immensely throughout my constant runs.
—Wait a second. –I say to myself, after recalling all of this.– So, am I in FIRK? –I ask, incredulous.– But how? I was supposed to die, not get sucked into some cliché about being reincarnated in a fantasy world.–
I mean, I've read plenty of stories like this—Novels, Manga, Manhwas, Manhuas—and I've played similar games (like FIRK), but I never thought it could actually happen to me. I always figured my destiny was just dying of cancer and that was it. Talk about a plot twist. At least I didn't get sent here by a truck.
—Hmm, the protagonist of this game in Romance Mode, Karina, is also a reincarnator. –Before doing anything else, I continue analyzing this bizarre possibility.– No, "Summoned" would be the more accurate term. She didn't die in her original world; she was brought here through a summoning ritual to become the Saint of this country, which was starting to get ravaged by a demon horde.–
According to the Romance Mode lore, she's summoned after taking a shortcut through an alleyway on her way home during her first few days of college—she was eighteen when she was brought here. They do it with all the bells and whistles—a national event where they give her powerful weapons, tutors, and every other necessity so she can adjust and train to improve her powers.
Depending on the choices the playable characters make, you unlock more of Karina's story, as she shares her pre-summoning life with the different love interests. Also, there's a risk of failure. It's not just one "happy ending"; there are several.
One of them is the "Friendzone" Ending. Karina can simply choose no one and stay single after finishing the main story and defeating the Demon Emperor and his ultimate weapon, the Final Boss. As the name suggests, you just stay friends with zero chance of anything more, as Karina decides to join a convent to guard the Demon Emperor's remains and prevent any survivors from using them. This only happens if the character manages to hit exactly 50% affinity with her.
Then there's the "Shattered Romance" Ending, where you have to fail every romantic prompt, either on purpose or because you're just genuinely bad at romance. If you pull this off, Karina will tell you before the final battle that she wants nothing to do with you because you've disappointed her too much. The character begs for one last chance, but she refuses. However, she tells you that if you don't want to let her down even more, you'll have to fight by her side to at least redeem yourself a bit. There's no option to say no. Once the battle against both the Demon Emperor and the Final Boss is over, Karina chooses any of the other love interests (it's random, but based on your actions) except you, making it clear once again that there's nothing between you—not even a friendship. Disappointed, your character decides to be the one to guard the Demon Emperor's ashes so that Karina can have her happy ending without being tied down to the task.
There's also the typical Happy Ending, where they defeat the Demon Emperor and the Final Boss. Afterward, Karina accepts the player as her future partner; they get married, have kids, and live happily ever after. The usual stuff. Plus, the Church itself keeps the Demon Emperor's ashes in a Special Vault, freeing Karina and the character from that arduous duty.
And then, there's the hidden ending, which only unlocks once you've achieved the Happy Ending with all five playable characters: the Harem Ending. It's actually the hardest one to complete and one of those "impossible" achievements because, unlike the others, you play as all five at once, balancing them all so Karina can't pick just one. It doesn't matter if affinity is at 100%, but it must be above 50% for everyone. The trick is that everyone has to be at the exact same level. On top of that, you have to make sure they all get along perfectly—almost like a hive mind. Since Karina can't choose, and the five of them get along, they decide she doesn't need to choose at all and let her pick everyone. In this one, the Female Protagonist ends up with all five and "suffers" with them, in the sense that they can all shower her with love at the same time and she can use all her charms on them, heh heh. In the end, the Church also puts the ashes in a vault, and Karina ends up having a child with each of the five, while also becoming the Empress of the Prince's, the Elf's, and the Dragon's respective empires.
And yeah, as expected, I completed all twenty-five endings. That's how obsessed I am when I play video games, heh heh.
—Maybe if I go find her and drop some references, she can help me navigate this place. If I've arrived here in these clothes, it means I'm starting from scratch. –I tell myself, remembering how Romance Mode worked.– Not like Karina; she got everything handed to her on a silver platter the moment she arrived.–
Then, in that very instant, as I realize that I've been reincarnated into this world—the world of FIRK—a lightbulb goes off in my head.
—No! –I exclaim.– To hell with the original female lead! I'm going for my villainess and favorite character, Serafina!–
Serafina Noire Delacroix. A fascinating name. "Serafina" clearly alludes to the celestial, while "Noire" means something like darkness, and "Delacroix" obviously translates to "Of the Cross." If you piece the meanings together, she could be a Celestial fallen from heaven (the cross) into the very depths of darkness. And that is exactly what, unfortunately, happened to her.
Because I played the Romance version first, I never knew Serafina's true story. In each and every route, she was the final boss you had to defeat. I always did it, and honestly, I didn't care much; I'd even skip her cinematic (after seeing it once) since they didn't even explain her lore. She just appeared after you beat the Demon Emperor, and that was it. They didn't tell you why or how. The Demon Emperor would just smirk and say, "Behold my Ultimate Weapon," and that was all you got. That's why it was so easy to lose interest and just take her down, especially if you were hunting for all the endings or speedrunning.
However, everything changed when I played Heroic Mode.
In Heroic Mode, you didn't start when the Female Lead arrived; you started before that. Four years before Karina's arrival, to be exact. Right at the dawn of the war where Serafina's parents died. One day, out of nowhere, demons appeared in a small village near the border, adjacent to the Lucius Empire, and began their assault. This was where Reinhard Noire and Miriam Delacroix—Serafina's parents—happened to be, investigating the land due to a severe drought.
Because of the sudden attack, the soldiers were overwhelmed, and reinforcements were minutes away. So you—a commoner, the character you created yourself—would grab a hoe, a scythe, or a pitchfork to fight and protect your family. And yeah, this was basically the tutorial. They taught you how to fight, how to parry, how to pull off combos, and all the other controls.
At the end of the tutorial, you'd see Reinhard and Miriam get surrounded by beasts. Being the only one nearby, you'd rush to help them and even fight by their side. However, right at the finish line, just as reinforcements arrived led by a fifteen-year-old Serafina, a treacherous demon took advantage of a momentary lapse in Reinhard and Miriam's guard. It drove dark spears through their backs, killing them instantly, just before more beasts swarmed in to drag them away. All of this happened right before Serafina's stunned and horrified eyes.
Finally, seeing that Serafina was frozen in shock and that several monsters were closing in on her, your character would throw himself forward to protect her. You'd end up wounded and sent to a makeshift hospital, but you saved her because the soldiers managed to wipe out the remaining beasts.
After that, you were rewarded by the Grand Duchy's officials and sent to the Imperial Capital, where you were introduced to various contacts and given the chance to exact revenge on the demons that raided your village. From that point on, your adventure truly began.
Thanks to the open-world mechanics, you were given complete freedom to do whatever you wanted and make whatever choices you felt like. In other words, to play your own way.
In my case, when I played Heroic Mode for the first time after doing everything in Romance Mode, I found it curious to see people who looked like Serafina, with the same last names as the Final Boss, and a fifteen-year-old version of her. So, after finishing the tutorial, I started digging for info—through missions, developer notes, and even fan forums.
That's how I discovered Serafina's true story. A story filled with the pain of losing her loved ones, the trauma that followed, and also her resilience. She had to grow up in an instant after such a terrible loss, taking control of a territory that was already powerful while navigating the dangers and disdain of everyone else.
After learning everything there was to know about Serafina, I became obsessed with her—to the point where, whenever I encountered her, I tried to do everything in my power to keep her from falling into darkness.
Unfortunately, all my attempts were in vain.
Serafina didn't just become a weapon for no reason. Before the player could save her back then, a demon had managed to scratch her just enough for demonic corruption to enter her system, blocking her magical capacity and forcing her to only be able to use Demonic Magic. From there, everything depended on her emotional state. The more unstable she became, the more the corruption could consume her.
Before Karina arrived, the Crown Prince, the Mage, the Elf, the Dragon, and the Imperial Guard were the ones surrounding Serafina. Each had their own agenda, of course, but they were ultimately her friends and her emotional support. However, after Karina appeared, she was abandoned. All five of them left her for the newcomer.
This allowed her corruption to spike, and the Demon Emperor managed to establish contact, slowly poisoning her mind. In the end, after countless disappointments from her "friends"—and especially from the person she loved most, Leonard, the Crown Prince—Serafina was completely corrupted. She became the Demon Emperor's Ultimate Weapon and the final boss the players had to defeat.
And we—the poor players who had finally come to understand Serafina and wanted to save her with all our might—found ourselves frustrated by the limitations imposed by the developers. Saving her would have required rewriting a massive chunk of the original story. So, we were forced to fight her in the Final Battle anyway.
Fortunately, I'm not the type to just accept things passively (except for my illness and eventual death, since that was out of my hands). So, I started pestering them. Emails, calls, messages, social media—constant spamming even at the risk of a ban—insisting they let me save her. I even gathered a group of people who sympathized with my cause, since they also wanted salvation for Serafina. Three months after all that noise, the developers announced an expansion for Heroic Mode.
In this Expansion, we could finally turn Serafina into another romantic interest for our character, developing a relationship with her so her mind would stop fixating on the Crown Prince, allowing for a natural and loving bond. It also let us help her move past her treacherous friends by connecting her not only with us but with other characters who would support her.
In fact, this change caused the story to shift drastically. It added new missions, changed or removed old ones, and introduced new characters, events, maps, dungeons, mechanics, and above all, lore. It was so different from the original that previous save files were incompatible; you had to start a brand-new game from scratch by selecting this Mode.
The most significant change was that now, instead of the game ending with Serafina as the Final Boss, it ended with the Demon Emperor as the ultimate foe. But of course, this only happened if you achieved an affinity higher than 50% with Serafina. If you were below that, the result was the same as before, with slight variations depending on your behavior. Actually, you could even redeem her after fighting her Final Boss form and defeating her—unlike the original version, where she had to die no matter what.
Funnily enough, it was such a massive change that it could've easily been a "Part 2" for the game. Many of us theorized that the developers already had this version ready and just needed a nudge (our insistence) to release it; something that big couldn't have been finished in just three months.
Back to the Expansion Mode: when I found out, I was beyond hyped. Like a madman, I set out to complete Heroic Mode for the tenth time, but this time with a clear goal: save Serafina. And while it's true that the update brought things never seen before, having a general grasp of the game allowed me to use my knowledge to make things easier.
As expected, I pulled it off—and more than perfectly. Sadly, just as I had achieved the happy ending—marrying Serafina after the Empire granted me a Noble Title for slaying the Demon Emperor, having our first daughter (who looked just like Serafina but with my character's hair and eye color), and with a second baby on the way—I woke up in this world.
Yes, I died in my original world. But the good part is that I managed to save her from her original fate as a plot device for the protagonists' happy ending. Most importantly, I made her the happiest woman in the world, giving her a happy ending of her own.
—You know, it's funny. –I say to myself.– Right before I went to sleep for the last time, I heard a strange female voice in my mind. She asked me, "Would you like to save the real Serafina?"–
Yeah, I know—it's another huge cliché. But at that moment, I didn't care. Of course I accepted. After that, the voice spoke again: "Then please, save my little girl. Break the chains that bind her, give her the freedom no one else gave her, and... make her happy." After that, I didn't hear her again. The rest, well, I appeared here, in this alley.
Interestingly, that voice didn't sound like your typical "System" voice. It wasn't robotic. Not a hint of a synthetic tone, however slight. It was the voice of a woman in her 40s, very natural, and above all, with a tone that mixed sadness, hope, and affection.
Who could it be? Serafina's mother, Miriam Delacroix? The Goddess of this world, Noelle? The daughter we had who came from the future, Alisa? I honestly have no clue. The game didn't have voice acting; it was all text. So I couldn't recognize anyone even if I tried.
—Wait a minute. –After all that analyzing and reminiscing, it's time to get started. However, there was a problem.– I've decided I'm going after Sera, and I'll do everything possible to save her, but... how do I even do that?–
I pat my pockets and start searching them to see if there's anything that can help me. And... nothing. No money—"Oblecen" as the currency is called here—no powerful items, and no super-cheat pulled out of where the sun don't shine. So how the hell am I going to do this?
—Haaa... –I sigh. A deep sigh loaded with resignation.– I don't know who brought me here, but they could have at least given me something to start with. Most Isekai protagonists get something, superpowers, incredible weapons, the ability to one-shot enemies, or sometimes a harem of beautiful women... though I don't need that last one.–
Then, my mind lights up again. An idea that might seem silly or funny starts flooding my brain like water, gradually filling it up.
—If this world is a video game, then... –I say, a smirk forming on my face.– System. Show me the Virtual Interface. –I command.–
Instantly, just as I suspected, an electric blue, semi-transparent window materializes right before my eyes. Looking closer, I can see my full current body along with my equipment (basically, what I'm wearing), as well as info like my level, name, how much money I have, my location, the date, and the time.
—Whoa! –I exclaim, incredulous at the sight of the typical game UI.– It worked! I'm a generic Isekai character! This is awesome!–
Fortunately, even though the window glowed brightly, it seemed only my eyes could perceive it; the alley remained as dark as ever. Besides, it's not like anyone was around, which was a relief—everyone would probably think I'm crazy for talking to myself.
—Let's see. –Once I'm sure everything is in order, I look at the window, inspecting it.– Name: Kai. Money: ??. Time: 6:05 AM. Location: Arabella Empire, Grand Duchy of Noire, Southwest Marches, Surken Village. Level… hmm, why are there two question marks?–
Yep. There were basically two question marks written on the screen. It didn't show any number other than those two symbols. And no, before you wonder if it's a bug or a glitch—it's not. This only happens when you exceed the level cap, which is 100. Anything above 100 starts showing these symbols because the game system itself, at least for the player, has this feature enabled by default. To see the actual number, one would need to go to the Holy Church of Noelle, located in the Central Country called the Republic of Centria (fun fact: it's the only Republic, and it's neutral… at least for now). After paying a fee of 1,000 Oblecen, you can verify your real level.
—Hmm… –I mutter, scanning the info.–
The same thing happens with the money. As soon as you hit 100 million Oblecen, those same two question marks appear. Checking it is similar to checking your level. Except, in this case, you have to go to the Central Bank, also located in Centria, and verify it through their banking system. Since Centria is a neutral country, it operates a reliable World Bank. And since one of the tutorial rewards was a bank account linked to that country, I'll have to check it there sooner or later.
—If I remember correctly, one of my main hurdles in my Expansion Mode run was competing with the wealth of those rich Nobles. So, I started farming and selling like a madman until I amassed a fortune. –I think to myself while staring at the double question marks.– I must have around a billion. I practically have as much money as this entire country, Arabella, maybe even more, since I didn't check my balance that often. A billion was just the last figure I saw.–
Funny story: Early on, before I earned a title for defeating the Demon Emperor, the nobles mocked Sera for having a commoner as a partner—a "country bumpkin," since my character originally came from a rural village. So, after that incident—where, more than wounding my pride, they dared to speak ill of my girl—I dove into a bunch of Divine-Rank Dungeons. When we met again a year later, I showed them a bank statement with numbers so high their jaws literally hit the floor. I achieved all that through "Divine Trading," where you could exchange items with the Celestials—beings who live in the highest heavens and possess riches that dwarf any nation. Since they have so much money, they don't mind spending it on things they consider trivial. It was just a matter of farming items in Dungeons and selling them off.
Ironically, after their humiliation, those same Nobles never said another word to us. In fact, they basically became our lapdogs, heh heh.
But more than the look on those guys' faces, what I remember most was the scolding I got from Sera for disappearing out of nowhere and making her worry. She ended up "punishing" me all night long, venting a whole year of loneliness on me. Yeah... I ended up pretty drained, and I never dared to do that again, heh heh.
—Right. I don't need to worry about money or levels anymore. –I say again, unable to take my eyes off the interface.– I basically have an unlimited fortune. I could probably buy this country if I wanted to. However…–
I shake my head. Despite having all the money in the world, it's better to carry myself as a commoner from the slums than as a Noble. Serafina has enough trouble with them already; they've been constant obstacles in her career as Grand Duchess, criticizing her at every turn for being "young and inexperienced" or trying to use her as a stepping stone for social climbing. Showing up as a rich noble wouldn't just hurt a potential relationship—it would create distance. Plus, it might trigger more trauma than she already has.
—So, we know my Level and funds are the same as my original character. Now it's time to check one more thing… –Slowly, nervously, I move my finger toward the "Stats" tab.–
My hand, which had been moving cheerfully through the interface, is now trembling. If I have this much money and a level hidden behind two question marks, it means I have practically everything from my Expansion save file. In other words, my current self is an exact carbon copy of my video game character right before I died. And if that's true, then… it means the Stats are the same too.
—Let's see… –My hand shakes even harder. Still, I muster my courage and tap the tab.–
Tap. In an instant, the interface switches from my basic data to the standard Stats profile—the one that doesn't show specific breakdowns (like damage types, evasion rates, etc.) but simplifies it into: Attack, Defense, Evasion, Speed, Intelligence, Stamina, Accuracy, Energy Points (Mana, Aura, Divine Power, Qi, and Spiritual Energy), and Health Points.
And seeing it—seeing each and every one of those stats in their full glory, in the highest resolution possible—an ironic, bittersweet smile forms on my handsome face.
—Haa… –I let out an amused sigh and shake my head with my eyes closed.–
Yep. It was exactly as I expected. The Stats were also marked as "??". In other words, these weren't the stats of a character starting an adventure, but—just as I suspected—the stats of my character before I passed away in that hospital. And yeah, it's the same deal as before. The Stats are "locked" for the player. The player's own System is incapable of registering numbers that high. The only way to see them is by visiting the Holy Church of Noelle.
—Noooo! –I scream internally.– I wanted to level up with my Sera!–
I basically wanted to show off my knowledge of this world to Serafina—which, since it's based on FIRK, should probably be the same. Since I know so much, I wanted to show her secrets, tell her stories, and even teach her never-before-seen techniques that suited her perfectly. But of course, I wanted us to do all that while leveling up together.
BUT NO. I'm basically A GODDAMN GARY STU. AAAAHHHHHH!
—I don't want to be a Gary Stu... –I mutter in a pathetic voice, sinking back to the ground and sliding down the wall.– I hate that Gary Stu cliché. That guy who basically has all the power in the world but zero character development. –I let out a heavy, sorrowful sigh, my eyes stinging.–
But then, after a few seconds of wallowing, my brain—as if telling me not to give up, that all was not lost—sends a small spark of light that cuts through the shadows of my grief.
—Wait. Being a Gary Stu actually has its perks. –I snap my head up, life returning to my eyes.– First off, I'm incredibly strong. I'm hyper-buffed. Nothing, probably not even the Creator Goddess of this world herself, could take me down. With this power, I'll be able to protect her from the shadows. Plus, teaching her techniques and all that will be much easier. I can guide her while I divert any danger, and once she's got the hang of it, I can give her free rein to apply them without needing my help. Also, I have an infinity of Skills, Knowledge, and Techniques, not just magic, but the five Primordial Energies: Mana (typical magic), Aura, Divine Power, Qi, and Spiritual Energy. The original Kai has a trait I chose myself: Photographic Memory. Since I've already cleared everything and I'm the same character from FIRK, I have all the world's knowledge in my head. Combine that with the fact that I had the same ability in my past life, and it seems that even though I've swapped bodies, my memories are fully intact, well, this is going to help a lot.–
I start trying to recall skills, secrets, cheats, hidden locations, lore snippets, and the like. Upon confirming that I indeed remember everything perfectly, my pessimistic attitude vanishes. I've realized that being a Gary Stu or a walking Deus Ex Machina isn't the end of the world.
—Yes! Who cares if I'm a Gary Stu or a literal Deus Ex Machina! If it's for Sera, I'll bear it!–
But before any of that, there's something very, very important I need to make clear. Something that my body, soul, and mind need to truly grasp.
—If this world really is the world of FIRK, and I'm here in the flesh, it means it's completely real. The people I interact with won't be NPCs with predetermined dialogue and movement anymore. Free will exists, and everyone is technically human. –I say aloud. The echo of these walls helps the realization sink in.– And not just them. The Lersau (benign monsters), Lerhia (neutral monsters), Lerkha (malignant monsters), Dungeon Bosses, mobs, bosses, Wesnaf (Demi-Humans), and even Demons are no longer just NPCs. So…–
Yeah. This world is my new home now. I'm no longer on Earth; I'm here, on this planet, Noelle. I can't treat the inhabitants like soulless NPCs that I can do whatever I want to without consequence, thinking they'll just respawn when I reload a save or change maps. Every action of mine will have consequences, and the weight of those will depend on what I do.
And the same applies to Serafina.
Even without the expansion, Serafina was one of the most human-like characters known. That setting was dialed up with the Expansion, making her the character with the most complex "human" programming in existence, even surpassing many Triple-A games. But still, she was an NPC in the sense that you couldn't play as her. Even as "human" as she was, she still had mechanical behaviors—like the fact that she'd usually forgive you for everything even if you messed up, and she rarely got angry with your character unless you did something truly extreme. Even her traumas with demons and monsters were just tools for the plot and didn't affect the character's core mechanics much.
But now, the Serafina of this world is different. She is fully human. She has no predetermined dialogue. No programmed traits. She has feelings, she has emotions, she has total free will. She is completely free from her original programming. Above all, her traumas are real and they cut deep. That's exactly why I can't allow myself to see her as the Serafina from the game.
Then there's the matter of our relationship. In the game, before I died, I managed to make her my wife and have two children. While I love her dearly, if I go right now and try to see her as my game-wife or interact with her that way, I'd probably end up at the stake for trying to touch the current fiancée of the Crown Prince and a sitting Grand Duchess. Plus, I'd end up scaring her away, and all my chances would go down the drain.
That's why I can't have the same attitude and behavior I had with the Serafina in the game. Most importantly, I can't look at her as the "character version," but as someone completely new. I'm already a Gary Stu and a Deus Ex Machina. I couldn't handle it if she ended up thinking I'm some kind of lunatic, a pervert, or a religious fanatic.
—It's going to be hard. –I sigh, realizing the magnitude of the situation.– It's going to be really, really hard.–
I spent nearly two years pouring everything into Serafina, which cemented my love and devotion to her. It's going to be a massive struggle not to see her as my favorite character or as the Goddess who lit up my dark life. But I'll try with everything I've got. Though… I can't exactly promise I won't look at her with a bit too much devotion, heh heh~.
__________________ >> 1 minute >> __________________
—Alright. Level, check. Power, check. Money, check. Now, what year is it, exactly?–
After tapping the back arrow, I return to the basic info interface where the time is displayed. I tap that box again to pull up the full details.
—30th of Ende, Year 999. –I mutter to myself.–
30th of Ende. Ende is the equivalent of December in my world. And just like back home, the month has 31 days. In other words, we're on the penultimate day of the last month. On top of that, it's the year 999, so we're about to roll over into a new millennium—something that usually carries a lot of weight in many cultures, and I'm sure it's no different here.
—Wait. 30th of Ende, 999... –In an instant, my eyes go wide.– Ah! –I exclaim, swiping left to go back. At that moment, I'd remembered something crucial regarding Serafina. An event that would change her forever if allowed to pass.–
I quickly tap the box on the Virtual Interface showing my location (Arabella Empire, Grand Duchy of Noire, Southwest Marches, Surken Village). As I press it, a full map of the area unfolds before me.
The settlement appears as a rustic jewel nestled in the heart of a deep forest. The first thing I notice is its organic layout; there are no straight streets or imposing stone walls, just a labyrinth of dirt paths winding through about fifty thatched-roof houses. Floating text at the top confirms what I'm seeing: "Surken Village: 250 Inhabitants."
To the left, a slow-moving river with deep blue water borders the edge of the town. A single wooden bridge connects the village to the rest of the world, serving as the main entry artery. The air on the map seems to vibrate; I can see small, carefully plotted crop fields at the northern and southern ends, where the green of the vegetables contrasts with the ochre tone of the soil.
—I remember now! Here, in this village in the Southwest Marches, near the Lucius Empire, is where the irreversible turning point in Sera's descent into darkness takes place!–
Before Serafina's expansion, I discovered that on this very day, the 30th of Ende, and right here in this village—very soon, considering it's already past 6:00 AM—a pivotal event would define Sera's life. Originally, she was supposed to be attacked by a monster—a Dungeon Boss that had escaped a nearby lair. She'd end up severely wounded, barely surviving because the Grand Duchy Guards arrived just in time to subdue the creature (which wasn't actually that strong, just massive, but to Sera, it was like seeing a monster at the end of the world).
According to the plot, Serafina was touring her Grand Duchy, inspecting local issues. Initially, she was supposed to go alone, but due to the interference of the Crown Prince, Leonard, she ended up with company. At first, she thought she'd be alone with the person she liked, hoping to improve their relationship. But, to her disappointment, the Saint Karina, the Dragon, the Imperial Guard, the Elf Prince, and the Black Tower Mage tagged along. Five third-wheels in a carriage with Serafina.
When they arrived here to rest, they split up. Serafina continued her inspection, while the other six went off somewhere else to enjoy a picnic behind her back—all because Karina asked, and they, being the spineless bootlickers they are, couldn't resist. That would've been fine, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE FACT THAT THE DAMN PRINCE WENT TOO, AND HE'S HER FIANCÉ! Naturally, Serafina felt terrible about this, especially since the Prince had promised to stay by her side and protect her. But, as always, she suppressed her own feelings for the sake of her duties.
And then, what was bound to happen, happened. A Dungeon Boss escaped and headed straight for Surken Village. But it wasn't a coincidence. A Demon had been pulling the strings from the shadows, steering it toward Serafina. By this point, her corruption was already taking root, catching the Demon Emperor's eye. The Demon, sensing an opportunity to accelerate her fall, waited until Serafina was far from her Guard and those other five guys to strike.
The goal wasn't to kill her, but to make her sink into darkness on her own once she realized that those close to her had abandoned her for someone else. Above all, it was the betrayal of the man she loved—leaving her once again for another woman, especially in a moment of mortal danger.
Because of that attack, and because Leonard never showed up to save her—and because he was her very last thought before the beast struck—her corruption spiked to a point of no return. From that moment on, she would keep falling with no chance of redemption.
When I first found out, I tried everything to stop this event. Unfortunately, this zone was soft-locked by the developers. You could only access it after the cinematic of Serafina being attacked finished, since we were the ones tasked with cleaning up the beast.
Luckily, in the Expansion, this place was unlocked from the start. That allowed our custom character to save Serafina and prevent the original tragedy. And of course, that's exactly what I did. It also did wonders for her favorability rating. Negative for Leonard. Positive for the Player.
—Well. Since that idiot Leonard clearly isn't going to do anything when the time comes, I'm going to take advantage of the situation. –Don't blame me, kid. It's your own fault for not valuing a Goddess like Serafina, heh heh~.–
Still... I need to evaluate my strategy. In the game, I simply killed the monster before it reached her. Then I revealed myself to Sera with all the bells and whistles, and a healthy dose of showboating. But I'm not in a virtual world anymore. This is the real deal. The theatrics and showboating were necessary in FIRK to catch Sera's attention (a commoner slaying a rampaging Dungeon Boss) and the attention of everyone else—a typical Isekai cliché. It worked there, but there's no guarantee it'll work here.
As I said, Serafina's feelings actually matter now. She's not a program. She's a human, flesh and blood, with completely real and unpredictable emotions. If I do the exact same thing as before, I might just terrify her and push her away. And that's the last thing I want.
—Time to plan. –I tell myself.– I need to take my time with this.–
________________ >> 15 minutes >> _________________
—Alright. I've got it.–
After planning for who knows how many minutes, I've finally come up with the perfect strategy. Goodbye to the theatrics and showboating. Hello, caution.
—First. At this moment, Sera should be arriving, or maybe she's already here, since I think they arrived at dawn... Dammit. I really should have checked the time in the game. –In my defense, I was a bit distracted by the fact that I arrived in this world somehow and I'm now a Gary Stu. Plus, I forgot to check the in-game clock. I was only focused on the cutscene screen to intervene on time, so I didn't look at the small text in the top right corner. I have photographic memory, sure, but that doesn't mean I can remember something I never actually looked at.– Anyway. What I'll do first is approach her, not as some overpowered being, but as a Commoner, just another villager. Then, near her, I'll pretend to talk to myself, mentioning rumors about a Dark Mage in the area trying to release a Dungeon Boss using some unknown method. This will definitely catch Sera's attention; considering how much she cares for her people and their safety, after she confirms more details from me, she'll probably go to the Village Chief. –Step one, check.– Once she leaves, I'll head toward the Dungeon, and when the beast comes out, I'll wait for it to advance a few meters and then kill it. That way, when Sera, the Imperial Guards, the Village Chief, and whoever else arrive, they'll see that the Dungeon Boss did indeed escape. However, seeing it dead will make Sera wonder who did it, which will likely lead her back to me since I was the only one who knew about the monster. By then, I should be long gone, watching from a distance without interfering much, so she won't find me. And since everyone here knows each other because it's a small place, the Village Chief will tell her she doesn't know anyone like me. This will definitely make her wonder who I am, how I knew, and so on. In short, her curiosity about me will spike. And since I'll let her see me clearly, my appearance will be burned into her memory.–
Exactly. A more than perfect plan. Plus, it'll give me the chance to show up later, help her subtly, and keep building that curiosity. Eventually, we'll reach a point where she'll want to know me better, and we can start building a real relationship. Honestly, I don't even care if she becomes my partner right away; I just want her to forget Leonard and those traitors.
—Man, I'm a genius. A total, absolute, freaking genius. I'm the man. They should call me The Big Boss. In fact, that'll be my nickname from now on. Actually, when I meet Serafina, I'll just say, "Let me introduce myself. I'm the baddest mofo around," heh heh. –I congratulate myself. I wish I had a fan to blow some cool air on my face.– I mean, not only am I extremely handsome, a total Adonis with a body that would make girls swoon, but I'm also extremely intelligent, mwa-ha-ha! –I smirk haughtily in the middle of this stinking alleyway.– Anyway. Let's get started with the prepara-...–
—GRAWWWR! –Suddenly, a roar echoes with massive force, followed by light tremors that quickly turn into violent shaking. The sound of trees snapping follows, as if they were being ripped straight from the ground.–
—Eh?–
They say plans rarely survive contact with reality. That sometimes, when you plan one thing, something completely different happens. At first, I thought that was ridiculous, since every plan I made in FIRK always went perfectly. However...
—Wait. Isn't that the roar of the Draken? The Dungeon Boss that's about ten minutes by carriage from this village? The same one released by that demon to attack Serafina? The one that caused her irreversible fall into darkness?–
—GROOAHHHRRR!–
—Oh, for fuck's sake! It is!–
Indeed. It was him. The Draken. The Boss of the False Dragon Dungeon. A Dungeon located ten minutes from Surken Village. Hearing that roar, I realized my carefully crafted plan had just gone up in smoke. My beautiful, perfect plan to stay low-profile... T_T.
—I definitely should have checked the damn time that event started! –I scream piteously as I take a massive leap, landing on the roof of the house next to the alley.–