Here I am, lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. How did my life end up like this?
It's still hard for me to accept, but I have no choice.
First, I never got to know my parents. Second, my grandmother, the only person who took me in passed away. Third, the house I lived in was taken from me. Fourth, I've been working wherever I can and sleeping wherever night finds me. And now? I've ended up in this world, and they're saying I'm the one chosen to save it. What else could possibly shock me at this point?
Ah! The bag and camera I brought with me. What about them? The owner is definitely going to look for them.
I opened the camera to check if the battery had died.
Huh? Full charge? Just earlier, it was about to shut down.
I quickly looked for my phone. I was sure it was already drained! When I found it, I turned it on right away.
What?! Full charge too?! How did that happen?! I checked for a signal. Of course, there was none. Idiot, this is another world, remember?
"But… how did these get fully charged? Is there some kind of magic here that can charge phones?!"
"Hey, mortal! Get ready!"
I clutched my chest. What was that?! That startled me. Good thing I didn't scream. I looked at him, and it was obvious from his expression that he didn't like me at all.
"Get ready for what?"
The way he looked at me it felt like he was about to devour me.
Help.
"ARE YOU GOING TO CHANGE, OR DO I HAVE TO DRESS YOU MYSELF?!"
"Huh?! Wait! What am I supposed to wear? I didn't bring any clothes!"
He pointed at something that looked like a cabinet, so I hurried over to it.
"Um… w-where's your bathroom?"
He rubbed his face in irritation before sharply pointing at a door.
Tsk. This guy is so rude. Just as I was about to enter the bathroom, he shouted again.
"If you're not done in ten seconds, I'll eat you."
He said it with clear annoyance.
What?!
Is he crazy?! Ten seconds to bathe? What am I, The Flash?!
He started counting, so I quickly rushed into the bathroom.
"One!"
Whatever. He says he's going to eat me? Aren't I supposed to be the one saving their world? What the heck? I'm just an ordinary girl and I'm the savior?!
A few minutes passed before I came out of the bathroom, and the first thing I saw was Clide and his brows tightly furrowed.
"What?" I asked, pretending that nothing happened.
"Didn't I say ten seconds? What took you so long?"
His voice was terrifying cold, sharp, and clearly angry.
"T-Ten seconds? A-Are you cra—"
I didn't get to finish when I realized I was only making him angrier.
Huhu… sorry, okay?!
He inhaled sharply, and I braced myself, squeezing my eyes shut, expecting him to yell again.
But nothing...
The only sound I heard was my phone.
Shoot! Bad timing.
I opened my eyes and saw Clide already standing near the bed, staring at my phone with a deep frown, like he'd never seen one before or maybe he really hadn't.
"Hey, mortal! What is that thing making noise? Is it a weapon?"
He pointed at my phone. I almost laughed, he looked like a curious child.
"It's called a cellphone," I said, walking over and picking it up to turn off the alarm.
4 a.m.? How long have I been here? At this time, I'd usually already be awake, cleaning the shop where I work.
I let out a sigh and glanced at Clide, who was still frowning. Does this guy even know how to smile?
"It's not a weapon. We use it to communicate like Facebook, YouTube, Google and sometimes as a camera, and it also works as an alarm clock."
The confusion on his face was obvious. I tried not to laugh, he might actually kill me.
"What? Can you explain that more clearly?"
"It's for communication. No matter where the person you want to talk to is, even if they're far away you can reach them. If you want to watch something or look up information, you use this. And if you want to take a picture—"
I didn't get to finish when he suddenly interrupted.
"A picture?"
"Like a painting… kind of. Here, look."
Oh my gosh, I feel like a teacher right now. Poor guy.
I took a photo of him, and he flinched at the flash, glaring at me.
"What was that?!"
"Relax, it's just the flash. It adds light so the picture comes out clear, even in the dark."
I showed him the screen, where his frowning face appeared.
His eyes widened. He grabbed my phone and stared at it, completely amazed at his own reflection.
Pfft.
So cute. I couldn't help but smile he looked like a kid.
"That's incredible! What a strange little box!"
A box?!
"It's a phone," I corrected.
He glanced at me then suddenly tossed my phone. Good thing I caught it. Tsk.
Just like that, he was back to his usual self, hot-headed, like he was permanently in a bad mood.
"Hey! Don't throw it! I saved up for that… seriously!"
"Ahem. Put that thing away. Follow me."
With that, he turned and marched out of the room.
"Tsk. That guy is so rude, even though it's obvious that—"
I didn't get to finish when I heard him shout from outside.
"I can hear you, mortal! Hurry up!"
Shoot! Right… this menopausal vampire can actually hear me.
"I'm coming!"
I quickly set my things aside and followed Clide. He walks so fast! I had no choice but to jog just to catch up, practically running to keep pace with him.
Seriously, why does he walk like that? So annoying.
Where are we even going?
Before I could ask, he spoke first.
"Don't ask questions. Just follow."
Tsk. So grumpy.
I just turned my attention to the surroundings instead. Even though I'd already seen this place earlier, it was still breathtaking, like something straight out of a fantasy movie.
After a while, Clide opened a door and stepped inside. I followed him and my eyes widened at the sight before me.
A library.
Shelves upon shelves of books stretched all the way to the ceiling. Books everywhere. Wow… I couldn't help but gape at how beautiful it was.
Then I glanced at a nearby lamp and almost screamed.
The flame inside it was dancing.
What the—?!
I hurried closer and took a better look.
It was a woman made of fire… dancing.
"Wow!"
I jumped in surprise when it waved at me. I felt like a child, completely amazed.
"Wow! Hi to you too! This is amazing!"
"Hey, mortal! What are you rambling about over there?!"
"Clide! What is this?! What do you call them?! Can they leave that lamp?!"
I asked eagerly. He frowned.
"That's a Feriona. They can come out, but they won't last long. The magic inside the lamp is the only thing keeping them alive."
I felt a pang of sadness at his words. I looked at the fire-woman, still happily dancing.
Poor thing… she doesn't even know there's a much bigger world outside that lamp.
"That's enough. No matter what you do, you can't change anything."
"Tsk. You really don't have a heart."
"I can hear you."
I just shut my mouth and walked over to the only table in the middle of the room. I sat down, resting my cheek on my hand as I waited for Clide, who was busy pulling books from the shelves.
I tilted my head back, taking everything in.
This place really is something else.
The room was massive, bigger than a basketball court. The floor was made of smooth black marble, etched with golden patterns that seemed almost alive. The walls were completely covered with shelves, every inch packed with thick books in black, red, and worn colors that looked ancient.
Floating lights drifted in the air, small orbs of fire moving gently. The air was cool, but not chilling. It smelled of old paper and smoke, mixed with a faint scent of incense. At the center of the ceiling hung a chandelier made of crystal, like a fusion of ice and fire. Its light danced as if it had a life of its own. No, its really alive.
Even though this was a strange world, the place held a unique kind of beauty. It felt like I was inside an enchanted library, something you'd only ever see in movies.
After a while, Clide approached, carrying a huge stack of books.
"Whoa! What's all that?"
"Obviously, books. Don't you have those in your world? No wonder you're so dumb," he said with a smirk, clearly teasing or maybe not.
What?!
"Excuse me! I know these are books! I'm not dumb! In fact, I'm actually—"
I didn't get to finish again when he cut me off.
This vampire is seriously so rude!
Grrr… so annoying!
"I don't care. Just be quiet."
"Hmph!"
I rolled my eyes at him, watching as he busied himself with reading. Clide really is handsome… just incredibly rude. What a waste of a face. I couldn't help but notice his jawline, my gosh, it's so sharp. Very masculine.
"What? Are you done checking me out?"
WHAT?!
I jumped when he suddenly looked at me.
"W-What?! H-Huh?! Me, checking you out?! In your dreams!"
He smirked… Gosh, why is this guy so hot?! If he weren't acting like he's constantly in a bad mood, I might actually have a crush on him right now.
"Alright, enough admiring me. Listen."
I just rolled my eyes again and stayed quiet. No point wasting my breath on him.
He placed several books on the table and pointed at each one.
"Read all of these. They contain information about each kingdom."
"What?! All of these? I have to read them?"
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Wait a second!"
I grabbed one and opened it but I didn't understand a single thing. Not even one word. Their way of writing was completely different. The alphabet they used was nothing like anything I'd seen before. It felt like I was staring at an alien language.
"I can't read this."
"So it's true. You really are dumb, you can't even read."
"What?! Excuse me, I'm from a different world! Our writing system is different, in case you forgot!"
I thought he'd at least listen but no. Still as rude as ever.
"Read it."
He ordered it firmly. I was about to cry. How am I supposed to read something I don't even understand?!
Aish!
I was about to argue when the library door suddenly opened, and Elaine walked in.
"Brother! Are you done teaching her?"
"I just had her start reading these books."
Elaine looked at me and immediately seemed to understand the problem. It was obvious she realized I couldn't read what was written.
She smacked her brother on the back of the head.
Wow.
"Ow, Elaine! What was that for?!" he said, rubbing his neck.
"Brother! How is she supposed to read that when it's written in a completely different script? Aish! You really have no heart! Tsk, tsk!"
Clide glanced at me, still clearly annoyed. Tsk. His attitude is really something else.
"Sorry, Lulu, about my brother being so grumpy. Don't worry, I'll help you."
I smiled widely at her words.
"Waaah! Thank you, Elaine! But… Lulu?"
"Oh, don't you like me calling you that?"
"It's fine!"
I said with a smile. Thank goodness Elaine is here. I glanced at Clide, who had already gone back to reading.
Tsk. Seriously… so mean.
"Wait here, I'll just grab something."
I nodded and watched her walk away.
"Tsk… dumb," Clide muttered, still staring at his book.
WHAT?! I heard that! I swear, my blood started boiling the moment he said it.
"At least the sister's kind. The brother… sigh."
"What?!"
I immediately coughed and stood up, pretending I hadn't heard anything.
"Ah… Elaine? Where are you?"
This guy is seriously terrifying!
"Wait."
I turned to him when he suddenly handed me something, glasses?
"You don't need to look for Elaine. Start reading."
"Huh? How am I supposed to read that when I don't even understand the writing?"
He sighed, clearly holding back his irritation, then shot me an annoyed look.
"Are you going to sit, or do I have to make you?"
"I'm sitting, I'm sitting!"
I quickly went back beside him and sat down. I really don't want to make Clide mad. He's scary.
"Put it on."
I frowned as I took the glasses.
"My eyesight is fine, you know. But thanks."
I was about to hand them back when he spoke again, firmer this time.
"Put. It. On."
Seriously… the way he orders people around, you'd think he was a king. I had no choice but to wear them.
When I put them on… nothing changed. So what is this, just for fashion? Seriously?!
"Try reading the book."
"Huh? You're so—"
I didn't get to finish because he suddenly leaned in.
Like! Really close!
Wait, what is he doing?!
Oh my gosh, he smells so good, wait! This is not the time to be noticing that, Luxcia! Focus!
"W-What are you doing?!"
"When I tell you to read then read."
I quickly looked away and focused on the book he kept insisting I read.
"Fine! I'll read it! But did you really have to say that right in my face?!"
"Tsk. You just don't listen."
I stared at the book…
Wait.
I can read it?!
I flipped through a few pages just to be sure and I wasn't mistaken. I could actually read it!
Waaahh! This is just like Fairy Tail!
I turned to Clide, almost jumping from excitement.
"Waaaahh! Clide!! H-How is this possible?!"
"It's called Glassiussus," he answered casually. "And I'm sure you already know what it does."
"Glassi… Glassius… that's so hard to say! But this is amazing, it's like something out of an anime! I can read your language now!"
I excitedly flipped through the book again. Just moments ago, it looked like an alien language, now it felt as easy as reading a children's book.
The Seven Kingdoms of Irotia… Waaahh! This is incredible!
"Can you be quiet? You're getting annoying," Clide interrupted.
"S-Sorry… I just got really excited."
I turned my attention back to the book. I was only at the opening paragraph, but it was already incredibly intriguing.
"The first kingdom is the Kingdom of Vandoblade, where the elites are the Nobles, vampires far superior to ordinary ones.The second is the Kingdom of Worolof, ruled by werewolves. Their subordinates include ogres, demihumans, and beastmen."
Wait… I thought this place only had vampires?! Oh my gosh!
"The third Kingdom is Magicolonia. Its elites are witches, warlocks, wizards, and sorceresses. Their subordinates are dwarves and Ciens."
I don't even know what a Cien is but still! Werewolves are real?! And there are dwarves too?!
My eyes lit up even more as I kept reading. It's not just vampires there are so many different beings in this world!
"The fourth kingdom is Nanturia, divided into two parts.The first is the City of Elvorin, ruled by Elves, with Fairies as their subordinates.The second is the City of Droin, governed by Dryads and Nymphs.The fifth kingdom is Atlantaria, where the elites are Mermaids and Mermen, and their subordinates are the various races of the sea.The sixth kingdom is Aerolia, ruled by Nephele and Aurai, with Falcons, Harpies, and Sylphs under their command.The final kingdom is Ferolia. Its elites are the Fiora, a fire-born race that resembles a blend of humans and elves.They have pointed ears, skin that glows like stardust, curly hair like flames, and red eyes that shimmer with a star, like jewels in the night sky.Their subordinates are the Phoenix."
Waaahhh! There are so many of them! Each kingdom feels like its own world, with its own culture, creatures, and powers. They're like entire fantasy nations!
And it's not just that the creatures here are terrifying, some of them are unbelievably beautiful and mysterious, especially the Fiora. Glowing skin? Stars in their eyes?! That's insane… so magical!
I realized that this world isn't just filled with vampires, countless beings live here. The Seven Kingdoms are like the countries in my own world. Each one has its "Elites," the ruling class, the most powerful among them. Beneath them are the subordinates, those who serve under their authority, the lower ranks of their kind.
Before this system of Elites and subordinates was established, a devastating war took place. It wasn't just a conflict, it was a true battle for dominance. No exaggeration. They fought for power, for the right to rule. And in the end, those of lower rank were forced to serve the ones who rose as Elites.
I don't know if this system is cruel, if the subordinates are treated the same way oppressed people are in my world. But honestly, maybe it's not that different. In any world, the weak are always the ones who get trampled. To survive, you have to obey. You have to serve.
But what unsettles me the most and at the same time intrigues me…
is the question that keeps echoing in my mind.
Why were our world and theirs separated in the first place?
"In the beginning, there was only one world, created by the Great King, the God of all, for mortals. But humans were not the only ones who lived there. Alongside them were beings with extraordinary powers: vampires, werewolves, witches, fairies, spirits, dwarves, nymphs, and many more.
Despite their differences, they lived in harmony. The friendship between mortals and these magical beings became a symbol of unity and peace across the world.
But one day, a being came who shattered everything.
A powerful entity filled with hatred and darkness. Many called him Koteino Kyrio, the Dark Lord.
He despised mortals. To him, they were weak, ordinary, and unworthy of life. So he chose to destroy them. Some creatures of darkness joined him, believing in his cause. Together, they began to unravel the balance of the world.
Their plan was simple. Destroy the trust and friendship between mortals and magical beings.
And they succeeded.
Because of one great mistake, conflict erupted between the two sides. Mortals believed they were being attacked and slaughtered by magical beings. On the other hand, the creatures believed they had been betrayed by the mortals.
And so, a devastating war began.
But in the end, the truth was uncovered, the real enemy was the Dark Lord. The Great King, together with the united forces, sealed him away in a world from which no one could escape, a hidden place unknown to any living being.
Though the war ended, fear remained in the hearts of mortals. And so, they pleaded with the Great King to divide the world.
The magical beings agreed. They, too, did not wish for history to repeat itself.
And so the world was split into two:
Mortia—the world of mortals, where everything is ordinary and devoid of magic.
Irotia—the world of magical beings, filled with mystery and power.
Centuries passed. And since then, the two worlds have never crossed paths again.
To mortals, the beings of Irotia became nothing more than legends...
stories told at night,
works of imagination and no one believed they were ever real."
So Thanatos wants to release Kyrio.
And if that happens, it won't just be their world in danger and ours will be too.
The seven keys… they're not something you can easily find. They say each one lies within the very "heart" of each kingdom. But where exactly is the heart of the Kingdom of Vandoblade?
And more than anything else… why was I chosen?
I let out a deep sigh and closed the last book I had been reading. My head throbbed from everything I had learned. Seriously, it felt like my brain was about to collapse under the weight of all that information.
Suddenly, Elaine popped in, holding something but she froze mid-step.
"LULU!! Here, wear this—Huh?! Why do you already have a Glassiussus?!"
"Clide gave it to me," I said, pointing at him, still busy flipping through his books.
And then, out of nowhere, Elaine smacked him on the head.
My jaw dropped. My gosh, I swear his brain must've rattled.
"Brother! You should've told me you already had a Glassiussus! I went all over the place looking for one!" she complained, practically throwing a tantrum, her eyes blazing.
Clide just looked at her coldly, still rubbing the back of his neck.
"You didn't say what you were going to get, so that's your fault."
I slowly backed away as the siblings started arguing. I was just about ready to leave, Elaine looked like she might skin her brother alive.
I reached for the door...
Creak.
Someone suddenly walked in. It was Steven, a wide grin on his face.
"Hey, hey yooo! Oh? Lu, why do you look like that? Wait… sounds like people are yelling in here."
He peeked inside and saw the two arguing.
"Ahahaha! As usual. You two again."
He stepped fully into the room, like he was completely used to this kind of scene.
Me? Hmp. I feel like I need popcorn for this.
"Yo! The one you're supposed to teach looks like she's already scared! Enough with the fighting! You guys should take her out to town!"
Steven called out, radiating pure good vibes even in the middle of chaos.
He walked up to me and smiled and I smiled back.
Waaahhh! I really like this idea. I want to go out!
Steven looked at me again, and when he saw my smile, his grin grew even wider.
"Looks like Lulu's into it too! So, what do you say? Let's go!"
"What do you mean 'let's go'? We still have a lot to do like teaching that girl how to fight…"
I pouted at Clide's words. Seriously, this guy is such a killjoy.
"Come on, Brother! Don't be such a buzzkill! We can do that tomorrow!" Elaine shot back, clearly annoyed at her brother's party-pooper attitude. "If you don't want to come, then don't. Let's go, Lulu! We'll show you around our kingdom!"
She grabbed my hand.
Waaahhh! It's so cold!
So it's true what I've read, vampires really are cold-blooded.
We were about to leave when we suddenly heard Clide…
sigh.
"Suit yourselves." he muttered, standing up and walking out ahead of us.
Tss. Still as grumpy as ever…
I couldn't help but smile widely.
Wow!!! I'm so excited to go out!