A/N: To help with yall imagination, this girl is the one in cover
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It was too sudden.
I was too engrossed in my phone to react in time.
"Hey, watch out!"
"Huh?"
I turned my head to see who was calling me. But what I saw was even crazier—a truck, its driver clearly asleep, speeding straight toward me. And a guy was running at me, hand outstretched.
'Is he… trying to save me?'
Everything felt like it moved in slow motion. But unfortunately…
CRASH!
"KYAA!!! SOMEONE, HELP THEM!"
An office lady screamed as she witnessed the scene.
'My head hurts like hell... I can't move my body. My voice… it won't come out…'
So many thoughts flooded my mind.
'Did I just die?'
"Hey there! Hang on a little longer!"
A man's voice called out—faint and muffled. I couldn't even turn my head to see him. All I could see in my blurry vision was the guy who tried to save me.
He was dead.
Blood poured from his head and body.
'What were you even trying to do? Play the hero? At least do it properly, idiot. Now both of us are dead.'
Sigh...
'At least I finally escaped that boring life. I've grown tired of wearing this mask. I just want to be free.'
As that last thought echoed in my mind, my vision blurred completely, swallowed by darkness.
Everything was dark.
A heavy silence pressed in from all sides—empty, still, cold.
Then, soft light bloomed beneath my feet.
I stood barefoot in a vast, endless field of white mist. I looked down at myself—still in my school uniform. Blonde hair with too many cute hairpins, clear blue eyes. Nails on point. Skirt wrinkle-free. My usual smug smirk and flawless makeup still on.
But I was completely alone.
"…The hell is this place? Is this the afterlife?"
My voice echoed strangely. I put a hand on my hip, eyes scanning the void.
"Yo~? Anyone here? This better not be some weird afterlife escape room. Not vibing with this aesthetic."
Clang.
A sharp sound rang behind me.
I turned—and froze.
A woman stood tall in blue and silver armor, a cape flowing behind her like a royal banner. Her golden hair shimmered softly in the mist, but it was her presence that shook me.
Heavy.
Like staring down a thunderstorm in human form.
A shining sword was embedded in the ground between us, pulsing faintly with restrained light.
"You wear a mask."
Her voice cut through the air—calm, commanding, cold.
"Even here, you hide behind it."
I scoffed, tilting my head as I played with a strand of hair.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Also—who even are you? The cosplay budget in this afterlife's wild."
She didn't react.
"You wear a smile that isn't yours. Speak with a voice that isn't your own. You've spent so long pretending… do you even remember who you are?"
For a second, my smirk faltered.
"…Tch. What's it to you?"
She stepped forward, each step making the very ground beneath us tremble. She looked down at me—not with contempt, but something worse.
Understanding.
"I know what it means to wear a crown you never asked for. To bear the weight of everyone's expectations, and hide your heart for the sake of peace."
I turned away.
"…I didn't choose this either. I just… played the part. It's easier when people see what they want to see."
She knelt, placing a hand on the sword.
"Then let me offer you what I never had—a chance to walk your own path."
The sword pulsed. Mist swirled like a storm held back by will.
"My power is yours. Sealed until you earn it. Not through strength… but through truth."
A beam of golden light shot from the sword into my chest. I gasped, eyes wide, as a burning warmth flooded me. It didn't feel like fire. It felt like pressure. Like a weight—responsibility.
"Wha… What is this?"
She stood and turned.
"You will awaken in a new world. Whether you remain behind a mask or strip it away... whether you stay weak or rise to power… that will be your choice."
The mist began to dissolve everything.
I reached out instinctively—
"Wait! Don't just drop cryptic wisdom and bounce—! Who even are you?!"
Her voice echoed one last time, distant and calm:
"I am Artoria Pendragon. King of Knights. And you… may become something greater than a king, if you stop pretending."
And just like that, the world went dark again.
.
.
"Gasp!"
I jolted awake, gasping for air.
"Huff… huff… huff…"
I clutched my chest, trying to calm my pounding heart. After a few seconds, I slowly glanced around.
"...A forest?"
I stared in disbelief.
Then, the memory came rushing back—her voice… her power.
"You will awaken in a new world."
I muttered the words under my breath.
"New world, huh…"
The wind rustled the trees around me. The air smelled different—cleaner, wilder, almost ancient. Everything felt real… too real.
I stood up, brushing off my skirt, and took a deep breath. with unsure steps, I began to walk forward—into the unknown.
.
.
.