"…Hm?"
I opened my eyes.
The ceiling above my head wasn't the plain white one I was used to seeing in my small boarding house room. There were delicate carvings of swirling roses and eight-pointed stars on its polished dark brown wooden beams, as if they'd been carefully buffed for years.
The walls were lined with luxurious deep purple fabric embroidered with intricate gold symbols—similar to those I'd seen in magic manga—and this bed… it was too soft, softer than the used foldable mattress my sibling left me before they left, like I was lying on a gentle cloud that welcomed me warmly.
Huh? I sat up halfway with stiff movements, wiping my slightly sweaty forehead and looking around the room with still-disbelieving eyes. A tiered ceiling with a large crystal chandelier hanging in the center—each crystal fragment sparkled like a small star that had been caught and placed there.
The right wall was adorned with large paintings of battles between mages and magical creatures, and another of a king's funeral surrounded by rare flowers. Tall floor-to-ceiling windows had thick curtains made of high-quality silk, deep burgundy in color and giving the room an even more opulent look. Even the bed frame was clearly no cheap item—a white lace canopy with rose patterns encircled it, and the pillows and blanket were made of extremely soft camel hair that felt smooth against my skin.
"…This isn't heaven."
My voice sounded soft and high-pitched—completely different from the voice I'd grown used to hearing in my boarding house or when streaming with a modified tone. It was like the voice of a young girl who'd never been touched by city dust or life's hardships.
I waited, remembering every scene from the magic manga I'd read where the main character would get a notification upon arriving in a new world.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. "…"
Usually, at a point like this, a light blue information panel should appear with text about character stats—from strength level to type of magic possessed. Or a large tutorial window clearly explaining the rules of this new world in detail. Or at least a strange voice echoing inside my head, greeting me warmly and telling me my purpose here—maybe to save the world or find something lost.
There was nothing. Only slightly unsettling peace from the overwhelming silence—no street noise, no neighbors whistling, no humming fan like in my boarding house room. "Not a game, huh…"
A little disappointing. I'd grown accustomed to virtual worlds where everything had clear, well-structured explanations. But this… it felt too real, from the texture of the fabric covering my body to the sweet floral scent coming from the window.
I carefully lifted my hand, examining it closely while planning to try something I'd remembered from the magic manga I read every night before bed. A basic incantation to summon a small flame—usually used by beginner characters to practice power control. But as my fingers started moving to form the correct hand gesture, I noticed something that made my heart stop for a moment—
"…Small."
My hand was slender like a child's who'd just entered their teens. The skin was smooth without a single scar or callus—no trace of the knife wound I'd gotten at the minimarket, no thickened areas on my fingertips from typing on a keyboard or holding a mouse while streaming. Too smooth for someone who was already an adult and had to work hard to survive.
I gasped sharply, my stomach feeling slightly queasy from the unexpected shock. I stepped carefully toward the tall mirror in the corner of the room, each step unsteady due to this new, unfamiliar body.
The large mirror with a beautifully carved sunflower wooden frame reflected a figure I didn't recognize at all—nothing like the plain face with messy black hair I'd always seen in my boarding house mirror.
Long silvery-blue hair cascaded down to my waist on its own, swaying gently with every movement. A small face with a delicate nose and thin, slightly full lips, and deep blue eyes like an ocean full of mystery—completely different from my old dull brown eyes.
A girl. A young woman who looked to be only two or three years old. "…I see."
I let out a slow breath, trying to calm my still-shocked self. "So my avatar's female."
I shrugged my small shoulders—still feeling confused and unaccustomed to this new form. There was nothing wrong with it—in many manga I'd read, main characters sometimes got different bodies when they traveled to another world.
It just didn't match my expectations of keeping my original body, maybe with enhanced strength or obvious special abilities.
"Random character, I guess."
My gaze swept carefully across every corner of the room again. All furniture was neatly arranged with not a single item out of place. A bedside table with a vase of fresh red roses and white lilies, a large wooden wardrobe with doors carved with magical creatures, even the carpet covering the wooden floor had intricate patterns and still-bright colors.
Every corner was filled with subtle touches that spoke of luxury and great financial means. The fabric used for all furnishings was clearly high-quality, feeling soft and cool when I touched it with my new fingers.
This building was definitely not the home of an ordinary person living on a modest income. Perhaps a mansion belonging to a wealthy family, or the residence of a high-ranking noble family with great influence in this world.
I lowered my head slowly, looking at the clothes I was wearing with still-curious eyes. A long pale white nightgown with lace trim on the sleeves and hem, made of material so soft against my skin it felt like being wrapped in a cloud.
Fabric like this could never be bought with the modest money I earned from streaming each month—its price could probably cover my boarding house rent for several months.
"…A noble princess?"
I whispered the words in a slightly shaky voice. If that was the case, my starting point in this new world was quite good and advantageous. No need to worry about finding food every day or living in a cramped, uncomfortable space like in my previous life.
I carefully lifted my right hand again, wanting to try once more to use the power that might lie within me—as if something was urging me to find out what I could do with this new body.
"Fire ball."
I said the words clearly and firmly, imagining a small warm flame burning in my palm like I often saw in manga and games. I focused all my thoughts on the image of the flame, trying to feel any energy that might be inside my body. Nothing happened. Only cool air seeping through the curtain gap touched my skin, making me shiver slightly from the temperature difference.
"…Failed."
I frowned slightly in disappointment, then paused to think while looking at my still-empty hand. Maybe elemental magic wasn't my type—every mage in manga usually had different magic types based on their natural talent.
Or perhaps the way to use it was different from what I'd guessed—maybe just saying the words and imagining the shape wasn't enough. If not elemental magic… what if I tried another, more concrete type of magic?
I closed my eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm my mind and focus on something clearer and easier to imagine. A simple shape I knew well from seeing it often in games and manga—a short sword with a wooden hilt and sharp gleaming steel blade. A strange sensation rose in my chest as the image formed in my mind—as if warm energy was flowing from inside my body, through my chest and arm, toward my right hand. Heat slowly spread to my right palm, making me feel slightly itchy and like something was about to emerge from there.
Clang.
A small sword about thirty centimeters long fell onto the smooth polished wooden floor, letting out a loud ringing sound that echoed throughout the room and made me jump back a step. Its blade shone brightly in the sunlight streaming through the curtain gap, reflecting light that slightly dazzled my eyes.
The hilt was made of the same wood as the ceiling carvings, with tiny flowers delicately carved into it, and the end of the hilt had a small dark blue stone that glowed softly.
"…Uh?"
I stared at it for several seconds with wide eyes, still unable to believe what I'd heard and seen with my own eyes. The sword hadn't been summoned from elsewhere or appeared from inside a wardrobe. It hadn't materialized in a flash of bright light or cloud of smoke surrounding my hand like in the stories I'd read. It—had been created directly from energy coming out of me, formed from what I'd imagined in my mind.
"Maybe… my magic creates whatever I think of."
I bent down slowly to pick up the sword with both still-slightly-trembling hands. Its weight felt just right in my new small hands—not too heavy and not too light, as if it had been made specifically for me and matched the strength of my still-young body. I examined it closely, carefully touching the blade and feeling a faint vibration coming from inside—as if energy was still contained within it. Good, this world is at least more interesting than my old world.
"It's so fun"
I tried again, this time with more courage and imagining something more complex—a magic orb containing water manipulation power that could lift small objects from the floor, like a can of drink or a fallen book. But as soon as my mind started forming that more intricate image, my head suddenly felt very heavy and like it was about to split open.
"…Sleepy."
My legs began to wobble and could no longer support my body's weight. It felt like I hadn't slept for days and my body had reached its limit. The sound of steady, soft footsteps could be heard outside the room, growing closer to the large wooden door leading to the corridor.
Meanwhile, I still tried to hold onto the image of the magic orb I'd imagined with eyes that were growing heavy—even thinking that maybe I didn't need to bring it out at all, but could just use it for something else…
"I have to eat this magic orb right away"
I frowned in discomfort as my head spun more and more and that absurd thought popped into my mind out of nowhere. Why did I think of eating the magic orb I'd imagined? It made no sense at all and even sounded really stupid. The footsteps finally stopped right in front of the room door, followed by a soft knock that made me jump slightly. My instinct says this should go into my body. Oh well, I'll just eat it.
"I heard a noise in here earlier. Has the princess finally woken up?"
A gentle, caring woman's voice came from outside the door. The door then opened slowly, moving at a slow pace so as not to make a loud sound, and a woman with neatly styled black hair in a bun—wearing a light blue maid's dress with a white apron—hurried over to me.
Her young face was full of worry as she saw me standing near the mirror, still holding the small sword I'd created earlier.
"Ah! Your Highness! Did you fall out of bed?! Or was there something that frightened you?!"
Before I could answer or explain what had actually happened in words she might understand, my body was already gently lifted by the maid—who surprisingly had enough strength to carry me easily. She carefully took me back to the soft bed, making sure I didn't fall or get hurt.
Then she took the warm camel hair blanket to cover me from neck to toe, arranging it neatly so I'd be comfortable. Overwhelming exhaustion enveloped my entire body along with her gentle touch, making my consciousness slowly fade and wanting to fall asleep again.
Before my eyes closed completely and deep sleep took me fully, I saw the maid's face as she wiped my forehead with a cool, refreshing wet cloth. It felt warm and comforting—as if someone actually cared about me after so many years of living alone.
"…Omoshiroi (Fascinating)."
Those were the last words I managed to say in a barely audible voice before I fell sound asleep on the soft bed, still thinking about this mysterious new world and what would happen to me next.