[Ding: System activated]
[Ding: Matching soul in progress]
[Ding: First task: Stay awake during soul matching
Reward: Slowing down the action of the poison within the host's body]
Sophia's expression froze as she saw the blue screen and read its contents. But before she could even grasp what was happening or what was written in front of her, an unbearable pain surged through her. It felt as if someone was tearing her soul into countless tiny fragments.
Immediately, Sophia collapsed, unable to remain seated. However, Noah, who was agile, caught her before her head could hit the bed's edge.
Noah felt bewildered. He had completely understood, up until now, that Sophia wasn't pretending madness or illness to catch his attention. Her eyes were dim, and her skin was pallid, as if she were on her deathbed.
In fact, he had only been teasing her about this matter! He knew her personality well after spending three years with her. A proud person like her would prefer death over anyone seeing her in such a state, especially him.
But now, all he knew was that she was in pain—a tremendous pain. Her hand clung to the edge of his robe, as the remaining color drained from her face, leaving her eyes bloodshot.
It wasn't just her eyes; her coughing intensified more and more, while her nose began to bleed.
Noah's eyes widened at this sight. Ever since the day he married Sophia, he had considered her his guiding star, especially since he knew she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his interests. She was more of a puppet to him than a wife, never caring even about this issue, which prevented him from hating her to that extent after being forced into the marriage.
Before he knew it, her eyes had become like deep abyss as he looked at Sophia, who started to gasp and whimper. "Are you going to die?" As he said this, his tone was gloomy and cold. Yet, he always spoke in this manner, as no one knew what he was thinking or feeling.
Sophia wasn't aware of what was happening around her due to the excruciating pain she felt. She endured it without losing consciousness, and amidst this, floating words caught her attention.
[Ding: In case of host's failure and loss of consciousness, the punishment will be final death.]
Fear gripped her as she read those words. She wasn't afraid of death itself, but rather the idea of never returning to her family, and that was her sole fear. While pondering the possibilities of losing consciousness, she saw millions of images and scenes suspended in the air. A burning sensation filled her mind as those scenes she witnessed became a part of her. They were like a short and long film at the same time, starring the original Sophia herself.
Instantly, she realized that these scenes belonged to the memories of the original body. Yet, she didn't even attempt to fully grasp them as the pain intensified exponentially. Nevertheless, she felt even more astonished when she saw the final memory of the original body's owner. There was a beautiful smile on her face, and she said while looking at the mirror, "Don't give up, not so easily."
The pain ceased immediately after those brief words from the original body's owner, and a blue screen appeared in the air.
[Ding: Soul matching successfully completed]
[Ding: Reward obtained]
[Ding: Poison action slowed down]
[Ding: Punishment canceled]
Sofia felt exhausted after going through this experience, as if she had been tormented for years. As soon as she read those words on the floating blue screen, her vision turned hazy, and she fainted instantly.
Noah looked at Sophia, who had fainted, and gently laid her on the bed. Then, his gaze shifted to the old man and the young girl beside him. He coldly called their names:
"Doctor Steve, Emma."
"Examine her immediately and find out what's wrong with her. Send me a report," Noah commanded, before leaving the room, which had become filled with the metallic scent of blood.
Hours passed, and Sophia could barely manage to open her eyes. When she looked beside her, she saw a young girl holding her right hand as she slept soundly. She felt grateful to this girl, but she wasn't in the mood to return the favor. Her gaze turned to the floating blue screen in anticipation, as she couldn't help but think about the original protagonist's cheating-level system—a golden finger that allowed him to become the world's strongest without much effort, simply by collecting harem members here and there. This was what made Sophia detest this type of story.
However, there was a glimmer in her eyes when she saw the absurd system she had disliked. She reached out her hand and attempted to touch the screen, but her hand passed through it.
So, she tried to inquire within her mind: "How do I return to my world?"
[Ding: Conditions not met to receive an answer]
Sophia pressed her lips together to ask again, "Why am I here?"
[Ding: Conditions not met to receive an answer]
The glimmer in her eyes faded, and she returned to her original opinion that the system was absurd. It lost all its appeal when it failed to answer these questions. Yet, she couldn't ignore it either, as it might be her only way back to her world. So, she asked, "What should I do?"
[Ding: Main task: Search for the remnants of the Soul Gem and assimilate them]
[Ding: Reward: Obtain one wish]
A tired, pale smile appeared on her face. The only thing on her mind now was to complete this task as quickly as possible and return to her world.