Mina Tran's eyes fluttered open, but it was not the familiar ceiling of her small apartment she saw. Instead, a soft golden light filled the room, the sunlight glowing through heavy curtains. Her head spun as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. The air felt different—thicker, almost like it was saturated with a sense of ancient history. She blinked again, struggling to push aside the drowsiness that clouded her mind, and as her vision cleared, she realized something was terribly wrong. This wasn't her apartment.
Where was she?
Her surroundings were opulent, a far cry from the minimalism of her studio. She was in a large, richly decorated room. Ornate tapestries hung from the walls, depicting regal figures and scenes of battle. A four-poster bed loomed at the center of the room, draped in velvet curtains. The stone floors were polished to a gleaming shine. It looked like something from a medieval fantasy novel—a world straight out of the books she used to devour in high school.
Confusion settled into her chest, and before she could process any more, a voice broke the silence.
"Welcome, Mina Tran, to your new mission."
Mina's body froze. The voice wasn't from the room, nor from anyone near her. It seemed to come from inside her head, as though it was reverberating through her mind. It was cold, emotionless, but somehow familiar. She shook her head, desperate to make sense of the situation. Her breath quickened.
"What do you mean, my new mission?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "Who are you? What's going on?"
"I am the System. You have been chosen to enter the narrative of this world. Your mission is to correct the paths of the characters within this world to prevent its collapse."
Her mouth went dry, her thoughts scrambling. "What? No. This has to be some kind of dream, right? Or a joke?"
"This is not a dream. This world operates as a story, and its characters have deviated from their original paths. You must restore the original narrative to prevent the collapse of this world—and the end of your own existence."
Her heart skipped a beat. Her world was a story? Characters had deviated? And if she didn't set things right, she'd die?
Mina sat up quickly, a cold sweat breaking out on her skin. She swung her legs off the bed and touched the stone floor with her bare feet. It felt real. Everything felt real. She stumbled to the nearest window, her legs weak, and looked out into a sprawling city that could have been taken straight from a fantasy epic. Towering castles, cobbled streets, and horse-drawn carriages filled the streets, while the skyline of tall spires rose into the sky. It was surreal—like stepping into another world entirely.
A low chime rang in her ears.
"Please stand by while the system accesses your parameters."
Mina's hands shook as she reached for her temples, trying to steady her thoughts. This couldn't be happening. She had to be dreaming. But then the screen flickered in her mind's eye—an interface, as though floating in the air, visible only to her. It was sleek, clinical, and there were numbers and labels she didn't understand.
System: Initialization Complete.
---
Character Stats:
Name: Mina Tran
Role: Protagonist - Mission: Story Correction
Narrative Affinity: 0%
Mission Status: Awaiting Instructions
---
She stared at the glowing text in disbelief. Narrative Affinity? Mission Status? What were these numbers, and why was her entire life suddenly reduced to a glowing screen of stats? The more she looked, the more she felt an overwhelming sense of panic rise in her chest. How was she supposed to fix a story she didn't even understand?
"Current Task: Assess the state of the world and determine which character's path needs correction."
The voice interrupted her thoughts, seemingly reading her mind, or perhaps guiding her through the panic that gripped her. She shook her head, trying to concentrate.
"Okay," she muttered to herself, "this has to be some kind of mistake. I need to wake up from this… whatever this is."
The voice remained unfazed. "This is not a mistake. You must correct the deviations in the narrative before the story collapses."
"Right," Mina sighed, rubbing her temples. "How am I supposed to do that?"
"I will assist you. However, you must follow the instructions as outlined. Your first objective is to meet with the characters who have gone astray. Begin with Lady Clara Wynthal."
Mina frowned. Clara Wynthal? She recognized the name, but it felt like a distant memory—a name from a story she couldn't quite remember. Was she inside someone else's story?
"Lady Clara Wynthal?" Mina repeated, her mind racing. "Why her?"
"Lady Clara Wynthal is a key figure in the story. Her path is crucial for the success of the narrative. You must ensure her meeting with the male lead, Adrian Valcrest, happens as originally intended."
Mina's brow furrowed. Adrian Valcrest? That name, too, sounded vaguely familiar, but it didn't settle in her mind. Still, something about it triggered an uneasy feeling.
Another chime rang in her mind, followed by a new window appearing, one with more options than before.
---
Side Quests:
Quest 1: Assess the stability of the world
Quest 2: Investigate the rogue character (Adrian Valcrest)
Quest 3: Meet Lady Clara Wynthal—Primary Narrative Goal
---
Mina scanned the new entries with a sense of growing unease. "This is all too much," she muttered. "Meet Clara, stabilize the world, and investigate Adrian…" It was like the world she was in was a game—except it wasn't. She wasn't a player; she was a character too.
"You must begin immediately. The fate of the world depends on you."
The voice's tone was unwavering. She felt a chill run down her spine.
"Alright," she said, standing up straight, "I'll go meet Clara. But I need more answers. You can't just throw me into this without telling me everything."
"The information you require will be revealed in time. Focus on the task at hand, and you will receive further guidance."
Mina clenched her fists, frustration boiling inside her. But there was little choice. She could fight this, try to wake herself up, or accept the reality she'd been thrust into. If she wanted to survive, she needed to start working with the system, even if it felt completely wrong.
The moment she made up her mind, the room shifted again, subtly this time—like a low hum in the air. The glow of the System's interface grew brighter, and a new option appeared in front of her.
"Would you like to check the character stats of the key players in the narrative?"
A deep breath, and she nodded.
---
Character Stats:
Adrian Valcrest
Role: Male Lead
Current Affinity: 10%
Mission Status: Deviation Detected
Lady Clara Wynthal
Role: Female Lead
Current Affinity: 30%
Mission Status: Stable
---
She stared at the numbers, each one indicating something far beyond her understanding. Current Affinity? Deviation Detected? Something told her that fixing this "deviation" wasn't going to be easy. She took one last look at the room, steeling herself.
"Alright, I'll meet Clara," Mina said, more to herself than anyone else. "But this… this better not be a nightmare."
With a deep breath, she stepped forward, determined to face whatever this new world had in store for her.