Chapter 1: Transmigrated to Chaldea, Then Started the Simulator!
In the hallway of Chaldea, a fairly decent-looking young man was holding his forehead, deep in thought.
This young man name was Ian, a transmigrator.
Truth be told, Ian never wished for this.
His previous life was perfectly fine—he had everything he needed and lacked almost nothing.
But despite his reluctance, fate's infamous Truck-kun arrived, followed by a bolt of lightning. And unfortunately, Ian got hit by both.
Before his death, he barely managed to delete the 16GB "Homework" folder on his phone. Then, everything went dark, and he lost consciousness.
When he awoke, Ian found himself in Chaldea, unexpectedly chosen as the 49th Master.
The "unexpected" part lay in the peculiar way he discovered his new status, as bizarre bits of information suddenly unfolded before him.
Magecraft—?
Singularity—?
Heroic Spirit—?
What the heck were these things?
Ian felt like a kindergartener, just learning "1 + 1 equals what," being asked to solve a university-level calculus problem.
To make matters worse, the undisguised look of expectation in the eyes of those around him only added to the pressure—they all seemed to assume he knew what he was doing.
Fortunately, there was a silver lining. Though he had no clue about the strange terms, among the 49 Masters, his capabilities seemed to be above average, placing him in Team A.
Somewhere along the way, he even vaguely heard someone refer to him as a "raw gem waiting to be polished."
Maybe that was a compliment?
At least Ian thought so. Just as this crossed his mind, he accidentally bumped into a girl.
The girl had short, light lilac hair, wore glasses, the signature white Chaldea uniform, and a distinct red tie.
What set her apart was the black dress she wore beneath the uniform.
Her slender, fair legs peeking out from the dress gave her a vibrant, youthful look.
"Sorry, it's my fault," Ian reflexively apologized, stepping back a few paces to create some distance from the girl.
"It's fine. I should've been more careful as well."
"Wait, hold on, looking at you like this… could it be—"
Before the girl could finish her sentence, her gaze shifted toward the hallway, as if something had just passed by.
She quickly waved her hand and said to Ian in a rush:
"Oh, I have something to take care of, let's talk later—!"
The unexpected encounter ended as lightly as dust briefly stirred by the breeze before settling back in place.
Ian glanced down at his hand, still faintly warm from the brief contact with the girl.
Just now, he had accidentally touched somewhere he definitely shouldn't have. Based on life experience, this sort of situation often led to trouble—perhaps even being labeled a "pervert."
But the girl didn't seem too bothered by it.
Or maybe everyone in Chaldea was just too busy to care?
Either way, that sensation from earlier was truly something special—it was the first time he'd touched something so soft.
If he had the chance in the future, Ian thought he wouldn't miss the opportunity to experience it again.
...
Now, the hallway was completely empty except for Ian.
He decided to head back to his room for a bit of rest. After all, in his dazed state, he wasn't likely to accomplish anything worthwhile.
However, as soon as his hand touched the doorknob,
A strange, sharp pain shot up from the handle, leaving him momentarily paralyzed, like he'd just been electrocuted.
The pain felt like a warning: stepping through this door would lead to something unexpected.
But then again, he'd already transmigrated—what could possibly be more unexpected than that?
It was probably just static electricity, he reasoned.
With that thought, Ian pushed open the door, which seemed as though it was trying to caution him against doing so.
The moment the door opened, a blinding white light engulfed him. Immediately after, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his ear:
[Simulation cooldown complete—cooling process finalized.]
[Environmental components confirmed—confirmation complete.]
[This simulation is an official historical simulation. Host, proceed with caution.]
The string of words made Ian realize that none of this was an illusion.
Everything happening was real.
It seemed the earlier warning from the doorknob had not been a fluke—beyond the door lay an entirely unforeseen path, one he had never imagined.
[Confirming Host's first time participating in a simulation, selecting talents.]
[Talents have been generated based on the user's attributes, tailored for this simulation.]
[Energetic: You possess stamina far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Even after intense physical exertion, you can maintain functionality. If you choose to, you can go without food or drink for several days without losing energy.
Battle Continuation: To fulfill your promises to others, no matter how severe your injuries, you can rise and fight again until you reach your goal.
Affinity: Your words are easily accepted by others, even when they may not be entirely truthful or reflect your personal desires.]
Three detailed talents appeared before Ian.
He began to grasp the purpose of this simulation—utilizing these talents to enter and interact with various historical moments.
This concept was far easier to understand than the earlier talk of Magecraft or Heroic Spirits.
The cold, mechanical voice continued in Ian's ear, devoid of emotion, like a lifeless machine:
[The official simulation begins.]
[You, who transmigrated to Chaldea, are now transmigrating once more.]
[This time, you arrive in Britannia.]
[You are born into a family where both parents have passed away. Through tireless effort, you rise to the rank of a reserve knight.]
[Your perseverance catches the attention of the captain, and before long, you are promoted to a full-fledged knight, tasked with safeguarding Princess Morgan.]
[In your heart, you deeply admire this strong, aloof princess, even swearing to fight for her. Yet Morgan seems unwilling to accept this, maintaining a cold and distant demeanor toward you.]
[This pains you deeply. Even so, out of love for her, you silently continue to protect her. But from this protection, dark thoughts begin to brew, eventually igniting the flames of desire.]
[Not long after, the entire kingdom celebrates a grand festival. Everyone, including Morgan, becomes thoroughly intoxicated. You, however, remain sober, harboring a certain intention in your heart.]
[In the dark of night, as if guided by divine providence, you find yourself standing before Morgan's bedroom door, only to discover that it is wide open, as if inviting someone inside.]
[At this moment, your destiny reaches a turning point.]