🎶 “Bubble hearts in the neon rain Got me spinning like a sugar plane Every glance is a wild cascade 넌 내 숨결까지 흔들어…” (You shake even my breath)
Wow! That song is so catchy. Saja Boys -Soda Pop the remix. Unfortunately, I can't sing the actual lyrics; copyrights can be a hassle. But what's the next best thing? I could always butcher the lyrics as much as possible! Oh, wait, we’re already on episode seven. Time to get back to telling my life’s story. [SYSTEM INTEGRATION 100%]
[Boss, I’m ready for the dive.]
Now, let's stop breaking the reader's immersion. We’re telling them about my life.
****
Tuesday, April 16th [7:00 am]
We sat silently. The scent of the soil drifted through the air as I gazed out the window, my eyes shining with wonder as I embraced this new world—a new season for me.
“Do you miss your old world?” Camille asked, her hazel eyes focused on me, a little glimmer of light reflecting in their depths.
I turned to her, chuckling as a melancholic feeling washed over me. I glanced away, pressing my lips together as I clenched my fists.
“Well, I wouldn’t say I miss my world, but if I really went back, what would be waiting for me ... There’s nothing for me there anymore…”
“So why don’t you help our world, fight the 13th Heavenly Emperor, and be a hero here? You can create your own life, build a new family… with us!” she said, her lips lifting into a smile as she leaned in and held my hands with both of hers. They were warm, just like her. I closed my eyes, leaning into the warmth while feeling cold inside. Memories flashed before me: the gentle laughter of my parents, the warm little hands of my sister and brother, and the fire…
“Lady Diana! Lady Diana!” Camille called, already outside the carriage.
I opened my eyes, a small tear sliding down my cheek. I wiped it away, my eyes slightly red as I stepped out of the carriage.
[ARE YOU OKAY, Diana? You were crying earlier.]
I thought that as a system, you would know what made me sad.
[I may be a system, but I can't read minds or delve into my host's past due to privacy settings. And in any case, I’m part of your care package.]
Care package? I questioned, brows slightly raised as I took out my compact mirror from my messenger bag and adjusted my smug lip gloss, mascara, and blush.
My eyes are slightly puffy. Reminiscing on such a thing now. It's been 17 years since that day. I guess I haven’t moved on.
[Seventeen years since what?]
If you don’t know, you don’t know. I said, shrugging.
Focusing again on the present, I followed Camille, her hair gently tousled by the wind. I glanced around and saw a colossal building looming ahead, its shadow stretching over the pathways. It was a castle. I gaped, my eyes shining with astonishment at its sheer size; it was like Buckingham Palace multiplied by three.
The path was broad, lined with parterre hedges of red, pink, white, yellow, and blue roses, all neatly trimmed and mirrored on both sides. As we walked, we approached a central fountain featuring the image of the first saint of the empire, Ergo, the saint of fertility and nature. Her figure was draped in long robes, her head covered, holding a small child, with a crow perched on her shoulder. Water bubbled in the fountain, releasing a white mist as I noticed small lights—white, red, gold, silver, blue, purple, and green—dancing in the air.
We continued strolling towards the palace door. The wind howled, and the bright sky began to fill with clouds. In the distance, an avenue of oak trees swayed, making it look like a place where royalty might take a walk. Gardeners bowed as we passed, still attentive to the sound of our footsteps. Maids swept the pathways in their black and white uniforms, which fluttered in the breeze. Messengers constantly moved in and out of the palace, their murmurs echoing as papers fluttered around them.
In the distance, I heard a smooth, mellow sound carried by the wind. I turned to look behind me, the breeze ruffling my hair, and saw a man sitting in a pavilion. The pillars were covered in climbing roses, both white and yellow. His left hand was relaxed, his fingers softly moving against his thumb, while his right arm rotated in a graceful motion, parallel to the bridge of the pavilion. He had long, back-length golden blond hair tied at the end. Sitting with his long legs crossed, he wore a white shirt and black trousers.
The sun peeked from behind the castle, illuminating the pavilion. Rose petals danced in the wind as he continued to play, the sun reflecting off his pale, smooth cheeks. His sharp nose made him resemble the stereotypical handsome character from manhwas and anime, reminiscent of Edgar Redmond from Black Butler.
Ahead, a woman in a long azure ball gown caught my eye. The gown flowed in rippling layers of satin that saw the light, and the bodice was embroidered with floral patterns featuring gold and silver filigree. It hugged her figure into an hourglass shape, accentuating her curves—who would have thought that even fantasy worlds could portray such details?
The woman stood alongside her maids and a group of ladies, their faces painted with light pink as they fanned themselves, eyelashes fluttering.
“Diana, let’s go! We’re going to be late; the ceremony is about to start!” Camille called out, finally pulling me into the palace.
We ran across the carpeted red floor. The walls were covered in ornate paintings of scowling, stiff-looking kings and queens. Some smiled, some frowned, some eyes were lively, yet most were dead, both literally and metaphorically.
[ Diana, look at that oil painting of the second queen of the empire, Queen Silvia the First. Doesn’t it look like Da Vinci’s work? I believe I can do better. I can’t wait for the day when I can have a physical form like that!]
What do you mean, having a physical form, Alita?
[I'm going to be all mysterious, like those enigmatic systems next door. (mimicking a ghostly voice) “Wait... and you shall see…” (coughing and choking) I think this ghost voice thing isn’t for me. I’m going to take some digital vocal therapy. Some alone time with Huntrix, my second favourite song idol from the Saja, seems to pale in comparison to the Saja boys' songs; I enjoy those much more than Huntrix's tracks. In any case, I'm off to fangirl and ship Rumi and Jinu. They did us wrong— not even a kiss at the end! Please take note of this. See you!]
I understand your frustration. If my phone had internet access, I would do the same. I’m still really angry that these so-called “saints” dared to refer to kidnapping as “a grace for us.” Anyone who would initially willingly accept this notion has a few screws loose. I've come to an understanding: I believe we suffer from Stockholm syndrome; that's the only way to explain it! Bye...
Anyway, I won't bore you with too many descriptions; all you need to know is that it was grand and extremely luxurious.
“What happened next?” the little girl asked, her chipped teeth clenched around a fist-sized lollipop, her lips smacking with each bite. Helga, the old woman at the counter, sat with her legs crossed, puffing on a pipe filled with tobacco that filled the air with a choking smoke.
After listening to the woman's story for what felt like an eternity, almost an entire two episodes, the woman still believed she was crazy.
The old man, Ziggy, glanced at the shop's watch as it struck four in the afternoon, the grand bells chiming in the distance. The next-door tavern is opening, the aromas of the gourmet meal deal three plates of roast duck for one gold coin, Thursday roast mingling with the scent of caramel and fruity beer and cocktails, along with the warm scent of creamy hot chocolate.
Am I still going to get my Kitana?
It’s already done, just imbue it with that puny magic of yours. old Helga said. Silently puffing out smoke
And my twelve daggers, and 200 000 needles…
"Mulieri quae remissa videtur, arma non perdis." (For a woman who seems relaxed, you don’t waste on weapons.)" Ziggy says, smiling.
What did you say? Man, I need to learn some Latin. I wonder if Duolingo can close the gap soon. I’ll do that tomorrow.
["Dian, why didn’t you call your best friend? I can translate for you. Don’t you know I’m multilingual? Forget Duolingo; you have me. I’m better than any Google Assistant, Siri, Alexa, or other AI."]
Alita says this in my user interface, appearing as it changes to subtitles. Make the font size sixteen and put it at the bottom of my vision. Make it black with white outlining.
["Coming right up! Your one-month trial starts now. You can pay on the first of June. One hundred gold coins."]
What? So much money! My money’s gone…
["Systems have to make bank somehow. And why not be the ruthless capitalist and squeeze my host dry so that I can upgrade, and you have a better system interface. Anyway, bye..."]
Bloop! The interface disappears.
I paid you fifteen gold coins for a reason; in a world of violence, one needs to prepare. I said, one foot on the table as I raised one hand and one hand on my chest.
"Child, get your feet off my table," Helga smacked my foot with a stick.
“Paene tempus advenerat ut taberna clauderetur, itaque cum iam diu ibi essemus, minimum quod facere possess erat fabulam finire."
(It was almost time for the store to close, so since we had been there for a while, the least you could do was finish the story.)" The old man says, while packing away my order into a briefcase.
Anyway, where was I right ….
We reached the door, and the two soldiers standing on either side bowed as it opened with a rumble. Click, click, click, clack—my heels echoed against the tiles. All heads turned in my direction. I smirked, almost feeling my nose grow from all the attention. Not everyone can be like me.
The room was grand, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in sunlight, and a patio that opened onto a balcony, showcasing the beautiful view of the lake. I observed the crowd's faces, which varied in shape, colour, and size, grouped together like a pack of Skittles.
“Boss! Boss! Is that you?” A loud, vivacious voice echoed in the silent room as Raymond fought his way through the crowd to reach me. His usual black eyes glimmered in admiration, like a child witnessing a hero's arrival—think of how Deku from My Hero Academia looked at All Might when he was inspired. It was just like that. My heart fluttered, the chill in my heart receding as his arms wrapped around me like a warm, giant brown teddy bear, his light brown curly hair tickling my nose. He was genuinely warm.
Drip! Drip!
Two warm tears fell from my eyes, and my nose stung as I wiped them away. Patting his back, he hugged me tighter. “You’re starting to choke me with your cuddles,” I said as I pried him away from myself. His eyes were puffy, and a soft blush painted his face.
“Big sister, you shouldn't be so distant. I have the right to cry after you withdrew from the office so suddenly for a vacation. You know I can't do my field investigations without you,” Raymond whined, pouting and puffing up his cheeks. I poked at his cheeks, making them deflate as I chuckled, another tear rolling down my face, lingering from his warmth. He nuzzled his cheeks in my palm. “You shouldn’t do that; my hands are ugly,” I said with a smile, pulling away. He stiffened, and the eyes in his light dimmed slightly. Closing my eyes, I remembered his face, the day these scars appeared on my hand as we walked forward. My stomach is churning, a sharp pain in my heart. I turned to my side, ready to introduce him to Camille, but she had disappeared. I scanned the room, and she was truly gone. I'm not going to question that. I have seen weirder things, like the man-shaped screaming apples outside of the orchard in the palace garden and the Face Eater in the dungeons of the temple.
> 💬 **[User View: Raymond – Internal Monologue Processing]**
I'm so happy to see her. I thought I might die from loneliness. I still can't believe she would abandon me like that. If I'm going to take on the challenging job of a police detective, then so should she. I don’t fully understand this world, but I’m planning to take her out to dinner. A little brother should treat his beloved older sister to a meal. Even though we are not related, it will be okay.
As I think about this, I hold my Diana’s hands and feel the rough, calloused scars from the fire; it must have been painful. I want to make her happy. I look at her and notice her eyes are slightly puffy and red. Her hand trembles in little spasms as she tightens her grip on mine.
We walk toward the centre of the room, where people are clustered in small groups. Our feet shift as we approach the Baldachin, a decorative structure above the throne, often elaborately designed to signify importance. A velvet curtain covers the throne, showcasing a tapestry of thirteen dragons surrounding a large tree. The tapestry features a woman who resembles the saint from the statue outside; what was her name? Right, Ergo the first saint. She holds an apple with a crow perched on her shoulder, intricately crafted using Bayeux stitch and crewel hand embroidery.
"System, how long until the ceremony?"
["No! No! How could Gojo die like that? It snapped him like a Kit Kat!"]
"What are you doing?" I squint at his screams and, yes, the system is a 15-year-old boy. I feel like my ears are bursting as I ask him.
["Sorry, I was in the middle of an anime binging marathon. Just finished the last few episodes of *Jujutsu Kaisen*. This show gives me depression. I didn’t cry when I found out Jotaro got married, but this show just loves hurting me. Why... oh right, how long until the ceremony? Five minutes."]
His vibrant voice fades as I scrutinise the room. People whisper, their bodies trembling with anticipation. Conversations echo around me as I catch snippets of chatter. I hope this isn't some kind of scam; my system mentioned that I would gain powers. I'm going to be rich! I need to return home; my son needs me. I need a doctor—I'm pregnant with my fiancé's child. All these conversations of concern and hope meld into a pit of uncertainty. Their faces scrunched up as an invisible hand of tension pressed down on our shoulders.
Back to the present…
Click, click, click, clack! The sound of the saint's footsteps echoed in the room as the curtain was drawn. The royal family sat on their thrones, their expressions icy, and the feigned smile of the person seated in the first chair was completely absent, along with the seat of the first prince. The king introduced himself.
"Welcome, heroes! You have come to be the saviours of our world. Your task is to kill the thirteenth heavenly emperor and eliminate all palicids. Today, you shall choose your role, your rank of power, and your power class!" he said, his voice booming as he stroked his beard. His crimson eyes glinted like a crow watching its prey. He raised his hand.
Men and women entered through the door, filing in straight lines as they offered items that were black like stones before us. They were dressed in red garments adorned with makeup and bold jewels. They bowed, presenting the jewels.
“Here are the celestial stones known as the jewel of Ergos. Said to have been formed from the blood and tears of the first Saint and has been given to all heroes. You are the 16th generation of summoned heroes. These will allow you to unlock your true potential. I’ll leave the rest to the saint. ”He gestured to the woman beside him.
“Deus noster vobiscum sit.” (“May our god be with you.”)
“Hello, my name is Lilith Shamila, and I am the child of the fourteenth generation of saints—Victorias Everdeen, the second-ranked saint.”
She raised her staff, her white robes fluttering. Tap. Tap. Tap. The staff struck the floor. Clouds appeared in the room, swirling as a hurricane coiled at the tip of her wand. The carved wood began to glow, and the thorn-shaped markings on her skin shimmered a bright gold.
Then—darkness.
All light vanished. A glowing magic circle flared beneath us.
I stood still as energy welled up inside me. I closed my eyes and felt myself pulled into a void. My anomalous card materialised before me, glowing with intensity. I reached out.
It was like watching myself from outside—detached—hands emerging from within, all reaching for the card.
Bang! A searing flash engulfed me. Heat surged like a tidal wave. The card slammed into me as if repelled and attracted by some magnetic force.
The pressure crushed my lungs. The sound of bones crunching echoed in my mind as deafening whispers stabbed into my consciousness, each voice dragging with it a storm of memories. My memories. Their memories. Our memories.
They collided inside my mind with unstoppable force.
It felt like being burned alive—without the mercy of death. Like being hit, over and over, by a bullet train that never stops. Veins popped. Ligaments tore free from limbs. Pain rewrote reality.
Then—silence. The pain vanished, and a spherical white light left my body. My blue eyes seared in pain, burning like a laser as blood dripped from the sockets of my eyes.
Release…
I opened my eyes, the pain dissipating as I returned to a conscious state.
[An anomalous card has been activated. Skill reactivation is in progress. Synthesising power element and rank… eighty-nine per cent... ninety per cent... one hundred per cent.]
“Now, pick the gemstone that you feel the most affinity towards,” Saint Lilith said, glancing at all our faces. Her gaze lingered on Raymond for a moment, and a light blush coated her cheeks.
As Raymond noticed, our blood ran cold. Protectively, he placed his arms around himself and scooted behind me. “Why does that woman look like she’s going to take advantage of me?” he whispered, a dramatic tear escaping from his eyes. I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t blame her for such thoughts; after all, look at my disciple. And before you ask why I call him my disciple, it’s because I trained him to be the great man he is now.
Two orphans together: me with younger siblings, why not? If you looked closely at his features, there was no denying it: he inherited the best traits from his parents—half British and half Korean. Imagine BTS, but better.
People moved towards the stones. As they touched them, the gemstones glowed and vibrated in distinct colours—blue, red, yellow, green—transforming into abilities and weapons. Raymond and I moved forward.
“Hey, if you feel any bad vibes, let it go,” Raymond advised, his hands holding mine as we approached the stones. We closed our eyes, concentrating on the energy sources that felt the strongest.
“I’m going left,” Raymond stated.
“I’m going right,” I replied.
One, two, three, four, five, six. I counted, stopping as I reached six. I opened my eyes, looking down at the stone—sorry, gemstone. It was large, cream-coloured, almost transparent, but with rainbow light refracting in the cracks. I touched it, and the system interface appeared. Then, bang! A flash of light blinded me again. From the fragments of the light, Alita’s voice echoed.
[ Host finally, you have unlocked the care package system and it’s free. Unfortunately, but it’s free.]
Squinting, I held the vibrating gemstone; a mirror appeared in front of me. I watched in shock as my azure, blue eyes turned a bright gold. I touched my eyelids, leaning in as I double-checked.
[ Care package activated. Integrating host results and celestial stone.]
The condensed light transformed into a wisp of white and vanished with a pop into the system. I jumped up and down, realising I would finally gain an ability. Don’t get me wrong; I hate the idea of being kidnapped, but imagine being like Harry Potter or the fairies from Winx Club! 161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkxjE6tLYN
Right before my eyes, Alita began to take shape as a physical being. It started as a tiny light that landed on my palms and transformed into what appeared to be a fairy. She wore beautiful bell-bottom jeans and a white shirt. Her stunning, clear, crystal-blue wings refracted light as they fluttered. She stood about six inches tall, with long blonde hair styled in two high ponytails, violet eyes, and a teardrop-shaped birthmark under her left eye. I stared in awe, my mouth agape, feeling as if my eyes might pop out of my sockets as I touched her cheeks with my finger while she snuggled into it.
Looking up at me with dewy eyes, she hugged my face and exclaimed, “Mommy, I love Mommy!”
“Mummy… Alita, I'm not your mother,” I replied.
“I won't call you 'host' anymore,” she declared.
“Why? I mean, it’s not like you weren’t calling me by my name already,” I said, exasperated yet amused. I lifted little Alita by the scruff of her neck and placed her on my shoulders as I scrolled through the system updates.
Alita hugged my neck and said, “Well, because I have this physical body, I used your blood fertilised by your magic, so I'm your daughter! I can even change size, just like a beautiful, gorgeous fairy!” She huffed, puffing out her cheeks as she playfully poked me.
I looked at the system window, which was newly updated as Alita guided me. She pointed at a shopping icon and clicked on it, which led me to a shop similar to Amazon. In this shop, you could only pick one weapon and a random job role.
“What is a job role?” I asked.
Alita yawned. “It's positions like being a hero, mermaid, saint, or herbalist—stuff like that! Of course, there are other varieties as well. These are skills only available to those who are summoned because you all have access to systems.”
“Can they take physical forms?” I asked.
“Yes, but they will look different depending on their hosts' personalities, essence, and magic. They can also level up,” she said, rubbing her eyes.
I examined the assortment of weapons—swords, fans, chains, clubs, and more. As I scrolled through the options, Alita jumped up in excitement as she selected her weapon. Moving to the magic section, she chose the ability "Magic Hands" and picked "Witch" for her role.
“A witch? Seriously?” I asked, blinking in disbelief as I noticed job roles like mage, wizard, guardian, and alchemist available.
Puffing out her chest, her cheeks flushed with confidence, she exclaimed, “Trust me! Mom, I wouldn’t hurt you... These roles, like mage and witch, are the same!”
“What’s the difference between a witch, mage, and wizard?” I asked, glancing at the countdown timer until my element was revealed.
“There’s no real difference. They’re just in the same class, ranked differently. Witches are cool and have a higher rank,” she stated while guiding me back.
Finally, a system notification rang out, and a bell chimed in the room. Everyone looked up as a mechanical voice announced, "Element revealed." I stared at the user interface, my heart racing with anticipation as the information was finally displayed. What could it be? Silence engulfed the room, and I could feel everyone’s hearts beating in unison as beads of sweat gathered on our brows. It was revealed: "You have white magic (Spellcraft), element classification: flame elemental. Anomalous card is permanently absorbed."
Silence...
Then we rejoiced; cheers and chatter filled the room. Sunlight peeked in through the windows as birds began to chirp outside. I breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the non-existent sweat from my forehead, until I heard... Click! Clack! Click!
Those footsteps—so distinct, with pauses between them. I shuddered, real beads of sweat forming at the back of my forehead. I turned slowly, my ears ringing, as all the chatter faded away. A knot of dread mixed with hunger tied in my stomach, prickly and uncomfortable, when suddenly...
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Detective Chief Inspector Diana Tinotenda Hart of the Criminal Investigation Unit in London!” A smooth, high-pitched voice echoed in my ears as I faced her.
To be continued ….
ns216.73.216.158da2
and then Add to home screen.