That night, while everyone else was sound asleep, Erica remained awake in silence.
Her mind wandered, recalling pieces of the otome game Doki Doki Love Fantasy—this very world she had reincarnated into.
It was originally a visual novel, but now it had become her reality.
Although the game had various selectable routes, now that it was real… the choices no longer followed a script.
Aside from its usual romantic elements, the game had RPG mechanics too. The female protagonist would explore dungeons, earn money to survive at the Academy, and even battle antagonistic characters.
The central conflict involved demon worshippers infiltrating the kingdom, and a rebellion among corrupt nobles.
'Ugh… my head…' Erica held her temples. Too many overlapping memories—fragmented plotlines flooding back all at once.
'The first year shouldn't be too dangerous. The real problem is—'
Two games had been released in parallel, with different timelines just one year apart.
'When the protagonist of the otome game enters her second year… that's when the next game begins. The open-world RPG, Hero, Demon and Love. This is a mess. I hope nothing strays too far from the plot…'
Erica sat up in bed, holding her forehead. There was something important she had forgotten.
"Ah… I have a status system!" she gasped.
"SYSTEM!" she cried out.
Bang!
The door slammed open.
"Erica, what's wrong?"
Pyra rushed in, still in her pajamas, worry etched on her face.
"Eh…? N-Nothing. I just… saw a bug," Erica answered with an awkward smile.
"Phew… I thought something serious happened. Go back to sleep. We leave early tomorrow," Pyra sighed and left the room.
Erica slowly lay back down, pulling the blanket over her chest. She stared at the glowing transparent panel hovering before her.
[ Status ]
Race : Human
Name : Pyra Heliosta
Age : 23
Gender : Female
Level : 46
Class : Mage → Elemental Sorcerer
Condition: Normal
"Hm…" Erica murmured. "System, what is your main function?"
[To assist Host in survival.]
"And… what about the story? Do you know what's going to happen?"
[This world has become a real reality. Plotline unknown.]
[System's role is to assist Host in development and survival.]
Erica went silent.
'If this still functions like the game system… there should be more than just Status…'
"Open Inventory!"
[Host level too low. System functions are restricted.]
"Damn it…"
Her eyelids grew heavy. Slowly, she drifted into a deep, frozen sleep.
_____
Dawn broke.
Snow still clung to rooftops, but the southern region was warmer than the frozen north.
In front of a modest inn, several soldiers gathered in formation. Their armor gleamed. They looked… official.
A captain, marked by a golden insignia on his chestplate, entered the inn.
"Good morning, sir. May I help you?" asked a female staff member.
"We are looking for a mercenary named Daniel, and two Mages. Do you know where they are?"
"Wait a moment. I'll call them," she replied and hurried up the stairs.
Moments later, Daniel and his men emerged from the first floor, followed by Erica and Pyra descending from the second.
They all gathered at the entrance.
"…You didn't steal from a noble, right?" Pyra whispered to Daniel, eyes sharp with suspicion.
"Come on. You think I'd risk retiring with my head on a spike in the city square?" Daniel replied, deadpan.
The captain stepped forward.
"The Mayor is summoning you. Please accompany us to his residence."
Without resistance, the three of them boarded a waiting carriage. The rest of the mercenaries stayed behind at the inn.
The wooden carriage rumbled over the cobblestone streets. Snow had begun to melt under the morning sun.
They soon arrived at a sturdy two-story stone building—modest but well-kept. An iron fence bordered the yard, and the city's crest—a silver shield—hung above the door.
Guards in bronze armor and green cloaks stood by the entrance.
A servant bowed and opened the oak door.
"Welcome. The Mayor is expecting you."
Inside, the fireplace glowed warm. A middle-aged man in a deep blue robe sat calmly, surrounded by maps and documents.
His hair was graying. His eyes sharp.
"Welcome, honored guests," he greeted without standing.
"I am Lurven Herstadt, Mayor of Orland. Thank you for coming. There is something important I wish to discuss—with regard to the western forest and the incident several days ago."
Erica glanced at Pyra. Both nodded.
"I'm Pyra. This is Erica. The mercenary is named Daniel," Pyra introduced politely.
The Mayor nodded and unfurled a scroll on his desk.
"We dispatched a follow-up team consisting of knights, adventurers, and even a few priests," he explained. "What we found… was that the Black Mage you encountered wasn't just any dark sorcerer."
He paused.
"…He was one of the Twelve Archbishops."
A heavy silence fell.
'No way…'
Erica's eyes widened.
The Archbishops.
Twelve of the most powerful dark mages on the continent.
Each one a nightmare incarnate.
"W-What happened to him?" Erica asked, her voice trembling.
"It's all right now," the Mayor replied gently.
"Our investigation team was met by a Knight—he delivered the Archbishop's corpse. And the body of the Minotaur, too."
Erica and Pyra looked at each other in disbelief.
"We're here to express our gratitude," Lurven continued. "Your help protected several trade routes. As such, we are awarding you compensation from the city's treasury."
Pyra leaned forward slightly. "And the Knight…?"
"No need to worry," the Mayor smiled faintly.
"He credited the victory to you three—and declined his own reward."
"Eh…?" Erica blinked, stunned.
____
Several days earlier…
In a small hut built from dried reeds and old wood, a horse lay gasping on the floor. Its breath came in shallow bursts, steam rising from its muzzle.
Outside, snow drifted gently through a still, gray sky.
Inside, a Knight sat near the fire, feeding it with dry twigs.
He reached out and touched the horse's neck.
"Sir Hans… hang in there."
Neighh…!
The horse lifted its head slightly—weak, but still fighting.
Suddenly—
Thud!
An arrow pierced the wall.
The Knight stood. His eyes sharpened.
"…They're here."