A faint beeping echoed in the darkness.
Beep... Beep...
It drew closer, sharper—until suddenly—
DING!!
A loud bell rang—so close it felt like it echoed inside her skull.
Aiyana gasped, jolting awake.
Her heart pounded, and panic bloomed inside her chest.
Then she remembered... being dragged... somewhere.
But where?
Everything around her was pitch-black.
Not the gentle dark of night, but an abyss.
She couldn't see anything, only her hands and faint glimmers of her body.
There was no ground beneath her feet.
No sound.
No air.
Nothing.
She trembled.
Her body quivered with fear as she opened her mouth to scream.
"Ughhh!!" she cried and yet no sound came.
Her voice was swallowed by the void.
"Help! Anyone!"
Still, silence answered.
Then came the choking.
Her lungs screamed for air.
She clutched her throat, gasping... but there was nothing to breathe.
No wind.
No whisper.
Just the crushing,
suffocating void.
Her vision blurred.
She was going to die.
Alone, floating in a place that shouldn't exist.
But then-
A blinding white light burst forth, flooding the darkness.
Air rushed in.
Aiyana collapsed onto a smooth surface, gasping, coughing, spit pooling at her lips as her body desperately caught up with the sensation of breathing again.
Her eyes fluttered open.
Everything around her was white.
Endless.
Blank.
Aiyana knelt there, dazed.
Her fingers gripped the ground beneath her.
She could feel it now, but it didn't feel like any floor she knew.
It was more like standing on light itself.
She slowly rose, her legs trembling.
Her breath was still ragged.
Another bell rang.
DING.
She flinched, spinning around with widened eyes. Her arms instinctively moved to a defensive stance, just in case something was coming.
She was scared.
But she was also determined.
Then the bell rang again-
DING! --
Louder, piercing her ears like knives.
She cried out, clutching her head as pain shot through her skull.
And then-
The white space around her began to change.
Colors dripped from nowhere, like a painter's brush swiping across a blank canvas. Hues swirled and stretched, morphing into structures. Buildings. Cobblestone roads. Lampposts. It was surreal, like reality was being painted before her eyes.
From her perspective, it was as though she stood in the middle of a dream—or a painting coming to life.
Towering Victorian buildings rose around her, detailed with iron railings, narrow brick facades, and latticed windows framed by ivy. Ornate lamp posts lined the narrow alleyways, casting amber glows despite the lack of a sun. The roads were cobbled and damp, reflecting a light that had no source. From a distance, vague silhouettes of people walked past indistinct, like figures blurred by fog.
Aiyana's fear slowly gave way to awe.
"Oh God... is this really... what I think it is?" she whispered.
Then she noticed something strange.
She was still in her pajamas.
She spun around, panicked.
But the alley was empty.
No one had seen her yet.
Then, a warm glow began to trace along her feet. A golden shimmer crawled upward from her toes to her chest , changing her clothes in waves of light.
"What the—AHH!!" she shrieked, stumbling back.
Her soft pajamas twisted and reformed into something unfamiliar yet elegant.
She now wore a flowing blouse with voluminous sleeves, cinched at the wrists with ruffled lace. The high neckline was adorned with frills and ribbons, reminiscent of classic Victorian fashion.
Embroidered panels and sheer fabric traced delicately along her bodice. A structured corset hugged her waist, defining a graceful hourglass figure. The trousers were high-waisted, sleek and dark, adding a modern contrast to her antique attire.
She looked... regal.
Even Aiyana couldn't believe her reflection in the glossy shop window nearby. She looked like someone pulled out of time.
Still shaken, she exhaled and looked around.
She needed answers.
Her exit was gone.
No trace of the place she came from.
Just these strange streets.
"I need to move," she muttered. "More people means more chances to understand this place."
She stepped out of the alley.
The street she entered was bustling.
The architecture was stunning, with carved balconies, wrought iron fences, floral details on windows. Horse-drawn carriages rattled by, and people in formal Victorian attire strolled along the sidewalks.
No one looked out of place except for her.
But even then, she stood out not for being strange, but for being beautiful.
Whispers followed her.
"She's divine..."
"A goddess?"
"Who is she?"
"Is she from another kingdom?"
"Damn, Her husband might be lucky to have a lady like her"'
Aiyana blushed as she passed.
She giggled nervously.
At least they were kind.
She whispered to herself, "This... this isn't my world. I don't know what's going on. But maybe... I have a reason for being here."
Her stomach growled loudly.
"Oh, great."
She winced and clutched her gut. The smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the air. She followed it instinctively to a small, charming bakery.
Inside, the display was full of pastries, loaves, and something that looked like sopas, but she couldn't remember the exact name.
She reached into her pockets.
Nothing.
No money.
Aiyana sighed and turned to leave, the scent of warm bread clinging to her clothes like a tease.
Then suddenly-
"Miss! Wait!"
A raspy voice called out.
Aiyana turned.
An old woman stood at the bakery door, a kind smile on her wrinkled face.
"I'd like you to have this," she said, holding out a small cloth bag.
Aiyana blinked. "W-What is it?"
"Sweetbread. And water. For you."
"I—I can't accept this. I don't have anything to repay you..."
The old woman shook her head. "Just take it. You remind me of someone I lost long ago."
Aiyana's heart softened. "Thank you... Thank you so much."
She took the food and bowed deeply. The woman patted her shoulder and returned to her bakery, humming softly.
Aiyana sat on a bench and took a bite. The bread was warm and fluffy. The water... it tasted sweet, unnaturally so.
Strangely, the pain in her stomach faded.
She felt restored.
But when she tried to put the bottle away it vanished.
She stared, eyes wide. "Magic...?"
Her thoughts were interrupted by a crowd gathered ahead.
Aiyana pushed through and found a large bulletin board with parchment nailed to it.
BREAKING REPORT: THE PRINCE'S OUTBURST!! ROYAL CASTLE DESTROYED. HE IS MISSING.
Her breath caught.
"So... they have royalty here?" she muttered. "Of course they do. It does look medieval type and Victorian era type..." (she is an expert of stories like this because of how she loves reading stories from novels and manhwas when she was young)
She hadn't realized she spoke out loud until someone beside her answered.
"The prince went berserk," a man said. "His mana surged uncontrollably. Destroyed the whole castle. Killed nobles. Then vanished."
Another chimed in, "Some say it was an accident. Others say... something took over him."
Aiyana stepped back, overwhelmed.
So much information and none of it helped her understand why she was here.
But something deep inside whispered: This is connected. Somehow.
She turned and walked away, weaving through the crowd, until she saw something across the plaza.
A tall building with a wooden sign and carved swords on the front.
The Adventurer's Guild.
She smiled.
"Every cliché has a purpose," she muttered. "If I'm stuck here, I need money. I need answers. This is where I start."
She walked up the stairs, and just as she reached for the door...
it burst open!
WHAM!
The door hit her square in the face. She yelped, stumbled back, and fell onto the cobblestone.
"Ow—HEY!! Watch it!"
She looked up and froze.
A man in a black cloak walked past her without a word.
He wore a wide-brimmed witch's hat, and his eyes glowed faintly blue beneath the shadow of the brim.
His hair was dark, and his presence sent a shiver down her spine.
"Hey, aren't you going to apologize...?" she muttered, dazed.
And just like that
he was gone.
Aiyan reacted, Eh?
Chapter 2 has Ended