When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying on a soft couch in what looked like a living room. For a moment, I thought I had somehow survived the accident and returned home—especially when I noticed the familiar layout of the house I grew up in. There was the same large cabinet with a hollow space perfectly sized for a television, and sure enough, a new TV sat there. A single sofa stood in front of it, facing the long L-shaped couch where I was currently lying. Everything was almost identical to my childhood home… almost. But something felt off. The colors were brighter, more vivid, almost glowing. The wooden floor reflected the light like polished glass, and the air itself seemed painted in soft pastel tones. It wasn't quite reality—it looked more like I had woken up inside a high-quality 2D animation. Even the texture of the couch beneath my fingertips felt too smooth, too perfect, as if it were drawn rather than made. That's when I realized… this world wasn't just familiar—it was stylized. Almost animated.
"Ahaha, have I really transmigrated to another world?" I muttered, scratching the back of my head. The warmth of my skin, the soft couch beneath my hand, and the faint hum of the television—all of it felt so real that it was hard to believe this wasn't a dream.
"Hm, I wonder if I still look like myself or if I've got a new appearance now," I said, pushing myself up and glancing around until I spotted a mirror near the wall. The moment I looked into it, my eyes widened in disbelief.
The reflection staring back at me was… beautiful. My face was soft and delicate, framed by silky pink hair that reached down to my shoulders. My skin was pale and flawless, my eyes a brilliant shade of blue that sparkled with mischief. My body was slim and slender, my height shorter than before, and the outfit I was wearing—a black and white ensemble with gold accents—looked like something straight out of a fantasy RPG.
"No way… this is literally Astolfo from Fate/Grand Order!" I blurted out, touching my face in disbelief. The resemblance was uncanny—the same androgynous charm, the same bright smile that could belong to either a handsome boy or a cute girl. "Why the hell would that administrator make me look like this?!"
I slumped back on the couch, groaning. "Great… I finally got a cheat in another world, but now I look like a gender-bent anime trap. Just my luck."
"On top of that, it seems like the place—or maybe the space—I'm in only contains the same living room from my previous life," I commented while observing my surroundings. The living room had a dining table and a refrigerator on the left side of the cabinet that held the TV, and behind the L-shaped sofa was a wooden wall with openings that displayed various accessories, with a kitchen located just beyond that wall.
At that moment, a soft electronic chime echoed in the air, followed by the sudden appearance of a floating blue hologram right in front of me. Lines of glowing text appeared one after another, as if it was typing in real-time.
[ Welcome to the Multiverse Virtual Realtiy, the place where you and your party will grow stronger together. Avatar has been generated based on the MC's deepest wish… and the first Heroine has been selected to be summoned. ]
"What… wait—who the hell wished to have an appearance like Astolfo!?" I shouted, half-panicking as I looked at my reflection again. The long pink hair, the delicate face, the slender limbs—everything screamed cute boy, not manly hero.
Before I could finish protesting, another line appeared, almost teasingly:
[ Liar detected. Deep analysis shows that OP (Original Player) admires Astolfo's charm, appreciates his confidence, and once said "If I had a face like that, life would be easier." Furthermore, OP enjoys crossplay potential. Therefore, Astolfo template = optimal. Proceeding with Heroine summoning protocol… ]
"Wha—hey!! I didn't mean that literally! You can't just read people's hearts like that!" I retorted in despair.
[ Processing… Denial detected. M tendency: 37%. Not a full M, but still someone who enjoys being teased. Confirmation complete. Proceeding to summon the first heroine: Eriri Spencer Sawamura! Classic tsundere, otaku, and talented illustrator of ecchi art. Truly a perfect match for OP's preferences! ]
"Oh my god… I have no privacy in this world! But hey, at least I'm still within the average range," I groaned, covering my face with both hands.
The hologram didn't respond, only emitting a playful chime as a blinding light began to form in front of me. My heart pounded. Was it really happening? Was I about to meet Eriri Spencer Sawamura—my first heroine—in person?
I braced myself as the light grew brighter, filling the entire room until all I could see was white.
A soft blue light gathered in the center of the room, swirling until it shaped into a human form. As the glow faded, a blonde girl with twin tails appeared, wearing the uniform of Toyogasaki High School. Her sharp blue eyes widened as she looked around in confusion.
"Eh… Eh… What's happening!? This… this isn't a dream?" she stammered, clutching her school bag tightly as if it were the only thing keeping her steady. The shimmering light around her slowly vanished, confirming she had truly arrived. There was no mistaking her—Eriri Spencer Sawamura, the tsundere illustrator from Toyogasaki High, had just been summoned into the Multiverse Virtual Reality.
Eriri blinked a few times, her gaze finally landing on me. Her expression shifted from confusion to suspicion in an instant. She took a cautious step back, pointing at me with a slightly trembling finger.
"W-Wait… who are you? Don't tell me—you're the one who summoned me here, right?" she asked, her voice tinged with irritation but also curiosity. Even though she looked flustered, her sharp eyes showed she wasn't completely oblivious to what was going on. It was the same sharp awareness she had when she needed to hide her otaku tendencies, allowing her to read the situation faster than most.
Either way, curiosity got the better of me—I couldn't help but wonder how these characters were actually pulled into this so-called Multiverse Virtual Reality.