The shock of when I first dropped into this place is still vivid in my mind.
I woke up in a strange hut. Thinking it was all a dream, I headed to a nearby stream to wash my face.
'And I almost fainted seeing my reflection in the water.'
My original Korean face was gone. In its place was a man with blonde hair, brown eyes, and the facial structure of a pure Skyrim Nord.
If I had to choose, a Breton or an Orc with better racial abilities would have been nice, but I was just grateful I hadn't become a Khajiit or an Argonian.
Those two races were essentially the outcasts of this land, cursed with poor traits and subjected to blatant discrimination everywhere they went.
Anyway, I tried to assess the situation quickly. Between the familiar terrain, the architecture of the villages, and the blue windows floating before my eyes, it didn't take long to realize I was in Skyrim.
The mission—saving the world—was absurd, but I didn't have time to complain about home. I fought to accept the reality of the situation.
From then on, I adapted quickly and grew stronger. Or at least, I tried to.
Right up until I realized just how pathetic my unique ability actually was.
**
No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, the letters were clear. 'Choi,' 'Ha-neul,' written out in plain script.
Everyone here spoke English, but for some reason, I understood everything perfectly.
'There isn't a single NPC in Skyrim with a name like this...'
Of course, there were new people here beyond the original NPCs, but most of them carried names you'd expect from Northern Europe or the English-speaking world.
In other words, there was a very high probability that the recipient of this letter was someone brought to this world, just like me.
I calmed my racing heart and began to analyze the situation carefully.
'Choi Ha-neul... she must be the protagonist, the Dragonborn. The letter said she was seen in Riverwood, so she probably hasn't been here long.'
The Dragonborn, or Dovahkiin, was the hero of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim—the one destined to strike down Alduin the World-Eater.
Since she was the protagonist, she had to be incredibly powerful.
I needed to link up with her before I could even think about a long-term plan.
With my mind made up, I ran straight to the stables.
"Stablemaster! I'm heading out!"
I notified the owner, settled the boarding fee for my horse, and scrambled into the saddle before immediately activating my skill.
Since the recipient of the letter was the Dragonborn, I could sense her location with Courier's Detection.
'She's inside Whiterun.'
The letter said she was spotted in Riverwood. If she was already in Whiterun, she was definitely on the quest to deliver news from Alvor or Gerdur to the Jarl.
'But what if she refuses to let me join her? What if she's suspicious?'
'Should I reveal that I've been transmigrated too?'
Worries piled up, but staying put wasn't an option.
In the game, you could delay the main quest and the hunt for Alduin as much as you wanted without consequence. But in reality? I didn't have that luxury.
If I dallied, Alduin could grow his power and actually end the world.
Since Alduin appeared during the protagonist's execution, we were still in the early stages of the story, so things should be relatively calm for now. Still, it didn't hurt to hurry.
With that thought, I spurred my horse toward Whiterun.
"Wow, seeing it in person is something else."
After half a day's ride, I finally reached the farmland surrounding Whiterun.
I had never had a delivery job in this area, so this was my first time seeing it.
Seeing a region I knew so well from the game spread out before my eyes was truly spectacular.
Feeling the fresh wind as I galloped across the plains was exhilarating—an experience I likely never would have had back in my old life.
As I approached the main gates of Whiterun, lost in thought, a guard stepped forward to intercept me.
"Halt. The city is temporarily closed due to the dragon incident."
"I have a delivery. I'll just hand it over and be on my way."
The guard checked my delivery items and cross-referenced my face with a bounty poster before finally allowing me entry.
In the game, entering a major city like Whiterun or Solitude would trigger a loading screen.
'In reality, obviously, there's no such thing.'
The city was bustling with people. Not only that, but there were more buildings than I remembered, and the overall scale of the city felt much larger.
"Helgen has been destroyed by a dragon! My brother in the Legion saw it with his own eyes!"
"No! Is that true?"
"Young man, did you hear? Ulfric was being transported, but he managed to escape thanks to the dragon's attack!"
"By Dibella... the war is just going to drag on even longer then..."
The residents of Whiterun were buzzing with talk about the attack on Helgen and the escape of Ulfric Stormcloak.
The fun of seeing every little game detail realized in the real world was undeniable.
As the shops and inns I had only ever visited on a screen appeared before me, I felt a strange sense of excitement.
"And this is the love! Love! Even as man, great Talos cherished us. For he saw in us, in each of us, the future of Skyrim! The future of Tamriel!"
Sure enough, as I passed the market and climbed the stairs, Whiterun's resident mascot, Heimskr, was shouting his lungs out.
'I never thought I'd be so glad to see that guy. He's the same in reality as he is in the game.'
I thought about striking up a conversation with him, but I had urgent business, so I moved on.
As I passed him and looked up the next set of stairs, a classic Skyrim quest marker was hovering over the doors of Dragonsreach.
The recipient—the Dragonborn—was in there.
I quickly ascended the steps, gave the guards a brief explanation, and took a deep breath as I stood before the massive doors.
Now that I was actually about to meet her, I felt a bit nervous.
'God, I hope she's not one of those chaotic-evil players who enjoys murdering NPCs.'
I couldn't shake the negative thoughts as the guards opened the doors. I stepped inside.
Scanning the room, I spotted her in the Court Wizard's office, talking to Farengar Secret-Fire. The quest marker was floating directly over her head.
She had short hair, as bright as a clear sky. However, her face was unmistakably Korean.
As for her outfit—she had set some gear aside since she was indoors—but she was currently wearing steel gauntlets over novice mage robes.
'Wait? Robes and a helmet?'
I was baffled by the fashion disaster of mixing heavy armor and magic robes, but I figured that's just how things go in the early levels.
I approached them carefully, rehearsing my standard delivery line.
"So, you're saying I just need to bring back that stone tablet?"
"That is correct. Can I trust you to make haste?"
"Yes. I've got it!"
"Mind you, your best weapon is your own mental fortitude."
'Looks like she's about to head out for the Dragonstone.'
With my years of Skyrim experience, I could tell exactly what stage of the main quest she was on just by eavesdropping on a few lines.
'Alright. Keep it natural.'
As their conversation ended, I eased up to her side and spoke up.
"I've been looking for you. Got something I'm supposed to deliver. Let's see... a letter from a friend."
It was the iconic courier's greeting familiar to anyone who had played the game.
"Oh, thank you!"
Technically, I was supposed to collect 25 gold, but knowing how thin an early-game player's wallet was, I kept my mouth shut about the fee.
She thanked me in a bright tone, took the letter, and began to read it slowly.
"Hmm... 'a friend'? Who could have sent this?"
Seeing her look of genuine confusion, I was certain.
'This girl has absolutely no idea what Skyrim is.'
My worst fears had come true. She was a complete and utter newbie with zero game knowledge.
In this world, convenience features like fast travel, saving, and an inventory system were gone. On top of that, she had to manage survival elements—eating, sleeping, even using the bathroom—all while trying to defeat the final boss.
Even considering the sheer power of the Dragonborn, for an ordinary person with no knowledge, this would be an impossible task.
I watched with concern as she pushed open the doors of Dragonsreach and headed off to fetch the stone tablet.
'Let's just see how she does first.'
Who knew? Maybe she had a hidden natural talent for combat and could pull it off without a hitch.
Deciding to watch before making a move, I quietly suppressed my presence and began following her.
'I wonder if she can actually fight, though.'
I had been beaten to a pulp by a mere wolf—one of the weakest creatures in Skyrim—so I knew the lethality of the enemies here firsthand. I was worried for her.
I had trained diligently since then and could now handle a single wolf with ease, but still.
Despite this being a fantasy world with magic,
'I don't know if that slender body can handle a basic mob.'
...Or so I thought.
Unexpectedly, her physical stats far exceeded my own.
The fact that increasing Stamina also increased raw strength meant that her lower body strength was on a whole different level.
"Pant, pant..."
I trailed behind her, already regretting my decision as she sprinted across the fields without any sign of fatigue.
'Dammit. Should I have brought the horse?'
But that wouldn't have been a great choice either.
Trying to tail someone while riding a massive Western horse—nothing like those small Mongolian ponies—was a guaranteed way to get caught.
Eventually hitting my limit, I slumped onto a rock to catch my breath.
'She'll definitely get into a fight along the way, so catching up shouldn't be hard.'
Thinking that, I drained my waterskin.
After a short rest, I carefully made my way up the slope toward the desolate ancient tomb on the cliff—Bleak Falls Barrow.
With the thick snow on the ground, the climb was incredibly difficult and prone to slipping.
The mountain itself felt significantly larger than it did in the game, much like the cities.
Finally reaching the entrance of the tomb, I found her already in the middle of a skirmish with the bandits guarding the door.