"What on earth is going on?!"
In a dark and damp alleyway, a girl with long black hair was crouching on the ground, clutching her head and letting out a near-breakdown wail.
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand. She had just gone to the convenience store to buy something like usual, so how did she end up thrown into this suspected parallel world the moment she opened her eyes?
No truck collision, no hero summoning, not even a proper ritual—with just a single blink, her life had been completely reset.
After a long while, the girl's agitated emotions finally began to calm down. She slumped her shoulders weakly and whispered, "This really sucks."
The current situation was more than just bad, she had absolutely nothing. No, strictly speaking, she wasn't truly empty-handed. In the right pocket of her standard high school uniform, she carried all her belongings. In her original world, this money would have been enough to live comfortably for a while, but here...
"Currency... as expected, it's different."
The girl's fingertips pinched an unfamiliar coin with serrated edges and a cross engraved on it, letting out a deep sigh.
This girl in distress was named Subaru Natsuki, and by any standard, she could be considered a beautiful girl.
Her well-proportioned figure was accentuated by her height of 168cm, a result of her long-term commitment to yoga and exercise.
Her eyes, which were originally spirited, and full of vitality, had lost their former luster due to this sudden turn of events, leaving only confusion and unease.
Recalling the embarrassing scene she had caused on the street earlier due to her lack of local common sense, she couldn't help but curl her toes in embarrassment and complain in a low voice, "Even though I was summoned to another world, I have no magic and no special opportunities. Now I don't even know where I am."
It all felt like a vast and realistic nightmare. No matter how much she pinched herself or even lightly banged her head against the wall, she couldn't wake up.
Sighing, she cast her gaze toward the bustling main street outside the alley and continued her analysis, "It looks like a medieval style. I don't see any electrical appliances or machinery, but the craftsmanship seems quite mature."
Fortunately, after previous attempts, she found that there were no barriers to basic spoken communication with the locals, which was a small mercy among her misfortunes. However, the writing was a completely different matter.
Subaru touched her phone in her pocket, which was running low on battery, as well as the cup noodles and snacks she had bought from the convenience store—which now seemed incredibly ironic—and fell into a deeper silence.
"How is anyone supposed to survive like this?" Her heart sank further toward the bottom.
Just then, a clear voice rang out leisurely from above her left side. "At least you won't starve to death for now, right?"
Tsukasa hovered in mid-air, looking down with great interest at the girl who was almost about to cry a river.
At this moment, to fit the image he was role-playing, he had changed into a pure black Jujutsu High Uniform, his eyes wrapped in bandages, and a head of striking white messy hair.
As soon as Subaru looked up, a brilliant light instantly burst from her eyes.
She pointed at him excitedly and exclaimed, "Are you my servant?! So cool! You must be a Caster, right? Quick, call me Master!"
Looking at the girl lost in her fanatical imagination, the curve of Tsukasa's lips rose a bit more.
He chuckled and shattered her fantasy. "Regrettably, I have never participated in a Holy Grail War, nor am I anyone's servant. However, one thing is certain—I am here to help you."
Hearing this, Subaru's high spirits visibly dropped a little. But the word "help" made her subconsciously categorize the other party as a "bodyguard."
She asked tentatively with a hint of uncertainty, "Then... what skills do you have? Can you just go 'swish swish' and take down the Demon King so I can return to the modern world?"
Tsukasa performed a nimble flip in the air and replied leisurely, "That's probably not happening, but I can offer you advice and strategies."
At this moment, Tsukasa did not intend to reveal his identity as a transmigrator or his true strength. In his view, keeping some things hidden allowed him to maintain more initiative.
Smack!
Subaru's palm instantly slapped against her own forehead as she let out a helpless sigh, "What the heck, so you're just a Civil Official character? I got excited for nothing."
Seeing her so disappointed, Tsukasa smiled slightly and then added unhurriedly, "Furthermore, only you can see me. I am currently living inside your mind. Therefore, I will definitely help you with all my might."
"...Mind?"
"Yes, your mind."
"Is it the kind of 'mind' I'm thinking of?"
"Exactly, it's the kind of 'mind' you're thinking of."
Subaru's thoughts stalled for a moment, and massive confusion instantly washed away all her disappointment.
Living in her mind? Doesn't that mean... when she's bathing or using the toilet...
"Pe-Pervert!" Her cheeks instantly turned bright red as she shouted at the air.
"Hey, don't go labeling people so easily." Tsukasa immediately waved his hands.
Although theoretically he could, he wasn't that kind of person.
"Don't worry, when you're handling private matters, I'll consciously block my senses or step out."
Hearing this guarantee, Subaru breathed a sigh of relief. After all, even if she objected, she didn't seem to have any means to stop him. A promise was better than nothing.
Just then, she suddenly remembered something and abruptly looked up. "Right! I still don't know your name."
Tsukasa looked at her, leaning his body back slightly, and then responded with a rebellious smile on his face. "Listen well, my name is Tsukasa Tokito."
"Tsukasa..." Subaru repeated softly, then broke into a smile. "That's a very nice name. So, Tsukasa probably doesn't know my name yet, right?"
Saying this, she immediately stood up and puffed out her chest proudly, preparing to give a solemn self-introduction when—
"No, I know it." Tsukasa ruthlessly interrupted her performance. "Your name is Subaru Natsuki, right?"
"Eh?"
Subaru's head, which had just been held high, instantly tilted to the side. She suddenly lost all her strength and slowly sat back down with a look of utter despair.
Looking at the simple-minded girl before him, a trace of hesitation crossed Tsukasa's heart—was it really the right choice to hide his true strength?
But for now, he was certain of one thing: as long as Subaru encountered trouble, he would definitely lend a hand. After all, in a sense, their fates were already closely intertwined.
While he was lost in brief thought, Subaru turned her head slightly and asked in a soft voice, "So... what should we do now, Tsukasa?"