Chapter 1: There is no time to prepare

Unfortunate events happen without any time to prepare for them.

Traffic accidents involving loved ones, incurable diseases that appear like a death sentence one day, or being abruptly laid off from a job you devoted your life to.

How can one prepare for such calamities, which are akin to natural disasters? The best we can do is accept the facts as they are.

Yes.

Just like I accepted the fact that I entered the world of a romance fantasy game.

“…Sigh.”

At first, I thought I had a mental illness that made me unable to distinguish between reality and dreams. Or perhaps I had unknowingly taken a drug that caused strong hallucinations. I denied reality, considering numerous reasons.

But it has already been three months since then. Now, I had no choice but to accept that this place is not a dream or an illusion but a real world.

Of course, it’s also the world inside a game.

‘I suppose you could call it possession.’

I don’t remember the reason or the process of being possessed. It just happened suddenly one day. I fell asleep after enjoying a game with my body tired from part-time work, and when I woke up, it was the world of that game.

What happened to my original body?

Did I die just like that?

I didn’t have much attachment. I had no parents, and the closest relationship I had was with a childhood friend. Still, losing my original body so suddenly left me feeling empty.

After a short sigh, I looked at the mirror placed next to the bed.

Soft, pure white hair neatly flowing down without a single strand out of place, light blue eyes as clear as the sea, pale white and smooth skin, and cherry-colored lips at the end.

Yes, you can tell from the description, these were not characteristics a man would typically have.

“Why did I possess a woman….”

I became a woman.

To be precise, I became a noble lady.

When I first saw the mirror, I couldn’t help but scream. The body parts that had been with me for 20 years were gone, and two budding breasts were there.

Maybe because female hormones were flowing, my mentality seemed to change to a more feminine one, and I felt a sense of depression from the sudden change in my body.

Perhaps because I was out of my mind, the three months passed very quickly.

Although I accepted the reality of being possessed, I still haven’t adapted to the fact that I would live my life as a woman. Having lived as a man for 20 years, it would be hard to accept a woman’s life in just a few days.

However, I managed to grasp enough information about the world and who I am over the past three months. You could say it’s the result of diligently studying while confined to my room.

The shocking and surprising fact I discovered through reading newspapers and asking the maid various questions.

This is the world of [Princess Raising Simulation], a game I once played.

I became suspicious because the names of the emperor and several powerful figures all matched the characters in the game, and I was convinced when I found out that the name of the empire I was living in was Solatis.

You might wonder why a guy would play such a game. But it was a hit in the online gaming community.

The freedom level was quite high, and there were many positive reviews because the illustrations of the female characters and male leads were excellent. Of course, if I knew I would be possessed like this, I would have done it and run away immediately….

Anyway, this is the world of the game. And the owner of the body I possessed is an NPC named Tina Blanc.

Tina Blanc was the only daughter of the Blanc Baron, who was in crisis on the brink of ruin. In the game, she was just a good-looking NPC extra, a minor character who ended with a few meaningless lines.

“Is it fortunate to be a noble even if you’re a fallen noble….”

I didn’t want to imagine being possessed as a commoner in a society where just meeting the eyes of a noble could get your head chopped off. Personally, I was trying to think positively, except for the fact that I was possessed as a woman.

I sighed briefly and looked back at the mirror.

“She’s pretty….”

I murmured involuntarily at the beauty that made me admire. Since it had already happened, I decided to think positively about it. If I had to be possessed, it would be better to be on the pretty side.

Tina Blanc was also a pretty NPC in the game. Even compared to the main characters, her appearance was outstanding, and her unusual white hair accentuated her charm even more.

Of course, like an NPC, she had no other charm. Setting aside her quiet personality and love for books, there was no outstanding charm that would make players talk about her, but it was certain that her appearance alone was outstanding.

Finally, I sighed deeply and let out all the complex emotions. Whatever happens, I will live Tina Blanc’s life from now on. This was the only thing I could accept with my skin for the next three months.

“Now I have to think about it.”

I sat at the desk, unfolded a piece of paper, and took out a fountain pen. I listed the game knowledge that came to mind in chronological order and thought about what I needed to do next.

One fortunate thing was that I had seen the ending of this game several times. I am quite knowledgeable about the world.

[Princess Raising Simulation] had various genres. There were combat aspects, strategic elements to expand influence and conquer land, and if you didn’t like that, you could proceed in a romantic way, taking love stories with the characters around you and completing them.

Although there were various elements, ultimately, it was about the growth of the female protagonist.

This game started by choosing one of two protagonists. Considering the title [Princess Raising Simulation], you might think that the princess of a kingdom is the protagonist, but that’s not true.

Even thinking about it again, I don’t know why the game is called Princess Raising Simulation.

Viviana Merdellia.

The beloved daughter of the Merdellia Duchy, one of the four major dukes of the empire. She was a protagonist who could shoot a genre like a coward thanks to her strong backing from her wealthy family, the hidden influence within it, and her monstrous stats.

If there was a downside, it was that she often fell into corruption and could easily end up with a bad ending.

The name of the remaining female protagonist is Lilian Eldoria.

Since her family had fallen, all she had left was her name, and she was actually an intermediate priestess living in a temple. Compared to Viviana, she had a much more humble background, but Lilian would eventually be chosen as a saint of the goddess.

She could play a convenient game as a character loved by the world, and if she chose her options well, she could become the Empress and rule the empire.

“Unlike me, they are very strong….!

Some of them are daughters of a declining family.

Well, I’ll regret being a newcomer later. Let’s get back to the main point.

Of course, as a game, there were naturally villainous forces. There was the Kaladwen Kingdom, which was hostile to the empire, and the corrupt Goddess’ sect, which believed in a non-existent demon.

What should I do in such a world?

Well, what should I do.

I’m in a hurry to save my life right now.

Taking a deep breath, she drew a line on the parchment. Just looking at the protagonist’s specs was enough to tell that this story wasn’t one where the daughter of a declining Baroness could thrive.

This world was never easy.

It wasn’t like other possession novels where you could become powerful just by taking a potion, or start by bringing one business idea from South Korea like in some fantasy novels.

Even if a business succeeded, it would eventually be taken away, constrained by powerful merchants.

One could only grow through consistent and diligent effort, choosing the right path among countless options to reach a happy ending.

This was a heavy story for someone like me, who had never been diligent and had built walls around myself. If I had been a diligent person in life, I wouldn’t have given up on this game so easily.

In a way, it might have been right for me to possessed into Tina. It made sense for a supporting character to possessed into a supporting character.

Well, it’s not completely hopeless.

I know the flow of the game, so if I try to recall my knowledge from my past life, there should be things that can help. I may not be able to make a fortune, but with this information, I should at least be able to get by.

In fact, that’s all I want. I don’t have the drive to work bone-crushingly hard for success; I just want to live comfortably with easy money.

I guess I want to live an ordinary life as an unemployed person.

As for the villains or the story’s progress… I trusted that the two protagonists would handle it well.

But I couldn’t do anything on my own. It goes without saying, but I’m just an ordinary person. Even if I know information about the future, it would be useless in the hands of someone like me.

I needed an ally who could help me, someone who could make use of my knowledge to improve their skills.

There was one person who came to mind immediately. I needed her help for my peaceful unemployed life.

Knock knock—

“Miss, may I come in?”

As I was deeply lost in thought, the voice from outside the door snapped me out of my reverie. I cleared my throat and calmly responded.

“Come in.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the door opened abruptly, revealing a mature woman with brown hair. Her name was surely Renihel. This woman, who looked much older than me, had served the Blanc Baroness for 15 years, even though it was a declining family.

Even though it was a declining family, it seemed that there was still enough money left for the funeral.

“The Baroness requests your presence, Miss.”

I blinked dumbly for a moment at Renihel’s words.

“Speak of the devil.”

I hadn’t seen her separately for three months, and she happened to call me now. Was this also a coincidence?

Well, whatever the case, it worked out well. I had just thought I needed to find her soon.

She was the person I had mentioned earlier. An essential ally for my unemployed life. She was superior to me in many ways, strong, and generally impressive.

“Tell her right now.”

It was the first time in three months that she would have to face the existence of her mother.