https://imgur.com/a/6JCD9tE
Visual characters Female Lead And Love Interest
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My name is Ahn Jungwo. I'm just an ordinary college student—very ordinary—who has one particular habit: escaping from the harsh reality of life by reading fantasy novels. Those novels are my refuge, a doorway into worlds untouched by heartbreak, homework, or money problems.
That day, I had just stepped out of the campus library. The afternoon air felt normal… until the screams of people shattered the calm.
"Look up!" someone shouted in panic.
I looked up… and my eyes widened. In the sky, gigantic steel pipes were falling out of nowhere. Not rain, not meteors—steel pipes, plummeting at a deadly speed.
In the middle of all the chaos, I could only smile bitterly. Well… it's not like I have anyone left in this world anyway.
BOOM!!!
One of the pipes smashed into the ground right in front of me. The explosion was deafening. Dust and debris filled the air as my body was thrown back. Blood trickled down my face, and somewhere in the distance I could faintly hear police sirens and an ambulance. My breathing grew heavier… my eyelids started to close.
But… before everything went completely dark, the sky turned into a massive blue screen.
[Do you wish to accept this System?]
With the last of my strength, I wished for one thing—that pressing "Yes" would let me be reborn in another world. My trembling hand reached out, pressed "Yes"… and everything faded away.
"Cold… so this is what death feels like…" I whispered faintly.
But then, the sound of dripping water reached my ears. Drip… drip… drip…
My body felt damp, as though I was lying in a shallow pool. Slowly, I opened my eyes. Above me, a rocky ceiling loomed, with water dripping down into a pool below.
"Where… am I? Why does it feel like I'm in a cave? I was just on the road…"
I looked around—only wet rocks, damp air, and puddles. But what really shocked me… I was wearing heavy armor over a noblewoman's gown.
"Eh? Why am I wearing both noble clothes and armor?"
I looked down… and realized my chest felt heavy. Something was protruding under the breastplate. Panic set in instantly.
"No way… don't tell me…"
My face flushed hot as I grabbed my head.
"Why the hell did I reincarnate as a woman?! Aaaahhhhhh!!"
For a few seconds, I just wanted to faint. But then, in the reflection of the water, I saw her—long white hair, sparkling pink eyes, fair skin, and delicate lips.
"Well… at least she's gorgeous… hahaha… hah… damn it."
Before I could process it all, the blue screen appeared before me again.
[Welcome, Celestienne Aurelith.]
I froze. Celestienne Aurelith? That's… my name now?
The screen changed.
[Survive the Forest of Death. Eliminate all monsters within. Claim your initial reward upon success. Accept this challenge?]
"The Forest of Death…?" I muttered. Wasn't that the place even the strongest knights avoided?
Before I could press "Yes," my head was suddenly flooded with memories belonging to Celestienne.
"I… am Celestienne Aurelith, princess of the Ironvale continent. But… I was abandoned by my own father for being useless, valued only for my beauty." My breathing quickened. "And this body… can't even use mana…"
I clenched my fist. "Then this is my chance to prove I'm not that weak."
I pressed "Yes."
[Congratulations! Initial Gift: Mana Circle | Magic Skill – 4 Different Elements.]
My jaw dropped. "Four elements at once? So… I'm an Archmage, right?"
["Correct, Master. You are an Archmage."]
"Alright, System. Explain this world and the mana circle ranks."
The system explained in detail: two continents—Ironvale, full of mages, and Elarion, ruled by knights. Magic ranked from the 1st Circle (novice) to the 10th Circle (true god).
I took a deep breath. "Got it… time to get out of this cave."
But as soon as I stepped outside, a stupid goblin was there to greet me with an ugly screech. My hand shot up instinctively.
"Fire—Fireball!"
A blazing orb shot forward, roasting the goblin instantly.
"Ha… lucky it was just a goblin."
I kept hunting the low-level monsters around the cave. My mana ran out quickly, but I managed to secure the cave as a resting place.
[Congratulations! Level Up: 1 → 30.]
Panting, I asked, "Hey, System, how long would it take to wipe out all the monsters here?"
["Estimated: 1,200 years."]
"…WHAT?!"
["Yes, Master. Please keep up the good work."]
I collapsed on the spot.
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300 years later
In the same cave, I—Celestienne—had changed. My gaze was cold, my aura sharp enough to shake the air.
"Damn… only halfway done… 300 years and it's still not enough?! Arrgghh…"
["Ding! You have broken through to the 15th Circle. Level up: 1,200 → 2,300. Approaching the limit of the gods."]
"Shut up! Change your notification sound. Make it 'tut tut tut' instead."
Suddenly, the sound of horses approached. I shot forward, trees falling in my wake from the sheer speed. Through the dust, I saw a convoy of horse-drawn carriages guarded by mercenaries.
They stared at me in shock.
"This is the first time I've seen a human come out of the Forest of Death…" said a noblewoman from inside the carriage.
The dust cleared, revealing me—my clothes torn at the side, my long white hair flowing freely. Everyone fell silent, captivated.
"My name is Celestienne Aurelith, princess of Ironvale."
An uproar broke out. Everyone knew that princess had been declared dead centuries ago.
Before anyone could respond, a massive serpent-dragon emerged from behind. The mercenaries panicked.
I only gave a faint smile. "Magic—Lightning Sword."
Lightning flashed, slicing through the monster's neck. Silence fell. They stared at me as if I were a living legend.
In the end, I agreed to travel with them until we reached the forest's exit. When we parted, the mercenary leader whispered a name to me: "Rowan Creed." I simply smiled.
Seeing the light beyond the trees, I chuckled. Finally… the outside world. Back in middle school, I could only dream of this.
But my mission wasn't over. I turned back into the forest, hunting the remaining monsters… ready to wait out the 1,200 years if I had to. Still smiling.
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Chapter 1 Completed