Do you believe in destiny, darling readers?
I do.
Mostly because a glowing, half-naked goddess literally poked my forehead and said, "Yuri, go to that strange world and kill the chosen king or you'll never find true love."
Romantic, right?
Yeah, I almost laughed in her face too. Almost.
Anyway—hi. My name is Yuri Arisaka, former third-year college student, professional gamer of questionable habits, and currently the most fabulous transfer-heroine this world will ever see.
And before you ask: yes, I died too. Boring story. Bus accident. Sad music. Lots of white light. Boom—new body, better chest size.
(You may applaud. I'll wait.)
Tonight, I'm in the Northern Kingdom of Baraburth, home of chilly winds, hot drinks, and knights who apparently never learned how to flirt properly.
My mission? To gather a party of powerful cuties who will help me fulfill the "stab that mysterious king" prophecy and look good while doing it.
Multitasking is the spice of life, darling.
I already have one companion:
Selene, a magician so gorgeous she could make a glacier melt with a wink.
And yes, before you squeal, she is totally into girls.
Before you squeal louder, I'm totally not telling you how I know.
(Use your imagination. Heehee.)
Selene and I are currently in a shady little adventurer's hub, a place that smells like roasted meat, damp armor, and questionable life choices.
The wooden beams creak overhead. Candlelight flickers across maps of monster-infested forests.
Perfect spot for romance… or recruitment.
I lean on the counter, giving the room my best "mysterious beauty" smile.
"Alright, Selene. Who's next on our list of sexy murder friends?"
She pushes her silver hair back and scans the crowd.
"There," she says softly, pointing at a lone figure sitting in the corner.
Tall. Muscular. Drinking something that's definitely not milk.
"He's called Kael. A swordsman. Fast. Deadly. And very, very stubborn."
"Ooooh," I purr. "My favorite flavor."
Approaching Kael is like walking into a wall of danger.
He's all black leather, scarred arms, and eyes like a thunderstorm.
When I slide into the seat across from him, he barely looks up.
"What do you want?" His voice is a low growl.
I flash my sweetest smile.
"To offer you a job. Good pay. Great benefits. Occasional opportunities to stab destiny itself."
Kael raises an eyebrow. "And why would I trust a random girl with… sparkles?"
(Sparkles = my magic aura. Don't judge.)
"Because," I say, leaning forward just enough for my robe to, ahem, emphasize certain strategic curves,
"if you say no, I'll just follow you everywhere until you say yes. And I can be very annoying."
Selene coughs into her sleeve.
Kael stares.
Then he smirks.
"Prove you're worth following."
Ah. The classic 'fight me to impress me' routine.
Boys and their fragile egos, am I right?
The duel happens outside the hub under a sky smeared with violet clouds.
A ring of drunk adventurers gathers around, cheering like it's festival night.
Kael draws his blade in one smooth motion—shiny, sharp, and humming with enchantment.
I draw… my staff.
And a mischievous grin.
The fight begins with a rush of wind.
Kael lunges, blade flashing.
I twirl away, skirts spinning, magic sigils blooming in the air like neon roses.
"Flirt Bolt!" I shout.
(Okay, the spell is actually called Lightning Lance, but my name is cuter.)
Sparks crackle. Kael blocks with a grunt, skidding back a step.
Selene adds a quick frost barrier, chilling the ground beneath his boots.
He counters with a slicing arc of steel, the blade singing past my cheek.
Ooooh. Close enough to make my heart—and maybe other things—tingle.
I laugh and wink at the nearest drunk spectator.
"Don't worry, sweetie, I'm totally fine. Mostly."
Kael narrows his storm-gray eyes.
"You're reckless."
"You're slow," I tease, spinning my staff.
"Maybe if you trained less and flirted more you'd be faster."
He charges again, this time feinting left and cutting upward.
Smart.
But not smart enough.
I drop a blinding flash of holy light, forcing him to shield his eyes.
Before he recovers, I tap his chest with the staff tip.
A gentle spark of lightning pops like a firework.
"Boop," I say.
"Tag. You're mine."
The crowd erupts in cheers and drunken wolf-whistles.
Kael lowers his sword, panting, then—surprise—starts to laugh.
"Fine," he says, offering his hand. "You win, sparkles. I'll follow you."
Victory tastes like honey and adventure, darling readers.
Also maybe sweat. Mostly honey though.
Later, under the moonlight outside the city walls, the three of us walk along a cliff that overlooks the endless black forest below.
The night air smells of pine and danger.
Selene hums a quiet tune.
Kael trails behind, probably wondering what disaster he just signed up for.
I stop at the cliff's edge and let the silver moonlight kiss my skin.
Beautiful, isn't it?
The moon. The forest. The promise of destiny waiting out there like a hidden treasure chest.
But my heart isn't just beating for beauty.
It's beating for… him.
The goddess's voice echoes in my mind, soft as a lover's whisper.
"Seek the King of Shadows. He will rise in the center of the world.
You must end him before his kingdom consumes the light."
I don't know his name.
I don't know his face.
But somewhere beyond that dark forest, he exists.
My target.
My fate.
I close my eyes and speak softly, though the wind steals half my words.
"Whoever you are, mysterious king… listen well."
Then I turn to you, dear reader, and let a sly smile curl my lips.
"Don't blush, okay? This isn't love talk. Well… maybe a little. But mostly it's a warning."
I raise my staff toward the moon, letting silver sparks dance around my fingers.
"I'm coming for you.
The goddess told me to kill you…
but if you're cute, maybe I'll kiss you first."
Selene giggles behind me. Kael mutters something about dangerous women.
I blow a kiss into the night, just for you, my unknown king.
"Sleep well, darling.
Because Yuri Arisaka is on her way.
And when we meet…
it's going to be delicious."
The moonlight shivers on the cliff, the wind tastes of roses and battle, and somewhere in the distance, destiny laughs.