On the way home, a flower pot suddenly fell from above in a narrow alley. Friley, who felt something falling, immediately avoided it. While avoiding it, he closed his eyes and focused only on the falling pot. But when his focus returned, he realized that he was in the middle of nowhere. Tall buildings surrounded him, and then the narrow streets began to become crowded. Confused by what happened, Friley stepped forward and continued walking along the narrow path. The brown buildings were made of natural stone, but there was glass. "How could a location with such an ancient setting have mirrors?" thought Friley.
Friley continued to walk until she reached the city center. Suddenly, someone with a brown robe that covered her entire body came to greet Friley. Smiling, the man said, "This is not your world, go back!" Friley was suddenly shocked and experienced a small shock that made her wake up. But this time, Friley woke up in a different world. When she opened her eyes, the hot sun greeted her cornea. "Aww, what now?!" said Friley annoyed. Friley rubbed her eyes, then sat up. Then she tried to open her eyes. Surprised, because what she saw was a row of giant lizards.
Instead of being scared and screaming, Friley tried to look around to understand the situation. And sure enough, she was stranded in a foreign world again. Learning from the First World, Friley chose to sit still and wait. While waiting for what was not there, three old men approached Friley.
"Hello miss, what makes you think?" said man 1.
"Are you waiting for someone?" said man 2.
Friley heard them, and then a question crossed her mind. "Why can I understand what he said if I'm not from this world?" Friley asked himself. Man 3 approached and offered him a drink, "Drink this, you seem curious", "Ah, yes. Thank you." Friley took the bottle and drank it.
"Sir, if I... before, please take this seriously." Friley looked into the eyes of the three of them. The three uncles nodded. "Tell me, I came from a different world. Do you believe it?" Friley asked them. Hearing that, the uncles looked at each other. Then, the 3rd man began to ask something. "Miss, it seems like your soul is lost here. Do you remember the last thing you did in your world?"
"No, I'm afraid not," Friley replied. Shortly after answering Man 3's question, Friley began to feel very sleepy. Before falling asleep, Man 2 said, "You can come back if you're feeling rested, now go to bed and go home." Friley fell asleep. This time, she finally went home and woke up in her bed. However, for some reason, Friley became ill. Trying to think of a plausible explanation, Friley came to the conclusion that what she had experienced was real and that it was probably having a negative effect on her body. Feeling weak and unable to move or think, Friley went back to sleep for three days.
After three days of sleeping, Friley's body condition began to improve. She woke up and with her body still weak and lethargic, forced herself to take a shower. After taking a shower, Friley felt refreshed. As if forgetting what she had experienced, Friley only thought that it was good to go out for a walk while buying fever medicine at the nearest supermarket.
Friley got ready, she wore comfortable clothes with a small bag containing her wallet and money. Before going out, Friley put on her shoes weirdly, but as if she was preparing for something since she usually only wore sandals. Then Friley opened the door, and Friley's face turned into shock because what she saw was not the outside of her apartment.
As if in disbelief, Friley closed the door slowly, then prepared herself again to open the door. What she saw did not change. This time it was a hallway, like in a kingdom. After stepping out, the door to her apartment was closed, panicking Friley tried to open it again but couldn't.
With no other choice, Friley was forced to try to find out. The quiet and fresh alley felt like a forest. "Where is this?" asked Friley in her heart. Not far after walking, in front of her there was a shadow of a tall man. Without fear, Friley walked towards the man and the man seemed to be waiting for Friley.
"Hello, may I ask something?"The man responded with a friendly smile, "Yes, of course."As Friley got a better look at the tall man's face, she found herself mesmerized by his handsome features, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Ahem, I wanted to ask—where is this place?"Still smiling, the man replied with elegance, "Before I answer that, may I ask who you are, young lady? Your clothes don't seem to be from around here."Oops. He looked polite but clearly suspicious of Friley.
"Long story short, I'm not from this world. In fact, this is the third time I've been thrown into a different world. If I tell you that, would you believe me?"The man tilted his head slightly, as if thinking, then gestured for her to follow him into a room.
"Seems like we'll need to talk more. Please, come in—this is my study.""O-okay, thank you," Friley replied awkwardly.
Inside the room were many shelves, a desk cluttered with papers and books. The books looked old, unlike the ones from Friley's original world. In the middle was a sofa and a small table. The man pointed toward the sofa, silently inviting her to sit.
As he sat down, he asked, "Would you like tea or coffee?"Before Friley could answer, her stomach grumbled—she hadn't eaten in three days.
"Ahaha, perhaps we should eat before we talk," he said playfully.
The man sat in front of her and touched something that resembled a screen. Then, realizing something, he asked, "You can see this screen?""Y-yes..." Friley replied, astonished.
"Let me introduce myself—my name is Joseph. I'm a researcher at this school.""I'm Friley. It's nice to meet you, sir.""No need for 'sir.' You're not my student, so feel free to call me something else.""In that case... it's nice to meet you, brother Joseph."
Joseph smiled in satisfaction. Then, food was brought in by a strange creature resembling a human.
"Please, help yourself," Joseph offered. Without hesitation, Friley started eating.After the meal, the same creature returned and cleared their dishes. Friley's eyes were filled with wonder and confusion—it was as if she were seeing everything for the first time.
"It seems you weren't lying when you said you're not from this world," Joseph began. "Would you care to explain what happened?"
Friley began telling him everything, from the falling flowerpot incident up until now. Joseph was intrigued, especially about the people she had met—people who seemed to anticipate her arrival.
"Honestly, I've been so confused I forgot to feel scared or worried. None of this makes sense logically... but thank you for listening," Friley said with relief.
"Of course. By the way, you said you arrived here after opening the door from your apartment or house, right? Could you show me which door it was?""Of course," Friley replied.
They walked together to the door she had mentioned. When they arrived, Joseph looked surprised."What's wrong?" Friley asked, puzzled."It's nothing... it's just that this door hasn't been opened in 5,000 years," Joseph said, glancing at her.
Friley tried to open the door again. Click—it opened.Joseph immediately became alert, drawing a wand-like object. Friley ignored the strange wand and pushed the door open wider. To her shock, what she saw was... her own room.
Joseph stood stunned."Uhh, that's... that's my home," Friley explained.
"May I come in? I'd like to see it more closely," Joseph asked. Friley nodded.Before stepping through, Joseph chanted a spell to keep the door open. They entered together.
Friley stood still while Joseph walked around examining the room. Soon, the sound of many footsteps approached. A crowd of people gathered at the door, each with different expressions—anger, concern, unrest—and they looked ready to attack.Clearly, there had been a misunderstanding. Friley, aware of her vulnerability, panicked and shut the door.
Joseph rushed to the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. He was confused; the spell he used should've held. He turned to Friley and asked her to reopen it, assuring her he would protect her.Friley hesitated but agreed. When she opened the door again, the scene had changed—it was a new world.
Together, they watched the world outside shift instantly. Unlike the previous three, this world looked green and serene. But an elf-like figure appeared, radiating malicious intent. Though he said nothing, both Friley and Joseph knew that stepping out meant doom.Friley quickly shut the door and collapsed to the floor. Joseph sat beside her and calmly said,
"It's okay. Don't panic. We're safe in your house. Just rest."
Hearing his words, Friley slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.
While she rested, Joseph reviewed everything that had happened. He tried to find a way to return to his own world and came to a hypothesis: Friley might be the key. He considered using her door as a medium but remained unsure, since the first incident didn't happen while she was inside—the flowerpot seemed to target her from the start.
Still, he had to try. He waited for Friley to wake. Two hours later, she stirred. Joseph handed her a glass of water and gently said,
"Friley, I have a hypothesis I want to test. I want to go back to my world. Will you help me?""..." Friley didn't know how to respond."I promise to uncover this mystery and help you return to your world, too. And I'll keep my promise to protect you. What do you say?"
Friley nodded, though still unsure. Joseph was the only one she could rely on right now. He explained:
"My world is called Asea, where magic is a part of daily life. It's a prosperous place, home to humans and other races. Though there were once wars, we now live in peace. The school you visited symbolizes that peace."
Friley tried to picture the world as Joseph described it. Then, he brought her back to the door.
"Friley, try opening the door again—imagine Asea as I explained it. Take your time. When you're ready, open the door."
Friley calmed her nerves and focused, remembering Joseph's words. As she grasped the handle, she whispered the name, "Asea," and opened the door.
They were both shocked—it worked. Outside, many guards stood ready but were quickly dismissed by Joseph. He walked over to an elderly man with a long beard and explained the situation. The man nodded and signaled everyone to leave.
Standing by the threshold, the man approached Friley."Hello, sweet young lady. I am the head of this academy—my name is Gabriel. Would you come and speak with us?"
Friley looked at Joseph, who gave her a reassuring nod. She agreed, and the three of them walked into a room—Gabriel's office.
They sat down, offered snacks and drinks. Joseph recounted everything again. Gabriel nodded slowly, listening, while Friley quietly enjoyed her food.
"Hmmm, this has never happened before," said Gabriel."What do you mean, sir?" Friley asked."There have been cases of people arriving from other worlds—but never someone who could travel between them multiple times like you."
Still chewing, Friley simply stared, her mind overwhelmed."Hahaha, you must be tired after everything. Why don't you stay here for a while?""I don't have money to survive here..."
"What if you became my assistant? You could live in one of my houses," Joseph offered."Why?" Friley asked, still wary. She could try to return home herself, after all.
"Your case is fascinating. To an academic like me, there's no greater challenge than solving a mystery. If I can find a pattern to this world-hopping, it could help you too.""What if I can just return home like I did earlier?" she asked, trying to avoid staying in an unfamiliar world.
"Then let's do a test. I'll wait outside the door for thirty minutes. If you return home, I won't ask again. But if you don't, you stay here—just until we solve this." Gabriel added,"We're not asking you to stay forever. Just until the problem is solved."
Friley agreed. They returned to the door. Joseph and Gabriel waited outside with a sand timer. Friley began.
She closed the door and imagined Earth—the world she knew. On her first try, she ended up in a city like the second world. She tried again. On the second try, she returned to the elf world.
The same elf stood at the doorway, now more relaxed. As Friley started to close the door, he interrupted,"Wait."
Surprised, she paused."You're not a spy sent by the Srynga Kingdom, are you?""...Huh?""Hmm... seems like you're not. My apologies for being rude earlier."
Stunned, Friley tried closing the door again."Hold on—I'm not done speaking," the elf said."I am," Friley replied, trying to escape."Earth," the elf said.
Shocked, Friley asked, "How do you know that?""Elves live for thousands of years. Of course, we know about other worlds.""...""So? Want to talk?""Are you going to attack me?" Friley asked, seeking assurance."Of course not. Our races agreed long ago to stop fighting.""Huh? Again?"
Though still unsure, Friley stepped out. Outside, a group of elves had gathered—but instead of fear, she felt calm. They didn't seem hostile, and their beauty was ethereal.
An elder elf approached. "Welcome, chosen human.""Chosen?""Yes."
The elder introduced himself as Elgrad, and the elf from the door as Elfriy. They welcomed her warmly and served her their traditional food.
Friley asked what "chosen" meant, but Elgrad refused to explain."You'll understand in time. It's not our place to explain."
Annoyed, Friley said, "I've given you my time while I'm busy, and you won't even explain?"
"The explanation is long, but we can tell you something else," Elfriy said gently.
Friley explained her story again. Listening carefully, Elgrad replied,"Hohoho, your hypothesis is nearly correct. But based on your story, in the first and second transfers, only your soul moved."Friley gasped. "So that man was right—my soul was lost... but now my body?"
Elgrad nodded. "We can't fully explain it, but yes, the first two times, only your soul traveled. Then it returned to your body, causing shock."Elfriy added, "It's best if you work with the people of Asea. They're known for their academic prowess.""You know them?" Friley asked.
Before they could answer, another elf brought out a map—one that showed many worlds. Friley spotted Earth on it.
Seeing her reaction, Elfriy said, "I wasn't lying—we know Earth exists."
"..."
"This map has existed for a long time. We couldn't prove it... until you arrived.""So how did you know I'm from Earth?"
Elfriy pointed to a frame near the door—it matched Friley's front door exactly.
Friley, confused, asked for an explanation.
Elgrad then explained that the frame had existed for a long time, though no one knew exactly when it first appeared. However, the documents they possessed did explain its purpose. A prophecy included in the records mentioned that one day, a human from Earth would emerge from it.
"If the prophecy says a human from Earth will appear, then why did you assume I was an enemy?" Friley asked.
"Ehh, that was a misunderstanding," Elgrad admitted. "The last time someone appeared from the frame, it turned out to be a spy from a neighboring kingdom."
Elgrad went on to clarify, "According to the documents, the frame can also function as a portal. The prophecy is just one part of it. We apologize for the confusion."
Hearing the elder's apology, Friley let out a relieved sigh and turned her gaze back to the frame.
"So, what do you want from me?" she asked.
"If you're willing, we can help you find a way to return to Earth."
"?"
"It's not easy to return to Earth," Elgrad continued. "Right now, the waves surrounding Earth are unstable, making it difficult to create a safe passage back."
"So that's the reason…" Friley murmured.
Silence fell again after the elves' explanation. Friley tried to process everything she had learned, but something still didn't sit right with her.
"Why do you want to help me?" she asked.
Elgrad replied, "We haven't explained the full prophecy. It says that when a human from Earth appears, the elves must assist them. We don't fully understand the meaning, but the prophecy itself isn't seen as good news."
Friley thought about her situation: being thrown into another world, people instantly recognizing she wasn't from their realm, how she had broken Joseph's spell despite being just an ordinary human, the chaotic waves preventing her return, and now these elves with their deep knowledge. After considering it all, she accepted their offer and prepared to return to Asea.
Before she left, Elgrad told Friley the name of their world—Agra Forest—so she would be able to return again. Friley said goodbye and stepped back into the house. Already familiar with how things worked, she calmly imagined Asea and opened the door.
Outside, Joseph and Gabriel were still waiting. Their faces lit up with relief when they saw Friley return. She explained everything that had happened to them.
"If the noble elves have offered their aid," Gabriel said, "then Joseph shall be our representative to assist you."
"It seems you're not just an assistant anymore," he added with a chuckle. "But maybe we should drop the title altogether. Friley needs a stronger position to stay here."
"Very well," Friley responded. "I accept your offer. Thank you again."
After their conversation, Friley was brought to Joseph's house. It turned out he was quite well-off, owning several properties left by his parents.
Thus, Friley's journey to return to Earth began. Would she ever make it back, or was something far greater awaiting her in this world? Friley didn't want to think about it for now. After taking in so much information and meeting so many new people, all she wanted was to rest.
Friley would be staying in her new house provided by Joseph. If she stayed in her original house, there was a high chance she would be thrown into a different world again. Meanwhile, Friley needed to find a way to return.
Not far from her house, Friley spotted the sea. Before going to sleep, she decided to go see it and get some fresh air at night. She put on her jacket and stepped out of the house. When she arrived at the beach, she sat on the sand and stared blankly at the vast ocean.
In the distance, a man was working. He worked at a restaurant not far from the beach. After finishing his shift, he decided to rest on the beach. While there, he noticed Friley sitting alone. Concerned to see a girl by herself, he approached her.
"Hello," he greeted gently. Friley was startled by the sudden greeting in the middle of her daze. Awkwardly, she replied, "Oh, hi."
"Are you alone?"
"Umm..."
"Your face looks unfamiliar. Are you a tourist here?"
Friley looked at the man with a blank expression. In her mind, she thought he was kind of annoying. But she couldn't chase him away—it would seem rude.
"Something like that..." she replied indifferently.
Smiling, the man turned his gaze back to the sea. They were silent for a while, then he spoke again.
"Do you see that over there?" he said, pointing northeast from where they sat.
Friley followed his finger and squinted to see what he was pointing at.
"Back during the war, that place was used as a hiding spot for civilians. There's an underground passage that leads to a garden."
"A garden?"
"Yeah. And it's a beautiful garden. Unfortunately, after the war, the island was closed off."
"Why?"
"Although it looks beautiful, the garden is full of mystery. A child once went missing there. When we were hiding in that place, it felt like the garden itself was hiding us even more."
"Interesting."
Hearing Friley's curt response, the man laughed lightly. "Hahaha, that's your response?"
Feeling a little guilty, Friley said, "Umm, sorry. I have a hard time empathizing with strangers."
The man just smiled and didn't respond further. Seeing his smile, Friley recalled how, during the journey from the school to her new house, she and Joseph had been greeted by the locals with the same kind of smile. Finding it odd, she asked, "Do people here smile a lot?"
Surprised by her question, the man nodded.
"Our race is the Krisan. Since childhood, we've been taught to always smile."
"Like, smiling brings happiness to those around you and has a good effect on yourself?"
"Exactly. Wow... you guessed that right."
In her heart, Friley muttered, of course I could. Typical friendly people, easy to blend in with society. Changing the topic, she returned to her curiosity about the island he had pointed to earlier.
"By the way, what happens if you go to that island?"
"Nothing really. Even though it's closed, there's no actual ban on going there. It's just that if you do, you have to be prepared to bear the risks yourself."
Their conversation went on for a while. Once Friley felt satisfied and started to feel sleepy, she decided to go home. They said goodbye and returned to their respective houses. As soon as she got home, Friley went straight to bed.
In her sleep, she had a nightmare. She saw the town she was currently living in engulfed in flames. Friley tried to escape and ended up encountering the man from the beach. He was trapped under a large wooden beam. Wanting to save him, Friley rushed to lift the beam. Suddenly, a black shadow appeared and looked directly at her. It grabbed her neck and asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Friley struggled to free herself, and just as it felt like she was about to die, she jolted awake. Her heart was pounding, and she experienced a panic attack. She tried to calm herself by tapping her chest and hugging herself. She repeated the motion until she felt calm again. Once she was steady, she lay back down and saw through the window that morning had arrived.
"Ugh, bad dream... damn it," Friley muttered.
She immediately got up and showered, hoping to shake off the effects of the nightmare and feel refreshed again.
She then sat in the kitchen while eating her breakfast and drinking a glass of chocolate milk. Lost in thought, she mulled over the nightmare she had on her first day in a new world. Definitely not a good sign. Friley wasn't the type to believe in dreams. Back on Earth, she always considered nightmares as nothing more than demonic disturbances that would go away with prayer. But now that she wasn't on Earth, the nightmare seemed like a warning—an omen that something unpleasant was about to happen.
Even so, a dream is just a dream, Friley told herself. It's not good to overthink something so rooted in imagination. Rather than dwell on it, Friley decided to explore the area and get to know her new city. There were many interesting spots she saw yesterday on her way home. After finishing her breakfast, Friley went outside for a walk. She started with a magic shop. Magic was just fantasy on Earth, but here, it was real.
At the magic shop, she met the shopkeeper, a man in his 40s. The uncle greeted her, "Hello young lady, what are you looking for?"
"I'd like to just look around for now," Friley replied.
"Of course, go ahead."
The uncle's name was Skolm. He had the appearance of a wise, well-read man. Friley strolled through the shop, browsing. Uncle Skolm observed her face and suddenly remembered something.
"Ah, you're the one Joseph brought yesterday?"
"Yes."
"No wonder I thought I'd seen you before. So, did anything catch your eye?"
"Um, I'd like to buy something, but I'm not familiar with magic."
"Hmm, because you're not from this world?" Uncle Skolm looked at Friley, and she nodded.
"But… you have magic potential," said Uncle Skolm. Hearing that, Friley suddenly felt excited and hopeful.
"Is there a tool I can use, uncle?" she asked enthusiastically.
"Hahaha, of course. Come here."
Friley followed him to a shelf lined with rings. The rings had the same function but different designs and powers. They were used as mediums to harness natural elements like wind, water, fire, and so on. Friley quickly picked one with a butterfly wing motif. Without instruction, she imagined a gentle breeze and directed it at herself.
Fyuhhh!—a soft breeze flowed out, refreshing and delightful. Lost in her joy, Friley didn't notice Uncle Skolm standing still, surprised. It was the first time he'd seen someone control a ring on the first try. He chuckled, amazed by her natural talent.
"You can have that ring for free," said Uncle Skolm.
"Really? Wahhh, thank you, uncle!" Friley replied happily.
"But next time, you'll have to pay," he added.
"Mmmh!" Friley nodded eagerly.
Before she left, Uncle Skolm reminded Friley not to use the ring for anything evil. She agreed and promised. As she walked away, occasionally glancing at the ring, Friley caught the scent of food from a nearby snack shop. The breeze carried the aroma to her nose, tempting her to buy something. Curious about the local food in Asea, she bought some with the allowance Joseph had given her.
After walking around and getting to know the locals, Friley ran into Joseph in front of a café. Joseph glanced at her and teased,
"Looks like someone blended in quickly."
Embarrassed by her silly behavior and the food in her hands, Friley blushed. Joseph just laughed and invited her to sit at the café. There, Friley shared everything: her night walk to the beach and meeting a strange man, getting a ring from Uncle Skolm that morning, and the friendliness of the locals. She talked like a child chatting to a parent. Joseph interrupted,
"Your parents would be happy to hear your stories if you ever return to Earth."
Friley's smile slowly faded upon hearing that. Sensing the change, Joseph felt awkward and tried to fix it, "Uh, haha, sorry. You must miss your parents."
Calmly, Friley said, "No, that's not it. My parents were never really interested in my stories." Hearing that, Joseph felt guilty. Friley's previously cheerful mood returned to her usual calm and quiet self. In the middle of that awkwardness, the man Friley had met at the beach suddenly showed up.
"Ah, you're the girl from last night at the beach?"
"Oh, the guy who randomly started talking," Friley replied flatly.
"So, you're acquainted with the professor?" After a moment's thought, the man added, "You're the one who came through that door?"
Both Joseph and Friley nodded in unison. The man then sat with them. In her mind, Friley thought this guy didn't know the meaning of personal space.
"Oh right, we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Rudy, a final-year student at the academy. And the professor's favorite student."
"Since when?" Joseph quickly snapped.
Seeing Joseph's expression, Friley let out a small laugh. "Hahaha, so Joseph can make other expressions."
Seeing Friley smile again made Joseph feel relieved. He silently promised not to bring up family topics again and to wait for Friley to open up on her own. Their conversation continued until late afternoon. Before parting, Rudy asked Friley, "Hey, do you want to head out with me tomorrow?"
Joseph chimed in, "Ah, right. You're starting tomorrow, Friley."
Friley didn't look pleased—she'd spent the day exploring and had forgotten she accepted a position as Joseph's assistant, meaning she had to work.
"Ehh, okay," Friley answered with clear disappointment.
"Puftt hahahaha, Friley, were you just disappointed about having to go to the academy?" Rudy teased.
"No," Friley denied.
"Alright then, Rudy, please accompany and guide Friley to the academy until she learns the way. I have other things to take care of. See you tomorrow." Joseph left right after giving Rudy the task.
"Alright, I'll come get you tomorrow. Don't forget," Rudy said before they parted, still teasing Friley.
Annoyed by his teasing, Friley tried to kick him but missed. After Rudy left, Friley went home to rest and prepare for her first day of work. While walking, she looked up at the sky and slightly regretted her decision. She should've just freeloaded off Joseph, but nothing comes free.