My stomach was growling.
After physical training that made me want to reincarnate as a houseplant, I finally realized one thing: I hadn't eaten at all since yesterday. Amazing, right? From corporate slave to royal slave, and now I've become a slave to hunger.
I slowly walked in the direction a soldier pointed me to, heading toward the trainees' dining hall. The building was simple, like a large wooden lodge with long tables and benches made from logs. The smell... was somewhat inviting, and somewhat concerning.
As I sat down, the food was served. There was some kind of gray-colored porridge (I'm not kidding), a piece of meat that looked like... something that used to be alive, and a glass of water that was slightly... murky.
I stared at my plate.
"Okay Aria, you've eaten expired instant noodles before. You can do this."
With determination—and a few tears—I tasted the porridge. The taste?
Like… rice that forgot its identity.
Then I tried the meat. The first bite felt... chewy. Like biting into a boiled pencil eraser.
"Ahahaha… so this is what life in another world tastes like? Not food with buffs and healing effects... but food with trauma."
A soldier next to me glanced over and chuckled.
"New here? It's always like this at first. But after a week, your tongue goes numb and everything starts to taste fine."
"Wow," I replied, exhausted. "That's not reassuring at all."
"Think of it as training too. For your tongue."
I let out a weak laugh and kept eating. In the midst of weird tastes and fading hope, at least… I wasn't alone. Maybe—just maybe—I could survive this place.
Morning came again… unfortunately, so did the reality that I was still in this world.
The sun shone through the small window in my room—though honestly, it looked more like a ventilation hole than a window. I got up with sore muscles, a mildly rebellious stomach (thanks, porridge trauma), and a thinning mental state.
I showered as fast as I could (because the water was freezing), then put on my soldier uniform: rough fabric clothes and heavy boots that made me feel like I had two bricks strapped to my feet.
Walking to the training field felt like walking to my execution.
The other trainees were already gathered. The commander stood with arms crossed and the usual sharp gaze. As soon as I arrived, his eyes immediately locked onto me.
"Aria! You actually showed up. I thought you'd quit."
Believe me, I considered running away, I thought. But of course, I just gave a strained smile and stood straight... though my knees were trembling a little.
"Today, we'll have physical training and horseback riding. Also, we'll check on everyone's progress."
I glanced toward the stables. The large horses stared back at me with empty eyes. One even looked like it was smirking. Either I was hallucinating, or these horses were evil too.
Training began. Running laps again, push-ups, lifting rocks—yes, literally rocks—and finally, the part I feared most…
"Now, mount your horses!"
I turned to the horse prepared for me. Big. Black. Strong. And clearly not a fan of me.
"Get on," the instructor ordered curtly.
With a determined (but very awkward) move, I tried to get on... and… THUD!
I fell. Instantly.
The entire field went silent. Then… laughter erupted.
"Yo, she fell off!""Hahaha! The newbie!"
I got up, swallowing my shame and pain, and tried again. This time I managed to get on, though my body tilted like I could fall again at any second.
And then karma hit fast—the horse started moving… and me?
I screamed silently in my head, gripping the reins like I was clinging to the last threads of life.
Horse training… did not end well. I fell twice. Got kicked once. Got yelled at by the trainer three times.
As the sun started to set, I finally returned to the barracks. My breathing was heavy. My clothes were dirty. And my soul? Practically gone.
I sat on my bed, staring up at the wooden ceiling above me, and asked the universe...
"God… what kind of vacation is this, exactly?"
******
That night, I sat in silence.
On a hard bed. In a quiet room. In a world that doesn't even have Wi-Fi.
After nearly two full days of running, falling off horses, and eating food that tastes like bitter childhood memories, I finally realized something…
I don't have any skills.
Magic?
Total failure. Sword? Just seeing it makes me want to retire from life.
Horse riding? See previous chapter.
So... who am I? Why was I summoned to this world?If the reason was to be the kingdom's living stress relief punching bag, then hey—mission accomplished.
I let out a long sigh and looked at my one and only suitcase. I opened it slowly… hoping to find something that could give me a bit of hope.
What I found?
— Comfy clothes.
— A travel guidebook.
— Hotel soap.
— And one power bank… totally useless because the outlets here aren't compatible.
I let out a soft laugh. Not because it was funny, but because laughing was the only thing keeping me from crying.
Suddenly, there was a knock on my door. "Aria? Are you awake?" That voice… it was the nurse from yesterday.
I quickly sat up. "Yeah, come in."
She walked in carrying something. Food. This time… it didn't smell too bad.
"This is your dinner. You must be really tired today."
I gave a weak nod. "Yeah, a lot."
She looked at me for a moment and then sat down on the chair next to my bed."You know… I heard you can't use magic. And that you're having trouble with training too."
Ah. Great. I'm officially viral. Fantastic.
"But," she continued, "there are many things in this world besides magic and strength. People like you… sometimes you can see the world in ways others can't."
I looked at her, puzzled. "Like… what do you mean?"
She smiled softly. "If you pay attention and think, maybe you'll notice things others miss."
I didn't understand right away, but… her words were oddly comforting.
After she left, I ate my dinner slowly. It still tasted weird, but somehow… not as weird as yesterday.
That night, I wrote on a blank page of my travel guide.
First entry:
"Aria – who can't do anything, but hasn't given up yet."
The night grew deeper. The chirping of foreign crickets made everything feel even more melancholic. I hugged my pillow and stared blankly at the wooden ceiling. Today was a bit better… but I was still lost.
Just as I was starting to drift off, I heard it.
"Tomorrow night. During the guard shift. Behind the western storage."
I sat up straight. Wait. Who just said that?
I focused hard. Maybe I was just hallucinating from exhaustion.
But then…
"Make sure she doesn't follow. The new girl. The one who fainted yesterday."
Okay. Not a hallucination. This is real.
I jumped out of bed and tiptoed to the wall. Between the uneven medieval puzzle-like stones, I could faintly hear two people talking. Their room must be right next to mine.
They… they were planning something. An escape? Or something worse.
And the worst part is…THEY MENTIONED ME.
Why? I didn't ask to be part of a criminal gang, a rebel faction, or some suspicious night-whispering club.
I tried to find a crack in the wall to peek through, but yeah... this isn't anime. There's no conveniently placed peephole.
So I went back to bed. Confused.
Should I report this? But who am I anyway? The girl who can't even do magic.Or maybe I should try to eavesdrop again tomorrow? Maybe they know something important.
Or…
Run away with them? Hehe, no. That's a hard pass.
In the end, I wrote another line in my now-official diary/travel guide:
"Day... who even knows.Heard mysterious voices. They're planning something. I'm considered a burden. Can't blame them.But seriously, can this world stop throwing plot twists at me at midnight?"
I sighed.If they act weird tomorrow, I'll have to be ready.
Ready for what?I have no idea.