Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Became the Goddess of the New World
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In many returner stories, the world the protagonist comes back to always has some kind of flaw.
Gates open after a cataclysm, bullets don't work on monsters, hunters appear, and so on.
The cliché is usually the protagonist returning to an Earth transformed into a hunter world.
"...Just the same?"
Everything she saw after returning was a familiar sight.
A standard twelve-pyeong studio apartment—not too cramped, but not spacious either.
A smartphone with a familiar grip after so long.
A monitor open to the usual communities she frequented.
"It's exactly the same."
It matched the last scene she'd seen before being transported to the other world.
"Not even a day has passed."
Ten years had gone by in the other world, but on Earth, less than a single day had elapsed.
"About ten hours..."
One hour on Earth equaled one year in the other world.
The absurd ratio drew a hollow laugh from her.
Squish-
'Even after returning, the curse is still here.'
The heavy weight on her chest remained unchanged.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Receive your quest completion reward! Once she'd grasped the situation, a translucent window popped up as if it had been waiting.
She'd never properly interacted with it before, so she pondered for a moment before speaking aloud.
"...Receive quest reward?"
A wave of information flooded her mind.
It was sudden, but she didn't panic.
After all, she'd had experiences like this many times before.
'Every time I destroyed an object, this happened.'
The decisive reason she'd become the 'hero' of that world.
It was thanks to the partial quest rewards granted each time she completed an object destruction.
"..."
But the real reward this time was on a whole different level from what she'd received before.
'Akashic Records.'
The object that records everything in the world.
It was the one that sent her to the other world, issued quests, and imparted knowledge—all to prevent the world's destruction.
'So this is the Creator's authority.'
The right to use everything recorded in the Akashic Records.
In rough game terms, she had become the 'Director.'
A being who could toy with the 'game' known as the other world at will?
It sounded like she'd transformed into something close to a god.
But influencing the actual other world was incredibly difficult.
'Because this is Earth.'
What she'd gained as a reward was only the authority over the other world's Akashic Records.
Every world had its own separate Akashic Records in charge of it.
'Still, the ways to use it are endless.'
For example, she could create the upcoming XX22 release of SoXon for real.
Using the other world a thousand years after her departure as a base.
Virtualizing that thousand-year-future world through the Akashic Records.
Then making a device to connect to that virtual reality.
"It's possible."
The dream of every gamer. A long-held wish.
She could make it happen with her own hands.
'Of course, it'd require an enormous amount of mana.'
Mana issues weren't a big concern.
Because her heart wasn't that of an ordinary person.
'Dragon Heart.'
Transplanting the heart of a dragon—one of the destruction objects—into her body had granted her near-infinite mana and eliminated the need for incantations in spellcasting.
Her heart raced at the thought of creating SoXon herself.
Vrrr-!
Her phone vibrated, and she checked the incoming text.
It was a reminder about overdue rent from someone she'd forgotten about amid everything.
"Ah."
Couldn't she just use magic to get rich quick?
She cast several spells with high hopes, but her pitiful bank balance didn't budge.
Science is cold.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "The young lady sure knows how to handle heavy work. Here’s your daily pay."
"Thank you."
She took the envelope from the team leader in the yellow hard hat and left the worksite.
Needing quick cash, she'd chosen to roll up her sleeves in manual labor.
She'd rolled around in the other world for about nine years, so she had some real skill at it.
'Magic alone wasn't enough to survive.'
She'd learned martial arts from strong knights, and the Dragon Heart had made her body sturdy to begin with.
That held true even after becoming a woman due to the Demon King's curse.
"Whoa, what's with that girl?"
"Is she a foreigner?"
"..."
Even with a mask and hat, the whispers nearby wouldn't stop.
Sky-blue eyes and long hair that regrew instantly if cut.
'Damn that Demon King bitch.'
That crazy Kssare had spouted nonsense like, 'I'm red-red, so you become blue-blue,' turning her into a woman with a rare appearance even in the other world. It was misfortune incarnate.
Unable to bear the stares and murmurs any longer, she ducked into a nearby alley.
Once in a secluded spot with no one around, she teleported home.
"First... pay the rent."
The money she'd earned over the past week at the labor office came to about 770,000 won.
Normally 100,000 won a day, but her looks netted an extra 10,000.
'Time for a mid-check.'
The Akashic Records were like a modern AI.
Do this, do that, handle it yourself since I'm busy, and so on.
It executed commands mechanically and did the job well.
This felt almost like free labor. Her conscience pricked a little.
'I saved the world.'
And became a woman in the process, so this much freeloading was fair.
'Having a physical form would be even better.'
Sometimes, communicating with the Akashic Records made her talk to herself.
She'd done that a lot early on in the other world to cope with loneliness.
But this was modern society—muttering to oneself looked weird.
'A spell handy for times like this...'
Ah, that one.
The golem magic from the empire's top court mage.
As the imperial guardian mage, his skills were naturally top-notch.
Anyway, she cast the golem spell she'd learned by bowing her head to that foul-tempered old man.
'Appearance... what to go with.'
The old man loved kids (nothing perverted), so most of his golems looked like children.
She had no such tastes, so she pictured a few maids from a noble estate.
'Exposure... a bit is good.'
'Pretty, if not quite my level.'
'Cool AI vibe, so base it on expressionless cool dere...'
'Exotic stands out, so black hair and black eyes.'
After this very gentlemanly design work, she inspected the finished golem.
"...I had talent for this."
The craftsmanship was good enough to make figurines and sell them smaller.
Anyway, she infused the completed maid golem with mana and activated it.
Then she forcibly migrated the Akashic Records, which was reluctant to leave her mental world.
Did it work? Fail?
First time trying this, so she was tense.
A brief silence followed.
Soon, the golem's mouth opened.
"Master."
Oh. It speaks.
But why was the historic first word that?
"...I didn't set it that way?"
"Formal greeting. User Aurora. Confirmed to have such tastes."
"Can't deny it."
"Ugh..."
Suddenly, Aka-chan put on a serious face with a look of contempt.
It looked great, but the expression felt so 'real' it was a bit scary.
"Don't make that face, or I'll get traumatized."
"Boomer."
"...?"
"Trauma. Short for 'mind wound.' An outdated slang term. Learned that people who use outdated slang are commonly called 'boomers.' Earth's information is fascinating."
What?
The Akashic Records shouldn't have any Earth data.
No idea where it got that from.
"User's doubt confirmed. Acquired Earth-related knowledge and info from user's mental world and memories."
"I see."
Her prior communication with the Akashic Records had been limited to fragments of intent.
She'd give instructions, and it would reply with possible/impossible.
She hadn't expected such lively conversation, leaving her stunned.
Then, an old question resurfaced.
"Why me? Why was I summoned to the other world?"
Out of billions, why her?
"Recommended by Earth's Akashic Records."
"Recommended? By Earth's Akashic Records too?"
Before the summoning, she was just an ordinary person who loved culture and entertainment.
For saving the other world, wouldn't superhumans like special forces be better?
"Heard you have the most knowledge about 'other worlds' and excellent comprehension."
"..."
"Isekai webtoons: 712 works, total 7,521 episodes. Isekai webnovels: 1,855 works, total..."
"Kyaaah!"
She screamed.
One hit from the Akashic Records' ultimate kill list made her head hurt.
Poke poke-
As she collapsed onto the bed, Aka-chan poked her cheek.
"...Still alive."
"Good."
Lying down, she cracked her eyes open and murmured softly.
"Akashic Records is too long—how about Aka-chan?"
Silence fell.
"Die."