Returned
I've returned.
"…."
Blink, blink.
A room of moderate size and crisp white wallpaper fill my vision. My hand, pressed against the floor, brushes soft white silk bedding.
"…Hmm."
Rub, rub.
I rub my eyes and look again, but the scene remains unchanged. As I glance around, a few pieces of furniture catch my eye, along with a computer that screams top-tier at first glance.
"…Heaven?"
I couldn't think of any other explanation. I was literally on the brink of death just moments ago. I know for a fact my limbs were mangled.
Chirp chirp.
Chirp chirp.
But what's that chirping? And the sky?
The situation's changed, sure, but this is ridiculous.
I raise my arms high and stretch with a big yawn.
"Nngh…!"
No restraints, no poison, doesn't feel like a dream.
Wait. Then maybe…
"Am I… back?"
I rush to the window and fling it open like I'm tearing it apart. Sunlight pours in, stinging my eyes. Squinting, I peer outside: perfectly normal buildings, a clear sky, ordinary people going about their day.
"…I'm back! I'm really back!! Haha… hahaha!!"
I clutch my pounding heart and the dizzying euphoria threatening to lift me off the ground. But even so, the feeling is so unfamiliar it slips through my fingers. When was the last time I'd felt this excited? This happy? This… thrilled?
"Haha! Hahaha… ha… kkh… sob… hngh…!"
I collapse to the floor, sobbing for a while before snapping back to composure as if nothing happened, calmly assessing the situation.
First off, yeah, I'm probably back. My beastkin senses are telling me so. Sounds weird, but they're reliable. Hell, in this situation, it's the only thing I can trust.
But still being a beastkin means…
My body's still female, too.
"Sigh… whatever."
I've lived too many years to fuss over gender now. Besides, this body's got plenty of upsides, so it'll be fine.
Growl.
"Oh."
Already mealtime? Out of habit, I pat my coat pocket for jerky.
…But why am I doing this? This isn't the apocalypse.
I've just returned—shouldn't I celebrate with some fried chicken and beer?
Where's my phone…?
No sooner do I wonder than I spot it right next to the pillow.
Yogiyo app's right there.
Why Yogiyo of all apps? Doesn't matter.
I order my pre-isekai favorite. Cola? Zero sugar, 1.25 liters, of course.
Total comes to 40,000 won.
40,000 won?
Has the world ended? Do they sprinkle actual gold dust on chicken these days?
But who cares?
Today's basically my second birthday—I can splurge.
I mash the order button.
…But do I even have the money…?
Ding!
'Order received.'
I do have money? I frantically pull up my banking app to check my balance.
The account stares back: "Ten million… hundred million… billion…"
Exactly 3 billion won.
Munching on chicken, I scour the internet and learn a few things. It's 2062 now—35 years past the 2027 I knew. And then there's talk of Gates and Awakeners. Stuff straight out of the webnovels from my past life, now real.
'Gate-ification? What's that?'
Gates left alone for over a week lead to a Break. During a Break, monsters pour out, and the surrounding environment gradually morphs to match the Gate's interior. That's called Gate-ification. The range depends on the Gate's rank—small ones span dozens of meters, large ones hundreds of kilometers.
"North Korea's turned into a demon realm from Gate-ification…"
Looks like they tried holding off an S-rank with their own power and got royally screwed.
"Hmm…"
That's my takeaway from all this online reading. That damn goddess—is she scheming to use me again? Gates create all sorts of demon realms? I've navigated countless ones my whole life. I'm an expert in adaptation and survival. Diverse monsters? I've slain millions, maybe tens of millions. No guarantee they're the same as my world's beasts, but my combat experience overflows regardless.
"Sigh… Goddess's personality hasn't changed…"
I thought she had some decency. Nope. Still, better than the last world—no house there. Awakeners are basically freelancers unless affiliated somewhere. I could just slack off if I wanted.
But would I? If I were the type to lounge while Gates raged, I never would've become a hero. Heroes are born nosy by nature.
Mulling this over, I rummage through my wallet and find an Awakener ID. Rank: C-class. Super ambiguous. But I've never been assessed—how do I even have this?
Tons of ID questions. Don't wanna end up an illegal immigrant, so I should sort it out. Resident registration suggests I've existed here all along. Family? Gotta hit the community center for a family register later.
Anyway, summary: Era of Awakeners and Gates. I'm Christina Edelstein (with ID), worth 3 billion. Location? Seoul Gangnam officetel. So, I'm a jobless rich kid with time and money in a great country—as long as the cash holds.
No more scraping by without money, ID, or home. My 21-year isekai dream fulfilled. Worth the grind.
…Nah, not enough. Cough up more, goddess. I didn't just survive—I built merit, fame, everything. I'll collect interest, compounded, someday.
Nom nom.
"Ah, all gone."
Lost in thought, the chicken bucket's empty. Oh right, no beer.
"Hmm…"
Order another? Something feels off.
I fill the gap with ice cream. On the way, I grab a family register copy. No siblings; parents listed as deceased. Kinda weird feeling. Orphan? Household head: me. Good or bad?
Mixed emotions lead me to the convenience store. I grab ice cream and head to the empty register.
What's up? Unmanned? Stocking?
"Checkout, please."
"Ah, yes… one sec…"
The clerk bolts from the back, freezes at my voice. Eye contact—stunned by my face.
"Um…"
"Ah! Uh, yes! Sorry! One moment…!"
His total fluster is hilarious.
Can't blame him.
Sharp eyes with golden irises that grab attention. Straight nose, pretty lips—all packed neatly on a small face. Tall, long legs, killer proportions that stand out from afar. If I'd reincarnated peacefully, I'd be an idol by now.
"All set…!"
"Thanks~"
As I pass the counter, I feel eyes on my back and turn. Still gawking. Fine, boost his ego—service smile, eyes crinkling, lips curving.
"Thank you."
"Gasp…!"
He nearly collapses. Ego topped off, back home.
I unwrap the ice cream, pop some in my mouth, plop at the computer, and power it on. Gotta fire up Mutube, obviously. Old faves probably retired, but new world's got endless content.
Cats… dogs… timeless classics.
Meow~
Cuteness is eternal.
Meow~
'Gimme churu meow.'
Would be cuter if they couldn't talk, maybe?
I understand animals. Wolf beastkin perk. Ears only, no tail, so mostly one-way.
Woof! (Walkies!)
"Pfft…"
Walkies matter. Communication's a plus, anyway. Their simple talk is cute, kinda funny.
Giggling at animal vids, ears twitching perk perk, I spot "Rebion Arc".
That damn goddess stocked my place with everything. House, ID, cash, relics like computer and phone, and a full-dive capsule.
The capsule's in the living room corner. Computer in the bedroom—maybe so I could grab the familiar first.
"Whoa…"
I gawk at the futuristic massage-chair-looking pod, sighing in awe. Full-dive capsules run hundreds of thousands cheap, millions high-end. Didn't know I had one or I'd have worried about buying.
A cheap one's fine, but I'm weak to temptation. Pricey ones would haunt me. Better not look.
Not that I'm uninterested. Back home, it was prime anime/novel fodder. Kinda aspirational.
But also a tad scary.
No logout button or anything, right…?
First impressions hit hard. I know it's fine, but it nags.
"Oh! Ohhh!! Ooooh!!!"
Whatever. Experiential Mutube's cheating.