Irwen’s power literally shoved me out of her throne room before I could catch the details of her arrangement with that thing. The prospect of a long trek ahead forced me to address my injured leg. As I lifted my hand to create runes, I noticed it was trembling.
I tried to steady it, but the shaking wouldn’t stop. Huh. My mind and body aren’t in sync. Or rather, my body was betraying an emotion that had tugged at me through the entire conversation with Irwen: fear. Betrayal. Everything’s fine. I inhaled the stale dungeon air and tried again. This time, I created a healing rune—after only three tries! Progress.
As I trudged back through the long, silent hall, I finally inspected my new tiara. At any point in my past life, I’d worn whatever gear had the best stats, swapping pieces in and out without a second thought. No point getting attached to anything—every piece would be wiped when a new version hit the test server.
But this? This was different.
During my countless quests in service to the empire, spanning hundreds of instances, I’d crossed paths with dozens of princesses and even an empress or two. Despite that, I’d never seen anything as breathtaking as this tiara. Maybe that’s because it’s mine?
Irwen had clearly crafted it for her chosen servants, weaving glimmering silver filigree into intricate, snake-like patterns. Over twenty small, rose-cut stones gleamed at its edges, each seamlessly fitted to create a unified and regal design. Four navy-blue gems added a bold contrast, framing the tiara’s centerpiece: a massive, four-inch ruby-like stone that caught the dim light with an almost hypnotic glow.
“What…” I muttered, stopping mid-step. “No way!”
Not only was it one of the most beautiful tiaras I’d ever seen, but its stats? They outshone anything I could find on my own—even legendary items.
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<th style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px" colspan="2"><strong style="color: rgba(239, 78, 110, 1)">[Princess Crown Tiara]</th>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Quality: </td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">6-marvel</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">DEF:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">2</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Durability:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Infinite</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Effect:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">+10 INT, class-specific skill</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Restriction:</td>
<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">Player Princess</td>
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)" colspan="2"><em style="color: rgba(204, 221, 255, 1) !important"> Princess Crown Tiara of the Elven kingdom. It gives the wearer inherent skill [Princess Grace] and a titular title “Princess”.
Queen Irwen note: Use this well daughter.
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Princess’ Grace]
Type: 6-marvel | Lv. Novice 1 | Mana: 30% INT
Effect: Target all allies you can see, add 20% of your INT to the highest target’s attribute, or 25% of your INT to heath; does not stack, only one applies
Duration: 30 minutes
Cooldown: 15 minuts
* as you increase the proficiency, the effect’s increased, cooldown decreased.</td>
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Of course, I knew about the system in the Elven kingdoms. Princesses and princes weren’t the actual children of the king or queen—not in the way the system recognized the titles. Sure, they were often called that, but the roles themselves were appointments. A king could designate up to three of each gender, usually his children, but they didn’t have to be.
And now, I was one of them!
The only thing standing between me and an inherent princess bloodline was… Wait. She called me “daughter.” Am I a princess now? Should I embrace it officially? That wasn’t something I could undo.
And for that, the Empire would hate me. Nope, never.
While admiring my new marvel of a tiara, I wandered out of the dungeon toward the beach. There, I stumbled upon Briggit, resting in the sand without Don in sight. Kicking the barge in frustration, I cursed under my breath. I’d be the one paddling now. Stupid traitor.
I smashed the barge again, and the wooden frame of the Briggit creaked under my abuse. It was tied securely to a conveniently placed rock—thanks to Don’s irritating competence—so it stayed put. “Don’t look at me like that,” I muttered to the barge. “I know it’s not your fault Don deceived me.”
Briggit, of course, didn’t answer. She just lay there, silent and indifferent.
“Let’s go then.” I moved to untie the rope, but it quickly became apparent I wasn’t prepared to handle even this first hurdle. The knot was firm, defiant, and no amount of tugging made it budge.
I called on my staff for help. What could it do? Smash it? Letting out a frustrated sigh, I wedged the staff between the rope and the rock and pushed with all my might.
Still nothing.
After a while, I gave up and slumped onto the beach. A mundane knot defeated the mighty Exploiter. What nonsense. I stared at the rope in all its smug, immovable glory, and tears threatened to spill over. For god’s sake, I’m not some crybaby!
Things weren’t going my way, so what? An image of Don flashed in my mind. No. I turned my focus to the tiara instead.
While admiring its gems—not crying for your information—nothing happened. Nothing at all. It was as if the cruel world didn’t care I existed. My insignificance pressed down on me. How could I even dream of changing anything? That punk sent me back, but what had I actually done?
Nothing that mattered.
When you doubt your existence, there’s only one answer: go to a bar. So, that’s exactly what I set out to do—and logged off.
The moment I staggered out of the capsule, my body threw a wrench into my plans. Tiredness. Yeah, who could’ve guessed that half a day of fighting in another world might leave me drained, right?
Like a ravenous tiger, I devoured an entire tube of nutri-pasta. Wait—like a tigress. Am I really going to get used to this?
It didn’t matter. “My beloved Charlie, let’s sleep.” Despite my usual struggle to fall asleep, tonight my eyes closed the moment my head hit the pillow.
Somewhere in the Scorching Dungeon
Bright fires illuminated Natasha’s slim frame as she carefully made her way through another treacherous, trap-laden section.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
“Rob, if you mess it up again, I swear…” Lisa’s eyes stayed glued to the unreliable warrior, her tone sharp and ready to escalate when—not if—he inevitably slipped up. Flames shot out sporadically from the walls and floor, forcing the team to flinch and jump with every burst as they navigated the naturally formed hallway.
At the end of the corridor, Natasha reached a bend that opened into a reasonably sized cave. Scanning for traps but finding none, she let out a sigh and collapsed onto the cool stone floor. “Guys, I’m beat. Let’s rest.”
Ignoring her frown, Rob charged in and plopped down beside her, grinning like he hadn’t almost burned them alive twice already. Lisa and Peter followed, with the remaining three teammates keeping watch near the hallway entrance.
For a moment, the group let their guard down, chatting and laughing, their voices bouncing off the cave walls. But just beyond the edge of the flickering firelight, shadows stirred. Something—or someone—was there, lurking near the walls, cloaked by the deep shadows cast by the flames.
Natasha, blissfully unaware, lay on her back, admiring the stalactites hanging from the ceiling. “We’ll finish today,” she murmured. Rob, oblivious as always, nodded and flopped onto his back beside her.
Then it came—a deafening roar that reverberated through the cave.
Before anyone could react, a massive ball of fire hurtled past, missing them by inches. Natasha and Rob screamed in unison as the searing heat surged around them, the air growing stiflingly hot. Their screams quickly turned to pitiful wails as the oppressive heat pressed in, a cruel reminder of their overconfidence.
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<td style="text-align: center; margin: 3px; padding: 5px; color: rgba(218, 213, 206, 1) !important; border: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25) !important; background-image: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)">[Teammate Rob has suffered 65 damage. Remaining HP: 22]
[Teammate Natasha has suffered 65 damage. Remaining HP: 0]
[Teammate Natasha died]</td>
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Three roaring infernos descended on Lisa’s group in rapid succession, the blistering heat so intense it felt like her skin was peeling away. She was the last one left standing.
With a deafening crash, an unseen force slammed into her, hurling her across the cave. She hit the wall with a sickening thud; the impact knocking the air from her lungs. Stunned, she slid to the ground, the world spinning around her.
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[You lost 5 HP.]
[You lost 15 HP.]</td>
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The shadow crept closer, revealing a man draped in a long beige robe. His scalp gleamed under the flickering firelight, with only a few stray hairs clinging stubbornly to his otherwise bald head. His piercing brown eyes locked onto Lisa, cold and calculating, as his confident strides brought him closer. A smirk tugged at his thin lips, drawing deep wrinkles into his angular cheeks.
Lisa glared at him, hatred burning in her eyes, but her body refused to move. She’d lost too much HP, and some twisted status effect pinned her to the ground. Her fists twitched weakly at her sides; she wanted nothing more than to knock the smug look off his face.
The man squatted beside her, his movements slow, deliberate. With a mocking tenderness, he brushed his fingers across her cheek; the gesture sending a shiver of revulsion through her. “Hello, my dear adversary,” he said, his voice smooth and warm. Fake warmth.
The acrid smell of smoke from the fires that had consumed her teammates still hung thick in the air. His eyes glimmered with satisfaction as he looked around, the carnage clearly pleasing him. “You really should pay more attention to your surroundings,” he continued, his tone as if teaching her. “Incompetence is a sin, and it’s my duty to ensure you pay for it.”
“Dmitry,” Lisa hissed through clenched teeth. “You’re dead. You hear me? I’ll kill you!”
Dmitry tilted his head back and let out a low, deep laugh, the sound echoing ominously through the cave. He closed his eyes briefly, as though savoring her rage. “Oh, my sweet, foolish child,” he said, his voice almost a purr. “Do remind me—why exactly did you leave my team? I warned you it was a mistake. I’m a generous man, you know. If you’d like to reconsider your decision…” His smile widened, sharp and predatory. “Well, you know how to reach me.”
He stood, his robes rustling softly, and strolled leisurely toward the other end of the cave. Pausing at the threshold, he glanced back over his shoulder. The flickering light showed his grin. “Let me know how this punishment feels.” His chuckle was low as he walked away, leaving her broken and alone.
Lisa forced her voice through the pain, spitting out, “I’ll feast on your corpse!” But the line tasted bitter in her mouth, and even she was disgusted by the emptiness of her words.
And then he was gone.
“Eight hours of sleep, Miss Charlie,” Tin-can suggested, trying to rouse me from slumber. Despite my growing urge to yell at the unresponsive bot, I took the high road. Hugging my plush pillow tightly, I sank deeper into its warmth and deeper into sleep.
“Nine hours and thirty minutes of sleep, Miss Charlie.” Every fifteen minutes, like clockwork, he tried again. The problem? I could sleep through almost anything. Proven, by the way, during that one time in Spain when I slept through the demolition of a building right next door.
Still… had I slept enough? On second thought, yeah, probably. I tugged gently at my temples—no headache yet. Those didn’t come until after the tenth hour.
The transformation in my body meant my morning routine had to change. Before becoming a girl, I couldn’t have cared less about skipping a shower. Now, my nose protested after just a few hours. How annoying.
After a shower, I stood in front of the mirror, studying my still unfamiliar face.
Thankfully, this Charlie was pretty. If she hadn’t been, I would’ve worked harder to get my body back. Yeah, it wasn’t fair to those less fortunate, but that’s how my brain worked. Sorry, not sorry.
Though, wasn’t my nose just a little bigger than it should be? And my legs—so short! Minor details, sure, but irritating. Not as irritating as my wardrobe, though. Or rather, the lack of one.
Lucas’s hand-me-downs weren’t cutting it anymore. Some deep instinct told me I shouldn’t keep wearing the same dress, but what could I do? The thought of extinct shops crossed my mind… Wait. Shops aren’t extinct. Yet.
After a quick nutri-paste breakfast, I stepped outside in my trusty white high heels and sleeveless dress—my only clothes. Not for long.
The sun hovered low on the horizon, just recently risen. As I strolled along the pavement, I grinned, watching people rush past, their faces set on their destinations—work, school, or something I couldn’t even imagine.
People. Not robots, but actual, living, breathing people. I clenched my fists, a flicker of determination bubbling up. I’ll save every single one of them.
Maybe.
The memory of yesterday’s beach hit me like a punch to the chest, sadness washing over me again. My struggles might seem cute to some, but what else could I do? I wasn’t like those geniuses who memorized stock markets for fun. No, I was just a normal guy. Girl. I worked, I watched Katherine’s streams, and that was about it.
Pushing the thoughts aside, I found myself outside my favorite flashy mall. The mall. The one where we’d once tried—and kinda succeeded—in breaking in. A grin tugged at my lips as the memory surfaced. The drunken Italians hadn’t believed we could do it, but Patrick’s regulars weren’t stupid. We had to prove it.
Checking my phone, I realized I’d timed my arrival perfectly—seven o’clock, just as the mall opened.
From the outside, it looked like every other building in the neighborhood. Probably some government regulation. But inside? The peaceful sound of a fountain in the center drowned out the bustling noise from hundreds of shops spread across four sprawling floors.
“Will that be all?” the cashier asked the girl buying a salad topped with something fiery red—maybe tomatoes? The girl was funny-looking in the best way. Sunglasses indoors, her face wrapped in a green scarf, a black-sleeved shirt, and jean shorts. God, she was pretty. As always.
“Yes, thank you,” she said, her voice polite but quick, before darting out of the shop. That voice—it was unmistakable. Katherine.
To be fair, this encounter wasn’t as random as it might seem. I knew she liked to shop here—she’d accidentally let it slip during a stream once. I’d seen her here a few times since.
Well, seen might be a strong word. More like… observed from a distance. A stalker? Maybe. But could you blame me? Every time I even thought about talking to her, my body staged a full-on mutiny.
Today, though, things were going to be different. I hadn’t planned to meet her—I was just running on autopilot—but now she was here. And this time, I was going to do it.
The middle-aged cashier handed her the salad and a shopping bag, and she smiled—bright, effortless, perfect. As she turned and started walking, I leaned against a metallic pillar, weighing my options.
How do you befriend someone?
She walked straight toward me, her every step making my heart beat faster. Do I really need to do this today? There was always tomorrow.
No, I told myself. This was it.
But my stomach had other ideas, threatening to send my breakfast nutri-paste all over the floor. Stop it! I shook my head and whispered, barely audible, “Uhm, hello, Katherine.”
She breezed past me as if she hadn’t heard. Oh, thank god. I let out a sigh of relief.
But then she stopped.
Turning back, she faced me, her mouth slightly open. “Excuse ma? Ya say Katherine?”
Oh no. My face heated up as I stared at the floor, my fingers fidgeting nervously. “Maybe? I’m sorry!” Stupid idea! John, you’re a moron!
Lowering her sunglasses, Katherine’s piercing eyes locked onto me, scanning me with an intensity that made my knees weak. Then her expression softened into something almost playful.
“Don’t be shy, girly,” she said with a grin. “Yar my fan?”
“Yeah, I like… your stream. I’m KatFan69,” I muttered, sighing as I pretended to rummage through my nonexistent pockets. Wait—my dress doesn’t even have pockets! Panic set in, and I clutched the poor fabric like my life depended on it.
As soon as I revealed my username, her eyes widened, and she practically leapt at me, wrapping me in a hug so tight I could barely breathe. “Thank ya!” she exclaimed, her face pressing against mine.
She used to be shorter than me, but now… she was just slightly taller. Wait. Thank you?
“KatFan, ya are my first genuine fan! I’m so happy to finally met ya!”
The faint scent of her perfume instantly lifted my mood, even as her hug left me light-headed. What is it with all this hugging lately?
“I’m Charlie, Miss Katherine,” I squeaked, awkwardly returning her hug. “I saw you and… I need to ask for help.”
Katherine pulled back, her sharp eyes examining my face. “Charlie? Nice to meet ya. No need to be shy—I won’t bite. Ya need my help?”
“Yes,” I admitted, gesturing to my dress. “My only clothes. Will you help?”
Even with her friendliness, my courage wasn’t strong enough to meet her gaze. Instead, I studied the half-broken floor next to her, where an interesting crack caught my attention. Maybe someone stomped here too hard?
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Katherine smirking and nodding. “Yea! I’ve got time, let’s go!” Grabbing my hand, she pulled me toward a thrift store. “So, how’dya find my channel?”
“Truth? Tab streams nearby. You pretty,” I blurted out, instantly regretting it. “I mean—great content—”
Before I could finish, she burst into laughter. “Ha! Charlie, that’s crazy! Yeah, I thought it was somethin’ like that. ‘Member when we chatted on Halloween?”
How could I forget? Even after all these years, that day stayed vivid in my mind. One of my worst days—getting dumped because I wore a geeky costume—turned into one of the best. “Yeah. Was fun,” I said with a silly grin. Nothing more? Why am I so bad at this?
The door to the shop swung open with a loud bang as she pulled me inside, and I stumbled, trying to keep up.
“Fun? Ha, ya saved me! My mates wanted to party, but they left ma. I almost cried when I turned on the stream, ya know?” Her expression hardened for the first time today. “Ma first and only good follower spent a day with ma. Y’know how good it felt?”
I wanted to tell her how much it meant to me, too. That I’d been so sad. But the words wouldn’t come. Damn me!
The shop was more like a warehouse, with rows upon rows of shelves stacked with everything from casual shirts to wedding dresses. Finally, letting go of my hand, Katherine dove into the racks.
I can say it. Just say it. I took a deep breath. “Same. Me sad too,” I mumbled, and immediately wanted to slap myself. Instead, I focused on a rack of jeans, pretending I knew what I was doing.
“Yeah. Wanna try ‘tis?” she asked, tossing a black pleated skirt at me before pulling out two sleeveless tops with blue and white stripes. Without waiting for my answer, she grinned. Our shopping had officially begun.