Clack.
Feeling hungry, I started eating right away.
I unwrapped the triangle kimbap with practiced movements and took a bite from the pointed end.
Chomp.
“Mmng…!”
The spicy taste of red pepper powder stung my nose. I shuddered a little and took another bite.
Chomp chomp chomp.
Today’s pick was stir-fried kimchi triangle kimbap.
Indeed, it turned out to be a choice I wouldn’t regret.
After quickly devouring the triangle kimbap, constantly moving my small mouth, I turned on the electric kettle.
Bubble bubble.
The water I had prepared in advance started boiling quickly.
Even though much time had passed in the world, I knew convenient items were still in use.
When I was in the other world, how much I longed for such convenient foods.
Of course, there were other things I wanted to eat more after returning to Earth, but with my current circumstances, this level of luxury was the limit.
My mood, which had felt a small happiness from the light meal, improved a little.
And I looked around the small single room that was my shelter.
Hmm, it’s still a bit small.
The current Earth, over a decade after the time I had lived.
When I first returned, I felt a lot of dissonance in many aspects.
Fortunately, the welfare system of South Korea, which was still strong in this era, ensured that even someone with a disabled body like me wouldn’t end up on the streets.
Appropriate financial aid, decent support for living assistance devices, and even periodic visits from social workers and employment assistance systems.
It’s different from the continent of Astria, which had developed in other ways but where the state’s hand didn’t reach the vulnerable. I suppose this is what you’d call a modern society.
Well, I refused the social worker visits and employment assistance on my side.
Should I be grateful to the main god of Astria for providing cognitive interference services that allowed me to blend in silently into this society where I had fallen without any connections?
My gaze, which had been blankly surveying the small single room for a moment, settled on the newly acquired, out-of-place furniture.
“It finally came.”
I heaved a deep sigh.
The reason I tried to drink alcohol, which I hadn’t even considered normally, today was because of this furniture.
A virtual reality capsule.
Furniture was purchased by squeezing my meager resources, even receiving vulnerable group welfare discounts that I hadn’t looked into before.
My legs, with dead nerves below the thighs, couldn’t be treated even with the advanced technology of this era.
Still, it seems that virtual reality capsules also serve as mental therapy assistive devices in this era.
After all, there’s probably nothing happier for someone who couldn’t use their legs or arms for their entire life than freely using their body in a world as real as reality.
Of course, I didn’t buy it for the purpose of such mental therapy.
“Astria Online.”
A world I left, fleeing after experiencing terrible pain.
A game title with the same name as the continent where I had adventured.
Is it a coincidence?
But looking at the scenery shown in the PV video, I had to admit.
‘Astria Online’ was a game created based on the continent of Astria where I had lived for over a decade.
I curled up small and giggled.
“Is this what you call after-service?”
They should have properly fixed my body instead.
It’s clear that the god of that world or the god of Earth played a trick.
Or maybe both.
But I eventually decided to start that game.
I lowered my gaze for a moment, looking at my legs.
My legs that no longer move.
Will I be able to move freely once I’m inside?
A lacking sense of reality.
Will I be able to feel a sense of reality in there?
Tick tock tick tock.
Even for me, lost in thought, that time came.
Midnight.
The opening time for the official service of ‘Astria Online.’
It doesn’t matter anymore.
Either way, I have no choice but to face it.
* * *
Whoosh.
[Welcome to the full-dive virtual reality game, the continent of sword and magic, ‘Astria Online’.]
The screen goes dark, a guidance sound rings out, and my body is enveloped in a strange floating sensation.
The title OST starts playing. Soon, the screen brightens.
The continent spread out before my eyes, as if looking down from the sky, is that continent I hated but also missed.
“The continent of Astria.”
Without time to be lost in sentiment, the guidance sound that flowed out demanded character creation from me.
[Would you like to customize your character’s appearance?]
“Hmm…”
The character appearance that appeared before my eyes looked exactly like me as if my body had been scanned.
It was truly a beautiful girl.
Silver-tinged white hair that slightly covered one eye and fell below the shoulders.
Bright, shining black eyes like obsidian.
A small frame not quite reaching 150cm.
A barely noticeable, minimal chest.
Delicate but distinct features.
A pretty face that could rival celebrities.
I did some minor customization while looking at the interface.
“Race, human. Hmm, the rest as is…?”
[With the current user’s build and race customization, strength stats may be limited. Do you still want to proceed?]
“It doesn’t matter.”
I puffed out my chest.
It’s been over a decade since I became this body; the time to feel embarrassed about a female body has long passed.
I had some pride in my appearance, as much as my companions in the continent of Astria had praised and adored me.
Even if I put my heart into customizing, I wouldn’t be able to create an appearance this good.
Based on the fragmentary information I found in the beta service, it’s said that people confident in their appearance often accept it as is, aside from minor customizations like hair or eye color.
Since I haven’t made any new connections since returning to Earth, there probably won’t be anyone who recognizes me here.
[Character appearance customization is complete. Please set your final nickname.]
An interface popped up before my eyes, which hadn’t yet recognized my body.
I entered the characters without hesitation.
‘Drizzle Rain’
[‘Drizzle Rain’. Would you like to set this as your nickname?]
“Yes.”
Drizzle Rain.
That was my name there.
The name I received when I fell in front of a church in the continent of Astria on a drizzly day.
That name is much more familiar to me than my old, faded name or the new name I received on Earth.
-Rain really seems pretty. The silver hair too.
-Khahah! Dwarves are a race that loves jewels! Rain, your eyes resemble obsidian, don’t they? Let me have them someday!
-Oh my, Uncle Ain! What a scary thing to say!
-Eek, eek. I think I’m starting to dislike Uncle Ain.
-Kekeke, he probably didn’t mean anything by it. Haven’t you heard that when it comes to jewels, most dwarves speak without processing it in their brains?
Somehow, I felt like I could hear my companions’ laughter.
As I was momentarily lost in memories, a subtly crackling guidance sound pierced my ears.
[…crackle. Error code AAECA…crackle.]
[‘Drizzle Rain’. Are you sure you want to set this nickname?]
“…?”
I already said yes, why are they asking again?
“Yes. Please use that name.”
I forcibly erased my puzzlement and confirmed again.
[Character creation is complete. May your adventure in the continent of Astria be an enjoyable experience.]
And then, the world went dark again.
Splash, splash.
The sound of waves.
Is the starting location for beginners in this game by the sea?
Feeling the sensation of sea breeze enveloping my body, I gently opened my eyes.
“…”
I raise my small hand to check my body.
Perhaps because I didn’t do any separate customization, there was no sense of discomfort.
It was my body as is.
After a moment, I raise my upper body, and place my hands on the sandy beach.
And my legs.
“Ah.”
My legs. I step.
I stand up.
“My legs.”
They move.
Splash splash.
I can walk.
How long has it been since I became unable to move my legs?
Since returning to Earth, a year?
I, after a year, am able to walk on my own legs.
Thump thump.
I didn’t think about anything.
I just wandered aimlessly on the sandy beach, moving my small feet.
“Uh, umm.”
After walking around like that for a while, I soon stroked my chin, lost in thought.
Is this a touching moment?
Isn’t it a big deal for someone who couldn’t walk to feel the sensation of walking?
But somehow, I didn’t feel overwhelmed with emotion.
It felt like doing something that should naturally be done.
And, I strongly felt a sensation I had forgotten for a while.
“A sense of reality.”
The feeling of floating through life after returning to Earth, as if I had become an irregular that intruded into a properly functioning world.
That feeling was gone here.
Paradoxically, I was feeling a stronger sense of reality in virtual reality than in actual reality.
The strong sea breeze hit my skin.
The salty smell mixed with brine can be smelled there.
Was virtual reality this amazing?
Well, you live and learn.
I giggled, feeling like an old person who had seen it all despite my petite body.
But it’s just a game.
To confirm that, I uttered the standard command for virtual reality games.
“Status window!”
Beep.
An interface popped up before my eyes.
[Drizzle Rain]
[Novice Adventurer]
Below that, initial stats for HP, strength, intelligence, agility, etc., appeared.
And, at the very bottom.
[Synchronization Rate: 100%]
“Huh?”
I tilted my head.
Before starting this game, I had searched quite a bit of information from previous beta testers.
Because some people aim for earlier open runs than others, it was hard to find detailed information, but I had already familiarized myself with images of the status window interface.
However, I had never seen information about a stat called synchronization rate anywhere.
Even with my limited knowledge of virtual reality, I knew something about synchronization rates.
Due to virtual reality technology that directly connects to the brain and controls sensations, the higher this value, the stronger the sense of reality and the more intensely sensations are felt.
Even pain.
But I heard these combat-type games, which could damage the body, are created with strictly limited low synchronization rates through legislation.
But, 100%?
I felt a bit uneasy.
Isn’t this dangerous?