"We're terribly sorry, we've done everything we could..."
"Bunch of useless people! Get out!!!"
"Young Miss, please calm down..."
"All of you get out too! I don't want to see any of you again!"
...
"I absolutely... won't let you—"
—Loading Female Character—
In an era where full-dive VR games have become commonplace, even those with no interest in such games have surely heard of《The Eternal Pacificus》. Its development company is revered as the emperor of VR gaming technology. Since its launch,《The Eternal Pacificus》has never fallen out of the top three most popular VR games globally.
The most intelligent NPCs, unprecedented freedom and playability, a vast continent befitting its expansive worldview... One could write an entire book just listing the unique features and advantages of《The Eternal Pacificus》. Indeed, no game can be perfect, but this game's merits more than make up for its minor flaws.
Speaking of what attracts players most, it has to be the sense of realism.
The rustling of wind through grass, birds singing among flowers—these minute details that other VR games struggle to make immersive,《The Eternal Pacificus》simulates with vivid authenticity. This applies not just to the environment but also to player characters, NPCs, wild animals, and plants—everything feels completely real.
Despite the game's global popularity, with heated discussions about its content frequently heard on streets and in alleyways, for me, it might as well have been happening in some distant third-world country.
The reason was simple: my position as a servant meant I was destined to have no connection with VR games. True, the barrier to entry was low, with VR headset prices repeatedly dropping until ordinary families could afford them. However, not every profession allows the luxury of adventuring in another world. At the very least, as a mere servant charged with protecting the Young Miss's safety, I could never have time to engage with games.
—It should have been that way.
"So... I'm in the game world now?"
I grip the slicing knife and hold down a blue, jelly-like substance on the cutting board.
[Average Quality Slime Meat]
An information panel naturally appears before my eyes, complete with origin, expiration date, and possible cooking applications. The real world certainly doesn't have features like this, let alone actual slimes.
[Use Auto-Cooking?]
Confirm. It'll be ready in a moment.
That's right—as the Young Miss's servant, one must always maintain composure. Crude behavior and speech would bring shame to the Young Miss. One must be elegant.
Even if mysteriously transported to a game world, maintain normalcy.
Even if in a game world as an NPC rather than a player, maintain normalcy.
Even if transformed into an NPC, and furthermore into a girl, maintain norm—
..................Young Miss, I apologize.
"—What in the world is going on here?!!!"
I simply cannot maintain elegance anymore! Surely no man in the world could maintain composure after closing their eyes and opening them to find themselves transformed into a girl?!
No, I must stay calm... First, think through the sequence of events. Although entering the game world has granted me knowledge of the《The Eternal Pacificus》game stage of Lemoria Continent, this doesn't mean I've lost my previous memories. Rather, the memories seem to have merged.
I'm the same age as the Young Miss and the only servant who accompanied her to school. I remember finishing up student council business...
Young Miss: "It feels so quiet, no students at the school gate either—quite different from usual."
Me: "Perhaps they've all gone home, given how late it is."
Young Miss: "Well, it doesn't matter to us anymore."
Me: "You seem in particularly good spirits today."
Young Miss: "Of course. Everything has been properly arranged. Father will have to look at me in a new light. Don't you dare hold me back."
Me: "Yes. Everything the Young Miss and I have done hasn't been in vain. Going forward as well, as long as we continue our efforts, the Master will surely..."
At that time, we walked out of the school gates, but suddenly a mysterious black luxury car appeared by the roadside, and several men in black suits stepped out. And then—
"Ah... I died."
Reflecting carefully, I realize how life can end without warning.
I was fatally wounded protecting the Young Miss. Though I have hazy memories of being taken to the hospital, injuries of that severity weren't survivable. Thankfully, the Young Miss was unharmed, and even shed tears for me... No, that last part was probably a dying hallucination. That Young Miss who would deliberately order me to leave with aerial splits just to fetch her sweets—that Young Miss who enjoyed making things difficult—crying over a mere servant like me? That's far too fantastical.
"So now I'm... eating slime while reminiscing about how I died... There are several things wrong with this picture..."
Though speaking of which, this slime is genuinely delicious, with a refreshing jelly-like texture that would surely suit the Young Miss's taste. Looking closer, my cooking level is actually Lv. Max (maximum level cap)—as expected of me.
For the sake of realism, the game implements a [Hunger] value. Food in Lemoria isn't like other games where it simply provides a Buff; when players and NPCs go long periods without eating, their [Hunger] value gradually decreases. When in a [Hungry] state, all attributes progressively decrease with each stack of [Hunger], and continuing without food can even lead to death. Players can revive, but when NPCs die, they're truly dead.
"I entered the game world after dying? But I never even owned a VR headset."
Could it be a game system bug? But what kind of bug could cause someone to transmigrate into a game world as an NPC after death, complete with a gender swap? Even sci-fi authors wouldn't use such an absurd setting.
What should I do now? My virtual gaming experience is exactly 0, but even other players probably couldn't answer "what should you do after transmigrating into a game world and becoming a girl"—which sounds like a light novel title if you put quotation marks around it.
Perhaps the game system will notice my abnormal values and delete me.
"What's wrong with me? Why am I cursing myself?"
After deletion, I probably wouldn't even retain consciousness, but doesn't that mean I have no way out? Seeking help from the game system equals suicide, but if I don't seek help from the game system, doesn't that mean I have to continue using this girl's body...
*Knock knock knock...*
Someone's at the door?
"Anna~ Anna~"
Anna?
Right, Anna... Anastasia (Anastasia), is my current name (ID).