LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 1
# Chapter 1: Found the Culprit
It all started with some trivial chatter with my friend.
“Hey, just read it once, okay? It’s really good!”
“I’m telling you, I don’t want to! Remember the last time you recommended that radioactive waste of a novel?”
The act known as sales, or proselytizing.
Recommending a fun piece that you enjoyed to someone else was something either of us often did, but what he had recommended last time was clearly a flop.
Claiming to be a cute slice-of-life healing story only for all the heroine candidates that had appeared in the first chapter to become posthumous photographs by the fifth chapter—what kind of crazy plot twist was that?
The protagonist, who had vowed to resurrect his fallen comrades, becomes a bumbling fool in the sixth chapter due to a new heroine that pops up out of nowhere and hands over the limited materials needed for resurrection—what was that about?
If he hadn’t hurriedly sacrificed some fried chicken before my expression could betray my thoughts, I might have smashed the head of this blasphemer who had desecrated the slice-of-life genre with a hardcover book.
“No, I’m telling you, it wasn’t just me who suffered last time; this one is legit, I promise!”
…Was it too cheap to forgive him for just one chicken? Should I have demanded two?
Anger welled up inside me, but it felt a bit unreasonable to complain about something that had already happened.
I responded, trying my best to display my indifference with my entire body.
“Then summarize it for me.”
“What?”
“Just explain the gist of the story. You know, like a teaser, trial version, or short clip.”
“Hey, what’s the fun in knowing the content beforehand?”
“Did you erase the concept of a trailer from the dictionary? Moderately spoiling something usually piques interest, you know.”
“Ugh. I’m not good at this sort of thing.”
He took a moment to think, then began his tale.
“The story is set in a future where virtual reality games have been commercialized, and the thing is, all these games have super strict participant limits. Even multiplayer can only manage about four people at most. But then some genius succeeded in developing a game that can accommodate thousands of players all at once, all by themselves!”
A game… developed by one person? In a field nobody had touched before? Seriously?
Alright, let’s calm down. It’s fiction, after all. Surely there could be a monstrous genius that defied common sense. That genius could also have money and time to spare. The technology level in this world might be entirely different, so judging it strictly by reality isn’t fair.
“At first, everyone had strong doubts about the game, but after a few rounds of testing proved it wasn’t just a bunch of hot air, people flocked to the newly opened game with immense expectations. The protagonist was one of them. However, the game had a huge trap. The insane creator made it so you couldn’t log out unless you cleared the game, and dying in the game would mean real death.”
Wait, if it’s a game that thousands are playing, then it wouldn’t even be manageable by a single person. There’d be tons of people for server management, Q&A, and device management. How could one person deceive all these people while setting up such a trap?
If it’s a type of game that directly affects the human brain, their safety regulations must be incredibly strict, right?
“So the protagonist and their companions strive to overcome the crazy creator’s malice and clear the game… that’s the gist.”
Seeing my expression deteriorating, did he realize the sales pitch was failing? He cautiously looked around before suddenly blurting out a key point.
“And one of the heroines is hot!!”
My interest, which had been plummeting below zero, suddenly flipped to a positive.
“Keep talking.”
“Well, since the creator caused such a mess, the outside world is in chaos, right? One of the aspects is the social backlash against the creator’s family. The parents, who were living abroad, quickly severed ties and minimized their losses, but the creator’s sister, who was in the country, ended up getting hunted like a witch. Even though she was living independently due to a bad relationship with her family, she gets massively scorned just because she’s related to him.”
“Tough luck.”
“Right? Unable to bear it, the sister thought that if she cleared the game and saved the people, everything would be alright, so she logged in.”
“That’s a bit of escapism, isn’t it? Running away overseas like her parents would probably be a better option if she wanted things to improve at all.”
“Exactly. The story portrays her foolish choice in extreme situations, yeah. Anyway, because of this background, she feels immense stress and a sense of mission, and she plays the game like she’s being chased by something, afraid of being rejected if her identity is revealed. Her desperation and sultriness are top-tier among the heroines. Her dependency and obsession with the protagonist, who doesn’t change their attitude even after knowing her identity, are delicious…!”
“…….”
“Got something you want to say?”
“Ugh. Just hand me volume one.”
He handed me the book, a look of satisfaction on his face, and I took it from him, though I’d peek at it just to humor him.
It’s not like I’m curious about how that hot heroine looks.
As soon as I got home, I tried to open the book, but an emergency call from work forced me to leave it behind and head out again.
Screech! Bam!
That was the end of it.
A shocking impact, sensations of floating, a blurring vision.
An utterly futile, yet ever-present death happening somewhere daily.
Thus, my story ended in emptiness.
“Such a healthy girl!”
And absurdly, I leapt into my second life.
…Wait a sec, isn’t it common courtesy to read the book before handing it over?
*
Humans are creatures of adaptation.
At first, I was utterly stunned by the sudden reincarnation, but when I realized I had even switched genders, I wanted to clutch my head with my short arms. However, after about a decade, I managed to go through a process of compromise and adaptation.
Yeah, in exchange for obtaining a second life that most people would want, being a TS (transgender) is a bargain.
Plus, I’m reasonably attractive. Even in the midst of growth, people say I’m ‘pretty’ rather than ‘cute’ and I have a good body ratio.
Beauty can be a weapon in itself.
If I had landed in a fantasy medieval world or a martial arts setting, I might have been forcibly dragged off by a round-bellied noble against my will, so in that sense, beautiful looks could have been a curse. But based on my life so far, even with some detailed differences, this place is largely a modern society. With looks often working more as an asset rather than a hindrance.
With the experience from my previous life acting as a cheat, my academic performance is naturally good, and I possess quite a bit of physical ability.
If I could quantify the various types of luck that operate in a person’s life, I would say that at least my luck with talents is well above average.
However, I can’t say my family luck is even mediocre.
“Yerin… Mommy is having a hard time… Why is everyone making it so difficult for me? Ju Hojoon, you bastard, you dog, sniff, sniff.”
The intensely strong smell of alcohol. The sniffled voice soaked with tears.
This woman, lamenting her life while drunk, bemoaning to her nauseated daughter, must be my mother this life, Mrs. Kang Minjeong.
And the one taking the brunt of her curses, that would be my biological father of this life, Ju Hojoon.
Why is she cursing him? Because back in school he messed up but didn’t take responsibility and vanished after moving away.
In her youth, Mrs. Kang used to be the daughter of a pretty decent family, but after that incident, she was half-ousted by her clan and raised me alone. Now she’s evolved into a great single mother and an alcoholic.
With a short sigh, I lifted Mrs. Kang and dropped her onto the bed.
It’s truly lamentable that one can feel the benefits of good physical specs at moments like this.
Naturally, it’s a no-brainer that raising a child alone is incredibly difficult.
Thanks to the financial support before being cut off by her family, we were at least not in a dire economic state, but raising a child isn’t just about having money.
The judgment of those around you, the whispers, the responsibility of being the head of the family.
The stress Mrs. Kang endures is beyond immense, and craving alcohol or venting to those nearby isn’t something to be harshly judged.
But I can understand that because I have the experience of being a working adult in my second life.
If there were an everyday middle school girl in my current position, I’d imagine she’d be stressed out in her own way too, right?
Then conflicts arise, feelings get hurt, and eventually, there’s an explosion. Ugh, terrifying.
As much as I want to help Mrs. Kang in every possible way before she breaks under the stress, honestly, the kind of assistance a student can realistically provide amounts to helping with housework, easing her school expenses through scholarships, and being there for her emotionally.
If this were exactly the same place I lived in my previous life, I’d make a killing investing in stocks or cryptocurrencies and become a billionaire, but since the civilization level is similar yet the details differ, that kind of trick isn’t applicable.
Investigating the proper tech tree of a TS reincarnation and the debut of virtual YouTubers was for that reason.
Having economic leeway may not solve all problems, but it sure alleviates many of them.
In terms of the popular character concept, a villainess dragon lady.
In terms of popular genres, songs or games, especially virtual reality game livestreams.
“Virtual reality, huh.”
I couldn’t help but feel a strange discomfort while observing this cultural phenomenon that didn’t exist in my previous life, or if it did, it wasn’t to this extent.
Especially thinking back to the contents of the book I had in my hands right before I died.
In subcultures like reincarnation stories, it’s a cliché for the protagonist to transition into the world of the stories they were playing or reading right before death.
In reality, I couldn’t even see the first page of the book aside from the simple plot summary explained by my friend, but still, discomfort persists.
Due to the unavoidable necessity of having common topics with my friends, I had rented such games a few times, but those were solo plays without large-scale online features. If it had been an online game, I wouldn’t have touched it.
Knowing the detailed contents of the work would allow for a clean move or avoidance of ominous flags, but without a rich background of prior knowledge, I’d just have to wing it.
If I can clearly see a landmine in front of me, there’s no need to step on it voluntarily.
*
“Yerin! I brought cake! Let’s eat together!”
“…Why a cake when it’s not even my birthday?”
“Haha, oh dear. Does cake really have to be for birthdays? Sometimes when you’re in a good mood, you eat it as a snack too.”
Mrs. Kang Minjeong cheerfully set up some cake slices and bitter black tea while humming a tune.
I looked at her with suspicion.
Well, she doesn’t always live a life of drunkenness and lamentation.
When work goes smoothly or if I come home with good grades, she can be upbeat and display a lively and normal appearance like now.
But fundamentally, she has an intense emotional range, so even if her mood brightens, it rarely lasts more than three days, but these days, my mom has been radiating a happiness aura for almost a week. It’d be harder not to notice than to notice.
Sure enough, after a while of small talk about how school is going and if I have a crush on someone, she finally got to the point.
“Yerin. If I said I was getting remarried, would you be mad?”
“Let me ask first, but it’s not that Ju Hojoon guy you were always cursing, right?”
“Of course not! Just thinking of that idiot makes me fume!!”
Feeling flustered for a moment, she cleared her throat awkwardly and continued.
“He’s a really good person. Kind, family-oriented, and capable. And most importantly, he and I really click. Being with him feels like all the worries of the world vanish.”
I only nodded silently.
If I were a regular kid, I might have felt shocked or disgusted by my mother’s declaration, but frankly speaking, my feelings for her are more like that of a demanding friend than a mother, so I didn’t have negative feelings.
I was somewhat worried that she might have fallen for some weird guy again.
“If you’re okay, then I’d like to be with him.”
“I’m fine with it. But maybe it’s better to live together for a bit before finalizing it? Living together might show some mismatches, you know.”
Honestly, my real feelings were that I didn’t trust her judgment of character, but if I said that outright, it would probably hurt her significantly, so I offered a more plausible excuse.
“Hmm… yeah, that makes sense.”
She seemed poised to argue that it wasn’t possible, but hurriedly restrained herself and agreed with me.
And observing that, I had a hunch.
Ah, she’s really fallen for him, hasn’t she?
This would probably not be something I could sway her opinion on later.
“But he’s raising a son alone too. He’s five years older than you, and if we end up living together, that kid will be around as well. Is that alright?”
“It’s fine by me.”
I’ve shared a room with a roommate and used a bunk bed before, so sharing the roof with some guy doesn’t seem like a big deal.
Of course, it’s not fair to compare two boys living together with my current life as a girl, but thanks to the universal blessing of TS, I have a decent enough physique.
If someone was to pounce just based on looks or pull a fast one, I could easily twist their wrist or shove a stapler in their mouth.
It would be fun to recreate some cherished scenes with a heroine from my previous life.
Mrs. Kang checked in on me several times afterward and once I casually repeated my acceptance, she soon had a beaming smile as she made a call.
Seeing her so happy, I hoped this time the man would be a proper match.
That way, she would gain a partner to share the heavy responsibilities and burdens, along with happiness, and I could calmly plot my life without unnecessarily jumping into industries I didn’t even know, it suited me just fine.
The gentleman Mrs. Kang contacted was thrilled but suggested taking their time adapting, as suddenly moving in would be a bit much all at once.
He probably thought about how this is a mother-daughter household, being considerate, and at least his first impression was not bad.
“Hi, you must be Yerin? I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Yes, I look forward to working with you.”
After that, for about three months, he came by occasionally for chats, giving us an adjustment period, and I couldn’t find any major flaws in him.
Sure, he might have been extra attentive since I was present, but it would be unfair to label it as hypocrisy or acting.
However, there was something concerning.
“But, isn’t your son coming along? I don’t think he’s ever been with you here.”
“Oh, uh, well, the kid is a bit socially awkward, so he struggles when it comes to meeting new people. When I try to suggest he come along to meet someone, he never seems to go. Haha, sorry about that.”
“No worries, it’s not that uncommon. I’ve seen that type before.”
At that point, I brushed it off, but I could sense a certain emotion he was trying to conceal in his tone and eyes.
Discomfort. And uneasiness.
These weren’t feelings you’d express comfortably when discussing your son.
It might have been a misinterpretation, so I made sure to check a few more times afterward, but each time the reaction was similar.
Now I was starting to wonder what kind of character this son of his was, but he didn’t seem to want to share much about him, making it hard to gather real information.
Ultimately, I met the boy, the one they called Inseo, the day before we officially started living together.
“Minjeong, you met last time, so this time it’s just Yerin. This is my son, Inseo. Now you say hi too, don’t just stand there.”
Thunk! A firm pat on the back sent Inseo, the young man, stumbling slightly.
“…I’m Ryu Inseo.”
“I’m Kang Yerin.”
Judging someone based on their appearance can be extremely rude, but to be blunt, my first impression was anything but good.
Dark bags under his eyes. No spark of life and a drab tone. He couldn’t even meet my gaze, staring down towards the ground.
“Since we’ll become family, please take care of me.”
“…….”
The older brother-to-be fell silent for a moment, before finally nodding his head slightly after I stared at him for a while.
Seeing that, the father figure, or should I say my future stepfather, who had initially frowned, quickly adjusted and tried to put on a bright face.
“As I mentioned before, he has some serious shyness, so Yerin, you might be making him nervous just by being pretty. Please be understanding.”
Honestly, I’ve seen guys who have been subjected to trained gazes from their male peers, so I knew that wasn’t just typical embarrassment or shyness.
It felt more like a dispassionate indifference from someone who seemed to have already seen it all.
At that moment, my mother, who had been standing back, took a step forward as if to lighten the mood.
“Can we start by checking out our room?”
“Oh, yes, of course! This way, please.”
“…….”
With discomfort and awkwardness filling the air, interspersed with forced cheerfulness to cover it, the life under one roof for the two families began.