NOVEL NEXT 2- Stats, I need stats.
"Miss, are you okay?" A female voice calls through the door, followed by gentle knocking.
Shit. She must have heard me scream. I force my voice to sound steady as I answer:
"Yeah, yeah—I thought I saw a... bug. It's nothing."
"A bug?" The puzzlement in her tone is clear even through the wooden door.
From the formal "miss", this must be one of the mansion's staff. Either way, I need to watch my language. I doubt a noblewoman—a count's daughter—talks like that. Or worse, screams like crazy every time she sees an insect.
"I need to rest. Please leave me alone. I have a headache."
"As you wish, miss."
I hear her footsteps fade away and let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding. I want to keep screaming, yell myself hoarse until I lose my voice or wake up in my own body once and for all. But that's not happening. I need to figure out what to do.
The worst part? I didn't finish the game, so I don't even know if this personality-less sidekick who fawns over Faith's sister ends up dead or imprisoned in the story.
Without a doubt, I'm totally screwed.
They knock on my door again before I can fully process what's happening to me.
It's been at least half an hour, for sure. But I'm still turning everything over in my mind, looking for some way out. I mean, I haven't even started to process my new situation.
It's a maid who's come to help me get dressed and do my hair.
Yeah, this isn't my body, and apparently its owner was a real spoiled noble girl since she couldn't even put on her own clothes. I bite my tongue to keep from saying anything while I let her work. What choice do I have if I don't want to blow my cover?
Though I'll admit, I wouldn't have been able to tighten those dress laces in the back by myself anyway.
She leaves and I let the hours pass without going out. I skip breakfast since I don't feel like talking to anyone or dealing with people. This whole situation is way too delicate.
Of course, peace never lasts long. When my stomach starts growling from hunger, they knock again.
"Miss, lunch is ready," the voice I now recognize as the maid tells me. "Your mother wants to know if you're coming down, or if you're feeling unwell and would rather have some broth brought to your room."
"I'll be right down."
What choice do I have? I don't think playing sick and staying holed up forever is gonna work.
I sigh and walk over to the mirror. It reflects back the gaze of a brunette girl who could pass for pretty—nothing special. She has curves, way more than I'm used to, and clearly doesn't work out. Oh, and more important than my new appearance: there's no status window. I've tried saying "stats", "profile", "inventory"... every word I could think of, but nothing. In the game, Mary, one of the possible protagonists, was a commoner with really powerful light magic and a high intelligence stat. About this boring side character? I have no clue. What I do know is that in a world with magic, I'm gonna study and practice until I'm damn good at it.
I leave the room and walk down a spacious hallway. The floor is covered in gray ceramic tiles, and the white walls have the occasional vase or portrait. The whole setup matches the video game's medieval fantasy world theme perfectly. Everything screams noble's mansion, though I expected it to be way more over-the-top.
Once I'm in the dining room, which is huge, I take the only empty seat. I'm grateful for that. It's hard enough pretending I know how Bianca acts around her family without screwing up something as basic as where to sit.
"Are you alright, dear?" asks the middle-aged lady who must be my mother.
Her long brunette hair is styled in a bun, and her eyes are the same shade of blue as the one that greeted me from the mirror. Her nose looks similar, too—I'm confident I've got it right.
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"I have a headache and feel a little foggy. I'm sorry if I seem off."
"I'll have Layla bring you a herbal tea later."
"Thank you."
I don't call her mother or countess because I have no idea how Bianca typically addresses her.
"Well, are you ready for the final push before your academy exam?" asks the man who must be the count.
"Uh..."
I guess he's referring to the academy entrance exam. The video game starts with Mary, the protagonist if you choose her, failing the entire written part but passing because of her high affinity for light magic.
Light magic isn't that rare. Around ten percent of mages have it, or at least they did at some point during their innocent childhood. The thing with magic is that it depends on your personality. To have light magic, you need to be so good that you're basically naive. The otome game explains that most light magic users eventually get sick of being taken advantage of, cheated, or straight-up robbed, which makes their personalities change. And when that happens, their magic changes too.
That's why, when a noble family has a child with an affinity for light magic, they often send them to monasteries for education and protection, ensuring they remain good and pure. Light magic heals wounds and removes curses, making it vital in a society where medicine hasn't advanced beyond herbal remedies.
And the fact that Mary is a commoner? That's unusual, because in this world, after the great wars, humanity rewarded all powerful magic users with noble titles. The stronger the magic, the higher the title. Since then, commoners have little magic because it's hereditary. Occasionally, though, an "indigo" appears—a child gifted with immense power despite not inheriting it. Mary could be one of those—or perhaps the illegitimate child of a prince or king, given her high intelligence and wisdom stats.
If you've played as Mary, entering the academy seems ridiculously easy. But judging from what I'm hearing over dinner, that's not the case at all. Both the theoretical and practical exams are apparently very challenging, and Bianca's family is putting a lot of pressure on her to study.
"You have to pass, little sister," says a young man a few years older than me, his hair the same chestnut shade as mine. "If you don't get into the academy, you can't participate in the games, and we need you to."
"This is your fault for failing," blurts out the youngest at the table—a boy who doesn't look older than eight. "Instead of spending so much time working with father, you should've prepared better."
"Elias," our mother scolds him. "You know managing the county is a lot of work. Your brother has done well prioritizing that and helping your father."
Now that I'm paying attention, the count appears much older than his wife. His hair and beard are streaked with gray.
And yet here I am, thinking of them as my parents when they're total strangers. I don't have Bianca's memories, but it's clear this body has affection for them, since it's making it natural for me to call them that.
"We're counting on you, Bianca," says the man I assume is my father, his voice kind. "You've been studying for so long, and you know what's at stake. You'll do well."
No, I don't. I didn't get very far in the video game—certainly not far enough to reach the games. My friend did. I remember her saying that nobles took them extremely seriously because their rankings brought prestige to their families. Sometimes, winning even earned new lands or economic benefits. I didn't pay much attention back then. What I do know now is that my new parents don't seem to be in a strong position if they're so desperate for me to get into the academy.
That's when it hits me. Bianca passed her exams because she'd spent years studying. But I've just arrived—essentially a blank slate—with no memories of her experiences and no idea what's going to be on the test.
I'm in trouble. What will happen if I fail?
Well, that's optimistic... more like when I fail.
"Are you alright? You suddenly look pale," my mother says, her tone full of concern.
If only she knew...
"My head," I say, feigning discomfort. "I'll finish this plate and then head back to rest."
"Of course, dear. Remember, you leave early tomorrow for the countryside. You'll be able to study more peacefully there and do one final review. Once summer ends, I'll accompany you to the academy."
"Yes. By the way..." I hesitate, unsure how to phrase this. "I'd like to see my stats."
"Your what?" my older brother asks.
"My intelligence levels, my magic…"
"Your chart? You're acting strange today, Bianca," the youngest pipes up.
"Yes, please."
I try to keep my racing heart under control. I need to know if this body has power. My gamer instincts haven't been able to focus on anything else since I woke up here.
"Dear, I'll ask Layla to make you a strong tea. Your chart has been on your desk ever since we took you to the capital's square as a child to touch the stone. They copied everything onto a parchment for you, and you've treasured it ever since. Now, go rest for a while. You can't afford to get sick so close to the exam—it's just a month and three days away." She dramatically presses a hand to her forehead.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll be fine soon."
"Mom? You haven't called me that since Elias was born."
She gets up and approaches me, alarmed.
Okay, time to fake a fainting spell or something. No way am I explaining that I have no clue where her beloved daughter is—or that I've unintentionally stolen her body.
Now that I think about it… what if Bianca is in my body on Earth?
The idea of someone else occupying and using my body makes me dizzy. Honestly, pretending to faint is easy. I let them take me back to my room.
That month away, at the country house, will be a blessing for me. It'll give me time to figure out more about Bianca.
Because one thing is clear: if I'm going to survive in this world, I need information. And I need a plan.