Sophia jolted awake on a velvet-canopied four-poster bed. Morning light streamed through gothic stained-glass windows, casting rainbow-colored patches across her blanket. She instinctively reached for her phone on the bedside table—only to touch a leather-bound spellbook.
"It's not a dream…" she murmured, pressing her fingertips into her palm. The sharp pain confirmed it—this was real.
"System interface," she called silently in her mind.
A translucent blue panel immediately unfolded before her, nearly identical to the beta version of the game—except for a golden gear icon in the bottom right corner that she had never seen before. Sophia tried to click it with her mind, only to be met with a red warning box: "Designer permissions partially locked. Unlock by fulfilling required conditions."
"Interesting…" She was about to investigate further when someone gently knocked on her dorm room door.
"Sophia? Are you awake?" came a soft female voice. "Orientation starts in ten minutes."
"Coming!" She hastily pulled on her academy uniform and opened the door—only to be greeted by a familiar face: Lillian, the genius commoner girl from the game, originally designed to become the player's best friend.
She was even more vivid in real life than in pixels. Chestnut curls framed her face, with a handmade star-shaped hairpin nestled above her ear—just as Sophia had noted in the design document.
"Your hair…" Lillian suddenly widened her eyes. "It looks like the galaxy kissed by moonlight."
Only then did Sophia notice the reflection in the mirror—her once-black hair now shimmered with the deep blue luster that only appeared in the game. It was a hidden trait she had given her character as a designer, one that required specific conditions to activate.
"System Notification: Lillian's Affection +5. Current: 20/100. Trait 'Observer' activated."
They hurried toward the grand hall. Sophia intentionally lagged a step behind and opened the system map. As the designer, she knew every random event trigger point—turn right at the second torch to meet the message owl; beneath the third west hallway window lay a moonstone that increased charisma.
"Watch out!" Sophia suddenly grabbed Lillian's arm.
A pot of enchanted vines crashed down right in front of them. In the original plot, it would've slashed Lillian's arm and made her miss the entrance exam.
"How did you…?" Lillian turned pale, but the chime of the bell cut her off.
In the grand hall, beneath a hovering crystal chandelier, stood the dean—Mortimer. His silver-white beard nearly touched the gemstone-encrusted belt at his waist. Sophia's fingers clenched the edge of her robe instinctively. This seemingly kind old man was actually the final boss—but according to the storyline, his true nature wouldn't be revealed until Chapter 7.
"This year's freshmen will participate in the end-of-month Magic Tournament," Mortimer announced. "The winning team will earn access to the Ancient Magic Library."
The hall erupted with excitement. Sophia, however, stared at the newly popped-up task panel:
Main Quest Updated: Form a Team for the Tournament (0/3 teammates)Hidden Quest Unlocked: Investigate the Noise in the Basement (Danger Level: ★★)
"This wasn't in the original plot…" she frowned inwardly. Suddenly, she felt someone watching her. In the second-floor gallery, Lucien leaned against the gilded railing, his silver hair glinting like liquid mercury in the morning light. Their gazes met—and golden text appeared before her eyes, visible only to her:
"Lucien Star Affection Level: 25. Interests: Temporal Magic, Classical Music, Blueberry Pie."
"System, you're too thoughtful," she chuckled to herself—unaware that Lucien's pocket watch was flashing with an unusual red light.
After orientation, Sophia declined Lillian's lunch invitation and slipped away into the restricted corridor of the library. According to her design, this was where the Mirror of Truth—which revealed a character's full profile—was hidden.
"Need help?" A mocking voice echoed from the shadows.
Out stepped Bianca—Yating Bai—the student council vice president and primary in-game rival. The diamond brooch on her chest marked her as nobility.
"Just lost," Sophia smiled. She knew all of Bianca's petty tricks—but a sudden system warning made her freeze:
Warning! Bianca is carrying an anomalous item: Tampered Memory Crystal (Danger Level: ★★★)
"Transfer students should follow the rules," Bianca said, running a finger along the bookshelf. "Or else—"
A violent cough interrupted her. A purple crystal rolled from her sleeve. Sophia quickly picked it up, and the system instantly analyzed the dark curse embedded inside—far more sinister than the original game's black magic.
"Or else what?" Sophia held the crystal up to the sunlight, letting Bianca clearly see the purification magic shimmering on her fingertips—one of the small cheats granted by her designer backdoor privileges.
Bianca's expression changed instantly. She left in a hurry, knocking over an inkwell stand in the process.
Just as Sophia was about to leave, she noticed the spilled ink forming an arrow—pointing toward a hidden door she had never designed.
From beneath the floor came a deep, dull thud.