Her golden hair was the first thing I saw.
Her eyes were crystal blue. Her figure was just as unfair. She was elegant, poised, and still youthful enough to carry that fresh vitality the game's character descriptions always raved about.
But what really threw me off were her clothes. She wasn't dressed like some noble heiress or magical prodigy. She wore a simple shirt and jeans. That was it. And yet, somehow, she made that plain outfit look like it belonged in a royal portrait. She was far too beautiful to be standing next to me, smiling like she hadn't just short-circuited my entire brain.
I cleared my throat too sharply.and somehow managed to force out a few words.
"It's… it's a pleasure to meet you."
Inside though, I was spiraling. My heart was pounding against my ribs like it was trying to escape. Sure, this was the heroine's Great Hall introduction but was she supposed to talk to me this early? In the original game, Phasnovterich and the heroine didn't even cross paths until way later.
Then the thought struck like a brick to the face.
Wait. Is she an Outer?
Because she didn't look average. The fandom used to whine about how "plain" the heroine's model was but this woman sitting beside me had nothing average about her.
Don't tell me…
My system blinked into existence beside her, glowing obnoxiously bright like it was mocking my paranoia. A new message scrolled across the hologram.
[Achievement Unlocked: Greetings To The Savior Of The World!]
[Reward: +20 Pearlesia.]
---
Another notification followed, cheerful chimes ringing in my ears.
[Favor Meter Unlocked: Heroine]
[Current Level: 1]
I slumped back in my seat and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Okay, she wasn't an Outer. If she was, the entire storyline would have collapsed before Act I even finished loading. This world revolved around her, which meant no one had hijacked her body. Because if that ever happened, the world would have spiraled straight into chaos.
I straightened up, remembering my role, and trying to be formal asked:
"May I know your name?"
"My name is Verdamona Regenis."
Verdamona.
I have never heard it before. In the game, the heroine's name was always customizable. Players could pick whatever they wanted. Rina used to name her the dumbest things possible just to mess with the dialogue boxes. This wasn't a game anymore. Just her name hit me hard to realize that this is reality.
Verdamona tilted her head slightly, curiosity glimmering in her eyes.
"And you? I heard some of the girls whispering earlier, but I'd like to know properly."
I forced a calm, practiced smile.
"Phaser Argemenes."
I didn't dare say the full cursed name that is Phasnovterich Vecria Argemenes. It was a tongue-twister, even for nobles. The game itself always shortened it to "Phaser," so it sounded believable.
Her eyes widened slightly in recognition, and before I could stop her, she started to shift in her seat like she was about to bow. I raised a hand quickly.
"There's no need for that here. At Reversa University, everyone's equal. House influence doesn't apply here."
She froze, blinking like I had just said something groundbreaking. Then she flushed and dipped her head instead.
"I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend."
"It's fine. You didn't offend anyone. Don't worry about it."
A brief silence stretched between us. Then she just… stared, like she was studying me for something hidden beneath the surface.
"Is something wrong?"
Verdamona shook her head immediately, though her smile somehow brightened even more.
"No, nothing at all. It's just… I've never seen a House member treat Commoner Fluxers so kindly before."
Fluxers is the name for people born with Flux.
"Well, believe it or not, we exist. We just don't advertise it much."
She laughed and for a fleeting moment, I forgot that I was supposed to be in survival mode. But before either of us could continue, a booming voice filled the Great Hall.
"Welcome, students, to Reversa University!"
The entire hall fell silent. The orientation began, and just like that, our conversation was cut short. Even as I turned my attention to the stage, though, I could feel Verdamona's gaze still on me. And for some reason… that scared me more than anything.
When the host's voice finally faded and polite applause rippled through the room, I allowed myself to breathe. My eyes flicked to the faint white shimmer in the corner of my vision. I exhaled slowly as I mentally pulled the menu open.
[System Notification.]
[Favor Meter: Activated!]
[You have gained Favor with Verdamona Regenis (Heroine).]
[Current Favor: 1 / 100]
My eyes lingered on the glowing meter. In MoDS, the Favor Meter wasn't just some gimmick. It was the gauge of affection, trust, admiration, and sometimes, love to the male leads. The numbers didn't just measure how much she liked you. They decided your fate.
0 to 10 meant you were background noise, friendly acquaintance at best.
11 to 50 meant trust and real friendship, maybe even the start of love.
51 to 90 was about deep bonds, possible romance and genuine devotion.
91 to 100? That was endgame-tier loyalty. The heroine would move mountains for you and ewrite her own story, if she had to.
I was sitting at Level One.
It wasn't much, but it was everything. Because that number meant she wasn't an Outer. She wasn't some Earth bound soul puppeteering her body. She was real and that realization alone loosened the weight crushing my shoulders. But before I could bask in the relief, another notification slammed across my vision.
[Achievement Unlocked!]
[First Contact: You are the first player to formally meet the Heroine, Verdamona Regenis!]
[Reward: 1,000 Pearlesia, 20,000 Gold, 2 Enchantments]
---
Not bad. The Pearlesia alone could grant ten chances in a banner. The gold would cover upgrades for myself or my weapons, but it was the Enchantments that made my stomach twist.
---
[New Enchantment Acquired: Hidden Player]
[Effect: Prevents players from using Flux to detect your Player status.]
[Success Rate: 99%]
[Condition: If you deviate from Phasnovterich Vecria Argemenes's known lore, the Enchantment fails.]
[Duration: Valid only during the University Arc.]
---
This was plot armor.
Sure, there was a catch but that was a small price to pay. Because even though MoDS gave "plot protection" to its story leads, it never stopped other players from scheming, sabotaging, or politically cornering each other behind the scenes.
Now, I could glide under their radar like a ghost. Then, the second Enchantment appeared.
---
[New Enchantment Acquired: Three Questions]
[Effect: Allows you to confirm if a target is an Outer, an Altera Earth native, or someone with scripted relevance.]
[Method: Ask the target three questions. Their true nature will be revealed if they answer.]
[Note: If the target refuses to answer, the Enchantment fails.]
[Permanence: Permanent.]
---
For a split second, I swear my heart stopped. Hidden Player concealed me. Three Questions exposed them. I had just been handed the perfect combo of stealth and detection. If I ever suspected someone of being from Earth, I could just ask three questions. It felt like the universe had just tilted the entire board in my favor.
"Phaser?"
I blinked out of my thoughts. Verdamona was watching me again. She tilted her head slightly, smiling with that kind of easy innocence that felt almost unreal.
"Oh sorry. This is boring, don't you think?"
She laughed softly. "It is. I just wanted to say… it was nice meeting you."
For a heartbeat, I forgot myself. She was just… breathtaking.
"It was nice meeting you too. Honestly, I didn't expect to find someone like you here. You're not part of a House, and yet somehow, I'd like it if we could be friends."
Her cheeks flushed pink, surprise flickering across her face before she smiled again.
"Sure. I'd like that."
We parted ways after that. I walked out steady and composed, but inside, my expression hardened because I knew the truth now.
The University Arc was just the prologue that tricked you into thinking you had time to breathe.
But when it ended, the real chaos would begin. I need to be ready before summer.