Ever had one of those days where you start questioning why you even exist?
Yeah, that's basically every day of my life.
Name's Raven.Nineteen years old. Jobless. Girlfriend-less. Friend-less. Basically… a walking definition of "main character with no plot."
I live alone in a tiny apartment that smells like instant noodles and crushed dreams.
There's a single bed, a dusty bookshelf, and a broken fan that makes a dying noise every time I turn it on. It's like the fan's way of saying, "Bro, just give up."
My morning routine? Wake up, stare at the ceiling for ten minutes, scroll through memes, and then ask myself, "Is this what adulthood feels like?"Spoiler: yes. Yes, it is.
I wasn't always like this, you know. Okay, maybe I was, but at least I used to have hope. I once dreamed of being a hero, traveling the world, perhaps even finding true love. But now, my most consistent relationship is with my Wi-Fi router.
My parents? Always busy.
My classmates? Probably forgot I existed.
My life? A perfect example of "quiet desperation."
My parents call sometimes, mostly to ask if I've gotten a job yet. I always say, "Yeah, I'm working on something big!"They don't need to know the "big project" is finishing a 900-page fantasy novel about a lizard king.
Anyway, it was a normal day, or as normal as my life gets. I had nowhere to go, no one to meet, and nothing important to do. So I did what I always do on weekends: I went to the library.
The library was my second home. Quiet, warm, and filled with the smell of paper and ink, the only place where reality shut up for a while. Most people go there to study or look smart. I went there to escape myself.
That's when I found it, a book. The cover was old and cracked, with the title written in faded gold letters: "The Idiot King."
The summary said something like: "A story of a foolish king whose stupidity changed the world."I don't know why, but I was instantly hooked. Maybe because the word "idiot" felt relatable.
I flipped through the pages and started reading. The story was weirdly funny. This king declared war on a neighboring kingdom because their flag "looked arrogant."At one point, he knighted a chicken. A chicken. I laughed out loud, earning a death stare from an old lady two tables away.
"Sorry, ma'am," I whispered.
Hours flew by. I didn't even notice the librarian walking around announcing closing time. When I finally looked up, the sun had already gone down. The world outside the window was dark and quiet.
"Crap," I muttered, glancing at my phone. "It's already 8:40."I quickly went to the counter and borrowed the book. The librarian gave me the usual look, the one that says, "You really have nothing better to do, huh?"
I smiled awkwardly and walked out into the chilly night. The air smelled like rain, and the streets were almost empty, except for a few flickering streetlights. My apartment wasn't far, maybe a ten-minute walk.
As I walked, I hugged the book to my chest like some kind of treasure. You'd think I was protecting a bag of gold. But no, it was just me being emotionally attached to paper. Typical Raven.
My stomach growled."Alright, alright," I said out loud. "I'll make noodles when I get home. Happy?"
If anyone saw me talking to myself, they'd think I was crazy. But honestly, at this point, I'd probably agree with them.
Halfway down the street, I stopped by a convenience store. Grabbed instant noodles, a soda, and a discount chocolate bar. Because nothing says "self-love" like sugar and MSG.
When I stepped out, the night had grown colder. I shoved my hands into my pockets and started walking again. My brain drifted into its usual late-night nonsense.
"What if reincarnation is real?" I thought."What if I die and get reborn in another world as a super handsome hero with magic powers?"
I laughed."Yeah, right. As if I'd ever get that lucky."
The universe must've heard me… and decided to take it personally.
Because that's when I saw it, a pair of blinding headlights coming from the other side of the road. The truck was moving fast. Too fast. I froze like an idiot deer caught in headlights.
My body wouldn't move. I could hear the engine roaring, the tires screeching, the wind rushing past my ears.
And in that split second, my entire life flashed before my eyes, all the wasted days, all the lonely nights, all the time I spent scrolling through anime memes instead of living.
"I don't want to die a virgin!" I yelled. The driver's face went pale. Too late.
BAM!
Everything stopped.
I didn't feel pain. Just… floating. Like drifting in water. The world faded away, sound, color, everything, until there was nothing left but a soft golden light.
Was this heaven? Or was I finally hallucinating from all the instant noodles?
Then I heard it. A faint voice."Your Highness… can you hear me?"
Huh?
The light grew brighter. My eyelids fluttered, and the smell of lavender filled my nose. When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a massive bed, the kind you see in royal palaces. Silk sheets. Golden curtains. A chandelier so shiny it looked like it ate all the stars in the sky.
And beside me stood a woman dressed in elegant robes, her hands trembling with joy.
"Oh, my dear prince! You've awakened!" she said, tears in her eyes.
Prince? What? who?
I looked down. My clothes were white silk trimmed with gold. My hands looked smoother, cleaner, not the dry, cracked hands of a ramen addict. My reflection in a mirror nearby showed a face that was…Well. Let's just say I looked like someone who actually could get a girlfriend.
"Wait a second…" I mumbled. Either I'd been kidnapped by a drama production crew…Or…
My mind went blank. All those novels, all those jokes about isekai protagonists…
There was no way, right? No way this was happening to me.
The woman bowed deeply. "My prince, please rest. You suffered a terrible accident during your sword training."
Sword… training? Did I look like someone who could hold a sword? I could barely hold my phone without dropping it.
I rubbed my temples and muttered the only words that made sense:
"Dear Lord… what kind of scam is this?"