[ Good morning. ]
I wake up feeling like my head is being split in half. My eyes are closed, yet I feel the world around me spinning. The unstoppable pounding is no help at all.
I want to throw up everything in my stomach, but it's empty. And even when I try to open my eyes, it only seems to get worse.
[ The host is currently experiencing a Vestibular Migraine. The system does not recommend standing or moving. After 5 minutes, all symptoms will disappear. ]
I don't move from my position and endure it for five minutes. When my mental timer stops at zero, all symptoms really disappears.
Opening my eyes, I look around. I find myself in a familiar small room. I push myself to sit and quietly take in the familiar surroundings.
The small room is painted in pale yellow. It has two wardrobes, a bookshelf, a double cabinet above the study table with a chair, and a single bed. A yellow bedsheet covers the mattress, two SpongeBob yellow pillows, and a yellow fleece blanket lies at my feet.
I walk toward the window, where a fake sunflower display and a real cactus sit. I part the thin white curtain and look outside through the closed window.
It is a backyard with various plants growing promisingly.
"System, what's the year today?"
[ Calendar: May 1, 2015 ]
"I'm 15 years old now?"
Saying that, I look down at my hands. They are soft and smooth, with no scars or calluses. I touch my face, and it is smooth, with no rough or visible scars on it.
"System, why don't I remember anything?"
[ Because of the Host's sudden suicide, without giving notice to the system, the Host's soul was retrieved late and is currently damaged. ]
I fall into silence.
[ Does the system need to reintroduce itself to the Host? ]
"No, I remember everything about you," I say as I look at the blue sky. "You chose me because I have endless potential, right? Your mission is to help me fulfill my wish."
[ Yes. Does the Host still remember her wish? ]
"Of course." I smile. "My wish is to live a life that makes my family proud." The words come out smoothly. I might forget many things now, but that wish is deeply remembered by my soul.
[ The system is happy to hear that. ]
I smile, thinking this system seems different from the systems I have in mind. It is not demanding or threatening me with my life. It's quite easy to talk to.
[ Host, because of your sudden action, I've upgraded. ]
"Oh?" My brow automatically raises as it intrigues me.
[ Host, I'm upgraded into the Stardom System. I can only help you by issuing idol-related missions. Although completing every mission can help the Host increase her lifespan and repair her soul, please don't worry—activating this system is voluntary. As long as you don't activate this system, you will not be forced to complete all the missions the system issues. ]
I'm wrong. No matter how approachable and friendly a system appears, a system will always be a system.
"I don't really like showing my face in public, and I want to be a doctor. But…" I sigh. "Let me think."
[ Please take your time to think, Host. ]
I extract the key points from what the system reveals.
First, it has become a system that specifically assists aspiring idols. It only issues idol-related missions, and if I continue my plan to become a doctor, this system will basically become useless to me. It will only serve as decoration or a chatting buddy as I work hard to fulfill my wish. Its only role then is mental support, I guess.
Second, the missions it issues can help repair my soul and increase my lifespan. That means my life in this world still has a countdown. If I'm guessing right, my illness follows me like a stalker in this life. No—if I think about it carefully, my rebirth sends me into the past. That means the illness growing in my body will definitely not disappear just because my soul from the future goes back into my younger body.
Crap. Am I going to go through all those personality changes and other symptoms again?
And if I'm guessing right, my damaged soul definitely has some repercussions that might affect me in this life.
Lastly, it says that as long as I don't activate it, I won't be forced to complete the missions. Then, if I do activate it, I will be forced to complete all the missions it issues. And if I'm guessing right again, failing to do so will have penalties.
Damn. Who says this system is friendly?
A system will always be a system. No matter how friendly they are, they always do things in system ways.
I can foresee my friend–enemy relationship with this system.
Do I have a choice? The system gives me the illusion that I do, but I know that I don't.
Increasing my lifespan is a huge temptation for someone like me, who already has a set date of death. Plus, I don't think I can accomplish my wish with limited time.
Becoming a doctor before eighteen? Although other people call me a genius, I know I couldn't pull off that kind of feat.
"I have a question."
[ Please ask, Host. ]
"Do you know what will happen to me when my face is revealed to the public?"
[ Don't worry, Host. I'll have a way to counteract the debuff of your blessing. ]
My eyes widen. "What do you mean, debuff? Blessing?"
[ Your ancestor was blessed by the Goddess of Beauty, which made the world sought after her. But she chose to be a Saintess, and the temple she served protected her well. She didn't have offspring, but she had a younger brother who was very close to her, and he became a medium to pass the Goddess's blessing down generation after generation. ]
"Wow…" I can't believe there's such a magical history in my bloodline. It's a straight-out manhwa plot!
"Is that why everyone in our family is good-looking?"
[ Yes. ]
"But," my face cools down, "what's the use of good looks if we don't have money?"
[ … ]
"What's the use of good looks if it couldn't save my parents' lives? What's the use of good looks if I'm the only one carrying this bloodline with what you call blessing? And everyone who had it died because it invited evil?"
I take a deep breath to control the emotions that suddenly burst out. I don't mean to say that.
Usually, I keep everything to myself, but suddenly having a system I can talk to like I'm a normal person, without fearing it might kidnap me or anything, makes everything just… spill out.
"I'm sorry, Star. I didn't mean that."
[ …It doesn't matter. You are right. ]
I only give a tiny smile and remain silent.
I assume that the system will also fall silent, but it continues to explain where our main topic stopped.
[ As for the debuff I'm talking about, it exists because some of your ancestors used their beauty to cause harm to others. Because of the resentment that accumulated, it became a side effect of the blessing. This is karma. ]
I scoff, but I don't voice my thoughts again. Instead, I rant in my head.
Because of those heartbreakers and jerks, their karma affects later innocent generations!
[ To permanently get rid of this debuff, you have to accumulate merit or blessings. For now, I can help you suppress the debuff temporarily. You can now go outside without fearing bad people targeting you, although you will still receive adoring looks because of the blessing. ]
Hearing that, I know my biggest problem is already solved. I don't have any more excuses not to activate the Stardom System.
I'm not afraid of the penalties or whatever I might have to do to complete the missions.
I've survived evil people and died with dignity in my last life. I don't see anything to fear in activating it.
"Then, Star, please activate the Stardom System."
[ Countdown to Stardom System activated! ]
[ Personalizing Idol Theme… ]
[ Personalization complete. ]
[ Your personalized idol theme is The Blazing Star. Description: An idol who burns their own life to give light and hope to others. ]
I take a deep breath before I start. "What's with the added 'Countdown To'? You said you upgraded to the Stardom System!"
[ Countdown to Stardom System is quite long. Apologies for taking the liberty of shortening it so it's easier for you to remember. ]
This system!
There's a big difference between the word Countdown and the word without it.
Just hearing Countdown to Stardom sounds ominous, okay?
It gives me the feeling that if I don't manage to complete the mission within the given time, the penalty will be my life.
[ Do you want to see your first mission? ]
After calming myself, I nod and say, "Yes."
[ Tutorial Mission ]
Upgrade Vocal to B- and Dance to B-.
Countdown: 30 Days
Reward: Lifespan +15 Days
Penalty: Lifespan −30 Days
What the heck is with this difference? The penalty is twice the reward!
Okay, Nova. Calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out.
"I assume I have a profile?" I force a smile.
[ Please wait, Host. ]
After a while, a blue holographic screen appears in front of me, where my picture and stats appear like a game.
[ Ordinary Person ]
Name: Nova (15)
Theme: The Blazing Star
Lifespan: Y-2 D-27
Exp.: 0/10
Pts.: 0
Vocal: C- (61)
Dance: D- (51)
Charm: S+ (98)
Potential: S+
In 27 days, I'll be sixteen.
And I'm right. Even without receiving a final diagnosis, I know I still have glioblastoma. And I only have two years of lifespan remaining. Just like in my past life, if I don't do anything, I'll die at eighteen.
Then, looking at my Charm stat, I finally understand why even when I'm covered head to toe, evil people always spot me. And if I'm guessing right, the reason it isn't 100 is because of the debuff.
"Wait, System. Why is my Dance stat so low? I learned ballet in my first life!"
[ Host, you learned it when you were sixteen. Currently, you are fifteen and haven't learned it yet. ]
"So this profile only projects my current condition and not what I accomplished or did in my last life?"
[ You are correct, Host. ]
With my experience from my last life, I can definitely level up my Dance stat in a short time. I'll practice nonstop. I'm sure my body can handle it since I've been practicing martial arts since I was a child.
A 30-day time limit? Hah! I only need 15 days, and I'll breeze through this tutorial mission.
I'll show this system just how awesome its host is!