THE UNWRITTEN HEROINE

Slyvia was just an ordinary writer—one of those obscure authors who penned manhwa stories as a hobby. She had never been particularly well-known, but that didn’t bother her. Writing was her escape, her little world of imagination. At present, she was working on a new plot for an upcoming series. Hours passed as she meticulously crafted the opening scenes, her fingers dancing over the keyboard. Finally, feeling drained, she leaned back in her chair and decided to take a short break. … A strange sensation stirred her from sleep. Her eyelids fluttered open, and a jolt of shock coursed through her body. She wasn’t in her room. Instead, she found herself in an unfamiliar city, its streets bustling with people who looked as though they belonged there—while she certainly did not. Confusion clouded her mind. Just moments ago, she had been at home, resting. How had she ended up here? "I was just asleep… wasn’t I?" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. A hundred questions ran wild in her head. This place wasn’t completely foreign—it resembled a typical city, but something about it felt off. Was she dreaming? Had she somehow sleepwalked to another town? Shaking off the disorientation, she decided to explore. Maybe she would find some clues. … As she wandered aimlessly through the streets, she felt the familiar weight of unease pressing on her chest. Slyvia wasn’t the social type—she preferred solitude over conversations with strangers. But in this situation, she had no choice. She needed answers. She eventually stopped in front of a small store and decided to step inside. The place seemed ordinary—shelves neatly lined with various items, soft music playing in the background. Nothing about it screamed "mystical transportation" or "alternate reality." As she approached the counter, a woman behind it greeted her with a warm smile. "Good morning! Is there anything you’d like to buy?" the cashier asked politely. Sylvia hesitated. A full minute passed as she simply stood there, shifting uncomfortably. The words were caught in her throat, her mind still scrambling to process everything. "I-I was just wondering… what place is this?" she finally managed to ask, her voice betraying her nerves. "I mean, it’s a city, obviously, but—" She stopped mid-sentence, realizing she was stuttering. Embarrassment flooded her, and without another word, she turned and hurried out of the store. … She walked for a while, lost in thought, until a sudden voice cut through the noise of the city. "Slyvia!" The sound of her name made her freeze. She turned around, only to see a girl in a school uniform waving excitedly at her. "Hey! Why didn’t you come to class today? I was worried! You never skip school unless it’s really necessary," the girl said, her voice filled with concern. Slyvia stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "Class? Skipping school? What is she talking about?" "Uh… what?" Slyvia muttered, tilting her head in confusion. Then, like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place, realization dawned upon her. This… this was just like one of those stories she had read before. The kind where someone wakes up in an unfamiliar world, reincarnated into a book or another reality. A chuckle escaped her lips, then turned into full-blown laughter. "The heck? Is this some kind of joke?" she murmured between giggles, unable to believe it. The schoolgirl blinked in confusion, watching Slyvia as if she had lost her mind. "What’s wrong with you?" she muttered, frowning. Sylvia couldn’t stop laughing. This was insane. Absolutely ridiculous. But if this was really happening… then what kind of life was she living in this world? And more importantly—how was she supposed to get back? … Once reality sank in, Slyvia froze. Her mind spiraled into chaos, thoughts racing uncontrollably. What if I’m stuck here? What if I can’t go back to my own world? Is this a nightmare? Oh dear, I just want to wake up… She stared at the student in front of her. The girl didn’t look familiar, but something about this place—about all of this—nagged at her. Then, it hit her. Wait… my last story before I woke up here… wasn’t it about a school romance? Her stomach dropped. "H-Huh…" she stammered, barely able to form words. It wasn’t just some strange dream. She had actually reincarnated—into her own story. Slyvia stood there, paralyzed with disbelief. Of all the places in the world, she had ended up inside her own creation. And yet… she wasn’t some main character or a powerful figure. She was just a normal girl. A nobody. This has to be some kind of joke… Before she could process it further, a sharp flick landed on her forehead. "Hey, i***t, what’s gotten into you?" the student huffed, arms crossed. "Are you gonna answer my question, or just stand there like a statue?" Slyvia snapped out of her daze, blinking at the girl in front of her. She sighed softly, rubbing the spot where she had been flicked. "Can you tell me… where we are right now?" Because no matter how many times she told herself this wasn’t real, she knew deep down—she was inside her own story. a moment of silence passed between these two The student furrowed her brows, clearly puzzled by Sylvia's question. "What do you mean where we are? We’re in Ravensworth City, obviously." Ravensworth City. Sylvia's breath hitched. She knew that name. It was the very city she had created for her last story—the setting of her school romance novel. This confirmed it. She was inside her own story. Sylvia tried to keep calm, but her hands trembled at her sides. If this world followed the events she had written, then the main characters should exist here, along with all the drama and conflicts she had carefully crafted. But where did she fit into all of this? "I… I see," she mumbled, lowering her gaze. The student—whoever she was—tilted her head. "Are you seriously okay? You’re acting super weird today." Sylvia hesitated. She had no idea who this girl was, which was strange. As the author, she should remember every character in her story, but this one… she drew a blank. "Uh… remind me again—what’s your name?" Slyvia asked cautiously. The girl recoiled in offense. "Excuse me? Are you messing with me right now?" Slyvia winced. "N-No, I just—" "Wow, okay, I can’t believe this," the girl huffed, crossing her arms. "We’ve been friends since middle school, and you forget my name?" Slyvia’s stomach dropped. Friends? Since middle school? That didn’t make sense. In her real life, she barely had any close friends. And in her story, the protagonist had a best friend—but that wasn’t her. So who was this girl? "I'm leaving before you say anything else that makes me mad," the girl grumbled, turning away. "See you tomorrow—if you remember me by then." Slyvia watched her walk off, feeling even more lost than before. Okay… this is really weird. I wrote this world, but I don’t remember her. Did something change? Slyvia let out a deep breath, trying to think rationally. If this world followed her story’s timeline, then the protagonist, Caslian, should be here somewhere. She needed to find her—to confirm whether or not the events she wrote were unfolding as they should. And more importantly… She needed to figure out what role she played in all of this. Without wasting another second, Sylvia turned and started walking through Ravensworth City. It was time to find out just how deep this mystery went...