Kumodesu

I brushed off the dust on the cover. The journal's exterior was still fairly intact. Just from the color and style, I guessed it belonged to a man—warm and subdued tones.

I opened the journal, expecting to see lines of writing, but instead, the pages were completely blank.

What the heck?

I definitely saw text on it before!

Naniii?

I quickly flipped through the whole thing, but every page was empty. While I was still confused, a beam of light suddenly began to spread from the journal.

Nai wa!

I felt something was wrong. I wanted to throw the journal away, but it was too late. The light grew larger and eventually engulfed my entire vision.

This is bad.

I shut my eyes, bracing for impact, but nothing happened. Slowly, I opened my eyes. In front of me was a space of pure white.

I tried moving my body and immediately felt something strange.

Nai wa~

I had hands? Not spider legs—actual human hands with five fingers!

Did I turn back into a human? My entire body had returned to normal… it was even the same appearance I had in my previous life.

I tried jumping around, doing some simple moves, then more complicated ones…

It all felt incredibly real.

I might have looked stupid, but being able to move freely like this was something I had longed for!

Like a child, I messed around doing all sorts of silly things.

Wait, hold on.

Did I die?

Don't let it end so suddenly like this!

But being able to move around like a human again made me kind of happy. Life as a spider was seriously inconvenient.

Oh wait.

Why am I not wearing anything?

Ah, right. Souls don't need clothes, do they?

Still, it felt weird.

At the very least, I wanted something to cover myself.

Then, to my surprise, a white outfit appeared on me out of nowhere.

Come on… this is too convenient.

Do dead people get perks like this?

Wait a second…

Can I just conjure anything I want?

I thought about something I'd wanted for a long time.

Donuts!

Suddenly, tons of donuts appeared in front of me.

So many...!

I happily grabbed a few and stuffed them into my mouth.

They even tasted real...

This feeling...

If I can enjoy my favorite food even after dying, that's amazing.

I ate more than ten of them, but still didn't feel full. That's when I realized something was off… They tasted real, but once they reached my stomach, it was like nothing happened.

"Since this is just a virtual space, even though things look real, everything here is fake."

Just as I was wondering, a voice came from behind me and gave me chills.

"Who's there?!"

I quickly turned around.

Standing before me was an old man with long white hair and beard, a face full of wrinkles, and sorrowful eyes that made you feel sad just looking at them. He was wearing a tattered old robe, with missing parts revealing scars—clear signs he had been through many battles.

"Y-You…"

I spoke cautiously.

The man didn't say anything and simply looked at me.

"Who… are you?"

It took me a while to finish the question. I hadn't spoken to a human in so long, my voice trembled like a child learning to speak again, and I couldn't even pronounce words properly.

"I'm the master of this virtual space," the man said calmly.

"I…"

He seemed to sense I had more questions and simply stood there, waiting.

"Why… why…"

Oh no.

I've been a spider for so long that I forgot how to talk…

"Am I… here…?"

I forced myself to finish the sentence, but it felt like I had run a marathon.

"You're not very good at talking, are you?"

Oof. Right on the mark.

This old guy was sharper than he looked. Well, I guess old people tend to be wise.

"Would this be easier?"

Suddenly, a voice rang inside my head, making me jump a little.

Seeing my reaction, the man continued, "This is telepathy."

Ah, I see.

"Yeah… it's better."

It was still a bit hard, but definitely more manageable. As long as I didn't have to speak out loud, the difficulty dropped by half.

"Alright, then let's begin. First, if you have any questions, go ahead. Then I'll share my story."

I don't even know what's going on. What would I ask?

"You… how long have you been here?"

"Since the beginning."

Nai wa~

That means… he saw everything I just did earlier?

AAAaaaa!

I'm so embarrassed I could die again!!

Those things I just did were enough to make me never want to meet another person ever again.

I wish I had really died…

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked, a little annoyed.

"I didn't want to interrupt your joy. It also gave you time to adjust to this place—and to your body."

I didn't know how to respond. It was true—I really had fun just now. Reacquainting myself with my human body after being a spider for so long was kind of important.

"No need to worry about that kind of thing," he added.

Easy for you to say! You're not the one who looked like an idiot!

"Anyway, you should think about whether there's anything you want to ask."

I reluctantly set aside my embarrassment and started thinking.

After a moment, I asked, "Where is this?"

"This is a virtual space I created with a skill. It can store a person's consciousness—even after death—but not for long."

Holy crap!

That's insane!

My eyes widened, but I stayed quiet to listen.

"In this space, I can create anything I want. But everything is fake—because, in the end, it's just a virtual world. However, if this skill evolves further, that may change."

I think I get it now.

Even if it's fake, it's still a nice temporary escape.

"You created this skill yourself?"

The man paused for a while, then said, "It came from years of research. I gathered all the conditions needed to unlock it. As you know, if you meet the right conditions, you can learn any skill."

I was a little surprised.

"You know about the system too?"

"In this world, all living beings do. The system is a useful tool… but also a dangerous one."

There was something ominous about his tone, but I couldn't quite grasp it.

I changed the question: "Why am I here?"

"Before I died, I turned my journal into a vessel for this virtual space. When someone who met the conditions came across it, the space activated and pulled that person's consciousness inside."

So… I was just the unlucky one, huh?

I didn't react, just continued, "So… who are you?"

The man sighed.

"I'm just someone who was left behind, doing everything he can to get revenge."

That was such a vague answer, but seeing the sadness in his expression, I didn't dare push.

I waited quietly for him to collect himself.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this, but… I have a favor to ask."

"What's the reward?"

Crap!

I said it out of habit.

Back when I played games with my friends, I was usually the one carrying the team, so I always demanded some kind of reward afterward—game items, food, or help with homework.

Eventually, I developed the habit of asking for compensation without even hearing what the task was.

"If you agree to help, I'll give you this skill—whether you succeed or fail."

My eyes lit up, but I tried to act calm. "You're being very generous."

The old man gave a bitter smile. "I don't have much time left. If you succeed, I can rest in peace. If you fail, then that's just my fate. I'm gambling everything on this one shot."

His attitude caught me off guard.

Guess I had to take this seriously too.

"What do you need me to do? Just so you know—I'm super weak. So don't blame me if I mess up."

"I believe in you. If you made it here, that means you already have a chance of success."

Let's hope he's right.

"First, do you mind listening to my story?"

"What story?"

"I'm sure you saw the scene outside. For me, that was the greatest tragedy of my life… but also the turning point that changed everything."

I quickly asked, "Does it have to do with the Spirits?"

The man looked slightly surprised.

"Seems like you've uncovered a few things. But it's not enough. The real nightmare… is something else."

I shuddered at those words.

Just as I thought—there's another creature involved. After reading about the Spirits, I was even more convinced they weren't responsible for all that destruction.

"For now, you don't need to worry about that. It's already returned to its territory."

Hearing that, I finally relaxed a bit.

Wait a second.

He said my consciousness was pulled in. So my body is still out there?

"Hey, what about my body?"

"Don't worry—I've already protected it."

Even so, I was still uneasy.

"If you don't believe me, have a look."

He waved his hand and a mirror appeared, showing my spider body, now surrounded by a glowing golden light.

Ever since my unexpected death, I've developed a dislike for lights like this—but since it's meant to keep my body safe, I still asked, "Is that thing… really okay?"

"You agreed to help me, so of course I wouldn't harm you."

So if I hadn't agreed, you would have?

I thought it but didn't dare say it out loud. If he really turned hostile, I'd be at a huge disadvantage.

Once I calmed down, I said, "Okay, I'm ready. Tell me your story."

"Then allow me to show it to you."

"Oh, right. What's your name?"

The old man paused for a moment, then said, "Loyral."

Right after he said that, a blinding light enveloped my vision once again.

Seriously, do people in this world just love flashy effects or what?

Ugh, I HATE LIGHT!