I’m not a human?

As I stared at the puddle, I realized my entire appearance had changed. My facial structure was different. My skin tone was a shade darker. My hair now hung to my shoulders, my body was painfully skinny, my clothes were ragged, and my eyes were green.

I cupped my face in my hands, trying to make sense of it all. Glancing around, I noticed that the cave I had emerged from had vanished without a trace. What had once been a dark hole in the ground was now just ordinary earth.

I felt like I was losing my mind.

"Just what the hell is going on here?" I asked myself repeatedly as I struggled to stand. Then, in the distance, I saw what looked like a town, about a mile away. A small flame of hope ignited within me, and I began to walk toward it.

As I got closer, I realized the town wasn't composed of modern suburban buildings. Instead, it looked like something out of the 17th century.

Nervously, I walked through the crowded streets, filled with people dressed in clothing from that era. They shot glances of disdain and disgust toward me, and I had no idea why.

The only reason I could think of was that my clothes were practically rags, but there were others in similar attire who didn't attract such hostile stares. Why were they singling me out?

Lost in thought, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and accidentally bumped into someone. I fell to the ground and mumbled, "Ah… sorry, sir…"

The figure turned, and my eyes widened in fear. It was not a man but a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull.

"Here, let me help you up," the beast extended his palm to me, but I instinctively crawled back, terror etched across my face. My heart raced as I took in the sight of the beast man—Wait a second, did I just say beast man?

"Uhm… okay then?" The beast man shrugged and turned away.

"Out of the way, you dirty thing," a woman behind me sneered before stepping on my stomach.

"Gah!!" I shouted, but the woman persisted, digging her foot deeper into me.

"Please! Move your foot!" I mustered all my strength to push the woman's foot away, but it didn't budge. Her strength astonished me, but it was clear my body was too weak. Everyone else continued walking, ignoring what was happening.

"Go to hell, you dirty demi-human—"

Suddenly, a fish flew through the air, striking the woman across the face and knocking her to the ground, freeing me from a pathetic death.

"Hey! Leave him alone!"

I looked to where the voice had come from and saw a boy about my age. His hair was dark, and his eyes were obsidian black. He wore rags like me, and it appeared he was the one who threw the fish.

"You! Hurry up and follow me!"

The woman, already getting up off the ground, rushed to get both me and the boy. There was a murderous intent in her eyes, and instinctively, I got up and ran after the boy.

As we ran side by side, he shot me a quick smile. "What's your name?"

"Aki Hoshizaki!" I croaked as we ran. We soon managed to lose the woman and found ourselves in an open space in an alley. I promptly vomited behind one of the trash bins because I was too weak to lift the lid.

With a deep breath, I wiped my mouth and gripped my chest, my mind close to breaking.

Mom. Dad. Noriko... I have to find a way to get back to them...

"Aki, right? Are you okay?" the boy asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine… What's your name?"

"Kotetsu Nobukiyo! Son of Verena Nobukiyo!"

My face was one of astonishment. What the hell does he mean? Is his name coincidentally the same as the main character of my light novel? No, everything about him is too damn familiar! This boy standing right in front of me is, in fact, Kotetsu Nobukiyo!

"Hello? You seem surprised. Do I know you?"

"No! It's just that you look like my father…" That was true because I based Kotetsu on my father. His entire story and appearance.

"That's interesting! He must have been a handsome soul then!"

The aura he gave off was warm and gentle despite his tragic past. Thinking about it, I've never written that Kotetsu saved someone, and judging by his appearance, this is likely before the first chapter takes place.

If this were the first chapter, this village should be pillaged by an army of goblins. But that happens during the night, which means I should get out of this village as soon as possible.

"Uhm, mommy? Doesn't that boy in the alley look like he needs help?"

Both Kotetsu and I turned toward the entrance of the alley where a little girl and her mother were looking at us. The girl's gaze was one of pity, but the mother's was pure disgust. Her eyes were not on Kotetsu, but on me.

Confusion gripped me as I pondered why she only stared at me. Then, I remembered something crucial from my novel.

***

"Demi-humans, huh? Should I add them?" I contemplated as I searched the web.

I was starting to build the world of my light novel and wondered what creatures I should add to it. "There should be some traits a demi-human should have so they can be distinguished easily! Oh well, not like it matters. I'll probably kill most of them off because humans may hold prejudices against them."

As I searched the web, most of the photos that contained demi-humans from other fictional works showed they had emerald green eyes. "Okay! Now that's done, let's start writing who the Overseer of Races is!"

***

"No way… I'm a demi-human?" I murmured to myself. If that's the case, does this body have previous memories?

A thought passed my mind. Could this body have died? Its previous inhabitant most likely died of hunger, so why haven't I succumbed? No, it was probably the fact I wasn't hungry when I was transported here, and this body is running on fumes.

Kotetsu tilted his head in confusion. That's pretty in character for him. We're both dirt poor, and he lacks knowledge. I doubt he knows what a demi-human is.

"Aki, follow me."

"Ah, okay."

I soon began to follow Kotetsu blindly. Since this was before the first chapter took place, I have no way of knowing what could happen. If anything, I shouldn't even be interfering with Kotetsu so I can avoid being entangled in his mission.

In the story, the night of the goblin raid happened within one hour after midnight. Everyone was caught by surprise.

Even the royal family was astonished. They soon gathered all of their knights to raid and kill every single goblin on the continent. No pity was shown to the goblins, for they were the lowest of the low.

I won't speak of the acts they commit to hopeless people nor their sinister motives, but the man who led them was none other than Barnaby Pendragon. A selfless king who led the execution of goblins around the continent.

Most people called him a terrible king because he wasted valuable resources all because of a raid which happened to this small village. Since I'm in my own novel currently, the top priority would either be to run away or warn the people. But who would listen to the demi-human that I am?

"That's it!" I shouted to myself. Kotetsu looked back to me as I followed him.

"Did you discover something?"

"Ah, no. I just think I found a solution for this equation…"

"Solution? Equation? What do those words mean?" Kotetsu tilted his head in a confused manner.

I knew I wrote him to be ignorant, but not this ignorant.

As I followed him, we eventually arrived at a rundown horse shack on the outskirts of the town. Of course, I recognized this shack easily. It's where Kotetsu lives due to his mother being born into debt in the kingdom and running away to this town. She met a man she truly loved, but as soon as she was confirmed pregnant, he abandoned her, leaving her and Kotetsu with no money. She eventually passed away when Kotetsu reached ten years old. For reference, both Kotetsu and I are currently fifteen.

"You live here?" I asked Kotetsu to avoid suspicion, but it was probably pointless.

"I know it's dirty, but it's home. In the future, I plan to become so rich that my money will go on for miles!"

Ah yes, I almost forgot. Before wanting to find the Overseer, Kotetsu's original goal was to become the richest entity in the world. I never wrote a particular reason for why this was a goal. Now I assume it's because he was dirt poor.

"Do you have a family, Aki?"

I wasn't sure how to respond. "Ah… I don't." I chose to refuse due to the fact that whoever are the parents of this body are most likely dead, and my goal shall remain. I have to get back to my family and back to my normal life.

A sudden flashback played within my head.

***

"Once you arrive, look for the Mage Who Counts Stars…"

***

Why did that man say that before I was sucked into his hand? The Mage Who Counts Stars? That's not a character I wrote within this world. Could this world I built stretch further beyond the paper it was written on?

And who exactly were those people? They knew about my novel, and that man transported me here in a completely different body. How do I even know that I'm not just dead and hallucinating right now? It's all too confusing…

I sighed and leaned my head against the wall of the abandoned horse stall, pitying my current state until I heard a horn.

"Make way! The royal king of the continent, Barnaby Pendragon, is here!"