- Dedication, Don’t Blame a Daydreamer
A prestigious school, a number of popular boys, and a new student who would turn their lives around. It was a familiar premise, a formula recreated and remixed for the consumption of popular media. One successful at that. After all, who didn’t want to be the new student being vied for by incredibly good-looking guys?
“What is this Meteor Garden adaptation shit?” Naomi muttered to herself, flipping another page, admittedly engrossed in the book.
Don’t Blame a Daydreamer wasn’t any different. It was a young adult novel revolving the life of a teenage girl in a new school, going through tribulations, and conquering hearts in the process. It was filled with cringey romantic cliches, exaggerated and over-the-top grand declarations, and painful sensationalized drama.
Naomi had to put the book down a couple of times before finishing its entirety. Let it not be said the book wasn’t entertaining despite its inconsistencies. After reaching the last page, Naomi closed the book and released a heavy breath straight from the bottom of her lungs.
“Can I get a refund?” Naomi asked, lifting her gaze upwards, as if looking at some higher divine being. “Or at the very least, can I refuse going into this one?”
“Would you like to spend 100,000 Reward Points to skip this world?” the System offered.
Naomi choked on a startled cough. “No, thank you. I’m good,” she told the System once she regained her composure, eyebrows furrowing. Why did it have to be so expensive?! Wouldn’t this be like daylight robbery?
The book in her grasp weighed like an anvil. It seemed she had no choice but to go into this world. Just the idea caused a grimace to twist her features.
She didn’t think she could tolerate being the villainess in the world of Don’t Blame a Daydreamer. The Original was pathetic, pitiful, and stupid in her opinion. For a young lady hailing from old money and a long bloodline, the Original seemed incapable of using her brain cells—to put it nicely.
Granted, every villainess was pathetic in some way or another. They had to be in order to make the heroine appealing to the audience. The only times a villainess managed to outshine a heroine was if the heroine was lacking, but that was rare to happen.
If the majority of the readers started rooting and cheering for the villainess or villain, something was wrong with the main cast either in intelligence, maturity, lifestyle, personality, or appearance. In which case, the author had to do some damage control in order to put the attention back to the protagonists.
The Original in Don’t Blame a Daydreamer was a seemingly perfect young lady idolized by many, and like most villainesses, was in love with the male lead. Since he was the male lead (meaning: he was disgusted by women in general until the female lead came along and then, he’d believe in love and all that bullshit), he constantly rejected the Original.
Not that it stopped her, persistent and stubborn as she was. Through sheer machinations and family connections, the Original convinced their families to arrange a marriage between her and the male lead. But as she was the villainess in the story, her plans backfired. What happened next was a series of unfortunate events.
Kidnapped, caged, sexually assaulted—the list continued—and by the time the Original was rescued and returned to her family, she was already beyond help from the trauma. It was only afterwards that the mastermind was revealed in the novel: the male lead.
Naomi closed her eyes briefly and dropped her head back, hands clenched tightly into fists, attempting to control the bubbling anger deep within her.
Long story short, the marriage between the male lead and the Original didn’t happen due to her apparent unstable mental state. The male lead gained his freedom to pursue the female lead without consequence, and she was left with not only a broken heart but also a broken mind.
“Yet, you still loved him until the very end,” Naomi muttered to herself, glancing at the book.
But no—no, it wasn’t love. It couldn’t be. Love without consideration wasn’t love; it was obsession. Perhaps that was the most tragic thing about the Original, never knowing what it truly was, and never getting the chance to find out.
Unfortunately, just because the Original had a shitty fate, didn’t mean she could refuse it. Not unless she paid a hundred thousand reward points in which—no, thank you.
Naomi sighed, shoulders slumping, and tossed the novel to the side. The book stopped mid-air before fading, likely reappearing in her inventory. She checked her personal information, reacquainting herself with her attributes and stats. Once finished, she cancelled the blue panel.
“Let’s get this over with,” she muttered to herself before raising her voice in a shout, “System, open the gate!”
“Opening the gate for the Twelfth World, also known as Don’t Blame a Daydreamer for the Worldbinder, (NAOMI).”
There was a brief flash of white light before her eyes, prompting her to force them close. Naomi could feel a tug at her navel, the sensation of a hook attaching itself to her. Her body began vibrating in pure energy, and a sharp inhale hitched in her throat as she was yanked downwards—like being sucked into a vacuum.
“Preparing for transmigration,” the System spoke in her ears, and instantaneously, strange memories slid into Naomi’s mind, cold, slick, and vivid. “Transmigrating into the novel, Don’t Blame a Daydreamer. 10% synchronization… loading… 40%… an Intruder has entered the Twelfth World.”
What? Naomi’s eyes popped open. She immediately shut them close, her vision invaded by flashing neon lights.
“An Intruder? What Intruder?”
“Loading… 67% synchronization...”
“Wait a second, what do you mean by ‘Intruder’?!” she hurriedly asked, struggling to remain in the present as different scenes and noises from countless recollections rushed into her mind like a rapid current.
“85% synchronization... loading…”
The dizzying storm of flashing lights danced and cackled, spasming with a chaotic burst. Her chest heaved in broken, shallow breaths, her body humming with near palpable force. She gritted her teeth to prevent herself from getting swept into the frantic motions overwhelming most of her senses.
“98%...”
“Answer me!”
“100% synchronization: complete.”
Naomi dropped into a sinfully soft bed, her breath knocked out of her.
“Transmigration: successful. Welcome into the Twelfth World known as the world of Don’t Blame a Daydreamer,” were the last words the System spoke before fading.
The process of transmigration still left nothing to be desired, it seemed. Naomi pried her heavy eyes open, panting softly under her breath as her disoriented mind fought to put the correct pieces of memories together. A moment of quiet was all she needed.
The crystal chandelier glittered above her, its elegance bathing the room in an incandescent glow. Soft pillows cushioned her body and cream silk sheets pooled below her knees, rubbing against smooth, bare legs. As soon as her mind cleared, she sat upright in bed, her shoulders jolting when she caught an unfamiliar face on the vanity mirror across the room.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
It was her—wearing the Original’s face.
As a Worldbinder, she didn’t have a permanent appearance and always relied on the Original’s. Despite the Original’s memories aiding her in their worlds, it still jarred her to see a new face reflecting the mirror.
Her eyes remained the same, however—a clear gray, the aftermath of a thunderstorm, just as dark clouds began dispersing to let light seep through. Those were hers and hers alone, when all she ever owned were her name and the System.
She twisted her body around, observing as her reflection followed her movements, trying to match the reality to the novel’s description.
A figure that was elegantly cut and well-proportioned, with a skin that glowed a golden hue as if the sun painted her in gilded strokes. A long hair with a dark glossy shine, as straight as a curtain fluttering with the gentle breeze. High, sharp cheekbones highlighted full lips curled at the edges like the start of a delicate smile.
She was beautifully striking. It wasn’t a surprise. Every Original was a beauty. It was their personalities that were shitty.
“System, tell me about what happened earlier,” Naomi asked, her tone bold, making no effort to lower her volume.. The System had a built-in protection program against detection, concealed to everyone else but Naomi. “What do you mean by ‘Intruder’? Did something else come into this world with me?”
She hadn’t forgotten about the System’s warning earlier despite being preoccupied. An Intruder—it was the first time she’d ever heard of such a thing. It couldn’t have been her; the System ensured her arrival into new worlds was seamless, natural, and allowed.
So, what was an Intruder and how did they enter into this world with her?
“According to my data, an Intruder has entered the Twelfth World and is currently in possession of one of its characters. As such, our system adjusted to the settings of this world in order for you to find the Intruder.”
A soft, nagging unease crept in and prickled at her mind. She thought only Worldbinders could possess characters; she hadn’t expected another entity to have the same abilities as hers. Did they have the same awareness, the same goals? Did it also have a System? But if they had one, she doubted they’d be called an Intruder.
Her fate in this world was already tragic enough. If the Intruder had possessed one of the characters in this world, then the possibility of them interfering was high. This Intruder could disrupt her plans and put her in danger.
“Their threat level?”
The System took a moment to respond. “A three. Harmless.”
The answer didn’t comfort her, to say the least. But if this Intruder wasn’t a threat—for now—then Naomi could hardly interfere. She came here not for the Intruder, but for the Original. Making a move this early could cause unprecedented consequences.
For one, she didn’t know what or who they were. She couldn’t act now, when she barely stepped foot into this world and she hadn’t acquired the necessary skills and knowledge she needed to survive; it would be careless and stupid, and she was neither. For another, she didn’t want to activate a self-fulfilling prophecy due to her fear and paranoia.
The best course of action would be to bide her time and examine the situation closely, taking note of the characters’ behaviors in order to find the Intruder and stopping them from steering the world in the wrong direction. She couldn’t afford distractions, not with a grim future.
“Open the Mission Panel,” she commanded.
A holographic box split open in front of her face, displaying words that gleamed in stark white against a backdrop of vivid blue.
[MAIN MISSION: Prevent the Male Lead (ROWEN KADE) from marrying the Female Lead (MARIANNE RIDLEY) | STARTING: 50,000 REWARD POINTS.]
[SIDE MISSION: Maintain the prestigious reputation of the (CUNNINGHAM) Family. | STARTING: 30,000 REWARD POINTS.]
[HIDDEN MISSION: ???]
[SPECIAL MISSION: Find the (INTRUDER) that has entered into the Twelfth World. | STARTING: ????? REWARD POINTS]
[MINOR QUESTS: 0/20]
Naomi’s shoulders slowly dropped. It seemed that, aside from the addition of the special mission, nothing was amiss and everything seemed to be in a familiar order. Good. The Intruder’s appearance might have triggered the special mission, but it seemed it hadn’t influenced the System too much.
She examined the missions, her lips twitching from seeing the main one, before she took note of the side mission and the hidden mission. Again, nothing out of the ordinary.
Hidden missions typically didn’t reveal themselves unless she triggered an event in the world, like an easter egg the author wrote in the novel that uncloaked their inner desires.
In her last hidden mission, it showed the author’s intention to give Kenji redemption. She wondered what the author of this world wanted.
Naomi waved her hand across the panel, vanishing at her dismissal. Now that she knew what needed to be done, it was time to play the part of Naomi Cunningham.
She grabbed the remote on her bedside table and pressed a red button, the little lightbulb blinking red. A soft crackle from the speakers below the buttons, and a nervous female voice slipped through from the other end of the line.
“H-hello, Young Miss?!”
“Hannah, please prepare my outfit for the first day of school, then prepare my breakfast at the dining table. Inform the Head Butler I will be having breakfast with my father today.”
“Y-yes, Young M-Miss!”
Naomi unpressed the button and dropped the remote back on her bedside table. The wonders of modern technology still amazed her. She spent the luxurious life of a princess in the previous world, yet she would trade it to have the internet again. At least she wouldn’t have to wait hours to get a hot shower. They had plumbing now.
She rose from the bed, stretching her limbs and acquainting herself with her new body. There was a strange sensation of displacement for a brief moment, her mind rejecting her new appearance, before it gradually eased and disappeared.
Heading towards the bathroom, she stopped short when the twin doors to her room opened and a young woman stepped in. Freckles dusted her cheeks, making her watery blue eyes pop out over a plain, fair face. Her strawberry blonde hair was polished into a neat bun, a black bow on top of her head.
Dressed in a form-fitting black outfit with a flared skirt and a high-collared choker, an apron tied around her waist and matching white cuffs at her wrist, she looked both professional and subservient.
[OBSERVE SKILL (lvl. 5 MAX): ACTIVATED]
[CHARACTER INFO: HANNAH GOMEZ
OCCUPATION: The Young Miss Cunningham’s Personal Maid
AGE: 19 years old
PERSONALITY: Earnest, Loyal, and Passionate
FAVORABILITY: 76/100
IMPRESSION: Oh gosh! I shouldn’t have barged in without knocking! I hope the Young Miss doesn’t scold me. Why did I forget to knock ?!
AVAILABLE QUEST: 1]
Naomi’s brows arched momentarily, a reaction so brief it was almost imperceptible, before a practiced smile adorned her lips. “Hannah, good morning. It seems you’ve forgotten to knock.”
Panic flared in Hannah’s eyes, her cheeks flushed red. “Young Miss, good morning! I apologize for intruding into your space! I-I just informed the kitchens to prepare your meal with your father today and I c-came here to prepare your outfit for your day at the academy! I am very sorry!”
“Hannah, it’s alright,” Naomi assured her. “I am very glad you’re taking care of me well. Just don’t do it again next time. I value my privacy, so when you need to come into my room, please knock when I’m inside.”
Hannah’s expression brightened. “Thank you for your consideration, Young Miss!” she enthusiastically replied.
[HANNAH’S FAVORABILITY: 78/100 (+2)]
[HANNAH’S IMPRESSION: The Young Miss is as kind as ever. Anyone else would’ve reprimanded me by now, yet she is always so considerate of my mistakes. I have to do better for her!]
Naomi ignored the flare of determination that lit up Hannah’s eyes, a ghost of a smile across her lips as she walked to the bathroom.
Hannah was still young and prone to mistakes, but those were easy to ameliorate. Those things were easy to overlook due to a single reason: her loyalty. In fact, she was one of the few who stayed by the Original’s side after she had been brutally traumatized and her mental state deteriorated.
Hannah would have her uses; it would be wise to keep her. After all, it wasn’t every world she would get pampered. Why not enjoy this while she still could?
The Original was cunning and meticulous. She built quite a reputation for herself as a gentle and well-mannered young lady. No one had detected she harbored malicious thoughts and dark desires in her heart—not until the female lead, Marianne, came along and exposed the Original’s true colors.
Everything came crashing down for the Original because someone wrote it so and it became her destiny. Her only crime was falling in love with the male lead and trying to defend her love even when it wasn’t reciprocated. She had paid for it dearly.
She wasn’t a good person, no. She was a villainess for a reason. But like every unfleshed and neglected character in a book, she deserved a chance to shine and develop as her own person without the whims of the main cast influencing her. Naomi was going to give it to the Original.
Oh, Marianne, I have no intention of letting you shine above me.
Marianne might have the Protagonist’s Halo, but Naomi was a Worldbinder. Even when she was under the mercy of the novel, doomed to have a terrible ending and cruel love, Naomi would never back down.
But really, Naomi rubbed the side of her temple, why did I arrive here when the Original’s already engaged to the male lead?
The Original’s memories afforded her with the timeline of the novel, and it was just her luck she transmigrated to a time when the novel was at the rising action of the plot.
She had already become Rowen’s fiancée. It meant that Rowen would soon retaliate against her, as he was by now in love with the female lead.
What a disaster. Well, no matter. The stage had already been set, only the relevant characters had yet to arrive. There was no time to waste.
Opening the Quest Panel, Naomi tapped onto Hannah’s name and pressed the [ACCEPT AVAILABLE QUEST] option. A notification automatically popped open once she dismissed the panel.
[MINOR QUEST UNLOCKED: THE HEART OF A SISTER.]
[TWELFTH WORLD STATUS: 1% COMPLETE]