The moment I opened my eyes, I knew something was different.
Being sent away from the boundless void of space, what greeted me was a dull ceiling, wooden and slightly cracked. The air smelled of old parchment and ink, mixed with the faint scent of candle wax.
I was lying on a small, hard bed. A thin, scratchy blanket covered my body, and my limbs felt strangely weak, as if I hadn't moved in days.
Then, the memories hit me.
Ellen, the real Ellen. A girl with nothing but sheer determination. A commoner. An orphan. Someone who clawed her way up with nothing but her mind, pushing herself to the limit just to enter the prestigious academy.
And in the end, she worked herself to death after knowing the academy accept her.
I exhaled, staring at the letter the real Ellen hold before dying. It was the acceptance letter from the academy.
"Dying from overworking... that's so cliche. And dying before beginning your journey, thats sad."
But I couldn't bring myself to mock her. Not really.
She was admirable. Stubborn, hardworking, and foolish in a way that only dreamers could be.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the rough wooden floor beneath my feet. A small desk sat in the corner, barely big enough to hold the towering stack of books and parchment covered in scribbled notes.
Her dream was written in every word, etched into every line.
To become a great person.
I smirked. "What a simple goal."
And yet…
I stretched my arms, feeling the new body, the new life I had inherited. Then, a slow grin spread across my face.
"Alright, Ellen. I'll make it happen. Pass the torch to me."
Because there was one thing I, Eun Hee-Jin, never did...
It was failing.
---
Opening the door, I stepped out of my room and was immediately greeted by another door. The hallway was narrow and slightly worn down—well, it was an orphanage. What did I expect?
Following the short corridor, I found the stairs and made my way down. The moment I reached the bottom, a wave of voices crashed into me.
"Ah! It's Ellen!"
"Ellen, did you finish studying?"
"Ellen! Let's play!"
A group of children rushed toward me, their faces lighting up the moment they saw me. Before I could even think, my body moved on its own. A soft smile stretched across my lips as I knelt down, instinctively wrapping them all in a hug.
Even I was caught off guard.
Was this… the influence of the original Ellen?
I wasn't the type to go around hugging people, but strangely enough, I didn't mind it.
"Morning, everyone," I greeted, ruffling their hair one by one. "Where's the head?"
"He's outside, doing chores," a familiar voice answered.
I turned to see Frey, the second eldest after Ellen.
"Thanks, Frey. Keep an eye on them for me, okay?" I said, patting a few more heads before stepping past them.
"Alright…" Frey replied, though the kids looked a little disappointed.
Stepping outside, I was immediately hit by the warmth of the morning sun. The weather was perfect, far better than anything I remembered from Earth. The gentle breeze carried the scent of grass and fresh laundry.
Scanning the open field, I spotted a few nuns working alongside the maids. And there, standing tall—easily over two meters—was a man hanging clothes with them.
Even before my memories settled, my mouth moved on its own.
"Sir Geld!"
The man turned, his expression warm as he saw me.
"Ellen? What are you doing here?" He smiled, the kind of smile a father might give his child.
I took a deep breath, then held up the envelope in my hand.
"I got my acceptance letter."
For a second, silence.
Then—
"Huh!?" Geld's warm expression twisted into pure shock.
The nuns, overhearing, turned toward us with wide eyes.
"Is that real!?" Geld stepped closer, staring at the envelope as if it would vanish any second.
I grinned, waving it slightly. "See for yourself."
Geld hesitated for a moment before gingerly taking the letter. As his eyes scanned the official academy seal, his large hands trembled slightly.
"...You did it," he whispered, almost to himself.
One of the nuns gasped. "By the Goddess… Ellen, you—"
Before she could finish, Geld suddenly lifted me off the ground in a bone-crushing hug.
"Sir—! Wait—!"
"Hah! You really did it, kid!" He spun me around once before finally setting me down. "Our Ellen is going to the academy!"
The nuns clapped, some tearing up as they murmured excitedly amongst themselves. Even Frey and the other children peeked from inside, eyes wide with awe.
It was overwhelming, the sheer joy radiating from them.
I didn't expect them to be like this. Nor did I expect to be shown this much of love. My former family was someone who only care about their household afterall.
Well, this certainly feels good.
---
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The sound of the clock filled the quiet room as I sat across from Geld.
The short celebration had ended, and now, he had brought me to his office.
"Ellen, once again, congratulations on getting into the academy." He grinned, rubbing the back of his head. "And… sorry for lifting you up like that earlier. But, I mean, it's Lumen Academy we're talking about!"
He chuckled, his excitement still evident.
I found myself smiling unconsciously. "I understand, Sir. Don't worry about it."
Geld nodded before rummaging through his desk. "So, when will you be leaving the orphanage? A month from now, or less?"
"Two weeks before the academy starts," I replied. "I'll probably leave a week before then."
"Hah! I was hoping for at least a month," he sighed dramatically before finally pulling out a small wooden box.
"Here." He handed it to me, his expression silently urging me to open it.
I did.
Inside, nestled in soft cloth, lay a simple silver necklace adorned with a red gemstone.
"This…?" I looked up at him.
"A gift," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Nothing too fancy. I actually planned to give it to you if you failed the admission test, to cheer you up. But who would've thought—"
I raised an eyebrow. "So you didn't have confidence in me?"
"W-wait! That's not what I meant!" Geld waved his hands frantically. "Forget I said anything!"
I chuckled. He was too easy to tease.
"Anyway, Ellen…" He picked up the necklace, examining it for a moment before stepping closer. Then, with careful hands, he fastened it around my neck.
"You're about to embark on a long and difficult journey," he said, his voice softer now. "I can't do much to help you once you leave… but no matter how far you go, if you ever feel tired or lost, you can always come back here. We'll be waiting."
His words were warm, grounding. For a brief moment, I let myself feel the weight of them.
Then—
"Now, let's go see the kids," Geld said with a knowing smirk. "They've been noisily eavesdropping outside this whole time."
A loud thud followed by scrambling footsteps confirmed his words.
"Oh no! They heard us! Run!" a panicked whisper sounded from the other side of the door.
I shook my head with a small laugh. "Yeah… let's go."
As I followed Geld out, my fingers brushed against the red gem resting against my collarbone.
If my aquaintances from the past where to see me, they would think I was not even the same person.
'This kind of warmth don't suit me.' I thought with a light smile.