CINDERELLA IN ANOTHER WORLD (1)

As I drifted closer to the black abyss below, a blinding light pierced my eyes. Headlights—dozens of them—streaked beneath me like angry fireflies on steroids. Trucks. Cars. Buses. All rushing past like they had somewhere important to be.

Just a few more moments, and I’d be—A slush? A pancake? Or maybe… a limited-edition human road pizza?

No, no. Focus. I can’t believe I had honed my social and drama skills to such ridiculous levels—enough to crack jokes and stay calm even in the face of death itself.

And I’d be… no more.

Yes. Much more poetic.

A fitting ending for a villainess like me.

No more thinking. No more anything.

But the light didn’t fade. It grew. Larger. Brighter. Until it devoured everything.

My thoughts fractured.

Is this what they meant when they said time slows before death?

A kaleidoscope of colors burst in my mind’s eye—swirling reds, blues, and golds so intense they burned away my senses.

The howling wind quieted. Thunder faded. Even the icy rain on my skin felt muted, like a dream.

It was just me—weightless, falling.

A moment suspended between life and death.

But on the inside—

My heart thumped louder than ever before. I could hear it echo in my chest—until, all at once, it felt as though it stopped.

A crushing wave of exhaustion swept through me, paralyzing every limb.

My arms slackened, my legs refused to obey. Every breath was like hauling stones through my lungs, each one dragging me closer towards unconsciousness.

So, this is how it ends.

Thud.

“I thought it would hurt more.” But the landing wasn’t as jarring as I’d imagined. The surface felt oddly soft—supple—nothing like the rough, wet concrete I had braced for.

I forced my eyes open, barely managing it. Clay, dirt, and grass blurred in my vision.

“Where… am I?” The words scraped out of my throat, hoarse and broken.

Before I could search for more clues about my whereabouts, my body betrayed me. Even the simple act of speaking had sapped what little strength I had left, my eyelids drooping, ready to shut for good.

Clop…Clop…

Wait… Movement. Shadows fell across me. Hooves clopped against the earth—a horse?—and the creak of wooden wheels stopped nearby. Boots thudded softly against dry grass.

People.

“Sa…ve… me…” The words slipped out, fragile and desperate. A moment ago, I was ready to let go. But something primal flared within me, clinging stubbornly to life.

Voices answered, muffled and strange. Their language sounded strange, alien to my ears. I caught fragments—laughter, whispers, a sigh of what might have been annoyance.

Hands gripped me. Rough, calloused fingers hooked beneath my arms, heaving me up. Metal clinked—cold and biting—snapping around my wrists and ankles.

Panic bubbled faintly, but my body was no longer mine. I was dragged—limp, helpless—across the earth.

The last thing I saw was the faint outline of a horse-drawn cart and the boots of strangers standing over me. A wooden thump, and then darkness swallowed me whole as I was tossed into a cramped, suffocating space.

Clop. Clop. Clop.

I think at that point, I completely lost consciousness.

Drip… Drip…

The sound echoed faintly, like water falling into an endless void.

Am I… dead? Or did I slip into a coma?

Darkness cocooned me—thick, suffocating. No warmth. No sound except for that slow, monotonous dripping.

Would anyone even care?

Would they shed a single tear for Airi Momose—the girl stupid enough to believe she could shine brighter than the stars? Or would they laugh? Would they celebrate the downfall of the “villainess” they all painted me to be?

Maybe… this was better. The easiest way out.

No more struggling to prove myself to people who never wanted me to succeed.

No more crawling on bleeding hands and knees for scraps of recognition.

No more humiliation. No more rejection.

Just… quiet.

For the first time in months, I felt light and at peace.

I remembered standing under the merciless sun, audition after audition.

Hours spent in endless lines, my feet blistered in cheap shoes, my throat dry from rehearsing lines they never let me speak.

Only to hear “You’re not what we’re looking for.”

No connections. No money to even think about acting or singing school. No backup plan.

I had given up everything—my family, high school, friends, my entire social life.

All sacrificed at the altar of one impossible dream.

And I gave it my all.

This should be fine… right?

So then… why? Why? Why? Why?!

It hurts. It hurts so much.

Unfair. This is so unfair.

I wasn’t done yet.

What about my sister—who always looked up at me with stars in her eyes?

What about Mom, who worked herself ragged believing I’d make it?

I couldn’t leave them behind without a word.

And my dream… what about my dream…which I had dedicated my entire life to.

Thump… thump…

A sound like a distant drumbeat rumbled in my ears. My heart.

It was still beating.

Warmth spread sluggishly through my veins, pumping life back into my frozen limbs.

And then—

A strange sensation. A hand.

I felt it brush against me, slipping under my clothes with a strange, unsteady warmth.

Drip… drip…

My eyes snapped open.

Instinct screamed through my sluggish mind, and my hands shot up to stop the approaching touch—

But what I caught wasn’t the rough, calloused hand of an attacker. It was small. Fragile. Softer than even my skin.

My gaze, obscured by wet strands of hair plastered across my face, narrowed.
I jerked my head, flinging the heavy locks back over my shoulder.

Cold air kissed my skin, and my vision cleared—

Revealing a pair of wide, curious eyes staring back at me.

“Huh…” The surprised sound slipped from my lips.

“Ahhh…” A soft cry answered me, fragile yet pained.

Startled, I blinked and saw her—

A small girl, no older than ten, crouched in front of me, clutching a heavy sack cloth that now slipped from her tiny fingers and fell to the wet floor with a dull splat. It had been soaked through by my wet clothes.

“Please… leave me. I—I’m sorry.”

I instinctively pulled my hand away, startled by the little girl’s strange accent.

It wasn’t Japanese. Not even close. And yet…

I understood her. Perfectly.

But there was something even stranger.

Her ears.

Long, delicate, and tapered to a sharp point—like slender folded needles with elegant curves along the edges, slightly drooping under the weight of grime and exhaustion. The tips twitched faintly, almost like an animal’s would.

An elf?

My eyes widened as I took in more of her. She was wrapped in ragged, dirt-stained clothes, the fabric frayed and barely clinging to her frail frame.

Seeing me sit upright, her expression twisted in fear. She scuttled back like a frightened animal, pressing herself against the cold stone wall.

That’s when I finally noticed my surroundings.

I was in a dim, stone-walled chamber—small, cold, and suffocating. Rusted metal bars in front. The air smelled of mold and wet earth.

And I wasn’t alone.

Dozens of girls—some younger than me, others about my age, a few even older—huddled together in the shadows. All wore the same tattered medieval clothing, their faces pale and streaked with dirt and tears.

Some looked normal, like me. But then some had peculiar features: soft fur-covered animal ears atop their heads, tails swishing nervously behind them.

A ridiculous thought passed through my mind. Is this… some kind of cosplay prison?

But it quickly soured when I realized: Everyone had metal shackles clamped around their wrists and ankles.

Even me.

I felt the cold iron as I lifted my hands, the chains clinking heavily. My legs too—restrained.

The girls huddled in groups, some silently sobbing, others staring blankly at the walls. Trembling, too terrified to speak. The hopelessness in their eyes sent a chill crawling down my spine.

Tuck. Tuck. Tuck.

The sound of wood striking iron echoed through the cell.

A thin, savage-looking man appeared at the barred door, a crude wooden club in his hand. His greasy hair stuck to his gaunt face, and his yellowed teeth flashed as he grinned, leering at the girls.

His eyes landed on me. They widened slightly.

“Well, well… you’re finally awake. I’ve never seen such a beautiful human girl. Are you a noble? Or maybe… a half-elf?”

Noble? Half-elf? What was he talking about? And why could I understand him so clearly, when I knew his language wasn’t Japanese?

“Why have you kept us here? Where am I?!” My voice rang out—shaky but loud, defiance flashing in my eyes despite the fear clawing at my chest.

“Huh? What’s that gibberish? I don’t understand a word.” He jabbed a finger in his ear and wiggled it mockingly.

“Release me. Now.” My words came out sharper, heat rising in my face.

He blinked at me, then laughed—a coarse, ugly sound. “Oi, oi… don’t scream, you crazy girl. You should be grateful we saved your pretty little hide from the monsters out there. Otherwise, you’d be nothing but bones right now.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the rescue—didn’t know dogs had the brains to use chains,” I sneered back at him, confused as to why he couldn’t understand me when I understood him perfectly.

“Oi! What was that? You’re cursing me, aren’t you?!” His face twisted in anger, the grin dropping from his face. “Let’s see how much spirit you’ve got after I teach you a lesson.”

Wait, you actually understood that but not what I said?

Without warning, he jammed a key into the lock and flung the cell door open.

The girls fled to the corners, sobbing and shaking as he stormed in. One girl, too slow to move, was kicked aside—her body tumbling to the floor with a muffled cry.

“Let me teach you a lesson on what happens when someone disrespects me. The great Korrin of the Red Fang.” His voice was a snarl now.

Before I could react, he grabbed my hair—fist tightening cruelly. Pain flared sharp and hot across my scalp as he yanked me up.

“Ohhh… even your hair’s so silky.” The man’s voice dripped with mockery as his grimy fingers tangled deeper into my strands. “I’ve never seen a hair color like this…”

I tugged against his grip, but his hand only tightened, yanking my head back until my neck strained painfully.

A low laugh rumbled from his throat.

“Oh, I know! Since the boss isn’t around and the others are out on patrol. I’ve got some time to enjoy myself. And no one will ever find out.”

He leered at me, eyes dark with twisted hunger. “After all, you’re all just pretty little slaves now, aren’t ya? You should be grateful I’m willing to train you before you all become toys for old fart nobles.”

His words dripped like poison into my ears.

Well—poison for him to be more accurate. Giving out such crucial information that he was all alone here willingly and freely.

The bastard mistook my silence for weakness.

His grip loosened slightly as his free hand reached out, inching toward my chest—

Thunk!

Pain jolted up my forehead as I slammed it hard into his chin.

His head snapped back with a violent jolt as he staggered, letting out a guttural cry before collapsing to the ground, dazed and clutching his jaw.

But he wasn’t down for long.

“Y-You wench!” His voice cracked like a whip as he struggled to his feet, blood pouring from his nose. His legs wobbled beneath him, his eyes burning with rage.

One thing became painfully clear—I wasn’t safe here.

This man wanted to hurt me.

And there’s only one thing I’ve ever done in my life when cornered.

Fight back.

Even with chains on my wrists and ankles, I shifted into a fighting stance, my eyes locked on his.

“You think you can fight back?” he spat, glaring at me like a rabid dog catching my intentions.

Seeing me bound in chains, he smirked, brimming with confidence. And that was his second mistake.

He roared and charged, fist cocked back for a wild punch. I stood perfectly still until the last second.

Just as his punch was about to connect—

I ducked.

Chains clinked as I twisted, swinging my bound wrists with all the force I could muster.

The metal cuffs slammed into his neck with a dull clang.

“Tch—missed the spot,” I muttered under my breath, cursing my limited range of motion.

The strike didn’t knock him out, but he stumbled back, coughing. My footwork was clumsy—moving with ankles chained together was harder than I thought.

“ARRRGHHH!” The man roared in fury, his strikes coming in a wild flurry now. Fists flew at me—sloppy but fast. I weaved and sidestepped, my back hitting the wall.

“I’ve finally cornered you, girl.”

“No…” I said calmly, eyes scanning the room. “I was just clearing the space.”

His eyes darted to where the other girls had huddled earlier. They were now shifting silently toward the cell door, grouping near the lock.

Realization flickered across his face—too late.

I clenched my hand into a claw enveloped in metal chains and struck.

My fingers jabbed sharply into the center of his throat.

GACK!

He choked violently, his windpipe collapsing for a moment. He crumpled, rolling on the ground, clawing at his neck as he gasped for air.

“Cough… cough…”

I pounced, yanking the keys from his side pocket and hurried towards the girls near the door.

They flinched at first, unsure of my intentions, but realization dawned in their eyes.

With no time to waste, I quickly reached the lock to open the cell.

Just then—

CRASH!

The door slammed open as a massive, sweaty man barged in, an axe resting on his shoulder.

“We’ve been found out by the imperial knights!” he bellowed, looking back as if making sure no one followed him. “The boss has fled, and some of our men have been caught! Grab whatever slaves you can—we’re leaving!”

His beady eyes darted through the chaos in the room, his face twisted in panic. Then his gaze locked onto me, burning with a murderous glare.