Chapter 2 · My Death Became Their Eternal Judgment

It felt like an invisible hand was crushing my heart, and the pain was so intense that I could barely breathe.

Just as I was about to suffocate, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice suddenly rang in my head. [Host's emotional state has reached the threshold. Life Worth Assessment System is now activated.

[Host Nora Christ, your family affection rating in this world is -100 (deep disgust). Friendship rating: -50 (fake and manipulative). Love rating: -80 (disregard and betrayal).

[Overall assessment: You hold no worth in this world.

[The World Transfer Program is now available to you. Are you willing to give up everything in this world, use your death as the fuel to activate the transfer, and travel to a new world to pursue a complete life?]

I froze.

Was I hallucinating?

Was this my mind playing tricks on me because I'd been pushed too far?

"Nora, are you mute or what?" Michael's patience ran out, and he shoved me to the floor.

My forehead crashed into the icy corner of the dining table, pain stabbing through me as warm blood started to drip down my face.

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

No one came to help me. They just stared at me, cold and indifferent.

Edith even shrank back behind Michael, her face twisted in fear, like I had terrified her.

The System: [Host's vital signs are dropping, and will to live is fading. Countdown initiated.

[10, 9, 8...]

The voice in my head sounded once more, carrying an undeniable finality.

Trading death for a new life?

Lying on the cold floor, blood blurring my vision, I watched the four of them, looking so happy together, like a real family.

Suddenly, it struck me that maybe this really was a good deal.

The System:[...3, 2...]

As the countdown neared zero, with the last of my strength, I screamed in my mind to accept it.

The System: [World Transfer Program contract has been sealed.

[Power source: Host Nora Christ's social demise and physical death.

[Mission objective: Completely sever every emotional bond in this world before the countdown ends.

[Countdown: 168 hours.]

The cold, mechanical voice delivered its final verdict in my mind, and suddenly, the pain in my forehead seemed to fade away.

Clinging to the table for support, I shakily pushed myself up.

Blood slid down my cheek and dripped onto my pure white dress, blooming into an eerie red flower across the fabric.

Everyone in the dining room was taken aback by my appearance.

Something unreadable flickered in Linda's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by even deeper disgust. "What kind of crazy act is this now? Who are you putting on this show for, looking like that?"

All for my dear mom, of course.

I didn't bother with Linda. Instead, I looked straight at Edith, the trembling "victim" curled up in Michael's arms.

"I'm sorry," I said.

Everyone was stunned.

Michael looked like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard, and his grip on my wrist slackened.

I pulled my hand back and repeated myself, my voice quiet but cutting through the silence. "It's my fault. I never should've been part of this family, always getting in your way."

With that, I didn't look back at any of them. I turned and climbed the stairs, leaving them behind.

Behind me, there was nothing but dead silence.

Back in my room, I locked the door behind me and slumped to the floor, completely spent.

The blood on my forehead had dried, gluing a few strands of hair to my skin. It felt gross, but I didn't even have the strength to lift my hand and deal with it.

[Host, please take care of your wound immediately and keep your body functioning, to ensure the transfer energy works at its best.] The system's cold, mechanical voice reminded me.

I managed an ugly smile.

Even dying, I had to make it worthwhile.

Lucky me.

I stumbled into the bathroom, barely able to stand, and rinsed my wound with cold water.

The girl staring back at me in the mirror was deathly pale. There was a bloody wound on her forehead, and her eyes were hollow and soulless. She looked like a broken doll.

Was this really me?

Three months ago, I was still scraping by in that rundown orphanage. It was poor, but it was full of laughter and warmth. I was busting my ass, hoping to get into the best university.

Then the Quinns came looking for me, saying I was their real daughter, the one who got swapped at birth twenty years ago.

I really thought I would finally have a family who actually cared about me, but reality hit me harder than I ever imagined.

They said I didn't have the proper heiress aura, that I couldn't eat with elegance, that I couldn't play piano or paint, and that no matter what I did, the scent of poverty just clung to me.

Every bit of effort I put in, and every attempt to win them over, just made me look desperate for their approval in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Edith, the fake heiress they'd spent twenty years grooming, was always so graceful, kind, and perfect.

Chapter 2

It felt like an invisible hand was crushing my heart, and the pain was so intense that I could barely breathe.

Just as I was about to suffocate, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice suddenly rang in my head. [Host's emotional state has reached the threshold. Life Worth Assessment System is now activated.

[Host Nora Christ, your family affection rating in this world is -100 (deep disgust). Friendship rating: -50 (fake and manipulative). Love rating: -80 (disregard and betrayal).

[Overall assessment: You hold no worth in this world.

I froze.

Was I hallucinating?

Was this my mind playing tricks on me because I'd been pushed too far?

"Nora, are you mute or what?" Michael's patience ran out, and he shoved me to the floor.

My forehead crashed into the icy corner of the dining table, pain stabbing through me as warm blood started to drip down my face.

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

No one came to help me. They just stared at me, cold and indifferent.

Edith even shrank back behind Michael, her face twisted in fear, like I had terrified her.

The System: [Host's vital signs are dropping, and will to live is fading. Countdown initiated.

[10, 9, 8...]

The voice in my head sounded once more, carrying an undeniable finality.

Trading death for a new life?

Lying on the cold floor, blood blurring my vision, I watched the four of them, looking so happy together, like a real family.

Suddenly, it struck me that maybe this really was a good deal.

The System:[...3, 2...]

As the countdown neared zero, with the last of my strength, I screamed in my mind to accept it.

The System: [World Transfer Program contract has been sealed.

[Power source: Host Nora Christ's social demise and physical death.

[Mission objective: Completely sever every emotional bond in this world before the countdown ends.

[Countdown: 168 hours.]

The cold, mechanical voice delivered its final verdict in my mind, and suddenly, the pain in my forehead seemed to fade away.

Clinging to the table for support, I shakily pushed myself up.

Blood slid down my cheek and dripped onto my pure white dress, blooming into an eerie red flower across the fabric.

Everyone in the dining room was taken aback by my appearance.

Something unreadable flickered in Linda's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by even deeper disgust. "What kind of crazy act is this now? Who are you putting on this show for, looking like that?"

All for my dear mom, of course.

I didn't bother with Linda. Instead, I looked straight at Edith, the trembling "victim" curled up in Michael's arms.

"I'm sorry," I said.

Everyone was stunned.

Michael looked like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard, and his grip on my wrist slackened.

I pulled my hand back and repeated myself, my voice quiet but cutting through the silence. "It's my fault. I never should've been part of this family, always getting in your way."

With that, I didn't look back at any of them. I turned and climbed the stairs, leaving them behind.

Behind me, there was nothing but dead silence.

Back in my room, I locked the door behind me and slumped to the floor, completely spent.

The blood on my forehead had dried, gluing a few strands of hair to my skin. It felt gross, but I didn't even have the strength to lift my hand and deal with it.

[Host, please take care of your wound immediately and keep your body functioning, to ensure the transfer energy works at its best.] The system's cold, mechanical voice reminded me.

I managed an ugly smile.

Even dying, I had to make it worthwhile.

Lucky me.

I stumbled into the bathroom, barely able to stand, and rinsed my wound with cold water.

The girl staring back at me in the mirror was deathly pale. There was a bloody wound on her forehead, and her eyes were hollow and soulless. She looked like a broken doll.

Was this really me?

Three months ago, I was still scraping by in that rundown orphanage. It was poor, but it was full of laughter and warmth. I was busting my ass, hoping to get into the best university.

Then the Quinns came looking for me, saying I was their real daughter, the one who got swapped at birth twenty years ago.

I really thought I would finally have a family who actually cared about me, but reality hit me harder than I ever imagined.

They said I didn't have the proper heiress aura, that I couldn't eat with elegance, that I couldn't play piano or paint, and that no matter what I did, the scent of poverty just clung to me.

Every bit of effort I put in, and every attempt to win them over, just made me look desperate for their approval in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Edith, the fake heiress they'd spent twenty years grooming, was always so graceful, kind, and perfect.