CHAPTER 20: INCIDENT

At first, Erisia hadn’t planned to go to the commercial center near downtown. But since Wrenford’s mansion was tucked away in a secluded estate with no stores nearby, she had no choice but to take a cab out to the nearest street to buy Rein’s extra food.

Still, after making her purchase, she changed her mind. She didn’t want to return so quickly to that stifling mansion. Instead, she decided to explore the city. She wanted to see for herself how different this world—the story’s world—was compared to the one she had left behind.

Dressed in jeans, an oversized shirt, and a bucket hat, she walked through the pedestrian crossing, glancing curiously at everything around her while still keeping half an eye on the road.

And it was different. Not a complete departure from the modernity she knew, but the differences showed almost everywhere, impossible to ignore. The architecture leaned sleek and imposing, with high-rises that stretched like blades of glass into the sky, their façades lit with shimmering holo-ads that shifted colors as pedestrians passed. The streets were broader, lined with orderly rows of greenery—trees that had been gene-tweaked to bloom in seasonless colors. The public transport hummed past in quiet, magnetic trams with no overhead wires, leaving the air unusually clean. Even the small things—the streetlights that adjusted their brightness automatically with the flow of traffic, the drones delivering parcels to cafés—spoke of a society leaning more toward high technology than hers had ever managed.

Yet beneath all that, the human mess was the same. People still rushed to work with half-drunk coffee, street vendors still barked prices, teenagers still laughed too loudly in packs, and traffic still honked in frustration.

In her arms, Rein was lounging, the little creature nuzzling against her skin and leaning forward whenever something caught her attention.

Erisia absently stroked her and murmured, half-playful, half-mocking:

"Look at that, Rein—glass towers like toothpicks trying to stab the sky. You’d think one gust of wind could knock them all down. Should we move into one, do you think? Oh, and look—fried snacks on a stick! Maybe this world was just a better alternative to mine."

Rein chirped, wiggling at the scent of food, and Erisia laughed softly.

"Of course, of course. Don’t worry, I know what you’re really after. You’re not admiring the technology—you just want whatever’s sizzling in that fryer."

Just as she was about to head back to hail a cab and go further downtown for lunch, a car suddenly tore down the street toward her.

The sports car raced at her, engine roaring. For a moment, she froze. Then the shrill alarm of the System split through her head, and she jerked sideways.

[ Warning! Host Erisia is in immediate danger — trajectory confirms fatal impact risk! Threat proximity decreasing at 3.2 meters per second! ]

[ Host’s body has entered shock-induced stillness — response rate critically compromised! ]

[ Reward Activation: Self-Defense Reflex Boost engaged. Effect: surge in agility and response speed — muscular reaction speed increased by 47%. Duration: 20 seconds. ]

Her body responded almost before her brain could catch up, instincts sharpened to an unnatural edge. She sprang aside just as the car swerved, the force of wind tugging at her clothes and hair. But no matter how fast her system-buffed reflexes were, she couldn’t outpace a machine built for raw speed.

The bumper was almost on her—

A hand yanked hers hard, pulling her off her feet. She barely had time to brace, shoving Rein against her chest as her body flew sideways with her rescuer. They both hit the edge of the sidewalk hard, and the breath was knocked from her lungs.

It all happened in a blur. Erisia reacted purely on instinct, curling protectively around Rein, shielding her from impact.

But the danger wasn’t over. The car screeched, swerved, and came at them again.

By then, Erisia had already recovered her wits. With the System’s reminder still pulsing at the back of her mind, she grabbed the stranger’s arm and hauled both of them out of the car’s trajectory. They hit the ground again just as the driver lost control, the vehicle crashing into a concrete pole with a metallic howl before finally screeching to a stop.

Her rescuer was already pushing himself up, wincing. The sleeve of his varsity jacket had been ripped open in the fall, threads dangling loosely. With a grimace, he shrugged it off, shaking out the dust before straightening and offering her his hand.

She accepted, wincing as she felt the sting of bruises blooming along her arm and leg from the double fall. Checking quickly, she found no serious injuries, only scratches and bruises.

She looked up at the stranger. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head, brushing it off. "Nothing serious. What about you? You’re hurt."

"I’m fine," she said firmly, clutching Rein. "Really. Thank you—for pulling me out of the way."

Before she could say more, the System window blinked before her eyes:

[Name: Cassian Rowe]

[Occupation: Singer (well-established, mid-tier fame across multiple continents); recently transitioning into acting.]

[Status: Versatile and admired singer with strong stage reputation; respected by peers and fans alike, including the female lead of the original novel.]

[Family: Estranged relationship with father (a mid-level corporate exec); mother deceased; one younger sister studying abroad. No current partner.]

[Background: Self-made career with no major industry ties; clean image, reputation—professional, friendly, approachable.]

[Note: High public visibility. Admiration from peers suggests possible narrative intersections.]

Since this was one of the busiest roads in the Brightfall Plaza commercial corridor—with cafés, retail stores, and a tide of pedestrians—the accident drew immediate attention. Witnesses rushed forward, several pulling out their phones to record. Within minutes, the police arrived,

They found out what happened from Erisia and a few witnesses, and since the entire thing was also caught on the roadside security camera, the police wasted no time arresting the driver.

The man looked like trouble made flesh—greasy hair hanging into restless eyes, his lips curled in something between a sneer and a smirk. Even in cuffs, he reeked of violence.

One of the officers turned to Erisia.

"Miss, we’ll need you to come down to the station. Standard procedure. Your statement will help us move things along."

Erisia nodded. "Even if you hadn’t asked, I’d still come. I’ve got questions of my own."

The stranger—still at her side—spoke up. "Then I’ll come too. I was there. I pulled her out of the way."

Another officer raised a brow. "We’ve got enough witnesses."

Erisia shook her head lightly. "It’s fine. He should come. He was part of it."

The man gave her a quick smile, as if to say thanks for the save.

The officer gave a small shrug. "Alright. If that’s what you want."

So the three of them went together.

The Brightfall Plaza commercial corridor never slept. Even with the crash scene clearing behind them, people were still buzzing. Teenagers had their phones out, already uploading shaky videos. Within minutes, the clips were flooding feeds, commentary pouring in. By the time Erisia set foot in the precinct, the incident was halfway across the city’s networks.