Chapter 1

“Hey, seriously. Stop bringing people we don’t know when it’s just supposed to be us hanging out.”

On the way to a café with my classmate, we happened to run into an adorable freshman I knew.

Naturally, I invited them to join us.

The two of them seemed to chat just fine.

But the moment the freshman left because they had another class, my classmate suddenly turned to me with the lifeless eyes of a dead fish and started grumbling.

Apparently, just meeting an unexpected new person had drained 50% of their energy.

The remaining 40%, they claimed, had been sucked away the instant they stepped outside their house.

Seriously… what are you, a vampire?

“Why? It’s more fun when everyone hangs out together! They’re a really nice kid.”

I’d heard that introverts hated it when new people suddenly showed up.

My classmate practically screamed.

“You should’ve warned me first!”

Oh.

So that was the problem.

In that case, I just had to tell them in advance next time, right?

I immediately answered my classmate, who was using the last 10% of their remaining energy to yell at me.

“Oh, so that was the issue? Okay, I’ll tell you beforehand next time.”

“I’ll still hate it even if you do!”

What a baby.

Your tiny, precious social circle keeps growing because of me.

I just want you to have more friends and be happier, but you never appreciate my sincere intentions.

Well… it’s a little disappointing, but I guess it can’t be helped. We’re just different.

The classmate with the dead-fish eyes in front of me had pushed me away and ignored me at first.

They said they wanted to be alone.

But who am I?

My greatest strength is becoming friends with strangers.

My special talent is becoming friends with strangers.

Even my hobby is becoming friends with strangers.

After relentlessly showering them with friendly invitations…

“Want to grab dinner?”

“Want to work on the assignment together?”

“Which classes are you taking? Let’s match our schedules!”

“Free period? Want to hang out?”

“Join this club with me! Everyone here is fun!”

We worked on group projects together.

Pulled all-nighters cramming for exams together.

Even traveled around Europe together.

Little by little, the emotional distance between us disappeared.

Eventually, this friend earned a spot on my list of “Silver Towns.”

I’d only managed to gather 495 people so far, so I still had to work harder!

My goal wasn’t ambitious enough to fill an entire metropolitan city or district.

But at the very least…

I wanted to fill one whole neighborhood with people I knew.

Especially introverted friends—people who were difficult at first, but whose happiness when they finally opened up was worth everything.

I think I set the bar pretty reasonably. Filling an entire city would be impossible, even if I spent my whole life meeting new people.

Scratching my cheek, I thought about all the friends I’d introduced to my classmate.

“Come on… You get along great with Hayoon, Minseo, Rowoon… and everyone else I introduced you to, don’t you? Sure, it was awkward at first, but it all worked out in the end. Everyone wins.”

Still staring at me with the kind of hatred usually reserved for mortal enemies, my classmate held out their phone.

It was the cover of a web novel.

Most covers are bright and flashy… but this one’s calm and gloomy.

Every character looked depressed, their eyes completely lifeless.

Honestly…

It reminded me of my classmate.

While I was admiring it, they suddenly said,

“Read it.”

“Huh? Out of nowhere?”

“Yeah. There are a lot of the introverts you’re obsessed with in there. I think the author must be an introvert too.”

Now that got my attention.

“Whoa! Sounds fun!”

I quickly took a screenshot, sent it to my phone, and saved it.

After that, I happily chatted away, completely ignoring our assignment while the dark circles under my classmate’s eyes grew deeper in real time.

I even walked them home so we could keep talking.

My classmate practically whimpered.

“Please… I can walk home by myself… let me go….”

“Nope. I’m taking you home. It’s dangerous.”

I refused firmly.

These days, walking alone at night was scary.

Isn’t that what friends are for?

Two people were always better than one.

“What exactly would you do to help…?”

“If something happens, I can scream and call the police.”

“…I don’t even have the energy to argue anymore….”

In the end, they gave up.

We chatted happily for another thirty minutes.

For the record…

Their apartment was only five minutes away on foot.

“Get home safely!”

“Ughhhh….”

Watching them drag themselves upstairs…

They looked exactly like a zombie.

On my own way home, I talked cheerfully with another friend on the phone until I arrived.

After showering, I collapsed onto my bed.

Then I remembered the web novel.

“Oh! I almost forgot. Time to read it.”

I opened it on my tablet while live-texting my classmate my reactions.

Not because I wanted to annoy them.

Reading alone was just boring.

[I’m reading Chapter 1. It’s fun lol.] 11:18 PM

— Yeah. 11:25 PM

[Why is everyone like this? Especially Seopnap wanting to be alone. Totally my type.] 11:32 PM

[People like this are seriously fun once you get close to them.] 11:45 PM

[You were like that too. Remember?] 11:46 PM

[Ooh, when are these two finally gonna kiss? Fast-forwarding until they do ^^] 1:29 AM

[Next time recommend something R-rated.] 3:11 AM

[I bought all the chapters! I’m reading to the end tonight hehe.] 4:01 AM

[You lunatic. It’s 4 A.M.] 4:14 AM

[Why are YOU still awake? Wanted to text with me? lol] 4:14 AM

[🖕 Go away. I’m doing homework.] 4:32 AM

In response, I sent them an encouraging message along with a gift coupon for an iced Americano.

My poor introvert already had no energy.

If homework drained what little they had left, they wouldn’t be able to hang out with me.

Seriously.

Where else would they find a friend like me?

“All done. Pretty good, actually. I’ll ask for more recommendations like this.”

The novel wasn’t terribly long, so I managed to finish it in a single all-nighter.

The ending was exactly what you’d expect.

They won the war.

The two protagonists got their happy ending.

Predictable.

“Well… it’s morning already. Yawn.”

My eyes felt heavy with sleep.

I closed the blackout curtains to block out the sunlight…

Then instantly passed out.

“Hm?”

When I opened my eyes…

Two people dressed like medieval maids were kneeling in front of me.

Am I dreaming?

I looked around.

European-style interior.

If I borrowed my novel-loving friend’s words…

“This looks like the bedroom of a noble lady in a romance fantasy.”

Though darker and gloomier.

No sunlight at all… Is it nighttime?

Looking back down, I saw the terrified cosplayers trembling.

“P-Please… have mercy….”

If this was a dream…

Why were they acting like this?

Had I done something?

Was I the villain?

Judging by the atmosphere, I must be the person in charge.

Poor things.

They were trembling so pitifully that I instinctively reached out to comfort them.

“KYAAAAAH! Milady! Please spare our lives!”

The maid on the left screamed and fell backward.

“H-Hiiiii! P-Please! I’ll do anything if you spare me!”

The one on the right practically rubbed their palms raw from begging.

“…?”

This was awkward.

But if I looked flustered now, they’d only become even more afraid of me.

Stay calm.

Don’t scare the introverts away.

“Who’s trying to kill you? Don’t be afraid.”

Making a good first impression was the first step toward becoming close with introverts.

Fortunately…

I was exceptionally good at that.

Friendly face.

Bright personality.

Approachable without being overwhelming.

“Feeling better now? I don’t know what happened, but…”

I gave them the gentlest smile I could.

The response was nothing like I expected.

“M-Milady… Hrk…”

They fainted.

Both of them.

“Huh? They fainted?”

No way.

Were they really that introverted?

I’d never met anyone like this in my life.

I’d met plenty of shy people before.

People who were wary.

Suspicious.

Avoidant.

People who ran away in terror or ignored my messages.

But no one had ever fainted.

Jackpot!

Wait.

This wasn’t the time to celebrate.

I had to wake them up first.

Let’s call 119.

I jumped to my feet and threw open the door.

“119! Uh… wait, I’m overseas… 911? No, that’s America… Whatever! Somebody help me! Help!”

There are people who fainted in here!

My precious introverts!

Two of them!

Dream or not, I couldn’t just leave them like this.

Hang in there, my wonderfully unique introvert sisters.

I’ll save you!

Then please become my friends afterward!

After all the commotion, someone who looked like a doctor came running.

“Milady… making such a disturbance is… is… Hiiik! Forgive me!”

I hadn’t even done anything.

I just looked at them.

Yet they panicked and ran away.

I didn’t have a doctor friend yet.

Maybe I should make one.

Someone had to take care of Silver Towns’ health.

Everyone needed to stay healthy so we could spend a long, long time together.

“Heave-ho.”

I carefully laid the two unconscious maids on the bed.

Then stood up.

Sitting still was boring.

Might as well explore this dream mansion.

“Big… spacious… gloomy… your typical medieval European mansion.”

Ancient antiques.

Portraits of handsome and beautiful foreigners.

Everything made the place feel even more exotic.

The bedroom had been on the second floor.

After walking downstairs, crossing the grand hall covered in soft carpets, and stepping outside…

A garden stretched before me.

“Wow!”

The fresh scent of grass.

The crisp spring air, full of new life, gently wrapped around me.

A pleasantly warm breeze lifted my spirits.

“But….”

Wasn’t this dream a little too realistic?

The clean air, free of fine dust, felt unbelievably vivid as it filled my lungs.

Besides… I’m the type who falls unconscious the moment my head hits the pillow.

There was only one classic way to confirm reality.

Slap yourself.

SMACK!

A loud crack echoed through the garden.

One second later…

“AAAAAAAH!”

It hurt so much my eyes watered.

Yep.

Without a doubt…

This was reality.

“So… I really transmigrated? Or reincarnated?”

Even I knew about reincarnation, possession, and regression.

Around one-fifth of my introverted friends talked about those stories nonstop.

There was no way I wouldn’t know.

I grabbed the long hair hanging down to my waist.

Soft platinum-blonde hair shimmered in the sunlight.

Definitely not my dry, neglected black hair, ruined by surviving on homework and instant food.

“This isn’t the time! I need to check my face!”

I hurried back inside.

Throwing open the bedroom door, I found a room full of strangers staring at me in horror.

“Reta, you—!”

“Sorry! Now’s not the time! Let’s talk later!”

“W-What?”

Ignoring them, I rushed straight to the full-length mirror.

The moment I saw my reflection…

“Wow.”

Beautiful.

Beautiful enough to debut immediately as the top idol of a major entertainment company.

Slightly drooping eyes.

Long eyelashes.

Golden eyes that sparkled like jewels.

It was almost tragic that I didn’t have a smartphone to take selfies.

I was busy admiring my face when an incredulous voice came from behind me.

“Have you… finally gone completely insane?”

Without turning around, I glanced toward the speaker.

Different hair color.

But the same golden eyes.

The same cold expression.

She was probably this Reta’s mother.

They’re both gorgeous in the same way, so I’m probably right.

I turned around with a bright smile.

“Nope! I’m perfectly fine, Mother!”

“…”

“Mother?”

She fainted.

That made three people today.