Leaf nodded. "Yes," she replied, though inwardly she felt as though Zero was trying to lull her to sleep with this mandatory orientation.

With a nod of satisfaction, Zero declared, "First book initialized," signaling the beginning of their quest. Zero’s enthusiastic voice echoed in the small white space. Attempting to send itself and its host to the first Book World without knowing the hardship that it will encounter soon.

+++++

"Host, brace yourself. Your first experience may not be pleasant. Inter—"

"Wait!" Zero interrupted once again.

"Make it quick; we need to enter the first book immediately," Zero replied urgently.

"Are we stepping into a fabricated digital world?" Leaf inquired.

"No, we're being transported to a genuine world among many others. To ease the hosts' acceptance of the mission, the system created and condensed the collective faith of all affected people from the mission worlds into a book—no more interruptions. We're entering now," Zero declared firmly.

As a blinding light enveloped Leaf and Zero, Zero failed to notice the grin on Leaf's face.

The next time Leaf regained consciousness, a relentless throb pulsed through her head, each beat a reminder of being in a living body. She resisted the urge to peel her eyes open immediately and attempted to learn about her surroundings through her other senses. The sterile scent of disinfectant assaulted her nostrils, mingling with the dull ache in her head. This led her to conclude that she was currently lying in a clinic or hospital room. She heard a muffled cry from her bedside. Leaf decided to listen to Zero’s instructions first before moving forward.

“Zero,” she whispered, reaching out to it through their shared telepathic connection.

“Are you ready to receive the world’s plot?”

In response, Zero's voice echoed in her mind.

“How nice of you to ask first. Yes, give it to me.”, replied Leaf.

Leaf received the plot without difficulty.

This world is situated in a modern society, governed by laws and marked by peace among many nations. The story revolves around a male and a female lead which are typically found in your Mary Sue light novels. 

The male lead embodies the character of a handsome yet overbearing president, commanding his company with a tight grip. He is always cold towards everything except the female lead. In contrast, the female lead is an ordinary-looking but kind, gentle, and strong-willed office worker. Her pure, bright almond eyes consistently cause the male lead to lose control whenever he gazes upon them.

Their story began when, at their high school graduation party, the female lead finally confessed her three-year-long love for the male lead. They had been classmates since the beginning of high school. The female lead fell in love with the male lead at first sight, and her feelings only grew stronger as the years passed.

The male lead rejected the female lead without any explanation, but she didn't give up. She still pursued her plan to follow him to university.

Unbeknownst to the female lead, the male lead had become an orphan just a few days before their graduation. His only guardian and family, his mother, had passed away suddenly without warning. A week before his graduation, his mother had suddenly lost consciousness at work and was immediately rushed to the hospital.

It took a long time for the ambulance to navigate through the street where his mother worked, and even longer to reach the closest hospital. It seemed as if the world was conspiring to make his life miserable, as a vehicular accident had occurred nearby, diverting all attention to the emergency ward where his mom was sent. They prioritized all victims that seemed to be on the verge of death.

When the male lead finally reached the hospital, it had already been more than 30 hours since his mother lost consciousness. Without immediate emergency treatment, she took her last breath as he reached her bedside.

The world seemed to stop right then and there. The male lead heard a ringing sound in his ears as he stood in shock, watching the emergency staff rush to his mother and attempt to revive her.

According to his mother’s medical report, she died from a ruptured brain aneurysm or bleeding inside her brain. The doctor mentioned headaches as one of the symptoms. He remembered that his mother had been taking painkillers for a week and hadn't complained about anything.

With a heavy heart and his mother's urn in his arms, the male lead returned to their bachelor apartment. The hospital had taken charge of his mother's final rites, including the proceedings of her funeral and cremation, perhaps they were trying to relieve their guilt for the tragedy that had happened under their care.

He was absent for two days at school and had no intention of finishing his last week in high school. However, while sorting through his mother’s belongings, he stumbled upon her graduation gift. Inside, he found all of his mother’s savings and her heartfelt written wishes for him. It was evident that his mother must have felt she was running out of time, as she made him promise to live life to the fullest. Along with the gift was the truth about his birth, and she left it up to him to decide what to do with the information.

He decides to honor his mother’s wish and let go of thoughts about his birth father. Gritting through the last days of high school, he plans to secure a part-time job while in university. He's taken aback when the school flower confesses to him, feeling amicable towards her, yet knowing he doesn't have the luxury to date anyone at the moment. He's self-aware, realizing he doesn't deserve her. Caught up in his focus on getting into a good university, he's unaware that he's the object of affection for many at school, appearing as the school prince that most girls dream about.

The male and female lead became neighbors during their time at university. Slowly, the female lead slipped into the male's life, cooking meals for him and taking care of his laundry and more. Their relationship became ambiguous for a year at university, and they finally became official after the female lead's parents died in an accident during the first month of their second year at university.

Her parents were pronounced dead on arrival on the evening of her birthday. Despite living two hours away from her parents' house, the female lead refuses to leave the male lead on her birthday. So, her parents decide to drive for two hours in the rain just to celebrate her birthday together.

The male lead accompanied the female lead from the hospital to the funeral hall. He empathized with her, knowing she was driven by guilt over her parents' death. She was fortunate enough to inherit an amount that was enough for her to live comfortably for a lifetime.

The night after all due process was done, the male lead and female lead drank to their heart's content, and one thing led to another—they found comfort in each other’s warmth. The next day, as they woke up naked and hugging each other, the male lead confessed his feelings and expressed his desire to enter a relationship with the female lead with marriage in mind. The female lead cried tears of joy while smiling. They decided to cuddle in bed for the rest of the day, talking about whatever came to mind.

For the following year, their relationship remained unchanged, except that they lived together in one apartment and enjoyed frequent dates and intimate moments. Everyone in the university recognized them as the golden couple of their department, and they were regarded as one of the most prominent couples in the university.

“What is this melodramatic Korean drama I am seeing?”

Leaf complained to Zero in her mind while a frown formed on her brows.