The nothingness receded. Darkness encroached, filling it, and I knew something was up.

The darkness was fine. Not pure blackness, but a heaviness tinted in red, the darkness behind closed eyelids in a dimly lit room. Yet I felt like the world smelled wrong.

That wasn’t quite it. And I felt normal, even good. But, somehow, I knew that what I sensed was wrong, or at least unfamiliar.

I shifted my head, and realized I was lying on something soft, with my head elevated, probably a bed with a pillow. My body signaled that it was fresh and ready, but my mind had trouble catching up. I felt like I had to catch every scattered thought and manually shift it into place.

Carefully, I opened my eyes, blinking against the light. Something about the view seemed weird, and not just because my eyes hadn’t adjusted yet and I only saw bright outlines. Did the shape of my nose change? No, that can’t be it, right?

When I mentally took a step back to try and analyze my surroundings, I became aware of a feeling that had to be the cause of the strangeness from before. The closest analogue I could come up with at the moment was that my body had been filled with warm liquid. I sat up a little more and looked at myself. That helped me focus on it, although I was still as much sensing as seeing anything.

Woven into my body was a network of lines, like someone had color-highlighted my blood vessels or lymphatic system. Except they didn’t branch as much, especially not into capillaries, and they went into my organs and bones anyway. In my abdomen, they concentrated in one glowing spot. It looked a little like the moon, bright but containing shadows.

Something very weird is going on here.

And yet, I wasn’t alarmed. If anything, my body told me it was fine and could I please get up already, and my subconscious assured me the lines were right where they were supposed to be.

Since I lacked anything better to do and my eyes had finally focused, I sat up and took a proper look around. I was in a room I didn’t recognize, even if it did feel strangely familiar. Large, light coming in from a window, furniture scattered around, watercolors on the walls. Apparently, I was lying in a bed so expansive I could easily stretch out horizontally, with silk-looking bedsheets, although for some reason I was on top of the covers.

In the silence, my breathing seemed loud, and finally it picked up a bit of speed. I started to push myself up, then my gaze caught on my hand where it rested on the bed.

It was clearly a woman’s hand, like mine, with thin, delicate-looking fingers, like mine, and fair skin, like mine. But it wasn’t mine. The shapes were off, and unless I’d been sick for a while, the color was too pale.

I shook my head in disbelief, and a few strands of blond hair danced over my eyes. I reached up and grabbed them. My hair should be a light brown, maybe sandy, not this blond.

Okay, I need to figure this out. I took a good look a the rest of my body, although most of it was hidden by my clothing. A blue, intricately embroidered robe that reminded me a bit of a martial arts gi, except longer, with loose pants of the same fabric underneath. The top wrapped around the side. Now that I paid attention to it, the material felt smooth on my skin and kept my body at the perfect temperature.

I flexed my arms. The clothing was tailored to show this body’s figure, which was definitely leaner than my own, and although I could stand to lose a kilo or two, I wasn’t fat. My muscles still brimmed with energy, and I felt like I could run a marathon while throwing a few boulders. Probably looked like a star athlete under that robe.

I took another look around the room. My new sense said it was full of … something. Although the furniture looked expensive, I couldn’t see a computer, television or anything like that. Instead of a light-bulb, soft illumination came from a glowing rock on a table. Not even a crystal or anything, just a gray stone. There were a few other appliances around the room that felt familiar, even if I couldn’t name them.

Either I was dreaming, or really hallucinating, or I’d been reincarnated in a new word. Or transmigrated, whatever.

I took a deep breath, because I felt like I should, and scooted over to the side of the bed. I was barefoot (with my feet looking much better than my own), but there were slippers placed at the side of the bed.

Okay, so. A dream is unlikely, this doesn’t have the vagueness and I should know if I was sleeping, I never wonder if I’m dreaming. Hallucination is out, too, I’ve never heard of one that encompasses all the senses and even adds a new one! That leaves fantasy-land.

I sighed and rubbed not-my temple. Well, I don’t want to be that girl who insists ‘lalala, this is all a dream!’. But the prior probability of that happening has to be astronomical. So much for inductive reasoning.

The conclusion was clear: I needed more evidence.

In the the back of my mind, I knew I should panic, but I was distantly glad that I didn’t. I needed to concentrate on the situation, figure out what was going on. Focus.

That’s when sound started to come in from behind the massive door.

Some shuffling and footsteps that slowly got louder. I froze and glanced around, but before I could even consider whether I should hide, the door opened. I was still sitting on the edge of the bed.

The first person to come in wore an old-fashioned dress. She looked middle-aged, with a few gray strands and wrinkles, though beautiful for her age. But the first thing I noticed was that I could feel a presence emanating from her. It wasn’t all that strong, but I could have pinpointed her location blindly, and I knew it was the same kind of energy that this new body contained.

The woman stopped short when she saw me. Quickly, she clasped her hands and bowed deeply, before she continued into the room, smiling. “You’re back!”

I cleared my throat, unsure how to respond. Before I could decide, my attention was drawn to the other figures entering behind her. Two younger ones, a man and woman, wore clothes the same style as hers, although the man’s looked more like a suit. Then there were two people in colorful robes, both men. They all emitted the same sort of presence, but the blue-robed man’s was almost blinding.

I blinked and by the time I looked again, he stood barely two meters in front of me. His robes were simple and loose, and he had a silver brooch pinned at his collar. He was handsome, maybe in his thirties and all sleek muscles and strong jaw, but the look in his eyes could only be caution.

“Welcome back, Your Highness. Do you remember where you are?”

Wait, ‘Your Highness?’ Wait, what? I hesitated for a moment. But they obviously knew something, and trying to bluff would be useless. “No.”

His eyebrows drew together. “Do you remember who you are?”

I swallowed. “Yes, but I shouldn’t be here …” I trailed off. Did I really know who I was, waking up in a strange body?

Then I sat bolt upright. What language are we even speaking? I didn’t know. At least, I could clearly understand and even speak it, but I didn’t know its name. It wasn’t any I’d heard before. Or so I could have sworn one minute ago.

I was thinking in English, which wasn’t unusual as far as that went. And yet, I could sort of switch to this new language, even in my thoughts. It felt a bit different than thinking in my native language or one I was fluent in, and yet easy.

“It’s alright. Please calm down.” The man held out his hands, clearly trying to look and sound reassuring. He must have misinterpreted my expression.

“I’m calm.”

I was still far calmer than I would have expected. And, if I tried to analyze my own reaction, his presence actually felt comforting. Did the previous owner of my body know him well?

If I got transmigrated, was I using a new brain with its own memories? But then why did I still feel like myself in my thoughts? I knew the mind was embodied in the brain. But where was the line? Since my current mind was clearly some combination. Just, what the hell, universe?

Actually, if this is like a story, maybe there’s a game system. I concentrated on thinking a mental prompt. System? Status? Status! … No? Shame. I could have used a character sheet.

A gentle throat-clearing brought my attention back to my conversation partner. I tried to give him my best apologetic smile, realizing I’d gotten lost in my head. If it’s mine - no, focus.

“You’re safe and home. I know this must be confusing, but things will be explained. Please just come with us, there’s someone you need to meet.”

I gave him a nod and finally stood from the bed, the man stepping back to give me space. Carefully, I maneuvered not-my feet into the slippers, then glanced around again. Apparently, while I’d been focused, the simpler-dressed people (servants, maybe?) had left. There were a few more people in colored robes visible waiting in the hallway, or at least that’s what I assumed from what I could see from here. No, wait — I knew there was a hallway.

Shaking my head, I got moving. Even though my body wasn’t really mine, I moved in it fluently and naturally, with more grace than I’d ever had.

When I stepped into the hallway, the people, three other men and a woman, formed up around me. They didn’t wear uniforms, but the brooch pinned to their chests, like the other man’s, and the way they stood and moved made me think of soldiers. Without exception, they were attractive enough to distract me from my thoughts for a moment. Hints of athletic bodies under the robes, perfect skin and symmetrical features. Their presence was also stronger than the others, though not as much as the one I’d talked to. Being surrounded by them still put me on my guard. Who knew what situation I’d somehow found my way into?

Still, there was nothing I could do about it except try to learn more, so I started following the first man.