5 My Secret’s Out of the Bag!

The universal, or multi-universal rule of all transmigrators or reincarnations.

Never let anyone discover that you're from another world.

Why? Because generally, the people who knew the person you're possessing would be either freaked out angry. In this world, it's most likely the latter. Most likely, you'd die.

But what about isekaiers? Generally, there's no person they have possessed. They have no background in the world you isekai to. Some isekaiers even tell their friends that they're from another world.

But what about a different cliche? What if the world you're in originally was a book or a TV series on Earth? How about a game? If others find out you're from another world, that's fine. But what if they discover that they are only characters?

In novels or webnovels, generally it doesn't turn out well. In one book, the characters from a book, once discovering they were just characters, jumped out of the book and kidnapped the author to make them all-powerful. They then tried to pull all the other characters out books and put the humans on Earth into books.

And that was the main hero! The person who was supposed to save the world in the book! What if the person who found out the truth was the villain? The world might be destroyed!

What if a character from a game where events happened in a preset fashion discovered that he had no say over his fate? Even worse, what if that character was a crazy psychopath in a world where villains are the norm?

The only answer: Disaster. Mass destruction. And definitely, your death.

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"Akira, are you...from another world?"

What the f*ck do I do?! He just suddenly barged in here, saw me crying, and stole my phone! And my secret's out now! It hasn't even been a day!

"W-well...you see...um...that's..."

"You do know that question was rhetorical, right? I wasn't asking for you to answer."

He's going to kill me!

"You're from another world and this world...is just a game. That's what this phone says.

According to this antique, this is an "otome game," so..."

He looks down at me. "Can you tell me what that is?"

What? He's not angry, or maybe betrayed? He's fine? It's not because this world has both magic and technology, is it?

"Er, it's a game where, um, the main character has to...uh...to conquer people." I manage to squeak out.

"Uh, c-could you put me down?" I probe. If he wants to kill me, he'll kill me on the spot. If he's not going to kill me, then it will be fine.

Keotex just stares at me. A minute passes. Then he sits down and puts me on his lap. "Here."

That's not what I meant...

Is he going to kill me? There's not even a thought bubble, how am I supposed to know if he's going to kill me?!

I'll just ask him directly! I gather all my courage and ask, "Are you going to kill me?"

Keotex shows a surprised look on his face. "Why would I kill you?"

"Wait, then you're not shocked about the fact that I'm from another world?"

Keotex shakes his head. "No, why would I be? You're not very good at hiding it."

"When did I give away anything?"

"You looked repulsed whenever you saw blood. When that girl died, when that tall guy died, and even when you saw them on headphones. Besides, how did you manage to survive with no magic? And why do you not have magic? Anyone who was born anywhere in the universe should have magic. The only explanation was that you were from another world."

Was I that obvious? And how did he even come to that conclusion? Oh wait, this is a world of magic and technology.

"But wait, you're not concerned about being in a video game?"

"No. Should I be? What's wrong with that?" Keotex has a clueless expression.

R-right, the whole "I'm just a character" thing is a question of morals, and Keotex doesn't have any...of course he wouldn't be angry. Hiding this fact might make him like me more...

After all, the people in this world love conspiracies. The more twisted the conspiracy the better. The government publishes subtle hints before getting "exposed" in scandals, but no one cares, but rather loves them.

My hPhone rings. I forgot! I have an appointment at my starship! I was so caught up in homesickness then Keotex discovering my secret that I forgot!

"Okay, Keotex, don't tell anyone." He'll listen to me, right? Though others won't be angry, people will still try to kidnap me or steal my phone to know the future! I don't want to be hunted down!

Keotex nods. "Of course not." The thought bubble above his head confirms his words. Whew.

"Now come with me. We have to go to my starship, remember?" I don't wait for his response. In any case, he's my employee and won't kill me. I jump up and drag Keotex to the nearest dock, where a shuttle waits to pick me up. It's on autopilot, so I don't have to explain anything to the driver.

I enter the pilot's seat. There's no one sitting there, just a bunch of displays and a steering wheel. Keotex sits in the co-pilot's seat.

Keotex has a thought. "Wait, if this is what you call an "otome game," you know everything about this world, right? And that's how you nailed every single bet."

You JUST noticed that? "Mhm." I answer. The shuttle flies toward my starship.

"And you have to conquer people, so that means you are trying to take over the country?"

"What? No! That's...well, that only happens in the game. Right now, I'm just starting a business to make money. Although..."

Actually, I still miss Earth. I earned more money in just a day than my mom does, but Earth is where my family is. And it's where my friends are, where people don't torture others for fun and killing is illegal. Yes, I could have it easy in this world. However, this world is more dangerous and heartless than mine. I don't want to live the rest of my life here!

It might be fine if I died on Earth. I could treat this as an extra life and try to become the greatest in something or whatever. Can't waste an extra life, right?

But I didn't die. I was in perfect health, albeit grounded. I didn't even finish college! I should at least try to get a job! I'm completely unwilling to stay here!

Therefore...

"I'll invent a way to return to Earth!"

It's feasible. If I hire all the geniuses, hoard all the best resources, and utilize blueprints from the game designers themselves, I should be able to create a world traveling device! If not, then what's the point of knowing everything? What's the point in having my iPhone? I might as well use my special items to return to Earth! I could also bring Keotex to Earth! He can have the life his dad wanted him to have!

That reminds me, is Keotex's dad a transmigrator? The forums discussed this before, but the game producers never confirmed it. I suspect that the dad should at least come from somewhere similar to Earth. To bad he already died, or I could've asked him. Maybe he could help me return to Earth?

"That's a high goal you have. I'll help you!" Keotex exclaimed.

"Er, thanks."

The shuttle flies for another two minutes. It then activates the FTL drive and zips across space to another spaceport. That's right, I didn't send my new employees the coordinates for my ship. I sent them to a rendezvous point for my shuttle to pick up. Then we'll go to the real destination. After all, what if someone intercepted the coordinates? I'm not worried my employees would leak the coordinates. They may be villains, but without benefits, they wouldn't betray someone for no reason.

I pick up seventeen people. They're of differing ages. Some are adults, while others are teenagers. One of them is even a nine year old!

There's no child labor laws here. Besides, this child would go on to make weapons of mass destruction and destroy multiple planets. He would even topple a country indirectly.

Before coming here, I changed into a disguise. Now I look like a young woman in her twenties. Big blue eyes, silky black hair, and full lips. I don't wear lipstick. How do you eat without getting lipstick everywhere? And besides, doesn't it get wiped off when you eat something? It goes into your mouth!

Keotex doesn't need a disguise, as he's my employee. He stares menacingly at the newcomers as they board the shuttle.

"Keotex, what's with the intimidating expression? They're not going to hurt you!"

Keotex tries to wipe his expression off his face. He doesn't succeed.

The employees aren't unnerved by Keotex's antics. This is a world where blood permeates the air after all.

The shuttle engages its FTL drive again, but this time, zips directly to my starship.

The starship is completely black, making it hard to see against the starless void. The glowing lights, silver lines, and it's name, "Nexus," give its presence away.

The seventeen employees seem awed and terrified by the sight. They show respect to me, the owner of the ship.

A door opens to show the landing dock. The shuttle smoothly floats in and lands with a gentle thud.

"Alright, everybody out!" I say. I have to act the part of a rich villain. I'll just pretend to be the villainess of one of the anime I watched. Bossy, self-absorbed, and ruthless. This is going to be hard. Why didn't I go to acting school?

The employees listen to my order. Keotex and I get out as well. "This is my ship, the Nexus. This will be your new workplace and home until you quit." Company headquarters also act as a home for their employees. CEOs don't want to give away their starship's location after all.

The interior, unlike the exterior, is a monochrome white. I need the outside to look imposing, but I don't want the interior to be dark and depressing. Therefore, I had it be white, with also white lights hanging overhead. It's the complete opposite of the "villain's" starship that was Star Academy.

"You each have different talents. Therefore, you will be divided based on what you can do. I will now assign your work places."

Six of them go to Uno Entertainment. Seven, who will be the future number one fighting team, join my dueling team with the same name. Two are assigned to the gaming subsidiary, and the other one is shifted to security.

The little kid is transferred to the R&D department. After all, who would send a weapons genius to entertainment?

I talk to them about the rules of the company, which include not killing each other, and send them to different parts of the ship.

Keotex goes to the gaming part of the ship with the other two. The contest for the position of captain will be postponed until the subsidiary has at least five members. Not all of the people I invited accepted my employment invitation.

I also sneakily commence my reformation plan. This may be a world of villains, but will I tolerate working with villains? Not at all! Unless the plan fails. After all, this is a game with fixed settings. I may not be able to change anyone, so I better be mentally prepared. In any case, I'll be on my way to Earth once I invent the device.

Will I be able to succeed in its creation? Hopefully. But if not, then...

A crash sounded from one of the corridors to my left. Shouts ring out soon after. One of the voices is...

"Keotex! Stop attacking your coworkers!"