SNBF 02

Chapter 02

“Here, the third room on the second floor just happens to be vacant. Usually, with so many applicants, it’s rare to find an available room.”
I snapped out of my daze at the sudden reality, and by the time I fully regained my senses, I had already arrived at the “Shelter Project for Vagrants.”

“Ah… yes…”
“That’s good. His Majesty, the new Emperor, even watches over the vagrants. Haha.”
A sturdy-looking man smiled brightly and opened the door for me.

“Uh… right.”
Yes. That’s correct.
The information from the novel floated into my mind.
The vagrant relief project was, simply put, a welfare program where the state provided shelter for the homeless.

“There was a mention that this was the first project the Emperor initiated upon ascending the throne.”
The nobles criticized the Emperor for “wasting taxes” on lazy vagrants, but the commoners raised their hands in celebration and cheered for His Majesty.
“Lazy vagrants”—what a ridiculous label.

After the plague that swept across the empire years ago, the number of homeless skyrocketed.
People who had lost their families, jobs, or property while trying to prevent the plague were left destitute. They weren’t lazy; they were victims of misfortune.
Since the nobles had plenty of wealth, they never ended up on the streets. The homeless were mostly commoners.
Neither the state nor the nobles improved their conditions, so even after many years, the number of vagrants didn’t decrease… until the new Emperor, Theodore Elliot, took action to care for them first.

It’s no wonder the people liked him.
The Emperor went further, employing the gathered vagrants to establish scientific institutions throughout the empire.
Providing jobs through the state helped rehabilitate the homeless while solving labor shortages—truly a win-win.

“Only a year into his reign, and he’s already issuing policies to look after his subjects. The guards complain about being busier, but I think it’s wonderful.”

Only one year…
“Well, it’s not a fully established project yet. Haha! Still, expectations for His Majesty are high.”

This was a period not even mentioned in the original story. The Emperor had just…
No wonder the shelter felt a bit chaotic—it was a project just getting started.
The things I remembered from the novel, like the scientific revolution and job creation for the homeless, must belong to the distant future.

“Here you go.”
“Yes.”
I received a thick blanket and pillow from the man in charge here. On top of it was a key.

“The room key. Copying it costs quite a bit, so be careful not to lose it.”
“Yes, yes…”
“My name is Maurice, and I manage this place. I was originally the captain of the city guard, but since I wanted to retire, they asked me to take over management here. And somehow, here I am.”

Maurice extended his hand as if to shake. I awkwardly reached out and clasped it.

“Did you say you don’t have a name?”
“Uh? I do have a name!”
I was instinctively defensive. I had never heard of someone being called nameless.

“Really? The guards listed you as a nameless vagrant.”
“Ah, that’s because they couldn’t understand my name.”
“Then, what is it?”
“Park Seon…”

Would she mistake it for ‘Saint’? I paused mid-sentence.
Thinking about it, the word “saint” probably didn’t exist in this world.

[Dorothy. Can’t you hear me? Strange… Hmm… It’s the first time I’ve encountered someone whose wavelength matches mine; maybe I’m inexperienced.]

Then, Agatha, who had been quiet for a moment, muttered again.
“Dorothy…”
“Dorothy?”
“Yes. My name is Dorothy.”

Perhaps because no name came to mind, I unconsciously repeated Agatha’s words.
Dorothy—a cute name.
Better than Park Seon-yeo, anyway.
Since my original name was tied to a fate that would have ended in death, I had no attachment to it.
I quickly discarded my old name and adopted the name Dorothy.

“Yes. Dorothy. Lunch and dinner are at twelve and six. Meals are served in the yard, so be sure to come on time. Lunch is soon.”

After speaking, the man hurried off, busy with something.
I finally took a look around the shelter.
The five-story building was built in a ‘ㄷ’ shape, with rooms packed tightly together like a dormitory.
In the center was a wide grassy courtyard, where vagrants sat in groups basking in the sun.
It somehow felt… like a prison.

[Dorothy, you heard me just now, right? I said Dorothy! Good, it’s connected!]

Like in my previous life, when I ignored gods and spirits, I instinctively ignored Agatha’s words and walked inside.
Even though I had promised myself at the moment of death that I’d accept divine possession, now, in this situation, it was really hard. After a lifetime of skepticism, my instinctive reaction was resistance.
So I postponed thinking about it and ignored Agatha. I needed a moment to process this absurd situation.

The room, neither too small nor too big, contained a bed, a desk, and a stool.

[Dorothy… I think you heard me.]

What a ridiculous turn of events.
I thought I was dead, yet I’m alive, inside a novel, and now my body communicates with gods just like in my previous life.
If I were going to live again, couldn’t I have been born as an ordinary person?

“All right… let’s… rest a bit.”

A splitting headache hit me.
As I moved toward the bed—
Thump.
“…Ouch.”
I tripped in the empty room and fell.

[Oh, Dorothy. Are you okay?]

The stone floor made my whole body ache.
Memories of countless misfortunes from my previous life flashed before me.
The inevitable misfortunes and illnesses suffered by those who defy the gods.

“Haha, it must be a coincidence. Just a coincidence.”
I forced a smile and got up.
“Oh, right. It’s lunch time! Haha. Food. Let’s eat. I guess I was weak from hunger.”

I went outside, hunching slightly, scanning my surroundings. The courtyard where meals were served was peaceful.
After getting my tray and completing the meal line, nothing happened. Phew. Falling was probably just a common accident. My overreaction stemmed from memories of how the gods tormented me in my past life.

“Newcomer?”
“I’ve never seen such a young girl.”

Of course. The ultimate villains appeared.
Middle-aged men with unpleasant grins approached to cause trouble.

“Miss, how old are you?”
“Hoho. Could you step aside?”

I smiled as kindly as possible, using all my strength.
I didn’t want trouble. But the men ignored me.

“You lived on the streets at such a young age?”
“I wish I had lived on the streets with you, miss.”
“Jackpot, jackpot.”

Their words barely registered, and my heart pounded. This must be misfortune. A punishment from defying the gods, right?
Would I even have to be beaten by them? A divine curse? Even so, resorting to violence is too much!
Anger and frustration churned inside me.

“Outsiders may enter, but no men, miss. The soundproofing here is poor.”
“I like the bad soundproofing.”

What are you even saying?
“Of course. Hearing your voice must be delightful.”

The burly man blocking my way grinned.

[Tsk tsk. Jane, you really shouldn’t wag your tongue like that. You need to repent.]

Jane? Is that his name?
“Hey, Alexander. She’s scared. Step back a bit.”
“Being scared is kind of cute.”
“…Alexander?”
“Yes, now she’s responding. Miss, want to hang out with us?”
“Not Jane?”

I blurted it out unconsciously.

[Jane is her real name. It’s more commonly given to girls, so it’s apparently a complex for her. Alexander is Jane’s idea of a “manly” alias. Dorothy… you really heard me this time, right?]

The man in front of me went pale.
“Jane? Who’s that?”
“Her name, miss? Jane. Quite a fitting name for someone pretty.”

“Uh… well. Hey, shall we eat now?”
“Huh? Alexander, we already ate.”
“No, I keep getting hungry. Strange. Haha.”

Jane awkwardly pushed the group away.
I looked at Jane and smiled slyly.
‘Don’t ever mess with me again.’

It seemed enough, as Jane lowered her gaze in shame and led the protesting friends away with impressive strength.

[Hmm? They’re leaving quietly? Seems like they repented.]
‘This… works amazingly…?’

I had feared whether I could survive the misfortunes calculated by the gods, but Agatha helped me.
In my past life, the gods didn’t help; they tormented me for refusing divine possession. Nightmares drenched in blood haunted me, and my body was often sick.
Even my mother scolded me for resisting the gods, saying it was enough that she prayed daily.

I had grown used to locking eyes with frightening spirits. Becoming a shaman didn’t help—my mother, with her painful knees, performed 3,000 prostrations daily for 100 days because the gods commanded it. I was furious watching her.

The gods were selfish and unhelpful. Even if they helped, it was indirect, like showing up in dreams with a pig to hint at luck.
They didn’t specify timing, type, or even whether the luck was mine. Instead, they tormented me, dredging up the deepest traumas, giving me sleep paralysis, all while I dreamed.
I especially hated the little spirit who took my childhood snacks to feed himself.

But here, a god provided direct help without mischief. And the help was significant.
What is this? It’s like starting a game at max level.
Being pushed into a battlefield but flying around in a top-tier jet, taking everyone down.

[You’re going quickly, so it seems easy. Dorothy, are you okay?]

And this woman… genuinely worries about me.
So kind…!

My mind raced.
‘This world has a Western setting. No divine illness, no divine possession, no shaman concept… maybe just oracles.’
This is a complete advantage.

[Looks like you finally hear me. I was worried. I thought maybe I imagined it.]

Could it be that this cursed shaman constitution, which I thought was a curse, is actually a perfect cheat key here?
If misfortune occurs, she tells me how to deal with it and helps me—unlike the gods of my previous life, who tormented me for refusing possession.

In this strange land, there’s a god who knows everything and actively helps me. I doubt they’d ever harm me.

[…Goddess.]
[Oh! Dorothy. You finally spoke to me!]
[You didn’t come to torment me, right?]

I asked one last time, as a test of Agatha’s character.

[No? Why would I torment you, Dorothy!]
Aja.

Awakening in a second life marks the beginning of my era of success.