[Time -12:30am]
The screen stayed dark.
No notifications.
No messages.
I kept staring anyway.
All this time I thought of them as my friends but not one remembered. It was my birthday.
I smiled.
When people say 'best friends', they mean people you would die for, people you would never betray, friends that have your back.
I never experienced that luxury.
I wasn't the popular most kid in school. I wasn't athletic, never took to sports. I didn't have the looks either. Nothing changed in college.
If I had to choose my character, I would be a character people took for granted.
"I'm sure Kael will be fine."
"Of course he will be okay with it."
That character whose name gets slipped when there's a party. The one who makes fun of themselves just so to keep the conversation going.
Of course that doesn't mean I don't have friends, I do. But would you really call them friends just because they know your name?
I leaned back in my chair, wondering if I had done something wrong. For twenty three years, I had never felt this lonely.
"Expectations, huh." I sighed.
Graduating without a job has its downsides. My parents try not show it, but I see it in their eyes - the disappointment.
And it's not like I don't work hard, I do.
But so does everyone.
What makes me so different from others?
Maybe people depend on them, maybe they're the breadwinner of their own family. Maybe they deserve it more.
It's not fair that someone has to lose for me to win.
I wanted to run away from this life. I don't want to be in a reality where I could ruin someone's life.
This was one of the two reasons I shut myself off.
I stretched and turned on my PC.
"What's the second reason?" you ask?
Games.
It helped me escape reality, I could be who I wanted to be. There's no nagging. No one judging me for how I look. No disappointed looks.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
It was my heaven on earth.
.
.
.
"Let's see… what should I play today?"
Click. Click. Click. Click.
I moved my mouse searching for something new to play.
"Hmm?"-
[Email - 1 new message]
When's the last time I got an e-mail? Do people still use email?
I clicked open and saw that it had no sender's email address.
____________________________________
Subject - Try out our new game!
From-xxxxxxxxx
Congratulations! You've been selected as our sole beta tester for our new game-
Reality's blessing
Tired of this life? Do you think this world isn't fair to you? Do you feel that no matter how much hard work you do, you're not appreciated? Are you being taken for granted? Then join us today!
Click the link now to join our new world!
Link-www.realitysblessing...…..
12:43am
23rd January 2026.
____________________________________
"Is someone playing a prank on me?"
I laughed.
Can you believe it? Getting a scam message on my birthday?
"Seems like they know I've given up on this life."
I let a small laugh under my breath.
Click. Click. Click.
I moved the mail to the spam folder.
There. It might seem easy, but I am not falling for that.
I wasn't that desperate.
With the thought of the email gone, I spent the rest of my birthday morning playing games.
.
.
.
[Time-1:07pm]
"Kael! Kael!"
I woke up from the repeated shouting of my name from mom.
"What is it!?"
I shouted back.
"Your friends came to meet you."
My eyes opened.
Do they remember? Did they plan a surprise party? Maybe they came to wish me.
"Coming!"
I hurried to get dressed, my heart beating fast. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I do matter. Maybe the world isn't so bad.
I rushed downstairs, unable to hide my smile.
"Hey guys! What brings you here?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Hey Kael, we were in the neighborhood and thought of meeting you, wanna come with us?" Phil, one of the three, asked.
"Sure, let's go." I replied
We'd known each other since school. We ate lunch together sometimes. Though they had their own parties. Their own circle.
Three minutes into our walk, Phil cleared his throat.
"Hey, can you lend me some money? I'm throwing a party tonight, and I'm a little short."
I could see the two guys giggling behind.
"Oh sure. What's time the party? I'll get ready."
I handed the money- thinking the party was for me.
"Sorry Kael… you're not invited."
Phil didn't even look at me when he said it.
I froze.
The money in his hand, I didn't know what to say.
"Too many people, you wouldn't fit in." The other two laughed.
The silence after that talk made me realise.
It didn't take a genius to understand.
I had been used.
He took the money from my hand.
"Thanks again… buddy." They started laughing as they walked away.
Hope was the real mistake.
I ran back to my home, then to my room.
"Kael? You're back already, honey? What happened to your friends?"
My mom asked me as she was preparing food for them.
I didn't answer.
I opened my inbox.
The email was still there.
Tired of this life?
I laughed
"Fine," I muttered. "Let's see how bad your scam really is."
Click-
I clicked the link in the email.
Suddenly, my vision blurred. My head felt like it had been struck.
I fell from my chair.
My whole body started to tremble. It felt like something was being sucked out of me.
A screen flashed right in front of my eyes.
____________________________________
[WELCOME TO REALITY'S BLESSING]
Status: Player Detected
Initiating Transmigration…
World: Alterra
Starting City: Ayland
Admin's note -
Happy Birthday, Kael.
____________________________________
Shocked-
"You've got to be kidding me..."
The walls in my room started to distort.
"Oh, come on. Don't tell me this is an isekai?"
I groaned in pain -
"Wait… shouldn't a truck hit me first!? Isn't that how it works?"
As the world dissolved around me, I did the only thing I could.
I prayed.
'Please. Anything but being reborn as a baby!'
Blank-
