Driven By Ambition

Yumi was born on November 18th, though her birth year remains unknown. She has no recollection of her childhood; her only memory is of the moment she received her pendant, which has been in her possession for as long as she can remember.

As a teenager, she dreamt of being a model who exhibited her own original designs. The idea of showcasing her creative talent while building self-confidence and meeting people from diverse backgrounds deeply motivated her. To make this a reality, she devoted the majority of her time to honing her physique, participating in activities like yoga and swimming while mastering a balanced diet. Though she enjoys a wide variety of cuisines, she prefers fresh fish and berries.

In addition to her appearance, she spent a considerable amount of time studying photography and design, which provided her with a well-rounded fashion sense. She took to social media and began posting pinups of herself taken by a close friend, hoping to extend her reach as an influencer. In the beginning, she borrowed outfits from a local tailor—mainly dresses paired with handcrafted accessories. As her style matured, she shifted toward lingerie and swimwear, attracting the attention of several well-known modeling agencies. However, she declined their offers, finding their values too superficial; her goal was to inspire confidence in women, rather than simply promoting beauty for its own sake.

A New Opportunity

One evening, while lying in bed, she received a message from an up-and-coming agency offering a last-minute opportunity to participate in a royal-inspired lingerie line scheduled for the following week. Ecstatic, she visited the salon the next morning to have her hair styled. She spent the following days preparing her portfolio and perfecting her runway walk. A day before the interview, she decided to visit the venue to familiarize herself with the area. On her way, she passed through an alley where her pendant began to glow. Though she found the occurrence unusual, she disregarded it and continued toward her destination.

A few moments before arriving at her destination, Yumi sensed several women following her. As a precaution, she decided to turn back and head toward a café she had passed earlier. When she stepped into the shop, a soft chime echoed above her—an inviting, delicate bell that briefly cut through the quiet tension in her chest. She realized the barista wore a similar insignia on her outfit to the women who had been following her. To avoid raising suspicion, she nonchalantly asked for the powder room and was directed toward the back. When the women entered the café, they spoke with the barista, who pointed in Yumi's direction. Noticing them closing in, she walked calmly toward the powder room and discovered an additional door leading to the café’s back exit.

Yumi quickly exited the establishment and blocked the door with nearby debris—wooden pallets from the café’s deliveries. Though she hoped to delay her pursuers, she felt a surge of anxiety, knowing they could break through at any moment. As she took a moment to collect her thoughts, her pendant resumed its unusual behavior. She realized she was in the very same alley where she had experienced the strange occurrence earlier. Suddenly, a wisp of light emerged from her pendant and vanished into a slight opening in the wall. Her eyes began to shift, subtle streaks of violet bleeding outward until they formed a complete gradient. Instinctively, she clawed at the mysterious opening, causing a portal to fully materialize. She glanced back at the sealed door; the women had nearly broken through the blockade. She considered running for the street, but the barista appeared, cutting off her exit. With no other choice, she scurried through the portal. As she reached the other side, the gateway vanished, leaving no way to return.

The Mysterious Place

Yumi found herself at the gates of an unknown estate. The time of day had shifted; it was now sunset. A calm breeze drifted through the air, flowing through her magenta hair. Grasping her pendant closely, she felt a wave of relief and an odd sense of familiarity with this place. As she approached the gates, they swung open slowly, revealing a grandiose manor. She stepped inside and found a bench positioned before a stone fountain. Sitting down to clear her mind, Yumi watched her reflection ripple in the water. She began to wonder: what had just happened? Who were the women that chased her, and why? Most importantly, how did she get here? It all seemed so strange.

Not knowing what would happen next, she turned her gaze toward the property. Its walls were exquisite, appearing as if they had been recently constructed, yet the architecture resembled a different era. She thought to herself, 'I wonder who lives here,' just as she spotted movement in one of the windows out of the corner of her eye. She cautiously approached the front doors, looking back toward the gates one last time before entering. There was nowhere else to go. The portal no longer existed, and there were no other options for returning home. Taking a deep breath, she proceeded into the building, shutting the heavy doors behind her."

It was dark. She could barely see anything other than what appeared to be a front desk and a bell, visible only by the faint light bleeding in from the front windows. The pendant began to glow again, illuminating a small circle around her. As she took her first step toward the desk, the pendant dimmed, and a small entity emerged from within. It was radiant, its colors shimmering like fluorescent lights. The entity darted around the room, revealing lavish stairs, multiple elevators, and several locked doors. At the end of its path, it flew toward the bell, striking it and sending a gentle ring throughout the foyer. Then, silence. An overhead chandelier descended, bathing the entire room in light. Yumi stood in awe, unsure of what to do next; she was standing in the foyer of a truly magnificent mansion.

The entity, a shimmering spirit, drifted toward the right of the foyer and turned a corner, vanishing from her field of view. A soft flicker of light pulsed gently from behind the wall, prompting her to explore further. She followed the glow and arrived at the entrance of another room. To Yumi's surprise, the space was nearly empty. Though structurally sound, the walls stood skeletal and the floors were stripped to the building’s foundation. A void in the floor extended upward through the ceiling, allowing a cool breeze to drift through the open air. Soon after, the spirit reappeared, startling Yumi. It turned toward the hollow room, and the structure began to transform.

Stone-tiled floors appeared, placing themselves one tile at a time. The walls decorated themselves in shifting hues of violet, indigo, and soft magenta, complete with ornate crown molding and wainscoting. As Yumi glanced upward, she saw the ceiling panels lined with arched textures resembling delicate floral lace. Vibrant flowers and lush greenery bloomed around the perimeter of the room. Large windows materialized along the back walls, revealing a path leading down to a vast botanical garden. A queen-sized bed with silk sheets and a gold-trimmed Chesterfield headboard—along with an ottoman, bookshelves, and a dresser—furnished the room atop a perfectly placed rug. Finally, the room stabilized, and the spirit returned to Yumi's pendant.

Atop the left bedside drawer sat an old box, which stood out amidst the extravagance of the room. She stepped toward it and found only two objects inside. The first was an elegantly crafted purple room key, matching the style of the new architecture; Yumi immediately took it into her possession. The second was a faded photograph of what appeared to be her childhood self alongside the lower half of a mysterious woman clad in a beautiful black dress. Even as a wave of nostalgia rushed through her, she had no memory of when or where the photo had been taken.

After placing the photo back in the box, Yumi glanced at the void in the floor where the breeze had been drifting through earlier. An elevator had formed in its place. She examined it, but found the controls unresponsive. Attached to the door frame was a note addressed to her. It read: 'Welcome to the Manor. You will find that all amenities will be provided exactly as you envision them. Please enjoy your stay! Note: This elevator is currently not in service. Please use the elevators in the foyer, as they are fully operational.'

Feeling overwhelmed, Yumi retrieved the note and placed it by her bedside. She closed the door to the room and prepared to retire for the night. There was more to learn about the Manor, but it could wait. She laid her head down on the soft pillows and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

Author's Note: The following chapter introduces fragments of Yumi’s past in chronological order. These memories will continue to be revealed through her dreams as she rests within the manor.

Distant Memories

Sunset Fields

Sunset—the time of day before the town is illuminated and workers retire after a fulfilling day. The sounds of footsteps, casual chatter, and chirping birds fill the air. Travelers from distant settlements gather in the town square for a chance to share stories of their pasts or engage in trade.

Beyond the rustic structures lay a path leading to an open field of dewy grass and patches of periwinkle flowers. A child sat, unbothered by her dampened dress, beside a partially filled basket. In her lap rested a stem with bright green leaves. She held the petals of a recently picked flower in her palms, bringing them close to her face; the soft floral scent made her smile, reminding her of a place she once knew. Placing the stem and flowers into the basket, she looked up at the sky. An ombré of colors, ranging from orange and yellow to indigo and violet, stretched through the clouds to create a remarkable sight. Stars had already begun to appear faintly, signaling it was time to return home. She rose, gathered her basket, and happily skipped along the path leading away from the town.

Crystal Garden

As she followed the path, she encountered a lavish garden of potted floral arrangements and manicured bushes, enclosed by towering, dark-wood trees. The flowers lay reposed, their buds in the process of closing for the evening. To one side was a row of newly planted seeds; opposite them, a nearly empty pot sat atop a dimly lit wooden table. Curious, the child walked toward the table and examined the pot. There was no soil—only glistening stones that contrasted with the colors of the flowers in her basket. She reached down and retrieved the petalless stem from earlier.

Looking back toward the path, she noticed a young woman entering the garden from a side entrance. The woman greeted her with a light smile, stepping carefully over the loose gravel. Without saying a word, she gently took the little girl's hands and guided her to dig a small crevice among the stones. Together, they planted the stem, and the woman wrapped the glistening stones around it to hold it firmly in place. Almost instantly, petals began to emerge from the tip, forming a new bulb. The little girl watched in awe as the flower bloomed, revealing a shimmering, iridescent crystal at its heart. Breathless from witnessing such miraculous growth, she took a long moment to process what she had seen.

The woman gracefully reached for the crystal and attached it to a pendant she had removed from her own neck, the gem perfectly filling an empty setting. The little girl closed her eyes as the woman draped the pendant around her neck. Its colors began to shift—from clear to variations of amethyst and violet—before settling on a singular hue. A wave of warmth washed over the girl, as though the pendant had filled a missing part of her spirit. She took a deep breath, and when she finally opened her eyes, she realized the woman had already vanished from the garden. Though the sudden disappearance was puzzling, the girl calmly gathered her things and retraced her steps along the path to find her way home.

Home

Ample time had passed since she left the garden. The sky had darkened, and the moons had risen clearly above the horizon. When she arrived home, she found the front door hanging open, the lights glaring outward and illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. She noticed a solitary key at her feet. It didn’t look particularly useful, but she picked it up anyway. As she walked through the house, the floorboards creaked under each step. In every room, she turned on the lights, checking to see if anything had changed since she had last been there.

Nothing seemed out of place on the first floor. She returned to the front door and fastened the locks before heading upstairs. Her small bedroom was tidy; the bed was made, and the floors were clean. A large box of crayons sat neatly on a small table alongside several drawings. She walked forward through the dark to look at one of the sketches when an unusual sound caught her attention. It came from beneath the table. Crouching low to the ground, she searched the shadows for the source.

Another near-inaudible noise revealed a small black kitten. It looked up at her and mewed softly, weaving between her legs and causing her to accidentally drop the solitary key. Startled by her sudden movement, the kitten instinctively pounced on the key, snatching it in its mouth before scurrying into the next room. The little girl scrambled to catch up, but she was too late. She arrived just in time to see the kitten leap from an open window and vanish into the darkness.

The Still Hour

Yumi rose slowly from her rest. Golden ambient light shone through the windows, with specks of dust glittering in the air. Hours had passed, yet the sky remained unchanged. As she looked around, the furniture was just as she remembered, but something new caught her attention—a closed door to the left of her bed that she hadn’t noticed before.

She walked over and turned the knob slowly. Inside was a spacious walk-in closet filled with a variety of clothing and accessories. A curious smile formed as she began trying on several outfits, placing each garment back with care. She finally settled on an open-back ruched dress with lace cap sleeves and delicate trims along the hem, tied with a ribbon at her lower back. Her pendant was now attached to a soft, dainty choker. She slipped on a pair of slingback heels and adorned her right hand with étoile and eternity rings. Fitted with this new look, she felt more at ease; the room had provided her a sense of comfort.

Eager to see what else lay within the manor's walls, Yumi made her way toward the foyer, her footsteps echoing softly. She first tried the large double doors beneath the two-winged staircase, but they were sealed shut, and her room key did not fit. To her left, however, she noticed another door with a soft light bleeding through its edges. Its escutcheon plate resembled the one from her bedroom. She inserted the key and turned it counterclockwise; a faint series of clicks sounded from within.

The door swung slowly inward, revealing a modest room cradling eight mirrors framed in gilded rococo swirls. Their surfaces reflected light from a window above toward the entrance. They stood silent and inactive, as if emptied of purpose. One mirror lay shattered, its frame cracked and glass splintered across the floor, yet the room remained remarkably pristine. Yumi examined the broken mirror, navigating the shards with quiet precision.

As she moved to the adjacent mirror, looking down to avoid a misstep, her crystal pendant caught the light. A delicate pulse rippled through the glass like a whispered invitation. Suddenly, a faint image of leaves falling in the wind appeared within the reflection. Before Yumi could react, an unseen force pulled her forward. She stumbled toward the glass, glancing down to check her heels for shards, but found none. Instead, real leaves brushed gently against her legs, and a cool breeze flowed through her hair and dress.

. . .