Paige Summers opened her eyes to a bumpy ride, quickly realizing she was lying prone on the back of that White Lion.
'So touched...'
Glancing to the side, she saw a vast plain dotted with the occasional tall tree, but mostly covered in low-lying shrubs. It was clear they had left the valley and were probably, possibly, perhaps heading back toward the city.
She couldn't have been unconscious for long, but her body was in terrible shape. Her limbs were so weak she couldn't even sit up.
Thankfully, the White Lion had thoughtfully tied her to its back. And not just slung across like a sack of potatoes, either—otherwise, she might have thrown up all over it! It had even splinted her broken arm. How considerate!
Except, the "rope" used to tie her down appeared to be... a snakeskin?!
Forget the bloodiness—the stench alone was... Ugh. With her life no longer in immediate danger, Paige Summers finally started to relax. She sighed internally and did her best to ignore the far-from-pleasant smell as she let her mind wander.
'Looks like I really have transmigrated into a novel. Not that it really matters. Transmigrating is transmigrating, and a novel world is still a world!'
The unlucky part was, her original body's owner was a female side character destined to be cannon fodder...
That wasn't so wonderful.
She had been murdered in her previous life by her deranged uncle, who was after her grandfather's inheritance. That had been depressing enough. Now, in this new life, the plot dictated she was going to be killed by someone else again?
'No way! I absolutely have to fight back!'
She had no plans to stage a counterattack or get involved with the female lead, but survival was a must!
However, there seemed to be one important problem... What was the main plot of that novel again?
After racking her brain for a good while, Paige Summers had to admit that her memory of the novel was only clear in small fragments.
For instance, there was a battle between a Lion-Python—which, uh, she had just personally experienced, nearly becoming cannon fodder ahead of schedule! She also remembered the names of the male and female leads, and that they got their happy ending. And she recalled that the original owner of this body, who shared her name, had once been the male lead's lover. But after the female lead appeared, he grew colder and colder toward her. Spurred by jealousy, the original Paige tried to frame the female lead, but not only did her plan backfire, it resulted in another woman being devoured by a horde of Mutant Beasts. Consumed by a mix of regret and fear, she fled The Citadel alone, only to meet a fitting end in the jaws of Mutant Beasts herself...
It was because she'd seen this foolish side character with her exact same name get turned into cannon fodder that she had skipped to the end, then furiously closed the tab...
Just as a dejected Paige Summers was wallowing in her low spirits, she suddenly noticed the White Lion had stopped running.
It turned its head, bit through the snakeskin rope, and unceremoniously let her slide to the ground.
Having recovered a tiny bit of strength, Paige Summers shakily propped up her upper body with her weak arms. She looked at the White Lion opposite her, about to force a smile and say something. But just as she opened her mouth, the White Lion whipped its head back around... and ran off...
'No, you can't be serious!'
The grateful half-smile froze on Paige Summers's face, and the corner of her mouth twitched violently.
'...Alright, I guess I shouldn't ask for too much.'
'This is the apocalypse, after all!'
The White Lion's master—who had splinted her arm and tied her to the lion's back, who for some reason hadn't appeared but clearly existed—had already shown the utmost kindness by letting their pet help a complete stranger. She couldn't push her luck!
Paige Summers heaved a deep sigh, resigned herself to her fate, and sat up to survey her surroundings.
A barren wasteland.
Whether it was good luck or bad, the place seemed incredibly remote. There wasn't a soul in sight, not even the shadow of a Mutant Animal. This meant she wouldn't be torn to pieces for the time being, but it also meant she couldn't call for help.
Her only choice was to recover her strength as quickly as possible and save herself.
Having come to this realization, Paige Summers immediately closed her eyes and began to rest.
Although she was the heir to an Artificer House, her ancestors had passed down more than just the skills of Artifact Making; they had also left behind some secret techniques for Body Nourishing.
It certainly couldn't compare to the legendary Martial Arts Heart Methods, but there was no doubt it could strengthen the body.
Paige Summers had practiced it for over a decade and had gained some proficiency.
'Meditating will definitely help me recover faster than just sitting here like an idiot!'
An unknown amount of time passed before she finally felt like she had regained at least half her strength. Although her broken arm throbbed with searing pain from time to time, it wasn't bleeding. 'It must have been treated with medicine, so I don't need to worry! Thank you again, master of the White Lion. I'll definitely repay you someday!'
She slowly got to her feet, and after confirming her direction, she started heading east.