Alex was still reeling from the shock of reincarnation when the strange voice echoed in his head and the translucent blue screen floated before his eyes.
A system? A screen? Everything felt so confusing, mysterious and unbelievable at the same time. He has no idea what a system is but he has a feeling that it's something good.
Alex's breathing slowed as he tried to process it, but a new weight pressed down on him—the eyes of the maid still kneeling between his legs.
He glanced at her and he saw that her expression had changed. The playful smile she wore moments ago was now replaced by something closer to fear and anxiety. Her hands trembled slightly where they rested on the edge of the bed.
She doesn't see it, Alex realized. She's not reacting to the screen at all.
He had wanted to see if she could also see the screen but seeing her lack of reaction, he understood that he was seeing it alone.
Alex sighed internally. He knew that he has to dismiss her. He still has to gather the memories of the the old Alex, understand what the voice in his head is, and his general situation.
And with all these occupying his head, there's no way that he would be in the mood for pleasure. He even doubts his little Johnny will respond to the stimulation.
And if he suddenly started talking to the system or poking at invisible window in the air… she'd think he'd lost his mind.
Alex swallowed and forced himself to sound calm.
"You can leave," he said. "I'm… not in the mood."
The maid blinked rapidly.
"Y-Young Master?" she said softly, as if she hadn't heard him right.
"I'm not feeling well," Alex said more firmly. "Please. Leave the room."
He expected her to bow and go quietly, or do whatever maids does or maybe cast a confused glance on her way out.
Instead, the girl's face crumpled, and she dropped to her knees with a loud thud, her forehead pressing to the marble floor.
"P-Please don't cast me out!" she sobbed. "I can do better! Was it the technique? I—I was gentle! I promise I'll improve!"
Alex stared, horrified.
What the actual hell?! What the fuck has the previous Alex been doing with this maid?
The maid didn't stop as she continued to plead.
"I-I'll prove I'm still useful! I have been practicing with every part of my body. Even my throat can tighten!" she wailed—and to his absolute shock, she jumped to her feet and began tearing off her maid uniform.
"Stop!" Alex shouted, nearly leaping back. "What are you doing?!"
The girl froze, half undressed, her hands still on the buttons of her blouse. Her eyes widened, her body shaking.
Alex closed his eyes and dragged a hand down his face in exasperation.
"Just… put your clothes back on, okay? And leave."
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then, quietly, she whispered, "Yes, Young Master… Natalie will take her leave."
She redressed quickly, her shoulders sagging and eyes downcast, as if her world has come to an end. As she reached the door, she hesitated.
"…Should I send in my sister?"
Alex blinked. "Sister?"
"My twin. You liked to alternate between us."
Oh, god.
"No," Alex said flatly, "that won't be necessary. Goodbye, Natalie."
She flinched slightly when he said her name but nodded quickly, bowed low once again, and left the room in silence.
As the door clicked shut, Alex exhaled slowly, sinking back into the pillows.
This is insane. What the fuck? Throat can tighten? Alternate between sisters? No wonder the bastard was thrown out of the family. And he's only 19!
Just as Alex thought he might get a moment to himself, a violent wave of nausea surged through him. His stomach twisted and he felt something rising from his gut to his throat.
Panic hit him instantly. He tried to sit up, throwing the heavy, luxurious blankets off his body, but his limbs felt unresponsive—weak and numb. It was like his brain was sending the signal, but his muscles were lagging behind.
Still, he forced his trembling fingers to grip the covers and yank them aside. He rolled, intending to slide off the bed with grace.
Instead, he toppled off the edge like a bag of bones and hit the floor face-first.
"I think I broke my nose," he groaned, the sharp pain flaring across his face.
The urge to vomit grew stronger.
He tried to push himself up, but his arms wobbled. His strength was almost nonexistent. And just as he gave in to the inevitable, preparing to throw up on the floor—
A knock echoed through the room, followed by a deep, professional male voice.
"Young Master? Is everything alright? We heard a loud noise!"
Finally, someone. Help. Yes. Help.
Alex found his voice. "H-Help! Please!"
The next moment, the door burst open, and a sharply dressed man—mid-40s, tall, with salt-and-pepper hair and the grace of someone who'd worked in service all his life—rushed into the room.
"YOUNG MASTER!"
He spotted Alex crumpled on the ground and rushed to him.
The man crouched and gently lifted him into his arms, but the moment Alex's body moved, he could no longer hold it back.
He vomited.
But it wasn't ordinary bile.
A thick, black, tar-like substance poured from his mouth, stinking so foully that even the composed butler's face tensed.
The man didn't recoil. He held Alex carefully, letting him finish purging, before gently dragging him toward what must have been an en-suite bathroom.
As he moved, he shouted over his shoulder.
"Natalie! Nathalia! Assist me—immediately!"
Two sets of hurried footsteps answered from the hallway.
By the time Alex had finished throwing up for the third time, two young women—both the spitting image of Natalie—had arrived and were already preparing the bathroom.
Over the next half hour, Alex stayed there, his body seemingly purging every ounce of darkness from within. The stench was unbearable, and the black substance was endless.
The butler never left his side, standing with him in the bathroom and watching over him, even with how terrible the whole place stank.
When the black substance finally stopped, Alex slumped, exhausted and barely conscious.
The two maids quickly began washing him down, handling him with practiced fingers and careful detail.
They took care of every part of his body, even down to his little Johnny. Natalie's twin, Natalia asked James if she she should "relief" him and Alex weakly shook his head.
At this point, he didn't even have the energy to be embarrassed anymore.
Afterward, they wrapped him in a warm robe, wiped him dry with perfumed towels, and helped guide him back to his now-pristine bedroom.
The room smelled better than before—fresh, clean, and lightly citrus-scented. No trace of vomit or the girl wrenching smell.
He was gently lowered back onto the bed.
"Shall I prepare your breakfast, Young Master?" the butler asked.
Alex gave a weak nod.
"Very well. Please rest. I will return shortly."
With a small bow, the man excused himself and closed the door behind him.
Alex closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply. He could vaguely still taste bile in his mouth, but his body felt... lighter. As though something foul had been weighing him down and was now gone.
He opened his eyes again.
The translucent blue screen was still floating in front of him.
Right. The system... He could finally pay attention to it.
[All impurities has been successfully expelled. Host's body is still weak. You will need to eat healthy and exercise regularly to strengthen your body.]
[Name]: Alex Palmer
[Age]: 19
[Stats]
>[Strength]: 2
>[Agility]: 1
>[Stamina]: 4
>[Intelligence]: 4
[Asset(s)]
>[Account Balance: $2,083,830]
>[Net Worth: $30,198,639]
[Knowledge: None]
[System Point(s): None]
[System Store]
Alex stared at the screen.
He didn't know where this came from or why, but he knew two things:
This system wasn't part of the original Alex Palmer's life.
And it was the key to his second chance at life.
Even though Alex has no idea of how the system came to be, what it is and why it choose him, one thing he knows is that he's going to use it.
His new life may look good but Alex knew that with how he had been cut off from his family, one day, he will have nothing and will be thrown to the streets.
This is something that Alex will never want to experience again.