Alex was sulking.
Like literal droopy shoulders, knees on chest, facing the corner type of sulking.
'My dog is pretty.... too pretty. This is unfair.... This is scam...'
Max, however, was flexing in front of the mirror.... still naked.
"Damn. First thumbs, now I got muscles. And look, bro! I'm bigger than you."
Alex glared at him from over his shoulder, eyebrow twitching. "Cover yourself. You look ridiculous."
"I smell jealousy~"
"Shut up! Anyways, how did you do it?"
"Dunno," he shrugged, scratching his head, "but I don't care. I look perfect."
Alex grit his teeth and grabbed a blanket, tackling him to the ground, wrapping it around the struggling Max.
"Unhand me, fiend!"
"Ouch- Stop struggling!"
Knock, knock, knock.
"Minjun-a?"
They froze.
"Is everything alright?" Eun-hee stood out the door, hand touching the handle but not twisting it as she waited for his response.
"Yeah.... Just thinking out loud. Y'know, the usual."
She stared at the door, eyes filled with suspicion before she let go, "Alright then. Just be quiet, it's late."
"Yes, ma'am."
Alex's hand remained pressed on Max's mouth, muffling his curses as he waited until his parents' door close.
Max pulled his hand off and pinned him to the floor, "What was that for?"
Before he could utter a word, he heard a familiar click and a orange screen hovered them.
[Hello, my dear— um..... Am I interrupting something?]
Alex felt his soul leaving his body once the realization of their position.
"It's not what it looks like!"
[Yaoi~]
He immediately pushed him off, rolling away, leaving Max staring at him offended.
"You always touch me. So why are you pushing me away now? I thought we're cool."
[*Bombastic side-eye*]
Alex stared horrified, "Don't you realize that you're human AND naked?"
"Still, I thought you'll love me unconditionally. But I guess it was one-sided."
[*Criminal offensive side-eye*]
"Seriously, it's not what it looks like!"
"ALEX MIN-JUN CARTER!"
"미안해요, 엄마! (Sorry, mom!)"
[Anyway, I'm not here for your escalating romance subplot.]
"There's nothing between us!"
Max gasped, clenching his chest, making Alex roll his eyes.
"Why are you orange?"
[You're now a Candidate, which means I'm your System now.]
"Does that mean that I have powers, stats and stuff?"
[Yeah, but you'll access to them once you begin your quests.]
"Will you also answer my questions?"
[Once you're worth my time, yes.]
"Damn, it just said that your questions are worthless," Max laughed, tangled up in the burrito.
"...." Alex silently stared at the screen, wondering if he's just a clown to the System.
[Back to business.]
'Eh?'
Suddenly, the air went still like time froze. Before they could even process what was happening, the duo blacked out.
[Holder Candidate Quest One: Change the plot
•Duration: 365 days
•Reward: 10,000 points
•Failure: Bad luck at love]
The first thing Alex noticed was that he wasn't in his room.
The bed was too wide, too clean and too fancy. The room was the size of the living room and kitchen combined, and was too dark despite the light shining through the curtains.
'Where am I? What time is it? And why does my body feel.... heavy?'
He sat up and stared at his large hands and silk pajamas with wide eyes.
'Did I have a growth spurt or something?'
He got out of the bed, stumbling towards the mirror in the unfamiliar body and his jaw dropped at his reflection.... or was it someone else's?
The body was large, too large. The height was abnormally huge, about 7"ft or 8... he didn't know. The muscles were hard, like rocks and the skin was flawless without any scar or past bruises, which made him raise a brow.
His eyes were red like blood and his hair black....he felt lazy describing how absurdly perfect and intimidating his new appearance was.
"I look like a Male Lead in an Romantasy Isekai story."
Alex flinched at the sound of his voice. It was cold, deep and sent chills down in his spine.
Click
[How're you feeling?]
"Weird...."
[Well, you've transmigrated. So, it's obvious that you'll feel weird.]
"What?!"
("Huh? What is this sorcery? Why can't I control my body?")
[Looks like His Majesty is awake.]
"Eh?"
("You, who's intruding in my body, get out at once!") demanded a voice in his head, its tone more chilling than his current voice, filled with rage.
"Excuse me?"
("Are you deaf or just feigning ignorance? I said, get out of my body before I have you executed.")
"How can you do that when you can't even control your own body?"
("....")
"By the way, who are you? And why is your body so weird?"
("I am King Titanias Cain Augustus the third, ruler of Austinia.")
Alex blinked, "..... Alright, Your Majesty."
He looked around the dark room, cringing at the gloomy atmosphere and went to open the curtains, only to see grey skies, a huge wall around the palace, another wall around a cleaner city and at far end, a desolate village. Alex could literally feel the devastation.
("What is this strange feeling? Stop it at once.")
"You're the king, right? But why does your kingdom look so.... depressing?"
("Are you questioning me?")
"I'll be in your body for a while, so I need to know what I'm dealing with."
Cain remained silent, his consciousness sitting in the void with stubborn stillness.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Your Majesty? Are you awake?"
'I know that voice..."
"Lady Eleanor is waiting for you in the dining room for breakfast," the door opened, revealing a smartly dressed Max rolling his eyes, "and she's refusing to eat until you get here....I don't know why I had to call you, I just woke up— Um.... you good?"
Alex stayed frozen, trying to process all this, "MAX?!"
("Who is this imbecile? How dare he enter without permission?!")
"Uhhh, Yo..." Max awkwardly stood, fidgeting in his suit, then his face hardened in concentration, walking towards him while staring deeply into his eyes, "Wait a minute- Alex?! That you, bro?"
Alex nodded his head with a grin, happy to be with a familiar face.
"Wow!" Max leaned close, marveling at his appearance, "You look handsome. I'm concerned."
He rolled his eyes, "By the way, when did you get here? And what's with the get up?"
"Well, after we blacked out, I woke up outside the gate in the afternoon, standing with other people and some old dude showed us around. Next thing I knew, I became a butler," he shrugged, then began adjusting his suit, "Besides, I look good in this suit. Very rrroyal~"
(".....") Cain blinked then massaged his temple with a sigh, ("Is there something wrong with him?")
Alex, feeling petty, refused to answer him, "So, who's Lady Eleanor?"
"Oh... The King's fiance. But since you're in the King's body, she's your fiance."
"Eh?"
"And from what I've heard, she used to be a villain, especially after Kingy took an interest in the Gardener's daughter."
"Eh?"
("....")
"Yeah. And I also heard that she nearly drowned in the lake and went into a coma for five days. Then after she woke up, she began to ask differently."
"Wait! So, you're saying that his fiance is a villainess, drowned, woke up and began acting like a different person?"
"Yeah... at least that's what the servants told me. And they looked disturbed."
("As they should. Her behavior has been sudden and unpredictable. It's a pain.")
"Damn.... So we really are in an Isekai Romantasy story..."
("Pardon?")
"Romantasy? Are you talking about those romance books you read last month because you heard Mia liked them?"
".....No.... Yes.... Maybe...."
("What on earth is Romantasy?")
"Anyways, she wants to see 'you' at breakfast," said Max, "Otherwise, she'll starve herself."
"Alright, I'll get dressed and—"
("No.")
"Huh?"
("You can't go and see her now. You barely even know how to walk in my body,") Cain said firmly.
"But she's your fiance."
("I don't even like that nuisance. Just tell him to tell her that you'll not see her.")
"But-"
("That's an order.")
"Jeez... Alright, Your Royal Majesty."
Max stared at him in amusement, "Y'know you like crazy talking to yourself that way."
"..... It's not like I want all this. Besides, the owner of this body is awake, there's nothing I can do."
"So... What did he say?"
"Go tell her that he'll- I mean, I'll not see her today."
"Okay," Max patted his shoulder and left the room.
Alex sighed, "You're a very romantic fiance."
("Your sarcasm irritates me.")
"Good."
Max walked through the dark halls to the large dining.
The room was clean, with only a large dining table with several chairs and a candlelit chandelier hanging above.
Next to the main throne-like chair, sat a slender woman dressed in a navy blue dress, with flowing red hair with some strands hanging loosely on her shoulder. Her pale skin shimmering in the light as she sat elegantly by the table.
Her icy blue eyes immediately glanced up from the untouched plate upon hearing Max enter.
"He refused to see me again, didn't he?" she asked, her voice sharp but soft with bitterness, as if already expecting the outcome.
Max nodded, "Yes, My Lady."
"Ha...." Eleanor clenched her fists on her laps, hair falling over her face like a curtain, "I see."
[Holder Candidate Quest One: Change the plot
•Duration: 365 days
•Reward: 10,000 points
•Failure: Bad luck at love]