1 Chapter 01: A Brand New World{Edited}
The sun ray, warm and delicate, filtered through the enormous window into an exquisite room, illuminating every nook and cranny of its confine.
"Haa!"
With a soft gasp, a young man opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Huh?"
"What is this place?"
"Where in the world am I?"
However, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember how he got there, nay, he couldn't even remember anything before now.
"Why… Why can't I remember anything…?" he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut and trying his possible best to recall something…
Anything.
But alas, the memories he soughted desperately, remained ever elusive.
"Haa!"
With a deep exhale, he calmed his racing thought and begrudgingly got to a seating position.
He sat there for a while just breathing in and out, but soon after, he finally made it to his feet.
Odd...
He couldn't tell what, but something felt wrong…
The room was impossibly enormous, every furniture in it, screaming a disturbing level of opulence, even to the tiniest detail.
He turned around to the corner of the room, just next to the wardrobe, and just then, his eyes were instantly drawn to the ornate mirror by an unknown force.
"Arck!" his words got stuck in his at the sight before him.
He couldn't really remember what he used to look like, but for some unexplainable reason, he was sure this wasn't him.
Staring back at him was gaunt figure who seemed to subsist on air and worry.
The darkest of inky blackness was his hair, framing merlot red eyes.
He was lean, too lean in fact, hinting at an unhealthy body.
"What?...," he breathed, flexing his scrawny arms like wilting flowers. "Who is this?!" He screamed in panic.
However, a disembodied voice seemly out of nowhere, suddenly boomed through the opulent room, chilling him to the bone.
[SYSTEM ASSIMILATING.] It said, with a voice that practically screamed Not human.
Shocked to the core, he quickly spun around the room like a cat caught in a sudden downpour, frantically searching for the origin of the voice.
But…
Strangely enough, the room remained eerily vacant and there was no sign of he prior voice, amplifying the disconcerting sensation creeping up his spine.
'Was I imagining it?' he wondered, casting suspicious glances into the shadowy recesses and overlooked corners disfavored by the illuminating sun rays.
However, just before he could dismiss it, the voice echoed once again, [ASSIMILATION COMPLETE,] it said.
[Hello, Number 184.]
"What in the name of... Wait, what- Who are you?!" he demanded, his voice echoing off the walls, as he stumbled back to the bed gazing about like a madman.
[I am the system,] the voice responded, its monotone devoid of emotion. [And I shall serve as your guide.] It added.
Unsatisfied by the introduction, uncertainty flickered across his face. "Guide? Guide to what?" He demanded, his mind a swirling storm of confusion, as he struggled to grasp the bizarre situation.
[Retribution,] the voice replied.
"….,"
He now only understood one thing from this bizarre situation.
This…. Strange voice, it was coming from his head.
"....Hold on. First of all, Where am I? And why can't I remember a damn thing?!", he questioned, desperation creeping into his voice as he desperately tried to piece together his forgotten identity.
[UNAUTHORIZED,] was all it said.
"Huh?"
[You do not have sufficient privilege to assess such information. I can only provide you with details on your mission here, and the reason behind it,] the voice explained, its robotic nature amplifying the unsettling feeling gnawing at him.
"Why?!"
[UNAUTHORIZED,]
"Damn it!"
[….,]
"Fine... Tell me, why am I here?" he asked, sighing of resignation while he massaging the bridge of his nose.
But silence…
An utter deafening descended upon the room, heavy and suffocating.
….
Then…
The voice spoke, [You made a grave mistake in the past, one that unknowingly unraveled the fabric of reality, tearing apart the very tapestry of existence. You created a hole in the plot of fate, and you are here to fix that hole.]
"Wait... wait, wait, wait, wait," he muttered continuously like a broken record.
It just didn't make any sense.
Past mistake?
Fabric of reality?
Plot of fate?!
Just what exactly was all these?!
….
Calming down, he asked, "What did I do, exactly?" his voice cracking with the strain of comprehension.
[UNAUTHORIZED,] voiced the system.
"Please, you can't bring me here without any fucking memories of my past, then tell me to go on some fucked up mission I have no idea about! So please, tell me, What did I do?!" he begged, feeling lost without an identity.
But silence...
Was all he got.
"... Fine ... what's the mission about?" he asked.
[The situation is dire. The very fabric of reality is unraveling at an alarming rate, the carefully woven tapestry of existence tearing apart at the seams. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to mend the fractures in reality, to prevent an impending catastrophe known only as "THE END",] explained the robotic voice.
"The end? …That sounds kind of… familiar, what exactly does it mean?" he inquired.
[UNAUTHORIZED,] it pressed, unrelenting.
"… But, what do I get in return for all this?"
[…. Your freedom… Your memories,]
"Of course , it is," he muttered under his breath, a sense of resignation settling over him like a heavy cloak.
[Remember, this is not your body, it's the body of a character in the plot of fate,]
"And so?"
[Do not give away who you really are,]
*Click*
The sudden sound jolted him from his thoughts, his gaze snapping towards the slowly creaking door.
As it swung open, a figure emerged, clad in a maid's uniform that seemed oddly out of place.
The red and white maid dress she wore, seemed to blend seamlessly with her overall look, enhancing her natural beauty.
Her neatly combed hazel brown hair, tied up in a bun, added a touch of elegance to her appearance.
Her eyes, which were the same color as her hair, sparkled with a hint of mischief.
Despite her pallid complexion, she possessed a certain charm that could not be ignored. The dress she wore was tightly fit, accentuating her contour and curves, all while enhancing her humble appearance.
"Young master, you're awake!" she exclaimed, her voice feels with warmth.
'Wow,' he thought, momentarily captivated by her good looks.
[You should be careful with the people around you. Don't get too attached to anyone. I say this for our own good,] warned the system.
"Haa!" he sighed.
Turning his attention back to the maid, he took a deep breath.
"What do you want?" he asked with an indifferent expression.
"I... I came to check up on you, don't, don't you remember me?" the maid ventured, her words laced with a hint of confusion.
'Tsk, just great,' he thought, scrambling for a plausible response.
"I- I don't know why, but I don't remember a lot of things, so it's not just you," he replied, his voice strained with the effort of deception.
The maid's expression shifted, a flicker of recognition passing through her eyes. "Ah, I see. It must be because of... that incident," she murmured, her fists clenched with a quiet determination.
He noticed her subtle shift in demeanor, but before he could question it…
*Click*
The maid dashed out, leaving him in a state of bewilderment, "I've to send a message to the main mansion about this!" she yelled on her way out.
"So what should I call you? … System?" he asked, taking a few steps closer to the mirror.
[That sounds… quite bland… nut, the choice is yours though,]
"Then I'll go with Mel,"
[Reason?]
"It just… popped up, I guess," shrugging, he responded.
[Understood, then Mel it is,]
"About this… person's information..." he began, trailing off as he awaited Mel's response.
[About the character information, I'd advise you just take a memory jog,] it advised.
"Like go through his memories or something?" he questioned, his curiosity piqued despite his apprehension.
[Exactly,] replied Mel, promptly.
"…. No," he scoffed, the thought of dredging up painful memories sending a shiver down his spine.
[Excuse me?]
"No. I have a gut feeling, that I shouldn't do it," he explained, his brows furrowed with unease.
[I see… Do you wish to proceed?] Mel asked.
"Wait, NO!" he exclaimed.
[Proceeding as requested,] Mel declared.
"I said no! NO, DAMN IT!" he protested.
[Proceeding in 10... 9... 8…,] Mel began the countdown.
"Stop it!" he pleaded.
[7... 6...,] Mel continued, ignoring his pleas.
"Holy crap! this is gonna hurt, isn't it?" he realized.
[5... 4...] Mel counted down.
[..2 ...1... syncing,] it ended.
"AHHHHH!!!!!!!" he screamed as pain coursed through him, collapsing to the ground.
