[Welcome Player Two!]
Victoria squinted her shallow eyes, her fingers yet again try to touch the flying black square. It stayed as a luminary yet a transparent thing in the air, it wouldn't budge or move no matter what she had done.
There, lies the set of words welcoming her existence into this world, as if they take it as a simple game. Under those words, there rest of a single word that seems to be highlighted than the rest of the writings on the black box.
[Info!]
The word keeps on blinking in lights, it deeply urges Victoria to touch it. It almost craved Victoria's attention, perhaps she must touch it, Victoria turns hesitant. She's unsure of what to do, afraid of the outcome. She doesn't want to repeat the strenuous event that had happened earlier.
'Info... maybe this will explain my existence!'
Victoria's index finger hovers above the word, and a click sound resonated in the air. She flinched and pulled her finger back towards herself immediately.
Her interest peaked as she sees the black square expands itself to fit the mass amount of words on it. It appears to be in her language, and it seems to understand her completely.
[Player two! "Level five"]
[Background: David Gainsborough is the sole heir for the Gainsborough family's new generation. Adopted son of the notorious Duchess and biological son of the Infamous Duke, Victoria Von Gainsborough and Nicholas Richard Von Gainsborough.]
David Gainsborough? Do they mean that she's currently in the body of her step-son? If that's the case, where would her son's soul reside? She was never one to believed much in spiritual means but had this event occurred, it changes her perspective of it.
[Current state: Confused, nauseous, wary.]
[Current location: The Red Horse Brothel, The Red Horse Whorehouse, ...]
'I... is this my location?' Victoria wondered, all the events earlier would have made sense, as to why there was a nearly undressed woman and her lack of clothing. Though, her question as to why she's a man remains unanswered.
This mysterious magical box should explain that adequately as well, perhaps she will get a firm grasp of the situation once she finishes reading all these details regarding her 'character'.
[Title: David Gainsborough]
[Height: 6'2"]
[Weight: unknown]
[Hair: Silver]
[Eyes: Optional]
[Gender: Male]
[HP: 100/100]
And it goes on to the perfect description of David's physical appearance, it almost gave Victoria the shivers from how blatantly accurate it is.
[!]
She received another loud notifying voice in the middle of reading the details of the info aisle. A massive red exclamation mark displayed itself, blocking Victoria's view on the words.
Victoria clicked her tongue, yet again her finger hovers above it.
[An instructor has been deployed!]
'What do they mean by the instructor?' She asked herself. Had the Gods decided someone would accompany her and answer all of her questions? Because that would be delightful. She eagerly clicked on the square, impatiently waiting for the special instructor to summon itself.
[Noticed, Player has confirmed for the agreement on an instructor]
'Yes!'
[Instructor deployed!]
Victoria puckered her lips out of excitement. She could not wait, she must be behaving like a child on Christmas, which is very unladylike, but coincidentally she's not a lady right now, fair and square.
["Hello, David Gainsborough"]
'?' She tilts her head, it's the same soulless voice with a bland tone from the start. It confused her even more, had they sent the wrong one?
"Hello?" She responded with a clueless tone, a hint of innocence in her man-like vocal. She still hasn't gotten used to that. David hasn't spoken to her since the last sin she committed, and her death. It's more to the foreign side to hear his voice coming out from her lips now.
It's also saddening, to think they had gotten so much apart from each other until this desperation point.
["Noticed, the player has responded."]
["I shall be in you, as we are one as another. You may inform me on any discomfort inside your mind."]
'My mind?'
["Affirmative."]
Her eyes widened in realization, that thing has read her mind like it was a simple opened book! This was out of her world, she has never heard of a creature committing such sorcery. She's never one to take interest in the magic world, perhaps because she lacks one herself.
["Noticed, the player is confused.]
'Why must you address me as a player?' She tested.
["Question received, it is because of your name. Would you like to change your name?"]
[Yes () No ()]
Victoria hummed easily, it was possible to change her name simple without payment? What a strange system, though she supposed it's better to be described as something else other than a player as if she's in a child's game.
["Confirmed, please speak out the name you desire."]
"Victoria." She uttered softly, a bit startled by her voice once again. Victoria decides to use her name, it'd be laborious to have several names when she already has to deal with two.
["Received, welcome 'Victoria'"]
That sounded far finer than the previous name, she's also impressed by this 'instructor'. It seems to follow most of Victoria's orders and answers her questions at its best capacity, it seems close to a maid rather than an instructor.
Speaking of which, how did David end up in a brothel?
["David Gainsborough stayed in The Red Horse Brothel."]
'I've known that from the start. I need to know why he's in this dirty place.'
["Noticed, calculating possibilities..."]
["He arrived in The Red Horse Brothel at 01:00 in the morning."]
["David Gainsborough was last seen exiting the empire near the south river, a path to Waregna."]
["David Gainsborough rested in The Heavy Bar Inn."]
["David Gainsborough encountered a female northerner."]
["David Gainsborough entered The Red Horse Brothel to-"]
'Enough information! I know what soon followed after, it's quite clear from the sheer amount of hints around me. Please refrain from expressing such vulgar details as it lacks proper etiquette!' Victoria spoke out nervously, face flustered in shame, she is in no absolute way will ever hear about her don't private life regarding women.
[" Noticed, files extraction stopped."]
'End it with the nonsense. I simply need to know why had he done so.'
[" Received, player one's goal is unclear."]
'It seems that even they don't know as to why he had done such a thing without notice in the duchy.' it doesn't seem to be her business anyway, she's nothing but a pitied mother that has disregarded her child and received her consequence in the end.
Why had the Gods sent her to reside in David's body? Is this perhaps how she will atone for her sins? It seems a bit too light and unnecessary. They say God works strangely, perhaps she should start believing in that phrase.
She should get out of this brothel as soon as possible, she had started a mess earlier, conceivably she should find an ingenious way out of here.
Her eyes roamed around, it fell upon the window right on top of the table sitting comfortably under the warm sunlight. Victoria picked herself up, hands covering herself up in the thin blanket messy drafted across the soaked bedsheet for heat and dignity.
She approached the window slowly, her eyes squint as a gush of wind flew right unto her as soon as she opens the pink curtain. Her eyelids open slowly, the gentle gaze of the afternoon sunlight reflected on her eyes. What a stunning sight, it's been long since she had felt as if she was flying away from her burdens.
Victoria looks down from the window, she doesn't seem too far off from the ground. She should be able to land safely with little to no gashes considering the physique of David's body.
[" Noticed, you will lose 5 HP upon landing."]
'HP? Perhaps it has something to do with my health.' Victoria wondered.
[" Correct."]
It's not much, considering she has 100 of those. If the system works realistically, it should heal over time as it's nothing but a mere scrape.
'What am I to do with my clothes?' She tried to ask even though she's deeply ashamed about it. She'd rather die again than go out there naked without a single cloth on her, she'd be sent to prison for harassment!
[" Clothes are to be provided. Please open the option 'inventory' and equip the available clothes."]
The black square soon appeared once again in front of her, astonishing her. It works like witchcraft, she wonders if anyone can see this, she wouldn't want to deal with blames and accusations of being a witch.
Victoria ignored the thought, her hand clicked the inventory option, the square once again enlarged itself to get a better view of these items. She gawked, from all of the clothes that could be available... Why does it have to be commoners' clothes?!
Her husband would have killed her if he's still alive and saw his son dressed in a peasant's apparel. It's not time to be picky, time's ticking. We could already hear knocking on the door, who knows what would happen next if she doesn't jump soon.
Victoria's hands tried to grab the clothes, but they went through. She scowled in annoyance, this is not the time for this error!
She tried to grab, grasp, claw her way in but it won't get out of the black square.
'Why aren't you working?!' She shouts out desperately.
[" Noticed of struggle, please simply click on it to equip."]
'Oh the hell with it!' She spammed her fingers, clicking the icon with sets of clothes on it, a glossy glint hugged her body for a split second, and those clothes appeared on her before she knew it.
She doesn't question the mysticism as she had barely enough time once she heard the shouting right from outside the door. Victoria's eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar sword that appears to belong to David, she grasped it rapidly and bring it along as she jumps out of the window with her eyes sewed shut.
Victoria's eyes flew open as she feels the impact hit her knees, she cowered in slight discomfort. She never had to do this as a noblewoman, it's a bit strange now that she had done it. It reminds her back when she went to the town and saw those children running around with flowers recklessly.
'Where am I off to now?' She asked, exhausted already.
[" Tasks opened."]
[" 1. Meet Victoria Gainsborough"]
'?!' Victoria was alarmed as she hears her name coming out from her consciousness. Does that mean someone's living inside her body in replace of her missing soul?
'What do you mean?'
["..."]
It didn't answer her for the first time, it seems like she has to meet her original body to find a reasonable answer in return, and maybe sort out this mess with that person if they are in the same situation as her.
"Where are you going?! Get back here! You haven't paid!"
Victoria's head snapped to the voice that echoes aggressively in the distance, she saw an old woman with purplish hair and a wrinkled face, exaggerated makeup and bright red lipstick that matches the colour appearing on her face that resembles her anger oddly well.
That's her cue to run, Victoria hastily took off on her feet and dashes straight into the crowd and escaped the alley. She equipped a hood from her inventory to hide even more and blend in with the people shopping in the market.
She glanced around for a brief moment, it's clear that the old lady earlier had lost track of her in the mass of people around.
"Would you like dried fruits? Just 2 pence per pound!"
The person in front of her spoke out, a man in his middle age, a forced smile to attract the customers. Victoria shakes her head, she has no balance currently, she wouldn't be able to buy anything. The man growled, upset at Victoria's decision to turn him down, but he turned to another customer to sell out his goods soon after.
Victoria took off from the place, she continues to blend into the populace as she tugs her hood down, completely covering her face. She glances around, she doesn't seem to be in the Empire at all, not a single trace of the soldiers patrolling around.
She saw the people moving to the side, following their movements. She wonders what is going on, it seems like they are letting someone go down the path easily.
There was a carriage in front of her, extravagant and luxurious, protected by four guards, two each of the sides with their well-taken care of horses.
'An important person?'
[" Correct."]
The corner of her eyes witnessed a crest, she gasped mentally, the duchy! The belongs to her family!
Victoria ran next to the carriage, she waves her hand, "Excuse me!" She half-shouted, hoping the driver would notice her.
Suddenly, a sword was pointed at her, sharp end directly towards her neck, one slice and she'll be dead, blood running out from her neck. Victoria gulps, the movements were sudden and fast, she didn't manage to keep up.
"How dare you recklessly throw your dirty self unto a noble's carriage!" One of the guards shouted, raging blue eyes glaring at her under the shadow of their white cloak.
He looks young and inexperienced. His manner of speaking is oddly loud and pushed. Had they sent a novice to accompany the duchess? What a daring and irrational move.
She backed herself from facing the sharp sword, hands up in the air, displaying that she is unarmed. Except maybe the sword attached to her hip, though she's not using it.
Victoria revealed her hands, she tapped her hood. "Victoria Gainsborough?" she questioned, asking of the person who is in the carriage. She saw a silhouette of a long-haired woman, that must've been her body, she doesn't recall any woman that can afford this carriage in the duchy besides herself.
"Will there be a fight?" a loud whisper came from one of the locals. Their face grimaced as they saw armed guards aiming other swords towards a lone person.
They've caused enough commotion, she can see the guard gazing around at the whispers of the people in town. He's being put in a difficult situation.
"Get off, this shall be the only chance for you to be forgiven." The guard drew his sword back.
Unexpectedly, the person inside the carriage moved, she opened her curtains to speak to the guard of the other side, whispering things Victoria can barely hear. They must've heard Victoria!
Two of the other guards came straight to Victoria, they kneeled immediately, hood cast aside as they reveal their faces. The other guards came off stunned and weirded out.
"Young master! Our apologies for our rude behaviour, we shall reflect on our sins with a proper punishment later on. For now, we plead you to enter the carriage as the duchess requested." They aggressively shouted in unison.
The knights brought the other guards to stand down directly in front of Victoria. She sighed, the whispers behind her back got louder as another scene happened right after the one she inflicted.
"Is my mother inside?" She asked.
"Yes, young master." They said in sync, neither has moved from their position.
Victoria swallowed greedily on her saliva, why is she so anxious? Her heart is beating promptly. Despite her worries, she entered the carriage with a cautious attitude.
A deep cold gaze met her as soon as she steps inside, a rosy scent filled the room. But instead of calming her, its invisible thorns makes her suffocate in the atmosphere. She hunched down right in front of her own body.
The figure in front of her move narrowly, her hand dragged itself from on top of her dress, to her face, an amused reaction rose. Her lips stretched into a forced smirk as she rests her chin on top of her hand.
They eyed Victoria with a judging look, "Victoria Gainsborough." the figure spoke out in a sweetly spiking tone, a clear sense of bitterness was injected in it.
Victoria stared back, how on earth did this person...?
"How nice to see you, mother." The lady spoke again, this time adding a bit of information that makes Victoria's face scrunched up in complication.
Victoria's face paled, ''mother'?'
[" Presence of player one detected. That is your son, Victoria."]