As the clock struck 8 am, Zenki Lee, a 40-year-old man with a slightly fat physique, stirred from his slumber. Groggily, he reached out to snooze his blaring alarm clock. Five minutes later, the incessant beeping demanded his attention once more, compelling him to rise from his bed and begin his morning routine. He stumbled to his desk, booted up his computer, and trudged to the bathroom to carry out his daily rituals.
Zenki muttered to himself, disappointed by the lack of work for the day. As a freelance coder for the past 15 years, he's used to the ups and downs of the industry. But it also means that he has the freedom to work from home most of the time.
"Ah, well," he sighed, stretching his arms before getting up from the bed. "No use moping about it. Time for some breakfast."
As he walked towards the 7-11 near his house, Zenki's stomach grumbled with hunger, and he regretted not stocking up on food the day before. He quickly scanned the store's shelves, picking out some microwaveable meals and drinks to take back home.
Approaching the cashier, Zenki's anxiety kicked in as he braced himself for the interaction. The bright lights and busy atmosphere of the store made him feel overwhelmed, and he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath about having to deal with this.
As the cashier greeted him with a smile, Zenki tried his best to put on a serious face and avoid eye contact. He placed all his items on the counter and paid for them quickly, feeling a sense of relief as he received his change and made his way back home.
Reflecting on his social anxiety, Zenki knew that years of working alone from home had taken a toll on his ability to interact with others in public situations like this. Despite his struggles, he was determined to overcome his anxiety and improve his social skills.
As Zenki was walking towards his apartment, he noticed a young girl crossing the street while engrossed in her cell phone. A truck, driven by a drowsy driver, was speeding towards her without slowing down.
Zenki knew he couldn't outrun the truck due to his limited physical ability, so he acted quickly and shouted, "Watch out for the truck!" at the top of his lungs. His warning not only startled the little girl, who quickly ran to the other side of the road but also jolted the sleepy driver, who swerved the vehicle away from the girl just in time.
However, in the process, the truck hit a pipe connected to a scaffolding, which came tumbling down on top of Zenki. Groaning in pain, Zenki struggled to stay conscious as his eyes grew heavy.
As Zenki rubbed his eyes, he noticed that a man in armor was kneeling before him.
"Your majesty, please give as judgment," said the man
"Judgment? What are you talking about?" Zenki asked, confused.
"Your majesty, the kingdom is in dire need of your leadership. The council has been waiting for your return to make important decisions for the people," the man in armor explained.
Zenki shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his mind. "I think you have the wrong person. I'm just a freelance coder. I don't know anything about ruling a kingdom."
Observing Zenki in his armor, the man silently bemoaned that his majesty still seemed intoxicated. With a serious expression, he explained, "Your Majesty, as the ruler of the kingdom of Avaloria, the final decision on this matter is yours to make."
Zenki felt dizzy and couldn't fathom the words he had just heard. "I...I don't know what to say. This can't be real," he stammered.
Standing upright, the armored man gazed directly into Zenki's eyes. "Your majesty, please believe me. The fate of our people rests solely in your hands. You are our kingdom's only hope."
Suddenly, Zenki felt a tap on his arm from his right side, and he turned to see Zhang Liang, the head eunuch, looking at him with concern.
"Your majesty, are you alright?" Zhang Liang asked.
"Huh? What's going on?" Zenki replied, looking around at his surroundings. He found himself in what looked like a throne room from ancient times, complete with ornate decorations and a dragon throne.
Touching his body, Zenki found that it was still the same fat body he had before, and he had no comment on that.
Wait a minute, Zenki thought. Is this what they call transmigration, like in all those web novels I've been reading about? If that's the case, I should be experiencing a sudden headache as I gain the memories of the previous host of this body.
Just as Zenki was contemplating this, an intense headache assaulted him, causing him to close his eyes in pain.
As Zenki waited for the memories to surface after the intense headache, he grew increasingly frustrated. Despite waiting for some time, no memories appeared.
"What the hell...where the hell are those memories?" he muttered to himself.
"Your majesty...are you still suffering from your hangover?" Zhang Liang, the head eunuch, asked.
Zenki was shocked and stared at the eunuch, wondering what kind of person the original owner of this body was.
"Hmm, err, yes," he finally answered, attempting to appear regal.
"Your majesty, what is your judgment on this matter?" asked Zhang Wei, the general who was kneeling in front of him.
Waving his hand towards Zhang Liang, Zenki whispered, "What is this about again? My hangover was killing me earlier."
With a sigh, Zhang Liang explained that the matter concerned an official accused of seizing someone's possessions through unscrupulous means while they were away fighting a monster infestation threat in the north.
"Huh, they have monsters...and maybe magic too?" Zenki thought to himself.
"Uh, yes, hmmm...who is the accused official?" Zenki asked.
"It's the head of finance, your majesty," Zhang Liang replied.
"Do you have any evidence?" Zenki inquired.
As the discussion continued, Zenki found himself eavesdropping on the hushed conversations between some of the nobles.
"The General is wasting his time. Everyone knows the head of finance is one of his majesty's cronies."
"Indeed, it's no secret that our foolish ruler cares more about his own pleasures than the welfare of his people."
"How unfortunate. The General may be brave, but he lacks the cunning to outmaneuver the corrupt officials in this court."
But Zhang Wei's interjection brought some hope to the situation. "Your majesty, several employees from the head of finance's department are willing to testify. They have friends who were also victims of the fraud and wish to see justice served."
Zenki nodded, determined to see this through. "Very well, we will investigate this matter thoroughly, General. You will have your answer by the next court meeting."
Once the court was adjourned, Zenki summoned Zhang Liang to discuss the proceedings and gain more insight into this unfamiliar world.
"The previous owner of this body left me with nothing, not even a scrap of memory to guide me," Zenki grumbled in frustration.
As he contemplated the challenges that lay ahead, Zenki couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh.