A yawn over took him, it couldn't be helped. He'd spent another whole night trying to review.
"Did you not sleep last night as well?"
"Yeah man. I have to be ready. Can't afford to make any mistakes—"
"There you go again being so passionate and all. One would think you're headed for the biggest exam of your whole university career. Its just a nove—"
"I know you were not about to say its just a novel," the man growled at his friend. "Im a middle aged man. I work for an investigation agency. That was every child's dream, but what they don't know, is how cutthroat it is."
The man racked his fingers through his hair, his expression turning agitated.
"—sorry bro. The rest of us kind of enjoy our jobs. And I've brought you along for mine," his friend shrugged.
"It was only one mission gone wrong! It wasn't even my fault. Damned politics, damned nepotism, damned hierachies!"
"Yeah, I know what you mean bro. Everyone knows that guy only got off cause he's a legacy. Let's just make sure you're still the best shot at the office. You have to be in time for your lectures tomorrow."
One mission had ruined an illustrious career. A mistake that hadn't been his. He wondered if maybe he'd also have had a chance to join that hierarchy he now hated. He'd worked tooth and nail, as a former orphan, to make it that far up, only to be undone by some spoiled rich kid.
It rankled somehow. Those who had it all got it all. Is that why people worked so hard? So that their children wouldn't have to go through the same hardship. Not like he'd ever know though. He had sacrificed even the pleasure of relationships in the ambitious pursuit of his goals. Then all his dreams had come crushing down like a house of cards.
'...lord Halden swore as his son broke yet another expensive vintage wine bottle. He had sworn, shouted, threatened. He did not want his family helping Jason. He'd met the commoner the day before, and they'd had an argument. And James was a spiteful retch...'
He dosed as his eyes skimmed farther along the page, finally deciding it was time he called it a night. This was an early chapter in his favourite novel series: How to hero.
The fifth book in the series was about to release so he'd taken to grousing through the earlier books so that he would have all the information as he read the rest of the story.
He always found his mind wandering to this one side character, James Halden. A lazy noble born who was famous even at the beginning of the novel. Another example of society's rot. A rich kid who had no problem shoving it into the face of others.
At the beginning of the book, Halden had just flanked out of the royal academy in the capital. But then his father had been made the fourth Duke in the kingdom of Mareth, so he was called back to the academy.
This gave him a bad reputation in the capital, yet there was a rumor he was going to marry one of the princesses to solidify his father's promotion.
Unfortunately, his father had the misguided idea to remove the spotlight from him by sending him together with a talented servant back to the capital. They searched through the territory, and found the hero of the story, Jason, who was a reincarnated mage who could use all six elements of magic and had advanced sword fighting skills.
James ran into him a day before the official meeting, and the two took an immediate dislike to each other. James refused, rather vehemently, his father's wish to sponsor the child.
James only comes back later in the story when Jason somehow finds his way to the academy anyway. James is too lazy to remember that one commoner he once had a life altering tiff with. Damned noble brat!
But then Jason had gotten the trashy noble back. He'd made him rue the day he thought status could cruise over talent.
Okay, that's not exactly what happened. Jason also ignored the noble boy, at least until he fell in love with princess Emily, who was rumored to be James's fiance. Then a small rivalry started that ended with James being embarrassed and leaving the academy.
It was later revealed the rumor of the engagement was just that. The reader was of the view that James Halden was a wasted character.
Okay, yes Jason had been a reincarnated main character from a more developed world without magic. He'd used his knowledge of science to train and become one of the best mages in the country. His swordsmanship was advanced enough, and he had a lot of mana.
But James Halden had a natural affinity for fire magic. Aside from that, he'd inherited something from his mother. His late mother, though his father didn't know, had witch blood, and dark elf blood.
And James had inherited the dark elven affinity for dark magic, and something called the witch factor which made him compatible with the divine gifts ancient witches had received from the gods. All the makings of a good villain, perhaps even a last boss.
Throughout the series, the main character grows very little because he is already overpowered from the beginning. But James Halden, useless side character that he was, had so much potential for growth.
The reader couldn't help but think he was a wasted character. Then his dreams took him.
*****************
"...hey... won't you wake up please, sir..."
He could only groan, though he was already tensing for a fight. How did a woman get into his apartment? And was the sun already up? Had he missed his lectures? And did his beddings smell different? Feel different?
"Your lord father has been waiting for you for the last thirty minutes."
His eyes snapped open, and he cursed inwardly as that caused his migraine to evolve. The light was blinding, the room was gigantic, and the maid was wary.
'A hangover? But how? I don't drink when I'm going to school. And...what is going on?!'
The maid, in her dated black and white, squirmed under his scrutiny. Something was very wrong. His bedroom had never been this spacious. And his bed, even if it was this big, had been far less gaudy.
And he hadn't slept in such comfort ever in his life. And he did not have a maid. And something had happened to his alarm, otherwise he'd have been in time for his lecture.
"Is everything alright, sir?" The maid found her tongue again.
"It's quite alright, Mary," said a gruff disapproving voice. "The young master must be hangover again. You'll take the beddings later."
He hadn't recognized the maid, but one look at the disapproving butler, and words he'd read tens of times floated back to him. He instinctively glared at the impertinent old man. Gray's frown turned into one of confusion, before morphing into a smile as he handed a cup over.
"Here, master James. I know you don't like this blend, but your father said it was urgent he spoke with you."
His mind whirled. He considered throwing the glass and ordering everyone to leave him alone, but then he wouldn't be able to even get out of bed. This hangover was enough to kill, and the bleeding juice was too bitter.
It almost made him feel worse. He had to work very hard not to spit everything at the annoying man wearing a self satisfied smile. He handed over the empty glass without a word, and stared from the man to the door in unspoken dismissal.
"I will call the maids to assist you with your dressing."
"That will not be necessary, Gray. I will be down shortly, but in the meantime, I require privacy."
"Understood."
The man bowed, but couldn't help himself from making the gesture as mocking as possible.
Stepping out of the bed on meandering legs, the man, now a boy no older than sixteen stared into a mirror. The white hair, deep blue eyes, well proportioned if overtly handsome face. There was no doubting it. He had pinched himself plenty when he was still in the bed. He knew he was not dreaming.
But what the hell had happened? He'd slept thinking about this novel, sure, but then, had he died? He couldn't make sense of it. He was almost numb as he sat in the bath, washing off dirt he wasn't responsible for accumulating.
He dressed in a simple long sleeved shirt and a pair of pressed breeches he thought vaguely matched. The looks of shock the maids shot him and the disapproval Gray wore told him he was wrong.
He didn't care. His mind was very quiet right now. He didn't even know what he was doing or why. He was moving though, and some of the paintings and decorations jumped at him from his memory.
The man on the couch, so occupied with what he was doing that he didn't notice when James walked in, looked exactly like the books described him.
Brown hair and a plain face, now lined with a few signs of age here and there. James sat without being prompted.
"Oh! You're here son? Guess what, I have good news. The academy have had a change of heart. You will be going back for the next semester, and before you ask, no, you won't be asked to repeat the first year."
His father smiled like he'd just offered James his birthday gift early. James could not hide the wince from his face, so different from his father's. His father must have seen it. Or at least heard the groan he wasn't able to stifle.
"Hey, don't worry about the rumors or anything. Gray and your mother and I, spent all night trying to think up a way to take attention off of you."
It wasn't just the rumors he was worried about. The damn privilege, the horror. How the hell had he woken as potentially the worst character possible?