I stared at the ceiling. It didn't look like the one in my house. Something was wrong. The texture, the color, even the smell in the air… everything was different. Strange. Nothing was as it used to be. My bed, which used to be hard and uncomfortable, now felt like a piece of cloud. The pillow was softer than anything I'd ever felt. And the room... My God, the room was enormous.
"What the hell is going on?" I thought as I looked around.
Before I could do anything, I heard firm knocks on the door. A female voice called from the other side.
— Lord Alden Voss, it's time to wake up!
Alden Voss? Who the hell is Alden Voss? That definitely wasn't my name. Was I dreaming? What a bizarre dream. Before I could respond, the door opened, and a woman entered without waiting for permission.
She yanked the curtains open, letting the sunlight flood the room with almost aggressive intensity.
— Come on, Lord Voss! It's already late. At least today, I need you to approve a few documents! — she said in a firm but respectful tone.
Documents? What was going on here? If I was the lord of this house, why was I being treated like a lazy child?
Before I could protest, she walked over and, without hesitation, pulled the blanket off me.
— I need you to come with me to the bathroom so I can bathe you.
My face flushed. What a strange dream! But this was getting out of hand.
— No need, I'll do it myself.
She gave me a suspicious look, as if I'd just claimed the sun was blue.
— Are you feeling well? Normally, you refuse, and I have to drag you to the bathroom.
I ignored her question, offered a weak smile, and got out of bed.
— I'll bathe myself this time.
I wandered through the room, searching for the bathroom. The space was so vast that it felt like I was in a castle. I picked a door at random, and when I opened it, I was met with a mirror.
The reflection left me speechless. The man staring back at me wasn't me.
The person in the mirror was incredibly handsome, with deep black eyes, long black hair, and pale white skin, almost translucent, as if he'd never seen sunlight.
"I look like a damned medieval noble," I thought.
The body, however, wasn't impressive. Thin, weak, without any trace of muscle. This guy had clearly never lifted anything heavier than a pen.
The bath was quick, but the sensation of water cascading down my skin felt incredibly real. Too real for a dream. The steam, the warmth, the touch... Everything seemed impossible to be just a figment of my imagination.
After dressing in clothes I found in the wardrobe, I was led by the woman to an office. There, a mountain of documents awaited me.
— You only need to sign the important ones. I've separated them into a single pile near your desk.
I nodded silently and sat down. She seemed uncomfortable with my lack of resistance but said nothing. I picked up the first document, and a golden seal caught my attention.
The handwriting was different, old-fashioned, but I could read it perfectly.
"Duke Alden Voss, your presence is requested at the royal palace for the coronation of His Majesty Henry II. Sincerely, The Royal Family."
An invitation to a coronation? I'm a duke? This dream keeps getting weirder.
Time flew as I read the documents. The bright sun from earlier had now given way to nightfall. I had completely lost track of time.
Hunger hit me like a punch to the gut, and I rushed out of the office in search of the kitchen. Descending the stairs, I noticed how frail this body was. I was drenched in sweat, and my heart pounded after only a few steps.
After wandering for a while, I finally found the kitchen, a massive room. I rummaged through drawers and cabinets until I found some vegetables. They were wilted, but my hunger didn't leave me much choice.
As I ate, I heard hurried footsteps behind me.
— Stop right there, you little thief! — shouted a male voice.
Before I could react, the man froze.
— Lord Alden?! What are you doing here eating this?!
The man was tall and slender, wielding a sword almost as big as him. Despite that, he seemed as inexperienced as I was. His hands were trembling, and he was sweating profusely.
— I was hungry, and since no one came to my quarters, I decided to grab something to eat — I replied.
He looked at me strangely.
— You should have called Alice. She's always by your side. It's odd to see you walking around alone...
I shrugged and responded with a smile.
— I just wanted a bit of privacy today. After reading a few documents, I gave her some time off.
Still suspicious, he sheathed his sword and gestured for me to follow him.
— Come, Lord Alden. I'll prepare a proper meal for you, not these awful vegetables.
Reaching the dining hall, I barely had time to sit before a sharp pain shot through my head. A pain unlike anything I'd ever felt.
"CONVERSION RATE: 10%. BEGINNING FULL CONVERSION."
The pain intensified with every passing second. It felt like my head was about to explode.
"CONVERSION RATE: 100%. MEMORIES RESTORED."
Thousands of memories flooded my mind. Wars, deaths, famine, despair... But they weren't mine. They were Alden Voss's life.
Before I could process it all, another message appeared before me.
"SYSTEM ACTIVATED. WELCOME, HOST."
And then, everything went black.