Sunlight gently filtered through the curtains, and I stirred from a deep slumber, feeling refreshed.
With a yawn, I stretched my arms and legs, relishing the feeling of waking up in a new world.
The sound of birds chirping filled the air.
After a few moments of stretching, I made my way to the bathroom, eager to start the day.
Splashing cool water on my face, I refreshed myself, the droplets revitalizing my senses.
Emerging from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist, I picked out some clothes and dressed for the day.
I returned to my room and sat on the edge of the bed, pondering the knowledge I had gained in the three days since arriving in this world.
I had learned about the interesting history of this world, the existence of monstrous creatures, and Rebel's organisation.
But now, I turned my attention to the economic system of this world. It was a barter system, with the primary currency being monster cores and hunter credits.
Hunter credits interested me. They were a form of currency used for larger transactions, while monster cores were more commonly used for smaller exchanges.
There were distinct differences between the two currencies. Hunter credits were not only used for economic transactions but also for technological trades and served as a reserve currency by the government.
On the other hand, monster cores could be exchanged for goods, services, and privileges within Ambrosia, particularly in higher-ranked states.
***
While I was pondering the economic system, a knock sounded on my door.
I immediately went to open it and found Allen standing there, greeting me. "Good morning, Young Master."
I replied, "Good morning, Allen." There was an awkward silence between us until I decided to break it. "So, do you want to say something?"
Allen looked confused, and I didn't know why.
Did I say something wrong?
After a few seconds, Allen said, "Young Master, you seem to be forgetting something?"
I touched my chin and started thinking.
Forgetting something?
What did I forget?
After a while, I couldn't think of anything, so I looked at Allen and laughed. "I'm sorry, Allen, but can you remind me what I'm forgetting?"
I said it while laughing to not seem suspicious in front of Allen. But I wondered if he thought I was acting strange since the previous Michael didn't forget much.
After a few minutes of carefully watching me.
Allen sighed and said, "Huhh, Young Master, you don't remember? Today is Saturday."
I asked him, confused, "I know today is Saturday, so what?"
Allen then said, "Today is your working day."
It hit me right away. Michael, the son of Eoin Frostburne, is the future heir of one of the biggest companies in the human domain, Barternet.
His father had told him to work at least four days a month at their company.
I could have sworn it was on my mind yesterday, but now it's slipped away completely.
Fuck, how could I do something like this?
Gotta be more careful next time...
The previous Michael always went in on Saturdays to work as the boss, and Allen always drove him there.
"Wait just a few minutes for me," I told Allen before quickly shutting the door in his face.
Panicking a bit, I rushed to get dressed. I quickly chose a formal outfit, something suitable for a day at the office.
As I buttoned my shirt and straightened my tie, I thought about how different this world was from my old one.
Leading a company was not something I had ever imagined doing, especially in a place where monster cores and hunter credits were the currency.
Fully dressed, I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and opened the door again. Allen was patiently waiting. "Sorry for the wait, Allen."
He nodded, "No problem, Young Master. The car is ready. Shall we?"
"Yes, let's go," I said, following him down the hallway.
As we walked, I couldn't help but wonder how I would manage to run a company in this strange new world.
But one thing was certain: I had to adapt quickly if I was going to survive and thrive here.
We were walking towards the car, when Allen glanced at me with a hint of concern in his eyes. "Young Master, are you feeling alright? You seem a bit distracted today."
I forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, just thinking about some things. But I'll be fine."
Allen gave me a reassuring nod before opening the door to the sleek black car waiting for us.
I slid into the back seat, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of unease.
During the drive to the office, I couldn't shake the nagging sensation that something was off.
Despite my efforts to focus on the task at hand, my mind kept drifting back to the mysterious world I had found myself in.
When we arrived to the Barternet headquarters, I took a deep breath and got out of the car, preparing myself for the day ahead.
The headquarters was in a city called Nihilator, which was in a C-rank state.
The reason it was located here was that most people could only afford to live and work in C-rank states.
The building loomed before me, a symbol of power and responsibility that I was still struggling to come to terms with.
'Here I come.'
I turned back to look at Allen and said, "Thank you, Allen. You can go now."
With that, I entered the busy lobby, greeted by the usual hustle and bustle of the workplace.
Employees hurried past me but always stopped to greet me, and I greeted them back. I could see the tiredness on their faces.
"Good morning, Boss," someone said.
"Long time no see, Boss," another added.
I kept hearing these greetings as I headed to the elevator.
My office was on the 50th and top floor of the building.
As I rode up, I tried to push aside my doubts and uncertainties.
Today was my first day as the boss, and I couldn't afford to let my inexperience show.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a sleek, modern office. I walked in and looked around, spotting my desk at the far end.
Taking a seat behind it, I glanced at the mountains of paperwork waiting for me.
There was so much work to do, mostly signing documents. The problem was, it was a tiring job. There were hundreds of papers to sign.
I glanced around my office for a few seconds.
There was a large, sturdy desk with comfortable chairs. There were also a lockable cabinet, bookshelves, family photos of me and my father, paintings, awards, and certificates.
It looked like an ordinary office room, except the wall interiors and design which were too extraordinary.
They were just too beautiful.
Sighing, I picked up the first document from the pile. The paperwork seemed endless, but I knew I had to start somewhere.
While I was signing the papers, I started thinking about the company.
Barternet is a company whose main business revolves around managing an app, also named as Barternet.
Ambrosia utilizes this secure digital platform where individuals can list and trade goods and services.
Surprisingly, not just a majority, but 60 percent of the human population uses this app to trade goods and services.
The more they trade, the more we earn, making it a highly profitable venture for us.
Our company guarantees secure transactions because the app is integrated with blockchain technology.
However, it's not entirely hack-proof.
To enhance security, we formed a partnership with the government, which has more advanced technology.
The deal was a 70-30 percent split, with us taking the 70 percent share and the government taking 30 percent.
Their role was mainly to ensure our app wouldn't get hacked anymore.
But still, 30 percent seemed like a lot to me.
I couldn't understand why Michael's father agreed to such a deal.
Logically, It made sense that the government might have pressured him to agree to the deal with them.
With his father's rapid growth and increasing influence, they probably saw it as a way to counteract his power.
The government quickly solved the hacking problem by using wrist-worn smartwatches. These smartwatches handle digital transactions, track trade history, and ensure people follow trade rules.
I didn't understand how they managed to make the watches do that, but it seemed to me that they did something simple and are making millions from it.
'Shitty bastards.'
I cursed them silently in my mind because I knew I couldn't take them on alone in a head-to-head fight.
If I opposed any one association, the other would also join in, making the battle difficult.
But still, I was seriously pissed off, I mean, who wouldn't be?
If that partnership hadn't been established a few years ago, then we might have become the richest family in the human domain by now.
With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I continued signing the documents, trying to stay focused on the task at hand.
***
After hours of work, I completed the final document.
Relaxing in my chair, I felt a mix of satisfaction and tiredness.
As I was about to close my eyes, a system window suddenly appeared, displaying a quest.
I was shocked when I saw the mission, and I sat up straight, examining the window closely.
New Quest: [Masturbation at Work!]
Masturbate in your office while seated at your desk and make sure that your sperm lands on the floor.
Objective: Masturbate 0/1.
Reward: Horny meter
Bonus objective: Masturbate in front of a women.
Reward: ???
(Accept/Reject)
"Are you out of your damn mind?"
I exclaimed, disbelief evident in my voice as I read the absurd quest prompt.
"Masturbate in the office? That seems like a perverted request more than a quest. I mean, having sex is one thing, but masturbating? Seriously?"
I sighed heavily, feeling a sense of frustration wash over me. 'Huhh.'
Nowadays I keep sighing all thanks to the system.
Shaking my head, I refocused on the quest window.
After careful consideration, I made a decision.
It's not that bad, assuming not many employees enter my office room.
So, after careful thought, I've decided to accept the quest, but not the bonus objective.
Even if the reward turns out to be a super high-level item in the bonus objective, which I doubt.
All I see are question marks.
What does that signify?
Will the reward be big or small?
But, who cares?
I'm definitely not doing that quest.
I can't just masturbate in front of anyone.
It would be so embarrassing, and considering the previous Michael's personality, it's unlikely he would ever think of doing something like that, especially in front of a woman.
With my decision made, I clicked the "Accept" button, steeling myself for the task ahead.