Chapter 3 - 1st Mission

Chapter 3: 1st Mission

'Isn't he the protagonist of this game?'

Memories of scenes he'd seen before began to surface.

'...it seemed like the former owner of this body also bullied Carion alongside his royal siblings.'

The realization hit him hard. If the former Sevi had been part of the group that tormented Prince Carion, his meeting with the prince could be even complicated.

Sevi finally finished his meal and stood up from the table, glancing at his mother who was still taking her time with her food.

'Uhh...I need to be formal right..?'

"Excuse me, Mother," he said, trying to sound as composed as possible. "I need to attend to some matters."

His mother looked up, concern etched on her face. "Sevi, you barely ate anything. Are you feeling unwell?"

"I'm fine, Mother," Sevi reassured her with a strained smile. "I just have some things to take care of."

Seeing his earnestness, his mother nodded but still looked a bit uneasy. "All right, dear. Just make sure you're taking care of yourself."

Sevi offered a quick nod and left the dining hall.

'But Princess Cressida.... isn't she one of the heroines I need to uhm... capture?'

'In her profile, it mentioned that she was kind, but Prince Carion was heavily bullied by his siblings.'

[Princess Cressida didn't bully Carion. She was just a bystander.]

The system immediately responded to Sevi's thoughts.

'Ohhh...'

'Princess Cressida... kind but passive huh...' Sevi mused.

[She often turned a blind eye to her brothers' cruelty, not participating but also not intervening.]

Sevi frowned, disliking the idea of someone being passive in the face of cruelty.

As if reading his thoughts, the system chimed in and presented a mission.

[Time-limited Mission: Perform a genuine act of kindness in front of Princess Cressida.]

[Details: The act must be sincere and not appear as though it is performed solely to impress Cressida.

Deadline: This mission must be completed by the end of tomorrow, before the royal guests depart.

Penalty: Failure to complete the mission will result in a decrease of favorability with Princess Cressida by an additional -10 points.

Reward: Successfully completing the mission will increase Princess Cressida's favorability by 5 points, improving her overall impression of Sevi. A function will also unlock.]

Sevi answered, "Just a genuine act of kindness, huh... I can do that." 

'But for now... let's focus on burning these fats.' Sevi thought as he pinched his fatty stomache.

Determined to get into better shape, Sevi spent the entire evening exercising. He started with a jog around the castle grounds, enjoying the cool evening breeze.

However, after just two laps, he found himself gasping for breath, his legs feeling like lead.

"Ugh, you've got to be kidding me," Sevi muttered under his breath. He stopped and leaned against a tree, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"How did the original owner let this body get so out of shape?"

He cursed the original owner's neglect of health, frustrated with his own limitations. But Sevi wasn't one to give up easily.

He pushed himself to walk a few more laps, determined to make some progress, no matter how small.

By the time he returned to his quarters, he was completely exhausted. His muscles ached, and his breath was still ragged. He collapsed onto his bed, too tired to even change out of his workout clothes.

The cool fabric of the sheets offered some relief to his overheated skin. Sevi lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing despite his physical exhaustion. 

As Sevi lay there, memories of his old life kept flooding back, not just of his time spent at the gym or playing games, but of his family and friends. Faces of his loved ones flashed in his mind: his parents, his sister, and his best friend, Mark, with whom he had shared countless gym memories. 

The weight of it all suddenly became too much. Sevi felt a lump form in his throat, and tears welled up in his eyes. The loneliness of this new world pressed down on him, and he couldn't hold back the sobs that wracked his body.

"I miss you all so much," he whispered into the empty room, his voice breaking.

For a long while, Sevi allowed himself to cry, releasing the pent-up emotions he had been holding back since his arrival in this strange place.

Eventually, the tears slowed, and Sevi lay there, feeling drained yet oddly lighter. The breakdown had left him feeling vulnerable, but it also cleared his mind.

Sevi wiped his eyes, his mind clearer now, though still aching from the release of so many emotions.

"System," he called out hesitantly, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet room. "Is there a chance for me to go back to my old life?"

For a moment, there was only silence. 

Sevi's heart pounded as he waited, hoping against hope that the system might have some answer for him. But then, the familiar screen popped up.

[You do not have enough authority to access this information.]

Sevi's heart sank. The vague, unhelpful response felt like a slap in the face. 

"Not enough authority," he muttered bitterly. "What does that even mean?"

Frustration and despair threatened to overwhelm him again, but Sevi forced himself to take a deep breath. This wasn't the time to give in to hopelessness. 

"Fine," he muttered, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "Then I'll earn that authority. I'll do whatever it takes. Even doing that capturing crap."

The next morning arrived, and Sevi's body was a canvas of soreness. Every muscle seemed to protest his movements, a stark reminder of how far he had fallen from his previous peak in his original world. 

As he moved towards the window to catch a glimpse of the morning, he spotted a grand carriage pulling up to the castle entrance—today was the day the royal guests arrived.

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