Today feels like it's lasted a year. I can't even think straight anymore, let alone plan my next move. All I want is to collapse and forget everything.
As I walked through the sidewalks, each step felt heavier, the weight on my chest growing with every step I took. My mind was blank but had only one goal, and that was just to walk and walk.
Until I reached the corner where I needed to cross the road. I crossed this road hundreds of times but this is the first time that I will cross not looking around.
It took me a second to realize that people were shouting, their voices cutting through the fog in my head. Then I saw a 16-wheeler truck was at speed to approach me and I was in the middle of the road. I know that thing would hit me if I didn't get out of here. But my legs wouldn't move. Maybe they shouldn't. Maybe this is easier.
The screech of tires and the roar of the engine filled my ears. The blinding sunlight made it hard to see anything clearly, but I knew—this was it. The impact came like a thunderclap, and then... nothing.
The next thing I knew, I was flying over and seeing how the sun was looking at me saying, "You are so pathetic and stupid thinking everything will go in way you wanted to happen." But yeah, he's right about that. I already know that after all the hard work I have done since then, it will just get buried the same as me after I meet my end here.
***
[NOTICE: You have successfully entered your next life. Congratulations!]
When I opened my eyes, I saw bunches of papers, a book, and a feather pen thing right in front of me. I stood up and found myself sitting in a fancy old-school chair. Am I just dreaming when I saw myself get hit on that truck?
"But where am I? Why I am surrounded with these papers and books at a table? What am I doing here?"
[NOTICE: You are now a mob character of the Kingdom of Arventia.]
"A glowing blue screen? Floating in the air? Fantastic. It's like a video game that I used to play. Either I've finally snapped, or this is some elaborate prank. But... it did say 'next life.' And I'm pretty sure I was just hit by a truck. So…"
I read again what is written in it. "Kingdom of Arventia?!" My eyes widened. "That's the series I watched just last night before I off to work the next day! I know I don't get enough sleep because of it and when I go to work and get my way home I—oh, now it makes sense!"
If I'm in the Arventia right now, then that explains why I am familiar with some things in this room. I look at myself, my outfit is also different from what I usually wear in my old world.
The fabric of the shirt felt stiff and scratchy against my skin, so unlike anything I owned. And my hands—were they always this pale? This... soft?
I stood up from the chair to see my reflection in the mirror placed in the corner of the room. "No. No, no, no—this has to be some kind of sick joke."
I stared at the mirror, dread clawing at my chest. Nicodeim Thorne. The smug, spoiled bully who dies so early, that you forget he even existed. And now, I'm him. Fantastic. Just... fantastic.
Possessing a character that will die eventually is common and normal, but die soonest? Right after the inciting incident of the story? It's like I only have a small time frame to make sure I'll survive here!
But there's no way I let myself get killed that easily again. Not anymore.
I go back to my table and sit there to remember everything that happens in the series of Kingdom of Arventia.
The series is about a princess named Nicolette Thorne, my dear cousin, and the younger sister of the crown prince Nicolo. Her goal in the series is to figure out the reason behind Nicolo's death. And that's how she will meet the hero of the series, Sage Donovan Hartman.
Of course, the series has a happy ending. But like what I have said, I will die soonest in this series.
And that is because of the villain, Livius Sarrafort.
Livius is the second son of a baron who lived in this estate. In his backstory, he has a dream to become a physician someday like his father.
In my old world, being a doctor was a high-class type of job that was suited for a person with a high intelligence. But not in this world. Physician here is considered a low-class type of job.
Because of his dreams, the nobles of this estate mock him and see him as trash.
And when I say nobles, that includes me. I used to bully him since we were kids because I find his dream job useless. Every time I got a chance to make fun of him, I gave my best to make sure he'd go home crying.
I remember watching Livius's breakdown so clearly. The taunts, the sneers, the crushing of his dreams. And at the center of it all was Nicodeim—me. No wonder I'm his first target when he becomes a villain.
Nicodeim as a character of the series doesn't have any role aside from being Livius's bully. And that makes me a mob character, just like a bubble that comes and goes easily.
I looked at the glowing blue screen floating thing again. "It's given that I once die. And I'm sure this thing did something why I am right here now. If this thing transported me here, then I can assume it can also help me to survive my soonest death."
Aside from the notifications I received earlier, another tab appeared before me. It says:
[NOTICE: View your status.]
At first, I can't figure out how this thing works but when I say, "Status," the screen shows a generated picture of me on the left side and my status information on the right side.
[STATUS:]
Name: Nicodeim Thorne
Rank: ??? Level: ??? Magic Type: ???
HP: 100/100 MP: 50/50 SP: 70/70
[ATTRIBUTES:]
Strength: 5
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 6
Constitution: 4
Focus: 5
This looks like a game, I need to do something to upgrade my status to survive and become stronger.
I looked at the glowing blue screen floating thing intensely. "The simplest way to prevent from dying again is to stop Livius from becoming a villain. If he didn't turn into a villain, he wouldn't think of killing me. I just need to save him from the mockery," I said while a grin flashed on my lips.
Livius is a victim of mockery of this estate, my father's estate.
"If the rules of this world are anything like the ones I know, then I just need to play the game smarter than everyone else. Livius isn't a villain yet. And as long as I can keep it that way, I'll stay alive."
If I fail to stop Livius from becoming a villain, he won't just kill me—he'll burn this whole kingdom to the ground. I have to change his story. I have to change my story.
Another tab appears and says:
[NOTICE: You have (1) new primary quest and (2) new secondary quests.]
I tilt my head to the side. "I think, primary quest means must-do events. But I'm not sure why there's a secondary, is it because it's less priority? Means I can do it anytime I am free?"
I decided to open the primary quest first. And it shows,
[NOTICE: Primary Quest Available: Gain Livius's trust.]
I smiled the moment I read it, I guess I got the right idea of saving him from mockery.
"But wait, did it just say gain his trust? That's my first task? How am I supposed to pull that off when the guy probably hates my guts? This isn't just hard; it's impossible!"
Then I realized I had another 2 tasks. Now I understand why there is a secondary quest!
Since I already open the primary quest, I had no choice but to command, "Accept," as this is the only option for it. I guess there's no escape in doing this quest.
After that, the notification vanished and the next thing I did was to open the other 2 quests.
I'm not sure what Nicodeim was doing before I got transported here, but I know this is related to his responsibility of being the first and only son of Duke Nicomar Thorne. And if I escape from it, no one will be shocked because that's what Nicodeim always does. I just need to be him and I'm good to go.
I used a window to step down from my study room to the back of the mansion. It's a good thing no one notices me. I was about to walk away from here but luck was sure fond of me as I heard a familiar voice.
"I'm tired of hearing myself saying this but I'll say it anyway. You're such a useless son of this house, brother."
A tiny smile comes to my lips before I face my younger sister who is glaring at me right now. "Nicomaine, what are you doing down here?"
Well, I guess it won't make me sweat to do the secondary quest as I already spotted my goal.
[NOTICE: Secondary Quest Available: Spend time with your sister, Nicomaine.]