《I Don’t Want to Start a Story!》 Prologue - Juniper The wooden floorboards creaked in annoyance in the middle of the night. It was easy to ignore them as the disturber scooped out some water from the wooden bowl filled with preboiled, river water. Max¡¯s throat was grateful as the water managed to relieve the insufferable thirst from the dry summer air. After grabbing a second cup, he took a deep breath before looking out the window in a pose to show off his physique. It was becoming a secret pleasure of his to show his physical firmness that he got this time. Whilst his eyes scanned the various fields of sleeping cows, he took another sip of his water. He heard them before he saw them. The ominous hum was terrifying the first time they heard it, but now even most of the cows were sleeping through it. Soon the hum grew louder before it turned into a louder shrill as a bright light casted down from the clouds; today¡¯s victim had been chosen. Max squinted as he tried to make out which cow was picked as it slowly levitated up into the sky. Its gentle moos were ignored by all the humans who could hear. Below her, some of the cows awoke to give their own moos of goodbye. A cry for help and a chorus of goodbyes. Which one is it this time? Elder? Cloud? Her soft voice and calm temperament meant it couldn¡¯t be Salmon. The cow was rotating slightly as she was carried higher into the air. Soon Max spotted a brown star on the fur of her right butt cheek. Oh crap, it¡¯s Juniper. A familiar alert only visible to him appeared at the bottom left of his vision.
Story Name: Aliens from Above (Alien Version).
Genre: Sci-Fi
Description: After trying to save his precious cows, the MC explores the universe and is adopted by his alien abductors. But can he make the humans understand?
Goal: Create unity between the two worlds.
Difficulty: This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Protect the cows!
It was easy for Max to ignore the system as he took another sip of his water. He felt a little bad as Juniper made eye contact with him and cried out with a hesitant moo. He gave her a gentle wave goodbye, but his feet didn¡¯t move. ¡°Which one they got this time?¡± He jumped slightly, causing him to spill some of the remaining water down his shirt. Max sighed as pulled his damp shirt slightly away from his chest. ¡°They got Juniper.¡± ¡°Ah crap. She was a nice one.¡± The crusty farmer barged past before pressing his greasy nose on the windowpane. ¡°Ya think they¡¯re going to get them this time?¡± ¡°Fat chance.¡± ¡°Useless cunts.¡± The farmer muttered under his breath. ¡°What do we even pay taxes for?¡± ¡°Which one got picked?¡± Both the farmer and Max jumped from the voice of the farmer¡¯s wife. Physically, there couldn¡¯t be a more appropriate looking woman to be a dairy farmer¡¯s wife. Bessie shoved both of them out of the way causing the rest of the Max¡¯s water to spill, but she was too late to see the levitating cow before it disappeared into the clouds. All that was left were a couple of sad moos then there was only silence. ¡°Juniper.¡± ¡°Ah fuck.¡± Bessie sighed. ¡°She was a gentle one, that one.¡± Max gave a slightly sympathetic smile at her sad voice. In the three weeks he had been at the farm, it was clear the farmer was worried for their profits while his wife would grieve for a few minutes after each cow was chosen. After a minute but no longer than five, she would wipe away those emotions with a smile as she started to file the paperwork for a new calf to be delivered for free, enjoying the deemed ¡®suitable compensation¡¯ from the kingdom. ¡°Maybe you should go out there and join them, Max.¡± The farmer turned away from the window as he got ready to go back to bed. ¡°You know the fields just as well as us, and you got better knees.¡± Another little alert appeared in his vision, replacing the last transparent green box.
Story Name: Aliens from Above (Human Version).
Genre: Sci-Fi
Description: After trying to save his precious cows, the MC decides to lead a genocide against an alien race.
Goal: Wipe them out. No survivors.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Join the knights in pretending to protect the cows!
¡°Maybe tomorrow night,¡± Max lied without hesitation. They all knew he was never going to join them out in those fields. Bessie had already shaken off her grief over Juniper. ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s time to go back to bed.¡± And time to start the paperwork for their next calf. ¡°Night Max.¡± ¡°Night night,¡± he replied in a soft voice before turning his gaze back to the peaceful fields of sleeping cows. Chapter 1: A Sunny Day, a Gentle Breeze, and a Meteorite The gentle moos surrounding Max were comforting as he dozed in the summer sun. The extraordinary events from the night before had already been forgotten by people and bovine alike, poor Juniper. The heat would have been overwhelming if it weren¡¯t for the gentle breeze blowing his dark, ruffled hair. Just as he was about to fall into a deep sleep, the sound of an explosion woke him. His eyes snapped open only to be temporarily blinded by the strong sun. For a moment, he was jealous of the brown eyes of the local farmers. They seemed to be better at tolerating the vicious sun''s rays. Ignoring the screams of cows running as far as they could from the sudden sound, he rubbed his eyes as he tried to focus on the newest alert in his vision.
Story Name: The Creature
Genre: Horror
Description: After encountering a meteorite, the MC slowly becomes a possessed creature.
Goal: Be cured from the blight.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Investigate the meteorite! Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
Five stars? It had been a while since he saw a five stars story. In Max¡¯s previous lifetimes, he had learned the importance of the difficulty rating. One star meant it would be a gentle breeze for him to follow the requirements of the system and complete the story. Five stars was almost certain death. It would be one thing to start a story prompted by the system and figure out how to reach the end by his own power, it was another challenging fiasco when the subsidiary goals and requirements were presented over time. Failure to complete the story meant death. Failure to meet the subsidiary goals and requirements also meant death. Completing the story meant some free time in the current world before death. Max laid back down into the grass and closed his eyes again. The safest place in the world for him was in the fields, away from the newest story prompt. As the cows settled, sleep finally came for him as well. A chorus of moos caused Max to wake up from his shallow sleep plagued by the haunting dreams of his previous lives. He frowned slightly before sitting up to look at what could have possibly upset them. There wasn¡¯t another meteorite, and it wasn¡¯t time for the aliens; what could possibly make them cry like that? It took him a second to spot the neighbouring shepherd boy frantically making his way towards him. He was covered in grime and a neon blue fluid. ¡°What the fuck happened to you?¡± Max called out before standing up. With crazed eyes and hair, the shepherd boy pointed into the distance where the sound of the meteorite originated. ¡°It¡­ it came from the sky¡­ a big, blue rock thingy. Fuck, I don¡¯t know.¡± Max frowned slightly at the young boy swearing but decided against saying anything. The lack of an alert from the system confirmed his suspicions. The shepherd boy had started the story and was now doomed to die because of the five stars. He had unknowingly accepted a possible fate designed for Max; the unfortunate shepherd boy deserved to let loose a little before the end. ¡°I went closer¡­ to take a look¡­ and¡­ and¡­¡± The shepherd boy¡¯s tears and snot were starting to choke him before he could finish his sentence. Max was about to give a sympathetic reply when he noticed that the sun was beginning to set. How long had he been asleep for? ¡°Yeah, yeah, space rocks. Go home, have a bath, and go to bed.¡± ¡°But¡­ But I¡­¡± Max didn¡¯t pay any more attention to the shepherd boy and walked away without listening to his blubbering. Another sacrifice for the creation of a story, just like poor Juniper. Chapter 2: What Are Friends For? The dirty village was a welcome sight for Max as he effortlessly got lost within the bustling crowds created by a population of a few hundred. A couple of weeks ago, his presence was met with angry stares as he tried to navigate the medieval village. Now, not only were they used to him, but they also welcomed his presence. As far as they were aware, he wasn¡¯t a troublemaker. The biggest strain on their relationship was Max¡¯s disgust for most of the villagers. It wasn¡¯t his first life in this kind of setting, but he still couldn¡¯t get used to the smell. For some reason, the authors and filmmakers in his original world never went into detail about how horrendous everyone smelled. ¡°Max!¡± He froze when his name was called out by someone from the crowd. His posture only relaxed after confirming there wasn¡¯t an alert for a potential beginning of a story. A second later, his neck and nose were being assaulted by a rough embrace. ¡°You need to leave that old farm more often,¡± Aldwin cried with enthusiasm. Max largely ignored him clinging to his neck. ¡°Did I miss the village meeting?¡± There was a charmingly innocent and an extremely irritating part to Aldwin¡¯s personality. He was a strong young man, who often toiled on various local farms for hours under the sun and was always in dire need of a bath. Brown hair, dark eyes, big, smiley, and not a brain cell in sight; he was probably the closest friend Max had made in this lifetime. Aldwin finally released his grip. ¡°Not yet, but we should get going if we want to get a good spot in the village hall. Seems like they¡¯re gathering us to talk about our extraterrestrial friends.¡± He tried his best to make a creepy face but dropped it quickly. ¡°Did another cow get taken recently?¡± ¡°They got poor Juniper last night.¡± Aldwin tried to look upset at the news, even though he didn¡¯t know the names of any of the local cows. ¡°People at the meeting might bring up the meteorite that crashed earlier today.¡± ¡°There was a meteorite?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the shepherd boy said.¡± Max stopped mid-stride in the street. They were heading down the most direct street towards the village hall when a notification appeared in the corner of his eye.
Story Name: Project: Restoration
Genre: Adventure
Description: Train with a retired knight before going on a quest to restore balance between rival nations.
Goal: Create peace.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Make eye contact with the undercover knight!
He couldn¡¯t help unconsciously sneering at the newest prompt. The system was making it hard to avoid this one. Without saying a word to Aldwin, Max turned so he could go through the back alleys and avoid the hidden knight on the main road. ¡°The shepherd boy said that? It would explain the noise I heard earlier today. But I don¡¯t trust that little creep-¡± Max tuned out his ramblings. It was the biggest reason why the village idiot was the closest person he had to a friend. He never questioned any of his strange decisions. ¡°Settle down now.¡± The decrepit mayor¡¯s voice repeatedly tried to quiet his people in the village hall. After seeing that the village had collectively decided to ignore him, he grabbed his eldest son¡¯s sword before swinging it with all his strength at the closest knight¡¯s shield. The clang rang out causing everyone to unanimously stop talking. They watched without breathing to see if the feat of strength had been the mayor¡¯s last. ¡°As I said, settle down.¡± A unanimous sigh of disappointment came from the attendants before they finally calmed themselves. One day¡­ Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve recently been experiencing a plague of¡­ creatures from space. As of this morning, six sheep, twenty-three chickens, and fifteen cows have been reportedly taken.¡± Had it been fifteen already? Max wasn¡¯t too sure if that number was accurate. Did Bessie intentionally misreport to get extra calves or had other farms- ¡°Although there have been reports of people misfiling or exaggerating numbers.¡± Max held his breath. It sounded like the potential beginning of another story. ¡°But I know my people, and we would never do something like that.¡± The town let out a collective cheer of agreement. The knights from the capital didn¡¯t seem convinced, but without the mayor¡¯s permission or the King¡¯s orders there was nothing they could do. They were forced to accept the false reality being presented to them. ¡°Yes, yes. We¡¯re not that kind of people.¡± Another cheer, but there were a few snickers mixed in this time. ¡°But this cannot go on.¡±
Story Name: Aliens from Above (Human Version).
Genre: Sci-Fi
Description: After trying to save his precious cows, the MC decides to lead a genocide against an alien race.
Goal: Wipe them out. No survivors.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Join the knights in pretending to protect the cows!
Here we go again. It was irritating that the potential stories didn¡¯t usually go away until-
Story Name: The Missing Heir
Genre: Historical Fiction
Description: The long-lost son of the Duke is found, but can he adjust to his new position?
Goal: Become the Duke.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Be identified by the messenger of the Duke!
??? It changed? So suddenly? Suspicious, Max deliberately moved behind Aldwin and the butcher¡¯s boy. The butcher¡¯s boy seemed a little puzzled as to why he suddenly wanted to stand further back but didn¡¯t say anything since Aldwin didn¡¯t react. ¡°The knights here don¡¯t seem to be too familiar with the area-¡± The mayor was interrupted by the sound of the village hall¡¯s doors being violently opened by unfamiliar men. Although Max couldn¡¯t recognise the emblems, he assumed they must be some of the Duke¡¯s men. The village obediently followed the strangers¡¯ instructions to make room. Just as the meeting was starting to become a bore, there was sudden excitement in the air. A pompous man with the best moustache Max had ever seen finally waltzed in. ¡°I am here on behalf-¡± ¡°What the fuck do you want?¡± The mayor sputtered. Everyone took another deep breath, were they going to get another sense of excitement? Apparently, it wasn¡¯t stressful enough to cause him to have a heart attack¡­ yet. ¡°Get out of my town hall!¡± ¡°In but a moment,¡± the Duke¡¯s messenger touched his moustache as if to show his status. ¡°I am here to find the missing son of the Northern Duke. And I have found him.¡± He pointed in Max¡¯s direction. ¡°Him!¡± Without hesitating, Max put a strong hand on the butcher¡¯s boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kurt?!? You didn¡¯t tell us that you were the son of a Duke?¡± The butcher¡¯s boy seemed perplexed as all but one person turned to look at him. The poor butcher¡¯s wife was sweating profusely as she endured the venomous glare of her husband. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not¡­¡± ¡°I knew there was something special about you,¡± Aldwin chimed. ¡°It¡¯s impossible, I can¡¯t be-¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Max gave him a light shove to force him out of the crowd and closer to the messenger. ¡°When you become a rich Duke, be sure to come back and remember who sent you on this path.¡± He gave the puzzled young lad a genuine smile. The messenger squinted for a moment as if he was trying to see him properly. ¡°Yes? Ah yes! Just the man I was looking for. Come! Come now! You have a bright future ahead of you.¡± The butcher¡¯s boy gave his parents a pleading look. His mother gave him a small nod as she endured the cold, bitter glare from her side. His ''father'' paid him no mind. ¡°Get the fuck out Kurt so we can continue the meeting,¡± the mayor chastised him. The poor young lad jumped slightly from the harsh words before hanging his head low and following the strangers out of the town hall¡¯s doors. Max let out a small sigh of relief as the system prompt reverted back.
Story Name: Aliens from Above (Human Version).
Genre: Sci-Fi
Description: After trying to save his precious cows, the MC decides to lead a genocide against an alien race.
Goal: Wipe them out. No survivors.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Join the knights in pretending to protect the cows!
Chapter 3: I Am Not Alone... Again. From being inside during a hot summer evening, half of the village had fallen asleep whilst waiting for the old mayor to finish his speech about the newest, inefficient plans to handle their alien pests. Max couldn¡¯t tell if the people were tired from slaving away at their jobs or if the sudden outburst earlier at the village meeting had worn them out. Even the mayor¡¯s son was beginning to nod off on a knight¡¯s shoulder. Perhaps his father¡¯s voice was too comforting for him? ¡°Right then, Reymond.¡± The mayor turned to the knight supporting his son. ¡°Did I miss anything?¡± He seemed as eager as anyone else awake in the village hall for this torture to end. ¡°No, you got everything.¡± Without being asked, Aldwin raised his hand whilst blurting out, ¡°What about the meteorite that fell this afternoon?¡±
Story Name: Hunt Down the Monster
Genre: Horror
Description: After encountering a meteorite, a local shepherd boy is slowly becoming a possessed creature. He must be stopped.
Goal: Kill the shepherd boy.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Confirm Aldwin¡¯s story!
Max regretted opening his mouth earlier. The knights gave a nervous shuffle at the idea of more work suddenly appearing. ¡°What meteorite?¡± The old mayor barked at him. His sudden change in tone and the echo through the ancient stone building caused half of the sleepers to start awake, including his son who almost fell over when his consciousness sharply returned. Just as Aldwin was about to speak, Max elbowed his stomach as hard as he could without changing his expression. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s nothing,¡± he choked out whilst trying not to cry. ¡°Then don¡¯t speak,¡± the mayor said dismissively. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°You need to be careful with your elbows,¡± Aldwin whispered to Max as a couple of tears escaped the corner of his eyes. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡°Sorry.¡± There was no emotion in his voice. ¡°Someone was pulling on my sleeve.¡± Suddenly, the pained Aldwin was scanning for the non-existent pesterer. ¡°Has he stopped?¡± He let out a sigh after Max nodded. ¡°Just be a bit careful in the future. You¡¯re stronger than you look. If it weren¡¯t me then you could¡¯ve seriously hurt someone!¡± Max couldn¡¯t help smiling at his simplicity. He was indeed foolish, but there was a certain charm to him. ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡± the mayor began to scan the village hall for anyone else trying to prolong their torturous meeting. In excitement that it was almost over, the awake villagers began nudging the sleepers so they could all leave as quickly as possible. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be anything else¡­¡± Everyone around Max was gearing up to leave. He couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed and then confused when the system appeared with another prompt.
Story Name: Guide the Uninitiated
Genre: Isekai
Description: A stranger is claiming to be from another universe and is here to become the MC.
Goal: Help the system out and show him the ropes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Confess you are the same to the stranger!
Oh no. It had been a long time since he saw a story like that. They never end well. But where was-? The sudden pounding on the village hall doors caused all the villagers to turn and stare at the mayor. Before their hopes got too high, the mayor blurted out, ¡°Jesus Christ. What is it now? Who¡¯s the idiot who forgot how to open a door by themselves? Go help them out, Liv.¡± Liv, the shop keeper¡¯s wife, let out a deep sigh before opening the door. She stood back as the man pounding on the door stumbled into the echoey stone building. Max wasn¡¯t surprised to see the man wearing neutral, plain clothes with a frightened look on his face. Compared to him and the other people in the village, his appearance in this world was more atypical as he displayed exotic features with the shape of his eyes and cheeks. The most alarming feature was his vivid red hair colour, as if it were dyed. Unlucky, it didn¡¯t take long for Max to realise in his previous lives that the more foreign he looked, the higher the expectations of the story prompts were. ¡°Where am I? I¡¯m not in Philadelphia, am I?¡± No shit. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He pleaded to the villagers. The mayor let out a tired sigh, ¡°Another amnesiac.¡± Bessie and the farmer glanced over at Max, but he never took his eyes off of the stranger. ¡°Who¡¯s going to take this one in?¡± ¡°Amnesiac? I¡¯m not-¡± ¡°How about you, John?¡± ¡°Nah, we ain¡¯t got the space after our newborn-¡± ¡°What do you mean amnesiac? I remember taking the bus to go to work when-¡± ¡°Larry?¡± ¡°I mean we could, but it would be difficult for us too¡­¡± The mayor continued to ignore the stranger recounting his daily commute to work in a mythical sounding Philadelphia. ¡°Reymond, any spare budget to help accommodate the newest stranger?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± the knight seemed perplexed by how the locals were so quick at adapting to all of the strange interruptions to their village meetings. He had been to a few turbulent ones before, but today was the worst he had seen. ¡°We can spare 80 gaeles-¡± ¡°80 gaeles?¡± Larry scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re not listening to me! By the time I reached the office, Lisa asked me to go out to the nearest coffee shop and-¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take the stranger and the 80 gaeles,¡± the butcher raised his hand as a volunteer. ¡°Seeing as we now have an empty bed, and I¡¯ll need someone to help out around the shop.¡± ¡°Perfect, he¡¯s yours. If he causes any trouble, let us know and we¡¯ll string him up.¡± The stranger stopped mid-ramble from the threat. Max felt a little sympathetic as he saw his face grow pale from the seriousness of his situation. When he first started waking up in the various worlds of stories, it took him some time to adjust too. Chapter 4: Bessie? Bessie. Max waited patiently on the porch of the farmhouse. Overlooking the fields of sleeping cows, it would¡¯ve been a restful night if all the conscious creatures weren¡¯t waiting for the next victim to be taken. Although he couldn¡¯t be certain of the time, there was little doubt the aliens were late tonight. Perhaps the prompting for the story had reached its end? Unlikely¡­ Story prompts usually continue until someone else assumes the role of the main character. As far as he knew, no one had faced the aliens. Even the people being paid to do so. ¡°Another hot night.¡± Max jumped from Bessie¡¯s voice before giving her a small smile. Did she complete the paperwork early and was waiting to find out the name and number of the latest cow to file for? Or were her husband¡¯s snores too unbearable again. ¡°They¡¯re late tonight,¡± he shuffled, allowing her to take up 75% of the porch steps. The wood creaked slightly from the sudden burden placed on it but remained strong. It had to. Otherwise, Bessie wouldn¡¯t hesitate getting Max and her husband to rip the whole porch out and replace it with another. ¡°Think Juniper was the last one?¡± ¡°Hopefully not,¡± Bessie flatly admitted. ¡°There are a few more old birds out there who need replacing anyway.¡± They looked out into the dark fields that were only illuminated by the moon and stars. It didn¡¯t take long for Max to get fidgety as he waited for a prompt from the system. ¡°Another stranger showed up in the village today¡­ Do you still not remember anything?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Max lied without hesitation. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to come up with names for all the new calves.¡± He could sense that Bessie didn¡¯t appreciate him changing the conversation back to the cows. Eventually, she sighed and caved. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it.¡± She had to be the one thinking about it, neither Max nor the farmer had any interest in naming them. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time to say goodbye to my berry girls and start something new.¡± Berry girls? ¡°I was thinking about different colours-¡± ¡°Berry girls?¡± Max interrupted. Who were the berry girls? ¡°You must¡¯ve noticed?¡± Bessie seemed disappointed in him. He thought about it for a second before it dawned on him. He felt dumber than Aldwin when he finally pieced it together. Straw-berry, Blue-berry, Elder-berry, Cloud-berry, Salmon-berry, and even Juniper-berry; they were her ¡®berry girls¡¯. His look of realisation must¡¯ve given him away. ¡°Wait, you genuinely didn¡¯t realise? Come on now, Max, I thought you were smart.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°I¡¯m not very good with names,¡± he admitted, as his mind continued going through their herd of cows. Lingon-berry, Boysen-berry, Huckle-berry. ¡°Bill is the same.¡± ¡°Bill?¡± Goose-berry, Wolf-berry, Bear-berry. ¡°He doesn¡¯t see a reason for them to have names, but without a name how will we know which cow has been taken by aliens?¡± She clucked her tongue in frustration. It was only then that Max realised Bill must be the name of the farmer. It didn¡¯t suit him. No wonder he kept forgetting it. Max gave her a smile to show he generally agreed with her. ¡°It does make them feel more special. How about the name you gave me?¡± ¡°Max?¡± ¡°Yeah, there isn¡¯t a Max-berry, is there? Bessie started howling with laughter. ¡°No, of course not.¡± Max felt suddenly relieved that he wasn¡¯t a member of the berry girls. ¡°Max is the name of our last guard dog.¡± What? ¡°You¡¯ll find his grave over there,¡± she pointed at a small stone in front of an oak tree. ¡°He was a good dog, that Max.¡± ¡°¡­You named me after your dead dog?¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Bessie asked, getting defensive. Max was about to deny it bothering him, but he couldn¡¯t force the obvious lie out from his lips. He was grateful for being given a place to live, like the newest stranger, but the origin of his name felt demeaning. It seemed his conflicted feelings were obvious. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, Max. I¡¯ll stop calling you ¡®Max¡¯ when you remember your original name.¡± Suddenly, ¡®Max¡¯ didn¡¯t seem too bad. At least it was a common name in this world. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be sure to tell you my real name as soon as I remember,¡± he lied effortlessly. Keeping up the appearance of a stranger was key to an easier time in a world aching to tell a story. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to that day.¡± She had a slightly faraway look on her face. Did she see through his lie? It didn¡¯t really matter since she couldn¡¯t prove it anyway. ¡°You know¡­ My name isn¡¯t really Bessie.¡± For some reason, the revelation shocked Max more than the berry girls. How could she not be a ¡®Bessie.¡¯ Compared to farmer Phil, her name was perfect for her. Max gave a forced smile as he tried to come to terms with what she said. ¡°Oh¡­ Is it short for something? Like Elizabeth?¡± ¡°Nope. I always thought that the name my parents gave me didn¡¯t suit me. So, when I married Bill, I took the opportunity to change my name.¡± How could he forget his name was Bill again? At least it was similar to Phil. Max finally stood up, at peace with the idea of missing the aliens tonight and settling for doing a herd check in the morning. ¡°I tell you what, if I ever remember my real name, you have to tell me your real name.¡± There was a slight twinkle in her eye. It seemed like the idea intrigued her. With a hefty push from her thighs, she ungracefully rose. ¡°Sounds like a deal. I hope that day isn¡¯t too far away.¡± The tone in her voice unsettled Max. She knew. She knew he had been lying to her about his memories being completely gone. It was her smile that made him relax again. She knew, and it didn¡¯t seem to matter. ¡°Night Max.¡± ¡°Night Bessie.¡± Chapter 5: The Stink of Romance Max pulled in farmer Gill¡¯s old cart with one of the old ladies doomed for slaughter loaded in the back, poor Cran. She gave him a gentle moo, as if trying to appear more sympathetic to avoid her doomed fate. The soft brown face was met with a cold gaze. ¡°Max.¡± The butcher approached from his shop to take a closer look at his latest order. ¡°Seems like a tender one.¡± He didn¡¯t make eye contact as he unloaded the approved old lady and handed the reins over to him. The butcher gave him a small pouch and waited patiently for Max to count each coin. He still wasn¡¯t used to the currency of this world, but the butcher didn¡¯t seem to be in a rush. ¡°Have you heard from your son?¡± Max¡¯s question was met with an awkward silence. ¡°How¡¯s our amnesiac?¡± He changed the question. ¡°Insufferable.¡± ¡°Is he still spouting about being from another world, or is he admitting to making it all up?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand half of the things coming out of that boy¡¯s mouth.¡± Max wondered if it was due to his accent or the unfamiliar words and ideas flowing out of him. ¡°And he¡¯s reluctant to work.¡± A story prompt appeared before him again.
Story Name: Guide the Uninitiated
Genre: Isekai
Description: A stranger is claiming to be from another universe and is here to become the MC.
Goal: Help the system out and show him the ropes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Confess you are the same to the stranger!
Max had no intention of committing to this story, but curiosity was getting to him slightly. ¡°Where is he now? Is he in the shop?¡± The butcher snorted. ¡°I can¡¯t get him in the store¡­ I¡¯ve been thinking about telling the mayor.¡± Satisfied with the correct amount, Max stuffed the pouch in his dirty pocket. ¡°I¡¯d give him a few more days. It took me about a week to adjust to Bessie¡¯s way of doing things.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°She¡¯s a strong one, that one.¡± The butcher patted Cran to keep her calm in the unfamiliar atmosphere of the busy village. ¡°I don¡¯t know how Billy tolerates her.¡± Billy? Wasn¡¯t the farmer¡¯s name Gill? ¡°Well, is that you back to the farm?¡± ¡°I need to pick up a few things before going back.¡± Max eyed the village shop down the road. ¡°I¡¯ll see you around. Bye Cran.¡± She gave a small moo before disappearing around the back of the butcher¡¯s shop with the butcher. The light tinkle of the village shop bell alerted all within earshot of the newest potential customer. ¡°Morning Liv,¡± Max greeted the woman behind the counter. Bessie had stressed to him the importance of keeping up friendly relations with the people they did business with. Better friendships, better deals, better partners in crime to swindle unsuspecting customers. ¡°Morning Max, Bessie¡¯s groceries are in the corner.¡± She cleared the countertop for Max to lay down the fresh delivery of milk from the farm. ¡°I threw in an extra bag of flour for her,¡± she gave him a little wink. They both knew she was hoping the next delivery would contain a honey cake. For some reason, Bessie had a special touch when it came to baking. ¡°Bill¡¯s knee still bad?¡± Max gave a small nod. It was the excuse that the farmer had given him in the morning. ¡°There¡¯s another batch. Wait a second.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± When Max returned to the shop with the second half of the delivery, he was perturbed to see Adelaide behind the counter. As he saw the prompt for the story, he considered dropping the milk and walking away. It disgusted him.
Story Name: My Fair Lady
Genre: Romance
Description: The beauty of a village discovers love as she learns there is more to life than her sheltered upbringing suggests.
Goal: Get married to Adelaide
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Ask Adelaide out on a date!
¡°Max!¡± She cried out in joy as she patted the section of the counter causing her curly blond hair to sway with her enthusiastic movements. Her mother must still be moving and organising the previous delivery of milk. There was little doubt that compared to the disease-ridden villagers, who didn¡¯t bathe enough, she was clearly the most beautiful woman around his age. Having never done a day of hard labour, her skin was significantly smoother and paler. Unlike what is suggested by the prompt, Max had little doubt she was somewhat aware of her appearance and basked in her own vanity. His assumption was based purely on the bright, provocative clothes she would wear as her gestures and voice were hyperbolised to make her seem more special. The spoiled, only child of the village shop. ¡°Put the milk here!¡± If Bessie hadn¡¯t had such a strong grasp over his easy life, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to leave. But she did, so here he was. ¡°Adelaide.¡± He greeted coldly as he set down the milk. ¡°Ada,¡± she corrected him for the hundredth time, clearly not getting the hint. ¡°How have you been? It feels like we haven¡¯t talked in ages!¡± Her voice was getting increasingly high pitched, as if she thought that was attractive to a man. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°There haven¡¯t been any aliens on the farm recently, right? Is it true?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± There hadn¡¯t been another abduction since the night before the village meeting when Juniper was taken. Who became the main character for that story? Was it the knowing stranger or one of the unknowing members of this world? It was always difficult to guess, and even more difficult to judge if the story came to a successful conclusion. The bell behind him tinkled. He didn¡¯t think much about it until he heard Aldwin¡¯s voice. ¡°Max!¡± Crap. Chapter 6: The Donkey and the Stale Cupcake How did he get himself into this mess? He could feel himself starting to zone out as a war of words raged in front of him. To his left, Adelaide barked insults, having completely forgotten the basic concepts of customer service. To his right, the cruel words failed to land on the struggling braincell of Aldwin, who was blocking Max¡¯s only escape. Both of them were eagerly waiting for him to align with their side. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that it¡¯s surprising you¡¯re behind the counter since you struggle with counting-¡± ¡°Watch it donkey boy,¡± she snapped, feeling more and more embarrassed at Max¡¯s reluctance to jump to her aid. A clearly puzzled look formed on Aldwin¡¯s face. ¡°Donkey boy? It¡¯s been years since I last looked after donkeys?¡± Max couldn¡¯t help pitying him. He must¡¯ve likened the insult to ''shepherd boy''. How was the shepherd boy¡¯s mutation going? He hadn¡¯t seen him since the meteorite crashed. ¡°There have never been any donkeys around our area, idiot!¡± Now that she had mentioned it, Max had never seen or heard of the neighbouring farms owning a donkey either. ¡°Are you thinking about the miniature horses by the old mill?¡± Max offered as a possible answer to what Aldwin cared for many years ago. The confused look didn¡¯t fade. ¡°Maybe? Does it matter?¡± He did have a point. They were similar and not really a concern to him as long as they didn¡¯t keel over on his watch. ¡°Anyway, I came here to ask if either of you had seen our newest amnesiac?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not at the butchers?¡± Adelaide let out a sigh. She seemed a bit relieved to have a change of subject. Her hurling insults, which didn¡¯t have a possibility of sticking their landing, was nothing but exhausting. ¡°He wasn¡¯t there when I dropped off a cow earlier,¡± Max recalled. Where was this stranger? The same story prompt asking him to help showed up and competed for space with Adelaide¡¯s romance plot. Luckily, both stories were easy to avoid since the starting prompts were extremely clear. ¡°What¡¯s the amnesiac like anyway?¡± ¡°Tiresome.¡± ¡°Vexing.¡± Adelaide and Aldwin stared at each other in disbelief. It was a rare day when they agreed on something. Even Max was slightly impressed with the stranger¡¯s strong impression. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Adelaide cleared her throat before trying to justify her thoughts. ¡°He keeps talking about being something called a ¡®veh-gan.¡¯ For some reason, it means he can¡¯t work at the butchers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he called it ¡®ve-ghan.¡¯¡± Aldwin said in agreement. ¡°Do you mean vegan?¡± The pair nodded in unison. Max learned a few lifetimes ago that various worlds had different levels of understanding of modern concepts, just like how the worlds sometimes had their own ideas and theories for him to learn. ¡°You know it?¡± Aldwin asked, impressed. He seemed to have forgotten Max had no memories. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Max admitted. ¡°It means he can¡¯t eat meat or use animal products. Usually, it¡¯s because vegans don''t want to hurt animals.¡± It took a lot of strength not to laugh at the two confused faces pointed at him. The idea must be so foreign to them. More than half of the villagers struggle with getting enough food to eat every day. Why would anyone willingly restrict the food they can eat when not much was available. ¡°He also can¡¯t eat eggs or drink milk.¡± ¡°What about fish?¡± Adelaide prompted, clearly not believing what she was hearing. ¡°Nope, vegans can¡¯t eat any kind of fish or shellfish.¡± ¡°Bread?¡± ¡°Not if it¡¯s made with milk or honey.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t eat honey?¡± ¡°No, honey is made by bees so it¡¯s an animal product.¡± ¡°What about crickets?¡± ¡­ ¡°You eat crickets?¡± Max asked Aldwin, not quite believing his ears. From his flustered face to Adelaide looking like she was going to puke, he could tell it wasn¡¯t a common phenomenon in this world. Shame, it was a good source of protein. ¡°No¡­ he can¡¯t eat crickets.¡± ¡°So strict,¡± Aldwin muttered in disbelief, whilst his cheeks were still painted red from the crickets. ¡°No wonder he has an issue with working at the butchers¡­ It¡¯s a choice, right? Why doesn¡¯t he just¡­ stop?¡± ¡°I imagine it¡¯s because he¡¯s set in his ways.¡± His stubbornness is going to get him killed. In the various worlds Max had visited, he had to throw away his morals a long time ago. Theft of a charity? No problem. Murder of a friend? Easy on a good day. Unjustified genocide? Left a pit in his stomach, but it was just a story. Another death, another life, another prompt to choose his own tale to star in. There were never any rewards for refraining from doing the immoral. If he failed the prompt of a story, he died. If he adhered to the script, he could live until he died of natural causes. There was never any significant meaning to his actions. ¡°Hopefully he changes quickly.¡± The dark tone went completely over Aldwin¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯d say. I saw the mayor inspecting the old oak tree. If the amnesiac is as smart as he is stubborn, he should run away now before they decide he¡¯s causing too much trouble.¡± Adelaide let out a dramatic sigh of relief. ¡°With the rise of these amnesiacs, I¡¯m glad the king made it lawful for us to get rid of them if necessary¡­ Of course, you¡¯re not troublesome Max. You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± she said, with a bright smile. ??? It was a law in this kingdom? Max had just assumed that the decrepit mayor had gone mad with power. Chapter 7: The Sweaty Smell of a Panicking Vegan Compared to the welcoming tingle of the village shop bell, the metallic clang of the smithy put Max slightly on edge. It had taken him thirty minutes to escape to the last place farmer Will had told him to go. Soon, he could return to the farm. Before he began waking up in the various worlds, Max had always imagined a smithy to be organised with a couple of weapons and pieces of armour on display, and a blacksmith waiting patiently behind a counter. Fantasy was often different to reality. Around the stone building, metal objects littered the floor in piles that reached up to the ceiling. This pile had pots, this one had crude jewellery, and that one had the rejected blades provided to the alien hunting knights. Max was careful as he navigated down an intricate path to the back of the shop, where the blacksmith was hard at work making items for no one in particular. Max had to shout a few times before the blacksmith put down his hammer and shoved the hellish-red piece of metal into a relaxing water bath. ¡°Max?¡± Noah asked as he wiped the well-earned sweat from his brow.
Story Name: Forbidden
Genre: Romance
Description: A forbidden romance in a mediaeval world has blossomed between two men. Can they endure the struggles that the LGBTQ+ community face?
Goal: Get married to Noah
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Ask Noah out on a date!
Max scowled slightly from the prompt. It was so similar to the romance plot with Adelaide, but there was an extra star in the difficulty section. With her, the romance plot would¡¯ve been a breeze. But with him, they would have to be careful to survive. This prompt was a heavy reminder of the social order of this world. At least, he wasn¡¯t going to get mixed up in it as long as he avoided the way to start this story. ¡°Is Bessie expecting an order?¡± He asked with a confused look on his face. His confusion was justified. Since Bessie was usually tight with the farm¡¯s funds, she would often go into the smithy herself to haggle down the price until the work was almost profitless for him. His personality had a nice softness that made Max feel comfortable around him, contrasting strongly with the body that had seen years at hard work. Compared to the others of the village, when he wasn¡¯t toiling away at the back of the shop, Noah was also probably one of the cleanest people since he always washed up after his day of work. If only the others could learn from him. The only thing that was neglected was his messy blond hair, which was often too long and uneven. Max half suspected that he cut it himself while using the polished, metallic bits and bobs around the shop to see his reflection. ¡°The Northern fence has practically rusted away. We¡¯ve got a bit of spare cash from the aliens abducting so many cows that Bessie¡¯s decided to upgrade and expand the farm.¡± ¡°And pushing the fence back will increase the size of the fields.¡± Noah picked up a towel hidden among the metal piles and began wiping up the thick layer of sweat on his face. Max gave a nod as he peered at the oddly shaped metal in the water. It took him a moment to identify it as a dragon sculpture. Strange. It was strange. He hadn¡¯t seen any Asian iconography since coming to this world, yet here was a Chinese dragon sitting in a bath. There was no prompt for a story to offer an explanation for its existence nor any hints at a potential second story involving Noah. Just when he was about to ask him about it, the relieving breeze from the front door caused him to turn and for his stomach to drop. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°YOU!¡± The newest amnesiac stood by the door with a polished finger pointed towards them. Max turned to Noah. ¡°Are you expecting him?¡± He whispered. ¡°I think he¡¯s pointing at you.¡± He was right, but Max didn¡¯t want to admit it. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Noah asked in a voice that lacked Liv¡¯s confidence in enticing customers. ¡°I have been looking all over the village for you.¡± The amnesiac tried to clamber ungracefully over the piles of metal. Slowly making his way to the back of the shop whilst also threatening to cause an avalanche with his carelessness. Noah gave Max a confused look. ¡°I thought the shop¡¯s opening hours were marked clearly outside?¡± Max gave a nod to confirm it was easy to recognise it. It was the same as almost all the other shops in the village. Open at sunrise, closed at sunset. A simple system. ¡°I¡¯m always here when the shop is open-¡± ¡°Not you!¡± He almost fell into a pile of knives. It would have been a quick end to this life. ¡°The other one,¡± he said, after regaining his balance. Max pointed at himself. ¡°Yes, yes, you. You¡¯re the other amnesiac in the village, right? Are you from Philadelphia too? Please tell me you have access to a shower.¡± Max frowned. ¡°How should I know? I have no memories,¡± he lied. ¡°Besides, what¡¯s a Phil-ah-delphia?¡± Max deliberately butchered the name of the city. ¡°Do you know a Phil-ah-delphia?¡± He asked Noah, only to be met with a shrug. ¡°Philadelphia! It¡¯s Philadelphia!¡± The amnesiac frantically corrected as he almost fell over into another pile of abandoned metal. ¡°In Pennsylvania!¡± His face showed frustration from the confused looks. ¡°America! The United States of America!¡± ¡°Ameri-kuh?¡± Noah asked Max. He would have assumed Noah was struggling to keep up with the bizarre words coming out from his potential customer¡¯s mouth, if it weren¡¯t for his slight smile. He must¡¯ve caught on that Max had purposely mispronounced Philadelphia. ¡°I don¡¯t know of an Ameri-kuh.¡± ¡°How does everyone in this village not know America?¡± He cried in frustration as he finally made his way over to the two of them. Max jumped slightly when the amnesiac lunged at him and grabbed his shoulders. There was an unhinged expression on his face. It wasn¡¯t a good sign, he wasn¡¯t adapting well nor paying attention to whatever his system was saying. ¡°I know that you¡¯re just like me! You have to be! How can two people just appear with ¡®memory issues¡¯ in the same small village?¡± He had a valid argument. Max was about to reply when the system began flashing and rotating between two prompts. It took him a second to gather the information from the newest one.
Story Name: Guide the Uninitiated
Genre: Isekai
Description: A stranger is claiming to be from another universe and is here to become the MC.
Goal: Help the system out and show him the ropes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Confess you are the same to the stranger!
Story Name: The Enemy of a Fool
Genre: Isekai
Description: A stranger is claiming to be from another universe and is here to become the MC. After proclaiming to be your enemy, you feel the need to put the fool in his place.
Goal: Help the system out and show him the ropes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Lie and tell the stranger that you are not the same!
Acknowledge it and start a story? Don¡¯t acknowledge it and start a different story? He was damned if he did and damned if he didn¡¯t. Chapter 8: Cursed with No Fate Facing the two prompts from the system, Max took a deep breath as he ignored the ramblings of the amnesiac shaking his shoulders. He could hear Noah¡¯s voice telling the stranger to stop, but it was futile. After another ten seconds of shaking, he had had enough. Max broke away from his grip and stormed to the exit. If he said anything, it would start a story. The only solution he could think of was to walk away from the situation for now. This temporary solution wasn¡¯t the best, but it will do for the time being. It was effortless for him to move through the disturbed piles of metal. Behind him, he could hear the angry cries of the amnesiac trying to chase after him but finding himself thwarted by a stack of lamps. Just as Max was about to open the door, Aldwin appeared. ¡°Hi Max, have you seen the amnesiac?¡± He was in the way, again. Without hesitating, Max pushed by him without an apology or even a glance. Despite his inconsiderate actions, he didn¡¯t fear for their friendship. He was a fool after all. Max was still feeling irritated as he walked along the rusted fence on the edge of the farm. The gentle moos of the cows with the setting sun would normally calm his nerves, but today¡¯s prompts left him on edge. The amnesiac wasn¡¯t going to stop. If he said anything then it might be considered as a reply and kickstart a story. Becoming mute long-term wasn¡¯t an ideal solution either. Not everyone will be tolerant and understanding, and troublesome outsiders can legally be put to death under the command of the ancient mayor. Even though everyone was betting on when the mayor would die, Max was one of the few that had a wager placed on a few months from now. With the mayor and the amnesiac still alive, this threat wasn¡¯t going anywhere. ¡°Huh? How do you have no fate?¡± ??? Max looked out towards the woods, which lay outside of the farm¡¯s fence. He couldn¡¯t see where the male voice came from. For a moment, he felt relieved to see a system prompt before he read the contents.
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: ???
Goal: ???
Difficulty: This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Ignore Cy!
Cy? Who was that? Moreover, what was with the absence of information? Occasionally, he had seen incomplete prompts from the system in his previous life, but this was the first time when four of the descriptors were redacted. The only thing he knew was it was a five stars story. Almost certain death was a good enough reason to actively avoid the starting prompt. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Max called out. It felt counter intuitive to seek an interaction to avoid a story, but he suspected the voice belonged to ¡®Cy.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve never met someone with a complete absence of a fate.¡± The voice called out from the woods again. Without hesitation, Max hopped over the fence and headed in the direction of the voice. ¡°And what does it mean to not have a fate?¡± He could¡¯ve guessed, but he wanted the voice to sound again. ¡°Haven¡¯t a clue.¡± Max finally realised his mistake and looked up into the leaves. It didn¡¯t take long to spot him since he stood out from the rich green foliage. He had an otherworldly appearance, like the amnesiac, but he couldn¡¯t be the same as them. Otherwise, he would know precisely what it meant to have an ¡®absence of fate.¡¯ He was sitting leisurely on a tree branch, with one boot on the branch and the other swinging whimsically below. His clothes didn¡¯t seem too atypical in structure, but they were a deep purple. A colour that was expensive and rare to see, especially in this village. The most unusual part of his clothing was the cape, which was covering most of his face. It had been stitched together with delicate embroidery depicting various constellations. He was definitely not from around these parts. But, based on what Adelaide told him, he could be from the capital. ¡°Is it a good thing or bad thing?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡®I haven¡¯t got a clue¡¯ means I don¡¯t know. This is my first time encountering someone like you. If anything, you should tell me. What¡¯s it like having the freedom to choose your own fate? Many people dream of having that ability when they learn what destiny has in store for them.¡± Max wanted to end the conversation and walk away, but there was a part of him that worried he hadn¡¯t interacted with him enough to avoid triggering the mysterious story to start. In a weak moment, he considered pursuing this story. It was his first time seeing a prompt like that. And even though it was five stars, it would just mean death comes sooner in this lifetime. At least, he had some time to think about it. Until another person became the MC or another story cancelled this one, the prompt should resume. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Max called out. It would be best to check if he really was ¡®Cy.¡¯ ¡°If we meet again, then I¡¯ll tell you next time.¡± The mysterious stranger had part of a smile poking out slightly from under his hood. Max couldn¡¯t help feeling irritated from the dismissive reply. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he said nonchalantly before turning his back on him. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to wait until next time, Cy.¡± He waited for a reaction, hoping that his annoyance or surprise had passed on to its intended recipient. But there was no audible acknowledgement. He paused for half a second before turning back and realising that he was gone. There was no trace of his existence on the tree branch. If he hadn¡¯t been to other worlds, he would have assumed he had either imagined him or was going crazy. With his experience, there was another alternative answer: magic. He had heard from Aldwin that magic did exist in this world, but it was rare and often hidden from most people. None of the villagers showed any capability in it, and Max typically couldn¡¯t use it either until a story which required it had been accepted. Since he didn¡¯t intend to leave the farm nor start anything, there was no need for him to understand the magic system of this world. Between the vegan amnesiac and the mysterious magic user, things were changing quickly. Chapter 9: Max the Murderer It had only been a day since Max was cornered by the amnesiac and the system, but it seemed like word had already gotten around the small village. There was nothing for them to do out here but survive and gossip. He could feel the whispers and eyes glancing at him as he pulled in the cart with the milk delivery and the promised honey cake for Liv. Paying no mind to them, the tingle of the shop bell welcomed him in. ¡°Hi Max! Bill¡¯s knee still bad?¡± ¡°Morning Liv,¡± Max set down the milk with the cake balanced on top. He glanced around the shop and was relieved that Adelaide wasn¡¯t there. Perhaps it was too early in the morning for her? ¡°So he claims.¡± The two gave each other a knowing smile. Liv leaned in on the counter a little before gesturing for Max to come closer. ¡°Are you doing, okay?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°I heard that the amnesiac said something that pissed you off yesterday.¡± So that was the gossip going around. ¡°Noah or Aldwin?¡± She pulled a face. ¡°Aldwin, obviously. As if Noah would get involved with gossip like this.¡± You never know, it was in his shop after all. ¡°Noah has been avoiding everyone¡¯s questions about it, but Aldwin said he had never seen you so mad before.¡± Although he wasn¡¯t exactly angry that day, he admired Aldwin¡¯s ability to see his frustration. An improved skill compared to when they first met. ¡°What did he say to piss you off?¡± ¡°He kept asking where I was from,¡± Max muttered absentmindedly as he took the balanced cake and placed it neatly in front of her. Slightly hoping the gesture was enough to divert their conversation. He jumped slightly when Liv¡¯s hand was suddenly placed on his. ¡°That must¡¯ve been quite upsetting since you can¡¯t remember much.¡± Max fought hard to keep a straight face when he spotted a prompt for a story.
Story Name: Once in a Lifetime
Genre: Romance
Description: A whirlwind affair between a village shopkeeper and amnesiac causes turmoil in a sleepy village.
Goal: Find peace with Liv. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Ask Liv out on a date!
Just as Max was about to respond, he heard a voice cry out behind him. ¡°You! I¡¯ve been looking all over for you! Do you know how many farms I visited looking for you?¡± Max retracted his hand and hardened his gaze, but he refused to turn around. In the corner of his eye, the two prompts fought for dominance.
Story Name: Guide the Uninitiated
Genre: Isekai
Description: A stranger is claiming to be from another universe and is here to become the MC.
Goal: Help the system out and show him the ropes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Confess you are the same to the stranger!
Story Name: The Enemy of a Fool
Genre: Isekai
Description: A stranger is claiming to be from another universe and is here to become the MC. After proclaiming to be your enemy, you feel the need to put the fool in his place.
Goal: Help the system out and show him the ropes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Lie and tell the stranger that you are not the same!
Liv seemed to have caught on to his discomfort. ¡°Shop¡¯s closed!¡± She barked at him. For a moment, Max could see where Adelaide got her attitude from. ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Max whispered, before turning to leave with his gaze down. He was about to walk past the stranger when his shoulders were suddenly grabbed again. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? We need to have a proper-¡± Max shrugged off his grip before barging past to the door. His quick stride stopped momentarily from seeing the stares of all the villagers facing him. They must¡¯ve seen both him and the amnesiac enter the village shop. Suddenly, he knew what it felt like to be the decrepit mayor. There was little doubt in his mind that there were already a few bets on how this conflict between them was going to be resolved. Max was a little disappointed that he couldn¡¯t place his own bet, but then again, he would probably throw it for the extra cash. ¡°I said wait!¡± This fool wasn¡¯t going to stop, and these prompts weren¡¯t going anywhere. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me where you¡¯re from, just tell me how to get back.¡± There was no way back for them. Their world was long gone. ¡°What¡¯re these boxes I keep seeing?¡± Max finally stopped. It didn¡¯t take long for the amnesiac to get in his face with a frantic expression. He grabbed him once more and shook him slightly with the meagre strength of his current body. ¡°You see them too, right? Prompts for various stories? Am I supposed to start one of them? It told me you were-¡± Enough was enough. Max didn¡¯t hesitate to shove the vegan amnesiac as hard as he could. The force was enough to send him flying to the ground, causing his skull to crack open on the cobbled streets like a chicken egg. He watched the corpse carefully to make sure there weren¡¯t any signs of life before facing the crowd of witnesses to his murder. Chapter 10: The Curse of an Unpredictable Road It had been a while since Max was surrounded by accusing eyes. He could assume the mixture of emotions that laid behind them: confusion, anger, fear¡­ It didn¡¯t disturb him too much. He had been planning on getting rid of the irritating amnesiac ever since the system tried to back him into a corner. It was the easiest way out as far as he could tell, but he didn¡¯t anticipate getting worked up enough to carry out his plan in front of the whole village. It should have been done discreetly, during the night, when people were in their homes wondering if aliens would visit them. Oh well. It didn¡¯t matter. If he were jailed, then it would just be harder for him to avoid prompts. There would probably be numerous stories offering him a way to escape prison with a sympathetic guard or a secretly rich cellmate. And if they were to execute him for his crime¡­ then he would just wake up again in another world. ¡°You¡­ killed him?¡± Max looked towards the direction of the voice to the captain of the knights. He seemed to be in disbelief that such a cruel act of violence could occur in the sleepy village where there were aliens, a monstrous shepherd¡¯s boy, the missing son of a Duke, and regular strangers who all had amnesia. A normal murder suddenly seemed so unnatural in a fantastical world. Max was struggling to reply. He wasn¡¯t too sure whether to confess or play dumb. There was no prompt for him to avoid. The freedom of deciding the consequences of his own actions was making him freeze. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Reymond. Max just tripped,¡± Aldwin said with confidence. ¡°He¡¯s such a klutz.¡± Did he see what happened? ¡°And the path is really uneven,¡± Noah added. ¡°The mayor ought to do something about it.¡± It was clearly murder? Adelaide pushed her way through the crowd, clearly feeling entitled as the main character in her own world. Perhaps she thought she was heroic for rushing to his defence, but she looked a little silly in her nightgown. ¡°That¡¯s right. The road needs to be repaired before this happens again.¡± This wasn¡¯t going to happen again. Aldwin was clearly moved. ¡°Who knows when Shinu Road is going to claim another victim?¡± ¡­ What? ¡°So many people have been killed by this road,¡± Liv said with dramatic sobs. ¡°When was the last time it claimed a victim? 30 years ago?¡± There was history with this road? ¡°40.¡± The butcher corrected Liv. There was another victim here 40 years ago? Max made eye contact with the mayor and instantly knew it was a lie. He watched the decrepit old man stare at him. It felt intimidating even though Max wasn¡¯t too sure if his eyes were functioning well enough for him to see properly. Finally, he let out a sigh before waving away his son, who disappeared into the crowd. Possibly to forge a 40-year-old death certificate. ¡°Who would have thought Shinu Road would claim another victim today?¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Even the mayor was going with this lie? Reymond looked doubtful, ¡°Someone else actually died on this road?¡± No. ¡°How dare you!¡± Barked the mayor in disbelief. Whilst he was barely able to hobble through the crowd earlier on his cane, he suddenly seemed to have a sudden burst of strength to wallop the knight in the chest with his cane. The spectators held their breath before they realised the sudden act wasn¡¯t foretelling the old man¡¯s death. ¡°How dare you be so disrespectful to¡­¡± Wasn¡¯t this going too far? ¡°Mathew,¡± a voice shouted. Max couldn¡¯t see who it had come from. Mathew? ¡°Yes, dear poor Mathew. He died too young here on Shinu Road 40 years ago,¡± the mayor said with a slight sob in his throat. He was surprisingly good at acting. Now suddenly frail again, he hobbled forward with his cane before giving Max a large slap on the back. The force almost caused him to fall over. Max could have met the same fate as the amnesiac. ¡°See, it¡¯s not your fault that you tripped, Max. This road is just bad luck.¡± All the villagers seemed to unanimously agree as they nodded their heads while whispering newly developed rumours about the alleged road. ¡°I¡¯ve been told this has been a curse going on for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°It started when a witch was buried under the cobblestone while she was still alive.¡± ¡®We really should close down this road on the 40th anniversary of the death of the last victim.¡± Max felt overwhelmed with the sudden support. They were willing to string up troublemakers but were very protective of those they saw as their own. It was hard not to be moved by them. ¡°Now that Shinu Road has claimed its victim, we won¡¯t be seeing anymore incidents like this. Right, Max?¡± The mayor said while side-eyeing him. ¡°No, sir.¡± The mayor let out a wet snort causing heads to turn in case it was a death rattle. ¡°Good, that settles it.¡± Max patted Straw on the nose. The old cow had pulled the farm¡¯s cart into the village in the morning. Now, she was destined to pull them back. The events from earlier were still rattling around in his mind. He didn¡¯t think he could get away with blatant murder in front of the whole village nor did he expect to suddenly start a new urban legend about one of their roads. The most alarming thing was there were no prompts presented by the system after the death of the vegan amnesiac. Out of everything, that was the thing he couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the most. There were so many opportunities to take it further. A story about getting arrested. A story about starting various rumours in the village. A story about a community coming together or drifting apart. A story about a murderer. There were so many chances and yet none appeared. Perhaps because this was an event with himself being the origin? ¡°How did you get away with that?¡± Max recognized the voice before checking with the only prompt he had seen in hours.
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: ???
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Ignore Cy!
Max turned around to see Cy sitting on the farm¡¯s cart. ¡°It was just unfortunate that he grabbed me on Shinu Road.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the stranger said, while nodding his head. The action caused Max to see a little more of his face. He had thin lips. ¡°You know what was really odd? What he was saying before he died. About you two being the same.¡± ¡°Not many amnesiacs in these parts,¡± Max said slyly. ¡°You would be surprised,¡± Cy let out a sigh causing him to frown. ¡°But he was right about you two being the same. Neither of you had a fate. Predisposed to die and destined to be forgotten; if I were you, I would try to find a fate before you meet the same permanent path. I would hate to see you be completely blotted out, Ren.¡± Chapter 11: Unmasked and Unsound ¡­ ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Ren.¡± The stranger, who was settled on his cart, seemed to have lost a bit of confidence from looking at Max¡¯s puzzled face. ¡°Your name is Ren?¡± ¡°Max.¡± ¡°Max? That can¡¯t be right.¡± He leaned over slightly causing more of his face to peak out of his hood showing soft cheeks. Wherever he was from, he didn¡¯t seem to be avoiding starvation like most of the people in this village. ¡°Why are you called Max?¡± The lack of change to the newest story prompt was starting to unnerve Max. All he knew was if he were to ignore ¡®Cy¡¯ then an unknown 5-star tale would commence. But considering the prompt hadn¡¯t been cancelled yet, it would seem he was locked in conversing with the strange man until a main character was chosen or ¡®Cy¡¯ decided to walk away. ¡°Because I was named Max?¡± ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°Bessie. She named me after her dead dog.¡± The stranger frowned in confusion. Max pointed out towards the farm where they had met the day prior. ¡°One of the owners of Baeg Farm? The farm where we met yesterday?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± His tone seemed to be trying to hurry the conversation along rather than show real understanding. ¡°But that¡¯s not right, you should be called-¡± He was interrupted by the hood of his cloak suddenly being pulled down. There was no doubt there was something unnatural about this man. His features showed that he must hail from somewhere else. His almond eyes were dark, and his cheekbones were high. Compared to the mats of hair everyone else had, he seemed to be well looked after with unnaturally clean, blond hair with slightly lilac tips. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Aldwin had a smug grin on his face as he bounced away from the cart over to where Max was standing. He had to give him credit, he could be sneaky when he really tried. ¡°So that¡¯s the freak you were telling me about earlier? Seems like a bit of a twit. I¡¯m surprised he¡¯s been giving you a hard time.¡± The stranger seemed offended by the slur of insults from Aldwin¡¯s mouth. He kept looking at Max in disbelief, as if he was waiting for him to intervene and say it wasn¡¯t true. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s the freak.¡± His shoulders dropped from the betrayal. ¡°Think he¡¯s a magic user?¡± Aldwin looked him up and down. ¡°Seems likely-¡± ¡°Yes, I can use magic.¡± He pulled his hood back up, covering himself from behind but still showing his face to the two in front of him. ¡°Well, there you have it.¡± Aldwin seemed pleased with his interrogating skills. ¡°Well done, Max, finding yourself a magic user. They say their bones are lucky.¡± ¡°Bones?¡± Max tried to not jump to conclusions about what Aldwin was suggesting they should do. ¡°Not as lucky as a rabbit foot,¡± the stranger added as he continued to straighten out his hood. He wasn¡¯t denying that his bones were lucky. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name, magic boy?¡± Aldwin asked. Max was slightly on edge. It was time to know if they really were talking to ¡®Cy,¡¯ Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He seemed slightly puzzled from looking at Max¡¯s intrigued face. ¡°What¡¯s that look? You already know my name.¡± ¡°Cy.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± He finally jumped off the cart and gave the patient cow, Straw, a pat on her nose for her efforts. She didn¡¯t seem to approve of him as she began to relieve herself, making him jump back to avoid being hit by it. Used to the temperament of heifers, Max and Aldwin couldn¡¯t help snickering at his panic. ¡°Disgusting beast.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Max couldn¡¯t help snapping back in defence of a member of the Bessie¡¯s berry girls since there was no prompt deterring him. His response took himself back a little. From the moment he first awoke in a field on Baeg Farm, he had made an oath to himself to not get too attached to the people in this world. He vowed not to make the same mistake again. Yet, looking back on the last few days, part of him suspected he would¡¯ve tried to save poor Juniper if it didn¡¯t start a story. ¡°Straw¡¯s a lovely old girl.¡± He petted her head a little and met with his hand being affectionately licked. His lack of disgust was a sign that he was changing more than he expected. ¡°You named a cow after her food?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t name the cows,¡± Aldwin chided him. Max only openly acknowledged his voice. ¡°It only makes it harder when it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡± Max gave him a shrug. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± ¡°They lived a good life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cy said with a smile as he brought himself closer to the pair, interjecting himself into the conversation even though the two didn¡¯t seem to appreciate his company. ¡°It would be their destiny to end up in a slaughterhouse-¡± ¡°Butchers.¡± ¡°Butchers then.¡± He looked over Straw. ¡°Although¡­ this one is destined to go by disease.¡± Cy displayed a proud smile before paying attention to the farm boys opposite him. ¡°What?¡±
Story Name: Pestilence
Genre: Horror
Description: A virus has begun to spread amongst some livestock. It is only a matter of time before it starts to infect humans¡­
Goal: Survive the epidemic
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Allow the disease to spread amongst the cattle!
¡°Do you know what kind of disease?¡± Max asked as he began examining Straw, looking for any evidence that she was already ill. There had been a lot of dead badgers on the farm recently, but he had presumed it was tied to a story about becoming a famed hunter, which appeared whenever he encountered an animal corpse. Max didn¡¯t even consider that they were bringing death to the herd. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not familiar with cow related illnesses.¡± Cy¡¯s voice started to pick up the stress around him. ¡°Why? Why are we panicking?¡± Aldwin explained in an ominous voice, ¡°Disease means the possible death of a farm.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Max said in a tense voice after completing his visual check that farmer Bilbo taught him. As far as he could tell, there were no signs. Perhaps it might take a while for symptoms to appear? Either way they were going to have to isolate Straw from the others, poor girl. But how was he going to explain it to Bessie and Bilbo? A magic man told him their cow was sick? Maybe it¡¯ll be easier for Straw to have an ¡®accident¡¯ while on the way home? ¡°Well, you have a few days before she becomes contagious. Maybe you can do something to save those whose fate was still flexible.¡± A few days? That made things easier. Max pointed to Cy, ¡°Get on the cart.¡± Straw might have a few days before she gets infectious, but there might be others already infected. Cy didn¡¯t need telling twice, he seemed a little too eager to come along. He let out a sigh, ¡°Catch you later Aldwin.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. See you around, Max.¡± Chapter 12: A Plagued Farm ¡°Who¡¯s the freak?¡± Farmer Bull hollered at Max as he saw that the cart with Straw was about to pull into the rotting, wooden barn. With a lot of effort, Max was able to stop Straw before she completed her daily walk. ¡°You can¡¯t bring back amnesiacs just cause you¡¯re one. Bessie¡¯s going to kill you-¡± ¡°He¡¯s a vet from the capital.¡± Max didn¡¯t hesitate to lie. He was mentally prepared to talk over Cy when, to his surprise, he played along. Cy pulled down his cloak hood and straightened his clothes, which had become slightly dishevelled from the ride. ¡°There¡¯s been a massive outbreak of¡­ Nihtomes in the farms near the capitol.¡± Nihtomes¡­ Somethin¡¯? ¡°They sent me out to survey some of the Western farms and to handle the situation if there is any reason to believe the epidemic is spreading.¡± During their journey back to the farm, the prompt had changed back to Cy¡¯s default story. Now, the horror story prompt returned as a heavy reminder about why they were there. ¡°Nihtomes?¡± Farmer Bull rubbed the back of his head, as if trying to shake his memory of the imaginary disease to the surface. The motion failed. ¡°I ain¡¯t heard of Nihtomes. Is it bad?¡± ¡°Fatal,¡± Max confirmed and watched Bull¡¯s face drop. ¡°And apparently Straw has it,¡± he nodded at the grazing cow in front, who gave a moo as if to confirm the story. ¡°I brought him back in case others also have it¡­ Maybe you should go get Bessie.¡± Bull nodded, clearly overwhelmed with the situation. ¡°Bessie!¡± He yelled even though there was no way she could hear him from the farmhouse. The hollers continued as he began his slow walk over there. Max couldn¡¯t help watching him for a while, noting his limp from this morning had magically disappeared. ¡°Nihtomes?¡± ¡°Clever, isn¡¯t it? You see it¡¯s ¡®somethin¡¯-¡± ¡°Come on, Straw,¡± Max refocused the cow into completing her walk to the barn, ignoring Cy who was still blithering about his own intelligence. ¡°What are some of the symptoms of the disease?¡± He asked, interrupting him. ¡°They just stop eating and die¡­¡± He thought for a moment. ¡°I really don¡¯t know enough about cows to identify symptoms.¡± ¡°Well, you should have an answer by the time Bessie arrives. She¡¯s going to grill you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he a handsome young man?¡± Bessie pinched Cy¡¯s cheek hard causing him to wince in pain from her strength. ¡°Bill!¡± She suddenly shouted, causing the two youths to jump out of their skin. Max began kicking himself for misremembering the farmer¡¯s name again. Why was it so hard to remember? Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°What is it, woman?¡± Farmer Bill yelled back from the entrance of the barn. There really was no reason for them to raise their voices since they were mere metres from each other. Both of them talked in a normal voice when they were conversing with Max, but addressing each other? Suddenly deaf as they come. ¡°Grab the honey cake by the window.¡± Bill pulled a face and started grumbling to himself. All the residents of the barn were fully aware he was going to do exactly as she asked, but it still didn¡¯t stop Bessie from barking at him. ¡°Our guest is going to starve before you get back in time.¡± ¡°He probably eats better than all of us!¡± ¡°Quit your yapping and get moving.¡± ¡°I¡¯m movin¡¯, woman!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not necessary,¡± Cy said bashfully. The exchange felt similar to going to a friend¡¯s house and watching their parents argue during your visit. Did he inadvertently start a fight which could lead to a divorce? Max caught on to the discomfort in his voice. ¡°This is normal for them,¡± he whispered. ¡°The only time I¡¯ve ever seen them talking normally to each other was when the cows were being abducted.¡± ¡°¡­Your cows were abducted?¡± ¡°You said old Straw is infected?¡± Bessie turned the conversation back to the important matter. Max could sense that she was smelling money already. The king passed a policy to reimburse their missing cows from the aliens. If he sent a vet to inspect the farm, then surely, they might receive some form of compensation for their afflicted girls. ¡°That¡¯s right, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Bessie,¡± she said flatly, with irritation apparent on her face and tone. Just as quickly as it had appeared, her sudden animosity disappeared with a wide smile causing Cy to shiver. ¡°We¡¯ll have no choice but to isolate her. Max?¡± He straightened his spine from being called by the overseer of the farm. ¡°Take old Straw to Bo Field.¡± ¡°Bo Field? The fencing has holes. Straw is pretty active compared to the other girls so-¡± ¡°Why is my farm filled with yappers?¡± Bessie sighed dramatically to Cy, who gave her a supportive nod. ¡°If there are holes then get to fixing!¡± ¡°Yes, Bessie.¡± After hours of back breaking work on Bo Field with Straw keeping him company, Max was feeling exhausted and irritable from being in the sun for so long. His agitation only increased as he stumbled upon Cy and Bessie having a picnic on his way back to the farmhouse. The two besties were leaning in, gossiping together, as they watched farmer Mill examine some of the cows in the field before them. It seemed cruel to watch the old man do some actual farm work when it was doubtless that Cy already knew which of the girls were going to be afflicted. ¡°Max! Come and have some cake,¡± Bessie called him forward. His irritation temporarily subsided before intensifying. They had left him the smallest sliver of the honey cake, which was too thin to not flop over to the side. A far cry from the wide cake he saw cooling on the windowsill this morning. ¡°Are any of the other cows sick?¡± He tried to contain the rage within him. ¡°Three,¡± Cy chimed in. He leaned back, enjoying the sunset before him. His relaxed demeanour suddenly stiffened from Max¡¯s glare. ¡°Max, be a good lad and take Lingon, Cloud, and Bear to Bo Field,¡± Bessie ordered with a sweet voice. Another three of the berry girls were down. ¡°Oh, and have some cake on the way,¡± she held up the pathetic slice on a plate for him to take. He didn¡¯t say a word as he accepted the slice before starting the long job of finding the victims, separating the doomed girls from the others, and walking them all the way to Bo Field. At the same time, he quietly plotted on how to get rid of Cy like he did with the departed vegan. Chapter 13: Their Eyes Are Out on Stalks Cy¡¯s presence was slowly grating away at Max¡¯s patience for over a week. Wake up? Cy was having breakfast at the kitchen table. Go to milk the cows? Cy happened to be taking a walk in the same field. Travel to the village? Cy was already talking to Liv or Adelaide whilst waiting for him at the village shop. Help Aldwin to get some extra cash? Cy was getting cosy with the farm owners as they watched them work the fields. Venture into the woods for some alone time? Cy was watching him in the trees again. On the toilet? Cy was knocking to ask where Bessie was. There wasn¡¯t a moment of peace, and unfortunately his options to do something about it were limited. Cy was genuinely helping with keeping the plague story prompt away by identifying the future victims, so all the dairy farmers appreciated his presence. The villagers seem to like his eccentricity and have been asking for news about the capital. More importantly, the knights who were sent to hunt the abducting aliens have turned their attention to keeping the peace whilst they waited to be summoned back home. Considering the amount of them he encountered during his daily commute, Max theorised that the decrepit mayor must¡¯ve organised for their paths to frequently cross. There were always eyes watching him the moment he walked into the village, even though there was a much stranger foreigner wandering around. His murder had fractured their trust in him. Max rubbed his eyes as he came down to the kitchen and was sadly unsurprised to see Cy at the kitchen table. ¡°Morning,¡± Cy offered Max a cup of barley tea, which was rejected for a cup of water. ¡°So, what farms am I scheduled to visit today, Bossman?¡± It was so hard not to hit him. Farmer Pill might cheer him on since he loved a good fight, but Bessie had no tolerance for violence thay she didn''t instigate. If he were to lose his patience, they would both be out on the streets. ¡°I heard that Bernadette was asking if Nihtomes is transmittable to goats.¡± ¡­ ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cy laughed as if the idea was ridiculous. ¡°But it would be a good excuse to go over there. Her cheese is supposed to be amazing.¡± Max wasn¡¯t even sure who Bernadette was, but a prompt appeared giving him motivation to avoid her cheese.
Story Name: Farmer Y/N
Genre: Slice of Life
Description: With no heirs, retiring Bernadette is searching for someone to inherit her farm.
Goal: Make the farm profitable. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Go to Bernadette¡¯s farm!
Two stars for a slice of life was relatively rare. Farming really was a dangerous industry to work in. Whilst there were sweet cows like Juniper, there were also nasty fuckers ready to attack, like Lingon. Max began to wonder how Juniper was doing after being abducted. Was she even still alive? ¡°Well, you want to go?¡± ¡°You go ahead.¡± Max cut himself a slice of the remaining stale loaf. Food was tight unless it was about to go off. ¡°I suspect I¡¯ll need to go into the village-¡± ¡°Another delivery?¡± Cy¡¯s eyes rolled before they flicked over to the stairs that led to the married couple who were snoring in their beds. He lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to suspect Bill¡¯s knee isn¡¯t even injured. He always grumbles in the morning, but then he¡¯s walking fine around the farm. Do you think he¡¯s just trying to make you do his work?¡± Bill¡­ Farmer Bill¡­ Why can Cy remember his name properly, but he can¡¯t? Perhaps it was connected to a story? None of the prompts so far suggested a link between a plotline and farmer Mill¡¯s name. ¡°You¡¯re doubting his injury?¡± Max asked in a hyperbolized voice. There was no doubt the injury was a trick for sympathy, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t make Cy feel bad about it though. ¡°No, no! I just.. It just seemed odd. That¡¯s all I was trying to say. Besides, what would two young guys like us know about knee pain?¡± ¡­ This fucker always knew the wrong thing to say. Max slammed his empty cup into the sink. He enjoyed making Cy flinch before the pair jumped out of their skins. ¡°The fuck do you think you¡¯re doing, Max? Is that your cup, eh?¡± Bessie bellowed from the bottom of the stairs. It seemed impossible with a woman of her figure to sneak down the creaky stairs that cried under the weight of farmer Mill. But Bessie was Bessie, and the smallest squeak meant immediate disassembly and reinstallation of better stairs. ¡°Anything else in the kitchen you want to slam around?¡± Max silently shook his head. ¡°Well then, you better get to work. Out you go.¡± Max grumbled to himself in the fields, in the barn, and even on the way to the village. He was muttering so hard to himself under his breath that he had just assumed he would be taking the milk deliveries to Liv without checking. Unknown to him, farmer Milly would spend the next four hours searching the farm for his cart before calling it a day because of his bad knee. The curses under his breath only stopped when the warm tinkle of the village shop reminded him to get his customer service smile. This only came crashing down when he saw who was behind the register this morning. ¡°Max! Come in! It¡¯s a bit cold this morning.¡± It was the warmest day of the year so far. Max didn¡¯t say anything as he listened to Adelaide¡¯s ramblings. It had been a couple of days since he last saw her, so she was filled to the brim with the latest village gossip in an attempt to capture his interest. After he had finished putting down the milk and politely listened for a few minutes, two strange things slowly started to dawn on him. The first was her hair accessory. He had never really paid attention to what she was wearing since they were always the most extravagant clothes from the capital that her parents could afford. A sore thumb in a village so small. But this time there was a small, metallic, Chinese dragon pinned into her hair. It wasn¡¯t too difficult to imagine Noah making the pin since he made that sculpture. But it was difficult to picture Adelaide going into the blacksmiths, shifting through the piles of stacked metal pieces, and picking a pin of a mythical creature she had never seen before. The second strange thing was the system. Where was the prompt for Adelaide¡¯s story? They had been in close proximity for long enough to trigger the prompt, but it was completely absent this morning. ¡°Adelaide,¡± Max interrupted her mid-story. ¡°Ada, please.¡± ¡°Are you seeing anyone?¡± Chapter 14: I Need a Favour with no Questions Asked The words slipped out before Max could think about them. Seeing the blush rise to Adelaide¡¯s cheeks made him realise the gravity of what he had just said. For weeks, there had been a prompt indicating she was interested in him, and now, he was finally giving an indication that he was interested as well. The only good news was the lack of prompt in his vision. If it had been there, then a new story would have started. The lack of a HUD and sub-goals only confirmed that her story must¡¯ve been cancelled or taken on by another person. ¡°I mean¡­ You just seem happier today.¡± Max stumbled with his words. He knew it was a weak excuse, but it was all he could think of at the moment. ¡°I guess I am happier today.¡± She gave a slightly awkward laugh. It only made the mood heavier between them. Adelaide tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°It¡¯s always nice to see you.¡± Panic and guilt were starting to flood his body. Just as the memories and feelings of a past life threatened to reappear, the tingle of the village shop bell brought a wave of relief. ¡°Max! You left without me,¡± Cy complained as he lowered his hood, no longer worried about others seeing his appearance. Jesus fucking Christ, thank the lord for the silver-tongued magic man. Perhaps Aldwin was right about his bones being lucky. Max never thought he would be grateful to have a teleporting stalker. ¡°Bessie told us last night about how we¡¯re supposed to bring the butter she made for Liv.¡± Cy reached into his cloak and pulled out a stick of butter from a pocket that was far too small to contain it. The butter was wrapped carefully in decorated parchment paper covered in drawn hearts. ¡°Ada.¡± ¡°Cy,¡± Adelaide said with a smile, but a lot of her energy was suddenly pulled in. She didn¡¯t seem at all perturbed or interested in the sudden display of magic. The village seemed to accept that their newest ¡®vet¡¯ had a few tricks up his sleeves. ¡°Should I bring that to our kitchen?¡± He gave a genuine smile, which seemed to bring the energy back into the room. ¡°Please. Max and I will watch the shop while you¡¯re gone.¡± She seemed to appreciate the offer as she took the butter before disappearing behind the doorway which separated the family¡¯s private life from their public front. ¡°You need to stop leaving without me. We¡¯re in this together until we find your fate-¡± ¡°I need a favour with no questions asked.¡± ¡°¡­No?¡± Max couldn¡¯t help sending a cold glare towards him, but Cy seemed immune to it. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he grumbled, dreading Adelaide''s return. ¡°It clearly does matter.¡± It took Cy a second for him to realise Max had refocused his glare towards the doorway. ¡°Ah, is it Ada? Want me to be your wingman while you rizz her up?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. This fucker. ¡°No, I want you to keep talking to her so I can leave without a fuss.¡± ¡°Take it from me, Max.¡± Cy patted him on the back causing Max to sidestep away from him. ¡°That¡¯s not a good tactic for seducing women. Instead, you should-¡± Max turned and began walking towards the door. ¡°Just keep her busy for me.¡± Cy promised Adelaide that they would watch the shop. He probably wouldn¡¯t leave until she was back, so Max had a few precious seconds when he could be free from both of them. Cy kept calling out to him, but his voice was ignored, like how most of the village ignored the tingle of the village shop bell. Keeping his head down, he was determined to make it back to the cart before either of the pestering people could catch up with him. After walking past a patrol of knights, who were drinking on the job, he finally saw his saviour in this situation. ¡°Aldwin!¡± he called out. Struck dumb, Aldwin''s lone brain cell seemed to have short circuited. Max had called out to him. Max. He was never the one to start a conversation between them. Fearful of whatever could have caused him to suddenly become more friendly, Aldwin began to walk away before being cornered by his murdering friend. ¡°Where the fuck are you going? Didn¡¯t you hear me call you?¡± ¡°I did, but¡­¡± ¡°Listen, I need a favour with no questions asked.¡± It finally dawned on Aldwin why Max called out to him. His peaceful, dopey face returned. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I need you to go into the village shop and keep Cy and Adelaide busy.¡± ¡®Okey-dokey.¡± Max watched Aldwin storm towards the village shop with determination clearly written on his face and his stride. Some of the passing villagers stopped and stared at the way he was strutting, wondering what on earth was suddenly motivating him. Just before he opened the door and sounded the tingle, he saw Aldwin reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pouch. Not thinking much about it, Max turned and tried to think about what he should do with his precious time now that he had a little bit of privacy. ¡°There you are, freak! I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you,¡± Aldwin pranced into the village shop. His sudden entrance was met with an offended Cy and a disturbed Adelaide, who had only just returned to the shop front. ¡°Get out of here, donkey boy. You¡¯re not welcome,¡± Adelaide chided back without missing a beat. Aldwin ignored her and came too close so that it invaded Cy¡¯s personal space. ¡°Could you stop calling me ¡®freak¡¯? It¡¯s very demeaning and-¡± ¡°I need help from a freak that knows magic. You do know magic, don¡¯t you?¡± Cy struggled to keep a thin smile on his face. Suddenly, Adelaide seemed a little more curious about the newest person to join their small community. ¡°Just a few party tricks, it makes it easier to keep the animals calm during an examination.¡± The excuse seemed to make perfect sense to Adelaide based on her facial expression. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of these.¡± Aldwin unleashed a wide grin as he emptied the pouch into his hand. A few sticks of something white and polished laid in his grubby palm. Cy¡¯s face went pale. ¡°What the fuck are those?¡± Adelaide muttered as she tried to take a closer look. ¡°They look¡­ pretty¡­ Are they chunks of marble?¡± ¡°They¡¯re magic bones. I heard they were lucky.¡± Chapter 15: Tap, tap, tap. Let Me in Please. Max took refuge in one of the safest places in the village for him.
Story Name: Forbidden
Genre: Romance
Description: A forbidden romance in a mediaeval world has blossomed between two men. Can they endure the struggles that the LGBTQ+ community face?
Goal: Get married to Noah
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Ask Noah out on a date!
At least, that hadn¡¯t changed. So, where has Adelaide¡¯s prompt gone? Did she really find someone to take on the role of her story¡¯s MC? Not much had changed in the village apart from the newest arrival. Perhaps¡­Cy? ¡°Oh hey, I haven¡¯t seen you since Shinu Road claimed its newest victim,¡± Noah said with a wink, which was met with a smile. They were all really sticking to the lie. Max had walked in on him polishing some metal pots. He must be preparing for a sale soon. ¡°Here to talk about Bessy¡¯s order?¡± Poor Noah. Had he been waiting all this time for an update? Hour after hour, working at the back of the shop, waiting for someone from the farm to make their way to where he was. Max was dexterous enough to weave his way through the piles of metal. Bessie would either bulldoze her way through or bark at Noah to come to her, it really depended on her mood that day. Farmer Vill? No shot. He didn¡¯t stand a chance through the metallic labyrinth with or without his knee pain. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been too busy to tell you, but we¡¯ve had to put those plans on hold. A vet from the capital showed up at the farm. Apparently, a disease is starting to spread through our girls.¡± ¡°Sounds bad.¡± There was genuine sympathy in his voice that made it seem like he wasn¡¯t disappointed at all from the lack of business. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Three, so far. There is a possible fourth. He can¡¯t decide with one of them since ¡®her fate is still flexible enough to change.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­ Pretty strange diagnosis for a vet.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he really is a vet.¡± If Max had told anyone else in the village, then it would¡¯ve spread like wildfire. He could see farmers and villagers alike rocking up to Bessie¡¯s farm with an ¡®extra loaf of bread¡¯ or ¡®news of a new fox den¡¯ or ¡®erotic images that happened to be found in the woods.¡¯ Whatever it took to get their foot in the door to see if the rumour was true. But he told Noah. His secret was safe since he had an even bigger one that only the system and Max knew about. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°That would explain him offering to read people¡¯s future in exchange for cash or gossip.¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing what?¡± Noah was taken aback. ¡°You didn¡¯t know? He has a stand that he sometimes props up for half an hour or so.¡± Max couldn¡¯t believe his ears. How was this guy everywhere? ¡°I thought it was a bit weird. I mean, why would a vet need to give phoney readings to pad his pockets?¡± ¡°You think they¡¯re phoney?¡± Max hadn¡¯t really considered if Cy wasn¡¯t genuinely well-versed in magic. He left too strong of an impression when they first met. ¡°¡­ Is his business doing well?¡± ¡°Extremely. There¡¯s always a long line whenever he¡¯s open. I tried going a few times, but he always closed right before my reading.¡± He always stopped before Noah¡¯s reading? Did he know something about Noah? Could it possibly be linked to that dragon statue he saw a couple of weeks ago? Also, where was he? Did Aldwin actually uphold the favour Max had asked him? ¡°I thought you said he was a phoney? Why go if you thought he wasn¡¯t good?¡± ¡°Eh,¡± Noah shrugged before throwing his polished pot towards a pile of other pots, creating nothing but scratches. ¡°It¡¯s something to do.¡± You would have thought that, within a village so often plagues by supernatural phenomena, finding something to do wouldn¡¯t be difficult. ¡°So why are you here? Not that I don¡¯t mind the company¡­¡± While they had been talking, Max had been looking out into the piles of metal, looking for any traces of the oriental dragon. There was nothing. And he didn¡¯t see any other metalwork with a similar design. ¡°I was talking to Adelaide earlier.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Noah showed slight disdain in his voice. Adelaide was no one¡¯s favourite. ¡°She had a pretty hairpin that had some kind of monster on it. I was wondering if you made it? Bessie might like something like it.¡± ¡°Bessie? Bessie wants a hairpin?¡± Bessie wanted money. Bessie wanted the world to bend around her. Bessie wanted everything she felt entitled to and more. What Bessie didn¡¯t want and never showed interest in were trivial things that didn¡¯t generate an income. Everyone knew it, but Max could always feign ignorance. ¡°She¡¯s done a lot for me, you know. Giving me a place to sleep, food, a salary¡­ It would be nice to give her a gift to show my thanks.¡± Although it was a thoughtless gift, Noah seemed to approve. ¡°It¡¯s the hairpin that looks like a lizard, right? And with a red stone?¡± Max nodded. ¡°Yeah, I made it. I¡¯ve been practising the design for a commission. Her mother bought it the other day¡­ I¡¯m surprised she¡¯s actually wearing it.¡± ¡°Liv might¡¯ve lied and said it was from the capital.¡± Noah¡¯s face was grim from the disrespect, but they both knew it was probably true. ¡°So, who commissioned the original design?¡± Just as Noah was about to answer, there was a loud knock on the door. Tap, Tap, Tap. The sound and timing were eerie, causing the pair to turn towards the unlocked front door of the shop. Tap, tap, tap. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Noah whispered under his breath. No one knocked at that door. It was too noisy in the shop to hear anything most of the time, so everyone knew to barge in. Bang, bang, bang. As the knocks grew heavier, Max¡¯s irritation only increased. Like Noah, he had been unnerved from the unexpected noise until a prompt quickly sucked the mystery out of the air.
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: ???
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Ignore Cy!
Why didn¡¯t he just let himself in already? Max weaved his way through the metal piles, allowing the raps to get louder and louder. With a frown on his face, he opened the door to frantic Cy. ¡°Max! There you are-¡± ¡°You always seem to know where I am.¡± ¡°Ah, ha, ha,¡± Cy gave a fake laugh that just made the listeners uncomfortable. ¡°Good one, Max. Anyway, listen, about your friend-¡± ¡°Aldwin?¡± ¡°He has magic bones!¡± ¡°¡­ And?¡± Chapter 16: Magic Bones Are the Duck’s Nuts Cy couldn¡¯t believe his ears at Max¡¯s nonchalant response. ¡°And? And!? Your buddy has bits of a human corpse in his pocket and your response is ¡®and?¡¯ What do you mean ¡®and?¡¯?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Are they even real magic bones?¡± Noah had finally recovered from the fright and was starting to make his way to the front of his shop. Max was by far the best at navigating through the piles, but Noah was second best, so it wasn¡¯t going to take him long to catch up. Cy didn¡¯t seem to hear his question. ¡°What¡¯s the problem!? Disrespecting the dead? Grave robbery? Some poor grieving family¡¯s stolen property?¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t the family willingly sell the bones?¡± Max¡¯s response made Cy pause. ¡°Possibly.¡± ¡°Are they even real magic bones?¡± Noah repeated, now reaching the door. Cy made a slight face as he tried to avoid eye contact with him. ¡°It¡¯s Aldwin, after all. He probably got duped into buying fake magic bones.¡± Cy¡¯s sudden shifty movements and silence caught Max¡¯s attention. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t a coincidence that Cy closed his fortune telling shop whenever Noah reached the front of the line. ¡°Are the magic bones real?¡± Max repeated the question. ¡°You think I can¡¯t tell the difference between real magic bones and fake magic bones. What do you take me for?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know vets were so well versed in magic bones,¡± Noah muttered. Max wasn¡¯t too sure if he had picked up on Cy¡¯s change of behaviour around him or if he just assumed their village¡¯s newest temporary member struggled with socialising. ¡°Apparently a rabbit¡¯s foot is luckier,¡± Max recalled from an earlier conversation. His statement was supported by a frantic nod from Cy. ¡°Those poor, dismembered rabbits need healthcare too.¡± Both Cy and Noah grimaced at what Max was suggesting. ¡°Surely, it would¡¯ve been kinder to put them out first,¡± Noha muttered. ¡°People are cruel. Anyway, do you know how Aldwin got his hands on real magic bones? He doesn¡¯t make that much money.¡± They must be worth something since, according to Cy, people were robbing graves to sell them. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°You¡¯ll never believe it.¡± Cy let out a dramatic sigh to build up the tension before he continued. ¡°He traded them with some stolen beans.¡± ¡°¡­ Stolen magic beans.¡± ¡°No, just regular beans. I think he got them from Andy¡¯s farm. He grows a mixture of vegetables, right?¡± ¡°Sounds like a good deal, I guess?¡± Like Max, Noah had no idea what the value of magic bones were. Magic users were only rumoured to exist, so he didn¡¯t think they were real. But if that were the case, wouldn¡¯t they be worth a lot more than regular, stolen beans. ¡°A good deal!?¡± Cy instinctively cried out before realising who had spoken. He was becoming even more flustered, and Max couldn¡¯t tell if it was because of Aldwin¡¯s choices or because he accidentally responded to Noah. ¡°A GOOD DEAL? What part about trading stolen beans for magic bones sounds like a good deal to you? I know this is a small village with not much going on apart from an approaching epidemic.¡± A contagion like that was quite something. ¡°But honestly, who could be tricked into making such a bad deal?¡± Max and Noah spoke simultaneously. ¡°Aldwin could.¡± Max continued the thought since Cy may ignore Noah again. ¡°But it sounds like he got a good deal this time.¡± Cy finally fell silent as he looked confused. ¡°What are you talking about? Stolen beans are worth way more than magic bones? Do you know how many spells require stolen beans?¡± ¡°None that are good,¡± Max blurted without thinking. Fortunately, the implications of his comment were completely overlooked by the two beside him. ¡°¡®None that are good,¡¯¡± Cy mocked him. ¡°Alright, they may not be the best, but they¡¯re priceless for beginner spells and-¡± ¡°Aldwin!¡± Noah shouted out causing Cy to freeze mid-sentence. Aldwin had been strutting in front of the blacksmiths on Shinu Road with a huge grin on his face from the good he had done that day. ¡°Come here a sec will yah?¡± The village idiot¡¯s grin grew into a sinister smile. The cat had found its mouse. ¡°There you are, freak.¡± Without turning around, Cy turned his pleading eyes to Max. ¡°Get me away from him. I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°If you come inside, then I¡¯ll close the door on him.¡± Noah offered. Cy kept his eyes focused on Max, but his face was getting gloomier from the option he heard. ¡°Watching us shut the door really would be enough to keep him away,¡± Noah insisted. ¡°Aldwin, wait there for ten seconds,¡± Max shouted out, causing Aldwin to freeze mid stride. ¡°He won¡¯t even question it or knock,¡± Max verified, forcing Cy to acknowledge the only offer of sanctuary being presented to him. ¡°Never! I¡¯ll never-¡± Max let out a shrill whistle used in sheep herding causing Aldwin to resume his pace. It was a handy command to have learned from the shepherd''s boy before he started his descent into becoming a monster. Desperate, Cy let out a string of curse words before suddenly disappearing. ¡°Where¡¯d the freak go this time?¡± Aldwin asked, bitterly disappointed. Noah seemed mystified before muttering, ¡°He sure is a talented vet.¡± Chapter 17: Go Through the Window, Down the Stairs, and You’ll Arrive at Heaven ¡°Ya hear about the shepherd boy?¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Max feigned ignorance as he swallowed the last of his cold soup. Bessie had decided it was a girls¡¯ night, so she had gone out to the village. This left farmer Jill and Max to eat whatever leftovers they could find. ¡°Pimple face.¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°Got killed.¡± Max waited for Jill to continue, but he seemed to forget the conversation as he had moved on to picking apart a slice of the mouldy bread they had found in the back of the cupboard. ¡°How¡¯d he die?¡± He eventually prompted. There was no doubt the shepherd boy was doomed the moment he interacted with the meteorite, but there was a prompt for a story afterwards about hunting him down. He hadn¡¯t seen it in a while. Did it mean someone became the main character for that story and completed it? It would¡¯ve been quick if that were the case. Or was it cancelled? ¡°Fell down the well.¡± ¡°¡­ He fell down the well?¡± Was it an accident or was he pushed? ¡°Fell down the well,¡± Jill repeated before snorting back some of the mucus accruing in his throat. ¡°Andy said he was starting to go mad, real frothing at the mouth and shit.¡± ¡°Like rabies?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Andy thought before he saw him panicking and rushing from the farmhouse. And saw him trip into the well¡­¡±
Story Name: Baa-nshees
Genre: Horror
Description: A flock of sheep is beginning to mutate and developing a taste for blood after drinking a contaminated well.
Goal: Survive the sheep apocalypse.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Watch the sheep drink from the well!
Max stared at the prompt as an idea crossed his mind. ¡°Maybe we should send our vet over to Andy¡¯s farm? It would be bad if the sheep got sick from drinking the shepherd boy¡¯s juices.¡± And there was a chance Cy could become the main character of this story and be out of his hair as he dealt with the mutant sheep. Two stars was deadly enough to get unfocused people killed. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Nah, Andy¡¯s probably going to plug up the well since it¡¯s too narrow to get him out. But speakin'' of the weirdo, where is he?¡± Farmer Jill took out his pack of contraband cigarettes. It was forbidden for them to smoke under Bessie¡¯s roof. Every time she left the house, Jill would sneak a secret smoke before getting ripped apart when she came home. He offered Max one, who shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re missing out on heaven,¡± he muttered under his breath before erupting into volatile coughs. It casted a dark cloud over heaven. ¡°Ya don¡¯t think he¡¯s out with Bessie, do ya?¡± ¡°You think Bessie invited him out on a girls¡¯ night?¡± Jill gave a snort. ¡°I don¡¯t know to be honest; I haven¡¯t seen him since this afternoon. Aldwin freaked him out with some magic bones.¡± He reached into his pocket and pulled out three bones he was gifted earlier. Tormenting Cy was becoming Aldwin¡¯s favourite hobby, and he seemed pleased his friend was willing to join in on the fun. Farmer Jill gave a crusty laugh as he picked up one of the bones and examined it closer. The sound made Max flinch slightly in empathy. It sounded painful. ¡°Magic bones, eh? I suppose he got them from Martin.¡± ¡°Martin would have magic bones to sell?¡± ¡°Know anyone else who would be selling ¡®magic bones¡¯?¡± Jill had a point, only Martin would have the nerve to sell ¡®obviously¡¯ fake items like magic bones. The farmer took a closer look at the bones. He was about to say something before the pair heard a bang from the floor above. A scattering of dust rained down on them, confirming where the noise had come from. ¡°The fuck was that? Ya think the aliens are after us now?¡±
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: ???
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Ignore Cy!
¡°Cy is home.¡± Max let out a sigh. ¡°Maybe Bessie came home with him?¡± Realisation struck him like thunder as he began cleaning up before she could see what old food they had been eating. Cy may have been willing to pretend to be a vet, but it was becoming pretty FUCKING obvious he wasn¡¯t just an ordinary vet. Didn¡¯t Aldwin say magic users try to hide their identity? So, what was he doing? Maybe he¡¯s itching to be outed. ¡°Bessie!?¡± Farmer Jill spluttered as he frantically put out his cigarette and began trying to wave away the scent which would undoubtedly linger for hours. ¡°How? We didn¡¯t see them come through the front door?¡± ¡°Good question. You should ask the vet when you get a chance.¡± They didn¡¯t have to wait long for a rosy flushed Cy to tumble down the stairs. Magic didn¡¯t seem to be his only talent since he was soon back up on two wobbly feet without any help from the men trying to hide evidence of rotting food and cigarettes. ¡°Hey guys-¡± ¡°How the fuck did ya get in here?¡± The farmer barked. ¡°Shh,¡± Cy grinned. ¡°Bessie¡¯s sleeping.¡± The two relaxed back in their seats as Cy began trying to bat the dust he had gathered from the tumble off of his clothes. Their skin was safe for another night. ¡°And we came in through the window.¡± ¡°The window?¡± Farmer Jill wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°How¡¯d ya get Bessie through a window on the second floor?¡± ¡°Ladder.¡± Cy was unconcerned with his scepticism. Max got up and peaked out of the window. It was a shock to see there was a ladder leaning against the farmhouse. He gave Jill a nod to confirm his story. The farmer jumped up to take a look for himself. ¡°But never mind that, look what I brought back with me.¡± Cy reached into his coat and pulled out two bottles of whiskey. In a moment, Bessie¡¯s dry house was in shambles, and the magical vet suddenly had two temporary friends. Chapter 18: Delaying Fate The rising sun was beautiful to see coming over the horizon. It illuminated the peaceful fields of cows, who gently mooed to welcome the day. Taking advantage of a farm filled with snores, Max decided to leave before the three other human inhabitants could awaken. Everyone was going to be seriously hungover when they woke up. According to Cy, Bessie had been binge drinking with the girlies, so she wasn¡¯t going to do anything productive today. Cy was the next to pass out on the kitchen table, so farmer Kill and Max decided to slip one of the magic bones into his pocket. A small prank as a reward for bringing them the booze. Farmer Kill was the next to go. He and Max decided it was a good idea to start repainting the barn. It turned out to be a very bad idea. Their thought process at the time was that if Bessie were to discover they had been drinking under her roof, then they were already working to show their ¡®regrets.¡¯ But they ended up just painting cows and dicks on the barn walls before farmer Kill knocked over the remaining paint and passed out. Now, Bessie was definitely going to find out when she discovered farmer Kill snoring on a pile of hay surrounded by a mural of immaturity. When Max woke up on the barn floor, he was greeted by a prompt.
Story Name: Mysterious Cleaner
Genre: Mystery
Description: Villagers have begun noticing someone was cleaning up their houses in the early hours of the morning. A gesture of goodwill or is there something else?
Goal: Discover the secret the mayor is keeping.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Clean up the barn or the farmhouse!
It was a relief to see the prompt, he couldn¡¯t assist with covering up their night of fun. Despite being hungover, Max decided to get to work with his usual chores. The other two will face more of the wrath of Bessie when they eventually wake up while he might even be rewarded for keeping his head down and focusing on running the farm. Walking over to Bo Field had helped with his hangover immensely. Just as he was starting to feel good again, a wave of sadness struck him. Lingon, Cloud, and Bear were grouped together on the far end of Bo Field, enjoying the dew-covered grass. They looked healthy. On the other hand, Straw was looking weak as she laid down. The lack of energy and appetite had been as Cy foretold. Hopping the fence, Max began inspecting Straw to see how bad she was. Fortunately, the prompt for a plague seemed to have subsided. They had done enough to stop the spread. If they continued quarantining those who were sick, then eventually the prompt will be cancelled. But it also meant Straw was dying. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Max began stroking the poor cow¡¯s nose as his mind began to race. Cy had made it clear that it was her destiny, and it was fixed. But it wasn¡¯t the first time he had heard similar words. With his right hand on the cow¡¯s nose, his left hand fiddled with the remaining two magic bones and pocketknife in his trouser pocket. He took out the bones to look at them closer. Max didn¡¯t have access to any magic unless he began a story prompt which required it. And he wasn¡¯t familiar with the idea of magic bones being lucky¡­ But maybe some of the tricks he had learned in previous lives could still work. ¡°How are you working this early in the morning?¡± Cy feebly mumbled as he approached Max and Straw. Despite being severely hungover, his hair was wet showing he washed just before beginning his daily stalking of the fate-less. ¡°You must be made of steel or something. Have you seen what Bill did last night? Bessie is going to kill¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to wake up so early. Are you feeling your tumble down the stairs?¡± Max waited for an answer, but Cy¡¯s gaze was locked on the cow in front of him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± Without paying attention to Straw¡¯s personal space, Cy began circling around the cow. ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?¡± It was interesting. Max touched the remaining carved bone in his pocket. Originally, he was going to feed both bones to Straw, but the heifer didn¡¯t have an appetite. She took too long consuming the other bone with plants he gathered in the surrounding woods. But it seemed like he had done enough to cause a reaction. ¡°She¡¯s looking a little better today. Should she be looking sicker?¡± Compared to the crack of dawn, Straw had recovered enough to get some of her appetite back. ¡°Her fate¡­ has temporarily changed.¡± Cy murmured in disbelief. ¡°Maybe I really am an awesome vet? Is this my true calling?¡± ¡°Temporarily?¡± Max asked, disappointed. Whilst his magic was locked and with limited supplies, it was the best healing spell he could do using only runes and herbs. The spell was slightly heightened by the innate magic of luck from the bones, but it didn¡¯t seem like it was enough. ¡°Straw is going to make a full recovery¡­ I don¡¯t understand this¡­¡± ¡°Then how is it ''temporarily''?¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to get sick again in a couple of years¡­ Her fate is fixed so nothing can change that¡­ But, somehow, it got kicked down the road for later.¡± Straw gave a hearty moo to show how much her strength had recovered. ¡°Since she¡¯s better, should we let her back in with the others?¡± The plague prompt reappeared, a warning of the possibility that a story would start. Max was so used to overlooking repeated prompts that he failed to notice it was different.
Story Name: Pestilence
Genre: Horror
Description: a virus has begun to spRead amongst somE liVestock. it is OnLy a matter of Time emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡­
Goal: Survive the epidemic
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Allow the disease to spread amongst the cattle!
¡°No, she¡¯s probably still infectious. We should play it safe and avoid the disease spreading.¡± Chapter 19: Making a Home ¡°So, what¡¯s your problem with Noah?¡± Max asked, while Cy continued to circle around Straw like a vulture. The magic user¡¯s face went pale, but he seemed to ignore the question. Up until now, Max wasn¡¯t too sure how effective Cy¡¯s magic was. But seeing his reaction to being around and even mentioning Noah, it indicated how detailed he could see someone¡¯s fate. Secrets weren¡¯t hidden from him. ¡°Oh, I see how it is.¡± ¡°How what is?¡± Cy asked as he grabbed Straw face, before dropping it when he realised how slimy her nose was. He reached into his never-ending pocket and pulled out a pair of black gloves before trying to grab her face again. Having had enough of the thoughtless intrusions of her personal space, Straw turned away from them and began the long walk back to the other girls in Bo Field. ¡°Can you go bring her back?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Cy cried in irritation at Max, who was leisurely leaning against the fence post he had made just over a week prior. ¡°You know I¡¯m not great around them.¡± ¡°And you call yourself a vet?¡± ¡°You called me a vet first. I¡¯m just going along with the lie you told.¡± ¡°You called yourself ¡®an amazing vet¡¯ just moments ago? I never called you ¡®amazing.¡¯¡± Frustrated, Cy began to stomp after Straw. Max waited for a couple of seconds before deciding to go after him. As indicated by the story prompts, the system didn¡¯t want them to talk. So, he was going to force words out of his mouth while he was uncomfortable. ¡°Is Straw¡¯s ¡®delay in fate¡¯ really that odd? Surely, it must happen occasionally.¡± ¡°If their fate is flexible then sure, it happens. Her destiny was fixed. Nothing was supposed to change that. And in the long run, nothing has changed. I¡¯ve just never seen such a dramatic and unexplained shift before¡­¡± ¡°First, you say you have no experience with people like me, who have no fate. Now, you can¡¯t explain how someone changed their destiny. You¡¯re really inexperienced.¡± Cy stopped in his tracks. He looked so hurt that it unsettled Max a little, but his face dropped to a more neutral expression after a moment. ¡°There¡¯s something strange about this village, Max. I¡¯m not sure why so many unexplainable things keep happening¡­¡± ¡°Then maybe you should leave?¡± ¡°Ever considered that you¡¯re the one who is supposed to leave? Perhaps you¡¯re fate-less because you¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy here.¡± Max dismissed the idea. ¡°Are you? You have no real friends, no proper relationships with anyone.¡± Cy expected for Max to get angry; to snap back and try to give examples of friends he had. Instead, he was calmly looking at the small herd of cows, who were patiently waiting for Straw to catch up. ¡°It¡¯s peaceful here.¡± ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you say some of your cows got abducted by Aliens? Doesn¡¯t sound peaceful to me.¡± For the first time since they met, Max let out a genuine, small smile. ¡°Juniper and some other old girls got abducted. The shepherd boy turned into a monster and fell down a well. Kurt, the butcher¡¯s son, got carted away to become a Duke. An amnesiac died on Shinu Road. And there¡¯s a potential epidemic if we¡¯re not careful with berry girls.¡± ¡°Berry girls?¡± ¡°But on days like these, when I¡¯m just looking after the cows in the fields¡­ it¡¯s peaceful.¡± Cy thought for a moment. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound too peaceful. Sounds like the eye of a storm.¡± ¡°Max!¡± ¡°Adelaide.¡± ¡°How are you, Ada?¡± ¡°Same-old,¡± she said dismissively to Cy, while keeping her gaze fixed on Max. He did his best to not make eye contact with her as he unloaded the delivery. Bessie would¡¯ve been displeased with his customer service, but she was too busy nursing her severe hangover while tearing farmer Mill a new one. Adelaide leaned into whisper, ¡°We didn¡¯t really get to finish our conversation last time. You were gone when I came out, and Aldwin was raving about some fake magic bones.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°They weren¡¯t fake,¡± Cy grumbled, slightly under his breath. ¡°Fake or not, they were gross.¡± It was uncomfortable. At least Max was smart enough to bring Cy with him. Cy could do most of the talking while he checked her story prompt had really been cancelled. There was no sign of it. The only time he had seen a romantic story prompt cancelled was when someone took on the role of the main character or the romantic target in question died before the method to start was completed. Grilling Cy on the way to the village shop revealed she was still single as far as he was aware. She wasn¡¯t dead either. So, where did the story prompt go? While he ignored the other two, who were engaged in a deep conversation about Aldwin¡¯s stupidity, the village shop bell gave out a little tingle. ¡°Are you Max?¡± The knight by the village shop¡¯s door enquired. His instinct was to deny and run. Had the village finally grown tired of him and thought he was a troublemaker? Had he caught on to what Noah told him yesterday about the strange commission after Cy disappeared? It didn¡¯t matter since a prompt condemned him to answer.
Story Name: The Outlaw
Genre: Crime
Description: Hunted down by the Kingdom, the MC decides to devolve into a life of crime.
Goal: Usurp the king
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Lie or run from Reymond, the knight!
¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer him, Max,¡± Adelaide said defensively. Her tone and mannerisms were a mirror image of her mother. ¡°You. Get out of my shop.¡± ¡°Yeah, outsiders aren¡¯t welcomed here.¡± Cy chimed in, completely failing to see the irony of his words. Reymond seemed perplexed at the sudden animosity thrown at him. Max was the only one who looked calm. ¡°Ignore them. You need me to come with you, right? Cy, can you finish the delivery for me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to abandon you like this!¡± Still confused at the situation, Reymond tried to reassure the frantic pair. ¡°The mayor wants to talk to him. That¡¯s all! There¡¯s nothing to be concerned about.¡± Hearing the mayor¡¯s title, Cy¡¯s face went slightly pale before he let out his fake laugh. It was slowly becoming iconic in the village for making everyone feel so uncomfortable. His attitude suddenly did a 180. ¡°You hear that, Max? You¡¯re just going to the mayor¡¯s office-¡± ¡°House,¡± Reymond corrected. His face got paler. ¡°House¡­ So, you¡¯ll be fine!¡± ¡°Are you shitting me? That¡¯s probably one of the most dangerous places in the village for him as an amnesiac.¡± Adelaide was genuinely angry as she stepped out from behind the counter. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Max reassured the pair of them. Adelaide reached out to grab his arm and, as an instinctive reaction, he jerked his arm back and away from her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Reymond.¡± ¡°Uh, sure.¡± Max stopped in front of the biggest and most luxurious house within the barely surviving village. The mansion had three stories, stained glass windows on the second and third floor, three chimneys, and a garden which was carefully managed. The crime prompt still hadn¡¯t been rescinded, forcing Max to follow Reymond to the mayor¡¯s house. But to their surprise, it had been a pleasant walk since they seemed to get along well. ¡°You think he¡¯s embezzling funds?¡± ¡°Well¡­ he is a politician.¡± Reymond opened the garden gate for him. ¡°Yeah, but I thought he was a man of the people. The other villagers seem to like him.¡± Even if it was because they were all betting on when he was going to kick the bucket. The front door opened to a tastefully decorated corridor festooned with wooden carvings and paintings. Truly, the best art that the area could offer. ¡°You do know he made himself mayor, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Think about it, Max. This village is awfully small to have a mayor. I heard he established the role and put himself in a position of power when he was in his mid-twenties. There hasn¡¯t been an election since, and no one has contested his power.¡± ¡°There was probably a reason why,¡± Max murmured. If the gossip he heard from Aldwin was correct, then it all made sense. It was the reason why he never questioned it before. ¡°Here¡¯s his study. Don¡¯t get too surprised with the decorations. His son designed most of the rooms in the house-¡± ¡°He has good taste.¡± Reymond gave a strong nod to show his agreement. ¡°Too bad the mayor¡¯s taste is¡­ different.¡± A day ago, Max would¡¯ve been surprised to have seen anything other than dated furniture and memorabilia that reminded people of ancient times. Now, he wasn¡¯t the slightest bit alarmed from the vivid red room. Several silk paintings hang on the walls, each depicting things that didn¡¯t exist in this world. A mahogany table and chairs set had been placed in front of a wide desk covered with bits of paper. Sitting on the mahogany table was the dragon sculpture Noah made. The only thing that caught him off guard was the intricately carved mural with some metal work behind the desk. It had been a while since he saw that symbol. No wonder Cy went pale at the thought of being near Noah and the mayor. ¡°Welcome Max,¡± the decrepit mayor said in a calm voice behind them, causing the pair to jump. ¡°It¡¯s about time we had a little chat.¡± Chapter 20: Thirty-Sixth Time’s the Charm ¡°I guess so.¡± Max took a seat at the mahogany table with the dragon statue. He kept his posture straight and adhered to the manners as instructed by Bessie. Usually, it was common courtesy for people like them to play dumb to one another, but clearly the mayor had other plans. Now would be a bad time to suddenly be declared a troublemaker. One arguably murder-like death in the village could be overlooked. But two? He would have to work hard to make sure it looked like old age finally took him if it came to that. ¡°Reymond!¡± The mayor shouted, causing the knight to jump. ¡°Go tell that useless son of mine to bring us the black tea I prepared earlier.¡± Max was thankful that the old mayor had been wise enough to not bring it himself. His shaky and weak hands would have spilled the tea and made him miss out on a rare luxury for a helper on a dairy farm. The pair waited for the knight to leave out of earshot before continuing their conversation. ¡°This might be a big surprise for you, but-¡± ¡°You¡¯re just like me. You¡¯re from another world. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve already finished your story¡¯s goal and are just waiting to die before starting your next one.¡± ¡°So, another one will just be waiting for me?¡± The mayor took a relaxed seat opposite Max. His answer caused him to raise an eyebrow. Didn¡¯t the mayor know? ¡°Forgive this old man,¡± he gave a wheezy laugh. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been a long day. I usually have my nap around now.¡± ¡°Sounds nice.¡± At any other time, Max would have been waiting in anticipation with most of the village in case it was the exhausted mayor¡¯s final breath. Now, he had no doubt the bet would carry on for longer than anticipated. Maybe he should place another bet? The atmosphere was awkward and stiff between them as they tried to size each other up. ¡°Now, Max. How many times-¡± The question died in his mouth when they heard a knock at the door. ¡°Dad?¡± The mayor¡¯s son opened the door fully without much consideration. ¡°I brought the tea! I had just finished baking a cake, so I¡­¡± His jovial voice eventually fell flat as he read the tense atmosphere of the room. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ just put this here.¡± He placed the tray with two tea sets, a pot of tea, and two thick slices of a sickly-looking cake down between them. Just when he was about to excuse himself, his father barked at him. ¡°You expect us to pour the tea? Where are your manners?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Right.¡± With two hands carrying the teapot, tea shakily spilled out of the spout. The dark tea covered the tray, slices of cake, and the saucers. Only a miniscule amount ended up in the cups. The mayor¡¯s son stared at his handiwork for a couple of seconds. ¡°I¡¯ll go get another pot of tea.¡± ¡°No need. See yourself out.¡± The mayor gave a tired sigh as he rubbed his temples. Max begrudgingly finished his two sips of tea as they waited for the mayor¡¯s son to leave and for the real conversation to continue between them. After putting down his cup, his left hand took out the pocketknife that he had used to carve the magic bones earlier that day and began fidgeting with it. ¡°You didn¡¯t know that more of the same will be waiting for you?¡± Max asked quickly before the mayor could resume his original question. Something wasn¡¯t quite right about the situation. He suspected what it could be but didn¡¯t want to fully admit it was the case yet. ¡°I¡¯ve only met a few who were able to make it to the end before.¡± There it was. ¡°This is my first time being able to complete a story.¡± Even worse than he had expected. ¡°Only a one-star, but I managed to make it to the end.¡± It took him multiple attempts at a one-star? Those were only dangerous if you fought against the system or tried to skip the subsidiary goals or requirements to progress the story. ¡°How many attempts has it taken for you to complete a one-star?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The old man¡¯s real age was becoming apparent to Max. ¡°Thirty-six?¡± ¡°Thirty-six?¡± Max repeated to confirm what he had heard was correct. ¡°It took you thirty-six attempts to complete your first one-star?¡± The decrepit mayor gave a hideous cackle. ¡°Not bad, eh? Well thirty-six attempts at doing one-star stories. All the others had been at a higher difficulty.¡± The mayor heard Max whisper something, but his ears were failing him. He could¡¯ve sworn he heard the young farmhand murmur ¡®novice.¡¯ ¡°But don¡¯t get too bogged down on the number of attempts. What about you then? Ever managed to complete a story?¡± Max let out a tired sigh. He had expected too much after seeing the familiar symbol carved into the mural hanging over them. The mayor must¡¯ve been lucky in his previous lives, even if he wasn¡¯t able to make it all the way to the end. ¡°Two one-stars-¡± ¡°We have a professional I see.¡± The mayor blurted in a mixture of admiration and enthusiasm. It seemed like he had been waiting for a long time to talk to someone ¡®experienced¡¯ like them. Perhaps that was why he made himself the mayor of a strange village where troublemaking amnesiacs tended to appear. ¡°For each of them, did you-¡± ¡°One three-star.¡± Max continued without paying much mind to the man in front of him. His interest in the conversation had faded greatly within the last few seconds. ¡°A three-star? That¡¯s certainly something. Tell me, what kind of story-¡± ¡°And a five-star.¡± Chapter 21: The Problem with Sub-goals The atmosphere of the room suddenly shifted. The decrepit mayor suddenly sat straighter than he had in years as sweat began to build up on his balding forehead. On the other hand, Max relaxed his posture significantly as he began to play with the tea drenched cake using the fork in his right hand. It was disappointing. The sickly-sweet looking cake was desirable, but undoubtedly wasn¡¯t worth him indulging in it. Bessie¡¯s cakes were just sweet enough with local honey, but not so sugary that it upset his stomach. This body had only experienced basic food. It would react poorly to anything so rich. It was a shame. He missed those flavours. ¡°You¡¯ve completed a five star?¡± The mayor¡¯s voice was timid and frail compared to moments ago. Max didn¡¯t acknowledge that he spoke. ¡°It took me thirty-six lifetimes to complete a one-star story¡­ How long did it take for you to complete a five-star one?¡± Max thought about it for a couple of seconds. ¡°I don¡¯t know, too many to remember.¡± He gave a nonchalant shrug. ¡°When you go for higher difficulties, it just becomes depressing after a while if you keep count. But thirty-six is way too many for a one-star. Just stick to the sub-goals, and you should be able to complete it quickly and enjoy retirement¡­ again.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve learned.¡± The mayor gave out a defeated sigh. ¡°But how can you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Go through with all of the sub-goals?¡± Max didn¡¯t need the mayor to continue for him to assume what he was alluding too, but curiosity was getting the better of him. Which sub-goals caused him to have a moral dilemma? ¡°What did the system make you do?¡± ¡°The system didn¡¯t make me do it¡­ I caused it.¡± The words hung heavy in the air. The guilt was apparent all over his face. Eventually, he yielded and chose to confess his sins for a sense of comfort. ¡°You¡¯re still relatively new to the village¡­ Have you heard about my daughter, Delilah?¡± ¡°¡­I heard.¡± Max stopped playing with the picked apart slice of cake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but if it¡¯s for a sub-goal-¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Your daughter¡­ she died, right? She was murdered?¡± The old mayor soundly erupted into a fit of laughter. As it continued, it grew increasingly painful to listen too. Finally, he was able to choke back some of it so the conversation could progress. ¡°Good to know my story is still alive and well. So, what exactly did you hear, ey? Was it from Aldwin?¡± A perplexed Max nodded to confirm his source of information. ¡°An amnesiac showed up at the village. Your family took him in, and he killed your infant daughter. After finding her body, you gathered the villagers and lynched the amnesiac, starting the tradition to ¡®string up troublemakers.¡¯ Since more and more amnesiacs kept appearing, you campaigned to become the village mayor and streamlined the process.¡± ¡°And proposed it to the king to get it written into law. We have to give them a grace period now, but most struggle to blend in, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± the mayor added with a pleased smile. ¡°That was my story. A tale of revenge and the injustices in this world with a goal of permanently changing the legal system making it more morally grey.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. It seemed like an ordinary one-star tale, and it explained the villagers¡¯ attitude towards Max and the vegan amnesiac when they first arrived. ¡°And Delilah?¡± The mayor¡¯s smile dropped suddenly, and his aged face scrunched up slightly. The numerous wrinkles showed this was a common expression that had ruled most of his life. ¡°The original prompt required me to seduce my wife. Sub-goal after sub-goal, it eventually led to the sub-goal requiring me to set up a substantial personal injustice concerning my daughter, Delilah. It also required that she lost her life.¡± ¡°¡­You got her killed?¡± The mayor dropped the sad face and replaced it with a baffled look. ¡°No! No! The system recommended me to do that through a hint.¡± The hint system was almost always a waste of time. It only ever gave basic advice and solutions. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t go through with it. So, I told my wife.¡± His face and posture relaxed slightly as he repeated the phrases he must¡¯ve told himself for years. ¡°I was hesitating too much. My wife decided to abandon our child at a church in the capital and organised a crime scene for me to discover with clues hinting to the amnesiac living in our home. I received an injustice caused by my wife, and Delilah lost the life she would have had living with us.¡± What? The mayor continued. ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t know any of this and I carried out the story as the system intended. There were a few other sub-goals, but that was the worst one. Once my story was complete and I was free from the constraints, she finally told me the truth about what she did. I may have missed out on being part of Delilah¡¯s life, but at least she¡¯s alive.¡± So, the only reason he was able to complete the one-star was because of his wife? ¡°You¡¯re very lucky to marry someone from this world who believed you and kept the secret about the system. It must¡¯ve been difficult for her to turn a blind eye when you and the village went after that amnesiac.¡± The mayor gave a disgusting grunt to show his agreement. ¡°She struggled for years with guilt. After my story ended, she went looking for Delilah. They used to write once a month to each other.¡± ¡°So, Delilah is alive and well?¡± He was very lucky indeed. Usually, the expectations declared by the system meant there was little to no wriggle room. If he had been the one to figure out a roundabout way to resolving the sub-goal then he had the potential to do higher star stories. Unfortunately, he was not his wife. ¡°Where is your wife?¡± Max asked when it finally dawned on him that he had never seen her since he arrived in the village. ¡°She joined a covenant.¡± The mayor looked pleased. ¡°Because of her guilty conscience?¡± ¡°Because she wanted a bit of girlie bonding time with Delilha.¡± Max could not believe his ears for a second. ¡°Becoming a nun isn¡¯t just a bit of ¡®girlie bonding time.¡¯ It¡¯s a serious dedication.¡± It was in most worlds anyway. The mayor started laughing again before the laughter devolved into a hearty cough. Was the stress of this conversation pushing him to the edge of his lifespan? ¡°She spent most of her life here, living with me and our son. Martha isn¡¯t a religious woman, but now was her chance to spend some time with our daughter before the end of her life.¡± ¡°She¡¯s planning to spend the rest of her life with your daughter?¡± The mayor grinned with a nod. ¡°You seemed pleased that you¡¯re not going to see her much anymore. You don¡¯t have much time left to spend with her.¡± The mayor overlooked the hint of sadness in Max¡¯s voice. ¡°Martha¡¯s a good woman.¡± His tone showed his sincerity. ¡°It¡¯s her life and her choice. She promised to visit with Delilah the weekend before I die¡­ We¡¯re content with this arrangement.¡± ¡°And when will that be?¡± Max said as he struggled to keep a neutral face. Did the mayor know the whole village had bets placed on when he¡¯ll die? ¡°Three weeks before my hundred and thirteenth birthday.¡± He said with pride, ignoring Max¡¯s perplexed face. ¡°It¡¯ll be on a Thursday at a quarter past eight at night.¡± Chapter 22: A Funeral Fit for a Mayor ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°One of the best things about people like us, Max, is we get to meet all sorts of people while trying to complete our stories.¡± The mayor gave him a wink, but his eyelid was so aged it failed to return to being level with the other. ¡°I managed to meet a magician on my trips to the capital to see the king. One that is a bit more powerful than your friend.¡± Mentioning Cy made a few things click together in Max¡¯s mind. Cy had placed a similar bet when he first heard about the villagers¡¯ gamble. They had all called him crazy, even Max thought it was a stretch. Only one other person had placed a bet that the ninety-five-year-old mayor, who struggled to breathe at times, would make it to a hundred and twelve. An anonymous gambler, who only some of the village organisers knew the identity of. ¡°You placed a bet on your own death?¡± ¡°Of course I did!¡± He said with glee. The topic clearly made him excited. ¡°Who do you think started the bet?¡± ¡°¡­ But why?¡± ¡°My story is over, but that doesn¡¯t mean my life is done! I¡¯m planning on having one of the most expensive and extravagant funerals in the country. I want a giant tomb, like the pyramids, and it needs to be filled with bits of art, and treasures, and jewels, and¡­ You have been to a world with pyramids, right?¡± ¡°I was originally from a world with them.¡± ¡°Great! Then if you¡¯re willing, it would be appreciated if you could look over the design process. I¡¯ve got a couple of magicians lined up to make it for me, but it¡¯s been hard to explain to those buffoons what a pyramid is. They just can¡¯t picture something so big. Heck, I¡¯ll even help you complete your current story. What kind of tale have you started? What¡¯s the goal?¡± ¡°Not interested. And I¡¯m not starting a story this time.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not starting a story.¡± His cake had been completely picked apart by the fork in his right hand. Max¡¯s fidgety concentration transferred over to under the table where his left hand held a pocketknife. Mahogany was hard to carve, but it was more consistent than other wood. It was good for runes. ¡°¡­ Why? How? Is that even possible?¡± The mayor seemed to be completely perplexed by Max¡¯s declaration. ¡°Completing a one-star doesn¡¯t change anything. Neither does completing a five-star. So maybe not playing along with the system for a long time will make something change. Afterall, the only time I notice a difference in tone with the system is when it encourages us to guide people who are new to the system and not locked into a story yet.¡± Max revealed his decision making. He had decided in his previous life that this was the path he was going to take when he inevitably woke up again in a new body. ¡°I plan on having a simple life working on Bessie¡¯s farm for as long as I can. If nothing interesting happens then I¡¯ll quickly do a two and four-star. Perhaps completing the set will make things change.¡± ¡°¡¯Quickly do a four-star.¡¯¡± The mayor seemed lost by those words. ¡°Did you get a prompt for the most recent amnesiac? I never noticed it was sometimes different when interacting with people like us. What exactly did the system say?¡± His words confirmed his story was indeed over. The prompts disappeared when a person¡¯s story starts. Then the HUD vanished as well once the story was completed. The only time the world looked normal was when everything was over. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°The goal was to ¡®Help the system out and show him the ropes.¡¯ It was the goal for two separate prompts, one where I help him and the other where I make his life miserable.¡± The mayor scrunched his eyebrows together as he finally noticed the mess Max had made and handed his slice of cake over to him. ¡°Too sweet for my teeth,¡± he murmured, still clearly in thought. Max silently accepted as his gaze travelled back over to the mural next to them. It was slightly getting on his nerves. The craftsmanship was almost disrespectful. Finally, it seemed to dawn on the mayor. ¡°It referred to itself.¡± Max nodded to confirm it was the correct conclusion. ¡°It¡¯s the only time it acknowledges itself. I want to know what happens when you don¡¯t play along with it. Will it get more desperate and increase the prompts? Will it set more contrasting ways to start? Or will it start alerting others like us that I haven¡¯t started a story?¡± ¡°The amnesiac mentioned the system directing him to you,¡± the mayor recalled. ¡°That reminds me. While I¡¯m glad you shut him up before he could reveal too much about us, you could¡¯ve just taken care of him privately instead of murdering him in front of the entire village.¡± ¡°I lost my temper,¡± Max admitted. ¡°The system was trying to box me in by starting a story. It got to me.¡± ¡°He was also an intolerable prick.¡± The mayor added, seemingly fully understanding his change of behaviour. ¡°I wish you the best of luck with that. These old bones may not be able to do much, but let me know if I can help you. Especially if another one like us shows up. Ah, speaking of which, what about that new mate of yours? Is he one of us?¡± ¡°Cy? No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± It had crossed his mind when they first met, but aside from being able to see fates there was no reason to suspect he had multiple lives. ¡°Although, he does seem to be able to identify people who haven¡¯t chosen a story yet. He called both that amnesiac and I ¡®fate-less.¡¯¡± ¡°Fate-less, huh? What about my fate? Did he mention anything?¡± Now that the mayor brought it up, it made him curious. He could clearly see the mayor¡¯s death date, but was there a difference between them and the other people of this world once their path had been selected? ¡°He hasn¡¯t, but he has been avoiding crossing paths with you and Noah. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s to do with that,¡± Max pointed at the giant mural. Once realisation stuck him, the decrepit mayor lost himself to laughter again before struggling to breathe for a few seconds. ¡°I guess it would give him the jitters. He¡¯s been on you like glue. For a while, I thought he would come with you or show up at some point, but I guess that explains his absence.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a relief to get a break from him.¡± Max admitted. ¡°But Noah seems to have taken a liking to the symbols from different worlds,¡± he nodded at the dragon in front of them. The mayor raised his left bushy eyebrow slightly. ¡°He¡¯s been replicating some of your commissions. You might want to put a stop to that before he gets into serious trouble. If other mages like Cy notice a magic neutralisation symbol, then they might come and arrest him. Or whatever they do in this world.¡± ¡°Interrogate, possibly torture, and definitely execute.¡± The mayor let out a deep sigh, but his expression showed his gratitude towards Max¡¯s concern. ¡°The prat of a king has a chokehold over magic users. Anyone not identified as a potential user as a child or was ¡®introduced¡¯ to magic by him or his high-end users is seen as a threat.¡± ¡°So, you were ¡®introduced.¡¯¡± ¡°I was, during my story. The symbol may not have come from this world, but at least I have permission to use spells. I¡¯ve got almost no magic in this body, so I had to rely on runes since they use other sources of power.¡± Max gave a knowing smile. ¡°I better get going.¡± He stood up, leaving one slice of cake destroyed and the other untouched. He leisurely strolled over to the mural. ¡°By the way, the symbol isn¡¯t quite right. This curve should be a little sharper, and these lines are too thick.¡± His finger pointed at the little inaccuracies as he listed flaw after flaw. Once Max was finished, the decrepit mayor seemed perplexed. ¡°I see you¡¯re quite familiar with this spell.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve seen it before.¡± Chapter 23: Broken Nuts ¡°Max!¡± Max couldn¡¯t believe his eyes when the mayor opened his front door. There was a mob of villagers waiting outside for him just beyond the gates. Even though it was the middle of the day, they were carrying torches and brandishing weapons. Their eyes were focused on the ancient mayor next to him. He was even more perplexed by the situation. For years, he had loyally served this community, even if it was for his own personal gain from completing his story and laziness to change thereafter. Now the mob seemed ready to spill his blood. ¡°There you are!¡± Adelaide continued to holler. ¡°You should come over here quickly before the mayor gets one of the knights to string you up.¡± She had a wide grin on her face.
Story Name: A Fatal Romance
Genre: Horror
Description: After experiencing multiple rejections, the village darling has snapped.
Goal: Help Adelaide find peace.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Reject Adelaide¡¯s advances.
A shrill whistle sounded behind them. ¡°Wow, Dad. What did you do to cause this?¡± The mayor¡¯s son seemed amused by the situation. Almost as if he were convinced that the villagers were never going to seriously hurt his father. There was a lot of evidence to suggest otherwise. The butcher had brought his knives, the hunter had his guns, and old Bernadette struggled to hold her most aggressive cat. ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t start a story?¡± The mayor whispered in disbelief causing a bit of drool to leak from the corner of his mouth. ¡°No, but the system has given me a prompt.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The mayor took a deep breath before he began shouting. ¡°Fucking, right bunch of ungrateful cunts.¡± The mayor cursed aloud causing the whole village to jump. It wasn¡¯t the reaction anyone had expected. With shaky steps from a weak hip, the mayor hobbled forward while continuing his slurs. ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing surrounding my home?¡± All eyes were on him. ¡°For seventy years I have served this community, and this is how bitches think to thank me?¡± They were all wondering if this was it. The final stages of his life? Max watched the mayor before noticing he was occasionally sending hand signals behind his hunched back. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°You better come back inside,¡± the mayor¡¯s son whispered. Max complied, and as the door closed behind them, he wondered if the cursing mayor was going to survive the mob before he remembered. The bastard had another seventeen years left to live as long as his fate hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw the village worked-up like this.¡± ¡°When was the last time everyone gathered in front of your dad¡¯s house?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The mayor¡¯s son led Max through room after room of aesthetically pleasing rooms. First a reception room, then a sitting room, then a hallway, then another sitting room, then a dining room, then a third sitting room, before arriving at a narrow bathroom; confirming the mayor¡¯s experience in a more modern world. The bathroom had a seaside feel from all the decorations. It was a real shame. The guy could have made a fortune being an interior designer. ¡°I guess when he began enforcing a fine if someone shat on the streets?¡± Max had almost forgotten he had asked a question. ¡°¡­People used to shit on the streets?¡± The mayor¡¯s son was surprised at Max¡¯s reaction. ¡°I know you don¡¯t have any memories, being an amnesiac and all, but you must be from the city if that seems odd to you.¡± ¡°Maybe I am?¡± Max was waiting for the conversation to end and for the mayor¡¯s son to lead him into another room. It was a bit unnerving staying in a small bathroom with another man for so long. ¡°Perhaps it would be worth going to the city? You could remember something.¡± Max nodded politely to acknowledge the suggestion. ¡°Anyway, the lot of them all calmed down about it after a few months when they noticed how much nicer the village became. I suppose it¡¯ll be the same this time.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Max was still waiting, but the mayor¡¯s son seemed to have forgotten the original assignment. ¡°My old man might be a strange one, but he is good at putting the community first.¡± Wanting to build a pyramid-like tomb with money swindled from the villagers¡¯ pockets didn¡¯t sound like putting them first. ¡°Always bringing in these amazing ideas.¡± ¡°Yeah... Are we supposed to be going somewhere?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡± He finally remembered. The mayor¡¯s son opened up the tiny bathroom window before presenting it proudly. ¡°You should climb out this window and escape the mob.¡± It had been a long time since Max had climbed out of a window. In his head, he began grumbling about how he was too old to be doing things like this. It took him a second to remember he didn¡¯t have that excuse anymore. The blessing and curse of having a younger body in this lifetime. ¡°I can¡¯t climb out of a bigger window?¡± ¡°Look, you can see this window is surrounded by thick bushes. It¡¯s easier for you to slip out and figure out a path with the least amount of people.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Max stuck his head out of the small window to see the mayor¡¯s son was telling the truth. To the left and right of the window was a thick layer of bushes, making a narrow corridor with one thinner bush at the end. Just beyond the last bush was the fence surrounding the mansion. ¡°Think you can fit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Max admitted as he began trying to climb out. Seeing him struggle, the mayor¡¯s son tried to help shove him through, but he was making the situation worse rather than better. ¡°You don¡¯t have to push so-¡± His words were caught in his throat as the mayor¡¯s son¡¯s hand slipped, hitting his most sensitive area. ¡°Sorry! Sorry!¡± It took Max a moment to recover a bit before he spat out, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go check on your dad? I¡¯ll get out eventually.¡± ¡°On it!¡± The mayor¡¯s son was relieved to be able to escape the situation and the embarrassment. Once Max had caught his breath again, he managed to wriggle his way out of the bathroom window and landed, winded, on the garden floor. Hopping the fence was a lot easier than clambering out of the window. But the moment he landed on the other side, he heard someone calling out his name. ¡°Max!¡± Chapter 24: The Colours of Fates ¡°Have you seen what¡¯s happening at the front of the mayor¡¯s house?¡± Max asked as he watched Cy hop down from the tree. He seemed a little uncomfortable, but it was a given considering how close he was to the magic neutralisation symbol. Max waited for a moment for Cy¡¯s story prompt to appear. Where was it? ¡°Seen it? I was there when Adelaide began rounding up the villagers and leading them to the mayor¡¯s house. You know, she really has a soft spot for you. Maybe you should ask her-¡± ¡°The feeling isn¡¯t mutual,¡± Max began to walk away. He would¡¯ve been pleased to have the freedom to ignore him, but prior story prompts were changing. Could they be mutating because Max hadn¡¯t picked one? If Cy¡¯s follows the same pattern as Adelaide¡¯s¡­ ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cy looked a little surprised. ¡°You might want to make that clearer to her then. I think she¡¯s got the wrong idea.¡± ¡°You think?¡± ¡°Max!¡± The pair froze. Speak of the devil.
Story Name: A Fatal Romance
Genre: Horror
Description: After experiencing multiple rejections, the village darling has snapped.
Goal: Help Adelaide find peace.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Reject Adelaide¡¯s advances.
Cy turned to look at Adelaide, who was quickly marching towards them, before whispering to Max. ¡°You¡¯re in luck. She¡¯s alone, but maybe hold off on telling her you¡¯re not interested until after the mob has gone home.¡± Max froze for a different reason. Another prompt was flickering in his vision.
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: After an entire village turns against a hidden magician, the world falls into chaos as a power struggle takes root.
Goal: ???
Difficulty: Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy dies.
First, he couldn¡¯t ignore him. Now, he can¡¯t kill him. What was with Cy being connected to five-star stories? ¡°We gotta go.¡± The village was already assembled into a dangerous mob. If, for whatever reason, Adelaide or anyone else decided to lead the mob against Cy then it would be difficult to keep him alive. ¡°Go? I mean, I get why you don¡¯t want to face her quite yet-¡± ¡°Teleport us back to Bessie¡¯s farm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not strong enough-¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± Max snapped at Cy causing him to flinch. The sudden animosity was unsettling. ¡°Did you really think for one second that I believed that a drunk Bessie could climb up a ladder and go through the second-floor window? Get us back to the farm now!¡± Max felt the ground beneath him give way before he hit it hard with his ass. It took his mind a second to realise that they were on the road back to the farm, about half-way from the mayor¡¯s house to the farm. ¡°What happened? Why are we here?¡± ¡°I did the best I could,¡± Cy grumbled, rubbing his ass from the hard impact. ¡°You didn¡¯t really give me much time to cast a well-formed spell.¡± Time to cast a well-formed spell? ¡°You must be really weak if you need time to make a simple teleportation spell.¡± Max watched Cy dust himself off. He didn¡¯t bother. Perhaps the griminess of the village was starting to rub off on him. ¡°What do you know? What experience with magic do you have?¡± Max didn¡¯t answer as he stared at the road towards the village. Bessie was going to be pissed if they didn¡¯t go back for her berry girl, Elder, and her cart. But going back meant potentially running into Adelaide¡­ ¡°Well, what magic have you seen?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Max played off the question. On second thought, maybe it would save a lot of hassle in the long run to let Cy in on a few things. Especially since the system was gunning for his death. ¡°I¡¯ve got no memories¡­ But I did see something while at the mayor¡¯s house.¡± The colour in his face drained again from mentioning the mayor¡¯s house. ¡°Some kind of weird, big¡­ symbol, I guess?¡± ¡°You did?¡± Cy suddenly had excitement in his voice. It was like he wasn¡¯t sure until now. ¡°Tell me all about it! What did it look like? Can you draw it for me?¡± Cy ran off to fetch a stick before handing it over. Max began doodling a design on the dirt path. ¡°Have you ever noticed something about the mayor? Like with his fate or anything?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Nothing particularly unusual. It¡¯s one of the vibrantly coloured fates.¡± ¡°Vibrantly coloured?¡± ¡°People¡¯s fates appear in all different shapes and colours. Some have very bright fates, some are dull. For example, the mayor¡¯s fate is vibrant, burnt orange, but his son has a gloomy, grey fate.¡± ¡­ Colours and vibrancy? ¡°What about others? What colour of fate do they have?¡± ¡°Let me think. Adelaide¡¯s was a soft pink. Fairly bright, but not as strong as the mayor¡¯s. Thinking about it, it¡¯s pretty similar to Noah¡¯s.¡± Similar to Noah¡¯s? They were both originally major characters in romantic stories. Could it be connected? ¡°But the colours and brightness sometimes change. Recently, Adelaide¡¯s has changed to an orange.¡± Orange for horror? ¡°What about the vibrancy?¡± ¡°About the same.¡± ¡°And what about me?¡± Cy gave him a confused look. ¡°You¡¯re fate-less, so there¡¯s no colour.¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± ¡°¡­ Are you finished?¡± Max looked down at his work of art. It was incomplete so it wouldn¡¯t activate and with some additions. It also wasn¡¯t the same as the one on the mural. He had a slight hope that a magic user could appreciate some of the intricacies which came with rune-work. If Max were to choose another story in another life, maybe he should dabble with them again. He had no need for them in his last lifetime, but they were crucial and a passion in some of his lives before. ¡°Yes.¡± Cy looked at it for a couple of seconds. ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was a little excitement showing in his voice, but Cy was too focused to notice. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I have no idea what the fuck I¡¯m looking at.¡± Max kicked up the dirt and began the long walk back to the farm. ¡°Hey! Why did you do that?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter since you have no idea what it is.¡± ¡°Well, do you have any idea? Did the mayor say anything else about it to you?¡± Max gave Cy a cold glare. ¡°Yeah, he told me it was a magic neutralisation symbol.¡± ¡°Magic neutralisation?¡± Cy seemed surprised but understanding. It was clear that this type of magic hadn¡¯t been developed in this world. Despite his unfamiliarity, Max¡¯s description must¡¯ve matched his experience. ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s supposed to nullify any type of magic. And if a magician tries continuously to use magic within its proximity, then they¡¯ll die,¡± Max added. The last part wasn¡¯t included in the original mural. But if Cy understood the symbol that had been partially drawn on the ground, he would have known Max wasn¡¯t lying. That symbol had a lot more potential compared to the crudely made one from carved wood and metal work in the mayor¡¯s office. ¡°What?¡± ¡°And I also heard Noah saw the symbol and began recreating it on some of his goods.¡± Max watched Cy as he looked like he could faint. ¡°So, if I were you, I would avoid the village as much as you can. Who knows how many people have bought something from him with the symbol on it. If you were to suddenly die... It would be a shame.¡± Chapter 25: The Crying Heart Under the Pouring Rain Max inhaled deeply before sputtering out the smoke. It was easy to swipe farmer Pill¡¯s secret pack of cigarettes, but he had forgotten his newest body wasn¡¯t used to it. In the middle of the night and illuminated only by a lamp on Bessie¡¯s poach, Max watched the rain pour down in front of him. It was the first heavy rain of the season. The first heavy rain since he woke up in this world. Why had he seen alien spaceships before heavy rain? His mind was plagued with all the events that had happened today. Saving Straw, talking to the mayor, seeing two new prompts, being lectured for leaving behind one of the berry girls, enduring the wrath of Bessie for refusing to go back... helping Cy make excuses to not go back and get Elder¡­ A deep sigh dyed with smoke escaped his lips. Up until now, he had to constantly endure his presence. From now on, it was too risky to let Cy out of his sight until the newest story got cancelled. Looking at his reflection in the puddles forming at the bottom of the porch stairs, he could see in the stranger¡¯s face that he was lying to himself. Now that the adrenaline of the day had fated, only the truth could be reflected back at him. None of those events and problems were the real cause of his inner turmoil right now. Max didn¡¯t enjoy that part of his newest body. It was too transparent at times. ¡°You! You better not be smoking under my roof!¡± Bessie barked from the front door. Max didn¡¯t jump nor flinch from her voice; it was like he didn¡¯t even hear her. She prepared to raise her voice again when Max shuffled down to the bottom porch step. Feet in the growing puddle and no shelter to protect him from the downpour, there was no roof over his head now. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Max tilted his head slightly towards her. He never thought he would get away with malicious compliance like that with her. ¡°Give me one,¡± she said in a softer voice as she joined him on the bottom step. ¡°You smoke?¡± He was genuinely surprised as he passed her one and lit it for her. It was a wasted effort since both were extinguished by the rain in seconds, but the two paid no mind as they pretended their cigarettes were still ignited. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Max?¡± ¡­ Bessie waited a few minutes, but Max kept his eyes fixed on the fields in front of them. His sudden defiance unsettled her. ¡°I heard from Bernadette about what happened in the village today. Did you get scared from suddenly being taken to the mayor¡¯s house?¡± ¡­ ¡°You¡¯re lucky that everyone has taken such a liking to you. The village usually isn¡¯t too taken with amnesiacs. In particular, Adelaide seems to be sweet on you.¡± Max felt his body unconsciously stiffen slightly. ¡°I heard she went from door to door, gathering people and warning them to arm up. Word spread quickly¡­ Bill and I thought about going, but we heard too late. Besides, we knew you¡¯d be fine. Or, at least, we would¡¯ve sued for the execution of our employee.¡± Bessie gave him a smile before letting out a sigh when he didn¡¯t respond again. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What¡¯s her name, Max?¡± Bessie listened to the rain for a while before pretending to put out her cigarette and pulled herself up to her feet. ¡°I can¡¯t help you, Max, not unless you let me know a little more about what¡¯s really going on.¡± She began slowly making her way back to the front door. All hope of a reply seemed lost as she began twisting the doorknob. ¡°Ellie. Her name was Ellie.¡± The drenched Bessie returned to the bottom step in the rain. ¡°Where is she now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s¡­ not in this world.¡± Bessie gave a sympathetic sigh. ¡°It¡¯s never easy, losing a loved one. So, what was she to you? One-sided crush? Business partner? Cult leader?¡± Max couldn¡¯t help looking at her in disbelief. Out of all the ways to describe relationships, why were those the three her mind jumped to? ¡°Wife.¡± ¡°Wife!?!¡± Bessie spluttered, as if the idea had never occurred to her. Max ignored her ramblings as she began muttering under her breath about her disbelief regarding the situation. It was easy to pretend he couldn¡¯t hear her as he held out his left hand to cup some of the rain. It took a while for her voice to level out. ¡°Wife, huh? You were married?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s¡­ gone now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s one of the unfortunate parts of life. How did she¡­?¡± Max allowed the water to pour out of his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡­ left first.¡± Bessie gave a nod as if she finally understood the situation. ¡°You left first because she was going.¡± Not exactly. Death just happened to come for him first in that life. It was one of his favourite endings so far. No chaos. No plotting or mistakes from the events and goals prompted by the system. Just old age. ¡°And then you ended up on this farm?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± ¡°And you pretended to have no memories because¡­?¡± ¡°It was more convenient. I lived in a place that was too¡­far away from here, so it would be difficult to pretend otherwise.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re an illegal immigrant.¡± ¡°¡­ Kind of?¡± ¡°And the reason the mayor called you in today? Does he know you¡¯re an illegal immigrant?¡± Max thought about his words for a couple of seconds. ¡°Yes. But he¡¯s decided to give me refugee status.¡± He had little doubt that the mayor would back his story if asked and that Bessie wouldn¡¯t waste time asking him. Bessie gave a couple of nods of approval. ¡°So, it was all one big misunderstanding. They thought you were going to get strung up.¡± ¡°I heard.¡± Bessie must¡¯ve detected the slight animosity that returned to his voice. ¡°¡­ You know, when we last had one of our midnight chats, you promised me your name if you remembered it. Want to tell me it now?¡± Max suddenly recalled. ¡°It¡¯s not important. It was just a typical name from there. Besides, I just told you the most important name in my previous life.¡± He watched Bessie¡¯s mouth twitch up into a soft smile. ¡°That¡¯s fair. I guess it¡¯s my turn then.¡± There was a twinge of excitement in the air as Bessie built up the tension. ¡°My real name is Gwendolyn Royse Amice Cateline Edvardsen, the third.¡± Chapter 26: Noble Ladies ¡°Pardon?¡± Max couldn¡¯t quite believe his ears. Gwendolyn Royse Amice Cateline Edvardsen, the third? How did she end up becoming ¡®Bessie?¡¯ Furthermore, wasn¡¯t Edvardsen the name of the noble family overseeing this county? ¡°You¡¯re an Edvardsen?¡± ¡°Surprise!¡± Bessie hooted with laughter. He wasn¡¯t shocked at all to see a prompt appear with the revelation. The mixture of familiar laughter and the thinning rain created a warm feeling for Max as he read it. It was such a silly story. Bessie already had her family.
Story Name: Stand Together
Genre: Feminist
Description: The long-lost daughter of Count Edvardsen has finally returned. Can she blend into the family once more?
Goal: Help Bessie become Countess Edvardsen.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Reunite Bessie with her family!
¡°So, you¡¯re an Edvardsen? What made you give up on being a noble lady?¡± ¡°Do I look like a noble lady?¡± Bessie continued to chuckle at the idea. Max bashfully shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to offend her, but knew she had thick skin. ¡°I didn¡¯t then, and I especially don¡¯t now. It wasn¡¯t a difficult decision to leave that world and join Bill on his parent¡¯s farm.¡± ¡°Ellie also struggled with mingling with others in that world.¡± His comment made Bessie raise her eyebrow, but he ignored it. ¡°How did the two of you meet? It must¡¯ve been difficult for a farmer to get to know the daughter of a count.¡± ¡°Well, Bill applied to become a knight. But he was too weak and lazy. Then he tried to become a gardener for the estate. But he killed all of the plants in his care.¡± Bessie leaned in as if she was telling a secret. ¡°Hence why we raise cattle.¡± Max let out a sincere smile. Even if he tried, he couldn¡¯t imagine Farmer Till slaving away in all their fields. ¡°Lastly, he tried to become a cook.¡± ¡°But he can¡¯t cook for his life.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get too judgy, Max. You¡¯re not much better at cooking.¡± His smile froze slightly. She wasn¡¯t wrong. It was one of the few skills he was never able to pick up, regardless of lifetime. He recalled spending a couple of lifetimes trying out stories related to cooking. Both ended with the kitchen blowing up after a few weeks. Luckily, he quickly developed the mentality of having a cast iron stomach after giving up on cooking. He learned to tolerate eating whatever scraps of food he could find when out of options. Unfortunately, his physical body couldn¡¯t always keep up and keeled over a few times because of the food. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°But you¡¯re right, he can¡¯t cook at all.¡± Bessie let out another chuckle, and the rain around them turned into a trickle. It didn¡¯t make much of a difference to them though since they were already soaked to the bone. ¡°Over time, I slowly began recognising him. I admired his tenacity, and his¡­ inability at most things.¡± She began showing a mischievous smile as she suddenly made intense eye contact, as if she was looking for something. ¡°One day, he proposed to me out of the blue.¡± Max suddenly didn¡¯t like where the story was going. Farmer Till spent a long time trying to worm his way into the Count¡¯s manor. Could he have proposed for disingenuous reasons? ¡°I know that look,¡± Bessie said, in a teasing voice. ¡°My father had the same response when I told him.¡± Suddenly, she erupted with laughter again. ¡°I¡¯m just yanking your chain!¡± ¡°You were lying?¡± He wasn¡¯t too sure where the lie began in her story. ¡°I proposed to him.¡± She said with a wink. ¡°I needed to get out of that fucking house, and he was the only one willing to say yes. Even now, I¡¯m not sure if he accepted because he thought he was going to enter the noble society with our betrothal. But he never complained when I showed up at his parent¡¯s farm with two suitcases.¡± ¡°Did he tell his folks beforehand?¡± ¡°They were vaguely aware.¡± ¡°What about your family?¡± Max thought back to the prompt. ¡°Did they look for you?¡± ¡°Nope, my father called me a disgrace and told me to never appear before them again.¡± And there was the main conflict in that story prompt. The idea charmed Max slightly. If he weren¡¯t so committed to not starting a story, he would have accepted the prompt. ¡°Not that I want to. My life here is perfect for me.¡± ¡°The noble life isn¡¯t for everyone.¡± Max felt a twinge of pride for her. It¡¯s difficult to choose your own path in life. ¡°You said Ellie struggled with it too.¡± Bessie was clearly testing the waters, trying to wade in the ocean without the tide pulling away. ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°What part in particular? The dreary lessons on manners? Pretentious food? Suffocating corsets?¡± ¡°She liked the corsets. Ellie was really into fashion and making clothes.¡± Max recalled fondly. ¡°It was the people that had a problem with her¡­ She¡­ didn¡¯t look like a noble lady either.¡± ¡°Girls can be catty.¡± Max scoffed in agreement. ¡°Too vain to see past their noses. Just like Liv¡¯s daughter¡­¡± Max could tell that some of the dots clicked in her mind. ¡°Just like Adelaide,¡± he confirmed her thought process. ¡°Ellie and I knew a girl just like her. I guess you could say she was the villain in her story.¡± Bessie was still absorbing her realisation. ¡°I did try to be¡­ reasonably pleasant around her since you asked me too, but it seems to have gotten out of hand. I¡¯m not quite sure what to do now. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll take a simple rejection if she rounded up the village to storm the mayor¡¯s house.¡± And also, because the prompt would lock them into a romantic story together. If he were to accidentally activate that prompt¡­ well, it would be time to find out what body the system had in store for him next. ¡°She is entitled and stubborn.¡± Bessie showed her true feelings. Max was relieved to see she seemed to understand. ¡°Good job you don¡¯t have to go to the village often.¡± ? ¡°I go almost every day?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To make the deliveries?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Bill¡¯s job?¡± ¡°Bill says his knee is bad, so he orders me to go.¡± ¡°Does he now?¡± Bessie had a dark look on her face. Max could feel the storm brewing that was harsher than the heavy rain earlier. Time to get Cy wrapped up in it as well. ¡°Yeah, and Cy has been making me help set up a stand for him to tell the villagers their fates. He¡¯s always advertising his business to your customers whenever I make a delivery.¡± ¡°...Thanks for telling me, Max.¡± Bessie didn¡¯t make eye contact as the rain suddenly stopped and the boards underneath refused to let out a squeak as she made her way back to the front door. The silence was uncanny as she let herself in. Just as Max was about to relax, he jumped out of his skin from the sudden noise. ¡°BILL! GET YOUR RAGGEDY ASS DOWN THOSE STAIRS, RIGHT NOW!" Chapter 27: Sentencing ¡°Whatcha yelling for woman?¡± Farmer Till hollered back as he struggled to pull on his pants while coming down the stairs. ¡°YOU GOT SOME NERVE YELLING AT ME.¡± Bessie yelled back with such ferocity making Till freeze in place. He could tell he was in serious trouble but wasn¡¯t too sure why. His eyes searched for an answer before noticing the stolen pack of cigarettes poking out of Max¡¯s pocket. ¡°Bessie, I¡¯m a grown man. If I want a cig every now and then¡­¡± His voice died after seeing Bessie¡¯s rage increase in her face as she tilted her head to the side from the newest confession. His panicked eyes searched for an answer, pleading for Max to help. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault if you found Max smoking.¡± Prick. Trying to throw Max under the bus in order to save his own skin. Cy finally emerged from the other room, where he had been sleeping on the ancient couch that was older than everyone in the room. Wearing light clothing, his stupid cloak that he never took off, and a mud mask from the capital on his face; he yawned before whispering to Max. ¡°What did he do this time?¡± After spending so much time at the farmhouse, he had gotten used to the screaming matches in the middle of the night. Max ignored him as he kept his eyes fixed on the fight in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s this I hear about you making Max do your work?¡± Bessie¡¯s voice had lowered in volume, but somehow it increased in scariness. Max and Cy had never seen her so furious before. Farmer Tiller¡¯s frantic eyes kept looking at Max and Cy for help before taking a deep breath and committing to his death. ¡°You know about my bad knee!¡± Bessie¡¯s head tilted a little more. His confidence dropped from his voice. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t keep going all the way to the village. It¡¯s too far for me to walk.¡± ¡°Too far for you to walk?¡± Bessie repeated with a sceptical voice as she walked into the kitchen. The three men exchanged panicked looks as they heard a drawer open while she kept muttering. ¡°Oh, dearie me. What are we going to do with your poor, old knee?¡± Cy let out a small squeak when he saw Bessie emerge from the kitchen with a meat cleaver. ¡°That really is a shame, Bill. But you know what happens around here when someone gets a lame leg.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a cow, woman!¡±
Story Name: Pig Farmers
Genre: Horror
Description: After murdering Bill, Bessie and the MC decide to cover up the crime by starting a pig farm.
Goal: Ensure Bessie doesn¡¯t get arrested.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Aid Bessie with the murder!
Bessie tested the sharpness of the cleaver with her thumb. The sound caused a shiver down three spines. ¡°You should know better than anyone else. Everyone on this farm needs to work or needs to go.¡± Farmer Bill let out a forced laugh as he began dramatically slapping his knees in a painful way. ¡°I was just messing with you and Max! I¡¯m as fit as a fiddle!¡± ¡°You are? But are you fit enough to make it all the way to the village?¡± ¡°Sure I am! I could go right now!¡± Bessie opened the front door. ¡°Okay, off you go then.¡± Farmer Till looked out into the dark night. ¡°It¡¯s too early to go now? And Max hasn¡¯t gathered the milk, or fed the cows, or¡­¡± Bessie didn¡¯t say anything as she held the door open for him. Till gave another nervous chuckle as the prompt from the system vanished. ¡°I¡¯ll go do it for him before heading off to the village. As a thank you for going to the village for me.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you for offering to do it for a whole week.¡± ¡°A whole week!?!¡± ¡°A whole week.¡± ¡°A whole week.¡± Till gave a forced smile as he shot an angry glare towards Max, who only shrugged. ¡°I better get started to make sure Liv has everything for when she opens the village shop.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Bessie finally smiled. With the tension slightly relieved, farmer Tiller pulled on his trousers properly. He was about to pass through the door frame, when Bessie reminded him, ¡°Remember, Max and Cy left Elder at the village. You¡¯re going to have to move quickly to get everything done, fetch Elder from the village, and return with all the goods before the sun comes up.¡± Tiller looked for help from Max and Cy. All of the panicked expressions seemed to have chipped away at the endurance of their silver-tongued guest. ¡°Bessie. Let¡¯s be reasonable,¡± Cy said with a charming smile that was only marred by his mud mask. ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night. Why doesn¡¯t Bill do it in the morning?¡± Farmer Bill gave an emphatic nod to show he would stay true to his word. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you ran this farm, Cy.¡± Cy realised he fucked up quickly. ¡°No! No. I¡¯m not saying I run this farm-¡± ¡°I hear from some of the villagers that you¡¯ve been advertising your fortune telling business to MY customers.¡± The reflection of Bessie¡¯s cleaver shifted from showing farmer Till to Cy¡¯s mud covered face.
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: After an entire village turns against a hidden magician, the world falls into chaos as a power struggle takes root.
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy dies.
¡°It¡¯s not a job! I usually don¡¯t get any money from it. I just thought it was a good way to get to know everyone.¡± Bessie glared at him for a few seconds before turning to Till. ¡°You¡¯re in luck, Bill. It seems like Cy is dying to assist you with all your jobs.¡± Cy stared at Bessie with disbelief. Max watched him as he trembled slightly. Do it. Be stupid and say something. Max mentally encouraged him. Bessie probably wouldn¡¯t kill him, but the bigger issue was Cy being on course to head back into the village unsupervised. Seeing him get a little deflated, Max decided mental encouragement wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°Wow. You don¡¯t even work here,¡± Max whispered. He could practically hear the snap. ¡°Now, hold on Bessie! I am a vet sent from the kingdom to help identify your sick cows.¡± Cy puffed up his chest and was unconsciously starting to raise his voice. On the other hand, Bessie watched him calmly. ¡°I¡¯m not some farmhand like Max. You can¡¯t just order me around.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Bessie asked, unimpressed. She slammed the cleaver into the front door, wedging it in place, before suddenly leaving into the night. The moment Bessie was out of sight, farmer Till gave Cy a pat on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s been good knowing ya, lad. Want anything done in your memory?¡± Cy was lost for words as he began to realise how much trouble he was in. ¡°We¡¯ll have a couple of shots of whiskey in your name,¡± Max added with a grin. Cy wasn¡¯t dying tonight. Max would rather intervene before Bessie took it too far and let the five-star story start. But that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t have fun watching him sweat. ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Cy cried in a panic. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Beg.¡± ¡°Offer money¡± ¡°Or free labour.¡± The three fell silent when they heard Bessie¡¯s evenly paced footsteps approaching the farmhouse. Unconsciously, they stood with straight backs as they waited for their fate to be handed to them. They jumped in surprise as the door swung open and a shovel filled with cow dung landed at Cy¡¯s feet. The impact caused it to splatter the stool all over the floor, walls, furniture, and Cy. ¡°Right, Mr. ¡®Vet.¡¯ You can pick that up and get to work cleaning up all the fields.¡± Cy looked at the others in disbelief. Even Max and farmer Tiller were at a loss for words. ¡°You can¡¯t¡­¡± Cy began instinctively before quickly closing his mouth. He was beginning to learn his lesson. ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± Bessie provoked, but it wasn¡¯t working this time. ¡°As a ¡®vet,¡¯ you should have no problem with such a simple task, right?¡± It was finally dawning on Cy that his lie of being a vet was being questioned. ¡°That¡¯s right-¡± ¡°Only you¡¯re not a vet, are you? You¡¯re no more a vet than I am a noble lady.¡± The irony was not lost on Max, who struggled to contain his smile. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been freeloading on my farm, making money without paying the village taxes, impersonating being an official servant of the king-¡± ¡°But I am-¡± ¡°But you¡¯re what?¡± Bessie prodded. Cy was stuck. Max was wondering if he was going to cave and admit he was a magician. ¡°Well?¡± She provoked again when she wasn¡¯t answered. Cy held firm with his mouth shut. ¡°Then here¡¯s what you¡¯ve going to do. Since you love spewing bullshit so much, you¡¯re going to go out there and shovel up all the shit in those fields. Then you¡¯re going to go to Andy¡¯s sheep farm and shovel up all of his shit. Then you¡¯re going to take the piles of shit to Bernadette¡¯s farm for her chickens to eat any bugs in the shit. Then you¡¯re going to get all the chicken, sheep, and cow shit, bag it up, and start selling it as fertiliser to the crop farmers. You are not to go back into the village until it¡¯s all sold. Are we clear?¡± Max couldn¡¯t see any colour in Cy¡¯s face. He could tell he was close to fainting when he nodded. ¡°And when you¡¯re not shovelling shit, you¡¯re cleaning up this mess.¡± She gestured to the splatter around the room. ¡°Anything else you want to say now?¡± Cy only managed to squeak out, ¡°Thank you.¡± His shaky hand picked up the shovel at his feet. ¡°And Max.¡± He held his breath. There was a harsh punishment for Tiller and Cy, and he hadn¡¯t forgotten he had been caught smoking under her roof. ¡°Congratulations. You seem a little stressed, so take a week of vacation. Keep up the good work and we¡¯ll have no problem with you living here long term.¡± Max couldn¡¯t quite hear his ears, but he smiled as he nodded to show his understanding. Almost three months of hard work for one week of holiday? Not a bad deal. Chapter 28: A Stale Cupcake Versus a Storm Max couldn¡¯t recall the last time he slept for so long. He never got a chance with Bessie¡¯s tight schedule looming over his head. And in his past life, his ageing natural body clock made it almost impossible to wake up late in the day. Maybe it was before the kids? No, it was even earlier than that. Ellie always had too much she wanted to do in the morning, so he had to give her a hand. Stretching while clambering out of the small closet, which had been his home in this world, he found an exhausted Cy painting the walls. ¡°Morning.¡± Max looked over the splotchy work that had been done so far. Cy was clearly not talented at painting walls, but he had managed to cover half of the room. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be shovelling shit?¡± ¡°Alan has people over to help plug up his well again. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t sealed properly last time because they can still smell Kyle¡¯s body.¡± ¡°¡­Who?¡± ¡°Alan¡¯s shepherd boy?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Cy¡¯s voice and movements were mechanical. The purple bags under his eyes showed that he had stayed up the whole night. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to go back this afternoon. Bessie told me I had to clean up the mess from last night while I waited¡­ Isn¡¯t sleep deprivation a form of torture?¡± Max looked around the room while he ignored the question. Cy had done a pretty good job of cleaning up. ¡°So why are you painting the walls?¡± ¡°It dyed the wallpaper. The whole thing needs to either be replaced or repainted to cover up the splotches.¡± ¡°You chose to repaint the whole room?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where to get this wallpaper, and I don¡¯t have enough money to buy a replacement for the whole room.¡± Cy let out an exhausted sigh. ¡°I think¡­ I¡¯m going to have to go back home soon.¡± ¡°Back to the capital?¡± Max asked while popping into the kitchen for some fresh water. ¡°What¡¯s caused the sudden change? No longer interested in my fate?¡± Cy didn¡¯t say anything for a little while as his small paint brush continued to steadily go up and down the same spot on the wall. ¡°Ever thought about leaving the village?¡± Max was slightly taken aback from the question. ¡°There are more people like me in the capital, so they might have an answer to why you have no fate.¡±
Story Name: A Fresh Start
Genre: Bildungsroman
Description: Leaving a sheltered village, the MC finds themselves while living in the bustling capital.
Goal: Make a place to call home.
Difficulty: Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Go to the capital!
Max barely glanced at the prompt. ¡°I¡¯m not really fussed about not having a fate. If anything, only you care about it.¡± Cy put down the paint brush. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried? To be different from everyone else?¡± ¡°The way I see it, I have the freedom to choose how my life goes.¡± The irony of feeling freedom whilst working at an exploitative farm wasn¡¯t wasted on him. Achieving ¡®true freedom¡¯ in the past meant nothing now since nothing had changed. Their conversation was interrupted by a loud knock at a door. Tap, tap, tap. ¡°Who the fuck knocks at a door like that?¡± Cy cursed. Max couldn¡¯t help side eyeing him as he recalled their squabble at Noah¡¯s shop. ¡°You do.¡± He was about to open the door when the prompt caused him to stop.
Story Name: A Fatal Romance
Genre: Horror
Description: After experiencing multiple rejections, the village darling has snapped.
Goal: Help Adelaide find peace.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Reject Adelaide¡¯s advances.
¡°Max? I heard from Bill that you¡¯re back home.¡± Adelaide¡¯s voice called out from behind the door. Max and Cy exchanged worried glances. Tap, tap, tap. ¡°I came to check if you¡¯re okay!¡± Cy quickly gestured for him to close and cover the closest window, but Max had already made the decision to retreat further back into the farmhouse. He didn¡¯t make it very far when an irritated Bessie shoved him out of the way as she made her way to the front door. The storm from last night was still yet to subside. The front door was swung open with such force that it made Adelaide jump. ¡°Ah! Good morning, Bessie. I was wondering if-¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve making such a racket this early in the morning.¡± It was almost noon, but no one corrected her. Cy and Max watched the situation closely. Adelaide should run while she had the chance, but her eyes lit up when she saw Max over Bessie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I just wanted to talk to Max. Could I come inside?¡± ¡°He¡¯s working.¡± Adelaide continued to look into the room. She had seen an exhausted Bill unload today¡¯s deliveries and take two long, wobbly walks home with Elder. Poking his curious nose just within her sight, she could see an exhausted Cy covered in mud and paint. In comparison, Max looked clean, rested, and refreshed compared to normal. ¡°Are you sure? He doesn¡¯t seem to be doing anything,¡± she blurted. Max couldn¡¯t help but grimace from her comment. He had worked to the bone for months. Now he had one day off, and he was being called lazy. The comment didn¡¯t go over Bessie¡¯s head either. ¡°Do you have a problem with how I distribute the work around MY farm?¡± ¡°No! No! I just- Would it be possible for me to help him with his jobs this morning? I really have to talk to Max about something.¡± Bessie looked Adelaide up and down. Kitted out in the latest fashion again, it was questionable if she could bend down and touch her toes, never mind hard labour at a farm. ¡°YOU are going to shovel up shit in those fields?¡± Cy began to look frantically between Max, Bessie, and Adelaide. After spending the whole night and the early hours of the morning cleaning up the fields, he didn¡¯t want the credit of his work to suddenly go to someone else. ¡°Maybe not¡­¡± ¡°Then are you going to milk every cow on this farm?¡± Both Cy and Max tilted their heads slightly. Half of the berry girls were not producing milk right now, and farmer Gull should have already done it. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for me to bend over for so long¡­¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re planning to help Max cull the infected cattle in Bo Field!¡± Bessie said, with a cruel smile. It was only now that Adelaide was starting to realise Bessie was toying with her. ¡°Listen here. Let me through, right now! I¡¯ve come all the way here to this godforsaken farm to speak to him. Nobody is going to get in my way. Now, move!¡± ¡°No.¡± The coldness in Bessie¡¯s voice caused both Cy and Max to brace for impact. ¡°Right.¡± Adelaide pushed up her sleeves before she began trying to push her way past the immovable Bessie to get into the house. Max didn¡¯t move in case the system could interpret it as him rejecting Adelaide whilst Cy frantically tried to gesture to her to stop. Thwack. Thud. Chapter 29: An Uninvited Guest They had foreseen some violence. Perhaps a slap or a shove, but they didn¡¯t expect an unrestrained punch in the face causing Adelaide to fall backwards down the porch steps. She laid on the ground in shock with her limbs in the air, like a beetle that had been flicked over. As realisation began to hit her, tears leaked from the corner of her eyes whilst blood trickled from her now broken nose. Cy dropped his paintbrush, causing a smudge on the floor, and tried to reason with Bessie about calling it a day and letting Adelaide go back to the village. It fell on deaf ears as Bessie continued to stare down at the squirming beetle below her. Max didn¡¯t say anything, he just watched calmly over her shoulder. It had been satisfying, but he was grimly aware there were going to be severe consequences for her actions. Usually, what happened on Bessie¡¯s farm stayed on Bessie¡¯s farm. That wasn¡¯t the case this time. Max waited for prompts to ping up in his vision, but there was surprisingly nothing. With people he encountered, there would be a story prompt. With the majority of buildings he walked into, there would be a prompt. Even with a drunken night out or a conversation in the rain, it brought about a prompt for a story. So, where was it now? Did this scene with Adelaide needed to be completed before it showed? He had never paid much attention to the timing before this life since he would normally select a story within a day or two. It was like being back on Shinu Road. Where were the prompts? Unless¡­ Unless this was part of another person¡¯s story. One that was already in progress. Max wouldn¡¯t have the option to start something if another tale was in the process of being completed. As far as he was aware, none of the people around him were main characters, leaving a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. ¡°Cy, is there someone else here? Can you see an extra fate?¡± Cy wasn¡¯t listening, as he continued trying to reason with Bessie. Max wasn¡¯t going to waste time. He had one carved, magic bone in the other room that was useless with a healing spell, but there was another one in Cy¡¯s pocket. Without a word, Max pulled at Cy¡¯s obnoxious cape that he always wore and stuck his hand down the seemingly infinite pocket. Cy didn¡¯t notice at first since Adelaide was letting out a slew of curses and warnings about how, ¡°Her mother was going to hear about this,¡± and ¡°Bessie was going to regret this.¡± When he realised, he began to softly bat at Max¡¯s head as he hissed, ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± ¡°Just stay still, I need to get a magic-¡± ¡°That¡¯s MY magic pocket! You can¡¯t just help yourself-¡± ¡°Enough, shut up and look for another fate while I-¡± ¡°While you go through my private space!?¡± ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Adelaide shrieked as more tears poured out. Bessie¡¯s cold stare kept her frozen in place. She probably had it in her mind that one of them, preferably Max but more realistically Cy, would come to her aid and help her up from the muddy floor. Instead, the two were squabbling. There was too much crap in Cy¡¯s pocket, so Max began pulling out handfuls while keeping a strong grip over the cape. Each handful was more puzzling than the last. It started with a mixture of loose playing and tarot cards, sweets, and coins, before it eventually devolved into pulling out a half-eaten sausage, pages that had been ripped from a book then doodled all over, and an absurd number of seashells that were too small to use for most runes. ¡°How much crap do you have in your pocket!?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± Cy kept trying to pull his cape away from him. Adelaide was about to pick herself up, but Bessie came marching down the stairs. Before she could scramble away, a heavy foot on her chest pinned her to the ground. There was nothing a beetle could do to move a mountain. ¡°BILL!¡± Bessie shouted while looking at the closest barn. ¡°Get my musket!¡± Max and Cy stopped for a second. Bessie had a gun? Why did Bessie have a gun? The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Bessie shouted Bill¡¯s name a few more times before the farmer popped his head out of the barn. He looked at the situation before opening his mouth to yell a reply. A death glare from Bessie silenced him before making him run back inside. Farmer Gull emerged with a hunting musket. Max was a little surprised to see how relaxed he was about the situation as he leisurely took his time to deliver it to her. Meanwhile, Max was pulling out handful after handful of pure crap. Now, he was taking out half-eaten, crumbly biscuits, a few sticks, and some unopened letters. ¡°Why is there so much shit in your pocket?¡± He pulled out a few mouldy slices of apple. ¡°Why is there so much food?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saving it for later,¡± Cy cried, as he continued to try and yank his cloak back. Bessie took the gun from Gull and began loading it while ignoring the crying girl¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m- I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adelaide sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Bessie calmly replied. Finally, Max felt a familiar, smooth bone in his palm. Letting go of the cloak caused Cy to tumble to the floor. ¡°Got it,¡± Max muttered to himself as he began cleaning it with his shirt. There was something sticky on it causing a thin layer of biscuit crumbs to stay attached. Once it was clean enough to use, he began carving it with his pocketknife as he barked, ¡°Check if there are other fates!¡± ¡°Who gives a fuck about that right now?¡± Cy took off towards the front door. ¡°Wait Bessie!¡± He cried out just as she finished loading and pointed the barrel of the gun down at Adelaide. ¡°Murder is wrong and evil! Think about when you die, you¡¯ll be judged for your actions.¡± Bessie heard him and considered it for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll take that risk.¡± Max held up the carved bone and watched it spin in the palm of his hand. There was someone like him and the mayor nearby. ¡°Wait,¡± Max called out. ¡°Think about how many customers and how much money you would lose if you murdered Liv¡¯s daughter.¡± Bang. Bessie had pointed the musket slightly to the left of Adelaide before firing. He understood her priorities in life better than most, so naturally his words had a greater impact than Cy¡¯s cry of morality. After all, this was the woman who would shed a tear or two for abducted cows before eagerly filling in paperwork to get a free replacement. Bessie leaned in, causing her foot to press even harder down on Adelaide¡¯s chest. ¡°Listen here. You¡¯re going to go back to the village and tell your mother about how you trespassed on my property. Deliveries will stop until your mother comes and apologises¡­ with a gift.¡± She tacked on the last comment at the end as an afterthought. ¡°I will,¡± Adelaide muttered as she began to scamper away. Covered in dirt, tears, and blood, she was an alarming sight compared to when she first arrived. Her loud sobs could be heard long after she had vanished from their view. Max looked around disappointedly. If there was another one of them following a story, then wouldn¡¯t they intervene? It was clear that Adelaide was here to cause trouble and that Bessie was on track to murder¡­ Something was probably required as a sub-goal. Knowing the system, it would¡¯ve been something grim. But the altercation ended rather calmly. Calmer than it could¡¯ve been. He carved a little more into the bone while Bessie was ordering farmer Gull and Cy to get back to work. The newest notch was pointing towards the closest cluster of trees next to the farmhouse before the bone span again and landed upside down. Whoever they were, they were gone now. He let out a sigh as he watched an exhausted Cy pick up the dropped paintbrush. ¡°You should clean up that paint spot before it dries up.¡± Cy looked down dejectedly at the floor covered with the contents of his pocket. At the same time, Max slipped his newest, carved, magic bone into his own clothes. ¡°Why were you going through my pocket?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Cy raised an eyebrow before he started shoving handfuls of his things back into his magic pocket. ¡°Earlier, you asked me if I could see another fate?¡± Max had given up on him. ¡°I just had a feeling. Did you see anything?¡± ¡°I did. I saw a vibrant navy-blue from the trees over there.¡± Cy pointed towards the cluster of trees where the bone was pointing to earlier. ¡°Really? Have you seen that fate before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed it around a few times before, but I don¡¯t know who it belongs to.¡±
Story Name: Behind the Curtains
Genre: Battle Royal
Description: A person sent by the system has been interfering with the calm life of the MC. Can the MC confront them?
Goal: Get them to stop.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Investigate the navy-blue soul!
Chapter 30: A Quarrel Among Friends Max wasn¡¯t surprised to see a furious Liv at the front door. Luckily, Cy had been the fool to open the door. ¡°Hey Liv¡­ I guess you¡¯re here about this morning.¡± ¡°Get Bessie.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Max quietly watched Cy climb up the stairs. Bessie was in a field behind the farmhouse, but he must be wanting to use his teleportation spell without being watched. He was a lazy fucker, but at least he was starting to learn not to do it in front of people. Liv sighed as she let herself into the familiar living room. Before this, she would occasionally come to the farmhouse for a gossip session with Bessie. He wasn¡¯t too sure if this tradition was going to continue. As he stared at her, Max realised Liv¡¯s prompt was gone. He hadn¡¯t seen her for a while since Adelaide was always manning the village shop nowadays. The uncertainty about whether it was taken over by someone else, was cancelled, or mutated made him slightly uneasy. ¡°Ada told me what happened. What¡¯s your take on all this?¡± It felt like a test, but there was no prompt to guide him. ¡°In full honesty?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Max was about to speak when Adelaide¡¯s prompt appeared. Would indirectly rejecting her by talking to her mother count? Avoiding talking about her in general would be best if that were the case. ¡°Cy and I were in the middle of a fight, so I wasn¡¯t paying much attention. It seemed like Bessie and Adelaide got into a¡­ minor altercation.¡± ¡°You would call that ¡®minor altercation?¡¯¡± ¡°I just know Bessie was trying to stop Adelaide from walking into her house.¡± ¡°By breaking her nose and firing a gun next to her head?¡± It had been a while since he felt such an angry glare pointed in his direction. ¡°What are you playing at?¡± ¡°What?¡± "Why did you..." Liv was preparing to verbally tear him apart when Bessie came storming through the front door with Cy close on her heels. Bessie glanced at her friend and seemed disappointed when she noticed that Liv was empty handed. ¡°You haven¡¯t come to apologise.¡± ¡°I should apologise?¡± Liv scoffed. Cy began gesturing to Max that they should slip away while the women talked. For the moment, he ignored him. After finally getting a day of rest, he wanted to escape the blazing summer sun if possible. ¡°We¡¯re the victims in this situation! You can¡¯t just go around swinging at people.¡± ¡°I have a right to protect my property from trespassers.¡± Liv¡¯s anger boiled away slightly to show the disappointment underneath before a mask of rage returned. ¡°I¡¯ve already raised our case in front of the mayor. We¡¯re going to have a village meeting tonight if we can¡¯t come to an understanding.¡± Her hardened gaze turned over to the other pair of listening ears. ¡°Outsiders are not allowed.¡± Cy began to tug Max towards the front door. ¡°And why not?¡± Bessie raised her hand causing them to stop their retreat. ¡°They¡¯re involved with this just as much as I am.¡± Liv hesitated. ¡°They¡¯re becoming troublesome.¡±
Story Name: Troublesome
Genre: Dystopian
Description: The peaceful days at the farm must come to an end.
Goal: Survive.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Stay in the village after being presented with your conviction!
Story Name: A Fresh Start
Genre: Bildungsroman Stolen story; please report.
Description: Leaving a sheltered village, the MC finds themselves while living in the bustling capital.
Goal: Make a place to call home.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Go to the capital!
Story Name: The Outlaw
Genre: Crime
Description: Hunted down by the Kingdom, the MC decides to devolve into a life of crime.
Goal: Usurp the King
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Lie or run from Reymond, the knight! OR Willingly leave the farm!
Story Name: Stand Together
Genre: Feminist
Description: The long-lost daughter of Count Edvardsen has finally returned. Can she blend into the family once more?
Goal: Help Bessie become Countess Edvardsen.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Reunite Bessie with her family!
Story Name: A Fatal Romance
Genre: Horror
Description: After experiencing multiple rejections, the village darling has snapped.
Goal: Help Adelaide find peace.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Reject Adelaide¡¯s advances.
Story Name: Behind the Curtains
Genre: Battle Royal
Description: A person sent by the system has been interfering with the calm life of the MC. Can the MC confront them?
Goal: Get them to stop.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Investigate the navy-blue soul!
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: After an entire village turns againSt a hidden magician, the World falls into chAos as a Power struggle takes root emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡­
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy dies.
The abrupt flashing and switching of the various prompts were disorientating as the system continued to show him all the ones which were even remotely connected to what was happening. He wasn¡¯t too sure what was happening while Cy dragged him out of the farmhouse. Max could hear voices, but the system was making it difficult to pay attention to what was happening. ¡°So sorry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°Stress.¡± ¡°Stress?¡± ¡°Your bitch of a daughter has been hounding him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying this is my fault?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t spoil the kid.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just take our leave.¡± The prompts didn¡¯t slow down in their flow until they had retreated to the closest barn. As his vision began to clear, he realised he was sitting on a hay bale surrounded by newly painted walls. It had been difficult to keep his focus during¡­ the system attack? The flare up in prompts? He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to call it. It had been a first. Perhaps this was the intention of the navy-blue fate? He recalled one of the prompts involved them, but he couldn¡¯t be sure what it said. The prompts appeared and disappeared too quickly. Unfortunately, until he chose a story, he couldn¡¯t interact with the HUD or look at the backlog of prompts encountered. ¡°Are you back?¡± Cy asked, while fetching something. Max didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry when he returned with the severely chipped bowl containing the dirty water saved for Elder after her long, daily commute. ¡°You had me worried there. What the hell happened?¡± Max had to take a moment to think about what would be the closest explanation without explaining the system or the stories. ¡°A panic attack?¡± ¡°¡­I thought Bessie was bluffing about you being stressed. Sorry for being sceptical.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± He accepted the smelly water and held it with both hands, but it wasn¡¯t going anywhere near his mouth. ¡°Thanks for getting me out of there.¡± Somehow, he had managed to escape without a story starting. It was undoubtedly due to Cy¡¯s help. Cy was taken aback from the sudden thanks. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said shyly. ¡°And don¡¯t get too worked up about what Liv said. She might be arranging a village meeting to string you up,¡± way to put it bluntly, ¡°but Bessie¡¯s got some dirt on her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to blackmail her?¡± Cy checked that they hadn¡¯t been followed before whispering to Max. ¡°You know the butcher? The one who recently realised his wife had an affair and his son isn¡¯t his?¡± Max nodded. He remembered Kurt. He had been taken from the village the same day that the vegan amnesiac showed up. ¡°When Bessie and I went drinking with the girlies, Liv admitted she had begun seeing him on the side.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± That was where the story prompt had gone. It seemed like the story had been taken by the butcher, like father like son. ¡°You think that will make her stop?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll make her hesitate and, at the very least, try to settle things privately. If worse comes to worse, they¡¯ll probably consult the mayor before getting everyone together for a village meeting.¡± Chapter 31: Scapecow The four sat around the kitchen table. The air was as dense and thick as the fresh pottage soup before them. Max and Cy exchanged glances with each other as they waited for Bessie and farmer Brill to stop tearing up their slices of homemade bread to dunk in their soup. Laid out on the table was a feast compared to anything they were given to eat before: soup, bread, thin slices of meat, some cheeses from Bernedette¡¯s farm, roasted vegetables, and untouched seasonal fruit in the middle of the table. There was even a freshly baked honey cake cooling on the windowsill. It was eerie, almost like the last supper. Taking shelter in the barn, Max and Cy had watched Liv and Bessie march in furious silence towards the village. They hadn¡¯t said anything before they left, and Bessie hadn¡¯t said anything after coming back either. She just started cooking and baking like a mad woman. Max poked his head into the kitchen occasionally but couldn¡¯t find a good opportunity to ask her what happened. Cy was still exhausted but didn¡¯t look as dead as he did when he returned from Bernedette¡¯s farm. After cleaning up and resting for a couple of hours, he only woke up when Bessie hounded him to the kitchen table. For once, she wasn¡¯t tolerating anyone skipping a meal. Farmer Brill seemed oblivious to the mood as he was slurping down spoon after spoon of the soup while cramming chunks of the bread in his face. He stopped only for a second to spit out. ¡°Did ya tell Max that they¡¯re planning to transfer him over to the village shop?¡± Max started choking on the miniscule amount of soup he ate. ¡°And if he refuses then he¡¯s going to be classed as a troublemaker and executed.¡± Bessie slammed her fist down to show her irritation, causing the lump of carrot to shoot out of Max¡¯s throat. Eventually, she gave an exhausted sigh before looking at Max. ¡°The mayor has proposed that you work for Liv for a few months as a settlement. It was the only suggested form of compensation Adelaide agreed to. It¡¯s either you accept the offer, or you¡¯ll be executed for not complying and ¡®propagating trouble¡¯ within the village.¡± ¡°¡­ The mayor suggested this?¡± Even though he knew Max was trying to avoid stories and Adelaide was key to a prompt? Traitor. The prompts began flashing in his vision again. Since he was expecting it this time, it was considerably less overwhelming as he focused on each starting method. Staying in the village, leaving for the capital, and leaving his job all began a story. ¡°And you start first thing tomorrow.¡± So, he had until tomorrow to figure out a way to worm his way out of being boxed in by the system. ¡°Why is he being punished when he didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Cy asked, while patting Max¡¯s back. Max presumed that he was trying to comfort him and keep him relaxed, but he just made it more difficult to concentrate on a solution. ¡°If anything, you should¡­¡± Cy was wise enough to not finish the obvious thought. ¡°Why is Max being made into a scapegoat?¡± ¡°The mayor thought it was only fair for the labour being sponsored by the village to be redistributed as an atonement for my crime. But I don¡¯t trust that bitch Adelaide to be satisfied with just this.¡± Farmer Brill raised a cup of milk in agreement before downing it. ¡°And the spineless twerp of a mayor will do whatever they ask to keep the donations coming in from them,¡± Bessie grumbled. Max would be in trouble if he resisted, since the mayor was directly responsible for this arrangement and could order his execution. He was also in trouble if he complied, because it¡¯ll be difficult to avoid Adelaide and her sudden, unnatural desperation. Regardless if he honoured the decision, it would be remaining in the village which would then start a story. Not to mention, there was an interfering navy-blue fate, who was untouchable with the current prompts in place. On the other hand, he couldn¡¯t leave his job¡­ Another damned if you do and damned if you don¡¯t situation for him. Bessie let out another deep sigh. ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡± ¡°What?¡± Max couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He felt offended. ¡°Pack your shit and get out, the pair of you.¡± Bessie stood up and took the bowls from under Cy and Max¡¯s noses. Cy looked in disbelief as he clutched his empty spoon. He never got a chance to eat. Without another word, Max stood up and stormed to the small closet with all of his belongings in this world. There wasn¡¯t much; a pitiful amount of clothes, a couple of coins that were meant to be his wages, two magic bones, and a prized bar of soap that he bought with his first wage. It was pathetic. He felt pathetic. As he was packing up, he heard Cy retreat to his couch. He had a lot more shit lying around, from mud masks to stacks of convincing ¡®vet books.¡¯ This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. His rage subsided the second he heard a faint sniffle from the kitchen. He had never seen farmer Brill cry, and Cy was sobbing in the other room¡­ The only time Max had seen Bessie act so upset was when her berry girls were taken from her. He counted the minutes while he listened to the suppressed tears. One, two, three, four, five¡­ six. The sounds stopped and were replaced with clatter. He felt slightly proud. Bessie cried more for him than she did for the cows. As he calmed down, Max was able to reevaluate his situation. Suddenly, all of the prompts had disappeared apart from two.
Story Name: A Fresh Start
Genre: Bildungsroman
Description: Leaving a sheltered village, the MC finds themselves while living in the bustling capital.
Goal: Make a place to call home.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Go to the capital!
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: After an entire village turns againSt a hidden magician, the World falls into chAos as a Power struggle takes root emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡­
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy dies.
Unknowingly, Bessie had gotten him out of the traps made by the system. He had been fired, so he technically didn¡¯t ¡®leave his job.¡¯ Furthermore, he had been evicted, so he was no longer ¡®staying at the village,¡¯ and he wasn¡¯t going to encounter Adelaide again. Already packed, Max waited as he tried to plan for his next steps. He needed money, to keep Cy alive while his prompt was still active, and to avoid the capital; but there was one more thing he wanted to do before leaving the village. As he waited, Max finally paid more attention to the prompts. Did the system have a stroke? He had never seen parts of the prompt appear scrambled. At first, he assumed it was gibberish before noticing the capital letters spelled something: ¡®SWAP¡¯ and ¡®ATSR.¡¯ It didn¡¯t take him long to swap the letters around to spell the word ¡®STAR.¡¯ Did it mean ¡®STAR¡¯ or ¡®SWAP STAR?¡¯ Whatever it was, he was almost certain the rest of the scrambled letters had another meaning. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± Cy asked, causing Max to jump out of his skin. Cy¡¯s eyes were becoming puffy and red as he struggled to contain his sniffles. The mysterious prompt could wait for now. ¡°Why are you crying? You didn¡¯t lose your job or your home.¡± ¡°I know, but¡­¡± ¡°Come on. Time to go.¡± Max headed straight for the front door, but stopped when he heard Bessie clearing her throat. She motioned for farmer Brill to hand them two stuffed bags, while she handed a small pouch of coins directly to Max. ¡°The money I garnished from your wages.¡± It was obvious to everyone that the amount in the pouch was far greater than his annual salary, but no one said anything. He didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, but he gratefully took the money. From the corner of his eye, he saw Cy unzip his bag to reveal a mixture of clothes and food, including the fresh honey cake. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯ll do you for a while.¡± Bessie had to clear her throat a few more times as she tried to hold back her tears. Farmer Brill went ahead and opened the door for them. ¡°Right, off you go.¡± Cy went ahead, but Max hesitated for a second. The distant moos coming from the fields around him caused a pang in his heart. It took him a couple of seconds to retrieve something from his bag. ¡°That¡¯s one of them magician bones, ain¡¯t it?¡± Farmer Brill looked at the carved, white stick in his palm. Max offered it to a disgusted Bessie. ¡°It¡¯s got a healing spell on it. I tried it already with Straw, and she made a full recovery after eating it.¡± Cy¡¯s ears pricked up and the sobbing suddenly stopped as he stared in disbelief at Max. His face made it clear to Bessie and farmer Brill that there was some truth to his words. ¡°This is the last one I have¡­ maybe you can save another one of your berry girls.¡± Bessie grabbed a paint covered cloth with a paintbrush stuck to it. In an awkward motion, she grabbed the bone with the cloth before scrunching it up so she couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°Thanks?¡± She took another deep breath before the old Bessie returned. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for you to go so get out.¡± Chapter 32: Say Goodbye to Living in La La Land [First Arc Finale] ¡°How long have you been able to use magic?¡± Cy hissed as they walked away from the farmhouse. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be able to! You don¡¯t have enough in your body to do anything with it.¡± Max gave a small wave at a cluster of berry girls, who were crowded around the fence and mooing goodbye to him. All of his hard work had been appreciated by the ones who needed it most. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Right. So, how did you change Straw¡¯s fate?¡± Max reached into his pocket and pulled out his remaining carved, magic bone. He expected it to spin and a prompt for the navy-blue fate to appear, but nothing happened. They must be somewhere else. ¡°Take a look yourself,¡± he held out the bone, causing Cy to flinch. ¡°You can hold onto it.¡± Cy lit a small flame in the palm of his hand. It was the size of a flame from a match, and it barely illuminated anything. ¡°You can do fire magic?¡± ¡°Not very well,¡± Cy admitted. It was a little pathetic. ¡°These markings¡­ They¡¯re like the symbol you saw at the mayor¡¯s house.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you didn¡¯t pick up that I can do these kinds of things. Who else can draw such an intricate design after seeing it for a short amount of time?¡± Max was blunt as he watched realisation dawn on Cy¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t have many memories, but I remember learning it from¡­ where I lived before.¡± Max tacked on the comment about his memories as an explanation in case Cy began asking questions. He didn¡¯t seem to care either way. ¡°I guess this type of magic is not as widely known in these parts.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± He raised a shaky hand to try and pick up the bone before following Bessie¡¯s motion and grabbing it with his cloak. His interest was much more apparent now that he knew Max had a history with them. ¡°Now that you¡¯re homeless, do you have a plan?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to do in the village before leaving. Not sure after that.¡± ¡°If you come back with me then you¡¯ll have a place to stay, and probably a job while I get your fate looked at. Maybe there will be someone who recognises these symbols and can help you with your memory loss.¡± It sounded decent, apart from one problem.
Story Name: A Fresh Start
Genre: Bildungsroman
Description: Leaving a sheltered village, the MC finds themselves while living in the bustling capital.
Goal: Make a place to call home.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Go to the capital!
¡°I can¡¯t go to the capital.¡± Cy raised an eyebrow. ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not, strictly speaking, from the capital. It¡¯s too dangerous to store a bunch of oppressed magicians in the capital, but it¡¯s also inconvenient to have them too far away. A while back, the old king set up a community for us just outside the capital.¡± Max waited for prompts to appear. ¡°And if you can¡¯t stay there either because there are too many people or whatever, then it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find a place to stay just outside of there.¡± A couple of prompts pinged up, but they were easy to either ignore or avoid. ¡°Sounds okay. Let me do one last thing, and then we can get going.¡± The decrepit mayor stretched his old bones as he began the long and difficult process of clambering out of bed. Even though there were rooms between them, he could hear his son¡¯s snores as if he were bed with him. ¡°Eejit,¡± the mayor muttered, as he finally managed to balance himself on his sore and tired legs. He had warned his son that he needed to change his diet and avoid dairy if he wanted to find a wife. How many poor women had he tried to set up with his son? How many rejected him due to his snores alone? Letting out a heavy sigh, he stretched to crack his back in several places before beginning his nightly trip to the toilet. The sound of his slippers echoed as they shuffled along the ground on the way to the closest bathroom. The idea of going outside to pee was too much for him now and going to pee in a chamber pot just reeked. Eventually, he had a bathroom from his home world installed and changed his room to be next to it on the bottom floor. Stairs were out of the question without assistance. Opening the bathroom door revealed an open window. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t decide whether they had a thief, or his son had forgotten to close the narrow, bathroom window¡­ again. A shiver went up his spine and he almost wet himself when he noticed there were two things on the windowsill. The first was clearly a slice of plain cake, and the other looked like dirt until he realised it was another slice which had been picked apart. Was Max here? After relieving himself, the mayor began a frantic waddle to his office. His stride only stopped when he realised the doors were wide open. There was an ominous glow coming from inside the room. It took a lot of effort to shuffle his legs forwards. The mayor found Max casually sitting on his desk next to a lit lantern. Behind him, the mural, which had been carved for the mayor¡¯s protection, was severely cracked. ¡°Evening.¡± ¡°What the fuck do you think you¡¯re doing? Coming here in the middle of the goddamn night. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you¡¯re turning hundred and thirteen soon. Happy birthday.¡± The mayor shot Max an angry glare as he took a seat at the mahogany table. All this adrenaline was only making it harder for his ailing body. The woes of growing old. ¡°What do you want? If it¡¯s that mess with Adelaide, then just show up and do a couple of shifts at her shop. It shouldn¡¯t be hard for a story professional like you to avoid her and her story prompt.¡± Max didn¡¯t show any reaction to his rambling. ¡°And if she¡¯s really such a hassle¡­ then just get rid of her? You had no problem with dealing with the amnesiac, take care of her as well.¡± The mayor had an ignorant smile on his face. ¡°Just not in front of the whole village this time.¡± Max scowled at his attitude. ¡°She¡¯s a key character in a story and is set on making things go her way. Just in the last few days, she showed up here with a mob, tried to get past Bessie into her farmhouse, and was about to become my new boss; thanks to you. Still think it¡¯s easy to just avoid her?¡± ¡°Was?¡± ¡°I was fired and evicted.¡± The mayor gave a confused look. He couldn¡¯t understand the source of Max¡¯s irritation; was it from Adelaide or from being let go? It never occurred to him that the emotions were only due to him making things less convenient and indirectly helping the system box him in. There was no much point in blaming the unaware when it came to the system, like Adelaide, but he knew. ¡°So? Does that change anything? If you want to stay in the village, then move into the village shop and get to work. Or kill Adelaide and find someone else to take you in. If you can¡¯t do any of those, then just leave? Nobody particularly wants you here.¡± Max hit the mayor¡¯s desk twice. Suddenly, a neon, green glow illuminated under the mahogany table where Max sat during his last visit. ¡°What the fuck?¡± The mayor spluttered. He looked at a stone-faced Max for answers before deciding to peek under the table. A wide section of the table had been carved with intricate runes that were now releasing a steady glow. The mayor looked back up from the table and saw the mural was now glowing as well. Something had been carved on the back of it. ¡°What the fuck did you do? Do you know how expensive that table was?¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Max didn¡¯t say anything and sat still as he watched the mayor panic. The eyes slightly clouded by cataracts flickered between the mural and the glowing table. Curses kept flowing from his loose mouth. ¡°What do these fucking runes do?¡± He said while pointing at the mahogany table. The decrepit mayor really didn¡¯t know anything about the shoddy work of art he had been displaying proudly in his office. He was an abomination to this realm of magic. ¡°Oh, those ¡®fucking runes¡¯? It¡¯s a magic power harnesser and storer. Not many people know it, but it can be powerful if given enough time. It¡¯s been gradually building up power since my last visit.¡± ¡°And that one?¡± The mayor pointed in Max¡¯s direction. ¡°This one?¡± He casually pointed behind him with his thumb. ¡°It¡¯s an indirect summoner.¡± The mayor waited for Max to explain, but he seemed too content with leaving the conversation there. ¡°Well? What does it do, boy? Spit it out!¡± Max¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°It doesn¡¯t summon things quickly but makes them intensely drawn to go to a place.¡± ¡°Who is it targeting?¡± There was an earie hum. And then there was light. The mayor was almost blinded by an extremely bright light coming from the windows of the corridor. He had no idea where it was coming from or what the humming noise was. It wasn¡¯t from his world. ¡°F-f-f-¡± The swear was caught in his throat. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you never asked about what happened to the aliens.¡± Max had a relaxed smile as he looked at the familiar light. ¡°I mean they abducted several cows from where I worked. And you were so involved with organising the knights to stop them.¡± ¡°You summoned aliens?¡± ¡°I summoned Juniper. I had a feeling she became the main character of that story.¡± Max saw the mayor¡¯s confusion. ¡°Well, they did stop after abducting her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a cow?¡± The mayor suddenly realised why he didn¡¯t know the name. ¡°She¡¯s a gentle one. No wonder the aliens liked her,¡± Max nodded. ¡°But why?¡± Max¡¯s smile suddenly dropped. ¡°Why kill Adelaide when I can wipe out the whole village?¡± He banged his fist once on the table to cause some glowing, red runes hidden behind the open door to the corridor. ¡°A target.¡± He explained without being asked this time. ¡°The intended subject will interpret those runes as something to be enraged by. It¡¯ll be interesting to see who has what it takes to survive an alien attack. You know, when the prompt was active it was a three-star story? They should have a decent kick to them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to kill everyone?¡± ¡°Yes. Why wouldn¡¯t I? According to you, nobody particularly wants me here.¡± The mayor made some frantic noises and motions before erupting in a long sigh. It seemed like the delusional, decrepit man decided to switch tunes. ¡°Max¡­ Why do this? Even if you do this, I¡¯m still going to survive so I¡¯ll just report you afterwards.¡± Max didn¡¯t let his face show the prompts clouding his vision. ¡°You¡¯ll just make this life harder for yourself. You can¡¯t escape fate.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know what?¡± ¡°That I can change fates?¡± Max watched the mayor¡¯s face twitch. ¡°I¡¯m fate-less, so it seems like I can drastically change other fates, especially when I use magic that doesn¡¯t belong to this world.¡± He gestured to the glows around them. ¡°At least, that¡¯s Cy¡¯s newest hypothesis. You said it yourself. He¡¯s talented at seeing fates. Why else would he be hanging around and inviting me to live in the watchamacallit magician-community if it weren¡¯t to study this phenomenon?¡± The mayor was baffled at the revelation. There was a distinct tone of envy in his voice. ¡°You were invited to go to Tsujuma?¡± Tsujuma? Max¡¯s face darkened slightly when he heard the name. ¡°They don¡¯t let outsiders in! Especially people like us-¡± The mayor must¡¯ve seen his way out of this situation, calmed down, and changed tune again. ¡°Let me help you. I can train you on how to avoid being caught by the people living there. You know how nasty the system can get if we tell outsiders-¡± ¡°Help me? I thought you were already trying to ¡®help¡¯ me with avoiding story prompts. The only person who has any clue about who I am is you.¡± Max gave a small shrug. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. After tonight, you won¡¯t be in a position to betray my trust again and report me before I arrive.¡± It finally clicked that Max was serious. The mayor switched to his final approach at worming his way out of this situation. "I won¡¯t!¡± The mayor yelped as he fell to his aching knees and began grovelling. ¡°Please have mercy! Give me a chance to make up for this. I don¡¯t have enough money for my funeral plans yet!¡± Max began to tune out the pathetic whimpers. This hadn¡¯t been as satisfying as he had hoped. The decrepit man in front of him was too pathetic and delusional about his place in this world. He had shown no care or sympathy for his people when the runes activated, and was now bending over backwards to be given a chance to redeem himself. Not because of the principal or to save the people in his care, but so he can have a nice funeral? Max¡¯s mind began to think of the future. He and Cy were going to need more money than the generous pouch of coins Bessie provided him with. ¡°I want money.¡± ¡°Money? I have a few gold pieces kept aside for an emergency-¡± ¡°All the money from the bets placed on your life.¡± The colour drained from his face. ¡°W-what?¡± He spluttered. ¡°But that¡¯s for my funeral! It¡¯s my legacy! You can¡¯t do this.¡± His grovelling turned into angry points of a bony finger. ¡°You may have completed a five-star story, but at least I will be remembered forever for what I have done for this village and this kingdom.¡± Legacy? How delusional. Legacy didn¡¯t matter to people like them. What was the point of being remembered for your work in previous lifetimes? It would just cloud the now. ¡°You can either take advantage of the next seventeen years you have left to scam more money out of these people, or everyone dies and I take your money anyway.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even know where to find it.¡± Max couldn¡¯t help frowning. ¡°You think I can¡¯t find it?¡± The mayor sweated as he decided. It shouldn¡¯t be a difficult decision to make, but it was clear the mayor had been affected by a common mentality people like them grow over lifetimes. He didn¡¯t care about the other people in this world. Their lives didn¡¯t matter even though they were the ones not guaranteed another chance of life. It was clear the only person he saw as valuable was himself. It ruffled Max¡¯s feathers. Until his single-minded approach to completing a five-star story, he was the same. His point of view had shifted and hardened over lifetimes of failure. Almost everyone¡¯s lives were inconsequential, but there were a few exceptional souls out there. People like them were never one of them. ¡°I¡­ will give you the money.¡± ¡°Good. Go get it then.¡± The mayor took a deep breath before he started shouting. ¡°RICHARD! WAKE UP AND HELP ME GATHER THE JACKPOT MONEY!¡± His lecture to his unconscious son didn¡¯t stop as he limped his way out of his office. ¡°QUIT THAT BLASTARD SNORING! YA HEAR ME?¡± Max watched him leave. Seeing he was alone again, he decided to rummage through the mayor¡¯s desk. There were stacks and stacks of paperwork. Some of them were the familiar papers Bessie had completed for each of the berry girls they lost. Finally, he found his wooden seal, which was also made from mahogany. The table had been a disappointment. With the rune he had carved during his first visit, there should have had significantly more power harnessed and stored. Even when considering the small mistakes he presumably made since he never saw it, the power accrued was pathetic. While this world permitted runes to work, they didn¡¯t seem to be as effective. Luckily, it didn¡¯t matter this time. The mayor was gullible to believe that a few glowing runes and a noise rune was an extraterrestrial attack. Originally, Max was going to leave it as a frightful warning and robbery. But the mayor¡¯s words had rubbed him the wrong way. He didn¡¯t stop whittling at the seal while a groggy mayor¡¯s son stumbled into the office with a couple of pouches of coins. ¡°Hiya Max.¡± He seemed completely oblivious to the dangers of the situation with an intruder in his home and signs of aliens. ¡°¡­Hey?¡± The mayor¡¯s son stretched his back before turning to deliver more money. ¡°Can I ask a favour?¡± He asked just before leaving the room. Max nodded in curiosity. ¡°Next time you rob us, could you wait until a more reasonable time?¡± Max grinned at the ridiculousness of the request. ¡°Sure.¡± The mayor¡¯s son replied with his own sleepy smile. Max watched calmly as pouch after pouch was delivered before him. It had been far more than expected, and he had to ask the mayor¡¯s son to bring a big sac to carry all of them. ¡°That¡¯s almost all of it,¡± the mayor grumbled. They watched his son retreat for the last pouches with Max¡¯s permission. ¡°Is it?¡± Max showed him the carved seal covered with unfamiliar runes. ¡°It is.¡± The mayor took a seat at the glowing mahogany table. His body was knackered. Max picked up the filled sac. It was almost too heavy for him to carry. He was thankful that this lifetime had set him up with a healthy and strong body, which had only gotten stronger from working on Bessie¡¯s farm. While leaving, he slipped the carved seal into the pocket of the mayor¡¯s nightgown. The decrepit mayor tried reprimanding Max one last time, but only a weak groan escaped his half-paralysed lips. In a panic, he tried to raise his arm out to Max, but he found it wouldn¡¯t move. More weak groans escaped his lips causing Max to pause. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re probably not going to die. Most of your current symptoms will subside once your son figures out that he needs to remove your nightgown.¡± The mayor looked at him with a half-panicked face as his vision started to blur. Half-destroyed, half-intact; just like the slices of cake. ¡°However, the aftereffects are probably permanent since this world doesn¡¯t seem to have much aftercare for stroke victims. Enjoy your last seventeen years. Maybe your next retirement will be better.¡± Max left confidently through the open, wall-length window in a tasteful sitting room. He had passed the mayor¡¯s son on the way and told him his dad seemed to be having a medical emergency. The panicked expression was mysterious. Was he worried about his dad or worried about how to pay out the bet winners since most of the jackpot was now missing? He never understood why the mayor¡¯s son had insisted on him leaving through the impossibly small window until he hopped out of the house to see Aldwin looking at the neon light covering the whole property and reaching up into the clouds. They made eye contact. For a moment, Max panicked. Regardless of if Aldwin just wanted to chat or run to get the knights still residing in the village, Max didn¡¯t have time to deal with him. The teleportation spell Cy had made would only work for a limited amount of time, and Max had wasted most of it playing around. If he missed it, then he would have to take a long walk through an alarmed village thinking the aliens were back. In a panic, he began waving his arms to show he was busy and couldn¡¯t chat now. Squinting his eyes, Aldwin stared at him. He seemed unsure before he waved at Max and began walking back to his home. Was he waving hello or goodbye? Either way, the village idiot seemed to have understood his message. Chapter 33: Drink Up, Bud! The wooden floorboards creaked from the heavy footsteps of regular patrons. It was easy to ignore them as pints of beer were downed time and time again by all within earshot, whilst a poor attempt of music was being played by an untalented, drunk fiddler. Max¡¯s mind was grateful as the beer managed to relieve the insufferable irritation building up from his travelling companion. He tried to grab a second pint, when Cy loudly cancelled his order. ¡°We have to make the money from Bessie last until we get to¡­ where we need to go,¡± he hissed. ¡°Would you calm your tits? I already told you we¡¯ve got plenty.¡± Cy never questioned what was in the sac when he returned from the ¡®alien invaded¡¯ village. He clearly never suspected it was stuffed with cash. Perhaps it was because a farmhand should be poor in this world? Max never felt like telling him. Whenever the coin pouch was feeling light, he would slip in a few more coins to make it never-ending. ¡°If you¡¯re so worried about money then let¡¯s stop staying at the inns and just sleep outside.¡± Cy pulled a face. ¡°We¡¯re not that desperate yet. It¡¯s going to be expensive to buy two spaces on a ship.¡± For the last week they have been on the road, and Cy had been warning him repetitively of what it would mean if they didn¡¯t have enough money. A trip on a ship meant another week of travel. Going on foot meant another month. ¡°The nearest harbour is just a couple of hours away?¡± Cy mocked his words as he showed distain for Max¡¯s lack of concern. After a moment, he began scanning the people around them for anyone he could convince to buy a couple more pints for them. For all of his bitching, Cy never seemed too willing to give up his luxuries in life. Max was about to take another sip when Cy began frantically patting his arm until it practically became punches of excitement. His beer spilled everywhere; on Max, on the table, on the enraged people around them. Everywhere. ¡°Over there!¡± he hissed.
Story Name: Best Night Ever!
Genre: Bildungsroman
Description: After a beating from a local pub¡¯s patrons, the MC decides to have the craziest night of his life!
Goal: Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Have a night that¡¯ll be talked about for years to come.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Get punched!
¡°The fucks wrong with you.¡± Max began trying to clean up some of the mess Cy made before they were assaulted by the pissed, regular patrons. In an effort to show he was in control of the situation, he tightly grabbed Cy¡¯s wrist before the flailing arm knocked over someone else¡¯s glass. ¡°You told me to point out if I saw anyone else who had a vibrant fate like the mayor or the amnesiac? Well, there¡¯s one over there.¡± Cy tried to point towards a woman with her feet up on a sticky table. With dark skin and black hair loosely held together in a singular braid, her appearance was slightly puzzling at first. Her clothing was loose and practical, as if she was a traveller. But her blouse was a cream colour and spotless. Grimy Max was slightly envious. Around her were several equally perplexing looking characters, who were binge drinking with every coin in their possession. The contrast was strange. They were wasted; she had an untouched pint of beer. They were strong, rugged people; she was athletic and slim. They had several tattoos; her rolled up sleeves showed none. Cy wasn¡¯t wrong. She was one of them, and an experienced one. ¡°Stop. Attracting. Attention.¡± Max hissed as he struggled to contain Cy¡¯s sudden excitement. What happened to the mysterious stranger with cryptic messages? After sending Cy away to hunt for wealthier fools in the opposite direction, Max finally glanced in her direction. She was staring at him. Before he could look away, she broke eye contact first and started talking to one of the men next to her. Her casual posture caused him to relax slightly. She didn¡¯t seem perturbed with them interrupting her story. After a couple of minutes, a round of drinks suddenly appeared on their soaked table. There were more than enough for Max, Cy, and the pissed off people around them. ¡°You¡¯ve outdone yourself.¡± Max complimented a puzzled Cy as he handed out the drinks to the people around them. There was a strong pat on his back from one of the drunk recipients. Max had to pray it didn¡¯t count as assault and let out a small sigh of relief when he noticed the prompt was still activated. ¡°Where did you get all of these?¡± ¡°What do you mean? This wasn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I got told to fuck off.¡± Confused, Max looked around to see the woman was now holding her pint. It seemed like she was waiting for him to notice and gave him a smile as she raised her glass. Max was cautious as he reached for one of the fresh pints on the table and raised it as a reply. Seemingly content, she began to talk with the other people around her before the pack got up to leave. The people around her struggled to maintain their balance as they knocked over several tables, people, and most importantly, pints of beer. Unlike when Cy made a mess, the other patrons kept their eyes down and their mouths shut. It wasn¡¯t until after they left and the pub¡¯s door had been closed properly behind them, that the drunk patron who had whacked Max on the back leaned into whisper. ¡°I woudnae get involved with them. Dirty pirates.¡± He spat on the floor causing several others to copy the gesture, making the sickeningly dirty, wooden floor even worse. ¡°Thanks.¡± Max watched him down the beer provided by the ¡®dirty pirates.¡¯ ¡°Cy, what colour was her fate?¡± ¡°A kind of dark green, I guess?¡± Chapter 34: The Beautiful Sea with a Faint Waft of… Something Else The smell of the salty sea was pleasant to experience after so many years. The shrieking cries of seagulls reminded Max of his various lives. At first, they were irritating and the screeches sounded like the birds were laughing at his attempt to adjust to a nautical life, but eventually they became a pleasant reward after months spent travelling the ocean. Max took in the sights and sounds of the harbour while he ignored the several prompts popping into his vision. Become a travelling merchant, have a raunchy story next to the harbour, train to be a competitive sailor; a wide range of prompts and genres to lure him into temptation while he waited patiently for Cy to finish puking up the tainted food from the pub last night. ¡°How are you standing like that?¡± He grumbled in jealousy as he tried to compose himself. ¡°Iron stomach,¡± Max said, nonchalantly. Cy stared at him suspiciously as he began trying to put his appearance back together. ¡°You used one of those runes, didn¡¯t you?¡± Max frowned slightly. ¡°Can¡¯t you just carve up one of them for me too?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, and it¡¯s not that simple. There needs to be something I can use.¡± Carving a healing spell for Cy would be easy, but finding objects with innate magical properties was turning out to be more challenging. Mahogany wasn¡¯t as effective. Magic bones were okay. Anything that had been heavily processed without care was almost certainly unsafe to use since the innate magic would be displaced. There had to be better sources out there. ¡°Besides, the more times you get food poisoned, the better your body will be at dealing with it.¡± ¡°No thanks, I¡¯d rather cheat.¡± Cy began looking through his infinite pocket before handing over a handful of beans. ¡°¡­The fuck?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®the fuck?¡¯ Use the stolen beans to bibbidi-bobbiidi-boo me into tip-top shape.¡± ¡°Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo? You know Cinderella?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Cinderella?¡± Cy looked genuinely confused. ¡°In my hometown, there¡¯s a guy called Flynn. He says it all the time.¡± Flynn? Like Flynn Rider? Seems like the mayor was wrong. There was definitely people like them residing inside Tsujuma. Max wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°Forget about it. Why did you give me beans?¡± ¡°They¡¯re stolen?¡± Max continued to give him a questioning look. ¡°I took them from Bernadette¡¯s farm while you were busy.¡± The look didn¡¯t change. ¡°So, they have a high amount of innate magical properties. That¡¯s the kind of thing you need, right? I had been saving them, but¡­¡± ¡°How am I supposed to carve a bean?¡± Max threw them back at Cy, who panicked as he tried to fight off the seagulls swooping down to steal his stolen beans. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know! How much space do you need?¡± Max let out a sigh as he thought about it for a moment. For a small healing spell, it shouldn¡¯t need too much space. He tried to recall the mounds of shit he had taken out of Cy¡¯s magic pocket. ¡°How about one of those seashells? They¡¯re small, but I might be able to do something with them.¡± Cy was practically in tears while he was on his hands and knees, rescuing the beans near his puddle of vomit. ¡°You want a seashell? They don¡¯t have much magic in them?¡± ¡°Then why are there so many in your pocket?¡± ¡°They¡¯re pretty.¡± Cy gave up trying to save the beans as he began going through the shells in his pocket before he could find one that he was willing to sacrifice. ¡°Would this work?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Max held it up to the sun to see the thickness of the shell better. It was difficult to know how well the shell would take it, but he was willing to give it a shot. Especially, since he needed to reevaluate the strength of sources in this world. ¡°Give me a couple of minutes.¡± He said as he pulled out his pocketknife. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°That¡¯s one of the weakest healing spells I have ever used.¡± Cy grumbled, while readjusting his appearance, as they approached one of the larger ships parked at the dock. Around him, hardened sailors were getting ready to make a hasty exit with their newest batch of cargo for the capital. The contrast between the sun-beaten mariners and the pretty boy hiding under a cloak to prevent sunburns couldn¡¯t be more apparent. ¡°Quit your bitching. Are you still vomiting?¡± Unfortunately, Cy had been right about the seashells not being powerful. Runes may work, but the innate magic of this world was quite different compared to the ones he had been to before. Going to Tsujuma might be a good idea after all. The magicians must have a system or record of the magic of objects. Cy scrunched up his nose. ¡°Whatever. Ah, that must be the captain over there.¡± He pointed at a man barking orders to the sailors hurling the goods up a ramp. ¡°Just like before, leave it to me. I don¡¯t need a sheltered, village amnesiac driving the prices even higher.¡± A prompt made Cy¡¯s argument to keep quiet more convincing.
Story Name: Pirate Hunter
Genre: Fantasy
Description: With a sea tormented by unruly pirates, the MC decides to join the royal navy in hunting them down.
Goal: Eliminate all pirates.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Talk to a member of the royal navy!
¡°Be my guest.¡± Between the royal navy, regular sailors, and illegal traders, Max wasn¡¯t too sure about how he could differentiate them. Silence was key to preventing this story prompt. Besides, he was interested in just how high the prices were, especially since Cy usually had a silver tongue with most people. ¡°Hello!¡± Cy suddenly put on his game face, which was eerily half covered by his cloak. ¡°Are you heading towards the capital?¡± The captain seemed to be slightly freaked out by the stranger suddenly approaching with enthusiasm. His eyes went back and forth between Max and Cy a few times before replying. ¡°We are.¡± ¡°How much for us to come aboard?¡± Now knowing their intentions, the captain seemed a bit more relaxed with the situation. But the disdain was still on his face. ¡°300 gaeles¡­ each.¡± What the fuck? Why was it so expensive? Cy grabbed the pouch given by Bessie and poured its contents onto a crate that was waiting for a sailor to sweep it up into his arms and whisk it away. It took Cy a painfully long time to count each coin. Occasionally, the captain would grumble about how much time they were taking as he shouted at his men. It took Cy more than ten minutes. ¡°We¡¯ve got¡­ 458. Willing to reduce the price a bit? I¡¯ll throw in a fate reading for you-¡± ¡°Nope. Alright, men, let¡¯s get going.¡± The captain did a quick 180 the moment he realised they didn¡¯t have enough money. Within minutes, the ship was loaded and pushing out into the sea. ¡°Not bad.¡± Cy shoved all the coins back into the pouch. ¡°Not bad? What do you mean ¡®not bad¡¯? We couldn¡¯t get a spot.¡± ¡°Yeah, but we almost had enough money.¡± Cy looked pleased with himself as he started to head to the next docked ship. ¡°Look if we show them how much money we have by openly counting in front of them, then surely one of them will let us on with 458 gaeles. Sit back, relax, and watch the magic.¡± The naivety astounded Max. How did Cy manage to make it as far as the village? ¡°750 gaeles.¡± ¡°1000 gaeles.¡± ¡°10,000 gaeles. Each.¡± ¡°We ain¡¯t letting you freaks on board.¡± An exhausted Cy sat on the edge of the dock as he stared depressingly at the ocean. ¡°Max, am I losing my touch? How was the first guy the cheapest option?¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything. While Cy continuously and openly counted the coins before the captains in an attempt to gain sympathy, Max had noticed the passing sailors whispering and snickering to each other. None of them wanted them on board, so all of them were colluding together to make sure the next price tag was even higher. The only thing he wasn¡¯t too sure about was whether it was to extort more money out of the rich-looking guy, or if they were genuinely creeped out by him. Good thing money wasn¡¯t really an issue for them. Cy was going to wake up to a pouch from Santa Clause at this point. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± ¡°Are you guys looking for a ride?¡± The pair jumped at the woman¡¯s voice. Standing behind them was the pirate from the pub. Chapter 35: The Untamed Heart of the Sea ¡°Cheers!¡± Cy cried out while the majority of the pirate crew joined him in the toast. At first, the crew were a bit cold towards them when they first boarded their ship unexpectedly. The attitude was quickly dropped when the crew saw their captain¡¯s warmth towards them. After that, it was only a matter of time before Cy was able to cosy up to them. ¡°Alright, who wants their fate read?¡± A few of the drunk pirates patiently got in line with dopey grins on their faces. Max wasn¡¯t too sure if they really believed in the accuracy of his readings, but they seemed to enjoy the thrill of the possibility. He was about to join them when the first mate slammed his hand down on his shoulder causing him to jump. ¡°The captain wants to talk to you. Alone.¡± He pointed over his shoulder to the door where the captain was standing before she slipped away behind it. Max hesitated leaving Cy alone but decided to play along. There had been no hostility towards them so far. Entering the captain¡¯s quarters, it was almost exactly what Max imagined it would look like except for a few quirky details. There was a stuffed doll on her desk, several vases of fresh flowers scattered around the room, and there were ten portraits of different beautiful women hanging on the walls. ¡°Sit,¡± she gestured to the seat opposite her desk. While he took his place, she reached into a cabinet and took out two shot glasses and bottle after bottle of different liquors. ¡°What¡¯s your drink of choice? You don¡¯t need to drink that watered-down pish the others are drinking.¡± ¡°Whiskey.¡± Max took a sip of the beer he had brought up with him. She was right. It was strongly watered-down. ¡°Given the opportunity, they would drink themselves to death.¡± She let out a small sigh before a smile appeared. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I met one of us. I¡¯m BB.¡± ¡°Bee-Bee?¡± ¡°My nickname from my original world. I use it in pretty much every lifetime regardless of if it fits or not. It just gets confusing and annoying to change names so frequently. What name are you using this time?¡± ¡°Max.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t pick it.¡± Max began to relax more. When they had been offered a free ride to a port near the capital, Cy leapt at the offer without consulting him. It worked out of them though. BB had been a good host so far. Cy got his confidence back with wooing over seamen. And even Max got a bit of a break. With being at sea and BB currently pursuing her story, the system wasn¡¯t able to show many prompts. ¡°I was found and named after a dead farm dog.¡± BB struggled to contain her laughter as she handed him a shot of whisky before pouring one for herself. ¡°I suppose there are worse names to go by.¡± ¡°Still in the middle of your story?¡± Max asked. He posed it like an innocent question. What he really meant to ask was whether they had been invited on board because of a sub-quest. ¡°You can relax,¡± BB said, with a knowing smile. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of a fantasy story with a goal to ¡®find the most valuable treasure.¡¯ Since it¡¯s only a two-star, I thought I could get away with a significant other as my ¡®most valuable treasure.¡¯ But the system is pointing me towards actual money and gems.¡± She let out a little snort to show her disapproval. Her tone darkened as she kept talking. ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of a sub-quest to get a million gaeles before winter comes. Neither of you are involved with it. Even if we take longer on this delivery, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference. It¡¯s almost complete anyway.¡± Max returned the smile but was slightly puzzled by her sudden animosity towards the topic. She chose this story, right? Was it an accident? ¡°Enough about me and this boring tale! What story are you wrapped up in doing this time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not starting a story in this lifetime.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± BB was clearly taken aback. ¡°Why? All this reincarnating got you down?¡± She thought about it for a second. ¡°Is it even possible? I usually start one a day or two after waking up. The prompts just give me a headache if I don¡¯t pick quickly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a little difficult.¡± Max flatly admitted. ¡°But not impossible, and not as challenging as a five-star.¡± BB took a shot when she heard the words ¡®five-star.¡¯ She must¡¯ve experienced the challenges firsthand. ¡°I¡¯ve had the system try to box me in a few times. So far, I¡¯ve been able to dodge them.¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°You¡¯re going to have an even harder time at the capital. You two were from a village, right? Can you imagine what it¡¯s like around all those people?¡± ¡°We¡¯re technically going to a magic community, Tsujuma. Cy says he¡¯s from there. Heard of it?¡± ¡°I have, but I don¡¯t have much information about it for you. They¡¯re a secretive bunch, and my story isn¡¯t steering me anywhere close to it. I know there was one of us that got in. Not sure if he¡¯s still there, but I wouldn¡¯t get close to him anyway. He¡¯s a prat.¡± ¡°Remember his name?¡± BB thought about it while she refilled their glasses. ¡°Something like Jack. Or John¡­ maybe Jake¡­ I don¡¯t know. It started with a ¡®J.¡¯ I would stay clear of him if given the chance.¡± ¡°Why? What did he do?¡± Territory disputes were common among them, but BB didn¡¯t seem like the type. ¡°Stole one of my girls from me.¡± BB grumbled with more passion than Max had seen so far. ¡°He goes both ways. So, if I were you, I would keep him away from your guy.¡± ¡°¡­ My guy?¡± It took Max a moment to piece together what she was implying. ¡°No! No, no. Cy and I are not like that.¡± BB raised a sceptical eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s cool, you know. There¡¯s no judgement coming from me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not together-¡± ¡°We¡¯re not together, but we¡¯ve been travelling together for over a week and we¡¯re going back to his hometown to meet his family,¡± BB said mockingly. Her smile only dropped when she saw Max wasn¡¯t even willing to play along with the idea. ¡°Alright! Alright, don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist. I¡¯m just playing cause I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re jealous then you¡¯re welcome to take him. I¡¯ve been trying to get him off my back since the moment we met. The only reason we¡¯re travelling together is because of a system prompt threatening to begin a story if he dies.¡± ¡°You¡¯re pitching to the wrong team,¡± BB declared. She let out a small sigh. ¡°You¡¯re so lucky to still have freedom.¡± The word set Max slightly on edge. Freedom? Was she talking about the system? ¡°What do you mean ¡®freedom?¡¯¡± ¡°Do me a favour, Max, and look around. What do you see?¡± Max wasn¡¯t sure where their conversation was going anymore. ¡°What do I see? It¡¯s the captain of a pirate ship¡¯s office.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve got a few portraits hanging up-¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± BB leapt up with sudden enthusiasm. Buzzing with more energy than Max had seen so far, she approached the closest painting. It showed a pale woman in a yellow robe looking sternly. BB had clearly been waiting for this moment. ¡°This is Sappho. One of my first and one of my favourites. Don¡¯t let her serious expression fool you! She had one of the best senses of humour when we were alone together.¡± She excitedly walked up to the next portrait. ¡°And this Aiko. Damn she was fun in bed! Too bad she got caught up in her brother¡¯s claim for power and got killed because of it. Oh, I can¡¯t forget Dilan-¡± Without hesitation, BB went on to explain every woman whose portrait was hanging around her office with a fond voice and frantic gestures. Finally, she reached the last portrait beside the entrance. She took it off the wall to let Max look closely. The clothes shown in the portrait were a lot more modern as it showed a blonde woman in disco gear just outside a club. He was slightly envious that BB managed to score a world similar or the same as his original one, even if it did look forty years earlier from when he last lived there. He didn¡¯t notice BB¡¯s sudden change in tone. ¡°Minna, my last lover before this life. She would often talk about this fantasy of hers. Every day, she would mention how romantic it would be to get swept up in a pirate¡¯s arms and be taken out to sea.¡± Without hesitation, BB broke the frame against her office table causing Max to jump from the sudden anger. ¡°Dumb bitch forgot to consider that most women would only want hookups and don¡¯t want to spend most days of the year fighting seasickness. There¡¯s also a severe lack of showers-¡± ¡°You were convinced by your last lover to become a pirate?¡± Max felt slightly unnerved as he stared down at the abandoned portrait on the floor looking up at him, almost as if it were asking for help. ¡°Did you end that story quickly? ¡°Relax. I was the love of her life, and I made sure it was a good and long life for her before moving on.¡± BB stared at the remains of the portrait as well before relaxing into a smile. ¡°I¡¯m a connoisseur of romance stories. There¡¯s nothing better, and I just can¡¯t get enough of them! I shouldn¡¯t have deviated from my normal path. So many closeted women in this world¡­ It really is tragic. In another life, I would¡¯ve given one lucky woman the chance to make her love-life like the fantasy she always dreamed about. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be having such a hard time if it weren¡¯t for how stigmatised my sexuality is in this world.¡± ¡°¡­ And you can¡¯t do that as a pirate because¡­?¡± ¡°One of the requirements imposed by the system is that my ship and I can¡¯t stay on land for more than two days. And for each hour on land, I have to spend a day at sea when I return to it. The penalty for not complying is a curse causing any fresh water I touch to turn into sea water.¡± In other words, probable death without a prepared way around the curse. ¡°It¡¯s hard to foster a meaningful relationship in that amount of time.¡± Max muttered semi-sympathetically. He couldn¡¯t decide if he liked her approach to love. It was shallow, but her lovers wouldn¡¯t have lived long enough to know it. A genuine pledge to be together for only their life. ¡°Damn right it is!¡± ¡°But I would¡¯ve thought a romantic expert like yourself could start a relationship despite the restraints. How many romantic stories have you completed?¡± ¡°Seventy-two.¡± Chapter 36: The Fate of the Captain ¡°What am I going to do, Max?¡± BB choked out between sobs as she finished yet another drink. ¡°This isn¡¯t the life for me. I mean, I¡¯m good at this, but this isn¡¯t me! It¡¯s all just sweat and dodging scurvy. But I want romance. I want flowers and silly little dances in a garden at night.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Max wasn¡¯t sure about whether he should refill her glass as she cried into her desk. Her determination to keep up with the liquor had been admirable, but drinking more would probably be a bad idea. ¡°What¡¯s the current star level again? If it¡¯s not too high, then just finish it off. You can go ashore then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a two-star. I only ever settle on one or two-star stories.¡± While she continued to sob, Max took the nearly empty bottle of whisky and placed it next to his chair. ¡°You never attempt a three-star? You¡¯ll probably do well since you¡¯ve done seventy-two stories.¡± ¡°Too distracting,¡± BB dismissively waved away his suggestion. ¡°I know most of us want to go for the difficult ones or try to figure a way to get out of this, but I just want to have a good and fulfilling life. It¡¯s more than most people get.¡± ¡°Good mentality to have.¡± Max hid their shot glasses. Out of sight, out of mind. ¡°You¡¯re the kind of person who¡¯s well suited for¡­ our situation.¡± ¡°Well, what about you-¡± There was a large knock at the door. Tap, tap, tap. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± BB suddenly jumped up, alert in case there was a sub-goal event starting. ¡°Relax. It¡¯s just Cy.¡± Max had long grown used to his weird knocks. He didn¡¯t even need the system to tell him through a story prompt. Opening the door ajar, a drunk Cy barged into the room carrying three pints of water-downed beer. ¡°Aye, aye, captain and Maxie.¡± Maxie? ¡°You¡¯ll never guess what I saw. Settle down, landlubbers, and drink up while I tell a tale of-¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± Max felt embarrassed as he took the drinks away from him, but it was too late. A perked-up BB was holding out both hands to receive her share. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call the captain a landlubber, especially because she was kind enough to give us a free ride.¡± He hissed at him, but it was hopeless. He was too drunk to understand that they should be on their best behaviour. Cy resisted being guided to the chair Max just left, quickly forgetting why he came in the first place. ¡°It¡¯s a free ride, but it¡¯s only part way there, right?¡± BB confirmed with a nod, while still holding her hands out. ¡°We still have to travel for a few days-¡± ¡°Free is free.¡± Max forced him down into his seat. An idea occurred to him as he passed BB her pint while leaving the other two on her desk. ¡°She¡¯s given us a ride and let us drink her beer, so why don¡¯t you give her a fate reading. He¡¯s pretty accurate.¡± He said while giving a small nod to BB, indicating it was the truth. BB put down the beer, suddenly eager and interested in the person in front of her. ¡°I want to know about my love life. When will I meet my Juliet?¡± ¡°Your ¡®Juliet?¡¯¡± Cy asked, confused. ¡°Ignore her, she¡¯s talking about a play.¡± Which obviously wasn¡¯t around in this world. ¡°She wants to know if she¡¯ll have¡­ a romantic partner.¡± Max was a little unsure what to say. His experience with Noah and the village showed that many were still closed minded about these kinds of things. He had assumed the same with Cy until he realised his lack of decency towards the blacksmith was because of the neutralising runes Noah kept welding into his piles of metal. ¡°They don¡¯t have Shakespeare here?¡± BB seemed a bit confused for a second before it was replaced with a wide smile as she showed Cy the palms of her hand. ¡°When am I going to meet my girlfriend?¡± Welp, there it was. ¡°No sweat, give me a second.¡± Cy brushed her hands a way before staring intimidatingly for a few seconds. His drunk stare began to waver in concentration before ultimately ending in confusion. ¡°Max,¡± he said in a loud whisper. ¡°I think she¡¯s confused. There is no girlfriend in her future.¡± BB burst into tears again at the revelation making Cy panic a little. It wasn¡¯t too long before he was crying sympathetically. ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Max tried to reassure both of them. They were too drunk for this. ¡°Her fate is still flexible, right? So-¡± ¡°It¡¯s fixed.¡± The sobs from BB became louder. ¡°But! But there¡¯s a guy in your future-¡± The sobs became loud wails. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°I think¡­ I should end¡­ this story here.¡± BB choked out between her cries. That might be the right choice at this moment. She hated this story, had no desired love interest, and it wasn¡¯t even complete yet. It might be better for her to just skip this lifetime. ¡°Alright. Bye.¡± ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Cy leapt up, the severity of his reading finally dawning on him. ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope.¡± He began trying to pat her back while she buried her head in her arms. His pats were a little too strong causing her to choke between wails. ¡°It might be a fixed fate, but Max can change fates, right?¡± Only by delaying a fixed fate of a sick cow. Cy did have a point though. ¡°If you use magic not native to¡­ here, it seems to be able to alter fixed fates.¡± Cy frantically nodded to confirm when BB turned to him. ¡°He uses this weird writing and somehow it works. Maybe he could write something for you, like a girlfriend charm.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t quite work like that.¡± The words seemed to have given her enough hope as she started wiping away her tears. ¡°I can change my fate?¡± BB asked in a vulnerable voice. ¡°If I use magic from another world? I¡¯ve never been too good at it though.¡± Cy looked BB up and down for a while. ¡°Are you sure? You should be pretty good at magic related to water, metal, and¡­ probably time? I guess? It¡¯s hard to know unless you¡¯ve done some training with it.¡± BB and Max exchanged a glance before she let out a deep sigh. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ll need magic later on for my story,¡± she started to clean up her appearance. ¡°Time to brush up on it. It¡¯s been a few lifetimes since I¡¯ve had to use it.¡± Cy nodded his head in agreement even though his face showed his total confusion from her words. Max didn¡¯t say anything for a while as he debated what he should do. Remembering his bad luck with seashells and mahogany wood, he turned to Cy. ¡°In this room, what object has the most innate power?¡± Messing around with fates and gaining information might mean more cryptic messages from the system. It had only been in his vision for a minute before returning to normal, but he didn¡¯t forget the scrambled letters in the description of Cy¡¯s prompt. ¡®emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea.¡¯ It both irritated and intrigued him. Cy stood up to look around the room. He stopped in front of the portrait of Sappho. ¡°These portraits have a bit of power to them. They must¡¯ve been made with a lot of emotion.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± BB beamed from the complement of her handiwork despite her eyes were growing red and puffy from crying. ¡°The front side with the painting obviously has more power, so the portrait might get damaged-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare!¡± BB hissed at Max before he did or said anything. ¡°You can just make another one?¡± Max replied coldly. ¡°What about the portrait of Minna?¡± ¡°Oh, sure, do what you want with that one.¡± BB picked up the broken painting and handed it over to him. ¡°Need a quill?¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯ll be stronger if I scrape off some of the paint.¡± Max pulled out his pocketknife. Before he scratched in the first rune, he began to second guess himself. ¡°But since it¡¯ll be carved into paint, it might not be as effective if the lines don¡¯t come out sharply.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± BB just seemed happy to have someone helping her. ¡°Thank you, and if I can return the favour-¡± ¡°How about money?¡± They ignored Cy. ¡°If you notice something strange from the system then let me know. Especially if you see this message,¡± he motioned for her to pass one of her quills and parchments. ¡°He knows about the system?¡± BB asked, while keeping an eye on an unfocused Cy. ¡°What¡¯s a system?¡± Cy asked, while Max wrote the message. ¡°He¡¯s as drunk as a skunk, no shot he¡¯ll remember in the morning anyway.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a system?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± BB began but seemed hesitant to say anything. ¡°It¡¯s the name of a type of rare magic I can use.¡± Max lied as Cy frowned, appearing even more confused. He had lived enough lifetimes to know that lying about the system didn¡¯t result in penalties so long as the outsider¡¯s understanding of it was too shallow or too different to the truth. Besides, it was going to be a miracle if Cy remembered this conversation and asked more detailed questions later. ¡°If you see this message in any part of the HUD, let me know.¡± BB and Cy both stared down at the words ¡®emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡¯ while Max got to work on his runes. ¡°What is that?¡± BB seemed perplexed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡± Cy remained silent. Max wasn¡¯t too sure if he was sober enough to understand what was happening. ¡°If you change a fate, something like this appears?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve just seen it in a prompt. Since I can¡¯t interact with the HUD before starting a story-¡± ¡°You want me to be your guinea pig,¡± BB completed the thought. ¡°Well, I¡¯m game.¡± Cy continued to stare at the letters. ¡°Is this a riddle?¡± He seemed confused. ¡°I guess so.¡± ¡°You should ask Delrid. She¡¯s really good at them. Back home, she developed her own type of magic to help solve them.¡± Max and BB glanced at each other. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll help you out if you ask her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good job you guys are headed to Tsujuma,¡± BB murmured. Max didn¡¯t say anything until he was done scraping a mandala filled with runes over the portrait of BB¡¯s last lover. ¡°So, what¡¯s this going to do? Bring me true love?¡± ¡°Theoretically trick the system into thinking you¡¯re at sea. But you¡¯ll need direct contact with the painting¡¯s fabric for it to be effective. I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll last though since my gauge on this world¡¯s magic items is wrong, but you can use it in a pinch if you¡¯re desperate. You¡¯ll also need to let it charge after use. A few days should do the trick.¡± Cy seemed to get excited as he began loudly whispering to Max. ¡°How did you do that? Her fate is a lot more flexible.¡± BB examined the portrait and the runes closely. ¡°I never did ask how many stories you¡¯ve done,¡± she murmured, as she admired the handiwork. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal, Max. I¡¯ll drop you off as promised. Then in one month, we¡¯ll meet again in the same place. I¡¯ll test out your runes and theory as much as I can, and you get that riddle sorted. It¡¯ll be nice to partner up and share what we know. Oh, and bring your friend, I need to know if after all this my fate can¡¯t be changed for the life I want.¡± Chapter 37: The Navy-Blue Soul Max overlooked the ship from the poop deck and watched the hungover crew mates scurrying about as they struggled to do their work. It was like watching ants. This ant was struggling to carry food to their nest. Another ant was trying to walk in a straight line to the other side of the ship but was constantly stumbling from side to side. This caused several other ants behind him to also lose their balance. The most pitiable of ants were the ones trying to clean up the mess from the night before while the rising sun threatened to bring back the last of the summer¡¯s heat. The only human with him was the helmsman, who was also watching the ants below with a sober eye. ¡°Is it always like this?¡± ¡°The captain wanted to celebrate having guests on board. She usually keeps stricter control over them.¡± ¡°You make me seem like a bitch of a boss.¡± BB¡¯s voice was still slightly slurred as she struggled to clamber up to the poop deck. ¡°At least I pay you well.¡± The helmsman didn¡¯t dispute this as he answered with a smile. ¡°Where¡¯s your friend?¡± ¡°Still down and out.¡± Max thought about helping her out, but she appeared capable as she resumed the position behind the wheel and shooed the helmsman away. It seemed there was more she wanted to talk about. His gaze returned to the ants. ¡°Do drink-driving laws apply to the sea? Or even this world?¡± ¡°Yes to the first, no to the second,¡± BB answered quickly. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know about your original world, but it did in mine. Besides, I¡¯m supposed to be a pirate. This is one of the very few perks.¡± ¡°I hope nothing exciting happens while your crew is incapacitated.¡± There was a harsh and knowing tone in his voice. ¡°The air and sea seem¡­ very calm today.¡± ¡°Just because I¡¯m in the middle of my story doesn¡¯t mean a kraken is going to pop out of the sea and attack us. For the most part, my story has been solely focused on making money and avoiding authorities. Unless, of course, the system is trying to rope you into a story. Because if you are receiving prompts for it, then you should-¡± BB didn¡¯t realise that while she was talking, her words were going in one ear and out the other. Max¡¯s gaze was fixated on a particular ant, who had rolled up his sleeves while he checked the sloppy knots of the various ropes tied by his crewmates. He didn¡¯t fit. His black hair, olive skin, and clothes made him blend in at first with the other ants, but his frame was smaller and there was almost no ink on his arms compared to the others around him. What was tattooed there sent an instant message meant for Max. It was a clear display in front of the poop deck. Max didn¡¯t need Cy to be there to confirm. There was a little mouse amongst the ants. A mouse with a navy-blue fate. The system popped up to verify.
Story Name: Behind the Curtains
Genre: Battle Royal
Description: A person sent by the system has been interfering with the calm life of the MC. Can the MC confront them?
Goal: Get them to stop.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Investigate the navy-blue soul!
¡°Come back,¡± Max called out to the helmsman just as he reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°You need him for something?¡± BB said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me anything. The system is forcing my hand,¡± Max warned, causing BB to relax her stance again. ¡°I¡¯ve got a small issue with one of your new crewmates.¡± A confused BB complied with his request and kept her mouth shut even though she was alarmed that he knew about their newest addition. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°You need something?¡± ¡°Could you pass a message for me?¡± The helmsman didn¡¯t seem game until he got a stern nod from BB. Max pointed out the owner of the navy-blue soul. ¡°Tell him: Roeki.¡± Both BB and the helmsman looked puzzled at the term. ¡°Row-eh-key?¡± The helmsman repeated while scratching his head. ¡°Roeki,¡± Max repeated. ¡°You got it. Now, off you go.¡± BB waited for the helmsman to descend the stairs. ¡°Can I ask what roeki means or does the system forbid it?¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything as he calmly watched the helmsman relay the message. Upon hearing the term, the navy-blue fate immediately let go of the rope he was holding causing a flurry of scolding to explode from the helmsman and nearby crewmates. His hands were trembling slightly. Clearly, it was not the response he had hoped for. In the midst of the scolding, the young man looked up at Max only to tremble more once he received a cold glare. Feeling satisfied, Max was about to return his attention to BB when something hit the port side of the ship. Luckily, he managed to grab the railing fast enough to avoid falling over, but almost all the ants below couldn¡¯t keep their balance. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± BB shouted as she clung to the ship¡¯s wheel for dear life. After a few frantic blinks, BB declared, ¡°Whatever it was, it¡¯s not one of mine. None of my other sub-goals or requirements have been activated.¡±
Story Name: The Leviathan
Genre: Epic
Description: After barely surviving an encounter with a leviathan, the MC begins a quest for vengeance against the beast.
Goal: Slay the leviathan.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Survive the encounter!
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: After an entire ship turns against a hidden magician, the world falls into chaos as a power struggle takes root.
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy dies!
¡°It¡¯s one of mine,¡± Max muttered, as he ran to the port side to look at the leviathan. For a moment, he spotted the scaley skin of the snake beast before it plunged deeper into the water. It was big. Far bigger than BB¡¯s ship. ¡°All men to your posts!¡± BB barked out the order as she watched the pathetic ants attempt to move while battling their hangovers and fear. Max glanced down at the navy-blue fate. He was panicking but following the orders given to him. ¡°Stay within its sight,¡± Max warned. BB gave him a questioning look. ¡°And? Then what? Have you or your friend got something to kill that beast?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Do you want to get us all killed so you can avoid a story prompt? Sorry, Max. End of the line. You can have another shot at avoiding the system in your next life, but my crew don¡¯t have the luxury of knowing what happens after their death.¡± She ignored the scowl as she continued to give orders. He was about to descend the stairs when she yelled out. ¡°If you want to do something about this¡­ whatever it is, then make it fast because I¡¯m going to get us out of its range as soon as possible.¡± This was the trouble with being around people like them. A conflict of interest was inevitable. There was another large knock, which threatened to capsize the ship. This time it was on the starboard side. The second the swaying was tolerable, Max rushed down the stairs to the main deck. Screams, cries, and wails for ¡®mommy¡¯ erupted from the crew men. The head of the leviathan had emerged from the water and was bearing a full mouth of razor-sharp teeth as it stared down at Max. Max looked back at the beast glaring down at him. There wasn¡¯t a trace of fear on his face as he stared up at the leviathan¡¯s serpentine head. It opened its mouth to hiss, but the terrifying sound didn¡¯t cause a reaction from him. The system prompt had made it clear he could easily survive the attack and start a story if he wanted too. Finding another way was going to be slightly more challenging. Just before the beast threatened to lunge at the ship, a cry from BB challenged the leviathan for acoustic dominance. ¡°FIRE!¡± A series of canons ignited. They were moderately successful in deterring the beast, but there was no significant damage being done as far as he could tell. The scurrying crewmen around him worked diligently and under command of their queen ant, who was struggling to control the ship against the high waves. There was at least one obvious solution to avoid the three starting methods set by the system. Max grabbed the tattooed arm of the little mouse amongst the ants. ¡°Iko.¡± The navy-blue fate understood and dropped the ropes that had been forced upon him by the helmsman. ¡°Kasumarekai ni rachido?¡± "Isaruu." Max ignored the question and the navy-blue fate complied with the order as they went below deck and out of the way. Chapter 38: The Leviathan Attacks The bellowing screams weren¡¯t the thing that alarmed Cy when he gradually came to. Nor was it the deafening sounds of guns blasting. Even the harsh rocking of the ship went unnoticed at first. What caused him to shriek at the top of his lungs was the little mouse sleeping on top of his chest. In a panic, Cy flung himself out of his hammock causing him to fall hard on the floor. As he wiped the sleep from his eyes, he was initially thankful the other pirates around him were too preoccupied before starting to worry about what they were freaking out about. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cy tried asking various people, but they were all too busy to pay him any mind. Troubled and unsure about what was happening, he decided to search for Max. Just as he was about to go up one of the ladders leading to the main deck, he found them amongst some of BB¡¯s cargo. Cy¡¯s memories of the night before were fuzzy and missing parts, but he suddenly recalled why he used beer as a ruse to barge into the captain¡¯s quarters. ¡°It¡¯s the navy-blue fate!¡± Max was surprised to see Cy. ¡°Morning.¡± His voice showed a slight amount of nervousness as he tried to think of excuses. Having found some of BB¡¯s paint for her portraits, Max was painting runes onto the skin of a shirtless navy-blue fate. ¡°Surprised to see you¡¯re up.¡± Cy was staring at the navy-blue fate. The fear in the air was palpable as he tried to keep still while Max applied the paint. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You know that¡¯s the navy-blue fate-¡± ¡°I know,¡± Max cut him off before it could be counted as investigating by the system. ¡°I¡¯m just killing two birds with one stone.¡± The ship rocked heavily from another attack. ¡°Sumashiumo to ijjiriru-ko ha shitawa,¡± said a quiet voice from the mouse. ¡°Rude,¡± Max scolded. ¡°Cy doesn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Coleridge.¡± ¡°Too complicated and nobody asked,¡± Max gave a small sigh of frustration as he repainted one of the lines. Luckily, the system didn¡¯t count the willing disclosure of information to unwilling ears as ¡®investigating.¡¯ ¡°Your name¡¯s now Navy, got it?¡± Navy nodded obediently. He seemed pleased for a moment before the fear returned. ¡°There¡¯s a monster attacking the ship. Navy has volunteered to be a sacrifice and kill it before the ship sinks.¡± ¡°Are you sure he volunteered?¡± Cy asked suspiciously, as Navy struggled to contain his tears. ¡°Navy, have you agreed to do this?¡± Max stopped painting and waited for him to give a panicked nod. ¡°You see? I have consent to do this.¡± ¡°So, what do these runes do?¡± Cy tried to give subtle gestures to communicate with Navy, just in case Max was stretching the truth about his willingness to go through with this. ¡°Electricity.¡± ¡°Electricity?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s like lightning-¡± ¡°I know what electricity is, jackass. Back home, it¡¯s one of Elder Aris¡¯s specialties.¡± ¡°How was I supposed to know? Anyway, Navy will just jump in the water and cause a massive electric attack. What better way to get rid of a giant water snake?¡± And it¡¯ll also get rid of the other story prompt, which had been following them from the village. Two prompts cancelled in one attack. ¡°Navy can¡¯t survive this electric attack?¡± Cy asked with a pitiful look before it turned serious. ¡°Will we get caught up in it?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Navy was struggling to keep it together. Cy¡¯s words did cause Max to think. ¡°Actually¡­ you make a good point. BB¡¯s crew might get hurt or killed in the process, especially with how the waves are right now. She seems to care about her crew¡­ It¡¯ll probably sour our relations¡­¡± He thought for another second as the ship shook suddenly from another series of blasts from the cannons. Finally, he sighed. One bird with one stone wasn¡¯t too bad either. ¡°Turn around,¡± he instructed Navy, who hesitatingly complied. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°What are you painting now?¡± Cy asked curiously. ¡°The attack shouldn¡¯t affect humans,¡± Max rubbed out one of the lines and repainted it to make the line thinner before adding other runes. ¡°What about the fish?¡± ¡°The fish?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you paint another rune or two so the local fish don¡¯t get electrocuted?¡± Max scowled at Cy. ¡°What are we going to do if it turns out the leviathan counts as a fish? No, too risky.¡± Cy reluctantly gave up as Max painted a couple more strokes. ¡°Lucky you, Navy. Seems like you¡¯re going to survive after all.¡± Navy¡¯s expression worsened. It took Cy a moment to see what the cause could be. ¡°Can you swim?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°No?¡± Max was genuinely shocked. ¡°You¡¯ve had all this time, and you never learned how to swim?¡± Navy shook his head frantically. Looks like the original plan was back on. ¡°Oh well, you¡¯ll know for next time¡­ if there¡¯s another life.¡± He added, but Cy was too busy trying to keep his balance after another impact to the ship. ¡°Drowning is not a fun way to go, but it¡¯s by no means the worst way. Alright, looks good¡­ Do you think BB has a plank for you to walk off?¡± It¡¯s been forever since he saw someone walk the plank. ¡°Why do you have to be cruel just-¡± ¡°There¡¯s one on the port side of the ship.¡± Navy was starting to lose it once the words escaped him. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± While the three stumbled their way up to the main deck, BB¡¯s attack continued. The moment they stepped out and smelled the mixture of the sea, spilled alcohol, and gunpowder, Cy erupted into screams from seeing the leviathan charging towards the back of the ship. BB seemed to be on top of it as she shouted for her men to release the sails and anchor causing the ship to sharply turn at the expense of some of the sturdiness of the ship. It allowed them to have one more chance of attack. The leviathan must¡¯ve been too fast for them to flee from. Max grabbed Navy by the shoulders as he began pushing him towards the plank. Sometimes Navy complied with the force and voluntarily took a few steps, other times he was frozen with fear. Max could hear BB screaming something, but he was too focused on forcing Navy out on the plank. Once he was teetering on the edge, Max asked, ¡°Ka rua ha toko sukonoii ni goisa?¡± Navy shook his head before voluntarily falling off the end. The moment Navy hit the sea; the ocean lit up a bright yellow as far as they could see. Max covered his eyes slightly as he tried to watch the leviathan. It let out a scream that was quickly caught in the beast¡¯s throat as it twitched out of control. Occasionally, he heard a cracking noise. Probably from the muscles of the beast breaking its own bones. Max was relieved he didn¡¯t have to find other objects to paint runes on before throwing them overboard. Humans were a good source of power for runes in this world. Good to know.
Story Name: The Leviathan
Genre: Epic
Description: After bareLy surviving an encOunter with a leviathan, the mC begins A quesT for vengEance against emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡­
Goal: Slay the leviathan.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Survive the encounter.
There it was. LOCATE. And the other part was the same as before. Max relaxed as he waited for the shock to end. The story prompt meant he couldn¡¯t just walk away, since surviving the ongoing attack meant starting the story. So, the easiest thing to do was complete the goal now by killing the beast. No goal? No final villain? Nothing to overcome or fight against? Naturally, the story would be cancelled. If only completing stories were usually this easy. Sub-goals and requirements truly were the worst. The moment the ocean began to return to its original colour and the leviathan¡¯s muscles went loose, Max was shoved out of the way as someone ran out onto the plank and jumped into the sea. The sudden impact surprised him. He looked back up to the poop deck to see the helmsman was at the wheel now. ¡°Man overboard!¡± Max got up and peered over the edge to find BB fighting to keep both herself and an unconscious Navy up on the surface. Once one of the other crewmen threw a makeshift life preserver, which BB probably invented in this world, she was able to relax a little while waiting to be helped back onboard. BB checked Navy¡¯s pulse while they bobbed around in the sea amongst the floating fish. Max didn¡¯t know what to feel when she looked back up at him with a smile before giving him a thumbs up. For a second, Max felt anger that Navy survived. Just as he was about to act and cause further tragedy and excitement to their day, he realised Navy¡¯s prompt had disappeared. Either by choice or by loyally following his orders, Navy was set to stop doing whatever the system had asked of him. He was lucky that the ¡®them¡¯ in the goal had been referring to only Navy. Today would have ended differently if it were actually referring to ¡®them.¡¯ ¡°Lucky mouse.¡± Chapter 39: A Deal’s a Deal! BB demanded silence as she held up her glass of watered-down beer while standing on the poop deck. It didn¡¯t take long for her tipsy crew to respond. ¡°If you were to tell me that this skinny one here,¡± she pulled a shaky Navy closer to her as she spoke, ¡°would help us take down one of the legendary beasts of the sea; I would have said: Fat fucking chance of that happening!¡± The crew snickered as they stood beside chucks of the leviathan gathered from earlier that day. ¡°And if you had told me, we¡¯d be finishing our trade while cashing in the bounties for the leviathan from various countries; I would have said: Who? Us? We found a way to legally extort more money out from under the noses of some delusional pricks? Fuck yeah!¡± BB¡¯s speech was hyped up by her crew. They were all in on their plan for the carcass. ¡°Now it¡¯s up to you lot,¡± she turned to the chosen crew mates behind her. ¡°Get your brothers, your lovers, or whoever you know to turn in the evidence for us and come back with the bounty, or we¡¯re going to make sure you¡¯ll regret ever hearing about the crew of The Pillow Princess!¡± Standing at the front of the ship, Max listened absentmindedly as he looked out into the sea. BB went on about how she was going to give each member of her loyal crew a bonus and a two percent raise. She had thought it through. There was no point in the beast going to waste. And if BB were to hand in directly the parts of the leviathan for the bounties set by various countries, then corruption would certainly take place. Either the evidence would¡¯ve been declared faked since she was too unknown, or the credit went to someone else because she was a woman. There was even a chance she would be executed just for being caught as part of a pirate crew. BB¡¯s plan was to use relatives of respected navy merchants to turn in the evidence on their behalf with fifteen to twenty percent of the reward going to whoever cooperated with them. Of course, there was always a chance of betrayal. BB had assured Max that her men were loyal, and he had no reason or evidence to question her judgement. It was her decision. She would reap the rewards or consequences. Next to him, Cy was looking down at his beer. He was completely disinterested in the contents, but didn¡¯t seem willing to look up and interact with the people around him. Judging from his body language, Max assumed he was acting this way because of him. It was a little admirable that Cy didn¡¯t seem willing to walk away yet. After a couple of toasts and cheers, it was dispiriting letting him drown in his feelings. ¡°What is it?¡± Max finally broke the ice between them. Cy struggled with words as he kept his eyes down. Finally, he settled on, ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± Max felt a bit grumpy with Cy hesitating to speak. ¡°So, there¡¯s going to be no issues between us as we finish travelling to Tsujuma?¡± He didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Or would you rather we part ways once we docked?¡± Up until now, Max had only been going along with Cy since it was more convenient than going off by himself to find potential answers about that riddle. But he could solve it himself, if given enough time. ¡°Why are we here?¡± Max was taken aback. It wasn¡¯t the questionable morality of making a martyr. It wasn¡¯t a close encounter with a mythical creature. It wasn¡¯t even when they witnessed the pirate crew hacking up the floating corpse of the leviathan and scavenging from the sea full of floating fish, all so they could later fatten their pockets with gold. It was existentialism kicking in!? ¡°What do you mean, why are we here?¡± How could he respond to a question like that? ¡°I guess we are here¡­ to do something?¡± As someone chosen by the system, Max was here to complete a story. As someone from this world, Cy was here¡­ as filler? ¡°We¡¯re¡­ programmed to try and survive.¡± Cy seemed perplexed as his face contorted from pure confusion. ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Max couldn¡¯t answer as he tried to understand their conversation. Unfortunately, because of the presence of BB and Navy, there were no helpful system prompts to guide him. ¡°You¡¯re asking¡­ why are we alive?¡± Cy snorted as the tension between them loosened. ¡°No, I¡¯m asking why we¡¯re on a pirate ship. Why did BB let us on board in the first place? We¡¯re nobodies. Back at the port, she refused to take any of our savings. Why? She¡¯s a pirate. It just doesn¡¯t make sense. Just look at what they¡¯ve done to profit from today¡¯s event. Gold should be the love of her life-¡± ¡°Good thing for you two, gold is nothing compared to the real love of my life.¡± BB made both of them jump as they realised today¡¯s pirate pep-talk had finished. The rest of the crew were consumed with taking full advantage of their captain¡¯s deviated attention as they turned to liquor. A few of them even gestured for them to talk, presumably as a way to keep her distracted for as long as possible. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°The real love of your life?¡± Cy questioned, nervousness clear on his face. ¡°The one, the only, Mrs. BB.¡± She gave an exaggerated performance, which was met with a further confused face and an accustomed one. Max was right. Cy had been too drunk to remember the night before. ¡°Then why let us on board? We¡¯re not women?¡± Max waited for BB to come up with a clever answer. He had a few ideas of his own before her response hit like a punch to the gut. ¡°Because I thought we played for the same team, you know?¡± ¡°Same team?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not often you see two out of place guys travelling around together. Especially when one looks like¡­ well, you.¡± Cy¡¯s face went slightly pale as he pieced together what she was implying. ¡°To be fair, I wasn¡¯t completely convinced. It wasn¡¯t until Max set the record straight did I realise you were just¡­ a bit¡­ out of place?¡± She was looking for a non-offensive term, but she couldn¡¯t have picked a worse phrase. She gave a slight chuckle. ¡°I guess my gaydar must be broken in this body.¡± Even though he didn¡¯t know the meaning of ¡®gaydar,¡¯ it didn¡¯t matter. Cy turned to Max to act in his defence. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m weird?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve been calling you a freak since we first met,¡± Max teased. Disappointment was clear on his face as Cy began grumbling to himself about how Aldwin, farmer Cill, and now even BB and Max thought he was a freak. Was what he was doing really that different compared to everyone else? Max thought he heard him mutter something about ¡®the Elders,¡¯ but he couldn¡¯t be sure as BB¡¯s crew was suddenly electrified over something. Cy took the opportunity to join the crew without speaking to BB or Max. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll get over it. If it were that easy to get rid of him, I would have accidentally pissed him off a long time ago.¡± Max said confidently, as he began to realise it was Navy causing the stir. They were making him chug. After a moment, he was enthralled as well. The little mouse can really drink. ¡°I never did ask. How did you recognise me? Or did you just realise later after inviting us on board.¡± There was no point in asking Navy how he knew of his identity. He must¡¯ve cheated by having the system tell him. However, that still left the mystery of BB. ¡°Hmm¡­ How did I recognise you?¡± BB pondered aloud as she leaned against the railing of her ship. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Your posture showed a lot of confidence for a visitor in a local pub. You were good at acting like you belonged with the other patrons when you talked to them. Or was it simply because I faintly smelled some juniper berries when I walked past you at the dock.¡± BB gave a knowing grin to a perplexed Max. His scent was what tipped her off? ¡°Most soaps here are made from fat and lye. So, what did you do? Did you melt down a couple of bars and infuse it with some berries?¡± BB really did have a talent. He was right about his assumption about her. She could make it far if she went for harder stories. ¡°I made an oil from some dried berries and mixed it into a melted bar of soap.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for making your own. In this world, regular soap doesn¡¯t smell great.¡± Max shared a smile with her. ¡°Hygiene is usually important for people like us. And believe me, a woman knows when people are using scented soaps and perfumes. Especially in a world like this where it doesn¡¯t seem to be as valued.¡± The pair listened to the rambunctious crew and waves for a moment. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about what we talked about last night.¡± BB said in a low voice as she kept her gaze on the water. ¡°I¡¯m still in.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Max had his gaze fixed in the opposite direction towards the others. ¡°I imagine you already know, but Navy¡¯s one of us.¡± BB gestured to her spotless inner arm. ¡°You saw the barcode here, right? The series of thick and thin lines of different sizes? I¡¯ve only seen that on people like us. I never noticed it before because his sleeves were always down, but I got to take a good, long look while waiting to be rescued.¡± Max gave a small nod to confirm he saw it too, earlier on the poop deck before the leviathan attack. ¡°Do you know what it means?¡± So she knew one of the two signifiers, but didn¡¯t know the meaning? ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it.¡± BB¡¯s voice showed her suspicions. ¡°You know what it is?¡± Max let out a slight sigh as he rolled up his own sleeve to show his arms didn¡¯t have tattoos at the moment. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ just think of it as proof of membership to a cult.¡± ¡°A cult?¡± She was perplexed. ¡°What kind of cult? Is it worth joining?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a cult worth joining?¡± Max scoffed as he lowered his sleeve again. ¡°There¡¯s no point. It¡¯s pretty much been disbanded. I guess, there must be a few stubborn believers remaining. I imagine he¡¯s searching for something, whether it¡¯s system related or for personal reasons. If you¡¯re interested, maybe you should take him with you. Just don¡¯t tell me anything in case it counts as a way to start a story.¡± Before they docked, Max needed to give Navy strict orders to stay with BB and abandon the instructions from the system. Max had little doubt he would do it, even at the cost of his life to the requirements and sub-goals. Navy had already shown evidence of his dedication earlier that day. ¡°Maybe I will.¡± Chapter 40: First Day of Being at a Magic Community ¡°Okay, when we get there, remember to smile and be polite. Let¡¯s see your best smile¡­ That¡¯s the best you can do?¡± Cy chided as he fiddled with Max¡¯s clothes beside the crossroad they stopped at. It had only been a couple of days since they parted from BB, Navy, and the crew of The Pillow Princess, but Cy was insisting they were there already. ¡°Never mind, just be sure to say hello if someone speaks to you.¡± Max was perplexed by Cy¡¯s sudden change in behaviour. They had been walking normally along the road as carriages and wagons rode past them towards the capital, when he suddenly dropped the bags he was carrying onto the dusty road and began fussing over nothing. ¡°What are you talking about? Are we nearly there?¡± He had been ignoring the prompt in his vision. There were a few hours to go before the prompt would be activated.
Story Name: Crossroads Demon
Genre: Thriller
Description: Making a deal with a crossroads demon, the MC must decide what has true value in life.
Goal: Escape the demon.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Stay at a crossroad while the sun sets!
¡°Mn.¡± Cy was like a mother hen as he tried to fix his hair, only to find it wasn¡¯t willing to cooperate. ¡°And there are people from all over the world, so there¡¯s a wide range of names. The best thing to do is repeat their name when they tell you it. And later, if you can¡¯t remember then you can ask me. I¡¯ll probably know.¡± ¡°Probably?¡± ¡°Eh¡­ People come and go.¡± Cy was beginning his war against Max¡¯s cowlicks as he rummaged through his bags before pulling out a bottle of a mysterious liquid. He poured out a gooey, clear liquid with a foul odour and rubbed it between his hands. ¡°Be forgiving towards the kids. They¡¯ve all had to leave their families when they were young.¡± Cy reached up to touch his hair. ¡°Knock it off.¡± Max grabbed his wrists before he could touch him. ¡°You¡¯re not putting that shit in my hair.¡± ¡°Making a good first impression is important.¡± Cy argued back, still reaching for his hair. ¡°Look, farm boy, you¡¯re among city folk now. You need to blend in a bit if you want to make friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. Don¡¯t you remember? Even back in the village, you told me I didn¡¯t have any friends.¡± Cy stopped for a second as he recalled saying something similar. ¡°Okay, my bad. You had a few weird friends-¡± ¡°You¡¯re freakier than all of them combined.¡± The term seemed to have drained Cy of his energy. He wiped his hands on Max¡¯s bag before he could protest. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± he said, while pouting. ¡°Aldwin¡¯s got to be freakier. I mean he chased me around the village while trying to shove human remains in my face. Who does that?¡± Max was about to reply when a coach with covered windows stopped next to them. While waiting for the curtains to open and reveal whomever stopped the carriage, Max jumped when the coachman suddenly spoke in an uneven, eerie voice. ¡°My, my, my, if it isn¡¯t little Cyrus.¡± Cyrus? Max turned to look at Cy, who had retreated within his cloak. It was impossible to read his face for his emotions. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come back so quickly¡­ or at all really.¡±
Story Name: Maxie and Charon
Genre: Crime
Description: A former farmhand and a coachman go on a killing spree.
Goal: Get away with your crimes.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Climb on to the coachman¡¯s seat!
¡°Charon.¡± Cy¡¯s voice was cold compared to normal. Since he knew the coachman¡¯s name, they must know each other. Did they have a troubled relationship? It was rare for Cy to talk to someone so frigidly. The middle-aged coachman stroked his greying beard as he stared down at Max. ¡°So, who¡¯s this then-¡± ¡°A friend!¡± Cy blurted a little too strongly. BB¡¯s words and assumptions seemed to still be plaguing his mind because he came across as defensive. Something about Charon was putting Cy on edge. ¡°A friend, eh?¡± The coachman was trying to infer if there were any hidden meaning behind his words. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to answer.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Max. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Charon.¡± Cy turned to Max, who only shrugged in his direction. ¡°You said to say hello and to repeat their names,¡± he whispered. It was always fun to throw Cy¡¯s words back in his face. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Charon gave a snort to show he acknowledged Max¡¯s name. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you two want a lift?¡± The atmosphere intrigued Max as he looked at the mysterious coach with thick, black curtains covering the glass. ¡°Of course, we do.¡± Cy¡¯s tone was still defensive as he opened the door of the coach. It didn¡¯t take Max long to figure out what was happening the moment he peeked inside. It was a teleporter. On the other side of the door were a few rustic cabins in a wood. Compared to the environment around them, which was battling with the dying summer, the other end of the portal was already enjoying rich, autumn trees. ¡°After you.¡± Max held his breath as he stepped through the portal. He was pleased to find that there wasn¡¯t the usual squeeze to his chest or pressure around his body. There was more to learn here. Even if his plan ended in failure, it had been a good choice to come with Cy. Looking around the magic community, there was an enchanting feeling in the air. Each of the dinky buildings looked charming as they clustered together. Turning around, Max could see a larger stretch of levelled ground, presumably for training. Next to it was an extravagant, red bridge, which was too big for the little stream it tried to protect people from. Around them were tall mountains with significant sheer cliffs causing an isolated feeling. Without magic, it would¡¯ve been difficult to enter the community even if there weren¡¯t any other precautions in place. There was little doubt in Max¡¯s mind that there was a protective shield or barrier covering the area and containing the unnatural weather around them. A picture-perfect Autumn. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Cy seemed pleased as he watched Max carefully. ¡°It¡¯s alright. The trees are nice¡­ I thought it would be bigger.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s it?¡± Cy raised his voice slightly. Behind him, Max could see people coming out of their cabins to see what the noise was about. ¡°You¡¯re one of the very few outsiders to enter here!¡± Max took another look around. ¡°I guess it¡¯s cleaner than the village?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just cleaner. The whole land is just teaming with magic.¡± Oh? ¡°Like your precious trees, the buildings and land have a filter in place to keep up the ambiance. See? It¡¯s special!¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know? I can¡¯t use magic.¡± Max¡¯s voice was flat even though it was obvious Cy¡¯s words were true. ¡°Little Cyrus?¡± ¡°I think it is! He survived?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would come back.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make sure. Is that you little Cyrus?¡± "Shh. We should wait for the Elders to speak first.¡± Cy kept a strong hold of his hood in an effort to not show an inch of his face. ¡°We gotta go.¡± He whispered even though there was a building, gossiping crowd in front of the cabins. A magical community and a small village in the middle of the countryside weren¡¯t too different after all. Gossip made these kinds of places alive. ¡°Aren¡¯t I supposed to say ¡®hi¡¯?¡± Max asked while grinning, slightly amused by the situation. He gave a slight wave, which was ignored by the growing mass of people. Usually, the intrigued stares from all sorts of folks would put him slightly on edge as he tried to figure out what the system wanted him to do. But there were no prompts so far, heavily suggesting there must be a fair few of them embedded within the community. So much for the mayor¡¯s assumption that they were banned from entering. Maybe this will be more like a vacation until something extreme happens, like when the leviathan showed up to attack BB¡¯s ship. Two members of the community made their way to the front of the crowd. They stood there in silence as they stared at them. The others continued to gossip. One of them was a man with pale skin. His shaved, blond hair was marred by three scars reaching from his right cheek to the back of his skull, like he was scratched by a bear. Compared to the others, his clothing was light and flowy. His expression was stern as he held a large axe in his left hand. The glean of the axe suggested it had embedded magical properties. To his right was a woman with rich, dark skin. Her hair was tightly braided and partially hidden behind an elegant head tie. Her clothing didn¡¯t suggest she was ready for combat as her puffed blouse and two wrappers were tight and a bright yellow. It also contrasted strongly with the various blue, glass-beaded necklaces and bracelets. Her face seemed softer compared to the man, but her expression showed more caution towards them. ¡°Little Cyrus.¡± A whispery voice broke through the crowd making everyone stop talking. An older, Asian man made his way through the crowd and between the man and woman upfront. Slightly hunched over and wearing extravagant but heavy looking purple robes, he made his way forward in a slow stride. There was clearly a level of respect the others had for him as they moved out of the way to shorten his path towards Cy. Despite the physical restrictions on his body, he walked with grace and elegance as he hobbled along. It was the complete opposite of the mayor. The old man had substantial power, both socially and magically. The hobble only stopped a metre away from them. ¡°We didn¡¯t expect you to come back so soon. Who¡¯s your friend?¡± He gave a nod towards Max to acknowledge his existence. ¡°Is he a tool to help your magic grow? Or is he one of us that managed to avoid being detected? Or is this someone¡­ troublesome?¡± The term put Max on edge. Of all the words, he picked that one. Did the troublesome law apply even here? Cy said nothing, but he didn¡¯t move either. Max wasn¡¯t too sure whether he should speak up and answer the question for him. ¡°CYRUS!¡± Another voice cried out as a middle-aged man made his way through the crowd. The man¡¯s stature was big, powerful looking, and with hair as far as the eye could see. The hair on his head was tied in a messy bun. His beard had been suspiciously well groomed. Chest hair was peeking out from his v-neck shirt and threatened to erupt if his clothes were pulled. Even his arms were covered with thick, dark hair that looked like it could serve as armour. ¡°Where have you been? Get your ass over here.¡±
Story Name: Don¡¯t Get Caught
Genre: War
Description: Don¡¯t let Darius learn more about the system and how it operates.
Goal: Kill Darius and erase his presence from history.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Acknowledge the existence of the system or your past lives in front of Darius!
Oh? There were no rambling or encrypted messages this time. Just a clear warning about an individual, who mustn¡¯t be one of them based on the description. Something about this man was putting the system on edge. It was interesting. The older, Asian man stepped out of the way for them to pass by easily. ¡°I think you better go along to your father, little Cyrus. We can talk about your friend later.¡± Father¡­ Father? There was no way in heaven or hell that that man was Cy¡¯s father. Nothing about each other was alike. Not in looks, stature, posture, or even the way they spoke. They were in no way related. And what was with this ¡®family¡¯ being connected to five-star stories? Cy let out a sigh. ¡°Come on,¡± he said to Max, as he began to lead them through the crowd. Cy¡¯s ¡®father¡¯ turned as he saw them approaching and opened up a door to one of the dainty cabins. Even from afar, Max could tell there was another teleporter. Their layout was clever. The community¡¯s homes must be scattered across the mountains surrounding the capital. If a threat came, they could cut off or use various teleports as needed. It just added to the mounting reasons why people struggled to reach Tsujuma without an invitation. Max followed Cy into a large entrance way, which was clearly too big for a little cabin to hold. Surrounding them were stone walls, lit orbs floating in the air to illuminate the place, and a stained-glass door at the end of the entrance. Below them was a crudely made welcome mat with the word HOME sloppily painted on. The second Cy¡¯s ¡®father¡¯ closed the door, the beefcake picked up Cy, as if he were a twig, for a bone-cracking hug. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so quickly.¡± He put Cy down before giving him a hefty pat on his shoulder, almost causing Cy to lose his balance. ¡°You¡¯re lucky to have met Max when you did. Or should I call him Ren? Or Richard? Vilja?¡± How? ¡°Stop, he¡¯s not used to your weirdness yet. Just call him Max.¡± Cy tried to brush off the sudden signs of affections, but Max could tell from his lowered hood he was feeling comfortable here. He gave Max a little grin, as if to say: See? I told you I¡¯m not that weird. ¡°Speaking of which, can he stay here until he gets approval from the Elder Council?¡± Stay here? It would be a good experience to see more about what had got the system so worked up about, but it also meant risking the beginning of a five-star story. ¡°Of course.¡± He let out a loud and slightly disturbing snort. ¡°We can¡¯t have him spending all that money he got from Bessie and that mayor.¡± ¡­ ¡°You''re going to need it later!¡± Chapter 41: This Is… a Home? And a Family? And Biscuits? Cy¡¯s ¡®father¡¯ ushered them further into the house, through drastically different and disconnected rooms, before they reached an intimate conservatory. Cy gestured for Max to seat himself at a round, wicker table while he was looking around the glass room. There was a thick and growing collection of plants around every edge of the room with a few of the vines and trunks reaching up to the roof. Above them, there was a thatched support under a glass roof with grapevines entwined and clusters of purple grapes hanging down. The ambiance created by a small waterfall just beyond the glass walls was the cherry on top. ¡°You boys wait right there. I¡¯ll go grab some cake. Would you like two slices, Max?¡± Max froze from the implication. How did he know so much about his past so fast? Both this life and previous ones? ¡°Wait, never mind, I don¡¯t want a slice to go to waste from you picking it apart. How about biscuits?¡± ¡°I want gingerbread,¡± Cy declared as he took his own seat. His request was accepted with a wide grin before his ¡®father¡¯ disappeared. Max waited until he was clearly out of earshot. ¡°What the fuck? Why didn¡¯t you warn me about your ¡®father?¡¯ How is he so good about seeing into the past? And is he even your real ¡®father?¡¯¡± ¡°Rude,¡± Cy chided. ¡°Just because I was adopted doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s any less than my birth father.¡± Max felt slightly guilty for his thoughts about their relations. ¡°And he can see your past because of magic, obviously?¡± ¡°But you never said anything about him being so good about it,¡± Max hissed back. Taking the opportunity to push some guilty buttons, he continued, ¡°You know I¡¯m an amnesiac. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Because he usually doesn¡¯t talk about people¡¯s past in much detail.¡± Cy reached up to pluck a cluster of grapes for them to share. ¡°He might give hints here or there, but he usually respects people¡¯s privacy. I guess he must like you.¡± Or it was a warning. Little wonder the system was so flustered with the two prompts flashing in his view.
Story Name: Don¡¯t Get Caught
Genre: War
Description: Don¡¯t let Darius learn more about the system and how it operates.
Goal: Kill Darius and erase his presence from history.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Acknowledge the existence of the system or your past lives in front of Darius!
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: ???
Goal: Kill Darius and Cy and erase their presence from history.
Difficulty: A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy learns about the system from you!
What the hell was wrong with this family? Max ignored the grapes as he watched Cy eat. It didn¡¯t take long for Cy¡¯s father to come back with a pitcher of fresh juice for them, some glasses, and a large plate of gingerbread biscuits on a tray. ¡°Tuck in, boys!¡± He said, gleefully. Max watched him pour out glasses of juice as Cy picked up a half-burnt biscuit. ¡°So what¡¯s your prediction, Cyrus?¡± Cy rolled his eyes. ¡°You need to go slower with the bake. I guess the not-burnt parts will taste okay.¡± He looked at the biscuit suspiciously for a moment. ¡°But I think your other recipe is better,¡± he added before taking a small bite. ¡°I agree. But it¡¯s still miles better than when I first started out.¡± Cy¡¯s father continued to give a warm smile. Cy nodded to confirm before gesturing to Max to take a biscuit. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was out of politeness, or it was a genuine recommendation. Either way, he complied. Just as he was about to take a bite, Cy suddenly smacked it out of his hand. ¡°Hey-!¡± Cy spat out the small part of his biscuit into his own hand. ¡°This batch isn¡¯t any good,¡± he declared. ¡°We¡¯re going to get food poisoning if we eat it.¡± Max looked slightly mystified. Could he taste it was off? Or, was Cy suddenly better at seeing the future? ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t see Max¡¯s fate?¡± Cy¡¯s father leaned in, seemingly interested in his son¡¯s reaction as well. ¡°I can¡¯t see his, but I can see mine,¡± Cy reminded him. Cy¡¯s father¡¯s smile changed into an eerie one. ¡°You¡¯re getting much better about reading the wiggle room within fixed fates. I may have been sceptical, but it seems like Elder Ji-min was right to send you away for more practical experience. You¡¯ve grown.¡± Max¡¯s confused and questioning looks were picked up by Cy. ¡°There¡¯s more magic in the atmosphere and land here. It makes it easier to see things.¡± It made sense to a certain extent with what Max had experienced in different worlds. Internal magic can be strengthened by the air they breathe, the food they eat, and even the people they interact with. ¡°But I''m still getting no reading on your fate.¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± Cy¡¯s father confirmed. ¡°But his soul is an open book.¡± For the first time in a while, Max was perplexed with foreign information. ¡°There¡¯s a difference between fates and souls?¡± Didn¡¯t the system say Navy had a navy-blue soul? Was that different to the colour Cy was seeing? ¡°You explain, Cyrus.¡± Cy¡¯s father picked up the plate of toxic biscuits. ¡°I¡¯m going to have another go.¡± ¡°Use the old recipe and a slower baking method!¡± Cy¡¯s father gave a wink in agreement before leaving. Cy seemed frustrated and slightly embarrassed. ¡°Sorry about that, he¡¯s always trying to use magic to hurry along the baking process. Sometimes it works out, but most of the time it goes bad-¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference between fates and souls?¡± Max repeated the only question on his mind. Cy thought for a moment. ¡°Fates are people¡¯s future. There are two types: fixed and flexible. Fixed fates overall can¡¯t be changed, but sometimes there are smaller parts which can still be shifted. And as you know, you can weirdly change them to a significant degree. On the other hand, flexible fates can change on a whim. It can be one colour and shape in the morning and be completely different by the evening. Most people have flexible fates.¡± ¡°And souls?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the amalgamation of one¡¯s past.¡± Max¡¯s face drained in colour. ¡°It¡¯s an internal record. Just pure facts about what had happened in that person¡¯s life.¡± Or lives. ¡°I¡¯m good at the type of magic which focuses on interpreting fates. Dad is an expert on reading souls. Sometimes he can have glimpses of people¡¯s fates, but he can¡¯t control what he sees.¡± Problem. The system was right. Cy¡¯s father could be a big, potential problem. ¡°And can you see people¡¯s souls?¡± ¡°Only a little,¡± Cy was clearly annoyed by his lack of skill with that type of magic. ¡°It¡¯s why I called you ¡®Ren,¡¯ remember? Seems like Dad sees that name too.¡± Max frowned. If it was a past name, then why couldn¡¯t he remember it? Perhaps it was one of the many lives he had gradually forgotten about. ¡°Originally, Elder Ji-min wanted me to go out and either develop my skills with reading people¡¯s souls or become extremely accurate in my ability to read people¡¯s fates.¡± Cy''s voice wobbled slightly. ¡°Would you call yourself extremely accurate?¡± Max pondered, as he thought back to Cy¡¯s premonitions with BB. Even when drunk, he was able to give readings with little effort. ¡°Not to the extent he wants me to be. But I¡¯ve got another reason to come back, thanks to you.¡± Max raised an eyebrow. ¡°You have no fate. My magic is naturally stronger here, but even then, I can¡¯t see a trace of your fate. An anomaly like you might be the key for developing my magic further.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good job that I¡¯m willing to cooperate.¡± Cy wanted Max to help him develop his magic. Max wanted Cy to help him understand the system better through his and his father¡¯s story prompts. For now, it was mutually beneficial. ¡°Alrighty boys.¡± Max jumped out of his skin from the gentle voice. This time, Cy¡¯s father came back with two plates of biscuits and a stack of paperwork. ¡°Here you go,¡± he shoved one plate into Max¡¯s hands and another to Cy with the paperwork. ¡°You¡¯re going to want to fill in the application for your friend to stay here. We need it completed before we can begin the process.¡± Cy gave a slight groan. ¡°Do I have to do it now?¡± ¡°You know the procedure. Why don¡¯t you go to your room and fill it in? If you give me a moment to chat with Max here, then you can count on my vote to let him in.¡± Cy began grumbling as he took his plate of biscuits and thick stack of forms. ¡°What do you say, Max? Down for a small chat between us?¡± ¡°Sure, Darius.¡± ¡°Oh, that reminds me, Cyrus,¡± Cy¡¯s father stopped him just before he left the conservatory. ¡°Did you figure out how Max knew your name without having any internal magic?¡± Cy frowned in confusion as Max realised his fuck up. The system had told him their names before they said it themselves, once on the edge of Bessie¡¯s farm and now here in the cosy conservatory. Darius gave Max a mischievous smile. ¡°Just food for thought.¡± Chapter 42: The Man Who Made the System Panic Max put down his plate of biscuits as Cy closed the door behind him. He was about to speak when Darius beat him to it. ¡°By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything as Darius maintained his relaxed posture despite the implications of his words. ¡°What do you say, boss?¡± Max didn¡¯t like hearing that term, not then or now. ¡°I quite enjoy the plays you read in your original world. Shakespeare, isn¡¯t it boss? Maybe we should team up and recreate his works here. With a few devotees, we could make a fortune. And you¡¯ll need every penny you can get for Cyrus.¡± How was it that in just a few sentences Darius was able to embed word after word hinting to his past: boss, Shakespeare, devotees, and penny. It was admirable. Max fought hard to maintain a neutral face and relaxed posture. If he lost his concentration, he could feel that this honest face would reveal too much for the system¡¯s liking. ¡°Shakespeare?¡± Max asked, as if it were an innocent question. The response seemed to have angered Darius. ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me, boss. You spoke about it with BB just the other day¡­ I have met my fair share of people like you, so let¡¯s get straight to the point. Why are you here?¡± ¡°Cy invited me to come here.¡± Max picked up a biscuit and began to eat it. If he were to get food poisoning, then so be it. He waited for the conversation to continue, but there was only an unimpressed look from Darius. He began to lie. ¡°These biscuits are pretty good-¡± ¡°Why does the system want someone like you here? Or are you still just running away from story prompts?¡± Max sat back into his wicker chair and casually tossed the bitten biscuit back onto the plate. It was too sweet for him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. For some reason, I seemed to have lost my memories.¡± Darius tutted in disappointment. ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t expect me to¡­¡± Max¡¯s neutral and unworried face hinted that two can play with their words. ¡®For some reason¡¯ could be interpreted in many ways, and it was vague enough to keep the system at bay. Seeing as his guest was willing to somewhat play along, Darius got back his wide smile. ¡°It¡¯s a real shame you have no memories. It can¡¯t be helped if the cat¡¯s got your tongue.¡± The message was understood without the open acknowledgement of the system. ¡°Do you have any plans while you are here, boss?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to help Cy with his magic. He says I don¡¯t have a fate.¡± ¡°And anything else?¡± ¡°Maybe get a job while I¡¯m here. It seems like I¡¯m going to need money at some point. Or at least, enough to recoup however much Cy is going to spend with my savings. Do you have any recommendations? I¡¯m a hard worker-¡± Darius gave an approving nod. ¡°Oh, I know. What else?¡± Max thought for a moment, what could he be fishing for? He tried to think about the list of things Cy suggested they do while they were heading to the community. ¡°I can¡­ teach a little bit about the runes I use.¡± A prompt suddenly appeared.
Story Name: Teacher! Teacher?
Genre: Dystopian
Description: A magic community starts to show its cracks as the MC gets more involved.
Goal: Tear down Tsujuma.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Try to teach people how to use rune magic! Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
¡°You¡¯re willing to teach the community how to draw the runes you¡¯ve been using around Cyrus?¡± Darius asked, with a raised eyebrow. ¡°¡­No.¡± Max thought for a second, as he took in the details from the prompt. Luckily, it was fairly easy to swerve away from this one. ¡°Cy told me that this type of magic seems to be able to change fixed fates. It would be irresponsible to teach everyone.¡± Darius gave a questioning look for a moment before a knowing one replaced it. ¡°That must be really annoying, isn¡¯t it boss? Having to change what you do and say so drastically. Tell me, what can you do instead? ¡°I can teach you.¡± Person versus people. ¡°The devil is in the details. I have a feeling you¡¯ll appreciate that more than most.¡± Max¡¯s words seemed to be met with approval. ¡°You¡¯re willing to teach me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to teach you and only you,¡± Max emphasised. ¡°What you do with that knowledge afterwards is up to you, but I don¡¯t recommend passing it down to more than one person.¡± Unless he wanted to start a story. With the rating and the aggressiveness of the system¡¯s messages, Darius wouldn¡¯t last long. Cy¡¯s father stared at Max, as if trying to figure out the hidden meaning behind his words. Max wasn¡¯t too concerned about himself with this story prompt. The biggest potential issue could be Cy. Would indirect learning count? He would just have to be more careful with obscuring the runes and adding in more duds to throw him off the real meanings. Finally, Darius gave a nod to show he agreed with their deal. ¡°But there are a few rules if you want to live in my house, boss. I ask you to listen to them.¡± ¡°Okay, seems fair.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t commit any crimes here. And if you get permission to stay, then obey any restrictions.¡± Reasonable. ¡°Under no circumstances can you cook in my kitchen.¡± ¡­Fair. ¡°Ever.¡± ¡­ ¡°Especially, nothing with flour-¡± ¡°I got it! I got it.¡± Max said, bitterly. It was embarrassing. He didn¡¯t need his past mistakes to haunt him so much. Getting a fresh start whenever he died and was reborn was meant to be one of the few benefits of his situation. Darius let out a knowing chuckle. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry just take some snacks from the cupboard.¡± Max was getting desperate to change the subject. ¡°Any other rules you want me to follow?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get Cyrus in trouble.¡± Vague. ¡°He¡¯s sticking his neck out by bringing you here. His life has been difficult enough before he stumbled across you.¡± His words were pointed as if it were Max¡¯s fault. ¡°Cyrus doesn¡¯t need you or the system making things worse, if you get my drift, boss.¡± Max was surprised. Cy usually had a bad first impression with people, but it didn¡¯t take long for them to warm up to him. Aside from that, he didn¡¯t notice Cy facing any significant difficulties. ¡°Cy is having a hard time here? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Darius picked up a biscuit from Max¡¯s plate. The gesture was like a breath of fresh air. Max wasn¡¯t too sure what had happened or said to suddenly alleviate the tension, but he was thankful that he was more relaxed now. ¡°Just stay by his side as you have been doing, but don¡¯t let him in on what¡¯s really going on.¡± The words held an air of mystery. Max hadn¡¯t been fighting to keep by Cy¡¯s side in any sense of the word. It had just been convenient until now. ¡°I can do that.¡± Darius ate a biscuit in a singular bite. ¡°Any other rules for me?¡± ¡°Not at the moment, boss. I¡¯ll be sure to add to them if I think of any. But I do have one more request, if you¡¯re willing to listen to this humble one.¡± Again, with the dated terms of the past. ¡°There¡¯s quite a few of your kind lurking around these parts. The members of the Elder Council call you guys Nnita, and you¡¯re not welcomed here. Other members of Tsujuma don¡¯t know of your kinds existence. Over the years, I¡¯ve made a fair share of friends with your lot in exchange for knowledge and control. Lately, it¡¯s getting a bit¡­ crowded. Lucky for us humble people, you¡¯re the kind of man that can rope them back in line.¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything. Almost any way he could respond to the request could be classed as an acknowledgement, but his silence didn¡¯t seem to bother Darius in the slightest. ¡°You and I both know nothing I say is really going to make a difference to a person like you. I can only ask for you to keep my simple rules and requests in mind. When it comes to sheltering unknowing people like Cy, I trust you better than the others.¡± In a second, Max¡¯s opinion on Darius had changed. The system over exaggerated. It must have. He had little doubt Darius could see every detail of the past in his current life, but it seems like his vision of his other pasts were sporadic like his ability to see the future. Or perhaps it could just be overwhelming with the amount of past to sift through. Not even Max remembered all of it. Darius couldn¡¯t see everything. If he had, then he never would have declared his preference for him. Instead, he would have sent warnings of the times unknowing people got hurt by bringing up more rules related to his past. No use of other worldly magic without expressed permission. No setting up a casino. No conspiring with people like him. No trusting witch-doctors with minor ailments. No destroying the community, both physically and socially. No petting ducks. No subjugation. No genetic modifications. No true freedom. Instead, only a few things were asked from him. Teach him about runes. Don¡¯t break the rules of the community. Don¡¯t cook. Don¡¯t betray Cy or let him know about the system. Don¡¯t let the others wander around freely. Simple enough. Max started to reach for the biscuits again as a sign of good will. ¡°But if you break my rules, boss, me, the other members of the Elder Council and any other person you piss off while you¡¯re here will hunt you down and throw you in a nice tight box. You know, the kind where you can¡¯t even move your arms or legs. And don¡¯t you worry, we¡¯ll make sure you live a nice, long time in that little box of ours¡­ What¡¯s the matter, boss? You look a little pale. Did you suddenly remember something bad?¡± Chapter 43: The Past Was Meant to Stay in the Past ¡°I need help!¡± Cy shouted from his desk without turning around. ¡°How am I supposed to fill in questions 2-12 without doing the medical exam first? Max is an amnesiac, so he¡¯s not going to know his age. Do you think I can get away with a lie?¡± Cy finally turned around. ¡°¡­Is he okay?¡± ¡°Right as rain,¡± Darius answered, as a pale Max quietly entered the room. ¡°Skip those questions and declare on page 15 that he¡¯s going to do and pay for his own medical exam.¡± Cy frowned slightly before flicking through the papers and finally finding the missing form. ¡°There are going to be other tricky questions. I¡¯ll help you out.¡± Darius was enthusiastic as he made his way over to sit next to his son. It was like a parent proudly watching their kid attempt to do homework. As Cy looked over the questions he was having trouble with, Max looked around the room. It obviously belonged to Cy. The circular room was a mess stacked with stained books, beauty products, and thrown clothes. Who knew if they were clean or not? There was a large bed that had been neatly made. It was the only clean thing in the room. Perhaps Darius made it while his son was gone, but didn¡¯t feel brave enough to deal with the rest of it. The sole little window had been covered up with a starry fabric, blocking out all-natural light. Above them were a few lit orbs, some of them were a light purple colour creating a mystical ambiance to the room. ¡°What should I put for his name?¡± Max¡¯s concentration suddenly snapped back to the paperwork. What did he mean? Cy knew his current name. Were they considering putting the names of his previous lives? Max scowled as he thought about it more. Cy couldn¡¯t read his fate, but both of them called him ¡®Ren¡¯ at some point. Was it a previous name he had forgotten over time? They both said it was linked to his soul. But wasn¡¯t every past name linked to his soul? He didn¡¯t have enough information. His trust in Cy¡¯s accuracy had grown over time and Darius made a strong introduction, so ¡®Ren¡¯ had to mean something. ¡°He¡¯s got no last name at the moment, and none of his past names really apply¡­ Just leave it as Max. Sounds okay, boss?¡± Max gave no acknowledgement to the conversation in front of him. ¡°Boss?¡± Used to his father¡¯s oddities, Cy quickly gave up. ¡°Never mind, the answer section for that question looks¡­ incomplete?¡± Darius shrugged. Cy moved onto the next question. ¡°Do you know your age?¡± Max didn¡¯t move or say anything. ¡°Not even a guess?¡± Darius spoke on behalf of him. ¡°Give it up. Elder Charaka will give you a good estimation, and the Elder Council will accept it. Let¡¯s skip the ones he will answer.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cy flipped over to the next page. ¡°Relationship status? Single. At least there¡¯s one easy question.¡± ¡°Now, hold on a sec.¡± No. Darius turned around with a fascinated look on his face while Max fought against his overly honest face. ¡°What do you want to put, Max? I guess you¡¯re currently single. Or would you prefer if we jot you down as married? Maybe widowed would be the best technically correct term?¡± Why was this fucker bringing Ellie into this if he didn¡¯t want Cy to know about the system? Cy¡¯s mouth was agape from the information as he looked back and forth between his father and Max. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He whispered when they realised Max didn¡¯t seem willing to divulge information. If anything, he looked like he was holding back while staring daggers at Darius. ¡°He was married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Max didn¡¯t appreciate you trying to play matchmaker with Adelaide.¡± Darius winked at a guilty looking Cy. What? Cy suddenly dropped eye contact and turned back to the papers. ¡°Let¡¯s just put down single for now.¡± Darius pointed at the place on the form. ¡°It¡¯s not like Max can remember her anyway.¡± He turned to see a face brewing with anger. ¡°But if you did suddenly remember, then I¡¯m sure we can add Ellie to the forms even if it¡¯s not technically correct. Unless there¡¯s another partner you want us to write down?¡± Confused, Cy complied with his father¡¯s recommendation before reading out the next question. ¡°Any kids?¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Three.¡± Cy dropped his quill pen. ¡°Wait, if we¡¯re not going to mention Ellie then I guess we shouldn¡¯t mention them either, ey boss?¡± ¡°You have kids!?¡± ¡°And that also rules out mentioning the grandkids. It¡¯s a shame you didn¡¯t get to see the youngest one before your big adios.¡± Darius¡¯s wide grin remained as still as the glaring Max against the wall. Cy tried to do the maths. ¡°Wait¡­ How is that possible? Unless¡­¡± Only an infuriated glare met Cy¡¯s pitying look. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m making things too complicated. Boss, I¡¯ll leave you to help Cy finish the paperwork. Just keep in mind that I know when your amnesia started.¡± Cy was about to tell his father to stop, but he decided it would be more straightforward to interrogate the source once they had some privacy. ¡°Besides I need to get the guest room set up if you¡¯re going to stay for a while. Which one do you think, Cy?¡± ¡°The one with the balcony.¡± ¡°Good choice. Alrighty boys, I¡¯ll leave you two to it. Let me know if you need any more snacks. We need to keep this one,¡± he pointed over to Max, ¡°out of the kitchen as much as possible.¡± For once during this conversation, Cy knew what he was talking about. ¡°Agreed.¡± Max¡¯s scowl deepened. The moment Darius closed the door behind him. Max got to work rooting through Cy¡¯s desk and ignoring his flood of questions about Ellie, his time before he lost his memories, and what he was doing. It didn¡¯t take Max long to find what he was looking for, but he was careful not to take anything yet. Graphite, some old sewing needles, black ink¡­ It should be easy enough to get soot and shampoo too... More than enough materials to make it work with a decent amount of detail after he completed their medical exam. Discovering enough things to calm himself, Max took over Darius¡¯s seat as he thought to himself. Earlier in the hour, he was starting to gain a bit of arrogance about the situation before Cy¡¯s father had made it all come crashing down. Darius may not be able to see everything all at once, but he could see enough. More importantly, he knew how to use the information and stick it where it hurt. Cy let out a frustrated sigh as he began cleaning up his ravaged desk. ¡°So, who¡¯s Ellie?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max lied bitterly. Time to change the subject. ¡°What was your Dad talking about with matchmaking and Adelaide?¡± Was Cy the reason why her story shifted from a romance to a horror? He gave an awkward laugh. ¡°I was giving readings in the village, and she asked for one¡­¡± ¡°And what did you say?¡± Cy hesitated for a moment. ¡°That since she had a flexible fate, she had the potential to have a very happy life if she finds a suitable romantic partner¡­ She kept asking me in private if I could see who would be a good partner for her, but I couldn¡¯t find a fate that could match hers in the village¡­ After a while, I was starting to feel bad for her¡­ And I may have mentioned you might be able to take the spot since you didn¡¯t have a fate¡­ I may have also told her that if she persisted-¡± ¡°It was you? You¡¯re the reason why her st-personality changed?¡± Silence hung in the air. ¡°How did you know my name?¡± ¡°What? Don¡¯t change the subj-¡± ¡°Dad mentioned it earlier and it got me thinking.¡± Cy interrupted while his focus remained on the stack of papers in front of him. ¡°Also, we¡¯re planning on staying for only thirty days, right?¡± ¡°Twenty-six. Twenty-five starting tomorrow,¡± Max corrected him. ¡°Or we¡¯re going to miss out on BB returning to port for us.¡± He watched Cy scribble down the dates. The system had told him his name was Cy. At the time, Max had assumed Cy was going to be a brief character in this life, so he tried to startle him into talking more. Now, it was biting him in the ass. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You just look like a ¡®Cy.¡¯¡± Cy looked up from the papers. ¡°You really think so?¡± His voice was filled with hope. Max wasn¡¯t too sure what he was getting into. ¡°Yeah, and then you never corrected me.¡± Cy had a smug look on his face as he resumed his work. ¡°Why do they call you ¡®little Cyrus¡¯? Is it because you came here when you were young?¡± Cy¡¯s face crumpled as he ignored him. ¡°How long were you at Baeg farm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Four months? Five months? Not too long.¡± ¡°Really? I thought you were there for longer?¡± Max shrugged. ¡°I guess I just adjusted well.¡± ¡°Ignoring what Dad said, do you have any memories before you woke up on Bessie¡¯s farm?¡± ¡°You know I don¡¯t, little Cyrus.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Cy raised his quill pen, as if it were a threat. ¡°Just call me ¡®Cy¡¯ like you normally do.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s a cute nickname,¡± Max teased while Cy scowled at him. ¡°The community must be close to you if everyone is calling you ¡®little Cyrus.¡¯¡± Apart from Darius, oddly enough. ¡°They don¡¯t call me that because I was young when I was found. It¡¯s because I naturally have a ¡®little¡¯ amount of magic compared to the others.¡± Cy kept his gaze focused on the question, missing the calmed gaze which was edging back into anger. ¡°What is the purpose of your stay? I wrote down ¡®to assist with magical research.¡¯¡± ¡°You can add ¡®to dig up the past.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you mean ¡®my past?¡¯¡± Chapter 44: Who Am I? ¡°Okay, Max. Let¡¯s get that wrapped up.¡± Elder Charaka gestured for Max to sit down on the other side of his desk. The community¡¯s hospital was a lot more modern than Max had expected when Darius and Cy dropped him off in the morning. The smell of soap and antiseptic was oddly comforting, but it wasn''t strong enough to cover the stench plaguing this world. Nonetheless, it was a slight relief as he followed instructions and gave consent to one medical test after another. Just moments ago, Elder Charaka pulled out a metal bowl filled with polished white stones. He had asked Max if he could make a small cut and use his blood to stain them. ¡°Wasn¡¯t too bad, was it?¡± ¡°¡­ It wasn¡¯t exactly a small scratch,¡± Max muttered as the gentle, wrinkly fingers of Elder Charaka wrapped a bandage around his forearm. The magic community¡¯s senior doctor was wearing loose, clean clothes while his long white hair was tied up tightly. His face and eyes came across as gentle, but Max couldn¡¯t help but feel cautious around him. Suddenly, a large bang caused Max to jump as a red smoke began to drift from the stones. Elder Charaka took his seat before leaning over the bowl and breathing in the smoke deeply into his lungs. The gesture both puzzled and intrigued Max. He hadn¡¯t seen something like this before. Perhaps it could be a useful skill to learn? Elder Charaka began filling in the paperwork on his desk in between sniffs before both the smoke and the pen stopped. ¡°And we are finished.¡± ¡°That was¡­ fast.¡± It hadn¡¯t been fast. It had taken all morning. Elder Charaka gave a proud smile. ¡°We aim to please. I saw from the forms that you¡¯re an amnesiac. Want to know more about your physical body?¡± It was a little intriguing. Working with a blank slate had its difficulties. There had been numerous times when the body he woke up in would fail before he had a chance to get started. Chronic illness, birth defects, cancers, allergies, lactose intolerance; anything could be potentially lurking in his current DNA. Max was about to inquire when another prompt emerged.
Story Name: Long Lost Son
Genre: Folklore
Description: The MC discovers their origin and decides to return to where they belong.
Goal: Bring back the seven mythical creatures to your hometown.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Discover who you are!
Well, it was fun to consider it. ¡°No.¡± Elder Charaka frowned from Max¡¯s response. ¡°No? I would have thought a person with no memories would be aching to learn about what happened to them. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to know anything? What about your age?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re twenty-two.¡± Elder Charaka¡¯s voice was flat as he judged Max¡¯s reaction. The number wasn¡¯t surprising to him. ¡°Blood type?¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°No, I¡¯m alright-¡± ¡°Type O-negative. Congratulations, you¡¯re a universal donor.¡± Historically, knowing someone¡¯s blood type hadn¡¯t been too helpful unless he was in a story about war, medicine, innovation, etc, or childbirth was on the table. None of which applied to this round yet. ¡°How about any allergies?¡± ¡°I said no.¡± ¡°Celery.¡± Max was getting irritated from the answers to questions he didn¡¯t want to ask. ¡°Stay clear of celery sticks, leaves, spice, or anything made from the vegetable. They¡¯ll make your mouth itch. How about where you¡¯re originally from? Because your genetics point to-¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Just in time before the prompt could be activated, but it meant Elder Charaka was looking for a reason why he suddenly interrupted him. It didn¡¯t take long for the lies to start flowing out of his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know. My first memory was from a few months ago of me waking up on a farm. In my pocket, there was a note about how I didn¡¯t want to remember anything anymore. I guess I poisoned myself or something so I would forget it all.¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you can ask Darius if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Max knew he would be able to disprove his story in an instant. But at the moment, Darius was colluding with Max. He was his best option to support his claims. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know anything about me. I must¡¯ve lost my memories for a reason.¡± Max watched an unamused Elder Charaka scratch out something on the form before writing something else. It was out of his view, so Max couldn¡¯t know what had been edited. When he finished, Elder Charaka smiled at him. ¡°Okay, then that concludes the medical exam.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± Cy asked, at the reception room of the hospital. Elder Charaka merely gave a wave to him before slamming the door behind Max. ¡°¡­Not well, I take it?¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± Max was also puzzled by the sudden animosity towards him. It hadn¡¯t been his best lie, but he was under the impression that Darius¡¯s name must hold some weight since he was both talented in his skillset and was an Elder in the community. Cy led him through a series of doors to reach the original forest filled with quaint cabins. ¡°Did you submit all those papers?¡± ¡°Almost all of them.¡± Cy rubbed his eyes, which were suffering from lack of sleep. The pair of them had spent the whole night trying to fill in the confusing questions as best as they could. Most of the answers ended up being ¡®N/A¡¯ or ¡®Max doesn¡¯t remember.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like his stay was going to be approved at this rate. ¡°The only thing left is a magic ability evaluation from Elder Aris.¡± Cy began leading Max over to the open field from the other day. The morning air was crisp and refreshing compared to the hot summer. There seemed to be a match going on between two of the residents while a few others watched. From the stumbles, loosely swinging arms, and sudden eruption of flames, light, and lightning, their abilities were clear for Max. High skills levels but not much control, they were just sloppy. It took Max a second to notice Cy wasn¡¯t walking with him anymore. ¡°Why¡¯d you stop?¡± ¡°Maybe we should come back another time?¡± Cy nervously pulled his hood to further cover his face. ¡°It seems like Elder Aris is busy with a few of his pupils.¡± Max looked back to the pitch. Neither fighter was particularly intimidating, not like the accuracy of Darius¡¯s readings or even the blood magic performed by Elder Charaka. They were¡­ ordinary and typical. Figures he had seen time and time again across the worlds. The ones who thought they were destined for something but amounted to nothing compared to people like Max. Looking at the other community members around the fighters, he spotted a potential candidate for an Elder. It was the man with a scar who stared at them the other day. ¡°And? Your Dad said we needed to get all this paperwork done today. Who knows how long it¡¯ll take for him to look at the runes.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ but¡­¡± Cy searched for excuses. ¡°Let¡¯s come back later. We need him to kind of like you. Especially since you failed the medical exam.¡± ¡°I failed it?¡± Max was perplexed. How can he fail a medical exam? ¡°I know it didn¡¯t go well, but it seems harsh to not even review the results. Are you sure?¡± Cy gave a hesitant nod. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him slam a door before.¡± ¡°¡­.It was really that bad? I guess he seemed sceptical about my amnesia story¡­ Did that make me fail?¡± His lie wasn¡¯t great, but it seemed unfair to fail him on that without consulting with Darius. ¡°Probably. Did he mention anything else to you?¡± ¡°Only that I¡¯m twenty-two, blood type O-, and I¡¯m allergic to celery. You think I failed because I have an allergy? He didn¡¯t make it sound that bad-¡± ¡°You¡¯re twenty-two!?¡± ¡°Apparently-¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯ll make you younger than me.¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised? Couldn¡¯t you see it in my soul?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not as good as my Dad! I can¡¯t make out the blurred parts.¡± ¡°Blurred parts?¡± ¡°What are you boys talking about?¡± Darius interrupted behind them, causing both of them to jump out of their skin. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste bickering. Max¡¯s assessment is going to take a long time. Let¡¯s go.¡± He took charge, leading the way to the pitch. ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Cy whispered to Max. ¡°I think Dad¡¯s here cause you¡¯re going to fail this too.¡± ¡°Is that a feeling or did you read the fate of your Dad?¡± ¡°My fate changed.¡± Cy pointed over at a cabin¡¯s window, which showed their reflections. ¡°At the moment, it¡¯s indicating that I''ll be forced to leave tomorrow. I assume you¡¯re going with me.¡± Chapter 45: Setting the Rules for the Magic Assessment ¡°Isn¡¯t that little Cyrus?¡± One of the fighting members of the community suddenly stopped the match he was narrowly winning. In an instant, Max could tell he didn¡¯t like him. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of his haughty stance or his arrogant face, but there was something instinctively irritating about him. ¡°We didn¡¯t think you were going to come back.¡± The tone of the words was cruel as a smile spread amongst the others on and around the pitch. The sudden prompt only soured Max¡¯s impression further. Since there had been a number of prompts since he had first arrived, most of the people like him here have probably finished their stories.
Story Name: Prophecy
Genre: Adventure
Description: The prophesized hero must receive proper training from the MC if they want to save everyone.
Goal: Achieve victory at any cost.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Offer to teach Lux!
¡°What do you say little Cyrus? Want a go?¡± The other competitor joined the jeer. At first, Max classed him in a similar boat as the annoying prick next to him before noticing the web of tattoos on his forearm. To the untrained eye, it was merely an ugly design. The lines had been hidden well in the composition. ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± Cy ignored them as his hood pointed over to where Darius was talking to Elder Aris while they waited to be called forward. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± Max answered on behalf of him. ¡°Max.¡± Lux looked down his nose at Max as he spoke to Cy. ¡°So, what is he then? Someone you picked up while lost?¡± Cy pulled his hood to cover his face more. When he saw Cy wasn¡¯t cooperating, Lux¡¯s questions turned to Max. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°A former farmhand.¡± The one next to Lux began snickering from Max¡¯s reply. ¡°Remada,¡± Max said, while coughing slightly. Suddenly, the laughing fighter went pale as a sheet. ¡°The fuck did he say?¡± Lux asked Cy. ¡°Darius is gesturing to us.¡± Max indicated to everyone that they should leave. ¡°Watch your tongue.¡± Lux suddenly snapped at Max, only to receive an unimpressed look in return. ¡°An outsider like you should address him as Elder Darius.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cy sounded tired as he began to walk away. It was only a couple of steps later that Max heard a distinct, ¡°Freak,¡± come from behind him. At first he wasn¡¯t sure if it was directed to him, but Cy¡¯s hunched over shoulders showed this was a common phenomenon here. ¡°There you boys are.¡± Darius¡¯s voice was beaming like his smile as he put a heavy hand down on Max¡¯s shoulders, cementing him in place. Max struggled to maintain a pleasantly neutral face as he interpreted the gesture as a warning. ¡°This is Elder Aris.¡± He pointed at a figure Max was familiar with. He still had an unwelcoming gaze directed towards him. ¡°And this is Elder Edric.¡± Elder Edric didn¡¯t have the same overbearing presence as the other Elders Max had met so far, but he came across as Machiavellian. Out of everyone he had seen so far, he was the most dressed in a similar style to Adelaide. It must be the current fashion from the capital. His long hair was tied up in an elegant knot that was too familiar. ¡°Welcome to the community, Max.¡± Elder Edric held out his hand for a welcoming handshake. To others, it was a nice gesture. For Max, it was an opportunity to see the second indicator. Although his forearms were covered, Max had little doubt there was a tattoo lurking there as indicated by a small, mole-looking mark in the flesh between his thumb and forefinger. After taking in his hairstyle, tone, and polite approach, Max even knew what number the tattoo displayed through the series of lines. 50001. It was good to see him again. Was this the reason Darius was keeping a firm grip? Was it a way for him to indicate he knew about Elder Edric being a friend in a past life? Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Max accepted the handshake. ¡°Nice to meet you, Elder Aris, Elder Edric. I¡¯m Max.¡± The lack of reaction from Elder Edric was disappointing. He hadn¡¯t realised yet. Darius seemed pleased with his manners as he spoke with some of the pride he always showed when around Cy. ¡°Elder Aris and I are going to assess your abilities with runes.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± Elder Aris cut in with a harsh tone in his voice. ¡°Elder Edric will be taking your place.¡± He directed a sneer towards Cy. ¡°You might be biassed since it¡¯s little Cyrus¡¯s credibility on the line.¡± ¡°It will only help with your application,¡± Elder Edric added in a voice that was a little quick to be reassuring to everyone around him. ¡°Having more Elders testify your credibility will only help with the final vote.¡± ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Darius was reluctant to speak as he let go of Max¡¯s shoulder. In the short amount of time they¡¯ve known each other, Max could tell he didn¡¯t want this outcome. Did he have a sudden prediction about one of their fates? ¡°Cyrus, tell the Elders about your friend¡¯s ability.¡± Cy¡¯s voice was a little stiff compared to normal as he kept his face hidden away. ¡°Max can do something called ¡®rune magic.¡¯¡± Elder Edric¡¯s interest piqued, about time. ¡°He has this kind of writing that uses magic in objects. I¡¯ve seen it carved, scratched, and painted on things so the methods seem flexible, but the markings have to be exact. When used, the spells don¡¯t seem to be connected to the type of innate magic. For example, Max has used magic bones with innate luck to make a healing spell for a cow, and¡­ That¡¯s all I know.¡± Both Elder Aris and Elder Edric pulled a face the moment magic bones were mentioned. On the other hand, Darius was beaming with pride again from his son¡¯s explanation. Cy could have used the healing spell from that seashell, BB¡¯s portrait spell, or even the electric spell painted on Navy. But no. Cy decided to make him look like a body snatcher. ¡°You used our ancestors¡¯ bones to heal a cow?¡± Elder Aris maintained a disgusted look. ¡°I heard they were lucky.¡± Max was nonchalant with his answer. ¡°So, how will this assessment go? Do you have some magic bones and infected livestock?¡± The Elders looked baffled at Max¡¯s suggestion while Darius let out a hearty laugh, which felt slightly forced. His reaction was puzzling the others until he pulled out a handful of something white, polished, and familiar. ¡°You¡¯re partially right. We got some magic bones for you to demonstrate with in front of the Elders-¡± ¡°Oh, what the fuck, Darius!¡± Elder Aris exclaimed as he tried to grab the bones, but he was too slow. Or perhaps too predictable? ¡°Whose grave did you rob to get those?¡± Even Elder Edric looked taken aback from the sight of the bones. Max wondered about Cy. He initially reacted in the same way, but now he was silent under his hood. Was this orchestrated between him and his father? Was this why they only mentioned the magic bones? ¡°None of your business,¡± Darius tutted. Before handing the magic bones over to Max. ¡°They don¡¯t have much innate magic, but it should be enough for you to work with considering your past.¡± Way to lay it on thick. ¡°We want to see a bit of what you can really do. Elder Aris was in the middle of teaching his pupils. I¡¯m sure at least one of them would be willing to have a little spar with you.¡± Max held one of the magic bones into the sunlight. Wherever Darius had gotten them from, they were a higher quality than the ones Aldwin got. They were much smoother, making it easier to carve crisp and clear lines. ¡°Alright.¡± Elder Aris grimaced at the suggestion. ¡°How much time do you need to prepare¡­ your bones?¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯ll give me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got fifteen minutes.¡± Edler Aris said in an aggressive voice that it was obvious there was never any alternative to begin with. ¡°You can pick any person you want to challenge.¡± A bunch of eyes were surrounding them, but there was really only one person Max wanted to have a go at right now. ¡°I¡¯ll pick him then.¡± Max pointed over at Lux, who was a little shocked at being chosen before a wicked smile grew on his face. The choice seemed to amuse Elder Aris as well. ¡°Are you sure? You get a head start since you¡¯ve seen him fight.¡± The tone of his voice made it clear his application would be less convincing because of his advantage. ¡°I heard he was good,¡± Max explained. ¡°I want to see what is considered good here.¡± With the assessment agreed, Darius whisked Max and Cy away so they could begin his fifteen minutes of preparation. As Max began carving the runes, another prompt appeared making him second guess his choices before deciding to commit. It turned out there were dragons in this world after all. He owed the mayor an apology if he ever saw him again.
Story Name: Beast Tamer
Genre: Folklore
Description: The ancient guardian of the Bisterne Mountains is awakened by several loud noises from the local magical community.
Goal: Conquer the lands and create a new kingdom.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Tame the dragon!
After a couple of minutes, Darius shooed Cy away to grab some emergency supplies and Elder Charaka in case the fight didn¡¯t go to plan. ¡°This humble one has a piece of advice if you¡¯re willing to hear it, boss.¡± Max grunted as he kept his focus on the bones. Having almost no internal magic of his own was becoming increasingly frustrating. Every single rune had to be manually created. The laborious cost of not starting a story. ¡°Go all out in this fight. You¡¯re going to be denied permission to stay otherwise¡­ Cy¡¯s fate is on route to be sent away again.¡± ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Max said calmly. ¡°In a couple of fights, I¡¯ll make sure they know why Cy brought me here.¡± ¡°¡­ A couple of fights?¡± Chapter 46: Breaking Bones Lux could hardly stay still as he shifted his weight back and forth, eager to get their match started. On the other hand, Max stood as still as a statue. The contrast was apparent, the energetic versus the calm. There was a growing crowd surrounding the pitch with a mixture of Elders, presumed Elders, and then everyone else. Ensuring a fair fight, Elder Aris was making sure everything was up to standard while Elder Edric waited patiently on the other side of the pitch. ¡°Did you manage to carve any bones?¡± Elder Aris asked. His manner was unpleasant. The apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree. ¡°You can still cancel your application.¡± Max looked at the carved bones in the palm of his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve got three good ones. I left the incomplete ones with Cy.¡± Lux struggled to hold back his laughter, but it emerged as a twisted smile. ¡°If you think it¡¯ll be unfair then I can leave two more behind and fight with just one.¡± The smile dropped in a childish fury from the simple taunt. Elder Aris did not seem impressed. ¡°That¡¯s it? Don¡¯t take this lightly. If you need more time, then we can give it to you. But, it will be noted in your application.¡± Max was confused. At what point did he make it look like he needed more time? ¡°I¡¯m good. We can start.¡± ¡°If you insist. Lux, you¡¯re over there. Max, stay where you are. When I lower my arm, the match begins.¡± A vague way to start an assessment considering how detailed and precise everything had been so far. The moment Elder Aris began to retreat to his refereeing position, Lux sneered. ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Max looked over his shoulder to see two genuinely concerned faces among a sea of curious eyes. Cy finally pulled his hood down, so he wouldn¡¯t miss a second. Out of everyone around them, Darius and Cy had the least reason to be concerned. They saw what happened with the leviathan on BB¡¯s ship. When Lux had reached his spot, Elder Aris raised his arm in a dramatic fashion. The difference between the energetic and the calm was apparent again. Lux kept his eyes focused on Elder Aris¡¯s arm, ready to go the moment he was allowed. Max kept his gaze on his target. He couldn¡¯t see when Elder Aris lowered his arm, but he didn¡¯t need to. There were four options for Lux to take: move closer, use a long-range attack, do both, or do nothing. Seemed like he tried to go with the third option. In a second, Max watched a wall of flames hurtling in his direction while Lux tried to run forwards to close the distance. It was sloppy. The width was smaller than the length of the pitch. The height wasn¡¯t too impressive either, but the most disappointing part was the thinness. Even if Max did allow it to hit, at most it would just leave minor burns. Before the flames could hit, Max dropped two of the three bones and kicked it deep into the coarse grass of the field. The magic bones were better than everyone gave credit to. The moment the bones made contact, the ground split into intricate little shapes covering the entire field and a weak light emanated from the soil. To most, it was just strange to watch the artistic display before becoming concerned as they watched Lux¡¯s attack vanish. To Cy, it was an unwelcome surprise as he saw a similar pattern to the one drawn for him on the road back to Bessie¡¯s farm. They were neutralising runes. He was sure of it. Panic was setting in as he reached for his magic pocket before rationalisation took over. Magic was still flowing outside of the pitch. After all, the filter around the village was still working. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Lux stopped in his tracks when his wall vanished. Max merely shrugged before holding up his remaining magic bone in his left hand for Lux to see before clenching his hand. The taunt was effective as Lux desperately tried to use spell after spell only to find none would realise. ¡°What did you do?¡± Lux asked but wasn¡¯t met with an answer. He tried another spell. It was like watching a kid trying to copy superhero moves in front of the TV. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Frustrated, Lux gave up and ran towards him. His movements were careless, unprofessional, and open to all sorts of attacks. Max didn¡¯t have to look at Elder Aris to know he was ashamed of his pupil¡¯s flustered movements. This was the prodigy of Tsujuma? What a shame. Lux tried to put his fist through the unmoving Max only to find it went through with no resistance as the illusion shattered. Perplexed, Lux found himself alone on the pitch. Max took the opportunity to grab Lux¡¯s extended arm as he slammed his hip and leg into Lux¡¯s body causing him to flip over. It was just in time as Max saw Lux¡¯s bewildered eyes settle on him while he faced up towards the sky. The two magic bones had just run out of juice. Max casually dropped the last magic bone on Lux, making him unable to move any of his limbs. Taking an interest in how this world responded to things running out of innate magic, Max returned to his original starting spot and began digging up the ground. The others must have thought he looked mad. The only time he looked up was to see Elders Aris, Charaka, and Edric enter the pitch. Was it a sign that the match was over? It had to be. Lux wasn¡¯t going to be able to move for a few hours. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± Cy hissed beside him, causing Max to jump. He had been too focused on the others. Max dug up the shards of the bones before holding them out for Cy to see. ¡°Checking what happens when I use something too powerful for the vessel.¡± ¡°Well, I could have told you they exploded!¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t,¡± Max frowned. ¡°Why¡¯d you let me paint runes on Navy if you thought he could explode if it were too powerful?¡± ¡°Okay, okay, explode is a bad description. Crumble is more accurate.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t change the question. Why did you watch as Navy took the risk?¡± ¡°Well, he seemed comfortable with being a martyr. I gave him plenty of chances to ask for help or to quit!¡± ¡°He might¡¯ve had an easier time with the idea of crumbling compared to drowning? He was cool with the plan until I changed the runes. It was obvious he was terrified of drowning.¡± ¡°Alright! I get it. I fucked up, my bad.¡± Cy gave some hand signals to Elder Edric, who had been carefully watching their childish argument. Max wasn¡¯t too sure what it had meant, but soon he found himself being dragged off the pitch by Cy. ¡°What kind of runes were those?¡± he whispered. ¡°Why? Did I manage to change a fixed fate again?¡± Max was pleased to see Darius also looking slightly baffled by what he had just witnessed. ¡°No.¡± Disappointing. ¡°And nobody knows what they just saw. They¡¯re probably going to ask for a rematch, so let me know what you did. Maybe Dad can talk them out of it.¡± Darius won¡¯t be able to. Now, Max was subtly beginning to pull the strings behind the scenes. Cy didn¡¯t get to see the runes before Max used them so there was no harm in telling him. There was no risk of him learning the symbols. ¡°I only used three bones.¡± ¡°Good for you. But what do they do?¡± ¡°The first one distorted the filter you have in place.¡± Cy suddenly stopped walking. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said it yourself. There¡¯s this lovely filter in place to create an autumnal effect. I just made it a bit stronger around the area of the pitch for everyone aside from me.¡± Max pointed at the markings on the ground. ¡°The magic bone spread and repeated the pattern on the area I wanted to influence. Lux and everyone else watching shouldn¡¯t have been able see or hear anything aside from Lux himself and what was preprogrammed in the filter once the magic bone was activated.¡± ¡°Lux¡¯s spells were actually successful?¡± ¡°Yep. It was a good chance to see what he could do. He¡¯s very reliant on fire magic, isn¡¯t he? But it was far too thin and restrained. I didn¡¯t need to do anything about that fire wall in the end since he cancelled it in a panic when he couldn¡¯t see it anymore.¡± It was the one part of the match he had approved of. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t a magic neutralisation spell?¡± ¡°Nah, that would have ruined this beautiful view.¡± ¡°And he couldn¡¯t see you?¡± ¡°I was surprised. He didn¡¯t even sense me. It made it super easy to flip him. Maybe I should thank Bessie for working me into the ground with the berry girls. I think I gained a bit of muscle from when I first woke up.¡± Cy caught on to what he really saw. ¡°The other magic bone was a mimic of yourself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But the mimic moved? It responded to Lux¡¯s question. Runes alone can do that?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t have time to carve all that out. The mimic had a condition that if I clenched my left hand, it would start or stop copying my movements.¡± Max noticed Darius making gestures to them. ¡°We should get going. Seems like Darius wants to talk to us.¡± ¡°Wait! What about the last magic bone?¡± Max glanced over to see Elder Aris examine the remaining bone carefully as a puzzled Elder Charaka attempted to get Lux back on his feet. Seeing the doctor who failed him only an hour ago struggle in vain was satisfying. Watching his work, it was obvious Elder Charaka was going to be able to help Lux avoid any serious side effects. If he had been around, then even the mayor would have had a chance for a full comeback. Elder Aris began dropping the bone on his own hand to recreate the effect. The pupil really did take after his teacher. Good thing Max applied a safety measure to that rune causing it to only work once in a day. Otherwise, it would be even harder to get Elder Aris to like him when he¡¯s paralysed on the floor. The only one who wasn¡¯t beside themselves with what happened was Edric. Quietly smirking to himself, he had finally caught on to who Max was. Chapter 47: Getting Ready for the Next Match ¡°Alright, boss. Elder Aris wasn¡¯t satisfied that he had seen enough of you using runes to perform a write up.¡± There was a thick layer of disappointment in Darius¡¯s voice. It was clear this was the outcome he wanted to avoid. ¡°He wants you to have another fight.¡± It wasn¡¯t unexpected. Max had been counting on Edric interfering if his assessment didn¡¯t go well anyway, so he expected at least two magic assessments as a minimum. In every lifetime they¡¯ve encountered each other, he was always itching to uncover more than Max was willing to talk about. The only slight surprise was the request came from Elder Aris himself. Max glanced over at Cy, who had retreated into his hood. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for them to watch me make a rune and then see it used up close? Why do I have to fight again?¡± Max offered a possible solution, even though he knew it would never pass. ¡°It¡¯s not Elder Aris¡¯s style.¡± Both Cy and Darius chimed in at the same time. Their tones were significantly different. Darius¡¯s voice appeared sympathetic and frustrated, as if he made the same argument moments ago with the other Elders. Cy¡¯s voice was unusually aggressive. ¡°Then what difference is it going to make?¡± ¡°Elder Nova wants you to write your runes on these. Be careful though, they¡¯re a tad bit stronger than magic bones, boss.¡± There was a stack of parchment papers in his hand as Darius pointed over to what must be the huddled group of Elders. Six people were gossiping together while throwing the odd look over at Max. The old man from yesterday, the woman who stared at him when he first arrived, Elder Aris, Elder Charaka, Edric, and a woman in strangely modern clothes. The unfamiliar woman had long, blonde hair which was pulled back to the point where it looked painful as she stood elegantly in a white crop top and sweats. She was also considerably taller than most women Max had seen in this world. Perhaps she was one of them? She didn¡¯t have any tattoos on her arm, so there was no way to be sure. Max accepted the pieces of parchment before realising a spell had already been casted on them. But what kind? This wasn¡¯t Edric''s usual pattern of behaviour. Cy had been waiting for Darius to return to the group of Elders with Max¡¯s consent for another round. ¡°Be careful with what you write.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Max was surprised. Did Cy know about the spell on the paper? ¡°Elder Nova experiments with unique types of magic. I suspect the papers are linked to a book in her possession. Draw on the paper, and they¡¯ll appear in her book.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen these before?¡± ¡°A long time ago.¡± Once again, the Elders had been a pleasant surprise to Max. They¡¯ve earned their name through and through. Max was about to speak when he saw a ten-year-old boy approaching them in a huff.
Story Name: Haiddeck of Hibiscus House
Genre: Drama
Description: Guide the sheltered, young youth as he is forced to grow up in a cold community.
Goal: Help raise Haiddeck to welcome in a new age.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Encourage Haiddeck to be himself!
¡°YOU DUMB FUCK.¡± The kid shouted at Cy causing several people to stare for a moment before it was collectively decided to ignore them. ¡°You¡¯re too fucking sheltered? Go get some real goddamn life experience?¡± He spat at the ground. The thick glob of spit left a trail from the ground to his mouth before he wiped it away with no shame. ¡°Bunch of pricks. What the fuck do they know? Who the fuck is this?¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°His name is Max.¡± Cy didn¡¯t lower his hood, but his relaxed stance meant he felt somewhat comfortable. ¡°Fucking shit name.¡± The youth scowled in Max¡¯s direction and received an unamused look back. ¡°When this shit is over, you better be coming over and reporting what happened to me or else¡­ I¡¯ll spit on your friend.¡± Max took a disgusted step back. Who was this gremlin of a child? ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll come over. How about tomorrow afternoon? After Max has his interview with the Elders?¡± Cy¡¯s voice remained calm and pleasant. ¡°You think the cunts are going to let this bitch in?¡± Haiddeck cursed more than the sailors on BB¡¯s ship. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°But they won¡¯t chase us out right away. They¡¯ll let us stay for a few hours even if we get denied. Dad will want some time to get supplies together for us, and I doubt they¡¯ll deny him that right.¡± ¡°Damn good point. See you bitches tomorrow.¡± The youth left to join some of the others gathered around the pitch. ¡°Who the hell raised a prick like that?¡± Max let the unfiltered words slip out. ¡°I told you to be more forgiving to the kids.¡± Cy¡¯s voice indicated he was in a good mood after that brief encounter. ¡°Besides the prick just did you a favour.¡± Max couldn¡¯t help raising an eyebrow. ¡°His sister is Delrid. You know, the one you wanted to talk to about the encrypted message? Even if you can¡¯t stay, you might have a chance to meet her. Or at the very least, we can pass on a message through Haiddeck.¡± Max looked back at his pieces of parchment paper as he thought to himself. It didn¡¯t seem as necessary to pass the assessment anymore. ¡°Should I try to change a fixed fate during the assessment?¡± ¡°Not much point,¡± Cy admitted. ¡°Only Dad and I specialise in this kind of magic. Elder Ji-min can use it a little but¡­ he¡¯s made mistakes with it in the past.¡± Max was baffled. ¡°Only three people?¡± He was ready to face more people poking around his past since his future was the only one off-limits. ¡°It¡¯s a good skill. Why don¡¯t more people try it out?¡± ¡°Most people find it too disorientating. Delrid had a go at it a while back, and she puked after getting too overwhelmed¡­ Ah, Dad¡¯s coming back.¡± They watched the beast of a man struggle with an awkward sprint towards them. He was going to take a minute. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about trying it out? Surely one of your runes can tap into a person¡¯s fate.¡± It was a good suggestion, but Max would be working from scratch since his attempts to create an accurate prediction had been hit or miss in the past. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad use of a lifetime to fine-tune it. ¡°Maybe, should we give it a go?¡± Cy gave a nod. ¡°Later though. You need to keep your focus on the next assessment.¡± Out of breath from the short sprint, Darius turned to watch a signal from the other Elders. All of that strength and not an ounce of cardio, the imbalance was going to bite him in the ass one day. Elder Aris gave a weird hand signal that resembled too closely to flipping the bird causing Max to smile from the unexpectedness. Darius shoved a quill-pen and ink into Max¡¯s arms. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for grinning! You¡¯ve got fifteen minutes to get ready before you¡¯re up against Elder Edric.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Max took his time as he set up the supplies before starting to draw mandalas of runes on the different pieces of parchment. There was no hesitation in his strokes. It was so much easier than carving each permanent line into bone. Considering Cy¡¯s warning earlier, it wasn¡¯t a difficult decision to add extra precautions onto each sheet. ¡°Why was Elder Edric chosen?¡± Cy was perplexed. The others were probably feeling the same as Max watched a wave of confusion pass through the onlookers. Even the rude kid gave a concerned look in Max¡¯s direction before he flipped him off with both hands. Maybe Elder Aris¡¯s earlier gesture really was the bird? ¡°Is that bad?¡± Max asked calmly, as he finished drawing on another piece of parchment. ¡°It was probably the worst outcome,¡± Darius admitted. ¡°Just¡­ Try to show something before you get taken out.¡± Oh? He¡¯s going to put in some effort? Good, it will be refreshing to spar again after all this time. ¡°I¡¯m surprised neither of you have any confidence in me.¡± His words were mostly pointed at Darius. ¡°You can only work with the runes you¡¯re making now, boss.¡± His uncertainty was caused by Max¡¯s ability to come into a fight prepared? Seems like he didn¡¯t look back far enough. ¡°And Elder Edric is a master of many types of magic.¡± Cy¡¯s voice indicated a level of respect for the Elder. Max didn¡¯t like it. ¡°He won¡¯t go easy on you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Max wasn¡¯t planning on going easy on him either. ¡°Good? What part of this is good?¡± Cy lamented. ¡°Oh, could you give me a sign or something when your fate has changed? This could go on for a long time otherwise. Maybe you could raise or lower your hood?¡± ¡°Take this seriously!¡± They lectured in unison. The two watched Max as he decorated piece after piece of parchment. It wasn¡¯t too long until he had ten, then twenty, then coming up to almost thirty when Darius snatched the quill-pen out of Max¡¯s hand. Had he announced the end of his time? Max had been too entranced by his own runes. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go.¡± Darius¡¯s voice was still grim. ¡°I need to get into position as an Elder. When you¡¯re ready, stand in the same spot as before, boss.¡± ¡°Okey dokey.¡± Cy watched his father begin another tiring, slow sprint. ¡°I know we keep saying this but Elder Edric should be taken seriously. He can use- What the fuck are you doing?¡± Cy moved in front of Max, so his actions would be a little less noticeable to the Elders. Max rolled up a piece of drawn on parchment and shoved it in his mouth before hiding a bunch of them in his various pieces of clothes. Hidden in his sleeves, packed tightly in between him and his belt, stuffed into his shoes; any place that could store the mountain he had made in fifteen minutes. Max struggled to speak while he kept the scrunched up parchment in his mouth. ¡°Oo you fink I ca¡¯ fi¡¯ more i¡¯ my mouf?¡± He choked out. ¡°Not if you¡¯re trying to hide it. You shouldn¡¯t speak either.¡± Cy had little confidence as he watched Max get up and make his way forward with a slight bounce in his step. ¡°Just try to hang on long enough for Elder Charaka to get to you!¡± Max ignored him as he walked to his spot. It was a slight struggle for him to contain the giddiness, which was threatening to collaborate against him with his too open face. There was excitement and eagerness in the air from both sides. Max even had two presents prepared. Chapter 48: This Fight Was Rigged… Right? Seeing Edric in front of him only showed he was fighting his enthusiasm as well. It had only been a couple of lifetimes before when they last played, but it was exciting to see what tools the system set them up with this time. Max struggled to keep a smile off his face. Edric was going to get a shock when he realised Max was stepping onto the pitch with nothing but a few prewritten runes. The two maintained eye contact as the spectators and judges around them got into position. At some point, Elder Aris dropped his arm to signify the beginning of the match, but it was ignored by the two relevant people. The air was thick, and everyone held their breath as they waited for someone to make the first move. Edric moved his wrist slightly. To an inexperienced eye, they wouldn¡¯t have even picked up the movement underneath the loose sleeves. For Max, it was slightly disappointing as he used the teleportation runes tucked into his shoes to appear behind Edric. If he had hesitated, then the match would have ended immediately from him succumbing to the meteorite which had taken his spot in the pitch. The aftershock from the explosive arrival would have been difficult to endure, so Max repeatedly used the teleportation runes to avoid the shockwaves and keep his balance as he moved closer. It was a bit nostalgic seeing a meteorite again. Max felt a slight amount of sympathy for the deceased shepherd boy. He really had no chance. But the message was clear. Eldric had access to cosmic magic again. Good to know. Time to return the favour with his presents. Slipping three of the parchment filled runes out of his sleeves, Max slapped two of them against Edric¡¯s back and tucked one into his belt. Clearly Edric had not been expecting the extreme pain as his covered skin broke out into bloody runes. Max retreated back in front of the sizzling meteorite as he watched Edric try to get back on his feet. Underneath the expensive fabric, his skin was already healing rapidly. The Elders appeared unamused by the ¡®failure¡¯ of Max¡¯s attack, completely unaware the old friends had officially greeted each other again. Edric got back up as soon as he could before creating a barrage of long-range attacks hurtled in Max¡¯s direction. Ice, fire, lightning, water; each an announcement about what Edric was working with in this lifetime. He either got really lucky or was doing a high-star story. There was a mixture of ¡°ohs¡± and ¡°ahs¡± as the spectators witnessed the show before them. It was a first for them to see Edric go all out like this. Probably because he couldn¡¯t do this before. Max¡¯s first gift was a series of scarring runes, which significantly amplified any internal magic he had. It was useless on someone with almost no innate magic, but magnificent on an established professional. After a couple of minutes of dodging, Max decided the noises from Edric¡¯s spells weren¡¯t enough. As a last resort for his second present, he tucked one of his rune parchments into a crevasse on the meteorite before he began to teleport and run away from the source so Edric would stop attacking in that direction. Exactly five seconds later, Max stopped moving while everyone within earshot clutched their ears in agony from the loud, high pitch noise. Immune to the effects, Max felt a little bad seeing Cy clutching his ears like everyone else. At least it was a small break before returning to his cat and mouse game with Edric. His buddy from another life seemed confused from the sudden and painful noise. Could he even still hear? Elder Charaka was going to be busy later. The noise was enough this time for the system to deliver on its description.
Story Name: Beast Tamer
Genre: Folklore
Description: the ancient guardian of the BisteRnE mountAins is awaKened by several Loud nOises from the local maGICa emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡­
Goal: Conquer the lands and create a new kingdom.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Tame the dragon!
There it was again. At least the other part was easy to figure out. BREAK LOGIC. SWAP and BREAK LOGIC, what did it mean? Perhaps it was because only his hearing was undamaged, but Max was the first to notice the beast¡¯s approach before the others saw it in the clouds. First came confusion, then came screams as the community got ready for the sudden appearance of an emergency. Edric was stuck in confusion, but his attacks did not relent. He didn¡¯t know why Max decided to summon a dragon, but he wasn¡¯t going to question it despite jealousy threatening to bubble up. He knew better. Once the dragon descended more from the clouds, Max couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. It wasn¡¯t a fucking dragon! Damn wyvern. Tucked into Edric¡¯s waistline was the rune intended for the promised dragon, but now Max wasn¡¯t sure if it was even going to work anymore. The wingspan of the black ¡®dragon¡¯ covered the pitch, causing it to cascade into darkness. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Calm yourselves!¡± Edric quickly shouted at the other Elders before focusing his attention back to Max, who was grumbling to himself in disappointment. This was not going as he had hoped. His shoes were getting uncomfortable as the parchments were beginning to crumble from overuse, Cy hadn¡¯t given any indication he had done enough, and the dragon wasn¡¯t even a fucking dragon! The bitterness eating him up on the inside as he kept up with the attacks before they suddenly subsided. The ¡®dragon¡¯ landed behind Edric and opened its mouth towards Max. That was better. Some proper fire magic. The dragon had accepted its master, and the prompt disappeared. It didn¡¯t take the other Elders long to presume the dragon had been summoned by Eldric, who was beside himself with glee. Perhaps it was a new type of magic he was trying out? It was certainly successful. Dragons were creatures of myths and legends. After watching the unlikely team work together and dog-pile on Max, who was still bouncing around, they were beginning to feel bad. It was like watching a kid run away from two menacing bullies. Frankly, once Max understood that this wyvern seemed to still be classed as a ¡®dragon¡¯ in accordance with the runes, he began to enjoy himself. How many lifetimes had it been where Edric complained about not being able to own a dragon? Now, he had a chance. The second present had been well delivered and received. All thanks to the rune attached to his belt, declaring itself as the beast¡¯s master. It was a mutually beneficial present since it would also mean the cancellation of one more story prompt. Edric must¡¯ve either chosen or completed his story. Knowing him, it was probably the latter. Now that the dragon had been tamed by someone already finished with their story, naturally the prompt would be cancelled. Max was about to dodge another attack from the bombardment of spells from both the dragon and Edric when suddenly he found himself in the same place and having to duck and roll out of the way. It was a frustrating and enlightening lesson for Max as he found shelter from behind the meteorite again. If he hadn¡¯t responded instinctively then the match would have ended there. As much as he enjoyed seeing Edric with his second present, it was time for it to go now. Maybe he¡¯ll get another chance next time. His hands moved methodically as he grabbed two parchment runes from his pocket and checked which victim he had pre-written within the mandala of runes on it. Suddenly, flames erupted from all sides of the meteorite causing Max to curl up in the centre to avoid the worst of the flames and protect the parchments in his hands. Slipping up would have revealed two of the tricks up his sleeves. Immediately after the flames came an onslaught of water with most of it vaporising into steam. His side of the pitch was swallowed up into fog. Was this a present in return? A chance for him to take a breath and plan? It was a nice gesture but not needed. Max dunked the back of the parchment into some of the muddy water on the floor before throwing it forward with a slight grunt from the effort. In a couple of seconds, a series of confused and agonised screams emerging from the dragon. Max took the time to remove his shoes and empty the dusty remains of the parchments he had used. Cy was right about using the term crumble. The screams of the beast began to subside, but it wasn¡¯t noticeable as the shrieks of the spectators grew. Max was about to peek out from behind the meteorite when he and the shoe he was holding were suddenly drenched with blood from a panicking dragon above him. Gross. He cursed at his carelessness with details and this life¡¯s inability to suddenly change and correct runes while he poured the hot liquid from his shoe. It was even grosser putting it back on. Just as he was wondering when the rune would be finished, the decapitated body of the dragon crash landed in front of him. The crumbling parchment was attached to the spine of the dragon. Another example of where he had been careless. It could have been dangerous if it had landed wrong. Despite mistake after mistake, it seemed like luck was still on his side as he slapped some parchment runes against the body causing the skin to break out into more runes. Unknown to the spectators, it was akin to what he did to Edric underneath his fancy, capital clothes. At first, the onlookers assumed the twitching of the corpse was due to cadaveric spasms as they kept their eyes focused on their beloved Elder, who was trying to recover from the dragon suddenly turning on him in a panic. Confusion was back in the air as they all tried to understand what had just happened. The pair of them were working as a team. Max was cornered behind the meteorite. Steam erupted before the howls began. A mixture of fire and blood rained down from above as the dragon tried to escape from whatever was attacking it. Edric tried to save it. It was too late. The head finally ripped off and landed next to Edric. The body landed behind the meteorite. They couldn¡¯t make sense of what they just witnessed. First, a mythical beast appeared. Now, the dragon was dead. What was the point? It was such a tragic loss of life. Even Edric was confused before he turned his attention to the other part of the corpse. It was moving. How the fuck was it moving? The second he realised there were runes carved into its skin as it took to the sky, Edric took a defensive position. In return, Max waited as he watched the headless dragon climb up into the air before starting its steep descent towards the ground. There were a few runes he hadn¡¯t used yet, but he thought he would only use four or five more now to make a dramatic ending. It had long since gone out of his head to check for hints and clues from Cy. It was too much fun having a real go at someone who could take it. Edric tightened his defensive shield as he saw what was going to happen. The corpse of the dragon was plummeting towards his direction. To anyone else, they would have assumed just moving out of the way would be enough. But due to his experience with his opponent, he knew it wouldn¡¯t work. There was no doubt in his mind that the corpse would follow him everywhere around the pitch until it landed on top with a fiery explosion from the internal magic of the beast. After all, Edric also guessed one of the additions to the mandala on the parchment used to kill the dragon was enchanted with such a feature. Another feature must¡¯ve been a hardening effect, so it could cut through its flesh with time. Unsure of how far ahead Max had thought, Edric also took the time to create a shield around the pitch to contain the explosion. If one of them were killed, then it was, ¡®Oh well, good game. See you next time.¡¯ But if one of the unknowing were to get killed, then Max might be a bit perturbed when they got to speak privately again. Edric endured the explosion as sweat began to emerge from his brow. It was as expected of a mythical creature. After surviving the blast, he kept his shield up in the fiery landscape. Instincts told him to stay guarded. He couldn¡¯t see him, but Max was here. Max wasn¡¯t too sure what had given him away. Whether it was the slippery ground beneath them, the flames acting strange around him as he passed by them immune thanks to a rune, or if it was just his instinct. When he was within five metres of Edric, a spell was casted in his direction. It was another cosmic spell with destructive energy hurtling towards him with the potential to rip a hole in space if Edric had gone full out. Max didn¡¯t move though. The newest spell was the only one to hit Max, and the only one to get affected by the parchment of runes waiting in his mouth. A full counter if he got hit. Good thing Edric had a shield up. Max spat out the remains of the parchment paper and scraped some of the residue from his tongue. Cleared of most of the ashy texture in his mouth, he lightly jogged through the broken shield and slapped the second to last rune he was going to use onto a seriously injured Edric, paralysing him just like Lux. ¡°Good match,¡± he said with glee leaking into his voice before stuffing a piece of parchment into Edric¡¯s pocket. It was one of three healing runes Max made before the match. Unlike the previous one, which gave an almost immediate recovery from the runes carved into his skin, this one had a much slower effect. They couldn¡¯t hide that Edric had received sizable injuries. But even if it was just a little, it was crucial to recover enough and claim to be fine before Elder Charaka could try to examine his wounds. They wouldn¡¯t want the other Elders to see the new scars on his skin. Chapter 49: A Magical Prison? It’s Pretty Much a Normal Prison The first few hours in the jail cell were a bit exciting for Max as he tried to figure out what kind of intricate spells were casted on the solid, stone walls and the handcuffs on him. Most of them were useless, since he had almost no innate magic. With his hands bound behind him, it was also extremely difficult to attempt runes. There was no doubt someone would come in and stop him even if he tried. The only light was from a small, floating orb in the corner of the ceiling, which would extinguish itself if touched or tampered with. There wasn¡¯t even a door, since the wall had built itself up behind him. It had been a bit of a shock when he was yanked away from Edric and dragged off the pitch by the scruff of his neck. After thinking back on it, they must¡¯ve used some sort of spell to prevent him from resisting while Elder Aris took him. Not that he was going to fight back. Cy was making clear gestures to not move while he watched helplessly from the side. While being dragged away, there was no explanation given. But to be honest, a clarification wasn¡¯t needed. He was a bigger threat than they originally thought. Simple. There wasn¡¯t much more for him to do now anyway. The application, medical exam, and magic assessment were completed. All he had to do was wait for the interview and verdict while Edric and Darius were doubtlessly doing their best to make the last parts successful. Max was unsure if his application would be granted. On one hand, two of the seven judges were corrupt and in his favour. On the other hand, he was in jail¡­ Perhaps it would be better to give up on the idea? The next hours of waiting were less fun as it finally dawned on Max that he was stuck being covered in the rotting dragon¡¯s blood for a while. Also, they hadn¡¯t opened the cell to provide him with anything to eat or drink. He suddenly missed Darius¡¯s hospitality. Cy¡¯s father was a bit bitchy, but he didn¡¯t disappoint when it came to a place to wash up and food. Max didn¡¯t get a chance to sleep in the spare room assigned to him because he was too busy filling in the application. But, his brief glance of it left a good impression with how huge and clean it was. There was a beautiful view of the waterfall from the balcony, just like the conservatory. Suddenly, the singular light turned itself off. The air was still as Max sat in complete darkness. It had been a couple of lifetimes since he had experienced similar conditions. No food, no light, no freedom; the thought made him itch. Being constrained and bound had been a reoccurring nightmare for him in several lifetimes. Although it wasn¡¯t as bad as the claustrophobic hell Darius had promised him¡­ right? The heavy handcuffs restraining his arms disagreed. Panic was setting in. His breathing got faster. Sweat was making the rotting blood come to life again. Drip, drip, drip; the trails made his skin itchy. How long ago was it? When they put him in that box? Arms and legs bound. Weights on his chest. Enchanted to stay alive. Cursed to feel hunger and thirst. How many years was he in the box? Max never got an answer. Day after day. Stuck in that box. No runes invented to save him. No one on the outside to help either. Day after day. Year after year. Until one day, he woke up on a beach with a new body. Time had no effect on him. It wasn¡¯t as kind to the unmaintained box, which was keeping him alive. It must¡¯ve corroded with time. But this time wasn¡¯t so bad? He could move his legs. To do what though? The slick mixture of blood and sweat could be used for runes. They¡¯ll come and stop him? Then they¡¯ll be sorry. The thought calmed him as he kicked off his shoes in preparation. Head a little clearer, Max used his shoulders to wipe away some of the blood causing the worst itchy spots on his face. More could be made later when he calmed down. It wasn¡¯t ideal. It was uncomfortable. But he wasn¡¯t back in that box. Weariness crept up on his reassured mind before taking over. The next day, an abrupt light woke him with the orb suddenly illuminating with more intensity than shown previously. At least it was easy to tell the difference between day and night in the prison cell. Hoping for food or water, Max kept watching the walls as he waited. Hours trickled by before the wall descended to the serious faces of Elder Aris and Darius. The second they got a whiff of the air; their faces scrunched up in revulsion. The petty side of Max found it amusing. Finally, other people were enduring some of the disgusting smells Max had been tolerating ever since he awoke in this world. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Darius couldn¡¯t resist holding his nose and began spluttering. ¡°What the fuck is this? We couldn¡¯t let him wash off the blood before throwing him in here?... Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a bed or something in the holding cell?¡± He asked Elder Aris. ¡°Budget cuts.¡± Darius squinted at Max, who was sitting calmly on the floor. ¡°And food? Water? Are you going to say that we didn¡¯t have enough of a budget to keep Max alive to hear the results of his application?¡± ¡°Personal grudge.¡± ¡°At least, you¡¯re frank about it.¡± Max¡¯s words were slightly bitter from being constrained for so long. ¡°Can I go to the bathroom now? I¡¯m about piss myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t already.¡± Elder Aris reached for Max. Curses were about to pour out of Max mouth from pent up fear and anger when he caught a glance from Darius. He looked¡­ upset? The expression caused him to hold his tongue as they escorted him out. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Cy was relieved, as he saw a drenched Max enter the extravagant courtyard. He was waiting next to a mystical looking tree with blue leaves in the centre of the garden space. ¡°Where are your shoes?¡± Elder Aris pushed Max forward, making him stumble. After regaining his balance, a piece of enchanted fabric was tied tightly around his mouth, gagging him. It was getting wet, as water from his hair dripped onto the material. At least he was somewhat clean now. The smell wasn¡¯t as bad. A shivering Max was mostly focused on the tree in the courtyard.
Story Name: Yggdrasil
Genre: Fantasy
Description: After growing for centuries in a magic rich land, the sacred tree has finally chosen who is to receive its divine power.
Goal: Rewrite the meaning of magic.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Touch the tree!
Ever since they had left the prison, Elder Aris had been shoving him in almost every direction. Abusive dick. If he were to give him a shove into this goddamn tree, then- ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± Darius gave Max another look causing him to calm himself again. It was the same look in the jail cell and when Elder Aris¡¯s water spell was casted above him. For some reason, it came across as genuine. Was he actually upset by this? Surely, this was nothing compared to everything on display in his soul. It was uncomfortable, but not unbearable. It wasn¡¯t a box. ¡°You keep an eye on him, Cyrus-¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving him unattended.¡± Elder Aris pointed a dirty finger in Max¡¯s direction. Cy copied his father in giving Max a worried look. A relaxed Max turned slightly to show off his shiny, new bracelets before shrugging. Judging from their expressions, you would think Cy was the one in cuffs. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave them with you,¡± Darius snapped back. Both father and son had issues with the abusive git. All things considered; Max was a little relieved that the three of them were on the same page when it came to Elder Aris. With his father leaving through a glamorous set of doors, Cy retreated under the hood as he kept his distance from Max and Elder Aris. It was a little frustrating to not get an update, but he respected his decision. Another relief came from Cy slowly edging his way away from the five-star story tree. Taking advantage of being alone with them, Elder Aris spoke. ¡°What did he do to Lux?¡± Cy¡¯s hood pointed in their direction, but he didn¡¯t answer until asked again. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Cy snapped back. It was rare to see Cy consistently show animosity towards a person. It was fun to watch. ¡°You should ask him. It¡¯s not like he can use any kind of verbal magic anyway.¡± ¡°Mind your manners, little Cyrus. This one¡¯s a mad dog if I¡¯ve ever seen one. We¡¯re not going to give him a chance to act until we¡¯ve reached a verdict.¡± Cy¡¯s hood pointed at Max for a second before returning to the Elder. ¡°Which one? The one for our application for Max to stay here? Or the one about whether the community executes him for having significant magical skill without being a member of Tsujuma?¡± What? Max suddenly remembered the words of the decrepit mayor. Turns out he was right about even more things. Half of the things out of his mouth were lies, half were true; he was truly an incompetent mayor. Cy continued. ¡°What¡¯s the point of going through the procedure for-¡± A moment too late with his own teleportation spell, and Cy would have been badly injured by the flash of lightning in his direction. Zipping around the village and Bessie¡¯s farm had paid off for him as stood still at the other end of the garden. His hood still covered his face. ¡°You dare to violate the community¡¯s rules by telling-¡± ¡°And yet the ¡®mad dog¡¯ isn¡¯t trying to escape.¡± There was an unusual stress within his words. Elder Aris¡¯s attention turned to Max, who innocently showed off the handcuffs still firmly binding his hands behind his back. ¡°You¡¯re grossly overestimating what Max can do-¡± ¡°You¡¯re underestimating, little Cyrus. Mark my words, he isn¡¯t your friend.¡± Without warning, the glamorous doors where Darius ventured into suddenly swung upon to show a vast, dark staircase. Another shove made Max stumble slightly towards the staircase. A glance behind showed Cy trailing behind them. While Elder Aris was impatiently dragging him up the stairs, Max caught a glimpse of Cy with his hand raised for a second. It wasn¡¯t a thumbs up, or a thumbs down; his thumb was horizontal. But the message couldn¡¯t be clearer. Max¡¯s approval was still on the table. Chapter 50: Cy’s Testimony Elder Aris dragged him up the stairs before they arrived at an ominous, dark room. There was nothing on the circular floor at the top of the stairs. A thin mist covered the floor, which probably had some magic neutralising properties. Above them were seven holes carved into the high walls, each with a seat and person sitting in it, aside from one empty chair. Presumably the seats of the Elders. Orbs were illuminating the circular floor, but there was nothing lighting the people above. Max wasn¡¯t sure what the point of obscuring their faces was. He knew who they were. Sitting in the middle with the only chair surrounded by junk was the frail Asian Elder, presumably Elder Ji-min. On his left was the beefy outline of Darius, then the stick thin shape of Elder Nova, before ending with Elder Charaka. The right seat next to Elder Ji-min¡¯s was unoccupied for Elder Aris, then it was the staring woman with traditional clothes, and finally Edric. The moment Cy had caught up with them, Elder Aris made some gestures causing the room to lighten up a lot more. Why were their faces easy to see now? What was the point of sitting in the darkness before? Ambiance? Presentation? A puzzled Max looked back to see the staircase vanish before the fabric was ripped harshly from his mouth. ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t do anything until we¡¯re ready to start. Don¡¯t talk to each other. Don¡¯t look at each other.¡± Elder Aris warned. He kept a nasty glare towards Max as he walked backwards towards the wall below his chair. After tapping on the wall without looking, the wall descended to show some stairs before ascending the moment the Elder began to climb up it backwards. It was a little awkward standing below the silent Elders. Elder Charaka let out a little cough, which echoed. He seemed a little drained compared to yesterday. It must¡¯ve been tiring repairing everyone¡¯s ears. Max tried to get a reading from Edric, but his face was a stoney neutral. No wonder he managed to mingle in so well with others. Trying to appear nonchalant, Max wiggled his shoulders while his head was slightly tilted in Cy¡¯s direction before standing still again. Edric didn¡¯t change his expression or acknowledge the action at all. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡± Elder Ji-min stood up, causing all the others and Elder Aris to stand before their chairs and sit down again in unison. As strong as these seven were, their actions befuddled Max slightly. What was the point of that? Did they practise it in private? ¡°Let¡¯s commence with the interview for your application. Your name is Max, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Max sneezed before shivering. ¡°¡­ Are you alright?¡± ¡°Just a bit damp.¡± ¡°Damp?¡± ¡°Elder Aris-¡± Darius began before being cut off by the man himself. ¡°The holding cell¡¯s budget needs to be re-evaluated.¡± ¡°The budget¡¯s not the problem-¡± ¡°Enough.¡± The old man¡¯s voice commanded authority. The instant silence following showed that among the Elders, he was respected the most. ¡°A matter for another time. Are you okay to proceed with your interview?¡± Considering the pushiness and assertiveness Max had experienced with the other Elders, there was little doubt in his mind that the offer to delay the proceedings was not a genuine one. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Good. My name is Elder Ji-min. This is Elder Darius¡­¡± The old man went on to introduce everyone in the room. All of their names were known aside from the staring woman, Elder Obi. ¡°And of course, little Cyrus invited you to enter and helped you complete your application, so we asked him to attend.¡± An awkward Cy kept his hood lowered and facing down towards the floor. Was it out of respect? Or was it drilled into him? Either way, Max didn¡¯t like this posture. ¡°Cyrus.¡± Cy jumped slightly from his name being called before realising Max wasn¡¯t talking to him. He was talking to Elder Ji-min. ¡°I thought this was an official interview. It¡¯s a bit inappropriate to be using nicknames during my interview, isn¡¯t it?¡± The boldness seemed to have a positive effect on Elder Ji-min, who smiled towards him. ¡°Forgive me. You¡¯re absolutely right. Cyrus has been assisting with your application, so we have a few questions for him.¡± Cy was looking puzzled. It had been years since other members of the community called him by his real name. ¡°But I¡¯ll start with you, Max.¡± Elder Ji-min pulled out their paper application. Had he been sitting on it? There were enough pages that it was probably nice padding to the chair. ¡°What¡¯s your age?¡± Wasn¡¯t this question 2 on the application? It was completed in the medical exam as well. Why did they need to do it again? ¡°Elder Charaka said it¡¯s twenty-two. I don¡¯t know. I have no memories.¡± ¡°Very well. What¡¯s your height?¡± That was question 3?
Story Name: The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Long Lost Son
Genre: Folklore
Description: The MC discovers their origins and decides to return to where they belong.
Goal: Bring back the seven mythical creatures to your hometown.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Discover where you are from!
Motherfuckers. What was the point of repeating the same questions when they were already answered? Max started to mentally curse as he remembered what some of the questions were. Where is the applicant from? Where are the applicant¡¯s parents from? Are there any concerning genetic conditions? Birthmarks? Which geographical locations does the applicant¡¯s DNA point towards? ¡°Let¡¯s skip the questions on the medical exam,¡± Elder Charaka interjected. God bless this man. He may not like Max, but Max was warming up to him again. Skipping the ones on the medical exam, the unfortunate stack of questions continued as Max realised no matter how he answered, every question on the long application form was going to be asked. He tried to answer to the best of his recollection of what he wrote. Occasionally, Cy would interject if the information was confusing for those unfamiliar with the world outside of Tsujuma. ¡°What was your salary at your previous place of employment?¡± ¡°40 gaeles a month.¡± All the Elders gave a pitying look. Was it really that bad? ¡°Food and lodging were provided,¡± Cy added to save some of Bessie¡¯s reputation. ¡°It¡¯s a low¡­ slave wage salary, but the cost of living in the village was also low.¡± The pitiful looks didn¡¯t change much. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise it was that bad,¡± Max whispered to Cy. ¡°I usually didn¡¯t even get all of it.¡± He looked back to the Elders. ¡°I got a large bonus when I was laid off though.¡± It didn¡¯t change again. They already knew since they had declared Bessie¡¯s bonus and the jackpot money as cash they were bringing into the community. Finally, there was a question that wasn¡¯t in the original application. ¡°In your application, you applied for permission to work as well. Would you be willing to work for 50 gaeles a month?¡± Elder Ji-min asked. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°No!¡± Max had answered without thinking. It was 10 gaeles more than his previous salary! He didn¡¯t really need the money anyway. The look on Cy¡¯s disappointed face made him rethink for a second. Was it still really bad? ¡°Minimum wage within the community is 100 gaeles a month,¡± Edric clarified for Max¡¯s sake. ¡°Let¡¯s go on to the next question.¡± The questions continued until they reached the end of the thick document. After all that, Max felt done with the situation. He wasn¡¯t sure if he even wanted to enter this magic community anymore. Exhaustion from being tense for most of the night was starting to wear away at him. Elder Ji-min continued to lead the interview. ¡°That concludes these questions.¡± These questions? ¡°Cyrus, is there anything you want to add?¡± All eyes turned to Cy. Max wasn¡¯t too sure how he was going to be in front of the Elders. Usually, he had a silver tongue around people who weren¡¯t sailors, but his confidence had vanished the moment they stepped through the teleporter. ¡°Max has no fate.¡± ¡­ That was it? Wasn¡¯t he going to add anything else? ¡°Who cares?¡± Elder Aris loudly whispered to make everyone feel uncomfortable. Who was he even trying to whisper to anyway? ¡°Elder Ji-min made me leave Tsujuma because I needed more real-world experience.¡± Elder Ji-min gave a nod to show it was true, even though everyone already knew about it. The gremlin child, Haiddeck, made it clear to everyone by the pitch when he shouted his slurs. ¡°In the community, during my travels to Max¡¯s village, and within the village itself; I¡¯ve never seen someone with the absence of fate like Max. Travelling back, I did witness one other person without a fate at the inn we were staying at.¡± He did?! Cy never mentioned it. ¡°But the next morning the same person suddenly gained their fate. I have been sticking by Max¡¯s side for months now. He never had a fate while I was around.¡± ¡°I can verify his claims. Every time I try to see his fate, there has been no colours, numbers, or symbols.¡± Darius confirmed. ¡°Max¡¯s soul is readable though. His soul aligns with the report I submitted this morning.¡± He made a report on his soul? Darius never said anything about it. Maybe it wasn¡¯t necessary until they realised the potential threat Max was. Elder Ji-min stared down at Max for a moment before he grew pale and clutched the side of his head. Was this the typical reaction from people trying Cy¡¯s kind of magic? ¡°They are accurate about Max¡¯s lack of fate. I have questions about your report, Elder Darius.¡± ¡°As do I.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The other Elders jumped to speak. They had been waiting for this report to be brought up. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that in the second part of the interview,¡± Elder Ji-min promised. There¡¯s a second part? ¡°Is there anything else that you want to add, Cyrus?¡± Cy looked across at the neutral faces of the Elders. For once, Darius was not smiling at him. When they made eye contact, he quietly yawned. Max was about to speak when Cy¡¯s words caught him off guard. ¡°Max sometimes talks in his sleep.¡± ¡°I do what?¡± No one had told him this. Cy gave him a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s not often, to be fair.¡± He turned back to the Elders. ¡°I know Max doesn¡¯t have any memories, and I don¡¯t know why. But sometimes he says the name ¡®Ellie¡¯ in his sleep. Perhaps she has something to do with why he¡¯s an amnesiac.¡± If Cy had said her name just a few days earlier, Max would¡¯ve been ready to pounce and act defensively. Instead, he found himself oddly calm as he kept a puzzled look in Cy¡¯s direction. When Darius brought her up earlier and made a mockery of her memory, it had hardened him slightly to the memories of his last life. Without it, Max would¡¯ve struggled to maintain a neutral expression on his honest face. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Elder Charaka said, causing Max to look at the other Elders. What the fuck was going on? He couldn¡¯t place the various expressions on their faces. Even Edric was unreadable. From a guess, he looked¡­ bitter? The only slightly positive reaction was from Darius. The corners of his mouth were twitched up slightly, but not enough to make a clear smile. What were the father-son duo planning? ¡°If that¡¯s everything Cyrus, you may leave. Please wait in the courtyard until we have decided the verdict of Max¡¯s application.¡± Chapter 51: Do you have a past? Alone with the Elders, Max stood still with a neutral face as two story prompts kept flashing in his vision. They were a warning about the questions to come. The first was about his origins, which was at risk if they decided to bring up his failed medical exam. The second was Darius¡¯s prompt. It was going to be hard to skirt around it too depending on how this interview went.
Story Name: Don¡¯t Get Caught
Genre: War
Description: Don¡¯t let Darius learn more about the system and how it operates.
Goal: Kill Darius and erase his presence from history.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Acknowledge the existence of the system or your past lives in front of Darius!
The seven pairs of eyes stared down at Max, each teeming with questions they wanted to ask. Whether it was a genuine question or an attempt to swerve the opinions of others. Elder Ji-min sat down on his application again. ¡°If the other Elders have any questions, then they may ask them.¡± ¡°Where did you learn rune magic?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the relationship between you and little Cyrus?¡± ¡°Who is Ellie?¡± ¡°Can you really work for 50 gaeles a month?¡± ¡°If approved, will you be trying to join us permanently?¡± The Elders fought for their voice to be loudest as they repeatedly barked their questions in Max¡¯s directions. The only two who were silent were Elder Ji-min and Elder Aris. After realising their interviewee wasn¡¯t even attempting to answer any of their questions, the Elders turned to Elder Ji-min to take control of the situation. ¡°Let¡¯s do this one at a time.¡± Elder Ji-min strongly suggested. ¡°Elder Aris, you¡¯re oddly quiet. How about you ask your questions first?¡± A smile creeped up onto Elder Aris¡¯s face. He had been patiently waiting, so he would be the first to speak. A hunter waiting for his prey to approach. ¡°Are you a Nnita?¡± Nnita. ¤ó¤Ë¤¿. ¡ú Tanin. ¤¿¤Ë¤ó. ¡ú Outsider. ËûÈË. Saved by Darius once again. If he hadn¡¯t warned him that they were using a term from the language Max invented and propagated, it would¡¯ve been difficult to keep a neutral face. Max was going to ask Edric about it later. Going by the name, Tsujuma, they must¡¯ve infiltrated the community from its origins. Tsujuma. ¤Ä¤¸¤å¤Þ. ¡ú Majutsu. ¤Þ¤¸¤å¤Ä. ¡ú Magic. ħÐg. Elder Aris continued despite panic spreading. ¡°Do you know about the sys-?¡± The other Elders suddenly began shouting at each other before Max stopped hearing anything and the lights dimmed down again. There must¡¯ve been some sort of protective spell in place. An emergency procedure was underway, so Max would be caught off from what was happening before him. With their faces casted in shadows, it was impossible to try to lip read. Max wasn¡¯t good at it anyway. It took him a moment to piece together why they were panicking from Elder Aris¡¯s question. The Elders must be aware of the penalties for telling others about the system. It didn¡¯t just apply to people like Max. It was a big risk for Elder Aris to take, and for a moment Max admired him slightly. If Max already knew the term or idea, then he was likely one of them and Elder Aris faced no penalty. It would be solid proof of his connections to people like them. If Elder Aris was wrong, then he was going to get punished by the system. Even if he was confident in Max being one of them, he was still taking a massive personal gamble on behalf of the community. Finally, the Elders settled themselves in their chairs. Gradually, Max¡¯s hearing returned. ¡°Our apologies for blocking your hearing,¡± Elder Ji-min apologised. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I probably damaged a few of your people¡¯s hearing during my magic assessment.¡± ¡°All of them.¡± Elder Charaka corrected him. For a second, the old man¡¯s guise fell, and Max understood why he was cautious when they met for the first time. He wasn¡¯t the kind old man as he presented himself. There was happiness in his voice. Its origins were still unknown. Was it joy from curing so many injured? Or pleasure from charging all of his patients and making a fortune? Both ideas disturbed him. ¡°Sorry,¡± Max gave a half-hearted apology. ¡°Shall we continue with the questioning?¡± ¡°Are you a Nnita?¡± Elder Aris asked again. So, they decided to let him take the fall if he weren¡¯t one of them. Time to see if they would commit to potentially receiving a penalty. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What¡¯s a Nnita? Do you mean nits? I don¡¯t think so. I could get Cy to check my hair, he¡¯s always offering to style it. And earlier, you mentioned a cyst? Shouldn''t that be on the medical exam?¡± Max took pleasure in playing dumb as he watched Elder Aris become enraged. ¡°Answer the question.¡± Elder Obi put pressure back on Max. She was unamused by his interpretation of Elder Aris''s words. Her voice had a foreign tone to it compared to everyone Max met so far. It was refreshing. The beads around her neck and wrists jiggled as she leaned forward. ¡°It¡¯s a simple yes or no question.¡± ¡°Are you a Nnita?¡± Elder Aris repeated. Although frustrated, he didn¡¯t bring up the system. ¡°I¡¯m unfamiliar with the term,¡± Max insisted. If they were going to use the system to cheat, then they needed to commit to the risks involved. ¡°I can¡¯t answer until I know what it means.¡± ¡°You already know what it means,¡± Elder Aris continued to pressure him. ¡°I have no clue.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a goddamn liar!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard the term before.¡± Elder Aris tried to reason with his fellow Elders. ¡°We can¡¯t risk letting another one of them in again! Just let me explain-¡± And endure a penalty. Elder Ji-min cleared his voice, ending the idea. ¡°We¡¯ll change the question-¡± ¡°I get it! I won¡¯t say it. But let¡¯s at least put a truth telling spell on him,¡± Elder Aris interrupted. Useless idea, unless they have an improved version compared to the one Max used. Those kinds of spells tend to give inaccurate results because of biases and interpretations of words and phrases. Too much wriggle room. Just like how Max had been wriggling his way out of the starting methods for the story prompts. The atmosphere in the room changed dramatically after Elder Aris¡¯s suggestion. Max assumed it was due to the idiocy of his question before realising it was because Elder Ji-min had been slighted. When Elder Aris finally caught on that the interview had reached an abrupt stop, he apologised. Elder Ji-min allowed him to sweat for a moment before resuming the session. ¡°Let¡¯s change the questioner. Elder Nova, would you like to ask the next questions?¡± ¡°With pleasure.¡± Her voice was cold as she sat unmoving. ¡°Where did you learn rune magic?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°Elder Edric, you mentioned seeing this kind of magic before. Do you know where it could have come from?¡± He admitted to seeing it before? Ah, that¡¯s how he convinced the other Elders to let him participate in his magic assessment. ¡°Just rumours from a far away land,¡± he spoke quickly. It was barely understandable. In every life they met, Max warned him of this bad habit and every time he ignored him. ¡°There are other magic communities, much like our own, that specialise in nurturing people with potential. In one of them, there was a child who invented a kind of writing. The way he explained it to his peers was the runes were a writing system for a language used by the natural world order. Everything was named and categorised. Know the real name, and you can control what happens to the object.¡± ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Darius interrupted. Max couldn¡¯t tell if it was because he was trying to help or if it was his own natural curiosity. ¡°Take that dragon we saw.¡± First of all, it was wyvern. ¡°It was decapitated using one piece of parchment.¡± There was hesitant agreement among them that was what they witnessed. ¡°Using the runes, the caster would write something like this ¡®the necks of all living dragons in a five-mile radius must be repeatedly cut with this object.¡¯¡± His tone emphasised each section which needed a unique rune. Edric wasn¡¯t entirely right about what runes were on the parchment, but it wasn¡¯t far off from the truth. Perhaps it would even work if Max drew them like that. ¡°The runes only work if they are written correctly, which is hard to do. And the object it was written on needs enough innate powers or must be injected with magic from the caster.¡± A decent explanation. If only he could have slowed down his words, it would have made it so much easier to follow. ¡°And how much innate power is needed? The parchment papers had a moderate amount, but I never imagined them doing something like that,¡± Elder Nova admitted. ¡°Usually, a minimal amount. Especially since it can be taken from multiple sources if written correctly.¡± ¡°And what of the child?¡± Elder Obi asked. The tone of her voice changed into being slightly softer. Her long finger was pointed down at Max. ¡°Could he be that child you spoke of?¡± He was. ¡°No. From what I heard; the kid died in an explosion.¡± A sad look appeared on Elder Obi¡¯s face. ¡°A rune got out of control?¡± ¡°A cooking accident.¡± ¡­ Okay, he didn¡¯t need to mention that part. From the corner of his eye, Max saw Darius trying not to laugh. He must¡¯ve found the moment in his soul¡¯s records. Wasn¡¯t the warning about his kitchen related to his little mishap? Maybe Darius had seen another time. ¡°A cooking accident?¡± Elder Obi was stunned, as were the others. ¡°What on earth was he making?¡± ¡°I think it was a chocolate souffl¨¦.¡± ¡­ ¡°A souffl¨¦? The explosion was from the oven?¡± ¡°From the flour. The kid wasn¡¯t thinking about how flammable flour can be when scattered in the air.¡± ¡°How did the flour get in the air like that?¡± ¡°I want to know as well. If only we could ask him.¡± Max held his tongue. Darius held his laughter. Edric held his neutral expression. Bastard. Max had told him that story privately. ¡°Moving on,¡± Elder Ji-min looked at the others. He seemed a little annoyed that the interview had gone off course. ¡°Elder Charaka, I believe you have some questions about Max¡¯s past.¡± ¡°Indeed, I do. Having no past is a sign of¡­ something.¡± Elder Charaka was not as brave as Elder Aris. He refused to say the word. ¡°Cy mentioned you saying the name Ellie in your sleep.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who she is.¡± Max didn¡¯t want to lie and, unfortunately, it showed in his voice. The neutral face he was trying so hard to uphold was beginning to slip. ¡°Darius wrote she was your wife. According to him, you two were married, she got ill, and you took refuge at a farm. That¡¯s your past.¡± ¡­ Odd choice of words. Why use the term ¡®refuge¡¯? ¡°What happened to your memories? You poisoned yourself and ended up in your previous employer¡¯s field?¡± Max¡¯s lie sounded so dumb when told back to him. ¡°We already know the truth from Darius, so just confess.¡± It took Max a moment to realise what Darius had done. Thank the lucky stars he was on his side. Mixing his life before, confessions to Bessie, and Cy¡¯s admission just moments ago, Darius had built him a life before he came to this world. Max was no longer an outsider who woke up on a random farm. Max let out a loud sigh, as he carefully chose his words. He couldn¡¯t clearly say that he knew Ellie in front of Darius without potentially starting a story. ¡°I didn¡¯t want my past to follow me here.¡± At least that part was true. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ve been pretending to not have any memories.¡± He turned slightly to Elder Aris. ¡°You got me. I¡¯m an illegal immigrant in this country.¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± Elder Aris sneered back. From his angered expression, it was clear Darius had written the term on his report. Who knew a little heart-to-heart in the rain would come in handy? ¡°But the local mayor did grant me refugee status. If it helps, it¡¯s also why I was and am willing to work for so little money-¡± ¡°You got married?¡± Edric interrupted. There was a slight amount of anger in his voice, not too surprising for him. ¡°Let¡¯s start this again,¡± Elder Ji-min pulled out the stack of papers from under his butt. Oh, no. It turned out there was a quill-pen amongst the junk. Please, no. There was ink too. This wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°Right, question 1-¡± ¡°Pardon me, Elder Ji-min,¡± Darius interrupted. ¡°I think it would be best if I left for this round of questioning. I know some of the other Elders have doubts about my report, especially with Cyrus¡¯s credibility on the line. Without me in the room, the other Elders would feel freer to interrogate Max without concern about us colluding together.¡± With permission granted, Darius left without another word, causing Max to face the six remaining Elders. Bless this man. With Darius gone, it meant only one story prompt threatened to be activated. ¡°Let¡¯s start with question 1. Your name is Max, right?¡± Chapter 52: Ellie and the Visa Verdict Hours. The interview took hours. The first round of questions with Cy from the thick stack of documents took over an hour. The second round took even more time as every question, aside from the ones on the accepted medical exam, were asked again. Then every answer was written in a neat and time-consuming penmanship by Elder Ji-min. At one point, when Max was starting to feel a bit faint from lack of food and water, they temporarily paused the interview. Darius and Elder Ji-min managed to convince the others to unbind his hands and give him a small sandwich, some water, and five minutes to consume them before they resumed. Nearing the end of the process, even the other Elders appeared fed up with the proceedings. The only one elated by the detailed paperwork was Elder Ji-min. ¡°Okay, Richard- I mean Max, let¡¯s go to the next page.¡± Fucking prick. Max hated his own name in that life. Just when he thought he had escaped it by switching worlds, it was back. Elder Ji-min kept making several ¡®accidental slip ups¡¯ in a row. At least the questions were somewhat easy to answer. Max just had to assume his identity and memories of his previous life. Ellie did get quite ill a few months after their marriage, which was a good bet as to when Darius made the switch to this world in his report. Even picking a country to be from was an easy choice since there was a distant country with a similar sounding name. No one had questioned it, so there was no reason to believe his assumptions were wrong. ¡°The next page?¡± Max asked. How many pages were there? ¡°Well, now that we know you were married, you need to complete page 53. We have some additional questions about your spouse.¡± Life was brought back into the eyes of some of the Elders. ¡°I¡¯m a widow.¡± The word was bitter and cold in his mouth. ¡°What does it matter? She¡¯s not going to try and enter on a spousal visa.¡± ¡°We need to be thorough.¡± Edric hadn¡¯t said a word to make this whole process go any faster, and here he was trying to drag it out even longer. Whose side was he really on? ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t really know if she¡¯s ¡®dead¡¯ dead. You made that dragon come back to life,¡± Elder Aris added, with a strange amount of glee in his voice. Was he getting a kick from seeing Max squirm a little? Or perhaps it was the closest thing they had seen to a vulnerability since he stepped through the teleporter. ¡°Only temporarily.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s start with the questions,¡± Elder Ji-min pushed the interview forward. ¡°Question 783, what was your wife¡¯s maiden name?¡± For a moment, Max hesitated. Was it worth prying up her memory just to get into this stupid community? The anticipating eyes of Edric were trying to assure him it was. Alternative options to evade were bleak. Not answering the questions would lengthen the proceedings or reject his application. Trying to run won¡¯t work with the room¡¯s spells in place. He had no internal magic or things to create runes with. Edric would probably assist if he chose to get rid of them¡­ After much thought, Max decided to spill. They probably already knew the answer anyway. Darius had broken the ice a while ago. ¡°Elenor Gillery Pigott.¡± ¡°¡­Unfortunate name.¡± ¡°Eh, she liked it.¡± ¡°Title?¡± ¡°Before marriage, she was a baroness.¡± ¡°You? With a noble woman?¡± There was judgement in Edric¡¯s voice. ¡°I was adopted by a family that was part of the royal court as well, remember? Question 12?¡± ¡°13,¡± Elder Ji-min corrected. ¡°Who ended up on a farm?¡± Elder Aris scoffed at the idea. ¡°Mindless work is good for healing.¡± There was truth to Max¡¯s words. ¡°I needed a break from it all.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it convenient that you were adopted as a child?¡± Elder Charaka still had suspicion in his voice. ¡°Your adopted family never told you about where you¡¯re from?¡± ¡°All I knew was that I wasn¡¯t in great shape when my father brought me to the family home, and then he raised me well. It feels disrespectful to go searching for my birth parents.¡± Slight leap with that lie. In the previous world, Max¡¯s adoptive father and brother died before Ellie¡¯s story began. It was easy to slip into the position of the tucked away, emergency heir. ¡°Sorry for snapping at you in the medical exam. It¡¯s a bit of a sore subject.¡± Max could tell it paid off when he saw the small huff emerge from him. His lie caught two birds with one. It played at the Elders with a sensitive heart for the young children forcibly brought to Tsujuma. And it also served as an explanation as to why he got along so well with Cy. They were both ¡®adopted.¡¯ ¡°And how did you two meet?¡± Elder Ji-min pushed on the interview before it turned into a gossip session. ¡°At a ball.¡± It was where Max woke up in that life. Dressed to impress and not an identity in sight, he had the freedom to pick any prompt provided during the event. ¡°How romantic,¡± Elder Nova said, while leaning in with interest. The atmosphere was killed when Elder Aris let out a disgusting snort. ¡°Jealous?¡± ¡°As if.¡± ¡°Question 784, how was the first time you met? Was it an instant click?¡± Elder Ji-min brought the atmosphere back. Max started to doubt the questions were on the piece of paper he was reading from. The application was too long to really remember. ¡°Ah¡­ Kinda?¡± ¡°What do you mean kinda?¡± Edric had been holding it in as best as he could manage. It was obvious to anyone who really knew him. Not knowing the latest chapters in Max¡¯s life must be getting to him. ¡°Well, I had just inherited everything. My adoptive family died in an outbreak, so I received their land, fortune, people; everything¡­ But I didn¡¯t know what to do with it all. Originally, I was just planning to drink myself to an early grave,¡± and skip that world. ¡°But Ellie found me on a binge.¡± ¡°That was your first meeting?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°And when did you become a couple?¡± Elder Nova seemed excited by the story playing out. ¡°Almost immediately¡­ I guess?¡± ¡°You guess?¡± ¡°Well, she proposed to me during that ball.¡± Accepting was the method to start her story. Max could tell the Elders were getting carried away with all sorts of sugary sweet thoughts. It was funny. ¡°Or more specifically, she asked me to pause the drinking and marry her. Once all the paperwork was completed, Ellie promised she would let me go back to the drink while she waited to inherit everything as my wife.¡± It was a bold offer. If it hadn¡¯t been, then Max wouldn¡¯t have even entertained the idea. ¡°And then she helped you get on the right track?¡± ¡°Nah, she tried to hurry up the process before giving up.¡± It was a mutually beneficial, silly one-star story. And it was everything. ¡°Enough with this,¡± Elder Aris snarled. ¡°His wife is dead. Sad story, blah blah. Who gives a fuck. Let¡¯s keep going.¡± For once, Max appreciated his existence. The questions continued with Max answering to the best of his abilities. Until, exhausted, the Elders called for a recess the moment they had finished their questions. This time Max only got a cup of water while he sat on the floor and waited for his session to resume. This break was a whole ten minutes. Lucky him. When it was time to begin the next part, everyone was exhausted aside from Darius, who had a skip in his step when he took his place amongst the Elders. They all stood up and sat again as an announcement of the next part. Max remained seated on the floor. They got to sit for hours, now it was his turn to join them. Elder Ji-min began the last part of his application process. ¡°I appreciate how long the process is taking. If there are no further interview questions, let¡¯s begin the voting process. We, the Elders, will determine our vote and offer an explanation for official records. ¡°I will remind you, Max, this vote will only determine whether you are admitted into Tsujuma. If successful, we will convene and decide later what restrictions and limitations will be placed on you while you¡¯re here. This will include permission to work here. Do you understand?¡± Tired, Max just held up his thumb. His throat was too parched from answering questions all day. Elder Ji-min continued, ¡°Alright. If any Elders have already reached a verdict-¡± ¡°I deny his application.¡± Elder Aris didn¡¯t even hesitate with his words. ¡°I swear this one is a Nnita. We can¡¯t risk another one of those slippery bitches worm their way in here. I don¡¯t need to remind everyone what happened last time one of them got in.¡± ¡­ A little reminder would be nice. Max frowned as the only one not informed about ¡®the last time.¡¯ Another question for Edric later. ¡°I refute that statement,¡± Darius declared boldly. ¡°His answers to your interrogation were almost identical to my written report. To judge his story is to judge my word. I accept his application.¡± Max was too tired to feel annoyed that Darius read his soul again. Right. 1-1. So far so expected. ¡°Like your word is reliable,¡± Elder Aris countered. ¡°Tell that to little Cyrus if-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Elder Ji-min interrupted with a loud voice, making Max jump. Elder Charaka spoke in a much calmer voice. ¡°He lied in his original application. Max admitted to lying in front of us. He may have corrected the record for us, but it doesn¡¯t change his attempt to manipulate us. I deny his application.¡± ¡­ Fair. Max couldn¡¯t be angry with the reasoning. He would¡¯ve had an issue with that too. The more he thought about it, the more surprised he became about his application not being denied immediately after they found out he wasn¡¯t being truthful. ¡°I¡¯ve reached my decision as well,¡± Elder Ji-min declared. Max couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous about his vote. So far, he had shown to be the most influential Elder. ¡°I told little Cyrus-Cyrus,¡± he corrected himself while smiling down at Max, ¡°to go and develop his magic further. Now, he¡¯s back with someone who he thinks will help him. Can you help Cyrus with his magic?¡± Max thought about it for a moment. ¡°Probably. If we figure out why I have no fate. It might help him.¡± Wasn¡¯t going to happen though. Some of the other Elders didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty good at rune magic, which Ed-Elder Edric explained as being based on words and categories. If Cyrus were to apply the same line of thinking to his fate magic, then I have no doubt his magic will develop further.¡± The colours of fates were on his mind. Orange for horror, pink for romance; what were the other colours? ¡°And will you teach him rune magic as well?¡± ¡°No.¡± The prompt didn¡¯t even need to appear before Max answered. ¡°Cyrus also has a theory about runes affecting fixed fates. If he is right, then it would be irresponsible to teach this kind of magic to others without him further testing it first.¡± Elder Ji-min was intimidating as he stared down at Max before shrugging. ¡°Then who am I to say no? I say we let Cyrus¡¯s friend in.¡± What? Up until now, everything from this man¡¯s mouth had been so formal and wise. Suddenly, he was chill about everything. Max pushed the thought aside. Now, it was 2-2, and he had one more ally on his side. ¡°I accept his application as well.¡± Finally, Edric speaks with his words being as fast as ever. ¡°Rune magic is a rare skill. If approved for work, I¡¯m sure he would be willing to contribute to our research for a decent wage, right?¡± Max nodded from the floor. Look at him, letting him in and setting him up for a decent living. ¡°This will also be beneficial for little Cyrus testing his theory and developing his own rare type of magic. With enough restrictions in place, I would argue the risks are worth the rewards.¡± ¡­ Why was he using that nickname?... A large part of him was suddenly on edge. Darius had asked him to get the people like them in line. Max couldn¡¯t agree more now. It was down to the women with the final votes. 3-2 in Max¡¯s favour. ¡°I strongly deny his application,¡± Elder Obi didn¡¯t mince her words. Her sudden animosity surprised him. Up until now, she appeared to be patiently listening to the conversations and questions in front of her. ¡°We must protect our own. I agree with Elder Aris. He¡¯s far too suspicious, and most likely one of them. Any risk Elder Edric is suggesting is not worth it.¡± Max couldn¡¯t really argue with her decision either. Now that she spoke again, Max realised why he never suspected she would reject his application. She had a strong, maternal feel to her character and voice. It just didn¡¯t occur to him that her children were only the members of their community. 3-3. All down to Elder Nova. The other Elders realised as well as they squirmed to the edge of their seat in an attempt to make eye contact with her, but she kept her gaze focused down on the applicant. Earlier, he wasn¡¯t sure if she was one of them who hadn¡¯t been converted or just an oddly modern woman from this world. Max still wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°You burned my office down.¡± Max blinked a few times. Her office? What office? ¡°Sorry? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°The parchments I gave you for your runes. They all linked up to a book in my office. When I tried to open the book after your match with Elder Edric, an enchanted fire broke out. We were unable to save anything within a 10-metre vicinity.¡± The colour drained from Max¡¯s face. He added protected elements to his runes, which would¡¯ve combined into a bigger incantation in her book. But they shouldn¡¯t have been activated unless there was significant risk of tampering. Before the match, he had just assumed they were only going to examine them or do minor spells for a few days. The reasonable, cautious approach to unknown magic. Elder Nova must¡¯ve gone in guns blazing to cause the self-destruct feature to go off. The game was up. They lost. Time to start planning an exit. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Good?¡± ¡°I already mentioned how I find it irresponsible to teach someone this kind of magic without proper testing with Cyrus. I¡¯m glad they came into effect before you could learn anything.¡± And risk starting a story. Elder Nova continued to glare before a grin cracked across her face. ¡°I like your spunk.¡± She finally made eye contact with some of the other Elders. ¡°Let him in. Hey Elder Edric, what say you we each give him and Cyrus 100 gaeles for their time with testing the runes? I¡¯ll let them use one of my labs.¡± Her attention turned back towards Max. ¡°Oh, and I want to hear more about that Ellie of yours. A small price for renting a lab, right?¡± Max started to zone out as he realised what had just happened¡­ He did it? Chapter 53: Time to Chat, Edric The rest of the day was a blur for Max. When he woke up in Darius¡¯s spare bedroom in the middle of the night, his memories were a bit fuzzy. Did he oversleep? Clutching his head, he tried to remember what happened while he gulped down the water left for him on his bedside table. After getting his approval, a fight erupted with Elder Aris and Elder Obi declaring the session was evidence of judicial misconduct and requested an investigation into corruption. At some point, his hearing and the lights went again but the staircase reopened, so a tired Max saw himself out. Cy was waiting for him beside the stupid, magic tree. For a moment, Max panicked before realising both the tree and Cy¡¯s five-star stories prompts were still activated. A slew of questions came before he was escorted away, taken back to Darius¡¯s house, and collapsed on the first bed provided. Poking his head out of the spare room, Max quickly realised it was late at night as Darius¡¯s loud snores could be heard in every room. A bit risky, but it was time for him to move while he had the chance. Max took his time preparing the stolen items from Cy¡¯s room on the spare room''s balcony table set. The ambiance from the steady waterfall relaxed his nerves as he stayed focused. At first, he felt a little bad when he snuck his way into Cy¡¯s private space, but the feelings quickly ended. Max didn¡¯t want to be stuck in a box again. And Cy wasn¡¯t going to notice anything while hiding away under the thick quilt. He wouldn¡¯t miss some needles, graphite, black ink, and a few other bits and bobs. Just as he was about to prick his thigh with an inked needle, a voice made him jump. It was soothing to be able to hear their language spoken properly. ¡°(It¡¯s good to see you again.)¡± Max glanced up briefly to see Edric now sitting next to him. Beside the supplies Max had stolen, there was a mound of paperwork stacked high into the air. It put his application to get into the community to shame. It was also covered with sticky notes jutting out, almost like a spiky monster. On each page would be a detailed report of any notable people Edric had encountered in this world, organised by tagged members, untagged people under the system, and the unknowing. ¡°(You too.)¡± Max refocused his concentration as he began carefully jabbing the upper layer of his skin. Edric glanced over Max¡¯s handiwork before taking out the bottle of wine and two glasses he had brought with him. It was going to be a long night. ¡°(For a moment, I thought you were going to tag yourself.)¡± Max couldn¡¯t help smirking at the idea. ¡°(Good to know some things don¡¯t change. How many lives has it been since we last met? For me, it¡¯s been two.)¡± He had a wide smile from them being able to have a private moment again. When was the last time? ¡°(One.)¡± ¡°(One?)¡± Edric¡¯s shock was on full display in his voice. ¡°(If that¡¯s true, then June¡¯s theory-)¡± ¡°(Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to be having this conversation right now? Darius will probably ask questions in the morning.)¡± The more they reveal, the more difficult it will be to escape his prompt. Max had been planning to save all the questions until right before leaving. ¡°(Darius can see, but it doesn¡¯t mean he understands.)¡± Max paused to frown at Edric. ¡°(He knows about us, knows we speak this language, could try finding the origins if he really wanted to; but it doesn¡¯t mean he can understand or translate what we¡¯re saying. I¡¯ve tested him before.)¡± Max still seemed sceptical before resuming his makeshift tattoo. ¡°(You can take a person to France, introduce them to French people, give them a French language dictionary, but it doesn¡¯t mean they can speak French.)¡± ¡°(No, but they can learn with time.)¡± ¡°(Perhaps. If they tried.)¡± The tone was demeaning. This part of Edric always got on Max¡¯s nerves. People like them were usually stronger. But they had countless lifetimes to gain skills and perfect them. Darius didn¡¯t. What he achieved in one lifetime was more admirable than hundreds of theirs combined. ¡°(You can see what I mean later.)¡± He placed a gentle hand on the stack of papers as a reminder of their existence. Edric was always a proud man. Max barely glanced up at them. ¡°(You can take them away. I don¡¯t want them to catch me with those. It¡¯ll be troublesome.)¡± Time to change inks. ¡°(They¡¯ll be gone as soon as Darius wakes up in the morning.)¡± Edric poured out the wine for them, but he may as well have the whole bottle. Max preferred red to white. ¡°(Isn¡¯t he going to know the contents as soon as he sees you again?)¡± He scoffed at the idea. ¡°(I¡¯ve got someone else writing them. Besides if you¡¯re worried about us talking, Darius probably knows that we¡¯ve met before. It would be stranger if I didn¡¯t come to visit.)¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Max remained silent and focused. ¡°(And, if Darius really concerns you, you¡¯ll be pleased to know that we¡¯ve also developed a charm against his magic. I¡¯ll have someone else slip it into your pocket in a bit. We¡¯ve also got one against Cyrus, but we¡¯re not too sure of its effectiveness¡­ Not that you need it anyway.)¡± Max suddenly felt a weight in his pocket. At least one of Edric¡¯s people was watching their conversation. ¡°(You¡¯ve developed a charm that works against Darius?)¡± ¡°(When you wear it like a bracelet, it¡¯ll activate. It¡¯s not fully effective. But it makes the time less noticeable for him when you use it. For example, if you were to wear it right now then he¡¯ll just assume you slept through the night unless he went digging for something specific.)¡± ¡°(¡­I think you¡¯re undervaluing him. He¡¯s very good at what he does.)¡± Max paused his work to check the newly tattooed rune on his reddened flesh before continuing. The scars on Edric¡¯s body were uniform and powerful, but Max¡¯s lack of innate magic required more depth in the proportions of the runes. Meaning each one had to be carefully jabbed into his skin to get the results he wanted. ¡°(I thought a private person like you would¡¯ve hated his existence.)¡± ¡°(He saved my butt with my application.)¡± ¡°(I saved your butt. Unless you really think Elder Nova would let you in even though you burned down her office?)¡± Ah, that explained it. Elder Aris and Elder Obi were right. ¡°(It wasn¡¯t difficult to convince her after our match. She¡¯s easy to bribe and the risky sort, willing to look the other way in exchange for information.)¡± ¡°(Is she one of us?)¡± ¡°(No, but she is very interested in the system and how it works. I think she¡¯s trying to become one of us.)¡± ¡°(What about Elder Ji-min? Did you buy his vote too?)¡± ¡°(That was of his own free will, but the old man always had a soft spot for little Cyrus.)¡± Edric flicked through the sticky notes until he found a purple one marked N-CYRUS. ¡°(You must¡¯ve had questions about what Elder Aris was talking about. Take a look for yourself.)¡± ¡°(Later.)¡± It would be dangerous to read it now. Edric was a good friend, but as jealous as they came. ¡°(You¡¯ve completed your story this time round?)¡± ¡°(Three stars. I know I¡¯m meant to go for lower ones and get it wrapped up quickly in case we¡¯re going to start another attempt at a five-star.)¡± ... ¡°(When I saw Tsujuma in the description, I decided to see what it was about. Turns out one of us was the founder, who could have guessed? Anyway, I decided to create a base here until you or June showed up.)¡± ¡°(Have you seen June?)¡± ¡°(Not yet. But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she was in this world and lying low until either of us found you.)¡± He made a good point. The pair of them usually fought like cats and dogs if left alone. They could put their differences behind them if Max kept them focused. ¡°(What about you? I guess you¡¯re avoiding the system since little Cyrus can¡¯t see your fate.)¡± Max nodded to show he was right. (¡°¡­Did you have a fun time with your romance story?)¡± There was that bitterness again. It was almost anger about how Max hadn¡¯t been sticking rigidly to their system. ¡°(I was in an identical word last time. If you had made yourself known-)¡± ¡°(Why? It was a one-star. I had no innate magic with that story and the runes didn¡¯t work well in that world either.)¡± In hindsight, maybe there was a shift in what things had innate magic. Just like how he couldn¡¯t tell in this world either. Either way, he hadn¡¯t been in the right headspace to experiment. ¡°(I would have just slowed things down.)¡± ¡°(Or got everyone organised again. We could¡¯ve tagged some of the ones who¡¯ve escaped us so far.)¡± Like the mayor and BB. Edric sensed Max¡¯s reluctance. ¡°(We managed to do something great last time. 76.7% of our members were able to reach their story goal because of us.)¡± ¡°(76.8%)¡± ¡°(76.8%? Are you sure?... Unless¡­ You were successful?)¡± There was giddiness in his voice. ¡°(You completed the five-star story?)¡± ¡°(Mn.)¡± ¡°(And?)¡± ¡°(Nothing.)¡± ¡°(Nothing? How could there be nothing?)¡± Max paused his work to give him a pitying look. He knew that expression. The desperation for an answer. The punch to the gut as a reward for all their hard work. ¡°(So, I wanted to take a little holiday after that.)¡± It was a light way of putting the devastating feelings. His original intentions weren¡¯t to skip just one lifetime after realising their best theory on how to escape the system had amounted to nothing. If it hadn''t been for Ellie intervening, Max would''ve lost even more of his humanity. Five-star, one-star, farm; his lives were headed in a more peaceful trajectory for him, and he sorely needed it. ¡°(By a holiday, you decided to get hitched to a random bitch in that world?)¡± The question angered Max, who used an ink-stained finger to quickly draw a couple of runes on the top of the paperwork. The pages had been infused with several types of magic to keep prying eyes away, but now they were all twisted together to hurt. Edric grunted from the pain of his organs suddenly moving from their original place. Not enough to kill, but enough to cause massive, temporary discomfort. ¡°(I tolerated the other Elders being disrespectful towards her because they don¡¯t know any better. But you do.)¡± ¡°(Sorry-)¡± ¡°(We¡¯re done here.)¡± Max focused back on the next rune being tattooed. Edric struggled to stand and pick up the two glasses of wine; one empty and one filled. ¡°(Let¡¯s speak again tomorrow.)¡± ¡°(No, we won''t. I want you and all of our kind gone by daylight tomorrow.)¡± Edric had to blink a few times from confusion. ¡°(What¡­? If I¡¯ve upset you-)¡± ¡°(This is part of the deal I made with Darius.)¡± Get their kind in line? Get them completely thrown out? What difference did it make? Maybe it would leave a good impression on the prick, Elder Aris, if he ever found out. It would be thrilling if he learned how many of them slipped in undetected. And even more satisfying to learn Max was the one who purged them. ¡°(Leave with everyone and start a new territory. I¡¯ve encountered a few untagged while making my way here. There must be more. Hunting them down will keep you busy for a while. But leave the one called BB alone. She is on an assignment for me.)¡± Disappointment was clear on Edric¡¯s face before it was replaced with bubbling excitement. ¡°(And when you do finally choose a story, does that mean we¡¯re going to try again?)¡± ¡°(If I slip up with evading the system, then yes. We¡¯re back again.)¡± Chapter 54: Cyrus Max glanced up at the stack of documents before him as he began tattooing another rune on his leg. Part of him wanted to dive into the wealth of information provided for him, but Darius was going to be able to see whatever he read from the documents. There was no harm in waiting. Edric would be able to provide copies whenever asked¡­ But still¡­ Curiosity was getting the better of him. There was a stack of names written on the tabs. M ¨C that would be Max. Just as he was about to reach for his own file, the warning about his origin prompt appeared again. They must be copies of his application. The medical, the magic assessment, and Darius¡¯s report; they should all be there. Perhaps another time when the prompt had been cancelled. There was a tab for each Elder. He was sorely tempted to look at the one labelled N-E-Darius, he wouldn¡¯t mind his past being checked, right? Tit for tat? Surely, he wouldn¡¯t mind Max taking a look at Cy¡¯s past either. Darius should be well versed in it anyway, so there would be no harm done. After thinking about it, Max decided the order he was going to go in. Who knew how long he had to read the files before the sun came up, so there had to be a process. First, he was going to start with Cy before making his way through the Elders, prioritising Darius and Elder Aris above the others. That was it¡­ And maybe a couple more if a person stood out in another file. Content with his own plan, he pulled out Cy¡¯s file and laid it out. It was looking a bit thin for details when considering it was written by Edric¡¯s people. The pages must be a summary of relevant points. For a while, Max alternated between reading the document and checking his work before he became engrossed with what Edric had dug up.
Background
Name: Cyrus Lumero Vanga
Previous Name: Simon Lucero
Notable Nicknames: Little Cyrus / Cy
Status: Alive
Age: 23
Date of Birth: 21st of June, 1642
Birthplace: Tapacli (Capital)
Current Residence: Tsujuma
Occupation: Magic User / Fortune Teller / Prophet / Vet (Temporarily - Unqualified)
Mother¡¯s Name: Nora Lucero
Occupation: Domestic Servant / High Priestess
Status: Deceased
Father¡¯s Name: Samuel Lucero
Occupation: Tanner / High Priest
Status: Deceased
Adoptive Father¡¯s Name: Darius Corduroy Vanga (N-E-Darius)
Occupation: Elder
Status: Alive
Nothing too unusual so far, apart from being a prophet at some time. There was a note about how he wasn¡¯t qualified to be a vet, but there wasn¡¯t an add on for prophet. Did that mean the writer thought he was good for the job? Max couldn¡¯t help smirking at the idea. Speaking of the writer, Edric¡¯s people must be working overtime getting everything up to date from his adventure at Max¡¯s village.
Health
Notable Conditions Heart Defect
Symptoms - Risk of heart attacks under physical stress - Heart palpitations - Shortness of breath - Swelling in legs, ankles, or feet - Chest pain - Dizziness - Fatigue - Anxiety - Sudden, severe weakness - Difficulty sleeping - Dips in internal magic
Treatment Regular checkups and spells from Elder Charaka (N-E-Charaka) (twice a year ¨C last session cost: six thousand gaeles / next approximate cost: ten thousand gaeles) Ongoing self-medication through daily spells (approximately 30-40% use of Cyrus¡¯s internal magic)
Terminal? Yes
Expected Lifespan Treatment has prolonged expected lifespan by seventeen years. Treatments are becoming noticeably less effective with time.
Origin Penalty from the system. Source: Niv (U-Niv).
¡­ No wonder Darius was asking Max to clutch his pennies for Cy. Max found the report troubling as he reread the information. Cy had never given any indication about having a health problem. It was puzzling. Just as he was about to brush the report away as inaccurate, Max suddenly remembered Cy¡¯s odd behaviour around Noah¡¯s smithy and the mayor¡¯s house. Cy panicked around both places. They had magic neutralising spells engraved on objects¡­ Max began piecing it together. Cy reacted strongly because if he had gotten too close, the spells keeping the heart defect under control would dissolve. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. The report was accurate. Max put down the needle and began looking through the files until he found it, U-Niv. He had been one of them, but untagged. Not surprising once he saw the term ¡®five-star story¡¯ in his file. When tagged, all members were warned to strictly avoid three, four, and five-star stories without expressed permission. He wasn¡¯t too interested in the contents of the story. There was a brief section about how Edric failed to convert him so far, but it wasn¡¯t interesting. There was only one part he was concerned in. Status: Deceased. Max clicked his tongue in annoyance. Cy was probably fucked. Going back to Cy¡¯s form, he continued to read on.
Background Summary
1642, June: Cyrus was born to Nora and Samuel. The family lived in poverty in the capital. 1644, July: Cyrus began naming people after colours. Nora and Samuel were called red. They were later clarified as scarlet. Neither parent suspected magic use. 1644, December: Samuel realised the colours were connected to people¡¯s future. He began noting Cyrus¡¯s observations. 1645, February: |The deep freeze| Tight on funds, Samuel used Cyrus to open a fortune telling booth. Nora learned about the colour trends. 1645, March: The parents learned scarlet fates were heavily connected to religion. 1645, April: The parents began propagating a religion using Cyrus¡¯s fortune telling booth. 1645, May: The religion was named Children of Sight. The religion gained 10 followers. 1645, June: The religion gained 15 followers. Cyrus was declared as a prophet by his parents. 1645, July: The religion gained 4 followers. Cyrus began demanding sugar as an offering for each prediction. 1645, August: The religion gained 21 followers. The offering changed to toys after Cyrus got sick from consuming too much sugar. 1645, September: The religion gained 32 followers. The religion became corrupt. 1645, October: The religion gained 298 followers. The wave of followers was caused by Cyrus predicting an upcoming revolt in a neighbouring kingdom. 1645, November: The religion gained 328 followers. The Elders of Tsujuma noticed the movement. 1645, December: The Elders of Tsujuma forcibly removed Cyrus from his parent¡¯s custody and rename him in case his followers tried looking for him. The religion fell apart. Cyrus struggled to bond with the other children in Tsujuma with his predictions being too intimidating. The Elders were hesitant in believing the accuracy of Cyrus¡¯s predictions. 1646, January: Cyrus gained a friend, Lux (N-Lux), as he claimed Lux was likely to become a prophesized hero. Cyrus¡¯s parents separate. 1646, December: Cyrus¡¯s father passed away from excessive alcohol use. 1648, June: Darius (N-E-Darius) and Niv (U-Niv) apply to join the community. The Elders were welcoming to the pair with their rare magic skills, soul seeing and conjuring respectively. Cyrus loudly shouted Niv was ¡°a bad man,¡± ¡°had a blood red fate,¡± and ¡°is going to be a betrayer¡± whenever he saw him. Darius, who was from the same town as Niv, refuted Cyrus¡¯s predictions. Elder Ji-min (N-E-Ji-min) also claimed Cyrus¡¯s prediction was seen through ¡°innocent eyes¡± and ¡°his predictions were immature.¡± 1648, July: Cyrus became more frantic with his warnings. His accuracy waned with more predictions. This was largely due to revealing flexible fates. More people were distancing themselves from him. There were minor incidents of bullying occurring. Niv behaved like a model citizen within the community, making more magic users sceptical. Aris (N-E-Aris), Charon (N-Charon), and Elder Edric (E) studied conjuring magic under Niv. 1648, October: Aris became an Elder. Under his command, the children were divided into aggressive and passive magic type users. Aggressive users study under Elder Aris. Passive users study under Elder Obi (N-E-Obi). Cyrus began to train with Elder Obi. 1648, November: Under careful coaching by Elder Obi, Cyrus revealed Niv¡¯s fate in more detail. He proclaimed, ¡°Niv is going to die on the 15th of March. He doesn¡¯t want to, so he¡¯s going to kill everyone!¡± Most of the village rejected his prediction. In particular, Darius testified that Niv¡¯s character did not reflect Cyrus¡¯s prediction. Under the recommendation of Elder Aris, Lux distanced himself from Cyrus. 1648, December: The bullying experienced by Cyrus intensified. Cyrus¡¯s mother passed away from sickness. 1649, January: Elder Obi discontinued mentoring Cyrus. She claimed Cyrus was affecting the mental welfare of the other children, causing them to panic from his predictions. The other Elders were unwilling to take him, so Elder Ji-min became his de facto mentor. 1649, February: Cyrus pleaded individually to each of the Elders (Ji-min, Obi, Edric, Charaka (N-E-Charaka), and Aris). 1649, 10-13th of March: In desperation, Cyrus approached Darius. Darius was reluctant to believe Cyrus¡¯s claims. The boy insisted he read his soul. After several attempts over days, Darius was able to withstand the sickening side effects of fate reading and see some of Cyrus¡¯s predictions. 1649, 13th of March: The pair plead with the Elders. Darius admitted to knowing Niv had a suspicious background, but didn¡¯t say anything because of their friendship. Niv went missing. 1649, 14th of March: Cyrus went missing. It is unknown what happened during the 34 hours he was gone. Darius refused to comment on those hours. 1649, 15th of March. 06:14: |M-Day| A bruised Cyrus was discovered by Elder Aris on the outskirts of the community. Cyrus was reluctant to speak with him. 1649, 15th of March. 07:02: Brought back to the other Elders, Cyrus opened up. He explained how, ¡°Niv isn¡¯t actually a bad man. He was just acting this way because of a ¡®sysdem.¡¯ The ¡®sysdem¡¯ gave him a challenge and told him to kill everyone. It¡¯s supposed to be for a story, but Niv wasn¡¯t going to do it. He is going to change his fate.¡± Cyrus received a penalty for exposing the system to four unknowing people. Penalty: Heart Defect. Penalty severity: Medium. 1649, 15th of March. 07:15: Cyrus had a heart attack. Elder Charaka treated him. 1649, 15th of March. 07:16: Darius clarified Cyrus¡¯s explanation by exposing his knowledge about the system and Niv¡¯s past lives to the other Elders. He received no penalty because Cyrus already took the hit. He also expressed scepticism towards an attack not happening due to his newfound understanding towards the unpredictable nature of the system. He asked the Elders to prepare for an attack. 1649, 15th of March. 07:34: The Elders prepared for an attack on the community. 1649, 15th of March. 10:34: Cyrus partially recovered from his heart attack. Once conscious, Cyrus quickly revealed everyone¡¯s fates had reverted to his original prediction. With the help and encouragement of Darius, he warned the Elders about the fates of people around Tsujuma. This allowed them to build up a predicted strategy used by Niv. 1649, 15th of March. 14:07: The attack begins. Niv brought two others, Liam (T-30423) and Guy (U-Guy). 1649, 15th of March. 14:10: The Elders engage in combat with some of their disciples. 1649, 15th of March. 14:21: Elder Obi killed Liam. 1649, 15th of March. 14:28: Elder Ji-min killed Guy. Seeing his backup had already perished to the Elders, Niv tried to reason with Elder Aris. 1649, 15th of March. 14:29: Elder Aris killed Niv. Aligned with Cyrus¡¯s initial prediction. 1649, 15th of March. 14:35: Treatment and body count commenced. 27 people were injured. 9 people were killed. Cyrus''s original prediction: 3,342 killed and 3 survivors. 1649, 15th of March. 16:05: Cyrus had a heart attack. Revived by Elder Charaka. 1649, April: Cyrus had two heart attacks. Survivors¡¯ guilt affected his recovery. Darius offered to look after Cyrus. His offer was rejected by the community. 1649, May: Cyrus had a heart attack. He struggled with socialising with the others. Darius offered to look after Cyrus. His offer was rejected by the community again. 1649, June: Cyrus began to recover. His memory of the situation grew foggier naturally with time. Elder Obi and Elder Charaka proposed clearing Cyrus¡¯s mind of the abduction and what he learned about the system. Elder Aris was against the proposal but paid for the treatment. Subsequent treatment bills were split between Elder Ji-min, Elder Aris, and Darius. Darius offered to look after Cyrus. His offer was rejected by the community again. 1649, July: Cyrus¡¯s mind was successfully tampered with by Elder Charaka. He had no knowledge about the system. Cyrus still struggled to socialise with the other children in Tsujuma, as many kids blame him for the attack. Darius offered to look after Cyrus. His offer was accepted by the community. Elder Ji-min was set to regularly check on Cyrus. 1649, August: Cyrus¡¯s condition dramatically improved under Darius¡¯s care. 1649, November: Intense physical activity ordered by Elder Aris caused another heart attack. Cyrus was forbidden from participating in exertive activities. Darius became Cyrus¡¯s primary mentor. 1650, January: Bullying experienced by Cyrus increased. Lux pioneered most incidents. 1650, May: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1651, July: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1653, August: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1655, June: Darius legally adopted Cyrus. 1655, December: Darius became an Elder. Cyrus became his primary disciple. 1656, January: Other children label Cyrus with nepotism. 1656, October: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1659, August: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1660, April: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1663, December: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1664, June: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1664, November: Cyrus had a heart attack. 1665, March: Cyrus had a heart attack immediately after treatment from Elder Charaka. 1665, April: After further examination, Elder Charaka deemed his treatments were becoming less effective. Elder Edric confirmed. Elder Charaka was unwilling to continue treating Cyrus or attempt to develop more advanced treatments without significantly more funding. Elder Aris decided to limit the amount of funding he will provide from then on. While Elder Darius was consulting in the capital, Elder Ji-min decided to remove Cyrus from the community. Cyrus was told to either find a healer more capable than Elder Charaka, improve his own internal magic to be able to counteract his penalty, or find a ¡®strange¡¯ person. The term was mysterious to Cyrus, but there was little doubt Elder Ji-min was referring to someone under the system. The members of Tsujuma were told it was so Cyrus could ¡°grow up with more experience¡± and ¡°mature his magic.¡± Elder Darius was informed of the decision after Cyrus left the community. 1665, May: Cyrus travelled to the capital, and immediately got scammed of most of his money. He also discovered some old members of the Children of Sight, but they don¡¯t recognise each other. His socialisation skills improved dramatically with visits to pubs and markets. 1665, June: Cyrus travelled South with his remaining funds. He regularly gave out fortune readings for petty cash. Cyrus learned to be more charming for extra tips. 1665, July: Cyrus met Max (M), and declared him as ¡°fateless.¡± He posed as a vet at a farm to stay close to Max. 1665, August: After an outburst from the farm¡¯s owner, Bessie (N-Bessie), Cyrus and Max leave the farm together. 1665, September: Cyrus and Max get a ride on a pirate ship, heading towards Tsujuma. They apply for Max to stay in the community.
Feeling a little numb from what he just read, Max realised Cy¡¯s prompt had reappeared for a moment before vanishing again. The redacted parts had been filled in and another starting method was presented.
Story Name: Finish What Others Began
Genre: Battle Royal
Description: Complete the five-star story begun by Niv. Fix his mistakes, destroy Tsujuma, and end those who know about the system.
Goal: Kill Darius and Cy and erase their presence from history.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Cy learns about the system from you! Or Cy is cured of his illness!
Chapter 55: An Awkward Breakfast With a slight skip in his step, Max looked around Darius¡¯s homey kitchen. Time and care had been put into the heart of the home with homemade wooden cupboards and even more plants. Despite his appearance, Darius really had a green thumb. Dumping the sack with the mayor¡¯s stolen money and leftover cash from Bessie on the kitchen table, Max felt a bit alleviated with his decision making. Cy¡¯s prompt would be hard to avoid while directly helping with his condition. But there was lots of arguable wriggle room. When Darius had told him to ¡®keep his pennies,¡¯ Max had interpreted it as a jab at his past. But now knowing the full situation from Edric¡¯s report, he saw it as a genuine request. Elder Aris decided he wasn¡¯t going to increase his contribution to Cy¡¯s treatments. They needed another sponsor. Max had some spare cash. Judging from Elder Charaka¡¯s history, he was extremely unlikely to cure Cy. But his treatments provided more time for the prompt to change or for Max to think of a better solution. Reading Cy¡¯s history had been shocking for him at the time, but after digesting the information for a bit and looking through some of the other files, Max calmed down. Niv was lucky to already be dead. On the other hand, he was unlucky to be one of them. Just before Max abandoned the files on the balcony, he wrote a little note for Edric to read: ¤Æ¤¨²¶¡úNiv. Once added to the list, it was only a matter of time before one of them would find him in their next lives. Looking through the pantry, there were stacks of preserved food. The giant sacks of flour suggested they weren¡¯t going hungry anytime soon. Max took some dried fruit out of a glass jar before turning to see Cy looking a little pale by the doorway. ¡°Morning.¡± It took a sleepy Cy a moment to realise he talked, before he gave an exaggerated yawn. ¡°Morning¡­ I thought Dad told you to stay out of the kitchen?¡± Cy stood in front of the kitchen table before noticing the sack in front of him. ¡°Are we going somewhere?¡± ¡°He said the cupboards were fine,¡± Max reminded him. ¡°And why are you assuming ¡®we¡¯ are leaving? I only just received permission to stay.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s in- What the fuck?¡± Cy suddenly snapped out of his sleepy state as he looked at the carved bone resting on the pile of cash in the sack. ¡°What is it with you and magic bones?¡± ¡°I used it on Bessie¡¯s farm.¡± A nifty charm that pointed out ¡®Nnitas,¡¯ who weren¡¯t Max. It was the same bone that pointed out Navy¡¯s presence. A little thank you gift to Darius for helping with the application process. Edric might¡¯ve diminished his contribution, but Max was aware of how much he risked by vouching for him. He also felt bad that the desperate father was going to get disappointed because Max couldn¡¯t help Cy much. ¡°I figured it would probably get confiscated once they figured out my restrictions, so I¡¯m offering it up freely.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± Cy closed the sack before using magic to ignite the tortoise stove, which was probably invented by Edric in this world. Max watched the flames. His magic really was stronger here compared to the farm. It must¡¯ve been draining applying his daily spells in Bessie¡¯s dingy living room. Cyrus began to make them tea on the stovetop. ¡°The bone will point out anyone who¡¯ll make trouble.¡± Max moved closer to see what type they had. Barely¡­ ugh. ¡°Darius will probably be able to put it to good-¡± ¡°BACK THE FUCK AWAY FROM THE STOVE.¡± Darius made them jump, as he barked at Max while pointing an accusatory finger. Max held up his hands clutching dried fruit to reassure him that he wasn¡¯t doing anything. ¡°Part of the conditions to stay here was to not cook.¡± ¡°I¡¯m making us tea.¡± Cy¡¯s voice was crabby. ¡°You want a cup?¡± ¡°That would be lovely, Cyrus.¡± Darius¡¯s tone and demeanour was suddenly snapped back into playing a proud father. He casually tossed Max¡¯s offering to the corner of the kitchen. Darius probably already read Cy and Max¡¯s souls, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise for him. It was a bit sad. Darius could never have a surprise birthday party without considerable effort. ¡°Sit down, boss. We need to go over the conditions.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Sure.¡± Max couldn¡¯t quite place it, but there was something strange about the atmosphere this morning. Cy seemed to be a bit under the weather, and Darius was a little on edge. Perhaps Darius was being cautious in case Cy had another heart attack? ¡°We talked after your interview and came up with a bunch of rules. First, you will be allowed to work as Cyrus¡¯s research assistant.¡± Cy turned to frown at his dad. ¡°This is the only time you are permitted to use magic, and you will need Cyrus¡¯s expressed permission. Any other time is forbidden unless an Elder says otherwise. And Elder Edric and Elder Nova will be paying each of you boys 100 gaeles a month.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot-¡± ¡°And if it¡¯s still not enough money, you can work an additional part-time job, boss. But you¡¯ll need written permission from an Elder, so I¡¯ll write you one this afternoon.¡± Was this Darius telling him his donation wasn¡¯t enough money? Or will it be for the next treatment? ¡°Second, we will be placing some precautionary spells and curses on you.¡± ¡°Curses?¡± ¡°This afternoon, Cyrus will take you to Elder Ji-min¡¯s house to sign some documents and receive them. Elder Obi wanted to make it clear that one of the curses will be the desecration of Ellie¡¯s grave if you break our communities¡¯ rules.¡± Max struggled to suppress his anger at the suggestion. They couldn¡¯t desecrate her grave. It was in another world. But the idea still made his blood boil. ¡°Seems harsh,¡± Cy cut in, as he began dishing out homemade breads for breakfast. ¡°Do you accept the second condition?¡± ¡°I accept it,¡± Max said with a bitter voice. ¡°Third, you need to have a face-to-face check-in every twelve hours with Elder Aris. Starting this afternoon at eleven.¡± ¡°Are you sure he won¡¯t hide when it¡¯s time?¡± And get him thrown out for breaking the rules. ¡°Just make it obvious you¡¯re looking for him. Talk to one of his disciples, like Lux. You know, the kid you humiliated in front of the community?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think Lux would lie about Max asking?¡± Cy didn¡¯t look happy about this condition. ¡°I agree,¡± Max added. The case file he read on Lux had been irritating at best and disgusting at worst. A true scumbag. ¡°Isn¡¯t there someone else?¡± ¡°Haiddeck is probably your best bet,¡± Cy finished setting the table. He barely glanced at Max. ¡°Eat.¡± ¡°The cursing kid?¡± Max wasn¡¯t used to the direct and cold order from Cy, but he didn¡¯t turn down the selection in front of him. ¡°For now, his mentor is Elder Obi. Elder Aris wants him to switch mentors and join his squad.¡± So, Haiddeck was an aggressive type user? ¡°His fate is set to switch soon. The only reason why he hasn¡¯t transferred so far is because he wants to study with his sister.¡± ¡°You know all that from his fate?¡± Max asked. Darius could only see facts but couldn¡¯t know internal intensions or decisions. But was Cy different? Edric had been diligent about noting the capabilities and methods used by the different magic users within the community. When it came to Darius¡¯s gift of soul-seeing there were several weaknesses. One, Darius could see, but it didn¡¯t mean he always understood. Edric had used languages as an example. Two, Darius didn¡¯t know the internal thoughts of the soul¡¯s owner. Three, the HUD and messages from the system were not visible to him. Four, he could only see from the perspective of the soul¡¯s owner. Five, quantity. It was difficult to know where to look sometimes. Six, crowds were annoying for him. Seven, Darius had a hard time stomaching gore. The list went on with smaller weaknesses and considerations. The only file lacking in the category about magic use was Cy¡¯s fate magic. Somehow Cy managed to keep most of his ability out of Edric¡¯s prying eyes. There were colours, numbers, letters, and shapes; but how the appeared and what they mean was still a mystery to them. Cy looked confused. ¡°His fate? No, he told me when I visited him the day before yesterday. What did you think I was going to do while you were in jail? Go begging to the Elders? Cry?¡± Now, it was Max¡¯s turn to be confused. Cy¡¯s behaviour had been strange all morning. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Cyrus took the time to pass your little riddle on to his friend.¡± Darius ran defence. ¡°He was worried about you being kicked out before you could ask.¡± ¡°Or executed without an answer.¡± Cy¡¯s negative demeanour didn¡¯t change. His dad gave him a judgy look. ¡°Sorry to have worried you.¡± Max felt tense, as he tore off another piece of bread. ¡°Thanks for doing that.¡± Something appeared to click for Darius. ¡°I think Cyrus is feeling a bit guilty for encouraging you to go all out in your magic assessment.¡± Cy¡¯s face contorted. Max wasn¡¯t sure if Darius¡¯s assumption was right. ¡°But getting arrested helped your case. It made your answers a little more credible.¡± Based on how much corruption Max experienced so far, he was sceptical about how much of a difference it actually made. Chapter 56: Riddle Me This ¡°You fuckers took your time,¡± Haiddeck yelled, as he threw open the door to his cottage. Just like Darius¡¯s home, the inside of the building was a lot bigger and lit by windows which weren¡¯t apparent on the outside. ¡°Get your asses in here before the blasted Elders come over.¡± Max held his tongue as Cy led the way into the house, removing his hood the moment the door was slammed shut behind them. ¡°So, the cunt¡¯s staying?¡±
Story Name: Haiddeck of Hibiscus House
Genre: Drama
Description: Guide the sheltered, young youth as he is forced to grow up in a cold community.
Goal: Help raise Haiddeck to welcome in a new age.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Encourage Haiddeck to be himself!
¡°For now.¡± It was a struggle for Max to keep his words to himself. Maybe it was because he had just come from a life with children of his own, the urge to discipline was strong. Ellie would¡¯ve killed Haiddeck if she heard him talk like that. ¡°Where¡¯s Delrid? Max only has a couple of hours before he has to meet with Elder Aris.¡± ¡°That bitch?¡± Haiddeck was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s a requirement for me to stay here,¡± Max begrudgingly confirmed. Haiddeck snorted to show his disapproval as he led them into a cosy living room. The atmosphere was warm with natural light from the windows and several candles in every corner of the room. Under a giant window, there were several small bowls filled with water. Did they have pets? The room was clean, and a lot of thought and time had gone into organising it. Max had assumed Delrid was behind it before seeing Haiddeck clean up a mug and coaster on the coffee table. ¡°The fuck does he want?¡± ¡°I have to check-in with him periodically.¡± ¡°Can you take Max to him later?¡± Cy asked, before making himself at home on one of the sofas. Max felt a bit betrayed, Cy never mentioned anything about them parting ways today. ¡°I need to see Elder Charaka.¡± The feeling vanished in an instant and was replaced with concern. Haiddeck let out a groan, but quickly followed with, ¡°Fine. What would you bitches do without me?¡± Without another word, he disappeared behind a door with the empty mug. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just need to pick up something.¡± Medicine? ¡°After you check-in with Elder Aris, Haiddeck will take you to Elder Ji-min.¡± Max sat down next to Cy, who slightly shuffled away. He whispered, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the kid? I know you said to be more forgiving-¡± Meow. A cat? Cats. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Story Name: Meowvelous Mysterious Mistress
Genre: Feminist
Description: Overlooked in the community, the sharpest mind needs a stepping stone before she can take over.
Goal: Install Delrid as the Master Elder of Tsujuma.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Expose every Elder¡¯s weak point to Delrid.
Max turned around to see a sleepy young woman surrounded by a colony of cats by her feet. Hair unkept and dressed in black, she rubbed her eyes before looking down at them. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re home, little Cyrus.¡± Cyrus just replied with a relaxed smile. ¡°And this is your friend with the scrambled sentence?¡± ¡°Max,¡± he confirmed. ¡°I heard Cy passed it on to you. Thank you for taking a look.¡± She only replied with sleepy nods as she sat across them on the other sofa. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve seen-¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already solved it,¡± she muttered before she began rummaging in the drawers under the coffee table. The cats cried and scattered as she began throwing away the contents while searching for something. Max had assumed she was looking for the answer to his problem before Haiddeck reappeared with a tray of sweet treats and glasses filled with juice. ¡°For fucks sake! Now¡¯s not the time for games, Delrid!¡± ¡°Now is always the time for games,¡± she snapped back, as she pulled out a chess set. ¡°You¡¯ll play with me, won¡¯t you Max?¡± ¡°That cunt is busy doing shit. He¡¯s got an appointment with Elder Git later today.¡± Haiddeck gently put down the tray before starting to clean up after his sister. He tried to shoo away the horde of cats, as he tidied up but was mostly ignored as they tried to rub and lick his hands. Without invitation, Cy began dishing out the juice and sweet treats. ¡°We probably have enough time for a quick game,¡± Max entertained the idea. Chess wasn¡¯t his favourite, but he played plenty of games against June. ¡°You can go first.¡± Delrid looked up at him with an expression he didn¡¯t understand before quickly moving 1. d4, the Queen¡¯s Pawn Opening. She pulled out a scrap of paper from her pocket. The poor penmanship couldn¡¯t have come from Cy, so it wasn¡¯t the original message passed to her. Messily scrawled was: emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea. ¡°I¡¯ve solved it. Have you, Max? I heard a rumour that you are good with languages.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it,¡± Max moved his pawn in front of hers, almost an invitation for her to play the Queen¡¯s Gambit. ¡°I haven¡¯t put too much thought behind it, to be honest. The capital letters spell STAR.¡± ¡°Probably a coincidence,¡± Delrid dismissed. She avoided the gambit. Haiddeck took a seat next to her as he and Cy watched the game in front of them. ¡°Or it¡¯s connected in a way that I can¡¯t discern without more information.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Max admitted. He moved another pawn. Delrid replied by moving her own pieces quickly, almost without thought. The moves caused him to speed up as well. She had not seen the other words or the story prompt outline, no wonder she would dismiss it. Perhaps he should fill her in. ¡°I know SWAP, STAR, LOCATE, and BREAK LOGIC are connected to it somehow.¡± ¡°You never mentioned that part,¡± Cy muttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem relevant at the time.¡± ¡°It still isn¡¯t relevant,¡± Delrid tutted, as Max checked her king. ¡°If anything, I would guess they were instructions or hints about what to do next.¡± ¡°Next? Check.¡± Max felt slightly proud for winning the game so quickly. His joy was short-lived when Delrid ignored his statement and took his king with her bishop. ¡°¡­Wait¡­¡± Max had to do a double take as he stared at the board. The bishop wasn¡¯t in a spot to check his king a few rounds before. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve seen this coming. Cy and Haiddeck didn¡¯t say anything, but they looked amused at his loss. ¡°I win.¡± Delrid proudly announced, while she began setting up the pieces for another game. Max didn¡¯t bother to hide the irritation on his face. ¡°You cheated?¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t notice until the end,¡± Delrid countered. ¡°People break the rules and cheat in real life. Why shouldn¡¯t we do it in games as well? Want another go?¡± She saw his unwillingness to agree. ¡°Go on, let¡¯s play again. We have enough time.¡± Reluctantly, Max agreed. ¡°Any kind of cheating is okay?¡± ¡°As long as the other doesn¡¯t notice until the end,¡± Delrid confirmed, but Max quickly dismissed her as lying. She was just as pushy and assertive as the Elders of this community. ¡°Sounds fair.¡± Delrid finished setting up the pieces. ¡°Shall we begin? You can go first.¡± Max was about to put down his pawn for the King¡¯s Pawn Opening, when Delrid dropped a bomb. ¡°Rebel Against The System.¡± Max¡¯s breath got caught in his throat causing him to cough. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Surely that wasn¡¯t enough for her to receive a penalty. He glanced at Cy, who was frowning in confusion. ¡°Honestly, you seem like the kind to unravel it yourself. Assuming the capital letters were the start of words and the numbers of letters and spaces were unchanged, it wasn¡¯t very difficult¡­ Are you going to let go of that pawn? It¡¯s an illegal chess move to pick up and put down a chess piece without moving it, you know?¡± Chapter 57: Let’s Drop All Pretence ¡°You¡¯re a damn, fucking clever clogs.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Max wasn¡¯t too sure if it was a compliment. After a few games, Max still ended up in a draw with Delrid. 2-2. They were due for a rematch if he ever had another riddle. As Max followed Haiddeck through the village, it was quickly becoming apparent there was tension in the air. Probably from a considerable number of community members suddenly going missing with Edric. ¡°You fucking keeping up with Delrid! Ever since I popped out of my mother¡¯s cunt, I¡¯ve never managed to get fucking close to winning against her.¡± Max cringed from the vulgar description. ¡°Can¡¯t you cool it with the swears?¡± He had expected Haiddeck to erupt into even more swears and make a scene in front of the village. Instead, Max got a slight shrug. ¡°Yeah yeah, just don¡¯t hold me back when I¡¯m in front of the fucking Elders. Damn ancient pricks.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not much better.¡± Haiddeck didn¡¯t pay any attention to his words, since his gaze was fixed on two Elder¡¯s talking near them. ¡°Why¡¯s the prick Elder with the old bag of bones?¡± The kid might have a potty mouth, but his judgement of others seemed solid. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should we go to them? I need to see both of them anyway.¡± ¡°Hang on.¡± Haiddeck suddenly stuck out his arm in front of Max, so he wouldn¡¯t move any further. ¡°Cunts grouped together spell trouble. A fucker like you should-¡± ¡°Elder Ji-min is motioning for us to come.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, fuck. That¡¯s not good.¡± Max endured the heavy glare of Elder Aris and the welcoming smile of Elder Ji-min. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°What the fuck did you do?¡± Elder Aris¡¯s voice was aggressive. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What the fuck did I do?¡± It wasn¡¯t difficult for Max to assume he was talking about Edric and the sudden disappearance of a few of their people. ¡°What did he do?¡± Elder Ji-min asked as well, confused. ¡°Are you talking about Elder Edric?¡± Elder Aris¡¯s heavy glare turned towards his fellow Elder. ¡°What does Max have to do with him?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be seriously suggesting it¡¯s just a coincidence Elder Edric decided to go to the capital the day after this one gets in? And with over three hundred people? All with different mentors?¡± Three hundred? He rounded them up by himself? Edric wasn¡¯t kidding about making a base for them. ¡°Elder Edric had been planning this trip for a while. You know this.¡± Haiddeck whispered to Max, ¡°I¡¯m gonna die before these bitches are done. Smell ya later.¡± When the youth tried to sneak away, Elder Aris suddenly barked at him. ¡°Haiddeck! You have training now. Get to the field.¡± Haiddeck didn¡¯t hesitate to flip the bird towards the Elders before continuing his short walk back home in the opposite direction of the field. Max couldn¡¯t help admiring him. He may be an unruly brat, but he had a good head on his shoulders. Max could see Elder Aris trying to decide where to focus his angry energy, the young kid or the outsider. The outsider won. ¡°So, what did you do?¡± ¡°Nothing! You can ask Darius if-¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± Elder Aris appeared to have changed his mind as he started after Haiddeck. ¡°Get those curses on him, Elder Ji-min,¡± he called out before leaving. Elder Ji-min gave him a gentle wave in reply before opening the cabin door to his own home. Just peeking inside, Max could see a dingy, dark corridor filled with discarded items. It was similar to his chair during the interview; dark and filled with junk. The smell made him reluctant to approach. ¡°Come in, come in,¡± Elder Ji-min said pleasantly, as he gestured for Max to enter the corridor first. ¡°Thanks,¡± Max stepped into the corridor when he suddenly felt a chill. The air was cold. Until now, he had little doubt that the cabins and rooms were scattered across the area, but the real location of this place must¡¯ve been somewhere cold. ¡°Right this way,¡± Elder Ji-min hobbled along, as his dazzling clothes dragged over the dirty floor. The junk made Max concerned if the Elder was going to slip and break his neck. ¡°Please excuse the mess. I¡¯ve never been into cleaning.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Maybe it could be a job for you.¡± Elder Ji-min turned to give him a cheeky wink. It was like a grandpa trying to con his grandkid into mowing the lawn. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 60 gaeles for it.¡± Stingy by Tsujuma¡¯s standards, but better than Bessie''s rate. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Darius brought up the idea of me getting a second job. It sounded like he had something in mind,¡± Max gave as an excuse. Elder Ji-min replied with an approving nod. ¡°A busy life is good for calming a disturbed mind.¡± Disturbed? The old man opened a door to a large, cold room, which was just as cluttered. He gestured for Max to try and sit on a sofa covered with books and scrolls. It took him a second to make a spot, but the cushions were alarmingly bumpy. Have they ever been washed? In the meantime, Elder Ji-min pulled out a series of orbs. Each orb had a different colour with the light inside either releasing a steady glow or was like lightning trapped in glass. They were spells. Max instinctively rolled up his sleeves. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that, Max. We just need to place them right in front of you for twenty minutes.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t direct contact be faster and ensure proper transfer?¡± Max was confused. Surely, they would know this by now. ¡°I know, but this gives us a chance to have a proper chat.¡± Elder Ji-min sat across from him on a mound of paper. There was an excited grin on his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I got to talk to a high-class Nnita.¡± High-class? Must be a new term Edric cooked up in this world. Max would¡¯ve been surprised at the relationship between Elders if it weren¡¯t for the files he read last night. ¡°Elder Edric warned me to be respectful towards you. You must be one of their top dogs, huh?¡± There was no prompt or penalty deterring him from talking directly about his past and the system. Darius was just unlucky the system had it out for him. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it,¡± Max reached out for one of the orbs to put on his skin for a few seconds as the spell transferred over to him. It was disobeying Elder Ji-min¡¯s instructions, but Max didn¡¯t want to be blasted by the other Elders for not completing this process properly. Elder Ji-min didn¡¯t voice any complaints either. ¡°Then how would you put it?¡± ¡°Eh¡­ I¡¯m just a former farm hand.¡± ¡°Who, in another life, hunted down and tagged all of the Nnita on a world?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Edric had been unexpectedly frank with Elder Ji-min. Although Max had seen the term ¡®Ally¡¯ written on his file, their short talk on the balcony left the impression that the Elders hadn¡¯t been so close. ¡°To be fair, that wasn¡¯t my idea¡­ the tagging part anyway.¡± ¡°But hunting them down?¡± ¡°Exactly how much do you know about us?¡± Max reached for the next orb as Elder Ji-min just answered with a polite smile. ¡°You know the basics, right? We wake up, get blasted with story prompts until one is activated, are pressured into completing the story with various conditions and expectations thrown on top, before either completing it or dying. That¡¯s it. That¡¯s our lifecycle in every world.¡± ¡°You seem angry with the process.¡± Angry? It wasn¡¯t quite the term he would use. ¡°It¡¯s meaningless after a while. So, a few of us got together and began colluding on the different worlds. As we grew in numbers, we began distributing jobs to carry out every time we woke up in a new world. When we started getting reliable results, we began mass recruitment drives... or hunting them down as you called it. More members meant more people we can use. Originally, our theory was if we could complete a five-star, we might get some kind of information about the system.¡± ¡°Elder Edric did tell me about that,¡± Elder Ji-min was clearly pleased with Max¡¯s openness. ¡°He was very proud of your passing rate for the others in your organisation.¡± Max didn¡¯t like the term organisation either. The ones who had faith held it a little too strongly in their hearts. ¡°But we were wrong. When I finished the five-star, nothing changed. Nothing changed in the next life either with Ellie.¡± For the first time in their conversation, Elder Ji-min looked surprised. ¡°She was real?¡± ¡°She is real. I thought Darius told you about her in his report?¡± Max asked. ¡°Your kind is usually sensitive about your past lives. I assumed you asked Darius to fudge the paperwork for you. He had done it before for other Nnita.¡± So, Elder Ji-min and Elder Darius had been aware of the others added by Edric from the start. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± ¡°Why are you letting in other people like me? Elder Aris might be a git, but he is right. The best way to protect your people from us would be to keep us away as much as possible.¡± Elder Ji-min paused before answering, like he was evaluating how much to say. It was a little offensive. Max was being incredibly forthcoming so far. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right about Elder Aris¡¯s stance when it comes to common Nnita. But you are not common, are you? And neither is Elder Edric. Maybe we could take down one or two common Nnita like we did with Niv. It would be a completely different story if someone like you decided to make us your enemy.¡± ¡°¡­So, you¡¯re playing along to avoid becoming my enemy? Why did you throw me in jail then?¡± ¡°Although it was Elder Aris¡¯s idea, Elder Edric thought it was a good decision. I¡¯m playing along to get protection, improved technology, teachings of rare types of magic, and new ideas and philosophical stances from Elder Edric. We could live in the dark ages, and be scared of the idea that you foreigners are going to kill us for a story one day. Or we can offer to help an established alliance and fall under their protection.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why keep Elder Aris as an Elder? He¡¯s clearly against this philosophy.¡± Elder Ji-min''s face scrunched up a little. It would''ve been intimidating if it weren''t for the wrinkles obscuring most of his features. ¡°Because if we were to become enemies, he and the other Elders would be our best shot at buying enough time for our people to run and hide. Also, he is good at teaching musical theory to the children.¡± Musical theory? He didn¡¯t seem the type. Elder Ji-min seemed slightly grumpier as he took away the empty orbs. ¡°I won¡¯t delude myself into thinking we can take you on and win like some of the other Elders, but maybe some could survive if we tried.¡± The words moved Max a little. This wasn¡¯t the first time that their secret had been spread enough to cause fear to the native inhabitants. It must be terrifying to know your life can be ripped apart by someone under the cold orders of a system. ¡°Good.¡± Max said flatly, as he unrolled his sleeves. ¡°None of our kind will be entering this domain while I¡¯m here, and before I leave, I¡¯ll teach Darius how to draw a few of my runes¡­ Including how to make a distress call to Edric if more of our kind tried to enter your community.¡± Elder Ji-min dropped an orb causing it to shatter against the floor. ¡°What are you talking about? Elder Edric isn¡¯t coming back after his business trip?¡± ¡°No? He¡¯s not coming back.¡± ¡°And the others with him? I know some are working under him, but the others need to be brought back home.¡± Max frowned. ¡°They¡¯re all working under him?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all Nnita?¡± Elder Ji-min was beginning to sway causing Max to jump up in case the elder fell. He wasn¡¯t going to get pinned for murder while they had curses constraining him. Luckily, Elder Ji-min caught himself on his desk. ¡°How in the hell were they all Nnita?¡± Max shrugged. ¡°Some of them had been here longer than him?¡± ¡°They must¡¯ve gotten here before him.¡± Max tried to be reassuring with his words. ¡°But they¡¯re all gone now.¡± ¡°All?¡± ¡°Well apart from me, I guess.¡± ¡°And you can protect us if other Nnita attacked?¡± Max wasn¡¯t too sure about how to answer. Ordinarily, he could. But with the limitations of his innate magic requiring him to use prepared outside sources¡­ Not to mention the story prompts, which could get in his way... It was more difficult to say. ¡°I can call Edric to come back. It only takes a few runes on something with an adequate amount of magic.¡± His words seemed to somewhat reassure the hyperventilating man. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you write it down now,¡± he began thrusting enchanted parchment papers in Max¡¯s direction. ¡°They¡¯re not connected to one of Elder Nova¡¯s books, so write what you need.¡±
Story Name: Teacher! Teacher?
Genre: Dystopian
Description: A utopian, magic community starts to show its cracks as the MC gets more involved.
Goal: Tear down Tsujuma.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Try to teach people how to use rune magic!
Suspicious, Max took one of the sheets before stuffing it in his pocket. Elder Ji-min looked confused. ¡°I can¡¯t risk other people learning how to write runes. Come on, you need to sit down.¡± Max took the time to empty a chair from a stack of documents before he laced the seat with paper since it felt sticky. With some help, the shaken elder sat down. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the materials on me, and it¡¯ll be quick for me to write it¡­ At the moment, I¡¯m not in the process of completing a story for the system.¡± Elder Ji-min looked confused before it clearly clicked into place. ¡°You¡¯re fateless.¡± Max nodded before starting to pick up some of the pieces of broken glass on the floor. The last time he talked to an old geezer, the mayor had been a selfish and deluded individual that thought he was special for pleasing the system. Elder Ji-min clearly cared a lot for the community he dedicated his life to. The sudden vulnerability must be unbearable. ¡°Unlike Edric, I haven¡¯t completed my story yet, so the system still has some control over my actions. But, so far, there has been enough wiggle room for me to avoid various prompts¡­ I can¡¯t promise you nothing will happen while I¡¯m in your community. However, I can assure you I will try to use my limited options to avoid disrupting life here.¡± The elder was silent for a minute as he watched Max kneeling next to the broken glass and picking it up. ¡°Little Cyrus-¡± Max glanced up from the glass with irritation clearly on his face. ¡°Cyrus,¡± he corrected himself, ¡°is a victim of that system of yours.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°¡­Can you do anything to change that?¡± ¡°I can donate the funds I have for his next treatment.¡± ¡°I doubt Elder Charaka can do much more though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised he managed to prolong his life for such a long time,¡± Max agreed. It truly was amazing and made it clear why he deserved the title of Elder like the others. ¡°So, can¡¯t you do anything more¡­ permanent to help?¡± Cy¡¯s prompt was nauseating as it flashed as a warning in his vision. ¡°Not at the moment. I can¡¯t cure him with a certain prompt in the way¡­ But prompts change, maybe with time I can do something.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t cure him¡­¡± There was defeat in his voice. Kneeling on the floor, Max hadn¡¯t felt so powerless for a while. ¡°Does that mean you can¡¯t treat him either?¡± In a second, he felt his power come back. ¡°That¡¯s the wiggle room. I can help treat him if he has another heart attack, but I can¡¯t stop them altogether.¡± The answer seemed to have relaxed the elder significantly, who was now smiling once again. ¡°Please stay by his side until we can fix this mess. Cyrus doesn¡¯t deserve to suffer because we were doubtful about a prediction made by a little boy, who wanted to go home.¡± Max replied with his own smile before seeing his reflection in the broken glass. For a fleeting moment, someone else¡¯s reflection was looking back at him. It made him shiver. This house really was too cold. Max heard some shuffling before looking up to see a re-energised Elder Ji-min carrying a new stack of papers. ¡°Since you¡¯re going to be staying, there¡¯s a few more forms for you to sign.¡± ¡°How can there be even more paperwork?¡± ¡°There is never enough paperwork.¡± Chapter 58: Crabby Cy Max felt relieved to see Cy waiting for him outside of Elder Ji-min¡¯s house before noticing his stance. Hunched over and with his hood up higher than normal, he was clearly uncomfortable being around the others. ¡°I must say Max, you have wonderful penmanship for a farm hand,¡± Elder Ji-min¡¯s voice caused Cy¡¯s hood to look up towards them. ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± Max quickly moved to Cy¡¯s side. ¡°Well, we better get going.¡± Before anymore paperwork showed up. Why on earth did he have to sign over a hundred papers? The sheets weren¡¯t even enchanted as far as he could tell. Did the old man just get a kick out of the smell of fresh ink? ¡°Then I won¡¯t keep you.¡± The elder had a broad smile from having company for so long. ¡°Oh, and Cyrus? Have you paid a visit to Elder Charaka since you¡¯ve returned?¡± Cy didn¡¯t even appear to acknowledge he was being called by his name instead of the nickname. ¡°No, not yet.¡± Max frowned. Didn¡¯t he say he was going to see him? But he quickly dropped the expression when he realised he had made it. There was no reason to snitch on Cy¡¯s lie. Cy¡¯s hood turned to him, ¡°We need to meet Elder Nova and get our lab set up.¡± Cy didn¡¯t wait for a reply before leaving. ¡°See you boys later,¡± Elder Ji-min gave a gentle wave. Max waited until the old man was out of earshot. ¡°I thought you already saw the doctor?¡± Max whispered as a few passer buyers glanced at them. ¡°Maybe Elder Nova could wait?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cy snapped back. ¡°I went to his office, but he wasn¡¯t in, okay? There was a problem with one of Elder Obi¡¯s kids, so he was called to take a look.¡± ¡°We can still wait for him to come back?¡± Cy just sighed at the idea. ¡°What is it with you today? You¡¯ve been a bitch since you got up this morning.¡± Cy finally stopped in the middle of his tracks. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for being a bitch. If I¡¯m such a bitch, then why don¡¯t you just leave?¡± Max was out of words. This was out of character. He couldn¡¯t understand it. The system prompts offered no hints. He was at a loss about what to do. There was nothing to guide him. His expression must¡¯ve made his inner turmoil obvious. ¡°¡­Sorry. I¡­ I¡¯m not feeling well today.¡± ¡°¡­It''s okay.¡± Max didn¡¯t have a choice from the system to help guide his actions, but it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t give one. ¡°Should we go to Elder Nova, Elder Charaka, or go home and call it a day?¡± Undecided, Cy adjusted his hood while he thought about his options. It was only for a split second, but he saw it. The small bruise on his chin that wasn¡¯t there a few hours ago. ¡°I want to go home.¡± ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s go back.¡± Max accepted the new change in direction without issue. It was probably safer for the community if they took the time to relax a little. The inviting kitchen was empty as Max began rummaging through the cupboards. It looked like he would be having a dinner alone made from snacks. When they first got back to Darius¡¯s house, Cy immediately headed straight to his room. Max attempted to coax him out a few times, but every suggestion was met with blunt refusal. It was puzzling. Cy had a certain degree of healing magic that he kept hidden from him. Why wasn¡¯t he using it to treat the bruise if that was the issue? A physical wound should be easy to heal. Remembering Edric¡¯s reports, it wasn¡¯t too hard to come to another nasty conclusion. A curse was probably in place. Easy to heal and recover from, but the image remained for a certain amount of time without a great deal of intervention. It was just like a filter in place. Max had wondered why Lux¡¯s file mentioned the unique magic skill, now it was becoming obvious. The only question was whether he was the culprit this time. After spending the afternoon alone, Cy¡¯s lack of presence was surprisingly lonely until he decided to turn his attention elsewhere. It was time to test the charm Edric made for him. A little rune here under this piece of furniture, a little carving in a thick root of a house plant, a little bit of smeared ink between pages of buried books; a little bit of preparation if anything were to happen. Max made sure to regularly take off the charm after ten minutes of use, so Darius had plenty to look at in case he tried to read his soul. Even if he could read it or were to find one by accident, there was nothing malicious about any of the runes around the house. Just protective, passive spells benefiting the occupants of the home. ¡°WHAT ARE YOU DOING?¡± Max froze as he reached up for one of the homemade pastries on a high shelf. Darius was suddenly behind him standing next to the doorway. Did he have some kind of spell protecting this kitchen? Maybe one that warned him when Max was in the room. Max couldn¡¯t blame him, since so much love had been put into designing and stocking the place. ¡°YOU BETTER NOT BE COOKING.¡± It was so accusatory. Max relaxed his stance. ¡°I¡¯m not cooking. There¡¯s no fire. I¡¯m not touching any ingredients. You made the rule clear, I have no intentions of cooking,¡± he insisted, but Darius didn¡¯t seem convinced. Time to play on a few heart strings. ¡°I thought I was allowed to eat snacks from the cupboard? Cy has been in his room all day, so I was going to get him some dinner.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Darius noticeably calmed down at the mention of Cy¡¯s name. ¡°Cyrus is in his room?¡± Why couldn¡¯t the system give helpful prompts? All that was flashing was the prompt about Max directly confirming the existence of the system or his past lives in front of Darius. Should he share what he saw on Cy''s face? He didn¡¯t really have a choice if he looked into his soul. But that just added to the thing nagging in the back of Max¡¯s mind. Corruption was rampant here. Since all the Elders were committed to overlooking the obvious problems within their own community, how had it not fallen apart already? ¡°He just¡­ hasn¡¯t seemed well all day. Earlier, he was going to see Elder Charaka, but the doctor was busy with Elder Obi.¡± Darius gave a distinct frown before relaxing. ¡°I¡¯m sure he knows what to do. So, try not to worry too much, boss.¡± Max backed off as Darius approached the cupboard and began pulling out various ingredients. On the countertop closest to the door, he stacked the baked goods high on a plate before beginning to handle some flour on another surface. ¡°This humble one asks you not to touch those, boss. Cy will come when he wants to.¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything as he watched the man work the mass of flour. If anything, he moved slightly further away to reassure both of them. ¡°I see you had a nice time visiting Elder Ji-min. It''s hurtful that you''re not as forthcoming to me.¡± His tone didn''t show it. If anything, his voice sounded pleased. Just in case, Max didn¡¯t say anything to confirm. It was a relief that he had been able to reveal so much in front of the other Elder. Darius was probably clever enough to clock on that his silence was due to the system. Perhaps he even realised the exact conditions from his prompt. ¡°Since we have a moment alone, boss. Why don''t you start fulfilling one of your promises? You offered to teach me how to write a distress call spell with the runes to Elder Ji-min. Now¡¯s a good time to start teaching, boss.¡± Another prompt pinged up warning him about teaching others. ¡°Just to remind you, it¡¯s not a good idea for you to teach others about runes.¡± It would be a shame if he got roped into a five-star story. ¡°I can keep my mouth shut when needed.¡± Good enough for Max. ¡°Is there something I can use to write? We wouldn¡¯t want me to draw out runes on something as shifty as flour.¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± Darius¡¯s voice was firm before relaxing. ¡°Why don''t you use one of the papers left by Elder Edric?¡± ¡°What papers?¡± Max played innocent. ¡°There are no papers with me.¡± Darius looked up and squinted at Max before giving a grunt. Edric was right about him overlooking things. He had seen the papers being delivered and read, but failed to spot them being gone once the sun rose. ¡°How about I use the edges of one of these recipe books?¡± Darius looked reluctant before giving his permission. ¡°Grab the brown one. No, not that one. The other brown one.¡± ¡°¡­There are more than twenty brown recipe books,¡± Max grumbled, as he looked through the shelves on the walls. ¡°Can¡¯t you get it?¡± Darius just held up his sticky hands before working the dough again. Max put his hand over a book. ¡°Tell me the direction from here.¡± After some trial and error, they eventually located a book Max could use. On the kitchen table, he flipped the book open and dunked one of the flour-covered, quill pens in ink. ¡°Before you learn something complex like a rune, I need to see how good you are at noticing details.¡± He covered the book as he wrote two characters: ¥½¥ó. ¡°Alright, do you see the difference?¡± Darius frowned as he stared at the marks. ¡°They¡¯re not runes, boss.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Max couldn¡¯t hold back a bit of sass in his voice. ¡°But if you can¡¯t see why these are different then it would just be a disaster if you tried to learn runes without a lot of training.¡± His comment was just met with scepticism. ¡°The devil is in the details, remember?¡± Darius looked over them again before sighing. ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°Then rune magic is probably not right for you. The answer is in the alignment. The first is aligned on the top. The second is aligned to the left.¡± Darius didn¡¯t seem interested anymore as he added more ingredients to his dough. Perhaps it was because he was evidently unskilled in a critical area for this type of magic? Max was a bit thankful of his bashfulness. It would¡¯ve been hard keeping a neutral face and claiming coincidence if he realised the characters were from his original mother¡¯s natal tongue. ¡°It would take forever to teach you¡­ But maybe I could teach Cy.¡± Max couldn¡¯t cure Cy because of the system, but he could teach one person runes. Cy could learn runes. Cy could cure himself with time using the runes¡­ It was an apparent way around the prompt. Darius looked up from the overworked dough before throwing it in a bowl to rest. ¡°Are you sure, boss? You could teach Cyrus? Weren''t you insisting on only teaching runes to a singular, special person?¡± ¡°Cy might have an eye for details if he¡¯s looking at everyone¡¯s fate all the time. If he learned rune magic, he could send a distress call to Edric, do full counters, summon things¡­ He could even start healing people with complex ailments if he wanted to,¡± Max placed heavy emphasis on his words. And if his history was something to go by, Cy was surprsingly good at keeping secrets. ¡°Who said I needed to heal people?¡± Both Darius and Max jumped from hearing Cy¡¯s voice from the door. With his hood lowered, he appeared irritated but otherwise unharmed. ¡°It was just an idea,¡± Max tried to appear innocent, while Darius pulled out another pile of flour to keep his focus on. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I just thought you might be good at it. You could go on to help other people with fixed fates, just like how I was able to postpone Straw¡¯s terminal¡­ prediction.¡± Cy picked up the plate with the mountain of baked goods. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± he grumbled before leaving without another word. They waited for him to be long gone before hesitatingly glancing at each other. ¡°Like I said¡­ he seems to be in a bad mood today.¡± ¡°Not much we can do about it, boss.¡± Darius dismissed Max¡¯s concerns as he began adding milk into the flour. ¡°Or, at least, not much you can do about it, boss. Especially, while that system of yours has a collar around your neck. Tell this humble one, what did you think about the answer to that riddle of yours?¡± Max couldn''t say anything as he watched the dough being kneaded under the rough hands. ¡°Want a little hint, boss? A little deposit, as it were, for Cy''s rune lessons?¡± His eyes stayed fixed on the dough. If he looked away, perhaps he would lose his neutral expression. "I''ll take your silence as an agreement. Your summary to Elder Ji-min was missing some important details.¡± Important details? ¡°Most things you know about the system are also wrong.¡± What? Darius picked up the dough and slapped it on the counter causing Max to jump. ¡°Let''s make a deal, boss. You get Cyrus out of the sticky mess he''s in because of the system. Then, when you finally find the wiggle room to talk directly to me, perhaps you and I could clear up some of those misbeliefs. What do you say, boss? Sounds like a deal?¡± Chapter 59: The Technodiva In the morning, the crisp autumn air was just as refreshing as Cy¡¯s revitalised mood. Whatever was bothering him the other day seemed to have largely cleared up. Another day, another task to do. Chatty and relaxed, Cy guided Max through the networks of doors, teleports, and tunnels. Thoroughly confused, Max finally stopped in his tracks in the middle of a grim and musty concrete tunnel. ¡°Where the fuck are we?¡± ¡°What do you mean where are we? We¡¯re on our way to Elder Nova¡¯s labs.¡± The bitter touch to Cy¡¯s voice no longer existed as sass was now in its place. It was good seeing him normal again. ¡°Yeah, but why¡¯s it so far away? What¡¯s the point of using teleports if we have to use so many and walk so far? How long have we been trying to get there? Twenty minutes? Thirty?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you impatient?¡± Cy rolled his eyes before resuming his march. ¡°All the labs are hard to reach. We don¡¯t want things breaking in. Or even worse, getting out.¡± The words were a little chilling as Max reflected his experience so far. He wouldn¡¯t put it past the community to have secret, inhumane experiments. Edric never mentioned it in his reports, but he acknowledged that Elder Nova could be hiding things. From her background, Max already knew she was the type to make a deal with the devil in a heartbeat. Anything was acceptable if it meant progress. And her definition of ¡®progress¡¯ was a little crooked. Among their allies in the community, she had the least amount of morality and was the easiest to work with. Darius was mysterious and difficult to predict the extent of his cooperation without Cy¡¯s involvement. Elder Ji-min focused too much on the past, so his guilt could be manipulated. But Elder Nova was in it for herself. Max was lost in his thoughts as they approached the end of the tunnel. There was a metal gate blocking a teleport to a white room. Cy began knocking on the metal bars, which echoed unnaturally loudly. The action caused orbs of light to frame the teleport¡­ Nothing happened. ¡°Lurch? Where are you, buddy?¡± Buddy? Max was suddenly interested in whoever was coming to let them in. They waited a couple more minutes. ¡°Is someone supposed to be coming?¡± ¡°Something,¡± Cy corrected. He tried knocking on the bars again. ¡°Hello?¡± They were optimistic as they waited, before their patience slipped away with time causing Max to bang on the bars while Cy shouted for something to come. Nothing. ¡°Should we go back?¡± Cy thought about it for a second. ¡°Something is supposed to be here. If it¡¯s not, then it might be a sign of a problem. Maybe something happened?¡± ¡°Should we try breaking in?¡± Max revealed the slip of parchment from Elder Ji-min. ¡°How¡¯d you get that?¡± Cy¡¯s voice was getting a little worked up. Was he really rattled by a little piece of paper? ¡°Elder Ji-min.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t use magic without an Elder¡¯s permission.¡± ¡°Or you could approve it,¡± Max reminded him. ¡°Can we count it as part of our experiments?¡± Cy debated the idea as he stared at the blank piece of parchment before they both jumped from the sounds of beeping. Beeping? This was not the kind of world where this kind of beeping would exist.
Story Name: A New Era
Genre: Sci-Fi
Description: After upgrading the robots¡¯ intelligence, the MC uses them to create a utopia.
Goal: Enslave humanity with robots.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Upgrade the robots¡¯ software!
Robots? After a couple of beeps, a small round robot emerged. It hovered slightly above the ground and greeted them with a pixelated smile emoji on a cracked screen. Max found it surprising. How could something like that be here? Was this Edric¡¯s doing? ¡°Try not to shit yourself,¡± Cy smiled at Max¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s something called a ¡®robot.¡¯ It¡¯s a type of magic Elder Nova specialises in.¡± No, it wasn¡¯t. She must use ¡®magic¡¯ as an excuse for other worlds¡¯ inventions. ¡°It¡¯s not going to hurt you. I know, as a farm hand, this must be blowing your mind right now.¡± ¡­ ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°NAME.¡± The robot¡¯s voice was not as clean as his appearance. ¡°Cyrus Vanga and Max.¡± The robot let out a few happy beeps before the bars lowered into the tunnel floor. ¡°FOLLOW.¡± The robot¡¯s movements weren¡¯t smooth either as it lurched its way forward through the teleport. ¡°His name is Lurch,¡± Cy explained. After stepping through the teleport, Max was sad to see it was another maze of white corridors. ¡°Elder Nova¡¯s got a few of them kicking about. They¡¯re not human, but they have a certain amount of intelligence. Right now, they¡¯re confined to Elder Nova¡¯s lab after an incident where some kids got hurt. The other Elders asked her to decommission them, but¡­ How should I explain it to a farm hand?... Bessie has her cows, and Elder Nova has her robots. Maybe later we could-¡± Cy¡¯s voice rattled on as Max took in the sights. The walls and floors were profoundly clean and reassuring compared to the clutter at Elder Ji-min¡¯s house. Finally, they found themselves in a wide room that was semi-divided into sections with half-built walls. Above them was a wide window with a clear view below. There were a few pieces of furniture in one of the sections with a couple of robots struggling to move them without being pushed down to the floor and becoming immobile. Seeing them struggle, Lurch panicked before letting out a, ¡°WAIT.¡± Who it was directed to was unclear as the little robot went to help. ¡°There you two are.¡± Elder Nova came in behind them while carrying a thick book. ¡°I expected you two yesterday.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Sorry, we meant to come-¡± ¡°No matter. Here.¡± She tossed what she was carrying over to Cy, who failed to catch it. The book unfortunately hit one of the robots behind them. It let out a few irritated beeps before going back to work. Elder Nova didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°A catalogue of the supplies we have at the moment. Elder Edric will pay. Max won¡¯t have any knowledge about them, so why don¡¯t you pick out a few while I get his DNA registered in the system.¡± Cy looked at a loss for words as he picked up the book. ¡°I can¡¯t help Cy pick out supplies?¡± Max asked. It was a mixture of concern for Cy¡¯s health because of yesterday and an assumption that he would pick out aesthetically pleasing things over practical equipment. ¡°You can look later. Come.¡± Elder Nova didn¡¯t wait for him to reply. ¡°And then they had the audacity to stop my sales and do a mass recall after one, singular robot defected and went rampant in the school here. The nerve. Even Elder Edric forbade me from selling more until I fixed the issue,¡± Elder Nova complained, as she opened the door to her office. This couldn¡¯t be the office that burned down, could it? It was like stepping back into the modern ages. Clean and proper, a modern office with a window looking at an ancient town from high above. The change was so jarring for Max. ¡°Sit, sit.¡± Max took a hesitant seat at her desk. ¡°It looks good for a burnt down office.¡± Elder Nova waved away his compliment like it was nothing. ¡°That was just the office I used in front of the other Elders. I have another one for the common people of the community. I don¡¯t get many chances to share my real office with others.¡± With all the references on the way here to a poor Nnita she dated when she was younger, who originally told her about the system, and working with Edric, Max didn¡¯t see much point in playing dumb while alone. ¡°You share it with Nnita?¡± Elder Nova looked slightly offended before a big grin cracked across her face. ¡°I share it with people who are worth my time. So, what do you think?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About helping me speed up the upgrade for the robots. Elder Edric said you were okay with tech, and I¡¯ll cut you in on the sales. How about 10%?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not always the best with technology. I had a friend who was good at it, so I picked up a few things from her.¡± It was one of the reasons why he and June began working together in the first place. She was good at dreaming up big ideas and connecting things together, while Max was better at breaking things down step-by-step. ¡°A few things would probably be enough,¡± Elder Nova smiled. There was a tap at her door with a few beeps before a robot let itself in with refreshments. ¡°Do you want me to crack it open so you can see inside?¡± Max felt sorry for the robot, which gave a couple of frightened beeps before dutifully standing next to her. ¡°Or how about this? This is a copy of the ¡®computer¡¯ that ignited in my other office.¡± Elder Nova handed Max a thick tome. The second Max picked it up, he realised something was wrong as he felt the weight. It was too heavy. Opening the tome quickly revealed the secret. ¡°It¡¯s a tablet?¡± Instead of paper, a bright screen lit up to show binary code. The series of 0s and 1s were irritating to try and decipher, but Max only had to read a couple of familiar words to understand the message left behind by Edric. This is a prototype for the Athena computer. Edric was trying to recreate the computer from Max¡¯s five-star life? Why? Edric was terrible with technology, and he didn¡¯t know until a few days ago that Max was in this world. It was a good thing he was sent away to concentrate on his real duties. Elder Nova¡¯s smile dropped for a moment. ¡°Elder Edric told me it was something called a ¡®computer.¡¯ He told me it would become extremely popular in the future. The runes you wrote were supposed to be recorded by this device, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised it instantaneously triggered the runes¡¯ safety features,¡± Max admitted, as he admired the craftsmanship on the outside. It was deceiving as long as no one opened it. ¡°I thought it was being recorded in a real book.¡± ¡°How the hell would you even do that?¡± Elder Nova shook her head in disbelief. ¡°You guys got a spell that can do something like that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Max challenged back. ¡°It¡¯s fairly easy to do. But I suppose someone with a low amount of innate magic wouldn¡¯t know how easy it was.¡± Edric¡¯s files were coming in handy again. This was the key on how to manipulate this Elder. She wanted money, she wanted power, she wanted the modern ways; but nothing she had was created just by herself. Her knowledge came from people like them. Max closed the tome and gently laid it back on the desk. ¡°Or maybe you have a skewed view of this world. Would you call your match with Elder Edric easy?¡± There was something in her manner that was off putting as she leaned forward for the answer. It wasn¡¯t difficult. Nor had it been, strictly speaking, easy either. At the time, Max didn¡¯t look at their greeting in terms of difficulty. ¡°It was fun, like a game.¡± ¡°Like a game? A game that could have cost your life if you didn¡¯t write that counter.¡± ¡°A life for us isn¡¯t really worth much,¡± Max could see her eyebrows knitting together as she tried to understand. It was moments like this when he felt the most sympathy for the local inhabitants of the worlds. For them, a life was everything since they only got one. Elder Nova finally leaned back into her chair. ¡°Either way, it was impressive. The last Nnita we smuggled in almost got caught immediately afterwards when one of her spells got out of control. If it weren¡¯t for Elder Edric promptly banishing and sending her elsewhere, we would¡¯ve been in trouble with the other Elders.¡± Why had none of the other colluding Elders mentioned this? Was she the reason he needed to go all out to change Cy¡¯s fate about them staying in the community? ¡°Good thing you showed your stuff. That undead dragon really caught Elder Ji-min¡¯s eye.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elder Nova got her grin back once she realised she found another way to show good faith. ¡°Elder Ji-min was on the fence about letting you in. The last Nnita left a bad taste in his mouth, and he wasn¡¯t sure if Cyrus brought in a common Nnita or someone with potential. That dragon tickled his feathers.¡± She leaned forwards even more so she could whisper. ¡°Between you and me, he still has the body of a Nnita tucked away in that cold house of his. If I were to bet, I think he¡¯s going to wait and see if you can really help. Then, when he gets impatient, he¡¯ll either try to learn rune magic from your research with Cyrus or coax you into helping him directly.¡± ¡°Help him? To do what?¡± ¡°Reanimate the body and see if they could undo a penalty imposed by the system. A member of the community got hit by it a few years ago. Do you want to know who got the penalty?¡± She teased. Max looked puzzled for a moment as he ignored Elder Nova¡¯s question. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that though.¡± Going by June¡¯s theory and assuming the system won¡¯t make him skip a world, ¡®Niv¡¯ should be waiting in line to wake up in the next world once this world was done with them. ¡°I can only get the muscles to move. What¡¯s inside, the soul or fate or whatever you call it, is long gone.¡± Elder Nova nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s speak hypothetically for a moment, can you undo a penalty?¡± Max felt suspicious of her words but felt no reason to lie. ¡°No, you must die to shake off a penalty. You can share it though.¡± ¡°Share it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say Person A told Person B. Person A would get a penalty. Then Person B tells Person C.¡± ¡°Person B also gets a penalty.¡± ¡°Right. It takes a lot of time, energy, and usually magic to delay or lessen the effects of penalties. But if Person B were to create a spell so they could share their penalty with Person A, it¡¯s a lot easier. The system even encourages it.¡± ¡°It does?¡± ¡°It recommends us to do it in the HUD.¡± There was something amusing about her surprised reaction. ¡°That way Person A receives not only their penalty but half of Person B¡¯s penalty while they are alive.¡± The cruel nature of the system shouldn¡¯t be a surprise to them by now. ¡°But when Person A dies, Person B gets their full penalty again.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s the point-¡± ¡°Punishment.¡± Max¡¯s voice was flat. ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to tell others.¡± Biting her thumb, Elder Nova seemed deep in thought. He began to wonder if it was Elder Ji-min keeping the body of one of them or her. Edric¡¯s files didn¡¯t mention corpses stored away for a rainy day. Something to ask later. Her frown deepened. Had she been planning to tell others about the system and use her original informer to endure the penalty? ¡°I¡¯m not going to help you with the robots.¡± Elder Nova thought for a second before remembering her original offer. ¡°Okay, you drive a hard bargain. How about 11%?¡± Max looked at her unamused. ¡°This is what you¡¯re going to do. You¡¯re going to pay for all of the supplies Cy and I ask for, help me smuggle things in and out of the Tsujuma, and pay for any future treatments Cy receives from Elder Charaka.¡± A greedy creature like Elder Nova should have no problem covering the costs for an upcoming treatment. It seemed like the technodiva was caught off-guard again. ¡°You knew it was Cyrus who got the penalty? Why didn¡¯t you mention it? I¡¯m surprised he told you, since only the other Elders know¡­ The next treatment is going to be expensive. And the one after that will be even worse with not much effect. It¡¯s a waste of money, so how about-¡± ¡°And in exchange, I will use my free time to build two real computers, not just a shiny screen,¡± he pointed over to the tome. Her curiosity clearly peaked. ¡°You will help me get one of them to Edric, and in return, you get to keep the other one. Sounds good?¡± ¡°¡­ Sounds like a deal.¡± Her grin was off putting. ¡°Tell me, Max. What supplies do you need?¡± Chapter 60: What Part-Time Job Can I Do? ¡°Finished ordering?¡± Max asked, as he watched Cy help the robots move the remaining equipment. His sudden question appeared to have surprised him since he dropped the ancient machine. The machine landed on a robot, who had been helping him. It let out a few peeps of complaints before it slowly began levitating with the machine. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Sorry, Jeeves.¡± The robot made a few more peeps to acknowledge the apology. Cy glanced over Elder Nova, who was looking over a supply list given to her by Lurch. ¡°You finished getting registered?¡± Ah fuck, they got so focused on making a secret supply list that they lost track of time. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Elder Nova declared. Did they need to do anything in the first place? ¡°From now on, use the shortcut to this lab.¡± Cy looked lost. ¡°There¡¯s a shortcut?¡± ¡°Just go under the bridge next to the field. You know, the one above the dribble of a stream.¡± Elder Nova¡¯s voice was cold, as Max turned to a puzzled Cy. There was a shortcut so close to Cy¡¯s home? ¡°How long has that shortcut been there?¡± ¡°Since an hour ago. The pair of you will need to come together for the teleport to activate.¡± Elder Nova made eye contact, causing Max to understand. It was made especially for him. ¡°Lurch will see you two out. Your lab will be ready tomorrow.¡± ¡°What else should we do today?¡± Max asked as they passed through the newly made teleport. It was a lot more convenient than marching through the tunnels for half an hour. ¡°I need to check in with Elder Aris in an hour or so.¡± ¡°How about we find you another part-time job? Dad seems to be insisting on it.¡± Max couldn¡¯t deny it. ¡°And I¡¯ll be busy with the lab¡¯s daily reports, so it¡¯ll be better than you sitting around next to me.¡± ¡°How long are the reports?¡± ¡°They¡¯re for Elder Ji-min to process.¡± Cy didn¡¯t need to say anymore. No wonder Cy didn¡¯t seem happy about being responsible for their activities. Max thought for a second as he glanced up at Cy''s raised hood. ¡°Will you be okay with helping me search for a part-time job?¡± Cy looked at him, confused. ¡°What the hell are you talking about? Why wouldn¡¯t I be okay? I live here.¡± On cue, they noticed a column of flames erupting from a match on the training field. ¡°Let¡¯s just avoid there until your check-in time. They won¡¯t have a job for you anyways.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Are you sure she¡¯ll offer me a job?¡± Max asked, as they approached a mansion in the woods. Unlike the other quaint cabins, the building looked like a fortress on the outside. ¡°Elder Obi rejected my application.¡± ¡°They¡¯re always looking for workers and volunteers.¡± Cy dismissed his concern. ¡°You said you were good with kids.¡± Well, he had kids. ¡°It¡¯ll be good for them to speak to someone who understands the world outside of the community a bit better.¡± According to Cy, Tsujuma usually recruited people while they were children. Until they get settled and adopted by another community member or were old enough to be self-sufficient; they lived with Elder Obi. ¡°Can you tolerate crying?¡± ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be fine!¡± Max couldn¡¯t hold back his unamused look. ¡°Raising kids is more difficult than just tolerating cryin-¡± It had only been a fraction of a second, but there was a sudden change in the air. Instinctively, Max reached forward and pulled Cy back before a thick wall of light appeared before them. ¡°Watch out!¡± Cy looked at the wall before suddenly remembering. ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re not registered. I¡¯ll go get Elder Obi-¡± ¡°You are not welcomed here.¡± The wall suddenly lowered to show Elder Obi standing on the other side. Although the wall wasn¡¯t visible anymore, Max had little doubt that the safety feature was still there. From the mansion, Max could see a bunch of children looking down at the excitement below them. Were there no teleports in this place? At first, they looked down with glee before they began pulling faces at the unknown people. A few of them were misting up the windowpane before drawing dicks on the glass. Some things never changed no matter what world you went to. ¡°Leave.¡± Looked like the system didn¡¯t want him here either.
Story Name: Children of the Acorns
Genre: Horror
Description: If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Round up the troops, prepare your believers, overthrow the arrogant adults.
Goal: Install a cult run by children.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Win the love of the kids!
¡°Max said he¡¯s good with kids,¡± Cy tried to convince her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s not disturb the peace.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re good at metal work?¡± The local blacksmith looked down his nose at Max and Cy. He was probably the tallest and buffest man Max had seen in this world. What a monster. It was admirable. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit of experience.¡± Max looked around the workshop. It was a lot cleaner compared to Noah¡¯s. The blacksmith already had two employees, who were running around the smithy. Whilst Noah¡¯s goods piled up on the floor, this smithy looked barely in stock while the employees chucked metal goods into shipping box after shipping box. ¡°I thought you were a farm hand?¡± ¡°Max helped out the local blacksmith in his village,¡± Cy lied for him. Max was a little surprised about his confidence in his abilities but considering how many skills he had shown so far, he guessed it must be expected by now. ¡°Go on, let him have a trial period.¡± The blacksmith looked down at them. ¡°Willing to work for minimum wage?¡± ¡°You can deduct from my wages if I fuck up.¡± Max was going to be swimming with money if these part-time jobs and deals with Elder Nova continued. ¡°We¡¯ll do a trial period tomorrow.¡± The blacksmith held out his hand for Max to accept.
Story Name: A Silver Future
Genre: Crime
Description: After running an underground operation of smuggling precious metals, the MC plans on creating a new empire of profits in faraway lands.
Goal: Create a legendary crime organisation.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î¡î
How to Start: Work at the blacksmiths!
Fuck. The motherfucking system had a twisted sense of goddamn humour. ¡°Sorry, I just remembered I¡¯m allergic to metal. Let¡¯s go, Cy.¡± ¡°Uh, okay?¡± The blacksmith was lost for words as he watched the pair leave. Elder Aris barely acknowledged them as they approached his training field. Another public demonstration of abysmal teaching. Maybe he should stick to musical theory. ¡°Still here?¡± He snorted after they reached him. ¡°Still here,¡± Max looked out into the field. There was still a restriction with Lux¡¯s prompt, but there were many other students in the field and probably a lot of cleaning up after they¡¯re done. Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. ¡°You got a job kicking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be shitting me. You think I would hire you?¡± Even Cy looked perplexed before Max shrugged it off. ¡°Just asking.¡± ¡°Maybe we could bring on another person.¡± The owner of one of the local restaurants sat across from Cy and Max. She had been polite in hearing them out and even offered to pay for their lunch as a welcome home present. ¡°Tell me, how good are you in the kitchen?¡± ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think this is going to work out.¡± Cy rubbed his temples as he leaned against the railing of the oversized, scenic bridge. ¡°Have we tried the local store?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not confident at providing good customer service.¡± The system said no. ¡°Becoming Charon¡¯s apprentice?¡± ¡°Carriage sickness.¡± The system said no. ¡°Helping out at the school?¡± ¡°Elder Obi wouldn¡¯t approve.¡± A genuine reason. ¡°Dog walking?¡± ¡°Dogs usually hate me.¡± The system said no. ¡°Barista?¡± ¡°Too close to cooking.¡± ¡­ ¡°You know¡­ I don¡¯t remember you being a picky bitch when you worked for Bessie.¡± Max just shrugged. ¡°How about assisting Elder Nova?¡± ¡°She¡¯s already paying us.¡± And it would be disadvantageous to stay in one place for so long. In a place like here, movement was key to keeping ahead of trouble. Max thought about it for a moment. ¡°Elder Ji-min offered me-¡± ¡°Tell me you said no!¡± Cy suddenly exclaimed. ¡°I said I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Cy let out a sigh of relief. ¡°He¡¯s been trying to get people to clean that junkyard of his for years. Even if you did manage to clean everything, he won¡¯t change his ways.¡± Wouldn¡¯t that mean more money when it got dirty again? ¡°Well, if we can¡¯t think of anything else¡­¡± Cy thought for a couple of minutes. ¡°Maybe we can convince Bell¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Cy moaned as he watched Farmer Bell toss a handful of feed for his chickens. On the outskirts of the community, Farmer Bell experiments with agricultural related magic on his own. Outsiders were never welcomed. Community members weren''t welcomed either. ¡°Max worked on a farm before. You can work him like a dog.¡± Cy frantically gestured over to Max, who was casually patting one of Farmer Bell¡¯s curious calves. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You can get him from the crack of dawn until lunchtime and then from dusk until midnight. And he¡¯ll work for minimum wage.¡± Farmer Bell gave an unimpressed grunt. ¡°He¡¯ll probably work for even less than minimum wage.¡± ¡°You gonna say somethin¡¯ or you gonna let this one talk for ya?¡± Farmer Bell hollered over at Max. The calf licked his fingers causing Max to snatch them away. It was a matter of time before they would be bitten. Instead of replying with words to Farmer Bell, he just gave a smile with a shrug. The outdoor nature of the job appealed to him, the system had no qualms, and the work was familiar to this body; too bad the bossman was unwilling. ¡°Look at him! He¡¯s a cow whisperer. Just give him a shot-¡± Farmer Bell stared at Max with tiny eyes before murmuring. ¡°He¡¯s a quiet one.¡± Cy saw his opportunity. ¡°You won¡¯t get a peep out of him. Just give the order, and he¡¯ll do it without complaint. Almost any working conditions would be better than the place he worked at before.¡± Max didn¡¯t like hearing Bessie being slandered, but he kept his mouth shut as he resumed petting the calf. ¡°The moment he speaks, you can fire him.¡± ¡°Ya like cows?¡± Farmer Bell ignored Cy as he nodded to the calf. Cy motioned for Max not to say anything, but he could have been air as far as the farmworkers were concerned. ¡°Yes.¡± Cy looked like he could kill him before Farmer Bell continued. ¡°Can ya milk a cow?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Got practice herdin¡¯ them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a name of one of ya¡¯ girls?¡± Max could tell the nature of the question. Did he get personal with his previous herd and endured the hardship which came with raising them? Or did he keep them at a distance for cold profit? ¡°They were named after berries. We had Juniper, Straw, Cran, Goose-¡± ¡°They were named after berries?¡± Cy looked perplexed. ¡°They were Bessie¡¯s berry girls.¡± Farmer Bell gave another grunt. ¡°Ya start at 5.¡± He had a job? ¡°Leave when ya¡¯r done. Come back at 6. Finish when ya finish. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Max ignored the pain coming from his fingers. The calf got a little nibble in the end. Chapter 61: The Butcher’s Boy? The month was almost up, and they had already put in an extension for Max to stay in the community. Based on his good behaviour, contributions to Cy¡¯s magic ability, and the delivery of two freshly invented computers in this world; it was almost guaranteed to be accepted by this point. Their plan for the future was simple. Max and Cy will meet with BB when she returns to port, and then they¡¯ll continue with their progress. Cy¡¯s reading of fates had improved a little. They still couldn¡¯t clearly declare why Max can change fixed fates. Max was no closer to creating a rune that could measure up to Cy¡¯s vision. But Cy was remarkably talented at drawing runes. When Max tried to teach others runes in the past, it was usually met with bitching and complaints. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it working?¡± ¡°The lines look the same?¡± ¡°What do you mean there is a fraction of a millimetre difference?¡± ¡°Who the fuck decided the runes for death and teeth would be nearly identical?¡± Spewing gossip, Cy would dutifully copy incomplete rune after incomplete rune until Max felt confident enough that he wouldn¡¯t kill both of them with a small stroke in the wrong direction. ¡°Did you hear the news?¡± Cy asked, as he tried to copy the incomplete rune for ¡®heart.¡¯ So far, he had been learning the runes deemed as ¡®essential vocabulary¡¯ by Max. Although exposed to the rune for ¡®heal,¡¯ it was far too complicated for him to replicate at the moment. It¡¯ll be a long time until he was ready to reliably heal himself without causing more damage. ¡°The Duke of Landrut will be visiting today.¡± ¡°Why is that name familiar¡­¡± Max muttered, as he stared down at his attempts to discover the runic names for ¡®fate¡¯ and ¡®Cy¡¯s existence.¡¯ The best rune for ¡®fate¡¯ only revealed a very faint colour when Max used it on himself. It was pathetic. The colour wasn¡¯t as accurate compared to the results of Cy¡¯s internal magic. Knowing the broad category of Cy¡¯s red fate wasn¡¯t good enough, he needed to know the exact shade to understand a person¡¯s general purpose in life. ¡°It should be familiar.¡± Cy spun his paper around for Max to inspect. ¡°He owns the land Tsujuma is built on.¡± ¡°Does he? This line is too crooked in all of your attempts.¡± Cy exchanged a look at Lurch, who seemed equally confused before shrugging it off. It was such a minor change compared to the original. Lurch let out a few beeps while hovering slowly towards the door. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for you to go.¡± ¡°Ah, fuck.¡± Max hated having to interrupt his train of thought, but cows were awaiting him. He couldn¡¯t deny that looking after the familiar creatures was his favourite part of the day. ¡°See ya. By the way, Dad is making soup for dinner.¡± Max grunted his acknowledgement before following Lurch out of the lab. He made his way quickly through the community from Elder Nova¡¯s lab to Farmer Bell¡¯s fields. On his way, he made sure to yell at Elder Aris from the other end of the field. Although he never acknowledged his existence, this quick interaction suited both of them. Max hoped that checking-in more than two times a day on a consistent basis would leave a good impression, but there were no fruits from his labour. Just as he was about to go through a portal, a familiar voice called out to him. ¡°Max?¡± Surprise caused him to stop in his tracks and search for the voice. It didn¡¯t take long to spot him. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking believe it, Kurt? The butcher¡¯s boy?¡± Kurt stuck out a fat lip. ¡°It¡¯s Lord Landrut.¡± The butcher¡¯s boy couldn¡¯t help cracking into a smile. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just fucking with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a Lord?¡± ¡°Ah, I am,¡± he rubbed his freckled nose. ¡°Turns out, the duke is my bio Dad.¡± Kurt pointed over to a man who looked as beautiful as the well-groomed horse he was sitting on. The ¡®bio¡¯ father and son pair were nothing alike. One had a long, black, flowing mane. The other had ginger straw. It didn¡¯t seem to matter to the system or the story. ¡°But I¡¯m still Kurt.¡± ¡°Still the butcher¡¯s boy,¡± Max smiled along with him. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s nice to see you, but I need to go to my part-time job¡­¡± ¡°Can I come? I don¡¯t want to stick around and talk to the old Elder.¡± He pointed over to Elder Ji-min. Max nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to talk to him?¡± he asked, while directing Kurt through the teleporter. After going through, it was clear that the ordinary butcher¡¯s boy was now well acquainted with magic. ¡°Is he trying to con you into cleaning his home?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°No? What the fuck? That sounds dodgy as hell.¡± Kurt looked around. Being in the fields must be nostalgic for him too. ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°He keeps talking about me leaving the Dukedom and joining the community. Apparently, I have some innate magic or whatever.¡± ¡°You do?¡± Max couldn¡¯t hide his envy. Kurt¡¯s decision must be a sub-quest or requirement for the story. Hopefully Kurt can make the right choices without a HUD guiding him along to the goal. Kurt merely shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not interested and, as long as the duke owns this land, I don¡¯t have to join¡­ I think. I¡¯m not sure, to be honest. I don¡¯t really get the politics of it all.¡± ¡°As a Lord, shouldn¡¯t you be getting good at politics?¡± Max opened the fence for Kurt to enter. ¡°I need to get this herd into that field.¡± ¡°Let me know if I need to move¡­ I¡¯ve been trying to get into it, but it¡¯s hard. To be honest, I¡¯ve been thinking about renouncing my claim and setting up a butcher¡¯s shop. We¡¯re missing some good meat where we¡¯re at.¡± ¡°In an ideal life, you¡¯ll get your shop and I¡¯ll be your supplier.¡± Max joked as he began getting the obedient girls to move. Farmer Bell treated his stock as queens. The well-fed, well-groomed, and well-massaged girls wiggled their fat bottoms as they gracefully moved to the neighbouring field. ¡°Do you think so?¡± Kurt didn¡¯t seem to think it was a joke. Max tried to think back to the prompt. If he had started a story, then he could access ignored story prompts he¡¯d encountered in his HUD. For now, he was reliant on his memory, which had been bombarded by the stupid tables. Who knew how many stars the story had? It couldn¡¯t be more than two if everything was going smoothly for him. But Max remembered the end goal. ¡°You should probably become the new duke first before opening your shop.¡± Kurt didn¡¯t look pleased with the idea. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier for you to fund your shop during the quiet periods.¡± Kurt thought about it for a moment as he eyed up one of Farmer Bell¡¯s girls. She was damn lucky the butcher¡¯s boy hadn¡¯t opened his shop yet. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve got a point.¡± ¡°And you can get access to better real estate.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°You could even make it an enterprise.¡± Max could see the ambition in his eyes. Time to hurry up the girls. ¡°So, how long have you been here for?¡± Kurt asked, as he threw a handful of chicken feed while Max sorted out one of Farmer Bell¡¯s broken gates. ¡°About a month.¡± ¡°Did you hear about the mayor?¡± The chickens ran to Kurt¡¯s feet, unaware they were standing under a serial killer of their kind. The butcher¡¯s boy would go from a benevolent source of grain to a monster if they knew. ¡°He had a stroke. Luckily, his son managed to find him in time. I heard Bernedette was pissed; she had placed a bet for that day.¡± ¡°How do you know all that?¡± Max was a little perplexed. ¡°Did you keep in contact with your mum?¡± ¡°And my dad,¡± Kurt said, with a nod. ¡°Why do you look so surprised? He might not be my bio dad, but the man raised me for eighteen years and trained me in butchery for my future.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Max focused his face back on the fence, so it was harder to read. ¡°He just didn¡¯t seem like the type to write letters.¡± ¡°To be honest, I thought he was going to cut contact after everything came out. For the first couple of weeks, I didn¡¯t hear anything from him. Because of the shock, I guess. But now, he sends more letters than mum, just about every other day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of letters.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot to talk about apparently. You know, both Adelaide and Aldwin have left the village.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± On cue, Adelaide¡¯s prompt reappeared. ¡°A few days after the mayor¡¯s stroke, Adelaide left some kind of weird note about love before leaving with bags of her clothes. Liv thinks someone helped her pack-up and leave. Some think it was Aldwin.¡± Max gave a snort at the ridiculousness of the idea. ¡°Exactly,¡± Kurt agreed with a smirk of his own. ¡°So, it¡¯s a bit of a mystery right now.¡± ¡°Did Aldwin leave the same day?¡± ¡°Nah, he left the morning after the mayor was found. He was supposed to go to Alan¡¯s farm to help out with a harvest. When he didn¡¯t show up, Alan checked-in on him. Apparently, everything had been left behind.¡± ¡°What do you mean everything? Like all of his clothes and stuff?¡± ¡°I mean everything. All his clothes, food, savings; even the trash was left behind to rot inside his home. Alan said he found some ¡®obscene sketches¡¯ out in the open on his bedside table! It was like he vanished.¡± Max frowned. If Kurt¡¯s gossip was accurate then maybe Max was the last person to see him. Even worse, unlike with Adelaide, there was no prompt to indicate he was still alive. Thinking back, there was never a prompt that was strongly connected to him. It was one of the reasons why it was easier to be friends with him. ¡°It is odd,¡± Max murmured. ¡°I mean, Aldwin¡¯s lived in the village his whole life. Where would he even go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°What about Bessie and Belli?¡± ¡°Bessie and who?¡± Kurt frowned in confusion. ¡°Do you mean Bill?¡± Max fought the embarrassment showing on his face. Why? What the fuck was up with that farmers name? He could remember Farmer Bell just fine, but Farmer Billi was too much for his brain for some reason. ¡°Max¡­ how could you not remember his name? You guys lived together for so long.¡± ¡°I know. I just¡­ misremembered for a second. So, how are they?¡± ¡°Same as normal.¡± The news came as a punch to the gut. Max couldn¡¯t quite put it into words why his answer stung so much. ¡°They finally got a new bunch of heifers as compensation for the ones taken by the aliens.¡± ¡°I guess that would keep them busy.¡± There was a slight bitterness to his voice, but it passed through Kurt¡¯s ears without acknowledgement. ¡°Have they started naming them? Bessie told me she was going to deviate from her pattern of berry girls.¡± ¡°Berry girls?¡± Realisation slowly dawned on Kurt¡¯s face, at least Max didn¡¯t have to put it together for him. How did none of them notice? Perhaps it was because Bessie didn¡¯t seem like the kind of woman who appreciated subtleness. Or even knew subtleness was even an option. Once the surprise faded, a knowing smile was left on his face. ¡°I think she¡¯s moved away from berries. I know some of the names from my dad¡¯s letters. Let¡¯s see¡­ There¡¯s Martha, Mabel, Maisie, Maggie¡­ I think there¡¯s one that¡¯s called Maxine¡­.¡± Max dropped the hammer he was using. ¡°I guess Bessie has a herd of Ma kids now.¡± Chapter 62: By the Pricking of My Thumbs, Something Wicked Finally Comes ¡°Cy? You back yet?¡± Max called out as he entered Darius¡¯s home. Following the strict orders given by Darius, he changed his muddy shoes and outerwear. ¡°You¡¯ll never guess who I ran into in the community. It¡¯s a shame you missed him, maybe next time the butcher¡¯s boy comes-¡± ¡°Quit your yelling!¡± Darius shouted back from the kitchen. Max dragged his feet until he found Darius pulling out some fresh, slightly burnt loaves from the oven. He gave a brief glance at Max¡¯s direction. ¡°Cy ain¡¯t back from the labs yet, boss.¡± There was something about the mood of the room which put Max on edge. The sun had already set. Where was Cy? Usually, he was back before sunset. ¡°Are you sure? We didn¡¯t try anything substantial today¡­ Should I go looking for him?¡± Darius thought about it for a moment. ¡°One of the other Elders might be talking to him about your extension. You¡¯ve still got a few enemies lurking about.¡± They gave each other a hopeful look. It was a nicer suggestion than the most obvious answer. ¡°I thought it was more or less sorted.¡± Max took a seat on the stool located in the far corner of the kitchen. It had been deliberately placed there a few days after his acceptance into the community. Lured by the constant bowl of fresh grapes placed on the windowsill next to the stool, it wasn¡¯t hard for Max to accept it as his own. Being far from the cooking ingredients and tools could only benefit both of them. It was a mutual agreement that was accepted without question. ¡°Elder Aris and Elder Obi are kicking up a fuss,¡± Darius admitted, as he checked the crispiness of the semi-burnt loaves. ¡°But Elder Charaka has swung around with your behaviour. There¡¯ll be no problems even if Elder Edric doesn¡¯t come back for the vote.¡± Max didn¡¯t need to say anything. Both of them knew Elder Edric wasn¡¯t returning to this community, and that Elder Ji-min and Elder Nova¡¯s votes were already bought. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t looking for other ways to get you kicked out.¡± Max took a couple of grapes. ¡°It¡¯s not Elder Aris, I checked-in with him on my way back.¡± It was their normal interaction. A shout met with silence. ¡°Do you think Elder Obi would try to talk to Cy about my application?¡± ¡°Perhaps. She was his mentor before me.¡± Darius made eye contact for a second before turning around and pulling out a couple of onions to cut. Was that a test? To see if he knew from the files? In the last month, Max noticed Darius would sometimes have a strange look or tone in his voice, but he was never too sure about the intentions behind them. ¡°She might ask you two to leave for the greater good of the community.¡± From his time in Tsujuma, a request like that wouldn¡¯t surprise Max. Elder Obi was heavily concerned with raising the youngest members in a beneficial environment. Even though she was usually at odds with Elder Aris for his stricter methodology, the two were in complete agreement about their newest, temporary addition. ¡°What do you think? Should we leave?¡± It was a genuine question. Despite his barbed tongue, Max gained a significant amount of respect for the hairy beast of a man. ¡°I¡¯m meeting a friend in a few days. I could leave with her if you think it was best.¡± Darius didn¡¯t say anything for a bit as he struggled to endure the eye-watering effect of the onions. Max thought his question was going to be ignored, when the silence was suddenly broken. ¡°Are you gonna cause trouble for us, boss?¡± ¡°¡­ I have no plans or intentions of causing trouble.¡± Just as Darius was going to reply. They heard the front door to the house slam open. They waited patiently for the peacekeeper to come and alleviate the situation, but there was only another slam after a few minutes. The two exchanged looks. ¡°I¡¯ll go see if he¡¯s-¡± There was another slam. Cy came out of his room already? Max kept himself preoccupied with his grapes as Darius dutifully chopped the onions, which had already turned to mush from over processing. Neither said anything or made eye contact with Cy as he marched into the kitchen with his hood covering his face again. Mechanically, he took some snacks from the cupboard before leaving. Not a word was spoken until they heard another slam of a door. It was irritating. Why was everyone willing to turn a blind eye to trouble within this goddamn community? Having to play ignorant in order to keep the peace¡­ It made Max feel sick with anger whenever he thought about it. But what could he do? Especially since Cy never acknowledged it or indicated he wanted help. The only thing Cy asked him to do was avoid getting in trouble over the last month. Max complied with this request. But how many times had it been? Sometimes the peace shouldn¡¯t be kept- ¡°Maybe you should cause a little trouble, boss. How about we make a little agreement? One between you and this humble one?¡± Max kept his face turned towards the windowpane, as he pretended to look outside at the Autumn leaves. If this angered Max, then it must be infuriating for an overprotective father. ¡°Who in Elder Aris¡¯s bunch? Lux?¡± ¡°Bingo. Seems like you¡¯re already one step ahead, boss.¡± ¡°How much are you willing to look the other way?¡± ¡°Depends on how much you are thinking about.¡± Well, that wasn¡¯t helpful. ¡°But for some reason, the clacking of heels keep ringing in my ears. You wouldn¡¯t know anything about that, would you, boss?¡± Max struggled to keep the smile threatening to twitch up into his face. It seemed like Cy wasn¡¯t the only one with a silver tongue. ¡°I¡¯m sure we can come to an exchange for your efforts.¡± Max thought about it for a second while all the system prompts surrounding Cy, Darius, and Tsujuma went off like a siren in his vision. He was curious, but now wasn¡¯t the time to ask his desired questions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said, as he plucked another grape. ¡°Think of it as a gift. A present for letting me stay here.¡± ¡°My, my, aren¡¯t you generous?¡± Cy made his way quickly through the teleports with his hood covering his face, choosing to head home instead of his usual route. Ever since leaving the labs, he felt the horrible sensation something was following him. But he couldn¡¯t see any fates around him. The tension from the unknown pressure made him reluctant to continue his route, so he decided to take sanctuary in the courtyard outside of the Elders¡¯ Hall, where Max had his trial. If anything were to happen, at least one Elder would be nearby to help. Cautious, Cy began searching through his pockets. It didn¡¯t take long for him to find a slip of parchment in his magic pocket. It caused his blood to run cold. There were runes on it. Did Max put it in there, hoping he wouldn¡¯t find it? What did these runes do? Cy couldn¡¯t recognise any of them. Since Max broke the rules set on him, should he report it to the Elders? Stolen story; please report. ¡°What a surprise to see you here, freak.¡± Cy only briefly glanced up to see Lux coming out of the Elders¡¯ Hall. Elder Aris must be the Elder inside right now. As big of a problem as Lux was, the parchment full of runes was a bigger issue at the moment. ¡°What you got there?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Cy didn¡¯t hesitate to ignite the parchment, covering for Max. ¡°I was just leaving.¡± Cy was about to walk away when he suddenly smelled heat. Instinctively, he teleported himself five meters backwards before he could get injured by the sudden thick wall of flames blocking the exit. ¡°There you are!¡± Cy and Lux jumped out of their skin as the flames went down to reveal Max. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking all over for you.¡± The former friends exchanged a confused glance with each other. Max wasn¡¯t there a moment ago. How did he suddenly appear without any magical assistance? ¡°Bell gave me the day off, so I thought¡­ What¡¯s going on here?¡± Max couldn¡¯t hold back his smile from the situation. ¡°We were having a little talk. That¡¯s all.¡± Lux¡¯s voice was just as gruff as his mentor¡¯s.
Story Name: Prophecy
Genre: Adventure
Description: The prophesied hero must receive proper training from the MC if they want to save everyone.
Goal: Achieve victory at any cost.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡î¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Offer to teach Lux!
Story Name: Yggdrasil
Genre: Fantasy
Description: After growing for centuries in a magic rich land, the sacred tree has finally chosen who is to receive its divine power.
Goal: Rewrite the meaning of magic.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: Touch the tree!
Good, it was still there. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cy put up his hood for a dramatic exit. The moment he walked past Max, he suddenly found himself being pulled closer. ¡°Play along,¡± he whispered before increasing the volume of his voice for Lux to barely hear. ¡°Are you really not going to tell him?¡± ¡°What?¡± Cy couldn¡¯t hide his confusion. ¡°I mean, if it¡¯s connected to his fate then doesn¡¯t he have a right to know?¡± ¡°A right to know what?¡± Lux barked at them. Max pretended to make eye contact while gesturing to a still Cy, who was at a loss about what was going on, before finally speaking in a loud voice towards Lux. ¡°Didn¡¯t Cy tell you about your fate?¡± ¡°What about my fate?¡± ¡°Max¡­ What are you doing?¡± ¡°I just think he has a right to know. You said he was meant to be a prophesied hero, right?¡± ¡°How did you¡­¡± ¡°I already know.¡± Lux¡¯s posture and voice was cocky. ¡°Little Cyrus had been spouting that reading since the moment we first met.¡± Clearly, the words were dear to his heart. A true believer. A gullible fool. Max pulled a face. Neither of them quite knew the meaning. ¡°If he told you then why haven¡¯t you done it already?¡± ¡°Done what?¡± Whispering again, but in a loud enough voice for Lux to barely hear. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him about that magic tree? The whatchamacallit?¡± Max pointed over to the mystic tree in the courtyard. ¡°The Yggdrasil tree? What about it?¡± ¡°Well, how¡¯s he supposed to become a prophesied hero if he doesn¡¯t get the divine power from touching the tree?¡± Cy glanced over at the tree again. ¡°How do you know that? The Yggdrasil tree isn¡¯t ready for us to harvest anyway-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you told me it was that tree-¡± Max dropped the act and regained his smile when the ground began to shake. Above them, the sky turned into a rich pink shade as a divine light shot into the air. Lux had touched the Yggdrasil tree. Running out of the Elders¡¯ Hall, Elder Aris looked confused as he took in the situation. He was about to launch an attack at Max and Cy¡¯s direction before realising Lux was under the Yggdrasil tree. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The divine light subsided, and the sky returned to normal as Lux instinctively retracted his hand from the sound of his mentor¡¯s voice. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Lux looked lost as he glanced over at Cy for answers. ¡°It looks like Lux got some divine power from the Yggdrasil tree.¡± Max offered as an answer. It was exactly what it looked like. ¡°Maybe he should get checked out by Elder Charaka.¡± Elder Aris grunted in agreement. ¡°You two wait here. I have questions.¡± The mentor began dragging his confused, but elated pupil away in search for another Elder to help with the situation. Out of earshot, but in sight, the Elders raced together by the exit of the courtyard so they could examine Lux¡¯s state properly. Max noticed how silent Cy was after Lux accidentally started a five-star story. It was a blessing doomed to turn into a tragedy. A future practically set for a bitter end without Max doing anything directly. ¡°His fate changed.¡± Cy finally said something, but his voice sounded shaky in disbelief as his hood turned to Max. Max had a hunch where the disbelief was coming from. For a moment, his mask slipped completely, and he couldn¡¯t contain the cockiness within. ¡°Since he¡¯s such a ¡®prophesied hero,¡¯ I¡¯d give him a week. Wait¡­ no, five days.¡± ¡°Three days, huh.¡± Max struggled to contain the bitter laughter threatening to erupt. He kept himself perched in the corner of the kitchen, behaving like a model citizen. ¡°I thought a prophesied hero blessed by the Yggdrasil tree would do something great. How can he lose control of a spell and die within three days of receiving such power?¡± Even the shepherd boy lasted longer than three days. ¡°An unfortunate consequence of a divine blessing, boss.¡± Darius shared his suppressed jovial mood. ¡°Usually, we harvest the power and distribute it, but it seems like the tree bloomed unnaturally quickly this time. Such a tragic accident.¡± Max turned his face, so they couldn¡¯t see the grin beginning to spread. It was distasteful taking out a local inhabitant. But in his own perception, he had been kind. Max had given Lux the opportunity to become the main character of a story and gain a phenomenal amount of power. It wasn¡¯t his fault if it all just blew up in his face. The one who should be celebrating the most sat in silence at the kitchen table. Cy¡¯s hood was down, and he kept his gaze on the half-burnt breads in front of him. Occasionally, his eyes would flick up at Max¡¯s reflection in the darkened window. Lux¡¯s death date had changed the moment he started the five-star story. Max enjoyed the setting sun as he finished repairing the last of Farmer Bell¡¯s damaged gates. Looking over the fields, it was peaceful to see the cows grazing. Everything was right in the world for a moment. Max had a temporary home and two jobs. Cy¡¯s magic was steadily improving, his next treatment was already arranged, and he could finally relax in his own home. Edric was here and busy playing boss with his followers. Darius was warming up to Max. Lux was dead. The Elders were set to approve his extension. Delrid solved his riddle. Elder Nova got her computer. BB was coming back in three days. Kurt, the butcher¡¯s boy, wasn¡¯t dead. And, Bessie had her Ma girls. For the time being, Max had a rare moment of peace.
Story Name: ???
Genre: ???
Description: ???
Goal: ???
Difficulty: ???
How to Start: Cy is still alive when the sun rises!
¡­ Fuck¡­ Chapter 64: DANGER. On the way back from Farmer Bell¡¯s, Max barely paid any attention to his surroundings as his gaze was focused on the only prompt presented by the system. There was so much redacted from the prompt, leaving almost no wiggle room. Working with only the starting method meant there were two ways he could think of to avoid this one. Either Cy dies or the sun didn¡¯t rise¡­ ever, or at least until he could figure out a way to get the prompt to disappear. ¡°Anyone home?¡± Max asked, as he let himself into Darius¡¯s home. There was no reply. It wasn¡¯t the time to panic, he reassured himself as he changed his muddy clothes. At least the system had given him until morning to figure out a way around it. The house was cold and vacant. Max made his way into the abandoned kitchen. It was a little odd, usually Cy or Darius would be home by now. What time was it? Eight? Nine at night? Darius must be busy if he hadn¡¯t even nipped home to lay out their dinner for today. Considering Lux¡¯s recent death, then perhaps it wasn¡¯t too odd that an Elder and a witness would be busy. Elder Ji-min probably had mounds of paperwork for them to complete. Max began raiding the cupboard for something to eat. On cue, he heard a noise in the other part of the house. ¡°I¡¯m not cooking!¡± He shouted nonchalantly, while he looked for something to satiate his hunger. There was a couple of beeps in reply causing him to turn in surprise. ¡°What the? Ah, Lurch.¡± He greeted the familiar robot, who was carrying a stack of papers. It must be Cy¡¯s report of their experiments today. As part of the agreement between him and Elder Nova, Max was given the opportunity to read and alter the reports so he could ensure Elder Ji-min or anyone else who read them couldn¡¯t learn more about runes. ¡°Just dump them in my room like normal.¡± Max turned back to the cupboard. ¡°Hey, do you know where Darius or Cy are at-¡± ¡°DANGER.¡± Max looked at the little robot, who had disobeyed and thrown the report all over the floor. Another thing was off about the situation. Where was the prompt warning him not to teach other people runes? No one else could take on that story about from Cy. Did he tell others? Or had it been cancelled? The prompt calling for Cy to live weighed heavy on his mind. ¡°Lurch, where¡¯s Cy at?¡± ¡°DANGER.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s not helpful.¡± Max felt irritated. He turned back to the cupboard. Surprised by Lux¡¯s death, Cy had been too on edge for Max to slip another tracking rune into his pocket filled with trash. He still didn¡¯t know Cy¡¯s runic name or the name of his unique magic either. Fuck. Nothing else to do but go looking for him. ¡°Let me just get a couple of snacks then-¡± There were heavier movements coming from the dark corridor. Finally, some good news. ¡°I¡¯m not cooking!¡± Max repeated, as he reached up for some dried fruit. ¡°By the way, have you seen Cy?¡± ¡°Why would I give a shit about you cooking?¡± Suddenly, Max understood the little robot¡¯s message from Elder Nova. Looking down, Lurch was cowering by his feet next to the bags of flour causing them to spill on the floor. ¡°Sorry, I thought you were Darius,¡± Max turned to see a furious Elder Aris in the kitchen. He offered out the jar of dried fruit to him. ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°Has it been fun?¡± ¡°Fun?¡± ¡°Playing an amnesiac? I know for sure now that you¡¯re a disgusting Nnita.¡± Max frowned as he took out one of the dried apricots. It had been a hot minute since he was last directly accused. Despite his words, Elder Aris must still have some reservations. Otherwise why were they talking? ¡°What did you do to Lux?¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to him.¡± ¡°Fucking lair-¡± ¡°Then what did I do?¡± Max provoked him, as he leaned against the kitchen top. Lurch was still shaking at the bottom of the cupboard. The spilled flour was spreading. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch him. Nor did I use any runes. What exactly are you accusing me of doing?¡± ¡°You knew about the Yggdrasil tree being in bloom! You told him-¡± ¡°So? That doesn¡¯t mean I knew he wasn¡¯t going to be able to handle the divine power. Wasn¡¯t he your model pupil? Shouldn¡¯t you be the one at fault if he wasn¡¯t disciplined enough in handling raw magic?¡± Elder Aris looked like he was going to pop a vein in anger. ¡°So, tell me. Why is this my fault?¡± ¡°Because Elder Darius said it was your fault.¡± ¡­ What? Darius sold him out? Max was about to respond when he suddenly heard a grainy radio starting. Elder Aris also looked confused. ¡°What¡¯s going-¡± ¡°Shut your goddamn mouth. It¡¯s an emergency broadcast.¡± Max complied, as his foot began to trace a rune in the spilt flour. Why was there suddenly an emergency broadcast? It made sense for the community to have some kind of spell like this in place. But the lack of prompts from the system unsettled him. Why was only Cy¡¯s story appearing before him? ¡°Is it working this time?¡± Darius¡¯s voice was clear. They could hear someone else talking away from the microphone, but Max couldn¡¯t pinpoint who. ¡°This is an emergency broadcast. Repeat, this is an emergency. Tsujuma has been infiltrated by a Nnita called Max-¡± It was good enough for Elder Aris, who launched an explosive attack in Max¡¯s direction. Prepared by a few seconds, Max completed the rune causing the flour in the bags to erupt and scatter through the air. The cloud of flour ignited the moment Elder Aris¡¯s spell hit it, while Max dodged the sudden explosion as much as he could. Thank goodness for all of the protective runes he had written around the house. Giving the local people slim chances to succeed against the system was one thing, but outright murder was distasteful. Elder Aris would¡¯ve been killed if those runes weren¡¯t there. Too bad the runes didn¡¯t protect robots. Taking advantage of the confusion, Max took a shard of glass from a broken Lurch¡¯s face to cut his hand. His blood dripped onto the kitchen floor causing the walls and floors of the home to ignite in a series of different shaped runes and colours. It was a pretty sight. This was the power of runes if given enough time to harvest magic from strong sources. Darius¡¯s home had become one of the many batteries now activating all of the once hidden runes around the community. ¡°What did you do?¡± A charred Elder Aris struggled to move but found his limbs were frozen in place. As a precaution, Max hadn¡¯t used the same method as he had demonstrated in the magic assessment. The source of this one was a singular mandala of runes drawn under Darius¡¯s garbage bin. It was specifically in case someone completely identical to Elder Aris¡¯s physical description acted violently. ¡°Shhh-¡± Max focused on the broadcast. ¡°That¡¯s what a system is,¡± Darius continued. He explained the system?! If it were broadcasted to the whole community, then he was doomed to get a severe penalty from the number of listeners. What was the point? ¡°It persuades people, who remember being reincarnated, into doing its bidding for the sake of a ¡®story.¡¯ There is no reward for their compliance, but heavy deterrents are in place in case they disobey. Remember all, we need to keep this to ourselves otherwise we¡¯ll be afflicted by a penalty too.¡± There was a cough. A harsh cough. Could it be a penalty already coming into place? ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Max asked Elder Aris, who seemed equally perplexed by their situation. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Now, the system is asking for Cyrus¡¯s death. And Max intends to deliver.¡± There was another cough. Max couldn¡¯t hide his shock from Elder Aris. Darius, Cy or Elder Ji-min must¡¯ve realised Cy¡¯s fate had changed. Which also made Max realise he had made up his mind about what to do if he couldn¡¯t find the wiggle room. Still, why tell everyone about the system? Sure, send the dogs after Max being responsible for Cy¡¯s potential death. Fine. Fair enough. But why give a shout out for the system? Was the father-son duo planning on going down together? ¡°You motherfucker, is he right?¡± There was a strange amount of disappointment in his face. Had he actually been softening to Max¡¯s good behaviour? ¡°But we mustn¡¯t let this happen. Tsujuma is now in emergency mode. Follow your protocols.¡± The transmission was suddenly cut. Chapter 65: Give Up What the fuck just happened? Darius told the community about the system? The whole community? Now everyone knew who Max was? What the system expected him to do? What he intended to do if he couldn¡¯t think of something better? ¡°Why?¡± The question slipped out his mouth as he tried to process what happened. The stuck Elder Aris was baffled as well. His panicked gaze showed his desperation to regain control. Finally, his mouth moved. ¡°Is he right?¡± The question caught Max off-guard. ¡°You¡¯ve been painting me as a villain for weeks. Now that someone agrees with you, you¡¯re questioning it? Of course, he¡¯s right!¡± ¡°¡­Can you stop Elder Darius from getting a penalty?¡± Max didn¡¯t like his tone. It felt like Elder Aris was trying to bargain Cy¡¯s life for Darius¡¯s. Lucky for him, Max wasn¡¯t willing to let the system completely have its way. ¡°Sometimes you can lessen it. I heard Darius first learned about us when he was a kid. He saw some poor sucker¡¯s soul and learned about the system. Since he was so young, he has no clue who the guy was¡­ Is what I heard true?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Then not much we can do from here.¡± Max shrugged, before he headed for the exit of the kitchen. ¡°Where the fuck are you going? Come back here! Are you listening to me, fucker?¡± It was easy to ignore the curse riddled shouting. They were slowly becoming even for all the times Max shouted at him only to be met with silence. Stepping out of Darius¡¯s front door, Max wasn¡¯t surprised to see the bare and gloomy looking forest. If it weren¡¯t for the glowing runes covering the ground, tree bark, and stones; it would¡¯ve been creepy. The filter had broken from the pressure of the runes. All that was left was the real face of Tsujuma. Once teleports, a series of bare stone arches replaced all the cabins. They must¡¯ve deactivated all of the teleports apart from the one to Darius¡¯s house to slow his progress. Max looked around at the work he had done over the last few weeks. Colour-coded and organised, he had outdone himself without the use of internal magic. The now glowing, green runes were demonstrating some of the natural magic they had been passively harvesting from the environment over the last month. Activated by his blood being spilt, the runes had a gentle hum as they worked in unison while tapping into the pool of harnessed power. There were three tanks of the harvested magic power. The first is connected to the pink runes, which were tracking inhabitants within his space. It was the latest edition. Max was pleased to see the repeat in an area command was working so well. The second tank powered the orange and yellow runes. The orange ones gave him a moderate amount of internal magic until the supply was used up. Every time he made contact with an orange rune, it was like getting a shot of internal magic. The yellow runes were enticing the local tree nymphs, who should already understand Max was the source. Just like how the wyvern followed Edric, they were obedient to him. The dryads were a low cost option he had installed while working on the pink runes. The last and the biggest pool of power was for emergencies. It powered the blue lines running like a wide grid, offering slow healing with contact. Lastly, it also charged the red runes, which were the only ones not glowing. It was a good sign. A death was yet to occur. It had been so much effort. Using the charm Edric gave Max and a slips of spare parchment from Elder Nova, Max could have a few minutes undetected by Darius and unaffected by the filter. Most mornings, he would wake up early to draw a few runes into the land beyond his balcony. Waiting for Darius to come home or while Cy was in his room, he took the chance to doodle runes in Darius¡¯s dusty cooking books. Stepping out to grab drinks for Cy in the labs meant drawing a few runes on the equipment while waiting for the water to boil. Taking the long way to Farmer Bell¡¯s gave him a chance to scratch a few runes into the trees. Working part-time also meant genetically modifying the livestock to have scarring runes internally. Even going to shout at Elder Aris gave him an opportunity to vandalise various things on the way. All that effort for a situation he had hoped would never arrive. Max sensed the danger before it was made clear for him. Instinctively, he made a barrier around him before he began hearing small clicks. It was like pebbles being thrown against a window. Looking down, he could see some damage being done to the soil, but it wasn¡¯t disrupting the runes. As long as the tanks of magic power remain, the runes will redraw themselves. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The source of the damage was puzzling before Elder Obi and Elder Ji-min came into view. Behind him, a burned Elder Aris emerged from Darius¡¯s home. The enchanted glass beads of Elder Obi may not be having much luck against the runes outside, but it was enough to help Elder Aris regain control. Thinking back, Max forgot to connect Elder Aris¡¯s binding rune to his rebuilding network. Looking at the angry and confused eyes around him, Max couldn¡¯t help muttering, ¡°¡­ I guess my extension is going to be rejected.¡± ¡°Leave our-¡± Elder Obi began before Elder Ji-min gestured for her to stop. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this Max? Why are you suddenly after Cyrus? I know you don¡¯t want to, so give up. Let us help you.¡± Max looked at them confused. ¡°Cy? Right now, Cy¡¯s a low priority. He can wait until sunrise. I need to get to Darius. If I get to him quickly-¡± ¡°He can¡¯t reverse a penalty.¡± Elder Aris declared. He was itching to resume fighting but was clearly waiting for a cue. Elder Ji-min gave a slow nod. There wasn¡¯t time for this¡­ ¡°I understand your concern-¡± ¡°Good, then stay out of-¡± ¡°But you needn¡¯t be concerned. Elder Charaka is with him.¡± The news was a bit of a relief to hear. Darius still had a real chance if Max got to them quickly. ¡°Great, just point me in his direction-¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let you.¡± Max looked at the Elders in disbelief. While it was true that they were right about him lying the whole time, surely, how could they doubt his abilities? ¡°I can help.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t want your help.¡± Elder Obi butted in. ¡°Why aren¡¯t the curses working?¡± Elder Aris barked behind him at Elder Ji-min. There was accusation in his voice. ¡°I thought you said they transferred properly?¡± ¡°It did¡­¡± Max felt a little bad staring down at the old man. Regardless, now wasn¡¯t the time for this. He lifted the bottom left-hand side of his shirt to show one of the many runes that was tattooed into his skin. The Elder¡¯s mouths were agape as they pieced together what happened. Powered by whatever outside source which made contact with the wearer, the rune was a converter. ¡°The raw magic got absorbed. The specifics of the spells were left behind¡­ You shouldn¡¯t have let Darius tell me beforehand.¡± The moment their awkward breakfast was over, Max rushed back into his room and used the charm to hide from Darius while he added one more new addition to his skin. It had been a pointless rush. Cy wasn¡¯t feeling great, so he took his sweet time getting ready to go to Haiddeck¡¯s house. ¡°How did you¡­?¡± Elder Ji-min was at a loss for words. Elder Aris didn¡¯t have this problem. ¡°Elder Darius or Elder Charaka never mentioned him having any tattoos.¡± While the men stood puzzled, Elder Obi sneered in understanding. ¡°We have a rat amongst us.¡± ¡°¡­ A few,¡± Max admitted without giving specifics. ¡°If you let me go to Darius, I¡¯ll tell-¡± ¡°Everyone who had voted for you to stay must be involved.¡± Elder Obi¡¯s angry gaze turned to the bewildered elder. She gestured to Elder Ji-min to leave. ¡°Go. Now. Redeem yourself by causing no more harm to the innocent here.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Max declared as raised his hand. It was a simple gesture causing efficient consequences as a rune, glowing from Max¡¯s new internal magic, appeared in the sky above them. The three Elders around him found themselves suddenly glued to the floor. In particular, Elder Ji-min had taken the fall hard. His aging, frail body clearly struggled to endure the sudden impact as he let out a sharp groan in pain. Max would¡¯ve been concerned if it he hadn¡¯t coincidentally landed on a blue line. Glancing behind him, he saw Elder Aris was on another line. They¡¯ll be back to normal by morning. ¡°Stay here and out of the way. You lot are good at turning a blind eye, so keep it up for a bit longer. This¡¯ll all be over before the sunrises.¡± After teleporting away, Max took the time to draw a line of his blood onto the pink runes causing some of the runes to disperse and a crude map open before him. Each little dot on the map indicated a living human. The more Max looked at the map, the more he realised his mistakes. The map didn¡¯t encompass as much as he had hoped. He either made a mistake or forgot to add a label indicator onto the runes, so he didn¡¯t know which dot was who. Lastly, there were so many clusters of dots. He presumed one was the Elder Obi¡¯s orphanage and the other was Elder Charaka¡¯s hospital, but he had no idea what the rest were. ¡°Ah, fuck¡­ Alright, come on out. Ah, only one will do.¡± Max was too late as several tree nymphs tried to rip themselves out of the trees. They had been impatiently waiting for the opportunity to show themselves once the runes had been casted. ¡°No, come on. Please stop.¡± Max watched the dryads begin to fight around him as they showed each other back into their trees. This was the problem with using creatures like them. Not the brightest bunch. ¡°You.¡± Max pointed at a random dryad. Three tree nymphs in the same direction pointed at themselves. ¡°Yeah, sure, whatever. You three come here. The rest go back.¡± The unlucky dryads grumbled nonsensical words to themselves as they made their way back into their home. Max gestured to his map and spoke slowly and clearly. ¡°This is a map. I need to find someone. The person I want is the hairy man I was living with.¡± The tree nymphs gave a confused look. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m looking for one hairy man and one old man who are near each other.¡± More confusion. ¡°One hairy man and one old man together.¡± Finally, the message clicked. ¡°Can you find them for me?¡± The tree nymphs turned to the other trees to start the whisper. As dumb as they were, the tree nymphs were excellent at being eyes in a wooded area. It only took a few seconds for the whisper to return. The dryads began pointing at various positions in the map. How can there be so many people like them together? ¡°Wait, wait,¡± Max sighed in frustration. ¡°Let me change my request. Is there a dying hairy man and an old man together?¡± All the dryads moved in unison to point out three glowing dots on the top of one of the mountains. Luckily, Elder Edric was gone. Elders Ji-min, Aris, and Obi were here. And Darius and Elder Charaka was somewhere together¡­ Was the last dot Elder Nova? ¡°Thanks. You can go now.¡± Chapter 66: Refusing to Bend Max shivered in the cold. Darius being at the top of a mountain meant teleporting into a snowy landscape. The runes glowing beneath the snow was pleasing to look at and helped illuminate anything hiding in the dark night. It didn¡¯t take him long to find a place where he could be. Standing out in the white landscape was a large, stone building. The shape was odd and unnatural. If Elder Charaka was with him, then they probably sought shelter while he dealt with the penalty from the system. Max didn¡¯t hesitate to turn the knob. Things clicked in his mind as he realised where he was. It was Elder Ji-min¡¯s home. No wonder it was so cold. While Max ventured through the familiar, cluttered corridor, he decided to make his presence known. He would probably get an aggressive welcome. ¡°Darius? You there?¡± There was no prompt aside from Cy¡¯s. Why was it the only prompt? ¡°I¡¯m here to help with the penalty.¡± Despite the restricted tank of power, Max didn¡¯t hesitate to cast down magic into the floor causing runes to split into a pathway leading to whatever life was in these cold walls. Time was the most important resource right now. Following the trail, he hurried past the living room where he signed an ungodly number of papers. ¡°Darius? Where are you?¡± Max followed the trail down into a basement. Opening the door to a cellar made Max chuckle slightly as he saw a glowing tank. Turned out Elder Nova was right. Beside the floating body preserved in a clear chemical, he saw Darius hunched over on the floor. Seriousness returned to Max¡¯s face. ¡°There you are. I heard you coughing on the transmission. What were you think-¡± Seeing the orange runes suddenly pulse, Max dodged backwards. He was lucky to escape being caught up in the wave of energy causing all to explode in its path. A moment later, Max would¡¯ve ended up like Darius¡¯s bread, half-burnt. ¡°Charon take away Elder Charaka,¡± Darius commanded. They must¡¯ve used some kind of illusion magic. Max didn¡¯t move as he held his hands up, just like he always did in Darius¡¯s kitchen to show he wasn¡¯t cooking. Removing a healer and transporter from the situation was probably best in the long run. They were more useful in getting other members as far away from the conflict as they possibly could. Max winced when Darius let out a hearty cough. ¡°Let me help you.¡± Darius spat out a mouthful of blood before punching instead of wiping the residue from his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help, boss.¡± There was an unfamiliar aggressiveness to his voice. ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Max snapped his fingers causing the runes above them to appear as a giant, neutralising rune covering the space of the room. All before Darius could cast his next spell. Max quickly looked around the room to ensure Cy hadn¡¯t been teleported to them. His feelings were a little torn. Was he relieved to not find him there or disappointed? ¡°What were you think-¡± The punch to the face was unexpected, but not unwelcome. ¡°You got some nerve appearing in front of me, boss.¡± Darius let out a few more coughs. Instead of taking advantage of the situation by getting a few of his own hits in, Max merely guided the spluttering man gently to the floor. He rubbed the back of the coughing man, like a parent comforting a child in a tantrum. ¡°You¡¯re going to go the cowardly route?¡± Darius shouted in his ear before erupting into more coughs. ¡°Everyone here is so desperate to fight,¡± Max murmured in reply. It wasn¡¯t too hard to find some ink within the cluttered basement. Darius tried to resist, but his bloody coughs kept interfering. Max drew a couple runes on one of the few places devoid of hair, the palm of Darius¡¯s hand. The moment the first rune was complete, Darius¡¯s chest flared up in a red glow. The next rune ensured the man couldn¡¯t more his arms or legs willingly. ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°Looks like a severe penalty.¡± Mux tutted. ¡°Probably an infectious one. If we¡¯re lucky, Elder Charaka and Charon won¡¯t be contagious until tomorrow.¡± Another thing to check before he left the community for good. ¡°Infectious?¡± ¡°Severe penalties tend to spread¡­ I guess the intension is to hopefully eliminate some of the people who now know about the system. Luckily, those not penalised are usually curable if caught in time.¡± Max explained, as he tried to readjust the rune above them to allow the predesigned blue runes to become functional again. ¡°Boss¡­ Are you finally admitting to knowing about the system?¡± Max did a double check that Cy¡¯s prompt was the only one active still. ¡°I am.¡± Before Darius could reply, they both jumped from the sudden grainy sound of the emergency transmission. This time, it was Elder Obi¡¯s voice coming through. Someone must¡¯ve picked up those three from the floor. ¡°This is an emergency broadcast. We received verbal confirmation about Cyrus being the victim chosen by the system. Max¡¯s intended completion time appears to be linked to the sun rising. As of now, Max is being watched by Elder Darius.¡± Elder Charaka and Charon must¡¯ve reached them. ¡°Begin procedure E.¡± The transmission was cut. ¡°Procedure E?¡± Max asked, finally resetting the runes above. All forms of magic not connected to healing or Max¡¯s new internal magic from the orange runes were automatically neutralised. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Darius didn¡¯t hesitate to explain. ¡°Mass evacuation of unrelated people.¡± ¡°Ah, good. Let¡¯s get you patched up while they¡¯re figuring that out.¡± A weakened Darius tried to fight as Max returned to examining him. ¡°How on earth do you have so much goddamn hair? It¡¯s hard to see your skin.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that we¡¯ll evacuate Cyrus with them?¡± Max froze for a moment before resuming his assessment. Whatever kind of rash that was lurking beneath the hair was beginning to spread. The blue lines weren¡¯t strong enough to keep them at bay. ¡°Hold on, we¡¯re going to do something gross. You¡¯re lucky. I¡¯ve got a good blood type this time.¡± He began rummaging through the equipment next to the tank. Why couldn¡¯t this be a world with plastic? ¡°What do you think, boss?¡± ¡°About what? You evacuating Cy? I mean, you could. The question just becomes how far away you can get him-¡± ¡°About that.¡± Max stopped searching to see Darius pointing at the glowing tank with Niv¡¯s body floating peacefully in it. Darius tried regaining control of his limbs. ¡°Stop moving and stay on the blue lines.¡± Max barked at him before turning his attention back to sterilising his chosen scalpels. There was a distinct bitterness in his voice as he spoke. ¡°The prompt I need to avoid says: Cy is still alive when the sun rises. That¡¯s what I¡¯m working with¡­ Please tell me you didn¡¯t get a penalty just to bring me all the way here for that tank.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we put Cyrus in there and then revive him-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Max dismissed the idea flatly. ¡°Niv¡¯s body may be well preserved, but his soul or whatever is on the inside is gone, right? That¡¯s the more important part. It¡¯s easy to rebuild a body. Getting back the same person isn¡¯t as easy-¡± ¡°But someone like you can do it¡­ What the fuck as you doing?¡± Darius watched Max make a small incision before wrapping the blade at an angle to keep the wound open before. He turned to him, while holding another sterilised scalpel. Max waved his finger to alter the palm runes as he instructed, ¡°Hold out your arm and part the hair.¡± His request was only met with blunt refusal. ¡°No! What the hell-¡± ¡°You can see my past lives, and you¡¯re still doubting me?¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to subdue a weakened Darius and making him comply until they had matching open incisions. Max moved so he wasn¡¯t on a blue line. Using some of the magic which had been injected into him earlier by the orange runes, he got the blood from his arm to smoothly flow into Darius¡¯s. The blue lines suddenly intensified around Darius. ¡°These lines,¡± Max gestured to the blue, ¡°provide light passive healing properties to someone when they¡¯re in direct contact. Your penalty is too aggressive for them to have much effect.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re giving me blood. You didn¡¯t seem like the sharing type, boss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m manipulating my own runes into thinking you are me.¡± It was an emergency plan in place in case intense injuries occurred, either for Max or for others. ¡°We¡¯re going to be here for a while,¡± Max thought aloud. How many hours did he have until the sun was up? What time was it now. Darius let out a tired grunt, but his coughing had already lessened dramatically. ¡°So, we¡¯re just stuck like this until help comes?¡± ¡°The runes only partially recognise you,¡± Max said dismissively. He took a seat on the cold floor. ¡°Once the runes are shining, I¡¯ll get going.¡± ¡°They¡¯re already shining?¡± ¡°Clearly not enough. Come on, Darius, I thought you were smarter than that.¡± A few minutes of awkward silence trickled past. ¡°¡­ You really can¡¯t revive Cyrus if we put him in that tank?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Max admitted. ¡°That¡¯s just part of the problem though. The system has been obsessed with Cy ever since I met him. First, I couldn''t ignore him. Then I couldn''t let him die. After coming here, it changed to being about Cy learning about the system from me¡­ When I learned about his heart issue, it banned me from curing his penalty...¡± Darius raised an eyebrow. ¡°There¡¯s never been a moment when a story wasn¡¯t directly connected with him. And until now, there has never been a moment when it wasn¡¯t in competition with other prompts. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing right now. No other prompts competing with Cy¡¯s in trying to get me to start something. Your prompt is gone. The prompt limiting me to who I can teach runes to is gone. Even the prompts trying to convince me to create havoc are nowhere to be seen. You have an idea about how cold the system is. It¡¯s up to something. Do you think it will consider Cy being put into a temporary sleep as being dead-dead? It might not. And when it comes to the sunrising, there¡¯s even more uncertainties. If anything, the prompt could return when he wakes, and I might auto-fail depending on what the system considers ¡®a sunrise.¡¯¡± ¡°Might. Which means there¡¯s a chance.¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a chance. Just¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯m willing to take that chance.¡± For a moment, Darius shared the same expression as Elder Aris. Disbelief over Max¡¯s sudden coldness towards Cy. ¡°You¡¯re not willing to take a chance?¡± The hurt in his voice was clear. ¡°The system was pretty clear about the expectation of him staying alive. If I fail to disobey, then I¡¯ll start a story. All the effort I put in so far will come undone. I¡¯d have to start it all again in my next life to see if I can get the same weird messages popping up in the prompts.¡± Darius nodded along, clearly a little confused with what he was saying about prompts. ¡°It¡¯s a sacrifice. I get it. So, let¡¯s throw in the towel, watch the sun come up, and I swear all¡­ most of the Elders will help you succeed in your story to the best of our abilities.¡± ¡­ ¡°Do you think Cy is special?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°In my next life, you don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be someone like Cy? Cy¡¯s very good at his type of magic, but I¡¯ve met fortune specialists like him before. And when it comes to our friendship¡­ Well, it happens almost every time. Another life, another friend; for me, there will always be another Cy. I may as well commit to the progress I¡¯ve made.¡± ¡°There will always be another Cy?¡± Max nodded. The blue runes were getting bright. They could stop soon. ¡°Does that mean there will always be another Ellie?¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. ¡°Yes¡­ With time¡­ There will always be another Ellie.¡± The voice was a little unsteady as he stopped the flow of blood, removed the scalpels, and held down their skin until it stopped bleeding under the influence of the runes. ¡°You stay here. Rest, recover, and you can hate me later. We¡¯ll figure out how to keep your penalty under control when this is sorted.¡± ¡°Wait! What about information about the system? I can tell you in exchange-¡± Darius frantically offered as he tried to stand. Max didn¡¯t hesitate to wind him with a quick punch to the stomach before dipping his finger in some of the spilt blood and drawing an immobilising rune onto Darius¡¯s boot. ¡°You¡¯re good at looking in the past, but you¡¯re not the best at interpreting it. I also don¡¯t trust you to tell me the truth,¡± Max muttered. Among all the notes Edric gave him about Darius, there was a consistent story. Darius was not reliable enough for them. Especially when Cy was involved. ¡°Wait! Boss, we can make a deal-¡± ¡°Like how you promised to cover for me regarding Lux¡¯s death?¡± ¡­ ¡°All of this sounds a bit like an excuse, boss¡­¡± ¡°Sorry Darius, it¡¯s time for me to go now.¡± Chapter 67: The Hunt Begins The idea of staying in Elder Ji-min¡¯s house felt nauseating. He couldn¡¯t place why. Just a few minutes ago, he was fine. Using up some of his precious reserves, Max teleported back closer to the community and deep into the woods. It took him a few minutes to get the sickly feeling to go away. Once Max recovered, he used the pink runes to recreate the map of the area. There were the same number of lights in the concentrated areas. Did Darius lie to him about an evacuation? Just as he was about to call a dryad forward again, there was the sound of the emergency transmission. It must be a spell for all ears within reach instead of an actual radio system in the buildings. Did they intend for him to hear? ¡°This is an emergency broadcast.¡± It was Darius¡¯s voice. He sounded weak, but the coughs in between words were significantly less violent. ¡°Max has begun his hunt for Cy.¡± Max watched the dots carefully as they began to move. ¡°He has clarified his instruction from the system as: Cy is still alive when the sun rises. He appears to be suspicious of the system¡¯s intentions and is fully committed to avoiding whatever happens with the realisation of this demand. ¡°In addition, he has indicated that the blue lines from his runes have healing properties when directly contacted. Abuse this. Also, Max has a magic neutralising rune. Prepare to fight in alternative ways.¡± Max felt a little relieved Darius passed on those bits of information. ¡°For the time being, halt procedure E and begin procedure C.¡± The transmission was cut. Procedure C? Max doubted it would change anything. ¡°Alright, this one,¡± he tapped on the trunk. ¡°Come on out.¡± The tree nymph came out with such enthusiasm that almost all the bark exploded from the tree. Seeing the damage it had done, the dryad began to bow repeatedly to show its apologies as a splinter covered Max moved to a blue line. Pulling out the little pieces of wood from his skin, Max spoke slowly. ¡°Never mind. I need you to find someone.¡± The tree nymph stood alert, ready to help. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a young man with a purple cape. The cape is stitched together and shows stars." The tree nymph started the whisper before beginning to hum-and-haw at the map below him. ¡°A young man with a cape,¡± Max tried again. The dryad thought for a few more seconds before pointing at a singular dot on the map in the middle of the woods. Two other dots stood a mile away. The labours of the day were starting to eat away at Max¡¯s energy. As a farmhand, he was used to doing hard labour and getting barely any sleep. Still, today was exhausting. Max scanned the area where he teleported to. ¡°I¡¯m not very fond of you anymore.¡± ¡­What the fuck? Max moved before he could properly think about the situation. It didn¡¯t take him long to spot Cy¡¯s figure with his hood up before a sharp wind attack headed in his direction. The gust was strong enough to blow away some of the trees in its path, causing them to crash down in a terrifying thud. The figure before him looked like Cy, had the same height as Cy, and had his clothes¡­ But his voice belonged to someone else. ¡°What are you doing, Haiddeck?¡± The youth pulled down the cloak¡¯s hood, causing the illusion to shatter. The significantly shorter youth became clear in an instant. The only real part of the image before was Cy¡¯s cloak. ¡°My lovely sister is as smart as ever.¡± Another wind attack. Max teleported out of the way, but Haiddeck didn¡¯t let up for a second. ¡°She was pleasant enough to inform me that you might see through my spell.¡± Another one. ¡°You are smart after all. I never doubted you for a second.¡± Again. Why the fuck was he talking like that? Unless his speech pattern was somehow connected to his type of magic? ¡°Holy shit, you can cast by talking?¡± No wonder the prompt hyped him up and the musically talented Elder Aris wanted him. It was a rare skill to manipulate magic with just a voice. You needed a good set of ears, precise control over vocal cords, and the patience to learn the subtle differences in sound. It was just a level below runes. Since Max¡¯s voice would change with every body, it was fruitless to develop the skill until he began experimenting with other noises from his clothes. ¡°What a potty mouth-¡± Haiddeck was prepared, as Max casted out a neutralising rune. Without magic, the youth didn¡¯t hesitate to pull out a sword by his side. He took a deep breath. ¡°You mother fucking son of a bitch! You¡¯re the cuntiest of cunts I¡¯ve ever goddamn seen! How could you be such a bitch? You piece of shit!¡± ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Max relaxed his stance. The age difference alone meant the fight couldn¡¯t continue. Haiddeck was far too young and short to do any substantial damage even if he tried. ¡°Have you seen Cy?¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t tellin you shit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Max merely nodded. He opened up his map in front of Haiddeck. There were two dots still near their location. ¡°Is your sister this way? I might as well get her take on this.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Haiddeck quickly moved in the direction Max was pointing towards, so he was in his way. ¡°You ain¡¯t going anywhere, fuck face. You¡¯re stuck here with me.¡± Max frowned at the young boy before shrugging. ¡°Okay, we can go together.¡± Haiddeck braced himself for Max to attack. ¡°Grab the boy.¡± ¡°Wha-¡± Haiddeck¡¯s scream interrupted him. A series of dryads busted out of their trees, shocking him to his core. There were a few swings of a sword, but it wasn¡¯t long before he was being held in place by several tree nymphs. Max took one of the chunks of an oak tree and quickly carved a rune with the dropped sword. ¡°Hold this.¡± Max shoved the chunk of wood in Haiddeck¡¯s pockets, rendering him immobile. ¡°Alright, thank you all. You can go back now.¡± The dryads grumbled as they pretended they couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Go. Home.¡± The change in severity of his tone caused immediate obedience. Picking the youth up and throwing him over his shoulder, Max began his gentle stride. ¡°Is your sister far away?¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°What about Cy? Where¡¯s he at?¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. What¡¯s procedure C?¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± The two maintained their deep conversation as Max followed the pink runes. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering about something for a while.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°Did your sister choose her name? You know, Delrid - Riddle? I know Cy had his name changed when he first came.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only asking cause your name is an anagram for-¡± ¡°FUCK YOU.¡± ¡°Alright, I get it! I guess it wasn¡¯t intentional¡­ A while ago, there was a story prompt about you.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gone now though.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°It told me to encourage you, and you were destined to welcome in a new age.¡± ¡°¡­ Fuck you?¡± ¡°Luckily, it was a one-star story. Even without someone like me in your life, you¡¯ve got a good chance at making it far on your own.¡± ¡°¡­ Fuck you.¡± It didn¡¯t take Max long to find Delrid casually sitting on a fallen tree, playing chess with someone Max didn¡¯t recognise. ¡°You can go now,¡± she said in a soft voice. The other person didn¡¯t need to be told twice and disappeared without a second thought. Still looking scruffy in a black dress and surrounded by meowing cats, Delrid appeared calm as she rearranged the chess pieces. Max dropped Haiddeck by a tree near her. ¡°Hello, Max. Do you have time for a game?¡± Her words were eerie, but for some reason it clicked together a few things in Max¡¯s mind. Could Darius¡¯s plan be to delay him as much as possible? First by sending Elder Aris to him? Then by purposefully getting a severe penalty? Sending the other Elders after him? Putting up a fight? Letting Max treat him? Offering ideas to think about? Giving Haiddeck Cy¡¯s cloak? Having Delrid wait nearby to tempt him into enquiring about possible answers? How many hours had it been since he was at the farm? Had Darius realised the sunrise condition the moment it was etched into Cy¡¯s fate? ¡°I¡¯ve got time for a quick game. But only if I can pick your brain about something.¡± Max sat across from her. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare tell him any-¡± ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Delrid waved her hand causing Haiddeck to stop mid-sentence. Max wasn¡¯t too sure if it was caused by magic or just their relationship. ¡°Cy is still alive when the sun rises.¡± She began the game by moving her first piece. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Max began the Sicilian defence. ¡°We can¡¯t temporarily kill Cy?¡± ¡°No guarantee we can bring him back. To be honest, the other condition is also worrying.¡± ¡°A sunrise?¡± ¡°How long is a sunrise?¡± Max pondered aloud. ¡°The world is round, you know.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Delrid almost sounded hurt by the implication. It didn¡¯t seem to bother him. ¡°Put back my rook.¡± She hesitatingly complied. ¡°Being round means the sun is constantly rising around the world. All the time. Every second. But the prompt hasn¡¯t been activated. You moved an extra space with your knight.¡± ¡°Maybe we sacrificed Cy to make you stop.¡± ¡°Then the prompt would be cancelled.¡± Max was dismissive in his words. ¡°The sunrise must be linked to something. Either me, Cy, this land, or something else¡­ We don¡¯t know what. Put the rook back. You already moved your pawn.¡± Delrid obeyed without acknowledging her cheating attempts. ¡°If it¡¯s tethered to Cy then the prompt might return when he returns to life. He would have to hide from the sun.¡± ¡°We could, theoretically, stop the sun from rising in this area. But it¡¯ll have a massive impact on the affected environment, and we don¡¯t know how wide of an area to block. Stop cheating. Put the bishop back¡­ The area could be just Tsujuma. Or this country. Or this time zone¡­¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s connected to you?¡± ¡°Then I would have to spend the rest of this life running from the sun. Put my knight back.¡± ¡°You could.¡± ¡°I could. Check.¡± Max didn¡¯t feel the need to cheat. Delrid¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t in the game this time. ¡°But if I¡¯m wrong then a story starts.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not willing to take that gamble? Not even for Cy¡¯s life?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not.¡± Realisation dawned on Max about what he would have to do before morning. The small sliver of hope for an alternative path died with the game. There was no viable wriggle room aside from the obvious way to avoid the prompt. Cy must die before the sunrises. Delrid just gave a nod, as her face showed disappointment. ¡°Then we have nothing more to talk about. Good game.¡± ¡°Delrid, where¡¯s Cy?¡± ¡°What will happen if a story were to start?¡± ¡°Almost anything,¡± Max admitted. ¡°Sub-goals and penalties will come into effect. So, whatever the system decides to do, I will have to somewhat comply if I want to stay in this world.¡± ¡°The community could be in danger?¡± ¡°The system has shown an open disdain for Cy and Darius¡­ It could be nothing, or something could affect them, or even more people could get wrapped up in this¡­ The system has suggested the idea of destroying Tsujuma or hurting its inhabitants in multiple prompts.¡± Delrid exchanged a glance at a mute Haiddeck, who was suddenly frantic. She then spoke quickly. ¡°Procedure C is a special plan based on an attack years ago. It changes the priority of us in the front line to conceal the fortune tellers of the community: Cy, Elder Darius, and Elder Ji-min. Elder Aris oversees Elder Ji-min. Elder Nova is tasked with Elder Darius¡­. Elder Obi used to be Cy¡¯s mentor. She probably hid him in her orphanage.¡± Max sneered. It was such a dangerous place to hide Cy. It would take a real monster to risk the lives of so many children. He wasn¡¯t sure if Elder Obi would endanger her kids. But his map had confirmed earlier there was a cluster of lights at the orphanage. It was possible Cy was hiding among them. ¡°Than-¡± She held up her hand to stop him from expressing his gratitude. ¡°Just go,¡± her tone was sad as she kept her eyes lowered to the ground. Chapter 68: Children of the Acorns Max stood in front of the line where Elder Obi¡¯s wall of light almost obliterated him when Cy last brought him here. Time was running out. But he couldn¡¯t make up his mind on the best way to approach the orphanage. ¡°You lot, come on out.¡± Max watched several poor dryads from the other side of the line dash out of their trees before immediately being consumed by the light. Only their ashes remained. Max sighed in frustration. How many more hours until sunrise? It was an effective defensive spell¡­ Perhaps Delrid was right. Cy might be hiding here. Max thought carefully for a moment before beginning to draw a rune in the sky above the building. There were a cluster of lights depicted in the map showing the orphanage was filled with people. But nothing indicated the ages of whoever were inside the building. Max remained sceptical about the children being left behind but decided to lean on the side of caution. He needed information and to take control of the situation quickly. After completing the runes, he waited patiently for them to come into effect. A few minutes passed. Max started to get restless in anticipation. A few more minutes passed. Max let out a sigh as he checked the drawing of his runes in the sky. He couldn¡¯t see any flaws¡­ Perhaps he had been wrong about his assumptions? Just as he was about to come up with another plan, something broke the upstairs window. Finally, the cue he had been waiting for. Peacefully crossing the line and getting closer to the scary building, Max saw it was a small trike that had been tossed out the window. He calmly knocked on the door. There were some creepy giggles from children before one of them shouted in a nasally voice. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± Max rolled his eyes before leisurely moving some of the runes above them. Once he heard a few thumps, he opened the door to a corridor filled with children. They were all in deep sleep. Snoring and drooling as they delved deep into their dreams. He had to hand it to the system. It was a good idea to round up the children and overthrow the adults in control. They were even able to turn off the defensive spells at the same time. Despite the cold exterior of the orphanage, the inside was warm and inviting with the wallpaper being composed of proud displays of various drawings by the residents. Along the walls was a rhythmic mixture of cabinets filled with clothes and boxes overflowing with toys. Looking down at the sleeping faces, it was evident that despite being removed from their parents¡¯ custody, they were well cared for. Turning the corner and peeking into the first room, Max saw one of the remaining adults. She tried to call out, but she had been bound by skipping ropes to a chair and a scarf had been tied around her mouth. He removed her gag. ¡°Where¡¯s Cy?¡± ¡°What did you do to the children?¡± The stranger wailed back. Before Max could ask more questions, another emergency transmission began. He quickly replaced the gag, so he could hear properly. ¡°This is an emergency broadcast.¡± That¡¯s Delrid¡¯s voice? ¡°We can confirm Max is continuing his hunt for Cy. Based on the theories presented by Elder Edric, Max does not know the runes for Cy or his magic. In other words, currently, he is depending on physical appearances to find him.¡± ¡­ This was about to get annoying. ¡°Wai-¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you fuckers start going around using filters and shit!¡± Thank you Haiddeck. ¡°The motherfucker can see through it in a goddamn instant!¡± There was some kind of scuffle and argument in the middle of the broadcast. Max and the strange exchanged awkward eye-contact before Max shrugged. Eventually, Delrid regained control over the broadcast. ¡°Like stated, Max can see through filters quickly. Next, you should be advised that Max is using some kind of monsters that come out of trees. Continue procedure C and begin procedure F.¡± F? ¡°In addition, Max doesn¡¯t know what the procedures mean. Use this knowledge to your advantage. Also, be advised, he should be at Elder Obi¡¯s orphanage.¡± Her voice was calm and factual as she delivered the last bit of information¡­ Cy probably wasn¡¯t here. There were a few moments of silence. Was the transmission over? Max moved to remove the gag again before Delrid resumed. The caretaker looked equally disappointed. How long was this transmission? ¡°Elder Aris has informed us that Elder Nova, Elder Edric, and Elder Ji-min are considered traitors until this crisis has been averted. Elder Nova¡¯s whereabouts are currently unknown. Her labs have been abandoned.¡± They have? Did she cut her losses and ran after sending Lurch to tip him of? ¡°Elder Edric should be in the capital. If you see him or Elder Nova, please use the emergency broadcast system immediately. Elder Ji-min has already been apprehended.¡± ¡­Darius wasn¡¯t seen as a traitor? Maybe it was because he sounded the alarms. ¡°Keep alert. Keep busy. Keep Cy concealed as much as possible.¡± The transmission was cut. Max moved to remove the gag when he heard a pleasantly familiar, foreign sounding accent. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her.¡± Holding his hands up again, he turned around to see a sweating Elder Obi in the doorway. She must¡¯ve rushed here. ¡°You. Don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Cy isn¡¯t here, is he?¡± Max gleaned quickly from Elder Obi¡¯s expression. Delrid tricked him into coming here and wasting so much of his time and resources. Now, he faced another Elder in her domain. Well played. He may have won the chess game, but she had managed to outwit him in the real game between him and the community. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°No.¡± Max looked back at the tied-up worker, who was frantically shaking her head. He lowered his hands. ¡°How about we take this outside? There are so many children sleeping. I would hate to wake them up.¡± Elder Obi looked around conflicted. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this place before anything gets out of hand.¡± Too many Elders have been itching for a fight today. ¡°You first.¡± ¡°No, you,¡± Max said in a firm voice. ¡°I¡¯ll stay right behind you. Let¡¯s go.¡± Elder Obi walked calmly and slowly towards the entrance. Was she part of this time-consuming plan too? Was this their intention from the start? As Elder Obi walked closer to the line where her shield once stood, Max turned around to gently close the front door behind him without waking inhabitants. Based on what he experienced so far, she was going to drag this out for as long as possible. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elder Obi exclaimed, as she witnessed a new shield cover the entire building and the rune above beginning to mutate. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get in anymore.¡± Max clarified as he stood firmly in front of the entrance. The shoe was now on the other foot compared to when he was looking for a part-time job. Good thing he didn¡¯t hold too much of a grudge against local people. ¡°Where¡¯s Cy?¡± Elder Obi sneered, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Max pointed up at the new rune above the orphanage. There might be a limited supply, but his patience was running thin. The markings dispersed into little shards of light before reassembling into a menacing combination of runes hovering above the orphanage. ¡°Do you see that line up there? You see how it is not connected to the others? That means, for now, those kids and whoever was watching them are safe.¡± Max moved the loose line closer to the incomplete rune. ¡°Do you know what happens when that line reconnects with the rest of the rune?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Everyone under this rune will die. Now, where¡¯s Cy?¡± Elder Obi looked at him in disbelief. There it was again. Was it really that hard to believe he could be this cold? Max had been worse before. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t-¡± Max moved the line closer causing Elder Obi to flinch. They were so close to touching. ¡°Where¡¯s Cy?¡± Despite the threat, she still looked torn. ¡°Why¡¯s it so hard for you to give up his location? You¡¯ve already betrayed him before, remember?¡± Elder Obi¡¯s face showed a mixture of confusion and offence. ¡°You abandoned Cy to ¡®protect¡¯ the other children from feeling uncomfortable around him. Elder Ji-min became his mentor because you didn¡¯t want to be responsible for him.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that-¡± ¡°Then what was it like?¡± Max asked. Edric¡¯s report was cold and factual, just as June requested in the past. He didn¡¯t like this approach. The devil always lurked in the details. Elder Obi struggled to find the words. ¡°At the time, his predictions were inaccurate, and his arrogance was too high from being involved in a cult. There are only so many times I can tolerate his roommates being terrified out of their minds from the threats of a fortune teller.¡± ¡°Threats?¡± ¡°Sometimes¡­ Cy doesn¡¯t always say or do the morally appropriate thing¡­¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t I know it.¡± Max scoffed. ¡°The man pretended to be a vet while there was a bovine epidemic. And he stole some beans when we left the village only to feed it to some seagulls. Not to mention, around the time we first met, he turned a blind eye to me murdering one of us in public.¡± The list really could go on¡­ Sly¡­ Elder Obi managed to distract him a little. Taking inspiration from his five-star life, his posture and voice became colder as he resumed the personality which did the impossible by doing the unthinkable. ¡°This is a waste of my time.¡± Max looked up to the runes and jerked his arm up. ¡°He¡¯s at Kita Waterfall.¡± Kita Waterfall¡­ Kita Waterfall? Kita. ¤­¤¿. ¡ú Taki. ¤¿¤­. ¡ú Waterfall? œö. Waterfall waterfall?... Where the fuck was that? Max used the runes to open up the map. ¡°Point to his dot.¡± Elder Obi gave him a baffled look before pointing to a spot deep in the woods. Cy was alone. ¡°You don¡¯t know where Kita Waterfall is?¡± ¡°Should I know where it is?¡± ¡°Elder Darius¡¯s house is right next to it.¡± ¡­ Wait, it was that waterfall? The one right outside the room he was using for the last month? He was there the whole goddamn time?!? ¡°You better not be lying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s he alone?¡± Max frowned. The closest dots were miles away. ¡°He¡¯s not supposed to be. Cy broke the procedure a while ago. We don¡¯t know why, but he¡¯s insisting on waiting there alone.¡± ¡°No one else tried to stay with him?¡± ¡°Procedure C. Do not approach any of the fate readers.¡± Was this the real meaning of procedure C? This one came from Darius. ¡°Maybe it has something to do with his fate?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Since she was spilling, may as well ask about the other procedures. ¡°What was procedure E?¡± ¡°Prepare for a mass evacuation.¡± Max looked at her confused. ¡°Prepare? Why didn¡¯t you just evacuate everyone?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what these runes are.¡± She gestured to the glowing ones on the floor. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to risk people¡¯s lives if there¡¯s a preventative spell.¡± But there was nothing stopping them from evacuating? Nothing but an order from Darius telling them to stop and cancel procedure E. Realisation began to dawn on Max. Darius wanted to keep as many lights on his map as possible, so Cy was harder to find. ¡°Procedure F?¡± ¡°Those on the frontline are to attack the active assailant.¡± Which would waste his resources and time. Delrid betted Max wouldn¡¯t kill anyone who wasn¡¯t Cy¡­ ¡°When I leave, immediately sound the emergency broadcast and cancel procedure F.¡± Max looked back at the runes before putting a twenty-minute timer on it. ¡°The runes and shield are going to stay until I can confirm Cy is there,¡± he lied. On cue, the orange runes below them gave out a few blinks. Resources were starting to run low. ¡°If I find out you¡¯re lying or you don¡¯t start the broadcast-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Max didn¡¯t need telling twice. He tried to teleport in the vicinity of Darius¡¯s home but found himself at the centre of a barren Tsujuma. Was this another protective spell? Either way, it was a good sign Elder Obi was honest. Hearing the emergency broadcast sound and a defeated Elder Obi retract the order of procedure F, Max looked around the familiar spot. He searched for the arch he stepped through hours ago, but found the teleport back to Darius¡¯s home had been torn apart. Max called out a dryad to start another whisper before he began his approach on foot. A figure resemble Cy was there. Right beside the waterfall he had seen every night for the last twenty-or-so days. At least there was a positive side to all this. Thanks to Elder Obi ratting out the location of her former mentee, the children of the orphanage were spared from one of their teeth coming out early. Even though Elder Obi couldn¡¯t read the runes, the overall shape was convincing enough. Who knew the runes of teeth and death being so similar would be so threatening? Chapter 69: The Aggressive Music Theorist Progress was slow as Max ran through the woods. An hour ago, he tried to teleport a few inches closer to Cy¡¯s location before being sent right back to the arches in the middle of the community centre. Unsure of the source, caster, or typing; Max decided to just cut his losses and run. The moment he began to sprint, the emergency broadcast sounded again. The twenty-minute timer had finished. ¡°This is an emergency broadcast. Begin procedure EE.¡± EE? Was that the evacuation order since procedure E was get ready to leave? ¡°And resume procedure F. Max took children as hostages. He will get more violent and desperate as time passes.¡± The transmission cut. Finally, they were evacuating the community. As he got closer to Waterfall Waterfall, the dryads would occasionally poke out of their trees to give him a thumbs up, indicating Cy was still there. The lights illuminating the orange and yellow runes below were getting weaker. His reserves were running out as he used some of the remaining internal magic to strengthen his body and increase his speed. The blue lines were also becoming alarmingly dull in colour. Darius mentioned abusing the lines, and damn they were taking advantage of it as much as they could. Still no red runes though, so it wasn¡¯t for naught. The orange runes began to blink rapidly causing Max to stop before a wall of fire ignited a few centimetres in front of him. The wall was thick, strong, and could have easily killed someone. It was much more worthy of praise compared to Lux¡¯s. ¡°Hold on a sec.¡± Max took a few deep breaths, as he wiped the sweat from his face. Whoever attacked him clearly wasn¡¯t interested in listening as pure electricity hurtled in his direction. With a sacrificial dryad jumping out to take most of the hit, Max was able to dodge out of the way. ¡°I said wait a moment!¡± The second Max was back on his feet, he felt another dryad pull him out of the way as it took an axe to the wooden face from Elder Aris. Seeing him inches away again gave Max an idea. Going on the offence for a change, Max slapped the back of the deceased dryad causing a series of runes to erupt from its skin, engrave itself onto the enchanted axe, and make Elder Aris scream as the spreading runes split his skin into delicate patterns. ¡°Come on now. Edric didn¡¯t even flinch.¡± Max tutted. ¡°Fuck you.¡± Elder Aris tried to regain momentum before finding his body was loose again, like noodles. ¡°Again? Give me back control of my limbs! Let¡¯s end this.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s end this,¡± Max mocked before he dragged a flailing Elder Aris away from one of his blue lines. ¡°Grr, I¡¯m a tough ass, so I need to be an absolute prick to everyone who doesn¡¯t beat the crap out of others. Yeah, you¡¯re a big tough guy, aren¡¯t you? So big and stwong that you teach the kids musical theory in your free time.¡± ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Elder Aris struggled with his words. They were severely slurred. He desperately tried to keep an eye on Max. ¡°Hey! Where are you going?¡± ¡°You lot,¡± Max called out a bunch of tree nymphs as he yanked the enchanted axe out of the unfortunate dryad. ¡°Don¡¯t touch that!¡± ¡°An enhancer, nice,¡± Max weighed it up. He turned to be in Elder Aris¡¯s view before snapping it in half. ¡°Oops, I guess the runes weakened it.¡± ¡°You fucking dick.¡± ¡°Here, hold on to it.¡± He dropped the remains on Elder Aris before turning to the watching dryads. ¡°Right, you lot. Pick him up.¡± The dryads did as they were instructed. They held a strong grip over Elder Aris, as they kept him above their heads. ¡°That¡¯s it. Now, follow. Don¡¯t step on the blue lines.¡± ¡°Put me down!¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but we¡¯ve got a tight schedule to keep.¡± Max began to lightly jog as he led the way through the forest. ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling you¡¯ll just get saved and come after me again, so I might as well take you with me.¡± And tempt others into coming after them as well. ¡°Since we¡¯ve got some time, I¡¯ve got a question.¡± Elder Aris remained silent. Max had to check he was still there. ¡°Why¡¯d you attack Cy outside of the Elders¡¯ Hall?¡± Still silent. ¡°What? Did my question surprise you? You thought I was going to ask how you got so good at music?¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± ¡°You remind me of Haiddeck. He was cursing like that when I carried him over to his sister.¡± ¡°¡­ You really scared that kid.¡± ¡­ Max felt a dip in his stomach before pushing his feelings aside and deciding to be nasty back. ¡°I heard from Edric; you were one of the Elders who was strongly sceptical about Cy¡¯s predictions about Niv. Offended that a snotty brat was insulting your new friend, eh?¡± ¡°Shut up. You have no idea what the fuck you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Must¡¯ve been a shock when you found him after the abduction. I¡¯m curious, did the guilt from dragging Cy¡¯s name and abilities through the mud start eating away from you then or earlier when you all realised he was missing?¡± ¡­ ¡°You had me convinced at first. I remember thinking, wow, this guy must really hate Cy¡¯s guts if he¡¯s the mentor of a bunch of pricks and turning a blind eye to what they were doing to him. But then I read a report from Edric that you partially paid for all of his treatments. Even Elder Obi only contributed to the first few¡­¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°¡­Elder Edric is one of you¡­?¡± Max lost his pacing for a moment. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t realise until now?¡± He could hear some grumbling from above. ¡°You should be thanking me. I kicked out every Nnita the day after I got accept-¡± ¡°What?¡± The shock had been great enough to get Elder Aris to roll off of the dryad¡¯s grasps. This fall had been hard, but Elder Aris didn¡¯t look troubled by it. ¡°They were all¡­?¡± He stopped to look at the pitiful Elder. ¡°Of course they were! What? Did you really think the paperwork was enough to keep us away? We made this community!¡± Elder Aris was at a loss of words. ¡°Tsujuma, kind of a weird name, right? It means magic in one of our languages.¡± ¡°You! But. Then. What?¡± ¡°Pick him up again. We need to keep moving. Anyway, you paid for treatments so he could recover. After you accidentally gave him a heart attack, you banned him from participating in activities. For a while, I was certain you were going to bring up some kind of punishment for Cy if it turned out I was a Nnita. You know, place curses on him too¡­ ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wrong. Maybe you¡¯re just an ass. Still, during my interview, you were the only one willing to face a penalty just to keep the community safe. It left quite a strong impression. Most of us will do anything to avoid penalties, and there you go, begging to get one because you were sure I was a Nnita. ¡°Overlooking your irresponsibility with your mentees and your aggressive behaviour, you haven¡¯t caused harm directly to Cy apart from attacking him in front of the Elders¡¯ Hall. I know he mentioned the potential for me to be executed, but trying to kill him feels like a bit of an overreaction in hindsight. I know, ironic coming from me, but why? ... Ah, I think I get it¡­¡± ¡°¡­Did you kill Lux because of his bad relationship with Cy?¡± Max ignored him. ¡°Were you trying to keep him out of the interview? Was that it? Get him carried away to Elder Charaka¡¯s hospital and far from the interrogation. Did you want to limit his involvement if it turned out I was using him? Now that I think about it, keeping Cy isolated from everyone else seemed to be a priority for you. Were you trying to get him to retire from the magical world and just take it easy?¡± ¡°Why did you kill Lux?¡± Max felt irritated with Elder Aris¡¯s focus on his former mentee. ¡°Why are you insisting I killed him?¡± ¡°Cause you did kill him, you motherfucker.¡± Elder Aris somehow managed to struggle out of the grasp of the dryads again. He landed hard on the pieces of his axe. Sighing, Max dragged the bleeding out Elder Aris to one of the blue lines. He only needed enough juice to stop dying. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him. I got him signed up as the main character of a five-star story.¡± Elder Aris¡¯s eyes went wide as his mouth flopped like a fish in disbelief. ¡°What did you think we were the only ones who can get roped up in the system¡¯s plans? He got blessed by the Yggdrasil tree, right? It¡¯s not my fault he wasn¡¯t ready to step up to the challenge.¡± ¡°Five-star mean death,¡± Elder Aris grunted out the words. ¡°That asshole tried to plead with me using the story as an excuse before he died.¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult,¡± Max admitted. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean death. I mean, I managed to survive one.¡± Without permission, the dryads got into a circular formation around Max as others came out to help. They were cannon fodder for the sudden attacks of all kinds of elemental sources, but the sacrifices and the blue lines were enough to keep Max unscathed from the weak attacks. Without hesitation, Max kicked the Elder away from the lines. He declared. ¡°Stop now or Elder Aris dies.¡± The pack of ill-trained mentees stopped as they looked at their mentor with uncertainty on their faces. They were all Lux¡¯s friends. They were all bullies within the community. But unlike the strong and menacing pack when Max first arrived, they all looked shook up. Did they overhear their conversation about Lux? Max was about to address the crowd when a suddenly invigorated Elder Aris casted an intense fire spell igniting the Max and the dryads around them. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back,¡± the Elder barked as he ran to join the others. The flames and his wound would have been Elder Aris¡¯s end if he weren¡¯t being miraculously healed at the same time. The mentees cheered before the flames lowered to reveal an unimpressed Max, who hadn¡¯t moved. A thin shield took the brunt of most of the spell while the runes tattooed on his skin did their job. Runes engraved into the skin had to be carefully considered. An anti-death rune meant the wearer cannot die under any circumstances unless the rune was somehow broken or disrupted. Anti-sleep meant one couldn¡¯t sleep no matter how tired they felt. Anti- runes tended to not be helpful in the long run with only a handful exceptions. Anti-fire and anti-heat causing the body to auto-adjust to extremely high temperatures were a safer bet if the wearer intended to stay in a world for a long time with minimal suffering. It was painful as the nerves still panicked from fire, but definitely endurable. Seeing Elder Aris had fully recovered and his skin was unblemished, Max gave out a command for the dryads. ¡°Find the healer.¡± The dryads came out of all the surrounding trees within a mile vicinity jumped at the opportunity to act. Below them the yellow runes flashed a few times before the light grew considerably weaker. To the unknowing, it was an acknowledgement of a command. To Max, it was a warning. Soon he was going to lose control over the dryads. The mentees took it on themselves to go after the dryads while Elder Aris attacked a calm Max, who merely used thin shields as he endured. With the trees now fallen or considerably thinner from their outer layers being removed by the dryad¡¯s emergence, it wasn¡¯t too hard to spot an Elder Charaka meditating a couple hundred meters away. Max took a step in their direction before seeing Elder Charaka vanish. Max couldn¡¯t use teleporting magic, but they could? Unfair. ¡°Is it Charon moving Elder Charaka around?¡± Max asked casually, while Elder Aris lunged at him with his broken axe. ¡°Who cares-¡± ¡°I¡¯m only asking because he¡¯s a budding serial killer according to the system.¡± The comment caused Elder Aris to pause as he took in the information before resuming his onslaught. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Max shrugged before opening up the map created by the pink runes. It was getting weaker too. All his tanks of harvested power over the last month were running out of juice. The moment the map opened up, Max closed it before the others could realise what it was. It was easy to spot their lights. Just as it was easy to see the crowds of lights heading in their direction. Time to get everyone out of the way. Chapter 70: Penalty? Benefit. Max planned his next series of moves. He had limited resources, limited time, no ability to teleport, needed to find an old doctor, stop potential contamination from a system penalty if there was time, endure the frenzy of exploding wood and immature magic around him, dodge a decent magic user, and prepare for an upcoming ambush. No problem, right? Kind of a problem. The easiest solution was to kill them all. An option, but not his preferred choice. The next solution would be to give up. Not really a choice anymore. He would have to give up and live with the consequences of trying to kill Cy for so many hours. Being potentially locked in a tight box was not an option. Another idea would be to let Elder Aris win this fight, call it a day, and start a new life¡­ Not a bad idea. It didn¡¯t solve the penalty problem if Darius and Elder Charaka didn¡¯t work together. Should he signal Edric to come? The thought made Max smirk, causing Elder Aris to intensify his attacks. It would be more merciful to kill them all himself, at least it would be quick. The singular prompt taunted him in the corner of his vision. After lifetimes of stories filled with penalties, requirements, and sub-goals; the freedom to act made it difficult for him. How many lifetimes had he spent trying to wiggle his way through five-star stories? Why couldn¡¯t the system do him a solid and guide him with restrictions. A cough. Max instinctively looked over to the mentee, who let out the harsh cough. Behind him, Elder Charaka was continued to meditate before being whisked away to somewhere else. It was the sign he had been wanting. Suddenly the system penalty rose in priority in his mind. Without hesitation, Max grabbed the closest person to him. One of the mentees screamed when a series of runes erupted on the surface of his skin. ¡°Don¡¯t you touch him,¡± Elder Aris shouted before pulling his pupil away from a loose grip Max. It didn¡¯t take long for the kid to make a miraculous recovery. ¡°Touchy. Why are you sending in kids? Shouldn¡¯t there be a horde of adults in their place,¡± Max mocked as he repeated the action with another pupil. Elder Aris was about to launch his next reckless attack when Max gave a command. ¡°Dryads. Roots.¡± The simpler words were obvious to the intended ears, who suddenly reached down in unison. The ground rumbled before a series of tree roots erupted from the soil and began wrapping themselves around the members of Elder Aris¡¯s group. Taking advantage of the confusion, Max used his limited internal magic to slap four more runes onto the roots: strengthen, anti-fire, anti-heat, and repeat. The orange and yellow runes began to blink fiercely before weakly resuming. Elder Aris didn¡¯t hesitate to start chopping away at the roots with his broken axe as he barked orders at his mentees to stay calm and focused. The increase in coughs were hard to hear over the commotion. Max began approaching the dryads individually and whispered to them in a low voice. ¡°Move coughing people close to not coughing people.¡± The longer the mentees were bound by roots, the more they coughed as they were dragged around. It wasn¡¯t long until Elder Aris began to join the coughs. ¡°Get back here!¡± Max ignored him until he heard another familiar voice. ¡°Max! What have you done?¡± He stopped whispering to the dryads and looked at Elder Charaka. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be meditating?¡± The Elder let out some violent coughs. ¡°What have you done?¡± ¡°What did Darius tell you about his penalty?¡± Max asked, genuinely curious. Was this another way Darius was hoping to waste his time? Did he anticipate the penalty spreading? Was that why he broadcasted his explanation to the entire community? Even among people like Max, the consequences of a severe penalty weren¡¯t widely known¡­ But Max saw it enough times that it was believable for Darius to glimpse at it too. ¡°If I were you, I would focus on healing these kids before the system¡¯s penalty gets too far and kills them all.¡± There was sudden silence. ¡°The fuck did you say?¡± Elder Aris spluttered in between coughs. ¡°I am trying to heal,¡± Elder Charaka refuted, as he struggled with his own coughs. A figure next to him was suddenly wheezing between coughs. Was that Charon? ¡°What have you done?¡± Max didn¡¯t hesitate to tell the truth. ¡°Strengthen the disease by using some of your people as a source of the mutation. If you¡¯re going to do a full-heal, fully heal them. Not just the skin.¡± Because their internal organs now have a few scars too. The two who had been afflicted suddenly exploded into light causing them to shout in surprise. Once the light subsided, they frantically rubbed their eyes. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Your presence brought the penalty.¡± Max¡¯s words were pointed at Elder Charaka. ¡°And your healing caused it to spread.¡± Max could usually depend on the system to be cruel. Healing bringing death? It sounded about right. Elder Charaka held his arms out wide. ¡°Pause procedure F. How do you propose we fix it?¡± ¡°Like hell-¡± Elder Aris began before suddenly falling unconscious. Max blinked a few times. That wasn¡¯t him? Everyone was now still, and all the aggressive spells subsided. It took Max a moment to catch on. ¡°You¡¯re genuinely interested in what I have to say? You¡¯re pausing procedure F?¡± And attacking a fellow Elder? Why didn¡¯t he attack Max the same way? Had he been waiting for this chance while everyone else was restricted? ¡°I have been fighting Cy¡¯s penalty for seventeen years. I know better than anyone the death sentence awaiting us.¡± More coughs, there was some blood this time. ¡°The blue lines are too weak to heal it?¡± ¡°Too weak to prevent it from worsening,¡± Max corrected. ¡°And you need direct contact¡­ I¡¯m also running out of magic.¡± ¡°What-!¡± One of the mentees exclaimed before falling unconscious, joining his mentor. The mentees got the message and kept silent. ¡°Darius mentioned your blood makes the runes more effective.¡± It was the main reason why Max wasn¡¯t joining in on the cough. ¡°Are you willing to donate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already have my blood?¡± Max recalled back to the medical exam. Elder Charaka drew a few vials of blood. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring it with you?¡± Elder Charaka angrily spluttered in between coughs. ¡°You got Cy to steal it weeks ago!¡± What? ¡°Cy stole my blood?¡± Elder Charaka calmed down immediately. The confusion between them was clear. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°When did he do that?¡± ¡°The day after you got approved to stay here?¡± Max was about to question Elder Charaka¡¯s accuracy before he remembered. The day Cy was being bitchy¡­ Didn¡¯t he mention going to Elder Charaka¡¯s office? He fucking broke in and stole Max¡¯s blood? Why? ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t tell him to do that.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡°Because it would¡¯ve been easier to target you with spells?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ I guess? It didn¡¯t really cross my mind at the time¡­ Why didn¡¯t you report it?¡± ¡°Elder Darius paid me a substantial amount to keep my mouth shut.¡± ¡°He did?¡± Exactly how long had Darius been planning something? Or was he just trying to cover up Cy¡¯s crime? Why would Cy do this in the first place? ¡°How much-¡± Max sensed danger and instinctively pulled up a shield before it fell apart naturally. The orange runes had lost their light. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Elder Obi demanded before an exhausted and coughing Charon collapsed beside her. Small victories, at least their main teleporter was gone. Elder Obi was about to attack when she suddenly lost consciousness. The healing Elder betrayed them again. ¡°How can I cure this?¡± Elder Charaka asked in a desperate voice. Max maintained a poker face, as if he still had a position to bargain with. ¡°Are you willing to give up Cy for the cure?¡± ¡°I am.¡± The lack of hesitation was disgusting. ¡°Come here.¡± Max coaxed him forward before gesturing for the Elder to sit on a blue line before him. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut a few runes into your skin.¡± He explained calmly as he took out his trusty pocketknife. ¡°One will mutate the infection created by the penalty. You will be the host of this new version. As it makes contact with the original penalty, the mutation will spread. This will make it easier for people to fight it. Another will get your white blood cells¡­¡± Elder Charaka was frowning. Still behind on modern medicine? Perhaps they had another name for it. ¡°It¡¯ll make your body fight it better. ¡°Keep treating them,¡± Max gestured out to the others. ¡°Treating them will help spread the new variant. Think of it like a vaccine. The new variant multiplies but also alerts the body¡¯s immune system to something being wrong. Hopefully that, along with your magic, will be enough for everyone to survive.¡± ¡°¡­ And if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s hope I can be done with Cy quickly.¡± Elder Charaka thought for barely a second. ¡°Go. Cy should still be waiting there. I¡¯ll keep the others here.¡± Max nodded while hate hid behind his eyes. Elder Charaka flinched as Max cut into his skin, a little more than a nick. ¡°I won¡¯t use the dryads anymore. Their magic is running low, but they¡¯ll help keep the infected from going anywhere.¡± The mentees gave panicked glances to each other. ¡°When time runs out though-¡± ¡°They won¡¯t go anywhere.¡± There was a selfish tone in his voice. The same one Max noticed during his interview. ¡°And if you could let out an emergency broadcast-¡± Elder Charaka didn¡¯t need telling twice as he started up a spell in the other palm of his hand. ¡°This is an emergency broadcast. Immediately halt procedure F. There is an infectious penalty going about caused by the system. Repeat. Immediately stop procedure F. My mentees head in my direction. Be ready to heal. For the others, all those who are not within my vicinity and have been working on the frontlines should relocate to the hospital. Do not contact anyone. Do not approach anyone else.¡± The glow of the spell lowered. ¡°Anything else to add?¡± Max whispered as he looked down at the newest iteration of his map. The lights were retracting away. ¡°Where do people go when evacuated? Is it a confined space?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Can you get to them before they infect others?¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t have much more to add.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to rescind the teleporting ban? Only Charon can navigate around it.¡± ¡°¡­ Cy can¡¯t teleport away?¡± ¡°At the moment, he can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then keep it this way.¡± ¡°End of transmission.¡± The spell fated just as Max finished the last rune. ¡°Do you think you can keep healing everyone until they gain immunity?¡± ¡°How long would that be?¡± ¡°At best, a few hours. At worst, a few days.¡± Elder Charaka grunted before resuming his meditating position. ¡°Will you keep the blue lines on?¡± ¡°Until they naturally run out.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t turn it off? What if Cy tries to heal himself?¡± Max found his words stuck in his throat, as he just shook his head. Elder Charaka was right. He needed to be thorough. Feeling the sickly sensation bubbling up inside him again, Max grabbed the broken axe from a sleeping Elder Aris before continuing into the woods. The sun was going to rise soon. Chapter 71: Cyrus II Max thought about dropping the broken axe a few times as he made his way deeper into the woods. His mind raced back and forth with the deadline of the story prompt rapidly approaching. The axe seemed extreme. The offensive magic supply was all used. The tool was already broken. Hatchets exist for a reason. There were alternative ways. Like what? Fists? Chalking up the growing hesitancy to sleep deprivation, he kept a strong grip. The yellow runes blinked a few more times before going out. No more magic for dryads. It wasn¡¯t long after that the pink runes did the same. No more maps. Isolated in a fight, Max felt some of the pressure from the community, who had been resisting all night. The sky was beginning to change colours. The sounds of birds beginning to chirp and a waterfall made it all feel worse. Seeing a figure in front of the running water made him pause. It was eerie. Cy was waiting calmly in front of the waterfall. Max couldn¡¯t place why seeing him there looked so unsettling at first. Was it because he was about to kill him? Or because he had tormented the people who raised Cy while looking for him? Maybe it was simply the sting of an upcoming betrayal for a system that had been tormenting him for years with a deadly penalty? Eventually, Max settled on his appearance. It wasn¡¯t often that he saw him without his cloak. ¡°I take it Haiddeck still has your cloak.¡± He pointed out when he felt sure Cy could hear him over the waterfall. There was no reaction. Couldn¡¯t he hear? ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit cold? Being next to a waterfall isn¡¯t the warmest of places.¡± Cy¡¯s eyes squinted before he began to look a little pale. Did he finally notice the axe? Still, he said nothing. Max stopped his approach. There was still about three hundred meters between them. Unaware of the time, the sun could rise at any moment. Despite this, he felt the need to address their awkward situation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯ve probably been listening to the broadcasts all night¡­ Just¡­ This isn¡¯t personal, you know?¡± Cy¡¯s face remained grim, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Let¡¯s make this quick-¡± Cough. A cough? There shouldn¡¯t be coughing here. Max instinctively moved before the pressurised wave could hit him. The wheezing beefcake stood out amongst the now broken trees. ¡°Darius!? The fuck are you doing here? You should be rest-¡± ¡°Get out of here, Cyrus!¡± Max looked over at Cy¡¯s direction to see¡­ That he wasn¡¯t moving? It was strange seeing him be oddly still. Was Elder Obi right about him abandoning orders and procedures? Or was there something else going- The coughs distracted Max. ¡°Stay on the damn blue lines and go back to where Elder-¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± Darius crept his way forwards as he meticulously stepped over each line. Max started to march his way over towards Darius before sprinting in Cy¡¯s direction. Cy was acting weird. He still wasn¡¯t moving. Was this another one of their plans? While he was unsure about his target, Max felt overly confident about what to do with Darius. He dodged a couple more attacks in his direction from the community¡¯s Elder before throwing Elder Aris¡¯s broken axe at Cy. It hit. ¡°CYRUS!¡± It hit? Stolen story; please report. Max felt himself freeze in shock from the impact as Cy grunted from the sudden wound to his waist. It should be real, but it didn¡¯t feel that way. Why did it hit? Max was semi-certain the strangeness in his behaviour was from a filter, or an imposter, or something else. It really was Cy? And Cy was now severely wounded as he laid on the floor? But he wasn¡¯t dead. Yet.
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How to Start: Cy is still alive when the sun rises!
There was a hard impact, and Max found himself knocked to the ground. ¡°You son of a bitch.¡± Darius spluttered between bloody coughs. Several landed-on Max¡¯s face. His senses struggled to come back as Max tried to wrestle Darius off of him and onto the blue lines. ¡°You need to stay on the goddamn lines-¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t got to do shit. You don¡¯t know anything, boss¡± Max struggled to keep the maddened father pinned down. The wound he gave Cy should be fatal since he was left to bleed out¡­ So why wasn¡¯t the prompt cancelled? ¡°Stay-¡± Max¡¯s voice got caught in his throat as he looked over to Cy lying on the ground. He couldn¡¯t tell from this angle, but was he on a blue line? Didn¡¯t Elder Charaka mention Cy stole Max¡¯s blood? The same blood that forced the blue runes to increase in power? Was this their plan from the beginning? Waste time, take the hit, and heal when Max was distracted? The sun was going to rise at any moment. Max winded Darius again before dragging him to a line. ¡°Stay here. I mean it this time.¡± He broke out into a sprint to where Cy lay. It had been unsettling to see his injuries from afar. It felt even worse to see them up close. ¡°Sorry,¡± Max murmured, as he pulled a severely injured Cy away from the blue line he landed on. Max was grateful Cy wasn¡¯t looking in his direction until he realised his eyes were focused on a few vials of red liquid clutched firmly in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he muttered again while trying to pry it out of Cy¡¯s hand. ¡°I can¡¯t let you have-¡± The blue lines stopped glowing. It didn¡¯t matter anymore. Cy wasn¡¯t going to be healed by them¡­ Neither was Darius. At least one of them could be helped when the prompt was gone. The sky was getting brighter. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I don¡¯t have time anymore.¡± Max knelt to remove the axe causing the wound to gush blood. There was another moment of hesitation before he looked away and brought it back down again. Unable to stomach the sight of his actions, Max looked away to see Darius staring in their direction. There were no words getting hurtled in their direction. No movement in his chest. No more coughs. Just steady drips of blood leaking from the side of his mouth. If there was any more magic in the tanks, Max would¡¯ve seen some illuminated red runes. ¡­
Story Name: ???
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How to Start: Cy is still alive when the sun rises!
¡­ Time to finish what the system started, so it wasn¡¯t for nothing. Max closed his eyes for a second, as his hands reached towards where he left the axe. It wasn¡¯t there? When he opened his eyes, the revelation of his situation was devastating. Cy used a teleporting spell on him. He was back in the middle of Tsujuma. The prompt had vanished. The HUD was visible. Max had failed. He could feel a laugh threatening to bubble up. All that excitement and effort, and he had failed to deliver on time. The story prompt was now activated. It was all for nothing. Letting Juniper be abducted by aliens. Slaving away at Bessie¡¯s farm. Avoiding Adelaide in the village. Being evicted. Completing piles after piles of paperwork. Destroying the moral of a community. Getting Darius killed. Keeping Cy alive. Gravely injuring him. None of it mattered now. Cy was probably going to bleed out in those woods too. Nothing he could do about it now. Before he had a chance to interact with the HUD and reveal the redacted parts of the prompt, he felt someone slap the back of his head. It was a harsh hit, but the voice that followed was an instant relief. ¡°You fucking asshole,¡± Cy shouted down to him as if he was scolding a child. ¡°You could have killed me.¡± Chapter 72: Here Comes the Sun [Second Arc Finale] ¡°How?¡± Cy stood completely healed in front of Max in the middle of the abandoned community. Had it really been a filter? Max should¡¯ve seen the truth when he was up close. Did they use his blood? There were no more blue lines, so it shouldn¡¯t have mattered. What about Elder- ¡°Magic bones.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Whilst Max was trying to piece together what happened, Cy merely frowned at his blood-stained, ruined clothes. Cy walked with purpose as he continued to talk, forcing Max to pick himself up off the floor and follow if he wanted any answers. ¡°I used one of your magic bones.¡± ¡°You had a magic bone?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Where were you keeping it?¡± Max tried to recall, but only remembered the vials of blood in his hand. ¡°Here.¡± Cy pointed to his mouth. The idea flabbergasted him. ¡°I learned that trick from you when you fought Elder Edric.¡± ¡°Which magic bone was it?¡± There were a few extra Max had handed to Cy when he fought against Lux. All of them were incomplete and unrelated to healing. ¡°The healing one I stole from Bessie while you were busy with the mayor.¡± Cy stopped to give an exhausted Max a nonchalant look before continuing to the rickety bridge. The rotten stack of wood was once the glorious red bridge when the filter was on. ¡°What? You know about my heart issue, right? So, when you said you made a thing that cured a fatally ill cow and changed her fate, of course I was going to nick it. It was going to be my backup plan in case Elder Charaka couldn¡¯t cure me.¡± ¡°You stole from Bessie?¡± Max frowned. There was harshness in his voice. ¡°You gave the mayor a stroke.¡± Cy rebutted with his own sass. ¡°And you got Elder Darius killed while trying to kill me.¡± He knew about Darius? Why did he call him- Cy began to walk again. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until you started teaching me about the runes that I pieced together what I needed to do to make it work.¡± Max tried to recall which runes he had carved into the bone. Unsure if the runes would even work in this world, there weren¡¯t many precautionary procedures in place. There was definitely one for a cow though. ¡°Right-¡± ¡°So, I scratched out the rune for ¡®cow¡¯ and carved ¡®human¡¯ next to it. I also scratched out the one I thought meant illness.¡± Max couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°And it worked?¡± Usually, it would take people years to master a singular rune with pen and paper. Never mind carving it into bone. ¡°Well, I¡¯m still here. Aren¡¯t I?¡± Cy picked up one of the rocks beside the bridge and began digging. ¡°But I tell you what, I¡¯m not swallowing a bone like that again.¡± Max finally remembered the rest of the runes on that bone. ¡°You swallowed it?¡± Cy grunted with his face showing displeasure. ¡°Between the rune for ¡®mouth¡¯ and my fate fluctuations, I was able to piece together what I needed to do for it to work.¡± It was amazing. ¡°Keeping me busy, using up the reserves, getting injured¡­ distracting me, teleporting me back here, then using the bone¡­ What incredible timing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m psychic¡­ Oh, wait...¡± Max couldn¡¯t help relieving some of the laughter, which had been building up since the moment he was back in the community. They managed to trick him. Fair play. ¡°Dairus made one hell of a plan.¡± ¡°Elder Darius?¡± Cy stopped digging for a moment to give him an offended look. ¡°As if he could handle time management on this level. We¡¯re talking about a man who can¡¯t bake a plate of cookies without burning them. This was all my idea. I¡¯m three for three against your kind.¡± ¡°Three?¡± ¡°Niv, twice, and you, once.¡± Cy began yanking at a bag, which was shallowly buried in the ground. Max began digging around the hole to help him. ¡°My fate was changing all night long. It was a real 50-50 whether I could hold on long enough for the magic bone to work.¡± ¡°If you were going to teleport me back here, why didn¡¯t you do it before I injured you?¡± ¡°Charon is unconscious right now, so his anti-teleport spell was going to collapse after one more person teleported. If I sent you back too early, you would¡¯ve started carving some runes into things in desperation.¡± ¡°So, I would¡¯ve made it back in time?¡± ¡°You would.¡± Cy finally pulled the bag out. It was the same one Bessie gave him. Without missing a beat, he began rummaging around. ¡°Even if I mucked up the timing, seeing how badly you injured me would¡¯ve made you less desperate and increased my odds of survival.¡± The bag was packed and ready to go with clothes, preserved food, and money poking out of the opening. ¡°You had time to pack and bury this here while I was looking for you?¡± ¡°No, I did this the day after I found out about the system.¡± The timeline didn¡¯t make sense to him. ¡°You buried this when you were a kid?¡± Cy shot Max a confused look before selecting his replacement shirt. ¡°When I was a kid? No, Elder Darius let me in on the secret and my past while you were chatting to Elder Edric. I always knew there was something fishy with that guy. His timing and connections always seemed¡­ too perfect.¡± Cy gave the bag a gentle kick causing Max to flinch. ¡°I buried this after stealing your blood from Elder Charaka. You were busy with Elder Ji-min at the time.¡± The dots finally connected. No wonder Cy was so crabby that day. The more Max thought about it, the more it made sense to him. Cy learned the truth about Max and the system from Darius. Then, he couldn¡¯t sleep much. They had their awkward breakfast. He went to his room to pack. After visiting Haiddeck, he got him to escort Max so Cy would have enough time to steal from Elder Charaka, grab Bessie¡¯s bag, and bury it. He then waited for Max to come back. They got into a fight before going home, where Cy could have some isolated time to¡­ plan? Relax? Come to terms? Whatever happened, Cy managed to get into the headspace to fool Max about things being normal between them. Since Niv already received the penalty years ago, Darius must have been free to tell Cy about it whenever he wanted. They had been planning for this for even longer than Max. He glanced back to the woods, where Darius¡¯s home lay, while Cy changed. ¡°¡­ How many didn¡¯t make it?¡± Darius was gone. That was a fact. What about the infected in the woods? Could Elder Charaka cure them all on his own? Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°What are you talking about? Only Elder Darius got killed.¡± He was using Darius¡¯s title again. Perhaps this was his way of grieving? ¡°The penalty from the system is currently set to die out without killing anyone else due to your mutation. Everyone will have a nasty cold for a day or so, including us. That being said, we are going to have some mild, long-term breathing issues cause of it.¡± Max didn¡¯t show much of a reaction. Cy continued. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get too worked up over Elder Darius¡¯s death.¡± What the fuck? The words hit Max hard. What was with this cold and unconcerned attitude from Cy about his doting father? ¡°He asked me to pass on a message to you.¡± ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was along the lines of watch your back, cause he¡¯s going to get even with you next time.¡± ¡­ ¡°Next time?¡± Cy gave a coy smile. ¡®Weren¡¯t you listening to the broadcast? He¡¯s been giving you hints about that system of yours for a long time now.¡± Max could only reply with a confused look. ¡°It persuades people, who remember being reincarnated, into doing its bidding for the sake of a ¡®story.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°I guess, you wouldn¡¯t.¡± Seeing Max look puzzled and lost, Cy took pity. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who reincarnates.¡± What? ¡°You, me, Elder Darius; the system brings quite a few of us back. The only difference is you get to keep your memories and can start at any age, while we got to ride it out since birth with real amnesia. Now come on, we should get going or we¡¯re going to miss BB.¡± Cy led the way as a confused Max followed. ¡°What do you mean you get reincarnated too?¡± Cy gave out an exaggerated sigh despite clearly relishing every second of having the advantage through Darius¡¯s passed down knowledge. ¡°Have you never considered that there might be a ¡®before?¡¯ Like what happened before the system pulled you into this weird cycle?¡± Of course they wondered. Neither answers nor clues ever presented themselves. ¡°Well, people like Elder Darius and I are part of the ¡®before.¡¯ You¡¯re part of the ¡®during.¡¯ Elder Darius said that you were one of the later ones to get afflicted, so you must have had a few lifetimes before the first life you remember.¡± ¡°My first life?¡± The words were lost on Max. Some bits and pieces had survived throughout the years, but most of his memories of then were gone to time. ¡°And one day, we¡¯re going to find ourselves randomly joining the ¡®during.¡¯¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to become like me?¡± ¡°Eventually.¡± Cy seemed amused by his disbelief. ¡°Honestly, what did you think was the reason why there is a difference between a fixed and flexible fate?¡± ¡°¡­ How involved they were with a story?¡± Cy paused for a moment while he thought over the theory. ¡°Kinda, I guess. But the real answer is whether the person reincarnates or not. If they¡¯re stuck in this cycle with the system, then their fate is fixed. If this is their only life, then it¡¯s flexible. At least, that¡¯s the trend Elder Darius and I noticed when we compared our findings.¡± Without considering Max, who was deep in thought, Cy began to move again. ¡°Your fate is fixed, right?¡± Max called out while chasing after him. The idea wasn¡¯t too unbelievable. After all, he said it himself. There will always be another Cy. So, what if it really was just a singular Cy all along? After spending a few minutes to chew on the idea, realisation of their situation dawned as he stopped in his tracks. What was he doing? Just a few minutes ago, they were enemies with Max hunting him down. ¡°We¡¯re going to BB?¡± ¡°We told her we would meet up?¡± Cy stopped to give him a confused look. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be coming with me.¡± ¡°¡­ Have you checked your thing?¡± ¡°My thing?¡± ¡°Yeah, the whatchamacallit where it tells you the details of your story.¡± ¡°The HUD?¡± Max began to interact with the overly familiar interface. It was upsetting to see it again after everything. Especially since¡­ Oh?
Story Name: Ren, Do You Remember Me?
Genre: Sci-Fi
Description: After resisting for too long, the MC must endure the vexation of the system.
Goal: Learn what the system is.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
How to Start: STARING METHOD COMPLETED Cy is still alive when the sun rises!
¡°Six-star?¡± Max looked at the display, completely mystified. ¡°There¡¯s a six-star?¡± A long-extinguished fire ignited in him. Despite being successful at a five-star story, they ultimately failed in their main goal at uncovering what was happening to them. This story¡¯s premise, goal, and difficulty all pointed at answers. The six months of resisting hadn¡¯t been for nothing. Cy frowned at Max¡¯s reaction. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t look too pleased.¡± Seeing his expression, Max immediately searched for the worst parts of every story: the sub-goals, requirements, and penalties.
SUB-GOALS TIME TO COMPLETE REWARD
??? ??? ???
??? ??? ???
??? ??? ???
Change the genre of three stories before they are completed. One year. Two sub-goals will be revealed. One hint is granted.
??? ??? ???
Encounter all who have completed five-star stories. ??? Time to complete is doubled for remaining sub-goals.
??? ??? ???
What the fuck? Why were most of them redacted? Sometimes the system would add sub-goals in accordance with the difficulty, but he never started with redactions on this screen before. At least the sub-goal explained why Cy was determined for him to reach BB. She would probably be willing to play along with the genre of her story being changed.
REQUIREMENTS
Survive
¡­ Starting simple for now. It was a bit of a relief. However, turning to the currently enforced penalties made his stomach drop.
PENALTIES
Bare Bones: Internal magic reduced to 0. Any external magic absorbed will deteriorate at a rate of 10% per second. Infected: Infected by a severe penalty. Primarily affecting the lungs, the infection reduces life expectancy to 8 hours. It is also highly contagious. Countdown King: If Max is seen by anyone who is in the middle of completing a story, it will initiate a three-day countdown. Once three days have passed, the person who saw Max will die. Wrath of the System: ¡®The Death of Max¡¯ is now a sub-goal for every incomplete story. Time to complete is determined based on story difficulty and progress made. Completion of this sub-goal will grant an automatic completion to a random sub-goal and a penalty removal as a reward.
¡°You¡¯ve got a blue fate,¡± Cy said matter-of-factly. The tone of his voice broke Max¡¯s focus so he would look at him. ¡°And you¡¯re set to die in four days. If we¡¯re not out of here within the hour, it¡¯s going to reduce to a few hours. We need to get going.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you should come-¡± ¡°I can see your fate and give you warnings, benefiting you. You can cure my heart issue since the prompt isn¡¯t in the way anymore, benefiting me. Sticking together means Elder Darius will encounter one of us sooner in the next life and can see what a six-star story is about, benefiting everyone.¡± Max still looked hesitant. ¡°Darius told me a lot about your system.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°I can listen while filling in paperwork, you know.¡± Were they having conspiring meetings every time Max was working on the farm? No wonder Darius was so insistent on him finding a part-time job. ¡°What you don¡¯t know could fill a book.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re going to tell me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to help you complete the six-star story, as requested by my mentor. Elder Darius wants to know more about ¡®after.¡¯¡± Chapter 73: One Step Ahead ¡°Welcome.¡± The old innkeeper adjusted her cracked glasses as she struggled to get out of her dated but comfortable chair. She glanced at the pair of them and then at the eerie reception desk. ¡°A room for one or two?¡± Max took one long look around the depreciating inn while trying to contain the coughs tormenting his lungs and throat. The floorboards were peeling up. There were a couple of holes in the ceiling allowing the moonlight to pour into the establishment. How many cobwebs were lurking around the room? ¡°I think I¡¯ll just camp outside tonight-¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Cy grabbed Max¡¯s shirt before he could head to the exit. The innkeeper paid them no mind as she continued to struggle towards the reception. Cy let out a couple of his own coughs before continuing his thought. ¡°We¡¯ve spent the whole day hiking and teleporting across the mountains. We¡¯re not feeling good, and neither of us got any sleep last night-¡± ¡°We¡¯ve also got limited funds, so I¡¯ll just bite the bullet and-¡± Cy¡¯s words were sharp as they cut through his argument. ¡°I also remember you trying to kill me was the reason why I wasn¡¯t able to sleep last night. Going to make me have another restless night?¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything, but he also didn¡¯t move. ¡°Look on the bright side, there¡¯s a hot spring here. We can both do with a proper clean up.¡± The old innkeeper finally reached the reception desk. Before she got settled Cy said in a loud voice, ¡°We have a reservation. It should be under the name Darius Vanga.¡± She held a hand to her ear for Cy to repeat their reservation. The name caught the innkeeper¡¯s attention. ¡°Darius Vanga?¡± Cy nodded, causing her to grab a key behind the desk. ¡°Come.¡± Her manners went out of the window while she led the way. Every time one of them coughed, she would throw them a dirty look. ¡°Get washed up. Dinner will be ready in an hour. There are no other guests but try not to be too loud. You never know who could be coming by. And absolutely none of those wild sex parties of his-¡± ¡°Elder Darius passed away this morning.¡± No! Goddamn it! Why did Cy have to interrupt? What was Darius doing in this rotting inn? ¡°This will be the last reservation.¡± The old innkeeper paused to adjust her specs as she murmured, ¡°At last,¡± before continuing her hobbled stride. Max felt even more perplexed by the innkeeper. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He whispered to Cy. ¡°Just wait,¡± he replied in his normal voice. The old innkeeper guided them down a dirty corridor before stopping at a tall, decorative painting leaning against the wall. With help from Max, she moved the picture frame to show a hidden door and opened it for them. ¡°Enjoy the hot spring. Remember, dinner is in an hour.¡± Max couldn¡¯t believe his eyes as he entered the room. Clean, luxuriously decorated, and surprisingly spacious, they entered the wide room. There was only one bed, but Max could see a stack of spare bedding tucked away. It would be a bit nostalgic sleeping on the floor again. On the other side of the room, there were a few windows and a door showing a private hot spring. Cy grabbed Bessie¡¯s sac from Max¡¯s shoulder and threw it on the floor. ¡°Make yourself at home.¡± ¡°This is¡­ a nice place?¡± Max felt himself shiver. Was he getting a fever? At least it was another sign his body recognised the illness. Cy opened the door to the private springs. It was stunning. Who would have thought this tiny inn, a third of the way down from Tsujuma to the nearest town, would have this treasure tucked away? Well, Darius apparently. ¡°We can rest here for now.¡± Cy began looking around the room, pulling out hidden stashes of cash before shoving them in Bessie¡¯s bag. ¡°Elder Darius found out about this place a few years ago, so he often stayed here.¡± ¡°And left all this money?¡± Max tried to nonchalantly pull out something extra to wear as the shivering got worse. Unfortunately, they were all clothes in Cy¡¯s taste. He found the darkest and baggiest one he could find. ¡°It was in case of an emergency. He won¡¯t be needing it now. You¡¯re wearing more clothes? Usually, you do the opposite to enter a hot spring.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting a fever.¡± He admitted, as he gestured for Cy to go ahead while Max took a seat at the table. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a little nap until dinner comes.¡± As Cy closed the door behind him, Max fell asleep with his head on the table. Max awoke with a jump from the old innkeeper slamming a large tray on the table. ¡°Dinner.¡± She said before promptly leaving. Had it already been an hour? His nausea strengthened from seeing the home cooked food in front of him. It was scarily similar to his last meal with Bessie and farmer Lill. Was it worth it? Or should he just go to bed and spend his energy recovering? He needed the sleep anyway. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. On cue, Cy came through the door to the hot springs. Wearing a new set of clothes and his hair still wet, the hot springs appeared to have had a good effect on him. ¡°Dinner is here?¡± ¡°It just came.¡± Despite his lack of an appetite, it was worth enduring a meal. Max wanted answers. He watched Cy cough a few times before he started on his bowl of thick broth. ¡°So¡­ I guess I should apologise again.¡± Cy raised his hand, putting an end to that conversation. ¡°Hearing you say sorry for the millionth time doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything. To make the atmosphere less tense, he picked up his spoon and began stirring his bowl. ¡°Why don¡¯t we start with introductions again? What¡¯s your name?¡± Max stopped stirring. ¡°Huh? What do you mean? My name¡¯s Max.¡± ¡°What about your first life?¡± He felt embarrassed. It took time for him to recall. ¡°Kaito. Most called me Kai, since my name wasn¡¯t too common where I lived.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t common?¡± This part was much easier for him to remember. ¡°My mother was from a country far away. Kai was a familiar name in the area.¡± Cy thought for a moment as he broke off a piece of bread. ¡°Not Ren then?¡± ¡°No.¡± Max suddenly recalled the story prompt. ¡°But it¡¯s in the name of the story for this life. ¡®Ren, Do You Remember Me?¡¯¡± ¡°Sounds like you were called Ren once.¡± ¡°But I have no idea when.¡± Max pulled off a piece of bread for himself but continued to dodge eating. It was easy to cover his lack of eating through the constant coughs. ¡°It could¡¯ve been any of my lifetimes.¡± ¡°And how many is that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Max admitted. ¡°Lost count a while ago.¡± Cy took a break from eating. ¡°Do you know how many times we¡¯ve met previously?¡± The question caught Max off-guard. How many times had he met someone like Cy? Someone with his type of magic? There were a few memories that stood out to him. ¡°I know three for sure, if you are who I think you are. So, I guess¡­ thirteen?¡± ¡°Try two hundred and eleven.¡± The idea felt impossible and yet possible. ¡°That many?¡± Cy let out a couple of coughs. Was his sickness getting worse too? ¡°Probably more. That¡¯s the number Darius suspects. You met him a few times before as well.¡± ¡°To be fair, he never showed me that kind of magic before. I would¡¯ve remembered it.¡± ¡°Or you were too inexperienced to value it. Elder Darius and I almost always have our gifts since our type of magic is linked to us rather than our bodies. We usually develop it instinctively, but how good we are at it can vary. When Elder Darius realised we were the same, it was a big reason why he campaigned to be my mentor.¡± A type of magic untethered to a body? Max had heard about people like that from the others, especially from June¡¯s research. Thinking back on Edric¡¯s report, it made sense. It never mentioned anyone teaching Cy how to read fates. Cy picked it up naturally while he was still a kid. Maybe Cy had a point. Perhaps he had overlooked the various people he met throughout his lives¡­ Max tried to think back on all the times he must¡¯ve met Cy. He couldn¡¯t be sure of that large of a number. But if Cy was right, then he might be able to test it. ¡°Do you have anything with magic that I can draw runes on?¡± Cy gave him a questioning look. ¡°It¡¯s not for anything malicious.¡± Cy coughed for a second before getting up and making his way to Bessie¡¯s sac. It didn¡¯t take him long to pull out a stack of parchment paper created by Elder Nova. ¡°Now that we¡¯re away from the community, these are going to be a lot less powerful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Max only took one piece before Cy handed a pen over to him. He was a little surprised Cy was willing to trust him so much but decided not to press on the issue. He drew a couple of runes before folding the paper over. Trusting Cy, there was no need to overcomplicate them. ¡°What did you write?¡± Cy asked, as he took his seat again. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in a few minutes.¡± Max finally took his first bite, but immediately regretted it. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not feeling great. You can help yourself to my half if you want.¡± Cy didn¡¯t need telling twice. ¡°Since you¡¯re not eating, why don¡¯t you tell me about the story you¡¯ve got?¡± Max took his time explaining the different components word for word, which Cy seemed to have some surface level knowledge of, before giving his own interpretation about the different parts. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about the Bare Bones penalty. I didn¡¯t have magic to begin with and external magic I absorb gets stored in some of the runes instead of my body.¡± He pointed to an example hidden beneath his clothes before erupting into coughs. ¡°And you¡¯re confident it¡¯ll work?¡± Cy remained sceptical. ¡°I know it works. I¡¯ve had this penalty before.¡± ¡°What about the other penalties?¡± ¡°The illness is no big deal,¡± Max couldn¡¯t help coughing again. ¡°The other two though¡­ I¡¯ve never seen them before¡­ I think, for the most part, we should stay away from other people like me.¡± ¡°Well, no shit.¡± Cy scoffed. At first, Max smiled at him before dropping it quickly. Edric had completed his story. He should be free to help as he promised, but could Max trust him? Especially with his death bringing about a completed sub-goal and penalty removal? Max felt uncomfortable. While June was more concerned with answers, Edric usually answered for their organisation. What was more valuable for him? Progress or reputation? Turning his attention to the positive news, Max glanced at the parchment. ¡°I know your rune name now.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± Cy frowned. ¡°I would be dead otherwise.¡± Max unfolded the parchment for Cy to see. ¡°You see this one here? This is your name.¡± ¡°It looks¡­ disappointingly simple. How do you even know it worked? Isn¡¯t that a basic healing rune.¡± He pointed to the rune above. ¡°You haven¡¯t coughed since I wrote it.¡± Max replied calmly as Cy studied the piece of parchment. ¡°When I first experimented with this kind of magic, I was at a kind of boarding school with other kids gifted with magic. Among them was a snot-nosed kid a couple of years younger than me. He was gifted at seeing fates and stubborn as hell at bothering me. Always pestering me to discover his name too.¡± Max pointed at the rune again. ¡°This is you.¡± Chapter 74: What Does This Rune Mean? ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Cy didn¡¯t sound impressed. If anything, the soup was getting more attention from him. ¡°You¡¯ve got a bit of experience with runes now.¡± Max tried to contain his frustration, but it made him break out into more coughs. ¡°Sometimes it takes me a few lifetimes just to get the rune name for one thing. You should feel honoured.¡± Cy spoke in the most sarcastic way that he could muster. ¡°Oh gee, aren¡¯t you so clever? Figuring out my name must¡¯ve taken you such a long time-¡± ¡°Alright! I get it.¡± Max reached for his water in a desperate attempt to control the coughs. ¡°But now you could write it too, if you practiced-¡± ¡°I¡¯m just oh so glad you figured it out now that we¡¯re buddy-buddy again after you threw an axe at me.¡± Max choked on a mouthful of water. ¡°I¡¯m thrilled to bits this has been resolved before the system can list my death as one of your sub-goals-¡± ¡°You can see the redacted sub-goals?¡± ¡°No! At least not from the parts of a person¡¯s fate that I can read.¡± Cy pouted, finally no longer interested in his soup. Max wasn¡¯t too sure how to continue the conversation. Usually, he never had to make up with people he wronged on behalf of the system. ¡°But maybe you can help me understand the parts I can¡¯t read.¡± He pulled out a piece of regular paper and began drawing, taking extreme care in the line work as taught. Max¡¯s coughs caused his concentration to wither, and a line to come out wonky. ¡°Ever considered using a piece of parchment to heal yourself too?¡± Cy tutted as he reached for a new piece of paper. ¡°Nah, I want to test how bad this strain is in case I need to do something similar again.¡± Max patiently stared at the lines being created in front of him. Despite the effort, they were a little contorted making them hard to identify at first. ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not finished yet.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I think I know what it is, and I can draw it better.¡± Max motioned for Cy to hand over his quill pen. ¡°Is it this one? It¡¯s the symbol of ¡®us.¡¯ As in, ¡®us¡¯ under the system. Nnita. Darius¡¯s during squad.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that one.¡± Cy snatched it back to continue his own drawing. ¡°All of the vibrant souls have it. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s connected to the system since you asked me to look out for them. This shape is the one I see in Aldwin¡¯s, Edric¡¯s, BB¡¯s, and now your fate.¡± ¡°¡­ Hold the phone, did you say Aldwin?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a fone?¡± Cy looked at him puzzled. Max ignored Cy¡¯s repeated questions about what a ¡®fone,¡¯ while his mind tried to comprehend what he was saying. Aldwin was one of them? The village idiot could be fucking one of them? How could he be one of them? He had been in the village for ages though. People swore they grew up with the guy. It wasn¡¯t impossible if he woke up to a kid¡¯s body¡­ Could he be one of them? Aldwin never questioned Max¡¯s actions. Aldwin left the village immediately after he did. Maybe. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to take a look?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Pushing the Aldwin idea aside, Max was completely focused on the unfamiliar shape. It was similar to the rune he drew, but Cy was right about it not being the same. There were too many inaccuracies for the rune to have any hope of working. Trying to break down the shape didn¡¯t help either. He couldn¡¯t decipher it. ¡°Should we test it?¡± ¡°¡­ Okay,¡± Cy¡¯s voice showed his apprehension. ¡°We¡¯ll write a silly command,¡± Max reassured him. ¡°Think of the small risk to my life as me saying sorry for trying to take yours.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried about you.¡± Cy managed to shake off any hesitancy. ¡°What should the command be?¡± Max thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it simple ¨C a command to stand.¡± He quickly replicated the rune with a few others onto a piece of parchment. Cy waited eagerly for a moment before getting crabby. ¡°Did it work?¡± ¡°Obviously not,¡± Max continued to look down at the runes. The one Cy drew didn¡¯t work. Was it because it simply wasn¡¯t a rune or because Cy wasn¡¯t accurate in his recreation? ¡°Either way, I believe you if you see it in our fates.¡± Even if it meant Max¡¯s whole relationship with Aldwin was a lie. ¡°It¡¯s close enough to the rune for ¡®us¡¯ that I wouldn¡¯t call it a coincidence.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not runes, then what is it?¡± Cy was mystified. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Max admitted. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s an extreme advantage since you can identify other during people from a glance.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I can check with runes. And, we have some ways to hint to each other. Otherwise, no.¡± ¡°That reminds me.¡± Cy went digging in his backpack for something before throwing a bone at Max¡¯s direction. It landed with a plop in his uneaten soup. ¡°Elder Darius wanted to return this. He said it¡¯ll be useful for you.¡± Max fished out the carved magic bone he had used to identify Navy. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe he wants to help me,¡± he murmured, while cleaning the bone. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to help you,¡± Cy corrected, his tone of voice was suddenly harsher. Almost as harsh as when he hit him on the back of his head. ¡°Elder Darius has got his own selfish reasons for doing this. Right now, you¡¯re just a horse he¡¯s betting on.¡± There it was again, the coldness towards Darius. ¡°I¡¯m alright with being a horse,¡± Max admitted. ¡°Although, when it¡¯s time, I would like to know what kind of race I¡¯m running in.¡± There was no reply. Cy pouted at his food. Was he avoiding eye contact now? Max decided to change the subject. ¡°Should I pour out this soup? It¡¯s kind of a waste, but I can¡¯t eat it¡­ And that innkeeper was quite insistent¡­¡± Cy ignored him. He looked down at the two runes they drew for a couple of minutes as Max began to silently clear up his side of the table. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time I finally tell you what I can see.¡± Max dropped his bowl of soup causing it to shatter on the floor and coat the floor, walls, and ceiling in a rich broth. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Whaddyamean why?¡± Cy snapped back irritated, as he tried to wipe the soup off him. It was time for another trip to the hot spring. ¡°You¡¯ve got to know what things are accessible to you if you want to beat this six-star story of yours.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Max immediately covered his ears like a child. His voice started going hoarse as he spoke louder and stubbornly through coughs. ¡°I remember bits and pieces about your magic from previous lives but not much.¡± He immediately admitted. ¡°If you¡¯re right about your death being a potential sub-goal then I don¡¯t want to know what small advantages you could have-¡± ¡°Small?¡± Cy¡¯s voice would¡¯ve sounded offended if Max could hear him clearly. Max spoke louder to drown him out, but it was beginning to break his voice. ¡°You¡¯re three for three. Don¡¯t let me go breaking your streak if we¡¯re in that scenario again. If you¡¯re worried about your name, I was going to suggest learning my name and countering spells to make it fairer. And I¡¯ll fix your penalty.¡± ¡°Your name?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it after I¡¯m feeling a bit better. The hot spring is over there, right? I should get washed up before bed-¡± ¡°Wait! What about the mess?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clean it when I get back!¡± Max slammed the door behind him to end the conversation. It was a close one. Based on their previous assumed encounters, Cy¡¯s ability was a wild range. This life was great. Some were even better. Some lives Cy couldn¡¯t understand anything, and he could just see a chaotic mess of colours, numbers, letters, and shapes. From what Cy told him in his previous life, he could get a feel for general passions in life, name and date all of the life changing events the person will go through in life and was scarily good at knowing someone¡¯s alcohol tolerance. But there was more. Assuming they were the same person, Max wasn¡¯t ready to face the exact number of times he had died while under the control of the system. Chapter 75: Oh! So You’re Max? ¡°You wait here,¡± Cy stared down at the harbour town below them. ¡°I¡¯m going to go check it out.¡± ¡°You want me to wait here?¡± Max croaked out, as he remained seated underneath a bare tree. Although he had recovered from his cold over the last few days, his voice and sense of smell still hadn¡¯t returned. At least it was a relief to escape the pungent odour dominating this world. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was expected to die today?¡± ¡°Exactly why I told you to stay here.¡± Cy began chucking handfuls of sticks and fallen leaves in Max¡¯s direction, ignoring the barely audible curses being returned. ¡°Stay hidden while you wait. Your death date has something to do with one of your lot so don¡¯t move from that spot.¡± ¡°Do we even know if BB will be here?¡± Max pondered aloud even though the second half of his question couldn¡¯t escape his damaged throat. ¡°She will be. She¡¯s in your fate.¡± There was his fate prediction again. It was funny how names never seemed like much of a problem for him to read unlike details. Apparently, he could only read parts of his upcoming death¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a couple of hours.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Max got comfy on the floor amongst the scattered leaves. He wasn¡¯t concealed at all, but who else would be on the mountain? ¡°I mean it,¡± Cy said with a harsher voice. ¡°Your death should be before sunset.¡± Cy was at sunrise, now Max was at sunset? ¡°So, stay here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not moving my butt from here,¡± Max insisted, as Cy tossed Bessie¡¯s bag next to him before beginning his long walk to the town. Ever since they left the community, Cy was like a drill instructor with his constant snippy remarks about how they weren¡¯t moving fast enough. The only real break they had was at that inn. After Max returned from the hot springs, he found the spilled soup was already cleaned, the parchment with Cy¡¯s name was gone, and Cy was silently asleep under a thick layer of blankets on the floor. In the morning, Max was met with harsh commands, as they got going before the sun rose. They kept a steady march while Cy got the next of a continuous chain of spells ready. No breaks in between teleports. No chance to talk, as Max struggled to breathe under the physical strain and the illness he was still fighting. No opportunities to draw runes to complete his promises to Cy. When night fell and their progress slowed to a painful crawl, Cy finally called it a day and the two took turns sleeping under his order. By the second night in the woods, Max was certain. Cy was avoiding talking to him while Max struggled to think of ways to initiate conversation. Maybe they should part ways? As his mind weighed it up, sleep snuck up on him. A noise startled Max awake. Stretching while leaning against a tree, he looked around to see where the noise could have come from. There was another noise, this one was closer. There was someone hiking in the woods. Max remained seated. Cy told him to wait. His track record was more than enough of a reason to obey. The footsteps grew closer. It wasn¡¯t too long before he could see a cloaked man with rolled up sleeves searching through the woods. In his hand, there was something. He was using some kind of tool. In his pocket, Max could feel the magic bone trying to spin. Taking a leap of faith, Max decided to call out in his croaky voice. ¡°Miki¡­¡± his voice suddenly failed to produce any sounds. What a time to give out. The stranger turned to him. Max could see a scruffy beard poking out from underneath the hood. The next thing Max saw was a bright light heading in his direction. Max accepted the potential death while following Cy¡¯s instructions. Around him, everything was singed. If he had moved a centimetre in any direction, he would¡¯ve been severely injured and, worryingly, still alive. After realising he was okay, Max decided to have another jab at communication. ¡°Ttema Ttocho!¡± His voice came out a lot stronger this time. Damn that blasted cold. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You¡¯re Max, right?¡± The guy lowered his hood to reveal a shiny dome. It was quite impressive for the times. Max didn¡¯t move. It was difficult to decipher the tattooed number on his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you did to piss off the system, but, boy, you got some enemies.¡± He geared up for another attack. ¡°This ain¡¯t personal kid-¡± ¡°You¡¯re one of Adam¡¯s lot, aren¡¯t you?¡± Despite his being barely audible, the stranger was clearly unprepared to hear one of Edric¡¯s old names. ¡°I can see the five, but you¡¯re too far away for me to read the rest. Show me your number,¡± Max instructed. The stranger looked puzzled, but his hesitancy and manners were enough for Max to take an educated guess. ¡°I don¡¯t know how-¡± ¡°50042, cool it. It¡¯s Vilja.¡± Max watched colour drain from his face. ¡°Wait¡­ YOU are Max?¡± 50042 came closer to show Max the tattoo clearly. He was spot on with his guess. As a reply, Max lifted his shirt a little to show some of the runes. It was enough of a confirmation of his identity. ¡°Bad luck with the voice this time.¡± He was sympathetic as he took a seat next to Max and offered him a flask. ¡°Nah, just a bad cold.¡± Max swung back the liquid before beginning to choke; turned out it wasn¡¯t water. ¡°You still get colds?¡± ¡°No magic this time round,¡± he gave as an excuse. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± ¡°Looking for you, well, Max you.¡± 50042 handed over the tool he was holding. The size of the palm of his hand and made of magic imbued metal. Etched on top was a series of runes. As pretty as it looked, it was nothing more than a complex version of the magic bone in Max¡¯s pocket. If the user pointed it in the general direction of one of them, then the part closest to the user would vibrate. The closer he was, the stronger it would be. ¡°Adam¡¯s going by Edric in this life. He began a hunt for ¡®Max¡¯ the moment it was declared as a sub-goal for everyone. Bit of a cock-up, eh?¡± ¡°What exactly is the system saying about me?¡± Max asked, as he examined the runes. Polished and clean, Edric remembered how to draw them well. 50042¡¯s words troubled him. Max was sure Edric could assume the sub-goal was about him. After all, they already met. He already knew his current name. This wasn¡¯t an accident. ¡°Lemme see,¡± he said, as he began navigating his HUD. It always took him a while to interact with it. Apparently, he was a pensioner in his first life, so his struggle with technology kept up with him through the lives, similar to Max and cooking. ¡°The Death of Max ¨C hunt down a person called Max and kill him. Any method of completion is acceptable. Time to complete is one year. The reward listed in an automatic completion to a random sub-goal and a penalty removal. But I also suddenly got a penalty when I approached you-¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Max interrupted. He wasn¡¯t too interested in that part. ¡°And what exactly was Edric¡¯s order? What¡¯s his plan?¡± ¡°Firstly, find you. If we can do that, then our next priority is bringing you in. If it gets out of hand, we¡¯re clear to kill you.¡± 50042 was blunt with his words. ¡°Not to worry. When we tell Edric who you are, he¡¯ll rescind the order. He¡¯ll probably get completed people to come help you out.¡± Max tossed the tool back over to him. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not planning on joining up with everyone this time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± He was puzzled again, as he began pulling out supplies for Max to use on his journey. Max seemed more interested in Bessie¡¯s bag next to him. ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve got a feeling I might get betrayed.¡± ¡°Wha! We would never. No matter what the system says, orders come first.¡± ¡°You would never,¡± Max agreed. 50042 was a good one and very loyal to the organisation. ¡°Either way, I need to consult my psychic first. He says I¡¯m going to die today.¡± ¡°¡­. Is that something we do now? Consult psychics?¡± ¡°He told me not to move.¡± Max gestured to the burned chaos around him. 50042 suddenly began nodding in understanding. ¡°He¡¯s helping me with my story.¡± ¡°Then you better stick with him if that¡¯s the case. Do what you need to do.¡± 50042 took another big swig of his flask before giving an exaggerated sigh. ¡°No need to worry about me.¡± Max gave an appreciative smile as he pulled out a piece of parchment and some ink. ¡°I¡¯ll party and drink until the penalty ticks down.¡± Max nodded along. ¡°We¡¯ll get you something in compensation in the next life.¡± 50042 raised his flask in agreement. He understood the value of sacrifice for the greater good. The question was whose interpretation of the greater good? Was he going to keep quiet for Max¡¯s sake? Or report to his direct superior, Edric, about what happened here? Max finished writing down a few runes before standing up, finally breaking Cy¡¯s order. After stretching, he dragged 50042¡¯s body so it would take his place under the bare tree. It would bring a nice air of mystery when they finally found him; dead and surrounded by traces of his own unique type of magic. Taking advantage of all the goods he had pulled out before his untimely death; Max stuffed them into Bessie¡¯s bag before starting to walk in the same direction Cy went. When Edric came up with the idea of visibly tagging everyone with numbers, Max had been against it. It was always too¡­ inhumane in his eyes. Too distasteful. It wasn¡¯t until June gave him another perspective that he came around to the idea. Finding the names of people was always too troublesome. Writing numbers that the corresponding person wore on their skin was much more convenient. Chapter 76: Almost Reunited ¡°There you are!¡± Max exclaimed. In the dark pub, he recognised Cy sitting at a small table from the moment he opened the door. Opposite him was BB with her head on the table and six empty pitchers in front of her. ¡°It took me a while to find you guys.¡± ¡°I thought I told you to stay put?¡± Cy¡¯s voice showed irritation. Max ignored him while he grabbed another round of beer for them. He also gestured to the barkeep to give a round to all of BB¡¯s crew, who replied with a rowdy chorus of celebration. A nice present from the purse of the recently deceased. ¡°I thought you said I would be dead by sunset? It¡¯s already dark.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Cy appeared genuinely surprised. He leapt up from his seat to the door, swinging it open to show a twilight sky illuminating a quaint harbour town. Out of Max¡¯s earshot, he began muttering to himself in confusion. ¡°How¡¯s it going, BB?¡± Max took a seat next to her. ¡°Finish your story yet?¡± Suddenly alert, BB looked up to see Cy was coming back to her seat. ¡°He ain¡¯t drunk enough yet for us to talk properly.¡± Her voice was hushed and slurred, making it almost impossible to understand. ¡°What happened to your voice?¡± ¡°A nasty cold. And don¡¯t worry about Cy. He already knows.¡± What had they been talking about over the last few hours? Max wondered as he took a sip of the beer. His throat hadn¡¯t recovered enough for his throat to handle the bubbles, making him splutter. She sobered up in an instant. ¡°You took on a penalty?¡± ¡°Turned out he already knew.¡± Cy rejoined their table and begrudgingly took a glass from him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that, right? You know about the system and our stories.¡± ¡°I told you to stay outside of the town. What if someone like you came along?¡± ¡°Someone like Max?¡± BB asked, confused. ¡°Someone already did.¡± Max pulled out the metallic tool and handed it to BB. ¡°Here, a present. This side vibrates when the other side is pointed to people doing a story. Closer you are, the stronger it is.¡± BB moved her wrist. When it pointed towards Max, it began to vibrate. ¡°Cy can see us from a glance, and I got something similar, so I don¡¯t need it. It¡¯s yours if you want it.¡± BB looked at the tool for a long time before cracking a smile at Max. He pleasantly smiled back. ¡°We meet up after all this time, and you¡¯re giving me a vibrator?¡± His smile dropped as it dawned on him what BB was saying. ¡°If only I found someone to use it with.¡± Max avoided eye contact. ¡°Still unsuccessful?¡± ¡°For now,¡± Cy interrupted the moment. ¡°But we¡¯re going to help you get your girl.¡± Oh? There was a level of authority and confidence in his voice that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡°Do you have anyone in mind? If I can look at her fate-¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± BB stopped, as she began gulping down on the newest glass of beer before her. ¡°We¡¯ve got bigger problems,¡± she gestured over to Max. ¡°You know there¡¯s a hunt for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And that I now have a countdown to kill you¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°So, one of us only has three days left to live.¡± ¡°Less than that,¡± Cy interjected, causing them to raise their eyebrows. ¡°But not tonight. Whatever happened while I was gone? It changed your fate.¡± ¡°More runes,¡± Max confirmed before leisurely showing the slip of parchment, which killed 50042. Cy¡¯s eyes twitched when he saw it. The death rune was recognisable for him. Good. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Unaware of the meanings, BB kept a light expression. ¡°Those are some fancy runes. By the way, thanks for this,¡± BB showed the painting tucked neatly in her boot. ¡°Done me a real treat. But unfortunately, it didn¡¯t kick up any weird messages from the system.¡± ¡°Then it looks like I might just have to put a pin in it until I can get to my next life. We figured out that the anagram was ¡®Rebel Against the System.¡¯ But who the fuck knows what that means,¡± Max grumbled. He hadn¡¯t seen any weird messages from the system after the story began. Was it only for people delaying the process of choosing a story? ¡°How well has the portrait worked?¡± ¡°I can spend a whole week on land before getting a warning from the system.¡± ¡°What day are you on now?¡± ¡°Day two. Would¡¯ve been day one if you guys hadn¡¯t been late.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Both Max and Cy said at the same time before the atmosphere got a bit strange again. Ignoring the mood, BB continued. ¡°Well, if it came to you versus me, I¡¯ll take the out. This life just hasn¡¯t worked out for me,¡± BB lamented. ¡°I thought you had a small fortune?¡± ¡°A big one,¡± BB corrected. ¡°I bought another island to store it all... Oh yeah,¡± BB whistled before one of her guys emerged from one of the neighbouring tables. ¡°Go grab the bags of cash for Max and Cy.¡± She gave them a wink. ¡°Just your share from the Leviathan.¡± The crewmate groaned before swiftly obeying the order of his captain. ¡°Thanks, we really appre-¡± ¡°Getting back to finding you a girl-¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, Navy is gone.¡± The three looked at each other, trying to figure out which direction the conversation between the three of them should go. Through eye contact with each other, it was unanimously agreed for BB to continue. ¡°We had just made dock,¡± she began with a dramatic voice. She knew she was carrying piping hot tea for them. Unconsciously, the guys leaned forward to hear the tale. ¡°It was a dark and stormy night. Up by the abandoned cliffs near Kaso, we were doing our best to steer through the storm.¡± A loud bang at their table caused Max and Cy to jump. A member of BB¡¯s crew laughed at their reaction before leaving behind three new pints and two bags of cash for them. BB grinned from her crewmate¡¯s timing. ¡°Anyway, there was a crash of thunder before the rain suddenly stopped. Not lightened, just¡­ completely stopped.¡± Max nodded in understanding. He had a good idea where this story was going. Edric didn¡¯t like getting his hair wet. ¡°And then the waters calmed. It was unnatural. Before I could get the crew to their stations, we were swarmed by people in some kind of modern uniform.¡± ¡°Were they dark with baggy bottoms and tighter shirts?¡± BB nodded grimly while Max beamed with pride. They were still going with his old design. Soon the pride turned into slight embarrassment. He had learned a lot from his last life about clothing¡­ Ellie would¡¯ve been ashamed to see his handiwork. ¡°Go on,¡± Max took a sip of his beer to hide some of his face. ¡°There was a rich looking guy in charge, definitely one of us. His hair was so silky compared to people here.¡± ¡°Elder Edric,¡± Cy said with confidence. Max nodded in agreement. ¡°He¡¯s an old friend of mine,¡± Max added. BB stopped mid-sip. ¡°He¡¯s your friend? Strange friend you got.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He broke Calico Shaq¡¯s nose.¡± BB raised her drink towards one of his passed-out crewmates on a table. ¡°To be fair though, it looks a lot better now. Almost as if he had a nose job.¡± ¡°Edric¡­¡± Max struggled for words. Almost anyway he phrased it would sound bad in front of Cy. ¡°He has less¡­ concern for local people in worlds.¡± Oh uh, Cy looked angry. ¡°He¡¯ll get a big shock later when you tell him about before people.¡± ¡°Before?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll explain later,¡± Max reassured her. ¡°Not much more to the story. Navy recognised him and decided to jump ships. He asked for my name, confirmed I knew you, and then he left without a fuss.¡±¡­ That didn¡¯t sound right. Edric caused enough trouble to injure someone, but didn¡¯t offer any compensation? Max was going to have a word with him later. ¡°So, what¡¯s this before?¡± ¡°You want to explain, Cy?¡± Max let him lead the way with his explanation as he watched BB struggle to understand. ¡°You¡¯re saying, people like us are not unique?¡± She scoffed at the idea. ¡°Look on the bright side, maybe you dated the same girl multiple times,¡± Cy tried to create positive vibes only to be met with an ugly face. ¡°No. That¡¯s not possible. One girl for one life,¡± BB said sternly. Cy was about to argue back when Max decided to jump in. BB wasn¡¯t ready for her reality to be questioned. ¡°It¡¯s our running theory right now.¡± He tried to keep the peace between them. ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± Cy snipped back. ¡°I know! Try to understand-¡± ¡°Is it really too hard for you lot to understand we have meaning too?¡± ¡°I never said anything like that,¡± Max huffed back. BB looked back and forth between them. ¡°Things are a little tense between you two, huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Max answered while Cy rolled his eyes. ¡°I get that you¡¯re pissed-¡± ¡°Who said anything about me being pissed-¡± ¡°Ohhh, what did he do?¡± BB stirred the pot. She was about to jump out of her seat with enthusiasm. Cy answered with a straight face. ¡°Tried to kill me with an axe and got my mentor killed in the process.¡± The words hit Max hard. BB closed her eyes and gave some sympathetic nods. ¡°Alright, I know what you need. You two come with me.¡± Chapter 77: An Eye for an Eye. A Treatment for a Treatment. ¡°Do I really need to do this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± BB paused as she admired her handiwork. ¡°What do you think Cy?¡± ¡°More cream.¡± Cy wasn¡¯t even looking in their direction. He was relaxing in the most comfortable wicker chair within the seaside town¡¯s bougiest inn. BB had rented out the whole establishment for a few nights as a treat for her, her crew, and her two reunited friends. With hair covered in bits of foil and dye, a face covered in another kind of cream, and a slice of cucumber over each eye; Cy was living his best life. ¡°His skin is as dry as it comes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Max murmured. ¡°Hmm,¡± BB¡¯s tone showed her judgement and where her loyalties lay in this conversation. ¡°What about this mop?¡± BB picked up a chunk of Max¡¯s hair, who remained sitting uncomfortably on the floor. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave it like this. We¡¯re not in the stone age anymore.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Cy finally got up, took the cucumber off of his eyes, and began stripping his hair of the foil that was suggested by BB. ¡°Let me wash this dye off first.¡± ¡°Let me help.¡± BB leapt up to help remove the layers. The tips of Cy¡¯s hair were now a much stronger purple. With new additional highlights, it made his appearance more outlandish. Who knew his washed out hair when they first met was unnatural? ¡°These are coming out great.¡± ¡°Homemade recipe.¡± Cy beamed. It was the happiest Max had seen him since before he tried to kill him. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to redye it for ages.¡± ¡°If only we could get our hands on some bleach,¡± BB let out a sigh as she touched her own dark, curly hair. Cy gave a slightly puzzled look but clearly chalked it up to just being something the cookie remembering-reincarnators used. ¡°I would join you in a heartbeat if the dye was visible with my kind of hair.¡± ¡°We can still give it a go?¡± Cy offered. ¡°Okay,¡± BB smiled, as she returned to her spot. Without hesitation, she slathered more cream over Max¡¯s face. The moment Cy left the room, BB¡¯s fa?ade came down in an instant. ¡°Quit your bitchin¡¯. It¡¯s just a bit of moisturiser. This could have been so much worse for you.¡± Max couldn¡¯t say much in reply. She was right. Originally, when BB moved them here to this private space, she did so with the intention of letting Cy get revenge. An eye for an eye. An axe wound for an axe wound. They can always heal later was her argument. Max had gritted his teeth and was willing to go through with it. The only one against the idea was Cy. Apparently, it was bad timing to do something so extreme. It didn¡¯t take long for Cy to settle on a spa day paid for by Max¡¯s share from the leviathan. The idea suited everyone, aside from a reluctant Max. Even Max¡¯s voice seemed to agree to these terms, as it healed dramatically while they spent hours shopping for supplies. ¡°At least Cy seems to be having a good time¡­ So, why did you kill his mentor?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Max insisted. ¡°He just got caught up in everything when I was trying to kill Cy.¡± BB took a second to take in what he just said. ¡°Man, you fucked up.¡± ¡°Worse than that.¡± Max indicated for her to come closer in case Cy came back. ¡°He wasn¡¯t just a mentor. He was Cy¡¯s adoptive father-¡± Before he could continue, BB sharply hit his arm. ¡°You fucking killed his dad?¡± She hissed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to!¡± He reminded her. ¡°What do you mean you didn¡¯t mean to? People like us need to be more careful-¡± ¡°The guy was a complete menace. He had the ability to see into people¡¯s pasts, in detail-¡± ¡°Oh, boohoo bitch,¡± BB grabbed a ton more cream and began smashing it into his face. There was so much cream now that it was dripping off his face. ¡°You¡¯re so damn lucky to be getting away with just a spa day. This one even has a nice smell.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t smell properly.¡± Max scrunched up his face at the idea of it coming back. ¡°And are you sure? Not many things in this world smell good.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± BB asked, confused. ¡°If anything, you¡¯re the one who smelled too strongly when we first met. There¡¯s nothing wrong with how things smell in this world¡­ Maybe your nose is broken.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°His nose is broken?¡± Cy returned with a soaked head and carrying a bucket of water. ¡°Also, BB, can you help make sure I got all of it out?¡± ¡°On it.¡± BB began carefully going through his hair. ¡°Apparently, everything stinks to him.¡± Cy gave a pointed frown in Max¡¯s direction. ¡°But sometimes our bodies come out wonky¡­ Maybe you¡¯ve got a tooth problem?¡± Cy¡¯s disappointed face turned into pure confusion. ¡°That¡¯s a completely different¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Max looked around for something he could use as a mirror. The moment he saw his reflection in the small mirror they made him buy earlier, he jumped from seeing the amount of cream on his face. It took him a second to get over his appearance and looked into his mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything¡­¡± ¡°Your health assessment indicated a couple of cavities, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for.¡± Cy was still struggling to understand the connection. ¡°You know the results of my health report?¡± Max was suddenly a little excited. It was one of things he had been curious about for a long time but couldn¡¯t do anything about it because of the damn system. ¡°Elder Darius showed it to me after the vote,¡± Cy admitted. ¡°He¡¯s allergic to celery,¡± he told BB. BB grinned. ¡°Should I go whip up a Bloody Mary for Max?¡± ¡°What? I thought we weren¡¯t going to hit him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a cocktail,¡± Max interrupted. The bad side of Cy knowing the truth meant both of them just weren¡¯t being as careful with avoiding modern jargon. ¡°It¡¯s mostly made of vodka and tomato juice. Usually, it comes with a stalk of celery.¡± Cy nodded along as if he understood. ¡°Best way to learn is through taste,¡± BB leapt up. ¡°You two stay here. Max, get ready to have an allergic reaction.¡± Max let out a sigh. Cy didn¡¯t seem too thrilled either. After a few minutes of silence, Max finally thought of something to start a conversation between them. ¡°What else did my health report say?¡± ¡°Not much to be honest.¡± Max tried his best to keep a neutral face, as Cy pulled out a pair of scissors. ¡°Your cholesterol level was a little higher than expected, and your knees are not the best for your age¡­¡± ¡°The knees again, huh?¡± Max grimaced. As much as he had enjoyed his last life with Ellie, the ending was getting a little rough with how sore they were. It was one of the few reliefs of waking up in Bessie¡¯s field. ¡°Again?¡± Cy asked, a little curious. Wielding a pair of scissors, he looked a little menacing. ¡°You had problems with them last time?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Max didn¡¯t move, while Cy picked up a chunk of his hair. Was he being serious right now? At first, he thought about resisting before realising what it would mean. More frustration from Cy. More pressure from BB to comply when she got back. More likely that the pair would attempt cutting his hair while tipsier. He winced slightly when he heard his hair being cut. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re letting me cut your hair,¡± Cy admitted. ¡°You kicked up a fuss when I tried to put some gel in it last time.¡± Max felt that admitting the real reason was not a good idea. ¡°It¡¯s time to get it cut anyway¡­¡± Seeing the clumps of hair on the floor around him was a bit of a shock. It was going to be shorter than he expected. ¡°Do you think we can change BB¡¯s story and complete it before the deadline?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Cy was a lot less confident compared to earlier today. ¡°Her completion is something about treasure¡­ A treasure could be interpreted in a lot of ways- Ah, sorry. I cut that bit too short.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Max said, through gritted teeth. ¡°You can cut more to just level it out.¡± The idea of going bald wasn¡¯t too appealing to him while winter was approaching. But he¡¯d rather be bald than have the awkwardness between them continue. ¡°Who wants some improvised Bloody Marys!¡± BB came back with a little too much enthusiasm. ¡°BB, what exactly is the goal for your story?¡± Max asked, as he took the cup for him. Cy sniffed suspiciously at the one for him, he looked unimpressed. ¡°Find the most valuable treasure,¡± BB scowled before chugging half of her Bloody Mary. ¡°Such bullshit. Love is the most valuable treasure of them all. Who gives a damn about money?¡± ¡°Who said it had to be money?¡± Cy asked. His mind was elsewhere as the scissors snipped away, making Max nervous. BB¡¯s face was also uncertain, as she watched the process. ¡°That¡¯s what I originally thought too, but all of my sub-goals are pointing towards money.¡± ¡°Does a sub-goal define the goal?¡± ¡°Not necessarily¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try to do both,¡± Max suggested. ¡°There must be a desperate, rich woman somewhere out there for you. You could probably find someone like that, right Cy?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± BB admitted with a sigh. ¡°I know you¡¯re doing a high level-¡± ¡°Six-star,¡± Max interrupted. ¡°¡­ There¡¯s a six-star?¡± ¡°Apparently, if you piss the system off enough.¡± BB weighed up the idea before coming to the conclusion he could be right. Otherwise, why were his penalties so difficult to severe? Still, she didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°Look, I know you¡¯ve only completed four stories-¡± Cy suddenly dropped the pair of scissors causing Max to leap out of his skin. ¡°Come on,¡± he complained. ¡°If you¡¯re going to cut my hair, at least focus on it a little more.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only completed four?¡± Cy asked. There was something about his voice¡­ Oh no. He can see. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± BB confirmed. She completely ignored the face Max was making. Not that she could see his expression clearly anyway since it was still buried under all that cream. ¡°Then¡­ you¡¯ve completed seventy-two?¡± Cy asked. BB¡¯s face showed her shock as she nodded. ¡°53 one-star and 19 two-star?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± She was in awe. ¡°You really are a psychic.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done 2 one-star, a three-star, and a five-star?¡± Max tried to change the subject. ¡°Why don¡¯t we wash off this moisturiser-¡± ¡°Then what are the other numbers?¡± Cy said, puzzled. His stare was intense, as his mouth moved slightly. Was he counting? Max was about to leap up when BB¡¯s presence kept him still. Resisting now would only make the situation worse. ¡°¡­ 1,423¡­ Is that how many lives you¡¯ve had?¡± Chapter 78: Let’s Fix Some Problems 1,423? ¡°¡­ likely. What about¡­¡± It had to have been a high number by now, but was it really that high already? Maybe this included his before time? Maybe it didn¡¯t¡­ ¡°¡­ can see ¡­ not high ¡­ 370.¡± Max tried to recall the last time he had the number told to him accurately. It had been during the life when he developed the runes. That world¡¯s Cy told him the number of lives he spent. What was that number again? ¡°¡­ are much higher ¡­ highest was over ¡­¡± It hadn¡¯t been a thousand yet. Max would¡¯ve remembered if it had been a thousand. Exactly how many? He stopped counting on purpose. It was demoralising. ¡°¡­ over 4,000? ¡­ not gone on ¡­ did it start?¡± Around 800? Somewhere around there felt right. ¡°¡­ people like me. ¡­ start remembering ¡­ don¡¯t know ¡­¡± That would mean Max had spent over 600 lives between then and now. 600 lives completely focused on trying to beat a five-star. When he first developed the runes, he had already spent 300 lives trying to reach his goal. ¡°¡­ about after?¡± About 50 lives to get to grips with the system and complete his first one-star. ¡°¡­ we¡¯re working together. ¡­ are important.¡± Another 350 focused on completing a three-star¡­ ¡°¡­ I can ¡­ help ¡­¡± When he told people like them, they all called him stubborn for being so focused on the leap of difficulty. ¡°¡­ need to complete. ¡­ we should ¡­¡± Then he spent another¡­ 900 lives¡­ ¡°Maybe Max ¡­¡± Only to result in¡­ nothing¡­ ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­¡± It had been a waste of time. He was too stubborn to realise that for the whole time, he was going in the wrong direction. ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­?¡± Seven short months of resisting resulted in more progress than 900 lives- Max¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by Cy slamming his hands down on his shoulders, making him fall backwards and sharply hitting his head on the ground. Dazed, he looked up at him. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to hit you that hard,¡± Cy appeared baffled by his own strength, as he helped Max back up into a sitting position. A quick glance at BB showed she was now holding the scissors. There was concern on her face. ¡°Ta da,¡± Cy pulled up a mirror for Max to look in. Staring back was a monster covered in cream and chunks of hair stuck to it. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­ I think I should wash off this¡­ Is it moisturiser?¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± BB leapt up to grab him a bucket of water. She grabbed the bucket before running out of the room. Alone, Cy broke the silence. ¡°Must¡¯ve been a bit of a shock, huh?¡± It took Max a second to place Cy¡¯s tone. For the first time in days, he suddenly sounded more like normal. ¡°I lost count a long time ago.¡± Max was about to take a sip out of his Bloody Mary when Cy snatched it out of his hand. It spilled a little on the floor. ¡°In case you forgot, this body is allergic to celery,¡± he tutted. Without hesitation, he poured the improvised concoction into a plant pot. ¡°I thought that was why we were having Bloody Marys.¡± Max was genuinely surprised by his actions. ¡°Maybe¡­ Originally¡­¡± Cy took a sip of his own drink before swiftly dumping it as well. The flavour left a bad taste in his mouth ¡°Having you distracted by an allergic reaction isn¡¯t going to help. The taste isn¡¯t even worth a reaction.¡± Not getting a chance to drink it, Max could only shrug in agreement. ¡°¡­ Since you change bodies so much, do you sometimes forget about allergies?¡± ¡°Sometimes,¡± Max openly admitted, as he stared in the direction where BB had left. She was taking her time. ¡°There have been a few times when I got killed from not knowing about or forgetting allergies.¡± ¡°Really? What kind?¡± ¡°Bees,¡± Max said, without thinking. ¡°There¡¯ve been some others like eggs, peanuts¡­ shellfish. But bees have caught me by surprise the most.¡± ¡°Bees?¡± Cy pondered aloud. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you test it when you first come into a world and create some kind of anti-allergy-rune thingy?¡± ¡°Because sometimes runes don¡¯t work and, even if they do, it¡¯s hard to write runes accurately while going into anaphylactic shock,¡± Max scoffed at the idea. ¡°Just count yourself lucky that you¡¯re not allergic.¡± Straight-faced, Cy quickly retorted. ¡°No, I just got a small penalty from the system that occasionally causes heart attacks.¡± On edge, Max didn¡¯t know how to reply until Cy cracked a smile causing him to mirror. ¡°To be fair to you, we classed it as a medium level penalty.¡± ¡°Wow, a medium? I must be strong¡­ Who¡¯s ¡®we?¡¯¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Edric and company.¡± Max started to rummage for things he could use from Bessie¡¯s bag. ¡°We should get that fixed now that the system isn¡¯t in the way anymore¡­ What do you prefer? Tattoos or scarring?¡± Cy pulled a face. ¡°What the fuck are you-¡± ¡°I brought more drinks!¡± BB exclaimed in delight as she got some of her crew mates to bring them a keg with a few buckets of water and glasses. When the crew saw Max, they all scrunched up their faces in confusion and horror until BB began poking their ribs as a reminder to behave. ¡°Not a word. It¡¯s a work in progress,¡± she hissed at them. For the first time, Cy reevaluated his work. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was that bad¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Max began to wash away the mixture of hair and cream all over his face. Handful after handful, with every splash of water to hit his face, the materials of the beauty treatments washed away to reveal¡­ that he looked exactly the same but with shorter hair. The crew mates were trying to decide if they liked it before getting chased away by BB. ¡°The left side is a little uneven,¡± she finally decided. ¡°Sit back down, I¡¯ll even it out.¡± ¡°Wait a second, my hair can wait,¡± Max kept rummaging before realising he was a fool. BB had chased away several, heavily tattooed pirates. ¡°Go get them back. I want to know what they use for their tattoos.¡± BB looked between them. ¡°Tattoos?¡± Cy filled her in. ¡°I need to get tattooed runes for my heart¡­ issue.¡± Despite seemingly making up his mind between his two options, there was still hesitation in his voice. It didn¡¯t take BB long to take a leap at the strangeness in his voice. ¡°Really? I¡¯m not too keen on them either,¡± Cy¡¯s face soured further. ¡°But I¡¯m set to die soon! How about we all get some matching tattoos while we¡¯re at it?¡± Cy still looked unsure, but Max was open to the idea. ¡°Come on, if I get conked out by the system in a couple of days, this can be a way to preserve my memory. You two wait, I¡¯ll go get the stuff.¡± Her eagerness was starting to get worrying before she disappeared as quickly as she had arrived. ¡°¡­ What kind of design do you think she was thinking about?¡± Cy¡¯s nervousness was still clear in his voice. ¡°No clue,¡± Max began drawing his intended intricate pattern of runes on a slip of paper. ¡°You can always say no. I¡¯m not going to let her tattoo you if you don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Cy expressed scepticism. ¡°Of course not.¡± Max looked down at the piece of paper, two complex patterns would have a better chance of healing better than one. He began to redraw the patterns. ¡°First of all, are you sure you want to go with the tattoo option? It might not heal properly, and you¡¯ll probably have to get it redone if the tattoo starts to smudge with time.¡± ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t scarring be better?¡± ¡°Scarring is more permanent and painful. It¡¯s also harder to hide it from people who know about runes and how it works. With tattoos, it¡¯s easier to add to it and disguise the shapes.¡± After taking his time to make sure it was done properly, Max showed Cy the two patterns he intended to tattoo. ¡°There aren¡¯t like any of the runes you taught me¡­¡± Max almost laughed at the comment. ¡°Really? Cause your name is in both of them.¡± Surprised, Cy did a double take as he looked closer at the drawing. ¡°When you write runes clearly and cleanly, like we¡¯ve been practicing, it becomes dangerous because of people who know how to read and manipulate them.¡± Max pointed out the two runes for Cy¡¯s names in each cluster. ¡°The lines of runes can overlap, what¡¯s important is that everything is proportional within the rune.¡± Thinking back to 500042, Max¡¯s tone of voice soured a little. ¡°DO NOT let other people know how to write your name in runes.¡± ¡°¡­ Didn¡¯t you offer to show me your name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Max quickly acknowledged, but Cy didn¡¯t press further. Eventually, Max allowed the opportunity to pass and began explaining. ¡°The top one is like a pacemaker and a defibrillator in one.¡± Cy tilted his head in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s going to passively gather a little bit of your innate magic until it¡¯s full, then, if your heart slows or fails, it¡¯ll give it shocks and artificially beat your heart until you recover. This one is a healing rune specifically for your heart...¡± Max paused for a second. ¡°Is there anything structurally wrong with it at the moment?¡± Cy confidentially shook his head. ¡°Elder Charaka frequently did structural exams. He never found anything. It just¡­ stops.¡± ¡°Great, then it will record its current state and return it to this whenever something goes wrong¡­ Maybe we should add a couple more runes while we¡¯re at it¡­¡± Cy looked at the two drawings for a while. ¡°¡­These don¡¯t sound like a permanent cure.¡± ¡°Depends on what you define as a ¡®cure.¡¯ Your condition isn¡¯t going to go away. It might be uncomfortable if you have an attack again, but it won¡¯t kill you. The attacks should also significantly decrease thanks to this rune.¡± Max pointed at the second one. ¡°The only reason why I didn¡¯t do it earlier was in case the system considered this was enough to be a cure.¡± Cy still seemed unsure. ¡°I gave you two options before. I suggest you take the tattoo version.¡± ¡°So, BB and I can get matching tattoos after?¡± Cy joked, while remaining completely focused. ¡°You remember that guy who was fighting Lux when I first met him. The one with an ugly tattoo?¡± ¡°Flynn?¡± ¡°He was hiding some identification tattoos in it. Tattoos are normal in this world. If you want to hide it, then it¡¯s probably better to go with that route and then hide it in whatever pattern you pick out with BB. By the time it starts to fade or smudge, I¡¯ll help you get good enough at redrawing it yourself, so you don¡¯t have to worry if I get taken out while trying to complete the six-star.¡± Cy stared at the patterns before going over to the mirror. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to make up my mind.¡± He was focused on his own image. Was he trying to read his own fate? Was that why he hid next to the waterfall that night? So, he could subtly look at his own reflection during sunrise to ensure the timing was right? ¡°Both.¡± ¡°What?¡± Max was completely taken back by his answer. ¡°We¡¯re going to do both.¡± Cy pointed to his forearm. ¡°We¡¯re going to put the tattoo here.¡± Right where the identification spot should go¡­ Was this on purpose to show other during people? ¡°And the scarring runes¡­¡± Cy kept looking at his reflection. ¡°We¡¯re going to keep them as small as possible¡­¡± Max watched him struggle. ¡°If it¡¯s a symbol you can¡¯t decipher, try writing it down. Maybe it¡¯s similar to a rune again.¡± Cy used his breath to mist up the mirror before beginning to draw shaky lines. ¡°¡­ Ear.¡± With confidence, Max drew the rune for ear below the delicate designs. Like last time, the shapes weren¡¯t the same, but they were similar enough to make a connection. ¡°If we¡¯re trying to hide it then maybe behind your ear.¡± ¡°¡­ I think so.¡± Cy began to crack open the keg left behind for them. ¡°¡­ How much is it going to hurt?¡± ¡°You took an axe to the stomach a few days ago, this¡¯ll be nothing.¡± Max tried to reassure him before realising how it sounded. It worked though, as Cy relaxed a little, but Max was a little too flustered to notice so he decided to change the subject. ¡°Your fate reading¡­ is pretty good this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been declining since we left the community,¡± Cy admitted. ¡°But I think it¡¯s starting to level out¡­ The accuracy has gone down by a chunk.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still believe in your predictions.¡± ¡°Even though I left you out in the woods to be attacked?¡± Cy pouted. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it, by the way. I just¡­ lost track of time somehow.¡± ¡°It happens,¡± Max said with a shrug. ¡°And it turned out not moving was the correct course of action, so it had been a good prediction in the end.¡± Cy¡¯s words echoed in his head a little. For some reason they felt important. It took him a few seconds to remember why. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say BB was skilled at time manipulation when you read her fate?¡± Cy couldn¡¯t remember giving that prediction, but he nodded. ¡°Water, metal, and time. Why? Do you think she manipulated time when I was in the pub?¡± ¡°Maybe, but I think we should use that kind of magic to help complete her stor-¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± BB exclaimed with such force it caused both of them to jump. She came through the door with a box filled with various bottles of ink and cleaning materials. ¡°We should get tattoos of Hello Kitty!¡± Chapter 79: Here’s the Plan ¡°So, this is the plan we came up with last night,¡± Max leaned forward with excitement, as he spoke quickly. ¡°BB, you said you knew of a rich, merchant family currently visiting the town on holiday. We¡¯re going to sneak a peek at them today. If Cy thinks one of the daughters will work, then we¡¯ll start the next part of the plan. Time is against us, but BB¡¯s body is luckily more adept at time manipulation magic. Leading us to operation The Long Night. Any questions so far?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± BB raised her hand, as she continued to remain face down on her bed. Next to the door, Cy was looking queasy too while leaning against the wall. He was ready to bounce at a moment¡¯s notice if he got close to spewing. There was no way he was fully listening, but Max didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Can we skip this plan, let the system take me, and try again next lifetime? I¡¯m not up for anyth-¡± ¡°No,¡± Max said sternly. To help give the pair a wake-up call, Max threw open the curtains causing the midday sun to beam brightly in the room. BB gave a small shriek, as she tried to bury her face in the overused pillow. ¡°We¡¯ve already wasted more than eighteen hours. Even assuming the system is kind enough to consider three days as a full seventy-two hours, we don¡¯t have much time to get this going. You need to get up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡± Max scowled in her direction before Cy interjected. At least he was willing to play along. ¡°What¡¯s operation The Long Night?¡± The simple question was enough to get Max talking again. ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. BB, with my help, you¡¯re going to cast a time lengthening spell. It makes those afflicted to feel like time is moving slower-¡± ¡°I know what it is!¡± She snapped back, her hand gestured for him to close the curtains, but Max had no issue with ignoring her. ¡°Good. Cy, with the help of some runes in place, you¡¯re going to create a dream conjuring and dream entering spell for us and our target. Think you can do it?¡± Cy frowned while he thought about it. ¡°I¡¯ve tried something like that before with Delrid¡­ It wasn¡¯t the best for me since-¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll be coaching you through it. Lastly, we¡¯re going to use my memories of my previous life to power the dream.¡± The idea suddenly clicked in Cy¡¯s mind and on his face. ¡°Since it¡¯s based on reality, it¡¯ll be easy to keep a tight control of things that appear in the dream. That was your problem last time, right?¡± Cy tilted his head for a moment before merely nodded. ¡°We know we¡¯re finished if BB¡¯s fate changes colour and the story is completed.¡± BB raised her head to give him a scowl. ¡°If it were that easy to make someone fall in love in one night then I wouldn¡¯t have even needed your help with staying on land.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re not in Tsujuma anymore. I don¡¯t know how long I could keep this dream going,¡± Cy added. The pair of them were equally uninterested in Max¡¯s plan. How was it they were so eager yesterday? Drunken thoughts, perhaps? ¡°This is our best chance with the time we have,¡± Max tried persuading them. There were other equally as good plans, but selfishness was consuming him. ¡°Just think about it, BB. You¡¯ll literally be the woman from her dreams.¡± Finally, BB¡¯s interest perked up slightly. ¡°What kind of world were you last in?¡± ¡°Similar to the Regency Era, think Jane Austen and Napoleon.¡± BB nodded sternly to show she understood, but her enthusiasm noticeably dwindled. ¡°We¡¯ll be dealing with nobility.¡± ¡°Small problem already. People of that time period usually had a problem with people of my skin colour.¡± BB merely raised her hand as a demonstration. The hand then quickly flicked him off before returning to its duty of blocking out the sun. ¡°Can you keep up the validity of the dream without me being booted out?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your skin colour?¡± Cy asked, confused. His eyes were homed in on the hand where a small tattoo visible on her wrist. ¡°Aww, isn¡¯t he cute?¡± BB finally looked up from the pillow to shoot a grin towards Max, who couldn¡¯t help smiling himself. Not all worlds were like his original one, nor did they have a similar history. Cy¡¯s simple confusion was a prime example of why some worlds were better than others. ¡°Some people aren¡¯t as nice to me since I¡¯ve been kissed by the sun.¡± Cy¡¯s confused face didn¡¯t change. Max pushed the conversation along. ¡°Can you play instruments?¡± BB scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re better off asking what instrument I can¡¯t play.¡± ¡°Perfect. Just pretend you were invited there as a promising musician.¡± BB still seemed sceptical, ¡°Would that be enough?¡± ¡°For those times? More than enough.¡± ¡°Genre of your last story?¡± Max gave a knowing smile. He had already seen this reaction last night. ¡°Romance. We¡¯re talking romantic walks in the garden, dances and balls, and suppressed women dying for an adventure; the perfect environment to get things going.¡± It was enough fire to fuel her sails as she leapt up from her bed. ¡°Then there¡¯s not a moment to lose. Nice plan.¡± Max modestly shrugged. They had all come up with it the night before, but he was the only one who could remember. There were also a few steps he took out and added in for his own personal goals. ¡°You said I have to point out some merchant families?¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡± BB reached for her coat when she suddenly screamed causing Cy to wince. ¡°What the fuck is on my wrist?¡± ¡°Just a small tattoo,¡± Max raised his own left wrist to show a couple small stars. ¡°There¡¯s one star for you, one star for Cy, and two for me to complete the pattern. Put all three of us together and it¡¯s the constellation for Aries.¡± Cy looked puzzled at his own wrist before his face drained of colour from seeing the more sizable tattoo of runes on his forearm. ¡°Don¡¯t scratch it!¡± Max suddenly barked out at Cy, causing him to jump out of his skin. ¡°It might not heal properly.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Cy pulled his sleeve down so he wouldn¡¯t be as tempted. The revelation of the tattoos had been a shock. Did he forget the additional runes scarred behind his ear? ¡°You should be glad I talked BB out of all of us getting a Hello Kitty tattoo.¡± Max tried to reassure him before remembering Cy wouldn¡¯t know who the character was. ¡°Aries, huh?¡± BB was still staring intently at the small shape before a smile began to spread. ¡°I do like fiery women.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. Now, let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°There she is,¡± BB said, as she eyed up her target. The three of them watched from an alleyway as a noble looking woman began weakly beating one of her servants on the street with a clutch purse. The coachman rolled his eyes, pretending to endure hit after hit of the softest blows imaginable. While trying to punish him, she was yelling something about the order not being up to quality. How was he linked to the order? Who knows. But it was enough to create a small crowd to stand nearby and watch. ¡°A feisty one.¡± ¡°A rich one too,¡± Max could see from afar that her clothes and weapon of choice were partially made of silk. The colour was a highly saturated purple. The final tip-off was the string of pearls around her neck. It was too far away to tell if they were real or not, but seeing as she was coming from a jeweller, the woman was undoubtedly richer than some of them. ¡°Isn¡¯t this you?¡± Cy wasn¡¯t even watching the woman. He was too busy focused on a wanted poster affixed to the wall. It was a simple message. MAX. WANTED DEAD. There was an alarmingly accurate drawing of Max before his haircut. Below the picture was the sign for gaeles, a one, and then a long string of zeros. ¡°Focus,¡± Max instructed, as he pointed at the woman. ¡°It does look like you.¡± BB peeled the poster from the wall. ¡°These weren¡¯t around here yesterday.¡± Max ignored her. ¡°Well, will she work?¡± Cy squinted for a couple of seconds before turning back to the wanted poster. ¡°Yeah, I think so. She¡¯s pretty desperate. She¡¯ll go for anyone with a pulse,¡± he murmured quickly before refocusing on the poster. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that the emblem of the king?¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± ¡°Come on, you two, we¡¯re working against the clock.¡± Max yanked the poster out of her hands before ripping it up. ¡°Something like this shouldn¡¯t be a surprise with the sub-goal appearing for everyone.¡± The two looked at the pieces on the floor. ¡°Right, it¡¯s your time to make an impression.¡± He grabbed BB by the shoulders and gently pushed her towards the opening of the alleyway. ¡°Don¡¯t let your girl get away.¡± ¡°As if.¡± BB rolled up her sleeves and pushed up her tits before stepping out with confidence. ¡°Help her stay on the right track. The bigger the impression, the easier it¡¯ll be to steer her in the right direction within the dream.¡± Max was significantly less confident while instructing Cy. ¡°I¡¯m going to go draw a few runes in her home before she gets back.¡± Fortunately, while looking for the members of this merchant family, Calico Shaq and his newest bird gave them a guided tour of all the buildings and land the merchant family owned. ¡°Are you really not worried about this?¡± Cy asked while picking up a piece of the poster with his face on it. ¡°Not at all, I doubt anyone would recognise me thanks to my new haircut.¡± The tall gates around the property weren¡¯t a challenge, neither were the guards, servants, or even the dogs patrolling the area. Everything had been smooth, as he searched room after room for bedrooms. The first potential problem was when Max finally paid attention to the family portraits used to festoon the hallway. There were two daughters of similar age in the house. Luckily, there was a massive distinction between them. One daughter was decorated in rich jewels and fabrics in every painting. The other¡­ had unique tastes. Presumably the room¡¯s closets would be an easy indicator for him. The second problem arrived when Max finally found a bedroom only to be greeted by a row of red squirrels working in unison to chew their way out of their enormous cage spanning the wall. He had never seen anything like it before. The squirrels immediately stopped chewing, as they began screeching at the intruder threatening their escape plan. Without thinking, Max closed the door behind him and used one of the blankets on the bed to cover the cage. It didn¡¯t stop the shrieks, but it was enough to considerably dampen the noise. A sharp exhale escaped him in disbelief. Why the fuck were there so many squirrels? It was so unexpected. On a small coffee table next to the cage, there was a notebook with meticulous notes about each squirrel, their physical condition, and comments about their relationship with the other squirrels. As bizarre as the owner was for keeping so many squirrels in her bedroom, she was dedicated to them. Slightly intrigued if the details of the notes were consistent for each day, Max flipped through the book to see it had been going on day after day, week after week, month after month, until he finally came to the beginning of the notebook. It made his stomach drop. There were designs for an intricate winter dress with squirrel fur lining the edges. His modern brain felt a twang of pity for the creatures freaking out below the blanket before he realised how hypocritical his thoughts were. He helped farmers raise cows for food. She was raising squirrels for fur. It was the way this world worked, adjust or end up like the vegan amnesiac. With the thoughts pushed out of his mind, he began to search for evidence about which sister was a squirrel farmer. Opening the closet quickly revealed she wasn¡¯t BB¡¯s target. Along the walls and floor of the big walk-in closet was a chaotic mixture of clothes, fabric, and thread. The discovery made Max a little excited, as he quickly began plotting what to steal before leaving. Just when he was turning to leave, there was a little alert from the system. It suggested he should look at his sub-goal page. Holding his breath, Max navigated the HUD. Problem. They had yet another problem. A sub-goal was starting to tick down even though the contents were still redacted.
SUB-GOALS TIME TO COMPLETE REWARD
??? 24 hours 00 minutes A hint will be provided.
Chapter 80: Always Sew Busy ¡°Stay behind me,¡± BB whispered, as they approached the inn¡¯s door of Max¡¯s room. The eerie sound of a hum travelled from it and down the corridor. Quietly, she pulled out her pistol. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cy asked. Unfazed, he barged past her to swing upon the door. Sitting on his bed with fabric covering every inch of the room, Max was completely focused on the material in front of him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cy repeated. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard you hum to cows.¡± Max flinched, as he felt the needle prick his finger from shock. ¡°You¡¯re back early,¡± he quickly noted before putting his finger in his mouth for half-a-second, then it was right back at work. ¡°Able to make a good first impression?¡± ¡°A strong impression.¡± BB picked up some of the strange variety of fabrics before letting it fall back to the floor. ¡°Jacquotte¡¯s nice and spirited. My kinda girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s her name, huh?¡± Max paused to inspect his work before resuming. He didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°She slapped the shit out of BB thinking she was going to rob her,¡± Cy translated. BB just shrugged. Judging from the earlier commotion they saw; it wasn¡¯t a surprise that it didn¡¯t leave a mark. ¡°Then we went on a romantic stroll-¡± ¡°She harassed her while Jacquotte tried to get away.¡± ¡°Before taking her home.¡± ¡°The family¡¯s guards and dogs were called, and we were forced to back off.¡± Cy looked at BB in disbelief on how they interpreted the same series of events. Perhaps the self-proclaimed love master wasn¡¯t a good bet like they originally thought? The difference in their interpretations went unacknowledged by the focused Max. ¡°But she fits the criteria we¡¯re looking for, rich and desperate for love. I¡¯m not sure if she can change BB¡¯s fate even with our intervention¡­¡± Finally, Max looked up at them. ¡°I don¡¯t think BB minds the risk.¡± He merely nodded in the direction of the widest grin in the room. ¡°Risking your life is the least someone can do for love.¡± She didn¡¯t miss a beat while relaying the corny line. ¡°What are you doing?¡± BB asked, as she looked down at the sown fabric. ¡°Disguises for when we¡¯re in the dream.¡± Max gestured to two distinct lumps of fabric. ¡°I never mastered the skill, so it¡¯s not the best stitching. It should hold up for a night though.¡± Immediately cautious, Cy took a step back. ¡°Better or worse than your cooking?¡± Max shot him a dirty look. ¡°Hey, there are not many things you¡¯re bad at. Do you really blame me for being cautious?¡± ¡°Better than cooking,¡± Max grumbled, trying to refocus on his work. ¡°Is his cooking really bad?¡± BB asked, amused. ¡°Does he always burn everything or something?¡± After getting a nod of permission, she picked up a dress with an Empire silhouette, clearly meant for her. ¡°Everything gets burned,¡± Cy said, with a straight face. He was having fun with the situation. ¡°The food, the oven, the cupboard doors, the rest of the cupboard, the ceiling and floors-¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Max interjected, trying to end the conversation. ¡°Sorry about the explosion in your kitchen and burning it down. You don¡¯t need to mock my cooking skills.¡± Cy frowned. ¡°You burned down my kitchen?¡± Max pricked his finger again. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t know? Did nobody tell you?¡± ¡°I saw Elder Aris with burn injuries before I went off on my own¡­ You did that in our kitchen?¡± ¡°¡­ To be fair, Lurch helped me,¡± Max mumbled, as he avoided eye contact. Guilt was starting to set in before Cy disrupted the feeling. ¡°I always hated that kitchen.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The admission was a surprise, which meant another prick to the finger. ¡°What do you mean? It was a lovely kitchen. Darius must¡¯ve spent a long time designing it.¡± Cy scoffed. ¡°It gets too cold.¡± Another prick. ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°It. Gets. Cold.¡± ¡°Is that enough of a reason to hate it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never seen it in winter. If we had stayed, you would¡¯ve understood what I mean.¡± ¡°Maybe you should take a break from that.¡± BB pointed out Max¡¯s hands, which were getting swollen from being pricked so often. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Max continued on without much concern for his aching hands. ¡°I¡¯m used to this kind of thing.¡± ¡°Maybe in another body.¡± Cy began rummaging in Bessie¡¯s bag at the far end of the room. ¡°Why are you making those anyway? We¡¯ll be able to create an illusion of clothes in the dream.¡± ¡°Which will take up our precious magic resources.¡± Max had prepared this argument when he started his project. ¡°This must¡¯ve cost a lot,¡± BB examined some of the intricate patterns. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it.¡± The silence was palpable as Cy stopped searching to give him a look. ¡°You stole it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your girl¡¯s name, Jack¡­¡± ¡°Jacquotte?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. Jacquotte¡¯s sister has a stash in her room. There were so many, I doubt she¡¯ll even notice these have gone missing.¡± ¡°Ah, Serena. She¡¯s a bit of an odd one.¡± Max smirked, as he recalled the wall of squirrels greeting him. ¡°What were you doing in her room?¡± BB said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Looking for Jacquotte¡¯s.¡± Max pricked his finger again, causing Cy to snatch his work out of his hands. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°It can wait a moment.¡± Cy tossed his hard work on the floor before hunching over the bedside table. Max grumbled while picking up the dropped fabric. Just as he was going to restart his work, Cy interrupted again. ¡°Won¡¯t you put that down for a second? Will this work?¡± Max examined the carefully written healing rune. ¡°It¡¯s decent,¡± Max admitted, surprised. ¡°How did you¡­?¡± ¡°I practiced with the magic bone as a guide back in the community and then with the parchment you gave me at the inn. I¡¯ve been drawing them while you were sleeping.¡± Cy pushed the parchment and quill-pen into Max¡¯s hands. ¡°Now add your name to it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need too.¡± Max placed the rune over his injured hand, allowing Cy to see it was working. ¡°Remember Cy, more details are better. This piece of parchment will heal everything indiscriminately and uncontrollably until the parchment drains of internal power so be sure to write conditions and parameters quickly if you¡¯re going to practice using runes.¡± It wasn¡¯t too long until the internal magic of the parchment paper was used up and it started to crumble. ¡°Seems like the magical influence of Tsujuma has worn away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s practically useless.¡± Cy grumbled at some of the pieces of parchment he pulled out earlier. ¡°Not completely.¡± Max showed his healed finger before picking up his work again. ¡°Oh, by the way, when¡¯s my current death day?¡± Cy squinted. ¡°¡­ Why are you asking?¡± There was a distinct amount of caution in his voice. It was enough to cause Max to be on edge. ¡°Why are you hesitating to tell me?¡± He glanced at BB, who immediately raised her hands and shook her head frantically. Unless she was a good liar, she had no intention of murder¡­ yet. ¡°Has it changed to being within¡­ twenty hours and nineteen minutes?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Max immediately relaxed again. The punishment for not completing this sub-goal was probably going to be another penalty. Wasn¡¯t the worst consequence imaginable if he couldn¡¯t figure out what the system wanted him to do. It was a little mysterious though. Something about today had caused this sub-goal to start. The most obvious origin was linked to them pulling this plan together. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A sub-goal started.¡± Max bit the string. He admired his handiwork for a second before immediately trying to line it up with the next piece of fabric. Suddenly pale faced, BB urgently asked. ¡°What? What kind is it? What do we have to do?¡± ¡°Sub-goal details tended to get vaguer for higher difficulties.¡± Max replied, calmly. After all, if Cy was right, he spent over 900 lifetimes trying to navigate them. ¡°The entire description has been redacted-¡± ¡°You¡¯re so fucked,¡± BB murmured, causing Cy to watch her carefully. The sudden change in behaviour went unnoticed by Max, who was still stitching away. ¡°I have clues. Something today probably triggered it, and odds are it probably has some connection to our plan. Sub-goals are activated when an opportunity arises.¡± ¡°Are there any clues from the rewards?¡± ¡°Just a hint.¡± ¡°They¡¯re fucking useless,¡± BB scoffed in disappointment. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re going to go before me after all.¡± ¡°Not with his current death date,¡± Cy interjected. His face showed that he was deep in thought. Maybe he was trying to find the answer lurking somewhere in his fate? ¡°Twenty hours, is that how long the system gave you?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Does that timer get influenced by the time lengthening spell we¡¯re planning?¡± Max finally paused his stitching, as he thought about Cy¡¯s question carefully. ¡°It depends¡­ If the sub-goal is connected to something happening during the time lengthening spell, then probably not¡­ But if it¡¯s after, then maybe.¡± ¡°Which would give us another clue. If it¡¯s affected, the sub-goal is tied to the dream. If it¡¯s not, then it¡¯s tied to something else.¡± ¡°We woke up, found Jacquotte, discovered your wanted poster, and then you broke into a house, stole clothes, and started your own sweatshop.¡± BB recalled for them. ¡°Did you do anything else?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Max regretted bringing up the topic. It was too hard to keep focus on what mattered. Chapter 81: Let’s get this party started! ¡°This is for you,¡± Max held out a cloak with pride. It was a convincing replica of the one Cy wore every day until it was left behind with Haiddeck. ¡°You can¡¯t wear it tonight. And I think I should fix up some of the stitches to make it more durable¡­ But it¡¯s yours.¡± The pride on Max¡¯s face unnerved Cy slightly, but he respectfully picked up the piece of clothing. It was damn close to the original. Even some of the stains Cy added over the years had been replicated. ¡°Thanks¡­ But you should keep it.¡± He tried handing it back. ¡°It must¡¯ve taken a lot of time.¡± ¡°No time at all.¡± Max didn¡¯t even seem interested in it anymore. ¡°How¡¯s it coming along in that corset, BB?¡± ¡°The boning is holding strong,¡± BB said, before losing her breath again from pulling hard at the strings from behind a changing screen. ¡°There are bones in her clothes?¡± Cy¡¯s question was answered with a quick nod. ¡°Do you need me to help tighten the strings?¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m go-od.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Max left it to her. No need to tell her how to get dressed, since she probably spent so many lives living in a similar time period. Cy was still holding the cloak out in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I get the sizing wrong?¡± ¡°I think you should take it.¡± Max frowned in confusion. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Well, people are looking for you.¡± ¡°Eh, that¡¯s not a big deal-¡± ¡°Not a big deal,¡± Cy scoffed before finally throwing the cloak at Max, who instinctively caught it. ¡°Thanks for the gesture, but you should use it to cover your face when we hit the road again.¡± Max threw it right back, only for it to fall from the floor with Cy failing to catch it. ¡°I¡¯m not the only person they¡¯ll be looking for. You should cover your own face.¡± He watched Cy pick it up from the floor and pat off some of the imaginary dirt on it. ¡°The drawing of me on that poster was accurate, so whoever designed it is most likely connected to someone from Tsujuma, Edric, or the village. Regardless, if they¡¯re looking for me, then they know to look for you too.¡± Rather than throw it back and risk damaging the seams, Cy laid the cloak neatly on the bed. ¡°Undoubtedly,¡± he confirmed his suspicions. ¡°Some of the Elders aren¡¯t going to just let your attack go either.¡± Cy didn¡¯t have to name names for Max to make an educated guess. ¡°The difference between the two of us is all the during people and the angry people from my hometown want you dead. They¡¯ll only want information from me.¡± Max¡¯s tone darkened slightly from Cy¡¯s naivety showing. ¡°And what do you think they¡¯re going to do to get that information out of you? Ask nicely?¡± ¡°Oh, for Pete¡¯s sake.¡± BB knocked over the changing screen to show she was still only half dressed and moderately covered. Without hesitation, she picked up the cloak and threw it at Cy. ¡°Wear it. It was a nice way of saying sorry.¡± Before Cy could argue back, she turned her attention to Max. ¡°Make one more for yourself. A different kind? A matching couple¡¯s cloak? I don¡¯t give a shit. Don¡¯t make your psychic work overtime cause you¡¯re scared of a little hood.¡± She quickly picked back up the changing screen. After grabbing the petticoat, she gave the pair of them one last look over. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you two going to get dressed? Love¡¯s awaiting!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work.¡± BB grumbled for the sixth time, as she tried to replicate Max¡¯s slow movement. For the free-flowing BB, precision didn¡¯t seem to be her speciality. ¡°I told you I stink at magic.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re giving up already, you don¡¯t deserve love,¡± Max snapped back. It was enough reason for her to push forward for a little longer. After an hour of going back and forth with coaching BB and Cy, his frustration was beginning to show. Working with cattle was much more preferable. At least Cy was keeping his focus. He practiced the movements he would need to cast on top of a pile of their remaining pieces of parchments, which had been glued together to cover most of the vandalised, wooden floor. Both of them were covered in intricate runes waiting to be set off. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. It was almost time. The sun had set, and the witching hour was drawing near. The confidence Max had exhibited this morning was quickly weaning, but he stayed committed to his idea. He wanted it to work. ¡°Hold out your arm,¡± Max stopped BB¡¯s flow. She quickly obliged before suspicion grew. Back at Jacquotte¡¯s vacation home, Max had to think of identification marks. Max and Cy had their names. It would¡¯ve been difficult to pull Jacquotte and BB into the dream without Edric and June¡¯s categorisation policies. Max dipped a quill pen in some ink before beginning to draw lines on her skin. ¡°For future reference, if anyone asks, this is your number: 10034.¡± ¡°Why that number- Wait? Aren¡¯t these the lines Navy had?¡± The mention of Navy¡¯s name broke Cy¡¯s concentration. ¡°No? He had a different number.¡± Max turned to look at a curious Cy. ¡°Come over here,¡± he ordered. ¡°It¡¯s about time you learn how to read runic numbers.¡± ¡°They¡¯re numbers?¡± BB muttered, confused. ¡°So, this says 10034?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought you said the numbers were part of a cult.¡± ¡°A cult?¡± Cy first appeared disheartened by looking at the minute differences between the lines before getting distracted. ¡°You were part of a cult?¡± ¡°So, is Edric,¡± Max was pleased that Cy didn¡¯t appear too surprised. ¡°We split the numbers into three categories. Numbers starting with one or two were recruited by me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the 34th person to be recruited by you?¡± Max shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t like the set-up, the implications, and most importantly the paperwork required afterwards.¡± Cy immediately understood when Max added, ¡°It¡¯s twice as bad as my application to Tsujuma.¡± ¡°What did Navy¡¯s number start with?¡± ¡°Five, but I can¡¯t remember the rest of the numbers¡­ Anyway, three and four belong to someone called June, and five and six are Edric¡¯s.¡± ¡°Why two numbers¡­¡± BB started doing the math in her head. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you managed to recruit over ten thousand people?¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t,¡± Max gestured to the thirty-four on her arm. He may as well point out some gibberish since he was the only one who could read it. ¡°Edric¡¯s trying. I think June is in the middle with her fours, so she was planning on reserving seven and eight.¡± ¡°There are so many of us?¡± Max thought about hiding what he knew before realising how foolish it would be in front of Cy. Maybe Darius had told him more before passing away. ¡°Last time, our running theory is that the worlds aren¡¯t random. It¡¯s always in the same order, but people occasionally skip some so not everyone spawns in every world. Also, some worlds exist for a long time, so it¡¯s not as noticeable. From our records, there is a strong trend to suggest everyone goes through roughly the same order of worlds.¡± Max looked to Cy for his support or opinion. He was only met with a strange look. It was a bit unnerving. ¡°Really?¡± BB was clearly sceptical. ¡°Cause I don¡¯t remember recently waking up during a regency era.¡± Max was about to go into the details about the theory proposed by June when Cy broke his concentration. ¡°In this ¡®cult,¡¯ you are one of three people in charge of numbering people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re specifically covering numbers starting with one or two with a writing system you invented?¡± Max suddenly didn¡¯t like where this conversation was going. ¡°Mn.¡± It was difficult to imagine what Cy was thinking from his facial expressions and his tone. Darius told him something about those times, there was no doubt about it. After a second to think, Cy suddenly pointed at the clock in the room. ¡°Let¡¯s talk later. It¡¯s time.¡± The familiar music was exciting, as Max opened his eye to see a world he had already left behind. There was a mixture of perfumes and cologne in the warm ballroom. Unfortunately, the pong permeating the current world appeared to have travelled with them combining with the memory. In front of them, lines of eligible young men and women began a dance in front of their families and the live music. The movements in front of him were awkward and stiff, but they went unnoticed by the only real people. ¡°Rule of thumb, keep the gloves on,¡± Max quickly muttered, as his eyes scanned the crowd. ¡°They itch,¡± Cy complained. Max had a feeling from Cy rubbing his eyes with his gloved hands that the gloves weren¡¯t the source of his discomfort. He looked completely overwhelmed. It must be overwhelming. There was a high chance he was looking at his world¡¯s future. A few partygoers walked past them causing Cy to take a step back before BB gave him a gentle tap on his arm with her fan. ¡°Just follow our lead and keep the magic flowin- Hey! Where are you going?¡± BB¡¯s tone suddenly changed to show her hesitancy in this situation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted romantic strolls in the garden? Let¡¯s go before Jacquotte joins the dream.¡± Max led them through the doors with confidence in his step. ¡°This way,¡± he ushered them in front, as he gave directions. ¡°Turn left. Through those doors.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Cy asked, confused. It was only when they were deep in the gardens and the music was getting distant that he really noticed something was amiss. Max was suddenly missing. ¡°Wait¡­ Where did he go?¡± BB groaned and let out a few curses. ¡°Should we end the dream?¡± ¡°¡­ No,¡± Cy evaluated their situation. Maybe there was a reason why he left them? ¡°Max mentioned Jacquotte joining us soon. Shall we go looking?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get to it.¡± Max would¡¯ve felt a bit guilty for ditching them if it weren¡¯t for the situation. Without thinking, he was able to navigate the intricate gardens until he found the old, blue gazebo tucked away between hedges. There was nobody there. It was hard to fight the disappointment before his thoughts calmed himself. There was still time. They had all night. They had more than a night thanks to BB¡¯s magic. ¡°Hey! You! It¡¯s time to give your life some meaning before it ends-¡± ¡°Hello, Ellie.¡± Chapter 82: Hello, Ellie ¡°Lady Piggott,¡± she corrected. ¡°Have we met before?¡± Ellie squinted her eyes, suspicious. In contrast to the dancers inside, who were dressed for the season, Ellie¡¯s ruby red dress stood out like a thumb. She was ahead of her time, quite literally since Max remembered her designing this particular dress later in life. The top half of the dress was considerably different for the era, with a sweeping and thick looking fabric piling around her chest area and creating two long sleeves. A stark contrast to the current fashion inspired by classical Greek art. Compared to her bold clothing choices and personality, her appearance was a little plain. Tied up and secured brown hair, soft brown eyes, a few freckles across her nose; her body didn¡¯t suit her. ¡°At some point.¡± Max looked at the paper clutched in her gloved left hand. He didn¡¯t need to read it to know it was a marriage license she had forged. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work, you know.¡± Original Ellie would have stubbornly committed to her plans, following her story. The goal was simple, help Ellie with her dreams of building financial freedom. Dream Ellie wasn¡¯t quite the same. Perhaps it was because they spent so much time together, or maybe it was because Max couldn¡¯t remember the early days clearly anymore because of the substances he had been taking. ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll still sign it for you,¡± Max held out his own gloved hand. When they had first met, under this gazebo, Ellie had made a bold proposal to a drunken Max. Her plan was simple. Marry a wealthy but controllable deadbeat, take control over his estate, ensure there were no heirs to challenge her inheritance, and then stand idly by or actively encourage habits until she gained freedom as a wealthy widow. The body, which Max woke up in, was a key player in her plan. ¡°You seem to know a lot.¡± Without hesitation, Ellie began ripping up the forged document in front of him with a dramatic flair. With every strip of paper she made, she placed it delicately on to Max¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°Far too much. What else do you know?¡± He pocketed the strips. ¡°Your family is broke.¡± Max¡¯s words were harsh and to the point, but Ellie didn¡¯t show any feelings towards them. ¡°Your father, Lord Piggott, is planning on marrying you, Lady Elenor Piggott, to Lord Bickham, who has quite a reputation.¡± ¡°Oh my,¡± Ellie played along, as if they were gossiping about someone else. ¡°What kind of a reputation?¡± ¡°Lying, gambling, seducing; I heard he already has a string of bastards.¡± Completely true, Max had to meet a few of them over the course of the story. All of them were as deeply offensive as their father. ¡°Marrying someone like that would mean begging for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Which will not do,¡± Ellie agreed. There was something slightly off about Ellie¡¯s movements. She always feigned confidence until later, but her stance was too much for this time in her life. The dream must be using a muddle of memories to create the fake Ellie. Regardless, Max enjoyed playing along. ¡°So, you¡¯re looking for an alternative marr-¡± ¡°But I¡¯m blocked by the Clandestine Marriages Act,¡± Ellie interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not twenty-one yet, so I need my father¡¯s permission yada yada. You seem to already know everything. How did you know the license was a forgery?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get a proper look, but I have no doubt the clergyman will realise it¡¯s fake if you submit it to your family¡¯s church.¡± There was an ah-ha moment clear on her face. If only she had realised in the last life too, it would have saved them so much trouble. ¡°If you¡¯re so eager to marry we can always go north-¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°To the Northern Isles? Where the marriages act doesn¡¯t apply?¡± Ellie scoffed at the idea. Her reaction was a surprise. It was what they ended up doing in the end. ¡°People would only question the validity.¡± ¡°I suppose they would,¡± Max thought about it. When they got married last time, they had already been through so much socially that no one even questioned their decision. ¡°Perhaps if we gave you father some gifts-¡± ¡°No chance in hell,¡± Ellie didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°I want that man destitute by the time he crosses over to the other side.¡± Max merely smiled at the answer. It was the same one the real Ellie gave when he pitched the idea. Ellie thought for a second before quickly curtseying, causing Max¡¯s smile to drop. Before he could speak, she took off back to the mansion as she said, ¡°Pardon, I believe I was interrupting something. Forget this.¡± ¡°Wait a second-¡± Max was about to chase when there was a sudden noise. It was¡­ a gunshot? Maybe? And more importantly, not one originating from his memories. There was never a time a shot rang out in the real version of these gardens. Torn, Max decided to go look for the others. It was nice to see a fake Ellie again, but nothing can compare to the real thing. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± Max asked in disbelief, as he tried to take in the situation in front of him. Perhaps he had been wrong about his initial impressions of BB. Maybe she wasn¡¯t a romantic guru but a freaking psychopath. ¡°Shh,¡± Cy hushed at him before pulling him into the bushes. After checking that the shaking Jacquotte didn¡¯t notice them, Cy relaxed as he resumed rubbing his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re having a moment.¡± ¡®Their moment¡¯ was BB pointing her pistol at a tearful Jacquotte, who was shivering in the fountain while wearing nothing but her nightgown. ¡°If you think something like this is romantic then you¡¯re a scary-¡± ¡°Shh,¡± Cy hissed again while gesturing for Max to watch. ¡°Got him,¡± BB exclaimed victoriously, as she boldly gestured over to the shadows. Did Cy conjure something in the dream for BB to rescue Jacquotte from? Possible. It would be difficult for Cy to interfere with the world and the inhabitants since it was based on Max¡¯s mind¡­ Unless she was just pretending there was someone there? ¡°Here, let me help you up,¡± BB effortlessly helped a drenched Jacquotte out of the fountain she had been pushed into for her own ¡®safety.¡¯ With her blonde hair loosely braided, the top of her head covered by a nightcap, and wearing a damp nightgown clinging to her skin, Jacquotte was clearly out of place for the environment. She must be confused. It must be scary. BB must have realised, as she tried to comfort her, ¡°Sorry, it must¡¯ve be-¡± ¡°Are you fucking crazy?¡± Jacquotte didn¡¯t hesitate to shove BB out of the way. Her rant was fuelled with emotion, and it was completely justifiable. ¡°Pulling out a goddamn pistol-¡± ¡°I was trying to save you!¡± ¡°From nothing!¡± ¡°There was someone!¡± ¡°Probably a partygoer!¡± Jacquotte gestured to the mansion, where the music was spewing out of. ¡°Which makes you a murderer!¡± As they watched the women squabble, Max finally asked Cy, ¡°¡­ Have we made a mistake?¡± This was already far too toxic to ever be healthy. Maybe they were wrong with encouraging BB to find love. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cy admitted, as he rubbed his eyes again. ¡°Well, is it working? Is her fate changing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Cy said again. There was something different about his tone. It took Max a moment to catch on. ¡°You can¡¯t see?¡± Max had just presumed Cy¡¯s ability would continue as normal within the dream space. ¡°Can you see any of our fates at all?¡± Cy squinted at Max before giving up. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think so?... Have you ever seen the world¡­ plainly? Like without fates hovering around people.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°So, this is the first time?¡± Cy merely nodded before repositioning himself, so BB and Jacquotte¡¯s fight can stay in his field of view. ¡°I thought you said you¡¯ve tried this before. Why didn¡¯t you mention going blind?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not blind! I just can¡¯t see fates right now,¡± he tutted. ¡°When I tried this before, my own thoughts were the host.¡± So, was there an opposite effect? ¡°¡­ Do you want to stop?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re in love yet.¡± Cy pointed at the couple during the exact moment Jacquotte tore the sleeve off BB¡¯s dress and damaged the bodice. All that stitching, gone in seconds. At first, BB clung to modesty before embracing the look like the Goddess of Liberty. ¡°No, but if you¡¯re having trouble-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± Cy quickly dismissed, as Jacquotte lunged at BB¡¯s clothes again. Now that she found a weakness, it seemed like the merchant¡¯s daughter was trying to take advantage of the situation by embarrassing the other. BB looked thrilled. Perhaps she considered this a kind of foreplay? ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± Chapter 83: All For Her Ellie looked at the fighting women, utterly perplexed by what she was seeing. Why did she come this way? Max was about to leap out of the bushes when Cy kept him still. It took him a second to realise why. ¡°Thank god!¡± Jacquotte quickly scurried behind Ellie. ¡°This woman is crazy! She tried to shoot me-¡± ¡°Hey, I was shooting at the weirdo behind you.¡± BB started to defend herself, when Ellie calmly raised her hand. They waited patiently for Jacquotte to finish her ramblings, BB readjusted her clothing for more modesty. In her head, she was already preparing her defence. After recounting her long tale about being harassed by a pirate woman during the day, hounded by the same woman during the night, and then getting into a fight in the gardens, Jacquotte finished with, ¡°I¡­ I want to go home.¡± She sniffed before she wiped her tear-filled face with her nightcap. Ellie gave a few nods of understanding before facing BB. ¡°Is she taking drugs? Or is she just mentally unwell?¡± Her straight face caught BB off guard. ¡°How could you think-¡± ¡°You¡¯re in your nightgown and talking about nonsense. What else am I supposed to think?¡± ¡°You two are the crazy ones,¡± Jacquotte snapped back. She broke out into a sprint towards the mansion. For as weak as her punches were, her pace was surprisingly fast. Instead of chasing after her, BB let out a whistle of admiration. ¡°¡­ Should we go after her?¡± Ellie asked, genuinely concerned. ¡°If people see her in her nightgown, it¡¯ll create a big scandal.¡± ¡°Scandals just intensify love.¡± Ellie¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°There you are.¡± Max took advantage of the confusion. BB and Ellie couldn¡¯t tell who he was speaking to. ¡°Hm? Where¡¯s Jacquotte?¡± He feigned ignorance. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the woman in her nightgown, she ran towards the party,¡± Ellie pointed in the direction she went. ¡°¡­ How do you know her?¡± ¡°Do you know each other?¡± BB butted in. She was clearly curious. ¡°Ah, there you are Cy!¡± Max turned to see a red-eyed Cy had emerged from the shrubbery. Ellie was cautiously looking over the strangers in the garden. Semi-empathetic, Max thought it would be best to clarify since he wasn¡¯t even sure how much dream Ellie knew about him. When they first met, Max¡¯s existence was only just a rumour. ¡°This is BB,¡± he pointed over at the extravagantly bowing woman before realising they forgot to exchange last names. ¡°BB Pampadour,¡± she lied on his behalf. ¡°You¡¯re on a first name basis?¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes narrowed, trying to process their relationship. ¡°Just part of our culture. Apologies Lady Pampadour, I shouldn¡¯t have called you by your first name.¡± BB gave him a little wave to show there was no offence. ¡°She¡¯s a famous musician I brought with me from my hometown.¡± ¡°What instruments can you play?¡± Ellie asked, still suspicious. ¡°Any and all.¡± BB¡¯s tone would¡¯ve put him on edge if he wasn¡¯t confident of the woman in front of them. ¡°Violin?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Harp?¡± ¡°One of my favourites to play.¡± ¡°Timpani?¡± ¡°Tim-pan-what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she can play a song for you later,¡± Max interjected before the interrogation got too intense. BB eagerly nodded to show her enthusiasm. It appeared to have temporarily satisfied Ellie. ¡°This is Lord Vanga.¡± Cy clearly wasn¡¯t sure about how to act in accordance with the times. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive him. He¡¯s mostly blind.¡± Cy shot him a nasty look before realising the copout he was given. ¡°You poor soul,¡± Ellie threw him a face of genuine sympathy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s a recent thing, and it¡¯ll go away soon,¡± Cy explained to prevent any misunderstandings. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Ellie maintained a sympathetic smile before moving closer to Max and whispering to him. ¡°Is he diseased?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not contagious,¡± Max reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s a thing that comes and goes for him. He¡¯s had it since birth.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Ellie contorted her face to show her real emotions. ¡°You have quite a collection in your company, huh?¡± Her voice was judgy towards Max, who could only shrug in reply. She wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°This is your debut into high society, right? Maybe you should attend alone next time.¡± ¡°Who is this lovely lady?¡± BB intervened. Max was about to speak, when Ellie spoke for herself. He didn¡¯t know why he even attempted. She was the type to always represent herself. ¡°My name is Elenor Gillery Piggott, daughter of Baron Piggott.¡± Ignoring Cy, whose jaw was on the floor, she gave a well-rehearsed curtesy. ¡°Well, shall we go get your other weird friend before she starts some scandals in her nightgown?¡± ¡°Great idea.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ladies go ahead?¡± Max and Cy gave each other a sharp look. Cy beat him to the punch. ¡°Our friend, Lady Pampadour, has found herself¡­ in need of some better clothes. As a fellow lady, perhaps you could help her? We¡¯ll join you later.¡± Ellie merely glanced at an enthusiastic BB before deciding he was right. ¡°I have some stuff with me. We can probably get that dress semi-patched up with a few pins, broaches, and shawl. Luckily, I have a spare one. The colours won¡¯t match¡­ Still, it¡¯ll be better than this. Shall we meet in the library? Do you know where it is?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Max confirmed, before the pair waited patiently for the lady and the pirate pretending to be a lady to wander off together. BB was doing a terrible job blending into this world, even Cy looked more natural. Perhaps Minna was spot on about how great BB would be as a pirate. It was the best explanation for her lack of adaptability so far. Since the dream began, Max had been questioning his initial judgement of her. ¡°Maybe we should have come into this with more of a plan?¡± ¡°You son of a bitch,¡± Cy snapped at him. Instead of retaliating, Max kept quiet and calm while Cy continued to rant. ¡°I knew you could be a selfish prick, but to go this far? BB and I have been trying to help you the moment your stupid story began, but that¡¯s just not enough for you, is it? We¡¯re wasting time playing out your fantasy with your previous wife, while BB is inching closer to death-¡± ¡°Only if she chooses not to kill me when the deadline hits,¡± Max interjected. ¡°Well, lah-dee-dah, aren¡¯t you so lucky that she¡¯s even considering not acting on it!¡± Cy hit back. ¡°Just what were you thinking?¡± Max thought for the right words for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s kill two birds with one stone.¡± Cy couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Are you fucking stupid or something?¡± ¡°Did I have any reason to believe it wouldn¡¯t work?¡± Max finally began fighting back. ¡°BB came across as a professional when it comes to love and someone eagerly willing to go against the genre of her story despite the risks. How was I supposed to know she was a maniac when it came to trying to seduce women?¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve stuck with us this afternoon?¡± ¡°Then how would we pull Jacquotte into this dream? Without my runes, it would just be me, you, and BB. You probably would be running out of magic by now if I didn¡¯t scar those runes on your ear.¡± ¡°You did what!?¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Max held up his hands to keep Cy from exploding at him. ¡°You asked me to put them there¡­ And I added a few more that I thought would be useful for you.¡± ¡°What did you do!?¡± Cy held his ears. ¡°How many are on my ears?¡± ¡°¡­Three on the right, and six on the left-¡± ¡°What!-¡± ¡°But to be fair, you should be getting a surge of magic!¡± Max shouted to drown out Cy¡¯s attempts at talking. ¡°You were complaining about the level of your internal magic going down after leaving Tsujuma. They¡¯re multipliers and storers. So give it a couple of days, and that and the magic you don¡¯t have to spend healing will mean you¡¯ll get a real boost in abilities.¡± Max tried to get him to smile, but Cy maintained his horrified face. ¡°If you want, we can add more-¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Cy continued to frown, but at least the distracting offer calmed him down significantly. He let out a sigh. ¡°You should have just told me about Ellie.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure it would really work,¡± Max admitted. ¡°If I can¡¯t keep my concentration, then this can all go haywire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for damn sure. I¡¯m actually surprised she looks... normal. Especially, since you two were together for such a long time. I would¡¯ve thought she would be a weird blend of her at different times.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡± He didn¡¯t want to admit there were already some inaccuracies. Cy seemed suspicious of his words before slowly nodding. ¡°Right, we should have a fair amount of time left. You had your fun, so let¡¯s get serious. How are we going to get that toxic pair all loved up before we run out of magic?¡± Max shrugged. ¡°Come on, now. I thought you had a plan.¡± ¡°I did. It hasn¡¯t really worked out like how I thought it would,¡± he openly admitted. ¡°If BB was who she said she was, then this should be no problem for her. All that¡¯s left is either keep trying, give up and enjoy the dream, or end the dream. You¡¯re the one powering this thing, so you can make the call.¡± Being left with the decision was clearly not what Cy was expecting. He took a few seconds to think before he began grumbling in a low voice. ¡°We already put in some effort,¡± he finally concluded. ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t work, it can give us an idea on how hard it is to change genres for other stories.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± Max was clearly pleased the dream was going to go on for a little longer. ¡°Speaking of the system, how is the timer for the sub-goal?¡± In his eagerness to get the dream going and see Ellie again, Max had forgotten about it. He took a second to check the HUD. ¡°When I last checked my fate, we¡¯ve got about six hours in real time to make this work. Otherwise, I¡¯ll use up too much magic¡­ You know, you look really creepy when you¡¯re interacting with the system. You intensely stare at nothing.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Max wasn¡¯t really paying attention to what Cy was saying. ¡°It¡¯s slowed, nearly to a stop. BB must be doing a decent job at slowing down time.¡± ¡°At least she¡¯s doing something right. Since it¡¯s slowed down, the sub-goal¡¯s probably not connected to the dream.¡± ¡°Right, but that only leaves the question: what triggered it?¡± Chapter 84: Look At Me Cy and Max jumped out of their skins when the library doors slammed open. ¡°Wherever you got Lady Pompadour¡¯s dress from, never go there again,¡± Ellie scolded sternly. Behind her, BB was showing off her repaired dress and refitted hair with sparkling jewellery. Although the shawl was a different colour to everything else, it had been pinned in place with a butterfly broach causing the different fabrics to seem unified. ¡°The stitching was atrocious.¡± ¡°I tried my best,¡± Max muttered before receiving a cold look from Ellie. ¡°You made it?¡± ¡°I tried-¡± ¡°You need a lot more practice before you can do something like that,¡± Ellie replied in a cold voice while she pulled out her fan, drew it across her eyes and started fanning herself in a swift motion. To BB and Cy, it was a cold comment on his work. For Max, it was a clear message through the fan: ¡®Forgive me.¡¯ Keeping up her own vision of herself was always essential for her. ¡°Have you two found your other friend yet?¡± ¡°We looked around, but we couldn¡¯t find her in the ballroom. Maybe she¡¯s in another part of the mansion?¡± Cy noted, not sure if they could go into the other rooms without the dream breaking. Max considered Cy¡¯s words carefully. All the rooms he didn¡¯t go into during his time were meant to be locked. It only left a few options for them. ¡°Perhaps she went into the servant¡¯s quarters-¡± ¡°You!¡± Standing at the door to the library, Jacquotte looked angry and confused as she pointed a finger at BB. Jumping at the chance, BB replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me! There you are! We were looking for you.¡± Jacquotte gave a disturbed look before continuing her original train of thought. ¡°Where am I? I don¡¯t know this place.¡± ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know? We were invited here by your cousin,¡± BB pointed at Max, who only looked confused by what the fuck was going on. ¡°What happened to your clothes?¡± Finally realising she was still in her nightgown, Jacquotte¡¯s face flushed red. She tried to protect her own modesty by covering certain areas with her hands. Without prompt, Ellie offered the shawl she was wearing to BB. ¡°Use this to cover her.¡± Seeing the opportunity, Cy also leaned into whisper. ¡°Make it dramatic. I¡¯ll manipulate the dream for you.¡± ¡°What are they saying?¡± Jacquotte was reasonably suspicious at the sudden whispering and passing of fabric. ¡°Let me help you cover up,¡± BB¡¯s voice was calm and gentle. A huge difference to the confident and erratic spew of justifications for shooting at strange shadows. ¡°Come on, now.¡± Hearing the crowds of people down either side of the corridor, for once, Jacquotte didn¡¯t resist. ¡°There, see, you¡¯re the belle of the ball.¡± With a huge chunk of magic to cheat, the shawl wrapped itself around Jacquotte until it settled into a pink, Empire line dress. Apart from the colour, it was identical to BB¡¯s before it was broken. Bamboozled, Jacquotte didn¡¯t say anything. Had she accepted this was a dream already? ¡°Let¡¯s get your hair done too. Lady Piggott, do you have any spare accessories?¡± It hurt Max to see Ellie¡¯s appearance glitch out before returning to normal. It was just another reminder that she was nothing more than a dream. The newest iteration of her continued as if the last thirty seconds didn¡¯t occur. He couldn¡¯t think about how she would respond to seeing magic. There was nothing like it in her world. ¡°You can have one of mine.¡± She took out one of the three-part headbands adorned with gems out of her hair. ¡°Sit down,¡± Ellie instructed Jacquotte. ¡°We need to get your hair up so you¡¯re presentable.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. While the women tended to her hair, the guys kept a reasonable distance. ¡°If you want this to keep going, calm yourself and just use your imagination.¡± Cy warned in a low voice to Max. ¡°If we have another glitch out like that, this will all fall apart.¡± ¡°I know.¡± With her head on her arm and against the wall, Ellie took a few deep breaths. They could all hear the sounds of high society from around the corner, where the music was still permeating the space. Max couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for her while she built up the confidence to resume her place as the designated outlier amongst her peers. This habit faded with time, but it was strongest when they first met. Usually, she would only need a few seconds. Dream Ellie was taking a little longer. ¡°Maybe we should stagnate our entrance to the party?¡± BB suggested. ¡°I will attract less attention if I join separately.¡± Max couldn¡¯t help feeling perplexed until he re-evaluated the situation. BB didn¡¯t know Ellie. She didn¡¯t know her trends or fears. BB must¡¯ve assumed she was the source of her anxiety. ¡°Why would she attract attention?¡± Jacquotte whispered to the nearest ear, which was Cy. ¡°Is it because she¡¯s got a screw loose?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s something about being under the sun,¡± he murmured back. The lesson on racism earlier this afternoon clearly didn¡¯t land properly. ¡°Does she go under the sun a lot or something?¡± ¡°I guess. She¡¯s a pirate, so she would probably be in the sun a lot.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a pirate?¡± She whispered back suspiciously. ¡°Aye,¡± BB said, with a wide grin on her face. ¡°I¡¯m a pirate in this life, and in the next life too if I can reach the sea.¡± Smelling the lie a mile away, Max saw the manipulation tactic BB was creating right in front of them. Girl of your dreams? Lover from the past? Why can¡¯t BB be both? ¡°Next time, why don¡¯t you join my crew?¡± ¡°You got a big bounty then?¡± There was a glimmer of greed in Jacquotte¡¯s eyes. ¡°And an even bigger stash.¡± ¡°I thought you were a musician?¡± Ellie finally chimed in. Did she get her confidence back? Her head was still resting on her arm. ¡°And, didn¡¯t you already know she was a pirate? That¡¯s what you told me in the garden.¡± BB looked a bit flustered while she searched for excuses before Max interjected with a lie. ¡°How do you think she learned to be a great musician? She had to travel from place to place to pick up the skill.¡± He didn¡¯t have a lie ready for why Jacquotte didn¡¯t know. Luckily, she didn¡¯t seem interested in answering. Ellie continued her interrogation. ¡°She needed to become a pirate to learn how to be a musician?¡± ¡°What instruments can you play?¡± Jacquotte whispered to BB, trying to drag the conversation away from the question of morality. ¡°Anything,¡± BB answered. ¡°So, should I enter separately?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ellie was decisive in her answer. Peeling her head back, she stood up tall. ¡°They¡¯re going to be staring at us anyway. May as well give them something fabulous to look at. Let¡¯s go.¡± Without waiting to see if the others were ready, Ellie ploughed on ahead and entered the ballroom. Ellie¡¯s behaviour may have been puzzling to the others until the moment she was in view of the others within the dream. The music never stopped. The instruments kept playing. Yet, there was an eerie silence spreading as the gossiping mouths slowed to a stop. Ellie paid no mind to all the eyes suddenly on her. Almost as if she were diseased, the people kept their distance as she made her way through the crowd. She never made eye contact with any of them. ¡°They¡¯re not looking at me,¡± BB whispered into Max¡¯s ear. Jacquotte was nervously walking behind her, but the sudden change of atmosphere was getting to her. ¡°Why are they looking at her?¡± ¡°Long story,¡± Max quickly dismissed her concerns. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take Jacquotte and join the dance?¡± BB gave a worried glance over to Ellie, who was making her way to a central spot in front of the dancers. ¡°Go on. Take the chance while everyone is distracted. The atmosphere will go back to normal in a couple of minutes.¡± Reassured, BB took Jacquotte and led her to a quieter part of the room. It was in the opposite direction from Ellie. She merely seemed to be taking an eye-catching spot to the unfamiliar, but Max already knew she was making her way to stand opposite of where her family and intended fianc¨¦ were watching. Hiding from them meant trouble. Showing her true colours wasn¡¯t much better. Defiant, Ellie glared at people opposite her while the dancers moved in and out of her vision. ¡°What¡¯s her ¡®long story¡¯?¡± Cy whispered to Max. His eyes were bouncing back and forth between the dream being and the two new dancers. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± This wasn¡¯t the time nor the place to go into details. The watchful eyes of society were already starting to drift to the dancing women. It wasn¡¯t too uncommon for two women to dance together if there was a gender imbalance. However, it was uncommon for two completely unknown people of different races to join the dance. Max glanced at Ellie, who had already broken her glare and was clearly noting the same thing. ¡°Ellie¡­ She¡¯s a bit of a freak, and you¡¯re going to see why.¡± Chapter 85: Nicknames Are Cruel Before Ellie could do anything, the music came to an end, and the sides around the dancers suddenly spilled into the dance floor. ¡°Shall we go to the breakroom?¡± Ellie asked, in a pleasant voice. Although she spoke to Max and Cy, her eyes were still fixed on the pair of women trying to rejoin them. ¡°There¡¯ll be some refreshments there.¡± ¡°I could do with a drink.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be real,¡± Max muttered in a low voice. He didn¡¯t need to; Ellie was too focused on the others. ¡°And definitely don¡¯t go piss-¡± ¡°I know.¡± Cy jabbed at Max¡¯s ribs, like how BB teased her crew. ¡°I¡¯m trying to fit in.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your eyes?¡± ¡°Adjusting.¡± BB rejoined with a huge grin on her face. On the other hand, Jacquotte didn¡¯t seem too pleased. ¡°How¡¯s the dance?¡± ¡°Ended too quickly.¡± ¡°People were starting to stare.¡± ¡°Ignore them,¡± Ellie was quick to dish out the reassuring words. ¡°Most people here are morons.¡± Speaking of which, she quickly glanced back to where her family was lurking only to find they had vanished. ¡°Let¡¯s go before trouble starts. We may as well relax until the music begins again.¡± With her leading the way, it was easy to follow behind Ellie, but it was hard to ignore the whispers. Rumours and gossip were already beginning to circulate as they took in Ellie¡¯s associates with wide eyes. Entering the break room, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t much better. But the large arrangement of extravagant displays of food and drinks were eye opening to Jacquotte and Cy. They had never seen anything like it. Seizing the opportunity, BB whispered to Jacquotte, ¡°Those are really tasty.¡± She pointed over to a display of macaroons. ¡°Shall we get some?¡± She made eye contact with Max to get permission before escorting her girl. It was a rough start, but BB was starting to step up to the challenge. ¡°Anything you want to try?¡± Max asked Cy. Compared to the hearty, simple meals made by Darius and Bessie, the food must look unbelievable with the wide range of shapes and colours. ¡°It¡¯s not real¡­¡± Max whispered back, ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t taste semi-real. Haven¡¯t you ever eaten something in a dream?¡± The words were the encouragement Cy needed to start calculating which treats to try. He spoke in a louder voice for Ellie to hear. ¡°I can¡¯t make any of this, so you might as well try it here.¡± ¡°Which one do you want first?¡± Ellie had been watching everyone¡¯s reactions. Her smile spread to Cy, as she pointed out the trifle. ¡°Have you ever had a trifle before? Let¡¯s go get you some.¡± Her smile dropped when she saw a cluster of women beside that section of the desert table. A second later, the smile returned. Cy had missed it completely. Max didn¡¯t. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two go ahead? I have a few people I need to speak with.¡± Even without knowing the situation or the tension hidden behind her fake smile, Cy managed to give a glorious answer. ¡°I¡¯ll go by myself. I¡¯m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do.¡± Ellie watched him weave between the guests until he found himself at the desert table. ¡°Looks like his blindness is cured.¡± She held her breath, as Cy walked obliviously past the pack. A sigh of relief came tumbling out when he reached the trifle. ¡°You don¡¯t have trifles in your hometown? That¡¯s quite tragic.¡± Max was keeping an eye on the women too. Both his and Ellie¡¯s posture instantly straightened when they noticed they were beginning to move. ¡°Looks like the dogs are coming.¡± ¡°Funny, I thought you were close friends with dogs,¡± Ellie said under her breath. The comment came like a punch to the gut for Max. How was he supposed to justify betrayal, again? The system made him do it? He needed to act against his own volition because sub-goals were more important? They were just excuses. Just like the weak excuses he gave Cy. Even when he tried to semi-explain last time, it didn¡¯t go down well¡­ or at all really. His train of thought was suddenly broken by an intense punch to his side. ¡°It¡¯s done. Move on. We¡¯ve got bigger things to worry about.¡± Her stern and reliable voice caused him to refocus. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Richard!¡± The leader of the pack cried out in joy, as she drew her fan across her cheek before fanning herself gently. There was little doubt that compared to the stuck-up noble ladies, who suffered from the oppressive rules of society, she was clearly enjoying the freedom of being a top dog around these parts. Having never endured a day of hardship, her skin and makeup was significantly smoother and paler than the others. Unlike what is suggested by her innocent expression, Max and Ellie had little doubt she was aware of her appearance and basked in her own vanity. Although their assumption was now based on experience, they had initially drawn the same conclusion based purely on the bright, provocative clothes she would wear as her gestures and voice were hyperbolised to make her seem more special. The spoiled, only child of the Duke of Roky. ¡°I mean, Lord Woodstock,¡± she feigned making a mistake with their supposed closeness. It was irritating. The source of Ellie¡¯s biggest worries. All because of a few sub-goals- ¡°Lady Alice Roky.¡± Ellie gave a deep curtsey with slight glee from seeing her fan be briefly placed on her left ear. ¡°Lady Elanor Piggott,¡± she got a grumble back. ¡°What a pleasant dress you have. It is one of Madame Follet¡¯s, is it not? It must¡¯ve cost a pretty penny.¡± Suspicious, Lady Roky narrowed her eyes while slowly replying. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you can recognise it, Lady Piggott. One wouldn¡¯t have thought you could even appreciate it considering the rags you have on.¡± Ellie didn¡¯t say anything, but she kept her smile. Lady Roky put away her fan to accept two glasses from the pack of women around her. Without hesitation, she offered one clearly to Max while keeping a firm grip on the other. ¡°Lord Woodstock, Lady Hampton says the wine came directly from France. Why don¡¯t you-¡± Taking advantage of the element of surprise, Ellie snatched the extended glass and downed it quickly in front of everyone. She handed the empty glass back to Max. ¡°You must¡¯ve not heard about the news,¡± Ellie lied effortlessly, as she eloquently wiped the corners of her mouth with her gloved finger. ¡°Lord Woodstock began his sobriety streak a few days ago for religious reasons. It would be cruel to provide him with temptation-¡± With a sudden splashing sound, the room quietened. Eyes quickly turned to the source of the newest scandal. Even Jacquotte and Cy stopped their exploration of new flavours while they tried to decide whether-or-not to return. Only BB¡¯s hand gestures kept them still. ¡°Oops, my hand slipped,¡± Lady Roky¡¯s voice was cold. Without even trying to hide what happened, her now empty cup was pointed in Ellie¡¯s direction. Although her dress was a ruby red, the red wine still managed to stain the fabric around her waist and skirt. Ellie kept a calm face, as she watched the evidence being handed from accomplice to accomplice amongst the group of women until it was out of sight. In exchange of the glass, audible whispers were passed forward. ¡°Lady PIGgott really lives up to her name.¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t teach a pig how to behave.¡± ¡°Is that mud on the hem of her dress?¡± It was obvious the pack were trying to encourage their leader into playing along with the childish insults. When she did finally speak, it enraged Max to the point where he forgot he was the master of this dream. ¡°What a bumbling mess you are, Ellie the elephant.¡± Max was about to move when an arm swiftly shot out to block him. Beside him, Ellie didn¡¯t even look a little bothered. It was a sore spot in this lifetime. Another sub-goal urged him into creating an original nickname to help Lady Roky torment Ellie. It was the first thing that had come to mind at the time. A misremembered children¡¯s song from his original world, ¡®Nellie the Elephant.¡¯ ¡°Wow, a real DICK must¡¯ve helped you come up with that insult.¡± And that was why Max hated his own name in this life. She would always jab back with one of the natural nicknames that came with Richard whenever she got irritated by his actions. ¡°But Ellie, huh? I like it. You may call me Lady Ellie Piggott from now on if you wish.¡± Ellie hooked her arm around Max¡¯s. ¡°Come on, darling. It¡¯s getting a little crowded here.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go back to the dance floor looking like that-¡± Turned away so Lady Roky didn¡¯t even have the privilege of a front row view, Ellie tugged at her neckline, causing the weak seams to break. The excess fabric fell quickly to the ground before the embedded magnets clicked the fabric into place around her. The first appearance of the dress was a startling ruby-red gown with a fabric loaded top, but the current dress fitted with the times with a rich, sapphire colour. Max couldn¡¯t be prouder. By the time Ellie finished the design, she never got a chance to use it since Lady Roky had already fallen to the scandals they planted or revealed. This time, she got a chance to use it. Finally, Ellie turned to acknowledge Lady Roky. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you say something?¡± Chapter 86: I said LOOK. AT. ME. As they walked away, Max was able to subtly gesture to BB she should resume her time with Jacquotte. She didn¡¯t need to be told twice. Jacquotte was already on the move to try something new. When he glanced back, there were pointed glares directed at Ellie. Cy was no longer behind the pack, but Max had no clue when he vanished. ¡°We got off lightly,¡± Ellie noted, taking her self-proclaimed place next to the dance space. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯ll be the same for them.¡± Max wasn¡¯t too sure how old the current dream Ellie was, but the intentions behind her words were clear for him. They weren¡¯t going to take this lightly. In the previous lifetime, Max would¡¯ve interpreted the comment as a strong suggestion to intensify the social noose they were weaving together around the Lord of Roky¡¯s family. Blackmail, exploitation, fraud; it never mattered what Ellie murmured offhandedly. Somehow, it always came true. Nothing was too hard for someone like Max to get in place. It was his role in this story after all. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Cy appeared behind them. Max jumped slightly, like a child who was caught planning something he shouldn¡¯t. ¡°Don¡¯t let what they say get to you. They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about.¡± The encouragement touched Max slightly. Cy could probably relate to her experiences with the pack more than him. It had been a long, long time since Max experienced anything like name calling with intent to actually hurt not tease. Ellie wasn¡¯t moved. ¡°Who?¡± Cy frowned in confusion before exchanging a look with Max, who clarified. ¡°The dogs.¡± ¡°Ah. I don¡¯t waste time listening to barking dogs.¡± Ellie pretended to drop her fan, causing Cy to reflexively pick it back up and hand it to her. Too bad Cy would never know, but the fan was sending another message. Cy was leaving a good impression on her. ¡°I suggest you don¡¯t either.¡± ¡°Sometimes dogs bite though.¡± Cy looked back at the breakroom. There was no sign of their love seeking targets, but maybe that was a good thing? ¡°Then you get that dog taken away to an animal pound to be put down.¡± The cruelty in Ellie¡¯s words took Cy by surprise. It shocked Max too. They spent a long time mellowing out together that he wasn¡¯t used to her speaking her real thoughts in public. ¡°Are you troubled with dogs of your own?¡± ¡°I guess I was¡­¡± Cy looked a bit uncomfortable. ¡°You know of a good pound, don¡¯t you darling?¡± Ellie made eye-contact with Max. All of them knew they weren¡¯t talking about a real animal pound. ¡°Why don¡¯t you help your friend with solving his dog problem?¡± With the twisted expression on Cy¡¯s face, it wasn¡¯t too difficult to assume he was thinking about Lux. ¡°I already have.¡± After forty minutes had passed, the guests were starting to trickle back into the ballroom. The air was tense before the music started. No one was looking to pick any fights before the next dance set began. It didn¡¯t take long before the three of them watched BB and Jacquotte join the dance. At first, they struggled to keep up, but eventually it looked like they were having fun before the energy quickly dropped. Jacquotte¡¯s eyes kept focusing on the people around her instead of her dance partner. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with those two?¡± Ellie mumbled. In the corner of her eye, she looked out for trouble wanting to interfere. ¡°We¡¯re trying to get them together.¡± Cy replied instinctively. Max wasn¡¯t too sure whether it was a good idea to get Ellie in on their plan. She wasn¡¯t real, but she might have a better idea about romance than them. It was the genre of her story. ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen.¡± Her lack of confidence in their relationship was disheartening. ¡°Not with everyone watching them. Let¡¯s go, darling.¡± Ellie wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer. She made her way onto the dance floor, disrupting the dancers around her. On cue, Max joined her, and they started to dance along. ¡°What are we-¡± ¡°Not many people are watching yet. Look alive,¡± Ellie led their dance. Mid-step, she changed their dance. The pace and tempo transformed. Even the type of dance didn¡¯t match these times. It took Max a second to identify where it had come from. He had taught her this dance privately. Future dances and future music meant only for one pair of ears. Luckily, she had a clear favourite. It was easy to catch up when he realised Ellie was ignoring the music and dancing along to the song in her head. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°About half are still staring at them,¡± Max noted. Watching Ellie¡¯s family on the other side of the dance floor confirmed one of his growing suspicions. This Ellie and the current environment were about a year into them dating. Most of her family was already tied down with blackmail, so they weren¡¯t interfering. On the other hand, society was steadily getting used to their eccentric ways. One of the disgruntled women dancers, who stopped by the dog pack, looked like she was about to return the disruption. She approached, but before she could give any word of complaint, there was a surprise. Suddenly, two half-length gloves were thrown in her direction. She managed to catch them before dropping the gloves when she realised what they were. There were a couple of gasps when the gossiping eyes caught on to who the gloves belonged to. ¡°That¡¯s better. I never liked wearing those.¡± Ellie smirked from the increase in people watching them. It was from a mixture of glee and anxiety. ¡°But it¡¯s still not enough.¡± To their hidden beat, Ellie took off the gloves Max was wearing. There were even more gasps. Especially after Ellie¡¯s former fianc¨¦-to-be found the pair of gloves slapping his face. The skin-to-skin contact was exhilarating before inaccuracies started to show. None of this was real. ¡°Everyone seems to be looking at us now.¡± ¡°Apart from the dog pack,¡± Max said, grimly. Ellie suddenly forced him to catch her in a dip, so she could get a good look at the cluster of women. Their eyes were firmly set on the dancing women, who were trying to ignore them. ¡°¡­ Does old man Winston still have his flask?¡± It didn¡¯t take long for Max to piece together what Ellie was trying to suggest. The two made their way through by using their chaotic dance. They leaned heavily towards one side of the crowd causing the audience let out a few grumbles of complaints as they swooped past. Old man Winston didn¡¯t even realise the flask he had been sipping at for the last twenty-fire years was suddenly missing. Moving to their own beat, the couple found their way over to the other side where the dog pack, BB, and Jacquotte were at. Quickly and taking advantage of the unknown dance, Ellie threw the liquor from the flask at the dog pack before slipping the empty flask into Max¡¯s pocket. ¡°An eye for an eye. I guess they are getting off lightly this time.¡± First, there were screams. They went unnoticed by the guilty dancers, who were moving back towards Cy. Then, there was social disorder as the pack tried to end the dance. Max and Cy only needed to exchange a glance before they began working together to manipulate the dream into keeping the dance going. Lastly, Lady Roky stormed the dance floor herself to point an accusatory finger at Ellie. In an effort to ease the tension, Ellie willingly stepped aside so her mother could pat her down and show she wasn¡¯t carrying a flask. Even Max willingly turned out his pockets to show nothing. The evidence had already been slipped into the pocket of their psychic accomplice. The interruption was only for a few minutes before the dance resumed. The mood had soured from Lady Roky shaming herself with her false accusations. Only a few dancers were willing to keep going, but all eyes were focused on one couple. They took in the limelight, so that their friends can feel comfortable in the dark. It had been a few hours since BB and Jacquotte escaped the ballroom together. It was Cy¡¯s idea for him to go looking while Max and Ellie kept most of the dream beings under control and focused on them. The gardens had a few couples, but they weren¡¯t the pair Cy was looking for. The library was vacant. Only after remembering Max suggesting the servant¡¯s quarters did he find them. Once he had, he immediately wished he hadn¡¯t. BB was set to reach the finish line. By the time Cy navigated his way back to the ballroom, they were in the middle of another break. The trifle came back to mind. Without reconnecting with Max and Ellie, he made his way towards the breakroom before realising something was amiss. The dresses were different. The classical Greek-inspired, simplistic dresses were out of sight. In their place, all the women were wearing big, puffy skirts, which suddenly blocked his way. They were entirely different. Was the dream starting to fall apart? Cy felt tired and drained, but not to the extent where they would have to stop. Only a few hours ago, Max said time was moving slowly. By his own fate calculations, they should have six hours in the real world before it would get dangerous for him. There shouldn¡¯t be a need to stop now. Paying more attention around the ballroom, everything else was different too. The decorations, the dancers, the people; he couldn¡¯t recognise any of them. Time to find Max. He would know what¡¯s going on. Since Max¡¯s appearance hadn¡¯t changed, it wasn¡¯t hard to find him tucked away in the corner. He had a wide smile as he talked softly to an old woman, who was dressed in a puffy, cream dress with pink features. Their faces were close together while they whispered. Cy stopped approaching when he realised what had happened. She was Ellie¡­ There was no need to ruin their moment. Cy quickly turned to make his way back to the break room. He recalled seeing a clock there. Based on the internal time passing within the dream and his own growing body aches, he¡¯ll be able to judge when they must draw this night to a close. Every second longer would be precious for those who could remember the moments for lives to come. Chapter 87: Time to Wake Up Max could hear the birds singing before he forced his eyes to open. It wasn¡¯t a surprise for him to see he was in another world. The dream was over. It was time to go home. He reached up to wipe away tears pre-emptively but found that there weren¡¯t any. Perhaps this time, Max felt ready to say goodbye. It was hard to know how long they were all in the dream. Around him in the room, BB and Cy were peacefully sleeping on the floor at different corners of the room as originally agreed. Below all of them was a thin layer of an ash-like material on top of vandalised and cracked wood. It wasn¡¯t a stretch of the imagination to assume it was all the pieces of parchment being used up and crumbling away. Looking back over at his well-dressed accomplices, Max began to notice something wasn¡¯t right. The sun was fully up in the sky. They should¡¯ve been back before then. BB was grinding her teeth. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a peaceful sleep after all? Cy was curled up. It wasn¡¯t too atypical. There was a small pool of blood forming under him. That wasn¡¯t typical at all. ¡°Ah, fuck,¡± Max leapt into action. At first, he felt a little dizzy, but he pushed through. ¡°The fuck did you do?¡± He muttered, while trying to unravel the rigid Cy. The source of the blood was easy to find. The skin of Cy¡¯s untattooed arm was split in several places. As Max tried to get a closer look, more skin ripped causing a sleeping Cy to groan in pain. He must¡¯ve gone past his limits. Max tried to think about what he should do. There was no more parchment for him to use. No items he recognised or knew had enough innate magic to potentially heal something like this. Could BB help? Shaking the sleeping beauty didn¡¯t do anything. She would just weakly murmur nonsense as her weak limbs tried to bat Max away. BB was out for the count. While she resisted, a familiar piece of canvas popped out of her inseam pocket. An eloquently painted, modern woman smiled up at him. The canvas had magic. Max made sure it could somewhat replenish and store magic through runes when he originally carved into the painting. BB was set to either succeed or die today anyway... Surely, she wouldn¡¯t mind? Even if she had to live with the penalty¡­ Things like this don¡¯t matter for people like them anyway. Just as Max was about to grab it, there was a sudden commotion going on downstairs. BB¡¯s crews¡¯ voices were arguing with someone too quiet to hear. The pirate crew would have no problem against other native people in this world. But for during people like Max and BB? There was a possibility they found him. Max looked out the window with the afternoon sun beaming in. He could just leave. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to slip away and avoid whoever was downstairs. Cy did insist on staying hidden when he threw the cloak back at him. It would be painful for Cy to endure such a magic depletion, but he would probably survive. Max could come back when the coast was clear with items with innate magic- ¡°CAPTAIN BB!¡± The helmsman broke down the door trying to get inside the inn¡¯s room. Seeing the quaint room be festooned with wood carvings, cracks, fabric, and crumbled parchment caused him to stop. In one corner, BB was on the floor. In another, Cy was now covered in his own blood. Max couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what the helmsman thought they were doing the other night. Apparently, it didn¡¯t seem to matter to him, or he had seen stranger things while being part of BB¡¯s crew. ¡°There are two crazy women downstairs!¡± Two? A gunshot rang out causing the helmsman and Max to look out the door to where the staircase was. ¡°They¡¯re both looking for Captain BB!¡± ¡°My love is looking for me!¡± BB rose up from the floor like a zombie; staggered, dazed, but eager to feed on the best thing ever. Love. ¡°That must be her.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Max grabbed her arm before she could go running off to greet whoever was downstairs. ¡°He said there were two women. They could be like us.¡± ¡°Too bad, I¡¯m taken now-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± he hissed back in frustration. Max eyed the location of the portrait of Minna, which had gone back inside the pocket. ¡°Is your story complete?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± Fuck. She glanced out the window before looking back at Max¡¯s grip. ¡°You know, I think I know who they are,¡± BB said, with devilish glee. Her wide smile made both Max and the helmsman uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯ve done quite a few things for you now. Time for you to return the favour.¡± Max wrapped scraps of fabric around Cy¡¯s arm, while he waited for the helmsman to escort one of the women up the stairs. From outside the window, there was a small yelp from BB. She must¡¯ve hit the ground hard. ¡°This is a dumb idea,¡± Max mumbled to himself. ¡°We¡¯re never working with pirates again.¡± His patchwork bandaging was reasonable, so he began getting the scraps of higher quality fabric and drawing the healing rune on them with ink before tossing them on Cy¡¯s body. One of them was bound to work. From the corridor, he could hear the commotion was intensifying with a few more gunshots. How hard was it to invite one woman upstairs? Max reached for another handful. ¡°You- Ah- Hey! Isn¡¯t that mine?¡± ¡°No.¡± Max quickly dismissed even though he was caught red handed. Wielding a stolen pistol from one of the pirates, Jacquotte¡¯s sister blocked the doorway. What was her name again? Compared to Jacquotte, her hair was a lighter blonde, and her face looked more petite. Petite nose, petite chin, petite eyes; but a disconnectedly strong body was underneath. Her clothes were what caught Max¡¯s eye. They were eccentric for the times with a blend of pink colours. The front of the skirt of her dress was tucked up into her waistband showing trousers underneath. ¡°Where is Captain BB?¡± She said menacingly, while pointing the pistol down at Max. Stolen story; please report. ¡°She leapt out that window,¡± Max pointed over his shoulder. Jacquotte barged past him to the window, where she saw BB and Jacquotte running towards the docks. ¡°Motherfucker,¡± Jacquotte¡¯s sister muttered. She began to tuck in more of her skirt. ¡°How the hell-¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just go back down the stairs?¡± He offered a possible solution. None of the fabrics were working. ¡°And face the pirates again?¡± She sighed. Defeated, she slowly turned around before cringing her nose. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Max ignored her. ¡°Is he diseased?¡± ¡°He¡¯s injured.¡± ¡°Poor soul.¡± Max¡¯s movements slowed for a moment before continuing. ¡°You recognised some of these fabrics, right? Which one would have the rarest material or the least processed? Are there any made with silk?¡± It was a good bet silk would have some internal magic. ¡°Silk is so expensive,¡± Jacquotte¡¯s sister muttered. Max fully expected her to walk past and ignore them, so he was surprised when a strong hand held out two pieces of fabric. ¡°This one¡¯s leather, and here¡¯s some cashmere. What are you doing-¡± ¡°Magic,¡± Max snatched it out of her hand. His rune drawings were sloppy, but still accurate enough as he threw both on Cy. ¡°Right¡­ Magic¡­ As much as I love watching people die, wouldn¡¯t it be better to summon a doctor?¡± She offered. In an instant, Cy¡¯s breathing got a bit easier. His brows and his curled body finally relaxed. Jacquotte¡¯s sister helped save the day. Not knowing which or how effective the pieces of fabric were, Max unravelled the makeshift bandages to show a completely healed arm. Whatever had magic, it was clearly effective. ¡°See,¡± Max showed her the healed arm, but it was still met with scepticism. He noticed some of Cy¡¯s blood had gotten on the bottom of her skirt. ¡°Let¡¯s get him off the floor.¡± Jacquotte¡¯s sister rolled up her sleeves before bending over. ¡°Wait. I can do it. You¡¯ll just get more blood on your dress.¡± Ignoring him, she picked up Cy¡¯s legs. ¡°Are you going to help? Or should I do it alone?¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything in reply, as he helped move a fabric covered Cy into his room and bed on the other side of the hallway. He had never met her before. But her attitude was familiar. Even some of her phrases were oddly familiar. Perhaps he was just seeing things? After throwing Cy onto the bed, Max checked Cy¡¯s arm to ensure it wasn¡¯t ripping again. ¡°Thanks,¡± he muttered before tucking Cy in. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Jacquotte¡¯s sister examined her bloody dress before ripping the skirt off in one swift movement. Were the seams intentionally weak? Was the dress designed to come apart? ¡°I have something to ask of you. Compared to the¡­ people below, you¡¯re more like the kind of person willing to listen.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t listening?¡± Hypocritically, she ignored his question. ¡°My name is Serena Dimechi, daughter of Cosimo Dimechi and sister of Jacquotte Dimechi. Yesterday, something peculiar happened to my sister. A pirate harassed her all day. Quite strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± Her voice played with the idea that the pirate was unknown to both of them. Max held his tongue. It was easy to make this conversation go wrong quickly. ¡°Then, this morning, my dearest sister was practically hysterical. Sobbing about how she had to find this pirate before she set sails. Apparently, she is the love of her life. The same pirate who was harassing her the other day.¡± Max tried to keep a neutral face as a notification from the system appeared. It was safe to assume his sub-goal was now a third of the way to being complete. BB must¡¯ve reached the end goal with her newest lover. ¡°And now that I find this pirate. Not only does she run off with my sister, but other people in this inn can do magic.¡± It took Max a second to realise what she said, and then another one to understand the implication. ¡°You think I did something-¡± ¡°Going to bed with hatred and waking up completely in love is quite a stark difference. Isn¡¯t it?¡± He tried to shrug. ¡°Eh, stranger things have happened. Why did you want to see Captain BB? To stop her from seeing your sister?¡± Serena scoffed at the idea. ¡°The opposite.¡± Max frowned in confusion. ¡°I want her to take Jacquotte far, far away from here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So, there¡¯ll be one less person to fight against my inheritance of the family business,¡± Serena declared boldly. Max wasn¡¯t sure before, but he was now. She was like Cy. A person who belongs to before. ¡°And with her frivolously spending a pirate¡¯s money instead of our family¡¯s, it¡¯ll give me a great advantage in stopping our impending bankruptcy. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°You want Captain BB to whisk away Jacquotte?¡± ¡°I want Captain BB to ensure Jacquotte will never return.¡± Her voice and words were cold. ¡°Do you think that could be arranged?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°How much do you think-¡± ¡°It¡¯s on the house,¡± he quickly declared. ¡°If Captain BB were to get bored of my sister, she¡¯ll still keep her away?¡± ¡°I doubt she¡¯ll get bored of her, but yes. I can assure you Jacquotte will never be able to rejoin high society again after becoming part of a pirate crew.¡± Serena stared at Max for a little bit before turning to leave with a quick, ¡°Then good day.¡± He considered going after her before realising Cy was beginning to stir from his sleep. Serena was closing the door behind her just after Cy rubbed his eyes awake. ¡°Was that Ellie?¡± He said in a sleepy voice. ¡°¡­ I think it was.¡± Cy¡¯s sleepy face turned into confusion when he realised they weren¡¯t in the dream world anymore. ¡°That was definitely a before person. You really think she¡¯s Ellie?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Max repeated. ¡°Then what are you doing? Go after her!¡± Max merely shook his head, but a smile lingered after. Getting her roped up in his problems wasn¡¯t going to help anyone. A six-star story undoubtedly meant they had a long way to go before he could enjoy any kind of retirement. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to her. Maybe in another life¡­ There was another notification from the system.
SUB-GOALS TIME TO COMPLETE REWARD
Reunite with a confidant from a previous life before choosing to separate from them again. This confidant cannot know about the system. 2 hours and 58 minutes COMPLETE A hint is AVAILABLE. Please collect your reward.
??? ??? ???
??? ??? ???
Change the genre of two stories before they are completed. 359 days Two sub-goals will be revealed. One hint is granted.
??? ??? ???
Encounter all who have completed five-stars stories. ??? Time to complete is doubled for remaining sub-goals.
Chapter 88: Therapy Time for Pirates ¡°I neva reali thou¡¯ abou¡¯ wha¡¯ nex¡¯,¡± Calico Shaq grumbled into his mug. Rubbing his back so the tears wouldn¡¯t start falling again, Max couldn¡¯t help wondering how he got himself into this mess. BB¡¯s abandoned crew sat crowded around the circular table for an impromptu therapy session. It was Cy¡¯s suggestion of course. ¡°Meh whole life is a¡¯ sea. Meh Mah was a pirate. Meh Pa was a fisherman, or he was a crabber¡­ She also mentione¡¯ a boatswain¡­ You kno¡¯, Mah was neva tae clear on Pa.¡± The other pirates gave a sympathetic grumble. A few even slid over some coins from their last salary, so Calico Shaq could keep the booze coming. From behind the counter, the innkeeper was observing in disgust and amusement. It must¡¯ve been like an early version of trash TV, but he was being paid to keep watching. ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Cy was the worryingly reassuring voice of reason. All the pirates turned to face the opposite side of the table. Max thought back to Edric¡¯s report on him. Cy could get away with being a cult¡¯s prophet. ¡°Our parents do not define us or our future-¡± ¡°I ain¡¯ finish¡¯ ye¡¯.¡± Calico Shaq¡¯s voice was rough, but Cy took no offence as he gestured for him to continue. Almost all the pirates were taking advantage of the rare opportunity to vent and destress. Calico Shaq shook off Max¡¯s hand, who took the opportunity to take a few swigs of beer before the reassuring hand would have to go back to work. ¡°Id¡¯s been not¡¯in¡¯ bah trouble since we go¡¯ ¡®ere.¡± A few of the pirate mumbled in agreement, throwing a couple more coins in his direction. ¡°Firs¡¯, Captain BB made meh go aroun¡¯ ge¡¯in¡¯ ta¡¯oo stuff like a looney and usin¡¯ mos¡¯ of meh coin. Then, mah new bir¡¯ lef¡¯ meh.¡± It took a few pirate stories for Max to pick up that the birds in question were always women instead of an actual bird. Tears were beginning to swell causing Max to resume the position as comforter. ¡°Today, a stron¡¯ lassie stole da gun meh Mah gave meh, an¡¯ sho¡¯ a¡¯ Vain Bane.¡± Vain Bane saw the opportunity and began showing off the graze on his arm. It didn¡¯t look much worse than a bad scratch. Still, it was enough for some of his fellow crewmates to throw a few coins in his direction. When Vain Bane finally got a turn to speak, he¡¯d be rolling in it. ¡°An¡¯ now, Captain BB is gone, an¡¯ I¡¯m ou¡¯a da job. Cy, wha¡¯ shou¡¯ I do?¡± Cy gave some sympathetic nods, as the room quietened to hear him speak. He placed his hand on his chin, probably in an attempt to make himself appear more mystic. Cheesiness aside, it was working. The pirates had been lapping it up all night. ¡°Have you considered¡­ opening up a flower shop by the docks?¡± The crowd fell silent as the eyes turned to Calico Shaq for his verdict. ¡°I neva considere¡¯ i¡¯ before tae beh hones¡¯.¡± It was a fair response. It wasn¡¯t good enough for the other pirates. ¡°What¡¯chu talkin¡¯ about? You have a delicate hand!¡± ¡°A real green thumb,¡± another pirate agreed with an enthusiastic nod. ¡°Come on now Shaqqie, you¡¯d be good as a florist. Always sweet-talking women, well why don¡¯t yeh talk them into getting a bouquet.¡± Calico Shaq still didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°You complained about missing the leaves changing colour earlier this week!¡± ¡°And the shop would be a good front for smuggling,¡± Cy added. There was a sudden change in the atmosphere. The innkeeper decided it was time to step out and get another stack of mugs to add to the building pyramid on the counter. Perhaps in his mind, it was so he could feign ignorance if it ever came back to him. ¡°You would be good on both sides of the business. Also, if you really want a decent missus, then always keep a bunch of lavender on hand.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The pirates broke into celebration, pushing a grateful Max away so they could celebrate with their comrade. He was predicted to get it all. A life by the sea, a quaint cutesy shop, a shit ton of money from smuggling, and a good woman; what wasn¡¯t there to celebrate? Max took the opportunity to move to Cy¡¯s abandoned side of the table before the pirates settled themselves. Soon, they will need to begin their next round of therapy. ¡°You could see all that from his fate?¡± Max asked, as he began counting the sizable donations that Cy received. Cy muttered back in a low voice, but no one was paying attention. ¡°He¡¯s got a flexible fate, who knows if it¡¯s really going to play out like that.¡± ¡°But it could?¡± ¡°At the moment, it¡¯s the second most likely course of events¡­ apart from the wife thing. Covering up his smell will increase his chances, but it¡¯s not looking good.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not getting a wife, huh?¡± Max pitied the pirate, who was chugging back every glass his friends handed to him. Earlier, when Cy suggested for them to bathe more, it didn¡¯t go down well. Then again, it was back when everyone was sober and bitter. ¡°Or maybe his missus will have your sense of smell, so he wouldn¡¯t be any different to anyone else.¡± ¡°Or can¡¯t smell at all. Get ready, they¡¯re taking their seats again.¡± Just as the pirates were getting settled down, the door to the inn¡¯s pub was thrown open. ¡°You started the drinks without me!¡± BB shouted before giving a hearty laugh at her sniffling crew before their tears began flowing. The crew clambered to get closer to their Captain while Max and Cy watched, suspicious. Where was Jacquotte? ¡°I took a few hours off for a little honeymoon, and they¡¯re all sobbing like babies.¡± There was a sense of joy in BB¡¯s tone. She looked proud at the sight before her. After reassurances from BB that they were still employed, most of the pirates were now content with their situation again. The only difference now was they had a new crew member, who was sleeping on the ship already. ¡°Sorri, C-Ci sir,¡± Calico Shaq stammered, while under the eye of his boss. ¡°I made ya tell meh a propheci an¡¯ all... Bu¡¯ da sea. She calls tae meh.¡± ¡°Go for it!¡± Cy exclaimed with a thumbs up, causing everyone to celebrate. Their ¡®prophet¡¯ gave his blessing for all of them to return to a life of crime. ¡°Honestly, what will they do without me,¡± BB murmured before joining in celebrating Calico Shaq¡¯s return to the crew of The Pillow Princess. Cy was watching BB carefully before he began to use the condensation from his mug of beer to draw something. Max was watching before he saw something strange in the reflection of the brass mug. It spooked him. Although he couldn¡¯t quite place what it was, unease caused him to instinctively look away. A moment later, Cy cleared his throat making Max look back. Whatever it was, it was gone. Cy didn¡¯t mention anything being out of the ordinary. On the contrary, he was focused as he whispered, ¡°How could you modify this shape into a name with runes?¡± Max frowned before Cy drew a twisted version of his own name before the one Max showed him back at Darius¡¯s inn. Now following along, Max watched carefully as Cy redrew the initial shape. ¡°Think you can make an educated guess?¡± ¡°I can try. Can you get me something with innate magic?¡± Prepared, Cy handed him a singular scrap of parchment and an inked-up quill pen. ¡°Use this.¡± ¡°I thought we used all of these,¡± Max said, suspiciously. ¡°I saved one in case of emergencies.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s use-¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to use it.¡± There was something off about Cy¡¯s voice. He wasn¡¯t sharing something. ¡°Can you draw her name or not?¡± Max frowned before begrudgingly complying. The second the two runes were completed; he heard a commotion behind him caused by the pirates before there was an eruption of laughter. It turned out BB fell on her ass. The only two not smiling or laughing along were watching the response carefully. ¡°Did you do that?¡± Max showed him the piece of parchment before pointing to the first rune, ¡°That¡¯s BB¡¯s name.¡± Chapter 89: Bye Bye BB ¡°There¡¯s another reason why I came back.¡± BB leaned in, as the three of them ignored the piles of pirates passed out the floor. Only a handful of them were still going strong, determined to make the innkeeper join in on the celebration. ¡°I was talking more with Jacquotte.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good sign the relationship is going well.¡± Despite the well-meaningness of his words, the tone wasn¡¯t pleased. Max was a little annoyed with the sudden attention. Once BB had regained her balance, she and the crew made them participate in their fun. He still had no clue about why Cy was suddenly able to pull people¡¯s names out of thin air. Or, more importantly, why he was suddenly on edge around her. ¡°She¡¯s quite a gossip,¡± BB said, with a wide smile. ¡°You¡¯d never believe what high society is up to.¡± ¡°Hunting Max down?¡± Cy suggested. There was a bit of irritation in his voice. Max fought to roll his eyes, ¡°We saw one wanted poster-¡± ¡°Bingo,¡± BB took pleasure in seeing them wide-eyed. ¡°Apparently, the nobles are working together to organise a manhunt. You¡¯ve got some enemies out there¡­¡± She was having difficulty staying still in her chair. ¡°And one close friend.¡± Max and Cy immediately exchanged a look before BB began shouting in enthusiasm. ¡°You know how Cy had some weird theory about some people being like us but just not remembering? Well, I think I found Ellie!¡± ¡°¡­ I know. Serena, right?¡± In a second, BB¡¯s ego deflated. ¡°I talked with her while you were running away with Jacquotte, remember?¡± ¡°But you agree? From the way Jacquotte described her, I thought it just had to be her.¡± The smile from earlier in the day crept back onto Max¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s her.¡± ¡°So¡­? Aren¡¯t you going to go get your girl?¡± ¡°We could probably stay for a couple of days,¡± Cy finally pitched in. Max was a bit surprised he was encouraging him. ¡°We¡¯ll have to give some during people the slip, but we¡¯re probably going to have to do that anyways.¡± Max¡¯s mind had gone through the option multiple times. Every time, he always came to the same conclusion. He tried to shrug off the suggestion. ¡°BB said it best, one girl for one life.¡± The moment the words spilled out of him; it looked like a light had switched in BB¡¯s mind as her face crumpled slightly in guilt. Her policies towards love had gone unchallenged over the lifetimes. It was difficult to see a reflection of herself. Cy didn¡¯t have that problem. ¡°Bullshit. Why not one girl for every lifetime? You said there was always another Cy. But it was just me all along.¡± Max found it difficult to keep eye contact. ¡°There¡¯s always another Ellie. But why not just be with Ellie again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not quite the same,¡± BB said in a quiet voice when Max was slow to reply. ¡°It¡¯s hard being the only one to remember.¡± Immediately, Max frowned when he realised they were thinking about completely different things. ¡°Life would be so exciting for them when, for us, it¡¯ll be the same thing, again, for the one hundredth time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not-¡± ¡°Well, at least you¡¯ll be in different worlds, right?¡± Cy argued back. ¡°That should bring some new experiences.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re talking about-¡± ¡°Yeah, but how many medieval periods do you think we¡¯ve lived in? There¡¯s only so much variety.¡± ¡°Medieval?¡± ¡°Okay, okay, late medieval.¡± BB took a sip of beer to relieve the stress. It had gone completely over her head that the term would be unfamiliar to Cy. ¡°¡­ Is medieval bad?¡± There was an innocent feel to his question. Max and BB exchanged a look. Max decided to take the plunge. ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s not great.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not all bad!¡± BB immediately tried to bring back more positivity. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too long before some kind of renaissance will happen.¡± ¡°Renaissance?¡± ¡°A big boom in art, prosperity, and innovation,¡± BB explained with enthusiasm. ¡°A night and day improvement!¡± ¡°Great, I hope I live long enough to see it,¡± Cy replied bitterly. ¡°Well, technically, you¡¯ve already lived through a renaissance.¡± Max thought back to the times he encountered him before. ¡°You had a blast.¡± Cy looked at them suspiciously, like a child about to ask a cheeky question. ¡°If I ask questions about the general future, would you tell me about it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was no hesitation from Max. If anything, he found it strange Cy would even ask. ¡°You¡¯re always telling me and others about our future.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s the relatively close future¡­ historically speaking.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why I shouldn¡¯t tell you. Especially since it¡¯s not guaranteed, it¡¯ll just be the general trend of humanity.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Hmm. We¡¯ll talk more about this later. We¡¯re getting off topic,¡± Cy declared. ¡°You have another chance to be with Ellie, so-¡± ¡°Maybe, but definitely not yet,¡± Max made his stance clear with five words, but the meaning was lost on the listeners. ¡°I¡¯m stuck in a six-star story. The chances of me getting successfully through this is basically impossible. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to drag her into this mess.¡± ¡°And if you get out of this mess?¡± BB leaned in with curiosity. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max admitted. BB gave him a curious look, before shrugging. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve done my part. Power to you and hope you do it. In the meantime, I¡¯ll keep an eye out on my sister-in-law for you.¡± Max suddenly felt on edge. It was hard to understand the implications of her words. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with her life.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to!¡± She was already too defensive. ¡°I meant just encouraging Jacquotte to send an occasional letter to her with some cash or something. Apparently, their family is having money troubles.¡± ¡°No direct contact?¡± ¡°Absolutely not, unless requested by Serena herself.¡± ¡°Letting her know about us or the system?¡± ¡°Fuck no,¡± BB snorted at the idea. ¡°Speaking of the system,¡± she pulled out the picture of Minna and handed it over to Max. ¡°Thank you for this. It made this life a lot more bearable. It¡¯s such a relief to not have to worry about requirements anymore.¡± Cy gave a curious look over at Max. ¡°I don¡¯t have any yet,¡± he said with his hands raised. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when the system comes up with one for me.¡± His answer appeared to have satisfied Cy. ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan now? Got another person willing to change their genre?¡± ¡°There are only so many during people we know.¡± Cy tried to recall, while Max looked distractedly at his empty mug of beer. He was deep in thought. ¡°There¡¯s Edric-¡± ¡°He¡¯s already finished,¡± Max interrupted. ¡°Navy?¡± ¡°Probably part of the gang hunting us right now.¡± ¡°Aldwin?¡± ¡°Missing, and too unknown since I didn¡¯t even pick up on him being one of us.¡± ¡°The mayor?¡± ¡°Finished and suffering from the effects of a stroke.¡± BB choked on her beer from the serious tone of his voice. ¡°Flynn?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Lux¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°You think Lux¡¯s friend is going to help us?¡± Max scoffed at the idea. ¡°How about Kurt?¡± ¡°The butcher¡¯s boy, Kurt?¡± Cy weighed up the idea. ¡°No, the sweetshop owner¡¯s son, Kurt,¡± Max said sarcastically. BB leaned next to a focused Cy, ¡°Which one is he really?¡± ¡°Max¡¯s being a dick,¡± Cy answered back. ¡°Kurt is one of you lot?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Max looked confused. ¡°He¡¯s just a normal guy.¡± Now, it was Cy¡¯s turn. ¡°How¡¯s he going to help us then?¡± ¡°Four reasons. One, I know he¡¯s part of a story because I got him to take it on for me.¡± Cy looked horrified. ¡°Hey, it wasn¡¯t like that! It¡¯s not like the Lux situation where he¡¯s pretty much doomed to fail-¡± ¡°You got his parents divorced!?¡± ¡°¡­ They got divorced? I thought they were still married but both are having affairs?¡± ¡°The butcher is having an affair?¡± Cy leaned in to get the gossip. BB copied his posture. Everything must¡¯ve been confusing to her, but she was thrilled to be hearing the tea. ¡°That¡¯s what Kurt said.¡± Max took the opportunity to pull up the HUD¡¯s records. It was going to take a while for him to find Kurt¡¯s story in the records of all the missed stories. ¡°Two, his bio dad is the duke of this land. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to find him.¡± ¡°Are you forgetting the king¡¯s men are looking for you too?¡± ¡°Kurt won¡¯t turn us in. We¡¯re from the same village, basically family.¡± ¡°Maybe, but that doesn¡¯t mean his father won¡¯t turn us in.¡± Max paused his scrolling. Even in the records, the mutated prompts had been recorded exactly as he saw them. Meaning he finally saw the first one that he missed.
Story Name: Pestilence
Genre: Horror
Description: a virus has begun to spRead amongst somE liVestock. it is OnLy a matter of Time emnAh TstiSgl eyb esRtea¡­
Goal: Survive the epidemic
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï¡î
How to Start: Allow the disease to spread amongst the cattle!
REVOLT? Oh well, he missed an extra word. Didn¡¯t make much of a difference now. Max kept looking. ¡°Three, Kurt will be willing to change his genre. Ah, found it.¡±
Story Name: The Missing Heir
Genre: Historical Fiction
Description: The long-lost son of the duke is found, but can he adjust to his new position?
Goal: Become the duke.
Difficulty: ¡ï¡ï¡î¡î¡î
How to Start: Be identified by the messenger of the duke!
¡°It¡¯s a historical fiction,¡± he began to read aloud causing Cy to freak out before BB gave him a few pats on the back of reassurance. ¡°¡®The long-lost son of the duke is found, but can he adjust to his new position?¡¯ The goal is to just make him a duke.¡± ¡°Easy goal,¡± BB admitted. ¡°Two-star, so it won¡¯t be too hard.¡± Max felt satisfied with his own decision. ¡°And an easy start, so the challenge must be something either blocking him or threatening to take away his inheritance.¡± ¡°How are we going to change the genre and get Kurt to cooperate?¡± ¡°Easy, introduce future technology to Kurt. If we offer to help him open an empire of butchers, he¡¯ll cooperate.¡± His two listeners pulled a face from the idea. ¡°And when the time is right, we¡¯ll get his bio dad killed or retired, so Kurt can inherit the dukedom. Easy-peasy.¡± ¡°And the last reason?¡± BB asked. ¡°He¡¯s not one of us. There won¡¯t be a time pressure to get the genre to change.¡± Although they had been successful in terms of sub-goals, it was a disaster planning wise. BB not being the amazing love guru she claimed to be wasn¡¯t the main point of failure for him. Max got caught up in the moment and forgot the timing of everything, hurting Cy in the process. Something like that couldn¡¯t happen again. ¡°It also means we can be sure the genre has shifted before completing his goal.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think there won¡¯t be some of us hanging around the duke?¡± ¡°Probably, but there¡¯s some of us everywhere we go.¡± BB finished the last swig of her beer, as she eyed up a member of her crew starting trouble with the uncooperative innkeeper. ¡°Sounds daft, but there¡¯s a chance.¡± Without prompt, she pulled out a stuffed coin bag. ¡°We¡¯ll be hitting the sea at dawn, so take this. It sounds like you¡¯re going to need it more than I will.¡± Behind her, a fight was starting to break out. The innkeeper took shelter behind a table while waiting for BB to get her drunken crew in order. ¡°If you ever need some help, spread the word on the docks. Sailors like to run their mouths; I¡¯ll hear about it sooner or later.¡± Chapter 90: To Be in Two Minds After tying the final thread and biting off the string, Max put on his newest creation. Compared to the cape he had made for Cy; this one was a lot more durable. It would have to be. Things had been intense for them over the last few days, as they struggled to go North. First, they almost got swarmed by during people if it weren¡¯t for BB giving them a last-minute ride to the next closest port. Next, they checked out the hint provided by the system only to be shown a series of obscure numbers. 1,290,393 / 502,192 / 78,291 / 1,249 / 3. Neither of them could figure out what it meant. Then, the snow began to fall unnaturally early this year, hampering their progress dramatically. At present, they were taking shelter in an abandoned shed on the outskirts of the village neighbouring the duke¡¯s estate, only to receive the news that Kurt may have gone to the capital until the snow melts. The door of their shed swung open to show the sun was already setting. A strong gust of wind blew in snow to make their rotting wooden floor decay more with the new, fresh layer of impending water. ¡°Good news!¡± Cy declared, as he began to shake the snow off. Despite his initial protest, Cy had really taken to the cloak Max had made for him. ¡°According to some of the locals, the snow came before Kurt¡­ The fuck are you wearing?¡± Max took off the cloak, so Cy could take a closer look. ¡°BB suggested I should make a second cloak-¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Ellie¡¯s skirt?¡± ¡°Her name¡¯s Serena now,¡± Max corrected. ¡°I used it as the base since it was the largest piece of fabric left. BB wouldn¡¯t let me dismantle her dress, remember? She wanted it for memories and-¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that my blood?¡± Cy pointed at a stain, which was blended into a red fringe. ¡°¡­ I tried to wash it out.¡± ¡°Then maybe don¡¯t use that part.¡± Cy threw the cloak back at Max instead of towards the dying fire. It wasn¡¯t difficult to ignore the complaints and imagine he marginally approved of the piece of clothing. ¡°You know, sometimes you can be a real fr-¡± Cy cut his words short while Max raised an eyebrow. ¡°Never mind.¡± Cy took out a small bag he had swiped from the pirate crew and pulled out the groceries he had picked up from the village. Max¡¯s mood perked back up again when he saw Cy getting ready to make them some kind of soup over the dwindling fire. After balancing a metal pot of fresh snow on top of the fire using various abandoned tools around the shed, Cy began to cut the ingredients with Max¡¯s pocket-knife and add giant chunks to the soup. Carrots, parsnips, onions, oats¡­ the usual until Cy pulled out some sort of dried meat and foreign chunks of¡­ things. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Max asked, while trying to bring some logs to help save the tiny fire. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Cy answered the question with a question before shooing Max away to the edge of the shed, far away from the cooking food. ¡°You know the drill. When the pot is out, you¡¯re in the corner.¡± Max sulked slightly, as he watched from afar. ¡°It¡¯s not going to explode just cause I¡¯m a little closer.¡± Cy gave a knowing look to Max. Darius spilled the beans a long time ago. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll stay away.¡± ¡°She may have been your sister, but I don¡¯t know how she could forgive you for making that egg explode.¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Max frowned, trying to recall which sister he was referring to. Eventually, he gave up. It was quicker to just ask. ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± Cy began to stir the strange mix of ingredients. Delicious? Disgusting? It didn¡¯t matter. They had no choice if they wanted to eat. ¡°Dad just mentioned you putting an egg in some kind of box, taking it out, and then it exploded next to your sister. She got some scars from it.¡± Dad! Cy was finally calling him Dad again. Max felt a wave of relief from seeing Cy recover a little more from his grief. He may hide it. He may deny it. But it clearly still hurt deep inside. ¡°What kind of box cooks food?¡± Cy grumbled while looking down at their miserable meal. This time wasn¡¯t a great combination. ¡°It was probably a microwave,¡± Max answered. The most important life to him set in the modern age was his first one. He also had a sister in that life, but he couldn¡¯t recall her name, much less an egg-plosion. ¡°What¡¯s a microwave?¡± ¡°Darius was practically a living microwave.¡± Max thought back to all the times Darius tried to use magic to hurry up food before charring or completely burning it. Then the fun memories were tainted by the brief moments the rays were directed at him at Elder Ji-min¡¯s house. ¡°Think of it like a box that cooks food by turning electricity into magic.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Was it any good?¡± ¡°Amazing.¡± Max¡¯s nose began to recoil from the extra stench from the pot. ¡°What the fuck did you put in that thing?¡± Cy continued to look down into the metal pot. His face was becoming paler, as he took at the monstrosity he was making. ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, to be honest.¡± Max was about to scold him when he received a notification from the system. ¡°The shopkeeper said these ingredients make a local soup, so I just took his word for it.¡± Looks like the system decided his first requirement.
REQUIREMENTS
Survive Illiterate: Max cannot write anymore in any language. He must also feign not being able to read materials unconnected to the system. Incompliance penalty: Curse ¨C major disabilities.
¡°The system says I¡¯m not allowed to draw runes anymore,¡± he said in a calm voice. The sound of Max¡¯s pocket-knife hitting the metal pot before a plop caused him to quickly look away and see Cy staring into the pot where it had landed, another terrible ingredient of the atrocious soup. ¡°The penalty is a bit vague, so it might not be a big deal.¡± ¡°Might not be a big deal,¡± Cy repeated in a mocking voice. ¡°What exactly does it say?¡± ¡°Major disabilities.¡± The look Cy gave Max almost made him laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a thought, maybe you should avoid getting major, multiple disabilities,¡± Cy tutted before refocusing on saving the pocket-knife. It wasn¡¯t going well. ¡°Well, for now, we don¡¯t have anything on hand with enough internal magic to work with anyway,¡± Max agreed with the idea. ¡°Besides, you can write on behalf of me if needed.¡± Cy shot him a glare before grabbing a piece of left-behind wood to get the pocket-knife back out of the soup. ¡°And¡­¡± Max searched for the small number of advantages they had. ¡°And¡­ We¡¯ve been able to slip past the people chasing us¡­ For the most part.¡± 50042 came to mind, but Max didn¡¯t want to dwell on the details. Cy didn¡¯t seem pleased, as he ignored Max. ¡°Here, let me help you get it-¡± On cue, the pot of soup spilled the moment Max left the corner. The contents extinguished the weak fire before filling the air with a sickening smell of the rehydrated, mystery meat. ¡°What did I say about staying in the corner?¡± Cy scolded. Max looked at the mess he was accused of before declaring, ¡°Let¡¯s go out and get more food.¡± ¡°We have limited money and only rumours that Kurt¡¯s even here.¡± ¡°You can hustle money,¡± Max picked up their supplies causing Cy to raise an eyebrow. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there was a large inn in the village? Let¡¯s go there.¡± Cy still didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°Am I going to die tonight?¡± Cy reluctantly shook his head. ¡°Then what¡¯re we waiting for? It¡¯s far too cold to stay in a shed for a night.¡± Chapter 91: Let’s Eat! ¡°That¡¯s much better.¡± Max took in the roast dinner in front of him with hunger in his eyes. Apart from Cy¡¯s spa day, they had been so careful with their funds since leaving Tsujuma. Hunger was often a familiar friend throughout his lifetimes, but when he was able to take a break, it was truly a luxury. ¡°This place is a lot nicer than you made it out to be.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ This place creeps me out.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Max looked up from the big plate of food to look around the uniquely decorated space. They had misheard about the inn; it was much closer to a modern hotel than a scrappy inn. Perhaps it was funded by the duke himself? Around the space, there was a unique d¨¦cor with an intense theme: horses. They were goddamn everywhere. On all the walls, there were various paintings with horses. Horse shaped cutlery, horse painted plates, horse embroidered tablecloths, and even horse looking staff wearing a horse patterned uniform. There were several taxidermied horses in the corridors to reach the dining hall. A horse with stuck on wings was suspended above. Cy nodded at the Pegasus-horse above them as an example. Max took a bite as he looked up at it. His mouth felt a little funny, but the food was too good to think about it. ¡°That? It¡¯s not real, you know.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not real,¡± Cy snapped back before his plate was put before him. ¡°Well, if ya¡¯ll need anything else then just holler.¡± The waiter with a long ponytail smiled at them before attending to other customers. Max thought about it for a moment. ¡°You know, you got a point. This place is a little odd¡­ The service is pretty modern. Maybe the manager is one of us?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Cy frowned. ¡°And the horses?¡± Max took another look around before shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s probably a deeper meaning or something.¡± ¡°No shit.¡± Cy finally took a bite of his meal. The rich food almost moved him to tears. It had been a rough journey north. ¡°It¡¯s the emblem of the duke¡¯s family.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯re you confused about?¡± Max frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a bit excessive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen worse.¡± Max thought about the instances, as he swallowed a mouthful. The memories tainted his food. ¡°You¡¯ve seen worse?¡± Cy expressed his scepticism, but his mood appeared to have perked up a bit. Was it because of the food, or Max¡¯s reassurances? Who could tell? ¡°Could you give an example?¡± It was annoying. Just a few seconds ago, he was able to come up with several examples but now only one memory was polluting his brain. To be fair, it was the most extreme and closest example to him. ¡°Wheat.¡± ¡°Wheat?¡± Cy couldn¡¯t quite believe his ears. ¡°Like the plant? Or just the grain?¡± ¡°Three stalks of wheat,¡± Max recalled with a slightly twisted expression, showing his displeasure in the symbol. On the other hand, Cy was starting to warm up to the horses around him, since they seemed more reasonable than some stalks of wheat. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea,¡± Max grumbled. ¡°Then what kind of person came up with that as a symbol? Did you partner with a farmer?¡± ¡°It was Edric¡¯s idea.¡± The warm atmosphere in the welcoming room suddenly soured by mentioning their mutual acquaintance. Max tried to ignore the mood by powering on with his food. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen it before.¡± Max began choking while Cy continued, completely ignoring him struggling for breath. ¡°Three stalks of wheat with a piece of string tying them together?¡± Max nodded, as the struggle continued before he was finally able to dislodge the food. ¡°I saw it on some of the stuff he made for his mentees. I guess they were before people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so dumb. He was so insistent on ¡®building a community¡¯ with people like us, and ¡®creating an identity¡¯ through symbols.¡± Max¡¯s tone was as unimpressed as the first time the idea was pitched to him many lifetimes ago. ¡°All the ones who left with Edric were part of the organisation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s weird to hear you criticize it so much. You even described it as a cult to BB.¡± Max nodded along with the accurate word. ¡°Is it different to how you imagined it to be when you founded it with Edric and June? Or did you become disillusioned when it was time to complete your five-star story?¡± Stolen story; please report. In an instant, Max lost his appetite. This cutlery clinked as he laid them down on the plate. ¡°Did Darius tell you that?¡± Max didn¡¯t intend for his words to come across as cold or threatening, but Cy was showing difficulty with looking up from his plate of food. After taking a deep breath, Max decided to reframe his question. ¡°Both. I don¡¯t know what Darius told you, but it went too far and affected too many native people¡­ Or at least, people that I thought only had one life.¡± The vulnerability in Max¡¯s voice was enough to de-escalate the tension between them. ¡°Dad told me a few things but insisted on not telling me everything.¡± In contrast to earlier that day, Max was so focused on Cy¡¯s message that he overlooked him addressing Darius as his father again. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, he mentioned you being better than the other two.¡± Max still couldn¡¯t stomach the idea of picking up his fork and knife to continue his meal, making Cy eat alone. ¡°Which of us is better all depends on the person¡¯s opinion. I wasn¡¯t a saint in that world.¡± ¡°Then what did you do?¡± ¡°Max?¡± Before he could reply, Max and Cy turned to see a lanky guy around their age wearing a horse themed armour and standing by the entrance to the dining hall. From his body¡¯s positioning, it was clear he was talking to one of the horse looking servers before noticing them. ¡°Do we know him?¡± Cy whispered, as they watched the friendly face approach. ¡°You should do.¡± Max couldn¡¯t tell if he felt disappointed that he couldn¡¯t confess or relieved Cy¡¯s image of him was intact for a little bit longer. ¡°He¡¯s the butcher¡¯s boy.¡± Without receiving a formal invitation, Kurt grabbed a chair next to their table and sat himself right next to Max. The other customers began whispering and looking before their meals gradually began to entice them back. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here? You know people are looking for you, right? There¡¯s a bounty and everything.¡± ¡°Are you going to hand me in?¡± Without hesitation, Kurt snorted at the idea. ¡°No way. Villagers stick together.¡± Max couldn¡¯t help giving Cy an ¡®I told you so¡¯ smile. ¡°Besides, you said it yourself: ¡®Never forget who sent you down the right path.¡¯¡± In an instant, Max began to sweat under Cy¡¯s raised eyebrow. ¡°And are you on the right path?¡± Cy prodded, as he took in the sight before him. There was something off about Cy¡¯s facial expressions. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not on a bad path.¡± Kurt tossed out a money pouch, before he gestured to the waiting staff. ¡°And I ain¡¯t dead, yet.¡± ¡°Yet?¡± ¡°I heard there was some sort of assassin-thing people were planning.¡± Kurt began rubbing his nose making both his finger and nose tip turn bright red. Despite the severity of his words, he didn¡¯t seem bothered. ¡°You got a plan?¡± Max finally asked. ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± Kurt shrugged. ¡°I tried to renounce my inheritance, but bio dad wasn¡¯t having it.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s it? You¡¯re just giving up after being told no?¡± Cy looked at him in disbelief. It seemed like the threat was credible. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have to renounce your claim,¡± Max quickly interjected before Kurt could have any ideas that would steer him away from the system¡¯s goal. ¡°What else can I do? Despite the title, I ain¡¯t no Lord.¡± He turned to Max. ¡°I already told you, but I¡¯m really not interested in politics and all that.¡± ¡°You might not be interested, but some people aren¡¯t going to let it slide easily.¡± There was a dark tone to Cy¡¯s words. Kurt didn¡¯t seem to even notice. ¡°It¡¯s a good job we¡¯re here.¡± Max tried to elevate the atmosphere. ¡°Kurt, this is Cy. Cy, you already know the butcher¡¯s boy.¡± Cy gave a nod. ¡°I heard something about a vet coming to the village.¡± Kurt rubbed his pale chin, making it turn red too. ¡°Heard you did a great job healing Bessie¡¯s herd.¡± Well, Straw was healed. The others were contained until the end of their days, since the second healing, magic bone was nicked by Cy. Thinking about the familiar herd reminded Max of something. ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do for them. Bessie and Bill were too kind with letting me stay.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if kind is how I would describe either of them.¡± Kurt was looking off to the side where some of the waiting staff were faffing about in the corner. ¡°Give me a sec,¡± he got up to go see what the fuss was about. Taking the opportunity both of them leaned in to whisper. ¡°He¡¯s not a before or a during person.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Straw has a fixed fate?¡± Max realised his question about the cow was less pressing, as he gestured for Cy to continue. ¡°He¡¯s got a flexible fate, meaning it¡¯s going to be really difficult to steer his story in the right direction. It can change multiple times a day depending on the fixed fates around him. We need to come up with a term for people not like us.¡± Us. Them. We. The beginnings of classifications were leaving a bitter taste on Max¡¯s tongue again. Depending on the term Cy suggests, he could be heading down a similar path to Edric. ¡°We¡¯ll pick one later. Let¡¯s stick with Kurt for now.¡± Cy didn¡¯t seem too pleased, but he quickly nodded. ¡°You said Straw, like Bessie¡¯s cow?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she had a fixed fate when you diagnosed her?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And that, according to your theory, before and during people are the ones with fixed fates?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ What¡¯s the problem? Never woken up in a cow¡¯s body before?¡± ¡°Never.¡± The idea stumped Max. All the bodies until now had been human or humanoid. What the fuck was Straw then? ¡°What about the other members of the herd?¡± ¡°It was a mix,¡± Cy answered, confused. Before they could continue, a rich, meaty smell filled the room causing Max and Cy to turn to the kitchen entrance where the waiting staff had been. Several of the waiting staff were now carrying an impressive selection of meat. Looking chuffed, Kurt retook his place at their table as tray after tray of only meat was laid down before him. Without a word, he handed the pouch to the first waiting staff before grabbing a knife and fork from one of the trays. ¡°What are you two waiting for? Let¡¯s eat!¡± Chapter 92: Personal Grudges ¡°Are you sure we¡¯ll be safe here?¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Kurt didn¡¯t seem convinced by his own words. ¡°Better than staying out in the snow.¡± He rapped politely at the door before rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. ¡°Once I know for sure my bio dad won¡¯t turn you in, I¡¯ll invite you into the estate.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s making that racket?¡± A voice shouted before the door swung open revealing a sweaty man, who smelled strongly of alcohol. Behind him, the additional smell of heat and metal was familiar to Max. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Me.¡± Kurt appeared surprised by the animosity directed to him. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here? Wasting my time again-¡± Kurt stuck his foot by the door frame before the man could close it. ¡°I brought you two workers! They¡¯ll work for cheap.¡± The offer didn¡¯t stop him from trying to crush Kurt¡¯s foot. ¡°For free!¡± Max offered. ¡°Who¡¯s working for free?¡± Cy snipped back before pushing Max behind him. ¡°Move your foot, Kurt.¡± The man opened the door more to get a better look at Cy. Kurt didn¡¯t comply until the man began to speak. ¡°Well, well, I never thought I would see little Cyrus so far away from the community.¡± ¡°Open the door, Nik.¡± Cy ordered. ¡°No.¡± Nik began to reach for the door again before it suddenly slammed shut making Max and Kurt jump. ¡°Did-did the door just close on its own?¡± Kurt pondered aloud. Max looked around him. Cy was suddenly gone. Did he teleport into Nik¡¯s workshop? There was an eerie silence coming from the building. ¡°Should we try opening the door? I think Cy got inside.¡± ¡°How in God¡¯s name did he do that?¡± The butcher¡¯s boy rolled up his sleeves showing the muscles he gained from hurling carcasses around the shop and new training as a lord. ¡°Should we try breaking down the door? Or would the window be quicker?¡± ¡°The window will be faster,¡± Max turned to the nearest window to see a stack of metal blocking his view. ¡°Move aside then.¡± What? Max had to duck before the chest plate of Kurt¡¯s armour was thrown through the window and knocked down the stack. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Max used his cape to cover some of the broken glass before leaping in to see¡­ a calm Cy and Nik staring wide-eyed at him. ¡°What did you do to my window!?¡± Cy paused for a moment. ¡°Okay, he¡¯ll work for less until the damages have been repaid.¡± Max was about to join in the argument when Cy held up his hand, causing him to hesitate. ¡°And he¡¯s good, very good, at metal work. A prodigy, wouldn¡¯t you say, Max?¡± Max nodded along. ¡°Not to mention, he¡¯s willing to teach innovative-¡± Max suddenly felt something hard hit his back, causing him to stumble to the ground. It turned out Kurt decided to go through the window too. ¡°Right, what¡¯s going on?¡± The butcher¡¯s boy was surprisingly springy, as he bounced back on his feet. ¡°Why¡¯d you close the door, Nik?¡± Nik ignored him. Instead, he pointed a fat finger at Cy. ¡°80 gaeles a month.¡± What!? That was less than the minimal wage at Tsujuma¡­ but more than double what Bessie offered. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a bad deal after all. ¡°He gets 20 until the window is paid off.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Cy hadn¡¯t hesitated. Max held his tongue but tried to express his displeasure on his face. Too bad it was all for naught. Cy wasn¡¯t paying him any mind. ¡°And double his once the window is paid off.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Great, back to working for 40 gaeles a month once the stupid window is repaired. Then again, he didn¡¯t know if they were going to be there long enough for Nik to buy a new window. ¡°How could Kurt eat so much meat and still stay skinny? Do you think he uses that innate magic of his to eat all that?¡± Cy was clearly disappointed by either the lack of magic from Kurt or his lack of interest in harnessing it. After sighing, he began setting up their space while Max hauled the scraps of metal into neat piles around the edges of the supply room. ¡°So, you already knew?¡± Max shrugged before stacking plates of metal. ¡°We can¡¯t count on him using it. It¡¯s too¡­ unstable.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s pretty time-consuming training a complete novice,¡± Max said in agreement. ¡°You know, at first, I thought he bought all that meat for us¡­ then he just devoured it all¡­ like a snake. Did he even chew?¡± ¡°He¡¯s always had a big appetite,¡± Max downplayed Cy¡¯s observation. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought Kurt was the inn¡¯s benefactor?¡± When he told them about his suggestions with meat and innovations around service to the popular inn where the estate¡¯s guests sometimes resided, Max was a bit surprised. His modern approach wasn¡¯t what he expected from the humble butcher¡¯s boy. Before Max could continue the conversation. The floor beneath them began to shake slightly causing his metal pile to scatter. There was also an ominous but familiar hum polluting the air. The pair of them glanced towards the door where the sound of clashing metal fought for dominance. Then it was gone. ¡°What was that?¡± Cy cocked his head to the side before shrugging. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s irrelevant to your fate right now.¡± ¡°Maybe another sucker woke up in this village. and the system is trying to get them to commit to something,¡± Max guessed before changing the subject. ¡°Getting Kurt to change might be easier than we thought. What¡¯s the colour of his fate?¡± ¡°Orange.¡± ¡°Like Adelaide¡¯s?¡± Wasn¡¯t she part of a horror story? ¡°No, much paler. Kind of like the colour of a squash.¡± ¡°The moment the colour changes, we should start organising his ascension,¡± Max declared. He tried to readjust the door to their room for a more secure seal. On the other side, there was a clear sound of metalwork occurring. Cy negotiated a simple deal for them. During the morning and early afternoon, Max would be keeping up production while Cy monitored the front of the shop. During the night, they were to stay out of Nik¡¯s way. Out of sight and out of mind. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t be so quick about it. His fate changes easily.¡± Interrupted silence returned to their room, as they tried to ignore Nik working away. Finally, alone again, there were a few things bubbling up in Max¡¯s mind about where to take the conversation. Should he ask Cy to tell him Kurt¡¯s name like he did with BB? It wasn¡¯t worth the time since he couldn¡¯t write anymore. Perhaps he could ask more about what Cy could see in fates? He had been defensive last time he asked on the way here. Probably not the best time if there was something else going on. What about resuming the conversation from the inn? Max didn¡¯t feel ready to reveal his choices in his past life. How about bringing up Bessie¡¯s berry girls- ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Thank goodness, Cy was willing to end the building silence between them. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°The prompt which asked you to kill me,¡± Max¡¯s mood instantly soured, ¡°how exactly was it written by the system?¡± ¡°Give me a second,¡± Max opened up the HUD. ¡°Cy is still alive when the sun rises.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°The system called me ¡®Cy¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the first time it¡¯s referred to you as ¡®Cy.¡¯ That¡¯s why I called you that to begin with.¡± ¡°There was a prompt when we first met?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been prompts for as long as we¡¯ve known each other.¡± Max scrolled back through the long list. ¡°How to start: Ignore Cy¡­ Cy dies¡­ Cy dies¡­ Cy dies¡­ There¡¯s a few about you dying¡­ The prompts where I had to let you die to start often had small variations in the description. Ah ha, here¡¯s the change, Cy learns about the system from you¡­ Cy is cured from his illness¡­¡± ¡°The system didn¡¯t seem to keen on me living.¡± Cy gave a little smirk, but Max couldn¡¯t understand why. ¡°Then it suddenly flipped the script. The system is a bit indecisive with what to do with me.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Max looked back through the description for more clues. ¡°A lot of your sections had been redacted from the start. Probably because there were clues about you already having a penalty from the system. How¡¯s that going by the way?¡± ¡°No problems after you tattooed me.¡± ¡°Good¡­ Looking back, the only time when prompts related to you were complete was when I¡­ got a report from Edric about you.¡± Close one, he almost admitted to reading a physical document. Would it have counted even though the action was in the past? It must do. Once you become literate, you can¡¯t go back. ¡°Damn, the system really had it out for Darius.¡± Looking comparatively of the prompts mentioning Darius and the others, it was a night and day difference in severity. ¡°I bet it does,¡± Cy muttered, causing Max to close the HUD and refocus his attention on him. ¡°What did Edric say about me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡¯You bet it does.¡¯¡± Cy didn¡¯t say anything, as he began sorting through their stuff dividing it into two piles. ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details,¡± he mumbled. It was hard to hear it over the clanging of metal. ¡°But you know something,¡± Max wasn¡¯t going to let the slipup go. ¡°Why would the system have a problem with Darius?¡± ¡°Probably because Dad knew what the system was.¡± Chapter 93: Darius’s Secrets Wide-eyed, Max stared at Cy. What did he mean Darius knew what the system was? The whole time? Why didn¡¯t he say anything? Darius dropped enough clues and threats about his previous lives that there was no doubt he knew exactly how much finding out about the system would mean to Max and people like him. Darius didn¡¯t say anything explicitly. Finally, Max forced a few words out while keeping his cool. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± From Max¡¯s tone alone, it was clear Cy knew he was in a sensitive area. He never showed his awareness of it though. ¡°Come on now. Couldn¡¯t you have guessed Dad would know more? One look at you, and he knew several of your past names. Hell, he was even the one distinguishing and categorising before, during, and after people.¡± ¡°What else did he say about the system?¡± Max clarified his question. Cy gave him a little shrug, which just made it so much harder to keep his temper. ¡°You know the goal of the story I¡¯m trapped in is to learn what the system is. I can potentially by-pass the whole thing if you tell me what Darius knew.¡± Cy thought for a moment while staring in Max¡¯s direction without particularly looking at him. Was he trying to make a judgement call based on his fate? Eventually, Cy sighed. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me a lot.¡± Max¡¯s face darkened when met with refusal again, but Cy showed no fear. ¡°He said we should figure it out for ourselves. Apparently, we¡¯d have a ¡®bad time¡¯ if he were to just tell us.¡± ¡°And you believed that?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve had to live with a penalty my whole life because of people talking about the system.¡± Max suddenly looked away, feeling slightly ashamed. ¡°But he did keep bringing up that weird riddle you told Delrid. What exactly was the wording again?¡± Max took a deep breath, relieving some of the tension between them. ¡°She figured it was ¡®Rebel Against The System.¡¯ There were a few other words hidden in the descriptions where the message showed.¡± ¡°Which were?¡± ¡°Revolt¡­ Swap¡­ Star¡­ Locate¡­ Break logic¡­¡± He recalled from when he told Delrid. ¡°Revolt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one that I missed. I noticed it when I checked the HUD earlier.¡± ¡°Did you miss anything else?¡± Max groaned as he pulled up the log. It was going to take a long time to look through the entries. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while to check them.¡± At least one of the benefits of having a HUD was they could be thorough. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You focus on finding them,¡± Cy ordered, causing Max to frown, but he complied without complaining. ¡°I think that¡¯s all of them. Delrid thought they were instructions on how to rebel.¡± Cy didn¡¯t reply. ¡°We¡¯ve been swapping genres of incomplete stories,¡± Max toyed with the idea. ¡°Do you think that counts?¡± Although he wasn¡¯t being serious, the flow of words from Cy¡¯s mouth surprised him. This idea had clearly been thought through before. Was Cy paying close attention when Max listed them off in front of Delrid? ¡°You revolted against the system already by not complying with choosing a story. We know you¡¯re doing a theoretically impossible six-star story. In the past, you¡¯ve located during people with that cult of yours, and now you¡¯ve met a few before ones who you can recognise and remember.¡± There was a slight pause while Cy showed a complicated expression. ¡°I think your runes break the system¡¯s logic, and that¡¯s why you can change fixed fates with ease.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m all set?¡± Max was suddenly feeling pretty good about his situation. The more he thought about it, the more he felt confused. ¡°Wait, how is this rebelling? The system has been making us do most of those things through the sub-goals.¡± Cy suddenly looked like a deer in headlights. ¡°It created the six-star story. We weren¡¯t the ones to come up with changing genres, and sub-goals have been pushing us to meet people.¡± ¡°But the system didn¡¯t like you trying to avoid the story prompts,¡± Cy argued back. ¡°And it recently banned you from writing.¡± ¡°Well, maybe it wants me to be an after without messing up everyone¡¯s fixed fates?¡± It still didn¡¯t make much sense. The instructions within the prompts were cryptic and suggested fighting the system. On the other hand, the system seemed to semi-support the suggested ways of rebelling. ¡°What was Dairus¡¯s thoughts on all this?¡± Lost in confusion, Cy seemed more willing to spill secrets. ¡°He had mixed feelings about the system, but he wanted you to help me understand how someone becomes an after in exchange for me helping you complete the six-star story.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°What¡¯s the point of completing it if he already knows what the system is? Does something happen when we finish it?¡± ¡°Was,¡± Cy corrected, without thinking. ¡°And how should I know?¡± ¡°Was?¡± ¡°Dad sees the past, remember? It might be different now.¡± ¡°So, Darius wants us to figure out how someone can become an after person while learning how the system has changed? And rebelling is his suggested way?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cy said in a huff before finally sitting down. All of this thinking was making him drained. Max could tell throughout the whole conversation; Cy had been frequently changing their fates. ¡°Are sub-goals mandatory?¡± It felt like Cy¡¯s question came out of nowhere. ¡°I know there¡¯s a time limit, but can we skip them since they¡¯re helping you rebel?¡± ¡°It depends. Technically yes, all sub-goals are not mandatory. But it¡¯s a terrible idea. There will always be some kind of penalty which comes with failure to complete it, and it¡¯ll make reaching the end goal significantly harder. With a goal as vague as mine, sub-goals become even more crucial. When I was trying to do five-star, failure meant it would be better to restart than trying to salvage it.¡± ¡°Then you were awfully calm when that sub-goal appeared,¡± Cy noted with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Probably because I¡¯m used to failure at this point,¡± Max openly admitted. ¡°It¡¯s just part of the course with five-star stories. I don¡¯t expect to be able to live until the end of this one either¡­ Maybe I should just cut this life short?¡± Max suggested. He couldn¡¯t understand the face Cy was making, but it was clear he didn¡¯t agree with his idea. It took him a moment to remember he almost killed Cy just to elongate this life. Flustered, Max began rambling. ¡°OrNot. ItWouldBeSuch AWaste Of an opportunity.¡± His speech began to slow when he realised Cy hadn¡¯t taken offence. ¡°Maybe we should reduce rebelling against it as much as possible.¡± ¡°No, we should ignore the idea completely and keep focused on trying to reach this story¡¯s end goal. Whatever happens, happens,¡± Cy finally declared. ¡°Okay, I trust you.¡± Max couldn¡¯t say anything against his plan. Cy knew more than him about the situation. Besides, he had already outsmarted him before, who else was better to trust in this scenario? There was a complicated expression on Cy¡¯s face, causing Max to poke around for a bit more information. ¡°What else did Darius say about becoming an after person.¡± ¡°Not much,¡± Cy admitted. ¡°He never went further with his explanations. The only thing he made clear was joining the next group was never a good thing. It was the main reason why he chose to step off your blue lines in Tsujuma.¡± Max frowned. He didn¡¯t like what Cy was saying. ¡°There was a potential outcome where we both could have survived your attack. The odds were significantly slimmer, but it was possible. He didn¡¯t want that though. Dad didn¡¯t even consider it when I brought up the idea because if he lived much longer in this life, he could¡¯ve become like you.¡± Max didn¡¯t believe the explanation for even a second, although it was clear Cy did. To avoid stirring up trouble, he decided to keep the conversation going and play along with Darius¡¯s decisions with his own death. ¡°Why? What triggers people into remembering their reincarnations?¡± ¡°He never said.¡± ¡°What about you? Are you at risk of remembering?¡± Cy didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Maybe we should our separate ways if you¡¯re-¡± The door slammed open to show a sweatier and drunker Nik. He barked at them, ¡°SHUT YOUR GOBS! I can¡¯t think a thing with all this yapping.¡± Max and Cy exchanged looks before Cy replied calmly. ¡°Sorry, Nik. We¡¯ll stop talking.¡± Nik gave Cy an unconvinced look, but he left without any fuss. Max pressed his lips together while he thought to himself. They couldn¡¯t talk anymore. Max couldn¡¯t write little notes to him either with the requirement blocking him. In desperation, Max tried to desperately gesture for Cy to answer his earlier question. Cy gave him a confused look before shrugging while shaking his head. Whether or not he understood Max¡¯s frantic hand movements remained a mystery. ¡°Morning,¡± Cy yawned, as he watched Max take a break from smacking down on the scarlet metal. ¡°How long have you been working for?¡± Max gave him an envious look. The morning had been rough. At five in the morning, on the dot, Nik came bargaining into their room and dragged Max out by his collar while Cy gave excuses to stay in bed. After the rude awakening, Max was thrown a list of things to make before having to shamefully admit he couldn¡¯t read. In anger, Nik shouted at him for at least an hour as he showed similar things to make with the little adjustments he wanted. Then, it was straight to work. Bessie was a slave driver, Farmer Bell was relaxed, but Nik¡­ Thank goodness this was just a temporary set up. ¡°Have you had breakfast yet?¡± Cy asked, before beginning to rummage through Nik¡¯s cupboards. ¡°No. We¡¯re not supposed to touch that.¡± Cy let out a sigh before pulling out a money bag from his pocket. ¡°Should I go out and get us something to eat? I¡¯m sure you can manage everything until I get back.¡± ¡°Get something to eat and start scanning the village for during people,¡± Max instructed before picking up the hammer again. ¡°If you can, find Kurt and check out the estate. Teleport away if you feel like you¡¯re in trouble.¡± The king was already hunting Max down, there was no reason why they should keep up his decree of hiding magic. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here for any longer than we have to.¡± Cy gave him a sympathetic smile. ¡°This is why we threw him out of the community.¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything. Darius¡¯s secrets can wait, and the system can keep toying with him through cryptic messages. It was just a matter of time until he got the answers he wanted. After all, he had many lifetimes to get an explanation. The clangs of metal provided relief to his irritated mind. During their short conversation, the echoing snores of Nik had been driving his head in. It made him feel so on edge; he was beginning to feel physical pain near his jaw. Maybe he had been grinding his teeth in frustration? Chapter 94: Meat Worth Getting Your Teeth Into Cy glanced around the dining hall of the inn. He had already reassured Max it was safe for him, but he needed to check Kurt was far away enough to not overhear. ¡°Here¡¯s a list of during people I saw while waiting by the entrance of the estate.¡± Cy showed Max a piece of paper, but didn¡¯t show him the other side with the three names. He was kind enough to be mindful of his requirement. ¡°You didn¡¯t go in? I thought Kurt invited you.¡± ¡°I tried, but there was something¡­ there.¡± ¡°Something there?¡± Max frowned from the vague words. ¡°I don¡¯t know what exactly it was, but it was similar to the feeling I got at Noah¡¯s workshop and the mayor¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Similar to a neutralising rune?¡± Cy nodded in confirmation. ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you go in?¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve got a heart problem, remember?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got runes in place to protect you.¡± ¡°A neutralising rune won¡¯t counteract them?¡± ¡°If it is that rune, then it should be fine,¡± Max confirmed. If it was a piss poor copy like at the mayor¡¯s house, then maybe Cy¡¯s right to be worried about it. ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t be able to see much anyway if it affects your readings.¡± Cy relaxed now that Max understood his stance. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max admitted, as he watched Kurt come back from chatting up the waitstaff of his sponsored inn. ¡°Hey, Kurt.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The scruffy head lord sat down. ¡°Thanks for showing Cy the entrance to the estate.¡± Kurt gave a nod while generally smiling in Cy¡¯s direction but keeping more of his attention towards Max. ¡°We need these people far away.¡± Max¡¯s blunt words caused Cy to tense up. If they could reduce the number of during people, it¡¯ll be less risky for Max to slip in and take a look for the source of the magic neutraliser. ¡°Got any ideas?¡± Kurt took the list before Cy could hide it from him and began reading the names. ¡°Hmm¡­ You don¡¯t like Randy? Why? He¡¯s one of the few good guys here.¡± ¡°Cy says they will want me dead.¡± ¡°Max!¡± Cy snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. He just means-¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got bad blood?¡± ¡°Never met them,¡± Max admitted. ¡°But the psychic vet told me we wouldn¡¯t mesh well.¡± Kurt nodded, as if he could possibly understand the situation between them. ¡°The easiest solution would be to kill them-¡± ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± Cy refuted, while Max just nodded. Whether he was nodding in agreement to Kurt or Cy was a mystery. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± The butcher¡¯s boy didn¡¯t hesitate to support Cy¡¯s opposition. ¡°It would be too weird if they all dropped down dead, and then two new strangers started walking about. Not to mention, how one of them is wanted by the king.¡± Kurt shook his head at the idea. ¡°That won¡¯t work.¡± Max¡¯s mind was racing while watching the piles of meat heading in their direction. Kurt promised there would be enough for all of them this time, but he was doubtful of this claim. ¡°How close are you to your bio dad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very much one sided. I don¡¯t want to become the duke.¡± Kurt pulled a face to show his distaste. ¡°I¡¯m the butcher¡¯s boy. I was raised to be a butcher, not some pompous lord. Too bad bio dad doesn¡¯t understand this. I¡¯m the apple of his eye.¡± Cy¡¯s eyes squinted a little bit before relaxing. ¡°Wow, you weren¡¯t kidding. It¡¯s going to be hard to run from him.¡± Kurt nodded to confirm, but the message was meant for Max. ¡°Good thing he¡¯s set to be a loyal ally to you. At the moment, he¡¯s a real believer in your fate.¡± The dishes were set before them, and Max took a bite without saying anything. Something was wrong. ¡°Do you remember that plot against me? What if we framed your list of people as being part of it?¡± Kurt suggested while tucking into a rack of ribs. ¡°If bio dad really is my ally, then he can¡¯t stand idly by as they attempt to take out his only heir. At worst, he¡¯ll send them away, and at best, he¡¯ll kill them.¡± ¡°¡­ We don¡¯t need them to die,¡± Cy felt the need to clarify. ¡°Just get them temporarily out of the way.¡± Max didn¡¯t say anything as he tried to chew. It hurt. ¡°Banishment is fairly out of the way,¡± Kurt argued back. ¡°I have a question, Mr. Psychic Vet. This list of yours, can you make another list of names?¡± ¡°Depends on what names you¡¯re looking for.¡± Cy began to notice the strange expressions Max was making but quickly ignored his own concerns for the glistening meat. ¡°If you¡¯re wondering if I can make a list of people working together to assassinate you then I probably could.¡± Kurt¡¯s face lit up. ¡°But I would need to see them to check. It¡¯s how fates are read,¡± he lazily explained. ¡°I can¡¯t read fates within the estate for some reason.¡± ¡°Ah, the crystal affects you.¡± ¡°Crystal?¡± Max asked before wincing. ¡°It¡¯s just one of the defensive measures in place. When overseeing certain communities, you need something in place in case they try to rise up over taxes.¡± Kurt turned his focus back to Cy. ¡°Listen, if you can get me a list, then I¡¯ve got a few blokes willing to do me a favour.¡± He nodded over to the waiting staff, watching them from afar. ¡°The locals here aren¡¯t too keen on the duke¡¯s lot. They¡¯ll be willing to help plant some evidence and become false witnesses.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Cy seemed to approve of this plan. ¡°Let me meet the people you want to use. We need to reduce the chances that they¡¯ll betray you.¡± Max couldn¡¯t take the pain anymore and spat out the chunk of meat into the palm of his hand. The other two at his table and the waiting staff stared wide-eyed, as they watched him conceal the evidence. ¡°Sorry,¡± he murmured. His weak efforts to downplay the situation weren¡¯t working. ¡°You wasted meat?¡± There was an accusation in the butcher¡¯s boy¡¯s voice. His tone made it clear he was switching from ally to enemy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cy¡¯s tone immediately deescalated the situation. ¡°You¡¯ve been making weird faces all day.¡± ¡°My tooth hurts.¡± Max complained while staring down in frustration at the pile of food in front of him. It hadn¡¯t been Nik¡¯s snores or irritation driving his head in, but the festering tooth in his gob. Maybe it was the same reason for all the weird smells in this life. ¡°The cavities?¡± Cy asked, reminding Max of his health report done by Elder Charaka. The healing rune Cy used on him at the inn hadn¡¯t been strong enough to cure his whole body of all its problems. It was a good example for Cy to keep his runes focused. The cavities had been a growing problem for a while and was at its limit. ¡°Toothache, eh?¡± Kurt looked semi-sympathetic before picking up Max¡¯s plate and adding the contents to his own. ¡°You want help yanking it out?¡± Max scrunched up his nose at the thought. ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll have a go at trying to treat it first.¡± Luckily, Cy could probably fix it up for him when they had a moment. As if he were reading his thoughts, Cy gave him a slight nod to confirm he could help him. ¡°Maybe you should secretly visit the estate?¡± Kurt wondered aloud. ¡°We have a wise man up in the tower. People know him for having lost his rocker a while ago and being in total bedrest for years now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see how he¡¯ll help with my tooth.¡± Kurt leaned in to whisper. ¡°Well, your friend may be a bit psychic, but this guy is a proper magic man.¡± He faced Cy. ¡°I don¡¯t want to alarm you. Magic is real. Magicians are real. They have this little town they all live in.¡± ¡°I know, I was raised there.¡± Cy answered bluntly causing Kurt to pause with his mouth agape. ¡°He¡¯s Darius¡¯s son,¡± Max filled him in. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Kurt scrunched up his face before letting go of whatever emotion caused such a strong reaction. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why you knew Nik. Then you¡¯ll know Pompey.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Cy glanced at Max with a confused expression. Neither of them had heard of Pompey. ¡°Really? I could¡¯ve sworn he was one of you lot. Anyway, he usually spouts a whole lot of nonsense, but if you get him on a good day, he¡¯ll be able to cure your toothache for you. You don¡¯t need to worry about him handing you in. He¡¯s got no idea what¡¯s going on most of the time.¡± Kurt tried to show the list as evidence without realising how weightless it was. ¡°What kind of nonsense does he say?¡± Max asked, semi-curious. ¡°System, this, and five-star story, that; it¡¯s a good way to pass the afternoon. Sometimes we play a game as to who can hold the longest conversation with him before he goes off on a nonsensical tangent.¡± Cy dropped his cutlery, but Max was completely focused on the conversation. ¡°¡®System¡¯? What kind of system?¡± ¡°Beats me. At any rate, Pompey doesn¡¯t seem to like it. Maybe you should go ask him?¡± ¡°He also mentioned five stars?¡± ¡°Said he completed something with a five-star story. It doesn¡¯t make a lick of sense to me though.¡± Kurt passed on the valuable information, as if it were nothing. He drummed his fingers on the table, as he decided which meat to dive into next. ¡°I mentioned a crystal earlier, right? The one that blocks magic users in case we get a rebellion from Tsujuma? Well, Pompey isn¡¯t affected by the crystal. Maybe, while fixing your tooth, we can ask how to get it to stop interfering with Cy¡¯s readings? Then it¡¯ll be easy to make a list of conspirators.¡± It was curious. The system wasn¡¯t reacting to anything Kurt said. None of the sub-goals were becoming clear and no timers had started. Either Pompey was unconnected to his goal, or he was already involved with an active sub-goal. It would be risky to investigate, but the system had asked him to find all the people who¡¯ve completed five-star, and it¡¯ll be one step closer to clearing out their enemies. And once the estate was clear, it¡¯ll be a much safer place to lay low than sweaty Nik¡¯s workshop because of the magic blocking crystal. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should ask him about my tooth.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Cy asked. ¡°A lot better but still not normal.¡± Max moved his jaw around, as he tried to assess how well Cy healed him. ¡°Maybe you should have another crack at it?¡± ¡°A healing rune would be faster.¡± Cy tried again before receiving a thumbs up from Max. ¡°But I can¡¯t get it to focus on your mouth without the right runes.¡± Max shrugged, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t teach you anymore.¡± The two of them paused the conversation when the familiar shaking and humming began. Last night, it occurred several times before Cy teleported out of Nik¡¯s house to take a look. ¡°What¡¯s with these aliens?¡± Max felt impatient. ¡°They¡¯re way more active compared to the ones back in the village.¡± The humming abruptly stopped. ¡°They¡¯re not taking cattle this time,¡± Cy passed on the village gossip. ¡°Then what are they taking?¡± ¡°Nothing apparently.¡± Max frowned, causing Cy to shrug. ¡°They abduct a random assortment of things before tossing it back down. Bales of hay, horses, flowers, people¡­ Maybe we should ask Kurt about it. We might get some knights heading this way if this keeps up.¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll see Reymond again.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Cy didn¡¯t share his enthusiasm. ¡°It would also mean more people to avoid.¡± Cy began pulling out some of the practice runes he had been doing in his spare time, mostly while Max was sleeping. ¡°I need to get better since you can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± he mumbled. Max let out a whistle at the quality of his work. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy.¡± It was always the same runes repeated, but there were small sections incomplete making the runes powerless. The lifetimes of mentoring made Max want to praise his determination, but the system¡¯s requirements held him back. ¡°In another life, maybe you could learn more.¡± ¡°There¡¯s got to be a way around the system.¡± ¡°Plenty of them,¡± Max admitted. ¡°But the ambiguity makes it a bit risky¡­ I have an idea.¡± Max began pulling off his shirt, while Cy frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to know your idea.¡± He gave him a puzzled look before pointing out one of the many tattoo runes on his skin. ¡°I don¡¯t know what any of them mean,¡± Max lied through gritted teeth. ¡°You can try copying them. We should be careful though.¡± Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to continue the thought. While they worked together in Elder Nova¡¯s labs, Max gave him several lectures on the risks and dangers of practicing runes. ¡°And I can check my fate through the mirror.¡± Cy began looking for something he could use. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything with good enough magical properties, so you might as well practice the shapes for now.¡± Max gestured to all the incomplete runes on scraps of paper. ¡°I won¡¯t know what any of them means.¡± Max shrugged. ¡°This shape is simpler,¡± he pointed out to one on his bicep. ¡°Maybe you should start with this one.¡± He couldn¡¯t communicate with Cy, but hopefully he would remember seeing it. ¡°That one means un or not, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max¡¯s tone was flat to show his irritation. Cy wasn¡¯t making it easier to pretend to be illiterate. ¡°This one¡¯s a wild one,¡± Cy pointed at the most complex string of runes grouped together. ¡°One day, you¡¯ve got to tell me what it means.¡± Max struggled to keep his neutral face. In all honesty, he didn¡¯t even know if it would work. Last time he tried this experiment, it failed. ¡°You can check my attempt, right? You don¡¯t know what it means, but surely you could recognise the difference between two shapes.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Max admitted before they were moved into irritated silence again. The hum and shaking returned for another minute. ¡°We should find whoever is causing them to keep showing up and take them out. We¡¯d be doing everyone a favour at this rate.¡± 1 Year Special! Hey there! It¡¯s been a year since I started posting Max¡¯s story, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the behind the scenes. To keep my thoughts on track and easy to read, I broke it up into questions and answers. A lot of the art concepts Moribow and I came up with are at the end so scroll down for some detailed drawings. Sections: General topics, languages, is any of this based on reality, things that didn¡¯t make the cut, fun facts, art, and what''s next.
General topics How¡¯d you come up with Max? At the time, I was reading a lot of isekai books and mangas where the MC gets taken into an alt world (usually a story they have experience with, aka novels, games, etc) and has to follow instructions from the system. I took the same concept but just added the choice of what kind of story they wanted to do. Why a comedy? I¡¯ve written nine books, ten including Max. I wanted to write and post something I didn¡¯t really care about and something experimental, so I chose a genre I¡¯ve never attempted before. So far, I think it¡¯s turned out alright. Why did you start posting to Royal Road? I¡¯ve been writing for a long time, but I was always too scared to share. Then, I got pregnant. As my due date grew closer, I thought about how there were certain things I wanted to accomplish before becoming a mum and sharing some of my work was one of them. I started posting a few weeks before giving birth. How much of a backlog do you have? ZERO. I consider Max my ¡®live novel.¡¯ At most, I have about four chapters ready. Even when I started posting, I only had three chapters pre-written. Every chapter was probably made less than two weeks prior. Even the basics of this special was typed out on the first of March. If you have no backlog, then how are you doing the percentage in the description? Educated guessing. I know the plot and the major plot points. If I¡¯m going too quickly, I¡¯ll just increase the percentage. If I¡¯m going too slow, then I¡¯ll reduce the number. How much planning do you do? My notes aren¡¯t really detailed, but there is a lot of thinking that goes on before I write anything. Usually I note down necessary scenes and themes. Here¡¯s an example of the first part of the third arc: BB ¨C One Step Ahead ¨C Past Lives Forgive ¨C Cy forgiving Max for trying to kill him. Forget ¨C Max forgetting the others to spend time with Ellie. Lost focus on their task. Reconnect ¨C Finding Ellie Reintroduce the friends Revelation about Aldwin being like Max. BB ¨C her results / riddle results BB and Cy¡¯s spa day Dream sequence Max and Ellie <3 Finding Ellie again Will you continue publishing until the end? Undoubtedly. I¡¯m as stubborn as you get. I didn¡¯t take a break in my writing or publishing of chapters even when handling a newborn, doing language exams, and going back to work. Max¡¯s story will be completed and uploaded. Do you care about the numbers/statistics? No. They really stress me out, so I try to ignore all that and just keep doing what makes me happy. This is also a major reason why I haven''t done any shout-out swaps, review swaps, ads, etc. Do you know the ending of Max¡¯s story? Yes. The remaining major plot points have all been thought out. When I first started writing, I only plotted out until the ending of the second arc. Even then, the details were extremely vague. I knew Max was going to fail but how was still a mystery. It wasn¡¯t until writing Volume 2 Chapter 42 and developing Darius''s character that I figured out how I wanted this story to end. Why cows? I like cows. Why bones? They give me the heebie-jeebies.
Languages: Are the runes gobbledygook? Nope, they have a system behind them. During the winter holiday, I took the time to set it up for the covor of the third volume. Here¡¯s how Fubbel was made with runes: There are a few more steps when it comes to making spells/sentences, but there is phonetic meaning behind the shapes. What was the language used between Max and Navy/Edric/etc? It was Japanese backwards! Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Tsujuma. ¤Ä¤¸¤å¤Þ. ¡ú Majutsu. ¤Þ¤¸¤å¤Ä. ¡ú Magic. ħÐg.
Is any of this based on reality? A lot of it is! Here are a few:
Things that didn¡¯t make the cut:
Fun facts!
Art: A cover is planned for all volumes. The creation process takes a lot of time and effort by Moribow <3 There were a few easter eggs Moribow and I threw into the covers. First volume cover: (1: Real cover / 2: Draft) Third volume cover: (1: Real cover / 2: Draft) BB''s cover and character art:
What¡¯s next? Well, I¡¯m going to keep publishing Max until the story is finished. I have two other books I am editing on the side, one horror and another young adult. I¡¯m not too sure what to do with them yet tbh. I think I need to work on them more, maybe get a few beta-readers, and then decide what to do next. Regardless, I also plan to start a new ¡®live novel¡¯ to Royal Road to keep me writing when Max is done. Feel free to leave comments/feedback/ratings at any time. I''m always looking for opportunities and ways to improve my craft. As always, thank you so much for reading. Chapter 95: The Burden of Completing a Five-Star Story ¡°This isn¡¯t safe at all.¡± Max grumbled while trying to keep up with Kurt, who was moving recklessly on the steep and icy roofs of the estate. From climbing up the trees alongside the estate, clambering over the walls, in through one window and out another; this route was only bringing up more questions. ¡°It¡¯s the safest way if you want to avoid people.¡± Despite Max¡¯s struggles, he didn¡¯t stop or slow down for him. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Kurt wasn¡¯t lying. Right in front of them was a high tower. Max glanced down at the courtyard below them, waiting for them to make themselves known were the tough guards training in the snow. ¡°Okay, one last window,¡± Kurt didn¡¯t hesitate to smash in the glass before diving in. ¡°Is your bio dad going to be okay with all of these broken windows?¡± Max was glad to find the stairway that they ended up in to be significantly warmer than outside. The soft carpet with intricate patterns was now dangerous with all the embedded shards of glass. It took Max a moment to realise the carpet was horse themed. Even though it was a narrow, curved stairway, the horse emblem of the family had found its way up the stairs as shown by the hundreds of horseshoes nailed along the inner wall. ¡°He hasn¡¯t complained yet.¡± Kurt¡¯s pace slowed as they climbed up the stairs. ¡°How many windows have you broken since coming here?¡± ¡°Too many to count.¡± His shrug was nonchalant and unrepentant. ¡°No punishment?¡± ¡°Bio dad has got a few screws loose when it comes to priorities.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like the horses,¡± Kurt pointed to the wall and then the carpet below them. ¡°He was the one who decided to deck out this place with his favourite animal.¡± ¡°Is that why the inn has so many horses?¡± ¡°That¡¯s filled with the old junk bio dad tossed out when renewing some of the rooms at the estate.¡± ¡°Is there another Pegasus?¡± ¡°There are a few.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know. Never really paid attention to them.¡± Kurt began counting on his fingers before giving up when they reached the door at the top of the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll go around and count them when we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Max said, despite being curious about the answer. For some reason, he was feeling a little nervous beside the door. ¡°Are you going to open it?¡± He prompted, wanting to confront the feelings brewing up inside of him. ¡°Okay, but remember what I said-¡± ¡°We might have to come back another day if he¡¯s not feeling well.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s talking nonsense again,¡± Kurt corrected before opening the door for them. Despite being bedridden, the duke had been generous to their nonsensical, magic man. The room was circular and a decent size with several windows letting in a lot of light. Covering each of the windows were thin, white curtains. There were several pieces of furniture around the room, but they all had a thin layer of dust aside from the bed and one chair beside it. With the head of the bed resting under a window, their uninformed host laid peacefully. ¡°Landrut?¡± A frail voice called out from the bed. ¡°It¡¯s me, Kurt. And I brought a friend.¡± After approaching, Max was a bit surprised to see Pompey was significantly younger than he had thought. Max would¡¯ve guessed they were almost the same age if he didn¡¯t know any better. Despite being physically young, there were several aspects making him look aged. The long, unkempt hair, large bags under his eyes, and razor-sharp cheeks from him being alarmingly skinny; all of them supported Kurt¡¯s recounted history. ¡°This is Max.¡± Pompey took one look at Max before gesturing a frail finger towards the door. ¡°Kurt. Leave.¡± Kurt couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°You hear that, Max! He remembered my name.¡± His voice turned into a whisper. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s recovering just from your presence? Maybe you should visit more?¡± ¡°With your bio dad¡¯s permission,¡± Max reminded him about his intentions of getting involved with their family¡¯s political drama. ¡°I think Pompey wants you to leave.¡± The finger was still not retracted. Kurt still didn¡¯t seem convinced, perhaps he was doubting his conviction. ¡°Since he¡¯s feeling better, why don¡¯t you go get him some food?¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The idea was enough to get him buzzing. ¡°A good bit of liver will pep him back up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Max smiled, as he watched Kurt leave. He was about to speak before Pompey beat him to it. ¡°The system doesn¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re still in the middle of your story then.¡± Max took a seat by his bed while Pompey answered with a grunt. ¡°Are we going to have a problem?¡± Thanks to Cy¡¯s interjection with magic, there was a bit stored within the runes on his skin provided the crystal didn¡¯t block it. It was a little precaution while they were separated. Even if it was useless, Max could win in a brawl. Instead of answering with words, a loud cackle came from the bedridden man making Max feel uneasy. Without a clear answer, Max decided to continue with his interrogation. ¡°I see from the system you¡¯ve completed a five-star story as well.¡± The laughing stopped as abruptly as it had started. Pompey¡¯s eyes focused on the wooden ceiling above them. It was unclear if he could hear. ¡°How recent was that lifetime-¡± ¡°Has it started already?¡± ¡°Started?¡± Max asked, confused. ¡°Started what?¡± Pompey just gave a groan. ¡°Do you mean the six-star-¡± Pompey sat up abruptly. His eyes were finally focused on his visitor. ¡°Six-star? What do you mean six-star?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like I said¡­¡± Max didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Rather than listening, Pompey was clutching his ears while mumbling the words ¡®no¡¯ and ¡®not good.¡¯ Max waited patiently for him to calm down a bit. ¡°I avoided starting stories¡­¡± Again, Max couldn¡¯t finish as he watched Pompey roll on his side, away from him. The mumbling started again. Perhaps Kurt was right. Maybe he should come again tomorrow. Max was about to get up to leave when Pompey¡¯s frail voice unnerved him. ¡°Can you smell it?¡± ¡°Smell it?¡± ¡°The stench.¡± The two words rattled Max to his bones. Pompey picked up on his discomfort. ¡°You can, can¡¯t you? It doesn¡¯t get better. Only worse, and worse, and worse.¡± Pompey repeated several more times before Max mustered up the will to interrupt. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You smell it too?¡± Pompey began snickering again in his bed. For a moment, Max thought about going over to the other side of the bed so he could see the pale man¡¯s face. ¡°And you¡¯ve seen her?¡± ¡°Her?¡± ¡°Ah, not yet¡­ But that¡¯s not right. You said you did a five-star story too¡­ You should have seen her.¡± ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± Pompey answered with a question before turning to face Max again. His eyes were looking around the room widely. ¡°She should have been there.¡± ¡°There?¡± Max wasn¡¯t too sure whether or not to believe in Pompey¡¯s words. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a deep breath and calm-¡± Pompey reached out to grab Max¡¯s hands, but he pulled them away before contact could be made. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I am so, so sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Max tried to reassure him. ¡°The final death is coming for you.¡± Max felt a chill. The curtains around the room fluttered from the wind. The wind? Weren¡¯t all the windows closed? Otherwise, the room would be freezing. In contrast to the fluttering curtains, Max felt calm and settled. ¡°The final death?¡± Or Darius¡¯s after? The apologies began tumbling out again as the curtains stopped moving. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not surprised all of this would stop one day.¡± It was one of Edric¡¯s theories about what could happen if you completed a five-star story. It was one of the bigger reasons why they encouraged Max to be the person to test out what happened if they were to succeed. Edric and June both retained some fear of an end, but Max never felt any qualm. It was easier to face death with a smile than to look back on his actions as a hypocrite. Despite the reassurances, Pompey continued to apologise. It took some time before Max could think of a question to divert his attention. ¡°Have you met others who have completed five-star stories?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pompey began frantically shaking his head. ¡°But I¡¯ve met others like us, who are near the end.¡± A five-star story wasn¡¯t a requirement? In an instant, it changed Max¡¯s interpretation about their situation. ¡°And what happened to them?¡± ¡°First, the smell. Then, they begin to see things in reflections.¡± Instinctively, Pompey sat up to check all of the curtains were covering all of the glass in the room. He only settled when he could confirm his reflection couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Then the glass. The liquid. The lights,¡± Pompey began to clutch his head again while rocking slightly. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± The rocking stopped. With rigid movements, he pulled his hands away from his head, losing a few long strands in the process. ¡°They are simply gone. We shall see them no more.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Max stood up and talked while he helped Pompey lower his hands, get rid of the hair, before trying to tuck him back into bed. ¡°I have a friend. He has a theory that there are three kinds of people: before, during, and after. People who can remember lives and can interact with the system are deemed as during. So, you and I are during,¡± Max emphasised, wondering if Pompey could follow along. ¡°People whose souls reincarnated as well, but they can¡¯t remember are before. What you¡¯re describing sounds like after.¡± Pompey resisted being cared for, as he violently shook his head. ¡°He is wrong. He is wrong. There are two: real and unreal. Only two. There will be only two until they all become one.¡± ¡°Until they all become real?¡± ¡°All that will be left is unreal.¡± Max thought about his words and the whole bizarre interaction until now. ¡°How is ¡®her¡¯ connected with all this?¡± ¡°Her?¡± Pompey sounded confused. ¡°The one I was supposed to see?¡± Max tried to jog his memory, but the poor man was clearly still confused. He decided to change his question. ¡°Does the star-level of stories affect the final death?¡± ¡°Nothing is solid. One-star creeps. Two-star saunters. Three-star strides. Four-star gallops. Five-star¡­¡± Max didn¡¯t need Pompey to finish. The picture was clear enough. ¡°What about six-star?¡± Pompey seemed unwilling to continue their conversation by turning over again to face the other way. Max tried to get the conversation between them flowing again, but the sick man refused to bite. ¡°Kurt¡¯s taking his time, I should check on him,¡± Max finally said, as an excuse to leave. Just as Max was about to close the door behind him, he thought he heard the airy voice mutter, ¡°¡­ help ... remember ...¡± But he couldn¡¯t be sure. It could have just been the wind. Chapter 96: Max the Storyteller Max felt torn about what to do next. Should he look for Kurt? He had no clue where he would be. Was it worth his time to interrogate Pompey? It probably wasn¡¯t a good idea in case he shut down even more. There was still a chance he would reveal more before the deadline took his life. Go back to Cy? That would mean helping him run Nik¡¯s workshop. Stuck, Max sat at the top of the stairs. Hoping the system would lead the way, Max checked his HUD to see a worrying lack of sub-goals steering him forward.
SUB-GOALS TIME TO COMPLETE REWARD
Reunite with a confidant from a previous life before choosing to separate from them again. This confidant cannot know about the system. 2 hours and 58 minutes COMPLETE A hint is AVAILABLE. Please collect your reward.
??? ??? ???
??? ??? ???
Change the genre of two stories before they are completed. 349 days Two sub-goals will be revealed. One hint is granted.
??? ??? ???
Encounter all who have completed five-star stories. ??? Time to complete is doubled for remaining sub-goals.
??? ??? ???
Selecting the hint from the first sub-goal was just as confusing as last time. A mixture of garbled numbers. 1,290,393 / 502,192 / 78,291 / 1,249 / 3. Meaningless¡­ After tapping away at the top of his knees, he heard a pair of footsteps approaching. ¡°You sure took your¡­ time.¡± Max had to push the rest of his sentence out when he realised he was talking to the wrong person. Barely in his view was a young nun. She paused on the stairs when she saw him. There was something familiar about her. Peeking out from the veil was a youthful and pretty face. Her face and eyebrows were sharp, and there were a few strands of light brown hair refusing to be covered by the bandeau. Hanging from her left arm was a covered, wicker basket. Her tunic had been washed, ironed, and carefully maintained. A thick, wooden cross rested clearly on her chest. ¡°You were expecting me?¡± She tilted her head in curiosity, as a slight smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Sorry, I thought you were Kurt¡­ Lord Landrut,¡± Max quickly corrected himself. Without knowing exactly how nobility worked in this word, it was better to err on the side of caution. There were too many unknowns. Was she a before? During? Neither? A real nun? A fake one? Without Cy, he was blind. ¡°I saw Lord Landrut had returned to the estate.¡± She turned slightly to gesture behind her. ¡°His actions have been keeping the local glassworkers¡¯ afloat; praise be.¡± Her humour was not lost on Max, who shared her smile. So far, there was no animosity coming from her nor any surprise about the system¡¯s countdown. ¡°Are you here to see Pompey?¡± Max gestured with his thumb over his shoulder at the only door at the end of the stairs. ¡°The poor soul needs something to look forward to throughout the day.¡± The nun lifted the cover of her basket to show an assortment of dried fruit and a thick book, undoubtedly a Bible or a close comparison. ¡°Have you paid him a visit?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Max admitted, trying to figure out if he should ask her where Kurt could be or go back into Pompey¡¯s room with the nun. ¡°He spoke to me for a bit before giving me the silent treatment. Kurt went to get him something to eat.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°God bless your kind soul,¡± the nun continued up the stairs. ¡°Shall we wait for Lord Landrut, together?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Max watched her open the door to the frail man¡¯s room. Pompey was lying in the middle of his bed again, as if Max had never visited earlier. ¡°Pompey,¡± the nun cooed before placing the wicker basket on the bedside chair. ¡°Your visitor has returned.¡± He ignored her completely. ¡°Would you like to remind him of your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Max.¡± There was something off about Pompey¡¯s movements. His eyes were desperately trying to avoid eye contact, but his body stayed completely still. ¡°I was here a little earlier.¡± They waited patiently for some kind of verbal response, but none ever came. ¡°Perhaps reading from the good book will stir his spirits.¡± The nun began to unpack her basket when Max noticed Pompey¡¯s mouth was quivering. Did he not want to be read to? Maybe a favour for a favour will make him more talkative. ¡°Could I have a look at that?¡± Max froze before quickly following it up with his necessary lie. ¡°Actually, never mind, I can¡¯t read so¡­ It¡¯s kind of a waste.¡± It felt shameful to admit such a weakness. Much worse than when he had to confess to Nik the other day. Without hesitation, the nun gave him the book. ¡°The word of God is important for all to see, even for those who can¡¯t read.¡± She then gave him an understanding smile. ¡°Which is why this version has a few pictures in it.¡± Quickly flicking through, it was a bit nostalgic how familiar the words, pictures, and stories were. ¡°Are you a religious man, Max?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± he answered honestly. ¡°Your accent is a little unusual.¡± Max¡¯s thoughts paused in surprise; he had an accent? No one mentioned it until now. ¡°How did you come to befriend Lord Landrut?¡± ¡°We come from the same village,¡± he simplified. Her eyes suddenly sparkled with enthusiasm. ¡°Lord Landrut often talks fondly about the family who raised him. You must know the villagers as well. He often tells funny stories about them. Do you know the¡­ problematic mayor?¡± It was only then that it clicked in Max¡¯s mind who this person was. She looked a lot like her brother, but her mind seemed incredibly sharp in comparison. She was Sister Delilah. The only daughter of the mayor. The baby who was born to lose her life, as instructed by the system. ¡°I left not long after Lord Landrut, but I heard the mayor fell ill.¡± Her face scrunched up in worry. ¡°Fell ill?¡± ¡°I think it was a stroke.¡± Max looked down at the religious text in guilt. It didn¡¯t help Revelation 21:8 was looking back up at him. ¡°Ah, you are talking about the former mayor. Praise the Lord for giving him the strength to survive such a horrible experience.¡± ¡°The former mayor?¡± It did make sense. He couldn¡¯t possibly continue his work after enduring such a medical emergency during medieval times. ¡°Who¡¯s the mayor now?¡± ¡°His son took the position.¡± Max thought about the scattered brained man, who was so focused on the arts and interior design. ¡°And how¡¯s he handling it?¡± Sister Delilah¡¯s smile twitched. ¡°I keep him in my prayers.¡± There was a growing pressure for Max to return the religious text. Sister Delilah¡¯s eyes were occasionally glancing towards it. Pompey¡¯s silent thoughts were urging him to keep it. Eventually, Max decided on what to do all by himself. ¡°Here you go,¡± he handed the book back. ¡°Maybe instead of reading the stories to Pompey, I could tell both of you tales from the village where Lord Landrut and I are from.¡± ¡°What a wonderful idea!¡± Sister Delilah¡¯s smile changed into a wide grin before she dropped the sacred text into the wicker basket. She then moved the whole thing to the floor, so she could sit on the chair. Impatiently, her restless legs began to tap. It was quite unbecoming of a nun. ¡°Tell me a story, Max!¡± ¡°And then a meteorite crashed landed on the farm.¡± Max felt a bit tired from recounting the surreal story of his life on this world so far. Life on Bessie¡¯s farm was back-and-forth between mundane and absurd. Luckily, his audience was listening intensely. Sister Delilah was on the edge of her seat, and Pompey was sitting up now to watch Max¡¯s wild gestures and dramatic recreations. ¡°It was a massive, ginormous rock with slime oozing out of it. The local shepherd boy went to take a look before slipping into the slime!¡± ¡°And then what happened?¡± Sister Delilah squealed. Max began to dramatically demonstrate a monstrous transformation before declaring. ¡°He. Became. A. MONSTER!¡± Pompey jumped a little from the final word causing a small peep came out from him. Both Max and Sister Delilah couldn¡¯t help laughing from his reaction. ¡°That¡¯s the most focused I¡¯ve seen him since moving here!¡± She said as a compliment for twentieth time. There was something nostalgic about this moment that Max couldn¡¯t put his finger on before reality dawned on him. This wasn¡¯t a fantasy. This was real life. The shepherd boy was unfortunately caught up in the system¡¯s plans. He could only hope he was a before person, since it would mean he would have another certain chance at life. ¡°Then?¡± Pompey chocked out. His silent treatment had ended ages ago, but the only words coming out from him were him asking for Max to continue. Occasionally, his nervous eyes would refocus on the nun before relaxing from her glee. ¡°Oh, well, he tripped down a well and died.¡± Max quickly finished the story. It seemed a little cruel to continue with making a mockery of the worst time during the shepherd boy¡¯s life. ¡°May he rest in peace,¡± Sister Delilah said a little prayer causing the other two to participate. They weren¡¯t religious, but it felt like the right thing to do. ¡°Do you think the meteorite was connected to the aliens?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Max had no clue. ¡°Perhaps, during the next service, I should warn the attendees about slimy meteorites.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt. How long have the aliens been coming here?¡± ¡°Hmm, for a couple of months now.¡± Sister Delilah looked over at Pompey, who hesitatingly nodded his head in agreement. He was looking a bit impatient with the delay in Max¡¯s stories. ¡°I heard the abducted some people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, may God watch over them.¡± ¡°Do they have any memories?¡± ¡°Many get sent back down without any memories.¡± Then it looked like a thought crossed her mind, making her stare at Max wide-eyed. ¡°I heard from one troubled soul that whoever took him asked a few questions in a pitch-black room. It sounded like they were looking for something.¡± ¡°Do you know what?¡± Pompey quickly chocked out. ¡°The crystal. Landrut¡¯s crystal to stop the magic people. They want it but can¡¯t get it. It¡¯s part of the system¡¯s plan.¡± ¡°Now, now, enough of this nonsense about a system planning. The only plan is his plan, of which we must have faith.¡± Sister Delilah looked irritated, as if this was not the first time they had this argument. ¡°I¡¯ve got a psychic friend. Is there any way around the crystal? My friend needs to use his abilities here.¡± ¡°Carve his name into the crystal.¡± It was the answer Max was looking for. ¡°Thanks, Pompey.¡± ¡°Max!¡± In an instant, his blood ran cold. That wasn¡¯t Kurt¡¯s voice. How? ¡°How have you been? It feels like we haven¡¯t talked in ages!¡± Standing at the doorway was Adelaide, looking identical to the last time he saw her. There was a notification from the system.
Encounter all who have completed five-star stories. 30 years 6 months and 21 days COMPLETE Time to complete has been doubled for remaining sub-goals.
Chapter 97: The Stale Cupcake Smells Like Ass At first, Max couldn¡¯t understand what he was looking at. How could he have completed the sub-goal? And, at this moment? It was puzzling. There was only one explanation Max could think of while staring at the familiar stranger in front of him. He moved his feet slightly and bent his knees. Since magic wasn¡¯t an option, things were probably going to turn physical. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adelaide looked at him puzzled. There was innocence in her question. ¡°Who¡¯s this, Max?¡± Sister Delilah stood up. ¡°Is she a friend of yours?¡± Max was about to reply when he noticed the colour of the stranger¡¯s face was turning paler. As if trying to play off the suddenly strange atmosphere, Adelaide tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she began to walk backwards towards the stairs. ¡°A-Anyway, I only just got here, and I heard from Kurt that Max was up this tower.¡± ¡°Bless you child, you must¡¯ve travelled a long way.¡± ¡°Right¡­ I should rest.¡± As quickly as she had come, she was suddenly taking off back down the stairs. ¡°Is it something I- Max?¡± Without thinking, Max ran after whoever was using Adelaide¡¯s image. It was a very good copy, as one could expect from a five-star story completer. He had a funny feeling he knew who it was. There was only one mysterious during person, who is both unaccounted for and more than knowledgeable about the appearance and mannerisms of Adelaide. It seemed like the system hadn¡¯t been including people he had met before starting the six-star story. While he ran down the stairs, he kept expecting to run into ¡®Adelaide¡¯ on the spiral staircase. There was not a trace of a girl in high fashion. Instead, the only person he encountered was a familiar, lanky butcher¡¯s boy carrying a huge tray of selected meats. There were an alarming number of raw cuts of meat next to the cooked ones. ¡°Are you okay? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost?¡± ¡°Have you seen Adelaide?¡± ¡°Funny you should mention her,¡± Kurt looked shocked. ¡°She just showed up at the gates of the estate. It¡¯s why I took so long. Why?¡± ¡°I saw her, just now.¡± Kurt frowned, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. She was escorted to the West Wing to recover¡­ Where is she now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was chasing after her.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see her on the way up.¡± It was only then Max realised he had missed his opportunity. He had already ran past the broken window. Max let out a disappointed sigh before they both started to climb up the tall stairs. ¡°How is Adelaide?¡± ¡°Looking rough, to be honest. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she hadn¡¯t had a hearty meal in a long time.¡± ¡°She¡¯s looking skinny?¡± ¡°Very.¡± So, they met two different Adelaides. ¡°Why did she come here?¡± ¡°Apparently to see me,¡± Kurt mirrored Max¡¯s disbelieving eyes. ¡°She ran out of money a while ago and was getting desperate.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to her now?¡± Kurt gave Max a reassuring smile. ¡°Villagers stick together.¡± It was Max¡¯s turn to mirror his expression. ¡°We¡¯ll get her healthy again or give her some funds to look after herself. Whichever she prefers.¡± ¡°Good. It must¡¯ve been overwhelming for her in the big, bad world.¡± Max thought Kurt would join in on the light teasing. Instead, he was only met with an unimpressed look from him. In a split second, Max began backpaddling. ¡°Well, I imagine she went to the city. It¡¯s so different compared to¡­ home.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Kurt allowed for a moment of awkward silence to develop between them before finally acknowledging his words. ¡°You¡¯ve been hanging around Aldwin too much.¡± The words cut Max deep, making him reevaluate the first six months of this life. Max didn¡¯t say anything when Kurt opened the door to reveal a still Pompey, alone in his bed. There was no wicker basket, holy text, or nun. It was like they didn¡¯t exist. Confused, Max looked instinctively behind him. Did the nun jump out of the broken window as well? ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You look like you saw a ghost.¡± ¡°Where did Sister Delilah go?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The nun?¡± Kurt gave a confused look. ¡°What do you mean ¡®nun¡¯? They¡¯re all Sleipnir believers here. Nuns aren¡¯t really part of the religion.¡± Turning to the only person who could make sense of what had just happened, Max came up to Pompey¡¯s bed only to be met with a frightfully familiar sight. He didn¡¯t need to worry about the three-day timer for Pompey anymore. Unfortunately, it also meant no more answers for him. ¡°Please tell me you found a way out of this hell hole,¡± Cy cried out as soon as Max opened the entrance to Nik¡¯s workshop. Max instinctively raised an eyebrow at the shoddy piece of crooked metal Cy had been desperately trying to bend into¡­ something. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? This is meant to be your job, take over.¡± Obediently, Max began getting ready without any arguments. Cy tried his best to wipe away the sweat and particles of metal blown up into his face. Examining the piece of metal and ignoring Cy¡¯s bitching, Max¡¯s mind was still trying to digest what had happened this morning. Pompey¡¯s nonsensical words, ¡®Adelaid¡¯s¡¯ appearance, Adelaid¡¯s appearance, Sister Delilah¡¯s vanishing act, Pompey¡¯s death; where should he start. ¡°A lot happened while I was gone,¡± Max interrupted. Cy pouted when he realised he was being ignored. ¡°I¡¯m just going to list everything off. You stop me when you have questions.¡± ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯ll explain your fate being suddenly wonky. What the fuck happened?¡± Max took in a deep breath before letting the words spew without stop. ¡°Kurt left me with Pompey, who was a bedridden weirdo. He confirmed completing a five-star story and kept talking about how I was approaching my final days. And final days as in dead-dead; no more reincarnations. I think that¡¯s what Darius means by becoming an after. Anyway, a nun joined us. Only it was the mayor¡¯s long, lost daughter. She¡¯s a nun now. We chatted for a bit, I told some stories, and Pompey revealed we need to add your name to their crystal. Also, the aliens are after the crystal for whatever reason. ¡°Anyway, Adelaide showed up. But then a prompt also appeared revealing I¡¯ve met all the five-star people. I think it was Aldwin. It¡¯s just my hunch. And then the fake Adelaide ran as soon as she saw a nun. I chased, she vanished, Kurt revealed the real Adelaide had shown up at the estate. We went back up. The nun was gone, and we found Pompey dead in his bed.¡± ¡°¡­ Quite a day out, then?¡± Cy looked lost with how to handle the overwhelming summary. ¡°And did you write my name on the crystal?¡± Max frowned at his ridiculous response. ¡°I can¡¯t write.¡± ¡°Then get Kurt to write it for us?¡± Cy scoffed at the weak rebuttal. ¡°Kurt was busy with the dead body. Apparently, Pompey was his bio dad¡¯s favourite magic man, so they¡¯ll be planning an extravagant funeral for him. Besides, he didn¡¯t say how we should write your name.¡± ¡°You think we¡¯d need to use runes?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Max admitted. A magic bouncing crystal? Sounded like a potential experiment June and her followers would do. He pondered for a second. ¡°Should we ask Kurt when he¡¯s free?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have many other options without significantly more risk.¡± Max watched Cy¡¯s face drop when he threw the forged scrap of metal back into the melting pot before accepting the waste of his afternoon¡¯s labour. Cy took the chance to grab a snack out of his pocket, as he thought to himself before asking, ¡°Tell me more about what Pompey said about your final days.¡± ¡°Out of everything that happened, that¡¯s the one you¡¯re asking about?¡± ¡°What did you think I would want to talk about?¡± ¡°Aldwin? Adelaide? Sister Delilah?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve got a couple of questions about them too,¡± Cy admitted. ¡°But I want to know about this final death.¡± ¡°From what I could gather from his ramblings, we are all edging towards a ¡®final end.¡¯ Higher difficulty stories hurry this process along. Apparently, it¡¯s one of the reasons why I smell something rotten.¡± ¡°Are there any other indicators?¡± ¡°Seeing things in reflections, then glass, liquid, lights. He also mentioned a ¡®her,¡¯ and how I was supposed to meet ¡®her¡¯ at some point.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know who she is?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t the foggiest.¡± ¡°Could she be the nun?¡± The idea of Sister Delilah being ¡®her¡¯ was oddly frightening to Max. There was something off-putting about how everything unravelled in Pompey¡¯s room. He was used to strange beings and inexplicable occurrences thanks to story progression by the system. This one took the cake as one of his most unsettling and exciting events he had experienced in many lifetimes. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Max dropped the metal tool he was holding in surprise from the question. On the other end of the room, Cy watched him with a genuinely concerned look. ¡°Scared? Of nuns? I guess they¡¯re kind of intimidating-¡± ¡°Of the final death, dumbass.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well, death is inevitable.¡± Chapter 98: Howdy! Max slipped on the wet, freezing mud. The bad luck turned good in an instant, when the open street in front of him suddenly broke into sharp spikes of ice trying to impale him. Just as he was about to move, he heard another eruption of magic further down the street before the heavy footsteps of the duke¡¯s horses brought relief. The guards and local police were on the hunt for the magic users and had inadvertently become Max¡¯s protectors. The noises began distancing. Going through the twisting cluster of peasant homes beside the tall estate walls must¡¯ve helped him give them the slip. Panting heavily on the floor, Max took the opportunity to recover for a moment. ¡°Howdy, Max!¡± From the back door of one of the squalor homes, stood one of the local horse-like townies, who worked part-time at the inn. He was also one of Kurt¡¯s accomplices with framing his targets. ¡°Running away from the bounty hunters again?¡± Max nodded while looking at the warm fire peeking out from behind the door. It would be much safer there, even though it was little more than a shack. Sitting in the mud made him feel so cold. ¡°I¡¯m surprised His Grace¡¯s men haven¡¯t caught them already.¡± ¡°They¡¯re slippery,¡± Max admitted, finally picking himself up from the floor. They were also unorganised, and definitely not part of Edric¡¯s lot. It seemed like Edric had figured out Max was Max after discovering 50042¡¯s body. Otherwise, they would have much bigger problems. Despite the regular chaos the bounty hunts from the system and the king were bringing, it had been well received by the locals. It¡¯s only been a week since they reunited with Kurt, but the townies had already adjusted to the newest, regular explosions of magic ripping through the town on a daily basis. ¡°You think I could come in to warm up?¡± The townie looked Max up-and-down before quickly declaring, ¡°No,¡± and slamming his back door close behind him. It was disappointing but not unreasonable. Max tried wiping off some of the mud when he heard the sounds of conflict racing back towards his direction. Did they realise Max had given them the slip? The door suddenly opened again. ¡°Thought you could do with this,¡± he offered out a small pocketknife. ¡°You know, in case you get caught.¡± Max merely took out his own from his pocket. ¡°Ah, well, good luck against them.¡± The door slammed closed again. A few sticky steps later and the door threw open again. ¡°Oh, come in, you look like a wet dog.¡± ¡°Funny you say that. I was named after a dead dog.¡± Max greedily took him up on the offer. Only after closing the door firmly behind him, did he relax a little. The home was quaint and cosy with meagre furnishings apart from one outlier. There was a taxidermy horse in the corner of the room. ¡°Nice place. Nice horse.¡± ¡°Kurt gave it as a birthday present.¡± ¡°He¡¯s very generous,¡± Max complimented. Both of them admired the plain brown horse while ignoring the fighting and neighing occurring outside. ¡°You¡¯re making lunch?¡± He said with an eager voice before nodding over to the simmering pot over the fire. ¡°Only for me.¡± Max tried to make his hunger less apparent but was failing. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for food, why don¡¯t you go to the estate? Kurt will get you lunch.¡± ¡°Cy and Kurt are doing a final sweep to check it¡¯s safe for me.¡± They had come all this way to help Kurt, but in the end, he was helping them more. Nik¡¯s workshop was one of the safest places for them, because no one wanted to approach. The inn was always giving them significant discounts on dinners. Kurt also listened to Max¡¯s nonsensical story about Pompey, believed him, and then carved Max and Cy¡¯s name into the crystal so they¡¯d always be free from its constraints. They got lucky that only the native writing of their names was required. ¡°Most of the plotters and my potential hunters were kicked out or imprisoned the other day.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°That psychic vet sure is something special.¡± Max agreed without hesitation. ¡°He offered to read my fate the other night. Should I let him?¡± ¡°Depends on if you¡¯re a flexible or fixed fate.¡± He gave Max a confused look. ¡°Just ask him to clarify which one you are before getting your fate read. If it¡¯s fixed then it¡¯ll be mostly solid, if it¡¯s flexible then it¡¯s a waste of time.¡± ¡°Ah-ha.¡± It was obvious his advice had completely gone over his head. Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door causing both of them to turn. ¡°Just a minute!¡± The townie cried out before immediately covering his mouth with regret. ¡°Open the door.¡± The voice on the other side of the door was hostile. He gave a panicked look at Max, who replied calmly in a whisper. ¡°I¡¯ll go through that window. Open the back door and stay calm. It¡¯s probably one of the duke¡¯s men.¡± ¡°Why go through the window when you could just go through the front door?¡± Max nodded, as he felt embarrassed by his unhinged plan. When he opened the front door, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed by the lack of threat which could justify leaping out another window. Maybe he was easily influenced by his friends as Kurt suggested. After getting clear of most of the fighting, Max had to think about where he could go to lay low. Following Kurt¡¯s footsteps a few days prior, it was easy to break back into the estate and head for Pompey¡¯s tower. The window had already been replaced with thicker glass, but it didn¡¯t stop Max from busting it in. The duke and his son didn¡¯t seem to mind, so why should he? Being back in the familiar twisted staircase caused him to shiver. The nun and the imposter; they had both deeply unsettled Max. Even the idea of ¡®the final death¡¯ didn¡¯t unnerve him like they do. Looking for clues, he paid more attention to the environment around him. There was nothing aside from the alarming amount of horse inspired decoration. His mind began to ponder while he climbed the stairs. His running theory was that Aldwin had managed to take on Adelaide¡¯s form. Out of anyone from the village, he would be the one to know her mannerisms. Did he follow her here? Or was it reversed? Until he could talk with Adelaide, he could only speculate. On the other hand, Max couldn¡¯t deny Aldwin completed a five-star story. Being able to use some kind of transfiguration magic without being afflicted by the crystal downstairs, mingling with the locals as a professional, the completion mark from the system; it all pointed to the same conclusion. 1,290,393 / 502,192 / 78,291 / 1,249 / 3. One, two, three, four, five-star stories. It was a decent hint for once despite the mystery behind it. The only question Max couldn¡¯t discern was whether 3 indicated the number of times a five-star story was completed or the number of people who¡¯ve done it. Based on their recruitment process in the last life, the former appeared more likely. Pompey, Aldwin, and Max; the only three to have completed a five-star story. The idea was unnerving. Max knew how he was able to complete his five-star story, and it was mostly due to the determination of June and Edric¡­ And getting really lucky with a body that had an insane amount of internal magic¡­ As well as the Athena computer June developed for them¡­. Not to mention a lot of sacrifices made by their community... And the local people¡­ All in all, it took a village for him to complete it. How on earth did the others accomplish the same feat? Opening the door to a deserted room only amplified his feelings. How they were able to do it was a mystery. However, their feelings towards the disappearing nun were clear. She scared the shit out of them. ¡°I thought I heard a window breaking.¡± Max jumped out of his skin before looking behind him to see Kurt. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here? I thought you were coming tomorrow?¡± ¡°Nik kicked me out for making too much noise, and I got attacked earlier. I thought I could hide here for a bit.¡± Kurt gave an understanding nod before he couldn¡¯t help snickering from Max¡¯s grumbling stomach. ¡°I¡­ had to get up early today.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Well, come on then Mr. Early Riser. Cy already cleared the staff in the Western Wing. There¡¯s a kitchen there. Let¡¯s get you something to eat.¡± Max followed Kurt before he shamefully admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know if Bessie told you, but I really can¡¯t cook.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±