บท 2: A New Life

"Why do my arms feel as light as feathers?" muttered a young man in his late teens, stretching and rubbing his eyes. He was sprawled out on an opulent bed, ensconced in a room adorned with lavish materials fit for royalty.

"Something's not quite right," he mumbled, scanning the extravagant chamber. As the realization hit him, he leaped out of bed, shouting, "What in the world is happening!?" He couldn't fathom the reason behind the sudden appearance of such rare and unfamiliar items.

With wide-eyed amazement, he took in his surroundings. The room exuded an air of luxury, yet it stirred a strange sense of déjà vu within him. "Hold on a minute," he said, brows furrowing in thought. "This architecture, all these trinkets... they're identical to those in the game! Even that glimmering gem embedded in the mirror—it's the one that casts light..."

At that moment, a sudden knock on the door echoed through the room like a gunshot. The young man's heart leaped into his throat as he frantically searched for a place to hide, but found none. Bracing himself for whatever might come through the door, he swallowed hard, waiting for the unknown.

The tension that permeated the air was suddenly punctured by a voice, loud yet careful not to intrude. "Master Braxis, breakfast is nearly ready. Please come down when you are prepared," chimed a young girl with an adorably high-pitched voice. She hurried away, her footsteps soft and swift. It was evident she was a servant of Braxis.

"Braxis? It all makes sense now—I've been transported to another world!" He remembered his pathetic end, defeated by an in-game boss which led to a heart attack, and shuddered. "Oh god... anything but that haunting memory!"

With a hand pressed to his mouth, he quickly shifted his thoughts. "That's all in the past. Whoever brought me here must have a grand purpose for me in this world, and I'm going to fulfill it! To hell with my old life!" Braxis searched his memory for any recollection of the name 'Braxis.' "What was his role in the story again?" He pondered, rifling through drawers for clothes to wear.

"My old life was insignificant. I'll make the most of this new one," Braxis declared, opening the door and stepping into a thrilling new adventure.

Humming a lively tune, he sauntered down the immaculate palace hallway. He passed others dressed in resplendent attire, who whispered and exchanged glances as he went by; some even shot him piercing glares.

"Wait a second, where the hell is breakfast?" Braxis blurted out, coming to a halt as he looked around, utterly lost.

"Excuse me, miss, where's breakfast? I've been wandering so much, I've lost my bearings—even in my own home!" Braxis called out to a passing servant girl, who appeared to be in her early 20s.

"Master Braxis, you're hilarious! If you wanted a cute girl to escort you to breakfast, you should have just said so!" The servant girl giggled and latched onto Braxis's hand, pulling him along with an eager bounce in her step.

Relationship Status: +1

Relationship Progress: 1/300

A status bar materialized above her head, leaving him perplexed and trying to decipher its meaning.

As they continued hand-in-hand, Braxis could sense the growing number of glares directed his way.

"That scumbag is after another one of his servants," one onlooker whispered.

"Yeah, hopefully this time he has consent, at least," another muttered with disdain.

Braxis overheard these comments and felt wronged. 'What did Braxis do for these rumors to be swirling around..'

He hadn't intended for any of this to happen, so he brushed it off. Blushing, he found himself unaccustomed to such intimate interaction with a woman.

"This world is slightly different from the MMO I was playing, but it's refreshingly more straightforward," Braxis mused, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'd forgotten what it's like to have a young mind again, able to absorb and interpret information so quickly."

A wicked thought slithered into Braxis's mind as he couldn't help but ogle the girl from behind, her hips swaying seductively while she led him onward.

Braxis stopped in his tracks and began to talk to her. "You know, we can skip breakfast if you want."

"What do you mean, Master Braxis?" The servant asked as she turned around to meet his eyes.

"Well, you see, I think you're quite beautiful and we could always just go back to my room.." Braxis said with a devious smile.

"Excuse me? Master Braxis, have some manners!" She yelled out. A crowd began to grow around them.

"Don't worry about the 'Master' relationship, we can overlook that.." Braxis said as he pulled her closer.

"I can't believe you, let me go!" She yelled out.

Braxis began to get embarrassed as the crowd grew more and more and people began to scream at him, he tightened his grip in nervousness. He then let go as he realized what he did.

Relationship Status: -1

Relationship Progress: 0/300

"Ahh!" The servant girl whirled around, tears brimming in her eyes. "I thought better of you, Master Braxis! I didn't believe the rumors, but it seems they were true!" She sobbed as she fled, releasing his grasp and shattering her heart at the same time.

Nearby servants and elegantly dressed onlookers cast disgusted looks his way.

Relationship Status: -1

Relationship Progress: -4/300

Warning! If you reach -5, you will die!

Panic gripped Braxis's heart, his face betraying his fear. "Oh fuck! I should have taken this way more seriously!" he berated himself.

A distinguished man, his eyes ablaze with fury, marched up to Braxis and seized his hand. "Just what do you think you're doing, you scumbag?" he roared, his face contorted with rage.

Braxis locked eyes with the man, trembling with terror. "N-No, it seems I've made a mistake... Haha..." He tried to defuse the situation with laughter, but the man was having none of it.

"Come with me. We're going to discuss this with Father. I can't believe my own brother could be such a despicable person!" Disgust was apparent in his words as he dragged Braxis towards a grandiose door, signaling a confrontation that loomed ominously ahead.