Another story: Arthur's Arc #1
"If I could reverse the time, I should never pick up that stuff!
If I never do that, I will never get into this predicament!"
By Xu Minyu(the unlucky human who gets dragged into another world to be a supporting character by a mysterious power)
***
Inside a white space filled with nothing but emptiness, a young boy, aged around sixteen to seventeen, sit dumbfoundedly on a chair. His body looked stiff, and his not-so-apparently back muscles appeared taut dan tensed.
The young boy felt very uncomfortable despite his calm demeanor on the surface.
In front of him is a robot(?) with a white mask on his face, covering everything except its mouth.
On the mask is an initial Q in bold.
They get separated by a rectangular wooden desk, the only conspicuous object inside this whiteness. Everywhere is covered in white, which makes the boy wonder if they are in some unknown mental asylum.
Even he and that robot had white robes draped over their bodies.
They stared at each other, one person's expression filled with blankness while the other gave an amiable smile.
Somehow, that smile irked the boy.
Their staring contest brought nothing but boredom hence the boy gestured for the stranger to speak.
Thus started the conversation between them.
Q: What will you do if one day you transmigrate into another world and into someone else's body, a stranger at that?
The boy blinked his eyes. So suddenly? He never expected the stranger to ask such a weird question.
He pondered for a while and gave a cliche answer.
Me: Hmm, maybe, conquer the world?
Q: What if you do not have any golden fingers? Can you still conquer the world?
Me: Aren't the novels depicting such stories always saying that the transmigrators will have golden fingers and a system by their side to assist them? If they do not own such OP assistance, how can you call those people the protagonist?
Q: What if the one you transmigrated into is not the protagonist? You are nothing but only a cannon fodder character, so will you proceed to conquer the world?
The boy waves his hand indifferently.
Me: I will live happily without arousing the protagonist's interest in me. Since I get a second chance to relive my life, I should cherish them.
Q: You're not ambitious and a very sensible boy. Good. I will choose you. It's decided.
Me: Hmm? What? What did you mean by that? What kind of decision do you make? Is it concerning me?
Q: Of course. Who else? Congratulation, Xu Mingyu. You have been chosen to be the supporting character in another world. From now onward, you will relive your life as Arthur Knight!
*Thunderous claps*
*Popping the confetti*
*Whistling sounds*
Me: (Dumbfounded)
Q: Okay, Mr. Xu. It is time for you to go. There's no need to prepare anything. We will provide your accommodation, and there's no need to worry about your daily necessity.
You only need to do your job in assisting someone in that world. You need to ensure that person's survival until his role starts officially.
As his journey starts, you must protect him until his mission finish. Whatever happens, he must stay alive until the end!
Oh, don't worry. If you die, no matter how miserable your condition is before your death, you will be returning here, all limbs attached!
Me: Wait...wait!
Q: What's wrong, Mr. Xu?
Me: Why should I do that?!
Q: Mr. Xu, there's nothing I can do since you're the one who picks up that pendant.
Since your benevolent self had picked up that thing and even brought it along anywhere you go, here you are.
In here, inside this space, chatting with me.
Me: Pendant? What pendant? (Racking his brain and ransacking his memory)
Q: Don't you ever hear this saying? Never pick up things on the road and bring them home. Whoever knows who is the prior owner of that things? Maybe a person? A ghost? Or some supernatural creature? (Looking at him with some obvious pity inside his eyes)
Me: (Gasp) Do you mean the thing I found in front of my house's door?!
Q: Yep.
Me: Of course, I will pick it up! (Furious) Anyone will do that! Who knows if it belongs to my mom or grandmother? I ought to ask them for confirmation!
Q: Still, you should throw them away after that.
Me: I need to send that thing to the police station!
Q: You did not do that, though.
Me: Because I forgot! (Gnashing his teeth while glaring at his opponent)
Q: Alas, there's nothing I can do. That pendant has a teleportation array. When the time comes, the person who holds that thing gets automatically sent to this space.
So, here you are! (Exaggerate the last word with a high-pitched voice)
Alright, Mr. Xu. It's too late to regret anything. Your job is starting, and I cannot delay it any longer. My employer will get angry if we continue this useless chat.
Me: Useless chat? What did you mean by that?!
Q: (Ignoring the boy) Well, Mr. Xu, I wish you good luck! (Putting a hand on his left chest, bowing his head slightly, and saying the parting words solemnly. He seemed eager to send the boy away despite his expressionless facade)
Me: Hey, wait! I said, wait! I still need to ask something.
Q: (Enthusiastically waving him goodbye) I will miss you, Mr. Xu.
Me: You jerk!
Suddenly, a blinding light illuminates the dimly-lit surrounding, and the young boy loses consciousness soon after.
He heard Q's voice ringing softly beside his eyes, wishing him good luck three times.
That bastard! Who needs your 'Good Luck?! Return me to my world!'
***
(From this onward, Xu Mingyu will be called Arthur Knight)
He is still feeling groggy. Whether it is his head or his surrounding, everything is spinning.
It takes him a while to calm down and relax.
Arthur slowly opened his eyes and looked around him in confusion. Once his sleepiness had gone, the reality descended, and the man on the bed couldn't help but feel dumbfounded.
Where the heck is he? Whose gorgeous-looking bedroom is this?!
Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose and massaged his temples. If he is not mistaken, before he went to sleep, he was together with his friends on a bus for their high school's camping trip.
Then due to unforeseen causes, he teleported into a weird white space before waking up here.
Arthur sighed in resignation.
One moment he was inside a bus, the next moment got transferred into a white space, and now, he was sleeping inside a stranger's bedroom.
Oh, what a joy. (Sarcastic remark)
He still remembered his friends' incessant chatters filled with excitement and joy, discussing their activities during the three days and two nights trips. Even the teachers half-heartedly reprimanded their students for the noises they caused.
He suddenly felt sleepy and closed his eyes obediently, only wanting to get a quick nap.
How come when he awakes, he wakes up in an unfamiliar place, and now, he is on a stranger's bed wearing an exquisite silk sleeping wear that should be impossible for him to afford?
His family is not dirt poor, but such fine-looking and expensive clothes are not within his family's budget.
And look at this spacious bedroom! It is almost the same size as his house's living room!
Arthur looked down and brought his hands closer to his face.
The surface of his palms was rougher and seemed more slender than he remembered. But, one cannot deny that these hands do not belong to some commoner but a pampered young master. The skin is white, supple, and smooth despite the callus.
These calluses are not caused by overworking but rather because of years of practicing swordsmanship.
How did he know this? Well, easy. He got this body's memory.
He knew he was seventeen years old teenager. He knew this young man was a young master of a prominent military family. His father is the Grand General of the Grandia Kingdom, and his mother is a former military doctor. Both were equally well-known and famous throughout the country. He has three younger siblings; a twin and a younger sister.
Arthur facepalmed on the bed. No matter how hard he denied it, the fact had proven before his eyes that he was not dreaming.
He had REALLY transmigrated!
The world is no longer the same one from which he came. In this place, magic is a COMMON occurrence. Everyone can use magic and spell. And luckily, the man he transmigrated into is someone with the ability to help him do his mission in the future.
Arthur shoved the blanket away and rushed to the human-sized mirror. It is a late reaction, but he does want to know his appearance.
He almost stumbled onto the floor because of his hastiness. Once he arrives in front of the mirror, he is surprised to find the uncanny similarity between this body's appearance with his own.
Everything about him is on point. His eyes, nose, shape of his mouth, the color of his hair, and even his height closely resemble the old him.
He will definitely believe it if someone says this man is his doppelganger.
It is just that this person is more handsome than the old him, which makes him bitter. Maybe it was due to the man's temperament and noble background, so everything about him appeared more graceful and elegant.
Well, that person is now him. He can only feel envious of his own body and appearance but can do nothing about it.
"...Hmmm..." He provocatively rubbed his chin while staring into his reflection in the mirror. His inky, sword-like eyebrows haughtily rise up and down.
So, this is what he looks like, huh? Not bad. Not bad. Very handsome and charming. I'm satisfied with my appearance.
Arthur is too engrossed with his appearance that he does not realize that his bedroom door is slowly opening from the outside.
Kreeeeeeekkkk...