System's Quest
The maid blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Pardon?"
"What was your name again?" His frown deepened slightly as he examined her reaction.
The maid hesitated for a brief moment before quickly lowering her head again. "I-It's Marie, sir."
There was a slight tremor in her voice, barely noticeable, but he caught it. Was it fear? Unease? Regardless, she kept her posture composed, though her hands subtly clenched at her sides.
Marie struggled to maintain her composure under his scrutinizing gaze. Something about him felt different. In all the years she had served in this household, the young master had never once spoken to her in this manner, nor had he ever regarded her with such intensity. His usual demeanor was aloof, lazy, and indifferent. But now… his sharp eyes, his rigid posture, his calculated words—it was as if he had become an entirely different person.
"Leave," he commanded flatly. "Don't come unless I call for you."
Marie's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "But, Young Master Eren, today is—"
"But what?" His voice was sharp, cutting through her words like a blade. His cold gaze bore into her, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
Why does he seem so... intimidating?
Not wanting to anger him further, Marie quickly lowered her head again and took a step back. "T-Then please call me when you need me, sir."
With that, she turned on her heel and swiftly exited, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click.
The moment she left, the young man let out a slow exhale and leaned back against the plush mattress. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
Raising his hand, he studied his fingers. They were slender, fair-skinned, and… smaller than what he remembered. He flexed them experimentally, confirming that they were indeed his, yet entirely unfamiliar.
It didn't take long for him to realize the truth.
He was in another world.
And this wasn't his body.
He was in someone else's.
The logical part of his brain urged him to get up, find a mirror, and confirm his suspicions, but his laziness overpowered his curiosity. With a sigh, he simply flopped back onto the bed, deciding that the mystery of his new identity could wait a little longer.
"Yawn~ anyway, back to sleep," he mumbled, pulling the blanket over his head.
But before he could even drift off—
Ding!
A sharp, electronic chime echoed in the room. His body stiffened at the all-too-familiar sound. He recognized it instantly. It was the same notification tone from his phone—the one he often ignored whenever work emails flooded his inbox.
He cracked an eye open and turned his head. Floating mid-air was a transparent, blue holographic screen. His drowsiness immediately dissipated as he read the words displayed in glowing white text.
[The System has successfully been installed...]
[The System is now bound with the Host.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have been chosen as the New Candidate to Save this World.]
[The "Leveling Up" System has been established.]
His expression remained unreadable as he stared at the screen.
Then, after a long pause, he slowly turned onto his side, pulled the blanket tighter around him, and closed his eyes to go back to sleep, ignoring the floating system screen entirely.
...
...
It had been twelve hours since the young master had gone back to sleep. No one disturbed him—not even the maid who had come in the morning. The only visitor he had was the butler, who had quietly checked on him four hours ago but left without waking him, seeing that he was still sound asleep.
Unfortunately for him, his peace did not last forever.
—Pib Pib Pib!
A sharp, mechanical sound suddenly echoed through the room, disrupting the tranquility. The noise was persistent, buzzing in a rhythmic and irritating manner.
[Warning: The Host has failed to complete the First Quest!]
With a groggy sigh, the young master stirred, blinking his eyes open. He lazily turned his head, letting out a long yawn before pushing himself up into a sitting position. His drowsy gaze settled on the glowing blue screen hovering in midair before him, displaying a notification.
---
[First Quest: Exercise]
Task:
Complete 100 push-ups (100/0)
Complete 100 sit-ups (100/0)
Complete 100 squats (100/0)
Complete a 10 km run (10/0)
[Mission Rewards: 10 SP, Random Box Gift] [Mission Penalty: 1 point reduced from each stat] [Time limit: 12 hours]
---
[Note: You have failed to complete your first Quest. As punishment, all of your stats have been reduced by 1 point.]
The young master stared at the screen with a deadpan expression, his eyes half-lidded with boredom. The words on the screen didn't seem to bother him at all.
[A new Quest has been generated.]
---
[Daily Quest: Daily Exercise]
Task:
Complete 100 push-ups (100/0)
Complete 100 sit-ups (100/0)
Complete 100 squats (100/0)
Complete a 10 km run (10/0)
[Mission Rewards: 5 SP, Random Box Gift] [Mission Penalty: 2 points reduced from each stat] [Time limit: 12 hours]
---
[Host, please note that if you ignore another Quest, the penalty will continue doubling.] [I strongly suggest you complete your task as soon as possible.]
"....."
[....]
"...."
[...Host?]
The young master remained silent, his eyes scanning the screen in front of him. There was no reaction—no sense of urgency, no concern, no frustration. Just a lazy, indifferent stare.
"Is that it?" he finally spoke, his voice monotone and groggy from sleep.
[...Sorry, I don't understand what the Host means.]
"I'm asking if there's anything else you need to report or add?"
The system paused, as if taken aback. If it had a face, it would be staring at him in disbelief. The usual response to a System message was panic, shock, or at the very least, curiosity. Yet, this boy was treating it as nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
[No. There is nothing else to report.]
"Good."
Without another word, he leaned back, pulled the blanket over his body, and settled back into his warm, comfortable bed. He shut his eyes, completely ignoring the flashing holographic screen in front of him.
[...Host!]
The System—despite not having a physical form or face—could almost feel itself gaping at him in shock. This reaction was entirely outside its expectations. Its data indicated that upon receiving a quest, a host should feel a sense of duty, excitement, or at the very least, mild irritation. Yet this boy... he didn't seem to care at all.
...
Two days had passed since the man, now known as Eren, arrived in this world, completely unaware of how or why.
For the past forty-eight hours, he had barely moved from his bed, spending almost twenty-three hours each day in deep sleep. The only times he stirred were when hunger gnawed at his stomach, prompting him to call Marie, his personal maid, to bring his meals. Marie, a young woman with neatly tied chestnut hair and a disciplined demeanor, was efficient in her duties, never questioning her master's habits. She would quietly enter the room, place the food on a small table, and leave without uttering a word unless spoken to.
Other than Marie, the only person who came to visit was the butler. A middle-aged man in his late fifties, he had a sharp, well-groomed mustache and wore a monocle over his left eye, which gave him a stern, intellectual air. His black butler's suit was immaculately pressed, with a silver pocket watch chain glinting subtly against his waistcoat. White gloves covered his hands, emphasizing his meticulous nature. Despite his poised and dignified appearance, his sharp gaze always carried a hint of concern when he checked on Eren, though he never voiced it aloud.
From what Eren had gathered, the young master of this body—his current self—was known for being a recluse. He rarely stepped outside his room, and the reason remained unknown to Eren. But whatever the case, the lack of visitors suited him just fine. He preferred silence. He preferred peace.
Unfortunately, peace was a luxury he was quickly realizing he wouldn't be allowed to have.
Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep -
The piercing sound shattered the tranquility of the dimly lit room.
[Warning! Warning! Warning!]
[You have failed to complete the Daily Quest!] [As a penalty, all of your stats have been reduced by 8 points.]
[Host, you need to stop ignoring the quest missions and complete them. Your current stats are dangerously close to 1.]
[If this continues, the penalties will become life-threatening.]
Eren, still sprawled across his bed, lazily shifted his gaze toward the glowing blue screen hovering in the air. His half-lidded eyes held nothing but boredom.
"And?" he muttered, his voice thick with disinterest.
The screen immediately turned red.
[YOU WILL DIE if you keep ignoring me. Worse, it will be painful!]
Eren merely raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
[...You will disappear. Despair. You won't be able to return to your world or be reincarnated!]
For the first time, something caught his interest. He took a moment to process the new bit of information, his neutral expression barely shifting.
"...And?"
The system trembled.
[GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!]
It finally snapped. A new red screen appeared, different from the usual ones. This one bore a skull symbol at the top, flashing ominously.
_