[Congratulations: You've received 10,000 points]
Alex stared past the System, his dazed gaze on his ceiling, his right hand twitching as he laid on his back in his room.
Max was in his dog form as he laid asleep on his left. His soft snores and the morning birdsong filled the silence in the room.
The warm rays of the rising sun filtered through the openings of the dark closed curtains.
Alex didn't know how long he had been staring blankly at the ceiling, ignoring the hovering screen above his head, until his mother knocked on his door, letting him know that breakfast was ready, snapping him out of his daze as she went back downstairs.
Max woke up slowly, stretching his body and scratched behind his ear before excitedly trotting out of the bedroom, following behind Eun-hee to the kitchen.
Alex sat up, running his fingers through his brown hair.
'It feels weird being in my own body again.'
[You good?]
"Why did you take me out of that world too early? I didn't even do anything remarkable. I..... I almost killed someone," he stared at his trembling hands as conflicted emotions surfaced.
[Your quest was to change the plot within a year, that means that the average time of a transmigrator to change the plot so far is a year. However, some merged with the host's soul, others were killed during the glitch while others who tried to maintain the plot do manage to change the narrative after year duration is over, but the narrative finds a way to rewrite itself until the transmigrator becomes a character of that world.
And you already changed the plot and the flood is one of the outcomes from that change. And I had my reasons for abruptly taking you out of there so suddenly.]
"Is this Holder Candidate Quest thing and me seeing through Ruth's memories that day as well as Max's human form because of the crystal?"
[Yes. The crystal is the reason for your situation. But because you and your dog both touched the crystal, you're both bound to it. Which means that you've both obtained abilities that would unlock over time and the Holder Candidate is your title while your dog is the substitute if your original body is killed.
If one of you were killed, the other absorbs the essence of the crystal from the other. Therefore, the only way to get rid of the title of Holder Candidate is to either merge souls with your host, get erased from existence or being murdered in your body.]
[You've used all your coupons. But since I'm feeling generous, you can purchase one for 1,500 points.]
[Would you like to make a purchase:
Yes/No]
He tapped his finger on 'Yes', "Since I'm currently a Holder Candidate, how many quests do I have to complete before I become a Holder?"
[You're not going to ask about your stats or levels or whatever?]
"Yes."
[*Shrugs*]
[If that's what you want.]
[You have nine more quests to complete before you're given the title of Holder, plus a title you'll be referred to based off your journey across different worlds. The quests are random, so prepare yourself beforehand.]
"I see," his hands stopped trembling as he got out of bed and cleaned his bedroom, the System disappearing with a soft ding.
He walked downstairs, his posture subconsciously straight, almost regal as he went to the dining room.
Jeremiah and Eun-hee exchanged a glance upon watching him sit down and eat in a poise manner, then they turned their gaze to Max sitting on the floor, trying to eat with his paw.
"Alex?"
"Yes, father?"
Eun-hee nearly dropped the egg between her chopsticks, "Father? Are you feeling alright?"
"Maybe he's possessed by a Victorian ghost? Or he was practicing accents again," Jeremiah chuckled, receiving a glare from Eun-hee.
"That's because I we—" Alex's eyes widened at the realization, 'What excuse should I give? I can't say that I possess someone else's body in another world.'
He cleared his throat and slouched against the chair, "I was watching the Harry Potter movies and was trying to talk like the characters to Max."
"What about your refined posture? Not that I have a problem with, your posture was terrible."
"I also read a few Villainess manhwas and tried acting like those Dukes of the North."
"Are you going to impress a girl?"
The shell of his ears reddened, "M-maybe....."
Eun-hee placed her chopsticks on the table and reached out, pinching his cheek, "So you're putting effort on your crush instead of your future? How are you going to support her when you haven't decided on what you'll study after you graduate? Do you want me to decide for you?"
"엄마... There's still time, I'll think of something."
"What do you mean that there's still time? A few months will pass in a blink of an eye if you're not careful."
"I'll start planning now."
"Good."
Jeremiah shook his head as he chuckled, amused by the sight as Eun-hee let go of Alex's cheek. Then he stood up and carried his empty plate to the sink.
"You're going for work?" Eun-hee asked, finishing her breakfast and carrying her plate to the kitchen.
"Yeah, got a project to continue. And are you going to the restaurant today?"
"Yes. The repairs are done, so it's fine for us to open again."
She turned to Alex as Jeremiah ruffled his hair on the way to the stairs, "Min-jun, I should find the house and Max clean and dinner is ready when I return. Have I made myself clear?"
"네, 엄마 (Yes, mom)."
After they left, Alex immediately did his chores, familiarizing himself with his own body and trying to use a TV remote before cooking dinner before his parents return.
That night, he sat on his bed in his room, doomscrolling through the internet as an attempt to do something with his hands.
After a few minutes of staring blankly at the screen, he sighed and threw his phone aside on the mattress, flopping on his back on the bed.
Max, now in human form, was trying on Alex's clothes in front of a mirror. "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm wondering if things would've been different if I were a prodigy or college grad."
"Unfortunately, you're a lazy human who's waiting for who-knows-what just to shoot your shot."
"I forgot that day— or was it yesterday? Anyway, I forgot to confess because my mind was occupied and she was already heading back home before I could even say anything."
"You're hopeless."
"Maybe I should ask Cecilia or Lydia on what to do."
"What about Gabriel, Benjamin, Kunda and Jude?"
"Benjamin went to camp, Gabriel went to his grandparents' farm and Kunda went abroad for a family function, so I can't call them. As for Jude, he said that he wanted to focus on a personal project, so I doubt if he's available."
"Then try calling or texting him."
"Ugh..... I'll do it tomorrow. By the way, what's your type?"
"German shepherds."
"..... I see."
"Anyway, are you going to tell them one day?"
"My parents or.....?"
"Obviously your parents."
"Dunno. Maybe when I have the courage and right words so that they don't think that their only child had gone insane."
Max nodded and settled a beige sweater, white shirt and jeans before folding the clothes on the floor, placing them back in his closet and laid next to him on the bed. After he took Alex's discarded phone and silently asked him to unlock it.
Alex drifted deeper into his thoughts, his gaze landing on the videos Max was watching.
'Since they'll be other quests in future, maybe I should start doing some research and train my body. I can do that.'