Jameson let out a sigh, letting the warm water relax his muscles. How long had it been since he woke up in this new world? Were there others like him?
It wasn't easy just accepting a new life, or was he hallucinating?
Last he remembered, he was free-falling from the building, the annual writing award event of the year was being hosted, and he was about to expose the top writing company that produced the best writers, but at what cost, the cost of his life.
He took a small, warm towel from a tray on a stool beside the bathtub and placed it on his face, easing further into the bath.
"It's not like I'm the star of the show anyway, I'll get there when I can," he mumbled to himself again, having recovered half of his fragmented memories of the new body he lived in.
[Ding! New quest]
Jameson groaned; he was tired of all the quests already. Since he got here, he's been doing nothing but side quests. "Cursed system world," he gritted under his breath.
He was never a fan of system novels, let alone romance, but he knew how such stories worked because he loved watching anime.
Even though his writing style was different, he wrote more science fiction books than system books, because to him, they felt impractical and resonated less with reality.
He sat up in the bathtub, water splashing around, some landing on the smooth tiled floors, "open quest."
The system screen opened before him, [Awaken the other system, gain an ally or an enemy]
Truly, there was someone out there like him, and this person could either be a turning point in his life or the possible death of him, and this just confirmed it.
'Was the person even from his own world or someone else from another possible dimension? Now that'll be interesting.' Jameson thought, his interest finally piqued.
___________________________________________________________________
Back at the courtroom, the king raised his hands, the room suddenly went quiet, clearing his throat, he stood up, "Welcome, all allies, trusted aides, Lords, Ladies, and friends, thank you for honouring the invitation." Came his deep commanding voice.
He looked around the room, meeting the eyes of the very people before him, before he continued, "As you all know, the kingdom of Androva has always had the tradition of selecting wives for the heir next in line to the throne, through well-sorted out alliances."
Some of the officials in the court nodded their heads in approvals, while debutantes of the season held their head high, like they were the already the wives of the heir next in line to the throne, while the chaperones and the mothers in the court had a glimmer of mischieves in their eyes, calculating how it'll be their family to produce the next queen.
"Which has been practised by my ancestors and the ones before me. But…" Everyone's breath hitched as they waited to hear what this was.
Murmurs began to rise up, 'Why the but, what does he mean by but?'
He continued, silencing the murmurs, "as I said, but this year will be different, for I have two sons and only one heir to the throne."
The second prince sat up in his seat, a warm smile resting on his face, expecting his father to proclaim him heir.
After all, it was well known that he was the most favoured child among his siblings, and from the start, he has been more involved in the affairs of the kingdom.
The air became tense. The people knew their current king was usually unpredictable.
Since the death of his first wife, things had become worse before he married the new queen.
"The nobles and the common folks of my kingdom shall contest for both of my sons, and whoever comes out as the new queen shall marry the heir apparent, and not only that, both the princes will have to prove their worth on becoming an heir."
Gasps were heard in the court.
Commoners, like the lower-class subjects of the kingdom, some people's faces dropped.
'I can't mingle with commoners,' a girl whispered to another.
'What an unlucky year this is,' a woman whispered to her husband.
For the other nobles, it was not a good outlook, because they never mingled with the commoners, especially the ones who didn't understand life outside their parents' wealth and status.
While for some, they thought it to be a good engagement, not just to boost the loyalty of the people, but maybe, just maybe, a kinder queen is what the government needed.
While the people in the court held their opinions, one royal was unhappy, the second prince.
His smile faltered, but he quickly corrected it, slouching in the chair, resting his chin on his left hand already in a fist, trying to act nonchalant; meanwhile, in truth, he tried hard to be like his elder he envied so much.
But the news washed over him like tiny electrical bolts coursing through his body in shock;
He just couldn't stay in the throne room any longer; he got up from his chair and quietly whispered to his mother, "I need to head to my room for a moment."
The Queen bent her head slightly to hear her son, "Go." She knew he was leaving to put his emotions in order; she had always taught her son that a leader must not show emotions, no matter what.
The queen was angry; she couldn't slip before her subjects. She let a warm smile rest on her face, as she had always practised; she couldn't show her displeasure.
This was not the plan. She gripped the arm of her throne, her nails scrapping lightly on the polished wood.
Her jaws clenched behind the smile.
Her eyes filled with anger as she looked at her husband, who had gone to talk to some of the nobles.
She couldn't wait to have the king out of her way, but she had to play her part and play it well; she would.