Yes, without a doubt, it was a phone. After I grabbed it, the vibration stopped. I looked to the room on my right and left, then blocked my room's entrance with the broken door and added the bathroom door as well to secure some privacy. I walked over to a chair in front of my desk, under a large window, trying to stay as far away as possible from the entrance. Before opening the phone, I asked myself: is this phone part of this body's belongings? But the days I've spent here and the memories of the maid prove that this world didn't have advanced things like phones, guns, cars, or even electricity in rooms. But it does have an energy source called Aura, used for magic and other tools, and it comes from living beings and some gemstones. It's similar to the concept of mana in comic books and anime. I'll call it "Aura."
"What nonsense…"
Which means this phone came from the person responsible for bringing me here.
I felt stupid, because all this time I thought the vibrating under the pillow was just from my head. But in any case, that doesn't matter now.
A big smile appeared on my face, because I was finally about to find the answers that have been haunting me for weeks.
"So, you finally show yourself, you... ah, damn it."
As soon as the phone turned on, a lock screen appeared. I was about to smash it but held myself back. Even though the phone didn't look like my old one, I found a number input field. I typed the passcode from my old phone.
"Aha, it worked... Wait, isn't this a family photo?"
After unlocking the phone, I found my family's picture as the background, and in the middle of the screen, there was a single app with a blue skull icon.
"This is getting weirder…"
I opened the app and found a message that said:
"The deal has been successfully completed. You've joined the Awakened in the most famous novel world. Do you want to continue the journey?"
And below the message were two options: "Yes" and "No."
...
Without hesitation, I pressed "No" and locked the phone.
"So that's why I'm here... to join the Awakened in some novel's story."
I had no interest in playing their cursed game. I never even read a novel in my life. And anyway, I was going to end my life. I shouted loudly at the phone:
"You want me to act like some fantasy story hero and do your missions like a slave? Screw you, whoever you are—system, god, or whatever! If I find you, I'll shove this phone right up your ass!"
Suddenly, I turned around after hearing the sound of the room's door falling. That dark-skinned young man walked in, dressed in a sharp black suit and white gloves, his hair trimmed like a soldier. His name was (Marx), the son of my father's assistant in this world. He's 18, a year older than me.
"Follow me, Alex. Your mother summoned you."
He said it in a stern tone. I knew he hated me because of his conflict with the original owner of this body. But after learning I'm in a novel world, I didn't care—I just talked to him so he would leave.
"What does my mother want?"
"She wants to speak with you about something important."
"Do you have time to talk, Marx?"
"…? Yes."
"Then talk to her yourself. I don't have time."
"….."
Honestly, I had nothing to do other than lie on the bed. So I didn't care about any of this. But as I approached the bed, I felt a heavy pressure as if I were deep underwater, sweating. It came from (Marx), the dark-skinned servant. Apparently, he released his aura on me.
"Stop it, I was just joking."
Just let me grab the phone.
Marx looked at me like I was insane. I asked him while holding the phone in my hand:
"Hey, don't be scared. This is a device called a phone—"
"There's nothing in your hand, Alex. Take things seriously and stop joking."
Marx ordered me to follow him. After realizing I was the only one who could see the phone, I followed him from behind, planning to end this day because it might be my last.
As we walked through the massive castle, I kept thinking about the mark on my hand. It used to have the number 5 and now it's 4. Since that day, I stopped touching anyone with my left hand to avoid seeing their memories and getting stuck in them. I barely managed to handle the maid's memories, which were extremely boring—after her father sold her into slavery, she became a maid in the castle and never left. Just cleaning, sleeping, eating. It was like watching the same maid's routine for 17 years.
I only managed to learn some names of people in the castle, the language, and how to clean. The maid was completely cut off from the world.
I still had no idea what happened to this body or how it got injured. I wanted to know before ending my life. I tried asking the servant:
"Hey, servant, haven't we arrived yet? I just want to ask you a few questions."
"...."
The servant (Marx) didn't reply. But then an idea came to me on how to get information from him... No, everything about him—even how he wipes his butt. I'd try that mysterious ability in my hand. Apparently, it lets me see someone's past by living their whole life, feeling what they felt, and seeing what they saw. Maybe I could even learn every combat technique he knows. Not that I'm interested in strength anyway.
It'll be like watching a series about a warrior.
I'll do it just out of curiosity.
I slowly approached the servant and grabbed Marx's hand as we stopped walking...
After I grabbed the hand of the head servant (Marx), nothing happened as I expected... His memories didn't appear. I tried grabbing his other hand, and even his head. I tried several ways... but to no avail.
"What... the hell? Why isn't it working?"
Marx looked at me with suspicion and anger, to the point where I felt he might kill me, had it not been for that girl with black hair and blue eyes appearing... She wasn't my wife as I had expected, but my fiancée, and her name was (Emma). She was the fiancée of the person whose body I had taken, forced into the arrangement for political reasons, through an agreement between her parents and the father of the body I inhabited.
She said, shocked: "So this is the reason for your delay in the meeting?! You're groping your head servant?!"
"No, no! Wait! I'm not groping him! I... I misunderstood..."
"And what do you mean by misunderstanding? You're fondling his body!"
No matter what I said, my position would look like that of a harasser. The reason being, the original owner of this body had harassed every servant in the palace. And now, it looked like I was harassing the head servant himself!
Marx didn't speak, but ordered us to go to the meeting. As we walked, I began to think: Why didn't the skill work? But the bigger problem came when I looked at my hand and screamed:
"What? Why did the number go down?!"
"What's wrong with you today? Why are you screaming?... Oh my god, how did you become his fiancée?!" Emma said angrily.
I looked at my hand, and saw that the number had changed from (4) to (3), even though the skill didn't activate and I hadn't seen Marx's memories. Yet, the number had dropped...!
Anyway, I got into an argument with my fiancée until we reached the hall.
"What a big door for the meeting!" I said.
The hall's door was huge and carved, with two guards standing on either side. The hallway was filled with servants. I won't lie... Maybe I'm the luckiest person to be reincarnated in this situation, but I'm definitely the wrong person for this role.
As we entered the hall, I found many servants, among them a burned-faced maid named (Elli). In the middle of the hall, there was a large table, around which sat the mother of the original body owner, who looked somewhat like me. Her name was (Elizabeth), and she was waiting for me. Beside her, there was a man with brownish-blond hair, dressed in fine clothes and wearing a mask.
My mother asked sternly: "Why were you late, Alex? Have you lost your memory?"
Emma interrupted sarcastically: "Because my dear fiancée was groping even his head servant!"
I immediately covered her mouth and said: "I told you, I wasn't groping Marx!"
How stupid I was... I said it loudly, and my mother heard something I didn't want her to hear.
"Keep your filthy hands off me!" Emma screamed.
At this point, I started to hate this so-called (Emma) more than I thought possible.
My mother ordered: "Marx, strike Alex!"
She didn't finish her sentence before I received a strong punch to the stomach from Marx, almost making me vomit.
"You son of a bitch... She said strike me, not kill me! Ugh..." And I did end up vomiting.
Damn it... I was only curious to know his past.
After a while, I sat with my mother, Emma, Marx, and the masked man. I had no idea what this meeting was about or why this man was here.
So I asked: "Why did we have this meeting? Am I going to divorce my fiancée?"
Emma answered sarcastically: "You fool, we're not even married yet for you to divorce me!"
Marx shouted at us: "Shut up, you children!"
"Children? You're only four months older than me!" I retorted.
Finally, the man with the mask spoke: "Silence!"
Then he continued: "Alright, let me introduce myself. I am a representative for the most important event for your family, Alex..."
I didn't understand what he meant, and I didn't know what the original owner of this body looked like, so he continued: "Since you've lost your memory because of your half-brother, let me explain..."
Honestly, I was more confused than ever. I lost my memory because of my half-brother? Damn it, everything was getting more complicated, until the masked man started explaining everything to me.
First, he explained the geography of the world, then the ancient history of this world, followed by its current history. He told me the reason for my coma and why I was in bed, meaning what happened to the original body owner before I reincarnated in it.
Finally, he explained to me about the "match" that would take place, called the "Blood Relatives Slaughter Match for the New Generation," held among family members to distribute rewards after the battle and determine the future ruler of the family.
To summarize what he told me, this world is similar to my world in terms of geography, as it's divided into three continents. I couldn't memorize the names of the continents, so I replaced them with names from my world to make it easier to understand.
The continent I'm in resembles Europe, but it's larger, with a large island separated from it, like Britain to Europe.
To the east, there's a continent attached to it, resembling Asia, separated by huge mountains stretching from north to south, inhabited by people described by the masked man as the Berbers, called "Kushite Peoples."
In the south, there's a continent resembling Africa, but it's larger than both Asia and Europe combined. It's separated from the other continents by a long lake or sea that divides the map into two halves, though he didn't clarify what's in that African-like continent.
Then he explained the ancient history of this world, where I'm the son of the strongest user of "Mana" in this generation, the 3rd Caliph.
My grandfather was from a group of six powerful people about 300 years ago who saved humanity. My grandfather was the right-hand man to the legendary hero and leader of the group "Mild," who was known for the strength of a million men, and sacrificed himself to save the world.
Around 300 years ago, a group of creatures called the "Jinn" invaded the world, coming from another realm to take over.
However, the hero "Mild" and his closest friend "Hork" (my grandfather), along with the other group members, were able to repel them. Among them were: The hero's sister "Melina," who was a master of healing magic, The sorceress "Rosana," who invented the concept of magic and was the first to understand it, The priest "Ingel," known as the spiritual father of alchemy, And lastly, "Isaac," who was equal in strength to "Mild," skilled with the spear and incredibly fast.
Humanity fought the Jinn, and in the end, "Mild" sacrificed himself by entering the Jinn realm and destroying the energy source of the gate that opened the dimensions. He remained trapped there.
Since that day, in the year 316 P.E. (After Death), the new history began. The group separated, and each of them founded their own family in this continent: The sorceress "Rosana" in northern Europe, The priest "Ingel" in the south, The hero's sister "Melina" settled in the west, on a separate island, naming her family "The Mild Family" in memory of her brother.
As for "Isaac," he didn't establish anything, and nothing is known about him. The last records show that he never married or founded a family due to his grief over "Mild." It's rumored that he went to the far south, to a continent resembling Africa.
My grandfather "Hork" settled in Eastern Europe near the borders of Asia to protect Europe from the Kushite peoples, and his lineage continued up to my father. The family name became "Al Hork."
This means my new name is "Alex Al Hork," and I have a half-brother of the same age, 17 years old, named "Robin Al Hork," from an illicit relationship between my father and a servant.
Despite the illegality of their relationship, the blood of the ruler runs in his veins, meaning he has the right to join the match, which he did, signing the contract for the match.
However, some cousins didn't accept him, especially the brother of the original body owner, who conspired with other cousins to injure "Alex" and make him an easy target in the battle, in exchange for ensuring their victory. But the plan failed, and "Alex" was injured, and the head servant "Marx" brought him back to the palace.
The reason wasn't just his hatred for his brother, but also because the contract contained a clause stating that the person in last place dies after the match, which scared many people from joining.
So, "Alex" planned to make "Robin" come last to die in his place, allowing him to win a prize, but the plan failed.
The masked servant came to explain the contract's rules to me, since I was the heir to "Al Hork" and of the proper age to participate. Among the papers was a blue pill, which the masked man explained was responsible for killing me if I took last place.
He gave me two options:
Participate and sign the contract, eating the blue pill, Or abandon my right to the throne.
After his speech, I didn't feel afraid, but relieved because I had answers to some of my questions.
As for the contract, I didn't care. If it were someone else in my place from the real world, they would probably be content to live in a beautiful palace surrounded by servants instead of risking their life.
But I was different
I wasn't interested in ruling or the comfort of the palace. I just wanted to take revenge on myself and commit suicide that night.
So, I chose, and in front of everyone who was shocked, I said:
"I choose to sign the contract... and take the blue pill."
After signing and swallowing the blue pill, I was surprised by their reactions… My mother was happy, while Marx and Emma were shocked by my decision—except for the maid, Ellie, who looked scared for me because of what I had chosen.
After the man finished speaking and left, my mother said she would buy me the best trainers and everything I needed to win.
But I just walked out toward my room, and Marx followed me and asked:
"Why did you accept the offer? You know you won't be able to win; you're the weakest among them."
"Ah… yeah, I know I'm weak."
"Then why risk your life?"
"Hehe… Honestly, I just wanted to know what that blue pill tastes like—the one that will kill me if I come in last."
Marx looked at me and remained silent, stunned by my answer. So I asked him in return:
"And why do you care, Marx, to know the reason?... What's with you? Suddenly you've become sensitive?"
Then I went back to my room. I knew why Marx had asked that question… because he knew the owner of this body would've never dared to risk his life—he was a coward.
"Nothing important anyway… But I do like the history of this world."
When night came, I headed to a room to think of a way to kill myself. The road had been long to reach this grand palace. So I was remembering what I had done in the past.
In my old life, I was 20 years old. My real name was "A****", but after migrating with my family because of the war, I changed it to "E-Ko".
We had difficulties learning the language of the new country, but that wasn't the biggest problem.
The name "E-Ko" became known among my bad friends. We tried all kinds of forbidden things: from smoking to drug use, even sleeping with prostitutes, bullying students, stealing, and fighting with other gangs.
But I had one true friend… my older brother.
He was my role model in life. I had never seen my father—he was imprisoned before I was born by the occupiers in my former homeland.
My brother filled that void, but he died in a war while looking for our father.
After his death, my mother was under my care, but I neglected her…
And she died because of my neglect.
After her death, I realized how brutal I had become...
All my bad friends abandoned me when I tried to change.
But the worst part was…
I had to kill my little sister to end her painful suffering, as she was dying in agony either way.
Even after moving into this body and this new world, my hands still tremble every time I remember what I did.
How can I live as if I did nothing?
I arrived at the room and sat on the big bed I had woken up in, with the phone still vibrating on the table.
I gathered my courage to end my life, despite the resistance of this body.
Suddenly… Ellie, the maid with the burn scar, entered. She had followed me and stood at the doorway, asking for permission to enter—even though there wasn't even a door.
"You, Ellie?... You can come in."
She entered and sat on a chair very close to the phone, but she didn't say anything, nor did she notice it.
I was the only one who could see the phone.
The problem was that she was here…
I thought of a way to get rid of her so I could kill myself without anyone interfering.
"What's wrong, Ellie?"
"Are you really going to participate in the battle?... That means we won't see you again..."
She said that with a sad and frightened look.
I knew what she felt…
And I knew why she was attached to the owner of this body, even though he was the reason for her scar.
Because he was the only one who spoke to her, while she couldn't make friends with any of the other maids due to her kindness, naivety, and obsessive attention to small details.
She spent her free time watching kittens outside the palace.
I remember from her memories that she used to do the chores of the other maids just to win their approval. And strangely enough, she never cried over everything the body's former owner did to her.
I thought of a way to send her away because I didn't want her to be here, so I said with a smile:
"Ellie… Thank you for everything you've done for me… I'm sorry for everything… So please, get some rest now… and leave my room."
As soon as she heard my words, she started crying… loudly.
"What? Why are you crying? Damn it… Shut up, you crazy girl!"
I just wanted her to leave… but my headache got worse, and the vibrating sound of the phone didn't help.
I couldn't take it, so I carried her in my arms and took her out of the room.
She was crying and saying:
"I'm sorry… I didn't… I didn't mean to cry… Aaah…"
Damn it…
My words were the first kind ones she had ever heard in her life, which is why she reacted that way.
After I took her out, I went back to throw the phone out the window because of its annoying vibration.
But before I could, it stopped vibrating.
And as I got closer… it opened on its own, showing an old photo of my family on the screen, along with a text message saying:
"Hello, little brother, (A****)..."
I froze in place from the shock.
No one knew my real name…
Except my mom, little sister, and older brother.
I muttered in shock:
"...Brother?… My big brother??"
Hello, 🙂I'm the author. I don't know if you like the story I wrote, so if you're interested, let me know so I can write more."