欲望酒店

I want an exciting life.

'My life is boring.'

I thought when I was 14 years old.

I'm an orphan pretty much since I was born, I don't even know who my parents are as they abandoned me near the orphanage after some weeks I was born.

There's nothing special with me, even my name 'Cole' just means black, how special is that?

When I turned 16 years old, I developed a hobby of reading novels, when I started reading, it was just to pass time but novels are more entertaining than I thought and I got hooked in it. Since then I would read novels whenever I have the time to.

When I'm reading novels, it feels like something inside me is getting filled, I felt new emotions. And it made me think that maybe, this life is still worth living.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not planning to kill myself.

It's just that I'm so bored in the past that I thought dying might not be that bad. If you ask me why I'm still alive in that time, I'll probably just answer 'Because I'm not dead yet.'

So reading novels really means a lot to me.

I got a scholarship when I was 18 years old in a small university in my neighborhood of the orphanage I was in, but I still need money to provide to my daily needs and some school stuffs that time.

So I found myself a job even though I'm lazy.

Also reading novels is slowly getting boring for me at that time, it seems that I can't find a novel that I can enjoy, which is bad for me because it's the only thing that I really enjoy doing.

And then one day I thought:

'If I can't find a novel that I like, why not just make one myself then?'

Which might be the best solution because it may also solve my money problem.

So I did made one. Creating a novel is harder than I thought, sometimes I would suddenly stop midway then continue it again later, or when I was about to finish a chaper, a new idea will pop out in my mind, but in the end, I did created one.

My first novel was inspired from a novel that I really like, I got the idea there then create a different story out of it.

Surprisingly, people started reading my novel, and reading their comments about it made me happy, so I started enjoying writing novels.

I continued writing novels, again and again, until now the present time.

And I was currently 29 years old.

***

"Haa..."

A sigh came out from my mouth as I finished publishing the latest chapter of my current ongoing novel.

"Now what?"

I asked myself.

Writing is fun, but after that, I got nothing else to do.

I was so bored.

So I started reading the comments and reviews about my ongoing novel.

Many comments are positive but some are negative, they doesn't affect me anymore, it's pretty much normal anyway, I can't satisfy everyone so I just continued writing based on my taste, not caring about them.

Ping!

"Hm?"

Then while reading the comments, I recieved a mail.

And out of boredom, I opened it.

Click-

Then a weird and confusing mail greeted me.

=====

[YOUR WORK HAS BEEN SELECTED BY A HIGHER BEING!]

[Congratulations! A Higher Being will use your work for their new creation! And in exchange, they will grant your wish, and add some bonus rewards too!]

=====

"What the hell is this?"

I grumble and frowned after reading the content of the mail, it just doesn't make sense at all.

I was about to close the mail without replying, because replying will be just a waste of time.

Swaahh—

When sudden bright light erupted from my whole body and dyed the whole room white.

"Argh! What the fuck?"

I screamed.

The light coming from my body was so bright that it looks like that I'm some godly shit that descended from heaven.

Strangely though, the light doesn't hurt my eyes, but I can't see anything except the color white.

"What the fuck is happening?!"

I exclaimed again.

'Okay, let's calm down.'

I tried to calm myself down and started racking my brain.

But while I'm thinking, I suddenly felt like I'm being 'sucked' into something.

"OKAY! WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?! THIS IS SO CREEPY!"

I yelled unconsciously, I can't see anything so I'm panicking. Calling for help didn't come to mind, why?

Because what's happening to me doesn't feel dangerous at all, it's just creepy and weird, and I bet nobody can help me in this kind of situation.

Worst case scenario, the one trying to help me would get caught up in this phenomenon.

I'm also an introvert with a small number of friends, so I bet nobody will help me anyway.

Yep, even in this weird happenings, I'm still assessing the situation.

I developed something when I was a kid, that in any occasion or happening, my thoughts or thinking will still work properly.

Which is good because just panicking without thinking wouldn't do anything good to me in any way.

So what conclusion I got in the midst of this situation by racking my brain?

Nothing.

So I just stopped struggling and shut my mouth.

"Thanks for nothing brain..."

I mumbled as I stayed still.

Anything I do will be just a waste of time and energy, so I just went with the flow.

Let's just wait and see what will happen, then decide what to do next after that.

'I'm bored anyway.'

So I stood still doing nothing, letting the weird sucking phenomenon have its way.

"This better be good."

I mumbled.

That's the last thing I remember as my consciousness got cut off after that.

***

I don't know how long I was out but after I regained my consciousness, I immediately opened my eyes and sat up.

And looking around me.

'Um... Where?'

Is what I thought after seeing my surroundings, I'm sitting on a bed, I'm in a small unfamiliar room with very few furnitures, all the items in the room are just for a daily needs of a single person.

"There's even no TV."

Anyway, I continued to look around.

First I thought that maybe I'm in a hospital room, but there's no medical equipment around, so It's likely that I'm not.

"Let's explore the room first."

I got up from the bed and started roaming around the room. Moving my body feels a bit weird but I thought it's just the effect of the light before or me fainting so I didn't mind it.

"Messy."

p I mumbled after seeing the room messy as hell, it's like someone is moving out.

"Let's clean up too while we're on it."

I know this isn't my room but the mess is bothering me, so while organizing my thoughts, I'm also cleaning the room.

After some time, I went to the bathroom with the thought of checking the toilet, and as soon as I entered the bathroom, I got greeted by a huge mirror.

I was shocked.

"Dirty."

I muttered.

The mirror got dirt marks all over it, so I started cleaning it.

Just after 5 minutes of cleaning the mirror, that I noticed that the mirror is reflecting, not me, but someone else I don't know.

"Who the hell?"

I started moving and the reflection moved the same way I did, I tried finding another mirror because maybe this one is just special, but all the mirrors I tried are the same.

"No way."

I mumbled. Disbelief washed all over my body as I sat on the bed while holding a small circular mirror.

I'm not stupid so I know that either I got transmigrated into another body or the owner of this room is a jerk that bought defective mirrors and placed it all over the room.

Looking at the mirror in my hand again.

It's showing an average looking young man, all of his facial features are not worth mentioning except for his sharp eyes, and I think the sharp eyes are hella cool, he have black eyes and deep-black hair.

My previous body was also skinny but this body is skinnier, and maybe because it's identical, moving now feels normal.

"Can someone explain me what's happening?"

I asked.

And right after that, a transparent window that just normally appears in fantasy stories or games appeared in front of me.

Looks like it came from the watch-like device I'm wearing.

I was startled but calmed down right away because waking up in a different body is more surprising than this transparent window.

"Since when did I have this thing on me?"

I asked looking at the watch device in my right wrist.

No answer came, just the transparent window remain, it have something written on it so I tried reading it.

[Hello you inferior being, be glad because what's happening to you right now is a rare thing! Just shut up and your additional rewards will be given with a few explanation soon.]

I don't who sent this message but it sure is cocky.

And not long after that, another transparent window appeared before me, then letters started to appear in it.

[You received 2 traits and 1 skill!]

Is what it said.

After reading what's on the window, I can't help but tilt my head.

"What is that for?"

I asked, luckily(?) I recieved a reply from the same window, the letters changed as a form of replying to my question.

[Please shut up, I'll explain it soon.]

But when I read its reply, a frown formed in my face.

'Jerk.'

I thought.

[Bastard, I can read your thoughts.]

'Then better you shit.'

Looks like I can communicate with this thing.

[At least call me 'System' you punk.]

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

The system doesn't just project words and sentences to communicate with me, I can hear a voice inside my mind saying the same thing what the system writes in real time, so I concluded that the voice inside my head and the system are the same.

The voice sounds robotic that it's hard to distinguish if it's from a boy or a girl, but I'm sure annoyed hearing voice inside my head.

"Whatever, just start explaining things to me."

[Then shut up, well anyway you received 2 traits and 1 skill.]

"I know, you just said that earlier."

[...]

After a pause, the system continued, ignoring my words.

[Well anyway, this is what you received:]

After the system said that, a new transparent window appeared.

=====

[TRAITS]

<Understanding>

<I like the spotlight>

[SKILL]

<Monarch's Presence Lvl.1>

=====

Right before me are the so called rewards that I received.

"Hey system, what are this for?"

[Try pressing the rewards, they have explanations attached with them.]

I immediately pressed the only 'skill' in the rewards and another blueish transparent window appeared.

=====

<Monarch's Presence Lvl.1>

-Lets you emit pressure or aura of an monarch. This skill reacts on your emotions.

-The skill's strength is based on how much mana you use and the skill's level.

=====

Staring at the explanation in front of me made my heart beat faster, I'm getting excited, I don't know why, but it's a good feeling for me.

[You received that skill because you are like the creator of this place.]

"Me? Creator? Why?"

[Check the other things you got first, Tsk, you're so nosy.]

I know the system have a point but I really want to slap it.

Too bad my hand just pass through it.

'What a shame.'

[Bitch, what did you just tried to do?]

I ignored the weird 'thing' and checked the first 'trait' I got.

=====

<Understanding>

-Makes it easier for you to understand and learn things, it also improve your memory drastically.

=====

"This is what I really need right now as I still don't understand what's going on."

I said with a smile as soon as I read its effects.

[The Higher Being also predicted that that's the case, so they personally selected <Understanding> for you.]

The system said.

"Ohh, really? That Higher Being thing is so nice... And here I thought you're the Higher Being, guess you're just a product huh."

[Well, I'm still a superior being than you so nothing change, peasant.]

"Your insult is getting harsher by time."

[So what?]

"Aren't I like... Your customer?"

[Your mom.]

Then the system tried to insult me more.

"I never met my mom."

I casually replied.

[...]

"..."

Then an awkward silence engulfed the room.

[Shit, I'm sorry.]

The system apologized, it's pretty creepy honestly.

"No it's fine, I don't care either way, growing up without parents is better than growing up with irresponsible one."

That's my personal opinion.

[Just... Sorry. The last 'trait' is what I selected for you, I was just created like an hour ago just to help you as one of your rewards, and I already have the knowledges I need to help you.]

I don't know why, but the system got surprisingly nice and started explaining about itself. I pressed the last 'trait' that is to be said the system picked just for me.

=====

<I like the spotlight>

-Uses attentions that you gained to boost your growth.

-The strength of the growth boost changes based on how much attentions you are receiving.

=====

"..."

I blankly looked at the transparent window as I re-read the trait's description again and again.

After snapping out from my daze, my head shifted at the system's direction and glared at it.

"You bitch! Are you telling me to become a attention whore?!"

[Well... First, I picked that just to mess with you... Sorry.]

I didn't talked and just continued to glare at the system.

[But hey look, it will help you on your training, right? I'm sure that you need it.]

"How am I gonna need it?"

I asked with a hint of curiosity.

'Why would I need to train anyway?'

[Check your status.]

The system said.

I looked at it doubtfully for a second then...

'Status'

I muttered in my mind.

And another transparent window appeared in front of me.

=====

[STATUS]

Name:Raven Obadiah

Rank:F-

Mana Control:F

Strength:F-

Agility:F-

Stamina:F-

Intelligence:E-

Luck:E-

Charm:F-

[SKILLS]

<Monarch's Presence Lvl.1>

<Insight Lvl.1>

[TRAITS]

<Calm Thinker>

<Understanding>

<I like the spotlight>

=====

[Oh, you can open it without me teaching you.]

"I'm not that stupid, people with common sense can do that too."

I read a lot of fantasy novels so I know.

Then scanned through 'My status'.

"But isn't this stats way too low? What happened to the charm?"

I complained.

I don't know anything about this status thing, but seeing the Fs, I know it's not good.

"And my new name is 'Raven'? It have the same meaning as my previous name, just cooler."

After that, I started asking the system questions to quench the questions running through my head.