I should not have opened that message.
The message at the end of the online novel I was reading.
The one that turned my life upside down.
I used to be a corporate slave at a Japanese service center company. Communication was my daily bread.
My life followed the same routine: work, eat, sleep, then work again. I repeated it every day, until one day I finally resigned.
And now, I am an unemployed, no-life man in his thirties. I spend my days reading online novels in a rented room filled with trash—one I will be evicted from in a few days due to unpaid rent.
The rented room was dark. The only light came from my phone screen, quietly displaying the novel I was reading.
The novel I'm reading now has an Otome Game theme. It tells the story of a female main character who lives in a fantasy world, filled with handsome princes. The journey of the main character's life that I saw was quite pleasant, just meeting a prince, tripping, and finally being liked by that prince.
The life of the main character I'm reading feels so instant when I feel it. It feels like…
"The author treats this protagonist like his wife," I muttered with a dry laugh.
But behind all those advantages, I don't hate the main character, because her nature is still good in my opinion. And I like good people. Compared to all that, I don't really like the role of the antagonist. Because…
'This woman is too arrogant and haughty.'
That's what I thought at that time. Especially when I read the last slide page before the ending, where the main character kills the female antagonist's self-esteem… that, in my opinion, was the most satisfying part!
"Hah… finally finished."
That's what I thought, but…
My eyes widened. "Wait, what? There's still one more slide?" I said in surprise, because I thought the ending was the last page.
Slowly my curiosity began to strengthen, and well…
"There's still plenty of time to read one more page," I said, without further ado, immediately scrolling the slide.
Gradually I pulled my finger from bottom to top. Word by word began to appear on the screen. Until finally, the reflection of the cell phone screen light into my pupils became proof that I saw it…
"Wait… what is this message?"
===============================
Thank you for reading my novel, loyal readers!
I know you must have many complaints about my novel. Especially maybe from the main character that I made too much profit! I personally apologize profusely!
For that, as an apology… I as the author offer you to improve the storyline of my novel!
===============================
My eyes widened. 'Huh..? What does this mean? Improve the storyline?' I questioned, still confused about what the author meant.
My thumb kept sliding. My curiosity kept piling up. The remnants of the writing began to appear clearly every time the screen scrolled, forming a complete remaining sentence.
===============================
Do you want improvement?
YES. NO.
===============================
'What does this mean?'
I increasingly didn't understand what was happening. There was a last message from the author offering an improvement, and given two options below it between yes or no?
"Hahaha…"
I could only laugh softly seeing all this. It seems… the author wants to play a role like in a Transmigration novel, huh? Because such an event can't possibly happen in the real world, right? If such an impossible event isn't nonsense… what else could it be besides that?
'… Alright. I will follow the game he made.'
My thumb slowly shifted to one of the options. Then…
===============================
Do you want improvement?
[YES] NO.
===============================
"…"
"Hahaha… I already guessed that…"
'Eh?'
For some reason my head suddenly felt dizzy.
"What…"
Brukk!
My cell phone fell right on my face. My consciousness faded slowly. My body began to stiffen in a side-lying position. Am I really going to die in this absurd condition?
'Damn author.'
Those were the words I remembered before I finally died in that absurd position. And now…
I opened my eyes slowly, "Emm?"
Blinking a few times, before finally realizing. "... Eh? Wait a minute! Where am I now?!"
Apparently, there was an even more absurd event than before.
***
I am now in a place called the slave market. Several days have passed since that day. I thought being transferred to this world would make me a handsome prince, but it turned out the opposite… I even became the lowest caste, a slave!
"Damn author…," I muttered annoyedly.
I still clearly remember when I was first transferred to this ten-year-old child's body. I shouted loudly while saying the same words as I had said earlier. From that shout, I suddenly received several hard blows from the [Slave Guard] here.
"Ugh… remembering those times is really painful."
Now… I'm wearing shabby clothes that are probably made of burlap. The texture of the fabric is rough and of course…
"Why is this shirt so itchy…? Does this shirt have fur, huh?" I questioned, rubbing my itchy back against the rough prison wall.
The main reason I rubbed my body against the wall wasn't because my hands couldn't reach, but my hands were now in handcuffs, which made me unable to do it. And these handcuffs that bind me are really uncomfortable. Especially the handcuffs that bind my neck!
After the itch I felt subsided, my body immediately fell limply to the sandy floor of the slave prison. My body felt like it had no energy, my already thin cheeks were getting worse, because the food in this slave prison was really not worth it. Only a bland soup with three vegetables as a side dish. Isn't this more like torture?
'There's no future for me here,' I muttered.
The stench of death hung in the air. Slaves lay unmoving around me. I wondered if this was where my struggle would end.
My mother's face crossed my mind.
I bit the tip of my lip. 'No… I have to survive longer!'
My determination to survive began to grow stronger. I felt… that my life journey was still long. It's impossible for me to be sent to this world without a reason, right? Therefore, I can't give up now!
My golden eyes became sharper, following my increasingly strong determination. I tried to lift my heavy body. My lungs felt difficult to receive oxygen, because my breath felt so fast. Even though it all felt difficult… I finally managed to do it.
"Hah… just standing up feels this difficult." My hand combed my brown hair back.
'It seems, I have to change my skinny body first,' I said. A confident smile appeared wide on my face.
***
A few minutes after that. Now… I'm thinking about how to get enough protein intake to build muscle mass. Because, if my muscle mass is too low… I won't be able to change this damn skinny body.
"Hah… I have to think about how," I said. My mind sank into the fingers that were on my chin.
According to internet research when I was in my old world… to get good protein, I have to look for food intake in the form of animal meat. Because in animal meat, there are various amino acids that make it good at shaping the body. But from all that…
'How can I get meat?'
That's the obstacle. I don't know how to get meat in a place like this prison!
"Damn…," I grumbled annoyedly.
In the midst of blaming the situation, I heard a sound that was so familiar… Like the sound of wood that was carved in such a way that it was knocked on a base made of the same material. Which is none other than a… chess!
Now, the chess was being played by a [Slave Guard] on a round table not too far from me. The guard looked quite old with his thick beard. It seems… the guard is only guarding alone today. But, well… from there I could smell the scent of an opportunity to get meat.
'I have to try it first.'
"… Ahem… Ahem…"
I've cleared my throat twice, softly, but it seems the old guard hasn't noticed my presence. He's still busy with his solo chess game. It seems… I have to clear my throat even louder!
I took a deeper breath. "AHEM…!"
The guard turned around.
'Oh…! it seems he has noticed my presence!'
He jumped from his chair, heading towards me. After arriving in front of the iron bars, his brown eyes sharpened, looking at me as if I was the most annoying person today.
"What's wrong, kid?" His voice was firm, as if he didn't like me from the start.
I swallowed, reducing my nervousness. "Um… that, sir. Earlier… I saw that you seemed to be playing chess, right?"
His eyes widened. "... How do you know, kid?"
It seems, he doesn't believe that I understand about the game of chess. Well, that's normal… a slave, especially still ten years old, being able to know a game like chess, isn't that too absurd?
"Well… when I was little, I was once introduced to the game by my late father, sir. That's why I know a little about the game. Hehe…"
Actually… what I said earlier, most of it wasn't a lie. Because when I first moved bodies… memories of this child's past immediately flooded my mind. When this child was only five years old, he witnessed his village being destroyed by bandits. His parents were killed, and he was taken away and sold into slavery.
That was the end of his childhood.
Looking at the expression on the face of the [Slave Guard] in front, it seems he doesn't fully believe me yet. He seems to still doubt what I said. For that, I have to provide more proof that I also understand the game.
"… Isn't your King's position now in box A4, sir? And now the enemy pawn is blocking your King's path in position A5, right?"
Hearing what I said earlier, his expression immediately changed. Like between confusion and amazement at my ability to assess his game. Maybe if his heart could be heard, he would definitely say, 'How can this child assess my game?'.
He scratched his non-itchy brown hair. "Y-yeah… that's right…"
I smirked slightly. "Hah… if I were you, sir. I would definitely move the King's position to retreat one step first, before playing the others."
The man in front of me seemed increasingly confused. "Why do you think so?"
'He's starting to get interested in the bait I threw…!'
"… Try looking at the enemy pawn in position B2, sir. If you still don't move your King from position A5, that enemy pawn will move forward and directly to position B5 which can directly checkmate you."
Hearing something like that from a small child, especially a slave like me, of course anyone with a high status would immediately be amazed to hear it. Especially since he's just a [Slave Guard]. Judging from his face alone, I know his amazement made him unable to say anything.
"W-wow…! How can you know several steps ahead like that?! Where did you learn that from?!" he questioned in amazement, without holding back any questions.
I smiled slightly. "Well, I told you, sir… that I know all those games from my late father."
Well… actually behind all my abilities, when I was just unemployed in the old world, I spent my free time playing online chess. And from there, for some reason I kept playing, until I ended up becoming the former online chess champion 2nd place at the provincial level. That's why… I understand exactly what this chess game is like.
"Hehe…"
A few moments after the person in front of me realized he had displayed excessive amazement, his behavior suddenly returned to normal. It seems he was so ashamed of his attitude, as if he had conveyed his feelings to the person he liked.
'Haha…'
To the point that I laughed softly in my heart.
"Ahem… please forget uncle's attitude earlier."
He scrutinized me.
"By the way… uncle sees that you are good at this chess game. So… uncle wants to offer you to spar with uncle, when uncle is guarding. Do you want to?"
Seeing this, I was reminded of one of the proverbs from my old world, "What is destined for you will not pass you by". That's roughly the sound of the proverb. Initially, I didn't understand the meaning of the proverb. However… when I felt it directly, I began to understand the meaning of the proverb!
'Wow, this is…'
A grinning smile dominated my face. 'The fish has eaten my bait…!'
The uncle who saw my grinning smile, his expression suddenly changed to doubt. He was probably confused whether the decision he made was right or not. If his heart could speak directly to me, it might say, 'What's wrong with this child's strange attitude?' or not 'Is my decision right?' that's probably what his heart would say.
"… What's wrong with you, kid?"
I realized. Instantly changing my expression to normal. "Ah… no, sir. Earlier I was just thinking about how fun and how much I would learn later when playing chess with you!"
That's what I said. Yes, that's what I said earlier. But, for some reason from what I said… instead it made him even more confident.
"Hoh… is that so? Of course it will be fun if you play with me! Especially since I'm good, right? Of course you will learn a lot from me! Hahaha!"
'… I didn't expect a response like that.'
But…
"Um… sir—."
"Uncle El. Just Uncle El," he interrupted. Asking me to correct his name.
"… Um, Uncle El. Um… I'm going to accompany Uncle El to play chess later. Well, from there… I want to ask for a little exchange from Uncle's request. Is that okay?"
'Please God! I hope this works!'
I looked at Uncle El's face carefully. Afraid he would reject my request. For a few seconds I kept looking at him, and I started to see signs that…
"Hmm…"
I responded to his murmur. "Ahh…! Of course I'm not asking for anything fancy! I'm just asking for one thing sa—!"
"Alright. So… what is your request?"
"… Eh?"
He… accepted my request?
My mind for a moment was still floating between believing and disbelieving what was happening. Until the uncle who saw me contemplating, made him a little uncomfortable.
"So what is your request, kid?" he asked. His voice was rather firm, making me realize.
"Ah… yes. Um… for my request is… some of Uncle's 'Grilled meat'."
Hearing my request, his eyes immediately widened. It seems…
"… Just meat?!"
He couldn't believe that my request was only that.
"Hahaha! I thought you would ask for something big. Like asking for freedom, even though I wouldn't give it. Well… what is the original? just some grilled meat. Hahaha!"
'Ugh… For some reason I don't like it when he underestimates my request.'
His laughter kept echoing throughout the room. A few minutes passed with his laughter, until he really stopped a few seconds after that.
"Hah… alright. That's all your request, right?"
"Yes, uncle," I replied confidently.
"Well… I'll bring some grilled meat every time we play chess."
I smirked widely. "Okay, Uncle El."