[Well, that depressing stuff is over..... for now at least.]

  "Eh? What depressing stuff?" Alex raised a brow at the hovering screen.

  [That's none of your business.]

  "If it's none of my business, then why bring it up?"

  [Because I felt like it.]

  Alex rolled his eyes and continued shoveling his compost heap near the stables, mixing the food waste and animal faeces with the soil from the village.

  With Cain's favorite handkerchief covering half of his face, he added some of the compost in flowerpots containing peas and beans as some begun to sprout.

  ("I swear you're doing all this to spite me.")

  "How's me doing your job an act of spite?"

  ("My hands are touching waste and you're using my handkerchief.")

  "So?"

  ("..... You've been in my body for nearly two months now and I still can't stand your attitude.")

  "We still have ten months until I can leave this horrid body, so deal with it. Plus, you can't handle this issue and I don't want my love life to be cursed. I still need to confess to my crush."

  ("Really? From what I've heard, your love life was already cursed.")

  [Pfft... HAHAHAHA]

  "....."

  ("Anyway, why are you doing this? Can't you tell the servants to do it?")

  "You have many enemies, remember? So how am I supposed to ask people I don't trust to handle this work for me?"

  ("Tsk...")

  "Exactly," Alex smiled triumphantly, plunging the shovel in the ground then began watering the seedlings with the water in the bucket nearby.

  "Besides, we need to do this now before the rain in four months time."

  ("I'm still haunted by your pathetic display to this thing just to obtain this information,") Cain sighed, recalling Alex's previous lazy whining and the System's mini quests that motivated him.

  [Excuse me? I'm not a thing. Plus, don't act as if you didn't enjoy bossing him around.]

  ("I admit that giving orders to this brat was.... fun. But I still had to watch my body grovel and being thrown back just from pulling the trigger. And don't get me started on that abomination he had to drive for two weeks straight.")

  "Shut it, you jerks. I'm trying to work," he shuttered at the memory of the bubbling liquid he had to intake. Still tasting it in his mouth.

  [Come on. You were graceful when embarrassing yourself. Like a newborn chick.]

  Alex grabbed the shovel, gloved hands gripping it tightly as he waved it in the air, as if to hit the screen.... at least trying to hit it as it went through the laughing System.

  He lowered it with a frustrated sigh, "I really hate you..... I'm done, you can now scan it."

  [Uh yes.... Using the feature you unlocked after fixing the body—]

  "Just scan it already."

  The orange screen hovered over the heap and the flowerpots, flashing a green light.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  [Analysis: Seedlings are healthy.]

  [Satisfied, Your Majesty?]

  "Very satisfied. To be continued later," Alex stretched and packed the tools, then went to the palace to wash up.

  Half an hour later, he stood in front of the mirror in Cain's bedchambers, getting dressed with the clothes Head butler George chose for him.

  [Character info:

  Name: Titanias Cain Augustus III

  Status: King (former Grand Duke)

  Reign: Five years

  Age: 29

  Height: 8'5 (former) ~ 6'4 (current)

  Weight: 292 lbs (former) ~ 198 lbs (current)]

  ("It still upsets me that you also added scars on my body.")

  "It was too perfect and unnatural for someone who has been in war before. I had no choice."

  ("You changed my body for points.")

  "It was part of the mini quests. And I need the points."

  ("Though I appreciate it. It was hard to sleep at times,") Cain grumbled, ("Also, I have thought of someone who could intercept the smuggled food exported by the nobles.")

  "Really? Who?"

  ("Just someone.")

  "Alright. You'll tell me later."

  After he finished getting dressed, he went to Cain's study, bypassing servants who stopped and bowed at him then began whispering amongst themselves when they thought he was out of earshot.

  "Is it just me or His Majesty looks shorter now?" whispered one maid.

  "No, he is shorter..... and appears more younger," said the other, stealing glance at his retreating silhouette.

  Cain remained silent, feeling guilt mixed with mild amusement from Alex.

  Once in the study, Alex began reviewing the piles of documents on the desk. Sighing every five minutes, dipping the quill in ink.

  "I can never get used to this. I miss my phone...."

  ("Too bad. You're the king, so do your work.")

  He sighed and placed the pen away, turning to the System, "I'm on a break. Entertain me."

  [*Glares*]

  [I still have the bottle with the elixir.]

  "Apologies. What I meant to say was— enlighten me with your infinite knowledge, Great System."

  [What would you like to know?]

  Alex grinned and before he could utter a word, someone knocked on the door. "Come in," he said, hiding his disappointment with a neutral face.

  The door opened, and the elderly Head butler George entered the study. His black suit pressed and his grey hair combed back neatly as he adjusted his glasses before he bowed.

  "Good afternoon, Sire."

  "Good afternoon, George. What can I do for you today?" Alex asked, trying to conceal his discomfort of addressing an elder by their first name.

  George, now used to his manner of speech, stood up straight, "Sir Abel wishes to have a word with you, Your Majesty."

  ("He's.... alive?")

  Alex felt anger, relief and fear from Cain as his heart began to race involuntarily.

  "Allow him in."

  With a nod, George stepped out of the room and a striking scarred man in armor entered soon after.

  The man's silver eyes stared at him with suspicion and concealed resentment as he stood before him. Shoulder length auburn hair flowing in waves.

  'Damn! Why is everyone in this world hot?!'

  ("Are you sure you're straight?")

  'Can't a guy appreciate beauty without being gay?'

  ("Whatever. Now focus.")

  "Your Majesty," Abel gave a mocking bow.

  'His voice is also beautiful. He's definitely a male lead,' Alex composed himself despite the tingling sensation in his spine as he nodded, "Sir Abel."

  ("..... You're hopeless.")

  'I'm only human.'

  Abel's eyes assessed Alex, his gaze piercing, lifting a corner of his lips, "The rumors are true. You have changed a lot. Feeling guilty.... dear brother?"

  'Pardon?'

  Cain sighed, ("He is my half-brother.")

  'Wait a minute.... It all makes sense now!'

  ("Huh?")

  Alex sat up straight, "Perhaps my change was born from guilt. The real question is— who do I feel guilty for and why?"

  Abel hummed and glanced around the study before returning his gaze back to him, "How's Eleanor?"

  "I'm not sure."

  "Of course you're not sure. You barely care about your own fiancée."

  "She's handling her own matters—"

  "A pathetic excuse. By the way, where's Ruth? She's usually around here at this time."

  "I don't know. I'm too busy with other issues to indulge her."

  ("You fool!")

  Abel walked towards in a fit of rage and grabbed him by the collar, then paused upon gazing into his crimson eyes. The scent of drying blood and dust grew stronger from his armor.

  "You're not Cain, are you?"

  "No, I'm not Cain."

  ("What are you planning, boy?")

  'I'm turning a slip-up into an advantage. Let me show you how Alex handles things.'

  "Who are you then?"

  "I'll explain this situation if you let go and sit down."

  Abel reluctantly let go of him and sat across, hand on his sword.

  Cain watched Abel's eyes became less hostile as Alex explained awkwardly, with missing bits and pieces, especially about the System, and backhanded remarks thrown at the flabbergasted King.

  Abel burst out laughing, "So, you're telling me that you're a teenager from another world who took over Cain's body and Cain is still conscious but can't control his own body?"

  "Yes."

  "So he can see and hear me right now?"

  "Yes."

  "How does it feel seeing a teenage boy without proper training handle your kingdom better than you, brother?"

  ("He hasn't done anything great. He's lazy and immature.")

  "He says that he's nearing enlightenment. He's in denial of repentance at the moment."

  "Tsk... Typical. You also said that you're currently finding a solution for the famine, correct?"

  "Yes. However, I'm not sure it would help stabilize the issue with the theft and smuggling."

  "I see," Abel tapped his finger on the table in thought, "I'm guessing that you revealed all this to me in order to assist you in a way."

  "The idea came suddenly, but yes. I'm sure you know every possible route around the kingdom and I was wondering if—"

  "If I should intercept the smuggled goods and distribute them to the villagers."

  "Yes."

  "I understand that you have good intentions. However, this would only lead to conflict and I don't want to be a scapegoat."

  ("See. Your naive thinking would be your downfall.")

  "I'm sorry for not thinking this through."

  Abel sighed and shook his head, "Don't be. I'll help you find a way concerning the smuggling while you focus on the soil. But only on one condition."

  "Which is....?"

  "Check on Eleanor regularly. She may not be your fiancée, but she's still Cain's fiancée to the kingdom."

  "Deal."

  Cain groaned in frustration.

  Abel gave him a small smile and walked towards the door, "And Alex?"

  "Yes, Sir?"

  "I hope you succeed," with that, he left the study, and Alex sighed in relief, leaning back on the backrest.

  "I'll ask the System on this world's lore."

  [Holder Candidate Quest One: Change the plot

  ?Duration: 322 days

  ?Reward: 10,000 points

  ?Failure: Bad luck at love]