I. A Noble's Offer

  Ahmed had been living in the orphanage for what felt like weeks—or maybe it was just days. He'd lost all sense of time, mainly because he'd been crying, complaining, and teasing the system nonstop. That was his new reality.

  But then, as if the universe hadn't done enough to him yet, a new twist arrived.

  It all began when a lady in elegant robes—bright and lavishly decorated with pearls and gold—walked into the orphanage. She was tall, with blonde hair that shined like the sun, her eyes the color of deep sapphire. She radiated nobility from every single inch of her presence. She had that refined grace that could only come from someone born into a family that breathed royalty.

  "Is this... the place where the poor little children are brought to die?" The lady's voice was like honey, dripping with concern. But Ahmed could tell—she wasn't really concerned. She was just dramatic, as noble people tended to be.

  "I thought orphanages were meant to help children, not trap them in this godforsaken place," she mused aloud, clearly underwhelmed.

  One of the attendants, completely clueless as to who this lady was, nervously bowed. "Madam, you've arrived at the Rose Family's orphanage. How may we assist you, Your Grace?"

  At the mention of the Rose Family, the room seemed to freeze for a split second. The noblewoman was none other than Clayra—a duchess from the Rose Family. And this was a big deal. Rose Family was one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in the entire Polariga Kingdom. They could buy anything—land, kingdoms, armies, you name it. But children?

  Well, that was a different story.

  Clayra's sapphire-blue eyes narrowed as she scanned the room of orphaned children, her gaze falling on none other than Ahmed, who was sitting on the floor, muttering under his breath while the system continued its annoying commentary.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: HOST, WHY DO YOU INSIST ON RESISTING? YOU COULD AT LEAST TRY TO PLAY NICE WITH OTHERS. THIS LADY SEEMS INTERESTED.]

  "Interested?" Ahmed whispered, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Is she another one of those weirdos who wants to adopt me, just like Laressa?"

  Before the system could reply, Clayra walked over to him, her eyes gleaming like she was about to find her next prized possession.

  "Well, well," she said, bending down slightly. "What do we have here? A handsome young boy with such sad eyes. I'm Clayra, Duchess of the Rose Family. And I'm interested in adopting you."

  Ahmed's face went white. "Adopt? Me?!"

  Clayra's eyes softened, as if she were some kind of angel sent from the heavens, but the moment Ahmed heard the word "adopt," his mind instantly went into panic mode.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "No! No! NO! I don't need adopting! I don't need any more crazy moms! Stop trying to turn me into some kind of puppet-child for your weird family! I'm fine! I don't want your pity, lady!"

  Clayra blinked, taken aback by his outburst. "Oh, but you see... I've never had children of my own. I've always wanted to adopt, but it never seemed right... until now. You have such... potential. So much energy in you, little one. You don't belong in a place like this. You belong with me, as my son."

  At this point, Ahmed was practically screaming internally. His eyes darted back and forth, trying to find an escape route from this madness.

  "Wait! What?! You want me to be your son?! You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, lady!" Ahmed's face twisted into a mixture of disbelief and utter frustration. "I'm already stuck with a system that makes me do baby cries every few minutes! Why do you think this is a good idea?!"

  The system—naturally—did not let this opportunity slip by.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: HOST, I FEEL THE SYSTEM HAS JUST SUCCESSFULLY TEASED YOU AGAIN. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE ABOUT TO EARN 10 POINTS FOR NOT ACCEPTING YOUR FATE.]

  Ahmed couldn't even begin to process the ridiculousness of this situation. First, Laressa had tried to "adopt" him, and now Clayra—a noblewoman—wanted to take him home as her son. What was next? Was some dragon princess going to show up and ask him to be her prince?

  "I don't need your adoption, Clayra! I don't want to be your son!" Ahmed yelled, standing up and backing away slowly. "This is insane! Why can't you just leave me alone and let me figure out a way to get out of here?!"

  But Clayra just smiled like she had already won. Like a cat toying with a mouse before it pounced. "Oh, sweet child, you don't understand, do you? This is not about you being adopted for pity. This is about saving you. I know exactly what kind of potential you have. I've seen it in you."

  The system, completely amused by Ahmed's suffering, couldn't resist mocking him again.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: HOST IS CLEARLY RESISTING HIS FATE. SYSTEM RECOMMENDS ACCEPTING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN MORE POINTS.]

  "System, shut up! You know what? Just go back to your corner and keep laughing at my misery!" Ahmed snapped, staring into the empty space around him.

  And as if on cue, the system piped up once more:

  [SYSTEM RESPONSE: HOST, SYSTEM IS ONLY TRYING TO HELP YOU. THE HOST DOESN'T REALIZE THIS ADOPTION COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR POWER.]

  Clayra, her face now painted with an all-knowing smile, raised her hand as if she were about to make some grand announcement. "It's settled then! You'll come with me, Ahmed. We'll start fresh, together. I'm sure we'll both find what we've been looking for."

  Ahmed looked at her with wide eyes, his body frozen in place. "Wait, wait, wait—hold up. Did you just say we'll both find what we've been looking for? Are you insane? I was perfectly happy being a miserable adult back in my old life! I didn't want to be turned into a cute boy for some rich family!"

  But no matter how much he protested, Clayra just kept smiling that infuriating smile.

  "Yes, you will be my son. And I will give you the world," she said. "Together, we'll make a wonderful family."

  The system, of course, took this moment to hit Ahmed with a final blow.

  [SYSTEM ALERT: HOST HAS EARNED 15 POINTS FOR RESISTING ADOPTION. SYSTEM NOW RECOMMENDS ACCEPTING HIS FATE.]

  "I'm going to lose my mind," Ahmed muttered under his breath as the whole world seemed to close in on him. "Why am I the one always stuck with this madness?"

  Epilogue: The Family That Ahmed Didn't WantClayra has adopted Ahmed.Ahmed is still in denial.The system is still enjoying his emotional breakdowns.More pranks, more points, and more chaos are coming soon.

  End of Chapter 7