Arthur stood silently before a full length mirror as several butlers finished helping him into his formal attire.
Layer by layer, they fastened a pristine military style uniform over his body. The tailored black and white coat fit him perfectly, its silver trim sitting well on his lean frame.
Resting proudly over the left side of his chest was the Ashbourne family crest...
A dying star.
The emblem was beautifully embroidered in silver thread, giving it an air of ancient nobility.
As the butlers made the final adjustments, Arthur found himself staring at his own reflection.
"..."
He couldn’t help but marvel to himself.
’...I’m really handsome.’
His neatly styled black hair had been brushed back by the butlers, exposing a smooth forehead that only emphasized his sharp, well defined facial features.
Deep black eyes.
A straight nose.
A perfectly sculpted jawline.
His face looked almost unreal.
He resembled one of those impossibly attractive male love interests that always appeared in romance novels.
The kind with exaggeratedly perfect facial features that made readers question whether such people could even exist.
Except...
This face was real.
His own reflection almost gave him the impression of a playboy because of his youthful appearance and lean physique.
Arthur let out an awkward laugh.
’...I never would’ve thought I’d be so dazed from staring at a guy.’
He scratched the back of his head.
’I’m pretty sure I never swung that way.’
A suspicious look crossed his face.
’...Did the glitch that trapped me here really do that much damage to me?’
One of the butlers stepped back after giving Arthur’s collar one final adjustment.
"We’re finished, Young Master."
"You may be on your way."
Arthur turned toward the middle aged butler with deep brown hair neatly combed back and a calm, dignified expression.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Oh."
"Thank you, Sebastian."
The butler placed a hand over his chest and gave a respectful bow.
"It is my pleasure, Young Master."
...
Arthur strode through the mansion’s grand corridors, making his way toward the grand central meeting hall.
Each step echoed softly against the polished marble floors.
The hallways themselves were works of art.
Towering pillars supported the high vaulted ceiling, while chandeliers cast a warm golden glow over the estate.
As he walked, his eyes drifted toward the countless framed portraits adorning the walls.
Each depicted a former head of House Ashbourne.
His mother.
His grandmother.
His great grandmother.
And generations before them.
Every woman wore the same dignified military uniform bearing the Ashbourne family crest.
Through the enormous floor to ceiling windows, Arthur could also see the family’s sprawling gardens.
Magnificent stone statues had been erected in honor of each former Lady of House Ashbourne.
They stood proudly among countless blooming blue roses, their stone gazes fixed toward the heavens as though watching over the star system they had once ruled.
"...Wow..."
Arthur slowed to a stop.
For a brief moment, he simply admired the breathtaking scenery.
A smile gradually spread across his face.
"So this..."
"...is House Ashbourne."
Even with the memories, seeing it with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.
A surge of excitement coursed through him.
This world...
No.
This universe.
It was breathtaking.
And he couldn’t wait to discover everything it had to offer.
Then another thought suddenly crossed his mind.
’...Though...’
A mischievous grin appeared on his face.
’If gender roles are really reversed in this universe...’
He glanced at his reflection in one of the polished windows.
With Arthur’s perfectly styled black hair, striking black eyes, and ridiculously handsome face...
’...I wonder if girls are going to be hitting on me.’
He chuckled to himself.
’I mean...’
’With a face like this...’
’...how could they not?’
Still smiling, Arthur continued walking through the corridor.
Then he suddenly blinked.
"...Oh."
His footsteps came to a halt again.
’That’s right.’
’I completely forgot.’
His eyes lit up.
’The starter gift boxes the developers left for me.’
A grin slowly spread across his face.
’...I haven’t opened them yet. System, open Inventory.’
DING!
〘Inventory〙
• Premium Starter Item Gift Box ×1
• Premium Starter Riki Cultivation Gift Box ×1
• Premium Starter Weapon Gift Box ×1
Arthur’s eyes lingered on the three unopened boxes.
’...Open the Premium Starter Item Gift Box.’
DING!
The gift box inside his inventory dissolved into countless particles of green light.
A new notification appeared before him.
〘Congratulations! You have obtained: Combat Learning and Pattern Recognition Assistant AI: GENESIS.〙
Moments later, a black metallic cube materialized in front of Arthur.
It was roughly the size of his palm.
Its surface was perfectly smooth, interrupted only by a single crimson optical sensor embedded into one side that resembled a mechanical eye.
The red lens slowly rotated before locking onto Arthur.
〘Item Information〙
Name: Advanced Combat Learning and Pattern Recognition Assistant AI: GENESIS
Level: 1
Grade: Black Star
Item Type: Bound (Cannot be Unequipped or Sold)
〘Would the player like to equip this item?〙
Arthur stared at the floating cube.
’...Seriously?’
His shoulders slumped.
A long sigh escaped his lips.
’My luck...’
’...is still complete trash!’
Back on Earth, his luck with gacha pulls in this game had always been notoriously awful.
Whenever his friends pulled the newest legendary items and implants in their first twenty pulls...
He pulled the weakest ones.
Whenever there was a one percent chance of failure...
He somehow found it.
’Don’t tell me...’
’Did my horrible luck actually follow me into another world?’
He rubbed the bridge of his nose.
’How else am I supposed to explain getting the lowest grade reward from a Premium Starter Box?’
Arthur looked at the tiny black cube with an expression of utter disappointment.
"I guess a free item is still a free item."
Just as he was about to equip it...
DING!
A second notification suddenly appeared before him.
Arthur blinked.
〘Enhancement Points Detected.〙
〘Would the player like to enhance this item?〙
Arthur’s disappointed expression froze.
"...Huh?"
"...Wait."
His eyes slowly drifted toward the impossible number displayed at the top of the Enhancement menu.
〘Enhancement Points Remaining: 999,999,999,999,999,999+〙
’Right...’
’I almost forgot.’
If those enhancement points were real...
Then perhaps...
He looked back at the hovering black cube.
’...System.’
’How many enhancement points would it cost to upgrade this item all the way to Divine Grade?’
There was a brief pause.
Then...
DING!
〘Calculating...〙
A new prompt appeared before him.
〘From Black Star Grade → Divine Grade (10 Rank Upgrades):〙
〘Required Enhancement Points: 1,000,000〙
Arthur’s eyes widened.
’...Only one million?’
Under normal circumstances...
That number was utterly absurd.
One million enhancement points.
An amount most players would need nearly six full seasons of relentless grinding, raids, achievements, and events to accumulate.
It was an investment reserved only for the wealthiest players on the global leaderboards.
Yet...
Compared to the impossible mountain of enhancement points Arthur possessed...
It was less than a drop of water in an endless ocean.
He hesitated for a moment.
’If this really works...’
He swallowed.
"...Upgrade."