I Don’t Want to Start a Story!

The dirty village was a welcome sight for Max as he effortlessly got lost within the bustling crowds created by a population of a few hundred. A couple of weeks ago, his presence was met with angry stares as he tried to navigate the medieval village. Now, not only were they used to him, but they also welcomed his presence. As far as they were aware, he wasn’t a troublemaker. The biggest strain on their relationship was Max’s disgust for most of the villagers. It wasn’t his first life in this kind of setting, but he still couldn’t get used to the smell. For some reason, the authors and filmmakers in his original world never went into detail about how horrendous everyone smelled.

“Max!” He froze when his name was called out by someone from the crowd. His posture only relaxed after confirming there wasn’t an alert for a potential beginning of a story. A second later, his neck and nose were being assaulted by a rough embrace. “You need to leave that old farm more often,” Aldwin cried with enthusiasm.

Max largely ignored him clinging to his neck. “Did I miss the village meeting?” There was a charmingly innocent and an extremely irritating part to Aldwin’s personality. He was a strong young man, who often toiled on various local farms for hours under the sun and was always in dire need of a bath. Brown hair, dark eyes, big, smiley, and not a brain cell in sight; he was probably the closest friend Max had made in this lifetime.

Aldwin finally released his grip. “Not yet, but we should get going if we want to get a good spot in the village hall. Seems like they’re gathering us to talk about our extraterrestrial friends.” He tried his best to make a creepy face but dropped it quickly. “Did another cow get taken recently?”

“They got poor Juniper last night.” Aldwin tried to look upset at the news, even though he didn’t know the names of any of the local cows. “People at the meeting might bring up the meteorite that crashed earlier today.”

“There was a meteorite?”

“That’s what the shepherd boy said.” Max stopped mid-stride in the street. They were heading down the most direct street towards the village hall when a notification appeared in the corner of his eye.

Story Name:

Project: Restoration

Genre:

Adventure

Description:

Train with a retired knight before going on a quest to restore balance between rival nations.

Goal:

Create peace.

Difficulty:

★★☆☆☆

How to Start:

Make eye contact with the undercover knight!

He couldn’t help unconsciously sneering at the newest prompt. The system was making it hard to avoid this one. Without saying a word to Aldwin, Max turned so he could go through the back alleys and avoid the hidden knight on the main road.

“The shepherd boy said that? It would explain the noise I heard earlier today. But I don’t trust that little creep-” Max tuned out his ramblings. It was the biggest reason why the village idiot was the closest person he had to a friend. He never questioned any of his strange decisions.

“Settle down now.” The decrepit mayor’s voice repeatedly tried to quiet his people in the village hall. After seeing that the village had collectively decided to ignore him, he grabbed his eldest son’s sword before swinging it with all his strength at the closest knight’s shield. The clang rang out causing everyone to unanimously stop talking. They watched without breathing to see if the feat of strength had been the mayor’s last. “As I said, settle down.” A unanimous sigh of disappointment came from the attendants before they finally calmed themselves. One day…

“As you know, we’ve recently been experiencing a plague of… creatures from space. As of this morning, six sheep, twenty-three chickens, and fifteen cows have been reportedly taken.” Had it been fifteen already? Max wasn’t too sure if that number was accurate. Did Bessie intentionally misreport to get extra calves or had other farms- “Although there have been reports of people misfiling or exaggerating numbers.” Max held his breath. It sounded like the potential beginning of another story. “But I know my people, and we would never do something like that.”

The town let out a collective cheer of agreement. The knights from the capital didn’t seem convinced, but without the mayor’s permission or the King’s orders there was nothing they could do. They were forced to accept the false reality being presented to them. “Yes, yes. We’re not that kind of people.” Another cheer, but there were a few snickers mixed in this time. “But this cannot go on.”

Story Name:

Aliens from Above (Human Version).

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Description:

After trying to save his precious cows, the MC decides to lead a genocide against an alien race.

Goal:

Wipe them out. No survivors.

Difficulty:

★★★★☆

How to Start:

Join the knights in pretending to protect the cows!

Here we go again. It was irritating that the potential stories didn’t usually go away until-

Story Name:

The Missing Heir

Genre:

Historical Fiction

Description:

The long-lost son of the Duke is found, but can he adjust to his new position?

Goal:

Become the Duke.

Difficulty:

★★☆☆☆

How to Start:

Be identified by the messenger of the Duke!

???

It changed? So suddenly? Suspicious, Max deliberately moved behind Aldwin and the butcher’s boy. The butcher’s boy seemed a little puzzled as to why he suddenly wanted to stand further back but didn’t say anything since Aldwin didn’t react.

“The knights here don’t seem to be too familiar with the area-”

The mayor was interrupted by the sound of the village hall’s doors being violently opened by unfamiliar men. Although Max couldn’t recognise the emblems, he assumed they must be some of the Duke’s men. The village obediently followed the strangers’ instructions to make room. Just as the meeting was starting to become a bore, there was sudden excitement in the air. A pompous man with the best moustache Max had ever seen finally waltzed in. “I am here on behalf-”

“What the fuck do you want?” The mayor sputtered. Everyone took another deep breath, were they going to get another sense of excitement? Apparently, it wasn’t stressful enough to cause him to have a heart attack… yet. “Get out of my town hall!”

“In but a moment,” the Duke’s messenger touched his moustache as if to show his status. “I am here to find the missing son of the Northern Duke. And I have found him.” He pointed in Max’s direction. “Him!”

Without hesitating, Max put a strong hand on the butcher’s boy’s shoulder. “Kurt?!? You didn’t tell us that you were the son of a Duke?”

The butcher’s boy seemed perplexed as all but one person turned to look at him. The poor butcher’s wife was sweating profusely as she endured the venomous glare of her husband. “I…I’m not…”

“I knew there was something special about you,” Aldwin chimed.

“It’s impossible, I can’t be-”

“Yeah, yeah.” Max gave him a light shove to force him out of the crowd and closer to the messenger. “When you become a rich Duke, be sure to come back and remember who sent you on this path.” He gave the puzzled young lad a genuine smile.

The messenger squinted for a moment as if he was trying to see him properly. “Yes? Ah yes! Just the man I was looking for. Come! Come now! You have a bright future ahead of you.”

The butcher’s boy gave his parents a pleading look. His mother gave him a small nod as she endured the cold, bitter glare from her side. His 'father' paid him no mind.

“Get the fuck out Kurt so we can continue the meeting,” the mayor chastised him. The poor young lad jumped slightly from the harsh words before hanging his head low and following the strangers out of the town hall’s doors.

Max let out a small sigh of relief as the system prompt reverted back.

Story Name:

Aliens from Above (Human Version).

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Description:

After trying to save his precious cows, the MC decides to lead a genocide against an alien race.

Goal:

Wipe them out. No survivors.

Difficulty:

★★★★☆

How to Start:

Join the knights in pretending to protect the cows!