Side Character's Curse

8|| Situation

Rowan forgot to mention one tiny little detail in his crash course: time flowed differently in the dream world.

"Lady Jia, wake up!" Abney's sharp tone resounded through the wooden door. "You have already missed breakfast. Laziness is not a virtuous quality in a young lady!"

I groaned, pushing myself up. "Sorry, Madame Abney! I will be ready within thirty minutes."

Pinpricks of pain spread across the back of my neck and I dug my fingers into it, trying to bring some small relief. I scratched my head and yawned, grabbing the grimy mirror on my nightstand and squinted into a stranger's reflection.

"Wow." I gasped. "I'm so sorry, Jia."

Deep trenches of shadows encircled her eyes, standing out against sallow skin. I combed my fingers through tangled dark hair, wincing as I pulled on more than just a few knots. Every muscle ached like I'd sprinted a marathon, and I longed for a warm bath to soak in.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed. They transformed into a series of green ones and zeros. I scrambled back and they disappeared, smoothing back into the familiar grey floors.

Another Glitch.

My heart clambered up my throat and I exhaled a shaky breath, burying my face in my hands.

Ding!

I closed my eyes, dread pooled in the pit of my stomach. Please, no.

The woefully familiar sign hovered between me and the closet, illuminating the tiny bedroom with a bright blue glow.

New challenge unlocked!

Complete the 'Misunderstanding' quest and create drama between characters 'Calista' and 'Calix' to deepen their romance!

Rewards: 4 Incidents, Sword of Peril

Time limit: End of the day

Penalty: 50% reduction of stamina

Hint: You may wish to use the second male lead in this quest ;)

"Misunderstanding?" I scoffed, swiping my hand through the message. "They're already in denial about their feelings. What more does the system want?"

I crossed the room and tugged on the closet doors, the rusted hinges squeaked so high it set my teeth on edge. There were a grand total of three dresses, limp and faded of most of their colour, but they were cleaner than the ones I'd dumped in a haphazard pile by the foot of the bed.

A red one in particular caught my eye; it was dark with a stiff bodice and a slightly puffed skirt and intricate designs etched onto it. The sleeves were white and stopped just past my elbow, and the material was thin enough to keep me cool in this nightmarish heat.

Besides, I always wore red when I needed a little confidence boost.

I steeled my nerves and rested my hand on the doorknob, a sense of unease trickled down my spine. I longed to just bury myself in the blankets and ignore the entire world, but I had a job to complete. It wasn't the first time I'd felt this way— like I just wanted to quit and see how far the system would go. But every time, my survival instincts kicked in and I found myself completing task after task with no end in sight and, even as despair sunk its deadly claws into my heart, I kept going.

At least this time, there was hope.

I opened the door and nearly smacked into another person.

"Oh, I say!" She exclaimed, stepping back. Her brown hair was tucked into a neat updo and she had a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose— cute, but not enough to be one of the main characters. "Lady Jia, I was told to give something to you."