My Real Empire

MRE Ch 01

In a dorm house near the university campus. Everything was in disorder, shabby furnitures, scattered laundry, disheveled books. But his military uniform was neat and hinged on the wall.

On the screen of the computer on the table a message came from the game, he played called 'The Great Empire'. This game was released a year back in 2443, it was free to play and used VR technology.

The origins of the game were unknown. But it came on the internet and became the next big thing in the gaming industry.

['Congratulations! You have been selected' ]

This was the only message on screen when his virtual empire covered the whole continent.

Jason thought it was just a common message to congratulate him for forming the virtual Empire. He didn't give it any thought and clicked 'okay'.

[But was it okay? Of course not! This changed my whole fucking life upside down. Even now as I am the greatest emperor of planet Terra and have everything within my reach. I am still  searching for the person who created that game so that..... ha ha ha ( hellish laughter)] Jason's thought.

A week ago everything was perfectly normal....

Jason is addicted to the kingdom building game 'The Great Empire' . His in-game character has the same name and physical features (thanks to awesome VR technology of the 2040s, yes it's available now, I feel sorry for you) . He quickly became famous in the game. Besides his job he just plays the game.

Jason, currently in his 30s, works in Union Military in Beijing, China. He was a mechanical engineer and his job was to keep guns and machineries in working condition.

He got just slightly above average looks which definitely doesn't stand out. His parents have passed away in the last terrorist attack that the world faced, after that Union Military decided to exterminate them. So, there was massive counterattack on terror havens and terrorist groups were f***ed so hard they vanished.

All of this happened while he was in his last year of engineering college. He had lost his parents , had no one to depend on. His college Girlfriend left him for a successful man. His otakuness ended any future chances.

His life was pretty simple work to game, game to work.

Present...

Jason woke from slumber, he felt like he had been sleeping for his whole life. He tried to open his eyes but then his head started to hurt, it gradually became severe.

Jason clasped his head, tried to squeeze it , but the pain increased ' Argh ! Ah ah  , where this damn Argh Ah ! headache came from Argh ..' unable to endure, he fainted again.

Next morning he woke , but felt something different , his memory was blurring and he couldn't recall many things . He tried hard but he had been pulled back to flashback like thing, where he was standing in a black background and many events passed through it some clear some unclear. He saw himself but also not himself. It was in a completely different settings.

The youth he saw was also called Jason. He was the only prince of the kingdom called Arcania. The world in which he lived was called  Terra, on Tallus continent.

Arcania was a great kingdom, full of riches but now it had declined to a miserable position. It could disintegrate any day.

It's own citizens , more than half of them had left the dying kingdom. Traders stopped coming here due to lawlessness, they only passed from here as it was a short route to reach other kingdoms and empires. But due to losses from being looted they started taking longer routes.

There was no one to guide or support farmers and peasants; they were in even more miserable states.

He tried to open his eyes, a bit fearful of pain , slowly the large room came into his view. A slight pain caused him to shiver but it didn't increase.

He heard a sobbing sound, he shifted his head towards it. A middle aged woman came into his field of vision.

She turned her head towards him , started wailing loudly " Oh, my son Sob! Sob! Ah, My son , Sob! You woke. … you woke" she stammered a few times.

From his recollection of memory he could tell that the tear soaked woman in front of him is Jason's mother.

She had been a beautiful and cheerful woman in her thirties, but now looking at her appearance he couldn't help but feel immense pain more than he felt yesterday, as if someone smashed his heart.

His eyes welled up . Mother Kathy hugged him. And again started crying " y..you, how can you,...B...be like th.. this, you how could I have s.. survived …".

He knew what his mother was talking about.

His father had gone to survey the area near a forest in the east called Wolf Creek. He had been assaulted there by a wolf, this was claimed by Duke Conley which previous dumbass Jason believed. It happened two years ago.

Since then his father Ruth Arcania, previous ruler of Arcania, had been bedridden. He got relieved from this world a week ago.

Foolish Jason was tipped by someone that they had seen wolves in the creek. Thus Jason got there to investigate and take revenge for his father.  He fainted there, he felt like someone hit him from behind but his memory becomes fuzzy here..

Jason tried to lift his hand , he wiped the tears in his mother's eyes. He didn't know why but felt emotionally attached to her, maybe because of Jason's lingering spirit, but whatever he had once lost his parents doesn't want to lose again.

Jason spoke mildly " mom don't worry , your son won't do anything like this again, mom stop crying, please mom…."

Mary , his mother's attendant came in. She must have heard the commotion inside. She was wearing a blue tunic and woolen stockings. She had wrinkles on her face, she had been with mother Kathy for almost 15 years . She had taken care of Jason since his birth with mother Kathy.

Mary's husband left her 30 years ago , because she was unable to give birth. Mother Kathy nagged her in initial days to marry again which she declined saying " who will take care of both , of mother and son. You are completely, irresponsible."

Mary waited on the door as she didn't want to disturb the mother and son's heartwarming scene.

Mother Kathy noticed Mary standing on the door " Ah! Mary enter! What are you waiting for." said mother Kathy.

" Milady, both of you have not been eating well. Master used to be force fed. But now he is awake , I will go bring food, you freshen up." Mary said . She had a fiery temper, she was protective of both of them.

Jason blurted with shock " force fed?"

Mary enthusiastically explained " Young Master, I press your jaws open, Milady would dump porriages in, water in, healer said , fed you well."

Jason swallowed his saliva , he ducked his head a little flushed. Mary left the room, she should be going to the kitchen.

Mother Kathy helped Jason leave the bed. Took to him a pair of water, he saw his reflection in it, he was really young ,' it feels so good to be young again'. He was nearly 30 when he crossed over. Now he had turned half, just fifteen. Maybe this is called blessing in disguise.

Washing his face and mouth, he turned to look at his mother, not his birth mother but his current bodies' mother. She had a kind look always, maybe forever will have, In his recollection he found, she helped everyone that comes in contact with her, even if it's out of her reach, she tries. This makes her entire persona peaceful or divine. She is daughter of Duke Wilkinson , and queen of Arcania, what would she lack but she knows the pains of the poor. She tried some welfare schemes but all of it was enjoyed by nobles and their henchmen.

Mary arrived carrying a big silver platter with some small plates and bowls on it.

Mary said "Milady, the kitchen was empty, they went to rest, I got porridges, for master, buns and oatmeal, Please eat". Mary had a habit of taking slight pauses while talking , words come out clear but with some pauses.

Both of them were overprotective of Jason, they could not bear to see tears in his eyes, he got what he desires. His arrogant and spoiled behavior was thus formed.

Jason build was tall, he was healthy neither too fat or thin, but his muscles were on the down side. He had not taken any physical hardships.

After eating he felt some relief, but the taste of porridges or buns was not that good. How could it taste good, he was an otaku fond of pizzas , burgers, fires and ramen. How could plain porridges or stiff bread match it.

" Mom what happened to me , I can't remember anything" mumbled Jason.

Mother Kathy heard him , she recalled and said " You went to Wolf Creek, When I came to know I sent Sir Charles behind you. He got you back on his horse "

Sir Charles and his family had been serving the royal family since the beginning of the kingdom. Sir Charles is the military Chief of the kingdom. He is a talented individual , other kingdoms have tried to recruit him , gave many gifts and promises. He turned them down, this was his character, not even moved by riches and power.

It was great for a sinking ship like Arcania to have Charles. Mary sent the door guard to call for Charles.

Charles should have been nearby, it didn't take long for him to arrive. He hurriedly entered the door " Your highness, you are all right, thank goodness, I reached the creek in time."

" Sir Charles , I'm sorry for creating trouble for you." He tried to bow, but Charles caught him mid way. Charles has an aura of general, a bloody image forms in mind when you close your eyes .

He was in training uniform, a leather padded coat and simple stockings. He had a heavy longsword to the side attached to his belt.

" It's my duty Milord, how can I let you bow " Charles assured Jason that he didn't mind it. Still Jason felt embarrassed in front of him because of troubles caused by previous Jason .

" Sir Charles did you find anything suspicious when you got to the Creek . " Jason paused, messaged his head as if in pain , he continued " I can't remember clearly, but I think I have been attacked by someone from behind. "

" Hmm, I too when I got there found you clenching your bleeding head, rolling on the ground. But the place where this happened nothing was out of sort except a blood soaked stone." replied Charles, he was trying to recollect the details of that day events.

" Your highness, I also noticed that there was a trail which should be of a person , not an animal , as the trail was not leading to forest but to village. If any wild , entered village we would have known." Charles informed Jason of that accident.

" I think you are right. It must have been plotted by someone. Try to investigate it." said Jason.

" Yes Milord, " Charles bowed.

" Oh, sir Charles, what about the kingdom , is everything fine or more miserable." Inquired Jason.

" Milord , the kingdom is in deep mess. Nobles have started rebelling openly. They incite the remaining citizens to protest with them." said Charles.

" Okay, what your investigation says about the cause" Jason asked.

" Milord, there had been a major event, few days ago" replied Charles, his eyes got red .

"Hmm, Explain sir"

Jason could see Charles is upset about this event.

" We had a minor battle on one of the border outposts. The rebel nobles were trying to smuggle their wealth to other kingdoms. We denied them access.

" They brought with them a large band of mercenaries. They attacked our  camp from behind. Some soldiers caught off guard were killed. However most of the soldiers attacked with just weapon, no protection, still we overpowered them and captured them"

" Many nobles were in that convoy, were put behind the bars, killed were burned and we took convoy back to royal capital."

" The protestors are incited by these traitorous Nobles' accomplices. " Concluded Charles.

Jason was very impressed by the investigations and reports made by Charles.

" You have done well. Atleast much better than me who had been just passing time and creating trouble, without caring for the kingdom" lamented Jason sighing and shaking his head.

" No Milord, it was my duty and you were younger , it wasn't your fault." Charles sincerely consoled Jason.

" Charles notify the factions closer to the royal family and still loyal to us to meet in morning and arrange for a full meeting in after noon " said Jason , he leaned back in bed.

Charles knew Jason had been ill for a week, rest is necessary. So without any delay Charles left the room.

Mother Kathy who had been silently listening to their conversation, spoke with a tearful eye " It's good that you started thinking about the kingdom. You also admitted your mistakes. Mother is happy today, very happy. My child " tears rolled down her eyes.

She left the room after Jason closed his eyes.

Now the room was silent, he was thinking laid in bed. ' what happened to me. I was happy just playing the game. I wanted to be the emperor but not like this. What will happen to my job and my precious PC and my fantasy game collection and my VR set. ' He was rambling endlessly in his thoughts  about the things he was not going to see anytime soon. He was about to sleep, a message popped in his head.

[ Ding! Transfer completed successfully]

'What success was anyone hung in between. You took me for granted, didn't even cautioned me . What the hell.'

Few more messages followed

[ Ding! Memory assimilation completed]

[ Ding! Good luck ]

'What the freak, All protagonists get some beginners package or initiation gift provide me some' he waited for reply, a few minutes passed

------- No reply came -------

'Atleast give me a choco bar'

------- No  Reply -----------

He continued rambling but no reply came. He fell asleep.....

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