The woman's neutral expression flickered with something that might have been amusement. Or concern. It was hard to tell.
Timothy didn't notice. His panic had been entirely overridden by pure, unadulterated fanboy glee. He was dead, sure, but he wasn't focused on the messy details of the bus shelter, the wet street, or the car. He was focused on the current reality of transmigrating.
"You're taking this remarkably well this time," the woman noted, her tone dry. "Most people have a more... intense reaction to discovering they've just died."
Gasp.
"This is a transmigration scenario! Are you going to assign a system to me?"
"You are correct in your broad assessment," she said, finally pushing off the desk with a sigh. "I am, for lack of a better term, your Facilitator — or your system — and yes, you are about to undergo a 'Transmigration' process, as you call it."
She walked toward one of the humming, unmarked doors and tapped its surface. It glowed faintly blue.
"However, let me dispense with the romantic notions you've gleaned from your novels," she continued, her voice losing its hint of amusement and becoming purely professional.
'Wait!' A thought suddenly struck Timothy. 'Am I going into a book I've read? Because that would be amazing. I could fix all the plot holes! Save the cannon fodder characters! Avoid the tragic misunderstandings! And if this lady is my personal System assistant, I hope she's the helpful type — not the wicked one that tricks the protagonist into bad choices. Please don't be the type that reads my mind and—' He paused when he saw the said system woman pinch the bridge of her nose.
'Actually, on second thought, the misunderstandings are kind of the best part. Never mind. I take it back.'
The woman's eye twitched slightly. She cleared her throat — a sound that carried a hint of... disgust? No, couldn't be. Timothy shook off the weird vibe.
"Are you quite finished?" she asked.
'Probably not,' Timothy admitted cheerfully. 'But go ahead.'
"Huh?" He turned to look behind him. "You can go on?" he said, not sure why she would think he was interrupting.
'I didn't think out loud, did I?'
"How generous of you." She straightened her posture. "As I was attempting to explain — yes, you have died. And yes, you are being offered a second chance at life. However—"
'I knew it!' Timothy pumped his fist. 'This is the best day of my life.' He paused when the system's eye twitched.
'Or death. Whatever.'
"HOWEVER," she repeated, sharper. "This isn't a novel. These are real worlds, with real people and real consequences. My role is simply to facilitate the selection and send you on your way. I don't accompany souls or hand-hold them through their lives." Her nose wrinkled ever so slightly, as if the very idea repulsed her. "That's not how this works."
'Even better,' Timothy said, undeterred. 'Established relationships mean I skip the boring setup chapters! It's like starting a story in media res!'
For a long moment, the woman simply stared at him. Then, very quietly, she said, "this is going to be a long one."
"What?"
"Nothing." She sighed and waved her hand. A holographic display flickered to life in the air. "As this is your ninth and final life, it is a reward life. You get to choose your world — but choose carefully. Time is limited."
Internally, she was already plotting: This one's profile screams 'beast world' fan — powerful mates, ancient kings, survival drama. I'll steer him to World 1. Just list the details slowly, waste his time, and default him there. I can observe from afar as he gets... handled. Entertaining data for the archives.
"Here are your options," she said, pulling up two thumbnails. "Two worlds, each with premium alpha partners biologically matched to you. These aren't fictional; they're real places, but they often align with novel tropes because souls like you keep requesting them."
World 1: Mate of the Eternal Beast KingRisk Assessment: High — brutal wilderness, territorial beasts, potential for fatal rut complications with an immortal alpha
In this world, you'd transmigrate as a rare omega in a primal beast society. Your partner: a centuries-old alpha king who's ruled alone for eons. Expect intense possessiveness, survival challenges, and biological compatibility that could overwhelm an incompatible omega. High risk of permanent consequences, but the rewards could be eternal bonding and power.
The System woman waved her hand, and World 2 expanded into two distinct thumbnails.
"This world offers two different entry points," she explained. "Same universe, different lives."
Option 2A: Corporate Marriage ContractRisk Assessment: Medium-High
Role: Levi Quinn — Male Omega. Forced into a marriage contract with a powerful Type B alpha CEO. Your family's debt binds you to him.
Option 2B: University Friends-with-BenefitsRisk Assessment: Low-High
Role: Timothy Ashford — Male Omega. Living with Julius Armitage, your childhood friend and current roommate at Crestwood Business University. You've been "helping each other" through heats and ruts since you presented. Everyone on campus knows. You'll think it means something.
Your Alpha: Julius Armitage. Business major, third-year student. Type B Alpha. Setting: University life — shared apartment, campus gossip, Armitage mansion. Start of life.