The Distinguished Mr. Rose Chapter 142: Chapter 140: World of Otome (Start of Book 3)

Read chapter 142 of The Distinguished Mr. Rose by QuiteTheSlacker on NovelPedia.

Chapter 140: World of Otome (Start of Book 3) When the good Lucius was plucked from his humble florist boutique and flown into the sky along with the rest of humanity, his first thought was a simple one. “Oh dear, now wherever am I being taken to now?” For indeed, even before his otherworldly adventures the gentleman had encountered much of the strange and bizarre. However, what he would experience next was certainly a first, even for a well-traveled fellow such as he. A floating screen had appeared before him, as well as the enigmatic ‘system’, an unfeeling guide and program designed to run what it called the Grand Celestial Competition of the Stars. It was a cosmic game, so to speak, with all of mankind and those of other dimensions as its players. Consent was not given; no forewarning of its imminent arrival ever came. One moment, Lucius was busy tending to his lovely flowers—he even witnessed firsthand a most beautiful blooming—and the next he found himself in an endless sterile white expanse. After exchanging greetings with the system, his supposed captor, Lucius was then transported to a separate waiting room where he had the good fortune of meeting three interesting companions: Marco Bernardi the former mobster, Mili the electric musician, and Jack Thames who out of everyone appeared most familiar with the group’s curious circumstance. He likened it similarly to that of his webnovels and system apocalypses, and considered himself the party’s leader. After that the system encouraged everyone to pick a title called a ‘class’ and were given subsequent skills to match its theme. Lucius of course had the good fortune of being availed the Gentlemanly Florist class which, personally, he believed suited him quite well. Mister Thames wasn’t all too happy with the gentleman’s decision though. Thus, after some well-needed ‘conditioning’ from Lucius to correct his ego, the four of them progressed through the Orientation, a series of tests designed to strip away their old thinking on earth, as well as the Tutorial which served as their final trial before being integrated into the main game. There the party stepped into a haunting maze of blood-red brick and madness, whose halls were stalked by a malicious, terrifying monster called the Horned Exile. Lucius and his fellows navigated the maze, discovered treasure, and bonded in their shared predicament. It would have been a truly touching adventure were it not for the creeping dread that arose from being hunted. Eventually however, the party was separated after triggering a trap, and the good Lucius as well as Mister Thames were forced to press on all by their lonesome. It was definitely not on purpose. Maybe. The sudden departure from his companions weighed greatly on Mister Thames, especially as he had just suffered a bloated wound from one of their encounters with the Horned Exile. He was delirious, staggering, moments away from breaking entirely. Lucius brought him to a safe room, leaving him there under the guise of protection, before exiting and proceeding with his orchestrated plan: a plan to make Mister Thames bloom. Of course, it succeeded. Lucius put on a most convincing show and, after reuniting with his other two companions, set in motion the sparks of which would cause them and Mister Thames to come into conflict. In the end, the good Jack bloomed magnificently. The satisfied Lucius bid him goodbye and passed the Tutorial with Marco and Mili. The system gave everyone some extra rewards, bonus points and access to a new feature called the Starlit Shop which they could use coins to buy everyday goods, and then, at last, it was time to proceed to the main site of the game… or rather its first world, that is. For this supposed competition was separated into various stages: different settings. Only those who survived to the very end would receive due compensation. Lucius, Marco, and Mili had no choice but to proceed. After conversing with the system and trying to pry what answ