'Borrowing'

I left my room quickly and quietly. It was a Sunday, so my family slept late. I, however, like the servants, woke up early. 

Creeping along the corridor, I stopped in front of the nearest door. The room belonged to a 'good friend' of mine, Jayce Goldsmith. 

Creak-

Pushing the door open, I softly stepped into the room. Jayce's room was a mess, looking like it was owned by a 4-year-old who didn't put their toys away.

The sound of snoring was prevalent, but behind it was soft breathing.

'Ah yes, how could I have forgotten? Jayce, you womanizer!' Jayce, as his room showed, had little intelligence. After my business, his was second to crash. Not that it mattered, for his father was happy to provide for his boy. Jayce proceeded to go out clubbing whilst my other cousins worked, and I was being a servant. 

He would bring home women with the promise of money, and then ravage them. He was, quite literally, turning women into prostitutes. He didn't care of course, and would boot them out of the house after. 

I crept past the duo, praying they didn't wake up for some 'fun'. Jayce's wallet was lying on the floor, surrounded by the 'toys' that he forgot to clean up. 

I reluctantly picked it up, slipping his card out of it, before putting it back on the ground. I pocketed the card, left the room, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Rushing back to my room, I looked for a piece of paper. I wrote down all of his bank details and then left. I brought the paper and pen with me, realizing it would be safer and faster to do so.

I re-entered Jayce's room and snuck past the pair. I picked up his wallet, careful not to touch the 'toys' encircling it, and placed the card back inside.

Making sure everything was the same, I placed the wallet on the ground. I couldn't afford to leave evidence of my presence.

The next room on the list was 4 doors down, as I couldn't risk the rooms in between. They belonged to my female cousins; being caught in their room was much worse than being caught in one of the boys.

The cousin next on the list was Jarred. 

His room was tidy, so I easily moved around it. I searched the room, looking for his wallet, but it was nowhere to be found. I had a sneaking suspicion that Jarred was the kind of guy who slept with it under his pillow, so I left.

I proceeded to search the remaining 4 rooms that belonged to my male cousins —it was an even split between boys and girls— and gained 3 more bank details.

'Now I have my capital, I need to choose the best method.'

I found myself in my room, contemplating how to make money most efficiently. I thought about starting a business but chose not to because of time constraints. There were illegal options too, like arms dealing or drug trading, but these weren't feasible in the week I had.

The option I settled on was to go to the stock market. The novel in my head held no mention of what stocks rose after the crisis, or even before, so I would be going In blind. However, I held this strong feeling that I wouldn't fail.

I downloaded a stockbroker on my phone, given to me for appearances —it had no mobile data— and looked at the market. I hadn't received a formal education in business, but I still had a sense for business from my mother and father. I invested in whatever I felt would do good, spending at most $12k, $3k from each bank account. It was probably the most I could take without it looking like an odd purchase.

I set up my account to send the money into an account I set up using Jayce's money, and then I prayed to whatever being had revived me.

I opened my drawer, filled with odd bits and bobs, and grabbed a lighter. Using it, I lit the paper that had their bank details on it on fire. Couldn't leave evidence behind.

---

The next couple of days went well. I spent the rest of the Sunday reviewing the novel I had been granted. Alexander had been extremely weak in the beginning, much like I was, although for a different reason.

He had never seen the need to work out, for he had bodyguards, whilst I couldn't due to how little I was fed, and how much I was forced to do odd jobs.

Because I was aware that we would soon be introduced to a whole new era, I signed up for a gym, where I spent 6 hours working on my stamina, and a little bit on my strength. Until the power system was introduced to the world, my growth would be normal, so all I could do was take it slow.

The day was Wednesday, and I decided to check up on my stocks.

To my shock, all of them had tripled! I didn't understand why but felt that it may have been a precursor to what was soon to come. All of the businesses were either food, hygiene, or general convenience.

It was said that animals could somehow sense natural disasters to a degree, and would therefore leave the area. 'Maybe this is similar?' I thought.

I sold all the stocks quickly, moving the money I earned into my account, but I made sure that I received it in different currencies. My goal was to gain all denominations of as many currencies as possible. 

Once we were visited by other humans, the world would have a little panic attack, involving everyone burrowing in their houses. The earthlings of the novel were all afraid of dying or being enslaved like in the books they read, so they did the most logical thing.

They nuked the invaders. Unfortunately, in the grand scheme of things, Earth was extremely primitive, and the nukes failed to do any damage to the energy barrier that protected the invader's ship.

The leading invader would broadcast his voice to everyone, telling them that they were now included in the Human Empire and that a spatial docking system would be made. He also said that they would be bringing any humans that wished to leave Earth to the Capital Planet, Averia, as was customary.

This was where my plan came in. Alexander chose to stay on Earth, fearing that he would be enslaved if he left. He ended up leaving, of course, but only after Earth was destroyed. He later learned that none of the first leavers were harmed, but they all failed to find a place in that society. He found himself in the Capital, Aver, which was home to an eccentric collector who bought all of Alex's money. 

I was going to take the first ship to Aver, and I would sell as many types of money as I could to that man.

I stood by my window, admiring the view. There was a field of sycamores in the garden, and when painted by the sunrise, they looked ethereal.

I hated this house, and the people in it, but it had a bloody good view.

'You know, it's strange. I haven't been hit or ordered once since Sunday. They've been avoiding me, for some reason.'

I shook my head, ignoring my strange family. I would be leaving them behind soon, so it didn't matter. All I had to do now was wait and work out.

---

Today was Saturday, and the day I believed we would be visited.

 I woke up bright and early, with a massive smile on my face. 'Today is the day that it all changes!'

I took care of my hygiene, making sure that I looked somewhat presentable. The bruises that I had been given on Saturday had disappeared, so my skin was unblemished for the first time in years.

I ate breakfast outside, my eyes on the sky, waiting, when suddenly, I was punched onto the floor. 

I stood back up, ignoring the stinging pain that I was long used to, and turned around. In front of me stood Jayce and Amelia, two of my cousins. 

"Hah. Look at him, as useless as ever." Jayce, the ever-incompetent pretty boy, mocked me, his golden hair swaying in the breeze. 

"Mm, yes he is. But Jayce, you're just like him, except you have parents, so it doesn't matter." Amelia voiced from behind him.

'And there's the ruthless vixen.' Amelia was by far the most beautiful of my cousins, but her tongue was as sharp as ever. She diligently followed our motto and took it upon herself to bully anyone in a verbal argument.

Jayce was the opposite, taking the brutish approach. 

Usually, I would have left it be, but not today. 'Today is the day that everything is going to change, so why shouldn't I?'

"Oh, if it isn't my favorite cousins. Jayce, how are the kids?... Oh, you don't know do you, considering you ditch all your women! And you, Amelia, how are you? Are your bets going well?" I retorted.

It wasn't well known, but Jayce had 4 or 5 kids at this point, and he was only 19. Amelia, on the other hand, was a gambling addict. Being their servant wasn't fun, but I was privy to these little secrets.

"Uh, agh, my kids are fine. They're all under 1, so how do they know how they are?!" Jayce yelled, stuttering. 'Since when did this cretin have a backbone?'

"Wow, Connor, I'm impressed." That was all Amelia had to say, her face unchanging. It was clear she was surprised by my remark, but she didn't let it show.

"Now then, if you'll leave me be. I'm too busy enjoying nature to deal with an incompetent oaf and a snake." I sat back down on my chair and continued to enjoy my breakfast.

I knew that Jayce wouldn't push any further, too embarrassed by the small ordeal to do anything. I also knew that Amelia would leave, simply because she was bored. She most likely came to see me get beaten, but Jayce leaving would throw a wrench in her plans.

True to what I said, Jayce huffed off, yelling curses, and Amelia slunk away.

'I swear she's more snake than human. My god!' I thought.

About an hour after I finished my food, it came.