The Sovereign System.

Luke felt his skin crawl as the dangerous aura of the woman accompanying him became more apparent. From outward appearances, she probably looked like an ordinary maid escorting him to the library.

Her etiquette was flawless, her body language exuding deference and respect befitting their difference in status. Yet, even as she walked a full step behind him, Luke's anxiety bubbled to the surface.

'What does she want? Is this about me checking out her assets yesterday?' His thoughts raced, a pang of intense regret twisting in his stomach.

"Turn left here, Young Master," she directed politely.

Luke almost froze. This wasn't the way to the library—it led to a secluded back alley, far from the view of anyone in the estate.

If he hadn't been suspicious before, he certainly was now. Entering this alley felt like inviting disaster.

For a fleeting moment, Luke considered shouting for help. But before he could act, something sharp pressed against his back.

"Don't make a fuss. I just want to have a little talk."

Her warm breath tickled his ear as she whispered, the sweet scent of orchids invading his senses. The stark contrast between her fragrant presence and the danger he felt was almost surreal.

The worst part was his teenage body's reaction—a response both embarrassing and maddeningly natural for someone his age. Thankfully, the woman didn't seem to notice. Otherwise, he might have found himself bereft of his manhood.

With no other choice, Luke shuffled into the alley, trying to appear calm. But the blood rushing elsewhere dulled his thoughts, leaving him sluggish and unfocused.

When they were deep enough, Luke's body was suddenly slammed against the rough wall of a building, forcing a grunt of discomfort from his lips. In the next moment, the maid's face was dangerously close to his as she pressed her body against him.

Luke froze as her knee pushed against his crotch, adding to his discomfort. To make matters worse, the dagger that had been at his back was now poised at his throat, its sharp edge threatening to spill his blood.

'This crazy bitch!' he screamed inwardly.

Fighting the urge to beg for his life, Luke swallowed hard. "W-What is the meaning of this?" he rasped.

"Tell me, what is your goal in Clayton City?" she crooned, her deep brown eyes boring dangerously into his.

A perplexed look crossed his face, but before he could respond, the pressure from her knee increased, making him wince.

"I-I'm here to become a General!" he squeaked.

"Don't lie to me. I know exactly who you are, Luke Nero."

Hearing the name of his host body, Luke's eyes widened in shock. No one should know his real identity, yet this mysterious maid spoke as if she held all his secrets.

'Is she with the traitors from Valand City?' he wondered. But that seemed unlikely—if she were, he'd already be dead.

"I'm not lying. When my father was killed, I fled here with my butler before the traitors could finish me off," he explained, striving to remain calm. There was no point in lying—not when she clearly knew so much.

The woman's beautiful face twisted into a frown as she considered his words, but her grip and stance didn't ease. Pain coursed through Luke's limbs as he struggled to endure the strain.

"Would you mind letting me go? I doubt I could harm you even if I wanted to," Luke asked meekly. Coming from Earth, he lacked the ingrained pride and shame that most nobles and officers held, giving him greater flexibility in situations like this.

After all, what man of his status would willingly lower himself before a maid, even with a knife to his throat? Only the pragmatic Luke.

Thankfully, the woman seemed to heed his words. She withdrew both the dagger and her knee, allowing blood to flow freely back into his extremities.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Luke adjusted his robes, ensuring everything was still in place. Now that the power dynamic was crystal clear, he should have been trembling with fear. Instead, a strange calm washed over him.

It was subtle but potent, stopping him from breaking down and begging for his life—at least for now.

His gaze settled on the woman before him, a wolf in sheep's clothing cloaked in beauty. He couldn't help but wonder how this lunatic had infiltrated the Academy.

"Were you involved in the murder of your father, Viscount Nero?" she asked seriously.

Even without being pinned to the wall, the dangerous aura she exuded felt like a blade hovering at his throat. It was clear that any lies would seal his fate.

Luke shook his head. "It happened while I was sleeping, so I don't know the details. If my butler hadn't woken me, we wouldn't have escaped the traitors who came to take my head."

She considered his words, her features softening slightly.

"Word is he died in a skirmish against the Qin Empire, but I don't believe that for a second," she spat. "There's a large conspiracy at play here, but it seems you're not part of it."

Hearing her suspicions begin to wane, Luke stifled a sigh of relief. If this woman could abduct him in broad daylight, what else was she capable of doing within these supposedly sacred grounds?

"Would you care to share your theory? Perhaps I could help."

In truth, Luke wanted to demand what the hell she was doing here. But without leverage—and with the lingering threat of violence—he had no choice but to tread carefully.

The woman's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "And why would you want to help me? I just threatened your life."

'Is this chick actually dumb?' Luke cringed internally, biting his tongue.

"If it involves the death of my father, I think that's reason enough for me to want to be involved," he replied instead.

"I see." She nodded, her expression unreadable. "I'll think about it and get back to you."

"R-Right."

"Anyway, I guess I'll see you around," she said casually, turning on her heel and walking back the way they had come, leaving Luke staring incredulously at her retreating figure.

'Is this woman serious?'

"What's your name?" he called out, desperate to glean at least one piece of information about this mysterious woman.

"Victoria," she replied without looking back.

Her response echoed in the alleyway, fading into the distance as her figure disappeared completely. Only then did Luke finally let out a heavy sigh of relief. With that, the strange calm he'd been clinging to dissolved, replaced by a surge of adrenaline.

"Holy shit, I almost died," Luke muttered, sliding down the wall until he sat on the ground. It was remarkable that he'd managed to withstand the pressure without making a complete fool of himself.

'Looks like my new skill came in handy…' he thought, recalling the unnatural composure that had steadied him during the encounter.

It wasn't until now that he realized he'd never checked the skill's description. In fact, it had been quite some time since he'd looked at his system window at all.

Eager for a distraction from his near-death experience, Luke willed the system to open. The familiar status window materialized before him, its contents as blunt as ever.

User: Luke Nero

Title: Officer in training

Subordinates: 1

Stats:

Ambition: E+

Charisma: F

Intelligence: D

Prowess: F

Zeal: F

Loyalty: F

Additional notes: An officer in training with no redeeming features or skills. In summary, an unremarkable brat that nobody would look twice at.

A wry smile tugged at Luke's lips. Despite the change in his title, the system's description hadn't softened in the slightest. He was still an "unremarkable brat."

Holding back his frustration, he chose to focus on less depressing matters.

The first thing he noticed was the jump in his Ambition stat. It had climbed from F+ to E+, a full three grades higher. This was likely due to his newfound resolution to grow stronger—a vow he'd only recently made.

It was intriguing that the system had acknowledged his efforts so quickly. But it also raised questions: What exactly determined the grades?

'If I vowed to overthrow the current king, would my Ambition rise right away?' he wondered. His gut told him no. The system likely measured something deeper, something tied to his true intentions rather than empty declarations.

His gaze shifted to his Intelligence, now sitting at D. He wasn't surprised. This increase was clearly a result of using Scholarly Pursuit, a skill that allowed him to retain knowledge at an extraordinary pace.

If his intelligence was purely tied to his knowledge base, it seemed the easiest stat to improve in the future.

Satisfied with the progress, Luke turned his attention to his skills:

Scholarly Pursuit: Increased learning capabilities, allowing the user to retain more information from various sources.

Domineering Air (Skill) - An aura that forces weaker-willed individuals to instinctively follow your lead. Strength varies depending on the user's current power.

Steady Heart (Skill) - Grants the user an unwavering composure, allowing them to maintain focus and clarity even under intense pressure or in highly stressful situations.

Bow Proficiency: Lethal and effective, though looked down upon as cowardly. Gain 10 years experience of Bow handling.

"This is what I'm talking about." Luke muttered with a grin. He had already felt the effects of his Steady Heart skill which had activated on its own a few times.

Part of Luke felt it was a little regrettable that Steady Heart wasn't a passive skill, but it was certainly better than nothing. In the chaos of battle, when rational decisions were the difference between life and death, this skill would undoubtedly be invaluable.

The thought brought a chill to his spine. As someone originally from Earth, the idea of battles like those in this world felt unreal—like something pulled from myths and preserved only in history books.

Movies and media might have tried to capture the brutality, but Luke doubted they could ever do it justice. The reality here was far more visceral, far more terrifying.

Shaking his head, Luke muttered, "I'm not there yet. Maybe I'll gain some courage if I train enough to defend myself." His voice wavered slightly, as if he were trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he rose to his feet and brushed the dirt from his robe. There was still about an hour until their next lesson with Master Boyle, and he intended to make use of the time by raiding the library.

Stepping out of the alleyway, Luke quickly realized he had no idea where he was.

"That damned maid…" he growled, clenching his fists. Victoria had been tasked with escorting him to the library, but she'd left him high and dry after threatening his life.

He hadn't yet decided what to do about her. Reporting her to the authorities at the Military Academy seemed like an option, but the thought of retaliation—perhaps a blade across his throat in the dead of night—kept him from acting.

'Best to leave it,' he thought grimly.

After wandering for what felt like ages, Luke finally stumbled upon the library. It was a massive building, far larger than the pavilion where they'd had lessons earlier in the morning. Its design shared similarities, though it lacked the tranquil pond and gardens surrounding the pavilion.

As he stepped inside, Luke's heart fluttered. The lobby gave way to a sprawling interior, revealing rows upon rows of bookcases that twisted into an intricate maze.

The second level loomed above, housing thousands more books, along with quiet reading nooks scattered throughout.

'This might take longer than I thought…'