Chapter 2: Skills and Next Steps
Luke's eyes bulged in surprise as he saw the notification flutter across his vision.
Before he could register what it meant, he felt a warmth from deep within his soul—a reaction from a foreign body, perhaps the vestiges of Luke Nero whose body he had come to possess.
The feeling was fleeting, lingering only for a few moments before disappearing entirely.
At almost the exact same time, Luke felt something click inside of him. It was hard to explain, but he suddenly felt as if he could control his body better than before. No longer was he sluggish.
'Was that the old Luke's soul leaving this body?' He thought inwardly, experiencing a complicated emotion.
[DING]
[User has accepted Sebastian Black as his first subordinate]
[Congratulations, Epic tier subordinate acquired]
Before he could address the question from the system, his ears rang with the sound of notifications.
[Please select a skill]
Luke blinked, momentarily startled by the sudden influx of system messages. Luke glanced at Sebastian, but the butler's calm demeanor gave nothing away, as if he were completely unaware of the storm in Luke's mind.
Throwing his suspicions to the wind, Luke focused on the notification, mentally willing it to open. A list of skills appeared before him, causing his eyes to sparkle.
Scholarly Pursuit: Increased learning capabilities, allowing the user to retain more information from various sources.
Commanding Presence: Your presence inspires loyalty and respect. Subordinates within a certain range have enhanced combat effectiveness and resist fear.
Aura of Influence: Your very presence can sway others. Increase your charisma to subtly manipulate conversations and negotiations.
Luke frowned, reading through the descriptions. He didn't fully understand how it worked, but something told him that the system was more than just a simple upgrade mechanic, like it had a strange influence over reality itself.
'This is just like one of those games I used to play…' He muttered in his heart.
Although the mechanics of the system might be similar, the world he had transmigrated to was definitely real. He found out first hand after almost being murdered in his room earlier that day.
The weight of his choice pressed down on him. He needed something that could help him survive in this unfamiliar world. Something that gave him an edge over others.
With his newfound status, Luke was no longer an important figure in society. The system had even labeled him as an unremarkable brat that no one would look twice at.
Even now this assessment hurt his feelings.
Sebastian cleared his throat, breaking Luke's concentration.
"Are you alright, Young Master?" he asked, concern etched into his expression.
Luke gave a small nod. "I'm fine. Just... thinking."
At a glance, it was clear that the butler was unconvinced. Luke was expecting a follow up question, but was surprised when the man nodded in affirmation. His gaze lingered for a while, showing a mysterious—almost sorrowful emotion behind his eyes.
Luke had trouble identifying the cause of this, but his gut believed it had something to do with their current predicament.
'His master is gone and now he's left with me, who he thinks is his Young Master…' Luke thought in his heart, his feelings turning sympathetic.
A part of him wanted to console the man and say that everything would be okay. But the problem was, he didn't even know that for himself.
A mixture of frustration and exasperation threatened to overcome him. Ever since his transmigration, he'd been thrown into a passive position.
'I know nothing about this world.' Luke thought, lamenting his situation.
His predecessor, Luke Nero, had been lax, apparently uninterested in reading or learning much beyond his immediate surroundings. Luke cursed inwardly at the lack of preparation.
He scanned the skills again. Commanding Presence and Aura of Influence were tempting as both could prove useful for gaining allies and securing loyalty. But Luke was no longer in a position where social skills alone could save him.
'I need knowledge. Information. That's what will give me an edge here.'
This was how he had dominated mobile games in his past life—by gathering all available information, exploiting every advantage, and methodically planning his moves.
Scholarly Pursuit was the obvious choice.
Would he get the chance to select those other skills in the future? He was not sure. However, he was completely certain this was the right move.
[You have selected: Scholarly Pursuit]
As the system confirmed his selection, Luke felt another shift inside him, subtle but present, like a door had been unlocked.
Suddenly, everything seemed clearer. Luke glanced at the wooden bench across from him, noticing the intricate details etched into its surface.
His mind automatically began to process the craftsmanship, attempting to decipher how the crafter had achieved such precision. But his thoughts stalled, a stark reminder of his own ignorance.
'I don't know anything about woodwork...' He thought wryly.
Neither his life on Earth nor his predecessor had left him with any useful knowledge in this area. Perhaps if he had been more learned, Scholarly Pursuit would have allowed him to identify the exact methods used.
With a quiet sigh, Luke leaned his head against the side of the carriage, letting his gaze drift toward Sebastian. The butler was his only ally in this world, and though that thought brought some comfort, a deep sense of loneliness began to creep in.
His memories of Earth were bittersweet. Apart from his sister, his family had been distant, and now that he thought about it, he'd always been something of a loner.
'All that time I spent online...' Luke complained inwardly.
The illusion of closeness through technology had kept him company, but in reality, he had been just as isolated there as he was now.
'At least this is a chance to start over.'
The thought flickered in his mind, a mix of hope and resignation. A new life, a system, a loyal subordinate—it was more than many people could dream of. But he couldn't forget the harsh reality of nearly being killed the moment he arrived.
A low chuckle escaped his lips, the sound darker than he'd intended.
From across the carriage, Sebastian's eyes flicked toward him, concern evident in his expression. But since Luke hadn't spoken directly to him, the butler remained silent, ever the loyal shadow.
"How long till we arrive?" Luke asked, trying to shake off the odd mixture of melancholy and amusement that had settled over him. His rear was already sore from the constant bumping of the carriage.
"We should arrive in three days' time, Young Master," Sebastian replied with his usual calm.
'Three days?!' Luke balked inwardly, his muscles tensing at the thought. He could barely handle sitting in a cushioned office chair for eight hours back on Earth—how was he supposed to survive this?
"I'm going to get piles or something..." He grumbled to himself, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"Ahem. What is our plan?" Luke asked, trying to distract himself from the impending discomfort of three days on the road.
"We're headed to Clayton City in the East," Sebastian replied, his voice steady but with a slight hesitation. "It shares a border with the Qin Empire, which makes it far more dangerous than Valan City—but we don't have much choice right now."
Luke nodded as if he understood, though in truth, he hadn't the faintest idea where the Qin Empire was or why Clayton City was particularly dangerous. His concern, though, wasn't so much the destination as it was the next steps.
"And when we get there?" Luke prompted.
Sebastian's expression darkened slightly, his usual composed demeanor giving way to a flicker of discomfort. "When we arrive, we'll need to forge new identification documents. That means throwing away your status and family name."
Luke absorbed the information calmly. "Oh, okay. That makes sense," he said with little more than a shrug. After all, if the traitors from Valan City had any contacts in Clayton City, keeping his identity hidden would be crucial to survival.
Sebastian's eyes widened in surprise, clearly taken aback by Luke's quick acceptance. "Young Master... you understand what this means, yes? You'll be considered a commoner," Sebastian repeated, his tone blunt, almost warning.
"Yeah, sure. It's not like we have any other choices, right?" Luke replied with a shrug, his casualness once again eliciting a baffled expression from the butler.
Sebastian stared at briefly before offering a small nod, a look of quiet approval settling on his features.
Luke noticed Sebastian studying him for a moment longer than usual, as though wanting to say something. He opened his mouth, yet swallowed his words in the next moment, his gaze softening.
For some reason, Luke felt a little uncomfortable. Even equipped with the memories of his predecessor, this was the first time he'd seen the butler act like this.
'Does he know something?' Luke thought.
"I'll join the Mercenary Guild once we arrive," Sebastian said, his voice regaining its steady calm. "That way, we'll have a steady income, and you'll be free to live in the city."
"Oh? I guess I'll visit the library and sharpen my mind while you're gone," Luke said, already imagining himself poring over books, learning everything he could about this new world.
Sebastian's brow furrowed briefly before returning to normal.
"Library?" He asked incredulously.
Luke blinked. "You know... a place with books. People go there to read," he explained, wondering if he'd somehow misspoken.
Sebastian rolled his eyes, though he quickly regained his usual composure. "Young Master, commoners have no access to books. Not unless they join the Military Academy."
The casual statement hit Luke harder than he expected.
'No books?' His mind whirled.
On Earth, libraries were public, free—anyone could walk in and absorb as much knowledge as they liked. Here, access to information seemed restricted, limited by class.
"That's ridiculous," Luke muttered under his breath. He hadn't anticipated that knowledge, the very thing he relied on for success in his old life, would be something he'd have to fight for.
Sebastian's face darkened, "Such a statement could be considered treasonous if heard by the wrong person…"
As if to back up his words, he looked left and right to make sure no one was eavesdropping.
"Young Master, while it's okay to say such words in my company, please keep them to yourself while we're in public." Sebastian said, his tone barely above a whisper.
Seeing the grave expression on his face, Luke could only nod in response.
Just as he was about to apologize for his slip of the tongue, the carriage began to slow down abruptly, accompanied by the panicked whinnies of the horses.
"B-Bandits!"
A scream rang out from outside the carriage, likely from the coachman.
Luke's blood ran cold as fear began to seep into his bones. His hands trembled slightly, betraying his calm facade, his pragmatic approach seemingly crumbling in the face of real danger.
This wasn't a game. Life and death were separated by a thin line, and he could feel himself teetering dangerously close to it.
"Stay in the carriage," Sebastian commanded, his voice calm but firm.
Luke could only nod, his mouth dry, watching as the butler stepped out and closed the door behind him. The sudden silence felt oppressive. Luke pressed himself against the wooden seat, trying to calm his frantic thoughts.
"Oho, a butler, huh? Looks like we found a rich noble to steal from!" A nasally voice cut through the tense air, followed by dark laughter.
Luke peeked through a crack in the door, his breath hitching as he saw the large, bare-chested man brandishing a scimitar. The man's body was dirty but muscled, clearly someone who lived a life of violence.
He was accompanied by four others, all armed and armored in crude but functional gear.
Sebastian stood still, his gaze cold and calculating as he sized up the bandits. "I take it you won't let us leave?" he asked, though the answer was already clear.
The leader threw his head back, laughing loudly. His companions joined in, their jeering laughter echoing off the trees.
"Leave?! HAHAHAHA!" The leader's amusement reached a fever pitch, his laughter echoing—
SHLICK.
The sound of a blade cutting through flesh silenced the laughter instantly.
"Ah…" The bandit leader's eyes widened in shock, his body frozen for a moment before warm blood bubbled up from his mouth. He staggered backward, his hands clutching the deep wound in his chest.
THUD.
The man collapsed in a heap, his life snuffed out in an instant. Blood pooled beneath his lifeless body, and for a brief moment, there was only stunned silence.
Sebastian's blade gleamed under the sunlight, slick with blood. His expression remained cold, unfazed by the killing as he turned his attention to the remaining bandits.
"Anyone else?" he asked, his voice low but full of menace.
The bandits, who had been so confident moments before, now faltered. They exchanged nervous glances, clearly unsettled by how easily their leader had been dispatched.
Luke swallowed hard, his fear momentarily replaced by awe.
'Sebastian… he's terrifying.'