The Sovereign System.

Sebastian and Luke stepped into the guarded establishment, immediately feeling the weight of the soldiers' stares. Each gaze was cold, calculating, and filled with the kind of hardness that could only come from years of bloody battle. 

It was clear that these men were not ordinary.

"Don't shrink back," Sebastian muttered under his breath, his voice a steady anchor amidst the rising tide of Luke's anxiety.

Luke swallowed hard. He hadn't even realized his head had dipped until Sebastian's words snapped him back. The cold sweat on his back was growing, and the oppressive auras of the soldiers made him feel as though the air was thick with tension. 

But he raised his head, eyes locking onto Sebastian's broad back. He focused on nothing else, keeping his gaze steady, even as every fiber of his being wanted to flee.

They were directed to the lobby, where a disinterested soldier lounged behind the counter. He didn't even bother to lift his head as they approached.

"I'm here to sign my son up for the Military Academy," Sebastian said, leaning against the counter as if the entire matter was of little importance.

Luke blinked, barely managing to keep his surprise off his face. 

'Son?' He replayed the word in his head. 

But then, a flash of understanding hit him—they had taken the same last name when creating their new identities.

'So that's the plan…'

The soldier's eyebrows twitched slightly at the statement, but he still didn't lift his head.

"Identification, please," he said, voice gruff but bored.

Sebastian handed over the documents, and the soldier lazily took them, skimming through with barely contained indifference. When he finally looked up, his gaze shifted from Sebastian's clothes to Luke's frail frame. His eyes narrowed, and a sigh escaped his lips as he handed the papers back.

"Your son is far too fragile to be a soldier," he said flatly, his words dripping with dismissal. "Feed him some more and come back in a few years, after he's gained some size."

Luke felt a mix of embarrassment and anger bubbling up inside him. 

'Fragile?' He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to look down at himself, knowing full well that this body was far from imposing. 

But the sting of the soldier's words cut deep.

'Is this what it means to be discriminated against?' Luke thought bitterly, the weight of this new reality pressing down on him. In his previous life, he hadn't exactly been strong, but he'd never been looked down upon so openly.

Before Luke could process further, Sebastian spoke up, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "Oh, he won't be enrolling as a soldier."

The soldier raised an eyebrow, finally giving them his full attention. "Huh? But you're mere commoners. How can you expect your son to pass the officer's exam?"

The question hung in the air for a while as both men's gazes locked in a silent battle of wills. Sebastian shrugged, his expression betraying nothing, but Luke felt there was something unspoken between the two. Though he couldn't exactly say for sure.

In the next moment, Sebastian reached into his coat pocket, producing something that glittered under the faint candlelight. With a fluid motion, he placed it into the soldier's hand.

A gleam flashed in the soldier's eyes as he quickly pocketed what Luke could only assume was a bribe. "Ahem… come with me," he said, his voice suddenly much friendlier.

He stood, practically leaping from his seat to guide them through the hallway, his demeanor shifting from indifferent to accommodating in an instant.

Luke's mind raced with questions as he followed Sebastian and the soldier through the dimly lit halls.

'Two routes into the academy? Exams?' Sebastian had mentioned none of this to him during their trip here.

Back on Earth, military entry tests were largely formality—aptitude, fitness, maybe some basic skills. But here? Things seemed to be much different.

'What the hell is this exam even about?' Luke's pulse quickened as anxiety bubbled up inside him. 'I know nothing about this world. How am I supposed to pass a test?'

The soldier stopped at the end of the hall, opening a large wooden door. "After you," he grunted, ushering them inside.

Luke stepped in, immediately greeted by the sight of books—so many books. Shelves lined three walls, packed to the brim. His eyes widened, and for a brief, irrational moment, his heart leaped. 

'Books. Actual books.' He marveled at the sight.

While on Earth, he never really got into reading, apart from strategy guides for mobile games. Here, reading and consuming knowledge would lay his foundation for survival.

"You have three hours to study," the soldier said flatly, snapping him out of his reverie. "Any cheating will be punished by public flogging." His tone suggested that he didn't expect them to succeed without cutting corners.

"I'll come get you when it's time."

The door clicked shut behind them.

"Sebas—" Luke started, only for Sebastian to clamp a hand over his mouth, silencing him.

"Call me father," Sebastian whispered sharply in his ear, his eyes scanning the room. "We can't blow our cover."

Luke's eyes widened. He nodded, feeling a sudden spike of fear at what might happen if they were found out. What was the punishment for falsifying documents? His imagination filled in the gaps, none of them pleasant.

"F-Father…" Luke said awkwardly, testing the word. 

'Wow, that's weird.'

"Yes, son…" Sebastian responded in a stiff, unconvincing tone. 

Both of them cringed.

'Creepy...' Luke winced internally, but he quickly shifted his focus to the more pressing matter at hand.

"What's on the exam? What should I study?" he asked hurriedly, his eyes scanning the endless shelves. They only had three hours, and with this many books, he'd barely scratch the surface.

Sebastian moved toward the nearest shelf, eyes scanning the spines. "The officer's exam isn't just a test of tactics," he said quietly. 

"It includes history, military strategy, laws, geography—everything a potential officer should know. You'll need to brush up on anything you can about the kingdom, its wars, and basic strategy."

Luke's stomach dropped. This wasn't just some multiple-choice quiz, it was a deep dive into a world he barely understood. He felt the rising panic again.

'I don't even know the names of the kingdoms!'

Luke's fingers trembled slightly as he pulled the first tome from the shelf. He opened it, feeling the rough parchment under his fingertips, but before he could consciously process the words, his eyes began scanning the page—too quickly.

In the blink of an eye, he'd absorbed the contents of two pages. He didn't just read it… He understood everything.

"No way…"

A slow grin spread across his face, a quiet laugh escaping his lips. "Ha… Hahaha!"

Scholarly Pursuit. His unique skill wasn't just for show—it was a game-changer. His heart raced as he flipped to the next page, then the next, sucking up the knowledge like a sponge.

Without a moment's hesitation, he discarded the first book and grabbed another. His eyes raced across the pages at an unnatural pace, information flooding his mind. 

'The Marx Kingdom borders the Qin Empire to the east…'

Details about the geography, military history, and political factions lodged themselves in his memory, neatly organized and summarized.

'More… I need to learn more.'

Luke began to furiously flip through the books, a gleeful expression painted on his face. In a matter of seconds he completely absorbed the contents of the book, casually tossing it aside as if it were useless.

He was so engrossed in his actions that he didn't notice Sebastian's appalled expression directed at his treatment of the precious books.

One after another, he retrieved and discarded books, absorbing the knowledge directly from their pages. The feeling was euphoric, bringing him into a trance.

If he had taken the time to observe Sebastian quickly and carefully picking up the books behind him, he might have treated them with a bit more respect.

However, he was in a world of his own.

"Hehehe…" he chuckled to himself, the sound growing darker with each passing moment. His fingers danced across the pages like mad, almost failing to keep up with his accelerated cognition. 

The speed with which he was processing information was exhilarating, even addictive.

'This is incredible!' His mind whirred, pulling facts and strategies together as if they were puzzle pieces.

Luke muttered absentmindedly, "The Qin Empire's defenses are weakest on their northern border? If we could coordinate an attack from the sea…"

He raised his gaze from the book for a brief moment, seeing the butler's eye twitch.

"Just keep reading…" Sebastian said, his expression unreadable.

"Right, right," Luke replied, though he continued flipping through books like a man possessed, his dark chuckle growing louder. "Hehehe, I'm going to crush you free-to-play noobs…"

"Noobs?" Sebastian repeated, though it fell upon deaf ears.

Luke's rampage through the bookshelves continued unabated. His hands were shaking, but he couldn't stop. Information was flooding his mind, stored and summarized, ready to be used. He barely noticed Sebastian scrambling behind him, picking up books as he discarded them.

When the last book hit the floor, Luke wobbled, barely able to stand, until Sebastian's firm grip steadied him.

"Luke!" Sebastian shouted, his concerned expression on his face.

'Too close!'

But before he could voice his dissent, the ceiling began to spin above him followed shortly after by a wave of dizziness. 

"Are you okay?" Sebastian's voice was low, filled with concern.

It was only after a few moments that things began to calm down. He nodded, feeling a throbbing headache begin to settle in the back of his head.

'Nearly a thousand books… its too much.'

He had gotten too carried away.

The door creaked open, and the soldier from earlier stepped in. His eyes flickered from the frail boy to the father supporting him. 

He sighed. "The exam starts now. Will you still be taking it?"

Luke nodded weakly, though he wasn't sure if he could even walk straight, let alone focus on an exam. The soldier rolled his eyes, muttering something to himself out of earshot.

"Come with me."

Luke tried to walk, but his legs wobbled beneath him. He felt helpless like a newborn deer, trying to control his unsteady gait.

Sebastian gripped his arm firmly, essentially carrying him as they followed the soldier down the hall.

'Now I really feel like a toddler,' Luke thought with an inward groan.

Between being dragged all over the city and now this, he was beginning to question his own competence.

After several twists and turns, they arrived at a small classroom. A large desk dominated the front of the room, and a single smaller desk sat alone in the center, awaiting its victim.

"This is the boy?" A gruff voice demanded.

Luke glanced up to see another soldier, his armor slightly different from the others. The man's gray hair and steely eyes glinted in the dim light, and his lip curled in disdain as he sized Luke up.

"Yes, Lieutenant Crowe," the soldier from earlier replied, his tone suddenly filled with respect. Judging by his actions, it was clear that this man outranked him.

"Ugh, what a waste of time," the Lieutenant grumbled, his gaze lingering on Luke's body. It seemed one glance was all it took for him to dismiss Luke entirely.

Luke's lips twitched, indignation rising in his heart. But armed with the knowledge of over a thousand books, his competitive spirit prevailed.

 A grin crept onto his face, mischievous and mocking.

'My first noob to destroy,' he thought.

"What are you waiting for? Take a seat and begin your test," the Lieutenant barked, waving his hand dismissively.

Luke nodded, sending Sebastian a quick and reassuring glance before slowly making his way to the desk.