The Sovereign System.

"Young Master, it's morning."

The sound of Sebastian's enthusiastic voice rang out, tapping on the door of Luke's consciousness. A groan escaped his lips, as if to ward off the intrusion from the unwanted visitor.

"Young Master… Wake up."

Unfortunately for him it seemed such diversionary tactics would not work against his butler. Perhaps it may have for Luke Nero when he was a noble, yet the commoner had no such luck.

THWUP~

The coarse blanket was promptly lifted from the bed, sending the cold morning air throughout his now exposed body.

Letting out a shiver, Luke's eyes snapped open and stared hatefully at Sebastian. Since he had no clean clothes, he'd been forced to sleep with makeshift underwear on.

"I've secured some clothes for you Young Master, please try them on." He stated, tossing the new garbs on top of his near naked body.

Still half asleep, Luke let out some grumbles of annoyance. He had never been a morning person. In fact, he needed to set at least 10 alarms 2 minutes apart to get up for work every morning back on Earth.

In his groggy state, he began to get dressed, discarding the makeshift underwear across the room and out of his life forever. It had felt like he was wearing a diaper for the whole night.

Luke stood, now fully dressed in his new outfit, spinning slowly in front of the mirror. The robe's flowing sleeves and fabric felt foreign, yet oddly comfortable. It was a far cry from the noble garments he once wore.

The look reminded him of those old Chinese paintings that depicted the warring era.

In fact, if it wasn't for the books he'd read about the history of the continent, Luke might have thought that he'd been transported back in time on Earth to such an era.

Sebastian watched on, his brow furrowing slightly as Luke examined his outfit.

"Ahem, Young Master let's head to the Mercenary Guild. I need to register."

Luke, still adjusting the fit of his robe, suddenly stopped. "Not so fast. You were supposed to explain your actions yesterday," he said, voice now steady and alert.

Sebastian's brow furrowed, as if debating whether or not to answer. Eventually, he let out a sigh, "What do you want to know?" he asked, voice resigned.

Luke crossed his arms, leaning back slightly. "Why did you use our real names to get into the city?"

Sebastian walked over to the bed and slowly sat down, getting comfortable. "It was the quickest way in." He replied seriously.

Luke narrowed his eyes. "That's a convenient answer. What if someone finds out we're here? Shouldn't we have bribed our way in, kept our identities hidden?"

Sebastian scoffed, "Bribe a city guard in Clayton? We're on the border of the Qin Empire, Luke. They won't risk a breach in security just because someone flashes a few coins. Bribing the guards would have raised more suspicion than simply presenting our identities."

Luke blinked, mulling over the explanation. Clayton City was a fortified city on the edge of the Qin Empire, something he didn't know the gravity of until reading those books yesterday.

While tensions were high right now, the Marxx Kingdom and the Empire were not currently at war. Or at least this was what he'd deduced based solely on the activity of Clayton City.

Perhaps the city would be in lockdown if they were at war, only allowing in supplies and reinforcements for the defense of its gates.

He sighed, a gnawing unease still lingering. "So, you're saying we just have to hope Valan City doesn't send anyone after us?" His voice was more resigned than accusatory this time.

Sebastian shook his head, his expression calm yet reassuring. "Too many eyes are on this place. If they make a move, it will be noticed. And with our new commoner identities, they'll hardly expect us to blend in so easily."

Luke couldn't help but feel a flicker of guilt. Sebastian had moved quickly, decisively, and efficiently. While Luke had been bogged down in suspicion, his butler had been focused on their safety.

'Looks like it's just my trust issues again,' he thought, a bit of self-deprecation curling through him.

Back on Earth, trust had always been a gamble. Keeping people at a distance had been easier than risking betrayal, whether in friendships or relationships. No one close, no one to hurt him.

But here… maybe it was different.

He took a breath, trying to shake off his old cynicism. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Sebastian. Next time, maybe fill me in on the plan beforehand. You know, so I don't let my suspicions get the better of me."

Sebastian blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the apology, but quickly composed himself and nodded. "Of course, Young Master."

Luke straightened, his thoughts now clearer. Sebastian had earned his trust—maybe that's why it stung a bit to have doubted him so easily. 

'Maybe it's not so bad to have someone to rely on,' he mused. For once, he wasn't entirely alone.

"We really must go now, Young Master," Sebastian said, breaking the moment.

"Mmm, let's go."

The two stepped into the busy streets of Clayton City. 

It was already mid-morning, and everyone seemed well into their day's work. Luke stifled a yawn, grateful that Sebastian wasn't pulling him around like yesterday. The more relaxed pace made it easier for him to take in his surroundings.

They passed rows of shops, each one spilling out the enticing scent of freshly baked bread or roasted meats. Luke's stomach growled in response, reminding him how little he'd eaten. 

His eyes lingered on a nearby stall selling steaming pastries, but he forced himself to look away.

'Focus. I don't know how much money we even have.'

That's why Sebastian needs to join the Mercenary Guild, they needed money.

They turned into another street, this one not unlike the others, apart from a massive, imposing building that immediately caught Luke's eye. It stood like a fortress amid the city's bustle, its dark stone walls towering over the nearby shops. Above the entrance, a large sign depicted a gleaming iron helm with two crossed swords behind it. 

Luke recognized the symbol at once, having seen it yesterday during his reading session.

'The Mercenary Guild.' He said in his heart, feeling a sense of trepidation.

Sebastian moved through the crowd with a sense of purpose, his steps measured and filled with confidence. Luke trailed after him, unsure of what to expect but grateful that, at least for now, his butler knew what he was doing.

The moment they stepped inside, Luke was hit with a wave of noise.

The space was vast, with high ceilings and stone walls that made every sound echo. The place was filled with mercenaries, each dressed in a mishmash of armor, their weapons clinking at their sides. They milled about, chatting, laughing, and occasionally arguing, their voices a mix of volumes.

Luke looked around, instantly feeling overwhelmed by the place.

'This is why I hate crowds…' 

His eyes darted around, scoping out the place. At the far end of the hall he saw a large counter, manned by four attendants who seemed to be juggling paperwork and conversations all at once. 

During his inspection, he caught Sebastian pushing through the crowd, walking straight toward the counter. 

"Ah, wait for me." He uttered, trying to hide the panic in his voice.

He caught a few eyes staring in his direction, causing him to remain on alert. At a glance Luke could tell that these were battle-hardened warriors who often put their lives at risk. 

In the books he'd read it was mentioned that mercenaries were often used in the vanguard, so the kingdom could decrease their losses. Luke thought it was rather bizarre since there was no way to spend their money in the afterlife.

Under the scrutiny of the warriors in the room, they finally arrived at the counter and was greeted by a woman with a high ponytail. She wore a clean white robe and had a beautiful smile.

Luke felt his face heat up after seeing the pretty woman, his eyes glazing over.

'My one weakness…' He muttered in his heart.

"What'll it be?" She said, her voice husky, almost manly.

Luke blinked incredulously, it was hard to match the voice to the pretty face of the assistant in front of him.

"I want to join a mercenary group." Sebastian said calmly, not affected by the woman's beauty, nor her unusual timbre.

"Alright, give me yer ID first, then we need ta' test yer strength." She said, holding out her hand.

'What kind of accent is that!?' Luke thought, feeling his earlier attraction fizzle away like that of a dying fire.

His eyes moved to her outstretched hand that was full of callouses and felt bewildered.

'Don't tell me all the women in this world are like this?' he thought, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

After retrieving the ID from Sebastian, the woman scribbled down some details and stood up from behind the counter in the next moment. Luke's eyes widened as he craned his neck to see her full height.

Now that he could see her whole body, he no longer felt that her voice was out of place. Her wide shoulders and thick muscles were now visible, even beneath the clean white robe she was wearing.

"Come with me to the testin' room."

She turned her heel and walked towards a nearby door, her long legs only needing a few steps to arrive at the destination. Sebastian followed, prompting Luke to scurry behind him, lest he get left behind with the other mercenaries.

As he was trailing behind his butler, Luke heard the room go silent. Feeling a sense of dread overcome him, he turned his head, only to see everyone staring in their direction.

Those he could see were either whispering amongst each other, or looking at him with what he could only assume was pity.

'I have a bad feeling about this…'

Unfortunately, he wasn't left with much choice than to follow Sebastian into the room. Distracted, he bumped into something hard, almost losing his balance.

"Where do ya think yer goin'?" a gruff voice rumbled above him.

Luke froze, his eyes slowly traveling upward to meet the stern gaze of the towering woman.

"I—I err…" he stammered, the words catching in his throat as the oppressive atmosphere pressed down on him.

"Sorry," Sebastian said, his voice calm as ever. "He's my son, and he'll be joining the Military Academy in a few days. Do you mind if he watches the proceedings?"

The woman paused, her expression unreadable. After what felt like an eternity, she shrugged and stepped aside, allowing Luke to pass.

Luke let out a shaky breath, quickly slipping into the room before she could change her mind.