[Name: Victoria Rose]

  [Subordinate Tier: Epic]

  [Stats: N/A]

  [User cannot see the stats of those who are not subordinates.]

  Luke stood at the window, staring at the translucent screen before him with mixed emotions. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen this system notification—it had happened with both Hilda and Kayson. But he hadn’t expected it to appear for Victoria.

  He wasn’t surprised that she was Epic-tier, but what had triggered it? Had something he said caused this reaction from the system? Or were there specific prerequisites that had to be met before the system deemed someone a potential subordinate?

  Luke had no answers. Not yet.

  The idea of having Victoria as a subordinate was both thrilling and unnerving. She was undoubtedly capable, yet he didn’t know enough about her.

  Her origins remained a mystery, as did her true motives. Was he supposed to simply believe that she had the kingdom’s best interests at heart? If so, why hadn’t she balked when he revealed his willingness to form his own empire if necessary?

  Luke scratched his head in irritation. He had trouble understanding women at the best of times—Victoria was even more difficult to read.

  With a sigh, he left the room in search of a bath. Like the others, he wanted nothing more than to wash away the fatigue of their long and uncomfortable journey to the capital.

  After a much-needed soak, the group reconvened at the inn for supper. Thanks to their prolonged meeting with the Minister, the sun had already set by the time they gathered.

  Descending the stairs, Luke immediately noticed the packed tavern. Finding an empty table would be difficult, which meant they’d likely have to wait.

  With no other choice, he approached the bar. The counter was worn and wooden, manned by an aging barkeep who was wiping a mug with a rag that looked far from clean. The sight made Luke question whether dining here was a good idea.

  “We’re looking for a table for four,” Luke said, trying to ignore the unhygienic cloth in the man’s hands.

  “Doubt you’ll find one,” the barkeep replied nonchalantly.

  “You lookin’ for a place to sit, pretty lady?”

  A deep, gruff voice called out from a nearby table. The speaker was about Hilda’s size, though he lacked her defined muscle mass.

  Luke turned, only now realizing the man was addressing Victoria.

  “There’s plenty of room right here.” The man patted his thigh, grinning. “And if you feel something hard, don’t worry—it’s just my spear.”

  Raucous laughter erupted from the table, the other men joining in.

  Luke’s gaze shifted to the pendant hanging around the man’s neck—an iron helm with two crossed swords behind it. The crest of the Mercenary Guild. He wasn’t the only one wearing it; the other three men at the table bore the same insignia.

  Luke sighed, a twinge of pity rising within him. He didn’t need to glance at Victoria to know what would happen next.

  These men were about to experience something truly terrifying.

  The beautiful woman stepped toward the largest mercenary, leaning in close to whisper something into his ear. His expression stiffened for a brief moment before twisting into a wide, eager grin.

  Victoria took a step back, grasped his hand, and turned toward the stairs. “Take the table. I’ll be back soon,” she said to Luke.

  “What about us?” one of the other mercenaries blurted out, shooting to his feet.

  Victoria let out a sultry laugh. “You can come too,” she cooed, curling a finger toward them before leading the biggest man upstairs.

  The remaining three wasted no time, abandoning their half-finished mugs of ale and scrambling after her. Apparently, Victoria’s allure was strong enough to make them forget everything else.

  Luke watched the scene unfold blankly, unsure how to react.

  ‘Is she… going to sleep with them?’ The thought made his chest tighten with something unpleasant. He quickly shook his head.

  ‘No way. There’s no way she’d actually do that.’

  When he turned, he found Sebastian wearing a smug grin. Luke’s face burned. Had the man noticed his moment of doubt—his brief flicker of jealousy?

  “L-Let’s sit down before someone else takes the table,” Luke muttered, eager to change the subject.

  As he settled into his seat, a sudden commotion erupted from the top of the stairs. A deep grunt, followed by heavy thuds, made the wooden floorboards tremble. Then came a series of muffled shouts—before a large body came tumbling down the stairs, landing in an awkward heap at the bottom.

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  It was the mercenary from earlier. His face was a mess of blood and bruises. He groggily tried to lift his head, only to slump backward in unconsciousness.

  The dining hall fell deathly silent.

  Then, Victoria appeared at the top of the stairs, descending with slow, deliberate steps. Her face was slightly flushed, as if she had enjoyed what had just transpired. Reaching the bottom, she stepped onto the unconscious mercenary’s body—then, with casual cruelty, stomped down hard onto his nether region.

  A collective gasp rippled through the room.

  Victoria barely spared the fallen man another glance as she waltzed toward the table, flashing Luke a sweet, innocent smile. “I’m starving. Let’s get some food.”

  Luke cleared his throat, suddenly very aware of how dangerous she was. Even without any buffs from the system, Victoria was someone not to be trifled with. In fact, he wasn’t entirely sure if even Sebastian or Kayson could take her in a fight.

  The tension in the room lingered. Many patrons still had their eyes locked onto Victoria—until she swept a cold glare across the room. The reaction was instant. Men who had been watching in shock quickly averted their gazes, pretending to mind their own business.

  Luke almost laughed at how fast they backed down.

  “Server.” He raised his hand, flagging down one of the nearby waitresses. The young woman approached hesitantly, her blue eyes fixed not on Luke, but on Victoria. Even as he placed their order, the waitress barely acknowledged him.

  “Right away, ma’am,” she said before hurrying off toward the kitchen.

  Luke blinked.

  “Ma’am?” he echoed, confused. ‘Hadn’t I been the one placing the order?’

  The food arrived rather quickly. Though it paled in comparison to some of the feasts he’d enjoyed before, it was far better than the bland meals he’d endured on the road. No one spoke much throughout the meal, aside from a few brief exchanges about the food.

  At some point, the mercenaries had regained consciousness and hurriedly dragged their battered friend toward the exit. They cast wary glances at Victoria as they passed, and when she flashed them a playful wink, their pace quickened even more.

  Luke almost felt bad for them. Almost.

  After finishing his meal, he stretched and bid the others goodnight, reminding them that they needed to be up early for their visit to the Royal Academy. Only once he was back in his room did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

  Kayson had followed him inside and made his way over to the bed.

  “She’s a feisty one, that Victoria,” Kayson said, a small, amused smile playing on his lips. “I wouldn’t want to mess with her.”

  Luke nodded. “I just hope she behaves herself at the Royal Academy. She’ll be your servant, after all.”

  Kayson’s expression froze. His smile faded.

  Luke nearly laughed at how quickly realization dawned on him.

  “Hey… I was thinking, maybe we could sw—”

  “Absolutely not,” Luke cut him off before he could finish. “Sebastian is my butler. Why would I let him be your servant?”

  Kayson’s shoulders drooped in defeat, and he let out an exaggerated sigh. “Worth a shot, I guess…” His voice was flat as he flopped onto the bed. “I’m beat. We’ll talk in the morning.”

  Within seconds, soft snores filled the room.

  Luke stared in disbelief. “I will never understand how he falls asleep so fast…”

  With a quiet sigh, he lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he often did. The past month and a half had been relentless, leaving him little time to breathe. Between capturing Xiu Fortress and enduring the siege at Clayton City, his days had been filled with nothing but scheming and bloodshed—directly or indirectly.

  Even during their five-day journey to the capital, he had felt as if something unseen was pushing him forward, urging him to reach his destination faster.

  But now that he was here, the tension in his chest finally eased.

  ‘Alright… It’s time to finally accept my quest rewards.’

  A spark of anticipation flickered inside him as he opened his system menu. Despite everything, some habits never changed.

  After all, he’d been an avid gamer in his previous life—few things were as satisfying as claiming a well-earned reward.

  Auxiliary Quest: Send a message [Completed]

  Details: The Church threatens the dominion of the Sovereign and must be given a lesson.

  Task: Kill the subordinates of your enemy [5/5]

  Reward: The Sovereign’s Blessing [Claim Rewards]

  Failure: Your enemy receives The Pope’s Blessing

  Without hesitation, Luke pressed the claim rewards button and watched on with sparkling eyes.

  [Congratulations, you’ve received skill: The Sovereign’s Blessing (passive)]

  The Sovereign’s Blessing: **&^&%$#

  […]

  [Error…]

  [Description is unavailable at this time.]

  “…”

  Luke stared at the error window in front of him, incredulous. He had worked so hard for this reward, yet now he couldn’t even see the skill’s description.

  With a sigh, he decided to move on. As long as the passive skill worked, he might still benefit from it, even if unknowingly.

  Shaking off his frustration, he turned to the next mission reward, feeling his enthusiasm return.

  Main Quest: Ascent to Power (Part 3) [Completed]

  Details: The Sovereign System will not settle for weakness. Only those who aim to leave their mark in history may wield its power.

  Task: Successfully defend Clayton City for the next 20 days

  Reward: Skill Selection, Renown [Claim Rewards]

  Failure: Inevitable fall of the Marxx Kingdom

  Without any fanfare he selected the rewards.

  [Congratulations, your Charisma has received a significant boost.]

  [Please choose your reward:]

  Master Sword Proficiency: Most popular and one of the hardest to master. Gain 30 years experience of wielding a sword.

  [Congratulations, you have selected Master Sword Proficiency.]

  ‘Huh? That was the only choice?’

  Before he could even think to complain, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. His mind trembled, his vision darkened—then, everything went black.

  The next morning, Luke was woken by a firm nudge. His body felt heavy, his thoughts sluggish, like he’d just pulled an all-nighter gaming until dawn.

  He groaned, forcing himself upright as he rubbed his eyes, which felt dry and gritty.

  “You look like shit,” Kayson noted dryly.

  “Thanks,” Luke muttered, turning to his friend. “You don’t look much better.” It was a blatant lie—Kayson looked as annoyingly flawless as ever, his blond hair somehow still perfectly styled despite just waking up.

  Kayson smirked. “You and I both know that’s a lie.”

  Luke sighed.

  “Let’s get some breakfast before heading to the Royal Academy,” Kayson added.

  Luke simply nodded and swung his legs over the bed, stretching as his thoughts drifted back to his rewards. His earlier assumption had been correct—only the sword mastery had remained as an option.

  But he wasn’t upset.

  In fact, quite the opposite.

  With 20 years of proficiency in the spear and now 30 years in the sword, one-on-one combat should be a breeze. Of course, his body still needed to catch up to his newly gained skill, but that would come with time.

  “Go get us a seat downstairs, I’ll be down in a moment.” Luke said.

  Once Kayson left, he pulled up his system window and checked his status.

  User: Luke Drakon

  Title: Officer in training

  Subordinates: 2

  Stats:

  Ambition: C+

  Charisma: B+

  Intelligence: B-

  Prowess: C

  Zeal: F

  Loyalty: F

  Additional Notes: An officer in training with many merits. Your name is known by many across the continent. Proficient in spear, sword, and bow. Creator of gunpowder.

  Luke’s eyes widened.

  ‘Holy crap, a lot has changed…’

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