The Sovereign System.

Luke felt rather humiliated as he rode through the gates of Valand City. He had wrapped a makeshift hood atop his head to cover the fake disfigurement that Kayson had placed upon his face as a disguise. Yet even this could not stop the townsfolk from staring at him atop the mare.

He tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the somewhat familiar streets that sprawled out before him. The city was nothing like Clayton City or Xiu Fortress, lacking the heavily fortified streets and hardened faces he had grown accustomed to.

While there was the occasional skirmish or raid in this area, it rarely reached the city walls. Because of this, the townsfolk seemed oblivious to the war and bloodshed unfolding beyond their gates.

This was likely why the arrival of five hundred cavalry at the city gates had made them nervous. In fact, the soldier escorting them to the City Lord's estate looked completely shaken.

Luke quickly understood why. They had not announced their intentions upon arrival, merely stating that they were sent on the General's orders to find the new City Lord. If this soldier was involved in the coup, seeing such a large number of troops arrive unannounced would, of course, be nerve-wracking.

As they moved toward the estate, Luke resisted the urge to scratch at his face. The sweat beneath the makeshift hood irritated him, but there was little he could do to ease the discomfort.

When they reached the gates of the estate, they were met by even more soldiers—none of whom Luke recognized. The host of this body was such a deadbeat that his memories contained little more than the layout of his residence and the girls he found attractive.

'If I could meet this guy, I wouldn't mind beating some sense into him,' Luke thought bitterly.

Luke and his retinue—Kayson and Stoddard—dismounted from their horses, handing them over to a few soldiers to take to the stable. They had left the remainder of their unit outside the city to avoid causing mass hysteria.

"Please follow me, distinguished guests," an old butler greeted them when they reached the large wooden doors of the castle. He bowed with perfect etiquette before leading them into the hall.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Luke as he saw the familiar fixtures and decor, though it felt oddly foreign. These weren't his memories, and the disconnect made the surroundings feel eerie. Some inconsistencies also tugged at his heart.

'The new City Lord probably removed some sentimental items,' Luke speculated, his gaze sweeping across the hall. Paintings adorned the walls, their age indeterminate, depicting beautiful landscapes and inscribed with elegant calligraphy.

A memory surfaced: a broad-shouldered man sitting peacefully in a candlelit room, a paintbrush in hand. His confident, sweeping strokes exuded a sense of calm and harmony, evoking feelings of comfort and security in Luke.

It was faint, but for the first time since arriving in this world, Luke felt safe. His eyes moistened briefly before his gaze fell on a woman dressed in a maid's outfit.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but as she lifted her head and he saw her deep brown eyes, a shiver ran down Luke's spine. The woman was stunningly beautiful, her presence almost otherworldly, yet the sight of her raised goosebumps on his skin and made his blood run cold.

'It's her!' he exclaimed inwardly, his heart pounding against his ribs.

Victoria—the maid who had vanished from the Academy over three months ago—was here, in Valand City. Luke could hardly believe his eyes.

She glanced his way briefly, offering a small but radiant smile. Thankfully, it didn't seem like she had recognized him yet. But if he kept acting strangely, that could change.

Quickly, Luke adjusted his hood and focused on the butler's hunched back ahead, silently praying he wouldn't draw attention. The last thing he needed was for Victoria to expose his identity after all the effort he'd gone through to conceal it.

'Wait, why am I nervous?' he wondered. The fact that she was here as a maid likely meant she was investigating the conspiracy surrounding Viscount Nero's death.

He concluded that even if Victoria did recognize him, she wouldn't risk exposing his identity—doing so could jeopardize her own cover.

Luke silently thanked his Scholarly Pursuit skill for helping him piece together the situation. For now, he needed to focus on the task at hand: securing reinforcements.

They were led through the estate's winding halls until they arrived at a reception room, where the butler politely asked them to wait for the City Lord's arrival. Once the door closed behind them, Luke immediately scratched at his head, letting out a relieved sigh as the itch subsided. He glanced at his companions, both of whom appeared to be in sour moods.

"He dares to make us wait?" Stoddard grumbled. "We have the Deputy General's seal. We should be treated as if the Deputy General himself were here."

"Calm down, Lieutenant Commander," Luke said, trying to soothe him. "You need to remember we're here to ask this man for a favor."

Kayson's sharp gaze shifted to Luke, filled with unspoken indignation. Though Luke couldn't read minds, it was clear Kayson was questioning how he could remain so composed under the circumstances.

Luke would argue he wasn't calm at all. In truth, he was incredibly nervous. Even with his disguise holding up, there was no guarantee they could secure the City Lord's support. Failure would leave the twenty-five thousand soldiers they were tasked with helping to endure a long and brutal siege.

Thankfully, their wait wasn't long. A figure soon entered the room, clad in a flashy indigo robe with gold rings adorning his fingers. His prominent brow and the wrinkles around his eyes betrayed his age, while the thick black beard on his chin seemed incongruous with the rest of his carefully curated appearance.

Despite his ostentatious attire, the man's leathery, sun-weathered skin hinted at a life of hardship under harsh conditions. His large, muscular frame made it clear he was a former soldier. Though named interim City Lord, he held no noble title under the King's monarchy.

Perhaps this explained his apparent desire to look the part of a noble in the eyes of his guests. Luke recognized him immediately; even the former host of his body had seen this man alongside his father on numerous occasions.

"Greetings, I am William Nox, the City Lord of Valand City. May I ask what brings you to my humble land?" William's words sounded awkward, as though he wasn't accustomed to speaking with practiced eloquence.

"Interim City Lord, you mean," Kayson retorted sharply, his eyes blazing with defiance.

'Oh shit…'

Luke saw William's expression falter for the briefest moment and knew he needed to intervene. "Forgive me, City Lord. We've been riding with great haste to arrive in a timely manner," he said smoothly, shooting a quick glance at Kayson to signal him to hold his tongue.

Before William could respond, Luke pressed on. "This is Lieutenant Commander Stoddard, Commander Diego, and I am Commander Drakon. We are here under Deputy General Tryst's orders to request reinforcements and supplies for the defense of Xiu Fortress."

Luke bowed slightly, raising his gaze to gauge William's reaction. The man's sharp eyes bore into him, and for a split second, Luke thought he caught a flicker of disgust before William's expression returned to a neutral mask.

"You're requesting reinforcements to defend Xiu Fortress," William said, stroking his thick beard with a calloused hand. "Are you saying the fortress has already been reclaimed?"

"That is correct, City Lord," Luke replied promptly. He opened his mouth to elaborate, but the large man interrupted.

"From what I've heard, over twenty thousand men were dispatched from Clayton City. Are you saying such a force is insufficient to defend the fortress?" William asked, a faint, mocking smile visible beneath his beard.

From the corner of his eye, Luke noticed Kayson's fists clench tightly, but he forced himself to stay focused. Losing his composure now would only make things worse.

"With our current supplies, we can hold out for at most ten days if rations are stretched to the limit," Luke explained patiently. "By now, the Qin Empire's troops have likely begun their siege. With all due respect, I believe it is best that we discuss our cooperation under the Deputy General's authority."

William's gaze remained fixed on Luke, and under the man's intense scrutiny, Luke felt his nerves beginning to fray. The City Lord wasn't just imposing; he was cunning, every bit the wily strategist Luke feared he might be.

William continued stroking his beard, his expression shifting into a mask of hesitation. But Luke wasn't fooled—he knew the man was merely putting on a show.

"I'd love to help you, Commander Drakon," William said finally, his tone laced with feigned regret. "However, we're still recovering from a leadership transition after the unfortunate passing of our dear Viscount Nero. The most I can offer is a thousand soldiers and five thousand pounds of grain."

"This is ridiculous!" Stoddard's voice cracked with fury, his shout echoing in the chamber.

The outburst triggered a sharp reaction. The two guards flanking William leveled their spears, pointing them directly at Stoddard. In an instant, Kayson stepped forward, positioning himself between the weapons and the Lieutenant Commander.

"Go ahead, take your best shot," Kayson growled. "My father, Viscount Diego, will hunt every last one of you down to the ends of the earth and make you suffer a dog's death."

'This is bad…' Luke thought frantically, his mind racing for a way to de-escalate the rapidly unraveling situation.

By this point, the atmosphere was so tense that it would only take a single wrong move for it to descend into bloody chaos. At no point did he think this was where things would end up.

"That's enough!" William's voice boomed, cutting through the room. His tone was commanding, enough to cow the two soldiers beside him as well as the Lieutenant Commander.

Only Kayson stood firm, ready to die.

The soldiers pulled back their spears and retreated behind the large bearded man.

After a few moments of silence, William spoke once more, this time his words lacking the hard-fought etiquette he had clung to earlier. "You've heard what I've had to say, Commander Drakon. You can choose to either take it or leave it."

Luke knew things had gotten out of hand and that he'd lost whatever bargaining power he had come in with. It was one thing to carry the authority of the Deputy General, but another thing entirely to get the local Lord to carry out the orders.

He took a deep breath and thought deeply, searching for angles that could elicit a positive response. 'What does this guy want?' he wondered.

To understand a man, one must first know his motivations. Luke's eyes widened briefly as understanding suddenly came to him.

It was clear from the way William dressed and his attempts at elegance that he wanted to shed his commoner status and become a noble. This was likely the reason he organized the coup and killed Viscount Nero in the end, despite serving him for many years.

'Such an uncouth and traitorous person isn't that hard to understand,' he thought.

"William," Luke started, deciding to use his name instead of his interim title. "The King has ordered us to reclaim Xiu Fortress no matter the cost. While we have done so, without your help, it will only be a matter of time before it falls to the Empire once more."

The big man's face shifted in displeasure upon being addressed by his first name, but he listened intently.

"Were you to aid us, the King would look favorably upon you—the magnanimous City Lord who dedicated his armies to the war effort without expectation of reward." Luke let his words sink in, waiting for the right time to strike.

William was deep in thought for a few moments before his expression flashed with understanding. Inwardly, Luke felt his nerves begin to ease. It was as if his words were casting a spell upon the large man in front of him, bringing a sense of ecstasy.

"Perhaps you may lose your interim title and be directly appointed as the City Lord, and the King's newest Viscount," he added with some flair.

What came next was the longest silence of Luke's life. Their entire trip hinged on the decision William made next. 'Will my Silver Tongue skill be enough to secure the assistance of this traitorous scum?' he thought.