Luke barely slowed his steps as he left the dining hall, eager to put distance between himself and Rani’s unsettlingly perceptive gaze. His mind raced, still processing the conversation when he heard the soft but firm footsteps behind him. Turning slightly, he noticed Charles following closely, his presence as steady and composed as ever.

"Right this way, young master," the old butler said, his voice calm as he gestured for Luke to follow.

Luke fell into step beside him, taking in the grandeur of the Timberdell mansion. The hallways were vast, with tall windows allowing natural light to spill across the polished marble floors. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries and paintings that hinted at the family’s long and prestigious history. Each step echoed in the vast space, a quiet reminder of the unfamiliar world he had found himself in.

"You seemed eager to leave, young master," Charles noted with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Luke sighed. "Just needed some fresh air."

Charles merely offered a knowing nod, leading Luke through the mansion’s grand corridors until they stopped in front of a large set of ornate wooden doors. With a graceful push, the butler revealed the study, and Luke's eyes widened.

The sight was breathtaking—towering bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, filled with countless tomes. A massive chandelier hung above a long mahogany table in the center, surrounded by elegant chairs. Large windows lined one side of the room, allowing warm sunlight to bathe the space. The air carried the scent of aged parchment, ink, and polished wood—a scholar’s paradise. In one corner, a small writing desk stood near a roaring fireplace, and several maps and scrolls were neatly arranged on nearby tables.

"This will be your study for the next week," Charles announced. "Your task is to familiarize yourself with the history, geography, politics, and culture of Eldoria. Lord Garhan expects you to learn quickly. After this week, you will be sent to the Academy of Berch Gyara, the most prestigious institution in the Rolhart Kingdom."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "The academy, huh?"

"Indeed," Charles confirmed. "It is where the most promising candidates from across the kingdom are sent. Sons and daughters of noble families, including the royal prince and princess, attend this academy. The top graduates go on to become influential figures—high-ranking officials, generals, and powerful individuals within the kingdom. Even the sponsored candidates, if they excel, bring great honor to their patrons. Their achievements elevate the status of the families who back them."

Luke finally grasped the weight of Garhan’s earlier displeasure. Sponsoring a candidate was an investment, a means of securing future power and prestige. But instead of a prodigy, Garhan had been burdened with someone like him—an unknown with abysmal stats and a seemingly useless class. Yet, despite this, Garhan was still providing him with all the resources that would have been given to a more promising candidate.

Luke glanced around the massive study, realizing the opportunity before him. This was his chance to gain knowledge about this world, something he desperately needed. He knew better than to squander it.

Garhan really is a good person, Luke thought. Anyone else in his position would have likely mistreated him for ruining their chances at prestige. Yet Garhan had shown him patience and fairness, despite what was at stake.

Luke clenched his fists in silent determination. I’ll make sure you will forever remember me as your greatest investment. It wasn’t arrogance—it was confidence. Back on Earth, Luke had always been someone who excelled at whatever he put his mind to. He had been talented, capable, and determined. Even though he hadn’t been given the best start in Eldoria, he refused to let it shake his belief in himself.

Especially since his class seemed to be more than what it appeared on the surface.

Turning to Charles, he gave a small nod. "You can return to your duties. I’ll be busy reading."

Charles lingered for a moment, studying Luke’s expression before offering a rare smile. "Then I shall leave you to it, young master. If you require assistance, do not hesitate to call upon me."

With that, the old butler exited the study, closing the heavy doors behind him. Luke stood still for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the shelves filled with knowledge waiting to be absorbed.

Alright, he thought, rolling up his sleeves. Time to get to work.

It had been four hours straight since Luke started his reading spree. He had taken out a few books first that could help him get used to his current reality. "Eldoria: The Introduction"—apparently a bestseller, according to the first pages of gratitude—was one of the best books for candidates summoned from outside this world and even native children who wanted to learn more about their land. Alongside it, he had grabbed "Introduction to the Academy of Berch Gyara" and "Stats and Classes for Dummies."

Just scanning these few books had taken him long enough that four hours had passed, and it was now lunchtime. Luke hadn't even realized it. He was so engrossed in the books and all the otherworldly new information that he lost track of time. But his dedication was well rewarded—he had uncovered some crucial revelations about this world and, more importantly, about himself.

The first and most critical piece of information concerned his transmigration. Apparently, these summonings had been occurring for centuries, first beginning during the Great Demon War. When Eldoria had been on the verge of collapse, otherworlders with far superior growth potential had suddenly appeared, summoned into this world. In just five years, they had grown powerful enough to bring an end to the Great Demon War. Ever since then, this summoning ritual occurred every three years, despite the absence of any looming demon threat.

Of course, while demons were no longer an issue, the same couldn't be said for humans and other similar diplomatic races. Wars still raged across the land, border conflicts and power struggles remained constant, and the summoned candidates were now seen as valuable assets rather than desperate war heroes.

The next major thing Luke learned concerned the class system—more specifically, the evolution of classes. It was a common fact that all classes could evolve, even the most basic ones like Cook or Blacksmith. However, while class evolution was possible, it wasn’t guaranteed. The majority of common classes would only evolve into uncommon ones, and reaching the rare tier was almost unheard of. In contrast, uncommon classes had a much higher chance of evolving into rare ones, with a slim possibility of advancing to epic.

The real game-changers, however, were rare classes. It was almost certain that rare-tier classes would evolve into epic, and with enough effort and luck, even legendary status wasn’t out of reach. This explained why Jasmine and Roy, who both had rare beginner classes, were treated as such valuable assets. Among native Eldorians, receiving a rare-tier class at the start was exceptionally rare, making Luke's peers even more unique.

But what caught Luke’s attention the most was the peculiar nature of his own class. His class, Gunner (Growth), stood out. Despite scouring through "Stats and Classes for Dummies," he found no reference to the "Growth" aspect. No matter how much he buried his head in the book, there was nothing on it. That alone told him that this addition to his class wasn’t normal.

Frowning, he opened his status window again, this time focusing intently on his class. To his surprise, a new description popped up.

Class: Gunner (Growth)
Rank: Normal

• Proficiency with all gun-type weapons increases by 10%
• Attack damage from all gun-type weapons increases by 10%
• Range of all gun-type weapons increases by 5%

Growth (Passive):

• The growth rate of class increases significantly
• The growth rate of stats increases slightly
• The chances of acquiring a higher-level class increase significantly
• [Locked]
• [Locked]

Luke's eyes widened as he took in the information. His heart pounded in his chest.

YES!

He couldn't help but scream inwardly, praying to all that was holy. For the first time since being abducted into this world, he was excited to see the translucent blue screen hovering in front of him.

Luke finally had something good happening to him. The discovery of his class’s unique "Growth" trait gave him a sense of excitement he hadn’t felt in ages. He wanted nothing more than to grab a gun and start testing its features immediately.

From what he had read so far, most people unlocked their class-specific skills through hands-on practice with their weapon of choice. Even mages weren’t exempt from this rule; they needed to wield a wand, grimoire, or staff to access their first few spells. Later, they could acquire more spells through class advancements or skill books, but those initial moments of learning were crucial. If the same principle applied to him, then he needed to start training with a gun as soon as possible.

But as much as he wanted to rush outside and start shooting, Luke forced himself to hold back. He decided to dedicate the rest of the day to reading—he needed as much information as possible before jumping into training. It wouldn’t be too late to start first thing in the morning.

Just as he was flipping to the next chapter of "Stats and Classes for Dummies," a knock on the door interrupted him. Looking up, he saw Charles entering the study with his usual composed demeanor.

"Sir Luke, it is time for lunch," Charles informed him.

Luke considered it for a moment but ultimately shook his head. "I appreciate it, Charles, but I’d like to keep reading for now. I’ll probably have dinner on time, though."

At that, a pleased smile formed on Charles’s lips. He gave a slight nod before turning back toward the door.

Luke blinked. Why is he smiling like that? Then it hit him—this was probably a test. Garhan’s testing my dedication, isn’t he? Luke had unintentionally passed it just by being absorbed in his reading. He exhaled in relief. Whew, dodged a bullet there.

That last thought triggered another realization. A bullet. A gun. Wait.

"Charles, hold on a second!" Luke called out, suddenly remembering something important.

Charles stopped and turned back. "Yes, Sir Luke? Do you require anything?"

Luke nodded. "I’d really like to get my hands on a gun. And some ammo to go with it. Also, is there a place where I could train? Can you arrange that for me tomorrow?"

Charles placed his hand over his chest and gave a small bow. "I will inform Lord Garhan. It is likely that your request will be fulfilled by tomorrow."

Luke grinned. "That’s great. Thanks, Charles."

Satisfied with that answer, Luke returned his focus to his books. His excitement hadn’t faded, but at least now he had a plan. Tomorrow, he would finally get to test his abilities in action.

Luke had read for so long that the warm glow of the sun had long since faded, replaced by the steady, magical illumination of the mana stones embedded in the study’s walls. When he finally looked up from his book, he realized it was almost 7 PM. The time here followed the same system as Earth—a small but comforting detail. It was likely the work of the Earth-dwellers who had come before him, shaping this world in ways he was only beginning to understand.

But that wasn’t even the most shocking discovery. Luke had spent his entire time in this world speaking, reading, and even thinking in a completely different language. He hadn’t even noticed until he read about it in "Eldoria: The Introduction." It was only then that he tried to recall English, only to find that it was as if the entire language had been wiped from his brain. He still remembered that English existed, but its structure, its rules—everything about it was just... gone. The realization sent a chill down his spine. This world wasn’t just magical; it actively reshaped reality, even down to one’s knowledge and memories.

His studies also brought more clarity about the world’s systems. Unlike RPG games, there was no built-in system that gave out quests. No "Kill 10 slimes for 50 gold" nonsense. Quests existed, but they came from guilds, academies, or other institutions, not from some omnipotent system handholding people through their adventures. A pity, he thought. That made things both more realistic and more dangerous—opportunities weren’t just going to fall into his lap.

Then, there was money. Learning about its value put things into perspective. Even after the empire took its 10% cut, Luke was left with 76,500 sils for this whole year. To put that into context, a commoner family of four could feed themselves for an entire month on just 80 sils. His wealth wasn’t just generous—it was outright ridiculous. He could practically fund an entire village if he wanted to. With a smirk, he clasped his hands together in a mock prayer, comically blessing Garhan and his family for their continued sponsorship and hoping it would last.

Just as he was about to move on to another book, the door creaked open, and Charles stepped in again.

"Sir Luke, it is time for dinner. You should not make it a habit to skip meals," Charles said, his tone polite but firm.

Luke stretched, feeling the stiffness in his body from sitting too long. "Yeah, yeah, I was going to eat anyway. Let’s go."

Bidding farewell to the study, he followed Charles to the dining room, where he noticed that the grand table was almost entirely empty.

"Has sir Garhan and his family already eaten?" he asked.

Charles nodded. "Yes, they have. The master and his family do not always dine together due to their respective duties, but Lord Garhan enforces a family meal at least once a month—unless there is an urgent matter."

Luke hummed in understanding. It made sense. A family of their status wouldn’t always have the luxury of daily dinners together.

Soon, steaming plates of exquisite dishes were placed before him. The sight and aroma stirred something deep inside him—a nostalgic ache he didn’t want to confront. He pushed the emotions aside before they could surface and instead turned to Charles. "Have you eaten?"

Charles kept his hands folded in front of him. "Servants do not eat before their masters."

Luke frowned. "Then eat with me."

Charles’ expression remained neutral, but his tone was resolute. "I appreciate the sentiment, Sir Luke, but that would be inappropriate."

Luke didn’t push. He knew when not to force someone into an uncomfortable position. Still, his insistence, however brief, made Charles regard him with slightly more appreciation. With that, Luke focused on his meal, enjoying the first proper break of the day, already anticipating what tomorrow would bring.