In an instant, the gravity increased so much in the surrounding area that Klaus was pushed violently against the table and his bones creaked against the wood.

’F-Fuck!’ Klaus screamed in his head.

The pressure was immense and absolutely crushing. It felt like an invisible hand had grabbed his entire body and was forcing him down with the weight of a mountain.

His ribs protested and his spine compressed painfully with every breath being a struggle.

Normal wood would have shattered, but it was enchanted wood, so it did not break. Klaus was left sandwiched between the gravity pulling him down and the unyielding table surface.

’This is what a Wizard can do casually...’ Klaus thought with genuine fear. ’He’s not even trying and I’m about to die.’

"Father!" Marcellina called out sharply, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence. The gravity dispersed instantly, vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.

Klaus reeled his head backward violently as he could finally breathe properly again, gasping for air like a drowning man breaking the surface.

His chest heaved and his vision swam with spots but the noble patriarch sitting across from him didn’t even apologize or acknowledge what he’d just done.

"I refuse that proposition..." Cassius replied coldly while pressing his palms together in a gesture of finality. "Do not bring it up again, Marcellina."

His daughter had never spoken of marrying anyone before. She was twenty years old at this time, and noble women especially got married around age twenty-five. It was rare for a noblewoman to go past that age without being married since such women were considered problematic or damaged goods.

So while Cassius was genuinely happy that his daughter was finally thinking about marriage instead of violently rejecting any proposal thrown at her way by suitors, he had one massive question burning in his mind.

’Why would she want to marry a commoner?’ Cassius thought with barely concealed disgust. Was she trying to tarnish their bloodline? Dilute the precious Arlain gravity magic with common blood? That would be an insult to generations of careful breeding and bloodline maintenance.

Marcellina furrowed her brows and opened her mouth to argue.

"B-but Father—" she started.

However, Klaus was the one that interrupted her before she could continue making things worse for both of them.

"With all due respect, Lady Marcellina," Klaus said clearly, his voice steady despite his racing heart. "That proposal is a bit too much. I am a commoner. Marrying a noble of your standing would be like spitting on your family’s bloodline. I cannot and will not accept such an arrangement."

Her golden eyes widened in shock at his blunt refusal.

Cassius gave an approving nod with his expression softening slightly toward Klaus. At least the commoner understood basic social hierarchy and wasn’t delusional about his station.

At the end of the day, commoners were meant to marry commoners.

Nobles were meant to procreate with other nobles to maintain and strengthen bloodlines. That was how this world’s laws were structured, enforced both by social pressure and actual legal restrictions. Klaus wasn’t going to try and fight against centuries of established order, potentially offending several powerful noble families in the process over something as stupid as a marriage proposal he didn’t even want.

He was genre-savvy enough to know that "commoner marries noble" storylines only worked when the commoner was secretly a hidden prince or had legendary bloodline... He was neither.

Cassius cleared his throat with his authoritative presence filling the room once more.

"I do not want to hear any more of this nonsense." Cassius stated firmly.

"I apologize, Father," Marcellina said quietly, bowing her head in acceptance. Her cheeks were slightly flushed with embarrassment at being rejected publicly.

Cassius turned his attention back to Klaus with his expression becoming more businesslike and less hostile.

"Now then," Cassius said. "What else could I offer a fine young man like yourself as proper compensation?"

He raised his hand and gestured broadly around the entire estate, encompassing the luxury surrounding them.

"This villa is just one of our family’s several private residences," Cassius explained. "We own properties in multiple cities and towns. If you wanted, you could be given a villa somewhere within one of the territories that belong to the Arlain family. Though I cannot provide servants, since you are a commoner but the property itself would be yours. Additionally, you could ask for other things. My son Cedric is the heir of the Arlain clan and very important. Therefore, we will give you rewards befitting your deed."

Klaus looked around the opulent dining room, considering his options. A villa wouldn’t be bad, but it would attract unwanted attention... People would wonder how a commoner owned noble property.

Also, money wasn’t a major factor anymore. He had metil diamonds stored away, and he was planning to locate a resource dungeon using the Compass of Truth.

Klaus cleared his throat politely and straightened in his chair.

"If it is acceptable, Lord Arlain," Klaus said carefully, "I hope that I am not overstepping my boundaries with what I’m about to request."

Cassius raised an eyebrow with curiosity.

"What are you going to ask for?" Cassius said, then added with dark humor, "My wife?"

He had said it jokingly, with a slight smile playing at his lips. However, if Klaus actually asked for Lady Isabeau even as a joke, Cassius would kill the commoner right here and now without hesitation. Some lines could not be crossed, even in jest.

He didn’t really like this commoner that much anyway, if he was being honest with himself. If not for the fact that the young man had legitimately saved his son from the Death Cult which had been spread thoroughly throughout the underground of Rivera with over three hundred active cultists, he wouldn’t be caught dead entertaining a commoner like this in his villa.

Klaus shook his head immediately.

"Nothing like that, my lord," Klaus said. "I would like to request two things, if that is acceptable."

Cassius gestured for him to continue, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed.

"The first request..." Klaus said carefully, "is a chance to select one item from the Arlain family treasury."

Both father and daughter went completely silent. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Cassius’s eyes narrowed dangerously, and Marcellina’s hand moved instinctively toward where her weapon would normally be.

Klaus was already prepared to activate Iron Skin if necessary, though he knew intellectually that it wouldn’t do much against these people.

They were far, far stronger than him. Lord Cassius and his Daughter were Wizards... If they wanted him dead, he would die before he could even finish forming it.

"Of course, if that’s too much to ask—" Klaus started to backtrack.

"I understand..." Cassius interrupted, his expression thoughtful rather than angry now. He stroked his chin, considering the request seriously.

"A good item from the treasury of a noble family will push an ambitious young man to great lengths..." Cassius said with a small calculating laugh. "Very well. You have my permission to visit the main Arlain estate in the capital in two months’ time, after the entrance examinations of the Divine Swords Academy have concluded. I will personally show you around our treasury and see to it that you choose a suitable item. One item only, and I reserve the right to veto anything too valuable or dangerous."

"Thank you for the opportunity, Lord Arlain," Klaus said while bowing his head respectfully. "I am grateful for your generosity."

Lack of proper respect got commoners killed in this world. He was just being the average deferential peasant that nobles expected to interact with.

"Don’t mention it," Cassius said, waving his hand dismissively. "What was your second request?"

Cassius was clearly eager to get this meeting over with and escort this commoner out of his home. He reached for his ornate cup of fruit juice on the table, taking a sip.

"I would like a Bloodline Awakening Pill..." Klaus replied calmly.

Cassius immediately spat out his juice in shock, the red liquid spraying across the table in an undignified display. He barely avoided hitting Klaus directly with the spray.

Marcellina’s face twitched in secondhand embarrassment at her father’s reaction, and it took everything in Klaus’s willpower not to sigh at the dramatic response.

’Is it really that shocking?’ Klaus thought. ’Bloodline pills aren’t that rare for nobles.’

"A Bloodline Awakening Pill," Cassius repeated slowly, setting down his cup and wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin. "You want... a Bloodline Awakening Pill?"

"Yes, my lord..." Klaus confirmed.

Cassius studied Klaus’s face for a long moment, searching for something then he seemed to come to some internal decision and nodded slowly.

"If that is what you truly want, then it will be done." Cassius said.

He reached into his own storage ring, and a blue light beamed outward from the dimensional space. An item materialized in his hand... a small red-colored pill contained within an expensive-looking transparent crystal box with gold filigree around the edges.

The head of the Arlain clan looked at the pill with complete disinterest, then casually flung it across the table toward Klaus like it was a worthless trinket.

Klaus caught it quickly, his hands closing around the smooth crystal container. He looked down at the pill inside, focusing his attention on it.

A translucent system tab appeared above the container, visible only to him.

「Item: Bloodline Awakening Pill」

「Tier: 3」

「Item Description: A rare alchemical creation that floods the body with specialized mana to forcefully awaken dormant bloodlines. Searches through genetic heritage and activates latent magical traits. If no bloodline exists, the energy is expelled harmlessly. Success rate varies by bloodline purity. Side effects: unconsciousness, extreme pain, physical transformation, mana expansion, and rarely, death.」

Klaus read the description carefully, noting the "death" part with some concern but he’d come this far already.

"Thank you very much, Lord Arlain," Klaus said sincerely. The man nodded curtly, clearly done with this entire interaction.

"You may go now..." Cassius said bluntly, gesturing toward the exit. "The door is over there. I hope to see you in two months’ time at the capital for your treasury visit. Do not be late."

"I am very grateful to the Arlain clan for their generosity," Klaus said, bowing properly again.

He stood up from his chair and carefully placed the crystal container into his storage ring then he looked over toward Marcellina and gave her a polite nod of acknowledgement.

The noblewoman opened one golden eye slightly to look at him, but Klaus had already turned away. He walked quickly toward the front entrance of the dining hall and opened the heavy wooden door. He stepped outside into the cool night air and finally allowed himself to exhale deeply.

’I survived.’ Klaus thought with relief.

The sky above was beautiful... completely clear and starry. He could even see the twin moons that this world had hanging in the sky like luminous pearls, one slightly larger than the other and both casting pale light across the estate grounds.

’I need to get back to the inn...’ Klaus thought, pulling his cloak tighter around himself.

...

Klaus opened the door of Moonstone Residence with his key. It was quite late... probably past midnight at this point and the lobby area was lit only by dim magical lights that activated automatically at night.

He saw a somewhat unexpected spectacle in the common area.

Serra, Taula, and a silver-haired woman with white goat horns were all asleep while sitting together on the large couch.

They’d apparently been waiting up for him and fallen asleep at some point. The silver-haired woman who must be Vex’s cousin was leaning against Serra’s shoulder. Taula was sprawled across one end with her mouth hanging open slightly, snoring softly.

’Very weird...’ Klaus thought, observing the scene. ’But I wasn’t aware that Vex’s cousin was a beastkin. Whatever. Not my business.’

He closed the door silently behind him so as not to wake them and tucked his key back into his storage ring.

’I’m glad that they’re all settled.’ Klaus thought while walking carefully across the common area.

He opened the glass door that led to the backyard garden. Moonlight reflected down onto the plants and flowers and the air smelled fresh with hints of night-blooming jasmine.

"My back hurts from all of that bowing..." Klaus muttered once he was outside and alone.

He genuinely hated having to bow and scrape but since he was a commoner, he had no choice if he wanted to survive. Commoners were killed every day for trivial offenses. And if a noble killed a commoner, what recourse was there?

Only nobles could sue other nobles in court since commoners had no legal standing.

Klaus walked to the middle of the backyard where the grass was soft and well-maintained. He sat down cross-legged on the green lawn and then laid back completely, staring up at the twin moons and stars above.

He pulled out the crystal container holding the Bloodline Awakening Pill from his storage ring, holding it up to examine in the moonlight.

"It’s a pill that forces specialized mana into your body..." Klaus said quietly. "It channels a special kind of mana to awaken dormant bloodlines hidden in your ancestry."

He sat up and opened the container with a soft click. Klaus reached inside and held the small red pill.

"It could be for nothing," Klaus muttered, looking at the pill skeptically. "It really could be for absolutely nothing. I didn’t see anything about a bloodline mentioned on his character panel back when I was looking at the game on my phone."

That was true. Klaus’s character sheet in the game had been completely below average with no special bloodline traits. He was just a mob character with basic metal magic.

But if there was a chance... even a singular, tiny chance of awakening something useful, then he wanted to take it. Fortune favored the bold, right? And he’d already survived getting kidnapped by a Death Cult today so his luck couldn’t possibly get worse.

Klaus lifted the pill toward his mouth, hesitated for just a moment, then placed it on his tongue and swallowed it dry. At first, there was absolutely nothing.

That was apparently normal when a Bloodline Awakening Pill was wasted on someone with no dormant bloodlines... If it was a complete waste, the consumer would feel the urge to vomit it back up within a few seconds as their body rejected the foreign mana.

Klaus waited.

Five seconds... Ten seconds... Still nothing...

He sighed heavily and stood up, brushing grass off his pants.

"I knew it was too good to be true," Klaus muttered. "Of course I don’t have some secret—"

He suddenly felt extremely weak in the knees.

His legs buckled without warning, and he fell face-first onto the soft grass as strength completely drained from his limbs and his vision blurred and darkened around the edges.

A translucent blue system screen popped up directly in front of his face.

[Dormant Bloodline has been detected...]

[Analyzing genetic heritage...]

[Your Awakening will begin immediately!]

’Oh fu—’ Klaus’s thought was cut off abruptly.

And once again, Klaus lost consciousness as blue and black energy began swirling around his collapsed body in the moonlit garden.