Julian followed the woman through the grand hallway, his gaze shifting between the intricate carvings on the towering walls and the long, trailing fabric of her robe. Each step echoed against the cold marble floor, the only sound accompanying them in the vast corridor. He still hadn't fully grasped what had just happened. One moment, he was standing before the seven women, awaiting their judgment. The next, he had been assigned to serve one of them.
His fingers curled into his palm as he exhaled slowly. He had no choice but to go along with this. Whatever the purpose of this trial, he needed to endure it. His fate depended on it.
After a long walk, they reached an arched doorway. The woman leading him placed her palm against the wooden door, and with a quiet creak, it swung open. She stepped inside first, not waiting for him to follow.
Inside, the room was spacious yet modestly furnished compared to the grand hall they had just left. A large canopy bed rested against one wall, its silken sheets draped neatly. A low table occupied the center of the chamber, adorned with a ceramic teapot and a single cup. Heavy curtains concealed the windows, casting the room in a dim, golden glow from the lanterns affixed to the walls.
Julian stepped inside hesitantly. The woman closed the door behind them and turned to face him.
"This will be your place of service," she said, her voice calm but firm. "You will follow my orders without question. Disobedience will not be tolerated."
Julian nodded silently, though he wasn't entirely sure what was expected of him. What exactly did serving entail? Fetching things? Cleaning? Or something more humiliating? He kept his thoughts to himself.
She observed him for a moment before stepping closer. "I hope you learn quickly."
Julian met her gaze, unreadable yet unwavering. He would do what was required of him, but he would not cower.
A small smirk curved her lips. "Let's see how well you obey."
***
A week passed.
Julian had learned more than he could have imagined in such a short time. The truth of this world—its deep-rooted hierarchy where women ruled and men were but servants—had become painfully clear. The way power worked here, the existence of magic, abilities beyond human comprehension, all of it was real. And, perhaps most shocking of all, he had realized the truth about himself.
He had reincarnated.
The realization had surfaced slowly—fragments at first, but they had pieced together like a puzzle over the days. The life he once lived, the world he once belonged to—it was all gone. And in its place was this world, bound by laws and customs he struggled to accept.
He had observed everything carefully. The way the women of high status carried themselves, the way others bowed to them, the way magic coursed through the air, invisible yet undeniable. He had seen power in its rawest form—abilities that defied logic, individuals who could command the elements with a flick of their fingers.
And in the midst of it all, he had played his role as a servant.
And these was not the only thing that changed during the week.
Something unimaginable happened to him, or rather, awakened within him. The first time it appeared, he almost could not believe his eyes. However, it was there, real and undeniable.
It was on the second day of his servitude, he was washing the clothes of the woman he was currently serving when, out of nowhere, it suddenly appeared.
[System Awakening…]
Julian slipped and fell on his butt with a startled yelp.
His breath came out ragged as he stared at the glowing text before him. His mind struggled to process what was happening, but before he could fully comprehend it, another message appeared.
[System Initializating: 1%... 2%... 3%...]
Julian stared at the glowing text before him with a horrified expression, startled by the appearance of something so bizarre. He gulped and sat up, still dumbfounded by the baffling situation, he continued to stare at the transparent blue screen before him.
[99%... 100%]
[System Initialization Complete]
After a whole five minutes of staring at the transparent blue screen, the initialization, or so it said, had finally completed.
Julian continued to stare at the screen for a few moments. But then, when nothing happened, he scratched the back of his head and thought.'This is somewhat like one of those novels i read in my past life…'
Thinking this, Julian's expression suddenly brightened and an excited expression appeared on his face.
'If it is really like those novels i read, then do I now have access to all those powerful and amazing abilities?'
Julian's heart pounded in his chest as he hesitantly reached out toward the glowing text. His fingers passed through it without resistance, like touching air and with it, the blue screen changed. His excitement flared, but also a seed of doubt took root in his mind. Was this real? Or was he losing his mind?
[Analyzing Host's potential…]
A sharp breath escaped Julian as new lines of text appeared before him. The familiar formatting of the words—so much like the system-based novels he had read in his past life—sent a thrill down his spine. He wasn't just dreaming. This was real.
After staring at the screen for a few more minutes with a thoughtful expression on his face, the screen changed again, and when it did, Julian's eyes widened and stared with a weird expression on his face…