Cass adjusted his tie in the mirror, the charcoal-grey fabric catching the morning light. The cufflinks gleamed as he fastened them, each movement deliberate. His reflection stared back, composed and sharp, nothing like the weary shadow of his last life.
'Last life, this mirror showed me a man beaten by circumstance. This time it will show them someone untouchable.'
[Passive Buff Active: Aura of Refinement]
[Effect: Formal wear enhances presence. Influence +5% in academic and professional settings.]
Downstairs, Elaine fussed with toast and tea, though it was Sunday. Thomas peered over his paper, eyes flicking to his son's polished shoes and fitted suit.
"You're off somewhere?" Thomas asked cautiously.
"Networking," Cass said simply.
Elaine frowned. "Networking? At eighteen?"
Cass slipped into his coat, voice calm but edged with certainty.
"The sooner you build bridges, the longer they last."
He left them speechless, the Aston Martin waiting outside like a shadow ready to move.
The hotel ballroom was already crowded when he arrived. Tables lined the floor, each draped in white linen, each bearing banners of banks, consultancies and firms. Students shuffled nervously, clutching CVs, rehearsing introductions. Recruiters sat behind the tables, scanning with tired eyes, measuring weakness by posture and handshake.
Cass stepped inside, and the air shifted. His stride was calm, his suit immaculate, his watch catching just enough light. Heads turned. Whispers rippled. He walked as though gravity bent for him.
A recruiter at a mid-tier consultancy leaned forward eagerly. "Cassian Vale, isn't it? I've heard your name around campus. What role are you after?"
Cass studied the banner briefly, then met the man's gaze.
"Ownership."
The recruiter blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"I don't chase jobs," Cass said smoothly. "I'll build companies."
[Social Shockwave Triggered]
[Reward: +£3,000. Charisma +1 permanent. Reputation +2 (Business Circles).]
The ripple was instant. Students froze mid-step, and recruiters exchanged unsettled glances. The man at the booth forced a chuckle, but it sounded hollow. Cass turned away, leaving silence behind him.
Rowena slipped into step beside him, amusement glittering in her eyes.
"You interview them," she said softly.
"I do," Cass replied.
"And they fail."
Cass's lips curved faintly. "Most people do."
Her laugh was light, sharp. "You're dangerous, Vale. They can't decide whether to admire you or fear you."
"They'll do both," Cass said.
[Charm +1 (Rowena). Relationship Deepened.]
From across the hall, Sienna appeared, her arm linked with a wealthy-looking older student. She spotted Cass instantly, her lips curling into a smile aimed like a blade. She leaned up to whisper into the man's ear, and he laughed too loudly, eyes sliding toward Cass with smug challenge.
[Hidden Ledger Update: Sienna Reed. Debt Value +5 (Provocation). Total Debt: 40.]
Cass didn't even pause. His gaze moved past them like they were nothing. The man's laugh faltered. Sienna's grip on his arm tightened, her smile stiffening.
'Good. The ledger already coils around her. Every provocation adds weight she can't shake.'
He moved through the room with unhurried confidence, answering questions with calm finality, his presence deepening with every whisper. By the time he drifted into the quieter lounge at the side, half the ballroom was already watching him without meaning to.
The lounge was low-lit, lined with leather chairs where older men sat in heavier suits. These weren't recruiters. They were owners.
Cass chose a seat as though it were waiting for him. A man with greying temples studied him curiously.
"You don't look old enough for this room," the man said.
"I'm not old enough to waste time in the other one," Cass answered evenly.
The man chuckled. "And what do you do, Mr…?"
"Vale," Cass said. "I invest."
The man leaned forward, eyes narrowing with interest. "In what?"
"In tomorrow."
The man's smile spread. "Malcolm Harrington. Property. And you, Mr Vale, might be worth watching."
[Business Acquaintance Made: Malcolm Harrington (Property Tycoon)]
[Reward: +£7,500. Unlock: Real Estate Opportunity Quest. Reputation +2 (Business Elite).]
They spoke for fifteen minutes, trading words that carried steel beneath silk. Harrington left him with a nod that acknowledged more than youth.
[Passive Reputation Seed Planted: Business Elite Circles]
Later, at home, the house was quiet with his parents asleep, and Cass sat at his desk. He opened a fresh notebook page and wrote Sienna Reed's name at the top, underlined it once. Beneath, he wrote Trent Beaumont. He left space for more.
'This ledger will fill. Each name is a rung on my ladder. Their downfall will fuel my rise.'
[Hidden Ledger Active Entries]
Sienna Reed – Debt 40. Effects: -2 Composure near Cass. Public Slip Risk +15%.
Trent Beaumont – Debt 15. Effects: -1 Confidence when challenging Cass. Social Backfire Risk +15%.
[Slots Remaining: Unlimited]
The page glowed faintly as the system confirmed. Cass leaned back, eyes gleaming. His parents dreamed ordinary dreams downstairs. He was awake, sharpening destiny.
'Ordinary is over. The world just hasn't realised yet.'
[New Quest: First Property Acquisition. Reward: Mansion (Minor), +£50,000, Real Estate Skill Lv.1]
Cass closed the notebook slowly, a smile touching his lips.
'A mansion. Perfect. The stage where the world will begin to see what I really am.'