Leo hated crowds, he hated banks, and most of all, he hated that distinct smell of old banknotes that had passed through thousands of filthy hands. At twenty-three, Leo lived a life so "safe" it was bordering on agonizing boredom. He worked as a junior accountant at an import-export firm, spending his days matching invoices and ensuring decimal points were in their rightful places. He wasn't a hero, nor did he dream of saving the world; his only ambition was to buy an apartment with a dishwasher that didn't roar like a jet engine.
On that particular grey morning, Leo stood in a long line at the "Tax Dispute Resolution" office. He clutched an envelope containing proof that the tax department had accidentally overcharged him by $200. To Leo, those $200 were the difference between frozen pizza and real meat for the rest of the month.
The security guard said dully:
"Mr. Leo, number 402, proceed to Desk 4."
Leo moved with heavy steps, but before he reached the desk, he felt a strange tremor beneath his feet. It wasn't an earthquake; rather, it felt as though gravity itself had decided to resign. The phone in his hand began to radiate intense heat, and the screen shifted from white to a piercing sky-blue.
Text appeared on the phone screen:
[System Alert: A glitch in the quantum data balance has been detected.]
[Transferring Subject (Leo) to Server "Asteria" to compensate for the shortage of experts.]
Leo said in bewilderment:
"What? What server? I'm here for my 200 dollars!"
Leo received no reply. Instead, a small black hole opened directly beneath his feet, swallowing him in absolute silence while the clerk screamed, "Next!"
Leo woke up feeling a headache that resembled the rhythmic pounding of hammers. The scent of incense and mountain flowers filled the air. There was no crowd, no traffic noise—only a majestic silence broken by the chirping of birds he had never heard before.
He opened his eyes to find himself in a vast room. The walls were made of polished stone, and the ceiling was adorned with oil paintings of angels and knights. He was lying on a massive wooden four-poster bed, draped in silk fabrics he couldn't have afforded even a meter of in his previous life.
Leo said in a hoarse voice:
"Where am I? Did I die of heatstroke in the tax line?"
Suddenly, a transparent screen appeared before his face, floating in the air like a technological dream.
The System wrote on the screen:
[Transfer Protocol Successful.]
[New Host: Marx von Astor.]
[Age: 23.]
[Rank: Baron of the Astor Family (Sole Heir).]
[Chosen Class: Economist (Hidden).]
Leo shouted as he leaped out of bed:
"Who is Marx? I'm Leo! And what 'Economist' class are you talking about? Where is the magic? Where are the fireballs?"
The System wrote coldly:
[A database error occurred; you were supposed to be a Warrior, but since you were clutching a tax file during the transfer, the system classified you as an 'Economist.']
[Note: You possess no Mana, no combat skills. You possess only your family's debt, totaling 5,000 Gold Coins.]
Leo said in despair:
"5,000 gold? Are you joking? I came here to escape taxes, only to find myself owing the gold of an entire kingdom?"
His thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of an old man wearing luxury servant's attire that was frayed at the collar. The man carried a bowl of hot water. Upon seeing Leo standing, the bowl slipped from his hand and shattered.
The servant said tearfully:
"My Lord Baron Marx! You've finally awakened! I thought the fever had taken the last member of the Astor family!"
Leo said with a stutter:
"I... yes, I'm awake. Who are you?"
The servant replied, wiping his tears:
"I am Hans, your loyal servant. Master, have you forgotten me? It doesn't matter, what matters is that you are alive. But Master... Count Balder and his men are in the lower hall. They say they won't leave without the title deed to the Northern Mines in exchange for the debt."
A chill ran through Leo's body. He began to understand the situation; he was now a nobleman named Marx, possessing a worthless title and debts that would make him a slave within hours.
Leo said to himself:
"You damn system, give me anything! A sword, a dagger, poison... anything to defend myself!"
The System wrote:
[Since you are in a state of total bankruptcy, the system offers you a 'Random Beginner's Box' on a loan basis.]
[Cost of the Box: 10 Points (To be repaid from your future profits).]
Leo said angrily:
"Open it quickly before they break down the door!"
The screen glowed, and a small object fell from the void onto the bed. Leo ran toward it. He expected a magic wand or perhaps a ring that granted power, but he found a piece of blue plastic and metal.
Leo said in disbelief:
"What is this? A stapler? Did you send me a Rexel paper stapler?"
The System wrote:
[Modern Era Tool: Heavy-duty manual stapler.]
[Suggested Use: Organizing documents.]
[Comment: Good luck facing swords with these tiny pieces of metal.]
Leo broke into a hysterical laugh as he held the stapler. "Is this the magic I'm going to save the Barony with? Am I going to staple their heads?"
Hans said, looking at Leo with concern:
"Master... have you started hallucinating? What is this strange blue thing you are holding? Is it a secret magical tool left by your father?"
Leo looked at the stapler, then at Hans, and suddenly an idea sparked in his mind. Leo remembered how merchants in his world worshipped sealed and notarized contracts, and how a single small change in a paper could change the fate of millions. In this world, contracts were just hand-drawn parchments sealed with wax.
Leo said in a changed tone:
"Hans, bring me all the debt contracts the Count holds against us. Now!"
Hans replied in astonishment:
"But they are with the Count's men downstairs, Master. They have been waving them in our faces since morning."
Leo said as he straightened his shirt:
"Then we go down to them. I want a quill and ink, and I'll show you how a Count is defeated by 'Office Magic'."
Leo (Marx) descended the grand stone stairs of the manor. The hall was vast but lacked the furniture that had mostly been sold off. In the center sat a large man with a thick mustache, wearing luxury leather armor and resting his sword atop the wooden table. Behind him stood four heavily armed guards.
The guard captain (Bruno) said mockingly:
"Oh, look who decided to wake up. The little Baron who loves to sleep while his family drowns in the mud."
Leo replied calmly as he sat in the chair opposite him:
"Sleep is good for the mind—something you seem to be lacking. Where are the contracts?"
Bruno replied angrily, slamming the table:
"You arrogant brat! Do you think your title will protect you? These contracts are signed with your late father's seal. 5,000 gold, or we take the mines today."
Leo said coldly:
"Show them to me. I want to verify the calculations."
Bruno threw a bundle of papers tied with silk thread onto the table. Leo picked them up and began to examine them. The contracts were primitive; the first page discussed the loan, the second the terms, and the third bore the signature. They were only held together by a thread that could be easily untied and retied.
Leo opened the stapler in his pocket and pretended to read with intense concentration.
Leo said:
"My God... Bruno, do you realize that this contract is completely void under Modern Imperial Law?"
Bruno replied with a loud laugh:
"Imperial Law? We are at the edges of the Kingdom, and the word here belongs to Count Balder!"
Leo said, leaning in toward the papers:
"That's true, but the Count loves order, doesn't he? Look here, the papers are not 'metallically notarized.' In the new era, any contract that does not carry 'penetrating steel seals' is considered toilet paper."
Bruno said in confusion:
"Seals of what?"
At that moment, with a swift and practiced motion gained from years of office work, Leo placed the corner of the three pages into the stapler and pressed with all his might.
Click!
The guards jumped at the strange sound of the machine. Bruno looked in bewilderment at the top corner of the papers. There was a shiny silver staple penetrating the three pages, folding its ends at the back with terrifying mechanical precision. They had never in their lives seen metal this small and precise pierce paper without tearing it.
Leo said, lifting the contracts before their eyes:
"This is the 'Eternal Binding Seal.' I have now merged these papers with a mechanical force that even the Church does not possess. If anyone tries to remove this seal, the papers will tear instantly, and the Count's right to the gold will be lost forever."
Bruno replied, trembling:
"What... what is this magic? How did you make the metal obey you like that?"
Leo replied, smiling a mean smile:
"This isn't magic; this is 'Advanced Economics.' And now, since I have notarized the contracts for you for free, I declare that there is a hidden clause in these papers that only appears to those who hold the Silver Seal. The clause states that payment is to be made after the next harvest season, at zero percent interest."
Bruno replied shouting:
"You're lying! There is no such clause!"
Leo said, placing the stapler on the table with force, causing the guards to take a step back:
"Do you want to risk removing the seal and destroying the contract? If you do that, you'll go back to the Count and tell him you lost 5,000 gold because you were curious. Do you think your head will stay on your shoulders?"
Bruno swallowed hard. The small piece of metal looked to him like a magical talisman from another world. Its extreme precision made him believe that Leo possessed a mysterious power.
Bruno said with a stutter:
"I'll go back to the Count and tell him this... but he won't be silent!"
Leo replied, pointing to the door:
"Tell him Baron Marx always welcomes him for negotiations... as long as he respects 'Metallic Seals'."
The guards ran out, looking back in terror. Leo turned to Hans, who was standing with his mouth wide open in shock.
Leo said tiredly:
"Hans, do we have any food? I've exhausted all my energy forging history."
The System wrote on the screen:
[First indirect profit achieved: Debt Deferment.]
[Points Earned: 100 points.]
[Comment: You used an office tool to intimidate knights... what a clever fraud you are, Marx.]
Leo looked at the screen and said to himself:
"My name is Leo... but if the name Marx will make me own this world, then let it be Marx."