The next morning, Aaron woke up early. Within minutes of getting up, he remembered his conversation with Maria and hurried to get ready.
As a scavenger, he obviously couldn't afford fine or valuable clothes, but he still owned something decent to wear.
Half an hour later, Aaron examined his own reflection. The broken mirror now showed a completely different person.
A young man, dressed in a black shirt and trousers which, though not brand new, were spotless- at least for a scavenger. His short hair had been brushed to the side, revealing a face that, though pale, carried sharp and unique features.
'Clothes really do make the man...', he sighed.
"Aaron! It's time."
Just when Aaron was admiring himself, he heard someone shouting outside. Immediately, he understood who it was and stepped out.
Outside, a wooden carriage was already waiting for him. It was black, with iron fittings and a simple design, elegant yet not ostentatious. At the front, a finely dressed old man held the reins, while Maria's head poked out from the side window.
"Aaron! Come on in!", Maria waved her hand and opened the door, gesturing for him to get in.
Aaron had never been in a carriage before, whether in this or his past life, so he initially felt a little awkward. Still, he braced himself and climbed aboard before sitting next to Maria.
Then, the carriage took off.
After the pair exchanged greetings, Maria used the moment to introduce her husband.
"You've likely heard of my husband, Vael. Whether one lives in the inner or outer City, they've likely come across at least one of his businesses."
Aaron nodded in response. Maria's husband was not a stranger to him. To be more accurate, he had heard of his name before.
Vael Starmer was relatively well-known in the outer City. Not because he was a noble, but because he rose from humble beginnings.
According to rumors, he used to be an ordinary peddler, buying and selling goods from and to scavengers and hunters.
Yet, in just a couple of decades, he had rapidly improved his status, rising from an ordinary citizen to a merchant and eventually to a noble.
Such achievements motivated many people in the outer city, who regarded Vael Starmer as both an idol and a symbol of hope.
In their minds, if Vael could rise despite such conditions, then with enough hard work, they could too.
While going through this information in his mind, Aaron glanced out the window. By now, the carriage had left the outer city behind and entered the inner city.
If the outer city housed ordinary citizens, then the inner city belonged to nobles, merchants, and powerful Ascendants.
The contrast between the two areas was striking: clean, wide roads, well-dressed pedestrians, and elegant buildings lined the streets.
For a moment, Aaron had the illusion that he had returned to Earth.
However, when his gaze fell upon the towering clock tower in the distance, built entirely out of gears and mechanical parts, that illusion quickly disappeared.
'No matter how similar they may look, this world is not Earth after all.'
Although lost in thought, Aaron could still hear the steady clacking sound of horses' hooves against the pavement.
A few minutes later, the driver's whip landed on the horses' backs, and the carriage finally came to a stop.
"We're here.", Maria called, and the two quickly got out of the carriage.
Looking around, Aaron discovered that they had arrived at a tall, elegant mansion surrounded by a large garden.
The mansion was grand and beautiful, yet it didn't seem designed with the sole goal of flaunting wealth in mind.
As Aaron followed behind Maria, his Soul Perception was automatically activated, allowing him to sense the presence of many people both within and outside the mansion.
He could feel some faint sense of threat coming from some among them, meaning that even if they weren't Ascendants, they were still capable of threatening him.
Realizing this, Aaron, who had initially been a little careless, immediately raised his guard.
With Maria leading the way, they encountered no obstruction and, under the respectful bows of the servants, soon entered the mansion.
Just like its exterior, the interior was also majestic, with colorful paintings lined up on the walls and tasteful decorations all over the place.
"I'll take you to meet Vael. I've already spoken to him, so you don't have to worry.", Maria said. Then, lowering her voice slightly, she added:
"Of course, make sure not to say anything out of line. Otherwise, even I might not be able to help."
Hearing Maria's concerned voice, Aaron nodded silently and took her warning to heart.
Of course, even without her advice, he wouldn't have offended an obviously powerful person for no reason.
The mansion was large and its corridors complicated, but the duo's pace was quick. Before long, they finally reached their destination.
"This is Vael's personal office. The servants should have informed him by now.", Maria said, and gestured, "Go in. I'll be waiting for you outside."
"Thank you.", Aaron replied, and after taking a deep breath, he stretched his hand and reached for the door handle.
Twisting the handle, he paused before pushing forward, revealing the room inside.