After everything was finalized, Thane handed him the ownership scroll, and Michael left with his newly acquired slave.
Since her body had been marked with a slave seal, Lira was now completely bound to Michael. Even without chains, she followed him obediently wherever he went.
Michael headed straight for the inn with her. They didn't talk much along the way—only a few short exchanges. From those, Michael learned her name was Lira, and that she was sixteen years old, which was about what he had guessed.
By the time they arrived, the sun was setting, and the inn was far more crowded than in the morning. Most of the adventurers who had returned from their missions were now drinking and laughing boisterously.
The elf lady who was serving drinks to a group of men glanced at Michael and the girl beside him.
"You purchased her?"
"Yeah," Michael said simply. "I needed an assistant quickly, and she seemed like the best option available."
"She has the look of one who's survived too long to die easily," the elf woman said. "You should probably speak to the innkeeper before taking her upstairs."
Saying that, she turned away to continue serving drinks.
Michael simply nodded and walked to the counter.
The innkeeper stood behind it, arms folded like twin battering rams, watching Michael with a dull, uninterested stare.
"So, you actually bought yourself a slave," the man said, his gaze drifting toward Lira. "Doesn't look like a low-tier one, though. Anyway, since she's a slave, you can't take her upstairs. There's a separate place for them."
Michael let out a quiet breath. "Hmm. I think you're misunderstanding something. She's not some low-tier slave. I paid fifteen gold and ten silver for her. You really think I'm just going to let her out of my sight?"
The innkeeper gave Lira another look, his tone unchanging.
"Hmm, expensive… but she's still a slave."
Michael didn't argue any further. He simply reached into his pocket, pulled out a few silver coins, and placed them on the counter.
"Alright," the innkeeper said, taking the coins. "You can take her with you—but make sure she doesn't cause any trouble."
"Understood. Also, I'll need a double room now, since there are two of us."
The innkeeper studied Michael for a moment, then gave a crooked smile.
"Alright, but that'll cost extra. And there aren't any double-bed rooms available right now. You'll get one tomorrow. For now, you'll have to use your old room—you can let her sleep on the floor."
"…"
"Okay. No problem," Michael said evenly.
––––––––––
He led Lira upstairs to his room.
He told her to sit, and she obeyed immediately, lowering herself onto the floor without a word. He sat down on the bed, exhaling softly.
It was time to check something.
When he'd bought Lira, the system had sent him a notification—but in the middle of all the paperwork, he hadn't had the chance to read it properly.
Now, in the quiet of the room, he opened his interface.
The moment he tapped the icon, a faint blue panel materialized before his eyes.
[Congratulations, Host. You have acquired your first slave/subordinate.]
[New Section Unlocked: SUBORDINATES]
[SUBORDINATES]
Total Subordinates: 1
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SUBORDINATE #1 PROFILE
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Name: Lira
Race: Human
Age: 16
Sex: Female
Origin: Eldravia
Status: Bound (Basic Contract)
Loyalty: 42 / 100 (Wary)
Morale: 38 / 100
Background: Former Noble (Dispossessed)
Current Rank: Slave (Unassigned Role)
Emotional State: Suppressed / Numb
[BASE ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: E+
Endurance: E
Agility: D
Intelligence: C–
Willpower: F
Mana Sensitivity: 11 (latent potential detected)
[SKILLS]
Literacy (Intermediate)
Etiquette (Noble Standard)
Arithmetic (Intermediate)
Domestic Management (Basic)
Mana Perception (Dormant Trait)
[System Recommendation]
Host, I request permission to perform a Deep Scan on Subject: Lira.
She shows clear signs of long-term physical and psychological damage due to extended slavery. There may also be several unidentified illnesses present in her body.
Michael stared at the floating panels before him.
"Hmm… Deep Scan, huh?" he muttered under his breath. "Sounds almost like running a virus check on a computer."
He glanced at Lira. She was sitting quietly on the floor—back straight, eyes empty, hands resting neatly on her knees, waiting for his next command. She didn't look human; she looked like an expressionless doll.
Michael pressed his finger against the glowing [YES] button, and the blue light of the panel flared brightly.
[Command Accepted.
Initiating Deep Scan Protocol: Subject – Lira]
For a moment, the entire panel flickered and blurred—then countless fine lines of light began streaming across it like data signals.
[Warning: Subject's mental and physical stability is fragile.
Temporary behavioral fluctuations may occur during the Deep Scan.]
Lira trembled slightly. Her eyes fluttered closed for an instant before opening again, but she said nothing.
A faint golden glow enveloped her body, and soft pulses of energy rippled through her limbs like waves.
After several tense seconds, the panel stabilized—
and the final report began to appear.
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DEEP SCAN REPORT – SUBJECT: LIRA
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[GENERAL STATUS]
Life Force: 58% (Unstable but recoverable)
Condition: Malnourished / Chronic Fatigue
Pain Response: Dampened (Habitual suppression detected)
Overall Health Grade: D–
[PHYSICAL DIAGNOSTICS]
• External Scars:
– Multiple old injury marks (back, arms, ankles, wrists)
– Some scars caused by rope burns and shackle pressure
• Internal Damage:
– Mild organ strain (liver, stomach) — result of prolonged malnutrition and poor-quality food
– Mana channel irritation — signs of irregular or forced mana exposure
– Joint stress (knees / ankles) — from standing or laboring for long hours
• Detected Illnesses:
– Moderate iron deficiency
– Weak immune resistance
– Trauma-linked sleep disruption
[MENTAL & EMOTIONAL PROFILE]
Trauma Level: Severe (Tier 3)
Primary Patterns Detected:
• Emotional State:
– Surface Layer: Numb / Empty
– Inner Layer: Chronic fear, shame, and grief (heavily suppressed)
• Memory Pattern:
– Multiple memories have been naturally sealed — the mind's defense mechanism against severe trauma
– Accessing those memories may trigger panic or emotional breakdowns
• Current Behavior:
– Quiet, passive, responds only to direct orders
– Almost completely incapable of expressing personal opinions or will
[Host, Deep Scan on Subject: Lira completed.]
The subject has effectively accepted her own existence as an "object state."
If you continue treating her only as a slave, she will perform her duties—but her inner potential, mana capacity, and higher cognitive functions will gradually deteriorate.
Recommendation:
Host, it is strongly advised that you directly connect her to the system. By doing so, you'll be able to manage her more effectively. The slave contract you currently hold over her isn't entirely perfect—it can be disrupted or broken through certain types of magic in this world. However, once she is bound through the system, that vulnerability will be nearly eliminated.
In addition, connection to the system will unlock access to the Repair and Rehabilitation Functions for her, allowing you to initiate the Fix Protocol. This process will gradually restore her physical and mental condition, help her regain her emotions and sense of self, and allow you to unlock her full potential.
[► YES – Approve Connect & Initiate Fix Protocol]
[► NO – Keep her as Basic Slave Only]