I woke to sunlight streaming through the tiny window.
"Ughhh" For a moment, I didn't know where I was. The narrow bed, the rough blanket, the unfamiliar ceiling....none of it made sense.
Then it all came rushing back.
The palace.
Elena.
The system.
My new life as a slave.
I sat up, wincing as every muscle in my body protested.
Turns out multiple rounds with a supernaturally powerful elf queen leaves you sore in places you didn't know you had.
The system flickered to life without me calling it.
------
[GOOD MORNING, CORY]
MAIN QUEST: SURVIVE 30 DAYS
Time Remaining: 29 Days, 14 Hours
Current Status: Alive (Congratulations)
Partner Status: Elena - Addiction 3%, Bond Level 1
------
You just had to remind me didn't you?" I stared at the wall with a frown.
But the system remained silent, like it didn't registered what I said.
Twenty-nine days. I have twenty-nine days to figure out how to survive in this place.
I dragged myself out of bed and moved to the basin. The water was cold, but it helped wake me up.
As I washed, I caught my reflection in the small mirror hung on the wall.
The face staring back wasn't quite mine....
But close enough...same general features, at least I'm still handsome in this world . I grinned as I was admiring the face along with the shoulder length black hair.
But I'm younger than myself back on Earth....but am sharper somehow.
This body, Caelan's body, was leaner than I remembered being.
Defined muscles from hard labor.....most likely.
And few scars on my chest and shoulders.
"Not bad," I muttered, then immediately felt weird about complimenting someone else's body that I now inhabited.
The clothes Mira had given me were folded neatly on the chest.
Simple but well-made....dark grey pants, a white shirt that actually fit, and a vest that marked me as palace staff rather than a field slave.
I dressed quickly and pinned the bronze token to my vest where it would be visible.
Under Her Majesty's protection, I reminded myself. As long as she wants me alive, I'm safe.
The weight of that statement hit differently in the morning light.
I left my room, locking it behind me like Mira had instructed.
The servants' corridor was busier now....elves in various uniforms hurrying to their morning duties.
Most ignored me completely. A few gave me curious glances.
A younger elf with blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, openly stared as I passed.
When I met his eyes, he quickly looked away and whispered something to his companion.
Great. Am already making an impression.
I followed the flow of foot traffic until I found what had to be the servants' hall...it was a large room with long wooden tables where dozens of staff were eating breakfast.
The smell of food made my stomach growl aggressively.
When was the last time this body had eaten? Yesterday morning? The day before?
I grabbed a tray and moved through the line.
They were serving a few things..
Bread, some kind of fruit I didn't recognize, and a bowl of porridge that actually looked decent.
I found an empty spot at the end of a table and sat down.
The conversations around me didn't stop, but they shifted.
You guessed it....it was gossips. Good ol gossips
"That's him," someone muttered from a few seats away.
"The new one? Already?"
"It's only been a day. The last one lasted three."
"I give him two, maybe. He looks too soft."
I focused on my food, pretending not to hear.
The porridge tasted bland but it's better than starving at least.
The bread was better than anything we'd gotten in the military.
The fruit tasted like a mix between an apple and something citrus. Not bad actually.
"You're the Queen's new assistant?"
I looked up.
A woman stood across from me....middle-aged by human standards, though with elves that could mean anything.
She had dark hair streaked with silver with her ear sticking out of her hair.....and sharp green eyes that studied me like I was a particularly interesting insect.
"I am," I said carefully. As I studied her chest.
Sigh, flat chested girls needs some love too. Her chest couldn't compare to Elena's and Mira's chest size....unfortunately.
"Mira assigned you here?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Her expression softened slightly at the 'ma'am.' "I'm Attendant Kess. I oversee the household staff." She sat down across from me without invitation. "How long have you been in the palace?"
"A day, ma'am."
Whispers rippled through nearby conversations.
"A day," Kess repeated. "And you're still walking. That's unusual."
I kept eating, not sure what to say to that.
"The last assistant lasted three days," she continued, her tone conversational. "The one before that, two. Before that, one." She leaned forward slightly. "They all died. Every single one. Do you know why?"
"No, ma'am."
"Neither does anyone else." She studied my face. "But you seem different somehow. Stronger, maybe. Or just lucky." She stood. "Either way, enjoy your breakfast. You'll need your strength."
She walked away, leaving me with a knot of anxiety in my stomach.
Around me, the whispers continued.
"Did you see his collar? That's the Queen's mark."
"He won't last. They never do."
"I heard she drains them. Sucks the life right out."
"That's just a rumor."
"Is it? Then why do they all die?"
I finished my food quickly and left before anyone else decided to have a conversation with me. The bronze token felt heavier with every step.
Let's visit Mira instead.
---
That's weird...her door is opened .
I found Mira in her office, already buried in paperwork. She looked up when I knocked.
" Come in."
I stepped inside and closed the door.
"You've eaten?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"And you've heard the gossip."
It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway.
"Good." She set down her pen and folded her hands below her big burst.
Lalalalala lalala. I started to sing to myself in my head in order to distract myself. She continued either way like she didn't do anything flashing.
Like come on, even the buttons are struggling now! I almost facepalmed at how she was doing it without realizing it.
"Let's establish some facts. You are officially Her Majesty's personal assistant. Your duties include maintaining her private library, tending her garden, and being available when she summons you. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am." Forcus....focus!!!
"The library is in the west wing of her quarters. The garden is accessible through the eastern terrace. You'll spend your days there, out of sight, doing actual work." Her eyes locked onto mine. "This is your cover. As long as you're useful, you have a reason to exist here."
She pulled out a map and spread it on her desk. "This is the palace layout. Pay attention."
Am trying to, you know!!!! Like how do I even do that.
Her full burst wasn't making it any easier for me as she kept tracing the map.
The drawing was intricatea sprawling complex of interconnected buildings, courtyards, and wings of the palace.
Mira pointed to different sections. "The King's wing is here....Never go there unless directly ordered. His guards will kill you on sight."
She moved her finger. "The noble quarters is here and here. Avoid them. You're beneath their notice until you're not, and then you're a problem to be eliminated."
Her finger traced a path through the eastern section. "The Queen's wing.....this is your territory. Her chambers, library, garden, and personal staff areas. You stay here. You work here. Don't wander out of here."
"What about the rest of the palace?"
"The throne room, main halls, and public areas are accessible but dangerous. You're marked as her property now."
She pointed at the token on my vest. "That protects you from casual violence but makes you a target for politics. The Noble houses watch each other constantly. They'll wonder why she's keeping you alive when the others died so quickly."
I swallowed. "What do I tell them?"
"Nothing. You're a servant. Servants don't speak to nobles unless spoken to, and even then, you keep your answers short." She rolled up the map. "The moment you become interesting, you become dangerous. Stay boring...that keeps you alive."
She moved to a cabinet and pulled out a ring of keys. "These access the library and garden. Don't lose them. Don't lend them to anyone. If someone asks to borrow them, you come to me immediately."
I took the keys from her.....They were heavier than expected.
It's iron....maybe...
"One more thing," Mira said, her voice dropping. "The old King....Her Majesty's father....he was a good man. Fair. Just. The kingdom prospered under his rule." She paused. "Things changed after the tragedy. After the Queen and Prince died. After he..."
She trailed off. "Just know that the current King is not the same. Duke Aldric took the throne because there were no male heirs left. He married Her Majesty to legitimize his claim, but it's a marriage of politics, not affection."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Her expression softened just slightly. "Because I served the old King. I watched that family break apart. I watched Her Majesty become what she is now." She met my eyes. "And I'll be damned if I watch another person die in that room because they didn't understand what they were walking into."
Before I could respond, she was already back to her paperwork. "The library needs organizing. Start there. Go."
I left her office....that was weird...I wonder how the other slaves were like.
---
The library was smaller than I expected but beautiful in a way that made my chest ache.
Floor-to-ceiling shelves carved from living wood.
Books bound in leather and cloth, some so old the spines had faded.
A large window that let in afternoon light. A desk positioned to catch that light, with a chair that looked like it had been grown rather than built.
But....everything was covered in dust.
Ahh.....now I see why it needs organizing...time to get to work, before I get killed.
I spent the next several hours organizing. Moving books, wiping down shelves, cataloging titles in a ledger I found on the desk.
Most were in Elvish, but some were in languages I didn't recognize at all.
The system occasionally chimed in with translations when I focused on a spine.
-----
[TITLE ANALYSIS]
"Histories of the Second Age"
"Bloodlines and Their Curses"
"The Art of Court Politics"
------
Ooh wow, you do translations.
[Yes, I do ]
Neat.
I lingered on the second book.
Bloodlines and Their Curses.
Was Elena's condition in there? Did she know what she was?
A thought occurred to me. If I could learn more about her bloodline, maybe I could understand how to survive this better.
The system protected me, but knowledge was its own kind of armor.
I pulled the book and flipped through it. Dense text, technical descriptions of various noble bloodlines and their hereditary traits.
I found a section on life-draining abilities...thanks to the system of course.
------
Certain ancient bloodlines possess the ability to draw vitality from others during moments of intimate connection.
This trait manifests most strongly in those of Grandmaster rank or higher, where the concentration of power becomes overwhelming to lesser beings...
------
So it was known. It's even documented.
Elena probably grew up knowing she could never have a normal relationship.
I returned the book to its shelf and kept working.
---
By the time I finished, the sun was setting. My back ached from lifting, my hands were dirty, and I was exhausted all over again.
But the library looked presentable now.
Its finally Organized!!!!... I help up my right hand in the air like a 'power ranger' character.
Time to get the f##k outta of here... it was already getting late.
I locked it behind me and found the garden next.
It was small but perfect....there were flowers I didn't recognize, vines that climbed elegant trellises, and a small fountain that burbled softly in the evening air.
Everything was maintained but wild, like nature had been given permission to grow freely within set boundaries.
I could see why Elena would want a space like this....it's really calming....wish I could just stay here.
I heard footsteps behind me and turned.
An elf woman stood at the garden entrance....tall....not as tall as me of course, slender with a C-cup, with silver hair almost like Elena's but shorter, cut to her shoulders.
She wore a guard's uniform, and her hand rested casually on the sword at her hip.
"You're the new assistant?" she asked.
"Yes."
Her eyes narrowed. "You don't look like much."
I had no response to that.
She stepped closer, circling me slowly. "The Queen's assistants usually last three days at most. You've made it one. Congratulations." Her tone suggested it was sarcasm. "I'm Captain Lyra. I command Her Majesty's guard."
The name clicked. This was one of the people I'd eventually... no. Not thinking about that now.
"Nice to meet you, Captain."
"Is it?" She stopped in front of me. "I've seen two dozen assistants come and go. They all die. They all disappoint her. And then she's worse than before." Her hand tightened on her sword hilt. "If you're going to die anyway, do it quickly. Don't drag it out."
"I don't plan on dying, ma'am."
"They never do." She turned to leave, then paused. "One more thing. If you hurt her....I'll kill you myself. Protection token or not. Understand?"
"Yes, Captain."
She left without another word.
Phew, she's serious about it...it's not like I could hurt the queen anyways...why do I keep getting reminded and threatened for no reason....
I stood alone in the garden as darkness fell, the fountain's bubbling the only sound.
Three encounters today. Three different warnings.
You won't last. You'll die. Don't make her worse.
The system chimed softly.
------
[DAILY SUMMARY]
Survived: Day 1 complete
Encounters: 3 (Attendant Kess, Mira, Captain Lyra)
Information gathered: Palace layout, history, threats identified
Status: Stable
Progress: Minimal but acceptable
[RECOMMENDATION]
Continue building routine.
Avoid drawing additional attention.
Wait for next summons from Elena.
Time remaining: 29 Days, 6 Hours
-----
I made my way back to my small room, locked the door, and collapsed on the bed.
One day down.
Twenty-nine to go.
Outside my window, I could see the palace lit by floating lights....beautiful, ethereal, and full of people who expected me to die.
"Not yet," I whispered. "I'm not dying yet."