But what stood out the most was…
[Lior: A… mansion…]
It was a mansion—a great mansion, an impressive mansion, a truly imposing one. Vast, immense, colossal, overwhelming—words that still fell short.
The mansion rose before him like an abysmal construction of white stone. Its walls were tall—far too tall—and its narrow windows seemed to watch them from afar. It did not look welcoming. It did not feel like a home. It was not, especially at this moment, a place where Lior wanted to live.
The view was splendid, with the mansion standing in the middle of a garden filled with carefully tended plants and flowers, beneath a wide, clear blue sky and a sunny climate that was not oppressive. It looked worthy of a fairy tale.
Only…
That was far removed from the reality Lior was living in.
It was then…
In that moment of admiration, that a man with long hair, dressed in elegant black clothing, approached from one side of the garden.
"…"
All the slaves stared, eyes wide open.
The man advanced with a frenetic yet refined pace. He had a solemn, meticulously maintained appearance. His attire consisted of a perfectly tailored, well-pressed tuxedo, along with small clasps adjusting his sleeves and collar. A pristine white shirt and a black bow tie. Polished black leather shoes and white gloves on both hands.
White hair, white beard, and white mustache, all carefully groomed in advance. Pinkish-white skin with a faint pale tone. Black eyes that pierced souls with a single glance, and a prominent monocle resting over his right eye.
All of these elements exuded an aura of grandeur and superiority that weighed down upon each and every slave.
The man, dressed like a butler, looked over each slave like an object, casting an evaluative gaze from afar as he approached.
It was then that the coarse-looking man standing in front of the carriage signaled to the butler and mounted his horse.
[Butler: #####]
Positioning himself right beside the carriage, the elegant-looking gentleman offered a courteous bow to the vulgar man. The latter merely responded with a brief gesture of acknowledgment and prepared to depart the premises.
Turning halfway around in a circle to change direction, the man left with his carriage and horse toward the deep forest, heading into unknown territory.
Lior watched him move farther and farther away, until he finally disappeared among the trees.
It was then that Lior turned his gaze back toward the formally dressed man. But…
Instead of seeing the butler, he saw two beautiful women dressed as maids standing in front of him.
The maids wore exactly the same attire. Their dresses were black, with white on the chest and slightly puffed shoulders. White frills bordered every prominent part, and on top of that, they wore an apron of the same color tied at the waist. They had fine white fabric gloves that were barely visible due to the length of their sleeves; the sleeves themselves had a rounded, triangular, pointed shape that extended just a few centimeters. They also wore a coif on their heads. They gave off a rather strange and curious impression that Lior could not quite understand.
The first one, standing on the right, had dark red hair that naturally fell in soft waves. Her face bore a furrowed brow and a serious, disciplined silver gaze directed to the right. She had fair skin, and the shape of her head made Lior think of Bayonetta, from the video game of the same name.
The second, on the left, had long blonde hair and a gaze that was slightly less severe than the first, though it carried the same furrowed brow. Her eyes were a bluish color, very similar to Lior's, and they swept evaluatively over each of the slaves standing before her. Her face was chubbier and rounder than that of the woman beside her. But what stood out the most were the cat ears atop her hair—the girl was a demihuman just like Lior, and of the same cat species.
This caused several doubts to arise in Lior, who tilted his head slightly.
Each of them, with their distinctive traits, emanated an aura of absolute seriousness. They had clearly been very well disciplined beforehand, as their behavior, composure, and manners were plainly visible to anyone watching.
It was then—
That the man with the appearance of a butler stepped toward Lior's front. In an imposing manner, the man stopped abruptly and leaned down carefully so he could observe the boy more closely, since the cat boy was considerably shorter than him. Then, he proceeded to inspect the frail body of the demihuman.
His hands touched chest, shoulders, arms, abdomen, hips, back, buttocks, tail, and legs—checking the condition of the merchandise and determining what it could offer. This was done in order to properly assign tasks later and impose them on the individual deemed capable.
His hands passed over every part of Lior's body, until they finally reached his face. The butler's right hand squeezed the delicate cheeks of the demihuman, and with his other hand he inspected his eyes, hair, ears, nose, mouth, and skin. After completing the entire sequence, the man formed a very slight mocking smile and released Lior's cheeks, then delivered a light open-palm tap to the chubby right cheek.
This action made Lior blink reflexively, revealing wide, diamond-blue eyes that looked utterly confused and lost. His eyes were accompanied by an expression of complete fearfulness and submission, fixed firmly on the butler's face as it slowly moved away from his own, while Lior's head remained perfectly still. The young and delicate demihuman looked genuinely cute.
It was then—
That the butler turned toward the two beautiful maids and, with a gesture of his right hand, signaled something to them.
[Butler: #### ##]
The man addressed the two maids in a very curt manner, and they, in turn, responded with a bow, indicating that they had correctly understood the order.
It was at that moment that one of the maids approached Lior, stepping behind him with a soft gait. Once she was close to his back, the maid gave him a slight push.
With just that action, Lior understood perfectly what he was supposed to do. They were telling him, very directly, to walk forward. He offered no resistance so as not to receive worse treatment.
Thus, Lior weakly began to move, followed closely from behind by the blonde maid with cat ears.
The other maid, the red-haired one, positioned herself in front of Lior to guide him. After all of this, Lior and the maids headed toward the main entrance of the mansion, leaving behind the strange man with the appearance of a butler.
They walked along the central path that led to the mansion's entrance, accompanied by a beautiful landscape formed by the garden and the sky. It was such a beautiful garden, one that could truly captivate any being who laid eyes upon it.
When the woman reached the door, she opened it with a simple motion, pushing it fully open and clearing the way for Lior to enter.
That was when Lior stepped forward and entered the grand mansion, followed by the cat maid.
The mansion, on the inside, was truly spacious, with a large main hall that could be seen immediately upon entering. This hall contained a fairly large staircase at its center that led up to the second floor. It was a splendid sight, one that would captivate anyone who entered through there. With architecture typical of a bygone era, it was simply magnificent.
The floor displayed a pattern of black-and-white diamonds, each one adorned with numerous details that must have taken a great deal of time to achieve—and when combined with the task of placing each diamond in its proper place, it must have required truly arduous work from those who created it. In addition, most of the floor was covered by a red carpet with just as many details, or perhaps even more.
The walls were a pale white color, with large embedded pillars that emphasized the spaciousness of the place. Subtle golden accents gave off an aura of overflowing wealth. It was an imposing sensation, as if someone were boasting of their grandeur and sovereignty, as if someone were flaunting their fortune and power…
The entire place was a work of art, filled with excessive detail no matter where one looked.
It was there, once fully inside the place, that the red-haired woman gently closed the door with the delicacy befitting a maid. Then, with the door completely shut, she returned to her position in front of Lior, once again acting as his guide. She moved forward, and Lior, along with the maid behind him, followed her pace.
They passed through a corridor of colossal length. This hallway, aside from having a large carpet that stretched from beginning to end, contained many large windows, each of which offered a view of the beautiful garden outside. In addition, there were many—truly many—doors.
Walking through that corridor was a truly exquisite experience, as the edges of the windows, the walls, the furniture, the doors, the decorations—everything was crafted with meticulous detail. Everything was so perfect that at one point it even began to unsettle Lior.
They walked, and walked, and walked. They continued along that long, seemingly endless corridor. With each dazzling detail that Lior gradually began to ignore. With delicacy and elegance, the two maids walked. They walked, and walked, and walked.
It was at that moment…
That the red-haired girl stopped, and with a gentle movement to the right, turned toward a door that surely connected to another room.
She, the red-haired woman, approached the room's entrance door and, in a manner very similar to how she had opened the previous one, pushed it open—though first, she inserted a key into a small keyhole present in the door.
After completing all the actions correctly, she opened the door, signaling for Lior to enter. He, with no option other than to follow the instructions, prepared to go in together with the maid who was behind him.
It was there, once inside, that Lior saw a small room with a bed at its center. There were pieces of furniture along one side and a small table with a medium-sized mirror. The mirror was mounted on the wall above the bedside table, which in turn had a maid outfit placed on top of it.
The dress was completely clean and neatly arranged on the bedside table, having been placed there well in advance.
It was at that moment that Lior once again directed his gaze toward the entrance of the room, only to find himself in the middle of a conversation between the maids.
[Red-haired maid: ###### #### ######]
[Cat maid: ###### #### #####]
[Red-haired maid: Mmm… ########]
[Cat maid: ## ## #######]
[Red-haired maid: ####### ### ##### ### #### ##]
[Cat maid: ## ##]
The conversation was taking its time, and this certainly made Lior impatient. He was quite lost, as he did not understand the language they were speaking. If it had been English, he surely would have understood more—this, however, was not the case.
After some time, the women finished their conversation. The cat maid, taking hold of the door handle, prepared to close it. With elegance and delicacy, she shut the door completely, leaving the red-haired maid outside the room. Taking a light breath, she expressed calm, and with that action, turned her gaze back behind her.
The gaze of the cat woman looked Lior up and down, even while her body was still facing the door. Then, with a subtle and elegant movement, she turned fully toward Lior, her hands clasped in front of her stomach. With a determined look, she approached him until she stood directly in front of him.
[Cat woman: Hello, nice to meet you.]
She said, her expression cold and calculating.
[Cat woman: My name is Chiyo Eidoriku. I am the personal maid of the master of the noble Eidoriku household.]
She said, her eyes piercing into Lior's.
[Chiyo: I will explain the basic rules and your duties from now on, and I will also give you some necessary instructions. Do not ask questions—just obey.]
She said to Lior, who stood with his legs slightly and timidly bent, listening attentively with his ears fully perked up and his tail lowered. He looked at her with his large blue eyes, meeting the eyes of the same color belonging to the blonde woman standing before him.
[Chiyo: You have been selected to become a domestic servant at the request of the young master.]
"…"
[Chiyo: Now I will ask you not to do anything stupid… so stay still.]
It was then that Chiyo grabbed Lior by his left wrist, taking hold of the shackle on that hand. As she did so, she pulled out a key that had been kept in the pocket of her apron.
With a cold, disdainful gaze, she froze Lior's soul in a single second, leaving the demihuman's body completely immobile.
Taking advantage of that, she gripped Lior's shackle even tighter and brought the key she held in her right hand closer to a small rectangular opening. She inserted the key and turned it, making it do its job and opening the shackle.
"…"
Lior looked at his wrist to confirm that he had been freed from one of his chains. His eyes opened wide when he saw that the key had indeed worked. In disbelief, he lifted his gaze back toward the blonde girl standing in front of him.
Chiyo looked at the poor cat demihuman before her with absolute disdain, as if she were staring at the worst filth she had ever stepped on. Her eyes held a catastrophic emptiness that made Lior's heart stop once again.
"…"
Then Chiyo continued with her sequence of actions. She deliberately moved to the next shackle on Lior's other wrist and, using the same method, opened it. Then she went to the one on his neck, then to his left ankle, and finally to his right ankle, completing her pattern of elegant movements.
After that, she grabbed the chain that lay on the floor. With nothing left to hold it in place, it collapsed uselessly.
Chiyo, holding the chain that had connected the various shackles she had just removed, made a simple flick of her wrist, lifting it slightly. With her other hand, the one holding nothing, she made a small gesture, bringing her fingers together.
And with that simple movement…
Chick.
She snapped her fingers.
"…"
Lior didn't understand anything. He didn't understand the girl's action at all. But… from one moment to the next…
[Lior: I-it… d-dis… d-disappeared]
The chain that had been in the girl's hand vanished.
[Lior: …]
"What?"
The chain, the shackles, everything… disappeared. Every trace of their existence was gone. They weren't there anymore. They were gone, completely erased.
It happened in the blink of an eye—a single blink, a second, a microsecond. The chain disappeared without making a sound, without causing any disturbance, without movement, without anything at all. It simply vanished without leaving a trace.
"…"
How? How? How?
The object evaporated, dissolved, disappeared entirely right in front of him. And he didn't see how it happened, because there was simply no trace left behind.
"Did I hallucinate?" he thought.
If he had hallucinated, then there would be an explanation. So he blinked repeatedly, trying to confirm that he wasn't dreaming. However, none of that worked.
The chains and shackles had truly disappeared, without leaving behind any sign of where they went.
But…
[Chiyo: Surprised?]
After performing the action, Chiyo returned to her original posture, standing face to face with Lior. Her eyes still carried that sharp edge that unsettled the cat boy.
[Chiyo: It's quite strange that you, being an all-purpose slave, look so shocked at the use of a simple spell.]
"…"
[Chiyo: Your type of slave is usually used for all kinds of experiments, including magical, sexual, and torture-related ones. So it really surprises me that you've never seen this kind of magic before.]
"…"
"What?"
[Lior: Magic?]
[Chiyo: …]
Magic… magic… a spell…
Magic is a form of power that is usually seen in video games, series, novels, and the like. I think everyone knows the concept of "magic," right? There's no need to explain it in detail.
But…
If there is magic in this world… that means Lior is in a magical fantasy world…
[Lior: W-where did I end up?] he murmured.
[Chiyo: Huh? Did you say something?]
[Lior: Ah? Um… n-nyo… nothing.]
Being in a world like this, as a slave and on top of that a demi-human, without knowing anything about magic in a magical world…
It was really shit.
"It's shit."
Pure, utter shit.
It could have been anything—from a hero to a villain—but no. None of those options were valid for him, because he was reincarnated into the body of a miserable slave. Do you know how truly horrible that situation is?
"…"
[Lior: Shit…]
"…"
The definition of "shit" was what fit Lior the most right now. He was literally an object—an object from the point of view of civilization as a whole. How could you be lower than that?
[Lior: There's no bottom…]
There's no end…
[Lior: Truly—]
PLACK!
[Lior: Agh!]
[Chiyo: Wake up, damn idiot. You were losing yourself.]
Lior received a slap that left him stunned.
[Chiyo: You look like an idiot staring at me like that.]
Lior was abruptly pulled out of the beginning of a trance. That was thanks to Chiyo's harsh hand, which struck him quite hard, leaving him not only dazed, but also hurt, with a strong bruise that burned.
[Lior: Ow… ah…]
[Chiyo: Stop whining. It was just a small hit. Aren't you a man? You wouldn't last even a brief dose of discipline.]
Lior was very tense from the blow. His ears and tail were drooping, and his left hand was clutching his struck cheek. His legs were slightly turned inward. Small tears began to well up in his blue eyes.
[Chiyo: …]
The boy looked so idiotic. The boy looked so stupid. The boy looked so miserable.
[Lior: …]
He was so idiotic. He was so stupid. He was so miserable.
"…"
[Chiyo: I'll explain everything you need to know, spoiled child. You just have to listen—don't do anything else.]
[Lior: …]
"…"
…
[Chiyo: The young master has given you a responsibility. You have been selected to be a domestic servant, just as I mentioned before.]
"…"
[Chiyo: Your uniform is on the table next to the bed. It's the same one I'm wearing right now, just adjusted to your measurements.]
"…"
[Chiyo: My duty is to show you and help you get dressed…]
"…"
[Chiyo: D-dress… um… ahem… dress properly in the uniform.]
…
"Get dressed…" Lior thought.
[Lior: Get dressed…? Get dressed?]
[Chiyo: In the maid uniform.]
"…"
…
"…"
[Lior: Ah…]
"What?"
[Chiyo: I've been ordered to help you… with your clothing… it was the master's order…]
[Lior: Huh?]
[Chiyo: I've been ordered to help you with your clothing, since you are now a domestic maid belonging to the noble Eidoriku household… it was the master's order to dress you… that way… yes…]
Chiyo was just as lost as Lior.
She was surely very uncomfortable telling a boy to wear a maid's dress. That idea clashed directly with her principles, since she had never seen a man dressed as a maid, and her beliefs dictated that men were supposed to show masculinity and strength.
Moreover…
Lior was completely bewildered, since he didn't understand why he had to assume the role of a maid. This led him to wonder if the head of the house had some kind of fetish for dressing men as women, but judging by the maid's reaction when addressing the topic, it was clear that she was just as uncomfortable as he was.
[Lior: Uh—]
[Chiyo: —Silence.]
"…"
[Chiyo: Obey the order. From now on, you belong to the noble Eidoriku family. You were bought as a slave—be grateful that at least you're not labor force. Originally, no more staff were going to be purchased, so you should thank the young master for his kind consideration toward you.]
"…"
[Lior: Ah…]
[Chiyo: …]
"…"
Your lord... is quite weird...