Chapter 85: The Slave Hiding Their Power (4)
The next day.
Shiron came down to the first floor of the annex, sipping on lemonade instead of coffee.
His steps down the stairs were cautious.
However, his tiptoeing was not out of consideration to avoid waking anyone.
He was about to engage in a somewhat secretive task.
Using the system within the game always required caution, which was why Shiron had chosen a time when everyone was asleep.
Lets see.
Shiron neatly laid out the items he had bid on yesterday on the table.
[The Corrupted Priests Rosary]
[The Unwanted Concubines Pearl Necklace]
Each of them was a relic of rare and unique grade, respectively.
The Corrupted Priests Rosary immediately increased divine power by 5, and the Concubines Pearl Necklace increased flame resistance by 20.
However, unlike the effects that enhance resistance, their appearance was unmistakably antique. As ornaments, they should shine subtly in the moonlight, reflecting the metallic luster, but being so old, they seemed far from sparkling.
In the game, they definitely sparkled like new
Sigh.
Shiron sighed at the thought of the hardship to come and rolled up his sleeves.
He started to clean the relics with a toothbrush and detergent.
But he wasnt simply cleaning them for wear. This tedious process was all to disassemble and absorb the relics.
Hadnt the store ability, which Shiron was currently making good use of, undergone the same process?
In short, at least some hygiene was necessary before one could put something in their mouth and swallow it.
Ugh.
His struggle with the centuries-old grime was indeed pitiful.
But this, too, was a part of the process of assimilating the relics with Shirons body.
Oh, man. Why wont this come clean?
The patina formed over a long time through exposure to the air was hard to scrub off with a toothbrush. Although just until yesterday, he had escorted the noble young lady Siriel, looking luxurious, Shirons current appearance in his struggle to survive was, frankly, rather pitiful.
And
There was a woman observing the pitiful sight of the boy.
Hmm
Seira observed the boy scraping off the antiques grime from a distance. The walk from the main house to the annex was considerable, but the magic she cast made it seem as if the scene within the annex was right before her eyes.
And that wasnt all.
The various eavesdropping-prevention spells scattered throughout the annex where Shiron was staying became useless before Seira, who prided herself as the foremost magician of her time. She easily bypassed the barriers as if scooping up a piece of cake, and with the eyes of an onlooker, she nodded a few times.
So he likes antiques after all.
Seira felt a slight pique of interest in the boy.
A noble young master spending a fortune to collect antiques was quite an amusing sight to behold.
Usually, boys of that age would fancy sharp swords radiating a fierce spirit or stylish uniforms but Shiron didnt even give a second glance to the ornamental weapons showcased in the auction.
Even now, the items enduring a thorough brushing in the hands of a boy barely ten years old were notorious in the auction as unsellable problem stock.
Who, after all, would use such antiques to escape a bit of heat, regardless of being a warrior or a magician?
Once reaching a certain level, a warrior or a magician did not sweat in the heat of summer or felt cold in the dead of winter. Moreover, a magician could warm or cool the surrounding air to regulate their body temperature, which made it all a rather laughable matter. With such financial resources, one could quickly reach those heights with mana training.
Quite a peculiar hobby Huh?
Suddenly, Seiras eyelids fluttered as she spied on Shiron.
Huh?
Whats that?
The boy, who had been polishing the antiques to a shine, began to destroy them unexpectedly.
Why go through the trouble of cleaning them if hes just going to break them?
Seiras mind was swirling with questions and curiosity. The young master, once thought to have just a peculiar hobby, was now elevated to a very special human being in her eyes.
Hmm
Seira let out a small exclamation of admiration.
She had seen many people squander money, but never a child In her life of over 700 years, this was a first.
But that wasnt the end of it.
The boy began to put the broken pieces into his mouth and swallow them.
Is he an idiot?
Seira frowned, mouthing a vulgar curse.
That boy was somewhat off. There were odd dragons that enjoyed the texture of gold and jewels in their mouths, but wasnt the boy supposed to be nothing special as a human?
However, it wasnt enough to astonish Seira simply because he put something inedible into his mouth.
The problem was the opposite behavior the boy displayed compared to the previous day.
The appearance of an older brother taking care of his young sibling.
The greedy demeanor of someone whose eyes bulged with desire for what they want. It was not much different from the human behavior Seira had observed over the years.
This isnt the time for this.
Ceasing to be a mere observer, Seira overlaid her playful guise over her body. Her ash-gray hair turned crimson, and her pointed ears rounded out.
Hmm. Good.
Seira looked into the mirror with her unfocused black pupils. Her magical craftsmanship was flawless, as always.
Done.
Shiron flashed a proud smile amidst the rising flames in the kitchen. Despite the sweltering heat pressing against his skin, he felt neither hot nor did he sweat. The holy relic he had consumed at dawn had fully assimilated with his body.
With this, he could say goodbye to most of the summer heat.
Did you find it that amusing?
Was it because his face was constantly smiling? Lucia was the first to speak to Shiron with a curious look.
Whats amusing?
Dont play dumb You went out to play just with Siriel yesterday.
Lucia spoke to Shiron with a slightly prickly attitude. The memory of being the butt of jokes by the demon maids yesterday came to mind, prompting a bit of a snappy response. But it wasnt just because they had gone out without her.
Shiron shook his head and then fixed his gaze on Lucia, unsure whether she was aware of that or not.
I was wondering whether to say this or not. Truthfully, it was no fun at all.
What do you mean?
Lucia narrowed her eyes and asked back.
Shiron was the type who might make up stories to console her for having to stay home alone. However, there was no sign of his usual playful demeanor this time.
Its because of some slave. My to-do list has gotten longer.
Shiron sighed deeply and crammed food into his stomach. Starting today, he planned to spend most of his free time monitoring Elise.
As time passed and spring approached, Shiron had not gained any results.
He had watched Elise for a considerable amount of time, but she exhibited no remarkable behavior.
She was simply faithful to her duties as a daytime servant.
Even now, Elise was sweeping the yard of the mansion as befitting a junior maid. According to the opinions of the servants living with her, she was without fault and impeccable.
Really how can such a situation even exist.
With a disappointed face, Shiron shrugged his shoulders.
There should be some suspicious signs if she had a purpose. But she does nothing.
Encia. What do you think?
Shiron squinted his eyes and looked to the right.
Well, I dont feel anything from this woman. She seems just like a human, truly. Could it be that the young master is mistaken?
Uh
No, what humans eyes flicker with light? Are you saying I saw something wrong?
As Shiron felt unjustly treated, Ophilia, who stood beside him, supported Encias statement.
Young master. From what I see, this woman, Elise, doesnt emit any sort of energy. If she were strong, one would feel a certain vigor, right? And if she were a demon, one would sense demonic energy, but there is nothing.
Ophilia thinks so too?
Um. What are you doing right now?
Elise looked at the three of them with an expression of mild inconvenience.
Shiron. And the two maids who followed him.
They were openly criticizing her right in front of her nose.
Even if they were out of earshot, it would be insufficient; they were blatantly evaluating her right to her face. Even Seira, who was acting the part of a submissive slave, was a little flustered by their behavior, which was beyond common decency.
Dont worry about it. Im not saying anything you cant handle.
Shiron shrugged nonchalantly and chuckled.
Continue with your work.
If you could just return the dustpan I was holding, then I could continue cleaning
Cant clean without a dustpan? Thats a new fact Ive learned.
Shiron clicked his tongue and reluctantly handed the dustpan back to Elise. She hesitantly received it with both hands, courteously.
However, the awkward situation showed no signs of ending.
Was her name Encia? The maid with the flowing blonde hair started chuckling behind her hand.
Heh, what an insolent slave.
Excuse me?
What kind of nonsense was this? Elise widened her eyes and looked at Encia.
If its not too much trouble, may I ask for some guidance? I will correct it immediately.
Elise managed to hold back her crumbling expression and promptly put on a crisp smile, watching the misfit maid who was a demon.
Oh my. Dont tell me you dont know? Youre a slave trying to teach your master.
Te, teach? I have done no such thing
In frustration, Elise raised her voice slightly in protest. However, her hopes were completely disregarded by Encia.
Encia scoffed at Elise with a flaring of her nostrils.
What do you mean, none? Youre forcibly instilling common sense into the young master that he needs a dustpan for cleaning.
Elise was at a loss for words.
It was absurd.
Such absurdity was unparalleled.
It was already bewildering that a demon was getting along with a human child, but the childish torment they were inflicting was even more disconcerting.
Elise, or rather Seira, who had lived for hundreds of years, could not comprehend how to accept this harassment.
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