After he was sure he had the patterns of the vines down, Ash tried his next idea. Using shock strike, Ash attacked four of the fines in quick succession as he ran forward at full speed. When he saw the flower petals dip, then rise, Ash cast cone of frost just as the vines were rising out of the ground, freezing the ground solid and trapping them.
Jumping over the trapped vines, Ash reached the flower without trouble and struck. Unlike before, the flower didn’t die with a single strike. Instead the vines behind him faded away and the flower pulled itself from the ground. Now Ash found himself facing a moving flower, armed with teeth and large vine-like roots.
The roots lashed out at Ash, forcing him to pull back. Ash attacked one of the roots, first cutting it off near its base. Pulling back, he waited and watched and when the root remained gone, Ash let out an evil smile and kicked off the ground and lashed out with his full strength cutting one root after another.
Once all the roots were gone the flower had once again lost its ability to move. The only way it could attack now was by lashing out with its sharp teeth, but the movements were so slow Ash never even got close to being hit as he attacked the flowers stem. After seven strikes, Ash cut through the body of the flower and a large black -317 appeared as the flower top tumbled back.
Ash used up almost half of his MP as well as two thirds of his SP during the fight, but he had not lost any HP. He could easily call it a win, but somehow it felt as if it had taken longer than it should have. Sitting on the ground, Ash pulled out a few sweetcakes and juices that the maids had prepared for him and ate them. They only helped boost his recovery a little. When he had first started out, it was great, but now they seemed to barely be a drop in an ocean.
Ash wasn’t sure, but he figured that the sun should be close to setting if it hadn’t already. That didn’t mean he had to leave, but he hoped that he could reach the next plaque before being forced to retire for the night. As he thought about it, unless the monsters were extremely hard, he could fight as long as he wanted to reach the plaque since Emelia would not lecture him for missing dinner or their reading time.
After resting for half an hour and eating enough sweetcakes that his stomach was protesting, Ash moved down to the next floor. As soon as Ash opened the door, a chilly wind blew through his body, sending shivers down his spine. It was not the kind of chill one got during winter, but one that soaked straight through to the marrow of his bones.
The area around him was only faintly lit. It was a large open area and the ground was littered by a number of weapons that were stuck into the ground, almost like headstones at a graveyard. Ash had fought zombies before, but they didn’t give off the eerie feeling that this place did. He didn’t know why but every fiber in his body was screaming for him to turn back, yet he pushed forward into the darkness.
When Ash reached the first weapon stuck in the ground, he touched it with his hand.
[Specter Spear: weapon belonging to a long dead warrior that now ties the specter to the place of its death. Durability 5000/5000, attack 0-1, strength -10, agility -10, stamina -10, vitality -20.]
Ash quickly let go of the spear as even touching it reduced his stats greatly. Though the weapon was useless, it did give him an idea about what monsters he would face on this floor and it wasn’t an idea that he enjoyed.
Having grown up alone, the thing that he feared most was the dark and as he got older that fear had mostly disappeared, but a part of him still feared what his boyish mind had imagined lived in the darkness. He had never enjoyed horror movies about ghosts.
Shortly after he let go of the spear the milky translucent figure of a warrior wielding a spear appeared in front of him and let out a deathly howl. Seeing the monster, Ash took a step back with his hands shaking slightly as he pulled his sword.
The monster, seeing the fear in his eyes charged Ash. All Ash wanted to do was run from the specter, but a part of him fought the urge and swung his sword toward the creature. When his sword met the ghost’s body it passed through without doing any damage but when the specter’s spear struck his shoulder Ash lost 25 HP.
Seeing this, Ash took a step back but the specter pressed its attack, striking four more times. Each of them were blocked by his luck shield. Seeing that physical attacks had no effect on the specter, Ash launched a fireball, but once again it merely passed through the specter’s body. Ash continued to fight while dodging the specter’s attacks, but none of his skills caused an ounce of damage to the monster. Seeing this, Ash was left with only one choice…Retreat.
Ash ran back toward the stairs leading to the previous floor while being chased by the specter. Thanks to his speed, the monster couldn’t keep up with him. As soon as Ash’s hand opened the door, the specter disappeared and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Warping outside, Ash found that while the sun had not set yet it was hanging low in the sky. “Say young lady, why not spend some time with us?” a voice asked, not far from where Ash had appeared.
“I told you I am waiting on my master,” Allice’s voice said, floating to Ash’s ear.
“I am sure that master of yours won’t mind if you keep us company for a bit,” another man said.
Ash walked up behind the three men who had Allice cornered against a small tree. Seeing no reason to ask questions about what they were doing, Ash grabbed two of them by the neck and lifted them easily from the ground. “Hey, what the hell are you doing?” The man who Ash hadn’t grabbed asked.
“I should be the one asking that,” Ash said, throwing the other two to the ground. Gasping for air, the two men got to their feet and looked with fear at the sword on Ash’s hip. “What do you think you are doing to my slave?”
“Ahhhh…Sir we were just talking to the lady,” one of the men stammered.
“That wasn’t what it sounded like to me,” Ash said, pulling his sword from its sheath.
“Master, please stop,” Allice said, stepping in front of Ash.
“Why? Do you have any clue what they would have done had I not arrived?”
“Yes…But if you harm them, then master could get in trouble,” Allice said slightly worried. “I don’t want master to get in trouble for me.”
Ash looked from Allice to the three men who had already turned and started to run away. Sighing, Ash patted the top of Allice’s head the way he would Yuki without thinking about it. “Then we should head back home.”
For a few moments, Allice just stood there, touching her head where Ash had patted her. When Ash stopped and looked at her, Allice’s face turned a light shade of pink. “You coming?”
“Y-yes,” Allice said with her head slightly hanging.
On the way back to the manor, Ash’s mind was full of thoughts about the specters and how he might be able to fight them. He was so engrossed in his own world that he didn’t notice that Allice was looking at his with large round eyes.
“Master!” Yuki yelled as she jumped up and hugged Ash when he walked through the small gate to the manor.
Ash was greeted by a number of slaves when he entered the building. The first of which was Gilda. Shina, and Milly.
“Welcome home master.”
“Welcome master.”
“Master’s home.”
Seeing the fact that Milly was being held by Shina, Ash smiled. “I’m home.”
“Master, a letter has arrived for you,” Gilda said handing Ash a sealed envelope with the duchess’s seal on it. Ash took the letter and quickly opened it.
Ash, I have more work for you. I request that you arrive tomorrow in time for breakfast.
Ash laughed at the short letter. You would think that a duchess would pad a letter a little, but Ash didn’t hate the fact that she went straight to the point.
“Master, we have super ready if you are ready to eat,” Gilda said as he put the letter away.
“I am not that hungry, why don’t you and the maids go ahead and eat.”
“Sir! There is no way that we can eat before yo
u master,” Gilda said as if his words were scandalous.
“Then let us all go eat, but do I have time for a quick bath?” Ash asked feeling sticky.
“If that is master’s wish, but it will take time to heat up the water,” Gilda replied.
“Then why don’t we eat first then I will have a bath,” Ash said defeated. The bath was the one thing he would miss the most about Emelia’s mansion. The one here was still big, but the stove to heat it had to be ran before the water would become hot while Emelia’s was powered by a magical tool that kept the water hot all day long.
After eating, Ash still had to wait for the water to be heated, but he took a quick bath as soon as it was ready and headed to bed. As he crawled under the covers, the door to his room opened and Allice walked into his room, wearing a thin white see through gown.
Though she was only fourteen her body had developed well. No matter how well he controlled himself, Ash was still a male and seeing a young, well developed body in front of him made his heart race. “Allice what are you doing?” As asked in a panicked voice.
“I am master’s attendant…I thought that meant I had to attend to master for night duties as well.” Allice said blushing a deep red. “That is what Gilda had told me.”
Ash rubbed his temples. He had to talk to Gilda about this, otherwise he might find his room invaded by maids before he had a chance to react. “Allice, I don’t require anyone to…Perform night duties.”
“Uhhh…I…Ok,” Allice said, slightly flustered before running from the room.
Sighing, Ash tried to sleep but the images of Allice in her thin nightgown kept flowing into his mind making his blood run hot. “Why me?” Ash asked to the sky but he received no answer.
5-6
Once again, Ash was woken by Allice but this time her face was beat red as she woke him. She didn’t say anything before running from the room. Remembering the night before, Ash shook his head and figured that she was embarrassed about the misunderstanding.
Since Emelia wanted him to be present for breakfast, he alerted the maids to eat without him and left the manor. Before he could reach the outer gate, Allice caught up to him while breathing hard. “Master, if you are going to leave you should let me know,” She said slightly red faced.
“Today I have to do my work as the tax minister for the duchess. You can stay back and take it easy,” Ash said, trying to dismiss her but she stubbornly refused.
“I am master’s personal attendant. No matter where master goes, I have to go with him. Otherwise I will fail at my duty.”
“Allice, I know that you were told by Emelia that you had to serve me as a slave for fifty years, but you don’t have to take it so seriously. As you can tell, I don’t force my salves to do anything. You should do what you like when you have the time,” Ash said while looking directly into Allice’s eyes.
“It’s not…I like…Can, I stay master?” Allice said bashfully.
“Allice, speak clearly otherwise I won’t understand,” Ash said sighing. “The more we talk, the more we will get to know each other and the easier it will be to work together.”
“You know, I was really scared when the guards took me,” Allice said as a small tear formed in her eyes. “I didn’t know what would happen to my brother while I was sitting in the jail or what was going to happen to me. Then I was tried and found guilty and asked if I could pay the fine within a year. When I told them no, I was told I would be given a fifty year sentence as a slave. My heart fell and then I met master. You even went so far as to try and pay my fine for me and when you couldn’t, you allowed me to bring my brother with me. I am really grateful to master, and I want to repay master.”
“I can understand that, but if you really want to repay me then just enjoy yourself as you can,” Ash said smiling. “The truth is, I don’t like slavery at all. If it was up to me, I would have let all of you free.”
“Huh, but master already had slaves before me?” Allice said with a confused look on her face.
“I bought Yuki when I saw her being left for dead. I purchased her mom later when I tracked her down so that the two could be together. That is all there is to it.”
“Master is really nice,” Allice said while looking up at Ash with shining eyes.
“I wouldn’t say I am nice,” Ash replied slightly embarrassed. “I just do what I think is right. So for me, unless I really need you, just do what you want.”
“So, it is ok if I do what I want?”
“Yes, that is what I have been saying for the past two days,” Ash said while rolling his eyes.
“Then I can be master’s mistress?”
“W-wa-what mistress?” Ash said stunned. “Allice, do you even know what that means?”
“Yes, it means that I will stay with master and preform night duties and have master’s baby,” Allice said while looking happy.
“Allice you are only fourteen.”
“Am I not good enough?” Allice asked as her face suddenly turned sad and her lips bunched tight together.
“N-no it’s not that,” Ash said quickly, not wanting her to cry right in front of the house. “I just think that it would be best if you waited until you were older. Give it a year and then ask…OK.”
“…Ok…but until then, I will stay with master,” Allice declared, a slight smile returning to her face.
“Fine.” Ash said, knowing that he had been defeated and hoping that in a year her infatuation would dwindle. Having not spent much time with women before, Ash was easily finding himself at a loss when confronting them.
During the walk to Emelia’s, Allice walked close to Ash, often pushing her chest into his arm. Yuki would often cling to him, but because of her childish body, he never felt anything. Shina was clingy as well, but her overt attitude help ward off any feelings toward her. Allice on the other hand had the body of an adult and the sweet innocence of her affection was charming, making Ash feel more pressured than he had before. The only thing he could do to cool his mind was to remind himself of her age over and over again.
As soon as they arrived at the mansion, they were escorted to the dining room. Ash was seated while Allice stood behind him. A few of the maids suggested that she join them in the anterior room to eat, but only after Ash had ordered it did she separate from him. When Emelia saw this, the look on her face was anything but pleased.
“It looks like you and Allice are getting along,” Emelia said with narrowed eyes.
“Please don’t look at me like that,” Ash said as his shoulders dropped. “Nothing improper is going on.”
“Just remember that you are my fiancé. That means I am first,” Emelia said in a demanding tone.
“I thought that was only for show?” Ash asked slightly worried.
“Well…You already signed the papers and agreed to it in front of the whole city,” Emelia said with a slightly red face. “You don’t want me to look like a woman whose fiancé ran out on her do you?”
“But…”
“Or is it that you find something wrong with me?”
“It’s not that, but getting married…It should be between people who love each other,” Ash said fumbling.
“Hah love…You forget that I am a noble. If my father was still alive, I would have been forced to marry some guy I only met a few times, if at all until the wedding. Even now, if we take too long, the king might pressure me to marry the son of one of his supporters. The truth is Ash, I like you…I don’t know if it could come to be love, but at the very least I enjoy spending time with you. In fact, that is one of the reasons I called you here today. I would like our marriage to be done soon.”
“…I can understand your reasons, but why the rush?” Ash asked as large beads of sweat dripped down his forehead.
“I have received news from the capital that news has reached the king about my proposed marriage. He hasn’t dispatched anyone yet to interfere, but he might and I want to be married before that can happen. If you won’t do it, I will tak
e someone off the street. I will not hand over my father’s land to another family,” Emelia said, the last with venom, but her face softened quickly.
“It is not a bad deal for you. You can keep your own residence. In truth, very few noble couples live together all the time. There are a few things I will need your help with though.”
“Like what?” Ash asked, feeling skeptical.
“Unlike men, women are not allowed to take other partners…And I would need an heir,” Emelia said, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.
“Oh…So men can have mistresses, but women can’t…That doesn’t seem fair,” Ash said as the meaning of her words hit him.
“It makes sense in a way, Emelia said in a defending tone. “If a male noble was to get another women pregnant with child, it is no big deal as the child is often treated well, even if it is a bastard. On the other hand, if a noble woman gives birth to a child that doesn’t belong to her husband then it still gains nobility status from her and it could create trouble with the rules of succession. That said, it still happens sometimes, even nobles fall in love.”
“Can I have a moment to think?” Ash asked, getting up from his chair, his appetite disappearing.
“Umm…Yea…I will be in the study…and there is work for you as well,” Emelia said her voice taking on a worried tone. “Ash,” she called as he reached the door. “No matter what your decision…I will still be your friend…Nothing will change that…Ok.”
“I understand,” Ash said giving a weak smile.
As soon as he left the room, Allice ran up to him. “Allice, right now I really need to be alone…To think,” Ash said. Seeing the look on his face, Allice frowned but pulled back but still stayed close enough to see him.
Ash liked Emelia and he knew that she harbored some feelings for him, though he didn’t think they were that deep that she openly admitted that herself. The question was how did Ash feel? He didn’t hate Emelia, in truth he found his time with her enjoyable and more than a little confusing. When she had kissed him, he had enjoyed it but since she was the only woman he had ever kissed, it was hard to compare it to anyone else.
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