Kael walked briskly, weaving through the thinning crowd with Seris at his side.
He glanced sideways. She was closer than expected—too close.
"You're walking awfully close for someone who might stab me in the kidneys," he said casually.
"If I were going to kill you, I'd have done it before the crowd thinned out," Seris replied without missing a beat, her voice as calm as a weather report.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Efficient. I respect that. But do give me a heads-up next time you plan to murder me. I'd like to wear something more dramatic. Maybe a red scarf—it'll contrast nicely with the blood."
Seris said nothing, but a corner of her mouth twitched.
Eventually, they reached The Rusty Lantern.
Kael pushed the door open.
The common room was louder now. Patrons filled the tables—some laughing, some slumped over mugs, and one man asleep in his soup.
Alenia's gaze flicked from Kael to the woman beside him. Her brow creased.
"You purchased her?"
Kael scratched the back of his neck. "Let's just say the price was... negotiable."
Alenia didn't smile. She studied Seris, then gave a slight nod. "She has the look of one who survived too long to die easily. Be careful, Kael."
"Yeah," he muttered. "I know."
They moved on to the counter.
The innkeeper stood behind it, arms folded like twin battering rams, watching Kael with practiced disinterest.
Kael leaned on the wood, gave him a grin.
The innkeeper squinted at Seris. "That a slave?"
"Technically, yes," Kael said. "But she's very quiet, mostly house-trained, and shows minimal interest in biting… me. Also, I need another room,"
"For her?"
"For us. Separate beds."
The innkeeper's expression soured. "Slaves sleep in the stables."
Kael leaned in, lowering his voice. "She's not that kind of slave. And I paid twelve gold for her. You really think I'm letting her out of my sight?"
The innkeeper hesitated, then grunted. "Fine. But if she causes trouble, you're both out."
"Understood."
"Okay. But there are no double bed rooms available right now. You will get the double-bed room tomorrow. You will have to spend the night in the same room as before. You can put her on the floor tonight."
"..."
"Okay, No problem. "
___________
Upstairs, Kael opened the door to his room and stepped aside with mock gallantry. "Ladies first. In case there's an ambush. Or, I don't know, a raccoon assassin."
She walked in silently, eyes scanning the cramped room.
Kael followed, closing the door behind them with a click. He set down his bag, stretched, and glanced at her.
"Alright. Rules. You don't stab me, I don't sell you. You get the floor, I get the bed. You scream in your sleep, I throw a shoe at you. Deal?"
Seris stared at him. "Why would I scream in my sleep?"
Kael flopped onto the bed. "Because people here usually have trauma. You've got the eyes of someone who's survived a few dozen nightmares."
She didn't answer. She simply sat in the corner, cross-legged.
Kael yawned, hands behind his head. "Good. This is going great."
"Let's talk contracts. You've been bound, right? Magically?"
Seris held up her wrist, revealing the faint sigils etched into her skin—dormant now, but unmistakable. "Standard obedience clause. Physical restriction, forced compliance with master's commands, pain enforcement on violation."
Kael nodded. "That's not going to work for me long-term."
Then he said, after being silent for some time,
"So, you wanna be free, right?"
Seris narrowed her eyes.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not offering a fairy tale. But if you work with me, stay alive, help me… I'll figure something out. Might take time. But you'll get your life back."
She didn't say anything for a long moment. Then: "Don't make promises you can't keep."
"I never said I can. I said I'll try."
She gave a slow nod. "Then I'll try too. For now."
Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Cool."
Kael then pulled out the folded parchment he'd taken from the merchant.
[Slave Rank Identification ]
F-Rank – Unskilled labor. No combat ability. Basic obedience.
E-Rank – Manual workers. Can follow routines. No training.
D-Rank – Basic physical training. Usually pit fighters, guards, or militia.
C-Rank – Trained fighters. Some tactical ability. Ex-soldiers.
B-Rank – Disciplined warriors. Capable of command. Usually former officers.
A-Rank – Elite combatants. Magical resistance or rare talents.
S-Rank – Extremely rare. Individual threat level. Often former heroes.
"So, you're B-rank, minimum."
Seris shrugged. "Some ranked me A before they learned I couldn't use magic. One bumped me back to B when I broke his wrist."
"Reassuring," Kael muttered. He glanced at the paper again, doing mental math. Twelve gold. For a weaponized asset with officer-level training. Even depreciated, that's return-on-investment waiting to happen.
"Still, it means I technically got a knight-class slave for twelve gold. Not bad."
She tilted her head. "So what's the plan? Work me to death for profit?"
Kael didn't answer immediately.
"I don't have a plan," he admitted, voice quieter now. "Right now, I'm broke, hunted, and staying alive by the hour. So yeah, I'm improvising."
"I trade between worlds," he continued. "It sounds stupid, I know. But where I'm from, we have things—tools, medicines, machines, knowledge—that could reshape this place. Things people here couldn't even imagine. And this world? It has magic, raw materials, artifacts… stuff that would shatter markets back home."
"But this isn't just a game to me. I've seen both worlds now. I've seen people suffering on both sides for different reasons. And I have something rare—access. That's my edge. Maybe the only one."
He paused.
He looked over at her. She was listening, but the expression on her face told him she didn't really understand—not fully. And why would she? The idea of interdimensional trade was nonsense here. Absurd.
Kael let out a breath.
Ah, I've told her a lot of things, but I don't think there will be any problem since she's my slave.
"Ah! Just forget what I said. Just remember— I bought you for my protection and to help me in my business. You help me survive in this world. That's the deal. "
There was a long silence.
"Alright."
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Outside, the wind howled. Somewhere, a dog barked, then whimpered.
Kael closed his eyes.
It was a strange comfort, knowing someone dangerous sat between him and the door.
He drifted off slowly, expecting sleep to come hard.
But it didn't.
And Seris, silent and still in the corner, kept watch through the window.