Nine looked critically at the young man roughly around 17 or 18 years old standing in front of her. He seemed like a delicate pretty boy with lean muscles that seemed to be popular amongst noble girls these days. He had black hair and dark green eyes that shone in the sunlight. His face still contained a bit of youth, evidence that he had not having finished growing.
Standing with his back rigid, he projected a show of nervousness but Nine could spot the signs just from sight alone. She had been trained and flourished as an intelligence expert in her past life. The little twitches and body posture gave it away. No matter how one tried to hide, it was usually difficult for someone not professionally trained to deceive someone who knew what to look out for.
Nine inwardly smirked. This little hidden guard had snuck in amongst her numerous servants. Did he really think she hadn't realized?
She could use him.
"My dear hidden guard," Nine said teasingly, brushing a finger down his face. She gave him a smirk, her every action oozing an evil charm.
His pupils shrunk to pinpricks, but he managed to contain himself from showing any other reaction. Looking into the crown prince's eyes, he felt dazed, almost like he didn't have any control over himself. The current crown prince was so different that he was almost unrecognisable from the one before. Inexplicably, he felt drawn to this crown prince. He felt like he would do anything to stay in his favour. He had a feeling that following the current crown prince would be the fortune of a lifetime.
The hidden guard immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head. "This servant greets Your Highness the crown prince!"
"You belong to me now," Nine's voice dropped into a low octave, her voice sending shivers up the hidden guard's spine as a thrill ran through him.
"Yes!"
Examining him, Nine could not detect any dissatisfaction from her statement, and instead a bit of hidden pleasure and excitement. She raised her eyebrows inwardly. It seemed this little hidden guard had a few unspeakable pleasures. He was simply a big pervert.
"I bestow you the name Shade. Do you accept?"
Shade tried to hide his trembling excitement. To name a hidden guard was to claim their position as a master. You could forcibly name a hidden guard and conscript them into your service. It was practically unheard of for a master to ask if they accepted. Shade was visibly moved. The crown prince was truly the best master.
"Shade greets Master," he said in a steady voice. He pressed down the excitement in his heart at finally belonging to someone.
[Life bound contract with 'Shade' obtained.]
[Shade]
[Healthy (Excited)]
[Skills: Body Tempering (Intermediate), Water Magic (Intermediate), Shadow Steps (Advanced), ...]
"Good."
Nine felt the bloom of magic within her, causing her to be slightly surprised. Instinctively, she brushed fingers against his face again, watching with hidden fascination as a magical signature bloomed upon the mark being placed down.
Shade's delicate features now contained a delicate silver magical tattoo that curled up the side of his left cheek, swirling delicately. Unlike a tattoos back on Earth, this new magical tattoo moved constantly like a silver shadow, growing and shrinking. The new addition to Shade's face made his looks increase a point in attractiveness.
Curious, she rubbed it as if feeling the texture, causing Shade's heart to skip a beat as he looked at his master's cold features. The magical tattoo did not have any indentations upon being set. The skin felt just as smooth as it did before.
Shade couldn't contain the joy in his heart. He could feel his master's magical signature slowly sinking into his body, branding him forever. His own magical signature now contained a hint of his master's, causing him much happiness. The fact that his master managed to produce a tattoo upon the sealing of their contract meant that not only was his master magically powerful, it also meant that his master was treating him as one of his own, something akin to family. Just this alone solidified Shade's loyalty to his new master. He wouldn't let him down!
Nine nodded approvingly of the loyalty that was practically burning in Shade's eyes.
"Can you hide the tattoo?"
Shade looked a little distressed as he replied. "Yes, master." He placed a hand over the flickering tattoo almost protectively, but grudgingly moved it somewhere else to show her.
Nine looked at him speechlessly. It was just hiding the tattoo! Why was he so upset? Whatever. He could do whatever he wanted as long as it didn't hinder what she wanted him to do.
"I'll assign you some tasks, so carry them out later."
"Yes!" he cried, snapping to attention. The magical tattoo also moved back to his face.
Looking at his sparkling eyes, Nine left him to be. Her new hidden guard seemed a little unreliable?
Nine entered her room, yet again lost in the sea of books that swamped the room. Her heart started beating quicker. Now that she had taken care of some slightly more annoying things, she could take her time with these books.
One by one, she absorbed them, causing her experience and knowledge to grow by leaps and bounds. She sighed endlessly in her heart. The previous Nine had such a beautiful gift, but it had been smothered by society. Had she gotten to know her, Nine would have loved to guide her to be more confident in herself.
Alas, fate loved playing tricks on people.
With unending determination, Nine devoured the books in the room like she couldn't get enough. Luckily, all she needed to do was touch a book to be able to absorb the knowledgw. Inwardly, she thanked Blue. Magic was utterly breathtaking both in simplicity and complexity. She couldn't wait to be able to experiment herself and grow.
She had so many new ideas that she didn't know what to do with them.
Grabbing an empty book, Nind started jotting down her notes in pure English and in code. They wouldn't be able to decipher it unless they had the key for the code.
Lost in her thoughts, Nine let Shade hover near her, allowing him to glance through the books. She ignored his exclamations of surprise that eventually died down as he sat against a bookshelf himself, hungrily absorbing the knowledge when she nodded at him to show her approval.