Magnus looked around the courtyard. It wasn't that big, only about a few meters wide. There were colorful flowers planted along the side, with some cacti here and there.
The town soldier brought him to a steel door and knocked on it.
"Hm?" a heavy grunt sounded from the other side.
"A last-minute referral for the Young Master."
*Clang*
The steel door was unlocked, and it opened. The town soldier urged Magnus inside, and he walked in. A tall, burly man wearing a loose robe was waiting for him inside. He nodded his head and pointed him in.
"Here's your split."
Magnus turned around and took five sun coins from the town soldier. The guy nodded his head and left.
The huge man closed the steel door, and Magnus could only enter deeper inside the building and go up the staircase. He faintly heard some voices and arrived before a wooden door at the top. A masked maid stood beside it. She noticed him and turned in his direction.
"Who are you?" she asked in a cold voice.
The masked maid wore a uniform similar to the french maid. It was the type with many frills and colored black and white. Compared to the long skirt of the traditional french maid uniform, this one had a rather short skirt that highlighted the masked maid's beautiful and thicc legs.
Together with her nice-sounding voice, she was fairly attractive. It was a shame that Magnus couldn't witness what was under that elusive mask.
"...I'm referred here to work for the Young Master," Magnus smoothly replied.
His quick wits saved him from embarrassing himself. He had no idea what was going on and simply went with the flow.
"Okay."
The masked maid nodded her head and knocked on the door.
"Young Master, there's one," she shouted not too loudly, careful not to discomfort the people in the room.
"Oh? Let him in!" a young male voice replied.
The masked maid opened the door and urged Magnus to enter.
Magnus walked inside and was immediately greeted by four people who were wearing expensive clothing. Two of them looked like important nobles judging by their appearances. They stared at him with curiosity and scanned him from head to toe.
"You're dressed oddly. Where are you from?" a young man wearing a stylish robe with gems and gold asked.
He had a relaxed facial expression and looked handsome with sharp eyebrows. He sat on a sofa with a masked maid massaging his legs. An old man wearing a hooded robe stood behind him like a statue.
"Manila."
"Never heard of it. Anyways, is there really only one young man in this place of yours?" the young man asked, his question addressed to the middle-aged man sitting behind the desk.
Without question, he also wore a robe, but it was slightly better looking than the people Magnus saw when he walked to this place.
"Young Master, my town is ragged and tattered. No one with any bright future like him comes here. He must've been thrown here by his enemies as a form of punishment," the Mayor replied.
Ever since this young master from the Bravodel Clan arrived, he had been bossing him around. He was annoying and disrespectful. Nevertheless, the mayor couldn't exactly complain as the Bravodel Clan could easily crush him if they wanted to.
"That makes sense. I would also do the same. Anyways, your enemies couldn't possibly care less if I took you under me. From now on, you will work for the Bravodel Clan," the Young Master said to Magnus without waiting for his opinion.
"What's... my job?" Magnus asked in confusion.
"You will be training maids for the clan. We have had an influx of Cynthian slaves lately due to the victory at Ghost Island. You don't have to worry. We have methods to make even the most arrogant Cynthian bend to our will, just like this one massaging my legs."
The masked maid massaging the young master didn't flinch and pretended as if she heard nothing, even though the words the young master uttered were whole fully degrading.
"Training?"
Magnus remembered what the old man from earlier told him. It seemed like slavery was popular here. Magnus couldn't remember any place in the world where it was still allowed so blatantly.
"Oh, you know. The usual."
The young master didn't elaborate further and stood up. He lightly kicked the maid away from him. Instead of getting angry, she bowed her head and stood to the side.
"Mayor, thanks for the great service. I liked your personally brewed wine."
"No problem, Young Master." The mayor bowed his head.
The door opened, and the entourage left the room. The maid outside the room promptly followed as they left the mayor's house. The tall, burly man looked tame as the young master passed them by. Magnus realized this young master was the real deal. Whoever he was, he had a high social status.
"What's your name?" the young master casually asked Magnus.
"Magnus. Magnus Dalisay."
"Hmm... What a unique name. I, Farqos Bravodel, will be your young master from now on. Serve me well, and I will reward you with riches and power," Farqos replied and exuded a slight aura of power. It was faint, but Magnus sensed that this guy was truly in a powerful position.
"Thank you, Young Master."
With great flexibility, Magnus accepted his new role. He was still confused and befuddled about how he got here, but he couldn't find the right moment to ask someone what was happening. It was still better than living in prison and waiting for the death penalty.
The group rode a carriage pulled by six camels. On one side, the young master and the old man sat together while Magnus sat beside the two masked maids. No one spoke anything, and Farqos pulled out a long staff.
Compared to the staff held by the town soldier earlier, this one had a foggy orange crystal at its tip.
Seeing two magic staffs made Magnus question why they had them. He tried to recall if there were any cultures that used them day to day. The more he thought about things, the more a certain crazy idea grew inside of his head.
It sounded impossible and outright delusional, but it was the only possible explanation he got.
The journey took several hours. The searing heat made Magnus dehydrated as his lips became parched.
They arrived at another town, and the sun had started setting over the horizon.
"Let's stay at the mayor's place," Farqos told the coach controlling the carriage.
They soon stopped, and the two masked maids walked down. Farqos eyed Magnus and signaled him to follow after them. Magnus quickly understood and got down.
Afterward, Farqos walked down the carriage, and the two masked maids held his hand and supported him.
"Ah... Tell the mayor the Young Master of the Bravodel Clan has arrived and is looking for a place to stay," Farqos said to the town soldier waiting in front of them.