[A/N: Some readers may be annoyed by the names Ether and Aether (Switching) in the following Chapters, but it is intentional and holds meaning. If you don't like it, feel free to read as Aether....No problem😋.]
"Hmm..."
Aether's eyes fixated on the peculiar ring hanging from his neck.
A golden ring, resplendent yet dulled, cradled a muted purple stone. Delicate lines of subdued purple gracefully encircled the stone, adding a touch of refined allure. The ring was attached to a thread that was securely tied around his neck.
Aether squinted, his inner weeb's curiosity piqued. Without hesitation, he slid the ring onto his finger.
"..." Aether waited, an air of anticipation enveloping him. Uncertain of what he expected, he patiently allowed time to unfold.
After a few minutes, No reaction, he decided to transfer the ring to another finger, continuing to observe for any signs or changes.
Yet,
Nothing happened. Disappointed but undeterred, Aether repeated the process, wearing the ring on different fingers as if seeking some hidden..... 'OP'.
"OH! Mighty Master please help this poor child!!!" Aether said with heavy embarrassment.
...
...
"Waste!" he declared with a hint of frustration, tossing the ring away.
'Ting, Ting, Ting...'
The melodic clinking of the ring against the ground echoed briefly before it rolled back towards Aether, a resilient return to his side.
Aether simply lay there.... Nakedly.
It wasn't due to a desire for nocturnal nudity; rather, he lacked any undergarments.
This stark reality served as a sad reminder that he was a 'Slave'..... An eternal slave, to be exact, his circumstances were intricately tied to a contract he barely understood.
Sighing, he allowed himself to settle into the embrace of sleep. In moments, he succumbed to a deep slumber.
A deep sleep...
Unaware of the passing time, Aether slept soundly like a log. The wounds and pains in his body gradually eased, the healing process taking hold.
....
...
..
"WAKE UP!!!"
"SPLASH!!!"
"ARRHH!!"
Aether's senses jolted him awake with a sudden cry as an icy splash landed on his face.
"I-I am sorry M-Mother. I won't d--huh?" He instinctively began to apologize, his conditioned response from years past. However, his words trailed off as he saw a bluish-black-haired boy standing in front of him, wielding water that floated above.
"Mother?" The boy regarded Aether with a mix of confusion and disdain.
After a disdainful scan of Aether's figure, he sneered, "Wear something, you filth! and come out!!" With that command, the boy left, leaving Aether to grapple with the abrupt wake-up call.
Surveying his drenched body and the wet floor beneath him, Aether let out a resigned sigh. Reluctantly, he adorned himself with the same sack dress he had worn before, the rough fabric clinging uncomfortably to his wet skin.
However, his eyes were drawn to the ring that had caught his attention earlier.
"Hmm... Let's not throw it; it might hold some significance to this 'Ether,'" Aether contemplated, deciding to wear the ring around his neck.
One might question why Aether didn't exhibit anger or frustration upon awakening. The truth was, he had grown..... accustomed to such treatment throughout his life. As he said before, Whether in his tumultuous childhood or challenging adult life, his experiences were far from idyllic.
Moreover, understanding his current status as a mere slave in this unfamiliar world, he saw no value in expressing anger. Adaptation had become second nature to him, a survival skill honed through the trials and tribulations life had thrown his way.... until some fuck head took his life.
'Thud'
Emerging from the room, Aether calmly regarded the bluish-black-haired boy, who returned the gaze before proceeding ahead.
Aether chose to remain silent, understanding that he likely had to follow the young master's lead or face consequences.
As they walked, the bluish-black-haired boy scrutinized Aether's seemingly changed demeanour, 'Has he truly forgotten everything?' he wondered before deciding to inquire,
"What's your name?"
'What a pain....!' Aether couldn't help but think, feeling a sense of déjà vu as both the son and father posed the same question.
"Eether!! What's your name!!!" The boy's sudden shout echoed through the corridor when Aether didn't respond immediately.
Because,
"Pffft--" Aether quickly covered his mouth, stifling an instinctive reaction. He glanced at the boy, finding him to be as dumb as his father.
Observing the boy's frustration escalate, Aether promptly replied,
"My name is Aether...."
"That's Master!"
"....My name is Aether... Master" Aether reiterated, devoid of any discernible emotion.
"Aether?" The boy frowned upon hearing his name, briefly contemplating a correction but ultimately deciding against it. Ether might have simply misunderstood his name but he wasn't going to correct it.
It wasn't his responsibility to rectify a slave's mistake. As the master, he could address Aether however he pleased.
"What's My name?"
"..." Now this time, this was not really funny.
Aether's lips twitched in clear annoyance, fully aware that the boy was toying with him.
The continuous echo of the same question mirrored his father's earlier behaviour, intensifying Aether's frustration and annoyance.
'Should I knock him out..?' Aether contemplated, clenching his fist as they walked. The bluish-black-haired boy led the way, seemingly oblivious to the mounting irritation behind him.
Aether, driven by annoyance and anger, was on the verge of delivering a punch to the boy's neck when a sudden terror froze him in place.
It felt as if a monstrous presence had fixated its gaze on Aether, a sensation that sent shivers down his spine.
"Ether!! What's My name?" The bluish-black-haired boy abruptly halted, turning back with a glare.
It marked the second time Ether had ignored his command, an act tantamount to blatant disrespect toward his master. Failure to address this behaviour could result in humiliation from the boy's friends..... a consequence that he should avoid at any cost.
But then,
"Hmm?" The boy frowned as he observed his slave, who was now gripping his neck and kneeling on the ground, visibly struggling.
"Hey, what happened?" He inquired, concerned by the sudden change in Ether's demeanour.
"..." Aether offered no response, gripped by an overwhelming fear that seemed to paralyze him.
It was a primal terror as if an indescribable monster was watching him. His breaths became laboured, and his entire being felt like it was disintegrating into..... particles.
The burning sensation in his neck intensified.... like an iron rod.
"HEY!!" The boy shouted again, frustrated by the lack of a coherent answer. Balancing numerous responsibilities, including classes and work, he couldn't afford to linger with his slave every time and help him around.
As he prepared to pour water on Ether again, a white-haired old man in a butler dress, intervened.
"Young Master, Your classes are getting late. You have to go now; otherwise, Young Miss will complain again. Please, I will deal with him!!" The white-haired old man urged.
"Alfred!!... Okay, I am leaving then" the bluish-black-haired boy responded, startled initially but swiftly making his way to class upon Alfred's insistence.
"..." After the young master left, Alfred turned his attention to Aether, who still clung to his neck, panting heavily.
"You tried to hurt Young Master, didn't you?" Alfred asked with a deadly tone.
However, Aether remained trapped in the abyss he had just experienced, unable to snap out of it.
"Tsk," Alfred clicked his tongue then within a single second, he changed Aether's Sack dress into something formal like a white shirt and black pants and... proceeded to pull Aether by his leg.
'Thud'
Aether's head hit the ground as he snapped out of it, looking at the old man who was pulling him.
"H-hey, Old Man! What are you doing!!" Aether shouted, his voice echoing through the corridor.
"Oh? You snapped out of it... good," Alfred mumbled, a hint of satisfaction in his tone, as he let go of Aether's leg.
Aether, displaying a mix of confusion and irritation, immediately stood up, eyeing Alfred with weariness.
He had been with some brat before, and now he was with an old man,
'What happened? And when did I even change my dress?' he wondered and was totally taken aback by the new dress, and weird sensation he felt before... his mind trying to piece together the fragments of his recent experiences.
Aether truly didn't know what happened to him... as if he was in the other dimension stared by an unknown entity.
"Come with me, Slave!" Alfred instructed, his voice carrying an air of authority as he moved with a measured pace down the corridor.
However,
"Who are you? And Who changed my dress?" Aether questioned, his rebellious nature surfacing, as this was the first time he had seen an old man in a butler dress.
Alfred didn't offer a direct response; instead, he continued walking in silence. Seeing this, Aether shrugged and, displaying his characteristic defiance, turned in the opposite direction, momentarily resisting the authority around him.
He truly had a rebellious nature....
It was then, breaking the silence, that Alfred spoke again,
"A person who brought you here wants to meet you, brat! He might answer you everything..." The words hung in the air, making Aether pause and think for a moment before deciding to reluctantly follow Alfred.
Alfred led Aether towards the designated room, their footsteps echoing through the grand corridor. Standing near the gigantic white door with a weird design, Alfred raised his knuckles and delivered a firm, resonant,
'Knock, Knock'
"Master, I brought Him" Alfred announced, his voice reverberating in the silence of the corridor.
However, there was no immediate response. Still, Alfred, undeterred, turned the doorknob and swung open the grand door, revealing a room that elicited an involuntary "Whoo!!" from Aether's astonished lips.