Zhang Ying silently walked behind Alana. They were still in the auction house, which made sense since it probably doubled as one of Silvermane's mansions.
Gobrina and Gozan walked behind them, their hands tied just like their master's. Everyone remained quiet. For someone who fought the entire city to have him, Alana didn't even glance at him once.
It's a good thing. Who knows what's going on inside that head of hers?
Just then, several maids appeared before Alana and only then did Zhang Ying realize they were some place else. They must have walked through a disguised gate that led them to a different mansion.
"Young Mistress," the oldest-looking maid bowed. "Welcome home."
"Hm..." Alana replied uninterestingly. "Have him washed and fed, and then send him to my chambers."
"As you wish," the maid replied.
Without even sparing Zhang Ying a second glance, she snapped her fingers, and two young maids grabbed him while two others grabbed the goblins. Just like that, they were taken away.
"A new toy, madame?" the head maid asked.
"No," Alana replied, staring at Zhang Ying's retreating form. "A tool to help me out of a future predicament."
"So... I should seal the dungeon?"
"Yes... for a while. Also, get me an appraisal scroll and some basic skill tomes and weapons. Have it all delivered to my room?"
"Right away."
Alana left, and the head maid smiled. The young mistress owned a lot of toys before, but all of them ended up as her undead soldiers. It would be nice to see her taking her head out of the dead and look at alive boys for once.
"Oh, the wonders of youth," the head maid shook her head before ordering other maids.
***
"...maybe being a toy isn't that bad," Zhang Ying smiled, enjoying the hot spring.
"kekeke." Gozan agreed.
Unlike them, Gobrina refused to enter the bath. Instead, she took her dagger and was standing guard. Even though she pretended not to like Zhang Ying, her instinct as his pet told a different story.
"No one's going to kill me," Zhang Ying called again. "Get in and enjoy yourself while you can. Who knows what she'll make us do when we're out of here?"
[Gobrina is uninterested.]
Reading those words, Zhang Ying shrugged. It was her loss. Other than that, a lot was going on in his head. The future he knew of had changed a lot. With Liang Mei and Gao Rong momentarily out of the equation, Zhang Ying could finally focus on himself.
With that thought, he opened his status page.
+++
Name: Zhang Ying
Class: Tamer
Level: 1
EXP: 160/200
HP: 110/110
Mana: 150/150
Species: Human (Primitive)
Core Stats:
— Domination: 18
— Empathy: 6
— Resonance: 7
— Control: 13
— Spirit: 8
— Persuasion: 15
Max Bonded Creatures: 2
Max Creature Level: 5
Special Tame Type Bonus: Wild and Domestic
Skills:
1. Capture
2. Release
3. Inspect
Resistances:
>> Charm (Modest)
>> Exhaustion (Mediocre)
+++
"Everything is straightforward... except the stats."
So Far, Zhang Ying only knew the uses of two stats. Control, which would increase the number of creatures he can tame, and Persuasion. He did not know what Domination, Resonance, Empathy, and Spirit were.
Thankfully, he had a way to figure things out.
[Skill
[Domination: A basic stat that shows how likely the User is to control or dominate beasts, monsters, and humans alike. Most creatures can be tamed if the user is <Dominant>.]
It's more or less like Persuasion then. Next!
[Resonance: Shows level resonance between the user and tame-able creatures. A higher resonance stat means a higher level limit for the creatures.]
[Empathy: The user's ability to connect with beasts, monsters, and humans alike. Some creatures can only be tamed with empathy.]
[Spirit: The user's mental stamina and resilience. This stat helps control multiple creatures simultaneously and improves the command range.]
"That takes care of one thing. But what do I do about my level?"
In his past life, Zhang Ying had already reached level 3 after the trial. But right now, he was still stuck on level 1. The way everything was proceeding, he was lagging behind his past self. If he wanted better abilities, he needed to level up, and fast.
"The novels and webtoons made it seem so easy," Zhang Ying sighed. "...maybe I'm not cut out to be a returner."
[Gobrina nods.]
[Gozan agrees.]
"...thanks for having my back, guys."
Just then, another maid entered the place, placing towels by the door.
"Get ready. Young mistress wants to see you," she said, leaving before Zhang Ying could respond.
"Being a boytoy isn't easy."
***
Zhang Ying walked through the grand stone hallway flanked by the maids. As he reached the chamber entrance, a young maid stepped forward, staring him down.
"I must ask that your companions remain here," she informed. "The mistress wants to see you. Not those vile creatures."
Zhang Ying clenched his hands for a moment. He was alive thanks to these vile creatures.
But he realized it didn't matter to anyone else. For them, Gobrina and Gozan were mere monsters. That won't change, no matter what. Besides, Alana owned him, and her word was final.
Zhang Ying nodded and turned to the goblins.
"Stay here. I'll be back soon."
Gobrina huffed but nodded, and Gozan grumbled something under his breath before finding a spot to sit on the floor. The maids didn't look pleased with their behavior, but opened the doors for Zhang Ying.
Alana was lying on the bed, her long hair spilling over her uncovered shoulders. She wore a translucent gown that left little but just enough to the imagination.
The fabric clung to her curves, blurry enough to hide much but clear enough to make any man's pulse race. Zhang Ying was looking at her body and didn't notice the knowing smile on her face.
But lust wasn't the reason he was focused on Alana's body. It was a rare sight to see her out of her full-body suit, and now Zhang Ying knew why. Scars covered every inch of her skin below her neck.
"Take off your shirt. You won't need it in here."
Zhang Ying hesitated for only a moment before nodding. He pulled his shirt off and dropped it to the floor. Alana gestured to him to get closer.
"I won't bite, I swear on my name," she said, extending her hand.
Zhang Ying looked at the hand before grabbing it. Alana moved quickly, yanking him onto the bed and flipping him so he was lying on his stomach. He barely had time to react before she climbed on top of him.
"Lesson one, never trust an assassin," Alana said, leaning in close and pressing her chest against his back as she whispered in his ear. "Now hold still. This will only take a second."