The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, warming Magnus's skin. He stirred just as a knock echoed through the room, fully rousing him.
"Lord Magnus, may we enter?" a feminine voice called from the hallway.
"Uhmm, ye... No, wait. Give me a moment." Magnus scrambled to straighten his rumpled clothes and tame his unruly hair.
"You may come in now," he announced once he felt presentable.
The door clicked open, revealing a striking woman in her early thirties. Her dark hair and eyes, coupled with finely sculpted lips, added allure to her already captivating face. Her ample bosom strained against the thin fabric of her dress, the outlines clearly visible.
Magnus swallowed hard. This was Helen, the head maid. She had attended to his father, Arthur's, personal needs. Now, with Arthur's passing and Magnus inheriting leadership, Helen served him.
The previous Magnus had harbored a significant infatuation for Helen, and Magnus couldn't deny a flutter in his chest upon seeing her. Her beauty was only slightly eclipsed by Seraphina's, owing to the elf's inherent ethereal grace. Even so, Helen possessed a natural radiance that would rival any top model back on Earth, without the need for makeup or cosmetic enhancements. She would be highly sought after by every modeling agency.
Magnus wrestled his gaze away, determined not to stare like a lovesick fool. He didn't want to appear creepy. Helen entered, accompanied by four other maids dressed in similarly diaphanous attire. It was a breathtaking sight.
As they gathered in the room, they dipped into a respectful curtsy. "Greetings, Lord Magnus," they chorused, their ample chests bouncing gently beneath the thin fabric. Magnus found the sight rather distracting.
"Greetings," he managed to reply, his voice a little strained.
The women in this world possessed otherworldly beauty, surpassing even the most celebrated models back on Earth. Although the other maids lacked Helen's exceptional allure, they were still strikingly attractive by Earth's standards.
"Your bath has been prepared, Lord Magnus," Elena informed him.
"Hmm, certainly," Magnus replied, rising from his seat. Helen and two other maids fell into step behind him, leaving the remaining two to tidy the room.
They arrived at the bathroom door. As Magnus reached for the handle, he realized Helen and the other maids intended to follow him inside. He paused, frowning in confusion. Why were they coming in with him? Then he remembered: the previous Magnus had always allowed them to assist him with his bath. A grimace tightened his features.
"Stay here. I can manage myself," Magnus instructed the trio. Perhaps it was self-consciousness lingering from his previous life's less-than-ideal physique, or perhaps it was simply the discomfort of a grown man being bathed by others, no matter how tempting the offer might be, given the maids' beauty. Something about the whole situation felt wrong.
The three maids were startled by his unexpected request. Magnus, however, ignored their surprise and entered the bathroom, firmly closing the door behind him, leaving them standing in the hallway, shocked.
The two maids looked to Helen, waiting for her direction. She simply shrugged and instructed them to wait with Magnus's clothes, ready for him when he emerged.
Unaware of the maids waiting outside, Magnus had already disrobed and slipped into the tub of warm water. The heat and comfort brought a sense of peace he hadn't felt since arriving in this new world. His worries seemed to dissolve in the soothing warmth.
Magnus lost track of time as he soaked, eyes closed. It wasn't until the water began to cool that he finally emerged, feeling clean and refreshed. Then, he noticed a rather significant problem. He had nothing to dry himself with, and nothing to wear.
"Damn…"
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Some time later, Magnus returned to his room, fully dressed, his cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. The two maids trailed behind him. He'd been forced to open the bathroom door just a crack, squeezing his head through the narrow opening to request his clothes. The entire experience had been mortifying, to say the least.
The aroma of delicious food already filled the room as Magnus entered. It seemed his meal had been served. He sat on his bed and devoured it quickly.
As the maids cleared his plate and prepared to leave, two men entered. One was Augustus; the other was Robert, the second commander of his father's remaining forces.
Robert looked to be in his mid-twenties, the youngest of his father's commanders. He'd achieved this rank through exceptional talent and strength. With fiery ginger hair and a towering seven-foot frame, his muscular build was encased in steel armor, an axe strapped to his back. He looked imposing, having to stoop to pass through the doorway.
Magnus's eyes fixed on Robert, and he accessed the man's information using [Akashic Insight]:
-[Name: Robert]
-[Rank: Unranked]
-[Occupation: Commander]
-[Race: Mixed Race (70% Giant, 30% Demon)]
-[Skills: Unarmed Combat [Lv 5/10], Swordsmanship [Lv 1/10]]
-[Additional Skill: Gust [F]]
-[Trust: 97%]
Magnus studied the information, though none of it surprised him. He already knew about Robert's mixed heritage, his unexpected magical skill despite being Unranked, and his remarkably high trust level, surpassing anyone else Magnus had inspected. He had gleaned these details from the previous Magnus's memories.
Robert wasn't originally from the Lancaster Territory. Magnus's father, Arthur, had found him years ago, abandoned and near death.
Magnus had shared a close bond with his father, especially after Arthur lost his wife during childbirth, leaving Magnus his only heir. Arthur had loved and doted on his son.
To foster their connection, Arthur often took Magnus on beast hunts, a form of training and bonding. It was during one of these expeditions that they discovered Robert, battered, bruised, and on the verge of being devoured by a monstrous creature. Arthur and his men intervened, saving the young boy's life.
Initially, Arthur intended to leave Robert behind after ensuring his immediate safety, but seven-year-old Magnus pleaded with his father not to abandon the injured boy to the dangers of the wilderness. Arthur hesitated, but eventually relented to his son's persistent pleas, agreeing to take Robert with them, at least temporarily.
They brought Robert back to the territory, providing him with food and shelter. Although their initial intention was to care for him only briefly, they learned that Robert had little memory of his past, as if something had interfered with his recollections. Young Magnus, moved by Robert's plight, begged his father to allow Robert to stay until his memory returned. Arthur, also taking pity on the boy, agreed.
Robert remained in the territory, growing closer to Magnus as they trained and played together. A strong bond formed between the three.
Arthur and Magnus quickly realized that Robert was of mixed Giant and Demon heritage, evidenced by his small, red horns and his unusually rapid growth. However, this didn't concern them.
Aetherium was home to numerous races, including Demons. Unlike stereotypical depictions, the Demons of this world weren't inherently destructive or malicious. They were simply another race, distinct in their own ways, just like any other. The primary difference was their magical affinity.
While other races possessed various elemental affinities, Demons were attuned to dark essence, sometimes referred to as Dark Mana. Beyond this, there were no significant differences between Demons and other races. Arthur and Magnus readily accepted Robert, differences and all.
However, Robert was self-conscious. Being different in a predominantly human territory made him feel like an outsider. Over the years, he attempted to conceal his horns by growing his hair long and thick. His height, however, was something he couldn't disguise.
As for his magical skill despite being Unranked, Robert was what was known as Quasi-awakened. This meant he was close to fully awakening his affinity and ranking up, but hadn't quite reached that point. In this state, he could access a small fraction of his magical power. This explained Robert's unusual abilities.
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