2.1

Rey tilted his head to one side, straightened up and continued eating without taking his eyes off the breasts of that woman in maid's garments. Why her breasts? You might ask. Maybe because, unlike her mother, she had bigger breasts. No, actually, for the little boy, if he looked at someone's chest, neck or forehead, he could also see the other five limbs at the same time and be ready to defend himself as the situation demanded. Besides, looking into someone's eyes could mean confrontation and he was not foolish enough to confront one of the older ones. He tilted his face to the side because something also caught his attention, her open and informal behavior. As he remembered, Silvia always moved with elegance, style, smoothness and harmony to perform whatever tasks she was given. She knocked on doors before entering, pointed to objects with an open hand and not with a single finger. She did not ask questions or correct anyone, she only made suggestions. She carried her hands at the sides of her body or slightly forward, but never behind her back and absolutely always approached from an angle that could be seen as one who dared not provoke distrust.

Silvia stood erect in front of the little boy. She had a mane of reddish hair that reached a little below her shoulders, a band of hair that parted her bangs in two and large eyes that seemed to inspect everything with curiosity. She closed her mouth, feeling even more intrigued, but seeing that the little one was still eating without taking his eyes off her breasts, she crossed her arms and lifted her breasts at the same time that she leaned forward to provide a better view.

"Young master. You believe my words, but at the same time you distrust me and know things I have never told you. How is that possible?"

Rey felt that the servant's behavior was familiar to him, a vague memory of the past came to his mind, so he did not respond, and stepped back with his other foot. He did not intend to tell something that would bring him a lot of trouble to explain. Prepared to escape, he was stopped by words that made him curious.

Sylvia, anticipating the little boy's escape, added:

"I'm sure you must have your reasons. I am a "Specialist" grade combat maid, as a maid in this house I have the special ability to awaken from my state of suspended animation to fulfill my duty to protect if an intruder enters when the tenants are asleep. But you are not a threat... you are "young master, Rey". I was the first to carry you when you were born. How could I consider you dangerous?"

Rey put the past aside, focused on the present:

"Suspended animation?" he asked as he took a seat on the floor and paid attention, still chewing and swallowing the food in his hands.

Silvia noticed that Rey hadn't reacted to the information that she had been the first to charge him either, but she continued nonetheless:

"Yes. Even though those asleep still breathe and their hearts beat, they become empty containers that cease to age or grow. They will not need to eat, drink or excrete until they awaken."

"Can anything in suspended animation die?" asked Rey thinking of his companion, of the helpless little Paradise guardian he had left behind in the cave.

Silvia, glad to have captured the little one's interest, replied:

"Once they fall into that state, they are defended by "transcendental" grade protection. The answer is, no. They cannot die even if they are on the verge of death."

Rey frowned, narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath to swallow the last mouthful of meat and lick his fingers. Inwardly he was relieved to know that his companion was safe, even if he wasn't with her, but he had heard the word "degree" twice. It seemed to him more like a measure of powers that he could use as a reference for his own benefit. Again, he was obliged to compensate for his weakness with knowledge, but he didn't know how to ask.

Silvia, to avoid the silence that wanted to take over the atmosphere, added another question:

"Weren't you training with Heroclades?...."

"Yes, but I'm looking for something more than just training".

Silvia asked again, as if she wasn't sure she had an answer that would keep the little boy interested. Lying was not an option for her, for even if she lied as cunning as Rey was, he was going to find out sooner or later.

"And what do you seek young master?"

Rey, thought for a moment that the Wise Grand Wizard was who he was not because he was a Grand Wizard, but because he was wise. If she served under the tutelage and care of the Wise Grand Wizard and lived in the residence, did this mean that the structure had to serve her needs as it accommodated the other tenants. She could have the answer.

"I seek knowledge, could you guide me along the path of knowledge?"

Silvia took the little one's words with charm, as if her silent prayers had been heard:

"Young master" She paused as one who did not want to let her hopes out so quickly. "I can give you what you wish, but such action will make me want to take something important from you afterwards" Rey seemed not to understand, so she continued. "Ahhh, you ask why? Well, I have nothing else to do and you make me very curious.

At the comment, Rey made a gesture as if she seemed to understand something. He then took off all his clothes, he also got rid of his rustically made weapons to gather all his belongings as a bundle and put it in front of him.

"This is all I have and it is important to me. You can take it now if you wish. Please" he said ducking his head and politely.

Silvia was shocked, she even covered her open mouth with her right hand. She thought she was dreaming. No, it had to be a dream. Someone as arrogant as him was offering her all his belongings and asking for help. But she felt awake, she felt alive. It wasn't a dream. It couldn't be. She had to ask the reason for such a change, she did not manage to restrain herself, for curiosity would not let her.

"Tell me: what makes you want to seek knowledge at such a high price and not by force?"

"My weakness."

"In that case," said Silvia as she unbuttoned the top of her blouse. She slipped her left hand inside her garments and as soon as she found what she was looking for between the flesh and the fabric, she continued with her words. "This key will be able to help you. Inside this house all the doors are locked and cannot be opened, it is an extra method of security, but the key I am going to give you opens a particular door... I do not need your offering. And maybe I will make an exception for you. Take it as a favor. I'm doing it because you don't seem like the type to disappoint me. All I ask is that you don't look at me with such suspicious eyes the next time we meet... and that every time we're alone you call me "Nana", okay?"

Rey was naked, full of wounds and scratches, she had broken into the house and stolen the food in the refrigerator. She had the perfect excuse to have gotten rid of him, but she didn't. She kept calling him young master. She kept calling him young master. What harm would it do him to accept what he was being offered? The little boy was confused, he understood what was going on and he could also imagine why she was looking at his waist area. But he didn't understand why she didn't want everything she had despite having said what she said.

After collecting what was offered, Rey decided to take the gesture as an attempt to create connections between him and her. She knew he needed an ally to confide in. She didn't have to carry on the tradition her parents had, she wasn't part of the family. But why did she want to be called Nana? It wasn't a bad question. It was easier to call her Nana whenever they were alone instead of Silvia or maid, it felt more familiar.

"Yes" Rey said as he nodded his head at the same time.

Along with the affirmation the maid's hand was extended. As soon as Silvia gave Rey the key, she turned her body and left the way she came. Unlike before, this time her footsteps could be heard walking through the house in the direction of her room. There was also the sound of a door being opened and ajar.

Rey looked down at her palm.

"What a tiny instrument," he said to himself. "How could I use it? She said it opens a door. Doors are the entrances to rooms. Ummm... But which door? I guess I'll have to find it, if she had told me in a straightforward way, I might not have listened. I would have thought it was a trap."

After thinking for a while, as soon as he was dressed in the liger furs, Rey set about the task of searching the entire house. He had already noticed that the doors had locks, also doorknobs. The locks used a hole and in that crack under the latch seemed to fit what was a key. All the doors inside were adjacent to bedrooms where someone was sleeping. The house itself did not appear to be any larger than it was for there to be a secret entrance. Up and down the stairs, in the attic, or down the hall, in no corner of the interior was there a door that would accept the shape of the key Rey held in her hand.

"Maybe she tricked me-what would be the point?"

Again hungry from all the time that had passed, Rey returned to the kitchen, immersed in thought.

"She couldn't have tricked me. Even though I already checked all the doors in the place... No, not all of them. I overlooked the most significant one. Being hungry is not good for thinking."

His stomach full, Rey stood in front of the entrance and exit of the house. He quickly inserted the key and realized that it could turn, then lowered the handle and pushed with all his strength so that the gigantic wooden sheet opened, giving entrance to a completely different world. It was a place so quiet that the little spectator could hear the sound of the thin gust of air filling the void, as well as the beating of his own heart, the flickering of his eyes and the blood circulating in his veins.