Servent

They were escorted inside.

The inside of the mansion was covered with shiny wood that had a faint ember glow, extravagant furniture that even a laymen could apriciate.

'The walls from the outside are made like the city walls, from magic I guess. The inside seems to be made from wood, rich people huh' Roland looked around the house like a person seeing skyscrapers for the first time. 

The were guards at every corner of the house, all of whom looked like trained elites, who would kill at any moment. 

Roland secretly activated [Keen intuition] and realised why.

[Species: Human]

Assasment Comprehensive strength: Unable to Judge

'Is there anything money can't buy?' Roland wondered with a half bitter smile. The guards were wearing expensive looking armor, even the weapons looked expensive.

The group of five, arrived in an equally lavish big hall, with a long table in the middle. Apperently it was dinner time, and a large group of people were currently eating. 

Standing by the walls, were servant dressed in uniform, maids and butler's alike. 

"Adrian, why have you returned earlier then the original date, and why isn't Mason with you?" As soon as they entered the door, the man sitting at the head of the table stopped eating and looked up.

The man looked scrawny, head full of short red hair and a small but long scar over his left eye. The man looked to be in his thirties with no wrinkles on his face.

This was the current acting family head of the Sterling merchant family, one of the only three merchant families in the city, Boron Sterling. He was taking over for his older brother, who was currently sick.

His deep voice, reminded Roland of an actor in his previous life. As soon as he spoke the people attention was diverted towards them.

"Sir Boron, something horrendous happened." Adrian lost his previous demeanour, he lowered his head and looked scared. 

He knelt down and Roland and the others followed suite.

"Speak!" 

Roland felt the whole room shake with that word, but he kept his head down. Everyone on the table stopped eating.

The Captain, Adrian, shuddered in cold sweat, he clutched his hand and explained his story. While stuttering he expressed how the First Commander, 'Mason' kept making decisions against his better judgement, and how the crew didn't listen to him.

Obviously the two crew members who came along, wouldn't just stand by, they raised thier voices but they abruptly stopped and the was a noise from behind. 

Roland turned his head in confusion and saw that the two men weren't anywhere to be seen. He glanced back and saw them lying on the ground covered in blood.

'That's ruthless!'

Roland broke out in a cold sweat, those two people were already stronger then him, but their life and death was unknown. He didn't even see the other party move.

"Who said you could stand! Hmph! Continue and put away those fancy words!" Boron disdainfully said.

Some servants on the side quickly picked up the two men and cleaned the floor.

'Why must I report? I should have forced Mason to come along!' Adrian's fists trembled.

Adrian continued, this time his voice was more coherent but his body was trembling even more, his heartbeat could be faintly heard in the relatively quite room.

Roland learnt from the 'recollection', that the blind 'young master' he met earlier, was the third son of the family head. 

The room suddenly shook, the temperature of the room climbed to a dangerous degree. The arm of Boron's chair shattered and his hair danced in the air. His fiery red eyes suddenly returned to normal and so did his hair. The temperature in the room stopped raising.

"To say that I'm disappointed in you, would be an understatement." Boron sighed and finally spoke after listening for a long time. He stared daggers at Adrian and said "I remember appointing you as the captain. Which means it was your responsibility, and your responsible for whatever happens to the merchandise. The winter season is about to start and I don't think I need to explain to you on how valuable this shipment was."

As soon as Boron started speaking, a terrifying breadth instantly filled the room, making everyone feel uncomfortable, it locked onto Adrian. Adrian's whole body was trembling, but he didn't make a sound.

Boron's words directly ignored Mason as the 'villian' and placed the responsibility on him. Not only that but how severe the situation was. The winter season was right around the corner, and a lot of money had been spent on that cargo, for a merchant family that depended on making money, this was undoubtedly a loss.

"You shall be panished accordingly, but don't worry, I'm a fair man." Boron's words fell slow and loud. "You'll Spend three months in the ice pit and one hundred years of service shall be added to your service contract!"

Boron's words left no room for negotiation.

"!!!" 

Adrian just kneeled on the floor without any attempt to defend himself, but when he heard the last sentence, he gasped in shock. 'What's a hundred years? isn't that the rest of my life! 

Although he thought like this, he didn't dare voice out his complaints, but he was extremely unwilling.

Boron's eyes flashed with a strange light, his expression showed scorn. 

Suddenly a terrifying pressure descended onto Adrian, his whole body slammed on the floor, "hmph! Do you find fault with my judgement. I'm a reasonable man, i'm willing to listen to any complaint you might have."

Adrian felt like he was a frog being stared at by a viper.

'If I resist, I'll die!' Adrian immediately shook his head. "No sir, there's nothing wrong with your judgment" 

"Good, tommorow you'll go to the ice pit to begin your sentence!" 

Boron suddenly turned his attention to Apus, his stern expression suddenly softened, "Doctor I'm sorry you had to experience something like this, I hope this doesn't effect you workng with us."

"It most certenly won't effect our cooperation in the slightest." Apus responded with a smile. "I look forward to our partnership"

Boron nodded with smile and turnd to Roland with a frown, "Who are you?"

"Roland, I was found up by sir's people and I don't remember anything besides my name." Roland nervously explained, his back was covered in cold sweat.

Boron remained silence, he frowned and said, "If what your saying is true, then your life which was saved by us now belongs to us. Which means I can take it anytime."

As soon as these words fell, Roland felt a terrifying and suffocating force wrap around him. His body started suspended in mid-air, and he couldn't move an inch.

Roland face sank, he struggled and said "Sir wait! I'm telling you the truth, there's no need for this!"

Boron's face was full of contempt, "Sadly I don't believe you, for all I know you could be a spy from Opel city, I'm not a person who likes to gamble, when my chances are low."

Roland could hear the subtext from those words, 'Basically I don't care for the reason, since your no one important, I wont take my chances."

Roland felt intanse pain, the force around his body was getting increasingly strong, he tried to resist but to no avail 'Damn it!' 

"It's true!" 

Roland felt the force stop abruptly, the person who spoke just now was Apus. He continued and said, " When they first discovered the boy, he was brought to me for examination. At that time I felt small traces of amnesia from his mind and spirit." 

Boron fell into contemplation.

"I'll believe what your saying Docter, and won't need to worry about him being a spy." Boron's he nodded. Roland's body slowly returned to the floor, "I'll spare your life boy but, you'll be a servant of the family."

Boron was obviously giving face to Apus, 'Since you want this, I don't mind granting you this wish, Doctor, your a valuable asset. As for the boy, I don't care for him, he's too weak to be a threat, and we'll keep him on a short leash."

Hearing the word 'servant', Roland was extremely unwilling but he didn't say anything, 

'I should have left when I got the chance! Sadly there's no medican for regret! He thought to himself

"Ucle, could you give him to me. I still don't have a servant after my last one mysteriously disappeared" Suddenly from besides Baron, came the sweet voice of a teenage girl. 

The girl looked to be in her mid-teens, short dark-red hair and ocean blue eyes. This was the family head's forth and favourite child, Ruby Sterling. 

"Hmm good, Francis prepare the necessary things and get them sorted." Boron, looked at his niece and said to the man besides him. The man was wearing a butler's attire, stepped forward and left the room. 

Minutes later, the man came back, he was holding a bottle of purple substance and a percular paintbrush. 

The man arrived in front of Roland and drew a weird shape on Roland's chest. Roland didn't feel anything weird from it, but he was getting anxious. 

At this time, Ruby stepped forward and dripped her blood on the symbol. A jolt of electricity passed through Roland's body.

Roland got a good look at her, she was wearing a tight fitted red dress with black shoes and red laces, her whole being screamed youth.

"Good, now leave us." Seeing the formalities completed, Boron carried on eating like it was no one's business.

"Sir, what about the young master and the Shipment." The butler, Francis inquired.

"Ohh that, send a necessary team tomorrow to escort them back, I want to see what's excuse that Mason will use this time." Boron responded without much emotion, as if he didn't care about his nephew.

"As you wish." The butler bowed and left with Roland and the others.