— Fffirr, meow, of course, I’m not a dream. I’m your servant, and I will help you with everything while you live here. — She carefully watched as I modestly covered myself with my hands. — Lie down, I’ll help you wash your hair.


    — Thanks, I’ll manage! And you go… go cook something, clean up or whatever…


    — Oh dear, why is the master so shy! — she said as she left the room, playfully swishing her fluffy ginger tail.


    Oh, come on! Seriously? I quickly rinsed the soap from my head and stepped out of the bath. A linen shirt and matching trousers lay on the chair nearby. After drying off and getting dressed, I headed to the kitchen, where I could hear the clatter of dishes and the pleasant aroma of food.


    — What’s your name? — I asked as I entered the room.


    — Call me Mia, master. — Her large ginger ears bent slightly in what looked like a curtsy, then straightened again.


    — I’m Aney.


    I sat at the table and picked up a fork. Mia stood behind me to my left and froze. An awkward silence settled between us.


    — Why don’t you sit down and eat with me?


    — No, master, I am just a servant, and by the rules, I must not sit at the table with you.


    — Oh, don’t be so uptight. I have questions for you, and I don’t like it when someone stares at the back of my head while I eat.


    I could practically hear her brain working, trying to reconcile the rules with my order. Finally, she grabbed a fork, sat across from me, narrowed her green cat-like eyes, and purred:


    — I’m listening to your questions very attentively.


    — You were right when you asked if I had ever seen a beastkin before. In truth, until today, I had no idea other intelligent races existed besides humans. — I paused briefly. — Tell me, how many non-humans live here?


    — Not many in the principality itself, — she began, pulling a plate of meat salad toward her, — it’s too cold and nasty here, mrrr. My friends and I work for Master Hek because he pays well, and we can support our tribe. But to the south and east of the continent, there are far more beastkin—perhaps even more than humans. As for the number of races, I don’t really know; I’ve never counted them. Probably dozens. Some view humans normally, like us. Others are neutral. But there are also those who kill on sight. Though they’re not the ones you should fear most.


    Mia suddenly lowered her head and pressed her ears back. Her lips twisted in a bitter grimace, and she half-said, half-hissed:


    — The most cruel and treacherous ones… are the Nine-Tailed Foxes! If you ever meet one of those deceitful, bushy-tailed bastards—stay far away! Those vermin seduce people, gain their trust, and then, when their victim lets their guard down, they eat their liver! Usually, this is fatal for humans, and even Fifth-Class Healers can’t save them.


    — Nah, that doesn’t scare me. I’m not as easily frightened as I might seem.


    Mia relaxed, leaning back in her chair.


    — I wasn’t trying to scare you—just warning you. Or do you think, master, that with your Third-Class Warrior strength, you could stand against a Nine-Tailed Fox?


    — Are they really that powerful?


    — On average, their physical strength is about the level of a mid-tier Battle Master. But their spiritual power and illusion magic—that’s the real danger! Not even every Eighth-Circle Mage can stand against them.


    Once again, I was smacked in the face with my own weakness.


    — Alright, then. If I ever see anything resembling nine fox tails, I’ll run straight to you for protection!


    — Oh, come on, master! I’d better go prepare your bed.


    Mia stood up from the table. I remained seated, turning a small cup of light alcohol in my fingers, lost in thought about where to find a large number of monster cores—or if there was another way to get stronger. My stash still held twenty-two Second-Class cores, but that was a mere drop in the ocean. So, either I return to the forest, or… In any case, I’d need to visit the Mage’s Guild first. Only then could I make a final decision.


    Hearing soft snoring from one of the bedrooms, I opened the door to another and lay down. But before I could even close my eyes, a door slammed in the neighboring room, followed by mine creaking open.


    — How could you, master?! — An outraged Mia stood in the doorway, wearing a translucent nightgown. — I prepared a bed for you, and you just walked past it?!


    I was utterly speechless. What was going on? Some local custom I didn’t understand?


    Mia jumped onto the bed, straddling me and leaning close to my face. Danger!


    — I am here, — she murmured, placing a hand on my chest, — to fulfill all, all of the master’s desires, even the boldest ones!


    I froze for a moment, wondering what to do and whether I should flee right this second.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    — Your eyes glow in the dark, and that’s creepy, so let’s not test my… boldest desires.


    I felt her body tense, and I braced myself to intercept any claws that might be heading for my eyes. Instead, she stood up and slowly walked toward the door. Her tail lashed wildly from side to side, scattering fine tufts of soft fur around the room.


    — Ah-choo! — I sneezed loudly.


    — Master! Masteeer! You’ve rejected Mia twice now! If you do it again, I won’t forgive you! I’ll punish you! — She slammed the door behind her.


    What the hell?!


    Oh, to hell with it, I thought. Time to sleep.


    Mia led me to Hek’s office in the Trade Guild building. The old man looked dignified, completely different from the Hek I’d seen just a day ago when we traveled to the capital.


    — Come in, come in, Aney, good to see you! — He jumped up from behind his desk, led me to a sofa, and sat beside me.


    — Good day, Master Hek. You wanted to see me?


    — Oh, forget the ‘master.’ Just Hek is fine for you, alright? Now, the reason I called you— — He stroked his beard. — I want to settle our business.


    With those words, he pulled out two large pouches.


    — Here, — he handed me the first, — two hundred gold coins, as per our contract. And here, in the second, forty-six gold, four silver, and five bronze coins—your payment for the monster corpses I sold at the Craftsmen’s Guild. Also, starting today, I’ll begin investigating your past. Perhaps someone in the capital knows something about you.


    — Thank you, Hek. But can I change the contract a little? Or rather, simplify it…


    — Change it? — Hek’s forehead wrinkled. — That’s not so easy under the Watchful Eye’s scrutiny.


    — You misunderstand. I want to refuse the second part of your promise. No need to search for my identity—I’m fine with things as they are.


    Hek fell into deep thought.


    — That won’t work. My conscience wouldn’t be clean, and the Watchful Eye wouldn’t confirm the contract’s completion.


    — Then, instead, can you help me acquire warrior’s equipment? Would such an exchange be possible?


    The old man’s face lit up.


    — Of course! Choose anything you like from my guild—don’t be shy! I promise, you won’t find better quality in this entire principality, not even in the Craftsmen’s Guild!


    — He pulled the contract scroll from his ring and unrolled it.


    — I, Hek, referred to in this contract as the “client,” confirm on my part that all contract terms have been fulfilled!


    He looked at me as if hinting that it was my turn.


    — I, Aney, referred to in this contract as the “contractor,” confirm on my part that all contract terms have been fulfilled!


    Above us, a magical seal in the shape of an eye appeared once again, and I felt something strong lightly stirring in my thoughts. I immediately tried to defend myself and push it out, but, of course, it was useless.


    — Contract execution confirmed! Penalties and fines for both parties amount to zero percent of the remaining lifespan! — a loud voice proclaimed from above.


    After that, the red ribbons snapped from our hands, turned back into a magical seal on the parchment, and the text vanished from it.


    — Whoa, — I said. — This thing is reusable!


    — I also wanted to ask if Mia could show me around the city and take me to the Mage Guild. Is that possible?


    — Of course! Miiiiaaa! — Hek called, and she immediately slipped through the barely opened door. — Show Sir Aney everything he asks for, but first, take him upstairs and let him pick out some equipment. He can take whatever he wants!


    Hek approached the table and pulled out a silver token.


    — Here, show this to the steward so there won’t be any unnecessary questions.


    I thanked him, and we parted ways.


    — Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! Oh-ho-ho! Time to spend Hek’s money! — Mia grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs to the fourth floor.


    “Women spend money wisely. In the end, neither money nor wisdom remains,” I muttered an old saying and obediently followed her.


    After a while, I got caught up in the free “shopping” spree myself. The fourth floor held the best samples of the regional trade guild’s wares. I took everything useful—from footwear and clothing enhanced with second- and third-tier magical improvements to the most practical melee weapons, including a bow with arrows, a pair of spears and swords, and a variety of knives and daggers. The pale steward simply watched the looting unfold, struggling not to faint. But I remembered one thing: if they’re giving—take it; if they’re hitting—run! So I took, at least for now.


    — And now, — Mia said to the steward, waving the silver token under his nose, — we need a storage ring to put all this loot in!


    The poor man turned even paler—it seemed like he might collapse at any moment—but obediently led us to a room with especially sturdy doors. Inside, a display case held about a dozen rings of various sizes and designs.


    — This one! — Mia pointed at the most luxurious one.


    — Hold on, I need something inconspicuous. I’m too weak right now to be flaunting my wealth.


    Tears of gratitude welled up in the steward’s eyes at my words. He pulled from the case a small dark copper ring inlaid with a tiny white gemstone.


    — Ugh, such junk! — Mia pouted at my rejection of her choice.


    — If you would, sir, I need a drop of your blood to activate the storage. — The steward handed me a sharp needle made of some strange metal.


    I pricked my finger, and a small red droplet appeared on my skin, shimmering with thousands of golden sparks.


    — Your blood is so strange! — Mia immediately leaned in, shoving her nose close to my hand. — I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this! What an incredible scent!


    She kept muttering, bringing her nose ever closer to the droplet.


    — Stop right there! — I grabbed her by her cat-like ear, pulling her away. — I hope what you’ve seen today doesn’t leave this room?


    — Like I care! — she snorted. — I don’t spread gossip!


    The steward simply nodded silently and dipped the ring’s gem into my blood. It glowed briefly before returning to its white, cloudy state.


    — Now, just think of the storage, and you’ll see its interior. If you want to store or retrieve something, simply will it.


    What a fascinating thing! I mentally peeked inside and found myself in an empty cube about ten meters per side. A thousand cubic meters! Not bad!


    I slipped the ring onto my index finger, and we returned to gather the items we had picked out earlier.


    — Well, are you ready to move on? We’re heading to the Mage Guild next!


    But trouble found us first. As we descended to the first floor and walked through the guild’s foyer toward the exit, some dandy in his twenties, dressed in expensive, well-tailored clothes that fit his slender frame perfectly, with long blond hair cascading down his sharp, narrow face, suddenly sprang toward Mia. He grabbed her firmly by the shoulder and loudly declared:


    — Oh, Mia, my love! Where have you been hiding from my eyes for so long? I come to these slums every day just to see you!


    Mia jerked away, but he held her tight. All she could do was hiss quietly:


    — Let me go! Right now!


    Instead, the young man tried to seize her other hand. That was my cue to step in—after all, Mia was my servant. Taking a few steps forward, I grabbed his arm—the one holding Mia’s shoulder—and squeezed it just enough for her to break free.


    — Now, sir, why are you bothering my servant? I understand—youthful hormones and all that. But if you’re so overwhelmed with passion, you’re more than welcome to retreat somewhere private and, well, give your little pup a proper squeeze once or twice. Maybe even reminiscing about how you held Mia by the shoulder!


    The young man twitched nervously, trying to free his arm, so I let go.


    — What are you all standing around for?! Grab him! — he shrieked as soon as he was free.


    At his command, swords flashed at my throat in an instant.