《Born to Serve》 Rebirth Ulrich Schwarz had worked as a banker for more than 50 years. He didn''t particularly like his job. But it paid. He didn''t like his boss either. But that was his boss. He also didn''t like most of colleagues. Even those he did like, he wasn''t close to. Ulrich was lonely. His marriage hadn''t worked out. His children were estranged. His other relatives liked his wallet more than they liked him. Having no one to spend either his money or his free time on, Ulrich donated both mostly to a good cause. His money funded a few smaller charities and he spent his weekends or holidays volunteering at various shelters, orphanages or nursing homes. Ulrich had lots of free time. Since he didn''t like his job, he naturally only worked as much as was necessary and not one bit more. His parents had taught him to always fulfil what''s required of him. He didn''t derive any pleasure from helping people either. But his parents had told him that if you have to much of something you can give it to those who are in need. Ulrich had too much money and time. As he was nearing his 80s, Ulrich realised that he might not have enjoyed his live much but he had followed his parents'' advice to a T. Really, the only thing Ulrich regularly did purely for himself was cooking. Ulrich liked cooking. Cooking was just about the only activity, Ulrich liked. Maybe he should''ve become a chef. But he was told to become a banker, so he did. He usually did as he was told. It made him a marvelous subordinate but an incompetent supervisor. It also caused his death. What was he supposed to do when the furious customer yelled at him to "drop dead"? Naturally, Ulrich had a heart attack. --- Ulrich couldn''t see. In fact, he couldn''t do anything. He remembered that everything had suddenly turned black one day at the bank. And now he was here. If there even was a "here". Everything was black. Then there was a figure. The figure looked like young male formed from dim white light. He had some very simplistic features. The young man was smiling. He held out a hand beckoned towards Ulrich. "Come", a velvety voice sounded, "Your story will not end here." Ulrich did as he was told and followed the man. He didn''t know how he was moving. His previous attempts at movement had been unsuccessful. Maybe something changed. The man had stopped and turned around. Ulrich couldn''t perceive any change in his surroundings. He wondered why the glowing man had had him follow. "You have led a good life, Ulrich", the glowing man''s smile deepened, "A life of duty and discipline. It was however not an enjoyable life. You have changed thousands of lives for the better. Your own living standard was mediocre. I shall grant you another chance." Ulrich was confused. He didn''t seem to have asked for another chance. "Don''t worry, this life will hopefully be more suitable to you. Besides, I''m going to use you to test my newest invention, the Perfect Reincarnation System. You can help billions of people this time by spending a little of your nearly infinite time." The glowing man knew Ulrich well. "What do need to do?" The glowing man smile grew even more intense. His plan had worked. "Nothing much. You will answer a small questionnaire and afterwards you will be reincarnated for a new life. Maybe you will achieve immortality or maybe we will see each other again ten or 10000 years from now. It''s pretty much up to you really." Ulrich was a little bit curious now. It was a sensation he hadn''t felt in a long time. Since school, if he really thought about it. He agreed to the glowing man''s request. The glowing man vanished. In his stead a small holographic window opened up in front of Ulrich. [Hello, Mr Schwartz. You are now the host of the Perfect Reincarnation System.] [Question Nr. 1] [Which type of world would you like to be reincarnated in?] [Modern] [Sci-Fi] [High Fantasy] [Paranormal] [Dystopian] [Utopian] [Mythological] [Eastern Fantasy] [Low Fantasy] [Medieval] [...] Ulrich saw a long list of what seemed like book genres. He didn''t know what most of them meant. He was best familiar with [Modern]. He had lived it. He hadn''t liked it. Ulrich decided to choose something else. He reckoned that [Sci-Fi] might sound different from [Modern] but wasn''t it similar? He had the same impression of [Dystopian] and [Utopian]. According to his knowledge, they were simply different versions of the first. Ulrich decided to only consider those that had no ties to [Modern]. He didn''t want another live as a banker. In the end, Ulrich had still been a very reserved old man. The most sophisticated "World Genres" were probably [High Fantasy] and [Mythological]. He didn''t care that much. Ulrich chose [High Fantasy]. [Question Nr. 2] [Based on your World choice, several system types have been generated. Which one would you like?] [Swordsman] [Archer] [Lancier] [Spearman] [Shield Bearer] [Magician] [Warlock] [Healer] [Druid] [...] There were hundreds of choices. Ulrich that he should spend some time on this. The glowing man had said that he had eternity. Ulrich read every single description and considered them carefully. Ulrich had learned that one should always be meticulous, regardless of whether one is enjoying oneself. If you are having fun, you shouldn''t mind spending some more time having fun. If you aren''t, you shouldn''t mind spending more time to perfect it. If you have perfected your task, you won''t have to do it again since there is nothing to improve. Truthfully, Ulrich enjoyed the feeling of building a new live for himself. It was novel to him, being in charge of his own destiny. Ulrich knew that he wasn''t very adept at making decisions. However, he was very adept at following orders. And this time around he wanted to actively succeed. His best memories in his previous life were made when he either cooked something delicious or performed his tasks - including cooking - to perfection. It was the only joy he had ever derived from his job. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Ulrich had also learned that his boss''s opinion shouldn''t determine whether he did his job well. He judged that himself. Sometimes Ulrich had done a flawless job and his boss had criticised him. There were also times when Ulrich saw faults where his boss saw none. Only Ulrich''s evaluation mattered. Ulrich found a system towards the end of the list that would allow him to follow orders, instead of giving them, cook to his heart''s content and perform to the utmost of his capabilities. [You have chosen: Servant] [You are the first to choose this system] [Unique title awarded] [Question Nr. 3] [Which sex would you like to serve?] [Female] [Male] [Neutral] Ulrich didn''t know what to do with [Neutral]. The system''s explanation was brief. Apparently it simply referred to races that simply didn''t have a sex, usually because they didn''t have sex. It named examples such as Plants, Spirits and Funghi. Ulrich was frightened of what his master might be if he chose [Neutral]. He didn''t want to serve a mushroom. He wasn''t sure whether to choose [Male] or [Female]. He was inclined to choose [Male] since that simplify his relationship with his master. Pondering his previous life, he realised that it lacked complications. He had never actively dealt with romance. It was the reason his marriage ended. Ulrich regretted that. He chose [Female]. [Question Nr. 4] [To which alignment should you future mistress belong?] [Good] [Neutral] [Evil] Ulrich was unsure once more. The system''s descriptions stated that these alignments weren''t necessarily based on ethics. Sometimes someone race would automatically sort them into an alignment. Similarly a radical [Good] ethical code may be categorised as [Good] even though it dictates horrific deeds. It also advised him that alignment could easily change, not least due to Ulrich''s influence. It mostly influenced the starting situation. Ulrich understood this. People are complicated. It was hard to categorise them. It was harder to make general categories. It was close to impossible to make everybody agree on your categorization. Ulrich thought for a bit. He chose [Neutral]. [Question Nr. 5] [Which social status should your future mistress possess?] [Hint: Anything below Merchant is logically impossible.] [Hint: Locked status are impossible starting circumstance and must instead be achieved.] [Merchant] [Baroness] [Viscountess] [Countess] [Marchioness] [Duchess] [Princess] [Queen (locked)] [Empress (locked)] [Goddess (locked)] Ulrich was stunned. This question was unexpected. A higher status was good. It would shorten the way to the top. The restraints and burden would also be much more substantial. Ulrich decided against [Princess]. A low status would be weak, easily interfered with. Ulrich wanted a strong foundation. He dismissed every option up to [Countess]. Ulrich concluded that a duchess would be ideal. A certain degree of freedom along with a stable foundation. He had decided that a strong foundation should have priority. It served as protection for himself. Few would offend the personal servant of a duchess. [Question Nr. 6] [As which race would you like to be reborn?] [Beastkin (50p)] [Human (100p)] [Orc (250p)] [Dwarf (250p)] [Elf (500p)] [Dragnkin (1000p)] [...] An inquiry revealed that the system rated each race according to their innate potential and risk. For example a human was much worse than a beastkin but beastkin were either despised or enslaved in most worlds while humans were usually the rulers of their realms. Ulrich was surprised. The system had helped him. Though he quickly identified an issue. [Dragon] was rated at 100000 even though they were usually hunted almost to extinction by other races. The potential was so great that the immense risk was offset easily. Ulrich didn''t know what to choose. In the end he decided to combine his world type and system type methods. He first decided not to choose anything that looked human and then decided to read carefully through everything else so as to determine the most suitable race. One thing was for certain. It had to be aesthetically pleasing. Ulrich had full control and he was submissive and disciplined, not dead. Nobody would refuse to be handsome. Except for those who are handsome, maybe. Ulrich hadn''t been handsome in his previous life. He was rather repulsive. He planned to experience handsomeness. Ulrich found something. The race was named Izraf. They were humanoid felines with feathered wings and a sharp bone spike at the end of their long tails. Their height consistently reached around two metres. Known for their innately graceful movements, their movements were soundless. A useful quality for servants. Their wings were retractable. Izraf were magical creatures. They had phenomenal senses as well superhuman reflexes, agility and strength. Ulrich also took into account the dignified beauty present in any member of the species. After all, they were cats. Ulrich liked cats. The system had informed him that the customization of his exact body was the 7th question. Ulrich considered the Izraf to fit all his parameters and be sufficiently non-human. Interestingly, their risk factor was very low compared to their pretty massive potential since they didn''t have any "harvestable" qualities. The largest issue stemmed from being discriminated against. [Question Nr. 7] [What would you like to look like?] Ulrich was offered a complicated system of sliders and sculpting tools. Ulrich spent what he assumed were at least three days just familiarising himself with the customization menu. Perfection required time. Ulrich wouldn''t tire in his current state. The more he worked on his new life the more excited he got. It was an unfamiliar sensation to him. Eventually, Ulrich finished his "character". His appearance featured a flawless, shiny, steel gray coat and a pair of pitch black wings. His eyes were of a very intense icy blue and his face was slim and angular, giving it a noble look. His teeth were sharp and perfectly spaced and his claws were also optimised for combat. Not too long so as to avoid breaking but still long enough to cause substantial damage. His build was muscular but lithe. His fingers were long and slim. Altogether, it granted him an agile but fit appearance exactly two metres in height. It was worth mentioning that his "package" below the belt was sizeable but manageable. No man worthy of respect would neglect that area in similar circumstances. Ulrich had to admit that he had given himself a considerable upgrade. He was also glad that that was one of the most humanoid parts this feline species had. [Question Nr. 8] [To what magical element would you like to be attuned?] [Hint: There are advanced versions of each element. The higher the element in the list the more common and the more advanced versions.] [Hint: Elements not chosen may be acquired and cast once reborn, however the difficulty will be significantly increased compared to the attunement.] [Fire] [Water] [Earth] [Air] [Light] [Darkness] [Space] [Time] Ulrich was surprised by the first hint. It confused him. Why should [Fire] have greater possibilities than [Water] if they are most likely two sides of the same coin. Then it clicked. How do you sort values that are equal to each other? Ulrich guessed that rarity and version quantity could be put into categories of the first four, the next two and the last two. It was the most logical assumption. Judging by that and considering the second hint, Ulrich decided to choose [Space]. It would most likely be hardest to acquire together with [Time] and was incredibly useful, he imagined. Manipulating [Time] was ill-advised, so Ulrich chose [Space]. He was confident of mastering at least the first four without an attunement. [Question Nr. 9] [You may now choose five skills from the list and have the additional opportunity to upgrade a skill ten times. Which skills do you choose?] Ulrich read the list thoroughly. He kept his chosen role in mind. He arrived at these five skills: [Housekeeping (Basic)] [Grants the user basic understanding of housekeeping. May be upgraded through repeated actions related to the skill.] [Hardworking (Basic)] [The user will spend less energy for the same tasks than others. Additionally, the skill grants the user a small boost in learning efficiency. May be upgraded through repeated actions related to the skill.] [Polyglot (Basic)] [Grants the user a basic understanding of all languages spoken in his country. Grants a significant boost to learning efficency when learning a language. May be upgraded through repeated actions related to the skill.] [Martial Arts (Basic)] [Grants the user a basic understanding of how to best use their body in combat. May be upgraded through repeated actions related to the skill.] [Growth (Basic)] [Grants the user a 50% bonus to Quest XP and a 15% bonus to Combat XP. Can not be leveled up manually. Levels up with Quest completion.] Ulrich chose [Housekeeping] since he knew next to nothing about it. His house had only been inhabitable because he had employed a cleaning lady that had done all necessary chores for him. The skill also included some cooking proficiency being an all-rounder but Ulrich didn''t need it. That was also the reason why he didn''t choose the cooking skill. He chose necessary skills that he wasn''t sure could be acquired easily or he had no basic understanding of. [Hardworking] counted among the former. [Polyglot] was both hard to acquire and filled a huge gap in his knowledge. He wasn''t sure whether servants would receive weapons but he certainly didn''t want to spend his life defenceless so he chose [Martial Arts]. The system promised that the skill would include some weapon proficiency at higher levels. [Growth] was really self-explanatory. It was a must have. It actually cost him five of his skill upgrades. The system stated that the skill''s utility warranted that. Ulrich had agreed. He spent the five upgrades left by upgrading each of the other four skills once and [Housekeeping] a second time. Their effects seemed to improve slightly as proficiency skills now granted an advances understanding except for [Housekeeping] which granted expert understanding. [Hardworking] didn''t change in its description but Ulrich guessed that there were still some less obvious improvements. The system had disclosed the skill ranks after Ulrich asked. [Basic] [Advanced] [Expert] [Master] [Perfection] It had also hinted that skills changed when they reached [Perfection]. [Question Nr. 10] [What would you like to be called?] Ulrich didn''t need to think long. Even though he wanted to become as non-human as possible, he wouldn''t dismiss his name. It was his identity. He was Ulrich Schwartz. [Thank you! You have answered all questions!] [The system will now randomize the parameters of your rebirth] Ulrich would''ve undergone a second heart attack if he weren''t dead already. [The system is kidding] [May you enjoy your newly customised life!] [Happy Birthday!] First Steps Ulrich had been close to 80 years old. He felt weird swimming in his new mother''s womb. Especially because he couldn''t see. An unborn baby''s eyes were naturally closed. He could only hear some dampened noise. Ulrich assumed that he would be born soon since he was conscious. He moved slightly. He could feel his feet touching the womb''s walls. Ulrich wondered whether his mother felt those movements. He pondered what he could do to facilitate the birth process. Slowly and carefully he turned. He was almost strangled by his own umbilical cord. He stopped when gravity told that he was upside down. According to all he knew this was the ideal birth position. From then on, he moved only to keep his position. Ulrich waited. He didn''t know how long. At times he slept. When he woke up he would correct his position. He could feel himself growing. Apparently, he had gained consciousness long before he was ready for birth. The onset of labor was sudden. The sensation was difficult to describe. Ulrich could feel the change in the walls surrounding him. He really wasn''t looking forward to his birth. Ulrich remembered the quite frankly disgusting mess at his children''s birth. And now it would be him in that mess. Fully conscious. Making new memories. It wasn''t as bad as Ulrich imagined. It was much worse. The worst part were the smells. He was an Izraf. He could smell it all. And unlike other Izraf children who didn''t know what they smelled, he identified it all. If he had been capable of puking, he would have. He could also feel warm hands holding him. Someone was pressing him against their chest. He guessed it was his mother. Ulrich wriggled slightly. He noticed that his body seemed rather cat-like. The only difference seemed to be that his legs and arms were connected slightly differently to his torso. He couldn''t move his tail. Not intentionally at least. Some movements were reflexive but unlike his other extremities that felt familiar, he had never before had a tail. Exploring his body some more, Ulrich learned that there were only three parts of his body not covered by fur: his palms, his soles and his genitalia. And that was all he could find out for now. Like other felines, he was born blind and deaf. He had mentally prepared for this in the womb. Regardless, it was an unsettling sensation. He could feel fingers prodding him from all sides and could never see them coming. He couldn''t even hear his surroundings. It was absolutely quiet. For some time, maybe a few hours. He had no idea why the disparity was so large since actual cats in his old world took weeks to fully develop their sensory organs but already on the same day he was starting to hear faint noises and his eye lids were starting to respond. He felt as though he could slowly open his eyes. The first light filled his vision as his eyes took several minutes to grow accustomed. He tasted the air taking in the various smells in his surroundings. After some time, he had discovered that he seemed to have a second "nose" in his mouth through which he could smell the unique scent of his mother and a few other people in the vicinity. His mother hadn''t left him, he had even experienced the pleasure of drinking his mother''s milk. While from an 80-years-old''s perspective it was gross, he couldn''t deny that it was just about the tastiest nourishment, he had had in a long time. Apart from her, he could also identify four other signatures in the air. With his eyes and ears open he now began to take in his surroundings once more. Directly in front of him laid a furry, black arm. Following the arm to his source he could see a male Izraf lying beside his mother, hugging her in his sleep. He assumed it was his father. His mother''s fur was was much brighter in colour with a brown tint. A human woman sat next to the bed. She was holding his mother''s hand. She smiled as Ulrich looked. It was a smile of joy. A dwarven woman was washing cloths next to a small fireplace. Her actions were practiced. Maybe a midwife. Probably not a doctor. They would not be practiced. The only man, a fairy, stood in front of the doorway facing outward. He was guarding. Ulrich was astonished. So many people cared. Maybe his first birth was similar. He didn''t remember. This, he would. Moving his gaze from the people, he observed the room. It seemed used. The walls had once been plastered. He could still see the remnants among the bare bricks. The floor was uneven. Worn-out in front of the fire place. The fireplace was small, plain. The metal grate covering it was warped. Maybe by the long-years of heat? Ulrich wouldn''t know. There was no door. There were broken hinges. The blanket was thin. Sown together. Patched. The mattress hard. The bed frame was battered. He could see dark stains on it. Ulrich didn''t know for sure but he assumed it was blood and excrements. His parents were poor. Beloved by some but unimportant to most. This room wasn''t theirs. It was left to the servants. Used to birth their offsprings. Away from the dormitories. Ulrich assumed they slept in dormitories. Ulrich assumed they were servants. He should be one. Servants couldn''t have privacy. There''d be no need for this room. The dwarven women had assisted his mother in birth. The human was a friend. The fairy gave his mother space. His father supported her. That was his conclusion. This wouldn''t be an easy life. --- For the first few weeks Ulrich drank his mother''s milk. She weaned her kitten off milk after 8 weeks. In those weeks Ulrich didn''t grow much. He learnt to walk. Stumble. His motor skills didn''t suffice for more. He made progress on his tail. He could make noises. He couldn''t talk. He knew the language. He could understand. Ulrich did his best to develop "normally". If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He couldn''t spot a hint of the system. It didn''t respond. It didn''t pop up. Ulrich chose to give it time. His service had not yet begun. By now Ulrich understood a few things about his new life. His mother had a weird premonition to call him "Ulrich". She saw something in it. His father didn''t. He acquiesced. He wanted sex. His mother was called Aoife. His father was called Oisin. They had no surname. Why did Izraf seem Irish? Maybe the glowing man would know. Ulrich didn''t. He might learn. His father only got one day leave for his son''s birth. His parents were bottom rank among the servants. They weren''t special. The bottom rank comprised roughly 500 servants. All slept in dormitories with 50 occupants each. Divided by gender. Ulrich slept in his mother''s bed. She had two months of leave after birth. Ulrich would spend his days with the dwarven woman after that. Trita. She took care of all children. She was middle-aged. For a Dwarf that meant around 230 years old. She had always taken care of the children. Trita was well-liked and well-paid. She was good at her job. Ulrich would be expected to start working when he turned four. He would be groomed to serve the young lady, Ymira Traberg. His family, along with hundreds of others, served House Traberg. They were an ancient noble household of High Elves. Or long-eared bastards as the more discontented servants called them. High Elves were cruel and haughty creatures. Their builds were naturally lithe, their posture elegant and their appearance of an surreal, almost universal beauty. They had great physical strength and great magical talent. Being naturally smart and calm, they dominate all other species. Sub-types of the elven race are simply viewed as lesser. Other races are enslaved. There were outliers among the Elves. Some didn''t bear that attitude. House Traberg did. They were close supporters of the crown and their racial views. Ymira Traberg whose future was undecided and yet set in stone, was born five days before Ulrich. Her parents, Duke Raton and Duchess Yirma, had decided that they gift her a personal servant for her fifteenth birthday. Ulrich''s parents translated that intention during one of their arguments. "Those long-eared bastards wanna give her our son as a personal plaything, you daft woman!" "You don''t get it, do you, Oisin? He will be her PERSONAL SERVANT! No one will touch him. He will be king amongst our people." The argument hadn''t ended well. Ulrich was tempted to agree with his father but his mother was ultimately right. It was a significant rise in status. He just had to be a perfect servant. He believed in himself. His father didn''t. Ulrich didn''t like his father much. Neither did his mother. He often wondered why his parents had a child together. Ulrich treated his fourth birthday like his final exams during his banking apprenticeship. Every skill he practiced to perfection. Every bit of information he revised endlessly. Every action was deliberate and perfectly executed. He spent hours practicing perfect penmanship in the dust. When he learnt to speak he practiced clear pronunciation. He learnt all about the house he served in and the people he served with. He made full use of the middle-aged Dwarf. Titra knew everything. He manipulated his mother into falling out with his father. His father''s rebellious mindset could jeopardise his chances. He took any opportunity he got to work and prove his skill. Within four years, Ulrich transformed into a neat boy who did as he was asked when he was asked, spoke when spoken to, remained silent at all other times and moved swiftly and unnoticeable. The best servant is the one you don''t notice. While the masters of the house didn''t know of him, the house steward observed him closely. He was responsible for absolutely everything in the Traberg mansion. He was also responsible for choosing the young heiress''s "gift". The duchess would punish him if Ulrich didn''t live up to her expectations. The steward''s head would not roll. He was skilled. He was safe. But it would be extremely unpleasant. The duchess had skills too. All proper High Elves did. But the steward liked what he saw. Ulrich''s development was exceptional. The man was pondering how to proceed. Considering the boy''s progress up to this point with no training, the steward saw it almost necessary to challenge this promising potential to its utmost. --- The day after his fourth birthday, Ulrich was separated from his mother. The steward''s right hand picked him up in the morning at sunset and brought him to a small house where Ulrich was greeted by the steward himself, the Lord of their people. Among the servants, the steward was God. They feared his judgement and his gaze more than their masters''. Ulrich did not know the steward''s name. He didn''t need to. The steward''s identity was "the steward". Ulrich tried to ascertain the steward''s attitude. "I have followed your development with great interest, Ulrich.", the steward stated flatly. "It is my honor, sir." Ulrich had no right to say anything else. Titra told him that the steward likes direct and concise statements, just like he likes discipline and precision. Ulrich trusted her on this. The steward showed no reaction. "As you have turned four, it is time to fulfill your duty towards this household. It is apparent that you knew what that duty entails for some time now." For a split second, there seemed to be a hint of appreciation in the steward''s eyes. Ulrich might''ve imagined it. "From now on, you will be trained. Do not disappoint me or this household.", the steward said curtly. "Yes, sir." Ulrich decided that he had imagined it. The steward turned around and disappeared through a door. As if on cue, another door opened. A handsome Demon stepped through. Few demons were found among servants. At least, Ulrich hadn''t seen many. Titra told him that only Incubi and Succubi were worth the effort for most nobles. The reasons were obvious. This Demon was known as Ga?l. He was the personal attendant of the duchess. "Good day. You will have three teachers. I will teach what it takes to serve a woman. Your lessons will be practically applied except for sexual services. We will cover those only after your twelfth birthday.", Ga?l spoke with a smooth voice. The Demon waved his hand and a line-up of five girls entered the room. One looked entirely different from the next. "You will learn to adapt. Our lessons will focus on providing a woman a pleasant time when you wash her, braid her hair, or relax her, to name some examples. We will start immediately." --- Ga?l''s lesson lasted for nine hours. After the lesson Ulrich was led to a small but clean room that was to be his home for the next few years. The servant accompanying him mentioned that his future quarters would look similar. The food provided to him had also considerably improved. Ulrich was dead tired but he still noticed the comfortable mattress, thick blanket and soft pillow. That night he dreamed of a bath filled with women as a huge demonic hand slapped the back of his head whenever the woman right in front of him wasn''t moaning with pleasure. Never in his 80 years of life had he provided a woman with that good a time. Ga?l''s teachings had been eye-opening. Lessons Ulrich always woke up at sunrise. He had trained himself painstakingly. He swiftly cleaned himself using the bowl of water on his dresser. His new, deep blue uniform was much more elegant and high-quality. It took him only five minutes to put himself in order and stand straight as an arrow outside his room. His second instructor, a Dark Elf woman, arrived ten minutes after. "Your discipline is commendable. Let''s have breakfast.", she commanded. "Yes, ma''am." Ulrich followed her to a dining room designed for roughly eight people. The table was filled with various breakfast dishes from simple bread to raw salmon. Ulrich hadn''t expected what he considered a rich man''s feast after four years of servant food. "A good servant must keep in shape. A well-fed servant compliments their master. A well-built servant is resilient. Eat as if it was one of your chores.", the Dark Elf dictated. Ulrich did his very best. There was only so much a young child could eat. He gave up after three portions. The Dark Elf put her cutlery down. "Good. This was the last bit of decent food you will get to eat. This is your training camp. Ga?l teaches the arts of pleasure, I will teach you the art of combat. It is not your place to fight. But a good servant can defend their master. Die for them if necessary. Follow me." The Dark Elf stood up and left the room. Ulrich scrambled to follow her. They arrived at a medium sized gym. The floor was padded. Numerous wooden practice weapons hung on the walls. "Choose a weapon. Doesn''t matter which one. We''ll eventually go through all of them." The Dark Elf stood in the centre of the room. Ulrich walked towards one of the walls. He hesitated. Then he grabbed a wooden sword and a wooden buckler. "A fine choice. Very basic. Appropriate for a beginner.", the Dark Elf remarked with an appreciative gaze. Ulrich grinned and stood opposite her. He took on a combat ready stance. The Dark Elf observed him. Then she closed the distance between them, evading his panicked swing and struck his right wrist. Ulrich lost grip on the sword. The woman than grabbed his buckler and twisted it. Feeling the strain on his other arm, Ulrich let go of the buckler. The Dark Elf lifted her foot and kicked him square in the chest. Ulrich was sent flying back. He wondered whether his new teacher derived pleasure from kicking four-year olds through the room. His cat instincts kicked in and he used his tail to gain some control in the air. Ulrich managed to land on his feet and hands in a crouched posture. He swiftly clawed into the floor matts to accelerate. Lunging towards his opponent, Ulrich aimed at her chest with the extended claws of his right hand. "Short claws such as yours are best used for attacks on areas where a shallow cut is all that''s needed for a serious wound.", the Dark Elf taught him as she deflected his right arm towards his left leg, giving his shoulder an additional jab to send him tumbling past her right side. While Ulrich was still attempting regain balance, the Dark Elf aimed a low kick towards his stumbling legs, taking away the last bit of support he had and sending him to the floor. As Ulrich rose again, the Dark Elf added: "I recommend the neck." Ulrich was trying to dissect his fight for all the mistakes when the woman kicked him in the back of his legs. His knees buckled and he fell down once more. "Constant Vigilance! Never devote all your attention toward one task. You must always watch out for threats. You''ll learn in time. Until then, it''ll hurt." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Ulrich remembered her words. It reminded him that he was in enemy territory. He was alone, weak, and poor. Until he could achieve some safety through his mistress he would have to take every opportunity to learn and keep in control of both his desires and emotions. He has to be perfect. The Dark Elf''s voice sounded again: "Leave your weapons be. You will not them until you learn proper unarmed combat. "Lesson number one, you are an Izraf. They are never unarmed." --- Ulrich''s body was aching. The Dark Elf had followed the simple strategy of thrashing him through exploiting his mistakes and then explaining what he had done wrong while he recovered. He had made many mistakes. And each bruise was a reminder of that. The Dark Elf had kept to blunt attacks since she didn''t want to hurt him. Like many inhuman races Dark Elves, too, were armed even when unarmed. They grew long and sturdy nails from their fingers and toes. Usually the toe nails were trimmed for practicality while their finger nails were carefully groomed to serve as weapons. With care the nails looked smooth, ending in a very elegant point, perfect for ripping into skin when used properly. There was a special set of Elven martial arts to make use of the nails. Ulrich''s teacher was called Lyara. She was the head of the Traberg Guard and a very accomplished martial artist and warrior. Ulrich had heard stories of her skill in the servants'' quarters. She seemed to be as capable as he had heard. During the lesson he had noticed a continuous flood of impulses. Whenever he had given in to them, he had suddenly been able to gain some advantage in the fight. At least until Lyara had upped the skill level she was using to barely suppress him once more. The longer he followed those impulses, the less he needed them. He concluded quickly that this was the system combat skill in action. It seemed to subtly augment his capabilities while teaching him. As he learnt, the skill gave him a new set of impulses on a higher level, gradually leading him to the advance proficiency it had promised. Ulrich was glad that the system wasn''t something he had imagined. He had had those suspicions for the past years since it had never once shown up. This inexplicable combat augmentation relieved him greatly. Ulrich lifted one of his furred arms. With just a thought, five gleaming claws extended from his finger tips. Today was the first day he managed to extend his claws. It had happened subconsciously during the fight. He suspected that his system skill also gave some boost to his body control as that is an important part of martial arts. When he was two years old he had asked his father about his claws since he saw his parents use theirs but couldn''t use his. His father had told Ulrich that Izraf usually didn''t gain control of them until fifth birthday. His father hadn''t been able to control them until his seventh birthday. Ulrich didn''t think of himself as a genius in that regard. It must have been the system. Ulrich retracted his claws and undressed. After a short bath to rinse his entire body, he changed into a nightshirt. He was glad that magic had managed to emulate many modern luxuries and that House Traberg was rich enough to allow even some servants these amenities. A small magic crystal along with a simple enchantment was responsible for conjuring water while a second crystal with a more slightly more complicated enchantment was responsible for heating the water. Heating took a long time but no noble would put a top of the line bath tub into a mid-level servant''s room. Ulrich was glad that his masters attached enough importance to the personal attendant in-training of their daughter for any enchantment. His time in the lower ranks hadn''t been a treat. He fell asleep shortly after he crawled under the blanket. --- Ulrich had the same routine every morning. He woke up at sunrise. He cleaned himself. He put on his uniform. He stood at attention in front of his room. Like yesterday, he didn''t have to wait long. A few minutes after he entered his position, the steward turned around the corner. "Good morning, Ulrich." "Good morning, sir." "You have by now gotten acquainted to two of your three subjects: The art of pleasure and combat. I will teach you in your third subject, Housekeeping. "While yours will be a special position, as you have no doubt noticed, you are still a servant. And as such you must perform a regular servant''s tasks when you are not attending to your mistress or when there is no one else to perform them for her. "We will start with something simple but essential: Setting the table." The steward sharply turned on the spot and walked off, clearly expecting Ulrich to follow him. The room, the steward had prepared, was dominated by a large, high-quality dining table with twelve masterfully carved chairs surrounding it. To Ulrich''s right was a small cabinet with various utensils he would later need. That included an ironed tablecloth, napkins and silver cutlery, as well as different forms of glasses. "The order is the following: set the table for twelve people for a three-course meal consisting of a soup followed by a meat dish and some dessert afterwards." [System Activated...] [Generating Quest...] [Quest: Setting the Table] [Difficulty (measured by the host''s current capabilities): S] [The steward has ordered you to set the table in this room. He expects you to fail. Shall you prove him wrong?] [Rewards (for completion): ?] [Punishment (for failure): None]