Chapter 12: Father’s Key
Han understood better than anyone here how the Obsidian Cauldron worked. Black Flames slept within him with similar effects. Anyone without mana would die quickly from either. He glanced at his maids and tried to sense their Dark Mana, but he couldn’t find a trace.
The permanent enchantment had long since fused with their bodies.
That means they learned to elongate their skeletons and shape bone into weapons. They have Black Skeletons. It must have taken years of painful training to turn bone into blades. To be a Tenaxis Maid means serving the main lineage and never standing above them. Maybe those enchantments made them more powerful and useful, but it’s still a twisted fate.
Han crossed his arms. "I still find them amazing. Can you imagine turning your bones into weapons? What would it take to do that?"
"It’s a loser’s mindset. Dark Mana and Essences rule over everything," Xena scoffed. "Their lives hang on their Master’s whims, and they can’t even deploy common arrays without external mana. That giant bubble of yours. These maids won’t be able to repair it on their own. Pathetic."
"I don’t know the details of your duel with my mother, but aren’t dragons physically gifted?" Han asked, smiling.
Xena spat. "Her flames were the damn problem!"
"It feels like you can’t admit you were physically weaker. Maybe you should thrust your needle more instead of hurling it with mana," Han chuckled.
Xena only seethed at him. The Red Mistress was her reverse scale; that wasn’t surprising. He let her simmer, cheeks flushed.
Black Skeletons and their enhanced physical prowess are an interesting path to explore. I have these maids on hand and might learn something useful from their unique constitutions for my spells or dragon physique.
An idea struck Han, something he wouldn’t have considered if he hadn’t come here with his maids and Xena. He smirked and waited for them to return to his side.
Once all ten bowed before him, Han issued his order. "I want Parasite Bear corpses. Gather as many as you can without disrupting the forest’s ecosystem."
Hanna offered, "We could focus on those monsters and ignore others."
"Good. Let’s continue the hunt," Han said with a nod and a smile.
At his side, Xena watched him, curious about what he had in mind.
—
Han and the others returned to his mansion. He hadn’t walked this much in either life. In his previous life, books and his PC held him hostage; in this one, the world had been locked for twenty-one years. Even a short hunt wore him down. His maids and Xena showed no signs of exhaustion. Hanna and two other maids helped Han remove his robes, unclasping the fastenings around his wings.
"Thanks," he said.
"It’s nothing, Young Master Han," the three replied, faintly smiling.
The rest approached and waited for his attention. Small cubes, storage artifacts, floated above their palms. There were five, each brimming with Parasite Bear corpses. Han collected the artifacts and slipped them into his pocket.
"Should we prepare a bath first or dinner?" Hanna asked.
"Uh, I planned to study those corpses now..."
"A quick shower won’t kill you, Young Master Han," Hanna said with a smile.
Han nodded.
No maid offered to wash him; they considered themselves too old for him. A young man like him wouldn’t enjoy that anyway. As for Xena, every maid believed she would exploit any gap in his orders to scrape his skin and draw blood.
Han headed to the bathroom while the maids scattered to their duties. One of them took Xena back to her room and locked her in handcuffs.
"Stop treating me like some kind of pet!" Xena barked.
"You’re a pet," the maid replied.
"Says a nobody with no mana. You’re lucky you managed to cultivate a Black Skeleton. Otherwise, you’d have been dead and forgotten long ago."
"But here I am, handcuffing a Dark Priestess of the Ender Cult. So high and mighty, yet you were defeated by our Mistress. Now you’re a pet for her son, our Master. That black collar looks good on you."
"Shut up, old bitch!"
The maid smiled and left Xena alone. For five long minutes, the chains rattled in her room.
—
It had been three days since Han’s hunt with Xena and his maids.
He sat at his desk, scratching his head. Before him lay a white canvas with a magic circle drawn in Parasite Bear blood. It was one of many failures, but each held a clue. He had already found several that pointed toward his goal.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Enter," Han said.
A maid stepped in, cradling a wooden box like a priceless treasure. She was clearly nervous, which was unlike her; all his maids were seasoned veterans. What could rattle her?
"What’s in that box?" Han asked.
"It’s a key from the Head."
Father? No wonder she’s a bundle of nerves.
"Twenty-one years ago, we were ordered to pass this key to Young Master Han once he showed clear signs of awakening his innate talents. Today, we believe it is the right time for Young Master Han to receive it."
"What’s this key for?" Han asked as he stood and took the box from her hands.
"The Head gave no other instructions. We have only assumed it will help Young Master Han catch up to others or explore his talents."
Does that mean Father hasn’t given up on me completely?
Han didn’t care much; his family was a bunch of freaks anyway. He would use their resources to catch up and narrow the gap between him and Xena.
"I’ll be busy from now on. Stay on alert if I need your help or advice," Han said.
The maid nodded and bowed. "As always, we’re at your service, Young Master Han."