Grey barely had time to catch his breath when Gracchus returned and, for some strange reason, decided to take him away.
The boy couldn't make sense of what was happening today. The entire day felt chaotic, almost random. First came the exhibition he hadn't been prepared for, and now Harmon himself had demanded his presence.
But did he have any other choice?
Resigning himself to the fact that there would be no rest, he silently followed the overseer.
They first took him to the laundry room, where he was ordered to wash up and change. His body was hastily scrubbed with sand, then wiped down with damp cloths. Water remained a valuable resource, and Harmon saw no need to waste more of it than necessary.
Very soon, Grey was brought back to the main building.
This time, Gracchus didn't lock him on the first floor. They went up to the third, where Cheryl and Lily joined them, having also spent the entire day in their cells waiting to be sold. Being more valuable merchandise, the girls already looked presentable and didn't require any additional treatment.
The three teenagers obediently followed Gracchus down a long corridor.
The walls, covered in dark velvet, and the soft carpet that muffled their steps created a stifling atmosphere. The overseer, humming a cheerful tune, seemed completely oblivious to their confusion.
The hall they entered was striking in its pretentiousness.
The walls were draped in fabric meant to imitate silk, with an ornate pattern of golden threads. Massive candelabras, polished to a shine, hung from the ceiling, casting flickering light over lacquered tables.
Only upon closer inspection could one notice that the patterns on the walls were uneven, even crooked. The elaborate shapes of the fixtures bore traces of crude workmanship, and the thick layer of lacquer on the furniture concealed the cheap wood beneath.
Every element of the decor screamed of the owner's desire to approach the upper class, yet at the same time exposed his true financial standing, like a caricature of genuine luxury.
Familiar faces bustled everywhere.
Aunt Gruneya hurriedly arranged exquisite dishes across the tables, the mere sight of which made the young slaves' stomachs rumble.
Other slave women were responsible for setting the tables. Among them, Grey noticed a few unfamiliar maids who looked more composed and lively. Most likely, Harmon had hired them from outside specifically for today's event.
It was clear their owner was trying to attract new clients to the formal dinner, which was considered a traditional gathering among the nobility of the Magic Empire.
The children assumed they had been called to help Aunt Gruneya, but Gracchus had no intention of keeping them company for long:
"You little brats, today Mister Harmon is hosting a formal dinner for our guests. Normally, you wouldn't be allowed anywhere near such events, but our master is quite displeased that you remain unsold. So you're here to gain some valuable experience and, perhaps, catch the attention of distinguished guests."
"Mister Gracchus, could you tell us what exactly we're supposed to do?" Lily asked modestly, voicing their shared confusion.
"Don't worry, Lily," Gracchus replied. His tone softened, clearly revealing his preference for the young succubus. "You won't have to do anything complicated. You could even say you're lucky to attend this banquet. I'll introduce you to the one who'll be in charge of you."
The overseer led the children to a tall woman with fiery red hair styled into an elaborate arrangement. Her emerald dress, hugging her full figure, shimmered in the light of the candelabras. Bright makeup and a confident smile marked her as an experienced seductress.
"Monica, these are the children I mentioned. Take care of them," Gracchus said briefly before walking away.
Monica looked the children over carefully, her eyes widening for a brief moment when she saw the girls.
"Cheryl? Lily? Is that really you?" she exclaimed, crouching down in front of them. "I work at 'Venus's Embrace' with your mothers. They've told me so much about you."
Cheryl and Lily froze, unsure how to react.
Grey shifted his gaze from one girl to the other, trying to process the unexpected meeting.
Noticing their confusion, Monica gave a gentle smile. "Don't worry, your mothers are doing well. They're working hard to buy you back. But for now, let's get ready for the evening, alright?"
She quickly explained their roles:
"I was told to make sure you learn how to serve high society. Stand straight, smile, and answer guests' questions politely, but briefly. Don't draw too much attention, but don't hide either. The most important thing is to be natural."
Monica adjusted their clothes as the first guests began to enter the hall.
"Remember, no matter what happens, follow every command. You'll manage," she whispered, nudging them toward the center of the hall.
Grey took a deep breath, trying to steady the trembling in his knees.
Why is it that right after he told Lily about his plans, so many strange things started happening?
The banquet began in a proper and refined manner.
Guests, dressed in extravagant attire, engaged in polite conversation, exchanging courtesies.
Following Monica's instructions, the teenagers moved quietly between the tables, serving appetizers and refilling glasses.
However, as the wine began to flow freely, the atmosphere changed rapidly. Noble manners gave way to unrestrained behavior. Loud laughter and drunken shouts filled the hall.
As he carried drinks, Grey couldn't help but catch fragments of conversations.
Men, flushed from alcohol and stripped of all restraint, would either belt out hymns of the Magic Empire or switch to obscene tavern ballads.
One particularly stood out, a corpulent man seated between Harmon and an adept of the Cult of the Merciful Flame. He loudly vented his outrage over the behavior of King Orion's ninth concubine:
"Have you heard what that upstart Megan demanded at her very first gathering? A full report on all major operations over the past five years! Who does she think she is?! Just the king's ninth concubine! Everyone knows she was thrown out of the capital in disgrace. And she seriously thinks that with a record like that, she amounts to anything?!"
The man took a large gulp of wine and went on, spitting as he spoke:
"Mark my words, her pathetic attempts to seize power are doomed to fail. I assure you, Baron Orpheus is not the kind to hand over his influence without a fight."
Grey, trying to remain unnoticed, continued his work, but every word etched itself into his memory. Gathering information was a crucial step in advancing his plans.
He never forgot his ultimate goal, not only to escape the slave camp, but also to find clues about the whereabouts of his mother and sister. Perhaps from the conversations of the influential figures here, he could catch some hints.
Meanwhile, Cheryl froze in place, watching a scene that, in an instant, shattered her understanding of the world.
The heavyset man with a flushed face brazenly pulled Monica onto his lap. His hand, without the slightest attempt to hide it, slipped beneath her dress as he whispered something into her ear.
Monica smiled faintly, but made no attempt to pull away.
"My dear Monica, I've missed your company so much. Come now, darling, give me a little warmth," the man coaxed insistently. He was persistent, unconcerned that others might overhear them.
"Hee-hee-hee, that's only because your wife forbade you from visiting our establishment," Monica replied playfully, bringing a cluster of juicy berries to his lips.
"Don't you dare mention that shrew! Tonight, you are my companion, and I intend to take very good care of your sinful body!"
The man crudely slapped her on the backside and squeezed hard.
Cheryl's hands trembled, her eyes wide with horror, unable to look away. The man was domineering and demanding, while Monica barely resisted, as if she had accepted it or was simply playing her role. Her mind raced, trying to deny the obvious, but their conversation left no room for doubt.
Monica was a prostitute. And that meant...
Her mother… the one she had always believed to be an ordinary worker… had been forced all this time to sell her body for money.
The naive girl wasn't ready to face the truth. She fought with all her strength to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
Cheryl wanted to scream, to run away and hide from this cruel reality. But she stood frozen in place, held back by fear and the realization that this filthy, depraved world would soon become her fate.
Lily, noticing the state of her best friend, quickly approached her. "Cheryl, what's wrong?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.
Grey hurried to take their place, trying to draw attention to himself. He smiled and offered snacks, shuddering inwardly at the chaos unfolding around them.
While Lily comforted Cheryl in a secluded corner, he continued to observe.
He saw noble gentlemen turn into animals, saw refined ladies casting flirtatious glances behind their husbands' backs. In that moment, he was forced to confront a reality from which the adults had carefully shielded him.
High society, which had seemed beautiful and almost fairy-tale-like, turned out to be nothing more than filth. All their "refinement" boiled down to this… Everyone tried to please those above them and suppress those below.
Everything was painfully simple, so much so that it became revolting.
Pigs only associate with pigs, and the guests at this banquet only proved that saying true.
Not a single one of them came close to fitting the definition of a "good person."
All evening, Cheryl, Lily, and even Grey felt greedy, appraising, lustful gazes fixed on them. It seemed as if every person present was already mentally calculating the price at which they could be used.
Only their status as "virgin slaves" spared them from a worse fate. But how long would that last?
The mere thought of it filled them with despair.
When the banquet finally ended, they returned to their cell as if they had escaped from hell itself. Drained to the last drop and shaken, all three remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, Lily stepped up to Grey. Her eyes shone with determination.
"Grey," she whispered, "I'm ready. Let's do it."
The boy looked at her calmly, not surprised in the slightest. If a display like that hadn't stirred in Lily the desire to gain her freedom, he wouldn't have known what to think of her at all.
"Should we tell Cheryl?" he asked quietly.
"Yes, now is the right time. Maybe it will give her at least some hope," Lily replied.
"Hey… Cheryl doesn't understand! What are you two talking about?" Cheryl interrupted, her eyes still wet since the moment they returned to the cell.
Grey and Lily exchanged glances and nodded to each other. The time had come to let the innocent rabbit girl in on their plan.
"Cheryl," Grey began, carefully choosing his words, "there's something very important we want to tell you..."
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In the past few chapters, I haven't seen any reaction from readers at all.
Guys, are you still here? Or did everyone drop the story after Grey left the village?
Seriously, it feels like ever since I removed Catherine from the plot, the feedback has almost disappeared.
Please let me know if you're still here, it really matters for my writing.