Emerald had cleaned up the area around them as Ken had told the story, causing Yue to sometimes glance her way in fear.
Yue listened to him intently, and after the long tale, she could understand why he reacted so strongly against what he thought was a great betrayal on her part.
She looked between Emerald and Ken, the former finally relaxing her hands so they were no longer deathly branches, back to fleshy fingers.
"You haven’t known each other for long, but your… wife is willing to die for you?” She decided to call Emerald his wife so he would remain polite with her.
"Master is master. My life is his." Emerald held onto her master, who sat on her lap. He was still embarrassed by it all, but he couldn’t help but give into Emerald’s desires since she was assisting him so much.
"That's amazing." She stared at the two, seeing how close they were with one another. "You should come with me to my village. There you will be able to rest up in peace, and no one would be able to hurt you there.”
"No,” Ken said, shaking his head. If he did that, she could easily give him up to her father, the Chief, and he would be in a much worse situation. He couldn’t go around trusting other people so easily. “Right now I want to get revenge. I need to make money, lots of it, so I can get my revenge."
"If it's money that you require, then allow this Yue Glow to help you,” she urged him, trying to make herself useful to him. “The reason why I wanted to help you was because my gut told me that you'd make me a lot of money. I was the First Floor Pavilion Master so young because of my sense of money!"
"You shouldn't follow me. My path for revenge will get bloody and your blood might be spilled."
"That's my choice to make! You saved my life and set me free from being raped! I think you're a good man, Ken." That, and because if she would ask for something else, she may be a target of his vengeance.
Ken thought about it for a short while, thinking about what he could do with her. He couldn’t just set her free, Emerald had almost killed her, and she knew about him. She could try to use his presence to gain some favour from the families in his town.
"Fine." Ken sighed. "However, you need to become my slave so you can't spill away my secrets."
"I..."
"Master will treat you well." Emerald nodded, her fingers brushing through his hair. "Even though I'm just his slave, master always looks after me." She hugged him tight, resting her head against his head, taking in his scent.
"You aren't my slave, Emerald. You're my... Emerald." Ken reached up and pat her head, smiling up at her.
Yue blushed a little, seeing how corny the pair were being with one another. "If I'm your slave, then I won't make money. I can't do that, I'm sorry." She was taking the gamble that he wouldn’t just kill her.
"Since you'll be helping me, of course I'll help you. If you need money, then I’ll make sure you earn money? What do you need it for exactly?" He wondered why it was such a sticking point for her.
"I need money to send back to the village. My family needs it." She didn’t say much more beyond it, though it was a simple enough reason.
"How much did you make as the First Floor Pavilion Master?"
"Not much. I was only First Floor Pavilion Master for three years." She sighed. "It's only after the fifth year that a Floor Master starts earning a lot of money, once they’ve proved themselves"
"I'll pay you a cut of everything you sell. 10%."
"Does that include everything I sell on your behalf? Including high grade earth pills?”
"Everything,” Ken confirmed. “Once I get my revenge, I'll set you free. If you have know some of my secrets, then we’ll have to do something about it."
"Then please, let me accompany you." She kowtowed before him, hoping he would take her along.
"Fine, though if I sell things personally, then you won't get a cut. That means if I sell things at the auction pavilion, then you won't get a cut from that."
"It'll be hard selling things at the auction pavilion since they probably have banned you after what happened." Yue looked up at him, hoping he wouldn’t take that poorly.
Ken remained silent for a long moment.
"Damn."
"Though you can always go to another place, the commerce guild for example. They also hold auctions, but only one a month or so. Their cuts are a minimum of 20%. Only auction pavilions are allowed to reduce their cut below it."
"What if you sell items on my behalf at he auction? Will that work?”
"It will. As long as you don't enter, they won't care."
"Good."
"If I become your slave, you won't… make me do certain things, will you?”
“What kind of things?”
“You won’t force me to…” She looked at Emerald and then back at him.
Ken could assume what she meant, and shook his head. “I’m not that kind of man,” he said. “If you ever betray me, then don't even think about that kind of thing, I'll do much worse."
"I won't betray you!" She kowtowed before him again.
"Even if it costs you your life?" Ken asked, staring down at her judging her.
"I... I..." She looked down, unsure of how to respond.
Ken sighed. “I won’t take away your right to live, but if Emerald is hurt because of anything you do…”
"Yes, I understand!”
[[This goddess will teach you how to mark your slave.]]
Ken forced Yue to strip down to show him her back, which alarmed her at first, but she gave in once she realised he wasn’t going to assault her.
Ken then cut his finger and began to trace shapes around her back, causing Yue to squirm slightly, though she quickly fell still since she realised what he was doing. He made a number of arrays around her back and then muttered a few words before the blood set on her back and marked her as his slave.
"From now on you belong to me. When I get my revenge, I promise to set you free."
"Yes, thank you."
"Good."
"I didn't know you knew arrays."
"I know many things. Maybe I should change my identity so there are more skills in our group. An Alchemist, an Arrayist, and a merchant."
"We will need someone powerful to guard us,” Yue said.
"At least a Warrior, but preferably an Expert." Ken sighed.
"They're expensive..."
"How much do they usually go for?"
"At least one gold coin a month if you’re lucky, double that usually.”
"I could offer them both coin and pills, and I may be able to make some arrays to protect us.” He looked up, wondering if she’d respond.
[[Yes, yes. This goddess will teach you some arrays.]]
He smiled. Arrays were quite useful, and would help him a lot in his revenge. One could have no cultivation, and with arrays they could deal with far more powerful foes.
"What's your path of revenge for now?" Yue asked, staring at Ken, still on her knees, waiting obediently.
"First, let's make a name for ourselves in the next town over. Little River is a larger town so if we're able to gain influence there, we can translate it to the other towns eventually."
"Your legs, are they..."
Ken nodded. "Yes. For now."
"You can fix them?”
"There is a method I know of, though it requires a virgin to dual cultivate with."
"..."
"Someone willing,” he said sternly. “I won't force someone into that sort of thing."
"You have two years left to return home. That’s such little time in order to challenge the Town Lord and the other families."
"Power, status, wealth. Once I have these three things, my revenge will be easy." She had a point, though. The revenge on the pavilion could wait, but he would tackle the Young Master’s family first, as practise.
"I can help you with the last, which can help you with the first two."
Ken looked to Emerald. "Emerald, you're strong. Just how strong are you?"
She looked up in thought for a moment. “Low Martial Expert,” she said.
Ken would have done a spit take if he was drinking something. "You're a Martial Expert? No wonder you could deal with those guys so easily..." He had assumed she was a Martial Warrior of sorts, but a Martial Expert? She was far scarier than he expected.
She smiled and then placed her hand on his. "I'll protect you, master." She said it with pride, puffing out her chest, causing it to press against the back of his head.
"I'll return the favour one day." He held onto her hand, kissing the back of it. "Emerald, pick up all the rings. Yue, walk around with her. We'll take ownership of this wagon and head to another town."
Once Emerald had brought him the spatial rings, he checked the goods inside.
Ken smiled as he saw the contents of the rings. "Let's make our way. I'll get changed and make a second persona. Emerald, you'll be an Alchemist, I'll be an Arrayist. Yue, you'll be the one to drive the wagon and act as our liaison."
"I will do as you command, master,” Yue replied.
Emerald had cleaned up the area around them as Ken had told the story, causing Yue to sometimes glance her way in fear.
Yue listened to him intently, and after the long tale, she could understand why he reacted so strongly against what he thought was a great betrayal on her part.
She looked between Emerald and Ken, the former finally relaxing her hands so they were no longer deathly branches, back to fleshy fingers.
"You haven’t known each other for long, but your… wife is willing to die for you?” She decided to call Emerald his wife so he would remain polite with her.
"Master is master. My life is his." Emerald held onto her master, who sat on her lap. He was still embarrassed by it all, but he couldn’t help but give into Emerald’s desires since she was assisting him so much.
"That's amazing." She stared at the two, seeing how close they were with one another. "You should come with me to my village. There you will be able to rest up in peace, and no one would be able to hurt you there.”
"No,” Ken said, shaking his head. If he did that, she could easily give him up to her father, the Chief, and he would be in a much worse situation. He couldn’t go around trusting other people so easily. “Right now I want to get revenge. I need to make money, lots of it, so I can get my revenge."
"If it's money that you require, then allow this Yue Glow to help you,” she urged him, trying to make herself useful to him. “The reason why I wanted to help you was because my gut told me that you'd make me a lot of money. I was the First Floor Pavilion Master so young because of my sense of money!"
"You shouldn't follow me. My path for revenge will get bloody and your blood might be spilled."
"That's my choice to make! You saved my life and set me free from being raped! I think you're a good man, Ken." That, and because if she would ask for something else, she may be a target of his vengeance.
Ken thought about it for a short while, thinking about what he could do with her. He couldn’t just set her free, Emerald had almost killed her, and she knew about him. She could try to use his presence to gain some favour from the families in his town.
"Fine." Ken sighed. "However, you need to become my slave so you can't spill away my secrets."
"I..."
"Master will treat you well." Emerald nodded, her fingers brushing through his hair. "Even though I'm just his slave, master always looks after me." She hugged him tight, resting her head against his head, taking in his scent.
"You aren't my slave, Emerald. You're my... Emerald." Ken reached up and pat her head, smiling up at her.
Yue blushed a little, seeing how corny the pair were being with one another. "If I'm your slave, then I won't make money. I can't do that, I'm sorry." She was taking the gamble that he wouldn’t just kill her.
"Since you'll be helping me, of course I'll help you. If you need money, then I’ll make sure you earn money? What do you need it for exactly?" He wondered why it was such a sticking point for her.
"I need money to send back to the village. My family needs it." She didn’t say much more beyond it, though it was a simple enough reason.
"How much did you make as the First Floor Pavilion Master?"
"Not much. I was only First Floor Pavilion Master for three years." She sighed. "It's only after the fifth year that a Floor Master starts earning a lot of money, once they’ve proved themselves"
"I'll pay you a cut of everything you sell. 10%."
"Does that include everything I sell on your behalf? Including high grade earth pills?”
"Everything,” Ken confirmed. “Once I get my revenge, I'll set you free. If you have know some of my secrets, then we’ll have to do something about it."
"Then please, let me accompany you." She kowtowed before him, hoping he would take her along.
"Fine, though if I sell things personally, then you won't get a cut. That means if I sell things at the auction pavilion, then you won't get a cut from that."
"It'll be hard selling things at the auction pavilion since they probably have banned you after what happened." Yue looked up at him, hoping he wouldn’t take that poorly.
Ken remained silent for a long moment.
"Damn."
"Though you can always go to another place, the commerce guild for example. They also hold auctions, but only one a month or so. Their cuts are a minimum of 20%. Only auction pavilions are allowed to reduce their cut below it."
"What if you sell items on my behalf at he auction? Will that work?”
"It will. As long as you don't enter, they won't care."
"Good."
"If I become your slave, you won't… make me do certain things, will you?”
“What kind of things?”
“You won’t force me to…” She looked at Emerald and then back at him.
Ken could assume what she meant, and shook his head. “I’m not that kind of man,” he said. “If you ever betray me, then don't even think about that kind of thing, I'll do much worse."
"I won't betray you!" She kowtowed before him again.
"Even if it costs you your life?" Ken asked, staring down at her judging her.
"I... I..." She looked down, unsure of how to respond.
Ken sighed. “I won’t take away your right to live, but if Emerald is hurt because of anything you do…”
"Yes, I understand!”
[[This goddess will teach you how to mark your slave.]]
Ken forced Yue to strip down to show him her back, which alarmed her at first, but she gave in once she realised he wasn’t going to assault her.
Ken then cut his finger and began to trace shapes around her back, causing Yue to squirm slightly, though she quickly fell still since she realised what he was doing. He made a number of arrays around her back and then muttered a few words before the blood set on her back and marked her as his slave.
"From now on you belong to me. When I get my revenge, I promise to set you free."
"Yes, thank you."
"Good."
"I didn't know you knew arrays."
"I know many things. Maybe I should change my identity so there are more skills in our group. An Alchemist, an Arrayist, and a merchant."
"We will need someone powerful to guard us,” Yue said.
"At least a Warrior, but preferably an Expert." Ken sighed.
"They're expensive..."
"How much do they usually go for?"
"At least one gold coin a month if you’re lucky, double that usually.”
"I could offer them both coin and pills, and I may be able to make some arrays to protect us.” He looked up, wondering if she’d respond.
[[Yes, yes. This goddess will teach you some arrays.]]
He smiled. Arrays were quite useful, and would help him a lot in his revenge. One could have no cultivation, and with arrays they could deal with far more powerful foes.
"What's your path of revenge for now?" Yue asked, staring at Ken, still on her knees, waiting obediently.
"First, let's make a name for ourselves in the next town over. Little River is a larger town so if we're able to gain influence there, we can translate it to the other towns eventually."
"Your legs, are they..."
Ken nodded. "Yes. For now."
"You can fix them?”
"There is a method I know of, though it requires a virgin to dual cultivate with."
"..."
"Someone willing,” he said sternly. “I won't force someone into that sort of thing."
"You have two years left to return home. That’s such little time in order to challenge the Town Lord and the other families."
"Power, status, wealth. Once I have these three things, my revenge will be easy." She had a point, though. The revenge on the pavilion could wait, but he would tackle the Young Master’s family first, as practise.
"I can help you with the last, which can help you with the first two."
Ken looked to Emerald. "Emerald, you're strong. Just how strong are you?"
She looked up in thought for a moment. “Low Martial Expert,” she said.
Ken would have done a spit take if he was drinking something. "You're a Martial Expert? No wonder you could deal with those guys so easily..." He had assumed she was a Martial Warrior of sorts, but a Martial Expert? She was far scarier than he expected.
She smiled and then placed her hand on his. "I'll protect you, master." She said it with pride, puffing out her chest, causing it to press against the back of his head.
"I'll return the favour one day." He held onto her hand, kissing the back of it. "Emerald, pick up all the rings. Yue, walk around with her. We'll take ownership of this wagon and head to another town."
Once Emerald had brought him the spatial rings, he checked the goods inside.
Ken smiled as he saw the contents of the rings. "Let's make our way. I'll get changed and make a second persona. Emerald, you'll be an Alchemist, I'll be an Arrayist. Yue, you'll be the one to drive the wagon and act as our liaison."
"I will do as you command, master,” Yue replied.
