Dante closed his eyes and leaned back into the bath, exhaling as he spoke. "System, Talk to me ."
[Yes, Master. Based on our initial expectations there was a 5% error. We did not anticipate the strength of the slave we encountered. That was about it ,everything else went as we expected , Lexi the persona searching for a missing friend or family member event was fulfilled . We predicted a talented slave and it was a correct assumption. Additionally, we assumed that the nobles would have intelligence on you, including a higher authority pulling the strings from the shadows.]
[With this, we can conclude that events in this world align with your knowledge to a 95.0% degree. If Master assumes that clichés will unfold similarly to those in novels, we can make highly accurate predictions about the future.]
Dante frowned, feeling the weight of the revelation. "Shit feels creepy and almost scripted. Whatever though. If some god is playing with my life fuck, can I do about it now? As long as I can live freely, grow stronger , get older and get some pussy, nothing else matters."
Dante merely nodded before stepping out of the bath, drying off, and heading to bed.
......…..
Aurora sat beside the bathtub, carefully scrubbing the nervous and apprehensive Vexion. The silence between them was suffocating for the young half-elf, who had already attempted multiple times to refuse Aurora's request, only to inevitably give in. Now, she sat completely bare in the warm water, her long hair being meticulously washed by the elven woman before her.
"Madam, please… I don't think someone like me deserves to have Master's mother wash me," Vexion murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Aurora chuckled softly at the plea before asking, "Were you a slave?"
Vexion flinched, her fingers instinctively curling against the water's surface. She lowered her head, eyes dark with hesitation. "Why does the Madam assume so?"
Aurora gently turned the girl to face her, smiling as she studied her closely. "Your body tells a story. Your skin is rougher than it should be for a noble retainer, your nails show signs of frequent labor, and though you smell pleasant, it is not the scent of someone accustomed to regular, thorough baths. Your robes are crude but well-maintained, patched with a careful hand, suggesting you've had to take care of yourself rather than rely on servants. And then there are your words—'someone like me.'"
Aurora's sharp golden eyes locked onto Vexion's wavering ones. "That phrase alone reveals far more than you might intend. It tells me you see yourself as lesser. Not merely as a servant, but as someone who truly believes they are beneath those around them. That's not the mindset of a soldier, nor a noble, nor even a commoner with some pride left in them. It is the mindset of someone who has spent too long being told they are worth nothing."
Vexion swallowed, but Aurora wasn't finished.
"There is also a weight to you—anger, resentment, perhaps even hatred—but not without purpose. It clings to you, heavy but restrained, as though you have learned to leash it rather than let it control you. And lastly," Aurora's voice softened as she brushed aside a lock of wet hair, "you are a half-elf. I was a commoner myself before I became who I am today, and I know well the struggles of those who are considered impure. Half-elves, dark elves—only those in such unfortunate positions end up in a state like yours."
Vexion's hands trembled beneath the water. Her mind raced, wondering if her master had accounted for this. He had assured her that he had erased anything that could endanger them, yet his mother had still unraveled her past with little effort. 'Master is always prepared. He must have known this would happen. He knew, and yet he let it unfold this way.'
She clenched her fists. 'I refuse to doubt him. I refuse to fail him.'
Taking a deep breath, she bowed deeply despite the water. "Please do not separate me from Master."
Aurora's brow raised slightly, but Vexion pressed on, her voice thick with conviction. "He has shown me kindness I never thought possible. He gave me hope and courage when I had nothing but despair. I do not believe he is simply a child—I can see him achieve acts of greatness effortlessly. Even now, I cannot gauge his strength, and that alone speaks volumes. I understand that you may not trust me, but if you doubt my words, use any method you desire to confirm them."
Aurora said nothing, watching as Vexion lifted her head, her crimson eyes burning with an almost fanatical devotion.
"I have given Master my heart, my mind, and all that I am. Whether it is in this life or the next, I will remain by his side. He is my Master, my only light, and I will follow him until my existence is erased from this world. No harm will come to him—not while I breathe. So I beg you, Madam, please do not take me from him."
The room fell into silence once more, but this time, Vexion no longer feared it. She had spoken her truth, and now, she waited Aurora's judgment.