"He's a hero!"

The ecstatic slave maid from the Kamar Company could no longer contain herself and just blurted it out. Earning her stares from the other three women with her.

Naked women.

In an open air bath.

"Luvine? Quiet. We are in enough trouble as it is."

Among the three, one other was a slave like Luvine. Jenette. They had met at the Kamar Company a few days ago. Both had been selected for maid training so they slept in the same room as other maid slaves and attended the same classes.

Right now? She desperately wanted Luvine to shut up. They had both peed themselves in front of their new master. Unacceptable behavior for a maid. So they were both likely to get the switch, or even whip, later.

Being rude around the master's wives? Would earn an even worse punishment. Like being sent back to the Kamar Company. Just the thought of being sold back to that brothel? Nearly had her peeing again.

Luvine was new, a slave fresh off the boat from some little village in Aquecia. Jenette knew the other girl had no idea how 'bad' a slave's life could get. They had been hardly 'touched' at the Kamar Company. Even then it was to make sure they at least knew the basics of 'night service.'

Most masters did not like slaves to be too 'experienced.'  But many didn't like slaves to be too 'ignorant' either.

The ex brothel slave knew they had really been lucky here. Lions Keep was famous and their new master was living at the top of it. A northern barbarian adopted into a Marquis's family? Unheard of. And he was powerful. Terrifyingly. You could feel the mana charged air around him when he got close.

Her time in a Raeleran brothel introduced Jenette to 'customers' from all walks of life. Some wanted company as much as, if not even more than, sex. Would start talking about all sorts of things. Jenette tried to remember everything. Even take notes afterward.

And a necromancer who had dozens of undead? Some even smart enough to talk? Also unheard of. And for that to not even be his class?! A Swordmage like the blessed Saint Sanriel that can also raise the dead? Healing is his strongest magic?

Just trying to keep it all straight in her head made Jenette dizzy.

Not just powerful, but rich too. They had already seen their quarters on the sixth floor and compared to Kamar and that harbor brothel? They were luxurious. Had finely made uniforms now and even their new collars were high quality. Comfortable and smooth. Not too tight and didn't scratch or cut your neck.

The master already had two wives who were very beautiful. And shameless, even in front of the staff. Though a filthy girl like her knew she had no right calling anyone else, shameless. With wives like that the call for night services might be rare. A joy to the oft abused former prostitute.

Like a blessing from Metia herself. And the Aquecian girl was screwing it up.

The master's dark elf wife, without even looking, asks Luvine who is massaging her back.

"A hero? What makes you think that?"

"The heroes saved my village from goblins." She keeps rubbing the mistress's back. "I still ended up being sold but at least my family now has money to rebuild." She goes quiet for a few moments before her bubbly smile returns. "A lot better than ending up a goblin sow." Her face cracks a little. "Hehe. Un. The Shadow Mistress herself killed the goblin before he could put it in. Killed, all of them."

The head of the dark elf turns to look at the slave with purple eyes.

"Shadow Mistress?"

Luvine shakes her head. "Oh, apologies, my lady. I forget the heroes are not well known up here." She gets a wistful look while rubbing the mistress's legs with her strong farm girl hands. "There are four heroes in Aquecia. The Sword Hero, the Revered Saint, the Elemental Witch, and the Shadow Mistress."

Jenette does not miss the hard edge to the look the master's knight wife gives the other slave. But Luvine clearly does.

The tall muscled warrior woman asks.

"And you met them all?"

The oblivious Aquecian slave nods.

"They stayed and helped out after the attack. Tended to the injured. Even fed us." She bounces a little. "All of them had this, kind of, charge in the air around them. Made my hair stand on end." Giggles at the memory.

"Who was the strongest?"

The tourinese slave knows the wives are fishing. The naked knight's question could get them both killed. Jenette prays the Aquecian slave isn't stupid enough to insult their husband.

"Oh the Sword Hero was definitely the strongest." Luvine shudders. "But it was nothing like Master. My whole body tingled as soon as the door opened. Amazing."

Both the wives body's shudder too and Jenette sees them share a quick look.

"Master even speaks like he's a hero. 'Your world?' 'Ipra's ways?' It is like Anera guided me here. So I could serve a hero."

Suddenly a deep voice from behind.

"A what?"

Startled, Jenette turns to see her new master, also naked and shameless, standing at the edge of the bath. He looks almost average but every muscle seems carved. Strong. Two of his undead float behind him.

In her heart she begs her sister's forgiveness. She'll never be able to do what's been asked of her.  Cannot possibly stand against the being before her.

There was no hope against this...

Beast.