My future consisted of pain.

I hissed as the whip met my naked back. Breaking the skin. My hands gripped the hanging ring harder so that I wouldn’t stumble and fall.

“Have I not been a generous master?” Aikerim snarled behind me. “Have I not showered you with gifts and rewards?”

“You were Domina,” I replied.

“Or did you think my demands were unreasonable?” She pressed further.

“No. My Domina.”

“Then why didn’t you keep your damn mouth shut, when I specifically ordered you to!” She growled.

A chill ran down my abused back. Did she find out that I told Irje and Yeva about runes? No. It happened yesterday and I’ve been with them ever since until Sulla summoned me here. They definitely didn’t talk to anyone. Did she have people watching my hut at all times?

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is why I am being accosted about you by Sophia Chasya, the Censor herself!?” Aikerim spoke, as she walked around watching my face.

“I assure you this is the first time I’ve heard that name,” I replied, keeping her talking. That occupied her from lashing and allowed me to figure out what the hell happened in the process.

“And I assure you she was perfectly aware of your name.” She said back sarcastically. “Tall. Large horns. Crescent tail? Hmm?”

“I have met only two female wermages, and both of them are in this manor.”

She narrowed her eyes. “And what about males?”

“One, I asked him for directions to reach your uncle.”

She clenched her jaw. “Who?”

“Albin-” My words were interrupted as she snarled and raised the whip sharply. I flinched expecting yet another painful hit. Instead, a loud crack sounded through the room. Opening my eyes I saw the whip, its metal handle embedded deep into the wooden pillar.

She walked around me. A creak of her sofa. A tired sigh.

“Get dressed and sit down.” She ordered flatly.

Carefully pulling my shirt up to my shoulders I turned around. Domina was lying on her sofa, massaging her temples.

“And do tell me why did you ask him, when anyone on the street would have pointed you in the correct direction?” She said resigned.

“At that time I had no idea, how eminent your Manor was.”

She looked at me, sceptically.

“Uh-huh. So you, a murk, simply decided to walk up to a prominent wermage and asked him to guide you? You are either more stupid than I thought or you are lying.”

I sighed and sat down, quickly retelling her about his help in my escape and my subsequent meeting. Unfortunately, it didn’t help Aikerim mood much. She just looked resigned.

“Of all the Houses, of all the mages, why him?” She asked the ceiling.

“Is he from a hostile house?”

She groaned. “And this is the reason why I needed you to keep put. There are no hostilities between the Houses of Emanai. That is the Decree of Gods. While we might have ‘disagreements’ on how day to day tasks are handled, in terms of national prosperity there is only unity or death. To imply something else is to challenge the Gods themselves.”

Huh. I always thought they didn’t have an organized religion, more like a set of traditions based on magical power and some stories trying to explain where that power came from. Apparently, the rituals run deeper. This felt almost like the Mandate of Heaven.

In the meantime, Aikerim continued. “It is his personality that rankles me. Their entire branch house is filled with power beyond imagination, wasted on layabouts like him. To think that I have to thank him for keeping you safe is infuriating.”

The room fell silent as I digested the information.

“So, what happens now?” I decided to stop avoiding the inevitable.

“What happens is that your leisure time is over. Sophia Chasya isn’t an outlier of that branch. The entire Manor of Shebet is full of them. Unfortunately for you, she isn’t lazy like most, but stubborn. Apparently, she had managed to connect the dots between your trip to the Pillar and some of Virnan’s new theories. And had been most insistent to see you during our next meeting.”

She glared at me. “Consider any magical lessons off the table for the foreseeable future. And return the Codex. Instead, you will shadow Sulla around. Observe and learn quickly. Whenever he is busy, you will follow my daughter - in the same manner Sulla does with me. She will provide you with additional reading to get your knowledge up to par.”

An assistant I guess. It was a good thing that I’ve finished reading it yesterday, transcribing it into my mind. The loss of the book wasn’t as devastating anymore.

I bowed. “Of course, my Domina.”

“Good. When you are following my Anaise learn from her as well. Even if your actions forced me to show you to the public way too early I have no plans of squandering this opportunity.”

“I will. Is such intensity necessary, however, especially learning directly from the Lady of the House? I am a simple murk.”

“You are. That is why you only have five days. If you were of a higher status you would have spent years as my children did. By that time I expect you to perform in a manner that will not embarrass me. Nor will it inundate me with requests for your purchase, like what you have done with my uncle.”

She clapped her hands, summoning Sulla inside.

“Take him.”

XXX

After watching Sulla work for a couple of hours, I had realized that he was no assistant. And more like a butler. Constantly somewhere in the background, ready for Domina’s next move. Predicting most of them and ready to handle the others at the moments notice.

Another fact that I’ve noticed as well was that Aikerim was busy as hell. Her day was full of heaps of documents. Some of these were read or written for her by other slaves. Some she had requested us to do the task. And some she had done herself, even kicking us out on occasion. Apparently, the double-entry accounting integration had been progressing at breakneck speeds. Armed by my own writings she had quickly enforced the procedure across her imminent domain as well as started to share this new invention with other branch manors of Kiymetl.

And now she was suffering the consequences of that. Both good and bad. She had raked in an enormous amount of political favours both through the gifts of soap and the progress in bookkeeping. But now she was swamped with the birthing pains of the new technology, ironing out the kinks in the system no one but me and her knew anything about.

She also didn’t forget about my issue so to speak. During the entire day, she would mention certain facts herself, direct me to read a certain part for personal knowledge, or even tell Sulla to explain to me something while she was busy herself. As a perfect butler, he took it in stride showing me no derision nor condescension.

I was shedding weight, burning through my storage calories, keeping my brain in hyperactive mode, memorizing every minute detail. I could not afford not to. Literally, the history and political situation of Emanai Manorat had been laid bare to me through them. An essential knowledge that I could not afford to miss.

From the historic and religious approach, the early civilizations were constantly preyed upon by the magical beasts of the world. The stories told of the lucky few communities which had been saved by the gods granting them two Gifts, asking for nothing else but devotion and reverence. Or so I was told. First, they were given the Gift of safety, claiming the land from the savage beasts for murk and wer to prosper upon. The second gift was the Gift of Flow, which made wer stronger and gave rise to wermages.

This explained the lack of distinct religious class as well as the lack of organized faith. With this Flow all around them and the divine benevolence equated with magical power, every wermage was technically a priest of this religion. Stronger his magic was - more blessed he was seen as. At least by the population at large.

Which, quite unsurprisingly made sure that these all-powerful individuals were ‘rightfully’ in power as well. I mean if the gods said so, how could anyone disagree.

How very convenient for them.

It also helped me out quite a bit, apparently. Supported and safe by their obvious and visible power, most of the ruling class was less fanatical about it, compared to the rest of the population. Since the blessing of the gods was defined by your magical power, murks were pariahs. And quite a few wers went out of their way to make sure I would know that. If Aikerim, Virnan, or even Albin shared their views I would be dead many times over by now…

Politically, Emanai Manorat was ruled by…Manors.

Quite a surprise if I say so, myself. Sarcasm aside, there were seven Pillar Manors. Kiymetl and Shebet included. Each one, apparently, was granted a third Gift. Their personal floating tower. These Manors made all the major decisions and had their own spheres of influence.

Trade, Administration, Infrastructure, Capital city, and War. Apparently, the House of War was split into three to make it comparable to other Houses. There were also minor Houses, or simply Manors. The bulk of these kept their own city functional and the lands around it profitable. Meaning my previous Domina was from a branch of that type of Manor.

All Manors had some sort of representative living in Samat, which was actually named after the Samat family that governed the capital. These representatives were the voices of their Manors and effectively set up the senate of the country. With the important seven having the right of veto as well as other benefits.

And all that, trickle by trickle, I’ve gotten over the course of a single day.

The most startling surprise came in the afternoon, however.

“Seduce her,” Irje said.

“Excuse me, what?” I responded, lying in Yeva’s lap.

“You heard me,” She responded, applying ointment to my back.

I didn’t heal my welts right away, in case Domina might see my back any time soon. Only stopped the bleeding as soon as the shirt was on and numbed the pain. Which resulted in this. Girls didn’t listen to my assurances that it didn’t hurt anymore and decided to help me heal personally. Irje fished out some sort of healing ointment from somewhere, while Yeva provided moral support cradling my head and gently stroking my skin.

And now, apparently, was a strategy meeting.

“You want me to seduce Domina? She will eat me alive.” I grumbled.

Every single wermage that I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting had been intense. And just today I had seen the casual strength of Aikerim. To have an affair with someone like that would result in something being broken. Either my heart, my hips, or she would break me in half for not paying enough attention to her.

“Gods no. But if you manage to do that it would be great. I meant her daughter.” Irje replied.

“What, you want another one for yourself?”

Irje sighed. Wiped off her hands and turned me around.

“What I want is your safety, our safety. I know what you are doing is working. I know you are strong, but it would still take years for Domina to let you go. And what gonna happen in the meantime? Are you really that naive to hope that there won’t be another incident like this? Are you willing to risk everything on the fact that Domina likes your knowledge?”

I sighed. I had other baskets with my eggs but definitely couldn’t tell them yet. Simply for their own protection. But that also meant that I had nothing to refute her words either.

“And how I am supposed to do that? Do you think I am Casanova or something?”

Irje looked at me. “Is that a wermage? And just do the things you’ve done to me.”

“What? As far as I can tell it was you who jumped me!” I accused her back.

“That what you think? I assure you you have done plenty beforehand.”

Yeva caressed my chin speaking gently. “She is right you know. I don't know how you do it, but it works. Few days in your presence and I started to hate evenings since you would go away.”

I slumped in her embrace. “I was just being kind.”

Her hand raked my hair. “Yes, just. You did it just because, without asking anything in return.”

Irje butted in, “And I know her too, from what you have told me she already has some interest in you. You just need to push a bit more.”

“And then what? What if she decides to keep me and kick you out?”

Irje looked at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Are you mad? She is the Lady of the House. Heiress of the Manor. I want you to seduce her, not marry her.”

I sighed, “This whole mess is pure madness.”

“Look.” Irje’s hand slid under my shirt. Caressing me. “Tell me, as you asked us. Without thinking. What do you feel with this?” Her fingers wrapped around my dick stroking it. “Do you find her pretty? Would you like to find out what is hidden under that large luscious tail? Hmm? To bend her over and slam yourself inside of her? To hear her choke on your prick, trying to milk you for that last drop?”

“Yes,” I grit my teeth. Her words, combined with the actions of her hand made me hard in seconds, “But rushing it like that would backfire.”

Yeva wasn’t helping it either. Her hands caressed my upper body to the silent approval of Irje.

“None of that.” Irje cooed, “Just do what you always do. These Erf things. You will be around her for hours from now on, most likely more than any male of her age. She hasn't had her Entrance party, so she isn’t swamped by potential suitors left and right. Yet.”

The message was clear. If I had the opportunity to leave any significant impression it would be now.

Irje wasn’t done, however. Her other hand joining the fun, cradling my balls. The slightly ticklish touch of her fingers sending shivers through my back. “What I want is that you won't hesitate while dealing with her. If she shows interest - give it, use it. Don’t twiddle your thumbs waiting for our approval, you already have it. And if she calls you into her bed, show her what it is really about. Teach her how nice it is to wake up grinning like a loon. Make her clench her thighs any time you smile.”

“Fine!” I growled and pulled her triumphant face on my dick, choking her with my intrusion. “Now finish what you have started!”

“Hey!” Yeva protested above me. “What about me?”

I looked up at her. “You have been nothing but pleasant tonight, Yeva. So when I am finally done with her.” I felt Irje grinning around my shaft. “You can ask me anything you want yourself.”

“Deal.” She smiled, pulling her own dress off.