(Author Note: I felt better now. Gotta say, that doctor is great. I still feel some slight headache, but I am positive I can be back to schedule in the nearby future)

—–

—–

—-

When all of them were on the field ready to march against the bandits, a scout came and talked to Bartrem.

“They’re moving elsewhere?” Bartrem asked.

“Yes, since they use horses to move around, it is impossible for you to chase them.”

Impossible because the captain would never lend them some horses. Horses, especially war horses, were expensive mounts that only knight or cavalry units could use. There were ordinary horses that merchants had, but those horses would run away at the first sight of blood.

“What do we do now?” Aldred asked.

“We wait until they settle down again. There is no river to the east, I am sure they will slow down and settle to rest. Those horses can drink a lot when they’re tired.”

The Pressure Platoon II started their training routine as usual. Since they didn’t have anything else to do anyway. It wasn’t the modern era where there were youtube, video games, etc. To be honest, if Aldred did not have wonderful parents and amazing power, he’d be pretty bored most of the time.

Or pretty miserable, depending on his situation.

After Aldred finished jogging, strength training, and fishing with Mary, Mira, Mareona, and the others, he also taught some pointers to the soldiers.

Soon after night came.

Aldred was sleeping with Mira and Mary hugging him. The boy sunk his head deep onto Mary’s breast in comfort.

Sophia saw all this with her spell that let her eyes see through a wall. Under the cover of night, she tiptoed to the barrack and made sure no one was watching her. She pointed at the door, and it silently opened.

Her steps were without sound as she approached the boy with a smile. One would think twice if that smile was a good one or not.

“Reaching silver rank at the age of ten,” Sophia said with starry eyes directed at the boy. “Your talent worried my master. For that reason, I will make you my slave, and you won’t endanger my master.”

She raised her slender hand right above the boy. “Thankfully we cannot kill you. You are too cute and adorable to be killed. Now be my slave, boy. Lovey lovey dream.”

Pink glittering particles softly fall over the boy. Sophia watched them fall and went deep inside the boy with a smile. A transparent shackle slowly formed on his neck.

That was when she felt a chilling cold on her neck.

“Seems like the world is out for my child.”

Sophia tried to look back, but she couldn’t. Her whole body froze except her eyes. Sweat trickled from her forehead.

The sensation was only for a moment, maybe not even for a second, but for her, it felt like an eternity. She fell onto the floor, gasping for air. Caressing her neck, she realized there was a shackle locked in place. Her eyes widened, and she glanced at the boy’s neck.

The shackle had disappeared. She was shocked. That could only mean one thing. The spell backfired on her, and instead of enslaving him, she was enslaved instead.

She tried to break free, pulling the shackle a bunch of times, but it was useless. The backlash of this spell was much harder to break. She didn’t expect anyone to interfere, if she did, she wouldn’t use this spell so carelessly.

“Hmmmhh,” Aldred stretched his body, making her flinch. Sophia wondered what they would do if they found what she did. She couldn’t move right now. Only when her master—new master let her would she be able to.

Aldred rubbed his eyes. Saliva dripped from his lip. He then looked at the girl on the floor which made Sophia flinch.

“Uhh… Hello? Have we met before?”

Trembling in fear, Sophia did not speak as she kept looking at him. The boy might look cute and innocent, but he was ruthless in front of the enemy. She had seen it. At first, the boy was too scared to fight, but as time passed, he was a killer machine seemingly with endless mana. No magician could ever fight like that. Especially flying, that flame jet spell consumed a lot of mana so for the boy to use it for hours yet there was no sign of running out meant that he was born with a large capacity.

High talent, large mana capacity, mentally resilient, what did this boy lack?

[Brain]

‘Did you say something, system?’ Aldred asked inwardly.

[No. Nothing]

The boy ignored the system and looked at the girl again. She was beautiful with busty breasts and revealing clothes. But what was she doing here?

“My name is Aldred. What about you?”

Her lips were forced to move. “My name is Sophia, master.”

“Did you just call me master?”

“Yes.”

Aldred was about to ask why when Mary woke up and sat up. She kissed Aldred on the cheek.

“Morning, Aldred.” She looked to the side and noticed Sophia on the floor. She jumped, grabbed her sword, and pointed viciously at her. “What the fuck are you doing here?!”

Aldred was surprised by her reaction. She turned from a loving mother to a vicious guardian in less than a second. Who was this woman exactly?

“Mary, you know her?”

“She’s Pharder’s bitch.”

“What?” Aldred prepared himself for any attack and was ready to counterattack. “Tell me. What are you doing here?”

Aldred narrowed his eyes. If this woman wanted to kill him, he should be dead by now since she was a Gold Rank.

Sophia sighed. Since she could not lie, she’d simply tell the truth. “I come here to enslave you with my spell.”

Aldred gasped while Mary frowned.

“But my spell failed, and it backfired on me.” Her fingers touched the shackle on her neck. It was glowing and transparent.

Aldred blinked. “So that means…”

“Now I am your slave.”

“Great. The girl of a diamond rank who wanted to kill me is now my slave. Just exactly what I need. And it just happens that said diamond rank is the captain of this fort.”