Thanks to the receptionist, I got a better idea of the local seekers. They were not so different from the adventurers I knew from movies, books, games, manga, or anime. Only in Castiana, a city built on an ancient structure, instead of embarking on an adventure somewhere in the unexplored wilderness, they ventured into the depths of the labyrinth below the city. Instead of visiting places undiscovered by humans, they dived deeper under the city.

I had no illusions that being a seeker would be safe work. My skills weren't exactly suited for combat. So why did I even think about it? Why was I not satisfied with ordinary work, settled down, and lived in peace until my death? Because you never know what will happen. I had such a plan. To open my own flower shop, get married, have children, and retire. Everything changed when the fae appeared in front of me.

I had no idea when the next one would appear.

That's why I wanted to be stronger, not to experience the helplessness I felt when I involuntarily became a slave. Being a seeker was an excellent way to start working on my strength.

"Castiana offers training courses for beginning seekers. They are led by experienced seekers who will teach you basic combat knowledge," the receptionist at the town hall told me.

Of course, she was trying to sell me something else.

"How much does the training cost?" I asked.

"Basic training 50 coppers an hour," she said.

"Wow - that's a lot."

"They are experts, miss. They earn much more than that in the labyrinth."

"I understand that, but my bag isn't that big," I said.

The receptionist just shrugged. "It's up to you. I can register you now. You can then go to the labyrinth. If you successfully conquer the first floor yourself, you will officially become a seeker. I'm just pointing out that it's more dangerous than it may seem."

"What exactly does it mean to conquer the first floor?" I asked.

"You must find the entrance to the second floor on the first floor."

I nodded. "Isn't it easy to buy a map then and head straight for that entrance?"

"It would be, but this is a labyrinth, not a dungeon. The layout of each floor is different each time you visit it. Otherwise, it would not be a labyrinth. You can visit a floor a hundred times, but it will never be the same as on previous visits."

"That sucks," I sighed.

"It has always been that way. Do you want to register and try your luck? However, the city hall bears no responsibility for you in the labyrinth," the receptionist warned me again.

I shook my head. "No, I have to think about it."

"I'm glad to hear that. I've seen enough young people find their deaths on the first floor." The receptionist sighed. "You should know that labyrinth seekers are also called death seekers, but most often they are called deekers."

"That's not exactly flattering."

The receptionist nodded. "It's not, but death is what a lot of seekers find in the labyrinth."

I couldn't say anything to that.

"Timmy mentioned something about companies as well?"

"Yes, only employees of companies with the appropriate authorization can enter deeper floors of the labyrinth. There are many companies in Castiana. They differ in what they do. Some focus on mining, others on meat, and raw materials from monsters. Other companies are looking for artifacts or just trying to dive deeper into the labyrinth. It's up to you which company is closer to you and your interests, and it's up to the company to accept you. Usually, it is not a problem because there is always a lack of seekers according to them."

"When you hear the name Fallen’s Cry, don't be surprised. It is the name of the labyrinth on which Castiana stands. Each labyrinth has its own unique name." she added.

"Does it have some meaning? Is it based on the monsters in the labyrinth?"

The receptionist shook her head. "No, nothing like that. It's just a name it has."

I thanked her, went through the job offers once more, and sighed. Nothing had changed on the notice-boards. However, I knew of two places where I could get a job. Broken Mug and Broken Heart. I needed to think carefully about my career as a seeker. Don't rush my decision. The first thing I should do before throwing myself into the labyrinth was to reorganize my skills.

I strolled back to the Broken Mug, where I was greeted by an innkeeper with a smile on his face and open arms. The room I slept in last night was still free, so I retook it. His job offer was also still valid, and he was glad that I was willing to help him. My enthusiasm for this kind of work was not high, but it was a start.

But most of all, I was dying of impatience to change into my new clothes, put my feet in socks and shoes. Before that, however, I wanted to take a bath. More precisely, I needed one. My unplanned bath in the river washed away a lot of grime from my body, but it also added a few new odors. Nobody told me anything here, but I stank. Basically, I had constantly activated skill [Odorless odor] that erased all the smells that my body produced. But not their source. I didn't dare sniff my armpit without this skill activated. My feet smelled even worse. Yes, my nose was better than it used to be, but this was not just the fault of my sense of smell.

So like I said, I needed a bath.

However, Broken Mug did not have its own bathroom. I must say that I was a little surprised. On Earth, I couldn't imagine a hotel without a bathroom. Even the worst ones had at least a shower. Hostels had at least a shared bathroom on the floor.

Nevertheless, there were public bathhouses in the city, one of which was on the same street as the inn, just a few buildings further to the center. I had to pay them, which made my hoard shrink again. But it was worth it. I got a wooden tub full of clean hot water, and that was something I had to do without since coming to Eleaden. I really enjoyed the time spent in the tub and left it only when the water was cold. Cold and full of my filth.

In the last year, I have had to give up a lot of things, actually everything. I completely forgot how to be clean felt, and I felt amazing right now. I didn't smell any unattractive odors from my body, and all the dirt and mold was gone. The shoes, underwear, shorts, and shirts I was wearing now lifted my spirits incredibly. I finally felt human again.

"I feel alive!!!" I shouted with joy as I was returning to Broken Mug.

People walking past me looked at me like I was crazy, probably slandering me behind my back. I was in such a good mood that I didn't care. My tail also showed it with a joyous sway from side to side.

At the inn, I had a roast chicken with potatoes for lunch, which I really enjoyed. I tossed my backpack into my room. Inside were two pieces of canvas that I used to use as clothing until now. I was considering throwing it away, but I decided to keep these fabric pieces for now as a reminder of Mr. Scoresby. I was very sorry that I did not thank the old man. This cut sack will serve me as a reminder that I must not forget to express my gratitude when I meet him again.

Innkeeper Byron was wiping the tables when I entered the ground floor of Broken Mug.

"Mr. Byron, did you say they're looking for someone to do laundry at Broken Heart?" I asked him.

He raised his head and looked at me. "That's true. You're interested?"

"Yes, I've been looking for work in the city all morning, but I haven't found any," I told him the truth.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Innkeeper nodded. "It's especially tricky for the Terrans to find work now. Alyson will be happy to see you."

"Alyson?"

"Owner of Broken Heart. You don't have to be afraid of her. She may seem a little dominant sometimes, but at her core, she's a nice woman."

I didn't want to think about why the innkeeper knew the brothel owner so well or how often he visited the business. Maybe that's why the inn looked the way it did. But that wasn't my concern. I thanked him and went to the brothel full of energy.

In my whole life, it never occurred to me that I would visit a brothel voluntarily and not at all that I would look for a job there. Nor did I ever think I would be a slave.

There is a first time for everything.

However, I did not let these thoughts sway me. Therefore, when I stood in front of the brothel, which was the complete opposite of the inn, neat and maintained, I didn't hesitate.

Inside, I found myself in another world. A large hall, with several armchairs and tables. Six girls and two handsome men were sitting there, talking to each other. The girls giggled, the men laughed. The hall was very spacious, with high ceilings. Even though there were several windows in the hall, there was not much light.

"What do you want, girl?" The woman to my left asked me.

When I entered the room, I somehow overlooked her. She was sitting behind a small counter by the wall dressed in a beautiful dress. Her hair was full of curls, adorned with hair clips, her breasts pressed in something that reminded me of a corset that the boobs couldn't fit in. The woman, whose age was difficult for me to estimate, was a little taller than me.

I smiled. "Hello, I am looking for a job."

"Oh, let's see. Slave girl with your level looking for a job here? You are in the right place, girl. How much experience do you have with men?" The woman asked me.

At that moment, I blushed and was drenched in a cold sweat at the same time.

"No, no, no. The innkeeper Byron said you were looking for someone to do your laundry?" I said quickly.

I definitely didn't want to work here as a whore.

"Oh, don't you want to change your mind? Being a companion is a nice job where you would earn much more."

"I'm sure!"

The woman smiled. "You're cute. I won't tease you anymore. But it's a shame. My name is Alyson, owner of Broken Heart, a three-star pleasure house."

"Korra Grey"

My introduction was a bit dull compared to hers.

"Nice to meet you, Korra. Yes, George didn't lie to you. We're looking for someone to do our laundry. If you are willing to wash it for us, I will be delighted. Especially when it's a girl like you?"

What did a girl like me mean? Wasn't she afraid that when one of their customers saw me, my appearance would frighten them? Not that I intend to meet her customers.

"I'm willing, but it also depends on salary," I said.

"Sure. We work mainly in the evening. The girls get up between ten and eleven o'clock. Then they change the sheets for clean ones. All dirty laundry should be in the laundry room by twelve o'clock. At that time, your work would begin. I don't care how long it takes you to wash it, especially if the laundry is well washed every day. I won't lie, it's not a lot, but I'll give you one silver for a job well done," Alyson said.

That was more money than I expected. However, I had no idea how demanding the work would be.

I scratched my head nervously and asked. "I was in the city hall looking at the job offers. Why didn't I see this one there?"

Alyson smirked. "We had our offer there, but not many people came, and those who did either refused on the spot or did not stay here very long. The first month on the notice board is free, but the next one has to be paid for. It didn't pay off for us. I don't want to discourage you with that, Korra, but I also want someone here who will stay here longer than just a few days."

"Didn't anyone last longer?"

"I will be honest with you. Most people don't like it when others ask them where they work. People consider them companions like us. It doesn't matter that they only do laundry here. The other side is the laundry itself. Some people don't like having to wash something sweaty and full of body fluids. You have to consider yourself if this is a job for you."

Actually, I didn't think of that. I saw how disturbing it could be for a lot of people. I also had my doubts, but on the other hand, the dirty laundry like the one she was talking about was not very different from the ordinarily dirty laundry. Honestly, in my opinion, dirty underwear with a brown stripe was the same as or worse than the sheet after sex.

"But I promised the innkeeper that I would help him in the kitchen in the evening," I said. "Will I make it?"

"You should. If not, I'll talk to him."

"Then, I take it."

"Great. Zoe!!" She called out loud so that my ears were ringing.

Another girl appeared from the door in the back of the hall. A smaller one dressed in an ordinary dress with a shirt's sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She came to us quickly.

"Zoe, this is Korra. From today, she will do laundry here," she introduced me before the girl could say anything.

"Korra, this is Zoe. She was supposed to do the laundry today, so she'll show you what to do."

"Hi, come, I'll show you the laundry room," Zoe said, taking my hand.

"Right now?" I asked as I was dragged into the backroom of the brothel.

So I found myself in a small room in a brothel with a prostitute. When I woke up in the morning, I didn't imagine my day would go like this.

The room was small but well lit by a window, full of baskets of laundry. Some laundry was boiling on the stove, and thanks to that, it was really damp here.

Zoe looked at me. "Wow, I have never seen a [Slave] with such a high level. Nine more levels, and I'd see you as a question mark."

What was her level?

[Slave lvl 51]

Was she a slave too? I thought they weren't so common, and now I was looking at a slave girl. This was an opportunity to talk to someone about my skills. What to change, what to keep.

However, this finding alerted me to another thing. Something I wasn't used to doing. It was not natural for me to verify people's class. If I did, I would avoid surprises like this.

"I had no idea I'd run into another slave here," I said.

Zoe smiled. "I didn't expect it either. How did you reach such a level?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to talk about it. It's only been a few days since I got out of Arda."

"Ah, I understand that. It took me weeks to come to terms with it and find a job here. Alyson helped me a lot."

"You always wanted to work here, Zoe. I mean, like a....a companion?" I asked.

The girl giggled. "No, this was not my dream. But there aren't many things I can do as [Slave]. Manual work was not for me."

"And what is this?" I said, pointing to the piles of laundry around me.

"Something I hate to do and what you will do from now on," she said with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah, before we begin. I thought I'd have time to change some of my skills. Maybe you could advise me?" I asked her, hoping she would help me.

"Really? I'm happy to help you. What are your skills?"

Unfortunately, there was no function that would show the other person something on my status screen. So I had to tell her my skills.

Class skills:

Indomitable Will lvl 108

Faint Presence lvl 29

Lover of Work lvl 8

Master's Toy lvl 72

Silent Suffering lvl 91

Odorless Odor lvl 88

"That's terrible," Zoe said, hugging me. "You must have suffered a lot."

I don't know if it was because I was in a good mood, or I just needed a hug, but I let the girl hug me. It was so nice when someone understood what I had to go through and how much I suffered. It was not the empty words of someone who had never experienced anything like it. These were words of compassion for someone who had suffered, though not as much as I did.

"You have no idea, Zoe," I said with a sigh.

"I'm sure you definitely hate some skills. I've always hated [Master's Toy]."

I smiled. "Yeah, that's the worst skill of all."

Master's Toy: lvl 72

Passive IV

The word of the master is everything to you. Fulfilling the master's wishes will make your whole day more pleasant.

II - You want nothing more than what your master has at heart.

III - You want nothing more than to please your master, to make his day more pleasant.

IV - Your master is your world.

The description didn't say much, but the consequences were dire. Combined with a slave collar, it was a crazy combination of mind control. I could not oppose Dungreen's orders, on the contrary. Thanks to this ability, I waited for his orders. I wanted to fulfill them. When he didn't like something, I wondered what I had done wrong and tried to fix it.

Fortunately, this skill was suppressed by [Indomitable Will]. Without it, I would be a really thoughtless puppet longing to fulfill any wish of my master. I had no idea why [Slave] had two skills that basically worked against each other, but I was extremely grateful for that. Maybe [Indomitable Will] wasn't supposed to be used that way, but I did. Whenever I felt the urge for a new order, the desire for the masters' presence, or just to start thinking about the madman, I used this skill. That means I used it all the time. It became something I couldn't do without. That is why it was also at such a high level.

"So, what would you like instead?" Zoe asked me. "I would recommend [Tireless Machine], more endurance is always useful, not just in bed. It depends on what you would like to do. Do you want to be a companion?"

"No, I already told Alyson no. I'm thinking of becoming a seeker."

"Oh, wow. Really?" She asked, her eyes wide.

I nodded. "Yes, I want to be stronger. I want to be able to defend myself and never have to feel so helpless again."

"I see. Just, it's a very dangerous job," Zoe said.

I shrugged, "I know I haven't made up my mind yet."

Zoe smiled, "Well, [Tireless Machine] is a good choice anyway."