I took the box casually into my lap and unfurled the robe. It was coloured in a deep purple shade all around, with silvery alloys serving as engravings. It was indeed quite a fancy piece of attire. I liked it, even though I never been much of a fan of skirts… robes… or whatever these magical types consider fashion.

Suddenly I heard a gasp.

“Master Adam! Be careful! That’s an heirloom of our order. A relic of great power!” Master Mace was bewildered as he pointed down to the ground were I *accidentally* dropped a fancy pin.

I raised an eyebrow in curiosity and willed it to float above my palm with telekinetic magic.

It was indeed quite an interesting item. To this world’s standards something that could be even considered a great relic. It was a pin, the kind that one would wear in his chest as a representation of status.

It had the shape of a simple cross and it was made of a black glass. One would think it obsidian, but it was actually heavier and sturdier than that. Another fancy material from a far way plane mayhaps? I recognised the cross. It was the symbol of our order, the Eryzirity. The cult, not the actual priests that we were meant to pretend that we were, those sillies are the worshippers of Ahdon and their sigil was a stake with a man on it.

They have an actual church and all that it seemed.

Atop of all that I could clearly see that it carried an simple yet powerful effect that could help with spell casting overhaul, like Mace had explained before.

And atop of the top I could ‘smell’ a subtle spell. It served as a little jinx or akin to a curse, whoever touched it and didn’t realize it would become something like a modern day ‘camera’. The caster would be able to see and and hear anything that the cursed individual would have in a range.

A spatial spell.

It seems this Mace fellow has intentions too… Maybe he is working with the dog. How quaint.

I unmade the jinx with my will and casually threw it in Ruth’s lap. Which in turn yelped in excitement as she pointed at it and grinned. Had the girl never seen an enchanted item?

“Master Adam…” Mace game me a dejected look, and of course I could see behind his acting—his sly smirk and disappointment. Hehe— Get used to it, fool. I thought inwards. “That is a really powerful item… you should keep it close, and of course it represents your grand stature within the order, after all that pin was made by Eryzirity herself! Made to be worn only by her holiness's most trusted aide.” The blond man with the fancy ears quickly said in answer to my disinterest.

The dog gave him a subtle look, which I did not fail to notice. Were these two on league? Or was that a move by Mace alone? Curios that. Meanwhile Ruth was playing with pin an casting rudimentary spells, testing them. Completely oblivious to our conversation's subtleties.

I can’t blame her. She is young, I mean she is literally seventeen. And atop of that she is mostly a recluse who knew nothing of the games that are politics.

“I deeply thank you master Mace. Both the robe and the pin will serve greatly during the time that I will serve father in his place, as for the pin , well Eryzirity made it to fit a servant. Not me. Ruth here is my most trusted aide, she will make best use of it…” I elaborated.

He was about to reply. But I raised my hand in annoyance.

“As for you, there is much to be said for a servant who plots and attempts to spy on his master.” I smiled mischievously. “Some would call it treason even… but I am nothing but a magnanimous master. And will allow you to retire from my presence without the due repercussions.”

He jerked up from his seat. Looking at me and then at the towering Doghead between us, who had something resembling a growl in his ugly snout.

The man with the fancy ears flinched.

“You can’t kick out a space master from his own dimension…” He muttered.

“My patience is wearing thin.” I growled.

“Leave.” Doghead added.

The bulgy older man had a grimm look and nodded. Vanishing in thin air.

Ruth was just looking around, with an. ‘What the hells is going on?’ expression.

“Like you said once before... Not subtle at all.” The dog commented.

I leaned on my chair looking up at the doghead, my head resting against my fist. “Tell me dog. What is it, you reckon would be a proper punishment for treason you say?” I casually asked, giving him a knowing smile.

He looked at me sombrely. A stare that made Ruth uncomfortable even though she somehow worshipped him.

“Nothing.” He said.

“Nothing?” I asked. “Treason?”

“There is nothing you can do. He is the space master, there aren’t any fitting replacements to him and all who are trained in the art pretty much learned from him. Worship him even… And you need him. Just like you need every other great master of any field.” The dog explained his view.

I smiled knowingly. “You are correct.” I answered.

The he continued. “You get rid of one, then you become weaker. Along with the order as an whole; making every other master have a easier way to overthrow you and making them restless. You who are master of nothing. —Expendable even.” He held his paws forwards and leaned towards me with a threatening frown.

“The only thing holding in your seat right now is your father, and today is just day one.” He finished.

I smiled.

“You overestimate your worth… still, you are correct. We are all at an impasse. You all want to lead, but you all are smart enough to know that the first one to move will take the fall.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

The dog relaxed and nodded. “You are no fool. Even tough all your life you had proven a disappointment, I wonder how long you will be able to keep that steel grip that your father has over us.” He ‘scowled’.

“Long enough.” I gave him a sly smile. And moved on… “Now to business, if we are done with pleasantries.”

“It is simple, as the steward I am obliged to organize a ceremony amongst the order’s members. To… celebrate and acknowledge our new leader; even tough temporary. How would you like to proceed?”

That justifies the garment… and the pin.

“A speech. I would like to give out a pretty speech, as for everything else is up to you. Follow tradition, I don’t care.” I ordered.

Doghead got up and nodded.

“That’s all, you are dismissed.” I waved him off.

And he walked out, I casually willed his chair back to its normal size to blend with the decoration.

Ruth looked at me flabbergasted.

“I was great wasn’t I?”

She chuckled and wrote with her pen. Then showed it to me.

*You do know those two are only seconds to father right? Master mace now despises you and Doghead… well he dislikes everyone but he does seem keen to get rid of you too… Are you aware of how much shit you actually got yourself into?

PS.: Mace can see everything inside his own realm. Every room and all that… are you sure that just taking the pin might have not been the best move? I mean… I don’t mind keeping it, its not like I talk much, or anything like that... —and I will just keep it in the closet when I sleep. I guess.*

I got up and sat in the armrest of Ruth’s chair.

“You sure write fast… ” I smiled. “I can handle all of this politics bullshit, I have them all eating from my hand and I just met the two of them. As for the pin, just keep and don’t bother; I removed the spying jinx. And this room… I will set something up.” I casually played with her soft silver hair.

She nodded… appreciating the gesture even.

I looked around, taking in this grand room.

“What do you think? We are moving up in life… finally we earned a place fit for royalty, like we are supposed to be. Isn’t father like the king of this whole place? Does it not bother you that we… his sires live among the raft? In a cramped little room without space enough to even fart in?” I commented with a wry smile.

And she wrote.

*No. Father was an orphan from a big war… he grew up in really rough conditions without a roof over his head until he turned twenty. He lived rough and the cruelty of the world made him the powerful person he is today. We get an entitled place to sleep? How nice is that in comparison to what he had? My goal is knowledge, and power. Magic is all that matters to me, to keep you safe. Comfort? what good is that towards my goals?* She wrote.

I laughed.

“You are adorable… adorably wise. The truth is that no one is better than anyone. We are all the same towards the face of death. Unless we have the power, the strength to fight it. Still… it pains me to think you don’t appreciate the comforts of a luxury room, after all I did to get it.” I smirked.

*Really? You became head of the cult just for a fancy room? How cute… anyway, those great masters are really strong. I am getting strong by leaps and bounds every day thanks you your pact… but I am not sure I can’t keep you safe from all of them… at the same time I mean. Be careful… alright? — Brother…*

Her writing was just adorable.

I left Ruth to her own devices. She found a lot of rare tomes in the room that she never saw and was really keen into them. She was real bookworm after all.

I got out of my old robe and admired the new one. It was all purple and fancy.

Suddenly I heard a startled yelp. And looked around.

Those two young maids that the Doghead left in my care were staring at me. The little spies… One was a taller than the other, she was a ginger with many freckles, a really cute one by most man’s standards, the other was short with straw blonde hair and a pair of cute brown doe eyes.

The freckled one was standing upright with an uptight look. While the shorter one was covering her face with both hands, shy at my naked visage. No doubt.

Maybe I should start wearing underwear.

They were wearing a simple black and white dress. Popular among maids no doubt.

“You two. Come closer!” I said as I motioned.

They both came. The freckled one was the first to react giving a bow, when she noticed that the other one wasn’t following she gave her a nudge. In awkwardness, the shorter one did the same. A more unpractised bow, but still a bow.

These two were regular humans. Not a hint of magic on them, aside from a slave chocker around their delicate neck. It was made of cloth, but still deadly, instead of a bomb it had an enchantment that did just the same; in case of escape or disobedience… or even for the fun of it; one would guess.

A cruel fate… Still I knew of crueller ones. These two were able to be keep quite a pretty shape and had some fat on their cheeks.

After the bow. The first one to speak was the ginger, she seemed to be more driven and experienced unlike the blonde who was actually quite shy.

“Master, my name is Tina. I was trained since a tender age to serve and help your highness with every need.” She looked at my naked self respectfully. Even with all that practise, still I sensed a hint of awkwardness in her voice.

She nudged the other one again, with her foot.

“Haaa, herm… my name is…. M… M… Marta… and I ermm I’m also a a serf…. Servant. To serve every… Every need.” She quickly spoke timidly and with a stutter.

She was afraid of me. They both were.

“Very well.” I nodded.

“Please let us help with your garment. ” Freckles said.

I just nodded. What the hell am I to do with these two?

I noticed Ruth at the other end of the room looking up from the tome in my general direction. Smirking.

They both opened up the fancy robe with practised ease and donned it over my body. Making every button and adjusting pretty much all the folds.

“Does master require any… under.., small clothes?” Ginger asked.

The blonde just looked away clearly flustered.

“Yes, do go and find me some… small clothes for my royal self if you would…” I waved the both off… —with practised ease.

I could feel Ruth laughing from the other side of the room.

Dammit. I’m off. To greener pastures, it is best to let these two get acquainted with the place and get their bearings… and all that. I will deal with them later.

I decided to walk out of the room and decided to tour the grounds. Turns out that this ‘underdimension’ was quite big. Those stairs I used before, were one of the many entrances; these more specifically lead to the deeper layer of the place. Were the grand library and the chambers of masters were found. Which was forgiven to anyone who did not possess the rank of master or had special permission; like house servants or apprentices that had special jobs here.

The middle layer of the dimension was the smallest, only housing a big corridor and many rooms, it served pretty much as apartments to apprentices and novices who were born into the order.

Those who lived on the surface actually lived there by choice or were otherwise outsiders taken in the monastery from the exterior to be indoctrinated. They did not have access to said second layer without a special residence permit.

And finally, the first layer; it was mostly a school. It had a cantina, many schoolrooms and wide and open spaces for many evil cult purposes. Everyone in the cult could go there, most were required to go even. They had a special currency in this place, something akin to merit points.

Some masters would give lessons there to the younger generation in exchange for these points, something like a job. Apprentices could teach too, once they proved to actually have the knowledge and the prowess.

They could buy food, pay rent… even buy magical items and tomes from each others. That explained why Ruth and Maria lived up there on the surface. No rent expenses it seemed.

Those two… actually I think Maria mentioned liking it more up there for some other reason. Who knew.

After an hour of walking around and making subtle inquiries I gathered that much. Everyone gave me odd glances due to the colour of my garment which stood out to norm. But most actually knew who I was, so I had no real trouble going around.

Soon I found myself in the first layer. In front of a door which read *Theory of magical prowess* they were having class, so I casually opened the door. To see… what these people were actually teaching each other.