21.

In exchange for your life

Dominic arrived at the countess’s residence in the evening a few days later, and was welcomed by a butler at the gates. The estate was sprawling, larger than Helwin’s, with gardens that seemed to stretch for miles, mimicking a manicured wilderness. And despite the stench that hung around the countess, despite how her mana made him want to hurl, nothing from the gates to the house felt the same. Regardless of where she had picked up her scent, it didn’t linger here.

He was led inside, to a room where the countess was waiting, tea already set out for two. She smiled kindly as she greeted him.

“Welcome, Lio.”

Her chokingly thick mana made it hard to smile back.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, Madam,” Dominic replied, taking his seat. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss a chance to converse with a mind as bright as yours.”

“I’m flattered.”

“I speak only the truth.”

She chuckled, then gestured towards the table.

“Please, try the tea,” she said. “You mentioned not having been back in the city in a while, so I thought I’d introduce you to a blend that’s been trending in the capital recently.”

“You’re very considerate.”

Dominic picked up the cup and took a sip. He could hardly taste anything, his senses clogged with the scent of blood and tarnishing metal that was radiating off of her, but the tea wasn’t jarringly bad, at the very least. Unlike how Thelo had greeted him, she hadn’t fed him poison.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“There’s a unique tang to it,” Dominic replied. “Do the capital’s residents enjoy these kinds of flavors?”

The countess chuckled, bringing her cup to her lips as well.

“Well, as I like to say,” she answered after a small sip, “people will enjoy anything as long as it’s memorable.”

“How apt.”

“I’ll have the butler send some back with you later,” she said. “You can share it with Lord Helwin as well. I’ve heard he hasn’t left the territory in a while due to his circumstances.”

“Thank you. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”

She smiled.

“By the way, have you eaten yet, Lio?” she asked.

“I had a light meal before coming.”

“Then I’ll have the servants set out snacks instead.”

She snapped, and the doors slowly creaked open. A few servants, whom he had known had been waiting tensely outside, walked slowly in, pushing a cart holding chinaware and light desserts. They carefully placed the plates onto the table with practiced, yet still anxious, movements.

From under their sleeves, Dominic could see ink-like drawings covering the skin on their wrists.

“Your servants are quite…decorated,” Dominic remarked.

The countess seemed amused.

“You noticed?” she said. “I like them that way. If you’re interested, I can show you more.”

“I am intrigued,” Dominic replied, forcing himself to say it. “Thelo mentioned it in passing. What do you call them?”

“Work seals.” She beckoned for one of the servants, a young girl, to come closer. “Here, let me show you.”

The girl seemed startled at being singled out, but put her head down and reluctantly walked towards them.

“Take off your robe.”

She looked up at them with huge, panicked eyes. The countess clicked her tongue.

“I’m not asking you to strip off everything, just show him your back,” she said. “That’s fine with you, right, Lio? I hope you’re not uncomfortable.”

Dominic pinched his arm under the table so hard he knew it would bruise, maintaining a cordial smile.

“I’m not,” he replied.

“Thank goodness. I just assumed a maid’s seal would be the most standard. I hope you understand.”

“Of course, Madam. You’re doing this for my sake, after all.”

She smiled at his response.

“You are very kind, Lio,” she said. “Now come on, take it off.”

The maid bit her lip, but obediently turned around and loosened the top of her robes. They fell down past her shoulders, revealing her bare back. The skin was covered in a huge black design, thick and dark as ink, which swirled across her entire body and continued up her arms. There were characters written in straight, meticulously spaced lines, spreading across her back in a few thin columns. He didn’t know what any of it said, but he could feel weak magic emanating from it. In a way, it was similar to the magic engineering that he knew in Vaine—symbols and words culminating in the execution of a spell—but never had he heard of magic programmed into a tattoo.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” the countess said after seeing Dominic study it so closely.

“The workmanship is admirable,” he replied. “Is it completely made of mana?”

“No, it’s ink infused with mana,” she answered, waving the thought off. “More efficient.”

Dominic leaned back, taking his eyes off the frightened girl.

“What does the seal provide?” he asked.

“It’s a simple healing spell,” the countess replied. “It allows them to regain their health in exchange for their servitude. Isn’t it fair that way?”

She chuckled.

“I’m the one letting you have more time on this planet, so you should at least dedicate your time to me.”

Dominic found another spot on his arm and pinched himself again.

“It’s only logical,” he remarked with a smile.

“You really get me, Lio.”

Dominic glanced over briefly at the girl, still standing there shivering. The countess noticed his discomfort.

“Oh, it must have been awkward with her there,” she said. “Put your clothes back on and go, all of you.”

The girl hurriedly wrapped her robes back around her shoulders and bowed, exiting with the others. Dominic watched the closed door for a moment longer before turning back to the table.

It would’ve been so easy for him to fix the girl’s problem. It would've been so easy for him to heal them all, to release everybody in the entire estate. But he couldn’t go through with it. What Countess Maylia was doing was completely legal. No matter how many of her slaves he set free, she would just make new servants again, and he would end up putting a giant target on himself and on Helwin. The problem would not go away with one reckless move.

Dominic could only sit back and pinch himself.

“Say, Lio,” the countess said, setting her cup down, “would you like to do something else?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Something else?”

“Yes. Do you remember that attraction I mentioned at Count Gela’s?”

“Of course, you said it was new in town.”

“Yes, that one.” The countess nodded with a smile. “It seems we share similar tastes, so I would love to introduce you to it.”

“Are we going now?” Dominic asked.

“We can. Do you want to?”

He nodded.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what it is,” he replied. “Please show me.”

“Wonderful.”

She stood from her seat. He did as well. The door swung open, two guards at attention, holding them for Dominic and their lord to pass. They moved into the hall and down the corridor, two maids quietly attaching to and following the countess like satellites.

“I’m so very excited to introduce you to this place,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m quite proud of it. In fact, I founded it myself.”

“Really?”

Dominic tried to sound surprised. With an aura like the countess’s, there was no doubt in his mind that she was the root of everything. They stepped into a small room, a teleportation circle intricately carved into the floor in white.

“Does this place have a name?” he asked, glancing down at the design beneath their feet.

“Of course, Lio,” she replied with a laugh. “I named it simply.”

The circle activated, sending white light over his vision. Despite that, the countess was definitely smiling as she spoke.

“It’s called ‘Maylia Arena.’”

There was silence for the split second that it took for them to move locations.

And then there was an unimaginable roar.

Dominic opened his eyes with a start, the white sheen surrounding them dispersing. They were standing in the front row of a giant, underground stadium, every seat filled. All around him were spectators cheering, jeering, attempting to shout at each other over the din of everyone else. The sand of the arena floor was splattered with red, glinting with fragments of broken blades. He clenched his fists so hard he heard his knuckles crack. This was it. This was where it was coming from. Metal scraping on metal. Gore mixed in with the sand on the ground. Blood, blood, blood, blood, blood.

“Are you surprised?” the countess asked, glancing up at him.

He calmed himself. His expression had given too much away. He was glad that she had misunderstood his reaction as simple surprise.

“A little bit,” he replied, going along with it. “The scale is far beyond what I had imagined.”

She chuckled.

“That’s not a problem at all!” she said, voice full of pride. “A real Maylia will always go beyond expectations.”

Dominic nodded.

“It is quite something.”

She smiled, making her way over to a set of plush, luxurious seats made of crimson velvet. They had their own, private section, the nearest regular spectators placed a few rows back. As Dominic sat down beside her, a couple scents caught his attention through the haze of blood, and he raised his head to get a better look.

In an adjacent section, obviously also built for nobles with plush green seats and servants in attendance, he spotted a few familiar faces. Kilan Gela and some of his nameless followers were sitting there, laughing as a joke seemed to pass between them, waiting for the next round to start.

“Are you surprised to see them here as well?” the countess asked, following his gaze.

“I’m not sure,” Dominic replied. “I’m not yet acquainted with Young Master Gela that well, nor his friends.”

“Perhaps you will get closer with them here,” she said. “You’ll be seeing them often.”

No wonder Aster had noted that all of them smelled of blood. They were regulars.

“I’d much rather converse with you, Madam,” Dominic said. He actually meant it this time. Minor nobles like that who were only accessories to the problem were useless to him. The countess laughed.

“Ah, you know how to flatter me.”

Dominic turned his gaze back to the arena in front of them, empty now, but still splattered with streaks of rusty red.

“I have a good idea of what you host here already,” he said, “but could you introduce me still?”

“Of course, Lio,” she replied. “Maylia Arena is for entertainment. We showcase gladiators. Sometimes they go against each other, sometimes against beasts. There is never a dull moment.”

“Are the gladiators professionals?” Dominic asked.

“Not quite,” she said. “As with the servants in my home, most of the fighters here are people indebted to me, or other nobles.”

She shrugged.

“Some of them were talented at combat to begin with, so I placed them here. Some weren’t smart enough to make into maids or footmen, so they ended up here. I make fair judgements.”

So some were gladiators, and some were cannon fodder. Dominic glanced at the streaks of red that painted the arena floor.

“Do they really die here?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Not all of them, but some do,” the countess honestly replied. “It’s cruel, but is that not part of the beauty of it? The passion, the desperation…”

She smiled.

“…There is nothing like a battle between life and death to move a person. It’s simply irreplaceable.”

Dominic opened his mouth to speak, but decided to cut it short.

“I’ll look forward to it,” he said.

“I’ll give you a good show.”

One of the maids who had followed her handed her a thick book. She tapped the cover, looking up at the announcer’s box.

“Let’s begin.”

“Ladies and gentlemen!” A man’s deep voice boomed across the stands. The crowd roared in response. “Today we have a very special guest, one that you have all been waiting for!”

More cheers. The anticipation rose.

“Please welcome our genius founder and main donor, the Countess of Maylia!”

She stood and waved. The floor shook as the spectators emptied their lungs to welcome her.

“Countess! Countess!”

“The best controller!”

“Give us a good show!”

She was wildly popular, in a place like this.

The countess gave them all a smile, then sat down again and glanced at Dominic.

“They love you,” he remarked before she could speak.

She chuckled.

“It’s because I’m good at what I do,” she replied.

She pulled the book back into her lap and opened it, beginning to browse the pages.

“What kind of show would you like to see, Lio?” she asked, countless seals and names passing before her eyes.

Dominic hesitated, but he couldn’t prevent what was to come regardless of what he chose.

“I’ll take anything,” he replied.

She hummed for a moment, then nodded.

“Alright, if that’s the case, then let’s pick at random.”

The countess lifted her hand, the pages rising and flipping open too quickly to be seen. Two seals detached from the paper and floated upwards, glowing blue.

“The challengers have been chosen!” the announcer shouted, welcoming another round of cheers.

The seals fizzled out in the air as two men, tattoos on their bare backs shimmering the same color, stalked out from opposite sides of the arena. One was thin and lanky, the other tall and broad, with short, pointed horns sticking out of the top of his head.

“Here we go,” the countess said, setting the book back onto a table beside her.

She glanced at Dominic with a smile, happy to show him the hell she had made.

“Let’s have a good show.”