***

"What do you know of jinns?" Wuen asked.

"Golden eyed people who are superior in all fields. However, their nation was destroyed about a century ago, so they now all lived either in isolation or as slaves." I replied.

"Yes, yes. That was what is written in books. However, historians were forced to omit a very important detail." He smirked. "Jinns... loved being in trouble. Hell, they were born making it! Their appetites were never satiated, enough to drive them insane and forever be that way. They will eat anything made of flesh, alive or not, including their mothers, fathers, siblings, or whatever. Oh, that was the reason their population was low, by the way."

I shivered. That explains how I blanked out, and got a full stomach after. "So the month long starvation was to test my limits and whether I stay insane or come to after?"

"Hoh, amazing. Yes, that was mainly about it."

I ignored the 'mainly' word as question popped up in my head. "Wait, why was this even omitted? Shouldn't it be the opposite? Like marking it as the heroic tale of the century. Saying jinns were evil, so the sword of justice was drawn to banish them and bring peace upon the land." I shrugged. "Anything that is dramatically grand to get people's support in something as painfully costly like wars will do, right?"

"... You are one weird kid." He commented with a frown.

"Just curious." I said. This might have been like showing my trump card to my enemy, revealing that I was not just a stupid little girl in a predator's body. That I do know how to use brains for its worth. And probably, this was a very stupid move. But, I have to know the answer.

I am a jinn. If I plan to somehow escape from my slavery, then I must know where I could, and should not, step into the world. I don't want stepping into hidden landmines because I had been too cheap with my resources early on. Even if that meant increasing the diffculty of my escape by showing my enemy what I had. I rather gamble now, than when the stakes become irrevocably higher after becoming free. No way. For the sake of my blissfully normal future, I had to play my cards right. Though... I'll keep my fingers crossed for my gamble's success.

So I continue to pester someone who knows more than what was mass produced. "I am a jinn, so I want to know."

He contemplated for a bit, then glared alarmingly. "A slave have no need to know! And I forbid you from repeating what I just said to anyone, in words or actions." The order was easy to do, but it made want to cry a river's worth. Already, he was wary of me, and his orders were less vague than the previous ones... making less loopholes to exploit. I want to smack my head. I just made the road to freedom a bumpier ride. And what did I get. A big loss for no gain. This was why I hate gambling! And yet I did it...I was thinking far too ahead.

Suddenly, he stood up. "This talk is done. I have things for you to do. Get-"

"Wait! Please. I overstepped my boundaries. I apologize. This will not happen again." I jumped in front of him and degradingly grovelled on the paved ground. I gritted my teeth as I spouted words that killed my pride.

"...Fine. But, do that again and I'll make you pay the price for trying to outsmart me." He stomped on my head to make a point, causing my forehead to thud heavily against the paved floor.

Shamelessly, I threw showers of praise. "Of course! I am grateful for your kindness."

He clicked his tongue and put more weight on my head before lifting his foot away. "Good, it is important to know your place. So? What else do you want to know? Beware of your questions, okay?"

"Of course! Then, as for my question, why me? You just said that jinns were both mad and powerful, so why take someone who might just be able to kill you?" Above all the questions popping in my head, I was determined to know this. To know what exactly did I do so wrong to catch the worst attention.

"You? Kill me?" He laughed hard. "You are centuries too early for that, little miss. First of all, you are too kind to actually kill anyone."

"What!?" My head unconsciously snapped up to that unexpectedly placed compliment. I had been called many things, but never as too kind. I was mostly too insensitive to actually be one.

"Vitaly, Vitaly, Vitaly. I made your greatest fear manifest that time at the Orphanage. And what happened? It seems you are very afraid of the dark, of watching others in pain, of being helpless to help them, of being alone even when that loneliness allowed you to escape the pain! I had used that spell to many people, and I must say, your fears are such a refreshing wind after watching all sort of hells of the mind."

Me? Kind? The idea was really hard to swallow.

"The second reason is that, you are different from all the jinns I've seen. At your age, not only weren't you mindlessly eating, you are even showing intelligence far beyond your age. This occurrence is a first, you know. So, I want to know why. The third reason is Aracelli. The old maid lives to see interesting things. I figured that a thinking jinn would interest her as well. That secures my supply of rare materials, so I wouldn't have to scramble around looking for them. Fourth, and most importantly, was because you were funny! I haven't laughed that hard in centuries, and you did it so flawlessly. Heh, the pig's face was priceless, something I would not trade for the most expensive stones. And did you see his widening nose? It was so unbelievably wide, you know! Also..." He blabbered far more than I cared to listen to.

I... will not dwell on the fourth reason, or else my soul might break from depression.

"Thank you for answering. So, what am I supposed to do as your slave?" It had been roughly one hour since I woke up in the sea, but I felt extremely tired. Talking with this guy was such a mental drain.

He wrote something in a paper and handed it to me. "Yes, yes. You handle the cleaning and cooking."

Huh?

"And?" I asked in confusion.

"That will be it. I am not blind and can see that this place is big, and I am not stupid to know that cooking meant you will need something cook. Ugh, whatever. What I mean is that, doing all those things will require an entire day, and I want you to do them everyday. Understand me?" He asked the last bit with frustration.

After I nodded, he reached down to my head, ruffled my hair, then wordlessly went off to his business.

Really, I don't know whether to cry or be happy for having him as my master.

...One month later, and I decided I want to quit.

***