Estorea woke up, the room in total darkness, except for that one, small stream of sunlight coming from a small gap on the curtains.

Estorea yawned, covering her mouth. Her eyes became watery and she rub her eyes tiredly. It was rather nice to wake up on your own and not hear an annoying voice call you out every morning.

However, she still needed a trusted attendant. And Estorea planned to buy a slave, after all, one whom is at their lowest point, as they received great treatment, they would become strongly attached to it, never wanting to leave it, thus becoming loyal to their benefactor and having a low chance of betraying them.

Since Akira is gone, it would be much easier to escape the mansion. Besides, there wasn't a hovering cockroach this time, now - was there?

Estorea pulled the covers off of her, and got up, heading to the bathroom to take a quick bath and quickly dress up. She would eat her breakfast first and then set off, telling the maids that she would be in her room all day and that they are not to go inside nor near her room under any circumstances.

Honestly, it would be better to dismiss them all but her Father would get a whiff of that and be suspicious, added on, who's gonna clean the mansion?

Obviously not her.

-knock knock-

"Come in." Estorea said, as she sat herself down on the armchair and took out a book.

The wooden doors got pushed open and came the familiar sound of the metal cart rolling across the marble floor.

"Y-Y-Young M-Miss' B-B-Breakfast h-h-has a-a-arrived!" The maid stuttered, her words incoherent. With trembling hands, she lifted up the tray and placed it on the table, removing the tray cover.

And in an instant, she did a 90° degree-angled bow and basically dashed out of the room, slamming the doors behind her.

Having no reaction to that, Estorea simply picked up the spoon and started eating.

Soon, she finished and she called the maid back again, who trembled constantly as she took the cart away.

"I should go out now." Getting up, Estorea prepared a black cloak and the bag of money.

And she went out to the plaza through the same route.

____

'This must be the slave market...' Tugging the black hood over her head harder, Estorea looked around, scruntising the slaves in the locked cages.

She needed a good youth that looked death really.

As she peeked through cage by cage, she then stumbled upon a young boy.

[Credit: Twitter: MoxaMog]

He had gray hair and faded, dark cyan eyes.

Estorea stared at him, his body had cuts and scars everywhere and he was slumping. Devoid of life.

'Just what I need.' She thought, not giving one second thought of worry or concern over his mental and physical state.

She walk over to the seemingly, day woman whose brown hair was ties up into a bun as freckles dotted her face.

"Excuse me. I would like to buy that slave, how much is he?" She pointed to the gray-haired boy. He didn't react to her words or actions.

The middle-aged woman narrowed her eyes, seeing Estorea. She rubbed her chin, "Should a girl as young as you be out wandering about, buying slaves?"

Hearing those words, Estorea's eyes flashed, a look of annoyance flitted through, she has no need for such useless questions. "Are you going to tell me or what?" She asked, her voice cold.

The woman flinched, hearing the sudden drop of the young girl's voice and look away, hmphing. Seeing her choice again, she calculated the market price, stretching out her hand, "1,000 Uvos."

Estorea nodded, without hesitation, she took out several, big gold coins and handed it to the woman who grinned and stuff the coins in her pocket.

She then took out a golden key, swinging it around her finger as she unlocked the cage, and walked towards the young boy, unlocking his chain from the bars of the cage.

Roughly pulling him towards Estorea, she handed her the end of the chain. "Thank you for purchasing." And went back to watching over the slaves.

Estorea look at the chain in her hand, and then to the boy. "Come on, let's go." She wanted to take him to the clinic first to bandage all his injuries. Actually a bath might be better.

'The clinic should have some wiping down system. Let's just go there first.' Estorea look down at the hunched boy again, her eyes twitches in annoyance.

"Oi, stand up, will you? I'm not gonna drag you around, alright? You're way too heavy for me to accomplish that." Saying that, she yank the chain upwards, forcing him to stand.

"Come on, let's go, you lifeless human."

...

"Do you have a name?" Estorea asked, as she sat down on the bed across from him. She had taken off the chain of him, it was currently in some alleyway she had toss randomly.

He kept silent.

"Okay, I guess no then. I will name you then. Haigu shall be your name from now on." Estorea decided as she rested her cheeks in her palms, which was resting her elbows on her thighs as she observed Haigu's facial features.

'He's rather decent-looking. I could use his looks to my advantage.'

A nurse then came over with a pail of water and a clean cloth in her hand, she look at Estorea.

"I will be going." Estorea said, getting the hint from the look the nurse had given her. She got up, "I'm gonna go buy some clothes for you."

Estorea didn't need to get his measurements, she already did so by just calculating is from his body shape mentally.

This would be a challenge for a normal person, but not for a genius.

...

"You look much better now that you're all bandaged up and that you're clean." Estorea commented as she step in the room, she did a small nod and thank the nurse who step out of the room to give them privacy.

Estorea held out the brown paper bag, inside was bought clothes that she has chosen at a shop.

"Wear this." Haigu took the paper bag silently. He look inside and carefully took out the folded clothes. Standing up, he stared at Estorea for a while before she let out a sigh and turned around. "Alright, I won't look."

Hearing the sound of clothes rustling and quiet grunts, Hagiu managed to put on the clothes successfully.

And once Estorea was able to turn around, she nodded approvingly at his brand new appearance, looking him up and down.

[Credit: Deviantart: Quinnyllade]

'Clothes really do make the man!'

Taking one more look at the boy, she turn away. "Alright, let's go."