Alfred the worker elf watched his contractor and her family as they all ate their supper. It was a simple fare of fish steaks and fried vegetables. Alfred felt touched that he was invited to the dinner table. The protectors of the grotto, the murder muffins, were eating their own steaks underneath the table. Alfred’s former contractor had made him eat outside. This nymph was too kind.

It had been a stroke of luck when the words had appeared in front of Alfred. An urgent call for help and a generous recruitment letter all in one. Alfred was entitled to his own alcove to sleep in near one of the stone stoves. He was even given fabrics to make his own bedding, even if that wasn’t covered in the contract.

He was allowed to work with a roof, or rather stone, in this case, over his head. He had been a lower-ranked worker elf back home and so he worked in the extension of the factory. Outside in the snow where the “presents” for the bad children were made.

It was nice that now Alfred would work in a warm place. He had been warned not to go near the glowing tree, for that was cursed by the dead fairy. The contractor had said that it was a gift, but Alfred knew better.

They sometimes placed fairy eggs in the gifts for the bad children. Most didn’t hatch, but they were still used to scare the children into getting on the good list the next year. Alfred pitied the worker elves who had to tend the fairy farm.

“Alfred, can you sew?” Asked Theanore and that broke the elf from his musings. Sewing was easy. He nodded.

“Well, then, can you make a couple of linen capes for Mari and me to enchant?”

“How many would you like done, mistress?” Asked Alfred, expecting one or three as this was the number of his contractor’s whole family.

“At least ten. But don’t overwork yourself! Take lots of breaks and snacks.” Said Theanore and Alfred breathed a sigh of relief. This place was better already. If only the system hadn’t given him that weird condition.

The system, which introduced itself as his contractor’s HR agent, had told him that he was to always listen to the contractor or he would be sent back home. Alfred had been born and raised on the icy continent of Alerion, but he didn’t want to return, if possible. He knew he was a slave there.

“I will make you your ten capes, mistress.”

“Don’t call me that. Call me Theanore.” Said Theanore as she pilled more vegetables on Alfred’s plate when she saw he had eaten his old ones.

“Theanore, then.” Said Alfred happily. Then he received a message in red.

Warning: Breach of contract.

This is your one and only warning, elf, as it was a direct command. You are to keep a respectful distance from your contractor. Only you can see this message. Keep it to yourself or it is the slave farm for you.

Alfred gulped and began eating anew to keep himself busy. The last thing he wanted was to go back there.

Theanore noticed this but kept silent. Alfred was weird. He kept getting skittish for no reason. Was the place he came from so bad? She needed to ask the system later when she got time to herself.

After the dinner, they all went their separate ways. Marinus back to the pool to check on his aquafarm. Crassus outside to oversee the construction of his house. A stone one, as he had said that a mud one will leak in rainy weather. Theanore went to her apple tree to check if she could speak with Bellchime and Alfred went to start on the capes.

Next to the apple tree Theanore poked the ghost aura and giggled as it tickled her. But she hadn’t forgotten about Alfred.

“System, did you take Alfred from a very bad place?” She asked.

The Alerion gift farm is known for making children all around the world happy. If you are good then the owner, Grandpa Thinker, will give you a present for Yule too. If you are bad, he will give you a bad surprise.

“You didn’t answer the question, system.” Said Theanore. She didn’t like the attempt the system made to distract her with a potential present.

You treat your employees much better.

“Well, then we must rescue more worker elves! How many can I contract with 400 mana?” This was the entire reservoir that Theanore possessed. Her father Crassus had talked both her and Marinus out of absorbing any more wealth so they had plenty to trade.

You already spend 50 mana on Bellchime and were given Alfred the worker elf as a replacement. You have 350 mana to work with. Your regen is in an hour. I suggest you spend the mana quickly. Would you like to buy 7 worker elves? Yes/No?

“Yes! Rescue seven and, in an hour, we will rescue eight more!” Said Theanore happily. Seven elves appeared before her. Three girls and four boys. The girls curtsied and the boys fell on one knee.

“Hello, I am Theanore the nymph. I rescued you from the evil farms of Alerion. I rescued one of your kind earlier too. An elf by the name of Alfred. He is making capes right now. Let me lead you to him.”

The elves followed Theanore and they looked around the grotto. It was warm here, at least. Then the stomach of one of the girls grumbled and she paled. Grandpa Thinker punished such things.

“Are you hungry?” Asked the contractor. Then the girl made a beeline to a table and showed the hungry elves a large pan filled with vegetables.

“It is a bit cold, but it is tasty. You will have to wait until tomorrow for fish though. Father and Mari went to sleep already. Eat your fills. Here, some spoons.”

The wonderful contractor gave them each a spoon. And not just any type of spoons. Silver ones! The elves descended on the food and they were given a bread bun each. They could cry. They had never been treated so well. But they each received a message in red.

Respect the contractor! You are worker elves. Reign in your emotions and act like it!

But Theanore didn’t know about this. She was happy she could make more friends. Now she needed to wait only an hour and she would get eight more!