With the departure of The Demon Queen came the silence. Only Flint and the white-haired butler remained in the Dining Hall. The latter bowed. “I’m so sorry! That girl acts like a spoiled princess, but I assure you she isn’t a bad person”

“Don’t worry. You don’t need to bow,” Flint said.

The butler corrected his posture pronto, just to bow again. “I shall apologize twice then.” He lifted his head “I’m afraid you have to clean all this mess, I will help of course. You wouldn’t like to see her when she discovers you disobeyed her orders.”

Flint sighed. “Seems like I have no choice then…”

From tiny bits to large chunks, various pieces of broken glass were spread across the stone floor. The butler brought two brooms and a few buckets. How exciting! Flint’s very first task in this fantasy world would be a cleaning duty.

In that spacious and silent room, only the sound of their brooms scraping against the floor could be heard. Even the wind coming from the broken window didn't whisper. After a minute of mutual silence, the butler broke it, proving to be a good company.

“Can you believe this is the ninth time she breaks a window?”

Flint chuckled. “I don’t doubt it… She always like this?”

“Yes… Dealing with her is such a pain… Ugh! Always acting like a spoiled princess!” The butler started to sweep harder, that woman easily got into his nerves.

“What’s your name? Mine’s Flint… But I think you knew already.”

“Namzara, nice to meet you. I’m the older brother of Melidia, that bratty Queen–”

“What?” Flint exclaimed as he looked at him.

“Something wrong?” The butler leaned to the right. “Is it strange that I’m her brother?”

“If you’re her brother, why are you acting like a janitor then? Don’t you have all these maids and butlers already?”

“Maids? Butlers?” Namzara furrowed his brows. “I think you’ve got something wrong.”

Flint stopped sweeping. “How?”

“They’re not servants. They’re just people who live here. We’re just a big family, me and Melidia included.”

“But then… Why everybody seems to obey your sister?”

“It’s complicated … Willing to hear it?”

Flint nodded as he started to sweep again. The butler grabbed a bucket and carefully put a big glass shard inside. He tilted his head upwards to gather inspiration to begin explaining.

“All her life she lived confined in this castle. No one knows why she can’t leave. ”

The boy stepped in a glass piece, making it easier to sweep. “I’d pity her…”

“Well, since she can’t leave, we bring to her anything she needs. We spoiled her.”

“That explains a lot!”

“She threatens us if we deny something to her.”

The boy stared at Namzara. “And you, older brother, just let her behave like that?”

The butler supported his head with the broom. “Yes, she has a natural talent for destructive magic. It’s embarrassing, but my little sister can easily defeat me.”

Flint chortled, he had something in common with that man.

Namzara sucked his teeth. “That brat refuses to help around the castle. At least her presence scares off any potential pillagers.”

“What about the heroes?”

“They come sometimes, but they only target Melidia. I think she has a reward in her head. Regardless, no one ever managed to scratch her, so we don’t need to worry.”

Their conversation died, the sound of the sweeping brooms filled the room once again. The two were quite the cleaning duo. Ten minutes passed, and only a few pieces of glass remained in the floor.

Flint called for Namzara’s attention. “So… Am I part of the family now?” A void filled his eyes. “I’m stuck here after all.”

The butler gave a curt sigh. “Sorry, but I don’t think so…”

“Why?” The boy knitted his brows “Something against humans?”

“Not really. Some of the others guys don’t like humans, but that’s not the problem.”

“Then what is?”

“You see… When you were at the bath, Melidia was happily bragging about how she captured a suspicious individual.” He dramatically paused. “She considers you as her personal slave… A spoil of war basically.”

Forget about exciting adventures on a fantasy world. The boy became a slave. His owner? A damn demon. What kinds of torture awaited him? A single drop of sweat slid down his cheek. He had to calm down, maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. He mechanically turned his head to Namzara, twisting his mouth into an awkward smile.

“What… What will happen to me?” he asked, eyes wide open.

The butler focused his sights on the floor, putting the last bits of glass dust inside the bucket. He was trying to avoid eye contact. “I am truly sorry…”

“Then… Please help me!”

“Stay calm. It won’t be that bad… If you’re lucky, she will just treat you like an undesired pet.”

“Lucky?” Flint dropped his jaw. “That’s the best that can happen?”

Namzara grabbed the buckets filled with trash. “We’re finally finished! Well… Good luck! See you.”

“Wait! Don’t leave me!”

The white-haired demon rushed out of the Dining Hall, leaving the perplexed boy behind. Flint felt lost.

“What now?” he asked himself.

*****

A sparkly night could be seen from the broken window that Melidia had opened. Countless drops of spilled milk and grains of sugar were dropped on the huge mantle called sky. Such a beautiful view didn’t exist back in the real world. There, it seemed like a dark curtain, hiding the beauty of the universe. The boy was sitting in one of the many wooden chairs from the Dining Hall, mesmerized by the sight.

“Flint? Sweetie? Are you here?” Mamyl cheerfully hummed as she entered the room, repeatedly turning her head to the sides.

He waved his hand. “Over here! I just finished cleaning the floor with Namzara”

She put her hands together in front of the chest and walked to his side. “Zara is a good person… I’m happy that you are making friends already…”

Calling them friends was a bit too much.

He tightened his lips, forcing a smile. “You said you were looking for me?”

“Ah! I just wanted to show you to your room. You will be staying over here right?”

“Yes…” He sighed. “I can’t go back home after all.”

“Don’t worry!” She smiled. “You will see that you will fit right in!”

Every word from her had an incredible optimism inscribed. The positive energy cheered the boy with confidence. A certain ginger maiden, however, barged into the room, interrupting them.

“He’s my responsibility… Leave this matter to me,” Hyuna said.

Mamyl tried to protest. “Aw! You know I–”

“Milady said I was responsible for him. Leave.”

Her unfading voice carried strength within its waves. Trying to argue with her would be as pointless as discussing with a wall. Mamyl let her shoulders relax in defeat. She gripped on her dress and left to the Kitchen while pouting her cheeks.

Hyuna waited until the blonde crossed the door. “Follow me, I will show you to your room.”

Rolling his eyes, Flint obliged. Shame, he wished the gentle and beautiful Mamyl were the one responsible for him.

*****

“What’s this?” The boy inquired about the object in front of him.

“Your bedroom… Any issue?”

Hyuna presented him to a badly constructed dog house by the gates of the castle. The dog bowl from before lay next to it. Pochi was now written in the house as well and rusted nails were sticking out from some of the planks from his room.

“I have an issue alright! How am I going to sleep in there?”

He shouted in her face, but the ginger maid didn’t even flinch.

“Don’t be so picky, Pochi.”

“My name is Flint.”

“Pochi, good or bad, you should be thankful for a gift.”

Flint crossed his arms “Are you listening to anything I say?”

Even while jesting on the poor boy, the maid still kept her face stiff and expressionless. Her head was probably made out of hard plastic. Yes, even a doll would be a better actress than her.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back by morning to bring your breakfast.”

She approached him and opened her arms.

“What are you doing?” Flint stepped back.

But before he could get away from her, the girl embraced him. It was an awkward, but warm, hug.

“What are you doing?!” He spun his head to the right. “Stop it!”

Amidst her cold heart, a warm seedling of kindness saw spring.

Clack! Not really.

A metal collar latched around his neck, chaining him to the dog house. Her cold heart evolved into a raging blizzard, ripping the seedling of kindness into tiny unrecognizable bits.

“NO WAY!” Flint tried to pull the collar off.

“Now be good and go to sleep.” She stepped back into the castle, not looking back at the afflicted boy. The iron gates closed in a loud slam.

“EY! You can’t do this to me!”

“…”

“Are there any animals out here?”

“…”

“Isn’t it a bit too cold outside? Ey! I will freeze to death!”

The gate slightly opened. A hand ejected a fur blanket from the gap. Slam! It closed again.

“Can’t you guys spare a room? Any would do! Ey!”

“...”

“Ey! I don’t even need a room! Sleeping in the hallway is fine! Anywhere!”

“…”

“Eeeeey!”

*****

A dense and lush forest surrounded the castle from the north, south, west, and east. It featured an impeccable palette of green. The grey castle was nothing but a tiny island in this ocean of leaves. Innumerous birds lived in there, providing a natural orchestra unique to that place. Their melody announced the dawn of a new day. One couldn’t ask for a better wakeup call–

“AAAAH!”

An agonized shriek ripped through Flint’s eardrums. The shock forced open his heavy eyelids.

“Wha... Wha happ… What happened?”

Mamyl leaned forward. “That Hyuna! How could she do this to you!” She stared at Flint, brows knitted. “This is inexcusable! My poor sweetie…”

The boy had entangled himself with the fur blanket and rested inside the dog house. A neck-pain reminded him of a bad night of sleep.

The blonde covered her mouth in disbelief. “They even chained you!”

“Hm? Ah… Yes.”

“Just wait a little longer! I’ll be back to help you!” She stomped her way back into the castle.

“Huh… I guess… I can go back to sleep then…”

*****

“Wake up,” a voice said.

Ignoring it, Flint tucked his head.

“Wake up.”

“Leave me alone”

“Wake up.”

“Agh!” Flint slammed the wall from his room. “I woke up! Happy now?”

The morning was still cold, and the last thing the boy wanted was to be greeted by a certain ginger plastic doll. Too bad, Hyuna crouched in front of his doghouse holding his dog bowl. It was filled with a white concoction. Probably porridge.

She extended her arms. “Your breakfast. Enjoy.”

The boy scowled and subtly scratched his nose. The memories of that cold night swelled ire from the inside. He, with both of his hands, gladly accepted the offering, he firmly gripped the bowl, and… Paff! Threw it at her face.

His actions were so rude, she had to ask. “What’re you doing?”

Just like her, Flint started to keep an expressionless face as well. He gave her a cold stare and calmly replied. “Justice.”

Unbeknown to either of them, the couple accidentally started a staring contest. Whoever showed a minimal sign of emotion would lose the game.

“This is a waste of nutritive resources,” she said.

“I don’t care.”

Scraping what could still be consumed from her face, she threw the gooey paste back into the dog bowl. Her mouth started to squirm left and right. “Pft.” She spat on the porridge.

“Your breakfast. Enjoy… “

And just like that, the boy couldn’t keep that little Who expresses an emotion first? game anymore. He widened his eyes and bared his teeth. “I am not eating!”

“This food has all the ingredients necessary for your body.”

He tilted his head upwards, almost hitting the ceiling of the dog house. “Is your spit necessary?”

“It’s an extra, consider it a gift.”

In response, Flint kept quiet and stared at her with hollow eyes.

She tried to push the bowl to him. “Your breakfast. Enjoy”

“I’m not eating you damn–“

Paff! The porridge flew into his face, cutting short his rebellion.

“No need to thank me,” she said.

“I won’t.”

After being defeated, Flint tried to clean his face with his bare hands. He didn’t want to dirty his fur blanket and his clothes. From the distance, a man whose skin shinned by the rising Sun approached the loving couple. It was that drunken lizard-man from yesterday.

“Aye! Miss Hyuna! You didn’t catch that kitty around have you?”

“No,” she coldly replied.

The green guy scratched the scales from his head. “Damn be that Witch! Just because we made a bit of good ruckus she did her finger snap thingy and poofed us out of the castle! “

“You deserved that.”

“Bah! Now I can’t find that kitty anywhere. He might be in some trouble.”

While Flint scraped his dirty hands onto the ground, Hyuna turned to him. “Good timing, Pochi can help in your search.”

The lizard-man hadn’t noticed the pitiful boy yet. When he did, his long jaw dropped. “Boy… What’ve they done to you? “

Flint didn’t say a thing. He didn’t want to, neither need to.

In a click, Hyuna disconnected the chain that attached the boy to the dog house. The uncomfortable metal collar was still around his neck though.

“Make good use of Pochi, bring it back here before noon,” she said.

The green man didn’t know how to answer. A hesitant “Aye.” left his mouth.

The maid gazed at him with her emerald eyes. “If Pochi escapes… It will be your head, understood?” Her face didn’t express anything, but a murderous intent could be felt.

“Aye, Miss Hyuna.”

She entered the castle, leaving Poc– Flint to the care of the lizard-man. The boy’s second quest in this fantasy world had begun: To find a lost Kitty.