Before he left the Mystic Emporium Devan asked if there was anywhere he could buy slaves from the old man and the old man gave him detailed instructions on how to quickly find the local slave trader, the old man's tone suddenly very respectful. Devan smiled at that. 'Money does make the world go round.'

He set off leisurely as he browsed different shops and stalls littered around Lake falls town. He even bought one skewer of meat from a stall, he was simply tempted by the smell. He happily made his way towards the slave trader as he enjoyed his delicious skewer.

"Taste exactly like chicken but more succulent and mind-blowingly delicious. This chicken meat trumps all chicken meat on earth. This is crazy." Devan mumbled incoherently as he praised the fantasy style chicken skewer.

Without knowing it, Devan suddenly arrived where the slave trader was located. He frowned at the sight of naked men and women locked in cages and displayed as you would merchandise. 'I thought I was mentally ready for this, but nothing can really prepare from seeing the real thing.'

Devan clenched his fist in anger. 'This must be what they call culture shock!' he thought in anger.

Devan looked away and focused on his purpose of being here. He needs someone that will protect him and will not betray him and a slave fits the bill of what he needs right now. Looking away from the lifeless look of the displayed slaves, he went inside showing a blank look on his face, acting as like the current display of human depravity did not make him feel sick to the stomach.

The slave trader, a fat chubby man dressed in very fancy clothes layered with gold, looked at him in delight.

"Ahh! A customer." he smiled, eyes looking up and down at Devan.

Devan frowned at the chubby man's demeanour.

"My name is Trey, what can I do for you, young sir?"

"I need a slave, a strong slave that can protect me." answered Devan.

"Ah! good timing young master.."

"Devan." Devan finished as Trey was looking at him expectantly.

"Ah, so it is young master Devan. Like I said you are in luck, I have recently acquired someone of that description, a young woman, pretty young thing, but untouched I assure you. I a man of great integrity and knows that the intact purity of a young woman increases her value." he grinned.

"I see." replied Devan in a dead-pan voice.

"Is she the only one available?" he asked.

Trey nodded. "She is very young, I assume around 20, I have just acquired her recently so she hasn't been taught how to behave appropriately but she is very strong. A tier 3 aura user. But she has been engraved with the slave seal and will obey any commands given to her. Considering her rude attitude and strong personality. I will definitely give you a discount considering the state of the product."

"Here we are young master." Trey stopped at a cell holding a woman chained up, covered in wounds.

"Sorry about that her state of being, we were in the middle of educating her." he said menacingly.

The girl in question looked at both of them with fury and disgust in her eyes. The dirt on her face has not marred her beauty and her silver hair was caked in dust and grime. Her eyes blue, shimmering with determination and defiance.

"How much?" Devan asked.

"20 gold and that price is a discount considering she is a mid-tier 3 aura user and is very beautiful she could easily go for 30 gold." Trey replied.

"You bastards!" shouted the silver-haired girl.

Trey became angry at her. "Shut up!" he shouted. The silver-haired then began to spasm in the ground and was screaming in pain.

"One of the ways you can punish your slaves young master." he smiled evilly.

Devan hardened his eyes and immediately paid for the girl.

"Don't worry young master we will heal her before giving her to you and then we can immediately start with the procedure of branding her as your slave. Her life and death controlled by you're will." he chuckled evilly.

"I'm almost loathed to let her go." Trey licked his lips lecherously as he gazed around her well-developed body. He clapped his hands. "But business is business."

The process was finished quickly and the silver-haired girl has now become his. Devan with the girl in tow headed towards the Drunken Fairy. She was wearing just a ragged shirt just barely covering her body, she has to pull it down to prevent it showing her delicate parts.

Devan could see her embarrassed and humiliation from being gawked from the number of passersby. Devan took off his cloak and covered her with it, earning him a look of gratitude from the girl but other-wise she ignored him and kept her head low.

"I will go shopping to buy your clothes later." Devan spoke to her gently.

The girl just kept quiet. Devan just sighed and smiled bitterly. They entered the Drunken Fairy, the innkeeper frowned when he saw the young silver-haired girl with a collar. Devan could see the look of disapproval in his eyes but said nothing.

They both entered his room and he could see that the silver-haired girl tremble a little bit.

"Cold?" asked Devan.

The silver-haired girl glared at him and clutch the cloak strongly. "Is this where you take advantage of me young master Devan." she spat venomously.

"Ah!" Devan exclaimed in realisation. She probably thinks he's going to rape her now.

Devan smiled mischievously as he took a menacing step towards her. Terrified she backed away slowly. As Devan kept moving towards her, she kept moving backwards until her back hit against the wall. Devan was very close to her now, she let out a terrified squeak when she felt Devan grabbed her shoulder.

Devan then immediately burst into laughter. The silver-haired girl confused opened her eyes to look at her master.

"I'm not that bad." he said between laughter. "My right hand will do for now." he teased.

The girl immediately turned scarlet realising what her master just said,

She seemed lost for words and just screamed out 'pervert'.

"Come on stop messing around." Devan gently chided as he stroked her head. "I will tell the innkeeper to get a bath prepared for you so you can get cleaned up and possibly we will go shopping tomorrow. You can use my clothes for now."

Shocked at the current turn of events, the silver-haired girl was speechless. Realising that Devan is not as terrible as she initially thought she looked at him in gratitude and mumbled 'Thank you.'

"Huh? Did you say something?" asked Devan.

"Nothing you pervert of a master." she said grumpily, turning her back towards him while blushing.

Devan just simply laughed and shook his head gently at her. "You're safe now. I won't hurt you." he smiled. "You are my travelling companion, after all, you're job is to protect the weak useless me."

"Elia.. my name is Elia." she said softly keeping her eyes locked down on the floor.

"Nice to meet you, partner. You already know my name, of course, none the less introduction are still in order and I say with absolute confidence that it is my pleasure to meet you, sweet Elia." he gently laughed and Devan used his hand to gently cupped the chin of the beautiful silver-haired girl making her look up at him eye to eye.

Elia surprise by Devan's flirtatious actions simply went scarlet red, even her ears were red.

'How adorable.' Devan thought.

Devan stroke her cheek gently, gave her a kind smile and simply walked out the door to do what he promised and let her have a nice relaxing bath. He hummed a jovial tune as he went downstairs and asked the innkeeper to have a bath drawn for the girl which the innkeeper happily obliged. Devan was told that one of the employees will call her down once the bath was ready which Devan thank the innkeeper for.

Looking out of the old window of the inn, Devan saw that the sun was just setting down and decided to he would look around town some more. The task of buying a horse and a decent size carriage is best left for tomorrow and when both of them are refreshed and well-rested.

Devan returned to the Drunken Fairy a few hours later, taking longer than he thought. He saw a lot of interesting trinkets and even a storage item in various forms of rings, necklaces and bracelets, they were very expensive and the storage size that they offer was of a large chest. It was ridiculously expensive. It was worth 20 gold, luckily Devan has no problem acquiring such a useful item, the need to buy something like that is out of the question, he could simply use his ability to replicate that exact item.

He entered the room and was greeted by a beautiful sight. Elia was wearing his clothes, a clean white shirt that somehow perfect accentuate her chest and black trousers. Devan's eyes couldn't stop looking at her, as she was sitting down of the large bed with her head down.

"Where did you go?" she said softly, a slight tremble in her voice. "I was waiting for you.." she looked up at him, tears threatening to leak from her eyes.

"I thought.." she started shaking.

"I thought.." she sobbed.

"That you left me, just like they did." She cried, running towards Devan at shocking speed and tackling him on the floor. Her face buried on his chest as she cries silently, her whole body trembling from how hard she was crying.

Devan simply held her in his arms, occasionally stroking her back while whispering, 'there.. there.. it's going to be okay, I'm here now.'

"I'm sorry." he told her softly as he rested his chin on top of her head.

Devan kissed the top of her head gently. 'She smells of freshly fallen snow.' he thought as he continued comforting the crying girl.

"I'm sorry." she whispered quietly after her tears have stopped. Her head is still buried on his chest and Devan didn't mind, it felt quite nice to hold her like this, she was soft and fragile at this moment in time. The desire to protect her from all harm sprouted within him.

"It's just.... it has been...a rough... a couple of months." she confessed, voice slightly breaking.

Devan simply held her tight and stroked her back while telling her that it's ok. He lifted her face up to face him and smiled at her affectionately.

"Come on, let's grab something to eat. It is the duty of a gentleman to right the wrong that he has done. Let me treat to something nice, hopefully, it will help you forget. I'll always be here for you Elia, I will never ever leave you. You are mine after all." he laughed gently.

Elia simply nodded while her face turned scarlet again. She buried her face on his chest out of embarrassment breathing in his scent heavily.

'He smells like nature, calm, soothing and very gentle.' she thought as she took her time, simply taking in everything that happened and the emotional break down that she just went through.

"You're mine too." she whispered quietly.