Little Joe extended his hand to grab Ylsean's diary, which was undoubtedly a highly valuable item.
He knew that, despite seeming like a simple read, its effects on his intelligence were steadily improving.
And somehow, he knew that trying to read everything all at once wouldn't help at all; it certainly wouldn't have the desired effect.
But now was the right moment to read, and by morning, all he had to do was wait for the results.
Diary of Ylsean
"_By the power granted to me by my father, Baron Roderick Von Shift, founder and lord of the Order of Silver Claws, I, Miss Ylsean Von Shift, command my slave and protector, Miau Lee, to throw her entire set of knives and daggers toward this throne... without hitting me.
But if that happens, I will take full responsibility for her mistake and exempt her from any punishment. Miss Miau Lee, I decide to trust you, so please do your best.
Miau Lee, above all else, was always conditioned to protect and obey me, and in no way would she harm me—at least not consciously.
She took three more steps forward and was now about 20 meters from her target. Then her hands moved with astonishing speed, and with impeccable precision, she hurled a barrage of deadly blades in my direction.
Even as I felt that this might be the end of me, I chose not to close my eyes. I would face my fate with wide-open eyes.
I could perceive how fast those blades were, and now, no matter how much I wanted to, it was impossible to back away.
I felt small gusts of wind around me as the blades circled my body, embedding themselves entirely in the rustic throne behind me. Meanwhile, I could see my father had gone pale and was nearly holding his breath from the tension of the moment.
Miau Lee's test—and mine, primarily—was over, and not a single strand of my hair had been touched. Truly, Miau Lee was excellent in the art of throwing and handling short blades.
Admired by my courage, my father began an applause that everyone followed. And just as I thought everything about the test was finally concluded, he announced:
'Please, come to me, Miss Ylsean, my daughter, and her slave and protector, Miau Lee.'
I thought I was going to receive a reward for my great courage or something similar, but he simply looked at me and said:
'Let the punishment for the loser proceed.'
It was then that I remembered that what I had gone through was not my punishment, as I had chosen to face it of my own free will.
Miau Lee then ordered the dishes to be brought in, and the tables were covered with delicacies, including large roasted animals—domestic piglets and wild boars—that looked quite appetizing.
I didn't understand anything, even less so when Miau Lee took my hand and began leading me to the main table, placing me beside her chair, the primary seat at the head of the table.
I thought she would sit in the main chair and make me stay beside her, as nobles usually do with trusted slaves.
However, I was completely wrong, as she politely pulled out the chair, asked me to sit down, adjusted it, and, kneeling beside me, declared while looking into my eyes:
'I ask forgiveness for the word used, my lady, but I sentence you to the punishment of learning.'
I couldn't understand anything until my father approached us and interrupted, saying:
'Let me explain it to you, daughter. Soon, Miau will leave the barony on a mission and will need to mingle with people from the nobility. But she doesn't know how to behave like a lady. So, your punishment is to turn her into a lady within just one month.'"
The day had been quite intense, and now, after reading, little Joe truly felt tired, as if his body had just been waiting for him to read Ylsean's diary to finally force him to rest.
The night sped by in Joe's perception, but at least now he felt rested, rejuvenated, and eager.
After his morning routine, he remembered the item he had found at Benki's house, the dwarven craftsman. He quickly retrieved the most recent egg that had been laid and placed it into the object, which was made of a small, cold metal plate.
🔺😎 [System Alert!]
[Congratulations! You gained an intelligence boost of 🧠 +0.65%. The Florida ant can now form phrases with up to five words. Your ant army has expanded. You can now create micro-screens for an additional 65 ants. All of them fully understand your commands with 100% clarity. Your intelligence level is now Lv 3.30%. 🧠.]
"Per Joe!"
🔺😎 [System Alert!]
[Congratulations! ⬆️ on 🖼️ Screen Creation, level 3. You can now create up to 30 micro-screens with an upgradable ability for dwarves.]
"Wow! Wow! Now this is getting interesting. I can't wait to start using this."
[Sorry to interrupt your celebratory moment, but for your safety, this system has implemented a rule that cannot be bypassed. These micro-screens will only work for dwarves who accept at least one of the Three Undeniable Terms.]
"??? And what are these terms?"
[Blind Obedience / Extreme Loyalty / Enslavement.]
"And what's the difference between these terms?"
[Blind Obedience: As the name suggests, the individual receiving the micro-screen must follow your commands exactly. Any deviation will immediately cause their Status micro-window to disappear. It can only be reinstated if you agree and form a new contract.]
"I think I can use this in a pretty effective way, especially since the punishment is just losing the Status micro-window and, of course, any abilities gained."
[Extreme Loyalty: When an individual agrees to this term, they can unlock a secondslot capable of holding an additional ability. However, if they betray you, the penalty is harsher than just losing their Status micro-window and abilities. They will have no second chance.]
"And what's the penalty in this case, Per Joe?"
[Immobilization of one of their limbs. If they've already evolved to two slots, then two limbs will be affected byimmobility.]
"And what about the Enslavement term?"
[An individual who agrees to this term can either live their life normally or remain entirely at your disposal, with all the XP they earn flowing directly into your Status screen. It depends on the terms of your agreement. This individual cannot revoke the contract. Should they rebel or regret the agreement, turning against you, their total mobility will be compromised within 30 days.]
"I think I won't use this ability. It seems way too cruel."
[Agreed! However, this undeniable term is unique and can evolve. Over time, in a master-slave relationship, both parties can benefit.]
"And what would these benefits be, Per Joe?"
[One benefit is that, after a certain period and sufficient affinity with you, an additional slot can be unlocked, allowing the individual to have up to three different abilities. As for you, the stronger your slaves, the more XP they earn for you. The rest, you'll have to discover over time.]
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