Afterwards, Egon was sent to a shabby bathroom in the Servants’ Quarters, along with a pair of dull yellow uniforms.
Still, he gave his body a thorough cleaning from head to toe. The bloodstains, the acrid scent were washed away with the water.
But the scars on his face and body, those couldn’t be erased.
He stared at his reflection in the mirror with quiet curiosity.
He had tousled black hair, brown eyes, slightly tanned skin, and a slender build.
He looked like any other commoner boy out there.
With the yellow uniform on, he resembled a typical laborer from a slave camp.
He was ordinary, forgettable.
"Bang! Bang!"
Suddenly, loud slams echoed against the door.
Egon frowned and walked over, opening it cautiously.
"Paah!"
Without warning, a solid slap landed across his face. The impact was so hard, he felt his teeth rattle.
Standing there was the dark elf maid, Hilga. Her eyes burned with contempt.
"You little cunt, how long does it take you to wash? Did you forget you’re a slave?"
She spat the words like venom, her voice laced with scorn and authority.
Why would she not? She was the head maid of this house after all.
Still Egon stared at her face darkly.
It really wasn’t a good feeling to be hit by a woman. He had never experienced that. Not even back on Earth.
"What? Do you want to hit me?" Hilga said, her red lips curling into a provocative smirk. A subtle magical glow shimmered around her hand, a silent warning not to test her.
For now, Egon had no choice but to endure.
He lowered his head in submission.
"Good," Hilga mocked with a smile. "I like obedient slaves like you. Now, follow me."
With that, she led him out into the garden.
Pointing toward a cluster of medium-sized flower trees, she ordered, "Get to work. Clear all the dried leaves."
She turned back, her eyes cold. "And remember, when I return, there better not be a single one left. Otherwise, you’ll taste my lightning whip."
With those words, she walked away, her hips swaying confidently, her massive butt drawing attention with every step.
Egon watched her go with concealed hatred.
It was the only thing he could do right now.
Instead, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand. His stomach growled with hunger, but who would he even complain to?
While he suffered in silence, he imagined Archon enjoying a lavish meal, pampered as Madam Castros’ prized boy toy.
As he crouched down, clearing dried leaves from the base of the trees, envy gnawed at him.
Other maids and workers occasionally glanced his way, giving him strange looks as he muttered under his breath.
Time slipped by. 2 hours passed unnoticed.
The sun began its slow descent into the horizon, casting an orange glow across the sky. A gentle breeze stirred the air, and birds glided above in carefree arcs.
It was a beautiful scene. Serene, almost dreamlike, far removed from the grey bustle of Earth.
But Egon knew better. Peace here was only an illusion.
In a world where slavery thrived, there could be no true peace.
"Niyaw, ugly human! Come here. Eat your dogfood, quick!" barked one of the maids with clear disdain.
This one was a catwoman. Her tail was swayed, large ears twitched, and sharp claws glinted under the fading light.
Dressed in a black and white maid outfit, she had the kind of exotic beauty many men might fantasize about.
But her personality crushed any impression of charm.
Still, Egon was relieved. At least he was finally getting something to eat.
She shoved a clay bowl into his hands. It’s filled with rice and vegetables. It wasn’t much, but it smelled good. And after everything happened, he couldn’t complain.
As she walked off with a huff, Egon sat on the ground and devoured the meal like a starving beast.
When he was done, he found a small fountain nearby and drank the clean water gratefully.
By now twilight settled over the garden.
Currently, Egon sat in silence for a moment, letting his aching body rest. His gaze drifted to the lamppost by the gate, where the frogmen guards still stood on watch, their eyes glowing faintly in the dusk.
Using the peaceful moment, Egon closed his eyes and tried once again to activate the Omniscient Viewpoint.
But it was harder than he imagined. After several failed attempts, his head throbbed and his energy waned.
Still, he didn’t give up.
He had two Special Traits: Envy and Omniscient Reader.
They were his only lifelines in this twisted world. If he could master them before acquiring the Soul Core, he might just survive long enough.
That Soul Core... it was the true game changer of his fate. But to get it, he needed to survive until that moment. That meant playing his role carefully.
He had bluffed Madam Castros earlier, claiming he knew how to give ’special massages.’ In truth he had no skill in that field.
So if she now demanded one soon and he failed to impress her, she might sell him back. Or worse, feed him to the hounds.
And there was no telling if [The Omniscient Viewpoint] would actually help him learn massage skills in time.
He was really walking a very tight rope now.
To make things worse, the system had already clarified that he had no dormant or inborn Soul Core. That meant he couldn’t follow the traditional path of Soul Forging like other humans or beastkin.
Soul Forgers were rare individuals born with Soul Cores. Through rigorous training, they could temper their souls, unlocking powerful abilities tied to their bloodline and heritage. Some even awakens remnants of past lives becoming prodigies who carried the legacy and talent of multiple reincarnations.
Yes, in this chaotic world, there were those lucky enough to be reborn again and again, stacking lifetimes of experience.
Sometimes, others were born with rare compatibility; like the ability to merge with external Soul Cores.
The protagonist of this world was one such anomaly. He had fused with that powerful foreign Soul Core, unlocking terrifying abilities that allowed him to dominate the battlefields... and form his infamous Combat Slave Harem.
That’s why Egon wanted that Soul Core so badly. Not for power alone, but for survival, control, and freedom.