As I fall asleep into a deep slumber I slowly lose consciousness. While my breathing slows down, my body begins getting heavier.

Tired..to..think…

Tak tak

Screech

“W...u…” Huh? I hear a voice.

“W...up” There it goes again.

“One…”

“Tw…”

“Three…”

“Four…”

“Five!!”

Whack!!

I wake up, with a hit to the head. Surveying my surroundings while feeling my injury.

“____...are you finally awake now!?!”

Huh? Is he yelling at me?

“Come to the board and answer this question right this instance!”

I shakily take my hand and point it at me, for clarification.

“Yes, you! Who else is named ____”

“Y-yes.”

“And bring back the marker I threw at you with!”

Picking the marker off the floor I go to answer the question on the board.

I gander at it, and have no idea what he wanted me to do.

“Sir, what was the question again?” I asked.

He became irritated taking a deep breath

Sigh* “You idiot. The question was _____”

Eh. Am I hearing things? Just now I heard him say nothing at the very end.

And yet I still try solving the answer. Unbeknownst to myself I am involuntarily solving the answer I have no idea for the question. But I seem to be on the right track.

“Excellent job, now one more thing you need to do.”

I swallowed my saliva and listened.

“Wake Upppppp!” He grabbed his stick and wacked me in the head.

Coming back from my sleep, I jump out of my bed.

It seemed one of the servants came to wake me up.

“Wake uppp!!” He screamed again. Ughh his screaming is hurting my ear drums.

“Uhh…you think he’s dead?”

“I don’t know! What do you think!?!”

Getting up from the floor I hear another sonic boom coming at my direction.

“Ahhh!!! He finally woke up!!”

I feel as if I’m hearing thunder going into my ears.

“Ya mic stop with the yelling, the heymuns tiny ears can’t handle your screaming.”

“Oh!! I’m sorry!! Heymun! It’s time to wake up!”

Opening my eyes presented to me was a two headed dragon in a suit.

Hitting the loud one in the head.

“Excuse my brother he can’t hear very well so I am his ears. You may call me Cim ya, we were both to send you to the dining hall to meet with lady Selyne.”

Processing this information I respond to them.

“Ok where to.”

“A-ah…first things first. You need to be sparkling clean before meeting the lady.”

“Yea!!!”

Another wack happened.

“...owww! What was that for!”

“Let me do the talking, brother.” She said in a harsh tone.

“Toot a loo” grabbing me they undress me, then they started scrubbing me with what looks to be a sponge on a stick.

Once I was sparkling clean, Ya mic blew a gust of wind to dry my soaked self. Cim ya then dressed me in a lightning speed manner to which I had no idea what was going on. Grabbing a small tooth brush from their pouch Ya mic cleans my teeth for me while Cim ya cuts my hair.

“Oh my...you seem much suited with less hair.” Cim ya commented.

“...before your hair was too unnecessarily long.”

Thanks I guess? Once I was dressed I was once again carried off to wherever they were taking me.

Opening a door, they quickly seated me onto a chair at the dining table.

Selyne is also at the dining table too. Although I seem to be at the opposite end from where she is.

I was almost going to greet her, but she got the first word.

“Good morning Moki. First we shall dine. I have to discuss with you something after.”

Chucked into my face was a plate of food. And the dish being served…

Meat!!! It’s meat! Genuine meat! Attempting to grab the piece of meat with my bare hands, I was stopped by Cim ya. Whom gave a loud ahem at me.

She pointed to the silverware on the table cloth. I gave an ashamed look for my poor table manners.

Grabbing the fork I poke at the large piece of meat and drag it onto my plate. Using a knife I knowingly use it to cut the meat into bite sized pieces.

When Cim ya made no nit picking, I dug in.

Inserting the piece of meat into my mouth. I savored it’s taste. The juiciness, the rich sweetness coming from the meat. The tenderness. Each bite I took was marvelously consumed. Selyne seems quite pleased that I am enjoying my food.

Getting thirsty I grab a cup that had something red in it. Maybe it’s juice?

Taking a gulp, I realized that the juice was not juice. But in fact it was wine that I was drinking.

“Ahhh.” I exclaimed aloud with food in my mouth.

There were other dishes on the table, but I only had eyes for the meat next to me.

Finishing my meal. Selyne spoke to me.

“If you are done with your meal, it’s time we talk.”

I listen to what she has to say.

“As I stated before with you, I brought you here to become an art god.”

“Errr, yeah I remember.”

“Well then. For introductory purposes. I want to let you know what an art god is.”

“Art god?” Taking a sip of the wine.

“Yes, an art god is a deity able to manipulate life itself. Able to create, as well as being able to destroy.”

There was other information she shared with me but I could only recall those few words.

“Alrighty when can we start?” I was under the impression that an art god is something that has perfected the art. But seeing how she had a weapon that can change forms made it seem favorable.

“Whenever you are ready to abandon your humanity.” She gave a serious look.

“What was that you just said?” I wanted to make sure I heard her correctly.

“As you know already I am an art god. I brought you here for one purpose. It would be beneficial for me that you become one.”

“Do I have a say in this?”

“You do not. After all, I expect you to serve me.”

Uh oh this can’t be good.

“Uh-m” I was a bit confused by her statement.

“Let me remind you.” She said to me.

“You can go back into that hostile world, or serve under me.” She gave a stern look.

I-I didn’t know how to respond to this proposition she was giving to me.

It’s just all so sudden, that I can’t think correctly.

“When serving under me, you will be promised to be in good hands.”

Not saying a word back it would seem Selyne had lost her patience.

“You have til tonight to decide. I won’t force you to serve me as it is your decision after all.” Snapping her fingers Cim ya and Ya mic dragged me back to my room.

“Ahh hyumen, this isn’t good. The lady is mad, you shouldn’t have talked back to her that way.” Cim ya seemed white as a snow white rabbit.

“Why? What did I do?” Puzzled.

“It isn’t what you did, it’s how you acted. If lady asks for you to do it, you must obey her.”

Panicking and fluttering left and right.

“Especially when she was putting so much effort into caring for you, too” This got my attention.

“Who asked her to? I never asked her.”

Pushing me to the wall Cim ya hushed me and whispered.

“Lady Selyne must have a reason to bring you to her manor of all the places. If not she would have abandoned you after dropping you off at the academy.”

“Academy..?” As they marched to where my room is.

Cim ya decided it was safe to speak after we got in the room.

“ As I mentioned to you. The academy is the process of becoming an art god. However, it is meant to weed out the weak from the strong. In other words, the weak will tend to get unfavorable survival rates. While the strong tend to survive.”

“It's a known fact that only ten percent are able to become one.”

Sounds harsh. Who would want to go through all of that?

“I urge you to reconsider, this is a give and take situation. Especially when the lady herself is giving you the options.”

Hearing a bell Cim ya gave me some final words.

“Remember, to reconsider this once in a lifetime offer.”

Shutting the door I was left alone again.

I gave some thought.

At first I was grateful for Selynes hospitality, but now that I found out she had an ulterior motive. It made me uneasy. But...she seems like a nice person. I just hope she has good intentions. I mean, she hasn’t done anything towards me so far, so it should be fine, right?

Knocking on the door came Ya mic and Cim ya again. This time they brought me some food.

“Here is your supper for the afternoon.” I saw the sauce written on the food give and take message. And had an annoyed look at the both of them.

As I ate my supper I began formulating my decision. The night was coming and I was able to find the answer I believe to be the best decision.

When it was time to give my answer I was brought into another room. Sitting on a throne was Selyne, who was waiting for my reply while I was standing on the floor.

“So, your answer…?”

“I will accept your proposal to serve under you.” I looked sternly at her.

“But…”

“But?” She replied back

“I wish that I keep my humanity.”

Giving a smile, “Can't keep any promises about that, but we will see.”

She exclaimed to me while bringing out her hands to me

“Under the tutelage of Selyne Phantasyllia, you Moki are now mine. From this day forward you are my possession. Now bow before your master, my knight.”

I bowed before her as I should be doing.

I took some time, thought about it, and realized that if she had bad intentions. She would never give me three sets of meals and nice clothes. Not to mention there’s meat. Something I can’t live without anymore. 

Hehe. Yes, I did it for the meat.

Chapter 10 End