The Master's awkward smile stiffens, and hostility flashes across his eyes for an instant. Despite his not caring for my wellbeing, he has not had me yet, and besides that, I am an efficient worker. He clearly doesn't want to part with me, but considering the begrudging look in his eye, this Master Naga is ranked too highly to refuse.

But why? Surely there are many trained slaves in his service already. That can't be enough. Did the water droplets find something?

"I think he's rather pretty. He reminds me of the inhabitants of my homeland. I think I'll use him as a gardener. I'm interested in constructing a koi pond."

A muscle in my jaw jumps slightly, though I am relieved that it is merely my looks that attracted him. The Master doesn't know about the time I spend in the courtyard. And if this man takes me, who will care for the fish here?

"A koi pond?" The Master sounds dubious. "Aren't you..." He trails off when Master Naga meets his gaze.

"This year's protection fee will be this slave and the koi in your West courtyard.”

Master blinks in surprise, beady eyes full of confusion, probably wondering what koi Master Naga is talking about before he processes the exceptional deal he just got. He accepts eagerly, and summons one of his attendants quickly to fetch my ownership documents.

Master Naga summons me over with a curl of his fingers and an upward tilt of his lips. Obediently, I step closer, bare feet silent against the wood floors. I bow lowly as the attendant returns, long hair fluttering with the hem of her robes as she rushes to hand Master Naga my papers.

He flicks through them, eyes not pausing on anything in particular before he tucks them into a small pouch at his waist — far too small to fit the sheaf of parchment.

My eyes linger in the bag for a moment before he gives me leave to straighten. I've never seen a spatial bag before, but there’s no other explanation. Created with the abilities of a spatial unique and an air elemental to allow the space of the bag to be much larger than its appearance while preventing it from becoming a vacuum. They're exceptionally difficult to procure, so only the extremely wealthy can get one.

My new Master certainly is capable.

Fishing a letter out of the bag, Master Naga hands the gold patterned slip to my former master and strides out of the room before Master Xiao can make another comment.

Really, quite capable.