Chapter 156: +17 Four servants. Roxanne’s Choice. Priestess’s death.

Your words layer across the telepathy web, warm breath muffling against Albedo's cleavage. "The sustenance and age reversal reveal was to distract the guards from trying to attack Mugen. They would likely have died if they tried fighting him for the ring. I'm very glad he accepted the job of being anywhere but near us so easily."

Rika's tactical vest shifts as she nods near the radio equipment. "That makes sense. He moved like a fighter who kills without thinking about it."

"Sandra's dangerous," you continue, "more for moral stance than her admittedly impressive business awareness. The four girls-" You pause deliberately, letting the emphasis carry toward Jessica and her group sitting against the wall. "-having seen magic plus a rich buyer with armed women at my back, the only impressive thing about their choice was the quick resolve to agree to anything."

Jessica's brown ponytail shifts as she straightens, tired eyes tracking your face. Maria Santos glances toward Chen Wei. Lakshmi's nervous fidgeting stops.

"As for Priestess," you finish, "we'll address her and Roxanne after we decide what to do with these four and I remote-enchant Sandra's other two facilities."

Silence settles. Riveria stands near the tactical table in her white lace and dog collar, jade eyes thoughtful. Violet sits by the radio, blonde hair catching light. C.C. leans against the wall beside Roxanne, green hair framing her observant expression.

Maria's violet gaze sharpens. "They aren't indebted under resurrection cost, contracted youth, or prisoner terms. They were purchased as servants. The solution becomes simple - domination with ordered free will for the duration of their protection. They can ask to leave at any time."

You nod agreement, lifting your face from Albedo's warmth. "Simple enough, Mass Dominate Person."

The spell settles over all four women simultaneously - Jessica's posture stiffens fractionally, Maria Santos exhales slowly, Chen Wei's cautious expression smooths, Lakshmi stops fidgeting entirely. Their eyes glaze momentarily before refocusing with perfect clarity.

"Act freely while obeying the residents of this ship," you state clearly. "You may ask to leave at any time."

Jessica blinks twice, testing the parameters. Her hand lifts experimentally, then drops. "Understood."

"Rika," you direct toward the tactical table, "assign them to crew quarters with Kimberly and Jennifer after we're done with Roxanne and Priestess."

Rika inclines her head professionally. "Acknowledged."

You lean forward, pressing gentle kisses to each of Albedo's breasts through the white evening gown. She sighs contentedly, golden eyes half-lidded. Standing, you gesture toward the corridor. "We should move this to the bedroom. Doing this with Priestess and Asia present will be proper."

You don't move yet, "Scry." casting toward Sacramento. Sandra's hotel appears in your mind's eye - three stories, reinforced windows, guards patrolling exterior perimeter. You sweep through interior corridors methodically. Kitchen staff preparing meals, guards lounging in common areas, administrative personnel sorting inventory ledgers.

Fourteen women working second-floor rooms. You pause on each face briefly - tired expressions, survival calculations visible in their postures. No dimensional displacement indicators, just women surviving the zombie apocalypse.

You shift focus to Portland. Office building converted to compound, two floors operational. Guards at street-level entrance, radio equipment visible through windows. Twelve personnel total. Three women on the upper floor engaged in similar work - worn clothing, wary demeanor, purely mundane.

"Spectral Hand." it forms beside you, translucent fingers flexing. "Teleport." it moves instantly to an old TV in Sacramento's maintenance room next to the central electrical panel. Interface. Connection. Energy Conversion. The familiar pattern flows smoothly - mana capacity expanding through the building's infrastructure, repair establishing within walls and foundations.

Portland next. Same process. Six minutes total.

You open your eyes, turning toward the four women standing against the wall. Jessica meets your gaze steadily despite her tired posture. Maria Santos stays close to Chen Wei. Lakshmi fidgets with her sleeve.

"Order, your dress code is undergarments only unless ordered otherwise daily." you state clearly.

Jessica's hands move to her shirt buttons immediately. She strips the gray shirt off, revealing plain white sports bra beneath. Her jeans follow, folding them neatly beside her chair. White cotton panties, practical rather than decorative.

Maria Santos pulls her worn t-shirt over her head with shaking hands, black bra visible. Her jeans slide down, light blue panties showing. She crosses her arms over her stomach instinctively before forcing them down - domination overriding modesty.

Chen Wei removes her blouse efficiently, gray bra underneath. Her slacks come off revealing matching gray boy-shorts. Her face remains expressionless but you catch the slight tension in her shoulders.

Lakshmi strips fastest, pale green bra and panties exposed as her clothing pools at her feet. She covers her chest briefly before the domination compels her arms down.

All four stand in their undergarments now, various states of visible discomfort warring with magical compliance.

"Rika," you direct toward the tactical table, "I'll leave them to you."

Rika inclines her head professionally. "Understood."

You turn toward the corridor. Albedo glides forward in her white evening gown, C.C. following with Roxanne close beside her. Riveria moves gracefully in her white lace lingerie, dog collar. Rin's favored blouse and skirt next to Mikasa's Survey Corps jacket shifts as they fall into line. Maria following last.

Violet remains at the tactical display, monitoring communications. Yoruichi and Musashi break off toward the galley - both recognizing you'll be making announcements soon via telepathy web.

The group moves through corridors toward the communal bedroom. You push the door open.

Asia sits beside the bed, modified habit neat. Priestess lies motionless under white sheets, blonde hair spread across pillow. Her breathing remains slow and steady - sedation holding for another three hours minimum.

Asia looks up as you enter, concern visible in her expression. "She fell asleep almost as soon as we arrived."

You retrieve two plain silver rings from inventory, holding them in your left palm. The familiar pattern flows - mana threading through metal, connecting the cascade of enchantments that define an Anchoring Band. Both rings pulse briefly with golden light before settling into quiet permanence.

Kneeling beside the bed, you lift Priestess's left hand carefully. Her fingers are cold, slack with sedation. The ring slides onto her ring finger smoothly - perfect fit, as always. Golden light flares momentarily against her pale skin before fading.

Roxanne stands near C.C., blonde-brown dog ears perked forward, watching with visible tension. You approach, extending your hand palm-up. "May I?"

Her eyes widen fractionally. She glances toward C.C., who nods once. Roxanne places her left hand in yours - trembling slightly, but obedient.

You slide the ring onto her finger deliberately slow. "All the women here wear one of these," you say quietly. "It's protection. Sustenance, healing, other benefits."

Roxanne's gaze drops to the ring, then lifts to scan the room. Albedo's white evening gown, Maria's modest outfit, Rin's blouse uniform - every visible left hand bears an identical silver band. Her dog ears wiggle slightly. Relief visible in her posture.

"Thank you, Master," she whispers.

You move to the middle of the bed, pulling Rin into your lap casually. Her weight settles comfortably against you, white blouse soft under your hands.

"Let's wait a minute for Priestess to wake up before I start," you say aloud.

The room quiets. Albedo positions near the foot of the bed, white gown pristine. Maria stands beside Asia, violet eyes tracking Priestess's breathing. Mikasa leans against the wall near the door, Survey Corps jacket unbuttoned. C.C. remains beside Roxanne, green hair catching light. Riveria watches Rin for a moment white lace contrasting with jade eyes, before sitting next to us, her shoulder barely touching mine. Yoruichi sprawls across the end of the bed, grinning.

Four minutes pass. Priestess's breathing shifts - deeper, more regular. Her eyelids flutter.

"Ladies we have two, technically six, new arrivals one is now waking up." you send across the network. "Listen or Observe if interested."

Priestess's eyes open slowly. Blonde hair frames her face against white pillows. Her gaze moves unfocused - ceiling, walls, faces surrounding the bed. Confusion visible, then building panic.

Asia steps forward immediately, sitting on the bed's edge. "You're safe," she says gently. "You're on a ship. No one here will hurt you."

Priestess's breathing accelerates. Her left hand lifts reflexively, noticing the silver ring. "Where... where am I?"

"A sanctuary," Asia answers. "For people like us who've been displaced. You were rescued from the people who were keeping you sedated."

Priestess's eyes dart toward you, then back to Asia. "The... the men who...?"

"Gone," Asia confirms. "You were purchased and brought here. This is Brad - he's the one who leads this group. He can explain better than I can."

Priestess's gaze settles on you finally - wary, calculating despite visible fear. "Why?"

You keep your voice soft, steady. "Welcome to our home. This is a sanctuary for those who have been misplaced across dimensions, to answer your question it's simply that you don't deserve this worlds problems. There are currently about thirty women. The ring I placed on your finger has several magical effects you can ask about later. For now I'll focus on one - Mind-Mend. It's an enchantment designed to maintain mental stability and slowly heal trauma. Before you worry, it's not an instant fix. More like a hand gently pressing your shoulder for confidence."

Her expression shifts fractionally - comprehension mixing with lingering suspicion.

"The drugs they had you on should finish wearing off any minute now," you continue. "For now, please just listen while I address Roxanne. You'll get quite a bit of information before needing to ask anything else."

You tap Rin's hip gently. She shifts off your lap, settling beside Riveria on the bed. Both watch as you stand, stepping toward Roxanne.

The dog-eared woman tenses slightly, tail loose between her legs. Her blonde-brown hair frames uncertain amber eyes.

"It's obvious you're from a different world," you begin quietly. "What might not be obvious is that most of the dimensional displaced here were also known characters in certain stories. Yours was a standard fantasy - a young man who woke up in a different world with convenient powers. He was able to gather a harem with you as his first purchase and member."

Roxanne's ears wiggle momentarily. "Master... I don't understand."

"Before you were displaced, did you ever meet a young human man named Michio?"

She shakes her head slowly. "No, Master. I was working in the kitchen, waiting to be sold. The traders kept me separate from the other slaves they were preparing for auction."

"Then I'm guessing you were working while waiting to be sold?"

"Yes, Master." Her voice remains steady despite visible confusion. "Cooking, cleaning, whatever they needed. They said I'd fetch a higher price if I could demonstrate useful skills."

You nod. "Your written story was changed when it became pictures - illustrations rather than detailed text. Much less known for its detail and more for the main character's actions. Most won't know your simple childhood, the parts that were only partially important to the narrative."

Roxanne's eyes widen slightly - processing.

"This sanctuary, as I'm certain you can smell, is a ship on the ocean." You gesture toward the walls. "You have a choice to make. Would you like to return to your homeworld, or would you like to accept my purchasing you from this world's slave trader as properly purchasing you in your world's customs?"

She goes utterly still. Her amber eyes search your face for perhaps three seconds.

"Master," she says carefully, "if I return home, I'll be sold to someone else. Someone who might not ask questions. Someone who might not care if I understand what's happening." Her hands clasp in front of her maid uniform. "You asked. You explained. You gave me a choice."

She drops smoothly to one knee, head bowed. "I accept you as my master, according to the customs of my world. My service, my loyalty, my body - all are yours."

You step forward, reaching down to lift her chin gently. She rises at your guidance, meeting your eyes.

You kiss her softly on the lips. She tastes faintly of anxiety and relief.

"Thank you for being mine," you murmur against her mouth.

"Thank you for choosing me, Master," she whispers back.

Asia shifts on the bed behind you. "Should I show Roxanne around after you finish with Priestess?"

Roxanne's attention perks forward, turning toward the sedated blonde still unconscious under white sheets.

You turn toward Asia, who remains perched on the bed's edge beside Priestess. "I'll be asking you to tour both Priestess and Roxanne around the ship," you say evenly. "Pass cooking management over to Roxanne so you can focus on the infirmary with Priestess."

Asia's expression shifts - surprise, then comprehension. "You want me to handle her medical care specifically?"

"The Heroes' Feast appears four times daily now," you nod your head continuing. "Ingredients are constantly restocked. But having someone watch that meals have some diversity is still important. That's where Roxanne comes in."

Roxanne's attention perks forward attentively. Her amber eyes fix on you with immediate focus.

"Roxanne," you address her directly. "I'm asking you to take over cooking management from Asia. Additionally, non-combatants' exercise enforcement. The Anchoring Bands include age reduction - we'll never get old. Standard exercise becomes increasingly important."

Her controlled posture causes her tight dress to become even more apparent. "Yes, Master. What parameters should I follow?"

"For the non-combatants on the ship, make sure they do a variety of exercises regularly. Weekly, daily, every other day - as long as they're getting some form of regular exercise."

"Understood, Master." Roxanne drops smoothly to one knee. "Should I begin inventory of current kitchen supplies immediately?"

Maria steps forward from near the wall. "I can show you the galley layout and introduce you to Jennifer and Kimberly. They're two mind-controlled servants currently handling basic prep work."

Roxanne's attention flicks - processing the casual mention of mind control - before returning upright. "Thank you, Mistress Maria."

"Just Maria," she corrects gently. "We don't use formal titles among the group except for Brad."

Asia stands, smoothing her modified habit. "When should I begin the tour?"

You laugh quietly, pressing a brief kiss to Asia's lips. "You're getting a bit ahead of yourself. First we need to talk more with Priestess."

Asia's ears redden slightly - embarrassed - but she nods obediently, stepping back.

You turn toward the bed. Priestess sits upright now, blonde hair disheveled around her shoulders. Her hands grip the white sheets tightly.

"Priestess," you begin gently, "your world's story is more well known than Roxanne's, but for a very different reason. From the repeated trauma reports, I'm guessing you either had a very bad arrival to this world, or something happened in your world before arrival."

Her breathing quickens visibly.

"I'm going to try to be as gentle about this as I can," you continue steadily. "I'll list the events I know from your world. Follow along and tell me when it changes. You left the church to become an adventurer. You reached the adventuring guild and met three new adventurers your age. Because of their confidence and the two girls in the party, you accepted going with them on their first mission - a goblin den in the wilderness outside of town. You were nervous entering their cave, and when the first goblins appeared your party was quickly outnumbered-"

"No." Her voice cracks. "No, I... I died."

The room goes silent.

"The Fighter - he stepped on something. A rope. Spikes came from the ceiling. He screamed. The Martial Artist tried to pull him back but-" Her hands shake violently. "I was right behind them. One went through my chest. I felt it. I felt myself dying. Everything went dark."

Tears stream down her face now.

"Then I woke up in a warehouse. Concrete floor. Strange lights. Men speaking a language I didn't understand. They kept me sedated after I started screaming." Her voice drops to a whisper. "I thought I was in Hell."

Asia reaches forward instinctively, placing a hand on Priestess's shoulder.

"Resurrection trauma," you say quietly. "Death itself is something humans aren't supposed to experience. We've seen similar responses in resurrected individuals."

Priestess looks up sharply. "You've seen people revived?"

"Resurrection is one of my abilities," you confirm.

Her expression shifts through shock, disbelief, then something approaching hope mixed with terror. "You can... you can bring people back?"

"Yes. It requires payment - usually servitude under magical contract for a period of time. But yes."

Priestess stares at you, processing. "The men who had me... they said I was valuable because I was 'clean' and 'displaced.' I didn't understand."

Maria steps forward from beside the wall. "They were slave traders. Dimensional travelers fetch high prices because buyers assume you have useful abilities from your original worlds. Being a pretty young woman they likely made their own conclusion of your virginity, which always increases the selling price."