“You truly have no memory?” The butler asked.

  Shade shook his head. “You saw the stone. But uh… aren't you gonna get in trouble for that?

  You iced like fifteen people.”

  The butler chuckled darkly. “likely the only ones without respawn insurance were a handful of

  null slaves and the null slavers. The bodyguards and adventurers are covered by terms in their

  guild contracts. Adventurers and bodyguards pawn set daily. And at worst some of those

  people will lose a week of time. Nothing to be concerned about. Now we are going to head

  inside. Do not speak unless spoken to. Do not touch anything and do not make eye contact

  with your betters.”

  Something inside of Shade bucked at the assertion that there were ‘betters’ but he managed to

  nod and with a blur they were in servants quarters and with a snap from the butler, Shade

  sensed mana pour out from him like a steam cloud. It wasn’t near as refined as his pure mana

  but it scrubbed the dirt, grime, sweat, oil and dead skin from hevery exposed part of his body.

  He was naked so that was everywhere. The butler tossed a cloth with a fancy dyed pattern on

  it, it turned out to be a toga. And with a little help from the butler he got it situated. Both

  muscular arms and half his chest were exposed.

  They walked down several hallways that Shade mapped with his spatial perception’ and noted

  several hidden chambers, halls, and even some people moving through the walls at set

  observation points. As they approached. Two guards stood at an archway into a parlour they

  were kinda heavy, but way weaker than the orks or the butler.

  The two guards acknowledged the butler with a slight nod that didn't obscure their line of sight.

  As Shade moved closer alongside the butler he began to hear what he thought of as birds

  chirping and then they entered the parlour and he saw what the chirping was. At a card table in

  the center of the room, three woman sat their heads and hands blurring as they played cards,

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  the women had presences heavier than the guards at the archway, but other heavier shapes

  that Shade couldn't perceive without spatial perception flitted in and out of the room, the only

  thing Shade could detect aside from the aura they put off was plates of snacks appearing and

  vanishing. What he thought of as Birds chirping were just the women chatting, laughing and

  playing some card game. Shade found a spot to stare that didn't make eye contact with anyone

  and activated his awareness.

  “Ohhhh… What snack has Balatro brought us.” a stunningly beautiful blonde woman said from

  where she sat at the Table. The other two women were also inhuman levels of beauty, but they

  felt older and heavier. “Madam, I would discuss this privately.”

  The Burnett that sat at the center as perceived by anyone entering the room waived him off. “

  What have you brought us for evening Sport?” The three women looked at Shade like a piece

  of meat. I trust these two. And he has a delicious chest.”

  “How is he endowed?" the other Brunette interjected.

  “Apologies to the distinguished guests, I did not intend to insinuate mistrust. But I belive this

  one can perceive us.”

  Against Shade’s anxiety at being vulnerable before these people who were clearly more

  powerful than him he ended his technique, and the words fell back into high pitched tittering

  and chirping, the butler's voice a baritone buss like a cicada. The only difference now was

  several of the maids who were bringing snacks were all in the room and standing stock still.

  Even in this space time. He could feel their gaze and pressure bearing down on him. They all

  stood hands near pickets or just under the edge of an apron. Suddenly the chirping all stopped

  and Shade stood there staring into the middle distance. He could see that everyone had

  stopped moving at blurring speed, but he felt the butler's attention next to him increase slightly

  in the form or slightly more pressure.

  “I don't know why you have decided to play dumb, but the fact that you stand unfettered by the

  auras in the room is giving away whatever you intend to conceal.”

  “Speak Slave.” The centered brunette said from where she sat. “How do you resist us?”

  Shade held up the truth stone he still held from the wagon. “I do not precisely know. I can

  sense it as a weight, and I can differentiate that Balatro is the strongest in the room, followed

  by that maid, then that maid, then the mistress of the house, then that maid and the other two

  ladies. And finally the Parlor door guards.”

  The stone stayed dull throughout Shade’s explanation. Suddenly there was more blurring

  motion and the other brunette and two maids that were more powerful than the mistress of the

  house practically exploded onto blood and fleshy cubes with some Tulle and silk mixed in. The

  blonde and her maid were now in the corner with the maid imposing herself between the

  blonde and the rest of the room. “A shame, I wonder when she turned. Send guard captain

  Rylen to her guest house and have it searched for clues. Ballatro take the head cook and the

  head maid and find their respawn location… They have some explaining to do. I will entertain

  this Slave while you are away. Do you pose a threat to me boy?”

  Shade genuinely gave it some thought, and without his ability to enter higher space times

  physically, and not knowing how enhanced their durability was he didn’t think he stood a

  chance. “No mam, forgive me for not knowing how to properly address you, but I cannot fathom

  any way that I could pose a physical threat to you.” The butler’s spiritual weight pressed down

  on him as he mentioned not knowing how to address her, but he didn’t speak. “Very well, Lady

  Shahahnitra, let us head to the slave testing Facility while this mess is cleaned up. “Balatro you

  have your orders.