Taking the envelope from his hands, Selene lightly laughed. "Hehe, then let her test Orion. Wait and see how her jaw drops to the ground seeing his sheer potential."

Eldric's expression turned slightly serious as he looked at her. "Did you feel the power of a curse from her?"

Selene softly nodded. "Yes, and it's a strong one. Even I can't do anything about it. Was she born with it? Or did someone place it on her?"

His gaze turned solemn. "Who in the world can place a curse even you can't break? The Elven High Priestess?"

Selene quickly shook her head. "No, impossible. She wouldn't dirty her hands with curse magic."

"Then who…"

The old couple continued discussing who it could be, quickly forgetting about the slave issue—it was quite common in noble circles after all.

***

"Master, who is she?!" Rina pointed her trembling finger at the elven girl.

"She…" Orion gestured toward her, not knowing what to say as he didn't even know her name. After a split second of thought, he decided to name her, "...is Seraph. I bought a slave from the market, and she will be my third personal maid from now on."

"WHAT?!" Rina nearly shouted at the top of her lungs despite standing inside the library.

Meanwhile, Fiora looked at Seraph with wide eyes, feeling discomfort in her heart.

Orion had to look around and ask a few maids to learn that both of them had cooped themselves inside the library since morning. He had directly brought Seraph inside the library to find them, which led to the current situation.

"Master, were we not enough for you??" Rina asked, looking back and forth between Orion and Seraph.

"Cough, it's nothing like that, you two. First, come with me to my room, I'll explain the situation there," he said before looking around the quiet library.

A few maids could be seen clearing the shelves, but they didn't dare look in their direction, quietly doing their own work.

Orion turned around and took Seraph with him out of the library. Rina and Fiora looked at each other before following him out.

Rina frowned as she saw how gently Orion was treating Seraph. Fiora noticed Rina's expression and gently nudged her, silently gesturing for her to calm down.

Rina puffed her cheeks, but her tense expression slowly softened. She knew her master wasn't the kind of person who would casually bring home strangers without reason.

Back in Orion's spacious room, he gestured for Seraph to sit on the comfortable chair near the window. The elf remained silent, her dead violet eyes looking around the room cautiously, still wary despite Orion's gentle demeanor. Orion moved and gently made her sit down in the chair.

Rina and Fiora stood slightly behind Orion, eyes locked on the elven girl with curiosity and mild apprehension.

"Alright," Orion began softly, sitting down opposite Seraph and meeting her wary gaze, "let me explain clearly."

He briefly recounted the events of the day—his dream and how he had encountered Seraph at the market—carefully omitting the quest details given by the system.

Throughout his explanation, Seraph's gaze never wavered, though a subtle flicker of confusion passed through her eyes upon hearing the mention of his dream.

"That's how I found her," Orion finished calmly, looking back at Rina and Fiora. "I felt a connection and decided it was important to bring her here. It's not about dissatisfaction with either of you. You two are irreplaceable to me."

Rina's expression finally relaxed completely, and Fiora showed a gentle, relieved smile.

"We trust you, Master," Fiora softly affirmed.

"Indeed," Rina quickly nodded, though her eyes lingered on Seraph. "If Master thinks she is important, then she is important."

Orion smiled warmly, relieved that the misunderstanding was resolved swiftly. Then he looked back at Seraph, who was still silently observing everything.

"Seraph," he gently said, testing the name he'd given her. After seeing no reaction, he continued, "these two are Rina and Fiora. They'll be your companions and help you settle down here. I want you to trust us. You don't have to speak right now, but at least believe that no one here will harm you."

Seraph's eyes flickered slightly, and after a long moment, she subtly nodded her head. It was a tiny gesture, but Orion felt a sense of achievement from it.

"Good," Orion softly smiled, turning to Rina and Fiora. "Can you two help Seraph bathe and find some clean clothes for her? She's had a rough day."

"O-Of course, Master," Fiora replied softly, walking gently towards Seraph. She extended a careful hand, her eyes filled with warmth. "Come with us, Seraph."

Rina sighed internally but still walked over and gave a reassuring smile to the elf. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you."

Seraph looked between Orion and the two girls, finally standing up slowly. Her hesitant steps showed just how exhausted she truly was.

Rina and Fiora gently guided her out of the room, softly reassuring her along the way.

After they left, Orion exhaled softly and leaned back in his chair, his gaze lingering on the empty space where Seraph had been sitting.

[You handled that beautifully, Master! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ]

'Or so you say. She barely nodded. This trust thing is going to be far tougher than I thought,' Orion inwardly sighed.

[You have plenty of time, Master! Remember, this bond can't be rushed!]

Orion nodded slowly, understanding Lumi's point. He stretched lightly and stood up, walking to the window and looking out into the gardens illuminated by the soft evening glow.

'Indeed, I must be patient,' he quietly thought. 'There are many mysteries surrounding her. Why the illusion spell? What's her real background? And why would fate specifically link her to me?'

His mind raced with questions he couldn't yet answer, but he felt determined to slowly unravel them one by one.

[That's for you to learn, Master. Maybe one day, you can find out about them all at once.]

***

Meanwhile, Rina and Fiora gently helped Seraph bathe, carefully washing away the dirt and grime accumulated from her harsh treatment.

As they cleaned her, they noticed numerous small scars and bruises—evidence of her painful past.

Rina's heart softened completely upon seeing those marks. "Who could be cruel enough to do this?" she whispered softly, carefully wiping Seraph's arm.

Fiora gently combed the elf's silky green hair, sadness filling her eyes. "Don't worry, Seraph. Master Orion is kind. He won't let anyone harm you again."

Seraph remained silent, her eyes downcast. Despite their words, she didn't seem to have dropped her guard even slightly.

Afterward, they helped her into fresh clothing and guided her to a cozy room adjacent to Orion's, which had already been prepared by the maids.

"Rest well," Fiora softly said, tucking Seraph gently into the bed. "We're just outside if you need anything."

Rina smiled reassuringly. "We're here for you, okay?"

Seraph finally lifted her gaze slightly, and though she didn't speak, her eyes conveyed a flicker of gratitude.

Once outside Seraph's room, Rina sighed softly. "She's gone through a lot, hasn't she?"

Fiora nodded, determination flashing in her eyes. "Don't worry, Master. We'll make sure to take care of her."