Let him visit his family
Throughout the afternoon, Linden found himself receiving seven or eight heavy parcels, all seemingly edible given their packaging. He neatly stacked them next to the fridge.
Upon returning home, Seraphina found him squatting at the door, sorting through the packages. With a frown, she grasped his hand, demonstrating how to summon the domestic robot and instruct it to undertake various household chores.
She guided his fingers through the electronic manual, annotating each line of text with simple pictorial symbols, enabling him to instantly recognize each function by its corresponding illustration.
Linden didn't really mind handling the parcels or the trash—it hardly felt like a waste of time, given his usual boredom at home. He occasionally sneaked some fruit from the fridge, wary of touching anything else.
`
In a soft voice, he inquired, "Has it been snowing outside for long?"
"There's been no snow," Seraphina responded, reverting the panoramic window to its transparent state, revealing the dense high-rises and automated cars weaving through them.
Linden gazed out in astonishment as Seraphina showed him how to operate the window's controller, encouraging him to select whatever view he preferred.
`
Recalling the newly arrived parcels, he informed her of their orderly placement. Seraphina checked the list, confirming the arrival of all nutritional supplements and additives.
She asked Linden to fetch the tallest box, which, upon opening, revealed containers akin to milk powder cans. Seraphina placed three cans in the upper cabinet of the kitchen, with another on the countertop.
`
As Linden served the cooked rice, he noticed Seraphina mixing the powder-like substance in a glass. The powdery scent wafted to him, simultaneously making him want to yawn and recoil from its peculiar smell, prompting him to cautiously move the rice cooker away.
After preparing the mixture as directed, Seraphina sniffed the concoction, detecting hints of salted fish, beans, and other odd ingredients. Tasting it, she found it resembled milk paste heavily seasoned with myriad spices.
"At least it's nutritious," she thought, consoling herself with the belief in its health benefits.
·
Linden had just arranged the dishes on the table and was about to reach for a spoon when she placed a cup of the peculiar concoction beside his right hand. His tail fluffed up in alarm as the solution's aroma assaulted his senses.
"Is this for me?" he couldn't help but ask, wondering if it was some kind of poison that would end his life.
Seraphina nodded, urging him to eat quickly before the solutioin cooled, suggesting it wouldn't be as palatable then. Linden was convinced that regardless of its temperature, the concoction couldn't possibly taste good.
Bracing himself, he took a couple of sips and nearly regurgitated his meal. Observing his struggle, Seraphina grabbed the cup and took a few gulps herself. Linden instinctively tried to snatch it back, but he couldn't stop her from downing it with ease.
`
"It's just a bit salty, isn't it?" Seraphina commented, tasting it again, finding it not as unpleasant as Linden's defeated expression suggested.
Revisiting the instruction manual, Seraphina realized she had overlooked the fine print at the bottom, which indicated that additional ingredients were required for different species, particularly for beastmen with sensitive noses, who needed fruit to offset the odd taste.
Immediately, she fetched a watermelon from the fridge, directing the domestic robot to blend a glass of watermelon juice, which she then mixed into the murky, cement-colored milk concoction.
The sight of the pale red juice swirling into the mixture nearly made Linden nauseous.
`
With no other choice, Seraphina had the robot add a couple of lemon slices to the cup, doing her best to make it palatable and even provided a thick, biodegradable straw, a luxury she seldom afforded herself due to its cost.
Linden reluctantly took a sip, holding his breath as he swallowed. Keeping his nose away, the flavor seemed less intense, the watermelon and lemon adding a refreshing taste that greatly improved the concoction.
`
"You need to remember to take this yourself when I'm not around, three times a day, two spoons of powder mixed with half a cup of water, and you can only add fruits and milk as ingredients," Seraphina instructed, satisfied with his compliance.
Linden finished the drink in one go, a peculiar aftertaste lingering in his mouth, which he quickly tried to mask with the food. Chewing laboriously, he finally asked, "What is this?"
"Nutrition. You need to exercise more," Seraphina replied, emphasizing the importance of his health and well-being.
·
Linden's gaze involuntarily drifted to his ankle chain; his confinement meant he couldn't visit the gym, let alone indulge in his fondness for swimming. Now, he could only gaze longingly at the distant ripples of water.
It was only after dinner, as Seraphina squatted on the floor examining his legs, that she remembered his restricted mobility.
After a moment's hesitation, she unlocked his shackles.
"Just don't go outside if you're alone," she cautioned, even as she added another lock to the door.
`
Gratefully, Linden nodded. When Seraphina sat on his lap, his tail wagged more joyfully. He wrapped his arms around her cautiously and murmured, "You're really kind."
Seraphina chuckled in response, "Are you silly?"
Her laughter hinted at the irony of a beastman, sold into bondage, still finding room to appreciate kindness. Despite possessing the power to rend humans asunder, beastmen like Linden willingly sacrificed their own kind without ever contemplating rebellion.
`
"Freedom, rebellion," these concepts swirled in Seraphina's mind, causing her pupils to dilate in shock.
It was alarming to her that such rebellious words could even flicker through her thoughts.
Why would she know of such terms?
And yet, why should these terms be deemed negative?
`
A sudden headache made Seraphina silent for a while. Shaking her head to dispel these troubling thoughts, she leaned against Linden's chest, running her hands over his muscular torso.
Linden looked down, considering licking her hair—a gesture of affection not typically appreciated by humans—so he opted instead for a kiss on her forehead and cheeks, mimicking Seraphina's usual signs of affection.
Having finished her meal, yet with Linden still having half a bowl of rice left, Seraphina looked up at him, encouraging him to eat. She then wrapped her arms around his slim waist—free of any excess fat—and grabbed his tail, pulling it close to her face to rub against it.
The hair on his tail was fluffy and there was a bit of hard bristle in the middle that tickled her face nicely.
·
Linden blushed a little. He did not know how the other bought orcs lived, but it was too happy for him now. He wished he could bring his sister with him if he could. No, he can't make her a slave, too. He's enough.
It was time to pay his sister's school fees again, and he didn't know if this was the right time to talk about it, maybe in bed, maybe...
He is really stupid and has no idea when is appropriate.
·
Seraphina took the initiative to ask, "Who do you have to take care of?"
Linden's ears perked up as he quickly responded, "My sister."
"What is she doing?"
"Going to school, Miss Seraphina," Linden added, "It's a boarding school; she only comes home once a month."
As Seraphina stroked his tail, she asked, "I see, so you have to pay her tuition then. But you guys still have schools?"
She rarely visited the surficial settlements, and wondered how the orcs and humans lived there.
It is the largest land on the surface of the earth, and it still has many native plants and water systems. There have been many uprisings there before, and leaders have tried to give the orcs the right to education and peace, but such rights can only cover a small group of inhabitants there.
Although Linden's brain is not very bright, he still has the idea that knowledge can change fate. Is he a slave to earn money in order to support his sister's studies?
Seraphina thought, her head was short for half a second, and she was unexpectedly touched.
·
"Do you know the way home?" she asked.
Linden shook his head, so Seraphina pulled up a map on a smart device. These days, devices are typically worn on the wrist or fingertips. Seraphina had a spare one, which she gave to him. It's completely transparent and appears with a swipe in the air.
Seraphina instructed him, "If you go out, you must wear a mask and a hat. Don't linger on the streets. Once you leave this apartment, there's an elevator, the transparent door opposite our home's door. You just need to follow the directions and take the elevator directly to the ground level. However, we are near the top, very high up. It takes about ten minutes or so by that elevator to reach the ground. You can take some food to eat on the way or to bring home."
Linden was surprised that Seraphina allowed him to take food home, hugging her joyously with a happy purr in his throat.
`
Seraphina was actually afraid he'd run away. She spent a lot of money, but now she seemed indifferent because he appeared so happy.
"I'll be back soon," Linden almost solemnly promised, as she couldn't help saying, "Remember to come back."
If he didn't return, Seraphina would go hungry. She's clumsy in daily life, can't cook... only knows how to buy food. What if she gets hungry when there's no chef to make food, and she can't buy anything? She'd definitely be unhappy.