"Young Master Hickory…. Did you just say an auction?" An older voice cut through the air.
Ardent could see that the old caretaker Mr. Wyatt couldn't understand what was going through his mind.
He simply nodded at the question, "Yes, I've recently decided to start a new hobbie…. Trinket collections, strange item, whatever you may call it,"
"But young master why would you pick up a new—"
The old caretaker was silenced before he could even speak another word.
"What business do you have asking me questions?" Ardent told him, relaxing languidly on the couch.
The caretaker's eyes shimmered as he watched the young man reach for a bottle of alcohol at the table next to him.
While Ardent's eye wasn't on the caretaker, he still took note of this.
"Better yet, old man, you should explain who this….. brick of a man behind you is?" Ardent asked, eye drifting to the person standing behind the old caretaker.
The old caretaker allowed a relatively warm look on his face as he noted the young master behaving more like himself.
The man behind him was indeed built like a brick, a rather dark skinned man, with shades of strange luster polished on his skin.
What kind of human looks like that? Ardent thought, and thankfully Hickory's memory came to use again.
This man wasn't human…. Not in the sense he remembered from the old world. He was an augmented human. A human that had surgery to merge or rather integrate with a part of an abyssal monster. Why did people do this? Power of course, you might not be born an Esper but with enough money you could buy yourself power.
The man also had a buzz cut, with calm black eyes, he had sprinkles of wrinkles here and there but ultimately he still looked rather young. He wore normal standard uniform, a material akin to leather but far more expensive. These types of materials were expensive and hard to come by because they required parts from an Abyssal monster, or in this care skin of an Abyssal monster.
Clothing generally for lower caste folks was less expensive and didn't really progress much from 200 plus years ago. Why? In the never ending war against Abyssal monsters, resources were far too coveted to be wasted on clothing.
'Why did this sketchy caretaker bring an augmented here?'
"Explain yourself, caretaker," He spoke calmly, his fingers playing with the alcohol bottle.
The caretaker gave a slight smile. "This man is Marius Dupletes, he was part of the Air Force, he's an ex veteran,"
'Ex veteran you say? No wonder he's so calm, he probably thinks I'm a bumbling child,'
Ardent threw his head to the side, eying the man. The man merely looked at Ardent and then gave a curt bow, "An honor to work with you sir,"
His yellow eye narrowed. "Lower," a young voice said, and the veteran Marius paused. "Bow lower…."
Marius still had a calm expression as he intended to do what was asked before the young master spoke again.
"Stop,"
'He's very calm, and shows no sign of hesitation when given a ridiculous command from a boy he's clearly superior too…. He's used to receiving orders, he's been in the military a long time,' Ardent looked at the man intently.
'So why then are you working for a barely rich drunk bastard?'
Spy. This man was most likely a spy. Scratch that. He was highly likely a spy. Ardent felt the need to want to massage his forehead. Acting like Hickory did was a mountain of task as is, so much so that he was righteously inconsistent.
Ardent hated saying it but he really wasn't the best actor, in fact he remembered he was the worst at drama club, which was actually just a ruse to pick out the best suited students for assasination.
'You want information? Fine…. Have at it.'
"After the altercation last night, I spared no costs to acquire the right man to protect you young master," the caretaker looked proud of his action.
Meanwhile the young master in question wanted to puke out blood as soon as he heard this. Hickory had basically blown most of his savings and this old man dared to spend the precious money he intended to painstakingly spend today?!
Of course Ardent tried not to let the pained feeling he had show on his face. Instead he let out a chuckle that sounded irritating and condescending since it was Hickory's voice.
"You finally decided to do your job, right old man? Here I was already thinking you were out for my life! I even thought you brought this man here to spy on me! But as usual my beloved caretaker was just taking care of me!" His one eye did not show any signs of humor as opposed to his mirthful voice.
The caretaker's proud expression changed, his head sinking, and sweat starting to form in his forehead as he tried to sense what the young master was thinking.
Ardent leaned closer, nonchalantly stretching an arm out and gesturing at the old man, "Come," he said aloud.
The young man could see the hesitation in the caretaker before he took a step forward and then several steps forward and as he got close enough, the young man dashed forward and swung the bottle at him.
With wide eyes Mr. Wyatt immediately raised an arm to block the incoming attack but then the bottle paused mid way and the young master suddenly cackled.
"Oh liven up, caretaker," the boy bent down a bit, his yellow eye searching the eyes of the old man that seemed as if he wanted to sink into the ground.
In those eyes Ardent saw uncertainty and fear. 'Good, you'll never be able to predict a single thing I'll do, you will always be on edge,'
He then used his other hand to pat the caretaker's shoulder. "I wouldn't try to hurt you with such precious alcohol, that's what ole Marius is for now right?"
The old caretaker was silent. Ardent simply gave a haughty cackle again.
"Now where were we? Ah yes…. The thing about the auction? Where can I find one?" He allowed a smug smile on his face.
One that greatly disturbed the old caretaker.
A few moments later Ardent was in a car. The car was clean and a deep shade of black. It was a standard issue car for the lower upper caste working class. People from his family usually rode far more expensive cars, or rather just used hovercrafts or teleportation devices.
Despite the fact that he had inherited Hickory's memories he still couldn't help his fascination at the view of Prime city. There were several constructed roads that looped around each other yet never disturbing each other right above the road he was on.
Some billboards were rectangular in shape and hovered above the grounds while some were just in holograms.
'Prime city is a working city and ever moving. It is one of biggest city in Stronghold #19.' Ardent's expression changed at that thought, the memory of it coming back to him.
Strongholds. Yes 50 years after he died the strongholds were created. 30 years prior humanity had lost any semblance of race or nationality.
'Frankly put people were on the brink of death…. Then the strongholds were created to keep people safe from what lies outside the dorm.'
Ardent's eye peered up to the red moon thinking that while it seemed like nothing separated the sky from Prime city, there's was an illusory dorm that defended Stronghold #19, from the dangers of this world.
"This world is dying," he muttered, feeling his new bodyguard, Marius, glance at him a bit.
He didn't care.
The drive was somewhat smooth and silent, leaving Ardent lost in thought until the car slowed down, driving past a mob of poorly clothed individuals, a few were just right at the front of his cars.
Many of them held several different things that had writings on it.
Some say I reject this job market!The lower caste are humans! Say no to the police!
Ardent's lips twitched at the familiarity. "They are…. Protesting?"
"Against the job market," came the calm yet indifferent voice of his new bodyguard.
'…..The job market?'
His eye widened.
'Ah yes, that vile thing.'