Chapter 9

"O-ok, th-th-nk yo-u"

"Of course! What do you ne-require first?"

She just looks at the floor and doesn't say anything. So I turn to her guard.

"What does the lady have next? Oh- and what are your and the lady's names?"

"Miquel and Eve. She has garden time right now, and will have time in the study next."

Surprising the guard is helpful right now, but I guess he must be taught something if he's around a young noble the whole time. So I hold out my hand for the youn- for Eve to take and we walk and we stop, as I just realized we are already in the garden. So we don't need to go anywhere, but to look like I know what we are doing I walk around the garden pointing out flowers that look nice. By the end she slightly opens up not really as much as I would have hoped but that will come with time. As for the guard he surprisingly doesn't really care for what I did it seems like he just cares that I'm not hurting Eve.

"Sorry to bother and I know this is a bit late, but what is your name, you have asked for ours but never stated yours."

Oh name, what is my name? I'll just come up with a fake one. What's a good Roman name? Or a common one? Maximus! I'll be Maximus. Nearly all male Roman's names ended in imus so my name will work fine! Wait, I may not remember the guards name but I'm sure it didn't end in imus and Eve? It could be short for Evelyn but why didn't the guard say Evelyn instead? Most female Roman's names were just the first part of their dads names but with some extra bits. So how did Eve come to be? This is a weird world.

"Maximus. And how much longer is garden time?"

"Garden time is normally only about 15 minutes."

"And you decided not to say this?"

"Quite honestly, I find you to be slightly terror inducing and figured it would be best for my well being not to interrupt."

"Next time keep me informed on the schedule."

"Understood!"

The guard doesn't seem to be a bad person just doesn't know how to pick his battles or how to not greet someone arrogantly. I ask him to lead the way to the study and he does. On the walk we pass many paintings and I get many freaked out glances once again reminding me I am covered in blood, smell and I am wearing a ripped up shirt. I need to take a bath after Eve goes to bed.

After a short and silent walk we arrive at the study, which is basically a library. With shelves and papers everywhere a few scrolls but there were lots of books! Which should mean it's past 200AD and if this were normal Rome it should be starting its decline, but it doesn't seem that way. Not that I've seen much anyway, and how so many things are different, I would definitely not be surprised if this were a lookalike Rome. Going back to the study I ask the guard.

"So what does Eve do here?"

"She learns."

"Learn what?"

"She learns what I teach her?"

"So you're her teacher?"

"No her guard."

"Then why are you teaching her?"

"His lordship hasn't assigned a teacher for her yet."

"Ok Eve I'll be listening in on your lessons with him and correcting anything wrong he says."

"O-ok"

"I'll repeat this again Eve, I'm here to help if you need anything just say it!"

"Ok"

She finally says something without stuttering, I really need to take a bath and change clothes. Also the guard apparently felt today would not be a good day to teach her because she just met me. So I asked her what she wanted to do and she said "Not be here" am I that scary? Yes. But after I'm clean she's gonna be shocked I'll look like the most competent person she's ever seen!

After spending quite a bit of those in the study, I get told by the guard that it's time for eve to go to bed. So He leads me and her to her bed. I ask for them to stay outside of the door while I check inside. The room looks plain, I check multiple areas and there is only one window outside, there doesn't seem to be anything dangerous, so I call them in. Until I know why I was hired I'm not going to slack on Eve's safety!

"Now that she's in bed, how do I take a bath?"

"Being your slave status, you can only bathe with the well out back and not the bathhouse like citizens."

"And are there any new clothes that I can wear?"

"I will bring you some of mine, and I'll ask someone to make you some new ones being you don't have a spouse."

"Thank you."

After asking one of the servants that were around for directions to the well, I walk there. After arriving, I undress and scrub and scrub and scrub. Blood and dirt are a hard combo to get off, mostly the dirt the blood was quite easy. With nothing to scrub with I have to use my hands to scrub it off. And I must say I feel clean, not just out of the bath clean but jumped in a lake clean.

Just as I'm about to put my clothes on, Eve's guard walks out and hands me some clothes so I put them on. They are quite tight on me, not horribly but if I try to move too quickly they will tear. I took out my sword and yes I scrubbed my body while wearing my sword, safety first. I take my sword out of its sheath and look at myself in its reflection. And I am hot. Sharp features with a stern look, muscles galore and abs now clean I look like a, for lack of a better word, chad.