My Dungeon Life: Rise of the Slave Harem

Mary and I were still chatting when a she suddenly made a noise and reached over for a stone that was sitting on her desk. Like most of her movements, it seemed almost scandalous. She touched what appeared to be a stone used for communication, but I didn’t seem to be able to hear what the other side said. It appeared this one was designed in a way that only the person touching it could hear. For me, I used Slave Communication most of the time, so I had never really looked into communication devices from this world. The range wasn’t very good, so the person sending the message was likely in this city.

“Oh? Is that so? I understand.” She spoke with another side before letting go and turning back to me with a smile. “It appears you’re wanted in the palace.”

“The prince?” I asked.

She nodded. “He has gotten word that you were in town and had visited me, so he asked if you would come to him as soon as possible.”

“That works for me. I planned to go there after speaking with you.” I responded. “I didn’t expect word to spread so quickly.”

“Leaders like us must have an extensive and thorough information network,” Mary responded.

Her answer was light-hearted, but it hit me harder than it should. I had often found myself clueless to the going-ons in Chalm. I seemed to learn about everything after the fact, such as the mass exodus of the foxkin tribe. Elaya seemed to have some kind of network, and I was certain Astria did as well, although it was clear Astria’s came from the fairies, whose information was less focused on people and more focused on spiritual things like monsters and mana disturbances.

Although I could ask either of them whenever I felt like it, maybe I should build my information network as well. I’d never had even considered something like that when I Chalm first started, but I really should have someone reporting from the capital, someone reporting from Chalm, Dioshin, and even the Ost Republic. I’d need to create an entire spy network. Perhaps, I should start to look for a spymaster? I could make one of the girls my spymaster, but that would fill up her time. Maybe Celeste would work? She was strangely observant at times.

I shook my head, that was something I needed to consider for later. At the moment, it seemed like I should make my way to the castle. If the prince called for me, then he probably needed something in a hurry.

“I’ll be on my way then.” I declared.

“Thank you for coming.” She stood up and bowed, her chest swaying as she did. “Please come back more often.”

“S-sure…”

She escorted me back out of the palace, and then I prepared to head for the palace to see Prince Edward. It was as we were walking down the street that a thought came to me.

“Head maid… um…”

“Master may call me Cici.”

“Um, Head maid Cici… you lived in the capital for some time at the orphanage, right? Do you know the capital well?”

“Yes, this is why Mistress Faeyna thought I would do well in maintaining the property.” She agreed.

“Do you still have connections to other orphans?”

She cocked her head as she thought about it. “Yes, I know quite a few, what does master have in mind?”

“You said the children often clean in the manors of merchants and lords of the capital. People ignore children, but children speak…” I responded thoughtfully. “Perhaps, you could be the one to listen.”

A spy network might not be so hard after all.