After a few seconds of suffocating in darkness, Josh was hurled to the ground with such force that it would be a pleasant surprise if he ended up without any bruises. He shielded his eyes from the blinding sunlight while stumbling to his feet as he threw up his meager breakfast of cereal.

  Is it even the breakfast if I have no clue how much time has passed? He asked himself while surveying the surroundings, still shielding his eyes from the blinding sunlight.

  He ended up in some kind of garden with most of its space occupied by vast grasslands and a manor with a cracked fountain that stood in front of the manor’s entrance. The manor grounds were enclosed with unkept stone walls, with multiple dirt paths overgrown with weeds leading out of them.

  While Josh was stumbling his first steps towards the manor, the doors opened revealing an elderly man with a rigid structure and a wrinkled face that spoke of experience stepping outside.

  Definitely some kind of butler or steward. Josh thought as he analyzed the outfit of the elder. His fancy vest with some kind of crest on the shoulders could put even some of the modern tuxedos to shame.

  Josh halted his battered body as he waited for the elderly man to approach him, his fingers nervously fidgeting.

  “Milord,” the elder said while taking a small bow. “Welcome to your new home.”

  “New home? Where I am? Who are you?” Josh asked.

  “Milord, I understand you must be confused now, but a guide that will arrive in a couple of days will teach you how to adapt to your new role,” the elder replied.

  I didn’t want any of this!

  It was as if some kind of seal had been released. Anger and frustration gushed through Josh as he stumbled towards the elder and grabbed him by the collar of his vest. “I’m no lord of yours!” He shouted. “I don’t want any of this shit!” With one fist clenched and the other holding on to the old man’s collar Josh desperately pleaded.“Can you please… please just return me home?”

  The butler sighed “Forgive me, Milord. It’s not within my powers to return you home. Or anyone else that I know of,” Josh unclenched his fist and let Butler’s vest go as he stepped away, resigning to his new fate.

  “My name is Leonitas, you can call me short for Leo, Milord,” the butler introduced himself. “This place of ours is called Daim manor, named after the previous owners.”

  Fuck.

  This.

  Shit.

  Josh stomped at the ground, mad at everything and everyone he lashed out.

  “Lord? Lord, okay?” he took a deep breath to steady himself. “What, I’m even supposed to lord over,” he pointed towards the butler. ”You?” he asked as he stretched his arms to point at the barren manor “The manor?!”

  “I didn’t even have my own fucking life figured out, and now I’ve been kidnapped and told to be a Lord,” Josh laughed. “You know what I’ll play your game. I’ll be your Lord, and this is my first action as your Lord,” he lunged forward and clumsily punched Leo.

  Leo took Josh’s punch without even budging.“ Milord, Is that enough to calm down your anger?” Leo asked. “ Or do you want me to punch you back?”

  He didn’t even fucking flinch? Josh stood flabbergasted with his hand aching.

  “Milord, I swear upon my family name of Phoberos that I wish no harm to you,” Leo assured Josh.

  “Milord this, Milord that my name is fucking Joshua Brookes, or Josh for short and you shall address me that fucking way,” Josh angrily retorted.

  “Preposterous, Milord. That would be going against all customs and everything I know of,” Leo gasped exaggeratingly. “Surely you can’t treat this poor servant of yours like this?”

  What a fucking joke.

  Josh laughed out loud. “You will call me, Milord then,” he patted Leo on his back. “But only because I told you to call me Milord.”

  “As you wish, Milord,” Leo replied.

  I need to get used to this.

  “Milord, if you are no longer gonna be throwing any punches shall we head inside?” Leo asked.

  “No I’m not okay and I do want to fucking punch you. But my whole body is battered. And it’s not like punching you will change anything will it?”

  “No, it won’t. Joshua, It’s better if you forget about returning home, I’ve heard of plenty of summonings that happened before but never of someone returning…” Leo explained. “Now let’s head inside. You need to get some rest, Milord.”

  No one ever returned…

  ***

  Jolted awake by the swish of curtains being opened and rays of sunlight flooding the room. Josh glanced around the room with half-open eyes.

  A young woman with red wavy hair secured in a neat bun was standing by the window. Her face was filled with freckles and still had that youthful charm, if Josh were to guess her age he would say no more than twenty.

  His head pounding from oversleeping and lack of caffeine he addressed the young woman. “Hello, miss?” He asked.

  “Good morning, Milord,” she replied with haste taking a small bow.

  “What are you doing here? And who the hell are you?” Josh asked.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “Forgive me for my manners, Milord,” with a bright smile she replied. “My name is Bella! I’m your personal maid. I've been assigned by Sir Leo, to take care of all your matters, Milord.”

  “Okay, I want you to get out now and never fucking enter my room while I’m sleeping ever again,” Josh angrily retorted.

  That’s fucking creepy.

  .

  Bella panicked, not expecting to get dismissed by her new Lord at the very first conversation they had.

  “Milord, please forgive this one for whatever wrongs she has committed,” Bella pleaded as she knelt on the ground.

  And who’s gonna ask for forgiveness that I’ve got fucking kidnapped?

  Josh scowled.” Well, first of all, I don’t need a personal maid, I can take care of myself just fucking fine,” he grunted as he looked at the still-kneeling shivering Bella.

  Josh dragged his fingers through his face out of frustration. “Fine, fine, please just stand up. Everything’s okay, you can stay.”

  I guess I have a personal maid now…

  Getting his morning interrupted by Bella he didn’t even notice that the clothes that he carelessly left by the bed were now gone.

  “Hey, Bella where are my clothes?” he asked.

  “I washed them, Milord,” she replied before quickly adding on. “They’re out drying.”

  Actually, having a personal maid is great. Who wants to do their own laundry?

  “Then what are you still doing here? Go get me some clothes, or do you want me to walk around naked?” Josh asked.

  “Certainly not, Milord. I will bring you fresh garments in the next minute,” Bella said as she excused herself with a small bow.

  Left alone, Josh jumped out of bed and strode to the window. He pulled his thoughts of what he learned of this world so far together.

  Okay, so a butler named Leo, and a Maid named Bella? Pertis Kingdom, a ‘6’ for mana sensitivity, Daim manor, some kind of blood-letting ritual that they forgot to do to me?

  “Fuck, I need more information. I know nothing,” he punched the black drawer next to the bed.

  While Josh was still deep in his thoughts the sound of creaking doors, brought his attention to Bella who was carrying a sack of clothes.

  As quickly as she entered the room, she turned away even faster, noticing her ‘Lord’ dressed in nothing but underwear.

  “Milord, Sorry for intruding,” she said, her eyes filled with dread.

  “No worries, just leave them on the bed, Bella.” Josh sighed.

  She definitely seems fearful of me even though she doesn’t know me.

  Bella let out a deep sigh of relief as dread left her eyes, knowing she wouldn’t be punished as she asked him.

  “Milord, are you in need of any help to get dressed?” she asked.

  “I will be fine. Just leave clothes on the bed, please,” he replied.

  I feel like If I asked her to help me, it would take twice as long.

  With her head bowed down, she strutted towards the bed to leave his clothes. Despite her best efforts to keep her head facing the floor, Josh still saw her throwing a glance here and there at him.

  If I were to say something, would It count as abuse?

  “Milord, would you like your breakfast taken to your room, or will you dine in the dining hall?” facing the other way, she asked.

  Josh thought for a moment before realizing that he needed to meet Leo and whoever else was living in this manor and ask some questions. And it’s better to do it now rather than later.

  “I’ll dine in the dining hall, and you should make sure that Leo will be there to meet me,” he replied.

  “Of course, Milord. I shall go prepare the dining hall for you then,” she said while taking a bow and a slight glance at him before leaving the room.

  Ahh shit, I don’t even know where the dining hall is.

  The clothes Bella brought him were very different from what he usually wore.

  The shirt was white and made of coarse material, like linen, but from a different world. It still felt rough on his skin, as it was not of the best quality. It did look kind of stylish. But it was loose, very loose. If he didn’t tighten the laces by the collar, two of him would fit in, that kind of loose.

  I already miss my old wardrobe. And it was full of overpriced football shirts.

  The pants were not as bad, as they were more close-fitting than loose or tight, but he definitely didn’t like their style as they kind of looked like clown pants where they were large at the top and small at the feet. They were a bit loose up top but very tight-fitting at the bottom. They were black and brown, nothing too colorful or distasteful for his tastes. They seemed to be made from the same material as the shirt.

  And I thought skinny jeans were the end of the world, fuck me.

  His new socks were made of the same material, just grey rather than the clean white of his shirt or the black-brown of his pants.

  At least I still have my runners. He smiled as he looked at his black runners, happy that he wouldn’t need to wear whatever counts as shoes in this world for at least a couple of months.

  Now how do I get to the dining hall?

  He noticed a small copper handbell by the drawer next to his bed.

  Well, let’s try ringing it.

  As he rang the bell it started shining in a light blue color and the sound of the bell echoed way louder than the bell of that size should produce. It even reached the furthest parts of the manor.

  Well, this definitely proves that I'm no longer in Earth. He laughed. Of course, not like teleportation and a man not budging from a punch didn’t tell that.

  No longer than a minute had passed since he rang the bell before the doors creaked open again, and within the doorframe stood Bella.

  “Milord, you called?” She asked while taking a small bow.

  “Lead me to the dining hall, Bella,” he replied.

  Oh yeah, gotta get some answers.

  “Bella, why do you call me a lord? Even though we just barely met?” he asked remembering Leo’s reaction to no longer being addressed as a lord.

  She halted. “Milord, did I do something wrong?” She asked frown on her face.

  Josh sighed. “You didn’t do anything wrong, I’m just curious.”

  “But… you are a lord, aren’t you?” she asked, confusion on her face. “Sir Leonitas introduced you as the new lord of Daim Barony.”

  Josh laughed out. “Of course I am.”

  I don't think she knows enough for me to question her. I’ll just do that to Leo later on.

  The rest of the journey through the dimly lit corridors of the manor continued silently. Josh slowed down every now and then to appreciate the various tapestries that adorned the corridor walls. He stopped after he climbed down to the entrance hall to take a better look at the portrait that was hanging below the second-floor overlook.

  The man in the portrait had salt-and-pepper hair, which, along with his weathered eyes and a scar just below his left eye, gave a menacing look.

  Probably the last lord of this manor.

  “Who is the man in the portrait?” He asked Bella breaking the silence.

  “That’s Marcus Daim, Milord. He was the first owner of this manor and a general of Pertis kingdom before dying 200 years ago,” she replied with a proud smile, her eyes sparkling.

  “If he died so long ago. Who was the previous Lord of this land?”

  “Milord, that would be Reid Daim, the last descendant of Marcus Daim,” her gaze soft with a strange mix of disdain and longing.

  “He died to goblins near a shallow lake six months ago, Milord,” she said, her eyes burning with disdain.

  Goblins, what’s next, orcs, elves, and dragons?

  “Luckily enough, it wasn’t a dragon.” While laughing, he said to Bella.

  “Milord, I don’t think a dragon was spotted in this area for the past century,” she replied with a fearful glance.

  “Wait, a second, Dragons do exist,” Josh laughed again.

  “Of course, Milord, that’s common knowledge told to a child,” she said, taking in literally what Josh asked her.

  Dragons are common knowledge of course. Nothing rare here.

  His gurgling stomach stopped the questioning and led the final steps toward the dining hall. As he entered the hall it was the first place that truly showcased a Lord’s wealth.

  Various tapestries donned the hall's walls. A large chandelier with dozens of lit candles was hanging by the ceiling, and a dark wooden table large enough to serve a whole village was in the middle of the hall. The wooden floors were covered with skins of animals he had never seen before.

  “Milord, food will be here in a moment,” Bella stated.

  “Good, make sure to get Leo to join me for breakfast i have some questions for him,” Josh replied.

  Leaving him alone in the dining hall as Bella excused herself once more.