The Arena, as Marcus found out once he got there, was a massive building of steel and glass that looked like an industrial warehouse located right on the river shore. Judging by its position and appearance it probably used to be some sort of shipyard in the past, but right now it was clearly an entertainment facility. Its walls were quite literally covered by colourful banners full of stylized depictions of warriors and were lit by dozens of spotlights, statues of people in armour guarded the entrance and a billboard that had ¡°The Arena¡± written on it in giant, luminous letters was mounted on the roof. Moreover, there was a huge line of people at the entrance, with many street vendors selling various Arena-themed merchandise like banners, flags and assorted trinkets.
¡°So... is this the Arena?¡± The Vex Queen asked to be sure, though it was pretty much a rhetorical question at this point.
¡°Yes.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°Is it to your liking?¡±
¡°Yeah, it does seem like a fun place.¡± Marcus shrugged. ¡°But I have to actually see the show before I can tell you whether or not I really like it.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time then.¡±
They joined the line, and as they slowly got closer to the entrance the Vex Queen noticed a big billboard right above the ticket booth that announced the program of the evening, which apparently would have three fights in total. One fight was between someone called Titus the Titan and Yosef the Executioner, another was a match between two teams, Tina the Tigress and Yulia the Terror of Zima on blue team and Sylvia the Slayer and Katherine the Red Valkyrie on red team, and then the main event, which was written in bold characters, was between someone called the White Fang and a team of two people called the Black Rose and the White Rose.
¡°Colourful names.¡± Marcus mentally commented, as they slowly approached the ticket booth. However, just as they were a few people away from it, he also noticed something else: a small sign dangling from the booth which said: Sold out for the evening.
¡°Bummer.¡± He cursed silently, and then he turned to Yasen and said: ¡°I''m afraid that we won''t be able to visit the Arena tonight.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± The Aura Master asked.
¡°Well, apparently they are sold out.¡± He said, pointing at the sign.
¡°Oh, you''re right.¡± Yasen said. ¡°Well, it''s to be expected really. It''s the day after Toathal after all, and there is a special event to boot. It''s no wonder it''s sold out.¡±
¡°I guess we''ll have to find something else to do this evening then.¡± Marcus sighed.
¡°Maybe not.¡± The captain replied. ¡°I want to try something before giving up, if that''s alright with you.¡±
¡°Fine.¡± The Vex Queen agreed.
They then waited in line until it was their turn, and they were greeted by a young man standing behind the booth.
¡°Good evening.¡± He said. ¡°How can I help you?¡±
¡°Good evening.¡± Yasen returned the salute. ¡°You''re sold out for the evening, and I correct?¡±
¡°Unfortunately yes.¡± The man confirmed. ¡°But you can still get tickets for tomorrow if you want, and we offer a fifty percent discount if you buy a weekly pass.¡±
¡°Well, what I''d really like would be to see this evening''s event.¡± Yasen said. ¡°Are you sure that all tickets are sold out? I don''t mind paying more.¡±
¡°I''m afraid that''s not possible.¡± The booth man replied. ¡°We are completely sold out this evening. All seats are already taken.¡±
¡°Alright, I understand.¡± The captain nodded. ¡°In that case, could I perhaps talk with Mr Gerr?¡±
¡°The owner?¡± The young man asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
¡°That''s him.¡± The Aura Master nodded. ¡°Just tell him that his old captain is here to see him. He will understand.¡±
The man studied Yasen for a moment, and then shrugged.
¡°Alright. I''ll see if he''s available then.¡± He said before leaving the booth and heading inside the building.
¡°You know the owner of this place?¡± Marcus asked the captain.
¡°Yes. We''re old friends.¡± The Aura Master confirmed. ¡°I''m going to ask him if he can find two seats for us.¡±
¡°That wasn''t really necessary, you know.¡± The Vex Queen said. ¡°I mean, we could have gone somewhere else. I''m sure that we could have found something else to do in the District. There is no reason to bother your friend.¡±
¡°Oh, I''m sure we won''t bother him.¡± Yasen replied with confidence. ¡°Besides it''s been a while since we''ve last met, so it was due time to pay him a visit. And speaking of the demon, here he is!¡±
He turned to his right, and Marcus followed his gaze to a bald old-looking man that was limping towards them, with the booth boy in tow.
¡°Yasen! You damn nuisance! Must you always choose the worst moment to turn up at my door?¡± He cried angrily, but the big, warm smile on his face contrasted his stern words.
¡°It''s because it''s funny to see you all worked up, Dieter!¡± The captain replied cheerfully, and a moment later the two men clasped each other in a bear hug.
Now that the man called Dieter was closer Marcus realized that he wasn''t actually that old, it was just that his face was such a patchwork of scar tissue that he looked wrinkly from a distance. He had no hair at all, not even eyebrows, and his skin had the pink complexion of burn scars. He also wore an eyepatch on his right eye, and judging by how stiff his right arm and leg were he probably had extensive injuries there too.
¡°You got fat.¡± Dieter said in a critical tone as he stopped hugging Yasen. ¡°I bet you''re slacking off without me to keep you in check!¡±
¡°I admit that it''s a blessing to not have you constantly breathing on my neck.¡± The Aura Master replied with a smirk. ¡°But still it''s a bit unfair to tell me this right after Toathal. You know how many banquets I have to attend as the captain of the Royal Knights.¡±
¡°Bah. That¡¯s a sad excuse.¡± Dieter shook his head. ¡°The truth is that you''ve always been lazy.¡±
¡°We all have our merits.¡± The Aura Master laughed. ¡°For example, yours is being a bloody stick in the mud.¡±
Dieter''s fake stern demeanour cracked completely and he joined Yasen''s laugh.
¡°Ah, it is good to see you again captain!¡± He said. ¡°Though I wasn''t kidding when I said that you always turn up at the worst moments. This is the busiest evening I''ve had in a while, so I don''t have much time to chat.¡±
¡°I''ll get straight to the point then.¡± Yasen gestured towards the Vex Queen. ¡°This is my friend, sir Marcus. He and I wanted to see tonight''s show but apparently you''re sold out.¡±
¡°That we are. There is not even a single seat that is not taken.¡± Dieter replied. ¡°However, I think I could find some space backstage. It''d be a rather spartan accommodation but you''d have a good view of the ring.¡±
¡°That sounds good to me.¡± The captain nodded. ¡°How about you, sir Marcus?¡±
¡°That''s perfectly fine for me as well.¡± The Vex Queen said. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to bother your friend too much. He sounds like he has his hands pretty full at the moment.¡±
Marcus'' shrill, non-human voice was immediately noticed by the owner of the Arena, who raised an eyebrow ¡ªor at least the part of the face where the eyebrow should have been¡ª but refrained from commenting.
¡°It is no bother at all, ma''am.¡± He said. ¡°Any friend of the captain is welcome in my Arena. Now come, the first match is about to start, and I wouldn''t want you to miss it!¡±
The old man then guided them inside, first in the hall, a large room filled with statues of warriors, and then through a series of corridors and then in an area that passed below rows of seats. Sound of music and the noise of a big crowd came from above them, but Dieter ignored them and led them to a metal ladder that climbed all the way up to the ceiling before disappearing through a trapdoor.
¡°Here.¡± Dieter pointed at a ladder. ¡°If you climb that ladder, you will reach a platform above the seats. Usually we control peripheral light effects from there, but we¡¯re not going to use it tonight. There should be a few foldable chairs in there, so feel free to use them, but don''t touch anything else and please don''t throw anything on the spectators below. Forgive me if I don''t accompany you further but my wooden leg and hand make climbing is quite a challenge, and besides I have a lot of work left to do.¡±
¡°It''s no problem. We can take care of ourselves from here.¡± Yasen said. ¡°Thank you for everything, Dieter. I owe you one.¡±
¡°Ha! You owe me several at this point!¡± The man laughed. ¡°But I''ll just add this to your tab as usual. We''ll get even next time we''ll get out to drink. Have fun.¡±
And without further ado, Dieter walked away, leaving the Aura Master and the Vex Queen alone in the backstage.
¡°Well, he seems like a nice fellow.¡± Marcus commented.
¡°That he is.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°He''s one of the most dependable people I''ve ever had the pleasure to meet. He used to be a lieutenant of the Royal Knight and he saved my neck many times.¡± He smiled. ¡°Good old lieutenant Dieter. Solid as a rock and twice as stubborn.¡±
¡°Can I ask how he got his scars? He looks like he had been set on fire on something.¡±
¡°That''s because he was.¡± The captain''s smile faded. ¡°We were hunting down a fire dragon that had made its nest in Numa valley. He led a squad to bait the dragon out of its nest to give me the opening I needed to kill it.¡± A sombre and somewhat haunted expression flashed on his face. ¡°It worked, but not before the damn beast burned seven knights to a crisp. Of them, only Dieter managed to survive, and to this day I don''t know how he managed to do that. The condition he was in after we managed to take him out of his half-melted armour...¡± He paused for a moment, and then added with a rather forced smile. ¡°Anyway, there will be time to talk about the past later, preferably after a few drinks. The show is about to begin so we better get to our seats.¡±
¡°Oh, alright.¡± Marcus immediately agreed. It was clear that those memories were rather painful for the captain, so dropping the topic was probably for the best. ¡°Let''s go then.¡±
He headed for the ladder and started climbing it, with Yasen right behind him. After climbing for about twenty metres, Marcus finally reached the platform and looked around. He was in a corner of the main hall of the arena, about ten metres over the highest row of seats. He could clearly see the ring at the centre of the room, which was also the only illuminated area: it looked very much like a wrestling ring, except this one was even bigger, and also for some reason there were solid metal fences placed between the spectators'' seats and area around the ring, almost giving the impression of a cage. The rest of the room was left in the dark, but nevertheless the Vex Queen could easily tell that it was filled to the brim with people, whose chatter was only barely covered by the loud music coming from an unknown source.
As he kept watching, Yasen also reached the platform.
¡°Good. They have yet to start.¡± He commented, glancing at the ring. Then he turned to the monster girl and asked: ¡°So, are these seats good for you, sir Marcus? I apologize for not getting you anything better, but as Dieter said, the arena is really packed tonight.¡±
¡°It''s fine, don''t worry.¡± The Vex Queen replied. ¡°We do have a good view of the ring, after all, and that''s all that matters. So let''s just enjoy the show.¡±
¡°As you wish.¡± Yasen nodded.
As Dieter had promised, they found two foldable chairs leaning against the platform railing, and they had just sat when suddenly a voice started talking, sounding as if it was coming from everywhere at once.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Arena!¡± Said the voice, which was loud enough to be heard over the music and the noise of the crowd. ¡°Tonight we¡¯ve got a special event for you! First, a match between the two biggest heavyweights in our roster, Titus the Titan and Yosef the Executioner! Then, the bestial beauties from Thule, Tina and Yulia, will face the amazonian champions of our arena, Sylvia and Katherine! And finally, last but not least, the living legend herself, the White Fang, will be challenged by two fierce newcomers, the Wild Rose team!¡±
The crowd cheered at these last names, to the point that they almost drowned the voice of the announcer.
¡°I see that you are as excited as I am!¡± The latter said. ¡°So I won¡¯t keep you waiting! Let the first match start! In the blue corner, here comes Titus the Titan, the giant of the Arena!¡±
Lights flashed on one side of the arena, and what looked like firecrackers exploded near one of the entrances to the arena, creating a smokescreen from which a humongous man emerged. He was easily two and a half metres tall, perhaps even more, and he wore nothing but a pair of leather shorts and a rough leather mask. His bulging muscles shone as if they had been oiled, and he looked as if he could walk through a wall without problem.
¡°Now that''s big.¡± Marcus commented. ¡°I''ve never seen a man so huge.¡±
¡°I did, from time to time.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°Usually they were augmented soldiers.¡±
¡°What do you mean with augmented soldiers?¡±
¡°Well, some nations, as well as a few of the most unscrupulous Aura Orders, have been known to meddle with body modifications and artificial augmentations. Alchemic potions, grafting of body parts from magical beasts and so on.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don''t really like that kind of stuff. It''s very dangerous and not at all reliable. But I suppose that some people would do anything for strength.¡±
¡°So this guy... Titus, is he a soldier?¡±
¡°He probably was once.¡± Yasen shrugged. ¡°I''d have to ask him to be sure, but judging by his body I''d say that he was probably part of the Imperial Wardens.¡±
¡°Imperial Wardens?¡±
¡°Oh, they''re a group of elite soldiers that serve as palace guards for the Emperor. I¡¯ve met a few of them and they are all about as big as Titus here.¡±
Having his curiosity piqued, Marcus would have liked to ask a few more questions, but before he could do that Titus reached the ring and the announcer started speaking again.
¡°And now... standing against the Titan, here comes the Executioner from the Federation! Fear his blood-stained horns and his iron arms! Here cooomes... Yosef!¡±
From the opposite side of the arena a new figure made its entrance, with the same light and smoke effects that had accompanied Titus. The newcomer was almost as tall and muscular as Titus, but instead of glistening muscle he was covered head to toe in black fur. A black executioner hood covered his face, but two white bull horns came out from under it, with their tip painted red as if they had been covered in blood.
¡°A minotaur.¡± Yasen commented. ¡°Interesting. Seems like we''re about to see a match of brute force.¡±
Yosef charged at the ring, reaching it and jumping over the ropes and landing right in front of Titus.
The two fighters stared at each other from their respective corners, waiting quietly while the commentators kept speaking.
¡°Seems like both Titus and Yosef are ready and raring to go! So, without further ado, let''s do this! Let the fight begin!¡±
A bell rang, and without hesitation Yosef immediately threw himself at his opponent, charging at him with his horns as if he was an actual bull. However, Titus stood his ground and grabbed the minotaur''s horns with his hands. The momentum pushed the huge man against the ropes, but at the same time Yosef''s charge was stopped. Then, with a superhuman display of strength, Titus suddenly lifted the minotaur by its horns and threw it out of the ring, where he landed against the metal fences with a loud bang.
¡°Ouch!¡± Marcus thought. ¡°I guess that this is why they got those fences. If they hadn''t been there, that minotaur would have flattened a few spectators.¡±
The impact didn''t seem to have much of an effect on Yosef despite the fact that it would have broken the bones of a normal person, and the minotaur stood up and quickly jumped back on the ring, where Titus was waiting for him with a smug expression on his face. This time, Yosef approached his opponent more carefully, making a few feints before dashing and trying to hit him. The human, however, simply ignored the minotaur''s moves, and simply went on the attack himself. The two then collided against each other at the centre of the ring, grabbing and trying to overpower each other in some sort of greco-roman wrestling bout. Titus was a bit bigger and his size gave him a definite advantage, but Yosef was simply relentless and he seemed to possess near infinite stamina. In the end, the minotaur was the one who gained the upper hand, as he managed to put the human off-balance with a feint and took advantage of that brief moment to trip him and get behind him to grab his neck in a lock. Titus tried to break free of that hold but despite his prodigious strength he couldn''t shake off his assailant, and meanwhile his face turned from red to purple as he ran out of breath. However he wasn''t done yet, and he stood up one last time, lifting the minotaur along with him, and ran towards one of the corners, slamming his opponent against the pole. Yosef grunted in pain but didn''t let go of the hold, not even when Titus started ramming him repeatedly, and in the end his perseverance won, as the human, his face now blue, finally collapsed to the ground.
The crowd cheered as the commentators excitedly announced that Yosef was the victor, and the minotaur stood up and raised his fist to the air in triumph.
¡°Good fight.¡± Yasen commented. ¡°It was a bit amateurish by my standards, but overall I''d say it was passably entertaining. Titus had an edge when it came to physique but Yosef had much better technique, so it''s no wonder that he won.¡± He turned to the Vex Queen. ¡°So, was it to your liking sir Marcus?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± The monster girl nodded. ¡°It was... well, more real than I thought it''d be. From what you told me I thought that they would just pretend to fight.¡±
¡°Well, arena fighters do often use a lot of flashy but impractical moves at the start to make their matches more fun to watch, but they are still trying to beat each other and they tend to get more serious at the end of the fight.¡± The Aura Master replied. ¡°After all, if people wanted to see pure acting they''d go to a theatre, not to the Arena.¡±
¡°Ah, I see.¡± Marcus nodded again. ¡°Makes sense.¡±
¡°And here I thought that it''d be just like wrestling, with kayfabe and all.¡± He thought to himself. ¡°But I guess that in a world where melee fighting is still relevant the people would recognize a completely fake fight.¡±
He returned his attention to the centre of the arena. Titus had recovered and was walking away on his own legs, seemingly no worse for wear though he did seem quite frustrated, while Yosef on the contrary was visibly limping but had a much more cheerful attitude.
¡°That was an exciting match, folks!¡± The commentator said. ¡°And yet, it was nothing but the appetizer compared to what we have in store for you tonight! Now, following this match between giants, it¡¯s going to be a match between beauties and beasts! In the blue corner, here are our household champions! Give it up for Sylvia the Slayer and Katherine the Red Valkyrie!¡±
Music played and fireworks erupted as two figures emerged from one of the entrances. They were two women, both pretty tall and extremely muscular. The taller one was a blonde bombshell wearing a skimpy fur bikini like a stereotypical female barbarian from a Frazetta cover, while the other, only marginally smaller, was a redhead wearing what looked like a rubber replica of roman armour, which included a muscle cuirass which greatly emphasized her breasts.
¡°Now this looks more like the wrestling I knew.¡± Marcus thought as the two women reached the ring.
¡°And in the blue corner, here are the fearsome gladiators from the Federation!¡± The commentator announced again. ¡°Here comes Tina the Tigress and Yulia the Terror of Zima!¡±
A different music played and fireworks were set off at the opposite entrance, and two new figures entered the Arena. One of them was a tall and thin Felid girl whose fur was striped like that of a tiger, while the other was a white-furred Ursid like Olga, Eisen¡¯s head maid, only she was a bit thinner and more visibly muscular. Both of them were wearing shorts and sports bras, similar to those that Alya used.
The two Thulians also climbed on the ring, followed by the cheers of the public. Then, the Ursid and the blond woman got out in their respective corners, leaving the Felid and the girl in the red armour inside the ring.
¡°The match is about to start, and the first ones in the ring are going to be Katherine and Tina it seems!¡± The commentator said. ¡°So, let¡¯s not waste any more time and let¡¯s get ready to rumble! Let the fight begin!¡±
The bell was ringed, and without hesitation Katherine launched herself against Tina with her right arm raised to perform a lariat. The Felid ducked and easily dodged the blow, but then the redhead just kept moving straight ahead, bounced on the ropes and charged back, performing another lariat and aiming a bit lower than the previous one. However the cat girl avoided this attack as well, this time jumping over her opponent and landing behind her with literal cat-like grace. With an annoyed expression on her face, the woman tried a few more charges and moves, all of which were dodged effortlessly by the Felid, which almost seemed to be mocking her opponent.
¡°Things are not so hot for Katherine!¡± The commentator said. ¡°Tina is constantly a step ahead of her! How will the Valkyrie try to close this gap?¡±
That question was soon answered, as Katherine attempted another lariat that was also dodged by Tina who jumped over the Red Valkyrie. However, this time the woman spinned on herself as soon as she passed the Felid, turning around and grabbing her by the waist before executing a perfect german suplex, slamming her on the ring. Then as they were both on the floor Katherine started grappling her opponent, and though Tina fought back the human¡¯s greater strength, weight and superior technique quickly allowed the latter to quickly overpower the Felid, putting her in a rather peculiar submission hold. The Valkyrie was on the ground below Tina, holding her arms and intertwining her legs with hers right behind the knees, forcing the Tigress to bridge backwards. This hold didn¡¯t seem particularly painful but it was certainly quite humiliating, since it put the catgirl in a rather suggestive position with her legs open and her chest up in the air.
¡°Here is Katherine¡¯s Wedding Lock!¡± The commentator announced. ¡°Will Tina be able to free herself? Or is she doomed to a humiliating defeat!¡±
Wild cheers coming from the stands seemed to indicate that the males in the crowd really appreciated this display, and Tina struggled even harder to free herself with an annoyed expression on her face. However, while the hold wasn¡¯t that effective, the catgirl still seemed incapable of breaking free from it, and the redhead gradually forced the Thulian to spread her legs more and more, much to the spectator¡¯s delight.
¡°Quite a¡ peculiar hold.¡± Marcus commented.
¡°Oh, that one is just for show.¡± Yasen promptly replied. ¡°They have yet to start fighting seriously. The stuff they did so far was just to please the crowd.¡±
¡°Yeah, I can see that a lot of people are pleased with that right now.¡± The Vex Queen said sardonically.
¡°Well, that¡¯s one of the reasons why they come to this place to begin with.¡± The Aura Master smiled knowingly. ¡°This is the Red Light District, after all.¡±
¡°Noted.¡± Marcus replied.
They returned their full attention to the ring, immediately noticing that Tina¡¯s companion, the bear woman called Yulia, had sneakily entered the ring and was now rushing to her friend¡¯s help.
The Ursid quickly grabbed both fighters from the ground as if they weighed nothing, separated them and then proceeded to throw Katherine against the pole of her corner, which she hit with a loud impact that left her concussed and dazed. Losing no time, her teammate Sylvia immediately tagged her and jumped into the ring, while Tina also let Yulia take her place and returned to her own corner. The Ursid now faced the barbarian woman, but she didn¡¯t seem particularly phased and just taunted her opponent with a ¡°bring it on¡± gesture. The bear woman''s confidence didn¡¯t seem out of place since Sylvia, despite being pretty tall for a human, was still tiny compared to her. The barbarian woman also seemed perfectly aware of her disadvantage and cautiously kept her distance and circled around her opponent like a wolf stalking its prey. Seeing that Sylvia wouldn¡¯t fall for her taunt, Yulia sneered and just went on the offensive, trying to grab the blond woman, but the latter dashed away, dodging any attempt to reach her. This chase went on for a little while, until the Ursid, who clearly had had enough, threw all caution to the wind and just focused on trying to grab her opponent, running after her with surprising speed for someone so large. However, that only meant that she fell completely for the barbarian¡¯s trap. Just as it seemed that Yulia had been able to push Sylvia into a corner, the latter jumped on the corner pole and used it as a trampoline to launch herself against the Ursid, who had no time to slow down before being hit square in the face with a well placed dropkick. The impact made the bear woman stumble backward, but surprisingly even that blow wasn¡¯t enough to take her down, though it did manage to stun her momentarily. Sylvia wasn¡¯t finished though, and as soon as she landed back on the ring she proceeded to sweep at Yulia¡¯s legs, tripping her and finally making her fall down. Then, before the dazed Ursid could react, the barbarian woman grabbed her in an arm bar, with her legs around the bear woman''s neck while she held her left arm. Yulia struggled to free herself, but Sylvia¡¯s hold was too firm to be broken. Then, with a display of superhuman strength, the bear woman stood up, lifting her opponent along with her, but Sylvia simply increased the pressure on her arm and the bear woman fell back, growling in pain.
From her corner, Tina entered the ring to help her companion, but before she could reach her she was intercepted by Katherine, who this time managed to hit her with a lariat and made her tumble on the ring¡¯s floor. The Valkyrie then proceeded to once again grab the Felid into a hold, this time a more conventional chokehold that quickly managed to subdue the catgirl. Meanwhile, seeing as no help was coming her way, Yulia also started tapping the ring floor to surrender, her face distorted with pain as her arm was almost bent backwards.
That was the end of the fight, and the bell rang to announce the winners.
¡°And here it is!¡± The announcer cried. ¡°The fight is over, and our household champions have won against the two menaces from Thule!¡±
Cheers erupted from the tribunes and Katherine and Sylvia beamed as they bathed in the adoration of the crowd, while the defeated Thulians quietly left the arena, looking rather frustrated, with Tina wobbling a bit and Yulia massaging her arm.
¡°Mh... interesting fight.¡± Marcus commented.
¡°Quite so.¡± Yasen agreed. ¡° It was a skill versus natural strength scenario, with the former coming out on top after a hard battle. It¡¯s plenty enough for most people to enjoy it.¡±
¡°And all the eyecandy probably didn¡¯t hurt either.¡± The Vex Queen smirked under his mask. ¡°Seeing the lock that the redhead woman used in the middle of the match definitely made the crowd happy.¡±
¡°Katherine knows how to please the crowd, that¡¯s for sure.¡± The Aura Master convened. ¡°She¡¯s a professional after all.¡±
¡°You know her?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Yasen confirmed. ¡°We went out together a couple times.¡±
¡°You dated her?¡±
¡°Not really.¡± The captain shrugged. ¡°It was just a fling, nothing more. Neither of us was interested in pursuing a more serious relationship.¡±
¡°Ah, I see.¡± Marcus nodded.
Meanwhile, Katherine and Sylvia also left, and once the ring was vacated the lights in the Arena started slowly dimming, until the entire hall was left in the dark.
¡°And now, the moment you¡¯ve all been waiting for!¡± The commentator loudly announced. ¡°The special event of this evening, which will see the White Fang face the Wild Roses!¡±
A luminous sphere that looked like a miniature moon suddenly appeared from the ceiling, floating above the ring and illuminating the Arena with its pale light. At the same time, artificial fog rolled down from the tribunes, filling the space around the ring. The music also changed, becoming wild and rhythmic.
¡°On the blue corner, we have the three time winner of the Great Imperial Battle Royale! The undefeated champion from Thule, who makes every other fighter quake in fear at her very mention! The white beast that stalks the night! The one! The only¡ Whiiiiite Faaaang!¡±
A large figure made their entrance in the arena. It was impossible to tell the details of her appearance since she was hidden behind a curtain of fog, but it was still pretty clear that she was a huge and muscular woman, almost as big as Yulia the Ursid. Then the so-called White Fang effortlessly jumped five metres in the air, emerging from the fog and landing right in the middle of the ring on all four before suddenly standing up and letting out another powerful howl.
Even at that distance, Marcus immediately recognized her.
It was none other than Alya Vilka.
Chapter 147 - Beat Two Roses with one Wolf
A surprised Marcus stared silently at the figure standing on the ring. There couldn¡¯t be any doubt that it was Alya Vilka, as not only was her physique immediately recognizable, but she was even wearing her usual attire, with the only addition being a stylized mask of a wolf that barely covered half of her face.
¡°Hey Yasen, isn''t that Alya?¡± He asked for confirmation, though he was pretty sure already.
¡°It sure seems so.¡± The captain replied, looking as surprised as the Vex Queen himself.
¡°What is she doing here? Didn''t she go back to her country?¡±
¡°She did. Last time I met her, she was embarking on a ferry headed for the Federation. She must have come back.¡±
Marcus was about to ask more questions when the announcer started speaking again, interrupting him.
¡°And now, for her opponents, we have a couple of newcomers!¡± The man said. ¡°But don''t let their lack of notoriety fool you, because these beautiful flowers pack some sharp thorns! Now, let us welcome these two! Give it up for the White Rose and the Black Rose!¡±
Fireworks and sparks erupted from one of the entrances, and black and white petals fell from the ceiling as the challengers entered the arena. One of them was a tall and muscular woman ¡ªthough she was still smaller than Alya¡ª with long blond hair who wore a white sports bra and long white pants, with a white rose tucked behind her ear and her face covered by a white domino mask. Meanwhile the other fighter was much shorter, barely taller than Marcus himself, with black hair dressed in the same manner as her companion but with her clothes being black instead of white.
Marcus narrowed his eyes. Both fighters looked rather familiar, but from that distance he couldn''t tell exactly who they were.
The newcomers also reached the ring and both of them jumped over the ropes. The two Roses then raised their arms to incite the crowd to cheer for her ¡ªto which most spectators obliged¡ª while Alya just stared at them with her arms crossed and a smug, confident smile on her face.
¡°Seems like the fighters are raring to go!¡± The announcer said. ¡°This is a bit of a special match, so I''ll explain the rules. The White Fang really wanted a challenge in this fight, so we allowed her to fight solo while her opponents shall fight under tag team rules. Now, will this handicap be enough for the challengers to defeat her, or will the White Fang keep her title of undefeated champion? Let''s find out right now! Let the fight begin!¡±
The bell rang, and the Black Rose jumped to her corner, while her companion turned towards Alya, assuming a crouching fighting stance. Meanwhile, the wolfwoman simply remained still, waiting for her opponent to act. She didn''t have to wait long though, because only a few seconds later the White Rose suddenly dashed towards her. For a moment, it seemed that the woman would just charge directly at the Lycan but then at the last possible moment she instead circled around her opponent and attacked her from the right, trying to grab her. However, just as it seemed as if the assault would be successful, Alya just sidestepped out of the White Rose''s reach with relaxed ease and her arms still crossed.
Undeterred from this failure, the White Rose simply kept chasing her opponent and trying to grab her, but the wolfwoman simply kept effortlessly dodging again and again. Then, all of a sudden, as Alya dodged yet another assault, the blond woman suddenly turned around and intercepted the Thulian with a powerful kick to her side. This time Alya was forced to block using her arms, and her opponent followed with a low, sweeping kick, which the wolfwoman dodged by jumping in the air. The White Rose then stood up and launched herself at the Lycan before she could get back on the ground, finally managing to grab her sides, and then proceeded to arch herself backwards and supplex her into the ring mat. She didn''t stop there however, and pivoting on the body of her opponent she spun into the air and delivered another supplex. And another. And another. But then the fourth attempt was stopped by Alya suddenly planting her feet on the ring, stopping the momentum and then proceeding to perform a suplex of her own, slamming the White Rose on the ring. The two then separated, immediately getting back on their feet and looking none worse for wear.
¡°This White Rose seems quite skilled.¡± Marcus commented. ¡°To be holding her own against Alya...¡±
¡°Well, Alya is still just playing around.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°She hasn''t even used any Aura technique yet. But still, I have to agree. This White Rose gal has some impressive skills in close quarter combat.¡±
The White Rose attacked again, this time trying to overwhelm her opponent by going all out and delivering a series of lightning quick blows. But Alya remained unfazed and simply deflected or dodged all attacks, dancing around the ring like a feather in the wind.
Then, all of a sudden, the White Rose suddenly sped up to an impossible degree, moving so fast that she became a blur and catching the Lycan woman with a powerful shoulder tackle that sent her flying into the ropes, only to bounce back and be hit by a lariat that sent her spinning in the air before crashing onto the ring floor.
¡°What was that?¡± Marcus asked, his eyes wide with surprise behind the mask.
¡°Aura Arts.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°And used pretty skillfully to boot. The White Rose must be an Aura Warrior.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Dieter really went all out trying to find good opponents for Alya.¡±
For a brief moment the Vex Queen felt worried for the wolfwoman, since the blow she had just received would have killed a normal person. However, he hadn''t even finished formulating this thought when Alya jumped back on her feet, seemingly completely unharmed. In fact, she even started smiling cheerfully ¡ªa predatory smile full of eagerness for violence.
For the first time since the start of the match Alya went on the offensive. Without any warning she threw herself at her opponent, launching several blows too quick for the eye to see. The White Rose barely managed to dodge or parry most of them, but then she got hit by a kick to the stomach so hard that it made her bend over in pain. Not letting this chance slide, the wolfwoman grabbed her opponent by her neck and waist and jumped in the air before slamming the White Rose''s head on the ring with both their combined weight. This time the blonde woman definitely felt the blow, and when they separated and got back up she was a bit wobbly on her feet. However, Alya didn''t give her much time to recover and assaulted her again, grabbing her by her arms and overpowering her with ease, forcing her on one knee. For a moment it seemed as if the match was going to end then and there, but then, all of a sudden, the Black Rose jumped from her corner and launched herself at Alya, hitting her in the side of her face with a drop kick that sent her tumbling away from the White Rose.
Some people in the crowd booed at this clear foul, but most cheered since this would allow this entertaining fight to go on longer. The Black Rose then grabbed her companion''s hand and helped her get on her feet, before gesturing for her to go to their corner. The White Rose obliged, and left the brunette alone in the ring to face Alya.
The Lycan, meanwhile, stood up again, once again seemingly unharmed, and just tilted her head left and right before looking at her new opponent. The Black Rose returned the stare with equal confidence, and then, without any warning, she darted towards the Aura Master with insane speed, attacking her with a series of lightning quick kicks. Though physically smaller and probably weaker than her teammate, the Black Rose was nonetheless incredibly quick and agile, moving around the ring with inhuman speed.
However, Alya was more than a match for her.
Every attack was dodged or parried and immediately followed by a counter, which was in turn dodged and followed by another counter, in a never ending chain that was equally brutal and graceful, like a wild dance between partners. It was breathtaking to look at and the crowd stared in silent fascination, almost as if worried that making any noise would break the spell and bring an end to this display of martial perfection.
However even without any outside interference one of the fighters was bound to make a mistake sooner or later, and that was exactly what happened, and unsurprisingly it wasn''t Alya who did, but rather the Black Rose.
After dodging one kick with a jump, the black haired woman spun in the air and attempted some kind of somersault kick, but this time she was a tad too slow and Alya managed to catch her leg mid-air, swinging her like a flail and slamming her on the floor. Then, before the Black Rose could recover, the wolfwoman delivered a powerful kick to her side, and while the girl managed to parry it the sheer force of the attack sent her flying against one of the corner poles. Alya then raised her arms and the crowd cheered, but her celebrations were very short lived as she was once again caught by surprise by her opponent. The White Rose, seeing her companion losing, sneaked behind the Lycan and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. Then, without hesitating, the woman then ran towards one of the corners and, using the poles as a trampoline, leaped more than ten metres in the air before dropping like a meteor on the ring, delivering a devastating supplex to Alya. The impact was strong enough to make the scaffolding where Marcus and Yasen were seated tremble as if hit by an earthquake, and the Vex Queen grabbed the railing in order not to fall from his seat.
¡°Shit!¡± Marcus cursed in his native language.
¡°Is everything alright, sir Marcus?¡± Yasen asked, turning towards him with a worried expression on his face.
¡°Eh... nothing.¡± The Vex Queen said. ¡°I was just surprised.¡± He turned to the ring, where the White Rose had stood up while Alya laid motionless on the floor. ¡°Is Alya going to be ok? That was one hell of an attack.¡±
¡°That it was.¡± The captain nodded. ¡°But don''t worry. Alya is fine. She has taken much worse hits than that without problem.¡±
Yasen''s judgement proved to be correct, as a few moments later the wolfwoman suddenly jumped back on her feet, once again without showing any sign of being hurt. Her smile just widened even more, showing her sharp canines, and she gestured for both of her opponents to come at her at once. At the same time, the aura of danger surrounding the Lycan suddenly increased, to the point that Marcus could feel his hair standing.
¡°Seems like Alya is finally starting to get serious.¡± Yasen commented. ¡°This fight won''t go on much longer.¡±
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The two Roses exchanged a glance, visibly looking a bit worried, but after only a moment they started moving against the wolfwoman, circling around her and getting ready to attack her from two different sides. Then, as soon as they were in position, they darted towards Alya at the same time, one attacking from the front and the other from the back. The White Rose went for a grab, while the Black Rose tried to kick her from behind.
Both failed, as Alya easily dodged both attacks. The two women repeated their assault again and again, but the Lycan seemed untouchable and moved around both of her opponents apparently without effort. This went on for less than a minute until, all of a sudden, she delivered an open palm strike to the Black Rose, sending her flying out of the ring and into the fences that protected the spectators, while with the other hand she grabbed the White Rose''s wrist and somehow managed to throw her into the floor, with a move that reminded Marcus of Aikido. Then, without pause, she seized the girl''s legs and started spinning, dragging her opponent with her. Meanwhile the Black Rose had stood up and, while reeling from the impact, managed to get back on the ring, but by the time she had reached it Alya''s spinning had gained a crazy speed, and she and the White Rose together looked kinda like a miniature twister, to the point that they even produced a gale that could be felt even in the furthest corners of the arena. The black haired woman stared at this display in confusion, but before she could do anything the Lycan let go of the White Rose, who, carried by the centrifugal force, was thrown towards her companion, hitting her like a cannonball. The two then flew in the air and hit the metal fences, leaving a very visible dent before dropping to the ground.
¡°And here it is, ladies and gentlemen!¡± The commentator cried as the bell rang to announce the end of the match. ¡°The White Fang''s famed Tornado Throw! The Wild Roses have fought extremely well, but in the end that wasn''t enough to beat the Fang, who keeps her title of undefeated champion!¡±
The crowd cheered as Alya lifted her head and let out a victorious howl, while the lights all focused on her. Meanwhile, the Wild Roses slowly picked themselves up, clearly battered but somehow still mostly fine after the beating they had received, and they headed out of the arena.
¡°Eh, so Alya won.¡± Marcus commented. ¡°No surprises there, but at least it was a good fight... or at least it seemed so to me.¡±
¡°You''re perfectly correct.¡± Yasen agreed. ¡°None of them were actually fighting seriously, but it was a fine performance. And besides keeping up with Alya, even when she''s playing around, is no small feat. The Roses must both be Aura Warriors, and high ranked ones at that. At least Yellow Sheaths... maybe even White.¡± He paused and turned to the Vex Queen. ¡°However, what really matters is that you enjoyed the show.¡±
¡°I did.¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°Watching Alya fight is always... fascinating. And the fights before that were also fun to watch. So, all in all I''m happy that we came here to the Arena. This place was definitely worth a visit!¡±
¡°I''m glad to hear that.¡± The captain nodded. ¡°And besides, the night is still young. So, what do you want to do next, sir Marcus?¡±
¡°I don''t know... do you have any other suggestions?¡±
¡°Well, since we now know that Alya is here, we could ask her to join us.¡± The Aura Master proposed. ¡°We did have fun drinking together back in Treval, and she seemed to like you in her own way.¡±
The first, instinctive response Marcus had was to immediately shut down this idea ¡ªpossibly before it had even been expressed, so that he wouldn''t have to even think about it. He was barely capable of being near Yasen without blushing himself to death after all, and adding Alya to the equation would probably make him die of sheer awkwardness.
But, just as he was about to shout his refusal out loud, he realized a couple of things. First, he would probably have to justify his refusal to invite the wolfwoman, and that was easier said than done. Explaining how he really felt about the matter to Yasen was out of the question, but at the same time he didn''t like having to lie to him either. And second, and perhaps most importantly, Marcus was just tired of having his actions restricted by what he felt awkward.
¡°What the hell.¡± He told himself. ¡°I am a grown man ¡ªat least mentally¡ª and not some virgin choirboy still scared of cooties. I came here to this Red Light District specifically to have fun and there is the chance to drink with a woman who I do find actually rather attractive. Back in my old life I wouldn''t have hesitated to go for it.¡±
He thought about it for a moment, and then took a deep breath and decided to throw his reservation aside at least for this one night and see what would happen.
¡°Well, why not.¡± He said. ¡°Besides, this would actually be the first time we drink together... back in Treval, it was my double who was with you, not me.¡±
¡°Oh, right.¡± The captain nodded. ¡°I forgot about that. Well, in this case let''s head to the changing room before Alya leaves.¡±
¡°Alright... but we''ve got to find someone to lead us there first.¡± The Vex Queen said.
¡°Don''t worry, I know the way.¡± Yasen replied with a smirk. ¡°I''ve been there a few times already, back when I dated one of the female arena fighters.¡±
¡°Ah, I see.¡± Marcus nodded, desperately trying to let his mind be led astray by the captain talking about dating. ¡°Make way then.¡±
The two descended the stairs, and then the Aura Master guided the Vex Queen through a series of corridors, until they finally arrived at an anonymous closed door with the words ¡°No entry¡± written on it in bold characters and a burly man standing in front of it, probably a member of the staff. The man glanced at them menacingly as they approached, but immediately recognized Yasen and when the latter asked to let them pass, the security guard immediately stood aside. The captain then led Marcus inside and they found themselves in a little space separated from the rest of the room by a wooden folding screen. As the captain closed the door behind them, the Vex Queen could hear female voices coming from beyond that screen.
¡°It''s just a shame, you know?¡± A voice that was unmistakably Alya''s was saying. ¡°You could easily become an Aura Master if you just put in the effort.¡±
¡°You sound like my seniors in the Order.¡± Another familiar voice replied, though Marcus couldn''t remember to whom it belonged to. ¡°They all say the exact same thing, but I''m just not interested. I''m perfectly fine with staying a White Sheath, thank you.¡±
¡°Alright, I can respect that.¡± Alya said.
¡°No need to respect it. Nemi is just a lazy bum.¡± Yet another familiar voice chimed in.
¡°You shut your mouth Merva. You''re just jealous because you''re still a Yellow Sheath.¡±
Before they could continue their discussion, Yasen interrupted by announcing their presence.
¡°Excuse me.¡± He said loudly enough to be heard. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but we''re looking for Alya.¡±
There was a moment of silence, but after a few seconds the wolfwoman''s head, still wearing her white mask, poked over the folding screen and looked down at the newcomers.
¡°Well well well... look at who showed up.¡± The Thulian said. ¡°What are you doing here Yasen?¡±
¡°Well, me and sir Marcus just happened to be watching the fights tonight, and after seeing you we decided to come by and ask you if you''d like to have a drink with us later.¡± The captain explained
¡°Oh, sure.¡± Alya nodded, shifting her gaze to the Vex Queen, who was still covered head to toe in his disguise. ¡°Just give me a few minutes to get ready. In the meantime, come on in.¡±
¡°Uhm... we wouldn''t want to bother you and the other ladies while you get changed, so we can wait outside.¡± Yasen said.
¡°Don''t worry, we''re all presentable.¡± The wolfwoman said.
The captain looked at her for a moment, but then shrugged and walked around the screen, followed by Marcus. The rest of the room was long but quite narrow, with several dressing tables lined against one side and coat hangers on the other. Apart from Alya there were just two other people ¡ªthe two girls who had fought against her, who had now removed their masks. Now that he could take a better look at them, the Vex Queen actually recognized them: they were members of the Order of the Rose, the mercenary group that he had met back in Brettholz.
¡°Oh, greeting captain Yasen.¡± Said the short brunette, Nemi.
¡°Evening, captain.¡± Echoed the tall, blonde one, Merva.
¡°Good evening, ladies.¡± Yasen replied.
¡°Hi there.¡± Marcus also saluted them, and the two female Aura Warriors immediately turned their glances towards him.
¡°Wait... Are you the Vex Queen?¡± Nemi asked. ¡°The one that looks like a bug version of Sarah?¡±
¡°Yeah, that''s me.¡± Marcus replied, lifting his mask to show his face. ¡°And you are... Nemi and Merva, right?¡±
¡°That''s correct.¡± The short woman confirmed. ¡°I''m surprised you remember our names.¡± She paused and gave a side glance at the Vex Queen. ¡°And I''m also surprised by the fact that I can''t sense your aura... like, at all. Which is impressive considering that back in Brettholz I could feel you from several rooms away.¡±
¡°Uhm, well...¡± The Vex Queen hesitated. He had been warned not to tell too many people about the Crown, but Nemi''s question was very on point. So he decided to tell the truth but not give away too many details. ¡°I got an item that helps me control my aura now.¡± Then, before the girl could ask more questions he tried to change the subject: ¡°By the way, I was also surprised to see you two fighting in the Arena. How did you end up here as Alya¡¯s opponents?¡±
¡°It''s nothing exciting really.¡± Nemi shrugged. ¡°We are currently staying at the temple of Pretheve waiting for our next assignment, and this evening the owner of the Arena showed up searching for Aura Warriors that could put on a good show while fighting Alya. Since we were free and the pay was good, we decided to take this job.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Marcus nodded. Then, eager to keep the topic away from the matter of the Crown, he turned to Alya, who had taken off her mask and was currently busy wiping his fur with a towel. ¡°Tangentially related, can I ask you why you¡¯re here Alya? Last time I saw you, you were heading back to your country because it was under attack, was it not?¡±
¡°Yeah, but as it turned out it was just a waste of time.¡± The wolfwoman replied. ¡°The Djinni were poking at our borders but they got cold feet once our army got there, and after that we just spent a week just staring at each other and waiting for the other to do the first move.¡± She shook her head in pure disgust. ¡°I hate that kind of stand-off. Though thankfully it didn¡¯t last long, since the Djinni soon packed up and left. That left me bored and with nothing to do, so I decided to head for the northern kingdoms to see if I could find something interesting to hunt in the Great Northern Forest. I was on my way there when I decided to stop in Rennhafen for Toathal.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Marcus nodded again.
¡°I¡¯m personally a bit surprised that your commanders let you go so easily.¡± Yasen commented. ¡°After all, the Djinni could very well come back later. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time they used this kind of feint.¡±
¡°The Djinni have other fishes to fry.¡± Alya replied as she grabbed a pair of boots and put them on. ¡°Apparently there is a major raid coming from the Winter Wastes this year, which ought to keep them occupied at least until spring.¡±
¡°Ah, I see.¡± The captain said. ¡°It makes sense now.¡±
Curious as he always was about the history of this world, the Vex Queen was about to ask for more details about the Djinni and these so-called Winter Wastes but before he could say anything the Lycan woman put on a jacket and spoke again.
¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready. We can go out now.¡± She said. Then she turned towards Nemi and Merva and asked: ¡°How about you two? You wanna come along?¡±
¡°Thank you very much, but we have to get back to the temple.¡± The blonde woman politely declined. ¡°We¡¯ve got training tomorrow, and we really need all the sleep we can get.
¡°Yeah¡ I would have liked to take tomorrow off, but sadly the captain just won¡¯t let us off the hook.¡± Nemi added bitterly.
¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Alya commented. ¡°It means she knows what she¡¯s doing.¡± She turned back to Marcus and Yasen. ¡°In this case, let¡¯s go get something to drink.¡±
¡°As you wish, Alya.¡± Yasen said, and then waved towards the two Gold Roses. ¡°Good evening ladies.¡±
¡°Good evening to you, captain Yasen.¡± Nemi replied. ¡°And good evening to you too, sir Marcus.¡±
¡°Good evening.¡± The Vex Queen replied, before turning and following Alya and Yasen out of the room. As he walked behind the two Aura Masters who towered over him, he once again felt the usual pang of awkwardness that always plagued him in their presence, which made him question his decision to go out drinking with them. However, after thinking about it for a moment, he doubled down instead.
¡°I can¡¯t spend all my life scared of my emotions!¡± He told himself. ¡°After all, you all live once¡ ehr, twice in my case, but the point still stands! I don¡¯t know when this life will end, so I ought to try and enjoy it when I can! I do find Alya somewhat attractive and drinking with her sounds fun, so I¡¯m going to do it, awkwardness be damned!¡±
With this resolution he kept walking besides the two warriors, but still, despite all of his determination, he just couldn¡¯t get himself to calm down, and he could still feel his cheeks blushing and his heart pounding in his chest.
148 - Partying Hard
After a brief stop to say goodbye to Dieter, Marcus and Yasen finally left the Arena behind and returned to the streets of the Red Light District, where Alya was waiting for them.
Once again, the Vex Queen felt grateful from the bottom of his heart for the cloak and the mask that covered him completely, because otherwise being in the company of the two Aura Masters would have been almost unbearable. But somehow his disguise made him feel detached and hidden from the world, so the awkwardness he felt was more or less within acceptable levels.
¡°Man, that was a nice fight all things considered, but holding back so much makes me crave something more.¡± Alya said to Yasen. ¡°By any chance, would you be interested in a quick bout? Just a small duel to warm ourselves up a bit?¡±
¡°I''m sorry Alya, but I''m busy this evening.¡± The Captain replied with a smirk. ¡°I have the duty to accompany sir Marcus, and it wouldn''t be proper for me to get distracted with a sparring match with you. However, if you''d happen to show up at the training grounds of the Royal Guards one of these days, I think I could oblige you then.¡±
¡°I''ll take you up on that offer if I''ll stay a bit longer in Rennhafen.¡± The wolfwoman said in a rather disappointed tone. ¡°But honestly I really want to get to the Northlands as soon as possible. I only stopped here because I felt that I was getting a bit too rusty and I needed some exercise. Luckily Dieter managed to get a match for me, but as I said that''s not nearly enough.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Anyway, since I can''t do anything for my thirst for battle, the least I can do is to slake my actual thirst. Let''s go get something to drink.¡±
¡°Of course.¡± Yasen nodded. ¡°So, where should we head to then? I''d highly suggest the Broken Wheel tavern, personally. It''s quite close and the beer is excellent.¡±
¡°Nah, I already have another place to go.¡± Alya replied.
¡°Oh, and where would it be?¡± The captain asked.
¡°Madam Sevre''s Serrai.¡±
Yasen froze for a moment after hearing that.
¡°Wait, what?¡± He said, sounding completely dumbfounded. ¡°Why would you want to go there?¡±
¡°Because it''s the best tavern in Rennhafen.¡± The wolfwoman answered in a matter of fact tone. ¡°Also it''s where I am currently lodged so I won''t have to worry about losing my way in these damn alleys when I''m drunk.¡±
¡°Those are good points, but...¡± The captain hesitated, glancing at the Vex Queen beside him. ¡°Well, I don''t know if sir Marcus would be fine with it.¡±
¡°Why wouldn''t I be fine with it?¡± Marcus asked.
¡°Well...¡± The man looked a bit embarrassed. ¡°While the Serrai is indeed one of the best drinking establishments here in Rennhafen, it''s main service is...¡± He hesitated. ¡°Well, it''s adult entertainment.¡±
¡°What?¡± The Vex Queen asked, failing to connect the dots.
¡°It''s a brothel.¡± Alya chimed in helpfully. ¡°One that specialises in exotic species. But that''s not why we''re going there tonight though. As I said, it''s also one of the best taverns here in Rennhafen. It''s nice, quiet, clean and it has good music, food and an exceptional selection of liquors. It''s a bit pricey, but it''s totally worth it.¡±
¡°Ah... I see.¡± Marcus muttered automatically, as his brain had kind of shut down at the thought of visiting a brothel with the two Aura Masters.
¡°In any case, we don''t have to go there if you don''t want to, sir Marcus.¡± Yasen said, picking up the Vex Queen''s discomfort. ¡°There are plenty of other establishments to choose from.¡±
As soon as Marcus''s mind resumed working, his first, instinctive response was to do as the captain had suggested and immediately veto the hell out of Alya''s proposal. However, just as he was about to speak, he remembered his resolution to not let his embarrassment dictate his actiona.
¡°I am an adult, not a kid!¡± He thought angrily. ¡°I shouldn''t be scared of visiting a brothel or whatever! There shouldn''t be anything that I haven''t seen already! Heck, in my past life I even worked as a barman in a nightclub, so it''s nothing new at all for me!¡±
¡°Is everything alright, sir Marcus?¡± Yasen then asked, interrupting his mental self pep talk. ¡°You''ve been silent for a while.¡±
¡°Yes, yes.¡± He replied quickly. ¡°Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts for a bit.¡± He hesitated for another moment, and then asked: ¡°Anyway, does this Serrai keep its different businesses separated? Because I mean... well, I admit that it would be rather... uncomfortable if we''re visiting a tavern while everyone around us is... using it as a brothel, if you know what I mean.¡±
¡°Visiting something like a nightclub would be fine, but to stand there while people are screwing around us would be too much.¡± He thought.
¡°Oh, don''t worry.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°People would have to go to private rooms if they want to use the brothel''s services. The common rooms are not going to have anything more risqu¨¦ than a few waitresses and dancers in skimpy clothes.¡±
¡°Hm... ok, that doesn''t sound too bad. Not any worse than the night club I used to work at.¡±
So, after taking a deep breath and gathering his resolve, the Vex Queen finally gave his answer.
¡°Well, in that case I can''t see why we shouldn''t go there if this place is as nice as Alya says it is.¡±
¡°Oh, it is.¡± The captain nodded. ¡°In all honesty, it''s probably the best establishment in all of Brettholz. I often go there to have a drink and relax when I¡¯m on my leave.¡±
¡°That''s splendid.¡± The Vex Queen said. ¡°Let''s go then.¡±
¡°Are you really sure?¡± Yasen asked once again. ¡°Because as I told you before, going somewhere else is not a problem if you''re not comfortable.¡±
¡°Don''t worry.¡± Marcus stubbornly replied. ¡°I''m not a kid any more. I can certainly visit an establishment like this Serrai. Moreovery, the way you talk about it makes it seem like an interesting place.¡±
¡°Very well then.¡± The Aura Master nodded. ¡°As you wish then. Let''s go to the Serrai.¡±
Alya and Yasen led Marcus away from the main streets and into a veritable labyrinth of small, dimly lit alleys. This part of the District was much less crowded and the shops and establishments were considerably less flashy, often consisting of just a luminous sign and a door. There were a few exceptions though, such as a place which had some huge glass windows from which some almost naked ladies peered and waved seductively at passersby, or what looked like a casino whose entrance was decorated with statues of people engaged in rather... extreme sexual activities.
All the while, Marcus did his best to ignore his growing discomfort, making an heroic effort to keep calm and talk nonchalantly with the two Aura Masters, hoping that the conversation would help him keep his embarrassment at bay.
Somehow it worked, and by the time they finally reached their destination the Vex Queen felt reasonably fine, except for a mild knot in his stomach.
¡°Here we are.¡± Alya announced, pointing at a large but otherwise anonymous two stories tall building which had no windows at the ground floor. A large, reinforced wooden door seemed like the only entrance, with a rather small sign hanging above it with the words ¡°The Serrai¡± written on it.
¡°Uhm... are you sure this is the right place?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°It looks a tad anonymous for what''s supposed to be the best tavern in town.¡±
¡°Oh, that''s actually on purpose.¡± Yasen said. ¡°Madame Sevre likes to keep a plain exterior in order to better select her clientele. This way, there are less troublemakers wandering inside the Serrai.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
They approached the door, and Alya grabbed a string that was dangling from the wall beside it and pulled it, causing a bell to ring inside. A few seconds later, a slit suddenly opened in the door, revealing a small peephole, and after whoever was inside had inspected the newcomers the door opened to grant them passage.
Alya immediately walked in without hesitation, followed by a decidedly less confident Marcus, with Yasen closing the line. The trio then found themselves in what looked like a rather spacious lobby, with a large wooden desk on one side of the room and a middle aged woman sitting behind it. The one who had opened the door was a huge, black furred minotaur dressed in an immaculate butler uniform.
¡°Greetings and welcome to the Serrai.¡± The woman said, studying the new arrivals. Then, after a moment, she added: ¡°Welcome back, miss Vilka. And it''s a pleasure to see you again, captain Harp.¡±
¡°It''s a pleasure to see you too, Doris.¡± Yasen replied.
¡°Could you tell me who your companion is?¡± The woman added, as her eyes shifted towards the Vex Queen. ¡°You know the procedure. We have to check the customers'' identity before granting them access.¡±
¡°Of course.¡± The Aura Master nodded. ¡°This is sir Marcus Vitali, the Queen of the Vex, and recently elevated to the rank of Countess.¡± He turned to the monster girl and said: ¡°Please, remove your mask so that you can be identified, sir Marcus. I assure you that this is merely a formality, and that in any case your visit here will be kept strictly confidential.¡±
Marcus hesitated a moment, still feeling a bit embarrassed, but then did as he was told, lowering his hood and sliding the mask away from his horn to show his face. The woman, Doris, looked a little bit surprised by his appearance but didn¡¯t show any other reaction.
¡°Very well.¡± She said. ¡°If captain Harp vouch for you, then you''re free to enter. Do you want to leave your cloaks here?¡±
¡°Er... is it a problem if I keep mine on?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°I''d... rather not attract too much attention.¡±
¡°Oh, don''t worry about that.¡± Alya smirked. ¡°This might be the one and only place in this kingdom where you would blend right in.¡±
¡°Alya is right.¡± Yasen confirmed. ¡°There are some people here whose look is even more peculiar than yours. Besides, both the clientele and the staff are extremely discreet, so you won''t have to worry about being bothered.¡±
The Vex Queen still felt reluctant about leaving his disguise behind, since it had helped him soothe his discomfort so far, but then again he couldn''t deny that trying to drink and enjoying himself while wearing a mask would also be rather awkward, so he did as he was suggested and gave his cloak, surcoat and mask to Doris.
¡°Thank you.¡± The woman said, taking the clothes. ¡°Enjoy your stay.¡±
The minotaur then opened a door for them, and the trio went down a flight of stairs, descending for at least ten metres before finding themselves in front of yet another door. Once they crossed this one as well, they finally entered the main hall of the Serrai.
Marcus'' first impression was that he had somehow gotten outside in some kind of garden, but after a moment he realized that he was still indoors. The tall ceiling was simply painted like a night starry sky, and many potted plants and even trees were scattered everywhere, creating the illusion of a forest area. Several luminous orbs of various colours dangling from the ceiling provided a dim, nocturnal light, and at the centre of the room there was a large pond filled with water lilies with a stage that emerged from the centre of it like a small island. As he walked inside, the Vex Queen also noticed more details. The room itself was square shaped and very, very big, surrounded by a gallery that was separated from the rest of the hall by a line of sandstone columns. Instead of tables and chairs, there were about sixteen conversation pits dug into the stone floor, each of them filled with pillows and carpets, and placed so that each pit had a clear view of the stage but was isolated from the others by a wall of potted plants.
All in all, Marcus had to admit that this place looked every bit as nice as it had been described to him. In fact, it was probably the most gorgeous establishment he had ever been at in both of his lives. However, the most striking feature of the hall were definitely the people inside.
Though the clients in the conversation pits were hard to see due to the plants obstructing the view, the staff walking around were perfectly visible thanks to Marcus''s night vision and they were the most heterogeneous group he had ever seen. There were many waitresses ¡ªthough maybe some were waiters, since their gender was sometimes hard to tell¡ª of all shapes and forms, all dressed in rather skimpy clothes tailored for their specific form. The Vex Queen recognized a handful of species, like a female goblin who was serving drinks or one of those tree people that he had already seen on the streets of Rennhafen, but most of them were completely new to him. There was a serpentine creature with a humanoid torso that slithered on the floor, an incredibly tall and thin grey humanoid with four arms that carried a tray in each of its hands, a creature that was a mix between a frog and a cricket mixed together in the shape of an ape sitting in a corner that somehow was singing in a beautiful, pristine female voice, and finally a female reptilian humanoid with green skin and a huge flower bud growing out of her head that was dancing on the stage in the middle of the room. And many more shapes were only partially visible from across the room, some of which looked even less human.
As Marcus gawked at all these different creatures, one of the waitresses approached his group. It was a tall and lithe white furred humanoid with features that resembled those of both rabbits and kangaroos, dressed in a skimpy maid outfit and moving with the elegant grace of a deer prancing through a meadow. She had very long and muscular digitigrade legs that ended up in huge, clawed paws which seemed specifically designed to kick people¡¯s heads off, and she had a stern and prideful expression on her face that seemed to indicate that she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do so if she had reason to.
¡°Welcome to the Serrai.¡± She greeted them with a squeaky voice that contrasted with her serious demeanour. ¡°Do you have a reservation?¡±
¡°No.¡± Alya replied. ¡°We just want a table for three.¡±
¡°Alright.¡± The rabbit girl nodded. Then, after she studied them for a second, she suddenly noticed the Vex Queen and her demeanour changed instantly. Her ears went flat against the back of her head, and she opened her mouth and let out a feral hiss.
Marcus blinked in surprise at that unexpected, hostile reaction.
¡°Is¡ everything alright?¡± He asked.
The rabbit girl didn¡¯t respond right away, and kept staring at him for a few more seconds, her whole body visibly tensing up and her right leg beginning to twitch, as if she was getting ready to kick. Meanwhile, both Alya and Yasen noticed her hostility and protectively put themselves in front of the Vex Queen. However, before things could escalate, the waitress seemed to regain control of herself.
¡°Sorry, I¡ I need to go somewhere.¡± She said while still staring at Marcus. ¡°Wait here please.¡±
She then quickly walked away, leaving them there dumbfounded.
¡°What was that?¡± Marcus asked.
¡°Judging by the fact that she seemed ready to attack you, I¡¯d say that she had some problem with you.¡± Alya said.
¡°But why? I have never even met her before!¡±
¡°Maybe she had something against your species in general.¡± The wolfwoman shrugged.
¡°Well¡ that could be it.¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°But I thought that the Vex were previously undiscovered, so how could that rabbit Thulian know about my species?¡±
¡°There is no such a thing as a rabbit Thulian.¡± Alya corrected him.
¡°Then what was she?¡±
¡°Beats me.¡±
¡°She is a Carbanog.¡± A sultry voice chimed in.
Marcus turned and found himself facing a young human girl ¡ªor at least, that¡¯s what she looked like at first glance. She was pale, thin and short, barely any taller than the Vex Queen himself, with long, flowing blue hair that reached her waist and dressed in a long, form-fitting dark blue dress with golden trimmings. Her facial features, however, were subtly different from those of a human, being uncannily doll-like, and her eyes especially were like nothing Marcus had ever seen before. They were huge and canted, with pupils so unnaturally large that they left barely any space for the iris and the sclera, and they had an unfathomable depth about them, like pits opening over a bottomless chasm.
Alya and Yasen, upon noticing her, slightly bowed their heads to greet her.
¡°Madame.¡± They both said respectfully.
¡°Good evening Alya. Good evening, captain.¡± The girl greeted them back. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. And I see you brought a friend with you.¡±
¡°This is Sir Marcus, Queen of the Vex.¡± Yasen introduced him. Then he turned towards the Vex Queen and added: ¡°Sir Marcus, this is Madame Sevre, owner of this establishment.¡±
¡°Nice to meet you, ma¡¯am.¡± Marcus said, bowing slightly.
¡°Likewise, sir Marcus.¡± Sevre replied with a soft smile, bowing much more deeply. ¡°I apologize for how rudely Tawlee treated you, by the way. I assure you that it was nothing personal, it¡¯s just that sometimes her racial instincts can get the better of her.¡±
¡°I can relate to that.¡± Marcus replied honestly. ¡°And she did nothing too bad, so don¡¯t worry. May I ask why what kind of instinct made her so hostile to me though?¡±
¡°Carbanogs have the ability to sense predators, and they tend to react quite violently when they do.¡± Sevre replied. ¡°Luckily Tawlee has learned how to suppress this urge, but it seems that your presence was especially¡ vexing for her, if you can forgive the pun.¡± The woman smirked. ¡°You must belong to a very predatory species to trigger her to this extent though, considering that Tawlee can deal with Temnosians without showing any discomfort.¡±
Marcus couldn¡¯t really disagree with the fact that the Vex were predatory. After all, while he was in the forest, he had used his drones to basically hunt down everything he could.
¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s about right.¡± He said. ¡°Glad we could clear that up.¡± He paused for a moment and then asked: ¡°Does that mean that we have to go to another place? I really don¡¯t want to cause a disturbance with my presence¡¡±
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡°Oh, no no no no!¡± The Madame shook her head. ¡°What kind of service would I be running if I started kicking out guests who did nothing wrong? It¡¯s our fault, and we are the ones that should make amends for it. I¡¯ll just make sure that Tawlee won¡¯t come close to your table. Moreover, for tonight food and drinks are on the house for you, should you decide to stay.¡± She paused and added in a rather mischievous tone: ¡°I¡¯m even willing to throw in a discount for other services from my staff if you want.¡±
¡°Ehm¡ thank you, but¡ just food and drinks are fine.¡± The Vex Queen replied, blushing a bit.
¡°Splendid!¡± Sevre said. ¡°In that case, let me guide you to your table.¡±
The girl led them to one of the conversation pits, one which had a clear view of the stage where the lizard girl was dancing, and made them sit down. She then called one of the waitresses, the multi-armed girl, to make her take their orders. Alya and Yasen both ordered a steak accompanied by whiskey, while Marcus, after reading the menu, went for a tartare and coffee flavoured liqueur called the Hangover, which he hoped would help him calm down since sitting between the two Aura Masters was still a straining experience for him.
¡°Do you mind if I sit with you?¡± Sevre asked as they were ordering. ¡°I¡¯d love to converse a bit, if that doesn¡¯t bother you.¡±
Marcus thought about it for a second, and he found out that he actually liked the idea of having another person with them. After all, being alone with his current companions was getting a bit too much for him after getting rid of his disguise.
¡°As long as Alya and Yasen are fine with it, I don¡¯t mind.¡± He replied.
¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± The wolfwoman said.
¡°I have no objection either, madame.¡± The captain said.
¡°Marvellous!¡± Sevre clapped her hands to gain the multi-armed girl¡¯s attention. ¡°In that case, bring a light meal for me as well, Kuris. I¡¯ll dine with our guests.¡±
She then sat down in the conversation pit right next to Marcus, laying on the pillows like a cat.
¡°May I ask to what do we owe the pleasure of your company, madame?¡± Yasen asked. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining, of course, but it¡¯s rare to see you dine with customers.¡±
¡°Unless you are paid for it.¡± Alya added with a smirk.
¡°Well, I am still a courtesan after all.¡± Sevre confirmed with a soft laugh. ¡°Anyway, the reason I decided to join you is actually because I¡¯d like to talk a bit with sir Marcus.¡±
¡°Well¡ sure.¡± The Vex Queen nodded. ¡°But why though? Is there something you have to tell me?¡±
¡°If I can be honest, I just would like to know more about you and the Vex and general, if that doesn¡¯t bother you.¡± The girl replied. ¡°As you might have guessed by looking at my establishment, I do have a certain interest in exotic species, so I could hardly pass up the opportunity to get some first hand experience of a newly discovered one.¡±
¡°Eh, it¡¯s understandable.¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not the first to be curious about the Vex, so feel free to ask any question you want.¡±
¡°Thank you very much.¡± Sevre said. ¡°Though I have to say that I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to getting some more physical experience, if you¡¯d like to share it with me. I would even be willing to do so for free, just this once.¡±
The Vex Queen froze, feeling somewhat glad that he wasn¡¯t drinking at the moment, because otherwise he would have spat out everything.
¡°W-what!?!¡± He stammered.
¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I was merely jesting.¡± The girl let out a mischievous laugh. ¡°However I would lie if I said that I¡¯m not interested in knowing more about how you work under the sheets. Call it a professional curiosity, if you will. After all, you look like you would make an excellent addition to my menagerie ¡ªat least if your mating habits are compatible with humans. I hardly need another girl who tries to devour clients after servicing them.¡±
¡°Ehm¡¡± Marcus blushed even harder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but¡ well, I¡¯m not exactly comfortable talking about¡ that specific subject yet. So could you please talk about something else?¡±
Sevre studied him for a moment, and then nodded with a knowing smile on her face.
¡°Ah, I see.¡± She said, her tone losing the teasing note and becoming much more gentle. ¡°Quite the shy one, are you? Very well, I won¡¯t push you further, and I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. Let¡¯s just move to less delicate subjects, shall we?¡±
She then started asking questions about the Vex species and Marcus tried to reply to the best of his ability. The blue haired girl turned out to be a brilliant conversationalist, making very poignant questions and intelligent observations with few jokes sparkled in between, and she also seemed to possess a great knowledge of biology, sometimes pointing out things about the Vex species that not even the Vex Queen had noticed. Much to his own surprise, Marcus found himself actually enjoying the conversation and he started to feel much more relaxed ¡ªespecially after two glasses of coffee-flavoured liqueur.
¡°Mmmh. You Vex sure are interesting.¡± Sevre said after they finished dining. ¡°I know several other eusocial species, like the Roks, the Rantul or the Vepian, but you are unique even compared to them. Not to mention your ability to absorb and copy the characteristics of other creatures, which is quite unique indeed.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Marcus replied. ¡°I mean, the goblins also have the ability to copy the traits of other species. And from what I¡¯ve been told the Rantul hybrids also retain some characteristics from the host they have parasitized.¡±
¡°They do.¡± Sevre agreed. ¡°But even so, they don¡¯t go nearly as far as you Vex do. Being able to pick the traits of other species and mix them freely is something almost completely unheard of. I know of just one other species that can do something like that.¡± The girl paused, and for the briefest of moments her smile seemed to wane a bit. However, she immediately recovered and resumed the conversation, changing the subject: ¡°Anyway, yours seems like a fascinating species, one with infinite potential for evolution! Honestly, I¡¯d love to have the chance to study you and your kin firsthand!¡±
¡°You¡¯d have to get in line.¡± Marcus joked. ¡°There are at least three scholars who asked me the same thing. Though I must say that you sound more knowledgeable than they are, at least about biology. Are you sure you¡¯re not a scholar as well?¡±
¡°Hardly. The study of other species is a hobby of mine.¡± Sevre shrugged. ¡°Besides, this kind of knowledge comes quite in handy when taking care of my employees.¡±
¡°You¡¯re being far too humble, Sevre.¡± Yasen chimed in. ¡°You¡¯re by far one of the most knowledgeable people I¡¯ve ever met in my life, not to mention one of the most skilled healers.¡±
¡°I can¡¯t really take much credit for either of those things.¡± The blue haired woman replied. ¡°Anyone would learn a thing or two if they happened to live as long as I have, and as for my healing skills that¡¯s something I was born with.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t change anything.¡± The captain insisted, a fiery light flashing for a moment in his eyes. ¡°Those talents are still yours, no matter how you gained them.¡±
¡°Well, if you put it like that, I guess that you¡¯re technically correct.¡± Sevre said in a gentle tone. ¡°Though sadly there are many who would disagree with you, especially considering my heritage.¡± She made a sad smile towards the Aura Master. ¡°I guess we have that in common, captain.¡±
Yasen didn¡¯t reply, but his face became hard for a moment.
Meanwhile, Marcus had looked at that exchange with puzzlement, not really understanding what was going on. He definitely lacked some context behind those comments, but one thing was for sure: whatever the subject was, it was a sore spot for the captain. So, wanting to improve the mood, he tried to change the subject.
¡°Madame, what did you mean with your heritage?¡± He asked. ¡°Does that have something to do with the fact that you look¡ well, a bit different from other humans?¡±
¡°You could certainly say so.¡± The woman replied cheerfully. ¡°I am a half-elf, after all.¡±
Marcus remained silent after hearing this¡ªmostly because this answer had left him with even more questions.
¡°Half-elf?¡± He thought. ¡°Like¡ elves? The pointy eared creatures of legends? Is she pulling a prank on me?¡±
He studied Sevre for a moment, but she seemed completely serious, and neither Alya nor Yasen had reacted as if it was a joke. Moreover, now that he was paying attention to it, the girl did kinda look like what an elf from a fairytale book would look like. Her ears were hidden under her blue hair, so he couldn¡¯t tell if they were pointy or not, but her other features were definitely elf-y enough.
Noticing his puzzlement, Sevre spoke to him.
¡°Oh right, you just recently settled in the Empire, so maybe you don¡¯t know about elves and half-elves.¡± She said.
¡°Well¡ I have read something about elves.¡± He said. ¡°In fantasy books from my past life.¡± He added mentally. ¡°But honestly I know basically nothing about them, apart from the fact that they should have pointy ears¡ and I don¡¯t even know if that is actually true or not.¡±
¡°It is.¡± Sevre said with a smile, and with one hand she pulled her hair to the side to reveal a long, decidedly pointy ear.
¡°Wow.¡± Marcus muttered, a bit at a loss for words. For some reason, despite already having met orcs, goblins and even dragons, the notion that elves were real in this world still felt surprising. ¡°That¡¯s¡ really neat. By the way, does this mean that one of your parents was an elf?¡±
Sevre let out a genuinely amused laugh.
¡°Heavens forbid!¡± She replied. ¡°Both of my parents were half-elves. Humans and elves can¡¯t naturally breed with each other, nor can either of them breed with half-elves. For all intent and purposes, we are all completely separate races.¡±
¡°Wait¡ but if that¡¯s so, how did half elves happen to begin with?¡± The Vex Queen asked. ¡°I mean, if neither species can breed with the other¡¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s simple. The first half-elves weren¡¯t born naturally, but were actually artificially created by the elves.¡±
¡°Really?¡± Marcus said. ¡°But how did they do that? And why?¡±
¡°To answer your first question, elves possess extraordinary biomantic powers that allow them to manipulate living tissue like clay and shape it however they like.¡± Sevre replied. ¡°In fact, they are probably better than you Vex in that regard. They used these abilities to create all sorts of hybrid species, including half-elves and Thulians.¡± She gestured towards Alya. ¡°That¡¯s also the origin of my talents as a healer, by the way. Half-elves inherited a small part of the elven abilities, and that makes us naturally skilled healers. And as for why they did create us, that¡¯s quite simple. They needed slaves and they thought that lesser copies of themselves were the best they could possibly get.¡±
¡°Slaves?¡± The Vex Queen asked, frowning at the notion.
¡°Yes, sadly.¡± The half-elf confirmed. ¡°All the elves'' creations were made specifically to serve their needs, whatever they would be.¡±
¡°Some had it better than others though.¡± Alya chimed in. ¡°Half-elves were the favourite pets of their masters, while us Thulians were essentially just cattle.¡±
¡°And some were treated even worse, like the Chimeras.¡± Sevre replied calmly. ¡°But ultimately everyone was just a disposable tool to the elves. Even though half-elves were generally treated better, that didn¡¯t make them any less slaves than the Thulians.¡±
¡°Fair enough.¡± The wolfwoman replied, drinking another shot of her whisky.
¡°I hope I¡¯m not jumping to conclusions too fast, but these elves certainly do sound like total jerks.¡± He paused for a moment and then turned to Sevre. ¡°No offense, of course.¡±
¡°None taken. After all, I¡¯m not an elf, just a half-elf.¡± She replied. ¡°Besides, that¡¯s just the truth. Elves were indeed total jerks, as you put it.¡±
¡°Yeah, about the only good thing you could say about them is that they are almost completely gone.¡± Alya said.
¡°So there are still elves around?¡± The Vex Queen asked. Though he mostly made this question out of idle curiosity, a small part of himself was actually rather interested in the elves¡¯ powers, and wondered if he could absorb them by consuming some of their DNA.
¡°Some of them are definitely still alive, hiding somewhere in the north.¡± The wolfwoman replied. ¡°They cause trouble from time to time, raiding the coasts and abducting people. But luckily that¡¯s pretty rare. Last time it happened it was when I was young.¡±
Marcus was about to ask more about the elves, but then all of a sudden the lights in the room grew dimmer. Artificial fog started pouring out of the pond, while several spotlights shone on the stage at the centre of the room, where a metal pole suddenly started emerging from the floor and reached up to the ceiling. Meanwhile, the frog-cricket creature in the corner started singing a new song ¡ªthough singing was not the right term, since the weird creature was somehow managing to produce the sound of multiple instruments in addition to the lyrics. The lizard girl on stage started dancing to the beat, incorporating the pole into his performance with several acrobatic pole dancing moves.
It was an impressive show for sure, but that wasn¡¯t what surprised Marcus the most. No, what really had shocked him was that he recognized the song that was being played. It had some differences from the one it knew and it was being sung in the Imperial language rather than English, but it was unmistakably Toxic by Britney Spears.
¡°What the hell?¡± He wondered, utterly dumbfounded.
¡°Are you alright?¡± Sevre asked, noticing his confusion. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±
¡°Uh¡ oh, no, there is nothing wrong.¡± The Vex Queen replied. ¡°I just wondered¡ what is this music?¡±
¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s an ancient ballad.¡± The half elf said. ¡°It was very popular a few centuries ago and it has become a mainstay of brothel music since then. Why do you ask?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s just¡ I think I¡¯ve heard this song before.¡± Marcus said. ¡°In my past life in another world.¡± He added mentally.
¡°That¡¯s not surprising. It is quite a classic after all.¡± Sevre said.
¡°Do you know who wrote this song?¡± The Vex Queen asked.
¡°I don¡¯t, sorry.¡± The half-elf shook her head. ¡°Back then there were a lot of new songs like this being played around the Empire, but the original author was never known for sure. The only thing I know is that most of them seem to have come from Robur after the Zaru invasion.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Marcus said. ¡°Thank you anyway.¡±
He then remained silent for a while after that, lost in his thoughts. Hearing a song from Earth in this world had left him quite rattled, and he was trying to find an explanation for how that was possible.
¡°They say that a bunch of monkeys could write Shakespeare if given enough time, but this is just a bit too much of a coincidence.¡± He told himself. ¡°I think someone else must have been reincarnated in this world five centuries ago, and they must have shared this song with the locals. But then why does no one here know about my world then? Did my predecessor keep their origin a secret? I mean, I was also told not to make it publicly known, so maybe that¡¯s the case.¡±
As he kept thinking he poured himself another glass of liqueur, just to clear his head a bit of course. As the aftertaste of coffee lingered in his mouth he felt his tension start to melt away and he decided that another shot or two wouldn¡¯t hurt. After all it was just flavoured liqueur, and the coffee in it should be watered down with alcohol, to which he was completely immune. He could probably gulp down the entire bottle and still be fine.
Three and a half glasses later he started to think that maybe he had been underestimating the liqueur. However, by that time he was also far too buzzed to really care.
¡°Maaaaan¡ why wasn¡¯t I supposed to get drunk? It feels fantastic!¡± He giggled. ¡°Not that I¡¯m drunk yet¡ just a little bit tipsy. I think I have room for one more glass before I really get drunk.¡± He poured himself another glass and instead of gulping it down in one go he started sipping it slowly to enjoy it to its fullest. ¡°Now, what was I thinking about again? Oh right¡ the music. It was Toxic by Britney Spears, was it?¡± He turned his attention to the music but by now there was another song being played, one he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s not as if it¡¯s an urgent matter. Perhaps tomorrow I¡¯ll ask Yasen if he knows about a music expert. Tonight, I just wanna have fun!¡±
He slouched back on his pillows, feeling the most relaxed he had been in months, as if all of his worries had melted away like snow in the summer sun. The new song that was being played was actually pretty catchy, and so he found himself bobbing his head to the beat and his eyes turned towards the stage. The flower-lizard girl was still dancing, and now that he was paying attention to her Marcus noticed that she was actually very good. He had seen his fair share of pole dancers back when he worked in the night club in his previous life and yet she was in a league of her own. She climbed up and down the pole with natural grace, swinging around, twisting her body and turning upside down without apparent effort while perfectly following the rhythm of the music. Moreover, he was pretty sure that a few of the moves she performed would have been impossible for a normal human.
¡°Wow.¡± The Vex Queen commented out loud, pointing at the lizard girl who was doing a flagpole using just one hand. ¡°How can she even do that? Her grip strength must be insane!¡±
His companions immediately turned towards him and then looked at what he was pointing at.
¡°Oh, Eelaa belongs to an arboreal species, so she has some impressive natural climbing skills.¡± Sevre replied with a rather proud . ¡°She is by far my best pole dancer, and there are many who come here specifically to see her performances.¡± She made a sultry smile. ¡°She probably earns more money through her dances than with her other activities, though she¡¯s one of my best girls in that field too.¡±
¡°Now that I find it hard to believe!¡± Marcus giggled. ¡°Though maybe you have a point. After all, any girl can be good for a tumble in the sheets, but pole dancers this good are hard to come by. I have seen many pole dancers back when I worked in a nightclub, but no one came close to her.¡±
¡°You worked in a nightclub?¡± Sevre asked.
¡°Oh yeah, in my previous life.¡± The Vex Queen confirmed.
¡°Your¡ previous life?¡± The half elf raised an eyebrow in puzzlement at this statement. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°Exactly what I said.¡± Marcus giggled again. ¡°I used to have a normal life, but then I died and I woke up in this weird body here.¡± He pointed at himself. ¡°Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh right, the nightclub. Unfortunately, I only worked there for a short while but I really liked it, though the pay was nothing to write home about. I even dated one of the dancers while I was there.¡± His tone became nostalgic. ¡°She was the best dancer in the club, and she really liked pole dancing. Like, really, really liked it. She kind of practiced it as a sport too and she taught it in gyms and stuff.¡± He giggled again. ¡° She even gave me a couple lessons, and I must admit that it was surprisingly fun.¡±
He interrupted his blabbering to take another sip of his drink, giving the others a chance to speak.
¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Sevre commented. ¡°And I must say that it makes quite a lot of sense. Your mannerism is indeed very much human, more than I¡¯d expect from someone who had only recently started living in a human society.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± Marcus replied, feeling rather good about this comment.
¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly a compliment, but you¡¯re welcome anyway.¡± Sevre said with a smile.
¡°Eh, I¡¯m actually rather more interested in the fact that she can pole dance.¡± Alya chimed in with a smirk on her face. ¡°You¡¯ve got to show it to me sometimes, sir Marcus.¡±
Normally, such a proposal would have immediately sent Marcus into a panic, but right now he was inebriated enough to actually find it rather appealing.
¡°Why not?¡± He said. ¡°I only know the basics, but I¡¯ve been training a lot since I got in Brettholz, and this body is much more flexible than my past one. Oh, and also I think that having a tail would be somewhat helpful.¡± He grabbed the tip of his tail and put it forward to show the others. ¡°It has grown a bit more nimble in the last year, so I think I could use it to grab onto the pole or something.¡±
¡°I look forward to it then.¡± The wolfwoman replied, her smile getting wider as she looked at the Vex Queen like a lioness might stare at a young gazelle.
For some reason, Marcus found that gaze rather hot, to the point that he felt himself blushing a bit. He tried to mask his reaction by finishing the rest of his drink, gulping down the remainder of the liqueur in one go.
This stratagem had mixed results. As the caffeine started rushing to his head, he certainly did feel the embarrassment disappear, but at the same time his arousal shot up a notch, and by now he was just drunk enough to act up on it.
¡°Hmmmm¡ why wait though?¡± He asked with a giggle, pointing at the stage. ¡°I mean, there is a pole right there!¡±
He stood up, ready to walk up to the stage, but before he could get far Yasen reached him and gently but firmly grabbed his shoulder to stop him.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I believe you are a bit too drunk to get on stage.¡± He said.
¡°Oh, come on! I¡¯m not that drunk!¡± The Vex Queen protested.
¡°You clearly are.¡± The captain replied. ¡°Besides, drunk or not, there is a rule against letting customers on stage here in the Serrai.¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid the good captain is right.¡± Sevre confirmed. ¡°We like to avoid any possible accident.¡±
¡°Party poopers.¡± Marcus pouted, sitting back down with his arms crossed.
He sulked like this for a few moments, and then decided to wash his irritation away with another glass of liqueur. However, as he was pouring it, Yasen gave him a disapproving look.
¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough to drink for the evening, sir Marcus?¡± The captain said.
¡°Oh, let the girl have her fun!¡± Alya chimed in. ¡°If she wants to get drunk, why shouldn¡¯t she?¡±
¡°Because she does get a bit wild when drunk, and I¡¯d rather avoid having her make a scene in here.¡± Yasen replied. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m pretty sure that sir Marcus herself would want me to stop her if she was sober.¡±
Meanwhile, the Vex Queen had stopped in his tracks, giving the captain the stink eye. Though the part of him that was still sober and rational was telling him that the Aura Master was completely right, his drunken and more emotional part felt extremely irritated.
¡°What is he, my freakin¡¯ nanny or something? Ordering me around like a child!¡± He thought angrily. ¡°You know what? If they are going to treat me like a drunken mess no matter what then I should actually become a drunken mess! That¡¯ll teach them for sure!¡±
Once again, his sober side told him that this was a horrible idea that would certainly backfire, but unfortunately for him his drunken side currently held a much greater sway. So, before the captain could stop him, the monster girl quickly lifted the whole bottle and started drinking directly from it.
¡°Sir Marcus! Wait! What are you doing?¡± Yasen cried.
But by then it was too late. The Vex Queen had already gulped down every last drop of liqueur, and she laid down the bottle on the table with a satisfied sigh.
¡°Aaaaaah! That hit the spot!¡± He said as a wave of caffeine washed over his mind, wiping away the last vestiges of his sobriety. He then turned towards Yasen and mockingly stuck out his tongue at him. ¡°Bleeeeh! Now I really got drunk! How do you like that, uh? Hic!¡± He hiccupped. ¡°Damn, I think I drank a bit too fast¡ hic!¡±
¡°Why in Qierra¡¯s name did you do that?¡± The captain said in an exasperated tone.
¡°Because if you treat me like a drunk, then¡ hic! Then you are going to get a drunk.¡± Marcus explained in a slurry voice, with a smug grin on his face.
¡°She¡¯s quite petty, isn¡¯t she?¡± Alya laughed. ¡°I like it.¡±
¡°Glad that¡ hic! Glad to make a good impression!¡± Marcus nodded towards the wolfwoman. ¡°Now¡ What can we do? Oh right, if I can¡¯t dance on stage, I think I can at least dance on the¡ hic! On the table! It can work as a stage, does it?¡±
He tried to stand up and get on the table, but he wobbled wildly and would have fallen if Yasen hadn¡¯t grabbed him.
¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s enough.¡± The captain said sternly, holding the Vex Queen in his arms. He turned to Sevre and asked: ¡°Do you have a free room where sir Marcus could stay until she sobers up?¡±
¡°I should have one on the first floor.¡± The half elf replied.
¡°Good, then I shall take her there before she really starts making a scene.¡±
¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to go! I want to stay here!¡± The Vex Queen protested, trying to free himself from the Aura Master. However, this time the captain didn¡¯t let go and instead lifted him up, gently holding him in his arms.
¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you clearly are not in control of yourself at the moment, so as your bodyguard it¡¯s up to me to act in your best interest in your stead.¡± He said.
¡°So are you¡ hic! Are you going to take me away by force? Using your big, strong arms to lift me and carry me to a room where it¡¯s going to be just the two of us?¡± Marcus paused and licked his lips. ¡°Uh¡ you know, that doesn¡¯t sound too bad actually.¡± He turned towards Alya: ¡°Hey, do you want to come too? I would like¡ hic! I would like it if you were with me tonight too!¡±
¡°Now that¡¯s an interesting idea.¡± The wolfwoman commented, her smile growing even larger.
¡°Forget about it Alya.¡± Yasen admonished her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to share a bed with sir Marcus tonight.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± The Thulian asked. ¡°Do you want her all for yourself?¡±
¡°Of course not.¡± The captain replied quickly. ¡°I¡¯m currently her bodyguard, and it would be terribly unprofessional of me to have an affair with my charge while I¡¯m on duty. Nor can I allow others to do so while she¡¯s clearly inebriated.¡±
¡°Alright.¡± Alya conceded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just try either when she¡¯s sober or you¡¯re not around.¡±
¡°Fair enough.¡± Yasen replied. He then turned to Sevre: ¡°Madame, could you show me the room where I can leave sir Marcus, please?¡±
¡°Of course.¡± The half elf said. ¡°Follow me.¡±
She guided the Aura Master out of the hall while he carried Marcus. The Vex Queen still tried to protest, but by this point he had started to feel sleepy and his attempts to cause trouble were rather weak. By the time they reached the bedroom he had already blacked out, so all Yasen had to do was to gently put him into bed, tuck his sheets and leave him for the night.