Silver Moon Brothel, The Next Morning
With everyone sleeping before the rising sun, I decided to brush my teeth and take a shower, hygiene seriously hasn't been one of the things I've been having to do lately and now that I'm back home, I feel like I should start doing it.
Like, if I was still a human my breath would probably smell like dog's shit and my teeth would be black, my hair isn't that long and it's super knotted, let's not even talk about the hair close to the back of my neck because I can't even put my hand through there, it's like a freaking cotton wall, and also I smell like sweat and ash, the bandages on my hands are burnt and I need to remove and replace them.
After brushing my teeth with an unused toothbrush, I put it in the little cup thingy with the girls, all of our things were labeled and there was this little divider thing separating everything which came in handy because none of our mouths have been anywhere clean, not me or them and I know that for a fact.
Removing the bandages from my hands, huh? Putting them aside next to the sink, I opened my hands and looked to my palms to see that they were healed? The only thing on my palms were these slashed horizontal scars?
This made no sense, how'd they heal so quickly, it hasn't even been a month and these were deep wounds too?
Taking off my shirt and throwing it aside by the door, I looked to my red and white bandages covering most of my upper body and slowly unraveled them, holding them, and putting them with the burned bandages next to the sink.
. . . I was dumbfounded. . .
Looking at my upper body, on my left shoulder there was this large dark scar over healed flesh? The entirety of my upper body was healed, and unraveling the rest of the bandages over me I was all good too?
Even from the fight with Lex? Actually no...
I don't think anything's broken, but I'm not for sure?
But there are some bruises, it's not that dark but touching them stings, but still, despite those bruises, all my wounds have been healed? Was this my healing factor?
No, I monitored my healing factor a little when I woke up and Drake explained it to me, I'm currently a level 1 or rank 1 Incubus, my healing factor isn't high so there isn't any way that I could have healed that fast, even with magic.
You know what I won't even worry about it, I must have did something to heal up like this, and shoot those scars act as a reminder to remind us that this world is still a dangerous place, and even though I can heal I can still die.
Also. . . Yeah, I think my nose is broken?
Like, was I null to the pain or something, because I rolled on my face last night while sleeping and woke up in pain, this was a freaking pillow that hurt me this time, Yeah. . .
Asides from the nose thing, I'm good...
Actually, since I'm already doing this what else is there to look at that I normally don't? Hm? I guess I can check out my tail? Looking to it, did it get longer? Like it's thin and it's sorta as long as a monkey's tail, it can wrap around my waist and touch itself but only by the tip, it's not long enough to wrap around me any further past its base, but I think it might have gotten a little longer? If not then just slightly longer? I can feel the difference?
Also how come I only have a tail? When Hiro was supposed to complete his awakening and become a full incubus he was supposed to just get them all like "Poof" and they be there, all I got was a shorter tail which I don't even remember growing because he the other me was controlling my body at the time when I became a full Incubus.
And I don't even have their horns or wings?
Like, it doesn't bother me as much seeing as the horns are pretty much useless, I don't actually know why their there, sure they might have a purpose or reason but meh, and the wings aren't much of an issue because adding two more limbs ain't sounding pretty fun, and not having them would help me to look more like a human which would make me blend in better.
But it just feels odd being different from the rest of the others?
Like could I be the only one who doesn't get them?
Who knows, "sigh," maybe it just wasn't meant to be...
It is what it is, I'm not complaining anymore.
Looking around the bathroom, this was the one in the back room, it was unlike the one at Mari's home, this one was smaller and it connected with the shower and bath tub.
The sink and door were to the way left side, the door on the left of that wall and the sink to the right, if you open the door then you'll hit whoever's washing their hands, next to the sink is the toilet, and a few feet away on the right, it's the baths area
It's not that big but it's separated off from there as it's like a step down, mainly due to flooding encase it happens, there is a drain in the middle of the room, but anyways.
By the right wall, there was a shower on the left and there was a tub a few feet away on the right side, the middle of the room was an open area balancing it out, there was even a drain stopper encase you wanted to flood that little middle area, don't know why you'd do that? But I might try it someday this year to see if there's any actual use to it.
My only problem with it is I'm just hoping the Water Shard doesn't break, that's the thingy that provides water for most buildings, most have water crystals which are more durable, however, ours goes to the brothel and not the personal area, so we have to get new water shards every month or even less to replace that one, same as a fire shard so that we can have hot water, the things here don't run on electricity, there's barely even conduits.
Resources are limited.
Well mostly for the humans, beasts, and elves, Lex told me a while back when I came here during the week to work, that if we travel to the abyss, there was a city where we could buy these low-quality things for cheap despite them being expensive out here.
He also told me the resources came straight from separate plains which are vast magic-rich lands in our realm, and their just full of them, the only issue was they were a small merchant company so there was a limit to how much stuff they could bring back and only high-end customers who've done a whole bunch of business with them could personally request things from them on their travels like minerals from the
After cleaning myself with a bar of lime soap, I wrung the water out of my knotty hair and walked over to the mirror, I noticed that if I let my Phyric magic which imma just say fire since there's not much important difference, circulate through my body like I'm cultivating myself.
I can keep both myself at a perfect warmth.
And also steam off stuff like water and sweat.
Cool right... I think it's useful to get the hang of this magic.
Actually I haven't done much with my magic, after that mess of the tournament and my time with the Natsu's, I haven't really done much, more or less experiment, and I haven't done much of anything with my demonic powers either, actually, when I get back, imma go to my room and note down what I can do.
Wait but I don't have anything?
The only thing I have in my room is my bed and this clock that'll never shut up so I put it in Lex's office under his desk where he'd never find it, kekeke.
There's no off switch to that thing and I feel like it's of his doing so I'm just gifting it back to my dear uncle Lex.
Yeah, but I don't have anything to write it down with? I guess I can just borrow some is the brothels paper and use a pencil from the lobby anyways, I'll make something like a character sheet for myself.
I can record stuff relating to both powers, I can document both abilities and spells, it would be nice to write down the incantations too so that I don't forget how to cast them, and since half of my powers are fire, I guess I can...
I'll have to look for an area to practice them?
Actually this place is named Rosa Marine for a reason, I remember why I named it that back when I used to write!
This place was named Rosa Marine because a long time ago there was this strong magic caster named Rosa Maria...
How'd it go again?
Bla bla bla something?
Oh yeah!
Back when this part of Nefumia was infertile and the kingdom hadn't existed, there was this woman who traveled here from the eastern deserts and when she came here, she had hoped to use her gifts of magic to flow a large river down this continent to her homelands.
But before she had she built a Marina over the dry crackling land this once was so that she could set sail and come back to her people as a hero who had brung not just a form of travel through open lands but fresh water which they could use on their nutrient-rich desert soil.
I guess she thought it was a good idea because she spent 13 long years of her life, adventuring for resources, selling, and gathering riches, planning and hiring men to dig a river hundreds and thousands of miles through this continent.
And with the gifts of water manipulation she had thought was a power of the gods, she had went all the way through to the west side of the continent where she had her men build a ship, and then using her "gifts" she flowed the water down this man-made river and set sail to her homeland in the East.
She was successful and she became a legend in the East, however, her fame was her downfall as she had angered someone extremely powerful, the water goddess to the West lands where we are now.
Regardless, when the mortals started calling Rosa the one true water goddess, this wasn't a big deal to the minor gods however the West Water Goddess became infuriated with her and she turned petty, following through the entire man-made river on foot from west to east, the goddess came to the dry lands she had started this all at, and using her vast magic and servants, in the matter of a single night, she vanished the river, trapping the water in this one lake and punishing Rosa for mocking her as a water goddess through Rosa hadn't meant to anger her or take her places.
Rosa pleaded and begged for forgiveness but the pretty goddess lashed out at her for making a name for herself and trying to save her people.
Turning rosa into a monster throwing her into the lake to forever be trapped there or hunted down like a beast.
From how it went in my notes or what I wrote down, rumors of Rosa spread through the servants of the goddess who pitied the woman who angered the goddess, and they, I think it was the Archpriest of leaftein, named these lands after her.
They called it Rosa Maria and they named the lake which sealed this now monster in it, the Rosa Marine after the once marina that used to be here but was destroyed by the petty goddess.
Looking into the mirror to see my solid red eyes, the world tinted and my eyes shimmered a passionate burning red, looking to myself as the water steamed, I thought...
"District 2 is built around a lake"
I hope my story matches the true lore of that lake, because if it does then Rosa's corpse should be at the bottom of that lake and there may be some more secrets to that lake that me and the people of this town have been standing over this entire time without any knowledge etc.
. . . . .
After some time in the bathroom, I changed back into those dirty blue clothes and went back to my room to put my dirty bandages on the bed so I could use them for an experiment later, but something was bothering me and it was these clothes, they were dampt and sweaty, I should hand wash them later when I get back, I'll literally just walk around wearing my blanket, I don't mind that.
Actually that doesn't sound bad, it's a step closer to exhibition?
Anyways, I should probably head to the other brothel early, I have a few important questions for Nara.
. . . .
Leaving my room and going to the lobby, "Hey, where do you think you're going?" I looked over to see the tall girl with milk chocolate skin and silky white hair, she was also the one with only one arm and she was wearing a black crop top and low shorts.
Looking over to her, "What's it to you" saying it coldly she looked away and puffed her cheek, "Idiot, I was asking a question, you're not allowed to go out alone"
She said and I felt sour, "You're all still–"
But as I was going to verbally attack her she put her hand up and said with this little quick panicky look, "No that's not what I mean, it's Lex's new rule!"
She said and I crossed my arms, "Huh?..."
I really don't like this girl, why is she even talking to me?
Speaking again, "Yeah so, last night Lex added this new rule where no one can leave the brothel without their buddy, it's a buddy system!?"
"Why?" I asked seeing as she was just messing with me.
Looking at her more and more coldly by the second, she started saying, "So when we got back from the abyss, the nest was empty for a reason, hunters, I mean the slayers, they've become more active and the nest kinda knows why, something may or may not have got inside of the kingdom walls and it isn't exactly good seeing as our nest kinda stopped gathering, which is bad, very bad, so it has even us Demons on alert," she said and I actually believed her.
I believe her because in the first few chapters of Incubus's Curse, the slayers have been on edge due to the increase of shadows appearing, and that was due to Bella's sudden appearance here as she created a shadow domain somewhere, somewhere by water, and it created a rift.
A rift, which they labeled a shadow dungeon.
But it's not just shadows that have recently become more apparent, actually, what the slayers have failed to realize was that 16 creatures invaded Nefumia.
No, there's more, but there are only 16 in Rosa Marine.
The one they found was the Shadow Witch Bella, who's harmless in the beginning, she's only doing as told by her elder sister who in the story, corrupted Hiro, he was her servant till the end, sure he thought he escaped her when he vanished from shadowfell and came back here.
But when he was becoming an incubus those feelings he harbored more than hate for her turned into obsession and that created all sorts of messes both internally and what would have happened after because, if I continued the novel, I would have had him conquering Nefumia for her only to have her cut him off to protect him from Queen Raven of shadowfell.
Which she serves in shadowfell, but it would have done something to him, it would have hurt him and forget about Asmodeus, he would have turned into either a villain and I was going to make Asmodeus the Hero, or even, someone new would have to have come in to set the story straight.
Like it's not the best of what I could have created or made, but, imma be honest, I did have a few things planned after the second year which, oh yeah, okay in my notes it was all mainly a storyline relating to the Litches.
Yeah... I think that's how it went?
I was trying to make up for the scrappy beginning of the novel which even I disliked but didn't want to scrap, I had a lot of things I wanted to do with it but never got to just because I was experimenting at the time to find a story I could write and keep going with, that was a thing at the time, I was having a hard time clinging to one thing so it might have turned rushed and clampy because of that.
But I learned from those mistakes,
Plus I hate complex things and consistency so I kind of learned that maybe doing something else and changing up out of that might have been a better option.
If I was still a writer I wonder how it would go through?
Meh, probably decent, not the best, I have a lot to work on.
But now that I think about it, staying in my own head a lot could help me to experiment with magic, I can note down and write down ideas and mixes in which I could try, fail, and succeed in, yeah that sounds pretty amazing.
Okay!
I can focus these skills on trying to learn and develop my magic!
. . . . .
My mood after thinking to myself was a lot better and as I came back into whoever this was talking about the system and Lex and stuff, I kinda just asked to get straight to the point, there was no use in just explaining, I get it already, if we're to stay safe we're going to need to rely on another.
"I don't really have a watch so I can't look at the time? But I do have somewhere to be, so give it to me straight, are you the one who's paired with me?" I asked.
But as I asked I switched up my attitude, I wasn't mean or cold to her I was just asking at this point, I don't wanna forget what I have to ask spider.
"Yep..."
"Are you sure you want that" I asked sternly.
And as I did she rubbed the side of her head, nervously chuckling, "Not really, but I don't have a choice" she said honestly and I was okay with that, better the truth than a lie.
Already wearing my shoes as I kept them in my room, I looked over to her and sighed, "I have to go to Nara's Brothel, it's sort of my punishment, are you coming with?"
Looking me up and down, she looked like she noticed I was ready to leave and she sulked, "Yeah..."
"I'll wait then"
Sulking, "I'll be out in a minute... Boohoo..."
she was walking away, but, "Just put on some shoes, you look fine how you are" I didn't have the time for her to pick out something else to wear and get dressed, I wanted to go now.
And saying that to her, she turned around looking at me like "no", yet she didn't say that, instead she sulked even more.
"You seriously have no idea-" but as she was going to go on saying something, I looked to her like I didn't have the time for this and she flinched, but as annoyed as I was I just puffed my cheek, "You're both tall and flat, no one's going to look at you, even if this is a red light district"
And she jumped, "Hey!!"
Okay maybe I deserve some of the hate, that was pretty mean of me, but to be honest it was true and I was just saying what was on my mind.
Before she could yell at me, "Anyways it's summer, what you have on looks good on you, just put on some shoes and we can go" I said and she growled at me..
She's mad and it's kinda funny, "Give me something to wear if you just want some slut walking around with you, bitch!" she yelled.
But as she did I tilted my head in confusion, "I want to walk around with my sister not a slut? So does that mean if I don't give you anything to wear you'll just have to walk about as my sister?"
Looking at me sourly, "Also, we're closed this month so you're just a normal succubus girl, if ya wanna slut around I guess you can work for me, I can advertise ya"
Trying that out, she didn't look any less mad, maybe even madder, however, with this award silence, I gave up, this is taking way longer than it would have if I just let her dress up.
"Kidding" I wasn't kidding, "You can go get dressed or whatever you girls do in there? Makeup, nails? The usual"
And as I said that with a cheeky smile, she slapped her face, shaking her head in disappointment, there was a lot of disappointment as that was a long facepalm.
"Do you have any slides?" she asked me.
Pointing to myself, "Everything I own, I'm wearing" I stated because I didn't really have anything, the bed and room belonged to Lex, even those bandages as they were new.
Looking at me funny I glanced around and then got back to her a second later, "I'll help you with your shoes if that's what you're having issues with?"
Looking at her, I guess having one arm was an issue when it came to properly putting them on? I'm just guessing?
"Sure..."
Leaving after getting her to sit down so I could just put them on and tie em, we left and started walking to Nara's Brothel, while doing so we didn't talk, she just followed me and I pretended she wasn't there.
When we got there, I looked at her as she looked confused as to why we were there and she even gave me nasty looks probably thinking I was here to get laid.
But not too long after the door opened, "Hey your early!" Nara popped her head out from the corner of one of the 2 hallways there and she seemed very happy?
"Hey, Nara"
Coming into the lobby she looked confused, "I've been wondering for a while now, how exactly do you know that name?"
"What you should be wondering is not how I know your name, it should be that I know you're a frost spider from the outskirts of Camelot and not a Sorcerer"
"Huahhhh!!!" both her and the girl with me shrieked.
looking behind me, "He's kidding! You're kidding right!?"
Stepping forward, "And seeing that you've lived for this long despite being affiliated with Asmodeus, I have a request I have to ask of you and want you to just consider thinking about"
Hearing me say that, hearing me mention that name, she straightened up, ignoring the fact that the girl with me heard what I said despite whatever she was hoping to achieve.
And she asked, "What's this request? Aster Hiragi" she was full of seriousness, she lost all her joy and everything like how I was super serious too.
kneeling down, "I am the Incubus Aster Hiragi, second to the Incubus Asmodeus Hiragi, and I want you to consider taking me in as your disciple and becoming a teacher, I wish to learn how to survive from the spider who served Asmodeus once"
There's no better teacher to learn survival from than a monster who once served an even greater monster.