Argider's senses were assaulted by a torrent of whispered words - a torment she could hardly comprehend, her awareness of her surroundings fragmented and confused. Then, in a fleeting instant, she was forcefully propelled forward once again, hurtling through the expansive void toward a lone point of light.
In a flash, Argider's reality reverted back to normal, vomitting straightaway and expelled the contents of her stomach while falling on her knees.
She felt dizzy and disoriented, a sickening whirlwind consuming her senses, while tears streamed down her face. 'Heavens above, was that?...' With a hand covering her mouth, she struggled to contain the rising nausea, a churning feeling in her stomach threatening to send another wave of vomit up her throat.
— [Congratulations! You Have Successfully Used Skill: Empathy]
— [The Current Level Of Your Skill is Level One. It'll Gradually Increased Through Your Personality Traits and Personality Development Status]
— [Empath Skill Cooldown: 10 Hours]
Argider swayed unsteadily, her balance precarious as she tried to make sense of the recent experience. Her equilibrium was teetering. Before she could fully fall, the maroon-haired courtesan caught her, their usually cunning smile replaced by a look of genuine terror.
The crowd around them looked on in concern, their confusion evident as they observed the scene unfolding before them.
"Are you alright, my dear?!" the courtesan inquired, their voice trembling with remorse. "I only meant to assist you, I- I didn't know you were sick, I- I-..."
She managed to find her voice, responding weakly in an effort to brush off the incident. "It's fine... don't worry about it," she murmured, her gaze falling to the ground where the remnants of her vomit lay. Shame washed over her, a crawling sensation up her spine as she took in the mess she had made.
"Can we please rest somewhere?..."
"O-Of course!"
Then
they entered the building - the place filled with a musky, yet seductive scent, a combination of sweet perfumes and sultry incense intertwined in the air. Soft, flickering lamps cast a warm, intimate glow that enveloped the surroundings and gave the space a dim, yet inviting ambiance, a gentle music playing faintly in the background.
Both women found themselves inside a room that was likely intended for the pleasure of "guests," but in absence of alternatives, it would have to do. The confident and composed demeanour of the woman who had led her here had vanished without a trace, leaving her in a fresh new image.
Argider regarded the courtesan intently, a subtle smile playing on her lips. "You're new here in Elysium Boudoir, aren't you?" she began the conversation despite her exhaustion.
"How could you tell?" The woman's face betrayed a flicker of surprise at Argider's astute observation.
However, Argider was fully aware that her observation was not astute; rather, it was a result of her use of the 'Empath' skill. The woman's intentions, her empathetic nature, her desire to help, all became clear to Argider.
She thought of Argider as someone fragile and beautiful in first glance, like a delicate flower, just like the woman she was in the past.
But Argider also knew of the courtesan's underlying desire to escape the pleasure house; they hoped to do so by presenting a fresh, naive newcomer to the establishment, allowing herself to be discarded under the guise of being deemed useless after years of service.
She wanted to offer Argider.
Beep!
— [New Notification]
— [Main Task Remaining Time: 3 hours, 57 minutes, 43 seconds]
Argider glanced at the time as a notification appeared, her expression hardening. She was on a strict time limit, only three hours left to her mission. She had a specific target in mind, but as she regarded the woman standing in front of her, Argider couldn't help but feel an acute sense of this woman's perceptiveness.
She wasted no time and rose from her seat, her voice dropping to a barely audible whisper as she leaned in close to the woman's ear. "You know, you really didn't need to bother helping me," she paused, finding her next words. "Truth is, I'm actually a high lord's whore."
With a subtle tug, she drew the woman's hand towards her luxurious robe, the rich fabric gliding beneath their fingers. "Feel that?" she added. "A single piece of robe like this costs loads of gold. You can use it as you see fit - whether to resell it or impress the higher ladies of this establishment. But... only if you assist me, that is."
The woman's eyes widened in surprise, her disbelief at Argider's request evident on her face.
"Assist you?" she echoed with genuine astonishment.
Argider continued her fabrication with a calculated tone, her words designed to exploit the courtesan's own tragic past. "The high lord I serve...he's from the Imperial Palace," she began, her voice taking on an air of dramatic flair. "I'm not at liberty to reveal his identity, but he...he chased me out, leaving me on the brink of death."
She allowed her robe to drop slightly, revealing a number of bruises and injuries littering her fair skin, marking her body like an intricately woven tapestry of pain.
The bruises and injuries were still angry, fresh welts etched upon Argider's skin like a canvas of recent violence.
Perhaps being beaten up by that damned Faeralys served as further assistance to this false narrative.
While she awaited for a response, Argider noticed terror flashing across the woman's eyes as her gaze met hers once more. A pang of guilt unexpectedly struck her heart, weighing heavily upon her conscience. But it was all part of the game, a necessary deception forced upon her by the whims of the system.
"Apologies if this ordeal has left you feeling frightened," Argider urgently said. "I promise to make it worth your while. I will reward you."
"It seems I don't even know your name," the woman stated.
"Not yet," responded Argider, her tone measured. "But I would like to know yours."
"Addysen," the courtesan replied. "That's my name. Addysen."
— [Personality Trait: Oppenness ▪︎ +10 EXP!]
— [Personality Trait: Extraversion ▪︎ +10 EXP!]
— [Personality Trait: Agreeableness ▪︎ +10 EXP!]
— [Personality Trait: Neuroticism ▪︎ -5 EXP!]