Taurus woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. Stretching his arms above his head, he let out a long, loud yawn before rolling out of bed. It was only after he glanced down that he realized he was in nothing but his boxers. He vaguely remembered peeling off his clothes the night before; after all the effort he'd put into taking down the club's boss and most of his underlings, he'd been drenched in sweat. Hey, he was still human—even he worked up a sweat after a good fight.
As he mulled over his victory from the night before, a stray thought crossed his mind. If even one of those goons had figured out his little tricks, he might not have pulled it off so smoothly. But everything had gone his way, and it had been, admittedly, a bit too easy. A small smirk crept across his face at the thought. But then he realized how cold-hearted he was being, shrugging off lives lost without so much as a pang of guilt.
"Then again," he muttered to himself, "that's probably the title effects kicking in." His Heart of Stone and Silent Executioner titles numbed his emotions, making him feel far more detached from his actions than he might have otherwise. He let out a sigh, realizing he'd need to figure out a way to keep those titles from permanently hardening him, or he'd end up losing out on the little things in life—joy, excitement, maybe even the ability to laugh properly.
He was broken out of his thoughts by a knock on the door.
"Come in!" he called, straightening up and turning toward the door.
The door creaked open, and there stood Lenna, carrying a faint blush that deepened into full-on red the moment she took in his appearance—just him in his boxers, no shirt, nothing to hide the defined lean muscle of his torso. Her gaze momentarily lingered, her blush intensifying as her eyes landed… well, just about everywhere.
She quickly turned her head, covering her face with her hands. "Taurus, why in the world are you only in your boxers?!"
Taurus raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Well, let's see… I got hot and sweaty from taking down a bunch of your former boss's goons, so I took off my clothes. Not exactly a mystery."
Through her fingers, she threw a death glare at him, her face still an impressive shade of red. She tried her best to hide her gaze, but her eyes kept flickering back to him, taking in the lean muscles, his four-pack, the light but noticeable tone in his arms. The corner of her mouth twitched, and her face grew even hotter. She let out an exasperated sigh, practically begging, "Please, just… put some clothes on!"
Shrugging, Taurus grabbed his pants and pulled them on, slipping his fur-lined boots over his feet. He left his shirt off, though. After all, he was still cooling off, and she could survive a little extra heat.
"So, what's the visit for?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, still smirking at her obvious discomfort.
Lenna hesitated, biting her lip before finally speaking. "I… I was wondering… if I could accompany you when you leave the Hollow Pit."
That was unexpected. Taurus felt a whole host of questions bubbling up in his mind, but he pushed them aside, focusing on the most immediate one. "Why?"
She seemed a bit thrown off, her usual confidence replaced by a slightly nervous tone. "Well, I thought… since I don't have much to stay here for… I could be of use to you. An extra pair of arms, maybe?"
Taurus raised an eyebrow. "I can handle numbers well enough on my own."
She bit her lip, clearly thinking hard for a different angle. "Then I could be an extra set of eyes?"
He shook his head, "I've got something for that too."
"A… a meat shield?" she suggested, her tone a bit desperate.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "If things get too bad, I can just get out without needing to carry deadweight."
Lenna took a breath, clearly getting flustered, but not giving up. "Fine, then! How about I guide you to the next town? I know my way around the area, and I could help you avoid any trouble along the way!"
He tilted his head, amused. "I got something that can handle that too." His thoughts lingered to his system map.
Running out of options, she fidgeted, clearly frustrated. "Alright," she muttered, "I can give you information… information you might not be able to find in the city. There's a lot you don't know yet."
That one actually gave Taurus pause. Information was useful, and though the system was helpful, there were always gaps. But then again, there would be plenty of people in the city he could get information from. He weighed her offer thoughtfully.
She seemed to sense he wasn't fully convinced, and a faint look of panic flashed across her face. She bit her lip again, hesitated, and then blurted, "Fine, then! If nothing else works, I'll… I'll offer my body."
Taurus blinked, deadpanning as he processed her words. "No."
Her face went red again, this time with a mixture of frustration and embarrassment. "What, am I not good enough or something?"
"It's not that," he replied, still calm. "Look, you're attractive, alright? I'd sleep with you if I wanted to. But I'm not interested in turning you into some sort of servant. It wouldn't sit right with me."
His words hung in the air for a moment. Her face softened, her gaze dropping to the floor as she thought over his answer. There was a small, unexpected warmth in her chest, and she didn't quite know how to respond.
After a long pause, she seemed to steel herself and finally looked up again, meeting his gaze. "Then… then how about a different kind of arrangement?"
"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow, curious. "And what would that be?"
"I'll be your… fake lover," she suggested, sounding both hopeful and uncertain. "Some towns and cities have certain… privileges for lovers. Certain discounts, entry fees waived, even special accommodations for couples. It could make things a lot easier for you in the long run."
Taurus considered it, letting his gaze drift over her as he thought it over. Her clothing was a bit worn but surprisingly clean, her long hair—dark brown with a slight wildness to it—framed her face, giving her an attractive ruggedness. Her eyes, sharp yet guarded, gleamed with an unusual mixture of confidence and vulnerability. She was, all in all, both curvy and well-toned, clearly able to handle herself despite the situations she'd found herself in over the years.
It was a tempting offer, and knowing the value of perception, it wasn't a bad idea.
He let out a long sigh, realizing he might regret this somewhere down the line, but… "Alright, I accept. You can play the part of my fake lover."
Lenna's face lit up with a surprised, almost childlike delight, and she let out a small, involuntary squeal before quickly composing herself, glancing away with an embarrassed but happy expression. "Sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Don't worry about it," Taurus replied, waving her off.
Just then, the familiar chime of the system echoed in his mind.
[New Party Member Acquired!]
Party Member
• Name: Lenna
• Role: Fake Lover
• Additional Function Unlocked: Companionship Mode
Companionship Mode allows the user to share resources and experience points within the party, gain temporary buffs during team activities, and view the status and location of all party members on the system map.
The notification faded, and Taurus glanced at Lenna, who looked up at him with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. The system had just added her as an official party member, which meant they'd share not only their travels but also any benefits they picked up along the way.
"Well, looks like you're officially in," he said, giving her a small grin.
She smiled back, warmth in her eyes as she replied, "Thank you, Taurus. I promise you won't regret it."
He gave a slight nod, already thinking ahead. He might not know where this would lead, but he was ready to see what the world had in store for them.