"Fire that has died is never truly gone, boy. It only smolders... waiting for breath to wake it again."
"Master!!! MASTER!!!"
I gasped, jolting awake at the urgent voice calling me. My chest rose and fell rapidly as my vision adjusted to the dim room. Tama’s face was just inches away from mine, her wide eyes studying me.
"Master? What happened? You’ve been flinching in your sleep."
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temples. That dream... why was I having it now?
It felt more like a nightmare.
That old hag’s face— the one l met at the academy gate that other day—why did she appear in my dreams? And her words... they were still echoing in my mind.
Shaking off the lingering unease, I climbed out of bed. Rin was still snoring peacefully. I moved to the washbasin in the corner, splashing cold water on my face.
I needed to focus.
When I returned, Tama was still watching me intently.
"Are you okay, Master?"
I forced a small smirk. "Hey, Blacky. Don’t worry about me. What’s up?"
She hesitated for a moment before leaning closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"I’ve found the woman."
My eyes sharpened. "Really? Where?"
"In Lustoria," she murmured.
"The hell is that?"
Tama crossed her arms. "You’re telling me you’ve never heard of Lustoria?"
"Nope. I’m just new here."
She sighed. "Okay, listen. Lustoria is a building on the other side of the coliseum. But be warned—it’s only for rich folks. If you aren’t one, the Grimfangs won’t hesitate to slice you in half."
"Oh, you mean those elite warriors?"
"Exactly. They patrol that area because the queen spends most of her time there. Just getting inside costs a hundred gold coins per person."
My eyebrows shot up. "That’s too damn expensive!"
Tama shrugged. "Like I said, it’s a place for the wealthy. It’s also where they keep most of the kingdom’s slaves—attractive men and women, either kidnapped or losers from the coliseum matches who were forced into slavery. The queen keeps them in luxury, gives them everything they need to stay fresh and beautiful, but in return, they have to entertain her guests."
I clenched my fists. "So they’re basically sex slaves."
She nodded grimly.
I exhaled. "So that’s how this kingdom makes its money—off human lives. What happens to the ones they don’t find attractive?"
"They’re forced into manual labor—cleaning, scrubbing floors, working without pay. No proper food, no hygiene. Some starve for days and still have to work. A lot of them end up taking their own lives instead of enduring the torture."
The more I heard, the more disgusted I became. This queen—she was powerful, but far from what I expected from a so-called guardian of the Goddess.
I didn’t care about the other slaves.
But I would get that sweet girl’s mother back.
I always keep my promises.
I turned to Tama. "If Lustoria is guarded by the Grimfangs, how did you get inside?"
She smirked, her ears flicking as she placed a hand on her chest. "Glad you asked." Her tail wiggled excitedly. "I can move through shadows. It’s my clan’s special ability—shadow teleportation. I can’t go far, but I can jump between shadows within fifty meters. That means I teleport, land on a shadow, then teleport again."
I raised an eyebrow. "That’s a damn useful ability."
She grinned. "Not everyone thinks so. Other cat demi-humans see it as useless in real combat."
"Are they idiots? That skill is insanely useful for espionage. You’d make an excellent spy."
She blinked at me, looking thoughtful.
"Would you work for me? I’ll get you out of this place."
Her expression darkened. She looked down. "It’s pointless. They won’t let me out. I can’t even leave the entertainment district’s gate alone."
I smirked. "Who said anything about using the gate?"
Her ears perked up. "Huh?"
"Enough talk. It’s past midnight. Get some rest. Now it’s my turn to work."
I pulled a pair of shoes from my pocket dimension, slipped them on, and grabbed the black trousers Rose had sewn for me—designed with special slots for my scalpels. Once I was fully geared, I opened the door.
"Wait," Tama called. "At least take me with you. I can show you the way—"
"Nevermind," I cut her off. "I won’t get lost."
I stepped out and activated my terrain scanner skill. Instantly, a map of the entire area formed in my mind.
Felmora kingdom’s layout was strange—split into two sections. One half housed civilians, while the other was the entertainment district, accessible only to those who paid. The district itself was packed with rooms for rent, a massive coliseum, bars, and, of course, Lustoria.
Moving like a shadow, I made my way toward Lustoria, stopping a safe distance from the front entrance.
It was heavily guarded.
The Grimfangs were no joke—feline warriors clad in battle armor, their weapons gleaming under the moonlight. Their auras alone told me they were at least A-rank, if not S.
Fighting them would be a hassle.
I sighed. If I had enough gold, I could just pay my way in.
Too bad I only had five coins to my name.
I exhaled and walked toward them casually, hands in my pockets.
"Hey, aren’t all the exclusive guests already inside?" one of them muttered.
"They are."
"So who the hell is this guy?"
"Doesn’t matter. Let’s just beat the crap out of him." The blonde one cracked her knuckles.
I frowned. Something about her seemed familiar.
Then it clicked.
"Oh... you’re the blowjob girl, aren’t you? The one who gave me a blowjob on my first match?"
Her fists froze mid-air, eyes widening. "LONG DICK BOY?!"
I smirked dryly. "The name’s Asher, actually."
The other guards perked up, their expressions shifting from hostility to excitement.
"Wait—he’s the challenger who won against the cat men!"
"He’s so young, but up close... kinda handsome, isn’t he?"
"Mmm... can we see your long dick?"
Before I knew it, the cat girls were swarming me, their soft furred tails brushing against me, their warm bodies pressing in.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t stealing glances at their perfect curves.
Living surrounded by women like this?
Not a bad idea.
I need to build a harem.
But... these are the Grimfangs? Seriously?
I chuckled. "Sorry, ladies. Maybe later. Right now, I’ve got business with the queen. Would you be so kind as to open the door?" I flashed a charming smile.
They exchanged looks.
"Sure! But after your meeting, come see us, okay?"
I was almost in.
But then, the blonde one narrowed her eyes. Hands on her hips, she asked, "What’s the password?"
...The what now?
There’s a password?!
I chuckled nervously, stalling for time. "Uh, you see..."
BLAST!
A fist from blondie came flying straight at my face.
"He’s lying! He came to kill the queen! Get him, girls!"
In an instant, the air shifted.
The flirtatious smiles vanished.
The Grimfangs’ auras flared, their eyes glowing with bloodlust.
And then—
All five of them charged at me...
TBC