Repent by Sating the People's Lust in the Brothel
I wanted death. Now that I knew there was no god, there'd be no heaven or hell either. Just a perfect void without pain, sorrow, or fear.
That's how I wanted to forget the suffering. My life had been hard.
I thought this second chance at life I'd barely earned would be paradise, but it turned out to be a hell even worse than my previous one.
I was done. So I chose death, and now I was dead.
But... why was I still thinking?
No way... No fucking way??
Splash!
Suddenly, something ice-cold engulfed my entire body.
"Gah!!"
Icy water crashed over me.
"Get up!"
A young woman stood before my eyes. The empress I hadn't seen from the platform.
It was Irene.
"Kuhuk!! Ack!!"
Coughs exploded from my throat. Freezing air flooded my lungs. Irene watched me writhe in agony, her face alight with pleasure.
"How's it feel? Being alive again?"
"H... how? I was definitely hanged... my neck..."
"Snapped, right."
"Th... that's impossible... how..."
"I saved you."
"...What?"
"Before your breath could fully stop, I poured every ounce of my mana into healing you."
I stared at Irene.
How could a demon like this exist? She wouldn't even let me die when I wanted to... that fucking demon bitch!! I could never forgive her!!
"You fucking bitch!!"
I lunged at Irene, but she easily dodged and cracked her whip across my ass.
Crack!!
"Kyaaah!!"
"You'll never catch me moving that slow."
Irene clucked her tongue.
"Why!! Why did you save me!! I said I'd repent for my sins and die!!"
"Pfft...!"
To me, it was a scream of anguish. But to Irene, was it just comedy? She burst into loud laughter.
"If you want to repent, you can't die."
"What?"
"True repentance means living and paying off your debts."
Irene approached me and bent at the waist.
"You can't get off easy by dying. You have to survive and writhe in excruciating agony for the rest of your life."
She grabbed my hair.
"Eek!"
She forced my gaze to meet hers.
"We're building a brothel here. Forcing the humans' lust will stir up even bigger trouble, you see. We need to placate the theocracy's people too."
A terrible premonition flooded my mind.
"N... no way..."
"That's right, that no way!! A smart Saintess like you must have figured out my plan already!"
Irene shoved me to the ground.
"Kyak!"
My body rolled across the cold stone floor. It reeked of garbage. I shook off the daze, got up, and looked around.
The filthiest spot in the theocracy. The garbage dump.
"We'll set up the brothel in one corner here. The theocracy's people think lust is dirty, right? If they release it in a filthy place like this, their guilt will be much lighter. Hohoho!"
My mind went white. I didn't need to hear the outcome—it was obvious.
"Repent by sating the people's lust in the new brothel."
My mind stayed white. My vision turned black.
Not even a scream escaped.
My hell wasn't over.
**
How many days had passed? At least four, I thought.
It would take time before the brothel opened, I guess. Turning a garbage dump into one wouldn't be quick.
I spent the time chained by all four limbs to the wall in the brothel's basement. Just because there were no locks.
My arms were numb. My legs were numb. I begged them to free me, but of course they wouldn't listen.
The iron door creaked open. The metallic screech scraped my eardrums. Light poured in. My eyes stung. My retinas, accustomed to darkness, screamed.
This was the moment I'd been waiting for. Mealtime. The only time my limbs were free.
"Mealtime."
The jangle of keys. My limbs, bound to rings embedded in the wall, came free one by one with metallic clanks.
Thud. I collapsed to the floor. Who knew I'd miss this cold, damp ground so much?
"Eat."
A wooden trough-like bowl was set on the floor. A sour stench pierced my nose.
Thin soup. And one chunk of rock-hard bread.
The one meal a day looked delicious beyond words.
"Th... thank you. I'll eat well."
The moment I reached out—
Crack!
Fire erupted on my ass.
"No hands!!"
The soldier's voice held no pity. He was just a rancher punishing livestock for bad behavior.
"S... sorry!! I'm sorry!! My mistake!!"
Locked away for so long, people shrink. Body and soul alike.
My soul had shrunk to that of livestock long ago.
"Hurry up and eat!"
"Y... yes......"
I slowly bent forward. Face to the floor, mouth toward the bowl.
I stuck out my tongue toward the bowl.
The cold wood touched it. I licked the hard bread. Its rough surface scraped my tongue.
I had to soften it with saliva. I desperately worked my tongue to tear off even a piece.
Ting-a-ling.
The bell on my nipple jingled as it shook. That cheerful sound every time I moved only amplified my misery.
I was a bitch in heat. A beast chained, begging its master for food. I finally tore off a piece and seized it in my mouth.
Still hard as stone. My molars ached.
"Crunch... crunch......"
I forced it down. The gritty crumbs scraped my throat.
"Eat faster."
The soldier urged me on. "Ugh... yes......"
Soup remained. If I didn't eat it, hunger would torment me endlessly. If I took too long, they'd take it away. I had to hurry. I shoved my nose into the bowl.
"Hauup!"
Sour and salty. This was more food waste than food.
But I couldn't stop. I'd die without it.
"Slurp... sluuuurp......"
I lapped up the broth with my tongue.
Like a dog. Truly like a dog.
"Slurp... slurp... slurp......"
In the underground storeroom, only the sound of my tongue lapping echoed.
So vivid.
The sound of proof that I was human slipping away, piece by piece.
But I couldn't be a perfect dog. Not just my mouth—my whole face was a soup mess.
No hands to wipe it.
"Hic... snic......"
Tears flowed. It was always like this.
The pattern: driven by instinct and hunger, wolfing it down like a dog, then crying once sated. Maslow's hierarchy of needs was spot on. One filled, another craved. My life proved it.
It was unfair. Infuriatingly unfair. I wasn't even the original owner of this body. Just unluckily transmigrated. Why pay for the original's crimes?
Married to a horse. Fucked by a horse. Now licking soup from the floor like a dog. Soon, I'd be a whore.
"Sniff... hic-sob......"
Face buried in the soup bowl, sobs burst out. They resonated inside it. Tears splashed into the soup. Mine mixed with the filth. I lapped up the dirty broth laced with my own tears.
I wanted to die. I wanted to die, but couldn't even do that.
"Fucking pig, once you're done stuffing your face, lift your head!"
The collar yanked tight. My neck jerked back, head forced up.
"Kek!!"
Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling.
The nipple bells rang vulgarly.
Clank. Clank.
My limbs were rebound to the wall.
"Ha-sob... haaaaah!!"
I wailed. Whether the soldier hit me more or not.
"Kill... me... please......"
I begged the soldier.
"Pathetic..."
He looked at me. It wasn't lust.
Disappointment.
"To think I believed in a bitch like you..."
He was from the theocracy.
Then... maybe? If I begged desperately, he'd grant my wish?
"S... sorry! No, forgive me! I'm a bad bitch... I lied that there was a god when there wasn't!"
Clank clank! Ding-a-ling!
Chains and nipple bells rang together.
"I'll admit my sins!! It's a death-worthy crime!! So... please!! Kill me!!"
I begged for death. Absurd, but natural for me.
I'd soon be a whore. Not just selling my body.
Irene. The empress who made me fuck a horse. She wouldn't stop there.
Something even worse was coming.
Better to die. A hundred, a thousand times better.
"Begging forgiveness... so you have some conscience."
His voice softened a bit. Good. Just a little more convincing.
"But I'm already in the imperial army. I betrayed the theocracy... the Sun God."
...Ah...
"I get it. But I can't help you."
"Please...! Just once!! Help me once!! I won't get you in trouble!!"
His face showed hesitation. A little... just persuade him more...!
"You don't have to kill me yourself! Just... something sharp... throw it here... I'll die......"
"Hmm......"
His face grew conflicted. Yes. Please. Listen to me...
Stab! Blood splattered toward me.
"Kuhuk!!!"
The soldier collapsed with a short scream. Behind him stood Irene. The white demon, dagger in hand.