Chapter 20 – The Dancing Puppet
The hot, bizarre tryst with Countess Carnelia that had stretched through the night left Luciel with a completely different kind of exhaustion, along with a tangle of complex emotions. In the morning, before the lingering afterglow of that unfamiliar pleasure could fully fade, Luciel barely managed to open her eyes through a hazy fog. Every joint in her body ached as if they were creaking, and her lower abdomen and inner thighs in particular bore the vivid, tender marks of last night's intensity.
Countess Carnelia had already prepared to leave the Feast at dawn, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Before departing, she had presented Luciel with a wooden box containing the various "toys" they had indulged in together the night before. "My lovely Shiel. Last night was an ecstatic night I will never forget for the rest of my life. This little gift is a secret memory shared only between the two of us, and it will help you make yourself even more beautiful in the future. I shall look forward to the day we meet again." Carnelia gently kissed Luciel's forehead and left the room, leaving behind a gaze full of lingering regret.
Luciel stared blankly at the heavy wooden box left behind. Inside were all kinds of dildos and devices that had brought her both extreme pleasure and intense shame the previous night. She wants me to keep... this? Her feelings were complicated, but on some level, she could faintly sense Carnelia's genuine affection and satisfaction toward her through this bizarre gift.
A moment later, Madame Tana entered Luciel's VIP suite, looking far more excited than usual. A heavy, bulging pouch of gold coins dangled from her hand. "Oh, my jewel, Shiel! I knew my eye for talent wouldn't fail me! Countess Carnelia left feeling very, very pleased, all thanks to you! She was so satisfied that she bestowed this much extra gold on top of the agreed-upon price! Of course, under the guise of a 'special gift for Shiel'! You've pulled off another miracle!" Madame Tana couldn't hide her delight as she shook the pouch of gold coins right in front of Luciel's eyes. The clinking of the coins rang out exceptionally loud.
"You did wonderfully, Shiel. If you keep this up, that debt of yours will be cleared in no time. Of course, you haven't forgotten that every single copper you earn here goes toward paying off your debt, have you? Every single coin, down to the last penny." The madame did not forget to tack a cold dose of reality onto her sweet praise. Luciel swallowed a bitter laugh. In the end, I am nothing but a cash cow to this woman.
"And one more thing. I have a new task for you. Get some dance practice in."
"Dance practice? Why so suddenly?" Exhausted, Luciel asked back with a puzzled expression. It was hard enough just to keep her body upright, and now she had to dance?
"A week from now, a very special, VIP-exclusive stage will be held here at the Feast. You will be performing on that stage as well. You can find out the details by asking the other girls, so prepare yourself well. Do not disappoint me this time either, my Shiel." Leaving only those words, the madame swept out of the room. Luciel stood there dazed for a moment, utterly flabbergasted. Damn it, she never explains anything properly! Does that woman think I'm some kind of jack-of-all-trades? She hurled all kinds of silent curses at the door the madame had just exited. She quickly looked away in case Tana suddenly turned back, but the woman was already long gone.
With a sigh, Luciel went to find Miren. The only person who would know the ins and outs of these internal affairs was, after all, Miren. As she walked down the hallway, she ran into a familiar yet deeply unpleasant presence. It was Gobul, the goblin who had subjected her to the horrific humiliation of her first experience not long ago. He was waddling toward her with a thoroughly satisfied expression.
"Hey there, newbie. Were you looking for me? Hehehe! I knew a wench like you couldn't forget the taste of Lord Gobul!" The moment Gobul spotted Luciel, he called out to her, letting out his signature, disgusting snicker. Luciel's face instantly stiffened. Why on earth would I ever look for a filthy creature like you! "Don't flatter yourself. I have absolutely no business with the likes of you," Luciel snapped as coldly as possible.
"Hmph! Aren't we full of ourselves? This great one is already on his way back from spending a passionate night with another wench! I have no interest in someone like you anymore, so don't get your hopes up! Hehehe!" Gobul snorted, gave Luciel's backside a playful slap, and waddled past her. His stride was still thick with smug satisfaction. Luciel stood frozen in place, staring at Gobul's retreating back with an expression of sheer disbelief. Shame and anger surged within her simultaneously, but there was nothing she could do. To be looked down upon by such a lowly creature...!
A short while later, as she waited in front of Miren's room, Miren emerged with disheveled clothes, accompanied by a low groan from inside. Her face was slightly flushed, and her hair was messier than usual. "Oh, Luciel? What brings you here?" Miren's eyes widened slightly in surprise upon spotting Luciel, but she quickly regained her usual, lazy smile. Luciel felt her face flush for no reason and averted her eyes. "Um... by any chance... were you just with that goblin?"
Miren let out a soft chuckle and nodded. "Yeah, well. Old man Gobul visits me from time to time. His tastes are a bit peculiar, but he pays reliably. And his technique isn't half bad, believe it or not. Hoho. Why? Are you jealous?"
"N-No! Of course not!" Luciel waved her hands in sheer disgust. "It's just... a bit much." She let out a deep sigh. In this place, the Feast, things beyond her wildest imagination occurred on a daily basis as if they were nothing.
"So, did you need something from me?" Miren asked, tidying her hair.
"Yes, I wanted to ask you about something. Madame Tana told me there's a VIP-exclusive stage in a week and that I should practice dancing. What on earth is that?"
At Luciel's question, Miren's eyes sparkled, and she laughed as if amused. "Ah, that? You're finally performing on that stage! Congratulations, Shiel! That is, well, the hottest and most lucrative event here at the Feast. To put it simply, it's a strip show performed in an incredibly luxurious and decadent atmosphere, and at the same time, a special venue to intimately entertain VIP clients."
"A strip show?" Luciel's brow furrowed. In the end, it's just another way of stripping down and selling my body.
"Hoho, don't take it so seriously. Sure, you take off your clothes, but that's not all there is to it. You use your beautiful movements and dance to completely steal the VIPs' souls. And once the stage is over, they designate the girl they like to spend the night with. When those VIPs are in a good mood, they shower us with money! If you're lucky, you can make far more in a single night than you usually do in a whole month. So don't worry too much, and make the most of this opportunity. It might just be the perfect chance to clear your debt." Miren patted Luciel's shoulder encouragingly. Her eyes shone with genuine support for Luciel.
Then, Miren suddenly added, "Oh, by the way, you know there's a performance hall in the Feast, right?"
Luciel tilted her head. "Ah... that place? The one that looks like a drinking bar?"
Miren chuckled. "Yeah, we use it like that now, but it used to be a proper stage. Back when the Feast was packed with people, we held performances there all the time, and at one point, it was even run like a high-end salon."
"Were there really that many people at the Feast?" Luciel asked, surprised.
"Oh, plenty. But it's not what you think—most of them paid off their debts and left. Some girls even married their clients and got out. One by one, they all departed." Miren looked out the window, a soft smile on her face. "The Feast isn't entirely a bad place. Really. The ones left here now are just women who have no home, no hometown, and nowhere else to go."
Hearing those words, Luciel quietly lowered her gaze. But Eonni, under that devilish madame, I'm not receiving a single copper right now, and it looks like I'll be working here for the rest of my life. She muttered to herself in her mind, letting out a heavy sigh. Miren patted Luciel's shoulder again, her eyes filled with warm, sisterly encouragement.
"Since you're already here, why don't we chat a bit longer? Come on in, Luciel. Let me pour you some tea. We got a new shipment of fragrant herbal tea recently, and I'm sure you'll love it." Miren gently took Luciel by the arm, drawing her into her room.
Luciel hesitated for a moment. Part of her wanted to return to her own room and have some time alone, but her body and mind were utterly exhausted from the intense events that had stretched since last night. And strangely, being with Miren brought her a small sense of comfort. Right... let's just... rest here for a bit. Right now, having someone by my side might be better than being alone. Ultimately, Luciel accepted Miren's invitation and stepped into her room.
Miren's room wasn't as luxurious as Luciel's VIP suite, but it possessed a cozy, comfortable atmosphere that reflected her distinct taste. Along with the faint scent of scented candles, there was a very subtle trace of sweat and male semen lingering in the air. Yet, strangely, the smell no longer disgusted her. Instead, she realized that these scents had become a part of the daily landscape of the Feast—and perhaps, a smell she herself had grown accustomed to. Luciel couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
"Just wait a moment, Luciel. I'll brew some delicious tea for you. It'll wash all your fatigue away." Miren sat Luciel down on her bed and began to boil water in a small kettle.
Luciel carefully perched on the edge of Miren's bed. The mattress was softer than expected, and Miren's faint scent lingering on the sheets brought her a strange sense of security. Watching Miren's back as she prepared the tea, Luciel felt her eyelids grow heavy. The exhaustion and tension accumulated since last night seemed to crash over her all at once. She without realizing it, she lay down on her side on Miren's bed and drifted into a deep sleep. Like a tiny bird that had failed to find a safe haven for a very long time, finally discovering a warm nest.
How much time had passed? When Miren returned with the tea, she found Luciel sleeping soundly on her bed and let out a soft chuckle. She quietly approached Luciel's side and gently brushed back the tangled strands of hair from her sleeping face. Then, she quietly lay down beside Luciel and gently pulled her into her embrace.
"Honestly... you really are a handful, little sister. But... I just can't bring myself to dislike you." Miren pressed a feather-light kiss to Luciel's forehead and quietly drifted off to sleep alongside her. Outside the window, darkness had already fallen deep, and only the peaceful breathing of the two women softly echoed in the room within the Feast. For that brief moment, even this hellish place called the Feast felt just a little bit bearable.