The Scent of Devotion
On the outside, the building looked like an ordinary inn. However, its location was far too poor for a proper lodging house. Tucked away between the main road and the forest, it seemed deliberately hidden behind a thick screen of trees. Well, in a sense, calling it an inn wasn't entirely wrong. It did provide lodging, after all—along with a very special kind of service.
I had the carriage pull over by the side of the main road. The coachman looked somewhat bewildered.
"You wish to get off in a place like this? Are you quite sure, Princess?"
"Yes. You may head back without concern. Ah, and please deliver this note to Commander Filgret. I cannot share the details, as this is a matter of royal security."
"Ah, yes. Understood, Your Highness."
The coachman carefully accepted the note I handed him. Inside were instructions on how to handle things so it would appear as though I had returned on schedule. With this, I had secured enough time. I didn't plan on staying too late, but plans did have a habit of changing.
Pulling the edges of my hood tight, I began to walk down the narrow path leading to the brothel.
When I pushed the door open and stepped inside, a heavily bearded man greeted me from behind the counter.
"Welcome, Owner."
This brothel had been managed by the Roberts family for a very long time. One could say it was part of the Roberts Merchant Guild's darker dealings. When I negotiated to have Rika stay here, I had already revealed my face to him. Who I actually was didn't seem to matter to him in the slightest. The moment he saw the ring bearing the Roberts family crest, he complied with every single one of my demands.
"How has she been faring?"
"She's eating well and doing fine, Owner. Though she does seem a bit restless whenever she hears the other women groaning..."
He pulled a black key from beneath the counter and handed it to me. It was engraved with the number 201.
"And the item I left with you?"
"Ah, look at my head... Right here, Owner."
Turning around, he retrieved a small box from the cabinet behind him. He opened it and presented me with the Hypnotic Incense kept inside.
"How many guests do we have right now?"
"Three, Owner. They should be finishing up soon."
"Do not take any more guests for the rest of the day."
I pulled two gold coins from my breast pocket and slid them over. A broad, greedy grin instantly broke across his otherwise gruff face.
"Yes, yes. Of course, whatever you say, Owner."
Rubbing his palms together, he couldn't hide his sheer delight. Thinking how easy he was to manage, I turned and climbed the stairs to the upper floor.
Click. The mechanical lock turned, and the door swung open. The door to Room 201, where Rika was staying, was designed so that it could not be opened from the inside. Of course, if Rika truly resolved to escape, a room like this wouldn't hold her for long. That was precisely why it was necessary to periodically lock down her mind with shackles.
"Ah..."
Seeing me enter, Rika looked genuinely surprised. Since being brought here, she likely hadn't seen anyone other than the proprietor.
"It's been a while, Rika."
"Princess Sera..."
Good. She didn't immediately lunge at me. Looking into her eyes, I could barely detect any trace of resentment from her past humiliation. Rika had been bound naked in the royal dungeon, her pussy ruthlessly violated by my fingers. The memory of that couldn't have vanished entirely. Her current tranquility was solely thanks to the imprint of the Hypnotic Incense. Back then, she must have experienced a pleasure so intense it felt as if her mind were overflowing. Any resentment from the violation, any negative emotions, had been completely overwritten by that overwhelming ecstasy. Right now, Rika probably didn't even perceive me as an enemy. If anything...
Licking my lips inwardly, I quietly took in her appearance. Bathed in the dim, flickering candlelight, Rika cut a remarkably different figure than before. When she was stripped bare in the dungeon, her body had been undeniably beautiful, but it still bore the rugged, hardened edges of a warrior who had lived through a harsh world. Now, however, she looked far more feminine. The reason, most likely, was her attire.
Rika wore a seemingly ordinary outfit, but the neckline was cut incredibly low, leaving her chest deeply exposed. Through the gap, a lavishly designed set of underwear was blatantly visible. Meanwhile, her shorts were cut so high they exposed almost her entire thighs. Both the top and bottom were designed to be effortlessly slipped on and off. The proprietor had likely provided them—undoubtedly the same uniform worn by the other prostitutes in this establishment. It was simple, yet highly effective at accentuating a woman's charms. She was indeed Carmel's subordinate. While she couldn't quite match Carmel, who exuded pure, intoxicating lust with every breath, Rika was still alluring enough to stir my desires.
I casually leaned forward and used the candle flame to light the Hypnotic Incense. A faint, sweet fragrance began to drift through the room. It was a scent that felt perfectly suited to a brothel. Then, speaking to her as if we were old friends, I broke the silence.
"How has life been here, Rika? Is it tolerable?"
Rika answered meekly.
"I have no particular complaints... The meals are sufficient... However..."
Rika's expression grew complicated. She seemed to struggle to put the anxiety and sense of dissonance swirling inside her into words. It was only natural for her to be confused at this stage. I never expected to completely subjugate her mind with just one or two sessions. This would likely be a long, drawn-out process. Though, that only made it all the more enjoyable.
I gave voice to the anxiety she was harboring.
"I know what is troubling you, Rika. It is Carmel, isn't it? She is so close, yet you cannot see her."
"Yes... That is it. I am Lady Carmel's right hand... I must dedicate everything to her...!"
Rika clenched her fists tightly. She looked up at me with a face twisted in anguish and torment. For a fleeting second, I thought I saw a spark of hatred flare in her eyes.
Through the Roberts Merchant Guild's documents and my authority as princess, I had thoroughly researched the effects of the Hypnotic Incense. The imprint carved deep within Rika should still be fully active. But the human heart never strictly follows rules. There was always a chance, however slim, that Rika's willpower might overcome the conditioning. This was a critical turning point for me as well. If I could guide her over this hurdle, her heart would be mine forever.
"But Rika, there is a reason you must not see Carmel. You know this, don't you? You saw what happened to her because of your actions."
Rika looked as if a dagger had been plunged straight into her chest. The faint hatred she had directed at me vanished instantly, buried beneath a dark, heavy shadow.
"Yes... It was an unforgivable failure. Because of my foolishness, Lady Carmel suffered such humiliation... I must never let that happen again. Never, ever..."
"Carmel would surely be pleased by your loyalty. Besides, even if you cannot meet her directly, isn't there still something you can do for her?"
"S-Something I can do?"
Right at that moment, a high-pitched moan echoed from somewhere nearby. It seemed a passionate tryst was reaching its climax in the room across the hall. Perfect timing. This was precisely why I had chosen this place for Rika's confinement. The daily, inescapable sounds of coupling would have steadily chipped away at her conscious and subconscious mind. By now, the sweet haze of the Hypnotic Incense was growing thicker in the room. Locking my gaze onto her with intense focus, I spoke.
"Think back, Rika. What is it that you can do for Carmel right now? Even with nothing left but your own body, there is still a duty you can perform, isn't there?"
"Something I can do..."
Rika's eyes began to lose focus, growing hazy. The sweet scent of the incense was successfully dragging up the memories of her previous conditioning.
"Yes... The humiliation Lady Carmel is meant to suffer... I will take it upon my own body instead... That is the only role left for me..."
"The humiliation Carmel must endure is by no means light. You may find yourself drowning in a pleasure more than double what you felt before. Do you truly have the resolve for that?"
"O-Of course... That is only natural...!"
"Then show me that resolve right here. Right now."
The moment the words left my mouth, Rika pulled her top over her head with a look of solemn determination. The ornate red bra that had been peeking through her cleavage was now fully revealed. Her shorts were just as easily shed, sliding down her legs with a soft rustle. A matching triangular piece of red fabric was all that remained to guard her final dignity. Her expression was as grave as a warrior preparing to lay down her life. Looking at that solemn face, which stood in stark, comical contrast to her whore's lingerie, I had to exert considerable effort to suppress a wicked smirk.
"What remarkable loyalty, Rika. Are you not afraid of the pleasure?"
"Ah... Of course not! If anything, it is what I desire."
That answer likely came straight from her heart. Rika's face was flushed a deep, burning crimson, matching the vivid shade of her underwear.
"Put both hands behind your head, Rika. Do not move until I give you permission."
The instant the command was uttered, Rika moved exactly as bidden. Interlocking her fingers behind her head, she assumed a posture that bared her armpits completely, almost as if presenting them to me. What's more, though I hadn't even ordered it, she parted her thighs slightly. Seeing a damp stain already beginning to bloom on the red fabric of her panties, I could no longer hold back, and a dark, satisfied smile curled the corners of my lips.