In La Signora's office.
"What?" She slamd her palm onto the table, frowning. "Not satisfied with any of them? This guy's standards are way too high!"
Hong Jie, looking as though she was walking on eggshells, hesitated before responding, "It's not that he's entirely unsatisfied. It's just...he specifically asked for one person."
"Let him ask then." La Signora waved her hand dismissively. "Who?"
Hong Jie hesitated again before finally replying, "It's...you."
"What did you say?" La Signora's expression darkened.
"I'm so sorry!" Hong Jie bowed her head imdiately. "But based on how he described her, it sounded just like you. He even said if it wasn't you...he'd rather decline!"
Hearing this, La Signora felt a strange mix of emotions.
The entire reason she had orchestrated bringing Lucas here through Kaeya was to "relax" him and take advantage of that mont to remove the Ring of Manipulation. But she hadn't expected him to be so brazen, going so far as to ask for her, as if she were just another hostess.
"Maybe...we should just drop it?" Hong Jie suggested cautiously. "It doesn't seem right to compromise an Harbringer's dignity over one man."
"No, this started because of , and it will end because of ," La Signora stood, a cold gleam in her eyes. "I'll see what kind of man he really is."
She had no intention of indulging him in "that" sort of way—she was just outraged. Worst case, she'd leave him without a hand if he tried anything.
---
Knock, knock.
The knocking on the door woke Lucas from his dozing.
"Co in," he called, admittedly with low expectations. If this was another disappointnt, he might just cut his losses and go to sleep instead.
But as the door opened, an alluring, cool fragrance wafted in, and the woman entering was indeed the long-legged beauty he had seen at the entrance.
He had only glimpsed her before, but now, taking in her appearance up close, he and La Signora found themselves thinking the exact sa thing.
The resemblance! It's uncanny!
La Signora's unique, stunning figure was unmistakable, and the sight of this woman instantly brought back vivid mories of his ti with La Signora in the simulation. anwhile, as La Signora looked at Lucas, she too was taken aback.
He looked just like the "Doctor" from her dreams—uncannily so.
If it had been anyone else, La Signora might have had her doubts, but this man's face was one she would recognize anywhere, no matter the circumstances.
"Hello..." Lucas stamred, feeling unexpectedly nervous as he gazed at the woman, whose figure so closely resembled La Signora's. "I, uh...may I ask your na?"
Caught off guard, La Signora hesitated before replying stiffly, "I... I'm Number Eight."
As everyone knows, employees in these types of establishnts typically don't use their real nas. They usually go by stage nas, which are almost always doubled syllables.
Of course, so places dispense with nas altogether, instead assigning numbers to represent identities.
After all, when they return to the sunlight, the only thing they'll take from here is the money; nothing else will follow them out.
Those numbers and pseudonyms will transform into a kind of totem, an ambiguous code passed down through ti.
La Signora, having no prior experience in such places, naturally didn't have a stage na or number. When they called her "Number Eight," it was only because that was her rank among the Fatui Harbingers.
Seeing that face, identical to the Doctor's from her dreams, had imdiately thrown her off balance.
La Signora had once wondered if she would ever et this man again.
But she had never imagined it would happen like this.
However, as a Harbinger, she quickly regained her composure. She reminded herself, "This guy only looks a lot like him. Those... they were just dreams."
Number Eight, huh?
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle a bit self-deprecatingly.
La Signora was a high-ranking Fatui Harbinger; what business could she possibly have in a place like this?
"I see..." Lucas said calmly, "Then let's get started."
"Get... started with what?" La Signora asked instinctively.
"Shouldn't you be the one telling ?" Lucas replied with a grin. "I don't even know what services you offer here."
La Signora's gaze swept over Lucas's wrist. Sure enough, the Ring of Manipulation was still there, wrapped around his wrist.
Originally, she'd planned to knock this man out, then leave him to her subordinates to "handle."
But after seeing his face, she hesitated.
Even if he wasn't the Doctor from her dreams, he was certainly connected to him in so way. It would be better to serve him temporarily, then look for clues.
"I understand." La Signora nodded. "Lie down. I'll... give you a massage."
If anyone else had heard her, their eyes would probably have popped out.
This was La Signora!
And she was offering to serve soone herself!
"Just so you know," she added softly to cover up her nervousness, "this is my first day on the job, so if my service is lacking, I hope you'll understand."
Lucas didn't think much of it. He lay down on the bed and even joked, "No need to worry. This is my first ti too."
"Who knows if it really is your first ti," La Signora replied coolly. "A lot of n who co here are just looking for a thrill behind their wives' backs."
"I... I don't even have a wife," Lucas sighed. "If I did, I probably wouldn't be here."
For so reason, hearing that made La Signora feel an odd sense of relief.
As Lucas slipped off his robe, revealing his broad shoulders, La Signora pressed her hands against him. He imdiately felt a cold, soft touch on his back, seeming to sink straight into his skin.
Even without the massage, just her touch alone was a pleasure.
"Hah..."
Lucas let out a satisfied sigh.
"What's wrong?" she asked, puzzled. "I haven't even started yet."
"Your hands are so cold, it feels nice," he murmured, eyes closed. "Reminds of soone I knew."
La Signora didn't know any massage techniques, but the sensation of his back was all too familiar. In her dreams, her nails had left many marks of pain and pleasure on a similar back.
"Oh?" she asked cautiously, "Your lover?"
Would La Signora be considered his lover?
If one were to consider the outco, perhaps even his wife.
But since he'd just claid he didn't have a wife, he wasn't about to contradict himself now, so he answered, "Just a woman from a dream."
From a dream?
La Signora traced circles lightly on his back with her hands. Even such a simple touch was enough to make him feel utterly content.
"Could you tell about it?" Her voice trembled slightly. "That dream."
Chatting with a worker like this might seem odd, maybe even a waste of ti, but Lucas didn't think too much of it. He began recounting the events that had taken place in his simulated world.
Of course, the details were altered. He didn't ntion anything about the Harbingers. But the things that had happened between him and La Signora were eerily similar to what she rembered from her own dreams.
Suddenly, Lucas felt a dampness on his back, as if a drop of water had fallen on him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing..." she quickly wiped her eyes, replying, "Just so massage oil."
"Why don't you take a break," he said gently.
"No, that won't do," she shook her head. "I haven't... even started serving you yet."
"Talking with you has already made quite happy," Lucas smiled. "Besides, I have to admit, your massage technique... really does feel like a first attempt."
Although pleasant, her movents were more like gentle kneading than an actual massage.
"Apologies for that," La Signora muttered, a little hurt. "I told you, it's my first ti."
"Let show you how it's done," Lucas offered, rising from the bed. "Lie down here."
"Is that really appropriate?" she asked, flustered. "You're the client."
"The custor is always right, isn't it?" he whispered, gently pressing her onto the bed. "So, you should listen to the custor."
Unlike La Signora's tentative touch, Lucas's hands worked with the skill of a true master, swiftly demonstrating what true expertise felt like.
And, as she soon realized, his technique was exactly like that of the Doctor from her dreams.
In the blissful sensation that threatened to lt her, she began to blur the line between the man in front of her and the lover from her dreams.
For the first ti in five centuries, her heart—once as cold as ice—showed a faint crack.
Just then, a crisp bell chid from outside.
"Ti's up," Hong Jie's voice called out. "Would you like to extend your session?"
"Happy monts always pass too quickly..." Lucas sighed, as if reluctantly. "Let's call it a day for now."
This sudden "reminder" brought Lucas back to reality. The woman in front of him was not La Signora and never could be a replacent for her.
Though they hadn't even started the main event, just chatting with this woman had already made him feel his money was well spent.
Just then, the woman suddenly said, "W-wait a mont!"
She stood up, opened the door, and left the room, leaving Lucas alone in the private booth.
Seeing her co out, Hong Jie quickly approached and asked, "Lady, I saw you were in there for quite a while and thought sothing might have happened, so I ca to check... I'm glad you're all right."
What surprised Hong Jie, however, was the slight flush on La Signora's face—sothing she'd never seen before.
"What could happen to ?" La Signora restored her icy expression and replied, "Are you doubting my capabilities?"
"Of course not!" Hong Jie lowered her head at once.
"No need to worry," La Signora replied coolly. "I'm close to succeeding."
"But how could we let you do this kind of task?" Hong Jie said, panicked. "Leave it to the others."
"What nonsense are you saying?" La Signora snapped. "I... I have my own thods. Just stand by here and await my orders."
"Understood!" Naturally, Hong Jie wouldn't dare defy La Signora's commands and could only watch as she reentered the room.
Still puzzled, Hong Jie couldn't help but wonder: while the man was indeed handso, he hardly seed the type who could captivate La Signora.
Upon returning to the room, La Signora found Lucas already preparing to put on his clothes. She hurriedly said, "Please, wait!"
"What's wrong?" he asked, puzzled. "Isn't our ti up?"
"Th-they must have misread it," she improvised. "You still have... two more hours."
"Wasn't it only supposed to be two hours in total?" he asked, tilting his head.
"A special promotion today—buy one, get one free." La Signora continued, "Besides, the best activities haven't even started yet."
"Oh? And how 'best' are we talking?" he asked with a grin.
After all, being a man, he couldn't ignore a deal like this.
"You'll see for yourself," she replied, handing him a booklet. "This is the nu; just check off whatever catches your interest."
This was certainly high-end.
Scenes like this were things Lucas had only seen in films, and the woman in front of him was far more stunning than the actresses in those films.
However, unlike the greedy protagonist from those movies, he didn't choose every option. He only picked a few items with interesting nas, then handed the booklet back to her. "These should be enough."
La Signora accepted the nu, but a slight frown appeared on her face.
Crystal Romance, Moonwalk, Desert Storm, Ants Climbing Trees, The Hanging Hook...
---
Author's Note: Well here's your extra chap, now you know the goal for next ones! get back to mines.
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