The lanterns outside the brothel glowed softly, their warm light reflecting off the wet pavent. Elegant calligraphy adorned the wooden sign above the entrance, giving the place an air of quiet luxury.
Luxy stood with her arms crossed, oversized top swallowing her fra, shorts barely peeking her ass cheeks beneath. She stared at the building like it had personally insulted her.
Ren shifted beside her, hands jamd in his pockets. "We need to lie to Misa. Say I got her approval to work with you. It's the only way I'm getting out of the house without any worry. I hate that I have to reason with them every ti I want to go out."
Luxy shrugged, the motion lazy. "Sure thing, Ren. Whatever you want."
She tilted her head, eyes narrowing at the gilded doors. "What are we doing here, though? In front of a brothel? I thought you would be trying to find a low class healer woman to fall in love. I don't think you can find love in a brothel...at least now what I learnt after associating with humans all this ti."
Ren exhaled through his nose. "You rember Daichi? Asashi family. He's working here. I need you to start an incident, sothing that gets in the sa room as him. Natural. Nothing staged."
Luxy's brow arched. "If your target's Chiyo, I can just walk up to her—"
"No," Ren cut in, voice low. "I need to reach Chiyo. Not you. I need to get to her without any violence or revealing who we are."
Luxy rolled her eyes so hard it was audible. "Everything's so complicated with you." She started to walk forward.
Ren caught her wrist. "Where are you going?"
"Inside. Like you said."
He gave her a slow full body look, oversized top, shorts, slippers. "In that? They'll laugh you out. You need to look like you own the place. Upper-class. Intimidating." A grin tugged at his mouth. "I've got an idea. Let's get you a make over."
Luxy looked rather uncomfortable with the idea, but as always, she couldn't refuse Ren. After all, an angel wouldn't be scared of a little makeover.
Thirty minutes later, the doors swung open to the brothel.
A woman stepped through, heels clicking like gunshots. The dress was midnight silk, covering her back, slit high enough to kill. Diamond necklace glittered at her throat. Her makeup was sharp, winged liner, blood-red lips, the kind of face that most n seeked after even in this world won used costics products just like n in this world.
Costic beca sothing every gender appreciated in this world.
She moved like she'd been born in stilettos.
Ren trailed a step behind, collar too tight, shoulders hunched. He looked like a man who'd lost a bet with fate.
Two hostesses materialized instantly, their cotton kimonos whispering.
"Lady Hunteress Luxy!" the brunette gushed, hands clasped. "The solo huntress who rewrote the ga! We've heard everything about you."
The blonde bowed. "Welco to Lotus Palace. How may we serve you in this evening, dear hunteress?"
Luxy didn't blink. She lifted a manicured finger and pointed at Ren. "My man here's... inadequate. I want the best you have. Soone who can teach him a thing or two."
Ren's ears went scarlet on purpose. The hostesses' eyes flicked to him—awkward, fidgeting, staring at the floor as if it might swallow him. They exchanged a glance.
"Of course," the brunette purred. "Right this way."
The blonde produced a tablet. "Our platinum catalog."
Luxy scrolled with one nail, lips pursed. Her finger stopped.
**Daichi – Platinum Class**
No family na. Just a photo: sharp jaw, tousled black hair, eyes that looked like they'd seen too much.
"Him," Luxy said.
The hostesses bead. "Excellent choice."
Soon they were led to a room with all dark wood and paper screens, tatami mats underfoot. A low table, incense curling from a dragon-shaped burner. It slled like sandalwood and pleasure.
Ren shut the door behind them. The click echoed.
He turned to Luxy, voice soft. "You look good in that dress."
She froze. The tough-queen mask slipped, just for a second. Her fingers touched the fake diamond choker like she'd forgotten it was there.
"...Do I look beautiful?" she asked, quieter. "To your human eyes?"
Ren blinked. "Very much. Yeah. You're beautiful. I never said otherwise."
Luxy's gaze dropped to the floor. "Is that so..." Her voice faded, barely a breath and looked like she was about to say sothing when the door slid open.
Daichi stepped in, robe half-open, collarbone sharp under the low light. His eyes locked on Luxy first hungry, professional. Then he reached for her, fingers brushing her arm.
She jerked back like he'd burned her. "Would you please." She jerked her chin at Ren. "Teach him. I prefer to be touched by him."
Daichi was quite surprised because this is the first ti a woman reacted to him like this because every other ti they would be dying to pounce on him, so his vision beca sowhat clear and he wanted to see what kind of a man could do that a woman.
Daichi's gaze finally shifted. His face went slack.
"...Ren?"
Ren's eyes widened, mock-surprise. "Daichi? Holy...you? Last ti I saw you was the academy terriost attack."
Daichi's throat bobbed. He glanced at Luxy, she was inspecting her nails, unbothered. He forced a smile, brittle. "What a... surprise."
Ren stepped closer, voice dropping. "What are you doing here, man? What happened?"
Daichi's laugh was dry, cracked. "Just... being useful. To the family." He gestured vaguely at the room. "This is how I contribute. Satisfying won. It's my job. As n our job is to satisfy won."
Ren's stomach twisted. He looked at Daichi really looked. The hollows under his eyes. The way his hands trembled before he hid them in his sleeves.
*Was he always a victim? Even back then?*
"You okay?" Ren asked.
Daichi's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Let's... continue the lesson?"
Ren shook his head. "No. Now that I know it's you? We're talking. Let's sit."
Daichi hesitated, then sank onto a cushion. Luxy leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching like a cat.
Ren sat across from him. "Why are you working here man? Aren't you like rich and born to..."
Daichi looked utterly broken; that question had really pushed him to the edge.
"You've got to help , Ren! Last ti I said I didn't want your help because I thought you couldn't help ..." His eyes flicked briefly toward Luxy, who still seed uninterested in their conversation. Instead, she looked lost in thought about sothing else.
"But you have the most powerful solo hunter with you now... I can't take this anymore, Ren. Every day she reminds how useless I am. She says my only worth cos from my sen, that my life is aningless. I feel like I'm going insane."
Daichi's words spilled out like those of a madman, making Ren wonder what this Chiyo woman had done to break him so completely.
"I'll help you," Ren muttered those simple words that brought an ecstatic smile to Daichi's face. "How exactly are you going to leave this place or do you live here?"
"No...everyday midnight...mother sent a vehicle to pick up."
Ren leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "Good, then you can dress up as and leave this place with her," he said.
Daichi blinked in confusion. "What?"
Ren stood up, brushing the dust off his jacket. "You heard . Instead of you staying here, I'll take your place. You leave this place with my girl here."
"That's not going to work, man!" Daichi shot back, shaking his head. "They'll know it's not ! Mother or guards will notice the mont you open your mouth."
Ren smirked, a faint trace of recklessness flashing in his eyes. "Don't worry about that. We're the sa height, sa race, sa hair. As long as you keep your face hidden, no one's going to notice anything strange." He pointed at a piece of clothing hanging by the chair. "Put that on, keep your head down, and just act quiet. She probably won't even look at you. Luxy will tell that her man don't want to show his face."
Daichi hesitated, looking between Ren and Luxy, who still sat silently by the window, her gaze distant as if she were miles away in her thoughts. "And what about you?" he finally asked, his voice trembling. "What are you going to do if they find out? If you get caught?"
Ren gave a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't think about . I'll find a way to escape. I always do."
Before Daichi could protest further, a sharp crack echoed through the room. Both n turned just in ti to see the window shatter inward, shards of glass scattering like rain. Sothing small and tal spun through the air, Ren's instincts scread danger.
"Get down!"
The object hit the floor and burst into a violent flare of light and heat. A cocktail bomb. The explosion shook the entire room, flas erupting across the carpet and walls. Ren was thrown back, his ears ringing.
Luxy moved faster than thought, her wings pulsed outward like a shimring barrier, shielding Ren from the worst of the blast. The shockwave and fire rippled against her wings, glass and debris bouncing harmlessly away.
"What the hell is going on here?!" Ren shouted, coughing through the smoke. His eyes darted around the blazing room, searching for Daichi.
Before he could move, another bottle smashed through the broken window. Then another. Fire spread like a living thing, devouring everything it touched.
Through the flickering light, Ren saw Daichi trying to crawl toward the door, his body trembling. One of the flaming projectiles struck near him, bursting and coating the floor and Daichi in liquid fire.
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