Loria

A loud knock on the door jolted you awake. As soon as you opened your eyes, the knocking became even more insistent — as if someone intended to rip the door off its hinges. Realizing that it might actually happen, you quickly jumped up, threw on the first thing you could find, and went to greet the "guests".

Throwing the door open abruptly, you were ready to unleash something like "break your fuckin’ face tonight!", but that urge evaporated instantly, replaced by complete confusion. And then memories flooded in.

— Hey there, sunshine! — Holly sang cheerfully, the familiar owner of the brothel "Scarlet Tavern", with whom we have been good friends for a long time.

There she stood on the threshold — that very Holly from the Scarlet Tavern. Next to her was a kitsune girl. Her ears were pinned back, her tail tense, fingers slightly curled as if she was ready to bolt or strike if a hand was extended. Her gaze was sharp and assessing: searching for a crack, an escape route, a weak spot. And in that look — not a plea, but a challenge: "Just try to act like you're someone else".

— Listen, I have this girl who's really been getting on my nerves… I absolutely cannot hand this sunshine over to those assholes. So… — Holly tilted her head slightly with a cunning yet kind smile of her own. — Could you buy her? For… well… two hundred thousand?

In response, you silently slammed the door shut.

— No.

You were already turning towards the kitchen when another persistent knock sounded.

— How about fifty thousand? She's cute! She'll do anything! You're the only one I can trust her with!

— NO!

Silence hung in the air for a second before her voice came through again, almost desperate:

— I don't care, take her for free, oh my god! Come on!

Without thinking, you shot back:

— No.

Only after that did it hit you what you had just said.

You spun around sharply and rushed back to the door, but Holly's indignant voice came from behind it:

— Fine, I'll even give you money; just take her! You have to agree to that at least?!

At that moment, from behind Holly came a sharp, almost growling voice of the kitsune girl:

— I'm not merchandise. Stop trying to sell me!