All of My Love

by Arrixam

The secret is out about Ishtar. As Bell tries to figure out who talked, he must retrace his steps during his time under the Ishtar Familia. The past he wished to forget must be unearthed. He must recall the time in which he was known, feared, and respected as the greatest pimp of the Ishtar Familia. His girls depend on it. (AU)

3. Chapter 3

A quick note: I would like to thank my patrons. I have a new computer thanks to you. You guys helped out A LOT.

Co-written by: Generalmoose2nd

Cover by: Oslight

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Bell moved as quietly as he could as he stacked plates and bottles into the tray once the pair using the table moved upstairs. His face was as red as a tomato, as it had been throughout the night. Still, he focused on his work and moved swiftly. The contents were cleared and the table was wiped down with a damp rag. He carried everything back into the kitchen.

"Better," the young man tasked with instructing him looked satisfied for the first time today. "You kept out of the way of the other clients this time. See to it you keep it that way."

"Yes!" Bell hurried past him. He had already been scolded for standing still, even if it was for a brief moment. He went to deliver the contents of the tray to the kitchens to be cleaned. The working staff took it without a word and Bell returned to the front to report for his next task.

He couldn't believe it. He was finally a member of a familia! Ishtar kept her promise and gave him everything he needed. He had a small room for himself within the male dormitories; it included a spare change of clothes too! The washroom was a public area but that was still fine. He received two meals a day and would be granted an allowance once he proved himself capable.

He wasn't an adventurer yet. But baby steps. He was going to prove he could stand on his own and be beneficial to Lady Ishtar.

On his first day, she handed him off to the captain of her familia, a stone-faced man named Dimmuzi. That man eventually handed him over to his understudy, the young Tammuz. He wasn't that much older than Bell, maybe even the same age.

Tammuz didn't look too pleased with having to teach Bell everything about the Ishtar Familia, but he took his job seriously. He was fair, if not a little strict. He only scolded Bell when a mistake was made, critiqued him on how it was done, and executed it to personally show. Bell took every word at value and tried his hardest to not make the same mistake.

"There's nothing left for me to clean in the main room," Bell said, looking around. There were a series of tables and couches. There was at least one prostitute per client… entertaining them in their own way. Bell tried to not stare. "S-Should I help in the kitchen?"

"For now I want you to watch and get accustomed to the atmosphere of the place," Tammuz responded dispassionately. Unlike Bell, he didn't blink when a client and prostitute began to… to do that in the middle of the lounge. "This is Ishtar Familia. Our crest is the lady of the night. We offer our entirety to the people of Orario in exchange for coin. Our most popular item on the menu is… companionship."

He said that while looking at the couple in the corner swapping spit.

"Um… Mister Tammuz," Bell looked at him. The other young man was only a few celches taller. "I'm a guy. Is it really okay for someone like me to be here?"

Tammuz looked at him plainly, studying him. It was similar to how Ishtar would but not as piercing. "Your task at the moment is to assist those who make a profit for the familia. You can do that by staying out of their way and cleaning up the mess they make. So long as you do not make us lose money will you be permitted to stay."

"Yes, sir!" he stood straight.

Tammuz went back to regarding the room. There was a soft layer of smoke coming from incense and tobacco. There was laughter everywhere as prostitutes dragged customers in, shared drinks with them, and then took them upstairs. Some clients just enjoyed having the girls in their company, paid them for their time, and left.

Bell made sure to follow through with his duties without Tammuz telling him.

He shrieked and drew attention when one of the girls pinched his rear. She gave him a wink before slipping away to find another man outside. Bell rushed back to the kitchen with his head bowed. Tammuz only told him to not scream next time.

The process repeated itself several times. Tammuz rarely needed to step in when one of the clients were getting too grabby. Most of the girls were of the same species as Aisha and possessed superhuman strength. If anything, Tammuz only stepped in to make sure nothing was broken and payment was still made for the time spent.

"How long does this go on for?" Bell asked as he started to feel the night drag on. He still pushed himself to finish his tasks on point. However, it was getting late.

"You will be replaced if you cannot last through the night," Tammuz said sharply.

"It's not that!" Bell shook his head. "It's just… isn't it getting late? How late do places like this stay open for?"

"This particular establishment has last call for kitchen and alcohol at two. We close doors at four. Clean up is as soon as the last client leaves and you are expected to remain until everything is complete."

Cold sweat washed through him by the mentioning of those hours. In other words, he was going to be working here until dawn. It was probably only a little past midnight. He had been working with Tammuz an hour before the doors officially opened.

"In case you haven't noticed," Tammuz began with a slight frown. He looked around the lounge, "This particular shop is towards the back of the district. We receive the least amount of clients and are still expected to make the quota. There will be little for you to do right now but I will find you more once your usefulness grows."

"I understand," Bell nodded. "It's impressive though, Mister Tammuz. You don't look that much older than me and you're already in charge of one of these places."

His frown grew more prominent at the honest praise. He clicked his tongue, "If Lady Ishtar didn't warn me before I would have struck you for the insult. You're just naive. Dimmuzi put me here, with you, to fail. The finer brothels are closer to Belit Babili. Tell me, when you first arrived in the Red Light District did you come across this place?"

Bell naturally fell into a flimsy smile at the memory of him arriving. "N-No. I was taken straight to the palace. But I also didn't get to explore the district itself much."

"You and hundreds of others before you," Tammuz planted his hands on his hips and shifted his weight around. He looked around once more. "We have to have girls go out and abduct guests from the front. Only drunkards and those who have been kicked out of other brothels come lurking here."

"Isn't that bad for business?" Bell asked. "If customers don't come then won't you be in trouble for not making the quota?"

"Obviously," Tammuz grumbled. "None of that is your concern. Since you seem comfortable enough to hold this conversation then you're ready to move on. Follow me."

Tammuz took Bell's tray and laid it down by the bar counter. He then proceeded towards the stairs with Bell on his heels. Bell's face burned brighter as soon as they reached the second floor and a woman's whine reached his ears. It reminded him of Ishtar. Tammuz kept walking without pause.

The upstairs was circular with a railing going around the building to peer down onto the bottom lounge. Hugging the walls were several doors leading to spare bedrooms for the prostitutes to use. There was another hallway down in one corner, which Tammuz led him to. Within was a metal plate lodged into the wall with a handlebar. Tammuz pulled on it, pulling out the plate and revealing a chute.

"This is used for the dirty laundry," Tammuz explained. "Your job is to go around the rooms and switch the bed sheets. Sheets must be changed after three clients. I am keeping track for you right now but I expect you to pick up this skill quickly. You will find spares within the closet of each room. You will later be taught to clean them on your own. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" Bell nodded. "Which rooms do I go to first?"

Tammuz told him. Bell hurried off. Thankfully the rooms were numbered. He knocked to make sure the rooms were unoccupied before entering. The first thing that struck him was the stench. It was stale, pungent, and strong enough to make him gag. He could taste it in the air and it clogged his throat. The heavy, acrid scent of perfume made it all worse instead of masking the odors.

Tammuz was watching him from the top of the stairs. His eyes narrowed.

Bell breathed through his mouth (which did little to dwindle things) and hurried inside. He found the closet and found a stack of colored sheets within. He almost missed the fact they had been washed with some sort of fragrant soap. He changed the sheets quickly, both to not make Tammuz wait and to get out of this room quickly.

He tried to not think about how the bedsheets were both sticky and stiff as he rushed through the hallway and dumped them down the chute. Tammuz watched him do this once before deciding he was adequate enough to go alone. He climbed down the stairs to resume his own duties.

"Breathe through your nose," was all he said. At least he was aware of the stench problem.

Bell went to each room, switching out the sheets and dumping the soiled ones down the laundry chute. Whenever clients and girls came through, he stood at the doorway to let them pass to a different room or slipped out so they could use the fresh bedding. As he changed the sheets of the rooms, he could hear the banging on the walls and the loud moaning of older girls and women. It made him work faster.

He came out of one room with another set of sheets in his arms. A prostitute was escorting a man through. It was nothing unusual. However…

"Miss Aisha!" Bell couldn't help but smile brightly.

The girl blinked. Her head whirled around. Her eyes widened at the sight of him.

He waved back, "Guess what! We're in the same familia now!"

"Travis could you give me a moment?" Aisha said quickly to her escort. She didn't give him a chance to respond as she, literally, kicked him into one of the empty rooms. She shut the door before he could say anything and she swerved around the corner to come across Bell. She moved so fast he couldn't help but take a step back in alarm.

"You're still here, bunny boy?" she said and looked him over. There was a deep hunger in her eyes as if she were starving. It frightened him. "What's this about being in a familia now?"

"Erm…" Bell's smile faltered by her overwhelming presence. She smelled so nice and she was so close to him. It reminded him of the time they were in a room together. "L-Lady Ishtar let me join the familia. I'm part of your family now! Isn't that great?"

"Lady Ishtar did…?" She looked disappointed by that. "I suppose you're affected by her charm now and don't want to do it with me anymore, do you?"

All the blood in his body rushed straight to his head. He had difficulty making eye contact, "Your goddess is very… erm… charming. Sure. But... about that, Miss Aisha? Can… Can we talk later? I was wanting to see you again."

Her hand cupped his cheek and forced his face upwards. He stared back at her eyes. He was mesmerized by how lovely they were, especially this close for him to see. She stared back at him in what he hoped to not confuse as admiration.

"You're a curious thing, aren't you?" she said in a quiet voice. Her coy smile returned. "I'm working right now so our little date will have to wait."

"D-Date…?" he squeaked.

Her smile widened. She patted his cheek and walked away. He noticed her hips sway as she headed back to the room she tossed the man in. Her head craned around; she gave him a smile after catching him looking.

Bell stared at the bundle of sheets in his arms as he scurried away. He still had a job to do.

0-0-0

"Go around once more," Tammuz commanded. "Sweep the rooms, change the sheets, wipe down the tables, and stack the chairs. The kitchen staff will do their part but you are tasked with the face of the brothel. You may leave once you are done. Return here at dusk. Good morning."

It sounded strange to hear those two words as a departure. And Tammuz said it so crisply it sounded like today was going to be a tundra. He threw his coat over one shoulder and stepped out of the building. The rising sun was at his face.

Bell waved him off and went to work. A satisfying exhaustion filled him at the closure of his first night within the Ishtar Familia. He had done it! He liked to think he passed Tammuz's test, if there was one. He had cemented his stay within the familia. It was one step closer to being an adventurer.

He did as was told. By the time he was done cleaning up the lounge, the kitchen staff had left for the morning. They had been cleaning since an hour before closing anyways. He didn't get their names but one was a prum and the other a dwarf. Both were female and it was hard to determine their age. They didn't say a word to him.

The sky was a bright blue by the time he was halfway done with the rooms. Fatigue slowed his pacing as he cleaned one room at a time. There must have been an efficient way of doing it but he was too tired to think about it. He moved lifelessly, just pushing himself through sheer willpower so he could finish and go to sleep. Many times he was tempted to zonk out on one of the clean beds, smell or not be damned.

He was almost done when something covered his head.

He was blind as a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist and picked him off his feet. He felt his head spin as his body moved swiftly. This sensation… someone had just thrown him onto their shoulder and was swiftly carrying him away! By the constant clunking and bobbing, they were moving down the stairs before he realized what was going on.

All grogginess washed out of him. Someone was kidnapping him! But who could it be? An angry client? One of the men who the girls had to kick out? But why go after him?! He was just a scrub!

"W-W-Wait!" he squirmed around. Whoever it was had an ironclad grip. "Where are you taking me?"

"Stop moving before I drop you," he heard a girl's voice. A very familiar voice.

"M-Miss Aisha?" he stopped squirming, if only because he was so surprised by this.

"...Shit," he heard her swear. His head whipped around as she spun sharply. He couldn't tell where they were going but he heard the heavy door to the pantry open and close. Right after, she lowered him down to the ground and pulled whatever was covering his head. A pillow case.

They were alone together in the darkness of pantry. He was sitting on his rear and she kneeling right in front of him, her legs between his and almost on top of him.

"Miss Aisha, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Shush," she put one hand over his mouth and looked over her shoulder.

He heard footsteps. More than one set. He couldn't tell how many people had entered the building but one was lingering in the lounge while the other was climbing the stairs.

"Is the bunny rabbit not up there?" he heard the voice of Cellaneo from the other side of the door.

"He's not here," the softer voice of Phoebe was harder to make out. She was climbing back down the stairs.

"Dammit," Cellaneo cursed. There was a brief pause. "Aisha must have gotten to him first."

"Or Phryne."

"Or Phryne. Quick, to Aisha's room! If he's not there then we have to assume the worst and declare it a lost cause."

"Don't you think we should save him from Phryne?"

"Even if all the ones topside at the moment get together, we can't stop Phryne from having her way with him. Maybe if Sis was here with Hippolyta."

"Then we better hope he's with Aisha."

"No kidding. Now move your butt!"

There came the sound of rushing footsteps retreating the building. He heard them a few meders outside the building before the noise trailed off beyond his reach.

Aisha let out a steady breath of air. "Good. They're gone. Now I can have my turn with you."

She turned back to him and gave him her carnivorous smile. The kind that made his heart race out of both excitement and fear. On one hand, Aisha was a gorgeous girl. On the other… she had the presence of a wolf before a sheep. She moved closer, crawling over him. The intensity in her stare made him crawl backwards until his back hit one of the shelves. The action only broadened her smile as she prowled after him.

"Miss Aisha," Bell's heart was hammering. "I would have gone to you. You didn't have to kidnap me."

"Yes I did," she said as she brushed one knee up on his groin and pressed herself against his chest. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear, "Those vultures would have taken what is rightfully mine if I hadn't gotten to you first. I was worried, you know? I thought Lady Ishtar stole you from me. I feel like an idiot to think she would have slept with you."

He stiffened when she leaned down further. He could feel her hot breath on his neck. He couldn't help but squirm with anticipation as he felt her lips tickle him. She didn't go any further. She hovered less than a celch over his skin. He heard her take a few short sniffs.

She leaned away from him. He looked her way. Her eyes were flat. All charm from her was gone.

"You smell like Lady Ishtar," she said coldly. "She did fuck you, didn't she?"

The memory of that time flashed in front of him. It must have shown on his face because Aisha's face warped into utmost disgust. He felt guilt. Overwhelming guilt. Aisha had done so much for him when they first met. She had saved him and he couldn't give her what she had wanted in return. It felt like he had betrayed his first friend.

"I'm sorry," he said. He couldn't look at her. "There was wine and… No. I have no excuse. Your goddess offered me a place in her familia and I agreed. She… wanted to be with me. I couldn't deny her."

Aisha let out a very long, disappointed breath of air. She sagged a little as she sat with her legs tucked under her. She wasn't looking at him. He became alarmed when she looked so… defeated. Her voice was edgy and loathing. "Dammit. I almost believed… And now you're enraptured by her charm. You can't think of anything besides Lady Ishtar. Heh. So that's how it is. You weren't innocent and shy right now. You just don't want to sleep with some other whore unless it's Lady Ishtar."

He didn't say anything back at her. Not because he couldn't find the words, but because he was so shocked by hers. In his hesitation, Aisha came to her own conclusion. She gave a single dry chuckle and began to rise up to her feet.

"That's not true!" he blurted out. His face was burning he realized what he had just said. Still, he made sure to look at Aisha dead in the eye. He wouldn't back down until she understood. "I was looking forward to this all night. I… I got scolded by Mister Tammuz for being distracted. The only one I could think about was you, Miss Aisha."

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. His face felt like it was burning. Yet he shoved all these distractions aside. He couldn't show any weakness in this moment. He shared his heart with Aisha and hoped she would return his feelings.

He needed to be the man his grandfather raised him to be. And men don't run from their fears!

Aisha met his gaze unwavering, towering over him as she stood straight with her arms crossed. Her eyes searched through his and he almost shirked away by the power behind them. She was a dominating presence before him. He kept face, no matter how much he wanted to look away.

"I've heard those words a hundred times," she said in a low voice. Her eyes kept looking through him, reading him like a book. "By a hundred clients. They think they mean them when in the middle of a fuck. But once it's all over? They pretend they don't know me when I see them in the markets or down in the Dungeon. Do you think you're any different? You think I'm going to believe those same words?"

And there was the grim truth Bell was hesitant to approach. No, not hesitate. He wanted to pretend it wasn't true. Ishtar Familia was a Dungeon exploring familia… but at its core was a business that specializes in prostitution. All the girls were prostitutes. As was Aisha.

"I mean it," he said.

Aisha wasn't a dainty little flower. She wasn't the princess that needed rescuing. Their union wouldn't be a moment of purity. Aisha had been with multiple men. More men than he wanted to think about.

Despite what she was, he didn't care. Aisha had brought him here. She had given him so much for her own reasons. And she had intended to sleep with him without payment. He doubted he could have afforded someone like her even if he used all the money he had when first coming to the city.

"And I don't believe you," she said in a bored tone. She waved her free hand around as if a putrid odor made its way to her. "I don't know what sort of game you're playing, but I'm not buying it."

"I'm not playing any game," he said, a bit of anger slipping out of his voice. "I'm being honest with you. I want to get to know you, Miss Aisha."

"Kek, right," she snorted and headed for the door. "You can tell Lady Ishtar this prank was good. I almost believed you. But she forgot about her own charm. It would have been perfect if not for that."

"I don't understand," he returned as he followed after her. She marched out of the building and he kept up with her pace. The sun was bright outside and it almost blinded him. "What does Lady Ishtar have to do with this? I'm talking about you, Miss Aisha! Is it because I was with Lady Ishtar? It doesn't change the fact I want to-"

"Enough already!" she stopped walking suddenly and snapped at him. A wave of cold flowed through him as he sensed something dangerous rise out of her. "You're annoying. I want nothing to do with you! Go fuck those other girls or Lady Ishtar for all I care. I shouldn't have wasted my time picking up a little rat like you. You would have been a bad lay anyways."

He stopped following her. His feet were rooted to the ground as his chest ached. He forgot to breathe as something sharp latched onto his heart and squeezed. Something warm trickled down his cheek.

She was looking at him. Her glare shifted. Her brows pressed together but he couldn't explain her expression.

"I wanted to see you," his voice was small.

Aisha's expression softened. He didn't know what it meant.

He turned and ran. He couldn't face her any longer. Not like this. Not with the words she had used against him. He thought she cared for him. He thought they could be friends. But, no, her interest in him had only been shallow. She didn't care for him anymore.

He didn't know where he went. The next thing he knew, he slid himself down against one wall and put his head between his knees. His eyes were shut tightly as he gritted his teeth. His breathing hitched as he realized he was crying. Was this what it was like to have a heart broken? He didn't love Aisha. But he had considered her his first friend.

"There you are!"

He lifted his head up as a shadow fell over him. Another dark-skinned girl appeared, standing in front of him and bending over. Her crimson eyes were celches away from his by the time he sat up straight. He recognized her as one of the girls who used Tammuz's building. She was also the girl who pinched his butt when she went to find another client.

She was just as tall as him with a slender figure and short black hair. She only had a thin piece of cloth wrapped around her chest and two flaps to cover the secret spots between her legs. The wind kicked it up, revealing nothing but copper skin beneath. She had a coy smile as she stood up a little straighter with her hands behind her back. "You're new, aren't you? I'll take you on a tour of the district. We can start in my room."

Another girl? Another girl?! What… What was going on? Why were all these girls coming onto him all of a sudden? Did his karma finally start to balance out after his month of misfortune in poverty? Or was his grandfather watching over him in the afterlife?

She was lovely. Very lovely. If he had met her first he would have fallen for her. His heart would have been hers if she had used this same tactic. All it would have taken was her sweet smile and playful tone.

However…

"I'm sorry, I can't," he said and pulled closer into himself. He hugged his knees and lowered his head.

"Don't be like that," she kept her smile and bent over further. Her brow touched his. She spoke softly, soothingly. "You worked so hard for your first day. You must be tired. Let me give you a massage. You'll feel better, I promise."

"Thank you, but…" he mumbled and tried to think of a reason to refuse her.

"You look like you could use a friend."

He raised his head. She pulled away as if expecting him to do this and not hurt herself. A bright pair of crimson eyes looked at him. Her smile was gentle and full of understanding. She extended a hand for him.

"Come on," she said serenely. "I've seen that look before. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Let me cheer you up."

Maybe… Maybe going with her wasn't such a bad idea. He needed a friend now more than ever.

He took her hand and she pulled him up to his feet. She held it tightly as she led him up the road. She didn't press herself against him or make amorous suggestions. She only held his hand as she led him a few buildings down until reaching one squat structure with a green roof. She led him in, gave him a wink with a finger to her lips for silence, and they crept through the stairway and down the hallway of dorms. They eventually reached hers. She let him in first before shutting and locking the door behind her.

Her room was small. Bigger than his but nowhere near the size of Aisha's, let alone Lady Ishtar's. There was a closet, a dresser, a double-sized bed, and a looking glass hanging on the wall. In the back of the room was a wooden door with shutters that led to a balcony overview. It was currently open and he could look down the street if he so wanted.

"Um…" he turned to her as she went around him and rummaged through her dresser. "I never got your name. I'm Bell. Bell Cranel."

"Bell, huh?" she said to him and pulled out a glass vial. "It's a very nice name. Take off your shirt and lie on the bed. I'll give you that massage like I promised."

"Y-You don't have to do that much…" he said with his face turning hot.

"It's alright," she whispered as she approached him. She stood at half an arm's reach away when she reached for the hem of his tunic. Slowly, without any sign of any hidden intent, she began to rise it up. He eventually complied and threw it over his head. She tossed it on the top of her dresser. Her eyes flashed to the bed in a silent gesture.

He didn't know why he was doing this. He should go back to his room and get some sleep. But maybe it was the exhaustion from today as well as the fresh wound Aisha inflicted on him. Without a further word, he sprawled himself down on her bed with his back exposed. Her bed was a little stiff but welcoming after such a long night.

He felt the bed shift and something soft pressing down on his tush. The girl was sitting on top of him and applying some sort of fragrant oil onto her hands from the vial. She rubbed her hands together, leaned down, and pressed them on his back. He expected them to be cold but instead his back warmed up as soon as the oil touched his skin. She spread it over before applying pressure to sooth his muscles. He couldn't help but let out a few sounds from his mouth.

"You have so much tension," she said as she worked. "And you're so skinny. You're a growing boy. You should eat more often. How about this we go get breakfast? Just the two of us."

The only thing that could come out of his mouth was a moan. The specific spot she was rubbing hurt. She kept at it until the muscle relaxed and the pain was replaced with relief and eventual pleasure. She did this several times in other spots throughout his back. Any longer like this and he was bound to fall asleep. He struggled to remain conscious. He didn't want to be rude to this girl while she was doing this for him.

"I think that's enough," she said. "Let's work on your front now."

That woke him up. "You don't need to go that far!"

"I have all this extra oil. It'll go bad if I don't use it up."

"B-But… I'll get oil all over your bed if I do."

"It's fine. I'll just change the sheets. Now turn over before I make you. Doctor's orders."

He should have noticed the change in her tone. Instead, he did as was told. He silently apologized when he felt the oil soak into the sheets. Most of his consciousness was about the girl who now sat on his waist. She still smiled at him as her hands pressed against his chest. It grew further when she began to work.

His blush increased when she stopped suddenly and craned her head around. Her eyes landed on his crotch before turning back to him. She gave him a knowing look… but continued to work. He felt embarrassed beyond words. He couldn't help it! A girl as lovely as her was doing this to him! How could he remain calm in a situation like this?!

"It's fine," she soothed as she leaned down and whispered into his ear. It made him tense. "You need to relax. You won't last long here if you jump at every little thing. Relax and let me take care of you, Bell."

She lifted herself up and continued with the massage. He felt conscious of her constant stroking. But it was the workings of her hands against his tired muscles and the subtle scent from the oil that made these thoughts drift away. He did relax in the end. His mind went numb as he gave in to the sensations. His eyelids felt heavy.

"It's okay," she whispered. "Relax. Let it all go. I'll be right here. Relax and let it all go."

It was the final push he needed. His tired mind and body finally shut down. His eyes closed and he drifted off into sleep.

He didn't see how twisted her smile was.

He didn't know how long he had been out. His sleep had been dreamless. One moment, he was embraced with silence and darkness. In the next, he could make out a sound in the distance. He found himself in some sort of endless void with something out of his reach. It was the only substance within this blank state. He reached out for it.

He woke up with something heavy repeatedly pounding onto his crotch.

"Good… afternoon!"

The same girl that had been giving him a massage had her hands pressed flat against his stomach and knees hugging his waist. Her face was beat red, her eyes misty, her coppery body drenched in sweat, and her smile full of euphoria. She was looking right at him as if he was the center of her world.

She repeatedly bounced up and down. Flesh struck flesh and he saw the part of them connected together.

"W-What are you doing?!" he shrieked in alarm. He tried to move, to sit up and get away from her. But she pushed him back down with a strength he couldn't beat.

"Not yet!" she panted. "Not yet! I'm almost done! Just let me have one more! Gods I could get off on your sleeping face forever. You're so innocent and defenseless! I couldn't help it! I'm sorry! I just couldn't resist!"

She apologized with her smile broadening and a deep moan escaping her lips. She repeatedly pumped herself up and down on his member. Her hands dug into his chest, nearly crushing and choking him with how much pressure she was putting on him.

This was nothing like with Ishtar. There was no pleasure for him. He felt sore, bruised, and more tired than before. The brightness of the room and the amount of sweat dripping down her body suggested she had been doing this for a long time. There were several vials thrown at the feet of the bed with more piled right next to her on the bed. The ones on the bed were full of some blue liquid.

"M-Miss!" he begged… and realized he never got her name. "Please! Stop! It hurts!"

"Ten seconds," she panted. "Just ten before I… I…!"

She leaned forward and cupped his face with her hands. Their faces were so close he could feel every pant she made. The intensity in her stare was maddening as her unblinking eyes bore into his. She rode him harder, hard enough to make him let out a groan in pain. Her face warped as her smile spread out from ear to ear. She let out a long moan of ecstasy before slamming her hips down one final time with all her might. The bed groaned and threatened to give way.

She rolled off of him but kept one arm and one leg wrapped around him. She panted heavily as she nudged her head onto his shoulder. She held him tight, almost possessively. She wasn't willing to let him go.

"So…" she took a few gulps of air to catch her breath. "How about that meal?"

"...Why?" he found himself panting. It was difficult to breathe. Was it because she has been crushing his chest keeping him down or because he had unintentionally gotten so involved in her movements? "Why did you do this while I was asleep?"

Her smile was full of satisfaction, "I'm sorry. When I watched you doze off, I couldn't help myself. At first all I did was eat you up. But when you let out all those moans in your sleep I got even more excited. And you were so stiff I just had to give it a try. You're really cute."

"It hurt," he said while tapping on his chest. He could make out her handprints and a bruise starting to form. "Why did you do this? I… I might have gone along if you had asked me."

"Would you?" she lifted herself up to prop her head onto the back of her hand. She kept the fingers of her other hand drawing circles on his chest. "I saw your little fight with Aisha. You didn't want to do anything with me when I offered. I had to coerce you into bringing you here. Someone else would have snatched you up if I didn't.

"Do you know what I am?" she flipped herself over so she could lay directly on top of him. Her feet kicked up in the air and she tapped his nose with a single dainty finger. "I'm an Amazoness. We all are. Our children can only be female and no men are allowed in our village. Which means if we ever want a man, we have to go out and hunt one for ourselves. And if we want the same man… we have to be creative in our pursuits."

Her legs kicked up and down as she smiled lovingly at him. As lovingly as one would admire a trophy. She had won her prize and didn't hide her pride.

"So that's it then?" his voice was low. "All of this was just a trick?"

"Pretty much," she said in a deceptively innocent tone.

"You didn't care at all about me?!"

"Now that's not true," she said with a slight pout. "We're all thirsty but not desperate. We all have standards. Maybe out there in the city no one would have cared about you. But in here, locked in with the den of wolves, you're practically prime meat. You're so naive and innocent. A… little rabbit among predators.

"For me personally, I like men who have been down on their luck. I just go weak in the knees at seeing how sad they are. I just have to have them in my arms and make them feel better. The more they wallow in despair, the wetter I get. Seeing you fret around in Tammuz' shop got my interest. But seeing what Aisha did to you really stirred me up inside.

"So to say, I don't care about you the way that you might want me to," she gave him another sweet smile before rolling off of him. Her legs slid off the bed and she rose up to her feet. With her back to him, she stretched her arms over her head. "I can be your friend or your lover. I can be whatever you want me to be. I can pretend anything between us is real. But we both know it won't be. At the end of the day, you and I are both whores."

He didn't want to hear anything else from her mouth. He leapt out of bed as soon as he could and grabbed his trousers. He struggled to put them on quickly. She watched him in the corner of her eye. He forwent his shirt and went straight for the door.

It was locked. It needed a key. He was trapped in here.

A pair of arms went around him. One landed on top of the hand he had on the doorknob. The other had a key. The girl's strong grip pried his hand away so she could insert the key. But she didn't turn it.

He felt her lips on the back of his neck. "The next time you're feeling down, I'll be here for you. I am the closest thing to a friend you will ever have here, Bell."

She turned the key and opened the door for him. She stepped away and threw his shirt on top of his head.

He bolted as soon as he could. He rushed through the hallway she led him through and soon out the front door. There were a few women roaming around the streets, carrying on about their daily duties. The sun was high above his head, indicating it had been a little past noon. He ignored everything else and hurried at a brisk walk.

He didn't know why, but he turned his head around.

She was watching him, as naked as she had been moments ago without a single ounce of shame. Rather, she displayed her figure for the world to see. She leaned against the railing, one hand cupping her cheek and her crimson eyes watching him. Admiring him. She curled her fingers around in a wave.

He spun back around and hurried away.

0-0-0

"Cranel," Tammuz called out to him. His feet crunched on gravel as he approached the side of their particular brothel. "What are you doing out here?"

Bell clipped the next sheet onto the liner and stretched it out. Only then did he turn around to regard his boss. "Mister Tammuz. I was on may way back to the dormitories when I realized I didn't finish my job. The other sheets were taken away to be washed… so I decided to clean the ones that were missed."

Bell had indeed returned. He was almost back to the male dormitory building, recollecting his thoughts of his hectic first day, when he realized Aisha had kept him from fulfilling his task. He panicked and ran straight back to the brothel. He didn't want to bother those doing laundry… nor did he know where it was being done. So he decided to take responsibility and do the chore himself. He found everything he needed by asking the neighboring buildings.

And here he was, beside the brothel in an open lot. It was out of sight when customers would come by tonight and should be dry when they would be needed.

Tammuz eyed him, his work, and him again. His face was as solid as stone. "I see. You failed to complete your task on time. I won't demerit you this time since you came back. But don't make this a habit. Mistakes like this hinders productivity."

"Yes, Mister Tammuz!" Bell bowed at the waist. "I understand and apologize! I'm almost done with this!"

"Leave it be," Tammuz said suddenly. Bell blinked and raised himself. "I'll have someone else take care of the rest. Having you continue working on this will only get in the way for later tonight."

"Then…" Bell scratched his cheek. "What will you have me do for now?"

Tammuz eyed him once more, picking up a story through small details within Bell's profile. "Return to your dormitory and rest. You are in no condition to work and will only result in further mistakes. You are a liability. Return here as soon as you are ready. I will have work prepared to make up for your slack."

"I…" Bell blinked. "Can I really? I mean… I'm not in trouble am I?"

"I have already told Belka to not harass you while you are working," Tammuz said plainly. Bell had no idea who that was. But the only one who 'harassed' him was Aisha. Was Belka her formal name? "Any slight in today's profits will be because of her. I cannot expect you to resist a Level 2 adventurer anymore than I can control Phryne. But they both understand a loss in profit in any brothel will anger Lady Ishtar."

Bell nodded a few times. So Tammuz already knew about Aisha. "Thank you, Mister Tammuz. I'll make sure to return here as soon as I can."

"Not as soon," Tammuz's brows came together. "When you have a full rest. Everyone is preparing for the night so you should be left undisturbed. Now go before it gets any later."

"Yes! I'll be back then. Thank you, Mister Tammuz!"

Bell left the lot in a light jog. Tammuz watched him go before leaving himself and stepping into the brothel. Maybe things aren't as bad as he initially thought. Tammuz was a fair but strict boss. He might only be thinking of profits but it was still in favor of Bell's health.

He reached the dormitory. It was a small building compared to the other apartments and dormitory buildings used for the women. There didn't seem to be all that many men within the Ishtar Familia. Bell shared glances with a few that he met in the hallways; none of them bothered to make conversation with him. He tried to not mind.

He came to his room and saw that it was open. At first he thought someone had broken into his room and stole his things. But then he realized he didn't have anything to his name aside from what Ishtar gave him. And a quick look around told him nothing was stolen. Things were moved around as if someone was looking for something specific.

He realized the specific item in question was him. He remembered Cellaneo and Phoebe mentioning they were in the male dormitories earlier. They must have been looking for him and moved things around as if he could hide within the dresser drawers.

He shut the door behind him and hopped into bed. A sigh escaped his lips and he was out cold.

0-0-0

It was the sound coming from outside that pulled him out of his sleep. The room was dark. The sun had set and he wasn't sure for how long it had been. There wasn't a clock in his room. Perhaps it was in the peak of the night as there was a lot of lively commotion outside. It almost sounded like a festival had arrived while he was sleeping.

He got out of bed, grabbed a towel and a pair of clothes, and headed for the washroom. The facility was a simple one with tiled floors, drains, and showerheads. He stripped down, placing his garment into a woven basket, and washed himself in one of the stalls. A moment later was he cleaned, dressed, and ready to head out.

The streets were flooded with people. Adventurers, merchants, and commonfolk alike were roaming around. Some were in packs on the hunt for a group of women… while just as many prostitutes were hunting for worthy men. One group even had a single boy no older than him in their arms, pulling him away as he was being smothered by soft flesh into the nearest building.

As he walked, he ran into Aisha.

It hadn't been his intention. She rounded the corner and they nearly bumped into each other. More specifically, he almost ran into her as she had the awareness to stop on time. Their eyes met.

"Hi, Miss…" he began but the words died in his throat. He remembered what she said to him. She didn't want to see him. There was no point in trying to greet her. It would only anger her further.

He averted his gaze and quickened his steps. She didn't stop him and he didn't dare look to see if she was still there. He jogged the rest of the way to the brothel he worked at.

Tammuz was behind the counter waiting for him. His eyes were sharp and focused on him like a hawk as soon as he walked inside. He nudged with his head for Bell to come closer. Bell complied.

"Better," Tammuz said as he examined Bell's frame. "But not good enough. Have you eaten anything?"

"I don't feel hungry," Bell answered in all honesty. He couldn't remember the last time he ate but couldn't feel any sort of fatigue or stomach pains. Had living on the streets for such a short amount of time dulled this sensation?

"I didn't ask that," Tammuz said with a hiss. "Hunger is a distraction. Fatigue is a hindrance. If you continue to slack off I will have you removed. Now, have you eaten?"

"...No, sir," Bell bowed his head. "I didn't want to waste any more time than I already have."

"Time can be made up with effort," Tammuz said next. He nudged his head over his shoulder, towards the swinging kitchen door. "Ask Mime for a plate. You have ten minutes. Carry out the tasks I gave you yesterday immediately after. Let's see how much you picked up."

"Yes, sir!" Bell scurried away, more out of fear of angering his supervisor more. He went around the counter and pushed himself through into the kitchens. The scent of meat, cheese, and bread hit him like a sucker punch. He didn't realize how hungry he was until now. It made his mouth water and heart beat.

"Um… Mime?" he asked allowed, watching both the Dwarf and prum work the stove and ovens. The prum gave him a sideways glance. "Mister Tammuz asked if I could have a plate to eat."

She didn't say anything. She kept working, chopping ingredients and dumping them into a pot. He wasn't sure if she had listened to him as she went around fulfilling her own duties as one of the cooks. But before he knew it, she pulled an assortment of things onto a plate and slid it across the middle counter. It stopped celches from the edge. She resumed her work without pause.

"Thank you!" he said and dug in. The plate was a simple one with mostly finger foods. Fried chicken, potato crisps, and edamame. The Dwarven cook came up to him while he was eating and placed a mug in front of him. Bell was sure he thanked her (or thought he did), and took a long gulp of the contents.

He nearly gagged when he realized it was beer. He coughed and lowered the mug before looking at her. "A-Are you sure I should be drinking this? Isn't it bad for work?"

"Yur a boy," she said to him while flipping something around on the frier. "Man up an' drink. If I can take five o' them and feel nothin', you can stomach one."

Not to be rude but wasn't just a natural talent among Dwarves? He was a human. A very young human with hardly any experience with alcohol under his belt. Plus he was still weak and small from eating scraps for weeks. This amount might kill him.

He only drank half and finished his meal. He made sure to thank them both once more before placing the empty plate in the washing tray. The Dwarf glowered at him, muttered something foul under her breath, and swigged the last of his drink in one gulp. She tossed it into the tray before going back to work. The prume, Mime, slid plate after plate of food across the counter. Her eyes were directing.

He took the hint. He picked up the same tray and apron he used yesterday and went to work. He piled the plates on top of the tray and carried them out into the lounge.

"Mister Tammuz?" Bell whispered across the counter. The young man was busy serving drinks to one client sitting alone at the bar. He gave Bell a glance. "Where do these all go?"

Tammuz gave him a flat look. He pointed at the only occupied table within the room.

...Maybe drinking that beer was a bad idea.

The lounge was emptier than usual. The only ones occupying it was a decently sized party bringing two tables together. There were four prumes, a high elf and a dark elf pair, a boar-man, and a large woman. The woman looked older than her companions with the build of a Dwarf but the height of a tall human. The muscles on her biceps were almost as big as Bell's head.

Only the woman seemed to be enjoying herself. The rest of the party seemed reclusive as they silently sipped on their varied drinks. Bell approached and asked who ordered what.

"Just set them at center, lad," the woman gestured for him while some of the others sneered. "You new? Don' recon I've seen ya 'round last time I was here."

"Y-Yes," Bell smiled as he spread out all the plates. "This is my second day working here."

"Good on ya," the woman eyed him and found something within him. "Oi, Tammuz, what's the going rate these days?"

"Same as always," Tammuz shrugged dispassionately. "We feed and clothe him, and provide a roof over his head. He'll get paid when he gets accustomed."

"So he's not trained?" the woman leaned forward, making both the chair and table creak by her weight. There was intrigue in her voice.

Bell had no idea what they were talking about. He excused himself and moved back towards the counter. Tammuz gave him a look. Somehow Bell got the impression Tammuz wanted him to stay, so he did.

"Mia, you can do better than that," one of the prumes said aloud. The others of his kind nodded in agreement.

"Bah," she waved a hand at the one that spoke. "I'm constantly surrounded by burly and pretty men. And then there's you lot. Any other man makes me think of ya. Makes me sick. Ain't nothin' wrong getting a bite o' the forbidden fruit every now and then."

A cold shiver ran up Bell's spine. Tammuz put a hand on his shoulder with a tight grip as if thinking Bell was going to flee. He might have.

"What Mia wishes to do is her own concern," the boar-man, a boarz, said in a deep, rumbling voice. The others at the table listened to him. "We are here to wish her a farewell. It would be in poor taste to disapprove how she wishes to celebrate."

The woman, Mia, barked out a thunderous roar of laughter. She leaned over and slapped her hand on the back of the boarz's shoulder. The crack made Bell flinch. But the boarz didn't move a celch. "Well said, Ottar! Well said! Ya lot could learn a thing or two from this'un. Freya's banquet with the whole familia was nice an' all, but tonight's with just our squad."

"And you chose here of all places," the high elf ran a finger across the table and flicked off invisible specks of dust. "If a brothel was what you wanted, there are more appropriate places within the district. With appropriate atmosphere and services."

"Oi," Mia glowered at him. "Ya got a lot o' nerve sayin' that in front of our host. I've known Tammuz when he was a young'un. This place ain't as fancy as the others but it does well. No one knows we're here."

At some point Tammuz had let go of Bell and rummaged behind the bar. He was pouring all sorts of different drinks into various sized glasses. He didn't bat an eye at the underhanded comment left by the elf. Bell wasn't sure if he should say something or not.

"It doesn't make it any less true," the one sitting at the bar, an animal person with cat features, said so while looking directly at Tammuz. "This place is a home fit for cockroaches. The beer is sour and the smell makes me want to retch. It is exactly as I would have expected from Ishtar."

Tammuz served him his next mug of beer as if he hadn't heard anything being said to his face.

"If you don't like it, you don't have to be here."

Tammuz's head snapped at Bell.

Bell didn't mean to say it. The words slipped out. But he could not take them back. If anything, having this amount of release urged him on. He had no reason to hold back. "Aren't you here to celebrate for your friend? She wants to be here. You could at least-"

"Cranel, enough," Tammuz hissed. His eyes were full of threats. It was enough to make Bell pause.

"No," the cat-person raised a hand. He didn't look at Bell as he sipped on his beer. "I want to hear what a whore has to say to their customer."

Tammuz looked like he wanted to argue. He looked like he wanted to drag Bell out of there. But this person seemed to carry a great deal of weight behind him. Tammuz gave Bell one last warning look before turning away.

Bell stared at this guest and continued, "You're here to celebrate something for your friend. I'm sorry if our building isn't as nice as the others. I'm sorry if we can't meet your expectations. But Miss Mia wants to be here. And you have no right to insult my goddess like that. If you can't respect that, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"...Or what?"

Bell opened his mouth to retort. However, something tight clutched against his heart. Ice filled his veins. A pair of cat eyes stared back at him. An unnatural presence came crashing down on him by that stare alone. It felt like a knife had been put to his throat and there was nothing he could do to stop it from taking his life.

The cat-person snorted and looked away. Bell's legs shook so hard he couldn't stand. He fell to his knees.

"The weak have no right to lecture their betters," the cat-person said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "If you don't like the way I criticize your drivel, convince me otherwise. Until then, keep your mouth shut and know your place, whore."

Bell couldn't speak. He was shaking and his heart was racing. His body was covered in sweat. It felt like he had just fought off something about to take his life.

Tammuz placed a fine, slender glass in front of the animal person. He began to fill it up with a liquid as bright and colorful as blood from an unmarked bottle. "I would like to apologize for my employee's rude behavior. This is on the house. I assure you he will be disciplined later on proper behavior."

The cat person raised the glass and eyed the color. His hand didn't visibly move but the contents began to swirl around. "Laer naru miruvor. A diamond among dirt is still filthy. But I will pretend this never happened. He is beneath my attention anyways."

"Was this your intent all along, Alan?" the dark elf questioned with a sneer. "Complain loud enough to get something from the top shelf?"

"Not even this will get me to change my mind," the cat-person, Alan, took a gentle sip from his drink. He smacked his lips once to savor the taste. "But it helps alleviate my intolerance. I will be patient a little while longer. For Mia's sake."

"Don' bother," Mia said aloud. Bell couldn't see her but he heard the chair and flooring groan. "The party is as good as done. Y'all put up with the place longer than I thought. Go off an' have fun elsewhere. I'ma have some of my own."

"Are you upset?" Ottar asked with concern. It was hard to tell with his deep, almost monotone voice but it was there. "Lady Freya requested we give you a good time."

"Aye, just havin' you boys here was plenty. Y'all did more than I was expecting, which is a good time in my book."

He heard her steps before seeing her. Mia walked around the counter and moved behind it. She stood over Bell, who had yet to get off of the floor. He still couldn't feel his legs. She smiled down at him before addressing Tammuz.

"I'll take this one."

"He's not trained," Tammuz said as he placed the unmarked bottle back in a cupboard behind the counter.

"All the better," Mia said with a huff. She reached into one of her leather pockets and pulled out a small stack of gold and silver coins. She placed them in a tower on the counter.

Tammuz eyed them, raised a brow, but shrugged. "Your room was prepared as requested. Are you sure you don't want my recommendation? They can be here in less than ten minutes."

"That won't do," Mia said as she stepped forward and grabbed Bell by the collar of his shirt. He yelped as he was lifted off of the ground. A second later, he was tucked under her arm and dangling like a sack of potatoes. "Ya know I like to break in the new'uns. Tell the usual boys maybe next time."

"W...Wha…?" was all Bell could say as his head swiveled between Mia and Tammuz. "W-Wait. I'm not-"

Tammuz shoved a rag into his mouth before he could say anything else. "Please be considerate of the merchandise," he breathed out in what was almost a sigh. "I still need him for the rest of the week."

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle with this'un," Mia barked out a loud laugh before turning around and heading for the stairs.

"I don't believe you know the definition of that word," Tammuz commented back. He went back to managing the building behind the counter.

The rest of Mia's party had mixed expressions. The boarz was completely impassive, the prumes all had looks of disgust, and the two elves looked at Mia as if they were seeing this side of her for the first time. The cat-person snorted and sipped on his wine.

Bell was carried the entire way up the stairs and to the third room on the right. Mia opened the door; they both remained at the doorway to look within. Tammuz had managed to get the sweaty, musty smell out of the room. The sheets were a pearly white and there were candles lit within. A soft breeze blew in from the open window.

Bell looked at the bed, to Mia, to the bed again, and back to Mia. She must have noticed as she was looking down at him with an amused smile. She was enjoying his reaction.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew what the exchange down below meant. Considering everything else that had happened to him within the past forty-eight hours… he wasn't surprised. And the lack of surprise was what really surprised him. He wasn't bothered. It was just…

Well, Mia was a woman old enough to be his mother… and strong enough to be his father.

He took out the rag in his mouth and stared at the bed for what must have been the longest minute of his life.

"Grandpa, I'm going on an adventure," was all he could say.

"What a fun idea," Mia said aloud. She stepped into the room with him still under his arm. "How about you be the adventurer and I be the monster you must slay. You have no weapon and you must wrestle it before it devours you."

She shut the door behind her with the back of her foot.

0-0-0

"We've seen him, Lady Freya," Ottar reported as soon as he returned to his goddess' side.

The Goddess of Beauty and War sat in a lavish velvet chair, her legs crossed and a glass of hardly touched wine resting on the stand beside her. Her eyes peered into a looking glass across of her. It was as tall as she was and crafted with a layer of her Arkanum. She had used it time and again to spy on her current curiosity. Right now all she saw was her reflection.

"And how is he doing?" her voice was light, filled with laughter, life, warmth, and everlasting love for everyone present. It was especially harmonious this evening.

"He appears to have adapted well," Ottar stood behind her and slightly to the side. "Mia took him for the night."

"Did she now?" Freya laughed. "My! That woman certainly has good tastes. I wonder what sort of skills he'll pick up from her."

"Lady Freya, if you give the command, we can take him from Ishtar."

She smiled at that. "Ottar, have you been to the city lately?"

"Only to make repairs, my lady."

"Then I take it you haven't been to the little cafe down on Northeast Main. It's right by Seventh Street. I take my walks through there on occasion. There's a bakery across the street that sells the most lovely little cakes. Further down is a nice elderly couple that run a flower shop."

Ottar listened without interruption. He was also taking note of the little hints she was giving him. She knew she would find a bouquet of flowers and an assortment of confectionaries tomorrow after business. He wouldn't say a word and wouldn't expect anything out of it. And she loved him for it.

"Did you know they have a special in the middle days of the week?" she went on. "Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday they cut their prices on lunch. Why, it's so cheap you can buy soup and bread for 100 valis."

"I see," he said. "Then this is a test of sorts?"

"I am in love, Ottar," she cupped her hands under her chin and leaned forward, gazing at the mirror in front of her. She couldn't see the boy but she could only imagine him. "His aura is so pure, so unblemished, I've never seen anyone like him before. When I found him on the street, it broke my heart seeing him like that. I wanted to hold him in my arms and take him home. I want him to love me as much as I love him."

She squirmed in her seat at the sheer idea of holding him and looking upon those wide, innocent eyes of his. Her smile became sad, "But then what, Ottar? He would love me and follow my every whim like a rescued puppy. I wouldn't love him any less than I do now but would he love me just as much? No, I do not think he would. A man can never truly love another as an equal if they are dependent of them."

She continued to stare at the mirror as she breathed out a long sigh. "One day, Ottar. I will have him love me one day. When he can stand up on his own. Until then, let Ishtar and those children have his shallow adoration. I will continue to watch him. I will see him grow into a man. And, if needed, I will be the hidden hand that guides his path."

She shuddered at that idea. Yes. How wonderful it would be to be the one that will be responsible for his greatness. He may never be as great as a man or lover as Ottar, but he will be great one day in his own right.

It was up to her to nurture him. She would make sure he would keep his pure heart no matter what. Or Ishtar will be eating her own heart.

"By your will, Lady Freya," Ottar was completely loyal to her, even as they spoke of another potential lover for her. "You need only command me and I will do all."

"I know you will, Ottar," she spoke his name with utmost love and affection. "Please bring me Alan. I have a job for him."

"...If it is what I suspect, I do not believe he will be happy about it."

"He left quite the impression on the boy," Freya leaned back into her chair and reached for her glass of wine. "I'll have him take responsibility for it. I intended for you to take the position but this might work out for the better."

0-0-0

Bell had to hold onto the railings of the stairway the entire time. His legs felt like gelatin. He tripped and caught himself at a table's edge. He pulled himself upright, circled around the table, and struggled to figure out how he was going to make it to the next table.

"Use the chair," Tammuz said when he stepped out of the kitchen.

"I… I can't sit down," Bell said. He was using most of his upper body to keep himself standing. "It hurts too much. I think she broke something."

"Turn the chair around and use its back as a crutch," Tammuz said a little more clearly. He went behind the counter and began to wash the empty glasses. The brothel was empty.

Bell did as such. It was difficult to maneuver but he managed to reach the bartop. He crossed his arms over the edge and leaned over. He practically hung himself over to give his legs a rest. "Mister Tammuz, I'm sorry it took so long to get down. I changed the sheets, though. It's just… it was really hard to convince myself to go down the stairs."

"Miss Grand already paid for the injury and damages fee," Tammuz said. He rummaged through his pocket and slapped two gold coins on the counter. He pushed them towards Bell.

"What's this?" Bell asked.

"Your tip and commission," he said bluntly. It almost sounded like he didn't want to hand it over to Bell but professionalism forced him. "Most prostitutes receive a percentage of the profits made. Trainees, and you, don't receive this. However… Miss Grand was adamant I pay you. She promises to return once her new business is stable."

Bell felt the blood drain from his face.

"It'll be a while. Don't let that distract you from your work. And there's no guarantee she will pick you again. A lot of clients have a favorite prostitute but even they don't use the same one every visit."

"Mister Tammuz… about that?" Bell looked up at him. Tammuz gave him a flat look. He had his attention. "Am… Am I a prostitute?"

"Strictly speaking, everyone in Ishtar Familia is for sale," he answered in his usual plain voice. "You, me, Mime and Tryst included. But that does not mean we are cheap. Mime and Tryst do not accept clients if it impedes with their cooking. I charge a marginally high amount. You will start with a set price after training and can adjust it accordingly. But you will be expected to make money for the familia. So choose your clients carefully as well as your price."

Bell lowered his head, "I… didn't join to become a prostitute."

"Many who did not come with Hippolyta are the same."

"Does that mean I can't be an adventurer?!" tears threatened to fall from Bell's face. Had he joined the wrong familia after all? Was his dream forever lost to him?!

Tammuz looked annoyed. "As I said this morning, you are free to do whatever you want on your own time. If you wish to go into the Dungeon, I will not stop you. But you will be removed if you do not return for your shift."

Bell breathed out a long sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. Um… I'm sorry about earlier Mister Tammuz. About what I said to that person, I mean."

"I will excuse it for now due to my own lack of educating you," Tammuz growled. His eyes hardened, "Clients are the blood of the Ishtar Familia. If you speak out of term like that again, you will be disciplined so that it will not happen another time. Do you understand?"

The stare was nowhere near as intense as Alan's. But it still made Bell gulp.

"Good," Tammuz nodded with grim satisfaction. "The brothel has been bought out for the night by Freya Familia. There won't be anyone else coming in. Once you are able to move on your own, clean the tables and stack the chairs. You may leave early once you are done."

"R-Really?" he gawked at the small blessing. "Thank you, Mister Tammuz! What will you be doing?"

"That's none of your concern," he snapped back. He finished cleaning the glasses and let them dry out on the rack. He wiped his hands with a towel and folded it neatly onto a hanger. "Mime and Tryst have already left for the evening. Do not make the same mistake and leave your tasks unfinished. Good night, Cranel."

Just like this morning, Tammuz picked up his coat by the door, threw it over his shoulder, and stepped out into the night.

"Good night, Mister Tammuz," Bell called out and sagged a little further into the counter. He didn't know long he stayed like this. He felt his arms go numb up to his armpits and chest ache as it rubbed against the counter's edge. He tested his legs. They were a little stronger but his lower back and hips ached to all hell.

He could at least stand. He moved stiffly and a little hunched as he went around to pull out a rag, dunk it into some of the soap water Tammuz just used, and bring it back around to the tables at front. He took his time scrubbing the tables. By the time he was done with the last table, the first half were already dry. And by the time he was able to flip the chairs over and place them on top of those tables, the rest had dried up.

It was still dark out by the time he left. The streets were mostly silent with only a few stragglers and prostitutes roaming around. A drunk man bumped into him, apologized to someone named Shirley, and kept going. Bell asked him if he was okay but the man kept on walking, swaying and singing a song with each step.

"Yoohoo, Beeeeellll~" someone called out to him from across the street.

He looked and saw Cellaneo calling out to him, waving a handkerchief and blowing him a kiss. He put up a small smile and waved back. She crossed over, swaying her hips with each step while licking her lips. He felt her eyes undress him.

"Well what happened to you?" she said as she came up to him. "You look like you wrestled against an ogre and the ogre won. Kinda smell like it too."

"Y-You could say that," Bell shivered.

Her smile and eyes were full of knowing. "Congratulations, Bell. You're officially a member of the familia. How about we go celebrate and trade notes? I'll tell you all my secret spots if you tell me yours."

And just like that, Cellaneo wrapped herself around one of his arms and began to drag him away.

"M-Miss Cellaneo, wait!" he pleaded. "Can't we talk first? Why don't we get to know each other?"

"Oh we'll be getting to know each other a lot," she sang while pulling on him. His heels were dragging on the road and she didn't seem to notice. Or she just didn't care. "No one else is around. I'm not missing my chance at this. Nothing can stop my golden moment! Not you, not Aisha, not Lady Ishtar, not-"

Something exploded near them and sent dirt flying everywhere. Bell was almost thrown around if Celleneo wasn't holding onto him. Her grip tightened enough to make his arm ache.

He coughed and wiped his face clean of dust and dirt. He wished he remained blind.

"Hey there, Cellaneo," Phryne's smile split her froggy face from ear to ear. She stood at the center of a crater in the middle of the road. "Whatcha got there? Something sweet?"

"Phryne you freak!" Cellaneo pushed Bell behind her and used herself as a shield. "Did you just jump three blocks?!"

"The wind carried something to me," Phryne climbed out of the crater she created upon landing. Cellaneo backed up, pushing Bell away a few steps with her. "I never forget a scent like that. Why don't you hand him over? I promise to give him back."

"For the last time, no!" Celleneo stomped her foot on the ground. Her foot left an impression in the ground. "You always ruin them! I won't let you touch a single hair on Bell!"

"Will you now?" as if possible, Phryne's smile widened.

Cellaneo stiffened. Her head flicked over to stare back at Bell. He could see a lot of thoughts running through her head.

"Bell, run," she whispered. Phryne heard it; she glowered. Suddenly, Cellaneo spun around and launched herself at the larger woman. She howled like a banshee and brought up her leg in a kick.

Phryne caught it, her childlike hand only big enough to wrap around Cellaneo's thin ankle. But so impossibly easily, she tossed Cellaneo aside. The younger girl's body flew through the window of the a building across the street at such a speed she couldn't control her landing.

"Now… where were we?" Phryne's attention then fell onto Bell.

He wanted to check on Cellaneo to see if she was alright. He wanted to yell at Phryne for hurting her. But something else was driving him. Something else was making his heart race and skin clam up. Fear. His primal instinct to survive was kicking up. It was just like with Alan.

He believed if he got within Phryne's clutches… he wasn't going to wake up ever again.

He screamed and ran like never before in the other direction. The pain and soreness from earlier was ignored, though it screamed at him in the back of his mind. He kept on, pushing himself and running faster than he ever had in his entire life. His legs pumped hard enough to kick up dirt in his heels.

It wasn't enough. He could feel Phryne breathing down his neck.

"Run," she whispered to him. "I like it when they try. It gets them worked up and ready to go when I catch them."

He screamed louder and ran harder. His vision was narrowed as every survival function in his body worked on overdrive. He no longer felt the pain. He ran hard enough to no longer feel her breath. But he could just sense she was in his shadow.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he screamed.

Those that he ran by dove out of the way. Some just watched. They weren't willing to get in Phryne's way.

He saw the girl whose name he never got. She had heard his shout and looked to see what was going on. Her eyes widened.

Her smile was apologetic as she shouted back at him, "I'll remember you in spirit, Bell! It was good while it lasted!"

And just like that, she slipped inside a building and left him to his demise.

He took maybe three more steps before Phryne's hand grabbed onto his leg. It made him trip and fall flat on his face. His mouth kissed the stone road. He tasted blood.

"That's plenty enough," Phryne raised him up until he was hanging upside-down by his ankle. "We're going to have so much fun together. You should feel lucky. Not everyone gets to lay with someone as beautiful as me."

"P-Please. We're in the same familia. Can't we just talk and be friends? I'm sure you're a nice person, Miss Phryne. You don't have to do this."

"I don't have to," her smile increased. "I want to."

"Hey!"

Phryne lowered him a little so she could see who shouted across of her. Bell twisted his body and head around so he could also get a look.

Aisha stood a few meders away from them, her hands on her hips and legs squared with her shoulders. She glared at Phryne with eyes that could melt steel. "That's my rabbit. Drop him, Phryne."

Bell gawked at her. Why… Why was she doing this? He didn't mean anything to her. She said those horrible things to him. So why…? Unless…

"You do care," he whispered.

The intensity of her glare faltered for a split second. It returned twice as fiercely. He could make out a small hint of red in her cheeks.

"This one's mine, Aisha," Phryne spat out like a venomous snake. "I caught him. Didn't you give up your rights to him anyways? Everyone heard about your little spat this mornin'."

"I said he's mine," Aisha hissed. "He'll always be mine. Not yours and not anyone in the familia. He's mine. Now let him go before I make you even uglier than you are. I've got a lot of frustrations to let out since this morning."

"Jealousy is beneath you, Aisha," Phryne cackled. "You're just petty because I'm more beautiful than you. Even so, you can't hurt me. I'm a whole level above you."

Aisha sighed, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

She brought her right foot around, crouched, and kicked off the ground like a dart. Her launch kicked up dirt as her body came at them faster than Bell could blink.

Yet Phryne was faster. She swatted Aisha aside like an annoying fly. But unlike with Cellaneo, Aisha was able to roll and dig her heels into the dirt to slow herself down. She came at Phryne again. And when Phryne tried to swipe at her again, Aisha ducked down low and brought her leg around.

Phryne leapt up, letting Aisha's leg sweep under hers. Aisha saw this and reacted quickly. She kept her momentum and tried to swipe upwards. Phryne blocked it with her off hand, twisting it around to grab onto Aisha and swinging her around. But when she let go, Aisha held on, She used the speed Phryne created to bring her leg around and slam her heel into the back of Phryne's head.

Phryne lurched forward with spittle forced out of her mouth. She also let Bell go. He dropped like a rock.

"You bitch!" Phryne roared and spun around. She left Bell to give her full attention to Aisha. The bigger woman was a blur as she came at Aisha, swinging fists around in a frenzy. Aisha put up a guard and dodged, but every other blow was too fast or too strong for her to avoid and deflect. Her body was being pummeled, which burdened her body further and letting Phryne deliver even more blows.

Phryne finished it by cupping her hands together and slamming them down onto Aisha's back. The smaller girl fell flat on the ground.

"A-Aisha…" Bell whispered in horror. It had only been three seconds.

Phryne panted more out of outrage than effort. She snarled at Aisha's limp body before turning back to Bell.

Aisha grabbed onto the hem of Phryne's leather pants. She lifted her head and spat out blood. She bore bloodied teeth at the bigger woman. "Is… that all… you got? The Minotaurs hit harder than that. Look better too."

"Miss Aisha… please," Bell looked at her swollen and bleeding face. Phryne didn't pull her punches. "No more. Please! I don't want to see you get hurt anymore!"

"Neither do I," another voice spoke up.

Both Phryne's and Aisha's eyes widened. They both looked like they had done something unforgivable and were about to be brutally punished for it. Aisha looked terrified while Phryne scowled.

Bell craned his head and saw his goddess, Lady Ishtar herself, walk with an inhuman grace down the street. There was a long pipe in her hand and a shawl wrapped over her shoulders. It did little to hide her breathtaking beauty. She looked displeased at what she was seeing.

Behind her was her assistant, Dimmuzi, and Tammuz.

"All this over a boy," she looked around the vicinity. Bell winced as he saw how much carnage he brought when running from Phryne. She left destruction in her wake. "Phryne, I'm holding you responsible for this."

"Me?!"

"Yes, you," Ishtar's voice was like a whip. "You will pay for every report for reparations as well as Aisha's recovery. Just look at her. And you, Aisha. I'm disappointed in you. You should know better than to take on someone beyond your level."

"L-Lady Ishtar, please!" Bell knelt and bowed his head parallel to the ground. "It's my fault! Miss Phryne was chasing me! Miss Aisha was only trying to help! I'll pay for her days off!"

"Hoh?" Ishtar's voice was mocking. "Really now? Dimmuzi, what is the average rate Aisha makes in three days?"

"Forty to fifty thousand valis," her assistant responded readily.

Bell gasped so hard his face almost imploded.

"Well, well," Ishtar twirled her pipe along her fingers. "You must be quite the gentleman to make that much money on your own after only two days. Tammuz, you've outdone yourself with this one."

Tammuz looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.

"I… I'll still pay!" Bell begged. "It'll take time to get that much money but I'll do it! So please, forgive Miss Aisha!"

He held his head to the ground for what seemed like an eternity.

"I'll be waiting forever for that," Ishtar said after the prolonged silence. "I'd rather see the money immediately. Phryne will cover it as was discussed. Since you seem so determined to take Aisha's blame, I'll pardon her this time. But I will be expecting something out of you. I'll have Dimmuzi send for you when I think of something."

"Yes, Lady Ishtar! Thank you!" He kept his brow to the ground. It seemed to be working in his favor.

He felt Ishtar's eyes bore into the back of his skull for a moment. He didn't know what it meant. Eventually, the pressure fell off. "Phryne, I'm here because there's something we need to discuss. Come with me."

He heard the gingling of her many ornaments as she walked off. When Bell raised his head, Ishtar's back was to him. Dimmuzi and Tammuz were following close behind her. Phryne growled at Aisha before following. She didn't walk; her bulbous form and tiny legs forced her to waddle more than anything.

Bell immediately got up to his feet and went to Aisha's side. She had been able to rise up to sit on her knees. "Miss Aisha, we need to treat your wounds."

She shrugged him off, "Don't touch me. I can take care of myself."

He knelt down beside her. Neither of them moved. His voice was low, "Why… Why did you do that? I thought you hated me?"

She didn't say anything. She refused to. She wouldn't even look at him.

"I was worried about you," he said. "When Phryne hit you like that and you didn't get up… I thought she…"

"You? Worry about me?" she scoffed and glared at him. "If you care then why the hell did you blow me off this evening? You saw me and pretended you didn't. Don't give me that crap if you're going to treat me like everyone else."

He recalled she said the same thing about her clients. She said they would say wonderful things about her in bed but pretend she didn't exist in the street.

"I thought you hated me," he said as he looked directly at her. "You said you didn't want anything to do with me. What… What was I supposed to think?"

She jabbed a finger at his brow. It was hard enough to knock his head back. He had to catch himself by throwing an arm behind himself. "I don't hate you. But you are annoying. Calling me 'Miss' all the damn time like I'm some old hag. We're the same age. You don't see me calling you Mister Bell."

He rubbed where she poked him. It felt sore. "Then… can I just call you Aisha?"

"Everyone else does," she gave him a blunt look.

"Okay… Aisha."

"Good."

"Aisha."

"What?"

"...Aisha."

"Q-Quit it! You're seriously creeping me out."

Bell breathed out a little easier. It felt like a great weight had been pulled off his chest.

"Hey," Aisha glared at him. "Did you really mean that? You were going to pay all that money?"

He stared at the ground, "I… don't know how I would get the money. But yes. If Lady Ishtar gave me the chance, I would find a way. You got hurt because of me."

"Idiot," she poked his brow again, this time a little softer. "All I need is to drink a potion. This'll clear up in the morning."

He couldn't help but smile. "Does this mean we're friends?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," her brows furrowed. "You still owe me one lay. Two after what I just did for you. I'd take you now but even I wouldn't want to do me like this."

"Those wounds need to be treated," he agreed. "But Aisha? It doesn't matter what you look like. I still think you're pretty. M-Maybe… Maybe tomorrow? We can continue where we left off."

She wouldn't look at him. She snapped her head away from him. He couldn't see her face. "Y-Yeah? Well you reek. Seriously, it smells like you wrestled with an ogre. And lost."

He couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, "That's what Miss Cellaneo said. I could… Oh my gosh! Cellaneo! I need to check on her! She got hit by Phryne!"

"She's fine," Aisha said.

"But-"

"I said she's fine!" her voice was a little louder as she growled. "Amazons are pretty tough. Nothing but certain death will keep us down."

Bell didn't feel too convinced by that. Cellaneo got launched into one of the buildings. He knew he would have been dead if it had been him. Was she okay because she was an Amazoness or because of her status as an adventurer?

"Tomorrow then," he heard her say in an unusually quiet voice.

"Tomorrow," he promised.

She stood quickly and started to walk off. He got up and wanted to escort her. But she put a hand on his chest and pushed him away. "Tomorrow, Bell. I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth and kill everyone in my way. Don't leave your station until I come pick you up."

"I promise. Have a good night… Aisha."

She waved at him over her shoulder and headed out. Her head was slightly bowed and skin a little more red than usual. He was worried about her but she was able to walk in a straight line. He watched her round a corner before slipping out of his sight.

He smiled the entire way back to the dormitories. He had gained a friend, lost her, and reclaimed her with a stronger relationship than before. All within twenty-four hours. And, quite possibly, she might become something more.

He was barely halfway back to his dorm before the rush of the incident finally wore off. He yelped as he felt something in his lower back snap.

---

Omake

"Hold up," Hestia put up a hand. "What was that middle part?"

"My fight with Aisha, you mean?" Bell tilted his head.

"No, after that. With Freya."

"You mean... with Mama Mia?" his voice was slow and steady.

"No, I mean with Freya," Hestia huffed and put her knuckles on her hips where she sat. "I think you're giving her way too much credit. You're making it sound like everything that's ever happened to you was done by her hand. And because she's in love with you? I don't want to say conceited but..."

"W-What else could it be?!" he nearly rose out of his seat. "It all makes sense! Meeting Aisha, my adventuring team, my equipment, the Benevolent Mistress, the Valentine's Day incident, everything! There's too much evidence to back this up! Why doesn't anyone believe me about this?!"

"What evidence!" Hestia threw up her hands. "You just said she was fiddling with her thumbs and coming up with some dastardly plan as if she's some cheap knockoff villain! Where is your proof?! You weren't even there!"

"It's the only logical conclusion there is!" Bell began to sweat when his goddess gave him a deadpan stare. He turned to Haruhime, "Y-You believe me, right?"

"Eep!" she gasped and turned bright red. She couldn't meet his eyes, "W-W-Well... it would make sense... if it were true. But it's just so hard to see, Bell. I'm sorry."

Bell could only hang his head. If none of them believed him, then he will have to find the proof himself.

---

Pat reon: Arrixam