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Is It Wrong For The Devil To Fool Around In Orario?

Chapter 11

The Hostess of Fertility

Ryu Lion did her best to repress a sigh of annoyance as she watched the patrons she had been catering to depart from the Hostess. Even after five years working at the bar she still had to consciously stop herself from glaring at patrons if she caught them looking at either herself or her co-workers with impure eyes. Thankfully, it was not a problem she had to deal with in concerns to the majority of their longtime patrons as most of those who sought to become regulars at The Hostess of Fertility tended to learn the danger of crossing one of the girls, or worse their boss, before too much time had passed.

Ryu felt her bad mood dissipate as she remembered the last time one of the patrons had tried to get a little too personal with one of her co-workers. A newly formed party of level twos had come to the bar to celebrate their first dive to the sixteenth floor and one of them had made the mistake of pawing at the back of Lunoire's skirt as she walked past. Before the offender could even speak the brown-haired girl spun around and delivered an uppercut to his jaw that launched him out of his seat and sent him arching towards the front door. The shocked party had then been subjected to the glares of the surrounding waitresses and the thunderous command of Mama Mia to get the hell out, which they did after one of their members dropped his whole coin pouch on the table. Ryu had not seen any members of that party at the Hostess since, but she noticed that several other new patrons had made sure to be extra polite to the waitress's afterword.

Ryu quickly began to gather the dishes on the now vacant table and made her way towards the back to deposit them in the sink. She noticed Syr speaking with a customer near the back doors with her usual chipper smile on her face as she delivered the man's drink before moving away quickly, leaving behind a disappointed patron with his mug of ale.

For most bars and waitresses this type of behavior would be standard, but it was odd to see Syr being so brisk with her waiting.

All of the staff at the Hostess and most of their regulars knew Syr to have a fondness for small talk and chatting with the patrons about almost anything, a habit that endeared her to the patrons and irritated Mama Mia to no end since it meant that Syr often served the smallest number of people most days. Lately however, everyone had noticed that Syr seemed less interested in chatting with the patrons…. Or at least less interested in chatting with most patrons, as there was one particular boy she always seemed too eager to interact with.

Ryu heard soft snickering ahead of her and turned her attention back to the doorway to the kitchen to find Chloe standing there with a small smile on her lips. The black-haired catgirl was also looking at Syr and she seemed amused by something.

"Someone seems a bit impatient today~." Chloe said in a teasing tone as Ryu walked up to her. "I wonder if she's going to ask her little white-haired crush to stay for dinner? Or maybe she'll ask him for something a little more….. personal~."

"Get your head out of the gutter." Ryu admonished quietly but firmly. "She is simply eager to see Mr. Cranel return from The Dungeon."

"Hmm, can't say I blame her~." Chloe responded with another snicker before following Ryu into the kitchen. "What about you Ryu? Not worried about the two of them doing something improper like handholding before marriage?"

Ryu did not bother to answer so Chloe just shrugged and walked over to take the orders of a party that had just sat down. However, despite not answering Ryu was indeed thinking about Syr's newfound affection for Bell Cranel and what she herself thought of the human boy.

At first glance Bell Cranel seemed like a kind and friendly young adventurer, someone who had come to Orario to be like the heroes in the stories she had heard him talk about with his companions with clear enthusiasm. She was glad Syr had found someone who appeared to be a good person and hoped that the boy's adventurers in The Dungeon did not cause him to develop an inflated ego, like so many others who managed to survive The Dungeon for an extended period of time.

Besides that, Ryu did not know much about Bell Cranel since Syr always insisted on being the one to serve his party whenever they came to the bar. And this lack of knowledge would likely not have bothered the elf overmuch.

If not for the fact that he was part of Lucifer Familia.

Ryu felt a small frown spread on her face as she thought about the boy's familia and what it might say about him. In most cases Ryu would likely not have been bothered by which familia her friend's love interest was a part of as long as they did not have an odious reputation and appeared to be a good person, but what little Ryu knew of Lucifer Familia was enough to worry her.

Ryu found her thoughts going back to the night she had first laid eyes on Bell Cranel, and the Amazon that had accompanied him to the bar.

Mazikeen Lilim was something of an oddity compared to many amazons she had met over the years. She appeared to have the desire for battle that many Amazons were born with, but her outfit made her stand out due to how much of her skin it covered, something Ryu had initially liked about the woman as it was nice to see at least one Amazon who had sensible tastes when it came to clothing. And then Ryu's thoughts had gone from curiosity to shock as she saw her not only challenge but defeat Bete Logia in single combat. Granted the Werewolf had been somewhat inebriated at the time, but the clear ease with which she beat him to the ground spoke volumes of her strength and skill.

Ryu remembered that the Hostess had been buzzing with gossip about the fight for days after the matter, with Mazikeen becoming a topic of much interest among adventurers and the gods who frequented the bar. Ryu had heard speculation ranging from Mazikeen being the former captain of Kali Familia to a survivor of Hera Familia. Ryu herself did not quite know what to make of the woman herself besides developing a wary respect for her due to her strength.

Then came the talk of Lucifer Familia and Ryu had felt her opinions of both Bell and Mazikeen drop when she heard of the den of sin their god ran.

Hedonistic gods were nothing new to Ryu or Gekai at large, however most gods attempted to make money either through being the patron of a familia or running a business of some kind and then went and blew much of the money they were given one personal pleasures. It was rare to find a god who tried to make pleasure itself their business, especially with Ishtar already dominating the Entertainment District and the examples she had made of any familia who attempted to cross her or encroach on her domain. And yet, despite the clear danger this Lucifer had not only managed to set up a club of his own in Ishtar's territory but had also managed to turn it into one of the district's biggest attractions.

From what Ryu had heard Lucifer was a particularly charming god who loudly espoused the virtues of desire and the need to follow them, a not uncommon belief among many male gods especially when women were involved. But Lucifer took it a step further and seemed to truly try to spread his beliefs to his patrons instead of simply spouting them in an attempt to bed some woman who had caught his interest.

Such beliefs ran counter to the values that Ryu and her elven brethren held, so Ryu had never had any interest in learning more about Lucifer until she had learned that the boy who was the focus of her best friends affection was one of his children.

Ryu felt a cold knot form in the pit of her stomach as she wondered exactly what living with such a god might entail for Bell Cranel. Would he be subjected to an endless parade of immorality that would gradually wear down his values? Or was the boy merely putting on an act at the hostess to hide his inner desires from Syr? Ryu could not say with any certainty since she had not personally interacted with the boy so all she could really do was speculate and worry.

Ryu left the kitchen feeling distinctly more anxious than when she entered, her face not showing a frown only due to Mama Mia scolding her for years about not doing anything to drag the mood down in the bar.

The elf's concern for her friend caused her to search for Syr in the bar and she saw her waiting on a table near the back wall. The blue-haired girl had her usual chipper smile on her face as she took the tables orders and turned around to bring them to the kitchen. However, half-way to the kitchen Syr stopped and glanced at the clock on the wall. When she saw it, Ryu saw Syr's lips dip down for a split second before she regained her usual smile and continued to the kitchen. Ryu wondered why Syr seemed impatient, as she normally seemed to enjoy working at the bar more than any of the other staff, However the elf decided that she was just impatient to see Cranel and so continued her work.

Several hours later Bell Cranel and his party arrived at the Hostess to return Syr's lunchbox, much to the waitress' delight. Ryu watched them from the corner of her eye for a few moments as they spoke of how their respective days had gone before Cranel and his companions bid Syr a good-night and left to return to their respective homes. Syr watched Cranel leave and lingered by the door for a moment before Mama Mia called out for her to get back to work.

The evening began as normal, with the bar quickly filling up with adventurers eager to blow off some steam after a day in The Dungeon. The staff moved quickly between the tables carrying food and drink to the bar's eager patrons. Ryu had become accustomed to the rush after working at the bar for five years, so she wasn't particularly bothered by the pace, but she did notice that Syr seemed slower than usual.

Watching her friend from the corner of her eye as she went about her usual duties Ryu noticed that Syr still seemed a bit distracted, indeed the blue-haired girl seemed downright impatient as Ryu saw her take quick glances at the clock every few minutes until Mama Mia called out to her and chastised her for being so slow. After that Syr quickly picked up the pace and things at the bar continued as normal.

Ryu would probably have let the matter drop, thinking that perhaps Syr was hoping that Cranel would show up for dinner, if not for the low snicker she heard behind.

"Hmm, someone seems impatient. ~"

Turning her head Ryu saw Chloe watching Syr as well with a small smirk on her face.

"I wonder if she has any plans for the night?" Chloe spoke again, seemingly just thinking out loud. "Ooh, maybe she was able to get her young adventurer to agree to a late-night rendezvous. ~"

Chloe snickered to herself again before quickly getting back to work before she suffered Mama Mia's wrath as well, leaving Ryu standing there with a knot of concern forming in her stomach.

/

The concern Ryu felt did not fade as she continued to wait tables for the next several hours, if anything it grew every time she noticed Syr take another quick glance at the clock when she thought Mama Mia wasn't looking.

Ryu felt conflicted on how to respond to her growing worries. On the one hand she knew that she was being nosey and should respect her friend's privacy. On the other hand, the thought of an illicit late night rendezvous between the Syr and Cranel caused her elven sense of propriety to flare up and decry such potentially salacious behavior. In the end all Ryu could bring herself to do for the remaining few hours the bar was open was take concerned glances at her best friend as the night drew on.

Slowly the hours passed, and Mama Mia declared that the bar would be closing for the night, ushering the few people who had remined out the door and leaving the waitresses to let out a collective sigh as they all quickly cleaned up the bar and prepared to turn in for the night. Ryu noticed Syr head into the back to get changed with an unusual skip in her step compared to most nights and quickly made her way to her own room to get changed herself, but not into her sleeping attire.

After about a minute of hurried changing Ryu donned her adventurer's garb and leapt from her window to the top of the Hostesses roof where she knelt and observed the bars back door. Sure enough Syr emerged from it less than a minute later, clad in a simple white dress and quickly made her way around the bar and onto the main street, her face split in an excited grin. Ryu felt her own lips form a concerned frown as she began to stealthily follow her friend from the rooftops.

A part of Ryu felt ashamed for following her friend like this, but another part of her insisted that she needed to make sure Syr was alright. After all, personal experience had taught her what kind of demon could hide behind a friendly smile and a gentle disposition.

Syr initially made her way towards Babel down West Main Street before heading south after reaching the plaza around Babel. She then proceeded down South Main Street before taking a turn onto a street leading east towards a walled of section within the city filled with red and pink lights shining in the night.

Ryu felt her trepidation spike as she watched Syr begin to make her way towards the Entertainment District. The elven adventurer was quite proficient in staying hidden when she needed to, but she was not arrogant enough to think that she could avoid detection in a district filled with high class adventurers from the Ishtar Familia as well as their clients. Seeing her options quickly shrinking with every step Syr took towards the Pleasure District Ryu did the only thing she could think of in that moment.

"Syr." Ryu said as she landed a few paces behind the blue-haired girl.

Syr immediately stopped and quickly turned around, a look a clear surprise on her face as she saw Ryu.

"Ah, Ryu." Syr said in surprise before her expression shifted to a more sheepish look. "You followed me from the bar."

"I did." Ryu said her expression hardened behind her face mask and she crossed her arms. "I and a few others noticed your impatience today. Syr….. why exactly are you going….. there?"

Ryu lifted a hand and pointed accusingly at the Entertainment District in the distance, her cheeks flushing behind her mask as she lightly glared at her best friend.

"Oh that." Syr said before letting out a light laugh and scratching her head sheepishly. "Well, I was thinking that Bell has been visiting the Hostess regularly for the past few weeks but he never talks about his home or his familia's club. Soooo I thought to myself that is might be a nice a change of pace to go and see what it's like there since it is open to the public."

And then Syr began to fidget slightly and laced her fingers in front of her while looking away from the concerned elf. "And if I happen to run in to Bell there then I was hoping that we could have a nice long chat, since he always seems to be in a bit of rush whenever he visits the bar. Which I understand, but I can't help but wish he would spend more time with m- us at the Hostess."

Ryu let out a quiet sigh after Syr finished her explanation and waited for the elf's response. Ryu just stood there for a moment and considered her options.

On the one hand, she could allow Syr to continue on her way and pray that everything went well, and she was able to get closer to Bell. On the other hand, that meant letting Syr walk into the Entertainment district, which was almost always filled with groups of rowdy adventurers looking to enjoy themselves with the many prostitutes there. Ryu felt a shudder run up her spine at the thought of how they might react to seeing Syr in their midst, the blue-haired girl being widely liked by almost all the adventurers who visited the Hostess.

Ryu could only think of one way she would feel comfortable with Syr entering the Entertainment District, even if it left HER feeling far from comfortable.

"… Very well." Ryu said with a resigned tone as she uncrossed her arms and met her friends gaze. "If this means that much to you then I will not impede you."

Syr's face lit up at Ryu's words but before she could speak the elf continued. "However! I cannot allow you to enter such a place of debauchery without some protection, therefore I will be accompanying you."

Syr's expression shifted to one of surprise and she blinked at the elf in clear confusion.

"Are you sure about that Ryu? I know how uncomfortable you must feel about the Entertainment District. And I'm pretty sure the Berbera do a pretty good job of keeping order so nothing bad should happen if I just stay on the main street and only go the Lucifer's club."

"Perhaps." Ryu conceded. "However, I would also like to see how Mr. Cranel and his familia conduct themselves within their club. Don't get me wrong, Mr. Cranel seems very nice from what I've seen at the bar but such behavior could simply be a mask to hide more….. impure motivations and thoughts."

Syr let out a light giggle at Ryu's words, clearly not holding the same level of concern regarding Bell.

"Worried the big bad rabbit will try to jump on me, Ryu?"

"Perhaps." Was Ryu's simple response. "I simply wish to make sure you are safe, both from rowdy adventurers and deception."

Ryu's words seemed to please Syr and before the elf could continue the human girl leapt forward and wrapped her arms around her.

"Aww, thank you Ryu!" Syr said as she tightened her embrace on the now flustered elf. "I always know I can count on you!"

Ryu for her part just fidgeted slightly in her friends embrace, feeling the usual mix of embarrassment and happiness from her friend's show of affection.

After a moment passed Syr released the lightly blushing elf, took her hand, and resumed her walk towards the Entertainment with her elven guardian behind her, a large smile on her face.

Ryu let out another sigh and began to steel herself for what she was about to witness, the thought of the debaucheries she might witness turning her stomach into a knot. Still, it was not as though Ryu had never dealt with overly handsy or lecherous adventurers in the past.

'This will just be more of that.' Ryu thought to herself as the gates of the Entertainment District came into sight 'Just more drunken men shamelessly ogling the women in front of them. Nothing I haven't dealt with before.'

With those words in mind the masked elf allowed herself to be led into the last district of the city she ever planned to enter, confident she could handle whatever it could through at her.

/

…. Ryu had been wrong.

Ryu had been so. Very. WRONG.

At first the two women had been met with what they expected to find. The brightly lit streets of the Entertainment District had been filled with scantily clad women of various races trying to entice the many openly gawking men into their respective establishments for the night. Syr and Ryu had been left mostly alone as they entered the district, with most of the men focusing on the more provocatively dressed women and most of the women simply assuming they were either late for work at one of the establishments or were there looking for work.

Unfortunately, they still had to deal with a few unwanted advances as they made their way down the street. One from a small group of adventurers who approached them and rather boldly asked how much for the two of them. Ryu had gone rigid at the question and her hand had begun to inch towards Alf's Lumina before Syr had stepped forward and informed them that they were there looking for different kind of company. The men's expression had changed to surprise and then adopted some rather perverted expressions as images of what the two beautiful women might want in the district flooded their minds. They had then stepped aside and bid the two good luck in their search, watching Ryu and Syr leave with idiotic grins plastered on their faces, their minds still caught up in whatever lurid fantasies they were imagining.

The duo had proceeded further down the road but before they could reach the entrance to the Salome they had been accosted again, this time by a dark skinned chienthrope with long black hair. The woman's profession was rather obvious from her thigh-high boots and black bikini ensemble with an actual leather collar around her neck. The prostitute had asked if they would like to join her inside her workplace for a drink and a discussion. She had then made a rather….. suggestive motion with her fingers and tongue after she said "discussion".

Ryu had let out a strangled gasp at the other woman's bold invitation but again Syr had stepped in and informed her that the two of them already had plans for the night at the Salome. The chienthrope had appeared disappointed but did not press them any further, simply saying that she hoped they would give her workplace a try the next time they decided to "experiment".

After what felt like a long walk (but was in reality a short stroll from the gate) Ryu and Syr made it to the Salome. Ryu was slightly surprised by how large the club was and wondered why Ishtar would willingly part with a potential source of revenue and give it to a brand new familia with no real renown. Syr on the other hand simply took in the decorations based on the culture of the Kaios Desert and let out a quiet chuckle.

The two were met at the door by an amazon in a belly dancer outfit and were asked to check any weapons they had at the front. Ryu begrudgingly parted with Alf's Lumina but had been smart enough to hide the two knives she had inherited from Kaguya inside her tall boots, so she wasn't without any means to protect herself.

Ryu took a moment by the door to compose and berate herself. She had been flustered by the obscenity she had witnessed upon entering the district and Syr had to step in to take care of the potential problems before she could even utter a word. The elf felt embarrassed by how quickly she had become flustered, and she took a few deep breaths to regain her focus.

'it's nothing you haven't seen or dealt with before.' Ryu thought to herself as she continued to breath. 'you've seen women bare their bodies plenty of times when everyone was getting changed or bathing, and you know how to deal with any man who isn't drooling over the display. You can handle this, you can handle this.'

And as Ryu looked up while repeating that mantra in her head she saw Syr waiting patiently for her to finish mentally preparing herself. Smiling under her mask at her friend's patience she reached forward to grasp her hand so that they could not be easily separated and proceeded into the club.

The first thing that Ryu noticed was that the cheers and shouts coming from the main area were higher pitched than she expected from a club that was supposed to be filled with men.

The second was that she had been half right on the activities going on in the club. Oh, there were plenty of lit platforms with dancers on them and plenty more people gathered around those platforms to enjoy the shows, but Ryu had been a bit mistaken on which gender would be doing what in the Salome.

Clustered around the dancing platforms were not large groups of men but women, who primarily seemed to be a mix of human, amazon, and animal person. Many of them were cheering and clapping as they watched the stages, where danced…

Ryu froze as she looked up at the nearest platform.

The man was fairly young, perhaps Ryu's age if not a year or two older with dark hair and tanned skin. He was clad in an open red vest and baggy pants that were supposed to be like those worn in the Kaios Desert except….

Ryu had never actually been to the Kaios Desert but she was pretty sure the red vest on his chest wasn't supposed to be that small and that the pants he was wearing weren't supposed to be that sheer

"Oh my." Syr said as she took in the sights herself. "I didn't know it was going to be this kind of club! Everyone I spoke to said the girls were the dancers."

Syr continued to walk forward while taking in the sights but was stopped from going far by the elf who was still grasping her hand not having moved since she entered the club proper. Syr turned around in confusion and saw the trembling mess of an elf that was commonly known as Ryu Lion.

…. Ryu had seen many things in her life.

Ryu had seen people of all races and genders. She had seen forty-one floors of The Dungeon and all the wonders and horrors that could be found on those floors. She had seen the city gripped in the throes of conflict as modern-day heroes fought for the very future of the world against those who sought to bring ruin to everything.

Yes Ryu Lion had seen a lot In her twenty-one years of life.

… Unfortunately, one of the things she had not yet seen in all those years was the thing colloquially known as a naked man.

So, when Ryu looked up at the stages that held fit young men in various stages of undress the only thing she could really think to do in that moment was let out a low whine as her face flushed and she felt a piece of her innocence break away and disappear into the abyss, never to be seen again.

"Ah." Was all Syr could say as she took in the sight of her elven friend, realizing that she may have made a slight mistake in allowing Ryu to come with her. She sheepishly scratched the back of her head after attempting to pull Ryu along a few times only for the elf to remain rooted to the spot.

As Syr pondered what to do with her catatonic friend she heard a familiar voice speak up from behind her.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise! I was wondering if anymore of you would take up my offer, nice to see it wasn't wasted."

Turning around Syr found herself coming face to face with Lucifer, The Devil's face split in his usual jovial grin and a glass of bourbon in his hand as he greeted the two waitresses.

"Ah, Lord Lucifer!" Syr exclaimed as her face lit up with a smile of its own. "How nice to see you again! I thought that tonight might be a good night to come down and visit your club, so here I am."

"Happy to have you here miss…. Syr wasn't it? I remember you're the one who served us the last time Maze and I visited the Hostess." Lucifer said as he greeted her. "You're the one who makes the box lunches for Bell correct? My thanks for that, with Maze training Bell in the morning he doesn't usually have the time to make his own lunch."

"Oh, it's my pleasure!" Syr responded, her smile widening at Lucifer's gratitude before they quickly glanced around the club. "I was actually hoping to see Bell here, since this is his home. I like to chat with him whenever he drops by the Hostess, but he always seems to be in a bit of a rush whenever I see him."

"Unfortunately, Bell has turned in for the evening." Lucifer explained in an apologetic tone. "He doesn't actually work in the club itself, so he usually goes up to his room for the night after having some dinner. I'm not sure if he is still awake or not, but I could check and see if you'd like?"

"I would be very grateful if you could check, Lord Lucifer!" Syr said as her expression grew brighter still at Lucifer's words, specifically after mentioning that Bell did not actually work in the club.

Those words also proved enough to rouse Ryu from her stupor, dissipating the worst-case scenario that had been running through her mind after watching the men in various stages of undress gyrating up on the platforms. With a shudder Ryu lowered her gaze and moved to stand beside Syr, her human glancing over at her as she felt her move again.

"All right then." Lucifer said as he stepped to the side and gestured towards the bar. "Why don't we adjourn to the bar before I go and look in on Bell. You and your girlfriend can enjoy one of Maze's cocktails while I go and talk to Bell."

"Girlfriend?" Syr asked as Lucifer began to lead them to the bar. She then remembered that she and Ryu had not stopped holding hands since they entered the establishment and she glanced again at the elf walking at her side.

"G-girlfriend!?." Ryu sputtered out beside her, the elf's usual stoic self-having disappeared since the two entered the Entertainment District. "You're mistaken, Lord Lucifer! Syr and I are not like that!"

Ryu would have continued but a gasp from beside her stopped her. Turning her gaze Ryu saw that Syr had covered her mouth with her free hand and was looking at Ryu with a hurt expression.

"H-how cold Ryu." Syr said in a hurt tone as her eyes seemed to water. "What about all the times you reached out to take my hand and told me you were happy I could touch you?"

"Syr!?" Ryu gasped in shock.

"What about all the times that we turned to each other for comfort after being scolded by Mama Mia!" Syr continued as she turned her gaze from Ryu and brought her free hand to clutch at her chest. "What about all the times we went out to spend the day together! D-did that all mean n-nothing to you R-Ryu?"

Ryu just continued to stare at her best friend in shock while Lucifer observed the two with clear amusement. Luckily for the elf just as the room began to spin she noticed something, specifically that the corners of Syr's lips were twitching upward even as she continued her heartbroken monologue.

"Syyyrrrrr." Ryu growled at her human friend as she realized the game Syr was playing.

Syr stopped mid-sentence and turned to look at her elven friend with another hurt expression, but upon seeing the stern glare of Ryu she immediately stopped playing around and offered Ryu and apologetic smile, the tears that had been building up in her eyes seeming to vanish instantly.

"He-he, sorry I just couldn't help myself~." Was the blue haired girls unapologetic answer to the elf girl's glare.

Ryu just continued to glare at her for another few seconds before the sound of Lucifer's amused snickering drew both women's attention back to him.

"Sorry, I just appreciate a good comedy routine." Was Lucifer's simple explanation as he gestured towards the bar once more.

The two girls followed Lucifer as he led them through the large crowd of women who had come to enjoy that night's performance. Syr took another glance around the room before addressing Lucifer.

"I heard you ran a very successful club, Lord Lucifer." Syr said as she finished her inspection of the room. "But I was told that it was primarily a club for men, not women. Has that changed recently?"

"Not really no, you just happened to catch us on ladies night that's all." Lucifer explained as he led them around a particularly crowded section of the floor.

"Ladies night?" Ryu repeated in clear confusion.

"That's what most people are calling it, although I would like to point out you don't need to be a lady to necessarily enjoy this type of entertainment. I certainly wouldn't bar those men who enjoy these kinds of shows from the club on ladies night. It's just that the majority of those who enjoy tonight's entertainment are ladies, hence "ladies night"."

"I must admit I'm surprised by the change." Syr said as the three made their way to the bar. "Most gods I've met seem thoroughly enamored of the female form, so I wasn't expecting a god with your reputation with women to set up an event like this."

"While I am indeed an avid enthusiast of the female form that doesn't mean I can't see the appeal of the alternative as well." Lucifer said as he stopped to make way for a server with a tray of drinks, taking a moment to appreciate the well-muscled torso and the way his loincloth hung snugly from his waist. "After all, I do so love all the variety that this world has to offer."

Syr simply nodded in acceptance of Lucifer's words while Ryu felt her cheeks flush at what The Devil was saying, not at all comfortable with such open expression of desires.

By this time the three had reached the bar and Lucifer gestured for them to take a seat on two vacant stools while he signaled to get Maze's attention. In short order the demon stood in front of them, looking at the two girls with a curious gaze.

"So, what can I get you?" Was all Maze asked as she leaned on the bar and waited.

"I wouldn't mind some wine, especially if you have any made by Demeter Familia." Syr replied. "And do you happen to have any Alv Spring Water?"

"Got a fresh batch of Demeter's this morning. As for the water we've got a few bottles for the odd elf that's actually looking to live a little." Maze said as she reached beneath the counter to grab the water, placing it on the bar before going to grab the Demeter Familia's wine from a shelf halfway down the bar.

"I'm surprised to see more of you girls here tonight." Maze said as she poured the drinks and pushed the glasses in front of them. "Though I do understand that jobs like yours can leave you with a bit a steam to blow off, so enjoy."

Ryu and Syr ignored the drinks for the moment in favor of looking at Maze in shared confusion.

"More of us?" Ryu questioned, speaking for the first time since entering the club. "What do you mean by that?"

Before Maze could properly respond she was interrupted by a loud, gleeful shout from one of the nearby shows.

"WHOOOO, SHAKE IT BOY! YEEEEAAAHHH YOU SHAKE THAT PLUMP TOOSHIE!"

Ryu and Syr blinked in shared surprise before turning around and searching for the owner of that very familiar voice, which they found after a few seconds of searching.

Standing in front of the nearest stage was a familiar black-haired catgirl by the name of Chloe Rollo, who was clad in a simple dark blue blouse and tan short shorts. The catgirl's green eyes were staring up at the young man with a feverish intensity that neither of her fellow waitresses could recall seeing before, her face flushed and grinning as she shamelessly ogled the young man in front of her.

"….. Chloe?" Syr said in mild surprise, not having expected to run into another waitress there.

Though the music and cheers should have drowned out the human girl's quiet question, Chloe's ears immediately perked up and she ceased her leering and began to scan the room, her old assassin instincts telling her she was being watched. It only took her a second to set eyes on Syr and Ryu and the three stared at each other in obvious awkwardness for a few seconds before Chloe dropped below the women around her and disappeared from sight.

Frowning, Ryu immediately began to make her way towards the group Chloe had been standing in, using the slight parting of the group and a few surprised looks down to figure out the catgirl's escape route. Ryu just managed to reach the opposite end of the crowd as Chloe emerged on her hands and knees, trying to slip away and avoid any further awkwardness. A wish that would not be granted as she emerged to find a judgmental elf standing in front of her with her arms crossed as she stared down at her.

The two stared at the other for a few more seconds before Chloe suddenly pounced back into a standing position so she could better meet Ryu's judging gaze, her expression shifting from concerned to friendly in an instant.

"Heeeeyyyy Ryu! Fancy meeting you here!" Chloe exclaimed as she smiled disarmingly at the elf. "You and Syr heard about ladies night too huh? Didn't figure you for one to actually give this place a visit, so color me surprised!"

Ryu just continued to stare at Chloe in a judging manner.

"….. Soooo, see anyone you like?" Chloe continued on, trying to get a reaction from the stoic elf. "If I had known you were into this kind of stuff I would have invited you along, tried to make this a nice little girls night out."

"…."

"D-don't you get all high and mighty with me, Ryu!" Chloe said, changing tactics. "You're here too after all! So don't go judging me for coming to the same place you decided to sneak off and try yourself!"

"…."

By this point Syr had wandered over to join her coworkers, and amused smile on her lips, more amused by the turn of events than anything else.

"Y-you're not thinking about telling Mama Mia about this right!?" Chloe said in building fear as the thought of explaining this to Mama Mia filled her mind with dread. "Don't do anything stupid Ryu! If you try to take this to Mama all that's gonna happen is the three of us getting meowssacered!"

Chloe's tone changed as her nervousness caused her to fall back to using the verbal tick common amongst her kind, causing Syr to giggle at the catgirl's obvious distress.

"Oh relax, Chloe." Syr said in a soothing tone as she moved to stand next to Chloe. "Ryu wasn't going to do anything, were you Ryu. She was just surprised to run into you here is all."

Chloe looked over to the smiling blue-haired girl next to her and then at the elf still glaring at her.

"Right Ryu?" Syr added after the other two continued to stay where they were, giving the elf a disarming smile.

Ryu let out a breath she had been holding at Syr's words and nodded, still displeased to see Chloe in such an establishment but not feeling like pressing the issue given the circumstances.

Seeing the elf untense Chloe quickly relaxed and joined them as they returned to the bar. Chloe ordered another glass of wine while Syr and Ryu took theirs seats with their own drinks.

"Sooo, what brings the two of you here tonight?" Chloe asked as Maze set a glass in front of her. "Looking for a certain white-haired cutie? Sorry to say I haven't seen him around here, so if you're hoping for a show you'll probably be disappointed."

"Oh, we already know Bell doesn't work in the club." Syr said with a slight tightening of her smile at Chloe's words. "But Lord Lucifer just offered to go and see if he would like to speak with us, so hopefully we can at least have a quick visit before we leave."

"I'll take that as my cue to go." Lucifer said before downing the last of his drink and setting the glass of the counter. "Shouldn't be more than a few minutes, enjoy your drinks."

With those words Lucifer left the four women at the bar and began to make his towards a hallway in the corner of the room.

"So, you came here looking for Bell." Maze said to Syr as she gave the blue-haired girl a quick glance over. "Any particular reason you want to speak with him?"

"There are a few reasons why I would like to speak with Bell." Syr replied with a smile towards Maze, whose expression remained stoic. "I always enjoy our talks at the Hostess, but they always end to quickly, so I thought it might be nice to come and see where Bell calls home since it is open to the public. Plus, there is someone else I was hoping to speak with here tonight."

"And who might that be." Maze said, her expression unchanging.

"Why you of course, Miss Maze!" Syr said with another smile as she leaned forward onto the bar to better meet the demon's gaze. "I don't know if you're aware of this but quite a few people in the city have taken an interest in you after your fight with Vanargand. After all an unknown level five suddenly showing up one night and beating one of the strongest members of Loki Familia in public did cause quite a stir among the gods and their familias. I've been hearing so much speculation and chatter about you at the Hostess that I couldn't help but get a bit curious myself."

At Syr's words Maze snickered for a few seconds before she fixed Syr with an amused look.

"Not the first I've heard of people being interested in that fight. So, what do you want to know? I'm feeling generous tonight so I might decide to answer a question."

"Hmm, well the first thing that most people have been asking is where do you come from, Ms. Maze?" Syr asked with a tilt of her head and a curious look in her eyes. "After all, everyone knows how difficult it is to reach higher levels outside the city without The Dungeon to provide high level monsters to fight and gain excelia from. So where did you manage to get so strong, Ms. Maze?"

"Hell." Was Maze's simple response to the question. "And you can knock off the "Ms." nonsense, it feels weird."

The three girls sitting across from her blinked in surprise at her answer, their eyes conveying their shared confusion.

"…. Um, Maze? I don't suppose you would be willing to elaborate a bit more than that?" Syr asked with a slightly annoyed smile on her face.

"Not really." Was Maze's uncaring response. "I said I might answer a question, not all your questions. You want more answers? You're gonna have to earn them."

"And how might I do that?" Syr questioned.

"Hmm, you know I haven't really thought about it." Maze replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Just keep doing what you've been doing with Bell and us and I might decide to answer another question…. Eventually. Maybe."

"Don't you think you're being a bit rude?" Ryu asked with a furrowing of her eyebrows as she gave Maze a light glare. "After all, "Hell" isn't much of an answer to begin with and we have no assurance your next answer will be any clearer. Do you mean you come from a dangerous environment like near the Dragon Valley or did you come from a harsh region like the Kaios Desert? Or was it Hell because your circumstances were hard or cruel like living in Telskyura? You can't really call that an answer with so much still left unclear."

"I said I might answer the question and I did." Maze replied with an uncaring shrug in Ryu's direction. "Whether the answer makes sense to you or not doesn't really matter to me."

Ryu hardened her glare at Maze's unrepentant attitude and was about to respond when she felt Syr lightly lay her had on top of her own.

"It's alright Ryu." Syr said "I honestly rather like Maze's answer. After all, the answers wouldn't be quite as satisfying if getting them was as simple as just walking up to her and just asking."

"Oh, feeling rather confident, aren't we?" Maze said as she leaned forward to better look Syr in the eye. "You certain that you can get more answers out of me? Or that you really want to hear what I have to say."

Instead of seeming intimidated by Maze's question and posture, Syr leaned forward onto her elbows and looked Maze dead in the eye with a smile on her face.

"You'll find that I'm a girl who doesn't give up easily, Maze." Syr said with a simple confidence as she met Maze's gaze with her own. "Especially if it has to do with something that catches my attention."

The two stared at each other for another moment and the two other waitresses began to get uncomfortable with the tension before Maze suddenly leaned back with a snort, clearly amused by the human waitress's antics.

"Alright then, far be it from me to turn down some potential entertainment." Maze said with a chuckle. "Just try not to get your hopes up. I'm not someone who needs to cry my heart out to my server to feel fine."

"I look forward to getting to know you better, Maze!" Syr said as she leaned back and beamed at the demon, clearly pleased with her answer.

"Knock yourself out." Was Maze's simple reply. She then turned and gave Ryu another glance over, the intensity of which left the elf feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

"…. Can I help you?" Ryu asked with a guarded tone.

"Just checking how many blades you brought into my club." Was Maze reply, which caused Ryu to straighten on her stool and look at the demon in surprise. "don't look so surprised, I dare say there's no one in this whole city who knows more about packing away knives than me. I'll let it slide this time since it's your first time here, but if I spot anymore on you next time your ass is getting thrown out the door."

"That goes for you to, kitty cat." Maze continued as she turned her gaze to Chloe. "Don't think I missed that blade strapped to your back. The only reason I didn't toss your perky little ass out the door was because I rather like Mama Mia and didn't want to sour things between us by roughing up one of her girls. Still, this is the only warning you both get, try to sneak those in here again and your asses are mine."

Chloe's ears flattened against her skull at Maze's threat, past experiences having taught her the danger of pissing of a first-class adventurer. Ryu on the other hand returned Maze's serious look with one of her own.

"I apologize for breaking your establishments rules." Ryu said in a serious tone as she looked the demon in the eye. "However, I was not about to allow myself and Syr to enter such an establishment without a means of protection, at least not without having some assurance of safety."

"Well now you have it." Maze replied while crossing her arms and giving the elf a challenging look. "The only blades I allow in this club are on me and the people I allow to carry them. Anyone who tries to bring some in here without my knowledge or tries to stir up trouble will get the same lesson I taught to Loki Familia's little mutt."

With that the group fell into silence for a moment and enjoyed their drinks until Lucifer returned and informed them that Bell was indeed still awake and had agreed to speak with them. Syr was thrilled by the news and immediately leapt to her feet to follow The Devil up to the third floor to meet the object of her affection followed by her elven friend and a quiet dark haired catgirl.

/

The three waitresses were led up to the third floor of the Salome, where they found Bell fidgeting outside one of the doors. The human boy looked both nervous and happy to see them, or at least Syr as he had no real prior interactions with either Ryu or Chloe.

Lucifer departed as soon as Syr stepped forward to greet Bell, offering his child a wink and a quick "try not to stay up too late" before making his way back down the stairs to rejoin the festivities. With a stuttered greeting Bell invited them into his room, clearly uncertain how to handle the situation.

The three waitresses entered Bell's room and were immediately surprised by how large it was, with it easily being four times larger than the small rooms Ryu and Chloe lived in at the Hostess. The furnishings were also of a surprising quality with several magic stone lights bolted to the walls to provide illumination and it even possessed a small closet and private bathroom through two doors on the far side of the room.

Chloe let out a low whistle as she took in the space and Ryu was slightly ashamed to admit even she felt a tiny twinge of jealousy at the white-haired boy's living condition. Syr for her part did not seem to think much about the room as her focus was on Bell himself.

"I'm sorry if we bothered you, Bell." Syr said, her chipper tone sounding that sounded anything but sorry. "I was just so curious to see what kind of place you lived, given all that I've heard at the Hostess."

"Ah, it's alright." Bell replied as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head, a light dusting of red on his cheeks. "I am surprised you wanted to talk in my room though. I thought the kitchen might have been preferable."

"The kitchen?" Syr asked in slight surprise. "We just told Lord Lucifer we wondered if we could speak with you, we never said it had to be in your room."

"Eh? But Lord Lucifer said that you would prefer to talk up here rather than downstairs?" Bell said with a slight scrunching of his features in confusion. "Why would he insist on bringing you up…. Oh."

Bell's cheeks flushed a deeper crimson and Syr's and Ryu's cheeks flushed as well as all of them remembered exactly what kind of god Lucifer was, and his parting words about not staying up too late.

The three of them stood there in awkward silence for a moment before Bell gestured to the couch and asked if they'd like a seat. Syr obliged while Ryu remained standing, clearly intent on watching to see if Bell tried anything inappropriate.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Bell asked as he sat on one of the chairs across from the couch. Feeling very self-conscious under the elf's scrutiny.

"Well, I was mostly just hoping to see what kind of place you call home." Syr said as she leaned forward and smiled at Bell. "You don't really talk about your home much when you visit the Hostess, so I got curious. Plus, you don't stay very long when you do stop by so I just thought it would be easier to come and see for myself. Honestly, I told you my favorite thing about my job is that it allows me to meet all kinds of interesting people and yet you keep running off before we can really have a nice chat. It's been so frustrating!"

Syr pouted to show her annoyance and all Bell could do was let out a sheepish chuckle in response.

"I'm sorry for always being in a rush." Bell said. "But I don't think I'd be very interesting compared to a lot of your other patrons. I have only been in Orario for about a month and haven't even made it past the upper floors yet, so I doubt you'd find much of what I have to say very interesting."

"That's not true!" Syr exclaimed with enough force to make Bell lean back in his chair, his eyes widening in surprise. "It doesn't matter that your story won't be like the ones I usually hear from adventurers! I've listened to a lot of stories over the years and met a lot of interesting people and my instincts tell me that you might be one of the most special ones I've ever met! So please don't be so quick to sell yourself short like that."

All Bell could really do under Syr's verbal onslaught was nod meekly and mumble that he would be sure to keep that in mind going forward.

Ryu looked at her friend in surprise, taken off guard by the force behind Syr's words. She had known the human girl for roughly five years by now and yet she had trouble recalling any other times she had seen her friend so worked up, or if she ever had seen Syr this focused on a single person before. It both surprised and intrigued her. It surprised her because Syr was usually the last person to get worked up about something among all the Hostesses staff. It intrigued her because she also knew that Syr was one of the best judges of character she knew, so Ryu could not help but feel slightly curious herself as to what it was about the human boy that had caught her friend's attention so much.

"….. I'll try to keep that in mind in the future, thank you." Bell said after taking a minute to compose himself after Syr's outburst. "And I'll try not to leave so quickly if you really want to hang out more when I stop by the Hostess."

"I'd like that." Was Syr's simple response before her pout returned. "I know you enjoy spending the day exploring The Dungeon with your friends, but I was hoping that we could be friends too."

"I honestly already though we were friends." Bell said with a small smile. "Sorry if I didn't properly express that before."

"Apology accepted." Was Syr's simple reply as she offered Bell a smile of her own.

Syr then leapt to her feet and strolled around the couch to place her hands on a startled Ryu's shoulders and lightly walk her forward several steps.

"Bell, I'd like to introduce you to one of my other friends and coworker at the Hostess, Ryu!" Syr exclaimed as she stopped dragging the elf forward so that Bell could get a better look at her. "Ryu, this is my new friend Bell, I hope that the two of you will be able to get along!"

Syr then let go of Ryu's shoulders, took a few steps to the side, and began glancing between the two in an expectant manner, her smile never wavering. The elf and the human regarded each other in confusion for a moment before Ryu let out a sigh and offered Bell a small nod in greeting.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Cranel." Ryu said in a formal, but not unkind tone. "As Syr said my name is Ryu and I work with her as a waitress at the Hostess of Fertility. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Um, nice to meet you too, Miss Ryu." Bell responded after overcoming his own surprise. "My name is Bell Cranel and I'm a rookie adventurer of the Lucifer Familia. I hope we can get along in the future."

After they completed their rather awkward introduction, Syr clapped her hands together and offered them one of her most beautiful smiles.

"I'm so happy to see the two of you getting along! I think that the two might become good friends if you get to know each other better."

The two could only blush at Syr's clear joy and nod.

After that the three spoke with each other for a short while, Bell telling the two waitresses about his home village and his late grandpa while the two from the Hostess shared stories about some of their more interesting recent customers. Bell and Syr did most of the talking with Ryu only chiming in occasionally, but the elf did lower her facemask and adopt a more relaxed posture during the conversation.

The three talked for a good half an hour before Ryu nudged Syr gently in the side and nodded towards the clock on the wall. Syr frowned as she noticed the time but could do nothing but sigh in disappointment at the late hour and stand.

"It's been wonderful to actually have a conversation with you, Bell. But I'm afraid that we need to leave. Neither of us really want to risk Mama Mia's wrath by starting work half asleep tomorrow."

Bell nodded and stood to open the door for them as they left, wishing the both of them a good night which was returned by the two waitresses as they moved to leave. However, before Syr stepped through the door she turned.

"Ah, I almost forgot." Syr said with a shamefaced expression as she faced Bell. "Bell, be sure to stop by the Hostess tomorrow, would you? I found something while I was cleaning up a few days ago that I think you'll find interesting."

"Oh, what is it?" Bell asked in confusion.

"You'll just have to stop by to see~." Syr said with a playful wink. "But I do promise it will be interesting."

With that Syr turned and strode out the door, clearly pleased with herself.

"Have a pleasant evening, Mr. Cranel." Ryu said with a small smile as she followed her friend out the door.

"You too Miss Ryu." Bell said with a smile of his own and shut the door quietly behind them.

Bell let out a sigh, feeling both a bit tired but also pleased as he turned towards the couch to pick up where he left off with his book before being interrupted… only to find he wasn't as alone as he thought.

Leaning against the arm of his couch was the black-haired catgirl that had come up with Syr and Ryu, giving him a seductive smile as she regarded him with half-lidded eyes.

"… Um, you came up with Syr and Ryu, right?" Bell asked in confusion as he tried to recall what the catgirl had done since entering the room only to draw a black as she seemed to have just gone over to a corner of the room and waited while the other three had talked. Now she was looking at Bell like the cat that caught the canary.

"Why yes I did, but the three of you were having such a lovely conversation that I didn't want to but in." Chloe said as she pushed off the couch and began to slowly walk towards Bell with a small but noticeable swing to her hips.

"….Oh, um, alright?" Was all Bell could think to say in response to his current situation. "I'm guessing you want to leave to miss…..?"

"Chloe~." Chloe purred as the fantasy she had been imagining all day began to unfold in front of her. "And I was just thinking how far the Hostess is from here~. You don't suppose there's somewhere….. closer I could spend the night~."

"U-um, well, the Salome doesn't usually rent out rooms for people looking for a place to rest." Bell uttered as he began to carefully step backwards. "B-but I could ask Lord Lucifer if you could use one of the spare rooms on this floor! J-just let me g-go and ask him!"

But before Bell could reach the door again Chloe was already there, leaning languidly against it.

"Oh, I don't think all that will really be necessary, now will it~." Chloe said as she resumed her slow advance on her prey for the evening. "After all the bed I'm hoping to stay in tonight . ~."

And Chloe gestured over towards the bed in the corner of Bell's room and Bell let out a stuttered gasp. Chloe just lightly giggled at the white-haired boy's response and continued her advance….

… Or at least she Would have if the door hadn't suddenly burst open behind her and a gloved hand hadn't reached out and yanked her out of the room with a surprised "NYAH!".

Further startled by the door Bell leapt back and looked at the door in panic before a familiar green-haired elf leaned in and offered in a short bow.

"My apologies, Mr. Cranel. It appears we forgot something in your room. Again, have a pleasant night."

And with that the elf ducked out the door and quickly shut it behind her, leaving one very confused rabbit behind to wonder what had just happened.

/

Orario, West Main Street

"….. Of all the salacious, of all the perverse… have some shame, Chloe!"

Ryu had been ranting at the black-haired catgirl since the moment the three of them had left the Entertainment District, her face bright red from a mix of outrage and embarrassment from being in any way associated with the catgirl in question.

"Mph!"

"I mean really! Mr. Cranel is barely more than a child! How could you attempt such, s-such l-lewdness with someone so young!?"

"bfff syph isfff trphing tph seduph hmm tf, righph?"

"S-Syr is trying to do no such thing! She was simply trying to deepen her bond with Mr. Cranel and become closer to him! It was an act of affection, NOT perversion!"

Chloe tried to form a rebuttal but the ball gag in her mouth made debating with Ryu rather difficult.

After Ryu had ejected Chloe from Bell's room the two had gotten into a short argument on the club's stairs, which had drawn the attention of Maze. When the demon had come to investigate Ryu had told her what Chloe had been up to with Bell and Maze had been…. Less than pleased.

Before anyone could react, the demon had gotten behind Chloe and grappled the catgirl to the floor. She had then asked Syr and Ryu to wait a moment while she took Chloe into the room that was across from Bell's.

The two had complied with the bartender's request and after a few moments of waiting the door had opened again and Maze had stepped out with a hogtied Chloe dangling from a bit of rope in one hand. She had then handed the rope and catgirl to Ryu and then returned to manning the club's bar. Syr and Ryu had then made their way from the club and Entertainment District with their bound friend dangling by Ryu's side like an overly large purse.

The trip back towards the Hostess of Fertility had been…. Awkward to say the least, with Chloe's bound form drawing a good bit of attention to the trio as they returned home. Thankfully, everyone who saw just assumed it was more of the eccentricity adventurers were well known for and didn't try to stop them.

Finally, the three arrived at the Hostess of Fertility and snuck into the side ally and hoped that everyone else was asleep for the night. They then made their way into the building set aside for the staff and took Chloe up to her room, which the catgirl had thankfully left unlocked before venturing to the Salome.

With a tired sigh Ryu let go of Chloe's restraints and the bound catgirl fell to the floor with an unceremonious thud, drawing yet more muffled complaints from the former assassin.

"Well, things didn't quite go the way I imagined, but I still think tonight went rather well!" Syr exclaimed as she stretched a bit, feeling a bit tired. She then turned to her elven friend and offered her another smile. "Thank you, Ryu, I know this probably isn't how you wanted to spend your night, but I'm glad you and Bell were able to meet. I really do hope that you two can become good friends."

Ryu offered Syr a tired smile of her own. "I know how much you like Mr. Cranel, Syr. So I'm glad he seems like a kind young man. I'll do my best to support the two of you in the future."

Syr giggled before reaching forward and pulling the elf into a quick hug.

"Thank you, Ryu! But I didn't want you to meet just so that Bell could gain your approval. I really do hope the two of you can become friends in the future. After all, you mean a lot to me too and I want you to be happy too, not just being polite to Bell because you think you have to because we're friends."

Ryu was tired but pleased and she reached up with one arm to give her friend a light embrace before letting go and stepping back.

"So, what should we do about her?" Ryu asked, gesturing down to the still wriggling Chloe.

"Oh, I'll untie her before bed. You go get some rest, Ryu."

With a nod to her human friend and one final glare for the catgirl, Ryu left the room, eager to turn in after the surprisingly tiring night.

Syr turned and regarded Chloe with a smile, but not her usual friendly smile. No, this smile was far colder and more sinister than that, to the point that Chloe ceased her wiggling and turned up to look at Syr in clear alarm.

"….. Like Lucifer I am not against people perusing their desires." Syr said calmly as she regarded the shivering catgirl at her feet. "However, I don't appreciate it when people go after something I desire while knowing full well that I desire it. Such actions make me very… irritated. Do you understand, Chloe?"

The bound catgirl nodded as vigorously as she could in her current state, rocking on the floor of her room. Syr's ominous smile simply remained on her face as she reached down to gently pat the top of Chloe's head.

"Good, now I think we all need a good night's sleep, don't you agree Chloe? So have a good night, I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that Syr turned and strode from the room, closing the door behind her.

Chloe let out a sigh of relief at the blue-haired girl's departure…. Or at least she would have if her mouth wasn't still blocked by the gag. It would appear that Syr had forgotten to undo the restraints before leaving.

Chloe spent a good chunk of the remaining night trying to break free before giving up and passing out on the floor. The only one who had any inkling of her predicament was Lunoire in the next room over, and having prior experience with Chloe making strange sounds in the middle of the night the human girl simply sighed and put on some comfy earmuffs she had gotten for just such an occasion, not knowing or particularly wanting to know what the perverse catgirl next door was up to this late at night.

/

And with this, ladies and gentlemen, this story has finally broken the 100k word mark!

As you probably noticed above, I added ~ in various places where I wanted to highlight the character being either teasing or flirtatious. I've seen that symbol used before in other stories but It looked a bit strange on Word so hopefully it changes when I upload to .

I've been waiting for a good spot to introduce Ryu since I know how popular she is among the fans and I haven't paid any attention to her prior to this point. I plan for her to show up more in the future, but there may be a bit of time between appearances since I don't have a good reason for her to hang out a lot with Lucifer Familia, at least not at this point in the story.

Ah Chloe, it's a wonder we don't see more of her in the main series given how young Bell is and what a massive shotacon she is. I still remember a piece from one of Danmemo's stories where she and Anya were playing detective and she basically asked who the prettiest local boy was and if there was anywhere dark and private she could bring him too… Yeah it really is a wonder she hasn't tried to sneak up on Bell in the main story given how she's portrayed elsewhere.

I now have a somewhat more serious announcement. As you may remember from my last post I mentioned that something very stressful had happened literally the day before I posted that chapter. Well that was my father suffering from a serious medical issue that required surgery and gave the family quite the scare. He's fine now and is mostly recovered but such events have a way of making us think. So, I would like to say now that if there is ever a point where I go quiet for a long period of time then you can consider this or any other story I am working on as up for adoption. Please don't be alarmed as I have no desire to harm myself or shuffle of this mortal coil anytime soon but recent events have made me realize life can take unexpected turns and in case something unexpected happens I want you all to know that it is fine to adopt this story or any others I make if I have not posted anything on this site for say a good eleven months, like if I post in February and by next January you still have not heard anything then the stories are free to take. Like I said I am feeling fine, I'm just saying this in case something unexpected happens and one of you would like to pick up where I leave off.

Sorry for the somewhat heavy announcement I just wanted to say that while it was on my mind as I hate it when stories are left permanently unfinished.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I look forward to reading your reviews. Have a good day everyone.