Jun's throat tightened as Mara's scent—warm milk and something unnervingly primal—flooded his senses. The system's options flashed in his mind like a bad choose-your-own-adventure prompt. "Option C it is."
"Uh," he began, forcing his lips into what he hoped was a charming smile (it wasn't). "Just... enjoying the local hospitality?" His voice cracked on the last syllable as Mara's claw traced the rim of his mug, her nail leaving a thin scratch in the wood.
The system groaned. "Host, I said *flirt*, not impersonate a malfunctioning toaster."
Mara's nostrils flared, her pupils dilating further until her eyes were pools of liquid obsidian. "Is that so?" she murmured, leaning in until her breath warmed his cheek. A droplet of whatever glowing pink concoction she'd been drinking dripped from the corner of her mouth, landing on Jun's wrist with a faint sizzle. He yelped. "Oh, relax," she chuckled, licking the spot with a tongue that felt suspiciously rough. "Just a little aphrodisiac. Side effect of my, ah... *heritage*."
Jun's skin prickled where her tongue had been. The system's notification flashed crimson: [WARNING: MINOR ENERGY DRAIN DETECTED. HOST VIRGINITY STATUS: STILL INTACT (FOR NOW)].
Jun's fingers twitched involuntarily against the table, his wrist still tingling from Mara's tongue. The system's voice slithered into his ear like an uninvited guest. "Congrats, you've just unlocked 'Mildly Poisoned' status. Don't worry, it's mostly just... uh, motivational." Jun's vision blurred slightly at the edges, the inn's lanterns stretching into glowing streaks. Mara's grin widened—sharp, knowing.
"So," she purred, her claw tracing idle circles on the wood grain, "what's a pretty little snack like you doing in a place like this?" The question dripped with mock innocence. Jun's pulse stuttered. The system sighed. "Classic line. Zero points for originality, but full marks for effectiveness. Host, counter with—"
"I got lost," Jun blurted. The words tumbled out half-formed, his tongue thick with whatever aphrodisiac-laced saliva Mara had left on his skin. "In the woods. With the—" His hand flapped vaguely toward the door. "Fox girl. Who tried to... you know."
Mara's eyebrow arched. "Suck your soul out through your—"
"—Dick?" Mara finished, her voice dropping to a husky whisper that made the word sound more like a promise than a question. Jun's face burned hotter than Liora's scales. The system's laughter echoed like a dying car alarm in his skull. "Smooth recovery. Really. Nobel Prize material."
Jun's fingers dug into the table. "Not literally," he hissed, then immediately regretted it when Mara's eyes gleamed with renewed interest.
"Oh?" She leaned in, her horns casting jagged shadows across his face. "So she didn't try to suck your—"
"Energy," Jun snapped, jerking back so hard his chair screeched. The entire inn fell silent. From the bar, Liora's serpent tails twitched in amusement. Mara's grin turned feral.
Jun's chair teetered dangerously before crashing to the floor, taking him with it. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, but the real pain was Mara's delighted cackle ringing in his ears. "Oh, you're *adorable* when you're flustered," she cooed, looming over him like a predator savoring its prey's panic.
The system's voice was unnervingly calm. "Host, I strongly suggest you stop embarrassing yourself and—"
A third voice cut through the tension—low, melodic, and laced with amusement. "Mara, must you terrorize every stray that stumbles in here?"
Jun's head whipped toward the doorway, where a woman leaned against the frame, her silhouette outlined by flickering torchlight. She had no horns, tails, or scales—just ordinary human features, which in this godforsaken inn made her the strangest sight yet. Her dark hair was tied back in a messy braid, and her arms were crossed over a practical leather vest. The only hint of the supernatural was the faint glow of her pupils—amber, like embers in the dark.
Jun blinked up at the newcomer, his brain still sluggish from Mara's *motivational* tongue swipe. The woman in the doorway tilted her head, her amber eyes flickering with something between amusement and pity. "You look like a kicked puppy," she observed, stepping forward. The floorboards didn't creak under her boots—a detail Jun's rattled nerves latched onto like a lifeline.
Mara scoffed, crossing her arms under her chest. "Aww, Val, don't ruin my fun." Her pout was undercut by the way her tail flicked impatiently against the barstool.
Val—short for Valeria, Jun's frazzled mind supplied—ignored her, crouching beside Jun's sprawled form. Up close, her scent was a relief: leather and sharp herbs, nothing like the cloying sweetness clinging to the others. "You're new," she stated, her voice low. It wasn't a question.
Jun's throat worked. "Is it that obvious?"
Val's lips quirked. "The whole 'flailing like a fish in a net' thing was a dead giveaway." She offered a hand—calloused, but human-shaped, no claws in sight. Jun grabbed it like a drowning man, hauling himself up just as the system chimed in:
[ESSENCE TARGET DETECTED: VALERIA (HUMAN-ADJACENT). WARNING: UNKNOWN SUBTYPE. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.]
Jun's grip faltered. "Human-adjacent?" he mouthed silently. Val's eyebrow arched, her grip tightening as she steadied him. "You alright? Mara's spit got you woozy?"
Before Jun could answer, Mara's voice cut in, dripping with mock offense. "Excuse you, my venom is *top-shelf* aphrodisiac." She flicked her tail toward a barrel in the corner, where a faded label read Mara's Moonshine: Now 20% More Seductive! "Literally. I bottle the stuff."
Val rolled her eyes, steering Jun toward a less wobbly chair. The system hissed in his ear: "Host, focus. She's your best shot—no visible draining mechanisms, no spontaneous combustion. Just... be normal. Or whatever passes for normal in your case."
Val's fingers lingered on Jun's wrist a second too long—long enough for him to notice the faint, almost imperceptible pulse of warmth beneath her skin. Not human warmth. Something slower, deeper, like embers banked under ash. She withdrew her hand just as Jun's system pinged again: [ESSENCE TARGET STATUS: VALERIA (HUMAN-ADJACENT). SUBTYPE ANALYSIS INCOMPLETE. RECOMMENDED APPROACH: CAUTIOUS FLIRTATION.]
Jun swallowed hard. "Thanks," he muttered, rubbing his tingling wrist. The spot where Val had touched him throbbed faintly, as if her fingerprints were branded into his skin.
Across the room, Mara groaned dramatically, flopping onto a barstool with enough force to make Liora's serpent tails twitch in irritation. "Ugh, Val. You always ruin the fun." She jabbed a claw toward Jun. "He was this close to admitting he liked my venom."
Val snorted, sliding into the chair opposite Jun. "He was this close to passing out. Again." Her amber eyes flicked to Jun's face, assessing. "You're lucky I showed up when I did. Mara's 'hospitality' has landed more than one traveler in a... compromising position."
Jun fumbled with the key Mara had tossed him—a rusted iron thing that smelled faintly of sulfur—as the system's words echoed in his skull. "Multiplayer, yeah. Emphasis on the 'was.'" The key scraped in the lock, the sound grating like nails on slate.
The door creaked open to reveal a room that looked like a brothel had a lovechild with a medieval torture chamber. Silk scarves dangled from the ceiling beams, knotted in intricate loops. The bed—if it could be called that—was a circular monstrosity draped in black satin, with far too many straps and buckles for comfort. A shelf by the window displayed an array of polished... *implements*, their purposes left mercifully ambiguous by the low light. Jun's throat clicked as he swallowed. "System," he whispered, "what the actual hell?"
The system's sigh was almost sympathetic. "Host, let me break it to you gently: this isn't a 'no-tell motel.' It's a 'yes-tell, and also maybe scream a little' motel." A neon pink notification popped up:
[ACCOMMODATIONS UPGRADED: 'DELUXE SIN SUITE' UNLOCKED. WARNING: PRIOR OCCUPANT DIED OF 'EXCESSIVE ENTHUSIASM.']
Jun's fingers twitched toward the doorframe. "I'd like to downgrade."
"Denied." The system chirped. "Mara's already pocketed your 'rent.' Which, by the way, was three drops of your blood. Congrats, you're now legally bound to this room—and also mildly anemic."
Jun's knees hit the edge of the bed with a muffled thump. The mattress sighed under his weight, releasing a cloud of something that smelled suspiciously like lavender and regret. He stared at the ceiling—where a series of sturdy hooks gleamed ominously—and groaned. "Okay, fine. You said this was multiplayer. Where the hell is everyone?"
The system paused. "Well... 90% of transmigrators died with Nina's fangs in their femoral artery. The remaining 10%? Either cleared the trial stage already..." Another pause. "...Or got adopted by Mara as 'emotional support snacks.'"
Jun's eye twitched. "So I'm *alone*."
"Technically? No." The system's tone turned conspiratorial. "Rumor has it one guy made it to the third stratum before turning into a sentient dildo. So, you know. Goals."
Jun flopped backward, his head landing on a pillow embroidered with "Sweet Dreams (Or Else)" in looping cursive. His fingers brushed against something cold and metallic under the sheets—a set of engraved cuffs, their interior lined with what looked like velvet. He held them up to the flickering lamplight. "System," he said slowly, "why do these have *teeth marks*?"
"Oh, those?" The system chuckled. "Previous occupant was a biter. And a screamer. Mostly at the same time." A new notification flashed:
[ITEM IDENTIFIED: 'HARMONY CUFFS' (DURABILITY: 2/10). WARNING: PRIOR USE INVOLVED LIQUID NITROGEN AND A DISLOCATED SHOULDER.]
Jun dropped the cuffs like they'd burned him. They hit the floor with a dull clank, rolling under the bed where something—hopefully *not* sentient—scurried away. "This room is a crime scene."
"Correction: active crime scene," the system said cheerfully. "Mara runs a tight ship. Last guy who complained got demoted to 'house pet.'" Jun's stomach twisted. "Relax, Host. You've got bigger problems. Like her."
A knock rattled the door—three sharp raps, followed by a pause, then two more. Jun froze. The system hissed: "That's Liora's knock. She only does that when she's hungry."
Jun's fingers dug into the satin sheets. "Define 'hungry.'"
"Eh, 50/50 chance she wants to fuck you or eat you. Maybe both. Roll the dice!"
The knocking came again, louder this time. The door groaned on its hinges. Jun scrambled upright, grabbing the nearest weapon—a feathered whip (why?)—just as the knob twisted. Liora's voice slithered through the gap: "You decent? Doesn't matter."
The door swung open. Liora stood framed in the threshold, her scales shimmering in the low light. She'd changed out of her bartender attire into something... *less*. A diaphanous wrap clung to her curves, leaving little to the imagination—especially the twin serpent tails now twined around her bare thighs like living garters. She held a tray with two steaming mugs, their contents bubbling ominously. "Thought you could use a nightcap," she purred. "One's spiked. Guess which."
Jun's grip tightened on the whip. The system whispered:
Option A: Accept the drink, risk poisoning.
Option B: Decline, risk offending her.
Option C: Scream for Val. (Note: Option C may result in *both* of them staying.)"
Before Jun could choose, Liora sauntered in, her tails flicking the door shut behind her. The scent of charred cinnamon and something darker—molten metal, maybe—filled the room. She set the tray on the bedside table with deliberate slowness, her claws scraping the wood. "So," she murmured, leaning in until her breath ghosted over Jun's collarbone, "how's the *suite* treating you?"
Jun's pulse hammered against his ribs. The system chimed: "Host, your heart rate suggests you're either terrified or weirdly into this. Either way, breathe."
Jun exhaled sharply. "It's... educational." His gaze darted to the hooks above the bed. "Do those come with instructions?"
Liora's laugh was a low, crackling sound, like kindling catching fire. "Oh, sweet thing," she crooned, plucking the whip from his grip with a single claw, "you don't read instructions here." She twirled the feathered end under his chin. "You *earn* them."
The system coughed. "Metaphorically. Mostly."
Jun groaned as the bed beneath him suddenly lurched into motion, the frame squeaking with a rhythmic intensity that sounded *painfully* deliberate. The headboard slammed against the wall in a perfect four-four tempo, while the mattress beneath him undulated like it was trying to win an Olympic gold in synchronized humping. "What the *hell*—" he yelped, scrambling to grip the satin sheets as the entire contraption bucked like a mechanical bull with commitment issues.
The system's voice dripped with amusement. "Ah. You found the 'Erotic Ecstasy' setting. Congrats, Host—you've activated the inn's most popular amenity.". A notification popped up: [BED FUNCTION ENGAGED: 'POUNDTOWN EXPRESS.' DURATION: 15 MINUTES (OR UNTIL YOU CRY).]
Jun's fingers clawed at the sheets as the bed escalated to what could only be described as *enthusiastic* jackhammer mode. "Turn it OFF!"
"Wish I could,", the system sighed. "But the controls are, uh..." .The notification flickered. "...Voice-activated.
Keyword: 'Harder.'"
Jun's knees slammed together as the mattress bucked violently sideways. "I am not saying that!"
Across the room, Liora's serpent tails coiled in delight. "Aw, look at him," she crooned to no one in particular. "Like a virgin on a mechanical bull." She took a leisurely sip from her spiked mug—the one emitting faint screams—and grinned. "Ten silver says he lasts under three minutes."
Jun's hips left the mattress entirely as the bed executed what felt like a perfect pelvic thrust. His spine connected with the headboard. "SYSTEM—"
"Fine, fine!" The system grumbled. "Emergency override code: 'CelibacyIsCool.'
"With a shudder, the bed stilled, leaving Jun splayed like a starfish on satin.
Silence. Then, from the doorway, Mara's voice dripped with disappointment: "Wow. Boring."
Jun peeled his face off the mattress.
To be continued....