Entering Hell

Having finished her negotiations with Raegn, Marie exited his pretentious office. There was still a joyful smile on her face at how smoothly everything went, she had been worried that the other would use threats or the like to intimidate her.

With this, she had acquired a place to stay and steady income (for now), in addition to being close to her niece.

What a beautiful end to the probably most eventful day in her entire life. From dying, to entering a foreign world, to almost dying, being abducted, committing arson, finding long lost family and ending up working in a brothel.

Truly exciting, maybe a little too exciting for her taste but what can you do?

Life throws curveballs and it's up to you to strike back.

A philosophy that had really helped her through all the 27 years of her life.

Anyways, where was her niece?

With a skip in her step, Marie descended the stairs once more in search of Sarah.

Soon finding her being hugged by some random beastman near the main hall, her expression as cold as ever, but Marie could make out a faint glimmer of unwillingness flashing in her eyes.

Marie's face hardened and she stomped in the direction of the pair.

"You're so beautiful! I had no idea Dropping Blossom had such a beauty in its assortment! Like a Divine Maiden!", the man sticking to the stiff-as-a-board Sarah mumbled, clearly drunk. He kept rubbing his big, reddened face on the base of her neck, while also trying to slide his plate-like hand into her robes, almost tearing them in the process.

He only stopped when someone grabbed his hand.

Groggily raising his head, the man glared at the interruptor.

But Marie didn't care.

Instead she smiled apologetic.

"I'm sorry, I already reserved this girl for myself."

These words seemed to irritate the man.

"Huh?! What do you mean reserve? There is no such thing!"

Saying this, the man started groping Sarah once again.

With a twitch of her eyebrow, Marie loosened her grip around his wrist. Instead pinching him as hard as she could on the back of hand.

"Ow!", the man howled, withdrawing his hand.

And Marie used this opportunity to get a hold of her niece's upper arm and drag her away from the beastman.

"Hey, you! What do you think you are doing!"

The man quickly noticed the warm body in his embrace sliding away, stretching out his arm to snatch her back. But Marie had already protectively stepped in front of Sarah.

So, the beastman's hand hit Marie squarely in the chest instead.

"Umff!"

The hit that should have been little more than a light shove was akin to someone punching her with all his might. Marie stumbled backwards into her niece, it felt like all the air inside her lungs had been forced out, leaving her breathless for a split second.

At this moment, Marie realized just the difference in strength between her and a beastman. And it caused a trickle of fear to appear in her mind.

She had always felt that there was a disparity in strength, but never to this degree! Initially assuming that it was about the same as a top athlete facing a slightly below average person, but in actually, it was like a top athlete going against a toddler!

Marie focused her gaze on the drunk and angry beastman, her heart skipping a beat, becoming keenly aware that she was probably only about half his size.

Her pupils trembled, her muscles tensed unconsciously, but she supressed the urge to run away, straightening her back to stop leaning against her niece.

The faltering smile on her face returning, growing wider, loosing its warmth.

The man who had previously grinned triumphantly when the annoyance stumbled away so pathetically and was already looking forward to continuing his sampling, froze at Marie's sudden change.

But he quickly shook it off.

Why should he be intimidated by this brat? It wasn't like the other was doing anything.

He stepped forward, planning on ignoring any further protests from Marie, when he heard her voice once again.

"I wouldn't do that, after all, I have a deal with the owner of this place."

This was enough to make the man stop his actions, he glanced at Marie, gouging whether she was telling the truth or not.

"Bullsh*t, there's no way he would make a deal with a bra-"

"Oh, but he did. You can ask Raegn personally if you want," Marie interrupted calmly.

The man was startled.

That brat said the owner's name just like that? Without adding 'Lord'?

For the first time, fear crept on the beastman's unkempt face as he observed at Marie.

With a tremble of his heart, his mind sobered up in fear as he glanced around the main hall.

A piercing yellow gaze.

Like a knife cutting directly into his flesh.

The beastman's throat tightened and his breathing accilerated.

He had to get away! Quickly!

Any drunkeness still left in him had disappeared, he immediately turned his back and scurried for the exit.

Marie watched this with a mix of relief and curiosity.

She followed the man's line of sight and found Raegn looking down at her from the balcony of the second floor.

A chill crept down her spine.

Was the owner of this brothel actually a much bigger deal than she initially thought?

Her threat earlier was said in the presumption of the man at most receiving a ban or something, but a ban didn't cause a man to run for his life.

Marie lowered her head, a deep look in her eyes before she turned around with a smile.

"Let's go Sarah, I've secured a room for the two of us."

She gently took Sarah's hand, noticing her niece's face darkening slightly but not asking her about it for now. She wanted to get out of Raegn's sight first.

Marie hurried up to the third floor and quickly chose the room furthest away from Raegn's office.

Grabbing one of the candles that was standing near the railings opening up to the main hall, Marie slid the door open and stepped inside with a sigh.

Through the weak shine of her sole candle, Marie could roughly make out the room's interior.

A set of simple beddings lying on the floor and several candle stands around the room.

At first Marie wanted to rejoice at the sight of the bed, however simple it might be, and quickly lit the remaining candles in the room, but that enthusiasm was soon dampened when she saw the clear stains on the fabric.

She stared at them with disgust now that they were visible.

How long has it been since this thing was washed? Actually, has it ever been washed before?

... was it bad that she regreted leaving that mansion with the soft, clean bed now?

Marie thought depressedly.

A deep, defeated sigh escaped her lips.

"Hahh, let's just go sleep..."

Marie turned to face Sarah and froze.

Sarah was currently standing with her outer robes around her ankles, already opening the inner layer.

"What are you doing?!"

Sarah raised her eyebrow at Marie's sudden shout.

"Didn't you want to sleep together?"

Marie was baffled at the matter-of-factly way her niece said this.

"No! That's not what I meant! Just, just normal sleeping."

Even with Marie's explanation, Sarah still had a doubtful expression on her face.

Should she be laughing or crying? How bad of a person did her niece think she was? Did she turn into the creepy uncle?

This was unacceptable, she had to clear up this misunderstanding immediately!

"Sarah, I would never ever do that, you're my niece."

But despite Marie's assurance, Sarah still didn't seem to believe her words.

Not even the family argument?! Her niece must have encountered some horrible people in her life...

Pity swelled in her heart while she racked her brain to come up with a way to further cement her point, finally choosing one that seemed the most possible to succeed

"Ok, you know what, here."

Desperate to proof her niece that she wasn't some twisted pervert, Marie put the candle holder still in her hand on the ground and stepped directly in front of Sarah.

She wrapped her arms around the other in a light and warm hug, her head only reaching her niece's chin.

This hug lasted but a moment before Marie dropped her arms again and stepped back.

"Here, this was the one and only time I'll ever touch you without consent, I promise."

Marie looked at her niece as sincerely and honestly as she could, before walking away, untieing the bundle on her waist and lying down on the wooden floor.

"Let's sleep now, I had a very long day. Please blow out the candles," Marie said, with her eyes closed as if she was already falling asleep.

Sarah motionlessly stared at Marie for a moment.

Her emotions indiscernable.

But she quickly returned to her usual self and went to blow out the lights inside the room.

Standing around for a moment before hesitantly lying down in the corner opposite of Marie, listening closely as she waited for the other's heartbeat to slow down slightly.

She raised her head, secretly observing the sleeping Marie in the darkness.

Watching this eccentric fellow sleep so peacefully, Sarah couldn't help parting her lips.

"What a smoky hug."

Small theater:

Marie: Did I jump out of the frying pan and into the fire?

Marie: ...

Marie: ...

Marie: Makes my heart burn with excitement!

Author: ...

Author: *ba-dum-tss*