Episode 2: True Villain (4)

With large strides Drew closed the remaining distance between himself and Lowe.

Pressed his hands against the door, he leaned it. Lowe pressed herself harder against the wall and shrank. She turned her head, and squinted her eyes, refusing to meet him. 

Drew stopped and inhaled her scent deeply, Lowe trembled at the sensation of his breath on her skin.

“It seems… you’ve been using my gift well?” Drew smiled. 

The perfume he got for her that day… it just so happened that Lowe decided to try it on today. It wasn’t like she used it all the time. .

“G-Get off me.” Lowe, with her feeble hands pushed against his body. 

Feeling the solid frame of his muscles, her expression stiffened, and blood rushed into her head. 

Drew chuckled.

“I will… if only you would answer me this first.” The light in his eyes seemed to fade as a smile rose. He whispered into her reddened ears with a most tempting voice, “May I invite you for a stroll tonight?”

In the original story, nothing bad would happen if you rejected Drew’s offer here. At most his favorability would suffer and you’d be set back a few episodes before encountering him again. 

Alternatively, if you decided to accept, then you’d gain a boost of favorability. With risk comes reward, and so most players chose ‘yes’.

However, Lowe wasn’t a player. She was a living person.

“No.” She was adamant in her refusal. 

“No?” Drew was surprised. He didn’t think she’d deny his proposal.

The interactions she had with Astraea and Kairen had become a variable. If she hadn’t encountered them in lieu of financial difficulties, she would’ve likely said ‘yes’. 

“No. I won’t go.” It wasn’t worth the risk. Lowe shook her head meekly. 

“You won’t go? No matter what?” He drew closer… even closer… 

“Yes… I won’t… I’m not a bad girl.” Lowe felt like she was losing her mind.

…When would this insanity end?

Suddenly Drew bursted out into laughter. Lowe tried to stop herself from shaking.

“...Indeed. That’s what makes you so unique…” Drew’s hand brushed against her cheeks. “Alright, I shall respect your wishes.”

Lowe held her breath, feeling the sensation of his leather glove succinctly upon her—for a few seconds before finally his touch left her. 

Drew procured two wine glasses, and invited Lowe for a seat. He poured some of the wine Tiffany had drank earlier into the glass and held it out to her.

There was a psychological trick wherein to persuade someone to agree to your request, first ask them something extreme before your original request.

He couldn’t help but wish Lowe had said ‘yes’ to the proposed date. But even without that, he thought maybe this much was enough for one night.

Clinking a glass with Lowe, Drew felt sanguine.

⌌✧ ⫺⪼▫◆▫⪻⫹ ✧⌍

Drew Raven brings Lowe to explore the night street of Estelle Empire. The events that took place were mostly light hearted scenes which showed a different kind of Drew. Instead of a knife’s edge, he shows himself to be more of a clumsy, attention-seeking ferret in his private life.

A ‘gap moe’ to put it bluntly; but only to those he trusted.

Knowing Drew personally, he was a scheming bastard through and through. Even though he has an imperfect side to him, I realised that even that flaw was something he took advantage of to trick me into doing things I shouldn’t.

… That was besides the point.

After their first fun night out (minus any successful sexual advances), Lowe receives an invitation to a second date night. 

Drew’s obsession for her grows. As someone suffering from the curse of his own bloodline ability, Lowe’s abundant life force causes him to naturally want to possess her for himself. Like a beast drawn to prey.

In a rather complex way to explain the dynamic storyline, after the first date, there is a scenario during the class week where you can choose to tell Glenn about the scary person who invites you on a date (Drew), or to not.

If Lowe told Glenn, then during the second date, Glenn will be secretly following her. So during the abduction event, Glenn will personally interfere and prevent Drew from kidnapping Lowe.

If Lowe didn’t tell Glenn, then the story ends under one of many ‘alternate ending’ discoverable in the story. 

Of course, this bad ending is a rather sexy one.

But just because it’s sexy doesn’t mean that’s what I’m aiming for. By chance Lowe managed to secure her second date with Drew, and didn’t tell Glenn about it, that’s where I come in.

As for the venue, it was the Vaill auction house.

“Will you… actually be going alone?” My informant, Elysia Alchn asked wearily.

“I am. So please take care of things while I’m gone. ” I nodded.

“A-Alone…? My Lady, please, at least take an escort with you.” Elysia pleaded, her fingers pinching tightly the fabric of her skirt. “That place… it’s dangerous.”

Elysia Alchn knew I would be going to the auction, and her reluctance only showed “Elysia Alchn.” I called out to her. “I will come back before dawn.”

I understood her concerns. But as someone who had fought in the apocalypse—The Stygian War three years from now, there was no shot I’d be an easy target to take advantage of. 

She nodded sullenly. “Be careful… milady.” 

“Again, please keep my brief departure a secret.” 

 ⌌✧ ⫺⪼▫◆▫⪻⫹ ✧⌍

My silver-snow hair was tied into a loose ponytail; the velvet colour dress swayed with each step I took. The higher skirtline allowed for better mobility, while the bodice of the dress concealed various pockets where I hid things like daggers and rope. 

The night was cold. Silk-black leggings, and a fur coat helped to keep the chill at bay. Additionally, a special derecognition mask was worn over my face, so that no one would know who I was.

Entering a hidden alley and showing the bouncer my VIP auction ticket, I was promptly invited into the arena. It resembled an opera house, bathed in swathes of red and gold.

Vaill auction house itself had no fixed venue. Sometimes the entrance was stated to be in the north, other times the south. Yet mysteriously, the auditorium had the same look and size every time. The only differences being the participants, and items being auctioned.

By the world’s lore setting, this entire hall was contained within a special subspace. The winding alleyways which clients are brought into were just distractions to keep out any potential spies.

I was guided to the best viewing spot of the arena. Refreshments were served, and the masked servant who did so also told me of general house rules.

I already knew these as I’ve been here a couple times in the past. So nodding blindly, I sent the servant away.

I scanned the crowd for any signs of Drew or Lowe. Drew’s mask was always the same every time he came here, so even if it had derecognition magic properties, I was sure I could identify him from afar.

As for Lowe, her body language should be an obvious give away.

I looked and looked, and saw no signs of them. Across the lower crowds and even the VIP boxes. 

I’ve scanned them all, and not one of them looked familiar.

What did this mean?

That Lowe didn’t follow through with Drew’s date?

I couldn’t be too sure if that was really the case, so I decided to stay until the very end. In case they were really somewhere in the hall, it should become obvious when Drew tries to buy an illegal love potion for a staggering price point. 

I turned to the table, the glass half full with red. I picked it up and took a whiff of the quality wine, swirled it then relished the taste.

On stage, with the auctioneer's voice blasting with enthusiasm, various items and… people were presented with vogue finesse.

A dragon blood tonic known to grant the one who drank it a boost in vitality, a cursed hatched which was said to possess the lingering will of a vengeful berserker, a diamond jewellery shaped in a turtle.

There were no items here that really caught my eyes. I’ve taken stock of necessary items, talented slaves, and legendary equipment. Those only appear in later episodes.

I yawned, feeling both fatigue and fatigue. It was way past my bedtime, and this body wasn’t used to staying up late.

Even as the love potion was being announced, there wasn’t any sort of big commotion going on.

“Maybe they aren’t here after all…” I guess I was wrong? Lowe should be safe after all— 

“Ladies and gentlemen! Our next quality product presented to you… a gorgeous young slave!" The auctioneer’s next item seemingly caught my ear. “She may lack the noblesse lineage many seek, but her docile and fragile features may be of interest to anyone who has an interest in such eccentricities!”

A commoner girl turned slave in a premier auction like this? Normally, products that make it on stage need to pass strict standards. If something low grade were to appear, it’s an obvious sign that someone had played their connections. 

“Oh… and let’s not forget. She’s a half-succubus.” The final remark he added, tickling our senses like sweet, succulent nectar. Immediately, everyone’s interest was piqued.

Demons, like elves and dwarves, live on the continent alongside us humans. However, in this world their population number was small, and normally they lived amongst their own kind and only few mingled with the human race.

The difference in cultures simply made it too hard to avoid conflict.

But of course, there were exceptions. Like the relationship between human-succubus, or human-vampire. Such demons require human sustenance to survive, in return the humans receive pleasure.

Of course, the different races were not something emphasised in the original game setting. I never really made friends with any other species with the exception of dwarf blacksmiths even in my previous life.

Something about the cruelty piqued my curiosity. I picked up the opera glasses and took a closer look.

A curled figure shivering from fear. 

A girl, tied and half-sitting on the cold hard stage. Her long, straight raven black hair flowed down like splitting rivers, and scanty worn clothes barely covered her from prying eyes. From the lower back of her slender frame, a tail, and two tiny bat-like wings could be subtly seen.

Her body retained a healthy pinkish appearance, and in spite of her marred expression, I could sense the indignant fire burning within her crimson red eyes.

But most importantly… I knew this girl. 

She was the beautiful, kind, and benevolent junior whom I met in my previous life.

“Reene…?”