Story: Forever After

"… You're horrible." [Lily]

Lily bluntly said to Ryner as he sat on a red, soft armchair and she stood in front of him. The red-haired woman exasperatedly stared at him with her green eyes, utterly unashamed of the fact that she was in her underwear. The two were in a small, isolated space, surrounded by a red curtain. Slow and riveting music could be heard playing in the background.

"Why are you suddenly insulting me after listening to my heartfelt story?" [Ryner]

"You work with your cousin for that new and famous company, Roseseed, that everyone's talking about." [Lily]

"Uh-huh." [Ryner]

"You told your cousin that you were planning to come here while she was hard at work." [Lily]

"That's right." [Ryner]

"And you got her permission after some negotiations." [Lily]

"Exactly!" [Ryner]

"… It's a good thing I owe you, Scaredy-cat." [Lily]

"Forgetting how you're looking at me like I'm an idiot, if you truly mean it, then stop calling me that. At this point, I feel like it's become my official name when we're together." [Scaredy-cat]

The red-haired woman chuckled in amusement. She pulled out a folded piece of paper from her deep cleavage and handed it over to her client who complained without ever appearing truly angry. Secretly, it made her feel at ease since he wouldn't get violent like the other customers that she had known.

"The Madame compiled any juicy gossips that passed through this place and wrote them down for you." [Lily]

Ryner took it and passed her a pouch full of coins.

"Thanks as always." [Ryner]

"No, thank YOU. You're paying a lot for rumors and helped rebuild this place. Madame is really grateful." [Lily]

Lily stood up and pushed aside a part of the curtain in front of them.

"Madame's Shop got a big makeover." [Lily]

In the large, dimly lit hall, there was an elevated stage where several half-naked women were dancing, shaking their hips seductively while spinning around metal poles. Seats were placed right around the stage, allowing the men present to have a front row view of the show. Couches and tables were also scattered around for the other customers to sit and drinks as well as snacks were being served by scantily clad women carrying trays.

A band gathered inconspicuously in the left and right corners of the stage was tirelessly playing the song that filled the place and accompanied the dancers' performance. Lily recognized several instruments, like the violin, trumpet and piano, but others, like the saxophone, were foreign to her. Some of them, like the trumpets, had weird, unknown accessories attached to them too.

Both the musicians and their tools of trade were introduced by Ryner, who had pitched several ideas to the owner of the establishment when she had decided to renovate the shop. It made the red-haired woman realize once again that he had deep pockets and quite a few connections.

When she looked up, she saw the second floor with rows of doors where couples were going in and out of. It was where she used to work, pleasing her customers on the bed. However, after the renovation, Lily had become one of the dancers. people could look, but they couldn't touch, which suited her just fine. It was still possible for them to solicit a one-on-one session with any dancer that caught their fancy, but she had the right to refuse them.

In fact, Lily refused all of them.

Currently, besides dancing on stage, her other job was to meet Ryner in private when he showed up and pass him the information that Madame gave her. However, since she did not work in the bed anymore, the two did not meet in a room, but in a corner of the hall, surrounded by curtains. They were in something of a private booth for private dances. There were more along the walls for those paying extra to enjoy their very own, personal show.

"Things have changed." [Lily]

She said as she peeked at it all from behind the curtain. She placed her hand over her left eye, the one that she had lost and recovered thanks to him.

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"Even if you're a horrible idiot, I owe you a lot, Scaredy-cat." [Lily]

"Oi, that doesn't sound like gratitude." [Ryner]

"And you've also changed." [Lily]

Lily closed the curtain, turned around and forcefully moved the conversation along.

"You're a part of the Roseseed company that made these gorgeous undergarments." [Lily]

She said and put a hand on her generous chest. Her body was clad in red, lacy underwear and high heels of the same color as well as garter belts and black stockings. The articles were beautiful, comfortable and products of Roseseed. Their superior quality and wonderful designs that ranged from simple to cute, to mature and seductive made them widely popular among women, especially with the establishments in the red light district.

"I can't imagine going back to my old pair. All of the girls here are wearing these. Makes them more charming, right?" [Lily]

She tugged on the left strap of her bra and teasingly smiled.

"Great that you're happy with your undies. Anyway, I'm leaving." [Ryner]

But, she didn't get the reaction she wanted out of the sleepy-looking man, causing her to stare at him in a bad mood.

"… At least stay to watch the dance you paid for." [Lily]

Lily pushed down on his shoulders, preventing him from standing up from his seat.

"I need the practice, anyway." [Lily]

"Ah, it's true that your dancing sucks." [Ryner]

"Just shut up and enjoy the show, Scaredy-cat." [Lily]

"Okay, but no touching, get off my lap!" [Ryner]

"I'm still mad at you for not sleeping with me, so… No." [Lily]

Although his business was concluded, Ryner spent a bit more time in Lily's company.

As a side note, Evelyn enviously saw it all and was seriously considering having a small stage with poles installed in the mansion to practice her own dancing.

"… You're horrible." [Adrian]

Adrian, the king of Garroth, bluntly said to Ryner as he sat at his desk, doing paperwork. He wore luxurious clothes and a crown on his head full of long, blonde hair with strands of gray to denote his status.

"Why are you suddenly insulting me?" [Ryner]

"You showed up at the royal castle after having visited a woman at the red light district." [Adrian]

"Phrasing! I was working!" [Ryner]

"Right." [Adrian]

The king went back to his duties, the pile of documents stacked next to him symbolizing how busy he was.

"Are you here to offer a hand?" [Adrian]

"No way, I hate deskwork, not to mention managing a country isn't my specialty." [Ryner]

"Yet, you surprisingly have a knack for it, to the point that I wouldn't mind entrusting you with quite a few of my duties." [Adrian]

"Don't. That's seriously scary. I Just want to ask about Daw." [Ryner]

Adrian stopped moving his pen and focused his gaze on Ryner.

"Count Huffe is barely paying heed to our warnings and continues bothering Evelyn, but that's not the real issue you want to address, is it?" [Adrian]

"Yeah, it's what he told me." [Ryner]

"Right, he didn't appear to fear you at all. The man is arrogant like, sadly, many nobles I know, but even that came as a surprise to me." [Adrian]

He said, rather shocked by the contents of the conversation that he had heard and how openly hostile Daw was with Ryner.

"We're not hiding it too well, so some should have found out who I am and what I can do." [Ryner]

"Certainly, Count Huffe might be privy to the fact that you're the Hero of the Broken mask." [Adrian]

"They definitely need to change that name…" [Ryner]

"You should have worn something more proper when you grandly saved us in front of everyone." [Adrian]

"Whatever. From his words and attitude, I think the guy's implying two things." [Ryner]

Ryner raised the index finger of his right hand.

"He doesn't respect the royal family at all, buuut we already knew that to be a fact." [Ryner]

"… I can't deny it." [Adrian]

Ryner raised his middle finger next.

"And he's got someone to replace me." [Ryner]

"…" [Adrian]

"Have you noticed any noble factions making strange moves?" [Ryner]

"… None that I'm aware of. I'll talk to my wife, Clara, about this after her meeting." [Adrian]

Adrian sighed and put a hand on his forehead like he was getting a headache.

"As you no doubt know, we need you. The strength of an S rank is invaluable, but few such individuals willingly choose to come into the service of another." [Adrian]

"Like Klauss?"

"We are extremely grateful to the Knight Commander. It's because of his loyalty that our royal family has gained great influence over the nobility." [Adrian]

The blue-eyed man in his fifties stroke his beard, ruminating over the situation.

"If Count Huffe is acting up, then perhaps his faction has found an S rank willing to support them. But, everything is still at the stage of speculation." [Adrian]

"So, the best and stupidest possibility is that he's too dumb to know better and decided to pick a fight with me." [Ryner]

"Maybe, but where would they find an S ran-?" [Adrian]

"RYNER!" [Leila]

Suddenly, a blonde-haired woman in her early twenties loudly barged into the room. Adrian felt like reprimanding her, but gave up since it was his daughter, Leila. Whenever Ryner was around, she would get worked up.

"You're late! I've been waiting for you in the training grounds!" [Leila]

She said angrily as she briskly walked towards him, her high ponytail swaying behind her.

"Oh, yeah, can it wait? I'm sort of in an important discussion with your dad right now." [Ryner]

"No! You're also keeping my elder sister waiting and that's unforgivable!" [Leila]

She dragged him away by the hand.

"Ryner, remember to be kind to my daughters." [Adrian]

Adrian didn't stop her at all and only gave Ryner a few parting words.

"You're seriously gonna overlook this, king?! Eh, let go! Damnit, Ponytail! I'll call you Ponytail if you don't let go!" [Ryner]

"You already do, idiot!" [Leila]

"Only an idiot would call someone an idiot!" [Ryner]

"S-so! Childish!!" [Leila]

As the bickering duo noisily left the room, Adrian sighed once more, but there was a small, heartfelt smile on his face.

"Now then, for the sake of this country, and for my daughters…" [Adrian]

He spoke to himself as he got back to work.

"I'd better hurry and find a way to force a court rank on Ryner." [Adrian]