Stiletto, Charli, and Lyria were gathered in Stiletto's room.
Charli and Stiletto sat side by side on the edge of his bed, while Lyria lounged casually on the couch across from them.
Rather than seeming sad—or betrayed—by the fact that Stiletto would be moving away in a week, Charli seemed far more distracted by something else entirely—he had a girlfriend. And not just any girlfriend...
Leaning in, Charli covered Stiletto's ear as she whispered:
"She's fucking hot!"
Stiletto nodded, and Charli turned her attention across the room.
"Lyria, was it?"
The Goddess nodded once in response, and Charli's expression shifted into something playful and smug as she leaned back slightly.
"So… does Stiletto here fuck you good?"
Lyria's cheeks flushed instantly as she looked away. Charli's boldness had caught her off guard, yes—but what truly flustered her was that she'd actually considered the question, if only for a split second. The fact that Stiletto hadn't slept with her yet, choosing instead to tease her relentlessly night after night, only made her more embarrassed.
Stiletto answered in her place, turning toward Charli:
"What's it to you? Would you rather I fuck you good instead?"
A brief look of shock crossed Charli's face before she burst out laughing.
"Gods, Stiletto! Since when did you get so bold?! I know you've changed lately, but wow."
She paused, catching her breath as she held her stomach. Then she turned back toward Lyria, her expression shifting into something unexpectedly serious.
"Take care of him. He's a good guy."
The Goddess barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes.
'If only she knew...'
Of course, she would have loved to scream the truth—that she was a slave—but Stiletto had made that impossible. He'd taken careful measures, ordering her never to disclose it and to present herself only as his girlfriend.
In any situation like this, she had to take his side.
She nodded.
"I will."
Charli nodded too, though something unreadable crossed her face—until Stiletto cut in again:
"Aww~ how sweet, Charli. But don't think I don't know what thoughts are going on in that head of yours. You think I'm still a virgin, huh? That there's no way I actually have a girlfriend? Well, I'll have you know Lyria's felt my touch plenty of times… isn't that right, lover~?"
Curious now, Charli waited for the Goddess's response as well.
Lyria nodded softly, heat creeping into her cheeks.
"...Y—yes."
Despite the Goddess's confession, the wild girl beside Stiletto showed no reaction.
Stiletto continued, amusement clear in his voice:
"And would you care to share how you always end up afterward?"
Lyria tried to suppress her words as much as she could before the words inevitably spilled out:
"…In tears."
This time, Charli reacted—her eyes widening.
"T—tears?!"
Stiletto nodded in approval.
"Go on. Explain it properly, Lyria. She doesn't seem to understand. Why do you end up in tears?"
A rush of memories flashed through Lyria's mind—night after night, each one blurring into the next. All night she'd be completely naked—put in different positions all over this very bedroom. Her only breaks were when Mya stepped in instead. Otherwise, Stiletto showed no mercy—pushing her to the edge of ecstasy every time, only to stop short before she came.
She hadn't even seen him naked yet; he always remained clothed.
'Wait, why am I thinking about that...'
Why would it matter whether his clothes were on or off? It was terrible regardless.
'Right.'
She shook her head, forcing the thoughts away, though her inner-thighs felt strangely warm.
After an awkward shuffle on the couch, she answered quietly:
"It... i—it's too much to handle."
Charli couldn't sit still any longer and stood up from the bed.
"O—oh! I see..."
She turned back toward Stiletto just as he made an exaggerated, fake mic-drop motion.
Not that he even knew whether microphones existed in this world. Then again, magic Bluetooth was a thing, so chances were they did.
In any case, he pressed on.
"And Lyria isn't the first… I'll tell you that."
Charli eyed his smirk, then asked:
"Who else?"
"Sorry, but that's all you're getting for now~!"
He paused for a moment, almost able to see her mentally running through a list of the women it could have been.
Stiletto had no intention of dragging Mya into this—respecting their situation and her privacy. That resolve only strengthened when he remembered that Charli knew Mya nearly as well as he did. The busty maid had overseen their playdates when they were younger and had remained a constant presence as they continued to hang out over the years.
Spotting an opening to tease in their little game, Stiletto raised an eyebrow playfully and spoke:
"What's the deal with all the questions? By now shouldn't you be all..."
He patted his crotch area for a second as he went on:
"...'Looks like you finally found your manhood~,' as you give me a lap dance or something?"
A strange glint surfaced in the depths of Charli's pitch-black eyes as she leaned in, whispering loudly:
"Hey! Your girlfriend is right there, idiot!"
A response he hadn't been expecting.
And before he could say anything else, she spun around to face Lyria, rubbing the back of her head as she slapped on a hastily assembled smile—too wide—as she laughed.
"Sorry... Stiletto appears to be in a goofy mood today!"
An awkward silence settled over the room. Lyria raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. She couldn't care less about whatever Charli chose to do.
Charli half-turned back, giving Stiletto a strange—almost scolding—look before speaking again:
"I—I think I'm going to head home now. Uh… have fun, you two!"
Then she was gone, storming out of the room without another word.
Truly a strange girl.
+++
Charli walked through the familiar halls, making her way toward the manor's entrance. Her expression was unreadable—until she stopped short, hearing two loud voices coming from around the corner, one of which she was fairly certain she recognized.
"And who said you could not only leave the room, but take him out alone—without my permission?!"
"Oh, gods… this AGAIN?!"
"Well, I'm not done talking about it! What was even the point of doing that? You're completely different now! Ever since that errand with Stiletto, you've been terrible!"
"What, are you jealous or something?!"
"Woman…"
"Go on—hit me! Hit me! I bet you can't! Show me you still have some man left in you!"
Unsure when—or how—to round the corner, knowing she had to pass through the hallway to leave, Charli finally stepped forward. Standing there was the baron, accompanied by a dark-elf woman with her back to Charli. Even without seeing her face, Charli could tell she was beautiful.
She'd never seen her before.
'What the hell's going on?'
The baron cleared his throat, his irritation obvious, though he managed to suppress it.
"Charli! Hey! What, uh… brings you here?"
"Oh, I was just on my way out, Daeron. I stopped by to see Stiletto for a moment."
Forcing a smile, he nodded.
"Oh, I see..."
His gaze dropped to Syril, whose arms were crossed tightly in front of her, her patience clearly spent.
When he spoke again, it was with barely restrained anger:
"This isn't the place for this. Not in the hallways. Go to the room.'
A deep sigh.
"Now."
The woman sneered, deliberately swaying her hips as she brushed shoulders with Charli and headed back down the hall.
Charli frowned, certain she heard the beautiful woman mutter under her breath:
"Stiletto would've hit me...'
+++
Back in Stiletto's luxurious room, he stood before the couch where Lyria sat, having moved toward her as soon as Charli was gone.
'It's time...'
He inhaled slowly.
"We're leaving in six days. And so… I think it's finally time I tell you."
Stiletto's red eyes narrowed as they met her own—equally red—as he finished:
"...Who I really am."