Our expressions of joy at having finally discovered the treasure rapidly dissolved into ones of confusion and disappointment. Beneath the lovely fabric of the throw was hidden a worn and rotting trunk. Its hinges and buckles were rusted. Its black, leather exterior was cracked, and bits of it were beginning to flake away. Against the backdrop of so much opulence, the contrast was striking.
Worse, atop it, a message had been scratched, as though by a convict with a shiv against his prison wall.
A bargain struck ‘tween Great and Low,
Of shattered soul to guard.
Why for should I then gifts bestow,
With bargain’s spirit marred?
“That doesn’t sound good,” I said after a moment. Although the poetic rhythm sort of reminded me Gilligan’s Island, for some reason.
“Do you think it’s a riddle?” Lynnria asked.
I hesitated in answering, instead rattling the lid to check if I could just open the thing. Unsurprisingly, it was stuck fast, but unlike the other Dungeon chests I had seen, there were none of those clear triangular indentations to stick a Key. So I did not see how this could be anything but a riddle, but if it was, it was one of the strangest ones I had ever seen.
“I don’t know. It almost seems more rhetorical than anything. Mia, what do—” I paused to rephrase. Whatever this latest phase of hers was, I really did not want to trigger it again. “Uh… if you have anything to share, it would be helpful.”
“Oh? Finally beginning to pay attention to our phrasing, are we?” she replied with a chuckle. “I swear, how very you. What’s the matter? Does it upset you to see your lovely Faen drowning in the pleasure of your questions? Would you rather I go back to merely being pained by them?”
I sighed. “I would rather be able to have a normal conversation with you, but we deal with the hand we’ve been dealt.”
“That’s a weird expression,” Lynnria commented. “What does that have to do with the riddle?”
“Gargle piss, cunt! No one asked you!” Mia yelled—again, totally inaudibly to Lynnria.
“Mia, you realize—“ I paused, having realized something myself. “Wait, you only swore that time. What happened to the ‘drowning in pleasure’ bit?”
“Mmm~ yes! I’m a slut for Master!” she moaned gleefully before settling herself. “Uhm… well, I—I suppose that’s accurate. I don’t feel anything but annoyed at her questions.”
“Drowning in…?“ Lynnria shook her head. “Donum, you really have the most curious conversations, but I think you two are getting off topic.”
I held up a hand and took a calming breath. She was right, of course. And if I was learning anything through this experience, it was that schizophrenics had a raw deal. I was just grateful that the voice in my head was not a mere hallucination.
Or well… perhaps grateful was too strong a word. If someone were to offer me medication and a nice lie down to make it all go away, I would have given the suggestion some serious thought.
“I’m getting around to it, Lynnria,” I said instead. “Just give me a minute.”
She nodded and plopped down to wait. Then she winced and had to resettle to accommodate her tail—something I had never once seen her do.
Always had it, my ass…
“Mia, I’m sorry. I realize that questions… set you off, but they are also a very normal part of speech. When we’re in a bind, I tend to forget,” I explained, trying to placate her.
Although, to be fair, I had also been finding a touch of perverse enjoyment in her uncontrollable swearing. It could be amusing at times, and I was still a little salty at my treatment at the hands of her deific counterpart. So I did not feel too badly for the occasional lapse. But she scarcely needed to know that.
“Also, rephrasing questions tends to make them feel commanding and rude.”
“Hardly rude,” she returned. “Do you think I cannot tell when you are awkwardly trying not to trigger me? It’s sweet.”
Sweet? Now I really was starting to feel guilty.
“But you need not apologize,” she continued. “You are my master. I live for your attention. Your questions for me now are like… like the warmest of hugs. The tenderest of kisses. They make me want to wrap my legs about you and—“
I cleared my throat with some exaggeration. “Okay! I get the picture.”
For a moment, I glanced at Lynnria. I really, really needed to address this whole ‘master’ business, and Mia’s behavior lately had gotten… inexplicably horny. But acknowledging it right now was its own can of worms.
The only thing was, I also had no idea when I might have the time to get around to it. Lynnria was not going anywhere, and before long, I would have the lilim to deal with. Privacy was a commodity in extremely short supply.
“Um… Lynnria,” I begin, signaling for her attention. “Mia and I need to have a private discussion about some personal things, so…”
“Oh, alright. Uh…” She looked around the smallish room we were in at a loss.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll just go sit in the corner to bind my knees while the two of us talk. You see what you can do with the chest.”
She nodded and hopped to her feet again, seemingly happy to busy herself with the puzzle. Though, when she straightened, she wobbled unsteadily and had to catch herself on the furniture. For a moment, she frowned in confusion and glanced back at her tail. It waved back at her.
While I hobbled away, Mia’s transparent form reappeared. “So… what is this all about? Something bothering you? Or perhaps, you wish to… ask me some more questions? You wish to see my pleasure for yourself?” She bit at her lower lip suggestively at the idea and began pressing down on the front of her thighs as if to still her hands.
Ho boy.
While I worked to compose myself for the coming conversation, I carefully tore the throw into two long strips by using my teeth to start the rip. It really was a nice bit of fabric and extremely delicate. It felt like silk to the touch. I almost felt bad in destroying such a thing for bandages, but needs must.
“Mia…” I began. “I am no one’s master.”
Seleroan
Hey there, gentle reader.
Enjoying the content? Well, why not drop by my Patreon? It helps me keep this show running, and allows me to afford great things like editors, cover artists, and food!
Each chapter is now being personalized with some... passable chapter-inspired AI generated art. I try. But it gives things a bit of color. And you can read ahead!
Come on down! We'd love to see you.
Our expressions of joy at having finally discovered the treasure rapidly dissolved into ones of confusion and disappointment. Beneath the lovely fabric of the throw was hidden a worn and rotting trunk. Its hinges and buckles were rusted. Its black, leather exterior was cracked, and bits of it were beginning to flake away. Against the backdrop of so much opulence, the contrast was striking.
Worse, atop it, a message had been scratched, as though by a convict with a shiv against his prison wall.
A bargain struck ‘tween Great and Low,
Of shattered soul to guard.
Why for should I then gifts bestow,
With bargain’s spirit marred?
“That doesn’t sound good,” I said after a moment. Although the poetic rhythm sort of reminded me Gilligan’s Island, for some reason.
“Do you think it’s a riddle?” Lynnria asked.
I hesitated in answering, instead rattling the lid to check if I could just open the thing. Unsurprisingly, it was stuck fast, but unlike the other Dungeon chests I had seen, there were none of those clear triangular indentations to stick a Key. So I did not see how this could be anything but a riddle, but if it was, it was one of the strangest ones I had ever seen.
“I don’t know. It almost seems more rhetorical than anything. Mia, what do—” I paused to rephrase. Whatever this latest phase of hers was, I really did not want to trigger it again. “Uh… if you have anything to share, it would be helpful.”
“Oh? Finally beginning to pay attention to our phrasing, are we?” she replied with a chuckle. “I swear, how very you. What’s the matter? Does it upset you to see your lovely Faen drowning in the pleasure of your questions? Would you rather I go back to merely being pained by them?”
I sighed. “I would rather be able to have a normal conversation with you, but we deal with the hand we’ve been dealt.”
“That’s a weird expression,” Lynnria commented. “What does that have to do with the riddle?”
“Gargle piss, cunt! No one asked you!” Mia yelled—again, totally inaudibly to Lynnria.
“Mia, you realize—“ I paused, having realized something myself. “Wait, you only swore that time. What happened to the ‘drowning in pleasure’ bit?”
“Mmm~ yes! I’m a slut for Master!” she moaned gleefully before settling herself. “Uhm… well, I—I suppose that’s accurate. I don’t feel anything but annoyed at her questions.”
“Drowning in…?“ Lynnria shook her head. “Donum, you really have the most curious conversations, but I think you two are getting off topic.”
I held up a hand and took a calming breath. She was right, of course. And if I was learning anything through this experience, it was that schizophrenics had a raw deal. I was just grateful that the voice in my head was not a mere hallucination.
Or well… perhaps grateful was too strong a word. If someone were to offer me medication and a nice lie down to make it all go away, I would have given the suggestion some serious thought.
“I’m getting around to it, Lynnria,” I said instead. “Just give me a minute.”
She nodded and plopped down to wait. Then she winced and had to resettle to accommodate her tail—something I had never once seen her do.
Always had it, my ass…
“Mia, I’m sorry. I realize that questions… set you off, but they are also a very normal part of speech. When we’re in a bind, I tend to forget,” I explained, trying to placate her.
Although, to be fair, I had also been finding a touch of perverse enjoyment in her uncontrollable swearing. It could be amusing at times, and I was still a little salty at my treatment at the hands of her deific counterpart. So I did not feel too badly for the occasional lapse. But she scarcely needed to know that.
“Also, rephrasing questions tends to make them feel commanding and rude.”
“Hardly rude,” she returned. “Do you think I cannot tell when you are awkwardly trying not to trigger me? It’s sweet.”
Sweet? Now I really was starting to feel guilty.
“But you need not apologize,” she continued. “You are my master. I live for your attention. Your questions for me now are like… like the warmest of hugs. The tenderest of kisses. They make me want to wrap my legs about you and—“
I cleared my throat with some exaggeration. “Okay! I get the picture.”
For a moment, I glanced at Lynnria. I really, really needed to address this whole ‘master’ business, and Mia’s behavior lately had gotten… inexplicably horny. But acknowledging it right now was its own can of worms.
The only thing was, I also had no idea when I might have the time to get around to it. Lynnria was not going anywhere, and before long, I would have the lilim to deal with. Privacy was a commodity in extremely short supply.
“Um… Lynnria,” I begin, signaling for her attention. “Mia and I need to have a private discussion about some personal things, so…”
“Oh, alright. Uh…” She looked around the smallish room we were in at a loss.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ll just go sit in the corner to bind my knees while the two of us talk. You see what you can do with the chest.”
She nodded and hopped to her feet again, seemingly happy to busy herself with the puzzle. Though, when she straightened, she wobbled unsteadily and had to catch herself on the furniture. For a moment, she frowned in confusion and glanced back at her tail. It waved back at her.
While I hobbled away, Mia’s transparent form reappeared. “So… what is this all about? Something bothering you? Or perhaps, you wish to… ask me some more questions? You wish to see my pleasure for yourself?” She bit at her lower lip suggestively at the idea and began pressing down on the front of her thighs as if to still her hands.
Ho boy.
While I worked to compose myself for the coming conversation, I carefully tore the throw into two long strips by using my teeth to start the rip. It really was a nice bit of fabric and extremely delicate. It felt like silk to the touch. I almost felt bad in destroying such a thing for bandages, but needs must.
“Mia…” I began. “I am no one’s master.”
Seleroan
Hey there, gentle reader.
Enjoying the content? Well, why not drop by my Patreon? It helps me keep this show running, and allows me to afford great things like editors, cover artists, and food!
Each chapter is now being personalized with some... passable chapter-inspired AI generated art. I try. But it gives things a bit of color. And you can read ahead!
Come on down! We'd love to see you.
