Amid the stunned silence that followed Seraphina's declaration that she wanted to go to a brothel, no one in the room considered for even a second that she wanted to open up their relationship. She simply wasn't that type of girl. If anything, any sexual needs she might have were easily handled with either her potions or Lilia's inventions.
"What kind of brothel?" Bastion asked.
"A cat brothel!" Seraphina answered.
"I don't suppose the point of such a place is to have sex with cats?" Lilia asked.
"What!? No!" Seraphina shouted. "Apparently, feline demihumans consider fur touching very intimate. So from their perspective, they're prostituting themselves by allowing people to touch them. A cat brothel is a place where we can pay to hug big fluffy cats."
"You know you could always go to a tamer if you want to hug fluffy things," Ariel suggested.
"Monsters and pets smell because their trainers don't clean them often enough since they're used for battles!" Seraphina complained, shaking her head. "The prostitutes in a cat brothel, by comparison, are well-groomed and bathe regularly."
"Why don't you just raise a big fluffy pet then?"
"Ugh, it's too much of a hassle to take care of them, plus I already have Mew and Akari. Mew barely tolerates Akari's presence since she can be unsummoned, but she would have a fit if I added a bigger, fluffier new pet."
"Can't you just make Mew bigger and hug her to sleep? Don't you have a growth potion?"
"I can't make temporary full-body growth potions yet, and it will take a while for Mew to grow on her own," Seraphina said. "The prostitutes in a cat brothel will have to do for now. The only problem is that they're expensive."
"How expensive?" Bastion asked, though it hardly mattered given their finances.
"Depending on the rank of the prostitute, or more specifically, how high their Charm stat is, it can range anywhere from a silver coin per hour to a mithril coin per hour. There are even extremely fancy ones who can charge a magic crystal per hour because they're Rank 3 and have over a hundred in their Charm stat."
"We're not strong enough for that option. We were almost mind-controlled by that Rank 3 hyena woman, so being within talking distance of a Rank 3 with over a hundred in Charm is just asking to be enslaved. Besides, they're too expensive anyway."
"I know that! How about the mithril one?" Seraphina asked hopefully.
Bastion exhaled. "Still too high, and you know it. They're likely weaker Rank 3s that could still affect us. We don't have the stats to resist them if they tried to force us into indefinite servitude or anything equally absurd."
"Fine!" Seraphina pouted. "The platinum one then."
"I guess that's fine. We have pretty high Charm stats and can bridge the gap with our high Intelligence and Wisdom, so even if they have over a hundred Charm at Rank 2, we should still be able to resist."
"Yes!" Seraphina cheered, pumping her fist. "Who else wants to go?"
In all honesty, Bastion didn't see the appeal of it, but he couldn't in good conscience refuse Seraphina's enthusiasm. She was so excited about it that it was clear it meant a lot to her. As such, it was his duty as her husband to share in the experience. Besides, she needed a bodyguard to go with her, and there wasn't a better one in the group than him.
"Pass," Lilia said. "I'm not interested in fur, plus I have a mountain of bones to catalog by magic saturation."
"I shall pass as well," Elyra said. "I would like to continue my investigation into the kingdom's cuisine."
"I'll go," Ariel said. "I wouldn't mind drowning in some fur."
"Alright!" Seraphina cheered. "Let's go!"
And so the group split up again, with Seraphina, Bastion, and Ariel heading for a reputable establishment that had been recommended to Seraphina by a tailor. Apparently, there were sketchy ones that tried to cut costs by reducing grooming supplies for their workers, which resulted in an overall poor experience.
They made their way toward the upper levels of the city, which were considered the more affluent areas, climbing platforms, crossing rope bridges, and traversing narrow tree branches. It was a dangerous city for Apprentice-ranked humans in general, but it was just right for the feline demihumans who had impeccable balance and made up the majority of the citizens living there.
Eventually, they arrived at a well-decorated door set into one of the three trunks, indicating that it was a more sophisticated establishment. Above it hung a sign bearing the name "The Purring Parlor".
They stepped inside and found themselves in a warm, candle-lit lounge with a bar off to the side serving drinks. Cushioned seating areas were scattered throughout, covered in plush fabrics and oversized pillows in muted earth tones. It was a cozy, earthy, yet luxurious place.
Feline demihumans moved quietly through the space with cat-like grace, some lounging lazily on raised perches while others guided guests further inside. The men stood guard with watchful eyes while the women served drinks with playful smiles. None of them wore collars, making it immediately clear that they were employees rather than slaves. They wore no clothes apart from loincloths for the men, leaving their well-groomed fur fully on display, their coats shining with a healthy sheen beneath the candlelight.
The women, mostly delicate house cat demihumans, moved among the guests with soft, alluring smiles and easy confidence. Their soft breasts gently bounced with every step, their hips and tails swaying teasingly as their silken fur grazed warmly against the guests with heavy, inviting intent.
Meanwhile, muscular predatory cat demihuman men lounged against pillars or sprawled lazily in their seats, their broad chests and powerful physiques boldly on display. They watched the guests with ravenous, devouring gazes, making it obvious that both the women and the men were available for the establishment's services depending on a customer's tastes.
Guests were served light drinks carried on polished wooden trays, ranging from herbal infusions to subtly sweet fruit blends. In one corner, live music filled the air as a bard played a harp, its flowing notes soft and airy, blending seamlessly with the tranquil atmosphere. The air carried a faint scent of clean linen, herbal oils, and something minty, grassy, and slightly lemony.
"Catnip?" Seraphina said as she walked inside and began sniffing. "Yup! It's catnip."
"Welcome to The Purring Parlor," a panther demihuman woman said with a sultry purr. "Table for three, or would you like a private room?"
"A private room," Bastion replied.
Knowing Seraphina, she would likely appreciate the privacy rather than restrain herself out in public. She may have improved her ability to handle herself in social situations, but she was still a shut-in at heart.
"Very well, follow me," the woman said as she led the way past the lounge area into a hallway.
As the three passed, they could hear muffled sounds of deep primal roars, needy mewling moans, and the relentless rhythmic pounding of beds. It seemed this place was as much a regular brothel as it was Seraphina's more wholesome cat brothel.
"You have thin walls," Ariel complained.
"These rooms are cheaper," the woman replied rather quickly. "If you'd like, I can arrange my best room for you."
"Please do," Bastion said.
"Excellent," she said with a satisfied tone. "We'll be heading a bit deeper then."
"Tsk," Seraphina spat. "You fell for an obvious marketing strategy."
"Either way," Bastion said, a bit louder. "I prefer that we have our privacy. Money isn't a problem so long as it matches the quality."
With eager steps, the woman led them to a larger room with refined decorations, its design clearly modeled after a noble's private chamber. At the center sat a massive bed easily large enough to fit a dozen people, framed by elegant carved posts and draped fabrics. Along the sides were plush couches and polished tables arranged with careful symmetry, accompanied by tasteful ornaments and soft lighting that gave the space a controlled, upscale atmosphere befitting high-class clientele.
"It looks just like your room at the castle," Ariel commented.
"It's missing the bathtub and the colors don't match," Seraphina muttered.
"It's good enough," Bastion said.
"Now, what sort of companions would you all prefer?" the woman asked smoothly. "Male or female? What rank should they be? And for fur, would you prefer long or short coats, specific colors, or certain textures? If you like, you may simply describe the qualities you are interested in."
"Rank 2 for all three of us," Bastion insisted. "Female, and I have no preferences regarding the fur."
"Female, short-haired but not too short, and white like my wings," Ariel said.
"Female, and I want her to be super fluffy and soft," Seraphina said excitedly.
"Excellent choices. I know exactly who to call," the woman said with a smile. "You can make yourselves comfortable in the meantime."
Once the woman left, Seraphina didn't hesitate to remove her robe and jump onto the bed in her underwear. Ariel followed suit, stripping out of her leather armor until she was down to a bra and panties. Meanwhile, Bastion took off his coat and sat on the couch, wearing only a white dress shirt and black slacks.
"You're not going to take off your clothes?" Seraphina asked. "Don't you want maximum skin-to-fur contact?"
"I'm fine," Bastion said. "I'm not planning on having sex."
"Why?" Ariel asked. "You know we don't mind."
"I do," Bastion replied. "Despite having a harem, I consider myself relatively faithful."
"That's such an Earth mindset," Seraphina said with a sigh. "You should loosen up a bit."
"I already have the four of you. Do you really want me dividing my attention even more?"
"I don't mind," Ariel said.
"It's not like I need much attention," Seraphina added with a shrug.
Bastion sighed and shook his head. Despite the circumstances and the hypocrisy of it all, he still considered himself a faithful man. He couldn't help clinging to the old notions of monogamy he had grown up with, even in his current situation. Perhaps it was simply his way of coping with this new world he had found himself in, one that had only continued to grow larger since they left the Kingdom of Brilliance.
Suddenly, the door opened and three naked demihuman women with anthropomorphic cat features walked in. A slim Turkish Angora with striking yellow eyes and pristine white fur made her way to Ariel. Next came a plump Ragdoll with captivating sky-blue eyes and long white fur with brown tufts, approaching Seraphina. Finally, a smaller tiger demihuman, standing at Bastion's height with an adorably cute tiger face, shyly made her way to him.
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