Alcohol was universal apparently. The bar was relatively quiet yet a few tables were filled with spiders. Some had a glass of alcohol in their hand while others were gambling. A young lady was carrying a tray of drinks.
"I want that," Corvus said.
Kaelith was sitting next to him at the high chairs.
"The woman?" he raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Corvus shook his head.
"Ten glasses full of the strongest alcohol."
It had been almost two years since he last drank. He was certain that his unique situation allowed for him to get shitfaced every now and again. His sister was going to eat him.
"That'd be 30 frost coins," the bartender said.
Checking his pocket, he realized that he doesn't have any money to his name. Lyssandra didn't give him an allowance. She provided everything. Clothes, food and water.
Kaelith chuckled as he put the coins on the counter.
"Do only four."
He nodded and took out four glasses and a bottle. Smoke started coming out of the glasses. It smelled like cherries.
"Cheers, I guess," Corvus said as he raised his glass.
His glass was hanging alone in the air. Kaelith stared at him.
"What?" Corvus asked.
"Why are you raising your glass?"
He looked around at the other patrons. None of them clinked their glasses together or did anything remotely similar.
"It's a gesture for celebrations," he said awkwardly.
Kaelith reluctantly raised his glass.
"To being sacrifices," Kaelith said.
They clinked their glasses together. After a few minutes, Corvus was already tipsy.
"This is quite strong," he said as he downed another cup.
"It's made by the Corpus family themselves. They created a special sigil that makes alcohol ten times stronger and it has a cherry flavoring," Kaelith said.
Corvus chuckled, "The last thing I want to think of when I'm drunk is magic."
Grabbing his cup, he moved his visage out of his jacket, trying to find out if he can get drunk from his visage as well. He dunked the spider's head into the drink. It was a rush to the brain. Everyone in the bar was staring at him.
"You're fucking weird man," Kaelith said.
"So it's okay if I see from my visage but not drink with it?" Corvus asked.
Kaelith shrugged, "I don't make the social rules."
They drank all four glasses. Corvus wanted to order another round but Kaelith dragged him outside. The moonlight was lighting up the streets, giving them an eerie glow. A few spider monsters were still walking.
"Where are we going?" Corvus asked.
"The red light district," he answered.
Corvus stopped. He was quite tipsy by now.
"Why?"
His friend chuckled.
"I've seen you follow around Aurelia.You got something for flowers don't you?" Kaelith looked at Corvus.
He did but it had nothing to do with sex. It was more of a do-or-die situation. He needed magic and she was the only one he knew.
"Anyways we're going to a special brothel. Plenty of flowers to choose from," Kaelith continued as they arrived at the destination.
It was a small building. The sign read: Garden of Delights. Kaelith knocked on the door. A small peephole opened and an eye looked them both over.
"What's the passcode?" A gruff voice asked.
Kaelith leaned in closer, "Aphrodite's rose."
The eye closed the peephole and then unlocked the doors. A massive spider stood before them. Tattoos on his face, neck, nose and even his visage had tattoos. They were guided down the stairs to a receptionist area. It was cozy. Small couches and armchairs scattered all around with a few coffee tables. The wallpaper was covered in pink and red hearts. A pink mist was slowly flowing into the area. It smelled sweet yet acidic.
"Is this poison?" Corvus asked as he sniffed it some more.
"Sort of," Kaelith said before walking to the reception.
"Hello Sir Kaelith, you're always on time for your appointment," she giggled, "And who is your new friend?"
Corvus waved awkwardly at her.
"A friend with a flower fetish Angela," he said.
Angela giggled again.
"First time?" she said looking at Corvus.
He nodded.
"Oh you're going to love it here."
In his past life he wasn't a virgin but he wasn't a guy to go to brothels. But now that he's tipsy, he might as well enjoy the pleasures of this world before he dies. Angela took out a small folder.
"Flowers are not quite as popular but we do have a few different species you can choose from," she said.
Corvus opened the file and it was like opening a restaurant menu. He couldn't decide.
"Well I'm going first," Kaelith said as he walked into one of the doors as if he'd done it a million times.
The list was actually quite detailed. It listed their amount of time with customers, their age and what species they were. But most intriguing was their magic. Corvus focused on the magic of the girls. His system needed him to bond with at least one before his magic was unlocked. A picture of a young woman caught his eyes.
"Why does she have 0 time with customers?" he asked.
Angela leaned in, "Oh she's a poppy. They are quite dangerous and expensive for well... I suppose the matriarch."
"Dangerous? It says here she has mind magic. Will she destroy my mind?" he said with a joking tone.
That'd be too powerful.
Angela chuckled, "No poppies only know sigils about sexuality and pleasure. You might get addicted to her though."
That sounded perfect. If he could get Valerica addicted to him then she wouldn't eat him, right? Or it'd make bonding with flowers easier if they were addicted to him, right?
"I'll take her," he said with a grin.
Angela raised her eyebrow.
"Are you sure? For your first time a sunflower would've sufficed. Or even a rose would be nice."
Corvus shook his head, "Nope I'm taking... Priscilla."
She let out a sigh.
"If you say so," she said.
Angela led him to a room and opened it for him.
"Priscilla, your client is here."
The room was pink and red themed as well. The heart shaped bed was massive. Priscilla was lying in bed, reading a book. Next to the bed was a table with bottles of alcohol.
"Hey there," Corvus said with his visage staring at her.
Her hair was split in two, one side was red and the other was black. She had a chain connecting one leg to the bed post.
"Oh hello," she said with a soft voice as she got up from the bed and curtsied.
Corvus felt weird looking at her. That smile was empty. Her eyes seemed devoid of any light.
"I'm Priscilla," she paused, "And what should I call you master?"
She was wearing a sheer black dress. Her breasts were small yet they were still there. Her visage was hidden somewhere.
"Corvus is fine."
He walked up to her and grabbed one of the bottles off the table.
"Have you been drinking?" he said.
The pink mist was quite strong in the room but the smell of alcohol was even stronger.
"No master," she said as her eyes darted to the other empty bottles.
Corvus rubbed his arm. Obviously she seems drunk or even addicted to alcohol. He was feeling pity for her but a chance at mind magic was a chance he couldn't miss.
"How about we drink some more," he said.
Priscilla nodded. He poured both of them a drink. He handed one over and took a sip of his. At first Corvus was only taking small sips so that he wouldn't get drunk. But the guilt of his plan got him gulping down the rest.
Priscilla had already drunk two bottles. She laid back down on the bed. Her pale legs were spread apart. She giggled. A small red flower appeared on the side of her head.
"Shall we get started?" she asked.
The mist was starting to feel like it was suffocating Corvus. His horniness was getting higher and higher by the seconds. He pinched himself. His goal was to bond with her so he needed to focus on touching her flower. Her visage.
"We shall," he said as he undressed.
He placed himself on top of her, their lips almost touching. His visage moved towards his head. Her visage was staring at his. Corvus could hear his heart beating as if it was about to explode. The plan was to distract her by kissing her and hope it was enough time to bond.
His lips touched hers. It was electric, a spark that ran down his body and made his skin tingle.
[Bond initializing...]
He felt her shiver beneath him as they kissed. She didn't care about his visage touching her own visage.
[1/8 Bond established]
[Mind Magic acquired]
He pulled away from her, a trail of saliva connected them. Corvus' visage was still embracing her flower. Priscilla's face was bright red but her eyes appeared wet and she was shaking a little.
"Please kiss me again master," she said with a voice on the brink of cracking.
He couldn't absolve himself. He rolled to her side and rested his head on the pillow.
"Fuck."