“Thank you for your hard work, Miss Liliana!”  A pale woman with pointed ears and long, curly blond hair chimed happily, holding out a small burlap pouch.

Liliana reached her hand out from beneath her midnight blue cloak and took the small sack. “Yeah, yeah. No problem, Rowana,” she plainly stated as she untied the bag, emptying the contents as copper coins spilled into her petite hand. After staring for a moment, she turned to look at the receptionist with an unamused look. “Twenty-two copper coins and three silver? I took out orcs, not goblins,” Lilliana grunted, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”  Rowana responded with a bright smile.  “You see, there has been a rather large influx of mid-level adventurers and mercenaries to Auria recently.  We can’t pay as much for these bounties anymore since there are so many brave souls fighting over quests of this level.”

Liliana winced, raising an eyebrow.  “Don’t you have anything that pays better?  How am I supposed to fix my equipment and feed myself on this pittance?”

“Well!  There is a rather desperate need for high rankers and above!  Those demon portals have made it prime hunting season here for those with great skill.”

Liliana took a deep breath, her frustration swelling up.  “In other words, there’s no money to be made here for someone mediocre like me?”

Rowana sighed, putting her hands down on her desk before leaning forward.  “Look, you’re a great mid-level adventurer.  You get the job done; you’re efficient, empathetic with clients, etcetera, etcetera.  Let me give you some advice.”  She pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest.  “Auria is on course to become one of the world’s greatest cities; the increase in demon portals and other high-level threats in the area surrounding us ensures a healthy economy. There are plenty of jobs for courageous warriors and also for the various industries that can make use of the rare and exotic materials found on these quests.”

“What’s your point?  You haven’t given me any advice yet?”  Responded Liliana dully.

“I’m getting to that!”  Rowana huffed, puffing her cheeks slightly.  “As I was saying, Auria is bustling; there’s no shortage of people just like you.  It costs a small fortune to live here as it is.  Why not go somewhere else?  Someone of your skill level could easily enjoy a comfortable life somewhere further south.  Did you know there’s no shortage of goblins and orcs down in Baltia?”  Her tone grew cheerful, trying to give off some positive energy.

Liliana felt as though she had been slapped as her heart sank into her stomach.  Baltia??? That word echoed through her head as she grew livid.  “Baltia is all farmland and tiny villages!  I don’t even know if most people there can read.  You want me to move there?”

“Look, it’s just a suggestion.  There are some nice towns as well; my cousin is mid-level as well and has enjoyed the rural life out there quite a lot!”

“Well, I don’t enjoy rural life.  I came here from another hick country to enjoy more modern amenities.  I’m not going to find any magicell technology out there; no indoor lighting, no warp runes, no– anything!”

“Nice things are expensive; arch wizards and scholars aren’t going to go out to the middle of nowhere, you know,” insisted Rowana

“So you admit that Baltia is nowhere?”  Liliana gave an intense stare with her pale, silvery-blue eyes.

“Oh– did I say that out loud?  Well, being upset with me isn’t going to change anything.”

As much as Liliana hated to admit it, Rowana had a point.  She turned abruptly and walked to the door.  “Fine, alright.  I’m leaving, so take care and whatnot.”  With that, Liliana marched across the oaken floor and opened the door.

“Oh!  One last piece of advice!  If you want to keep your lifestyle, why not consider a career change?  There are other ways to make a liveable wage in Auria,” smiled Rowana.

Says the woman married to an elite magicell scholar,  Liliana thought to herself with a tinge of venom.  “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks,” she waved before taking her leave.

As she walked down the cobblestone path from the Auria Town Hall, she kept her cloak wrapped around herself tightly to stave off wandering eyes.  The last thing she wanted was to draw any more attention to herself.  People of various races chatted amongst themselves while shop owners attempted to entice potential customers into one of many masterfully crafted stores that lined each street.  The evening would be here soon, which meant that one district, in particular, would be coming to life.  Liliana’s cheeks turned red as she stopped in her tracks, considering whether she wanted to go home or not.  Rowana’s words cut into her more profoundly than any knife could; the thought of giving up and moving to Baltia sounded downright abhorrent.

“I need to get my mind off of this,” murmured Liliana as she shook her hand and tried to regain her composure.  There was a change of plans; home didn’t sound very appealing right now.  She turned quickly and walked down a new sidewalk. I think the rune station is down here?

“EEEEEEEEEE!!!!”

A sudden screeching sound caused Liliana to cry out in surprise, whipping her head toward the noise.  An elderly man with a braided white beard and bald head careened down the street on what she could only describe as some type of mechanical horse.  Glowing blue energy and steam shined through its cracks as the inorganic beast continued to bellow out its metallic wail.

As it changed course and came toward Liliana, she nimbly dived out of the way, tucking into a roll. The other citizens quickly retreated into nearby stores and away from the street; no one wanted to get caught in the rampage.

“Oh dear, oh bother!  Oh dear, oh– oh bother!”  The older man yelled out repeatedly, struggling desperately to get the creature under control.  “D– Don’t be alarmed, anyone!  This is a simple beta test!!!  When the magicell horse officially releases, it will–”  He stopped yelling out his plea as the horse flailed more wildly and then continued its charge down the street and away from the crowd.  As this utter insanity disappeared into the horizon, the awful noises it generated grew into a faint siren in the distance.

Liliana put her hand over her chest, taking deep breaths as she gradually calmed.  For a split second, death seemed inevitable.  “Damn…”  She paused.  “That’s going to be awesome when it’s finished and working,” Liliana grinned, thinking over the possibilities of a magical automaton mount.  She stood up and brushed herself off before continuing her trek.

Liliana reached her destination twenty minutes later, a silver-gated entrance led underground. The bars were crafted in an ornate, gothic style and gave off a faint, eerie hum.   However, it took another ten minutes of impatient waiting to work her way through the queue of people.

“Proof of residency, ma’am!”  Demanded a guard wearing chainmail with a similarly gothic flare.

She took a moment to admire how expensive this man’s armor looked.  That sword strapped to his side must have been worth a small fortune as well.  Even the guards here get nice gear; it’s not fair.   Liliana lamented her misfortune.  “Here it is, sir.  I am Liliana Silvera, a mid-level adventurer who lives in district six.”

The guard nodded and reached his hand out to her, showing her the crimson rune on the back of his gauntlet.

Liliana put her palm onto the glyph as the guard’s entire hand gave a soft, red glow.  After a few seconds, the gate emitted the same light and creaked open to allow passage.

The guard looked down at the cloaked woman as she passed through, raising an eyebrow.  He sensed something off about her, but that's none of his business.  “As always, if you take more than five minutes to use the warp rune, I will come to check on you.  We can only allow one person in at a time after all.”

“I live here; I know how it works,” waved Liliana with a matter-of-fact tone as she walked down the stairs.  Upon reaching a silver-barred door, she held her hand out once more and placed it on a pedestal to her left.  Just as before, the door swung open and allowed her entry.

The room was no larger than a master bedroom and dimly lit with a purple torch flickering in every corner.  A large, dark metal machine took up the back of the room with glowing tubes coming out and into the ground. Magic glyphs encircled the point where each tube met the gray, stone ground.  On the side of the room closer to Liliana, a single, large rune hummed on a platform slightly elevated from the ground; it glowed a color nearly identical to the torches.

“I won’t pretend I know how any of this works,” sighed Liliana as she stepped onto the rune.  “Take me to the entertainment district!”  She shouted out.

“Verifying your safety, please wait a moment,” a disembodied female voice echoed through the room.  After ten seconds, it continued.  “Safety verified; please keep your limbs tucked in and have a safe trip!”

A loud hum started suddenly as a bright purple light enveloped Liliana.  She closed her eyes tightly, trying to think happy and distracting thoughts to avoid nausea.  Warping in this manner was pretty safe but could result in losing one’s lunch if you weren’t careful.  When her journey was over, Liliana stumbled out and put her hand against a nearby wall. “Ugggh…”  Her body trembled, forcing her to take a minute to recover.  Still worth the convenience.

Before long, she exited the rune station and into what almost amounted to an entirely different world.  The entertainment district was built underneath the city proper; the sky down here was actually a magic construct.  A starry sky perpetually shimmered overhead while the moon would gradually transition throughout its phases throughout the month.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this.  Liliana blushed, walking down the nearest street.  Brightly glowing signs lit up the eternal night, jovial laughing and sounds of rowdiness permeating the air.  She looked around in awe, her heart pounding as she looked around at various casinos, sex shops, theaters, and other entertainment establishments.  It eluded her how magicell technology could be used to create such wonders.  Enemy invasions didn’t seem so bad when the magic materials they harvested brought such wondrous inventions.

“Oy, oy!  Hey young miss!  M– Maybe you can help me,” a slurring baritone voice droned.  “Ya see, I’m a lil lost here…”  He smirked, showing off his assortment of missing teeth.

Liliana blinked and turned to face a rather rotund balding man reeking of booze.  She then sighed and shook her head.  “I am confident there’s nothing I can help you with.  Have a good night, sir.”  With that, she turned to walk away.  I don’t have time for this right now.

The man winced in anger. “Oy!!!  Dontcha turn away from me when I’m talking, bitch!”  He growled out, grabbing her wrist and attempting to pull her back.

Liliana saw red.  She reached into her cloak swiftly and reached for her dagger.  The plan was to stab him somewhere to get the message across without killing him.

Just as she was getting ready to attack, a stranger appeared and put her hand on the drunkard’s wrist, peeling it away from the furious Liliana.

“H– Hey!  Who are you!?”  The man spat, swiveling his head.

“Hello, sir!  I work at a business nearby and think of the entertainment district as my home.  It would mean a lot to me if it stayed peaceful here, okay?”  A tall, curvy woman with porcelain-white skin stood, giving an uncanny smile.  “Why don’t you go home and get some rest?  I am sure you’ve had a long day.”

While watching the scene unfold in a state of shock, Liliana noted something unnatural about this statuesque woman.  As this stranger was wearing an elegant, crimson evening gown, she could very clearly see cracks in her elbow and shoulder joints.  After getting a better look, she realized it was every joint on her body.  Combined with her eerily flawless skin and somewhat wooden expression made Liliana think of a masterfully crafted porcelain doll.

Sweat beaded on the drunkard’s brow as his visage shifted from anger to concern.  He looked down at his wrist as this mysterious woman held it and then into her piercing, crimson eyes.  Her grip was so strong he felt his wrist would break if she tightened ever so slightly.  Even in his state of inebriation, it was evident that he wanted nothing to do with whoever this person was.  “Y– Yeah!  You’re right.  You know, I was just looking for d– directions, y– yeah!  I uhh– get upset when I’m lost, but…  But I remember now, so I’ll get going now, yeh?”  He laughed weakly in an attempt to generate some levity.

“Oh!  That’s a lovely plan.  Please have a good night, sir.  Come back again when you’ve rested and gotten some water.  Stay hydrated, okay?  It will help you avoid a hangover,” giggled the curvaceous doll, letting go of his hand.

As soon as he was free, the man turned and shuffled off at an impressive pace for a man of his girth.

Liliana was thankful they hadn’t seemed to draw any further attention despite how many people were out and having a good time.  Then again, most were likely too intoxicated and used to seeing strange things to care.  “Who are you exactly?”  She asked, looking over at the woman who helped her.  “Also, thank you for stepping in before I stabbed him.”

“It’s no problem!  I like to help when I can.  My name is Vera.  I work at an establishment very close to here,” she responded, brushing some of pitch black, wavy hair from her face.  “You look like you’ve been having a rough day up until now.  Is everything okay, sweetheart?”

Despite Vera’s odd appearance, her words seemed genuine.  Liliana usually had a good read on the intent of others and didn’t sense any malice or deceit lurking behind those peculiar, glassy eyes.

“Yeah, you could say that,” responded Liliana with a frustrated sigh.  “I don’t want to leave Auria.  I like living here, I–”  Wait, what was she doing?  She didn’t even know this woman, and she was trying to unload her baggage.  “I’m sorry, I’m sure you don’t have time to hear my sob story.”  Maybe it would be best just to head home; she came to the entertainment district on a whim after constantly hearing about how it was the perfect place to forget one’s worries.

“Oh!  It’s no bother at all.  If I didn’t want to hear about it, I wouldn’t have asked,” laughed Vera as her face contorted somewhat awkwardly into a smile.  “ Tell you what, why not let me buy you some drinks?  I’m not working right now, and the money won’t be an issue at all.  I promise you won’t owe me; buying you drinks is my payment to you for keeping me company, okay?”

Liliana blushed slightly, wondering why anyone would want her as company.  At the same time, it wasn’t like she could really afford to be here anyway.  Her solution for feeling bad about not affording the living cost in Auria was to come to a part of town where you’re supposed to splurge and spend all of your disposable income.  Honestly, she hadn’t thought through the logistics until now.  “You know what, sure.  Why not?  I would greatly appreciate that.”

Vera smiled warmly, gazing into her eyes.  This poor creature is so stressed, isn’t she?  Maybe I can help her.  She thought to herself.  “Follow me; there’s a bar right next to my workplace where we can get a private booth.  Also, I don’t think I got your name,” Vera smiled.

“I’m Liliana; thank you for your kindness,” she responded as she walked off with her new friend.  As the artificial night breeze wafted through, Liliana took a deep breath and started to calm down.  There was always something new and strange to see in Auria, and the entertainment district felt like a microcosm of that; everywhere she looked, something new and exotic greeted her.  Her eyes shifted left and noticed a device with pale green runes emitting illusion magic as holograms.  Visions of scantily clad, sexy women of various races danced in the air, doing what amounted to a light show above some club.

Vera giggled, noticing her friend staring in awe.  “It’s incredible, isn’t it?  Magicell technology now has applications with illusory magic arts.  The highest-income clubs, bars, and brothels are paying good money to get these projectors installed.”

“It’s– yeah, incredible.  I won’t pretend I understand any of this, but it’s uhh…”  Liliana’s cheeks flushed pink as she shifted her eyes away.

“Fun?  Exciting?  I am with you; that’s why I moved here,” chimed Vera.  “We’re here, by the way.  After you,” she stated as she grabbed the doorknob and opened it for her new friend.

Liliana had been so lost in her head that she didn’t realize any time had even passed.  The door was a pitch-black wood; it was also engraved and decorated with a motif of crows and feathers.  Stepping inside, she saw a dimly lit but very well-maintained bar.  The furnishings, floors, and walls were made of similarly dark wood, while the crow motif followed through to the interior—dim lighting added to a calm, if not somewhat macabre, ambiance.

“Gamral!  I brought a guest with me today.  Can I get my favorite booth?”  Vera waved over to a man in a well-tailored, black suit standing behind the bar.

A man with crimson skin and a bald head turned to look at his guests.  “Ah, very well then.  Please, this way, if you will,  Also, welcome to the Cantankerous Crow,” the man responded politely, giving a warm smile as he waved for them to follow.

After musing over the odd bar name and looking at Gamral, Liliana’s eyes widened.  He had large, curved bull-like horns coming out of his head.  They were pitch black along with his beard.  Most striking were his pitch-black eyes with no visible sclera or iris of any kind.  She also saw a devil-like tail protruding from his backside as she followed from behind.

Finally, Liliana and Vera sat down in their private booth, and Gamral took his leave to get their drinks.

Vera noticed how spooked Liliana looked.  “Gamral is a sweet mean; we can’t judge one another based on appearance, right?”  She asked gently.

Liliana winced, recognizing the truth of those words. “You’re right; he does seem nice,” she smiled warmly in return.

“I appreciate how open-minded you are, Miss Liliana.  You should tell me about your stressful day; maybe I can help you.”  Gamral showed up with some drinks and laid them out for his guests as she said those words.

Liliana stared at the drinks with a confused expression.  “He was gone for twenty seconds; how can he be so fast?”



“He’s good, right???  The rumor is that he’s a demon arch mage exiled from hell and decided to open a bar.   So, tell me about your day.  I want to help,” Vera insisted, wanting to help.

You know what?  Why not spill my guts if she’s going to ask. Liliana mused, grabbing a glass of what appeared to be whisky and downing it in a second.  “Alright, I just needed that warm-up drink first.”

An hour and a few drinks later, Liliana had ranted about anything that came to mind.  All her woes and grievances spilled out onto Vera’s willing lap while she received comfort and reassurance.  Each drink warmed her up and endeared her to this kind, doll-like woman named Vera.

“You…  You know, you’re a pretty good listener,” giggled a tipsy Liliana.  She felt like she may have really found a new friend. Despite her current condition, she still made sure to keep her cloak tightly wrapped.

“I’m so happy to hear that!  I’m glad you have been able to unwind and relax,” replied vera as she pushed her fingers together cutely.  Something else weighed heavily on her mind.  She really needs to find a new path in life.  Maybe I can help her.  She knew this newly concocted plan of hers might have a few flaws, but she was a creature of impulse.  Vera was sure her instincts would lead to a happier Liliana in the long run.  “My precious new friend.  Why don’t you come to watch tonight’s slime show with me?  They’re putting one on tonight where I work.  It would be fun to watch as a guest instead of a performer this time!”  Her voice sounded excited.

Slime show?  What…  What’s that?”  Liliana asked, tilting her head slightly with a puzzled look.  ‘Wait, where do you work exactly?”

Vera hesitated, turning her head away.  Relax, I’m sure she won’t think it’s weird.  She psyched herself up before responding.  “I work at a slime brothel called Viscosity…  Every employee there is a slime being actually.  They’re putting on one of their shows tonight.  Think of it as top of the line, high-end voyeurism.’

Liliana took a moment to process this new information.  Slime beings?  A brothel?  The gears turned in her head as she fit all of this new knowledge together into a single, coherent train of thought.  “Oh!!  That– that actually sounds kind of exciting,” she admitted.  What would it be like at a slime show?  She could extrapolate that it would be an X-rated affair but couldn’t begin to imagine how this show might play out when you added the slime factor.  “Wait, you’re one of those slime beings?”  She looked more like some type of golem or automaton.

“Yes!  I am.  I know exactly why you’re confused, but I’ll explain later.  So, do you want to go?  It’s an hour from now.  I promise it will change your life,” assured Vera, wanting to coax her cute new friend into coming.  She was especially hoping Liliana might enjoy the slime lifestyle once she saw it.

“Let’s do it!  I want to see the slime show; that sounds better than being sad all night,” cheered Liliana with a grin. So far, she hadn’t needed to pay for anything since Vera insisted on treating her.  Not only that but having a friend and connection in Auria might help her in some way.

“Let’s go then!  I have a tab here, so don’t worry about it,” promised Vera with great enthusiasm as she stood up to leave.

Liliana got up and followed Vera with renewed optimism, utterly unaware that her life would never be the same again.

The incredibly sexy "Slime Show" starts in chapter 2!  Read chapter 2 one month ahead on Patreon for $2.50 or chapter 3 two months early for $5!



https://www.patreon.com/roryrouses