Renzille stepped out of the carriage, her hand gently enveloped in Kreios'.
The evening air greeted them as they emerged, the cool breeze carrying the faint sounds of the event taking place nearby.
Renzille looked around, taking in her surroundings, while Kreios stood beside her, his grip on her hand steady yet firm, their presence alone attracting the attention of the other guests.
Renzille's gaze swept over the building before them, its exterior instantly drawing her attention.
It was no ordinary establishment; it was an upscale bordello, boasting a design and an aura suited for nobles— something that is quite out of place due to its location in the red district.
Wordlessly, Renzille walked side by side with Kreios into the building, a frown appeared in her face and a small furrow formed between her brows.
There was something about this place that rubbed her the wrong way so she found herself increasingly uneasy. Well, sure, the lavish interior was undoubtedly impressive, with gold decorations accompanied with a lustrous ambiance.
However, the atmosphere felt a bit artificial and overly extravagant to her taste.
Why would Leira invite me here of all places? Renzille wondered, the corner of her lips twitching downward as they stepped through the doors.
Of course, their presence did not go unnoticed.
A man's voice called out from across the room and yelled. "Lady Thillion!"
Renzille's ears perked up at the sound of her name, and her expression shifted, recognition igniting in her eyes as she turned her attention towards the source of the call.
The person who had called out to her— a brown haired squirrel beastman who happened to be one of her older sister's many lovers.
Renzille's guard subtly went up as she studied the beastman, silently sizing him up, wondering what the purpose of his call might be and waited until the squirrel beastman halted before her, offering a polite smile as he nodded in acknowledgment of Kreios before his gaze returned to Renzille.
"Leira sent me to fetch you." The beastman informed her. "She requests your presence by her side during the bordello's auction event."
Auction? In this place? She thought, but she nodded her head in acknowledgment, silently mulling over the implications of sitting beside her older sister during the event.
Exhaling quietly, Renzille squeezed Kreios' hand, the gesture conveying reassurance amidst the unexpected circumstances.
Then, she returned the beastman's polite smile and replied calmly. "Very well. Kindly lead the way."
She mentally braced herself for the meeting with her older sister, knowing that Leira was rarely one to make requests without some hidden intention behind them.
"Please follow me." The squirrel beastman stated and turned in his heels, leading them down the hall and away from them guests.
Renzille followed the squirrel beastman, her expression remained neutral, hiding any hint of her inner thoughts, but as they moved forward, an unexpected hindrance occurred.
Someone suddenly bumped into her, causing her to stumble backward and unintentionally let go of Kreios' hand.
In that moment, another person swiftly caught her by the wait, their hand slotting firmly on her curves and preventing her from stumbling further which caused her to look up to see who had caught her before she could crash to the ground.
Renzille's gaze landed on a beastman who looked incredibly striking, with his lustrous white hair framing his face and blue eyes that gleamed with mischief.
His white ears flicked lightly as he looked back at her, holding her in his arms to steady her.
Renzille found herself momentarily stunned by his unexpected grace and good looks, her composure faltering slightly at the sudden proximity.
Fortunately, Renzille quickly composed herself and shot a sharp retort at the white-haired beastman who stood before her. "You must have a reason for bumping into me like this."
Everyone knows who she is, especially in a place like this so it's quite impossible for someone to cause a scene without any intention.
The beastman's ears flicked as he let out a soft chuckle, his blue eyes glinting with delight as he observed her reaction. "Oh, but what if I did it just to get to hold a beautiful lady like yourself in my arms, my lady?"
Renzille's frown deepened as she pulled away from the white-haired beastman, her expression stern.
"If you want to impress me, you'll have to try harder than that." She retorted, crossing her arms across her chest, causing the beastman's eyes to drift down and his eyebrows to shoot up to his hairline.
"What a lovely sight." The beastman chuckled, amused and pleased with Renzille's feistiness.
He leaned forward ever so slightly, his eyes leaving her chest before darting upward to look at her directly in the eyes. "Believe me, my lady. I can be so much more convincing if you give me the chance."
Renzille stared pointedly at the beastman before she turned away and walked back towards Kreios, who was patiently waiting for her.
Ignoring the presence of the white haired beastman, she addressed the squirrel beastman instead. "Let's continue on our way. I'm quite sure that my sister is growing impatient."
Kreios silently observed what happened, his eyes following Renzille's every move.
The atmosphere between Renzille, Kreios, and the unnamed beastman was crackling with tension, but Renzille's blank expression remained intact, her steps steady as she followed the squirrel beastman through the hall towards Leira's location.
The white haired beastman's gaze lingered on Renzille's back as she walked away, a sly grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"Hm.. It seems like she would be a tough shell to crack." He murmured and with a casual flick of his wrist, he skillfully pulled out a fan from his sleeve and began fanning himself, hiding his face behind the delicate silk fabric.
"Oh, well, it would be worth my while." A soft sound of laughter escaped his lips as he observed Renzille and Kreios walking ahead, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
Renzille felt a strange shiver run down her spine, an ominous feeling washed over her.
Sensing her unease, Kreios turned to look at her with concern etched across his face which Renzille's eyes immediately met his for a fraction of a second, silently assuring him with a small strained smile.
She tried to push the feeling aside, but it lingered, like a shadow at the edge of her consciousness.
There was something unsettling about the atmosphere, a feeling that something unpleasant was about to happen, but she couldn't tell what it was.
Maybe it's about Leira? Renzille guessed as they proceeded down a quiet hallway, the clack of their footsteps against the marbled floors echoing softly with each stride.
Then, they arrived at a closed door which the squirrel beastman quickly pushed open, gesturing for them to enter.
The two of them stepped into the room, the sight before them revealed a private chamber that has a large balcony facing the bordello's spacious auditorium that is slowly filled with guests.
The room was furnished with expensive furniture and decorations, and the view of the event space below was breathtaking.
However, when Renzille entered the room, her gaze immediately landed on her older sister, Leira.
As expected, she saw that Leira was seated on the couch, her slender figure draped across it with her arm wrapped casually around the waist of a fox beastwoman who was perched on her lap.
Renzille's lips pursed as she observed the scene before her, mentally bracing herself for the interaction that was undoubtedly going to follow.
"Ah, here you are!" Leira's face lit up as she spotted Renzille, her voice taking on a warm tone with an exaggerated disappointment. "I've been waiting for you for so long to the point I was starting to worry that you wouldn't come."
Renzille watched as Leira's arm tightened around her fox beastwoman companion, drawing the beastwoman closer against her body.
"Come here, my little sister." Leira cooed as she motioned for Renzille to approach, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I have something to ask of you. Leave your beastman standing over there or have him take a seat somewhere a bit far from us."
However, instead of following Leira's wants, Renzille fixed her gaze on the fox beastwoman snuggled against her older sister's side, a disapproving frown furrowing her brow.
"I would prefer it if you send away that.. Entertainer, big sister." She addressed Leira with a cool, polite smile, but her words couldn't hide her discomfort. "That is, if it's not an inconvenience for you, of course."