Beriyet swaggered into the tavern with an exaggerated and arrogant stride, his pot-bellied figure resembling an overinflated balloon. With each step, the fat on his stomach wobbled violently.
The so-called brand-name clothes he wore looked utterly ridiculous against his vulgar demeanor. His tie hung crookedly around his neck, looking as if it might slip off at any moment.
“I heard that someone… what’s her name… Angelica… actually tried to find a way to embarrass me… Who does she think I am? I am Elta Beriyet, son of Baron Elta Matehan!”
The two women clinging to his arms were dressed gaudily, their heavily made-up faces resembling two garish artificial flowers under the dim lighting.
“You’re absolutely right, how could that little bitch Angelica ever compare to you? She should have just obediently thrown herself at you and become your subordinate. She would have received plenty of rewards from you. But now, look at her—her reputation is ruined, and she’s lost her job~ Hehehe~”
The two women giggled shrilly, deliberately swaying their hips and letting out piercing laughter, drawing envious glances from many of the blue- and white-collar workers in the tavern.
It must be nice to be a noble’s son…
He doesn’t have to work all day like us; he can just have fun. With enough money, women naturally throw themselves at him.
“You’re right! That Angelica deserves to die… How dare she yell at me? What happened to her is nothing compared to what she deserves!”
Beriyet’s gaze swept brazenly around the tavern, like a greedy beast searching for prey.
Soon, his eyes settled on Renith, who was sitting alone in the corner. Her unique aura and striking beauty immediately caught his attention.
He let go of the women beside him and swaggered toward Renith. Along the way, he didn’t forget to squeeze the buttocks of the bunny girls he passed with his thick, fleshy hands, provoking silent anger from them. They could only blush and hurriedly avoid him.
“Hey there, pretty little thing, drinking alone must be so lonely.”
Beriyet grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth. His face was plastered with a nauseatingly ingratiating smile, and his voice was coarse and grating.
The bartender nearby, seeing this, quickly took two steps back, moving away from Renith.
He knew it!
Renith looked mature and beautiful, and Beriyet would never let such a beauty slip away. This woman had been targeted by Beriyet—she was done for!
“Come chat with this young master, I promise I’ll make you very happy.”
Renith felt a wave of disgust, but her face quickly shifted into a shy, coquettish smile. She lightly bit her lip, forcing a flush of drunken redness onto her cheeks, her eyes carrying just the right amount of bashfulness:
“Young master, you’re so amusing. What would you like to chat about?”
Seeing Renith respond, Beriyet grew even more smug and reckless. He plopped down directly on the seat beside her, his bulk causing the chair to creak loudly.
He leaned in close to Renith, bringing with him a pungent mix of alcohol and perfume. Renith fought back the urge to gag and leaned back slightly.
“Pretty little thing, what’s your name? This young master is one of the top figures in this city. If you stick with me, you’ll live a life of luxury—you’ll have everything you could ever want.”
As he spoke, Beriyet extended his thick, fleshy hand, trying to grab Renith’s.
Renith, of course, wouldn’t let him touch her—partly because the “Refraction” spell would be exposed, and partly because, despite her vast experience and having seen many things, Beriyet was one of those rare, utterly repulsive specimens that made her instinctively recoil.
Renith gracefully avoided his hand, her face still wearing that shy smile:
“Young master, don’t be so impatient. I don’t even know how impressive you really are yet.”
Thinking Renith was genuinely interested, Beriyet was overjoyed and began boasting even more vigorously:
“In this city, what I say goes. My family has more money than we know what to do with. Anything I want, I get. Even noble ladies are fighting to marry me.”
As he spoke, he deliberately shook the oversized ring on his finger, which glinted garishly under the light, as if flaunting his wealth.
Centuries ago, when she was still a man, she’d had a similar experience.
Back then, their party had journeyed over mountains and rivers, finally reaching the borders of the Demon King’s domain.
However, they hadn’t arrived at the Demon King’s Castle itself but at one of the seven outer fortresses surrounding it—strongholds where the Demon Generals were stationed.
Calling them “fortresses” wasn’t entirely accurate.
Apart from the Demon King’s Castle itself, the territories of the demon race were narrow and cramped. The so-called “fortress” before them was, at best, the size of a small town.
Presumably, this was because the demon race had formed relatively late, with few truly intelligent demons, and they lacked the time to construct proper fortresses.
In truth, even before their arrival, the Demon Generals had carried out significant expansions in the area, even repairing sections of the fortress walls.
However, these walls had been hastily destroyed by the human vanguard—led by the Hero Herthes and his companions—before they could be completed.
Now, only ruins remained, making this place part of the Demon King’s crumbling domain.
Prior to this, Herthes and the others had already defeated four Demon Generals. Next, they were to face the Demon General of Lust.
This fortress was the outermost of the seven surrounding the Demon King’s Castle. The Demon General of Lust was a rather unique figure among them.
She was one of only two Demon Generals who placed no restrictions on visitors of any race. As long as you harbored desire in your heart, her gates were open to you. It was a lawless place through and through.
Although the Demon General of Lust hadn’t committed any particularly heinous or unforgivable acts, their opposing sides made them natural enemies.
Having slain so many Demon Generals, everyone knew they were incredibly powerful. Uncertain of the Lust General’s abilities, the trio decided to send Arnold as the vanguard against her, based on rumors of her preferences.
According to the plan, Arnold would play the role of a lost, melancholic “little wolf dog,” attempting to win the heart of the Demon General of Lust…
“Ugh, ugh, ugh!”
Remembering this, Renith couldn’t help but spit in disgust.
This embarrassing memory was undoubtedly a dark chapter in her history, and even now, recalling it filled her with shame.
Renith quickly smoothed her expression, replacing it with the stiff, fake smile that others saw.
Her slender fingertips lightly traced the rim of her glass, inadvertently picking up a trace of the magical potion mixed with the wine.
Then, as she slowly traced something on the table with her finger, she looked up at Beriyet with a smile:
“You’re simply amazing! I could spend all day having fun with you, but… I do have one little condition~”
At this moment, Beriyet’s attention was completely captivated by Renith’s mature, enchanting face—enhanced by the “Refraction” spell—and her amethyst-like eyes. He didn’t notice her subtle movements on the table at all.
Hearing Renith’s words, Beriyet felt a surge of delight. He loved how proactive and enthusiastic she seemed, unlike that Angelica. No matter how generous the terms he offered, she remained unmoved and even snapped back at him like a mad dog.
How ungrateful!
“Whatever you want, just name it. In this city of Mobius, there’s nothing I can’t do. Money? Power? Status? Just say the word.”
Beriyet thumped his chest, speaking with an air of magnanimity.
“Just a meeting.”
“A meeting? Cancel it? That’s easy!”
Beriyet said dismissively.
“No, to attend it. Young master, you don’t need to do anything complicated. Just sit there steadily, maybe shout a slogan or two from time to time—that’ll be enough~”
As she spoke, Renith gently blew a breath toward Beriyet. A faint scent of wine instantly wafted through the air.
Beriyet took a deep breath, greedily inhaling the enticing aroma. He seemed to instantly become intoxicated, his head growing dizzy as he nodded repeatedly:
“Leave it to me!”
Finally, the residual magical potion on Renith’s fingertips dried completely. She whispered softly:
“The mire of lust, the vortex of desire. The soul blooms wildly in darkness, sinking into the gentle slumber of carnality… Obey the deepest desires within you, for I am the embodiment of your desire—Lust Magic: ‘Dreamlike Fantasy.’”
Renith cast the spell, adding an extra layer of insurance for herself, further deepening Beriyet’s desire for her.
Beriyet felt a sharp pain in his head, a dizzying sensation. Everything before him grew blurry. He hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol today, yet he felt as if he were utterly drunk, his words slurring:
“The… address?”
Renith leaned closer and whispered the address to him, along with a slogan. She told him that as long as he shouted this slogan, she would obediently do whatever he asked of her in the future.
Of course, Beriyet would have no “future.”
He was already a lust-driven, utterly foolish fool. With just a little prodding, he would do all sorts of outrageous things for the sake of beauty. Renith wasn’t controlling his mind—she was merely intensifying his desires and his mindlessness.
From her corner, Rogany watched everything unfold, her eyes lighting up instantly. In her eyes, Renith was truly incredible, completely wrapping Beriyet around her finger.
After exchanging a few more brief words, Beriyet, with the two beauties in tow, staggered off to a private room in the back.
“Miss, are you alright?”
The bartender, who had been observing quietly from the side, had seen everything.
“You’re truly remarkable, I admire you from the bottom of my heart… but you’ve deceived him. You should find a way to escape as soon as possible! Baron Matehan holds considerable power in Mobius City. If you leave the city immediately, there might still be time!”
The bartender urged with a worried expression.
“It’s fine.”
Renith replied calmly.
Of course it was fine. The Demon General of Lust had long been destroyed by her. The Beriyet before her was merely an illusion she had created through magic.
“Thank you for your concern. I’ll be going now.”
With those words, Renith left a few coins as a tip, then she and Rogany left the bar, one after the other.
