CHAPTER 10: CHAPTER 10 - THE BROTHEL STREET.

The last guard vanished, flung toward the horizon like a pebble hurled by a god.

None dared glance back, as if terrified Kael might snap and end their lives in an instant.

The silence that followed was thick and trembling.

All around, the villagers watched in slack-jawed awe.

Children peeked from behind their mothers, merchants forgot their wares, and even the beggars dared not move.

Kael let the silence linger a moment longer before turning to Lyra, amusement glinting in his eyes.

"Well, it looks like the city lord will come to us," he said with a casual shrug. "Now we don’t have anything else to do."

Lyra blinked, then exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. "Y-Yeah."

"Hm." The dragon rubbed his chin, humming thoughtfully. "Since we have time, why don’t we go see your siblings?"

The question drew a small but genuine smile to Lyra’s lips.

For once, there was no fear in her eyes—just quiet gratitude. "I-If that’s what you want."

Kael gave a soft hum of agreement.

"Come, I’ll take you there," Lyra said, her voice brightening slightly as she turned and began walking.

The bystanders remained rooted in place, gaping at the pair as they walked away.

A young boy whispered to his mother, "Mama, I want to grow up like him."

His mother hushed him. "No, sweetie. Stay alive instead."

"Woman," a man called from the side. "Let him dream."

"Fuck off," the woman said, covering her boy’s ears. "No matter how much one dreams, they can’t become as... dreamy as him."

There was a sleazy smile on her face by the time she reached the last part.

The man, however, couldn’t find any words to refute her.

After all, it was impossible to become like Kael.

But then, another man’s confused voice was heard. "Wait, why does he seem to be heading into the... brothel street?"

Everyone turned, and then they froze in their spots.

Because Kael was

going there.

One old man squinted and muttered, "Whatever’s coming next... I’m not missing it."

For some reason, everyone in the surroundings felt that a wind of change had crashed into the city.

The city, which had been a hell for the demihumans, was going to change.

..........

The brothel street was dim.

The air was thick with the scent of perfume, ale, and despair.

It was a place where demihuman girls who refused to be sold as slaves came to work.

They would at least keep their freedom—whatever they had—since here, they could choose who they wanted to serve.

Even the lord didn’t interfere with the brothel street’s working, since this was his greatest income source.

However, that didn’t mean the demihumans here were happy with their work.

They merely did this because they could only live either as a slave or as a whore in this city.

Under low-hanging lanterns, beastkin women lounged on steps and windowsills, their faces pale and lifeless, their gazes unfocused. Fox tails twitched absently, cat ears drooped, and feathered demi-girls sat cross-legged in corners like forgotten dolls.

It was clear they were all dead inside—living only because they were too afraid to die.

The only reason they still lived was in the vain hope that one day, a prince charming would come to pick them up.

They all knew that no prince charming would come here since there was no princess here, but they still hoped.

For money and survival, they did what they had to—even if it was serving ugly young masters and drunk bastards.

One couldn’t tell how bad it was from the outside since the outside was always lively.

The whole city’s insides were filled with brothels.

The real hell for the girls was inside those brothels—inside the rooms.

But the ones on the outside smiled as if it was all good. After all, no one liked crying girls.

If no one wanted them, they would be sent back to the slave traders.

So, even if they cried on the inside, they smiled on the outside.

That was until today.

Today, a prince charming came to this dull world.

It was Kael.

His presence eclipsed everything.

No one even noticed Lyra, who was walking next to him.

It was not that she wasn’t beautiful—she was. But Kael was several stations ahead of her.

The chatter, the noise, the groaning of customers, and the laughs from open-air taverns—all froze as Kael stepped into the street.

His long coat caught the breeze, and his black boots clicked lightly against the stone.

With each step, his godlike features became clearer: tall and broad-shouldered, midnight hair catching the dim light, and slitted golden eyes glowing faintly with curiosity and mischief.

The dead gaze of the girls began to flicker. Eyes widened. Lips parted. One girl dropped her wine cup.

Even those currently serving guests in public bars paused.

Glasses stopped mid-pour, arms dropped mid-stroke, and curses flew from the ugly men who felt neglected.

But none of the women cared. They couldn’t look away.

"He looks like..."

"...a celestial."

"...a god."

He was akin to a god who had stepped into their hell-like world, still unaware that the guards had called him a demon a while ago, as the news still hadn’t spread.

It wouldn’t have mattered anyway.

Kael paused and blinked slowly as a small crowd of demi-girls began to drift toward him like bees to honey.

One brushed her hair behind her long, rabbit-like ears, and another straightened her dress.

A wolfkin girl even tugged at her collar, pushing up her chest in a silent offering.

He raised a brow.

"...I seem to have stepped into a charming little battlefield," he murmured under his breath.

His tone was amused, not mocking; if anything, he seemed entertained by the sudden attention.

Lyra, beside him, made a noise in her throat. It sounded like a cough, but her clenched fists and reddening ears suggested otherwise.

Before she could speak, Kael turned to her with a boyish grin. "Since the lord will take a while, shall we enjoy ourselves a bit?"

Lyra’s expression twisted. "Kael—"

"I’m joking," he cut her off. "We need to look for your siblings."

But as he was about to walk ahead, a demihuman girl with dog-like ears pulled on his sleeves. "...Won’t you stay? Just for a while?"

The moment Kael met her eyes, he felt a pull to stay—but having promised Lyra he would help, he wouldn’t waver.

Lyra froze the moment she met the eyes of the girls around them.

The burning sensation in her chest—the feeling she still couldn’t understand—that had flared when the girls approached Kael vanished.

She realized something.

’I’m not the only one who needs saving.’

Yes, she was pitiful and needed Kael’s help, but these girls were in a situation far worse than hers.

After all, unlike them, she was truly free.

She stood frozen, teeth clenched, unwilling to be the cause of anyone else’s sorrow.

She didn’t want to steal even a fleeting moment of happiness from girls who had never known it.

Lyra had also noticed how no one was looking at her—who was one of the most famous people in the city because of her circumstances—even though her hood was halfway down.

It was clear that leaving Kael here might make things easier since no one would even notice what she was doing. So, she called out to Kael. "Hey."

"Hm?" The dragon looked at her, his brow raised.

"Do you want to stay with them for a while?" She inquired, and Kael glanced at the gathering demi-girls.

He looked into their eyes, and although he found some greedy ones, most were filled with yearning for something more than the fake happiness they had seen.

His voice lowered into something smoother. "They look like they need a smile."

He didn’t say he wanted to stay, but Lyra knew that’s what he meant, so she nodded. "Then you stay. I’ll be back with my siblings."

Before Kael could respond, she was gone, weaving through the crowd unnoticed.

"Lyra?" he called, but she didn’t reply, prompting him to tilt his head.

Then, another tug on his sleeve drew his attention to the girls, and he nodded, stepping forward. The group practically exploded with life.

"Sir, would you like a drink?"

"Come sit with me, I can pour—"

"I can show you our special rooms—"

Kael chuckled. He wasn’t overwhelmed. If anything, he handled the flood of attention like a performer greeting his crowd.

"One at a time, ladies," he said warmly. "You’ll ruin the mystery."

More laughter. One girl giggled as she stumbled toward him, tail wagging wildly.

Still surrounded by women, Kael, from the corner of his eye, saw Lyra entering a room marked Street Lady, and he frowned.

"Does she like women...?" He wondered out loud, only to feel a pair of fluffy ears brush against his face.

He blinked, only to find himself pulled onto a bench as drinks were poured for him.

Kael smiled lazily.

"Since I’m here, and since the world seems intent on entertaining me..."

He raised the glass.

"...why not enjoy it?"

As the demi-girls cheered, leaned in, and whispered offers with hearts thudding and eyes sparkling, Kael leaned back, a smirk on his face and effortless ease in his posture.

For now, he didn’t care who stood before him; he just wanted to see them smile.