Arven was dragged through the streets of the capital by two armored guards. The cold bite of steel cuffs pressed against his wrists, though they had loosened them once it became clear he was not putting up a fight.
The streets grew cleaner and wider as they moved. Towering mansions loomed overhead, glowing with the soft light of enchanted lamps. He could hear the faint sound of music and laughter behind high walls.
The difference from the filthy alleys he had just crawled out of was night and day.
They passed through an ornate iron gate, and Arven's jaw nearly dropped.
The estate of Lord Pracius was massive. A sprawling garden of trimmed hedges and marble statues surrounded a mansion large enough to be a castle. Dozens of windows glowed faintly in the dark, and guards patrolled the grounds in disciplined pairs.
"I take it you are impressed," one of the guards beside him said, a trace of amusement in his voice.
Arven did not answer. His mind was still racing, not just from the size of the place, but from the faint blue system text that continued to float silently in the corner of his vision.
New Location Unlocked: Lord Pracius's Estate.
Potential targets detected in region.
Search initializing...
They entered through a side door into the servants' wing. The air grew warmer, carrying the faint scent of perfume and old wood.
One of the guards stopped near a desk where a sealed envelope awaited him. He cracked it open, read for a moment, then glanced at Arven with a look of pity that immediately set his nerves on edge.
"Well," the guard said dryly, folding the letter. "Good luck. You are assigned to assist Daisy."
"Daisy?" Arven asked, eyebrows raised.
The guard only smirked and motioned for another servant to take him away. "You will see."
Arven was stripped of his ruined Earth clothes and shoved into a plain gray tunic and trousers. The fabric itched, rough against his skin, but it was better than nothing. A young male servant approached, eyes avoiding Arven's as though embarrassed. Without a word, he handed over a folded blanket.
Arven took it with a nod. "Thanks," he muttered, though he wasn't sure if the boy even heard him.
"You are to sleep here tonight," the boy said, pointing to a small, shared room with several empty beds. No further instructions came.
Arven collapsed into one of the cots, too tired to think straight. His mind spun with images of the system screen, Lord Pracius's cold smile, and that ominous warning about Daisy.
Sleep took him quickly.
Arven woke to the strange sensation of being watched.
His eyes fluttered open. Morning light streamed in through thin curtains, illuminating the small servant room. But it was not empty.
A girl stood near the corner of the room, quietly sweeping the floor.
She was unlike anyone Arven had seen before.
Pale white hair flowed down her back in soft waves. Long, snow-colored bunny ears twitched faintly atop her head. Her figure was slender yet curvy beneath a tight maid uniform, her pale thighs visible through the slit of her short skirt.
She moved slowly, almost hypnotically. What truly caught his attention, though, was the way she was gripping the broom between her thighs, rubbing against it with an almost desperate rhythm as she swept.
Her breathing was uneven, and faint shudders ran through her body. The handle of the broom pressed firmly between her legs, which she squeezed tighter around it as if seeking more friction.
Arven stared, caught between surprise and fascination.
Before he could react, the system flickered back to life in front of him.
Potential Target Detected: Daisy
Select as current target?
[Yes] [No]
His throat went dry. The name matched what the guard had warned him about. This was her.
Arven hesitated only a moment, then mentally selected [Yes].
Target Selected: Daisy
To begin path, fulfill target's current desire.
At that exact moment, Daisy's ears twitched. She turned, startled, and spotted him awake.
A flush of crimson spread across her pale cheeks as her eyes widened in horror.
"I... you are awake," she stammered, her voice soft and shaking. She stepped back quickly, nearly dropping the broom, hands clutched tightly between her legs now in an attempt to hide her earlier actions.
Arven forced himself to sit up. The system screen remained visible, but Daisy did not seem to notice it.
She must not be able to see this, he thought. Only me.
Daisy stood frozen, eyes downcast, face still burning red.
Arven glanced again at the system text.
To begin conquest path, fulfill target's current desire.
It was direct, but vague. He frowned slightly, thinking fast. There was no subtle way to dance around it.
Sighing, he spoke plainly.
"What is your desire right now?" he asked.
The bluntness of his words made Daisy flinch. She shifted awkwardly on her feet, her pale thighs pressing together. Her voice was barely a whisper when she answered.
"I... I have trouble controlling myself lately," she confessed. "It is not my fault. Something strange has been affecting me. I feel... a craving, stronger every day."
Her hands pressed tighter against her panties, feeling the damp fabric as her body trembled. "I... I cannot stop it," she gasped, voice cracking with desperate need. A soft whimper escaped her throat, hips twitching beneath her touch.
Arven already knew where this was going. The answer was obvious now. Whatever was happening to her, it had left her in a state of constant, burning desire.
And seeing someone like this affected him as well.
He swallowed hard, gaze drawn to the way her fingers clutched the thin fabric, the damp spot spreading beneath her trembling hands. Her breathing quickened, chest rising and falling in frantic rhythm.
"Can you help me," she whimpered, glancing up at him with wide, pleading eyes.
Arven hesitated for a heartbeat, every muscle tense. Then he let out a slow breath. "Yeah... I'll help you," he said, voice low… unsure.