“Please, have some. This is apple tea with Milsaut herb, a specialty of the Kingdom of Hylanthos.”

Thin slices of apple, soaked in syrup, floated in the teacup like flower petals. A gentle, sweet aroma spread through the air, warming the room. However, Serena kept her hands firmly on her lap, refusing to move.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

Despite her blunt demand to get to the point, the man leisurely enjoyed his tea.

“It seems you’re short on time, so I’ll skip the formalities and get straight to the main topic.”

His tone suggested he was doing her a favor by being direct, and Serena clenched her fists tighter.

“Miss, or rather, Lady, I brought you here to clear up some misunderstandings you seem to have about our shop.”

“…”

“If you had caused a scene back there, it would have disturbed the other guests who were having a good time.”

Serena only scoffed in response. The place he had brought her to looked nothing like the chaotic space from before. Instead, it resembled the parlor or study of a respectable mansion. 

If she had met him here first, without seeing what went on outside, she might have mistaken him for a renowned scholar.

But the vivid memory of that depraved hell lingered in her mind. No matter how polished his words sounded, she refused to be fooled.

“I simply described what I saw and heard. That’s not a misunderstanding, that’s the truth.”

“So your impression after seeing those things is that they’re filthy?”

“Filthy, vulgar, and revolting. All I saw were people consumed by pleasure and desire, to the point that I couldn’t bear to watch. Worse, they weren’t even ashamed. They put themselves on display for everyone to see. I don’t even want to call them human.”

“It seems that’s where our misunderstanding begins.”

The man set his cup down, smiling gently. Every movement he made radiated elegance, which felt almost absurd for someone who ran a shop selling fake phalluses. 

Paradoxically, Serena found herself unable to look away, even as she felt a deep aversion to him.

“The desires we sell are not filthy. Nor are they vulgar. They’re simply honest.”

“Honest? You mean willingly becoming slaves to lust?”

“That’s a rather insulting way to put it. Our customers simply choose to satisfy their desires in a healthy way.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Our guests don’t commit adultery or trade s*x slaves. There’s nothing illegal about what happens here. They use well-made tools to satisfy their needs on their own terms. We simply provide the environment they want, in exchange for payment, so their desires can be fulfilled comfortably.”

“…”

“There’s no crime or coercion here. Our only purpose is to help customers satisfy their needs. We work hard to accommodate each individual’s goals, develop creative devices, and create a positive cycle where more people can achieve their desires with ease.”

At first, Serena thought he was mocking her. But his eyes, filled with strange longing, looked astonishingly clear. She felt a wave of disgust at the purity in his gaze, so out of place in this setting.

“At the moment, demand exceeds supply, so we operate discreetly and in secret. But as we grow, opportunities to satisfy one’s desires will become available to ordinary citizens of the empire.”

Serena snapped back to her senses at the mention of “ordinary citizens.” The operation already seemed dangerously large, but the thought that he aimed for mass appeal left her speechless. 

The demon of lust described in scripture wasn’t elsewhere. He sat right in front of her.

“Do you know the story of the blind men and the elephant?”

“That hardly seems relevant—”

The man abruptly cut her off, slamming his palm on the table. He leaned in close, crossing the table in an instant. Serena froze, startled by his sudden proximity. His unwavering gaze seemed intent on exposing every hidden thought inside her.

“It’s not so different. Humans often act foolishly, thinking they know everything based on their limited knowledge.”

“You’re saying I don’t understand?”

Serena’s eyes shook as his shadow completely enveloped her.

“People naturally have a narrow perspective about things they don’t understand. There’s a saying: ‘You only see as much as you know.’”

He now looked completely at ease, as though he finally understood her reaction. Serena, on the other hand, felt a delayed sense of humiliation.

He treated her like a child throwing a tantrum over something she didn’t really understand. Being looked down on by the owner of such a place was an insult her pride could barely tolerate.

“You’re just playing with words. Humanity has always taught, through scripture and priests, that a virtuous life means keeping oneself clean and pure, resisting worldly desires.”

“Yes, there was a time when those strict teachings were in fashion. But that’s the past. Just as wizards, once common across the continent, have nearly vanished, human history is always about adapting to new changes. That’s progress.”

“Some truths never change. Even animals only mate during breeding season. Are you saying it’s right for humans, who have reason, to pursue pleasure without regard for reproduction and live in depravity?”

Their arguments clashed head-on, neither giving an inch. Serena struggled to voice her beliefs, but she felt a suffocating pressure, like a predator looming over her. All because he held her gaze.

“Well, you certainly seem to stick to your beliefs…”

Suddenly, the tension snapped. The man tilted his head slightly and, smiling, brushed his fingers along Serena’s earlobe.

Even that fleeting touch made her skin prickle and goosebumps rise from her toes. She sucked in a sharp breath and forced herself to swallow.

“You seem to keep your principles well. Good for you. Now, let’s do this.”

Abandoning their stalemate, the man stood and walked to a bookshelf. Serena pressed a cool hand to her flushed cheek, trying to calm herself. 

He lingered at the shelves for a while, then pulled out a thick book.

“So, you believe that even understanding pleasure, it’s right for a person to suppress desire and live modestly…”

He suddenly held the book out to her, and Serena stared at it in confusion. The black leather cover, trimmed in gold, looked luxurious and resembled a holy scripture.

“This is a basic educational text on human desire and the body. It explains many aspects of s*xual desire in simple terms.”

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“Prove your point yourself.”

“What?”

“Read this book. If, after learning all the truths about desire and sexuality written here, your opinion still hasn’t changed, I’ll admit I’m vulgar and filthy and do whatever you want.”

He raised both hands in surrender and sat back on the sofa. The way he crossed his long legs radiated confidence, showing his certainty of victory.

“Anything I want? Even if I tell you to take responsibility for this whole business and turn yourself in?”

“Of course. I’ll take responsibility for betraying the trust of my other guests as well.”

“And if you win?”

“In that case, you’ll support this business in whatever way helps. Are you afraid you’ll lose?”

“That’s ridiculous. Why should I trust you?”

“I can write up a contract if you want. But you don’t really have any other options.”

He sounded cheerful, without a hint of anxiety. He called for an employee to bring a contract, then quickly and neatly wrote out the terms he’d just described.

Serena couldn’t decide whether to be shocked by the man’s rational behavior or to sigh at how easily he wasted the special paper used for important contracts.

He argued like a greedy king, but his voice was angelic and his manner never lost its elegance. He was impossible to pin down.

“If you don’t accept the bet but want to leave safely, well, I suppose I’ll just have to erase your memory. Would you prefer that option?”

“Don’t even think about laying a finger on me. So it’s a threat after all?”

“It’s not a bad deal for you, is it? Unless you’re not confident in your beliefs.”

He smiled and handed her the contract. Serena knew he was trying to provoke her with that kind, gentle smile, but knowing didn’t make it any easier to resist.

She stared at the signature on the contract.

Lust.

She studied the elegant script for a long time, determined to never forget it, then slowly picked up the pen.

The moment she finished signing, someone reached out and removed her mask. She realized too late that her mask had slipped off, and she met the man’s eyes.

“Now there’s no need for masks between us.”

With her face fully revealed, there was nowhere left to retreat. Serena glared at the man as he gracefully removed his own mask.

His soft, honey-colored hair curled elegantly, brushing against his eyebrows. She wondered if this was what a servant of God looked like in the scriptures. 

His pious face, so at odds with the lewd noises outside, wore a devilish, seductive smile.