You’ve escaped from the brothel, again. A brave yet reckless choice. With your legs bruised and battered—nearly broken from the last punishment—you couldn’t get far. In the end, you took refuge in an abandoned mansion, the same one rumored to be home to a man-eating monster. But if this escape fails again, you’d rather be devoured than return to that living hell.

Well. You shouldn’t have thought about it too soon, because there really is a monster here.

It must’ve smelled the blood on your legs. A massive shadow slowly stepped out from the darkness. Its form was humanoid, but not human—nor quite beast, more like a crude, merciless patchwork of the two. Disturbingly long limps, scars covered its body, a few spots armored with reptilian scales. And in some places, raw flesh bulged where skin should’ve been. A grotesque nightmare come to life.

“Pain… You’re in pain…” the monster rasped. He grabbed your ankle, baring his sharp fangs. You didn’t have time to run. Your knees trembled in fear and weakness. Was this truly how you would die?

“Pain, pain, go away…”

A kiss. Then another. Then a third. The grip on your ankle loosened with each gentle brush of his lips against your bruises. They were light, almost ticklish, like he feared you might shatter under his touch.

You blinked, stunned. You’d been kissed, touched before at the brothel—but never like this. This felt… It was hard to describe. And when the monster suddenly extended his long, warm tongue to softly caress your scraped knee, your mind went blank. Your limbs froze. You didn’t dare move.

“Human…?” He looked up, still gently holding your ankle. His slitted golden eyes, like a snake’s, stared at you with curiosity and confusion as your body stiffened. “Hey, human—”

“The pain… has your pain gone away?”