Chapter 5: I Believe In Him

Upon reaching the lowest level of The Underground City, Adrian immediately noticed how different the products sold here were compared to those on the surface. The architecture, too, was peculiar—buildings leaned at odd angles, some resembling the sinuous curves of a serpent in motion.

As they stepped forward, two scantily clad women approached them, wearing nothing but bras and underwear. One had scruffy blonde hair, while the other's was impeccably maintained.

"Hello, boys. First time here?" the scruffy-haired woman purred, her fingers trailing inappropriately along August's arm.

"Sorry, ladies, but we don't have time," August replied curtly.

"Ahh, come on," the well-groomed woman cooed. "Stay for a little fun."

Adrian, mesmerized by their beauty, stood frozen. This was his first encounter with women from outside his homeland. Sensing his distraction, August pulled him aside and whispered,

"Don't fall for their charms. They're succubi. They'll drain you dry."

Adrian blinked in confusion. "What are succubi?"

"They're demons," August explained. "They feed on your energy while pleasuring you. People get addicted to them—always coming back for more, until there's nothing left of them."

Adrian's eyes widened. "I see… but what do we do? It doesn't seem like they'll just let us leave."

"Don't worry. I've got this," August assured him with a confident thumbs-up.

Returning to the women, August's demeanor shifted. "Alright," he said smoothly. "We'll go with you."

Adrian's expression contorted in disbelief. What?!

'Why would he agree after everything he just said about them?' Adrian wondered.

The two followed the women to a Pleasure Hall, a lavish establishment where succubi worked. Inside, numerous men were being led away into private rooms. As they walked, August leaned toward Adrian and whispered,

"Hey, I need you to distract them."

"Wait… what? How am I supposed to do that?!" Adrian hissed.

Before he could protest further, August vanished, slipping away unnoticed.

"Where's the older man?" Scruffy Hair asked suspiciously.

"Him? Uh… he went to the bathroom! Yeah, that's it!" Adrian stammered, flustered.

The well-groomed woman smirked. "Fine, I suppose we'll just have to have fun with you instead."

Her sultry tone sent a shiver down Adrian's spine as she guided him toward one of the rooms. Meanwhile, August maneuvered through the corridors, avoiding any women who crossed his path. Weaving in and out of shadows, he made his way to the farthest end of the hall, where an enormous black door loomed before him. Towering nearly thirty feet tall, it was adorned with white roses painted across its surface.

With a firm push, August opened the door and stepped inside.

Seated before him was a colossal woman. The upper half of her body appeared human, but her lower half bore the form of a spider's abdomen. Her long, jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her chest—immense as an elephant—rose and fell with each breath. Reclining on a massive pillow, she exhaled a thick plume of smoke from her ornate pipe, her expression one of sheer boredom.

"I thought I smelled something," she muttered.

"It's been a while, Erica," August said.

At the mention of her name, the woman's golden eyes flickered with irritation. "You have some nerve showing up after thirteen years," she scoffed, releasing another cloud of smoke.

August bowed his head slightly. "I imagine my disappearance must have concerned you. I apologize."

"Concerned?" She scoffed. "I was not concerned!" she snapped, turning away to conceal whatever emotion flickered across her face.

"Of course not," August replied, amused. "But I'm not here for a reunion."

"I should have known," she sighed, taking another long pull from her pipe. "What do you want?"

"Do you know where Bernard is?"

At the name, Erica's relaxed demeanor shifted. "Bernard?" she repeated. "That fool hasn't visited me in over a month. I don't know where he is—but if he's avoiding me, I will kill him."

August chuckled. "We both know you wouldn't do that."

Yet beneath his amusement, a flicker of concern crept into his features. Bernard Sylvester—the Master Craftsman of The Underground—was notorious for constantly changing locations, never staying in one place for too long. He trusted very few people, and Erica Web was one of them. For him to have gone silent for over a month… something wasn't right.

"You seriously don't know where he is?" August pressed.

"I already told you—no."

"Alright. I understand."

Suddenly, a frantic voice echoed through the hall.

"August! HELP!"

August turned just in time to see Adrian sprinting down the corridor, a horde of furious succubi chasing after him.

"You brought a child with you?" Erica asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. He's my new squadmate," August replied proudly.

Erica threw her head back and laughed. "That boy? Your squadmate?"

"That's right. And I'd appreciate it if you called off your hounds before they sink their fangs into him," August said, nodding toward the approaching succubi.

Adrian, breathless and panicked, darted behind August for cover.

Erica sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Enough. Go find yourselves other men—this boy is my guest!" she commanded.

The women groaned in disappointment but obeyed.

"He was so cute," one of them muttered as she walked away.

As Adrian finally caught his breath, he turned to thank his savior—only to freeze in shock. His eyes traveled up, taking in Erica's sheer size. She occupied nearly half the room, her beauty mesmerizing despite her intimidating form.

"You're huge!" he blurted out.

Erica's eye twitched. "That's rude."

Realizing his mistake, Adrian immediately bowed his head. "I'm sorry! I should have known better. My mother always told me a woman's weight is a sensitive subject. Please forgive me!"

For a moment, Erica simply stared at him. Then, she smirked. "It's fine. But tell me, boy—why are you with August?"

"I don't understand the question," Adrian replied.

"August is the most annoying person on this planet," she said dryly. "No one follows him around without a reason."

"I do have a reason," Adrian said with conviction.

"And what is that?"

"I want to go on an adventure—and help August reach Valhalla."

Erica's laughter rang through the hall. "Valhalla? That's a folktale. Do you really believe a place like that exists?"

"It doesn't matter if I believe in it," Adrian said. "August does. So I do too."

His words caught August off guard, nearly bringing a tear to his eye.

Erica studied Adrian for a long moment before exhaling deeply. "I see… August, I don't know where Bernard is. But his assistant might. If you find her, she'll tell you what you need to know. Her name is Emily Vester."

August nodded. "Thanks, Erica."

As he and Adrian turned to leave, a faint smile graced Erica's lips.

'He's just like you, August… A boy who longs for adventure. I hope you both find what you seek.'