Club Hedone - Dionysus Bar & Brewery
Day 2 - 1:14 AM DST (Demeter Standard Time)
"Ugh..." Was the first thing, other than wisps of steam, that left Goren's lips as he stirred from his alcohol-induced nap.
Eyebrows furrowed, he squeezed his eyes even more shut as he began to register his throbbing headache in full force.
Ow, my head.
As he became aware of the scents and sounds of his surroundings, confusion set in.
Where am I? This doesn't feel-
That was when he remembered that he was in Demeter, and that it was a real place now. The taste of alcohol was still on his tongue, causing the hazy memory of his alcohol binge to surface.
Oh, yeah. That.
Lifting his head from the bar's countertop, he placed his face in both palms. He felt drool on his face and wiped it away, though some of it had dried a while back and refused to vanish.
"So this is what a hangover feels like..."
He heard it was awful, but only now did he truly understand it. His demonic Poison Resistance may make it difficult to get drunk, but it didn't make his hangovers any less uncomfortable. Fortunately, though, he could feel it gradually vanishing.
"Do you require assistance, Lord Goren? Something to ease your discomfort?"
Goren raised his head, taking in his surroundings once he'd opened his eyes, searching for the owner of the voice. It wasn't Bobik, so who did it belong to? The realization hit him just before his eyes met the speaker's.
Oh, right. Him.
Goren turned to his left and saw Onus still seated in the same spot as when they had arrived.
"N-no, it's fine. No point in wasting mana on it. It'll go away on its own soon. Besides, if this is how it will feel every time I get drunk, then I should at least get used to it."
Onus dipped his head. "As you wish, Lord."
Goren looked over at the clock hanging on the wall behind the counter. It read 1:15 AM DST.
Bobik wasn't equipped with a Ring of Sustenance or anything of the sort, so that meant he didn't have a way to stay awake at night. Plus, Goren write into his character settings that the Dwarf stubbornly stuck to getting eight hours of sleep every night.
Goren tried to swallow what little saliva he had in his mouth, but to no avail. His throat was simply too dry. He looked at the countertop, saw a pool of his saliva, then looked to Onus.
"Pour me some more Cyser, will you?" He pointed at his empty mug.
Onus had a hesitant expression.
"My Lord, I would like to carry out your order, but I do not wish to intrude on the duties of Bobik. It would be disrespectful."
Goren exhaled in annoyance, rubbing some of the sleep from his eyes.
Onus immediately went rigid with anxiety in response, his hands raised towards his creator in a placating manner.
"I-I apologize, m-my Lord! I did not mean to-"
"Be quiet."
Goren's irritated tone stopped Onus mid-sentence. The Shadow Demon went silent, his hands slowly returning to his sides. He lowered his head towards his creator's direction, his face no longer visible.
Goren sighed, then reached into his Item Box to retrieve a Pitcher of Endless Water to fill his glass. He emptied its contents several times, making sure to wetten his throat as thoroughly as possible. Once he was satisfied, Goren then lifted the pitcher above his head and tilted it, pouring the cold water directly onto his scalp. It didn't feel that cold due to his nature as an Arch-Devil. The water went down his scalp and onto his forehead, gradually ridding him of his sleepiness.
Returning the magic item to his inventory, Goren stared at the puddle of water below him.
"Onus," Goren said, his eyes not leaving the puddle, "clean that up, now."
Without a word, Onus grabbed a towel from his Item Box and got off his stool, getting on his hands and knees to carry out his creator's order.
When the floor was almost dry, Goren remembered what he was here to do: to meet all of the NPCs of Club Hedone. Only two remained, the ones who worked beyond the door to the Dance Floor. He groaned at the thought of more social interaction.
Onus stopped what he was doing to look up at his creator, his expression even more anxious than before. "Did I do something wrong, Lord Goren?"
Goren shook his head, sending droplets of water every which way. "No. Once you're done with this, go get Ardor and Savore over here. They're the last two NPCs here I need to greet. Oh, and before you do, clean the countertop too."
Onus dipped his head. "Understood, sir. I will retrieve them in a moment!"
Once he had taken care of the puddle (along with the pool of saliva and the droplets of water that had fallen when Goren shook his head), Onus got up and left the bar. In the meantime, Goren dried himself off with a towel of his own.
Now dry, Goren returned the towel to his inventory. It was then that he heard the door to the Dance Floor open behind him.
Closing the door behind them, the trio approached him. The final two members of the Nightlives were among them: Ardor and Savore. The two were both level 15, though not of the same race. Ardor glided towards Goren with his wings, with Savore hanging beneath him and holding onto the incubus as best as he could to avoid falling.
Ardor, a short and curvy Incubus was adorned in a black latex suit, fitting for his position as the Manager of the Brothel. He was responsible for overseeing all of the Succubus and Incubus POPs that 'worked' in his section of Club Hedone and to make sure that patrons were enjoying themselves to the fullest. Underneath his suit, he was designed to have pale skin in order to imply that he almost never took his gear off, which was also something written into his character settings. He had red eyes, short stubby horns, small white batlike wings, and a spade-like tail. Something else that was written into his settings was that he had a highly active sex drive, which he had to 'take care' of twice a day. This of course didn't do anything back in Yggdrasil. But now, in this new world of theirs, Goren could clearly see the tent in Ardor' crotch.
Savore, an Immortal Human just like his twin sister Savina, wore the exact same clothing as his female counterpart, with his hairstyle, voice, and slightly masculine features being the only things setting them apart. Designed by Asriel to appeal to his tastes, Savore was a crossdresser who was the Manager of the Dance Floor. It was his job to manage the lights and other systems of the Dance Floor to ensure that dancers were having a blast.
Ardor dropped Savore before him, then planted both feet beside him. The two NPCs immediately got on one knee, their heads lowered.
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Goren swiveled to face the trio.
"I have brought Ardor and Savore, Lord Goren," Onus announced, motioning towards them with a hand, his head lowered as well.
Before the two could speak, Goren spoke first, "Thanks for coming. I'm gonna have to make this brief due to my hangover."
The two NPCs nodded, not raising their heads.
"Now, raise your heads."
Ardor and Savore did as he ordered.
Goren nodded in response. "Good. Now then, I'd like to ask the two of you some questions, in this order: how has your day been, are there any problems that need to be addressed, and is there anything else you want to say before I dismiss you?"
The two NPCs nodded in understanding but remained silent, glancing at each other several times. After some time, Goren realized they weren't sure who'd go first. He sighed internally.
He pointed at Ardor. "Go, you first."
Ardor nodded. "My day was going well, but it has gotten even better with you here, Supreme One!" He said as he clasped his hands together while still kneeling.
Savore nodded furiously beside him. Goren only barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes.
Ardor continued. "As for the other two questions, I have something to bring up."
"Go on."
Though he and Goren had already been making eye contact, Ardor' gaze now felt like he was staring into Goren's soul. Though he tried to remain calm, it caused sweat to appear on his back.
"My Lord, I'd like to see you and Lord Asriel visit the Brothel sometime. It would make my day to see the Supreme Beings enjoy themselves in whichever ways they desire."
The image of the tent in the Incubus' crotch came to his mind.
"I understand. I'll make sure to visit sometime soon. Perhaps even Asriel'll come along, too."
Ardor lowered his head, his tone now excited. "Thank you very very much, Supreme One! I'll make sure the staff will satisfy each and every fantasy you have!"
Goren nodded, then looked towards Savore.
"Your turn."
"I've been doing fine as well. I don't have any issues to address, but..." He trailed off.
Goren raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"...I'd like to know where Lord Asriel is, my Lord," the Immortal Human said, wringing his hands.
"Ah. He went off towards a ruined city nearby, alongside Zuriel, Malacus, and Savina."
Savore seemed to deflate at that.
"...are you worried that Asriel is mad at you, or something?" Goren asked, furrowing his brows.
Savore shook his head. "N-no, I just... want to see him, is all. He hasn't spoken to me for a while now."
Goren nodded. He could definitely relate. "Don't worry about it. He'll talk to you as soon as he gets back. I'll make sure to let him know."
Savore's face lit up, then lowered his head. "Thank you, Lord Goren! I'm grateful for your consideration!"
"You're welcome. Now, if that is all, I'd like for you to get back to what you were doing. I have matters I need to attend to," Goren said.
The two NPCs nodded. "Understood, my Lord!" They said in unison before they rose to their full heights and returned to their posts.
He turned to Onus, whose head was still lowered. He stared at the Shadow Demon for several moments, contemplating where he'd go next. That was when he remembered that the 4th Floor had a Spa, and more importantly, that he had written into Onus' character settings that he ran the place whenever he wasn't needed at Goren's side. The thought of relaxing there helped improve his mood a bit.
"Let's go, Onus. You can help me ease this hangover at the Spa."
Onus dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Understood, master". Goren noticed the Shadow Demon's tail hung limply, but chose not to say anything.
With that, the two demons left Club Hedone and went down the block to the Spa. Its appearance was based on the Asser Levy Recreation Center that used to exist in New York City before it was demolished. Instead of red brick for its walls, it had green bricks to match the nature theme of Demeter, and it only had one entrance. Located near the top of the structure were words etched into the stone, which read 'Free Spa' in place of the original's 'Free Public Baths.' The building was also smaller than the original.
As he approached the Spa, a thought came to his mind. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Onus.
"Onus, go open the door."
The Shadow Demon dipped his head. "At once, Lord Goren," he said before doing just that. The door opened without producing much sound.
"Thanks."
The door now closed behind them, the two made their way towards the center of the building, the interior of which was based on the ancient Roman bath houses, except there weren't any large pools of water taking up the majority of the space. In their place were white and sky blue marble floor tiles and an interior garden filled with bushes, flowers, and trees. At the sides of the central hall were individual rooms where visitors could have their own private massage sessions, or get their hair cut and styled or their nails done.
Male and female Elf POPs inhabited the building, all of whom were Onus' subordinates whenever it was his time to run the place, but even without him present they were ready to pamper any visitors they encountered. Several of them bowed respectfully as Goren and Onus walked past them, their destination being Goren's personal spa room. Introverted as he was, he couldn't have a room for himself.
Like all the others, his room was spacious but not overly so, with a comfortable wooden chair in the middle, a soft and cozy single bed to the right of the room, and a sofa to the left. It also had a control panel on the wall by the door which controlled the brightness of the lights, and allowed one to play any of the music stored in the guild base's systems over the speakers in the ceiling.
Once they had entered his personal room and had shut the door behind them, Goren turned to face Onus. "Now, then. I want you to massage my head, feet, shoulders, and neck. I also want you to dim the lights in the room, put on some soft music, and pour me some cups of water."
Onus bowed deeply. "I will get started immediately, Supreme One. Please, make yourself comfortable."
Goren did as the Shadow Demon instructed, planting himself onto the sculpted wooden chair. Like the rest of the furniture in Demeter, it was immaculate in detail and comfort. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, both eyes closed. "Okay, I'm ready," he announced.
Onus lowered his head in acknowledgement. "Understood, Lord Goren," he said just before he dimmed the lights and set the music to play over the speakers.
A full hour of massaging his head, feet, shoulders, and neck came and went so quickly, that Goren had trouble believing that much time had actually passed.
Regardless, an hour was all that he needed. His hangover had completely vanished and the cups of water beside him were empty. Just like last time, it was incredible. It made him wish he could have had these massages back in his old life. It also made him grateful not only for Onus' existence, but also for the time he had spent writing such skills into the Shadow Demon's character settings.
With the massage over, he used his Ring of Chiaroscuro to teleport himself and Onus to the Bathing Hall located within the Apartment Complex of Astral Keep. Sure, he have used the hot tubs of the Spa, but he much preferred the more spacious Bathing Hall.
Before he stepped into one of the hot water pools, Goren disrobed, letting his fall to the floor. Like last time, Onus snatched it out of the air and neatly folded it. He took out a pillow from his inventory and plopped it onto the stone floor, then gently laid Goren's shed outfit onto it.
As he soaked in the steaming hot water of one of the two warm water pools, he thought back to an hour ago when he had snapped at Onus. Guilt welled up inside him. The demon was simply trying to be useful.
he thought as he silently facepalmed.
His friendship with Asriel might not survive if he didn't keep a firm grip on his emotions. And if the NPCs weren't eternally loyal to him and Asriel, then it could lead to rebellion.
He shook his head clear of such thoughts, refocusing his attention on the present.
He glanced at Onus, who stood at his side, though a few steps away. He had his hands folded behind his back, his face still gloomy. His eyes were pointed straight down, avoiding eye contact.
"Onus," he said, his tone gentle. "Come here."
Onus did as his master asked, stepping closer until he was right behind him. "Yes, Lord Goren?" He hesitantly asked.
"Soak with me," he pointed to the space in the water beside him.
Onus' eyes widened. "S-soak with you? Are you su-"
"Please, join me."
The Shadow Demon's open mouth shut mid-sentence. He lowered his head. "As you command, Lord Goren."
The hot water shuddered and rippled as Onus got into the pool with his master. He made himself comfortable, his back straight and hands on his knees.
The corners of Goren's mouth rose a bit. "Relax, Onus. You're not in trouble."
Onus' face grew less gloomy, though the hesitation did not leave him. "I'm not?" He asked, now making eye contact. His brows were slightly furrowed.
Goren nodded. "Yeah, you're not. It was I who was out of line earlier. I shouldn't've been so rude to you. I apologize."
Onus' eyebrows flew skywards as his eyes widened. He threw up his hands in a placating gesture. "No, no, no! You shouldn't apologize, master, it was all my-"
"Stop," Goren held out his hand to interrupt Onus. "Please, I want you to accept my apology. It would make me happy if you did."
The protests ceased. Onus had no choice but to accede to his master's order. "If it will please you, master, then I accept your apology." He lowered his arms, his hands returning to their submerged positions.
Goren smiled internally.
Goren nodded. "Thank you, I appreciate it." He smiled at the Shadow Demon, then brought him into a hug. Onus smiled back, then his eyes widened at the unexpected hug. After a few moments he recovered, wrapping his arms around his creator. Once Goren felt enough time had passed, he released Onus from his hug. The Shadow Demon smiled warmly, his eyes wet.
"I am unworthy of your consideration, Lord Goren!" He said, lowering his head.
Goren smiled back. "Nonsense," he said, shaking his head, "none of you are unworthy."
This only made Onus lower his head even lower.
"Your kindness is a great blessing, Supreme One."
"Yeah," Goren said, not knowing what else to say. "Anyway, we'll be going to the Merchant Plaza next."
Onus nodded. "Understood, Lord Goren."