The hallway outside Lucien's room was just as lavish as the bedroom—polished hardwood floors, paintings in gilded frames, and wall sconces that held actual crystals instead of candles. The crystals glowed with a soft magical light that made everything look expensive and slightly unreal.
[You are currently in the Velvet District, the capital's most prestigious entertainment quarter. Your room is on the third floor of the Silk Rose Manor, a residence for independent courtesans.]
"Independent," Lucien muttered. "That's a fancy word for broke and unemployed."
He made his way down the hallway, his new body moving with an easy grace that his old one never had. No aching joints. No coal dust in his lungs. Whatever else this situation was, at least he felt good physically.
The staircase spiraled down through the center of the building. As he descended, he could hear voices drifting up—laughter, conversation, the clink of glasses. On the second floor landing, a woman emerged from one of the rooms.
She was stunning. Dark skin, silver hair piled high, wearing a gown that looked like liquid sapphire. She paused when she saw him, and something flickered across her face. Surprise? Recognition?
"Lucien," she said, her voice cool. "I'm shocked to see you awake before noon."
[NPC Identified: Seraphine, Courtesan Rank: Expert, Relationship Status: Hostile]
The system helpfully provided a small window of information hovering beside her head, invisible to everyone but him.
"Seraphine," Lucien said, the name pulling itself from somewhere in this body's memories. Fragments were starting to surface—not complete, but enough to give him context. She lived down the hall. The previous Lucien had... tried to compete with her? And failed spectacularly.
"Don't tell me you actually have a client today," she continued, descending the stairs with fluid grace. "After the disaster with Merchant Grayson's wife, I thought you'd given up entirely."
Lucien's stomach sank. He didn't have those memories yet, but clearly it had been bad.
"I'm working on rebuilding," he said carefully.
Seraphine's laugh was like cut glass. "Rebuilding? Darling, you'd need something to build from first. You graduated from Madam Celestine's on your looks alone—everyone knows it. All beauty, no substance." She paused beside him, close enough that he could smell her perfume. "Take some advice: find a wealthy patron willing to keep you as a pet. It's the only way someone like you survives in this profession."
She continued past him down the stairs, leaving Lucien gripping the banister.
[Do not let her words discourage you. She sees you as competition—weak competition, but competition nonetheless. Prove her wrong.]
"Yeah," Lucien breathed. "Easy for you to say."
He continued down to the ground floor, where the building opened into a communal lounge. Plush couches, low tables, a bar along one wall. Several people lounged about—all of them attractive, all of them watching him with varying degrees of interest or disdain as he entered.
[The Silk Rose Manor houses twenty independent courtesans. Most are neutral toward you. Five are actively hostile due to the previous Lucien's arrogance. Three might be convinced to help you if you prove yourself worthy.]
Great. He was starting with a negative reputation.
A stocky man behind the bar caught his eye and beckoned him over. Unlike the courtesans, he was dressed simply—practical clothes, greying hair tied back.
"Lucien," the man said quietly. "Got a minute?"
[NPC Identified: Garrett, Manor Keeper, Relationship Status: Concerned]
Lucien approached the bar. "Sure."
Garrett poured two small glasses of something amber and slid one across to him. "Drink. You look like you need it."
Lucien took the glass and sipped. Brandy—smooth and warming. Nothing like the rotgut he'd drunk in his previous life.
"I'm going to be straight with you, kid," Garrett said, his voice low enough that the others couldn't hear. "Your rent is three months overdue. I've been covering for you with the landlord because... well, because you remind me of my son. But I can't do it anymore. You've got one week. Five hundred silver coins, or you're out."
The quest timer flickered in Lucien's peripheral vision. 47:12:18.
"I understand," Lucien said. "I'll figure it out."
Garrett studied him for a long moment. "You seem different today. More... grounded." He shook his head. "Look, I shouldn't tell you this, but there's a woman who came by yesterday asking about booking a courtesan. First-timer. Nervous as hell. She was looking at the roster, and I may have... not mentioned that you were available."
"Why not?"
"Because your success rate is zero, Lucien. I wasn't going to send some poor woman to waste her coin on disappointment." Garrett's expression softened. "But if you're serious about turning things around, she's staying at the Silver Stag Inn. Room twelve. Name's Elena. Merchant's daughter, in the city selling her family's autumn harvest."
[OPTIONAL QUEST DISCOVERED]
Quest: A Nervous First
Objective: Approach Elena at the Silver Stag Inn and convince her to hire you
Reward: If successful with her - counts toward "First Steps" quest, Additional bonus: +5 Charisma for showing initiative
Note: High difficulty. She is a first-timer and will be very selective.
Lucien's mind raced. A first-timer meant someone who didn't know his reputation. Someone who might judge him on who he was now, not who the previous Lucien had been.
"Thank you," Lucien said, meeting Garrett's eyes. "Really. Thank you."
Garrett grunted. "Don't thank me yet. Just... don't screw this up. And Lucien? Whatever happened to you between yesterday and today, hold onto it. You actually look like you give a damn now."
Lucien finished his drink and stood. The lounge had mostly emptied out—courtesans heading to appointments or errands. He needed to find this Elena, but first he needed information.
[Would you like to access: Tutorial - First Client Basics?]
"Yes," he subvocalized, not wanting to look crazy talking to himself.
[Loading tutorial...]
[LESSON ONE: Understanding Your Client's Needs]
Every client seeks something different. Some want physical pleasure. Others want conversation, companionship, or simply to feel desired. Your task is to identify their true need within the first five minutes.
[LESSON TWO: Creating Safety and Comfort]
Especially with first-timers, your primary goal is making them feel safe. Nervousness kills desire. Use conversation, active listening, and appropriate humor to ease tension.
[LESSON THREE: The First Touch]
How and when you initiate physical contact determines everything that follows. Too fast, you seem predatory. Too slow, you seem disinterested. Read their body language like a map.
Information flooded into Lucien's mind—not quite memories, but something close. Techniques, approaches, the psychology of intimacy. It was like downloading a skill directly into his brain.
[Tutorial complete. Remember: The system provides knowledge, but you must provide genuine care. Clients can sense the difference between performance and authenticity.]
Lucien left the Silk Rose Manor and stepped out into the street. The capital—Aethermoor, his inherited memories supplied—was massive. Buildings of white stone and colored glass stretched in every direction. People crowded the streets: merchants, nobles, adventurers in armor, mages in robes. A proper fantasy city.
And somewhere in it, a nervous woman named Elena was deciding whether to take a chance on something she'd never done before.
Lucien pulled his coat tighter and started walking toward the Silver Stag Inn.
His timer read 47:03:45.
Two days to save himself. And it started now.