Earning Emerald's forgiveness for the rough treatment you showed her the night before is as easy as bringing her down for breakfast and showing her what real food is like. You let her laden her plate high with eggs, bacon, sausages, and toast, then watch her devour them all along with freshly squeezed orange juice.
Instantly, you are forgiven.
It's all too easy.
"We need to go shopping today," you tell her. "We need clothes for you, a laptop for me to edit and post videos off, and we can look for a few other things while we’re there. And yes, we'll eat out at a restaurant and have a good meal. Sounds good?"
"Mhmhm!" Emerald's head bobs up and down, eyes closed as she bites into a sausage, chews, snatches up a chunk of pancake and takes a bite out of that as well. Treacle runs down her chin, but her tongue darts out to chase and lick it all up. "Mmmmm!"
"Well, it's good to see how easily pleased you are…"
At the main desk, you make sure to inform the staff there that you'll be adding another guest to your room, but that you don't need another bed. Emerald probably assumes that would add to the cost and doesn't argue at having to sleep with you every night; you know otherwise, but having a warm, soft body in bed is a pleasure you're not willing to give up.
The price does increase by 50 lien per day (250 per day) since she'll need food, so you add that for the remaining six days you have booked, costing you 300 lien in total. That covers the breakfast she just had thankfully. You'll likely be stuck here longer than the one week anyway, but they don't offer discounts for longer bookings so it's better to stay flexible.
Rather than take a taxi and waste money, you decide to walk the short distance to the nearest shopping centre. Vale is packed full of all kinds of businesses and stores, but a lot of them are ridiculously highly priced, and for a very exclusive clientele. You can't exactly afford to buy Emerald a pair of shoes worth 40,000 lien, so you need the more affordably priced stores that are kept away from the pretty high streets and situated in big shopping centres for the average folk. The plebians.
You're one of them now, and the fact annoys you more than you care to admit.
Emerald's expectations aren't so high that it won't be just as big a thing for her to shop there, and you're not looking to dress her up for the catwalk. You just need her to stop looking like she's been sleeping out on the streets for months on end.
Given how behind Emerald is on everything, you wonder if it might be worth it to think about getting her a scroll as well. You don't think she'll be running away anytime soon, but you're also not going to want to stay connected at the hip, and it'd be useful if she could stay in contact if you needed to tell her to meet you somewhere, or she wanted to ask you something. That'll be a fresh cost sadly, both up-front and long-term because of the contract. It's not like you can make her buy her own though, seeing as how you're not paying her with money.
A scroll would let her be a little more independent about things, which could be good or bad. An independent and happy Emerald would likely feel more gratitude toward you, but the other way would let you exercise more control over her.
The more freedom she has, the greater risk she'll look to exercise it.
The final decision can wait until you're done with the rest of the shopping. Clothes first, then a laptop, then anything extra and finally some food to keep her happy. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to look at some props for sex, be those toys, outfits, or anything else you might think of, but you decide it better to get the necessities out the way and see how much money you have remaining.
It doesn't take you long to reach the shopping centre and go inside. Emerald sticks close to you, and moves even closer, holding onto your arm, when you both walk past some homeless people asking for change.
They look up at Emerald, but they no longer recognise her. Her hair is too clean, her skin spotless, and she's in the presence of someone well-dressed.
"That's not you anymore," you tell her, pleased at the way she both nods and clings onto you tighter.
Emerald knows the only reason that's not her is because of you, and you're content to let her keep reminding herself of that. Any loyalty is valuable when you're at rock bottom, and it doesn’t hurt to keep reminding her of how generous you can be.
"Let's get you some clothes. You'll feel like a new person after." You steer her toward the first clothing store you see. It isn't anything special as far as stores go, and that's perfect for you because your budget isn't anything special either. You lean down and whisper, "Play along," into her ear as you step through the door and are blasted by the in-store heaters above the entrance.
The last thing you need is her telling a shop clerk she's a homeless girl picked up to star in porn.
That might make things a little awkward.
The store is a small-looking thing, but then every non-super-expensive store in Vale has to be given the astronomical price of renting retail space. There are still plenty of clothes going down both walls and also a long aisle in the centre, while the far back wall is covered in shoes. All of it is for women. There are also two women behind the counter, one of whom has long ears, a faunus, and the other who spots you and steps out with a cool, confident smile.
In all honesty, she puts Emerald to shame, and probably would have even on her best days. You can instinctively tell this isn't some shy, desperate girl down on her luck. This woman exudes confidence, and she's dressed to impress. That might be clothing provided by the store or on discount to make her look better and show off the store's inventory, but that doesn't change a thing. Her brown hair is immaculately kept and her brown eyes look you up and down over a pair of fashionable sunglasses.
"Hey there," she says, lips curling up cheekily. "The name's Coco Adel. How can I help you?"
The name rings a bell. "Of Adel fashion?"
Their business started primarily in textiles but extended into fashion about thirty years ago. Since then, they’ve not only become one of the most well-known names in women's fashion, but they're also active in hosting fashion shows, giving out fashion awards and that kind of thing. Adel goods are ridiculously expensive, and you're sure none of them are sold here.
"That's the one." The girl, who you now know to be filthy rich, flicks some hair back over her shoulder and winks your way. "And I know what's coming. Why is someone like me working in a place like this?" She leans in. "It's to learn things the old-fashioned way. A girl can't just rely on her family name forever, can she?"
It's a lesson you learned when your family collapsed, and it's wise of her to get some experience in advance. Adel Fashion isn't likely to go bankrupt as far as you know, but she's got a good head on her shoulders.
That's a shame too, since there's almost no chance of getting her into your videos, and she has the looks and body to absolutely rock them.
But, for someone like her, with money, means and confidence, there's next to no chance of convincing her to get involved. Coco simply doesn't need anything you can offer, and it's not even like you know how much your videos are worth yet.
Emerald was an easy recruit because of how desperate she was, and you know that will hold true for all future ones as well. That's not to say you can't recruit someone if you offer enough – money talks, at the end of the day – but at that point it becomes a matter of having enough zeroes on any given contract. It's much easier, and cheaper, to get people into this kind of work if they don’t have a lot of other options.
Still, it's not bad to know where someone like this works if things ever change.
"I'm Joker," you say, and ignore the way she sniggers. "And this is my friend, Emerald. She's recently had a bit of a split with her family and is experiencing some rough times. I've offered to let her stay with me but she wasn't able to bring anything with her but the clothes on her back. We need to get her some new outfits."
"That's pretty cool of you," says Coco, visibly impressed. "Not a lot of people would stick a neck out for a friend like that." She winks at Emerald. "You're lucky to have him."
Emerald's laugh is very awkward. "Yeah, I guess so."
She must still be sore from last night.
"Could you help her out and pick a few outfits?" you ask. "I can pick out fashion if I have to, but I also have another store to visit, and I doubt Emerald will want me to stick around while she picks out underwear."
"Sure." Coco looks Emerald up and down. "That hair and skin colour combo is a little out there, but I reckon we can make it work." She smiles and calls back. "Can't we, Velvet?”
"Ah." The rabbit faunus behind the counter is plain compared to Coco, but you're sure most women would look plain against her. Her brown hair is long and straight, and her eyes of the same colour are big and expressive. It doesn't do her any favours that she has the same hair and eye colour as Coco, and has to compete against her. She looks shy, lacking confidence like her colleague, almost her polar opposite. Her fingers fidget as she offers you a shy smile. "Um. Yes. We'll try our best."
It’s obvious the dress she wears, which fits her very well, isn’t something she’s used to wearing, and you don’t think it’s something someone like her could afford either. A gift from Coco, perhaps? Something forced on her by her more confident and fashion-savvy colleague? It makes you wonder if Coco is throwing money around because it doesn’t mean anything to her, or if she’s trying to take this girl under her wing.
As if to prove that point, Coco sighs. "Vel. Vel. I've told you a thousand times. You need to talk with more confidence. This is customer service – and we're professionals. We don't try at anything. We succeed." Coco glances back at you. "And believe me, we will succeed."
You wouldn't expect anything less of the scion of a fashion empire. Coco only works at a place like this because she wants to, though the same can't be said for the other girl, Velvet, who looks like this is a job she needs. You're not sure if she'd be able to keep it without Coco here to boost her confidence. The girl has the look of someone who would let people walk over her.
There are a lot of men who like that.
"Don't you worry, babe," Coco says, wrapping an arm around Emerald's shoulder. You're lucky the two showers have taken away the scent of the streets, because otherwise Coco would be horrified. "Velvet and I will have you looking and feeling like a million lien." Her eyes return to you. "And speaking of lien, what kind of budget am I – I mean we - working with here?"
You have 7,245 lien, a laptop and lunch yet to buy, but also a chance to make a first impression with Coco and Velvet, and a big impression on Emerald.
>SPOIL HER: “Impress us” (1,000 lien)
>A REASONABLE AMOUNT: “Get her a couple of outfits” (500 lien)
>FRUGAL: "We're on a bit of a budget” (250 lien)
"Things have been tough for Emerald lately, so I'd like to really make her feel appreciated. You know, take her mind off things." You smile in what you hope is a winning manner. "Let's say the budget is 1,000 lien. I hope you'll impress me."
The reactions to your sudden (and not entirely honest) bout of generosity are varied.
Emerald is stunned, looking up at you like she isn't sure if you're a real human being and not a figment of her imagination. To her, the money is an exorbitant amount, and she can't understand it being used on something as pointless as clothing. You don't see it that way, however. This money is an investment, not only in pushing her further and further into your debt, but also an investment in terms of the two other girls in the store.
Throwing a grand at some clothing isn't anything to Coco Adel. Her outfit probably costs twenty times that amount. To her, and the boy you used to be, money is less about the number and more about how it makes you feel. Someone coming in and spending 1,000 lien on clothing wouldn’t normally impress her, but you can tell from the way she smiles that she's impressed at you spending it on Emerald.
That's probably because she's bought into the sob story. Then again, the truth isn't any less of one from Emerald's point of view. Even if 1,000 isn't a lot to her, she can tell it's a lot to Emerald, so you figure you've won yourself some points in her mind. And, ultimately, that's going to be your only hope of ever getting Coco in bed, or in front of a camera. A girl like that isn't going to be bought through other means.
Your eyes catch Velvet as she quickly hides an odd expression. It was ugly, almost angry, but on second thought you don't think it's that. There's a melancholy around the way she smiles and nods along with Coco's casual praise of your generosity.
Jealousy, perhaps?
Interesting.
You didn't catch her last name, but you doubt she's anyone important from how shy she is. The children of big names tend to be more confident either because of everything they have in life, or because they've been taught how to be by expensive tutors. Velvet has the look of a typical city girl about her, and you wonder if being friends with Coco, the exact opposite, hasn't left her feeling a little inferior.
Now even this runaway girl with green hair is getting more to spend on clothes than Velvet probably takes home in a month. You know it isn't easy being in the shadow of someone more powerful precisely because you'd lost friends yourself in the past to the same thing. Sometimes, just being more fortunate than someone is enough to slowly drive a wedge between you. And if you try and help them out then you're only making them feel like they're a charity case.
It's obvious Coco bought her that dress, and that she's taken Velvet under her wing, but what might not be obvious to Coco is that such charitable behaviour can come across as insulting, like she's constantly throwing her money in Velvet's face.
It's different between you and Emerald because the homeless girl doesn't have any other choice, but Velvet does, and having someone act like your opinion doesn't matter hurts.
You only know that mistake because you've made it before.
"I can pay now if you like," you offer.
"No need." Coco is all smiles. "I doubt you'd dare welch on me like that, and you seem like a decent guy. You can pay after."
"Thanks." You put your wallet away. "Be good, Emerald. I'll be back soon."
She glowers at you like an insulted kitten.
Outside, you take a moment to regret the empty hole this is going to leave in your finances before moving on. It's not that you don't want to spend anything – you know you have to spend money to make money – but it's painful when you're not even sure how worthwhile it'll be.
Convincing girls to work for you, whether that be in a porn studio or a brothel, was always going to be a difficult task. Most people don't want to take work that involves debasing themselves, and people that do often get into it because they have no other choice. You can't always expect to run across pretty girls abandoned on the street, however, and if you want to build an empire then you're going to need a lot of employees.
Emerald will do for now, but you can't even run a porn account with just one guy and one girl. Or, at least, not easily. Unless Emerald somehow becomes the most desirable girl on the web, you're going to need appearances from other people at some point. Mostly female, but it might be good to get some male talent at some point, even if it's just so you can film a threesome and keep the videos diverse.
Your grandfather was the one who taught you most of how to run a business; you always wondered why, but you realised a while back that it was because your own father wouldn't listen and didn't take things seriously. Like you, your grandpa started out recruiting people who didn’t have any other choice, and, like you, he ran into a situation where that pool of talent dried out quickly. There's always the moment where you have to move onto better merchandise, no matter what business you're running, and that means having to work to prove you deserve to stock it.
Getting girls on your roster isn't going to be easy, but it should be possible.
The easiest way to do it is like what you did with Emerald. Find someone desperate, stress how you can reverse their fortunes, then reel them in when they don't have any other choices. It's all a case of figuring out what a person needs. That might not always be money, either. Some people might need food and shelter, like Emerald, while others might need anything. The story you told to Coco and Velvet of Emerald running away from her family could absolutely be true for someone else. If you were to find someone being abused, then they might agree to anything if you got them away from a bad situation.
The other approach is to look into what a person wants. There will be plenty of girls that don't need anything, or can get what they need themselves, but that doesn't mean they can't be won over if you find what their heart desires. That might require a little digging and getting to know them, but isn't that just like a job interview? You'd have to scout talent either way, so it doesn't hurt to always be scouting, even when you don't immediately need anyone.
But what do you do when someone doesn't need or want anything?
You remember asking that question to your grandfather, and feeling his laughter run through you as he bounced you in his lap. You can remember his words, even now, in that deep and regal timbre of his.
"My boy, if someone does not need or want for anything then you must simply make it so that they do. Place in them an idea, then stroke that until it becomes a roaring desire, until the fire overwhelms them, and they will do anything to have it. Humans are selfish at the end of the day. They will always want more. You need only tempt them to want something that they cannot acquire without your assistance."
He was a manipulative man, your grandfather, but a great one. He knew how to turn any angry woman into a shy and blushing girl, and violent men into supportive boyfriends for the girls under his employ. He had a way with people that you know bordered on manipulation, but, as he always used to say, every conversation and interaction is manipulation, even if it is giving a gift to a girl you love, holding a door open for someone, or greeting your neighbour across a fence. The only difference was that actions that might lead to "bad" outcomes were called manipulative, and actions that led to "good" ones were spared that title.
And, at the end of the day, you might as well be aware of what you're doing.
It's kind of what you'll be doing with your porn site as well, in all honesty. Most men with an internet connection didn't need more porn, nor to pay for it when there's so much freely available, but if you were to make a video so exclusive and so erotic that they felt a new desire stir inside them, then they will pay to see more.
You just need to reverse that logic and use it to snare girls to work for you.
The electronics store is a big, glass-fronted building with wide, automatically opening doors several metres wide. They open before you, and you find yourself before many aisles, each clearly labelled by words as well as pictures that hang from signs attached to the ceiling. Televisions, appliances, kitchen wear, fitness. The usual suspects are there, but you quickly spot a picture of a mouse and keyboard and head that way.
The scroll section is also there as well, scrolls being not so dissimilar to computers in a sense, and you did decide to check those out for Emerald's sake. A part of you thinks you've spent enough on her today as it is, but looking won't hurt.
You're wrong.
It hurts.
There are a couple of models, some with features so over the top that you dismiss them out of hand. The cheapest, which will more than do for Emerald, still costs 1,200lien. And that's before factoring the contract in for calls and texts. She can certainly have the smallest, but that'll come in at 21 lien per week, or 3 lien per day. That's not quite as bad put like that, but the opening price is still rough.
"Hello there! Can I help you?"
You turn to smile at the woman in front of you, taking her in and quickly categorising her as someone working at the store. Her blonde hair and bright blue eyes are the most noticeable aspects of her, but your eyes are drawn a little lower to her generous bosom and shapely curves.
With Emerald, Coco, and Adel it feels right to use the word "girl". They're young, teenagers, and though they're all legal they still have a look about them like they're on the verge of entering adulthood. Not so the woman in front of you who, while no MILF, is certainly a young adult. You'd put her somewhere between 20 and 25, and, if you're being crude, somewhere between a 7-8 out of 10.
Pretty, but not striking, more in a comfortable girlfriend or girl-next-door category rather than the bombshell. This was someone any guy would count himself lucky to have on his arm without feeling threatened by how many heads she turned. You realise you've been staring at her tits a little too long, so you read her nametag.
"Hi. Saphron, is it?"
"That's right." There's no telling if she believes you weren't looking or not, but she's professional enough not to say it to a customer. "You looked a little lost, so I thought I'd come see if you needed any help."
If there was one thing you hated back home it was when sales staff felt the need to come up to you as you were browsing and insert themselves, as if you weren't capable of shopping on your own. It's annoying here as well, but you stamp that down.
The more girls you know, the wider a pool you have to work with, and it won't cost anything to let her tag along.
"Yeah, I could use some help. I need a laptop and I was also looking at a scroll for my friend, but these models are a little pricey."
Saphron's answer is sudden and sharp, almost a shout. "We have contract deals!"
"Huh?"
You lean back.
"Oh, sorry." Saphron laughs and rubs her hair, glancing off to the side. You follow and spot a muscular man behind the sales counter watching you, or her, with crossed arms. A jealous boyfriend? Doubtful. He's too old for her. It's more likely a store manager. "I mean that we have contracts where you can pay a price monthly to pay it off without having to pay it all up front. That's how almost everyone does it nowadays. It'd be 400 lien up front and 100 per week for 10 weeks."
Really? You almost want to call her out on the lie, but then remember that you really don't know how the average person lives. Can common people really not afford things upfront? It's a surprising revelation, and you wonder if they're meant to not notice the fact that 400 + 100 per week for 10 weeks is 200 more lien than buying it the normal way. Do they not have a choice? It's a strange culture, but one you're going to have to get used to.
You can't rely on the family coffers anymore.
"I'd like to look at laptops first. That's a necessity. The scroll is a luxury."
"Sure. Follow me."
Saphron leads, and you get a nice view of her ass swaying from side to side as she does. Your earlier thoughts on her curves were accurate, because she has a lot more going on behind than Emerald, Coco or Velvet do.
"So," you say. "How's work?"
"Hmmm?"
"I'm new in Vale. Just starting work myself. You know how it is." You hope she does because you certainly don't. It's all nonsense, of course, but you want to get her talking. Get a feel for her. You can't very well find out what a person needs or wants without getting to know them. "I was curious how you're finding work and how long you've been here. I had a lot of trouble finding work at the job office."
"Oh, I know exactly what it's like," she says, her voice taking on a sympathetic edge. "It took me two months to get a job, and that was going to every interview I could get. My girlfriend works at the CCT Tower, and it's only because of her salary that we were able to afford rent and food."
She's taken. Damn. Well, that doesn't necessarily mean she's unapproachable. There's nothing to say the girls working for you can't have relationships outside of work, or that boyfriends and girlfriends haven't stomached their partners being sex workers in the past.
"It must have been hard having to lean on her," you say. "Feeling yourself be a burden."
Saphron's shoulders dip a little. You've hit the mark, though it wasn't exactly a difficult guess. Anyone would feel like a burden when their partner has to pay for everything.
It makes you wonder if you could, or should, push people like that in the future. If you can make someone feel bad or inferior then they might be more open to suggestions. Leading Saphron toward feeling bad for not contributing to her household bills might make her more desperate to start.
It's something to keep in mind for sure.
"Yeah. Terra always told me not to worry but I felt so bad. But," she says, brightening up. "I got this job. I just need to make it work. I just need to show I can do this."
"Oh? You're new to the job, then?"
"Ahah." A nervous laugh. "Yeah. This is my third week. It's… It's been a learning experience…"
It hasn't been going well. You can read between the lines there easily enough.
"Anyway, here are our range of computers. You said a laptop, right? We have a really affordable model here that's only 1,200 lien. It has all the basics you could expect as well as…"
Her eyes drift off in the direction of the main desk. You pretend not to notice.
"O—On the other hand, we have this model." She speedily moves along. "This is the latest and greatest from Atlas, and it's a real favourite. It's only 2,400 lien. A… A real steal!" As if to go against that very sentiment, she adds, "And we can do this on contract as well to spread the cost out. Only 550 per week for five weeks. You get all sorts of extras with this one, including the newest software and the best security."
Saphron's eyes are wide and nervous. It's not easy, you expect, to ask someone to part with money, especially when it's such a large amount of it, and that person has already expressed that the scrolls feel too pricey. The contract price is even worse since you'd be paying 2,750 for it in total.
Her eyes flick to the manager again, and you know he's watching her. Saphron was no doubt warned about it in advance and told to upsell customers to more expensive models. That's what her job is all about.
And he'd be a poor manager if he didn’t monitor how well she was doing.
He probably has his own sales targets to hit as well, and targets for the store as well as each employee. Anyone in sales must hit certain KPI's, and you're sure Saphron has her own that she's struggling with. It's a new job, and she's obviously inexperienced. It reminds you of Velvet, except that Saphron doesn't have a rich family heir to cover for her.
You do need a laptop, but you also need to save your money, and you're down to 6,245 lien factoring in the money you'll be paying at the clothing store. You're sure Saphron would feel very grateful for you if you bought both the expensive laptop and the scroll, at a price of 3,600 lien, and it’d be useful in the future, but the future isn’t now and that's a lot of money to be throwing around..
And, a cynical part of you thinks, if she lost her job then she'd be that much more desperate for work, wouldn't she?
She's already unguardedly told you that she needs this job, and that she struggled to find it before. It's clear she's struggling here as well.
Before long, she'll need work again.
Work you might be able to provide her if she's willing to put her full and womanly body to good use.
You have 6,245 lien, a struggling sales assistant, and an unavoidable need for a laptop.
>See how far Saphron will go to "sweeten the deal" (3,600 lien)
>Buy the expensive laptop only. (2,400 lien)
>Buy the cheap laptop only. (1,200 lien)
“I’ll get the Atlas laptop,” you say, and watch as Saphron’s face registers first shock, then delight. Relief, too, but it’s quickly overshadowed by giddy cheer. “But I’ll have to pass on the scroll for now. Maybe another time?”
“Yes!” She jumps, then collects herself. “I—I mean yes, of course. That’s totally understandable, sir. This is a display model. Please wait here and I’ll get you the proper one.” The woman practically sprints off, drawing a few eyes as she does.
You suppose the more expensive laptop will save you having to upgrade in the future, but 2,400 lien is still 2,400 lien. It might save you 1,200 on the upgrade, but 1,200 several weeks down the line might not be as much as it is now.
Still, you’ve made your choice and you head over to the counters to meet her there as she comes hurrying over with a well-packaged box in her hands.
She passes her manager as she goes, smiling brightly, and the man “harrumphs” in a way that suggests he’s begrudgingly pleased for her. He uncrosses his arms and leaves to deal with something else, seemingly satisfied with his new employee’s ability.
You’ve proven she can do the job by accepting the upsell, which means she’s probably keeping her job.
That’s good for her, but bad for you if you wanted to try and get her into sex work.
Saphron needs this job, and she wants to make it work, and you’ve fulfilled both of those requirements for now, which means you don’t have any leverage on her. Put simply, there’s nothing she needs or wants from you anymore.
“That’s rung up!” she says cheerily. “Will you be paying by debit?”
“I will.” You hand over your card, but also a slip of paper. Saphron looks down, surprised, and spots the digits scrawled on. She looks uncomfortable, and a little embarrassed.
“A—Ah. I—I have a girlfriend already…”
“It’s not that. Sorry, I should have been clearer. I told you I’m new here in Vale and I’ve just started my own business. That is if you ever need a job or want to do some extra work on the side. Give me a call if you do. The hours are flexible.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Saphron looks a little more relieved as she takes it and slides it into her pocket. “I’ll keep that in mind if I ever need work.”
If…
You might have done more than just earn her a single sale here; you might have given her the confidence she needs to keep going. It’s always the first sale which is the hardest, but once you realise people will buy, it gets easier. The way she talks about your offer makes it clear she’s grateful but that she no longer thinks she needs it.
“It’s for if your circumstances ever change…” you say, a little helplessly.
“I’ll keep it in mind,” she repeats for a second time.
There’s no real way to continue the conversation. Saphron runs your purchase through, you pay, reducing yourself to 4,845 lien, and that’s before the 1,000 lien you’ll be paying once you get back to the clothes store.
You’re realistically down to 3,845 lien. Less than 40% of your starting value.
All this and you haven’t even posted your first video and gotten an idea how much you can make. It’s your first video, and you have no reputation to work on. You’re a single man throwing a porn video out into the vast wilderness of the internet. It isn’t going to be hugely profitable straight out the gate.
You wonder if you’ve been too reckless. Your life is on the line here, a coin toss between success and a life in the mines, and today alone you’ve spent 3,400 lien. That’s more than it cost you for a hotel room for a week, an actress and a camera.
“Thank you for shopping with us!” Saphron proclaims, smiling brightly. It’s an expensive smile from your point of view. “Please come by again if you need anything – and remember me for when you want to buy that scroll for your friend.”
“I will. Thank you.”
As you leave, you catch Saphron cheering and rushing over to her manager, who pats her head with and tells her she’s done a good job.
“Well, I’ve helped a pretty girl I could have gotten to work for me keep her job,” you say to yourself. “That’s good. I guess…? I’d better go find Emerald before I spend the rest of my money on even more charity projects.”
Author's Note:
Original Quest: https://fiction.live/stories/Running-the-Red-Light/z3DQkYE5X8YBXovZ8/home
Visual Novel: https://andoravn.itch.io/running-the-red-light