Along the road, Iris encountered multiple Monster Girls of different types and appearances, ranging from small flower-type Monster Girls to fearsome beast-like Monster Girls. They wandered in group, holding their hands, teasing themselves, and sometimes called out to Iris to play with them.
She intentionally stared at the ground to avoid ogling everyone else. They were comfortable with their expressive manner, but Iris would blush and flush when they brushed her shoulders, whispered strange words, and moaned so openly.
She quickly noticed that some ordinary humans were walking. They were the Transformation Phase Monster Girls who concealed their true appearance. Many such humans were strolling alone, looking for the cute Monster Girls to hit on. Some talked to Iris, but she denied them any chance and sped away.
Though the Main City paled in comparison to the sky-high sector from her previous life, Iris's eyes still gleamed when she approached it. Compared to her cave, the humble abodes that housed multiple gems and tools were like magnificent mansions. The medieval atmosphere blended with the oriental design of some shops, generating a soft fervour that enticed Iris to roam the street, watching the perfect mix of luxurious Monster Girls and their friendly antic.
Iris looked like a country bumpkin in her merry expression and her overly expressive grin, but she couldn't stop herself from overflowing with the ardour that she could only feel once and only once. Subconsciously, she followed a trail of milky fragrance that tickled her nose, sauntering along the branching streets.
Her spellbound manner aroused some curious gazes from the other Monster Girls. The Slime Girl was special, resembling those of the Elemental Girls, the rare type of Monster Girls. Tardi was one of their distant relatives, a Mud Girl, not a powerful Elemental but had the potential to evolve into one.
Iris arrived at a tree-like flowery pagoda. Her core pulsated as peaceful air emerged around her and soaked her in its intensity. Her bouncy membrane contracted and tingled her innards while the tea fragrance flooded her sensory.
She tightened her grip on the chest and walked inside. As she pushed through the thin curtain, the tranquillity embraced her. The inner world lit with hanging lanterns and candles glowed orange and pink and purple, dividing the room into multiple parts, each attended by specific types of waitresses, all Monster Girls.
Iris took in the aristocratic air and immediately shuddered. She had to leave that instant. The colourful, alternating radiance suggested a hidden, brewing carnal desire, mixing with the current of scented candles which relaxed the mind and heightened sensitivity. Her membrane tingled at the slightest breeze that caressed her arms.
She turned around, but a pair of Mermaids parted the curtain and slithered in. Their reflective fishy scales glittered as they moved, arm in arm, giggling in their sharp yet enchanting voice. Iris carefully sidestepped and let them pass. Their eyes flashed at her for a moment, then they licked their lips before leaving her untainted.
Iris retreated; her back pressed against a soft bouncy figure. She shivered and slowly turned to see a strange yet familiar figure. Her core vibrated as she stared at a maiden of liquid, another Slime Girl, who tilted her head, blinked, and smiled as a thought clicked.
"Welcome to our Garden of Splendour, Customer." The pinkish Slime Girl gently grasped Iris’s hand. "Please be at ease; we welcome Monster Girls of all kinds."
"No," Iris said, panicking. "I didn't come here—"
Her core beat and filled her with a chill that ceased her speech. An overwhelming amount of Corruption Power diffused and swirled. Its warmth warmed her chest and coloured her expression red. Her Shadow Heart was acting up.
The pink Slime Girl pulled Iris in and kissed her cheek, gently licking it until the membrane reddened into a soft, translucent mark. She then took Iris's other hand and brushed her lips on Iris's, inserting her tongue inside. Her saliva was milky with a hint of strawberry.
"That is a free drink for the first-time customer," the Slime Girl said, giggling. "Come, Dear. I'll take you to a seat."
"No, no, no," Iris said. "I need to go now; I can't stay here."
"Shyness is a tempting quality." The pink Slime Girl caressed Iris’s hands. "Let me help you settle in. You’ll love it."
Iris wanted to struggle, but the Corruption Power inside her body was boiling, and her legs were quivering. The delirium drowned her, but she still slowly grabbed the pink Slime Girl's hands and pulled them off. She quickly turned around, looking for the exit. The Shadow Heart Core rapidly vibrated as a chill permeated her soul. She instantly froze in her place, her eyes contracting.
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At a wooden stair in the inner part of the room, a peculiar Monster Girl descended and captivated the atmosphere. Her pure white twirling dress grazed the smooth steps and tumbled down as she stepped forwards, tucking the tail end which glittered from the colourful light that tainted its scheme.
The Monster Girl was a Silk Revenant, a ghost-type Monster Girl. Under a thin silky veil, her pale face beamed a smile at Iris. She sauntered across the room, but she didn't have legs. Her lower body dissolved into ribbons of milky silk that fluttered with her movement yet seemingly clung to a pair of invisible, slender legs.
The pink Slime Girl retreated and bowed, lifting the part of herself that formed into a maid uniform. She glanced at Iris, observing her darkened expression, trying to peer into the secret that prompted the attention of the supervisor of the Garden of Splendour.
Iris didn't know it was too late to leave. She frowned but let nothing else escape into her expression. Her eyes darted around, but everyone else was staring at her.
"The Great Lady of the Silver calls for you, my Lady," the Silk Revenant said. Her metallic yet majestic voice quietened the soft music playing in the background. "Please accept her invitation. I will personally escort you."
The Silk Revenant who towered over Iris bent down, smiling. She hadn't revealed any hint of her power, but Iris was already burning inside. Her reddened eyes quivered in tears as countless gazes focused on her curvaceous yet fragile body. Her stomach churned and boiled; her membrane threatened to melt into a puddle of humiliation.
She weakly nodded, greatly exerting herself to withstand the unseen pressure weighing on her core. Though it hammered her mind and cracked her soul, it also refined and compressed the overwhelming Corruption Power, threading it into stings that gradually assimilated into her, polishing her power.
Feeling better, she peeked at her surrounding, then accepted the invitation. She held her hand in front of the Silk Revenant, who gently grasped it. She leant forward, letting her veil fall on Iris's hand, and lightly kissed its back.
"Please follow me, my Lady." She rose back up and turned to the other customers. "Everyone, I apologise for the interruption. As compensation, everyone will get a free bottle of our staple drink, the Molten Martini."
The customers chuckled and praised the Silk Revenant. The atmosphere resumed its previous quality, playful, colourful, and comforting. The waitresses rushed around the front and the back, preparing the Molten Martini for every table.
The Silk Revenant turned to Iris and thoughtfully tucked her hand before walking toward the stair. Iris maintained her delicate composure as she followed behind, her eyes gazing up and down at the Silk Revenant who was more like a ghost than a living being. She wondered how many more exotic, exciting Monster Girls existed in the world. How many she could experience their love.
Iris ascended to the second floor. Unlike the multi-coloured atmosphere of the first floor, the second floor was lit with plain orange candlelight and the soft light that shone through the windows. The traditional floor was made of high-quality wood, the walls of bamboo.
"My Lady, do you wish to try our premium services?" the Silk Revenant said. "Everything is on the house, including the bartenders and the maids."
A sufficiently drunk Monster Girl gestured at one of the bartenders, who nodded and ambled to her. She poured another glass for the customer, who seized her hand and dragged her closer, touching faces. The soft, pinkish curtain of the block casually fell, revealing only a fuzzy, merged silhouette of two Monster Girls playing, crying.
Their voices danced with the music, enchanting the atmosphere, filling the air with the contradictory of modesty and passion.
Iris took a deep breath to disperse the feverish sensation that overtook her as her eyes laid on the thin screen between her and the indecency. She shook her head and declared her moral victorious.
"I shouldn't let that person wait," she said. "She must have something to say if she wants me to go up that badly."
"The third floor is even better, My Lady." The Silk Revenant resumed her pace. "Only the most esteemed of our customers can enter it. We don't charge anything; your presence is already a fortune."
The distance between the second floor and the third floor was much greater than the second and the first. The ceiling of the second floor was high, and there was an additional height to prevent the faint vibration and the music to disturb the third floor. As Iris ascended, the staircase started to spiral and shifted its material from the hardened scented wood to the soft, fluffy black and white carpet.
The windows revealed the scenery of the Main City, which glittered under the soft light of the colourful crystals, revealing the distant forestry and lakes and hills. Afar, a sea of mist shrouded the Layer, forming a great dome that protected the Main City Layer from the outside world.
Iris shifted through the memory inherited from Vilia, but she found no mention of the Great Lady of the Silver. She glanced at the Silk Revenant but decided against asking. She would know the truth when she met the Great Lady herself. She then focused her mind on condensing the overflowing Corruption Power and honing her control over it.
The material of the pagoda changed into a modern architectural style as the black and white and gold and silver colours dominated the design. The passing candles became the neat, bright lamps attached to the concrete walls, where glittering crystals bigger than Iris had ever seen protruded and reflected colours into the surrounding.
The Silk Revenant stopped in front of a fine black double door. In front of her was the mystical third floor, where the mysterious Great Lady of the Silver patiently waited.
"My Lady, please allow me to introduce myself again," the Silk Revenant said. "I am the Silk Revenant, the supervisor of the Garden of Splendour, the head bartender of the Palace of Serenity. Please, My Dear Lady, enjoy your stay."
The Silk Revenant bowed until her back was parallel to the ground, her veil fluttering with her movement. The solemn air around her infected Iris and gave her boundless confidence as if she were one of the important figures that the world would echo her glory and name for all the eternities to come.
In her thrill, she coolly nodded and allowed the Silk Revenant to raise back up and open the door.