The rest of that day, I took it slow, letting the dust of my debut settle.
The Velvet Pavilion saw no one worth chasing, which was fine by me.
Opening days are always a warm-up, so don't judge a Fool too soon.
A few customers wandered in: commoners with wide eyes, a handful of nobles trying it for thrills.
I dazzled them with petty tricks. Cards dancing in midair, coins vanishing into sparks. Nothing fancy, no hearts stolen.
The Fool's Charm demands focus, and I'm a one-woman-at-a-time sort of rogue.
Nah, not really.
But from the moment my crimson gaze locked onto her golden one, I knew my current target: Knight Glory.
That woman… she's a goddess in armour, the kind that could reshape destinies.
During my stunt with the knights, I wove a subtle spell into the cards, one that tethered the holder to their projection's sensations.
Glory clutched the Knight card, and my Jester, crafted in my own image, was a seducer.
When his shadow grazed the spectral knight in their duel, a ripple of pleasure coursed through Glory's body, raw and uncontrollable.
Her moan, soft, sultry, trembling, hinted at depths I could only guess.
A minor orgasm? Maybe.
Holy Order knights swear vows of virginity, after all. A touch of pleasure might've seduced her more than I planned.
I couldn't know for sure, but gods, that sound will haunt my dreams.
As night arrived, I shuddered the tent and made my way back inside, the crimson fabric glowing faintly under the city's moon.
Tomorrow was Wednesday.
The days were etching toward Sunday, when the god's hand would pulse and drag me through the Neverworld's portal to face its Horrors again.
I lay there, staring at the canvas ceiling, my deck fanned across my chest.
Glory's flushed cheeks flashed in my mind, her golden eyes wide with shock.
Would she return?
Could I turn that spark into the bond I needed to survive the next fight?
I damn well hoped so.
The Neverworld wasn't getting any kinder.
———
Wednesday passed, and there was still no sign of my lovely Glory.
I told myself to stay calm. I had heard whispers of a Holy War between the Holy Crescent Order and the Sun Covenant, who were the religious faction in a neighbouring City.
Surely a Knight like her had been tangled within the webs of conflict.
But then, Thursday passed too, and there was still no sign of her.
By Friday, I started to panic. Had I not done enough to sway her?
I wondered if I should search for a new target, but I hadn't done enough to draw any noteworthy women into my tent.
Noblewomen were not enough. If I relied on their mana alone, I would meet a gruesome death in only a few more Sundays.
I paced backwards and forwards outside my tent early Friday morning, the cobblestones damp with Lirania's rain.
The velvet curtain of my tent was drawn, and not yet opened for business.
And that was when the sweet sounds of familiar footsteps began to approach me.
Turning my head, I saw a knight strutting towards me. It wasn't hard for me to recognise such a dazzling figure.
It was Knight Glory.
She marched with a confident air to her step, and her head raised as high as she could. The red crescent moons on her white armour glimmered faintly, and today, she wore a longsword on her back, which only added to her glamour.
Her orange hair was styled into two braids running down to the back of her head like snakes, and her golden eyes glared at me with a beauty that seemed unrivalled.
I admired the way her cheeks sunk in slightly, revealing her chiselled, yet feminine jawline, as well as the way her eyebrows arched downwards, giving her a serious look.
And by the gods, the way her hips swayed in her armour as she made her way towards me.
Oh, how I so badly wanted to know what lay beneath.
Today, I wore one of my best suits. Half black, and half burgundy. Around my neck was a black bowtie, and as always, I wore a face full of makeup that covered my true identity.
Have I mentioned that remaining a mystery was important to me?
As the lady approached, I swept her a playful bow.
"To what does the Fool owe the honour of such beautiful company?" I spoke charmingly.
Glory didn't even blush.
Her eyes looked at me up and down, as one of her hands rested on her hips.
After a few moments of awkward silence, she finally spoke in a low, sharp tone.
"You are more than you make yourself out to be, aren't you, Fool?"
Read me like a damned book.
I swallowed a lump in my throat, trying my best not to show my nerves. "Whatever could you mean? I'm just a humble fool, looking to entertain."
Glory put on a sarcastic expression as she tilted her head mockingly. "Sure. Is the tent open?"
I looked behind me. The curtains of my tent were drawn, and it was barely 6:00am in the morning.
She knew my services weren't available yet, but she wanted them to be.
Don't worry Glory, we're both on the same page.
"The Velvet Pavilion is always open for a beauty such as yourself," I said, drawing the curtains wide with a pull and gesturing with my other hand for her to enter. "Please, step inside."
———
Once inside, I avoided mentioning our previous meeting.
I believed that Glory knew what had happened.
Not only did she know, but she had probably been thinking about it at night as well. If I were lucky, she might have even touched herself to the memory.
But today would be a different event entirely.
Last time, I had merely set the stage. Now, I was ready for a new act.
Inside my tent was all sorts of equipment for circus acts; however, I led the Knight towards a specific item, named The Mirror of Desires.
It was a magical artefact that I had inherited from a fellow mage many years ago.
I had used this item many times in the past. It was responsible for my most seductive acts.
As I directed Glory to stand in front of it, our reflections stared back at us in the dimly lit space. Standing shoulder to shoulder with her felt intimate, but that was nothing compared to what I had planned to do next.
"Now, Glory. This is one of my favourite acts. I call it, The Reflection of Truths."
I avoided using the mirror's true name, in case it gave away my plans.
"Why? Does the mirror catch lies?" She asked sarcastically.
But her sarcasm couldn't hide her emotions.
Deep down, I sensed nerves in her voice.
I wagged my finger backwards and forwards, as I stared into the mirror alongside her.
"Not quite. Instead, it will reveal to us the truths that you have hidden deep inside of you. Truths that you might even fight to avoid."
Glory raised her arched brow, her eyes flickering to the tall silver mirror. "Why would I want to do that?"
I chuckled warmly.
"Why? Because it is fun, milady."
After whispering a spell underneath my breath, the reflection in the mirror began to shift.
No longer did Glory and I simply stand there, staring at our reflections idly.
No.
Now, they played out a scene for us.
A scene that existed deep in the mind of the knight standing next to me.
Glory tried to turn away, but I placed my hand gently on her shoulder and turned her back towards the mirror.
Her embarrassment struggled to allow her to look, yet at the same time, a lustful curiosity washed over her.
Because inside the mirror, Glory's reflection was naked. Her round ass cheeks exposed for me to see, as my reflection drilled deeply into her from behind.
[Please remember to support the novel with power stones and reviews. It helps keep me motivated!]