The Infinite Bk. 04 Ch. 01

"What is this trash?!" the former Commandant Ford thundered.

Cyrilo, sitting behind her desk, was unimpressed by the man's rage. "That 'trash,' as you put it, is information vital to the development of every man and woman in the world."

"It's disgusting lies and smut, and it's poisoning the minds of my cadets!"

"Sir, everything in there is true!" Sophia worriedly exclaimed, standing behind Cyrilo. "We made these to help people!"

Ford turned his bloodshot eyes to Sophia. "You, I recognize you. That's right; you were Prince Galvin's betrothed. Do you have any idea how much grief I was given after you slept with that bastard Noah?!"

"That is enough," said Cyrilo. "I understand that this knowledge makes you uncomfortable. I doubt there is a person in this world who wouldn't get squeamish reading this booklet. However, the more unpleasant a fact is, the more important it be known."

"These should all be burned, and the ashes should never see the light of day!"

"Go ahead and burn them; there is no limit to how many more we can make. Besides, the harder you work to keep these forbidden, the more people will want to read them."

"This is his doing, isn't it? I was demoted from my Commandant position because of Noah, and even when he's gone, that bastard is still ruining my life and sabotaging my career."

"If it will put your mind at ease and prevent further issues, I'll place a rule that no one wearing an academy uniform can purchase these booklets, but that is the only compromise I'm willing to extend. We are in the process of revolutionizing the way knowledge is shared, and I have no intention of allowing anyone's narrowminded discomfort to get in the way of that."

"I warn you; this is an affront to the academy, the kingdom, and the church!"

"And yet, this is just the beginning. I know what I'm doing, so unless you have something of value to say, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Captain."

Ford stormed out, but Sophia wasn't relieved. "He's right about the kingdom and the church. Alexis and Lucius are strong, but what happens when knights bust down the door to arrest us? Me and Alexis already have a cell in the dungeon with our names on it."

"I've been in this game a long time, and what you and I have developed is nothing short of a game-changer. Though we lack military power, our strength and influence are undergoing a metamorphosis and will reach unbelievable heights."

"So what now?"

"Now we move on to our next project, an illuminated manuscript, the child born of science and sensuality. I want to put in every scrap of knowledge we have about lust and its mechanics. This is going to take a lot of time and work to get right, but my, oh my, will it be worth it."

Out in the parlor, Alexis saw the bitter Captain Ford cross to the exit. They made eye contact, and Alexis instinctively ducked. As one of the top-ranked cadets of her class, Alexis had spoken with the commandant multiple times. She wouldn't be able to bear the shame if he recognized her. He was gone when she finally raised her head above the counter, but the knot in her stomach didn't loosen.

Despite the captain's warning, Cyrilo and Sophia continued producing and distributing their booklets. They were sold dirt-cheap, just enough to cover the cost of the materials. The whole point was to make the information available for anyone to afford it, regardless of their financial situation. Along with selling them off the shelf within the brothel, courtesans would hand them out to people in the streets surrounding the Knight's Sheath, with varied results.

Many young people snapped up the booklets, intrigued by the taboo knowledge. They learned about the biological details of puberty, sex, pregnancy, and menstruation—all knowledge they desperately needed. Others were aroused by the detailed pictures. Several got too squeamish and disgusted by the words and diagrams. The fear of getting caught with such lurid contraband was natural, as while Colbrand had its fair share of brothels, it was a dogmatic city.

As for the adults, their reaction depended on their level of faith, and anger was common. The shared belief was everyone had the six elements within them, and how they were balanced determined one's health. A positive imbalance would grant magical abilities, while a negative imbalance would result in disease and death. Magic and prayer were the answer to injury and illness, while the study of anatomy was heresy. The body wasn't meant to be understood, and uncovering its secrets was to doubt the power and brilliance of the gods.

The booklet's focus on sexual health invoked a lot of ire. To the church, giving in to carnality was seen as a beastly trait. Animals mated purely on instinct, so refusing that instinct and ignoring physical desires was seen as the defining act of humanity and showed that one's mind was ready to receive the will of the gods. People who lived debaucherously and had sex for anything other than procreation were no different from animals humping in the mud. The church and its followers feared the spirits of nature turning them into beastmen and enslaving them to their lust.

As time passed, everything from eggs to animal feces was hurled at the front of the Knight's Sheath, with numerous petitions and complaints from the church nailed to the door or left on the front step. Though annoying, it could all be washed off, and the windows were enchanted to resist breaking. Unfortunately, it was just a precursor of what was to come.

It was a typical night, and Daniel was up on stage, but Alexis was too busy to enjoy it. The tourists of Knight's Day were long gone, but it seemed like the customers were getting rowdier each evening. Soon recognizing specific faces, she'd beat them down and throw them out when they misbehaved. At one point in the night, she had a repeat offender pinned down on the floor, standing over him with her boot on his head.

"Over and over, you come here and make my life difficult. Do you just like being stepped on?" she asked coldly.

"Yes, Mistress! I love being stepped on! Harder, please!" he yelped happily. It was the last answer she had been expecting, leaving her momentarily stunned before she was overcome with revulsion.

"You disgusting little worm," she hissed.

"Yes, Mistress! I'm a disgusting little worm! Punish me!"

Alexis looked around, with countless pairs of eyes gazing back at her. She had assumed that their attention was simply drawn to the violence, but several men, most of them repeat offenders, were looking at her with a hungry expression, as if they were waiting in line for their turn.

"Oh God..." she groaned in disgust as the man beneath her tried to lick her boot. She grabbed him by the back of the collar and dragged him outside, knocking him into the street with a hard kick in the rear. "Next time I see you, I'll get a knife and cut something off, something you'll miss."

"Ooh, I like 'em feisty."

She looked down the dark street at a man that made her stomach twist is disgust. "That warning goes for you as well, Ham."

"Easy, honey. My boss wants me to pass a message along to your boss. Take me to see Cyrilo."

"I'll tell her the message."

"It doesn't work that way."

"Fine, but if you do anything I don't like, I'll make you regret it."

She went back into the Knight's Sheath with Ham following, doing her best to ignore the feel of his eyes licking her. Finally, they arrived at Cyrilo's study, and Alexis knocked on the door. "Madam Cyrilo, there is someone who needs to speak with you."

"Come in, dear."

Alexis opened the door, finding Cyrilo and Sophia sitting at the desk. Rather than notes or alchemy, it seemed they were going over the brothel's finances.

"Well, well, well, what brings a distinguished gentleman like you here, Ham?" Cyrilo asked dryly, irked by the stench filling her study.

"The boy is dead," said Ham, seemingly amused. "Your friend with the bandages said that once he died, there would be room for a business deal between our brothels."

Alexis and Sophia exchanged nervous looks.

"Very well," Cyrilo said. She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a wooden box tied shut with rope. "My friend prepared this for you. Take it to your boss; he'll know what to do."

Ham took the box and walked away, leaving the three women alone.

"Madam Cyrilo, the friend you both mentioned is Noah, isn't it?" Sophia asked.

"The two of you would do well not to inquire about this. Put it out of your minds and never think about it again. Now, back to work."

Alexis and Sophia exchanged another glance, and Alexis went back out to the bar. After the evening fuss had settled, they cloistered themselves in their room to relax.

"Whew, another long day," Alexis sighed as she sat on the bed and pulled off her boots.

"Still, it seems like you're having some fun," said Sophia.

"Not much. Beating up belligerent customers lost its thrill when I realized many of them were enjoying it."

"Well, I love this place. Cyrilo and I are doing great work together, and everyone is so nice."

"You say that because you don't have anyone grabbing your ass," Alexis snapped.

"Hey, hey," Sophia said softly, getting behind Alexis and rubbing your shoulders. "I know this isn't ideal for you, but we're safe and surrounded by friends. It'll get better."

"I'm sorry, I'm just stressed."

"Well, of course you're stressed. We haven't had any special time to ourselves since we left the academy."

"That's because I don't want anyone hearing us. We had to be so careful when we were in my dorm room."

"Who cares if someone hears us? There are a dozen other women moaning as we speak! This is the perfect time for us to indulge a little."

"It just doesn't feel right."

"I know something that might change your mind."

Sophia reached into the bedside table drawer and pulled out an object that perplexed Alexis. She had seen the courtesans and even some female clients brandishing them, but she didn't know what they did. It was a handle with a round, bulbous head, like a torch, but it was made of strange materials. Runes were written on the side, and upon receiving a tap, it began to shake and hum. Sophia put it to the back of Alexis's neck, and she sighed in relief.

"Oh, that's nice."

"Isn't it?" Sophia moved it back and forth across her shoulders, using the vibrations to ease the tension in Alexis's muscles. "I'm sure you've noticed our women customers renting these and other contraptions. They're special instruments of pleasure that Noah helped Cyrilo create."

"I wouldn't mind a dozen more of these on my back."

"Well, Cyrilo does want to make larger ones for back massages, but that's not what this is for."

"What's it for then?"

Sophia pressed it to Alexis's right breast with a coy smile, stimulating her areola through the leather top. Alexis shuddered and twisted as though she was being tickled, but Sophia stilled her. "Trust me, just enjoy it."

She moved the toy in small circles around Alexis's nipple, making her pant in arousal while running kisses up her neck. She paused only to undo the buttons of the vest, allowing Alexis's breasts to spring free. Now feeling the toy directly on her skin, her panting turned into a soft whine as Sophia pushed Alexis onto her back

The two rolled around in bed, their lips joined in a sloppy union as they stripped off each other's clothes. Sophia moved the toy over to Alexis's right breast, using the stimulation to harden her nipple into a supple point, which nestled snuggly between Sophia's lips. Alexis took the vibrator and pressed it to Sophia's nipples, making her whimper blissfully. How she writhed and squirmed stirred something in Alexis, a predatory lust.

She grabbed Sophia's wrists and pinned them above her head, then slid the vibrator between her lover's legs. The buzzing of the rubber head made Sophia arch her back and cry out, possessed by overwhelming pleasure. Her legs spasmed as the toy hummed against her clit, sending her arousal dripping onto the bedsheets.

Alexis kept her pinned, refusing to let Sophia escape her domination and tormenting her with ecstasy. She sucked vehemently on Sophia's breasts as though trying to completely inhale them and further drive her lover into sexual delirium. Yet, even when Sophia climaxed, Alexis didn't let up, continuing the run the vibrator across her glistening gate. Soon enough, Sophia moaned at the top of her lungs and released a jet of liquid lust, shocking Alexis into pulling back.

"Damn!" was all she could say.

"These things are great, aren't they?" Sophia asked while laughing and panting.

"I'll say," Alexis replied.

She lied down between Sophia's trembling legs and went to town, licking every drop of sweet nectar. Sophia rolled her head from side to side, relishing the feel of Alexis's tongue swirling around inside her. Though they had only started their intimacy recently, Alexis was a quick learner in how to please Sophia. She tickled Sophia's majora with her tongue, nibbled on the minora with her lips, and turned her erect clitoris into a lightning rod of ecstasy. The sensual taste, the erotic touch, and the warmth and softness of Sophia's thighs around her head were wonderful rewards.

"Come here," Sophia whispered lovingly, inviting Alexis for a kiss.

They lay side-by-side, caressing each other's naked bodies. Once more, Sophia wielded the vibrator, and she used it to bend Alexis to her will, but at the moment, Alexis was already as flexible as rubber. As it buzzed between Alexis's legs, Sophia kissed her all over, running her tongue and lips across every inch of her soft skin. Her mouth wasn't always busy, though, as she'd often pull away so that she could observe Alexis's reaction.

The way her body undulated in bliss, the way she so cutely moaned with flushed cheeks and a shy expression, it was addictive to watch. Sophia knew better than anyone how bristly and straight-laced Alexis could be, always ready for a fight, always keeping an eye out for enemies. But now, she was just a sweet girl enjoying herself, putting aside her warrior instincts and relaxing. As Sophia told her before, she was a healer, both for the mind and the body, and this was how she cared for Alexis.

She moved closer to Alexis, the two lying on their sides facing each other, holding and caressing with their breasts pressed together, their nipples slick with their combined saliva. Between their intertwined legs, the vibrator buzzed against their pussies. Though their lips were so close, they couldn't kiss, as their moans of pleasure demanded freedom.

Instead, they could only look into each other's eyes, whimpering and whining in ecstasy while grinding against the toy. The harder they rubbed, the more intense they made it for themselves and each other, setting off a chain of shared orgasms.

Wrapped in their bliss, they had no knowledge of the seedy slave brothel on the other side of town, bordering the slums. They knew nothing of the magical explosion set off by opening a particular wooden box in the boss's office. They didn't see the flames surge out and fill every single nook and cranny of the building and cling to every square inch of surface area. They didn't hear the screaming of the owners, the clients, and the slaves all burning to death. They didn't smell the smoke as the entire structure went up in flames instantly.

They'd never know about the horrible things that had occurred there, such as the fate of a certain now-dead son of a shipping magnate, addicted to Elutrin and sold off to this place. All the evidence was incinerated, leaving no loose ends, only ash.

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