"Haaaa you know if you keep clamping up like this we’re never going to finish." Frost’s upper lip twitched upon noticing the smooth exit of the lesser yuki-onna, she had good instincts that one.

"I..I...I know it’s just....hard." Neve did her best to remain stoic and unmoved in the beginning, but it didn’t last long, the moment Frost started talking about devouring sexual energy and that she and her kin should embrace what they were born to do she couldn’t help but become red in the face. Her brain literally overheating as it processed the meaning behind his not so subtle words. This was all a bit much for the pure young maiden who had been raised to abhor all this stuff.

"Haaaaaaa maybe I should have brought different back up." Findley’s reactionless expressions didn’t help at all, perhaps having a woman present would have better allayed Neve’s misgivings. Daki being the ideal option but because of his recklessness she was indisposed at the moment, same for Maya.

"I’m just standing here Master." Findley felt that Frost’s comment was unwarranted, he didn’t even do anything so why was the blame landing on his head.

"That’s the point, I thought that by having you and your complete and utter disinterest in this sort of thing present in the room Neve wouldn’t feel so self-conscious but look at her, her face is redder than a tomato and we’ve only just begun."

"Hmm she does look rather uncomfortable Master." Findley recognised Neve’s distress, she was a complete mess, but he failed to understand the why. "Why is she like this?" If he didn’t know then all he had to do was ask.

"Because the traditions of her people have cemented the idea that sex and anything surrounding it is shameful and should be abhorred." Frost wanted to slap the back of Findley’s head for being so.... ’innocent’ but he held himself back when he saw the natural inquisitive look in his eyes. You should never berate or mock someone looking to acquire knowledge no matter how minor it may appear.

Findley titled his head to the side before continuing his line of questions "But don’t they have to have sex to continue their lineage?" Abundant pockets of mana, monster lairs, special dimensions and even the Gods could create monsters but to ensure something specific getting pregnant through old fashioned sex was the only real method the Lunar Maidens had of continuing their lineage. The last time Shivali created another Lunar Maiden was thousands of years ago after all.

"Wwww...we ddooo but even that is seen as something unwanted even if it is... necessary." Neve did her best to answer, not wanting to be left out of the topic even if it made her feel untenable levels of shame.

"Why? Is it bad to want to foster the next generation of your race?" Findley’s tone was deadpan and blunt, attacking the source without a spot of grace.

"Ugh that’s not really the...." She never had to defend the views of her race before, such things were fully accepted as the norm amongst her kin, so she struggled to find her words, often stopping mid-sentence to think whenever Findley landed another enlightening jab on her traditions.

’Oh, maybe this is the way to get through to her, come on innocent curiosity.’ Findley wasn’t all that different from a child as he attempted to uncover the truth. Instead of discussing sexual energy or the plans his master envisioned for Neve and the Lunar maidens he chose to attack her beliefs, forcing her to confront his questions with logic, inherently weakening their influence over her.

His methods seemed to be bearing fruit; Neve was no longer blushing and the air of shame surrounding her had been replaced with confusion as she tried to understand the why behind her harmful traditions but unfortunately things were going a little too smoothly. A bump in the road or in this case a massive bomb was about to be dropped.

"So confusing. Your traditions really make no sense to me, but I can empathize with the difficulties your having even if I don’t understand them." Some sage like wisdom left Findley’s lips.

"Talking openly and logically about it with you has helped me calm down Sir Findley... thank you." Neve noticed that her breathing had returned to normal and that her face was no longer emitting an uncomfortable heat.

"No problem, I was merely curious to know why you were uncomfortable and now I do." His expression was warm and noble, his smile soft and reassuring and for the first time Neve was looking at him, truly looking at him.

’He has a nice smile.’ She instinctively thought. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Well done Findley, perhaps I was right to bring you along."

"I’m glad I could be of service to you Master but if she’s having this much difficulty simply talking about this kind of thing I worry how she’ll react to your brothel plans." The moment he mentioned the word ’brothel’ the room became eerily quiet, the bomb exploded without the slightest warning leaving both Frost and Neve in complete and utter shock.

Frost’s neck slowly craned around until his eyes were in line with Findley’s. His upper lip and right cheekbone started twitching as the urge to pummel that innocent looking face of his rose to the surface, growing stronger with each passing second. He couldn’t believe it, how could Findley be so careless, mentioning the controversial finale of this conversation when they’d only just begun. Neve couldn’t even keep a straight face when discussing the essence of sexual energy so how was she supposed to react to this literal bomb.

"...FIN-DLEYYY!"

"Urgh....whoops."

"Whoops! Fucking whoops! That’s all you have to say you bloody moron!" With his finger pressing down hard against Findley’s nose Frost lashed out with a tirade of insults and complaints, the only catharsis that stopped him from beating him within an inch of his life.

"....Master... what did Sir Findley mean by a b...brothel?" Neve came out of her shocked state about ten seconds later only to see Findley being loudly and aggressively berated to the point that his head hung low and his expression was riddled with guilt.

Frost halted his verbal assault so as to quickly think of an answer that would save them from this precarious situation. He had boldly stated that the whole issue regarding the Lunar Maiden’s distaste for anything sexual was but a minor problem, one that would be solved naturally with time but that’s only if they progressed slowly and gradually, their first step towards the change being crucial. But now thanks to Findley opening his useless gob the success of that first step was in jeopardy alas after racking his brains Frost came up with nothing, no miracle, not even a simple bandage.

"Well if the cat’s already out of the bag might as well stop trying to hide it...haaaaa its basically exactly what you’re thinking, I plan to have you and your kin work in a high end brothel thus enabling you to both increase your strength and provide my people with a much needed service." Frost deemed it better to lay all his cards on the table rather than try to undo what had already happened, who knows maybe a full power blow would be better endured than a gradual set of subsequent jabs.

"I should probably go, don’t want to make things any worse than they already are." Taking advantage of Frost’s distraction Findley attempted to leave the office, wanting nothing more than to escape from his master’s wrath and a conversation that was sure to be a disaster.

"You stay right there Findley! You got us into this mess so the least you can do is see it to the end." Like he’d ever allow him to leave after what he did, if he had to suffer through this then so did Findley.

"Uhmmmm" A depressing moan escaped the ice troll commander’s lips as he halted his steps towards the door, remaining in place as ordered.

About five seconds later.

"NO!!!NO!!!!NO!!!! DEFINITELY NO!!!!" Neve’s brain finally finished processing Frost’s answer and exploded as a result. Every fibre of her being fiercely denied such a future, she even broke out in goosebumps and a sense of revile made her feel like throwing up. He didn’t just want them to deny their traditions but to engage in what was considered the greatest of all their taboos, prostitution. The world around her started to spin and instinctively she started to pray to the Primordial Ice King, asking why such torment was being inflicted upon her and her kin.

"Thissss.... is gonna take a while haaaaaa." Seeing Neve in an almost crazed state Frost sighed before releasing his aura at its maximum strength. His intention being not to harm Neve but to bring back her focus, an action that seemed to work well as she stopped screaming, her eyes regained their clarity, and a large part of her revulsion was replaced with a natural sense of fear.

"Findley hold onto to her and use your aura to keep her calm."

"Yes Master, apologies Miss Neve." Although reluctant to be so forceful towards a guest and future comrade Findley obeyed the order. Within an instant he was standing behind her, his two large hands finding firm purchase on her delicate shoulders as he infused a part of his aura into her body, forcibly stopping her from freaking out, at least physically.

"Sorry about this Neve but it seems that without such measures we’ll never get through this. I’ll be as quick and concise as possible so please be understanding." Frost said in a soothing tone fully aware of the dread and disgust strongly present within Neve’s eyes, something that an infusion of aura could never erase, only suppress.

Neve was in for an arduous and torturous experience at least from the perspective of a Lunar Maiden.