[s1.name] joined the little gathering you had arranged—perhaps due to the magic, but in any case, Maggie voiced no objections to the guest's sudden appearance. Not even when [s1.name] bluntly asked what kind of person she fancied did Maggie take offense.

"You ask too late, don’t you think?" She laughed behind her hand. "I already have a husband now."

Even [s1.name] could pry no further from her. You couldn’t say whether you were satisfied or disappointed.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Tag (Wife) = 1

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Sociability) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

Badriyyah had no qualms about sharing her answer! With a giggle, she told [s1.name] that desire was simply a path to pleasure—nothing more.

"Men are fine, of course, but in this world, if you rely entirely on them for anything, you’re in for trouble!" She winked at you both. "We have our own ways of finding delight."

She prattled on and on, still brimming with words even as she took her leave.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Badriyyah

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Survival) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 2

"Oh, I do adore men," Nayla answered without hesitation after hearing [xiaochou.name]'s words. With elegant fingers, she plucked a nutty mille-feuille from the table, a sweet smile curling at her lips. "Men are utterly delightful—each has his own... delicious qualities."

She eagerly shared her extensive expertise on the subject with [xiaochou.name], her insights so thorough they left even you wide-eyed, feeling thoroughly outmatched.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Nayla

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Charisma) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000707): Add 1

At [xiaochou.name]'s question, Fatuna’s usual composure seemed to crack ever so slightly.

"Once, I too had unrealistic expectations of a partner—love, loyalty, and such..." She lifted her teacup, blowing away the rising steam before speaking plainly. "Desire, marriage—they’re merely tools, nothing more."

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Fatuna

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Sociability) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000707): Add 1

Upon learning that the woman you recommended had once worked in the House of Delights, [xiaochou.name] resolved to "see" her answer firsthand—for a mirror, even under its own magic, could never be trusted with words shaped by throats and tongues.

As the wine blurred Junah’s eyes into a glistening haze, the Mirror itsef finally glimpsed Junah’s past through her small, fragile "mirrors"...

The nights steeped in debauchery, the swaying bed curtains, the sheen of exhausted sweat, the fading bruises layered anew, and, occasionally, tears for unknown reasons...

Too many fragments folded into the reflection of her gaze. And the longer the Mirror stared back, the deeper the disappointment in humanity grew. In the end, [xiaochou.name] looked away.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Junah

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Survival) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000707): Add 1

Upon learning that the woman you recommended had once worked in the House of Delights, [xiaochou.name] resolved to "see" her answer firsthand—for a mirror, even under its own magic, could never be trusted with words shaped by throats and tongues.

Luckily, Jalila’s chambers, much like her former "workshop," were lined with countless mirrors. [xiaochou.name] moved freely among them, watching. It observed bare flesh, glistening fluids, skin pulled taut—night after sleepless night (Jalila was diligent; she worked until dawn). Rarely did the Mirror witness true "sexual intercourse”. Instead, it bore resemblance to the tortures the Mirror had idly glimpsed elsewhere...

Could pain and desire entwined brew an intoxicant? [xiaochou.name] felt, indeed, a sharper insight into humanity.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Jalila

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Physique) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

Upon learning of Shama’s origins, [xiaochou.name] remained pensive—until the moment it finally met her and posed a question you’d never considered:

"You were born noble. So why did you become a Lady of Delights?"

Shama paused, then smiled faintly. In her mirror-bright eyes, [xiaochou.name] glimpsed her past—and her answer.

Her chamber in the House of Delights was unique: perfumed with rare incense, adorned with poetry and wit, all artfully disguising the monotony of copulation. Naturally, men cared little for such things unless bedding was the goal.

And like these refinements, her male organ was the cherry atop the cake. With the guests’ tacit consent—even anticipation—she wielded it, embracing it as part of her nature. Only here, in the House of Delights, was she accepted as both man and woman.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Shama

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Charisma) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

[xiaochou.name] was taken aback by your decision to bring your sister along—so much so that it discarded the questions prepared in advance. It glanced between your face and Arzuna’s, so eerily alike, before finally asking Arzuna why she desired you.

After a brief pause, Arzuna turned to you: "You may not know this, [player.name], but since childhood, I was taught to watch you—your blood is my blood, your face mirrors mine, yet our fates could not be more different. Observing you was like gazing into a mirror only to find it had come alive. Some would flee from such a sight. Others would pretend not to see. But I... I was the one drawn to the spectacle."

[xiaochou.name] studied her for a long moment, then gave a slow, thoughtful nod.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Arzuna

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Charisma) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

"Where does desire come from? Is it truly so hard to grasp?" Mahir needed no prompting from [s1.name]—she answered with blunt honesty, if anything baffled by the question itself. "A poet must recite their verses. An actor craves an audience. Shouldn’t I test the fruits of my own labor? How else would I spot flaws, refine designs, or draw fresh inspiration? Ah, speaking of which—" She clapped your thigh, then thumped her chest in earnest assurance. "I’m already gathering data. When the upgraded Rod of Life is ready, you’ll be the first to know, mark my words!"

You had absolutely no interest in this!!!

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Mahir

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Wisdom) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000707): Add 1

At your summons, Inal crept forward and knelt, trembling—more timid, more dull than she had ever been as Maggie’s slave.

You signaled [s1.name] to proceed, and so [s1.name] posed the prepared question: "What do you think of desire?"

Inal froze, then pressed her forehead to the floor. "It is for Master [player.name] to decide." Her voice quivered. "To fulfill... to fulfill your wishes is my duty."

Of course—she was your newest concubine. You nodded, satisfied, and turned to [s1.name]. Meeting your gaze, it’s expression darkened. In that moment, it saw clearly how one soul could be utterly plundered by another.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Inal

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Sociability) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000706): Add 1

At the mention of Salwiyah’s name, [s1.name] let out a knowing sound. "I know her. She spends more time before a mirror than anyone I’ve ever met."

It then recounted how closely it had observed the girl’s dazzling beauty: the way she practiced expressions before the glass, lingering over each as if selecting the most alluring, the most beguiling. She fussed endlessly with that single lock of hair at her brow—arranging it to seem artlessly fallen, yet perfectly placed to shadow her forehead, contour her cheeks, and deepen the violet of her eyes.

[s1.name] relished the memory, for it was the first time the Mirror had pondered that strange, unsettling quality Salwiyah exuded: a pure, unadulterated desire, honed into a weapon, a shield, a venom.

Finally, [s1.name] declared, "You won’t keep her." Well... fine. Even if you bristled at the thought, there was no arguing it aloud.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 Has Card = Salwiyah

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Charisma) of Slot #1: Add 1
• Counter (7000707): Add 2

After a few cups of wine, [xiaochou.name] steered the conversation toward "the desires of men." [s2.name] shyly described her myriad fantasies, even confessing to the inappropriate objects of her longing and tricks...

Had these words been recorded and spread, they would have dealt a heavy blow to [s2.name]'s reputation. She was not usually one to speak recklessly, and today’s indiscretion could only be blamed on [xiaochou.name], who had been egging her on.

Your revelry lasted until midnight. [s2.name] departed with a hint of unease, as if struggling to recall what she had said. As for [xiaochou.name]... "Humans are so tedious." The creature found it all rather dull.

Conditions:

• Slot #2 = 1

Result:

• Counter (7000707): Add 1

The next day—you cast a casual glance at the ancient silver mirror hanging in your hallway, its surface worn by time, once capable of reflecting only faint, ghostly shapes. But now, the figure in the mirror stares back at you with unsettling clarity. A shiver runs down your spine as you realize it must be [s1.name]. It offers you an inscrutable smile, then, in the blink of an eye, the mirror reverts to its usual state—as if it were nothing but a trick of the light.

Result:

• Adjust Tag (Charisma) of Slot #1: Add 1

Action:

• Enable Event: The second question from the poet at the start of the small-scale fundraising.