EX-istential Crisis

Chapter 30: The Lotus Princess

As the night at Demon's Grace came to a close, Nelly stood by the entrance, saying goodbye to Mira, her mom Mrs. Gina, and their friends Ran, Mash, and Annika. The lively energy from earlier had faded, leaving behind a content, almost tired calm. Annika gave Beru one final smirk as they prepared to leave.

"You know, Beru, your performance tonight wasn't half bad," Annika commented, her usual cold demeanor laced with a slight nod of approval. Beru stood there, beaming and puffing his chest a little, only to deflate when Annika added, "Don't get used to it. You're still my butler."

Ran and Mash burst into laughter at Beru's expense while Beru let out an exaggerated sigh. "One day, I'll be free," he muttered, half-jokingly.

Meanwhile, Mira lingered near Nelly, giving him a look that only he could recognize. She waited until her friends were distracted before leaning in and whispering softly, "I enjoyed tonight so much, Nelly. You're so hot when you do that to me." Her words were teasing but also laced with genuine admiration, making Nelly's heart skip a beat.

Despite the fact that they were still technically "working," Nelly couldn't resist his playful, professional persona. Smiling, he slipped into character, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. His voice dropped low as he whispered back into her ear, "Glad you liked it, my queen."

Mira's face immediately flushed a deep crimson. She stood frozen for a moment, wide-eyed, before her composure completely shattered. Her mind seemingly short-circuited as she blinked rapidly, her hands trembling slightly. Nelly, still holding her, grew concerned.

"Mira? Hey, Mira?" he called softly, leaning in to see if she was alright.

But Mira didn't respond. It was as if her soul had momentarily left her body, floating somewhere in bliss. Nelly was about to shake her gently when Mrs. Gina came over, chuckling to herself.

"Looks like you've broken her, Nelly," Mrs. Gina said with a smirk, gently prying her daughter from his grip. "Come on, sweetie. Time to go home."

Mira, still dazed and mumbling incoherently, let herself be dragged off by her mother. Nelly watched with mild amusement as the group waved their final goodbyes and left the club. It was already 3 a.m., and the streets were quiet as the women piled into a cab and headed home.

Inside the club, Beru was in the back, preparing to head home as well. He changed out of his work clothes, pulling on a fresh shirt. As he made his way to the changing room, he swung open the door without a second thought, only to freeze in place. There, in front of him, was a stunning figure, someone who was clearly female but wearing men's clothing. The woman was in the middle of pulling a shirt over her head, revealing a glimpse of her toned back and the unmistakable curve of her waist. Beru's eyes widened as he realized who it was.

The woman whipped her head around, equally shocked to see him standing there. In a split second, her foot connected with Beru's chest, sending him flying out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him with a loud bang as he lay there, clutching his chest.

"What the hell just happened...?" Beru muttered to himself, groaning from the impact.

Still dazed, he stumbled down the hallway and found Lucifer, who was calmly cleaning up a glass at the bar. "Boss," Beru started, "I... I just saw something weird."

Lucifer glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Weird how?" he asked casually, clearly not surprised by much.

"I- there was a girl in the changing room," Beru stammered, still trying to process what he saw. "She looked... different. Sexy, even. She was wearing men's clothing but-" he paused, unsure how to finish his sentence. "I mean, it was like a host's outfit."