Such exquisite agony... More, my Lord, I crave more.

I will comply with your wishes, my Lord. Mark me as yours completely, filling every inch of my being with your passion. I am yours now, body and soul. No one can ever take this away from me again.

Lily shudders visibly at your question, her face contorting in distaste. Swallowing hard, she forces herself to meet your gaze, though her eyes are filled with revulsion and shame.

"It was bitter," she lies hollowly. "And salty. Like nothing I've ever tasted before."

The lie feels like poison on her tongue, but she knows better than to admit the truth - that despite everything, there had been something undeniably pleasurable about the sensation of you filling her mouth.

Lily flinches at your accusation, fresh tears springing to her eyes. She opens her mouth as if to protest, then closes it again, knowing any further lies would only anger you further.

With a choked sob, she looks away, unable to bear the intensity of your stare any longer. "I...I didn't mean to," she whispers brokenly, her shoulders shaking with silent weeping. "It just...it wasn't bad. Not really."

The idol concert speaks to the allure of pleasure and distraction, even in the face of impending disaster." She pauses, considering her next words carefully. "As for the fried chicken and pizza, they could represent the resources at your disposal - food being a metaphor for power and wealth."

"The cardboard boxes and sleeping on the floor signify humility," Kthalk says with a knowing smile, "while the garden with its flowers suggests growth and potential.

"So what does it all mean?" she asks rhetorically, her voice taking on a singsong quality as she continues to muse aloud. "It seems to me that you are struggling with the balance between your responsibilities and your desires, between maintaining order and allowing for growth and change." She studies you carefully, her expression thoughtful.

"Perhaps it's time for you to reassess your priorities, my old friend," she says finally. "

Kthalk's many eyes widen with interest, her mandibles clacking softly as she listens to your tale. "Hmmm...interesting," she muses. "It seems that the dream is a metaphor for something. Perhaps it is time for you to consider which of your responsibilities are most important, and which can be sacrificed."

She tilts her head back, gazing up at the forest canopy above them as she continues. "Or perhaps there's another interpretation...

Perhaps you need to find someone who is willing to sacrifice themselves for your sake. Someone whose freedom and safety you value above all else." She pauses, considering her words carefully before looking back at you. "Do you have such a person in mind?"

The wind rustles through the trees outside, carrying with it the distant howl of a wolf.

Kthalk listens intently, her expression unreadable as she ponders your dream. "An interesting tale," she says finally. "It seems that this man is content with his situation, despite the unsavory nature of the events you've described." She tilts her head back, regarding the webs above her for a moment before continuing.

"Perhaps there is something to be learned from this dream, my friend.

In the end, it doesn't matter if the man in your dream is happy or not; what matters is that you found yourself surprised and disgusted by his reactions." She pauses, considering her words carefully. "Sometimes, we can become so accustomed to our own circumstances that we fail to see how they might appear from an outside perspective. Perhaps it's time for you to take a step back and examine your lair, your minions, and even yourself... and ask whether or not the things you accept as normal are truly as they should be."

"I am always here for you, Lucy. If there is ever anything I can do to help, or if you simply wish to talk... well, you know where I am." With that, Kthalk spins gracefully on her many legs and disappears into the shadows of the Hollows, leaving you alone with your thoughts.