CH 45.1

After my meeting with the Empress, I immediately remembered what I had forgotten while I was getting ready to set off for the dungeon.

‘The receptionist who stole my 9000 gold…’

I’d definitely warned her over and over again.

If the adventurers she introduced to me were once again problematic, she wouldn’t be able to keep her husband’s honesty, I had clearly told her.

And the adventurers she had introduced backstabbed me right in the spine.

So, this is no different than indirectly conveying that money is more important than her husband’s love.

Instead of going back to the inn where the three were waiting, I headed to the street lined with red banners, aka the “Red Light District”.

So what? It’s daytime, chap.

At this time, the pleasure district is no different from other districts.

Except that women with pretty faces are washing their faces by the well.

I asked the women I encountered about the whereabouts of the most popular courtesan [1] on this street.

– The most popular courtesan? Why are you looking for someone like that? Brother, I’ll do it.

– Is your lower waist already itchy so early in the morning? Haha. Come on, this big sister will take care of it for you.

Surely, they weren’t professional, instead of answering my question, they took an interest in my lil brother.

Yuck! Hands off!

After shaking off the claws of the ravenous beasts in a jiffy, I was finally able to find the location of the most popular courtesan on this street.

‘It is said to be the most popular brothel here, but the building itself is not much different from others.’

The renowned Imperial Capital, but the pleasure district is only of this level?

I hope this helps.

While a little worried, I still walked inside the building.

“Hm? Are you a guest? Sorry. The kids aren’t ready yet. Can you come a little bit later?”

After walking a little inside, a woman who seemed to be the Madame [2] approached me.

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Long, curly orange hair and a voluptuous body.

True to the name of the Pleasure District’s most reputed Madame, she was full of mature color.

Pass!

“The guest is surely very handsome and our kids will definitely like you. So if you come after a while…”

I pulled out a heavy money bag.

“…I’ll get the kids ready soon.”

“I don’t want to see other prostitutes. Madame, I want you.”

Madame put on a troubled expression.

“Ummm… Though, I’m already retired… The customer is really handsome… But…”

I pulled out another money bag.

“…Would you like to wash up first? Or shall I wash you?”

Money is the truth wherever you go.

* * *

“Ah… So the guest doesn’t mean that he wants me… You want me to start a new life?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds too grandiose. I’m just trying to give you a chance to start a new life.”

“To seduce a man who has a wife..?”

“Right.”

Madame, no, Yuriel had a dissatisfied expression on her face.

“Sir, I don’t know what you think of me, but I’m not a s!ut who would sell her life for a few bucks. And especially if it’s ruining someone else’s life…”

I opened the money bag and knocked it over.

Gold coins poured out of the fallen money bag.

At least 1000 gold coins.

Yuriel’s eyes widened.

“Ah..?”

Her expression contorted as if she was seeing something unbelievable.

“Why are you so surprised? Did you think I’d buy you for a small sum? For a few thousand gold coins? That’s disappointing, Madame. Aren’t you underestimating your worth too much as the most reputed Madame of the Pleasure District?”

“No… that’s… That, how much is it…”

I brought my face closer to the bewildered Yuriel.

I whispered in her ear.

“100,000 gold coins.”

“100,000..!”

Surprised and startled, Yuriel quickly covered her mouth in case anyone else heard it.

I smiled.

“How about it, isn’t that enough to buy a woman who was once the best in her profession, the ace?”

“…how could I be the pleasure district’s ace…”

“It’s only natural for an ace to take on the role of Madame…”

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I got up from my seat and went behind Yuriel.

I stroked her cheek and whispered in her ear once more.

“If such a beautiful woman is not an ace, who else is?”

“Ah…”

Yuriel’s face turned red.

Seeing she was half way convinced, I timely hammered on the wedge.

“And aren’t you tired of working as a Madame? Since it’s a brothel, how civilized can guests be? Moreover, among them, there should be noble guests too, which are particularly difficult to take care of. It must have been very difficult. Right?”

“…yes.”

“At the same time, the kids, your prost*tutes don’t listen to what you say. Instead of saying thanks to you for taking good care of the brothel, they only leave behind complains.”

“…”

“What is left of you after suffering so much? Is there anything more than that rat-tail worth of salary given by the owner of the brothel? And, when you get old and ugly… who will care what happens to you?”

“…”

“When you are walking down the street, don’t you see the wives holding the hands of their husbands and children with a happy smile on their face? Don’t you feel envious? What makes you worse than them? You look much more beautiful, you know the heart of a man better than many women. Even the skill to please men… you are way superior, right?”

“…right.”

Yuriel nodded her head with a stiff expression.

I placed her hands on top of the gold coins.

“Then take this chance. As long as you comply with the conditions I have stated, nothing else will matter. With the money I’m giving you, you can buy land and start farming or open a shop as you please. You will have your own happy family. Even though it was stolen from someone… how about it? Do you want to miss this chance to be happy? Imagine it. Watching your children grow up together with your husband as you both grow old.”

Gulp.

Yuriel swallowed her dry saliva.

She said in a trembling tone.

“Ha, but I can’t get out of this brothel. If I tried to do that, he wouldn’t leave me alone. He would kill me.”

‘He’ is probably referring to the owner of this brothel. I stroked her cheek a little softer to reassure her.

“Do you think I didn’t even think of that? That’s not for you to worry about. You just have to make a decision. Either yes, or no. Will you live as the Madame of this pleasure distinct and be abandoned when you grow old, or will you grow old as a mother in a family?”

Yuriel’s body quivered. As if to harden her heart, she grabbed the pouch tightly.

I stroked her hair.

“A good decision.”

After that, I informed the owner of the brothel that I would take Yuriel along with me. Naturally, the brothel’s owner pulled out his sword, hollering that he’d kill me.

I brought out the VIP badge of the Perdiac family.

The brothel’s owner, who recognized the VIP badge, immediately slammed his head on the floor. Thanks to which, when I came out, the brothel’s owner personally escorted me to the door.

“Cloud..? Who is that woman?”

Neria looked at Yuriel who suddenly appeared, and she asked in a questioning tone.

I roughly explained that she was a woman with some difficulties. Bluntly telling the truth that she was a prost*tute would hurt Yuriel’s self-esteem.

“I see…”

Neria didn’t ask further, she looked pretty convinced.

But oddly enough, she didn’t take her eyes off Yuriel all the way to the dungeon.

When I asked why, she didn’t answer.

* * *

[1] A prostitute, especially one with wealthy or upper-class clients.

[2] A position similar to the manager of the brothel.