After safely delivering Baroness Clarina’s party to Kamiyan, the former capital of the Kamiyar Holy Nation, which was a requested assignment for “Princess Harem,” we joined the end of the carriage queue in front of the castle gate to enter the city.
Looking up at the castle walls, I saw that parts of them were collapsed, leaving the scars of the war with the Espana Imperial Army still raw.
Then it was our turn. After paying the prescribed entrance tax, we were allowed to pass without our carriage’s interior being inspected. It seemed the inspection was perfunctory due to a shortage of personnel.
However, once inside the city, the buildings were mostly intact, as if there had been no arson attacks. Furthermore, it appeared that the general populace had not been plundered.
On reflection, given that the Espana Imperial Kingdom’s victory banner was proclaimed to be due to their successful total war against the Demonkin through the unification of human nations, they likely refrained from actions that would weaken the nation’s strength.
As expected of a religious nation, temples with apparent historical significance stood at various key points. Although these were unique religious facilities of the Kamiyar Holy Nation and different in sect from the Asgard Holy Church, to which Priest Lester belonged in his past life, the sight of devout followers entering and leaving without pause was magnificent.
The number of days required to reach this point was ahead of the original plan. Currently, the plan allows for a two-day stay.
I toured the city of Kamiyan, pretending to be sightseeing, and confirmed the location of the pleasure district. Although the sun was high in the sky and the pleasure district, which would bloom at night, remained quiet, finding the location was easy. I also confirmed the building of the high-class brothel “Drop of Rose,” where the “Mithril Card” I received from my father could be used. For now, I decided to look for a place to stay for the night.
Moving a little further, I came across a crowd of people, and the carriage had to proceed cautiously. In the center of the crowd, a young man stood on a sturdy wooden box, giving a speech.
“I am Albus Gassara, of the bloodline of the Kamiyar Holy Royal Family. We have annihilated the Espana Imperial Army, who shamefully launched a surprise attack, and by the revelation of God, I have risen to show Kamiyar’s glory in this land once more…”
It seems he was an agitator inciting an anti-government movement against the occupying forces of the Espana Imperial Kingdom.
“Hey, Kirika. Do you know Albus Gassara?”
“No, I do not… He’s probably just some nobody who’s been put on a pedestal…”
Kirika dismissed Albus as “horse bones,” but perhaps it was a natural reaction, as those of strong royal blood were executed with the exception of Kirika. As the carriage passed, the Espana Imperial Kingdom’s security forces arrived, and the anti-government activists, including the gathered citizens, scattered like ants.
Most of the accommodations in Kamiyan were temple-run lodging houses. The name of the lodging house where we stayed was “Virgin Mary’s Prayer.”
Once settled in the inn, I informed the members of “Princess Harem” that they were free to act on their own until tomorrow morning and then dismissed them.
I left the “Virgin Mary’s Prayer” lodging house alone and visually confirmed that Elise and the others were not following me. First, I decided to have a light meal. I bought skewered wild boar meat glazed with a sweet and savory sauce and a bamboo canteen filled with a drink made by diluting mead with water from a temple-area food stall. Then, I headed towards the pleasure district, eating and drinking impolitely. The sun was already beginning to set; it was time for adult activities.
At the entrance of the pleasure district, there was a brightly decorated vermilion gate adorned with lanterns painted in vibrant colors. Beyond this point lay the so-called brothel district. On both sides of the passage were two or three-story houses, with the first floor featuring vermilion lattice doors. The spacing of the lattices was just wide enough for an arm to pass through, and maiden-like delicate hands reached out as if to ensnare the dream-seekers searching for tonight’s delights. Under the streetlights stood mature women with flamboyant makeup, likely streetwalkers, waiting for prey. The second and third floors of these houses were chambers for clients and prostitutes whose negotiations had been successful, and some rooms were already occupied by early arriving customers.
The house in the foreground seemed to be run by Elves, and a cute Elf prostitute gave me a sidelong glance. In the next house, a prostitute, seemingly a Beastkin with fox ears, sent me a passionate gaze and a blown kiss as a welcome. On the opposite side, a prostitute, who appeared to be a short, childlike figure, beckoned me with her hand. A burly man with a beard entered that establishment. For a moment, I thought of the combination “little girl and beast,” but it turned out that the prostitutes in this house were Dwarf.
At the end of the pleasure district, I could see my destination, the high-class brothel “Drop of Rose.” The building was stylishly constructed of brick, with bay windows on the second and third floors. I pushed past the surrounding temptations and reached the building, but I didn’t know how to enter. The entrance was blocked by a door that resembled a fortified fortress, painted black with an image of a single drop of nectar dripping from a rose petal, preventing my entry. As I stood there bewildered for a moment, the door suddenly opened with a creaking sound. A beautiful woman in black emerged, accompanied by two burly, intimidating men.
The woman in black appeared to be in her late twenties to early thirties, with long silver hair covering the left half of her face. She held a long, slender pipe, from which she was inhaling tobacco, and as she approached me, she blew the smoke towards me. The tobacco smoke hit my face directly, causing me to choke.
“W-what are you doing!?” I exclaimed to the woman in black.
“Young man, this is no place for children like you… You’re obstructing business, so please go over there.” The woman in black pointed towards the entrance of the pleasure district.
“B-but I’m a customer!”
“Can you afford the entertainment charge here, child?”
Speechless, I took out the “Mithril Card” from my pocket and handed it to the woman in black.
“Th-this… Who in the world are you?” The woman in black, upon receiving the “Mithril Card,” asked me with astonishment.
“My name is Hal Raymond. I received this Mithril Card from my father.”
“Your father’s name?”
“…Dalos Raymond…”
“I see… So you are the Young Master Raymond… You certainly have the right to enter here. I am Delfina, the person in charge here. Please follow me.” Thus, I followed Madam Delfina and passed through the doors of “Drop of Rose.”
Inside the building, a crimson carpet was laid on the floor, landscape and portrait paintings, believed to be masterpieces, hung on the walls, and exotic houseplants, seemingly from the Southern Nations, were planted in pots. At first glance, it looked like a nobleman’s mansion. Led by Madam Delfina, we proceeded down the corridor and were guided to a room with a glass display window on the wall. Inside, several beautiful girls were relaxing in their own ways. It seemed they were allowing me to choose a young prostitute. Unlike the prostitutes in the houses I had passed earlier, they wore expensive and elegant attire. At first glance, they looked like young ladies from good families.
“Young Master Raymond, these four ‘Roses’ are currently on standby here.”
“…They are certainly a collection of beautiful girls…” I peeked inside and felt my face flush with heat.
“From the right, Cassandra, who is reading a newspaper; the two drinking tea are Celestina and Ivette; and Sofia, who is embroidering. Did you find a ‘Rose’ you liked…?”
All of the ‘Roses’ appeared to be around my age, very young. Moreover, rather than young prostitutes, anyone would believe they were young ladies relaxing in a salon. Cassandra, a silver-haired girl wearing a bright blue dress, had an intelligent face. Celestina and Ivette, who were drinking tea, wore matching bright red dresses. Their appearances, perhaps due to being twins, had a somewhat strong-willed look that was not outdone by the vibrant colors. And Sofia, the last one, wearing a pale yellow dress and engrossed in her embroidery, exuded an aura befitting a lady from a secluded mansion.
Incidentally, one of the conditions for becoming a ‘Rose,’ a young prostitute, was that she must not have reached puberty. This is synonymous with being a maiden in the ‘Fairy Time,’ and thus it was limited to young ladies from royalty and noble families. This is because while they develop secondary sexual characteristics early, their menarche is late, which is their trait. Furthermore, ‘Roses’ who have reached puberty are transferred to affiliated general high-class brothels, but most are typically bought out before then. Even if transferred to a general high-class brothel, having been a ‘Rose’ adds prestige and they are treated favorably. Their attire seemed to be modeled after roses, but they all appeared bare-faced. This was in contrast to the prostitutes in the houses I had seen earlier and the streetwalkers by the roadside, who had worn makeup with powder and cheap perfume. With such excellent natural material, makeup was likely unnecessary…
As I stared at the cute ‘Roses,’ I felt a sense of incongruity. Looking around the room again, I noticed a fifth girl, dressed in a deep green dress, sitting by the wall, who appeared to be a ‘Rose.’
“…Um… is the girl by the wall not a ‘Rose’?”
“Ah…?! M-my apologies… That ‘Rose’ is Lilia. How could I have forgotten to introduce her!?” Madam Delfina repeatedly tilted her head. Looking at Lilia, who sat composedly in her chair by the wall, with a slightly ethereal and melancholic air, I was instantly captivated.
“Then, I’ll choose Lilia.”
“Understood, Young Master Raymond. Today is Lilia’s ‘first time’… Please be gentle with her.” According to Madam Delfina, I was the first customer for the young prostitute Lilia, and she was still a virgin. Madam Delfina also seemed unable to comprehend why Lilia, who had been at “Drop of Rose” for some time, had not been troubled by not having taken a single client. Then, I was led by a cute young girl, who seemed to be a prostitute trainee, to a chamber on the third floor of the building for high-class customers.
