Nina had washed Arisugawa to disguise him as a prostitute.
Thanks to Nina, he was clean, but sitting naked on the bed was too embarrassing. “At least underwear,” he thought, reaching out, only to have his hand slapped.
“No! Are you planning to wear those ragged, dirty things?”
“I did wash them, though…”
Um, Nina, are you planning on leaving me naked like this? It’s not cold, but I am human, you know…
“I asked Chamber about it, but I think I’ll check it out myself. Don’t leave this room, okay?”
With that, she left the room. Being naked was difficult, so I decided to put on some clothes for the time being and then secretly bought some food from the shop to fill my stomach. It was a simple wrap of thin dough filled with meat and vegetables. Still, I was so hungry that I finished it quickly.
I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. After a bath and a full stomach, all that was left to do was sleep. She wouldn’t be back for a while, and they said the party was tomorrow at sunset. I had plenty of time to rest.
“Hey, get up! Hiroaki!!”
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my cheek. Nina was there, looking angry.
“Oh, welcome back.”
“It’s not ‘welcome back,’ you know. But sleep is important for beauty. So, I guess it’s okay.”
It was good that she somehow convinced herself. If that was the case, you didn’t have to hit me. Then, a pile of luggage was unceremoniously placed next to me, still half-asleep.
“I picked out some clothes. The rest is the plan. How to rescue Piyo, or rather, how to bring in the weapons.”
Right, I had forgotten the most important thing. What matters is what happens after infiltration. We don’t know the building’s layout, nor do we know who the guests will be. We don’t even know if Piyo will be there.
“For the time being, if we can get proof that the orphanage is involved in prostitution, that should be enough, right?”
“Yes, and I borrowed this. It’s called a camera, do you know what that is?”
Nina then took out a large camera.
“It seems to be able to take pictures. I don’t know how to use it, and I wonder if we can even bring something like this.”
“Hmm, it will be difficult. If only it were smaller, but I’ll try it.”
Chamber arrived a little later. I decided to ask him about the party.
“Hey Chamber, what kind of party is this rich guy’s party like?”
“Are we already plotting when I just arrived? Well, it’s fine. Navis said it was for business discussions.”
According to him, it’s a party held by the wealthy to show off their power, where their associates are invited to discuss business. It’s basically a boastful gathering of the rich.
“And they’re brokering children from the orphanage to make money. They seem to be making more than their operating costs.”
“I see, so they’re selling children there. Not only making them work but also forcing them into prostitution. I wonder if the children there are okay.”
I said it myself, but no, they’re probably not okay. We have to rescue Piyo as soon as possible. For the time being, I will infiltrate, and Nina will be on standby in case of emergencies. The problem is how to bring in such a large camera without getting caught.
The next day, as the sun began to set, I received my final preparations.
“Hold still, you’re not cooperating at all!”
“Ouch! My eye! It poked my eyeball!”
Does makeup involve pain? I had to paint right along my eyelids with something like a pencil, and it hurt terribly. Even though she yelled at me not to cry, it was a physiological response.
“Honestly, because you kept moving, it didn’t turn out well. But it’s good enough.”
She put strange powder on my face and lipstick. It tasted weird when it got in my mouth. Do girls do this every day? It must be tough. I changed into the outfit the two of them had chosen. It was like being wrapped in white cloth. My feet felt cold, but it allowed me to hide my sword.
I headed to Navis at the appointed time. He chuckled when he saw me.
“My, you’ve really dressed up.”
“Yes. Nina will be waiting outside. Also, could I bring this?”
I showed him the large camera.
“Hmm, I don’t know. It might be difficult if it’s this big. I’ll put it in your luggage for now.”
He handed the camera to a servant standing behind him. Then, I was led to a waiting carriage. Of course, the rich wouldn’t walk, but I thought they’d be fine since their legs were like camels. Nina and I followed him and climbed into the luxurious carriage.
