Chapter 49 - CHAPTER 2 RUN, CRANELL

"I-I think I shall retire early tonight."

Dinner plates had been washed and put away.

Only four of them were sitting, relaxing in the living room, when Mikoto

made her declaration.

Hestia was absent this evening. Last night's meeting had lit a new fire within

her. This burning desire to pay back the loan gave her the motivation she needed

to work overtime.

Bell and the others ignored the shakiness of Mikoto's voice and either waved

or said, "Good night," as she stood up. The clock had yet to strike eight when the

girl left the living room and closed the door behind her.

Going up the stairs and walking through the moonlit hallway, Mikoto was on

her way to her room on the third floor.

All of a sudden, she changed course.

Racing back in the other direction without making a sound, she opened a

second-floor window and jumped down to the grounds behind the manor.

She hid behind trees and checked to make sure the living room lights were

still on before letting herself out through the back gate.

"That's our cue. We're tailing her."

"It's been a long time since Lilly's done something like this."

"I-is this okay…?"

Meanwhile…

Welf, Lilly, and Bell watched Mikoto step through the back gate from a

different vantage point.

They had been expecting Mikoto to do something like this. After the girl

went upstairs, they left the living room lights on and hid in the garden outside

where they could see both exits. Three figures crept quickly and quietly through

the darkness.

The stubborn girl was obviously trying to hide something. Following her was

the only way to figure out what.

"Miss Mikoto seemed overly concerned with the cleanliness of the windows

today…just as we expected."

"Anyone coulda figured it out, way she kept stealing glances at the window."

Welf and Lilly noticed that Mikoto hadn't been herself during the day. The

biggest clue was that she spent way too much time looking outside. So the two

of them came up with this plan and dragged Bell into it despite the boy's

confusion. They were ready to pursue her whenever Mikoto made a move.

Their concern for their friend couldn't let them ignore her secrecy and odd

behavior.

"She's a lot like you."

"Huh?"

"Mr. Welf is saying that lying isn't her strong suit, Mr. Bell."

The black-haired girl, who was always honest to a fault, made her way into

the vibrant city.

She was too focused on her destination to notice she was being followed. Her

three pursuers kept to the shadows, staying just far enough behind her to conceal

their presence. They followed Mikoto away from their home in the southeast to

the southern part of the city.

It wasn't long before they arrived in a district just off South Main Street—the

Shopping District.

It was certainly living up to its name. The night was still young, but every

corner of the street was already bright, colorful, and crowded. Lines of people

were already filing into theaters, casinos, and high-class bars. Wealthy-looking

merchants and adventurers rubbed shoulders with gods as they walked down the

street lined with massive buildings, looking for that night's entertainment.

Mikoto traveled into the heart of the Shopping District before suddenly

darting into one of the backstreets, and she ran up to meet another figure

standing in front of a shady-looking store.

"Is that Miss Chigusa? Are they alone?"

"Yeah, and they're on the move…Now, where are they headin'?"

The two girls from the East shared an anxious nod before leaving the store

behind.

Bell and the other two watched their movements from around the corner of a

stone wall. Ignoring the suspicious glances of a few demi-humans, the three

continued to trail their targets.

The spirit and sounds of the Shopping District faded into the distance as the

two girls pressed forward through dark alleyways.

"…No way. This direction…It can't be."

Welf's eyes shot open—he knew where they would end up if they kept going

this way.

Their targets veered to the southeast. Welf struggled to get the words out of

his mouth.

A jolt traveled through Lilly's brain as she connected the dots as well.

"Huh?" Bell looked at his friends in confusion.

"Bell, you oughta head home."

"Mr. Bell, please turn back."

"Eh? Ehhh? Why? Why now?"

His allies'sudden requests only worsened his confusion.

Bell looked back and forth between Welf and Lilly over and over. The two of

them repeated themselves, choosing stronger words.

"Seriously, listen to me. You're not old enough yet."

"Old enough? Mr. Bell should never go there, ever!"

"But we've come all this way…Ah, they turned a corner!"

Bell was certain he could be useful and could take care of himself despite

Lilly's and Welf's desperate attempts to persuade him otherwise.

Their brief argument nearly made them lose their targets.

"Dammit, Li'l E, give it up, it's no use. After them!"

"Gaaah! Miss Mikoto, why there of all places…?!"

Abandoning their attempts to convince Bell to turn back, the three of them

dashed from their hiding place. Lilly seemed to be the most frustrated, a sour

expression contorting her face. Bell was lost for words, but he kept up the

pursuit.

They passed several drunken adventurers sprawled out on the street before

finally reaching their destination.

"What—what is this place…?"

And then.

Bell's eyes opened wide to take in everything that appeared as the backstreet

opened up before him.

They had arrived at the eastern edge of the fourth district of Orario, adjacent

to Southeast Main Street.

Despite being relatively close to the Shopping District, there was a much

more impure atmosphere about this place.

Every magic-stone lamp attached to buildings and pillars projected pink light.

While there weren't too many of them, each light dimly illuminated a billboard

decorated with seductive red lips and other alluring feminine features. Women of

all shapes and sizes wearing skimpy dresses or clothing that completely revealed

their back and hips were walking up and down the street.

More than half of these women were Amazons, but several humans, animal

people, and even prums dotted the street as well. They called out invitingly to

men in every direction, flashing smiles as if issuing a challenge. Then they'd

spend a few minutes talking with said men before taking their hand, or even their

waist, and guiding them into one of the many buildings.

The street was absolutely flooded with luscious breasts, thin shoulders, and

seductive thighs in every direction. The air was tinged with perfume, or maybe it

was simply the ladies' naturally sweet scents as they worked up a sweat.

"Wh-wh-who are those people…?"

Bell's fingers shook as he pointed down the street, pitifully stuttering as he

spoke.

An inevitable awakening was taking place within him.

The fact that these erotic women were prostitutes shook him to his very core.

He'd found the Night District.

Bell's face turned bright red as the stark differences between the Pleasure

Quarter and everything else he knew began to sink in.

"This is why Lilly didn't want Mr. Bell to come here!"

"I just can't get used to this smell…"

Bell finally figured out what here meant as he watched men disappear one by

one into different establishments. Lilly snapped at him as she got redder and

redder. Welf stood behind them, trying to shield his nose with his arm.

So this is what they were trying to warn me about…?! Bell's realization came

a little too late.

Another memory bubbled up from the back of his mind. "I forbid you to go

southeast." Even Hestia had warned him…The serious look in her eyes had

made his blood run cold. Now he knew why.

"Orario…has a place like this?"

"In this district, every building here and along Main Street closes its doors

and brings in its signs during the day. Of course, Mr. Bell wouldn't know…"

The Pleasure Quarter slept during the day and only showed its true colors at

night.

It went without saying that no average citizens lived here. The district had a

lonely, desolate feel to it. Bell had never even ventured into the Shopping

District before tonight, so it wasn't surprising at all that he didn't know about the

nature of this district's businesses.

The main reason, though, was that the people who knew him best had kept it

a secret from him.

Welf gave Bell a quick slap on the back to get him out of his trance as the

three of them continued the chase.

"Cultural designs of the Kaios Desert, architecture from the Dizara Region…

Never ceases to amaze me."

"Don't forget, Orario is the center of the world. People from all walks of life

gather here, including them."

Buildings designed to look like things the citizens of Orario had never seen

before loomed behind all the scantily clad prostitutes. Some roofs were built to

resemble the stark triangles of the Far East, other structures looked like they

belonged to desert nomads, and still others were built out of solid stone like the

castles in the north. It was a strategy to encourage as many customers as possible

to come back and see a different style each time. Lilly explained everything at

once, clearly not happy about being here.

Different types of brothels from all around the world were on display.

It was like nothing Bell had ever seen before. He felt lost in a world that kept

changing, and yet new things kept popping up wherever he looked.

People he didn't know, streets he'd never seen, and an atmosphere he'd never

dreamed of.

It was all very overwhelming for the farm boy from a small town in the

mountains.

"W-Welf, have you, um, been here before…?"

"Back when I was with Hephaistos Familia, a few guys dragged me out here

after a night of drinkin'. But I've never used the…facilities."

Bell tried to start a conversation to get his mind out of the whirlwind. Welf

cringed as he responded. "Just didn't sit right with me," he added. A small group

of the women of the night approached the three adventurers, their enticing smiles

brought to bear. One of the ladies reached for Welf's hand, but he brushed it

aside.

Lilly jumped between another girl and Bell, fending her off like a bodyguard.

"Lilly was lucky enough to have never set foot here until today." She shot an

angry glare at the prostitute coming in for another pass.

"Ughhh…What are Miss Mikoto and Miss Chigusa doing here…?"

Bell's head was still spinning as his eyes searched for a safe place to look.

Seeing Mikoto in the distance, he posed another question.

"Young women willingly coming to this place…Lilly's afraid to say it, but to

sell their bodies for money?"

"?!"

"Nah, those two don't have it in 'em."

Bell gasped at Lilly's suggestion. Welf calmly pointed forward and said,

"Have a look."

Both girls were frantically waving off advances, arms a blur at chest height.

Their faces were red enough to give Bell a run for his money. Mikoto and

Chigusa stayed side by side, their eyes frantically scanning the area. Their

shoulders jumped every time they heard a catcall from some passing perverted

man or taunts from the ladies working the street.

It was at that moment that a large man decided to make a move and reached

out to touch Mikoto. "P-please, stop!" The startled girl squeezed her eyes shut as

her body moved on its own. The man landed face-first on the stone pavement a

heartbeat later.

Chigusa seemed like she was about to cry. The two looked like lost baby deer

in the middle of the city. Lilly squinted and Bell broke out in a cold sweat, but

both agreed that they were not here for that reason.

"Lilly sees Mr. Welf's point—pure girls like Miss Mikoto and Miss Chigusa

could never do such a thing…In that case, why are they in the Pleasure

Quarter?"

The three fell silent to contemplate Lilly's question. At the same time, the

two girls started moving again. Bell, Lilly, and Welf followed them all the way

to the main street.

Orario's third and fourth districts sat on either side of Southeast Main Street.

Mikoto and Chigusa crossed from the fourth district they had been in up until

now and quickly vanished into the entrance of the third district opposite them.

"This is bad, we're gonna lose 'em! Let's move it!"

"S-sure!"

Welf moved to the front of their group because his height gave him the best

chance of keeping their targets in sight.

Here, the prostitutes worked in teams to wall off areas and guide customers

toward their establishments. Welf forced his way through, clearing a path despite

the constant barrage of invitations and insults. At last, they set foot in the third

district.

The lights in the third district were much brighter than the streets earlier.

Welf spotted Mikoto right away.

She was surrounded by a group of gods wearing obscene smiles.

"Well, if it isn't Eternal † Shadow. Imagine meeting you here!"

"Black hair, can't get enough!" "Eastern girls are so sexy!"

"I-if you'll please excuse us, w-we have an important matter to attend to…!"

The group of male deities had the two girls cornered against a wall. Each

offered to show them a good time while barring their escape.

Mikoto stood in front of Chigusa, shielding her from their advances.

However, these were gods, not mortals. She was forced to rely on words to fend

off the deusdea.

The gods themselves, however, were enjoying her reactions more than

seriously trying to initiate a transaction. Each comment and suggestion more

vulgar than the last, the deities took great pleasure in seeing what shapes

Mikoto's face would make.

Welf and Lilly sighed as soon as they realized what was going on.

"My Lords, you've had your fun."

Welf approached them.

"Eh?" The group responded in unison as they turned to face him. Mikoto and

Chigusa turned pale as ghosts.

Lilly emerged from behind the young man and opened her mouth to speak.

"Why waste time out here? Does the night not grow short?"

"Oh no, she's right! 'Special Playtime' at Jessica's place is almost over!"

"Had to sneak away from my own familia. Better make tonight count!"

"I brought my familia's money along!" "Oh, me, too." "So did I." "Me as

well."

"""HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!""" They all shared a big laugh before

continuing on their way.

It was common knowledge that some deities got most of their entertainment

from places like the Pleasure Quarter. The anger of their followers was not

enough to prevent them from emptying their bank accounts of hard-earned valis.

The storm had passed. The adventurers looked at one another in awkward

silence.

"Wh-why are you here…?"

Free from the barricade of the gods, it was Mikoto who finally broke the

silence.

Lilly sighed again and stepped forward.

"Miss Mikoto was being strange. It may have been rude, but we followed

you."

"We're a full-fledged familia now. No hiding anythin' from one another, got

it?"

Eyes still hidden behind her bangs, Chigusa stepped out from behind Mikoto.

"I'm so sorry," said the thin girl in a weak voice. Her shoulders shrank as she

offered an apology.

Welf scratched his red hair and said, "How about an explanation?"

"…You see, we learned that…someone, from our hometown in the East, was

seen here, and…"

Chigusa struggled to speak and looked back at Mikoto for support.

Since the girl wasn't the best at communication even under normal

circumstances, Mikoto nodded and took over for her.

"Lady Chigusa acquired this information from a trusted acquaintance

yesterday…This person, she went missing from our hometown many years

ago…"

Finding her bearings, Mikoto looked at her allies apologetically and

answered their questions in full detail.

Lilly listened intently, whispering, "That's why," after Mikoto explained

where they got the information.

"Miss Chigusa and Miss Mikoto came this far to verify the report, yes?"

"That's correct. This was our matter, and we have no proof. It would have

been improper to involve anyone else at this stage…A-and it's this place…"

Revealing the contents of the conversation that took place on the lawn this

morning, Mikoto repeated that she didn't want to get Bell or the others involved.

"What about that big guy? He's from the same place—why didn't you ask

him?"

Just as his name suggested, Ouka was also from the East and the commander

of Takemikazuchi Familia. A childhood friend of Mikoto's and Chigusa's, they

still maintained a close relationship to this day.

Chigusa blushed and hid her face the moment that Welf brought him up.

"I-I didn't want to bring him here…I don't want him to come here…"

"If I may, Lady Chigusa doesn't see Captain Ouka as just a friend…More

of…as a man."

Mikoto's face turned bright pink as she divulged one of her friend's secrets to

help the others understand. Both girls avoided making eye contact. Chigusa's

throbbing red ears stood out against her black hair.

That was enough to convince Welf. Rather than get her own familia involved,

she went to a valued friend currently in a different group to help her confirm the

information first.

Lilly also nodded in agreement. After catching a glimpse of Chigusa's pure

maiden heart, how could she not?

"But how can someone else's description be so precise? They might have

made a mistake…"

"This person is a member of a rare race…There were too many defining

characteristics to ignore."

Mikoto answered Lilly's question.

Memories flooding into her mind, Mikoto shook her black ponytail as she

looked at the ground.

"Unlike us, she's a member of the aristocracy. We cannot take some

outsider's word that she was spotted in the Pleasure Quarter…We had to see her

with our own eyes…"

They had to fight to overcome their fear of this place. However, they could

not sit idly by, knowing that this person might be here.

At the same time, Welf's shoulders jumped the moment he heard the word

aristocracy.

Aristocrats—nobility.

Lilly shot the member of the Crozzo family a sideways glance. Sensing the

tension in his posture, she changed the subject.

"Lilly understands the situation, but this was reckless. The Pleasure Quarter

is under the direct control of another familia that is not to be trifled with. It

would be best not to make a scene while searching for your acquaintance."

The girls' heads drooped in the wake of Lilly's sharp warning.

They looked genuinely remorseful for their actions. "For now," began Welf

before the silence became awkward, "we should go somewhere else. Staying in

the same place too long here is just asking for trouble."

Lilly and the others agreed.

Welf turned around to leave, when suddenly—he finally noticed.

"…Hey, where's Bell?"

"Eh?"

Lilly spun around and couldn't believe her eyes.

The white-haired boy was nowhere to be seen.

"Did Sir Bell accompany you? He hasn't been around since you arrived…"

"Yes, not here."

Mikoto's and Chigusa's words confirmed the worst.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as everyone broke out in a cold sweat.

They were completely surrounded by the din of the Pleasure Quarter. They

could clearly hear the voices of the working women less than a block away.

Welf was lost for words as all the color drained from Lilly's face.

—No way.

"Th-they're gone…?"

I'm alone in the middle of a street full of strangers.

We were halfway through the street, but I could still see Welf's red head.

Then from out of nowhere, "It's Special Playtime!" I got swept up in an

avalanche of men—and now I can't find Welf or Lilly.

I fight my way back to a spot I think I recognize, but all that's here is the

front of a brothel I haven't seen before. I tried my best to follow…but I'm on my

own now.

Did I make a wrong turn somewhere?

Maybe instead of moving I should have waited where I was on the street for

Lilly and Welf to find me?

So many faces, but I don't know any of them. Heck, I don't even know where

I am.

Lines of brothels made of stone, soft light of magic-stone lamps, and lewd

female voices coming from every direction—seductive invitations. Thanks to my

Status, my hearing is much stronger than it used to be, to the point that I'm very

clearly picking up all these moans and screams coming out of the buildings.

I'm in the middle of the street but my feet won't budge. I wonder what color

my face is right now. All the blood drained out a long time ago, but my cheeks

and ears are burning.

I don't know if I'm a coward, ashamed, or anxious. There are so many

emotions swirling in my head.

As my face goes from pale to flushed red and back again, I feel like I'm

standing on the brink of going crazy.

"What have we here? Are you lost, little one?"

"GAH!"

My body jumps at the sudden voice.

I look up and see one with incredible snowy-white skin—one of the ladies of

the night, an elf, no less. She's smiling sweetly at me.

Her dress is the same shade of white as her skin. There's a big slit running

down the front, all the way to her belly button, showing off her considerable

bust. Her beauty and seductive aura make me lose my voice.

"I-I'm fine!" I yell as I break out of her spell, and waste no time running

away.

Welf, Lilly, Mikoto?!

Shouting the names of my friends in my head, I race toward anywhere that's

not here.

I get off the main road and turn into a narrower alleyway. One of the brothels

towers over me. There's so little light back here that I can't tell where the

building ends and the night sky begins. Several of the brothel windows are open.

Young faces are looking down at me. One beast-girl, who can't be much older

than me, leans outside and blows me a kiss. A new wave of heat reaches my face

as I nearly fall over.

The atmosphere of this place is strangling me. I have to get out of here, have

to escape. Running as fast as I can, I yell at the top of my lungs and race through

the Pleasure Quarter.

"Haaa-haaa-haa…!"

Had to stop to catch my breath.

This isn't the Dungeon, but running around like an idiot won't get me

anywhere just the same. I have to stop, focus.

Who's looking at me…? Ah, just some guys in the corner over there. I must

be a wreck.

I put my hands on my knees and take a few deep breaths. Wiping the sweat

from my face, I take a look around.

Where am I…?

All these buildings are completely different from the earlier ones.

A nice change from the stone brothels, it's actually rather bright here.

Did I walk into some kind of festival? Looping around the area, it sure feels

like it.

"…Far East design?"

Many tall red gates line the path. Even the design on the pavement looks

foreign.

Wooden buildings with highly decorated white walls and red pillars are

everywhere. Each of them stands three stories high and is surprisingly colorful.

Thick, brick-like tiles cover the roofs of the buildings and the tops of the red

gates. This whole area is built in the same way.

If I remember right…this is called a red-light district?

This is the same style as Mikoto's homeland. I remember her descriptions

and someone else's, not sure whose, as my eyes scan the area.

That's right…Gramps told me about it. He didn't go into much detail, but

these designs match his story perfectly.

The pictures carved into the stone pavement are so inviting, drawing me in.

Gramps was right.

Lilly said that the Pleasure Quarter was a mixture of different cultures, all in

the same place…

The red-light district—it's not just red lights, it's bright. Of course there are

magic-stone lamps all over the place, but there are also balloon-ish lanterns with

lit candles inside hanging from the gates. They cast soft spotlights on the men

and women passing beneath. The women, w-working ladies, are wearing

something that looks like a robe but with a lot more folds. A kimono…

Traditional clothing of the Far East.

Trees called ajura are planted on each side of a wide path. These blue

flowering plants grow only in the Dungeon, so they must've been brought up

here. The most amazing thing about them is that they are always in bloom, no

matter the season. A few of the sky-blue petals are scattered over the stone

walkway. If I remember right, real cherry blossom trees are white and pink—but

they're exactly the same shape. The Pleasure Quarter may be a melting pot of

cultures, but there's no doubt that this spot is meant to be the Far East.

I look forward, admiring the blue blossoms, when I see something out of the

corner of my eye.

The first floor of one of the brothels. Several young women dressed in

kimonos are lined up in a room facing the street.

Heavily accessorized, they're calling out to people on the street, trying to lure

customers. It seems to be working. There's a group of about six or seven men

standing outside, their eyes gliding over every inch of the girls, trying to find one

who suits their fancy. One of the men steps up to the waist-high wooden fence

separating the girls from the street, beckons one of them forward, and then

disappears into the entrance after exchanging one or two words.

I keep walking forward, taking in the mix of races lined up behind that

wooden fence.

I accidentally make eye contact with the girl seated at the end of the room.

"…"

Her golden hair sparkles around green eyes.

She's an animal person of some kind. Wide, round ears at the top of her head

and a bushy tail the same color as her hair give that away.

Based on the shapes of her ears and tail alone, I'd say she's a fox person.

—A renart.

This is the first time I've ever seen one.

They're an extremely rare race that mostly lives in the Far East.

Even among all the other young women and gorgeous ladies, her beauty

stands out. For lack of a better word, she's cute.

Clad in a flowing red kimono, she's sitting behind the other working ladies.

There's a black choker around her neck…No, I think that's a collar.

My feet come to a stop so that I can admire those amazing green eyes.

Vast as the night sky, they look at me with a twinge of envy and longing, a

desire to be on the other side of the wooden fence.

Her lips spread without her looking away. A sad smile.

The other women around her are laughing, jeering, and full of energy. But

she's so different from them, fascinatingly so. I can't take my eyes off her.

Her eyelids quiver, like she's on the verge of tears. But that smile of hers is

making time stand still.

It lasted only a second, but I wouldn't be surprised if we'd been staring at

each other for almost a minute.

"—Well, well, if it isn't Bell!"

Tap. I jump in surprise as a hand touches my shoulder.

My head whips around. There, staring back at me, is an orange-haired,

orange-eyed deity.

"L-Lord Hermes?!"

"Ha-ha, I thought that was you."

Hermes flashes a toothy grin, clearly enjoying my reaction.

His face morphs into his usual dandy smile, eyes shining back at me from

just above mine. I've never seen him without Miss Asfi, but she isn't here.

Perhaps Lord Hermes is by himself?

He's dressed in his usual traveler's clothes, except now he's got a feathered

hat on his head and a small pouch over his shoulder.

"Imagine, meeting you here. Hee-hee, you've grown up so quickly."

"Eh…No, it's not that. I have a perfectly good explanation…!"

"Saw you taking a gander at the gallery. See anything you like?"

Lord Hermes looks over my head at the lineup of girls behind the wooden

fence. I'm glad he looked away because my face is burning again. He's got the

wrong idea. I follow his line of sight back toward the gallery, as he called it, but

the renart is hidden behind the ones coming up to the fence.

The two of us spend several seconds watching the transactions take place.

"Do you want some pointers on how to get a good one?" he asks with a grin.

"N-n-no thank you!" I yell back at him.

If I don't change the subject now, who knows what will happen. Forgetting

about the renart for the time being, I turn away from the lineup.

"Eh, um…So Lord Hermes, wh

y are you here? And what's…what's in the

pouch…?"

"Now, now, Bell. Invasive questions are a no-no in this place."

He lowers the brim of his hat to hide half his face, but I can still see that

toothy grin.

…He snuck away from Miss Asfi. That realization sends a wave of cold

sweat down my back. And he dodged the question about what is in the pouch

over his shoulder.

"I'd like you to keep the fact I was here a secret between us. Agreed?" Lord

Hermes leans in real close to me as he speaks.

"S-sure…" is all I can say in response.

On the other hand…I think having this conversation has settled me down a

bit.

There's nothing like the relief of seeing a familiar face. Thanks to him, the

feeling of being strangled by the atmosphere in the Pleasure Quarter is gone.

Now to ask him how to get out of here.

"To think, the Bell I know would come to the Pleasure Quarter on his own…"

But before I can ask, a dangerous smile that I know all too well appears on

his face as he wraps his arm around my shoulders.

"L-Lord Hermes?"

"I'm happy you discovered the wonders of this place. Of course, you came

here in secret as well, I assume?"

"No, I…Lord Hermes, this is just a misunderstanding!"

I try desperately to convince him that I'm not here to take part in the "fun,"

but Lord Hermes keeps going.

"No need to be embarrassed. Hestia won't hear a thing out of me.—Here, a

parting gift."

All my efforts in vain, Hermes opens his pouch and thumbs through it.

One of his cheeks pulls back into an evil grin as he hands me a small bottle.

It's roughly the size and shape of a chess piece. There's a thick red liquid

sloshing around inside.

"Wh-what is this?"

"An aphrodisiac."

—A what?! I nearly cough up a lung.

"So long, Bell! I hope you enjoy your night as much as I enjoy mine!"

"Wait, Lord Hermes!"

I catch another glimpse of that smile as he moves away.

"I-I don't want this!" I yell as I take off after him, the bottle of love juice in

my hand.

I can't be alone again! It'll be even worse if I'm carrying this thing by

myself, too! I don't have the courage to put it in a pocket, but I can't just throw it

away. Someone might see it and get the wrong idea! What am I supposed to do?

I follow that feathered hat through the crowd like this bottle's a ticking time

bomb and he is the only one who can stop it. He knows his way around here; the

feather dips in and out of my sight at every turn. I pick up speed in a desperate

attempt to stay close.

Completely focused on returning the bottle to him, we leave behind the Far

East red-light district and travel through more dark alleyways.

"—Whoa!"

And when I follow Lord Hermes around the corner—

A person comes at me from the other direction. I turn the corner with such

vigor that I nearly run into her.

"Watch it."

I kick off the ground and manage to avoid hitting the surprised woman head￾on, using my Agility to limit contact to just grazing her shoulder.

I can't lose Lord Hermes, but I can't leave without apologizing. I spin on my

heel and try to get back on his tail as quickly as possible.

"S-sorry about that! Are you okay…?"

Words leave me the moment I get a good look at the woman I nearly crashed

into.

The first thing to greet my eyes is a pair of long, beautifully chiseled legs.

Smooth muscle lines and curves work their way up to her hips. I don't think a

master sculptor could design something more sleek and beautiful than these.

The woman isn't wearing much in way of clothing. She does have one purple

band of cloth around her chest that's somehow containing cleavage large enough

to rival Lady Hestia's. Her shoulders and stomach are completely exposed. As

for her legs, they're covered by a sheer fabric that's not much thicker than a

veil…I can clearly see her thighs, along with every other feature of those

amazing legs, right through it. It's hard for me to believe, but she's barefoot. She

does have quite a few accessories, though, especially around her neck and wrists.

She's taller than me, at least 170 celch.

Her black, untied hair reaches all the way down past her hips. Her muscles

are one thing, but her coppery skin could truly make most men's blood run cold.

An Amazon in dancer's clothing—and she's working here.

"…So sorry, but I'm in a rush. So, well, um…good-bye!"

Out of all the women I've seen today, she is easily one of the most attractive.

I can't breathe, and I've got to get away.

Her allure is so intimidating that I can't articulate my words at all. My cheeks

burning hot enough to start a fire, I manage to squeeze a few more words about

following Lord Hermes out of my constricted throat and turn to leave.

"Hold it."

But before I can take another step and start screaming again…

Her fingers wrap around my elbow.

"Eh?"

"You're a new face."

She pulls my body against hers and wraps her other arm around my waist.

I'm being held—no, pressed—against her. Her eyes lock onto mine.

"…?!"

She stares deep into my eyes in the middle of the street.

I can't move. Every inch of my body feels like it's on fire. The muscles in her

thighs push against me through my pants, her toned abs press against my shirt,

and in some places, we're skin against skin. Moist lips are just in front of my

nose. I'm sure I'd see a tremendous valley of cleavage if I looked down.

How can my body be generating this much heat but my arms and legs feel

cold? I'm freezing and burning at the same time.

"Nnn?"

She doesn't seem the least bit self-conscious. She lifts her left hand off my

back and pinches my cheek.

Forcing my head up, she looks down on me with powerful eyes, lips poised

to devour me at any moment.

Those eyes, it feels like they're eating me alive…She smiles.

"Ahhh…Ain't that a tempting face you've got there."

She licks her red lips.

I audibly shiver as a cold chill rushes down my spine.

"You have a name? Mine's Aisha."

"Eh…Um, well…"

"How 'bout buying a night with me?"

She leans in real close to my ear. I can feel her warm breath running down

my neck.

A mixture of fear and embarrassment courses through my veins. I'll break in

half at this rate.

No, this is bad. How can I get out of here?! My instincts finally kick in and I

start to struggle, but…

—I can't break away!

There's only an arm wrapped around my waist and one around my shoulder.

But her grip is too strong.

A grip strong enough to contain me after I just ranked up to Level 3—that

means…

This woman has Falna like me?

"Easy there," says Aisha with a confident laugh as she tightens her arms

around me.

Incredible physical strength and tenacity paired with overwhelming beauty.

She's the physical embodiment of everything Amazons are known for.

"The crop was pitiful tonight."

"Do I smell the blood of a virgin man?"

"Who's that, Aisha?"

Voices from behind me, appearing one after another.

More figures to the left and right—more Amazons.

I chance a look in both directions. Just as I feared, more beautiful, scantily

clad women are coming this way.

"Found him right here. Got quite the innocent look in his eyes, don't he?"

"Haven't seen a man like that in ages."

"Fu-fu, first time in the Pleasure Quarter?"

The woman…Aisha probably came out looking for customers when I nearly

ran into her. I think these other Amazons are doing the same thing. They

surround me before I know what is happening.

Being Amazons, their clothing is similar to Aisha's, though some are wearing

even less than she. Trapped in Aisha's embrace, I can see only sun-kissed skin in

every direction. Mind racing, I feel like I'm going to pass out.

Moments later…

I see one of the Amazons' shoulders jump.

"Hey, hang on a minute. This human boy…Isn't he that Little Rookie?"

Suddenly, everyone stops moving. A breeze travels through the now silent

alleyway.

"—White hair, red eyes."

"The one who defeated Hyacinthus in the War Game…?"

"The fastest adventurer to ever reach Level Three?"

I know that people all over Orario watched the War Game through Divine

Mirrors. So it should come as no surprise that someone might recognize my

face…But still.

I can hear them whispering among themselves, all their eyes glued onto my

head.

The strongest stare of all is coming from directly above me—Aisha's.

—Her aura, it changed.

Before, she seemed to be having a bit of fun tormenting me. But now her

already overwhelming eyes have a different kind of twinkle to them.

The others, too, they're looking at me like a piece of fresh meat on a skewer.

The playful atmosphere of a moment ago is gone…Sweat is pouring off my

body like a waterfall.

This must be how a rabbit feels when it's surrounded by a pack of hungry

wolves.

But these aren't just wolves. These are lionesses and tigresses, saliva dripping

off their bared fangs. They're licking their lips, hunger in their eyes.

"Eeeek…" A pitiful sound escapes my gawking mouth, eyes wide open.

I-I have to run. A heartbeat later—

WHOOSH!! All of them come at me at once.

"About time a strong one came along!"

"Hey, I'll show you a good time!"

"Ignore these weaklings, come with me!"

A tsunami of Amazons washes over me.

Shoulders, arms, clothing, hair, legs—their hands grab everything. My body

contorts in all directions, pulled by their incessant grasps. None of their dark

hands are letting go.

"Ouch, ow, oww, OW, OWWWWW!!"

I'm completely helpless as these Amazonian women come agonizingly close

to tearing me to pieces.

There's no hope of escape anymore. I can't see anything except for tanned

curves and occasional flashes of bright fabric.

My head starts getting foggy. I can't even scream as I'm buried under

mountains of feminine muscle. Until—shloop.

Something gives my outstretched arm a strong pull.

"—I found this one first, he's my prey. No one else can have him."

Aisha pulls me free of the other Amazons' feeding frenzy and is holding me

tightly against her hefty chest.

"Buohhh! Buohh!" I struggle to catch my breath with nose and mouth

pressed deep into her cleavage.

She's moving, spinning like a hurricane. The other hands let go, one by one. I

chance a look straight up, trying to ignore my predicament. The eyes of a lioness

glare down at me, her "fangs" bared in an ominous grin.

My face is free! I manage to gasp for air by prying myself away from her

chest.

"P-please hear me out! I-I-I'm not here to do anything amorous. Th-the only

reason I came this way was to look for my friend. S-s-she's from my familia!

But I got lost, s-s-so please…!"

I start pleading with her, with them, after putting a little distance between us.

But it isn't enough. The Amazon is really fast, and she circles around behind

me with ease. Whap! She grabs an item that was still somehow in my hand.

"Oh, really? Then why are you ready for a long haul, eh?"

The bottle…The one that was forced on me by a particular deity. The

aphrodisiac.

Lord Hermes…!!!!!!!!!!

My soul silently screams. For some reason, an image of the god tipping his

feathered hat and giving me a thumbs-up appears in my head.

There's no way she'll listen to me now…

"Drop the act already. Now, come."

"H-hold on a sec. H-hey, wait!"

She locks my arm into her stranglehold grip and pulls me away.

The other lions, tigers, and wolves form a pack around us. I'm in the middle

of a parade of shiny-eyed Amazons…!

This is the first time since following Lord Hermes out of the red-light district

that I've had a chance to look around. This area looks like an oasis in the middle

of a desert. The buildings are mostly made of stone, but the roofs and eves are

covered in a style of sun-dried bricks. The outsides of some brothels are

decorated with high-quality alabaster. As for the working ladies around here,

most are wearing something similar to Aisha's dancer's clothes. The style is

different, but they're showing off just as much skin.

"It's not like that! Please, just listen to me!" My yelling and screaming on the

verge of tears do nothing to persuade my captor. I got lucky before, but now I

can't shake loose.

What's worse, I can tell from the earlier whirlpool tug-of-war that at least

some of the people in our twenty-plus Amazonian entourage are Level 2, or even

Level 3.

I'm so caught up wallowing in my own despair that it takes me a moment to

realize we've come to a stop in front of an extremely large building.

Judging from the exterior and amount of scantily clad ladies around it, this is

also a brothel—the size of a palace.

It looks like it came right out of a fairy tale set in some mystical desert.

Covered in sheets of pure gold, the design is so heavenly that I wouldn't be

surprised if the architect based it on a heatstroke-induced mirage.

An emblem comes into view as Aisha pulls me even closer to the circular

structure.

A naked woman's body hidden by a veil…The symbol of prostitutes.

This is a familia's base of operations? Their home?

Another tug from Aisha and we cross the threshold of a large wooden door.

"Is…is this a castle…?"

The inside of the palace sparkles just as much as the outside.

It bears an uncanny resemblance to the inside of Babel Tower, except that the

inside is open like a multilayered doughnut. There are men on all the different

levels, arm in arm with their chosen partners for this evening. Couples are

disappearing into rooms every second.

Aisha guides me through the unbelievably wide entrance hall. Expensive￾looking vases line the white walls, but my eyes keep getting drawn to the red

carpet beneath my feet.

The atmosphere in here is even more suffocating than the Pleasure Quarter.

The mixture of obscene smells makes every nerve in my body shriek with

anxiety. I'm surprised I'm still conscious, let alone walking under my own

power.

"Do you seriously know nothing?"

Aisha looks back at me, her prisoner, with a hint of glee in her eyes.

"This is our home, Belit Babili."

Her grip stays just as tight as she explains.

"Don't go thinkin' it's just this building, either. This whole area is our

island…Lady Ishtar's territory."

Lady…Ishtar?

I don't know many gods and goddesses, but I've heard that name somewhere

before…

"You girls, down there. Why aren't you working?"

A sharp female voice stabs down from far above.

I look up without even thinking. What I see takes my breath away.

It's a beautiful figure who just oozes temptation. Wearing next to nothing at

all, her absolutely radiant tan skin is almost blinding even from this distance.

She's decorated her body with a ton of golden trinkets, including a crown,

earrings, a necklace, bracelets, anklets, and even some things hanging

extravagantly from her breasts. Everything about this lady screams queen.

Her dark, almost purplish hair hangs down to her waist in several braids.

She's looking at us, a long pipe in her left hand.

—A Goddess of Beauty.

I know immediately.

Anyone who sets eyes on one instantly gets filled with incredible desire; their

charms are too alluring to resist.

I've met a goddess like that before, the silver-haired Lady Freya. I felt

bewitched the moment I saw her. Her beauty wafted into me like the most

provocative perfume, overriding all my other senses before I knew what was

happening.

The Amazonian ladies say hello in unison. I clear my throat.

"Mind explaining that human?"

Her eyes, glinting like amethyst in the distance, lock onto me. My whole

spine trembles under their pressure.

The other Amazons seem to have noticed that, too, and immediately move to

shield me from the deity's sight.

"Don't look at him, Lady Ishtar!"

"What're we supposed to do with someone under your spell, eh?"

They're protecting me…?

"And you, keep your eyes down!" Aisha's warning makes me say, "O-o￾okay?" and do exactly that. The hands of the others are back, holding me down.

I'm trapped in their whirlpool again, except this time I can hear the voices of the

other ladies, young and mature, wafting out of random rooms all the way up to

the top floors.

"Fu-fu…There's more money to be made tonight. All of you better not waste

your time by sucking that one dry."

Her nasal laughter cuts through it all as the Amazons pull me in the same

direction. It wouldn't have mattered, anyway; I'm already falling to pieces.

"Tammuz," she says in a bored voice, and breaks off eye contact. I risk a

glance in her direction and see a rather handsome young man follow Lady Ishtar

away from the upper-floor railing.

So it's true…This is Ishtar Familia's home…

My hair's a mess, clothing in tatters, but I know for sure.

They've increased their presence and effectiveness in the Dungeon,

becoming one of Orario's best Dungeon-prowling familias in the past few

years…at least that's what I've heard.

I've come to a really dangerous place, in more ways than one. I'm a member

of a rival familia, deep in enemy territory. All the repercussions start racing

through my head as Aisha forcibly leads me deeper into their mansion of a

home.

We pass several more women, ones wearing dresses so sheer that I can see

right through them. Aisha calls them over and I look straight at the floor. My

captor must be pretty high up in the familia. She exchanges a few words with the

women, who are thankfully ignoring me. Next thing I know, they're gone and

I'm being led up to the third floor.

The stairwell opens to a wide, highly decorated hallway. Two of the Amazons

rush ahead and open a pair of double doors right in front of me. Aisha pushes me

inside.

"Uwoah?!"

Suddenly released from her viselike grip, I'm practically thrown onto a sofa

covered with a velvet sheet.

Plop! Good thing it's a soft sofa…I quickly sit up and have a look around the

dim room.

There are several of these sofas scattered around the room, but almost no

people. The only light is coming from a magic-stone lamp on the low table and a

few candles on the wall. There's a weird smell about this place—high-quality

perfume and…

"That's musk aromatics."

Aisha notices my flaring nostrils and grins as she takes a seat on the sofa

across from me.

The rest of the entourage rushes around the room, grabbing any chairs they

can find and sitting in a ring around me.

I can see another man across the way. He's standing at a counter across from

another woman wearing one of those sheer dresses. She must be serving drinks,

or at least some kind of alcohol for sure. All the seating, a bar—this classy room

has to be some kind of waiting area.

"All the rooms are in use at the moment, so we're goin' to chill here for the

time being.

"Or we could start right now, if you like?" she adds with that same hungry

smirk.

I don't have the guts to ask her, "Start what?"

"I call second." "Aisha, just let me have a taste!" All their eyes are on me.

All the Amazonian women are sitting down, but it feels like they're circling me.

My first impressions of them are feeling more and more real by the moment. I

shiver as thin fingers run down my neck from behind, making my heart jump. It

takes all the courage I have to try to speak.

"I'm um…in another familia…Isn't it kind of bad for me to be here, in your

home? So, so you see…"

"Don't mean a thing. We bring adventurers up here almost every night.

"Some more willingly than others," she adds, not letting me get in another

word. So some of the other customers are adventurers. However, no one seems

to care at all.

They're literally sleeping with the enemy.

"'Course if you want to have at it, fine by me. In here, in bed, I'll take you on

wherever, whenever."

Thud! She puts her leg on the table between us. It really sounds like she

wants to fight.

I'm at a loss for words. They're completely unarmed and no one's here to

protect them, either. These scantily clad women are much more dangerous than

they seem.

They're temptresses, but also warriors.

Many of them were strong enough to leave bruises on my arms and legs with

their bare hands. I'm the one who needs a bodyguard, not them.

"Berbera"—I don't know where I heard that first, but it's a fitting name.

They all have Blessings from Lady Ishtar—seductive adventurers…

Doing my best to hold my fear at bay, I take a closer look at Aisha.

She's everything I imagined an Amazon would be. Overflowing with

confidence, she shows no hesitation or weakness and commands a lot of respect.

Bold and beautiful, she must be the heart and soul of this group.

Okay, here goes nothing.

"Wh-what can I do to convince you to…let me go home?"

This place is a completely different world, not to mention the home of

another familia. To top it all off, my body won't stop shaking in fear.

Can't calm down, out of place, scared as hell. Tears are already leaking out of

my eyes, every fiber of my being stressed to the limit.

"…"

Aisha runs her fingers through her hair while listening to my plea.

Another woman walks up to the ring of Amazons, carrying a glass with a

dark liquid inside. She must be some kind of waitress. Squeezing through a very

small opening in the ring, she places the glass on the table in front of Aisha.

The Amazon reaches forward, snatches the glass of expensive-looking wine,

and downs it in two gulps.

"We are the harlots of Lady Ishtar. The best brothel is at our disposal…But

we Amazons play by our own rules."

My captor ignores the question and rotates the now empty glass between her

fingers.

I shrink away from her, but she just grins and leans forward.

"We refuse to wait quietly at home for a strong male to come our way. We go

and find one."

I tilt my head in confusion. She cocks an eyebrow and leans in farther, close

enough to whisper in my ear.

"Amazons have needs. We take our men…and devour them."

Resistance is futile—those words send another wave of cold sweat down my

back.

Amazons.

They have the reputation of being aggressive hand-to-hand fighters. There

are several different clans from all over the world. Each has mastered a different

type of martial art.

Out of all five races of demi-human, they look the most like us humans.

However, despite their appearance, they're physically capable of bearing only

female children. They're unique in that way. Every child born from an

Amazonian mother is another Amazon. Half-Amazons don't exist.

In other words, they need the cooperation of a male, any male, to reproduce.

Cooperation might be a strong word. They tend to kidnap their prospective

partners before going all out…There are stories about them dating back to the

Ancient Times, about the terror they caused before the gods and goddesses came

to earth. Men of any age, married or not, living away from the cities were at risk

of being taken and returning a shell of their former selves.

The clan of females would relentlessly pursue a male who piqued their

interest, like predators out for blood.

Those instincts are alive and well within every Amazon.

And I have been taken.

They weren't planning on asking my opinion from the start.

"Get used to it."

I'm absolutely petrified. Aisha delivered the final verbal blow.

The ring around us is cackling like hyenas, licking their lips and grinning.

—I'm so dead.

I don't think there's enough blood left in my face to blush anymore. My

whole body was burning up not too long ago, but now my skin is ice-cold.

"…?"

I'm too distracted by the knowledge of my fate destroying my soul from

within to notice that Aisha has looked up and away from me.

The ring follows suit. Each of the Amazons looks in the same direction, a

mixture of concern and fear on their faces. It's at that point that I emerge from

the abyss of despair and notice something strange is going on.

Feet, lots of them, running this way.

"What do we do, Aisha? Phryne is coming!"

Another Amazon throws open the double doors and bursts into the room.

Every set of eyes in this room immediately locks onto the look of desperation

on her face.

Phryne…?

That's a cute name…so why is everyone scared stiff?

"Get over here!" "Hide, now!" Aisha pulls me off the couch—but it gets here

first.

BOOM! The doors fly off their hinges.

The Amazons closest to the door flinch to protect themselves. I'm just as

surprised as all of them.

"—I smell a young'eeeen!"

Nostrils open wide and breathing deep, she appears.

A massive woman, she stands at least two meders tall. She's wearing a black

outfit that looks vaguely like hunting gear. Her scrawny arms and legs are pure

muscle and wheat colored. Considering the rest of her body looks like a boulder,

her tiny limbs don't make much sense.

At the same time, her head is much too big.

It looks like there's a black mushroom or something on her head…Wait,

that's hair?! With beady eyes and really long lips, she looks more like a bullfrog

than a human.

M-monster?!

That was really rude of me to think; I only just met her. But this is really

shocking.

Don't know why, but for some reason I can see an equally shocked look on

Gramps's face in the back of my mind.

"Kee-kee-kee-kee! So you caught yourself a man, Aishaaa?"

The massive blob of a woman—or rather, Amazon—walks through the wide￾open doorway and into the waiting room.

Even her voice sounds like a croaking frog's. Aisha snaps her tongue at her.

"Why are you here, Phryne?"

"A little bird told me you'd found a delicious little one. I just had to see for

myself.

"So show me," the Amazon named Phryne says, a little more forcefully.

Then she starts walking straight toward us. There are sofas and tables in the

way, but she doesn't even pause. She plows right through them, not even

slowing down.

The Amazons are standing like a wall between her and me, but now she's

close enough to see over their heads. Her long lips curl into a horrific smile.

"Well, if it isn't Hestia Familia's bunny rabbit! A little raw for my taste but…

definitely my type!"

Her cheeks and bulging chin wrinkle as her lips spread even wider. It's

making my skin crawl.

"GE-GE-GE-GEGEGEH!!" Laughing again, her eyes twinkle like distant

stars.

"Bending that fresh body to my will, messing up that cute little face…I'm

gonna have fun tonight."

—I'm so, so dead.

Cold dread floods my veins. Can't breathe. Come to think of it, I got the

same feeling from Lord Apollo…

Standing tall, Aisha leads the Amazons as one to block her path.

"Let me have a li'l fun, Aishaaa. I'll give 'im right back."

"Who do you think I am? I caught him. He's my prey; get your own."

Aisha isn't backing down from…Miss Phryne? In fact, she looks ready to

fight.

Not just her, either. Her ring of followers is all on their feet, muscles flexing

as if itching for a throwdown.

Every one of them is an Amazon in the same familia, but I'd never believe

that if I didn't see the events unfolding before my very eyes.

I get the feeling that something big is about to happen…but I'm more

worried about my own hide. Alarms are still blaring inside my head.

"All the males I've had recently couldn't entertain me. Been bored as hell. So

why not let me indulge?"

"Go back to your lair. Can't count how many men you've wasted—you ain't

getting mine."

They're standing about five meders apart. I'd fear for the life of anyone stuck

in the no-man's-land between the two Amazonian powerhouses.

Aisha's tone is harsh and cold. Phryne responds in kind, not holding anything

back.

"So, beauty is a sin, now? It's not my fault that no other woman can measure

up…Lady Ishtar comes close, but I'm out of her league."

She's serious…!

"It's your fault adventurers won't come anywhere near this place. Catching

the good ones takes time, energy. Read the writing on the wall, toad."

"Ooooo, jealousy, how scaaary. I just happen to be the perfect match of

beauty and power, wretched varmint."

All my joints are shaking, even my toes, as I listen to the two Amazons

argue. I can feel it—Phryne is the real deal.

It's been easier to tell after ranking up myself.

I'm starting to sense the size of a person's spiritual "container" for their

Status.

The strongest one here is Phryne, quite possibly overwhelmingly so.

It's the same kind of pressure I feel from top-class adventurers, from her.

Aisha and the rest of the Amazons don't take Phryne's taunts lightly. Fists are

clenching, shoulders are flexing, even the air in here feels like it's crackling. The

other people in the waiting room hadn't paid much attention to the large

woman's arrival until now. Now they're tripping over themselves, making a

break for the open door.

Could it be…?

All of them are so angry with one another, staring down their opponent, that

no one is looking at me. This is my chance! Carefully, quietly, I start taking

small steps back and escape from the ring.

I have to get away…Slowly but surely, the space between us is growing.

"GaaHHH—so pointless! I've taken him by force."

My eyes shoot open the moment those words reach my ears. My window's

closing!

"We are proud Amazons! We take whatever man we see fit! Ain't that right,

Aishaaa?"

"…"

"Why not settle things our way…or are you scaaared?"

The massive woman breaks into more frog-like laughter. Aisha spits at her

opponent's feet.

"…Bring it on, toad."

The challenge accepted, Aisha and the rest of the Amazons turn around.

There's only about ten steps in the space between us. Every single set of eyes

is burning with enough ferocity to cook an egg.

The warning bells have officially become sirens. I don't think there's a dry

part of skin anywhere on my body. Haven't been able to stop sweating since I

got here, but the flow just kicked into high gear.

One of them just licked her lips at me.

"First one to reach him keeps him!"

That's the signal.

All the Amazons and I take off at the sound of Phryne's deep bellow of a yell.

I spin on my heel and take off toward the back of the room.

Amazonian battle cries sounding behind me, I set my sights on a window and

speed up.

Everything's in slow motion, all sound taking an agonizingly long time to

reach my ears. The footsteps, the yells, the sound of furniture being crushed.

Seconds feel like hours. The night sky outside the window beckons in front of

me.

Keeping my eyes open, I kick off the floor and plow through the glass

window, shoulder first.

I'm outside, in midair.

A race of life and death is now under way. The Amazons are on the hunt.

Falling. Night air cold on my sweaty skin.

I listened to the roar of my instincts and jumped out that window with no

hesitation. Now I'm zipping through the air.

No need to look; I know the Amazons are following me. I could feel their

presence before I heard them on the ground beneath me. What's worse, the wall

shattered behind them. Shards of glass and rock debris are raining down on the

street below. THUD! I make my landing.

I take off running.

"Hold it!"

I barely have time to take one breath before the voice of one angry temptress

cuts through the night.

Leaving Belit Babili in my dust, I make a break for the Pleasure Quarter.

And so it is that my death race with more than twenty Amazonian warriors is

officially under way.

Magic-stone lamps zip by my line of vision as I tear through the backstreet.

Men and women hug the walls, their eyes wide open as they see us coming.

"EEEEKK!" One working lady jumps out of the way in the nick of time.

"After him!" "Don't let him escape!" I can hear them yelling, but I'm too

scared to take a look. All I can do is keep pumping my arms, pushing forward,

forward, forward!

Why did this happen to me?!

Was it because I didn't listen to Lilly and Welf and go home sooner? Or

maybe it's my fault because I got separated? Lord Hermes isn't off the hook,

either.

I round a corner, my head still trying to find an answer to an impossible

question. Another corner, another turn. I zigzag through steadily narrowing

streets in an attempt to lose my pursuers once and for all.

I think my random pattern is paying off. I can't hear the Amazons anymore.

"—GE-GE-GE-GE-GE-GEH!!"

Except for her.

She's the only one my Level 3 Agility can't outrun.

Her croaking echoes off the walls. A long shadow falls over me.

It grows bigger and bigger in the moon's blue light behind me. She's coming

from above?!

"Uw-UWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

A dark-colored boulder slams into the street just in front of me, sending

debris everywhere.

Somehow managing to kill her momentum, the absolutely monstrous woman

—Phryne—pulls her meaty fists out of the street before turning to face me.

"You're not getting away, little bunny!"

She charges, the space between us disappearing in an instant. A plump hand

comes straight at my eyes.

Duck! I yell at myself and just barely manage to dodge. I can hear the wind

being torn to shreds as her now outstretched fingers pass by my ear. My feet

stumble backward in the sudden gust of wind generated by that near-miss.

My eyes open as wide as they go the instant I see Phryne's merciless follow-

up attack coming my way.

I barely manage to jump to the side as her fist takes a chunk out of the wall of

the brothel behind me. Her other arm follows as I manage to take cover behind a

barrel in the street. Off-balance, her third punch barely grazes the side of it. But

that's enough to make it burst into splinters. She's empty-handed, but even still

she has more than enough power to rip my head off! There's been no time to

catch my breath.

Th-this speed, this power…!

This is exactly how it was in those days on the city wall, during my intense

training with that other Amazonian girl and my idol.

I was right—she's a top-class adventurer!

Bits of wood and stone are flying everywhere. Sweat flings off my body at

each twist and turn. She drives me back farther and farther, until finally getting

ahold of my collar.

"AEEEEHH!"

"Hold still alreadyyy!!"

She swings my body up in a full arc and slams me down back-first onto the

ground.

A burst of pain shoots through every bone in my body. She loses her grip,

sending me tumbling down the road.

I get my bearings and raise my head, only to see Phryne careening toward

me.

Her black shadow growing by the second, the putrid smile on her long lips is

so horrid that I forget to breathe.

"""Stop, toad!"""

The other Amazons have arrived. Three of them slam feetfirst into Phryne

while she's in midair. All two meders of the massive woman suddenly disappear

from my line of sight.

WHAM!! Phryne slams into the wall but she screams, "Outta my wayyy!"

She knocks all three of the attacking Amazons clear across the street with a

single flick of her arm.

"GAAHHH!"

I finally take a deep breath, coughing in the process. More and more

Amazons appear from the roofs of the other brothels, jumping down and

engaging Phryne in combat one after another.

"Keep that idiot busy!"

They keep raining down on her. A flurry of kicks and punches is keeping the

massive woman from regaining her feet.

It feels like I'm watching a party of adventurers keeping a large-category

monster at bay. Phryne bellows once again as the Amazons wrap their arms

around her neck, shoulders, and legs.

They're breaking both familia and racial alliances for their prey—me.

"Hyeeee…!" A pitiful sound escapes my throat.

"You're mine!"

"DAHH!"

I'm still sitting on the street, trying to catch my breath, when another

Amazon drops down from overhead.

I force my body off the ground and dart forward to escape her trap.

"Ahhh, he got away!"

"I don't mind if he escapes. Just don't let Phryne have him!"

Now several of the Amazons are on my tail. They've split up, one group on

Phryne and the rest coming after me. My lungs are on fire, but there's no time to

breathe.

Several male customers on the street ahead of me turn in to another street or

take cover to avoid trouble as I race down the long alleyway.

"—You're not going anywhere."

"?!"

Aisha?!

She's been following me on the rooftops! As she jumps down from out of

nowhere, I see one of her long legs stretch high above her head.

It's a perfect ambush. Even though I manage to block her kick with my right

arm, it's powerful enough to knock me off balance.

Not good! I yell at myself as I force myself backward to gain some distance.

Unfortunately, her long legs didn't give me the time.

Another kick is already heading my way—it reaches out like a long scythe

and catches my shoulder.

Flying forward, I see her body flow like water as she prepares to launch

another one of her ranged attacks with legs that could pass as swords. I'm caught

in the middle of a deadly dance.

Martial arts?!

One leg on the ground. The other one is high over me, coming down hard

heel-first. I roll out of the way, but she's already airborne and spinning.

Spinning down! Both her hands hit the ground as both her legs whip through

the air.

I can't predict her movements—I can't defend!

The prowess of one Amazonian warrior, not to mention sharp kicks from her

long legs, has me pinned down.

One moment those deadly appendages are being thrust at me like swords, the

next she's whipping them around like clubs. I don't have enough arms to block

everything—the moment I lean down to protect my head and upper body, she

undercuts everything with a low sweep.

"UWAH!"

I fall, hitting my back on the stone pavement once again.

"You're mine."

Pain, lots of pain. The stars in front of my eyes fade in time for me to see

Aisha swing a leg over my chest and straddle me.

I've got to be pale as a ghost by now. She leans down, long hair brushing

across my face. I'm completely pinned.

She wets her lips, smiling like she enjoys inflicting pain, and reaches for the

collar of my shirt.

"Aisha, look out!"

An out of breath yet desperate warning echoes in the night.

At that very moment, an Amazonian woman hurtles through the air and

slams into Aisha.

It knocks her off my chest. I can't believe my eyes. That poor woman is still

tumbling through the street. I don't even know her name.

Aisha groans next to me as she tries to recover. I turn my head to look in the

direction that the other woman came from.

"OUTTA MY WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

YYYYY!"

Big mistake. That's an image that will give me nightmares.

A group of Amazons are lined up, making a wall. However, Phryne breaks

through by grabbing two of the unfortunate ladies, one in each hand. The

moment I happened to catch a glimpse of was when she burst through, two

women in her clutches and the rest in various stages of being trampled or

launched toward the walls.

She's throwing women around like projectiles…Now even my cheeks are

shaking.

"That damn toad!"

Aisha growls from the deepest pits of her soul, her eyes locked onto the

incoming monstrosity.

Which means she's not looking at me. This may be the only chance I get.

Forcing all my muscles into action at once, I roll up, forward, and back onto my

feet. I hear a frustrated "TCH!" from behind me, but I'm already in a dead sprint.

Aisha's footsteps are echoing behind me, too, but I'm faster.

With the exception of Phryne, I'm faster than any of the Amazons here in

terms of pure speed. The gap between us is widening. Lose them this time…! I

yell inside my head, but…

"Liscia, Eliza! Stop the kid who just entered Third Street!"

Aisha, still on my tail, shouts into the night.

I've outrun all the other Amazons, so who is she talking to? Suddenly, two

working ladies—an animal person and a human—jump out of buildings on both

sides of me.

"Yaaaaaa!"

Even more ladies of the night appear farther down the street, doors opening

left and right. "Stop right there!" one of them yells as the rest brandish brooms

and frying pans like weapons. What do I do?! THERE! I dart off the main path

into a separate back alley, just moments before running into the sudden mob.

"Wh-why?!"

Aisha's voice sounds again the moment I thought I'd found safety in a new

escape route. Exactly the same scene unfolds in front of my eyes: scantily

dressed women flood the back alley to bar my path. I yell in despair.

New voices are raining down from above. The brothel windows are open,

heads poking out of each one and yelling to one another. "He went that way!"

Fifth Street!" "A white-headed adventurer!"

I'll never be able to get away if they keep shouting where I am! Wait a

second, I've seen that elf in a white dress before! That long-eared beast girl, too!

She's the one who blew me a kiss earlier! Every one of the women I've

encountered so far tonight is trying to help the Amazons or get in my way.

What the hell is going on?! I yell inside my head, changing direction yet

again. That's when, even in panicked confusion, I catch a glimpse of the same

emblem as before: a naked female body hidden by a veil.

There it is on the side of the brothel, another one engraved in that door, and

over there, as well. All these buildings have Ishtar Familia's emblem

somewhere.

Don't tell me…!

A fresh wave of sweat runs down the back of my neck. I know why.

A net that's far too wide. Lady Ishtar's fingers reach all over the third district

of Orario. All the women working here are members of Ishtar Familia,

noncombatant and otherwise.

"This whole area is our island." Aisha told me herself, but she was being

serious.

It's as if their home were the castle and all the buildings surrounding it were a

town under its protection. This is practically their backyard.

I'm trapped in an area completely under Ishtar Familia's control—their

territory!

"Th-this can't be happening…!"

The interference of the working ladies buys the Amazons enough time to

catch up.

What's worse, the persistent warriors are now equipped with weapons. My

only reason for coming out here was to follow Mikoto, so of course I didn't wear

any armor. I have the Divine Knife, but it can't protect me from an army!

The only item I have on me is Lord Hermes's aphrodisiac. Absolutely

useless!

"Take out his legs!"

"Prepare nets and ropes!"

Arrows hit the street at my feet; boomerangs whiz by my face. I just barely

get out of the way of the net before it ensnares a barrel on the street.

This isn't a race anymore; it's an all-out battle. The Amazons keep coming,

and I don't know how much of this I can take.

"Samira, cut him off!"

"You owe me one, Aisha!"

Hungry lionesses on the hunt, licking their lips.

I can see it in their eyes—they're enjoying every moment. The joy of

"devouring" after a successful "kill" is written all over their faces.

"We'll squeeze him dry once we have him! Squeeze until he breaks!"

"At least let me hear him scream!"

I'll be overrun if I can't get away from them now.

The moment I lose my strength and slow down, it's all over. I'll lose

something precious.

"GE-GE-GE-GE-GE-GEH! There's no escape!"

Fear, despair, anguish, lamentation, annihilation, deterioration, darkness.

All of them are reaching out, chasing me.

A miserable, horrid, tragic fate awaits me should I fall into their clutches.

Run.

Everything will be over.

Bell Cranell will end at their hands.

Run, run.

Unable to fulfill my dreams, unable to express my deepest wishes.

Every hope I've had, including standing next to her, will be completely

obliterated, gone forever.

Run, run, run!

With that gone, I won't be able to grow anymore.

I just know.

The person I am now—will be gone forever!!

Run, run, run, run run run ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!

I blaze forward with even more desperation than when I was being chased by

the Goliath.

My eyes are wide, most likely bloodshot, and leaking tears. My lungs are in

revolt.

Catching a glimpse of my pursuers out of the corner of my eye, I convince

my body to pick up speed.

"What's with this guy?!"

"He sped up!!"

"Give up, already!"

I never knew before.

I never knew women could be this scary.

I've always seen the other gender as this sparkling, pure being.

All the women around me have always been so good to me. They spoiled me,

and only now do I know the truth.

That's growing up, I guess.

Escape, escape, escape!

Darting out of the way of incoming projectiles and dashing through the

streets, my hair whips to and fro with each twist of my body. A white rabbit

trying to escape the lion's den.

If the other working ladies are going to block the street, that leaves only one

option: the roofs.

I spot a pile of barrels and use them as a springboard to get on top of the

closest brothel.

"The boy's headed to the red-light district!"

I finally gain some distance, with my instincts screaming at me to get away. I

barely notice the change in scenery in my high-speed desperation.

The stone buildings of the Pleasure Quarter give way to the tiled roofs of the

red-light district.

Red, white, and flowers with blue petals. Anywhere is better than here. I set

my course.

Thwak, thwak! More arrows slice through the air behind me. Many lights are

flickering on street level. The Pleasure Quarter is still busy. I can lose them in

there!

"—GaaHHH!"

I jump toward the cover of people on the opposite block, but I feel the

ominous air pressure of an oncoming boomerang arcing right toward my head.

I draw my knife out of reflex and knock away the weapon, but now my

momentum's carrying me in a different direction.

I'm heading directly toward the largest brothel in the red-light district, right

next to the main street.

"EH-EKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!"

And right through a second-story window.

Portable and foldable paper dividers, called shouji if I remember right, are set

up as barriers between rooms—at least they were until a second ago. I fly right

through them and tumble past the room and into a wooden hallway. The lady

inside was really surprised; my ears are still ringing from her shriek. Her male

partner fainted the moment I passed overhead. "S-s-sorry!" I yell over my

shoulder as I regain my feet and take off running.

The inside of this brothel is just like the outside, decorated in a Far Eastern

style. Sliding doors, called fusuma, decorated with gold leaves separate

individual rooms from the hallway. I'm pretty sure there's a party really living it

up behind the one on my right. Red pillars and railings flash in and out of view

every so often as I keep moving.

A few people poke heads out of the stairwell to see what all the noise is about

but immediately disappear the moment they see me charging through. CRASH!

CRASH! CRASH! The Amazons have arrived, through the windows by the sound

of it. The brothel is engulfed in chaos in the blink of an eye.

"This is really bad…!"

More screams as I race past even more rooms. Apologizing as I go, I'm not

slowing down for anything. All the Amazons' powerful footsteps are making an

avalanche of sound that threatens to overtake me at any second. Ignoring the

warriors' random threats and demands, I lead them on a wild chase through the

brothel.

If Ishtar Familia's home was worthy of being called a castle, then this place

should be called an estate. The part that faces the red-light district isn't all that

wide, but this building is surprisingly deep. There are several sections of various

sizes all strung together. The scene outside the windows changes dramatically

depending on the floor I'm on. Sometimes it's a vast cityscape and others it's a

garden or water feature. Every so often I catch a glimpse of a Dungeon Fly—a

harmless monster that continuously generates light. KER-THUNK! A piece of

bamboo set up like a seesaw sitting under a small waterfall fills up with enough

water to tilt forward. It strikes a rock, the water flows out, and it resets.

I don't know if it's the confusing layout of this brothel, but the tidal wave of

footsteps is gradually thinning to a mere trickle. There was a whole group just

behind me a few moments ago, but now there are only two or three at most. I

doubt Aisha or Phryne are among them.

At the same time, I've pushed my body beyond its limit.

Running on fumes, I make my way to the deepest part of the brothel.

"G-got to find a hiding place…!"

Gasping for breath, I arrive on the fifth floor and look both ways down the

hallway.

Compared to all the ruckus in the other sections, it's eerily quiet here.

"Freeze!" A voice comes from the other end of the hallway.

But this is the end. There's no more hallway on the side. So I quickly open

the closest sliding door and duck inside.

"Haa-haa…"

Closing the door behind me, I clutch my chest and gasp for breath. Then, as

quietly as I can, I back away from the door.

It's pretty dark in here. No idea what it's for, but that doesn't mean there isn't

a good place to hide.

I go deeper into the dark room, my left hand on the wall to guide me…Wait a

minute, there's light coming from the other side of that fusuma.

I take a quick look over my shoulder to make sure I'm not being followed,

take a deep breath, and go inside.

Then…

"I have been awaiting your arrival with great anticipation, master."

An animal person is sitting on her knees on the other side of the fusuma.

—It's her…

Long, shimmering golden hair, with matching tail and wide ears on the top of

her head.

The absolutely gorgeous red kimono makes it blatantly obvious—she's the

renart I saw in the gallery.

I can't take my eyes off the fox ears on top of her head. I might be in shock.

She bows in her sitting position, three fingers outstretched in front of her on

the Far Eastern–style bamboo mats. Tatami, isn't it? She slowly raises her face.

Yep, there's no way I could mistake her for someone else.

"I shall be accompanying you this night. Please address this humble servant

as Haruhime."

She looks me in the eyes and says that.

"…Huh?"

"Right this way, master."

She gestures behind her without getting up. That golden fox tail of hers

swishes back and forth on top of the tatami.

I freeze in place, mouth half open. She rises to her feet and in one quiet, swift

motion takes my hand before gently leading me inside.

We pass through another set of golden sliding doors and into another

chamber…A futon is laid out on the floor.

"…?!"

Seeing the pillows on it brings me back to my senses.

"Is something the matter?" comes a quiet voice beside my ear.

"Eh, no, w-wait!" Another spark of desperation floods through me, and I trip

over my own feet trying to get away.

Losing my balance, I reach out to grab onto a wall but hook my arm around

her neck by accident. Both of us tumble onto the futon.

"Eaah…"

I couldn't catch myself in time and land flat on my back on top of the thin

floor bed. The back of my head even missed the pillows.

I hear a cute little groan of pain next to my ear. My eyes shoot open as I turn

my head to look at her and I open my mouth to apologize…Her large green eyes

are looking right through me. Words, they won't come out.

"…"

"…"

She's close enough that I can feel her breath on my face.

On top of me, her left hand is pushing down on my chest. We just lie there,

staring into each other's eyes.

Both her cheeks are getting redder by the moment. Neither of us is moving,

though, nothing more than bed decorations.

A magic-stone lamp next to the pillows illuminates the right side of her face.

She's cute, stunningly so.

She has the air of a beautiful young maiden…who happens to have fox ears.

She's not even wearing makeup. Compared to the ravenous and rather violent

temptresses I've come in contact with tonight, she seems, I don't know, pure.

In fact, I think she's pretty close to my age. The difference between her and

the others is mind-boggling.

"…rst time?"

I was so caught up in those pristine eyes that I barely noticed her lips were

moving. She must've sensed the storm raging in my head because now those

green orbs look slightly concerned.

"Eh?" I respond, my shoulders shaking. She repeats herself in the same soft

voice as before.

"Is this your first time…in a brothel?"

"Yes!"

Her question catches me completely off guard. My voice suddenly comes

back to life and bursts from my lips much louder than I expected.

But I quickly cover my mouth with both hands.

The Amazons will find me if I make any noise at all…!

She looks at the desperation on my face, fingers interlocked over my mouth,

and tilts her head. I think she misunderstood.

She quietly clears her throat.

"Th-that being the case…I, Haruhime, shall take lead…"

Her eyes change. It's like she's made up her mind but doesn't know if she

can. Sitting up, she starts loosening her clothing.

My eyes practically jump from their sockets.

She unravels the thick belt-like sash of her kimono. Different sections of the

red fabric fall away from her body.

In no time at all, there's only one thin layer left—practically underwear.

"P-please, wait…!"

"Please be at ease, my master. Entrust…this Haruhime with everything."

"I-I'm not…!"

"Try to relax…!"

My tongue can't handle all these words at the same time. My voice cuts out.

Her pink thighs flash before my eyes. They're nothing compared to her full,

curvy breasts. That kimono hid them unbelievably well. A flash of light off her

black collar draws my eyes even farther up to the nape of her neck and delicate

collarbones. My heart is beating so fast it could shatter any second.

I try protesting again, but she seems to be in her own world. A look of

determination overtakes her face as she lifts her leg and straddles me just like

Aisha did. I can't move.

"I shall provide you with my services, master…"

A quiver shoots through her ears and down her spine as both hands grab onto

my shirt.

My body feels pitifully weak; there's no way I can escape. I try pushing with

my arms, arching my back to throw her off, but nothing works.

She unbuttons the top of my shirt—what's left of it anyway—exposing my

chest to the light of the magic-stone lamp just above my head.

"...Teh."

In that moment—the almost naked girl pinning me down freezes in place.

FLICK! Her tail shoots straight out and ears stand on end. Her eyes are

locked on my chest.

"M-master, master has such a beautiful collarbone!"

Her eyes roll back into her head, and she collapses on top of me with a dull

thump.

Wha…WHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!

My soul screams out as two round lady-pillows fall right on my face.

FMUMM! I can't breathe!

It's utter chaos in my head, despite the soft skin around my nose and mouth.

Shaking and wiggling my body, I desperately try to get out from underneath

the breasts that I didn't know could be so deadly.

"Haruhime, you here?"

?!

They've found me.

A sliding door slams open with a bang and a loud voice echoes through the

room. Two sets of footsteps, but I can't see anything with her on top of me like

this.

I completely forgot the Amazons were on the hunt. My mind goes blank.

No time to hide—they're right outside the second set of doors. Can't run,

can't move. Wham! They're here!

Dammit, they're going to be practically on top of me…!

"Haruhime, you seen a scrawny human around…"

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for impact. The Amazon's voice trails off,

hanging in the air.

Silence. I open my eyes and remember what it must look like from above.

She's mostly naked and on top of me. This would be perfectly normal here, a

pair of mostly naked men and women on top of the bed.

To be more precise, a working lady and her customer.

I still can't see anything around the enormous breasts in my face, but that

means they can't see me, either. The sound is the echo from the door being

slammed open.

"Oh, sorry."

"As you were."

The two Amazons quietly close the door and leave. I can barely hear their

footsteps as they go back to the first room chamber.

"To think that Haruhime could pin down a man. Didn't know she had it in

her." That Amazon sounds strangely happy as the two of them close the outer

sliding doors.

Shifting my head slightly to breathe, I lie there for a good minute before

attempting to move again.

I gently guide the girl to the side and place her softly on the futon. At long

last, I sit up.

I take a look around while wiping the sweat off my beet-red face with my

arm. All clear. Slowly, very slowly, I look down at the girl.

Completely unconscious, her face looks hot enough to boil water. I tilt my

head.

"What the hell just happened…?"

"—M-my sincerest apologies!"

The still-blushing renart bows her head.

I couldn't bring myself to leave the room—the Amazons wandering around

are scary as hell, and I can't just leave an unconscious girl lying there helpless—

so I put the covers over her and waited.

Both of us are fully clothed once again. She's sitting on her knees and

bowing as deeply as possible, that fox tail of hers curling behind her.

"For it all to be just…a grave misunderstanding…!"

"Ahh, um, well, I was the one who snuck in here, so…"

I'm sitting away from her, on the tatami mats rather than the futon, and

blushing just as badly as she is. The most I can do is offer an apology.

Trading apologies with someone I've never met before, in a brothel…Well,

this is different.

"I thought it strange that my appointed customer had yet to arrive…"

She finally raises her head. Those beautiful green eyes of hers are shaking

with embarrassment.

She explains that she waited for a man who never showed up in the first

room. So when I came in, she immediately thought I was that customer. And the

rest is history.

…One man passed out the moment I burst through this brothel's window.

Just imagine what would've happened to some poor guy who saw the horde of

Amazons come bursting through the windows. Then there was the chase through

the hallways. Her customer never made it…

It had to be my fault. I grimace and look away.

"…It may be too late for proper introductions, but I am Haruhime. How

should I address you…?"

"Oh, yes…I'm Bell Cranell."

I finally get my embarrassment in check and tell the girl, Haruhime, my

name.

"Well then, Master Cranell…If you are not my appointed customer, then why

are you here?"

An inquisitive look takes over her face as she speaks in a soft voice.

Her being in this brothel means that Haruhime is more than likely a member

of Ishtar Familia. If I told her that her allies chased me all the way here…What

choice do I have? I decide to let every cat out of the bag.

Surely she's figured out I'm the intruder by now. But she hasn't called

anyone and is patiently waiting for my response.

Above all else, I've got a strange feeling that I can talk to this person…She

has an aura of innocence that's completely unlike anyone else in the Pleasure

Quarter. I tell her everything that happened in the past few hours, why I became

a fugitive deep in hostile territory.

"You have experienced…a rather turbulent evening."

Her demeanor didn't change even after I finished talking. In fact, she looks

sympathetic.

Do Amazonian manhunts happen that often…?

"The Amazons pursuing you…Was one among them named Aisha, by

chance?"

"Do you know her?"

"I do. Lady Aisha has been very kind to me."

Her voice sounds a little apologetic, but there's a very honest smile on her

lips.

So it's true, then—that Berbera Amazon has a softer side.

A bit hard to believe, after being chased around town and serving as her

mobile kicking bag.

"I have a proposal. Once our time together has come to an end, I shall guide

you to the safest escape route. It's highly unlikely you shall be discovered if you

remain hidden in this room until early morning."

"Eh…A-are you sure?"

"I am. It may be for only one night…but I, Haruhime, would like to lend my

assistance to you, Master Cranell."

It's hard to believe her; this could be a trap. But there's something in her

smile, something genuine.

My cheeks start burning again. That smile, those eyes, the innocent air about

her…She's amazing.

"Shameful as it is…I do have a request for you."

"Eh?"

"May we…engage in conversation until the appointed time comes?"

She looks away, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. She must've worked up a lot

of courage to ask.

She must not get many visitors who aren't customers.

She's smiling at me like the main character's love interest in a fairy tale. I

force a smile and nod. How could I refuse?

"Thank you so much!" She smiles from ear to ear and bows down to the floor

again, except this time her fox tail is happily wagging back and forth.

She slides one of the shouji paper walls to the side and blue moonlight fills

the room. Then she grabs four pillows for the both of us. We get comfortable and

start talking.

"Where do you hail from, Master Cranell?"

"I'm from north of Orario, in a small valley behind the mountains…"

Still not sure how I feel about this "Master Cranell" thing, but I let it slide

and answer the question.

Haruhime asks me about every little detail of my hometown. North of Orario,

a village so small that most maps don't even bother printing its name…Her

expression changes with every answer, hanging on to every word.

Are there many humans there? What kind of view did you have of the

mountains? And so many other questions I've never even thought about before.

She's so happy listening. It's like talking to a really interested child who's

never ventured beyond her own house.

She runs her fingers through her golden hair, clearly enthralled by my

answers. Something tells me she was extremely sheltered when she was a little

girl.

But why would someone like her be here…?

At the same time, I can't figure out how someone this pure ended up in the

Pleasure Quarter.

She couldn't be more different from Aisha and the others. The air about her

and the overwhelming aura of this Night District are polar opposites. I'm a

fugitive, running away from her friends inside the territory of her familia, but

here she is, talking to me like we're at a café or something. Haruhime clearly

doesn't belong here.

"So then, you came to Orario to follow your dream of becoming an

adventurer?"

"You could say that. I'd always wanted to, and I didn't have any money at the

time…"

But I can't just outright ask her.

I hold my tongue and instead wait for her to ask the questions.

Haruhime blinks a few times and blushes again before falling silent. Maybe

she realized that she'd been leading the conversation the entire time.

I can't help but giggle at her. She's a little older than me, so to see her get

embarrassed over something so minor seems strange.

"Okay, well then…Where are you from, Miss Haruhime?"

The silence was too awkward. I break it by asking her the same question she

asked me.

She sits back up again, her shame disappearing, and looks at the ceiling as if

deep in thought.

"My birthplace…is in the Far East."

I already knew that most renarts are from there. Judging by her name, I kind

of had that impression already.

She starts to paint pictures with words, images flowing out of her memory

like leaves carried downstream by a river.

"It was a mountainous island country, completely surrounded by a beautiful

blue ocean. The four seasons were much more pronounced than the ones here in

Orario. Beautiful pink sakura trees covered the land in spring. The songs of semi

beetles regaled us in summer. The mountains became brilliant shades of crimson

during the frosty days of autumn…and everything was covered by thick blankets

of snow in winter."

Nostalgia is absolutely oozing out her eyes. Her descriptions are even making

me feel homesick.

Haruhime's gaze shifts from the ceiling to the moon, just visible between the

shouji.

Bathed in moonlight, she looks more like an artist's painting than an actual

person. Looking at her face in profile, I decide to ask her about her family.

"Miss Haruhime, were your parents high-ranking people? Aristocrats,

maybe?"

"How did you ever guess?!"

She nearly jumps off the futon in surprise.

"Just kind of got that feeling…" I mumble as I scratch the back of my head.

Then she starts to explain.

"It's just as you say, Mr. Cranell. I'm descended from a long line of nobles

going back many generations. My mother was never present, and my father

worked long hours for the government…I was raised by many servants from

infancy."

Years of being trained to be an aristocrat, with no knowledge of the outside

world…Raised with a silver spoon in her mouth, she was very lonely in her

spacious cage, with very few friends.

Haruhime's face suddenly becomes clouded.

"Those days came to an abrupt end five years ago…I was disowned when I

was eleven."

"What?!"

That completely blindsided me. I have to stop myself from falling over.

Disowned…Her parents cut off ties with her?

"W-why…?"

"In a state of grogginess…I ate an extremely valuable divine offering that

was carried by one of my father's guests."

She goes on to explain that another aristocrat, a prum, was staying at their

manor when she was eleven years old.

The aristocrat had been traveling to present an offering of purified rice cakes

to their deity Amaterasu—and Haruhime ate all of them while sleepwalking.

…What's up with that? A bead of sweat rolls down my back.

"Did you, um, really eat them?"

"I have no memory. However, there were crumbs around my mouth when I

returned to consciousness…I must've gotten hungry in the dead of night and my

body acted on its own…!"

Haruhime hides her face with both hands, tears starting to pour out of her

eyes.

Continuing her story, she says that her father was furious with her after that

and demanded severe punishment—but the prum stepped in and said, "Well,

there's nothing we can do about it now." The visiting aristocrat saved

Haruhime's life that day. Being nobles, their families had a great deal of pride

and had no choice but to protect it. So Haruhime was given to this aristocrat in

exchange for saving her life.

The decision was made in a matter of moments. The prum left their manor

almost immediately with Haruhime in tow.

…I don't want to doubt her story, but that prum sounds extremely suspicious.

I ask her about it, and she says that he treated her very well. Well enough that

she became attached to him.

I'm getting an image of a pompous short man wrapping his arm around the

shoulder of the weeping girl.

I want to point this out to her, but one look at her crying face and I just can't

do it.

"S-so what happened next?"