Black Rose (2)

In this world, surnames weren’t simply created by inheriting the blood of parents with land and titles, like in medieval Europe. It was much more demanding. Just having a title wasn’t enough.

It was something only those who proved themselves and called themselves heroes could possess. So, when you trace back the lineage of nobles, you often see that the name of the founding head of the family has no surname.

That name itself became the surname for their descendants.

A surname wasn’t just a representation of blood relations, but a torch to pass on the glory achieved to future generations.

“Hmm? Oh, you’re surprised I have a surname? It’s nothing special. I’m from a very distant branch.”

Prukaise family…

I had heard of them.

A family that started from a mere soldier who defeated the monsters that cut off supply lines and saved the eastern region during the past war with the Demons.

It was written that Prukaise awakened Aura during the battle and single-handedly defeated thousands of monsters. Of course, there might be some exaggeration from his descendants… but saving the supply lines was by no means a small feat.

But why would the descendant of such a person be working as a prostitute? Even if they’re from a distant branch, their basic status should be guaranteed.

“Hmm~ I guess it’s okay since I’m treated almost like a discarded child by the main family? And I started this job because I liked it….”

She trailed off, hesitating to speak further.

Sensing something strange, I didn’t bother asking.

She originally came in as an accounting manager, apparently. Being born a noble, she was quick-witted and good at calculations.

The problem was that what she was consuming while working wasn’t alcohol, but an aphrodisiac or something. She got caught up in the atmosphere, grabbed a random guy, and went straight to the main event, and it wasn’t as bad as she thought. So, on a whim, she started working as a prostitute…

…This is a noble?

What I knew about nobles was completely different….

No, why was she looking for alcohol while working? Anyway, she was an unusually open-minded woman.

“Hmm, I’ll stop talking about myself here. You don’t have to tell me your name if you don’t want to. So, are you going to come to the Black Rose? Or do you want money? Or a man? Of course, a woman is fine too! A cute kid like you will be snatched up in a heartbeat, you know?”

I didn’t have any materialistic desires, so I only needed as much as I needed. The reason I went to find the hairy guy was simply because I was pissed off.

The 5 silver I had now would be enough.

A man…

‘Get lost.’

Even though I had been through it twice already, it was hard to approach them sober.

“My name is Yujin.”

“What a pretty name!”

“I’ll… try going to the Black Rose.”

The reason I trailed off was because I didn’t know what I was supposed to do there. Even before coming to this world, I had no connection to entertainment districts.

“You definitely won’t regret it.”

The way I was being dragged along was like an employee of a brothel taking a virgin to lose their virginity, no wait, she is an employee of a brothel, shit.

‘Haa….’

Like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse, I moved according to her touch.

* * *

What I saw upon opening the door was just light.

Brilliant light.

Gilded gold roses were decorated all over the walls, showing off their golden glow, and the droplet-like lamps emitted a soft orange light. The smooth jade tiles reflected all the light, flaunting the path for the guests.

The colorful lights melted together beautifully, creating a dreamy atmosphere. You couldn’t even imagine that this was a place where women sold their bodies.

“Welcome to the Black Rose!”

It was indeed worthy of being the best shop in the West district.

“Leila! Come here and take care of a guest!”

The woman called Leila appeared as soon as Dyna shouted.

Sharp eyes and a high nose.

She wore a black dress with a black rose embroidered on her left breast, revealing her chest, and her eyes and hair were as black as the dress. Her soft, straight hair reached her waist, and she was a beauty with a very tall height of about 170cm and a curvaceous figure.

Truly a black rose coated in poison.

I felt like a midget next to her. Was there a 20cm difference? Proportionally, I wasn’t lacking, but the overwhelming height difference was enough to make a person feel intimidated.

“You called, Master?”

Leila approached with disciplined steps, placed her hand on her left breast, and bowed at a 45-degree angle. It was a dignity that couldn’t be associated with a prostitute.

“Hehe. Surprised? I taught her everything. It’s a slightly modified version of noble etiquette, and Leila, in particular, can be called the essence of Black Rose etiquette. She even teaches it in my absence.”

“You flatter me.”

Leila smiled and relaxed her posture.

Somehow, she was several times more noble than a certain noble who was smiling foolishly next to me. The one who taught her was doing things her own way, etiquette or whatever, but who cares.

“You have a cute guest. Where should I guide them?”

“Guide them to the reception room. Grant most of their requests. I’ll cover the expenses.”

“A patron, then. Understood.”

“I have a lot of business to take care of, so I’ll be away for a while. Sorry, Yujin!”

I stared intently at her face.

It was the first time I had seen black eyes and black hair since coming to this world, so I couldn’t help but be interested. I myself had red hair and red eyes, and Dyna had orange hair.

“Guest. This way.”

The reception room was on the 3rd floor.

Bottles of liquor I didn’t recognize were lined up on the walls, and a long round table and a plush-looking leather sofa were prominently placed in the room. I didn’t know what material it was, but it was very smooth.

I sat down, enjoying the sensation of the sofa gently enveloping my buttocks.

Leila skillfully guided me to the seat and headed to the display case containing the liquors.

“I’ll prepare something to drink. Do you have anything in particular you’d like?”

I shook my head.

“Anything is fine.”

“Understood.”

And so, a crimson liquid was placed on the table.

“This is red wine cultivated in the Fikeus Territory and aged for 20 years. I hope you enjoy it.”

-Chorureureuk.

The taste of the wine was a bit astringent and bitter. I didn’t know where the Fikeus Territory was, and even if it had been aged for 20 years, it was just alcohol to me. Maybe it’s because I’m a wine novice.

Leila smiled seductively and began to explain.

“If I may be so bold as to offer some advice, you should savor it slowly to taste the wine’s true flavor. If you simply gulp it down your throat, you’ll only taste the bitterness and astringency. You must use every part of your tongue to taste the sweetness, bitterness, and sourness to truly say you’ve ‘drunk’ it.”

I closed my eyes, poured the wine into my mouth according to Leila’s advice, and slowly savored it.

Hmm. It does seem different. The complex flavors subtly approaching aren’t a bad feeling.

“Well done. I hope you’ve fallen for the charm of wine.”

I quietly put down the glass and asked Leila.

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

“Just enjoy yourself.”

Even if you say it so vaguely…

Unfortunately, with this body, I couldn’t enjoy anything I wanted to. Frankly speaking, it was too boring. Compared to the stimulation of having my limbs cut off and being ra…ped just a while ago, it was far from satisfactory.

Seeing my dissatisfied expression, Leila smiled as if she had a good idea.

“Then, how about taking a tour of the Black Rose?”

“A tour, then.”

“Yes. As our Black Rose calls itself the queen of the West district, I believe its scale and quality are unmatched. Even renowned nobles frequently visit. If it’s not too rude, may I ask your age?”

“I’m twenty.”

I handed over my adventurer card.

[F-rank, Magician, Yujin.]

She seemed slightly surprised to learn that I was a magician, but she skillfully managed her expression.

“You’ve far surpassed adulthood… I see. Then there’s no problem.”

Was she thinking I was a minor?

For reference, the coming-of-age ceremony in this world, at least in the Empire, takes place at the age of 17. Of course, my appearance didn’t reflect that at all, but I was twenty before I fell into this world, so I’m twenty anyway.

Leila returned the card to me and began the tour.

“Guest, please follow me.”

* * *

“The first floor is in charge of reception. After undergoing a slight screening process, if they are deemed qualified, they are granted the right to go up to the second floor along with the room key. You are a VIP personally brought by the Master. You don’t have to worry about qualifications.”

―Shamefully, there was an accident recently due to a misjudgment.

Was she talking about the hairy guy?

Since Dyna was bound to tell her anyway, it seemed better to say it.

“That man, he’s already been caught.”

“Yes?”

On the way, I briefly explained the story of beating up the hairy guy with Dyna.

Leila’s face brightened.

“I see… Harin will be happy.”

“Harin?”

“She’s the child who was assaulted. I hope she doesn’t fall into trauma… Ah, I’m sorry. I’ve been rambling.”

“It’s okay.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Her steps were lighter than before.

Her mood had noticeably improved.

“Harin has black hair and black eyes like me. The public perception of black hair isn’t very good, so she’s always been timid… Maybe that’s why she always tries to rely on me, who has the same hair color. She’s like a younger sister to me.”

Discrimination against black hair wasn’t severe, but they were sometimes treated unfairly. This was partly because the hair color of Demons was mostly distributed in gray to black. Just seeing black hair made people feel instinctive fear.

“I’m rambling again. The second floor is the restaurant. It also accounts for the largest share of our Black Rose. There are definitely not few who visit this place purely in search of ‘taste’. The food cooked here is enough to impress even nobles.”

The third floor is the guest rooms and reception room. I already know that because I’ve been there. The fourth floor is prepared with various things for special play, but I didn’t particularly want to go in. The fifth floor is a gambling den. I’m not interested. From the sixth floor onwards are rooms for prostitutes and male prostitutes. Surprisingly, they assign a room to each individual.

While receiving the building tour, I had one question.

The female employees working here were wearing dresses with black roses, as if it were a uniform. But there wasn’t a single employee wearing a black dress like Leila.

“Leila, does the color of the dress have a meaning?”

“The color of the dress is a kind of rank. It increases in the order of the lowest white, gray, purple, and black. The dignity and price also increase accordingly.”

A dignified posture. Unwavering steps. Outstanding beauty, etc., must be comprehensively achieved to receive the black dress.

“Then….”

“Yes, I was honored to be bestowed the black dress by the Master.”

I became curious about her price, but I didn’t voice it either. Asking how much someone is worth is rude, isn’t it?

“Guest, this concludes the tour. Is there any floor you would like to visit?”

After completing all the tours, Leila asked me if I was satisfied.

‘Well.’

To be honest, the dazzling building and delicious food didn’t bring me much interest. I didn’t answer. It was because I was wondering what to say.

While I was carefully choosing my words so that Leila wouldn’t be too disappointed.

A voice filled with heat was heard.

“I thought so.”

I raised my head and looked directly at Leila. She opened her mouth with a somewhat sadistic smile.

“It’s okay. It’s not the guest’s fault, but the Black Rose’s fault for not providing enough entertainment. I’m used to guests who aren’t interested in money, food, or the body.”

She licked her lips like a snake. At the same time, a slick gaze crawled all over my body. Leila scanned me with sticky eyes, starting from my head and down to my legs.

“But everyone is very satisfied when they go to ‘that place’.”

An oppressive feeling as if refusal was not allowed.

“You’ve far surpassed the age of adulthood… so it’ll be okay.”

I felt that something was wrong.

‘Should I run?’

I think I’ve gotten into something wrong.