Episode 25: Prostitute
I was aghast being impeached by Barbadar.
Barbadar’s claim is this. After defeating the Wyvern, I pushed down the woman who hugged me and tried to rape her. The woman seized a momentary opening to escape, but I stripped stark naked and chased her around while exposing my vicious member.
The guards of the wagon train surrounded me with weapons, but seeing the bracelet and realizing I was a noble, they retreated. When I was about to catch the woman, Giliane stood in my way, bared her upper body, and exposed her breasts to draw my attention. From there, Giliane guided me to her carriage and, staking her own body, continued to be violated by me.
As if that wasn’t enough, since it wouldn’t end, when Barbadar went to check on the situation, I was further assaulting Giliane, who had fainted foaming at the mouth. Since Giliane was in danger, she sent Line and Seamil in to take turns dealing with me, and apparently, it finally ended several hours later, and I fell asleep.
The story was so outrageous that I was stunned and couldn’t return to my senses for a while. Even while I was stupefied, Barbadar continued to berate me.
“Good grief, defiling my girls thoroughly with such a dirty and smelly body! How are you going to make up for this!! You libido monster!!!”
So that’s what Claygate’s earlier question and Giliane’s attitude meant! However, I don’t remember a thing. I don’t remember a single thing, but the fact that the raging sexual desire that was driving me mad is gone and I feel refreshed… means that’s exactly what happened…
I looked around at the women, feeling shocked by what I had done. Barbadar was furious, berating me. Giliane wore a troubled expression. Line’s face was red, and she was looking away. Carsi was smirking, enjoying it like it was someone else’s problem. Seamil was completely nonchalant.
“Ehehe~, Lord Decade was amaaazing~! I learned what that feeling is like for the very first time~♪”
Being told that so cheerfully is no comfort at all! I… I… I’ve finally become a rapist! What I feared has become reality.
I think Line is about 20, but Seamil looks only around 15 no matter how you look at it. I’m not a lolicon, yet to think I attacked even such a young child…
“I am terribly sorry!!!”
I prostrated myself without hesitation. Having lived a somewhat safe and inoffensive life, I had rarely felt apologetic from the bottom of my heart for my actions, but this was the absolute worst.
Even in my younger days, the old me never lost myself to sexual desire to such an extent. The fact that I had violated young girls was that shocking of an event for me.
“N-no need to go that far! I’m the one who sent Line and Seamil in!” “T-that’s right! I-it’s not like I was raped or anything, I-I’m the one who invited you!” “Haaah…” “Hehh~.” “Hoyoyo~~~?”
They were conversely surprised that I was prostrating myself. To them, perhaps it wasn’t that big of a deal.
“P-please, at least accept this as compensation!”
However, that didn’t satisfy my conscience. I held out all the money I had on hand and the deed for receiving the rest of the money later. Together, it was worth over 100 gold coins. Honestly, I didn’t understand the value, but I figured it was a substantial amount.
“D-don’t say stupid things! If we accepted that, the Boss would kill us!” “T-that’s right! We’re slaves and prostitutes, so that’s impossible.” “I think it would be fine if you just paid the normal rate for one night.” “Wow, so many gold coins!” “Ehehe~, I’d be fine even if it was free~♪ Cuz it was amaaazing~♪”
Barbadar and Giliane were genuinely panicked. Slaves must have that little discretion. Line was matter-of-fact, and Carsi was watching from the sidelines. I don’t really know what to say about Seamil.
For now, Barbadar seemed angry, but the fact that the three victims didn’t seem tragic was a salvation. Apparently, Giliane had fainted foaming at the mouth, but I wonder if she’s okay…
As a token of my feelings at the very least, I forcibly pressed one gold coin into each of their hands. Judging from everyone’s attitude, I thought even one gold coin would be more than enough for a night’s earnings. Barbadar looked troubled but accepted it looking a little happy. The three girls rejoiced with enough energy to jump up and down.
“W-well, if that’s how it is, I’ll gratefully accept it…” “A-amazing, it’s a gold coin!” “I’ve seen them before, but it’s my first time touching one!” “Me too! Me too~! It’s soooo sparkly~♪”
Seeing the three girls frolicking, I felt my guilt fade just a little. At the same time, I wondered if gold coins were really that valuable.
“I don’t need it.”
Only Giliane refused to accept it. Even when I asked her to accept it as a token of my feelings, she stubbornly refused. She insisted that since Claygate had ordered her to take care of me, it was her job as a slave, not as a prostitute. But even when I pointed out that I attacked her before she was told that, she wouldn’t accept it.
“I don’t want to be connected to you through money…”
She said it as if she had made some kind of resolution, so I decided to give up. At the time, I didn’t really understand and just thought she was a stubborn woman. Also, Giliane snatched the gold coin from Carsi and returned that to me as well.
“Eeeehhhhh!! Why?!!” “You were with another customer at that time and didn’t deal with Decade, right?” “That’s true, but Lord Decade gave it to me!” “No. Decade gave this to those he inconvenienced. You have no right to receive it.” “Cruel! Sister Giliane is cruel!”
Carsi closed in on Giliane, looking like she was about to grab her. But Giliane calmly rejected her, saying what’s wrong is wrong.
Good grief, I panicked inwardly, realizing this had become awkward. Certainly, there is logic to Giliane’s argument, but I think it’s pitiable for only one person in this group not to get anything. On the other hand, it’s also unfair for Carsi, who did nothing, to receive the same amount as the others. This is a problem…
“H-hey, Lord Decade gave it to me, right?!”
Sure enough, knowing she couldn’t get through to Giliane, Carsi sought affirmation directly from me. Faced with a plea from the bottom of her heart with eyes full of tears, I was placed in a predicament.
This is bad!
This kind of hassle is exactly why I tried to avoid getting involved with women—especially young girls—as much as possible back in my salaryman days. I had completely forgotten about it during my recent stretch of solitary living.
Now, what to do… I glanced at Giliane, but she just stared back at me. In situations like this, women won’t throw you a lifeline until they know whose side you’re on. Good grief, it seems the mentality here isn’t any different from women on Earth—or rather, Japan.
“Ah… well, you see… Since you weren’t involved this time, I guess I really can’t give you a gold coin…” “N-no wayyy…”
In response to my pained words, Carsi looked as if she’d been thrust into the depths of despair. Meanwhile, Giliane’s expressionless face softened just a fraction.
However, I think Carsi is only around seventeen. Making a young girl make a face like that is incredibly painful for an old man like me. Even her cat ears were drooping.
My rule of thumb from my salaryman days was to avoid cheeky women in their twenties at all costs, but girls in their mid-teens are still children; I believe they are an age group that needs protection. And yet, here she is, so heartbroken because of me… Ah, it tears at my heart!
“T-then how about this? I’ll take plenty good care of you tonight, so that’ll make it okay, right? It’ll be a special service—I’ll do anything!”
Carsi leaned her body against mine, draping herself over me. She just couldn’t give up on the gold coin. It made this old man sad. To think a girl with such an innocent face would resort to selling herself like this…
“Carsi, I am taking care of Decade exclusively. Do not overstep.”
Giliane spoke quietly, but her words were laced with exasperation. Her tone seemed to strike a nerve with Carsi.
“What was that? You were just told to take care of him because you can’t get customers lately, right Sister Giliane? You might have been a top earner before, but you can’t beat age, can you?”
Carsi wore a triumphant look. At Carsi’s provocation, Giliane’s expression transformed into a Hannya demon for a split second.
“You little brat…”
Just as Giliane was about to stand up, Barbadar slapped Carsi across the cheek.
“That’s enough!” “Kyaah!!”
Barbadar’s full-force blow sent Carsi flying about two meters. Oi oi, slapping a girl’s face for real like that… that’s scary.
“Haven’t I always told you?! ‘He who does not work, neither shall he eat.’ You didn’t do any work in this matter, so you don’t get any money!”
Barbadar mounted Carsi to follow up with more. Since she was about to hit her again, I restrained Barbadar’s body to stop her.
“Stop it, Barbadar! That’s enough.” “Shut up! This is how we do things here. Don’t meddle where you don’t belong!”
Barbadar struggled in my arms. She had incredible strength for her age, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.
“Barbadar, stop. You’re being rude to Decade.”
Giliane stepped in and admonished Barbadar. At Giliane’s words, Barbadar snapped out of it and stopped struggling.
“No, sorry about that. I just lost my temper…” “Yeah, as long as you’ve calmed down, it’s fine.”
Things were settled on this end, but not for Carsi. Just when I thought she was sniffling, she started bawling loudly.
“Waaaah, the gold cooooin! My gold cooooin! Waaaaah…”
Carsi lay on the ground like a spoiled child, flailing her limbs about. Her cat tail was slapping against the ground, thwack thwack. She probably never received a proper upbringing. She just acts however her emotions dictate.
When it gets to this point, I’m at my wit’s end. As someone who never had children, I have no idea how to deal with this. Barbadar was leaving her be with a “good grief” attitude. Giliane was sighing.
Line was looking the other way, trying not to see, and Seamil was watching with a blank expression. Ignoring everyone’s reactions, Carsi continued to cry endlessly. Just then, two young men arrived.
“Sup. Seamil~♪” “Heya. Is Carsi-chan free?” “Carsi is tied up right now.”
Reacting to Barbadar’s grumpy voice, the cheerful young men peered in. They were clearly put off by the sight of Carsi rolling around and wailing.
“Whoa, what’s going on here?” “My Carsi-chan is in the middle of a total meltdown…” “Carsi is closed for business today. Give it up.” “I guess so… can’t do anything about this state…”
Barbadar spat the words out, and the young man looked troubled, though amazed. Line stood up and quietly approached the young man.
“Kassu, if you’re okay with me, I can fill in.” “Oh, I’m flattered. Line-chan knows my name? ♪ Well then, maybe I’ll ask you to. ♪♪” “I don’t have animal ears, is that okay?” “OK, OK. ♪ Once in a while, that’s fine too. ♪”
Line leaned against Kassu, and the two of them went into a carriage together. Meanwhile, Seamil linked arms with the other young man, laughing as they went into the neighboring carriage. Line and Seamil gave off an air of “lucky break.” They escaped.
At first, I wondered what these guys had come for, but then I realized the two girls were prostitutes, and the young men had come seeking release and comfort.
I was stunned.
I had used “adult bathhouses” several times myself, so I could understand the concept, but the sight of them inviting girls as casually as buying cheap candy at a store was shocking.
Both men were about 25 years old. Setting aside Line, who was about 20, I felt a sense of revulsion at them inviting the young Seamil, who was only about 15, without hesitation. The man who invited Line had also originally come to invite Carsi, who was about 17. Moreover, he seemed to be a regular.
It’s a scene unthinkable in modern Japan. Sure, there are high school and middle school girls who secretly engage in prostitution under the guise of “compensated dating” or “sugar daddy” relationships, but if a sex service operated this openly with minors, they would be raided immediately.
Moreover, Seamil and Carsi are old enough to be my granddaughters. It was just shocking. However, I am also someone who slept with Seamil. Even if I don’t remember it, it’s not something that can be forgiven. I involuntarily wanted to kill myself.
Meanwhile, Carsi continued to cry. I was at a loss as to what to do, but Barbadar shooed us away, saying, “I’ll take care of this, so you guys go on.” I felt bad, but there was nothing I could do, and I felt awkward eating there, so I decided to go to Giliane’s carriage.
I found out later that the value of a single gold coin was tremendous.
For those who work as prostitutes while being slaves, like Giliane and the others, they receive one-tenth of their sales as income. However, since half of that is further deducted to cover the cost of food, clothing, and shelter, their actual take-home pay is effectively one-twentieth of the sales.
In the case of prostitutes who are not slaves, it seems their take-home pay is half of the sales. The market price for buying a prostitute appears to be two silver coins per person for a half-koku (in this world, the day seems to be divided into twelve equal parts; a half-koku corresponds to roughly one hour on Earth). Therefore, the actual take-home pay for a slave is ten copper coins per session.
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1 Gold Coin = 100 Silver Coins = 10 Large Silver Coins = 1,000,000 Yen
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1 Silver Coin = 100 Copper Coins = 10 Large Copper Coins = 10,000 Yen
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1 Copper Coin = 100 Iron Coins = 10 Large Iron Coins = 100 Yen (The conversion to Japanese Yen is rough, but I think the market value is around there.)
Applying this, if she sees five customers a day, she earns 50 copper coins. Converted to Japanese Yen, you can think of it as 5,000 Yen.
In other words, for them, a single gold coin is equivalent to 200 days’ worth of take-home pay. Since this number assumes working at near full capacity, if you exclude rest days and menstrual leave, it is practically equivalent to an annual income.
How should I put it… It is understandable that Carsi couldn’t be convinced if she thought she had secured a gold coin—an annual income—only to be told “actually, no” the very next moment.
Especially for those three, it seems they became slaves after being sold or abandoned by their parents. Yet, even so, they apparently send money from their meager take-home pay to their parents or the facilities where they grew up. It seems too harsh, but supposedly, just being able to become a prostitute means they are treated much better in terms of income compared to other slaves. Though the risks are seemingly high as well.
Good grief, human society in this world is harsh. I really feel I did a terrible thing to Carsi. I apologized to Giliane as well.
“I’m sorry. I lacked consideration.” “It’s not all your fault, Decade. Carsi’s inability to give up is the problem.”
Giliane defended me somewhat, but I couldn’t wipe away the bad aftertaste. Giliane chuckled softly.
“I was relieved to learn that even you make careless mistakes.” “It’s not like I’m a perfect superhuman. I make mistakes all the time.” “I really don’t think so, though. You look young, but your words and behavior have the seasoned maturity of an older person. Even just now. Would a normal teenager say, ‘I’m sorry. I lacked consideration’? Usually, even if they apologize, it’s just a ‘Sorry,’ or most of the time they just sulk and ignore it. You truly are a mysterious person…”
I involuntarily felt a jolt of panic. I certainly look young, but on the inside, I am a 63-year-old man. My consciousness and memories are continuous, so I act accordingly, and I can’t very well pretend to be a youth now.
From an outsider’s perspective, it must be creepy…
