A magnificent and striking plaque hung on the tall building, bearing three large characters gilded in gold: Kyogoku House.
Even in the bustling Yoshiwara Pleasure District, where various brothels were densely packed and dazzling to the eye, this Kyogoku House seemed to hold a significant status. Many guests lingered before its entrance, though most just looked and then sighed before leaving, seemingly short on funds.
Kanae's gaze also shifted to the Kyogoku House. After glancing in that direction, she turned back and said, "I've heard of this place. It's a very famous brothel in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, Kyogoku House. It has an Oiran that many people yearn for, I think her name was something-hime."
"Warabihime, I was fortunate enough to see her once. She truly lives up to the name of Oiran." Someone nearby heard Kanae's words and kindly offered the information, then quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Because she had decided to investigate Lotus Town, Kanae had studied the route to get there. Her understanding of the Yoshiwara Pleasure District came at that time. In the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, there were many Courtesans, and those at the pinnacle were called Oiran.
Unlike ordinary Courtesans who had no control over themselves and had to serve any guest who desired them, Oiran were not people who could be easily met. They could act according to their own will.
And in the entire Yoshiwara Pleasure District, there seemed to be only one Oiran currently. The reason Kyogoku House became a famous brothel in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District was also the existence of that Oiran, Warabihime. It wasn't famous because it had an Oiran; it was famous because of the Oiran.
"Beauty that surpasses everyone, an arrogance that is hard to forget at first glance, I think that's how she's described." Kanae seemed very interested in the rumors of places like the Pleasure District and knew quite a bit, which made Kurozawa look sideways at her.
"Unfortunately, most are not as good as their reputation. Let's go, we'll check out this Kyogoku House." Kurozawa's Fighting Spirit perception had already locked onto the Kyogoku House. That extremely powerful and condensed Fighting Spirit was moving within it. From the location, it seemed to be on the fourth floor, the top floor of the Kyogoku House.
It wasn't far, and a few minutes later, Kurozawa and Kanae arrived at the entrance of the Kyogoku House.
Looking inside, it was filled with dazzlingly luxurious decorations and girls with exquisite makeup and radiant charm. Kurozawa seriously doubted if the money he had on him would be enough to go in and spend. Fortunately, he didn't plan on paying, so he didn't need to worry about that.
However, this place was different from other brothels. It seemed that just entering required a certain fee. Kurozawa saw several burly security-type individuals standing at the entrance.
"How do we get in?" Kanae also saw them. As a Demon Slayer Corps Swordsman, she could apply for funds from the corps, but Kanae was not a person who indulged in luxury. She usually only spent a little money on food and clothing and didn't carry much wealth.
Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from the crowd.
"Look, it's Warabihime!"
"Warabihime has appeared! On the fourth floor."
"She's just a Courtesan, you're the ones who hyped her up."
"Can an Oiran be the same as an ordinary Courtesan?"
Mimicking the actions of the people around them, Kurozawa and Kanae simultaneously stepped back a few steps and looked up.
On the fourth floor, a section of ribbon full of intricate embroidery first appeared in everyone's view. Then, a woman dressed in a magnificent kimono and wearing exquisite hair ornaments leaned against the edge of the railing, lowering her head to look down.
A perfectly proportioned, delicate facial outline, cherry-like crystal-clear lips, and a pair of moist eyes that seemed to hide a hint of autumn charm adorned it. Every strand of hair was black and lustrous, as if made of high-quality ink lines... Just as she lowered her head, an unprecedented silence fell over the noisy crowd.
In truth, if it were just this appearance, while her beauty surpassed everyone, it would absolutely not be enough to elevate her to the status of an Oiran, because in the Pleasure District, there was no shortage of beautiful women.
What caused the crowd to fall silent and mesmerized in an instant was the arrogant demeanor that lay beneath her somewhat gentle appearance.
The Oiran named Warabihime stared at the crowd below, gently turned her head, her eyes full of disdain and contempt, as if everyone below were her lowly slaves, and she was the only peerless queen standing above the slaves.
With just a faint glance, she curled her lips into a cold smile, showed her face, and after causing a stir, Warabihime returned to the room on the fourth floor, leaving behind the people below who looked up in admiration.
The Yoshiwara Pleasure District was a gathering place for Courtesans, and no matter how pleasant-sounding their names were, Courtesans did what others considered a lowly profession. Therefore, no matter how sweetly the Courtesans smiled, the ineradicable grayness in their eyes still existed; they only smiled to survive.
And among these Courtesans, there was a figure who was as high and mighty as a queen.
And this wasn't an act. Warabihime's arrogance came from within and was not a disguise. Anyone who had seen her expression could clearly feel her inner belief that everyone else was beneath her notice.
That disdainful, arrogant smile, in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District full of forced pretense, was even more unforgettable to everyone.
"I didn't expect a Demon to become an Oiran and be sought after by everyone, but her appearance is indeed unmatched by few." Unlike others who only saw the surface, Kurozawa saw the Demon's characteristic Fighting Spirit in Warabihime. Observing her up close, it felt much stronger than before.
And the reason she could become an Oiran, in Kurozawa's opinion, was actually very simple.
Excellent looks, coupled with the unique dangerous aura of a Demon, a human predator, caused the people in the Yoshiwara Pleasure District, who were accustomed to fawning smiles, to become instantly captivated and unable to extricate themselves.
"It's her, the Demon in Kyogoku House. She feels quite powerful," Kurozawa whispered to Kanae.
The moment she saw Warabihime's expression, Kanae had some guesses: "I can tell. She feels like a vibrant rose growing on a tombstone. Seemingly beautiful, but covered in thorns, nourished by bones and blood, extremely dangerous."
The journey to Lotus Town was long, and encountering Demons along the way was within Kanae's expectations. However, she hadn't expected that her Pillar's intuition would tell her that this first Demon she encountered would definitely be very strong.
"I'm tough and durable, I'm not afraid of thorns. Meeting me is her bad luck," Kurozawa chuckled.
But how to get into Kyogoku House? The money on him wasn't enough for normal entry. Forcing their way in might alert her.
Immediately, Kurozawa looked around, his gaze shifting. The wallets of the surrounding customers seemed bulging. With his skills... "Hey, what are you thinking about!"
Kanae followed Kurozawa's gaze and realized what he was thinking. She fiercely pinched Kurozawa's arm, but her fingers hurt without making his muscles budge at all.
"Everyone around here has a lot of money," Kurozawa didn't hide his thoughts, quite tempted.
"No, Kurozawa, using the abilities gained through training to do something like this, stealing people's money, how could you do it?" Kanae had her own principles. How could a Demon Slayer Corps Swordsman behave like this? It was too embarrassing.
Kurozawa looked at Kanae in surprise, his tone very upright: "The money I got by my own ability, how is that stealing?" Unfortunately, Kanae remained firm: "I don't care, it's just not allowed."
Taking another look at the luxurious interior of Kyogoku House and seeing those beautiful Courtesans, Kurozawa suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of an interesting method.
He gave Kanae a strange smile, carefully sized her up, then cleared his throat and straightened his expression: "Since you don't agree with my previous idea, we'll just have to use a different one."
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read 777+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------