The rain still hadn’t let up, but the storm raging in Kanata’s heart had quieted slightly, thanks to Miss Wang’s kindness. Not a single drop touched Kanata—the woman had shielded her completely—yet her own shoulder was thoroughly soaked.
The beautiful oil-paper umbrella had remained tilted steadily toward Kanata the entire time.
…
After about ten minutes of walking, Miss Wang stopped before a shop named “Stone Bridge.” Its wooden signboard carried a vintage charm, flanked by two stone lions. The vermilion-painted wooden door evoked the atmosphere of Sakura Dominion’s medieval era centuries past.
Ahead, pleasure houses lined the street in wildly varied styles: industrial metal, Gothic maid, swimwear-themed—the list went on.
To each their own. Guests simply visited whichever theme suited their taste.
“Oh, and the girls here might speak a bit bluntly sometimes,” Miss Wang added gently. “Don’t take it personally. They’ve all had tough lives. Once you get to know them, you’ll see they’re genuinely kind.”
Miss Wang worried Kanata might not mesh well with her staff. A person’s nature showed clearly in their manner—and this girl radiated restlessness and solitude. She’d likely be a handful. *But who knows?* Miss Wang mused. *Maybe she’ll surprise me.*
“Okay…” Kanata murmured absently, her mind already tangled with dread.
*How can I possibly hide all this from the perceptive Nozomi?* She’d lost her job after violating the city-state’s regulations and crossing that bastard Alessia—stripped of her post in the Imperial Guard, reduced to seeking work on this red-light street.
And worse… she’d been clawed in the abdomen by a werewolf.
*Sigh…* She exhaled softly toward the leaden sky.
“If you sigh too much, happiness slips away,” Miss Wang said with a gentle chuckle, sliding open the wooden door of the pleasure house “Stone Bridge.” They passed through the rain-dappled courtyard, skirted a miniature rock garden beside an artificial pond, crossed a wooden bridge, and reached a large room resembling a conference hall.
“Everyone, we have a new girl joining us today. Please be kind to her,” Miss Wang announced.
At her words, a group of young women turned. They wore vibrantly patterned kimonos, adorned flamboyantly. This was the lounge. With Falling Cherry City cloaked in dreary weather, few patrons had come today, leaving the girls idle and gossiping.
They’d just been discussing the Sovereign of Falling Cherry City, reminiscing about her striking presence at a past military parade.
“If only Lady Alessia would visit…” A girl in a light blue floral kimono—shoulder slightly exposed, smooth legs bare—declared breathlessly, “I’d rush to serve her for the night… even for free!”
For women of their station, meeting the Sovereign and sharing an intimate moment was the pinnacle of dreams.
At the mention of Alessia’s name, Kanata let out a scoff.
“Alessia… What’s so great about that scum? She’s nothing but a bastard who tramples lives like weeds and shreds dignity like scrap paper.”
But the girls in the lounge were all devoted fans of Alessia. Kanata’s words instantly charged the room with tension.
