Chapter 211: We All Win
After the song ended, the girls withdrew from the stage, and Pearl took the floor to present the latest developments in Yoshiwara.
When they learned that the area under construction would feature foreigners, special attractions, and themed rooms... the crowd erupted with jubilation.
They shouted at the top of their lungs, eager to try out the experience that very night.
"I know you’re impatient, but stay calm!" Pearl exclaimed through the megaphone. "The street isn’t ready yet, but we have new forms of entertainment... Do you want to hear them?"
"YEEES!!!"
"First, tell me: were the girls who just danced beautiful?"
"BEAUTIFUL!!!"
"And was the dancing good?"
"IT WAS GOOD!!!"
"I’m glad you liked it!" Pearl waved her hand, and her voice turned much more impassioned. "Our Marcus-sama has declared it! In the future, Yoshiwara will have shows like this every single night! Whether you spend or not, as long as you come in time, you’ll be able to enjoy it completely free."
The words set the crowd ablaze.
"Are you serious?!"
"Marcus-sama is the best!"
"Quiet, please! Listen!" Pearl waited for the clamor to die down and continued. "As you saw, the ones who just danced were the stars of the former brothels. Before, to get close to them you needed recommendations, had to send costly gifts, and even then your favor wasn’t guaranteed. Starting today, all that complicated protocol is being simplified!"
She pointed to a dozen bamboo containers lined up at the front of the platform.
"Every night there will be auctions and vote-counting. The beauties on stage will each have a number and their own bamboo tube. Whoever offers the highest bid will take the girl straight from the stage on the spot!"
No gifts beforehand? Take them away instantly?
The perverted old men with money in their pockets felt their pulses quicken. The mere idea of winning the bid in front of hundreds of people, taking the most coveted courtesans by the arm, and flaunting their triumph before the tide of spectators filled them with euphoria.
"STOP TALKING! LET THE AUCTION BEGIN!!!"
"NUMBER SIX IS MINE, NOBODY TOUCH HER!!"
"I’M GOING FOR NUMBER EIGHT!!"
Seeing the wealthy men waving bills like madmen, Shinobu looked at Marcus in astonishment.
"Your idea?"
"Obviously." Marcus puffed out his chest with pride. "Doing it this way, the ones short on cash get their fill watching from afar and add to the crowd. When they scrape together some money, they’ll come running to spend. And those who have money and have already tried everything—what they’re after is status. Showing off in front of the crowd and demonstrating their purchasing power makes them feel on top of the world. In short: we all win!"
He had simply adapted the model of tips and live streaming.
"You really are a..." Shinobu held back for a good long while before letting out ironically, "...Genius!"
Marcus breezed past the mocking tone and flashed a proud smile.
At that instant, Ivy approached. "Master?"
Marcus nodded. "Begin."
"Understood."
Watching the commotion of the crowd below, Ivy lightly moved her fingers.
A second later, from the shadows on both sides of the platform, three demons shot out.
They weren’t just the two Zenitsu had crossed paths with some time ago—among them came Kaigaku, wearing a mask.
"EAT, EAT, EAT!!!"
When the horned, drool-dripping demons lunged forward roaring, panic seized the people.
"A demon!"
"I told you we shouldn’t have come! Run!"
Screams and cries erupted. But before the crowd could turn around, a figure crossed the night sky from behind the stage.
Hakuji.
He landed in front of the three demons with dazzling speed.
With the first punch, he blew apart the head of the demon on the left.
With the second punch, he pierced through the chest of the demon in the middle.
With the third blow, a kick, he sent the masked Kaigaku flying through the air.
Without a moment’s respite, he drew the Nichirin at his waist and delivered a horizontal slash.
The three heads flew off simultaneously.
The blood scattered into the air and turned into black ash under the moonlight.
The entire altercation, from the demons’ intrusion to their extermination, lasted less than three seconds.
Below, the silence was absolute.
Hakuji sheathed his sword, steady and expressionless.
Pearl feigned a slight start and immediately raised the megaphone.
"Attention, everyone! Sorry for the scare!"
"If Marcus-sama dares to reopen Yoshiwara, it’s because we’ve got what it takes to back it up!"
"We guarantee the safety of every visitor! The demons that once spread terror are mere trash to us."
"Allow me to introduce the guardian of Yoshiwara: Hakuji! Under his watch, no demon will dare make a wrong move!"
After a brief moment of stupefaction, the crowd burst into cheers and applause.
"Incredible! I didn’t even see what he did!"
"With a guardian like that, what the hell do we have to fear!"
The terror dissipated at once, replaced by widespread euphoria. And when Pearl exclaimed, "Girls!", the courtesans reappeared on stage, wearing translucent gauze veils that were even more provocative.
No one moved from their spot.
If even the girls were carrying on the show with complete serenity, were they going to leave? Much less when it came to the Oiran—women most of them would never have aspired to see up close in their entire lives.
And now they had more than ten of them together on stage!
When they returned home, they’d have no choice but to gush with praise about Yoshiwara. If this pace kept up, by this same hour the next day half of Tokyo would flood the area, forcing anyone to get up at dawn just to avoid missing a spot in the front rows.
In the private room on the second floor, Marcus stroked Ume’s leg.
"Starting tomorrow, the box seats of these teahouses open to the public, and see to it that they have a distinguished touch—exclusive to wealthy merchants and people of weight—so they feel they’re a rung above everyone else."
"While you’re at it, put someone in each room to call out the bids; the idea is to make the competition between boxes ruthless."
Ume smiled brilliantly. "Don’t worry, I’ve got it all more than handled."
"Tomorrow, with the dance auction, we’ll rake in more money than every establishment in the district used to make in a week!"
Seeing that the gaze of Ume—who had once held the rank of Upper Rank Six—now reflected nothing but dollar signs, Marcus sighed in resignation.
Does she really enjoy playing "Queen" that much?
Ever since last month, when she got it into her head to amass a fortune to pay him and force him to treat her like a Queen, Marcus figured this tsundere had gone crazy from the teasing.
He never imagined she’d take seriously the figure of five million a day he’d tossed out as a joke. With a huge smile, the tsundere swore to him that the day she gathered that amount... it would be Marcus’s moment in hell!
From that instant on, she lived obsessed with money, muttering the same refrain to herself every day under her breath: gather money, gather money, put him at my feet, gather money...
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Throw your stones, drop them ALL! 💎
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