BLACK CAT CHAPTER 81: RESCUE

　If you want to pay to play with women in the city of Ibouro, you have two options.

　The first option is the red-light district that exists to the south of the center of town, west of the section lined with stores and markets.

　In modern a Japanese way, it is said to be a collection of drinking establishments where women entertain like a cabaret club and stores for the purpose of prostitution.

　As someone who only experienced life as a nerdy high school student in a previous life, it is a place with a high hurdle for me to step into.

　If such places are gathered, it seems that people from the underworld also gather there, and I was told by Serge not to go there unless I had something to do there.

　Although I am not seen as a partner for an adult relationship, I have no shortage of beautiful women, so I have no intention of going there.

　The second option is the streets of the slums.

　On the north side of the slums bordering the warehouse district, women who are strapped for cash sell their bodies for a living night after night.

　Some of the women in the entertainment district also sell their bodies to earn money, but they are treated very differently from the women in the slums.

　Compared to the red-light district, where there are certain guarantees regarding remuneration, safety, and hygiene for both buyers and sellers, playing in the slums is said to be risky.

　Naturally, problems over payment and services are not uncommon, and sometimes even lead to the exchange of lives.

　However, it seems that such troubles are rarely judged in public.

　It is said that the underworld people who base themselves in the slums take care of things deep in the shadows, and they are never brought to light.

　And the underworld in the red-light district and the underworld in the slums are said to be connected behind the scenes.

 

“How are you, can you see properly, Nyango?” (Serge)

“My view is limited, but I can see somehow…” (Nyango)

“Then let’s go…” (Serge)

“Yes, please.” (Nyango)

　After dinner, I got ready at the base and came with Serge to the edge of the warehouse district.

　Serge is dressed as he always is when he goes out on a commission, and tonight he has a sword hanging from his left hip.

　I’m wearing an exoskeleton I made with void magic for my disguise, and I’ve chosen something inconspicuous from Kevin’s clothes that were left behind at the base.

　The hood of the robe was sewn onto the strap of my mask by Shure so that the wind wouldn’t roll it up and reveal its empty contents.

　It would look incongruous in a brightly lit place, but in a dimly lit slum, it would be inconspicuous.

“Which way?” (Serge)

“Left…” (Nyango)

　After being threatened by a bouncer-like man and running away with my tail between my legs, I approached three times along the roofs of the warehouse district to confirm my brother’s appearance.

　It seems that there is an unspoken agreement on where street prostitutes wait for customers, and my brother was always in the same place.

　There is another catkin around, but I would not be mistaken because of his different fur color.

　Unlike the view from the roof of the warehouse, the air of obscenity is denser and pressing when walking on the street at the same height.

 

　The smell of makeup, cigarettes, and liquor mingled with the stale, rotten smell.

“Hey mister, do you want to play?” (Woman)

“Not until I’ve finished my business…” (Serge)

　When women with wrinkled skin and heavy makeup covering her age approached us, Serge graciously declined and walked away.

　I was nervous and my throat was dry before I even set foot on the streets of the slums, but Serge didn’t seem at all self-conscious about the situation.

　It was frustrating to be shown the difference in our experience as adventurers and as men, but it was also reassuring.

　If it had been just me, I would have turned around at the end of the warehouse district and headed back.

“How much further?” (Serge)

“Just a little more …… past that lamppost.” (Nyango)

　I had already told Serge about the color and pattern of my brother’s hair, and the faces of the street prostitutes around him.

　Serge will do the negotiating and I will wait by the wall in the warehouse district.

　When we are about 10 meters away from each other, we split up.

　Fortunately, my brother doesn’t seem to have any customers.

　Serge walks over to my brother, and I lean against the wall of the warehouse to watch the negotiations.

　I set up a microphone with void magic so that I could listen in on the negotiations.

“How much?” (Serge)

“Three silver coins…” (Fawkes)

“Can we go outside?” (Serge)

“That is……” (Fawkes)

　My brother shook his head, probably meaning that he couldn’t go out because he was tied by debt.

“How much?” (Serge)

　Serge asked, indicating the darkness of the alley with his chin, and brother gave him a curious look before walking into the alley.

　Not long after, my older brother returned with a middle-aged man, a burly, fat pigkin.

　The pigkin, perhaps seeing Serge as a money-tree, smiled at him with a sticky smile.

“Mister, would you like to buy this on?” (Pigkin)

“Depends on the price.” (Serge)

“What do you want him for?” (Pigkin)

“Do you think I would blabber on about such things?” (Serge)

“I beg your pardon. How about three gold coins?” (Pigkin)

“ Anybody else of a similar color and more affordable?” (Serge)

 

“Right now, he is the best deal.” (Pigkin)

“How about two gold pieces?” (Serge)

“I hear you’re doing well these days.” (Pigkin)

“Tsk, don’t mess with me… Bring his contract.” (Serge)

“One moment please…” (Pigkin)

　Apparently, the pig man knows who Serge is.

　I’ll ask him if he is a well-known adventurer or a playboy someday when I get a chance.

　As the pigkin man walked into the alley, a wolfkin man with a large scar on his left cheek came out in his place.

　He is the same bouncer-like man who threw something at me on the roof when I first came to scout out the slums.

　The wolfkin glanced at Serge, bowed his head, and walked out onto the street.

　He gives me a penetrating look as I lean against the wall of the warehouse.

　The hairs on my back stand up all at once and a sticky sweat breaks out, but the wolfkin man turns his gaze to the roof of the warehouse and then walks away toward the street hookers marketing their products.

　After the man disappeared from my narrow, shirt view, it took all my focus to restrain the desire to twist my body to chase after him.

　If I was attacked from a blind spot, would the strength of my void magic torso hold up?

　I listened for any footsteps running toward me and scattered detection particles around my body.

　While I was distracted by the wolfkin man, the pigkin man returned with a stack of papers.

“Thank you for waiting. This is the contract…” (Pigkin)

“Is that everything?” (Serge)

“ Yes, the rest is at your decision…” (Pigkin)

“Three gold coins…” (Serge)

 

“I have indeed received them. Hey, go pack your things…” (Pigkin)

　The pigkin man told him to go, and this time my brother went into the darkness of the alley.

　Now that the negotiations were concluded, all that was left was to take my brother back to the base.

　I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Bro, are you okay?” (Wolfkin)

　A person who had entered the range of my detection particles spoke to me.

　Peeking through the gap in my shirt the wolf man from earlier can be seen.

　I couldn’t reply immediately, and when I was about to panic, Serge’s voice echoed.

“You want something to do with my friend? He’s a bit shy, so if you need anything, I’ll take care of it for you…” (Serge)

“No, it’s all right if he’s all right. Sometimes people die standing up…” (Wolfkin)

“Oh, that’s all right, don’t worry about it. I’ll take him back.” (Serge)

“Is that so, excuse me…” (Wolfkin)

　The wolfkin man’s voice is intimidating, though his language is polite.

　After seeing off the wolfkin man going back into the alley, Serge approached and whispered.

“Are you okay, Nyango?” (Serge)

“I honestly thought I was going to have to run away.” (Nyango)

“That’s the guy you were talking about the other day, right?” (Serge)

“Yes, he is.” (Nyango)

“Certainly, he has considerable skill. I don’t think I could match him in a sword fight.” (Serge)

　The wolfkin bouncer seems to be a strong fighter in Serge’s eyes.

　I’m a little worried that he might have seen through my disguise, that even if I might not be as well-known as Serge, but that he might not be aware of my brother’s relationship with me.

“We’ll be back at the base as soon as your brother comes out. As we discussed, don’t talk to him until we are inside the base.” (Serge)

“I understand.” (Nyango)

　I had decided in advance to take him to the base anyway because it would be troublesome if he refused to go with me when I revealed myself to him.

　Since I’m not very sensitive to the subtleties of the situation, I decided to leave it up to Serge.

　Serge went back to the entrance of the alley, but my brother did not come back.

　He had already paid the money and got all the proofs of the debt, but I wondered if there were still some problems.

　It may have been a little over ten minutes, but it seemed an awfully long time before my brother showed up again.

　My brother, who was carrying a dirty bag, asked Serge in a timid manner,

“Oh, um, where are we going?” (Fawkes)

 

“Just shut up and follow me.” (Serge)

　Serge said bluntly gestured with his chin the direction, and started walking in the direction of the base.

　I nodded at him and started walking alongside him.

　I couldn’t see my brother walking behind me, but I could hear his small footsteps following me.

　I was torn between wanting to turn around and talk to him and being at a loss as to what to say.

“Where the hell are you looking? Watch out!” (Serge)

　Because I was distracted by my brother, I bumped shoulders with a man walking in front of me and stumbled.

　If Serge had not supported me as quickly as he did, I might have fallen.

“Don’t let your guard down yet…” (SErge)

“Sorry.” (Nyango)

　The 200 meters or so it took to get through the slums seemed awfully long.