Back when the army was still cheery and wholesome, I got invited by soldiers on outside dates, too, and I even went to just outside the barracks to meet them sometimes, so I knew where they were.
When I told Lupe I was going to see how Shequraso was because I was worried, she said she would come along.
“U-Umm...”
But unlike the previous times I had come, there was a soldier standing intimidatingly in front of the gate.
Yeah, they were an army, but the troops were there to fight monsters at a place called the front, to the north, so they used to be totally normal and friendly with the people of the city. But sure enough, ever since that hectosquad commander showed up, they’d been like this.
The guard even had this stern look on his face—he was kinda scary.
Lupe and I were so nervous that we clung together.
“Hm? What do you two want?”
“We’re from Blue Cat Nocturne, and a girl from our shop, Shequraso...”
“Who?”
“Sh-She’s here on a comfort visit, s-singing for you guys!”
“Ohh.”
He finally seemed to get it, because he smirked, but he wouldn’t tell us anything about her, and instead just ogled Lupe and I from our cute faces to our young, fresh thighs and ankles, not to mention our boobs.
“They sent over more girls? How nice of them.”
“...What?”
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
“Oh, Dekasquad Commander.”
Just as we were getting confused, someone we knew came out of the compound. It was Mr. Bisque.
We said hello, feeling so relieved.
“U-Umm, is Shequraso here? We heard from Madam that the time she promised was already up, so...”
Mr. Bisque looked at us with one of his plastered-on smiles and then glared at the guard. “Didn’t you send a messenger?”
“Huh...? Sir! Very sorry, sir!”
At first the guard seemed out of the loop, but when Mr. Bisque glared at him harder he bowed and apologized.
“Sorry, guys. Can you tell Madam for us? Soon our hectosquad will go to the front. We asked Shequraso to extend her comfort visit and take care of us ’till then. She agreed, and I thought we already sent a message to the shop. I’m really sorry.”
“Oh...I-I see. E-Err, then I guess...are things fine, then?”
“Y-Yeah. Is Shequraso doing okay?”
“Yeah. We get to hear her sweet voice every day.”
I really want to see her. But I couldn’t really say it, and neither could Lupe, so we didn’t know what to do.
“I’ll go to the shop tonight and explain to Madam. We can take our time and talk more then.”
“Uh, okay.”
Mr. Bisque offered to take us part of the way back by carriage, but we politely refused and decided to walk back.
I mean, the atmosphere at the barracks was freaky, and Lupe was looking tense.
“...I wonder if Shequraso is getting enough to eat.”
“Yeah, if you leave her alone she’ll try to live on greens and water. But don’t worry. I’m sure she’s chowing down if she’s with the soldiers.”
“I...can’t really imagine her living with those people.”
Shequraso is the absolute coolest when she’s singing, but in her personal daily life she’s a mess. She’s such a slob that if you don’t do your laundry with her, she’ll just let her clothes pile up. In other words, she’s an artist.
Honestly, I couldn’t really picture her chowing down with the soldiers, either...
“Mr. Bisque said he would come tonight, so let’s ask him.”
“Yeah.”
＊
Of course, while all this was going down, the weather was great.
I snuck in a sigh as I bustled around the crowded shop. I wonder how the silver-haired man is doing. I wonder if he’ll come have sex with me again. I could do with some warming up pretty soon.
“Haru.”
Mr. Bisque showed up as promised and approached me as I was wiping down glasses at the bar.
“I got permission from Madam. And I paid the fees for the time so far.”
“Oh, I see. Thanks for taking the trouble.”
“Do you have time to talk?”
“Uh, yes, I guess so.”
He stacked the coins, and I sat down across from him. I wanted to call Lupe over, but he only paid enough for me.
Well, I can just fill her in after.
“Is Shequraso working hard? I was talking to Lupe after that and we wondered if she had enough clothes and things. I think she only took two days’ worth.”
And she would never come up with the idea to wash them on her own. I said to Lupe, Maybe she’s wearing a military uniform at this point, and she finally smiled.
“Yeah.” He smiled in a way where I couldn’t tell if he was listening or not.
This guy has this smile that at a glance makes him seem like a nice person—it’s kind of creepy. You can’t feel a shred of heart in it.
“Hmm. It’d be great if you could bring some for her.”
That seemed weird to me, and I hesitated, because I didn’t want to him to get annoyed at what could be considered nosiness, but I made up my mind and asked. “Umm, there’s no time for her to come back here quick herself?”
Do I really need to take her some clothes?
This seemed different than what we were told. Are comfort visits such a shady job? Even Madam knows what a paid vacation is!
Mr. Bisque said, “It’s not going to be that long anyhow,” and smiled wider. “Haru, are you worried about Shequraso?”
“Huh? No, I mean, you’re with her, so I’m not worried per se. I just know she has periods where she doesn’t eat enough or eats a ton, which can cause trouble, and she leaves her clothes lying around, and even though she’s a singer, she doesn’t take care of her throat—like, she won’t even gargle unless you remind her. She’s seriously a handful, so—”
What? Am I Shequraso’s mom or something?
“If you’re so worried...”
Mr. Bisque took my hand. The coldness of it sent a chill up my spine.
“...would you like to come help out at the barracks, too? I’m sure it would be a big help to Shequraso.”
“But I can’t sing at all... Oh, but I’m a taiko drum master!”
“Ha-ha. Nice. Come and drum!”
He leaned in, saying they would pay, of course.
Then he put 100 rubers on the table.
“...Umm, I don’t think Shequraso...”
“What about Shequraso?”
“I mean, I’m in the business, but doing it with my friend’s boyfriend would be a bit... Sorry. Heh-heh.”
I added the laugh to smooth things over and tried to pull my hand away.
But he wouldn’t let me go. He leaned in even further.
“Shequraso sleeps with other guys.”
Yeah. That’s the business. But you know that and you’re dating her anyhow, so be a bit chivalrous or like, more understanding—
“...Is she sleeping with them?” Without thinking, I blurted out the terrifying idea that came to mind. I shuddered. “Is Shequraso... Is she sleeping with the soldiers?”
Buffness’s unit, the one Mr. Bisque belonged to, was in those barracks. A hundred of those cold, violent soldiers.
She can’t be, right?
That’s what I thought, but Mr. Bisque had his usual smile stuck on his face.
“Our unit is going up to the front soon. The hectosquad commander prohibited us from going to town—to sharpen our senses, you know? I got permission to come to this brothel tonight to negotiate, though, about Shequraso.”
Mr. Bisque let go of my hand and switched to propping up his chin.
But the distance between us didn’t change. On the contrary, his voice got lower and lower.
“I think we’re asking too much of her, myself. But Commander Buffness says it’s for my sake, and to raise morale. You can’t disobey your superior officer in the army.”
“She...she’ll die!”
“I don’t think so. We soldiers exist to protect the people. We’re not that violent, and we’re letting her have a proper schedule. But you understand, right? We’re about to risk our lives on the front line. Some guys are going nuts from the fear. They need an outlet.”
“So come to the shop! That’s what we’re here for!”
“A beast is the strongest the moment it’s let out of its cage. That’s Commander Buffness’s theory. It’s the same as building the front line to keep the monsters in the forest. We’re in a cage. But we need a bit of comfort. Shequraso is doing her best and working hard for us.”
“...Does Madam know about this?”
“Who knows? I told her we want her to sing. But I’m sure she gets it. She asked how she was doing several times. But it’s not like a brothel can disobey the army’s orders.”