There are lots of other guys besides him who call me Mama. But there has never been anyone who wanted to eat lunch with me every day.
Since the incident, we’re not allowed to meet with customers outside the shop. “So as long as I’m not a customer, it’s fine?” Chiba said, and started only taking me out for lunch and not coming to the shop at night.
That’s another thing about Chiba that’s different from other men. If he doesn’t want to sleep with me, then why does he call me Mama? Why does he feed me and then not try to take me off somewhere?
He really is a weird kid. I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“Hey, Mama. I might be a bit late tomorrow...”
I told him he didn’t have to worry about it.
I didn’t ask why he would be late. I was sure he’d just tell a stupid lie.
Once the shop opens, I’m busy and don’t have time to rest.
And lately Madam has been calling me over more often. She’s been introducing me to all sorts of people. They’re what I guess you could call important customers. After we had sex, they gave me some extra money. One of them told me to dress a little nicer. Madam said the same thing.
The reason I choose cute, child-like dresses is that I think they look good on me and because I have a lot of customers who are into that. But apparently I need to start dressing like a proper adult.
I don’t really feel like changing, but I can’t stay like this forever, either. Madam has been prepping me to be her replacement.
“Lupe. The head of the guild is going to go around the countryside tomorrow. I’m going to go with him this time, so I want you to look after the shop.”
Unlike Haru, I was brought here from the countryside. I have debts.
It’s clear that continuing this work forever ruins your body, so unless some rich guy rescues you, you need some kind of talent like cooking or music or things get rough. I don’t have any skills, so unless I help out with running the business for money, I won’t last long.
Not that I really want to last long.
“Understood. I’ll give it my best shot.”
Even if I don’t think I’m cut out for it, I’m not so blessed in life that I have a choice. I just do what I have to do.
“Lupe. There’s a customer at the counter passed out.”
“Okay, I’ll handle him.”
There are only women at the brothel, so when a customer gets problematic or force needs to be involved, we ask some helpful regulars for assistance.
Usually they’re adventurers and we compensate them with drinks or food. Otherwise we ask someone from a neighboring establishment, or if no one else, the head of the guild. To protect the shop, I have to be skillful at making connections with those sorts of people.
“Hey, my dude. If you’re going to sleep, this is not the place.”
I had a burly customer carry him to a cheap inn.
Even with one person out of the way, there are all sorts of little problems that pop up, and if they aren’t resolved quickly, things start to get bogged down.
I was a lot busier than I expected to be. It always seemed like Madam was just strolling around looking elegant...
Ah. So the key is to find problem spots before they become problems. I have to keep going around and talking to people.No time to stand around.
By the end of the day, my face muscles were frozen in a smile, and my legs were stiff. When morning came, I was still where I had flopped face down on my bed.
B-Bam! I woke up with a start at the knock on my door.
“Who is it?”
For a second I thought it might be Haru, but there was no reply. Then came another loud knock.
“Me,” came a slightly hoarse voice.
Oh, you.
Did I make her mad? I somehow got up on my aching feet. My whole body was stiff.
“Morning, Kizuha. Can I help you?”
Gentle waves of long golden hair.
She had it tied up in a bun, and below her broad forehead were two big blue eyes glaring at me. It made me feel like Blue Cat Nocturne was named for her.
“What do you mean, ‘Can I help you?’”
Her silky white skin curved to form her ample chest. The arms and legs coming out of her short black dress were so long and thin I wondered if a certain someone was playing favorites. It made me jealous.
She’s so pretty that even as a woman I get a little chill. But at the moment she had a scary look on her face.
“There aren’t enough men. I was too horny to sleep.”
She was like a starving alley cat out to bite me.
There was something strange about this girl: She thought she was cut out perfectly to be a prostitute. Apparently she really liked to sleep with guys. She said she wanted three fucks a night. But she never came down to get her own customers.
“It’s your job to bring them to me, isn’t it?”
She was the top seller at Blue Cat Nocturne, and she had been ever since I arrived. So no one in the shop could oppose her.
“Sorry. I was too busy, so I couldn’t send any up to you. You know Madam has been gone since yesterday, right?”
“What does that have to do with anything? How much do you think I make a night? Instead of getting busy with nothing, it would be better for the shop for you to find customers for me!”
Kizuha’s room costs a lot. As a result, only rich guys can be her customers, and not that many of them show up in one night. We have to look for them and invite them to buy her. It was a bit much for me to do all alone, and Haru, who usually helps me, was gone.
“I’m actually really busy. If you came downstairs, I’m sure lots of people would offer to buy you, Kizuha.”
“Why should I have to do a pain-in-the-ass thing like that? I’m exempt from that crap. Madam said so, didn’t she?”
“...Yes, she did, but—”
“What is it, Lupe? Are you mad?” She ran her fingers through my hair. Then she brushed past my ear to rest her hand on the wall behind me and brought her face close. “Are you mad? What are you gonna do about it?”
Her eyelashes were so long I felt like they might suck me in. I couldn’t say a word when someone with such a pretty face was glaring at me. Plus she smelled like blood again.
I told her I wasn’t mad. And I promised that I would get her some customers that night.
“Hmph, oh? Then do your best,” she said as if it had nothing to do with her and went away at last. I was finally relieved, but then she suddenly whirled around and freaked me out. “I’m counting on you, Mama.”
She grinned and then left with a wave.
I was nervous. She put so much pressure on me. And I was sure she was mocking me, calling me “Mama.” I didn’t like the way she said that.
I mean, Madam is her actual mom.
It was after noon, but Chiba still hadn’t come. He did say he would be late, though. Maybe he wouldn’t make it. I had just told him he didn’t need to come every day, but I had been sort of looking forward to it, so I was a bit disappointed.
Then what should I eat? I had never been to Sumo’s on my own, but I thought maybe I’d give that a try.
Even Kiyori went to drink tea in her Sister habit. That was pretty great. A woman sitting alone at a cafe looks like a flower on display. Well, I’m not as pretty as Kiyori, but...
I think I can still go. I worked hard yesterday. And I’ll work hard today and tomorrow, too. Madam has been telling me to grow up, so maybe this is something grown up to try. Yeah.
But the world isn’t such a sweet piece of cake that my nonexistent courage would work against it.
When I tried to sit on the “terrace” out front, I got scared because I felt like the guy at the next table was looking at me. I figured I would be okay if I sat in front of Sumo, but there were a ton of male customers in there too, so it was hard to find a spot.
“What’s wrong, girlie? Nowhere to sit?” The man who was always on the terrace called out to me.
I suppose he was an adventurer, but his foot was injured, so he always started drinking at lunch time. He had a stiff-looking beard. When I froze, he grinned. “Wanna sit here?” He gestured at his crotch and showed his teeth.
As everyone around laughed, I made a point of smiling pleasantly. Guys at the shop said that all the time, too. I guess it’s the kind of joke men like.
“U-Umm, if you’re looking for a seat, there’s one in front of my station.” Sumo got between us, peeking around a tray full of cakes.