Regular Patrol (3)
By the time he stepped down from the carriage, the sun had already set.
"This way."
In the dark of night, she moved forward without the slightest hesitation, as if the path were second nature.
So it really is what I thought.
A street stretched straight ahead in a single unbroken line. Red-hued lights brightly illuminated the dark avenue.
To be frank, he had expected something more along the lines of a pleasure tavern. But no matter how he looked at it, this was exactly that.
"Hmm? Is something the matter?"
"Ah—I'm coming. Coming."
Orion quickened his pace and followed behind her. Had she come here often? There wasn't even a hint of hesitation in her steps.
"We're here."
They arrived at the entrance to the Red-Light District. Thick walls stretched out on either side; it seemed this was the only way in.
"Please go ahead."
When the door opened, the sharp scent of perfume assaulted his nose. The walls and floor were entirely in shades of red, and the atmosphere was dim yet bright, as if mood lighting had been turned on.
"Oh? Our baby girl's here?"
"Baby girl?"
From the far end, a voluptuous middle-aged woman radiating sensual allure recognized Heily and walked out. Judging by the air about her, she seemed to be the madam of this Red-Light District.
"You should've told me you were coming."
"It's been a while."
A pair of warrior-like women who looked like twins, standing near the entrance, also followed her over to Heily. Just as they'd said, their gazes were truly those of people looking at a beloved little one—they were doting on her so thoroughly that Orion reflexively hid Heily behind his back.
"What do you think you're doing?"
A low, sunken voice. He had meant it as a warning, but they only smiled instead.
"Hehe. You're the young master who just took office as the guard knight, aren't you? I wasn't trying to ignore you. I was just so happy to see her—"
"You're smiling?"
The sound of swallowed breaths, and silence fell. The smiles that had bloomed on their lips vanished without a trace.
Then Heily, still behind his back, reacted. She clutched Orion's collar and spoke.
"I should have told you beforehand. I'm sorry."
"Pardon?"
"Those people would never harm us. They are my benefactors who took me in when I was wandering the streets as a child."
Huh? For real?
"...Ah. Is that so?"
"I'm sorry. I never imagined Orion-nim would react that way."
Suddenly I'm embarrassed.
Honestly, when people came at you with those looks in a red-light district, wasn't it natural to misunderstand? But now that things had turned out this way, there was only one thing left to do.
"...I'm sorry. I misunderstood."
Orion bowed his head politely. He couldn't afford to make enemies of them. If they were her benefactors, that meant they were allies.
"Hwaaah~!!"
They let out heavy sighs as if releasing the breath they'd been holding. The twin warrior women looked at each other and muttered.
"I—I might've peed a little."
"Same here."
The middle-aged madam also approached Orion with a slightly teary expression.
"Young master! You really startled me. We're not bad people, you know!"
"...I'm sorry."
"My womb went thump-thump, I swear!"
"...I won't do it again."
At Orion's sincere apology, the madam calmed down and looked him up and down.
"Still, I'm a bit relieved that someone like you is by Heily's side."
She held out her hand.
"I'm Amanda, the general manager of this Red-Light District. What's your name, young master?"
"Orion. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Right, our young master Orion. I've already forgotten about earlier, so don't worry about it."
An easygoing manner. Looking at her now, she had the presence befitting a general manager.
"Ah—no."
As if something had occurred to her, she curled up the corners of her mouth. Then she slipped back into that voluptuous, sensual air and wrapped her arm around Orion's.
"Come to think of it, I ought to get some compensation, shouldn't I? How about tonight~?"
A sweet fragrance brushed his nose. Orion grabbed her arm and pulled it off.
"I already apologized. That settles it."
"Aww~ What a shame~"
Amanda smacked her lips and stepped back.
Heily was visible at the far end. But what on earth was that?
What the heck is that.
Two warrior women, about Orion's height and built like mountains, had their heads bowed while receiving gentle head pats from Heily. As he stood there flustered by the sight, Amanda whispered into his ear.
"Those two have followed Heily since they were little. They're a year younger than her. Twenty-three."
At the ticklish whisper, Orion covered his ear and jumped.
"W-what are you doing all of a sudden?"
"Hehe. Our young master is cuter than I thought?"
Amanda clung to him once more.
"Really, not tonight? I'll make sure you don't regret it. Hmm?"
No. I'm not doing it.
While she clung to him and refused to let go, Heily finished her greetings and returned.
"Orion-nim is uncomfortable. Please step away at once."
"What? Our baby girl, are you taking your boyfriend's side?"
"...You seem to be mistaken. Orion-nim and I are not in that kind of relationship."
Amanda finally let go of Orion. Her next target was, without fail, Heily. She dashed over and launched into an endless stream of affectionate head pats and caresses.
"So, uh, what should we call him? Big brother?"
"Hmm, wouldn't 'older brother' be better?"
What are they talking about all of a sudden?
Orion turned around. Something enormous was blocking his view.
These girls are only twenty-three?
Or maybe not. They were the ones who'd quietly received head pats from Heily. Up close, they were only large in build—they had rather pure faces.
Still...
"Just call me by my name. My name is Orion."
Hearing "big brother" would be far too embarrassing.
"Sorry about earlier. What are your names?"
The two grabbed Orion's hands and spoke.
"I'm Rena."
"I'm Sena."
They seized him and shook him up and down. Judging by the names, they were definitely twins.
Well, you can barely tell them apart by looks anyway.
Anyway.
"Do you two work as guards here or something?"
"Yeah, 'cause we live here."
"We're originally guild members. We help out here at night."
"Oh ho."
Weapons mounted behind them came into view. One a hammer. One an axe. Both were enormous.
"Who uses the hammer?"
Rena raised her hand.
"Me."
"The axe?"
Sena raised her hand.
"Me."
Okay. Identification complete.
"You two done talking?"
Amanda, having thoroughly pampered Heily, came back.
"Yeah. Mister Orion seems like a good person."
"Right. Mister Orion is nice."
What?
"Tsk. You can't call a man in his prime 'mister.'"
Amanda scolded the twins. They hung their heads and muttered.
"But Mister Orion said not to call him big brother..."
"He said he didn't like 'older brother' either..."
The twins looked at Orion with eyes pleading for rescue.
"...It's fine. I don't mind."
Mister.
Yeah. I am a mister.
I could cry.
The reason they had come here was the same as everywhere else—inspection was the main purpose.
Since it was a trade between people rather than food or goods, the circulation of money was inevitably opaque. In other words, the potential for tax evasion was high. So they meticulously recorded in ledgers how many staff reported for work each day and how many customers entered. If they were caught falsifying the records, they would be permanently banned from entry on the spot, and so the system was generally well maintained.
"Sorry, sorry. I was organizing the ledgers late into the night yesterday and just fell asleep."
Heily and Orion were following Amanda's lead toward her room. The further they walked down the street, the stronger the red lighting became. Explicit moans drifted in from both sides. It seemed there were separate spaces prepared not only for men but for women as well.
"Hmm? Our young master. You ran away so hard earlier, but actually you're pretty interested?"
"...I was just curious."
The places where people were engaged only let sounds through; they were properly separated. Besides that, they seemed to run taverns—though every customer had a scantily clad someone attached to their side.
"Secretary, stick close to me."
Orion wrapped an arm around Heily's shoulders and pulled her toward him. Heily tilted her head but raised no objection.
"Oh ho. Our young master Orion. I'm liking you more and more?"
"That's enough. More importantly, where's the room?"
"We still have a ways to go. It's all the way at the back."
The surrounding gazes were piercing. He wanted to get out of this place as soon as possible.
"More people than you expected, right?"
"Yes. Even the restaurant street didn't seem to have this many."
"It didn't used to be this crowded here either. Only the regulars came, you know?"
Amanda held up her fingers and counted.
"But it's been about half a year now? That's when customers started coming from outside a lot."
"Tourists, you mean?"
"Yeah. This Red-Light District has been around for about two years. That's when our lord permitted this entertainment district. And somehow, about half a year ago, word of this place got out to the Empire. That's when everyone started pouring in."
"Are entertainment districts like this banned in other regions?"
"Probably? That's why people come all the way to this freezing northern continent, I figure."
The prices looked steep earlier. Plus the train fare. Crazy. Just crazy.
"Anyway, you can come visit whenever you feel like it, young master. I'll keep it a special secret from the lord and Heily."
"No need. And I won't be coming."
"Aww, this place only has beautiful people, you know? I'll give you a discount."
Look at that sly gaze.
"Or I'm fine too."
Orion made a thoroughly disgusted face.
That was when it happened.
A crash of furniture breaking, and a commotion broke out.
"W-why are you doing this...?"
It was happening in the tavern right ahead.