Imprisonment (5)
With the sun setting, night fell and the pleasure district came alive like never before.
Even the adventurer guild halls and gambling dens along the way glowed with an intensity that drew every eye.
Among them, the busiest spot was the bustling street lined with elegant buildings.
One of the most popular in the capital, the place Jane ran—Grace—had been buzzing all day.
Grace
Jane’s operation was nothing like the ordinary brothels.
It was truly differentiated.
Compared to the violent and depraved places, it operated on an entirely different level.
Low-end brothels hid in the shadows, filled with whips, forced training, and unspeakable acts of torture.
Seonghyun would have been ruined if he had walked into one of those.
He might have been whipped and broken until he died as nothing more than a toy.
Jane used her father’s management philosophy and modern ways.
“My beloved daughter, Jane, you have to know how to use people’s hearts when you do business.”
Who could refuse to be treated like a princess in such an elegant atmosphere?
Money made anything possible.
They said a beautiful face could even escape death.
“Even though this world still has a class system, capital is never to be underestimated.”
From middle-class women to noble daughters, all of them were happy to pay to relieve their hidden stress.
That was the motto of Grace.
The same went for the girls working there.
Forced work versus doing it willingly made a huge difference in customer satisfaction.
Of course, it was mostly about the material benefits.
Because of that, Jane had a good reputation among the girls.
Other owners hated her.
But most of all, she never wanted to see men driven to the brink of collapse.
Even the ones who had repaid their debts, there were still some left.
Of course, there were exceptions.
If someone ran away or could not be sold, she would handle it.
Most men would simply get tired of prostitution anyway.
She was a born merchant and never lost money.
Customers who damaged the merchandise were thrown out immediately, and she had even set up proper rules.
She was strong enough that she did not fear revenge.
But still…
“What are you doing right now?”
Jane glared at the soldiers entering her shop with a cold look.
Their tense posture and demeanor could never pass for regular customers.
Especially the soldier staring at her with that icy expression.
A woman in elegant armor and refined posture, her purple hair neatly tied, was no simple guard captain.
Why the imperial army?
The soldier handed over a scroll and shouted.
His voice sank straight to the bottom of the basement after the sudden raid.
“Start now!!”
At her command, the soldiers poured into every room.
Reception rooms, private suites—everywhere.
Employees and customers looked stunned.
The men who were terrified just trembled harder.
“Miss Jane, what do we do?!”
“What the hell are you people?! What is the owner doing?!”
They never thought high-ranking nobles would come to search this place.
Whoever they were, they had to be even more important.
Seonghyun could have guessed it without trying.
When he saw the floating blonde hair and blue eyes, anger surged in him.
“Hah.”
Following the soldier’s orders, the troops searched in perfect order.
It took hours for the imperial knights and soldiers to finally leave.
The soldier looked in a hurry, as if searching for something.
Even with his cold face, he was a mix of emptiness and relief.
Jane walked around her ruined shop.
The completely trashed interior was as if raided by imperial thieves.
“Miss Jane, thank you for everything until now.
But we have to eat and live too.
The Grace that seemed eternal is now over.
Where do we go now?
Then are we going to the empire as imperial slaves?
The departing staff.
The male prostitutes snatched away as imperial slaves, the customers who left as wandering beggars.
Clink.
“Miss Jane, at least we saved our lives, that’s something to be grateful for, right?”
Under imperial law, tax evasion and criminal acts were serious crimes.
Especially for commoners.
The problem was the falsified ledgers, and she was not from a noble family.
If she had not handed over all the gold and supplies she had collected so far, her future would never have been smooth.
“……”
“I will never leave.
From the moment you took me in when I was starving on the road, I swore to myself.
The big woman said this calmly.
A faint scar remained on the cheek of the woman in guard clothes.
It was the punishment from the escape incident back then.
Jane moved her legs that refused to stop.
Her heart ached because she was trying to protect the ruined shop she had come to love like her own child.
⁕⁕⁕
“What the hell.”
Because of the previous incident, Jane’s and my relationship had become as precarious as a drifting ship.
Because of that thought, the atmosphere Jane brought inside was even darker.
Something large entered behind her.
Based on the guard clothes, it was guessed to be a shop employee.
“Eh?”
With the familiar face, it came to mind immediately.
The one who had blocked the basement door during the escape.
She had probably gotten quite a scolding because of my escape.
There was a tiny bit of guilt, but the awkwardness came first since she had been caught in the end.
“It’s only awkward, so there’s no need to say anything about it.
I nodded in agreement to the unspoken words not to mention the escape incident.
Then I, what do you say?
“That’s it.
But the eyes of the solid-built woman soon turned red with embarrassment.
She quickly raised her lowered head and pretended not to notice the shackles, but it was already too late.
Yeah, I didn’t think it would be this serious.
But that doesn’t justify it.
“But it looks suspicious.
Jane turned her head at the casual remark and avoided my eyes.
The answer came from the guard.
“The shop is bankrupt.”
“What?”
After hearing the full story, that was it.
Seizure, tax evasion, all kinds of suspicions, and the result of the investigation was that a huge fine was paid.
It was practically the survival crisis of the Grace shop.
In one moment, it was barely sustainable.
“But that’s not your fault, right?”
“The ledgers are falsified.
The empire is openly trying to kill us.
I don’t know why they’re doing it.
It was incomprehensible.
Why go through the empire specifically?
They had watched quietly until now.
Why go this far?
“For now, I’m leaving.
There are still many things to handle.
Take care of Miss Jane for me.
The guard, who received the request that wouldn’t even register, sighed and slowly turned her body.
After she left too, complete silence flowed.
“Hah. Damn it.
A forced laugh came out at the muttered curse.
She had been acting seductive but still cursed.
The woman lit a cigarette and smoked.
Beyond degeneracy, she looked impoverished.
Good for her.
I had no real desire to make money that way, but.
Just a little, I really felt a bit sorry for her.
Money confiscated at a young age after earning it that way?
I had also lost money through stocks, so there was a faint sense of empathy.
We were both in similar situations.
“You damn prince bastard.
What?”
Jane, who was about to collapse, also sniffling.
Looking at me with teary eyes, she said.
“Master, I’m here.
I need comfort.
“What?”
Jane’s words were more seductive than any expression.
They said women’s weapons were tears.
From the degenerate image, it changed noticeably to that of a pitiful beauty.
“Think of it as real.
Master, let’s do it with me.
“What? Suddenly?”
Is she really crazy?
Jane forcefully pulled me onto the bed.
No, why is she doing this?
The scent of alcohol mixed with the perfume hit my nose.
As a night worker, she must have had a strong tolerance.
“Now, the only product I have is you, master.
“……”
Just before, Jane had cursed at Prince Karsen.
My mind started turning rapidly.
Maybe this is it.
“Why? Hasn’t the broken woman lost her charm now?
But master is my…
“…Instead, you have to take off these shackles.
The eye contact between us created a mysterious emotion.
Actually, I had just casually tossed it out without expectations.
She walked toward me as if running and brought the key.
“And I have something to propose.
“Hmm? You? To me? What is it?
I unbuttoned the clothes I was wearing with my slightly trembling hands.
And then I whispered in Jane’s ear as she took off the thin chemise.
“I’ll tell you after it’s over.
⁕⁕⁕
The large and glamorous Grace shop closed its doors.
The owners of the ambiguous shops that had been competing with them were reportedly quite excited at first.
It was natural that nearby shops’ profits would rise when big spenders scattered.
But that temporary situation gradually began to change.
The dark side with existing concrete customers was solid.
But ironically, the general brothels saw a decrease in sales.
“As expected, there’s no place like Grace.
Why did they get caught by the empire?
Instead, let’s play poker or something.
“Sis, what about the other shops?
The one I went to last time, the girls weren’t into it at all.
“It was boring.
It was rather disgusting.
I almost threw up while watching them play.
Without a central shop, the number of incoming customers decreased.
I looked at the small building in front of me.
“It’s not big, but it’s compact and nice.
SNS-style emotional interior.
A space full of the affection from personally transporting and arranging every item by hand.
Instead of overly exposing clothes, it was modest and clean service attire.
To bring out repressed desires.
Of course, all the costs were scraped from the money Jane had hidden.
How would I have any money?
“Are you really okay with this?”
“Of course.”
Jane muttered softly.
“Master, you said you hate this kind of thing.
“I already gave my sympathy to you.
Now I’m at least used to it.
Let’s think of it as mutual use.
“……You seem more pragmatic than I thought.
“Promise me.
To make me your best male prostitute.
Jane, who furrowed her brows, lowered her head deeply.
The guard standing beside her looked at her with uneasy eyes.
I proposed to Jane.
Let’s open a shop again.
A brothel.
“What I have is nothing but my good body, as you said, right?
“……”
So I have to use it well.
Suddenly, that day came to mind.
Because of the night I spent with Jane, I learned many things.
How hot a woman’s body temperature is.
How flexible her body is.
Of course, I think she also learned more about me.
After that, I made a new contract with her.
Conditions that weren’t bad.
No, rather advantageous to me.
“You won’t forget the contract terms, will you?
“Master, what do you see me as?
Don’t worry about that.
Then it’s settled.
Right now, I am her only product.
Not too bad.
At least outwardly.
I will work with her.
Receiving fair treatment and helping her restart.
For each of our purposes.
Perhaps it might even be a common goal.
“Remember this.
“What?”
Jane stopped me from entering the building.
“You are the only one who is lent to others.
Master is the most perfect product I have.