I Only Pursue Wholesome, Legitimate Business
Whenever I read a web novel, I pay a lot of attention to the cover.
A beautiful cover has a certain pull to it, doesn't it? Something that makes you click before you've even decided to.
With that in mind, I came across a rather intriguing web novel.
The Abandoned Imperial Princess Stands at the Center of the Empire.
It was, unmistakably, a romance fantasy with that exact title. I didn't usually read romance fantasy, but the image was striking — a pristine white dress, a gilded court, a golden knight, and a Grand Duke of the North in his deep blue uniform. Just that single painting seemed to carry the power to sweep you away into a world of dazzling splendor.
So my curiosity was piqued, and I started reading it…
"Eugene."
"Yes, Father."
"Leave House Hartwell and strike out on your own. House Hartwell has no need for a good-for-nothing like you."
"I beg your pardon?"
The world of romance fantasy was a truly merciless place for extras.
By the time I came to my senses, I had somehow fallen into that fantasy world.
And not just anywhere — as the illegitimate son of a count.
True to a count's household, I'd never have to worry about money for the rest of my life. Sadly, though, I possessed no particular talent worth mentioning either.
What's more, it didn't take me long to realize that this world was the one inside The Abandoned Imperial Princess Stands at the Center of the Empire. Just as it didn't take me long to realize I was an extra without so much as a single line of text to my name.
So yes, I had a bit of an existential crisis.
No power, no narrative weight. What does that leave a man with?
Well, peace of mind, at least.
So that's what I did. I lived easy.
I lolled around on the grass by the training grounds when I was bored, made the occasional appearance at high society gatherings to chat a little… I simply drifted along wherever the current took me. Honestly, a house like the Hartwells could easily absorb one layabout like me, couldn't it?
But that, it turned out, was my fatal mistake — and in the end, I was cast out of House Hartwell.
Which felt rather unfair. I'd even worked to build connections with other nobles to help our heir apparent lead the family, and I'd studied business management with real dedication…
Apparently that still wasn't enough for Father.
The one silver lining was that, being a wealthy count's house, they'd sent me off with a reasonably padded purse. Fifty-five gold coins. Since a single gold coin was worth about half a year's wages for an ordinary laborer, it was a generous sum — more than enough for a fresh start.
Then again… woefully insufficient for the comfortable retirement I had in mind.
Still, when your father throws you out with this much money attached, it gets hard to resent him properly. I suppose that was the whole point, wasn't it?
"Hahaha! So you got kicked out after all? Well, knowing your daily conduct, young master, I can't say I'm surprised."
On the day I left home, there was exactly one person who came to see me off. And he did so while laughing himself into hysterics, as if something about the situation was unbearably funny.
For the record, this character's name was Louis — a knight in the employ of House Hartwell, and the information broker of our territory. The man's connections were vast, his personality pleasant, and his gift for conversation so smooth that information seemed to flow in and out of him like water. He was also the sort of guy I got along with remarkably well.
According to him, he'd never met a noble young master as strange as me, and I was fun to be around, or something to that effect…
"Ahem. The Lord of the House went so far as to give the servants explicit orders, you know. Under no circumstances were they to see you off. Should've behaved better while you had the chance, young master."
"Spilt water, spilled milk — nothing to be done about it. Anyway, are you sure you should be standing here?"
"Oh, a scolding or two is nothing. Besides, haven't I told you time and again? Knighthood just doesn't suit my temperament. I might as well quit while I'm at it."
"You're a pervert who likes getting hit. Isn't that why you became a knight? And you're surprisingly talented at it, too."
"Mmmngh… I thought so too, believe me. But it turns out when the wooden swords are coming from men, it does absolutely nothing for me. Whereas with the female knights — hnngh! Unfortunately, House Hartwell doesn't employ any female knights, does it?"
Louis said all this without a hint of shame and burst into booming laughter.
To put it plainly: his masochistic streak only activated for women. Unable to satisfy his desires, he apparently wanted to walk away from a promising career as a knight.
People have all sorts of tastes, so fine, I could accept that. But to throw away a stable future — and his actual job — over it?
Yeah. He was just a masochist gone mad with pleasure.
But even lunatics like him had their uses.
"Then why not come along with me, for a change?"
"I'm sorry — with you, young master? And where exactly would we be going?"
"Velos, the commercial district, first. I'm thinking of starting a business there."
"Bwahaha! I'd sooner follow a stray dog down the street! Ah — not that I mean to imply you're beneath a stray dog in any way, young master. Ahem. Absolutely not."
That was the tone of a man who clearly respected stray dogs more than me.
Given that I'd done nothing but loaf around at House Hartwell, I suppose it was hard for him to take me seriously.
But listen here.
"I'm out from under the family shadow now, which means I have to make an honest effort at life. And for my comfortable retirement, I'll need a reliably sized fortune, too."
"Hmm… well, let's grant all that for the sake of argument. So what business, exactly, are you planning? That confident look on your face says you've already got the whole thing mapped out."
"A karaoke bar for women — no, wait. A drinking and entertainment establishment catering to female clientele. Put more respectably… a women-only salon."
"?"
At my explanation, Louis's face twisted into something approaching contempt.
Receiving that look from a pervert left me with a very strange feeling. It was like suddenly discovering I was the bigger pervert in the room…
"Hold on, just hear me out. In this world, there are plenty of entertainment establishments for men, aren't there?"
"Well… there'd hardly be any other way. Most people go to those for carnal reasons."
"So why is there no bar for women?"
"Surely because of society's gaze. The world is rather conservative about such matters."
Exactly.
Because this was a romance fantasy world, a woman indulging in pleasure translated directly into "a woman of no propriety."
But noble society only put on a front of prizing morality and decorum. Behind the scenes, they were filthier than anyone. So much so that merely attending a social gathering was considered stressful.
Which brings me to my point.
"Women want to drink and sing their hearts out too. But with nowhere to do it, they spend their lives suppressing everything."
"……"
"I'm simply moving into that gap. A space completely beyond the outside world's gaze, made for women and women alone! A place where they can sing, curse, drink, and pour out their hearts as honestly as they please!"
Louis's eyes went wide at my explanation, and then he laughed as if the whole idea were absurd.
"Young master, does that even make sense? No matter how repressed they are, who would actually go to a place like—"
"They would."
I cut him off flatly.
"Noble daughters, the women of the knightly orders, women working in public office — they're all the same. Live suppressed long enough, and you will hunger for room to breathe. And women, unlike men, place far greater weight on emotional connection."
Louis was struck speechless for a moment, and I flashed him a small smile before adding,
"Besides — the money those women spend runs several times higher than any man's."
The truth was, I had certainty. Statistics I'd seen countless times back in the modern world, and a crystal-clear understanding of what people here were willing to spend their money on.
Luxury goods, jewels, ball gowns…
For the women of a romance fantasy, the avenues for spending were agonizingly limited.
But what happens when you introduce guilt-free pleasure into that equation?
It becomes an attraction far more potent than any luxury.
I looked down at the pouch of gold coins clenched in my hand.
Fifty-five gold coins. But I was certain I could multiply this money several times over.
"…Young master. No — you're not even my young master anymore, are you? Anyway, with conviction that total, I confess you've made me a little curious."
"Didn't I tell you?"
"Oh yes. The sight of proud noble daughters falling head over heels for male companions and sinking into delicious corruption. Wow… just imagining it sends a thrill through me. You really are the certified lunatic I've always respected, young master."
"?"
Mmmngh…
No matter how I turned it over, that did not sound like a compliment. And for some reason, Louis seemed to be picturing a rather different vision than my business plan.
"Hey, also, you're going to give people the wrong idea throwing around words like 'male companion.' I'm going to be a businessman pursuing a wholesome, legitimate enterprise."
"The moment you conceived of a women-only host bar, you were already beyond salvation. And what else would you call a man who takes money to captivate women's hearts?"
"If we're doing this, let's use the classier word: Player. A Player who sweeps women clean off their feet. How's that?"
When I said it without a shred of shame, Louis nodded as if pleasantly surprised.
"Not bad, actually. Though… young master. No, should I be calling you 'Boss' now? Since you're a businessman from here on out."
"'Boss,' huh… not bad at all. But what brought that on?"
"Well, from where I'm standing, it looks like you want me along for information gathering, player recruitment, and managing the establishment itself. Am I wrong?"
I nodded.
Dead on.
Aside from being a pervert, Louis was an extraordinarily capable man. Information gathering, certainly — and his people skills went without saying, and he was a knight who could fight with the best of them.
So if any troublemakers or problems ever cropped up at the establishment, my plan was to leave the handling to him.
"Understood. That much is hardly difficult work. But, Boss."
"What?"
"Once the business settles down someday… would I be allowed to work as a Player too?"
"…?"
I'm sorry — what?