Open Preparation (2)
A large clothing boutique in the heart of the commercial district.
The moment we stepped into the shop with its brilliant lights blazing, the hosts' expressions all changed in their own ways.
"Th-this price... isn't it a bit too expensive?"
Kalian's eyes went round as he stared at the suit hanging in the display case.
"Don't worry about it. I'm paying for everything, so all you have to do is choose. Besides, it would smear mud on the owner's face if people calling themselves hosts walked around dressed like country bumpkins."
I replied with perfect calm.
Of course, my wallet was nearly running on fumes at this point, but if it was for the business, I couldn't call it a waste. Money, after all, can always be earned again — that's what money does.
The first to stand before the mirror was Fion.
He tipped his black mask up slightly, and with a glint of crimson in his eyes, slung a black suit over his shoulders.
"Hmm... Boss, isn't this one a bit too dark? Anyone looking at me would think I'm in the mafia."
"You are in the mafia. And a bad boy ought to radiate at least that much aura. Judged from that perspective, I'd say it suits you magnificently."
I praised Fion's fashion sense and gave him a thumbs-up. He was, after all, a man who knew exactly what his charm was — there was really nothing for me to fix.
Next was Joel, whose charm was his innocence.
"Should I go for something more flashy?"
"No, Joel."
I cut him off firmly.
"Your weapon is simplicity. A white dress shirt, slim trousers in a soft beige — that's exactly right. It's neat without being overdone, and it gives off a comfortable impression."
"But... wouldn't that be too plain?"
"Not at all. That's precisely why it works. Sometimes the person who stands out in a crowd of flashy ones is the one who makes you feel at ease."
"...Then I'll do as you say, Boss."
Joel studied his finished look in the mirror for a moment, and before I knew it, the tips of his ears had turned red.
That look of his was really quite—
"Adorable."
"Isn't it, though."
"See, Boss? If you don't agree with me like usual, I just look like a weirdo standing here. ...Boss?"
I brushed off Louis's words and moved on to the next contestant, walking over to the display where Hermes was standing.
He picked up a bright, sunny ensemble with a gentle smile. Once he'd changed into it, Hermes looked like the very image of a warm-hearted musician.
"Warm imagery really does suit you, Hermes."
Harlion, by contrast, chose a polished deep navy outfit stripped of any excess. Instead of flash or warmth, he had opted for restrained color and subtle embellishment — a choice that seemed to lay bare both his calculating nature and the dignified bearing of a nobleman.
"I suppose this style suits me."
"That's our Harlion. Cold, composed elegance — the middle-class ladies will be lining up for this one."
"Er... is that something I should be pleased about?"
But of course it was. Any self-respecting host should be pleased about that.
And last of all, Kalian hesitated for a long while before finally putting on his uniform. The black uniform with its red epaulets was immaculate and resolute. It suited him so perfectly that you could tell at a glance exactly what kind of man Kalian was.
Once all of Bloom's hosts had finished changing, a brief stillness settled over the shop. With each of their individualities now projected onto their clothes, the name 'host' finally seemed to have earned itself the refinement it deserved.
I crossed my arms and gazed at the scene with a contented smile. My expectations were already climbing. These five men, each blessed with a different kind of charm —
I had a feeling I'd soon be watching them shake the city of Velos to its core.
The day after we obtained the photographs of the hosts through photography, Louis declared he'd take them and head straight out to work on customers.
Now that we had a decisive weapon in hand, he said, he was sure to bring back good results.
But you see, I couldn't help wondering.
I'm a little curious, actually.
What exactly does his usual sales pitch look like?
What Louis and I had been doing so far was closer to promotion than anything else: a brief introduction to Bloom, and somehow st enough curiosity to get people through our door.
It was a critically important task, which meant I had no choice but to lean on Louis. His likability and gift for gab had already been proven.
But precisely because I trusted him so much, I'd never actually checked on his work myself. He'd surely manage just fine on his own... or so I assumed.
"You want me to come along?"
"Yeah. Two's better than one, isn't it?"
"Hmm..."
Whether he sensed my true intentions or not, Louis gave me a knowing look, but he didn't seem to mind my tagging along.
And so, at a small tea house in the commercial district, I finally got to see how Louis ran his sales operations.
Apparently, he'd been steadily courting the young nurses working at the clinic — and after their shifts, they always spent a short tea break at this very tea house.
Louis, wearing his usual roguish grin, sauntered over to the table where the nurses had gathered.
"Ah, back again today, I see?"
One of the women in the group turned her head and greeted him.
"Haha, nurses, are we? Not a trace of a hard day's work on your faces. Or... is it just that your smiles are too pretty for me to notice?"
"Oh, Mr. Louis, honestly. Where do you keep learning these lines?"
"I merely spoke the truth. Although, come to think of it..."
Louis carried on in his silky tone — and then, for reasons I could not begin to fathom, he bowed at the waist, pressed his hands to the floor, and said:
"Would any of you care to step on me again today?"
...What?
What the hell did he just say?
For a moment I thought my ears had betrayed me. But what happened next made it clear my hearing was perfectly fine.
Somehow — impossibly — the nurses burst into incredulous laughter and, as if it were the most familiar routine in the world, began stepping on Louis.
Woven into that laughter, unmistakably, was a strange blend of excitement and liberation.
Louis, for his part, sprawled gracefully on the floor and received their kicks with a smile of sheer rapture on his face.
"Mr. Louis, are you okay?"
"If I can relieve even a sliver of your stress, it's no trouble at all!"
One of the women chuckled, and finally gave his shoulder a playful tap with the tip of her shoe. In that instant, Louis wore the expression of a man who had been granted every happiness the world had to offer.
...
How should I put this. Am I glad I came to inspect this, or did I come here for nothing at all...
"Hehe, thank you for today as well."
At Louis's words, the nurses smiled, looking somehow lighter, as if a weight had lifted.
...Why did the whole atmosphere just turn breezy all of a sudden?
I couldn't tell you why, but it clearly had some kind of effect. And naturally, Louis didn't let that moment slip by.
"As it happens, I've brought something special today. I've told you time and again, haven't I? About the headline attractions of our very own Bloom."
The nurses' eyes snapped to the photographs in an instant.
Handsome faces, vividly captured on paper — and the air changed.
"Wait, wait — why is this man so good-looking? He's exactly my type?"
"No, hold on... this person called K is even more handsome than you, Mr. Louis?"
"Are these really people who work at Bloom?!"
"Yes. Though there is one decisive problem."
"...And what's that?"
"Regrettably, a photograph can't capture the full glory of our staff's faces. Meet them in person, and they'll be even more striking than the pictures."
Under Louis's low, velvety voice, the women's eyes were already sparkling with curiosity. Wearing a proud smile, Louis turned and came back toward me.
"We can expect about five of the nurse group on opening day. Hehe... now I must go seduce the clerks working at the treasury office."
"Uh... Louis?"
"Yes? What is it?"
"Hmm, no, it's nothing. I was just thinking how glad I am that you're so competent."
"I'm glad you appreciate it. But there's no need to feel sorry — helping you is a pleasure, which is why I work so hard."
"..."
Louis looked utterly proud of himself, without a single trace of embarrassment on his face.
And so I couldn't bring myself to reply — nor did I actually feel sorry. Instead, a stray thought crossed my mind.
Wasn't helping me just a convenient pretext for him to indulge his own pleasures?
But whatever—
'As long as the results are good.'
One thing was certain: the progress of the business had advanced another step.
Our Bloom was designed to welcome women from every walk of life.
But of course, the main attraction had to be the noble young ladies.
They had the money, their upbringing had left them utterly reckless spenders, and their purchasing power would no doubt defy imagination.
Simply put: for the store's revenue, the noble young ladies were absolutely indispensable.
So just as Louis had brought in the middle-class women, I would personally handle the noble ladies and bring them to Bloom.
The method was simple.
As it happened, I had the finest weapon there is — connections — accumulated back in my days serving under House Hartwell.
For that purpose, I left Velos and set off on a short business trip to the Imperial Capital.
My destination was none other than the main estate of House Reynette — a comital family standing level with the Hartwells...
There, I intended to borrow the help of a woman regarded as the most exalted presence in that house — and a friend of mine.