How Much Is Your Spring Worth?
1.
"Of course, even with just the mouth, that's impossible."
She looks a bit older.
Early 30s?
Given her experience, it makes sense that she has such brazenness even on first meeting.
Seeing her boldly say she wants my body.
Sleek.
Imagining her shouting 'Now it's enough! Stop, stop, I want to go!' and trying to pull down her pants.
"... What are you doing? Do you think this is your bathroom?"
Valenti stops me.
"... You said it was difficult even with just the mouth, right?"
"Hah, what are you talking about with that kind of thing."
Tuk.
Then she threw a thick sheet of paper onto the table.
A wanted poster with someone's face drawn on it, like a wanted criminal.
"Who is this person?"
"Find her. Bring her here, and I'll give you the item you want."
A face with sky-blue hair, white complexion.
The appearance of wearing a worn brown robe, for some reason, it makes the heart feel desolate.
"Pretty, so I asked who this woman is."
"My employee. She said she went out to earn money, and it's been several days without any news."
Even without looking, this is a manhunt.
If I were her employee, I would have run away without enduring a day.
The audacity that surpasses Valenti's by just a few words of conversation.
"She said she's going to Edelkreutz."
"We're on our way there. And it's right next to the village. It would be faster for you to go find her yourself."
Valenti snorted and buried her head on the desk again.
"You don't look busy? You seem to have time unlike me, so you're asking for a favor?"
"That girl..."
The sight of her constantly using casual speech in a cheeky way was annoying, so I wanted to have Elena kill her.
"Annoying? Then kill her. I can't get what I want, but if it's not me, there won't be anyone in the world who can do this."
"......."
I had no choice but to keep that girl alive at least until I get the magic tool to prevent Rabian's rampage.
But I can't keep carrying Rabian in my arms like this.
"You came because of that beastkin? Here, lie down on my bed and go."
"Hah! You don't know what you're talking about..."
"It's because of mana explosion. I see it— right? Don't talk with a sore throat, just let her go. Don't worry about me."
"Who cares about your worries...!"
Tuk.
Wanting to pour out curses, a hand patted my shoulder from behind.
Elena nodded slightly and stopped me.
"Ugh... Elena saved that girl for you."
"Yeah. Go quickly."
"......."
Without even looking back, Valenti threw a curt answer.
Ignoring her as much as possible, I laid Rabian on the bed.
The anger that doesn't easily subside.
I really wanted to tell her that I was angry because of that girl.
Kung!
I closed the door hard and came out.
2.
"Funny girl. If she's so precious, she should come find you herself. Right?"
"I also fully understand, Master."
"Eh...?"
Did Elena just sympathize with me...?
Did I eat something wrong...?
"Hug me tightly right now, Elena."
"Yes, Master."
Boom.
In the middle of the street.
Ignoring the pedestrians who bowed their waists while passing me, I was embraced in Elena's warm and fragrant arms.
Lifting her heavy breasts, and burying my nose below.
"Your underboob smell is great. How long has it been since you bathed?"
"... I bathe twice a day, Master."
"Even so, this lewd smell... Great, great."
After inhaling Elena's drug until my nose went numb, I decided to get back to the purpose.
"But Edelkreutz isn't some border village, and in this big city, how am I supposed to find one woman..."
At that moment, the silhouette seen in the distant alley corner.
A small body wrapped in a brown robe.
And the sky-blue hair peeking out from outside.
"Found her!"
I immediately ran towards her.
I saw her entering the basement of the building next door...
"'Sha Noir...?' Is this..."
"It's a brothel, Master."
"......?"
She said she went to earn money... a brothel district?
She was selling her body with such a pure-looking face, what is this.
"Since I can't step foot in a place like this with the prince's status, Elena, please."
"Master has visited approximately 432 brothel workers, and among them, about 51 visits to this 'Sha Noir' establishment."
"...... Yeah. I should go myself."
I forgot for a moment that Elena had been watching every move of mine.
Sorry, Elena.
But the fact that I've loved only you and still do hasn't changed.
3.
The brothel I entered after being turned away by Elena.
From the entrance, besides one faint orange light, it was all dark.
A corridor narrow enough for just one person to pass.
All the doors lined up on both sides were tightly closed except one.
And when I turned my head, at the counter.
"Ah! It's our Prince Kalian! Why have you been so infrequent lately! No wonder our girls are in agony every night asking when the prince will come, when the prince will come!"
The clueless boss was happily yelling at me with 60 complaints.
"... Don't be so frivolous."
"No, before, you asked to put in 10 of the best girls, thinking they'd be fun! You made them all exhausted! So, today, 11? 12?"
Today, there's no money to play that deeply.
If I explained the situation, 'There's no money between us!' and she'd push me into a room, but...
"... 1 person. One is enough."
These are small business owners too, they have to eat and live.
"1 person? Who are you talking about? Elice? Claire? Annie? Or Rowena, who you find when you're tired of them?"
"No! I'm looking for a woman. Sky-blue hair, sky-blue eyes. Small build..."
The brothel boss suddenly opened her eyes wide in surprise.
"Eh? That friend's name was... Linette, I think.... How do you know that child, Your Highness?"
"Why. Is that person someone I shouldn't know?"
"It's not that, but she started working today for the first time. It was just now."
"... What?"
Today for the first time?
For what reason?
She has a proper job, so why?
"She hasn't gone anywhere yet."
"Yes. She seems to have just come to drop off her luggage..."
"In that empty room over there, she will be. So, her... don't touch anything, just let her in as is."
"Yes, yes, Your Highness...!"
Given this context, it's clear she has her own circumstances.
"Right, Elena...?"
She disappeared again.
It's not surprising anymore, Elena.
4.
A shabby room with just one cheap bed.
Ignoring the unpleasant moaning sounds faintly coming from beyond the wall, I sat down for a moment.
Kiiick.
The woman in the portrait Valenti gave opened the door timidly and entered.
"Hello... Your Highness...? It's not the prince...?"
"Yeah. Correct. Sit here."
"I- I find it easier to stand...!"
"Sit. Command."
"Yes, yes...!"
No matter how I look at it, this person doesn't seem like someone who would do this job, or rather, someone who could do it.
Boom.
Seeing her slender body that couldn't even knock over the bed, my guess started turning into certainty.
"I came to find you on Valenti's request."
"Ah...! Valenti-nim..."
The eyes trembling slightly as I heard the name.
Clearly, there was a circumstance she couldn't say.
That bitch probably caught her like a mouse.
"What is your name?"
"Linette, Your Highness."
"Linette. Let's put off the story about Valenti for now, and I want to talk with you."
"Yes...! Anything...."
Because of her status, Linette couldn't raise her spirit.
This feeling was rare for me, so it wasn't bad.
"Do you know what kind of place this is, Linette?"
"...... I know."
Linette drooped her shoulders and dropped her gaze to the floor.
"Prostitution... I heard it's a place that sells spring."
"... Do you know what it means to sell spring?"
"I don't know exactly, but... I came to offer my spring."
... What a ridiculous situation.
Without knowing properly, fearlessly.
"What exactly is your spring?"
"It is... it's embarrassing to say..."
Linette hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened her lips.
"The memories of my deceased mother and father. And the last appearance of my younger sister who protected me, saying 'I will protect my sister' with my sickly body. My spring I have is, unfortunately, only these, Your Highness."
"......."
I was at a loss for words.
Why exactly?
The women moaning naked under a strange man behind the wall, without wanting anything.
Rich men.
Luxury items.
Illegal drugs like hallucinogens.
But Linette doesn't seem like someone who would reveal such things.
"Why would you put such a precious thing in this blasphemous market."
"Sin, sorry.... Because of paying off family debts... I reduced eating, saved sleeping time... but the debt kept increasing..."
... As expected.
There was no proper human around.
Valenti probably only thought of using Linette to eat.
I swallowed the words that she didn't need to hear, and spat out the words beyond that.
"So, how much is your spring worth?"
"Ne...?"
"I asked how much your spring is worth. I'm asking for what kind of wealth you were thinking of selling your spring for."
"It is... it wouldn't be appropriate..."
Linette swallowed a small sip of saliva.
"Gold coins... 10 coins..."
She answered in a voice that was getting smaller.
"Gold coins 10 coins."
10 million won.
A pretty small amount for family debt.
"I-I've never dared to try to boldly seek such a large compensation...! I just... like now, working at Valenti-nim's shop... slowly selling my spring... just to prevent the increasing debts..."
Linette shook her hand in fear.
"Do you know what kind of person I am?"
"P-Prince... Your Highness..."
"What kind of prince are you asking about."
"It is..."
The glance she threw, it seemed like she didn't look good.
It was fortunate.
"I have a very bad temper."
"I-I don't think so..."
"Because I enjoy taking away others' precious things."
"......?"
"So I'm buying your spring."
"Yes...?"
"Here. Down payment, 58 silver coins."
I handed over everything in my pocket, Linette's eyes widened more than before as she looked at the silver coins.
"Remaining 9 gold coins and 42 silver coins, I will pay you soon. Will you trade?"
"Hah, but suddenly this much money..."
"Answer the question. Will you sell your spring to me, or sell it divided to these strangers I don't know?"
"If you ask like that, of course..."
Linette hesitated, I grabbed her hand and stuck my thumb.
"The contract is concluded. Your spring is all mine, so don't think of stepping foot in such a place again."
"...... Yes, Your Highness..."
"And no matter how I think, your spring is too shabby to pay 10 gold coins. It's a spring worth exactly 58 silver coins."
"Ah, then..."
Linette's spirit deflated again.
I held her hand that was caught and lifted her up.
"You now owe me a spring worth 9 gold coins and 42 silver coins. So, while living, keep offering your spring without resting. If you don't want to owe again."
"Ah......"
"And every time you meet a small big happiness in your life, remember me. That is all mine."
"......."
Her clear eyes filled with tears.
Linette mumbled her lips several times, then answered, swallowing her sobs.
"Take care... hugh... of my life..."
Cleverly, she answered, swallowing her tears.
"Let's go back first."
"Yes, Your Highness...!"
5.
Coming out from the basement, Elena appeared and greeted us.
"Thank you for your hard work, Master."
Approaching her, I whispered in her ear.
Small enough that Linette couldn't hear.
"I was awesome, right?"
"......."
"Ha... But the 58 silver coin scene was a bit forced. There, just leaving it as a temporary deposit would have been cool, right."
"...... Yes."
I wanted to hug her full breasts, but...
Probably because the expiration of the aphrodisiac is still remaining.
And somehow, the nape of the neck that was emitting strong perfume smell earlier.
"First, let's go to Valenti. I have to solve the Rabian problem too."
"You said 'first'?"
"Yeah. I don't think we can leave our Linette with that devilish girl."
Linette, hearing Valenti's name, turned her head and looked at me.
Her eyes were full of incomprehension towards me.