Virgin Waitress (2)
Yeah, this place was a brothel. Of course, brothels existed. There had to be some shady alley in this city where they clustered together. But in all my ten years wandering as an adventurer, I'd never heard of one disguised as an inn. Why bother? No need to build a big structure, run a restaurant, and sink time and money into it. Unless it was some ultra-luxurious salon catering to the elite...
Anyway, I had no intention of doing anything with that waitress, so I grabbed my cloak and stood up.
"You're not leaving, are you?"
"I came here to sleep, not for anything else."
"No!"
Just as I was about to head out, the waitress blocked the door. I tried to push her aside, but she clung on desperately.
"Please!"
She practically hung off my arm, pleading.
"If you leave like this, I might get beaten to death tonight...!"
That stopped me cold. Prostitution was legal in the kingdom. Sure, out in the boonies, they still trafficked people or trapped them in debt, but this was Bue, a major city. If they were running it so openly, they must have proper registration, and the girls were probably all volunteers. So why say something like that? She'd seemed eager to dodge customers downstairs earlier too. If she hated it that much, why work here? Unless... like me, she'd come in blind and gotten duped...?
Her eyes trembled so much I couldn't bring myself to shove her away. I stepped back instead.
"Thank you..."
She murmured softly. That expression didn't look like acting to keep a customer.
"I'll just sleep here, so you can go. That work?"
"Really... you won't?"
"No. I'm not. So go, please."
"But I'm a virgin..."
"I said no."
Despite my repeated refusals, she showed no sign of leaving.
"If I go out now without doing anything, I'll get hit for leaving empty-handed."
"Fine, here's a deal. I'll go explain to the boss there was a misunderstanding and I'm leaving."
"No... Dad won't let you go nicely..."
...Dad? Did I hear that right...?
"Dad? That guy downstairs is your father?"
"Yes..."
She answered reluctantly, as if she hated saying it. Forcing his own daughter— a virgin, no less—to sell herself...?
There were plenty of unqualified parents in the world, and sure, deranged ones existed. But hearing about it in stories was worlds apart from seeing it right in front of you. My head spun, and I slumped back onto the bed.
"Don't overthink it... just do it with me. It's my first time serving, but with a respectable guy like you..."
Honestly, I could've just paid and been done with it. But now that I'd heard her story, that felt impossible. Ten years as a hero had warped my morals and values. Smashing injustice and evil from the side of justice and common sense—following the Goddess's oracle out of duty until it seeped deep into my core. To me, this situation screamed injustice and evil. If I'd had the Holy Sword, and it blazed white in front of the boss, his head would've rolled on the spot. The inn would've burned to the ground.
But I wasn't that kingdom-sanctioned hero anymore. As I was now...
"So... the fee, I guess? Pay that, and it's settled?"
"...You sure?"
"How much?"
"Three gold coins..."
Fuck... That soured my mood even more. Her virginity for a measly three gold coins? Sold off by her own father...
I rummaged in my pouch, pulled out three gold coins, and handed them over. She took them and stared at me blankly.
"You're really... okay with this...?"
"I'll sleep, so go."
"It's not because you don't like me...?"
"It's not that. Go."
She gazed at me a moment longer, then said,
"Thank you, sir. My name's Della."
With that, she opened the door and left.
Whew... Why'd I even come to a dump like this? Too late to leave now, so might as well crash. I spread half my cloak on the bed, pulled the other half over me, and lay down. But then moans echoed clearly from both walls.
Fuck it... Seriously...
Nearly an hour of trying to sleep, and I was still wide awake, eyes bulging. The moans, the girls' coquettish laughs, incomprehensible shouts, doors slamming, footsteps in the hall—nonstop racket.
A normal inn would've been dead silent by now, travelers conked out from the road. Maybe some low murmurs from late drinkers downstairs, but nothing like this.
I couldn't take it. Threw off the cloak and bolted up. Better to camp outside than pull an all-nighter here.
Downstairs, most tables in the hall stood empty. Crossing to the exit, cold air rushed in, white breath puffing from my mouth. March nights still bit hard—maybe head back in? Then a sniffle caught my ear from the inn's shadowy corner. A woman huddled there, sobbing. It was Della, the boss's daughter I'd just paid off, wiping her tears.
She spotted me, startled, and jumped up.
"Not sleeping...?"
"Too noisy. Thinking of heading elsewhere. What're you doing out here?"
"Nothing."
She hurriedly scrubbed her eyes with her sleeve.
"It's late—no inns open around now."
"Guess I'll rough it outside. Can't sleep here anyway."
"It's freezing!"
Her breath fogged too. She hesitated, then grabbed my sleeve.
"Don't... I'll show you a quiet room."
"Such a thing exists?"
"Yes. Follow me."
She led me back inside, up the stairs to the third floor. At the hall's end, steep stairs—more ladder than steps.
"Up here."
"Where's it lead?"
"Attic. Way quieter than the guest rooms."
Skeptical but climbing anyway, hands and feet on rungs. Sure enough, a slanted low-ceiling attic appeared. Ducking in: thick bedding on the floor, a quilt, a low desk. Stacks of books under the desk—too dark to read titles. A chest with a few clothes in the corner, a tiny window in the triangular wall.
Barely qualified as a room.
"My room. Cramped, but cozy—good for sleeping."
Della called from below.
The boss's daughter lives here...? What the hell...?
"Bedding in the chest. Use that. Sweet dreams...!"
She scurried off without waiting.
Sure enough, neatly folded bedding in the chest. With her kindness and the chill outside, I pulled it out, spread it, and lay down. High up, the crude noises faded.
Gazing at the beam crossing the slanted ceiling, I pondered the inn. Inn outside, brothel inside. Prostitution's legal—why hide it? And the boss pimping his virgin daughter? Shady as hell... But what was the real deal? Eh, leaving tomorrow anyway—who cares.
Such thoughts lulled me to sleep.
I woke to flickering light through closed lids. Cracking my eyes: candle dimly burning on the low desk. Della in loose comfy clothes, scribbling away.
Glancing out the window, not much time had passed since I climbed up. Rifling her book stack, she met my eyes.
"Oh...! Sorry... Did I wake you?"
"Studying?"
She smiled awkwardly, sliding the pile under the desk. Candlelight revealed titles: Basics of Fish Cookery by a Ducal Chef, Official Treasury Ledger-Keeping Guidelines, The History of Bread, Nationwide Liquor Handling Protocols, and so on. All pro inn-management books. Some I'd read myself.
"Just... bored. Sorry. I'll snuff the candle. Sleep."
"Nah, keep going. Don't mind me. Squeezing in study time, looks like."
"Thanks..."
I closed my eyes, rolled over to give her space. Some time later, soft sighs from behind. Stuck on something.
I sat up quietly, peered over. Accounting book open; she puzzled over a problem. Her notes showed where she'd erred.
"You miscalculated the accumulated depreciation..."
"Gasp!"
So absorbed, she hadn't noticed me. She inhaled sharply.
"Sorry."
"N-no... it's fine..."
Backing off a bit, she stammered,
"Wh-what'd you say was wrong?"
"Accumulated depreciation. Revaluation requires adjustment—you left it."
"Oh...?"
She checked her work, let out a small "Aha!"
"You're right..."
She scratched it out with pencil, reworked it. Soon, a satisfied smile.
"How'd you know?"
"I handle ledgers too."
"Tax accountant?"
"No. Run an inn in Rosens."
Her eyes widened.
"Innkeeper...? In Rosens...?"
I told her about slaying the northern route's Golruk, taking over the inn, just starting up.
"Lucky timing..."
"Tell me about it. Those books—all inn ops stuff."
Glancing around, she got it—her face darkened.
"Someday... I might inherit this place..."
"I see."
She stared silently at the flickering candle. No more interrupting—time to lie back? But she spoke.
"Our inn... it's buried in debt..."