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Early on a July morning, Aoi and Sora packed a suitcase for Lady Hyori. They put inside her toiletries and a few clothes. They also packed the girl's current textbooks and shoes, but hadn't been able to pack any of her seventeenth birthday gifts nor her favourite jewels. The golden tea set and the new instruments and apparel would wait for the girl inside the suite she had been offered. For the last time, the duo of maids cleaned and groomed the girl who would leave in a few hours. After a week inside the medical area, Lady Hyori would leave the Inner Palace to be put under a specialist's care.
They had received the news the previous day and were still uncertain concerning their future. All the women inside the forbidden walls already had personal maids and the nursing area was empty of any unmonitored children. After twelve years spent catering to the lavender-haired girl, they hadn't even once thought the latter would leave the palace. She was favoured thanks to her Mother and set on a sure path to enter the Imperial Harem herself. Even after her last birthday night, the maids figured the girl would get used to the treatment and remain inside.
After all, she wouldn't be the only one receiving visits from the Emperor and it's not like it would happen every night. What could such a delicate thing expect to find outside the sheltered home she had known her whole life? She had musical talent but that alone wouldn't offer her the same level of comfort she had in the Inner Palace, unless she got into an advantageous arrangement. But then, no arrangement was better than the Imperial harem. It was the guarantee of a never-ending opulence. To think she would be spoiled enough to easily discard what many longed for.
They understood the episode had been painful. But could it be that painful that she would end up bedridden for days? At first, they had thought she was trying to gain time and that her Mother would eventually reason with her. Miss Shinsou must have known she was getting old and should have been eager to secure her daughter's position, at least to retain some advantage. Yet, she had manoeuvred to have her daughter under a specialist's tutelage, no doubt to teach her questionable things. What kind of acquaintances would a courtesan keep if not questionable ones?
Unless the woman was secretly jealous of the young girl and would rather have her away from the Head of the House's gaze. She was sending her daughter away mere days after the advanced-aged man had confirmed his intentions for her. After all, she was a capricious woman who couldn't let any other have something she didn't, or God forbid, anything better. No lady ever received a golden tea set as a courting gift inside the forbidden walls. And that wasn't even counting the wardrobe and jewels she had been given. There was no doubt the girl's youth gave her an edge in the Emperor's eyes.
But if that was so, why hadn't she sent her daughter away before anything happened? The Head of the House's intentions had been evident as soon as he offered to give Lady Hyori her own suite. Did she expect the man wouldn't act on the opportunity? Did she think she could prevent it from happening? Or did she want it to happen and traumatise her daughter to prevent her from ever enjoying a man's company? Was it a way to punish the girl from receiving attention the Mother would rather keep to herself? That would be cruel and evil. But they knew the woman had an evil side and wasn't above cruelty.
They wondered what would happen to them with Lady Hyori out of the Inner Palace. They couldn't follow the girl inside that pension. Finding another Lady to serve would mean needing to learn new habits and forgetting the ones they picked over twelve years of service. They would need to find another young child to have enough time to get accustomed to another character. Plus, they had been in their thirties when they were hired but were now well into their forties. Competition was arduous in their industry and they were too old to compete against the new ones.
It wasn't yet seven in the morning when the girl was groomed and ready to leave with her suitcase. Looking at the girl, she didn't seem more certain of her future than they were. Anguish was painted over her face. Her long lavender tresses had been secured into twin braids. The maids put on her a formal lilac Yukata dress that matched her eyes and hair. The girl's eyes met theirs and she addressed them for the first time in days.
"I am sorry for the inconvenience." She said with a small voice. "I know no words can appease your worries for your future. I wish the two of you to be soon requested by another employer."
"Thank you, Lady Hyori." Replied the maids in unison.
Of course, the girl would sense the direction of their thoughts. She had used her quirk so many times on them that their minds were bare and spoke volumes to her senses. At this moment, they wondered if they would serve another lady with the same level of empathy Lady Hyori had displayed. She hadn't been the easiest to content but she had been the most pleasant to cater to. They suspected the attachment was due to the girl's quirk that repeatedly soothed them during the quirk training sessions.
"Lady Hyori." Started Sora. "We want to apologise for betraying you." She bowed on the ground, followed by Aoi. "We are earnestly sorry for your mistreatment we partook in."
The girl looked at their prone forms on the floor before letting them know she understood their position.
"I know you didn't want it as much as I didn't. I accept your excuses."
"Thank you, Lady Hyori." Said the maids before rising to their feet.
Afterwards, Aoi exited the nursing room to tell Miss Shinsou they had groomed her daughter. The woman had been waiting inside the waiting room to give her daughter some alone time with the women who had taken care of her for over a decade. She remembered the day the duo entered her daughter's life. They had been the first maids entirely dedicated to the girl. The then toddler had been shy in front of them on the first day. Then, she warmed to them when they started being her playmates and carried her whenever she asked for it. Their bond only deepened when she started practising her quirk on them.
The empathetic aspect of her daughter's quirk had made her more reasonable and easier to manage. She still wanted to have her ways but matured enough to backtrack if it inconvenienced people. Her maids being the people she had tethered with the most, her connection to them deepened and Miss Shinsou would be lying for saying she hadn't been envious of their bond. It had been the first time her dear daughter had been this close to anyone besides herself. She was afraid to lose the girl to these two and that the Empress Dowager would worm her way in the same way.
While she had been waiting, the Emperor's words replayed in her mind. Why was she giving up the child she insisted on bringing with her inside the Inner Palace? She remembered the circumstances that led to the girl's birth. She had been naive at the time. After experiencing mistreatment and abuse at senile hands in her own home, she followed her singer of a Mother around. Inexperienced, she had believed she would be able to live her dream life, only to wake up and realise she had been used.
Amidst her chaotic situation, the offer to receive protection from the Emperor had been heaven-sent. Her Mother had paved her way to getting hired by the Imperial House, blessed with a quirk that raptured people's attention whenever they heard her voice. Despite the latter woman desolating her quirk alone couldn't influence people and didn't have a lasting effect, it gave her an edge over her peers. She was more often than not put at the centre of musical comedies in the National Theatre, where she had the opportunity to be witnessed by the Emperor.
From public concerts to private ones, Hyori's Grandmother had established a connection with the Imperial House. Knowing her limitations, she always ensured to bring her daughter as a musician for any of her private concerts. That's how Miss Shinsou met Hyori's Father, multiple other men and finally the Emperor. The arrangement she was offered wasn't much different than many propositions she had received at the time. Still, the Head of the Imperial House would offer an unprecedented quality of life provided she took his offer, or make her endure unprecedented suffering if she refused.
At that time, the sight of her fragile infant who couldn't even take two steps had prevented her from hesitating. Her moonflower was so delicate that she would get ill if she were exposed to the sunlight for too long, her sensitive eyes were easily blinded by light, and her deficient levels of melanin induced a poor development of her sight. As much as she had entertained not carrying her daughter, from the second their skins touched, Hyori had been the apple of her eyes, the best of her and the silver lining of her foolishness's consequences. Her baby didn't deserve to be a collateral of her mixed life. She deserved the best and that was growing up within the Imperial House, at least at the time.
At the time, Miss Shinsou went from a single Mother taking care of her baby to a courtesan with maids to ensure her dear offspring benefited from professional care at all times. When they entered the Inner Palace, Hyori was going through the bitty phase of teething. Sharp and unused enamel was piercing through her upper gums and hurting the lower ones. The maids had massaged the fussy infant's face and let her chew on their clean fingers to alleviate the pain. It was more than the frozen apples she had given her baby through mesh teethers to lessen the inflammatory reaction. The Imperial House also paid for an expensive surgery and an experimental treatment to help her girl's sight improve.
Miss Shinsou was taken out of her reverie by her daughter's former maids. The woman stood from the couch when they announced they had finished grooming the girl. It was time to take the teen to the Palace's exit where the woman she entrusted her daughter was waiting. With all the composure she had left, the Mother discarded the maids and walked towards her daughter's nursing room. When her eyes landed on the girl in her formal dress, the emotions she pushed down surged.
The woman took her daughter in her arms for what would be the last time until the current Emperor's demise. She held the girl close to leaving as much of her rose perfume as she could. She wanted her fragrance to imprint into the refined dress that she assumed was the fanciest piece that had been packed for her. Not even once had she envisioned her sweet girl living an ordinary life. At least, she wouldn't have chores to do inside her acquaintance's establishment. But she wouldn't live in the cosiest place as well.
"Are you ready?" Asked the Mother in a whisper.
"I am." Replied the girl in their embrace.
Miss Shinsou knew her daughter wasn't ready. The ever-pleasing teen had told her what she needed to hear to feel better. She knew those words didn't change Hyori's experience of their separation. Yet, it selfishly made her feel better about sending her away. With those words, she could hold onto the belief her daughter was leaving the nest to go on the adventure of her life. That was a better perspective than the reality of her circumstances and of what was laying ahead.
Together, they left the medical area with guards carrying the suitcase towards the Palace's exit. The procession was ironically similar to the one towards Hyori's birthday ceremony inside the Inner Gardens' gazebo, with guards instead of maids. The girl's red umbrella was the only bright colour that defiled under the sun at this hour of the day. Noticeable from afar but only visible by the guards who surveyed the area, as the girl was leaving at the wee hours of the day.
On the other side of the exit gate, the procession was greeted by the Mother's old acquaintance and the manager of the girls' pension Hyori had been enrolled on. Orochimi, the pension's manager, was a mutant half-snake. The woman was tall and slender with purple eye makeup that contrasted her pale skin. Her lips had been painted red and had a velvety aspect. Speaking of velvet, the red Obi belt of her formal Kimono dress seemed to be made of velvet.
Her interested eyes locked on Hyori as she commented how much the girl looked like a taller version of her Mother. She had appreciated her formal speech with her measured and suave voice. Delight resonated from her hissing voice as she thanked Miss Shinsou for her trust.
"She's already a polished gem. Stay assured only the best will handle her."
The snake woman was confident in her statement. She also rejoiced at the idea of taking the teen into her establishment. Her interest didn't settle well with Hyori but the girl decided to trust her Mother despite not having a way to keep in touch with the woman. She sent a silent pleading look towards her Mother. She didn't want to leave with a stranger. The danger of the situation she was walking into was suddenly choking her. For all response, her Mother kissed her on the forehead before stepping back to let the snake lady board Hyori on the passenger seat of her car.
After watching her daughter leave, Miss Shinsou returned to her suite. Inside the salon, the bonsaï encyclopaedia had been left untouched on the low table for days. The Mother cradled in her hands the last book her daughter had read, occasionally flipping pages. She intended to spend the day inside her personal space but was disturbed. She thought the Emperor had surprised her with a visit during the day as her suite's main door was opened without her permission. She was even more taken aback when the figure of the Empress Dowager entered her salon as her maids held the curtains open for her.
"Good morning, your Highness." Greeted Miss Shinsou with a bow.
The elderly woman sat on the same couch after returning her greeting. Her visit wasn't much of a surprise if she had received the information of Hyori's departure. She was the only member of the Imperial House who had a genuine interest in her daughter and probably the one who had the most habits with her.
"I visited Lady Hyori's suite, earlier. Not much was different from the day before she received it."
"The suite would remain hers until she returns, your Highness."
"When will that happen?"
Miss Shinsou considered her next words before answering.
"I can't tell for sure."
"How long do you expect to keep the Emperor waiting?"
The younger woman didn't have an answer to that question. She told the Head of the House to wait until Hyori turned eighteen. She led him to think the teen would return in a year. Yet, she planned for her daughter to never come back to the Inner Palace. With the girl out of the Emperor's sight, she could lead him on until Hyori wouldn't be a teen anymore. But afterwards, she hoped the man would have forgotten about her daughter. Once she would turn twenty-one, he wouldn't need the Mother's permission to hunt her until she was back inside his court.
Since Miss Shinsou didn't answer, the Empress Dowager understood the former intended to play Cat And Mouse. The game was dangerous against a potentially lethal man. All she could count on was her gifted charms no one but herself knew the ins and outs. Still, the elderly woman doubted she had much control of the affected people's actions. If she did, she could have prevented the Head of the Imperial House from acting on his intentions towards her daughter.
"Only an Emperor could defeat another one." Stated the elderly woman.
"I want it to be her choice." Replied the younger woman.
"Does she have one?"
"As long as she remains out of sight."
"If you can see her, they can."
"They?"
The Empress Dowager nodded.
"The First Prince's interest in her had been obvious during her ceremony. Your similar looks will keep her alive in their memory, especially since the First Prince hasn't tasted her and can't have you. The fantasy will linger in him until he has an opportunity."
Miss Shinsou hadn't taken the First Prince into account. She assumed his lack of interaction with her daughter translated into a superficial interest. She hadn't computed how out of reach the girl had been from him. But now, she was available to him. He probably didn't know it yet, but the girl was heading an hour and a half away from the Inner Palace, straight into a place she would be available to a man of his status.
Then again, only the Emperor and the post office agent knew where she sent her daughter. She doubted the Head of the House would let his son receive any information regarding the teen's whereabouts. She didn't need to worry about the First Prince. Unless he could pressure the post office's agents. Even though he could, pursuing Hyori would mean confronting his Father. He didn't have much choice but to wait to become the Emperor himself, which wasn't going to happen before at least a decade.
By the time the First Prince becomes the Emperor, Hyori would have gained her independence for sure. She would be free to leave the country unlike herself. She had to believe in her plan and not listen to the Empress Dowager. The elderly woman probably wanted to trouble her into panic. That way, she would resign to let the Imperial House rule over her daughter's life and Hyori would be back to sing for the cunning old woman. That devious woman only worried about herself, much like everyone inside the Inner Palace. For that reason alone, she needed to keep her sweet girl away from that place.
"I can only hope the First Prince is a level-headed man who can tell when a fight is lost in advance." Replied Miss Shinsou with finality in her voice.
Understanding the conversation was over, the Empress Dowager rose from the couch and left the suite. The last seven nights, she had been frustrated and didn't have a single good night. Lady Hyori's singing and reading had intoxicated her brain and only worked live. She had tried on numerous occasions to record the girl for the evenings she would be sick, but nothing ever worked. The magic was laced into the sweet vibrations of her vocal cords. She wanted to experience it again and needed to know where the girl was.
Kilometres away, a shiny black sport utility vehicle was driving through the highway in a forest. Miss Orochimi's car was significantly bigger than most cars on the roads. The inside was nearly as comfortable as a salon and smelled nice. The roads' sounds were inaudible inside the silent bubble. Hyori had broken the glass by asking if the radio could be turned on but the snake lady replied she would rather hear the girl's breathing.
"There is no need for honorifics between us." Added the snake lady.
"I will." Replied the girl.
The driving woman smirked at the girl's attitude before enquiring.
"Do you have an idea of what you are getting into?"
"I'm supposed to become independent."
Orochimi snickered at the words.
"That will come naturally. I need your face to serve as soon as possible." After a beat of silence, she added. "Tell me about your quirk."
The woman had already been briefed about the girl's abilities but she wanted to hear how the latter would describe it herself. Also, she couldn't deny she enjoyed the way she spoke. The Inner Palace's education was something else entirely and she couldn't dream of a better girl to have inside her establishment. Her current hosts already fared well with her usual domestic clientele but this one could open her to an exotic clientele. Foreigners were avid lovers of traditional performances.
"It's called brainwashing. When people talk to me, I can tune out parts of their senses or shut their minds completely. They will follow basic motor instructions under the spell but I can't solicit their fine motor skills or memory."
The snake lady seemed to consider the revelation.
"Only when they talk to you?" She pressed.
"I need people to focus on me to access their minds. The connection I establish is stronger when they talk to me."
"Brainwashing. The name isn't attractive. I will find a more appealing label. How does it feel to be under your quirk?" Orochimi was straining her eyes on the road, occasionally glancing at Hyori during their conversation.
"I can't use it on myself but I've been told it can feel like the best sleep or the worst nightmare. It depends on the person's disposition to be brainwashed. If I order them against their will, or if they are unwilling, it will feel like a nightmare. If they are willing, the experience is comfortable."
"Are they completely dumb or do they retain some of their faculties?"
"I can put them in an artificial sleep or let them retain their awareness. It will turn off strong emotions like stress or anger."
"That's great. Those abilities are in high demand in my department. Can you show me?" Said the snake lady while she parked on the sideway.
The woman had conversed with the teen enough for the latter's haze to take effect without any more interaction. Connecting with the snake lady, Hyori noticed her body temperature was lower than she ever felt and assumed her subject lacked thermal regulation as part of her mutation. Orochimi seemed satisfied with what she experienced.
"That's more bankable than your Mother's abilities. Are you used to using it on people?"
"The Empress Dowager requested me to do it for her several days per week."
"Good."
And with that, the woman returned the car on the road to resume the trip.
Now that the topic of her Mother had been brought up, Hyori asked a question that burgeoned as soon as her amethyst eyes met the slanted irises.
"How did you meet my Mother?"
"Well, long story short, I helped her network but that didn't fare well given the limitations of her quirk. She guaranteed you didn't have the same control issue and I can believe it since I was able to take you with me. The Emperor wouldn't have let you leave if your quirk worked like hers."
They remained silent for the rest of the drive. The pension was located in Kamakura. Hyori was excited to see her new place and the setting of her first adventure beyond the inner palace. The city used to be the capital of the country in mediaeval times. According to the geography encyclopaedias she read, an abundant nature surrounding temples would welcome her for the coming years. The girl was eager to explore the forest and wander in nature. She had daydreamed too many times. In a matter of days, her fantasy will come true. Would the forest smell differently from the gardens? For sure. There were living animals and a thriving ecosystem inside. The city was also coastal. Hyori wondered how the sand would feel under her feet. She wanted to feel the real expense of sand she could bury her feet in. She was eager to smell the beach air. She had read too many poems on its benefits.
There would be a lot of places to go and a lot more to experience. She would need to get over the learning curve of commuting by herself. Would Orochimi provide for her? She assumed she wouldn't enjoy the same luxury she was granted in the inner palace. Nonetheless, she hoped she wouldn't have to live like a pauper. Orochimi looked like an elegant woman. Her perfume was delicate and enticing. Not a single strand of hair was out of place. Her silky hair was left loose with a side bang falling in the front of her elongated face. Her eyeliner traced the curve of her almond eyes. Her thin lips had stretched into a smirk when Hyori boarded her car.
The girl woke up at dawn to leave the inner palace with Orochimi. The woman had travelled from Kamakura to Tokyo the previous day. She had slept in a hotel to pick the girl up in the wee hours of the day. Hyori left her 'home' like an intruder. Her maids had helped her carry her luggage when most of the palace inhabitants were still asleep. Only her Mother had been out of her personal space to hug her one last time. The whole ordeal felt nostalgic. Weeks prior, she was sleeping beside her Mother. She had no idea she would embark with a woman she never saw or heard about.
She would miss her Mother's embrace. In the hug, she wondered if it was the right decision. Was she ready to be on her own? She wouldn't see anyone she knew for a while. Her maids, Aoi and Sora, would probably move on to another lady. Cell phones were prohibited in the inner palace. She wouldn't hear her Mother's voice for a long time. While hugging her mother, she inhaled as much of her fragrance as possible. She wanted to bottle the smell and keep it on her future bedside.
As expected, the city was small. Not that Hyori could appreciate the size of a city with precision. She had only ever known the inner palace. After the car passed mountains, the road joined a stepped city bordered by the forest. As they drove by the seaside, the turquoise waters of the beach glistened under the sunlight. Hyori was tempted to open the window. After a dozen minutes, the car entered an underground parking lot.
"Here we are." Said Orochimi as she parked the car.
She powered the engines off and retrieved her purse from the floor console before opening her door. Hyori took it as her cue to exit the car as well.
"Come with me." The woman urged.
Hyori followed her toward a door without any handle. Orochimi rummaged through the external pocket of her purse and retrieved two cards. One had her face, name and digits on it with 'Private Affairs Manager' written under her name. The second card had 'guest' and digits written on it without any pictures.
"Take it. You can't enter the staff area without an identification card." She instructed while giving the guest card to Hyori.
She swiped her card in a slit where the handle should have been. The door unlocked with a beep and she pushed it open. The 'handle' kept beeping like a minute counter until the door closed as soon as Orochimi entered. Hyori did the same and the door unlocked with a beep. It kept beeping at a rapid pace until it abruptly closed after her. An empty and dim-lighted hall welcomed them.
"We can't enter or exit with luggage through this entrance. Only the porters can do it. Come."
Hyori followed the woman through a hall until they reached a lift without buttons or a display. Orochimi slid her car in a slit where the command buttons should have been. The lift opened with a beeping sound. A lot of things were beeping. Hyori never thought it could be annoying. Either way, she boarded the lift with Orochimi and they ascended for two seconds or less.
A carpeted hall welcomed them. The ceiling was high and the walls were wide apart. Maybe ten feet high. They walked down the hall as if they were coming back to their starting point. Wall lights were illuminating the hall. Halfway, a wooden door was closed and secured with a keycard lock. A few feet ahead, a metallic door blocked the way. Orochimi unlocked the door with her card and entered. The door closed right after her, again. Hyori did the same afterwards. It was off-setting to have doors close after people like that.
Behind the metallic door, there was a lobby room. The sunlight entering the open floor-to-ceiling glass doors surprised Hyori. The light was entering unfiltered. It was probably the first time she witnessed so much light inside a room. Plants in pots were sitting between each door and curtains were tied on the side. The sea could be seen far away. The blue of the sky and the blue of the sea were parted by the world line. It was beautiful and grandiose. Orochimi walked towards the guest reception desk. A petite man was typing on a computer before the duo entered what looked like the office area.
"Hello, Haru. The new hire has arrived... Haze. For the Private Affairs Unit. I will need a porter once it's over."
"Hello, Orochimi. Noted." Answered the man.
The woman turned towards the girl.
"He will take care of you."
She beelined for a smaller hall where Hyori assumed the workspace was.
The man had a short brown buzzcut and a square face. Glasses were hanging on his button nose in front of a close set of round puppy eyes. Hyori thought he was cute.
"Hello, Haze."
Hyori was mute for a few seconds until she received a pointed look from Haru.
"Hello, Mister Haru."
"Haru. We only use honorifics for customers."
"All right, Haru." Tried the girl.
His soul-melting smile welcomed her. His small plump mouth stretched into a heart-shaped smile. His tan complexion was glowing under the sunlight with a honey-like shine.
"I will take a picture to put on your identification card." He said while opening a drawer and retrieving a camera. He adjusted it a bit before looking at where Hyori stood.
"Let's close some curtains for our photoshoot." He said before walking from behind the reception desk.
Hyori followed the man as he untied and closed the curtains of the nearest door. He gestured for the girl to position herself before the closed curtains. The marine curtains were opaque and the light didn't filter in. The lobby was still illuminated by the sunlight coming from the other doors.
"You can smile a bit. It's not that serious." He said while snapping a few shots.
The flashlight blinded the girl who tried not to blink.
"These will do."
He said while inspecting the results on the camera. Satisfied, he walked back behind the reception desk.
"Alright. I type your name and department... Today's date... And your card is ready in Orochimi's office. The third one on the left." He instructed her.
"Thank you." Said Hyori before walking towards the room Orochimi walked into.
"I will need your guest card before letting you go." He added.
"Of course." She said as she walked back to leave her guest card on the counter. Afterwards, she marched in the office area direction. Six office doors were lined on each side of the hall. She passed the Housekeeping and Purchase Offices before arriving in front of the Private Affairs Office's door. She knocked on the door and Orochimi allowed her inside.
A regular office desk was perpendicular to the entrance. It was probably a secretary's desk. Orochimi was sitting on a wide desk in the back of the room.
"Have a seat." She said while pointing at one of the two seats in front of her desk.
Hyori did as instructed. A printer was active and making background noise. It lasted for a few seconds before stopping. Orochimi handed a contract to the girl. It was already signed by her Mother's hand.
"It's your copy. Your Mother handed your guardianship to the pension I manage."
Hyori took a dozen minutes to read the contract. She was bound under the Red Velvet Pension tutelage until her twenty-first birthday, the legal complete majority. She could ask for emancipation as soon as she could prove she was able to provide for herself. Also, her guardianship could be handed to a suitable tutor at the pension's sole discretion. Did it mean she could be passed around to someone like the Emperor? Orochimi seemed to sense the agitation in the girl. Hyori wondered if she also had a snake's vision.
"Is anything the matter?" Asked the snake lady.
The pension's manager had lived the scene so many times she had mastered her script down to the coma. She knew with precision what parts of the contract made the girls' heartbeats increase, what lines made their temperature rise in worry, the moment their eyes would become watery and resigned. This girl was no different than the other ones. She was trapped inside her establishment and she intended to desensitise her like she always did. She hoped the girl would live up to the potential she saw in her. Even though hosting was too much for the girl, she was pretty enough she would get a nice price for handing over her guardianship.
"You can hand me to someone else." Said the girl with worry in her eyes.
Orochimi leaned forward on her desk. She was resting her elbows on the counter as she answered.
"You are here to perform. You will be handed over if you don't meet our standards. I'm sure it won't happen but it's a part of the pension contracts."
Hyori was at a loss of words. She wanted to argue but the document was already signed. There wasn't much she could do. She felt cornered. She was suddenly back in her suite and the Emperor was marching towards her.
"Everything will be alright as long as you play your part. I already told you. Your abilities are in high demand. You need to relax."
The woman took the card from the printer and turned back towards Hyori. She handed the card and the girl took it. One of the pictures she just took was staring back at her. 'Haze' was written beside the picture with 'Private Affairs Department' underneath.
"Come on, let's get your luggage."
The duo walked back into the underground parking, behind the car where her luggage was boarded. A porter was waiting for them with a trolley. Orochimi opened the trunk and the porter retrieved her small suitcase and Hyori's big one. Orochimi closed the trunk before locking the car. They walked through the same external door as previously. The porter took another route.
"He's taking the luggage route. He will join us in the pension residency apartment. Come on."
They walked past a few doors until they reached another door without any handle. Orochimi slid her card to enter; Hyori did the same after the door closed in her face. She will have a hard time with the doors shutting like that.
The apartment was underground. Halfway underground. Short and wide windows were lining the upper quarter of the wall. Ventilation was coming from vents above the windows. The platter ceiling lights were bright, probably to compensate for the poor access to natural light. Despite all of these flaws, the space seemed cosy. As cosy as the underground could be. The floor and walls were covered in white vinyl tiles.
A low U-shaped cream sofa was facing a television screen. There wasn't any pillow or cushion on the couch. There wasn't any low table either. The only other furniture was a diner table with chairs and a fountain behind the salon. The living room looked like the typical townhouse living room displayed in Encyclopedia, minus a kitchen and a low table. The living room looked bare but the room was tidy and spotless. Hyori hoped it meant the hotel staff would clean the apartment.
On the sofa, A tall plump girl was lounging with headphones on. Looking at her features as she turned her face towards the newcomers, Hyori guessed the other was a little older than a girl.
"Hello, Orochimi." Greeted the lounging figure without any greeting gesture.
"Hello, Bliss. Can you get familiar with the new hire? Haze. She needs to loosen."
"Of course." She said before standing from the couch. She could have been a foot and a half taller than Hyori.
The doorbell rang and Orochimi, who was the closest, opened. It was the porter from earlier with the trolley. He unloaded Hyori's suitcase and Orochimi exited with him. Hyori was grateful this suitcase had wheels. Most of the inner palace's suitcases were old-fashioned accessories meant to be carried by servants.
"I will show you your room." Said Bliss while walking ahead.
"Thank you, Bliss." Replied Hyori while following the other girl.
The girls entered a hall between the salon and the dining table. There were a few closed doors on one side and a gliding door on the other.
"The gliding door leads into the communal bathroom. It's our only luxury in this apartment. I can show you later." Said Bliss.
Her red bob was swinging with each of her steps. She wasn't exactly plump. Her oval face was adorned with prominent cheeks creasing lightly when she spoke. Her upper body looked significantly slimmer than her lower body. Her loose-cropped top showcased noticeable abdominal lines that evolved into a uterine pouch. Her high-waist pleated shorts flattered her high hips that curved into thick long legs.
Bliss turned around and her smile formed dimples on her cheeks. Her name perfectly fitted her smile that one couldn't help but return. Hyori had never seen dimples. It was adorable and beautifully enhanced the young woman's small almond close-set eyes on top of a button nose and petite curvy mouth. Her hazel eyes were complemented by her shiny dark olive skin.
"Here is your room, princess." She said as she stopped in front of the fourth door."
"I'm not a real Princess." Replied Hyori with her eyes cast downward.
"It was teasing you. I can drop it if it makes you uncomfortable."
"Thank you... Bliss."
Hyori entered the room. The walls and floor were covered in cream-coloured vinyl tiles. The room had a short window across the whole length and the curtains were open. She hurried to close them to keep the sun rays out of her bedroom. There were meshed curtains behind solid ones. She opted to leave the solid curtains open until the night.
A desk and a queen-sized bed were lined on the wall under the window. Behind the door, wardrobe drawers covered the remaining part of the wall. The room was empty of any other furniture, but spacious enough to bring in other items.
"The staff will bring us lunch at noon. It's mostly leftovers from the hotel's brunch. The real meal is dinner since we get leftovers from the midday service. They will bring us milk in the morning. Drinking it is mandatory. They add the previous day's biscuits and pastries they can't serve anymore."
"Do they serve ice cream cake?" Questioned Hyori.
She shouldn't have too many frozen treats. But once in a while, maybe once a month, will do.
"Only when requested. You will have to wait for a visitor to get one."
As if on cue, the apartment's door beeped. A rolling sound was heard. A hotel worker was depositing plates on the table. He exited with a nod of his head.
Bliss opened one plate's cover to inspect the inside.
"I have a benedict egg, raspberries, salmon toast and Greek yoghurt. There are three of us, including you. The other will soon emerge from her room."
Hyori walked to stand beside Bliss. The food seemed appealing. Looking at the other two plates, she picked the closest one and opened it. She had the same plate with grapes instead of raspberries.
"Aren't they all the same?" She asked while taking her seat.
"Some pieces are different but they put the same nutritive value inside each plate." Answered Bliss while taking a seat. "We don't have a lot of Japanese dishes, though. They have to be requested. We can only have sushi on National holidays or with visitors. Hurry up, the worker will be back in an hour to retrieve the plates."
The roommates were halfway in their meal when another joined them. She was tall, albeit not as tall as Bliss. Hyori wasn't used to being the shortest in the room. She wondered if the food had anything to do with their heights, or if they were chosen for their heights. She was a slim grey cat mutant without a tail or whiskers. She had boba eyes. That was incredibly cute. She was wearing a yellow off-shoulder crop top that showed her stomach. Her long legs were on display under her white shorts. She addressed Hyori in a friendly manner.
"Hello, you must be the new hire. I'm Muse."
"Good morning. I'm Han- I'm Haze. Nice to meet you."
She took a seat beside her and pulled a plate. Her paws didn't have claws. She had neatly cut and shaved nails adorning slim hands. Hyori was intently staring at Muse. The latter simply batted her long eyelashes while side-eying the girl with a smug look.
"Do you want to take a picture?" Asked Muse.
Hyori realised she was staring.
"My apologies for staring. It won't happen again."
"Oh my!" Exclaimed Muse. "Keep talking like that and visitors will bid for you. All polite and soft-spoken. Orochimi didn't find you in a dumpster, for sure!"
Hyori's eyes shot into Muse's with an incredulous look. She looked sorry for the feline girl.
"I'm teasing you. I wasn't left in a dumpster for being a mutant. I'm not even a mutant. My quirk lets me change my appearance." The girl changed her face into a raccoon face before changing back. "I just like this appearance the most."
"I understand." Answered Hyori before the silence fell again.
Bliss had her earphones back on her ears and Muse was on her touchscreen cellphone. She wanted to use that time to read. All of her Encyclopaedias had been too heavy to carry in her suitcase. She only had practice instruments and a few textbooks. She was due to enrol in a regular school after the summer break. She planned to use the afternoons to study and practise her instruments in the mornings. The free space of her room would perhaps be wide enough for some early morning stretches. She doubted she would be able to cartwheel and jump.
Hyori walked down the hall that led to her room. If there were three occupied rooms before her's, did Orochimi live inside the apartment? The woman looked like she wouldn't let herself live in a basement, as comfortable as it was. She probably wouldn't enjoy a space as bare as this one. Entering the room, she beelined for the suitcase she left lying on the ground. She toured the room starting with the drawer.
A full-body mirror was plastered on one of the three wooden sliding doors. The wardrobe drawers were partitioned into three vertical compartments. Each must have been one metre in width. The furthest compartment from the entrance was divided into five horizontal shelves. The two near the entrance were divided into one shelf at the bottom and a common hanging space at the top. The shelves were roughly forty centimetres high.
Behind her, the bed was thick and firm under her hands. It had been made recently, given the fresh smell of the bedsheets. The sheets were blank and had a cotton feel to the touch. She will try to get something softer. Then again, how? She wasn't sure Orochimi would provide anything that wasn't already in the apartment. She was tempted to ask her Mother to send her some furniture and some Encyclopedia books. There had to be a way for it. She might as well ask for her given instruments and tea set. She suffered enough for them.
In the living room, the two inhabitants of the basement exchanged their opinions on their new roommate. Bliss had removed her earbuds and Muse was less focused on her phone. They had observed the girl during lunch and already noted her posture and attitude. That girl's hands hadn't done much in her life. She had enjoyed the delivered meal as if it was to be expected and didn't attempt to clean her plate. Muse had been the first to voice her opinion.
"It looks like she comes from a fancy home."
"Probably. Her manicure is impeccable and she seems used to being served. I hope she doesn't expect us to be her maids. Orochimi will lose it if she can't get ready on her own."
The two young women snickered and Bliss suggested.
"Do you think her family went broke or something?"
"It's likely. Unless she's the result of an affair and her Father died. It couldn't have been hard for Orochimi to get her hands on a gold digger's offspring."
The concept was grim but not uncommon. People were selfish like that and children always shouldered the sins of their parents. She wouldn't be the first one to experience hardships after a parent passed away before she could take care of herself. And she wouldn't be the first orphaned girl offering under-the-counter services in hotel rooms. She was even lucky to be in such a nice establishment only dealing with a refined clientele. The low-cost establishments barely took care of their hosts' health or even safety. And the streets were even more dangerous with drug dealers and assaulters that were quick to break the mind and crush the soul as they destroyed the body.
"How long before she gets her first regular?" Asked Bliss to divert her mind from gloomy thoughts.
"Maybe a month or even less. Rich people like fancy girls like her. Her voice alone is pretty nice and I assume her quirk is interesting."
Bliss hummed. "I wonder what she can do. She seems to have worked a lot on her voice. I guess she has voice-based abilities."
"That's sensitive. She would need to take good care of her health. And she can't eat as she pleases."
"Yeah. She probably asked for ice cream cake because she couldn't freely have it at home."
"She asked for something already! She doesn't doubt anything. That's cute."
"You think so?"
"I don't. But our visitors do."
The plump young woman raised an eyebrow at the statement, prompting the shapeshifter to elaborate.
"As long as she's willing to work for it, and they can afford it, they will feel better about themselves knowing they provide for her."
"Probably."
"What?"
The taller one hesitated before speaking her mind.
"Nothing. It's just... The corporate niche isn't a place I can settle. I don't get to establish relationships that matter in the long run."
"But it's the most lucrative and lasting one. You can keep hosting for at least a decade if not more."
"I know but... I've asked Orochimi to put me in the companion niche at least a few days per week. Yet, she keeps on marketing me for corporate and bachelor parties."
The shapeshifter took a moment to process the other's point.
"You do have occasional single-person bookings."
"None of them are interested enough. They only want to try my quirk at least once."
"Is that what they say?"
"That's what they imply when they dismiss me after half an hour and never book again. An executive of one of my regular companies said he enjoyed my hands but would feel grossed out to mingle alone with me knowing I entertain multiple men per night."
It was years ago but Bliss remembered that moment as if it just happened. An inebriated old man told her those words during a company dinner she was hosting. She had felt troubled by the statement ever since. That man was content to enjoy her services when he was surrounded by his colleagues while simultaneously being grossed out by what she did. His revelation had been disturbing and the more she thought about it, the more she had been repulsed by herself. Nowadays, she didn't feel as strongly about herself but she sometimes wondered how many of her clientele thought the same.
The sour young woman was taken out of her brooding thoughts by her roommate.
"What about the guy who contacted Orochimi? She explained it like he was looking for long-term stress relief."
"He told me I'm a nice lay but not what he was looking for."
"Really?"
Bliss nodded. "He has chronic stress issues due to his quirk and getting off doesn't help much. He needs something mental and not physical."
Muse hummed in understanding. "Now that you say that, the hosts marketed on the companion niche tend to be... bewitching. Like the girl who had an enchanting smell. She had been hosting for almost a year when I arrived. Or the girl with a siren voice quirk who left earlier this year."
"They are bewitching, indeed. And they never last more than three years."
"They are also more sensitive. I can understand why they would want to leave at the first opportunity."
"They are sensitive because they are allowed to. It pays off for them since they can connect with their regulars."
"Does it matter? You won't be able to settle as long as you remain here, anyway."
"I know!" Exclaimed Bliss before passing her hand through her copper bob to calm her nerves down. "Sorry. I know you aren't malicious. And yes, I know I won't settle here. I'm not even sure I'm ready for it. I just want more consideration than what I currently get from my visitors."
As the other young woman retracted inside her head, Muse left the table and headed back inside her bedroom.
The shapeshifter's lack of support unnerved Bliss even though it was absurd to expect it from her roommate. They have been living together for three years already. She should have known better than to expect any form of support from the aloof young woman, especially since she couldn't relate to her struggle as she had fans worshipping her as if she were a deity. The shapeshifter could settle anytime she wanted to and could even stir clear from her hosting and broadcasting life provided she lived in her true form.
One ground higher, on the floor level, Orochimi was on her prospecting work for her new hire. What she had felt under the girl's quirk had hinted at the type of clientele that would crave the girl's services. She had requested Haru to retrieve contacts of selective affluent doctors and therapists in the Tokyo area. Said list had just been mailed to her and she would call to deliver them the pitch she prepared for her new service. But before that, someone who had reached out to her. The last try had been a failure but she was confident she had just what she needed to tap into his wallet.
"Hello, Miyashita speaking. What can I do for you?" Said a high-pitched voice.
"Hello, Mister Miyashita. It's Orochimi from the Red Velvet."
"Miss Orochimi, I'm happy you called. Did you advance in your research?"
"I did. I just hired a new host and I'm sure she's fitting."
"That's some good news. Could we have an audition? We would like to review the host's abilities beforehand."
"You'll be able to book her starting tomorrow once her profile is uploaded."
"That's not ideal for us. My boss will be infuriated if it's a repeat of last time. The girl had been a good lay but she didn't address the core issue."
"I noted your feedback last time and I found someone with a mental quirk. It instantly made me relax when she used it on me. It worked like a reset command on my mood."
The man on the line sighed before giving in.
"I'll ask my boss and expose to him your arguments. You can send me an email with her profile in the meantime."
"Thank you, Mister Miyashita. Have a nice day."
"You're welcome." Replied the man before hanging up.
Not wasting any time, the pension manager drank a glass of water before typing the first phone number on the list.
The handful of doctors were ranked by their clinic's annual grossing and she started with the first one. After hanging up on her call with the last one, she noted a reminder in her agenda to call them in two weeks to update them on how well her new hire was faring in the hotel. There was nothing more convincing than showing people what they were missing. In the meantime, she planned to mail them personalised tracked links for the still in-creation profile, along with their commission details for their intermediation.
She was giving away half of the pension's benefits for their patient's first visit. That amounted to ten per cent of the visit's price. The starting price for hosting was sixty thousand yen per hour. She would have to brief Haze into keeping her visitors subdued for the whole duration of the service. From eight in the evening to four in the morning, the doctors would receive forty-eight thousand in commission for each first visit. It was sixty per cent more than a specialist consultation and should convince them.
Following her prospecting session, Orochimi planned her new hire's agenda for the upcoming days. She needed to overview the girl's musical abilities even if she doubted they were good enough. It never hurted to check by oneself. She also needed to work on the girl's look, especially on her outstanding colours. She couldn't risk her clientele entertaining the idea of looking for the girl in the city. Her new hire was quite noticeable and they might be able to find her by asking around, especially once she would start going to school.
She opened the hotel's spa and beauty salon web applications to book beauty sessions for the girl. She also needed to take the girl's measurements to order her working wardrobe. Her establishment had a dress code that should remind the visitors of the service's name. All the hosts should wear variants of red and velvet fabrics. She would have to order dresses with cold tones that could complement her new hire's complexion.
The manager decided to enrol her current hosts to take the girl's measurements. That could help them get accustomed to each other. Planning to launch the girl's profile before the end of the day, she needed the figures as soon as possible. The snake lady rummaged through her drawers to retrieve a measuring tape and texted Bliss, the most responsive, to come retrieve the item. That would give her an excuse to approach her new roommate
Bliss was back on the living room couch when she received a text notification. She paused the drama she was watching to unlock her phone. After reading the manager's request, she climbed out of the couch and put slippers on before exiting the apartment. On her way, she texted Muse to ask if she wanted to accomplish the task with her. The walk back and forth lasted for a dozen minutes. Back in the apartment, she guessed her roommate had declined the offer since she hadn't seen her on her way to the newcomer's bedroom.
Haze answered the door a minute after she knocked and the taller one wondered why she waited for so long. She noticed the teen girl had changed into an indoor blue Yukata dress. Her modest curves were lined by the dress and the older one guessed she would need structured apparel.
"What took you so long to open?" Asked Bliss.
"Sorry for the wait. I wasn't used to people waiting for my permission to enter." Replied Hyori.
The young woman gave her an unimpressed look before talking.
"Orochimi asked me to take your measurements. It's for your hosting clothes."
Without any more prompting, the teen undid her belt before stretching her arms open. While circling the tape around the half-nude form, Bliss noticed the girl was top-heavy with a soft-looking stomach. Under the subcutaneous fat, she felt hard muscles.
"Are you physically active?" Asked the crouching young woman while typing the teen's thigh circumference on her phone.
"I do gymnastics." Replied the teen.
"Can you do splits and stuff?"
"Yes, I can."
After sending the full measurements, Bliss took the time to look at the dressing girl. She felt like a creep but couldn't help watching the unflattering shape in front of her. The girl had a nice cleavage but it looked weird above her undefined trunk. Belted dresses that hid the shape were more suited for the girl than the adjusted and revealing dresses the hosts had to wear on shift. Her upper body would look way too boxy and her timid bottom looked disproportionate from the side. At least she had nice hair and a pretty face. And her long legs were good-looking.
As she was looking, she didn't notice how flustered she made her new roommate until the latter addressed her glare.
"Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Do you like Yukata dresses that much?"
Hyori eyed herself and the older one added.
"It's cute and all but aren't you hot underneath?"
"I'm not uncomfortable, thank you. Besides, I only own Kimono dresses." Answered Hyori.
"I see."
After Bliss left the bedroom, Hyori retrieved the Shakuhachi flute she had put away in her drawer. She didn't have much to do besides studying and playing music, or not looking at the naked walls. She guessed she could watch the television with her roommate in the living room but she sensed the other was guarded despite her friendly approach. On the other hand, the teen couldn't tell she wasn't guarding herself as well. She reasoned that they met a few hours ago and it was normal not to be well acquainted already. They would gradually get accustomed to each other's company with time.
In the living room, Bliss received another text from Orochimi who wanted to know if she got cosy with the new hire. The young woman had replied that her new roommate was shy and needed time to adjust. Her response was answered by an incoming call from the snake lady. The young woman sighed before picking up the call she assumed was aimed at giving her more unpaid work. She already helped Muse get comfortable in the pension. Why couldn't the manager task the other host with the new one?
"Hello." Greeted Bliss.
"Hi, Bliss. I need you to work Haze into the practice. Her quirk went off the last time she had been alone with a man. I can't afford to miss her debut and I trust you to help her."
"I'll see what I can do but it's not something you teach."
"Come on, you did a good job with Muse. You know you are my greatest accomplishment. Don't let me down, would you?"
The young woman sighed before replying. "I'll try to make her enjoy it. I suppose the visitors would be satisfied even if she remains passive."
"All I need is for her quirk not to go off. She has musical skill, you can start there to break the ice."
"Noted." Concluded Bliss before hanging up.
She looked at her phone's numeric clock that read four in the afternoon. She would seek the girl when it would be time to shower for the night. Most companies didn't organise events during the holidays and she was free tonight.