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Heavenly Abode Inn, lounge.
"Daichi-sama, is the pressure enough?"
"A little more force."
Daichi lay on the bed shirtless, enjoying Caidie's massage service, his eyes squinting comfortably as he asked.
"How has business been at the establishment lately?"
"There are simply too many customers. Appointments are booked half a month in advance. Now, the sisters are all aching every day from exhaustion."
Caidie instinctively began to complain about their hardships.
Massages were not easy work. Compared to merely opening their legs before, their current lives truly involved earning money through hard effort.
It was very hard.
However, the pay was incredibly high!
The establishment used a performance-based system, where the workers who served the customers received a certain percentage of the amount spent.
Since the customers were either rich or noble and spent quite generously, their wages were several, even more than ten, times higher than when they were courtesans.
In just one month, they earned what they used to struggle for an entire year.
"Although the sisters are tired, they are all working very hard."
As she spoke, Caidie's eyes reddened significantly. "We lowly women never imagined we would have a dignified day, and we are all grateful to you, Daichi-sama."
"Mm."
Daichi nodded slightly.
The fate of courtesans was generally tragic. They would be thrown away before the age of thirty. The luckier ones could serve newcomers to make a living, while the less fortunate would die young from work diseases.
To encounter him, a noble benefactor, could indeed be considered a change of destiny against all odds.
"Has Kyoshiro looked for you?"
"This…"
Caidie hesitated.
"Understood."
Daichi waved his hand.
There were less than a thousand courtesans in the Red-Light District combined, and he had taken so many, all high-class ones. It would be strange if Kyoshiro wasn't worried.
After all, on the surface, he had no intention of returning them.
"Tell the sisters in the establishment that if they wish to stay, I can buy their freedom. They can repay the money slowly, and if they have any other difficulties, they can also bring them up."
"Ah… Thank you, Daichi-sama!"
Caidie's body trembled with excitement.
Buying freedom was no small sum of money.
With Daichi-sama's promise, the sisters could feel at ease.
"Daichi-sama."
Caidie's voice trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She raised her hand to unbutton the front of her clothes, leaning forward and down, letting two soft mounds press against Daichi's back.
"Let this servant serve you ♡."
"..."
Daichi sighed helplessly.
They say men seduce women, but why were these women trying every possible way to seduce him? Did they really think he had no masculine needs?
Forget it.
He was not a gentleman.
It was destined to be this tribulation!
Two hours later…
Four poorly dressed guests arrived at the hot spring establishment.
"Tsunagoro, are we really going in?"
Looking at the luxurious environment inside the establishment and the scornful glances occasionally coming from around them, the four bosses stood at the entrance, hesitating.
As the most popular leisure spot in Flower Capital, spending a day here was enough for them to eat and drink well for half a year, so how could they not be intimidated?
"What's there to be afraid of? Don't let the pirates look down on us!"
Tsunagoro's eyes gleamed fiercely.
Three days ago, they received another invitation.
Unlike last time, this invitation did not specify the exact matter. The invitation merely asked them to have a chat.
But the fewer the words, the bigger the matter often was.
They were inevitably uneasy, but they had no choice but to go. Otherwise, who knew what the pirates would do.
At least for now, it was out in the open. No matter what they were called for, there was still some room for negotiation.
"Rustle~ rustle~~"
Tsunagoro turned his head, looking at Omasa, who was scuffing his feet on the gravel nearby. Cho of Ringo and Yatappe of Kiri also looked over.
"Omasa, what are you doing?"
"I'm wiping my shoe soles."
Among the four, Omasa was the most robust and his methods against enemies the most brutal, earning him the nickname "Blood-Writing" Omasa.
But at this moment, he was wiping his shoes.
"If I dirty the carpet here, I can't afford to pay for it."
"..."
The three exchanged glances.
What he said made so much sense!
"Rustle rustle~ rustle rustle~~"
After cleaning their shoe soles, the four bosses puffed out their chests and stepped through the door. The welcoming worker lady immediately greeted them.
The worker lady smiled. "Guests, you must be the bosses from various towns. Daichi-sama has already instructed me. Please follow me, four bosses."
"Uh, alright."
The four followed behind the worker lady.
The eyes of the three men involuntarily looked at the rounded, upturned buttocks wrapped in the cheongsam, and the faintly visible pale white thighs under the high slit, subconsciously swallowing their saliva.
Why was this girl so alluring!
The only woman, Cho, was also attracted by the worker lady's cheongsam, a hint of longing and envy in her eyes.
"This dress is so beautiful, and the fabric looks very soft. It must be worth a lot of money. I really want to try it on."
Soon, the four arrived at the reception room.
The worker lady, smiling, pushed open the door for the four and turned to invite them. "Bosses, please come in. Daichi-sama is inside."
"Ah, ahem, mm!"
The few of them guiltily avoided the worker lady's amused gaze, pretending to be nonchalant, and walked into the reception room.
Inside, by the window.
Daichi turned around and walked toward the sofa area.
"Sit."
"..."
The four subtly exchanged glances, then sat opposite Daichi. Looking at the man before them, a surge of killing intent uncontrollably welled up in their hearts.
The last time they met, they personally witnessed Daichi kill two hundred loyal samurai, many of whom were their friends.
Despite their immense anger, they were helpless.
The moment the loyal samurai appeared, their death was sealed. Their intervention would only increase casualties.
Daichi crossed his legs, leisurely sizing up the four.
"Tsunagoro of Hakumai, Cho of Ringo, Yatappe of Kiri, and Omasa of Udon, all correct?"
"That's us."
The four responded in a deep voice.
Since they had come here, they had to display the behavior of bosses and absolutely not be underestimated by the other party.
"Very good."
Daichi took out four documents and a large bag of money, placing them on the table.
"Take a look. If there are no issues, press your handprints."
"This is…"
The four picked up the documents and flipped through them, their expressions gradually turning dark.
It was an employment contract.
And it was a contract comparable to selling oneself!
"Bang!"
Omasa's fist slammed on the table, glaring angrily at Daichi. "Pirate, you want us to be your dogs!"
"Mm, that's about the gist of it."
Daichi nodded faintly.
"Also, be gentle. This table is made of valuable wood, worth a hundred gold. If you break it, you can't afford to pay."
"What? 100 gold!"
Omasa quickly withdrew his fist in shock.
He really couldn't afford it!
The other three also had furious expressions, but they were relatively restrained, or rather, dared not to turn hostile, given they were on the other party's territory.
Cho pushed the contract and money back together.
"Mr. Daichi, there's no way we'll sign this employment contract. Don't think you can buy us off with money!"
"Buy off? I'm afraid you've misunderstood."
Daichi pointed to the money on the table.
"This money is for you to get some decent clothes. Look at your patched-up, poor appearance. It's embarrassing to take you out."
"..."
The four flushed red.
Humiliation, blatant humiliation!
They were indeed poor, but they wouldn't care for the other party's charity!
The four angrily stood up.
"Let's go!"
"Leaving?"
Daichi calmly looked at the four.
"Don't you want to hear the conditions I'm offering?"
"Mr. Daichi, no matter what conditions you offer, we will never agree, and we will never be dogs for a pirate!"
"Even if it is about Hyogoro's life?"
The four suppressed their anger and turned to walk toward the door. However, when they heard the words from behind them, they instantly froze in place.
The four looked at Daichi with horrified expressions.
"What did you just… say?"
"Didn't hear clearly? Then I'll repeat it. Listen carefully: the condition I'm offering is—"
Daichi lit a cigar and exhaled smoke lightly.
"Hyogoro's life!"