Under the dim glow of the Magic Stone lamp, Bell slowly stood up.
"Haruhime-san, thank you—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Haruhime froze in place, trembling. Her tail shot up as if someone had grabbed it.
"A man's... collarbone?!"
Haruhime stared intently at the boy's neck, her cheeks turning even redder. The next moment, without warning, she collapsed onto the futon.
"...Haruhime-san?"
Bell was truly grateful for the fox girl's help and had no intention of taking things further. The room lacked ventilation, and it felt uncomfortably hot. On top of that, the thick quilt and the soft "weapon" that had struck him made it hard to breathe. So, Bell lifted his shirt to let the heat escape.
Unexpectedly, this simple action caused the fox girl to faint.
Just then, an unfamiliar voice came from the doorway.
"Ah—so it's come to this."
The Amazoness who had been outside pushed open the door and entered. She was dressed in dancer-style clothing, her long black hair flowing freely, with only a short blue-purple top covering her ample chest.
"Do you know Haruhime-san?"
Bell asked.
"Aisha. That's my name."
The Amazoness closed the door behind her and walked over to the unconscious fox girl.
"Haruhime-san saved me. The reason she fainted is..."
Bell was about to explain the situation to avoid any misunderstandings. But Aisha merely waved her hand, fastening Haruhime's undergarments.
"No need for explanations. I heard everything outside the door."
"..."
Bell didn't know how to respond. Eavesdropping outside a brothel on a colleague's work? That seemed a bit strange, didn't it?
Aisha paid no mind to his silence. She turned back, licked her lips, and gave him a wicked smile.
"Your face and eyes show some backbone, so I decided to leave you be. Never thought you'd strip completely though..."
"..."
Bell remained speechless. She had said no explanations were needed, yet now she was making playful remarks.
"Just teasing you. Though it was to evade pursuers, I didn't think that girl could go this far... Seems she's quite taken with you..."
Even her underwear was gone—she must be enduring unprecedented humiliation. Aisha mused aloud.
Finally, she pressed her pink lips together.
"If you wish to continue, I could step in. After all, I often steal men from that lecherous fox."
Her crimson lips conveyed intense passion. Bell instantly understood the nature of their relationship. Ignoring her teasing offer, he asked.
"Haruhime-san isn't a prostitute, is she?"
"...."
Aisha's eyes widened in astonishment. After a moment of silence, she countered, "Why would you say that?"
"There are many reasons." Bell slowly explained his suspicions.
Haruhime was different from others—far too pure. Merely seeing a man's collarbone made her faint, and just removing her clothes left her blushing with embarrassment. Of course, all of this could be explained by her inexperience. But the most crucial detail was the collar around Haruhime's neck—a collar no other prostitute possessed.
When Bell first encountered her, he had deliberately examined the collar's material. It wasn't an ornament, but a meticulously crafted tool. Haruhime's identity was extraordinary. Aisha's actions only reinforced this.
"These were just theories before, but judging by your reaction, I must be right, huh?" Bell laid out the final piece of the puzzle.
"Hahaha... Seems I didn't misjudge you." Aisha was quite pleased with the youth's sharpness.
"You're correct. Though Haruhime learned her trade at the brothel, she never actually served a customer. Before any business could be done, this lecherous fox passed out." According to Aisha, most patrons drawn to Haruhime's beauty were intercepted by her, who snatched their business. For the few men who appeared upright, Aisha demanded they remove their shirts before entering. Haruhime, waiting inside, fainted at the mere sight. Aisha had completed the subsequent tasks for her.
Bell frowned. "If you didn't want Haruhime-san exposed to such matters, why let me in?"
"Hmph. Even with her virginity intact, the fact remains she's a courtesan." Aisha stroked Haruhime's golden hair. "You may not agree with this notion, but I believe that for this child, growing from a girl into a woman is the path to happiness."
Aisha didn't reveal Haruhime's origins, but Bell could guess much from the eerie collar. She was a bound soul, a maiden who had fallen from purity into hell, unable to gain freedom.
"Doesn't the standard redemption fee for brothels apply to her?" Bell inquired.
Logically, if a large sum were paid to redeem her before Haruhime sank into the mire, everything could still be salvaged. Yet Aisha's tone seemed to overturn this notion, as she was certain Haruhime would never return from the path of prostitution.
"Talking to a smart person is refreshing. Redeeming this sly fox from the Isthar Familia is utterly impossible." Aisha smiled resignedly. "Not only that, but the collar on her neck prevents her from leaving this area."
Should she attempt to escape, the collar would not only reveal Haruhime's location but also transform into a torturous instrument, tormenting her body. No matter what she did, the fox-girl couldn't leave this place.
Aisha hadn't explained the reason, but Bell knew it stemmed from the peculiarities of her race. Fox-people or Renards. Among the myriad Beast Humans, this race possessed magical aptitude, making them quite rare. As a sorceress, Haruhime undoubtedly held Magic valued by the Isthar Familia, which was why they bound her here, treating her differently.
"This is truly cruel... Don't you intend to tell her the truth about serving customers?" Bell could sense Haruhime's noble heart. Keeping such a girl in the dark, making her believe she was working as a prostitute, was utterly heartless.
"What good would telling her do?" Aisha slammed her fist on the floor in anger. "Let her have a brief moment of peace, only to live in constant fear every day?"
If she knew the truth, the pure girl would surely tremble through each day, dreading the guests who called her name. For Haruhime, ignorance was a greater blessing. Even the deepest sorrow, the fleeting pain of truth, was far lighter than the constant, ever-present fear.
"Do you know what she always says?"
Aisha's eyes brimmed with resignation. "Prostitutes are symbols of ruin."
Haruhime yearned for a hero. The greater the hope, the deeper the pain when it shatters. Aisha believed it was better to extinguish Haruhime's hopes early than let her cling to unattainable dreams. She needed to understand that as a prostitute, no hero would ever come to her aid.
"I see. If you think no one can save her, then why let me in?"
Bell stared into the Battle Prostitute's eyes, demanding an answer.
"Perhaps it was wishful thinking..."
Aisha revealed a vulnerability she had never shown before. To rescue Haruhime, besides resolve, one needed power capable of overturning everything. A little rookie clearly couldn't stand against the Isthar Familia. But Aisha had heard the rumor of the youth defeating the Minotaur and saving a girl.
The youth's resolve was beyond doubt. His astonishing growth—reaching Level 2 in just half a month—was precisely what had swayed Aisha. The factions of Orario were already set in stone. Aisha couldn't seek aid from Loki's or Freya Familia. Only the youth before her remained an unpredictable, unknown entity.
If it were him... perhaps he could make it in time... But how could she ask him...?
Aisha couldn't reveal the details. Letting the boy know the full story would bring deadly peril to both of them.
As she agonized over this dilemma, Bell spoke softly.
"Aisha-san, I will do my utmost. Please tell me the deadline."
Bell possessed a clear understanding of his own capabilities. In the powerhouse-packed city of Orario, he was far from elite. Aisha had sought him out precisely because of his unexpectedly rapid growth.
Had the impending tragedy not loomed, Aisha could have maintained the status quo—caring for the fox girl through deception.
There was no doubt that Haruhime would face a calamity. A turning point she couldn't escape, one Aisha couldn't defy, and one that the other familias within the city couldn't intervene in. The source could only be the Isthar Familia itself. Perhaps they would sell Haruhime off, or perhaps make her a sacrifice for some ritual...
The possibilities were many, but the only certainty was that malice was converging upon the fox girl.
"...?!"
Facing the boy's answer, Aisha's eyes widened in astonishment. She hadn't expected Bell to be this perceptive. Merely from a few minor details, he had deduced that Haruhime's days were numbered.
"On the next night of the full moon... No, I'll risk my life to buy you time..."
Aisha's eyes blazed with fighting spirit.
"On the second full moon night, if you can reach the required level..."
Aisha left the rest unsaid. But Bell read everything in that fiercely burning resolve.
If you can make it in time, take on the entire Isthar Familia and rescue Haruhime. This was an unspeakable taboo. Yet it was the resolve of this battle-hardened woman before him.
Bell had heard that when one defied an entire Familia, Orario would handle it in a special way. It seemed he'd have to find an opportunity to try out that War Game...
Bell gathered his thoughts and responded decisively, "I understand."
Aisha smiled with relief.
She could sense that the youth's motivation stemmed neither from pity nor from pitiful indecision or hesitation. It was the gaze possessed by a true man. A pure passion that inspired longing.
Their unspoken pact was sealed.
"Haruhime will wake soon. If you have questions or words, speak them to her. The night is long; I shall not disturb you further."
Aisha moved softly toward the door and closed it behind her.
This time, she did not eavesdrop on the room's sounds but walked farther away. Crossing the corridor, she reached the courtyard entrance and looked up at the sky.
"Looks like she found a good man... That sly fox..."
Aisha's mutterings went unheard.
The night deepened. High in the sky, the full moon hung brightly.