「 Good work today. Sit down. Megumi too 」

It’s a six tatami mat room.

There are multiple monitors on the wall.

This is a monitoring room closest to the dining room.

「 Back when this was a brothel, the dining room is the waiting spot for the prostitutes, and so, they come to this room and watch their customers arrive and how others work 」

Minaho-neesan starts to speak as soon as we sit down.

「 The dining room has a monitor as well, but there are also prostitutes who don’t care about others. Or there are even some who wants a fresh response, so they don’t like to see their customers beforehand 」

Oh, there’s various etiquette depending on the person.

「 Katsuko and Nagisa verify the arrival of their customer in this room before meeting them. They want to know ahead what kind of person will they serve for the day and what are his preferences. Did they come from home or from work? Some who came from work may want to have some drink for entertainment 」

Minaho-neesan taught Katsuko-nee and Nagisa all the know-how as a prostitute.

In short, Minaho-nesan’s style was to check on the status of the customer in the monitor beforehand.

「 We can also study the seniors on how they deal with the customers from this room 」

As expected.

「 Back then, the surveillance cameras and the microphones don’t have the same performance as what we have now. You can hardly see anything in dark places. For real, the cameras have progressed a lot for the past 15 years 」

Minaho-neesan’s 28 this year.

She was 12 when Shirasaka Sousuke kidnapped her and brought her to this mansion.

She’s been watching the videos from the cameras in this room for 15 years until the brothel closed down last autumn.

「 Now then, shall we get to the main topic? 」

Minaho-neesan looks at me.

「 I’ve seen all of your progress from here. Therefore, I don’t need an explanation 」

She saw Nei, Misuzu, the Takakura sisters, and everyone.

She knows it already, but

「 I feel sorry to ask but, Tsukiko, Yomiko, and Luna, I want to add them all into our family as my women 」

I speak honestly.

「 Oh, why are you being apologetic? 」

Minaho-neesan laughs.

「 Well, that, because I feel sorry that things went differently from what Minaho-neesan was thinking 」

New prostitutes are necessary for reopening the brothel, that’s why we’re at the current situation.

Jii-chan introduced the Takakura sisters as candidates to Minaho-neesan.

The three of them not becoming prostitutes is not a good result for Minaho-neesan’s brothel reopening plan.

「 I don’t have any problems with it though 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 I wasn’t planning on making decisions until you’ve made a conclusion on their aptness as a prostitute. I now know that Takakura-san can’t become a prostitute. If that’s the case, then I can’t do anything about it 」

She says without hesitation.

「 Huh, why, Minaho-neesan? 」

I don’t get it.

「 What do you mean? 」

「 No, well, didn’t you mention that you need at least two new prostitutes for the reopening of the brothel? 」

「 Yes, I have to look for new prostitutes 」

「 So that’s why Jii-chan introduced the sisters to us, right? Then, Luna’s too young so I took custody of her but, still, Tsukiko and Yomiko can become prostitutes just right, so Minaho-neesan has counted them as new products of the reopened brothel 」

Tsukiko and Yomiko are both beauties.

Their manners are perfect as daughters from a good family.

They’re the best personnel a high-class brothel could have.

But.

I took them all.

That’s why I feel sorry.

「 I haven’t made decisions yet. You see, I don’t count the chickens before they’ve hatched 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 I never make plans for anything that hasn’t been ultimately determined yet. If it’s considered as a possibility, then take it out of the business plan. That’s the rules of business 」

Take out what’s not been decided from the head.

「 Also, back when I was a prostitute, businessmen customers often complain about their work to me. They say “We’ve been making deals with that company since the previous generation, but we didn’t get as many discounts as we thought this time,” or “I’m the one who made it possible to promote him and yet he monopolized the achievements,” or “The previous transaction went their way so I thought that it would go this way this time” 」

That’s.

「 They all made their assumptions convenient on their own. Some say that “You must return your debt, it’s a business rule,” but that rule isn’t written in anywhere. Well, businessmen who are clearly dishonest from the eyes of the people won’t be entertained by anyone but, dealing with lending and borrowing is different on each person. In business, you can’t let things go the other party’s way 」

Y-Yeah.

「 Even if the other company says “you owe us on the previous transaction, so you have to pay us back this time,” but what if that transaction affects the fate of your company? Furthermore, you can’t say that to outsiders, what would you do? 」

Even if it’s dishonest, you have to push your deal for your convenience.

「 Business isn’t about an individual’s connection with another individual. 」 Therefore, you mustn’t count on thin support such as “He owes me.” or “That guy’s my junior so he won’t go against what I tell him” and such 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 There are men like Shirasaka Sousuke who doesn’t care about the other party, even saying “I don’t care if the prostitute dies” 」

Shirasaka Sousuke’s responsible for making Minaho-neesan a prostitute.

Shirasaka Sousuke took all of the earnings of the prostitute without care.

「 Expecting for what hasn’t been settled yet is either too optimistic or too pessimistic. Humans think that they’re luckier or unluckier than others. Which are you? 」

Minaho-neesan asks me.

「 I know that I’m more fortunate than others. I have this amazing family with me after all. But, I’m dumber than other people 」

「 So what? 」

…I

「 I need to work my hardest or else everyone will become unhappy because of me. I can’t let that happen 」

That’s why I.

「 I’m lucky yet dumb. You make a balance in your mind with that perception 」

Minaho-neesan sighs.

「 Let’s return to the topic. All of the Takakura sisters became your woman. That’s okay. We now have a reality to base on what’s the next move 」

「 But, is that okay Minaho-neesan? 」

If the possibility is unknown then she couldn’t decide on advance if Tsukiko and Yomiko would become a prostitute, but,

Minaho-neesan should be hoping for something at least.

I think that my choice didn’t please Minaho-neesan that much.

「 I just keep watching the flow 」

Flow?

「 Yes. I’ve been thinking on how can we have no losses no matter where the flow goes 」

So she’s not at a loss no matter what conclusion I make?

「 Of course, in the case where the Takakura sisters didn’t become a prostitute then the expected earnings would be different. But, as a result, I now know that they can’t become a prostitute so I already cast away all of the possibilities within it. Having the idea that “they might be able to earn money for us” is stupid. I know that it’s impossible now 」

I see.

Just like Minaho-neesan’s former businessmen customers.

If they only think of the possibility of making earnings then,

It would negatively affect their business deals.

They’ll always have the regret of “I should’ve done this or that back then.”

Their life will be thrown out of order.

「 You also mustn’t count on things that aren’t clearly decided yet. It would be nice if you have some legally binding documents but, even those are often overturned by something trivial. Therefore, you mustn’t be careless until the conclusion is reached, okay? 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 Kouzuki-sama has the same opinion as me. To be honest, regardless of what happens with the Takakura sisters, he intends to make a profit by reorganizing the Kansai Yakuza through Kouzuki SS. The Takakura shrine is just an excuse to intervene in Kansai 」

Jii-chan doesn’t care about Tsukiko at all?

「 No, I may have gone too far with that. Naturally, if the Takakura sisters can also make a valuable profit, then it would be better. Isn’t that why he left those girls to you? 」

Yeah. If he’s not expecting anything at all then why entrust them to me?

「 And so, seeing the state of affairs, Takkaura-san has awakened their Miko power it seems 」

Minaho-neesan?

「 Ah, right. They’re not stable yet, but it’s highly likely that they can freely use their Miko power if things go well. That’s what Misuzu and everyone says, and so Tsukiko and the two are temporary employees and their Miko power… 」

A person who can read other people’s mind and make them follow their orders should be in demand.

If we rent the shrine maiden to such people…

It should make more than having Tsukiko and Yomiko as prostitutes.

「 We can’t do that 」

Minaho-neesan speaks in a sharp tone.

「 Don’t think “if this goes well” We can’t send them to customers unless the Miko power can be reliably used. Professionals don’t allow the line “I can’t do it today because I’m feeling ill.” 」

I-I see.

She’s right.

「 Besides, if we were to start that business, Tsukiko-san would definitely die 」

Huh?

「 A person who can read minds and force to compel someone is too dangerous 」

Dangerous.

「 The setting Takakura shrine gave them where your mind is only read when you have sex with the shrine maiden was correct. That would mean that they can’t read your mind if you don’t have sex with them 」

Ah.

Our idea that the power of the shrine maiden has diminished, so the reasoning that they can’t read minds without sex was wrong.

Actually, the shrine maidens can read minds even if they don’t have sex, just like Tsukiko and Luna.

If that’s the case, I can see the precaution.

That’s why they set it up that sex is a necessity to activate the Tsuki Miko power.

「 And as for the other, the power to make one obey, the previous shrine maiden and priest let Yomiko-san freely use her power, didn’t they? 」

That’s right, Yomiko’s parents…

They tolerated Yomiko using her Yomi Miko power at a weak level.

「 Don’t you think that its purpose is for the world to believe that her power is just on that level? 」

Yomiko until yesterday was;

They follow Yomiko directly after she orders them, but,

As time passes on, it’s taken off. It’s weak.

In fact, when Misuzu came back from Kyoto, Yomiko’s command was already lifted.

She didn’t even notice that Yomiko used her power on her, but she told us that she felt something out of place about Yomiko.

「 If it’s in that level, it can exist as a laughingstock 」

It’s allowed to exist.

「 On the other hand, if it’s too powerful, then it’s not allowed to exist 」

Then, Tsukiko and the two…

If others were to know their power, then they would kill Tsukiko and the two.

「 That would be unless it’s shown that someone they trust is in control of it 」

Huh?

「 It’s similar to nuclear weapons. It has meaning to be kept in secret. If you use it for real, then it’s over. Nobody in the world would trust you anymore 」

I see.

I was being casual about it.

Trades between large companies,

Cross-national conferences and such.

I thought that it would make an advantage if we could use the Miko power, but,

Once we’ve used it to read people’s mind and make people obey,

We’ll lose our credibility to companies and countries.

We won’t be able to make any trades.

That’s because they don’t know what we’d do using the shrine maidens.

「 If we use Takakura-san and make a profit, then we have to hide their Miko power and wind up the insurance money 」

Insurance money?

「 It would be impossible in Japan. If there were some outside party to become the head of the change of government, then the secret of the shrine maidens may be leaked. But, I think that we can talk to the business groups 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 We can claim that the Miko power should be kept secret until such time Japan faces a crisis, and we must make them promise to never use this power in a fight between nations and companies. And then, we collect insurance money from the companies. In name, it would be a foundation for some cultural purpose. Then we can have that foundation revolve their money around Tsukiko-san and the two. It would be impossible for now, but in three years, Tsukiko-san would become an adult, she could pass as a director of the foundation and pay her executive and advisory fees 」

I see.

「 But in exchange, when Japan falls into a dilemma, we’ll promise to use the Miko power only once. Just one miracle should be enough 」

Crisis of war or economic collapse for example.

That’s when the shrine maiden will move.

「 I don’t have that much power to move in the political world but, Kouzuki-sama does 」

Jii-chan has a lot of influence.

「 I don’t have to talk to every company that belongs to a business group. I only have to speak to the top of the leading companies in Japan. If they’re convinced that the benefits of the Miko power then they’ll help to establish a foundation, and the other companies will follow. If a big company contributes about several million yen a year to a foundation, then they’ll acknowledge it without problems 」

So only a few numbers should know how incredible the Miko power is.

「 But, that’s another one of the earlier mentioned “counting chickens before they hatch” 」

Minaho-neesan looks at me.

「 If you can’t make the Takakura sisters’ Miko power stable then it’s all down the flush 」

I see.

If they remain unstable, then their power can’t be used in times of emergency.

「 That will be the game until you meet up with Kouzuki-sama tomorrow. It would depend to Takakura-san tomorrow whether Kouzuki-sama will accept the plans we’ve talked just now or not 」

If we’re to demonstrate the sisters’ power as stable to Jii-chan tomorrow, then,

Tsukiko and the two will receive protection.

「 And what if it didn’t happen? 」

I asked.

If tomorrow, Tsukiko can’t make their power stable?

「 Kouzuki-sama may think that the Takakura sisters are dangerous and try to dispose of them 」

Minaho-neesan.

「 That’s my guess but, Kouzuki-sama might also think that the Takakura shrine maidens’ power isn’t that big of a deal 」

Is it not a big deal?

「 He might be thinking that reading people’s mind and making them obey isn’t that amazing 」

Is that so?

「 That’s why he entrusted it to you. At least, he thinks that having sex is a necessity to read your mind 」

「 Why does he think so? 」

「 I forbade Katsuko-Nagisa, and myself on this case because of Kouzuki-sama 」

Because of Jii-chan?

Why?

「 Kouzuki-sama knows that the power of the sisters is still immature either way. Then, Michi-san and Edie-san who have Qi skills would be beneficial to bring out the Miko power 」

I know that already, but.

「 Also, Kouzuki-sama knows that Michi’s “shingetsu” affects the surrounding people, doesn’t he? Therefore, he must’ve thought of the possibility that while your heart is connected to Tsukiko and the two, Michi-san and everyone around will connect as well 」

Actually, the sisters Qi training + Michi and Edie’s Qi + Misuzu and everyone sending their Qi.

We were all connected for a moment.

All except Nei who didn’t participate in the circle.

「 First of all, you were chosen as Takakura-san’s partner because you don’t have ill intent when having sex with a girl 」

…I

「 You don’t think of the profit or loss, you embrace the girl in front of you. Therefore, you’re the most suited partner for someone who can read minds. If it were a man with ill-intent, then they’ll hold negative impressions on sex 」

Yeah, if one’s thinking “we’re going to make money using them” while having sex with Tsukiko and the two;

Then they’d be disillusioned by men.

「 Also, the girls in that room had sex with only you, see? 」

Misuzu, Ruriko, Megu, Michi, Edie, Mana, Agnes.

Nei’s watching over from the sides, but yes, she’s also included.

「 They all have positive impressions on sex. They think that sex is fun 」

That’s.

「 They don’t harbor any fear when it comes to sex. As long as you’re the other party 」

They only know fun in sex.

Even Mana who lost her virginity from me raping her is now having fun.

「 That’s why it’s okay. The sisters accepted having sex with you in no time, didn’t they? I think that the hearts in that room made connection starting from Luna-san 」

They all have favorable emotions about sex.

Therefore, Luna accepts me without fear?

「 What do you think would happen if Katsuko or I were to join? 」

That’s.

「 We were prostitutes, so we know a lot of negative emotions about sex. Fear, pain, and stress 」

Shirasaka Sousuke handed Minaho-neesan to abnormally-pervert customers;

Her body can’t bear a child anymore.

「 It would be a problem if our dark memories were to be conveyed to Takakura-san, wouldn’t it? Those girls will feel that having sex is something to fear from 」

The sisters don’t know what kind of work a prostitute does.

If they feel fear of having sex, then.

They’ll lose their trust on Jii-chan and Minaho-neesan who mentioned that being a prostitute means that they’ll have sex with an unspecified large number of men.

No.

They might feel hopeless about their future.

「 That’s why it’s only you and girls who have positive impressions about sex in that place 」

Minaho-neesan said.

「 As for Nei, you’re her first time but she lived in here, and she knows the pain of being a prostitute. That girl interacted with the prostitutes who were with Cesario Viola during her time in America 」

That’s why Nei was an observer.

That’s the reason why she didn’t participate in the circle.

「 You do understand it, don’t you? Kouzuki-sama has considered the extent of the mind reading power of the shrine maidens 」

Indeed.

I had sex with the Takakura sisters while they’re in the range where Michi’s Shingetsu can affect them.

It means that he thinks it’s not on a level where they can read minds without making contact.

Jii-chan underestimated Miko power.

「 And another one 」

Huh?

「 Kouzuki-sama overlooked something 」

W-What?

「 Your women aren’t ‘positive’ towards sex 」

Minaho-neesan.

「 They’re ‘positive’ towards having sex with only you. 」

Only me?

「 Do you think those girls will have sex with other men? 」

「 I don’t think so 」

They’re my women

I don’t plan to let them have sex with anyone other than me forever.

「 Those girls are very negative when it comes to other men. Especially when it comes to sexual matters 」

Misuzu’s man-hate isn’t fixed.

Agnes would never talk to men other than me.

「 Do you understand? Their thoughts have flowed to Takakura-san’s heart 」

Could it be?

「 The three of them now can’t have sex with anyone other than you 」

Minaho-neesan said.