Chapter 99

In the back of the folding screen, white steam rose faintly.

The steam arose from the water in the wooden basin, and beyond it, a white, moist back, black hair, and fox ears, along with a tail, were visible.

Immersing a cloth in the basin's water, Yohji, half-naked, wiped his body clean and washed his long black hair as if kneading it.

Zoujin stared for a moment, then felt a hot wind on his cheek.

Immediately, it turned into a bursting wind, shaking the black mane wrapped around Zoujin's neck and hair.

At the end of the卜-shaped corridor was a toilet, and just around the corner from the branch point was the bathing area. Snowy stood blocking the branch point, protecting Zoujin, and glared at Black Sun, who had released a small black flame at Zoujin.

In the bathing area, Yohji, hearing the noise, glared at Zoujin with a look as if he were staring at his parents' enemy, hiding his body with a cloth.

Zoujin let out an obvious sigh.

Then, looking at Yohji with a cold, harsh gaze as if he were facing an enemy, he slowly turned his eyes to Black Sun.

"---A scrawny body, not worth much. Don't be angry."

Black Sun became even more enraged at Zoujin's inflammatory words.

Mie had called him for something important. Zoujin and Snowy had skillfully hidden their presence. He thought Zoujin wouldn't come.

Even though he rushed over, it was a lifetime regret for Black Sun that Yohji's soft skin was seen by such a man.

Black Sun emitted a black flame, like foxfire.

He had never used the black flame no matter how enraged he was, because it would inevitably hurt the opponent. The black flame he had previously released at Zoujin was an illusion, and the one he had just released was just a spark to intimidate.

But it was a failure. This man needed to be taught a lesson once and for all.

For that, he had no choice but to use the black flame. To break through Snowy and strike the protected Zoujin.

The black flame flew.

The black flame, like a black fire arrow, vanished in an explosion the size of a fist when it hit Snowy.

Black Sun glared at Snowy.

What did he do? It was extinguished again.

Black Sun released the black flame once more.

Then he noticed.

A fist-sized ball emitting white smoke appeared in front of Snowy's eyes, neutralizing the black flame.

It was a cold jade developed by Zoujin.

Black Sun was surprised, but Zoujin was even more surprised and realized something. Realizing it, he felt faint.

He was getting stronger.

And Snowy, learning from him, was also getting stronger.

Would the gap never narrow?

Zoujin was secretly depressed, but he had used the cold jade many times in front of Snowy, who could be called the master of the snowy mountains. If Snowy could use it in matters related to ice, it was not strange at all.

Snowy continued to easily neutralize the black flames, and Black Sun, even more enraged, pounced.

He mixed in illusions and his tail.

Snowy countered while trying to restrain Black Sun, who was aiming for Zoujin's throat with a tiger's eye.

---Kwooooon

---Gruaaaah

In fact, Black Sun no longer had Zoujin on his mind. He just wanted to teach Snowy a lesson.

Unconsciously, Black Sun had acknowledged Snowy.

He had never met anyone who could match him in intelligence and strength. Because of this, he had become overconfident, but at the same time, he had accumulated stress.

No matter what, Zoujin could keep up with Snowy, but it was impossible for Yohji, a courtesan. He couldn't run through the mountains or engage in physical combat.

Black Sun was not dissatisfied with this, but he had unconsciously accumulated stress.

This was relieved in the conflict with Snowy.

There was a constraint that he couldn't hurt Snowy, but no matter how much force he used, Snowy would counter with equal force.

That was why he used the black flame. Using the black flame here would cause a disaster. He wouldn't have done it if he didn't think Snowy would definitely stop it.

---Kwooooon

---Gruaaaah

Black Sun would never admit it, but the way the two of them clashed with flames and cold, tails and tails, and foreheads and foreheads, looked like they were playing around.

It was a very dangerous play, and they were fighting very seriously, but it looked like they were playing around.

The battle between Snowy and Black Sun, which had been going on for some time, ended with Mie's scolding.

Mie wouldn't listen to Zoujin's excuse that it was his fault for peeping, and Black Sun would receive a lecture from Mie.

With a back like a calf being sold, Black Sun was led away by Mie.

Yohji, still wearing Zoujin's back, glared at him. If looks could kill, Zoujin would have died many times over.

But Zoujin didn't apologize.

Peeping at the bath was a job Mie had asked him to do.

That's why Snowy was secretly waiting near the toilet, past the bathing area, for Black Sun to come.

If called to a distant room, a courtesan might stay overnight if the guest was a regular and trustworthy. It would be extremely rude to refuse the elaborate meal and bath preparations, so it couldn't be refused.

Peeping sometimes occurred, and Zoujin's peeping was part of the training. There was no word for sexual harassment. If peeping hurt the other person, it wouldn't be good for business.

Of course, the courtesans had their own countermeasures.

One of them was the habit of washing the body with the folding screen behind them. It meant that it was okay to see the back.

The side that called the courtesan also had an unwritten rule not to do anything tasteless beyond looking at the back.

"---Aren't you a courtesan? It seems you don't know the courtesan's way. Is it your teacher's fault or your birth?"

Zoujin said this, though he didn't want to, because it was his job.

He said that much and turned to leave with Snowy and Azurona. He had no intention of going to the toilet in the first place.

Yohji tried to retort to Zoujin's words but pressed his lips tightly together and remained silent.

Lying in the room he was shown to, Zoujin couldn't sleep due to the excitement. He got out of bed and started walking.

It was the toilet. He had a vague urge to urinate, but it was so subtle that he wasn't sure if he really needed to. However, it became more noticeable because he couldn't sleep.

Snowy, who was lying next to the bed, opened his eyes slightly and watched Zoujin's back as he left.

Zoujin walked down the silent, dark corridor with a dazed mind.

When he reached the branch point of the卜-shaped corridor, he suddenly looked at the bathing area, remembering Yohji from the daytime.

Beyond the folding screen, Mie was washing her body with her back turned.

Her chest was a bit larger than Yohji's, and when she raised her arms to wash her hair, the outline of her breasts was visible even from behind.

Near her buttocks, which had changed shape as she sat, was a moist, deer tail.

Tearing his eyes away from the scene, Zoujin forgot his urge to urinate and immediately turned back.

He had no intention of staring at a woman's bath for no reason.

It was the house's structure that was at fault. He muttered this excuse to himself and hurried away.

He didn't notice the gaze that followed him.

Just as Zoujin was about to leave, Mie happened to turn around and saw Zoujin hurrying back.

"---Oh, I've done something wrong."

Mie dried her body with a towel and put on her clothes.

Mie, with her wet hair, visited Zoujin's room.

"---I showed you something unpleasant earlier. Please use the toilet."

It seemed that "I've done something wrong" meant that she had interfered with his trip to the toilet. She was quite impressive.

On the contrary, Zoujin was taken aback.

"---I didn't mean to peek. I'm sorry. I was just wandering around because I couldn't sleep. I don't really need to go."

Mie didn't even doubt Zoujin's words.

"---Then, it's a good opportunity. Can you teach me magic?"

Zoujin had no reason to refuse and, feeling guilty about peeping, readily agreed.

"---How about the magic?"

The last time they checked compatibility, Mie's affinity was specialized in water, with a moderate level of wind, and the other affinities were almost non-existent, like other beastmen.

Perhaps starting with elemental magic using a high-affinity water spirit led to her early awakening.

"---I can manage with elemental magic. Life spirit magic for healing is a bit harder to grasp."

Even though he was suddenly thrown into this world, Zoujin had received education from elementary to university in Japan and, due to his involvement in drawing, had a good understanding of human anatomy. His healing efficiency was higher than those who treated roughly.

Even without such knowledge, rough healing was possible, and it depended on the magic power, but deep wounds required specialized knowledge or long experience.

However, there was no time to teach human anatomy.

Zoujin, recalling his advice to Yobi, suggested,

"---Can you use your racial traits? If you can intuitively understand the basic structure, you can apply it directly to healing. You can also use your racial traits regularly to learn the human anatomy."

"---It's a bit difficult to learn. It's really intuitive. But I can heal based on what I feel."

Beastmen are generally poor at external magic such as healing others or creating barriers, but Mie might become a good healer.

Mie was practicing elemental magic, floating a ball of water slightly above her palm.

Her profile, illuminated by a faint light, was serious.

Zoujin watched her from the side and then took out a notebook and started drawing.

Before long, Mie was watching Zoujin draw.

"---I'm sorry for drawing without permission. If it makes you uncomfortable, I'll throw it away."

It wasn't a time to be a troublesome guest. Drawing without permission was too impolite.

"No, it's fine. But, can I see it?"

Zoujin handed over the entire notebook, and Mie took it gently. She had been curious about the drawings Zoujin made while working.

"---Is this a foreign country?"

Most of Zoujin's drawings were of women, but the backgrounds were of the Mid continent.

Eirida with the background of Salehad and the Alerdoria Mountains.

Yobi standing between the sea and jungle of the Rattana Kingdom.

Estia standing in the snowy night of Baltis.

Jiba eating a delicious meal.

There were also drawings of the first squad of the Moon Goddess's attendants camping in the mountains, a feast with the gorilla people, and a healer grandmother, her daughter, and granddaughter in a fishing village.

These were drawings of places Zoujin had stayed. The drawings he had lost in a shipwreck were redrawn from memory.

"---I have one question."

"Hmm?"

"Why do you draw women?"

Zoujin hesitated slightly but answered honestly. There was no need to hide it.

"---Simply because I like women and don't draw men because I'm not interested."

Such a straightforward answer left even Mie unsure of how to react.

Zoujin continued.

"Maybe I draw to understand women because I can't understand them fundamentally as a man. And... because they are weak, no, fragile."

"Fragile?"

"There are many women who are smarter, more excellent, and stronger than me, and I know some who are shrewd. But for some reason, maybe because I'm a man, or maybe it's just a misconception, all women seem that way to me, and I can't help but want to draw them. It might be similar to wanting to draw a flower before it withers. It might sound like nonsense to women, or to others."

Zoujin said this without any embarrassment. He wasn't drawing anything embarrassing.

"---Should I throw it away?"

Mie, who had fallen silent, shook her head.

"No. Art is like that, I think. ...I started playing the two-stringed bow and two-stringed lute to eat."

Zoujin had hesitated to tell her the reason for his drawing because he had imagined this. For a courtesan, the two-stringed bow and lute were a means of living. In contrast, Zoujin's drawings were just a hobby. He wasn't ashamed of drawing, but he didn't want to be scolded by Mie, who was in a carefree position.

However, contrary to Zoujin's expectations, there was no sign of rejection in Mie's expression.

"But, even though I was playing to eat, I developed a sense of pride as a courtesan, and the two-stringed bow and lute became a source of pride.

Art is cruel. Whether you play for amusement or to eat, it has no meaning unless it touches someone's heart. No matter what position you are in, if it touches someone's heart, it is art, I think."

"..."

"I just suddenly wondered why you draw, so I asked. If I caused you trouble, I apologize."

"---No, it's fine."

Was it empathy?

There was a difference between drawing and playing the two-stringed bow and lute, but Zoujin, perhaps mistakenly, felt a connection with Mie.

Mie tried to practice elemental magic again but looked at Zoujin once more.

"---One more thing."

"Hmm?"

"If you're caught by the police, you might be arrested, so be careful."

It seemed that his drawings would be treated as erotic art.

Zoujin nodded with a mix of understanding and not understanding.

The next morning, the 76th day of Azure Moon.

Zoujin left the former merchant's house early. Someone was supposed to rent the place, but it was clearly a hindrance from the teahouse.

Mie and Yohji, both lightly made up, also left the former merchant's house.

Their attire was the same, but with minimal makeup, they looked less like they were working, which was a refreshing change. Enjoying such a change was one of the pleasures of calling a courtesan for an overnight stay.

Letting Yohji, who was reluctant, go first, Mie whispered in Zoujin's ear when she couldn't see her.

Her breath tickled Zoujin's ear.

"---It's different from the plan, but do you have time tonight, sir? If possible, I'd like to ask you for a job."

Zoujin, caught off guard, whispered back.

"---Is there something?"

"Three days from now, Yohji will perform at the comfort party in the foreigner settlement. Of course, I won't go, so it will be her first solo performance. The comfort party is for foreigners, but the guests are not bad, so I think it's a good opportunity. I'd like to ask you for one last job, even though it's sudden."

That night.

Zoujin did his last job as a troublesome guest.

The place was a shabby night stall that had been rented out. The only place available on short notice was this nameless, small night stall.

Even though it was the last time, he just played the role of a typical troublesome guest, touching their hands, spouting insults, and doing the usual things.

Yohji and Black Sun, perhaps more determined because of the upcoming solo performance at the comfort party, endured it. While they couldn't match Mie, they seemed to Zoujin to be able to act as courtesans to some extent.

However, what Zoujin was asked to do came after that.

He waited for the right moment and said to Yohji, who had finished serving drinks, as if it were