Tensei Shoujo no Rirekisho - Volume 3 - Chapter 74

74. Student Activities 2 – The Personal Referral Site

Let’s open a store in the market! Or so I’d decided, but for now I had to earn some pocket money. I couldn’t ask Charlotte to help with that, so I got a part-time job on my own. I call it a part-time job, but I’m just helping Mama Kou. Claude might lend me some money, but I won’t do that because I’m afraid of the consequences. I don’t want Bash to do anything more than sending me here. Because it feels like they’re a little poor there.

I usually help Mama Kou by keeping the shop, but today we’re going to go on a business trip together. It’s also a day off at school, which is why I can go on the business trip. The destination surprised me: it was a personal referral place. In other words, a slave shop. It’s my first time going to one.

Recently, Mama Kou has been working with cosmetics rather than drugs, and sometimes aristocrats secretly visit the store. Apparently the business with the personal referral site was introduced by those means. Obviously, the products of the personal referral site are people. People. Women are their best selling items. And children. Sadly, they’re evaluated and priced by appearance, age, and virginity. This kind of thing makes me a little sick.

In order to maximize sales they need the products to look beautiful, so they’ve requested Mama Kou’s cosmetic skills. Fashionable hairstylists also do this kind of work. At first, Mama Kou was worried and said, “Should you really be coming with me?” But I wanted to see the personal referral site with my own eyes, and I also needed the pocket money, so we agreed I should come help.

The personal referral site was in the middle of the capital city. It’s set proudly in such a central place! I guess it’s not an illegal business in this country, so they don’t crack down on it.

Ah, it hurts my heart to think of all the children sold. I’ve gone through it myself! When I see three silver coins, I get pissed off and want to just grab them and throw them away!

I was sure the place would be dingy and unsanitary, and the girls would be locked up, with swollen red eyes… But the personal referral site was actually cleaner than I thought. It’s a brazen little building. The hall has white porcelain walls and a thick carpet. There are also some stylishly carved pillars. It’s audacious.

No, I won’t be fooled! The room where they sell the girls is sure to look like a pigsty! Or so I thought, but the waiting room where the girls were gathered was clean after all… Or rather, it was cleaner than my dorm room, I guess? The system seems to be that the girls are gathered in one room and meet with prospective buyers, who call over the person in charge if they want to make a purchase. However, there are exceptions, and apparently private rooms are set aside for the children who are extremely expensive.

And, how should I put it, the girls in question seem to be shining rather than grieving. I’d never been to a co-ed mixer in my past life, but I thought this atmosphere might be like when girls got together before a mixer. As I listened to the older girls chat while helping Mama Kou work, it sounded more like a work placement agency than a slave service. They were a group of ambitious girls who wanted to be more beautiful than anyone else and be noticed by the highest-ranking nobles. Some said they were sold by their husbands, or their parents, or were orphaned by disease, but others were willingly selling themselves because they couldn’t find a job, and all of them were very blasé about it. I wonder if the three maids Claude bought were like this…

“Ryou, we’re going to a lady in a private room now.”

Mama Kou told me when she’d finished the makeup on the women in the big room. A woman in a private room is a featured product…

“Yes ma’am! Is the one in the private room an important person?”

“I hear she’s the daughter of a long-established merchant in the capital. But his business failed, and he sold off his daughter to pay his debts. The girls in the big room were cheerful, but this one might be depressed…”

As we spoke about it, we knocked at the private room and entered, where we found a prim and proper lady. She was about sixteen? And was a beautiful lady with chestnut hair down to her shoulders. However, I could tell she was depressed: her face was pale and she had dark circles under her eyes. But that fragile impression only made her look more beautiful. Is this what they call a weeping willow? Her name seemed to be Melis.

“I’m Kouki. I’ll take care of your hair and face now. This child is my assistant, Ryou.”

The melancholy beauty gazed down at Mama Kou as she introduced herself.

“…You’re doing my makeup? Then there is someone who wants to buy me.”

Makeup is only done when meeting with potential buyers. So putting on makeup meant she was about to have an appointment. This one, unlike the dazzling women I talked to earlier, doesn’t want to be here. That’s right, she’s being sold… It reminded me of my past, and my chest ached.

“Yes. I heard from the receptionist that it’s someone who’s known you for a while; his name is Joshua.”

Hearing Mama Kou speak without her usual overly feminine tone, I smirked and looked at Melis. Melis’s eyes widened.

“Joshua?! Really? Joshua! Oh, it’s Joshua!” Melis exclaimed, and burst into heartfelt tears.

It threw Mama Kou into a panic.

“Oh, dear! It’s good that your mood has improved, but won’t this just make your poor eyes swell even more?!”

Mama Kou went back to big sister mode and rushed frantically to finish her makeup. Even though Mama Kou had returned to big sister mode, Melis didn’t seem to care much. She got excited and said, “More! More! Make me beautiful! Oh, why is my skin so rough!” although Mama Kou had already put on plenty of makeup.

We heard from Melis that Joshua was a childhood friend who had promised to marry her when they were little. However, she had despaired of the broken dream since she had been sold. But a man named Joshua had come for her. Ultimately, he came to pick her up to be with him. That’s a pretty good story. Being picked up… I’m not averse to that kind of story.

Kou had finished her makeup, and when the usher went to call Joshua, only a few seconds passed before the door crashed open and a man appeared. Hey, be more gentle when you enter a lady’s room! Before I made my retort, Joshua had already embraced Melis, who returned the hug. Ah! You’re messing up the hairstyle that Mama Kou so carefully arranged!

However, Mama Kou and I had already finished our jobs and were back against the wall in standby mode. Some security guards were also waiting in the room. Sorry that we’re observing you two.

“Melis! How are you? Has anything terrible happened? I’m sorry I’m so late! Your father never told me where you were…!”

“Oh, I’m fine, Joshua. I’m just glad you’ve come!”

As they whispered sweet nothings to each other, they noticed us on the sidelines, and the time of whispered love was over. Sorry. We disturbed you.

“Melis, I wish I could take you away right now… Sorry. I don’t have enough money to buy you. I’ll definitely get you back, so please wait and believe in me. I asked the shopkeeper to reserve you for two weeks. I’m sure I can gather the money by them.”

“Oh, Joshua, I’m so sorry. All the money you’ve been working to earn… How much do I cost? Aren’t you overworking yourself?”

“It’s not an impossible amount, I’m overjoyed to do it to get you. So, Melis, don’t worry about the amount. And I’m very happy for one reason your price is so high.”

“One reason?”

“Yes, you… You’re a virgin!”

“Shh, Joshua! That’s embarrassing. Isn’t that obvious, we r-“

As Melis blushed and seemed about to say something even more embarrassing, Mama Kou covered my ears. I guess it’s something children shouldn’t hear. It seems the couple saw the exchange between Mama Kou and me and renewed their embarrassment in the presence of others, because their already bright red faces got even redder. It’s okay if you don’t say anything; it’s hard for two people in love if they’re already shy and self-conscious.

Joshua, who had been struggling to whisper his love for a while, finally left the room. I felt a bit relieved that the two people, who called each other’s names multiple times when they parted, really liked one another. She’s lonely apart from Joshua, but Melis seems far more energetic compared to when we first met her. The makeup was over, the visit was over, and the security was over, but when we packed up our cosmetic gear to leave, the door opened.

Did Joshua return? Really, you’re not careful enough when entering a lady’s room. I didn’t actually say that. Looking at the door, I thought, is that a woman in a deep hood? No, it’s someone who looks like a boy standing in the doorway. I can’t see the whole face, but from the part I can see—below the nose—they seem to have a pretty face. Or rather, I feel like I’ve seen it before.

A fat man appeared beside the mysterious hooded one. He must be the owner of this store.

“Okay, this woman is currently our featured product. She looks good and because she’s a Merchant’s daughter she can read, write, and calculate. And above all, she’s young… and a virgin!”

The fat man emphasized the virgin bit, giving the hooded man an oily, ingratiating smile. Are you trying to sell Melis? But I’m sure Joshua said…

“Joshua told me-! I heard you promised to give me to the man who was just here!”

Melis threw the owner a desperate look. Yes, that’s definitely what Joshua said. He had reserved her for two weeks.

“What are you saying. I didn’t make any promise with that man. That’s just a verbal agreement. Besides, this person is special. You’ll be happier if he buys you than that poor man.”

“What! You tricked Joshua!”

With an unconcerned air, the hooded man approached the enraged Melis and opened his mouth.

“I actually secretly overheard the conversation with the man just now. I think he’s very nice and wonderful. I’m weak to that kind of story. So I thought like this: If I buy you before that man does, what would his face look like? Aren’t you interested, too?”

He had already come close to Melis, as if it were natural. Melis seemed to have lost ire in her puzzlement over the mysterious man, and held still. Even though it should have been creepy, his overwhelming power felt irresistible. I’d heard that voice before, somewhere.

He put his hand on Melis’s shoulder and cast a spell.

“Asaborake ujinokawagiri taedaeni arawarewataru sezenoajirogi”
[“As the morning light dispels the Uji River’s feeble mist, wickerwork traps emerge on the banks.”]

When the spell finished, Melis’s clothes began to crumble. That spell is one that dispels magic. Melis’s cloths, which were fine and sheer, were woven from magically spun thread… They’re about to fall off. I heard that spinning wheels are in widespread use, and this was decreasing, but it’s not completely gone. Threads spun by magic are held together by magic, though I don’t understand the principle behind it. When spinning yarn from cotton, magic increases the yield, as I was surprised to learn when working as a maid at Rainforest. When the magic is dispelled, the extra material will disappear and the clothes will fall to pieces and become rags. Therefore, the aristocrats of this country have a custom of dressing in wool and silk. Unlike cotton, apparently animal fibers can’t be increased by magic, so their clothes can’t be destroyed with a single spell.

When the hooded man tapped Melis on the shoulder, the impact caused her clothes to fall off. Since Melis’s clothes fell off so completely, she was of course naked. But she wasn’t ashamed and stared with a pale face back at the hooded man. I think she was surprised to find out that he was a magician. Indeed, disappearing clothes are a spectacular trick! …For a sexual harasser! This is a rule violation! As I waited for Mama Kou and the security guards to stop him, the owner put up his hand and shook his head. As if to say we can’t touch this person. Owner! That’s power harassment!

As I was getting angry, the hooded man spoke.

“As you can see, only magic can make clothes break down. But unfortunately this one isn’t to my taste. I prefer those stronger and more energetic. But I do want to see that guy’s face…”

Taking off his hood, he put his hand to his chin as though he were thinking. It was a terribly beautiful face. Ah, I definitely remember that face. I’ve seen it so many times. But that face is impossible…

“Hey, Sir Henry?”

When I called out to confirm, Sir Henry slowly turned to face us. And when he saw my face, after a little while, he smiled in remembrance.

“You’re the Chicky who’s friends with Cain! Never thought I’d see you at a place like this.”

He always has a refreshing smile; he’s a magician, but not pretentious, though he’s annoying sometimes… The king’s younger brother, Henry, didn’t seem to be troubled, and brushed his long hair back over his ear.