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Chapter 377 Part 1

The main street of the red-light district of the royal capital where there are a lot of lights and people when night falls. However, if you go into a narrow street about four back streets from the main street, there are only sparse streetlights as the main light.
I was having a drink at the counter inside 『Beltalk』, a cafe for compensated dating, located in one such corner.

「It’s quite crowded tonight, isn’t it? I guess springtime does make people want to make babies.」

I am alone at the counter, but the box seats are almost full. There are male customers bar hopping with drinks in hand between the female customers who are filling the box seats.

『Female customers pay for drinks and entrance fees and male customers pay for drinks only.』

As this structure suggests, compensated dating cafe is a place where freelance, semi-professional, or amateur women come to sell themselves.
The men approach the women who make eye contact and smile at them, and begin negotiating terms which they call conversation. If they come to an agreement, they leave the store and go to a rest area or to the in where the guy stays to have sex and exchange bodily fluids.

「That’s because it’s right around payday.」

My guess was refuted by the auntie behind the counter who was pouring ale and making alcohol diluted with water. A quiet young man, who is apparently her son, puts them on a tray and carries them to one of the box seats.

「I can understand if it’s after payday, but before?」

It must be time for a break, the auntie reached out for the water-diluted drink that was on me, took a sip, and continued her explanation.
And according to that explanation, it was the reason for the women’s side.

『I used up all of my money before payday.』

The women who don’t have enough to eat tomorrow are coming here in search of quick money.

「That’s why they are not picky, and if you bargain, you can get a cheaper price. And if they can get a deal for an overnight course, they’ll get breakfast at the inn, so they’ll be crying with joy even before they get into bed.」

Apparently, payday in the Kingdom is often the last few days. Now that I think about it, it was about time for me to get my pay as a 『merchant guild’s Knight pilot』.
As I was convinced by her explanation, I noticed that she was looking behind me. I half turned my head and looked to the side, and there was a customer who was somewhere between a boy and a young man.

(He’s just wandering near the entrance, isn’t he? He must have gathered all his courage just to walk into the store, but now he’s troubled because he doesn’t know the rules.)

As you can imagine from his age, it was probably his first year in the workforce. He probably came here to play with his salary in his pocket.
If that’s the case, I should lead him like one of those 『drunk adventurer old man blabbering his mouth in the adventurer guild』at the beginning of light novels.

「You’ve helped me, thank you.」

He seemed to be in trouble as I thought, and when I called out to him, the young man came to me right away. I sat him down next to me and taught him how to play, and he thanked me with a look of relief on his face.
By the way, I’ve never played in compensated dating cafe, I only came to have a drink.

『It’s better to go to a brothel if you have the money. It’s safer and the quality is better.』

I’m faithfully following the advice given to me by the store auntie when I first came to this store.
For the carnivorous female customers, this store is like a spring in the savanna where prey gather. You shouldn’t expect 『treasure a one-time encounter』 with the starving beasts here.

『They will take your valuables and shoes when you’re in the shower and run away.』

It’s normal for this to happen if you have bad luck and encountered a bad one or if make light of them. The shoes, by the way, are to prevent you from chasing them.

(You have to bear the risk if you want to play for a cheap price.)

I also told him about the risks involved, so the rest was up to the young man. He must have been shaken and nervous because he did not immediately go to one of the box seats but remained seated at the counter.

「My main battlefield is brothels actually.」

He asked me for a reference and I answered honestly.

「If you consult with the concierge, they can tell you who would be a good match.」

The compensated dating cafe is not helpful for in this case because it is a self-report from the women’s side. Their basic response is『I’m good at anything』 most of the time.
When I asked him what type of woman he likes, he said, 『someone with big breasts』. Then, the young man’s eyes moved to one of the box seats and I followed his gaze.

『A slender woman with big breasts.』

This is what I would say to describe the woman sitting there.

「Ahh… that’s just stuffing, you know?」

As I was looking at her in amazement, the auntie spoke in a whisper. According to what she said next, if we took off her clothes, we’ll find that her body proportion isn’t that different from ours.

「She must be quite in a pinch today.」

Apparently, she usually doesn’t go that far. “That goes to show how much she’s desperate for customers”, the auntie continued.
The reason she knew about it was because there are male customers who complained about how skinny she was when she took off her clothes.

「The reason why the women customers are glaring at those breasts must be because they know it’s fake.」

I casually took a look at her surroundings and nodded. But the auntie replies, 『their reaction would be the same even if those were real』.
“Because it’s a powerful weapon of my business rival”, if you think of it this way, even someone who passes by her on the streets with no interest in her, would have the same reaction. Although as expected, the stares are much softer than those she gets right now.

「So, even women are concerned about breast size, huh.」

I said as I think back on my daily life.
It’s natural for men to follow the big breasts swaying up and down with their eyes, but if I think about it again, so do women. Actually, there are more women than men who do so.

『Men would lower the corners of their eyes in joy, while women make theirs tighter.』

Even with this differences exist.

「There’s a demand for medium and small sizes, too, so why are they so fixated on the bigger the better?」

There must be many like me who say, 『I’m tired of the big ones, so I think I’ll have a medium or small one today.』 The young man who likes big breasts also nodded his head, so he might be of the same opinion.

「You just don’t get it, do you? Even though you play around a lot.」

The store auntie shrugs her shoulders and exhales. When I ask with my eyes what she means, she shakes her empty glass from side to side.

「It’s the same thing with the mushroom that grows between your crotch.」

When I told her that she could drink more, she brought a newly made diluted drink to her mouth and let out a breath that reeked of alcohol along with her words.

「“It’s small, I like it” or “It’s short and thin, just what I like”. Can you honestly believe that when a woman says that to you?」

Me and the young man sitting beside me instantly made a sour expression. If they told us that after seeing it, we would only think of it as a word of consolation.
“But,” the auntie looked at the men’s reaction and continued.

「Women like this actually exist, you know? Just like how some men like small breasts.」

Even if she said so, we’re still not convinced. Reading our expressions, the store auntie puts her hands on her breasts and makes a circle with her fingers as if pinching the tips.

「Thick, long, shiny black, and hard protrusions. Do you guys like something like that?」

She probably comparing nipples to a man’s crotch. I don’t think that’s a valid comparison, but I decided to go along with her.

(A dark iron nipple, standing tall on a hilltop, huh…)

The owner wouldn’t even twitch even if we flicked it with our fingers. Such invincible nipples are not to my liking.
She looked at us shaking our heads and asked another question.

「Then, how about the one that is always buried, but comes up when dug out?」

Me and the young man put our hands on our chins as we think like we’re twins.

(Peach-colored nipples, hiding away in a secret base and revealing themselves only when it’s necessary.)

You don’t have to touch it, just breathe on it and it’ll make the owner shudder. You would want to tease them gently but gently and enjoy them as long as you can.
The two of us gave a big nod and gave a thumbs up like a bamboo shoot that grew from the ground. “That’s how it is” The auntie nodded with a smile on her face.

(For the store auntie, the conversation ends here after she is done with her explanation, but…)

I’m still not convinced due to the gender difference. But since it’s just a chat over drinks, I decided to let the matter go without delving into it.

「But don’t women hate that thing on a men’s thing?」

On the other hand, unlike me, the young man started digging in a different direction.
What caught my attention was how he looked. He seemed strangely timid.

(So his is wrapped in skin like a bamboo shoot, huh.)

From the way he proceeds with the conversation, that must be the case. Seeing the auntie shaking her head made him breathe a sigh of relief, so there was no mistaking it.
But then the young man continued with another question, 『But they think it’s dirty, aren’t they?』 in a tone that seems wants her to deny it.

「Then, do you guys think buried nipples are dirty?」

Our answer to the store auntie’s question is a solid no. She smiled and nodded lightly at that, just like before.