「 I don’t know what I want to be 」
Tokuda Sonoko-san said.
「 Although, I don’t want my current self. I hate it. This life… 」
She’s the daughter of the weakest member of a group, a group that is also the most useless among the Yakuza.
The society neglects her, her father’s comrades threaten her life, and in the end, they raped her.
「 Then, you can forget all about it. We can erase all of your memories of your past 」
Edie said.
「 Erasing my past? 」
「 Right. You can forget about the pain, the sadness, and your father, and you will be free from yourself 」
「 But… 」
Sonoko-san looks uneasy.
「 We can paint out your memories so it won’t hinder your daily life. Tsukiko’s power can give you artificial amnesia 」
Memory loss?
「 People who have amnesia can still talk normally even though they forgot their past, and they still know what to do in their daily lives 」
Speaking of which, that’s true.
People who have amnesia in TVs can still live their life normally.
They could forget specific memories, but they won’t forget how to use the toilet or use their phones. They still are capable of living their life.
「 In your case, there’s no need to go that far. All you have to do is erase all the past memories and start over again 」
Unless she makes up her mind…
Sonoko-san’s gloom will not disappear.
I don’t know.
However, that’s what Edie a.s.serts.
「 It’s okay. We will look after you lose your memories. Minaho, that’s your plan, right? 」
Edie asks, facing the ceiling.
『 Indeed. Naturally, you will have to work as a prost.i.tute for five years, but, you can think of it as compensation to buy your new life. You can have a new ident.i.ty. The daughter of Yakuza from before is dead. And I can make under the table deals to make sure that your father’s organization will no longer chase you. That’s my specialty 』
Minaho-neesan said.
『 Let’s see. Tsukiko-san can plant the thought that you lost your memories because of some accident, but you don’t care if you don’t remember your past anymore 』
If the Miko power engraves that in her mind, then she will not want to remember her past.
『 You can truly restart your life with a truly fresh mind 』
Sonoko-san…
「 Maybe, that’s true 」
She thinks for a moment and muttered.
「 For someone who had no luck and useless. I need to do that to start a new life, that’s the only way 」
Then.
「 Hey wait! If you do that! Sonoko, you will no longer remember us 」
Tendou Otome speaks.
「 Aren’t we friends? Well, you had a lot of pain, but still, we were getting along! Sonoko, do you want to forget about all of us? Forget me? 」
Sonoko-san looks down on the floor with a gloomy expression.
She’s not facing Tendou Otome.
「 Otome-chan, I really am grateful to you 」
「 Sonoko! 」
「 But, my memories with Otome-chan is bundled with all the painful memories too 」
That’s…
「 That’s why, I really am sorry, but, if I can forget about it all, then I will take it 」
「 What the h.e.l.l? 」
Tendou Otome’s shocked.
「 After all, Otome-chan… Otome-chan is Tendou-san’s daughter, he’s the man who let it all happen to Shigeyo-chan and me 」
「 But, I infiltrated Kouzuki mansion with the resolve to die 」
「 But, Otome-chan didn’t die and is still alive. Yet, Shigeyo-chan and I already received all this cruelty. All the shame, pain… 」
Her father’s comrades raped them.
Her father couldn’t help her, despite when she’s turned into a plaything.
「 Otome-chan will never understand all the pain we’ve been through, it’s miserable, sad, scary, and we couldn’t do anything 」
Sonoko-san’s not looking at Tendou Otome.
「 Yeah. That’s right. That’s what happened to us. We really have to die once to be reborn. It’s the only way. After all, I don’t want my memories to pull me down all the time. I can’t endure it all. However, it’s not as strong that I would want to commit suicide 」
She can’t commit suicide because she’s not that strong?
Oh, right.
You need will to kill yourself.
But, Sonoko-san doesn’t have that will.
「 Therefore, I think that removing all the memories I had until now is better than killing myself. If I can pretend that nothing happened, forget everything, then I might be able to escape this darkness 」
She looks up at Edie.
「 Yes. Please erase my memories. Then, please turn me to a prost.i.tute after that. If you can erase those memories, I can work for ten or twenty years more. After all, I have decided to become a prost.i.tute voluntarily. Unlike before, n.o.body forced me to do this 」
Her gloomy aura overflows in the room.
「 They find it amusing that I hate it, and so they get harsher. If I react, they will hit me, pinch me. they enjoy my pain. Then, they raped me while Father was watching. They forced me to speak all the perverted lines while he was watching. I didn’t even want to say any of those!!! 」
Sonoko-san’s releasing all of the dark emotions she’s acc.u.mulating inside her so far.
This doesn’t look good. I looked at Tsukiko.
The other girls are becoming infected with her aura.
「 It’s okay. I’ve cut their consciousness for now 」
Tsukiko said.
Oh, Shigeyo-san who is under Tsukiko’s memory alteration can’t hear Sonoko-san’s voice.
She’s looking at the wall with a blank face.
She’s the other girl the men raped, along with Sonoko-san, and so, she can take in Sonoko-san’s dark aura easily.
Thus, Tsukiko had to completely cut off her consciousness.
Also,
Kurosawa-san and the twins don’t hear anything. They’re all in a daze.
The bully three are still unconscious.
But.
Tendou Otome’s eyes still show her will.
She’s staring at Sonoko-san while biting her molars in frustration.
『 Well, that’s a good idea. You can remove her memories, and entrusting everything to us after that 』
Minaho-neesan’s voice comes from the speakers.
『 I know that you want to let out your emotions, but I don’t have the free time to take them all in. Also 』
Minaho-neesan speaks coldly.
『 I know girls who experienced worse than you. Therefore, don’t think that you’re the only one who’s in pain 』
「 But, it really was painful to me! 」
Sonoko-san shouted.
『 Really? But, it’s all going to disappear so what’s the problem? You’re only causing trouble with all your tedious complaints! I’m telling you to stop right now 』
Minaho-neesan speaks intensely. Sonoko-san…
「 I-I’m sorry! Please forgive me 」
Her head cools down and she replies dispirited.
『 Okay then. Let’s move on 』
Minaho-neesan pushes forward.
「 N-No! Sonoko! Argh! I can’t put it into words, but still, you can’t do it! Throwing away your memories and emotions aren’t!!! 」
Tendou Otome desperately pleads,
But, those thoughts only push Sonoko-san’s back.
「 I’ll leave it all to you. I want to change. I want to become someone different 」
She looks at Tendou Otome.
And said.
「 I’m still in the middle of altering this girl. Also, your change will take some time, so please sleep for a while 」
Tsukiko says while holding Shigeyo-san’s head.
「 You will become a different person once you wake up 」
Sonoko-san closed her eyes.
「 Please take care of me 」
「 I will 」
Tsukiko shoots her power to Sonoko-san gently.
「 !!! 」
Sonoko-san became weak and slowly lied down on the floor.
◇ ◇ ◇
Looking at the fainted Sonoko-san…
『 Now then, what else will you do, Kou? 』
Minaho-neesan asks me.
『 You heard what Sonoko-san wants, but you don’t need to do that 』
Huh?
『 What do you want to do with her? 』
Minaho-neesan?!
「 H-Hey! Are you going to take back your word?! 」
Tendou Otome shouts.
『 Shut up. Tsukiko-san, could you shut her up for a while? She can listen to our conversation however 』
「 Hey! Wait! Hey!!! 」
「 Quiet! 」
Tsukiko controls Tendou Otome’s body.
『 Now that it’s quiet, you can answer me now. What do you want to do with her? 』
「 What do I want to do? I thought we’re going to erase her memories and turn her to our prost.i.tute? 」
『 You’re the one to decide if you want that to happen or not 』
I…
『 That’s right. You already know how dark the emotions are inside Tokuda Sonoko’s mind, don’t you? 』
I know, but…
『 Do you think it’s beneficial for our business to remove her memories and have her work for us? I’m not asking about the good or evil. Decide using loss and gain thinking 』
I look at Sonoko-san’s face.
Looking at her this way, she has a cute appearance, but…
「 Tsukiko, can I ask you something? 」
I ask Tsukiko, who’s still altering Shigeyo-san’s memories.
She’s still controlling Tendou Otome and is stopping the consciousness of Kurosawa-san and the twins while altering Shigeyo-san’s mind
Tsukiko’s Miko power is the strongest among the sisters, and the most accurate.
「 Yes, as long as it doesn’t surprise me 」
Yeah, I have to avoid asking questions that will dampen her concentration.
「 I want to ask honestly. If we erase all of her memories, will the darkness in Sonoko-san’s heart disappear?
「 No, it will not 」
Tsukiko replied, Tendou Otome’s startled.
「 Once your spirit is wounded, it will leave stress in your body. If we erase her memories, then she will only forget the cause for the wound in her heart, and the stress in her body will not disappear 」
That means…
「 Perhaps, she will acc.u.mulate an impulse without knowing the reason why 」
Impulse?
「 She doesn’t know why, and yet, she starts crying, screaming, yelling at someone, and sooner or later, explode with her emotions 」
「 And if it’s pointed at others, that impulse will be to attack someone, but if it’s towards herself, then she might resort to self-harm 」
She will hurt her body.
「 Then, erasing all her memories isn’t the way to save Sonoko-san’s heart? 」
「 Yes, Kou-sama 」
Tendou Otome’s eyes glare at Tsukiko filled with hatred,
Therefore…
「 Then, what’s your proposal? You must have some motive, don’t you? 」
Tsukiko, Minaho-neesan, and Edie will not make all these recommendations without reason.
「 If we didn’t say that at that moment, then her heart may not be able to handle it 」
Tsukiko said.
「 She really is a weak-willed girl. When Kurosawa-san decided to become a prost.i.tute, she rushed and want to jump in, but in reality, she’s not ready for it 」
Nei?
「 For someone who has no place to go, she wants to guarantee a place to stay 」
Edie said.
「 If she can’t find a place to go to, then she thought of selling her body for the sake of it. That’s the reason why she asked Minaho. Although, her heart isn’t ready for it 」
『 That’s not all. Wait, Edie-san and Nei already get it? If you know, why didn’t you tell Kou? 』
Minaho-neesan.
「 Well, it’s hard to talk like that 」
「 We thought that Darling would notice it himself 」
What?
「 Sonoko-san has a reason why she’s panicking to find a place to stay for the future at all costs 」
Tsukiko said.
「 The repeated reason and results in her mind are different 」
Oh.
I get it.
I look at Tendou Otome.
「 Sonoko-san wants to get away from Tendou Otome-san no matter what 」
Tendou Otome makes a『 ?!!!! 』face.
She can’t speak right now.
「 She knows that if things remain as they were, she will rely on Tendou Otome-san and live with her, and so she wants to have a place to go to and earn money, even if it’s a brothel 」
「 That’s right. It just happened that Minaho talked about her brothel, and so she jumped into it without thinking, but it doesn’t matter which it is for her 」
Sonoko-san prioritizes becoming independent from Tendou Otome moving forward, and so…
「 Thus, she will jump on any reason as long as she can part from Otome, be it going at the bottom of the ocean for an expedition or breaking the new grounds on Mars 」
She doesn’t care about the details of the job, she will accept it as long she can part from Otome.
「 That doesn’t mean that she has a resolve to become a prost.i.tute 」
She only jumped into the suggestion, but she hasn’t fully accepted the severity of the life of selling one’s body.
「 But, why does she want to leave Tendou-san that much? 」
I asked. Tendou Otome looks down feeling pitiful.
「 It’s not because she’s finding Tendou-san trying to woo her as unpleasant, is it? 」
「 Hmm, I think that’s 30% of it. Tendou-san’s love is a bit too high-pressure 」
Nei said.
「 But, she hates becoming Tendou-san’s burden more than anything 」
Burden?
「 Look, Tendou-san is somewhat strong, and she also has a lot of vitality, and so she can survive wherever she goes 」
I think so too.
Tendou Otome’s vitality is similar to the three girls lying down over there.
She also has thick nerves.
Wherever she goes to j.a.pan, she can beat people up and rise up.
「 Tokuda-san knows that Tendou-san loves her, and she also knows that Tendou-san will do any job, no matter how dangerous it is, for her sake 」
If these two lived together…
「 That’s why, Sonoko-san feels sorry that Tendou-san does that for her sake, and that’s why she wants to get away from her 」
I said. Tendou Otome makes a face of sudden realization.
「 Hmm, that’s not the whole point 」
Nei smiles wryly.
「 It’s complex 」
Edie?
「 You see, this girl has an inferiority complex towards Otome 」
She says while looking at the unconscious Sonoko-san.
「 She’s envious of her as she’s strong enough to survive. And she hates herself for being weak as the men raped her. That’s why she’s in pain, and she hates herself 」
That’s…
「 She knows that Otome wants to live together with her. But, if she does that, she will continue her life comparing her weak self to the strong Otome. It must be painful for her. She doesn’t want that to happen. She can’t endure that 」
Hearing what Edie says, Tendou Otome starts trembling.
「 Otome, you don’t stand at the same level as her. This girl wants to be on the same level as you. It’s painful to her that she has to keep looking up to you. It lets her see how weak she is 」
Nei followed.
「 Earlier, when she’s talking about herself, even when the topic is about the Yakuza that raped her, it still shows her insecurity towards Tendou-san. She thinks that Tendou-san is strong, and so she won’t experience the same thing as her 」
She’s the daughter of the leader of the group, Tendou Sadao, and since Tendou Otome knows martial arts, other Yakuza will not come after her.
They’re people who will not take even a small risk.
「 And since Tokuda-san is like that, her choice of becoming a prost.i.tute means turning her negative experience to a positive one 」
What does that mean?
「 If she’s raped so many times…She thought that “she can’t become anything but a prost.i.tute,” she also thinks that “the strong Tendou-san will not become a prost.i.tute.” If that’s the case, she can overlap her life with Tendou-san, or so she thinks 」
Tendou Otome will not say that she wants to become a prost.i.tute just to chase after Sonoko-san.
Besides, Minaho-neesan sensed that she can’t persuade Tendou Otome to become one.
「 Then, as for the erasing her memory talk… 」
「 What she wants to forget the most is Otome 」
「 Yes. She wants to remove Tendou-san more than all the painful experience she had in her head 」
「 She’s someone she feels extreme insecurity from, and she hated that she courts her 」
Oh, I get it.
Finally, the meaning of this.
「 Sonoko-san wants to become a woman as strong as Tendou-san 」
I said.
「 She yearns for her in that sense 」
「 Correct. Although, her thoughts are only to become someone like Otome, not to live with her, not to get along with her. The idealized image in her mind isn’t someone she makes love with 」
「 That’s the reason why she doesn’t like Otome’s courting or the idea that they will live together 」
「 That’s right. If the person she wants to watch from a distance is always with her, then it will only torment her 」
I see.
『 So, Kou? Do you think that Tokuda-san can become our prost.i.tute? 』
Minaho-neesan shakes me.
「 I don’t think so 」
I replied.
「 Someone who’s this half-hearted can’t become a prost.i.tute of Kuromori 」
The big-shots from the political and business circles are paying for the high-cla.s.s brothel experience.
『 Right, I thought so too 』
Minaho-neesan said. I suddenly realized.
“Right, it’s impossible with Sonoko-san.”
Tendou Otome’s relieved.
『 Then, what do you think we should make Tokuda-san a prost.i.tute? 』
Huh?
Tendou Otome’s complexion changed.
『 Sorry to say, but someone like her has no other paths but to become our prost.i.tute 』
That’s…
『 And Kou, 80% of the prost.i.tutes we will accept in our brothel will be girls that we deem unsuited to become prost.i.tutes 』
Minaho-neesan.
『 Well, girls who are worthy of becoming a high-cla.s.s brothel’s prost.i.tute can earn income from work that is not prost.i.tution. If their parents have no millions of debt, then girls with such ability can’t become a prost.i.tute 』
That’s true.
The prost.i.tutes of Kuromori must be bright, cheerful, gentle, smart, and they need plenty of topics to keep the customers entertained.
And girls like that become secretary of a chairman of an enterprise most of the time
Or maybe, they could start a business on their own and become a businesswoman.
In fact, most of the retired ladies of Kuromori are successful in business.
『 Therefore, we need to train the girls who come before us, despite them not suited to become a prost.i.tute, and turn them to prost.i.tutes worthy of Kuromori 』
Raise.
『 Think about how to train Tokuda Sonoko-san. Tokuda-san and Kurosawa-san, and Kurama-san’s elder sister. These three will become the ace of the next set for our brothel
Kurama Misato-san, the young lady of the n.o.bility that fell to ruins.
『 Listen, when you’re inviting, you start with the plain-looking girl first. Then, tell them that you need them. The plain girl who sees that she’s needed will work earnestly 』
Therefore, Minaho-neesan called out Kurosawa-san.
『 Then, the cute girls who feel insecure with the plain girl will need a cold att.i.tude. She saw that the plain girl is much more needed than her, and that’s why Tokuda-san asked to become a prost.i.tute voluntarily 』
Minaho-neesan intended to obtain Sonoko-san from the start?
『 Ah, but don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t use Kurosawa-san as bait for Tokuda-san. The brothel needs a plain-looking girl. If everyone’s a beauty, then n.o.body is.1 Naturally, you can’t pick girls with messed up looks either. But, we want someone who can become attractive with a little make-up just like Kurosawa-san. If we want someone beautiful and elegant, we already have Kurosawa-san 」
So that’s also put into consideration?
『 Oh well. Tokuda-san’s unconscious so put her on hold for later, you can decide with the remaining girls for now 』
The remaining girls.
「 Oh, the twins? 」
Their parents record videos and sell them to pedophiles.
They look cute, but they don’t talk so I don’t know much about them.
They’re the youngest, and so they shiver away from the scary elder girls.
『 We can’t use girls at their age as a prost.i.tute. And so, if you want them, then use them as your personal s.e.x slaves 』
There was that topic.
Oh, Tendou Otome’s glaring at me.
She probably thinks of herself as the guardian of the twins.
『 Also, as for the other one 』
Minaho-neesan?
『 What do you want to do with Tendou Otome-san? 』
Oh right.
Tendou Otome and I stare at each other.
- If everyone’s super, no one will be ↩