13 Mink Street

Karon and the others left in one of the hotel’s carriages. There was no better means of coming and going.

Along the road past the hotel gates, there were quite a few people in black priest’s robes who could be seen heading out as well. Everyone wanted to take this chance to explore the island, though most went about on foot, as carriages could only be hired after leaving the hotel’s grounds.

In that regard, the entire group benefitted from Leon and Larry’s status.

Once outside the hotel, the carriage continued downhill. The unicorn moved quickly, and although the road was gravel, there was not the slightest jolting inside.

They descended Mount Kanna and entered the town. Aside from landmark structures, such as towers, clocktowers, and moon-viewing terraces, none of the residential or commercial buildings were taller than three stories.

Karon felt that whoever had designed this town must have been obsessive. Every district and every road had been designed with extreme symmetry. For anyone unfamiliar with the place, getting lost would be quite easy.

“It’s so clean here,” Richard observed, looking out the window. The streets of York City were certainly nowhere near so clean.

“They must have done a full cleanup in advance,” Larry commented dismissively.

Richard nodded. “That makes sense.”

The carriage stopped in front of a restaurant. When the four men in black robes stepped down, the attendants at the entrance were visibly startled. The commotion quickly drew out the owner and others, all of whom hurried forward to greet them.

They repeatedly said to Karon and the others,

“Praise Order.”

“Praise Order.”

In truth, only believers of Order were qualified to say those words. For outsiders to use them was more likely to be blasphemous, or even offensive.

However, Darkmoon Island had always practiced just the Darkmoon faith. The residents knew nothing of the churches’ taboos, so when they saw honored guests from the Church of Order arriving to dine in their establishment, they treated the phrase as a warm greeting.

Karon and the others could only place both hands over their chests and reply in unison, “Praise Order.”

They entered the restaurant, and the owner personally led them upstairs to the second floor and to the finest private room. Through the window, they had a clear view of the fountain in the small plaza outside.

Larry took the menu, marked off several items, then tossed it back to the owner, telling him to add more items as he saw fit. After that, Larry picked up the teapot and poured tea for everyone. “Try Darkmoon Island’s tea. It’s called Moonlight Tea. The tea trees grow on cliffs beside the sea. According to the locals, it absorbs the essence of the Darkmoon.”

Everyone lifted their cups, took a sip, and immediately their expressions stiffened.

Larry finally burst out laughing. “Hahaha! Awful, right? I had the same reaction the first time I drank it.”

Karon swirled the tea in his cup. The first sip sent a sharp aroma surging upward, almost like strong liquor, though it only lasted for an instant. The sharpness then dropped away into bitterness, but even after waiting a long time, there was no following sweetness.

It tasted less like tea and more like medicinal herbs.

“How do locals like this stuff?” Richard asked, sticking out his tongue.

Larry guessed, “They probably get used to it over time. If they don’t have two cups a day to jolt their minds awake, they probably feel that something’s missing.”

Richard looked uneasy. “The dishes they’re bringing us won’t be like this too, right?”

Larry immediately shook his head. “No. Their seafood utilizes many species that you can’t eat elsewhere.”

The dishes, all of which were seafood, quickly arrived, served in clay pots. Larry was right, nearly half of the seafood were items that Karon had never even seen before. This was because the species only lived in the waters around Darkmoon Island.

As for the taste, Karon found it merely average. Too much seasoning was added; Every pot tasted as though someone had dumped in a large spoonful of Veynic bean paste, which drowned out the food’s natural flavors.

The staple dish, however, suited him well. It was called Gray Paste. Its texture was a bit like sesame pudding, yet it also carried the smooth richness of caviar. Karon mainly ate that, only occasionally taking bites of the other dishes.

Richard and the other two, meanwhile, ate with obvious delight. It could only be said that Veynics preferred heavy flavors.

After finishing the bowl in front of him, Karon asked the server for another.

Seeing this, Larry smiled. “The local name for it is moben. It’s made by grinding a grain that grows in the shallow sea.”

“Grain can grow in seawater?”

“I’ve seen it myself. It only grows near the coast. When locals harvest it, they dive underwater and cut it like seaweed. That’s one reason everyone here worships Darkmoon. Maybe the Darkmoon truly is why so many things on this island are so unusual.”

Richard added, “I heard the Darkmoon appears once every month?”

“Yes, and that’s the islanders’ Moon Festival. Though they call it moon-viewing, everyone actually kneels in worship, because they believe everything they possess was granted to them by the Darkmoon.”

“We can pack some of this to take back,” Karon said to Richard.

“Sure.”

“No need, no need,” Larry said. “You can order it at the hotel. Moben isn’t expensive, and they won’t charge us for normal meals there. Though some services aren’t included, hehe.”

He gave them a smile that said plenty without words.

After the meal, Larry went to settle the bill. They then took the carriage to another location. This building looked like a theater, and the ticket office was divided into three colors. There were five yellow windows open, along with three red ones and a single purple one.

Larry went to buy the tickets. He went to the purple window, and each ticket cost one thousand Order credits.

Karon took out his wallet, but Larry pushed it back to him. “That would ruin the fun. Save the credits you brought for spending in your own private rooms later.”

Karon did not argue. There was a distinct advantage to going out with a rich young master: freeloading on food and drink offered very little guilt.

Still, looking down at the purple ticket in his hand, Karon found the price to absurd. A whole Pavaro could barely buy a single entrance ticket.

There did not seem to be any fixed sessions. With a ticket in hand, one could enter the facility at any time. When the ticket inspector saw four purple tickets, he pressed a bell. At once, four women dressed in traditional Darkmoon Island attire came out, each lightly taking one of the men by the wrist and leading them inside.

The traditional dress of the island was predominantly white, accented with dark red borders, and a notably modest cut.

Once inside the theater, they were each led up to the third floor. Yellow tickets were for the ground floor, and red tickets were for the second floor, but purple tickets for the third.

Larry was the first to enter his room. Before going in, he called to the others, “Hey, enjoy yourselves!”

Karon was then led into his own room. Inside was a small washroom and a bed. The floor, however, was made of a special crystal platform, through which the floor below could be seen clearly. The woman who had escorted him explained, “Please rest assured, you can only see down through this floor. Those below aren’t able to see you.”

Karon lowered his head. The first floor was filled with chairs, and was an open area. The second floor had sofa beds separated by curtains on both sides to offer some privacy. The third floor consisted solely of private rooms, making it much more secluded, while also allowing guests to watch how those below entertained themselves, satisfying voyeuristic tastes. Even more absurdly, a pirate-styled telescope had been placed on a counter in the room specifically to allow for better viewing.

At the center of the theater was a large pool. There were many figures swimming inside it. Looking closely, Karon realized that they were all merfolk, and none of them had legs. There were both men and women. The male merfolk were bare-chested, while the female merfolk wore swimsuits that covered only the essential areas.

At the edge of the platform was a device that resembled a harpoon launcher. Karon noted that there was no spear loaded. Instead, a small glowing gemstone had been set into it. When used, a narrow beam of light would shoot out, gathering in a point down below. Whichever merfolk someone fancied in the pool could be marked, and staff would then immediately bring them to the room.

Looking more carefully, even the merfolk were divided by rank. There were three circles nested within one another in the pool; Those in the outermost ring could be selected by anyone. Those in the middle ring could only be selected by second-floor guests. Those in the innermost ring were reserved for third-floor guests. Of course, third-floor guests could also choose from the outer rings, but generally, the inner ring held the most handsome men and the most beautiful women with superior looks, figures, and bearing.

After surveying the place, Karon could only sigh inwardly. The people of Darkmoon Island truly knew how to amuse themselves.

He soon noticed several red dots being shone down from neighboring rooms, all of which landed in the inner ring. A ticket costing one thousand Order credits was something only the true elite of Darkmoon Island could casually afford. Since Karon and the others had arrived just after lunch, it was not a peak hour. The four had also been assigned to rooms one through four, starting right beside the staircase.

Those three red dots were obviously Larry and the others. Larry had been to the mermaid theater before, so his familiarity was normal, but Richard and Leon had never come before. Even so, they grasped the rules almost instantly. It could only be said that men learned certain things with astonishing efficiency.

Down below, attendants carrying signs approached the side of the pool. The merfolk who had been marked by the red dots willingly swam to shore.

Willingly. They were not hauled out in nets or dragged by force. There were even smiles on their faces, as if being chosen by guests pleased them.

Once out of the pool, the attendants placed basin-like tubs in front of the merfolk, who rolled themselves in. They laid back, and were then carried upstairs.

Karon looked down again. Though there were not many guests at the moment, some had already arrived, and a number of things unfit to watch were taking place below.

What puzzled him was that some merfolk chosen by guests suddenly had human feet, despite having had no legs while in the water. He then saw one tub carried to a lower room. An attendant gave the merfolk inside the tub a bottle of some potion, and soon after, the tail transformed into legs.

So it’s the effect of a potion?

One could choose to use the potion or not use it. Different guests had different tastes.

Karon inspected the bed and confirmed the sheets and pillowcases had been freshly replaced and were clean. Only then did he lay down.

He had no intention of using the launcher, nor did he intend to summon any merfolk.

This was not because he considered himself to be noble, but rather because the merfolk possessed half-human forms. The entire process gave him the feeling of browsing livestock in a market. As soon as the novelty wore off, what remained was a mild psychological discomfort.

He still preferred the atmosphere of pastry shops and cafés.

Thus, even though he knew that refusing to participate might make him seem out of step once the other three learned of it, Karon had no desire to force himself just for the sake of fitting in. Nor had he ever intended to build a relationship with Leon and Larry through artificial conformity. After all, they were not from the same circle.

Just then, Karon saw a red dot appear on the bedboard above his head.

“Hm?” He sat up and looked outside, only to find the red dot gone. Someone in another third-floor room across the way from him had probably carelessly swept their launcher this way.

He then paused. No, that had to be wrong.

Karon had just realized something. Those below were not able to see up above, but among the rooms lining the same third-floor level, neighboring rooms were only hidden by the angle they sat from each other. This meant that the rooms opposite each other could likely see one another.

Not only that, there were no curtains.

This meant that even the third floor was only semi-private. Fortunately, there were few guests at this moment. If the place were crowded, it would be little different from performing in public.

The mermaid theater: the performers were not only the merfolk, as the audience was also part of the performance.

Karon laid back down and casually picked up the booklet that sat beside the bed. It contained stories about merfolk, and genuinely serious ones at that, not the ones that were filled with innuendo.

According to the introduction, the merfolk were a special race. A small portion of them were able to learn human language, but most could only understand speech and not speak it. This was because their vocal structures differed from those of humans.

They had originally lived on certain islands, but more than a hundred years ago, their habitat had been destroyed for special reasons, forcing them to migrate. The great clan chief Bernard had received them and allowed them to breed among the reefs near Darkmoon Island. Since that time, many merfolk had begun worshipping Darkmoon.

Yet merfolk social customs were entirely different from those of humans. They were more inclined to regard themselves as sea monsters rather than people. To them, performing the services of the mermaid theater was nothing shameful. They saw it as no different from catching fish or shrimp. It was simply another form of labor.

Historically, one Darkmoon clan chief had attempted to ban merfolk from participating in the erotic trades once upon a time, but the result had fierce resistance from the merfolk themselves.

The living environment near Darkmoon Island was too favorable, which had led to their population exploding. Given the population pressure, many merfolk urgently needed to come ashore and work in exchange for supplies.

As a result, nearly every place on Darkmoon Island that resembled a pastry shop employed merfolk in some capacity. They regarded it as one of their natural occupations.

Reading the booklet, Karon genuinely could not tell whether he was reading true history or propaganda meant to ease a guest’s conscience.

Then he reached the final page and froze: Every order you place helps the survival of the merfolk community!

Karon set down the booklet and could not help muttering to himself, “Heh. They’ve managed to turn the sex trade into a sacred sense of mission.”

***

“Your Highness, I have confirmed it. There are no merfolk in Mr. Karon’s room. He did not use the launcher to place an order either. He is lying there alone, resting.” The female warrior Panmir set down the launcher in her hand as she turned to report to Ophelia, who sat behind her drinking tea.

Beside Ophelia stood a mature woman with green pigment painted between her brows. She was the owner of the theater, a well-known female figure on Darkmoon Island known as Madam Chenay. Rumors claimed that she was of mixed islander and merfolk blood.

Normally, conception between humans and merfolk was difficult, and even when it occurred, things almost always ended in stillbirth. For this reason, even though the rumors had long circulated, no one had ever confirmed whether or not Madam Chenay was truly mixed-blood.

Naturally, whatever reputation she possessed outside meant little before Ophelia. Madam Chenay could be subservient before the princess.

She did not know why the noble Ophelia had come to the mermaid theater, but from the warrior’s words, the matron was able to piece together enough. Ah, a wife coming to catch her cheating husband in a place like this is nothing new. But this one was truly bold. That man dares come to my establishment beneath Your Highness’s very gaze.

Fortunately, he had not placed an order. If the princess became angry, Madam Chenay herself would certainly be implicated.

“Your Highness, there are times when men cannot avoid this sort of social entertainment. To maintain relationships, they cannot act aloof. When colleagues or superiors insist on coming to these places to indulge themselves, it is difficult to refuse.

“That Mr. Karon has already behaved very well.” As she spoke, Madam Chenay looked toward Panmir. “Has the gentleman come here for the first time?”

“Yes,” Panmir replied with a nod.

“Ah, then that is even more rare; To resist the temptation of novelty and curiosity on a first visit, such a man is truly uncommon in this world.” Madam Chenay knew very well that flattering a person was sometimes less effective than flattering the person they liked.

If the noble princess felt nothing for the man, or held no affection of that kind, why would she personally visit this place?

Ophelia did not respond. She could not be bothered to explain herself, nor could she be bothered to conceal things.

Panmir resumed observing through the launcher, though this time, she had learned her lesson and fixed the glowing gem in place. Earlier, she had nearly allowed Karon to catch her.

Ophelia took another sip of tea. “Is he still alone?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Still alone.”

Ophelia looked at Madam Chenay. “I’ve heard your establishment has a top courtesan.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Normally, bidding for the right to place an order begins at eight in the evening.” Madam Chenay quickly added, “If Your Highness wishes to see her, I can have her brought up at once to pay respects.”

“No need for her to pay respects to me. Send her to that room.”

Madam Chenay thought she had misheard and reflexively asked, “Send her to... Mr. Karon’s room?”

“Yes.” Ophelia set down her teacup, a faint smile touching her lips. “I cannot allow him to go without what others have.”