Beautiful Geisha

"This is Miss Chie Rii, a popular geisha at Mile House, one of our country's most famous establishments," Yuriko explained.

Sherlock found the two women standing together an intriguing sight. Yuriko was a stylish career woman, with the confidence and allure of a leader, while Chie Rii had a deep, captivating charm that seemed to come naturally to her.

"Ah." Even Sherlock was a little confused about why Yuriko had brought a popular geisha from the Japanese Wizarding World here. If this was about that sort of thing... even Sherlock had to admit that, at twelve, he wasn't old enough to be playing around with women.

Yuriko seated Sherlock behind a low table, then brought out an exquisite meal from a food box in the room and filled the table with dishes. The box had clearly been enchanted; otherwise, how could so much food have fit inside?

"Japanese sake is considered one of the finest alcoholic drinks in the world."

"I'm too young to drink. And doesn't Japan have laws against minors drinking alcohol?"

"This has been specially treated with magic. It leaves the fragrance and sweetness of sake in your mouth, but doesn't contain a drop of alcohol, so you can drink as much as you like without getting drunk. It's like sweet mountain spring water—refreshing to the soul."

Sherlock nodded slowly. The table was covered with exquisite Japanese dishes: crab meat arranged on delicate plates with colorful vegetables as garnish, fresh sashimi, and a small serving of sushi. His lips stirred at the sight.

Miss Chie Rii also revealed the purpose of her visit. She stood in front of a screen painted with mountains, rivers, and sky, and performed a traditional Japanese dance. Nearby, instruments played by themselves, strings plucked without hands, and wind instruments sounded without anyone to blow them.

Seeing Chie Rii dance, Sherlock relaxed. Then she began to sing softly, her lovely voice even more soothing than the sake.

The graceful woman's dance and melodious singing were more comforting than the world's finest food or drink. At that moment, even the greatest writer in the world couldn't have described the pleasure Sherlock was experiencing.

Yuriko sat beside him like an attendant, pouring his drink. Halfway through Chie Rii's dance, she took off her jacket, revealing a white blouse that was slightly sheer. Beneath it, he could make out a black undergarment embroidered with gold. Her posture shifted as she breathed.

Most notably, only four buttons were fastened on Yuriko's blouse, leaving part of her neckline and undergarment visible.

Yuriko continued pouring Sherlock's drink as if she hadn't noticed, while Sherlock's gaze kept shifting between Chie Rii dancing in front of him and Yuriko beside him.

Before long, Yuriko began drinking the sake too, using Sherlock's cup—or perhaps it was simply the only cup on the table.

After drinking from it without asking Sherlock, Yuriko filled it again. He looked at the red lipstick mark on the rim and caught the faint trace of her perfume.

He figured it was probably just Japanese hospitality, so he drank the sake without giving it another thought.

But then Chie Rii moved into the later part of the dance and began loosening her robe. The garment slid against her body without falling completely away. After two or three minutes, she stood exposed before Sherlock, still dancing with composure, and finally sank to the floor when the performance ended.

Sherlock assumed that must have been the final pose. Surely she hadn't simply collapsed from exhaustion.

After the dance, Chie Rii calmly sat beside Sherlock, now wearing a robe. Two locks of her wine-red hair fell over her chest.

Now Sherlock had two striking women beside him.

Chie Rii saw that Sherlock looked embarrassed and excited, with a trace of youthful nervousness, and found it amusing. She took his cup and poured the sake over her collarbone, leaving a small pool of liquor there.

Chie Rii lifted her hair and waited for Sherlock to make the next move. Beside them, Yuriko giggled. "Go on, Mr. Sherlock! If you don't, you'll be showing Miss Chie Rii a terrible lack of respect."

Sherlock had no choice but to lean forward and wipe the sake from Chie Rii's collarbone. She let out a soft sound, and Sherlock inwardly cursed her for being so distracting.

Sherlock wondered if entertaining guests this way was simply part of being a Japanese geisha. He didn't know much about their customs. During their conversation, Chie Rii also revealed that she was a Squib.

In other words, both of Chie Rii's parents were wizards, but she herself had no magical ability, like an ordinary person raised in a wizarding family.

After they'd eaten and drunk their fill, Yuriko removed her outer clothes, leaving her in a black undergarment. When she reached the indoor hot spring, she took that off too and slowly stepped into the water.

Chie Rii took Sherlock to the hot spring and helped him out of his clothes before leading him in. Yuriko joined them, while Chie Rii stayed close to Sherlock in the water.

Yuriko's smooth skin was within reach beside him.

"Master Sherlock, you're a clever boy. If you do as I say, I'll do whatever you want!"

"So... I planned to lift Yuriko's Confundus Charm from the start. But since there was no reason to pass up a free advantage, I—"

"How did you know...?"

Chie Rii looked startled and angry. When she'd cried out a moment earlier, the little brat had reached over and touched her inappropriately. It was infuriating. No man had ever touched her there before. Not once.

Sherlock smiled. "Who would be foolish enough to leave erotic magazines in a guest's room?"

Chie Rii gave a cold snort, got out of the hot spring, and put on her robe. As she left, she said, "Master Sherlock, you're a clever boy. The Japanese Wizarding World is a very troubled place."

"I was born when Mr. Voldemort was still in power. The European Wizarding World was brutal back then. Compared with that, a little disorder in Japan is nothing to a child born in such a cruel magical age."

Chie Rii gave another cold snort and left.

Sherlock snapped his fingers, lifting the Confundus Charm from Yuriko, then cast a Sleeping Charm. She fell drowsily against him. It was pleasant having someone beautiful in his arms, but he was only a child.

Sherlock snapped his fingers, and the book about A History of Magic in Japan flew into his hand. Soaking in the hot spring with a beautiful woman in his arms while reading—what could be more relaxing?