As luck would have it, he had the most tempting bait right beside him!
Good looked at Yamato beside him and couldn't help licking his lips.
What a wonderfully sweet, rich, beautiful airhead!
With this girl around, he could afford to be even bolder with his rent-collection plans!
The girl looked at the prettily dressed young women in the shops on either side, feeling a little envious. She wanted to wear a beautiful kimono too.
"Good, what is this place?"
"This is a henhouse."
Good beamed and pointed ahead.
Surrounded by guards, a grand procession escorting an oiran was parading down the street. Judging by its direction, it was probably heading toward Orochi Castle.
"Look over there."
"Hm?"
Yamato turned to look and couldn't help exclaiming.
"What a beautiful woman!"
"If you dressed up a little, you'd look just as good as her."
Good sighed helplessly.
The girl had a fantastic figure and face, but she was far too boyish. She didn't like dressing up and had no feminine charm whatsoever.
"If I dressed up a little..."
Yamato looked down at her own outfit, and her face flushed.
She felt a little embarrassed.
"Good, who is she?"
"Her?"
Good's lips curled into a grin.
"Her name is Komurasaki. She's famous throughout the Flower Capital and renowned across the country-a chicken!"
"A chicken?"
Utterly confused, Yamato couldn't help picturing the bizarre sight of Komurasaki standing on a rooftop, crowing with all her might.
Cluck, cluck~√~~~~
How terrifying!!!
"Stop imagining things. Come with me."
After the oiran's procession left, Good took Yamato to the largest brothel in the Pleasure District, which was also the one where Komurasaki worked.
"I'm here to see Boss Kyoshiro."
"Please come in and wait a moment."
Seeing Good's clothing, the guard didn't dare neglect him. He invited the two inside for tea, then immediately went upstairs to report their arrival.
Boss Kyoshiro was sleeping.
Before long, a bleary-eyed Kyoshiro appeared before them. He looked so exhausted that one couldn't help wondering whether his nightlife was a little too lively.
At the sight of Good, Kyoshiro angrily wanted to draw his sword.
That damned bastard!
He had originally thought building a new storehouse would cost next to nothing-200 gold at most. Instead, he had already spent over 2,000!
These past few days, he had worked overtime until five in the morning every day!
Had they ever seen the sunrise at five in the morning?
He saw it every single day!
Kyoshiro.
You have to hold back. Hold it in!
The most important thing about working undercover is patience!
Kyoshiro forced a smile and spoke through gritted teeth. "Brother Good, what an honor to have you visit my humble establishment."
"You're too kind, Boss Kyoshiro."
Good smiled and cupped his hands. "Don't worry, Boss Kyoshiro. I didn't come here this time to collect a debt."
Though he said he hadn't, he deliberately stressed the words "collect a debt." His meaning was obvious.
When are you going to pay those 500 gold in compensation?
A vein bulged on Kyoshiro's forehead as he fought back the urge to cut someone down.
Bastard! He came all the way to my place to collect!
If outsiders found out, how could he preserve his reputation as the Capital's Chivalrous Rogue?
Kyoshiro took a deep breath, suppressed his agitation, and said gravely, "You jest, Brother Good. It's only 500 gold. I'll have it brought over right away!"
"How generous, boss!"
Good beamed with delight and cupped his hands in praise.
Soon, 500 gold lay before him.
Good deftly put the money away, then shamelessly said, "Boss Kyoshiro, there's actually another favor I came to ask of you!"
"..."
Kyoshiro pondered for a moment, discreetly glancing at Yamato, who had her head down as she ate pastries. Doubts stirred in his mind.
Based on the recent rumors, if his guess was correct, this rather dim-looking girl was Kaido's daughter.
He had long known that Kaido had a daughter, but he had never seen her in person. King, Queen, and the others were always deeply guarded whenever they mentioned her. All he knew was that she was a berserker who constantly challenged Kaido in order to grow stronger.
She doesn't really look the part!
Kyoshiro withdrew his gaze and looked at Good.
One thing was certain: the man before him was close to Kaido's daughter. Otherwise, he couldn't possibly be holding an opening ceremony in her name.
I have to stay on good terms with him!
Only five years remained until the appointed day. Before Lord Momonosuke returned, he had to build the best possible relationships with the Beasts Pirates' senior officers to prepare for the war five years from now.
Doing him a favor today might produce an unexpected payoff in the future!
Kyoshiro sipped his sake and flashed his signature foxlike smile. "Brother Good, if you're having any trouble, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I certainly won't refuse."
"Boss Kyoshiro!"
Good dabbed at the corners of his eyes, looking moved.
What a good man! If I didn't know his true identity, I'd swear brotherhood with him just for being so generous.
Heh heh heh, then I won't hold back.
"Boss, as you know, my hot spring club is about to open, so I'd like to borrow some courtesans from you to help out."
"Oh, so that's all."
Kyoshiro breathed a sigh of relief.
That's easy.
It's just lending him a few people.
"How many do you need?"
"Well, let's start with 100 for now."
"How many???"
Kyoshiro's voice abruptly shot up!
His own establishment had fewer than fifty courtesans in total!
"One hundred courtesans!"
Good smiled as he rubbed his fingers together.
"Oh, and Boss Kyoshiro."
"Lend me the oiran Komurasaki too."
"Without an oiran to draw a crowd, things won't be nearly as lively!"
Chapter 16: A Soak in the Hot Springs
The southern outskirts of the Flower Capital.
The Heavenly Residence Hot Spring Spa.
Thanks to Master Minatomo's hard work and Boss Kyoshiro's financial support, the club's main structure was complete after just over half a month of construction. Even the interior decorating was mostly finished.
Good wasn't surprised in the slightest.
As long as the money was there, these master carpenters could even build an entire Oden Castle within a month.
By comparison, the hot spring club was only a small project.
The reception hall.
Blue Worm, White Dog, Red Sparrow, and Tea Mouse.
The four members of Ulti's fan club stood with their heads high and chests out, like soldiers awaiting inspection.
Loyalty!
"Big Brother Good!"
"Mm!"
Good nodded with a smile.
He certainly couldn't handle everything alone. Luckily, he had a group of followers too. The four of them had delivered most of the invitations and taken care of various odd jobs.
"Have you brought the masters over?"
"Yes! They're all in the next room!"
All four flashed sinister grins at once. Clearly, the process of inviting them hadn't been entirely proper.
Good didn't mind.
Why not use an easier method when one was available?
As a pirate, he couldn't forget his roots.
"Have them go to the banquet hall!"
"Yes!"
Good turned and left, making his way to the banquet hall.
The moment he pushed the doors open, the scent of perfume hit him. A moment later, he found himself surrounded by a flock of chattering courtesans.
"Wow, such firm muscles!"
At the sight of Good's powerful, imposing muscles, the courtesans' eyes filled with hearts. Quite a few bold ones pressed right up against him, running their hands all over him.
"Stop! Don't touch my chest!"
"My legs are off-limits too!"
"Who's undoing my belt?!"
"This is a respectable club! All of you, behave yourselves!"
Drenched in sweat, Good pushed the courtesans away.
These women were far too aggressive.
Before you continue