Tang!Tang!
The sharp, resonant notes of the stringed Koto rang out loudly through the crowded hall. Miwakuteki sat with absolute grace, draped in a magnificent, multi-layered kimono. Its vibrant hues of cherry-blossom pink, pristine white, and deep sky blue flowed around her form like the exquisite sunset reflecting on a river.
"Ah... our Miwakuteki-kun surely plays quite beautifully, doesn't she?" the patrons murmured among themselves, lazily pouring sake from their white jade bottles.
Miwakuteki's skin was flawlessly pale, her face painted as white as a drifting winter cloud with traditional Oshiroi powder. Her lips were stained a deep, blood-crimson, and her flowing, brownish-red hair framed her face perfectly, casting an intoxicatingly alluring aura across the entire room. With every single strategic note she plucked from the strings, the men fawned over her in a drunken stupor, while the rival courtesans scoffed in bitter jealousy.
Tan! Tang!
She struck the final, lingering chord of her Saibara melody, letting the vibration hang heavy in the air.
"How marvellous...!" A wave of raucous cheers and applause instantly erupted from the tables.
"Truly magnificent. Is this how the high nobles of the court get to feel every single day...?" the common folk murmured among themselves in awe, starstruck by the performance.
"I heard that very melody has been incredibly popular within the imperial palaces lately," another patron chimed in, leaning forward. "We are truly blessed to have a beauty like Miwakuteki-kun performing on our side of the capital."
"Please! Just one more song...!" someone desperately called out from the back of the dense crowd.
There was no response. Miwakuteki remained entirely silent, giving no acknowledgement to the begging of her audience. She rose to her feet in one fluid, unbroken motion. The moment she stood, two veiled servants materialised instantly at her flanks. One gracefully opened a colourful silk umbrella over her head to shield her from the lights, while the other gently supported her left hand, reverently leading the silent siren away into the shadowed corridors behind the stage.
"I wonder what her face actually looks like," one of the patrons muttered regretfully into his cup. "I heard endless rumours of her unrivalled beauty, but by the time I finally scraped together enough coin to see her, she had already taken to wearing a heavy veil and mask. They say it's because of how ruthlessly the crowds have been harassing her."
"What? Really? Ah, you truly missed a vision of absolute perfection," his companion responded, shaking his head.
"Mmm... tch. If I ever find those bastards who harassed her, I'll slit their throats," the man huffed drunkenly, slamming his jade bottle onto the low table. "Because of them, I don't even get to gaze upon Miwakuteki-kun's true countenance."
"Shh! Keep your voice down, you fool...!" the friend hissed, frantically grabbing his arm and looking around the crowded room.
"Huh? Why?"
"Haven't you heard the whispers? A handful of the wealthier men who came sniffing around her quarters have completely vanished into thin air over the past few weeks," the friend whispered, his voice trembling. "If you go around boasting about slitting throats, the authorities will pin those disappearances on you in a heartbeat."
"What...?" The rosy-faced man froze, the alcohol-induced warmth draining from his face as a sudden wave of dread washed over him. "Oh... poor Miwakuteki. She must be absolutely frightened out of her mind, trapped in the middle of all this danger."
They watched in silent reverence until Miwakuteki's silhouette finally vanished beyond the paper screens.
Clack.Clack.
As Miwakuteki walked through the outer thoroughfares of the district, the rhythmic, metallic ring of her high Geta shoes echoed sharply against the cobblestones. Thousands of eyes tracked her every movement. Children stopped playing, women paused their chores, and men froze in their tracks, all of them helplessly stealing a glance at the passing icon.
Her entourage finally departed from the chaotic core of the Pleasure District, guiding her toward the quiet banks of a nearby river.
Tucked away in the serene landscape stood a small, yet breathtakingly grand estate. The compound was pristine bits manicured rock gardens, sweeping hay roofs, and flawless stonework, which mirrored the exact architectural opulence of a high noble's summer houses.
"You have returned, Miwakuteki," a raspy, seasoned voice called out from the shaded veranda.
Seiko sat reclined on a low wooden bench. She was an elegant, elder matriarch, her fingers loosely wrapped around a long, polished silver pipe. With every slow, deliberate puff she took, thick plumes of fragrant grey smoke curled lazily into the cool evening air.
"What is it to you...?" Miwakuteki responded coldly.
She stood still as her servants knelt to carefully slide the heavy Geta shoes from her feet. Stepping onto the smooth, polished wooden floorboards, she walked forward a few paces before raising her hands to methodically slide the ornate silver pins from her hair, letting the dark, heavy locks cascade down her shoulders.
"What?!" Seiko's face twisted violently, bubbling with an explosive wave of anger at the sheer disrespect.
Miwakuteki simply walked straight past her, not even granting the elder woman a glance.
"You were explicitly ordered to perform for longer tonight!" Seiko hissed, slamming her silver pipe against the railing. "I received direct word that a high-profile target from the southern provinces was arriving today."
"Tch. You are old."
"What did you just say—?"
"I said... You are old," Miwakuteki repeated smoothly.
The blatant insubordination caused Seiko's temper to snap. She lunged forward, her hand clawing through the air to strike the arrogant girl down. But before her blow could even cover half the distance, Seiko's knees violently buckled, and she collapsed heavily onto the floorboards.
"What... my body feels incredibly heavy... what is happening...?" Seiko gasped, her lungs straining for air as she struggled to lift her head, glaring up at Miwakuteki's retreating back.
"I received word that you were once the undisputed ruler of this entire Pleasure District," Miwakuteki murmured, pausing at the threshold of her chambers. She turned her head slightly, her blood-red lips curling into a mocking smile. "But what a pathetic shame. You are nothing but a decaying old woman now. And from what I have come to understand about our organisation's hierarchy... I highly doubt Master Tamamo would care in the slightest if you were to simply die tonight."
"What...? You... you are planning to murder me?!" Seiko roared, her eyes darting frantically around the courtyard.
"Ohh, no, I wouldn't dare… but our job is dangerous, you know, what if an opposing house were to put some poison on your tea, what a tragedy that would be." She spoke with a ghostly smile on her face.
'Why aren't the servants doing anything...?!' she panicked internally, searching the shadows for her loyal enforcers. But every single servant and guard stood perfectly frozen, their eyes locked firmly onto the ground, deliberately acting as though the elder matriarch didn't even exist.
'Tch... how has her influence grown this massive, this quickly?' Seiko thought bitterly, the cold realisation of her doom washing over her. 'Young Master Tamamo... you have brought an absolute monster into the capital this time, or perhaps that's what you wanted, have you seen no use in me finally?'