Episode 17
How much wealth had been squandered to buy gifts for them, and how many young gentlemen had fallen into depravity because of it?
Due to those who entered as family concubines, the number of noble women who had to stroke their chests and swallow their tears was beyond counting.
Of course, with the madam’s full support, there were first-class prostitutes who accumulated culture to the level of ordinary young ladies and engaged in intellectual and emotional exchanges with intellectuals—thus leading them to their own establishments—but the point of spreading their legs to men and acting coquettish was the same. How much so that someone mocked this rank as the only criterion used in brothels to distinguish between ‘stones’ and ‘people’?
Therefore, whether the prostitute in front of me was first-class, second-class, or higher, the fact that she lifted her skirt for money made her deserving of contempt.
Perinuel must also know such gazes, so she would be reluctant to talk with me. Waiting until Theodore Vitraice introduced her could be said to be her last bit of pride and a mechanism of her instincts.
The problem was that I was not a young lady steeped in aristocratic ideology like other girls.
As soon as I learned that Perinuel was a prostitute, I immediately changed my attitude. I obediently sat down as he led and looked at her.
Theodore Vitraice seemed to have expected me to scream and run away like other young ladies, so he had a somewhat disappointed expression. More than anything, he seemed very surprised by the fact that I was wearing a soft smile all over my face without any displeasure.
“That’s unexpected, young lady.”
“What is?”
“The fact that you’re sitting here.”
“What did you hope for? Did you perhaps hope I’d let out a piercing scream and fall away? Oh dear, it seems you’ve forgotten that it was you, the young gentleman, who offered me the seat first. How pitiful. I can only hope the alcohol wears off quickly. I mean it sincerely.”
Theodore hardens his face as if slightly appalled and asks me.
“Is that all?”
Perinuel also seemed to be waiting for an answer, staring at my lips. Her face was already sparkling with interest. I felt like laughing at the slight ‘curiosity’ and ‘wariness’ flickering in her eyes but held it back.
And while trying hard not to lose the noble elegance, the solemn authority it represents, I stiffly lifted my chin.
“It’s a whim. So let’s move on. I’m the one curious about the young gentleman’s intentions. What were you thinking when you grabbed a lady’s hand? How rude! If it wasn’t your intention to give shame, you’d better apologize to me right now.”
Then Theodore Vitraice opens his mouth with a strange smile. His demeanor was not just bad attitude but very insincere, yet not to the point of being unacceptable. Because his voice was very mellow.
“Vitraice Theodore sincerely apologizes to the young lady.”
“I’ll understand with a generous heart.”
I was now trying my best to imitate the behavior of an immature young lady. The instinctive curiosity of a girl who had heard the notoriety about prostitutes but was seeing it in person, and thus slightly setting aside her pride—that kind of foolish sixteen-year-old.
So, as someone who was a commoner until recently, I wanted to be very faithful to the role of a vain fool who tirelessly tries to show aristocratic airs, soaked in vanity and unable to distinguish heaven from earth.
Because Theodore Vitraice, heavily drunk, couldn’t properly discern right from wrong, and the more I focused on the role, the more likely Perinuel would look down on me.
Since the situation had become like this, Perinuel had no choice but to greet me first. Because there was no one here of lower status than her.
Theodore Vitraice was drunk and out of his mind, so he had no capacity to introduce us.
Perinuel bowed politely with the utmost courtesy she knew and introduced herself.
“I greet the young lady. I am called Perinuel.”
I replied in a curt voice, giving her as little eye contact as possible.
“Why don’t you sit a bit farther away?”
And I unfolded my fan to cover up to under my nose. I deliberately furrowed my brow and slightly lowered my eyes. It was just the right shape for glaring.
As if this level of poor treatment was nothing, Perinuel bursts into laughter and backs away on her knees. And with a playful voice, she asks me.
“Would you rather I leave the seat?”
“Hmph, nonsense. What would I become to the young gentleman?”
When I shot back in a prim voice, she seems about to die laughing. Yes, it must be amusing in her own way.
In her eyes, I must be a very audacious girl who has just entered the aristocratic world and is trying to act like a superior.
It must also seem ridiculous that, unable to shake off my commoner nature, I’m putting up pride after falling for such trivial tricks.
But her attentive, almost endearing demeanor wasn’t entirely off-putting, so I let it slide. I could sense that her wariness had softened considerably under my gaze, as if she were looking at a curious cat.
In fact, I was underestimating Perinuel a bit. Although her face was slathered with makeup, the fair skin that couldn’t be hidden by it was very young, and her eyes, clouded thickly due to debauchery, showed no sign of intelligence.
Therefore, I mistakenly thought that if a noble woman of a status she dared not look at casually tossed a word, she would be overwhelmed with gratitude and spill everything.
More than anything, I thought that with the conversational skills and knowledge I had endured in past social circles, I could easily handle a prostitute of this level.
Well, even if she had rolled around in the back alleys dealing with various types of customers, how could she compare to noble women who wag their fox tails and act seductively!
So I believed that if I gently catered to her mood, she would spill all sorts of things on her own.
But Perinuel was not just any prostitute. She was smarter than having boiled and eaten hundreds of snakes, and more political than seasoned nobles.
Like negotiating a fee, or like making a man anxious, she omitted important stories and chattered trivial gossip while subtly gauging my reaction.
It felt like a battle. It was as if invisible spears and shields were clashing. Because of that, I was bewildered as the conversation continued with content more tiring and boring than I had thought.
It was Perinuel who kept talking and checking my mood, but she kept showing a loach-like escape from the essence of the conversation, making it even more so.
And in this feast of trivial chatter, she finally seized the victory. Whether her perceptiveness was quite sharp, Perinuel seemed to have figured out through a few exchanges what I wanted to hear from her.
I intuitively realized my defeat from her appearance looking at me with a deep smile on her lips.
The experience honed in social circles or the conversational skills learned over many years couldn’t beat a prostitute who had rolled in the filthy mud of back alleys where every day was like war.
The artificial battlefield based on formality, face, and pride couldn’t compare to the real one. That was the reason for defeat.
Even though I had tried to be sparing with words, not revealing my inner thoughts, and not showing gaps, Perinuel was easily coming and going in my mind.
Before I knew it, in this situation where the host and guest had reversed, I only let out a strange hollow laugh. The hilt I could have grabbed first by asserting my status had long passed to her.
But rather than anger, satisfaction came first. Goosebumps were even rising from deep joy.
Yes, this is it. This is what I want to learn from her.
I wanted to imitate Perinuel’s behavior. I wanted to learn it. Even though she hadn’t let slip many words, the conversational skill of quickly catching the opponent’s mind and turning the situation to her advantage was unbearably desirable.
The annoying attitude of smiling with downcast eyes but seeming to subtly scratch at the opponent’s heart was also something I needed to master.
“……So, is there anything else you’re curious about?”
I withdrew my gaze from Perinuel’s lips, redder and more luscious than roses. Mocking my own arrogance that thought it would be an easy victory, I smoothed the wrinkles in my dress.
The conversation I thought would be a bit long reached the sad conclusion of my defeat in less than thirty minutes. Whether intoxicated by victory, Perinuel’s eyes, smiling shamelessly brightly, were shining toward me.
“No, it was a story not worth hearing. Just a waste of time.”
I disparaged her story in a caustic tone and stood up from my seat. Furrowing my brow heavily as if I had heard something unbearable.
This was the pride of a noble young lady—that I hadn’t lost to Perinuel, that I hadn’t fallen for her words. So, like a cat unable to control its temper letting out a meow and baring its claws, I deliberately made a sulky expression.
Perinuel, liking this appearance of mine, curved her eyes deeply like half-moons and smiled gently. To her, me standing up as if to leave soon must look like a dog tucking its tail. Her eyes sparkling like stars contained joy.
She swayed her voice and gently coaxed me. Since she probably won’t encounter such an amusing situation again, her intention was to mock me by turning it with good conversational skills and fully satisfy her pleasure.
“Oh my, you’re not staying longer. I have a mountain of fun stories to tell ahead.”
“Forget it. Ask the Vitraice young gentleman to greet on my behalf instead.”
I said in a quite rough hand gesture unfolding my fan, then in a prim voice. Whether completely passed out, Theodore Vitraice was even snoring lowly.
Perinuel, feeling pleasure in my attitude, laughs loudly with a cackle. Then, twisting her body seductively, she murmurs lowly as if whispering.
“If you’re interested in the intimate stories we couldn’t finish here, come find me later. I’m quite famous as Perinuel. If you mention my name, everyone will bring the young lady to me.”
“Hmph, that will never happen.”
“Oh my, don’t be so sure.”
She winks one eye. Her tongue flickering ceaselessly like a snake’s tongue cut and attached is even seductive.
“Who knows if I might fulfill the young lady’s wish?”
I almost let out a hollow laugh at her words but barely held it back. What a truly wanton wench. Daringly, without knowing her place, intoxicated by today’s small victory, she was rampaging wildly.
Repeating mockery upon mockery in a secretive tone, pretending not to know while knowing what I desire. Even though she can act like that because I’m generously overlooking her licentiousness.
But her attitude didn’t bother me, for it embodied the ideal I aspired to. That’s why I could let her words slide so easily.
Come find you? No, you’ll come find me.
I deliberately made a ‘hmph’ sound and turned away from her. And with an anxious attitude like someone avoiding filth, I moved away from Perinuel’s side. As if the recent incident was the worst encounter in Sise de Wischwaltz’s life.
Perinuel waved her hand as if seeing off a customer and shouted farewell greetings. Everyone’s attention was focused.
“Then take care. Today’s meeting was very enjoyable.”
Despite her behavior, I didn’t burst into anger or get irritated. Even though defeated by a mere prostitute wench, my steps were very light.
That was because I had seen a facet of the ideal form I wanted to emulate. So I could smile genuinely with joy.
☆☆☆☆
By Anna 💓
