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Chapter 23: Chapter 4 - Ayane, The Spirit Fox (4)

When I laid eyes on it, I was genuinely shocked. It turned out to be the ancient gold coin, something that had eluded discovery despite numerous attempts. I asked her where she got it, and she explained that it had been hanging around her neck like a necklace since she was young. When she eventually realized its significance, she kept it hidden from others. But upon encountering me, she decided to give it to me.

This coin was worth a staggering 500 million gold coins. So, not only did Martha underestimate my wealth, but she also erred in naming the price at a mere 100 million gold coins.

I grinned at her and then handed over the ancient coin. "You can keep the change," I said, watching her shocked expression as she looked at the coin in her palm. I wasn\'t joking; she could genuinely keep it. With this, I could also fulfill her first requirement. "With that kind of money, you can also settle your debts," I added.

Upon hearing that, she looked at me, her voice trembling. "H-How do you know that?"

"You don\'t need to know," I replied. I shifted my gaze to the prostitutes in training, meeting each of their eyes. Some looked fearful, some shocked, some uneasy, and some met my gaze directly. Then, I turned back to Martha. "With that much money, you can improve the lives of the prostitutes, right? Transform this business into something that enhances their lives beyond working as courtesans. Turn it into a classy establishment, maybe a fancy restaurant or something along those lines." I smiled at Martha.

"W-Why are you doing this?" she asked, still looking at me in shock.

"Because it\'s genuinely refreshing to encounter a beautiful soul in this unforgiving world."

She looked at me, her expression puzzled. "What?"

"I find your dedication and your management of these women truly commendable. It takes a good soul to keep them from breaking down and succumbing to depression in this line of work. And, Martha, you possess that kind of soul."

If it weren\'t for her effective management and her role in overseeing the well-being of the prostitutes, I believe they might have already taken their own lives. This kind of work could be soul-crushing, after all. Back on Earth, I knew someone engaged in a demanding job that gradually wore away at her spirit. She started smiling all the time, attempting to hide whatever turmoil lurked behind that smile. I sensed her changing day by day, but I didn\'t pry into what was wrong. Then, one day, I returned home to find her lifeless, hanging from the ceiling with a noose around her neck.

I deeply regretted not reaching out to her at that time. If only I had known what would happen. If only I had known she was so depressed that she would take her own life. I carry many regrets from my past life, but this is the most haunting one, and it\'s something I still can\'t forget. Her job might not have been as demanding as being a prostitute, but it was enough to drive her to suicide. The prostitutes here might have had entertained similar thoughts and might have had been pushed to the brink of wanting to end their lives. If not for Martha, who cared for their well-being and ensured they didn\'t reach that point, they managed to hold on.

Even though it was our first meeting, I felt like I already knew so much about her. She was an open book, after all. Despite her stern face, her eyes revealed her true feelings. Whether it was the concern in her eyes as she looked at the prostitutes or the conflicted expression she wore when she was looking at the prostitutes in training, or even the hint of anger when I mentioned buying one of them – she was an open book, plain and simple.

"W-What are you saying? What are you talking about?" Martha looked at me as if I were some kind of insane person. Her eyes reflected confusion.

I surveyed the room, taking in all the women—both the prostitutes in training and the older woman. Even the ones who had descended to this floor at some point—the prostitutes and the receptionist, with Gabrielle just behind them. Then, I turned back to Martha, who still regarded me with a perplexed expression. "You\'ve done well," I commended her.

All the women in this room had eyes filled with life, not the lifeless gaze I had seen in that person back then.

If I had been like Martha, able to guide those in need, maybe the outcome for that person, my sister in my previous world would have been different. Perhaps she wouldn\'t have taken her own life. But it\'s too late now. Those were only the ifs of the past. All I can do is look forward in this new life and carry the burden of regret for as long as I live.

When I was about to pat Martha for a job well done, she swatted my hand away with a forceful slap.

"I don\'t know what you\'re talking about," she snapped, her expression twisted in disgust. "And here." She thrust the coin back at me. "I don\'t need this. I don\'t need your money, anyway. I don\'t know where the hell you came from, but please, go back to wherever that place is and never return here again."

I held my ground, not reclaiming the money, and locked eyes with her. "Why give it back? Isn\'t this payment for all these women? That coin is worth more than your amount. Keep the change. Use it to settle whatever debt you have."

Her forehead furrowed even deeper, and her disgust only intensified.

"I don\'t know how you found out about any debt I might have, but don\'t think I\'ll let you buy all these women. I won\'t allow it. What will you do once you own them? Treat their bodies like toys? Violate them until they lose their minds? Let other men use them too? Is that your plan? That\'s it, right? My brother did exactly that, after all. See those women there?" She pointed at the prostitutes. "He treated them like playthings. And then his bastard friends did unspeakable things to them too. They used their bodies without a shred of respect for their feelings. Is that what you\'re after by trying to buy them?"

Her words spilled from the depths of her heart, carrying tremors of anger and sadness within them.

"Don\'t expect me to just accept your money and hand them all over to you! I... I won\'t let them suffer more! They\'ve already been torn away from their families, and you\'re going to subject them to more agony?! Men are heartless! As long as they get to fuck, they don\'t give a damn about anything else! They don\'t care about what even the woman feel, as long as they get to fuck! They\'re oblivious! They treat women like mere toys for pleasure! And you! The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you\'re just like them! You\'re scum! Trash! You deserve to die!" she yelled, hurling the coin at me.

The aim was so precise that it would have hit me in the eye if I hadn\'t reacted quickly. Perhaps her accuracy was thanks to her skill, Deft Hands. Instead of using the Guardian skill to block it, I caught the coin with my hand.

"Die! Just die! Get out of here!" she screamed at me. However, I remained unmoved. I stood my ground. Seeing that I wasn\'t budging, she attempted to slap me. But I caught her hand.

"What?! Grrr!" she growled at me for thwarting her. Undeterred, she tried again with her other hand, but once more, I caught it.

I gazed into her eyes, filled with simmering anger, and calmly said, "Calm down."

"Calm down?! You expect me to calm down?!"

"Yes, that\'s right. You have to calm down," I insisted. "I\'m not planning to buy them with those intentions."

"Eh?" Her anger halted, replaced by shock. "Wh-What do you mean? What are you playing at?"

"I\'m not playing at anything," I assured her, shifting my gaze to Gabrielle.

As I locked eyes with Gabrielle, she walked over to Martha and me.

"Mr. Leon here is seeking workers for his company. Leonamon\'s company urgently needs more hands to boost our production. Currently, we only have one worker, and we\'re in desperate need of more. So, Miss Brothel Manager, there\'s no need to worry about Mr. Leon having any sinister intentions with the women he\'s interested in buying. After all..." She paused, grabbing me by the collar, pulling me towards her, and surprising everyone by planting a kiss on my lips. The women present were left in shock. After a moment, Gabrielle released my mouth, saying, "He already has a beautiful and sexy lover like me."