Chapter 43: The Oiran on the Brink

Such heavy resentment...

Yae sat atop Higokumaru as they circled the coast of Bungo Province. Unfortunately, despite their search, she couldn't find which island belonged to Yoshinoya Bay.

The problem? There were simply too many islands.

But... even though they didn't locate the bay, they did discover a place seething with resentment.

It was an attic in a coastal brothel district.

"Should we go check it out?" Yae asked Kikyō.

"Yeah," Kikyō nodded. "If there's this much resentment during the day, we can't ignore it." As a kind-hearted miko, she couldn't just stand by.

"Alright then, let's go! Higokumaru."

"Hold tight!"

Higokumaru flew straight toward the attic, landing in a deserted corner nearby.

After tidying her clothes, Yae picked up Higokumaru—who had transformed into a small fox—and headed for the attic.

Along the way, all the passersby gave strange looks to Yae and Kikyō, leaving them unsure what was going on.

Yae's ears should have been hidden under her cloak, so they shouldn't be discovered.

After taking a few steps further, Yae Sakura finally understood why things were like this when she saw the brothel and surrounding shops.

This was a red-light district—no wonder they attracted such stares. Two shrine maidens in such a place would naturally draw attention.

In this era, shrine maidens had relatively high status. As either exorcists or those who served the gods, all were expected to be physically pure.

The demon god of this world truly existed, so even great lords couldn't force themselves on shrine maidens.

Of course, there were some shrine maidens who willingly fell from grace.

But just looking at Kikyō's intensely sacred aura made it impossible for anyone to believe she was that kind of shrine maiden.

"The resentful energy is coming from inside this building... but..." Yae Sakura looked at the building before them with some interest.

Hanatsuki Pavilion, this is a brothel.

"I'm really uncomfortable with the atmosphere here. Let's leave for now!"

Sensing the strange looks from the people around them, especially since this area was still full of such establishments, Kikyō felt out of place.

"Let's go!" Yae Sakura pulled Kikyō along as they turned to leave.

-

"Hey, why did they run off?! They were beautiful shrine maidens..."

"That pure look made me want to break them somehow. Do you think they might be prostitutes?"

"Don't talk nonsense. They're shrine maidens..."

"The ones coming here don't seem too pure either. Look at how pretty they are, especially their aura. If they come here... maybe one of them will become the next top courtesan?"

"You're right..."

As the two shrine maidens turned and quickly left, the onlookers couldn't hide their interest.

-

"What should we do now? Should we still go?"

After leaving Hanami Street, Kikyō couldn't help but look at Yae Sakura.

"Let's go in the evening..." she said, gazing up at the sky. There was still some time before nightfall.

"That works."

-

That evening, Yae Sakura and her friends headed once again towards Hanatsuki Pavilion. The flower district was even livelier at night than during the day. Paper lanterns hung along the streets, and a crowd had gathered around an outdoor stage outside the pavilion.

Yae and Kikyo had changed out of their shrine maiden uniforms into ordinary kimonos.

Several women in kimonos were also milling about the area. It seemed there would be a performance by one of the top courtesans tonight.

-

The Oiran was the pinnacle of achievement for women in the flower district.

Once a woman became a Oiran, countless men would shower her with gold, silver, and precious jewels. She'd have access to the most luxurious clothes and become the most respected person around.

There wasn't a single woman in the flower district who didn't want to be a Oiran. After all, who wouldn't want to bloom like a beautiful flower?

However, there could only be one Oiran at a time, and becoming one was incredibly hard. Not only did you need exceptional looks, but you also had to work tirelessly to master the art of tea ceremony, dance, song, and classical music.

On top of that, your skills had to be better than all the other women. Only then, during your most beautiful years, would you qualify to be chosen as a Oiran.

Watching the Oiran gracefully dancing on stage, she really was stunning...

Maybe because this wasn't quite the traditional Japanese world, the Oiran here didn't wear ghost-like makeup. Instead, her appearance fit modern aesthetics perfectly.

Hmm, maybe just slightly more anime-inspired.

"Sakura, look at this Oiran..." Kikyō said, nudging Yae Sakura as they watched the dancer on stage.

"Hmm, there's something off about her... She's almost completely corrupted!"

The courtesan was filled with resentment and a foul aura...

"But it might not be too late to stop this..."

"Let's wait until she finishes her performance..."

The Oiran's performance lasted about an hour. After she finished, the crowd began to disperse. The Oiran also turned and returned to her room.

"It can't... hold on much longer, can it?"

Once back in her room, the Oiran chased away her maidservants, then came to her dressing table and slowly took off her top.

There, on her back, several evil eyes had grown.

"How disgusting... Why is this happening?" The Oiran girl looked at the eyes on her back, weakly crouched down, and started crying with regret...

At that moment, a voice spoke, startling the Oiran: "A monster's power has never been perfect. To get what you want, you have to lose something you care about."

"Who's there? Who's speaking?" The Oiran immediately looked around warily.

"Just two meddlesome shrine maidens," replied Yae Sakura as she entered the Oiran's room with Kikyō.

Seeing the eyes on the Oiran's back, Yae couldn't help but frown. How revolting...

For some reason, in Japan, when humans fell and became monsters, they always seemed to grow extra eyes.

Could it be that all those eyes make people even more scared?

"Shrine maidens... Can you save me? Please! I beg you," the Oiran pleaded, desperate. She rushed to Kikyō and Yae, not even bothering to cover herself as she knelt at their feet.

"Why did you accept a monster's power?" Kikyō asked, her tone sharp. "Soon, you'll become a monster yourself."

The Oiran's transformation was a result of her deal with a monster, and it was already beginning to consume her.

"I... I..." The Oiran stammered, her voice trembling. "I wanted to become an Oiran... but it was too hard on my own! I know I was wrong, please, I beg you!" She slammed her forehead onto the floor in a gesture of deep regret.

For many women in the brothel, becoming an Oiran was a dream — a desire to rise above their circumstances.

While still essentially trapped in a system that exploited them, being an Oiran represented a higher status than the other, more degrading roles available.

It was not unlike how many in the modern world would go to great lengths—perhaps even compromising their integrity—to achieve fame and fortune.

In the end, there was little difference between Oirans and today's celebrities.

Both were trapped by the expectations and desires of others.

(TL Note: Inyuyasha world ends in 10 chapters...)