Chapter 185-5
[Part 5/6]
In a garden filled with calm, fresh air, the sound of a "shishi-otoshi" (bamboo water bell) rings out. The sound echoes several times in the garden and even into the room, bouncing off the stones, scaring birds and animals.
"..."
In the center of a grand guest room, the woman waits anxiously. She waits for what feels like an eternity, forgetting the passing of time, as the sound of the "shishi-otoshi" continues.
Who is she? She looks to be in her mid-20s, maybe not yet 30. Her beauty is delicate, but she looks worn out. Her eyes are tired, drooping. Her pale skin looks like that of a sick person near death.
In fact, just a few months ago, she was very close to dying. She was supposed to waste away in a shabby hut due to illness.
In the center of the country, there are five large brothels approved by the government. One of them was the well-known "Sen'yakuya (Willow House by the Stream)," and its top courtesan was named Amatsuru Daifu.
She was born in a poor village in the eastern region, to a lower-class family. Her mother died right after giving birth, and her father, an alcoholic, died in an accident while drunk. There was no inheritance left for her, just a huge amount of debt.
No relatives wanted to take on her debt. Soon, she was sold as collateral and taken to the center of the country, where she was sold to Sen'yakuya.