Although they had begun investigating, the Manjushiro did not dare act too openly.
In the beginning, neither the Demon Slayer Corps nor the demons had been able to eliminate them because they lacked sufficient information.
Now, however, the situation had completely changed. Without the strength to escape, most Manjushiro would be doomed the moment they exposed themselves. Not every one of them possessed abilities comparable to Mocha or Barons.
Thus, the Manjushiro carried out their investigation in complete secrecy.
Night fell, and the Yoshiwara Entertainment District once again became brilliantly illuminated.
Every brothel was bustling with customers.
Courtesans smiled gracefully from the balconies while entertaining wealthy patrons.
Except for Infinity House and Wisteria House.
Neither establishment operated like a traditional brothel, yet both were packed with customers every single night.
Especially Infinity House.
Its completely new style of business fascinated the public.
Tradition?
Who cared about tradition?
Entertainment was what mattered.
Inside Gyokko's private room…
Gyokko remained hidden behind an elegant folding screen.
In front of him knelt three wealthy patrons.
Although gathering several guests together violated every custom of Yoshiwara, nobody complained.
After all…
Being entertained was far more important than etiquette.
The three men were desperately competing to become Miss Tamako's most honored patron.
Each stared at the beautifully crafted ceramic pot placed before them, desperately searching for words of praise.
The first to speak was the portly merchant Inoue Shigeru.
"Miss Tamako! The craftsmanship of this masterpiece is extraordinary! Such perfection is truly rare!"
Not willing to lose, Watanabe Sansui immediately added,
"This porcelain is flawless! The glaze… the patterns… every detail demonstrates the work of a true master artisan!"
Only the third guest…
Matsushita Tō, the somewhat simple-minded son of a wealthy landowner…
sat there sweating profusely.
He had already spent the most money.
Unfortunately…
Miss Tamako clearly cared nothing about wealth.
After agonizing for a long time, he finally blurted out,
"…This pot…"
"…is wonderfully symmetrical!"
Silence filled the room.
Behind the folding screen…
Gyokko's eyes widened.
His expression instantly became one of pure ecstasy.
Exactly!
That was the praise he loved hearing most.
Without another word, Kamanue stepped forward and politely escorted the other two disappointed guests outside.
Neither man had time to become angry before Gyokko's enchanting voice floated from behind the screen.
"Please don't be discouraged, gentlemen~"
"You'll have another opportunity tomorrow~"
"Right~?"
The two men's faces immediately flushed red.
"We're definitely coming back tomorrow!"
Watching the two wealthy customers leave in complete satisfaction, Kamanue silently shook his head.
Humans…
…really know how to amuse themselves.
He wondered what expressions they would make if they ever discovered Miss Tamako's true identity.
Of course…
Infinity House offered far more than conversations behind a screen.
There was also the famous Sword Dance Performance.
The performer was unusually tall and possessed a graceful yet imposing physique.
Despite that, every guest unanimously agreed she was breathtakingly beautiful.
The sword dance itself…
was based upon the ceremonial movements of Hinokami Kagura that Kokushibo had memorized after observing Tanjuro Kamado.
Although Kokushibo could never use Sun Breathing, he had faithfully learned the dance's elegant forms.
The result was unexpectedly mesmerizing.
The audience knew nothing about swordsmanship.
Yet every performance earned thunderous applause.
Kokushibo secretly felt one small regret.
He had not yet performed it in front of Lord Muzan.
As for Rui…
Her job was much simpler.
She merely needed to remain adorable.
Being taken advantage of?
That was simply impossible.
Anyone with even the slightest background had already heard the rumors.
Infinity House was supposedly backed by none other than His Majesty the Emperor.
Who would dare offend such a place?
Still…
The true pillar supporting Infinity House's popularity remained Gyokko.
Almost all of the establishment's income came from his unique performances.
Before long…
The customers gave him a new title.
The Jade Princess.
Gyokko adored the nickname.
Still…
What he loved most was showing guests his treasured ceramic masterpieces.
No customer had ever been permitted to see his face.
The closest anyone had come was catching a glimpse of his elegant silhouette through the folding screen.
According to one fortunate guest…
"The Jade Princess possesses an incredibly graceful back."
"Her waist is slender and elegant."
"She must be the most beautiful woman in all of Yoshiwara."
Naturally…
Those descriptions spread like wildfire.
Every retelling made the mysterious Jade Princess even more beautiful.
Even more unattainable.
The rapid rise of Infinity House naturally attracted hostility from the surrounding brothels.
Even the proprietresses of Kyogoku House and Tokito House secretly visited to investigate.
To their astonishment…
Infinity House barely resembled a traditional pleasure house at all.
There was even a dedicated reading room.
Inside were the newest manuscripts written by the increasingly famous novelist Kyogai.
Some were even limited collector's editions unavailable anywhere else.
Because of this…
Not only men visited Infinity House.
Courtesans, geisha, and dancers from neighboring establishments secretly slipped inside simply to read.
The proprietress of Kyogoku House even caught three of her own courtesans sneaking over.
"What is so appealing about a place like that?"
"It'll lose popularity sooner or later!"
She said so…
Yet the number of visitors only continued increasing.
The attraction wasn't solely Gyokko.
Kyogai's original handwritten manuscripts had become priceless treasures.
Owning even one was enough to attract endless customers.
Then there was Doma.
Among everyone in Infinity House…
He was arguably the greatest success.
Not only did he effortlessly charm customers…
Those customers voluntarily brought friends, relatives, and acquaintances to meet him.
His influence resembled religious evangelism.
At present…
He had become the second most sought-after geisha in Infinity House.
Second only to Gyokko.
Kokushibo naturally couldn't spend all day teasing Lord Muzan.
Since there were no new demons available to recruit for the moment…
He decided to investigate the movements of both the Demon Slayer Corps and the Manjushiro.
Perhaps…
He could start a fire beneath both factions.
Then…
He would simply sit back and enjoy the spectacle.
With that thought, Kokushibo concealed his appearance and quietly entered Kyogoku House.
According to Daki…
Kyogoku House had not accepted any new girls recently.
However, the proprietress had mentioned that several neighboring establishments had suddenly recruited numerous newcomers.
Rumor claimed they were all being trained as future oiran.
"Several establishments suddenly recruiting girls…"
Kokushibo narrowed his six eyes thoughtfully.
The newly opened Wisteria House in the south undoubtedly belonged to the Demon Slayer Corps.
If that was true…
Then every other suspicious establishment must belong to the Manjushiro.
They had truly infiltrated Yoshiwara.
A mischievous smile slowly spread across Kokushibo's face.
Since both sides were pretending…
Neither wanted to expose themselves first.
Very well.
Then…
I'll force someone to make the first move.
Seeing that dangerous smile…
Even Daki couldn't help feeling uneasy.
Was she simply too normal compared to everyone else?
Leaving Kyogoku House…
Kokushibo returned to Infinity House and immediately contacted Kuchiki Makoto, who now served as Qi He's personal bodyguard.
"Makoto."
"Tell Qi He to send several dozen employees to Yoshiwara."
"Bring plenty of money."
"I need them to help me put on a performance."
Just imagining the upcoming scene made Kokushibo feel a little sympathy for the Manjushiro.
Go ahead…
Expose yourselves if you dare.
The moment you do…
The Demon Slayer Corps will move against you.
And afterward…
The Twelve Kizuki will simply harvest whoever survives.
Speaking of the Demon Slayer Corps…
Kokushibo suddenly remembered the rumors circulating throughout Yoshiwara.
"Southern Beauty and Northern Voice."
He assumed the "Southern Beauty" referred to Inoko Inosuke in disguise.
That presented an excellent opportunity.
Perhaps Kotoha and Inosuke could finally recognize one another.
Maybe…
He could even recruit another valuable ally.
What Kokushibo did not know…
was that the famous title "Southern Beauty and Northern Voice" actually referred to two people and one demon.
At that very moment…
Muichiro Tokito sat silently in an elegant women's kimono.
His expression remained as indifferent as ever.
Yet the faint blush on his face made countless customers completely lose their composure.
"I'm in love…"
"So beautiful…"
Meanwhile, Muichiro's thoughts were utterly different.
This is so embarrassing…
Brother…
Great-grandfather…
Please don't ever find out about this…