#warnings!!!!!

Versión Riddle Rosehearts

(Masterlist) translation by @l3mon-candy

[Episode 6]warnings:nudity, violence, sadism, death of a background character, nothing very explicit.

[Design of: Riddle/Yuu and aclarations]

Your heart was about to burst, and it seemed to be the same for the red-head even if he’s trying to stay calm and have a serious look, his red ears gave it away.

He was embarrassed, submerged in a storm of thoughts that you couldn´t quite decipher.

Being the reason why he’s like this is quite……. satisfactory, you hope this can happen again without any interruptions.

Slowly your breath settled.

You completely forgot that the Kamuro could enter at any moment, but why right now? Couldn’t it be in two hours? They had already taken their time to appear, so why not take a while more?

Cough!

Cough!!

You mean……. finally, the new information sources arrive.

You observe attentively at the two figures in front of you.

Finally, the two kamuro announced their presence, you examine them carefully. They were two little girls around 10 to 12 years old, very cute. Although you weren’t a big fan of them.

You considered that kids about 2 to 12 years were the worst manipulators. You’ve heard and seen many things that proved it. The kamuro were generally young kids, they were the assistants or the redhead, apprentices and probably future courtesans. Their Kimonos matched with their Oiran, plaid bows, flowery kimonos and matching accessories. They assisted Riddle in anything he needed and in exchange they were dressed and fed with what Riddle’s work made until they were old enough and had enough knowledge to work on their own.

They were quite contrasting, one had soft ginger curls and the other was the opposite to the Oiran Rosehearts, for her snowy hair and deep blue eyes, almost black.

They both looked nervous, but…. in very different ways….

One of the Kamuro, the albino, spoke first, turning to the Oiran next to you.

—Rosehearts-sama, Mr. Crowley has asked me to tell you that you have an audience with a few clients in the main room, he wants you to be present…— She expressed directly although nervously, the other kamuro only nods quickly as or maybe even more nervously than the white haired girl, you imagine it’s because they know very well their Oiran’s character and his terrible temperament.

You huffed, but you quiet down the moment you feel Riddle’s stare, it was like having two daggers on your back.

You side-eyed the Oiran who had already stopped looking at you, he didn’t seem really happy with the idea and of course you weren’t either, you didn’t like the idea of Riddle being surrounded by many clients at all.

—I see…. if you excuse me I will be going now, you may use this room for all you need— He said as he stood up while avoiding your gaze, patting down his flowery kimono which was slightly wrinkled.

He walked to the door to leave not before looking at you from the corner of his eye while saying goodbye, he looked tense, still nervous. You reciprocated with a knowing yet affectionate smile, you wiped your fingers across your lips “cleaning” any invisible trace that may had been left, an action that only made the heat return to his face, quickly turning around frowning with embarrassment.

The girls only watched the scene, seeing Riddle walk between them to get out of the room and then looked at you with confusion while you let out a closed mouth smile.

When he finally goes you sigh with annoyance, they ruined the moment. When in life will the opportunity to Kiss such temperamental beauty present itself again?

You didn’t know who was the courtesan that interrupted you but now you hold a grudge against them, you hope they step on a screw or get lice. A few halls away not too far from your room, that courtesan had a sudden sneezing fit.

All these slightly spiteful feelings about mild vengeful scenarios puffed away when you noticed that the girls where looking you weirdly, given that you hadn’t said a word in 5 minutes.

—Eh… ahem, good night young ladies— you said looking noticeably uncomfortable, bowing slightly as greeting to which the girls answered with the same gesture.

—Don’t worry, I’m fine heh I was only thinking about some stuff…. Please. How about we start?—you expressed with a nervous smile so you could start your job.

You asked one of them to wait outside, so that you could interview each girl privately, as to let them answer naturally and not guide each other. The albino girl was the first to wait outside, while you were inside the room with the other kamuro, she sat on a cushion in front of you, obviously nervous as she was playing with her kimono.

—Nervous?—you asked the girl, who blushed slightly.

—Don’t worry, you don’t have to be scared of me, I only going to ask you a few questions about something that happened to your Rosehearts-sama, they’ll be easy questions—you said to the girl, to which she nods, still nervous.

You looked at her for a second while thinking of anything that could calm a child down, you get an idea and you search in your haori for some candy, they were for Riddle but after what happened you forgot to give them to him, that could help calm her down, right?

Her eyes brightened when she saw them, those eyes reminded you of Riddle and you couldn’t help but smile slightly, she took them and started eating, calming down a bit. You started interrogating her or for a more pretty way of saying it, had a friendly chat.

—Tell me, do you know why you’re here?— she nodded with slight sadness, she appeared to look guilty over what happened.

—They told me that one of you gave the candy to the Tayu, was it you?— you asked calmly, to which the kamuro shook her head in negation.

—No… It wasn’t me, I was changing the bed sheets and cleaning Rosehearts-sama’s room with the help of another courtesan when I found out what had happened….—she explained, still eating the candy with sorrow, she didn’t show any signs of lying.

—Then you weren’t with Riddle—you said to make sure, to which she nods.

If it wasn’t her, then it had to be the other kamuro standing outside.

—Is there anything you could tell me? Anyone suspicious? Maybe someone who works here? —you tried to pry more, find any details which could help you with the culprit and possible accomplice, but she denied it, expressing that many people that work or visit the brothel are very weird, so she didn’t know who she could choose.

Makes sense, the old green man isn’t the only one obsessed with the Tayu and desiring him isn’t an odd thing.

You asked her some more questions to see if you could get any more information, but there was nothing relevant for the case, though it was for your curiosity. You thanked the little girl patting her head, the minimum gesture of affection that you could come up with for a kid and she gets out of the room.

You invited in the other kamuro, who also looked nervous but more collected than the previous one, you closed the shoji door and asked her to sit down, you tried the same thing as with the other girl, you offered her a piece of candy to calm her down but she refused, leaving the candy on your hand. You looked at her for a few moments after pocketing the sweets.

She seems to dislike you, is that a weird thing? No, but it it’s curious since you barely know each other. Maybe, it’s the same as Riddle when you met for the first time.

She doesn’t trust you.

You proceeded to ask her if she had given the sweets to Riddle, to which she took a second to answer, she nodded and so you started the interrogation.

—You probably already know what happened and why I called you yes? Tell me, the man that gave you the candy, he had a hat and was visibly old right? Did he say anything when he gave them to you?—you asked with your face resting on your fist while you looked at the kamuro who answered you with a negation.

—No, the man who gave me the sweets was a young man and he gave them to me at the entrance, he told me they were for Rosehearts-sama and if I could give them to him, I said yes, then he went away and I took the sweets so they could revise them—you raised an eyebrow at that information and raised your gaze in confusion.

The red-head said that he remembered that it was a man who looked old, not young, the he had to be the accomplice, plus the gifts and others if they’re revised before being brought to the Oiran, for safety reasons, how did they not notice the aphrodisiacs.

But you chose to not say anything.

—A young man gave you the candy? Do you remember how he looked?—you asked the girl.

If this information was true then it would prove there was an accomplice. The kamuro gave you a very vague description of what she remembered, a young man, with short hair, and an average face with a scar.

Short hair…..

If he hair of the “accomplice” was short then the hairpin couldn’t be his and if he left the place after offering the sweets, then it wouldn’t make sense that the hairpin was in the room where the aggression happened.

There were no correlations, it only confused you more, because of all the details of the case, conjectures and everything strange you took too long to realize that the girl was still there and of the insistent, fixed look on you, as if she was debating something.

You sighed and thanked her, getting up to open the door for her so she could leave, but a sudden question stopped you.

—Do you like Rosehearts-sama?... —she said with a voice loud enough so you could hear her but low enough so that no one outside could.

It was as if all the noises of the brothel and your chaotic thoughts agreed to disappear right at that moment, her nervous look which you had noticed earlier had vanished almost completely.

You froze out of surprise and also because of the attentive gaze of the Kamuro, did they notice the ambience with Riddle when they entered the room? Probably, as in a place like this, they had the knowledge and not the innocence of the kids outside.

After a few seconds locking your gazes on each other, you smiled with your eyes closed, the smile calm and practiced—Of course, who doesn’t like the Oiran?— you said completely calm. As if it was nothing, as if it was a joke, as if your interest for the red-head was just interest and nothing more.

The albino didn’t look happy with your answer, maybe she noticed that there was something else hidden underneath.

Without another word she said goodbye and left, you waited a few seconds after closing the door. Finally being completely alone, you sighed, the question had caught you off guard, you only hoped there wouldn’t be any rumors for that, it would make everything more complicated.

And the case in itself was already quite complicated.

You couldn’t bring yourself to believe what the latter kamuro said, you had to figure out if you could prove what they said with someone else’s word, so you’ll investigate if what they declared was true.

There were so many details that didn’t make sense—ugh….. this is so tiring—you expressed with frustration, frustration that vanished as soon as you remembered that intimate moment with the red-head, you lowered yourself laughing quietly—hehehehe~—.

You covered your face with your hand, with the hope to contain or calm the heat of your face, you could remember the red-head’s sweet scent and the feeling of his soft lips on yours persisted.

You touched your haori where Riddle’s hands had touched you and you could still feel the pressure as if it was still clinging to you, his blushing face was beautiful, you’re the only who has seen it right?

No client, none of the clients who surrounded Riddle at that moment have seen it and they never will. A moment and a memory which only you will remember.

You felt pride in it, as if you had won a battle which no one else had managed to win, no one managed to go so far with someone so unreachable. This pride, a sense of victory that vanished and transformed into emptiness as you processed better what you were thinking about doing to the one with the grey eyes..........

That was what the aggressor felt when he violated Riddle, wasn’t it?

Pride, as if you had in your hands a coveted object, he wanted to lower the price to force Riddle to go with him, if not, they would use him like another run-of-the-mill courtesan, using him however they wished…

You felt a sting of guilt, remorse and anger, doesn’t that make you the same as that man? Feeling pride for having reached so far with Riddle, the desire to go further, how does that make you any different from the rest of the clients that Riddle hates?

Your lust blinded you, what the hell where you thinking? You run your hand through your hair in frustration.

Thinking about it….. you’re grateful that they interrupted you.

You stood straight sighing still with a nagging feeling on your conscious.

You shook your head, there were thing you still needed to investigate and a case to solve.

♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤

You walked through the halls watching clients flirts and promising the world to the courtesans, promising eternal love, promising to buy them, some courtesans looked at them with innocent excitement while others looked at them with mockery and boredom as if they had already heard these same lies thousands of times before.

Between laughs and various conversations at the same time. One regarding the case caught your attention, in the hall among other people there were two people talking.

—I heard what happened to the Oiran, how terrifying, having to experience something like that… putting aphrodisiacs in his favorite food—said a client.

You sighed at the fact that they knew about the aphrodisiacs, rumors run fast. It’s always a mistake to talk to a reporter.

—Yes, having so many people desiring you must be terrifying—replied the courtesan.

Riddle has good looks , a wide range of abilities and a lot of knowledge, he’s someone to be desired, but also coveted for other reasons, courtesans with class, appearance and that preserve their purity, not having been touched by any client, is someone who they wildly compete for, many try to impress and win their favor.

Riddle possesses all of that, he sells his art not his body, this competition is what makes Riddle’s price rise and him refusing all possible buyers only makes him even more unreachable.

That’s why the aggressor tried to force Riddle, to lower his price and make him leave with him, after all, Riddle is only a trophy for the people of power, if you manage to buy an Oiran it’s a demonstration to others of your status and economy. Putting aside their lust towards that person.

That’s why you thought of doing the same, lower his price, taking away what made Riddle most coveted, which would keep him “safe” from the clutches of others.

You frowned and moves away from those people, their voices and conversations fading away as you went into the hallways, walking through them and turning corners to find more hallways, it was like a labyrinth, full of men and beautiful women and with moans, yells and very explicit sounds of what happened in the rooms, there were some doors that weren’t completely closed letting you see courtesans on the floor, leaving nothing to the imagination while their respective clients brazenly satisfied themselves.

To think that Riddle had to go through the same thing made you sick. You moved aside to a corner, you felt disgust for what you were seeing, the harsh way with which they were treated like objects of desire. It made you think that you got to see Riddle in the same way.

—Shit….—you expressed with embarrassment, you didn’t want to be like them, you wanted Riddle to be happy and live in tranquility, if the person who bought him was like those animals you saw.

Ughh....

You tried to ignore those strong scenes, looking for the courtesan who helped the Kamuro clean the Oiran’s chamber that was stuck on your mind.

But you stop your search and thoughts when you heard some banging and loud sounds that stood out from the rest, getting closer to the room from which the shouts originated.

Was this another rape attempt?

A shiver went down your spine and you opened the door abruptly finding a very perturbing scene, a courtesan thrown to the floor with her chest exposed, letting visible scratches, bites and bruises, she was being grabbed by the hair by the client who was on top of her with her yukata open, leaving the rest of her body also exposed.

The guy stopped hitting her to turn and look at you and the courtesan also turns her head, her face was very bruised and wet from tears which made your chest hurt.

—Eh? What’s wrong with you idiot, I’m busy here, get out!—the man shouted, visibly drunk. You approached him to grab the hand that was gripping her hair.

You couldn’t let him keep mistreating her, he could kill her if he kept going,

—Please, let go of her—you ordered firmly, tightening your grip and observing him with a serious expression.

—I said get out—said the man menacingly.

—And I said let go of her, you’re going to kill her.—you replied with defiance, frowning even more while you kept tightening your grip on the man’s wrist, which made him even angrier.

He let go of the woman to lunge at you, he sent a punch which you almost couldn’t dodge, you took a couple steps back expecting the men to get closer, which he did while stumbling due to the alcohol, you dodge once again placing yourself behind him and you pushed him with your foot, kicking him out of the room.

—Aghh!?—the man groaned in pain.

—What the fuck is your problem!?—he yelled angry with his nose bleeding due to slamming to the wall, he tried to get up but you kicked him making him fall once again. The way of his own big body and the effects of the alcohol only rendered him useless.

—I told you to get out, or do you want to rot in jail?—you expressed looking down at him with an intimidating face.

—Jail?—He gulped, trying to get up—Why would I go to jail? For playing rough? I paid for it… plus, she’s just a prostitute—he finally got up and looked at you, he’s certainly taller than you.

—You hit someone so gravely that she can barely get up by herself, that’s a crime and you can go to jail for it—you tilted your head with clear threat, sadly he can’t go to jail for it but he can be punished, though luckily he got visibly nervous, he stood up as well as he could and went away stumbling and staggering due to his drunkenness.

Everyone present watch as he stumbled out as he could and some courtesans only looked in silence whispering to each other things that honestly you didn’t want to know.

You calmed some of your frustration and rage with that man? Yes, honestly yes you did.

—Bastard…..—you expressed quietly before they throw a rag to your head, you turned to see the courtesan who had been hit earlier looking visibly angry.

—You scared away my client!—complained the woman who could barely stand up, her kimono was open letting you see her body, her chest, the cuts and bruises between her legs and other part of her body, it was painful to look at, but she didn’t seem fazed to be seen like that.

—He was hitting you, look at what he did to you, this counts as an aggression—you said with a grimace, you couldn’t stand still and not do anything.

—What are you talking about? He paid to lay with me, he’s always rough!—she exclaimed moving her hair which was sticking to her face with her blood and tears, you frowned to take out a napkin and give it to her so she could wipe her face. She looked at you then at the napkin angrily, but she accepted it anyways.

—But thank you, it could’ve been worse if you didn’t interfere like a lunatic—she expressed, cleaning her face carefully with the napkin.

It hurt her, it was clear she didn’t like the rough game but it was a way to get money and some extra plus, even if she got angry you don’t regret kicking him out.

—Sorry for not regretting interfering—you said while she shoot you a bewildered and irritated look.

—Fine…. and then? Where you looking for someone to spend time with? Did you enter every room just like that looking for someone to do it with?—she said as she gave you back your napkin, you shook your head, refusing the napkin so she’d keep it. She needed it more.

You commented that you were looking for the courtesan that had helped one of the kamuro of the Oiran to clean his room.

—Kamuro?.... aaaah yes that was me, she was too small to do it on her own—she said while she fixed her hair and closed her kimono to keep her body out of sight.

Then it was her.

What the ginger girl had said was true, now you have to figure out if the albino girl was saying the truth, since you had your suspicions on what she told you.

Some of your questions got answered but others stayed, one of these was about the hairpin, you still had no clear idea on why it was in that room, maybe there was more than one accomplice? The hairpin didn’t seem to belong to a man, but who else could be involved?

Taking it out of your haori to inspect it, whose could it be?

—Mm? That hairpin…… why do you have it?—Asked the courtesan recognizing the accessory.

This took you by surprise, you quickly turned to her, with a bit of desperation—You know whose it is?—you asked, this woman had the answer to your questions, thank god!

—more like whose it was…… I can tell you if you want to know but you have to give me something in exchange, you did chase away my client and I can’t keep working in this state—the woman expressed, making a sign we her hands.

She wanted money.

You sighed making a grimace, this place makes you pay for breathing but it was the least you could do, you didn’t regret but she was right plus you needed the information, so there went your savings, you gave her a few coins

She took them and started talking—That silver hairpin belonged to an Oiran that worked here—she said counting the coins.

This confused you even more, why would the hairpin of an ex-Oiran be in the crime scene?

—Okay, and were is the Oiran?—you asked with irritation, tilting your head.

—Dead—.

You immediately straightened up, you have the hairpin of a deceased person? The woman, seeing your expression, sighed and kept talking

—Yes, the Oiran whom it belonged to died long ago, because of an illness—

—She was here before the actual Oiran, she was the opposite to Rosehearts-sama, she was kinder and didn’t have that terrible temperament, plus her hair was like the personification of the snow—you squirmed, that description reminded you of someone.

—I remember that Rosehearts-sama was very close to her, they got along very well.—expressed the courtesan, that’s why Riddle seemed to recognize the hairpin.

—She used to wear many silver accessories with unique designs, since it made her look more ethereal, that’s why I was shocked to see that you had the hairpin, when she died many of her accessories were robbed by the people of the brothel, to sell them or use them.— explained the girl while you listened attentively.

—Seeing her was like seeing a goddess, a moon goddess—she said with her gaze fixed on the accessory, like seeing it transported her to those times.

—And what happened to her? You said she died due to an illness, how did that happen?—you asked with curiosity.

—Well, the fool fell in love with a client and ended up pregnant, some time passed until they noticed, this caused a big damage on her reputation and the brothel’s, her price went down, and with so many clients she caught many illnesses….. after that, the thing of the illness affected her appearance, her mobility and she couldn’t keep working, being replaced by the present Oiran Rosehearts-sama—expressed the courtesan rubbing her face with an expression of sadness for the es Tayu.

That about the Oirans coming out pregnant wasn’t impossible, the kamuro could be their own children but you suppose their value also resides in their purity and losing that made her lose her value, ending in that way.

—She was really loved here it was horrible that she ended up like that, she spend her last moments with her baby who’s still here in the brothel—told you the woman crossing her arms.

Her baby is still here…….

—I see, thank you for the information, I hope you recover soon and please try to avoid idiots like that, yes?—you said with a frown, to which she only raised her eyebrows smiling and she went away with a courtesan who looked worried.

Now you knew where it came from, but it didn’t make sense that the hairpin of a dead woman was in a recent crime scene.

Maybe someone who managed to take one of the accessories of the old Tayu entered the scene without anyone noticing?

The description of the old Oiran reminded you a lot of one of the kamuro, the albino girl to be exact, but even if she was her daughter it wouldn’t have anything to do with the case.

You reached a section outside the brothel, this is where they revise the gifts for the courtesans, clothing, fabrics, accessories and mainly food or sweets like in this case. Also the things that Crowley buys to increase the number of clients and increase the debt of the courtesans.

You entered, there were many workers who were revising, organizing or wrapping the things that were being sent. You got closer to the section where there were more sweets and edibles and you asked one of the workers for an albino kamuro who brought in some sweets for the Oiran a few days ago, they all looked at you and exchanged confused looks, asking among themselves for the albino girl that you mentioned.

You already had a bad feeling, in the end an elder approached you and finally said something that made your face darken

The kamuro never took the sweets for inspection. . . . . . . .

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Hellooooo

Sorry for being so dead all this time, I won't tell lies, I was procrastinating, I didn't feel like doing anything and I wanted to be able to advance a comic I'm doing but I still have to finish it TT.

I bring this chapter, sorry if there are inconsistencies, since I added many things to it as I read, recently I received a comment of constructive criticism that left me thinking and I said to myself "...what he says is right" maybe I take it to heart or maybe I think about it but realistically he is right, it's something I realized when I finished chapter 5.

I said "wasn't it very fast?" Or "It doesn't make sense" with the most intimate scene of Riddle and Yuu, but I didn't give it importance (like every protagonist in a novel or story and as you know, I crashed like them)

Although there are things that I didn't make sense of, he is certainly right about others. I would like to make several clarifications at the end of the story, data, beta scenes as well as some thoughts.

It was already planned that Yuu would reflect on what he did, but because of the comment I feel a little more convinced that's it.

graphic description of how Yuu feels after coming to his senses:

(If you have any questions, you can ask them, because I plan to kill myself XD)

I will try (I don't promise anything) to update more often because I'm starting university soon and I don't want to leave a story half done, plus, I'm frustrated that I haven't finished a story in a year and a half TT.

Here I leave the chapter, enjoy, sorry for any spelling errors or misspelled words, sorry if it doesn't match the previous chapter, I'm in the process of growing as a writer🫂.