Chapter 87 – Confronting Phryne! Shirou vs. a Level 5!
After the confrontation with Phryne all the girls around Shirou were worried.
Especially Aisha—her expression was extremely serious as she looked at Shirou with worried eyes and couldn't help but speak up:
"You've made the worst choice. If you provoke that person like this, even I won't be able to protect you. Phryne's not just a Level 5—she's a living pervert. Her favorite thing is torturing men in the dungeon. Very few have ever made it out alive."
"No need to worry," Shirou replied, shaking his head.
He had already easily crushed a Level 6 like the Sword Princess; a mere Level 5 like Phryne was nothing to him.
Of course, only Shirou himself knew his true strength.
Aisha and the others weren't aware of his full power. But even so, they weren't overly concerned either.
They knew that Shirou was personally invited by Ishtar. Though they didn't know the exact reason, as long as Ishtar didn't permit it, Phryne wouldn't dare act openly against Shirou. They just had to be cautious about anything underhanded.
"I'll help keep an eye on Phryne for you," Aisha said, patting Shirou on the shoulder, as if to comfort him.
"Thanks. Miss Aisha, you're a good person," Shirou said sincerely, filled with gratitude and praise.
"Forget it. I'm not a good person."
Aisha replied with a complicated expression.
It seemed that Phryne's interruption had dampened her mood, and she soon left Shirou's room with the other Berberas.
Though the process had many twists and turns, Shirou successfully became a temporary member of the Ishtar Familia, gaining the ability to move freely through both the Familia and the Pleasure Quarter.
With that freedom, he quickly began investigating the disappearance of Heith Velvet from the Freya Familia.
First, as Ishtar had instructed, he began by investigating the "Eye of Observation" system used throughout the Pleasure Quarter.
After investigation, Shirou found that on the day Heith went missing, the Eye of Observation truly didn't detect any magic disturbances in the Pleasure Quarter.
The entire area was calm like a windless lake—no ripples at all.
In such a situation, unless the Eye malfunctioned, it meant Heith couldn't have been forcibly taken.
As a Level 4 adventurer, any method used to kidnap her would require skills strong enough to completely suppress a Level 4. And once such skills were used, the Eye of Observation would absolutely detect magical fluctuations.
So... was Freya lying? Was Heith never actually abducted in the Pleasure Quarter?
Faced with such clear facts, Shirou couldn't help but suspect that Freya was lying.
However, he couldn't jump to conclusions so easily.
After all, Freya had nothing to gain from such deception.
Even if she staged Heith's disappearance to provoke the Ishtar Familia, that reasoning didn't hold water.
Because with the Freya Familia's power, if Freya truly wanted to attack the Ishtar Familia, she would have mobilized immediately upon finding an excuse and crushed them outright.
The fact that she hadn't acted meant Freya was still concerned about Heith's safety.
So, Shirou didn't believe Freya had lied.
"But that means the real problem is…" Shirou frowned deeply. "If Heith really did disappear here in the Pleasure Quarter, why didn't the Eye of Observation detect anything? Can that spell be blocked?"
With that question, Shirou immediately set out to find an answer.
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The Next Day
Taking advantage of the brothels being closed during the day, Shirou left the Pleasure Quarter and went straight to the Azure Apothecary run by the Miach Familia.
He originally intended to consult Loki, but since the Loki Familia had departed for Meren, the port town, they were not in Orario. So he settled for asking Naaza instead.
"You want to ask about the Eye of Observation?" Naaza asked, surprised.
She had already taken out medical tools, assuming Shirou had come for a check-up. Hearing his true purpose, she put them away.
"The Eye of Observation is a spell created by a certain god's Familia. Since being promoted by the Guild, it's worked extremely well—never had a single error."
"Not a single mistake?" Shirou asked.
"Not one. At least, there's been no reports of it being blocked."
Disappointed by Naaza's answer, Shirou had no choice but to abandon the theory that the Eye of Observation had been blocked.
He also asked who created it—and got an unexpected answer.
"It was created by the captain of the Hermes Familia, Asfi. She's known as the 'Universal Genius' and can craft all kinds of incredible magic tools. The Eye of Observation was her invention."
"Hermes Familia…"
Shirou had never liked Hermes.
Maybe because Hermes was too mysterious, or maybe it was just instinct—but every time he saw Hermes, a chill ran down his spine. He could never fully relax around him.
All the more reason to believe the Eye of Observation Asfi crafted wouldn't have such a flaw.
With this avenue closed, Shirou had to consider the problem from another angle.
"By the way, Shirou, when do you plan to treat that divine injury on your chest?" Naaza suddenly asked, referring to the damage caused by Ea.
"I heard about what happened with the Apollo Familia—you made quite a bit of money, right? You should be able to afford treatment from Amid."
"Yeah, I made a lot," Shirou admitted.
After selling the magic sword to the Takemikazuchi Familia and helping them win big in a gambling match, they had returned all expenses to him. The money came from Yamato Mikoto's winnings in the bets involving Bell and Hyacinthus.
Thanks to that, the Hestia Familia now had assets totaling well over ten million—more than enough to cover Armid's healing fees.
Naaza reminded him, "When you go to Armid for treatment, take me with you. I'm technically your attending physician, after all—I might be helpful."
"Thanks."
Shirou appreciated that Naaza was willing to meet Armid for his sake, despite their complicated relationship.
With the Eye of Observation clue gone cold, Shirou's search for Heith became vastly more difficult.
He stayed with the Ishtar Familia and investigated from many angles, but still couldn't find any leads.
In contrast, Shirou's reputation as a peacekeeper in the Pleasure Quarter grew rapidly.
Thanks to his Hawk's Eye, his vision at night was sharp, and combined with his strong intuition from his "Mind's Eye," he could immediately identify anyone preparing to commit crimes.
Many offenders were caught before they could even act.
As a result, the crime rate in the Pleasure Quarter plummeted. It rapidly became one of the safest areas in all of Orario.
The prostitutes were naturally the happiest.
No longer needing to fear dangerous clients or thieves on the street, they gradually came to regard Shirou as their protector.
Before long, Shirou had unknowingly become the "Most Popular Man in the Pleasure Quarter No. 1."
No matter where he went, he was swarmed by prostitutes.
This, of course, interfered with his investigation work. Thankfully, Aisha and other Berberas helped shield him from their overenthusiastic advances.
Yet Shirou noticed something odd—Aisha would disappear for several days at a time.
Though he tried asking her, she always evaded the question, and eventually, Shirou stopped pursuing the matter.
Days passed, and Shirou's anxiety grew.
One day, he suddenly spotted familiar faces in the Pleasure Quarter.
Yamato Mikoto and several women from the Takemikazuchi Familia were walking anxiously through the streets.
Clearly, they were uncomfortable in this environment.
Just walking along had turned their faces red.
They huddled together, nervously looking around. Whenever they were harassed by lewd men or prostitutes, they jumped in fright.
Some clients even mistook them for working girls and tried to harass them.
Unable to draw their weapons, Mikoto—even with the magic sword Shirou had given her—couldn't properly fight back.
Seeing them about to fall victim, Shirou finally intervened and drove the clients away.
"Tch, the enforcer? Sorry for the trouble."
Thanks to his reputation, most adventurers in the Pleasure Quarter didn't want to mess with Shirou.
After dispersing the crowd, Shirou turned to Mikoto and the others.
"What are you all doing here?"
"Shirou-dono? Why are you here?" Mikoto and the girls were equally surprised.
Because of what happened with the Apollo Familia, they all looked at Shirou with admiration and gratitude.
"I'm here doing peacekeeping work," Shirou explained simply, without revealing too much.
"Peacekeeping… in the Pleasure Quarter?"
Mikoto was clearly confused why a member of the Hestia Familia would be stationed here.
Still, because Shirou had helped them before, she didn't question it further.
"Actually, if that's true, you might be able to help us," Mikoto said, like she'd found a lifeline. "As you can see, we're not good at navigating this place. It's hard to find someone here. But you might be able to."
"Who are you looking for?" Shirou asked.
Mikoto quickly explained.
She had received news from a fellow countryman from the Far East about a childhood friend who had supposedly ended up here.
The description was so similar that Mikoto had come to investigate, despite how unlikely it seemed.
"What's her background?"
"Her name is Sanjouno Haruhime. She's the daughter of a noble family from a shrine in the Far East. She's a fox Renard, with long golden hair."
Mikoto quickly shared all the information she had.
Upon learning the situation, Shirou nodded and said he would go to the Pleasure District to investigate.
If he found any clues, he would report them to Yamato no Mikoto and the others of the Takemikazuchi Familia.
Yamato no Mikoto and the girls from the Takemikazuchi Familia all nodded. They trusted Shirou completely, and after expressing their gratitude repeatedly, they left the Pleasure District.
"Sanjouno Haruhime... a blonde fox girl, huh? For some reason, I don't have any impression of her."
Shirou had been in the Pleasure District for some time but had never seen a prostitute like that.
Still, he didn't think Yamato no Mikoto and the others were lying, so he noted it down and promptly began his investigation in the Pleasure District.
Shirou originally thought this girl named Haruhime would be difficult to find, but to his surprise, he got a lead with just a bit of inquiry.
However, there seemed to be strict confidentiality surrounding Haruhime.
Most prostitutes were unwilling to talk about her, let alone let Shirou see her.
Faced with such a special prostitute, Shirou became interested.
He had always been obsessed with uncovering the truth about the Ishtar Familia but never found any leads. Now that he had heard about a prostitute whose entire existence was shrouded in secrecy, he naturally wanted to uncover the truth.
Therefore, Shirou began a covert investigation and, through bribery and purchase of information, found out Haruhime's residence.
The prostitute who sold the information repeatedly begged Shirou not to reveal she was the source.
At the same time, she warned him not to let anyone know he was asking about Haruhime—otherwise, Goddess Ishtar would silence him.
Was Goddess Ishtar really that concerned over an ordinary prostitute?
Shirou's curiosity about Haruhime only deepened, and he went to find her right away.
Unlike most prostitutes who lived in bustling districts, Haruhime stayed in an extremely secluded villa in the Pleasure District. Not only was the area deserted, but members of the Ishtar Familia who were veteran Barberas guarded it.
Shirou carefully snuck into the surroundings of the villa and, without alerting the guards, leapt lightly into the villa's interior. To his surprise, the large building was completely empty.
"What's going on...?"
Shirou showed a suspicious expression as he walked deeper into the villa.
After a while, he finally saw a room with lights on and walked straight in.
"I've been waiting a long time, Master."
Inside the room, just as Yamato no Mikoto described, the blonde fox girl sat upright in a red kimono, positioned with formal posture.
She looked extremely nervous, with every hair on her body standing on end.
Shirou eyed the girl suspiciously and asked, "You're Haruhime?"
"Yes." Haruhime nodded and slowly raised her head. "Tonight, I, Haruhime, will serve you in bed."
"Huh?"
Shocked by her sudden words, Shirou hadn't even processed it before the fox-eared girl pulled him toward the bed and began undressing.
"Wait!!"
Shirou was startled and quickly stopped her.
"What's wrong?" Haruhime looked confused, her fox tail gently swaying behind her. "Could it be... you have special preferences...? If it's too intense, I might not be able to handle it..."
Seeing her obviously mistaking him for a client, Shirou quickly corrected her: "You've got it wrong. I'm not here for that."
"Eh? Is this... some kind of 'pretend first-time customer' play?"
Haruhime still looked suspicious.
"No, I really didn't come to sleep with you."
Shirou hurriedly explained how he had received a request from Yamato no Mikoto, and that he had come specifically to find her.
Upon hearing this, Haruhime finally understood.
"So it was Miss Mikoto... She actually still remembers me."
"You remember her too?"
"Yes, she was one of the few friends I had in the Far East."
As she spoke, Haruhime revealed a nostalgic expression, and there was obvious sadness in her eyes.
The more beautiful the memories, the more cruel her current reality as a prostitute must feel.
Shirou couldn't do anything about that, so he stayed professional and asked, "Anyway, it seems you really were childhood friends with Yamato no Mikoto. Why are you here? And why is the Ishtar Familia so nervous about you?"
Since things had progressed to this point, Shirou decided to dig deeper for information.
There were too many questions surrounding Haruhime, and he sensed it might be a breakthrough for uncovering the dark faction incident.
"It's better if you don't know about me," Haruhime said anxiously. "If you get too involved, Lady Ishtar will kill you to keep things quiet."
"Is that really necessary? You're just a regular prostitute."
"No, I'm not a regular prostitute. I'm being kept here because I have... a special use."
"Special use?"
Shirou looked Haruhime over. While she was indeed beautiful, it wasn't to the level of a nation-toppling beauty.
It didn't seem logical to confine someone purely for their looks.
So he blurted out: "Haruhime, are you a special Adventurer? Someone who received a Falna and has a unique skill?"
"H-how did you know?"
Haruhime was shocked Shirou guessed her secret so quickly.
Shirou had simply deduced it from the situation and guessed correctly.
Of course, he still didn't know what ability Haruhime possessed that made her so valued by Ishtar, but it likely meant she wasn't involved in the dark faction.
"Tch... looks like the lead ended again..."
He had thought Haruhime might be connected to the dark faction.
But from the looks of it, she was simply a gifted ability user whom Ishtar had taken a liking to.
Shirou shook his head, preparing to report this to Yamato no Mikoto.
"Um, please wait, Lord Emiya."
Just as Shirou was about to leave, Haruhime suddenly called out.
"What is it?" Shirou turned back, frowning slightly.
He was worried Haruhime might ask to be rescued.
While he did sympathize with her, saving her alone wouldn't change anything.
The Pleasure District was a massive industry full of darkness. To solve its problems, the entire Ishtar Familia would need to be taken down, just like the Apollo Familia had been, and replaced by a god from the Order.
If Shirou forcibly rescued Haruhime, it would make him an enemy of Ishtar.
At this stage, Shirou couldn't afford to act recklessly.
However, Haruhime wasn't asking to escape. With a serious expression, she asked, "Lord Emiya, do you know Miss Aisha?"
"Aisha? Of course I do."
"Thank goodness. Um... I have a favor to ask you."
"A favor?"
Shirou looked puzzled.
Haruhime quickly explained her relationship with Aisha.
She had been kidnapped and sold several times before ending up in the Pleasure District. Since arriving, she had never adapted to the lifestyle, nor could she perform as a prostitute.
When she was struggling, Aisha helped her and taught her how to survive.
But later, her special ability was discovered by Goddess Ishtar, who confined her to a separate villa for exclusive use.
To save Haruhime, Aisha secretly planned an escape for her, but Phryne found out.
Phryne nearly beat Aisha to death and used the event to blackmail her, making Aisha her plaything.
Since then, Aisha had been frequently abused by Phryne, even locked in dungeons.
But to keep Haruhime's escape attempt secret, Aisha endured everything silently, pretending nothing had happened.
"So that's how it is..."
Shirou hadn't realized such things had happened to Aisha, but he now understood why she would occasionally disappear.
She was probably being tortured by Phryne and hiding the wounds afterward.
Haruhime then said sincerely, "Lord Emiya, can you please tell Lady Ishtar about Aisha being abused by Phryne?"
"Why?"
"Aisha endured all this to protect me, but I can't bear it any longer. If we tell the goddess everything, even if I get punished for trying to escape, at least Aisha won't have to suffer anymore."
Hearing this, Shirou was momentarily stunned, then gave a bitter smile.
"What a foolish girl."
He placed his hand on Haruhime's head and rubbed it gently. Haruhime looked comforted, even her tail stood up.
"Lord Emiya?"
"Don't worry," Shirou smiled warmly at her, "Aisha is your friend, and also mine. I'll figure out a way to save her."
"Great! You're going to tell Lady Ishtar everything?"
"No, there's no need."
Shirou shook his head. "Even if I told Ishtar, because Phryne is a level 5, at most she'd receive a slap on the wrist—or maybe no punishment at all. But such evil must not be allowed to continue!"
"Then what do you mean?"
"I'm going to eliminate Phryne myself. And I won't let her spill a word about you."
"But... Phryne is Level 5..."
"Don't worry. Leave it to me."
Shirou stood up slowly.
Haruhime stared blankly at the man before her and couldn't help but recall the "heroes" she had read about in storybooks.
Even though it was their first meeting, she felt that as long as he was around, all fear and danger would vanish.
That feeling—was exactly what a hero from a story would give.
After leaving Haruhime's villa, Shirou headed straight to the Ishtar Familia headquarters.
After talking with Haruhime, he realized the issues within the Ishtar Familia were deeper than expected.
After all, Haruhime hadn't become a prostitute by choice—she had been kidnapped and forced into the brothel.
This kind of behavior was unacceptable to Shirou.
It was the embodiment of Orario's dark side.
However, Shirou couldn't act rashly against the Ishtar Familia.
The Pleasure District was too important to Orario.
The adventurers' desire for such services was unimaginable. Any move against it would be met with ten thousand times the resistance of what he faced with the Apollo Familia's casino.
If Shirou wanted to change the situation of the prostitutes, the opposition he'd face would be even greater—perhaps more than just the Ishtar Familia.
Still, Shirou wasn't daunted.
He had already fought and won against two gods. He didn't mind taking on a third divine confrontation.
The only concern was the dark faction behind the Ishtar Familia.
He needed to confirm whether there was a connection between them before taking action.
Otherwise, if both sides were weakened and the dark faction took advantage, that would be unacceptable.
With this in mind, Shirou arrived at the Ishtar Familia's palace.
He first inquired about Aisha's whereabouts and learned that she had once again gone into one of her occasional disappearances.
Before, he didn't know the reason. Now he understood it was because of Phryne's abuse.
Shirou wasted no time and went straight to Phryne's room.
The room looked ordinary from the outside—just like everyone else's, except with some ugly decorations.
But with his magic, Shirou examined the walls and floors and quickly discovered a hidden passage.
"So it's in here?"
Though it made sense for a sadist like Phryne to have such a secret space, Shirou felt something was off.
How could Phryne have built such a large tunnel system alone?
Was the passage built just for her torture games?
Or... did the Ishtar Familia already have this secret underground passage, and Phryne simply used it?
If so, why did the Ishtar Familia build such an extensive hidden underground structure?
His thoughts stopped there.
From deep within the passage, he heard a woman's screams and Phryne's twisted, ugly laughter.
"Time to take out the trash."
Shirou cracked his knuckles.
He had maintained peace in the Pleasure District for so long, his body had grown rusty. He missed the days of hunting monsters.
Though he couldn't go to the dungeon now, eliminating someone like Phryne was a form of "monster hunt" in its own way.
With that thought, Shirou stepped into the tunnel and made his way into the depths below.