The architectural style here was completely different from what had been seen before, hinting at something significant. This entire property belonged to the Ishtar Familia.
Goddess Ishtar clearly hadn't anticipated this turn of events. It was Yami's first time visiting Happy Street, and yet he had unwittingly chosen one of her own properties—what a stroke of luck. After all, compared to other brothels, those run by the Ishtar Familia were far more professional. Given that this was a Familia whose livelihood depended on this trade, they were more refined in every respect.
Yami walked straight into the establishment, with Goddess Ishtar and Aisha following at a leisurely pace. The moment they entered, the interior of the brothel became immediately clear.
Unlike other places, there was no one stationed at the entrance here. Only after stepping inside did they see the girls dressed in revealing outfits. All of them knelt silently within the enclosure, waiting for customers to make their selections.
Normally, the courtesans of the Ishtar Familia earned their living here, with no possibility of redemption. As the sound of footsteps echoed through the room, nearly all of them raised their heads simultaneously. A collection of stunning, beautiful faces greeted Yami's gaze. Noticing Yami's strikingly handsome features and irresistible charm, the courtesans straightened up, trying to catch his eye. Winning his favor, even for just one night, would be a great fortune for any of them.
Some even dreamed of bearing his children, knowing that the offspring of such a powerful figure would undoubtedly become a future hero. This ambition was one of the driving forces behind the Ishtar Familia's strategy. For the fighting courtesans, producing exceptional offspring was one way to strengthen their Familia.
And this strategy had indeed yielded impressive results.
However, Yami only gave the courtesans a brief glance before turning his attention elsewhere, showing no sign of lingering. It wasn't until he had scanned the entire room that he finally found the target he had been looking for.
"Well, Mr. Yami, have you found what you were seeking?" Goddess Ishtar inquired.
"Indeed, I have, Goddess Ishtar," Yami replied, a strange smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
Under the watchful eyes of the other courtesans, Yami walked straight to a room with an enclosed area and stopped. "Goddess Ishtar, I choose her," he said, pointing to the blonde fox-human girl within the enclosure. "You said earlier that I could take my chosen companion with me. You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"
Yami's tone was lighthearted, but his posture suggested that he was the picture of a young man completely seduced by beauty, even resembling a lustful fool. His eager expression made the blonde fox-human girl visibly nervous.
"This..." The smile on Goddess Ishtar's face faded instantly when she saw Yami's choice. Even Aisha, standing beside her, froze, looking visibly uncomfortable.
"Is there a problem?" Yami asked. "I'm quite fond of this furry little girl, but judging by your reaction, Goddess Ishtar, it seems like she's someone special. So, is there something different about her?"
The series of questions left Goddess Ishtar momentarily speechless. After a brief pause, she forced a smile.
"It's not quite what you think, Mr. Yami. This girl is indeed a special case. She comes from the far east and was exiled by her own father for committing a grave crime. Along the way, she was captured by a group of human trafficking and later rescued by thieves, who eventually sold her to Happy Street."
"Tsubaki is not only a member of my Familia but also a virgin, and her race is quite rare. However, since she's only recently become an apprentice courtesan, she hasn't yet learned the skills to provide proper service. You might find it disappointing. So, why not choose someone else?"
To make her case more convincing, Goddess Ishtar personally introduced another courtesan to Yami—a young, beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure.
But Yami remained unfazed, not even sparing a glance.
"I believe you, Goddess Ishtar, but I'm still more interested in this fox girl. The shortcomings you mentioned are actually advantages in my eyes. So I don't want to change my choice. I hope you'll make it easier for me."
Yami's unyielding stance made the last traces of Goddess Ishtar's smile vanish. She never imagined that she'd end up outsmarting herself.
Who could have predicted that Yami would choose the most important girl—Haruhime? While other courtesans were negotiable, this fox-human girl was different. There was no way Goddess Ishtar could let her go.
Haruhime carried something of great importance to the goddess—something that could elevate the Ishtar Familia to true prominence, a power so great that even Freya and Loki wouldn't be able to challenge them.
There was no way she could let such a powerful weapon as the "Treasure Mallet" slip through her fingers.
Goddess Ishtar intended to use Haruhime as a sacrifice to grant this power to her entire Familia.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Yami," Ishtar said, her voice now cold and serious. "Anyone but this girl is available."
Yami, who had anticipated all of this, slowly shook his head with a regretful expression.
"It's a real shame, Goddess Ishtar. I thought you were a kind and generous goddess, allowing me to choose any courtesan to take back with me. But it seems I overestimated you."
"In that case, I'll take my leave for now. Goodbye, goddess. Perhaps we'll meet again."
With that, Yami averted his gaze, turned, and began walking towards the door, brushing past Goddess Ishtar. He found a rare moment of amusement in her expression—a look of disgust as if she had just swallowed something foul. It was one of the few joys he had discovered during his visit to Happy Street.