"So what are you planning to do today?"
Round and round...
Mani-hime asked Yasutaka while twirling her fork through the Neapolitan pasta in front of her, round and round.
After that, they'd left the bathhouse and gone in to eat at Saizeriya, an Italian restaurant.
This world had pasta and the like as ordinary fare, but of course, one ate it with chopsticks.
Yasutaka, having polished off a large plate of cod roe pasta and now drinking wine from a wooden bowl, answered.
"Well, I'm just heading home today, that's all."
"Fine."
Mani-hime backed down without a fight, but Granny Moon cut in, flustered.
"Princess! You cannot go into that tenement!"
"Huh? He's my fiancé, so it should be fine for me to go in, shouldn't it?"
Mani-hime answered breezily, looking genuinely puzzled.
But even Yasutaka blurted out in a panic.
"There's no way I can protect you in that tenement, princess!"
"You're being dramatic... It's just one night."
Mōha explained to the still-puzzled Mani-hime.
"That'd be fine if you were a man. That place is packed with hoodlums. Doesn't matter how good you are with a blade, you're defenseless while you sleep. Sure, we could say we'll protect you, but if a whole mob comes at once, we won't stand a chance. We've got work tomorrow too, so just head back to the inn for tonight."
"Hmph..."
Mani-hime puffed out her cheeks in displeasure, and Granny Moon pressed on further.
"Princess. Back in my day, I myself was set upon in that tenement more times than I can count. It's no place for a young lady to enter. Especially not you, born to wealth and rank as you are. Your chastity ought to be given to your future husband."
"Grrrrrgh..."
Mani-hime scowled, groaning under Granny Moon's relentless persuasion.
Indeed, such incidents were simply an everyday occurrence in the world of the Kabukimono.
Mōha, caught off guard by Granny Moon's unexpected tale, pressed her a little further.
"You... went through a lot back then, huh."
"For this old body, it was more of a 'bring it on,' if anything. There was a time I had a hundred men at once until not a one of them could stand on his own two legs anymore... A mere handful leaves me unsatisfied."
"Well, that's impressive in its own way!"
Mōha was flabbergasted, but then he realized something important.
"Come to think of it, you're a rabbit-folk... One of the Three Great Lechers of the Realm..."
"As far as this old body's concerned, I can't fathom holding back when the urge strikes. Now, if you're born to wealth and rank like the princess, where chastity matters, that's another story. But for common folk? Bedding a few hundred before marriage ought to be perfectly ordinary, wouldn't you say? There's plenty who guard their chastity so fiercely they end up twisted up inside over it, so compared to that, this old body's way is far better."
"No, come on, a few hundred partners is way too many, isn't it?"
Granny Moon stated her singular philosophy without a shred of hesitation.
If the spider-folk gave rise to the Three Great Yanderes, then the rabbit-folk were said to produce the Three Great Wantons of the Realm, known for both sexes' insatiable appetite for coupling.
Well, such matters were simply a difference in values, one supposes.
Even Mani-hime let out a sigh at that.
"Fine, I get it. I'll go back to the inn."
"Right, right. You'd better get going for tonight."
Mani-hime frowned faintly at Yasutaka, who said this with a face just a touch too cheerful.
"I'll be at the Shogunate's Official Inn in front of Edo Castle... Actually, why don't you just stay there too, Yasutaka?"
"If I do that, I'll have to go back to the tenement tomorrow to grab my things anyway, so that's twice the trouble. Let's not, okay?"
"Well, if you say so."
Mani-hime rose to her feet, looking disappointed, and said to Granny Moon.
"Well then, shall we head back to the inn?"
"Yes, Princess."
"Take care, then~"
With that, they stepped outside, and Yasutaka watched until Mani-hime vanished from sight..........
"She's gone............"
Yasutaka grinned, sauntered back to his seat, and declared, delighted.
"Yes! Finally, I can go play in the red-light district!"
"You... are kind of amazing, in a way."
Mōha muttered, dumbfounded.
Now, Okabasho referred to the pleasure districts scattered about town. The shogunate officially sanctioned only Yoshiwara, but since that alone couldn't satisfy demand, these unlicensed brothels sprang up to fill the gap, and that was Okabasho.
Being unofficial, they were known for being cheap and easy in every sense of the word, and it was there that Yasutaka intended to go.
Mōha stood up as well and said.
"I'm heading back first. Don't be too late getting back."
"Got it! I'm off to Senju~♪"
With that, the two of them paid the bill and left the restaurant.