Inheriting a Lost Bloodline, My First Task is to have heirs?!

Chapter 28: Chapter 28 - Entertainment District

I spent the rest of the early afternoon window shopping and taking notes. I am also secretly mapping the whole city through my mind for future purposes. Once I have inherited back the mana that Altair talked about before, teleportation would be a breeze.

Due to the limited time I have before the classes starts, I have to get as much information as I can within this week. At around 4pm, I went back to the inn and decided to take a nap to get some of my energy back. I need energy for my activities for tonight.

I woke up at around 7:30pm. It was just in time for dinner and maybe for some fun. I went to the mid-priced recommended restaurant ”Miren” again to eat a quick dinner and then I quickly made my way to the night market. There may be some interesting items there that are not available in the morning market so I won’t miss it. I want to eat street food if they have any.

There were less stalls to look at so I still have time to venture to the other parts of the city which are much livelier at night. I tried some of the interesting food they are selling as well. They taste okay. After passing the long line of make shift stalls, the other end of the night market leads to the entrance of the city’s entertainment district. I went and looked around for a while and asked some receptionists in the buildings near the entrance on how things work in this place.

I am saying this again, it is the ”entertainment district” and not the red light district. It is quite different from the one we have in modern times. First point, the workers here are all male while in my world, all genders can work in this type of place. Second, the people in this district are all legitimate entertainers that have studied their craft and they share their talents that is not at all connected to bedroom services. They sing, dance, read poems, do paintings and showcase embroidered items that they made, play musical instruments or give services such as massages, consultation in literature, politics or business affairs and even healing arts. They sell services and not themselves if you think about it. What is similar though is men here are still up for sale similar to how slavery works minus the slave mark that Ioannis used to have. To be specific, their first nights are up for sale to the eligible buyer for the right conditions and price. The more popular, good-looking and better family background the guy has, the higher dowry or payment their family will demand. Some have very specific conditions with the women that can buy them. Some want their woman rich or beautiful. Some want their woman to be strong and be able to protect them. Some want their woman to take them in as an official husband and not just a lover or concubine. You remember how I told you that their prices are based on the guy’s family background? Even sons of nobles and royals (if they want to) are allowed to showcase their talents here to try and get a good wife that can take them in and fulfill their conditions. Yes, you have to take the guy in for life. They don’t do one night stands here.

Expectations are far from reality for most of the men though. It is not like the men are not taken advantaged of. Women can still do anything with the guy for the right price. The only thing you can’t do is take their virginity especially if you are unwilling to pay their dowry or take the guy in permanently, that is.

On the other hand, some men are still blinded by love or for lack of a better word, ”scammed” and still end up being abandoned after their first night. Something far worse is being left pregnant and with no one to support them. They are still seen as lowly so the women are not interested in the children born from a one night tryst with a man that they thought was simply a challenge that they won. With all this happening, it just starts the cycle of the next generation of entertainers being born in this place, each hoping that they will not end up like their fathers.

There is one exception to the rule of dowries and conditions though. The exception is if the resonance is high. Men will still value having children over anything since this is their innate nature or much similar to a life purpose. It was like when I talked about having children with Ioannis and his body reacted immediately.

So here’s the thing... What happens when someone like me who can control resonance levels and have a 10% bonus comes in? I can take my pick and make sure I get the creme of the crop, isn’t it?

I made sure to do my research first. Since I am looking for the creme of the crop, I asked around and made a list of men that are well... ahem... good-looking, popular and the best at their craft. From my research, there are a few that stood out not only because they fit the bill of being almost perfect but because they are very picky and aloof. High demand for an entertainer makes them more popular and their price, higher too. Most of them are in their late teens or early 20s and mostly with good family backgrounds.

I quickly took note of the entertainment establishments and the names of the popular entertainers. I listed the ones that are good in each of the categories available. I still stand by my rule of not taking in men that are only good at bedroom stuff and nothing else. Honestly, they’re nice to look at but if they’re useless in everything else, no thanks.

I made my way to one of the popular entertainment buildings named ”Arfa”. It is said that a guy who is proficient in different musical intruments will show his talent tonight. I picked him randomly from the list to see what number he has on top of his head and then we’ll see what will happen next.

When I got inside the place, I listened to the regulars talking about the popular guy that would play musical instruments tonight. From what I have gathered, his name is Kayden and he is an illegitimate son of a viscountess. He has been studying how to play different musical instruments since he was 3 years old and he can play 6 musical instruments namely: harp, flute, lyre, timpani, chimes and lute. He is indeed impressive. In my world, he can be called a music genius.

I talked to the manager and requested if it is possible to be provided a private viewing room at the second floor in exchange for a certain amount of payment for food and drinks, tips and a promise to pay for requested songs. For regulars, they pay 100 coppers per song if they want to request one though it is still up to the entertainer if he will play that song or not. I guess it is a part of their marketing strategy or Kayden’s image to be picky and aloof to get more people to watch his shows. I wanted to see how good he is with his musical talent so I offered 1 silver (1000 coppers) in exchange for hearing him play a song for each of the 6 instruments that he knows how to use. I purposely told the manager that I’ll give another silver if I enjoy the show. This is an indirect challenge to the man that will perform. The manager of the place readily agreed to me. He happily took the silver and I saw him go to the back of the stage.

Before I entered Arfa, I decided to do a disguise. I tweaked my illusion spell so that in the eyes of others I am clothed more formally and look like I am somewhat from a noble family. I then undid the illusion to show my real face then placed a translucent veil to partially cover my face from under the eyes till my chin. Let’s go with the mysterious vibe whenever I visit this area. I don’t want them to know where I am staying or I am connected to Gnosis. If just in case that some of the guys on the list are potential resonants, I don’t want them knocking at my dormitory door at school.

After a few minutes, a man dressed in powdery blue cloak and black inner clothes came out with his head a bit down. He also had some attendants bring out 6 different musical instruments to the stage. I guess he was briefed with my request and he accepted it. He then lifted his chin while seemingly trying to find someone from the crowd. That’s when I saw a stunningly beautiful man with long black hair and skin as smooth and white just like how princesses are shown in fairytales. He has small but plump and oh so red lips as if wearing colored lip gloss (perfect for kissing! ahem... I’m not saying I will do so.. But, yeah. You know what I mean). His nose is just the right height to make his face more stunning, with thick eyelashes and perfectly arched eyebrows. He has dark blue eyes similar to the color of the midnight sky. What is with these men having nice and expressive eyes. I feel like everything is a trap!

He started looking around till the manager pointed to my private viewing room up at top. Our eyes met and I saw him visibly stiffen and then he did a courteous bow and I nodded my head in reply. It is good that we are far since I purposely released a bit of my pheromones towards him to see our resonance levels just in case. After being stunned for a few seconds, he then sat on a chair in front of the harp that was placed in the middle of the stage. He then started staring in my direction on purpose and kept eye contact. He must have felt a bit of my probing huh? He did this throughout the songs he played with different musical instruments which is roughly 15 minutes in total.

I have one conclusion from this visit. I think, guys in this area are taught how to flirt and seduce? His face is aloof but his eyes are very expressive or maybe not. Maybe it is just with me? Well, he does have 87 on top of his head and with my cheat, that’s a 97 for you. Another possible resonant has appeared.