Confinement King
chapter-123

「Okay, Takata-san. I'll assign you a maid, and you can ask her about the rest」

「Maid?」

Almost as soon as I tilted my head, the sound of a door opening and then closing echoed through the darkness.

「Wait, wait, wait, wait a minute!?」

My fingertips hurriedly extended, but found nothing to touch, and only my voice echoed against the wall.

Then, as the echoes faded away, an intimidating silence took its place.

My mind is a mess.

I'm more than confused.

(What the heck is going on! What did I do? Why am I in this mess when I was just trying to do my job as a member of the morals committee…?)

Anyway....

Is Fumio Kijima the culprit behind the mass kidnapping?

I wonder how that guy found out about my secret with Kobayashi-sensei?

Working at a girl's bar?

Me?

Earn three million yen in a month?

Can I do that?

But... If I don't do it, Kobayashi-sensei will be in trouble.

「What... What's going on? Seriously!」

I sat down on the floor, ripping my hair out.

At about the same time, the room suddenly lights up.

Immediately--

「Kyaaaaaaa!? I'm naked? W-why? What's going on with my skin? What happened?」

I scream, realizing what I'm wearing.

Brown skin, like deeply roasted coffee. At least it's not my skin color.

Suddenly, the door opens and a girl walks into the room.

Short hair, white prims. She wore a short maid's uniform, and looked a little sassy.

「Nice to meet you, Takata-sama. Are you feeling well?」

「Who are you!?」

「Me? I've been assigned to take care of Takata-sama while you're in here, and I'm the Great Confinement King-sama's faithful servant... My name is “Cockroach”」

「Co-co-co-cockroach? Is... Is that your name?」

「Yes, the head maid gave me that name」

「And the “Confinement King”... is Fumio Kijima?」

「That is correct. But please use the honorific title. The Confinement King-sama is a god-like figure. He's not someone a weevil like Takata-sama could casually call... Do you want me to kill you?」

「I...」

I almost shouted out in frustration, but I couldn't help but be silent.

The maid is shorter than me. Probably younger. Despite this, I was overwhelmed by the tremendous sense of intimidation she exuded.

She had a calm demeanor, as if she had crossed the line of death many times before. I wondered if it was an instinct, or if she was a creature of a different rank, and alarm bells were ringing in my head. If I disobeyed, I would probably be killed.

「I'll show you to your room, Takata-sama」

「What... What room?」

「The Great Confinement King-sama is a merciful man. He has prepared a room for you so that you may be comfortable during your stay here」

I followed the maid, who called herself cockroach, out of the room and walked straight down a stone hallway.

Then, only a few meters away. At the very end, there was another door.

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A hallway connecting two doors.

The building made no sense at all.

(Really... Where is this place?)

「This way, please」

With that, the maid opens the door and beckons me into the room.

A sofa set and two beds. Just like a typical resort hotel room.

The only thing unusual about the room is that there are three doors on the innermost wall, where a window would normally exist in a hotel.

「Please feel free to use anything in this room. The doors at the back of the room, from right to left, lead to the bathroom, the toilet, and the entrance to the workplace」

「The workplace entrance?」

「Yes, the girls' bar where Takata-sama will work. It's directly connected to the workplace across the space」

「Across space...」

「Don’t be surprised. The Great Confinement King-sama is as divine as God. The first day of work is tomorrow evening. I'll be accompanying you at first」

（Who the hell are you really? Kijima...)

「Let me explain the terms of the employment. The workday will be nine hours, from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., with one hour of rest time. The hourly wage is 1,800 yen after deductions. The drink bonus is 200 yen per drink. In about a month, the income will be about 350,000 yen」

「Three hundred and fifty thousand yen? Wait a minute, I can't possibly make three million yen!」

When I raise my voice, the maid smiles at me.

「Of course, it’s impossible... No, I mean. *cough* it's impossible, normally. So, the merciful Confinement King-sama has prepared a special measure for you, Takata-sama」

「Special measures?」

「Yes, in this girls' bar, customers will vote on their favorites every day. It's usually used as a reference for salary increases, but every time Takata-sama wins first place in this popularity contest, an extra 100,000 yen will be added to the salary. There are thirty-five days until the end of the summer vacation. The normal salary is 350,000 yen. In other words, if Takata-sama win first place in the popularity contest for twenty-seven days out of these thirty-five days, Takata-sama will be able to earn three million yen」

I remain silent.

I don't understand how difficult it is to get the first place at all.

I don't know if I should be happy, angry, or depressed... I have no idea.

I looked around the room, not knowing what to do, and gasped when I saw the mirror on the dressing table.

「Why am I dressed like this...?」

Light gray hair. Skin tanned like a South American woman. I can't believe he's doing this to me without telling me....

「Please don't be displeased, but your appearance is a favor to the Confinement King-sama. The girl's bar where Takata-sama works is just behind the school's nearest station. It's on the same street as the Ravian Rose. It's not impossible that someone Takata-sama know might come by」

「What!?」

「So Confinement King-sama has changed Takata-sama appearance so that no one would recognize it. Of course, when you are released, the appearance will restore everything to its original state」

「How can I get my skin back when it's so tanned?」

The maid shrugged her shoulders, as if in amazement.

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「Without glasses, you can see well, don't you think?」

「Eh...?」

「Takata-sama's eyesight has been cured. I myself have been torn apart many times, and some of my colleagues have had their lower bodies dissolved in acid. Please rest assured that no matter how you are injured, it can be cured everything properly」

「Totally torn apart... You」

I was horrified.

The maid didn't seem to be in a joking mood at all.

「Anyway, give me something to wear... I don't want to be naked...」

「That's right... I mean. Indeed. There are pastel-colored bikinis in the closet for the duration of your stay, so you may use them as you wish」

「Why Bikini?」

「The bar's uniform consists of a bikini and a miniskirt. Since Takata-sama will be living only in this room and in the bar during the summer vacation, there's no need any other clothes」

「But I can't go out in public dressed like that!?」

「That's the job. Don't worry about it. I've heard that customers are served over the counter and that they are rarely touched」

「It's not a question of being touched or not being touched! I'm not a lascivious woman!」

When I made a fuss, the maid sighed.

「Then please appeal directly to the Great Confinement King-sama. I hope you're not going to be sold off to someplace with your body intact...... If that's what you prefer, then so be it」

The maid did not seem to be in a joking mood.

When I fell silent, she said,

「Then, I will bring you dinner later, so please make yourself at home」

With that, the maid left the room.

If I think about it calmly, once I leave this room, all I'll find is the empty room I was in just a moment ago.

「I... I don't understand. Sensei... What should I do...」

I think of my dear Kobayashi-sensei.

But if I don't do something, Kobayashi-sensei will be in trouble. There's no way out.

I open the closet and randomly pick up one of the swimsuits hanging there.

It is a pastel yellow-green color. It is a sleek, unadorned bikini. Even if I were to wear a swimsuit, I would never choose a bikini.

When I put it on and expose myself in front of the mirror, I see an unfamiliar version of myself with a confused and complicated look on my face.