The World On His Shoulders | Demon slayer x Male reader

Chapter XLIV

Y/N's POV

Y/N, conscious of the curious and wary glances he was receiving, approached a house that stood out from the rest. It was a brothel, and he felt a wave of discomfort . Nonetheless, he knew he had to blend in to search effectively for the demon. Putting on an easy smile, he stepped forward.

With as much casualness as he could muster, Y/N addressed the house manager. "Good evening. I was hoping to... spend some time with one of the girls," he said, trying to sound convincing.

The manager, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes and a face marked by the passage of time, studied him carefully. Her hair was styled in a tsubushi shimada, held in place by a decorative comb. She bowed politely but her gaze quickly shifted to the weapons Y/N carried. "You are welcome here, but I must ask about your weapons," she said, eyeing the large spear on his shoulder and the sword at his belt.

Y/N shrugged, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. "I'm a martial artist, I run a dojo. These are part of my... attire. Can't I come in with them?"

The woman hesitated, clearly torn between the prospect of a new client and the rules of her establishment. Finally, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but it's against the rules to allow weapons inside. It's for the safety of our guests and the girls."

Y/N frowned, understanding her position yet frustrated by the obstacle. He nodded in acknowledgment of her policy. "Understood. Thank you," he said, turning to leave.

As Y/N walked away from the brothel, he contemplated his next move. The demon could be using places like these to blend in, making the hunt more complicated. He needed a new strategy, one that would allow him to search these establishments without arousing suspicion or endangering those inside.

Y/N moved on to the next prominent brothel in the district. He approached the owners, a middle-aged couple: a balding man and his aging wife. He bowed respectfully and repeated his request to spend time with one of the girls, mentioning his weapons as before.

The man, polite but firm, reiterated the no-weapons policy. 

However, his wife seemed quite taken with Y/N, her eyes lingering on him in a way that made him distinctly uncomfortable. Realizing he might use this to his advantage, Y/N decided to employ a bit of charm.

"Wouldn't it be possible to make an exception for a man like me?" Y/N asked, his voice smooth. "I promise, my intentions are purely to enjoy the company of your lovely establishment."

The woman, clearly taken under Y/N's words, quickly offered a solution. "Oh, we have a storage room where you can safely keep your weapons. They'll be in good hands, I assure you!"

As she led him inside, the woman bombarded Y/N with a stream of personal questions, her curiosity seemingly overwhelming her. "How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? You're not married, are you? You have such a strong body; do you train a lot?"

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the personal nature of the questions,  he answered politely but vaguely. "I'm just here looking to have a bit of fun," he replied, steering the conversation away from himself.

Finally, they reached the main room, and the woman asked Y/N if he had any preference for the girl he wished to spend time with.

"Well, I don't have a specific type. Perhaps someone kind and understanding?" Y/N suggested, trying to sound nonchalant. He hoped this approach would give him some leeway to explore the establishment without drawing too much attention to his true mission.

The woman nodded, her eyes still glinting with curiosity. "Of course,"

 As he walked through the brothel he asked, "Who is the most expensive girl here?"