The next day, we pile into several cars and head to the lodging Tingoo arranged for us. No point wasting money on a hotel forever.

  Our destination is a stylish single-family home with a garden—looks incredibly comfortable. In a densely packed pce like the imperial capital, it's apparently quite the luxury. They mainly use it to house special groups like ours for short stays, and it's got plenty of rooms for our numbers.

  We're being treated like high-end sves, so within the bounds of our expected earnings, we can pick pretty freely when it comes to housing. That said, the money we'll make from selling our bodies is crucial funding for Winfield's future—we pn to pinch pennies and save as much as possible. Back home, even pace life in a small kingdom wasn't all that extravagant. Heck, the average imperial citizen probably enjoys more affordable luxuries than we ever did, thanks to their advanced tech. We don't need to worry much about keeping up appearances, but Larry and the others will help us scout a pce soon.

  In the living room, we sit down with the staff to go over what's next. As pnned, I'll auction off my virginity, then start servicing clients as a prostitute. Once that's underway, I'll dip into adult films for some promo, spreading my wild side far and wide. Prep for all that is moving along smoothly. We also get walkthroughs on the gadgets they've loaned us.

  Right now, my fall into svery is apparently the hottest topic across the empire. They see me as this goddess-like beauty, embodying every virtue a girl could have—looks, figure, grace, smarts, the works. ...I worked my butt off to project that image, sure, but given the gap with my true self that I've only hinted at to family, it kinda makes me go, "Who even is that?" Anyway, I'm set to be the main earner here—my mind's made up. Fingers crossed that once I actually dive in, it all goes as smoothly as I hope...

  Mother's debut will come a bit after mine, riding my coattails for that "like mother, like daughter" glow. I take after her a lot—her blood runs strong in me. As I age, I'll probably end up looking just like her now.

  ...I mean, our wedding photos are eerily simir, though I've got her beat in the chest department. Back in the day, her beauty and that rags-to-riches Cinderel story echoed across the continent, even reaching the empire.

  She grew up in an orphanage, the lowest of the low, but word spread around the capital about this "insanely cute beauty," and her freakishly stunning looks got her a schorship to the national academy—the kind attended by noble heirs and even the crown prince (now my father) her age. She had the brains to back it up too. But behind the scenes, there was this sleazy expectation: "Entertain the young lords—no strings attached."

  The payoffs to her and the orphanage were generous. She didn't put up much of a fight psychologically, and once she got used to it, she even started enjoying the pleasure of sex, finding room to savor it. Father, already engaged to the current queen, stayed out of it at first, but he got curious, they hooked up, and he fell hard—enough to throw a rare tantrum and insist on making her his concubine. That original sleazy plot got hushed up school-wide with a strict gag order, and aside from the discomfort the queen and her circle must have felt, everyone cheered it as a heartwarming tale. Stealing her from the queen? Nah, not quite—it wasn't taking away; it was adding on.

  I used to only know the "feel-good" version of the story. Mother was beautiful, refined, with a gentle personality. Kind for the most part, but firm when needed, always stepping back to show the queen proper respect—the ideal mom. Of course, I had a wet nurse, and pace life meant way less mother-child time than in a normal family, but she poured all her love into me within those limits. I probably couldn't spoil myself rotten with her like other kids, but that's royal fate for you. She watched over me as I got drilled in etiquette from a young age, hugging and encouraging me when I needed it.

  Our bond tightened fast after that family meeting. ...Phrasing it that way might make it sound like we were distant before, but honestly, that's the truth—so be it. After all, we're walking into a future together as sves, offering our bodies to total strangers...

  In the midst of all that, she finally told me about her sleazy academy days. I wasn't sure how to react, but she just smiled.

  "It's thanks to those schemes that I met His Majesty—someone way out of my league—climbed to this unexpected status, and got blessed with you and Michelle. Even the crown prince and Gilbert warmed up to me as their stepmom.

  And honestly, the sex with those young lords? Not bad at all. The payoffs were tempting, and they were thoughtful enough to make it feel good. It'll be different from what we'll face now, sure. But looking back, it was like practice for this—lucky me, right?"

  Was I getting hit with some soul-crushing mental attack, hearing about my mom's youthful sexcapades—something that'd gross out any normal kid, let alone a young dy? Nah, it didn't faze me much. If anything, it eased my nerves about the future. Our situation is worlds apart from the average person's, and I know I'm not normal either—with my background, looks, figure, the facade I wear, and my hidden side. Even if it's tough, I'll walk this path with Mother and the maids—details might differ, but it's the same road at its core. We can support each other along the way. For now, that's enough to celebrate.

  "We're blessed beyond measure in looks, figure, everything that makes a woman desirable. Being a prostitute or adult star? It's the most direct way to cash in on that. Men will lust after us like crazy, and for the right price, they get to have us. Especially you—as a top earner, bookings will pile up, and idiots won't risk messing with that. The clientele and safety are pretty much guaranteed.

  As for a woman's happiness, snagging that fairy-tale marriage and raising amazing kids, with great ties to my husband, his wife, and stepkids? Priceless. Now, even as a sve, hordes of men will line up to bed me... I hope. It's the ultimate ego boost. But you, born a princess and diving into this before marriage or kids? You might not catch up to me there."

  "Mom, what are you even saying? Your wonderful daughter here's about to sell herself young! Doesn't that put a huge dent in your mom happiness?"

  "Oh, but you're welcoming this path, aren't you? At least, that's what you've said. If my girl's pursuing what she wants, I'll cheer her on—that's mom bliss too. And you called me 'Mom' just now. Made my day."

  She pulls me into a hug. Yeah, I went with "Mom" on purpose. Maybe I called her that as a toddler. But once I was old enough to remember, it was always "Mother." Calling her "Mom" at this age, when I'm shedding my "girl" phase? Kinda weird, maybe. But now that we're in this mess where I can finally lean on her fully—even if it's just licking wounds—I want to call her "Mom" and soak up all the spoiling I can get.

  "But you might be okay with it—Michelle, though..."

  Those words shatter the warmth, plunging us into icy despair. We both break down in grief. We knew this was coming, but we had to say it... I get it completely...