The shadows

ch26

It's been two weeks. After the first night in the bar, Machi invited him to the mansion. It wasn't that hard. All he had to do was to tell him he was staying in an inn, and he immediately offered.

Like clockwork, Machi would visit the bar every night. Naruto would perform different instruments and elaborate shows, and then they would talk. Of course, Naruto played a bit hard to get and refused the first night, instead asking him to visit more at the bar.

Naruto told him his story. The story of an orphan girl living with her people. He told him his dream was to be a performer in the capital, with hundreds of people watching her and awed.

Of course, it was easy enough to charm the man with exciting stories and tricks. Every night Machi would insist on taking him to the mansion, and finally, on the fifth day, he accepted.

He was given a tour around the mansion with instructions on parts he was allowed and not allowed to visit. He was also given a temporary attendant to settle in. He is currently in his room getting ready for the nightly visits.

His room was on the third floor, along with most of the areas he was allowed to visit. The first floor was for his close bodyguards that resided in the mansion and the servants. The second floor was for his business and meetings, and the third floor was for his room and his consorts.

There were currently seven other girls in the rooms on the third floor. From what Naruto gathered, Machi would keep his new and favorite toys close by for use, and the ones past their use were in the basement.

Of course, since Naruto was new, he was getting all the attention for now, and when Machi was tired, he would go to his other girls. There were a few rules to follow. For the most part, girls had to stay in their rooms.

There were, however, times for the gatherings. There was a dining room where the meals were served or a shared bath. Usually, Machi would call all the girls to his meals or bath, but if he preferred the company of a few, there was also a private dining room and bath.

Naruto was doing his best to look at the part and stand out simultaneously. It wouldn't do to fall from Machi's favor so soon. So he used his skills to keep things new and fresh and keep all the attention of Machi simultaneously.

He was also trying to form a relationship with other girls to gather information. The one who served Machi for the longest was a woman named Okawa Shizuko. She was a 24-year-old woman with long golden silky hair and green eyes. She is tall and thin and gorgeous.

She was here for almost a year. Most of the girls tried to be civil to each other since non of them wanted to be sent to the basement. Apparently, no one ever returned from the basement, so it was a massive deterrent to causing any trouble.

But this didn't mean that they were overly friendly or pleasant without the presence of Machi. They all tried to stay out of each other's way and not to converse with each other. They each had an attendant to help them with mundane tasks and keep them company.

Naruto suspected that it was also to inform Machi of any suspicious behavior. Naruto also discovered that the sensor's name was Saiki Hitoshi, and the other bodyguard was Tsuchiya Kou.

They were always on Machi's side. They even resided in the rooms next to him and took turns guarding him at night and in the mansion. Kou was mainly in charge of helping Machi with his business. Sending messages to people, organizing events, and managing tasks.

From the update Naruto had from Fuu, there was a hierarchy between the thugs. Hitoshi was in charge of more military tasks. He trained the recruits, tested them, and beat them into shape.