It took Takahiro literally a few minutes to find two reliable women so everything would go smoothly. And though Kenshin was very irritated by this unpleasant place and the morals reigning there, he couldn't help but be surprised at how iron discipline prevailed in it.
"While your goods aren't ready, perhaps you'd like to rest a bit? We just have a bottle of 'samurai blade' twenty years aged," Takahiro said with a smile, trying to please Kenshin.
"Better show me all the 'flowers' with chakra. Maybe I'll choose someone else."
"Of course, Nakayama-san, follow me," Takahiro said joyfully and in less than ten minutes gathered all the non-aggressive women with chakra. There weren't many, only fifteen, so they all fit without problem in the large hall.
As soon as Kenshin entered the hall, all the girls' eyes instantly focused on him. Because of the 'disguise formation,' they saw before them a stately man slightly over fifty, and from how the formidable manager groveled before him, the girls immediately figured it out.
"Here, Nakayama-san, these are the best flowers in our house with kunoichi abilities. Choose any," the manager said with a smile.
"Lord, choose me!" exclaimed a long-legged blonde with blue eyes.
"Lord, take me, please! I'll do anything you command!" cried a short brunette with a sly, cat-like gaze.
"Shut up!" Takahiro barked. What irritated him most was breaking discipline, and if not for Kenshin, he would have punished the violators right there.
Kenshin ignored the shouts and was engrossed in viewing their 'status' as well as trying to untangle the chaotic tangle of thoughts and emotions coming into his brain. He didn't want to choose someone with a vile and sneaky character. He would have ignored this detail without problem if the girl had outstanding talent or kekkei genkai, but alas, none of them had anything like that.
He silently shifted his gaze from one to another, thoughtfully assessing their status and bundle of thoughts and emotions. None of them suited him; not all were vile and cunning, but most, so with each second, Kenshin's disappointment grew greater and greater until he finally saw her.
Name: Aoki Makoto
Age: 16 years
Talent Level: 29
Chakra Quality: 2
Chakra Amount: 1500
Chakra Control: 28%
"What?! Why is she so weak with such a talent level?" Kenshin thought in surprise, then noticed a small oddity. Makoto was very intimidated and afraid to look him in the eye, staying behind everyone and trying to be inconspicuous.
"What's your name?" Kenshin asked, taking a step toward Makoto so no one would have doubts who the question was addressed to.
The skinny, short-haired girl nearly sank into the ground from fear. She instinctively stepped aside so as not to interfere with the respected lord talking to the one he had noticed.
"Makoto! Answer when asked!" Takahiro barked sternly.
The girl nearly jumped in fright and shifted her gaze first to Kenshin's chest but didn't dare lift her eyes, dropping them to the floor.
"I... P-please forgive me, lord..." she stammered, losing the ability to think about anything.
"Ha-ha-ha. Nakayama-san, don't be angry. Makoto is a bit slow," Takahiro said with laughter.
"How much do you want for her?" Kenshin asked in a calm tone.
The question surprised everyone present, especially the long-legged blonde who desperately wanted to escape this place, and no one suited the role of savior better than the powerful and stately man who exuded calm and protection.
"Lord! Why do you need this stupid girl! Aren't I prettier than her?!" she exclaimed, feeling great injustice that her ticket to a better life went to the one she didn't consider human and over whom she bullied every day.
"Mayumi!" Takahiro said angrily. He barely restrained himself from giving her a hard slap. It drove him crazy that his authority was being undermined in the presence of a respected guest.
Kenshin completely ignored this depraved and loathsome woman in every sense, and merely stared questioningly at Takahiro.
"Makoto is a bit foolish, but my House of Flowers invested a lot of resources in her, so her price is one hundred fifty thousand," Takahiro said, regaining his composure.
"Good. Let's go, Makoto. Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you," Kenshin said with a smile, and looked warmly at the timid girl.
"This is unfair! You're a little flea, it should be me!" Meyumi exclaimed, and rushed at Makoto. At that moment, her pride was trampled by the one she always called, if nothing else, a "flea."
Makoto didn't even have time to react, and just squeezed her eyes shut, covering her head with her hands. It wasn't the first time the other girls living in the House of Flowers had beaten her, and every time she just tried to shield her face.
However, the expected blow never came. Kenshin merely snorted in displeasure, and Meyumi, who had rushed into the attack, froze mid-motion, her hand outstretched toward Makoto's head in an attempt to grab her by the hair.
The Manager, meanwhile, was so shocked he lost the ability to move, and thought in stunned amazement: "What mastery! This man is a true monster!"
What Kenshin had done could be explained by his immense and incomprehensible control. Takahiro was seeing such a person for the first time and became determined to make amends for his mistake by any means.
"Takahiro, what is this supposed to mean? You guaranteed there were no aggressive ones among them. So this is how the Kimura Family does business?!" Kenshin asked in a displeased tone.
"Th-this is a misunderstanding, Nakayama-san. As a sign of my sincerity, you can take Meyumi and do whatever you want with her!" Takahiro declared apologetically.
Everyone was stunned by what was happening, pushing the amazement at Meyumi frozen in midair to the background. When no blow came, Makoto opened her eyes and stared shocked at the frozen Meyumi. She immediately looked at Kenshin and grew greatly frightened when the Manager suggested this gentleman take Meyumi for himself. However, her fear quickly faded when she heard Kenshin's reply.
"Are you offering me a weed in place of a flower?" Kenshin asked with a smirk, then shifted his gaze to Makoto and said with a smile: "Let's go, no one will touch you anymore."
"P-please forgive me, I didn't mean to offend you. You're absolutely right—this weed is unworthy to grow in the House of Flowers!" Takahiro declared selflessly, trying to soothe the respected guest's irritation.
Hearing the Manager's words and sensing the horror radiating from Meyumi, Kenshin sighed and said: "Fine, I'll take her. She might be useful for something."