"That's enough." Jeanne's voice rang out in a deafening silence, different from the wheezes that had echoed just a few minutes earlier.

On the ground in front of her lay a man, bent in half. Blood was pouring out of his mouth and bruises were visible on his body. "You've done well boys."

He came to the brothel recently, asking to be given one of the girls. Well, a certain fee and she was his for that hour. But, you see, he had a problem with the fact that the courtesan was inexperienced and, getting angry, he proceeded to strangle her.

Approaching the man, Jeanne squatted down, critically inspecting his condition. "I warned you, didn't I? No physical violence," she tsked, shaking her head disapprovingly. "If the guards hadn't heard the screams in time she would have been killed." Jeanne declared, straightening to her full height. "Your calculation was that no one would investigate the death of a woman of low social status. But alas, I'm not idle as police officers and I'm not going to let you get away with this kind of behavior."

Swinging her foot, she slammed the toe of her shoe right into the man's chest, causing him to make a painful sound. Normally she preferred not to witness the execution of punishments in person, but this time she was especially... disappointed by what had happened.

"I recommend that you do not appear on the doorstep of my establishment again, or the consequences may not be pleasant."

With those words, Jeanne turned around and headed back towards the brothel, leaving her goons and client alone. They'll deal with him on their own. Not that she was sorry, really. He was barely richer than a middle-class man, so she hadn't lost anything.

The door slammed shut behind her and inside she was immediately greeted by a mixture of smells of perfume, alcohol, and wax from lit candles. She made her way up the stairs and just as she rounded the corner, she almost collided with someone. Standing before her, in the dim light of the chandeliers, was you, apparently having just left the red room.

"Ah," Jeanne's lips curved into a slight, calm smile. The anger she had felt earlier had faded at the sight of her favorite courtesan. "I take it you've finished your shift. Was that Dion again?"

After all, Madame knew exactly the regulars of her workers and it hadn't escaped her attention how often Dion had been using her diamond's services lately.