Laras woke with a ragged breath on a hard wooden cot. Her head throbbed as if she had just been struck by something hard, while in the distance she faintly heard the bustle of a place unfamiliar to her: vendors calling out their wares, musical instruments chiming, and the crisp laughter of men and women answering one another. But among all those sounds, the strangest thing to Laras was—
“A horse-drawn carriage?” Laras murmured, clutching her still-dizzy head. She furrowed her brow and pinched her nose, disturbed by the pungent spice scent filling the air. She forced herself to stand, her eyes scanning every inch of the room where she found herself. She tried to remember how she had gotten there, but no matter how hard she thought, the last thing she remembered was falling asleep after finishing a novel she had borrowed from the school library.
The creak of a wooden door startled Laras, who had been trying to make sense of everything around her. A beautiful woman with a low hair bun stood there, dressed in a plain green garment that covered her from neck to waist and paired with a long, woven wrap patterned with intricate designs, wound from her waist to her ankles. She looked elegant yet gentle, thanks to the thin shawl in a lighter shade than her top, draped over one shoulder, crossing her back, and hanging down in front on either side of her body.
“You’re the new girl, aren’t you?” the woman asked. Laras only stared blankly, but as if she had no intention of waiting for an answer, the woman immediately handed her a white cloth.
“Get dressed quickly. If you’re even a little late, you’ll lose your money,” the woman ordered firmly.
Before Laras could finish putting her thoughts together, she found herself marveling at the building around her. Beyond the wooden door, an expansive room decorated with intricate wood carvings and neatly arranged lanterns hanging from the ceiling adorned the building.
“What’s your name?” the woman asked loudly, successfully bringing Laras’s focus back to her.
“I’m Laras. I’m sorry, but where is this?” Laras asked. The woman furrowed her brow and fixed Laras with a sharp stare, making Laras accidentally swallow hard.
“How old are you?” the woman asked.
“Eighteen.” Laras answered, though she herself had no idea what her age had to do with the woman’s questions.
“You’re an adult, so were you kidnapped?” the woman asked again.
Laras shook her head, making the woman in front of her let out a harsh sigh.
“Just put on the clothes. I’ll explain later,” the woman said, then hurried away, leaving Laras behind.
“She must be busy,” Laras murmured, watching people continue to bustle past as if they were preparing for some kind of event.
Laras obediently put on the clothes she had been given. They were the same style, but plain white.
“It’s like being in a theater,” Laras murmured as she tried to arrange her hair into a bun.
Laras stepped outside hesitantly, curiosity overcoming her uncertainty. The building was made of gleaming wood and red brick. Buildings like this were extremely rare in the places Laras had seen, except in certain areas.
“Huh?” Laras stopped in her tracks. Through a wooden window, she saw a horse-drawn carriage bearing a clearly carved emblem: a Garuda with broad wings and a golden crown on its head. An eight-layered sun was carved into its chest, while both its feet clutched a ribbon inscribed with rahayu ing nagari, wicaksana ing prabu. Vines and batik motifs were carved around it. Laras knew that emblem very well. It was the emblem of the kingdom of Arcapura—the kingdom in the novel she had read last.
The Crown Behind Twilight—that was the title of the novel Laras had finished in a single day. More than two hundred pages long, the novel was a historical fantasy set in a fictional world inspired by the cultures and civilizations of the Nusantara.
It centered on the struggle of a second prince trying to protect his kingdom from the influence of Western powers, which were slowly beginning to threaten the nation’s sovereignty. The novel was filled with tragedy to highlight the main character’s role.
“Damn it!” Laras cursed under her breath, making the woman beside her turn.
“Oh, I didn’t mean you, Miss Kirana. I just started remembering something,” Laras hurriedly explained.
Kirana was the woman who had given Laras her clothes. They had met while Laras wandered around the building in a daze.
When Laras saw rose carvings etched into every side of the building, she began to realize that the place she was in was one of the three largest entertainment houses in the kingdom of Arcapura. Unlike smaller establishments, the large entertainment houses screened every guest. Only wealthy people without contagious diseases were allowed to enter.
Sekar Wangi Entertainment House—that was the name of the building. Its complex structure was built around an inner courtyard. After passing through the red-brick gate, guests arrived at the main pendapa, an open space with carved wooden pillars used to receive guests and enjoy musical performances. Behind the pendapa was a small pond with a flower garden, separating the front area from the inner section. Several dining rooms stood on the right and left sides of the courtyard for eating, drinking, and more private conversations, while the performance hall occupied one side of the complex for the dancers and musicians. Farther inside were the entertainers’ rooms, each furnished with a bed, a clothes chest, and a small table. The kitchen and servants’ quarters were located at the back, while a smaller, quieter courtyard served as a resting place for the entertainers. The complex was arranged in tiers, from the most open spaces at the front to increasingly private rooms at the back, so guests could not reach the inner areas without permission.
“So, who brought you here?” Kirana asked, repeating her earlier question.
“Ah, I don’t know about that yet. Hmm, honestly, I’m still confused myself,” Laras answered. Kirana looked at Laras in confusion, but a moment later she merely gave a small nod. Kirana was the head of the Class Three entertainers, the ones dressed in white to signify that they were newcomers.
There were several colors used in this place. Class Three entertainers wore white and were only allowed to help serve guests alongside Class Two entertainers. Later, the Class One entertainers would choose what kind of Class Two entertainer they wanted to become. Class Two entertainers wore red and were divided into two groups according to their preference. Some entertained guests only through dancing, singing, or their various skills, while others used their bodies to entertain guests. Class One entertainers wore blue. They were carefully selected women with beautiful faces and outstanding talents. Their guests were usually nobles or extremely wealthy merchants. In addition to those three colors, there was green, which indicated the establishment’s managers. Those who refused to become entertainers and instead worked as servants, but proved intelligent, would eventually be promoted to managers of the entertainment house.
“Excuse me, miss,” said a little girl in brown without a shawl. Without waiting for a response to her apology, the girl immediately began gathering the pile of fabric she had dropped.
“Hey, are you all right?” Laras asked, crouching down to help gather the scattered fabric.
“Thank you,” the little girl said, lowering her head before walking away.
“She’s one of the servants here. The ones who wear brown are the laborers. They handle nearly all the household chores in this place,” Kirana explained.
“But they’re still children,” Laras said. The child who had bumped into her looked about seven years old. She was far too young to be doing hard labor.
Laras looked around and only then realized that many of the children wore brown clothes without shawls.
“Why are there so many children wearing brown?” Laras asked again, a hint of anger in her voice.
“What do you mean? Of course it’s because they’re still children. They’re orphans. They’re sold here,” Kirana replied. Kirana looked at Laras, who was still staring at her angrily, and let out a long sigh. “Unlike other places, this is a large entertainment house. Once they reach adulthood, they change into white clothes without shawls. Then they can begin learning, and if they’re smart enough, they can pay off their debts,” Kirana said.
Laras didn’t fully understand what Kirana meant, but she understood one thing: there was no child protection here.
“Was this ever explained in the novel?” Laras wondered as she tried to remember the contents of the book she had read.
“Laras, you’ll stop here,” Kirana said when they reached a spacious room filled with round wooden tables, leaving a single empty space in the center.
“This is the entertainers’ room. Those who use their talents to entertain guests perform here. For this week, you’ll serve here. The following week, you’ll be transferred elsewhere,” Kirana said before walking away and leaving Laras alone.
“The entertainers’ room,” Laras said softly before stepping inside. A trace of reluctance stirred in her as she entered. Although it looked like nothing more than a performance hall, Laras couldn’t ignore the fact that the building she stood in was no different from a brothel.
“We’ll see,” Laras murmured, steeling herself as she stepped inside.