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The Renowned Courtesan MangetsuAuthor: Yumeno Kyūsaku
| Original Title | 名娼満月 |
|---|---|
| Author | 夢野 久作 |
| Genre | Popular Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the twilight of Kyoto’s golden age, the courtesan Mangetsu reigns as a legend—her beauty compared to the full moon, her allure drawing men to ruin. Sold into Shimabara’s pleasure quarters as a child, she ascends to fame by her nineteenth year, captivating three patrons: Kinmaru Chōja, a wealthy eccentric clinging to youth; Aoyama Ginnojō, a vain samurai trading ancestral treasures for her favor; and Harimaya Senroku, a merchant who abandons empire and dignity for her smile. Each is ensnared by Mangetsu’s calculated charm, their rivalry spiraling into disgrace—Ginnojō flees as a thief, Senroku collapses into destitution, while Kinmaru alone remains, cloaking his obsession in gilded devotion. \nA year later, the ruined men reunite, vowing vengeance. Yet their quest unravels when they learn Mangetsu has perished, her death shrouded in whispers of a consumptive fate and Kinmaru’s monastic penance. Shattered, the trio renounces the world, their fury dissolving into grief as they chant prayers at her grave. Beneath cherry blossoms that scatter like forgotten promises, they confront the ephemeral nature of desire—a fleeting moon eclipsed by karma’s inexorable tide. |
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