SALON’s website says, “We will also assess your conversational and interpersonal skills as someone suited to being a mistress.” I’ve thought about it carefully, but I’m still not sure how to interpret it.

Nice to meet you. I’m Ayano Haneda from THESALON Haneda. Everyone’s answers were very convincing, and I found myself agreeing with all of them. The phrase on our website—“We also assess your conversational and interpersonal skills as someone suited to being a mistress”—can understandably leave you wondering what exactly we mean. I have a sense of what we’re looking for as well, but it’s difficult to explain in writing. I do think it’s important to have a wide range of topics you can draw on, but I don’t believe women should generally initiate conversations about politics, economics, or religion with our male members. It’s simply useful to have some knowledge of those subjects as part of your repertoire, rather than something especially important. It’s perfectly fine not to know something. Some men find it charming when a woman honestly says, “I don’t know,” or shows a genuine desire to learn. Men tend to prefer a sincere woman over someone who is overly proud or tries to show off knowledge and experiences she doesn’t actually have. That’s why being a good listener is important—and it shows when someone is truly paying attention. Even if two people nod in the same way, it’s immediately obvious whether they’re listening seriously or thinking about something else. I believe that’s what interpersonal skills are all about. Many male members also enjoy helping women grow, so they tend to like women with a fresh, genuine quality. I think being completely inexperienced can be a wonderful strength, so I hope you won’t overthink things. During your interview, we’ll ask how you feel about wanting to do papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan), so please feel free to ask our staff anything you’re unsure about on the day. We look forward to meeting you. Ayano Haneda

I’m Hikōki, a male member. I wonder if it’s best to just be natural… though I think it really depends on the person. Like Mei is with Nagisa, being able to say what you want—even when you’re being a little selfish—and feel comforted. When both people feel that sense of ease and neither wants to let go, that’s something special… As things gradually progress, you may become close enough to say what you want in a cute way, or even talk about past traumas. That can feel a little reassuring and warmly comforting. I wonder if someone without the conversational and interpersonal skills of a mistress would be better… But in the end, it all comes down to compatibility.

I’m in Seattle. Romane, I’d really love to read the rest of your column. I’ve only been to places like Ginza and Kitashinchi twice, but the women there are great listeners. The supposedly “average” female members on Universe, though, are only good listeners because they barely talk at all.

I’m Maezawa from the CEO’s office, and I’ll answer as well. I’m sure someone from the SALON staff will respond eventually, but I think what they mean is that they look at more than just appearance—they also care about what’s inside. > Being able to talk to older, wealthy men as equals I don’t think that’s really what they’re looking for. It may be a skill expected of a club hostess, but even if you’re capable of speaking to men as equals, I feel you’re generally better off keeping that side hidden if you want to be treated affectionately. > Specifically, being able to discuss politics and economics, having at least a basic understanding of the man’s profession, and knowing as much as possible about fields related to your own dreams for the future I don’t think that many men actually want to discuss politics and economics with women. Of course, they may think it’s impressive if you know about those things, but I don’t think they’re particularly important. As for dreams for the future, some men may want to support you, so having a certain level of knowledge would probably help. Still, I’m not sure how important it really is. > Conversation skills suited to being a mistress I’m not entirely sure what that means either, but perhaps it refers to someone who can handle a conversation like this: Man: “Would you like to try an exhibitionist experience sometime?” Woman: “What does exhibitionism mean～～～?” Man: “It means being naked outside.” Woman: “Oh～, wouldn’t you get arrested for being naked outside～～～?” Man: “Well, I’ve thought that part through, so it’ll be fine.” Woman: “Oh～～～. Okay, I’ll try it sometime. Oh, by the way, what kind of place is the restaurant we’re going to now? I’m so excited I couldn’t sleep last night.” In other words, someone who can avoid saying no outright, even when the other person suggests something unpleasant, while not making them feel bad and still keeping their hopes alive. > I plan to gradually move everything onto locked USB drives, and leave instructions in my will saying, “When I die, have this USB cremated with me.” Just using a lock isn’t enough, so make sure to encrypt the data properly as well. (Password-protected ZIP files aren’t actually encrypted.) My favorite encryption software is TrueCrypt. There was a scandal where they were forced to provide information to the U.S. government, leading people to say that the U.S. could decrypt it and that it shouldn’t be used anymore. But, conversely, I find myself thinking that perhaps no one outside the U.S. can decrypt it. (The development has also stopped, so I assume it’ll eventually be cracked.) There is a successor called VeraCrypt, which people say is preferable, but its drawback is that decryption is slow. (They say you have to wait about ten seconds, haha.)

I’m Kazu, a male member. > Being able to speak as an equal with older, wealthy men I’d be surprised to meet a woman like that. What I’d really appreciate is someone who, “for her age group, has a particularly broad range of topics to talk about,” > Having at least a basic understanding of the man’s profession In other words, she should know enough to understand what the man is talking about to some extent, while also knowing things he doesn’t. I imagine every man has different preferences, and that’s probably what people mean by “conversation and social skills.” In short, I think they’re assessing how many topics you have in your repertoire, how quickly you can bring out the right one and keep a conversation going, and whether you know which topic to use in the right situation. A note on how preferences differ from man to man: For example, I find it incredibly stimulating when an independent woman with deep knowledge is moaning in bed. That knowledge could be in politics and economics, fashion, beauty, medicine, engineering—anything, really. I’m not especially interested in literature personally, though languages are fascinating. And of course, conversations about sex are incredibly interesting. Hostesses in Ginza have told me that risqué talk is a magical topic that anyone can enjoy discussing. That said, one thing they probably have in common is what Mac-san and Maezawa-san describe as “being able to gracefully dodge something unpleasant and communicate your feelings without bluntly saying no.” When someone can talk about things that way, I think, “What a genuinely capable person.” But this is less a skill specifically needed by a mistress or kept partner and more a skill for getting along in society（笑）. I’m sure papa supporters talk that way in their professional lives too. One last thought: when someone makes half-baked claims about a field I know well, I have to take care not to contradict them, and it becomes stressful. That’s a personal deal-breaker for me. I wouldn’t want to engage with someone like that unless they were a paying customer. On the other hand, it’s interesting when someone is genuinely curious and asks me about things I know well. I remembered something else, so I’ll add this: Both Ginza hostesses and Roppongi cabaret girls say the same thing: talking about baseball and politics is dangerous. Unless you share the same outlook and preferences, it will only cause stress for both sides. So I think it’s best to avoid those topics until you understand the other person’s preferences thoroughly—not merely well enough, but exceptionally well. One more note on encryption: I’m a BitLocker person. For that reason, I always buy additional Windows licenses. Decrypting something is ultimately a matter of cost, so there’s nothing that can’t be cracked if you spend enough. But unless we’re talking about the government, courts, or police investigating something on the level of a drug syndicate or murder, I doubt anyone would go that far. So I think BitLocker is sufficient.