Following the successful bid for the catkin girl, Nari, there were only two more slaves brought onto the auction block. Neither of them aroused even a spark of interest in me, so I sat back and waited for the event to finally draw to its conclusion. As soon as the final gavel strike announced the end of the session, the hall became a flurry of activity. Guests began to filter out toward the exits, and the auction house staff moved efficiently through the rows, approaching those who had made successful purchases to settle payments and arrange for the delivery of the goods.

  I remained in my seat, knowing a staff member would be assigned to me shortly. Within a few minutes, a polite male clerk approached and requested that I follow him to finalize the transaction and meet the slave I had purchased. As we walked through the back corridors of the auction house, I asked if it would be possible to take the slave with me at a later time rather than immediately. The staff member looked slightly puzzled by the request—most masters are eager to take their new property home right away—but after a moment’s consideration, he affirmed that such an arrangement was perfectly acceptable.

  Confirming that I could delay the introduction phase and pick up our new member later, I moved to settle the bill. Since I didn't have enough loose gold coins on my person to cover the sixty-gold price tag, I handed the staff member a single Hazaroth platinum coin. He processed the payment and returned forty Hazaroth gold coins to me as change.

  The transaction left my current liquid assets at 8 platinum, 80 gold, nearly 400 silver, and a scattering of copper coins. I still didn't know for certain whether Nari would be worth the investment, but I felt a sense of relief in my decision. If I had spent my funds on that Bastion armor set earlier, I wouldn't have had enough gold left to bring her into the fold.

  Having finished our business at the auction house as the doors were preparing to close, the three of us stepped back out into the cool evening air. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky a bruised purple. It was already far too late to consider heading home to prepare dinner, and since I had already promised the girls a meal out as a reward for their performance against the mini-boss, we began to search for a suitable restaurant in the outer city.

  Finding a place proved to be more difficult than I anticipated. We walked through the district for a while, encountering several promising establishments, but every one of them was either entirely full or fully reserved for the evening rush. It was the height of dinner time, and the streets were bustling with merchants and travelers seeking a table.

  When we finally found an opening and stepped inside a reputable-looking eatery, a waiter directed us to an empty table. He began to list the specials they were serving for the night. After contemplating the options for a few moments, I gave our order and sent the man on his way.

  I ordered a hearty portion of fried chicken legs seasoned with a spicy hot sauce, accompanied by a plate of lightly flavored pasta and a cold beer to wash it down. Woya, still curious about my previous culinary experiences, ordered a steak with a savory sauce and a bowl of yogurt-based soup. She mentioned that she wanted to taste the same combination I had eaten and enjoyed during our previous outing. Wyn, following her sister’s lead as she often does, ordered exactly the same thing. Watching them sit there, waiting for the same meal, made them look more like identical twins than ever before.

  When the food arrived, it did not disappoint. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and the sauce had a kick that made my palate tingle. The light flavor of the pasta served as a perfect counterpoint to the heat of the chicken.

  However, there was one downside: the spicy sauce made the already warm weather feel even hotter. We are currently in the final month of spring, and the temperature has begun its steady climb toward summer. It’s an interesting contrast to Earth; if we were back home in the tenth month, it would be the middle of fall. But in this world, the new year begins at the very start of autumn rather than in the middle of winter. This means the first month on the Earth calendar is actually the fifth month here. With summer fast approaching, the weather is only going to get hotter over the next three months.

  Woya and Wyn seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their meals. I was initially surprised to see yogurt and yogurt-based dishes on the menu when I first arrived in this world, but the girls seemed completely accustomed to it. When I asked them about it, I learned that yogurt production was a staple of their home village. It was a small, comforting reminder of their past.

  We ate slowly, chatting about mundane topics as the tension of the auction faded away. Once the main course was finished, I decided to go a step further and ordered a round of desserts. I was curious to see how a wolfkin’s palate handled sweets. I might have looked like a scientist conducting a flavor experiment, but I genuinely wanted to know their preferences. As it turns out, the twins were still girls at heart, regardless of their species—they absolutely loved the sweets.

  “We will be leaving tomorrow morning after breakfast,” I told them, taking a slow sip of the tea that had been brought out with the dessert. The girls were enjoying their own cups, looking relaxed. If this had happened even a week ago, they probably would have resisted the tea, knowing it wasn't a cheap luxury. But they’ve grown accustomed to my personality now; they’ve learned to fit themselves to my preferences and accept these small luxuries unless they feel the expense is truly exaggerated. “The place we are going is another city entirely. We’ll use the same skill we used to reach the dungeon, so the travel will be instantaneous. As for what we’ll be doing there... you’ll see once we arrive.”

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  We spent a little over an hour in the restaurant. When I finally called for the bill, it came to twenty silver coins. It was a bit "salty"—pricier than I’d expected—but given the quality of the food and the level of service, I felt it was a fair price. Seeing the satisfaction on the girls' faces made it well worth the cost.

  “Master…” Wyn said as we stepped back out onto the street. She sounded a bit cautious. “You only paid three silver coins the last time we were at a restaurant. Wasn't twenty silver a bit too much for a single meal?”

  “Hmm… let’s see,” I said, walking slowly as I did the math. “It was indeed expensive. But remember, we ordered desserts this time, and those are generally much pricier than standard fare. The tea was also high-quality, likely made from premium leaves. Beyond that, the outer city is filled with wealthy merchants, so the prices are naturally higher here. All things considered, it was acceptable.”

  “Then… wouldn't it have been better to wait and eat in the inner city?” Wyn asked again.

  “Probably,” I admitted. “But I was already hungry, and I didn't want to wait. Besides, the food and the service were significantly better than the place we visited last time. As for the cost, don’t worry too much about it. The item we got from the mini-boss today sold for 160 silver coins on its own. One meal isn't going to break us.”

  “Oh! I get it now, master,” she said, her ears perking up as she dropped the subject.

  As we walked, I kept a sharp eye on our surroundings. I eventually spotted a deserted, shadowy alleyway and led the girls inside. I sharpened my senses, confirming that there were no prying eyes or hidden observers, and then activated the ‘Warp’ spell.

  In a flicker of mana, the alley vanished, and we found ourselves standing in the safety of our own home. We moved into the parlour, sitting together to chat about the day’s events. I’ve noticed a significant change in them; they are much more lively and talkative with me now. They no longer hesitate to speak their minds or share their observations. They still treat me with the utmost respect, of course, but that only makes me want to provide for them even more.

  As bedtime approached, I headed up to my room and changed into more comfortable clothes before lying down on the bed. I found myself wondering if I should call the girls in or not. We had spent a lot of time together today, and I worried they might be exhausted from the dungeon and the trek through the outer city.

  While I was still pondering the matter, there was a light knock on the door. Two seconds later, the door opened, and the girls entered without waiting for my permission. That was one of the many things that had shifted since they began living here.

  Since they had been sleeping in my room every single night since our first time together, the space had effectively become their own as well. They still keep their personal belongings in their own designated room, but they spend the vast majority of their time in here. Because of that, I had given them a new rule: they were to knock and then enter after a two-second count, even if I didn't explicitly call them in, unless I had specifically told them to stay away.

  I felt a brief moment of reluctance—I really had intended to let them rest—but the moment I saw them in their nightdresses, my instincts took over. Even if I had wanted to sleep alone, seeing their shy but clearly expectant gestures made that impossible.

  “M-master… we are here,” Woya said.

  I could see the pressure she was feeling. Usually, I invite them into the bed immediately, and we let our instincts guide us. But tonight, I felt a sudden urge to tease them.

  “Okay… but Wyn, why are you squirming like that?” I asked, a mischievous glint in my eye. “Are you really that impatient to be with me?”

  “M-master! I am only here because... because you want this!” she stammered, her face instantly turning a shade of red that rivaled a ripe tomato.

  “Oh? So you’re saying you don’t want to be here with me?” I continued, enjoying the way she flustered.

  “N-no! That’s not what I meant at all! Master, please don’t misunderstand—”

  “It’s okay,” I interrupted, unable to keep the laugh from my voice. “I was just joking. I can see perfectly well that you were looking forward to this just as much as I was.”

  “... Master… that is…” She couldn't seem to find a way to either agree or object, and she ended up just muttering to herself. She looked incredibly cute in her embarrassment.

  The reason I chose to tease Wyn instead of Woya is that, despite being the more mature, calm, and rational of the two in our daily life, she becomes incredibly shy when things turn intimate. Woya might get flustered in social situations that Wyn handles with ease, but when it comes to expressing her feelings or being brave in the bedroom, Woya is much more open. Those contrasting strengths and weaknesses are a huge part of their charm.

  Eventually, my own limits were reached. I reached out and pulled both of them onto the bed. We had shared an intimate day; now, it was time to make the night even more so.

  “What a life…” I whispered to myself much later.

  The girls were fast asleep on either side of me. I have the wealth to eat in luxury and the power to travel vast distances in the blink of an eye. I am genuinely happy that I ended up in this world.

  As I lay there in the quiet aftermath, I remembered to check their progress one last time before surrendering to sleep. I opened the party panel and took a look at their levels. Wyn’s Beast Warrior job reached level 21, and Woya’s Swordsman job reached level 16.

  I felt a surge of satisfaction. Tomorrow will mark exactly two weeks since I purchased them, and they have only been active in the dungeon for six days. To reach these levels in such a short time is an incredible outcome. Of course, I know it’s largely due to my experience-multiplying skills and the high-quality equipment I provided, but their own hard work can't be ignored.

  With the good news capping off an already successful day, I closed my eyes and allowed sleep to take me.

  [Edited]

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  Heroes:

  Aymeric Petiaux

  Koreyn

  NaTaS