Before leaving the platform, Ronja pulled everyone aside.
"I want to let you know that I am the 100th matron, the last one on the list. If you are still willing to come, you can. Otherwise, now is the time to leave."
All three of her Beastmen shook their heads in tacit agreement.
A smile bloomed on her face.
"Then you all can call me Ronja from now on."
All three of them then looked up in surprise.
Anna then chimed in over her shoulder, "My lady, this is inappropriate. They should at least address you as Matron."
Ronja's brows furrowed, "But aren't they my husbands to be?"
Anna sighed, "It's not so simple Miss. They should respect you."
Ronja nodded back. "I understand, Anna. But I would rather not distance myself so much."
Anna: "You said the same thing to Cyrus. It's hard to change certain habits, I know."
Ronja walked up to Ma Teo and held his hand first. He was still crying pitifully.
"It's okay Anna. I know what I am doing."
The six of them then descended from the platforms, toward the tents set up below.
After undergoing one last examination, they left with a registered certificate in hand.
Thane, Adam, and Ma Teo were now her official husband candidates!
"Congratulations Host, on your Registry! You've completed your first quest and received your first reward. Please proceed to your territory to claim it!"
"Anna, I... I haven't checked where my territory is." Ronja scratched her head. It seemed that her original identity was so distraught after her rating that she didn't bother to check where her new home would be.
"Miss, we are on the outskirts. I'll call a carrier bird."
Ronja nodded her head in response, briefly recalling what she meant.
A carrier bird is not a beast man, but a variety of somewhat spiritual and tamable beast. Most Beastmen used them for transport, so there was no need for modern transportation in this world. They could even meet and exceed the speed of most planes.
On the way to the territory, Ronja thought about what to do next...
Settling in to her home would be the first task she had in mind, and next would be to fortify her surroundings.
But the biggest task on her plate was figuring out how to nurse her husband candidates into upgrading their beast forms.
While the first two were on the cusp of evolution, one of them was sickly. Her last husband candidate couldn't even complete his transformation, and had become stuck in a state between that of a bird and a man. She also had to figure out how to address his mutism.
"Host! This almighty and powerful system can provide you with a special pill to catalyze your beasts' evolution!"
Really?
"Yes! All you need is to conceive your first child! While nurtured by the evolved partner's form during pregnancy, a baby will be birthed in it's evolved form as well! An unprecedented event on the beast continent! Magical!"
Ronja once again shuddered at the thought of losing her innocence. This system was too "open-minded" for her tastes...
"If the host is still unconvinced, conception also nourishes the Beastmen, and I would like to remind the host of the benefits to yourself during conception and rewards after childbirth."
What rewards?
"The host will be provided with new system skills to promote strength, preserve youth, and increase longevity! Once the host gives birth thrice, she will be able to leave the Beast Continent for 6 months!"
Ronja had forgotten about returning home completely... even considering giving up. To give birth three times? She would have to conceive with each husband at least once. By the time she got back home, she would be a missing person, and her life would have already fallen apart.
"Don't worry host, because of inter dimensional time-dilation, only five minutes would have passed by the time you make it back to Earth! I'm rooting for you!"
"Miss, we are reaching our destination..." Anna woke her up from her scattered thoughts.
Looking ahead, Ronja could see an old-fashioned style single story home sat around a large courtyard.
After landing, her and the rest of the group were able to take a closer look. While garden was a bit neglected, and the walls were old, it did seem cozy.
"It's okay..."
Anna and Cat walked up beside her and held her arms securely once again.
"My Lady, please be seated while your humble ladies begin our work."
Her lovely maid-servants found an old stone bench, somehow conjured some pillows to pad the back and seat, and immediately put her new fiancées to work.
Thane, the tallest, was put in charge of wiping all the walls. When he was finished, he completed minor repairs around the home.
Adam was sent to the nearest trading post on the carrier bird to grab household essentials and hire another household staff.
Ma Teo swept and mopped the floors diligently. When he was done, he set himself on weeding and beautifying the courtyard.
Cat and Anna set themselves on cleaning the Mistress's quarters and prepping for dinner, respectively.
By the time the evening rolled around, the house was spotless, and the group was able to reconvene in the dining area with one more member added into the mix.
It was a young boy... he was to be their new service staff.
A wolf pup named Damien.
Adam pushed the boy toward Ronja, and he immediately bowed his head, not daring to look up at her.
Remembering her current position, she might be allowed to give her fiancées the privilege of calling her by her name, but it was something she couldn't allow a servant to do, " Welcome to my home, please call me Mistress."
Damien bowed his head even deeper, not daring to let out a sound. Ronja reached out and touched his head. Despite his scruffy appearance it was surprisingly soft.
"You may have the room next to Cat and Anna's. Please don't hesitate to ask them if you have any questions. They will assign you your duties."
"...yes Mistress."
Cat and Anna then led the boy into the other room, allowing her some time alone with the three men in front of her.
Thane was sat rigidly, his back ram-rod straight. Adam leaned back coolly in his seat. While Ma Teo held the timid demeanor of a quail.
"Please, introduce yourselves."