THE NEXT DAY
"Are you ready?"
"Yes!"
With that, Yomogi, Chantal, Kimberly, Pinna, Salacia, Manas, Puck, and I step into the teleportation portal that leads back to our home in Remantia, with Lilith joining us as our trip to Qualtnok has finished.
MOTEGI'S HOUSE, REMANTIA
As soon as we step through the portal, Lilith's eyes sweep across the polished granite floor and the empty display shelves, lips curling into a slow smile.
"My, my… this already feels like a luxurious store, honey... I can't wait to work here."
I walk beside her, matching her pace.
"Wanna check upstairs?"
"Absolutely, honey..."
And the house tour starts with the same routine. First stop is always the living room, then the dining room and kitchen, and Pinna takes charge of explaining the vacuum cleaner...
"That is an autonomous vacuum unit. It detects particulate matter and performs scheduled cleaning cycles without manual input."
"How clever~ What a genius invention you've brought here, honey~..."
Then the refrigerator...
"This unit controls temperature to preserve food. It inhibits bacterial growth and enzymatic spoilage."
"Amazing~…"
And finally, the microwave.
"Microwave oven. Electromagnetic radiation agitates water molecules. Heats food from within."
"Truly, honey~… you are full of surprises...~"
Yeah, that's how Lilith reacts to everything. Eyes wide in awe behind her glasses, and her words are almost identical.
We lead her into the bedroom next, and just like I thought, she freezes the moment she sees the massive bed dominating the room. Then, she leans in beside me, whispering near my ear.
"I can't wait to sleep here… and spend my nights with the others…"
"Can't wait for that too, Lilith."
We step into the wardrobe room next. I gesture toward the sleek cabinets and racks, lined with lace and fabric in every shape and shade.
"This room's just for undergarments and dresses."
Lilith runs her fingers across a delicate lace set, and that's when Salacia glides up from behind with a teasing grin.
"Isn't it great, Lilith~? We've got so many naughty outfits for Darling to enjoy at night~..."
Lilith giggles.
"Fufufu~... Honey is a real pervert after all…"
And the two of them burst into another giggle, feeding off each other's energy.
Yeah, as expected… the flirtatious kraken and the mischievous succubus have already formed a dangerous combo. One calls me darling. The other one, honey.
We move to the bathroom next, and again, Pinna takes over as Lilith sees the sleek appliance near the laundry basket.
"This is a washing machine. Designed for mechanical textile cleansing. Suitable for all fabric types, except those vulnerable to spin-based stress."
Lilith leans in, eyes sparkling.
"Yet another wonder, honey~ Do you still have more surprises hidden in this house?"
"Probably."
We lead her further in and open the door to the full bathroom. Her breath hitches slightly when she sees the twin tubs waiting inside.
I motion to the low stools and narrow tub.
"This one's for washing first. You get clean here before soaking."
Then I point to the large bath in the center.
"And that one's for relaxing afterward."
And Lilith nods slowly.
"I understand…"
But she leans in to me again, trailing her fingers along my chest with a teasing touch.
"Will you show me how to do it, honey~?"
"Of course."
"Fufufu~.... thank you, honey~..."
Then, Chantal chimes in.
"Hey, Motegi-kun! How about we show her the coolest part of the house now?"
"Yup, that's where we're headed."
And with that, we walk down the hallway, guiding Lilith toward the terrace garden. The moment we step outside, her eyes sweep across the open space, lingering on the sleek sunloungers lined across the center like a resort, while beyond them, neat rows of blooming flowers and fruiting plants stretch toward the edge.
And she murmurs with a low, amused purr.
"Well, well… it's like a garden and a beach had a baby, honey~..."
Chantal wastes no time flopping down onto one of the loungers with a satisfied groan.
"You can do pretty much anything out here, Lilith... sunbathe, nap, stargaze. It's the best spot here."
"Mmhmm~. You're right, Chantal… I could get very comfortable out here...~"
Then, we walk to the garden area. Arriving there, I gesture toward Yomogi's flowers and herbs.
"Yomogi planted all of these."
And points across the other side of the garden.
"And I planted those myself."
Lilith leans in to sniff delicately, and her lips curl into a sultry smile.
"Mmm~ your garden smells like perfume, honey…"
Then, she crouches beside a patch of tall golden blooms, eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"And what are these radiant ones?"
"Those are sunflowers."
She brushes her nose on one of the petals and breathes in deeply, then giggles.
"Fufufu~... people in Qualtnok would go crazy for this~…"
As usual, I call out to Yomogi.
"Yomogi."
"Yes, Motegi-chan!"
Yomogi nods and turns without a word, heading back inside and knowing what to bring. I shift my eyes toward Kimberly and Manas, and they also nod and understand what I mean. They walk over to a bush as Kimberly plucks a small red fruit with dots and Manas picks a smooth, round fruit, and then they hand those over to Lilith.
"Try them, Lilith."
Lilith takes the one on Kimberly's hand and bites into it, and she immediately moans.
"Mmmhh~! What is this...? So juicy and sweet~…"
"That… is called… a strawberry…"
And Lilith giggles again, admiring the fruit in her hand.
"Fufufu~... so red… but dotted. I love it~..."
Then, she tries the one on Manas's hand next and takes a slow, indulgent bite.
"Ahh~ this one's so plump… it's exploding in my mouth…"
And Manas beams proudly, trying to deliver our inside joke...
"Ha! That be a tomato, the most beguiling of fruits! For it doth masquerade as both fruit and vegetable… a paradox most wondrous!"
But it fails, as Lilith just gazes at the half-bitten tomato, lips curling again as she speaks to it sultrily.
"What a naughty little fruit you are, Mr. Tomato~..."
Manas clicks her tongue, offended.
"Tch!"
And even Kimberly lets out a faint sigh and gently taps her forehead. It looks like the tomato joke doesn't work on Lilith.
Soon after, Yomogi returns from inside, carrying a small wrapped bundle, and places it in my hand.
"Here you go, Motegi-chan."
"Thanks, Yomogi."
And I unwrap the bundle, revealing a dark, glossy bar as I turn to Lilith once more.
"Here. Try this too."
She takes it and bites into the bar, moaning again.
"Mmmh~ why does this one taste so sinful? So sweet… but bitter… it's wickedly good~…"
Then, I gesture toward a leafy tree bearing reddish pods.
"That's chocolate. It comes from that. It's called cacao."
Lilith nibbles more, eyes dreamy.
"Chocolate and strawberries… I bet they'd taste amazing together~..."
"Absolutely. That combo is a staple in this house."
"Really?!"
"Yeah."
And she beams.
"Then I can't wait to try them together, honey~..."
"Got it."
Then, I glance at everyone and Puck on my shoulder.
"Should we go back inside, Lilith?"
"Yes, honey~..."
"Everyone?"
"Yes!"
"Kyuu!"
"Alright, let's go in, everyone!"
After that, we all head back in. As we step into the hallway, I stop in front of the final spare room and turn to Yomogi, Chantal, Kimberly, Pinna, Salacia, and Manas.
"You all can go ahead. I'll call you when it's time for store prep."
"Yes!"
Once I hand over Puck to them, I'm now alone with Lilith in front of the door as she curiously asks.
"What is this room, honey?"
"Wait here."
Without another word, I turn and head straight for the bathroom. Once inside, I duplicate the mirror above the sink with [Copier]. I grab the copy, slide it into my dimensional inventory, and hurry back.
Then, I open the door, and we both step into a completely empty space. Lilith's brows lift as she looks around the bare walls.
"There's nothing in here, honey..."
I don't answer right away. Instead, I pull out some timber and resin and silently activate [Carpentry]. In an instant, the materials reform into a set of table and chair. Then, I take out the mirror I duplicated earlier and fix it securely to the wall. When it's done, I turn to her.
"Alright. It's ready."
She looks at the setup, still puzzled.
"What did you just do, honey?"
I rub the back of my neck awkwardly.
"You know... actually, maybe I've been making you feel like you always have to keep your glasses on in front of me. So, I figured I should make a space where you can take them off freely without me watching."
There's a brief silence before Lilith blinks, and a soft laugh escapes her lips.
"Oh, honey, what is that? I don't mind wearing them at all. Really, I'm fine taking them off to sleep anyway."
But then, her teasing smile softens, and her cheeks tint with a delicate blush.
"Still… thank you. You're so kind."
Yeah, it's something I needed to do.
We both know her glasses aren't just an accessory. They're a seal for her dangerously charming eyes, and she's been wearing them for millennia to avoid accidentally enslaving someone with a glance.
But still, I also feel I've been selfish because I like how she looks in glasses, and without meaning to, I might've made her feel obligated to keep them on all the time. I mean... I know how people with glasses can feel their eyes get tired and water, and the bridge of their noses ache. Sometimes, they just want to take them off and breathe for a bit.
So that's why I took the last spare room and turned it into a private space where she can remove her glasses, which somehow feels like a smoking room, except this one is for eyewear.
"If you want anything else in here… you can just ask, Lilith."
But Lilith smiles and shakes her head.
"This is already more than I expected, honey~… I mean, I didn't think you'd go this far."
"Okay, then."
With that, we step out of the room together and call out to everyone else to go downstairs for our usual store prep.
First up, I reach into my dimensional inventory and pull out a set of duplicated shelves. I slide them into place, adjusting the layout of the floor to make room for the new gemstones section.
And with this in place, there's only one remaining space left in the entire store area. Just one more section, and that's it, no more expansion afterwards.
Then, I begin the real thing.
First up is always toiletries. I take out all the materials and activate [Hygienics] silently, letting the skill transform them into a wide variety of soap bars, bottles of shampoo and sanitizers, and pouches of toothpaste and deodorant. With [Copier], I multiply the batches into many.
"Pinna, please stock this."
"Acknowledged, Master."
As Pinna gathers the products, I pull out the Heiligeichen's ores and charcoal. I activate [Blacksmithing], forming cookware, utensils, weapons, and armor. With [Copier], I duplicate them until there are enough.
"Yomogi, Manas, these go on your shelves."
"Okay, Motegi-chan!"
"As thou commandest, mine king."
As Yomogi and Manas gather the products, I pull out another set of materials and activate [Carpentry], shaping them into furniture and board games. With [Copier], they multiply at once.
"Salacia, these are yours to display."
"Mmhmm~ coming, darling~…"
As Salacia gathers the products, I take out the next set of materials and activate [Pottery], shaping them into many forms of Chinese ceramics. Of course, I multiply them quickly with [Copier].
"Kimberly, mind helping with these?"
"Very well… Motegi-sama…"
Once Kimberly takes the products, I summon the last materials, and with my [Lapidary] skill, everything becomes something else in a blink of an eye. The Ushabti's granite, marble, limestone, gypsum, pumice, basalt, and more stone chunks are transformed into slabs, pavers, mortar packs, and plaster bricks. Meanwhile, the corundum, quartz, beryl, and more raw crystals are turned into rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, diamonds, opals, tourmalines... all cut, polished, and sparkling. And for the final touch, I duplicate them with [Copier] into a full lineup.
Chantal blinks in surprise.
"Motegi-kun, what are these for?"
"We're selling them, and Lilith will be in charge."
"Really?! That's amazing!"
And Lilith giggles as her fingers graze a polished ruby.
"Fufufu~… I'll make sure these little beauties fly off the shelves, honey~…"
"Looking forward to it."
Then, I turn toward the two of them.
"Okay, Chantal. Lilith. You're up."
"Got it, Motegi-kun!"
"As you wish, honey~…"
They move together, Chantal scooping up the masonry goods while Lilith gathers the gemstone sets.
Well... because we were only in Qualtnok for four days, we've got two full days left to introduce the gemstone section to the nobles before the big sales at the Day of Souls. And I think that's enough.
DINNER TIME
After that, we gather upstairs around the dinner table for dinner. And tonight's meal will be special because it's served as a proper welcome for Lilith. Yomogi's prepared a beautiful lindworm porchetta, while Kimberly's cherry cobbler cools nearby. Of course, we also have a bottle of Heiligeichen's red wine resting uncorked between us.
As we take our first bite, Lilith moans in delight.
"Mmmmh~! So juicy and fatty… it's just sliding down my throat~…"
Kimberly and Salacia murmur with equally pleased hums.
"Special dinner… is always... incredible…"
"Oooh~ this is sooo good~! So yummy~!"
Manas declares proudly as Puck chirps cheerfully and nibbles at its own little plate.
"Verily… I cannot get enough of this lindworm. Mine addiction to feasting upon mine own kin knoweth no bounds!"
"Kyuu!"
Pinna swallows, then delivers her analysis as usual.
"Flavor intensity is robust due to intramuscular fat. Exterior provides crisp contrast to soft interior. Nutritional value includes high protein density, moderate fat, and iron content. Conclusion: this porchetta meets all criteria for a satisfactory culinary experience."
Chantal talks with her mouth half full, waving her fork as she points at me.
"Motegi-kun, I swear, keep bringing new girls like this! If it means eating like this again, I'm all in!"
"Well, I'll take that into consideration."
Then I take a bite myself. The meat is rich, tender, and perfectly seasoned.
"This is amazing, Yomogi."
"I'm so glad everyone likes it, Motegi-chan!"
With her eyes lit up, she takes her own bite and hums.
"Mmm... my cooking just keeps getting better, huh?"
Once the plates are cleared, Kimberly gently slides the cherry cobbler in the center. The moment it's cut and served, the first bites disappear fast, and Lilith moans again.
"Mmm~ why is this one also so delicious~…?"
Yomogi, Chantal, and Salacia add with pure joy.
"The sweetness and tartness are perfectly balanced..."
"And the filling's so gooey and soft!"
"Mmm~ the topping… it's soooo buttery~… crumbling right in my mouth~..."
Manas says through a happy sigh.
"What a… lovely treat. Truly, 'tis dessert most divine."
Pinna takes a bite, chews, and gives her verdict again.
"Fruit layer exhibits tangy brightness, complemented by sugar reduction and flaky crust. Topping is structurally delicate and flavor-rich. This cobbler is an ideal conclusion to a heavy meal."
I take a forkful, letting the buttery crumble and soft cherry filling melt together.
"This one's incredible too, Kimberly."
Then, I turn to Puck, who chirps on its plate again.
"Kyuu!"
"Yeah, even Puck seems to approve."
"I'm glad… everyone enjoys it…"
With her eyes aglow, she takes her own bite with a smile.
"This dessert… cuts cleanly... through the richness…"
When everyone's plates are cleared, we raise our glasses of wine as I make a speech to officially welcome Lilith to our household.
"To Lilith, and our growing home. Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
And with that, Lilith officially becomes part of our family.