On a Stealing Spree

Shortly after leaving the library with my precious Slimes, I stumble on Cornelia. Naturally, just like me, she is completely naked, displaying all her assets to the world and any innocent bystanders. I have to say, though, seeing her completely nude with just her stylish glasses makes me hard. If I wasn't already, of course.

She picks her gaze up from some small notebook and her eyes widen briefly after spotting us. I catch her glancing at my member for a second, which quickly brings a little flush to her mature face.

With a tiny smirk, I step forward and walk close enough to my precious and smart wife to pull her into a hug. Cornelia doesn't fight back against it and lets me tilt her chin up a little to pepper her sweet lips with a myriad of kisses.

Freeing her mouth for a moment, I gaze deep into her charming, hazelnut eyes.

"How are you doing?" I ask with genuine curiosity and concern.

She snorts at me and glances to the side. "I couldn't be any better. You should worry about yourself. Are you already getting tired of getting jumped on by countless horny women?"

I bring my hand to Cornelia's cheek and brush it lovingly, still looking at her intently. She returns her eyes to the front, stares back at me for a few seconds, and gently chews on her lower lip, releasing a quiet sigh.

"I'm… fine…." she replies again with a tender smile. "Thanks for asking. It's been very uncomfortable in the beginning but I'm slowly getting used to it. At least as much as I can."

Her eyes skip to my lips and I pull Cornelia into one more kiss, much longer and more passionate this time. My other hand rubs her back reassuringly as our tongues dance together. Bit by bit, it snakes further down, soon slipping between her plump asscheeks, diving into the narrow valley between them. My finger reaches its destination and I tickle her back entrance a bit, applying some pressure on it.

A surprised gasp breaks our kiss and a gentle slap lands on my cheek.

"Pervert!" Cornelia exclaims accusingly.

Contrary to the tone of her voice, the wide smile decorating her face betrays how much she liked my little tease. She chuckles shortly after and steals my lips once more, just to place a quick peck on them.

"You don't need to go this far to comfort me, Al. I do appreciate it, though. If we weren't in the middle of a corridor… then… you know… maybe…" She raises her butt a bit to make my finger rub against the forbidden passage once more.

It's my turn to chuckle softly as I stroke her cheek. "I'd be happy to. We have a few things to take care of first, though. I gotta go out for some shopping, potentially also finding a few new collaborators."

"Anything I can help with?" she asks with some rosiness still present on her beautiful face.

"No, thank you very much. Unless you want to take a break from being naked all the time?" I raise a brow at her.

She rolls her eyes. "I'm not that weak. I don't need excuses. Yet…"

I stifle another chuckle and peck her cheek. "I know, I know. In any case, I'm going with our jelly duo and Ria so there are already quite a few people. For you, though, I might have something else to think about."

"Oh? What is it?" Cornelia gives me a curious glance.

"Hecate would like to learn how to speak properly. I wanted to leave that to you girls, perhaps. We might have to start from the very beginning as she was bullied into not making any sounds for most of her life," I explain.

She rubs her chin while thinking.

"Hmmmm… That's quite sad to hear… Personally, I don't mind. It's a good idea. I'll mention it amongst the girls while you are gone. Of course, it would be best if you pitched in too since she seems to be very attached to you. I'm sure she would be able to make quick progress with your guidance."

I nod. "Yeah, naturally. I'm not going to shove all the responsibility onto you while doing sweet nothing in the background. I just wanted to ask for your help."

"I get that, no need to explain yourself. I've known you long enough to figure that part out." She shows a warm smile. "We will talk it through. You can leave it to us."

"Thank you. I really don't deserve all of you." I chuckle and place an affectionate kiss on her cheek.

"Then better get to work and earn it." Cornelia squints at me before smiling beautifully. "Now go. Don't make Ria wait. And please, spare her for at least a few more weeks."

Stepping back from the hug, I raise my hands up. "Hey, I ain't doing nothing to her."

She snorts, crossing her arms under her enticing bust. "Yeah, right. I've seen how you look at her. It's a miracle you haven't plunged yourself into that MILF pussy yet."

With a loud gasp and a fake hurt expression, I put my hands on my hips.

"Cornelia! I would never! Is this really how you see me? Nothing but an insatiable horndog going after every single woman in his sight?"

She laughs openly and shakes her head. Walking past me, she slaps my butt with quite some force and winks at me. I can hear her giggling to herself as she walks away. I chuckle a little too. She's having way too much fun recently.

Safi and Emi grab my arms and we continue our journey to the lobby. Ria is already there, waiting for us as expected. She put on a stylish jacket, adding even more maturity to her already ripe looks. Before she notices us, I summon my formal suit out of the ring. Needless to say, my Slime beauties remain in their maid uniforms.

Ria turns around and smiles at us. "I must say, you look much more charming in a suit than naked."

"I'll take it as a compliment." I smile back. "Ready to go?"

"I am. Do we have any specific schedule or a plan?"

"I'd like to pay a visit to an old friend, but after that, I'm open to suggestions."

"Great. Lead the way, then. I'll take over afterwards."

Nodding at each other, we head out and walk into the streets. Safi and Emi keep themselves glued to my sides while Ria follows next to them. I'm fairly sure we'll attract quite some stares like this but it might work out well for the establishment so I let them stay with me like that. They do deserve to be pampered lots.

As we make our way through the bustling streets of the capital, I reciprocate a few greetings with a polite nod. It's visibly getting better. I've been greeted now and then in the past too, but the number of people stopping for a little courtesy is now much higher.

I welcome any recognition, either of my person or anything or anyone related to the establishment. Our long-term goal and mission to fix the state of this kingdom is progressing slowly but surely. I don't delude myself into thinking that things can change overnight. The issue is way too big. But, the signs are already out there. People are letting go.

We pass by a noticeboard and I spot a bunch of eye-catching posters advertising an unforgettable ride in one of our Carriages of Passion. Neira and the other girls did an amazing job, as usual. I'd be thrilled to have a try after seeing the picture if I hadn't already experienced it. Even so, it's still an exciting thought, in more than one way.

I can't wait to see how tonight goes.

After about fifteen minutes, we arrive in front of a neat and tidy general goods store. I haven't been here in months. To think that almost everything started right here, in this inconspicuous and common-looking shop. I sometimes wonder what would today look like if its owner wasn't such a great person.

Anyway, taking a deep breath, I push the wooden door inside. The sound of a bell announces our entry into the humble abode. I immediately spot a familiar figure behind the main counter. The hulking mass of muscles notices me too and jumps over the furniture like heaving its ripped figure into the air means nothing to the owner.

"Who do we have here?" Barren chuckles heartily after landing on the floor with a loud thud.

The bear-like man spreads his arms and lunges at me without a second of hesitation. Safi and Emi turn themselves almost liquid and escape his merciless hug at the last possible moment, leaving me alone in the steel arms of the brawny predator.

"Ooomph!"

I manage to release a short grunt before most of my life is squeezed out of my body. Barren raises me into the air and spins us around.

"Hahahaha! Long time no see, Al! Finally remembered your old friend and supplier?"

"Nggghhh! It would be… impossible… to forget… someone like you…" I struggle to let out words under his crushing embrace.

Then, I realise that it doesn't have to go this way since I'm no longer Tier 1 and take a deep breath. With the power of my insane stats, my muscles easily overpower the big man's hold and my chest loosens his grip on me, finally letting me catch some air into my lungs.

Barren stops spinning out of shock and I immediately cash in on that.

With one quick move, I pull his weight onto myself and wrap my arms around his muscular waist. It's still a challenge with how massive he is but I manage to join my fingers together behind his back.

Then, I do exactly the same thing as he did.

We spin around again but with me being the driving force this time. I use what strength I have to moderately crush the big man in my deadly hug and I can tell it's working from how much his eyes bulge out. After Barren starts turning slightly purple, I halt the rotations and set him back on the ground, chuckling proudly to myself.

"Ahhhhhh… Now, this is refreshing." I smirk at him as he massages his back.

"What the hell, man? Even my gram didn't give me such a tight squeeze and she could literally wrestle grizzlies!"

"That must have been a sight." I marvel over his words. "Maybe I should try that? What do you think?"

He laughs heartily and slaps my shoulder a bunch of times. Barren is still about a head taller than me. Stats can't really change that part, I think. No matter if they do, I'm quite happy with my new body as it is.

"You better invite me if you decide on it! I don't want to miss it! Hell, we could hold a little competition! I think Gram's record was six."

"Six what?" I raise a brow at him.

"Broken spines, of course."

"Good gods…" I smile wryly while shaking my head.

"It would have been higher but we ran out of bears. There were only four cubs so I couldn't catch up to her. Bummer. She never let me live that down to the very end of her time. What a piece of a woman she was…"

Barren puts his hands on his hips and stares into the distance with a big smile. A single tear escapes his eye and he quickly wipes it away with his thick arm.

"Anyway, good to see you again. Got anything you need?"

"Hey, we've seen each other a bunch of times in the brothel. Don't think that your giant ass can sneak around the mansion without me noticing." I squint at him.

He explodes into a laugh again and slaps his thigh a few times.

"Curses! And here I tried my best not to look like I've gotten completely addicted to a few girls of yours! I need to work on my timing a little better!"

I chuckle and extend my right arm forward. He follows the motion and we share a manly handshake while staring each other in the eyes.

"You'll be glad to hear that our menu has grown again. And there's an extremely exciting new service waiting to be finalised."

"Ooooooh. Now we are talking. After seeing those fancy carriages of yours, I bet it must be equally as impressive." He smirks at me.

"We'll see about that. You tried them out?"

"I swear, there's nothing better than getting my ass transported to the very doorstep of my home after some pleasant time at your place. And being accompanied by a beautiful lady for the entire time is something else too. They are always so happy to be there and have a nice talk."

"So I've heard. Now, back to your earlier question, I'm just on a little shopping spree. Since I'm going around, I decided to barge into your life again to mess it up a little. Too bad there were no customers to embarrass you in front of. I bet they would love to hear about your peculiar preferences."

"Oi! If I catch anyone looking weirdly at me, I'll be coming for your head first!" The big man threatens me with a finger.

I would have never figured out the reason why he often takes two girls when visiting our place to be what it is if Garrena hadn't mentioned it to me during one of our brief exchanges. While I expected Barren to be lively enough to have some fun with both, judging by his impressive physique, the truth is a bit more surprising.

His double booking began shortly after we introduced Pleasure Chambers and a plethora of gadgets for our customers to make use of. It looks like he enjoys experiencing an additional sensation from behind while buried deep in a pretty girl at the front. Garrena was more than thrilled to lend him her hips, equipped with a little something.

Whatever rows your boat, I guess. He is happy and our girls get to have some fun too.

Barren lets out a loud laugh and rests his hand on my shoulder. "Just kidding. Seeing their reactions would certainly be amusing."

"I bet. You could lose a few customers, though."

"Eh. I'd survive." He waves his hand and glances past me. "Nice to see you two too, Safi, Emi. You look as stunning as usual. And… Miss? Lady?"

Slightly uncertain, he leans closer to me.

"Another wifey?" he asks with a raised brow.

Ria chuckles softly. "Just an accountant. And a friend."

Barren clears his throat and stands up straight. "Right. Of course. My pleasure."

I shake my head at his awkwardness. "I feel like this place has gotten a tad bigger since my last visit. Upgrades?"

The muscular man clearly appreciates me leading the conversation away from his little mishap and puffs out his chest proudly.

"Thanks to a certain someone hosting very popular evening parties, I managed to score quite a few promising contracts. If you think that I come to your place only to fuck then you are horribly mistaken. So many great opportunities in connecting with people just wait for you to discover them."

"Woah. Paint me surprised. But, congratulations. I can finally feel like I'm helping somehow. Just don't forget about me when you turn into an intercontinental merchant association spanning over every race's territory. My girls still need your delicious bread and veggies."

"Hahahaha! I'm pretty sure you will conquer the world with those girls first! I can already see you opening at least one establishment in each major city."

I chuckle and try to imagine that. "Let's get there together, then."

We chat briefly for a bit before bidding farewell to the eccentric shopkeeper. He shoves a paper bag with freshly baked bread and a bunch of his best apples into my and Ria's hands, not taking no as an answer. Therefore, we continue ahead while snacking on tasty gifts. I share some with my dear Slimes. Emi is thrilled to be fed by me even if she doesn't have to exactly use her mouth to consume things.

"So, where to next?" I glance at Ria, who is slowly nibbling on her fragrant baguette too, using very refined and ladylike movements.

She puts another piece into her mouth and unhurriedly licks her entire finger on its way out of her delicate lips. I end up staring at the short spectacle and she grins at me faintly, catching me in the act.

This damned vixen.

"I know a good merchant specialising in fabrics, cloths, and all that. He has been supplying my old boss with the highest quality materials for years. Unfortunately for him, he is a very gullible man with lots of talent in his craft. He still isn't aware of how predatory the contract he has entered into is. It's the only reason why his shop has no renown with such incredible products available for dirt cheap."

"That sounds depressing."

Ria sighs. "Just wait until you see the store."

We continue through the streets until we reach the mercantile district. After walking into the main market, Ria glances around and heads toward one of the side alleys. We follow her through a narrow and convoluted path with many intersections, leading deeper and deeper into the back alleys. We dive so deep that even the noise from the market gets almost completely muffled out.

Then, she stops in front of a simple wooden door like countless others we have passed by and nods at me. I thought she would knock or something but she just enters nonchalantly through what feels like a back entrance to someone's house. Yet, a faint sound of a quiet bell rings with the movement of the door.

I almost trip and fall forward from the unexpected set of short stairs but Safi and Emi hold me steady. We take the few steps together and close the door behind ourselves.

What greets us inside is a clearly aged room with a makeshift counter in the corner and many narrow, long tables. Sets of various exquisite fabrics lie on display on top of them. Only one small window brings some weak light inside, as much as there can be between buildings. The few single, hanging candles illuminate the poor shop in dim, orange light.

A creak reaches our ears and a young woman dressed in a simple dress, a textbook example of a commoner's attire, even with a headkerchief decorating her hair, enters the room through another door.

"Oh. Miss Ria. Welcome."

"Hello, Ann. Is your father home?"

"Of course. Please, give me just a moment and I'll get him."

She disappears from our sight and I glance at Ria, receiving a wry smile in response. Soon, the door opens again and a thin man looking to be in his fifties enters the room, followed by the same girl from earlier. He smiles at Ria and spreads his arms as he approaches the woman.

"What do I owe this pleasure, Miss Ria?" he asks as they hug each other briefly. "Is there perhaps some issue with the quality of the goods again?"

She sighs heavily and shakes her head. "No, everything is fine, Gusler. I think, at least. I didn't come here on behalf of my boss. Well, not the old one."

"Oooooh. New job? Congratulations! Moving up, are we? I'm really glad to hear that. I'll miss your help and guidance, though. It made my life so much easier."

"Thank you. And don't worry. It will get even easier from now on." She smiles at the man gently.

"What do you mean?" He raises his eyebrows at her.

"I think it's time for you to move up too. I came here to discuss that, bringing much more favourable terms to you."

"Hmmmm…" Gusler rubs his chin. "I appreciate the thought, I really do, but you know me well, Miss Ria. I'm not really good with all that bureaucracy and negotiations. I'm doing well with what I have right now. Besides, there are like what… uhhhh… twelve more years in our contract before it expires?"

My eyes widen in shock and I glance at Ria. She really wasn't lying about her ex-boss's predatory techniques. If I remember correctly, she mentioned that this man has been working for them for a few years already so I'm really wondering how long their contract is. I wouldn't be surprised if it spans over like twenty years.

"I know you don't like changing things but I assure you that it's worth all the effort. I will help you handle the termination myself and I can promise you that you won't even notice it. My new company…"

She turns her face to me for a moment and I nod.

"...is looking for an amazing artisan and I know no one better than you. We are willing to make an investment, covering the fees and taking care of all the proceedings for you. That said, with my knowledge, I'm quite confident that there won't be too much to deal with there. But, that's my worry, not yours."

"Hmmmmm… I don't know… I really don't know…"

As Ria continues to talk Gusler into taking a step forward, the young woman arrives by our side, sneaking a few glances at Safi and Emi. She looks a little uncertain at first but then smiles warmly at me.

"This might take a moment. Father is really stubborn when it comes to things like these. He wants to just sit in his workshop and get lost in his craft."

"That's understandable. That said, Ria truly wants to help, and pardon my rudeness, but you don't seem to be doing that well, while even I can tell how amazing your goods are," I respond while grazing my fingers over a beautiful roll of satin.

She glances at the two figures still talking between themselves. "It might not look like it because of our clothes and the state of this shop but I have plenty of nice things and dresses I wear outside of the workshop and I never lack anything. It's all because Father spends almost all his money on his work and me. It's nothing to brag about but we are able to make ends meet somehow."

"It can be much better than this, though. If you could help us convince your father, I can promise you that we will treat you two with the respect you deserve. I have no idea how much you are paid right now but I can confidently say that double of that would be the bottom line, judging from what I heard from Ria."

"Did you find a wealthy buyer?" she asks curiously.

"Buyer? No, we would like to use what you offer ourselves. Wait. Don't tell me that your current contractor purchases your stuff to resell?"

"That's how all the big merchants work, no?"

"Son of a bitch," I curse under my breath. "Some perhaps do but we are in need of a lot of materials to make our own clothing and costumes. And not to sell them either but to make use of them at our place. You can say that I own a mansion where many parties take place."

"Oh. Interesting. I really wonder what such costumes made from our fabrics would look like."

"If you help us out, I promise to deliver some of them to you guys. While most of them could be a little unusual, I'm sure there would be ones that could make any noble lady jealous after just a glance."

She smiles softly again, most likely imagining those dresses before she realises that she spaced out a little and some rosiness surfaces on her fair cheeks.

"I guess I can try. Miss Ria has always been good to us. If she trusts you, I think we can too."

Emi squeezes herself into my side and hugs my arm to her chest.

"Master is the most honest Human in the world!" she announces with a wide grin. "He will definitely save you just like he saved Emi and Safi!"

The sapphire beauty chuckles softly and leans into my other side just a bit.

"Emi isn't wrong. I don't think you need saving but Master will certainly help improve your lives while making good use of your work. He has eleven loving wives following him. A man with so many lovers has to be a trustworthy person, isn't that right?"

The girl's eyes widen in surprise for a moment and she blushes again before nodding shyly and trotting away. I give my mischievous companion a glance and Safi smiles at me proudly. Well, I can't say that her reassurance didn't work.

"Father, I think we should agree to Miss Ria's offer."

"Ann? Do you really think so?" Gusler glances at his daughter with a curious expression.

"Yes. She has never let us down. Perhaps it's time we changed our business partner after so long."

"Hmmm…"

"You see…" Ann begins twiddling with her thumbs a bit. "Recently, I've been meeting someone… And it got me thinking about… my dowry if I ever get married… We are doing well right now but…"

"Hmmmmmmmmm…" The girl's father rubs his chin more intently. "Yes… It could be really embarrassing if we wouldn't be able to prepare something appropriate when that moment comes… Perhaps you are right…"

Ria smiles at her warmly and nods in appreciation. "I agree with Ann, Gusler. If you come with us, I can guarantee that it won't take long before you earn enough money for a dowry worthy of a princess."

After a moment of pondering, the man sighs softly. "Fine."

I secretly pump my fist and move closer to him. "You won't ever regret this decision." I extend my hand and he shakes it weakly. "And while we are at it, I would like to grab a few things from my list here. Do you perhaps have any of the mentioned items at hand?"

He receives the list of fabrics and materials I got from Nyfile but quickly tries to hand it back to me.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't trade with anyone else than my current—"

"Forget about that, Gusler. From this day, there are no more restrictions," Ria interrupts him. "I'll keep in touch regarding the old and new contracts but you are free to do whatever you like in the meanwhile."

The man seems hesitant but his daughter steals the paper from him and gives it a glance.

"About two-thirds should be in stock. Give me a few minutes and I'll bring it all here."

Before he can't voice out any complaints, she disappears behind the door again. Ria continues to talk some more with Gusler while our trio strolls around the small shop while admiring the various fabrics and cloths. I still can't believe they forced this man into full exclusivity for like twenty years. That's total slavery.

Ann comes back after a few minutes just as she promised and brings lots of materials of various colours and styles. She offers us some paper bags but I sweep everything into my storage ring, surprising the father and daughter duo greatly. I forgot that those things aren't exactly that common.

We argue a bit about the price because there is no way in hell I'm underpaying so much for their products. After Ria lets me know how much these things go for on average, I don't back down until we reach at least ten percent over that. It's quite tough but the threat of raising the price even more finally gets to the humble man.

To avoid any second thoughts, we run away at the first possibility, bidding farewell to Ann and Gusler. Ria doesn't stop walking until we take a few turns and cross a bunch of intersections.

"Alright. That's one major supplier down. Onto the next one." She gives me a nice smile, with an emphasis on ice.

"Will we be really fine with the old contract?" I ask.

"Oh, there's nothing to worry about there. I know that document like the back of my own hand. There are more holes in its integrity than in that little establishment of yours."

I snort a bit, realising what kind of holes she means after noticing her sneaky smirk.

"Good. I kind of want to hurt that jackass as much as possible."

"And that's exactly what we are doing, my dear. Raw materials gone, time for a core processor."

Led by the beautiful but very vengeful accountant lady, we arrive in front of a shop which actually looks like one. We are still in the mercantile district, just on the other side, more or less. The streets here are much wider and we can spot numerous stands and stalls by the walls. A big signpost hangs in front of the building we are soon going to enter, picturing a needle and a spool of golden thread.

"This should be a little bit easier." Ria smiles at me softly and walks inside.

This time, we can tell that it's a professional workshop right from the very first step we take inside. We enter a long and wide room with stylish wooden walls, floor, and ceiling, all with carved decorations and patterns. A cream wallpaper covers the upper half of the walls, creating a warm atmosphere.

Countless desks and workstations are set all around the chamber with almost each of them occupied by a man or woman. I can spot a bunch of manual devices used for sewing and similar things so it looks like this place is quite wealthy to make use of such machines. They don't come even close to the electric appliances but clearly help a ton.

I bet it was Dwarves who figured them out. Now I'm super curious how they look from the inside with all those gears and cogs. It somehow feels kind of steampunk-ish, just without the steam part.

Ria walks around the workstations with a confident step and our trio follows her while doing our best not to nudge any of the employees. Everyone is working on something, be it clothes, bedsheets, tapestries, curtains, and so on. Some people do fully manual work while some have the privilege to use the still-manual-but-much-better machines.

We reach the end of the long room and stop in front of a tall counter. An older woman sits behind it in a comfy rocking chair while knitting something casually. She stops after noticing someone looming over her from above and glances up at us from behind her small, oval glasses.

"Oh my, if it isn't Ria. Does that dickless bastard have any new issues with our services?"

And the image of a nice and polite granny shatters immediately after the woman speaks. Though, I can get behind the language. I get a feeling that Ria's ex-boss doesn't have too many partners that actually respect him and his company.

I wonder why?

"Thankfully, not this time, Muriel. Although, if he does, he is going to send someone else to complain from now on as I quit."

"Now, now, that's a little piece of something the girls will love to hear about." Muriel chuckles softly. "Is this because of your new boyfriend, dear? What a handsome boy. I would throw everything away for such a pretty face too."

Ria shakes her head with a wry smile. "Not a boyfriend, my new boss."

"Yet," the older woman interjects and returns to her knitting.

My assistant-slash-accountant rolls her eyes and rests her elbows on the counter, which, in turn, quite accentuates her impressive bust, stretching the material of her white shirt.

"Let's leave the gossip for another time. What do you say about poking the fat bear with a very sharp stick a few times?"

Muriel pauses her work again. "You got a plan?"

"I always have a plan, did you already forget?" Ria smirks at her.

"I would have never. But, you know that my hands are tied, and I don't mean this." She raises her creation a bit. "You understand the contract much better than I do."

"And I wouldn't suggest anything otherwise. Previously, I couldn't do much since I was contracted too but now that nothing binds me to him anymore…"

"We could fuck this cocksucker all over…" Muriel finishes the sentence with an almost evil grin. "Speak. What do we need to do?"

"My new boss is setting up a workshop. We've already turned Gusler around. All we need right now is a talented tailor with good drive and a creative mind. From what I can remember, you do know someone fitting that description perfectly. They have been lured in by that fatass's sweet promises too, which turned out to be a scam, as usual. Plus, your dream of getting rid of them would finally come true. We need them on site."

The woman's eyes widen to the extreme and she shows another one of those creepy grins. Then, she starts taking an immensely deep breath and I instantly realise what's coming next. Before it happens, I quickly cover my ears.

"MAAAAAAAAAAARIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

I swear the entire workshop trembles from Muriel's powerful shout. Where the fuck does she get so much strength and power to scream so loud? She looks like an old, withering, scrawny grandma with silvery hair.

Something starts thudding above our heads and I realise that those are someone's heavy footsteps as they stomp their way through the room on the upper floor.

Soon, the door next to the older woman flings open and a picture-perfect tomboy of a girl shows up in the doorframe. She has short light brown hair, dark caramel eyes, slightly tanned skin, and wears something akin to denim pants on belts running over her shoulders with a t-shirt underneath. A bunch of bandaids cover her fingers.

"WHAT?!" she shouts back at the older woman with an annoyed expression.

"Lower your voice a bit, young lady, would you? I still need my hearing," Muriel answers nonchalantly, focused on her knitting again.

Marianna groans and rolls her eyes. "What do you want, 'Ma? I still need to finish eleven of those fuc—tual dresses," she asks in a normal tone, stopping herself from cursing the moment Muriel gives her a stern glare.

"Allow me to answer that question for her," Ria joins in.

"Oh. Miss Ria. Hello. I promise to finish on time. I'm doing my best—"

"I know, it's okay," Ria interrupts her with a warm smile. "It's nothing related to your current employer. On the contrary, I think I found you a new one, who will appreciate your talents instead of wasting them on producing mass goods."

The tomboy girl snorts. "That's exactly what that fuc—scinating person said." She sweats a little under Muriel's gaze.

"Yes, I'm aware. This time it's different."

"Yeah? How so? Am I going to switch from making shitty trousers to ugly sweat—"

"Would you rather keep being forced to work on those or something like this?" Ria stops leaning over the counter and gestures at Safi.

Marianna walks closer and runs her gaze all over my jelly companion with a prolonged whistle.

"That's… nice."

"Right?" Ria chuckles sweetly. "And it's one of the simplest designs my new boss here has in mind."

"Simplest? Then what—"

She pauses after Ria points a thin notebook at her which she has pulled who knows from where. Well, I do know, noticing the faint flash right between the glorious Valley of Dreams, where Ria's crystal pendant currently rests, quite similar to what our girls have in their collars. And, the notebook is quite familiar too.

Marianna takes it from her, opens it up, and freezes. She then quickly flips through it a bunch of times, jumping a random number of pages ahead, stopping to gawk at each one for about a second or two.

Yeah, now I remember. It's one of Neira's sketchbooks, and I'm pretty sure Shino has something to do with it too. They have been communicating through our Whisper network since the day I introduced them to each other.

Suddenly, the tomboyish girl slams her hands on the counter and leans forward dangerously close to my face.

"When do I start?!"

I chuckle wryly.

It looks like our home will soon get livelier again.