Chapter 89: The Cursed Mansion

Elfina then told me her house address in Quratar, thanked me once more, and cast a field spell before disappearing into the black gate.

"Does Master like Elfina, then?" Anastasia teases, noticing me watching her leave.

"Eh? Is that true, Master?" Lillia asks in surprise.

"Is that why you asked for her escort?" Roxanne questions, doubt creeping into her tone. "Master, elves may look young, but they can still be quite old," she adds sincerely.

Well, she is more than twice my age, so that is true, but she still looks stunning. And she is an elf—we can't apply human years to her. Though from what I hear, elves in this world have just as long a lifespan as humans.

Still, I didn't voice these thoughts aloud. "I helped her because I have met her sister once. Roxanne, do you remember the elf who provided travel for me from Vale to the Imperial City? That was Elfina's elder sister, Meira."

"No way! I remember that blonde elf lady. She was really her sister? Master, what a coincidence!" Roxanne exclaims in surprise.

"Yeah, if I hadn't checked her name with my skill, even I would have doubted it. Anyway, I felt bad knowing someone I had met before was in trouble." Not to mention she was a beautiful lady, I added in my mind. "And we have got some money to spare, so I lent it to her," I concluded, putting on my most sincere face—certainly not thinking about an elf milf sister combo or anything like that.

"I see. Master is so noble," Lillia says with a heartfelt smile.

"Master is the best," Roxanne adds, nodding proudly.

Uhm... Thankfully Sherry is not here, or else she would have caught onto my perverted thoughts in a heartbeat.

"But what if she runs away with your money, Master? I have heard of many adventurers fleeing after taking loans to some distant noble's territory," Anastasia asks, concern evident in her voice.

"Hmm, I don't think she is the cheating type," I reply, recalling my conversations with Elfina.

"Yes, Master, I also think Elfina was honest about her sister's injury," Roxanne says, backing me up.

"And if that does happen..." I say, a wicked grin spreading across my face, "I will deal with it."

"As you say, Master," Anastasia replies, nodding in acceptance.

"Let's head back home," I say to the girls. They nod promptly, and I cast Warp. Moments later, we step into the entrance hall of our mansion in Quratar.

"Master, is this really the cursed house?" Anastasia asks, looking around nervously.

"C-cursed?" Lillia stammers, clutching my hand in fear.

"The old merchant lady did say it was cursed, which is why the rent was so low," Roxanne comments, seemingly unconcerned.

"Anastasia, why do people keep calling this house cursed? Is it just because of the deaths in the previous noble family who built and owned this mansion?" I ask, genuinely curious. As a former merchant, she might know more about the local gossip.

"From what I have heard," Anastasia begins, her brow furrowing slightly in thought, "this mansion was originally commissioned by the Gilen family, the Viscounts of Silver City near the Imperial Capital. But just after the construction began, both the head of the family and his wife died under mysterious circumstances. Their two children were then sent to live with their uncle, who took over the project. He oversaw the mansion's completion and eventually moved in himself. But..." She hesitates, her voice lowering. "About a year ago, even he was found dead—in his own bedroom, no less."

"Murder!" Lillia exclaims, her eyes wide with shock.

"An assassination, right here in his own house," I muse, tapping my chin thoughtfully.

"Yes, but the mansion was surrounded by guards who claimed they didn't see or hear anything that night. The walls were also coated in Shielding Cement, so no one could use movement magic either. And then, the two children vanished," Anastasia adds, shaking her head. "In the end, people concluded the mansion was cursed or haunted. The rumours have only grown stronger since then. Even in the Imperial Capital, people talk about Mansion Number 69 in Quratar, claiming it devoured the entire Viscount family."

"Someone was murdered here..." Lillia murmurs, tightening her grip on my arm.

"But Master sleeps with Roxanne, so Master shouldn't worry. I will protect you from the curse! And if it's a ghost, I will beat it up!" Roxanne declares, puffing out her chest with a mix of bravery and determination.

"Thank you, Roxanne," I reply, my mind screaming, Cute! as I take in her confident pose, fists clenched tightly.

"Roxanne-san is so brave," Lillia murmurs, clearly impressed.

"The more I hear, the more this sounds like infighting between the Nobles," I say, unwilling to blindly believe in the supernatural explanation. "Still, let's stay vigilant at night. So far, we haven't experienced anything odd, so there is no reason to get overly alarmed." I pat Lillia and Anastasia's heads reassuringly.

"Yes, Master," they reply in unison.

Noticing Roxanne watching my hand, I reach over and pat her head too. "Anastasia, go freshen up. We will be leaving for the auction soon. Roxanne, come with me—I will show you how to lock the padlock on the outer gate," I say, withdrawing my hand from her silky hair and open a Warp.

Anastasia nods, and although Roxanne looks puzzled, she follows me through the Warp.

"Roxanne, here are the keys to the mansion's door and the outer gate," I say, handing her the keys as we arrive near the metal gate.

"Thank you for trusting me, Master," Roxanne replies seriously, clutching the keys tightly.

"That is not the main reason I brought you here," I say with a smile.

"Master… out here in the open?" she asks, looking around uncertainly.

"What are you thinking, silly girl?" I chuckle, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her close. Her big breasts press against me, and I lean in. "I didn't have such thoughts before, but I guess I wouldn't mind a kiss," I tease, claiming her pink, sweet lips.

Roxanne kisses me back with equal passion, her soft lips igniting a fire within me. My hands instinctively find their way to her curvaceous ass, brushing against her tail, which flicks happily at my touch. Reluctantly, I pull away from the kiss, reminding myself that this wasn't the time or place for things to escalate further—though even holding her body alone is enough to leave me hard as a rock.

"This is what I wanted to give you," I say, placing ten silver coins in her hand.

"But Master, you have already given me my allowance for today," she says, puzzled.

"Yes, but Roxanne is my number one, right?" I cup her cheeks warmly. "So, I am giving you extra," I add with a smile, knowing she will likely spend it on gifts for the other girls—and so ten coins would not have sufficed.

"Thank you, Master," Roxanne says, giving me the sweetest smile. 

"Also, take this," I say, firmly placing a gold coin in her palm. Her eyes widen in astonishment.

"This is for emergencies only. If I am not here and you or the others are in dire need of funds, don't hesitate to use it," I say, patting her head gently.

"Understood, Master. Leave it to me," she replies, her tone serious as she clutches the coin tightly. 

I wouldn't trust anyone else with such a significant amount of money... well, maybe Sherry. But as the Head of the girls, Roxanne deserves to have private emergency funds at her disposal, should the need ever arise. 

Roxanne puts all the money in her money pouch and then we head back through the Warp. 

We emerge in the mansion's entrance hall, where Lillia awaits. I know that both Lillia and Roxanne will not truly start their day off until I leave, so I bid them farewell and go upstairs to my room through another Warp.

As I arrive, I find Anastasia changing clothes.

"Master... I thought I should wear my newer dress so the merchants wouldn't look down on you," she explains, blushing as her beautiful fair breasts are out.

"Good thinking," I reply with a nod, taking a moment to appreciate her figure as she shyly continues dressing.

While she finishes, I prepare the items I need to bring, placing all the extra footwear equipment I have into an Explorer Bag. Carrying the bag myself might draw attention, so I decide Anastasia should hold it instead—it is better than her appearing empty-handed as a slave. As an added precaution, I slip two swords into the bag and keep some additional weapons stored within my spatial inventory.

Anastasia soon finishes donning the elegant white silk dress she had selected earlier, transforming her into the image of a refined noble's daughter.

Underneath our clothes, we both wear leather armour—my idea, as auctions in stories rarely end without complications. Of course, if things go awry, we can always escape through a Warp. Fortunately, Shielding Cement doesn't affect my magic, giving us a reliable fallback option.

We head downstairs where Roxanne and Lillia are still waiting. "We are off," I say, stepping closer to them and gently caressing their hair. "Go and enjoy your day off," I add with a smile.

"Yes, Master," Lillia replies with a nod, her lips curving into a small smile.

"You too, Master. Bring back good party members," Roxanne says, flashing me a wide, radiant grin.

Ugh, my heart can't handle these sweet assaults. What more could you ask for when your favourite girl encourages you to bring home even more girls? I have officially become the same character that everyone despises and envies in stories... The Scumbag Harem Protagonist!

"Definitely," I reply, opening up a Warp.

"Don't forget to take care of Master, Anastasia," Roxanne says, her expression serious as she meets Anastasia's gaze.

"Yes, Roxanne-san," Anastasia replies with a solemn nod.

With their goodbyes exchanged, Anastasia and I step through the Warp, leaving Roxanne and Lillia behind.

We emerge in a bustling building—the Merchant Guild of the Imperial Capital. The waiting area alone is packed to the brim, even more crowded than the Adventurer's Guild we visited before.

I am glad I didn't bring the other girls along; in this crowded chaos, they would surely bump into people left and right. My gaze shifts to the opposite side of the room, where a long line snakes toward a receptionist counter. The atmosphere hums with activity as I observe the diverse crowd: most are Explorers, Merchants, and Adventurers, with a few Knights scattered here and there, standing out amidst the crowd of people.

"Michio-sama," a young man calls out to me.

[Luke Acid

Armour Merchant Level 2

Equipment: Sacrificial Misanga] 

"Hello, Luke. Good of you to spot me in such a crowded room," I greet the armour merchant with a smile.

"Yes, it is a bit too crowded right now. Would you like to conclude our business before the auction?" he asks, bowing politely.

"Sure, let's finish it right away," I reply with a nod.

"Alright, please follow me, Michio-sama," he says as he leads the way, moving towards the opposite side of the room, away from the line. Anastasia and I follow him out of the bustling area.

He takes us into a side corridor with four doors. Stopping at one, he knocks, and when there is no response, he opens the door, gesturing for us to enter.

The room is smaller than those we have been in before, furnished simply with a few chairs and a small table. It is quiet, a stark contrast to the chaotic waiting area we just left.

"I apologize, Michio-sama. All the larger rooms in the Merchant Guild are occupied because of the auction, so we will have to use this room for today," Luke says with a short bow.

"I don't mind," I reply, then gesture towards Anastasia. "By the way, I haven't introduced you to Anastasia. Anastasia, this is Luke, the broker I have employed to help procure skill crystals for me."

"Hello," Anastasia says with a short bow, her tone polite but reserved.

"Hello, Anastasia-san," Luke replies, returning the gesture. Then, turning to me, he adds with a wry smile, "And Michio-sama, almost all the merchants here know of her. She is quite famous in our circles."

***

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