“Welcome home, master.”

  Wyn’s voice carried through the entryway, steady and respectful. She offered a graceful bow, her posture as impeccable as it had been on the first day I brought her home. In the dim lighting of the foyer, her features were soft, yet she held that composed air that always made the house feel orderly.

  “... Thank you, Wyn.”

  I allowed a brief smile to touch my lips before I moved further into the hall. I unbuckled my sword belt and passed the heavy weapon to her; she took it with practiced ease, intending to carry it up to my room as part of our evening routine. I then headed toward the kitchen to wash the grime of the city from my hands. As I stood at the sink, the rhythmic clatter of pots and the sizzling of pans drifted from the stove. Woya was clearly in the final stages of preparing the meal.

  When I finished, I dried my hands and entered the living room. The large wooden table was already being laid out with various dishes, the steam rising in lazy curls toward the ceiling. Nari was standing there, positioned right beside the table. At first, I assumed she was in the middle of a task—perhaps she had just placed a platter and was about to return for more—but she simply stood there, motionless. She made no move to return to the kitchen to assist Woya with the remaining utensils or the final courses.

  She looked entirely dazed, her golden eyes fixed on the spread of food with a lack of focus that reminded me of a kitten distracted by a passing shadow. She is, quite frankly, no different than a feline with a short attention span. I stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her, and I found myself wondering if she would simply reach out and grab a piece of meat to taste it if she were left to her own devices. She certainly had that impulsive look on her face.

  The situation gave me pause. I felt a growing uncertainty about whether her behavior would actually improve if she continued to stay here, even with Woya and Wyn acting as her guides. Despite their best efforts, she continued to behave with a level of indifference that was jarring for someone in her position. She speaks and acts like a normal, free person, seemingly unaware of the reality of her status. She has to be aware that, regardless of whether I choose to be a "good" master or a harsh one, she is a slave. Yet, that realization never seemed to register in her gaze.

  “Tap, tap, tap.”

  Just as I was about to break the silence and scold her for her idleness, I heard the sound of approaching footsteps coming from the kitchen. I turned around and saw Woya entering the room, balancing a heavy tray.

  “Welcome home, master.”

  Woya bowed to me, a gentle smile resting on her face. However, I noticed a subtle flicker in her eyes; she seemed a bit nervous, her gaze darting briefly between Nari and me as she set the tray down.

  “Yeah, thank you, Woya,” I replied. I didn't dwell on her anxiety for too long, choosing instead to see how she handled her "junior."

  “... Nari, please come and help me bring the remaining dishes from the counter,” Woya said.

  She glanced between Nari and me for a split second before calling out to her. It looked like a standard interaction between a senior and a junior maid, but I wasn't fooled. I could tell Woya was acutely aware of the look on my face. She knew I was on the verge of reprimanding Nari for standing around like a guest, and she was clearly trying to intervene to protect the girl. Even though I can sense a layer of caution or perhaps even a trace of jealousy from the twins toward Nari, they aren't enemies. Or perhaps Woya is simply trying to avoid being blamed herself, since I had placed her in charge of Nari’s education.

  “Huh? Okay, I’m coming… Oh, master, you are here too,” Nari said. She agreed to Woya’s request, but only acknowledged my presence with a casual, informal greeting once she actually noticed me standing there.

  “Hey, Nari! You cannot speak informally to the master,” Woya interjected, her voice sharp with sudden urgency. It was one of the few times I had ever seen her knit her brows in genuine frustration.

  “But the master did not say anything about that,” Nari replied, looking genuinely confused, as if she were completely unaware of what she had done wrong.

  “Whatever. It seems she didn't get any proper training at that slave trader’s shop,” I said, sighing as I walked toward the head of the table. “Woya, just continue taking care of her. I don't have the energy for this right now.”

  I didn't want to get involved in this circular nonsense, so I sat down in my dedicated chair. Behind me, I could hear the hushed tones of Woya and Nari, with Wyn occasionally chiming in from the hallway. They made two more trips back and forth, finally finishing the setup and bringing the last of the food and utensils to the table.

  “I am very sorry for earlier, master. If only I had taught her better by now...” Woya began, her voice small. We were just about to start the meal when she offered the apology. Since I was the one who had explicitly made her responsible for Nari’s conduct, it was only natural for her to feel the weight of the blame.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “What is done is done. Just keep telling her what to do and don't let up,” I said, looking at the steam rising from the vegetable soup. “The food is cooling down. Let’s just eat.”

  Normally, I would have pursued the matter further, but I have already begun to realize how difficult it is to train Nari. She is far too clueless and free-spirited for traditional discipline to take root easily. At this point, my only real hope for her lies in her performance in the dungeons. If she cannot perform well even there, where her raw instincts should take over, I will have to consider more extreme actions regarding her place in this house.

  “... Y-yes, master,” Woya answered. Her face was still a bit unsure, clearly questioning why I had dropped the subject so abruptly. She shot a look toward Wyn, who looked just as puzzled. Seeing that I had no intention of continuing the scolding, Woya began to fill the plates, making sure to instruct Nari on how to do it properly.

  After dinner was finished and the table was partially cleared, I turned the conversation toward the business of the day. I asked the twins for their opinions on the latest batch of goods I had brought home. I had left several items at the house earlier that morning before heading out to sell the new line of dresses to Sarya.

  I’ve found that my current trade strategy works best when I don't sell everything the moment I buy it. Instead, I store the goods at home over time, which gives the girls a chance to inspect them and offer me their perspectives. In a city like Yargan, which is a massive hub for diverse tastes, having a second or third set of eyes is invaluable.

  If the goods are specific orders—like the minerals I bring from the Targonia Kingdom for the blacksmiths, or the rare ingredients and herbs from the Ottovard Empire for the alchemists—the process is simple: I deliver the items and collect my payment. There is no nuance there. But the real work, the part that generates the highest profit margins, involves my own initiatives.

  Most of the products I choose to buy on a whim are luxury goods. Since the primary target audience for these items is women—specifically noble ladies and the wives of wealthy merchants—I have made it a habit to ask Woya and Wyn for their input. Their opinions on colors, aesthetics, and current "vibes" have been incredibly helpful. In fact, they recently helped me avoid a major blunder when I was selecting the dresses for Sarya. I used to think I had a naturally good taste when it came to color coordination, but I’ve realized that it is always better to get a woman's opinion on what women actually want to wear.

  Thanks to their advice, I was able to sell almost the entire batch of clothes to Sarya. The profit from that single trade was substantial, though, because it was such a large volume, it will likely be some time before she is ready for another shipment.

  However, I didn't sell every single piece of clothing I brought back. I kept two dresses specifically for the girls—one for Wyn and one for Woya. I wanted them to have something high-quality, partly as a reward and partly because I thought they would look stunning in them. I intended for them to wear them on special occasions within the house.

  As we discussed the jewelry and other minor trinkets I had acquired, the twins gave their impressions as always. Nari, predictably, remained entirely outside the conversation. She showed no interest in the aesthetics of the goods or the logistics of the trade. This lack of interest is precisely why I am reluctant to give her any rewards or gifts. It feels illogical to reward her when she hasn't contributed to the growth of the business or the harmony of the home. Honestly, at this moment, I am more inclined to get rid of her than I am to get close to her.

  Once the discussion was over and the girls had their instructions, I retreated to my room. I needed to spend some time planning my next route—deciding which cities to visit, which goods to prioritize, and which merchants were most likely to have the liquid capital to buy my current stock.

  This has become my nightly routine for the past few days. The twins are well aware of this, so they no longer rush into my room immediately after dinner as they once did. They respect my focus and only come in occasionally to bring me fresh tea or juice. Before they leave, I usually let them know when I expect to be finished or if I’ll need anything else before bed.

  Tonight, just as I was finishing my notes, I heard a soft knock. The door opened, and the girls entered, but they weren't in their usual maid uniforms. They were wearing the dresses I had gifted them.

  Woya’s dress was a vibrant crimson, accented with snow-white twirls around the sleeves, the hem, and the neckline. The contrast of the deep red against her skin made her look both incredibly cute and remarkably feminine. She stood there, fidgeting slightly with the skirt, looking toward me for approval.

  Wyn, on the other hand, was wearing a dress of pure jet black. On the rack, it might have looked a bit plain, but on her, it was anything but. The dark fabric emphasized her mature, rational aura. The dress was tight and perfectly fitted to her body, making her curves more prominent than I had ever realized. It was the kind of garment that made a man wonder exactly what was hidden beneath the silk.

  Interestingly, these were the two dresses that Sarya had discarded, claiming they weren't "fashionable" enough to sell in her shop. Perhaps it’s just my modern Earth-based tastes, but I thought they looked fantastic. Sarya's loss was my gain. It wasn't a waste at all; since I intended for them to wear these clothes specifically for my eyes, the local fashion trends didn't matter one bit. Everyone won in this deal.

  Since they had gone to the trouble of dressing up for me, I didn't want to rush straight to bed. I had asked them earlier to bring something for the three of us to drink, so we sat together for a while, chatting and sipping the wine they had brought. The atmosphere was warm, the tension from the day—and from Nari’s behavior—fading into the background.

  When we started to feel a bit tipsy, I finally decided it was time to turn in. They obediently helped me undress and then undressed themselves. This has long since become my favorite way to end a day of hard work. Once we were free of our restrictive clothes, we began the activities that have become our nightly tradition. Aside from the feeling of earning a massive sum of gold, these are easily the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had since I came to this world.

  [Edited]

  12 chapters ahead and support me on Patreon.

  Heroes:

  Koreyn

  NaTaS

  sjturner79

  Knights:

  udrea radu-cristian

  ?yb48