Meri and Quick-shot Jack.

Two people alone seemed risky, so they needed escorts on the way there, and there were two most suitable for that role.

"I'm entrusting this to you guys. Hases, you'll be in overall command. Kimaris, you'll relay Hases's words."

"...Yes."

A ghoul knight and a dullahan. Hases, who'd evolved to 3-star, had become a knight in full armor, and Kimaris just needed to cover her pale blue skin with a robe to be indistinguishable from a human. They couldn't enter the human city directly, but they were enough to escort the group on the way.

'The problem is that guy.'

Meri aside, what would Quick-shot Jack think about two undead following along—

"Hey, what's your name?"

"Kimaris."

"...You into doing it by any chance?"

Quick-shot Jack immediately started hitting on Kimaris. Kimaris pulled away with a look of contempt, and Hases reached out to restrain Quick-shot Jack.

'Right. Can't be picky.'

I decided to learn from Quick-shot Jack, who shouted 'possible' even to Kimaris. Getting speared by a unicorn was still traumatic, but if I had happy sex, I'd learn that doing it could be enjoyable too.

"I heard playing with just a dullahan head is pretty wild."

"Master?"

"Just thinking out loud."

With Lune always by my side, I couldn't even mutter to myself easily. At least Lune understood that kind of thing—if it had been the others, they would've objected immediately.

"You know, dullahans can separate their head from their body. That means more freedom in how you play."

"Leave the body and just hold the head while doing it down there.... Hehe, that sounds fun. Oh, that would work too."

Lune turned her head while showing me her back.

"Even if I'm in doggy style like this, I could still face Master and kiss you, couldn't I?"

"...I guess, but it's not like I'm gonna turn you into a dullahan."

"Right, not me. But I feel kind of bad for Kimaris. Doing it is fun...."

"I know."

"What are you two talking about?"

Meri, who'd finished preparing, suddenly joined the conversation. With a bag full of pocket change we'd scraped together from Ras Vegas, Meri looked like a perfect merchant. The baggy black robe covering her chest area was perfect.

"Looks good on you. Perfect disguise—the humans won't suspect a thing."

"There's quite a lot of stuff left in Ras Vegas. So Dad, Mom Lune. You're discussing how to conquer Kimaris right now, aren't you?"

"...Busted."

"It's sad, isn't it? Not receiving Master's love."

Lune said something touching. It felt good to hear from my perspective, but that was only because she was my subordinate—Kimaris was....

"You're right. Lune, thank you. I've opened my eyes again today. They're all my subordinates—I shouldn't discriminate. Hmm."

Can't just throw away dullahans. Following Lune's suggestion, I wracked my brain thinking about what kind of play I'd have with Kimaris once she returned from the mission.

"Well, have a safe trip, Meri. And while you're at it, take care of that too."

"Yes. I'll prepare everything so you can enjoy it anytime. Hehe."

Meri grinned and stood at Ras Village's main gate. Quick-shot Jack, still hitting on people, rushed to Meri's side, and the two undead also stood by as escorts.

"Don't forget. If you sense any danger, run immediately. Andras will be watching the city from above."

"Yes. But that won't happen. Dad, you get things ready in Ras Vegas."

"Of course."

I pointed to the orc executives—Arthur and the brothers—dressed like construction workers in front of the Ras Village portal leading to Ras Vegas.

"We'll build you one hell of a nice building."

Though the main residents would be the succubi.

***

With a dungeon appearing in the barony and an entire city being occupied by monsters, an ominous atmosphere hung over Spica Castle.

Refugees from Zabiyaba who'd suddenly lost their homes and been driven into the streets.

Families of soldiers who'd gone out to recapture Zabiyaba and died or went missing.

And outsiders constantly flowing in from outside after hearing rumors about the dungeon.

Chaos had come to the once-peaceful Spica Castle, and Knight Gray, who hadn't managed to escape in time, was burning with anxiety.

'Damn it, I should've run away earlier.'

The barony losing twice was a huge blow, but Gray's reputation hitting rock bottom was a painful mistake for him personally.

'That crazy orc bastard, definitely into guys. Otherwise why would he kidnap Priest Francis—Guinevere?'

Since their families had exchanges, Gray naturally knew full well that Francis was Guinevere Pisces, a noble from a prestigious family on par with his own.

As a result, Baroness Virgo was half-dead running around the territory. Since the baroness had also killed the butler on the spot, Gray had to take on some of the barony's administrative work. There were too many problems for Gray, already branded a defeated commander, to take up the command baton again.

'Why are there so many outsiders anyway?'

Gray was sick of the line stretching outside the window. They had to let adventurers and mercenaries into the castle, but the problem was Zabiyaba refugees trying to sneak into the castle through the crowd, leaving the refugee camp.

'I understand the anxiety. The monsters could attack again.'

The brick walls, dozens of meters high, certainly provided enough security against monsters. He fully understood people wanting to get inside the walls. But there were too many people, and the barony's entire administration was on the verge of paralysis.

Rustle.

The hourglass ran out completely. The designated break time was over, and Gray called out toward the door.

"Next!"

Creeeak.

The administration office door opened. Gray gulped as a woman with rosy pink hair entered and removed her robe. She was a beauty you couldn't find in this backwater town, and her drooping eyes made him think inappropriate thoughts.

"N-name?"

"Meri. No last name."

"Purpose of visit?"

"I came to buy a building and sell drinks."

Gray's heart sank at Meri's suggestive voice. Sell drinks. From Gray's position, it was a pretty troublesome statement, but he was tempted by Meri's mention of 'buying a building.'

"I doubt you're really planning to run a bar...."

"If I buy a building, I'll make it into a shop. A lodging facility. As for drinks... well, there'll be people who need them."

"...Miss Meri. Are you serious?"

Gray tested Meri. Meri pulled a pouch from her chest and placed it down with a thunk.

"I'm not planning to buy a big building on the main street. Just a building somewhere in a back alley will do."

"You're being pretty blatant. Ugh."

Gray examined the gold and silver coins filling the pouch. For a building in a back alley, it was enough to buy two buildings, let alone one, and have money left over.

"...I don't have any prejudice against the profession, but it seems like you could make a living other ways besides this?"

"Sure, I could. But I'm not the one who'll be selling drinks."

"Ah, you're the manager, is that it?"

"Something like that."

Gray's insides burned and he gulped down water. The baroness would absolutely not welcome someone visiting for this purpose and would actually kick them out. Then she'd confiscate these gold and silver coins brought as payment for the building under some pretext. Like charging her with insulting nobility or something.

"...Hmm."

Gray fingered the pouch of gold coins and fell into thought. Fortunately, the baroness didn't have the luxury to care about this sort of thing right now. In other words, if he just kept his mouth shut, everything would remain secret.

'I've been pent up lately anyway.'

When was the last time he got some relief? It was probably that day he went to the Adventurer's Guild to put in a request from the baroness and slept with the receptionist with glasses. Since then, he'd taken care of things himself, but it didn't fill the cold empty space in his bed.

"Mm...."

Gray looked Meri up and down. Meri smirked at his blatant gaze and shook her head.

"I already belong to someone."

"...Really? That's a shame."

"Of course, that doesn't mean I'll disappoint you, sir knight. Here."

Meri opened her robe slightly. The silhouette hidden under the black robe brought tears to Gray's eyes. Her face alone was top-tier, hard to find even in the capital, but her attitude hidden under the robe was so kind you could call her a saint.

"Here it is."

"Ah."

Gray snapped back to attention at the paper thrust toward him. On what looked like pretty good quality black paper, the words 'Avalon' were embroidered in stylish white thread.

"Open it."

"R-right."

Gray unfolded the small paper that fit in his breast pocket. Inside were about ten blank spaces, and one side was blank white paper.

"This is...?"

"Yes, that's called a 'coupon.' Every time someone visits our shop, we stamp it once. And when all ten are filled."

The coupon Meri mentioned had ten blank spaces. Then Meri took the paper back and pressed her lips to the blank space at the bottom.

Smooch.

"Once. We'll provide special service for regulars who visit our bar. I'll give this to you right now as a special gift, sir knight."

"...Is this a bribe?"

"Oh my, you think this is a bribe? It's just an interesting little piece of paper."

Meri chuckled and covered herself with the robe again.

"So will you grant permission?"

"Of course... I'd like to say, but I'm also working as the baroness's deputy. For transactions involving buildings in the castle, especially for that kind of business, I need to get permission from the baroness, even verbally."

"...."

A look of dismay crossed Meri's eyes. Gray smirked and tucked the coupon into his breast pocket.

"But the baroness is very busy right now, which is why she left this unpleasant work to me. Hehe, don't worry. I'll arrange a good building for you."

If this kind of transaction came to his own territory, he'd refuse it flat out. But Gray's heart had already left this place, and since it wasn't his territory anyway, he just went ahead and did it. Even if the baroness found out about this later, it was questionable whether the barony would even survive until then.

"By the way. You can buy the building, sure. But where are you planning to bring the women from?"

"You don't need to worry about that at all. They're waiting for my call in another city. There won't be any cases of kidnapped slaves or diseased people. We have no intention of accepting just anybody either."

"Planning to run it pretty upscale?"

"Spending a night clinking glasses and sharing drinks for just one silver coin would be a waste. Shouldn't it be at least five gold coins?"

"That's pretty steep. Guards would blow their whole month's wages after just four visits. And you want them to fill it ten times—isn't that a bit much?"

"Our company's master said this."

Meri cleared her throat and began speaking in a solemn voice.

"If you don't want to spend that much money, don't come."

"Fair point. What company is it?"

"...I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Trade secret."

"You're so confident it's actually trustworthy. ...Ahem. Alright. I'll take care of this."

Gray reached for the pouch of gold coins, and Meri quickly snatched it back.

"What are you doing?"

"Master said not to pay the construction costs in full."

Meri pulled out about a third of the gold coins from the pouch and shoved them forward.

"When you get me the residence permit approved by the baroness, the sale contract, and a pass that allows our company free passage afterward, I'll give you another third."

"You're tough. Fine. I'll prepare them in advance. So, Lady Meri. How will you pay the remaining third?"

"Simple."

Meri pointed to the coupon in Gray's chest.

"I'll give it to you the day you come for your service."

"Looks like I better do my very best to get these."

The deal was made.

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