"This one feels more mellow and chic. It has a graceful, calm, and sophisticated hue."
I recommended the cloak draped over my left arm with feigned confidence. My reasoning was entirely arbitrary—mere excuses I’d conjured on the spot.
Actually, what does a 'mellow hue' even mean?
I didn’t even understand what I was saying. Not too sweet, not too spicy, not too savory.
"Is that so? I thought the stitching on this one was superior, though the color did feel a bit heavy."
"O-Oh."
Oops. It seemed she had preferred the other one after all.
"But you're right. Now that you mention it, it does have a very nice, composed color. I understand. Shall we go with this one?"
"Let's do that. Is there anything else you need?"
She seemed convinced, at least for now. I took the cloak from her.
"No. Um, anything more than this would be..."
She trailed off, making me think there was something else on her mind.
"If it's something you need, don't hold back."
"But..."
"Besides, today is a special, commemorative day."
I leaned in and whispered close to her ear. It was the day I had bought her, after all.
"Um... in that case, may I buy some underwear?"
"Of course."
"Yes. Thank you very much."
When I nodded, Roxanne began browsing the garments.
She picked out a pair of pumpkin pants similar to the ones I had bought earlier. Apparently, there wasn't much of a difference between the men's and women's styles. They were completely devoid of sexiness.
Then again, that lack of appeal might just be because I was looking at them through modern eyes. Unlike the cloak, Roxanne chose them without even unfolding them. Since it was underwear, she probably felt a sense of modesty.
"Is one pair enough?" I asked. She had finished her selection quite quickly.
The case she’d brought from the slave mansion only contained her maid outfit. She likely owned almost nothing of her own.
"Eh? A-Ah, but..."
"Buy another pair. Merchant, how much for these four items?"
I spoke firmly, leaving no room for argument, and called the shopkeeper over.
"T-Thank you very much."
"Thank you, kind sir! For these four items... well, since you took a liking to that cloak, let's call it 5,656 Nahl."
This time, the 30% discount seemed to have triggered properly. Success.
I purchased the four items, including the second pair of pumpkin pants Roxanne had selected. After paying, I handed the cloak to Roxanne to carry and tucked the underwear into her backpack from behind.
"Shall we head back to the inn?"
"Yes."
The sun was already beginning to dip toward the horizon. Despite not buying much, the trip had taken quite a while.
I suppose I should be prepared for shopping to take a long time from now on. Not that I mind, since I can just spend that time watching Roxanne.
"Yo. Welcome back."
We returned to the Vale Inn and I collected our key.
"We’re going to our room to drop off our things. We'll be down for dinner after that. When we're finished eating, I'll need two orders of hot water and a lantern."
"Two hot waters and one lantern. That’ll be 35 Nahl."
I paid the fee. We climbed the stairs to the fifth floor and entered our room.
Roxanne carefully tucked her new cloak into the closet as if it were a precious treasure.
"Thank you very much."
"It's fine, really."
As far as I was concerned, I was just grateful she hadn't tried to run away while we were out.
I approached her as she finished putting away the items from the backpack. I reached out and stroked her head, letting my fingers graze her wolf ears. It was becoming a habit.
Yeah. She didn't seem to mind. The fear that had been lingering in her eyes earlier had vanished.
I stepped away from her and sat on the bed. Roxanne remained standing, looking somewhat lost.
"You can sit down."
"Yes."
She made a move toward the floor, so I quickly corrected her. "No, no. You don't have to sit there. Come here."
I patted the spot next to me.
"Y-Yes."
Roxanne moved gracefully, though she still seemed a bit hesitant. Was she worried I was going to push her down the moment she sat on the bed?
She lowered herself onto the mattress with great care.
"You really don't have to sit on the floor anymore."
"B-But this is Master's bed. Ah."
"Roxanne will be sleeping here too, you know."
I pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear. I felt like some villainous lord from an old play.
"...U-Um. I will come to the bed when you wish to grant me your favor, but for sleeping, the floor is perfectly fine."
Roxanne murmured, her head bowed.
The idea of making her sleep on the floor hadn't even crossed my mind. What kind of monster did she think I was?
A part of me screamed to just take her right then and there, but I suppressed it. If it was okay to do it now, it would be just as fine to enjoy it later when we were settled.
"Is that... the common sense of this world?"
"I heard at the mansion that there are masters who prefer it that way."
"Well, not me. It's cold and it’s a hassle. Just sleep in the bed with me."
"Y-Yes. Thank you very much."
"Good."
I kept my arms around her, enjoying the sensation. She was soft, yet possessed a firm elasticity. Though she was nearly as tall as me, she felt slender and delicate. She had the body of a graceful, petite girl.
Roxanne remained still. She didn't pull away or show any signs of discomfort. Accepting this level of intimacy meant she truly saw herself as mine now.
The swell of her chest pressed against my arm. I—I can’t take much more of this! I should just go for it.
"There is still some daylight left, so I will perform maintenance. Please take out your equipment."
As if sensing the shift in my mood, Roxanne made her announcement.
"I just bought them today, so isn't it fine for now?"
"It is not."
Roxanne suddenly glared at me. Her eyes... they were incredibly intense.
"Eh?"
"Once we enter the labyrinth, our lives depend on our equipment. Everything must be maintained perfectly."
"Y-You're right. Of course."
She was apparently very strict about gear maintenance.
I let her go, and she stood up to retrieve a small bottle of olive oil.
"U-Um..."
Roxanne turned back, looking down hesitantly. Her intimidating aura had vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.
"What is it?"
"Since you bought me new underwear, I would like to take the ones I am wearing now and turn them into rags for maintenance."
"Yeah, that’s fine."
"...Master, please go ahead to the dining hall."
"I don't think dinner can wait that long, can it?"
The sun would be down by the time we finished eating. It was better for her to do the maintenance while it was still light out. I’d ordered a lantern, but it only had an hour’s worth of oil. I wanted to save that light for when we were being intimate later.
"Therefore..."
"It's fine. We'll eat together downstairs."
"Is that truly alright? I believe the inn's dining hall is expensive. I can find somewhere cheaper for myself."
Was she just being modest, or did she genuinely not want to eat with me?
"I've already paid the price including meals. Unless you just don't want to eat with me?"
"I would never feel that way!"
"Then it's settled."
I placed my Copper Sword on the desk and unbuckled my Leather Armor and Leather Boots.
"...T-Then, um, please excuse me."
Roxanne suddenly began to pull her pants down.
For a second I was confused, but then it clicked. She was doing maintenance, she needed rags, and her current underwear were the designated rags. She had to take them off.
"Ah—sorry. Don't mind me."
I waved a hand dismissively, though honestly, I was the one who should have been minding his manners.
It was a feast for the eyes, so I didn't look away. Her tunic was long enough that I couldn't see everything, unfortunately. I caught a glimpse of her bottom, which was cute, but the parts I really wanted to see remained hidden.
I couldn't exactly crouch down for a better look.
Oh, her tail. There it was. As Roxanne turned, I got a clear view. It was covered in the same chestnut fur as her hair—fluffy and soft-looking. So she really did have a tail. I’d have to ask to touch it later.
Roxanne finished changing in the blink of an eye. I wanted to see more, but I couldn't complain.
As she sat in the chair, her expression became incredibly focused. With a look that was almost terrifyingly serious, she began cleaning the gear. She applied a small amount of oil to the cloth and began to polish.
"If you maintain them like this, they will stay in brand-new condition forever."
"Does the performance actually drop if you don't?"
"If the user is not comfortable with their tools, they cannot perform at their best."
So it was a psychological thing.
I decided not to have her maintain Durandal just yet.
After the maintenance was done, we headed down to the dining hall. I looked over the menu.
"I'll take the number one set. And some herbal tea. What about you, Roxanne?"
"Um. Am I allowed to choose?"
"Choose whatever you like."
"Yes. Thank you very much. I will have the same, then."
"Understood," the waitress said.
I led Roxanne to a table for two.
"Roxanne, sit there."
"Um. Is that alright? If you would prefer..."
"It's fine."
She had to sit. I wondered what she was going to suggest—standing? That would just be awkward.
Once she sat down, the food arrived quickly.
"This is... incredibly delicious."
"It really is good."
The food here was decent, which meant it was likely top-tier for this world. Roxanne ate with obvious enjoyment. I was glad the inn's kitchen was up to the task.
"That was a truly wonderful meal. Thank you very much."
Even back in the room, Roxanne continued to express her gratitude.
"I'm just glad you liked it."
"Yes. And to sit at the same table as Master, eating the same food... normally, the floor would have been my place."
The floor again? So that’s what she meant by "if you would prefer."
"Well, nobody else was eating on the floor."
"I suppose that is because this is not the kind of establishment where slaves usually eat."
I guess that was one way to look at it.
As I was trying to think of a response, the innkeeper arrived with the hot water and the lit lantern. The sun had set while we were eating. He set the items down and left immediately.
"Well then, could you wipe my back?"
Now that we were alone, I moved into action. I had to be calm yet bold. If I acted shy, she’d just get more nervous.
I stripped down, tossing my trunks aside as well. We’re all born naked, after all. There was nothing to be ashamed of. I placed the lantern on the desk and pulled the basin to the center of the room.
"Yes, Master."
Roxanne used a hand towel to wipe my back. So far, so good. I soaked the towel, wrung it out, and wiped my front myself.
"By the way, can we use this?"
I pulled out the small bag of Koichi Fruit and showed it to her. As I turned around, everything I had was on full display to her.
It shouldn't be a problem. Probably.
"I do not think people wash their bodies with soap very often."
Roxanne had to have seen it, but she didn't have a big reaction. I felt a little disappointed. My "son" was standing quite tall, mostly because I’d had a bit of a "misfire" earlier when I went to the bathroom.
"Hmm. Is that so?"
"Usually, one just wipes down with hot water and that is all."
"Do people ever... take a bath?"
The word translated perfectly into Brahim.
"Only the nobility."
Baths were apparently a luxury. They hadn't had one at the Village Chief's house or here at the inn.
"And how do you use these?"
"The tufted toothbrush requires a water source."
I showed her the Sucre Branch as well, but since rinsing would require water, I decided to save it for later.
Once I was done, I pulled on my pumpkin pants.
"Alright, your turn, Roxanne."
I said it as casually as possible, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"...Y-Yes."
Roxanne managed a small voice and reached for her tunic.
"Right."
I didn't want to stare too much, so I turned back to the basin and wrung out the towel again.
"U-Um... since I am a Wolf-kin, I might be... hairy. I am sorry."
"Oh? Is that so?"
I turned back at her words. Roxanne had just finished pulling her tunic over her head.
In the dim glow of the lantern, her body looked ethereal. From the gaps of her shifting arms, her impressive breasts were...
No, those weren't just breasts. They were weapons.
They were a projectile. They were a foul.
Spilling out from her front was the ultimate weapon of fertility. They were massive. And they looked so soft.
You look incredibly soft.
The ultimate weapon to bring happiness to all who beheld it was right there in front of me.
"Actually, my back..."
Perhaps noticing my gaze, Roxanne twisted her body to show me her back. A shame, though even turned away, her size was impossible to fully hide.
I stepped closer with the hand towel. Looking at her back, I saw hair covering the entire surface...
Wait, it wasn't hair. It was fur.
A coat of fur grew from her back. It reached down to her waist, but it was part of her skin, not just long hair from her head. From the top of her head down her spine to her lower back, there was a continuous growth of fur.
A "back-length very short" hairstyle. That was the best way to describe it.
Roxanne stepped out of her pants and underwear. A tail extended from the end of the furred section. The fur stopped at the tail; her buttocks were bare—smooth, fair, and delicious-looking.
I used my free hand to stroke the fur on her back. It was elegant and soft, yielding gently to my touch.
"It's fluffy and soft. I like it."
"T-Thank you very much."
I wiped the fur on her back with the towel, stroking downward along the curves of her body.
"Yeah. No problem at all."
"U-Um... I should not be having Master wipe me..."
"It's fine. It's faster this way."
Peering over her shoulder, I could see the massive mountain range of her chest. Two sacred, spiritual peaks. Since Roxanne was also trying to wipe herself, she couldn't keep them covered.
I wanted to worship. I had to worship.
Namu, Roxanne. Viva, Roxanne.
Worship wasn't enough. I had to revere them. I reached around from behind, cupping her and purifying those sacred swells.
"Ah..."
"What?"
"N-No..."
I silenced her protest with pure willpower. The divine peaks were wonderfully elastic.
I savored the weight of them as I polished them carefully, making sure not to miss a single inch. I wiped every curve with gentle, painstaking attention.
They were so soft. Even through the towel, I could feel their fluffy weight. The slightest touch was met with the gentle acceptance of her fingers.
They were huge. My palms couldn't even contain their volume. It was only by moving my hands in a slow, rolling motion that I could truly grasp the scale of them.
And the elasticity... the overwhelming presence. When I pressed in, they pushed back as if asserting their very existence.
"This is the best."
"..."
This was clearly taking much longer than if she’d done it herself, but I didn't care. They were majestic—a landscape a man could get lost in and never want to leave.
After taking my sweet time, I finally released her.
"Um. Is it okay to wipe your tail?"
"Yes. Ah, no, I'll do it."
"Don't worry about it."
I moved on to the next task to distract from how much time I’d just spent on her chest.
I wiped Roxanne's tail. It was a fluffy mass of fur with no solid bone or core at the end—just a soft bundle of hair, like the tip of a large brush. The fluffiness of her ears was great, but the purely fur texture of the tail was even better. It wrapped around my arm with a silky, flowing sensation.
"T-Thank you very much."
"Can you move your tail?"
"It is difficult. I have to do it like this."
Roxanne demonstrated by swaying her hips. The tail swung left and right.
Wait. She wasn't moving the tail. she was moving her hips. Her hips were swaying passionately. Whether you looked at it as a deliberate act or not, it was incredibly sexy. I’d certainly been treated to a show.
"I see. I see."
"Also, when I am happy, it wiggles unconsciously."
"Is that so? Then I'll have to make sure it wiggles as much as possible."
I whispered into her ear—or rather, the wolf ear on top of her head.
"Y-Yes... Um, I look forward to your favor."
Ah. Her tail wiggled just then.
I finished by wiping her cute bottom and her slender legs. Rank has its privileges.
"Now then, let's try an experiment."
"An experiment?"
"Yeah. Lie on your back on the bed and put your head over the edge toward me."
I gave her the instructions. It was time to see if I could wash her hair. I’d been wanting to try this.
Since there were no mirrors, I couldn't be sure, but I felt like my hair was probably a greasy mess. I hadn't washed it once in the five days since I'd arrived in this world. Wiping with a wet towel only goes so far. It might be the norm here, but it felt gross to me.
I lifted the basin and placed it on the chair. The basin was slightly higher than the bed.
"Is this alright?"
"Slide back so your neck is resting on the rim of the basin."
"Yes."
Roxanne positioned herself. I was worried it might be a difficult pose for her, but she seemed fine. However, she’d wrapped herself in a blanket. A shame.
Still, the way she modestly covered herself was charming. And since it was only a single blanket, it couldn't fully hide her curves or the outline of her body.
"Is the position okay?"
"It is fine."
I scooped up hot water and poured it over her hair, massaging it with my fingers. I did it over and over. Without shampoo, hot water was my only option, but it would have to do. I slowly combed through her hair as I washed.
I even poured water over her wolf ears, washing them with care. They were precious, after all.
"Does your neck hurt?"
"Not at all."
"Okay, sit up."
Once I was finished, I used a towel to support her head as she sat up. I draped a dry towel over her and gave her hair a vigorous rub-down to get the moisture out.
"Thank you very much."
"Yeah. With two people, washing hair is actually doable."
"Yes. Shall I wash your head as well, Master?"
"Please."
I draped the towel over her shoulders and we switched places.
"Shall we change the water?"
"No, this is fine. We'll use the other basin for things like socks."
I lay down and let her wash me. Roxanne's slender fingers worked through my hair, her supple touch massaging my scalp.
This was dangerous. Being naked and having her touch me like this was having a definite effect. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head, focusing entirely on the sensation of the wash.
It felt amazing. I felt refreshed for the first time in ages. Even without soap, the hot water made a world of difference.
I sat up and let her dry me. When I opened my eyes, paradise was waiting. Roxanne was drying my hair from the front, her arms reaching up over my head. This left her chest completely exposed and unguarded.
"Well then, I will do the laundry."
She must have noticed my gaze, because she pulled away immediately. Somewhere along the line, she’d put her pumpkin pants back on.
Disappointing.
However, Roxanne then knelt by the basin to wash our socks. With every movement, her chest swayed.
P-Paradise.
"Aren't you going to use the Koichi Fruit?"
"Those are for things like cloaks or fine shirts. If we used them for daily laundry, the fabric would be ruined in no time."
"I see."
I helped her move the basin off the chair. I guess I wouldn't be getting as much use out of those as I’d thought.
"T-This is... incredible."
After the socks, she moved on to my trunks and got distracted by the elastic. She pulled at it, enjoying the way it snapped back. She spent a good minute stretching and releasing it.
"Do you not have elastic here?"
"I have never seen such a thing."
"Really?"
I guess rubber was rare. It explained why her pumpkin pants used drawstrings.
Roxanne hung the laundry in the closet. Finally, the day’s work was done.
"Um. I will put these on now."
Roxanne reached for her maid outfit.
"Ah—no, you don't have to."
"Eh? But..."
"Did they tell you something at the mansion?"
"They said you would be pleased if I wore this."
I wondered what else that slave trader had told her. I would be pleased, but still...
"You can wear that some other time."
"Yes..."
Roxanne nodded and put the outfit back. She walked toward the bed in silence.
I reached out, took her hand, and pulled her onto the mattress with me. I wrapped my arms around her as she fell. She didn't resist.
I held her tight, feeling the weight of her chest against my own. As I moved my face close, Roxanne closed her eyes as if accepting her fate. I kissed her.
Her lips were incredibly soft. I stayed like that for a long moment, my mouth pressed against hers. I wanted to be more forceful, but I held back. I seemed to remember hearing that you shouldn't use your tongue on the very first kiss.
"From now on, we'll greet each other with a kiss every night before bed and every morning when we wake up."
"...Yes."
"One more time, then."
I pulled back for a second, then went in for another. This time, I was a bit bolder. I let my tongue slip between her lips. Roxanne accepted me without hesitation.
Our tongues intertwined. As I savored the taste of her, my hand reached for her pumpkin pants.