Just as Meidri left, Stunk and the others surrounded August.
"Hey, you're not kidding, right? You really took down that frenzied gray bear?" Stunk couldn't help but ask. Though the frenzied gray bear wasn't considered a particularly strong beast, it wasn't something an ordinary person could defeat.
"It was me. And honestly, there's no reason for me to pretend about something like that."
"You've got some guts, kid. You don't even look injured. Not bad at all."
"I manage. You can't really travel around without some strength," August replied modestly.
"True enough," the trio nodded in agreement. No matter where you are, it's tough to survive without power.
Though the three of them spent much of their time lounging around at succubus houses, they were actually well-known adventurers in town.
Stunk, a warrior; Zel, a mage and archer; and Kanchal, a thief—all three had impressive achievements in their respective fields.
And most importantly, succubus houses were expensive. Without money, there was no way they could afford to frequent them.
"By the way, now that I've got some cash, do any of you know of any houses for sale around here?" August asked.
"Huh? You're thinking of buying a house?" Kanchal asked in surprise. Although August had just made over six million, adventurers typically didn't buy houses. That was something more common among merchants.
"Yeah. Since I've gotten to know Stunk, Zel, and you, I'm thinking of settling here for a while."
"I see. What kind of house are you looking for?" Kanchal asked, still curious.
"Just something within this budget. It's all the money I have, so I'll use it."
"Wait, you're not planning on saving any of it? You're going to spend it all on a house?" Kanchal couldn't believe it.
"It's not that much money. It's fine," August said casually.
At this, the three men fell silent. This guy really is disgustingly rich.
To not even consider six million gold coins as real money—just how wealthy was this guy?
Kanchal thought for a moment. As a thief, he had a lot of connections in town.
"Any particular requirements? Like location or type of house?" Kanchal asked, getting down to business.
"No big requirements, just something close to the tavern."
"In that case, I know a place. It's right across from this tavern. It used to be a potion shop, but they couldn't sell much, so it closed down. The owner's looking to sell it," Kanchal explained.
"How much are they asking?" August inquired.
"Three million gold coins, but that's just the asking price. If you negotiate, you could probably get it for around two hundred and sixty to two hundred and seventy thousand."
The price surprised both Stunk and Zel. They had thought a house would cost a few hundred thousand at most, maybe a little over a million, but this was far beyond their expectations. It seemed they had been underestimating the market.
"The price isn't an issue," August replied calmly.
"Alright then, I'll ask about it for you," Kanchal agreed without hesitation, perfectly embodying the phrase, "It's all about who you know."
Today, thanks to Zel, August hadn't done much but had still made a huge sum of money. Even though Zel had mentioned that they had lowered the price, in reality, he had definitely negotiated well on August's behalf. If August had gone alone, he wouldn't have gotten anywhere near twenty thousand gold coins per ancient coin.
And now, with Kanchal's help, purchasing a house would be much easier. Without someone who knew the market and had connections, it was all too easy to get ripped off—spending more money and still ending up with something subpar.
Every trade had its hidden depths, whether it was buying a house or something as simple as setting up a street stall. It wasn't as straightforward as it seemed.
Where foot traffic was highest, where customers had the most purchasing power—those were all factors that varied from place to place. Even the competition among stall owners was fierce, with lots of unwritten rules.
Simply put, any business that made money wasn't as simple as it appeared. No matter how insignificant it seemed, there were always layers to it.
As they continued chatting, Meidri soon returned with four plates.
Each plate held one of the bear paws, placed in front of the four of them.
"Here are your bear paws. The owner said they taste pretty good, though I know how they were prepared," Meidri said slowly. Stunk and the others eyed the bear paws with skepticism.
August took a bite. To be honest, the taste was quite good, though not exceptional. It was somewhat disappointing. He had expected the meat of a magical beast to be infused with considerable magical power, which should have made it more flavorful.
"The taste is good. Give it a try," August encouraged.
Seeing him nod, the three men exchanged glances before digging in.
"Wow, this is actually pretty good."
"It seems the issue wasn't with the magical beast meat itself, but rather Stunk's cooking last time."
"Agreed."
With that, Stunk's cooking skills became the subject of ridicule. The previous magical beast meat had been roasted by him, and it had been deemed inedible. Now, it was clear that his cooking was the problem.
"Hey, handsome, I finally found you."
As the table erupted in laughter, a voice cut through the noise.
The entire tavern turned to the entrance, where a stunningly tall blonde cowgirl stood, her well-endowed figure drawing all eyes. Her arrival instantly captivated the attention of every man present.
August was also stunned. The newcomer was none other than Lucine, the alluring cowgirl from the previous night, whose demands were ten times higher than an average succubus's.
Before August could react, Lucine dashed over and enveloped him in a tight embrace.
August was suddenly overwhelmed by the impact of her 'body slam,' feeling the high damage from such an intimate assault.
The sight caused every man present to turn green with envy. They all wished they could experience such treatment.
Even August himself wanted to comment, "Lady, you're making quite the entrance."
"Ah, I finally found you! This is just wonderful," Lucine said, hugging August tightly and not letting go.
Her joy was palpable. Over the years, August was the first man to truly satisfy her. Even she had been unable to keep up with him, and last night had been a whirlwind experience.
The sensation was unforgettable, and she had resolutely decided to find August again. She couldn't bear to be apart from him.
"Lucine, what brings you here? Did Stunk not pay you for last night?" August asked.
Stunk suddenly became the center of attention and was subjected to everyone's gaze. He was furious and wanted to protest, "That's a false accusation!"
"No, it's not that. That night with you was the most wonderful moment of my life. So, I came to find you," Lucine explained.
In an instant, the entire tavern fell silent. The patrons, young and old alike, looked at Lucine with a mixture of admiration and respect.
To have a succubus with such a powerful lineage react this way made August a model of masculinity.
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