In the upstairs room, August watched as Meidri stood there, panting slightly from the rush. He found the situation rather amusing.
This was his third time in Meidri's room. It felt interesting to him how things had changed. The first time, he had teleported directly here after crossing worlds; the second time, he had barged in on his own. And now, on this third occasion, it was Meidri herself who had pulled him inside. That was certainly progress.
"What are you laughing at?" Meidri asked, visibly annoyed, noticing the smirk on August's face.
As soon as she dragged him upstairs, she began to regret it. There were so many people downstairs, and now, no matter how she tried, there was no way to explain what had just happened. So seeing August's cheeky grin only stoked her anger further.
"Nothing much. Just thinking about how fast time flies."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Back when we first met, I had to force my way in here. Now, it's you who pulled me in."
"I—"
Meidri's face flushed crimson as August pointed that out.
Seeing her flustered like this, August couldn't help but smile. The timing, the atmosphere, and her reaction—all of it was perfect. It would be a shame not to take advantage of this moment.
Without warning, he kissed her again.
Meidri's mind instantly buzzed with thoughts. It's happening again! She wanted to push him away, just like the last time, but once again, she found herself lacking the strength.
August grew bolder, inch by inch, escalating his advances toward her. Meidri, overwhelmed by a swirl of emotions and confusion, could hardly resist. Even as she felt August's hands begin to roam, her body stayed frozen—partly unable to fight back and partly... secretly expecting him to continue.
She was still a woman, after all. Despite living alone for so long, it didn't mean she wasn't seeking companionship. And now, August—the man who had burst into her life so suddenly—was already carving out a place in her heart, unknowingly expanding that space with every moment they spent together.
"No… we can't," she finally whispered, pushing him away as her face turned an even deeper shade of red.
Meidri's expression was flushed with embarrassment, yet she still managed to hold her ground.
"Sorry, I might have gotten carried away," August admitted, backing off slightly, though the playful glint in his eyes remained.
"Give me some time. Not now," she murmured.
August blinked in surprise. Wasn't she supposed to snap at me, give me the cold shoulder, and storm off? Instead, she looked like someone who was dangerously close to letting her guard down completely.
Meidri, now fully aware of his gaze, felt increasingly embarrassed. She had acted impulsively, blurting out what was on her mind without much thought.
"So, when will it be the right time? When can you fully give yourself to me?" August asked with a teasing grin.
"Is that all you men think about?" Meidri responded with a hint of exasperation, growing more agitated by his persistence. Does he want me, or is it just my body?
"If a man isn't attracted to a woman, it can only mean one thing: that woman holds no charm for him. But you, Meidri—you have a fatal allure for me," August said, his tone laced with sincerity.
"Don't use your lust as an excuse. I'm not buying it," she huffed, though the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her real feelings.
Three days ago, August had taken advantage of her, and the incident had been witnessed by the tavern's owner. It was like a seed had been planted in her heart. And during his three-day disappearance, she had found herself constantly thinking about him. That seed had quietly taken root, slowly beginning to grow, waiting for the right moment to fully bloom in her heart.
"By the way, where have you been these past three days?"
Suddenly, Meidri turned to August and asked, "Where have you been these past few days?"
"I was out making money," August replied with a casual smile. "I'm planning to open a shop that specializes in collecting magical beast carcasses."
"Magical beasts? What do you need their carcasses for?"
"I've got a little one at home, constantly hungry and in need of food," August explained.
"Huh, you're raising a bunch of magical beasts?" she asked, curious.
"Not magical beasts. You'll understand in time—once you're completely mine," he teased.
"Ugh, quit with that nonsense," Meidri retorted, turning her head away in mild frustration as soon as August tried to steer the conversation in that direction again.
August gently took her hand. By now, Meidri had grown accustomed to his little gestures of affection, and didn't mind them as much as before.
"Meidri, I need your help spreading the word about this."
"About what?"
"I need magical beast carcasses—the more, the better. There's no limit."
"What are you planning to do with them?" Meidri pressed.
"That's my secret. But once you become my wife, you'll have the right to know," he replied with a wink.
"Then forget it!" Meidri huffed, refusing to engage in his flirtations.
"Alright, fine," August said, chuckling. "Here's the deal—I'll pay one gold coin for every kilogram of magical beast carcass."
"One gold coin per kilogram?" she repeated, her brows furrowing in thought.
At first glance, the price didn't seem all that high, but magical beasts were typically massive in size, especially bear-type or boar-type beasts. Some of the stronger magical beasts could easily weigh hundreds, if not thousands, of kilograms. Not to mention, this town was teeming with adventurers, and it was impossible to predict how many would come to sell each day.
And then there was the matter of running a shop. It would need to open daily, which meant consistent spending. Even if August had made millions recently, he would run out of funds sooner or later if he wasn't careful.
"Don't worry about the money, Meidri," August said, his tone steady. "I told you before, the one thing I never lack is money. This time, I managed to secure 45 million gold coins. Combined with the 3 million I had before, I now have a total of 48 million."
"Wait, how much? Forty-eight million gold coins?" Meidri's eyes widened in disbelief.
Unbelievable! A number that large was staggering. Just how wealthy was this man?
August, however, didn't seem to think much of it. Ever since he had gained access to the "Treasure of Kings," August effectively possessed limitless wealth. Money had become nothing more than a number to him. Making more? Well, that was just a matter of lifting a finger.
After the initial shock passed, Meidri's curiosity grew. Who exactly was this man? Even those in power, with vast influence and resources, couldn't easily come up with such an immense fortune. Yet August spoke of it with such calm, as if it were completely ordinary.
"What's wrong?" August asked, noticing her thoughtful silence.
"Nothing. Just… feeling a bit overwhelmed," Meidri admitted quietly. She was used to earning just a few thousand gold coins each month, and here was August, casually tossing out figures she couldn't even dream of achieving in a lifetime.
In that moment, she truly felt the vast gulf between them—the difference in wealth.
August sensed the subtle shift in her demeanor. He could understand it, though. After all, he himself had once been an ordinary, overworked salaryman, scraping by. The contrast wasn't lost on him either.
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