Looking at the collapsed Stunk on the ground, Meidri snorted coldly.
Thud!
She tossed a bag to Zel, who opened it in confusion.
"Wow," he muttered, seeing the gold coins glittering inside. There were thousands of them—quite a hefty sum.
"Meidri, what's this all about?" Zel asked.
"It's the payment for the reviews you posted on the bulletin board. Everyone's been buying into your evaluations," she explained.
"We earned all this just by scribbling a few words? Whoa, that's a lot!" Zel exclaimed, shocked. At this point, Stunk had gotten up and, upon seeing the bag of gold, was equally astonished.
They had written reviews before, but this was the first time they'd gained such popularity. Why hadn't their previous reviews ever blown up like this? Stunk couldn't figure it out.
He grabbed a handful of coins, feeling a slight tinge of frustration.
"What are you guys planning to do with all this money?" Meidri asked, looking between Stunk and Zel.
"Isn't it obvious? We're going to check out a new succubus shop and write another review!" they answered in unison, sounding like a pair of perfect partners-in-crime.
"This is our job," Stunk added with a grin.
"Exactly, work," Zel agreed.
"Alright then, let's decide where we're going tonight."
...
"Men are just the worst~" Meidri muttered under her breath, her disdain written all over her face as she watched the two of them chat excitedly.
August couldn't help but laugh as he pulled Meidri into his arms.
"W-wait, what are you doing? I'm still working!" she protested.
"Don't worry, just take a little break. The boss won't say anything," August replied with a smile.
"Let me go! People are watching," she said, embarrassed.
"Let them watch. Everyone will know that the flower of this tavern has been picked by me, and it'll make those who fancy you think twice."
At this, Meidri's face flushed even redder, though she stopped struggling.
From a distance, Crimvael was watching in shock. Over the past few days, he had witnessed Meidri's fierceness firsthand. At the tavern, no one dared to even joke with her, let alone try anything improper.
After asking around, Crimvael learned that Meidri had a fierce reputation, so he was amazed to see that August had managed to win her over.
"Well, well, Meidri! Always complaining about how much you hate men, and now you're cuddling up with one!" Stunk teased as soon as he noticed them.
"I..." Meidri's face flushed even more. When it came to matters of romance, her composure quickly crumbled, especially in such an embarrassing situation.
Seeing Meidri in this rare, vulnerable state, Stunk and Zel burst into laughter.
"I'm going back to work. I don't have time for you idiots," Meidri huffed, pulling herself out of August's embrace and grabbing a tray before rushing away.
"August, that wasn't very smooth, you know," Stunk said with a grin.
"Yeah, not smooth at all," Zel agreed, still laughing.
August rolled his eyes at his two friends, who never missed a chance to tease him.
"Speaking of which, I've got an idea," Stunk said suddenly.
"Huh? What is it?" Zel asked.
"Remember, we haven't checked out a succubus shop run by winged folk, have we?"
"Nope, we haven't."
"Alright then, this time we're going to a succubus shop run by winged people."
"Great idea!"
August let out a sigh, realizing this was clearly a jab at Meidri, who was a winged person herself.
"August, are you coming with us?" Stunk asked.
"I think I'll pass. Everything else aside, if I go chasing after other winged people, the affection I've been building with Meidri might evaporate overnight."
"That's a real shame," Zel commented.
"Have fun, guys."
"No worries. We'll give you the first-hand details when we get back," Stunk promised.
"Sure thing," August replied with a laugh, secretly thinking about how he could win over Meidri entirely in the near future.
Going to the succubus shop with them right now wouldn't be a wise move. Especially since Meidri was also a winged person—she was far more appealing to him than any other. August was eagerly anticipating the day Meidri would fully give herself to him. Once her desire was unleashed, it would be unstoppable.
After finishing their meal, Stunk and Zel waved goodbye to August and left.
August didn't linger long either. With Meidri busy working, there wasn't much point staying around. He had already suggested she quit her job and stay with him, since he had no shortage of money, but Meidri had refused.
August returned to the magical beast shop across from the tavern. Business had slowed down a bit compared to the grand opening, but the daily income from magical beasts was still significant. And that didn't even count the sea beasts coming in from Iva's territory—those numbers were no small matter either.
"Your Highness, you've returned," Laura, the shop's manager, greeted him as soon as he walked in. August was mostly a hands-off owner, leaving the day-to-day operations to her.
"Have Sandra and Julie come back yet?" August asked.
"Not yet, but they should return tonight if all goes according to plan," Laura replied.
"That's good to hear," August nodded.
Sandra had volunteered to venture to nearby towns to collect magical beasts. Julie, a demon maid with considerable strength, had accompanied her for protection. August wouldn't have felt comfortable sending Sandra out alone.
Julie, being a high-ranking demon, also had the shadow mark given to her by August. This allowed her to store magical beasts in a shadow dimension, making it easier to transport large numbers. The two of them spent a day or two in each town, collecting magical beasts before moving on to the next.
It was their first trip, and today was the day they were scheduled to return.
"How many magical beasts did we receive today?" August asked.
"Today, we received just under a thousand. Most weigh only a few dozen kilograms, and there were only a few over a hundred kilograms," Laura reported.
"Well, it's not surprising. The beasts in the surrounding areas have mostly been hunted down," August mused.
"Your Highness, I think we should consider expanding to other towns once Sandra and Julie scout them out. If we stay in one place for too long, the yields will only get worse," Laura suggested.
"Good idea. You're in charge of this project. I'll give you some extra treasure, and if you run out of coins, you can exchange them for more," August agreed.
"Yes, Your Highness," Laura replied, eager to prove herself.
August had complete faith in her, and Laura was determined to seize this opportunity. With Hilda and Yolda away, this was her chance to showcase her talents. If she succeeded, her status would surely rise.
She was currently the head maid, while Hilda and Yolda were merely attendants. But in terms of closeness to August, those two far outstripped her, especially Hilda, who was clearly August's favorite. Laura couldn't help but feel envious.
Now, she had a chance to shine. She was determined to prove to August that she was just as capable, if not more so, than Hilda and Yolda.