A good head above me in terms of height, Crima frowned as she looked down at me, her muscular arms crossed over her armored chest and making me gulp as she raked her crimson eyes over my figure.
"This the one, Morina?"
The tanned portly woman walked over and nodded, rubbing her hands together as she replied "That is indeed her, Crima darling~! Miss Hildegarde, a new Rancher and quite the interesting woman from what I've learned~! Kind, devoted, smart as a whip... passed her time in the Academy with flying colors!"
Tilting her head, Crima looked me over some more before asking "Why did you want a Wolfkin, little Rancher?", that small movement pairing with her permanent frown to make me blush slightly as her impressive frame and feral beauty just...
"I... I wanted someone strong, capable, and efficient to help me on the Ranch, and I need someone to help keep the Ranch safe from monsters; I can do some fighting on my own, but I uh... I don't really enjoy it like I do farming."
"So you want a guard and a hunting partner? Hm..."
Her crimson eyes landed on the bow slung over my shoulder, as well as the quiver of simple arrows I had purchased alongside it, before they moved back towards my arms, shoulders, and eventually...
My chest.
Pursing her lips, the Wolfkin stared blatantly at my boobs before looking further down, admiring my slim waist and wide hips before nodding her head as she said "I'm willing to give it a try. Morina here will refund you half of what you paid if I decide you aren't suitable for me at the end of two weeks, when the first Airship arrives at the Ranch. Sound good, Master?"
Blinking, I stared at the Wolfkin in surprise as she stepped closer and knelt in front of me, her head level with my chest and allowing her to get a better look at them, though she instead just looked up at my face and waited for me to give her an answer.
"Y-Yes..!"
With dark cheeks that matched my hair - and hers - I reached forwards and placed my hand between her fluffy red ears, which twitched as I pat her head a few times before pulling away, allowing her to stand up and once more look down at me with that serious gaze that made me squirm.
"What other Demi Human's do you have with you, Master? Or am I the only one?"
Resting her hand on the pommel of her sword, Crima asked that question with a brusque formality that made me confused; I was quivering slightly at how much I loved that tone of hers, but at the same time it felt stuffy, like she was placing a wall between us...
"Um... You're the only adult Demi Human, but I do have a Cowkin, a Goatkin, and two Sheepkin eggs that need to be incubated, so in a week we'll have four extra pairs of hands to help out."
"And do you plan on going out to hunt often, or are you going to be primarily a farmer?"
"Oh... once a week, maybe..? Monster meat is... lucrative enough, but I don't want to rely entirely on a crop based diet, y'know..? So uh... hunting is a must, but..."
"Good. Morani, I think this will likely be goodbye. Tell the others that I wish them well, hm? Maybe we'll meet again."
Crima looked to the merchant and nodded, before turning back to me and saying "Let's get going then, Master. We need to get to the Ranch before nightfall. Unless there was more you needed to buy..?"
"Oh, no... Everything is purchased and waiting to be shipped to the Ranch, so... yes, we can leave. Though... Lady Von Goldiue, do you know where I might find Evelyn? Are the Ranchers meeting one last time before departure, or are we heading out on our own?"
The blonde just smiled at me as she answered "She already left on her own, Miss Serani. But remember, you are nearby one another, so just utilize that Communication Crystal to contact her. I think she also made it clear she wanted a head start against you... something about needing to prove that she is better? Curious..."
I chuckled wryly and scratched my cheek as I thought about the peculiar Noblewoman, realizing that I knew so much about her, and yet at the same time I knew so little; I knew about her and her quirks inside the Academy, but I didn't really know much about her past, and she never offered to share anything at all about it... though she did like striving to be better than everyone else, something that made our peers annoyed at her more often than not.
I found that cute though, how she did everything she could to improve, to reach the top and show the world she was the best, even if it made others dislike her a little; it was a passion and a drive that I shared, albeit for a different reason...
"Master, we should get going."
Crima's voice snapped me out of my thoughts once more, and I nodded as I said "Very well... Miss Morani, it was a pleasure, and if I return to the markets, I shall certainly look for your stall first!"
"Oh, that's excellent to hear~! You and me, making money together hm~? I'll have a couple of requests after you've established yourself, dear, and I'll certainly make it worth your while. And Crima... good luck, and goodbye."
Waving at us, she turned away and made her way back behind her stall, leaving Crima and I with Lady Von Goldiue and Regina, who I just noticed was staring at Crima with narrowed eyes and a trace amount of distaste.
Crima was just ignoring her, but I could tell that she was already guarding me with the way she stood right by my side and drummed her fingers on her sword, all while her nose and ears twitched every few seconds.
"Well! Time for a trip on the Airship~! I'll take you, my dear. I have to admit, I want to see what type of Ranch they've issued you... so much space, for someone so new~? There has to be a catch... also, I get paid if I accompany you or not, so why not have some fun~?"