Heading on inside, I turned back and beckoned for Wynn to come and join me away from the harsh sunlight before saying "This is your new home for the foreseeable future, Wynn. Unlike the rest of your peers you have the privilege of studying history every single day should you chose to."
The inside of this building was far more put together and cared for than the outside, it's origins as an actual house of the Sultanate giving me the peace of mind to not care too much about using it as my own home, especially since I had already combed through all of it to determine that there was nothing that I was missing.
Everything had been taken care of and appropriately stored away or given the care it deserved as I returned them to their people's museums for safe keeping and appreciation, so the inside of the building was clean and ready to be used for its intended purpose.
There was an entrance to the catacombs beneath what used to be the desert nearby, and I had deduced that this building had been built upon the surface with a few others to serve as a disguise of sorts to anyone traveling the desert, but the other buildings had all fallen over time whilst this one remained standing.
Repairing it had been somewhat easy, and transforming the interior into something that matched our living standards of today had been a bit harder and expensive, but as I closed the door and basked in the history I so dearly loved I found that cost to be more than worth it.
It was a smaller abode, with the first floor being almost entirely dedicated to the kitchen while the stairs that led to the second floor consumed an entire corner of the room; there was enough space for bookshelves and a nice table for any activity, and thankfully I didn't need an insane amount of space to work or live, so this was fine for me.
Looking at Wynn, I gauged her expression and nodded as I noticed how excited and happy she looked as she stepped into one of my many homes, the young woman looking around in fascination as she took in the traditional architecture of the Anubi Sultanate.
"Beautiful, isn't it? There is an entire city beneath our feet that I still need to fully explore, but that is for another day. Now, everything here is free to you; the kitchen, pantry and bookshelves are all open, the work table inside and outside are open to you, and the guest bedroom upstairs will be yours.
I have most necessities that I can think of, but if there is anything you might require please write it on the list over there on the wall. We'll head into Aquara Town to pick up everything we need every other week. Any questions so far?"
Wynn was still looking around, but upon hearing that she just flashed a smile and shook her head, turning towards the stairs as I said "Go ahead and unpack; it'll be the first door on your right when you get upstairs. The bed should be made already, and there should be some loose robes in there should you require something to wear. I'll begin making dinner."
Watching as the bluenette made her way up the stairs, I dragged in a deep breath and looked around, wondering how my home would change going forwards before just shrugging as I made my way into the large, stone kitchen, igniting the flame crystal on the stovetop and placing a pan right above it, getting that ready as I decided what to make.
She came down a few minutes later, sniffing the air adorably and looking at me in surprise as she asked "Is that... monster meat?", the girl catching the whiffs of mana enriched meat far quicker than I had expected.
"Correct. That isn't a problem, is it? No allergies or dietary restrictions that I should know of?"
Wynn shook her head and joined me in the kitchen, rolling up the sleeves of the simple nightgown she wore as she asked "Is there something I can help with? I haven't cooked monster meat before, but... it isn't difficult, is it?", earning a chuckle from me as I shook my head.
"A common misconception that people have is that monster meat is different than normal meat when it comes to preparing it. There is nothing different about it unless you are eating something incredibly strong, like a Minotaurum or a Lamia, in which case the meat is extremely tough and stringy. What makes monster meat better than normal meat is the mana lingering inside of the flesh, which bolsters your strength.
The preparation of the meat is the same, unless you are at a fancy restaurant or something, in which case people tend to use mana techniques to 'awaken' the mana to enhance the flavor, but there is no benefit to it. So just treat the meat like normal and you can get a much more beneficial intake of the things you need."
The young woman just nodded and watched me closely as I flipped the thick slabs of red meat yet again, browning them completely before I used a spoon to drench it in rich herb butter to finish cooking it.
It was amazing how little time it took to cook sometimes, and as I carried the pan over to the table I showed Wynn what we were eating, earning another surprised gasp from her as she looked over our plates.
A thick cut of meat braised in a rich butter, noodles that had only taken a few moments to prepare - tossed in a simple creamy sauce and topped with cheese - and then a small bowl of salad tossed with some vegetables and herbs to make the flavor even better.
Then there was the loaf of bread I had heated up and the pot of tea I had brewing on the stove still... magic was wonderful sometimes, really, since boiling water was merely a second away with the right spell.
"Get used to eating monsters, Wynn. It helps grow your muscles, bones and mana far more than most people realize, and it is a crucial step that everyone always rolls their eyes at. You would be surprised how few people take eating right seriously in our profession. Consider it your first lesson of sorts."