"Lord Edrick, you are right on time- They are just down the path leading to the residence" spoke Linmin, who was standing just in front of the path his lord always emerged from after a running session.
"Perfect, how long until they get here?"
"Seeing the pace they had… Thirty minutes perhaps? They seem to be taking an ample amount of breaks" clarified the servant.
"Then let's get ourselves changed… Why don't you put on one of the pretty dresses I bought for you?" he suggested to Fanqia who readily nodded and ran off into the residence, Edrick stretching a bit as he addressed Linmin again.
"I see that you put on a bit of makeup" he commented, what constituted makeup around here was mostly white powder meant to have one appear as fairer than they actually were.
"I wanted to be presentable in front of guests, I can't be bringing shame to you" replied the servant.
"And?"
"And I wanted to look prettier for you…" Linmin had already completely gotten used to dressing like a woman, which mustn't have been too much of a shock for him as he already was effeminate enough to look more like a girl than some actual women, even when dressed like a male.
"There is no need for that, I prefer you all natural, but I am touched that you care so much about what I think…" he ran finger through Linmin's yellow hair, the servant managing to stay still even as his heart began beating faster.
"Say, why do you dye your hair?" according to Zixuan's memories, his personal servant had had regular brown hair before deciding to start using dyes, yellow was but the latest colour, he had gone through quite a few flamboyant shades.
As per usual, Linmin was going to respond truthfully, but Edrick spoke again.
"You wanted me to pay more attention to you, right? How long has it been since you've been fantasising about becoming betrothed to your lord?" although it had originally been meant for the meek Zixuan, perhaps in an attempt to solve the former lord's perceived loneliness by offering himself up, Linmin had been simultaneously horrified by the changes brought about when Edrick took over, but also strangely excited.
Any change seemed like a good change in his lord's case, even if it involved unlawful activities and a complete change in personality.
"Yes, and- I don't really know, I have always had strong feelings for you, Lord Edrick, I do not know when they evolved to such a degree…"
"...I can't tell if you really want to reciprocate or if you are just taking pity on me… But if it's the latter, there is no need for you to stoop low and-"
"Shh" Anoteros put up one finger against Linmin's lips, silencing him instantly out of sheer shock at such a physical contact.
"Don't you worry, Linmin, I would never do anything that displeases me, I'll make you into my wife like I am doing with Fanqia, it is only a matter of time" slowly running his finger across the servant's lower lip, if not for the makeup, he would have gotten to see a highly reddened visage.
"Go and scrub that off, there is no need to hide anything, I don't choose to own anyone with flaws I would want to see covered up" with a snap of his fingers, Linmin nodded and rushed off to do as he was told, Edrick chuckling to himself, truly, even locked away into this residence, Zixuan Elt had been sitting on gold just waiting to be processed.
Since he had also sweated like a pig in a sauna, Anoteros also ought to change into other clothing, to be presentable in front of his in-laws, whilst he was at it, he consumed the wisps of knowledge, being mostly informed of additional ways of power, probably as an encouragement to go out and experiment with them all.
But once again, the most important intel pertained to Xiao and the script, before, he had only known a little bit about whatever narrative was going on in this shabby little town, having assumed that it was just a sort of checkpoint near the beginning of the hero's journey, where he was supposed to bag his first girl and show how heroic he was by beating up a random antagonist.
And this guess had been mostly correct, Xiao, or the random guy piloting him right now were just beginning the story, being the underdog protagonist, he was supposed to be heading to a powerful cultivation sect to learn combat and realise his true potential, fairly classic plot to all types of fiction.
Of course, there was a wrench in the mechanism as the snippets of script Edrick was given concerned the story the otherworlders within Xiao would have read, so this fellow already knew a lot, if not all of the plot points and thus, should already be aware of whatever made the main character the main character.
And this was exactly what Anoteros was just informed of, and thankfully, it wasn't anything too powerful, the protagonist was just the lost son of random important figure, his talent and ultra-fast ability to progress were sealed as a baby and it was at this sect that it would be unsealed after a while of getting stepped on like a vagrant dog, which was weird as even when sealed, he would be clearly making good progress anyways.
'Mmh… So he will be weak when he gets here? Explains why Zixuan had to be so utterly pathetic…' in a good mood at the prospect of getting to meet this otherworlder, Edrick changed into the more overwhelmingly long and stuffy clothes that were apparently signs of wealth.
This particular attire was a shade of copper, although not quite fitting his dark hair and deep purple eyes colour-wise, the fact that it was but a single unified colour allowed for more leeway.
As for Fanqia, when she showed up again and instantly went for a hug, she was wearing a dark red dress, which like pretty much all clothing worn by those that were not peasants, was very robe-like, although he had also gotten her some more revealing and tight-fitting garments, Edrick was actually more of a fan of dressed-up women, when they wore clothes that is.
Her ample breasts and bosom could barely be made out, but for one who had gotten to experience the whole package, it was easy to see.
"What do you think, Lord Anoteros?" Fanqia asked, her velvet eyes staring at him as she showed off.
"Beautiful, did you clean your mouth?" he asked a completely unrelated question.
"Yes?"
"Come here then" he picked Fanqia up, easily taking her to a couch which had been positioned right in front of the residence's entrance.
With just a simple and short kiss on the way there, he got his wife all riled up again, so she got extra-clingy, making for a most romantic look for those who might look, Fanqia seating on Edrick's lap with her arms wrapped around him, refusing to let go, rubbing her face and head against his chest and neck amorously.
He himself simply held onto her with one hand casually holding the waist.
Soon enough, Linmin arrived as well, dressed in a cute, light green dress that showed basically no skin, the uneducated eye incapable of perceiving that it was no flat-chest maid but a delicate little butler crossdressing.
"They are here" stated the servant, waiting for his lord's confirmation to go and open the door as those of peasantry standing behind it did not dare to do as much as knock, or ring the small bell.
"Say, Fanqia… What would you think if I decided to bed a woman of your family?"
"Lord Anoteros, you can do whatever you want, it isn't my place to tell you anything on such a matter"
"Good girl"
And thus, the door was opened.