I smiled wryly, knowing Roxanne's words were far from a real explanation, especially with the confused and skeptical looks I was getting from the girls.
Even Sherry could only give a helpless smile at Roxanne's smug expression.
Truth be told, it was about time I sat the newer girls down and explained all the strange things about me. But the sun was already dipping below the horizon, and we hadn't even started making dinner yet.
"I'll explain everything after dinner," I said. A proper meal would calm their nerves and make them more receptive to what I had to say.
"Understood, Master," Roxanne replied with a nod. The others followed suit, still looking perplexed.
It was a bit awkward watching Roxanne ask Lillia to fetch some dry cloths from storage to clean up the water splashed on the floor from my Water Wall spell.
I should really hurry up and get some proper mirrors—casting Water Wall indoors wasn't exactly ideal after all.
Anastasia, Vesta, and Sherry began packing all the items back into the Explorer Bag, while Roxanne and Lillia mopped up the floor with Yasaka pitching in voluntarily.
The rest of the girls stayed mostly quiet, though I noticed Erina's purple eyes had been fixed on me with anticipation ever since I mentioned dinner.
"As a cook—and the famed God Tongue—would you like to take responsibility for dinner tonight, Erina?" I asked with a smile.
"Yes, leave it to me, Master," she replied, standing eagerly with a confident grin.
"Good. Roxanne, pick the girls who are confident in their cooking to assist her. Also, if anyone has food preferences or dislikes, make sure to communicate them before you start, do not be shy regarding that." I added seriously.
"Understood, Master," Roxanne said, setting the damp cloth aside.
"Also, Erina, we have a total of nineteen people here. Some of them might need a lot more food," I said, glancing at Vesta with a teasing smile. She looked down shyly. "So take your time and make as much food as you want. I don't want any of my girls starving or holding back in eating due to lack of food. In fact, it's better to make more than we need. Leftovers won't go to waste—we can just have them tomorrow. Especially since we can keep food fresh indefinitely."
"Yes, Master," Erina replied, though she seemed a little confused about the last part.
"Alright, I'm going to check the gate, you girls go and prepare dinner," I said, getting up and using Warp to step outside.
I appeared beside the iron gate. The surroundings were quiet, the sky painted a golden-orange by the setting sun, with icy mountains looming in the distance.
Haah.
I let out a long breath, then inhaled deeply. After staying in that packed room, the fresh air felt amazing.
Honestly, it was mentally exhausting being surrounded by so many girls. I found myself hyper-aware of everything—my posture, my words, even my smallest gestures.
Thirty-six eyes, all belonging to gorgeous girls, watching me. How could I not be self-conscious? Especially around the newer ones whom I wasn't close to yet. I didn't want to give them a bad impression, and I definitely didn't want them feeling uncomfortable or disgusted by anything I did, even if I was their Master.
"It's surely not easy to own and manage a large harem," I muttered with a sigh. Hopefully, this constant need to maintain some "perfect Master" image in front of the girls would fade over time. As it was quite taxing, mentally.
Still… every absurdly good deal in life comes with its cons. I should just grin, be grateful for this ridiculous opportunity, and adjust my mindset.
I stayed there for a while, watching the distant mountains. The peace was nice—until my thoughts started drifting toward worries about the future. That was my cue to stop idling.
After checking the empty mailbox and making sure the metal gate was locked, I warped back to the dining room—only to find it empty.
Voices drifted from the kitchen. I followed the sound and peeked inside.
There was Erina, in full force, her knives flashing as she sliced vegetables with precise, almost artistic movements.
The big kitchen was bustling. Several girls were chopping and prepping ingredients, but others—Kurou, Shea, Shera, Anastasia and Jasmine—were simply watching Erina in stunned silence.
"It's definitely a mesmerizing sight," I muttered, feeling like I was watching a live Shokugeki performance right in front of me.
I didn't step inside. Better to let them work in peace instead of flustering them.
We had stocked up for the week, so dinner tonight shouldn't be a problem, even with so many new mouths to feed. But starting tomorrow, I would have to send some girls grocery shopping regularly to make sure we always had surplus food.
The kitchen itself was spacious, with multiple pots, pans, counters, and sinks. Roxanne, Sherry, Lillia, Miria, Yasaka, Viviana, Ram, and Rem all moved efficiently, following Erina's instructions. She was clearly in her element—confidently juggling tasks, directing the others to switch between preparations seamlessly.
With her blonde hair tied back, her chef's attire neat, and her sleeves rolled up, she looked every bit like a celebrity chef from back on Earth.
"Do you use oil lamps here to light the fire, Roxanne-san?" Erina asked, placing a pot on the counter.
"Yes, let me bring one," Roxanne replied with a nod.
"No, let me do it, Roxanne-san. I can easily produce fire," Vesta said, patting her magnificent chest, which made Sherry's eyebrow twitch.
"Yes, that should be easy for a Dragonkin," Anastasia agreed.
Roxanne nodded, and Vesta—who had been standing to the side—stepped forward happily. She approached the stacked wood, opened her mouth, and released a bunch of glowing embers that set the logs alight with ease.
"Wow." The girls' voices echoed in awe as they stared at Vesta in surprise.
"It's not quite the Dragon Breath attack," I murmured, watching in fascination, "but she can definitely breathe embers."
As the idle girls crowded around a shy Vesta, peppering her with questions about how she had done that, I decided to slip away for now. Watching them—especially Erina—was entertaining in its own right, but I still had things to sort out.
Dinner for nearly twenty people was going to take a while, so I could return once I had finished my tasks.
First stop was the main bedroom, where I organized the spoils from today's auction, transferring some items into my inventory. I also took stock of my remaining finances.
This morning, I'd had over 5,000,000 Nars—approximately more than five platinum coins. Now, I was down to just one platinum coin, plus a handful of gold, silver, and copper.
I had blown through more than four platinum coins in just two auctions today!
"Spending what most families can't earn in their entire lifetime in a single day… is this what they call throwing your money away?" I chuckled dryly at my own extravagant spree.
"Just like Sherry said, I really need to watch my finances and make more money quickly, or I might end up in the red," I muttered with a wry smile.
Next, I used the Explorer's Bottle to prepare for a bath. I had been out all day, so I had missed the chance earlier. Tonight's bath would be a late one.
When I returned to the kitchen, several pots were already boiling, and Erina was working on a fish dish alongside Miria and Remu. The rest of the girls stood nearby, chatting among themselves.
The aroma drifting from the kitchen was enough to make my mouth water.
"I will still discuss the sleeping arrangements with Master and decide which rooms should go to whom after speaking with him," I heard Roxanne say.
"Two, three, or even four of us might have to share a bed," Sherry remarked.
"The rooms and beds are big enough. I think we can manage," Yasaka replied with a smile.
"Master is super kind to let us sleep in beds and eat delicious food like this," Shea said, wiping a line of drool as her eyes stayed glued to one of the boiling pots.
"It is indeed fortunate," Viviana added gently.
I smiled to myself, pleased that they were all getting along—at least for now.
I stepped away to the toilet to freshen up, and by the time I returned, the girls were carrying pots and plates into the dining room.
"Master, I already bought some extra plates and spoons when we went out to get things for the newer girls," Roxanne said as she came over.
"You're so thoughtful, Roxanne," I said, taking her hand.
She smiled beautifully.
"Master, dinner is ready," Erina called as she stepped out of the kitchen, wiping sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.
"Alright, all of you go freshen up, then we'll have dinner," I told them.
They nodded, and before long we were all seated at the table.
It was a sight to behold—pots and platters filled with all kinds of delicious-looking dishes covered the entire length of the table. The sheer amount of food was astonishing. For them to prepare all this in such a short time… Erina must have experience cooking for large groups.
"The smell alone is making me hungrier, Erina," I said with a smile.
It wasn't just me. I noticed more than a few of the girls discreetly wiping away drool as they stared at the spread—vegetable dishes, soups, roasted meats, fish cooked in various styles, and even plates of beautifully cut fruit slices that looked almost too pretty to eat.
"Thank you, Master. I hope the taste is to your liking as well," Erina replied with a polite smile.
"Alright then, Roxanne, why don't you serve my plate as the number one slave? After that, you girls can help yourselves," I said, glancing her way.
"But Master… shouldn't you be the one to serve us, as our Master? After all, it's all paid for with your money," she asked uncertainly.
"No," I said, shaking my head. "It'll take too long if I serve everyone myself. We're a family here. Going forward, the food won't just come from my money and effort—it will be something you girls help provide as well. So don't be shy—eat to your heart's content. In fact," I added with a more serious tone, "there will be punishments if I think you're not eating properly."
"Don't worry, Master. I will eat until my belly's full," Shea said with a laugh.
Several of the girls gave her a look, but they all still nodded in agreement.
Roxanne seemed genuinely pleased with my explanation. She stood up and began serving me generous portions from each dish. I even caught Miria glancing nervously at the fish platter when Roxanne took from it.
"Here, Master," Roxanne said, handing me the plate with a smile.
"Thank you, Roxanne," I replied warmly. As she sat back down, I looked at the girls, who were watching me patiently. "Go ahead and eat your fill—let's have a nice family dinner." I smiled, briefly debating whether I should say grace… or just "itadakimasu."
"Thank you, Master," Roxanne said, and the other girls echoed before they began serving themselves.
Turning to my plate, I tasted each dish carefully.
"Mmmm… this is delicious," I said aloud. "You're a really good cook, Erina."
"The others helped as well, Master," she replied humbly, though her face lit up at the praise.
The food was definitely delicious—not quite at the level of a "foodgasm," but comparable to dining at an expensive, high-end restaurant back on Earth. And here, in a world where most meals were bland and sparsely seasoned, it was nothing short of heavenly.
Before long, the silence at the table gave way to light chatter, and then to lively conversations. The spoons never stopped moving, though, and girls like Shera, Kunou and Shea didn't even pause to speak, fully focused on their plates.
"Delicious fish-desu," Miria said with a happy smile toward Erina.
Other girls soon followed, praising Erina for her cooking.
"Sob… sob… I am so blessed to have such delicious food—and to share it at the same table as my Master! Sob!" Vesta cried loudly, tears streaming as she bit into a piece of meat.
The scene—full of laughter, chatter, and even happy tears—filled me with warmth. The food was filling my stomach… and the girls were filling my once-lonely heart.
***
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