"How wonderful…"
"Look at how they dance!"
"Ogres. They hath changed not. Still, they know how to stir a crowd with spirited revelry and stirring showmanship."
It's our sixth day in Nomah. After obtaining the pilus follis egg from Manas and having sex on the second night, we spent our third to fifth days with the same patterns — brunches at restaurants, exploring the country by foot or magic carpet ride, and returning to the hotel for dinner, shared baths, and, of course, sex again. As for today, we're in a busy plaza where a dance performance has drawn a huge crowd.
A group of ogres perform in perfect rhythm. The male ogres sit cross-legged in a semicircle, playing goblet drums, tambourines, and finger cymbals. The female ogres dance at the center as their hips sway, their torsos twist, and their arms ripple like waves caught in the wind. The performance is dazzling. Every motion is confident, flowing, and captivating.
Aside from Yomogi, Chantal, and Manas, who are amazed by the performance... there is also Salacia, who leans in flirtatiously to me.
"Darling~… what would you think if I danced like that~?"
"Umm… it'd be good. Very good."
And she winks, giggling again as if she already knew.
"Teehee~... of course I will~..."
Kimberly gives her thoughtful opinion.
"It's… quite... sensual. Even if... modestly so… those movements... are flawless…"
Pinna analyzes as usual.
"Observed: synchronization of motion and rhythm is exceptional. Each movement reinforces the music's beat. Conclusion: highly pleasing sensory alignment. Visually and audibly… satisfactory."
They're both right. The dance itself is graceful and elegant, but what makes it look erotic is how the dancers are dressed. Most of them wear things that expose their upper and lower bodies, and only a tiny amount of covering in their private parts.
And Salacia's comment is also spot-on. I mean, if those ogre dancers can make this work, then the girls here, all with far more voluptuous figures, would absolutely stun in outfits like these. Even though Salacia has the smallest bust among the six, she's still far surpassing the ogres in curves, and she would look insanely good in one of those outfits.
When the final drumbeat sounds, the crowd bursts into applause. Coins fly through the air as people toss their tips into a large bowl near the stage. And we also do the same as I pull out a silver coin and toss it underhand, which is a fair amount for me. The dance itself was amazing, the girls also clearly enjoyed it, and I just got a new desire to obtain those outfits for them.
"Should we go now?"
"Yes!"
And just like that, we move to our next destination.
"Welcome, welcome!"
A middle-aged ogre woman greets us from the entrance of the boutique, smiling warmly.
"Whoa! There are so many of them!"
It only took us barely three minutes of strolling after the plaza before I spotted this boutique. And here it is: racks upon racks of the exact dancer outfits we saw during the performance earlier. I take my time scanning the options, moving my eyes from the outfits to the girls beside me, and nod.
"Okay."
With that, I point to several specific pieces from the display.
"Excuse me, can I have this, this, this, this, this, and... this, please? In eight sets."
"Oh, absolutely! Thank you for such a generous order! Each set is two large silver coins, so that'll be one gold and six large silvers in total."
After I pay the coins, I ask the woman again.
"By the way, can you adjust it to fit their bodies?"
"Yes, that's fine! Normally I would charge for alterations, but since you bought so much, I'll do it for free!"
"Thank you! Appreciate it."
After that, I lean close toward the girls and whisper something, and their reactions are immediate...
"I'm really looking forward to seeing you all in these outfits tonight. I'm sure you'll look beautiful."
"Ah... Motegi-chan…"
"M-Motegi-kun... you..."
"Motegi-sama… so suddenly…"
"Emotional surge… detected… unexpected warmth in chest module, Master…"
"You're such a tease, darling~..."
"M-Mine king… such brazenness… thou woundeth mine composure…"
Their bodies squirm subtly, cheeks burning with embarrassment and anticipation.
"Alright then, ladies, come with me to the back. I'll adjust it so that it fits your bodies perfectly."
"Go ahead, everyone."
"Yes!"
And then, the ogre woman leads them to the cloth-covered back of the stall, where the clothes are altered to fit their bodies. A few minutes later, the woman returns, holding a large bag and handing it over to me.
"Sorry for the wait, dear. Thank you for your purchase!"
"Thank you."
With that, we step out from the boutique and head back towards the streets.
"Welcome, young man! Looking for some fine cuts today? Just got fresh lindworm and wyvern here!"
"Yes, I'll take the best cuts you've got. All of them."
"Now that's the spirit! I'll prepare them right away!"
We stop by a market, and a middle‑aged male ogre beams at me from behind his stall that has massive slabs of meat. Ever since I tasted that lindworm meat at my first brunch in this country, I can't wait to buy that meat for home, and of course I have to get the wyvern too. Although, if lindworm is rich and fatty like pork, then wyvern is more like lean, wild game... yet the two of them are still really good.
Behind me, I hear Manas chat with Salacia.
"It is amusing... that I dine upon mine kin…"
"Hehehe~… I'm the same when I eat octopus or squid~…"
They aren't wrong, though.
According to Kimberly, wyverns and lindworms are also descended from ancient reptilian creatures like dragons, just as how squids and octopuses are from ancient cephalopods like krakens. But unlike dragons and krakens, those animals never bonded with elemental forces, and they just evolved normally like species on Earth.
Which also means that not every ancient wolf and panther became wolfkin like Yomogi and pantherkin like Chantal, because only the ones influenced by elements did. So, wild canines and big cats still do exist here.
And let me tell you further about monsters. While beastkin, including dragons and animals, and normal animals share the same origins, monsters don't descend from anything. They just appear and take the form of the existing animals or plants like anomalies, which is why they have such unique abilities.
"Here you go! They're 3 large silver coins in total, lad."
The ogre returns, handing me a neatly bundled stack of meat. And once I pay him and secure the package, we move to the next stall that sells desert-grown crops — dates, pomegranates, figs, lentils, chickpeas, and sesame seeds. And I ask Yomogi what she wants.
"What do you want to get, Yomogi?"
"All of them! They all look so delicious, Motegi-chan!"
With that, I tell the ogre woman behind the stall.
"You heard her. We'll take a bit of everything. Ah! And the aloe vera too, please."
"Of course, dear. I'll pack up the best for you."
Luckily, I spot aloe vera on the other side of the baskets, so I think I should get some too to add more variants for my toiletries. After sorting and scooping, the ogre woman bundles up our selection and hands it over, and I pay her the coins.
"They're six silver coins in total, young man."
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
After that, we move to another stall, and the second female ogre waves us over, gesturing proudly to her colorful display. Kimberly and Pinna lean in to the baskets.
"Come, come! You've got to see fresh spices and coffee, the best in Nomah!"
"It's… not only colorful… but fragrant… warm... and complex…"
"Confirmed. Composition matches traditional Nomah brew. Thick, spiced, and heavily roasted. A standard regional staple."
And with that, I point across the display to the ogre woman.
"I'll take a mix of these spices and a portion of that coffee, please."
"Excellent choices. Just a moment."
She moves quickly, wrapping the sumac, saffron, cumin, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, hyssop, and coffee beans before handing them to me.
"They're one large silver and one silver coin in total, young man."
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
After I pay and secure the bundle, we step away from the stall. And then, Chantal nudges me with her elbow.
"You've still got one more stop in mind, haven't you, Motegi-kun?"
"Correct."
Yeah, she's not wrong.
There's still one place I need to visit. A place outside of this market plaza that has the goods Nomah is truly famous for. So, I turn to the girls again.
"Shall we go now?"
"Yes!"
With that, we make our way toward our next stop. And arriving there...
"Sure, young man. You can buy it."
"Really?! Awesome, thank you!"
The place I visit is none other than a desert mining site. Since Nomah is known for gold mining, I obviously want to stock up and get my hands on some of their raw precious metal ores for the store. But honestly, I wasn't sure if outsiders were allowed to make purchases here, so when this male ogre said that, it was a pleasant surprise for me.
"Umm.. I'll take a gold ore, a silver ore, and a platinum one too."
"Understood!"
The ogre nods and heads toward the storage area, lifting three rough, unrefined chunks and bringing them over to me.
"Gold ore is six gold coins and six large silver coins, silver ore is eight silver coins, and platinum ore is two gold and four large silver coins. So they're nine gold coins and eight silver coins in total."
"Here you go."
"Much obliged, young man. Hope your work goes well."
"Thank you!"
Once I hand over the coins and store the ores into my dimensional inventory, we leave the site behind. As we walk, Manas suddenly scoffs at me.
"Hmph. Foolishness. I possess countless treasures wrought from finest gold, why didst thou not ask me, mine king?"
"I told you, right? That treasure is yours, not mine. Besides, I need raw ores for my store too."
"Tch, whatever thou wilt."
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that Manas already knows I have a store in Remantia. And since she'll obviously be coming back with us tomorrow, I've been wondering where exactly she'll fit in because she mentioned wanting to work at the shop. Although it was mostly just because Salacia, another ancient being like her, already did.
But even with these new ores in my inventory… I've only come up with one use so far for the utensils in Yomogi's kitchenware section. I still can't come up with a new section idea for Manas yet.
Well, maybe something will come to me once we're home. And speaking of Yomogi, she turns to me curiously.
"Motegi-chan, is there anywhere else you want to go?"
"No. That was the last one."
Actually, I did think about visiting Nomah's black gold refinery, though. I was curious how this world handles crude oil with medieval tech. But when I think again, I guess I don't need it, so it's better to wrap things up here than chase something I'll probably never use.
With that, I turn back to the others.
"Alright then, let's head back to the hotel, shall we?"
"Yes!"
And finally, we make our way to the hotel for our final night.
HOURS LATER
After our long afternoon of shopping, we came back to the hotel, soaked in a warm bath together, and now we're gathered here in our room, enjoying dinner. On the table are thick cuts of roasted za'atar wyvern, warm fig rolls, and cups of dried lemon tea.
Manas declares with a triumphant laugh, chewing with delight.
"Verily…! I thank thee, weak kin of mine blood… for falling easily and filling my belly this day! Thy sacrifice shall not be in vain, for thou art… most savory!"
Yomogi murmurs with a warm, dreamy smile.
"Mmm… the meat's so tender! And the zaatar makes it so fragrant!"
Kimberly nibbles slowly on a fig roll, nodding to herself.
"Mmm… this roll… is divine…"
Pinna gives her own commentary.
"The wyvern meat presents a firm yet juicy texture profile. The za'atar adds earthy and citrus-forward aromatics, balancing the meat's natural gaminess. The fig roll contains dense sweetness with mild caramelization. The dried lemon tea introduces an astringent brightness, ideal for post-meal digestion. Nutritional content: high protein, moderate fat, strong herb-based anti-inflammatory properties. Conclusion: satisfactory."
Salacia's cheeks are adorably puffed as she chews.
"Wyvern… so yummy…"
Chantal is already reaching for another piece, barely swallowing before speaking.
"Why didn't we ask for two of these? This is crazy good!"
I take a bite of my own meal. The wyvern is smoky, tender, and rich with flavor. The fig roll adds a soft, honeyed contrast, and the dried lemon tea is bright and soothing, tying it all together perfectly.
"Oh, wow... this is absolutely delicious..."
Once we've finished our dinner, we're sprawled comfortably across the big sofa in our room as I do something that makes the girls curious.
"Are you… doing it again… Motegi-sama?"
"I guess so, Kimberly."
"You really can't take your hands off it, can you, Motegi-kun?"
"Well, pretty much."
"Observation: repetitive nightly behavior targeted toward the egg. Hypothesis: Master believes there is a beneficial outcome to sustained tactile stimulation. However, I cannot determine whether the intended effect is emotional, biological, or magical in function. Master, what exactly is the purpose of this?"
"Ahaha... honestly, I don't really know either."
Then, I turn toward Manas beside me.
"Hey, Manas… does it really take six months to hatch?"
"Aye, 'tis as I spake. Half a mortal year must pass ere the creature breaketh free. And heed mine words: rubbing it so shall avail thee naught. Fondle the shell till sunrise if thou must, but the hatchling shall hasten not a whit."
"I see..."
I'm currently holding the pilus follis egg in my lap, stroking it slowly with [Fluffmaster] active. Ever since I got the egg, I've been doing this every night, and here's the reason why I do it.
Like Manas said earlier, she had told me it naturally takes six months for the pilus follis to hatch. Since it's a monster, you just can't speed up the process with injecting mana like what you used to see in anime because it won't react to mana. And if I did want to speed up, the only option would be bringing it to a labyrinth since monsters are anomalous creature, and labyrinths are full of anomalous energy, which I'll probably try when we return to Remantia.
But since we didn't come to Nomah for a labyrinth run, my curiosity kicked in. If [Fluffmaster] can influence beastkin like Yomogi and Chantal, maybe it could have some kind of effect on a monster egg too, so I keep doing it.
As I continue rubbing, Salacia kneels beneath me, rests her hands on my lap, and lays her chin on them while staring up at me with a dramatic pout.
"Darling~… you really prefer that egg over me…? Am I really that bad…?"
"No, no, it's not that. I'm just… still figuring out."
And I really am, so that's why I keep reassuring her because to this day, I still don't know what kind of physical affection [Fluffmaster] should mimic from an octopus or squid.
"I can't wait to see it hatch, Motegi-chan."
"Me too, Yomogi."
Manas also mentioned that the pilus follis' fur will match its egg, which means this soft aquamarine shell will turn into a tiny, fluffy creature in the exact same color.
So yeah, let's see what the future holds...