The Kingdom Church of Porca.
Though small, it has a tradition that spans over a century and serves as an important facility for the wisdom and entertainment of this little town.
When described like this, most people would ask, "Isn't Porca's entertainment just about sake and hot springs?" While some old men do enjoy sake to excess, it’s only a small group who feel that way. Hot springs are part of daily life for commoners, but they aren’t the primary source of fun. Occasionally, there are those who claim that soaking in a hot spring is enough to make life perfect, but generally speaking, baths serve the purpose of soothing tired bodies and washing away dirt, even if it’s Porca's sacred springs. Calling this the ultimate entertainment would be like saying sleep is the best form of recreation—rather dull when you think about it.
However,
Porca's various festivals are organized by the church temple, which also continuously shares music, songs, dances, or accumulated folktales from across the country with the townspeople.
In cities, temples had already begun to be seen as facilities for weddings and funerals, but in this simple time, in this simple town, a temple was something “fun.”
But,
“…………”
Elf Laure of the Gold Clan has been struggling since she started working as a temporary teacher at that church temple recently.
Laure’s job is teaching arithmetic to children. Though they don’t always take their studies seriously, her low height seems to make her more approachable or perhaps it's due to an unexpected effect from what looks like a whip—either way, the kids remember well whatever she teaches them, and this has earned her praise from priests and parents alike.

However, recently non-child entities have started mixing in with the children.

Parents watching their kids' classes wouldn't be confused. In fact, quite a few parents take ten minutes to look at them while they're on work breaks. It's actually welcome for teachers when the kids sit up straight and behave well so as not to get scolded by those parents but praised instead.

But Azel and Rizele’s cat sisters are sitting in the very front of the class for some reason.

“...Hey, you two.”

“?”

“Meow?”

“What are you doing here? Didn’t you have work at Schneider's inn?”

“My big sister usually does it so I’m fine.”

“No she doesn't.”

“...Well. It’s really hard to say this but honestly, you’re kind of in the way.”

“Eh.”

“It’s fine, right? The story about Laurel is interesting.”

“I didn’t mean to tell an interesting story… This is just a lesson for kids and it won’t make any sense to you guys.”

“What?”

“You don’t know anything?”

Azel and Rizel shook their brightly colored tea tiger cat hair in confusion.

Hearing this, the children behind them started making noise.

“Really?”

“Are cat-humanoids pretty dumb?”

“Don’t call us that! No one ever tells us stuff like this.”

"Even if you don't know, you can survive in the desert colony as long as you can hunt!"

"Yeah, that's cool. Maybe I should live in the desert too."

"You can’t even hunt."

"Shut up. If these dumb cats can do it, so can I."

"In our colony we hunt in dungeons."

"And sometimes people die if they get careless. The monsters are dangerous."

“……”

The boy turned pale after hearing Maple’s sisters’ matter-of-fact explanation about desert life. When they mentioned monsters, they were referring to mad wolves. These creatures had occasionally invaded the town before, and for those who knew their terror, it was insane to think of hunting them.

"Okay, okay. You can listen too, but stay back a bit. The kids have lower heads."

“Meow.”

“Meow.”

The cat sisters moved to another seat, though they seemed a little disgruntled.

“Hey-hey, by the way, is it true that all the cat-humanoids get fucked by that pervert Andy?”

The boy who had just turned pale quickly recovered and whispered an inappropriate question to the cat sisters who had moved closer to him.

“Nope, not everyone.”

“Barbara hasn’t gotten any either.”

“…What about the others?”

“I dunno, I guess so?”

“We have.”

“Hey, stop it! Don’t talk about weird stuff during class!”

“…C’mon, if I’m doing something with perverted Andy then it’s okay right? Can you let me feel your boobs a little later too?” (whispering)

“No.”

“My master is my master so he can. You’re just saying stupid things because you’re an idiot. If you want to touch mommy’s breasts…”

The cat girls refused the boy’s lewd request without mercy. The boy turned red and embarrassed, while the other children burst out laughing.

“Behave yourself!”

Laurie threw a piece of chalk that hit both the cat girl and the boy on their foreheads with a bang.

‘Ouch!’

“Guh!”

“We’ll do perverted stuff later! Right now we’re doing math!”

With a single swing of her arm, she could fire three shots. Laurel had developed some strange skills. By the way, as interactions with catkin colonies increased, the need for primary education grew, and eventually Laurel would end up teaching at a private school for them.

"Fennel's right; Jeanne-san and Selen probably can't even move properly..." Fennell said worriedly.

Jeanne was still okay, but there was no way they could make her do carpentry work with the heavy belly she had. If only she were lighter, it would be a different story.

"I just have to give Peter my boobs every now and then; I'm not completely useless at physical labor."

"Even though I can't do carpentry, I can handle simple design work and calculations for materials needed. Besides, there's no need to rush it all in one day—I can help out after the baby is born."

"That's true..."

"It seems like she could give birth any time now," Iryna and Kristi said as they looked at each other.

"If you need help, why don't you call Maronne or Millie? And I think Oregano and Sebory could do carpentry work too, even if they aren’t officially trained."

"I wonder..."

Fennel made a difficult face.

"Anyway, the Gold family is known for having lots of skilled workers,"

"That may be true, but those kids don't have to take over their families' businesses or anything..."

"Just let them try. If they can't do it, then Jeanne will just end up doing more work."

"I suppose that's true..." Fennel looked worried. Selen, who had taken a seat from Christie, sat down with a sigh and said, "You shouldn’t be like this. When there’s no specialist around, you should try anything. Even if it seems like a valid excuse to say something is out of your league or too difficult, the fact that you can rely on someone else means you’re in a fortunate position. If necessary, even amateurs and beginners will get better with practice."

"Of course, when Selen says it, it carries more weight."

"Look, even Apple can do all sorts of things when she has to. So why don't you give it a try? There's no reason carpentry is only for men, and if you need help with the heavy lifting, you can ask Jeanne or Blue Dragon’s people. If you're not satisfied with the end result, you can always rebuild it. You have plenty of time to practice since you’re a long-lived species."

"...Maybe that's true. While I've been saying there are fewer elves, I was still thinking too much in terms of group dynamics," Fennel admitted.

Christie looked at Selen with admiration.
"You really do think differently about people than most, Selen. Once you start leading others, it’s easy to get caught up in ability and numbers."

"That's because Elves are so stable and long-lived that we tend to narrow our perspective. Anyone can do a lot more than they think they can, and there's no need for everything to be perfect," Selen said.

Jeanne crossed her arms (Peter had been left with Selen) as she nodded.
"Right. Even if you're Andy’s slave girl and haven’t done anything erotic before, when he asks you to do something and praises you, you’ll realize there's more to yourself than what you thought. Many girls say it feels like they’re reborn, but in the end, clinging only to their strengths isn't always good. It's a great opportunity, so I think you should try doing as much for Andy as possible."

"Like building the hot spring cabin and even the erotic content," Christie added.

"If you think of everything as being for Andy, starting new tasks won’t be hard at all. Whether it’s carpentry or blacksmithing or erotic skills, just think that they might lead to your dream play someday... I'd like a special hot spring so we can do hot spring duty," Jeanne said.

“Mm, so I’m on hot spring duty?”

“A whole day spent waiting in the hot springs. When Andy takes a dip, you just casually slip your dick inside him and wait until he’s satisfied before relaxing again… That sounds like being treated as equipment.”

“That’s pretty much what my master usually does…”

“Oddly enough, it’s hard to get frisky in the hot springs except when we’re locked up in the barrier prison.”

“I’d love a whole night of carefree slow sex while bathing. No rough movements, just keeping your dick inside me all night long…♪”

“Hmm. If that’s what you want, then I suppose… I might give it a try too.”

“And I would like to sip sake and enjoy the sight of Andy’s cum in a moon-viewing bath… Oh no, is that a bit vulgar?”

“You’re just now getting embarrassed, Christie?”

“It looks as though Andy will be rendered helpless by you, Christie♪”

As they chattered excitedly, the afternoon at Baroness’s residence passed.

"Maronne, I hope you don't mind me asking this."

"Yes?"

At that moment, Maronne and Oregano were helping Marie with her cooking at her house to learn how to make "mom's taste."

"You're such a good girl, I think someone much better than Andy would want you. So… maybe it’s best if you stop playing around like a slave or something weird like that?"

"Wh-what…?"

"I've heard that when the moon is full, beastmen get way more horny than humans do. Even though it's part of their nature, I can understand why it might make you feel bad about yourself during those times. But even so, there’s no need for Maronne to call herself a slave just because others do… Andy’s an idiot who got carried away with that idea and spread it around to ten or twenty people, but you don’t have to be like them too, right? There are plenty of men in any big town who would love and cherish someone as modest and cute as Maronne. If you want me to stop Andy from saying mean things about you, I can do that."

"...No, thank you."

"No? But Trot’s treatment of women is even worse than what they call ‘male dominance over females.’"

"I… I want to have your child here… not with some random person who might take care of me but with my master who would dote on me a lot... That's why I’ve stayed, so..."

Peeling potatoes and looking down, Maronne.

Marone looked like she was about to cry, and Marie raised her hands in surrender.

"...Huh. I always wonder what that kid did."

She turned back toward the pot with a tired expression and slumped her shoulders.

"I told you, Auntie. Everyone really loves our master, and they do it willingly," Oregano said as she handed over some chopped herbs and smiled.

"We've already checked on all the cat kids, right? I was wondering if one or two might have been left out, but almost everyone who got involved is someone we haven't seen before. When their passion cools down, they'll probably think to themselves, 'What am I doing?'"

"I don't know... Every time he goes on an adventure, he seems to become more and more charming. And at least for us elves, when it comes to the opposite sex, we're a stubborn species that doesn't easily change our minds. So I doubt they'll cool down so quickly."

"It feels like they're being fooled..."

"That's because you see him as your child. You can't understand his charm," Oregano said.

"Absolutely not. There isn't anyone who cares about Andy more than me, right? That's just how parents are."

“Ah, yeah… but that’s different from wanting to be loved by Master and becoming a part of his life,”

“Hmm… as parents, we want to stop our children before they get hurt in front of us. But this is like the harem of some king. That boy is my son, made with my foolish husband’s seed.”

Oregano laughed awkwardly, then became serious.

“…A king needs many wives because he’s a part of the system. But Master… Andy Smisson shoulders more power than anyone else to make the women he loves smile. I don’t want him to be disappointed by that effort, so everyone gathers their strength for his sake and he expresses love for them. It’s not a harem as a system but something that naturally came together. If he’s happy with us being females, we’ll gladly give ourselves over to him. Maybe it sounds self-conscious, but I don’t think the laws made in old times for someone else will fit us.”

“…I don’t see him as such an important person.”

“Even if so, I’ll be his slave until he dies,”

Oregano said with a clear smile.

The town of Polka was enveloped by the sunset.
To the south, Andy was leaping into another adventure they didn’t know about.
Each one thought about the day they would meet him again.

The Polka Temple of the Kingdom Church.
Small as it may be, it possesses a tradition spanning over a century and serves as a vital facility, responsible for much of the wisdom and entertainment found in this tiny town.
When presented with such a description, most people would retort, "Isn't Polka's entertainment just booze and hot springs?" However, the group looking forward to nothing but alcohol is limited to a handful of old men. While the hot springs are indeed integrated into the daily lives of the common folk, they could never be considered the primary form of entertainment. There are, of course, a few eccentrics who might claim that life is perfect as long as there's a hot spring to visit, but ordinarily, the purpose of a bath is to soothe a tired body and wash away grime—and that remains true even for Polka's sacred spring, which possesses special miraculous properties. To call this the ultimate form of entertainment would be like saying "sleep is the greatest pleasure"; by any normal standard, it's a rather bleak sentiment.

It is not that.
The role of the temple is to host Polka's various festivals and to ceaselessly transmit music, song, dance, and the folk tales accumulated throughout the kingdom to the townspeople.
In the cities, the perception of temples had already begun to shift toward being merely "facilities for life's ceremonies," but in this simple era and this simple town, the temple was something "fun."

However.
"…………"
Laurie, an elf of the Gold Clan who had recently begun serving as a temporary teacher at that very temple, was perplexed.
Her assigned duty was to teach arithmetic to the children. She struggled with students who were quite reluctant to study seriously, but whether it was due to the rapport gained from her short stature or the effect of her—unimaginable to some—use of the "whip," she was well-regarded by priests and parents alike because the children remembered what she taught them well.

But lately, individuals who were not children had begun to mingle in the classroom.
An adult watching their own child's lesson would not be a cause for confusion. In fact, quite a few parents would drop by for about ten minutes while running errands. For a teacher, it is a welcome thing when children straighten their posture to avoid being scolded by—or rather, to be praised by—those parents.

The problem was that, for some reason, the cat sisters, Azel and Rizel, were sitting in the very front row of the class.

"...Hey, you two."

"?"

"Nya?"

"Why are you here? I'm pretty sure you have work to do at Mr. Schneider's inn."

"Big sis does most of it, so it's fine-nya."

"Yeah."

"...Um. This is very hard to say, but honestly, you're a bit in the way."

"Ehh."

"Come on. Laurie's stories are interesting~"

"I don't intend for these to be 'interesting stories'... This is a lesson for children, and it has no meaning for you two."

"?"

"It's all stuff we don't know, though?"

Azel and Rizel looked on with puzzled expressions, their bright ginger-striped hair swaying in unison.

Hearing this, the children in the back began to stir.

"For real?"

"Are cat-beastmen actually pretty stupid?"

"Don't call us stupid! There's nobody to teach us this stuff!"

"Even if you don't know it, you can survive in the desert colonies as long as you can hunt!"

"Ehh, sounds nice. Maybe I'll move to the desert too."

"You can't even hunt, you know."

"Shut up. If these stupid cats can do it, so can I."

"In our colony, we hunt in labyrinths, though~"

"You'll die sometimes if you let your guard down. Since you're up against monsters and all~"

"…………"

The boy who had made such a flippant remark turned pale as the Maple sisters casually revealed the harsh reality of the desert.

When they spoke of monsters around here, they meant the Mad Wolves. On several occasions, wolves with the physique of horses had encroached upon the town, and to those who knew that terror, such talk was nothing short of madness.

"That's enough, that's enough. Look, you can keep listening, but move further to the back. The children are lower down than you."

"Meow."

"Meow."

The cat sisters moved to a different seat, looking slightly dissatisfied.

"Hey, hey, by the way—is it true that all the cat-beastfolk get gross stuff done to them by that total pervert Andy?"

The boy, who had turned pale just moments ago, recovered quickly and whispered the lewd question to the cat sisters as they settled into nearby seats.

"Not all of us~"

"Barbara hasn't had anything done to her~"

"...What about everyone else?"

"Hmm, I wonder?"

"We do, though."

"Hey, you two! No inappropriate talk during class!"

"...Hey, if you're doing it with that pervert Andy, then it's fine, right? Let me touch your boobs a little later, too (←whispering)."

"No."

"Master is Master, so it's fine. I hate you because you keep saying stupid things. Go touch Mama's boobs instead."

The cat girls were utterly merciless in response to the boy's wicked request. The boy turned bright red, his dignity utterly shattered, while the surrounding children burst into laughter.

"That is... enough!"

The piece of chalk thrown by Laurier struck the foreheads of both the cat girl and the boy with a sharp crack.

"Ow!?"

"Gugh!?"

"Save the dirty talk for later! Right now, it's math!"

A triple shot with a single swing of her arm. Laurier's strange skills were beginning to develop.

Incidentally, as interactions with the cat-beastfolk colony increased, the need for primary education grew, and it would be much later before Laurier eventually found herself serving as a teacher for a private school for them.

---

"Even if we try to reach out to them, I don't think Jeanne-san or Selene-san can move around freely enough..."

Fennel said, looking troubled.

Jeanne was one thing, but there was no way anyone would let Selene, who was clutching her heavy abdomen, do any carpentry. If she were unencumbered, she looked like the type who would try anyway.

"All I have to do is give Peter boobs from time to time; it's not like I can't do heavy lifting myself."

"I can't do carpentry, but I can handle simple designs—like calculating the necessary lumber. Besides, it's not like we have to finish everything in a single day. I can start helping in earnest after I give birth."

"That's true..."

"It won't be long before the baby arrives, after all."

Aline and Christie exchanged looks.

"If we're short-handed, we could just call Marone-san or Milyl-san from the cat tribe. And while I'm just assuming, wouldn't Oregano-san and Sebori-san be capable of some carpentry too?"

"I wonder..."

Fennel wore a troubled expression.

"I've heard that clan is full of skilled artisans to begin with."

"That's true, but those kids aren't specifically heirs to the craft..."

"Why not just let them try? If they can't do it, it only means Jeanne's workload will increase."

"That might be true, but..."

Fennel remained anxious. Selene, who had been offered a seat by Christie, sat down heavily, looking somewhat like a seasoned expert as she remarked, "That's not how it works."

"Regardless of the situation, if you say there are no specialists, you should just try everything yourself. Claiming something is 'not your forte' or 'outside your expertise' might sound like a valid excuse, but having the luxury of someone else to rely on is actually a huge privilege—it's quite spoiled. If it's necessary, you can pick it up as you go, even if you're clumsy or unskilled. 'Putting the right person in the right place' is a maxim that only applies when you have an abundance of people."

"When it comes from Selene, it certainly carries weight."

"Look, even Apple has become capable of doing all sorts of things once they were forced to try. That's why you should just give it a little effort. There’s no logic that says carpentry must be a man's domain, and if you need strength, you can just ask Jeanne or the Blue Dragon folks. And if you're dissatisfied with the finished product, you can always rebuild it. Since you're long-lived, you have plenty of time to practice."

"...I suppose you're right. Even while saying the number of elves is decreasing, it seems I've been thinking too much through the logic of the collective."

Fennel conceded.
Christie looked at Selene intently, appearing impressed.

"Your way of managing people really is different, Selene. Since I started leading people, I tend to get blinded by aptitude and numbers."

"That's only because elves tend to suffer from tunnel vision due to our stability and longevity. Anyone can do something once they actually try it, and not everything needs to be perfect."

At Selene's words, Jeanne nodded with her arms crossed (having entrusted Peter to Selene).

"That's right. Even a girl who's never done anything erotic as Andy's female slave would realize she's more than just what she thought of herself once Andy wants her and praises her. Many girls say they feel like they've been reborn, but I think it's no good if they just end up clinging to what they're already good at. Since this is a good opportunity, I think it's best to try as many things as possible for Andy's sake."

"That goes for making the hot spring hut, and the erotic stuff too~"

"Whatever it is, if you think of it as being for Andy, starting a new skill won't feel like a burden. Whether it's carpentry, blacksmithing, or erotic techniques, you just have to think of it as something that will eventually lead to the play you long for. ...If we get a dedicated hot spring like that, I'd love to do a 'hot spring attendant' play."

"Hm, a hot spring attendant?"

"I'd wait in the hot spring all day, and once Andy soaks in, I'd slowly slide my cock in, and once he's satisfied, I'd just rest in the spring again... I want to be used like a piece of bath equipment♪"

"Isn't that just what Master does in the hot springs all the time...?"

"It's a situation you can't really get wild in the hot springs, so it's something you can only do outside of the Barrier Prison."

"I want to do a night of carefree, slow-sex bathing~ Without any vigorous hip thrusting, just keeping him inside me the whole time♪"

"Hmm. If that's the case, then I... I'd also like to try..."

"I'd love a moon-viewing bath where I serve him sake while being treated to his cock-juice... Oh dear, is that a bit too indecent?"

"A bit late for that, Christie."

"I can almost see Andy-san being completely melted by Lady Christie♪"

With the conversation growing more boisterous, the afternoon at the Baron's estate passed by.

---

"Marone, dear. I want you to listen without taking offense."

"Yes?"

Meanwhile, at Marie's house, Marone and Oregano were helping Marie with cooking in an attempt to master "Mother's home cooking."

"A good girl like you could find a much better man than a good-for-nothing like Andy. So, um... wouldn't it be better to stop with the whole... female slave and strange playing business?"

"Eh..."

"I've heard that beastmen's sexual desire becomes much stronger than humans during the lunar cycle. Even if it's a racial trait, I understand feeling a bit ashamed if there's a period where you become that lewd. But even so, I don't think you should call yourself a 'dray'... yes, a slave. Andy is a fool, so he just goes along with it with a grin, and apparently, he's spreading that to ten or twenty others... but just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you have to be the same, Marone. A girl as modest, cute, and hardworking as you... I think there are plenty of men in the big cities who would love you with their whole lives. If you say it's bad for Andy, I'll be the one to shut him up."

"...I... I don't want to."

"...You don't? I think the treatment in Trot is so bad it's almost beyond misogyny."

"I... I want to bear Master's child, here... Not with some stranger who will cherish me, but I want to be loved by Master... I've always intended to be... and yet..."

Marone looked down as she peeled the potatoes.
Seeing Marone with her ears pinned back, looking as if she were about to burst into tears, Marie raised her hands in surrender.

"...Sigh. I wonder what on earth that boy has done."
She turned back to the pot with a weary expression, her shoulders slumped.

"That's what I told you, Mother. Everyone truly loves Master, and we're all doing this of our own accord."
Oregano smiled as she handed over the chopped herbs.

"Well, I've confirmed all the 'kittens' now. And... hmm, I was suspicious that at least one of you might be getting swept away. But most of you are experiencing this for the first time, aren't you? I feel like once the passion cools, you'll start thinking, 'What on earth am I doing?'"

"Who knows? It feels like Master becomes more and more charming every time he goes on an adventure... And at least for us elves, we're the type of race that's quite persistent—or rather, hard to change our hearts regarding the opposite sex—so I don't think we'll cool down that easily."

"I still feel like you're all being deceived..."

"That's only because you're her mother. Because you view us as children, you can't quite grasp Master's charm."

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't think there is a woman who cares for Andy as much as I do. That's just what a parent does."

“Ah, um... but it’s, well, different from our desire to be loved by Master, or our wish to become a part of his daily life.”

“Hmm... As a parent, I suppose I just want to stop my son when he’s doing something impossible, and stop my daughters when they seem to be misunderstanding things, before they get hurt in strange ways... But at this rate, it’s like any other King's harem. That boy is my son, created from the seed of my foolish husband, you know?”

Oregano gave a troubled smile, then her expression turned slightly serious.

“...A King simply needs many wives because he is a part of the institution known as kingship. But Master... Andy Smyson takes upon his shoulders a greater burden than anyone else, all to bring a smile to the women he loves. I don't want him to face defeat, so many people are gathering their strength; he expresses his love for the sake of their smiles... It isn't a harem as an institution, but a gathering that formed out of necessity. If he finds joy in the fact that we are his females, then naturally, we wish to devote ourselves to that—it is as simple as that. It might sound self-important to put it this way, but I am certain that we cannot be contained by laws created in an old era for the sake of someone else.”

“...I don't see him as being quite that much of a person. Not my Andy.”

“Even if that were true, I will surely remain his female slave until the very moment he dies.”

Oregano spoke with a smile that was entirely without shadow.

The sunset enveloped the town of Polka.
In the south, Andy was once again throwing himself into an adventure unknown to them.
Each of them waited, thinking of the day they would be reunited.

The Poruka Temple of the Royal Church.

A small but venerable institution with over a hundred years of tradition, it serves as a crucial facility responsible for most of this town’s wisdom and entertainment.

When explained like that, most people would say, “Doesn’t Poruka’s entertainment just mean booze and hot springs?” But only a few old geezers really enjoy their liquor that much. Hot springs are woven into the lives of common folk, but they can’t be considered the primary form of entertainment. There are those oddballs who claim that as long as they get to soak in a bath, life is perfect, but normally, a bath’s role is to soothe tired bodies and wash away grime—Poruka’s sacred springs are no different. To call that the greatest entertainment is like saying, “Sleep is the best form of entertainment,” which sounds pretty lonely when you think about it.

No.

The church’s role is to host Poruka’s various festivals and constantly pass down music, songs, dances, and even the nation’s accumulated tales to the townspeople.

In the cities, temples were already starting to be seen as facilities only for weddings, funerals, and such. But in this simple age, in this simple town, a temple was something fun.

But.

…

Loree of the Golden Clan, an elf who had recently been appointed as a temporary teacher at that temple, was perplexed.

Her assigned task was to teach arithmetic to the children. She was having trouble with kids who weren’t too keen on learning, but thanks to her short stature—which made her seem approachable—or perhaps the surprising effectiveness of her "whip," the children seemed to remember what she taught, earning her praise from priests and parents alike.

However, recently, non-children had started showing up in her class.

If it were just adults watching their own kids’ lessons, she wouldn’t be bothered. In fact, quite a few parents would glance over for ten minutes while on their way to work. It was welcome behavior when the children straightened up to avoid getting scolded or to earn praise from those parents.

But no—it was Azer and Lizel, the cat sisters, who were inexplicably sitting in the front row during class.

“…Hey, you two.”

“?”

“Nya?”

“Why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be working at Schneider’s inn?”

“Big sis does most of it, so it’s all good nya.”

“Yeah.”

“…Um. This is really hard to say, but honestly, you’re kind of in the way.”

“Ehh?”

“It’s fine—Loree’s stories are interesting, though.”

“I don’t think I’m telling that interesting stories… this is a study for kids, and it doesn’t mean anything to you two.”

“?”

“You know nothing about any of this, right?”

The flashy tawny-and-black tabby sisters, Azer and Lizel, tilted their heads in confusion, their matching fur-tipped ears twitching.

Hearing that, the children behind them started making noise.

“Seriously?”

“Are catfolk that dumb?”

“Don’t call me names! There’s no one else who’ll teach us this stuff!”

“You can survive in the desert colony even if you don’t know any of this—just hunt!”

“Ehhh, sounds good. Maybe I’ll move to the desert too.”

“You can’t even hunt yourself, can you?”

“Shut up. If those dumb cats can do it, so can I.”

“In my colony, we hunt in dungeons, though.”

"If you let your guard down, you might die. Especially when dealing with monsters."

"............"

The boy who had been cocky about the harsh realities of desert life turned pale at the Maple Sisters' blunt warning.

When they said "monster," they meant Madwolves. These wolf-like creatures with horse-sized bodies had broken into town several times before, and anyone who knew their terror would agree it was no laughing matter.

"Easy there, easy there. You can listen, but move back a bit. The kids have their heads down."

"Mrow."

"Mrow."

The cat sisters reluctantly shifted seats, looking slightly disgruntled.

"Hey, hey, is it true that all the catkin women get it on with that perverted Andi guy?"

The boy, who had just turned pale, quickly recovered and whispered a lewd question to the cat sisters who had moved closer.

"Not everyone, you know."

"Barbara hasn't, either."

"...Then who else?"

"Hmm, I dunno?"

"We have, though."

"Hey! No weird talk during class!"

"...Hey, if you're getting it on with that perverted Andi, then good for you. Can I get a turn to touch your boobs later? (←whisper)"

"Nope."

"You're okay because you're our master. You're such a joke. Why don't you just go play with Mommy's boobs?"

The cat girls were completely unimpressed by the boy's lewd request. The boy's face turned bright red, and the other kids burst out laughing.

"Knock it off already!"

Loree's chalk flew through the air and exploded against the foreheads of the cat girl and the boy with a thwack.

"Ouch!?"

"Gwoaaaah!?"

"No dirty talk now! It's math time!"

With a flick of her wrist, Loree unleashed a triple shot. Her strange skills were developing nicely.

By the way, as interactions with the Catkin Colony increased, so did the need for basic education. Eventually, Loree would end up teaching at a private school for them, but that was a story for much later.

"Even if we try to talk to them, Jeanne and Selen probably can't even move properly..."

Fennel said with a troubled look.

Jeanne was one thing, but there was no way Selen, with her huge belly, could do any carpentry work. If she were lighter, it might be possible, though.

"I just have to feed Peter sometimes, but that doesn't mean I can't do physical labor."

"I can't do carpentry, but I can handle simple designs. Like calculating the necessary lumber. And it doesn't have to be done in one day; we can help out properly after the baby is born."

"That's true..."

"Before you know it, she'll be ready to give birth any day now."

Irina and Christy exchanged glances.

"If you're short-handed, why not call on Marone or Millie? Besides, I'm kinda picturing them as carpenters too, even though I'm excluding them for some reason. What about Oregano and Sebory?"

"Is that so..."

Fennel makes a difficult face.

"I hear the money clan has a lot of skilled craftsmen anyway."

"They do have a lot, but those girls aren't exactly heirs to anything in particular..."

"Why not just let them try? If they can't do it, Jeanne's workload just increases."

"That might be true, but..."

Fennel looks worried. Selen, having been offered a chair by Christy, sits down with an air of effort and says with a slightly knowing look, "You should try anything if there aren't any specialists. Saying you're bad at something or it's outside your expertise seems like a reasonable excuse, but being able to get someone else to do it is actually incredibly privileged and spoiled. If it's necessary, you'll pick things up even if you're clumsy or inexperienced by doing them. 'The right person for the right job' is just a saying for when there are too many people."

"Coming from Selen, that's pretty convincing."

"Look, Apple can do all sorts of things now that she had to. So, why not give it a shot? There's no reason why carpentry has to be a man's domain, and you can rely on Jeanne or the Bronze Dragon folks for the parts that require strength. If you're unhappy with the result, you can just rebuild it. You long-lived types have all the time in the world to practice."

"...That might be true. Even though we elves are dwindling in numbers, I've been thinking too much about group logic."

Fennel admits.

Christy looks at Selen with admiration.

"You really do think differently about people, Selen. Ever since I started leading people, I tend to get caught up in aptitude and numbers."

"That's just because elves are so used to stability and longevity that their vision gets narrowed. Anyone can try something and be quite good at it, and nothing has to be perfect."

Jeanne (Peter had entrusted her to Selen) nods with her arms crossed.

"Yeah. Even a girl who's never done anything sexy before, even if she's just Andy's female slave, if Andy asks her to do something and praises her, she'll realize she's not just the person she thought she was. A lot of girls say it feels like they've been reborn, but in the end, they just cling to what they're good at, which isn't great. It's a good opportunity, so I think you should try to do as much as possible for Andy."

"Like building the bathhouse, or even the sex stuff."

"If you think of it as all being for Andy, then starting new lessons won't be a burden. Carpentry, blacksmithing, sexy techniques... if you believe they'll eventually lead to your ideal play... I'd love to have a dedicated bathhouse so I could do bathhouse duty."

"Mmm, bathhouse duty?"

"Waiting in the bath all day, and when Andy takes a quick dip, you nonchalantly stick your dick in, then relax in the bath again after he's satisfied... I want to be used like equipment♪"

"Isn't that something Master usually does in the bath...?"

"It's a situation where you can't really let loose except in the magic prison because it's hard to get wild in the bath."

"I'd love to have a worry-free, slow sex bath all night. Not shaking your hips violently, just keeping your dick inside forever♪"

"Hmm. If that's the case, I... well, I'd like to try it."

"I... a moon-viewing bath where I serve drinks and get to feast on dick juice... oh, that's a little crude, isn't it?"

"Too late for that, Christy."

"I can see Andy being completely undone by Christy-sama♪"

The afternoon at the baron's estate passes with lively chatter.

"Marone. Listen, I don't mean this to offend you, but..."

"Huh?"

Around that time, Marone and Oregano were helping their mother Marie with cooking as part of learning "Mom's Recipes."

"If you're such a good girl, I think you'll end up with a much better man than some scumbag like Andy. So... maybe you should stop with the female slave stuff and weird games?"

"Eh..."

"I've heard that beastmen get way more horny than humans during the full moon. Even if it's just a racial trait, having a period where you're that lewd… I can see why she feels bad. But still, that doesn't mean she should call herself a… a dray… yeah, a slave. Andy's an idiot, so he just laughs it off and spreads it to ten, twenty people… but just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean Malorne has to be the same! There are tons of guys in even a slightly bigger town who would love a quiet, cute girl like her with all their hearts. If you're gonna say something bad about Andy, I'll shut you up."

"…I don't want to…"

"…You don't? I think it's way worse than the men in Trott treating women like dirt."

"I… I want to have Master's child here… not some stranger who'll take care of me, but I want Master to dote on them so much… even though I've been meaning to be that kind of person, but…"

Malorne peeled an apple, her face downcast. Seeing Malorne with her ears flattened and on the verge of tears, Marie raised her hands in surrender.

"…Sigh. I always wonder what she did to deserve him."

She turned back to the pot with a tired expression, slumping her shoulders.

"That's why I told you, Mother-in-law. Everyone really loves Master, they're all convinced."

Oregano smiled as she offered a sprig of chopped herbs.

"We've already checked all the kittens, haven't we? And now… hmm, I thought at least one was just going with the flow. But most of them are practically virgins, right? Once the heat wears off, they'll probably think, 'What have I done?'"

"Who knows? Master seems to get more and more attractive every time he goes on an adventure… and at least we elves aren't easily swayed when it comes to love. We're not the type to change our minds so easily."

"I feel like she's being deceived…"

"That's because you're her mother. You see her as a child, so Master's charm doesn't reach her."

"Not at all! I think there's no woman who cares about Andy more than me? That's just what mothers are like."

"Ah… but that's still different from how we want to be loved by Master, to become part of his life."

"Hmm… as a mother, I can't help but want to stop my son from doing something so impossible, and stop the daughters who seem to misunderstand him before they get hurt right in front of me… this isn't some royal harem. That child is my son, made with Master's seed!"

Oregano smiled wryly, then looked serious.

"…The king needs many wives because he's part of a system. But Master… Andy Smisson, carries the biggest burden to make the women he loves smile. I don't want him to fail, so everyone gathers their strength, and for their smiles, he expresses his love… not as a harem system, but as a gathering that inevitably formed. If that person is happy that we are females, then of course we want to offer ourselves to him. This might sound self-centered, but I'm sure the laws made for someone else in an older era don't fit us."

"…I don't think he's that kind of guy. My Andy…"

"Even if he is, I'll be his female slave until the day he dies."

Oregano said with a smile as clear as crystal.

The sunset enveloped the town of Polka. In the south, Andy was leaping into another adventure they didn't know about. Each of them thought of the day they would welcome him back.

Kingdom Church of the Polka Temple.
Though small, it boasts a tradition spanning over a century and serves as an essential facility responsible for much of this little town's wisdom and entertainment.

When most people hear this description, they immediately exclaim, "Isn't Polka's entertainment just alcohol and hot springs?" However, only a select few old-timers truly enjoy drinking to excess. While hot springs have become integrated into common life, they certainly cannot be considered the primary form of entertainment. Some eccentric individuals may claim that merely bathing in a hot spring makes life perfect, but generally speaking, the purpose of a bath is to soothe a tired body and wash away dirt—a function unchanged even by Polka's sacred spring, which possesses special spiritual efficacy. To label this as the greatest form of entertainment is akin to saying "sleep is the ultimate amusement," which sounds rather bleak when considered logically.

No, that's not what I mean.
The temple's role is to organize various festivals in Polka and continuously convey music, songs, dances, and the accumulated tales of the nation to its people.

In the cities, temples have already begun shifting public perception toward being "facilities for weddings, funerals, and other ceremonies." But in this simple era, within this unpretentious town, a temple was something truly "joyful."

However...
"…………"
Elve Lorie of the Gold Clan, who recently began serving as a temporary teacher at that temple, found herself bewildered.

Her assigned duty was to teach arithmetic to the children. Though she struggled with students who refused to take their studies seriously, her short stature likely fostered a sense of closeness, or perhaps the effect of her seemingly unimaginable "whip" proved effective; either way, the children remembered what she taught well, earning praise from priests and guardians alike.

Yet lately, non-children have begun appearing in her classroom.
Adults observing their own children's lessons would hardly feel confused. In fact, many parents take a brief ten-minute peek during work breaks. For the teacher, having students sit up straight to avoid scolding or gain praise from their parents is welcome.

But that's not the case here. Azel and Rizer, the cat sisters, are inexplicably seated in the front row during class.

"……Hey, you two."

"?"

"Nya?"

"Why are you here? Don't you have work at Mr. Schneider's inn?"

"Auntie does everything for us, so it's fine, nya~"

"Nope."

"……Well, I'm not exactly comfortable saying this, but honestly, you're a bit of a distraction."

"Eh?"

"It's okay~ Lorie's stories are interesting~"

"I don't actually intend to tell interesting stories... This is elementary study for children, and it means nothing to you either."

"?"

"You know nothing, right?"

Azel and Rizer shake their flashy tawny-orange hair in unison, looking puzzled.

Hearing this, the children behind them erupt into chatter.

"No way!"

"So cat-beasts are actually pretty dumb?"

"Not dumb! There's no one around to teach us stuff like this!"

"Even if we don't know, as long as we can hunt in the desert colony, we'll survive!"

"Eh, that sounds cool~ Maybe I should live in the desert too~"

"You can't even hunt, can you?"

"Shut up. If these idiot cats can do it, so can I."

"In my colony, we hunt inside dungeons~"

"Careless, and you'll die sometimes. It's monsters we're dealing with."

"…………"

The boy who had casually remarked on the desert's harsh reality turned pale at Maple Sisters' matter-of-fact lesson.

In this region, "monsters" typically refer to mad wolves—wolf-like creatures that have invaded towns before, more than once. For those who know the terror they bring, such an occurrence is utterly insane.

"That's enough, that's enough. You can listen a bit more from behind. The kids' brains are too young for this."

"Meow~"

"Meow~"

The cat sisters shifted seats with mild dissatisfaction.

"Come on, come on... by the way, is it true all cat-beasts get screwed by that pervert Andy?"
Having moved to a nearby seat, the boy who had just turned pale quickly recovered and whispered an improper question.

"Not everyone~"

"Barbara hasn't gotten any~"

"...Everyone else then?"

"Hmm... I'm not sure."

"We have, though."

"Hey, stop it! No weird talk during class!"

"...Well, if you're doing it with Pervert Andy, that's fine. Let me touch your breasts a little later too (←whispered)."

"No way."

"You can do whatever you want, Master. You're the boss. I hate you for being such an idiot. Just let me touch Mommy's breasts instead."

The cat-girls showed zero sympathy for the boy's lewd request. His dignity shattered completely, his face turning bright red as the surrounding children burst out laughing.
"Stop it... stop it!"
A chalk thrown by Loryie exploded with a sharp crack against the foreheads of both the cat-girl and the boy.

"What the hell!?"

"Grrrrooo!?"

"Save the dirty talk for later! Math class now!"

With a single flick of her wrist, she fired three chalks in rapid succession. Loryie had developed some strange skills lately.

By the way, as exchanges with the Cat-Beast Colony increased, the need for elementary education grew accordingly. Eventually, Loryie would become a private tutor specifically for them—but that was still far in the future.

"Even if I try to talk to them, Jeanne and Selen probably can't act properly..."
Fennel said with a troubled expression.

Jeanne might be okay, but there's no way they'd expect someone carrying such a heavy belly like Selen to do carpentry work. If she were light-footed, she might have actually tried.

"I sometimes have to feed Peter's milk, but that doesn't mean I can't do physical labor."

"I can't do carpentry, but I can handle simple designs—calculating lumber needs and all that. Besides, it doesn't have to be done in one day. Once the baby is born, I can help properly then."

"That's true..."

"Before we know it, she could give birth any moment now."

Eilina and Christie exchanged glances.

"If you're short on hands, just call out for Marone or Millil—they're always around. Besides, I've been mentally excluding them from the list, but surely someone like Oregano or Sebori could handle some carpentry work too?"

"Is that so..."

Fennel frowned, her expression troubled.

"I've heard that your clan originally had many artisans like this."

"There are indeed quite a few, but those girls aren't particularly heirs to the family business..."

"What? Why not just let them try? Even if they fail, it only means more work for Jeanne's share."

"That may be true, though..."

Fennel looked increasingly uneasy. Selen, who had been offered a seat by Christie, sat down with an air of authority, shaking her head slightly as if to say, "That won't do at all."

"This applies not only to carpentry but to everything: if there's no specialist, anyone can give it a try. Saying 'I'm not good at it' or 'It's outside my expertise' sounds reasonable on the surface, but in reality, having someone else to rely on is a sign of privilege—and indulgence. If needed, even clumsy or inexperienced attempts will lead to mastery through practice. The saying 'putting the right person in the right place' only holds when there's an abundance of talent."

"As expected, Selen's words carry real weight."

"See? Even Apple learned new things once she was forced to take on responsibilities. So why not give it a little effort? There's no rule that carpentry is exclusively men's work, and for tasks requiring strength, we can always rely on Jeanne or the people from Blue Dragon. If the final result isn't satisfactory, we can rebuild it. As long-lived beings, you have plenty of time to practice as much as you need."

"...Perhaps that's true. While I've been saying the number of elves is declining, I seem to have overthought things in terms of group logic," Fennel admitted.

Christie looked at Selen with admiration.

"As expected, your approach to people is different, Miss Selen. Once you become a leader, you tend to focus too much on aptitude and numbers."

"That's simply because elves, blessed with stability and longevity, often narrow their vision unnecessarily. Anyone can do quite a bit if they try, and nothing needs to be perfect all the time."

Jeanne crossed her arms (Peter had entrusted Selen to her) and nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Even a girl who became Andy's female slave without ever engaging in anything erotic would realize she's more than what she thought of herself once Andy desired and praised her. Many girls say they feel like they've been reborn, but ultimately, they cling only to their strengths. Since this is a good opportunity, I think you should try to do as much as possible for Andy."

"Building the hot spring bathhouse counts, and so does the content of our intimate scenes."

"If everything is done with the thought of helping Andy, starting new skills won't feel burdensome at all. Whether it's carpentry, blacksmithing, or even erotic techniques—if you believe they'll one day connect to your ideal play, that's enough. ...Personally, I'd love to participate in the 'hot spring duty' role once our dedicated hot spring is ready."

"Huh? Hot spring duty?"

"Waiting by the hot spring all day, then casually inserting my penis into Andy's whenever he dips a bit, waiting until he's satisfied before resting again... treating me like equipment, if you will♪"

"But isn't that what Master usually does in the hot spring?"

"Well, surprisingly, he can't let loose much in the hot spring, so situations outside the barrier prison are rare."

"I'd love to enjoy slow sex in the bath all night without any hesitation—no vigorous thrusting of the waist, just keeping my penis inside continuously♪"

"Hmm... If that's the case, I might also... y-yes, I'd like to try that too."

"And I... perhaps something like a moon-viewing bath where I serve drinks while enjoying Andy's penis broth... No, that sounds a bit indecent, doesn't it?"

"It's not too late for you, Christie."

"Master Andy being stripped bare by Lady Christie is becoming visible to all♪"

As the afternoon passed in lively chatter at the Baron's estate, the scene shifted.

"Marone-chan, I'd like to ask you something without offending you."

"Yes?"

At that moment, at Mother Marie's home, Marone and Oregano were helping Marie with cooking as they worked toward mastering "Mother's Special Recipe."

"A kind girl like you will surely find a much better man than someone as worthless as Andy. So perhaps... it would be better to stop those female slave roles and strange games?"

"Eh...?"

"I've heard that beastfolk become far more lustful than humans with the phases of the moon. Even if it's a racial trait, if there are periods when their desire fades so much... I can understand feeling a bit inferior about it. But just because of that, I don't think you'd ever call yourself a slave like Drey—yes, that one. Andy is an idiot; he's laughing all the way down and spreading rumors that there are ten or twenty of them... but just because others do it doesn't mean Marone-chan has to follow suit? A girl as modest, cute, and hardworking as you could find a man who'd love you with his whole life in even a small town. If you're upset about Andy, I'll shut him up for you."

"...N-no, I don't want that."

"...You don't want it? I think the men's superiority over women in Trot is far worse than anything else."

"I... I want to bear your master's child right here. Not by some stranger who might treat me well, but because I want your master to dote on me... I've always meant that, yet..."

While peeling a potato, Marone bowed her head.

Seeing Marone with her ears flattened, on the verge of tears, Marie raised her hands in surrender.

"...Sigh. I always wonder what she did." She turned back to the pot with a tired expression and slumped her shoulders. "That's why I told you, Mother-in-law. Everyone truly loves Master; they're all doing this willingly."

Smiling as she offered herbs sprinkled with oregano, she continued.

"We've already confirmed all the cat children. As for the rest... hmm, I thought at least one might have been carried away by emotion. But most of those who were approached seem to be first-timers? Once the fever breaks, I think they'll start wondering, 'What on earth was I doing?' "

"How about it? Master seems to become more and more charming with every adventure he goes on... At least for us elves, we're a race that's persistent when it comes to the opposite sex, or rather, hard to change our minds. So I don't think they'll cool down so easily?"

"It feels like she's being deceived..."

"That's because you're her mother. You see her as a child, so Master's charm doesn't come through."

"Nonsense. I don't think there's any woman who cherishes Andy more than me? That's what parents are about."

"Oh... but that's different from our feeling of wanting to be loved by Master, wanting to become part of his life, isn't it?"

"Hmm... As a parent, I still want to stop my son from doing impossible things, and the daughters who seem to misunderstand their father, before they get hurt in front of me... But this isn't like a king's harem. That child is my son, made by our foolish husband's seed."

Oregano smiled helplessly before adopting a more serious expression.

"...A king needs many wives because he is part of the system of kingship. But Master... Andy Smythe carries the greatest burden on his shoulders to make the women he loves smile. I don't want him to give up, so many people have gathered their strength, and for the sake of those smiles, he expresses his love... It's not a harem as an institution, but a gathering formed inevitably. If that person is happy with us being female, then naturally we wish to offer ourselves—that's all. This way of speaking might sound like excessive self-consciousness, but surely, under laws made in ancient times for someone other than us, we cannot be contained."

"...I don't think it's quite that grand, though. My Andy..."

"Even if it is, I will certainly remain his female slave until the day he dies."

Oregano said with a smile free of any cloud.

The town of Polka was wrapped in the glow of sunset.
To the south, once again, Andy leaped into an adventure unknown to them.
Each one, thinking of that day when they would welcome him.