"New festival?"

"Hmm. I'd like your help with it."

It was late early summer when the Baron came to ask me, scratching his head, which had recently turned entirely white from giving up dyeing it.

"Another one?"

"As far as Polka is concerned, there aren't that many yet."

"...Yeah, no, that's right. Just the New Year Festival, the Spring Festival, and the Harvest Festival if we count only Polka's."

I counted them off on my fingers.
Add to that the Breakcore Holy Beast Festival, Celesta's twice-a-year Spirit Festivals, Rapal's Tide Festival, the Capital's Founding Day, and the Renfanggas Hero's Festival, plus Carlwin's "Dragon Bonding Day" in Karlwin, and Grangi's Liberation Festival... personally, I feel like there's always some festival preparation going on almost every single month.
And then there's the Elf Spirit Temple's unique calendar measured in 100,000-day cycles; occasionally they have festivals at weird times that suddenly call me out of nowhere. Thanks to that, my schedule gets messed up all the time and Tetes scolds me.

Anyway, things have been like this for so long—constantly surrounded by festivals—that my sense of reality has gotten distorted.

"I know you're busy, but as long as you give the word, the Elves will move forward, and going through Lady Diane to reach Celesta's people should be fine too."

"Yeah... well, I get that, but what kind of festival is it?"

"An Art Festival."

"...Eh? A-ART FESTIVAL?"

"Hmm. I really want this one to succeed."

Currently, in Polka, an artists' circle is gradually forming around Gloria and Lanz.
How many years ago was it that, after Goat got married and completely settled down as a housewife, Lanz became Gloria's disciple?
Blessed with such a great mentor, and aided by her natural concentration and deep understanding of the female form, she's now busily painting original erotic scrolls that rival professional works.
Seeing this kind of activity inspired young people from among the former Carlwin residents of Grangi to aspire to become painters themselves. Even further, figures like Julio—the circus sculptor, brother of Lady Diane—and various sculptors and creators from the Northern Forest naturally gathered together, causing artistic works to proliferate rapidly in certain districts.

The Baron, who had been supporting Lanz as a patron since he first started painting, has even begun constructing galleries one after another to house these artworks. Well, considering that both Gloria and Lanz specialize in them, most of the collected pieces are nude studies—not exactly something you'd enthusiastically recommend to the general public.
However, he seemed to be thinking: Why not boldly promote these alongside other sculptures, spreading the word about how wonderful Lanz's works truly are? It felt like an era where diverse cultures were gently loosening their grip on rigid traditions.

Indeed, limiting such art to just a few enthusiasts feels like a waste. The districts with ateliers look like entirely different worlds, lined with sculptures and murals so impressive that you can't even believe they're being done by hobbyists in rural areas. The galleries are even more astonishing—currently unpriced, yet filled with works created by Gloria and her disciple, displayed somewhat casually, which is hard to comprehend given their quality.

Gloria has no financial worries now that she's become my female slave; she lacks any sense of vanity and keeps painting steadily, motivated solely by the fact that whenever she finishes a piece, I, Lanz, the Baron, Old Harry, and others are thrilled beyond measure.
Though somewhat slower than expected, she's been blessed with children, and disciples have gathered from Grangi and the Northern Forest, all looking happy. But the Baron apparently thought, That won't do.

"Anyway," he said, "we're planning a new Art Festival for autumn. Since we're doing it anyway, I want to make sure ours is lively too."

Night fell.
Back at "Vapor Palace," I discussed this matter with the girls gathered in the dining hall.
Among those present were female slaves wearing collars, dragons, cat-beasts who had just come for fun, courtesans from "Cosmos Shop," and Elf women from the Northern Forest.

Inside the palace, nudity was allowed freely—a rule mainly intended for brood dragons and some female slaves whose exposure tendencies had awakened—but except for Elf women unaccustomed to taking clothes off and those frequently coming in and out of the outside world, more than half the girls were basically naked all day long.

"So what are we doing? Should I stand next to a painting saying 'I'm a model! ♪'?"

"No, well, that might have some effect too, but it's not quite what I mean."

Lady Cosmos spoke boldly and casually while feeding two young girls their meals. In reality, there were quite a few paintings by Lanz using Lady Cosmos, Hilda, or Lilira as models.
But while those might excite viewers, they're not really suitable for boosting the appeal of an Art Festival.

"There are plenty of girls here at the palace. I think we should hold something like an amateur competition among them."

"Isn't there already a recruitment drive going on in the city?"

"Yes, but it seems unlikely anyone will actually join."

Canvas, paints, brushes—all art supplies aren't easily available or shared just by whim. For truly inexperienced families, painting is quite a high barrier to entry.
However, within this palace, such tools are readily accessible and can be shared; plus, dragons can easily import them from urban centers. It doesn't even have to be paintings—sculptures would work too, and I or Jeanne could prepare the necessary carving tools.

"Gloria said she'd offer beginner instruction, so anyone interested should give it a try."

"Are there any rewards?"

Oregano raised his hand to ask. His parents, Laurel and her child, were sitting beside him—and of course, they were also naked.

"The reward... hmm, what should I do?"
I scratched my head and thought for a moment.
And then:
"...Everyone gets this as a participation prize: one Andicoin. Presented to all."
Ping! I snapped my fingers.
It was a "reward coupon" modeled after the "Isabel Coin" from Cosmos Shop. Using it allows you to demand a handmade gift from me, or ask a dragon to take you somewhere of your choice.

...At first, no one used the dragon option, but Emma proposed it later to reduce my workload, and it was adopted. Usage isn't very high overall, though it happens occasionally. Naris uses it most often.
A "gift" could mean a few hours of dating too. Though dates tend to turn sexual quickly, when I spend time aimlessly, things often spiral into group play anyway. So being able to openly demand solo sex has become quite a rare privilege these days.

I'm not sure if the non-slave girls would really be happy with this coin, but right now, even the courtesans go absolutely wild when I focus my attention on them properly. After spending every night for over ten years practicing with Hilda, Cosmos, Gloria, and others, my skills have improved significantly. They've gotten better.

"And if someone wins... hmm, what could be good? Let's just say we'll make something truly special."
I made a vague declaration like that. When I wondered if it sounded too underwhelming to inspire enthusiasm, the girls suddenly erupted into excited chatter.
Am I really being valued this much? Even as an artisan?

...But then:
"...If you win... could we... try serious baby-making?"
Mya timidly asked. Of course, she was naked too.

"...Well, I'll consider that option, but don't we already do it regularly?"

"Not just a couple of times and stopping there—we go for dozens, aiming to impregnate!"

"...Okay, then."

I tried to add, "But since there are children around, maybe we shouldn't talk like this," only to have my words completely drowned out by the growing excitement.

...Is that what everyone wants?
Well, technically, this is Polka, so even if things get a bit rough, they heal quickly anyway.

The girls usually living in the palace are basically those under four or five years old, before their minds and bodies fully develop. Once they grow older, they move outside to establish their own living bases.
Some, like Jeanne and Selen who belong to the Smayson family, stay here—but most female slaves now have their own homes and live with their mothers' families.

As for those who aren't female slaves... well, they'll return to their hometowns to be raised. While it's okay for them to engage in sex without becoming slaves, most can't bring themselves to completely sever ties with their origins.

By the way, several children born from the courtesans of Cosmos Shop are actually mine—I accidentally handled one of them. Turns out some of them got pregnant carelessly and gave birth back in Tark without contacting anyone afterward. The oldest case was with Felicia-san's daughter (the white fox girl), whom I touched on by mistake after finishing a battle. She casually told me about it right after the fight ended.

From then on, whenever a young girl tries to seduce me, I make sure to confirm whether she might be carrying my child.

"I want motherhood to happen naturally with my daughter."

"If you don't force it, wouldn't that be fine?"

"This kind of situation makes me think Selen should be the most angry one!?"

"If you're forcibly violated by your dad, you'll absolutely hate sex—but if someone rejects your advances while you're obsessed with them, you'll start repelling your own instincts, which will distort things."

"...Hmm..."

"I believe the child's happiness is what matters most," Selen said.

While washing dishes, Selen smiled in her usual relaxed manner.

Hmm...
Is Selen thinking less about whether I should have sex with children at all, and more about whether it causes harm?
Ignoring the fact that having sex with others is normal for me... well, it's a bit late to bring that up now. As for social concerns like reputation—having grown up being ridiculed by society as a half-elf, I simply don't care about such things.

As for issues arising from increased bloodline concentration... Elina always says, "A little isn't a big deal; magic can handle it. But if you keep messing around for dozens of generations, that's a different story." So maybe she sees it that way too.

No, no, no. But still...

"I can't allow Peter to assault his mother or any of the other female slaves, no matter how much he might want it."

"Of course you're right. Children are one thing, but those women belong solely to Mr. Andy."

"And yet... why is it that when a daughter touches her father, we just brush it off?"

"I think Mr. Andy needs to remember that he's special—that he's someone who can bring happiness to dozens, even hundreds of women. Only the girls who accept that truth will approach him. But unfortunately for Peter, he doesn't fit that mold... Well, actually, if you were in his place, Mr. Andy, I'd say you could make any woman happy—even your own daughter, as long as she's female."

"...Sometimes..."

"?"

"That just made me realize again how messed up my thinking really is."

"Really? You're just being realistic, that's all! ♪"

Hmm... What does "realistic" even mean? Maybe I should think about this a bit more philosophically.

Of course, Peter was the first among the children to be accepted as my son. But since he's half-dwarf, his growth has been slower. Though he should technically be slightly older than Elenia, who recently outgrew her toddler phase and became leaner, he still looks barely ten—or maybe even younger. Dwarves generally don't grow very tall; often, before they realize it, they've developed facial hair and excessive muscle mass while retaining their childlike frames. But Peter hasn't shown any of those traits yet. He just has a bit of a thick, grating voice for a ten-year-old—something like early puberty kicking in.

"Dad," Peter said one day, "can I enter the Vaper contest?"

"You can... but have you ever drawn anything?"

"I haven't done much drawing, but I can make small figurines."

Peter looked proud and brought out a handmade figure from his room—a knight crafted entirely of lead. Oh right, we made this together back when he was little.

"I've already made twenty of them! Grandpa Jackie says they're ready for sale!"

"Stop calling Jackie 'Grandpa.' It confuses me."

Usually, it's Jackie who interacts with Peter. She's in her fifties but still a solid blacksmith by trade. Since Sara married off, she's been doting on Peter especially lately, perhaps feeling lonely herself.

"But saying they're 'ready for sale' is a bit of an exaggeration. The details are sloppy. You need to finish them properly before calling them products, Peter."

"Tch! Dad always finds fault with everything!"

"Your talent isn't bad—I'm just telling you not to cut corners. If you try to pass off half-finished work at the contest, people will laugh at you."

"Oh, okay... So if I win, can you give me more allowance?"

"Why would you need more money? What are you gonna spend it on?"

"...Well, uh, whatever I want! Just give me some!"

He mumbled shyly, blushing slightly. Hah, he thinks he's gotten away with fooling his father again. With all the perks of this polka world, kids rarely have a real use for extra cash. Chances are, he'll buy some trinkets from traveling merchants and try to impress a girlfriend with them.

"If you win, keep in mind that even elves and dragons will be there. It's not going to be easy."

"Hmph! I don't think anyone except Mom can beat me!"

My overly confident son makes me uneasy. Has he been spoiled too much?

By the way, later it turned out his reason for wanting more allowance was this: after showing off naked in the palace, Cosmos and one of her courtesans whispered to him, "If you want to get intimate with us, bring some money first! ♪"

About a week passed.
The girls of the palace started going outside to sketch and engage in other artistic activities, suddenly giving the Polka a cultural flair.
"What a great opportunity. The Polka is a lovely town, but it lacked this kind of artistic enrichment."

Christie narrowed her eyes as she watched the townspeople and stationed crossbow teams join the sudden art boom. Upon reflection, she was right. Despite the people glowing with health and beauty thanks to the spirit spring, the streets themselves lacked decorative elegance.
...Though part of that was because Gloria, our top artist, had been drawing nothing but erotic scenes.

Amidst all that, there was also Elenia, seriously sketching forest landscapes.

"...Eh? Ele? You're asking for more allowance too, huh?"

"Allowance? There's nothing to spend it on here anyway. Besides, why did you bring that up, Peter? Claudio?"

Claudio is Hilda's son—about the same height as Peter now. While Peter is wild and energetic, Claudio is quite shy around strangers. He's more of a mama's boy, raised entirely under Hilda's maternal affection.

"...Do you expect some kind of reward for this?"

"...Well, I'll tell you if we win."

Elenia said that while maintaining a stern expression.
...Even with her serious profile, she's just so cute. Fatherly bias at work.

After watching Elenia like that for a while, I felt satisfied and realized my thoughtless concern shouldn't be voiced aloud. More than ever before, Elenia wandering around the palace naked or trying to let me touch her isn't due to any loss of shame regarding nudity caused by the environment. It's probably just because she wants to show more filial piety or indulge herself as my daughter.
Yeah, that must be it. Her mother Selen being oddly lenient on incest is just a coincidence.

Then came the Art Festival.
People gathered from Grangi, the North, Celesta, and Ranfangas, enjoying the paintings and sculptures displayed throughout the town.
...As for the much-anticipated works by master-and-apprentice Gloria & Lanz, only about twenty percent of them were exhibited outdoors. But thanks to their superior quality, they captivated viewers, drew them into galleries, and secured numerous buyers—effectively a success.

Then came the actual contest held at the Baron's residence.
The grand prize went to... Maya's "Scale Sculpture." She had collected broken dragon scales and crafted a miniature dragon statue from them.
Some argued that giving the top award for such an unfair material advantage was questionable, but since nothing prohibited it, excluding it would have been worse too. So she won anyway.

Besides gold and silver medals, Elenia's "Solitary Pine of the Forest" narrowly made it to the bronze category.

And so...

"Aaaah... Uh, Ele? If possible, as your father..."

"You won a prize, and you're not even going to grant my request?"

That night in the palace, in a corner of the bath area.

As expected, Elenia had pinned me down.

"...Look, Ele? I'd really love to fulfill your wish... but—"

"Not hearing me!"

"..."

"I hate you."

"Guhh... Ah, Ele, it's not that I won't listen—it's just that I think you're too young for this yet."

"Then when will I be old enough!?"

"No, really, just a little longer, okay? Hmm?"

The palace girls were watching us with such serene smiles. It was heartwarming.

...After begging until she relented and spared me today, I felt relieved.
I don't want to be disliked. If Elenia hates me, I'll die.
...But it might not last long.

“A new festival?”

“Indeed. I hope you’ll help me with this.”

It was late spring when the baron approached me, scratching his head that had gone completely white after giving up on dyeing it.

“You want to add another one?”

“There aren’t many festivals in Polka yet, are there?”

“Oh right, yeah. New Year’s Festival and Spring Festival and Harvest Festival, I guess.”

I counted them off on my fingers.

Then if you include Breakcore’s Divine Beast Festival, Celesta’s two seasonal Spirit Festivals, Lapar’s Tidal Festival, the Founding Day of the Capital City, Renfangas’ Heroic Festival, Karlwin’s “Day of the Dragon,” and Grangis’ Liberation Festival, I’m practically preparing for a festival every month.

And then there are those weirdly timed festivals from the Elven Spirit Temples that follow their own 100,000-day calendar, which throw off my schedule and get me in trouble with Tetes.

It was all so overwhelming that it felt like I spent most of my time preparing for one festival or another.

"I understand you're busy, but if you give the word, even the elves will move and it would be good for communication with the Celestas through Lady Diane."

"Yeah. I get that much, but what kind of festival is this?"

"It's an art festival."

"...An a-art festival?"

"Aye. I want to make sure it succeeds."

Currently in Polka, Gloria-san and Lanz are forming an artists' circle.
Ever since Gort got married and settled down as a family man, it had been years since Lanz became Gloria-san’s disciple.
Thanks to his good mentorship, along with his natural concentration and understanding of the female body, he now energetically produces original erotic scrolls that rival those of professionals.
Seeing this, young men from Granze who used to live in Karlwin have started aspiring to become painters as well, while even Diane-san’s brother, the acrobatic sculptor Frio, and other artists from the northern forest naturally gathered together. As a result, artistic works were multiplying across several neighborhoods.
The baron who had been Lanz's patron since he began drawing supported him by gradually building galleries to house these artworks. But given Gloria-san and Lanz’s penchant for it, most of their collections consisted of nude paintings. It wasn’t something they could widely promote.

However, he thought that it might not be a bad idea to boldly advertise their works alongside the other sculptures and spread the word about how wonderful they were... He seemed to have felt the times had changed as traditions became lighter in diverse cultures.
Indeed, it was somewhat of a waste for only some enthusiasts to enjoy them. The area where the atelier is located truly feels like another world with all the sculptures and murals lined up; one wouldn’t think that amateurs from the countryside were doing this out of hobby. The gallery is even more impressive, as what’s currently displayed there are just paintings by Gloria and her disciples hung up casually without any price tags, which is unbelievable.
Since Gloria had become my female slave, she no longer worried about making a living and lacked vanity; thus, drawing when I or Rants, the baron, Grandpa Harry, etc., would be delighted was enough motivation for her to continue painting at a leisurely pace. She seemed happy having children and disciples from Grangie and the Northern Forest gather around her, but it wasn’t good enough for the Baron.
"So there will apparently be an art festival in autumn," he said. "I want to help make it successful."
At night, I returned to the Vape Palace and spoke with the girls gathered in the dining hall about this plan.
Among those present were female slaves wearing collars, dragons, catgirls who came just for fun, prostitutes from Cosmo Books, and women elves from the Northern Forest. In the palace, it was mainly a rule allowing nudity for blue dragons and some female slaves who had developed exhibitionist tendencies; however, half of the girls there were basically naked all day long, except for those unfamiliar with being nude (like the elven women) or frequently going in and out.
"So what do we do? Stand next to paintings as models?"

"Actually, while that would be effective in a way, I was thinking of something else." Cosmos said boldly as she fed the two girls. In fact, there were quite a few drawings Lanz had made using Cosmos, Hilda, and Rila as models.

However, that wouldn't really work for the festival's purpose. It might excite people to see them but it’s not what I’m looking for.

"There are plenty of kids here at the palace. How about we hold a contest for amateurs?"

"Doesn’t the city do something like this?"

"They do, but apparently no one shows up."

Art supplies such as canvases and paints aren't easy to get your hands on spontaneously. For truly amateur families, it's quite difficult to start painting.

But inside the palace, these tools are readily available and can be shared easily. It’s also simple to use dragons to bring them from the city. Besides paintings, we could do sculptures too; I or Jeanne could provide the necessary tools for that.

"Gloria said she’d give lessons to beginners, so anyone interested should try it out."

"Is there a prize?"

Oregano raised her hand to ask a question. Laurel and her daughter were also there, of course, naked.
"What should the prize be... hmm, I wonder."
She scratched her head for a moment before continuing:
"...Here's a consolation prize: one Andy Coin. Everyone gets one."
She flicked it with her finger.
It was a reward ticket modeled after Cosmos Corporation’s "Isabel Coins." Using them would allow you to request a handmade gift from me or have the dragon take you wherever you wanted.
...At first, there hadn’t been an option for having the dragon transport someone. Emma had suggested and implemented this idea in order to reduce my workload. The usage rate wasn’t very high but it happened occasionally. Nalis used it the most often.
A "gift" could be a few hours of dating as well. While dates usually ended up turning into sex, if I were aimlessly wandering around, everyone would gather together and end up playing in groups anyway. So being able to openly request one-on-one sex was now quite rare.
I wasn’t sure the coin made non-slave girls very happy, but it was extremely popular because even the prostitute group girls could cum wildly when I focused on them.

After working hard every night for over a decade with Hilda, Cosmos, Gloria and the others, my skills have improved. They’ve really improved.

“So if I win… what would be good? Anyway, I’ll make something special.”

I made a grand declaration of fluffiness and thought that maybe it would get them fired up, but the girls were already going wild with excitement.

Do they think so highly of me as a craftsman?

...That’s what I thought until...

“…If I win… can we do serious baby-making?”

Maya asked timidly. Of course she was naked.

“I’ll consider it, but you guys usually do that anyway, right?”

“Not just two or three times and then stop. We should keep going until I’m pregnant, like dozens of times.”

“...Sure.”

The kids were there, so I tried to add that we shouldn't talk about such things, but the conversation was already in full swing.
…Is this what everyone wants?
Well, yeah, since it’s Polka, even if they get a little rough, they’ll be fine right away.
Usually only children under four or five years old live with me at Palais. If they’re older than that, they move out to live elsewhere.
There are also kids like Jeanne and Selen who live in the Smison household, but most of the female slaves now have their own homes. They mostly live with their mothers’ families.
As for children who aren’t female slaves… well, they usually go back to their hometowns to be raised. Most kids who do dirty things without becoming a slave can't bring themselves to completely cut ties with their hometown.
By the way, there are also some of Cosmos Corporation’s prostitute's children here. A few of them casually gave birth to my baby. In fact, they all went back to Talur and gave birth without contacting me at all, so I accidentally touched one of the oldest kids (who was Felicia, a white fox girl). She just told me after the battle.
Also, if young girls come seducing me, I make sure that they're not my own child.
"I only want to do naughty things with my daughter once."
"If it's not forced, isn't that okay?"

"I think Selen should be the one to get mad about this kind of stuff!?"

"If someone forces me into sex, I'll definitely hate it, but if my dad is the one who gets turned on and then rejected by him, that would make me suppress my own instincts and end up messed up too."

"...Uh"

"I think what's most important is the happiness of children."

Selen was washing dishes while laughing in her usual laid-back manner.

Hmm.

So Selen isn't against me having sex with a child per se; she’s worried about whether it will hurt them emotionally. She just takes it for granted that I have sex with others, and since she grew up being ostracized by society as a half-elf, she doesn’t care at all about social stigma. And the problems caused by mixing blood... well, Aelina always says something like "a little bit won't matter much; magic can fix it. But if you do it for decades, that's another story."

No wait, no no. Still, though.

"I won't allow Peter to attack his mother or any other female slave, no matter how much he wants it."

"That's understandable. The children are one thing, but the female slaves belong only to Andy."

"You're okay with your daughter getting involved with her father, yet you can't accept that...?"

"I think Andy should realize more clearly that he's a special case. He can make any number of women happy. Only those who accept this get close to him. But unfortunately, Peter isn't one of them. ...That's right. I believe Andy could even make his own daughter happy if she were just another woman."

"...Sometimes,"

"Huh?"

"I'm reminded that you have some pretty messed-up thoughts."

"Is that so? I'm just a realist~"

What is a realist, anyway? He felt like philosophizing for a moment.

Among the children, Peter was obviously recognized as my son first.

But being half-dwarf, he was growing a little slower.

Even though he should be slightly older than Elenia who recently started to grow out of her childish looks and become more slender, he still looked like he hadn’t quite reached ten years old yet.

Dwarves in general didn't grow very tall; they often found themselves with facial hair before they realized it and gradually developed overly muscular bodies while retaining their childlike figures. But Peter had not yet shown any of these characteristics that would detract from his childish appearance.

However, for a ten-year-old, he did have an unusually deep and rough voice—almost like he was already going through puberty.

“Hey dad, can I enter the Vape competition too?”

“You can, but... Can you even draw?”

“I don’t really draw much, but I can make pretty good dolls.”

Peter looked a little proud as he brought out one of his handmade dolls from his room. It was a knight doll made of lead… Oh yeah, I remember making this with my dad.

“I’ve already made twenty of them. Grandpa said they’re ready to be sold.”

“Stop calling Mr. Jackie ‘Gramps,’ it’s confusing for me.”

Usually, Peter is taken care of by Mr. Jackie. He's over fifty but still a solid blacksmith in his prime.
Since Sara got married and left, he seems lonely lately and has been extra kind to Peter.

“But saying this will make it sellable is a bit too much praise. You’re sloppy with the details. You need to be more careful about your work, Peter.”

“Cheh, Dad always finds fault with everything.”

“You have good taste, but I’m telling you not to cut corners. If you try to get away with this in the competition, people will laugh at you.”

“Yes, yes… so if I win an award, can I get more pocket money?”

“What are you going to spend all that money on?”

“W-well… it’s okay, right? Whatever I want!”

Peter looks a little embarrassed as he stammers. Hmph, did he think he could fool his father's eyes?

There's not much for kids to spend money on around here. He probably bought something from a traveling merchant and plans to give it as a gift to his girlfriend.

"I'll enter if I can. Even though everyone is an amateur, there are elves and dragons participating too, so it won't be easy."

"Hmph. I don’t feel like losing to anyone but my mom."

I'm slightly worried about my overly confident son. Has he been pampered too much?

By the way, it turns out that his request for more pocket money was because Cosmos-san’s prostitute had rejected him when he tried to sneak a touch while she was flashing her naked body in Palace and said, "If you want to do naughty things with us, bring some money!"

And then, about one week later.
The girls from the palace started coming out to draw pictures and other activities, making this town feel more artistic than ever before.

"It's a great opportunity. Porca is a good city, but it lacked cultural refinement."

Christie squints her eyes at the art boom that has taken hold of both the townspeople and the crossbowmen stationed here. Now that she thinks about it, despite everyone looking healthy and beautiful because of the spirit spring, the town did lack some design flair.

…Part of it was also because Gloria, the top artist around here, only drew pornographic pictures.

And among them was Eleana seriously painting a forest scene.

“…Eh, Eleana? You’re getting more pocket money too, right?”

“Pocket money? There’s no use for that around here. Plus, did Peter or Claudio start saying such things?”

Claudio is Hildegard's child and he’s about the same height as Peter now.

While Peter is mischievous, Claudio is a bit shy and clings to his mother. He’s been raised with all of Hildegard’s maternal affection.

“…Don’t you want any rewards or anything?”

“…I do, but I’ll ask for it if I win.”

Eleana said that while drawing with her face in a pout.

…She looks so cute even when she has that pouting expression, thought the kid-loving me.

And after watching Elenia like that for a while, I felt satisfied and thought maybe it wasn't my place to voice my crude concerns. Maybe the fact that Elenia came over to Palace naked and kept trying to touch me was just because she had no shame due to her environment, and perhaps she really wanted to be filial or seek comfort from me as a daughter. Yeah, that must be it. It's probably just a coincidence that my mother Selen is so relaxed about incest.

And then there was the art festival.
People came from Grange, the north, Celesta, and Renfangas in large numbers, and they enjoyed paintings and sculptures placed throughout town.
...The actual works of Gloria & Rants were only put out to a tenth or so, but because their quality was outstanding, they definitely captured people's hearts and attracted many buyers, making it a substantial success.
And then there was the main competition at Baronial Manor. The best prize selected by the judges... was Mya’s “Scale Statue.” She had collected broken dragon scales and made a miniature dragon statue out of them.
Some thought this was too unfair due to the material difference, but since it wasn't prohibited, they decided not to exclude her from winning.

And while gold and silver were won by others, Elenia's "Single Pine in the Forest" barely made it into third place.

“So.”

“Ah… Well, Eren? If possible…”

“You won the contest and you’re not going to listen to my request?”

In a corner of the bath area in the Palace at night.

Sure enough, I’ve been pinned down by Elenna.

“…You see? Papa would like to grant your wish if possible. But…”

“You won’t listen.”

“…………”

“I hate it.”

“Guh… Well, Eren, I’m not refusing just because I don’t want to hear you out; it’s that I think it’s too early for you.”

“Then how old should I be!?”

“No, really, just wait a little longer, Ele. Okay?”

The girls in Palas all looked at them with a kind of sweet smile.

…He begged and pleaded until they finally gave him a break today.
H-he didn’t want to get on her bad side. If Ele hated him, he would die.
…It might not last long.

"A new festival?"

"Indeed. I would truly appreciate your cooperation."

It was an early summer evening when the Baron approached me with this proposal, scratching his head, which had gone completely white after he had long since given up on trying to dye it.

"Are we adding another one?"

"As far as Polka is concerned, the current number isn't even that high."

"...Ah, well, I suppose not. For Polates alone, there’s the New Year's Festival, the Spring Festival, and the Harvest Festival."

I counted them off on my fingers.
When you add the Holy Beast Festival of Breakcore, the twice-yearly Spirit Festival of Celesta, the Tide Festival of Rapal, the Royal Capital's Founding Festival, the Hero Festival of Renfangus, the "Day of the Dragon Exchange" in Carlwin, and the Liberation Festival of Grunge, I personally find myself in a situation where I’m conscious of festival preparations almost every single month.
Then there's the Elven Spirit Temple, which uses a unique calendar based on units of 100,000 days; they occasionally hold festivals at bizarre timings, which results in me being called away unexpectedly. Thanks to that, my schedule frequently gets derailed, and Tetes ends up scolding me.
In that manner, because it felt like it was always some kind of festival, my sense of time had become somewhat warped.

"I know you are busy. But if you were to give us a word, the Elves would move, and through Lady Diane, the connection to the people of Celesta would be smooth as well."

"Yeah. I get that, but what kind of festival is it?"

"An Arts Festival."

"...An... Arts Festival?"

"Indeed. I am determined to make it a success."

Currently, an artists' circle is forming in Polka, centered around Gloria-san and Lanz.
It had been several years since Lanz had become Gloria-san's apprentice, triggered by the occasion of Goat getting married and becoming a full-fledged family man.
Blessed with an excellent master, and aided by his natural concentration and innate understanding of the female form, Lanz now energetically continues to produce original erotic scrolls that would rival those of a professional.
Watching this progress, young people aspiring to be painters began to emerge from the former residents of Carlwin in Grunge; furthermore, figures like Julio—the acrobatic sculptor and Diane-san's brother—and various sculptural artists from the Northern Forest naturally gathered, causing artistic works to proliferate in certain districts.
The Baron, who had supported Lanz as a patron since he first began painting, had been building galleries one after another to house these works. However, since the primary artists were Gloria-san and Lanz, the collection consisted almost entirely of paintings of nude women. It wasn't exactly something he would recommend promoting too loudly.
However, it seems he felt that, given the current era—where traditions are becoming pleasantly lighter through diverse cultures—he might as well take the plunge and promote them grandly alongside other sculptures, conveying the true brilliance of Lanz and the others' work.

It certainly is a waste to let them be enjoyed only by a handful of enthusiasts. The district housing the studios has become like another world, lined with sculptures and murals; the scenery is so captivating that it’s hard to believe this is all being done by hobbyists in the middle of the deep countryside. The galleries are even more impressive; it’s hard to believe that, for now, they are simply displaying whatever Gloria-san and her apprentice have produced without even assigning them a price.
Since joining my collection as a female slave, Gloria-san no longer has to worry about making a living, so she lacks any desire for fame. Her only motivation is to keep painting at a steady pace, fueled by the simple joy of seeing me, Lanz, the Baron, or Old Man Harry delighted by her work.
Though it took longer than expected, she has been blessed with a child, and with disciples gathering from Grunge and the Northern Forest, she seems happy—but the Baron apparently felt that wasn't enough.

"And so, they are planning to hold a new arts festival at the start of autumn. Since the occasion is here, I want to help build the hype from our end as well."

Night.
I returned to "Vapor Palace" and brought up the subject to the girls gathered in the dining hall.
Among those gathered were some of my female slaves wearing collars, several dragons, cat-folk who had just come to play, the prostitutes from "Cosmos Emporium," and Elven women from the Northern Forest.
Within the Palace, the rule was that undressing was optional—a rule primarily intended for the Blue Dragons and certain female slaves who had developed a penchant for exposure—but with the exception of the Elven women who weren't used to it and those who frequently went in and out, more than half the girls were basically naked all day long.

"Then what are we doing? Are we going to stand next to the paintings saying, 'Here's your model! ♪'?"

"No, well, that might be effective in a sense, but that's not quite it."

It was Cosmos-san who spoke with such blunt boldness while feeding two of the girls. In fact, Lanz had produced a considerable number of paintings using Cosmos-san, Hilda-san, and Lyra as models.

However, while that might be exciting for the viewer, it wasn't quite right for the purpose of promoting an arts festival.

"There are many girls here at the Palace. I think it would be good to hold something like an amateur works competition among us."

"Aren't they doing that kind of recruitment in the city?"

"They are, but apparently, they don't expect much of a turnout."

Materials like canvases, paints, and brushes aren't things you can just gather easily on a whim. For a complete amateur household, painting is a high hurdle to clear.

However, within the Palace, such tools can be easily acquired and shared, and it is easy to use the dragons to source them from the city. It doesn't have to be paintings; it could be sculptures, and I and Jeanne can provide the necessary tools for that.

"Gloria-san said she would provide instruction for beginners, so I want anyone interested to give it a try."

"Is there a reward?"

Oregano raises her hand to ask a question. Beside her are the Laurier parent and child. And, naturally, they are both naked.

"As for the reward... uh, what should I do?"

I scratch my head, thinking for a moment.

And then.

"...As a participation prize, this. One Andy Coin. To be given to everyone."

I snap my fingers.

It’s a "Reward Voucher" I made by imitating the "Isabelle Coin" from Cosmos Emporium. If used, the recipient can demand a handmade present from me, or ask a dragon to take them wherever they like.

...Initially, there was no option to be carried by a dragon, but Emma proposed it to reduce my workload, and it was adopted. As for the usage rate... it’s not particularly high, but it happens occasionally. The most frequent user is Narys.

A "present" could be as simple as a few hours of a date. Though, even when it's called a "date," things tend to turn erotic quickly. If I spend time without a specific purpose, people tend to gather around until it turns into a group session, so being able to formally demand one-on-one intimacy is, by now, a quite rare privilege.

I can't help but think that this coin might not be all that appealing to those who aren't female slaves, but it is currently very popular because, when I focus my efforts, even the girls from the brothel group can experience a complete, frenzied climax.

If you work hard every night for over a decade with people like Hilda-san, Cosmos-san, and Gloria-san, your skills improve. And they certainly have.

"So, if you win... what would be good? Anyway, I'll make something special."

I made a rather vague declaration, and just as I thought it might not be motivating enough, the girls erupted in excitement.

Am I really that highly regarded? Even as a craftsman?

...Or so I thought, but then—

"...If I win... can we try... making a baby, seriously?"

It was Maia who asked, timidly. Naturally, she was naked.

"...I'll take that into consideration, but we already do that all the time, don't we?"

"Not just, you know, two or three rounds and then finished. I mean with the momentum to fuck me dozens of times until I'm pregnant."

"...Fine, but..."

I tried to add that we should be careful since there were children around, but my words were completely drowned out by the sheer roar of the crowd's excitement.

...Is that what everyone wants?
Well, I suppose since this is Polka, things can get a bit intense and heal quickly.

The only ones usually residing in the Palace are children who have reached consciousness, basically up to about 4 or 5 years old. Once they get older, they move their base of operations elsewhere.

There are children in the Sympson household, such as Jeanne and Selene, but most of the female slaves now have homes of their own. The majority live in their mothers' houses.

As for those who aren't female slaves... well, they each return to their respective homelands to be raised. Most girls who engage in sex but haven't become female slaves lack the resolve to completely sever their ties with their hometowns.

By the way, among the girls from the Cosmos Emporium brothels, there are a few who have somewhat carelessly given birth to my babies. Or rather, since they all gave birth after returning to Talc without any particular notice, I accidentally ended up with the eldest child (the child of the white fox girl, Felicia-jou). I mean, she just casually mentioned it after a battle was over.

Because of that, I am now extremely strict about checking if a girl who is tempting me might be my own child.

"I want to make sure the things I do with my daughter are a one-time thing."

"As long as it isn't forced, isn't it fine?"

"I think Selene is the one who should be the most angry about this kind of matter!?"

"If I were forcibly violated by my Papa, I would definitely grow to hate sex. But if I love Papa and am lusting after him, and then the person themselves rejects it, I think they would end up recoiling from their own instincts and becoming distorted in their own way."

"...Uh..."

"I just think a child's happiness comes first~"

Selene says, smiling at her own pace while washing the dishes.

Hmm.

Is Selene's concern not about the fact that I'm having sex with a child itself, but rather "whether or not they will be hurt by the sex"?

She ignores the fact that I have sex with others as if it's perfectly natural... well, it's too late to even bring that up now, but as for social issues like public perception... it's likely because she grew up as a half-elf who was essentially cast out by society that she doesn't care at all.

As for the issues regarding bloodline concentration... Irina always says, "A little bit isn't a big deal; it can be handled with magic. It's a different story if it goes on for dozens of generations," so I suppose that's just how it is.

No, no, no. Still, though...

"No matter how much the person involved might want it, I cannot condone Peter attacking his mother or other female slaves."

"Well, that's only natural. Aside from the children, the female slaves belong solely to you, Andy-san."

"So you can accept my daughter getting handsy with her father, but not this...?"

"I think you should realize more deeply that you are a special, exceptional person, Andy-san. You are someone capable of bringing happiness to dozens, even hundreds of women. Only those who have come to accept that will approach you. It's just... unfortunately, that isn't the case for Peter-kun. ...That's all. If it's you, Andy-san, I believe you could make even your own daughter... well, any woman... happy."

"...Sometimes, I..."

"?"

"...I just have to reaffirm that your way of thinking is actually quite messed up."

"Do you really think so? I'm simply a realist! ♪"

What does it even mean to be a "realist"? It makes me want to get philosophical.

Among the children, Peter was, of course, the first to be recognized as my son.
However, since he is a half-dwarf, his growth is a bit slow.
He should be slightly older than Elenia, who has recently begun to shed her toddler look and grow quite slender, but visually, he looks like he's barely even ten years old.
Apparently, dwarves don't grow very tall to begin with, and while they tend to retain a child-like physique until suddenly sprouting beards and excessive muscle, Peter hasn't shown any such features that would detract from his childhood appearance yet.
However, his voice is a bit deep and raspy for a ten-year-old. He's already entering puberty.

"Hey, Pop. Can I enter the Vapor competition too?"

"You can, but... can you even draw?"

"I haven't drawn much, but I can make decent little dolls."

With a look of pride, Peter brought a handmade doll from his room.
It was a knight figurine made of lead. ...Ah, I remember making one of those with my old man, too.

"I've already made twenty of them. Grandpa says they're ready to be sold."

"Please stop calling Jackie-san 'Grandpa.' It confuses me."

Usually, Jackie-san is the one looking after Peter. Though she's passed fifty, she's still very much an active blacksmith.
Perhaps because she feels lonely since Sara-chan got married, she has been particularly fond of Peter lately.

"But saying they're ready for sale is a bit of an exaggeration. The fine details are sloppy. You have to finish them more carefully, Peter."

"Tch, Pop, you're always nitpicking."

"Your sense of design isn't bad. I'm saying don't cut corners. You'll be laughed at in the competition if you try to pull stunts like this."

"Yeah, yeah. ...Anyway, if I win an award, I want an allowance increase."

"How much money do you need? What are you even going to use it for?"

"That's... I-It's none of your business what I use it for!"

My son stammered, looking a bit embarrassed. Hah. Did he really think he could hide it from his father?
In this Polka, there aren't many places for a child to spend money. He'll probably just buy some souvenir from a traveling merchant to give to a girlfriend.

"Only if you win an award. Even though they're all amateurs, elves and dragons are participating, so it won't be easy."

"Heh. I don't feel like I'll lose to anyone except Mom."

I feel a slight sense of dread toward my overly confident child. Am I spoiling him too much?

Note: It was later revealed that the reason for his request for an allowance increase was that he had tried to secretly touch one of the prostitutes from Cosmos-san's group, who was flaunting her nakedness at the Palace, only to be teased: "If you want to do naughty things with us, you'll have to bring some money! ♪"

---

About one week later.
The girls of the Palace had begun venturing outside to engage in activities like sketching, and Polka was suddenly experiencing an artistic boom.

"It's a good opportunity. Polka is a wonderful town, but it lacked this kind of cultural enrichment."

Christie narrowed her eyes as she watched the art boom, which the townspeople and the stationed crossbow unit had also begun to join.
Come to think of it, she was right. While the people were glowing with healthy beauty thanks to the Spirit Spring, the town lacked a certain aesthetic flair.

...Though part of the reason was also because Gloria, our lead artist, had been drawing nothing but erotic art.
And yet, amidst all that, there was Elenia, painting the forest landscape with complete seriousness.
"......Uh, Ele? You're getting an allowance increase too, right?"
"An increase? There's nothing to spend it on around here. Besides, was it Peter or Claudio who started talking about this?"
Claudio is Hilda's child. Right now, he's about the same size as Peter.
Unlike the rambunctious Peter, this one is quite shy. Because of that, he's a total mama's boy, growing up under the full warmth of Hilda's maternal love.
"......Don't you have any demands, like... a reward or something?"
"......I do, but I'll tell you if I win an award."
Elenia said this while painting, her face set in a pout.
...The "doting father" filter in my head makes me think even her pouting profile is cute.
And as I watched her for a while, I felt a sense of satisfaction, thinking that perhaps I shouldn't have voiced such tactless concerns.
I started to think that the fact Elenia has been wandering around the Palace naked more than ever before, or the way she keeps trying to get me to touch her—maybe it's just that her sense of shame regarding nudity has been broken by the environment, and her true feelings are simply a strong desire to be more filial or to act spoiled with me as her father.
Yes. That must be it. The fact that her mother, Selene, is strangely lax about incest is surely just a coincidence.

Then came the Arts Festival.
People flocked from Grange, from the north, and from Celesta and Renfangas, enjoying the paintings and sculptures placed throughout the town.
...While the crucial works by the master and apprentice, Gloria and Lanz, only made up about twenty percent of what was displayed, the sheer difference in quality undoubtedly captured the hearts of viewers, drawing them to the gallery and securing many buyers, so it could be considered a success in practical terms.
Then, the main competition was held at the Baron's estate.
The Grand Prize selected by the judges was... none other than Maia's "Scale Statue." She had gathered broken dragon scales to create a miniature dragon statue.
There were some opinions that using such superior materials was a bit unfair, but since it hadn't been prohibited, they decided it wasn't right to disqualify her, and she took the prize.

While gold and silver went to others, Elenia's "Single Cedar of the Forest" narrowly secured the bronze award.

And so.

"Ah... um, Ele? If it's possible, as your papa..."

"So you won't grant my wish even though I won an award?"

The Palace at night, in a corner of the bath area.

As expected, I am being pinned down by Elenia.

"...Listen, okay? Papa wants to grant your wishes too, Ele. But, you see..."

"So you won't."

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

"I hate you."

"Guh...! L-Listen, Ele. It's not that I won't do it at all, it's just... I think it's still a bit too early for you."

"Then at what age will it be okay!?"

"No, really, just wait a little longer, Ele. Please?"

The girls of the Palace were all watching us with gentle, almost heartwarming expressions.

...After much begging, I was spared—just for today.
I-I don't want to be hated. If Elenia hates me, I'll die.
...Though I might not last very long.

"A new festival?"

"Yes. I'd like your cooperation."

The baron, scratching at his now completely white head—having given up dyeing it recently—brought this proposal to me on a late spring evening.

"Are we adding another one?"

"As far as Poruka goes, you don't have that many yet."

"...Ah, right, I guess not. If we're just counting Poruka festivals, there's the New Year Festival, the Spring Festival, and the Harvest Festival."

I counted them off on my fingers. Then there’s Breakcore’s Holy Beast Festival, Celesta’s biannual Spirit Festivals, Lapal’s Tide Festival, the Royal Capital’s Founding Festival, Renfangus’ Hero Festival, Karlwin’s "Dragon Exchange Day," and Granze’s Liberation Festival. Personally, it feels like I'm constantly preparing for a festival every month.

Plus, the Elven Spirit Temple has its own unique 100,000-day calendar, so sometimes they have festivals at weird times and call me in on short notice. Thanks to that, my schedule gets messed up all the time, and Tetes gets mad at me.

With everything always being a festival, I’d almost lost track of what was normal.

"I know you're busy, but if you give them a word, the elves will move, and we can reach Celesta through Lady Diane."

"Yeah, well, I get that, but what kind of festival?"

"An art festival."

"...G, geeijutsusai? An art festival?"

"Yes. I want it to be a great success."

Right now, Gloria and Lanz are at the center of an emerging artist's circle in Poruka. How many years ago was it that Lanz became Gloria’s apprentice after Goat got married and settled down into domestic life? Blessed with a good mentor, his natural concentration, and understanding of female forms, he now energetically draws original erotic picture scrolls that rival professionals.

Seeing this, young people from Granze who used to live in Karlwin started aspiring to be painters, and even Julio—Diane’s brother, the acrobatic sculptor—and the sculptors from the Northern Forest naturally gathered, leading to an explosion of art in certain districts.

The baron, who had been supporting Lanz as a patron since he started painting, had been building galleries one after another to house these artworks. But, well, with Gloria and Lanz, most of the pieces were nude paintings. It wasn’t something he’d pushed too hard.

But now, he thought, why not boldly promote them alongside other sculptures, spreading the word about how amazing Lanz’s and others’ works are? He felt the time was right, as traditions had become lightly shaken by diverse cultures.

It's true that it would be a waste to only enjoy these pieces among a small group of enthusiasts. The district with the studios is like another world, lined with sculptures and murals so impressive you wouldn’t believe they were done as a hobby by volunteers from the sticks. And the galleries are even more amazing—currently, nothing’s priced, and they just casually display whatever Gloria and her apprentice draw, which is hard to believe.

Gloria, now one of my female slaves, doesn’t need money anymore, so she has no ambition for fame. She just keeps drawing because I, Lanz, the baron, and Old Man Harry get so happy when she does.

She’s had kids a bit later than usual but seems happy with disciples gathering from Granze and the Northern Forest. But the baron decided that wasn’t enough.

"So, apparently, we're having a new art festival in early autumn. I want to make it a big deal."

That night, back at the "Vapor Palace," I told the girls gathered in the dining hall about it.

Some of them were wearing slave collars, some were dragons, and others were just visiting—catfolk, courtesans from "Cosmos Shop," even Elven women from the Northern Forest.

The palace has a "free to undress" rule, mainly for Blue Dragons and some exhibitionist female slaves, but excluding Elven women who aren’t used to it or those who frequently go outside, more than half of the girls were basically naked all day.

"So, what are we doing? 'Model for you!' I’ll stand next to your painting?"

"Well, that might be effective in a way, but it’s not exactly that."

While feeding two of the girls, Cosmos casually said something bold. In fact, Lanz has drawn quite a few pictures with Cosmos, Hilda, and Leila as models.

But that's exciting for viewers, but not really what we need for an art festival.

"We have plenty of people here at the palace. How about some kind of amateur art contest?"

"Doesn’t the city already do something like that?"

"Sounds like nobody’s really up for it, though."

The canvases, paints, brushes—art supplies aren’t exactly something you can just grab on a whim. For families with zero experience, painting is a pretty high hurdle.

But inside this palace, we’ve got all the tools readily available and can share them easily. Getting stuff from the city using dragons is a breeze too. And it’s not just paintings—sculptures work just as well. Jeanne and I can even provide the carving tools if needed.

"Gloria said she’d handle the beginner instruction, so anyone interested should give it a shot."

"Any rewards?"

Oregano raises her hand to ask. Rosemary and her kid are next to her. And, of course, they’re all naked.

"Rewards… hmm, let me think."

I scratch my head and ponder for a moment.

Then—
"...Participation prize: This. One Andy Coin. For everyone."

I snap my fingers.

It’s a "reward voucher" modeled after the "Isabelle Coin" from Cosmos Shop. Using it lets you demand a handmade present from me or ask a dragon to take you anywhere you like.

…The dragon ride option wasn’t there at first, but Emma came up with it to lighten my workload, and we adopted it. Usage rate’s… not super high, but it happens sometimes. Naris is the biggest user.

"Gifts" can be anything from a few-hour date to… well, things tend to get sexy pretty fast during dates. But if I’m just hanging out without purpose, they’ll all gather and turn it into a group thing. So being able to demand a one-on-one romp is actually a pretty rare privilege these days.

I half-wonder if the non-slave girls would be thrilled about this coin, but when I really focus on them, even the prostitutes get to go wild, so it’s surprisingly popular.

After grinding with Hildegard, Cosmos, Gloria, and the others every night for over a decade, my skills have definitely improved. Improved a lot.

"So… if someone wins… what should the prize be? I’ll make something special, anyway."

I declare something super vague, thinking they might not be motivated by that, but the girls erupt in cheers.

Wait, am I that respected? Even as an artisan?

…But then—
"...If you win… could we maybe… have a real baby?"

It’s Maia, asking shyly. And, naturally, she’s naked.

"...I’ll consider it, but aren’t you already doing that?"

"Not just two or three times and calling it a day—I mean, going at it like I’m gonna impregnate you dozens of times!"

"...Fine."

I was about to add "We have kids here, so let’s not talk about this too much," but the excitement drowned me out completely.

…Is that what everyone wants?

Well, yeah, this is Polka, so even if we go hard, they’ll heal up fast. But still.

Most of the kids who live in the palace full-time are only four or five years old—basically pre-pubescent. Once they get older, they move out to their own homes.

Some, like Jeanne and Selen, stay with the Smysom family, but most of the female slaves now have their own houses, usually living with their mothers.

The non-slave girls… well, they mostly go back to their hometowns to be raised. Even if they’re having sex, most can’t bring themselves to completely sever ties with their families.

By the way, a few of the prostitutes from Cosmos Shop have casually popped out my babies. Or rather, they’ve all gone back to their villages after a session and had them without telling me, so I accidentally messed with the oldest one (who was Felicia, the white fox girl’s kid). They just casually mention it after the session’s over.

Since then, if a younger girl tries to tempt me, I make absolutely sure she’s not my own kid.

"I want to stop doing anything lewd with my daughters."

"Isn’t that fine as long as it’s consensual?"

"I think Selen should be the most pissed about this kind of thing, you know?"

"If Papa forces himself on me, I'll definitely hate sex. But if I'm all hot for him and he's the one who doesn't want it, I'd resent my own instincts and get warped in a different way."

"...Huh."

"I think a child's happiness is what matters most, you know?"

Selen laughs at her own pace while washing dishes.

Hmm.

So Selen isn’t worried about me having sex with the kid, but whether it’ll hurt him?

Ignoring that I’m sleeping with other people like it’s nothing… well, that’s beside the point now. But as for social stigma and all that… she doesn’t care at all because she grew up ostracized by society as a half-elf.

As for problems from bloodlines getting too thick… Irene always says, "A little bit isn’t a big deal; magic can fix it. It’s different if you’ve been screwing around for decades, though." So that’s probably how it is.

No, no, wait. But still.

"I don’t care how much he wants it, I won’t allow Peter to attack his mother or any of the other female slaves."

"Well, yeah, that’s true. The female slaves are all Andy’s property anyway."

"You’re okay with him accepting that, but you’ll just ignore your daughter sleeping with her father?"

"I think Andy should realize he’s special, an exception to the rule. He can make any woman happy—whether it’s dozens or hundreds. Only the girls who accept that get close to Andy. But unfortunately, Peter isn’t one of them… Yeah. If it’s Andy, even his own daughter… any woman, he could make her happy."

"...Sometimes…"

"?!"

"I’m just reconfirming how messed up your thinking is sometimes."

"Oh, really? I’m just a realist~"

What is realism, anyway? Makes me want to philosophize.

Of all the kids, Peter was the first to recognize me as his father, of course.

But he’s a half-dwarf, so he grows up a bit slower.

He should be a little older than Elenia, who’s recently outgrown her baby fat and gotten slender, but he still looks like he might not even be ten yet.

Dwarves don’t grow very tall to begin with, and apparently they stay in their childlike bodies until they suddenly sprout beards and get overly muscular, but Peter hasn’t shown any of those characteristics yet.

Still, his voice is a little too deep and rough for a ten-year-old. Sounds like he’s already going through puberty.

"Hey, Dad. Can I enter the Vapor Contest?"

"You can, but… can you even draw?"

"I don’t really draw, but I can make some pretty cool dolls."

Peter looks smug as he brings out a doll he made from his room.

It’s a knight doll made of lead… Ah, I remember making those with Dad too.

"I’ve already made twenty of them. Old Man Jackie says they’re sellable now."

"Please stop calling Jackie 'Old Man.' It confuses me."

Jackie is usually the one who looks after Peter. He’s past fifty but still a fully active blacksmith.

Since Sarah got married, he seems lonely and has been especially doting on Peter lately.

"But saying they’re sellable is a bit too generous. The details are sloppy. You have to finish them more carefully, Peter."

"Tch, Dad’s always finding fault."

"Your talent isn’t bad. I’m just saying, don’t half-ass it. If you try to pull that crap in a contest, people’ll laugh at you."

"Okay, okay… So, if I win, can I get an allowance increase?"

"What are you gonna spend all that money on anyway?"

"That’s… well, whatever! It doesn’t matter what I use it for!"

My son stammers, looking a little embarrassed. Hmph, thought he could fool his old man?

There aren’t many things a kid in this town would spend money on. Probably just some trinket from a peddler to give to his girlfriend.

"If you win, that is. Everyone’s an amateur, but there’ll be elves and dragons too, so it won’t be easy."

"Heh. I don’t think anyone but Mom can beat me anyway."

I feel a twinge of anxiety at my son’s needless confidence. Has he been coddled too much?

By the way, the reason for his allowance request was later revealed to be because Cosmos-san’s… well, let’s call her a ‘lady of the night’ at the Palace had shown off her assets and when he tried to sneakily touch her, she said, "If you wanna get frisky with us, you better bring some money!"

And then, about a week passed.

The girls from the Palace started going outside for sketching and other artistic activities, suddenly making Plocka all artsy.

"This is a good opportunity. Plocka is a fine town, but it lacked this kind of cultural enrichment," said Kristi, narrowing her eyes at the burgeoning art boom that even the townspeople and the stationed Crossbow troops were joining in on.

Now that she mentions it, I have to agree. The people here are healthy and beautiful thanks to the Spirit Spring, but the town itself lacked any real design flair.

…Though a lot of that was because Gloria, our resident artist, only drew erotic pictures.

And among them was Elenia, seriously sketching the forest scenery.

"…Eh, Elen? You want an allowance increase too?"

"Allowance? There’s nowhere to spend it around here. Besides, who started saying that? Peter? Claudius?"

Claudius is Hildegard’s kid. He’s about the same height as Peter right now.

He’s much shyer than Peter, and a real mama’s boy, soaking up all of Hildegard’s maternal love.

"…Don’t you want any rewards or anything?"

"…I do, but I’ll tell you if I win."

Elenia says that with a scowl as she draws.

…Even her scowling face is cute, thanks to my doting parent bias.

And after watching Elenia like that for a while, I felt satisfied and thought maybe I shouldn’t voice my crude concerns.

Maybe the reason Elenia comes to the Palace naked more than before, or tries to get me to touch her all the time, isn’t because she’s just lost her sense of shame about nudity due to the environment, but simply because she feels a stronger desire to be good daughter and to be affectionate with me.

Yeah. That must be it. Mom Selen being weirdly lax about incest is just a coincidence.

And then came the art festival.

People gathered from Granzi, from the north, from Celesta and Renfangas, taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the paintings and sculptures placed throughout the town.

…The works of Gloria & Lanz, our master-apprentice duo, accounted for only about twenty percent of what was displayed outside, but their undeniable skill captivated viewers, guided them to the gallery, and secured many buyers, so it was a success in practical terms.

And then came the main contest at the Baron’s mansion.

The grand prize, chosen by the judges… was Mya’s "Scale Statue." She collected broken dragon scales and made a miniature dragon statue.

Some people thought it was too much of an advantage to use dragon scales as materials, but since it wasn’t prohibited, excluding her from winning wouldn’t be fair, so she won.

And while the gold and silver prizes went to others, Elenia’s "Forest Pine" barely managed to win a bronze.

"Yeah."

"Ugh... um, Eren? If possible, as your dad..."

"You won't grant my request even after winning the competition?"

In the palace’s bath area, tucked in a corner.

As expected, I’m pinned down by Elenia.

"...Listen, I want to grant Eren’s request too, if possible. But—"

"You’re not listening!"

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

"I hate you."

"Guh... uh, Eren, it’s not that I absolutely won’t listen. It’s just… I think it’s a little early for you, you know?"

"Then how old do I have to be!?"

"No, seriously, just wait a little longer, Eren. Okay?"

The girls in the palace are all watching this with such a peaceful, almost heartwarming expression.

...I begged and pleaded until they let me off for just today.
I… I don’t want to be hated. If Eren hates me, I’ll die.
...Though I might not last that long anyway.

"New festival?"

"Yes, indeed. I would greatly appreciate your cooperation."

It was late spring evening when the Baron approached me with this proposal, scratching his head which had recently turned completely white from abandoning dyeing it.

"Are you planning to add another one?"

"As far as Polka is concerned, there aren't that many yet."

"...Ah, no, I see. For Polka alone, there's roughly the New Year Festival, Spring Festival, and Harvest Festival."

I counted them on my fingers.

Adding Breakcore's Sacred Beast Festival, Celesta's twice-yearly Spirit Festivals, Rapal's Tide Festival, the Capital City's Founding Day Celebration, Renfanggas' Hero Festival, Carlwin's "Dragon-Exchange Day," and Grange's Liberation Festival... personally, I find myself constantly aware of festival preparations almost every month.

Moreover, the Elf Spirit Temple operates on a unique calendar measured in units of 100,000 days, occasionally resulting in festivals at bizarre timings that summon sudden calls to action. Consequently, my schedule often gets thrown off, much to Tetes' displeasure.

With such circumstances, I've become so accustomed to constant festival preparations that my perception has grown distorted.

"I understand you're busy, but if you simply give the word, the Elves will mobilize, and through Lady Diane, communication with Celesta's populace should also be smooth."

"Right. Well, I get that part, but what kind of festival are we talking about?"

"It's an Art Festival."

"...Eh? An Art Festival?"

"Yes. I truly wish for it to succeed."

Currently, in Polka, a circle of artists is gradually forming around Gloria and Lanz.

I can't quite recall how many years ago, after Goat married and fully embraced domestic life, Lanz became Gloria's apprentice.

Blessed with an excellent master, and aided by his innate concentration and understanding of the female form, he now energetically produces original erotic artworks that rival professional standards.

Witnessing this, young men from Carlwin in Grange who aspired to become painters began to emerge. Furthermore, figures like Julio, the acrobatic sculptor (brother of Lady Diane), and various sculptors from the Northern Forest naturally gathered, leading to a rapid proliferation of artistic works across certain districts.

The Baron, who had supported Lanz as a patron since he first picked up a brush, has been progressively constructing galleries to house these artworks. However, given that Gloria and Lanz are the primary creators, most collected pieces are nudes—not exactly something widely promoted.

Yet, he apparently reasoned: "Perhaps we should boldly showcase these alongside other sculptures, highlighting the brilliance of Lanz's works..." Feeling the times shifting as diverse cultures began to gently loosen their traditional constraints, he considered this approach.

Indeed, limiting enjoyment to a small circle of enthusiasts feels somewhat wasteful. The district housing ateliers resembles an entirely different world, lined with sculptures and murals so captivating that one cannot believe they're merely hobbyists from rural areas doing it for fun. The galleries are even more impressive; currently, nothing is priced, yet the fact that works by Gloria and her apprentice are simply displayed without clear valuation seems almost unbelievable.

Gloria, now no longer struggling financially since becoming my female slave, lacks any desire for fame. Instead, she continues painting steadily, motivated by the joy it brings me, Lanz, the Baron, Grandpa Harry, and others whenever we admire her creations.

Though somewhat delayed in frequency, she has been blessed with children and is gathering disciples from Grange and the Northern Forest, appearing genuinely happy. However, the Baron apparently felt this wasn't sufficient.

"Thus, a new Art Festival will be held in autumn. Since this is the occasion, I want to make sure our household contributes enthusiastically."

That evening...

Returning to "Vapor Palace," I discussed such matters with the girls gathered in the dining hall.

Among those present were female slaves wearing collars, dragons, cat-beasts visiting merely for fun, courtesans from "Cosmos Shop," and Elf women from the Northern Forest.

Within the palace, free undressing is primarily a rule for Blue Dragons and some female slaves who have awakened exhibitionistic tendencies. Excluding Elf women unfamiliar with nudity and those frequently entering or exiting the outside world, more than half of the girls spend most of their day completely naked.

"So what exactly are we doing? Will you stand beside paintings saying, 'Here's a model!' ♪?"

"Well, that could certainly be effective in its own way, but it's not quite what I had in mind."

While feeding two young women, Cosmos speaks boldly and matter-of-factly. In truth, Lanz has created numerous works featuring models like Cosmos, Hilda, and Leila.

However, while such pieces may excite viewers, they don't quite align with the goal of promoting an Art Festival.

"There are plenty of girls here at the Palace. I think we should hold something akin to an amateur artwork competition among them."

"But isn't the city already issuing similar calls for submissions?"

"I'll do it, but I don't think we can gather everyone."
Gathering art supplies like canvas, paint, and brushes isn't something you can just snap your fingers for. For a truly inexperienced family, taking up painting is a high barrier to entry.

But within these palace walls, such tools are easily available and shared among us. We can even have dragons fetch materials from the city if needed. It doesn't have to be paintings—sculptures would work just as well, and I or Jeanne can prepare whatever specialized tools are required.

"Gloria offered to teach beginners," he said. "So, anyone interested should give it a try."

"Is there any reward for participating?"

Oregano raised her hand to ask. Beside her stood the Laurye family—both of them, naturally, completely naked.

"The reward... hmm, let me think."
He scratched his head, pondering for a moment.

Then, suddenly:
"...Here's a participation prize. One Andicoin each. For everyone."
With a sharp ping, he flicked his finger.

It was a "reward voucher" modeled after the Cosmo Shop's "Isabel Coin." Using it allowed one to demand a handmade gift from me or ask a dragon to take them anywhere they pleased.

At first, no one used the dragon transport option, but Emma proposed it later to lighten my workload. Its usage rate isn't high, though—it happens occasionally. Naris uses it most often.

A "gift" could even be a few hours of dating. While dates often lead quickly to sex, when I'm just hanging out aimlessly, things tend to spiral into group play before I know it. So now, openly requesting one-on-one intimacy has become quite a rare privilege.

Though some might think this coin isn't very appealing to those who aren't female slaves, the current me is so focused and intense that even the brothel girls can reach their absolute limits when I go all out. It's been overwhelmingly popular.

After spending over a decade working hard every night with Hilda, Cosmo, Gloria, and others, my skills have definitely improved. They're up there now.

"So, if you win... what should we make? Something special, no matter what."
He declared it with full enthusiasm, hoping to spark their interest. To his surprise, the girls erupted into excited chatter.

Was I really being evaluated so highly—even as a craftsman?

He thought that for a moment.

"...If you win... could we try making something serious?"
Mia asked timidly. Of course, she was naked too.

"...Well, I'll consider it, but don't you already do this kind of thing regularly?"

"Not just two or three times and call it a day," Mia replied. "I want to go on for dozens of times until we actually get pregnant."

"...Alright, then."
He was about to add that since there were children around, they shouldn't talk like that—but the girls' excitement completely drowned out his words.

...So everyone really wants that?
Well, true enough, this is Polka, so even if things get a bit rough, it heals quickly anyway.

Usually, only children under four or five—those who haven't fully developed mentally or physically—live in the palace. Once they grow older, they move out to establish their own living bases.

Some girls like Jeanne and Serein still live with the Smayson family, but most female slaves now have their own homes and spend most of their time there. As for those who aren't female slaves... well, they'll mostly return to their hometowns to be raised. Most girls who engage in sexual activity but haven't entered slavery simply can't bring themselves to completely sever ties with their origins.

By the way, several daughters from the Cosmo Shop's brothel have carelessly given birth to my child. In fact, after returning to Tark, none of them contacted me before giving birth. I accidentally got involved with the eldest one (Miss Felicia, daughter of the White Fox girl) without realizing it—she just casually mentioned it right after finishing a battle.

Since then, whenever a young girl starts seducing me, I make sure to confirm whether she might be carrying my child.

"I want to do something erotic with my daughter in a very special way."

"If we don't force it, wouldn't that be fine?"

"I think Selen should be the one most upset about this situation, you know!?"

"If a father forces himself on his child, they'll absolutely develop a hatred for intimacy. But if the child loves their father deeply and is aroused by him, only to be rejected by him... I believe that would cause them to reject their own instincts, leading to some kind of distortion."

"..."

"I just think that my children's happiness is what matters most."

Selen washes the dishes, smiling at her own pace.

Hmm.

Is Selen considering not whether having sex with a child is wrong in itself, but rather whether it causes harm?

As for casually accepting that I sleep with others... well, even if we set aside how outdated that attitude seems now, social concerns like reputation... As a half-elf who grew up being publicly ridiculed by society, I simply don't care about such things.

And regarding the issue of my bloodline becoming more concentrated... Elina has always said something like, "It's not a big deal if it happens occasionally; magic can fix anything. But if you keep doing it dozens or hundreds of times, that's a different story." So I suppose she sees it that way too.

No, no, no. But still...

"I can't accept Peter attacking his mother or other female slaves, no matter how much they might want him to."

"Well, yes, of course. Aside from the children, the female slaves belong exclusively to you, Mr. Andy."

"That part I understand, but why do you just overlook it when your daughter takes action against her father?"

"I think Mr. Andy should realize more clearly that he is a special case. Whether it's dozens or hundreds of women, he has the ability to make them happy. Only those who accept this can approach him. But unfortunately, Peter isn't like that... Yes. Even if it were his own daughter, or any woman for that matter, I believe Mr. Andy could still make her happy."

"..."

"Hmm, sometimes..."

"?"

"I just want to confirm again that you have rather dangerous thoughts."

"So? I'm just a realist, after all♪"

What does "realist" even mean? Let me think about this philosophically for a moment.

Among the children, Peter was naturally the first to be accepted as my son.
However, being a half-dwarf, his growth has been slightly delayed.
Although he should be a bit older than Elenia, who recently outgrew her toddler appearance and became slimmer, he still looks like he's barely reaching ten years old.
Dwarves generally don't grow very tall, and before you know it, they develop facial hair and excessive muscle mass while retaining their childlike features. But Peter hasn't shown any of those characteristics yet.
Still, his voice is a bit too deep and rough for a ten-year-old—it's almost like he's going through puberty.

"Hey, Dad. Can I enter the Vaper contest too?"

"You can... but have you ever drawn anything?"

"I haven't drawn much, but I can make small dolls."

Peter looks slightly proud and brings out a handmade doll from the room. It's a knight figure made of lead... Ah, we made this together with Dad back then.

"I've already made twenty of them. Grandpa Jackie says they're ready for sale."

"Please stop calling Mr. Jackie 'Grandpa.' It confuses me."

Usually, it's Mr. Jackie who spends time with Peter. He's in his fifties but remains a skilled blacksmith.

Since Sara got married and seems lonely lately, she's been especially doting on Peter.

"But saying these are ready for sale is a bit of an overstatement. The details are sloppy. You need to finish them more carefully, Peter."

"Chk! Dad always looks for flaws!"

"Your taste isn't bad. I'm telling you not to cut corners. If you keep pulling tricks like this in a contest, people will laugh at you."

"Hey, hey... so if I win, you'll give me an allowance increase?"

"What are you going to do with all that money anyway?"

"Well... uh, whatever! You can spend it on anything!"

The son stammers slightly, looking a bit embarrassed. He probably thought he could fool his father.
With this Polka, there's no way the kid would have any legitimate reason to spend money. Most likely, he'd buy some trinkets from peddlers and give them as gifts to his girlfriend.

"If I win, though... even though everyone here is an amateur, elves and dragons are participating too, so it won't be easy."

"Hmph. I don't think anyone can beat me except Mom."

Watching my overly confident son, I feel a bit uneasy. Has he been spoiled too much?

By the way, it was later revealed that his desire for an allowance increase stemmed from an incident at the Palace: after trying to secretly touch Cosmo and one of the courtesans while they were displaying themselves naked, she had teased him, saying, "If you want to get intimate with us, you'd better bring some money, okay? ♪"

And so, about a week passed.
The girls from the Palace began going outside to engage in activities like sketching, suddenly infusing Polka with an artistic flair.
"It's a great opportunity. Polka is a wonderful town, but it lacked this kind of cultural enrichment."
Christie narrowed her eyes as she watched the townspeople and the stationed Crossbow Squad gradually join the art boom.
Upon reflection, she was right. While people glowed with health and beauty thanks to the Spirit Spring, the streets themselves lacked decorative elegance.
...Partly because Gloria, the town's leading artist, had been drawing nothing but erotic paintings.

Amidst all this, there was also Elenia, seriously sketching scenes of the forest.

"...Eh, Elen? You're hoping for an allowance increase too, right?"

"Allowance? There's no use for it here anyway. Besides, who started talking about that—Peter? Claudio?"

Claudio is Hilda's son; he's about Peter's height right now.

While the energetic Peter is outgoing, Claudio is quite shy around strangers. In exchange, he's very attached to his mother and has grown up basking in Hilda's maternal love.

"...You don't have any requests for rewards or anything like that?"

"...Well, I'll tell you if I win."

Elenia said this while maintaining a stern expression as she drew.
...Even with her serious profile, she's so cute. My fatherly instinct kicks in.

After watching Elenia like that for a while, I felt satisfied and realized my tactless worries shouldn't be voiced aloud.
More than ever before, the fact that Elenia wanders around the Palace naked, or tries to let me touch her here and there, is probably just due to her environment damaging her sense of shame about nudity. As his daughter, she likely just wants to show more filial piety toward me or indulge in some affectionate closeness.
Yeah, that must be it. Mother Selen being unusually lenient on incest is just a coincidence.

And then came the Art Festival.
Many people gathered from Grangi, the North, Celesta, and Renfangas, enjoying the paintings and sculptures displayed throughout the town.
...As for the much-anticipated works by master Gloria and her apprentice Lanz, only about 20% of their pieces were exhibited outside. However, due to differences in quality, they certainly captivated viewers' hearts, guided them into galleries, and attracted numerous buyers—making it a practical success overall.

Then came the actual contest held at the Baron's estate.
The grand prize winner chosen by the judges was... Maia's "Statue of Scales." She had collected broken scales from dragons and crafted a miniature dragon statue from them.
Some argued that giving the top award for such an unfair material advantage was questionable, but since it wasn't explicitly forbidden, excluding it would have been inappropriate too, so she was allowed to receive the prize.

While gold and silver awards went to others, Elenia's "Single Pine in the Forest" narrowly secured a bronze medal.

And...

"Ah... well, Ele? If possible, as your father..."

"You won't even listen to my request after I won the prize?"

In the corner of the bath area at Night Palace.

As expected, Elenia had pinned him down.

"...well, you know? Dad would really like to grant Ele's wish if he could. But—"

"He just won't listen."

"..."

"I hate it."

"Guh... ah, well, Ele. It's not that I absolutely refuse to listen; I just think it's still too soon for you."

"So when will it be okay!?"

"No, seriously, wait a little longer, Ele. Okay?"

The girls of the palace were all watching calmly, and the scene felt strangely heartwarming.

...He'd been forced into submission and managed to get off with his life for today.
H-his fear was that he didn't want to be disliked. If Elenia hated him, he'd die.
...Though it might not last long.