After the last customers leave, my wives close the store once again. I count today's sales at the counter and declare the results to everyone as usual.
"It's 125 large gold coins for today, girls!"
And everyone is delighted, once again.
"Yay! We always do a great job, don't we, Motegi-chan?"
"Hahaha! We're really breaking records again, Motegi-kun!"
"Well done, Motegi-sama. These are... impressive.. results…"
"That is a thirteen-point-seven percent increase compared to yesterday. Previous total was one hundred and ten. A welcome one, Master."
"Mmm~... this is always such a delightful moment, darling~..."
"Ha! Let it be known mine blades may have drawn coin in abundance this day. Verily, I claim some share in this triumph, mine king."
"Please, my gemstones did better~... But I'll let this dragon dream, honey~..."
"I am grateful for this fruitful day, my Lord."
Even Puck joins in, chirping delightfully as if it understood the atmosphere perfectly.
"Kyuu!"
Ever since we cleared the Remantia Labyrinth, our daily earnings have climbed. Most recently, we've never dipped below 100 large gold coins a day, which is 100 million yen. And speaking of my total assets, they're now over 10 billion yen, which is equal to our labyrinth completion reward back then.
Then, I clear my throat and let go of the good news for now.
"Alright, it's time."
Once they all line up around the counter, I place ten large gold coins in each of their hands and begin explaining.
"This is your new monthly payment. Another pay raise."
Yomogi gasps, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Ehh?! Motegi-chan, why do you always give too much?"
Chantal laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Hahaha… another pay raise, huh…"
Kimberly murmurs like she's still comprehending.
"I… I don't know… what to say, Motegi-sama. This is... very generous…"
Pinna states as her eyes focused on the coins.
"This figure exceeds the prior wage tenfold. Acknowledged. Compensation accepted, Master."
Salacia squeals delightfully.
"So many coins~! Darling, you're going to spoil us rotten~!"
Manas playfully smirks at me.
"Shouldst thou continue such gifts for one hundred and twenty months, thou might equal our labyrinth haul, mine king."
"Please don't compare that."
Lilith sniffs the coins and shivers on her own.
"Mmmhh~… you really know how to melt me, honey~..."
Brunhild places a hand on her chest and lowers her head.
"I accept this reward with gratitude, my Lord."
Yeah, we've been pulling in so much that keeping their pay at one large gold coin, or one million yen, per month was starting to feel wrong. That alone already put them on par with HR consultants in Japan. So I've bumped it to ten million a month, putting them at the multinational CEO level.
And speaking of CEOs, I can't help but wonder... does my store feel like a company now?
I mean... I just gave CEO-level wages to my clerks, so what even is this store called in Japan?
A year ago, it was just soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and sanitizers on the street stall.
Then, I rented a new place, and Yomogi came, and the kitchenware started. When Chantal joined, we had furniture and board games. After that, Kimberly came, and we added elegant ceramics. Eventually, Pinna joined, and I relinquished the toiletries to her, and she has kept them thriving until now.
When we moved to this house, Salacia came and took over woodworks with her "damp imprint" gimmick, shifting Chantal to masonry goods. Then, Manas joined, and we added weapons, and post-labyrinth, we boosted our sales with mithril, adamantite, and orichalcum gear. After that, Lilith came, and we had gemstones. And finally, Brunhild joined, and we started bullion bars, which now consistently bring in over fifty percent of our total daily income.
Yeah, this really is a crazy journey, isn't it?
DINNER TIME
When the night comes, we all gather around the table for dinner with some minotaur and shellborn skewers, flatbread, tomato and onion salad, and tzatziki.
And we don't waste time to dig in.
"Mmm! I'm really happy everyone likes my dinner idea, Motegi-chan!"
"I never get tired of this minotaur, Motegi-kun!"
"And I can't get enough of this shellborn either, darling~!"
"The sauce... is so... refreshing. It balances... everything... so well..."
"Hahaha! There existeth no such thing as too much meat!"
"Mmmhh~... the shellborn is so plump and the minotaur is too tender. They're both far too sinful for my mouth, honey~..."
"This is absolutely delicious, my Lord."
"The flavor profile demonstrates ideal searing. Outer texture is crisp, inner remains juicy. Nutritional density is optimal. Conclusion: satisfactory."
"Kyuu!"
Puck chirps delightfully from its little plate, filled with a mini flatbread, one grilled piece of each meat, a spoonful of salad, and a dollop of sauce.
I fold my own flatbread and take a bite. The warm meat, tangy salad, and cool tzatziki hit perfectly.
"This is really good..."
Once the main course are cleared, we reach for the dessert, which is a golden, flaky galaktoboureko with pistachio paste custard filling and a glistening drizzle of apple cider syrup. And yes, the paste is made from the Drupeshooter's pistachios and I used Pinna's newly-built blender, and I also turn the Forbidden Tree apple into this cider.
Once again, we don't waste time to dig in.
"Mmm! The pistachio paste makes it sooo rich, Motegi-chan!"
"Right?! That apple cider makes it real fragrant too, Motegi-kun!"
"This… is quite… decadent… but… not too sweet… either, Motegi-sama…"
"Primary flavor is pistachio paste. Texture: crisp outer layer, smooth and creamy interior. Syrup introduces fructose-based sweetness with apple acidity. Despite elevated sugar levels, balance remains optimal. Conclusion: satisfactory dessert, Master."
"Mmm~… darling, you've really gone and turned me into a sweet tooth now~…"
"Aye… so much delight goeth on in mine mouth, mine king!"
"Mmmhhh~... everything's oozing in my mouth, honey~. This is so sinful~…"
"This is amazing, my Lord. Truly delightful craftsmanship."
"Kyuu!"
Puck chirps joyfully from its small dish, nibbling its miniature serving.
Finally, I take my own bite at last. The crunch of the phyllo, the silky custard, and that tart syrup coat my tongue in perfect harmony.
"This is a really killer combo, huh?"
After dinner and letting our stomachs settle, we move together toward the bath.
We wash our bodies and hair first, and once we're clean, we ease ourselves into the large tub, heat enveloping us instantly as we let out a simultaneous, long, and satisfied sigh.
"Haahhh…"
"Kyuu…"
Puck chirps contently as it floats into the water like a freshly washed little boat.
As we soak, Yomogi lifts her hand from the water and stares at the orange ring gleaming softly there, then giggles under her breath.
"Fufufu... I still can't believe I'm wearing a wedding ring again…"
Chantal raises her own hand beside her, the purple gemstone catching the light. She smiles faintly, more to herself than anyone else.
"Hah… can't believe this wildcat is finally married, either."
Kimberly follows, lifting the yellow gem on her hand with a quiet laugh.
"This… old elf… still being desirable… even now…"
Pinna lifts her hand next, studying the green ring with a thoughtful smile.
"By standard definitions, I am an outdated automaton for such practices. Yet, I am the first one to experience a ceremonial wedding recognized by other races."
Salacia raises her blue ring and traces it slowly with her fingertip.
"It really is magical. Just seeing this always reassures me we'll be together for the rest of our lives…"
Manas whispers, lifting her red-ringed hand from the water.
"Aye, I shan't ever trade this for aught in the world. No treasure nor relic… could equal this, mine king."
Lilith lifts her hand next, black gemstone gleaming as water slides from her fingers.
"Every time I look at this, I just melt. It's genuinely real."
Brunhild raises her hand with a calm smile, the white ring shining against her skin.
"My life in the lower world is more fulfilling than it ever was in Turivel..."
Watching them, I suddenly remembered the moment I proposed. When I asked them, everyone froze, stuttered, and flushed.
And yet, they all accepted... except for Yomogi. She refused at first because the word "marriage" reopened wounds she wasn't ready to face, losing her husband and her pup. She panicked, ran back to Misdaras, and didn't return for days. The others were devastated, and I was heartbroken because she was my first love here after all. When she finally came back, trembling but determined, she became the last one to accept.
Also, let me explain what Pinna means. Automata's lifespans are around fifty years, and according to her, their unions are unlike the other races, as they only merge data and create refined duplicates of themselves like an asexual reproduction. But Pinna is different... she's the only one with the ability to self-update and expand her lifespan until she's three centuries old, which is the same age as Kimberly. However, it's very funny because despite Kimberly calling herself "old" and Pinna thinking she's "outdated," Salacia, Manas, Lilith, and Brunhild are far older still.
And speaking of Brunhild... since she was living secluded among angels, she didn't even understand what marriage was until she came here. She thought it was a purer alternative to intimacy and assumed we'd stop having sex afterward. When I corrected her and said we'd still have sex after getting married, she was more flustered than I'd ever seen, but she still accepted it anyway.
As for the others... Chantal laughed and finally accepted her long journey from a nympho adventurer to ending up as a married woman. Salacia hugged me tightly, glowing with joy and recalling that I was the first one to save her from loneliness. Manas scoffed, saying I was "too late to marry my queen." Lastly, I proposed to Lilith by promising to marry both her and her glasses, and she turned redder than when we first met.
Then, I lift my own hand from the water, gazing at the ring that reflects every one of theirs.
"No matter how hard I try, I could never craft this ring..."
After the bath, we step out from the bathroom and head into the living room as I gently lay Puck into its crib.
"Good night, Puck."
"Kyuu..."
Its eyelids flutter, and with a tiny, drowsy chirp, it fades into stillness, and soon its breathing slows, soft and steady.
Then, I reach into my dimensional inventory and quietly pull out a white fabric, which is the one I got from Turivel a year ago. I used to craft my wives' wedding dresses with this, and because I've duplicated them a lot, I still have plenty of them to make something new.
With that, I silently activate [Tailoring] and in an instant, it completely transforms into eight sets of shamelessly lewd bridal lingerie — veils, ruffled, strapless bras, elbow-length gloves, garter belt stockings, and bow-tie panties — the very same one I used to see in eroges back in Japan.
Once it's done, I turn to the girls and hold them out.
"Put these on tonight. I'll be waiting in the bedroom."
Yomogi takes hers first, her eyes lighting up as she traces the delicate fabric.
"Fufufu… this really is like a wedding dress, Motegi-chan… but lingerie..."
Chantal and Kimberly are both flushing, laughing softly.
"Hahaha… this is beyond daring, Motegi-kun. But… yeah, I'm in."
"I… I swear… your lingerie designs... are always... so… bold… Motegi-sama…"
Pinna analyzes hers as usual, and Manas lets out a dramatic sigh as they inspect their sets.
"Structure and layering differ from the wedding dresses. However, thematic overlap remains, Master."
"Aye, I loathe how deeply mine soul doth yearn for this lewd garb, mine king…"
Salacia and Lilith are both moaning, pressing the fabric to their cheeks.
"Mmmhh~... I feel like I'm getting married all over again, darling~…"
"Me too~... I'm already soaked just looking at this, honey, hnngg~…"
Brunhild holds hers at arm's length, expression caught between reverence and shyness.
"I-If this is your wish, my Lord, then I shall wear it without hesitation..."
With that, the girls all head into the wardrobe room, and I walk into the bedroom and sit down on the center of our massive bed.
Honestly, I still can't believe how far my life has come in this world. From a random college dude who got dumped by a shady ad to a husband of eight gorgeous, voluptuous beauties who are none of them even human. I mean, it's not that I avoided human girls... I don't have any cheat skill that made non-humans love me or made humans stay away to begin with.
Maybe that's because I'm just a human, so fate is just like nudging me and saying, "You're in a fantasy world now, why cling to what you already know?"
Come to think about it... Misdaras gave me Yomogi and Chantal, Heiligeichen gave me Kimberly and Pinna, Oserin gave me Salacia, Nomah gave me Manas, Qualtnok gave me Lilith, and Turivel gave me Brunhild. I also realized that I have the eight elements of Acrusse in them — Manas is Fire, Yomogi is Earth, Chantal is Lightning, Kimberly is Wind, Salacia is Water, Pinna is Cosmic, Brunhild is Light, and Lilith is Dark. And the colors are already a full color spectrum of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, and black.
Also, if we turn the number 8 sideways, it becomes ∞, the infinity. Maybe that's why eight is enough, so I don't need to add more because this is complete.
Moments later, a knock sounds on the door, and I answer softly.
"Come in."
Yes, this is the moment that I'll do something different.
Something I was still holding back even in our honeymoon.
It's time to be unselfish and stop using "that" for tonight because I want to welcome the future they want to have.