Chapter 51: 051. Getting Gifts For The Girls
For the next two hours, they simply existed in the moment.
Ren bought two massive, heavily spiced skewers of roasted Wyvern meat.
It was greasy and it burned the tongue pleasantly.
Eternia, who had spent the majority of her life surviving on stale bread that the Slaver had served her and little food her past masters had given her, ate her skewer with enthusiasm.
As they walked, Ren stopped at another cart that was utilizing weak ice magic to freeze sweet cream and crushed fruits.
’It’s like Old man Ron from yesterday...’ He thought, though this one dealt in fruits. He had purposely avoided that guy’s stall... It honestly wasn’t a good look for him.
He handed a large brightly colored frost-treat to Eternia.
She took it tentatively, looking at the cold glowing dessert.
Eternia took a tiny experimental lick... The sweet freezing sugar hit her tastebuds and her eyes widened to impossible proportions.
The contrast was incredibly adorable.
This was a lethal possessive Snakekin meant to be a Demon King, currently looking at a piece of frozen fruit cream like it was a divine artifact given to her by the Gods themselves.
"It’s cold Master," Eternia whispered in awe, taking a much larger bite. She got a spot of cream on the tip of her nose. "And sweet."
Ren laughed, reaching out with his thumb to smoothly wipe the cream off her nose. "Pace yourself, or you’ll get a brain freeze."
Eternia didn’t know what a brain freeze was, but the gentle affectionate touch of his thumb against her skin sent a massive wave of heat rushing to her cheeks.
She ducked her head, hiding her massive smile behind the frost-treat.
They continued their walk with the noise of the main market slowly beginning to fade as they wandered away from the commercial center.
The dense crowds thinned out, replaced by quiet dimly lit residential streets.
Eventually, they arrived at a beautiful, arched stone bridge that crossed over the town’s main river.
The water below reflected the scattered light of the glowing paper lanterns, creating a serene mesmerizing ripple of colors against the dark surface.
There was no one else around and Ren leaned his forearms against the cool stone railing of the bridge, looking out over the water.
The cool night breeze ruffled his black hair carrying the fresh clean scent of the river.
Eternia stood next to him.
She had finished her frost-treat long ago, but her heart was still hammering against her ribs.
She looked up at him as an overwhelming wave of emotion swelled in Eternia’s chest.
It was so intense it was almost painful.
A few short weeks ago, She had been in the Slavehouse being changed from Master to Master... she couldn’t remember what relative had sold her or what her mission was but all she did want to do was to survive.
But then, he had appeared.
He hadn’t treated her like a monster though he beat her up during that first time... She was too dumb to see it back then.
Ren had pulled her out of the dark, given her a warm bed, fed her, and actually looked at her as a person after she proved that she was useful... She could understand his thought process, she wouldn’t want anyone that was useless.
And tonight, he had kept his promise. He had taken her out, held her arm and made her feel like a normal girl.
"Master..." Eternia whispered.
Ren turned his head with his crimson eyes locking onto hers. "Yeah?"
Eternia took a step closer, completely closing the distance between them.
She looked up at him, her golden eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
"Thank you," Eternia said as her voice cracked slightly. "For everything... For keeping your promise. I... I have never been this happy in my entire life."
Ren’s expression softened completely. He reached out, wrapping both of his arms securely around her waist, and pulled her flush against his chest.
He enveloped her in an incredibly protective hug and Eternia gasped softly, her own arms immediately coming up to wrap fiercely around his torso, burying her face into his shirt.
The familiar, dense warmth of his mana washed over her, completely banishing the cool night air.
Ren brought one hand up, gently stroking the back of her head with his fingers tangling softly in her purple messy hair then, he leaned down.
He pressed a soft kiss directly to the center of her forehead.
It wasn’t a passionate kiss like the one he had shared with Astrid and Eternia completely melted.
Her legs went weak, forcing her to lean entirely on his strength to stay standing.
She closed her eyes with a single happy tear escaping and tracking down her cheek.
In that singular moment, standing on the quiet bridge wrapped in the arms of the man she loved, the last remaining shards of her trauma... her jealousy... and her fear were entirely obliterated.
She was his... Completely, unconditionally, and eternally...
『System Alert: Target "Eternia" Affection Level has reached Maximum Capacity and she has developed a Heart!』
『Status: Absolute Devotion achieved... The target’s loyalty is now permanently unbreakable.』
『Narrative Evaluation: You have successfully taken a broken, tragic weapon originally destined to be a stepping stone for the Hero, and transformed her into an elite fiercely devoted subordinate completely dependent on your existence. You have successfully hijacked the Hero’s emotional narrative.』
『Reward: 15,000 SP Awarded.』
Ren slowly pulled back from the kiss, resting his forehead gently against hers.
’That’s nice... More SP for me.’ He thought.
"You don’t ever have to thank me, Eternia," Ren said and Eternia let out a joyous laugh, hugging him even tighter.
"I’m never letting go of you, Master!"
...Fuck.
...
The morning sun filtered through the sheer silk curtains of the master guest suite, casting a warm, golden glow across the expansive room.
Ren opened his eyes, staring up at the intricately painted ceiling.
He took a slow, deep breath feeling an incredible level of physical and magical refreshment.
Thanks to the passive effects of his Mother-In-Law’s Favorite title, the ambient mana of Astrid’s manor had spent the entire night circulating through his veins scrubbing away every ounce of fatigue from his muscles.
He stretched his arms above his head with the expensive silk sheets rustling softly around him.
"I could get used to this," Ren murmured to the empty room.
A sharp knock sounded at the heavy oak double doors.
"Enter..." Ren called out, sitting up against the plush headboard.
The doors opened smoothly, and Mandy stepped into the room. The butler was an entirely new man.
The soot-stained, terrified mess from the inn was gone. In his place was a man who had finally returned to his natural habitat.
Mandy was wearing a crisp flawlessly tailored black butler suit with a silver pocket watch chain glinting against his vest.
His posture was perfectly straight, and his face radiated a deep inner peace.
He was balancing a heavy silver tray on one hand with the grace of a seasoned professional.
"Good morning, my Lord," Mandy greeted with his voice practically singing as he set the tray down on the small table near the balcony. "I have brought your morning tea... A rare blend of Sun-kissed Jasmine, sourced directly from the manor’s private reserves."
"You look too happy for this early in the morning, Mandy," Ren noted, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
"I am in paradise, my Lord," Mandy replied, pouring the steaming tea into a porcelain cup. "The kitchen in this estate is a marvel of magical engineering and Lady Astrid has been very accommodating... She is currently downstairs in the dining hall, managing the household schedules."
Ren chuckled, accepting the cup of tea. He took a sip with the warm liquid soothing his throat.
He wasn’t one for morning tea but this was amazing...
"Of course she is. Let’s go see what the Head of the Household is up to."
Ren dressed quickly in a clean white shirt and dark trousers, tossing his charcoal-grey coat over his shoulders.
He walked out of the suite and descended the grand velvet staircase.
The dining hall was as spectacular as the rest of the manor... it was long mahogany table dominated the room, bathed in natural light from the massive bay windows overlooking the gardens.
Astrid was sitting at the head of the table.
She was wearing a stylish form-fitting white blouse and a dark skirt, looking incredibly normal.
She had several paper scrolls rolled out in front of her with a feathered quill in her hand and was happily organizing the day’s logistics.
Sitting to her right were Eternia, Lyra, and little Kala.
Eternia was aggressively tearing into a large cut of roasted meat with her golden eyes darting around the massive room suspiciously.
Lyra was eating much more politely, looking entirely overwhelmed by the sheer variety of fresh fruits and pastries laid out before them.
Kala was happily munching on a sweet roll, kicking her legs under the table.
"Good morning..." Ren announced while stepping into the room.
Astrid looked up with her blue eyes instantly brightening as a warm affectionate smile spread across her face.
"Good morning, Ren. Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock," Ren smiled, taking the seat directly to her left. "The wards on this place are incredible... You’ve got quite the operation running here."
"A proper household requires proper management," Astrid stated proudly, tapping her quill against a scroll. "I’ve already arranged for the outer perimeter guards to ignore any magical fluctuations coming from the private training yard, so Lyra and Eternia can train without triggering the alarms and I’ve designated the eastern wing entirely for your people."
"You’re amazing, Lady Astrid..." Lyra said earnestly with her mouth slightly full of pastry.
"Efficiency is key," Astrid winked at the Sub-Heroine.
Ren buttered a piece of warm bread, looking around the table.
He took in the sight of his entourage.
"Alright," Ren said, wiping his mouth with a linen napkin. "Change of plans for today... We’re going out."
Eternia’s ears twitched.
She immediately dropped her meat and sat up straight. "A mission, Master? Are we heading to the dungeon or killing someone?"
"Nobody," Ren laughed. "We’re going shopping."
Lyra blinked in surprise. "Shopping? But Master, we don’t have that kind of coin... Upper ring markets are incredibly expensive."
Ren leaned back in his chair.
"Money is the absolute least of our problems, Lyra. Trust me."
He still had those 50 gold coins that he had gotten from selling Lumi’s stuff and he also had Lumi’s staff, it would be enough for some shopping at the very least.
They soon finished breakfast...
"You just need to get your things," Ren said, standing up from the table. "We’re going to upgrade this entire party."
An hour later, the group was strolling down the pristine sunlit streets of Astelvern’s upper commercial district.
The streets here were paved with smooth white stone, entirely free of the dirt and grime of the lower rings.
Massive elegant boutiques lined the avenues with their glass windows displaying enchanted clothing, high-tier armor, and magical artifacts that glowed with soft inviting light.
The air smelled of expensive perfumes and fresh blooming lotuses.
Lyra held Kala’s hand tightly with her eyes wide as she took in the staggering displays of wealth.
Eternia walked closely at Ren’s side, her golden eyes scanning the well-dressed people passing by, silently judging exactly how long it would take to kill each of them if they made a sudden move.
Astrid walked on Ren’s other side, happily linking her arm through his.
Since she didn’t have work to do today from the Guild, she was acting as their personal tour guide, pointing out the best shops in the district.
"There’s a fantastic tailor just down this road," Astrid suggested, leaning closer to him. "They specialize in defensive silk-weaves... It looks like casual clothing, but it can stop a low-tier mana blade."
"We’ll hit them up later," Ren nodded.
He paused with his eyes catching the gilded sign of a massive multi-story building on their right.
[The Grand Athenaeum of Astelvern]
"First, let’s stop here. I wanted to check out some books..."
They walked into the massive bookstore and the scent of leather bindings filled the air.
Towering oak shelves stretched up toward the painted ceiling, filled with thousands of grimoires, historical texts and magical theory manuals.
While Lyra and Kala wandered over to look at the colorful illustrated bestiaries, Ren noticed Astrid subtly drifting toward a specific secluded section in the back corner of the store.
Ren quietly followed her.
He found the fearsome Vice Guild Leader standing in front of a small, heavily decorated shelf labeled Contemporary Fiction.
Astrid was biting her lower lip, staring intensely at a thick leather-bound book with a gold-foiled cover depicting a muscular knight holding a swooning noblewoman.
Ren stepped up beside her leaning casually against the shelf. "Find something interesting?"
Astrid jumped with a furious blush immediately exploding across her cheeks.
She quickly pulled her hand back from the book, looking incredibly guilty. "O-Oh! Ren! I was just... inspecting the structural integrity of the binding. Yes. Guild business."
Ren looked at the title.
[The Duke’s Secret Desires: A Tale of Forbidden Twilight.]
He just reached out, smoothly pulling the thick romance novel off the shelf.
He flipped it over, checking the price tag on the back.
It was quite expensive, likely a limited first-edition print with enchanted self-turning pages.
"I’ll take it..." Ren said casually.
Astrid’s eyes widened. "Ren, no! You don’t have to buy that! It’s incredibly overpriced for... for a fictional text!"
"I told you, I’m upgrading the party today..." Ren smirked, tapping the book against her nose lightly. "Consider it a thank-you gift for letting us crash at your mansion plus, I want to see what kind of terrible pacing these authors get away with."
It couldn’t be as bad as Webnovel authors, could it?
Astrid’s blush deepened, but a massive radiant smile broke across her face.
She reached out, taking the book from him and clutching it tightly against her chest.
The fact that he remembered her guilty pleasure from their date and actively supported it made her heart swell with affection.
After paying for the book with some silver coins... and also buying some other books for Kala and one that Eternia was entertained in, they moved on.
Their next stop was a high-end leatherworker and enchanter.
"Eternia," Ren called out, gesturing for the Snakekin to step forward.
Eternia approached with her tail flicking nervously. "Yes, Master?"
Ren spoke to the merchant behind the counter. "I need the best scout boots you have. It should have high agility, maximum durability, and complete sound suppression."
The merchant’s eyes gleamed with greed.
He rushed to the back room and returned carrying a sleek, beautiful pair of thigh-high boots crafted from dark, matte-black Wyvern leather.
The soles were inscribed with glowing, intricate wind-mana runes.
"The Whisper-Step Treads," the merchant presented proudly. "Crafted from adolescent shadow-wyvern hide... They completely absorb kinetic impact... You could jump from a three-story building and not make a single sound upon landing."
Ren nodded toward Eternia. "Try them on."
Eternia quickly swapped her worn boots for the new enchanted leather.
They fit her perfectly, molding to her athletic legs like a second skin.
She took a step.
There was absolute silence.
Even on the hard wooden floor of the shop, her footfalls made zero noise.
The wind runes passively absorbed the friction and weight of her steps and she did a quick, sudden backflip in the center of the store, landing in a crouch but again, there was complete silence.
Eternia looked up at Ren, her golden slit-pupils wide with absolute awe.
"Do you like them?" Ren asked, crossing his arms.
"Master..." Eternia whispered, standing up.
She looked at the boots then back at him.
"With these... I can stab enemies in the back thirty percent faster... They will never hear me coming."
Astrid sighed, rubbing her temples at the homicidal loyalty of the girl.
Ren just laughed, finding her words incredibly wholesome. "That’s exactly what I wanted to hear... We’ll take them."
Finally, they arrived at the largest, most prestigious blacksmith in the upper ring: The Iron Anvil.
The heat of the massive enchanted forges hit them the moment they walked through the door.
The walls were lined with heavy claymores, glowing magical staffs and pristine sets of plate armor.
Ren walked directly up to the main display counter.
"Lyra. Get up here."
Lyra flinched, stepping forward nervously. She was still carrying the broken wooden hilt of her practice sword from the night before, tucked into her belt.
"Master," Lyra whispered, looking around at the intimidating masterwork weapons. "I don’t belong in a place like this... These weapons cost silver and gold coins. I’m just a beginner."
"You shattered a reinforced training dummy with a wooden stick last night," Ren corrected her with his voice leaving no room for argument. "Your latent mana has awakened. If you channel that kind of dense aura through a cheap iron sword, the blade will shatter in your hands and get you killed... You need a real weapon."
He turned to the burly, heavily scarred blacksmith behind the counter. "Show her your masterwork steel."
For the next twenty minutes, Lyra hesitantly tested several blades. Some were too heavy pulling her balance forward.
Others were too light, failing to resonate with her surging mana. Finally, the blacksmith brought out a beautiful perfectly balanced longsword.
The blade was forged from deep-earth steel giving it a dark grey hue.
The crossguard was elegant and minimalist, wrapped in high-grip drake leather.
Lyra gripped the hilt and instantly, her blue-gold aura flared to life, rushing down her arms and sinking into the steel.
It felt like an extension of her own arm.
Lyra gasped, her eyes wide as she looked at the glowing steel. "It’s... it’s perfect and it feels weightless."
"We’ll take it," Ren said, dropping a gold coin on the counter.
He turned to Kala, who was staring wide-eyed at a small, plush stuffed bear sitting on a shelf behind the counter. "And throw the bear in too."
The blacksmith grinned, handing the stuffed toy to the little girl. Kala hugged it tightly, beaming up at Ren with a gap-toothed smile.
Lyra sheathed the masterwork sword at her hip.
She didn’t have the words to express how much this meant to her... He hadn’t just given her a weapon... he had validated her strength and he had invested in her future.
"Thank you, Master," Lyra bowed deeply. "I swear on my life, I will not let this blade dull."
Ren reached out, giving her a gentle reassuring pat on the head. "I know you won’t. Now let’s do some more shopping for clothes and then go home... I’m tired of walking."
