When we stepped through the shimmering veil of the teleportation gate, the salt-heavy air of Baymur was instantly replaced by the familiar, still atmosphere of my own living room. The transition was seamless. Looking over at the girls, I noticed that neither Woya nor Wyn looked even slightly disoriented; they had clearly become quite accustomed to the sensation of folding space by now.

  I took a moment to center myself before informing the girls of my immediate plans. I told them I was heading back to the outer city to finally retrieve the new slave I had purchased two days ago at the auction. I entrusted the safety of the home and the completion of the daily household chores to them while I was away. They both nodded respectfully, their expressions neutral and professional. Seeing that they were handling the prospect of a new housemate with their usual calm, I stopped worrying about their potential reactions and set out.

  I headed directly toward the massive archway leading to the outer city. As I had done many times before, I went through the standard procedure of presenting my identification card to the soldiers stationed at the gate. It is a regular, almost monotonous procedure for residents, as the city’s security focus is primarily directed at individuals moving from the chaotic trade hub of the outer city into the more regulated inner districts.

  The atmosphere was a stark contrast to our departure earlier that morning. Instead of the dawn light reflecting off the canyon walls, the sun was now hanging on the opposite side of the sky, its heat warming my back as I navigated the bustling streets. I moved casually, weaving through the crowds of merchants and travelers, toward the large building where our new companion was waiting.

  When I arrived at the auction hall, I sought out one of the attendants and explained the reason for my visit. After a brief period of verification and checking their ledgers, they directed me to the back entrance. Unlike the grand, flashy front doors intended to impress wealthy bidders, the door used for logistical operations and product intake was significantly shabbier—weathered wood reinforced with rusted iron bands.

  The interior of the storage area was dimly illuminated, lit only by a few flickering mana lamps mounted high on the walls. There was absolutely no trace of the tidy, sterile environment found in the main audience hall. This was a functional space, cluttered with crates and smelling of dust and old parchment. It was not a place meant for frequent customer visits. Even as a successful bidder, I was only permitted to follow the staff member down the central corridor; the deeper layers of the facility remained hidden behind heavy, locked doors.

  After passing several nondescript rooms, we entered a space where the door had been left wide open. Inside, I saw several people sitting on low benches. I quickly realized that most of them were slaves—some looking anxious as they waited to be picked up by new masters, others appearing resigned as they waited for their next assignment.

  One of the senior staff members noticed our entrance and approached us. After I explained my business, he nodded, confirming that he had already been informed of the transfer. He turned to a subordinate standing nearby and ordered him to bring the catkin slave I had purchased.

  The wait was brief. The man returned a few minutes later, leading a female catkin by a simple rope tether. It was Nari. She looked exactly as she had on the auction block—unscathed and surprisingly vibrant. In fact, she didn't look like a slave at all. Despite having been sold as property, she was nearly beaming, her posture relaxed and confident.

  Her appearance was truly striking. Every strand of hair on her head was a brilliant, pure white. Not just her hair, but her pointy ears—which were shaped similarly to Wyn’s—and even her eyebrows and eyelashes were devoid of color. She bore a resemblance to a silver sculpture brought to life, an effect made even more fascinating by her piercing golden eyes.

  Physically, she possessed a somewhat petite frame, similar in height to Woya. However, where Woya was more plump and soft, Nari’s figure was a lean mixture of Wyn’s athleticism and Woya’s curves. With her delicate, almost fairy-like facial features, she was undeniably a beautiful woman.

  If her personality proved to be even half as impressive as her combat demonstration, the gold I had paid would be more than worth the investment. The moment she stepped into the room, her eyes locked onto mine with an intense focus. She must have recognized me as someone other than the staff, identifying me as her new owner immediately.

  “Sir Han is your new master, Nari. Greet him properly,” the staff member commanded, his voice stern.

  “... Oh? Good morning, sir. I am Nari, nice to meet you~nya,” she said.

  She had turned her head to look at the staff member when he spoke, then snapped her gaze back to me. She offered a greeting that was noticeably informal, accompanied by a very shallow, almost dismissive bow of her head.

  “Hey, Nari! I told you, he is your master! Show some actual respect!” the man barked, his face reddening with irritation at her lack of decorum.

  “What are you getting so worked up about~nya? I already greeted him, didn’t I?” she replied, her own voice carrying a hint of irritation as she looked back at the man.

  The attendant let out a long, weary sigh. He turned back to me and offered an apologetic bow. “I am truly sorry, sir. She is... a bit unsociable, as you can see. Back in her hometown, she insisted on hunting alone because of this temperament. It’s the primary reason for her high combat capabilities, but it makes her a nightmare to manage in a household.”

  The man looked genuinely exhausted, as if Nari had been a constant source of headaches for the facility staff since her arrival. Watching their interaction, my hopes for her having a cooperative character began to dwindle. I found myself secretly hoping she wouldn't cause too much friction between the twins and me.

  “I understand,” I said, wanting to move things along and avoid a scene. “Let’s proceed with the formal ownership transfer.”

  I chose not to offer any platitudes about her behavior. I wasn't entirely sure I could "educate" her out of such a stubborn streak myself. Woya and Wyn had been perfectly obedient, loyal, and capable from the very second I purchased them. I realized I would only know if Nari was a good fit after we had spent some time together in a domestic environment.

  “... Yes, sir. Please, follow me,” the man replied. He looked a bit puzzled that I had cut the conversation short, but he didn't press the issue.

  He led us out of the building. I assumed we were going to another administrative office within the auction house, but we left the complex entirely. We walked for several minutes through the winding streets of the outer city until we stopped in front of a respectable-looking residential building. The man knocked on the door and waited.

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  A few seconds later, the door was opened by a servant. My guide greeted him and explained that we were here to finalize a transfer. It appeared this was the private residence of the slave merchant whose financial troubles had led to the auction. Since the slave, the previous owner, and the new owner were all present, the only step remaining was the magical alteration of the slave mark.

  The servant led us into a sparsely furnished room where a stylishly dressed man sat at a heavy desk. As soon as we entered, the servant stepped aside and gestured for us to approach with a polite bow. The man—the slave merchant—stood up and greeted us with a smooth, professional air.

  “Welcome to my humble workplace, esteemed visitors. I am aware of the reason for your visit. Nari is one of my finest products, and I sincerely hope you will find her to be a satisfactory addition to your household. Let’s begin the process, if that is agreeable to you.”

  He bowed politely, his right hand over his heart, and gestured toward a chair.

  “Sure,” I replied shortly, taking a seat.

  The merchant began his preparations, setting out specialized inks and mana-conductive tools. He then began the delicate work of modifying the slave mark on the side of Nari’s neck to reflect my ownership. He was careful to ask for my explicit permission at each stage of the magical binding. The entire process was efficient, taking only about ten minutes to complete.

  “Congratulations, sir. She is now officially yours. Please, do not hesitate to visit us again whenever you find yourself in need of new stock,” the merchant said, a satisfied smile on his face as he wiped his tools.

  “I will... provided I am actually satisfied with her performance,” I replied. I made sure to add that last part as a pointed indicator of my current skepticism.

  The merchant’s smile faltered slightly, and he looked a bit restless. He was clearly aware of Nari’s shortcomings and was likely relieved to have her off his hands. I could already see the flaws in her demeanor; she certainly wasn't as refined or eager to please as Woya and Wyn.

  With the paperwork and magical bindings finished, we said our farewells and left the merchant’s office. Once we were back on the street, the auction house staff member took his leave, and after I thanked him for his assistance, Nari and I began the walk back toward the inner city.

  “Master, where are we... going now?” Nari asked, her golden eyes darting around the street with intense curiosity.

  I looked at her as we walked. She was undeniably cute and possessed a lethal grace, but she had zero concept of how a slave was expected to behave. She spoke to me as if we were social equals and didn't show the slightest hesitation in asking for things.

  In the span of just a few blocks, she had managed to acquire stick candies in one hand and a grilled sausage in the other. She had pointed them out the moment she saw the stalls, her eyes lighting up with such enthusiasm that I found it hard to say no. I bought them for her, of course; I’m not the type of person to mistreat my subordinates. However, her behavior made me worry. If I continued to indulge her every whim while Woya and Wyn remained modest and self-sacrificing, it would eventually destroy the harmony of the house. I made a mental note that this was an issue I would have to address sooner rather than later.

  As we reached the massive gateway separating the outer city from the inner districts, I spotted some familiar faces among the crowd waiting near the guard post.

  “Yes, I’ll be watching your back, hehehe... Oh? Oh! Big brother Han!”

  It was Elaris. She had been chatting animatedly with her party members when she spotted me. She looked genuinely surprised and immediately ran over, calling out my name.

  “Oh... Hi, Elaris. What are you guys doing here at the gate?” I asked.

  As she skidded to a halt in front of me, I reached out and patted her head. I looked past her to Paul and the rest of the party. Since they were dedicated dungeon raiders, seeing them geared up and heading toward the city exit suggested they had taken on a new contract.

  “We’re heading outside the city walls!” Elaris announced excitedly, her ears twitching.

  “Really? What kind of business do you have in the wild? Did a merchant hire you?” I asked.

  “Yeah, we’ve been contracted,” Paul said, joining us. He looked tired but determined. “A merchant hired us to escort his caravan. He offered a surprisingly good sum for the job.”

  “Wouldn't a merchant usually hire mercenaries for a caravan?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion. “It seems strange to hire a party specialized in dungeon raiding for a long-distance road trip.”

  Standard merchants typically prefer mercenaries for road security because they are better trained for combat against humanoid threats like bandits. Dungeons are a completely different environment. It made me wonder about the specific nature of this merchant’s needs.

  “Normally, you’d be right,” Paul explained. “But our route is taking us to several remote villages located near—and sometimes deep within—densely wooded areas where monster spawns are frequent. The merchant felt that a party used to the claustrophobic and high-intensity combat of a dungeon would be a better fit for protecting the goods in those environments.”

  “Is that so? I suppose that makes sense,” I replied. “But isn't it a bit late in the day for a departure? Most caravans try to hit the road at dawn.”

  “Haha, yeah, it is,” Paul admitted with a shrug. “But we have a lot of stops to make, and the first few villages are actually quite close to the city gates. Plus, the merchant had some last-minute business to settle in the outer city this morning.”

  We spoke for a few more minutes, but I didn't want to delay them from their departure. We said our farewells and went our separate ways. The whole encounter felt a bit odd to me. When I’d asked about the cargo, Paul had mentioned it was mostly herbs and local extracts. I couldn't fathom what made such ordinary goods valuable enough to justify the high cost of hiring a specialized dungeon-raiding party for protection.

  Since it wasn't my business, I put it out of my mind. I took Nari and passed through the gates into the inner city. We walked through the residential streets in relative silence. Strangely, Nari had stopped speaking entirely after my conversation with Paul’s group. When I glanced at her, she seemed deep in thought, her brow furrowed as she processed something. I hoped it wasn't a sign of more trouble to come.

  “We’re here, Nari. This is your new home,” I said as we arrived in front of the house. I stood with my hands on my hips, looking up at the structure. “Woya and Wyn are already inside. They’ll be your housemates from now on, so make sure you get along with them, okay?”

  “...”

  I waited for an answer, but she remained silent.

  ‘Did a cat get her tongue?’ I thought. It was a terrible joke, and I chose not to say it out loud for the sake of my own self-respect.

  When she continued to ignore me, I turned to look at her directly. Her reaction startled me. She wasn't looking at the house with apprehension or humility. Instead, she was smiling with a sense of immense pride, her hands on her own hips in a perfect imitation of my posture. She looked as if she were the owner, not the slave.

  “... Hehehe, so this is my new lair, huh?” she said, a wide, predatory grin spreading across her face.

  I was completely dumbfounded. She had to be out of her mind. I found myself wondering what kind of upbringing or previous treatment could lead a slave to react this way to a new master's house. I could only sigh and facepalm, shaking my head at the absurdity of the situation.

  At that exact moment, the front door swung open, and Woya stepped onto the porch. She looked around, her eyes landing on me and then shifting to Nari. She tilted her head for a second, clearly trying to make sense of the strange catkin standing beside me, but her confusion vanished the moment she snapped back. She beamed a bright, maiden-like smile at me.

  “Welcome home, master!” she called out, her voice full of genuine warmth.

  [Edited]

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