[336] Returns!

Time had flown by unnoticed, and in what felt like the blink of an eye, two weeks had passed.

During this time, Stunk, Zel, and Crimvael had disappeared without a trace. No one knew where the three had gone. Even August, who was somewhat "in the know," only knew they had gone to find a succubus shop for winged beings. As for the exact location, even August had no clue... the original story barely mentioned it.

Meanwhile, August's "business" had been growing rapidly.

Now, only five demon maids were left inside his personal realm; everyone else had been brought into this world. Under August's careful planning, each person was sent to a different town, with two even stationed in large cities. The business of buying up magic beasts was increasing by the day.

In addition to that, there were magical creatures. First, the Mia tribe's snake woman leader had sent over a snake woman also named Mia (for those who understood the reference), who now served as a maid in August's household.

Then, both Lucy, the milk cow woman, and Iva the siren had helped August find several more magical women. Catfolk, foxfolk, winged folk, fairies, elves, sea folk... you name it. August accepted them all and placed them in his inner world.

As for the realm itself, compared to two weeks ago... half a month ago... it had expanded enormously. August estimated that it now covered about one square kilometer. He didn't know the exact size, but it had grown considerably.

Now, his small world had mountains, water, and forests, beginning to resemble a real "world" in the making.

All of this progress stemmed from the growth of the World Tree sapling. Thanks to the massive intake of magic beasts and sea creatures, an immeasurable amount of nutrients had been fed to the World Tree. As of yesterday, the sapling had reached a new milestone: its growth had reached 1%.

But despite all this good news, there was still one thing that left August feeling helpless.

Over the past two weeks, his relationship with Melro had heated up quickly. By the end of the first week, Melro had stopped spending her nights at the tavern entirely and had started staying at August's place.

However, despite this closeness, Melro still wouldn't let August take things to the next level. She was willing to use her hands or even her mouth, but she steadfastly refused to give herself to him fully.

This left August both frustrated and resigned.

"August, Stunk, Zel, and Crimvael haven't shown up for two weeks. Do you think something happened to them?"

At the tavern, Melro asked while wiping down tables.

"Uh, don't worry. Bad people live long lives, while pests like them last forever. They'll be fine."

"That's true. Stunk really is a pest," Melro replied, clearly still holding a grudge against him.

August knew full well what the trio had been up to. They had gone to a winged succubus shop... in other words, to Melro's own kind. It wasn't hard to guess why, given how many times Melro had beaten Stunk for his antics.

Just as he thought about this, the door to the tavern swung open with a loud bang.

Three figures appeared at the entrance, and everyone turned to look. Smiles spread across their faces as their old friends returned.

"Well, well, long time no see, everyone," Stunk greeted them with his usual cocky grin.

"Stunk, you're finally back! Had a good time, huh?" someone called out.

"Of course."

"So, where'd you go this time?"

"Read the review later, and you'll find out," Stunk teased the crowd.

In these past two weeks, Stunk and Zel's interspecies reviews had exploded in popularity. Even the shops they had previously reviewed had seen a boost in business. Lucy, in particular, had seen a surge in visitors, thanks to the legendary stories surrounding her and August. Unfortunately for those hopeful men, Lucy had already committed her future to August, and no other man could ever satisfy her again. They left disappointed.

"Melro, could you put this up for me? It's our latest review."

"Fine," Melro replied, already guessing what kind of review it was. She wasn't pleased, but work was work.

Taking the review paper, she walked to the bulletin board and posted it. Out of curiosity, she glanced at what they had written. What she saw made her blood boil.

"Winged folk, much like parrots, have an erogenous zone on their necks. Their cloacas are incredibly sensitive, and they possess dual-purpose openings. How could such a sensual race exist?"

The moment she finished reading, Melro's face darkened. Around her, the crowd had gathered out of curiosity, all reading the review over her shoulder. The tavern erupted in chatter.

"The neck, huh? Interesting…"

"Very sensitive, apparently."

"Huh, learned something new today."

Melro could only grit her teeth in silence, knowing full well the chaos this would cause...

...

The murmurs around her only fueled Melro's anger, sending it straight through the roof.

"Stunk! Zel! Crimvael!"

Nearly on the verge of exploding, Melro turned and glared fiercely at the three.

"It wasn't my idea to go after the winged folk... it was all Stunk!"

"Sorry, couldn't help myself."

"Melro, what's this got to do with you anyway? We're professional reviewers, after all."

---

"You three…"

Thud! Bang! Clang!

With three loud crashes, one human, one elf, and one angel all collapsed to the ground, utterly defeated.

Stunk, in particular, received special treatment from Melro, as she slammed a table down onto him.

Standing off to the side, August felt a twinge of disappointment. These guys had already come back from their fun, yet he still hadn't managed to seal the deal.

Cooing noises…

However, watching Melro in front of him, August couldn't help but reach out, curious, and touched the back of her neck. The moment he did, she let out a suggestive sound that made his mind race.

"August~"

"Alright, they've already gone and done it. What more can you do now?"

"Stunk is a lost cause, sure, but Crimvael's been corrupted too."

"He's not corrupted... just liberated. Lust is a natural trait for every man. I'm no different."

"Stop making excuses for yourself."

Melro gave him a sharp look. The reason she hadn't let August get his way yet was because he was too much of a womanizer.

Let's not even talk about the women in the tavern... each of them had some connection to him. There was even a spider-woman, a centaur, a snake-woman, and, yes, a mermaid. And then there were all his maids. She couldn't even keep count of how many women were involved!