[307] Teased

Knock knock.

August rapped on the door, unwilling to barge in unannounced—although, he had done so once before.

"Who is it?"

"It's me."

The door creaked open, revealing Meidri standing inside, her face expressionless as she looked at August. Without waiting for an invitation, August walked right in, leaving Meidri startled. She hadn't even had time to stop him. Who would have expected a man to just casually walk into a woman's room like this?

"Hey, who said you could come in? Get out now!" she demanded.

"It's not the first time. What's the big deal?" August replied nonchalantly.

"You've got some nerve. You're nothing but a pervert who barges into other people's rooms!"

"Come on, don't be like that, Meidri. We know each other so well by now."

"'Know each other'? We just met yesterday!" Meidri was stunned by August's shamelessness. How could he act so familiar with her?

August only smiled. As someone with experience in handling relationships, he could easily tell that the winged beauty had a soft spot for him. Otherwise, she wouldn't be this angry. There's an old saying—emotions are connected. The only reason she was upset was because she cared, even if she didn't realize it herself.

Take Stunk, for example. He visited the succubus shops every day, and all Meidri ever said to him was how disgusting it was. She never bothered to get worked up about it. After all, they had no deeper relationship—just casual acquaintances at best. His actions had no bearing on her life. Friends, after all, didn't meddle in each other's personal affairs.

"Meidri, you've got to understand. For you, I'm even planning to buy a house across the street so I can stay nearby. It's only because of that that I went with Stunk and the others to the succubus shop last night."

"That's ridiculous! What does going to a succubus shop have to do with buying a house?" Meidri scoffed.

"This world isn't just about fighting, it's about building relationships. Like yesterday—I went to the succubus shop with Stunk and Zel, and today Zel helped me exchange some old coins for over six million."

"How much?" Meidri blinked in disbelief.

"Over six million. I'm planning to use the money to buy a house. This time, it's Kanchal who's helping me with the deal."

"A house worth six million?"

"No, not the house. The money I have totals that much. According to Kanchal, there's a place across the street going for three million. He says he can negotiate the price."

"A place for sale? Are you talking about that potion shop that opened for a few days and then shut down?"

"Probably. I'm not too sure."

Meidri nodded, though she had no idea about the value of the house. Whether it was six million or three million, those numbers were astronomical to her. But the fact that August was willing to spend such an outrageous amount just to buy a house across from the tavern—because of her—made her feel flattered, despite herself.

"Hmph. What does buying a house have to do with me?" she huffed, trying to maintain her composure.

"I'm doing it all for you, Meidri. Now that I've seen you, I don't mind if we make something work between us."

"You don't mind, huh? Well, I do! Get out, you pervert!" she snapped, throwing a nearby object at him in her anger.

"Hey, we were having a nice conversation, why'd you have to start calling names?"

"I'll do more than that. I'll hit you if I have to!"

In her fury, she grabbed the closest thing she could find and hurled it at him. August easily caught the object mid-air. As he looked at it, his gaze turned quizzical. It was a small bundle, and inside were three eggs.

Without even asking, August knew exactly what they were. These were the three eggs Meidri had laid the day before.

"Uh… thanks, Meidri," August said awkwardly, tucking the eggs away with a smile.

Eggs. Three eggs. Was she hinting at something?

"You idiot! Give those back right now!" Meidri shouted, her face turning beet red.

Meidri's face flushed a deep red in an instant. How could she have thrown that in a fit of anger? And now, to make matters worse, August had caught it and was calmly tucking it away. She was on the verge of losing her mind.

"I'm not giving it back," August said with a smirk. "Once it's in my hands, there's no way you're getting it back."

"That's mine! Hand it over, you jerk!" Meidri, overcome with embarrassment and anger, lunged at August, trying to reclaim what was hers.

"Whoa, Meidri, I don't mind this, but it's a bit too forward for a lady, don't you think?" August teased, clearly enjoying the situation.

"Who's being forward, you creep? Give me my things back!" she demanded, her voice rising in frustration.

"Better stop pressing up against me like that, or I can't be held responsible for what happens next."

Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Meidri's face somehow grew even redder. Her eyes flared with fury as she glared at August. "You pervert! How dare you even think about...!"

"Hey, it's only natural for a man to have feelings, you know. Besides, you're the one who's being all touchy-feely, Meidri."

"Shut up and get out!" Meidri screamed, pushing August out of the door. With a loud slam, she shut the door in his face.

August laughed softly to himself. Not only had he scored an unexpected prize, but he'd also managed to win a bit more favor with her. He was getting closer to success with each step. Turning on his heel, August made his way downstairs. There was no point in pushing too hard—after all, teasing could easily cross the line into harassment if not done in moderation.

Back in her room, Meidri leaned against the door, her face still flushed, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the tavern, Stunk and the others were back to eating and drinking, as carefree as ever.

"Back already? How'd it go?" Stunk asked with a grin.

"It went alright," August replied casually.

"So, you really do like her, huh?"

"Yeah, I think she's pretty great," August admitted.

"Listen, man, don't get so hung up on one tree that you forget about the whole forest!" Stunk warned, leaning in closer. For him, the idea of settling down with one woman seemed insane. After all, if August got together with Meidri, would he still be able to join them on their nightly excursions to the succubus shop? Stunk doubted it.

"Nothing's set in stone yet, Stunk. Why are you worrying so much?"

"He's worried about who's paying for tonight's drinks," Zel interjected, seeing right through his friend's concern. The memory of last night's freebie was still fresh in his mind, and he wasn't about to let Stunk forget it.

People were funny like that. Treating others to something—whether food or entertainment—always felt different than paying for it yourself. Even if it was the same item, something tasted better when someone else was footing the bill. A free cake just always seemed to hit the spot.

"Hey, Zel! What are you talking about? I'm not like that! I treated August last night, didn't I?"

"And now you're broke, hoping he'll pick up the tab tonight."

"You little...!"

August couldn't help but laugh. The banter between Stunk and Zel was always lighthearted, but their friendship ran deep. They bickered like this constantly, and it was always entertaining.

"Where's Kanchal?" August asked, suddenly noticing the absence of the beastman.

"Oh, him? He's off checking on that house for you," Stunk replied casually.

"There's really no need to rush, you know," August said.

"No rush? The sooner it's done, the sooner we can hit up the succubus shop again," Stunk said, as if that settled the matter. It seemed that no conversation with him could go three lines without circling back to his favorite pastime.

August sighed. This guy was beyond saving.

___

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