BXBX NOVEL Chapter 1041 1040: Theoretical Funds
Chapter 1041 Chapter 1040: Theoretical Funds
Of our protection, since I knew that no matter what, no matter how much I strove to improve or tried to climb over and ahead of my loved ones just for the principle of the matter, none of them would be easily left behind, nor would they allow me to remain in front of them for long.
We would all be taking steps onto this path, but whereas I had only just now made the decision to put my head down and throw myself into the grinder to reach a new level of perfection that I had once believed to be impossible to attain, Anput, Leone and Jahi had all made that decision long ago, in their own ways and with their own goals.
Jahi was far and above the more traditional \'protagonist\' type with how she wanted to get strong enough to make the entire world think twice about how to even breathe the same air as her, while Anput and Leone had more subdued yet equally glorious ideals in mind, wanting to attain the highest level they could in their respective professions to garner the respect and idolization that would place them well above everyone else.
Meanwhile, I just wanted to maybe go back to that snowy wonderland that the two Elves had unknowingly sent me to, to turn that natural wonder of the world into our home, away from people and away from the influence of the world, cloistered away by ourselves and left to our own devices.
I just wanted to make a home for myself, one placed in a beautiful and quiet place meant only for us and our family... be it the generations prior like the Haniel Family and Mom, or the generations to come... the generations that would undoubtedly come, even if it took us decades or centuries to create.
And that thought was what made it easier for me to turn away from the city as I returned to the regal bedroom of the Begum, my clothes slipping from my body and draping across the tile as I joined my lovers in the bath, giving myself to them, as was their right and as was my desire.
To no one\'s surprise, the night was a long affair that left us all blissfully exhausted, our bodies piled together atop Anput\'s bed as we cuddled together for no other reason than to feel one another\'s warmth as we were lulled to sleep.
By the time we woke up, the sun had already crested over the horizon and began baking the desert, raising the temperature to that obnoxious heat that threatened to sap all the moisture from your body and making me despise this area even more, but at least it wasn\'t that bad inside; a boon of the lack of humidity was that so long as there was shade, it was a bearable temperature.
"I wasn\'t aware you were able to cook, Anput..."
I was roaming around my mate\'s room out of curiosity, which led to me finding a small kitchenette hidden behind a few partitions, a well stocked cabinet and a myriad of jars lining a pantry making my nod my head appreciatively as I began to get a few things out.
"It\'s for me, not for my use... I\'m not that good with food; I can make do, but it\'s always been something I never really placed much importance on. Yasmin is the one who uses it more, mainly for morning coffee and a light snack before I head out into the palace proper."
The mention of Anput\'s servant made my heart clench tightly for a moment before I stamped down on the minute jealousy that took root, though that certainly made it all the easier for me to take some of the beans and begin grinding them down, preparing a pot of coffee for us all.
"So I was thinking about what was discussed at dinner last night-"
I briefly glanced over my shoulder as I said that, and I caught Jahi raising a brow warningly at me while Anput and Leone narrowed their eyes, all three of them stopping what they were doing to wait for me to continue, which made me chuckle as I continued on without missing a beat.
"-and came up with a few things that we could do. Those arena\'s really do seem to be the most interesting things in the city at this moment and time, and only because we have a way to get ourselves some extra wealth to play around with going forwards. Since we only have to use gold, we could wager it on something pretty outrageous but winnable, specifically on something that we can control, like a fight of our own."
"I understand that you want more of those gemstones, and I get the use they have, but you make it sound like we couldn\'t just spend more time on the more lucrative offerings of our visit here, like the Fiends. Why bother with the arenas past the surface level entertainment we could get from them?"
"Because, Jahi, having a chest load of gemstones to play around with would be rather incredible for our learning and for a few other reasons, namely those items we were discussing before dinner. Being able to play around with those gemstones without worrying about running out or having to succeed every single time would be quite beneficial. Also, if we do figure out how to do some amazing things with them, we can sell our creations to earn more money to do more things with."
I began to sieve the ground coffee to get a smaller grain for better flavor, allowing me to make adjustments as I went and giving me the best hope of making something that would make this morning even better.
"Alright... but why the arenas? Why don\'t we go visit the casinos instead and make use of our social abilities there instead? Less likely to be told to stop there than in the arenas, after all..."
As I went to answer, Leone spoke up instead, the Vampire saying "That\'s debatable; most casinos are rather tightly run and heavily weighted for house advantage, obviously. A lot of money goes in, and they want as little money to go out as possible, so those games will get fixed after a few wins. As for the arenas... if we make private bets, there is not regulations on them, and we would just need to find a sucker stupid enough to keep betting..."
"Which is why I wanted to ask how against you three are of me making use of my... charm."
I didn\'t even bother turning around since I already knew Jahi\'s lips were curling up in distaste, the Demoness staring at me and trying to bore a hole in the back of my head as she almost growled in annoyance, asking "And how exactly would you use your \'charm\', Kat..?"
"Well... I was thinking of a few things; the Sultanate\'s clothing primarily, to show off some skin and cleavage. Redirect their attention; this would obviously work best on a man or futanari, and especially one that was a few cups deep. Next I could certainly use some direct contact initiated on my part; a caress on their arm, brushing against their fingers, a hug..."
Trailing off, I moved the coffee grounds onto a filter and placed them above the coffee pot, beginning the actual brewing process of making this pot of coffee for us to enjoy after a not so enjoyable conversation.
"Using some more suggestive language I could make some loose promises based on some of the things we were planning on doing, and those suggestions could get them to place heftier bets for no real reason. After they lose, I could just slip away and find myself a new \'client\' for the day. Probably need to change clothes and use a veil if I do so... could also make use of other cultural accessories to give myself a new appearance each time. Are tattoos common here, Anput?"
All three of my lovers were quiet again, but after a few moments Anput sighed as she said "Yeah, but it\'s rarer for women to have them, at least the tattoos you are accustomed to. They have moredecorative pieces on their wrists and forearms, sometimes on their hands. I\'ve heard some even get their stomachs or their backs, but that\'s more common amongst... well..."
The coffee was already smelling wonderful, and I took this moment to turn back to smile at them as I said "This would be an excellent opportunity to make use of my Lust Mana too, to milk these people of their money. Is it a bit... distasteful? Yes, it is, but I also think this would be quite an easy way to make ourselves a lot of money really quickly, and it\'s probably pretty easy all things considered. Since this country is run on a relatively rigid caste like system, the merchants betting in the arenas shouldn\'t be that perceptive of mana or hidden strength, and their guards..."
"Would also be rather cooperative since they don\'t want to anger their bosses, who are having some fun; if you could get them alone..."
Anput bit her lip at that, while Leone sighed as she pinched her nose, the Vampire shaking her head slightly, saying "Always so troublesome, Kat...", while Jahi remained silent, staring at me as I went back to brewing the coffee.