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Beatrice and I appear in the kitchen of my house in the capital because before opening the illusory door, I saw that Alessia, Delia, and the rest of the women are in their respective rooms.
But that was quite expected, considering that it has been dark for some time now.
I opened an illusory door to this part of the house because, before talking to my girls, I have to set certain limits on the crazy things my new slave might do.
"Well, it looks like you were waiting while I said goodbye to Melissa. That was very nice..." I say, looking at the redhead sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor.
' - A compliment! I thought he was angry with me, but it seems I had misinterpreted him... Maybe he was just keeping up appearances in front of that woman.'
"... However, before I call the people in the house, I want to clarify a few things with you. I forbid you to harm the people who live in this house. You are also forbidden from intentionally damaging the house itself and... You are forbidden from leaving the house without my permission."
' - Okay. It seems he is indeed a little angry with me.'
"I already told you that I have no intention of hurting the people you care about, Emir," Beatrice says with a sad sigh.
"Yes. But I think it's better to be safe than sorry, given what I've seen..." I say, after which I point in the direction of the chairs around the kitchen table.
"... Wouldn't you rather sit on a chair?"
"I don't really care. Besides, I didn't want to make any noise. And about what happened today. I apologize. I promise it won't happen again," she says with iron determination.
' - You'll never have to apologize because of me again. I'd rather die than let it happen again.'
"I know. Because I won't let it happen again. You're my responsibility now, and I'm going to take care of you properly..." I say, approaching her and extending a hand to ask her to stand up.
"... Please sit down on a chair. My girls and I are going to have a little chat about you, and I don't think it would be right for you to listen to it while sitting on the floor. However, don't talk to them unless I ask you to."
Beatrice takes my hand and lets me guide her to a chair, where she sits down, while I watch on my map as the blue dots representing the different inhabitants of the house begin to approach the staircase, no doubt attracted by the noise generated by my conversation with the former red-haired spy.
"It's me, girls. Don't worry," I say, raising my voice a little as I sit down in a chair next to Beatrice.
"Master, may we know where you've been all this time?" says Alessia, as she begins to descend the stairs with the other women, her sword drawn.
In fact, they all have their weapons at the ready.
'I guess they were afraid that an intruder had sneaked in.'
When they see me, almost all the women put their weapons away.
All except Alessia, who approaches the table and rests her sword horizontally in front of the place at the table where she has chosen to sit, at the point furthest away from Beatrice and me.
"Well?" says the blue-eyed blonde impatiently when she sees that I am not responding.
"I was waiting for everyone to sit down..." I say, smiling at Delia.
"... Besides, you know perfectly well the answer to that question. Before I left, I explained my plans to you."
"That's not entirely true, Master. You explained that you were going to visit other kingdoms and buy places for us to stay in case we needed to flee Castemira..." Alessia says tensely.
"... But you didn't tell us you were going to be gone for so many days. Or that you were planning to buy a new slave. A slave who, according to what Melisa just told me, is quite dangerous."
'Wow! Their communication is really smooth... Haa... That's going to complicate things a bit for me right now.'
"In my defense, I didn't think I'd be away from home for so many days either. I thought it would be as easy to buy a house in the Sacred Kingdom as it was in the Ephire Kingdom, but I was wrong. I did explain that to you through the bracelet..." I say in a conciliatory tone that earns me a contemptuous click of the tongue from Alessia.
"... And about my new slave. I didn't buy her. In fact, it could be said that I was forced to take her as a slave."
"Explain yourself..." says Alessia, snorting dangerously.
Seeing the blonde's obvious growing anger, Delia, who is sitting next to Alessia, moves one of her hands to rest it on one of my first girlfriend's hands.
Alessia interlaces her fingers with those of the fox girl and seems to calm down a little.
The rest of the women sitting at the table simply observe our conversation with varying degrees of interest, but with no apparent intention of saying anything.
"... Because, frankly, Master, it seems like you take advantage of almost every available opportunity to bring a new woman into the house."
' - Haa... at least each new woman doesn't necessarily mean new competition for Master's attention... Arya, for example, seems anything but interested in him that way.'
"That's not true, seriously. This woman's name is Beatrice, and she's the one who told me about your past and your mother's," I say with an uncomfortable grimace, because I can't think of a good way to tell them this.
"Ohh? So she's a spy and assassin from Drial Cenit. Master... Sometimes I really struggle not to imagine that you might be thinking with the member hanging between your legs. I know it's impossible, but... Haa..." says Alessia, as her free hand slowly reaches for the hilt of the sword on the table.
But Delia is alert to the blonde's movement and once again catches Alessia's hand with one of her own.
The three annoying beauties, on the other hand, begin to look at Beatrice with threatening eyes after Alessia's words.
However, none of Alessia's three friends make any attempt to say anything or move.
As I have seen on more than one occasion, it appears that the three annoying beauties are excellent at reading the atmosphere around them.
Arya, on the other hand, does not seem in the least bit interested in the conversation taking place in front of her.
She gives the impression that she is only sitting at the table to protect Delia in case any problems arise.
Which is surely true, since she has explicit orders to protect Delia.
"... Please enlighten us, master. Why didn't you get rid of her? Why did you imperiously need to make her your slave?"
"How would you have 'got rid' of her, Alessia?" I ask with some irritation at her words.
'Is that really the image my girls have of me? ...
I find it extremely unfair...
I mean...
It's true that I'm someone who enjoys appreciating and valuing female beauty more than most...
I believe that every beautiful woman is a work of art, unique and unrepeatable, and that's why I hate the idea of having to be the one to destroy such a gift from the heavens to the world...
But that doesn't mean I'm an idiot who can't think rationally.'
"Well... You could have handed her over to the knights of some city," says Alessia in an exasperated tone, as if she were stating the obvious.
"Are you sure that's a good option? Considering all she knows about you," I ask in the same tone she is using.
"Haa... No, you're right. Well then, you could have killed her," she says in a disgusted tone of voice.
Alessia's words earn the blonde a look of sad disappointment from Delia, but the three annoying beauties seem to agree with their friend.
"You know me, my love. Do you really think of me that way? I don't deny that I am perfectly capable of killing someone, without thinking too much about it, if I believe it will protect those I care about or if I have no other choice but to do so..." I say, looking at Alessia intently.
"...But do you really think I'm capable of murdering someone in cold blood?"