Today is the 3rd, Ne, day of Water. Washing day for all commoners due to cheaper Water and [Conjuring Magic] mana costs. Imperial water ships don't gain any benefits today since they get their speed from blowing air into their sails, but [Weaverism]-powered ships and the merfolk submarines do.

Hana wakes me up with a storm, and I grip her mane-like hair strongly as I push her head down on my cock, forcing her to deepthroat me.

Most of my cum goes directly down her throat, but then I pull back a bit to reward her tongue with a few ropes and allow her to savor it.

She continues sucking and rubbing her tongue firmly against the frenulum and the sides of my head while I give the other wives their morning kisses, so I give her a second cumshot, but now she has to pay the sister-wife-tax and give some of it to Alissa, Aoi, and Hukarere.

After everyone has their turn playing with my body, we call for breakfast.

 

Hana and Aoi both increased their "Endurance" and "Willpower" by 1 (now 27 and 22 for Hana, and 23 and 19 for Aoi). Surprisingly, Hana learned [Electric Magic] with 1 point (stealing one point from [Reduced Mana Cost], making it 9+0), and Aoi increased her "Intelligence" by 1 (now 11).

We all increased our "Sanity" by 1, which is quite interesting considering that we only took one pill. Mine is now 15+4, Alissa's is now 20, Roxanne's is now 17, Hana's is now 18, Ciel's is now 23, Lina's is now 17, Aoi's is now 20, and Yunia's is now 18.

 

The men on guard will now always be one knight plus one Companion for each shift, so all of the girls except for Edolie, the brown-haired werecat, are invited to eat with us.

"So, what are you all doing today?" Hukarere curiously asks as we eat.

I calmly sip my coffee, then shrug and answer, "Training, but mostly waiting for visitors. We're expecting that other nobles will be coming here to ask us to join their factions." Then I glance at Yunia, but she has nothing to add.

"Should we all stay, or can some of us not participate?" Roxanne asks what everyone's thinking.

Now Yunia chimes in, "Only Wolf and I are required… and perhaps Alissa. You can enjoy yourselves; we don't need replacements yet."

"I feel like staying and participating, if you think I won't fuck it up," Hana volunteers, giving me a pleasant surprise.

"Do you think you'll fuck it up?" Yunia immediately replies.

Her expression becomes serious as she tersely affirms with a shake of her head, "No."

"Then stay," Yunia hums, and Hana snorts.

"Where do you girls want to go?" I casually ask out loud.

"Dungeon," Lina immediately chimes in.

"Monster hunter's guild," Hana cheerfully adds.

"The markets…" Roxanne guiltily confesses, but I know very well that everyone else wants to go there too, they're just too embarrassed to admit it.

"Isn't there one of those 'engines' that calculate things here?" Aoi curiously asks.

"There should be, and the priests would know more about it," Ciel answers.

"Gih," Gify says she wants to go to the lake north of the city.

"Drinking," Romy shamelessly grunts.

"I have some relatives here I could visit; same for Edolie," Melanie shyly shares.

"I want to go anywhere interesting to explore," Hukarere casually admits.

"I heard that the Bay is misty and quite beautiful at this time of the morning," I remark to her, and she hums in thought.

"I could go with you; I like the sea," Klein suggests, and Hukarere excitedly agrees. The two seem to be quite friendly with each other.

Aneta readjusts her hair behind her ear, then she leans forward and coyly stares at me. "There's not much I'd like to do here, so if I were allowed to stay…" She admits, then she slowly lifts her eyebrows suggestively.

"That's a very attractive alternative, too…" Atawha hums in thought and crosses her arms, deliberately bunching up her bare breasts to grab my attention.

Alissa grins with an alluring gaze and calmly states, "Enjoy it, because we'll all want our husband returned to us soon enough."

Atawha and Aneta stiffen, sobering up a bit from the intensity of her tone.

"Y-yes, Your Highness, but I don't think we'll last long enough to occupy him for a whole day…" The adorable raccoon woman replies.

"Maybe if I slow down a bit, you will," I huskily suggest.

She shyly looks away from my intense stare but then glances at me coyly.

Today will be fun.

 

While the Companions and some of the knights go out to explore the town, the wives and I stay in our room and practice our mana circulation routine like we do every morning, but I give everyone who's leaving a Shad and a bird so that I can watch over them because I'm a protective worrywart.

Klein ends up leading their group in their foray, which is quite the odd sight, but she's actually quite popular among the Companions. Her being so close to me and the fact that she regularly leads squads into the dungeons must be why they're so familiar with her.

Also, Atawha and Hukarere actually put on some clothes because the imperials definitely aren't used to nudity, and they just want to avoid trouble.

But while the others have fun, we gradually become worried as nobody comes to visit us.

We're quite popular among the Mainland nobles, and with the Purification threatening to start any day, there should be at least a few factions interested in poaching us to join them.

Perhaps they think that since we're from the High Forest, we won't participate, but bringing the knights here, when the situation is so tense, is a clear indication that we're interested in joining.

I'm also half-expecting Vanea to want to set up a secret meeting at any moment.

But nobody comes all morning.

 

For lunch, we have a normal imperial meal with not-pita bread and sauces. There's not-peach juice, which is lovely, and even chocolate for dessert, but it lacks the "soul" of Krysta's cooking.

"I want to marry your mother, Klein…" I whine jokingly.

"But you'll never get either of us," she sassily whispers back and immediately regrets it.

I'll start my afternoon by spanking the monkey.

 

Ciel checks on her to make sure that she's still alive, then dryly remarks, "You know that punishing her with a good time is counterproductive, right?"

"It keeps her submissive and addicted to me," I answer with a shrug.

"It works on me," Hana chimes in, and I slap her ass with my thick tail to thank her for her support.

Anyway, our afternoon is free, so I have to find something to keep my mind occupied. I've already accepted the fact that nobody is coming, so I'd rather not get anxious about it.

Lyle himself said that isolation is an imperial tactic to weaken nobles, so their current behaviour isn't much of a surprise.

I decide to continue with my attempt to create a humanoidization skill through [Mana Body]. The lack of enchantments here to make me fully human is a bit annoying, especially for sleeping since I like to sleep belly up to give the girls better access to all of my limbs, but my tail is too thick, so my back hurts a bit when I sleep in that position.

I can now make my hands look mostly normal. They just look a bit thick, as if I were wearing skin gloves, but I think it's good enough. For today, I decide to practice reducing the size of my horns and tail, then I quickly learn that my horns are really easy to modify because they're just super hard, magical keratin instead of a muscled appendage full of blood. They're even easier than my claws because the latter is an imitation of Okross.

While I practice casually, Yunia invites six of the knights to spar with her, all at the same time. It would be quite the gangbang if she were an average fighter, but with [Precognition], she's untouchable.

"Don't go too hard in case some crazy noble actually appears," I caution her, and she just grunts back in acknowledgment.

 

The carriages reach the nearby market, and the all-female procession begins their journey through the long rows of shops.

Mac Gantus is effectively the center of the world, so there's a little bit of everything here.

Flashy, colorful dresses from the Estekabar, a peacock-inspired demon race; BDSM gear from the succubi; angel-inspired knickknacks from the gentle angel and the emo raven demon races; witch-like implements from the devil, krampus, oni, rueger, and mantis demon races; spices from all over Maoka; familiar beauty products and other elegant items from the High Forest, which we ignore; a surprisingly large number of Rabanara-sourced dragon products; a variety of silly-looking things from Betoverd Bos or weird magic tools from Gnomeria; a nice selection of not-kimonos and cute fox dolls from the Misty Forest; colorful, weird-looking, and kind of suggestively-shaped fruits from Sommerland, and their (in)famous "folk medicine" created through [Alchemicism]; Mountainhome's excellent metalworking goods and extremely utilitarian magic tools; Faiumi chocolate and food; Dragonkin rough but extremely reliable gear along with an interesting number of tribal-looking tools made entirely from monster parts; libraries run by wereowls that make Lina drool; Maplethorne's not-maple-syrup that the girls immediately buy a boat load of for me; a small number of extremely expensive magic tools from (currently Fallen) Aremut, such as enchanted magic books like the one Alissa has that teaches her Nocturna's magic; lightweight and sublime-looking tools from Elaria, the kind that elves would have in a LOTR movie; a surprisingly small selection of rabbit-themed products from Conchononoi; a diverse supply fishes and other very tentacly curiosities from Sommerinsel and also merfolk tribes from across the world; and an extremely varied selection of goods that came from Bestiarm and entered the empire through Wideberg.

Then the girls find rice. Actual fucking RICE!

"Where is this from?" Ciel politely asks as Alissa fills a huge bag with the white gold, resisting my impulse to frantically aspirate the stuff.

"Dyrmorder. It's their staple food, but not many people have an interest in it, so it remains as a mere delicacy for imperials," the shopkeeper cheerfully replies, happy to make a huge sale on it.

It was true… what the fuck… I don't remember why or when I wrote in my "Notes" that Dyrmorder had rice, but it was true.

I shake my head and ignore the mystery. Rice has been unlocked; this is cause for celebration.

Oh… I need Krysta to cook it properly. I can cook it myself, but there's nothing better than moth-… I mean, Krysta's cooking.

Yunia takes a moment to rest and remembers her time in Dyrmorder. They're one of the poorest regions of the empire, and perhaps only the Colored Sands is in a worse situation than them. She also remembers eating a lot of chicken congee there, and since they lack interesting spices, it's a very boring, but filling meal.

Since they don't have a lot of fruit or veggies there, they must suffer a lot from constipation.

"No comment…" She mumbles flatly and returns to her training.

 

After everyone, even Kyora's group and the knights, get some gifts, their little shopping trip ends as they start splitting up.

Aneta and Atawha almost run on their way back to the embassy to get fucked by me; Melanie and Edolie go visit their families; Hana and Roxanne wander around the market, searching for a shop to spend a romantic afternoon in while Gify third wheels on Hana's shoulder; Klein, Anton, Hukarere, and Romy stay near the couple and have their own bit of fun; Alissa spends some time tasting new spices, then comes back to spend time with me, and she has the golems bring back the rice; and Ciel, Lina, and Aoi have Kyora's group escort them to the temple to satisfy their curiosity.

The city is too large for a carriage ride, so Ciel and the girls go to the Hyperloop to save on travel time.

They walk up the stairs to a platform that stands above the rooftops, and after a few minutes of waiting, an ornate, single-car monorail train stops before them. As expected, nobility always gets special treatment.

It's much bigger on the inside due to the [Warp Space] enchantment, but while pretty, it's just like any other high-class train, though with a bit of a Victorian style to it. The usual colorful ceramic tiles that would be typical of the imperial style are nowhere to be found since they don't mesh well with [Warp Space].

Everyone takes their seats, and a catgirl attendant wearing a revealing red velvet uniform offers them some refreshments, and after a moment, they feel an odd sensation as the monorail silently accelerates.

I give Ciel [Sense Presence], and she notices a group of mages huddled in a circle in the driver's cabin while a single person seems to be looking ahead and commanding them to accelerate or brake. The mana that these mages are leaking is unmistakably from [Telekinesis], while the train itself is leaking a bit of [Electric Magic], which has a flavor that seems to be from the level 50 spell [Magnetize]. It's a magical maglev train.

The Hyperloop is a series of concentric rings that spans the entire city, allowing anyone to get anywhere faster than any other type of transport. It's Rupegia's first and only mass-transit system, though Whakamutu's flying bus system could be considered a competitor.

The girls all watch in awe as the rooftops fly past them. It's quite entrancing to watch the endless orange rooftops shift in your view while you circle around the Throne, the colossal structure always in sight.

There still seems to be many spots where the people continue to party, and since they seem to have a thing for burning dragon-shaped effigies, Aoi changes into her human form to not draw too much attention to herself.

The train subtly tilts to the left, then they switch onto a track that takes them to an inner ring. After a few more switches, they get pretty close to the Throne near the center of the capital, then the train finally stops at a very large platform which is filled with commoners as they embark and disembark long monorails, a nostalgic sight that reminds me of Earth.

The commoners know better than to get in the way of a group of escorted disembarking nobles, so the girls get off the platform and descend the stairs to the city proper without any issues.

The Temple is nearby, so they take their time walking to it, and soon, the white half-sphere appears in their sight, looking no different from any other Temple they've seen before. The only noteworthy thing about it is that the House of Healing and the Templar HQ nearby are much, much bigger than even ours back in Escanso.

They didn't want to cause too much of a commotion, but the Head Priest comes out to receive them.

Just like the average imperial, he has a bit of a middle eastern look to him with faintly olive skin, black hair, and a matching set of bushy eyebrows and beard. He's a salt and pepper daddy, but his chubbiness undermines his mature sexiness.

"Royal Ryders, what a pleasure to meet your family," he greets us, then extends his hand to Ciel. "I'm Xander, the Head Priest."

She takes his hand, then kindly introduces the other two wives, and he observes Aoi curiously.

"The converted dragon," he whispers and offers his hand to her. She'd rather not be touched, but she wants to respect humanoid customs, so she compromises and briefly takes his hand. "From your eyes, I assume you're a magical being, and from the color of your hair, I dare even assume that you're an Azurite dragon."

"You're correct," she tersely replies with a nod.

Then he snorts at her reserved demeanor. "At first, I found Teresina's report hard to believe, but having you here in front of me now, it's undeniable that you're something special."

She gives him a smug look that's actually quite elven. "Of course I am. I've grown past both wild and tamed dragons, and now, I'm your equal."

Daddy Xander simply smiles and turns to Ciel. "This is why your family is so famous. Three Blessings, a converted dragon, and two Interventions. You bring excitement wherever you go."

"I find it concerning that you see the Ryders' exceptional circumstances as 'exciting,'" Timas remarks with a worried frown.

Xander laughs heartily, increasing the werecat Templar's worries, then he caresses his bushy beard as he calmly explains with a grin, "I'm a worshiper of Change, so I simply feel like my purpose here has finally become clear."

His eyes seem fanatical, the kind Ciel has seen many times with high "Piety" priests or veteran Templars. He's a man who has heard the Gods speak in his ear at least once.

"So that's what inspired you to get thinner?" Kyora bluntly asks.

Her sincerity makes him laugh heartily again as he agrees, "Oh yes, 'interesting times' are coming, and it won't do to be unfit to survive it!"

But then Lina's quiet voice silences everyone, "The reconquering of Hiyoku Hara could bring the Monster King out of hiding again."

Xander clears his throat, sobering up as the topic actually gains some substance, then he grins and nods at her in agreement. "Here's one who knows her history."

"Grim tidings," Alonso dryly adds, drawing a few snorts.

The fervor in his eyes dies down as he seems to feel a little pang of guilt. "Well, it's more work for you Wanderers, but the Empire will grow from this," he reassures them.

"That's all we wish for," Ciel confidently replies because that's exactly what we're planning for. Our actions will jump-start both an industrial and an electronic revolution in Rupegia, which should allow for better infrastructure that improves the lives of everyone.

"But anyway, how may I help you today?" He kindly offers.

Ciel puts one hand on Lina's shoulder and the other on Aoi's waist, then happily explains, "These two are prospective scholars of engines, metallurgy, and mathematics, so they'd like to visit the famous engine that you use to calculate the phases of the moons."

Xander raises his eyebrows in pleasant surprise. "Well, a draconic scholar. Now that's a new concept. But anyway, I'll find someone who can guide you, for I must return to my duties."

The girls nod, and everyone exchanges goodbyes, then a scrawny, young wereowl man reports to them, and the poor man does his best to not look intimidated by either the transcendent beauties or the mean-looking Templars and knights. They're all considerably high-level, so they have a strong effect on the low-level scholar.

The engine is located underground because it requires a huge room to house it all. At the size of three damn buses side-by-side, it's a massive beast of metal, gears, and shafts, all powered by twenty mages using [Ritualism].

I have a feeling that the phases of Rupegia's moons are considerably more complex than those of Earth's single moon…

Though I have a degree in robotics, my actual knowledge in machinery and mechanics is quite limited because no robot ever needs anything as complex as the engine. Even drones have simplified aerodynamics in comparison to actual planes, so I'm pretty much a jack of all trades and master of none.

This means that I quickly lose track of their conversation, though I at least understand some of the words they're using.

"I'm smarter than you in something!" Aoi cheers childishly in my soul space, her tone sounding very jarring due to her seductive, draconic, double voice.

And I couldn't be happier…

 

Once the two thirsty Companions finally get back, I simply sit on a comfy chair and order, "Strip."

They immediately obey and quickly reveal their bare skin, glossy with sweat, but what really catches my attention is how Aneta's panties are already wet while Atawha's pussy lips (she had no underwear on) are glistening.

"My, aren't you two lewd. You really seem to love my dick, don't you?" I huskily ask them, then I pull out my hard meat club and wave it at them.

Aneta simply nods diligently while Atawha has the decency to blush. It seems that the veteran Lordsguard is being truer to her feelings, so perhaps I should have the senior train her junior in how to be a better cum slut.