Chapter 35: The Spoils of Our First Family Battle
Eventually, pruned fingers and genuine exhaustion won out.
They both washed each other and left the bathroom, the whole place devastated by their work while reeking of their intimacy, with the tubs auto cleaning already at work, filtering their released liquids from the water.
They both went to the attached changing room and changed into loose and more comfortable clothes.
Eventually Lucien and Evelisse padded into the living room, freshly changed, hair still damp.
Aurelia and Seraphina were already settled on the couch, watching the news, both dressed in soft, snug sleepwear that Lucien very deliberately did not comment on.
Evelisse dropped onto the couch and immediately claimed his usual spot.
"That’s my seat," Lucien said.
She patted the cushion beside her instead. "Not anymore."
He stared at her. "Tch, the Divine Talent really changed you."
"It improved me."
"She’s been like this since awakening," Aurelia said, not looking away from the screen.
Seraphina laughed quietly into her hand.
Lucien sighed and took the newly designated "not his" seat anyway, settling in beside Evelisse without further argument.
───
The news continued, footage now showing calmer streets, guild personnel inspecting cleared areas.
"...the dungeon break has been fully contained," the reporter said. "The dungeon itself has since stabilized. Most escaped monsters were eliminated by response teams, with the Vice Guild Master personally neutralizing the primary threats. Adventurers who participated in emergency containment will receive double compensation, per guild policy."
Lucien glanced toward the windows, the events of the evening settling in properly for the first time.
"So we really were inside the danger zone," he said.
Aurelia nodded. "Which is exactly why installing that defensive array was the right call."
"And because we had dinner," Evelisse added immediately.
Lucien looked at her. "You really think dinner saved us?"
"I’m willing to believe it."
"The food was good," Seraphina agreed, smiling.
Lucien pressed a hand over his heart. "Finally. Recognition for my contribution to household defense."
───
"Oh right," Lucien said, sitting up. "We should actually check what we got off those wolves."
Everyone followed him to the side room where he’d stashed the harvested materials, the pile considerably larger than he remembered gathering.
Seraphina crouched over the collection, sorting with practiced focus — pelts, fangs, claws, small vials of collected blood, and several dense, glowing mana cores while explaining their uses.
Ironfang Wolf Pelts ×5 (C-Rank) — durable, suited for armor or cloaks.
Ironfang Wolf Fangs ×10 — useful for weapons, arrowheads, alchemy.
Ironfang Wolf Claws ×20 — prized for their natural sharpness.
C-Rank Mana Cores ×5 — the most straightforwardly valuable haul.
Ironfang Wolf Blood — Lucien’s eyes lit up the moment she mentioned it.
"Ironfang pelts sell well," she murmured, turning one over.
"Claws and fangs too, mostly for weapon crafting. These cores are also" she picked one up, studying it closely, "unusually dense most probably from the mutation."
She lifted a final item — noticeably larger, pulsing with deeper light than the rest.
Alpha Ironfang Wolf Core — denser, higher quality than the standard cores.
"The Alpha’s core is significantly denser than the others, and worth considerably more than the others combined." Seraphina said, examining the core closely.
"How much?" Lucien asked immediately.
She paused. "You didn’t even ask what they’re useful for."
"I can guess that much." He said.
"Really?"
Aurelia gave him a long, suspicious look that he chose to ignore entirely.
───
Seraphina worked through rough calculations, murmuring numbers to herself.
"Normal market value," she said finally, "somewhere around 250 to 300 gold coins for all of it combined."
"But," Aurelia added, "guild emergency purchase rates are doubled right now."
"So closer to 500, maybe 600," Seraphina finished.
Lucien’s eyes widened. "Five wolves gave us that much?"
"C-Rank monster materials aren’t cheap," Aurelia said. "And the guild wanted the monsters cleared fast so paying double is cheaper than letting them cause more damage."
Lucien looked at the pile with newfound appreciation. "I suddenly understand why everyone at the guild looked so pleased about an emergency dungeon mutation."
"You finally understand adventurer economics," Evelisse said.
"I understand capitalism."
───
While moving materials into a more organized pile, Lucien reached for his storage pouch and found it completely full.
"I really need a bigger storage pouch," Lucien muttered, eyeing the pile that hadn’t fit into his pouch, currently occupying an entire side room.
"This isn’t sustainable."
He stared at it. Then at the remaining pile. Then back at the pouch.
"A much bigger one."
"A storage ring would be better," Seraphina said.
Lucien blinked. "Those are bigger?"
All three wives stared at him in unified disbelief.
"You really don’t know anything," Evelisse said.
"I’m learning," Lucien said, mildly wounded.
Aurelia took pity on him. "Storage pouches are common and cheap with limited space. Storage rings hold considerably more and cost more accordingly. High-grade spatial artifacts can hold entire rooms’ worth of items, but those are extremely expensive and Reserved for nobility and the rich mostly."
"Okay then, new objective," Lucien announced. "Get a storage ring."
───
They packed everything away as best they could, planning to haul the rest to the guild in the morning and the conversation naturally drifted toward what else they needed.
"Bigger storage ring," Lucien listed, counting on his fingers. "More healing potions. Better weapons for all of us. More mana crystals. Some actual training equipment instead of borrowed dowry gear."
"Better estate security," Aurelia added. "Tonight went well, but we got lucky with only five stragglers."
"Furniture," Seraphina said. "And more kitchen ingredients."
"Can we buy a bigger television?" Evelisse asked.
Everyone turned to look at her.
"That’s what you took from this entire conversation?" Lucien asked.
"It’s important."
"No," Aurelia said flatly.
"Traitor," Evelisse muttered.
───
By the time the list wound down, exhaustion had properly caught up with everyone, a full day of preparation, tension, and combat finally settling into aching muscles all at once.
"We’re done for tonight," Aurelia said, which coming from someone who typically pushed through injuries without comment settled the matter immediately.
Lucien then kissed Aurelia goodnight, then moved to Evelisse, kissing her goodnight too.
Aurelia headed toward her room first, offering a simple "goodnight" over her shoulder. Evelisse yawned dramatically and followed suit shortly after, still muttering about the television injustice.
Lucien walked Seraphina toward her room, and paused in the hallway just before her door, glancing down the corridor toward the master bedroom.
An idea taking shape in his mind.
’Why am I sleeping separately from any of them? We’re married. All three of us, technically. This estate has plenty of space now.’
’What if I just... made the master bedroom bigger? One enormous bed. All four of us, every night, instead of rotating rooms.’
’Actually, that’s a genuinely good idea.’
"Why don’t we make the master bedroom bigger, what do you think Sera?" he said aloud.
Seraphina looked at him. "Bigger?"
"Much bigger."
Understanding dawned slowly across her face, followed by a small, warm smile. "You want all four of us sleeping together."
Lucien coughed. "It would be efficient."
"Of course."
"We’d save time getting everyone settled."
"Naturally."
She laughed softly, the sound light in the quiet hallway. "Ask them tomorrow, properly and let them decide as I have no problem with it."
"I will," Lucien said, meaning it.
He filed it away, careful not to just decide for everyone unilaterally. ’I’ll ask the others tomorrow, not force it. See what they actually want.’
───
Seraphina was already curled beneath the blankets when he entered, eyes half-closed, waiting for him.
"Today was frightening," she admitted quietly.
"You didn’t look frightened," Lucien said. "Throwing potions around like that. You looked excited, honestly."
She flushed, caught. "...I was," she admitted. "I just didn’t want Evelisse to notice."
"Your secret’s safe." He smiled and said.
He slid in beside her, and she immediately settled against his chest, the day’s exhaustion finally pulling at both of them.
"How are you feeling?" Lucien asked quietly, once they’d lain down properly.
"Tired," Seraphina admitted. "But happy." A pause. "Watching you fight outside the barrier frightened me, though. I know you can handle yourself, but,"
"I know," Lucien said, pulling her closer. "I’ll always come back."
"You’d better," she murmured, already half-asleep, tucking herself closer against his chest.
She smiled faintly, eyes drifting shut, exhaustion finally winning out entirely.
Lucien watched her breathing even out, warmth settling in his chest, and closed his own eyes.
—
[Ding!]
He went still.
[Investments Detected.]
[Target: Aurelia Astrax — Investment Type: Protection / Combat Assistance]
[Target: Seraphina Lilith — Investment Type: Protection / Combat Assistance]
[Target: Evelisse Noctis — Investment Type: Protection / Combat Assistance]
[Three Investments Detected.]
[Generating Random Returns...]
Three wheels bloomed silently into view above the bed, spinning in perfect unison, numbers blurring far faster than any he’d seen before.
×2... ×5... ×8... ×11...
Lucien sat upright slowly, careful not to wake Seraphina.
Three? All at once?
Seraphina stirred, blinking up at him sleepily. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing," he managed to respond.
×14... ×17... ×19...
He stared at them, heart picking up despite the exhaustion pulling at his limbs.
’Three investments. Three returns.’
’And knowing this system...’
’...there’s genuinely no telling what I’m about to get.’
***************
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