The night air outside the guild was cool, tinged with the faint aroma of smoke and blood from the aftermath of the beast tide. But for Ethan and his party, the weight of the platinum coin pouch in his hand was enough to keep their steps steady. For the first ti in weeks, he allowed himself to breathe without the tension of battle looming over his shoulders.
As they walked the streets, Lirael nudged him lightly with her elbow. "So, what's next? We're not exactly short on coin anymore."
Ethan glanced her way, smirking faintly. "We'll need sowhere better to stay. An inn room isn't enough anymore."
Lirael's sharp eyes flicked toward the noble district rising above the rest of the city, its towers faintly lit by moonlight. "Well, houses here aren't cheap. Prices vary a lot. The rundown ones go for a single gold if you don't mind broken roofs and leaking walls. The high-end estates? Upwards of a thousand gold."
Silvie's eyes widened. "A thousand? That's insane…"
"Not if you want proper gardens, stables, or staff quarters," Lirael replied matter-of-factly. "Condition, structure, size—it all decides the cost. And location, of course."
Ethan humd, processing. "Then let's find soone who deals in that. No sense wasting ti wandering the streets."
As it happened, they didn't have to go far. Inside the guild itself, tucked away in a side hall near the administration counters, a desk was marked with a small wooden sign: Property Brokerage – Licensed by the City.
A thin man with a neatly trimd mustache sat behind the desk, poring over scrolls. He perked up as the trio approached, his rchant's instinct instantly sensing coin. "Welco, welco! Looking for property, yes? A ho? A mansion? Sothing fitting for rising adventurers, perhaps?"
Ethan didn't bother with pleasantries. "Show us what you have."
---
The broker was only too eager. He pulled out several scrolls, each depicting sketches and notes about properties available for purchase.
The first was a modest townhouse on the edge of the artisan quarter—two stories, five rooms, with a small fenced yard. Price: 80 gold. Functional, but plain.
The second was more ambitious: a countryside villa just beyond the outer walls, with a wide garden space and a modest stable. Price: 220 gold. "Perfect for privacy," the broker explained eagerly, "though the travel into the city is slower."
Next ca an estate deeper in the noble quarter, with polished marble floors, a wide central hall, and balconies overlooking a manicured courtyard. Price: 950 gold. Silvie gasped at the drawing of its stained-glass windows, but Ethan's expression remained neutral.
One by one, they skimd through the options. A few were alluring but impractical. Others were cheap but too cramped, too fragile, or outright decrepit. Ethan's gaze sharpened only when the broker rolled open the scroll of a particular mansion.
It was a double-story ho with tall windows and a wide, sweeping entryway. Ten bedrooms, each with polished wooden floors. A large water pool glistened at the back garden, surrounded by stone tiling. A stable with enough space for half a dozen horses. High, well-kept walls for privacy, and the structure itself was in excellent condition.
Price: 600 gold.
"Now this," the broker said, patting the parchnt like a prized stallion, "is a true treasure. Spacious, modern, with excellent craftsmanship. Its previous owner left for the capital, and it has been kept in fine order. Gardens trimd, the water pool cleaned weekly, roof reinforced just last year. It is ready to live in imdiately."
Ethan studied the sketch silently, eyes narrowing. The others waited, knowing his silence ant calculation.
Finally, he looked at Lirael. "Thoughts?"
She leaned in, scanning the notes. "Good size. Plenty of rooms. And the walls an we'd have privacy. Location is close enough to the guild for convenience. Price is steep but fair." Her lips curved slightly. "I'd say it suits us."
Silvie clasped her hands, beaming. "It even has a pool! And stables—though we don't have horses. Still, it feels… right. Like it could really be ho."
Ethan exhaled, the decision crystallizing. He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out six gleaming platinum coins. They hit the desk with a solid, final weight.
"We'll take it."
The broker's eyes nearly popped out of his skull, but he recovered quickly, nodding furiously as he scrambled to pull out the deed. "Excellent choice, excellent! Papers will be transferred imdiately. Keys, too—ah, yes, here…"
He pressed a heavy iron key into Ethan's palm, the head shaped like a crest. "Welco to your new ho."
---[R18 warning!]
By the ti they left the guild, the deed tucked away and the keys jingling in Ethan's hand, the night felt different. The moon hung above, silver light spilling over the rooftops. For the first ti since stepping into the city, they had more than an inn bed to look forward to—they had walls, space, and permanence.
Lirael smirked as they walked. "Eternal Eclipse in a noble's mansion. That'll ruffle so feathers."
Silvie twirled in delight, already daydreaming aloud. "We can decorate! Maybe put flowers in the garden, and I'll have my own room, and—oh! We can even train by the poolside!"
Ethan allowed himself a small smile at her enthusiasm. "We'll make it ours."
The city around them was still alive with the remnants of celebration. Lanterns swayed in the breeze, vendors hawked roasted ats to passing adventurers, and laughter spilled from tavern doors. But for Ethan's group, the true prize wasn't in the noise of the streets—it was the promise of a place where they could return, rest, and plan for whatever storms lay ahead.
And as the mansion's key glinted under the moonlight, Ethan knew this was only the first step in building sothing greater.
The iron gate shut with a low clang, sealing them in silence. The mansion lood in shadow, but Ethan had no interest in exploring its corridors. His sharp eyes swept the grounds, already finding the shimr of water at the far end.
Without a word, he seized both Lirael and Silvie by the waist.
"E-Ethan?!" Lirael gasped, startled.
"Wait—what are you—Mast—ahhh!" Silvie squealed, her voice rising an octave as he lifted them effortlessly.
The only answer ca in the form of a splash as all three hit the pool. Water surged, soaking hair and clothes alike, shrieks turning into breathless laughter.
They surfaced together, faces inches apart. The moonlight painted their wet skin in silver, water streaming down their cheeks and collarbones. Lirael's lips parted as if to scold him, but Ethan closed the distance, claiming her mouth in a sudden, fierce kiss. Her muffled protest dissolved into a low sound of surrender, her arms looping around his neck.
Silvie's wide eyes darted between them, her face flushed despite the cool water. Ethan turned to her next, his lips brushing hers softly at first, then pressing deeper. She gasped against him, trembling as his tongue traced hers in a slow, deliberate motion. Her hands clutched at his shoulders, as if afraid the mont would slip away.
The air thickened with heat despite the night's chill. Ethan's hand slid down Lirael's side beneath the water, fingers morizing every curve, before shifting to Silvie's waist, drawing her closer until the three were entwined. Their laughter was gone, replaced by quickened breaths and the soft sounds of mouths eting again and again.
Ethan broke from the water in a single powerful stride, pulling both won into his arms. Droplets stread down their skin as he carried them dripping into the mansion, the heavy doors groaning open before him. He didn't slow until he reached a vast chamber, a king-sized bed waiting like it had been prepared for this very night.
He tossed them onto the sheets, their soaked forms sinking into the fabric, hair fanned out in wild disarray. They both looked up at him—cheeks flushed, lips swollen from kisses, chests rising and falling with anticipation.
Ethan climbed onto the bed without hesitation, caging them in with his arms. He claid Lirael's mouth again, this ti slower, deeper, his tongue twining with hers in a hungry rhythm. She moaned softly into the kiss, her hand running down his chest, nails grazing his skin as if testing his resolve.
He shifted to Silvie next. She welcod him with a breathless whimper, her lips parting instantly as he pressed against her. The kiss was tender at first, coaxing, then deepened until she was arching up to et him, fingers tangling in his damp hair.
His hands wandered—up Lirael's thigh, over Silvie's back—tracing, exploring, morizing. Every touch drew another gasp, another shiver, another helpless sound that filled the vast chamber. Their bodies pressed closer, tangled with his, warmth and water mixing with the heat rising between them.
The night stretched on, filled with kisses that left them breathless, hands that road without hesitation, and voices that grew louder with every mont of passion. No walls muffled them, no neighbors knocked to hush them—only the mansion's silence bore witness as their cries rose freely, echoing into the darkness.
For the first ti since entering the city, there was no need for restraint. And so they gave themselves to the night, to each other, again and again until the world outside no longer mattered.
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