Chapter 612: City Tour (1)

The city pulsed with life.

From the moment we stepped through the shimmering portal leading from my temple directly into the city's central plaza, a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells washed over us.

"Whoa..." Vespera's jaw dropped.

The plaza was a sprawling expanse of white marble, inlaid with swirling patterns of gold and lapis lazuli that formed my lewd-cock and pussy insignia on a massive scale. Enchanted streetlamps, shaped—unfortunately, not lewd—like graceful willows with glowing crystals for leaves, cast a soft, warm light on the crowd below.

The air hummed with a thousand conversations in a dozen different languages. The scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery mingled with the spicy aroma of a goblin-owned noodle stall and the sweet, floral perfume of an elf walking by.

And the people. Gods, the people.

Humans in sturdy leather aprons haggled with dwarven smiths over the price of a new axe.

Yes... I managed to get my hands on two hundred dwarves.

Thank you, Vandor, for your incompetence. The dwarves you enslaved for years and did not put to good use are now my best weaponsmiths.

It's really funny; the humans of Vandor were so arrogant that they viewed everything about the non-humans as heresy and filth.

How the fuck can they be that stupid?!!

They have dwarves, elves, and beast-kin as slaves, but have them do only menial tasks.

If they were not that stupid, they would have forced the dwarves to make weapons and armor for them.

But no, they were so arrogant that they would rather use their own crude 'holy' iron than 'tainted' dwarven steel.

That's why when I freed them, gave them a purpose and a place to call home, they pledged loyalty to me without a second thought.

I mean, the life of these slaves before and after they came to my city was like heaven and hell.

They were given proper housing, food, and wages. The skilled ones were given workshops and apprenticeships. The strong ones were given a chance to join the City Guard.

And most importantly, they were treated with respect.

Now? They are all mine.

All of them.

The humans, elves, dwarves, beast-kin, and all the other races that live in my city.

They are all my 'children'. And I will protect them with all my power.

"Your city is... breathtaking," Vespera breathed, her eyes wide with wonder. She pointed towards a street where five shops stood together with a bunch of people gathered. "What's over there?"

"Ah, that's the most important product of our city," I said with a grin, taking her by the hand. "Let's go check it out."

As we got closer, multiple scents tickled our noses. All of them were related not to sex but to a very different kind of pleasure.

Food.

The first shop was run by a massive minotaur with a gentle face and surprisingly delicate hands. He was flipping something that looked like a giant pancake on a griddle.

"Try one!" he boomed, noticing our interest. "Fresh honey-cakes! Sweet and fluffy!"

He handed me one on a piece of parchment paper. The cake was warm, fragrant, and drizzled with golden honey. I took a bite, and the flavor exploded in my mouth. It was pure bliss.

"Wow," Vespera said, her eyes widening after taking a bite of hers. "This is amazing!"

"The secret is in the flour," the minotaur said proudly. "We use a special blend of wheat and sun-dried elven moonpetals. Gives it a unique flavor."

The second shop was a stall run by a slender goblin with sharp features and an even sharper tongue. She was selling skewers of grilled meat, sizzling over a hot flame.

"Get your fire-roasted lizard kebabs! Spicy and tender! Best in the city!" she shrieked, waving a skewer in our direction.

I bought one. The meat was juicy and perfectly spiced, with a smoky flavor that made my mouth water. Vespera was a bit hesitant at first, but after taking a bite, she was hooked.

The third shop was a bakery run by a plump, cheerful cowgirl with flour on her nose. She was pulling a tray of golden-brown buns out of a brick oven.

"Fresh milk buns! Soft and sweet! Perfect with a cup of tea!" she sang, her voice as warm as the bread.

"Milk buns?" Vespera asked, slowly turning her head towards me. "And she's a cowgirl... so this milk is..."

"Yes, it's her own milk," I whispered back, taking a bite of the bun. It was light, airy, and had a subtle, creamy flavor that was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. "And it's delicious."

The fourth shop was a small, cozy cafe run by a pair of young humans, a male and a female. They were brewing coffee in large copper pots, the rich, aromatic scent filling the air.

"Finest coffee in all the land!" the man said with a smile. "Roasted with love and a touch of magic."

Coffee is a must in every city, and Vicky made sure to have the best beans and the best brewing methods. She's a big fan of coffee herself.

But surprisingly, a lot of dwarves love the black liquid; they say it helps them 'stay sharp during long hours of smithing,' while the beer helps them 'relax after a long day of smithing.'

The fifth shop... oh, the fifth shop was my favorite.

Because it sells something that can be related to and used in my 'field'.

It was run by a sultry, pale-skinned succubus with long, flowing hair and a smile that could make a man's wallet open. She was selling a variety of 'love chocolates' and 'passion pastries'.

"Something to spark the flame," she purred, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Or perhaps something to keep it burning all night long?"

The shop was decorated with red and black silk, and the air was thick with the scent of chocolate, roses, and a hint of something else... something primal and arousing.

I taught some of my succubus daughters how to use their own pheromones and magic to infuse food with aphrodisiac properties, and this little shop was their 'masterpiece'.

"Are these... safe?" Vespera asked, her cheeks flushed as she looked at the display of chocolate-covered strawberries, each one glistening with a thin layer of a clear, sticky substance.

"Perfectly safe," the succubus replied with a wink. "Not all of them have the same potency. We have a 'first date' special, a 'third date' special, and a 'let's skip the dates and get to the good part' special."

I picked up a heart-shaped chocolate, a wicked grin on my face.

"I'll take one of the 'let's skip the dates' special," I said, my eyes meeting Vespera's. "For later."

Vespera's blush deepened, but she didn't protest. In fact, she looked... excited.

Only these five shops were currently open; the rest of the street was still under construction. But the street was already buzzing with activity.

I mean, good food is always a universal sign of a good city.

To conquer someone's heart, you need to conquer their stomach. And to conquer their soul, you need to conquer their loins.

Thanks to my daywalker daughter V and Liliana's maid Samantha, we learned about the state of food and water quality in this world.

It's... bad.

Really bad.

Even for the nobles and the rich, the food is... bland. In the Freehold of Ardan, they use a lot of spices to hide the taste of spoiled meat, but spices only do so much.

The elves mostly eat vegetarian food, and it's... well, it's vegetarian. They have a lot of fruits and vegetables, but they lack the knowledge of how to cook them properly. So most of their dishes are either raw or boiled.

In the kingdom of Vandor, food is just a means to an end. They eat to live, not live to eat. They don't care about taste or quality.

And for the slaves?

On the good days, a hard crust of bread and some thin soup.

I couldn't let that fly in my city. Even if I don't require food anymore, I can't say no to a good dish.

So I made sure to have the best. The best ingredients, the best recipes, and the best cooks.

I even bought a cooking talent card from the Nexus Shop for a few of my children to accelerate the process. 'It's not cheating if you win,' after all.

Right?

Vespera and I spent a lot of time jumping between the five shops, trying everything and enjoying the lively atmosphere.

The dark elf was like a little kid in a candy store, her lavender eyes sparkling with delight as she tasted new and exotic foods. She especially loved the lizard kebabs and the milk buns.

But all good things must come to an end.

"Okay, that's enough food for now," I said, pulling Vespera away from the goblin's stall. "We have other places to see."

"Like where?" Vespera asked, a small pout on her lips. "I don't think there is a better place than here."

"Heh~... there is," I said with a mischievous grin. "And before you ask, it's not a brothel."

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