Judas had heard Nina's words clearly the moment he reached the door of his humble home.
He almost applauded. His puppy was impressive. At this rate, she would sway the other two long before he ever tried.
He kept one arm firmly around Nina to prevent her from slipping as he stepped into the house.
His eyes immediately sought Luna and Ezra, watching closely as both of them looked anywhere but at him. Their stiff shoulders and burning cheeks told him everything he needed to know.
He let his gaze linger on them a moment longer, then allowed his free hand to wander down Nina's back.
It slid lower naturally until it cupped her plump ass.
His fingers pressed in a slow squeeze—clear enough for Luna and Ezra to see, and impossible for them to ignore.
'Hooligan,' Luna complained inwardly.
Affection: 19 → 25
[Luna's affection for you has reached one-fourth of Absolute Devotion. You have obtained five Random Ordinary Lucky Draws.]
Ezra lowered her head, refusing to meet his eyes. 'I never expected he would be this shameless.'
Affection: 24 → 28
[Ezra's affection for you has reached one-fourth of Absolute Devotion. You have obtained five Random Ordinary Lucky Draws.]
Judas pretended not to notice the rising heat on both their faces, but the system notifications floating beside them made the corner of his mouth lift.
At the moment, he possessed ten Ordinary, three Common, five Uncommon, and five Rare Lucky Draws. A small arsenal of fortune.
And he already had a rough idea of how to use them.
The crisis of planting was solved thanks to his new furry assistants, but tending the crops was another matter entirely. Speed Growth Seeds matured in a month, true, but that did not make them effortless.
They demanded constant attention.
Watering. Weeding. Monitoring for pests. Maintaining the soil.
Tasks that required hands. Many hands.
Judas narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He needed labor. Reliable labor.
'Tomorrow I will go to the village squire to recruit some helpers,' Judas decided with a nod. That could wait for later. Right now…
He set Nina gently on her feet and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
"My beautiful ladies, here is something special for all three of you." He pointed at the bulging sack near the door.
The Moonscale fish inside still wriggled with high vitality, their silver bodies flashing whenever the cloth shifted.
"This… this is fish!" Nina gasped as she opened the sack. Her eyes shone like stars.
Luna and Ezra leaned in almost immediately, bending beside her to get a closer look.
"Human, where did you get this?" Luna demanded, suspicion edging her tone. Her silver eyes narrowed. 'Fish are rare. Only nobles eat them. How did he, a peasant, get this?'
Ezra's expression tightened as well. 'Special food, sewing machines, and now fish. None of these exist in the Wastelands. What is he hiding? Is he like me? Someone with a hidden identity?'
"That is a secret," Judas said with theatrical seriousness, glancing left and right as if checking for spies.
Luna and Ezra leaned closer, their faces inches from his, hungry for the truth. Judas suddenly pulled them both in and kissed their cheeks at the same time.
"Muah. Muah."
Both women froze. Their eyes widened as their bodies stiffened.
"Your husband is capable of wonders." Judas winked with shameless confidence.
"You…" Luna trembled, cheeks burning as she tried to glare through the redness spreading across her whole face.
Affection: 25 → 35
Ezra bit her bottom lip and looked away with a soft exhale.
Affection: 28 → 38
Judas blinked. 'Just one kiss raised their affection that much? Should I kiss them again?'
He leaned forward eagerly. Both women instantly backed away in panic, scrambling like startled cats.
'Hooligan.'
'Eat what you can digest.'
Judas coughed into his fist to hide his grin. "Anyway, let us cook them. Fresh tastes better."
Since none of his wives had ever cooked fish before, Judas took full responsibility. He opened three Ordinary Lucky Draws in quick succession.
[Item Acquired — Stainless Steel Grill Tongs (Ordinary)]
[Item Acquired — Aluminum Foil Roll (Ordinary)]
[Item Acquired — Barbecue Seasoning Packet (Ordinary)]
Perfect for grilling.
Ordinary items cost very few affection points in the system market. And now that Nina's affection had reached one hundred, he would start earning affection points from her every day.
He could finally buy the things he needed.
Judas clenched his fist with quiet joy. "Today we feast."
While the fish grilled over the fire, Judas sat shamelessly between his three wives. He wrapped an arm around Luna on one side and Ezra on the other, pulling them in as if they belonged perfectly under each shoulder.
Both women stiffened at once.
Luna tried to wriggle free, but Judas tightened his arm just enough to stop her escape. Ezra attempted to lean away but found herself trapped by his hold, her back pressing lightly against his ribs.
'I cannot breathe. Hooligan,' Luna muttered inside her mind, her lips twitching in frustration.
'His arms are stronger. Did he unlock his strength attribute?' Ezra thought with a quiet frown, sneaking a side glance at his jawline. She looked away quickly, her cheeks warming.
Nina was the only one entirely at ease. She pressed herself against Judas's chest, her tail wagging as she stared hungrily at the grilling fish.
A faint trail of imaginary drool sparkled at the corner of her mouth.
Judas chuckled and wiped her lips with his thumb.
"Do not worry. You can eat until your belly bursts. And if that is still not enough, I will go catch more fish."
"Husband, you are so good to me." Nina pecked his cheek, her eyes shining with genuine affection.
Affection Points: 10
Judas's eyebrows rose. 'That is faster than I expected.'
Ordinary daily items had prices starting from zero to one hundred. Ordinary equipment, potions, and skills began at one thousand points. He expected it would take days of effort to accumulate anything meaningful.
But if the points came this fast…
If he gained affection points from all three wives every day, his worries about the future would be cut in half.
The looming apocalypse would not spare anyone. Even if he wanted to avoid fighting, situations would force him into battles.
Without enough strength, he could not protect them.
Gradually, Luna and Ezra's stiff bodies relaxed in his hold. The smell of the grilling fish was too enticing, the warmth too comforting. Their resistance faded little by little.
Luna's shoulder brushed against his chest, her posture loosening. Ezra's head tilted subtly until it rested against his shoulder as well.
Judas looked down at them, a soft smile creeping across his lips. Their faces were peaceful, tinted by the firelight, their breaths gentle against him.
This was bliss.
The moment felt perfect.
The kind of moment a man wanted to preserve forever. Which meant, naturally, it was destined to be ruined.
A violent bang rattled the door, cracking the calm in half.
All three wives jolted like startled kittens, their bodies snapping away from his warmth at the same time.
Nina's ears shot upright, Luna grabbed her chest in shock, and Ezra's hand reached instinctively toward her knife.
Judas's expression darkened instantly.
His jaw tightened, fingers twitching as a vein pulsed in his temple.
'I swear,' he growled inwardly, 'if this is not important, I will break the legs of that damned bastard.'
The warm atmosphere shattered like thin glass.
And Judas rose to his feet, rage rolling beneath his skin.
* *
Authors note:
Power stone milestone for this week: 150 PS before Sunday = Additional 2 chapter alongside the regular chapters on Monday.
Since I have no reply from editors about the contract, I guess this book never gonna get one. Well, all good. I will continue it here and on scribble hub.