“It is my pleasure to serve you, Master,” she said. Twin violet braids trailed over her shoulders, distinct against the black of her uniform. Clear blue eyes peered at me behind a dusting of freckles on her pale face. A white flower was positioned above one silky ear on top of her head, and her swishing tail was the same brilliant purple as her hair. “My name is Lynn. My sister Ara and I will take care of you for the duration of your stay.”

“Oh. So you’re a permanent fixture. Great.” Ravyn rolled her eyes.

Keke chewed her lip, and Cannoli’s eyes flickered between us.

“U-um, I’m certain we could maintain the house just fine. I can cook, and all of us can help clean,” Cannoli suggested.

Lynn’s warm smile never faltered. “Please, we would hate for you to lift a single finger during your stay in Venicia. You need only call upon us, and we will ensure your comfort.”

Damn, she’s adorable.

A second maid appeared with dirty blonde hair but the same clear eyes and button nose. She bowed, her eyes lingering on me. “As she says, I’m Ara.” She paused, then licked her lips. “If there’s anything I can do to please you, Master—”

Keke hauled her [Cat Pack] into Ara’s arms without warning. “If you could show us to our rooms, that would be great.”

In an impressive display of dexterity, Ara caught it without so much as a fumble. Her grin widened, and she chuckled. “Of course.”

Lynn and Ara led the way, and as we ascended the staircase on the far wall, and I couldn’t help but gawk. It was like an Airbnb on steroids. With maids. It would be easy to stack the Golden Dragon on top of itself and fit it inside. Plus, we didn’t have to worry about any other catgirls or elf assholes staying in the same place.

Speaking of Cailu, we haven’t asked yet… “There’s already a man on this island, right?”

Lynn glanced over her shoulder. “What do you mean?”

“Are you new here?” Ravyn snapped. “Every island has a man. Where’s Shi’s?”

“No need to be rude, Miss,” Ara replied, venom lacing her words. “Shi Island hasn’t had a man in a very long time.”

“That isn’t what we heard,” Keke said.

“I apologize, but you have been misinformed.” Lynn shook her head. “We have awaited a new Master since our last one perished years ago.”

The dude a dragon ate? But Cailu said that was a long time ago. It was easy to tell that Ni Island hadn’t seen a man in ages by their low population. But Venicia was a lot bigger, and if nothing else, there was a lot of money here. So, who was populating it? And where were the Bells coming from? “Hmm.”

“Are you quite certain?” Cannoli asked quietly, chewing one of her fingernails.

Ara laughed. “Why wouldn’t we be certain? You only just arrived. Venicia is our home.”

Cannoli blushed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Buttons appeared from the pocket of her dress and skittered up to her shoulder, bulging eyes narrowing at Ara.

“Oh! What an adorable blazard!” Lynn noted, reaching back to scratch Buttons’ chin.

He accepted and relaxed. “Thank you,” Cannoli replied.

“I’m sure there was no offense taken. Right, Ara?” Lynn eyed her sister and continued to the top of the stairs until she paused at a tall, elegant door. The golden handle looked more expensive than my axe. “Here we are. Oh! I realize I do not know your names!”

We introduced ourselves, and Lynn bowed again.

“Thank you.” She smiled and pointed in turn to three more doors down the long hallway. “There are four separate rooms for you to enjoy. All have their own washrooms and equal amenities. Please choose whichever you like. And of course, you are more than welcome to share.”

“Do we have any reason to stay?” Keke asked. “If there isn’t a man here, we should move on to Ichi as soon as possible, right?”

While I agreed with her, a voice gnawing at the back of my mind insisted we needed to investigate further. I smiled and said as casually as I could muster, “Let’s at least rest the night. Better than sleeping on a boat, yeah?”

Ravyn was already halfway down the hallway, opening the door farthest away from us. “I’ll take this one.” Ball remained oddly silent on her shoulder, beady eyes never settling on one thing.

“Excellent choice, Miss Ravyn.” Lynn nodded.

“I’ll take this one.” I knocked on the third door down, not wanting to split Keke and Cannoli from neighboring rooms.

The two exchanged looks, and Keke gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head. Cannoli sighed and went into the first room without a word. Keke triumphantly took the room next to mine.

Well, that was awkward.

“Perfect. Dinner is served at seven p.m. and will be formal dress, please,” Lynn said.

“Wait. Formal dress?” All I had was what I was wearing and my Combat Equipment.

She blinked and looked at me curiously. “Does your party require formal attire, Master?”

I looked at the other girls.

“What a bunch of bullshit,” Ravyn’s voice drifted from her room.

“There is an Expert Tailor down the way who can fit you before then. Might I suggest giving them a visit?”

“Lynn, maybe we can make an exception this time?” Ara asked.

“Is this really a requirement?” Keke asked.

Lynn wrinkled her nose at her sister. “It is custom in Venicia that dinners are celebrated together with the highest class and immaculate service—”

“They’re right. I don’t think this is really necessary,” Ara interrupted.

“A new dress would be nice,” Cannoli said thoughtfully.

“Of course it’s necessary, Ara. We cannot forego tradition. What would Madame Celestia say?” Lynn countered.

“But we’re in dresses,” Keke protested.

“Please, I insist. We can have you ready by dinner without charge—”

“Kuso. Let’s go. She’s not gonna shut up.” Ravyn stormed through the hallway and snatched my arm. “You too, ladies.”

I’d only ever owned a pair of slacks and a button-up. Maybe a tie in the depths of my dresser drawers. But the thought of seeing the girls in something fancy was enough to keep me marching down the street. The oddly empty, unnervingly quiet street.

“Where is everyone?” Cannoli asked as we traversed the grass-flanked sidewalks.

It wasn’t for lack of buildings, either. More massive houses lined either side of the walkway, separated by shops with colorful awnings and painted signs. Murmured talk could be heard inside the stores and movement behind the windows of the houses, but we were the only four people outside.

“I don’t like this,” Ravyn murmured.

Aromas of fresh-baked desserts wafted through the air: pies, cookies, cakes. They mingled with the scent of tea and honey. Someone laughed inside a nearby café, and it startled me. The normal sounds of a city were absent—the shuffling of feet, the whispers of passersby, or the relentless onslaught of bird calls. No breeze, no buzz, no anything.

“This must be it.” Keke pointed at a store with pure white awnings and a spool of thread painted on the glass windows.

I opened the door, and bells tingled in warning for the proprietress awaiting us. The girls entered first, and I followed, taking in the colorful dresses posed on mannequins and hundreds of bolts of fabric around the store.

“Welcome!” A petite catgirl with curly auburn hair and hazel eyes hopped down from a stepladder. “Oh! Travelers! It is good to see new faces in Venicia!”

Four pairs of eyes locked in on her midsection. She was pregnant. There was no doubt about it.

No men, eh?

She flushed and looked down at her stomach. The round orb protruded from her slight frame, pushing against her maid uniform with a prominence of an expecting catgirl. Stroking the outline, she coughed and said, “I-I’ve had a problem with my weight.”

“Keh. Kehehehe. Ahahaha!” Ravyn doubled over with laughter, covering her mouth with one hand and sputtering behind it.

“Ravyn! It’s not nice to laugh!” Cannoli said.

“Is it a kitten problem?” Keke asked, one eyebrow raised.

She tugged at her hair and bowed as low as her stomach would allow. “Let me start over, please. I’m Notch. How may I help you?”

“First, you can tell me where the other man is on this island,” I said.

Notch shook her head furiously. “I-I’m sorry. You are mistaken.”

“Come on, really?”

“Master, if there is nothing I can assist you with, I must ask you to leave.” Notch was clearly becoming more uncomfortable by the second. Her knees trembled, and her eyes squeezed closed.

Cannoli tugged on my sleeve and whispered in my ear, “Matt, she’s scared. We’re here for formal attire, remember?”

She’s right. Don’t be a bully. “Sorry, Notch. Lynn asked us to come to you for formal clothes. We’re uncultured or something.”

Notch stood and smiled, the tension evaporating from her shoulders. “That would be my pleasure! Who would like to go first?”

“Oh! Me!” Cannoli raised her hand and hopped.

I jerked my thumb toward her. “Cannoli would.”

“This way, please!” Notch extended one arm, gesturing to the curtained-off portion of her shop, and Cannoli skipped to where she stood.

When they disappeared, Keke, Ravyn, and I huddled in the front corner of the store.

“Why are they pretending a man isn’t here?” Keke whispered.

Ravyn shook her head. “I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Maybe that’s one of Cailu’s?” I suggested.

“No, I don’t think so. It’s looked down on to populate an island that isn’t yours. And he’s Nyarlea’s golden boy,” Ravyn replied.

I flinched, thinking of Myrun. Great. Good job, Matt. “So, what do we do?”

“I think all we can do right now is wait,” Keke said.

“Unfortunately, she’s right,” Ravyn agreed.

We mulled over in silence until the sound of shuffling fabric and excited murmurs returned to the main room.

“What do you think?” Cannoli asked.

“Woah,” I murmured.

Beyond the cat ears, Cannoli looked as if she’d stepped out of a Victorian party with the Queen of England. The dress was a floor-length, sky blue ball gown with a bead-embroidered corset and belled sleeves.

“I feel like a princess,” Cannoli giggled, spinning in place.

Buttons popped up from inside her corset and licked his eye. Lucky lizard.

“You look wonderful,” Keke said.

“I am not wearing that,” Ravyn grumbled.

Keke went next. Notch fitted her with a similar dress in forest green, tying her hair back into a low knot with a matching piece of ribbon.

I followed Notch next, impressed by the speed of her measurements, pinning, and stitches. She moved with intense concentration and focus, making experienced alterations. Even though mine was a black-tie suit, it fit like a perfectly tailored suit should.

“Wow, Matt! You look really handsome!” Cannoli clapped as I emerged.

Keke slowly eyed me up and down, a smile creeping across her face. “I like it.”

“Thanks,” I said with a slight bow. “And thank you, Notch.”

“Of course, Master,” she turned to Ravyn. “And now you, Miss?”

“I am not wearing the red version, dammit,” Ravyn cursed and disappeared. When she emerged, well, it was about as formal as I’d expected.

“Now, this is more like it.” Ravyn posed and cackled. She wore floor-length a dress made of red velvet and black satin, the corset accentuating her ample chest and cinching her already small waist. How are her nipples not showing? The skirt cut high on the thighs at the center of both legs, putting a pair of fishnets on prominent display.

‘Dominatrix Sorceress’ came to mind. Even Ball had a little bow tie.

“Does everything you wear have to double for lingerie?” I groaned.

“Mmm, do you not like it, boy?” Ravyn sidled up to me, leaning her chest into mine. Her lips were only inches from my face, and her purple eyes burned into me. She licked her lips and lowered her voice. “Or would you rather see it on the floor?”

I fought tooth and nail against my arousal and pressed my index finger into Ravyn’s forehead, slowly pushing her away from me. “How much do we owe you, Notch?” I called.

“Baka!” Ravyn barked and stormed away.

“Oh! N-nothing! It’s on the house, Master!” Notch bowed again. “Thank you for visiting my shop!”

“Are you sure? We’ve got enough to pay for it—”

“No, Master, I am sure! To ask anything of you would go against our credo!” Notch insisted.

I thumbed the lining of my jacket. God, I can’t imagine what I’d pay for a suit like this in my last world.

“Thank you very much, Notch,” Cannoli said, curtseying. “If there’s anything we can do in return, please let us know?”

I’m glad she’s better at this than I am. “Yeah. Anything at all.”

“As you wish. Have a wonderful evening!”

I’m still struggling to see why we dressed up for this.

It was seven p.m., and the table had been set. An arrangement of silver cutlery, porcelain plates, and a single wine glass was placed at each seat. Beautiful floral patterns were etched into the plates, and judging from the incredible designs on the tablecloth, I had to imagine the setup alone cost a lot more than anything I’d ever owned in my old world.

The aroma of freshly cooked food made its way to my nostrils, awakening an entirely different beast in my bones. I was starving. Then I remembered that this was a town that seemed to value the presentation more than the act itself and I restrained myself as I sat down. The vest was a little tight around my stomach. Is it supposed to be this uncomfortable?

Lynn gestured at me, motioning for a button around a make-believe vest of her own. I mouthed a “thank you” and unbuttoned the vest.

Much better.

The girls—that is to say, everyone except Lynn and Ara—seated themselves at the table. Cannoli sat beside me while Keke and Ravyn sat opposite of us. Unfortunately, since this was all arranged seating for God knows what reason, Ravyn sat directly across from me tracing the rim of her wine glass. She grinned and locked her eyes with mine. Under any other circumstances, and from probably any other girl, my heart would be beating a mile a minute. Instead, I frowned and tilted my head sideways, suspicious that she was up to something.

“A girl could get used to this,” she said, raising and dropping her brow repeatedly.

“It almost suits you. Almost,” I said back.

Ravyn narrowed her stare, looking away from me and to the kitchen. “When’s supper?”

“Dinner,” Lynn corrected with a raised finger. She’d been standing at the doorway for some time. I admired her determination to, uh, being a maid—but it was a little strange how dedicated she’d been. I’m sure Ara could handle it just fine, but I thought it odd that Lynn had no hand in the cooking thus far.

“What are we having?” Cannoli asked as she played with the numerous bows and pins on her dress. She struggled to sit still, even after asking if there was anything she could do to help for the eighth time.

You are too precious for this world, Cannoli.

“Oh, it’s a surprise,” Lynn said with a wink.

I have to admit, even if I didn’t trust her for a second, she sure was cute. I guess I’m a sucker for freckles.

“Mou ii,” Ravyn groaned. “As long as we get some hard shit in this glass,” she said, tapping the glass with her nail, “then I’ll be fine.”

Lynn gasped and put a hand to her mouth, wide-eyed.

I admit I was confused. Sure, Ravyn was trashy, but I didn’t think it garnered that kind of reaction.

“You must not speak like that.” Lynn cleared her throat and adjusted her posture. “Each resident must uphold—”

“Can it, tight-ass,” said Ravyn, sighing.

Lynn bowed her head, and Keke passed Ravyn a dirty look. Oh, why did those two have to be sitting next to each other? Ravyn yelped and slowly turned her stare on Keke.

Even if Keke wasn’t a fan of it, I have to say that while Cannoli was the obvious winner for the formal attire, Keke had that cute girl-next-door look. That kind of look where you’d see the tomboy get dressed up and prettified, and then everyone was amazed at how beautiful she really was. Not that she wasn’t beautiful already, but damn if she didn’t look incredible in that dress.

“You should be mindful of where you are.” Keke seemed to be forcing each word.

You’re struggling to fit into the mood, too, huh?

“We’re not on Ni Island. We’re on Shi Island.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ravyn said with a wave of her arm.

Ball Gag was resting on a perch that Lynn and Ara had set aside just for him. He’d yet to say anything since we first arrived, and not for one second did he seem capable of resting. He didn’t seem particularly bothered, but I thought it weird that not once had he interrupted Lynn or Ara, nor had he said anything, well, typical of Ball Gag.

At least he wears a bow tie well.

I rested my head on my chin and caught a shake of Lynn’s head. Just how long was it going to be until we could eat and escape this intense atmosphere?

I sighed. “Do we have an ETA on when dinner’s going to be ready?”

Lynn delivered a single nod. “It shan’t be more than ten minutes.”

“Alright.”

Ravyn and Keke frowned and looked at each other. Then they passed their looks to me. Did I miss something? Suddenly, a high heel struck my shin, and I audibly yelped. Ravyn continued to glare at me, and Keke’s stare was growing in strength.

“Did I do something wrong?” I decided to ask.

Ravyn clicked her tongue, and Keke deeply sighed. I looked over at Cannoli, who seemed to be oblivious to the entire matter.

And then it hit me. One very simple sentence, one very simple term. ETA.

My eyes widened, and I looked back and forth between Keke and Ravyn. Ravyn stifled a laugh, and Keke smiled wryly.

There is a man here. And one way or another, we’re going to find him.