"My love," She smiled warmly after gasping for breath, "Your embrace makes my heart flutter like a schoolgirl's when she's with her crush. I'm not sure if I can keep up with your youthful passion without losing my senses." She giggled. "Not that I mind it when you make my mind go blank with your kiss, my love~"

"Hey, can you blame me?" You said, giving her softest bits a squeeze. "You're a wonderful woman, both inside and out."

"Master, you flatter~" She giggled again.

"No flattery here, darling. Just saying the truth."

"In that case, I will also speak the truth: You're all that I've wished for, and more. So, so much more... Mel is right in calling you a hero." She said, then sighed. "That we would spend this day making love. Alas, my duty must be seen to, since by your kindness I am able to care for Ryko like I had for so long before. I'll make sure to come back swiftly, my darling, and seek you out if you are not in this ancient abode."

"That shouldn't be necessary. I'm pretty sure I'll be staying here for most of the morning renovating the castle. At most, I'll go to the The Vixen's Luck with some of my slaves to get more supplies." You gave a smile. "Still, I'm looking forward to having you back, love."

"Thank you, Master." She gave an appreciative bow. That didn't stop her from checking you out with sultry eyes. "In that same vein, you give me much to look forwards to, my dear~"

A bit of flirting later and two of you ended up blowing off some steam— indulging your desires enough to calm your mutual passions. Ayane gave you a content sigh. And, after freshening up, she departed on the flying ferry with an "I love you, Master", off to take care of those three kits while their parents were away.

The sun rose a few hours later, and with it Herta got up with the morning's first ray of light. After you gave her your a daily dose of breakfast 'protein', you tell her about the adventures you had with Mel and Cattleya yesterday. She was curious about the dangerous artifact, so the two of your ended up studying and looking it over.

After coming to the same conclusions as last night, she said that it had some sort of enchantment— placed on it as recently as half a year ago— that jumbled magical signatures of everyone that had used it. It was intricate, though Herta was confident that "a simple puzzle like this one is nothing to someone as intelligent and gorgeous as me; the Goddess of Artifice!", or so she declared.

The rest of your wives, or at least those that were early risers, get up soon after you were done, making way for the morning to truly begin.

Your decision to move out of Cinnamon Inn to this castle energizes everyone into wanting to rennovate the place. Wanting to get this out of the way, you agree.

Soon enough the morning becomes a flurry of activity. The rest of your slave-wives, those that tended to wake up at breakfast, offer to help out with things after eating.