Lys wiped the last bowl dry, stacking it neatly on the shelf while Elara scrubbed the pot with a worn rag. The kitchen felt quieter now, with Mira off in the corner sweeping crumbs, still humming that off-key tune. Elara glanced at him sideways, her hands pausing in the suds.

  "You're heading out already?" she asked, her tone casual but with that motherly edge, like she could read his fidgeting.

  "Yeah, got something to check on," Lys replied, folding the cloth and setting it aside. He avoided her eyes, not wanting to explain about Sara just yet.

  Elara nodded, drying her hands on her apron. "Alright, but don't stay out too late. And take care, the village is buzzing more than usual today."

  "Okay, I will." He gave her a quick hug, feeling her squeeze back a little tighter than normal, then slipped out the door before she could ask more.

  The afternoon sun slanted low as Lys stepped onto the path, the village settling into that lazy post-lunch haze. He headed toward the nicer end of town, where the houses had actual stone walls instead of mud and thatch. As his boots crunched over the gravel, his mind wandered to the pouch at his belt, heavier now even after that purchase.

  ‘Let's see,’ he thought, mentally calculating the expenses as he dodged a puddle from last night's rain. ‘Mom took five silvers for groceries this morning. Harlan's deposit was five silvers. Plus, the full clothes order might run twenty, thirty at most for the fancy stuff.’

  He patted the pouch, feeling the reassuring jingle. That's barely scratching the surface. ‘If a hundred silvers equals a gold, then haven’t I got close to at least three thousand silvers from those pelts? Whoa, this is way more than I figured.’

  A grin tugged at his lips as he passed the bakery; the smell of fresh loaves made his mouth water despite the recent lunch.

  ‘And here I thought scraping together enough for a proper house would take months, maybe years. But overnight? Isn’t that a little overkill?! Those wolf hides turned me rich without me even realising it. Buying a place doesn't sound crazy anymore. Wait a minute, is thirty gold enough to buy a good-quality house? Never mind. I’ll let Sara figure that out.’

  By the time Sara's house came into view, Lys felt a buzz of excitement from the thoughts of buying a house for the first time. Not just in this world. It was really his first house-buying moment, combining his life in both of two worlds.

  He looked up at Sara’s house. It was bigger than most as far as he saw in this village, with a tidy garden and a gate that actually latched. The two servants lounging by the entrance straightened up as he approached. He nodded to both of them.

  "Afternoon," Lys said, nodding as he reached the gate.

  “Afternoon”, both of the women nodded to him.

  Lys first stood at the gate, thinking they would go inside and bring Sara back with them as usual. But as they were not moving and just staring at him, he asked,” Uhh, aren’t you going to call for Sara?”

  The chatty one spoke up, “Ohh, you are waiting for us to go and call her out? You don’t have to. You can just go inside from now on. No need for us to fetch her to let you in.”

  Lys stared at her for a second, then understood his status in this house had clearly risen.

  ‘What the, just having a few golds made their attitudes change 180 degrees? So before I was just a village boy, and now I suddenly am a rich boyfriend of their master, is that it?’

  He started walking inside the house, while thinking how his newfound status might also affect Sara too.

  ------

  He pushed open the heavy wooden door to Sara's house, the hinges giving a soft creak that echoed in the quiet hallway. The place smelled like fresh ink and parchment, mixed with a hint of lavender from the dried bundles hanging by the window. Sara was at her desk in the main room, bent over a stack of ledgers, her quill scratching away. She looked up as he entered, her sharp eyes lighting up with that familiar spark.

  "Lys! There you are," she said, setting the quill down and leaning back in her wooden chair. She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, her sleeves rolled up like she was in the middle of a battle with numbers. "I was starting to think you'd gotten lost in the market. Sit down, want some tea? I just brewed a pot."

  He felt a quiet relief wash over him. ‘Good, she's the same. She didn’t change her attitudes just because I have a few gold coins now.’

  "Nah, I'm loaded now. Just came from having lunch at home. But thanks."

  Sara nodded, gesturing to the chair across from her. "Suit yourself. So, what's on your mind? You look like you've got questions brewing."

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  Lys settled into the seat; the cushioned wood creaked a little under him. He rubbed the back of his neck, getting straight to it. "Uhh, yeah, I’ve got some questions about houses. How much do they go for around here? Like, a decent one in the village."

  She raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Houses, huh? Moving up in the world already, just as you got money? Alright, not bad! But first, tell me, how much have you spent so far from those pelts? I gotta know what we're working with."

  He shrugged, patting his pouch again out of habit. "Not much. Mom took only five silver coins for groceries this morning. Then I dropped another five as a deposit at Harlan's for some clothes. The full order might run twenty, I think, maybe thirty silvers tops once it's done."

  Sara's eyes widened a fraction, and she let out a low sigh, leaning forward with her elbows on the desk. "Thirty silvers already? That's... wow, Lys. You're burning through it quick."

  He chuckled, shaking his head. "Quick? Don't you mean barely a dent? With what I got from the pelts, close to three thousand silvers, it's nothing. But yeah, is that doable for a house?"

  She tapped her fingers on the ledger, her expression turning thoughtful, like she was mentally flipping through village gossip. "Doable? Sure. But with thirty gold... hmm. In this village, you'd be looking at a five-room place at best. Nothing bigger right now, most folks aren't selling, and there's no open land to build on without going outside the walls. The available one would be cozy, though. Solid walls, maybe a small yard. Better than a hut, right?"

  Lys nodded slowly, picturing it, a real home, not the cramped space he shared with Elara and Mira. "Yeah, sounds fine. I can work with that. Do I need to be there for the deal, or...?"

  Sara waved a hand dismissively, but her eyes had that efficient glint, like she was already planning the steps. "Nah, leave it to me. I know the sellers around here. I'll handle the haggling. Just swing by this evening, and we can check it out together. If it clicks, you can move in tomorrow or the day after, once they spruce it up a bit. Renovations won't take long, I think; these places are sturdy already."

  He grinned, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "Thanks, Sara. You're a lifesaver. What would I have done without you!"

  Sara smirked, picking up her quill again but not quite diving back into work. "Don't thank me just yet. I told you, didn't I? I’m a very possessive woman. So don’t hold back whenever you need something. I have more power to make you happy than you might think. So lean on me more. That will make me happy more than anything."

  Lys went still at that.

  The words hung in the air between them, heavier than she probably intended. He understood the way this world worked. Women held all the cards, the land, and the status. Men like him were the scarce ones, the ones to be pursued and provided for. But understanding it and accepting it were two very different things. Hearing Sara talk about providing for him, about having the power to make him happy, scratched at something raw in his chest.

  He wanted to be the one who provided. That was his pride. It might have been stupid in a world built like this one, but it was the only anchor he never wanted to lose.

  He stared at her, letting the silence stretch.

  Sara must have felt the shift because she put her quill down slowly, her head tilting as she studied his face. "What? Are you moved by my words or something, or do I just have something on my face?"

  "No," Lys said, his voice quieter now. "I'm just looking at you. I think I misjudged you earlier. I thought you might change like everyone else did, once you realised I wasn't just some poor village boy anymore. But you didn't. You're still exactly the same, the Sara who had fallen for me."

  Sara's expression softened. She rose from her chair slowly, the wood creaking as she stood, and walked around the desk until she stood right in front of him. She was close enough that he could smell the perfumes on her skin and see the small flecks of gold in her brown eyes.

  "Why would I change, silly?" Her voice was low and warm. "Whether you’re poor or rich doesn't change a thing for me. I started liking you because I felt something in you. Something I've never felt in any other man before. It felt like you were special. Do you know what I mean?"

  Lys's throat went dry. The afternoon light slanting through the window caught the curve of her cheek and the way her chest rose and fell under her linen blouse. He could feel the heat radiating from her body, standing so close.

  "Yeah," he said, his voice rougher than he intended. "I know exactly what you mean."

  He reached out slowly, giving her time to pull back if she wanted. His hand settled on her waist, his fingers curling into the corner of her skirt. She didn't move away. Instead, her breath got faster, and she swayed toward him.

  "You mean," Lys said, tugging her gently until she stepped between his knees, "that it’s time we had another session of us doing naughty things?"

  Sara's lips parted. A flush crept up her neck, spreading to her cheeks. But she didn't look away. If anything, her eyes darkened, her pupils widening as she looked down at him.

  "You’re wrong," she whispered. One of her hands came up to rest on his shoulder, her fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt. "That’s not what I meant at all."

  "Then what did you mean?"

  She leaned in closer, her mouth hovering near his ear. "I meant that if you want to reinterpret what I said, I’ll allow it. But only if you're brave enough to actually do something about it."

  Hearing that, he didn't wait a second.

  He pulled her down onto his lap in one smooth motion. She came down willingly, her thighs settling on either side of his legs and her hands braced on his shoulders. The desk creaked behind her where she’d bumped it, sending a ledger sliding to the floor. But neither of them looked that way.

  Lys's hands slid up from her waist, tracing the curve of her ribs through the thin dress she was wearing. "Is this brave enough?" he murmured, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth. "Haven’t I been brave enough since the day I met you?"

  Sara let out a shaky laugh, but it died in her throat as his mouth found hers.

  The kiss started softly like they were testing each other. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. He groaned against her lips, his hands sliding lower to grip the small curve of her backside through her skirt. She gasped into his mouth and rocked slowly against him. He could feel how much she wanted this, as if only one day of doing it made her addicted to him.

  When they finally broke apart, both were breathing hard. Sara rested her forehead against his. Her eyes were red with hunger for more, and her lips were swollen.

  "The house checking," she managed, her voice breathy. "I need to do it before evening for you to check it."

  "It can wait," Lys said, pulling her in again.

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