Merchant & Monster Girls Ch. 06

Jyora looked away, trying to hide her happiness from the compliment.

"So, um, how many times have you spread spores?"

"This is my fifth time -- twice before joining the academy and three times since my internship here. It was about four months ago that I caught the scent of mushrooms. I followed it to a small colony." She waved her hand in an easterly direction. "A satisfactory mutual exchange was reached." She held up a basket of mushrooms near her that Devin failed to notice earlier.

"How long before you... plant them?"

She rubbed her belly, feeling the last of the crest vibrations fade away. "About three or four days. I'll find a suitable environment some distance away where they can put down their mycelium."

"Do you, I don't know, form some kind of attachment to them... like a mother?"

"No. They are already fertilized by their parents. I'm just an incubator."

"That's very generous of you."

She grabbed a mushroom from her basket and nibbled on it. "I like all mushrooms," she stated matter of factly. With a coy smile, she added, "Though, I might have found an especially flavorful one."

"I noticed you don't have a glyph and are sharing a crest with Azalea."

"I am."

"So you don't possess affinity?"

"Azalea says I do, but I don't know how to use it."

"Would you like to learn?"

"Do you have time to teach me?" he asked curiously.

"Not anything in depth and I don't have my measuring tools to test your volume. I'll just tell you the quick basics and write you some additional notes for you before you leave. Females have larger affinity pools, and without outside assistance, take roughly a full twenty-four hours to replenish. Males have a smaller pool and take roughly half the time. It was originally thought that after you depleted your supply, you'd have to wait the full time span to regain it, but impatience and industrious minds found an alternative."

"As a merchant, I'm sure you're well aware of the different products that mages buy to get around the time restraint."

"I do. If you're talking about six grades of tinctures. The lesser graded ones are hard to find and don't sell very well."

"That's because the higher grade ones are the most effective. Grade one contains affinity collected from filtered sweat. Because it contains the least affinity, it's mostly ignored unless there's an emergency or extreme poverty. There are some who have a fetish for the unfiltered variety, though. Grade two is from saliva -- not much better due to low volume, though there are exceptions if collected from lamia or bee girls. Urine is grade three. It's readily available in large quantities, easily filtered, leaving a more concentrated form, but still, it's not the best since it only contains residual affinity."

"Male precum and female lubricant are grade four. They're very concentrated compared to the others. At grade five -- milk, and maybe not so oddly, honey, also from bee-girls, as well as pollen and nectar from plant-girls contain the second-highest density. Lastly, the most popular and containing the highest density is male semen and female ejaculate. Its processed form has become a staple used by nearly all mages.

-----

Several hours later. Gylan was just about finished loading crates and securing them with rope in the back of the wagon. Devin had finished switching out the old mare's tack and harness for one that fit Reina and remarked, "She'll have a wonderful retirement here."

Gylan took the lead. "That she will, m'boy." Patting the old horse's muzzle.

Azalea was sitting on the edge of the driver's seat, kicking her legs. "Hey, everyone! Come to see us off?"

The three satyr sisters -- Cyna, Ryna, Iryna -- along with Ellyn, Jyora, and surprisingly, Priscilla walked up.

"We did." Iryna wrapped her arms over Devin's shoulders and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "This is from the four of us. Something to drink on your trip." She placed a basket of four bottles of milk in his arms.

Next to say goodbye was Cyna. She pounced on him, giving him a tight squeeze. "Don't forget our promise!" She grabbed his hand and placed it on her bare mound. "I'll be wet and waiting, so let's play next time you visit! You too, Azalea!"

"We most definitely will!"

Ryna, more calmly than her sister, embraced Devin from behind, squishing her large chest against him. "I wouldn't mind some play time, as well, or a personal milking session," she whispered.

While the sisters were giving good-bye hugs to Reina & Azalea Jyora shuffled up and handed Devon a few scraps of paper. "Some instructions to get you started. You are one of the more agreeable humans I've come to know. I don't know if we'll ever meet again, but if you are ever in the capital, you can find me at the academy's research department."

"We'll be sure to stop by and say hi."

"Also, here!" She pushed a small covered basket of mushrooms into Devin's hands.

"Oh! Thank you. I'll cook these up tonight."

Priscilla stepped up next, arms folded. No longer the pleasure drunk girl she was in the barn. She came across a bit prissy.

"Your mating performance was adequate. Here." She shoved a pink handkerchief into his hands. "For you, and a flower band for each of your girls."

Ellyn grabbed her from behind. Locking her in a hug, kissing the top of her head. "That's her way of saying she likes you. You made her feel really good, and she'd probably like to experience it again."

Priscilla turned several shades of red at being read so accurately and looked away. "That's not what I'm saying at all!" She pouted. "But...but I wouldn't say no if you wanted to -- only because it helps when I get sheared and not because I like it, you understand!"

Devin smiled knowingly. "I understand. It was nice to meet you."

She folded her arms and turned her nose up haughtily. Despite herself, a brief smile crossed her lips before she caught herself and resumed her prideful visage.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here is my present for you girls." Gylan handed Reina and Azalea two carvings. Only the barest hint of a likeness was seen in each. "They are you. I know it doesn't look like much. We have a small superstition -- no, maybe it's more accurate to say custom: give a partially-done carving to someone to make sure they come back safe, and upon their next visit, I'll carve more detail into it."

Reina bowed her head. "That's very sweet. We'll definitely bring them back to be worked on."

Azalea flew over and hugged the old farmer. "Thank you, grandpa Gylan!"

The last to say goodbye was Ellyn. She hugged each of them in turn. "We enjoyed having you all stay with us! We love you! Safe travels."

Devin climbed aboard the wagon. "Take care, all."

With a jerk and a shudder, the wagon began to move. Imparting a final wave goodbye, the trio set off to the grand manufacturing city of Iceford.