At Draven's suggestion, they moved to a different location and entered the lord's manor back garden. The air here was fresh, the flowers and plants thrived, and birdsong accompanied the gentle breeze, creating a particularly peaceful atmosphere.

  Draven sat on a rough stone bench inside the garden pavilion, spreading out a piece of animal hide. He held a pen in his hand, writing and drawing intently.

  Nearby, Selene held the Octagonal Lantern, her gaze fixed on it with evident interest.

  She still remembered that on the night of the full moon ritual, her subordinates reported that the two strings of lanterns hanging at the Black Flag Tavern were actually made from wild boar bladder. Upon hearing that, she immediately lost interest in those lanterns, finding them crude and even somewhat disgusting.

  Unexpectedly, today Draven brought a completely different Octagonal Lantern and even gave it a new name. Selene glanced at him, thinking this werewolf leader occasionally managed to surprise her.

  This lantern's frame was made from wooden strips, and its panels were covered with sheepskin. Although the beast oil lamp inside was not lit, the red-dyed sheepskin and the tassels hanging from the edges still made the lantern look exceptionally exquisite.

  Selene carefully lifted the lantern and gently hung it on an iron hook at the corner of the pavilion. The lantern hung steadily, swaying slightly and casting a faint warm glow.

  She lifted her head slightly, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes, as if this small lantern carried her hopes for the future. But soon, her brow furrowed again; one lantern was obviously not enough.

  She beckoned, and the shadow at her side silently appeared, taking down the lantern and handing it back to her.

  "Have them make more. Hang them all over the lord's manor," Selene said in a low voice, yet there was pleasure beneath it.

  "Tell them that from now on, these lanterns will be called Selene Lanterns," she added.

  The dark guard responded respectfully without hesitation and retreated. Draven watched all this, unable to help but roll his eyes inwardly.

  "Selene Lanterns"? This was clearly the result of their team's efforts, but now it was turned into Selene's exclusive brand—blatant infringement! Yet he could only keep these words in his heart, never daring to voice them.

  After finishing the last sketch, Draven straightened his back and sighed in relief.

  Selene turned around and looked at the patterns on the animal hide with curiosity."What is this?"

  "A circular marketplace," Draven said with a proud smile, and began to explain in detail.

  His description of the shopping mall design caught Selene's full attention. The marketplace in the drawing was a closed circular structure, divided into four floors.

  This design was especially mindful of the preference of the demi-human races for round buildings. Although an office-building style might be more convenient, they chose a plan more in tune with local culture.

  Draven pointed to the sketch and introduced each floor in turn."First, let's talk about the current problems with the Succubus Trading Company. The space is wasted, the signage is chaotic and unclear, and the product categories are disorganized. Customers have to spend time and effort finding things, which results in a poor experience."

  Selene's expression gradually turned serious, clearly affected by these criticisms. Seeing this, Draven shifted the topic and eagerly introduced the advantages of his marketplace design.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  "You see, the whole market is divided into four floors, which saves space and clarifies the types of goods sold. The first floor sells daily necessities, like beast meat, furs, and cassava chunks; the second floor deals in high-end goods, such as magical beast materials and potions; the third floor handles lordship-related affairs, such as currency exchange and stone house transactions; and the fourth floor houses the market management and leasing offices."

  Listening, Selene's frown slowly eased, her expression becoming serious and focused.

  "What does‘leasing' mean?" she suddenly interrupted, a trace of confusion in her voice.

  Draven explained,"Leasing means inviting merchants to cooperate and develop together. Suppose the Succubus Trading Company is rebuilt on its original site according to this blueprint—not only can all current counters fit, but there would also be plenty of extra space. The surplus area can be rented out to different tribes in your territory. They can do business there, and you can collect rent."

  Selene's eyes flickered, and she nodded lightly, showing a hint of approval. Though she didn't fully understand, she grasped the general idea. Especially the multi-floor stone house design made her sigh,"Why didn't I think of this myself?"

  Not only the marketplace, but taller buildings could be constructed in the future as well. This way, Selene City could accommodate a significantly larger population. Thinking about this, Selene's eyes sparkled, and a proud smile unconsciously curved at the corner of her lips.

  Her bright eyes flickered with a cleverness she admired in herself, and that smile carried an enchanting charm. Draven was right beside her, his gaze gradually growing unfocused, and his breathing involuntarily quickened.

  Sensing his unusual behavior, Selene was startled and quickly tried to withdraw the alluring aura she had been projecting.

  But just as she was about to stop, she caught sight of a little girl at the garden gate out of the corner of her eye, and a thought suddenly came to her mind.

  She whispered a question only the two of them could hear:"Who is that little girl who's been by your side today?"

  "Who? Liliana?" Draven seemed still lost in the previous mood, his eyes dreamy as he replied like a fool.

  "What is she to you?" Selene's voice took on a scrutinizing tone.

  Draven suddenly stammered, as if he hadn't thought about how to describe his relationship with Liliana. After a moment of silence, he mumbled,"She's my friend."

  Selene narrowed her eyes, her intuition telling her that things were not so simple.

  She wanted to ask more, but seeing Draven's vacant expression, she suddenly lost interest.

  She snorted coldly. Draven suddenly shivered as if waking from a dream.

  "What happened to me just now?" he stammered.

  Selene turned her back to him, speaking in a delicate tone that sounded like a reproach, as if blaming him for being disrespectful just now.

  Draven's heart skipped a beat. Recalling his half-dazed state and the earlier events, he broke out in a cold sweat.

  He had thought Selene was deliberately using charm magic to provoke him and that he might have done something inappropriate. He hurriedly stood up, bowed deeply, and apologized with such a respectful attitude that it was almost comical.

  Fortunately, Selene was magnanimous. She waved her hand to dismiss his worries and didn't press the issue further.

  "Grab your beast-taming ring and get out of here!" Selene's tone changed abruptly, becoming blunt and unyielding.

  They had just been fine moments ago, and now she turned cold in an instant, truly chilling. Draven hurriedly caught the beast-taming ring Selene threw at him and fondled it lovingly.

  Then, gathering courage, he said,"Not enough. What I said earlier is worth two…"

  "Get out!" Selene shouted again.

  Draven quickly caught the second beast-taming ring, his heart bursting with joy as he dashed toward the gate, looking like he feared Selene would change her mind.

  Selene's face blossomed with a cold, elegant smile."Silly boy!" She exhaled softly, picked up the animal hide with the designs on it, and continued to study it.

  As she looked, her thoughts began to drift away, wandering somewhere unknown.

  Meanwhile, Draven walked out of the lord's manor with satisfaction, secretly grateful that this trip hadn't been in vain.

  "I should stick close to Selene from now on and see if I can get some more benefits," he thought.

  Last time, he had given five hundred slaves; this time, he got two beast-taming rings. That was quite a haul.

  "Rich women are the best, rich women are wonderful, rich women are simply amazing!" Draven cheered silently, his steps carrying a certain lightness.

  Just then, he saw Lydia, the head steward, chatting and laughing with a flamboyantly dressed succubus woman who carried a teasing air, not far away.

  "Could that be the Deputy City Lord Freya?" he wondered, studying the woman's appearance carefully to remember her face.

  If it really was the Deputy City Lord, she was a very powerful lord indeed.

  Having tasted the sweet fruits, Draven started calculating in his mind whether he should also try to get close to the Deputy City Lord to gain some benefits.

  However, he didn't notice Lydia stealing a glance at him from the corner of her eye, her face trying hard to hide her surprise.

  Lydia thought to herself that she would need to ask her subordinates later what this guy was doing running around the lord's manor.