Riches and Bitches: I have a gate to an isekai and leveling-up system!

I would have to lie if I were to claim that by the time I left my temporary house, the camp was fully up.

Sure, there was movement everywhere, from the few shed tents that housed a fifth of imperial workers, through the extensive field on which the rest set up a camp all on their own. Yet, when it came to actively working, only a few of the imperials and an early shift of Makary's soldiers were fully on their feet.

Still, the imperial early birds could do nothing but wait for the rest of their respective brigades to gather. On the other hand, Makary's mercs busied around the camp, delivering the daily supply for each of the brigades.

'I wonder how the camp will look tomorrow morning,' I thought, grinning to myself at the thought of a lesson all the imperials were about to learn.

"Morning…"

Out to the side, Etaria emerged from a nearby building.

In her due diligence, she opted to remain right in the middle of things. Most likely, she was motivated by what was merely an official excuse for me that I've used to get some private time with my dearest.

"You are about to see something fun," I grinned at the sight of the princess, quite happy to entertain myself with her reactions.

Yet, seeing my innocent smile… This damned princess actually frowned!

Etaria judged my face for a while before rolling her eyes and closing her arms over her chest.

By now, most of the imperials already started to leave their temporary lodgings, more than just tempted by the sight of heavy crates delivered to their doorsteps.

"It's about to begin."

This innocent narration earned me another tense stare, only for Etaria to get all jumpy when the mercenaries made their move.

"Time for breakfast, everyone!"

By now, Madam's blessing, the biggest saving grace that she bestowed upon the entire camp, allowed the soldiers from earth to communicate with the divines and celestials… but also the imperials.

And today was the time to implement the food scheme I hatched for quite a while.

"What is going on?"

To my dejected surprise, Etaria didn't freak out all that much.

Tap.

A warm weight materialized over my right shoulder.

'Ah.'

Somehow, I failed to notice Fay's approach.

'Maybe that's why…?'

Fay raised her eyes and looked up at my slightly startled face.

She wasn't angry. She simply looked right at my face with those beautiful, large eyes of hers.

They were of their natural, grayish hue, further proving she wasn't agitated at all.

And as I looked down with a sense of passing confusion… It finally clicked.

"Oh," I jumped a little, startled by what I judged to be Fay's source of anxiety.

"Come on guys, aren't you hungry?!"

A powerful shout from nearby forced my eyes up, freeing them from the mesmerizing hold of Fay's stare.

'Oh right.'

My lips curved back up as I turned my head back and looked down.

I lost control of my hands, failing to stop them as they rose up and gently laid down on Fay's soft cheeks.

Fay's gray-blue eyes twitched when I squeezed down on her cheeks with a small, silly grin. She then squinted her eyes when I brought my forehead down and lightly pressed it against the top of her head.

'Just wait.'

Abusing the power of our bond, I wished just for this simple thought to pass.

'Just wait and you will see.'

I saw it, back when we first started to bring people over to Fay's world.

I saw the interested and then amused expression on her face… and the burning entertainment within her soul.

Maybe she was rubbing off me somewhat, but I was sure Fay came to enjoy the faces all those people would make!

"Didn't you say something was about to happen?" Etaria sighed as she cast a heavy glance at the two of us. "Were you warning me how you are about to make out with your girl?"

The corner of my eye twitched.

Somehow, Etaria's words rubbed me the very wrong way.

"First off, she's not my girl," I claimed in mild anger while reaching out and bringing Fay to my chest. Right before her face planted against my skin, I saw her surprised look as she tried to look up to my face. "She's my woman."

As silly as it might be, I couldn't bear anyone looking down on Fay. And by extension, the same applied to those who looked down on our relationship.

And for one reason or another, having Etaria call Fay per girl…

'Or maybe I'm just freaking out for no reason?' I suddenly self-reflected, only to nearly jump in place when I cleared my thoughts and suddenly had to face Fay's emotions burning over through our bond.

"And secondly, just take…"

"OH GODS!"

A nearby, shocked shout turned the air tense within a single instant.

Etaria instantly looked over, ready to reach out for her weapon…

Only to see one of formerly her soldiers standing still with a plastic spoon in his mouth and a plastic bag full of steaming-hot food.

Everyone froze… Except for all of Makary's mercs who continued to portion and prepare the food as usual.

The people around the man were the most freaked out, now sending doubtful looks toward the rations they themselves received…

Then, the man looked down… and spat out the plastic spoon, forcing it down the bag before greedily chomping down on a huge chunk of juicy meat.

People's eyes followed when the drops of fatty sauce dropped off the man's spoon, then cheeks and chin…

Crack.

The plastic spoon broke.

After a moment of stunned silence, the man carefully pulled the two pieces out, keeping his eyes on the plastic for a short moment before looking down, back to the sizeable bag.

And before the broken spoon could even fall to the ground, the man already dug his fingers directly into the food, ravishing the meal as if it was the ass of an inn's popular waitress.

The looks of doubt the imperials gave to their rations now changed as they all collectively stood still and gulped their saliva down.

But right as everyone dug into their rations…

They also discovered the truth.

"Here it goes," I muttered under my nose, tightening my hold over Fay's arms… but also tapping her lightly on the shoulder before swaying just far enough to give her an angle to look at the princess.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Wait, what is this…?"

The first person finally found out the trick.

The trick was announced loud and clear right from the beginning.

Those who worked hard yesterday and those who woke up right with the bell this morning would receive the standard, full ration.

And while the fate of all the rest was still better than what they could normally count on, they would only receive a standard amount of the canned rations.

"Shit, if only I knew!" someone wailed in despair only to dig their spork into the dried fruit paste from their can and chomp on it, their cheeks full of tears of delight.

"Gods damn it all!" someone else complained from an angle that I couldn't be bothered to turn to.

And quite notably, those speaking out loud were only those with the canned rations, for all those with proper food were too damn busy devouring it to speak at all.

"And?" Etaria asked in a stern, tense voice while turning to me with a grave expression. "What's next?"

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Her eyes appeared to peer deep into my soul, penetrate through my mental defenses, all in her bid to find out the truth and protect her people.

Unable to resist putting up an act for one last time, I kept a straight face and raised my eyebrows a bit.

"What do you mean?" I asked, leaning my head over my shoulder while feeling under my hand how Fay's entire body was starting to warm up in anticipation of the show.

'It seems I guessed what would be the right move correctly,' I thought, nearly breathing out a huge sigh of relief.

"That's it," I gave it to the princess straight while making a puzzled face as if baffled by her reaction.

"Huh?!"

Fay twitched in my arms when Etaria uttered a wild, primal growl that was as pained as the human soul could be.

A guttural growl of someone who had no other choice but to give up in the face of an overwhelming stupidity.

The growl of utter defeat, powerlessness, and despair.

I tightened my hold on Fay's shoulders when they started to rock up and down a bit, despite all Fay did in her bid to stop her giggle.

'Shit, we've turned into a duet of bullies,' I struggled to hold back my own laugh.

"Okay, fine," after teasing the princess for just a little bit longer, I finally couldn't hold myself back any longer.

Exhaling a long, amused sigh, I shook my head before raising my eyes and looked out to where the imperials in various moods sat down for their morning meal.

"You see, you expect us to play dirty, trick you, or abuse your people," I started, only to look over to the side when a group of four mercs approached with a huge table and two outdoor trays. "But our intentions are far, far simpler," I tried to explain while watching how Makary's men rushed to set the table with an elaborate breakfast.

Mere moments later, the mercenaries nodded their heads and left, leaving a steaming hot breakfast for the three of us to enjoy.

"Now they know the worth of working hard," I smiled as I invited the princess to the table while leading Fay to her own seat. "And we are going to continue to give them more and more reasons to keep doing so.

Because at the end of things, the costs of investing in those people," I grabbed a cup of a hot tea and raised it up as if to cheer on the princess, "will be negligible when compared to the profits they will bring us in return."