Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 73: Spending habit

Nom, nom, nom…

"Whew! I'm stuffed! Time for dessert!" I announce after devouring my tenth grilled Filoan wing of the evening.

As always, it's absolutely delicious—though the price here is a bit steeper than at the Gilded Horn, around 30 percent higher. Still, it's totally worth every crown.

Meanwhile, Eris has already finished her meat and is now sipping on a berry smoothie topped with a fluffy swirl of whipped cream.

As I watch her enjoying the smoothie, I realize… catgirls are indeed… cats and girls! We love both cat food and girl food!

Yeah… the logic is weird, but super simple.

While cats are obligate carnivores, unable to taste sweetness, human girls typically love sweets. Hence, catgirls like me can devour both meat and sugary treats!

Yup, the best of both worlds!

Hehe…

In fact, once I finish a hearty meal of meat, my brain immediately craves something sweet and creamy—like cake or a smoothie.

On the flip side, vegetables are practically inedible to us.

It seems that the greener they are, the more bitter and vile they taste, and in large quantities, they can even upset a catgirl's sensitive digestive system!

A bit of spice is okay, but salad?

Eughhhh!!!

Definitely not on our menu anymore!

I slip a piece of berry pie into my mouth.

"MMmmmmmmhhh!!!"

And my whole body trembles with blissful delight. My tail swishing around in approval.

"Eris! This pie is amazing!" I exclaim, taking another bite.

"See?" Eris says with a satisfied smile. "I told you they make great pies here!"

"Nn!" I hum in agreement, savoring the sweet, fruity filling and perfectly crispy, golden crust.

And then, slurp!

I slurp on my berry smoothie too!

At first, I'm skeptical when Eris told me about the pies.

And now, I almost can't believe I'm enjoying such decadent treats in the middle of a forest outpost.

Apparently, there's a nearby dungeon rich in berries, so people gather them daily to produce fresh pies, smoothies, and other delicious sweets.

How convenient!

There's even some people selling slime candies, which we will definitely check out later.

"Hehe," I giggle. "This doesn't even feel like a dungeon trip—it's more like a resort vacation!"

"I know, right?" Eris says, returning my grin.

"But still… I can't believe you went and rented that Diamond Tier cabin…" I muse, heaving a small sigh. "It's so expensive…"

"Bah, stop worrying about it," Eris replies. She then leans back in her chair and takes another sip of her smoothie, looking completely unbothered. "After all, money's only good if you're willing to spend it, right? Sometimes, we need to treat ourselves too…"

"Uhhh… huh?"

I blink, trying to process the meaning behind Eris's words.

On one hand, as broke as I was recently, I would love to save whatever I can. Definitely not spending a fortune on luxurious things like this…

But on the other hand… well, I can see her point.

If I had money to spare, I'd probably treat myself too.

After all, I too had a phase when I spent money like there's no tomorrow.

Thousands of dollars, gone, vanished into the blackhole called Fantasy Impact.

Back then, I was such a gacha addiction, and there was even a point when I had to eat ramen for days…

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So…

Haha…

Who am I to question Eris' spending habits now?

And besides, it's her money. She can use it however she pleases.

But still…

There's something I don't quite yet understand.

"Eris," I say quietly, my curiosity piqued. "If you make that much money, why do you still stay at the Gilded Horn? You can definitely afford somewhere bigger, nicer, right?"

I mean, it's one thing not to blink at renting a Diamond Tier cabin just for the night, but it's another to live so modestly in a simple tavern day-to-day. It just doesn't make sense the more I think about it.

Hearing that, Eris smiles. A dab of whipped cream clings to her upper lip, so she licks it away.

"Hey, isn't it obvious?" she says. "I don't really need anything else. Besides, having Gordon around is nice." she adds.

"Oh! Right!" I exclaim.

Suddenly, it all clicks.

I'm so silly, how can I not realize this?

After all, no matter how luxurious a place is, it definitely can't beat the cozy warmth of Gordon's inn! Gordon is always there to protect me. Lilly is always there to brighten my day with her cheerful smile and positive energy.

Plus, at the Gilded Horns, the best food in Mistvale is just a few steps downstairs. I can literally eat anything I want, anytime when living there. It's basically the best life!

Yeah, who needs more when you already have such a cozy room, good friends, and good food?

"But that's not the only reason, you know?" Eris then leans in and says in a lower voice, "Remember… I'm still an E-rank adventurer, no?"

She then winks at me.

And after a second…

"Ooooohhh!" I exclaim, nod in understanding.

Right!

Right!

RIGHT!

That's the main reason!

Since she's hiding her true rank, she can't very well flaunt her money by living in a posh suite full-time, or people would get suspicious!

"T-then," I say hesitantly, lowering my voice to a whisper, "shouldn't we avoid booking something as fancy as the Diamond Tier cabin tonight? People might investigate you…"

"Nah, it's fine," Eris replies with a shrug. "It's only once in a while. Besides," she continues, shooting me a fond smile, "you're my girlfriend—I want to treat you to the best. So, let me spoil you a little, okay?"

Badump!

Suddenly, my heart jumps a beat.

My cheeks warm at those words, and I can't help a shy giggle.

"A-alright," I agree softly, "but next time, maybe something more modest? I won't want to get you into any trouble…"

"Hehe, okay," Eris says, taking another leisurely sip of her drink.

I continue munching on the berry pie.

"Mmmmmmh~!!! Delicious!!!"

Meanwhile, the night air grows cooler, yet the blazing bonfire keeps us cozy as we finish our food.

Eventually, Eris stands, stretches her arms overhead, and bends backward like a cat, eliciting a few crackling pops in her neck and spine.

"Urrrrgh, that feels good," she sighs. Then she straightens, smiling at me. "So, want to walk around?"

"Nn!" I nod eagerly, rising from my seat.

Thus, with our bellies full, we decide to explore the trading corner for a bit, gathering any last-minute supplies we might need for tomorrow's dungeon trip.