The Evolution of a Dungeon Master

The world started spinning after the second drink. 

Although Asuka was initially apprehensive, once the first drink disappeared, she started acting fondly toward Leon.

Asuka turned out to be here to hunt the goblins in the north, but after learning that no damage had occurred so far, they split up to conduct research. 

'It could have been bad...' 

Leonhardt rocked from side to side as the pair walked out of the mercenary guild, leaning on each other for balance—despite his body being so strange, his mind remained active and focused.

"We should... kill some monsters.... Hic!" The Dragonoid tried to take a mission from the board and push it onto Leon, but because she didn't have a mercenary group, the receptionist rejected the acceptance with a bitter look. 

"Then should we attack the west... I don't like those wolves..." 

Although he couldn't stop the group from attacking the forest, he formed a plan after speaking with Asuka and learning about Elina and her comrade, Sylvie. Although they didn't seem bloodthirsty, they needed experience and money.

"Eh~ but the goblins?" Asuka's body pushed against the dungeon master while poking his chest, with her nail sharp and powerful like a claw.

"Did they attack anyone yet?"

"Heh?"

"Have the goblins attacked or pillaged the village... despite being so close?" 

Leon knew better than anyone because his orders were absolute: never attack humans unless they attack first. 

The goblins and Zafira both understood this, and at first, both objected until he explained the advantages of humans and how they would gather if one of their own died.

Thus, he planned to blame the wolves... forcing his goblins to steal their prey, kill their young with human tools and draw them out, using humans as a scapegoat.

『Forgive me, humans... it's only for a little while.』

This would continue until this woman agreed to join him and kill the evolved wolf with him. 

[You plan to meet with Gobbolas and Gobbomir during that mission. Such a dangerous plan—will you really attempt it?]

『I only have a month, and the dungeon also needs work!』

Although he gave Zafira some control, Leon had plans of his own, a goal that would need to be completed before he became the official leader of the Crimson Hawks.

His mind, liberated from the negative thoughts thanks to the alcohol, thought rapidly. His crimson eyes narrowed, and he noticed the change in Asuka's face. Although strong and intelligent when it came to gambling, he discovered how naïve she was.

Suddenly, due to his words, she wrapped around his arm... a tight grip that felt like a snake coiled around his arm, crushing the bones while slapping his chest several times. 

"Ok~ Okay~ we should hunt the wolves, ah... what a nice chest. Hey~ do you work out?" Her voice changed again into a sexy tone, which didn't work for Leon because he didn't understand such things, but her words affected him nonetheless.

At the beginning of the week, he looked like an average person, but thanks to the power of the dungeon core. Leon evolved and improved himself, rapidly gaining muscle mass at an unnatural speed. "So tough... and springy."

"Ah?! Asuka what are you doing to that man!" A voice, bright... like a field of daffodils blowing in the spring breeze. The appearance of blonde hair caused the pair to pause.

"Elina~ what's up? You look pretty..." Asuka commented, her body falling forward, almost collapsing, if not for Leonhardt's arm holding her in the air.

"Help me get her home, please." Elina's smile expressed many emotions, including worry, sadness, and irritation, which Leon failed to distinguish. When the trio left the mercenary guild, Asuka started singing a song about frogs.

"T-Tell me why, the frog croaked.... the Frog Croaked, croak~" Asuka mumbled after leaving the guild, becoming loud and clear until it disappeared as she fell asleep halfway through.

"Please forgive me—my party member caused you such trouble!" The priestess, Elina, wore a pure white gown, different from the grey one she had worn in battle. The new gown exposed her arms and shoulders, revealing soft, fair skin as she repeatedly bowed to Leonhardt.

"It's fine, I never tasted beer before, it was quite delicious... let me escort you both to your inn." Asuka weighed a lot, and Leon could tell the priestess would struggle alone.

"Well, I also discussed hiring her and her friends before she drank so much, haha." He touched the tip of his nose, trying to imitate the humans he saw in the bar being bashful earlier.

Elina, used to the antics of Kaito, felt her chest pounding and felt a slight fear that this strong male with pronounced muscles and a face she didn't know if she could refuse once approached with an aggressive style.

"P-P-Priestesses are forbidden from such—"

"Huh?" Leon stared confusedly, feeling nothing but indifference to her worries.

"I-I-I mean... can you help me?" Her face flushed a little. Although Elina always believed every guy approached her only to flirt with her, Leon remained indifferent.

Not that he wasn't interested... but his mental capacity remained insufficient to even hold such thoughts. Although evolving rapidly, he only reached the thoughts of, 'this girl is pretty' and 'I like her scent'. Nothing beyond that. Elina picked up on the clarity within his crimson iris and felt relieved.

"Alright... Umm..." Not wanting to bother the pair further than necessary, the trio made it back to their inn room, and Leon helped put Asuka to bed.

The only inn in this large village was The Sleepy Kobold, a strange name since kobolds were pests. When people asked the owner, an elf who had settled here, she shrugged her shoulder and replied,

"If you've seen them sleeping, they look so peaceful and happy, it warms your heart."

After leaving the ladies in their rooms, he stepped into the inn's dining room and sat at the counter beside a strange girl with blue hair who was holding a huge mug.

Not long after he sat in the seat, the elven mistress with golden hair and blue eyes approached him with a strange smile. "Oh~ a fellow elf, that's two in one day, little miss how is the elven ale?"

'Me? People keep calling me an elf...' 

[Well, a Fae is a spiritual creature and the progenitor of all elves...]

'Strange...'

[Fae have a second name in the human world, known as High-Elves, because of their beauty and high aptitude for elemental magic]

『It doesn't matter; humans have trouble telling different races apart.』

Leon turned towards the girl and found her gulping down something while wearing a gloomy expression, though he couldn't help but enjoy her facial expression.

He watched her face twist, and her body trembled each time she sipped the elven ale. Does it taste that bad?' He wondered before ordering one for himself.

Elven ale... a speciality in which even the goddess of wine, Chrysa, admits its unrivalled quality. If only it weren't so sour! Still, some loved the bitter tang.

Unfortunately, this particular girl wasn't a fan...

"Why does this taste so bad... Hrk..." Sylvie covered her mouth but continued drinking more. Her body shivered continuously as she tasted it before starting to cry.

Leon observed her curiously, wondering if there was something wrong. Upon hearing his movement, Sylvie snapped towards him and glared at him. "What! Do you have a problem?" She growled like a cat. Even though she stood only up to Leon's waist, he couldn't help but chuckle and grabbed the elven ale in front of him.

"!!!!"

His mouth tingled like a mixture of sweet, salty, and sour tones mixed to form an explosion inside his mouth. It was too sour! But... although his brain rejected it outright, Leon took another swig.

He swallowed... then remembered something in his storage, a fruit from the dungeon that was incredibly sweet and full of a slightly acidic juice.

Sylvie tilted her head, watching him pull the fruit from his ring as camouflage since item rings weren't special or rare. Then he squeezed the fruit over his mug, causing a sizzling sound to fill the air as the clear juice from the dungeon core fruit mixed with the elven brew.

"Y-You!!! How could you defile the elven ale!!!" The elven maiden behind the bar slammed her hands against the table in rage.

However... Leon held up his palm and sipped the drink, cold, sharp, fruity and sweet, with a tiny kick that didn't disturb the drink anymore.

Although the elf looked frustrated at first, when he offered her a cup, she tried it. Her eyes sparkled as if she saw a business opportunity. The eyes of a middle-aged elf predator now focused on Leonhard's handsome face. Sylvie did what she normally would not do: She tried some.

Sip~

Tingles~

Cough!

"It tastes delicious!"

The half-elf witch then hid her face, shocked by her outburst, covering it with her massive witch's hat, and gazed at the full cup that Leonhardt had just made while listening to his conversation with the mistress.

"How about a 6:4 split? Tell me... those fruits where can I get them?"

"Let's make a soul contract, I'll tell you and help supply you with them, and we split the earnings for this improved drink 7:3!" Leon smiled, his ears twitching in anticipation.

The elf smiled evilly. "6:4!" She retorted. Sylvie sensed some kind of rivalry between the pair... but it ended rather swiftly.

Sylvia hopped off the counter, her chest bubbling with heat after finding a drink she could enjoy... though the conversation between the two caused her ears to flicker and pick up their words.

"Hmm... goblins that grow fruit, is it true?" Sylvie then vanished to the second floor to meet her comrades, eyes sparkling with new information.

Leonhardt didn't plan the pair's meeting, but it would help him gain three worthy Slav workers in the future.