"Not bad, not bad. I didn't expect such unexpected gains from this trip to Dwargon."
Granstar lay lazily atop a tall building, gazing with satisfaction at the B-grade materials in his personal storage.
"I've explored almost every corner of the Dwarven Kingdom of Dwargon. It truly lives up to its name—a nation where dwarves, humans, and even elves coexist in harmony. And monsters walking freely through the streets… this place really is different."
The only reason such coexistence was possible stemmed from the strength of its ruler—King Gazel Dwargo, known far and wide as the Hero King. His reputation wasn't built on diplomacy alone. It was said that he had never once been defeated in battle. His strength, honed through countless campaigns, was already comparable to that of a true Demon Lord—perhaps even on par with an Awakened Demon Lord.
Granstar scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm probably at the level of a normal Demon Lord right now… still not enough to stand against someone like Gazel for long."
From what he understood, even Rimuru Tempest, who had risen to the status of a Demon Lord, had not yet awakened during this point in time. If they were to fight now, their strengths might be roughly equal. But against someone like Gazel—seasoned, battle-hardened, and brimming with experience—Granstar wasn't so sure of his chances.
"Awakened Demon Lord, huh?"
His eyes focused on the shimmering array of materials within his storage. Earlier, he'd consulted his Unique Skill—[Overlord]—for a path to further evolution.
The answer had been precise: to evolve, he must fuse several A+ grade materials, each possessing rare traits or elemental affinities. The fusion process would awaken dormant potential within him, pushing him closer to the threshold of an Awakened Demon Lord.
"So this is my version of gaining experience…" Granstar mused. "No passive absorption or auto-evolution like that slime. I've got to do it the hard way."
Unlike Rimuru, whose unique skill Predator allowed him to devour and analyze almost anything, Granstar needed to actively seek out rare materials—hunt, harvest, and refine. His method of growth was slow and resource-intensive, but also unique to him.
"Only one more evolution," he muttered, "and I'll be among the strongest of the Demon Lords."
He stood, brushing imaginary dust from his coat. "I should probably go find Rimuru. Is he still in prison? Or has he already broken out? Maybe I should just wait somewhere. Don't want to bruise the guy's pride by bailing him out…"
A thought sparked, and he vanished in a blur of movement.
Moments later, a shadowy figure emerged at the spot he'd just vacated. Cloaked in a veil of concealment, the figure narrowed their eyes.
"Strange… I can't track him. Did he detect my stealth skill?"
They frowned, brows furrowed.
"No matter. I'll report back to the King."
The shadow melted into the surroundings once more, vanishing without a trace.
Later, on a quiet street in Dwargon...
A tall figure in a flowing blue robe stood before a building marked "Night Butterfly." His chiseled features and piercing ice-blue eyes turned more than a few heads, though the street was otherwise quiet.
"This should be the place…" he murmured, reading the sign. "Strange, it's deserted. Did I come too early?"
Without hesitation, Granstar pushed open the door.
Inside, a stunning elven woman leaned sleepily against the bar, clearly unprepared for customers this early.
She rubbed her eyes, then looked up—and froze.
"Welcome…! Ah, sorry, we don't open until evening—" Her voice trailed off as she saw his face.
Her hand flew to her mouth. "A-Are you... a male elf?! No way! And that face—! Too handsome to be real!"
Night fell, and elsewhere in Dwargon…
Laughter echoed as Rimuru walked with a group of dwarf craftsmen.
"Lord Rimuru, you really helped us out today. We'll definitely fulfill every request you made."
"Thanks, Kaijin. I appreciate it." Rimuru smiled. Truthfully, all he'd done was copy a few enchanted swords using his Degenerate skill, but the dwarves had insisted on throwing a celebration.
"I heard some beautiful elf girls are working at the Night Butterfly tonight."
"Yeah, super cute ones, too."
"Hehe…"
Rimuru had initially declined the invitation, but the moment he heard "elf girls", he changed his mind in a heartbeat.
"Well... it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look."
After all, Rimuru had a well-documented soft spot for elves.
Tonight might just be a feast—for the eyes, at least.
Rimuru was dragged along by the Dwarf brothers—Kaijin and his crew—into a certain "Night Butterfly" establishment.
"Ah~ Welcome, honored guests!"
A pair of cheerful voices greeted them.
Rimuru blinked.
Wait a minute... aren't these all beautiful women!?
His eyes widened further as he noticed their distinct, long ears.
Elves!? Real ones!? And definitely not the male kind!
At that moment, two particularly cute elf attendants spotted Rimuru's round slime form.
"Kyaa~! So adorable!"
"Hey! I saw him first!"
"No way, I found him first!"
A third elf wasn't about to be left out.
"My, my~ what a popular little guest."
As Rimuru was surrounded by elf ladies, one of them scooped him up—and he suddenly felt something soft pressing against his body.
Th-this is... could it be…!?
Is this the legendary paradise for men!?
The sweet scent of perfume lingered in the air, and Rimuru felt his mind melting.
"Hehehe, looks like Lord Rimuru is quite popular," one of the dwarves muttered, clearly envious.
"Eh?! N-no, it's not like that…!" Rimuru stammered, trying to deny it. But the look of bliss plastered on his slime face betrayed him completely.
Yep, nobody was buying that explanation.
Still cradled between the soft embraces of two elf ladies, Rimuru was guided deeper into the establishment, eyes swirling with sensory overload.
"S-So comfy…"
As they entered the lounge area, Rimuru noticed a figure seated at one of the VIP booths, attended by two elves of his own. The blue robe looked familiar.
"Huh? That guy looks kind of..."
Before Rimuru could finish, one of the elves perked up. "Oh! That gentleman is one of our honored guests. Let me prepare a good seat for you as well—"
But the robed figure turned at the sound of Rimuru's voice, revealing a calm and composed face.
"Rimuru? What a surprise."
It was Granstar.
Rimuru froze.
Oh no... Of all the times for him to see me like this!
He could already feel his carefully-crafted image cracking apart.
Granstar raised an amused eyebrow and waved a hand. "Come join me. There's plenty of space here. These are my friends," he added, nodding toward the elves carrying Rimuru.
"O-Okay... thanks," Rimuru muttered, trying to compose himself as he was gently deposited at Granstar's table.
The elves looked surprised. "Wait—he knows Lord Granstar?"
They glanced between the dignified robed man and the blushing (as much as a slime could blush) Rimuru, suddenly realizing that the cute mascot they were holding was no ordinary guest.