Leó looked at the group of adventurers before him, their expressions the picture of obedient “whatever you say” compliance.
His mental calculations were going off like fireworks.
Double-digit gold coins.
This wasn’t a trivial sum.
If he really dragged this Pig King back and threw some kind of “Iron-Bristled Porcupine King Barbecue Party,” he’d be the ultimate spendthrift.
Eating one meal that cost over ten thousand coins—he couldn’t bear that kind of luxury guilt.
Deep inside, a demon named “Poverty” was shaking his shoulder frantically.
Make money!
Make money!
We must make money!
But then again, he had to admit, today’s incident was thanks to these unlucky few.
If they hadn’t stuck their faces into the grass to lure out this elite monster with pinpoint precision, he wouldn’t have known how long he’d have wandered in the forest.
From that perspective, they were at least contributors.
Though it was unfair for them to have risked their lives for nothing, and in the end not even gotten a single pig hair.
Leó thought to himself that, although he was a mundane man, he should at least have some basic manners.
“You can forget about that ordinary Iron-Bristled Porcupine task.”
He cleared his throat and broke the silence.
Kaiden and the others looked up, puzzled at what else this powerful figure might command.
“That task’s reward was only one or two gold coins, right?” Leó asked.
Or nodded, answering honestly.
“Yes, sir.”
“Alright, then.”
Leó waved his hand.
“That little money isn’t worth the trip, and with all the commotion nearby, the other monsters have probably fled too.”
He calculated silently that in his own warehouse, from previous leveling sessions, he still had at least a dozen to twenty pieces of ordinary Iron-Bristled Porcupine tusks and quills.
Those things were just clutter taking up space for him.
But for this small team, they were real mission items.
“It’s just about noon anyway. You haven’t eaten yet, right?”
Leó glanced at the sky.
“If you don’t mind, come back to my territory with me for a simple meal.”
“Uh…”
Kaiden and the others exchanged looks.
A mysterious summoner who could casually crush elite monsters was actually inviting them—these near-disposables—for a meal?
They hadn’t expected this.
“Sir, that’s too much trouble for you.”
Kaiden hastily declined.
“No trouble at all.”
Leó smiled.
“Besides, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”
With that, he didn’t wait for their consent, turning around and drawing a circle in front of him.
After a faint ripple of magic, the ground trembled.
Two earth elementals were summoned again—the ones from earlier had disappeared after their time ran out.
These were the new, improved earth elementals Leó had after reaching level 22.
Their HP and attack power were significantly higher.
“Lift this guy up.”
Leó ordered the two earth elementals.
The two hulking figures lumbered over to the Pig King’s corpse.
One on each side, they bent down and effortlessly hoisted the multi-ton beast.
The whole process was smooth and effortless, like two experienced movers carrying an oversized load.
The four members of Stoneheart Squad almost had their eyes bug out.
They had been worrying about how to transport such a huge corpse—human strength dragging it?
Instead, this man had just summoned two strongmen on the spot.
This summoning skill was way too convenient.
A must-have for home, travel, and treasure hunting.
Leó ignored the waves of shock inside them.
Leading the way, he quietly opened his system panel.
Leaping three levels gave him a full 15 free attribute points.
Previously, to sustain his HP and MP, he had poured all points into Constitution and Spirit, leaving Strength and Agility pitifully low.
Just now, chasing the pig, he had painfully felt what it meant to “want to kill the enemy but lack the power to pursue.”
“Better add some Strength and Agility, or I won’t even be able to run away next time.”
With a thought, he assigned 10 points to Agility and the remaining 5 to Strength.
[Agility: 6 → 16]
[Strength: 5 → 10]
A warm sensation quickly spread through his body.
He didn’t look different externally, but Leó clearly felt his body grow much lighter.
His legs, previously weighed down by the journey, now filled with strength.
He tried a jump—silent landing, light and quick.
“Taking off!”
Leó’s heart swelled with delight.
This visible power-up was addictive.
The group, plus the two earth elementals carrying the Pig King, set off in a grand procession toward Blackwood Ridge.
Along the way, through conversation, Kaiden and the others learned that this mysterious Lord Leó was actually the lord of the territory up ahead.
“A territory? There’s a territory here?”
The thief Or’s face was full of disbelief.
In his impression, the surroundings of the Black Forest were desolate and dangerous no-man’s land.
Apart from exiled criminals, no one would want to live in such a place.
“Yeah, Blackwood Town.”
Leó replied casually.
“A town, huh…”
Or mumbled quietly, inwardly grumbling.
From the outside, this territory looked like a few scattered shacks at best—calling it a village would already be generous.
But when they actually entered Blackwood Town, the scene confused them again.
The buildings were indeed dilapidated, the roads just simple dirt paths, everywhere exuded a sense of poverty.
Yet the townsfolk showed none of the numbness or despair the adventurers expected.
On the contrary.
Farmers were working hard, turning over newly cultivated fields.
Women gathered in the town square, patching clothes and chatting cheerfully.
Children chased and played along the road, their laughter ringing clear.
When they saw Leó, everyone stopped their work and bowed deeply from afar.
Their eyes shone with genuine respect.
Even admiration.
“Lord has returned!”
“Oh wow, the Lord’s earth elementals are even bigger now!”
“Did the Lord bring back food again? That’s great!”
“Haha, sorry, you won’t get to eat this one, but it’ll bring money back to help build the town!”
“Really?! Long live Lord Leó!”
Kaiden and the others were stunned.
Something was off.
All of this felt so wrong.
A barren frontier town, a group of people who should be barely scraping by, yet showing a spirit even residents of wealthy capital districts might lack.
The way they looked at their lord was like gazing upon a deity walking the earth.
What exactly had Lord Leó done for them?
The four were filled with huge questions.
Leó led them to the lord’s manor—really just a slightly larger stone house.
He told the cook Hans to prepare lunch, then said to the steward Alfred,
“Go to the warehouse and pick out two good-quality sets of those Iron-Bristled Porcupine materials we stored.”
Alfred was puzzled but respectfully nodded and left.
Soon, a modest but steaming lunch was ready.
Roast meat, wheat flatbreads, and a large pot of vegetable soup.
For Stoneheart Squad, who had been eating hardtack in the wild for two days, this was a feast.
At the table, Leó chatted casually with them.
From adventure anecdotes to the customs of major cities.
He behaved like a kind older brother next door, with none of the aloofness of a strong man.
This gradually put Kaiden and the others at ease.
After they ate their fill, Alfred came in carrying two packages.
“Young master, here’s what you requested.”
Leó took the packages and handed them directly to Kaiden.
“These are the materials you need for your mission. I happened to have them in the warehouse, so consider this a token of my thanks.”
Kaiden opened one and saw two pairs of gleaming tusks and two bunches of sturdy quills.
The quality was better than anything they had ever seen before.
Just these two sets alone would at least double their mission reward.
“Sir, this… how is this possible!”
Kaiden’s tongue tied.
They hadn’t helped at all, almost became dead weight, but instead were saved, fed, and now handed mission materials for free.
“Take them.”
Leó’s tone brooked no argument.
“It’s just a small thing—I have plenty more in the warehouse.”
That casual “plenty more” stirred up waves in the four.
It meant that hunting Iron-Bristled Porcupines—a mission they considered to require careful preparation—was just routine for this lord.
Seeing their stunned expressions, Leó knew the moment was right.
He leaned back in his chair and spoke slowly.
“You’ve seen my territory—it’s just getting started, everything is in disarray and needs rebuilding.”
“Especially, it needs capable and trustworthy people.”
His gaze swept over the four faces.
“An adventurer’s life is a knife’s edge—one meal uncertain, one day starving. Have you ever thought of a more stable way?”
“Like joining my territory and helping me with work.”