Dungeon Overlord: Monster Girl Harem!-Chapter 120: Griv’s Request - A New Chance!

Zafira and Leonhardt didn't speak after he fell asleep, but when he woke up, her figure lingered in the corner of his vision, and she seemed to need a little more time before recovering.

They would reach the outer reaches of Astrea city by the end of the day if they rushed, but with the attack during the night and Zafira's state, Leonhardt decided to take it slowly and climbed out of the cart.

He dropped from the step with a thud, the sound of wings fluttering, as a huge bowl of bubbling porridge clanged, swaying slightly.

'She's making breakfast...? Haha, is the world going to end?'

It seemed her shyness would take a little longer to fix, and so Leonhardt shook his head before scooping a spoonful of the steaming porridge with a sweet, honey-like scent, bringing it to his mouth with a light blow.

"Hmm? It's good. Really good!" Leonhardt gasped, shocked that Zafira could cook so well, but a searing burn in his mouth told him that he should take care. The slight throbbing of his lips as they started swelling was a little painful. "I should be more careful..."

[Ding!]

An alarm sounded in Leonhardt's mind as he placed the lid on the porridge and removed the heat, looking towards the roof, noticing a familiar pair of black wings forming a small dome, curling his lips at her aloof but cute side. "It's time to bring Griv back."

Because of the attack, Leonhardt couldn't heal Griv without killing him, which annoyed him greatly, the rage still bubbling within his chest. It was rare for an interesting male to join him on his journey.

But now Griv's soul finally returned, ready for summoning. All because Leonhardt purchased the area, he died and made it into his dungeon.

"Phew..."

'Summon Griv!'

A swirl of magic flowed from Leonhardt's palm, creating seven purple sigils on the ground, in small rhombus-shaped rocks, slotted together and forming an odd circle.

The longer Leonhardt poured mana into his fingertips, pushing the warm, jelly like energy into his fingertips, the stones glowed brighter, with their outlines gradually turning neon pink with a flash.

The yellow-toothed goblin, terrified at first, stood in the centre of the circle, covering his face and likely reliving the last moment of his life. He froze for a moment, gazing up at Leon before slipping down and kneeling with his hands on the ground.

"B-Boss... I don't wanna die again, please..." A shaky, poorly spoken sentence, but the quivering voice made Leonhardt curious.

"You want strength?"

"C-Can Griv become strong...?"

"I can try."

"...Please, Boss! I'll do anything..."

"Hmm..."

The unkempt hair of the goblin was full of knots, a strange disguise, but Leonhardt couldn't help but want to support him. Much like himself in the past. Nothing but a failed experiment, and so he opened the dungeon store and tried to find something to help...

Griv gazed at him with milky yellow eyes and scars across his face and chest, the markings of death never fading. Leonhardt could have easily saved him, and seeing those marks made a dark, heavy feeling grow inside him.

'Even Griv and the goblins who cannot fight are my people...' He thought quietly, realising that he was too arrogant. 'Didn't I swear to become their king?'

With the flick of his fingertips, he saw dozens of cores, job changes and then he noticed one that seemed to suit this small, crooked man.

If asked if Griv suited combat, or those gritty tasks... Leonhardt would say NO! A thousand times out of a thousand, but there was a unique charm about him.

'He really doesn't suit combat, but I promised to help...'

[Goblin assassin's core]

[Goblin Butler]

Something about the orb he saw, its price higher than the others but no other information. Leonhardt took a deep breath and bought the one that suited Grav most, somehow,w it was the first time since Gobomir and Gobbolas that a goblin caught his interest.

'Yes, this is it!'

Plus, these long travels... were horribly difficult with only women!

He wanted someone to go to brothels or drink ale and have fun like the information in his mind said men spent their time.

That's why he needed something new, and despite wanting to pick the merchant orb, even if Griv became a merchant, wouldn't he be treated horribly and bullied by humans? Even in his human transformation, he looked like a thug who was up to no good.

The type that would kidnap young girls and sell them!

An orb appeared in the air with a low pop!

The sound causing Griv to jump back, falling onto his ass, trembling in fear from the sudden magic and noise.

Leonhardt took the orb and knelt before Griv. "Since you died for me, I will give you a chance, Griv. If you swallow this, you'll be stronger than ever, but—!"

"But!?" Griv looked terrified.

"I will expect you to work hard for me and the dungeon!"

Griv's small, wrinkled hands, covered in dirt and scars from picking sharp herbs and flora for the dungeon, proved his efforts thus far.

A small goblin and a former experiment joined hands as Griv took the orb.

The small black and white orb almost resembled a butler's suit, and there was a pun here, but Leonhardt chose to let it pass. Instead, he focused on the goblin looking up at him with an awkward glance, his back curled because of the hunch.

However, the moment Griv swallowed the orb, a notification shocked Leonhardt.

[Your kindness has shocked Griv, and now he worships you as his lord, master and god!]

[Loyalty: 500]

— Loyalty increases a butler's strength!

[Bonus: +50]

____

Instantly, a black and white air swirled like a storm around Griv, the energy nothing world shaking, but it caused Leonhardt's hair to become messy and wild, garnering the stifled laughter of the succubus peeking from the carriage roof, her golden orbs hidden amongst feathers.

"B-Boss!" Griv called out as the energy penetrated his body, creating a loud crack, a warm and cold energy flowing into the old goblin's body, causing havoc as it tore him apart.

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"Endure it, Griv!"

This was something Leonhardt endured, swallowing the world eater's core, and that felt like someone was ripping apart his organs with a chainsaw.

Now, watching the floating goblin's bones crack, realigned and fixed while the magic poured into Griv without care for his tears of blood was a little novel and felt almost nostalgic, but he still cheered on the weak goblin.

Griv's scream stretched high and thin, a shrill, almost comical "GIIIIYAAAAA!!" as his body arched backward, twitching midair like a broken marionette. The magical storm around him thickened—then suddenly collapsed inwards like an implosion.

With a dull thud, the goblin hit the ground.

Smoke curled off his body.

Then, slowly… a hand twitched.

"...Mmh… tea… or wine for this morning, Master?" a voice asked.

Leonhardt's brows twitched. "Huh?"

The creature that rose from the dust was no longer the same goblin. Griv's skin had lightened, smoothed. His face, once gnarly and feral, had become angular—almost rakish. A slim tailcoat now clung to his lean frame, impossibly well-fitted despite the transformation just seconds prior. His hair? Slicked back with an unnatural sheen.

Only the yellow goblin's eyes remained, glowing with a sly twinkle behind the monocle that had definitely not been there before.

He bowed deeply, one hand folded behind his back, the other resting on his chest.

"Goblin Butler Griv, reporting for eternal servitude, Sir."

Leonhardt blinked. Twice.

"You look like you're about to poison someone's brandy."

"I'd never poison yours, Master. Only your enemies'. Slowly. With flair."

Zafira shifted above, feathers rustling as she peeked again, her cheeks still flushed pink from earlier—but her lips twitched with a smile as she saw Leonhardt's stunned expression.

She watched silently, the storm of emotions inside her slowly quieting as this strange man, who should have feared her, continued like normal and chose a goblin to become his one and only butler...

From the shadows, a succubus exhaled through her nose.

"…My king is weird," she muttered.

But the corners of her mouth curled, anyway. "Maybe that's why it has to be you."

Oblivious to the succubus, Leonhardt was impressed with his new goblin.

"Griv, do you mind acting as a coachman? I feel it's beneath your station now."

"Beneath me? Hah! The only thing beneath me is the road, and sometimes dignity—but never you, Master." Griv placed his gnarled hand on his chest as if scandalised, bowing low with exaggerated flair.

Then, his form slowly morphed into the hunched-back human with yellow teeth to match his eyes. His accent now sounding closer to someone from a strange place called London.

"I accept, of course, Coachman Griv at your service, Master! With style, speed, and just the right amount of homicidal restraint."

"Good."

Leonhardt nodded, feeling that even if a rank C warrior attacked, Griv would survive in battle, if not using his newly found glib tongue.

Their next destination was Astrea, the city of magic and assassins, after all.