The New Subordinate

Harpies (★). Aside from the fact that their arms were wings, they were flight-capable monsters that appeared as completely naked human females, with bird-like talons below their knees. Other than the ability to fly, they couldn't evolve, and in many ways, they seemed useless.

"Slurp, sluuuurp, phew."

Still, there were plenty of uses for them in a place like this. I ordered the Harpy to serve me right above the monster summoning circle where she had been conjured, and she complied, tilting her head left and right as she serviced me. "Am I doing well? *Lick*, I’m sure I’ll be useful, slurp."

"Hmm...."

A flying-type magical beast capable of growing up to level 15. That was it. That was the extent of the utility of the Harpy currently summoned before me.

'Should I kill her?'

I’d heard that roasted Harpy was quite delicious. Though her human-like appearance bothered me a little, there were actually a few guys in Forneus’s dungeon who would roast and eat Harpies. 'She’s emergency rations.' I’d keep her alive until I needed food. Until then, I’d let her live.

"*Lick*, hah, mmm, ugh."

The Harpy was diligently caressing my member with her feathered hands, trying to induce ejaculation, but my member remained stiffly erect without any sign of release. 'I’ve already finished several times today.'

I had already ejaculated multiple times, and more importantly, the remaining amount needed to be saved to feed Ryun her dinner. Ryun knew this too, and as she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rested on the bed, she was subtly glaring at the Harpy. If this was to be my final ejaculation of the day, I would give it to Ryun without holding back. The Harpy, oblivious to this, kept bobbing her head back and forth, urging me to finish.

'I can get more Harpies anyway.'

There were three main ways for me to increase my monster count. One was general summoning using Monster Summoning Tickets. Another was Magic Stone summoning. And finally, farming by using the Harpy's body as a host.

'Since gacha isn't an option, I have to use the method of increasing the Harpy population.'

"Tsk."

A single Harpy cost as much as six Slimes; this was absurd. 'Then what about farming?'

"Tsk."

What are the Orc's genes doing? How can you breed with a Harpy and only get a Harpy? Couldn't a winged Orc come out? To make matters worse, the growth limit for subordinates produced through farming was only 2-star. I was annoyed by the irrational situation regarding the Harpy, and she, while caressing my member, glanced at me nervously.

"Um...?"

"Stop. You have other work to do now."

I removed the Harpy's head and headed to the bedroom. Ryun, who had been waiting in the bedroom, giggled and opened her arms. "Master, did you stop because you wanted to give it to me?"

"No."

"Heeing...."

Ryun was disappointed, but I walked over while still erect and pulled out two pieces of wood. "Lime!!"

I called out Lime, whom I had ordered to guard the ceiling. Lime dropped from the ceiling and scurried over to me. "Hollow out the inside of this. Got it?"

Lime tilted her head. It seemed she didn't quite understand my words, so I drew a picture on the floor to provide an example. *Kkeureureuk.* Lime nodded and reached her hand toward the top of the wooden block. The inside of the wood flowed into Lime's body, and she accurately hollowed out the block to the exact position I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠indicated.

"Perfect, Lime."

*Kkeureureuk.*

Following my instructions, Lime proceeded to make a hole in the other wooden block. Because the blocks were quite large, they ended up hollow like long beer mugs. "Now, time to get some honey?"

*Kkeureureuk.*

I tried to give Lime a reward, but she pointed back at the ceiling, wishing to return. "No. You have work to do."

Lime adamantly refused, but her attitude changed quickly once I assigned the Big Slimes, which had evolved through my second run of the free dungeon, as her subordinates. "See? Isn't it nice to be in charge? Now, this is your job."

I ordered Lime to widen the passage leading to the cliff. A straight dungeon passage was good for us, but it was also advantageous for intruders. Since I couldn't block the path either way, I had to decorate it like a maze. I instructed Lime's squad to pioneer the areas that hadn't been dug out yet.

"In exchange, you can eat all the lowest-grade Magic Stones you find along the way."

Lime went wild, expressing her joy with her whole body. Seeing her urge the Big Slimes and Slimes gathered in the cavern to move, I felt that if I gave her a whip, she would really beat them like a slave driver. 'If she ever takes a human form, is she going to use a whip?' A queen who uses her body fluids like a whip to command slime slaves—the thought alone was terrifying.

"U-um...."

The Harpy, who had followed behind me, hesitated and watched me. "Is there really nothing for me to do?"

"There is."

I handed the wooden mug to the Harpy. She flapped her wings to hover slightly and gripped the mug with her talons. "Go fetch some water."

"......."

Until I could build a sloped staircase using the Slimes, I was truly glad that a creature capable of walking back and forth had been summoned. If she refused or neglected her duty— 'Do Elves eat chicken?' The Harpy would become our true food.

* * *

I still had one dungeon entry attempt left. And the subordinates who entered the dungeon with me this time were nine Ghouls, including Harsus. Three High Ghouls and six regular Ghouls. The evolution prospects for Ghouls were miserable, but they were an essential labor force for supplying wood, the core material for facility expansion.

'If I leave them at level 1, they could be killed by a passing hunter.'

Even if it was a hassle, my top priority was to have the 1-star units reach their level cap so they could protect themselves, and the only battlefield to level them up was the sub-dungeon.

*Kieeeek!*

"......Whoa, that’s scary."

The sight of eight Ghouls surrounding a single Slime, biting and tearing at it, was more intense than any zombie movie. "Do Ghouls find Slimes delicious too?"

*Krueeek.*

The Ghouls chewed on the Slime fluids filling their mouths ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with a *slurp-slurp* sound, and according to my orders, they spat anything they found on the floor while eating. "Harsus."

*Kruek.*

Harsus took the initiative, sifting through the slime the Ghouls had spat out to extract the Magic Stones. If Lime had been the collection agent in the first clear, Harsus was the collection agent now.

'Sacrifice yourself for your younger brothers.'

If there was one thing I learned from summoning higher-tier entities through Magic Stone summoning, it was that even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if you summoned a higher-tier entity directly, they were summoned at level 1. 'The only time a 2-star starts at level 15 is when using a Monster Summoning Ticket.' Therefore, even if I pulled a higher-tier entity through Magic Stone summoning, I had to level them up honestly.

'Then the 1-star ones are too inefficient.'

Was there no facility to strengthen them by grinding up the same monsters? I checked the list.

"No."

How was I supposed to do this when I didn't even know how to raise the dungeon grade, which was the most important part? I was frustrated, but the system gave no answer. 'I'll find out once I keep growing.'

There was no need to be impatient. Raising the grade in just two days was already on the fast side. So, for now, clearing the sub-dungeon was what mattered.

*Kkeureureuk.*

A Big Slime appeared around the corner. The Ghouls, following my orders, raised their arms and tried to rush forward, but Harsus hit the Ghouls on the head to stop them. "You'll get wiped out, you idiots."

The Big Slime was level 15. Compared to that, the highest-level Ghoul was only level 6, so there was no way they could win. "Harsus."

*Kruek.*

Harsus placed the Magic Stones he was holding in his arms on the floor and lunged at the Big Slime. The Big Slime, being a 2-star, noticed Harsus and turned its body to threaten him, but Harsus kicked off the wall, dodged the Big Slime's attack, and positioned himself behind it.

"......Are they really Ghouls?"

*Crunch.*

Harsus stabbed the Big Slime's head with one hand, inserted his other hand into the gap, and tore it left and right. *Riiip!* Harsus opened his mouth wide and shoved his head into the Big Slime's body. It wasn't even for a meal; Harsus just opened his mouth wide, took a bite, and then reached into his mouth to pull out a stone-like object.

*Clap, clap, clap.*

As I clapped, the other Ghouls clapped too. "Ghouls, did you see that? Treat your captain well."

After that, our movements were simple. The Ghouls handled the regular Slimes, and Harsus intercepted the Big Slimes. The dungeon was filled with the sound of Slimes being torn apart, and the Ghouls' levels were gradually rising. We had killed exactly 50 Slimes, and perhaps because many Big Slimes appeared this time, we had gathered quite a few Lower-Grade Magic Stones.

'I'll worry about the average later.'

For now, let's catch the Slime Dragon and get out. It was getting close to the time to feed Ryun her dinner. *Kkeureureuk?* And before my eyes, it wasn't a Slime Dragon, but a jelly-like mannequin that was welcoming me.

"Ah, damn."

Should've brought Ryun. I threw my staff at the head of the Slahole, which was scattering its fluids upon discovering me.