Dungeon Overlord: Monster Girl Harem!

Leonhardt scoured through his memories for a name but failed, so he gave up and called him old man because this name was easier to remember.

"Old man, what happened?"

He found acting like a human flowed like second nature to him now, unlike in the past, when he needed to consider his actions or plan.

"Wolves lad! It was those menacing things in the forest!"

Leonhardt wasn't surprised by this answer since it was he who had antagonised the wolves using his dark elves, but the old man didn't even know it.

A strange feeling of delight bubbled in Leon's stomach, a warmth and sense of exhilaration when hearing about it from the old man, who spoke with such urgency in his voice, as though the village would be overrun at any moment.

'Go on! Ask for help... Go on! Do it!'

The strange yet familiar feelings warred within him.

He listened to the old man and villagers complain, before the old man continued with a hint of hesitation in his voice before he finally seemed to resolve himself.

"Lad... we don't want to do this. But if ya could, can you help us out? The people in this village can't fight, and many of the adventurers left because the cost wasn't to their liking."

'Poor misguided humans, did you mistake me for your saviour when I am the aggressor like a feral beast waiting to snap my jaws and swallow your village whole!'

Erina's eyes shimmered with a golden light as she reached out, grabbing Leonhardt's arm.

A look of anxiety and hope flashed in her gaze, as if to say, 'help these poor villagers.'

The moment she touched his arm, the eyes of Sylvie and Asuka became daggers, unable to disguise their growing annoyance towards Erina, who touched and leaned on Leonhardt without realising it.

'What should I do...' Leonhardt considered his options.

He could leave the village to deal with them on their own, or he could assist and gain more loyalty from the foolish old man.

[Didn't you wish to take this land and have someone rule it? You already gave the Arachne a goal in the east and Dark elves in the west... now, what will you do?]

Ifrit's goading and hints always helped Leonhardt remain rooted and remember what he was.

Neither human nor elf... he was a monster, and this basin would be his!

"The Crimson Hawks... although we could take care of the monster, you have said that the reward isn't worth it. Then, in return for a promise. Your people could enjoy the Crimson Hawks becoming the sole defender of this village."

The people who Leon met a few weeks ago gazed at him in awe, some like the gentle old woman who taught him the warmth of humanity, a soft and malleable dough that he could form and distort in any shape he desired.

"W-What promise?" The old village lord's arms shook while holding his staff with both hands. A feeble old man with no true power to guide these people.

"It's simple, make me the village Lord."

A few villagers who heard it frowned, but in the end, they couldn't even kill a few weak wolves.

Leonhardt could feel the struggle within the man.

"You are inferior, have no strength and can never protect these people, don't you agree?" A sweet, gentle voice that hummed with a vibration.

The moment Leonhardt's voice entered the ears of the weak humans, their eyes dilated and became different... like a siren's song, his charming and beautiful melodic tone seducing them.

"L-Leon?"

Erina's face paled.

He was going to use magic to force these villagers to agree to his request.

Sylvie wasn't sure what Leon was doing, but it seemed his actions may not be the right thing to do... yet she shook her head and didn't speak or act, and instead, she looked at Asuka, who smiled gleefully at Leonhardt's back.

'Is this the right thing?' Erina wondered as she tried to remember what her mother had taught her, but all she could think about was what her father would have done.

'To protect the village... he will become their lord?'

Erina's eyes flickered with a spark, the golden light dissipating as she stepped forward and spread her arms to the villagers.

"I am Erina. The vice-captain of the Crimson Hawks, and if anyone has complaints or wishes to speak with us about the proposal, then I will hear you out and discuss it with our leader. But I believe he didn't offer this in bad faith, and in my time with him, he has proved time and time again that he is a good person!"

Her voice wasn't as melodic and soft as Leonhardt's but carried a fiery passion and strength behind it.

'Erina?'

Leonhardt's eyes shook.

He didn't understand this was a test for Erina... to see if she could accept him bending humans to his will and using their weaknesses for his benefit.

'It seems I got a good vice-captain.' He smirked and looked at the villagers, then snapped his finger and the mana that surrounded the villager's heads dispersed.

His suggestion and mana would seep into their bodies, lurking and eating away at their common sense. This was the ability of a Dungeon Master on those who were not warriors or mages.

Though anyone weaker than Leonhardt would be dominated and forced to follow him, he lowered the effect and instead opted for a slower and more thorough brainwashing.

Inside their subconscious, various words and sentences would repeat in an intoxicating and gentle voice while negative thoughts became linked to a dark, devilish voice.

'Goblins aren't evil—they are like elves and need someone to guide them, to accept them.'

'The forest of embers is a sacred place that you must not disturb without permission.'

'The kingdom has betrayed you, abandoned all of you in this basin to die.'

'Only the Crimson Hawks... Leonhardt Van Arlet can guide you.'

This was Leonhardt's choice... his first step and the moment his conquest began, since he would steal the name of the village, to call it the village of Embers.

Leon would take the name Arlet to show his dedication.

'Will Erina forgive me when she finds out? Hah! I don't care.'

With a huge smile on his face, Leonhardt stepped towards the forest and closed his eyes. He tried his best to stop it twisting and deforming into a horrifying grin.

Yet his stomach churned with butterflies.

"I will become the lord you all seek, protecting your safety and enriching your livelihood!"

The time for waiting had ended.

The need to hold back against this world faded.

Leon's eyes narrowed and turned pitch black with brightly glowing red pupils, an eerie devil wearing his mask.

The mask of a village lord.

The mask of a handsome elf.

The mask of someone who cared for humanity.

All layered on top to hide this dark truth.

He was a merciless beast, a chimera made from scraps, with the desire to crush those who mocked and doubted him.

He would consume this world just like the humans and gods that preceded him.

Step.

Step.

With each step towards the forest, his face twisted and contorted into a ghastly spectacle.

How could something so evil...

Be so beautiful?