22th day, the month of Rocto, the year 1661.

Waking up, training, going to the market, alchemy class, smelting scraps and making random trinkets, mixing potions, upgrading Flo, sleep, then repeat. for the past week that was all I ever done, but today's a bit different.

\"Can I join the expedition team?\"

\"No.\"

\"Pretty please?\"

\"No.\"

\"...Please Papi? Will you let me go?\"

\"... No.\"

'Tsk, I was sure that would work.' I thought as I pouted.

In case ya wonder how it came to this, it was just this morning when I go to the market to check the current trend of commodity and pricing that I notice an announcement at the public board.

It was an announcement about the territory of the Welsburg kingdom. It was said that a huge area surrounding where capital would be had turn into a gray and decaying wasteland. It is said that the trees turn sickly gray and oozing foul smelling black fluid while lakes and rivers turn crimson like blood and stench like rotting corpses. the mountains wasn't any better, many black crystals start growing on the now barren and cracked land exuding some kind of black mist that slowly drain you of your mana.

Many villages near the edges of the change had turn into ghost town with traces of people doing their daily activities before suddenly disappearing. there are also many sightings of unidentified creature roaming the land as well as patrols of unknown knights in black carrying a banner depicting a jaw biting into a bleeding heart.

Under the announcement are recruitment notice from the adventure guild for an expedition team into the wasteland to find the cause of the change and what happens to it's citizen. The guild promise 20 gold for each head and a bonus up to 50 gold or an epic quality equipment depending on the importance of the information they brought back.

What catch my attention however aren't monetary value but the promised equipment, even with all my self study I could only make something up to good quality equipment or items from forging or crafting. So just maybe, if I analysis the quality of an epic quality item I could start making one myself.

Smelling opportunity, of course I can't sit still and home and had to join it! but alas here we are being stuck because the stingy old man won't give me permission to go and if I do try to sneak away he will just capture and drag me back. believe me, I know because I tried escaping one of his lesson.

\"*sigh* look kid, ya can't lie. If ya really want to check on your friends well being you will be heading south not north, I already told you since your first request that the academy had move itself before whatever create the wasteland happens. so no matter how many times you saw that I won't believe it, what's your true agenda?\"

To his question, I turn my back against him to show that I'm sulking but truth is I'm just having cold sweat as I couldn't maintain a pouting face when I know the jig is up. Damn it, just how much does this old man know about me that I don't.

\"Ya do know I check prices at the market myself right? I have a guess what you wanted but I want to hear it from you.\"

Hearing that I know I couldn't keep pretending now. So with a sigh I turn to face him, he doesn't look mad or annoyed. all he have is a patient look parents gave to their unruly children. which honestly only serve to make me felt a little guilty, just a little.

\"Yeah, I just want the equipment but come on its just one of the reasons, it's a whole new terrain right? imagine what kinda materials we can gain there, the first to discover anything useful will be able to monopolize it as long as they keep it quiet!\"

Sighing once more, he gently ruffles my hair. \"Kid if you were to go, do you think those two girls will follow you?\"

\"Of course not, Val have things to do in her academy while Meel have better things to do than running around the country with me.\" I answered what I think even when I'm annoyed by his gesture, he is definitely treating me like a kid!

\"Yes they have things to do of their own but here's where your wrong kid, the moment they know you left they will abandon everything to follow after you.\" he said with a serious look but no matter how I think about it, it doesn't make sense for them to do that.

\"Your weird old man, why would they throw everything for something that doesn't involve them.\"

\"*sigh* You'll understand when you're older, but as I keep telling you. you better give up the notion of joining the expedition team.\" he said before leaving the living area into his study.

Feeling bitter, I stick my tongue to his figure before the door closes then march to my own room.

The moment I close my door Flo, my puppet type dog, crawl out from under my bed and jump to my embrace. Taking it to my bedside, I give it all the love and attention it wanted.

Over the past few days I taken up Mr. Leo advice and use a recording of actual dog for it and in the heat of the moment it's materials into actual dog.

If you disregard the mismatch colored skin, stitches, and how hairless it is, Flo is quite passable to be an actual living dog. oh and no worries, I tweak it's flesh a little so now as long as it's core stay intact it's body won't rot. God forbid how many days I spent smelling like meat to do this.

\"Listen to this Flo, that stingy old man won't let me out adventuring, as if forbidding me from killing people at night isn't enough.

Although he does start giving me some potion that gives luck so I won't end up dead but come on, where's the effort in it.

He also start talking nonsense about how Val and Meel will follow me wherever I go no matter what they are doing, I mean how ridiculous does that sound Flo!

Speaking of friends it seems the academy teleport itself into the beast kin territory, he said it was somewhere near a place called Mangetsu castle, wherever that is.

Well if the academy is fine then I'm pretty sure the gang as students would be fine within it.\"

Meanwhile within Leo's study...

\"Please Papi? Papi? Please~\" the voice of a young boy could be heard repeating some line over and over from within a recording gem placed on the desk.

Sitting facing it would be an old Lion beast kin, whos mane and hair are decorated with all kinds of ribbons and braiding, grinning ear to ear as he listen to the recording.

\"Ho ho ho the kid have a cute side after all, who knows he would go this far to get what he wanted. too bad he is up against the great me.\" snapping his fingers, the recording stop with it's endless repeat.

\"But who would have thought that kid would be so dense, those two are openly vying for his attention either by asking pointers in training or \"accidentally\" make mistakes as they help him make potions just so he'll come over and help them. The girls even goes as far as cook for him when they won't even cook for me and I'm the master!\"

Slumping to the chair backrest, Leo shake his head thinking about them.

\"This won't do, if this goes on that boy will stay virgin all his life! why can't he be interested in anything other than creating things or killing things, he was much more normal before that incident.\"

Turning to one side of the table, he tap the photo frame on it once and the picture within it turn from a man in his thirty holding a woman who carries a girl who's smiling cheerfully into a boy busy with mixing a few herbs while completely ignoring the silver haired girl hugging him from the back and a blonde girl looking dissatisfied as she tried to separate the two.

Looking at the picture, Leo smile slightly remembering the shenanigans of these three addition to his family. It was a clear day but as usual the kid couldn't care less about it and lock himself indoors as he pick random recipes and make them.

The other two left to go shopping with his daughter that day and come back with six big bags filled with dresses. the moment they return the two girls quickly look for him and cling to him. Val keep asking narrating how tiring it was to be doll up and drag around while Meel complain about why Val always the one who occupied his back.

Their face was priceless when all the boy's reaction is saying \"If you're done, help me with these\" then hand them materials to prepare.

Leo's smiling face then turn into a frown as he turn towards one of his drawers. Pulling it open he take out the sole content within it, it was a magic cage with a white slime bouncing around inside.

\"This specimen should have extinct long ago, a parasitic slime that eats on its master mana.. or should it have been. this one seem to have mutated somehow and now generate it's own food but it's still extremely attached to the kids.

The brat probably couldn't care less about it but Val has been asking about it's whereabouts. I wonder if I should return it or not.\"

*Beep beep beep*

Putting the cage on the table, Leo tap on his beeping earring.

\"Leonardo Varius, proceed with plan B.\"