The Tutorial Boss Tries to Conquer the Back Alleys

Phila's workshop.

When I knocked, Phila opened the door and welcomed me inside as though she'd been waiting for me.

Phila hurriedly searched through her desk drawer, pulled out the aphrodisiac, and held it out to me.

I received one every time I visited, but somehow the aphrodisiac seemed different now.

'Is this it.'

"Eck really seems to like aphrodisiacs. Even if it's only because of the effects, making them is rewarding."

"...Is something wrong?"

Phila seemed especially nervous today, searching around several times for the drawer containing the aphrodisiac.

"Huh? Uh.... Well, you see."

She adjusted her glasses, which had slipped down her nose.

"The results of the qualification exam are coming out soon."

"It's already been that long?"

"They were originally supposed to be announced a few months from now, but since the dungeon appeared, I heard they need to assign new direct subordinates as soon as possible."

Phila fidgeted with her fingers, her face flushed.

Her eyes sparkled behind her glasses with enormous anticipation.

"I was pretty active during this dungeon incident, wasn't I? I'm hoping, just a little, that might earn me some bonus points... Hehe."

Her voice was brimming with excitement.

"Of course, I know my contributions in the dungeon and the qualification exam are separate matters. M-mages are judged strictly by their ability and achievements. Ah, by achievements, I mean research ability. Even if they try to retain me as a direct subordinate because of what I accomplished this time, it's obvious the elders of the Magic Tower won't let that happen quietly."

Phila lightly patted a tower of parchment-bound books on the desk.

"That's why I'm really confident about the invention I submitted this time. A-and thanks to your help, Eck, you were a huge help with my research."

Phila clenched both fists.

Her eyes behind her glasses were unusually bright.

I looked down at the aphrodisiac I'd received.

'Is this it.'

A potion that turned a woman into a man.

More precisely, futanari?

It was an achievement that no one could deny was enough to maintain her qualifications.

Phila seemed to believe that this achievement had finally given her a chance to hold her head high for the first time since leaving the Red Magic Tower.

Knowing the bitter future that awaited her, I avoided her gaze and downed the aphrodisiac.

"S-sorry. I just kept bragging about myself. I was so excited that I lost track of myself..."

"If you're really sorry, would you like to jump in place?"

"Huh? Like this?"

Phila hopped into the air.

Her large breasts pushed up against her robe and swayed.

There wasn't even a forearm-sized bulge between her legs.

Phila fumbled around and jumped several more times.

"You can stop now."

"S-sorry for having such a vulgar body."

Covering her breasts, she turned away.

"Even if you fail, you don't have to be too discouraged. You have me, don't you?"

"Yes...! Still, I'm not worried at all."

***

I returned the empty bottle to Phila.

My gaze shifted to the person sitting blankly in a chair farther inside.

That was the reason I'd visited the workshop today.

"Eek...!"

Kyle was frozen stiff.

The moment our eyes met, Kyle sprang to their feet and slammed their forehead against the floor.

"Thank you for sparing my life! I will never forget this debt for as long as I live! I'll do anything, so please, just spare my life...!"

Kyle rubbed their hands together frantically and repeatedly banged their forehead against the floor.

But I couldn't forget Kyle's demand for Elena at the banquet.

I stole a glance at Phila's hand.

A simple silver ring was on one of her fingers.

An enchanted item that blocked mental interference.

Kyle's power wouldn't work on Phila. At least, someone who didn't even know what that power was or how it worked couldn't manipulate her.

"Get up."

Kyle raised their head and stood.

I held out my fist in front of Kyle.

"You and I are going to play a game."

"Huh?"

"Rock-paper-scissors."

Kyle's eyes wavered.

"If I win, you live. If I lose, this will be your life from now on."

I took the silver ring from Phila.

I showed Kyle the silver ring.

"What do you think?"

"Th-that..... Y-yes, fine. If I win, you'll set me free, and if I lose, I'll treat that ring as my life..."

"As your life."

"...I'll regard it as my life."

Hope appeared in Kyle's eyes, which had been roiling with fear.

Kyle's lips quivered faintly as they raised their fist and continued.

"I'll throw scissors. Y-you throw paper."

"Will that be enough?"

"Yes!"

"Come on. Scissors, rock."

"Paper."

Kyle threw scissors.

I threw rock.

The moment Kyle saw my rock, their face turned deathly pale and their entire body began to tremble.

"I win. What a shame. Your life is in my hands now."

"Ah..."

I slipped the silver ring onto my finger.

The hypnotist, Kyle, despaired as they watched the ring slide onto my finger.

Kyle's jaw trembled, and their teeth clattered together.

"I-I've never lost once in my life."

Rock-paper-scissors was Kyle's specialty, but after losing, Kyle's face turned ashen and they sank to the floor.

"Now, let's keep going. What are you going to stake? If you win this time, I'll stake whatever you said you'd put up. If you lose, you have to tell me what you'll stake for me, Phila, and Elena, then stake it without fail."

"Y-yes. I-I'll throw rock. You throw scissors."

Kyle threw rock, and I threw paper.

I repeated the game several more times.

Each time, Kyle unconsciously added another layer of hypnosis.

As the hypnosis accumulated without Kyle realizing it, so did the losses.

"W-why?"

Had we played twenty rounds?

Kyle lost every single one.

There was nothing simpler than a hypnotist who didn't understand their own power.

"Swear absolute loyalty to me, Phila, and Elena, and obey us blindly. Understand?"

"Y-yes. I lost, so what can I possibly say? Please, just spare my life..."

The final hypnosis sealed the deal, and Kyle bowed their head before me.

I turned toward Phila.

"Phila, would you let me take charge of Kyle for a while?"

"Huh?"

Phila blinked.

Phila had been put in charge of Kyle. Since she'd intervened to keep Kyle alive, she'd said she would take responsibility.

"And."

I stepped closer to Phila.

When I leaned close to her ear, she startled and shrank back.

"There are people who wield the same power as Kyle. From now on, you need to be wary of every visitor who comes here."

"H-how should I deal with them?"

Phila still hadn't experienced what Kyle's power could do firsthand, but my single warning frightened her.

"I'll write up a detailed plan and give it to you later. But if someone uses an object—say, a hand mirror—or shines a light at you, I want you to pretend to follow that person's orders as much as possible."

"A hand mirror and light."

Phila nodded and made a mental note.

"People with that kind of power will interpret everything in whatever way suits them, so they'll overlook it even if your acting is somewhat awkward."

"O-okay. I understand."

I turned back to Kyle.

Kyle stretched every limb straight and stood rigidly upright.

"Kyle."

"Yes!"

"Follow me."

I gave Phila a brief farewell and left her workshop.

***

I led Kyle into the back alleys.

Kyle followed close behind me.

As we entered the back alleys, filthy stone walls and the stench of rot surrounded us.

I searched through Eck's memories.

There was a place Darko and Eck often visited.

"W-where are we going?"

Kyle kept turning their head from side to side.

"Follow quietly."

It was a place I hadn't visited even once since cutting ties with Darko.

Doors were scattered here and there throughout the back alleys.

We came upon a wide open space, where a broad entrance gaped open, wafting cigarette smoke, cheap liquor, and a sweet scent into the air.

A gambling den.

It was an illegal gambling den run by a thieves' clan.

A new faction would be born here today.

'If you're a hypnotist, you need a faction or two of your own to avoid suspicion.'

Once the dungeon expedition began, I wouldn't have time to worry about this, so I wanted to lay the groundwork in advance.

Inside, tables set up for gambling stood in rows, while the sounds of dice and cards rang out without pause.

Three or four people sat around each table, playing as though their eyes might pop out of their heads.

It was a place Eck often visited whenever he was bored.

The gambling den was quite spacious.

Including the surrounding buildings, it was two or three times larger than it appeared from outside.

Magic lamps hung from the ceiling, one above each table, spilling yellow light through the gray smoke.

The ventilation was poor, so cigarette smoke blanketed the ceiling like fog, while someone's sobs crawled along the floor.

For a back-alley gambling den, the interior was surprisingly upscale. Among the people seated at the tables were owners of expensive coats, the sort commonly called moneybags, enjoying their gambling.

The employees weaving between those tables showed plenty of skin.

They were female workers chosen for their pretty looks.

Their outfits bared their shoulders and deep cleavage like a noble lady's dress, while short skirts that fell to their hips swayed as they opened the customers' wallets.

Eck's memories came surging back for a moment.

Suddenly, I noticed someone poking out from among the employees in a secluded corner.

She had a small frame, though she was bigger than Elena, and wore a rabbit-ear headband. She hunched over with a tray covering her chest.

"U-Uncle?"

"What are you doing here, Daril?"

Daril of the Yasmel Clan.

Darko's cuckoo-born daughter.

Even among the scantily clad employees, she was dressed as a bunny girl, complete with a rabbit tail.

She approached me with hopeful eyes, but a customer's rough hand seized her buttocks. Though startled, she didn't pull away.

"Nice and firm."

"Th-thank you for the compliment. T-the bunny is embarrassed."

Daril stood still until the hand rubbing her buttocks finally left.

She turned bright red when she realized I'd seen it.

Then she approached me with a forced smile.

"O-oh my, Uncle. It's been a long time."

"Who's your uncle?"

My head began to ache.

"More importantly, what is someone like the clan leader's daughter doing here?"

"I-it's a secret from my mom and dad. If they find out, I might get kicked out."

She raised an index finger to her lips and cried out urgently.

"M-more importantly, Uncle, for just five silver coins, you can hold this cute bunny however you like. How about it? I-it's okay if it's you, Uncle."

Daril stared up at me and twisted her waist, making her rabbit tail twitch.

"I can hold my cute niece?"

"Forget it. Move."

"U-Uncleee."

I sat down in an empty seat.

I leaned deeply against the chair's backrest.

The gamblers already in the middle of their games welcomed the new challenger and snickered.

Their gazes were icy with murderous intent as they tried to see through their opponent's psychology.

"Well, well. Aren't you the hottest adventurer in the city these days?"

"I heard you risked your life to hold back the Monster Wave for us."

"Even the hero comes to the gambling den."

I was becoming quite a celebrity.

I'd been famous from the beginning, but this carried a different meaning and stirred different emotions from what had come before.

"Stop talking and start already."

"Heh heh. A tasty opponent has finally come along. Heard you've put on a little weight?"

The woman seated across from me revealed her yellow teeth as she cackled.

Kyle fidgeted nervously behind me.

"Just watch until I call you."

"Yes."

The cards slid toward me.