Chapter 113: The Tea shop and the rumor...

Leon longed for a moment of respite.Ahead of him, nestled between a general goods store and a small blacksmith's shop, was a modest tea house.

Its wooden sign swung gently in the breeze, proudly displaying the name *The Whistling Kettle*. The scent of freshly brewed tea wafted out, inviting and warm. Deciding to take a break, Leon pushed open the door, the soft chime of a bell announcing his arrival.

The tea house was cozy, with small wooden tables and chairs placed strategically around the room.

Shelves of herbs and tea leaves lined the walls, casting a warm and earthy scent throughout the space. A few villagers sat at tables, quietly sipping tea and engaging in conversation.

The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and graying hair, smiled warmly from behind the counter. "Welcome, traveler. Please, make yourself at home."

Leon nodded and made his way to a table near the window. As he sat down, the low murmur of conversation from nearby patrons drifted into his ears.

He wasn't particularly interested at first, but something about the tone of their hushed voices made him listen a bit more closely.

"Did you hear about the dungeon the village head and his hunters found?" said a man with a thick beard. His voice was just above a whisper, but it carried an undertone of fear, his hands rough and calloused from

years of work.

"Aye," his companion, a wiry man with sharp eyes, replied. "They say the forest itself seems alive around that place. The trees twist and move when you're not looking, and the air...

it's heavy, like it's watching you."

The bearded man leaned in closer, lowering his voice even more. "The hunters were too scared to go any further. But the merchants-those greedy bastards -they're staying longer than planned. They want to raid it."

Leon's interest piqued as he listened to the conversation. A dungeon, hidden deep within the forest, with strange phenomena surrounding it?

And the merchants were planning to raid it? This could be an opportunity for him to gain valuable resources, perhaps even something that could give him an edge in the upcoming trials at the academy.

The shopkeeper approached his table with a steaming cup of tea, setting it down in front of him with a gentle smile. "Here you go, dear. It's a special blend-calming and good

for the nerves. Leon thanked her, nodding politely, and took a sip of the tea. The

warmth spread through his body, easing the tension in his muscles. As he drank, he continued to listen to the conversation, carefully gathering information. Explore new worlds at mvl

"They say the dungeon's different from the others we've seen," the wiry man continued. "The beasts in there... they're not just dangerous. They're strange. Twisted and Unnatural. The village head, was scared knowing that those vicious beast are well above his capabilities didn't dare to deeper, closer to the portal.

And the merchants. well, they've hired some muscle. Adventurers, mercenaries, you name it. They're all hoping to get their hands on whatever's inside."

"Think they'll find anything worth the risk?" the bearded man asked, doubt creeping into his voice.

The wiry man shrugged. "Who knows? But if they do, it could Worth a fortune. Heard some of the other merchants are getting

restless, though. Might be trouble if they don't find something soon." Leon finished his tea, setting the

The wiry man shrugged. "Who knows? But if they do, it could be worth a fortune. Heard some of the other merchants are getting restless, though. Might be trouble if they don't find something soon."

Leon finished his tea, setting the cup down gently on the table and ordered one more. His mind was already working, calculating the risks and rewards. A nature-affinity dungeon could hold rare treasures, and his system had proven its reliability time and time again. If the merchants were already preparing a raid, perhaps he could find a way to join them, but on his terms.

Leon's attention sharpened. A dungeon? Twisted beasts? This sounded promising. seaʀᴄh thё Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The gossipers we're just about to continue with their gossiping when a voice sounded forcing almost everyone in the room to turn over, it was a burly man speaking, though burly he had a sage look on his face as he spoke, "You presumptuous fools, you're lucky we the merchants took an interest in it. If they weren't here to raid the place, who knows what would've happened.

The living trees in near the dungeon portal is already a sign that some of the dungeon beast in it have broken out, by calculation the dungeon beasts would completely break out in three or four days, by that time the merchants have left, if we hadn't extend our departure time to raid the dungeon, The village would be defenseless when those beasts completely break out."

The listeners gulped, their eyes darting around as if he feared the very mention of the beasts might summon them.

The wiry man gulped and said, "You're right. If that dungeon had been left alone, the beasts inside would've all broken out, and the whole village would've been razed to the ground i can't believe how short sighted I am..."

Leon's eyes narrowed. The situation was more dire than he initially thought. If what they were saying was true, the village was sitting on a ticking time bomb.

Dungeon breakouts were not uncommon in this world, but they were always catastrophic. Judging by how The Viscount usually scout The area around and near his estate and for dungeons and clear them before they mature, it was clear how cautious and fearful of a dungeon outbreak.

That Goblin dungeon that Leon cleared was discovered by the Viscount's scouting group, if Leon didn't ask the Viscount of a nearby dungeon to fear it was obvious that the Viscount planned to clear it with a party specifically made for that purpose...

The dungeon, with all the goblins still inside was clearly in its early stage and hasn't yet matured, but it was a different case for the dungeon near this village which a few tree-like beasts have already broken out...

The beasts that emerged were often stronger and more ferocious, and they wouldn't stop until they destroyed everything in their path.

At that moment, the burly man sitting at the bar shifted in his seat. He had a merchant's badge pinned to his chest, and his eyes gleamed with a quiet confidence. "We merchants know what we're doing," he said, his voice calm and measured. "This isn't our first dungeon raid, and it won't be our last. We've got enough muscle to take care of this problem before it becomes yours."

The two men who had been gossiping fell silent, their eyes drifting to the merchant, then to his merchant badge.

His presence was unassuming, but there was an air of authority about him that made them listen. They exchanged uneasy glances, and Leon could see the beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.

The wiry man cleared his throat, clearly the spokesman for the rest of the inhabitants, trying to sound confident but failing miserably. "We didn't realize… I mean, we didn't think the situation was that bad."

The merchant gave him a knowing smile. "It's easy to overlook the danger when you're not the one dealing with it. But trust me, if that dungeon had been left unchecked, you'd be dealing with more than just a few twisted trees. Your entire village would've been reduced to ash."

The words hung heavy in the air, and Leon could see the realization dawning on the two men's faces. They hadn't considered the full implications of a dungeon breakout. Their grievances against the merchants, born out of the inconvenience of their extended stay, suddenly seemed trivial in comparison.

The wiry man, his face pale, nodded slowly. "I guess… I guess we were shortsighted. We should be grateful the merchants are here."

The merchant took a sip of his tea, his eyes scanning the room. "It's not about gratitude. It's about survival. We're all just trying to get by in this world, and sometimes that means dealing with things we'd rather not. But make no mistake, this dungeon isn't just a threat to your village. If it breaks out, it'll spread far beyond these borders.

We're all in this together, whether we like it or not."

The two men nodded in agreement, their expressions solemn. The merchant's words had struck a chord with them, and they suddenly saw the merchants in a different light.