Evolution begins with an ant colony

Hestria's eyes flickered between Oliver and Leona as she pondered the proposal. The receptionist, oblivious to the silent negotiations, continued to search for available rooms.

After a few moments, the receptionist returned with three keys in hand. She then said, "Here are your room keys. All the rooms are on the third floor." She flashed a smile as she placed the keys on the counter.

Hestria then addressed the receptionist, saying, "There will be no need for three keys, as we plan on sharing a single room."

The receptionist raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise crossing her face. "Are you sure? It might be a bit cramped for three people."

Oliver, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor, chimed in, "We're not picky. A roof over our heads is all we need for the night. Besides, we're a tight-knit group."

Leona, though initially skeptical, found herself nodding in agreement. "He's right. A single room will do just fine."@@novelbin@@

With a gracious smile, the receptionist handed leona one of the keys she had in hand while pointing out. "Room 203, on the second floor. Enjoy your stay at Dule Inn."

As they were on the verge of leaving, the receptionist's voice echoed behind them, "Oh, and the cost for one night will be 1 silver coin, please."

Oliver, engaged in his musings, pondered the simplicity of the transaction. "One silver coin. One gold coin equals ten silvers, so I guess it's quite a bargain." With a playful tone, he reached into his inventory, extracting a gold coin from the pouch. Casually placing it on the counter, he added, "Here you go."

The receptionist received the coin and handed him 9 silvers in change. Oliver deftly pocketed the silvers, or so it seemed, as he discreetly stored them within his inventory space. The subtle exchange completed, they continued on their way, leaving the inn's reception area behind.

They made their way up the creaky stairs to their room, the worn wooden steps squeaking under their weight. Arriving in front of the room with the number they were told, Leona inserted the key, turned it, and then pushed the door open with the handle.

As the doors swung open, the room revealed itself—a space with a single bed dressed in pure white sheets and a single pillow. A magical lamp suspended overhead cast a gentle glow, creating an atmosphere that was both soft and inviting.

Noticing the single bed, Oliver entered the room ahead of Leona and Hestria. Turning back to face them, he wore a knowing smile. "Seems the room only has one bed. Guess we'll all be sharing it then." A playful wink accompanied his words, and his grin hinted at a mischievous undertone.

Hestria couldn't help but blush slightly, her initial response interrupted as she began, "I don't think..." Before she could articulate her thoughts, Leona approached Oliver with a glint in her eyes. The subtle radiance suggested a hint of intensity as she spoke, "No, you will be sleeping on the floor." The authority in her tone left little room for negotiation.

As Leona closed in on Oliver, an unmistakable chill ran down his spine, as if her intent held the wight of a life-or-death decision depending on his next words.

Oliver, sensing the tension, lifted his hands in a pacifying gesture. "Woah, woah, calm down, Leona. You wouldn't make me sleep on the ground, would you? That would be so cold of you."

Leona, her gaze cold and serious, slowly raised a fist as she spoke with a calm intense tone. "And you said you had no other motives earlier, but the words you said just now clearly state otherwise. So now, you have a choice, mister. You can either sleep on the floor or outside. Whichever you think is more comfortable."

Oliver chuckled, a confident smile on his face. The air around him seemed to shimmer for a moment as he replied, "The only place I'd feel comfortable, Leona, is by you ladies in that bed."

A visible vein throbbed on Leona's forehead. Suddenly, a loud boom noise echowed from the room, slightly startling the receptionist. She mumbled, "Damm, adventurers these days are quite energetic before they get to sleep."

Suddenly, in front of room 203—the intended room for the trio—the door swung open, and Oliver was suddenly thrown out, slamming headfirst into the wall on the opposite side of the hall.

"And stay out!" Leona's voice echoed, accompanied by the resounding slam of the room door being closed shut.

Oliver, nursing a small bump on his head, slowly rose to his feet. "Seems women can be scary and violent sometimes.

Guess I should be prepared for anything when I get into a conversation with one again next time." The dimly lit hallway was a slient witness to the aftermath of a clash that left Oliver ousted from the room, thinking about the unpredictability of conversing with powerful women like Leona.

Oliver chuckled to himself and mumbled, "Well, it doesn't matter. I can sleep on the roof of the inn. It's not like I'd actually catch a cold or anything." Walking down the dimly lit hall, he approached a window, then skillfully hopped out, traversing to the roof of the opposite building before making another nimble leap to the inn's roof.

Upon landing, he dusted away some of the snow and lay down, muttering, "Outside, under the moonlight, gazing at the stars, just like I like it." The chilly night air surrounded him as he settled into his makeshift open-air bed, finding comfort in the solitude of the rooftop retreat.

Suddenly, Oliver noticed something familiar in the distance. "Wait, is that..." He sat up, placing his hand on his forehead to shield his vision from the moonlight as he gazed into the distance.

In that moment, Oliver activated one of his skills, Thousand-Mile Eyesight. It seemed as though his eyesight zoomed in on what had caught his attention.

Slowly, two figures came into view until it zoomed in close enough for Oliver to discern, "Those are the guards that were at the gate when we arrived." The guards appeared to be heading towards a stable, grabbing horses as if they were about to depart suddenly. It couldn't be within the town; otherwise, they wouldn't need the horses.

Seeing this, Oliver smirked and mumbled, "It's obvious what they're up to. They want to report to someone about us. Telling them there is someone powerful enough to knock out a guard in a single hit and a group of people they suspect of illegal migration."

Oliver slowly stood up from his makeshift rooftop bed, the snow dusting off his clothes as he thought about the sight in the distance. "I can't let them do that if I know what they're up to. Guess it's time for another one of my solo missions." A smile graced his face, and his eyes glowed brightly with his green mana.

In that moment, he began leaping from roof to roof, moving trough the town with agility and skill. The moonlight glinted off his hair, creating an ethereal aura around him as he moved. His excitement could be seen, an eager smile playing on his face as he approached the confrontation with the guards. The rooftops became his silent pathway, each leap a proof to his skill as an archer.

The anticipation of what would unfold added a spark to his eyes as he closed the distance to the unsuspecting guards.

Meanwhile, back in the Demon King's castle, the heavy doors of the guest room creaked open, revealing a space where Yandol, still in a grave state, shared the room with his worried pregnant wife.

The room was decorated, featuring a grand center bed large enough for two or more people. A simple yet elegant red carpet on the floor, leading to various corners of the room along with modest art pieces. The ambiance exuded a sense of royal simplicity, a blend of comfort and regality.

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Stepping out from the opened doors was none other than Delikan himself, the imposing Demon King. At his side stood his first wife, Danlatica, also known as the Goddess of Destruction. Their presence added an air of authority to the room.

As Delikan and Danlatica entered the room, the gaze of both Yandol and his wife instinctively shifted toward them. The atmosphere in the room seemed to change as the Demon King and the Goddess of Destruction made their presence felt.

Delikan's deep voice echowed in the air as he commented on Yandol's current state, disappointment could be heard in his tone. "It's truly disappointing, for a man such as yourself who possesses dragon blood to be in such a pathetic state." He slowly approached the ailing Yandol, who lay in the bed, his wife's lap serving as a makeshift pillow.

Yandol appeared too weak to offer any response, his condition seemingly sapping him of strength and vitality.

As Delikan advanced, Yandol's wife, though visibly terrified, displayed a courageous act by cradling her husband's head, shooting a defiant gaze at the approaching Demon King.

Delikan came to a halt in front of the couple, his imposing shadow casting over them. His words were directed solely at Yandol, completely disregarding the courageous woman by his side. "I am going to heal you, but don't mistake my actions for kindness.

This is simply a necessary step to facilitate our conversation." The air in the room seemed to carry the weight of both tension and an unspoken power dynamic between the characters.