Night Butterfly.
Even though Suzuki hadn't watched or read Tensura in years—largely because it didn't exist in the previous world where he had reincarnated as a linguistics student—he still vividly remembered this specific location. Even though the original story only featured this establishment for a brief, fleeting moment, he knew perfectly well that the image of this place was permanently seared into the minds of every male reader.
The name of this club was simply engraved on their souls!
Why did everyone remember it with such profound clarity? Because they were men.
The reason was as beautifully simple as that. So, as Suzuki finally laid his eyes upon the legendary establishment, a powerful wave of emotion washed over him. He knew that if the readers of the original story could see him right now, they would be absolutely seething with jealousy!
Yet, what could he say?
This is simply the universe's reward for being a hardworking, upstanding guy, he justified internally.
Yes. He had been working tirelessly, silently enduring the grueling realities of multiple lives, so it was only natural that he finally received his promised reward. In many earthly religions, it was said that when a righteous man passed away and entered heaven, he would be gifted thousands of beautiful celestial wives. Was this world basically his heaven?
Suzuki wasn't sure about the theological implications. But he did know one thing: unlike his encounter with Treyni—where the sheltered Dryad had aggressively taken the initiative—Elves were a completely different battlefield. They were incredibly popular, highly experienced, and completely aware of their devastating charm over men. That was exactly why they worked at the most exclusive night lounge in the world. Knowing this, he realized his strategy needed to be vastly different!
Wait!
Suddenly, Suzuki froze in his tracks, a bucket of cold metaphorical water splashing over his face. He realized he had strayed entirely off the correct path!
When exactly did my ultimate life goal become 'sleeping with every beautiful race in the world'?!
Remember your original determination, Suzuki! How low can you fall?!
Back in Japan, would he have ever allowed himself to be this easily distracted by women?
Suzuki's pragmatic, orphaned logic kicked in. He knew that romantic relationships were like high-end corporate assets or delicate machinery; they required constant, exhausting care and maintenance, regardless of how much love was involved. In his past life, lacking any familial safety net, he had taken his future incredibly seriously. He couldn't afford to fail.
His original goal had been beautifully simple: secure a stable, easy, profoundly boring job.
That was why he had chosen the Department of Linguistics, despite how obscure the field seemed. As long as he graduated from Tokyo University, his life was set. He had fully intended to become a mid-level civil servant, working a cushy nine-to-five job at a quiet city library, safely coasting his way to a guaranteed government pension.
But as soon as he acquired the [Manager], he had completely let off the brakes. Because he no longer had to stress over money, studying, or physical limitations, he had let his base desires take the wheel.
But this wasn't Japan. This was a brutal, High Fantasy world where "Might Makes Right" was the only law.
In this world, the weak were literally devoured. Just as the small animals in the Jura Forest were eaten by the Direwolves, human society operated on the exact same predatory logic, just hidden behind velvet curtains and noble titles.
Even if he wanted to live peacefully and hide away from global politics, he knew trouble would inevitably find him. Even Rimuru—a cute, overpowered slime who initially just wanted to laze around and build a cozy forest village—was constantly invaded, manipulated, and attacked by various villains and empires. Hiding was not a viable long-term strategy.
I have to grow stronger.
Suzuki might have successfully evolved into an Enlightened Sage, but he knew this was merely the tutorial stage. Compared to the true apex predators of this world—the True Dragons, the ancient Demon Lords, the angelic forces—his current strength was laughable. Despite possessing three Unique Skills, he was still a small fish in a terrifyingly deep ocean!
But... isn't that just more reason to grind?
The evolutionary potential of a human was completely uncapped. If Rimuru, the absolute weakest monster in existence, could eventually evolve to rival a True Dragon, couldn't he do the same?
The fact that he had already shed his mortality to become an Enlightened proved there was a clear, systemic pathway for humans to ascend. And he could do it without following Rimuru's traumatic path of slaughtering ten thousand human soldiers to trigger a Demon Lord awakening.
The Divine Human...
When Suzuki thought of that legendary, god-tier evolutionary stage, his mind cleared completely. He realized he absolutely shouldn't be wasting his precious time in Dwargon chasing after Elven hostesses. He needed to be researching optimal evolution pathways, refining his magic, and expanding his corporate empire to ensure he was too big to fail. The villains in this world were far too infuriating to face unprepared.
Furthermore, he had already achieved his primary objective. He had successfully established the Hub-and-Spoke Warehouse system and secured a historic partnership with the Hero King himself. His mission in Dwargon was a 100% success.
Suzuki knew exactly what he had to do. He needed to excuse himself immediately, head back to his Penthouse, and start training.
He stared blankly at the glowing entrance of the high-class "boutique" lounge, where the mountain's absolute elite, master craftsmen, and high-ranking military officials went to unwind.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with absolute, unyielding determination!
Yes. It's time to grind.
"Um, King Gazel, if you don't mind, I think I will head back to—"
"We're here! Let's go!"
Before Suzuki could even finish his sentence, Gazel clamped a massive hand onto his shoulder and physically dragged him through the front doors.
In a single instant, Suzuki was thrust straight into subterranean heaven.
The interior of the club was breathtaking. The room was bathed in a warm, seductive amber glow radiating from incredibly high-quality Magic Stones. There were no flickering, smoky torches or cheap oil lamps here; the light was perfectly steady, soft, and designed to make everyone in the room look flawlessly attractive.
The ambient sound was a gentle, overlapping chorus of musical Elven laughter. It possessed a crystal-clear, bell-like quality that contrasted beautifully with the deep, gravelly, booming voices of the Dwarven patrons.
The club also utilized highly specialized ventilation and atmospheric scent-magic. The air smelled exactly like a pristine spring meadow. Suzuki instantly caught perfectly balanced notes of wild jasmine, blooming lotus, and warm sandalwood, completely masking the heavy sulfur and coal smoke of the industrial city outside.
How did Suzuki analyze and process all of that atmospheric data in a single millisecond?
The [Manager].
Never underestimate the processing power of a Unique Skill!
Naturally, the moment Gazel stepped into the lounge, the entire room froze. Every patron and hostess hurriedly stood up, bowing deeply to greet their ruler with the utmost respect!
"My King!"
"At ease, at ease. Don't worry, just relax and enjoy yourselves," Gazel laughed warmly, waving them off. He then turned to the stunningly beautiful, mature Elf who ran the establishment. "Mama-san, do you mind providing the absolute best hospitality this club has to offer for my best friend here, Suzuki Tanaka?"
"Oh? Leave it entirely to me, Your Excellency!"
The mature Elven owner turned her gaze toward Suzuki, her eyes sparkling with deep curiosity. Because Suzuki was desperately trying to suppress his Enlightened aura and maintain his 'Normal Human' camouflage, to her, he just looked like a slightly awkward, incredibly handsome, and delightfully naive young man who had clearly never stepped foot inside a high-end hostess club before.
She giggled, a sultry, musical sound that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Suzuki-sama, please, follow me. Allow me to show you the absolute finest hospitality the Elves of the Night Butterfly can provide~!"
Before he could protest, his arm was gently but firmly grasped and immediately enveloped in a suffocatingly soft, warm embrace. The intoxicating scent of wild jasmine flooded his nasal cavity.
Suzuki instinctively bent slightly forward at the waist, desperately trying to conceal the completely natural, unavoidable biological reaction every single man experiences when a beautiful, sexy Elf aggressively presses herself against his arm.
His grand ambitions of ascending to a Divine Human instantly evaporated into the amber-lit air.
...You know what? Let's just work really hard tomorrow.
To become truly powerful, a man needed to be well-rested, right? Resting was an absolutely critical part of the grinding process!