The Druid Who Swallowed Mother Nature - Chapter 90



Only Krnovel

Episode 90. The signal flare announcing the return

Swish!

Thin fingers ran across the table.

Hoo─ The breath I exhaled softly brushed my fingertips.

It’s an unremarkable scene from a languid daily life.

The reason I ended up feeling nervous was because I could guess the hidden intention behind it.

“hmm.”

The solemn voice that he had deliberately put on did not suit his still young face.

At first glance, it might seem like a child’s trick of imitating an adult.

Even though she frowned, her cute appearance was enough to make me feel happy.

It wasn’t a bell.

“Ugh.”

Belle’s suspicions grew as she lifted her hooves and peered around the corner of the bookshelf, deliberately dragging her feet as she walked.

“ah.”

I was finally able to be sure when I pulled out my ring finger, which didn’t fit well in the window frame.

This is to check the cleaning status.

He even held out his ring finger to me as if to tell me to look at him with a blank expression on his face, so I couldn’t have mistaken him.

“… … .”

Under the silent pressure, Belle said nothing and just wiped it with a rag.

Sage nodded only then and walked away without taking off his backpack.

“Phew.”

Bell sighed quietly, making sure not to be heard from behind.

How did it turn out like this?

I reminisced about a memory from not so long ago.

‘It was clearly going well.’

It was a disaster to be gossiped about in front of the school leader of Matap.

Fortunately, he didn’t lose his temper and just gave me a look before leaving.

Allen decided to stop even the retaliation that could occur at any time.

It was natural that all the strength left my body when I became certain that I was alive.

It was nice until I staggered back to my room, thinking that now that my mental anguish was over, it was time to rest.

‘It’s too early to let your guard down.’

Belle evaluated herself as she swept the sand from the corner under the sofa.

He was a cute kid.

The painting is so beautiful that anyone standing next to it would feel like they are matching Allen’s, who would turn anyone into a bunch of crumpled up trash.

Even if you exaggerated a little and said they were a father and a daughter, I could believe it.

They say that ugliness comes in many forms, but good looks and beauty are similar.

If you look for commonalities in appearance, you’ll probably find quite a few.

Compared to the schoolmaster who is suitable for a gang leader, he also had a gentle impression.

If you think about how he used to follow me around obediently, I wonder if his personality isn’t gentle.

That belief was soon betrayed.

“here.”

“Wait a minute! Wait a minute!”

The greatest ordeal left for Belle was hers.

I’m not even a factory manager inspecting a factory, so who would have thought he’d inspect a house so thoroughly?

It was hard to muster up the courage to say, “Do it in moderation.”

Belle, who had not heard a proper introduction, had no idea whether she was Allen’s relative or someone related to the Magic Tower.

Or… … it could have been both.

No matter what, if I showed my guts, I would be in a terrible situation.

‘Let’s just endure it this time.’

He said he would be leaving tomorrow.

I was able to adjust the rhythm for about a day.

When I thought that if I could just endure this one time, I wouldn’t have to go through trials like this again, I felt motivated.

“hmm.”

I’m anxious. I think it would be better to clean it again rather than dealing with it every time I find a problem.

As Belle thought about this and finished cleaning, Sage let out a sigh of satisfaction.

Is it over now?

It was when Belle let out a sigh of relief, thinking that she had overcome the final hurdle.

“Do it like this next time you come.”

“What… … ?”

Bell asked back without realizing it.

Sage’s eyes turned sharp as if he was upset.

Bell had been responding perfectly until now, but now he didn’t have the presence of mind to pay attention to it.

“Hey, are you coming here again?”

“huh.”

“when?”

“I don’t know.”

It was the sound of someone’s clothes being turned inside out.

“At that time, I won’t just stay here for a day like I do today, I’ll live here.”

The words that followed were worth savoring, word for word.

“You mean you’re planning a long-term stay… …? Or maybe going on a trip?”

“No, I said I’m going to live here.”

“… … .”

Your life is ruined.

To summarize briefly, that’s what it was like.

“You have to work hard.”

When I found a beta who was cheering me on as if I was someone else.

I was angry at myself for hesitating and missing a golden opportunity to escape.

***

World tree.

When you open your eyes again, which were clouded by the tales and legends surrounding it, your gaze falls on the essence.

In biological classification, it’s called a living thing or a tree.

“There is no rule that a reproducing organism must have only one seed.”

The assumption that the only seed that took root in my body was the seed of the World Tree was wrong.

This unidentified seed taken from the Druid ruins was proof of that.

“Then there must be a druid other than me who holds the seed of the world tree… … I guess not.”

If that were the case, rumors would have spread long ago.

Although I was working as a contractor, this ability was so outstanding that it could be used in a company as well.

“When I first became a druid, I said I was the last druid.”

I am the only druid in the present age.

“Was there anyone else like me in the past?”

And it appears to have been a fairly prestigious position.

Ruins are traces left behind by past civilizations.

The fact that a coffin was placed in the center meant that it was someone who had played a major role during his lifetime.

He was probably the leader of that city.

It was amazing.

If it’s an object, scarcity increases its value, but if it’s a person, it tends to be a reason for rejection.

Even if the seeds of the World Tree were not unique, they would not have been widespread.

So then, the mummy in the center was the owner of great powers… … There was room for a rough guess.

“The hint is the mural on the ruins, the picture that was also drawn in the history book of the pagoda.”

Judging by the current situation, it is certain that the tree depicts the World Tree.

Should we just accept what is depicted as a wall surrounding the city?

Typically, walls have two roles:

To confine, to block.

Since it is double-sided, it is open to interpretation.

It could be a wall to keep humans out of the city, or it could be a wall to block external threats.

It was a role more than adequate for a city leader in a savage past.

“Outside the city.”

It was a topic I had never thought about.

I’m not talking about the magic realm located at the border of each city, such as the Great Plains or the Land of Symphony.

The end of the world, to be exact.

Since the Earth is round, there is no place that can be called the end of the world.

The world within the game is different.

Beyond each city, past extreme environmental zones, there exists a blank land that is not even marked on the map.

Even adventurers who cross the border don’t dare to set foot there.

First of all, the road to get there was full of hardships, so it was a place you could never set foot on while alive.

If there is a place that should be blocked by the wall called the World Tree, it would be that place.

‘It’s just a guess, though.’

Even for me, who had explored the area 100%, it was an unknown land.

Because entry was systematically blocked.

What would have happened in this world where the places that were off-limits in the game had become reality?

There was no way for me to know unless I went there myself.

“I also question the duty of the tower owner.”

That was top secret information that even I, who had secured a certain position in the Tower, did not know.

There was a hidden reason behind the fact that the top leader occasionally left his seat.

“The transcendence that Cliff Burton mentioned is also significant.”

The weight of the discovered artifacts is so great that it is difficult to dismiss them as nonsense, as it is unclear what they mean.

What if the guy used that expression after getting information about the seeds of the World Tree?

The previous course of action of forcibly exploring the ruins should not be dismissed as abuse.

“The assignments are piling up like a mountain.”

It had a weight that was too great to be overlooked or overlooked.

“I should look into it.”

It won’t be easy.

Either way, it’s not like you can get information by paying money to the information broker.

“If we climb higher, we’ll find a clue.”

Fortunately, my progress went smoothly.

His connection to Sylvester’s direct lineage helped him gain an advantage in the competition for the succession, and his reputation as a contractor grew.

Not only did he gain favor with the schoolmaster of the Magic Tower, but he also gained favor with the elf city councilor, so he was able to meet the true upper class.

If only there was an opportunity, wouldn’t the strings connect at any time?

‘Then I guess I have to get stronger.’

Contrary to expectations, the items found in the ruins were extraordinary.

It’s called the Unidentified Seed, but I know what it is.

The seeds of the world tree.

“Unidentified Seeds

─It is a seed of an unknown plant.

─There are traces of it having once been born.

─It seems impossible for the seeds to germinate again since they have lost their vitality.

The expression “lost vitality” was a bit jarring.

Still, it wouldn’t make much of a difference what actions I should take.

In the first place, I had never planted the seeds of the World Tree in the ground and grown them.

“Fortunately, this one is a bit small because it’s dried out.”

It was a blessing in disguise, because it seemed like it would crumble if I peeled off the outer skin like before.

I didn’t want the seeds of the world tree that I had found after much difficulty to be destroyed.

And I didn’t want my throat to be blocked by the same size of my heart.

chin!

The heavy presence on my tongue felt a bit scary.

But I can’t not do it, so I’ll have to think of it as swallowing several pills at once.

Gulp!

I swallowed the seeds of the world tree.

“Whoa!”

Immediately, a fire ran through my body.

Is it because I absorbed the essence of the spring that never dries?

It was more bearable than before.

I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes before I lost consciousness.

After waking up from fainting, something will be different.

The anticipation was compensation enough to endure this terrible pain.

***

[I finally got it. Why is it that making a phone call is harder than the heavy-assed congressmen?]

“It’s because I won the lottery ticket I bought a while ago. They say that if you live generously, you’ll be blessed in your later years, so it seems like I haven’t been living a stingy life.”

[Your god has been on fire lately. Cromwell, who used to get bean curds from me while drinking cans, is talking back to me.]

“… … .”

[What are you keeping your mouth shut about again? How important are old relationships in this business? I was joking.]

“If you’re joking, then speak jokingly. I don’t know how to joke because I’m afraid people will say I’m not a former soldier.”

Cromwell stopped manipulating the network with his device and focused on the call.

He was a worthy opponent.

Even among the same brokers, there are levels.

Before Allen’s discovery, Cromwell had not even come close to matching her achievements.

“So why are you calling, Reina?”

Broker Reina.

He is an unusual person who became a broker despite his unusual past as a former military man.

She was also a heroine who had connections deep within the closed military community through her connections during her military days.

[I like how you don’t beat around the bush and are very straightforward. You’re easy to talk to among the kids.]

Several times I could hear the sound of someone inhaling, as if smoking a cigarette.

Reina brought up the main topic with a lethargic breath.

[It’s time to pay for all the help I’ve given you so far. Use the treasure you’ve been keeping so tightly wrapped up.]

There was no trickery to embellish or beat around the bush, as the origins were what they were.

Her demands were also direct and left no room for misunderstanding.

Cromwell frowned.

Naturally, the tone of voice that returned the words was not nice, following the expression.

“Did you change your job to a robber while I wasn’t looking? No matter how much help you gave me, I can’t just hand over the treasure I’ve collected.”

[I don’t intend to display my thieving spirit to that extent. This one time is enough.]

“What’s going on?”

If you can repay all the favors you’ve received with just one introduction to a contractor, it’s a profitable business.

The timing was good, as Allen’s network profile was almost finished being updated and revised.

As Cromwell let his guard down and asked again, an irritated voice came back on the other end of the phone.

[A headache has come up.]

“If it’s a headache… … is it related to inter-city warfare?”

Fighting war is the job of the military.

Although negotiations with Pulsi were dramatically resolved, this was only on the surface.

Under the water, the atmosphere remained tense and tense.

However, it is not possible for the military to directly take action and break the negotiations.

The representative types of personnel to be put forward in such cases were mercenaries and contractors.

[That’s not it. Surprisingly, this time there really seems to be an atmosphere for resolving the conflict peacefully.]

“then?”

[It’s happening inside the city.]

“Is it the police station?”

Cromwell was able to quickly get to the point.

Security was a major problem in the city.

I’m not talking about petty crime, violence, or gang wars.

Ensuring public order in the city was a challenge to power.

Terrorism, coups, conspiracies against the upper class, etc.

In that sense, the police department was classified as one of the connections belonging to the military.

“Come to think of it, I heard there have been a lot of terrorist attacks in District 5 recently. Is that related?”

[I see. The police department has requested assistance. The people we can use here are currently assigned to other assignments, so we are short on manpower. Please lend us a hand.]

“Okay.”

[… … ? So willingly?]

“Now that I have the chance to repay my debt, I must do so.”

[For a while, the old man treated him with love and care as if he had a new child.]

“I’ve raised the price to the level I wanted, so shouldn’t I start paying the price?”

It is a request from the military police, which is part of the city’s power.

It was a perfect signal to announce the return.