Chapter 216 - Chapter 20: Dryad
Going to meet the tree spirit. When I asked Eleanor-sama about Dune and Mel's participation, I received approval.
We decided to go in Wilson-san's bowl from the Jaeger unit's fortress. Magic Reflection became a scroll. First, we pass slightly south above the mountain stream and go to the clearing where the mountain hut where the insolent person had been hiding was. At that time, we had an aerial battle there and then fled north. Since it's ultra-fast, we should arrive in an instant.
"They are encouraging allies. Dryads are fastidious and are also said to be man-haters. I was prepared to be turned away at the door."
"It's because humans cut down the forest trees without permission. It's because they say things like 'clearing land' and cut down trees in the forest Dryad protects without permission that it turns out like that."
Flora's words were painful to the ears. Even now, we are cutting down trees to make a connecting road.
"In Sertoria, based on the first King's final instructions, we try not to make land-clearing plans for forests that must not be touched, but in exchange, monsters have also increased."
"Is that so?"
At Eleanor-sama's words, I reflexively raised my voice.
"In other words, the places currently considered monster domains are, perhaps..."
There are three places called monster domains in Sertoria. Northern Nakanohara, the Northeastern Forest, and the forest where the cave where the Demon Lord lives is located.
"Not necessarily. Forests where Dryads are said to live on this island exist in places other than those, and for example, they do not extend over an area as wide as the entire Northeastern Forest. However, it is also a fact that it remains in the first King's final instructions that a Dryad's forest is near the place Jeanne mentioned."
The story has become complicated. Since Paul-san knew, did the hunters know?
"If it's the boss, I think he would know. That's why he didn't approach. But instead, monsters seem to have increased. Before we knew it, they advanced beyond the Dryad's forest, and a monster domain was formed. This time, I want to confirm whether we can step over that domain and carry out the subjugation."
"You didn't go until now?"
"We couldn't go even if we wanted to. Whether we were to contact the fastidious Dryad, we didn't know the specific location or method, and if we carelessly stepped into a monster domain, we could think of them attacking villages in retaliation. Besides, as long as we subjugated the Demon Lord, there was no particular inconvenience."
This time, conditions such as location information from the pine cones, the trigger for contact by speaking about the spirit stone, Flora's presence, and moving in the bowl while hiding our forms apparently aligned.
When we finally departed, it ended with just acceleration and deceleration. Time passed where the spirits and the ghost were delighted, and the two of us with Beatrix were just fed up, and we arrived above the clearing. As we were, we headed north and then slowly east along the mountain slope, and when we searched for the giant pine cone tree with Flora's and my Sight, it was found in about half an hour. I hadn't noticed it then, but although I think the type of tree itself is the same, only one has large pine cones.
Looking south, the plains can be seen at a glance. When we once headed south to specify the location, we reached a place exactly at the boundary of the hills south of the mountain stream. Apparently, the tree in question is planted in a chosen spot where it can overlook the plains. Of course, even if Flora looks from the plains, she wouldn't know at all. It's as if it's watching the humans' movements.
Returning to the tree and landing, we all go to the base. Except for the large pine cones, there seems to be nothing particularly different from other trees. The thickness and height are about the same. It's a magnificent pine with a diameter about the width of outstretched arms, and its sturdy-looking bark is grayish. It's the same kind of pine that often grows around Nakanohara Lake. The same trees grow all over the slope. Since the horizontally spread branches are sufficiently thick with pine needles, the upper branches cannot be seen even from below. I recall the canopy was also fluffily spread, so it was perfect for hiding from the flying Gargoyles. Thanks to that, we were saved at that time. On the ground, many pine needles that had turned dark brown and pine cones with their scales completely open had fallen.
First, we must be able to speak. It was decided to have Flora call out.
"Dryad. Hey, Dryad. It's an Alraune. I want to talk. Show yourself."
When Flora hugged the tree and called out while stroking the trunk with her right hand, the tree shook for a moment.
A voice could be heard from somewhere.
"Alraune. Why did you bring humans?"
"Jeanne, who lives with me, received the stone of the tree spirit from a person. We came to ask if it's okay to just keep it."
"Is Jeanne the child holding that pine cone?"
"That's right. She once climbed this tree. At that time, there were three of them."
"Water and Wind are also together, aren't they?"
"Yes. Everyone is Jeanne's friend."
After a series of exchanges, the tree shook once more, and the place Flora was hugging split vertically, and a woman wrapped in a thin, dark green garment came out from inside.
"Thank you for coming out, Dryad."
"So you survived even in the south of the mountains. That's good."
When Flora hugged her, she hugged her back tightly and was patting her head.
She's quite tall. Would she be about the same as Will? She's one head taller than Dune.
Long hair extending to her knees with a gradient of dark green and light green. Her skin is slightly brownish, and her dark green eyelashes are also long. She has a melancholy expression, but her gaze looking at Flora is gentle, and a very slight smile is on her mouth.
"Jeanne saved me when I was alone after my companions were killed by a bad snake."
"Is that so? Are you Jeanne? Thank you."
I was thanked.
An Alraune is a dependent of a Dryad, and in human terms, it seems she's like a daughter of a branch family to the main family.
"Water and Wind have also come."
"That's right. When I'm in this form, you can call me Dune."
"I'm Mel."
Being fellow spirits, they must have no reservations. They were exchanging greetings familiarly.
"You have the stone of the tree spirit."
"Ah, yes. This is it. I received it from the first King of this country."
I take it out from my collar and show it. Flora's stone and Fiona's crystal are together.
"The stone in the middle is Fiona... she's a ghost... it's the stone I'm having that Fiona possess."
When I looked at Fiona, she was frozen, perhaps surprised, with her eyes wide open.
"You also have the Cait Sith's stone. Oh, are there birds too?"
Since she pointed at Chururi's cage, I let the couple out of the cage and explained that we met in the forest to the southeast from here.
The couple, while chirping "Chururi, Chururi," flew to the upper part of the tree and were sitting side by side on a branch.
"Fine. I'll listen to your story. Come inside."
She's pointing to the hollow beyond where the tree split, but...
Uh, if I enter once and come out, will about a hundred years have passed?
I was smacked on the head by Eleanor-sama with a thwack.
"I'm sorry. This child is somehow ignorant of common sense. I'll tell her off well later."
Dune and Mel were giggling.
"I see. She's a natural airhead, isn't she? Well, fine. Enter."
I've been treated as a natural airhead by a spirit...
Everyone is laughing...
"It's proof that Jeanne is honest and a good girl. You don't have to worry about it."
"Right, right, if it's not about that much, it's not interesting."
"Dryad is also laughing, so it's fine."
Seeing the three spirits smirking together, I don't know if they're comforting me or teasing me...
"Please, this way."
When invited and entering, it was quite spacious, by whatever mechanism.
A table made from protruding tree roots and chairs made from tree burls were lined up.
"Pardon the discourtesy of my clone's greeting earlier. I am the Dryad who lives in this forest."
Uh, when did you switch?
"Then, is this not inside that tree, but inside your tree?"
"Yes. It is an old oak tree."
When Eleanor-sama asked, it seemed even the location had changed.
Looking at where we entered, the outside was already no longer visible.
The tree leaves visible from the window were not pine, but seemed to be oak leaves.
We greeted each other for the first time. The fellow spirits were exchanging words lightheartedly.
"It is alcohol made from fruit. I wonder if it will suit human tastes..."
Lining up glasses, she served us cider. It was more than enough delicious, and many bubbles were coming out. Since the cheap stuff I usually drink is flat, it doesn't go shuwashuwa like this. I'd like to have the recipe taught to me next time. If it's an apple tree, I can manage somehow.
If so, I also take out honey wine in a small barrel. It's a prototype made with the recipe I was taught at the church, but it turned out to be a quite good finish. It was also well-received by the Boar Club. I've already confirmed with Flora that Dryad drinks.
"Honey wine, isn't it? It has been a long time since I drank it."
Apparently, it suited her taste. She praised it as delicious.
"This is a prototype, but if it suits your taste, please accept it. Since it's made from honey I received from the bees living in our field, I can make it again."
She tilted her head slightly.
"'Received,' you say?"
Flora explained for me.
"I thought humans only thought of taking, but you all seem a little different."
After that, Flora praised me quite a bit about the goblins and such, which was embarrassing.
I told her, "That's enough," and had her stop.
"By the way, regarding that stone, it is indeed something I gave to Guillaume."
"Guillaume?"
It's a name I've never heard.
"It is the name of Sertoria's first King, William-sama, before his coronation. William becomes Guillaume in a certain language of the continent."
I learned it for the first time. Dune and Mel seemed to have known.
"He said either was fine. Because even if the way he's called changes, the content doesn't change."
"Right, right, humans change their names occasionally, don't they?"
How rough. I think the name is important, but a person who rises from a mere hunter to the King of a country apparently has a different way of thinking.
"Why do you have it?"
I was suddenly interrogated. While I was flustered, Eleanor-sama explained for me.
"In other words, you can also use light magic."
They say if you want to know the taste, try eating it. Actually, I had her see one Firefly glowing in my palm.
"I see. I understand well. Then, let us speak of the promise Guillaume and I exchanged."
The first King met the Dryad's clone before the nobles under Engrio's rule attacked from the south. In other words, it was apparently when he was just a hunter. It was likely around the time he first met Dune as well. It seems it started when he happened to find a large pine cone and tried to take it back as proof of stepping over the mountain stream, and was rebuked by the clone.
"At that time, the mountain stream was already becoming the boundary between monsters and humans. Previously, the river... the Nakanohara River you speak of... that river was the boundary, but gradually they cut down the forest and moved north."
In the end, as a result of the discussion, it seems they settled on making up to the mountain stream the human domain and making the forest of the mountainous area south of it the hunting ground for human hunters. As a hunter, if everything were turned into fields, his business would be ruined. He gathered hunters, spoke with farmers, cleared the flat parts, and left the north from there as forest. Hunters would not cross the mountain stream unless there were exceptional circumstances. It was settled in that way. However, humans are forgetful. So, she said she gave the stone so they wouldn't forget.
"Basically, I do not trust humans, but for some reason, I thought Guillaume was trustworthy. But since he became King and continued to keep the promise even after death, I think it was good that I trusted him then."
In other words, the boundary with monsters that is still passed down was decided by the first King. It means he negotiated with monsters through the Dryad...
"Regarding this stone, we wanted to ask if it is alright for this Jeanne to receive it."
"It is fine. Since Guillaume gave it. Moreover, since he made it so it could only be obtained by someone who can use the same light magic as himself, he was indeed a human worthy of trust."
She was giggling.
"Um. From what I've heard, if you wear this stone, do you live long?"
"Strictly speaking, it is different. You can obtain the healing effect of the forest. The body... how should I say, becomes rejuvenated. Guillaume must have lived a simple and healthy life every day, unlike humans with soft spirits who indulge in wine and women."
Is that so? Just in case, when I had Dune examine me, she said it doesn't change.
"It does not have a dramatic effect like the water spirit's techniques. For example, if humans eat good food every day and get enough rest, they can live long, right? Please think of it as something like that."
It's disappointing, in a way, but I felt somewhat relieved. Since I started monster extermination, there are times when day and night are reversed. If I can become healthy to that extent, it's a relief.
"And one more thing. We wish to go on a monster subjugation near the Dryad's forest; would that be alright?"
Eleanor-sama spread out a map.
It was a map of Sertoria, with three circles drawn on it. West of the forest where the Demon Lord lives, northwestern Nakanohara... north of the pine cone tree, and likely where we are now, and the northern side of the mountain in the center of the Northeastern Forest. I heard that the Northeastern Forest was where the Elven country once was.
"Other places aside, where we want to obtain permission is here."
The place Eleanor-sama pointed to was northern Nakanohara.
Seeing that, Dryad's eyes narrowed.
"As for me, I have no problem as long as there are monsters. Monsters do not cut down trees recklessly."
"They are different from you humans," she stared at us.
"At the very least, in our country, following the first King's final instructions, we do not carry out land-clearing near the Dryad's forest. Even when making mountain huts or roads, we intend to choose locations carefully."
"I am grateful for that point. Because you are keeping the promise firmly. However, there is no guarantee it will be kept in the future. According to your story, Guillaume is already dead."
"Though he looks like this, this man is the former King, and I am the former Queen. It is possible to convey to the current King that we have renewed the covenant and make it the country's guideline."
"Doesn't a human country's guideline easily change in the next generation?"
Eleanor-sama worked hard, but Dryad was cold and indifferent.
Henry-sama, who was watching Eleanor-sama biting her lip, cut in, saying, "I understand."
"Dryad-dono. We do not intend to bring in an army or anything of the sort. Let's see... just once, we wish to subjugate monsters within a range not exceeding fifty, no, thirty people. If anyone intrudes a second time without permission, whoever they may be, you may exterminate them without hesitation. This matter, I can swear to the spirits of water, wind, and flowers who are here now. Of course, as Eleanor said just now, we will not do anything like clearing the land around your forest in the future."
"You seem to know the fear of the forest."
"Naturally. I do not think one can get away unscathed after defying a spirit."
Dryad, who thought for a moment, said, "Very well."
"I am grateful. Once the deed is accomplished, I will give a reward within my capability."
When Henry-sama bowed his head, Flora, who had been clinging to me and watching worriedly, let out a long sigh.
"You knew where the compromise was, didn't you? You should have just spoken like that from the start."
"Right, right. That's more straightforward."
At Dune and Mel's words, Dryad and Eleanor-sama both turned away.
"Women in positions of leading many people are troublesome, aren't they?"
At Beatrix's words, who had been watching the situation in silence until now, they looked at each other and laughed awkwardly.