Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Death's Swamp (5)
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It wasn't as if there had been no casualties at all.
One of the mercenaries had died.
That was only to be expected. Their opponents had been five trolls, after all. This level of sacrifice was actually on the lighter side.
"If we leave him like this, there's a high chance he'll turn into a demonic beast. We need to cremate him."
Following my suggestion, the mercenary's body was burned.
"Um, Druid sir."
One of the mercenaries approached me.
"Could you plant some flowers for him?"
He said that someday, far in the future, he wanted to be able to return to his comrade here.
He wanted to remember this spot, so he asked me to plant flowers as a marker.
I nodded silently and pulled a handful of seeds from my pouch.
Dwarf Dandelions.
These things had incredibly tenacious life force. Once planted, they'd bloom there every year, making them perfect for the job.
I scattered the Dwarf Dandelion seeds over the ashes and activated [Forest's Breath].
With [Forest's Blessing] added to infuse them with purifying power, they'd ended up with specs far more luxurious than your average Dwarf Dandelions.
The bright yellow dandelions that sprouted from the ashes quickly formed a colony, looking like a wave of golden light.
"Thank you, Druid sir."
The mercenary—no, all the mercenaries who had watched—bowed their heads to me in respect.
I'd heard that beastkin and barbarians considered bowing a humiliation, but they were willing to endure it. It was embarrassing.
I returned a quick bow of my own and stepped away to give them space for their mourning.
An unwanted death had visited us, but we couldn't stop. Everyone knew that. We pressed on, leaving the golden waves of Dwarf Dandelions behind us.
I planted purifying Water Ash Trees, while the mercenaries and mages dealt with monsters and demonic beasts popping up here and there.
Elle and Ayla were joining the fights now too, and I could visibly see their skills growing in real time.
Elle in particular was making huge strides, training with Zamill every evening at camp.
'My level's gone up quite a bit too.'
It had been a week since we entered Death's Swamp.
The trolls had shown up out of nowhere and handed us some easy level-ups, so I was now level 34.
I'd finally acquired [Forest's Protection].
[Forest's Protection] was one of the skills I'd really wanted and waited for.
As the name suggested, it was a defensive skill.
Trees, grass, flowers—any plants at all—formed a protective barrier, and its effects were tremendous.
For starters, since it was made of natural materials, using it in a natural environment like a forest meant it protected you without giving away your position.
It was also incredibly sturdy; no ordinary weapon could pierce it. Magic was the same.
The life force of the plants generated a wavelength that blocked magical attacks too—a near-perfect defense skill!
Plus, since the barrier was literally made of plants, unlike similar skills from other classes, it even regenerated on its own.
No matter how hard you hammered at it, it wouldn't break easily. It was bound to be an overpowered skill.
Of course, the fact that there were so few Druid players meant no one had figured it out yet.
The downside was that the effect lasted only a day, so you had to recast it every 24 hours, exposing the caster each time—but that hardly counted as a real weakness.
I'd tested it while camping, and the barrier formed a hemisphere about two meters across. It was surprisingly cozy and comfortable inside.
'I could use it instead of a tent. Though it'd waste mana.'
With no idea what might happen when we reached the core, I was really glad to have gotten [Forest's Protection] early.
Three more days, and we'd reach the heart of Death's Swamp.
Looking back, I could see the purifying Water Ash Trees I'd planted stretching out like a road.
From the entrance of Death's Swamp all the way to the core.
If this commission succeeded, the swamp's restoration would proceed quickly too.
'That said, the Death's Swamp restoration event feels way too soon.'
As I recalled, Death's Swamp wasn't restored until at least fifty years from now, after that magical genius "Claude" earned the title of Archmage.
And that's when a pretty important discovery would happen—probably...
'...Wait, is this my fault?'
If it weren't for me, the Western Mage Tower wouldn't have entered the heart of Death's Swamp, so in the end, Archmage Claude would have been the one to restore it.
But I'd racked up titles and built a reputation, so the Western Mage Tower hired me, speeding up the swamp's restoration by decades...
'Won't this mess up the timeline completely?'
It'd be a problem if the story I knew started changing.
From now on, I should steer clear of major events and quietly progress the Origin God quest...
"Master!"
Before I could finish sorting my thoughts, Elle called out to me.
"The mages want to see you. They said they need to discuss tomorrow's plans..."
"Plans?"
I stood up, repeating the word, and Elle nodded eagerly.
"Got it. I'll head over. Eat dinner with Ayla, okay?"
I headed for the mages' tent.
-Swish.
As I opened the tent flap, I immediately noticed the mages sitting around a table in a rather grim atmosphere.
"I heard you called for me."
"Ah, Theodore. Have a seat here."
I sat where directed and waited for them to speak.
"You're surely aware that the heart of Death's Swamp is drawing near, aren't you, Theodore?"
One mage, Jacob, said to me.
"Yes. I can feel the toxicity in the fog growing thicker than before."
"Exactly."
A mage pulled the cloth off something, revealing a yellow canary trapped in a cage.
The canary wasn't calm at all; it flitted from perch to perch, chirping noisily.
I understood why they were showing me this.
"Canaries are extremely sensitive to toxins. Seeing it so agitated confirms it."
"You really do know your stuff."
Jacob nodded in satisfaction, paused for a moment, then spoke.
"We have three days left, but the toxic fog is already intensifying far beyond our expectations."
What are you getting at?
I narrowed my eyes and studied Jacob's face intently.
"So?"
"There's something we'd like to ask of you."
"What?"
Jacob smacked his lips again, dragging it out. This piggish bastard, toying with people...
"The antidote."
"Antidote?"
I gave him a bewildered look, and Jacob cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Did you think we wouldn't notice? That you're giving the antidote only to that little servant of yours every morning."
...So that's it.
They sure are sharp.
For the past few days, I'd been giving Elle an antidote made from a totem every morning.
Death's Swamp's toxins were still too strong for a young girl like her to endure.
It was like a preventive vaccine, sort of.
Ah, should I just bluff and call it a nutritional tonic?
I could only make one per day, so I couldn't sell any right now anyway.
"The fog's toxicity has indeed strengthened, but you lot don't really need an antidote..."
"Theodore."
"..."
"We're mages of the Western Mage Tower. Do you know what that means?"
"...That you're mages of the Western Mage Tower?"
Jacob looked at me like I was an idiot. What, then?
"It means we're more important than your lowly servant."
"..."
I listened quietly as Jacob continued.
"If you can produce an antidote, you should have informed us first, of course. Now, we'll pay whatever price you name..."
"No."
"Pardon?"
"I said no."
I stared at the mages with a hardened expression.
Sure, being part of the Mage Tower meant they were among the continent's top talents.
So what?
What did that have to do with me?
I smirked thinly, savoring their dumbfounded faces.
"The fog's toxicity has strengthened, that's true. But it's still at a level you can handle with detox potions."
"Theodore."
"Surely you don't distrust those magnificent Western Mage Tower detox potions?"
"..."
"The ones you made yourselves?"
"..."
"Wow, I wonder what Agni would say if he knew about this."
They were important enough figures in the Western Mage Tower to be assigned to this mission. They must have basic detox spells down pat and more than enough potions—yet here they were, already panicking.
"It's not that, we..."
"Freaking out over this little bit? You're more skittish than the canary."
"..."
Jacob's face flushed red and purple as he glared at me, then turned and covered the canary's cage with a black cloth.
What a joke.
They looked down on Druids more than anyone, but now that their situation looked dicey, they were trying to scheme.
"Don't worry. You're all 'important' people, aren't you?"
"...Ahem!"
"You'll be fine without an antidote from a mere Druid like me. Not like you're lowly servants—you're the proud talents of the lofty Western Mage Tower!"
"..."
I mocked them thoroughly in an exaggerated tone, then gave a mocking bow.
"Well then, I'll be off. My lowly servant is waiting for me."
"...Do as you like."
I slipped out of the mages' tent with a faint smile.
"Master!"
Elle was waiting not far away.
"Why are you here? I told you to eat dinner."
"I wanted to wait and eat with you, Master."
"It must be cold by now."
"No! I kept the stew on the fire."
"It probably burned."
"No! I was stirring it right up until now."
"Hm, really?"
"Yes! So don't worry—let's go eat together."
"Alright."
"Ayla's waiting for you too, Master."
Lowly servant, worthless girl, once a noble lady but now the last remnant of House Reinhardt...
Just an ordinary little kid.
Important enough, surely.
I headed back to our tent with Elle.