Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Death Swamp (9)
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Rasgal's followers had offered fitting sacrifices to summon the Hydra, but things didn't go as they planned.
A Black Dragon appeared.
The Hydra had to engage in a fierce battle with the Black Dragon even before it could claim the dragon's egg.
If it had taken the dragon's egg, the Hydra would have turned the continent into chaos, just as Rasgal's followers intended.
But instead, the Hydra faced the Black Dragon without securing the egg, and as a result, eight of its heads were severed.
The Black Dragon protected the egg but ultimately lost its life due to the Hydra's poison, which inflicts eternal agony even on gods and demons....
And because of the Black Dragon's attacks, the Hydra, left with only one head, fell into a long slumber at the center of the lake.
Rasgal's followers must have perished in the crossfire before achieving their goal.
My head throbbed with the overwhelming memories that no human could bear, but I gritted my teeth and pulled myself together. Then, I quickly stored the dragon's egg in my subspace ring.
"Theodor, sir? Is something there?"
Jacob asked me, but I shook my head.
"No, nothing at all."
"...Is that so?"
"Even if there was, what does it matter? Everything except the dragon's bones is mine anyway."
"Well, that's true, but...."
Jacob looked suspicious but turned away without pressing further.
'My hunch that something more important than dragon bones was waiting was spot on....'
What should I do with this?
No matter how valuable the item....
No, is this even an item?
'At least it seems alive....'
The moment I touched it, I felt a strong surge of mana, so the hatchling inside the egg is definitely alive.
A dragon.
Can I even handle this?
For now, the egg won't hatch unless certain conditions are met.
So, I'll have to find a way in the meantime.
Dragons aren't mere monsters; they're spiritual beings, transcendent entities of sorts.
That means getting entangled with one could lead to unforeseen consequences.
'Dragons are as capricious as gods....'
I need to clear the Origin God quest as soon as possible; I absolutely can't afford any other incidents.
'I'll figure something out the moment I get back.'
Near the altar, various items used by the cultists were scattered about. I gathered the usable ones and prepared to leave.
"You're too much."
Elle, who was helping me pack, said with a pout.
"What is?"
"You just left me locked up. I could've definitely been helpful...."
"The opponent was a Hydra."
"But I—!"
I cut off Elle without listening further.
"What if we had all been wiped out?"
"...."
"You would've been the only one to deliver the news."
"That didn't happen."
"It could have. I was just preparing for that."
"...."
"Not because you're weak, but because I thought you could escape Death Swamp and spread the word even if we were all wiped out."
"...."
"You've got a track record of surviving tenaciously in the Cursed Lands."
Elle looked like she wanted to say more, but after glancing at my face, she clamped her mouth shut.
"Pack your luggage."
Elle meticulously gathered the items that didn't need to go into the subspace ring. Seeing no more backtalk, she seemed to have accepted it somewhat.
'Reinhardt lives up to his name; his pride is through the roof.'
Well, that's probably why he'll earn the title of Silver Lion Reinhardt in the future.
After finishing packing, before leaving Death Swamp, I planted Water Ash Trees and other purifying plants in various spots. I'd used up all the prepared magic stones, so I had to use the Hydra's magic stone to grow the rest. It was valuable, but since I'd already been paid handsomely, I didn't feel a pang of regret.
Thanks to the enormous Hydra magic stone, countless trees, vines, and grasses sprouted thickly, forming a forest in no time. With such a sturdy forest complete, the lingering demonic energy would soon be purified.
Once that's done, this place won't be called Death Swamp anymore—it'll be known as the 'Purified Water Ash Tree Forest.'
[The Water Ash Tree fairy is delighted.]
I gently caressed the trunk of the last Water Ash Tree I'd planted, then turned away.
I'd barely met the deadline, so the portal was already prepared.
'The moment I get back, I'll soak in hot water mixed with desert salt for a very, very long time, then sleep like the dead.'
I hadn't bathed in nearly half a month, so I was a mess. Sweat, blood, mud... utterly filthy. I craved a hot bath desperately.
However....
"Welcome back safely!"
Western Tower Master Agni wouldn't let me rest.
She insisted that Jamil and I attend the banquet. It was an invitation from the Western Tower Master herself—impossible to refuse. We barely changed clothes upon arrival and headed straight to the welcome banquet.
The banquet hall was laden with an enormous spread of food. Starting with desert bison roast, a specialty of Roshan, there were transparent eggs and fin dishes from abyss sharks, and even the delicacy of spiky octopus, said to be poisonous....
The appetizing dishes were lined up, but somehow, I had no appetite. Maybe from exhaustion, or perhaps the pressure of facing Agni right away.
Of course, Jamil didn't care and tore into a desert bison leg.
I just quenched my thirst with water garnished with blue lemon, then smiled at Agni.
"Thank you. Thanks to your support, I was able to complete the request safely."
"A druid as skilled as you is a first... no, it's been a while. Come to think of it, there was a druid similar to you. No idea what he's up to now...."
"I see."
"Anyway, that's not important. What I'm curious about is something else."
"Whether something more valuable than dragon bones was waiting, right?"
"Exactly."
"Let me get straight to the point...."
I paused for a moment.
Should I tell the Western Tower Master honestly that I obtained a dragon's egg?
She's lived 200 years—a sly fox. No one matches her wisdom. If I confess about the dragon's egg, she might even give me advice on what to do with it.
However....
"Out with it."
Agni's red eyes gleamed ominously.
"...It was a complete loss."
I chose to lie.
Agni is wise. But she's undoubtedly even more cunning. Just look at how she issued this insane request to breach Death Swamp for dragon bones.
"I did get some cultist items, but nothing as valuable as the dragon bones."
"Hahaha, I figured as much?"
"Some need purification at a temple before selling, so it really was a losing deal."
Agni laughed merrily, cackling away.
"You should never gamble!"
"Thanks for the advice."
"Good. I'll buy those cultist items from you."
"How generous."
"It's nothing."
After some light chit-chat with Agni, I returned. Jamil seemed eager to discuss something, but I put it off until tomorrow and hurried to my room. I desperately needed rest. Upon arriving, Elle and Ayla were already tangled together asleep, having finished their meal.
I asked a tower servant to prepare hot bathwater, then entered the bathroom with various herbs, desert salt, and an old book. Soaking in the steaming water infused with herbs and brimming with vitality, my tension finally began to ease.
"Haa...."
Now I can live.
I stretched out my legs and leaned back in the tub. As the built-up tension melted away, heavy fatigue overtook my body. How long had it been since I could relax like this.... I closed my eyes.
I thought purifying Death Swamp was all there was to it, but so much happened.
Defeating the Hydra and even obtaining a dragon's egg.
It was grueling, but the gains outweigh it.
I opened the old book and checked the achievements.
[Achievement Unlocked: The Ninth Slayer]
[Bonus Effect: Hydra's Fangs Usable]
[Bonus Effect: 30% Attack Power Increase Against Poison/Acid Monsters]
Two bonus effects.
In Death Swamp, I'd only confirmed the Hydra's Fangs usability.
The Hydra's poison surpasses all others.
Being able to wield it means I can handle any poison.
With the totem [Merciful Monster] made from the three-headed snake, I'm practically immune to all poisons now.
'No more worries about poison-related stuff....'
The Hydra's fangs, shaped into daggers, would be incredibly powerful in various ways.
'I can hear my value rising.'
If I were an assassin instead of a druid, I could've made a fortune already.
But it's a job with too much risk.
Not suited to me anyway.
Using Hydra's fangs just for self-defense sounds luxurious, but whatever.
No rule says druids can't get item buffs.
'Alright, tomorrow I'll shape the Hydra's fangs into something usable.... Oh, right. Agni said she'd buy the cultist items, so I need to sort out the unnecessary ones.'
It was a gold coin request. Considering her reputation, Agni would pay handsomely.
It should cover expenses for heading to the Ekaitz Confederacy.
In the Ekaitz Confederacy, I can get info on Black Opium.
While digging into Black Opium....
With luck, I might learn about the attackers too.
Of course, now that I'm sure they're after me, I need to be even more cautious.
My head already hurts from chasing Origin God leads—what is all this?
'Come to think of it, when I lost consciousness....'
What exactly happened?
'I was definitely stabbed in the side....'
I carefully felt the spot where I'd been stabbed. The sensation of the blade piercing was vivid in my memory, yet now it's perfectly clean.
"It's a relief, but it feels off."
-Ppiiroppii?
No idea when it slipped in, but Ppippi perched on my head and started preening.
"Did you see anything?"
-Ppii?
"Haa.... Never mind."
-Ppiiiik?