I'll Take Good Care of You
'To think the Honey-Ring Queen was consumed by demonic energy.'
Delis said she still had a sliver of consciousness left, but according to her, there wasn't much time. 'If I want to trade with the Honey-Ring tribe, I have to cure the Queen, no matter what.' I didn't know how the tribe would react if they lost their Queen, and Hylen had said that the Queen was essential for me to bear fruit. Besides, if I saved her, the tribe would surely be favorable toward me. The chances of success were high.
'I've extracted demonic energy plenty of times; I'm good at it.'
But there was a separate problem: bringing the Queen here safely. My plan was simple. Once Delis and her group lured the Queen nearby, I would release a strong scent of the corrupted Queen’s pheromones to draw her in. Once she was within range, I’d snatch her with my roots and drain only the demonic energy. The key was the role of Delis’s party.
'I hope they can pull this off.'
Anxiety welled up in me. What if they got hurt? They said the Queen was incredibly strong—would they be okay? 'They really shouldn't get hurt...' Just as all sorts of thoughts were racing through my mind, Riri, who had heard my thoughts, placed her hand on my trunk.
-It’s okay. Everyone is stronger than you think!
Hylen and Khan approached next. "Do not worry, World Tree. Though they look young, Delis and Rupel are quite skilled."
"Indeed. And we have sent only the strongest of our elite goblins."
At Hylen and Khan’s words, I rustled my branches. 'Thank you all for saying that.' Tori, standing nearby, lifted a tomato high and shouted, "Kkoo-oong!" It was as if he were saying, Leave it to me. I smiled awkwardly. Um, Tori, you're fine. Just put that down. Still, seeing my residents like this put me a little at ease.
'Right. Let's trust them and do my part.'
First, to prepare for any contingency, I had the Totoris, the goblins, and the elves evacuate to the upper branches of the tree, while the combat-ready elves, elite goblins, Khan, and Hylen gathered near the base. 'I need to be as prepared as possible.' So that Delis’s group could hand the Queen over to me immediately.
Thud-thud-thud! Dash!
"Huff... huff...!"
"Haa!"
"Kieee-!"
In the middle of the forest, Delis’s party was running like mad. In the hand of Delis, who led the pack, was a small branch—the one smeared with the corrupted Queen’s pheromones.
Kugugugu-!
The Honey-Ring Queen flew behind them at breakneck speed. Wrapped in black demonic energy, the Queen had completely lost her sanity. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and the tips of her yellow hair were stained black.
"Haa... huff... De, Delis...! Is, is this really right?" Rupel, running behind her, asked urgently, but Delis was too frantic to answer.
"Run instead of asking questions! You idiot!"
Just then, the Queen raised her whip.
Jini shouted, -She’s coming again..!
The Honey-Ring tribe members who had followed tried to block the Queen’s attack somehow, but—
"Kkoo-rorong!"
"Kkoo-ring!"
They were struck by the Queen’s body and sent flying.
Chwaaaaak-!
The Queen swung her whip. Toward Delis. No, to be precise, toward the branch in Delis’s hand. Delis gritted her teeth. 'No!' If she lost the branch, she wouldn't be able to carry out the World Tree’s plan perfectly. 'I can't let that happen.' Pina was currently in her arms, drained of energy. 'Even if I have to take the hit, I’ll get the Queen to the village!'
Just as Delis picked up speed—
Kwaaaaang-!
The incoming whip was blocked by something.
-Ugh... hurry..!
Jini was right behind Delis. She had raised a wall of earth to block the whip. -I’ll block the attacks, so run to the village..!
Jini barely managed to block the incoming whips, and with the protection of the goblins and Rupel, Delis kept running. And finally—
"I see it!"
The entrance to the village came into view. However, as Jini, having exhausted her energy, stumbled, the Queen flew in fast. At this rate, they would be caught. 'I have no choice...!' Delis gripped the branch tightly and threw it with all her might toward the village entrance.
Whoosh-!
The branch flew rapidly toward the village.
Kugugugu-!
The Queen flew past Delis and her party, chasing the branch. She reached the vicinity of the flying branch. And the moment she reached out her hand to grab it—
Kwadururu-!
Roots burst from the ground and wrapped around the Queen.
'Gotcha.'
Checkmate.
'Delis did a great job.'
Thanks to her, I didn't even have to use the corrupted Queen’s pheromones. "Kueee... kueee!" The Honey-Ring Queen struggled violently. The more she did, the tighter I bound her with my roots. Seeing the Queen, Khan said with a stiff expression, "She is heavily eroded by demonic energy; we must hurry."
He was right. Her hands, and even her entire body, were stained black. I had never seen a being so corrupted by demonic energy.
"Kkoo-ring..."
"Kkoo-rorong..."
The nearby Honey-Ring tribe members hovered around anxiously. 'Let's start immediately.' I used Devour right away.
Sluuuuuurp.
The spicy-sweet demonic energy flowed in through my roots. As it did, the demonic energy began to seep out of the Queen’s body little by little. 'More.' I sucked in more demonic energy. 'Keep going!' I continued to use Devour. It was beyond spicy—it was almost burning. It was a stimulation so intense that if a human had tasted it, they would have ended up with gastritis. 'Still, just a little more!'
Sluuuuuurp-!
The moment I sucked in the demonic energy one more time, a window appeared.
Skill, Devour has reached Level 7.
You have reached Level 3.
My species level and Devour level had increased. 'Is this enough?' No more black smoke billowed from the Queen’s body. But— 'The Queen’s condition is too poor.' Her face was pale, almost white. Her cheeks and lips lacked any blood color, and her wings were brittle. 'She’s not... dead, is she?'
Just as I was watching with concern, "...Ugh."
The Queen opened her eyes with difficulty. As her eyelids lifted, yellow amber eyes were revealed. 'Thank goodness. She seems to have returned to her senses.' As I slowly loosened my roots, her body slumped powerlessly. 'Ah! She’s falling!' I hurriedly supported the Queen with my roots, and nearby Honey-Ring tribe members flew over and hovered around her.
"Kkoo-rong..."
"Kkoo-rorong!"
The Queen stroked those Honey-Ring tribe members with difficulty. "There, there... don't cry..." She slowly lifted her head and looked at me. "You are... the new World Tree."
That wasn't the important part right now. 'Uh... well, yeah. More than that, are you okay?' At my words, the Queen smiled faintly. "I am sorry, but..."
Huh? "I don't think I have much time left."
At the Queen’s words, I asked urgently, 'Is there still demonic energy left?'
"No. There is no more demonic energy." She continued quietly. "It seems I have exhausted my life force fighting against too much of it."
...What? I was flustered. Can't my Leaves of Mana heal her? Or maybe a holy sanctuary..! 'There must be a way!' At my words, Riri shook her head with a dark expression. -Her life force... there’s really not much left...
'But...!'
Then the Queen smiled bitterly. "It’s okay. Still, I’m glad I met you before I died." Saying that, she leaned heavily against my roots. "If I had stayed as I was, I would have killed my own kin and become a monster."
The Queen, having said that, caught her breath for a moment and opened her mouth. "It is our first time meeting... but might I ask a favor?"
The Queen looked at me quietly. Her appearance looked pitiful, like a candle before a typhoon. Yet, at the same time, she looked firm. I could not refuse the request of a Queen facing death. 'Yes. Tell me.'
"Thank you." The Queen squeezed the remaining strength from her body and lifted her hand. Moving seemed difficult. She reached out very slowly, and at the same time, she fired mana forward.
Wooooong-!
Seeing that, I shouted in surprise, 'What are you doing!' She was dying even now! How could she use her strength! I wasn't the only one flustered. The Honey-Ring tribe kids were also crying and hovering around the Queen.
"Kkoo-ring...!"
"Kkoo-rororong!"
Blood gushed from her mouth. 'Stop it!' Even at my words, the Queen continued to fire her power. At that moment, a sub-space formed, and something was pulled out. It was something the size of an adult’s fist. 'A cocoon?' It was a small cocoon.
"The next... Queen."
She held the cocoon in her arms with infinite tenderness. 'Is the favor you mentioned...' At my words, the Queen smiled softly. "Yes... please... take care of this child."
Then she hugged the cocoon tightly. Very tightly. She hugged it with her last remaining strength. And then she shifted her gaze to me. "Thank you. For giving me the time to speak one last time." She seemed to struggle even to speak. "For letting me say goodbye one last time..."
Her voice grew smaller and smaller. "Truly... thank you."
I couldn't say anything. I just watched her quietly. Then, she spoke toward the Honey-Ring tribe. "Everyone... thank you. For following me until the end." The Honey-Ring tribe members cried, kkoo-rong, kkoo-rong. Finally, the Queen looked at the cocoon in her arms.
"My baby..." The Queen’s voice trembled endlessly. "For leaving you behind... for Mom leaving you so weakly like this... I’m sorry... my baby..."
She couldn't take her eyes off the cocoon until the moment her eyes closed. With trembling hands, she stroked the cocoon lightly, and then—
Srrrk.
She closed her eyes.
The Honey-Ring Queen. Had died.
"Kkoo-ring..."
"Kkoo-rong..."
The wailing of the Honey-Ring tribe members hovering around echoed through the village. I couldn't do anything. It felt as if the strength had drained from my roots. I looked at the cocoon held in the Queen’s arms. Quiet and small. A child waiting to become the next Queen inside it. A child left alone without a mother.
I carefully lowered a branch and took the cocoon. 'I'll take good care of you.' That promise, at least. I felt I could keep it.