The Lili Tribe (1)
At that very moment, while Archeron was locked in battle with the mantis outer gods...
Vermith's second legion commander,
the Centipede Queen, Centria, was receiving a report from her subordinate.
"You found traces?"
"Yes, that's correct, Legion Commander."
In response to Centria's question, her right-hand woman and first squad leader, Karsela, bowed her head.
"Is it certain?"
Chwarrk.
Centria's massive centipede lower body rippled like waves.
It was proof of her excitement at Karsela's report.
"Yes. We confirmed it three times through Perrinshia."
Perrinshia
A centipede humanoid specialized in pheromone-mana detection among the centipede insectoids.
"There's definitely another Dragon's Lair somewhere within the vast illusion barrier spread across the northern Glowing Canyon."
Karsela added with a voice full of conviction once more.
Perrinshia had detected the faint mana leaking from the illusion barrier multiple times, sensing it like pheromones.
Having identified the unique pattern of 'dragon mana'—distinct from ordinary mana—there was no doubt a Dragon's Lair existed there.
"I had my suspicions about that place too."
It was a brand-new Dragon's Lair, not the site where Grim Reaper had vanished.
With all the outer gods tracking Grim Reaper's disappearance site, this was a golden opportunity to claim it alone, without rivals.
'If I claim this merit, I can surpass Karmarks and take the first legion commander's seat.'
Chwarrk!
Centria's lower body writhed like a giant centipede once again.
"Find it. Even if it costs your life."
"Yes, ma'am!"
At Centria's command, Karsela bowed deeply, showing her obedience.
Fwaaah.
The Lili tribe's barrier opened, and a figure stepped out.
Tap, tap, tap.
Emerging from the barrier was a fairy with a smaller build than Archeron.
"Benefactor...! My name is Lucien. We of the Lili tribe are deeply grateful for saving us from danger."
He bowed deeply, pressing his forehead to the ground.
Behind him, hazy wings of light.
Made of mana, they were translucent yet shimmering with flowing light.
With every movement, rainbow particles scattered, brightly illuminating the surroundings.
'Beautiful.'
That was my first impression upon seeing the Lili tribe.
"Ah!"
Then, Bellerin let out a regretful sigh beside me.
"What's wrong?"
"That child... their mana seems depleted."
"Mana depletion?"
"Yes. The Lili tribe sustains themselves on the forest's mana. When they're low on mana, their light wings fade like that."
She covered her mouth with her hand, her face full of pity.
'Ah.'
That explained why the Lili tribesman's wings looked so dim.
As I observed Lucien's wings more closely, he spoke again.
"Benefactor... Due to our circumstances, we can't offer repayment worthy of your grace... It weighs heavily on us that we can't give anything in return."
He looked in terrible shape—repayment from folks like this would feel like squeezing blood from a stone.
I clicked my tongue and sent a mental message to Archeron.
'Ask how their mana got depleted.'
At my thought, Archeron's eyes glowed red.
"Keron. Master asks how your mana became depleted."
"Ah, so Master is separate. The master of such a powerful golem as you must be a great archmage of immense prestige..."
Lucien said this, then immediately began recounting their story.
"As you may know, we Lili tribe live by consuming the forest's mana—more precisely, the forest essence. But from some point on..."
The Lili tribe were beings who created the eastern forest's essence to sustain life.
"Strange beings we've never seen before appeared, attacked us, and plundered our forest essence..."
From some moment, bizarre entities had begun raiding their forest essence.
Those bizarre beings were surely like the mantis outer god from earlier.
At this rate, the Lili tribe seemed doomed to extinction if just a little more time passed.
"Keron. Can you show the state of the other Lili tribe inside the barrier?"
Lucien bit his lower lip and dispelled the barrier.
Revealed was the Lili tribe's village.
"Ah!"
"My god..."
At the sight, we let out deep sighs once more.
Lili tribesmen with light wings flickering faintly, on the verge of extinguishing, lay collapsed here and there.
"Ah! The Lili tribe... so heartbreaking."
Bellerin murmured beside me with a pitying expression.
The Lili tribe's situation looked that desperate.
"Can't we bring those Lili tribesmen to Elatrium?"
Forest essence.
The Elatria could probably make it there too.
"Ah! It should be possible. But whether they'd leave the rainbow forest..."
The Lili tribe had a habit of rarely leaving their nest once established.
"Well, if they don't want to, nothing we can do."
This was the extent of kindness I could offer them.
Offering them a place in Elatrium.
But if they stubbornly refused due to habit?
Nothing for it.
After that, I couldn't help them even if I wanted to.
I couldn't fend off their raiders forever.
"Keron. Master says..."
Archeron promptly relayed to Lucien.
"T-to your place, Benefactor...?"
"Yes."
"Do you reside in the eastern forest, by any chance?"
"No. It's quite a distance from here. But the Elatria have taken root there, so no need to worry about forest essence."
"E-Elatria...?"
At the word Elatria, Lucien's eyes widened like saucers.
"W-wait a moment...!"
He scurried to the center of the village.
The Lili tribesmen watching us with worried, wary expressions.
He spoke with a few who seemed to hold positions.
It took longer than expected.
'Looks like it's a no-go.'
As I was about to tell Archeron to get up and leave, since no agreement seemed reached...
"B-Benefactor!"
Lucien came dashing back, breathless.
"We'll be in your debt from now on...!"
He prostrated himself flat.
They'd decided to join us.
With this,
the Lili tribe became the second tribe to enter Elatrium, following the shadow wolves.
"Awooooo—!!"
"Awoooo!!"
The shadow wolves howled.
"Eek, eeeeeek!"
"Ughhh!"
The Lili tribe screamed in terror.
This commotion arose while loading the Lili tribe onto the shadow wolves' backs.
'Without the shadow wolves, transporting them would've been a hassle.'
There were about 100 Lili tribesmen.
Bringing those who could barely walk here would have been nearly impossible.
So the shadow wolves stepped up.
The Elatria wove cradles from their branches.
With those cradles on their backs, each shadow wolf could carry over 10 Lili tribesmen.
Thus, the shadow wolves swiftly transported the entire Lili tribe to Elatrium.
"Ah... ah!"
"This is Elatrium...!"
"Lili...!"
Despite their weary faces, the Lili tribe couldn't hide their awe upon facing Elatrium.
"Welcome... forest... children..."
"We heard... your tale... you've suffered... much..."
"Come... we'll make... forest essence... now..."
The Lili tribe entered Elatrium and began creating forest essence.
Kwaaaa!!
The Lili tribe sprayed mana dust from their light wings, gathering the Elatria's life force and mana at Elatrium's center.
Thus, energy that was once invisible began taking form as a translucent liquid.
"Whoa."
I watched the scene in real-time through Archeron and let out a gasp of admiration.
'So that's how forest essence is made.'
As I observed the process intently, Bellerin approached me.
"Master, may I use the resources Archeron brought to craft some equipment?"
Mana stones, mantis exoskeletons.
And mithril.
Bellerin was brimming with excitement.
"Sure, go ahead as much as you want."
I was the one who wanted to ask—her volunteering was a relief.
"Thank you, Master! I'll make something great~!"
Bellerin clenched her fists determinedly and hurried to her workshop area.
'Guess I'll eat now too.'
Nagata meat and Mandragora.
Plus green onions, cabbage, carrots.
By the end of this meal, I might reach Lv 50 too.
As I thought that and rose to leave...
"Keron. Master. The Lili tribe's representative wishes to personally thank Master and offer the first completed forest essence."
Archeron's voice.
Looking back at the feed, Lucien was politely clasping his hands toward Archeron.
Behind him floated a bubble of translucent liquid about his size.
That was the forest essence.
Okay.
I was curious about it anyway.
Let's call him over.
Fortunately, the Lili tribe was small enough like Archeron, so they could enter the lair via his dimensional slice.
"Ahh! To the Benefactor and holy great archmage, Lucien of the Lili tribe offers deep thanks on this occasion!"
Lucien bowed deeply upon seeing me.
"Yeah. You did well."
"This is the first forest essence we made here...! It would be a tremendous honor if you'd accept it!"
The translucent liquid he offered.
About the size of a baseball.
Curiously, it floated in midair without touching the ground.
When I placed it on my palm, it bobbed there.
Wow.
Not bad level at all.
"But what's its effect?"
"Eh! For us, forest essence sustains life...! It holds such strong vitality that for other beings, consuming it primarily enhances life force...!"
Lucien continued.
"It's especially effective on plants—beyond strengthening life force, it serves as a stepping stone for one stage of growth...!"
One stage of growth?
No way.
That sparked an idea in my mind.
'Does that mean leveling up?'
Worth testing.
"Let me take a bit..."
I wanted to try it on Mandragora or Seondo.
@Groooaaarrr!!
Mandrian came charging at unprecedented speed, limbs flailing.
@Groooaa—!!
Reaching for the forest essence in my hand, it begged desperately.
"You want this?"
@Groooaaarrr—!!
Mandrian nodded frantically at my words.
"Hm."
I pondered briefly.
Mandrian was essentially a Mandragora.
Testing if it levels up on him seemed fine.
Decision made, I tore off half and gave it to him.
Then.
@Groooaaarrr—!!
Overjoyed, he headbutted the ground in thanks, then snatched the half essence.
Kwaaaaa!!
A beautiful silver light enveloped his body.
Gwoooo!
Along with that unprecedented aura.
He burrowed into the ground, rooting himself for the first time in ages.
Mandrian, Lv115
The status hadn't changed yet.
But.
I had a strong hunch that once absorption finished, he'd level up.
If forest essence really levels things up?
'I'd level up all the spirit herbs right away.'
Start with the most effective: Mandragora and Seondo.
'Ah, could it work on Eldrias too?'
I thought while gazing at Eldrias, still just a sprout.
Then.
Lucien, following my gaze, spotted Eldrias.
"Eh? Wh-what, the World Tree...?"
Lucien gasped.
With an expression of shock as if facing a god, he knelt on the spot, clasping his hands.
"Th-the World Tree's sprout...! My god! What is this place...!"
As Lucien freaked out.
Dania woke from her nap.
"Kkyung... Noisy!"
"Eek!"
Thud!
Facing Dania, Lucien toppled backward as if fainting.
"D-dr-dr-dr-dragon?"
"Kkyu! What's this?"
Dania spotted Lucien and approached.
Then.
"Gasp, gr-gr-great one... I-I greet you!"
Lucien trembled, prostrating before Dania.
Grab.
Dania lifted the prostrated Lucien with both hands and examined him closely.
"Tiny fairy. So cute~"
"Th-th-thank you..."
Lucien sweated profusely, playing along with Dania.
"Dania. This guy's not well. Stop teasing and go eat some Han-bing-gwa."
"Kkyu! Han-bing-gwa!! Love it!!"
I handed her one, and she instantly lost interest in Lucien, gnawing away at it.
Lucien finally calmed, catching his breath before speaking.
"Haha, I never dreamed such a great being resided here...!"
He kept stealing glances at Dania, unable to hide his awe, as if the situation was unbelievable.
Then.
Lucien continued.
But his words.
Made my ears perk up.
"Ah... So that's why they were heading to the northern canyon to find a Dragon's Lair! This land has become Yongtaerim... it really has..."
What?
Northern canyon's Dragon's Lair?
Yongtaerim?
What.
There was more than one Dragon's Lair here?