Chapter 68
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: New Family Members
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"Erzsebet. Do elves normally worship dryads or something?"
Suddenly, this high elf named Rene knelt down before me... no, before the dryad, declaring her submission. I quietly pulled Erzsebet aside and asked her about it. She referred to elves as 'Albs' and seemed to know what kind of race they were, but she'd never mentioned any particular connection to dryads.
"Hmm. I'm not entirely sure about that either..."
Erzsebet alternated her gaze between Rene, who was still kneeling, and the dryad, clearly finding the situation unfamiliar as well.
Even when Rene abruptly asked to be taken in, the dryad showed no sign of panic. Instead, she beamed happily and stroked Rene's head.
"Ah...!"
And in that moment, a fresh, vibrant energy surged from the dryad. Rene's dry, brittle-looking hair began to gleam with luster, and her weary expression gradually brightened.
"Ahh... O great incarnation of nature...!"
"Ooh...! Lady Queen! My body...!"
Rene began shedding tears of joy, and the elves standing behind her like attendants all wore bright expressions, tears streaming down their faces as well.
The dryad who had created this scene came scampering over to me, tugging at my pant leg as she spoke.
"Daddy. Take her."
"...Take her?"
Was she referring to what that woman named Rene had just said about wanting to be taken in?
"Me too, subordinates!"
The dryad's eyes sparkled as she pointed at someone with her fingertip.
She pointed at Erzsebet's kin, and at the red demon tribe member Lina, who had ended up in a similar state of submission to Rio.
"Me too!"
"........."
It was as if she wanted subordinates just like them.
"For now... I'd like some explanations."
"Yes, Master of the Dryad."
The dryad's avatar had awakened, but she still spoke a bit clumsily with parts that were hard to understand, so I demanded an explanation from Rene, who was shedding tears.
She began her explanation in a far more deferential manner than before, kneeling before me.
"High elves are born with deficiencies from the start... For that, the sacred tree is needed... Only dryads can create sacred trees... Now that dryads are extinct, submitting to the sole remaining dryad is the natural choice for the future of high elves..."
It was a mix of things I already knew from Lil and new information—a rough explanation of high elf biology and their relationship with dryads.
'...Extinct? A legendary race?'
Something about how Rene described dryads was nagging at me, so I decided to ask something else.
"Do you happen to know anything about the 'Blood Demon Tribe'?"
"The Blood Demon Tribe... In the distant past, I've heard that name. They're said to be one of the demon tribes from the mythic era... And I know they're a race that's already extinct."
"........."
Every human and demon I'd met so far hadn't recognized Erzsebet's race, so on a hunch, I asked about the Blood Demon Tribe—and got the same response: a legendary race that's long gone.
'...Damn. Phantoms too, apparently.'
Phantom had claimed to be a demon carrying the blood of dream demons. Back then, he'd described dream demons like some legendary race from myths. Lilith had tilted her nose up in pride but looked utterly baffled.
"W-Well, they're not exactly legendary... There are quite a few, though."
"Hmm. Why don't they know about the Blood Demon Tribe? Our race may sleep a lot and not be very active, but it's not like we'd be completely unknown."
Lilith's dream demons. Erzsebet's Blood Demon Tribe. And now the dryad's dryads...
'...All races that supposedly went extinct in the past.'
But those three had no idea their races had perished. If anything, they didn't even realize how rare their kind were.
'Maybe... they've been asleep in this ruin far longer than I imagined.'
Had they slumbered here until their kin outside were completely wiped out? For what reason?
"Master of the Dryad... Please grant my dungeon the honor of serving under you."
As I pondered the three from the ruins and their races, Rene finished her explanation and proposed—no, practically begged—for not just herself, but her entire dungeon to come under my command.
'Doesn't sound bad.'
They needed the dryad. So in exchange for her power... whatever it was, nature's force or the sacred tree... they'd offer loyalty. I'd just witnessed Rene, who looked so frail, regain her health right before my eyes, so it didn't seem like a lie.
I already knew from Phantom that one dungeon subordinating to another was possible. A small number of powerful dungeons—like those called 'Demon Realms'—had masters who subjugated nearby dungeons and made them their vassals.
Demon tribes, who tended to follow the law of the jungle, often saw even dungeon masters bend the knee to stronger ones.
'I'm no dungeon master, though.'
Still, bringing another dungeon under my wing had plenty of upsides. They could act as a bulwark against other heroes, provide manpower for dungeon defense, share their information, and even boost my overall scale from the start.
"Fine. I permit it."
"Thank you."
Refusing this would be foolish. All I had to give in return for their loyalty was one thing.
"This is the sacred tree seed?"
It was the seed from the dryad's fruit I'd eaten the day before. It had an ominous feel, so I'd kept it safe—and apparently, this was the seed that grew into a sacred tree.
The dryad had extended her life force to prolong Rene's life for now, but it wasn't a fundamental fix. They'd need to grow the sacred tree and link it to her.
"We will repay the grace of this seed with unwavering loyalty."
"........."
A beauty like her talking about receiving a seed felt... kinda weird.
"Master?"
I nearly lost myself in Rene's smile but snapped out of it at Erzsebet's voice. Instead, I cleared my throat and brought up another proposal Rene had made earlier.
"You want to station elves in my... our dungeon?"
"We wish to leave personnel to attend to Lady Dryad and Lord Jin. They've helped manage my dungeon for a long time, so they can provide much assistance in operating this one as well."
She wanted some of the elves who'd come with her to stay in the dungeon permanently. On top of that, veteran staff who'd long served her in dungeon operations.
'Perfect.'
Until now, I'd relied on Phantom's advice to run the ruins like a dungeon. He'd dreamed of being a dungeon master once, so he knew a lot. But compared to actual veterans, he fell short.
"No reason to refuse. I accept."
"Thank you. Then..."
Once I gave permission, Rene began selecting which of her accompanying elves would stay.
I figured some would resist leaving their home on a whim to work under a total stranger, but surprisingly, every elf there wished to remain in the ruins.
"If it's a chance to serve Lady Dryad up close!"
"That overflowing life force... We could surely cultivate a magnificent forest!"
In the end, ten elves were chosen to stay. No, make it eleven.
Because...
"Sacred Tree! Take good care of you!"
"No."
That utterly irresponsible-looking high elf who still called the dryad 'Sacred Tree' was staying too.
"Take her back."
I briefly forgot my stern dungeon master act and ordered them to take the airhead back. Who knew what trouble that chatty girl—who seemed even more precious than Erzsebet—might cause if I let her stay.
"Please trust her just once, Lord Jin. My daughter may seem a bit... no, quite immature, but she has inherited my blood thickly, giving her innate talents as a high elf."
"Talents as a high elf?"
I listened to Rene's words with a displeased expression for nearly an hour... and eventually nodded as if entranced.
"Thank you for trusting us, Lord Jin."
When I came to, it felt like I'd been bewitched by a fox. Was this what experience meant? I'd been on guard, but she'd sweet-talked me...
'Well, she gave valid reasons, and I was convinced.'
One reason was that keeping her own daughter—the last two high elves—as a hostage of sorts would ease any doubts about their loyalty. Another was the huge difference a high elf made in controlling regular elves. And lastly...
"Aw, c'mon, Sacred Tree~ Don't be like that~"
-Rumble...!!!
Lil kept clinging tightly to the dryad, who recoiled and tried to pull away, causing the ground to shake ominously. Then, roots several times thicker than the ones the dryad usually summoned burst forth.
"Nooo!!"
-Whoosh!
"GyaAaAaAah!!"
The roots grabbed Lil's legs and flung her far away.
'...High elves can buff plants, huh.'
The sight of her getting smacked by the very plant she'd buffed and sent flying...
I sighed deeply as I watched Lil, still grinning ear to ear even after crashing into the distance—ever since her mother regained her health.
They say you can't spit on a smiling face, right?
"Welcome."
New family members had joined the ruins.