Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Becoming the Dungeon Master! #9
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I could feel my heart pounding like mad. Her flesh was so close. Right now, my face was buried between the dryad's soft, ample breasts.
This intoxicatingly sweet scent... I couldn't think straight.
Did she really see me as husband material?
Or just a simple mating partner?
But did dryads even have males? Probably? Every race has males and females, right?
No.
Maybe they didn't.
—Hahaha!
There couldn't possibly be some natural-born superhuman strutting around like Michelangelo's David, covering his dick with a single leaf while laughing his ass off.
That shouldn't exist.
It shouldn't be allowed to exist...!
Just imagining it drove me insane! That would be the real forest monster! If dryads were forest fairies, that thing would be a genuine monster! There was no way something existed that hopped around doing tumbling flips and windmills with just a leaf covering its junk!
Anyway.
The moment I tried to place my hand on her waist.
"Shaa."
"Huh?"
She released me from the breast prison, grabbed my face, and started grooming me by licking my face just like before.
"Hyaa... hyaa."
"Why are you doing this."
"Hyaa."
—Lick.
—Lick.
—Lick.
She kept grooming me, making pleased sounds like she was enjoying it. I had no choice but to stay still.
She was taking the initiative as the female, and I wanted to reciprocate, but a dryad wasn't your average girl—she was a forest fairy-like being.
Her sense of normalcy might be totally different.
Sure, if I suddenly groped her and she bolted, that'd be a problem. I didn't want to see her leave.
And so.
"Shaa... shaa..."
As I lay there quietly, the dryad, who'd been grooming me for a good while, fell asleep. She held me close, breathing softly and peacefully.
"..."
What could I do?
She'd fallen asleep like this.
I closed my eyes too. Blood was rushing intensely to my lower half... but I couldn't move recklessly.
"Guess I'll just sleep."
—Swish.
I subtly draped my arm around her waist. The dryad just kept sleeping soundly.
This girl seemed to know nothing at all... What was I gonna do with her right now anyway? I had to hold back.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Shaa. Shaasha."
The dryad's fresh voice woke me up. The surroundings were dimly lit. A faint light trickled in from the dungeon entrance.
"Ah, time to get up already?"
The tail end of dawn.
Just before sunrise.
It was my usual wake-up time, but after sleeping so cozily and comfortably last night, I wanted to sleep more.
"Shaasha."
"Hm?"
The dryad was squatting in front of me, poking my cheek to wake me.
"Got it. I'm up."
"Shaa."
I sat up right away. The dryad immediately stuck right by my side.
"Acting all cute first thing in the morning?"
"Shaasha."
She rubbed her head against my shoulder like she was thrilled. Watching her, I realized I couldn't hold back anymore.
"Hold on, dryad."
"Shaa?"
"Stand in front of me."
"Shaa."
She stood in front of me, like she'd understood.
"Well... we've slept under the same blanket now. Can't keep calling you 'dryad' forever."
"Shaa?"
"I'll give you a name."
Calling her dryad all the time felt off. I'd just slapped the species name on her anyway. Even Buril and Imsoong had names—couldn't keep using her species as a label.
"You keep going 'shaa shaa,' so... hmm. Something like Shaa?"
Sha-han-sha?
Shagas?
Shagai?
Shagicut?
Shanel? Oh, that's pretty. But naming her after a luxury brand felt weird. What other words start with Sha-? I pondered for a bit.
"Sharan."
I decided.
"From now on, you're Sharan."
"Shaa?"
"Sharan. Your name is Sharan now. Sharan. Say it after me. Sharan."
"Shaa?"
"Not shaa, Sharan."
"Shaa."
Couldn't pronounce it, huh? Sharan kept tilting her head and going "shaa." She probably felt frustrated too. Communication was tough.
"Alright, let's try slowly. Sha. Ran. Repeat after me."
"Shaa. Shaa."
"Darn."
This time, I tapped my mouth, telling her to copy.
"Repeat after me. Sha."
"Shaa?"
Oh!
Nice!
"Ran."
"Hang."
"Hang?"
Couldn't get the "ran" sound?
"Again. Sha."
"Shaa."
"Ran."
"Hang."
Shaa-hang.
"Together, Sharan."
"Shaa?"
Glorious fail.
"Shaa!"
But for some reason, she grinned brightly and hugged my neck again.
"Ha, it'd be so much easier if I could teach her to talk."
Teaching language to someone who knew nothing? That was insanely hard. It had taken me nearly ten years to learn the Demon Realm tongue.
Anyway.
Did she get her own name?
"Alright then, Sharan?"
"Shaa?"
"Oh!"
She reacted to "Sharan"! Looked like she understood that much. Great. Recognizing her name was huge progress.
"Then... Sharan. It's morning, so I'll do that thing for you."
"Shaa?"
Monster Domination.
It might work well now. Honestly, using domination on an innocent girl like this felt iffy, but what choice did I have?
"Watch closely."
I raised my finger.
And activated the skill.
—Flash!
Demonic power extended from my heart and burst from my fingertip. The power converged at one point, forming a black orb the size of a marble at my finger's end.
"Shaa!"
Sharan's eyes widened in amazement.
"Impressive, right?"
"Shaa! Shaasha!"
She excitedly pointed at it. Ah, did she remember? I'd done it once before when fighting the goblin.
"Yeah. I'll inject it, so hold still."
I pressed it to Sharan's neck.
—Sssip.
The orb seeped into her skin.
Then.
"Sh, shaat...!"
Sharan twitched once.
A few seconds passed.
"Shaaa...! Shaat!"
"Whoa!"
"Shaasha!"
Suddenly, Sharan let out a big cry and hugged me again. She naturally started grooming my face, even more vigorously.
"Hahaha, did it work? Sharan? Sit."
"Shaa."
Yeah, no sitting.
Seemed like commands didn't stick, just transferred energy? That might explain her mood boost. Demonic power entering her body could cause a temporary high.
If I kept infusing her with my power, would it eventually work? Hard to say. I barely knew anything about demonic power.
Whatever.
"Time to get to work today! Guys! Come out if you're up!"
"Keh, kahek..."
"Grrumble..."
With that, I headed out of the dungeon with my grumpy minions.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ My morning routine was heading out to hunt, but Sharan refused to leave my side.
So I took Buril and Sharan out to the field together.
"Keruk..."
"It's fine, man. Sharan's sweet."
"Keruk keruk."
Buril was super displeased. Even after I reassured him, the bastard clasped his hands behind his head, stuck out his gut, and waddled along rebelliously.
This guy's in rebellion mode.
"Ha, you little shit."
But I had to cut Buril some slack.
"Shaa shaa."
"Hm?"
"Shaa."
"This?"
Sharan, right beside me, pointed at the wooden spear I was holding. Like she wanted it.
"Here."
"Shaa."
I handed it over, and after inspecting it, she gave it back to me. Then.
—Swoosh.
She went to a nearby tree and cast her plant magic again!
—Crack crack...!
A branch shot out straight as an arrow. Vines began wrapping around the end. They coiled tightly... and sharpened to a point at the tip!
"No way!"
"Shaa."
A spear!
It was a spear!
Sharan held out the wooden spear to me!
Vines wrapped spirally around the end, making it look like a drill spear! It seemed incredibly sharp and sturdy!
"Y-You even made me a spear!"
"Shaa."
I took it and examined it closely...! It was a perfect wooden spear! With this hardness, I could reuse it endlessly!
"You beautiful thing! Thank you!"
"Shaa?"
I stroked instant-death Sharan's head.
—Flutter flutter.
"Shaasha."
Her leaf ears flapped happily.
Sharan was thrilled to have helped me. How could she be this adorable!
"Hold on."
Stay put.
With just Sharan from now on... could I get tools like this every few days?
She controlled trees. So not just spears or shovels—maybe furniture too?
"...!"
The thought sent shivers down my spine.
Chairs. Bookshelves. Beds. Water buckets. If done right, she could whip those up. Wooden shields? Arm my minions with those?
"Sharan...!"
"Shaa?"
"You're my treasure!"
—Squeeze!
"Shaat!"
I hugged Sharan tightly! She didn't resist my touch! How could I be this happy!
"Keruk..."
Buril shot jealous glares from the side, but oh well! Sharan was just too talented! With her around, no more tool worries!
"Shaa."
Cutely, Sharan started grooming me again. As I enjoyed the skinship.
—Rustle!
Hunting prey sounded from over there.
"Keruk!"
Buril bolted. I grabbed Sharan's spear and chased after him!
"Buril! Pounce!"
"Keruk!"
—Dash dash!
The prey revealed itself.
"Kerurruk!"
It was a goblin! Ah, every time I saw one, I wanted to subjugate it, but the success rate was too low... That moment.
"Shaa!"
Sharan shouted.
—Crunch!
"Keruk?!"
Vines suddenly sprouted, grabbing the fleeing goblin's ankle!
"Ke, keruk! Kerrrruk!"
Terrified as its leg got wrapped, the goblin tripped and screamed. "Keryaaaak!" Buril went to pounce, but wait.
Hold up.
If Sharan shows herself to this goblin, won't it freak the fuck out?
"Monster Domination."
And domination.
Works best on terrified targets.