The Guardian of Bacchus
The Satyr spoke first. “You need the fruit that grows on the tree inside the dungeon deep in the Lentria Forest?”
“Nom nom… gulp. That’s right.” Humihumi popped the last of the popcorn into her mouth, chewed noisily, and swallowed before answering. Most people would have grown tired of it by now, but the fairies showed no sign of such a concept. They ate like there was no tomorrow, stuffing themselves with reckless abandon.
I’ll have to grow as much corn as possible. The food warehouse had already burned down thanks to Hydra’s rampage. He would need to ask Richel to bring plenty of corn as well.
“Why? Won’t any other fruit work?”
“It’s possible, but the alcohol content would be lower and the unique flavor would be weaker.”
“Hmm… Exactly what kind of fruit do you need?”
“Aang… Ah, just bring me something called Bacchus.”
“W-wait a second. Bacchus!?”
Richel, who had been listening quietly from the side, startled at the name. She clearly knew something about it.
“You know it?”
“Of course I do! Bacchus is a very famous fruit!”
“Famous?”
“Yes! It wasn’t popular before. It was bitter and sour, so it tasted awful.”
“Really? And yet it’s famous now?”
“Yes. An alchemist uncovered a hidden secret within Bacchus, and that’s what made it famous.”
“What secret?”
“It’s good for male stamina.”
“What?”
“According to the alchemist’s research, regularly consuming Bacchus fruit improves a man’s stamina. It’s also said to help prevent hair loss…”
“……”
Albert had no words. He had never imagined it became famous for that reason.
“It used to be a fruit no one bothered to pick, but once that fact came out, people started collecting it like madmen.”
As expected, people are the same no matter the world.
The moment they hear something is good for the body, they develop an obsessive attachment.
Humans will eat rocks if they’re told it helps with stamina…
The added benefit of preventing hair loss made it even more irresistible.
“I heard it caused quite an uproar. People lined up to get Bacchus fruit, and nobles were willing to pay extra just to obtain it.”
“That much?”
“Yes. But then a problem arose.”
“What kind?”
“People harvested so much that none remained. It became impossible to find any more.”
Humans had a tendency to go crazy for anything said to be good for the body. If told it was beneficial, they would even eat insects.
Back in the other world, there was a rumor that wyvern meat was good for you.
That nearly wiped out the entire wyvern population.
Even gates that produced wyverns became ridiculously expensive…
Every world is the same when it comes to people…
And because of that, a plague broke out and caused massive trouble.
The pathogens inside wyvern bodies had incredible transmissibility…
One entire nation had to be quarantined… It was complete chaos.
The memory still sent chills down his spine. After that incident, he had been forced to wear a specially crafted mask for five whole years. How suffocating that had been.
“So it became impossible to obtain?”
“Yes.”
“Couldn’t they just plant the seeds and grow more?”
Richel shook her head. “I don’t know why, but the seeds wouldn’t grow no matter what. Countless people tried, but every attempt ended in failure.”
“Then the tree still exists in the Lentria Forest?”
“Yes.” Humihumi nodded. “I confirmed it ten years ago. One tree remained. It bears plenty of fruit, so even a single tree is enough.”
“Ten years? Wouldn’t someone have harvested it by now?”
Humihumi shook her head firmly. “There’s no need to worry. A guardian protects the Bacchus. I can’t be certain, but it should still be safe.”
“A guardian… Well, it doesn’t matter.”
Whoever or whatever guarded it made no difference. What mattered was that the fruit still existed. More importantly, they needed to move quickly.
“Then we should leave right away.”
“Ah! May I come along as well?” Richel’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“I don’t mind.”
“Ah, please take this. It will guide you to where the Bacchus grows.” Humihumi handed over a small handkerchief. Albert accepted it with a nod.
“Let’s go.”
“But how do you plan to get there? The Lentria Forest is quite far. Even by carriage it would take several days…”
“There’s always a way.”
Richel had seen it several times before, but Humihumi had not. Albert grinned and waved his hand like he was hailing a ride.
“Model Taxi!!!”
Light flashed at his shout. When it faded, Hydra stood before them in a black suit, his face full of discontent. He clearly found being treated like a human servant highly disagreeable.
Similar reaction to Gaster.
Gaster was the same at first.
Well, I’ll tame him eventually.
“Oh my? It’s a different person from before.”
Richel had expected Gaster again. She studied Hydra with open curiosity.
“I’ve always thought this, but teleportation is supposed to be extremely high-level magic… To use it so freely, is it perhaps an item?”
“No, not an item.”
“Then you’re using it directly? That’s truly impressive. Among humans…”
“Not human.”
“Huh?”
“You can tell at a glance, can’t you? Black hair, black eyes. I already explained it, remember?”
“……”
Richel, who had been observing Hydra with fascination, froze in place as if struck by a basilisk’s petrification magic.
“E-explain…?”
“Yeah, I did. Doesn’t it ring a bell?”
It did ring a bell—far too loudly. Richel, as the head of a merchant group, possessed sharp instincts and quick thinking. After all, that was how she squeezed more money out of people.
“D-don’t tell me…”
“Correct.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet! What exactly is correct?”
“Your expression and eyes make your thoughts obvious. You’re right.”
He was saying that whatever she was thinking was correct, and any attempt to deny it would only prove her right. Richel had wanted him to refute her, but the oblivious Albert simply confirmed her suspicions.
“……So…… this person is…… that…… a Black Dragon?”
“Yep, that’s right.”
“……”
Richel’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly, utterly dumbfounded. This meant Albert had been treating a dragon like a common servant. It was absurd. Dragons were guardians of the middle realm, masters of mana, lords of magic, and the ultimate predators standing at the apex of all races.
He’s using a dragon as a mere mode of transportation!?
“Wait a moment…… Then……”
A sudden thought flashed through her mind.
“C-could that red-haired man also be……”
“Red Dragon.”
In that instant, Richel’s mind went blank. Only one thought remained.
Is he insane?
Her thoughts grew hazy.
* * *
Deep within the Lentria Forest, inside the dungeon where the Bacchus fruit grew, more than twenty knights and mages stood facing a monster. It was enormous, yet its appearance was strangely unique. Its upper body was human, but its face was that of a goat, its ears those of a donkey, and its lower body that of a goat. Though it looked like a crude fusion, its imposing presence was enough to overwhelm everyone present.
“Krrraaagh!!”
The monster let out a furious roar, thick killing intent dripping from its voice, enough to make listeners tremble with fear.
Yet despite their terror—
“Hold the line!”
“We won’t lose to a monster like that!”
The knights chose to stand their ground. With the roar, the monster’s presence grew even stronger. Its overwhelming aura crushed their fighting spirit, making the already massive creature seem larger still.
“Krrng!”
The monster swung its fist. Though its size suggested slowness, its attack was both powerful and swift. It lacked technique, but raw speed and strength alone made it deadly.
“Mages!”
“Shield!”
The hastily cast shield shattered with a crash. The knight behind it raised his own shield to block, but—
“Gah!”
It was a miscalculation. The monster’s strike wasn’t something to be blocked; one had to dodge, even if it meant rolling disgracefully. The knight and his shield were sent flying, slamming into the wall.
“Watson! Damn it!!”
The knights and mages felt genuine fear at the monster’s terrifying power. Its overwhelming strength dampened their resolve. Their will to fight had long since been broken.
“It’s strong……”
Their condition was dire. They had thought gathering fruit guarded by a mere monster would be easy, but that had been a grave misjudgment. The creature was powerful—far stronger than an ogre. Its brute strength was terrifying, and its movements were as agile as a wild beast.
“I can’t…… anymore……”
The mages and knights were severely injured. Their equipment was damaged, their shields dented. They could fight no longer.
“Lord Bessen, we need to retreat.”
Amid the chaos, one man remained remarkably composed. Bessen, the second son of Count Febra, had been placed in command of this party.
“D-don’t be ridiculous!”
“If we stay, we’ll all die! Give the order to retreat!”
“N-no! The Bacchus is right in front of us! I-I have to take it! So fight! You’re knights, aren’t you!?”
“……Damn it.”
He was no competent commander. Someone else should have led, but Bessen had insisted. Young, narrow-minded, and ignorant of tactics or strategy, his foolish orders had already caused many injuries among his subordinates.
Damn it, you bastard!! If you don’t know how to lead, you should’ve just stayed quietly in the mansion!
He was the kind of man who invited insubordination. If possible, the knight wanted to tear off his rank insignia and punch him square in the face. Suppressing the rage rising from his core, he gritted his teeth.
“We still need to retreat…… At this rate, we’ll all die. Look around you! None of the knights or mages are in any condition to fight.”
“B-but……”
“Lord Bessen!”
While Bessen hesitated, another knight fell to the monster. The creature smirked at the corpse, then licked the blood from its fist. It was clear to everyone that it enjoyed killing.
“Lord Bessen!!!”
“A-alright, I get it! Why are you yelling!? Retreat! Everyone, retreat!!”
“Damn it! Fall back!!”
If the order had come even a moment sooner, some might have survived. A brief hesitation was fatal on the battlefield, where a single second could decide life or death. Even now, subordinates who could have lived were dying because of an incompetent commander.
Damn bastard……
“Retreat!”
“Retreat!!”
The knights and mages covered their fallen comrades and fled, keeping wary eyes on the monster. It made no move to pursue. It had a crucial duty to fulfill.
“……I am the Satyr…… I protect the Bacchus……”
It watched the retreating humans with regret. It had wanted to kill them. It had wanted to kill more, to eat them. But it could not leave its post if it wished to complete its mission.
Humans…… I want to kill them…… I want to eat them.
The Satyr felt ecstasy when killing humans, an endless dark pleasure in crushing the weak. It longed to charge out, but its duty held it back.
I must obey that person’s command…… I only need to protect the fruit.
It recalled the human who had begged for mercy moments earlier, tears and snot streaming down their face. Killing such humans had been far too enjoyable.
I want to…… kill more.
Just then, a bright light flashed, and three humans appeared.
More intruders?
The thought of fresh prey brought a twisted smile to the Satyr’s lips. Another round of entertainment had arrived.
At that moment, the black-haired, black-eyed human stared straight at it and frowned. The next instant—
Crack!
A sound like something bursting echoed out, and that was the Satyr’s end. Its massive body collapsed limply. There was no time for questions, no chance to act. Its soul had already left its body and crossed the river to the afterlife.
Thus ended the strongest Chimera, the Satyr, who had guarded this place for decades under orders. The man who killed it—Albert—looked down at the corpse with clear displeasure.
“What are you staring at?”