The Druid Who Swallowed Mother Nature - Chapter 15



Only Noblemtl

Episode 15. Actions speak louder than words.

The mercenary couldn’t hide his surprise from his expression.

The thin, sharp eyes became round as if someone had pulled them apart.

It was the same for me.

“They say the world is small, and the industry is even smaller.”

The partner in question happens to be a mercenary I recently met.

It was dramatic for a coincidence.

“I didn’t know we would meet again so soon.”

“Yeah. Well, it’s nice and nice to meet you. It also reduces the awkward time of getting used to each other’s faces.”

The woman stroked the ends of her hair that were tied together.

It seemed like a habit of trying to calm a surprised mind.

Finally, the real her asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t even announced our names yet, right? I’m Hela from the Draxia Mercenaries.”

“Drakexiar… …?”

“Oh, you know our mercenary group?”

It was a name I felt like I’d heard somewhere.

I searched my memory.

Obviously… … .

“I think it was a mercenary group that was going to disband in a year.”

Although his skills were considered decent, he failed a major commission and was disbanded.

There was no way he could be mistaken, since a small number of mercenaries who had lost their homes did not retire, but continued to work and become famous.

One of their names is… … .

“… … Even though our office is short on manpower, isn’t it too much to disband after a year?”

I remember it as ‘Hell’.

“It makes it even worse because it feels so damn realistic that it’s a year later.”

“Sorry, I misspoke.”

“Okay, I guess that’s what it looks like to other guys. I can relate to that to some extent.”

Hela grumbled about the office’s poor interior and how her boss was an old fart.

I said before it led to an uncomfortable topic that I wanted to discuss.

“I am Allen.”

“Yeah, Allen. That’s a nice name.”

Hela, who had been giving heartless compliments, soon changed the mood to a serious one.

“I’ll check first. Are you sure you came here on a corrupted request?”

“Yeah. What about you?”

“I’m right too… … Is this okay?”

What does it mean?

Hela’s gaze scanning my body was refreshing.

“Brotherhood thugs and Corrupted are different. Do you think you have the skills to deal with Corrupted?”

She didn’t say anything indirectly to save face.

“You’ve never even heard of his name, and judging by his looks, you think he’d be a good person to sell his face for. You have to trust him.”

Are you trying to gauge my abilities?

He was the type who was happy to see what was good, and who kept a strict division between work and private life.

‘He doesn’t seem like a friendly type at first glance.’

The reason we exchanged a few words as soon as we met was probably because I was grateful for getting my wallet back.

If it weren’t for that, there wouldn’t have been any talk of them being partners.

‘Anyway, they are a bunch of people who have no affection.’

Although their profession is special, they are a group of cruel people.

‘If you show modesty here, you will only be looked down upon.’

I know how to deal with these types of guys.

I said in a strong tone.

“If you don’t believe me, get out.”

“… … .”

“There’s no need for the two of you to act together. If you’re not satisfied, move separately.”

The standard response to a fight is to fight back, but is it really necessary to do that?

‘It wasn’t me who saved my partner from danger, it was the office.’

In the end, what matters is performance.

There would be no problem if I finished the request by myself.

‘From the moment I received the request, I planned to do it alone.’

I had no regrets about breaking up.

Hela, who was blankly looking up at me, asked somewhere indifferently.

“… … Are you really going to do it alone?”

“There’s no way it won’t work.”

“No, sir… … .”

Hela scratched the back of her neck, her voice trailing off.

There was an expression on his face that said, ‘This isn’t it?’

“I wasn’t trying to tell you to go away, I was just trying to say that I could help you.”

… … Not a problem?

“What can I help you with?”

“I told you I’m strong. If you trust me and leave this request to me, I’ll handle it.”

Are you planning to take this opportunity to pay off your debts?

It was a reasonable calculation.

“no.”

But I refused.

It’s good to do annoying chores.

However, that did not mean that Hela should have taken the lead in the request.

‘I have to find the entity that has the spirit’s shard.’

Only I could complete the piece of Kochi.

I couldn’t let Hela take the lead on a request that might involve finding a spirit, even if it was just a small one.

“No, other people would accept it with open arms, but why does this kid… … .”

Hela grumbled.

The hand movements that ruffled her hair were nervous.

Either way.

The choice wasn’t mine.

“I’ll go first.”

“… … Ah, let’s go together!”

I abandoned the grumbling Hela and walked forward without any hesitation.

***

The locations of the corrupted are different.

Since they are a species that originated from the Black Magician’s laboratory, they could appear anywhere, including in undeveloped areas.

‘But I don’t think anyone would dare to conduct an experiment within the 3rd district.’

Even if the sponsor were a city council member, would he ever allow an experiment on his own land?

Therefore, most of the corrupted appeared in areas outside the city center.

“The World Tree is coughing.”

Brrrr!

The world tree trembled intermittently.

My heart ached because I could feel that he was suffering.

“I’m sorry for bringing you to a place like this.”

I whispered with a bitter smile.

District 10. This is a representative industrial area in Gallagher City.

As it was an industrial center, there were many factories and other production facilities.

Although it wasn’t as bad as the World Tree, I wasn’t in very good condition either.

The sky is completely black.

Thick clouds of smoke replaced the clouds, and a foul stench emanated from the rotten river.

“Tsk tsk, look at that. I told you, a person who is not feeling well shouldn’t come to a place like this.”

“… … You don’t seem to mind?”

“I’ve been through worse things than this. I’m not light.”

Isn’t this something to brag about with your chest held high?

It was a feeling I couldn’t understand.

‘Come to think of it, it seems like the World Tree and I are a bit sensitive.’

In no previous episode have I been so influenced by my surroundings.

‘Are Druids greatly affected by the environment?’

Or perhaps your lungs were cleared as your body changed.

“So, don’t be so stubborn and just watch from behind… … .”

I neatly ignored Hela’s mutterings.

“It should be around here.”

4th street.

This was an exceptionally technological development research zone in District 10, an industrial zone, with academic societies and research institutes as the main focus.

Many of the people seen on the street were wearing glasses.

Judging by the uniform of white robe and coat, it seemed like he had come to the right place.

“You work in a good place.”

Hela’s glancing gesture hinted at jealousy and admiration.

Even in the original world, the preference for professional occupations was sky-high.

In this world, it would be worse if it was worse, not better.

“Then why did you, a mercenary, accept this request?”

Corrupted requests are so-called ‘dirty requests’.

The gains were small compared to the hardships involved.

Unlike the hitmen who have no follow-up, he was the type that mercenaries were reluctant to be.

The mercenary office doesn’t even take requests like this.

“I didn’t want to do it either. I did it without saying anything because the old man told me to.”

“Inspiration?”

“I’m talking about the leader of our mercenary group.”

Indeed, Hela seemed to have many complaints.

“Is the policy of your mercenary group to deploy their members for dangerous tasks to gain experience?”

If there’s a guy like this, there’s bound to be a guy like that.

Being a mercenary wasn’t without its risks.

Rather, some offices only took on difficult tasks based on proven skills.

Although his reputation among his mercenaries may not be the best, his performance and growth are guaranteed.

“No, it’s a bee.”

Hela flatly denied it.

“punishment?”

“I got caught being late for a job. Damn old man, if the client hadn’t said anything, you could’ve just let it slide. Right?”

“… … .”

I responded with silence.

It’s like being pickpocketed and your behavior is like having a screw loose.

When I didn’t take her side, Hela coughed in vain and grabbed the researcher who was walking along the street.

“Hey, do you know where Hynax is?”

HiNax.

The destination is the black magician’s research lab.

The researcher expressed disgust the moment he heard the name.

“Hainax? Why is it there… … .”

“You’ll know when you see it. Just tell me without saying anything.”

Although lightly dressed, the weaponry is clearly visible.

The researcher, who had shrunk sharply, answered.

“Hey, if you follow this road, you’ll be in the outskirts.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

Hela moved coolly past the researchers.

I wondered if this was okay, but it was a city where fists were closer than the law.

I caught a glimpse of him running away in a hurry and chased after Hela.

***

“He didn’t lie. He came to the right place.”

Hela whistled at the empty scenery before her eyes.

It was an industrial zone, and perhaps because it was a technology development zone, it was incredibly desolate.

The presence of a single, isolated house, as if refusing access, was strong.

It matched the photo provided as data.

It was a request from an organization under the city government, so there was no way it could be wrong.

“I’m not claiming to be suspicious of you or anything. I’m saying that warlocks aren’t shady for nothing.”

“This area wasn’t desolate from the start, was it?”

For companies, District 10 is a golden opportunity.

Even though it was a remote area, there was no reason to deliberately leave the land unattended.

‘The Corrupted have run wild.’

Broken windows and cracked walls here and there.

Around the building, as if it had been dismantled, only the steel frame remained in place.

‘There are even traces of black magic.’

As we cleared away the oddly raised mound of dirt, a skeleton rolled down the slope.

It took a long time for the corpse to turn into bones.

If there were bones in a place like this, it would be more correct to see them as being used as material for black magic.

Handling corpses was a basic skill in black magic.

“Why are you looking at that? Let’s go without wasting time.”

Hela confidently showed no sign of fear.

A moderate amount of excitement and tension tightened the elastic, compressed muscles.

‘Wasn’t it just a bluff when you told me to just suck my thumb and watch?’

The impression that had been thin and dry soon transformed into that of a hard statue.

The murderous aura I felt when we first met was all around us.

It was so sharp that it felt like it would cut you if you touched it.

“wait for a sec.”

I stopped her from doing that.

“Why again?”

He was getting annoyed at me for keeping on procrastinating.

Then, as if he had made some mistake, he started to snicker.

“Oh, are you scared?”

“… … .”

“Okay, this lady was especially kind. Just wait here quietly. I’ll be back soon after finishing.”

… … You keep making me so angry.

‘I don’t care if it’s a request or anything, should I just have a go at this guy?’

I suppressed my twitching fingers.

‘If I show you, you’ll probably shut up.’

He is a person who can be persuaded by actions rather than words.

I stopped near the wall of the laboratory.

The moment I brought my palm to it.

Wiggle!

“The World Tree jumps up in shock.”

Even the spirits that had been hovering around moved up and down in the air as if they were having a seizure.

“……also.”

The sacred tree, the World Tree, and the spirits responded.

It was proof that my eyes were not deceived.

Hela, who had been watching what was going on, expressed her curiosity.

“What is it?”

“Can’t you see this?”

“It’s a wall.”

You don’t understand what I’m saying.

I knew it.

That’s what an ignorant mercenary would do.

“… … This is a trace of black magic.”

The scenery that Hela sees and the scenery that I see will be different.

I wrapped my pupils in a magical power that was like dust.

This too was a magical power, and the trick to strengthening the body was working.

Wow!

A field of vision that expands and becomes clearer.

The scenery was pitch black in places, as if it had been stained with black paint.

Black mana, black magic.

The dark magic clung to the remains of the building, fluttering like torn pieces of cloth.

If the white bones were an indirect trace, this was a direct trace of black magic.

‘What does this look like?’

Mana is an invisible element.

The same was true for magical power, which was artificially processed mana within the body.

Being able to see this with the naked eye was a kind of talent.

This kind of talent only manifests in those with the level of great wizard.

‘It must have been quite some time ago that I was a great wizard.’

There is no way the influence would have remained, and if it had, the amount of magical power he was born with would have been different from others.

The manifestation of this talent was absurd.

‘… … Then is this also an effect of natural affinity?’

My guess is that it was one of those.

‘Because black magic is an abnormal magic power.’

It is not natural magic of the elemental series, but artificial magic.

Wouldn’t it be considered an object outside of providence by the druids and the world tree?

‘In the end, it’s just a guess.’

It’s a waste of time to delve into the details.

The important thing was that the black magic was visible to my eyes.

‘then…….’

… …Should we try it?

It was a case of losing money and gaining nothing.

I pulled out the stem of the world tree from my fingertips.

“What is that?”

“quietly.”

I silenced the surprised Hela and focused.

I feel the connection of magic.

The formulas, circuits, and intentions of the magical manifestations that make this up were dismantled piece by piece based on the knowledge accumulated while playing as a great wizard.

‘Surveillance and tracking.’

It is a sharing of sensations through magic power that is sprinkled intermittently.

As it was not a very complicated magic, my subsequent actions were smooth.

‘… … is a success.’

Shhh!

The black magic disappeared like the ashes of a fire fading away.

Magical intervention through magic power.

The sense that had become ingrained in his body did not tolerate failure even in the first demonstration in a long time.

“Oh, something seems different.”

“The black magic has been erased.”

Even if you couldn’t see it, if you were sensitive to magic, you could feel it.

It was not uncommon for warriors who controlled magical power with their bodies to be sensitive to this.

“Anyway, can I go in now?”

“……okay.”

I was about to say something but held back.

It was something I couldn’t be sure of yet.

‘The sense of disconnected magic turned inward.’

Although it appears to be an abandoned laboratory, traces of magic still remain.

There was only one piece of information that could be inferred from this.

‘The existence of a black magician.’

The World Tree seemed to sense my tension and straightened its leaves.