The Druid Who Swallowed Mother Nature - Chapter 79



Only Noblemtl

Episode 78. I Will Handle It

The exploration of the ruins proposed to the tower was accepted safely with the active support of the wanderer Colin.

He gave the coordinates of a local area where the ruins are located, not in Galaga City, as the meeting point.

He said that there was a battlefield set up by the Matapju and his disciples, so he arrived first and finished making preparations.

Since I was traveling alone, my luggage was simple.

I said as I returned home and packed my bags.

“I’m going out for a bit.”

“How many days? Where are you going?”

When I notified Bell, he showed great interest.

Rather than being a genuine curiosity about the whereabouts of her roommate, it felt like a sinister motive, wondering how many days of freedom she would have.

“I’m not sure how long it will take since we’re going on a relic exploration tour.”

“Exploring the ruins? Doesn’t that take months?”

“Well, I plan to finish it as quickly as possible.”

If it was a general relic, it might not matter, but relics related to occupations didn’t take that long to conquer.

Belle, unaware of this, opened her mouth and laughed as if the happiness circuit was running in her head.

“Take good care of it. Especially in the vegetable garden area, be careful not to have any plants that are wilting or suffering.”

The garden is the source from which I can expand my territory.

The reason I wanted Android was to supplement the garden management staff, but I kept nagging that it wasn’t enough.

“Water it well, put up a shade cloth when the sunlight is strong, pull out the weeds, and that’s all that’s needed. I’ve heard so much that I’m going to get calluses on my ears.”

“Be sure to familiarize yourself with the precautions for each plant.”

“You mean that booklet you wrote? I look at it every day. Every time I think about it, it’s so strange that plants can grow so well with the methods written there.”

Belle grumbled, but now followed my instructions obediently.

I felt a sense of accomplishment, as if I had spread civilization to the uncivilized people of another world.

“Don’t forget to clean the house every day. You’ll be having guests over after work, so it can’t be messy.”

“who?”

“The leader of the Magic Tower School.”

“Matap Schoolmaster… …?”

The public’s reaction was not one of surprise at the mention of an unexpected big shot.

Belle’s face was oddly scrunched up, as if she had heard some occult rumor.

“How can an ignorant person like you be the head of the Matap School?”

If you get angry here, you’re in trouble.

Because he thinks he’s smarter than me.

The reality was the opposite.

“What kind of smart-aleck guy is someone who only knows how to design machines and assemble parts? What else are you good at?”

“The World Tree actively agrees.”

As the World Tree pierced his forehead, Belle wailed and shouted, waving her hands.

“No, knowing that is what makes you smart!”

“So, what’s the result?”

“… … .”

When I pointed my chin at Beta, he became dumbfounded.

How could one possibly excuse the greatest mistake that reduced one’s status to that of a slave?

“ah.”

Clang!

As if on cue, Beta broke the bowl.

The guy slowly turned his head and spoke to us.

“It is an inevitable sacrifice that comes with the process of development. It is trivial.”

“You stay still!”

Belle wasn’t on the side here.

I ignored the guy whining that I was sad and spoke to Beta.

“Keep a close eye on Belle so she doesn’t slack off.”

“I will do my best.”

“It’s the opposite! I’m working hard and he’s the one causing the accident!”

I didn’t listen to local broadcasts.

“And keep me in communication. Be ready to use your powers as soon as you hear from me.”

“I decided that the ruins were not a place where my hacking abilities could be put to use.”

“It’s ubiquitous.”

I didn’t heed Claire’s warning.

“We have to prepare for conflict with other relic exploration teams.”

This was the world of FP where the worst case scenario always became reality.

***

There is a job called a guide.

A professional who guided the way to extreme lands outside the city limits, beyond the influence of the city government.

As former adventurers, they used their own know-how to navigate the border area as if it were their home.

It’s not that we don’t encounter dangerous situations, but it’s possible because we know relatively safe routes.

Accordingly, the customers who came to see them were diverse.

Criminals seeking asylum, businessmen seeking secret contacts, spies being hunted by the city government, etc.

If we were to group those with such diverse circumstances together by one thing in common,

The point is that it never moves alone.

“Are you sure you want to go this way?”

“I’m sure the coordinates were accurately marked.”

“Tseup, it’s a bit tricky to move this way alone.”

Even as a guide Clinton who has met many clients, this client was unique.

“It’s not a similar land. This place is hot and humid, but bandits are the biggest threat.”

If the Great Plains are the hotbed of the Corrupted, then the Land of Quicksand is the land of bandits.

Originally, this was a territory managed by the Southern Savage City.

However, because it became a major battlefield for great wars between tribes, it lost its wisdom and became a desolate desert.

In the aftermath, most of the tribesmen left, but some tribes did not leave their homelands.

They made a living by pillaging and riding mutant horses adapted to extreme environments.

Because the desert is so vast, there were many times when we could not encounter it.

So when we encountered it, there was no disaster.

Dehydrated and exhausted from the desert heat, the travelers had a hard time resisting their relentless and cruel clutches.

“I will guide you along the safest route possible. However, I cannot guarantee safety. Bandits are uncivilized savages, and they tend to deviate from patrol routes as easily as eating, so there may be unavoidable situations.”

So, hire escorts right now or find a party headed in the same direction.

The man ignored the roundabout advice and continued to act bravely.

“It’s okay, so don’t say anything and just go. Even if something happens that you’re worried about, I’ll handle it.”

The skin on his face, visible through the robe he was wearing, was pale.

Even at first glance, he seemed like he had grown up without any hardships.

So, I guess that’s why he’s showing off his ignorance of the ways of the world.

Clinton didn’t meddle any further.

I just asked.

“What if something happens that you can’t handle?”

“If you judge it to be dangerous based on your judgment, you may run away.”

“Let’s take half as a deposit there.”

“I will do that.”

For adventurers, danger was a daily occurrence.

The fact that he survived in the end, however, meant that he had his own means of survival.

If you don’t have the confidence to run away from bandits, you can’t call yourself a guide.

If it was a contract that allowed for escape alone in an emergency, there would be no problem.

Clinton packed his prepared luggage and left the city with his client.

Eagle eagle!

The sun was shining brightly and it was warm.

My steps sank deep into the sand with every step I took, and the hot air made it difficult to breathe.

A similar land.

All I could see was golden, puffy sand.

When the wind blew, the light sand clumps were quickly swept away, forming new mounds and disrupting the sense of direction.

The guide found his way in his own way in such extreme circumstances.

He was doing his part just by avoiding the quicksand that sucked people in like a swamp.

‘You look like you have good stamina.’

A few days passed.

Clinton, who was lighting a bonfire in front of a makeshift tent, was secretly impressed.

He did give me a lot of convenience.

Even taking this into account, the client was able to keep up with the pace quite well in extreme environments.

‘You don’t feel thirsty even though you’re walking around like that.’

Even if you fill your bag with water, it’s not enough because it’s a desert.

Since he packed lightly, he brought only a small amount of water.

Yet he didn’t show any sign of being thirsty.

Even that little water was still left.

‘People are not cacti.’

Anyway, he was a unique person.

It seemed like he had the talent to insist that he was okay on his own.

“We’ll get there in two more days.”

We arrived earlier than scheduled because the client didn’t delay his steps unnecessarily.

It was the first time in Clinton’s career that the journey was this smooth.

He was filled with hopes of returning quickly and getting some rest.

“… … What the hell!”

But he said it was a luxury.

Clinton swore at the approach of a major disaster that would overshadow what had been a smooth journey so far.

The man asked.

“What is it?”

“Do you see that sandstorm coming over there?”

“It looks like a typhoon is coming.”

“The wind flow is not natural. It is a sign that a group of bandits is approaching.”

A sandstorm was approaching quickly.

A storm caused by the coordinated footsteps of a band of bandits.

In the land of pseudoscience, this was called a harbinger of disaster.

“Hiding won’t do any good.”

“What do you mean? Where can I hide in this place where everything is covered in sand?”

Clinton was frustrated that the man was still so indifferent.

“They are ghosts that have adapted to extreme environments. Their physical abilities are more like those of birds of prey than humans. Do you know what I mean? They are coming at us from a great distance!”

Clinton searched his pockets.

His lifesaving measures, prepared for such a situation, were there.

Amulet of cognitive distortion.

An artifact created by a sorcerer that has the ability to affect human vision and cause confusion.

The valid number of people was… …one.

“Judging by the size of the sand cloud, it is beyond my ability. What should I do? If it seems like you can’t handle it, I intend to run away as I promised.”

Since I received half as a deposit, there was no loss in paying it back now.

It was a pity that it was right before reaching the destination, but it was not more precious than my life.

“I would have told you.”

The man took off his hat.

The contrast between her pitch-black hair, which seemed to absorb all the sunlight, and her white skin was impressive.

“I can handle it.”

For a moment, the sense of reality disappeared as the facial features became more like a work of art than a real person.

I had a feeling he would be a handsome prince, but was it really like this?

Clinton suppressed the admiration that threatened to burst forth on its own.

“Go ahead and try it. Just wait three minutes.”

Aside from the admiration, it was a negative factor in giving trust to the experienced guide.

I admit that he was quite sturdy for his appearance.

The bandit attack was a whole other story.

How could a young master who lived under the protection of bodyguards be able to deal with a group of bandits?

Clinton is ready to run away at any moment if he gets caught.

“… … ?”

Let’s take a look and see how we can get out of this crisis.

Clinton, who had crossed his arms, quickly straightened up.

Peeeeek!

As soon as the man closed his eyes, a blue light flashed across his chest.

A falcon with huge wings burst out of the light, howling mightily as it flapped its wings high into the sky.

“That’s a lot.”

The man muttered as if he was sharing a field of vision with the falcon, even though his eyes were clearly closed.

Clinton was confident in him.

‘It’s the magic of a servant horse.’

Indeed, was he so confident because he was a wizard?

It wasn’t a surprising fact that made us relax.

The greatness of a wizard comes from transcendence.

Ordinary wizards who did not pass a certain level were still classified as humans.

They were just a little more tricky prey.

It would be difficult for a young man to be that kind of monster.

This was common sense.

… … So Clinton, who had given up all expectations, was taken aback by the man’s subsequent actions.

Crunch!

“gun……?”

It was a small pistol that seemed like it could be used as a self-defense tool.

The man aimed it into the sandstorm that was blowing up to the sky.

‘It won’t reach the effective range… … ?’

It’s a distance where you have to shoot with a sniper rifle because even rifles aren’t enough.

Is there any reason to point a gun at them already?

Clinton’s doubts were soon answered.

bang!

The man pulled the trigger coolly.

The gunfire continued without pause until all the cylinders were empty.

It was a gap that made one wonder if the aim was even correct.

Clang!

A clean and quick reload follows.

Clinton was personally impressed.

I thought you were a wizard.

Jang Jeon-man was as skilled as a special police officer who had received professional training from the National Police Agency.

‘What the hell is he doing?’

It was difficult to guess the identity.

What I was most curious about, above all else, was what the point of this series of bullet waste was.

After the gunfire stopped, the man retrieved the gun from its holster.

“It’s over.”

It was nonsense.

“… … Are you kidding me? You should be bluffing to some extent. All I did was shoot a pistol at this distance.”

“You’ll find out if you wait.”

“Tsk.”

It was ridiculous, but Clinton waited silently.

I told you three minutes, so you could bear with it until then.

Phew!

And Clinton witnessed it.

“No, a sandstorm… … ?”

The harbingers of disaster have calmed down.

It means that the words have stopped.

There were two ways a bandit group would stop when they found their prey.

The hunt is over… or… everyone is dead.

“Come on, follow me. I’ll go and check it out.”

Clinton couldn’t believe it and went to the scene himself.

It was hard for him to believe that a disaster on this land could cost lives so meaninglessly.

“Oh, how could this be?”

The corpses of the bandits were buried in the sand.

Only then did Clinton realize that his common sense had been challenged.

“I told you I could handle it.”

Clinton admitted her errors in judgment.

The man who looked like a handsome prince was no ordinary wizard.

It was a monster beyond common sense.