Terrarium Adventure

Translator: Hong | Editor: Darling

 

We were invited by Dandelion to the center of the colony.

She said it was where the heart of the driards was and the place where they led their practical lives. She formally invited us to join him for a short chat if we weren’t in a rush, as he hadn’t met a druid for a long time.

She was so sincere it was hard to refuse. I was also curious about what she wanted to chat about. And how the center of the colony looked like.

At dandelion’s signal, the young driards who had been guarding her eased out of formation. The unsaid tension in the air dissipated.

The young ones came rushing towards my driards. Some looked up with bent back to Mesquite who was of great height, while some approached Daisy who were similar to them in appearance.

Even I was approached by two young ones but Elder was left desolate. Even these kids must instinctively know. How cranky Elder’s character was. Elder was pretty but her green eyes clearly displayed her poor character.

The young driards proudly chatted away on the greatness of their King. While asking endless questions on what sort of powers we had, how strong it was, and that it was the first time in their lives to meet other driards.

The two who had approached me seemed curious about why I had been treated so respectably by their king and what was so special about my existence. I felt sorry to let them down as I was the most ordinary amongst all of us and the only special thing about me was the diamonds. Which wasn’t exactly something I could show off.

The children asked Daisy if she was able to catch a fire to which she replied diligently by nodding with her blushed face.

When they continued to ask what she caught them with she timidly showed them the dagger tied to her hips. She seemed unfamiliar with the sudden attention she was receiving.

Small flowers being gathered together like this…small lovely flowers…it was a healing sight to behold.

As we neared the center of the national park the dandelion flowers expanded incomparable to before. I contemplated removing my shoes in case I stepped on them.

Wasn’t it considered rude to step on the dandelion flowers, which was the original form of the dandelion driards, in front of them? As though to provide an answer to my question the draiard children walked on their original forms happily.

The dandelions were crushed momentarily before springing back up to their original blooming flower faces.

Maybe it’s okay for them since they are light. As for me…once I crush them that would be the end of their fate…? A flower murderer…?

I tried my best to step only on patches with no flowers, but it was a very difficult task as the yellow flowers were densely populated in the whole field. Dandelion who had observed and figured out what I was doing smiled and spoke.

“Us dandelions are strong flowers, with the ability to bloom again even when we are crushed.

We are not flowers that are raised for beauty nor flowers that need constant caring. Wherever our seeds take us and as long as we have the warmth of the sun and a little water we thrive and bloom. So you can be rest assured that a little dent will not damage our value.”

Even with her reassurance, it was difficult to step on the flowers. I wish she’d look elsewhere as I stepped on them to reach our destination.

Elder who had been watching me as though I was a pathetic loser strode forward.

Looking at the dandelions crushing under Elder’s large size reminded me of a tyrant. That…that heartless and shriveled flower tree!

“It’s not like you’re stepping on the driard directly. What are you so anxious about? Do you need me to hold your hand?”

While I was causing a scene my driards had already neared Dandelion’s sides. It was rather embarrassing to be the last….

In the middle of the colony, there was a well. Apparently it existed since a long time ago and it was very deep so even without any rain it never dried up. I could see there were driards surrounding the well lovingly.

“Originally this nature park was much bigger. The path you’ve just walked was once a part of the nature park. And in the past, the dandelions were in full bloom beyond where your eyes could reach.”

Dandelion lifted her stick high up into the air. A white fog similar in appearance to the white dandelion seeds appeared from the end of her stick and spread out over the colony.

“With the increasing frequency of the fires trespassing the size of the colony is slowly shrinking. Because of that, the new dandelion driards being born are reducing as well. Perhaps soon it will downsize even further.

I was deeply immersed in my imagination of flowers far beyond the horizon when Dandelion’s words jolted me awake.

Those darn fires! Here and there, everywhere! The source of evil, fire! The field we had come across was large but to imagine that it had once been larger. And now it was shrinking due to the fires.

“I am not a driard designed for battle so I can only hide the colony from view. Even so, the driards being born decrease by the day and the blessing of the world tree has weakened a fair bit…even my powers are starting to weaken decreasing the range my powers can reach.

As Dandelion shared her depressing story she still kept a calm demeanor. Her straight posture showed that she did not fear what was to come.

“That being said it must mean that my days of delivering the tasks of the world tree are coming to an end. After a long period of delivering the tasks, I can finally return back to be one with the world tree. Once there are no more driards being born here, and the last driard has returned to the world tree, I guess it will be my turn.”

When they die every driard returns to become one with the world tree. Even if they had not been born from the fruits of the world.

The wild driard who had been blessed by the pollen of the world tree would also return to the world tree.

The thought of dying was a cause of fear to all living creatures. So why did Dandelion seem to anticipate it so much?

Perhaps outwardly Dandelion was a dignified king but inside she was tired and fatigued.

“But my only worry is that before all the driards return to the world tree, that my power will not be able to hold out much longer.”

For the first time, a look of fear flashed on Dandelion’s calm appearance.

Hmm, perhaps this was the reason she had invited me here? A druid’s presence is like a small imitation of a world tree, somewhere a driard can rest their soul temporarily.

If she were to be connected spiritually to me, wouldn’t the slowly weakening Dandelion recover?

“Well…well I’m a druid, right? What you call a small world tree….Then should I help you out?”

Dandelion made an expression as though she had never expected me to say this. Oh, had I read her intentions wrongly?

“You are a compassionate person. Thank you for your kind words. But I cannot accept such an offer. I cannot leave even one driard here behind. Of course, those that receive the comfort of the world tree will be stabilized. And many will wish for this offer. But I am the king of the dandelion forest. I cannot leave any of them behind.”

“Does that mean to connect with all the souls of the driards here?”

It was a risky thought.

“Yes, master Jay. You already know that is impossible right? Of course, the limit of your soul has expanded greatly. Probably due to the countless battles. No matter how small the souls of these driards are, it is impossible for you to accept all of them. Even if you agree to do this I will stop you. Jay, you will not be able to withstand it.”

Mesquite had started off with a smile to console me but towards the end of her speech, it had a firm expression. Indeed, had I declared on accepting all the driards here she looked as though she would never let that happen.

Of course, I wasn’t a kid with my head in the clouds. I knew this was an impossible task…

“I am not afraid to die after I lose my strength. I am afraid that I would not be able to accomplish my task before I do. It is the cycle of life for a wild driard to return to the world tree once it is time. Meeting a  small world tree to extend their current life is a rare occurrence after all.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Perhaps I could share a portion of my soul. I had heard somewhere it was possible to do so. But the question was how do you do it?

Suddenly Dandelion flashed a large smile. Her intention for this chat suddenly became clear to me.

“Yesterday someone nearby had left after wiping out the fires in this area. I assume it was a druid of skill who had done so. I wanted to meet the druid and express my gratitude but before I knew it the druid had already disappeared. For me, who could only watch as the fires slowly ate away the parts of the colony, the druid is a savior. But there are still fires that have still not been put out.”

Oh, she was referring to the ill-mannered druid from yesterday. Who had heartlessly wiped out my potential experience points.

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“The more I use my powers to hide the colony with my fog, the quicker my power deteriorates. If you could lend me your power to complete my task here, would you? I will compensate you with whatever I can.”

With that, she told me where the fires were still thriving.

How kind of her to spot out my quest locations and offer me compensation! This was a quest served on a silver platter! There was no reason to refuse.

“Yes, I will!”

I quickly screamed yes in case she withdrew her proposal.