Otto Han had disappeared without a trace.
There were so many things Elric wanted to ask him.
[Tsk! As always, he's just watching for his own amusement. No matter how you look at it, it's quite a nasty hobby. You must never become a slacker like Otto Han. I may like a handsome face, but I despise personalities like his.]
"I will keep that in mind."
Elric nodded as if it were the right thing to do.
If Mephisto were here, he would have probably wagged his finger at him, but unfortunately (?) he was not here at the moment.
"So, Lady Camellia, what should I do now?"
[First, you need to find a garden to plant the seeds. The location or soil quality doesn't really matter, but to sprout them, you'll need to choose the land very carefully. After all, this is the Black Snowfield.]
"Soil quality, huh."
Elric pondered for a brief moment before coming to a simple conclusion.
"Purification will be necessary."
[May I ask why you think so?]
Though she asked the question, a satisfied smile spread across Camellia's lips.
It must be the correct answer.
"The General Winter will persist throughout the arrangement period. Instead of wasting time looking for a suitable place to plant the seeds, wouldn't it be safer to find a suitable location and solidify the area?"
For some reason, Otto Han had specifically limited the period to '100 days.'
If they exceeded that, it would mean the mission was considered a failure.
Therefore, it was necessary to plant the seeds as quickly as possible.
The god of Camellias gave no response to this.
It was more like she was giving him permission to do as he pleased.
Since Elric didn't intend to seek her permission anyway, he first decided to survey the surrounding terrain.
"[Fly]."
Just as Elric was about to float up into the air...
Kiieeeek!
Kaak! Kaak!
As if they had been waiting, flying monsters suddenly sprang out from the thicket in various places, trying to devour Elric.
"What a nuisance. [Swirl]!"
Elric grimaced deeply and unleashed his full mana.
The Seal of Cruelty opened wide, and the energy spewed out by the Seal of Maleficence mixed with it, causing a fierce 'blizzard' to swirl violently in all directions.
Crack!
The flying monsters caught in the blizzard were instantly frozen solid and shattered into pieces as they fell to the ground.
Those that sensed the danger and tried to retreat quickly had their wings covered in frost, causing them to lose direction and crash into trees.
Of course, there were some that managed to push through the blizzard with sheer physical strength, aiming for Elric.
Kiiaaak!
Seeing the monster charging at him with its mouth wide open, Elric twisted his body in the air and used 'White Hand,' thrusting it forward.
Body Strengthening Art.
White Tiger Frenzy Fang.
If Black tiger hunt was a static, heavy and calm technique, White Tiger Frenzy Fang had a fierce and dynamic feeling.
As its name suggested, 'a white tiger biting with sharp fangs,' it boasted the greatest destructive power.
Boom!
The most powerful monster in the vicinity, the 'Winged Bird Demon,' which reigned as king due to its fierce strength, was frozen solid and shattered into pieces.
And then,
Swoosh—
Following the shadows cast by the shattered corpse, Elric's shadow extended rapidly, revealing jagged teeth.
Crunch, crunch!
The shadow devoured the monster voraciously, like a ravenous beast, to fully savor the demonic energy within it.
Fwoosh!
Elric felt the Seal of Maleficence glow softly, and at the same time, he noticed a slight increase in the dissolution rate of the mana core.
He quietly looked down at the Black Snowfield, which seemed utterly impossible to plant the seed in.
'I need to find a suitable place to plant the seed first.'
The Black Snowfield was an endless expanse of forest, making it difficult to grasp the terrain.
But
Swoosh—
"[Monitor]."
Elric activated the Seal of Maleficence greatly, sharpening his senses. He then spread his perception area as wide as possible.
His shadow stretched rapidly across the ground.
The conditions for the plot he was looking for were quite complex.
'It must be a relatively open area with fewer trees. It needs to be near water, easy to monitor for monsters, and...!'
The terrain had to be easy to defend against monsters.
The soil quality was also crucial, with less contamination by demonic energy and decent fertility remaining.
Although these were complicated conditions, Elric, who had to spend 100 days here, had to be meticulous.
However, there were limits to how far he could sense with his shadow, so he had to move around the forest busily.
During this time, it was challenging to concentrate due to the constant onslaught of monsters.
[This place is originally like this. It's nearly impossible for humans to survive here. There are a lot of bothersome and obstructive things.]
The God of Camellias was sitting on Elric's shoulder, enjoying the fresh breeze.
Being able to see monsters exploding in real-time made it interesting to watch.
"There will still be a suitable place."
[I didn't say there wasn't one. It's just not easy to find.]
"No. I have a rough idea of a place."
[Oh? Where might that be?]
The God of Camellias looked up at Elric curiously.
How long had it been since he entered this imaginary world, and he already had a place in mind?
"Isn't there an Anthromorph?"
[Oh ho ho! That's true. Well, while it's true that the Tiger Family has declined in reality, causing the city's momentum to wane significantly, it was originally the center and hub of the grand coalition of the Beastmen Alliance.]
The God of Camellias stroked her chin with her hand, tilting her head in thought.
[In this era, the city of Anthromorph hasn't even been established yet. But... Even though this place is only 1,000 years old, it's still vast. Plus, the terrain 400 years ago would be very different from the present. How do you plan to find it?]
"It's not as difficult as you might think."
[Oh?]
"High gorges or hills don't change much over time. By using such places as landmarks, I can estimate the location and distance."
As Elric passed through a certain part of the forest, a wide plain appeared, backed by a gorge.
A place where trees didn't grow much, and the stench was relatively mild.
It was where Anthromorph used to be.
"It shows up just like this."
[Oh ho ho! You perform such an impossible feat so effortlessly. Truly a decision befitting a clever Melvinger.]
The God of Camellias shook her head.
It's easier said than done; finding such a desired location in an area with no proper paths isn't easy.
Only someone with a deep memory of the surroundings of Anthromorph could manage it.
This meant that Elric's observational skills and instantaneous memory were at an astonishing level.
Without commenting further, Elric simply smiled and activated his magic again.
"[Swirl], [Swirl]"
Elric unleashed a blizzard over a vast area.
He drove away or killed the monsters detected by his shadow, leaving only the large trees in the outer perimeter for defensive purposes, clearing out the rest.
Kiaaah!
Having lived in the Black Snowfield for so long, the monsters were tough and deeply rooted, making them hard to uproot completely.
Crack!
Tsutsutsu—
By freezing them solid with the Seal of Cruelty and then lashing them several times with shadow whips created by the Seal of Maleficence, Elric's pace quickened considerably.
However, the felled trees weren't discarded recklessly; they were neatly cut to a uniform size and stacked in one place.
[What are you planning to do with those stacks?]
"I plan to use them for palisades. Initially, I thought of building walls, but for now, they'll serve as defenses and later can be used as firewood."
[You don't waste resources, do you?]
"I learned the hard way during the first arrangement."
[Indeed. Otto Han is known for his somewhat perverted tendencies, isn't he?]
"I agree."
Elric and the God of Camellias bad-mouthed Otto Han, fully aware he was probably watching them from somewhere.
Once a suitable plot of land was prepared, Elric roughly estimated the area and moved the shadows again.
"[Devour]."
For the seeds to take root properly, the underground needed to be free of gravel or bedrock.
Elric pushed the shadows deep, finely grinding the soil and devouring the imbued demonic energy.
Gulp.
Gulp.
After the shadows swiftly swept through the area—
[Oh.]
Even the God of Camellias' eyes sparkled at the sight of the finely tilled plot.
The demonic energy had vanished, leaving the soil a light brown.
Although still somewhat dry, that could be remedied by drawing water from the nearby river.
"Isn't this a good place to plant trees?"
[This is better than just good, I'd say.]
Elric nodded as he set up the palisade he'd prepared around the garden while the shadow leveled the ground.
The surface of the palisades was intricately inscribed with rune formulas.
"I've also planted talismans to ward off demons, so they'll continuously repel the demonic energy."
Finally, Elric planted the seed in the center of the garden.
***
Elric poured plenty of purified creek water onto the garden and prepared for the possibility of monster attacks by organizing the area again.
He bundled the stacked logs together to form a palisade and, when that wasn't enough, he used bricks created with the Seal of Cruelty to build additional walls.
Snap, snap, snap!
[Plaster...? No, where did you learn such techniques?]
"I've tried my hand at everything to earn money for my studies since I was young."
His sister told him to focus on his studies instead of worrying about unnecessary things, but it was easier said than done.
The God of Camellias wore an incredulous expression.
[...Was the Melvinger family really that destitute?]
"Indeed. Just because my grandfather was a hero doesn't mean the family becomes one. At least I didn't get stabbed in the back."
Elric grumbled as he placed the final brick.
"Phew! It's done."
[Oh ho!]
The God of Camellias let out a wry laugh.
Initially, she had expected a small fence when Elric said he was going to build a 'fortress' around the garden.
Elric had encircled the entire clearing with ice bricks!
Though he didn't have much time, so the walls only reached up to his waist, it was enough to keep most monsters at bay.
Moreover, the magical arrays engraved at intervals inside the walls were designed to interlock intricately.
They were intended to enhance the wall's durability and trap intruders for a magical bombardment.
[Those formations are definitely of dragon origin... When did you learn such things? Surely they aren't knowledge passed down to humans?]
"I once explored a dragon's nest."
[Aha! It seems you taught yourself there. It must have been a kind-hearted dragon. It even designed learning devices for the fortunate ones who stumbled upon it. So, how long did you study there? Five years? Six years? Considering your age, it must have been at least ten years, but that doesn't seem right.]
"No, I wasn't there that long."
[Hmm? Ah, right. The Melvinger family is quite peculiar. They are considered 'geniuses' by both human and our standards, a group of eccentric prodigies. So, was it around a year?]
"No. I was only there for a day."
[...!]
The God of Camellias' jaw dropped.
Understanding such complex formulas requires a significant level of comprehension.
But to achieve this much in just a day?
[Hmm, oh, well. The Melvingers have done something truly unbelievable.]
The God of Camellias let out a wry laugh.
[This makes you even more intriguing. What should I do?]
Her gaze toward Elric was filled with desire.
If she had known that Elric had been awake and conscious in the dragon's nest for only half a day, she might have kidnapped him on the spot.
Whether Elric was aware of this potential danger or not, he simply said,
"Phew! It's finally done."
He dusted off his hands and looked at the garden he had spent an entire day creating with a satisfied expression.
The palisade, the wall, and the fine soil.
Isn't this perfect?
[It looks quite impressive.]
"Hey, it's perfect. Now I just need to build a place to stay next to the garden."
[For your information, I am very particular about my sleeping arrangements. I can't sleep without a proper bed, and when I wake up, there must be warm tea by my bedside to clear my head. The temperature of tea should be between 50 to 60 degrees Celsius, which is ideal for me.]
"...I'll keep that in mind. Oh, by the way."
Elric smiled bitterly and suddenly took out the stone tablet he had kept in his possession.
"Why hasn't this shown any reaction yet?"
The day was almost over, but it still hadn't changed at all.
[Isn't figuring out a pervert's intentions one of the hardest things to do?]
"Don't you, as my guide, know anything about it?"
[Didn't I mention? I can't give you advice on anything other than related to the trees. And truth be told, I'm here under a personal contract with that person, so there are many things I don't know. If too much information gets out, it becomes too easy to give away hints, right?]
"You're really good at beating around the bush to say you don't know."
[Hmph! The word I hate the most in this world is incompetence.]
Elric, now having a good sense of the God of Camellias's personality, could only shake his head.
"You said it was something like a status board. Maybe it needs to sprout to work properly?"
[Then you'll need fertilizer.]
"Is there something the camellia tree would like in the Black Snowfield?"
[Of course there is. It's just a bit difficult to make...]
Just as the God of Camellias was about to say something, the stone tablet suddenly began to tremble, and a brilliant light burst from its surface.
Thinking that finally something was happening, Elric and the God of Camellias turned their attention to the tablet.
The shimmering light on the tablet twisted and turned, forming letters.
The first thing that appeared was:
[Mission failed.]
[Returning to Day 0.]
"...?"
[...?]
[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]