Chapter 39: The Swamp of Death Part 9

Rasghal's followers had summoned the Hydra by offering a fitting sacrifice, yet things did not go as they had intended.

The Black Dragon made its appearance.

Before the Hydra could seize the dragon egg, it was forced into a fierce battle with the Black Dragon.

Had the Hydra managed to obtain the dragon egg, it would have wreaked havoc across the continent as Rasghal's followers desired.

However, the Hydra found itself fighting with the Black Dragon without having seized the dragon egg, and as a result, it lost eight of its heads.

Although the Black Dragon succeeded in protecting the egg, it ultimately lost its life due to the Hydra's poison, which was said to torment even the gods with eternal suffering…

With only one head remaining due to the Black Dragon's attack, the Hydra was condemned to a long slumber at the center of the lake.

It's likely that Rasghal's followers were caught in this conflict and met their demise before they could achieve their goal.

My head ached heavily from memories that were too much for a human to handle, but I gritted my teeth and came to my senses. Then I quickly placed the dragon's egg into the space ring.

"Sir Theodore? Is there something wrong?"

Jacob asked me but I shook my head in response.

"No, there's nothing."

"…Is that so?"

"What does it matter if there were? Everything but the dragon's bones is mine by right."

"Well, yes, but…"

Jacob trailed off and his expression was clouded with doubt. Yet, he chose not to probe further and turned away.

I had suspected that something more significant than the dragon's bones might exist…

But what am I to do now?

No matter how precious the item might be…

Is this even an item?

The moment I touched it, I felt a strong magical presence which meant that the creature inside the egg was very much alive.

A dragon, no less.

Can I really handle this?

First and foremost, unless specific conditions were met, the egg would not hatch.

Thus, I had no choice but to seek a solution in the meantime.

A dragon was not just a monster, but a spirit creature, a kind of transcendent being.

This meant that getting entangled with one could significantly increase the chances of unforeseen events occurring.

Considering the notorious unpredictable nature of dragons, they could rival even the gods in this respect…

I needed to complete the origin quest as soon as possible, and the last thing I wanted was for other incidents to arise.

I'll find a solution as soon as I return.

Various objects used by the cultists were scattered around the altar. Among these, I gathered what seemed useful and prepared to return.

"You're being too harsh."

El commented with a sulky expression as she helped me pack.

"What?"

"You just left me locked up. I could have been of help…"

"The opponent was a Hydra."

"But I…"

I cut off El's protest without listening further.

"What if we were wiped out?"

"..."

"You were the only one who could deliver the news."

"But that didn't happen."

"It could have easily happened. I was just making preparations."

"..."

"It's not because you're weak, but because I believed that you could escape the swamp of death even after total annihilation and spread the news."

"..."

"You have a history of surviving tenaciously even on cursed lands."

El seemed like she wanted to say more, but upon seeing my face, she firmly closed her mouth.

"Just pack your things."

El methodically organized and packed items that didn't necessarily need to be stored in the space ring. Seeing that she didn't argue anymore, she seemed to have accepted it to some extent.

Typical of Reinhardt, her pride is so strong.

Well, it's probably that personality that eventually earns her the reputation of the Silver Lion Reinhardt.

I finally packed up my belongings and planted ash trees and other purification plants here and there for the last time before leaving the swamp of death. I used up all the prepared magic stones, so I had to use the Hydra's magic stones to stimulate the rest of the plants to grow. They were quite valuable, but I didn't mind using them since I had already received ample compensation.

Perhaps it was due to the immense power of the Hydra's magic stones, but soon enough, numerous trees, vines, and grasses grew densely, forming the appearance of a forest. With such a robust forest completed, the lingering demonic energy would soon be purified.

In time, this place would no longer be known as the swamp of death but as the "Forest of Purification Ash Trees".

[The Ash Tree Fairy is delighted.]

I gently caressed the trunk of the last ash tree I planted and then turned around.

I had just made it in time for the scheduled date, so the portal was already prepared.

As soon as I return, I need to soak in hot water mixed with desert salt for a very, very long time, then sleep as if I were dead.

After nearly a fortnight without a bath, I was in a dreadful state. Covered in sweat, blood, and mud… it was a complete mess. I was desperately longing for a hot bath.

However…

"Welcome back safely!"

The western magic tower Master Agni didn't let me rest upon my return.

She insisted that Jamil and I absolutely had to attend the banquet. It was an invitation from the western magic tower master herself, an offer we simply couldn't refuse. We barely had time to change our clothes before we attended the welcoming feast.

The banquet hall was filled with an enormous variety of foods. It started with the specialty of Roshan, a whole roasted desert buffalo, followed by dishes of translucent eggs and fins from the abyss shark, and even a delicacy of poisonous spiny octopus…

Despite the tempting array of foods, I somehow had no appetite. It might have been due to exhaustion, or perhaps the pressure of having to deal with Agni right after returning.

Regardless of how I felt, Jamil had already grabbed a leg of the desert buffalo and started devouring it.

I merely moistened my throat with water garnished with a slice of blue lemon and then smiled at Agni.

"Thank you. Thanks to your support, I was able to complete the mission safely."

"I must say, it's been a long time since I've seen a druid of your caliber… Actually, you remind me of another druid I once knew. I wonder what they're up to these days…"

"Is that so?"

"Anyway, that's not what I'm curious about. I have something else in mind."

"You're wondering if I found something more valuable than the dragon bones."

"That's exactly it."

"To answer your question…"

I hesitated for a moment.

Should I honestly tell the western magic tower master that I had obtained a dragon's egg?

She was a snake that had lived for 200 years. I couldn't match her wisdom. If I were to honestly reveal that I had acquired a dragon's egg, yes, she might be able to provide an answer. She could tell me what to do with the dragon's egg.

However…

"Speak up."

Agni's red eyes gleamed ominously.

"…It was a complete loss."

I chose to lie.

Agni was wise, but more importantly, she was likely to be cunning. The mere fact that she had sent me on a foolhardy mission to traverse the swamp of death for dragon bones was evidence enough.

"I did manage to acquire some items from the cultists, but nothing as valuable as dragon bones."

"Hahaha, is that so?"

"Some items require purification at the temple before they can be sold, so it really was a losing deal."

Agni giggled happily.

"You really shouldn't gamble!"

"Thank you for the advice."

"Good. I will buy those items from the cultists from you."

"You are most generous."

"It's the least I can do."

After my brief exchange with Agni, I returned. It seemed Jamil wanted to discuss something with me, but I decided to postpone it until the next day and quickly headed to my room. I was in desperate need of rest. When I got there, I found El and Ayla who seemed to have already finished eating tangled together and asleep.

I asked a tower attendant to prepare a hot bath and entered the bathroom with various herbs, desert salt, and an old book. As I submerged myself in the hot water, enriched with the essence of herbs, I started to feel my tension dissipate.

"Aaaah…"

Finally, I could breathe easily.

I stretched my legs out in the tub, leaned back and let the accumulated stress wash away, surrendering to the overwhelming fatigue. It had been so long since I had allowed myself a moment of true relaxation…. I just closed my eyes like this.

I thought that cleansing the swamp of death was all that was required, but so much had transpired.

From vanquishing the Hydra to obtaining a dragon's egg.

The journey was arduous but the rewards were substantial.

I opened the old book to check my achievements.

[Achievement Unlocked: The Ninth Vanquisher]

[Additional Effect: Hydra's Poison Fang Available]

[Additional Effect: 30% increased attack power when dealing with poison/acid-type monsters]

There were two additional effects.

In the swamp of death, I had only confirmed that the Hydra's poison fang could be used.

The poison of the Hydra surpasses all other poisons, implying that mastering it was akin to mastering all poisons.

With the totem [Benevolent Monster] made from the Hydrus's head, I was virtually invulnerable to all poisons.

I won't have to worry about poisons anymore…

If fashioned properly into a dagger, the Hydra's venom poison could be incredibly powerful in various situations.

I can almost hear my value increasing.

Had I been an assassin rather than a druid, I might have made a fortune by now.

But it's a class with too much risk, not to mention it doesn't suit my temperament.

Using the Hydra's poison fang solely for self-defense might seem extravagant, but so what?

There's no rule saying a druid can't benefit from good equipment.

Alright, tomorrow I'll refine the Hydra's poison fang into something usable… Oh, right, Agni mentioned she would buy the cultists' items, so I should sort out the unnecessary ones.

It was a task worth a gold coin. Given Agni's reputation, she was sure to offer a generous price for the items.

At the very least, it should cover the expenses for my trip to the Echaits Union.

When I eventually go to the Echaits Union, I hope to uncover information about the Black Opium.

Digging into the details of Black Opium…

If fortune favored me, I might even learn about the attackers.

Of course, now that it was clear they were targeting me, I had to be even more cautious than before.

Just trying to unearth information about the origin god was headache-inducing enough, let alone dealing with all this.

Come to think of it, when I lost consciousness…

What exactly happened during that time?

I was sure I had been stabbed in the side…

I carefully felt the spot with my hand. The sensation of the blade piercing through was vivid in my memory, yet now there was nothing.

"I'm glad, but I feel uncomfortable."

-Beep?

Beepy must have entered the bathroom at some point and it began grooming its feathers atop my head.

"Did you see anything?"

-Beep?

"Haaah… Never mind."

-Beep?