(EP-298.2) Master #2

298 – Master of the Forest #2

━Half-fairy Theo Gospel from beyond the wall. What would I even do with your life? In this land, your life is only as valuable as fertilizer for a blooming flower.

“I see…”

It was a bit harsh to hear that my life held such little value, but at least it seemed like it didn’t want to devour me.

Considering its massive size, eating someone like me probably wouldn’t even make a difference.

But then, what did it usually eat?

To maintain that huge body, it must need more food than an elephant…

Clack!

Suddenly, a loud sound echoed as its hard fangs collided with each other.

━Half-fairy! How rude of you to think such things! Unlike those of today, I need nothing to sustain my life. That is what an Immortal is!

“Immortal?”

The more we talked, the more strange keywords came up.

* * *

As I had suspected, Angala was an ancient being.

From the size of a human palm to a length that was now impossible to measure, its age was unfathomable.

━The world was once the era of great beasts, spirits, fairies, and gods. Now, I live in this narrow pond, but back then, I had many disciples.

Angala began telling stories I hadn’t even asked.

Perhaps it was excited to have someone listening to its stories, but if this would help negotiations, I could certainly play along.

I feigned interest and asked.

“If you had disciples, that means you taught them something, right?”

━Indeed. I taught all kinds of magecrafts and sorcery. Today, it’s called ‘magic.’ In truth, they were part of the teachings to become an immortal, a transcendent being. There were also many nymphs. Yujinoi… Meteol…

‘I see.’

Now that I thought about it, even the Demon King Solomon used to say that magic was not the goal, but merely a tool—a tool to reach the principles of this world. If Angala had lived since the era of spirits, how old could it possibly be?

At that moment, the great Angala said.

━Theo Gospel from beyond the wall. You seem to have quite a talent for cultivating virtue and the path of transcendence. Why don’t you learn from me?

“Really?”

━Yes. In an age when fairies have fallen, you’re good enough to understand what I’m saying. There are usually more steps, but… I’m in urgent need of an errand boy.

“Oh…”

━And just because someone listens to me doesn’t mean I teach them. Even Solomon sought my teachings, but I refused. I saw through the evil in his heart, and in the end, I was right.

“Hm…”

━500 years—no, 400 years should be enough for you to learn. During that time, you can clean the pond, run errands for me, and do a few other things here and there…

Even though I had been responding with simple exclamations up until now, I couldn’t just let this slide.

“Um, Angala-nim, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I can’t live that long.”

The great Angala seemed genuinely surprised by my words.

━Why not? Fairies live as long as ancient trees? Even though you’re only half-fairy, you should be able to live for at least 500 years.

“Well, my body is… a bit special…”

As I began to explain, I felt a soft breeze coming from somewhere. I realized it was Angala’s breath.

It was smelling me—reading my information through my scent.

A few seconds passed.

Then after what it felt like an eternity, as if all the time I had ever lived was condensed into that moment of silence.

Angala spoke in a voice that seemed tinged with longing and bitterness.

━I see. So that’s what it is. You carry a familiar scent—one is the hateful stench of Solomon, and the other… the scent of my dear friend…

Dear friend?

Just as I was about to ask what it meant by that….

━I’ve changed my mind. I can’t let you go. You will become nourishment for the evening primroses here.

Swoosh!

A sudden attack rushed toward me.

Countless legs came at me like blades, closing in from all sides like tightening gears. I quickly chanted to defend myself against the onslaught.

─Mana Shield!

Kaga-ga-gak, clank!

If I had let my guard down for even a moment, I would have ended up like the bones scattered around this pond.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?!”

I angrily yelled but Angala remained silent.

━…….

It remained silent, now nothing more than a merciless monster filled with the same bloodlust I had seen in so many other monsters.

“Tch.”

It had figured out I was related to Solomon, causing the sudden change of heart.

As an immortal who had cultivated some unknown art for a long time, whether it was magic or the secret to immortality, it was entirely possible for it to discern my identity simply by my scent.

I had underestimated the centipede…

However, what truly bothered me was the ‘dear friend’.

The strange sense of familiarity I’d felt ever since entering this forest—I was on the cusp of unraveling this peculiar feeling.

“If I win, you’ll have to answer my questions. And I’ll be taking the evening primrose too.”

━That attitude is the problem. When that jerk brought the corpse and wept before me, I should’ve just bitten his neck….

Edit by: faker