Chapter 7: The World Tree and the High Elf Finally, we received word that we had arrived at the monster's territory from Marion. We waited for nightfall, entrusted the Liebe Grand Forest to Sugal and Riley, and then flew to Marion's side with Kelly and Dias. Since I was wearing the armor, there was no need to avoid the daytime, but it had already become a habit. "It's been a while since we've seen each other in person. Marion, Ginka (Silver Flower). You look well, which is more than enough." "Welcome, boss." <"I've been well, boss. That over there is the neighbor's forest."> The neighbor's forest seemed to have a slightly different atmosphere than the Liebe Grand Forest. According to the map, the Liebe Grand Forest has a boundary line in the middle of the forest, but this forest is already recognized as a monster's territory by humans from the point where the trees are densely packed. There is said to be a frontier city like the city of Airfaren in the Liebe Grand Forest, located in the vicinity of this area. However, the city is currently quite far away from our location. The road to the city was built to avoid the monster's territory in the forest, and it was said that Marion and the others used this road to come here. The city and the road are located in a way that avoids the forest, so to speak. Compared to this, the Liebe Grand Forest and the city of Airfaren are almost adjacent to each other. The reason why the distance between the Liebe Grand Forest and the city of Airfaren is relatively close is probably because there were no strong monsters in the Liebe Grand Forest until now. The white magic wolves and ice wolves that escaped probably chose the Liebe Grand Forest for the same reason. It is unclear how the Liebe Grand Forest has maintained its peaceful state until now, but I think that the forest was probably a cradle for Sugal. Or perhaps it was a cradle for Dias. In any case, the forest was probably there to raise monsters that could become raid bosses. As the number of players in the city increases, the army of Sugals the ants army is probably adjusted to consume their experience and grow. Considering this, it is highly likely that the forest, which has been avoided on a large scale since the construction of the city and the road, has a higher status as a monster's territory than the Liebe Grand Forest. It is a territory that has been regarded as a threat to humans since the start of the game. In that sense, it is a senior among the monster's territories. "Well, it's exciting, isn't it? To see how we, the current players, fare against the senior players." <"I'll take the lead. The princess must not die, so she will not be on the front lines."> "......That's a little disappointing, but I guess it can't be helped. After all, the purpose of this power enhancement is to avoid death, so it would be counterproductive if I were to die." Dias is more than sufficiently powerful, and it would be best to leave this to him for now. I have never seen Dias in battle, so it will also be a chance to see how strong he really is. "Dias, I'm thinking of summoning a few of the Adaman series, but how many do you think would be enough?" <"There is no need. I would like you to confirm my commanding abilities, princess. Can I ask for a small squad? Any more than that would be excessive for the conquest of this forest."> "I thought this forest was a higher-ranked territory than ours, but if Dias says so, then I guess that's fine. If it's not enough, just let me know." And so, I summoned a small squad consisting of one Adaman leader, nine Adaman mages, six Adaman scouts, and 14 Adaman knights. Although it's just a small squad, it feels like a large number when considering their movements in the dense forest. "This game doesn't have such a system, but is this what you'd call a raid party? Although, realistically speaking, it'd be quite difficult to gather 30 or more players." If all of them were Adaman leaders, they wouldn't be my enemies even if I wasn't wearing the armor. However, that's only during the daytime. "Basically, the Adaman series and the Carnite Knights are set to follow the commands of anyone other than me. Both Sugal and Dias are given priority, and if neither of them are present, then Kelly and the others are given priority. If none of them are present, they will act on their own judgment, but since they are living-system monsters with low self-awareness, they will probably only focus on efficiently killing enemies." <"That's enough. Now, let's test the performance of these guys and take a look at my abilities as well."> Dias said this and gave a short command to the Adamans. Following the command, the six scouts scattered into the forest with a lightness that belied their full-body Adaman construction, disappearing into the trees in an instant. Although they are called Adamans, the scouts among them have light armor and no muscles, organs, or fat, so they are not as heavy as one might imagine. They are probably about the same weight as a normal humanoid species. Moreover, unlike warm-blooded animals, they do not emit heat, so they cannot be detected by the infrared vision of snake-type monsters. They have all the necessary qualities for a stealthy operator. By the way, the Adaman Series and the Carnite Knights are equipped with weapons. However, there are many of them, so they inevitably end up as low-ranking fodder. The weapons they are given are mostly blades, with the expectation of dealing damage different from that of bare hands. Or perhaps body blows are the most efficient in terms of pure damage. If possible, I would like to give each of them a single Living Weapon, but I do not have a sword imbued with the grudge of a knight. The reason we advanced into this forest was not only because it was the forest that Dias was once entrusted with, but also because we hoped that the remnants of the knights of the fallen kingdom might be here. The bones of Dias and his comrades are too few for the only knightly order on the continent. The remnants of the knightly order are likely scattered throughout the continent. As the Adaman Scout disappears from sight, Dias and his troops also begin to advance, albeit cautiously. They clear the underbrush and expand the combat-ready space as they progress. The ability to command is originally evaluated by the grasp of the unit, but in the future, such a process will not be necessary, and I will only observe the pure command on the scene. In that sense, it can be said that the command is cautious but truly rational and without waste. While watching Dias and the Adaman Knights, Rare was satisfied. This combat unit has enough power to control the Liebe Great Forest. If we can compare our combat capabilities with those of other forces in this expedition, we will be able to objectively evaluate the strength of the Liebe Great Forest. Rare also slowly advances along the path that Dias and his comrades have cleared. On both sides are Kelly and Marion, and Silver flower is with the boss. Including the Knights, all of them have acquired the Sense Enhancement skill. Unless there is a significant difference in ability, they will not be ambushed. For reconnaissance, it would have been good to bring Ominous of the Forest Owl, but he is not that strong. If there is a strong flying monster, there is a possibility that he cannot fight it. After advancing a little, the Dias Knights in the front suddenly stop. It seems that the scout has discovered something, perhaps a monster. The scout reports, and Dias sends a message in the friend chat. "Princess, we have found the enemy. It seems that this forest is already under the control of a single force." "Oh, is that so? Then, if we defeat or subdue that force, we can take control of the forest, right? So, what kind of monster is it? It's not a humanoid, is it?" "......Yes. The force that controls this forest is the undead. Judging from the armor, they are probably......my former comrades." This means that this forest, like the Liebe Great Forest, has experienced a large-scale outbreak of undead for unknown reasons. (As I thought, more or less......fufu, I'm looking forward to it.) It is unthinkable that someone intentionally caused this situation, but I wonder if there are any special individuals like Dias among these undead. If there are, I would like to add them to my subordinates. I also want to create a comrade for Dias, and I need more samples for research on why he alone has a sense of self. "Hey, Dias......" "You are too kind, Princess. My lord, you may be thinking of ruling the boss of this place with ease, but if you are considering my feelings, it is unnecessary." "No, it's not like that. I just want them as a force. And there's a rumor that an undead boss is about to appear in our forest, so I'd like to have some weaker undead pieces." In that case, I have no choice but to give up on the knight's grudge. However, if I can obtain an undead army as a force, there is nothing better. "So, I want an undead army. Dias, can you give it to me?" "......As you wish." Until then, the Dias and the Knights had been advancing almost in a straight line, but they began to move in a serpentine manner, apparently to avoid the enemy's reconnaissance line. Unavoidable lookouts are quietly taken care of by the scout. With [Death Spirit Boundary], Rare could have placed all the undead under her control at once, but undead that are already under the control of another character cannot be [controlled] or [used]. The same error occurs as when she met the ants and used [tame] on them. The undead that once appeared with Dias were treated as strays, but since Dias had the [Death Spirit] and [Tame] skills from the beginning, he could have left them as they were and made all the undead his subordinates to control the forest. If things had unfolded that way, it would have been the birth of a raid boss like Sugal. I had been wondering why there were two raid bosses, Sugal and Dias, in the Liebe Great Forest, which was like a cradle, but it might have been that one was placed there to serve as bait for the other. If the same situation were to occur in this forest, it would mean that the Undead had won the power struggle. In that case, it would be a fully-formed raid boss. "I'm looking forward to it......" This forest was also quite vast. It would take a considerable amount of time to reach the central area. Dias and the Adaman Series did not feel fatigue or need to rest, but Rare and Kelly were different. They would need to camp somewhere. Rare's experience point intake would stop while she was sleeping, so she would prefer not to have any battles during their rest period. "So, I would appreciate it if you could adjust the battles to occur as much as possible while I am awake." "It would be possible if we do not encounter any surprise attacks......" "The part about the opponent is unavoidable. Let's just think of it as a goal to strive for." After that, Dias increased his pace a little, while still maintaining a certain level of caution. The Undead they occasionally encountered looked like Skeleton Knights or something of the sort. It seemed that they had not been spotted by the scouts, but rather, they had been allowed to pass through because they were not a suitable size for an assassination. The Adaman Knights would easily cut them down with a single stroke, and it was unclear whether they were dead bodies or not, but they would collect the remains. The location where they set up camp that day was, according to the map, roughly one-third of the way to the center. Considering the size of the forest, it was an abnormal rate of progress. The reason for this was probably that they had taken hardly any breaks. Incidentally, the camp was not a night camp. Rare was basically nocturnal and would sleep during the day. "Well then, I'll take a short nap. I'll probably wake up in about five hours, so until then, please guard this camp. You can also advance, but if there are any unknown monsters or unknown materials, I want to see them too, so please wait for me." "That will be difficult. Let's obediently guard the camp." "Well then, I'll return to Liebe and sleep. What about Kelly and the others? Should we all go back for now?" "Yes, boss. I'll prepare the offerings." "Got it. See you later." Rare used [Coordinate Designation] on Sugal and activated [Mage Summoning]. When she returned to the queen's room, she would summon Kelly and the others next. As usual, Rare sat deeply on the throne and began to prepare for her logout. Kelly and the others also removed their armor, and disappeared into the partition at the back of the queen's room. There was a bed set up there, and a temporary sleeping space for Rare's attendants to use when they rested in this room with her. Ginka (Silver Flower) curled up at Rare's feet. As a Frost Wolf, she was able to sleep comfortably on this floor, which was covered with a huge bear skin. "Well then, see you later. Good night." A few hours later, it was the next day in the game, and Rare had returned to Dias and the others right on time. She inquired about what had happened during her absence. "So, did we get attacked or anything while we were sleeping during the day?" "Yes, I apologize. We were attacked by an unknown monster and had to repel it." "It's not like you have to apologize, but does that mean a monster other than the Undead appeared? Is it like, the Undead come out at night and a different monster comes out during the day in this forest?" "It's possible. The monster that appeared was a tree monster, and we have stored the remains of it in the Inben Tori." "I see, so it's a plant-type monster. It's more active during the day because of photosynthesis, right?... But it still bothers to come and attack us, so I guess it's not getting enough nutrition from photosynthesis alone. Well, if it's able to move around, it means that its lower body has evolved, but its roots have probably degenerated, so it's hard for it to absorb nutrition... It's definitely evolved in the wrong direction." But this was good news. A plant-type monster like this was rare. They should capture it and build a large farm in the Liebe Great Forest. "For now, let's try to capture it the next time we find it. Do you think it will come again?" "I'm not sure. The sun hasn't set yet, so it might come again......" "Hmm. Well, let's think about it as we move forward. If the Undead don't come out during the day, it's also a chance for us to gain some distance. If they're attacking us while we're camping, they'll probably attack us while we're moving too." Did Leah's words become a flag? As soon as they started moving, they were ambushed. "I see! So it was disguised as a tree over there! That's why it didn't get caught in the scouts' net!" If they were camping, the monster would have to approach from the other side, so they would definitely be able to detect it. But if they were moving in this direction, the monster could just wait for them to pass, making it impossible for them to spot it. However, even in the situation where the tree suddenly transformed into a monster and attacked them, the Adaman army led by Dias remained calm. It was unclear whether they were even capable of being agitated. The Adaman Squad, consisting of 30 members, was surrounded, but it wasn't a matter of numbers. The battle ended quickly, and the only thing left scattered around was wood. "These guys... are they a different power from the Undead, and coexisting with them? Or is it a single existence that rules over both of them...?" Either way, they will find out as they continue to advance. The group began to collect the wood, and then moved forward. They traveled through the forest for a while. It became clear that during the day, plants attacked, and at night, the Undead did. However, looking at Dias, it didn't seem like the Undead were inactive during the day because of that. Dias's rank was high, which might have made it possible for him to be active during the day, but... The same could be said for the plant monsters. In other words, they couldn't be active without photosynthesis. So far, the ones that had been attacking them were mostly low-ranking ones, about the same level as the ants in the Liebe Forest. Compared to the foot soldiers and engineers, they were stronger, but there wasn't a big difference between them and the cavalry or assault troops. For a forest that seemed to have been growing for longer than the Liebe Forest, it had a surprisingly restrained fighting force. If there were only this many monsters, it didn't seem like there would be a need to go out of the way to avoid the roads or towns. And while we don't know about the plant monsters, the undead, considering the case of Diaz, should have appeared only recently. They would not have been around when the town and the road were planned. There might still be something hidden in this forest. "With things as they are, it doesn't seem like we'll need to be that cautious. In our base, we're dealing with player opponents, and there's also the possibility that we're being welcomed here, so let's keep that in the back of our minds." That day, they continued to make progress according to plan, and set up camp when the sun was rising. They had likely covered about two-thirds of the entire journey. If Rare was the master of this forest and was playing the role of host, they would have surely said something by now, as the line of absolute killing of intruders had already been crossed. However, there were no attacks that day, just like the day before. If there was a ruling class in this forest, it might be that they were not in control. Dias's commanding abilities in a group of this size were no longer in doubt. There was no need to observe the situation any further. He gave orders to not consider any unnecessary demonstrations, and to aim straight for the center. So far, there had been no monsters in this forest that could deal damage to the Adaman Series. If they just continued to advance and casually struck anything they touched, it would be enough to constitute an invasion. Thanks to that, they arrived at the center of the forest a little earlier than planned, just as the sun was about to rise. "However, there doesn't seem to be anything special here. It's just a forest in the middle." Dias and the others' graveyard was a little ways away from the center, and the shape of the forest wasn't a perfect circle, either. In that case, it might be a good idea to set up a temporary base here and gradually expand the search range. He wanted to have the engineer ants build a temporary base and other things from the trees in the area, but the engineer ants were under Sugal's command, so he couldn't specifically summon them with Rare. "If there were grudges like 'the knight's grudge,' and instead ones like 'the craftsman's grudge,' or 'the cook's grudge,' we could produce Adaman production jobs... I wonder..." It might be possible, but it wouldn't do any good to say it now. However, in any case, if they were to rule over this forest, they would need personnel who could manage and operate it. The only people Rare could bring to this side with her summoning were the heavy metal skeletons, and they were basically only capable of fighting. "If we're going to take control of this forest and manage it, it'd be best to have the local magical creatures, wouldn't it? I'd like to bring the bosses of the Undead and plant monsters under our control." For now, it was about time to log out. He decided to return here for the time being. He gave orders to the Dias group to set up a temporary base. If Diaz was the head of a knighthood that also conducted expeditions, he should be able to give some instructions for the construction of such a temporary base. When Rare returned, it was around the afternoon of the next day in the game. The Dias group was in the middle of a battle with wood. "Good morning. You must be tired." "Good morning, Your Highness. No, it's not that much of a hardship." "It seems like they're attacking quite aggressively during the daytime, huh." There was a lot of wood scattered around. There was probably already a certain amount that had been stored, and there were quite a few of them. "Even if we defeat this many of them, they'll still keep attacking, huh. Is it because their breeding cycle is fast, or are they respawning because they're someone's kin?" Either way, the profits they could gain after suppressing them would be huge. They could make a farm for experience points, or a second branch of the theme park. They could be applied to either one. "For now, I'd like to try making charcoal with this wood, but let's take care of the task at hand first. We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves." Rare summoned additional Adaman Scouts from the Liebe Grand Forest and placed them under Dias's command. "First, let's prioritize exploration. Let's wait for the scouts' reports. In the meantime, I'll try to harvest these monsters. If they don't have enough attack power to hurt the Adamans, they won't be able to hurt me either." "Understood!" Dias drew the Kenzaki Ichirou sword given to him and joined the front line with the Adaman Knights. With a skill level surpassing even the Adaman Knights, he effortlessly cut down the large trees without even activating his skills. Rare was about to cast some magic or provide some support, but changed her mind. "Oh, that's right. I haven't used it much lately, so I forgot, but if I use [Control] on them, I can find out if they're under a team or not." While she was at it, she also decided to test whether [Mental Magic] would work on plant monsters. "Let's try [Confusion]... No effect. [Sleep], [Confusion]... It doesn't seem to work. [Fear], [Charm]... Oh? [Charm] seems to work. I wonder why. Do plant-type monsters have minds, but not a typical mental structure?" If it worked, that would make things easier. She continued with [Dominate] and succeeded, then activated [Tame]. The plant monster "Confortlent" showed no significant resistance and stopped moving. Whether it was aware of it or not, it turned its consciousness towards its master, Rare. "If I can team up with them, that would make things easier. Let's team up with them one by one." It took a little longer than just defeating them, but she was able to bring all of the attacking Confortlents under her control. "If I can team up with them, that means they're strays, right? I wonder if there are a lot of them or if they grow very quickly." Looking at their skills, she found a tree [Prosperity] skill that included [Branching] and [Photosynthesis], among others. It seemed that all skills related to plant growth and reproduction were concentrated in this one skill. Checking the unlocked skills, it seemed that their breeding cycle was indeed quite fast. "There are strange conditions attached. If the same species increases in density within a certain range, they will wither... With this ability value and this speed of increase, human territories would be swallowed up by the forest in no time." It might be the wisdom of evolution to efficiently obtain the maximum amount of nutrition per unit area, but it seemed more likely to be a deliberate move by the game's management. "I wonder if these guys can take root in the Liebe Grand Forest? Well, it's a strange way to put it since they can move on their own..." If you stood still, they would look just like trees, but in fact, they were only thrusting their feet into the ground from their ankles. If they wanted to move, they could pull out their roots from their ankles and walk. "Let's bring the biggest one back and plant it. If we extend the root-related skills in [Prosperity], it might settle down as a tree. As for the others, let's leave them in this forest. Let them breed here and drive out the ones that aren't our children." She also wondered how individuals that had been controlled and bred would be treated. If they were born from seeds, they would become completely different individuals, but since they were not social monsters like ants, they would probably have to be controlled separately. In that case, what would happen if they increased through [Branching]? Would it be understood that the same individual was increasing? In that case, would the increased individuals also be considered Rare's dependents? "Let's find out little by little." Next were the undead. They couldn't be seen during the day, but there was a possibility that particularly strong individuals could be active during the day. That was her target, so exploration was necessary day and night. She changed her instructions to the scouts to ignore the Treant system and focus on searching for the undead. If the boss was near the center of the forest, it was about time for it to be found. In any case, the sun was about to set. The movements of the Treants under [Control] did not seem to dull, but just in case, she ordered them to turn into trees and rest, and waited for the appearance of the undead. Soon the sun is fading. The torrents that we have [conjured] do not seem to be slowing down, but we tell them to rest in the trees for now, and wait for the undead to appear. <"Princess."> "Yes. I understand. Let's go." A report from a scout revealed that there was already a place where the undead were active. Since the activity of the undead as a whole had not yet fully begun, if only that place was active, it was undoubtedly the center of undead generation or some kind of key point. <"I do not recommend dividing the unit, but would you leave some here?"> "No. Let's all go. There's nothing special about the temporary base, and the Treants are just sleeping. There's no point in guarding here." I knew the rough terrain and distance to the place from the scout's report. There were no undead in this area yet, and I had subjugated the Trents, so there were no enemies. Therefore, I began to move at a speed-oriented pace. Even though it was near the central part of the forest, it was still a vast forest. Moving would take a certain amount of time. Before I knew it, the sun had set significantly, and the undead had started to move during the relocation. They would normally be subject to a surprise attack as they crawl out of the ground, but Rare and Dias knew roughly where they were coming from. It was probably because they had shaken a considerable amount of experience value into [Death Spirit]. It was like a visible Mogura-bashing. I only crushed the ones that would interfere with the route or the line of march and hurried on. Walking was done automatically by Living Armor, so there were no particular problems even if I thought about things while walking. If I let them know when the undead seemed to be surging, they would automatically whack-a-mole for me. It was very comfortable. "There it is," In one corner of the forest, at the root of a large tree, a stagnant atmosphere was present. Whether it was due to some kind of energy that was visually perceptible or because of the [Death Spirit] skill that allowed her to see invisible things, Rare could clearly see it. In the midst of it, a black skeletal knight with a similar appearance to Dias was standing, and skeletons were being born one after another around him. This was undoubtedly the central area. "Do you know him? Dias." "Hate... Judging from the armor, there is a high possibility that he is a colleague, but his appearance has changed, so I cannot say for sure." "That's true for both of you, isn't it?" After all, both of them had bone faces. I then go and subjugate him quickly. Since he was an undead, [Mental Magic] would be difficult to work on him, so I would make him submit by force and forcibly [Use] him. When I subjugated Sugal in the past, I did not have that much combat power, but I had plenty now. Thanks to Dias, I also knew roughly what kind of attack he would make, so I would not be caught off guard. "Well, I'll leave it to you... No, I'll have you restrain the surrounding skeletons. I want to put as many of them under my control as possible, so please try not to break them." "Understood. Be careful." Leaving behind the silently bowing Dias and the others, Rare headed towards the boss of the undead. As she approached, she could feel the strange atmosphere more clearly. It was as if her heart was gone, and her footing was heavy. It was not just a matter of her mind, but in reality, it was Rare who was walking, not Living Armor, so it was indeed heavy. "......Is he generating a field that debuffs the surrounding enemies? He's a rank above Dias." The presence she had felt so far was stronger than that of any character she had ever met. She had thought that he had appeared at the same time as Dias, but given his condition, he might have been reborn as an undead much earlier than Dias. "Well, let's go, Living Armor." With [Shrinkage], she closed in on the boss in an instant and slashed at him with her sword. She also used [Slash] at the same time. So far, there had been no Living Armor's attacks that had been avoided or blocked. It was an attack that was too fast to deal with, even if they knew it was coming. "──Oh!" However, the boss in front of her did not take it lightly. He judged in an instant that he could not avoid it and that he would lose to her sword with his own, so he chose the action of enduring it. To be able to choose to endure an attack that cannot be dealt with whether it is avoided or blocked, it was truly a strength that could not be represented by status. He might indeed be the leader of the knight corps that Dias belonged to. Living Armor continued to attack him, but the enemy skillfully evaded the fatal blows. The downward slashes were mostly avoided or blocked, and the horizontal slashes, which were difficult to avoid, were endured with the shield sacrificed, and the damage was minimized. The thrusting attacks were also evaded with a paper-thin movement, and although holes were made in the armor and mantle, there was no damage to the bone parts of the main body. " [Flare Arrow] " In the meantime, Rare restrained him with magic. She had no intention of killing him, so she aimed at his feet or shoulders to make him unable to move. The boss undead responded to this magic. However, there was no direct hit, and it was not completely avoided either. He succeeded in burning part of his shoulder and greaves. His movements also seemed to be losing their brilliance. " [Thunderbolt] " Then, with this magic, which had a different speed, she blew away his knee. The boss undead, who had been evading Living Armor's attacks and had become accustomed to the speed of [Flare Arrow], could not seem to avoid this, and he finally knelt on the ground. Rare took a step back and observed whether he would stand up or not. The boss was trying to stand up with the sword he was holding as a cane, but his knee was completely destroyed, and it seemed to be a struggle to maintain a kneeling posture. If you considered his STR or DEX, he could probably stand and fight with one leg, but the accumulated damage would not allow it. Rare stared at the undead. Or rather, she stared at the empty eye sockets, as it no longer had eyeballs. It seemed to Rare that it had already resigned itself to its fate, and she no longer sensed any hostility from it. It was as if it had surrendered to her. "Well then, I'll accept you. [Enslave]." Without any resistance, the undead - Terror Knight, Sieg, became Rare's subordinate. "Come to think of it, I guess the previous battle could be considered a form of resistance." This was true for the battle with Kelly and the others as well. With Sieg under her control, the appearance of undead in the vicinity seemed to have stopped. This was apparently due to the effect of Sieg's skill tree, [Deathlord Commander], and the skill [Conscription]. It temporarily summoned undead and allowed them to be controlled at will, but they would disappear upon exposure to sunlight. The cost was LP and MP. "......I see, so it was Sieg....... It's been a while....." "O......A......AA......AAA, OOOU......" Rare couldn't understand what it was saying, but it seemed to be in good spirits. The fact that it could say it was in good spirits when it was in this state showed that it had a rather flexible brain. Or perhaps, its brain was so scrambled that it was just reflexively repeating set phrases. In any case, the conversation wasn't going anywhere, so Rare forcibly taught it how to use the inventory and opened up the friend chat. "Alright, that's done. So, it seems we were acquaintances after all. Are you a subordinate of Dias or something?" "Yes, I am the commander of the Third Knight Corps, Sieg. I am a subordinate of Lord Dias." In their former country, there were six knight corps, each with different duties. Dias's First Knight Corps served as the royal guard, while Sieg's Third Knight Corps and the Sixth Knight Corps were purely military forces. The quality of the soldiers in the Third Knight Corps was lower than that of the others, but they had an overwhelmingly large number of them. However, it seemed that only the First Division of the Third Knight Corps had come on an expedition to this forest, and not all of them were sleeping here. "So, I guess it's not strange that Sieg and the others were sleeping here, but why did the royal guard, Dias and the others, come on an expedition to the Riebe Great Forest?" "When the royal family moves, there is only one reason, my lady." "Could it be that the royal family went to that forest......" "Yes, that is correct......" It seemed that they had been tricked into going on the expedition as part of a plot by the upper echelons of the government, and the entire royal family had been eliminated in the process. That would certainly explain why Dias, as the commander of the royal guard, would harbor a deep grudge against the country. Even if the victims were no longer around, the desire to destroy the entire country that had been built on the plot would be understandable. For Rare, this would also serve as a good motivation for her actions within the game. In recent VRMMORPGs, the focus had shifted towards the growth and enjoyment of the player character, and the popularity of main story-like elements had waned. Instead, there were countless short quests generated by AI and other means, but most games lacked a clear objective. While there were certainly many players who enjoyed the game solely for the sake of their own growth and progress, there were also those who sought some kind of objective or purpose within the game. Some enjoyed the thrill of completing a series of connected quests, while others aimed to defeat powerful monsters, known as "enemies of humanity," that the game's operators had prepared. After hearing the story of Sieg and Dias, Rare also wanted to try her hand at such a task. This could be seen as Rare accepting a quest, "Destroy the humanoid nation-state!", commissioned by her subordinate NPCs. The final objective was the nation-state itself, a raid boss of sorts. Rare felt a sense of excitement and anticipation welling up within her. "So, does Sieg also harbor a grudge against the six nations that currently rule the continent?" "I...... am not in the same situation as Lord Dias, where I had to witness the murder of those I swore to protect with my own eyes. I cannot say for certain that my feelings are the same as his....... However, I am certain that I swore my loyalty to the country, and I feel a sense of responsibility towards the subordinates who met their end here. If the only way to honor their memories is to bring about the destruction of the so-called six nations, then I will take up my sword alongside Lord Dias and serve you, my lady." "I see. Well then, let's do that. But to be honest, I've been holed up in the forest this whole time, so I don't really know what kind of nations the six nations are. It's also important to determine the conditions for their destruction......" For now, the only ones who wished for the destruction of the nation-state were these two undead. In other words, they were monsters. If Rare were to expand her territory by conquering monster-controlled areas, and eventually swallow up all the areas inhabited by humanoid races, wouldn't that be equivalent to the nation-state being destroyed? "──And how about in that direction?" "Excellent, Your Highness," "In that dawn, Your Highness Rare. If you were to establish a new country and unify the magical creatures who have been oppressed, Our royal bloodline, which has pledged its loyalty, has been extinct for a long time now. hen perhaps the new Princess Rare is the right person to be our monarch." Sieg seemed to have a more troublesome personality than she thought. However, he was currently serving as the monarch of the Ant Kingdom, and even if they were to establish a new country, they could simply hand it over to a suitable retainer. That would make things easier. "Alright, let's start with gaining control of this forest. Sieg, your subordinates are... oh, there are quite a few of them. Are they scattered throughout the forest? In that case, Sieg, I'll have you operate this forest as a man-eating demon forest that attracts humans---" According to Sieg, no human who had entered this forest had ever come out alive, and so it was known as the "Forest of No Return." During the day, the Trents would kill any humans on sight, and so the types of magical creatures in the forest were not well known. However, if there were players among the humans that the Trents had killed, the situation would be different. The Trents were said to have been killed before they could be recognized, but the players would know that the Undead came out at night. If they were killed, they would simply respawn in town. "During the day, I'll have my subordinate Trents act as hosts. If they come at night, we'll have the weaker members of Sieg's retinue fight them and let them win to a certain extent. That way, we can attract a lot of humans and ultimately kill a lot of them." "As you command. Since Your Highness Rare has made me her retainer, my mind has somehow become clearer, and it seems that my aimless wandering until now was a lie." In terms of ability values, it was likely that Rare's [Retainer Enhancement] had increased Sieg's INT and MND, but this dramatic change seemed to be more than just that. It was not strange for some kind of change to occur in the AI when being [Controlled]. "Well, I'm glad that you're feeling clearer. Now, it would be a good idea to listen to what Dias has to say. He's been by my side, watching everything, so he should be able to give advice on how to operate the forest. Let me know when you're ready, and I'll [Summon] you back..." [Sighs]. I have no choice. I hope you won't do anything too rash while I'm gone. "Mm. I understand. Ah, that's right." Rare looked up at the huge tree that Sieg was sitting on. "Is this just a tree, or is it a Trent? It's nighttime, so it's not moving, and I can't tell..." "No, as far as I know, this one has never moved." "I see. But, it's possible that it's just pretending to be asleep because it's a hassle, or because it would take too much damage if Sieg were to attack it... Let's try it out." Even if it was not currently active, if it were a monster, it would have a sense of self. If she were to use [Mental Magic] on it, there should be some kind of reaction. "[Charm]." The branches and leaves rustled. "Boss!" "It's alright!" Rare restrained Kelly, who was rushing over to take cover. In Rare's perception, there was quite a bit of resistance to the [Charm], but she felt like she could do it. Excluding the types of magical creatures that were immune to [Charm] from the beginning, this was the first time that she had encountered such strong resistance. However, that resistance was eventually overcome. "Fufu! I knew it! You're a Trent, aren't you! [Control]!" Even though it was already under the effects of [Charm], there was quite a bit of resistance to the [Control]. It was possible that it was a higher-ranking species. It was not just large in size. "However, up until now, this is it. [Control]." Eventually, the rustling of the branches and leaves, which had been swaying violently, stopped. Rare's [Control] had been accepted. It seemed to be a fairly high-ranking magical creature. The initial [Charm] had been able to pass through due to the high ability values and bonuses from its characteristics, but it was possible that it was a species that Rare would not have been able to [Control] on her own. However, if it had been refraining from moving out of fear of Sieg, its combat power would be lower than his. The fact that it had submitted to Rare's [Control] might have been because it had seen her defeat Sieg in a one-on-one battle. "I see. So it's an [Elder Confer Trent], a higher-ranking species than the ones from before---" "A minion has met the conditions for reincarnation. You can reincarnate them by spending 5000 of your experience points. Do you allow the reincarnation of your minion?" It was an unexpected system message, and it was about reincarnation. Rare never imagined that one of my minions would meet the conditions before Rare did. However, this is an excellent opportunity. Rare’ll need to figure out what the conditions are later, but for now, Rare should seize this chance. Yes— (Even if I have to pay a little bit of experience points---five thousand!? That's expensive!) Even Rare hesitated to pay such a large sum of 5000 experience points. It's not that Rare can't afford it. Rare can, but... "Is there a loan option or something...?" 〈Princess? Is something the matter?〉 "No, it's nothing. Just give me a moment..." 《Task on hold》 "I wasn't talking to you... but thanks." This was confusing. But I needed to calm down and think. Is this reincarnation chance only available now? If I miss it, will there be another opportunity? The condition must be related to the fact that Rare tamed this Trent. The question is whether the condition is "when tamed" or "if tamed." If it's the former, this is the only chance. If it's the latter, reincarnation can happen at any future time.It is common to miss the timing because of the difference in time and circumstances. Should I take the risk and try it? Missing this chance would be a big mistake. And I'm too curious to resist. After all, it's 5000 experience points. Not many characters can earn that much easily. Who could reincarnate something with such high cost? Only Rare. (Alright, I'll pay. I approve the reincarnation.) 《Reincarnation starting》 The Elder Trent started shaking its branches, scattering particles of light. The particles covered its entire body, making the tree glow. 〈W-What is this!?〉 "Boss!? What's happening...?" Kelly and the others knew the tree was already an ally, so they didn't feel threatened but were still surprised. Dias and the others were knights in the past but are now undead. They might have experienced reincarnation themselves but never witnessed it like this. The Trent, covered in light, started growing with creaking sounds. Its already tall height increased further, making the top invisible from the ground. /// *** continue https://i.imgur.com/hJrT6dt.jpeg *** /// The trunk thickened, causing Rare and the others to step back. The ground where Sieg once stood cracked, and soil heaved up. Suddenly, the trees behind them began to fall. The Trent's roots had pushed them over from underground. A scene impossible in reality. It wasn't an Elder Trent anymore. On Rare's screen, its race name had changed to "World Tree." "I see... That's why it costs 5000 experience points." 《Special conditions met. You can now reincarnate as a "High Elf."》 "—What!?" I wondered who could do that, but since it didn't mention a familiar, it must be about me. I had always wanted to reincarnate, but this sudden offer was confusing. Still, there's no reason to refuse. And this time, the race name is given beforehand. It seems there's a difference between the player and familiars. Perhaps the system also indicated "can reincarnate into a World Tree" to the Trent earlier. Of course, I accept. There's no need to think twice. I know the condition. Judging by the timing, it's likely "having the World Tree under your control." 《Additional 200 experience points required》 No hesitation in paying. It's very reasonable. Though I must not forget, 5000 for the World Tree was exceptionally high, and 200 for High Elf is also quite high. 《Reincarnation starting》 A strange, ticklish, mysterious sensation flowed through me. When I opened my eyes, the light was as bright as the Trent's transformation. 〈Princess!?〉 "Boss!" I heard the worried voices of my familiars, but I raised my hand slightly to reassure them. My transformation ended quickly, and the light faded. Unlike the Trent to World Tree, there wasn't much physical difference between an Elf and a High Elf. However, I felt a strange omnipotence, like I had poured experience points into all my stats. It felt great. "—So, I've reincarnated into a High Elf... How do I look? Do I look different?" "Well, um... Your face hasn't changed, but you seem more... beautiful?" "Yes, and your hair has grown. Also, your ears." Marion casually mentioned it, but normally, ears don't grow like hair. This is quite abnormal. Perhaps that's the visual difference between an Elf and a High Elf. Kelly's comment about beauty must be due to this racial trait: **Racial Trait: Supreme Beauty** Your race is incredibly beautiful. All beings exist to kneel at your feet. Greatly increases NPC favorability. Always boosts morale of subordinates. A race truly fit for ruling. Also, a new skill tree related to "subjugation" had appeared. Not unlocked, but already acquired. Likely a racial skill. It seems that being born a High Elf means having "subjugation" from the start. Perhaps the system message about nobles using "subjugation" referred to this. It might mean that all nobles in the Elf kingdom are High Elves, and there might be higher species among humans too, like the rulers of the Hirs Kingdom. After reading the announcement, Rare had been wary of mental magic attacks from nobles in case of conflict with a state. The acquisition conditions for "subjugation" included "mental magic," but looking at this, it might not always be the case. If "subjugation" is acquired as a racial trait from the start, like with Sugal, then they might not have "mental magic," "necromancy," or "summoning." "I unexpectedly managed to acquire the World Tree, and in doing so, I also achieved the reincarnation that was my original goal for creating the Philosopher's Stone... Well, that's fine. If the mysterious carbonated magicarite turns out to be the ashes of the World Tree, I can make plenty of Philosopher's Stones and play with as many toys as I want." Moreover, by making the Elder Comfort Trent my subordinate, I learned why it had remained motionless. The Trents are inherently incompatible with undead. They belong to the kind of creatures filled with life and purity, much like the World Tree, which is the complete opposite of the undead. Because of this, Sieg's miasma constantly applied a weakening debuff to them. Even if they moved, they would be at a disadvantage against Sieg. Hence, after Sieg awakened as an undead, the Comfort Trent stayed completely still. Rare's charm spell probably succeeded because of this debuff. The other Trents only acted during the day, not because of photosynthesis, but because they felt unwell at night due to the presence of undead. "If that's the case, leaving Sieg and the others here is problematic... I'll have the World Tree manage this forest, and I'll take the undead to my own forest. There's plenty of work to be done. Take your lead from Dias and handle it as you see fit. The undead will be stationed in the Great Forest of Riebe to deal with any intruders." 〈Understood. Leave the training of the newcomers to me.〉 〈Haha. It's nostalgic to be trained by Dias again.〉 It seems the atmosphere is good, despite both of them having eyes that look dead. "Alright, let's head back and continue the research. Oh, by the way, World Tree, could I trouble you for one of your branches?"