Chapter 94 : Yggdrasill (Part 4)

"Hmmm...let's see, we start off with the [The Great World Tree, Yggdrasill], it is the source of life in this forest and the connection with the Spirit Realm with our world."

"Yggdrasill, a tree that lived for thousands of years before I was born. If you want to ask how old I am, well the tree has already been there since I was born."

"If you want to ask of how did such tree like that exist, we don't know...our great Ancestors had a record about it but the Great Tree just shows up like a weird phenomenon."

"But I will explained that later, back to the topic...Yggdrasill has a barrier that protects this whole forest from monsters and any kind of intruder."

"It was created with five points which held the barrier to stay on. North, East, West, South and this Kingdom Viorgrand the Central."

"Each point has its purpose and for us Elves as well."

"The North and South is the path reserved for our Travellers and Merchants who want to sell their goods."

"The East and West is where our military facility is located and a place that has maintained our peace by guarding the barrier, since these two spots are the most vulnerable and are easy to destroy."

"That's why the place is heavily guarded...but unfortunately...."

"It was being occupied by these Monsters." Rei replied.

"Correct, you sure are good at guessing." Erna giggled.

"May I ask a question?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Is this an appropriate position to speak about something so serious like that?"

As they were talking just now, Rei was laying down on the bed side by side with Erna. Rei is lying on his side, his back facing Erna.

Erna was wearing a transparent gown that showed her body. Rei couldn't see it but he could feel her skin on his back.

"You said that, but you are still hiding your face."

And even in this situation, Rei didn't take off his helmet and only allowed his armor to be taken off.

"Because it will be troublesome for me to take off my helmet." Rei spoke.

"Ara~ Isn't that uncomfortable?"

"No." Rei lied while he's screaming internally, 'Ughhh...it's so stuffy.'

"Now then, since I talked about the Yggdrasill, is there anything you would like to ask?" Erna spoke to him.

"Hmmm...you said that Yggdrasill is a connection between our world with the Spirit Realm right?"

"That is true."

"Does that mean in this forest, there's a spirit around?"

"A spirit? Why would you ask that?"

"Well I am wondering...if you know about, [The Fire Spirit King, Ifrit]." Rei spoke.

Then Erna got up from the bed and looked at him, "How did you know that name?"

"So you do know."

"Of course I know...because that name have long gone forgotten! But how did you...a human know such name." Erna spoke sternly.

"I cannot tell you about it...but I allow you to see it with your own eyes."

Erna suddenly looked upon him with her golden eyes glowed in the dark, "Don't tell me...this energy! this is a blessing! No way...is it from [The Fire Spirit King, Ifrit]?!"

Rei got up as well then looked at her, "Yeah...it is."

"Oh the great tree...how many suprise are you hiding Crimson, who would ever thought that I would meet someone such as you who had a blessing from one of the [Four Spirit Kings]."

"Well I am not someone who would brag about this blessing."

"I know you aren't...but a person who had such blessing can be regarded to be a higher being in our country, because we Elves are people who worshipped the Great Tree and the Spirits." Erna spoke.

"But how did you be able to get such blessing?" Erna asked.

"Well...it's because I met him."

"Him? You mean–you met the Fire Spirit King?!" Erna shouted at him again.

Rei closed his ears from her loud voices, "Yeah, I do...in fact I got this blessing directly from him."

Erna felt wobbly after hearing this, "Wow...this is too much suprise, Crimson~" then smiled at him.

"Ummmm...but I should say at this once, this blessing is incomplete, Ifrit himself had tasked me to get the blessing by searching for the remnant that he left, that's why I am here by accepting the escort and bodyguard request." Rei spoke.

"I see...an incomplete blessing, such a great task you have given by him."

'Yeah...although Ifrit did gave me his blessing before coming here, my status didn't show anything related to it, but somehow the fire that I produce...is much hotter and fiercer the more I use it.' Rei thought.

"So do you know this remnant from [The Fire Spirit King, Ifrit] whereabouts?" Rei asked her.

Erna thought about it deeply before answering him, "Ummm...I don't know, and beside...I don't think you can."

"Why is that?"

"It's because...[The Fire Spirit King, Ifrit] had long been gone from the Spirit Realm and he doesn't have an altar or such remnant that he left in this place."

"Long gone?" Rei wasn't surprised about that part, 'Oh right...he is a God now.'

"Then what should I do?"

"Hmmmm...I think you need to meet the current one."

"The current one?"

"Yepp, the current Fire Spirit King."

"There's another Fire Spirit King?"

"Of course there is, after Ifrit left, the Fire Spirit King position has now been taken by another spirit."

"And...what is the name of that spirit?"

"The 2nd Rank of High-Class Fire Spirit, [The Fire Beast, Salamander]."

"[The Fire Beast, Salamander]? So it's not a Spirit but a beast?"

"It is a spirit, although it might be different from normal spirits that you know of."

"Which is?"

Erna was silent for a moment, "Did you know that all spirits were born from the Great Tree, Yggdrasill?"

Rei shook his head, "I barely guessed it until you said it."

Erna nodded, "Yes...and spirit Salamander...was not born from Yggdrasill as a spirit...

.

.

.

but...was born as a Monster."

Rei widened his eyes, "Monster you said?!"

Erna smiled, "I know what you're thinking...how could a monster with impure mana become a spirit that was made by pure mana."

'I am shocked about the monster part but not the mana part.' Rei thought, "But how come a monster becomes a Spirit? Is that even possible?"

Erna shook her head, "It is possible...if the Great Tree wished for it."

"Wished for? Yggdrasill?"

"Yes...this might be something that shouldn't be revealed to an outsider like you, especially this is a very taboo information."

"But since you are someone who has the blessing from the former Fire Spirit King, you must know the truth." Erna spoke.

Rei was a bit skeptical about this situation, but he end up nodding to answer her replies, "Okay...tell me now."

Erna nodded as well.

"Salamander, it's a monster that was born as a [Named Monster]. Salamander was a Lizard type of monster that evolved because the terrains of its habitat are covered with raging fire and strong heat...which at volcano mountain."

"This monster lives there for a long time...that is enough for its body to change and adapt to its current place."

"Its body become engulfed with fierce and strong fire along with its breath that is strong enough to melt any kind of metal, and its scales strong enough to match a Dragon."

Rei gulped as he heard that.

"Since this monster is a named one, the monster had one thing that no other monster has."

Rei knew where this conversation was leading to.

"...which is intelligence and curiosity just like any person would had." Erna spoke.

"A monster that has an intelligence like us, a never ending curiosity that makes them want to know more about the world they live in."

"And so...Salamander, the monster who was supposed to stay at the volcano mountain, finally set off from where it lives to another place to search and learn about the world."

"This monster searched for a good place to live but none could give him any comfort because whenever he walked by, the ground would erupt and be covered in fire, the heat and its surrounding created a sea of flame everytime it passed."

"And the final place that this monster had come to was..."

"[The Great Tree Forest, Yggdrasill]."

"Right, Salamander arrived at this very forest, destroying it and trying to approach the Great Tree."

"Us Elves are all fighting with everything we've got, but the Salamander is much stronger than we thought, even with the help of Water Spirits among us."

"However, the Salamander didn't attack a single elf and instead kept crawling towards Yggdrasill itself." Erna explained.

"And stopped right before it reached the vines of the Great Tree."

"It stopped?"

Erna nodded, "My ancestors didn't know why that monster stopped, but he could tell that monster...was looking at Yggdrasill, and staring into it."

"This thing kept staring with its eyes...like a child that just saw something amazing for the first time." Erna spoke.

'A monster that acts like a child huh, that's pretty interesting.' Rei spoke.

"After that...the monster only stayed there and stared at the Great Tree for so long." Erna paused, "Until..."

"Until?"

"[The Fire Spirit King, Ifrit] descended from the Spirit Realm."

'He did?'

"Afterwards...are you curious what's going to happen?"

Rei nodded about her question.

"Is that...

.

.

.

.

Salamander was finally taken and turned into a Spirit~ Happy ending, happy ending~" Erna abruptly ended the story.

"What?? That's it?!"

"Yes."

"Then what with the long pause?!"

"Fufufu~ I just want to make you nervous and it was successful~"

"Ughh...then can you tell me what really happened? I know there's something else going on before Salamander became a spirit."

Erna shook her head with a smile, "Unfortunately we don't know how that happened, there's no record of it since our ancestors could only let nature flow and watch as it happened, we don't know what they were talking about because Spirits have their own language."

"So the only one who knows how that monster became a Spirit is the Spirits Kings themselves." Erna continued, "Salamander was accepted to become Fire Spirit under the name of the Fire Spirit King himself and the Great Tree."

'I see...so she doesn't know about how it happened.' Rei thought about it. 'So much info for today...Ifrit hasn't come back yet and I still have so many questions regarding Yggdrasill.' Rei sighed.

'But right now let's focus on the matters at hand.' Rei brushed the thought away and looked at Erna.

Erna smiled, "Now then since storytime is over, we can go back to our business."

Rei nodded, "Yes, then I shall ask...do you have any information about these monsters?"

"Hmmmm...be more specific, what kind of information do you want?"

"From their name, behavior, skill and characteristics everything you can provide."

Erna touched her chin with meticulous smile, "Ara~ I do have the information you need."

"Then–"

"But it is very expensive you know~"

"What? aren't you the Queen, why are you demanding a price?"

Erna moved her hand on her chest, "Because those information that you want...is something that me and my soldier risked our lives to get, so it need some price~"

"Ughh...you are way too much–"

Suddenly Erna leaned closer, showing her cleavage, "Ara~ am I?~"

Rei looked away as Erna leaned much closer to him and reached towards his ear.

'Ughh...that is true, I cannot refute this because she is risking her life as well to get this information.' Rei couldn't help to feel bad about her, and so he glance at her.

"What is the price."

Erna smiled upon him, "Sleep together with me…and I will tell you the info with your friends tomorrow~"

Her soft breath and lovely voice brushed against his ear, his body stiffened a bit when she did that and he took a 1 meter gap away from her.

"Hng! You do know this body is still young right!"

"I know~"

"T-then–!"

"That's why I am asking you to sleep with me~"

"You–! Wait...may I ask?"

"Sure~"

"Do you mean sleeping like…sleep sleep? Sleeping like normal?"

"Ara~ What were you thinking about? You thought I would do such a thing to youngsters like you~?"

"Well your words and intentions definitely sound like you would."

Erna giggled, "Fufufu~ I won't~ I still have the dignity as a Queen but I am still a woman who wanted to be hold with a man such as yourself~"

Rei gulped, "Stop saying those words that could lead to misunderstanding!"

Erna giggled once more seeing his cute reaction, she moved by pulling him over to the bed once again.

"W-wahh!"

Erna hold onto him with smile, "Gotcha~ now time to sleep~"

"Ughhh...sure."

And that night, they slept peacefully.

******

The next morning, the team gathered in the throne room once again. While they should be focusing on the important matters...

They all glanced their eyes at both Rei and the Elf Queen–Erna.

The guards there were still glaring at him, even Eindride the Prince and Ruru the Princess were now staring at Erna who kept her smile on her face, looking refreshed.

While Rei was being stared at by the girls in his team, which were Iris, Kagura and Lena. Their stares made him uncomfortable and it led to a question.

"Crimson-san...did you...done it." Iris asked her.

"Of course not." A blunt answer was thrown to her, without hesitation. Behind his helmet, he looked tired because of that night, he couldn't sleep because their position while sleeping was awkward.

Rei was hugged by Erna like it was her teddy bear, he couldn't move and was only able to sleep when he was very tired.

'Ughhh...so tired.'

'Shouldn't you be sleeping then.' Ray suddenly came out.

''If I could, I wouldn't stay up like that.' Rei replied to him.

'Hmmm...that is true, sleeping with a beautiful woman such as her would be hard for you to deal with'

'Don't speak such vulgar words like that...and besides!–where have you been?!' Rei asked since the whole time he talked with the Queen, Ray hadn't talked even once for the whole night.

'Hmm? Me?'

'Yes you of course, mister future man...where the hell have you been when I am stuck there for the whole night!'

'I was just there watching a sho–I mean watching over you.' Ray explained in such an ambiguous way.

'Oi–you were about to say show right?' Rei glared his eyes at him a bit.

'Of course! *nom* *nom* Nhot!' When Ray answered his question, he was holding a bag of popcorn while eating it and looking at him from behind a fancy seat.

'Seriously this old man...and where the hell did you get that popcorn!?'

Even in his own mind, Rei struggled with this awkward situation.

"Now then, regarding your request, I shall accept it." Erna spoke and accepted her request.

Iris bowed her head a bit, "Thank you for accepting our request my Queen."

"Of course~ i mean I must hold up my end of the deal since the condition benefits me so~"

Iris felt her vein appear on her forehead behind her hair, "I-i see..."

Erna smiled, "I had the best night with him as you might want to know~"

"G-great?!–"

As soon as Erna spoke those words, Iris, Kagura and Lena tensed up a bit.

'Oh boy...she just threw a bomb towards you.' Ray commented in his mind.

'Ughh...when did you learn those words.' Rei thought of him, then suddenly he felt Erna's stare from the throne.

Erna smiled and slowly opened her mouth, speaking silently.

'I. will. hold. onto. that. promise.'

Rei widened his eyes when he understood the movement of her lips, then he nodded.

Erna suddenly folded her legs while smiling at them, "And because of that, I shall reward you all with something valuable."

"W-which is...my Queen?"

"An info regarding the monsters you wanted to fight and providing you all with enough preparation that we had here~ from weaponry, armory and even magic items and such."

Iris widened her eyes when she heard such words. Even Eindride who is sitting beside her, just now found out about this arrangement.

Even Rei who is now there kneeling, was surprised about the additional reward for the price he paid.

'Heh, I guess you shouldn't underestimate the Elf Queen wisdom...she sure is one-step ahead from you all.' Ray spoke with a smile.

'Yeah...she is.' Rei smiled behind that helmet.

Iris panicked a bit and became flustered with her sudden graciousness. "T-this is...I-i don't know what to say."

Erna giggled, "I mean you had an intention to save us from this danger, when no one would lend their hand for us."

"Besides, I believe you and your friend there could achieve more with our help, am i right?~" Erna spoke with a smile.

"T-that is true!" Iris replied, looking somewhat happy and relieved to hear this.

"Then you should be thankful for Crimson, he had to talk it out about this for the whole night. I did say I had a great time talking to him~"

Iris widened her eyes, "M-my apologies, I assume that..."

"I know I know~ my words are sometimes misleading, but still we are just talking and sleeping normally~ so don't worry~" Erna spoke while nodding and smiling.

"I-i see..." Iris sighed in relief.

Rei who was standing behind her, heard another sigh from behind which came from Kagura and Lena as if they were relieved by something too.

"????"

But Rei remained clueless about why they're acting like that.

"Now then, since I already spoke about the reward, now I will begin to tell you about the monster you all will be facing." Erna spoke.

"The first monster who stayed in the East, is a spider monster who can spawn its spider children and created a nest with its web that covered almost the entire forest around it." Erna explained.

"This monster has a strong exoskeleton that is harder than steel, a web silk that cannot be destroyed by normal means, and a deadly poison that could blind, paralyze, and corrode your whole body until you die."

When Erna described such a monster, it sent shivers towards the guards around them, even the team felt nervous when they heard this kind of monster existed.

"This monster had a name...by using my skill I can determine its name with it." Erna's face became serious when she was about to tell its name.

"[The Spider Queen, Arachne]."

Suddenly the weight of that name made them feel pressured. The guards have seen this monster for sure, even Eindride who is sitting there looking more serious.

That means, this monster is unbelievably strong and it's enough to strike fear into these people.

Rei looked more calm since he knew this monster's name already, 'Just as you said, Houston...now for the other monster.'

"Now…the other one is a bit different than this...this monster is the most docile yet the most dangerous than the others."

'Docile and dangerous?'

"This monster is a snake, the size of this monster is as big as a mountain around us, its large mouth is enough to swallow my whole army in one gulp along with its sharp teeth that could crush anything."

The team felt nervous at this point.

"Its scale that cannot be penetrated and it's hard as diamond, not only that...its body shrouded with miasma."

Rei was surprised to hear such characteristics from her, 'A snake as big as a mountain, a big mouth that could eat everything, scale that hard as diamond and miasma?? What kind of monster is that...' He mumbled.

"Yes...this monster has a name that befits it so"

"Its name is..."

[Notice!]

When Erna was about to speak its name, Rei received a notification right in front of his face.

'Huh?? Right at this time?!'

Then the notification went towards the [Chatroom] where Ifrit just appeared without warning.

Ifrit : "Kiritsuka! Don't accept the quest! (; ´Д`)"

"Huh?" Rei widened his eyes and suddenly a hologram of a quest board appeared in front of him.

=======================================

[Notice!]

[Quest : "Subjugate the World Serpent"]

[The God of War, Odin], giving player "Rei" a quest, which is to subjugate a monster called [The World Serpent, Jormungand]. It is known as the most dangerous and disaster class monster that shook Asgard in panic. If the subjugation is complete, Odin himself would give player "Rei" a satisfying reward.

[Requirements]

Target : [The World Serpent, Jormungand] [1/0]

Reward:

● Skill : [??????]

● Title : [??????????]

=======================================

"W-wha...[Jormungand]?"

When Rei spoke that name, Erna continued to announce the monster's name.

"[The World Serpent, Jormungand]."

Rei was more pressured than shocked by that. He was surprised to know such a monster existed and the target he aimed to fight had switched places with this monster.

[Jormungand].

His sweat began to drench his head, 'No way...why is that monster...huh?' Rei, still in shock, glanced his eyes over to Iris who is lifting her head and looking forward for some reason.

Behind that, her face was utterly confused and surprised as he was.

Rei did not know why she had that face but surely...something happened.

******

'What is this...' Iris thought to herself, facing something that just showed up in front of her.

It's a notification. A hologram board, appearing right in front of her face.

=======================================

[Notice!]

[Quest : "Subjugate the Spider Queen"]

[The God of Wisdom, Athena], giving player "Yomi" a quest, which is to subjugate a monster called [The Spider Queen, Arachne]. It is known as a monster that was created by the Olympus, because of their own jealousy. If the subjugation is complete, Athena herself would give player "Yomi" a reward that befits her perfectly.

[Requirements]

Target : [The Spider Queen, Arachne] [1/0]

Reward:

● Skill : [??????]

● Title : [??????????]

=======================================

'[Quest]?'

To be continue…