Friendly Infected Trent (2)

"Is it alright if you assist me in future expeditions?" Liliath asked.

The Trent gave Liliath a glance before turning back to me.

Huh.. it's asking for my permission.

"Noel, it seems you're the only one capable of communicating with it."

"That's weird, aren't we both true demon lords already?" I remember Liliath saying that female demon lords can communicate with other demons when they become true demon lords.. I guess there's some error in that information?

"That.. I'm not too certain of it myself."

"Tea, you listen to me and not Liliath right?"

It nodded.

"Okay. From now on, you also have to listen to Liliath's request."

It turned to Liliath.

"Does this mean Tea is your subordinate?"

It nodded.

"Oh.. I guess.. but I don't know how it happened."

"A whim perhaps. It's not a bad thing."

"Yeah."

"Then will you listen to what I have to say?" Liliath asked.

It nodded.

"I guess this'll do for now. I'm thinking maybe we could have it help us hunt or something."

"That's a good use of Tea."

Right. Tea. What else could it be used for..

"Well then. Anything else? If not, we're leaving?"

It shook its branches.

"Okay then. Have a good rest, see ya."

It nodded.

Right.

"That's all?" Liliath asked.

"Yeah.. or did you expect something else? We still have dinner to eat, you know?"

Liliath nodded to my reasoning.

Sorry for the short meeting Tea. I'll be sure to be back when the chance arrives. It's still a mystery how it ended up finding me. And.. why the hell do people pray to this guy? Oh wait.. maybe that's why Liliath named it tea. Tea fanatics– get it?

Just as Liliath and I were about to walk off the sound of whipping air shook our eardrums.

Crack. Squish.

"Huh?" I turned around.

"QAAAKKK!!!" Tea shrilled on a rampage..

Tea ran into the forest, the ground shook wildly. And it also left a trail of corrosive acid.

"What the.." What the fuck was that? Tea got injured?

Liliath looked incredibly confused. She glanced at me.

""QQQUUUUAAAAKKKK!!!" The ground rumbled.

The sound of an explosion.

"Hey.. fuck.. don't tell me its going to die.."

I don't know what I should do here? Run into the forest and see what's going on? That's the best option yet.. why aren't I moving? Move!

"QQQAAAKKK!!"

If Tea dies..

I carried myself forward.

There are two grey dots on the map. They aren't hostile but it's obvious that they're attacking it.

I could try editing Tea's status but.. it won't affect the Trent itself because that's not what's controlling it's main body in the first place.. it's the parasite that I need to buff.

Whip–

Burst.

The sizzling sound of acid– blue vines came crawling to restrain Tea.

Huh?

"QQAAAKKK!!!"

The vines dug into the bark. I felt a pain in my heart–

It's going to happen again.

Again…

The sounds of crushing wood.. the severment of its presence and..

Jingle~

There was the sound of a ringing bell.

Tea froze in place– as if it had just gone from this world.

I stood there dumbly.

Tea's marker just disappeared.

I'm so confused.. so very confused..

Oh. That's a familiar arrow.. that green feathered arrow I saw last time on the soon-to-become-demon-Vicent's corpse from before.

"Noel," Liliath dragged me behind a tree.

I could tell from the mana alone that we're using the strongest concealment barrier she could create.

Damn it. Snap out of it Noel, focus. We still don't know what the hell is going on so keep your guard up.

Tea started to glow green from the inside– light leaking through the bark and face– slowly growing more intense till–

The light exploded. I squirted my eyes.

And when I opened them again, I saw numerous glowing lines run across the trunk. The Trent moved it's branch and turned it's back on me.

Rustle.

Someone came out from the bush.

Ethereal was the word to describe her. Beryl coloured hair, pale skin that seemed to glow under the dark shadows of the forest, she wore a green dress that looked like it was made out of plants? She's like a fairy– and most notable of all– her golden eyes. Just like Bleu.

Sha. Sha.

The soft rustling of leaving.

An elf jumped down from somewhere and stood beside her. She slugged her intricate bow over her shoulder.

[APPRAISAL]

===

Name: Gaia*

Race: The Goddess of Nature

Lv: [disregarded]

===

[STATUS UNDER CONCEALMENT]

[TRUE STATUS: SHOWN]

Name: Teal Vishal An. Hawield

Race: Elf

Lv: 942

.

Titles:

[Local Hero] [Hero's Accomplice] [Hero] [Great Hero of The Past] [Greatest Marksman] [The Goddess of Hunting's Blessing] [Demon Lord Hunter] [Gaia's Blessing]...

===

Wow.. fuck?

I'm skipping the stats here but just the name and Titles are enough to smack you silly in the head.

Gaia– the Goddess of Nature.

Hell. I called it, didn't I? That I'd eventually bump into a Goddess– oh wait. I forgot Moirae was a Goddess too.

That's odd. Why does The Goddess of Nature get to keep her overpowered strength then?

Not to mention.. a level 900 elf? Just when I thought Laura was the most powerful elf out there..

Jingle~

The sounds of a silver bell at the Goddess' refined movements– she placed her hands on the Trent's forehead.

A moment later, she chanted some blessing I couldn't decipher– a barrier of gold light surrounded it. The light condensed, pulsating through its arm and from the branches– new leaves began to grow and dazzling flowers bloomed.

Liliath and I were watching it all play out using [God's Eyes] alright? We're still huddled behind a tree– her body pressed closed to mine.

"Demons and their poison."

"Well, well. What's important is that we removed the source."

"Yes. If it's alright, I shall do some investigations of this forest to eradicate them."

The elf and Goddess conversed.

The Trent– now a grey marker on the map started to move away from the site of incidence. I looked to the ground to notice the parts that had been affected by the acid had become a trail of glowing flowers and mushrooms.

"No. Leave that till later if it's alright? We better get some rest, it's been quite the harsh journey for you."

"My body is alright Gaia-sama. This is nothing."

"Yes. Yes. I still wouldn't want my kin to be hurt."

Wouldn't want my kin to be hurt..

Yeah. My kin just died in front of me. Fuck.

Liliath didn't look like she had any attachments to Tea– she was more focused on the current situation than Tea's death.

"Hm.. are they not going to come out? I mean no harm– I came to visit O' Noel, O' Liliath. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

What? So the Goddess knew we were here all along?

"They found out," Liliath said, "It's nigh impossible to hide from the senses of nature."

"So we just walk out now?"

She nodded. She released her arm around me and peeked out the corner. I too took a peak.

"Ah, so this is the higher existence. Nice to meet you, Creator-sama," the elf, Teal, arranged her arm across her abdomen and bowed.

"Fufu.. no need to be shy, I won't eat you up. What a coincidence to have met here," the Goddess giggled. So.. it's possible to eat us up is what you're saying?

"Um.. nice to meet you two?" my mind was still a little fuzzy. I'm saying hello to the two that killed Tea.. aren't I supposed to be mad?

I actually don't feel sad or guilty over the fact that Tea died. I barely knew the guy– the Goddess must have killed the parasites on the inside and brought back the original Guardian Trent back to life. But the fact that I lacked the feeling of guilt is probably the biggest guilt-inducing reason this is the whole paradox.

Yeah. It did sting when I realized that Tea died.. it's like being pricked by a needle– temporary.

"Now, now. I'm sure you're quite confused. There's a lot to talk about however– perhaps we could delay that till a later date? You two must have seen something unsightly, I apologise for that, but it is my duty as the guardian of nature to preserve the forest," the Goddess lowered her head, causing another ring of a bell.

It reminded me of Rishell for some reason.

"I understand.."

Liliath merely nodded.

"Is it alright if I come to visit you sometime soon? I'm sure we both have unfinished errands? I'll be sure to pass a message to Bleu-sama when the time is ready."

"Ah.. okay, sure."

"Sorry for the briefness of our passing, may we meet again," the Goddess waved at us with a smile before turning away.

Teal gave me a weird look. That asides, she bowed again before following the Goddess deeper into the forest.

"I feel like I've met him before.." I heard her mutter.

Huh..?

I turned around but by then, they were already gone.

"Liliath, I don't know what to think about this? How about you?"

"Tea died.."

Oh. So she was sad about Tea's passing.

"Yeah.. unfortunately," I sighed.