Unraveling The Secrets of The Mysterious Tree

I woke up when the sunlight hit my face. I was so tired that I fell into a deep sleep, ending up spending the night in the grassy field. I also noticed the blanket covering my body, likely placed there by Beardman.

The day was just starting, and we still had a lot to do. I planned to help him fix his damaged house. Luckily, I had some knowledge of carpentry, so he wouldn't have a hard time giving me instructions. I also took initiative.

After folding the blanket, I removed the woolen shirt I was wearing. I looked at my dirty but muscular body, which Beardman had wrapped in a white cloth.

I removed the cloth, and the leaves he had stuck to my skin fell off. He had told me that the leaves were medicine for body pain, and since I felt healed, I didn't need this herbal medication anymore.

However, I did feel intense itching all over my body.

"That's the effect of the leaf I stuck to your skin," Beardman had instructed. "Once it heals you, you'll feel intense itching, especially in your groin area. Find a circular stone and use it to scrub your body, bathe in the river, and scrub until the itching goes away."

I quickly took off my clothes and, as I scratched my entire body, I searched for a stone by the riverbank. I dove into the river, and the water was very refreshing. When the water temperature is this pleasant, it feels like I just want to swim all day.

In the middle of my bath, I couldn't help but observe my surroundings. Beardman's territory is located in a dense and lush forest, but his home is surprisingly familiar to royal officers.

I'd say it's peaceful here - breezy, but sometimes melancholic, since it's far from civilization. I've noticed many Meadow Ferals around, but I don't need to worry, as they're harmless.

Revaliant's world is vast, just like mine. Nevertheless, I still prefer my world because it's more perilous. But I don't want to speak too soon; what if I meet a beautiful and sexy girl here who falls in love with me? I might not want to go back home anymore. I'll just find a way to bring my mom here.

As I continued bathing and scrubbing my skin, I felt something bite my foot. I felt its slightly soft gums, and then I saw myself being pulled underwater by an unrecognizable Meadow Feral.

Its swimming was zigzagged, and the bubbles and ferns growing underwater obstructed my vision. Moreover, I was holding my breath. But my eyes widened, and I wanted to scream in fear when I saw a gigantic and healthy Crocolator with a large backpack.

I used one foot to kick the Crocolator's eyes, and when it felt pain, its mouth opened. Most Crocolators are ferocious and merciless, but this one is unusual. I quickly swam upwards, fearing it might tear me apart.

When I reached the surface, I immediately asked Beardman for help, but instead of assisting me, he just laughed. The Crocolator was chasing me, and with an adrenaline rush, my swimming sped up.

When I got out of the river, I quickly hid behind Beardman, who was still laughing at me. I gave him a stern look. I saw the enormous Meadow Feral approaching our location, walking like a human while grasping the sling of its backpack.

I shouted in shock, holding onto Beardman's shirt, but instead of shooing it away, he approached the Crocolator and even greeted and hugged it.

"Procko, my friend, you've finally returned from your little journey!" Beardman exclaimed after hugging the Meadow Feral.

"That Crocolator is your friend? I wish you had told me about him so I could have been informed." I wanted to scold Beardman; I was getting angry.

"Sorry I forgot to tell you about Procko," he apologized, though his tone sounded insincere. Despite this, I considered his apology.

As I watched, the Crocolator approached me, and I thought it would devour me, but instead, it bowed as if wanting me to pet its head. I tentatively petted its head with a trembling hand.

My initial suspicion was correct; this type of Crocolator is unusual. It's gentle and seems to think like a kindergartner.

"He probably thought I was the one he saw bathing in the river," Beardman explained. "Actually, he was just playing with you."

"Why am I only seeing him now? Where did he go?"

"When you were still unconscious, I instructed Procko to go to our farm to harvest vegetables and fruits. Our farm is quite far, which is why he only returned now. And you know what? Procko is the one who found the chest that sank underwater in the river where you were submerged."

"Really? If that's the case, I should thank Procko too. If not for him, my body might have rotted inside that chest."

"Procko was just an egg when I found him. I raised him to be gentle, friendly, and obedient, although he can be a bit sensitive. When he gets hurt, he cries like a child and reports to me. He's a vegetarian, and his favorite food is apples."

As time passed, Procko started to look cute to me, and I wanted to pinch his plump cheeks.

After we ate, we began repairing Beardman's house. His house was situated at the foot of a small hill, so the roof was essentially the hill's ground. You could climb up here, and because it's spacious, you could even lie down. There's a small bonsai tree planted here, and colorful poppies were scattered across the grass.

Only now did I realize that this is a great spot for stargazing or cloud gazing.

Luckily, only the front part was damaged, and the hill didn't completely collapse.

Procko was busy collecting stones, bricks, and wood. He wasn't alone, as he had some Meadow Feral assistants: Squirtrels, a grass-type, and Pigedions, a flying-type. Beardman was in charge of rebuilding or construction, while I was hammering away at the necessary repairs.

I'd say that the outcome of a task is great when there's cooperation within a team.

Afternoon had already fallen when we finished what we were doing, and due to extreme fatigue, I lay down topless on the grass. My body absorbed the softness and coolness of the grass.

I saw Procko wanting to play with me. I stood up and asked him if he knew how to play "the floor is lava," but it seemed like he wanted to do something else. It seemed like he wanted to follow me because he had something to show me.

"Procko, it seems like you're thinking of something mischievous," I said to him, although he didn't look suspicious; I still gave him a curious glance. "If you take me to a place with lots of girls, you'll get a reward from me."

I turned to Beardman, who was now wearing his blacksmith attire. He had head protection to prevent sparks from hitting his eyes. He was repairing his broken butterfly-shaped weapon from his battle with Regionald, and I thought he didn't have any other tasks for me, so I decided to follow Procko.

The path we were taking was winding, and sometimes tall fescues and cattail grasses blocked our way. I thought that maybe at the end of this path, I'd see more of Procko's Crocolator siblings, and they'd feast on me.

Maybe Procko was just pretending to be friendly, but in truth, he's diabolical.

We arrived at a large tree with a huge hole. Procko entered it and suddenly vanished. I was hesitant to follow, as it seemed like a black hole, and I might end up in another dimension. But I didn't know the way back, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to uncover the mystery behind this tree.