บท 51: Dryad's favorite food
In the middle of the prairie, two people were riding their mount respectively while moving along the riverside in a casual manner. These two were none other than Mays and Hallel. Hallel was riding her Horned White Tiger while Mays was riding a borrowed Thunder Horse.
"I'm just wondering."
"About what?"
Mays suddenly started a conversation.
"Why do you want to help me? You don't possibly have the hot for me right… ouch!"
"Pfft! What the hell are you saying blockhead?!"
Before Mays could even finish his line, an apple landed on his head. It was obviously thrown by Hallel who was eating them since earlier. Her face was deep red but Mays who was riding in front didn't have a chance to look at it. Obviously Mays never knew what Hallel did back when he was unconscious.
"Right? I don't even know you that well to begin with. I have this weird feeling that you are aiming for something while helping me. I just don't get what it is."
Thinking hard enough with a troubled face, Mays tried to figure out Hallel's real motive.
"Don't bother, jerk. I never am that calculative. I just feel like helping you at the moment. Nothing more nothing less."
Unable to think of any legit excuse, Hallel answered so. It never was necessary for her to answer every question asked by Mays anyways.
"Tch, fine. I'm really thankful for it though."
Mays smiled to Hallel as he replied. Despite his antisocial nature due to reasons in real life, he was actually quite the smooth talker. His business back on earth need him to talk to others often despite not meeting them face to face.
The closest portal gate from their current location was Illusion Desert, several duchy away from NatureSprite Dukedom. They were still in the middle of NatureSprite Dukedom at the moment which were full of Dryad's Hidden Village.
"Hallel."
"Yea?"
"Why were the dryad hostile while the nymph was not?"
"How should I know? I'm not a monster expert."
Mays's question was useless considering who the other person was. It was Hallel. She would without doubt cut everything into two indiscriminately before even talking to them. She was even more domineering than Ria in that part. At the very least, Ria only cut down anything that was unpleasant for her. It was indeed a miracle for Hallel not to ignore his dying body back then and even helped nursing him.
"We're being watched."
"Yeh I know."
"This presence… it was those dryad!"
Even after realizing that they were surrounded by dryad, both Mays and Hallel talked to each other calmly.
"Should I cut them all?"
If Mays was not here, Hallel would without a doubt immediately started attacking already. She had no plan on striking a conversation with these dryad at all. But Mays was different. Mays always tried to reason with others first, like how he often tried talking to her in all their final PVP match back then too.
"No please don't. Wait here. I'll try talking to them first."
Dryad was one of the low level nature humanoid. They were practically harmless to Mays and Hallel. Despite being cursed, Mays current power was still around the upper limit of bronze rank. He wouldn't die that easy as long as he didn't meet silver ranked or higher intermediate bosses.
Mays immediately jumped down from his mount as he observed his surroundings. None of the dryad were revealing themselves. They stayed hidden within the bushes and trees nearby as they observed the two humans who seemed lost in their territories.
"I'm unarmed. I just want to talk!"
Mays's shout echoed all over the perimeter. Even without using warrior skills, his own voice was already domineering as it was. He still couldn't use any skill at the moment though thanks to his cursed state. Mays even raised both his hand high up toward the sky, totally showing his defenceless body to the open.
At the moment, Mays didn't even wore his armor sets. Since the armors were cursed, they basically provided him no additional stats nor effect even when he wore them. He asked Hallel to keep them for now as he borrowed a simple plain blue kimono to wear. It was easier to put the small dragon inside the kimono rather than inside his armors.
"Fwooooooosh!"
A sudden gush of wind blew in front of Mays dragging all the dead leaf with it making a silhouette of a humanoid leaf people. It took form soon enough as it consolidated into a real leaf people, a female dryad.
"Hu… Man..."
The dryad's voice echoed even when its avatar in front of Mays didn't move its mouth. On closer looks, its avatar didn't even have any lips.
"Err, hi there."
Mays replied to the dryad awkwardly before he turned back to face Hallel and asked her something.
"Pss, Hallel. This one is a dryad right?"
"I guess. I never saw them how would I know?"
"But you fight them before right? You even told me that they're hostile right?"
"Er… that… that…"
Reluctantly, Hallel rubbed her nose as she tried to come out with a decent explanation. Mays who was observant shook his head when he saw Hallel like that. He guessed that Hallel never actually faced them before thus her awkward behavior.
"You never faced them before I guess. Don't bother."
"Not true… I did met them several time like this! But… but they didn't show up at all. I tried attacking the area and they retaliated. They never show up even after that though!"
"Okay I get it. Just stay there without moving nor doing anything unnecessary. Please."
This time Mays even face palmed before reminding Hallel to not create trouble. Nobody would reveal themselves in front of a battle freak who attacked out of nowhere. Being hostile against that kind of person was also the correct action.
"I am Mays. Nice to meet you."
"…"
No respond from the dryad. At the very least, no hostility from it either.
"Err… Hi?"
"…"
Yet another silent treatment.
"…"
"…"
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Sitting on a stone at the outskirt of the forest, one spirit was seen hugging a huge shield, expressionless. Not too far from that spirit was another spirit, laying on the ground while staring at the clear blue sky. There was also another one who was lost in her thought.
Also standing close by, a spirit was sobbing with swollen eyes. She might had been crying for quite a long time. Beside her stood someone who recently arrived at the scene, asking her questions related to Mays.
"Mays disappeared?"
"Hu… hu… yeah… Master… was… nowhere… hu… hu… to… be found… hu…"
"He didn't leave anything behind?"
"I… i… hu… don't… know… hu"
Still questioning the sobbing Aloha, the two newcomer wore a worried expression as they urged for more pressing information. Apparently, Aloha was too disturbed and couldn't answer the question properly.
Silvia, Damia and Mira was in no condition to answer any question either. They spent one whole day searching for Mays yet they failed. Syaitona was not there at the moment. She was accompanying Ria in her futile search attempt.
"Stop bothering her, Kasimon. These spirits were not stable at the moment. Let's ask Ria herself for the details."
"Yeah true. Sorry I kind of lost myself there."
"No problem. Let's go. They shouldn't be far."
Leaving Aloha, the two of them walked away without saying anything anymore to the spirits. It was pointless to do so considering the state they were in right now.
"Let's rest for a bit, master."
"Yeah, Lady Ria. We should rest a bit."
Both Minerva and Syaitona proposed out of pure consideration for Ria. Despite her overwhelming enhanced stat, she was still a human in the end. The stress was clearly visible of her face at the moment. Her usual enchanting face was now a complete mess.
"We have been shouting for hours. It might even be possible that Sir Mays was not here anymore."
One of Ria's spirits, Aqua, accidentally said something she shouldn't.
"Who was it? Who was the one who said that? I DARE YOU TO REPEAT IT!!"
Ria who couldn't think clearly snapped at it. Her mental state was totally not stable.
"WAS IT YOU?"
Ria locked onto Aqua who spouted that nonsense in front of her. She walked toward Aqua with her sword on her hand.
"Stop it master. She didn't mean anything by it."
"Please stop this, Lady Ria. Master didn't want this either."
Both Minerva and Syaitona tried to stop Ria but it was useless. Step by step, Ria moved toward the trembling Aqua who already kneeled in fear.
"For your worthlessness, repent in the underworld."
Spirits couldn't defy their master. That was an indisputable fact. The other spirits stared at Ria as she swung her sword toward the kneeling spirit in front of her. And just before the sword reached the spirit, someone stopped Ria by holding her wrist from behind.
"Stop this. Anymore and there really will be no turning back."
"SHUT UP! WHO ARE YOU TO TALK TO ME LIKE THAT? YOU DONT EVEN KNOW ME!"
"Of course I do. Mays talked about you a lot. Just calm down first."
As she replied to the enraged Ria, Kasimon lifted her cape and revealed her face.
"Ka… Kasimon?"
Ria who couldn't believe who was in front of her gaped for a few second before Kasimon put her palm on top of Ria's mouth.
"Yes it's me. Sorry coz I never talk to you all these years."
"Mays… Mays is missing… hu… hu… I don't know what to do… hu…"
"There… there. Everything gonna be okay. That guy won't die that easy. He was a tough nut, this big sis guarantee it."
Defencelessly crying like a kid, Ria was comforted by Kasimon who hugged her while whispering her comforting words. Tomiran who was also nearby observed the surrounding without saying anything. He never was good with this type of situation.
Soon enough, Samat and the rest of the member of Misfit Squad arrived to where Ria and the others were. There, they saw Kasimon talking to Ria while Syaitona and all of Ria's spirits were resting nearby. They were not shouting for Mays anymore for the time being.
"Worry not Ria. We are here just for that very purpose. Even if it costs us our life, we will without doubt find Mays."
"True that. I'll see to it. "
"Thank you so much, guys. Mays sure is lucky to have friends like you guys."
"It is us who are thankful to have known him."
"We did owe him our life after all."
At the very least, the atmosphere turned to the better right after Tomiran and Kasimon arrived at the scene. If they were a bit late, that sorry spirit, Aqua might already been killed by Ria. Despite not interacting that much with each other, Kasimon unexpectedly had a huge influence on Ria.
Mays. Tomiran. Kasimon. Aken.
The four of them were the founder of Misfit Society. As if they were trying to reflect their real self in a virtual world, they made a guild with the most fitting name to describe their life. The truth was that they were all exceptionally close in real life. Closer than anyone could imagine.
Unbeknownst to even Ria herself, these two really did owe their life to Mays in real life. They might not even be alive anymore if Mays didn't help them back then. Ever since then, they had been doing everything Mays asked them for without complaining. Even playing this game was actually a suggestion from Mays to relieve their tension but obviously they treated it as an order and strive to be the best because of it.
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"Nee… nee… more please."
"Human. More seed please."
"Kind and gentle human. Me too, please."
Mays and Hallel was still at the very same spot where they met the first dryad earlier. The only difference was that at the moment, the two of them were surrounded by more than ten dryad. And apparently, these dryad were demanding something from them.
"Err, Hallel. Do you have any of those Oren Kernel left?"
Awkwardly smiling, Mays turned toward Hallel with a pleading look.
"Ugh, sec. Let me check my bag. You better pray that there are still more of it."
"Hehe I'm sure there would still be some left."
"Dem lucky you. Here you go."
Hallel who found more of those kernel in her space belt was about to give them all to Mays before Mays refused.
"Why don't you give that to them yourself?"
"Me? Nah, not happening. I ain't the type to go chummy with others."
"Haha figured."
Smiling back to Hallel, Mays immediately grabbed the remaining kernel handed by Hallel and distributed them to the dryad nearby. They hastily ate the kernel after they received them from Mays. Mays just giggled as he watched the whole things.
Truth be told, there was only several kernel left with him. He didn't have enough to feed every dryad that came bugging them. Right after he handed the tenth kernel to a dryad who was opening her palm to receive it, another dryad appeared right in front of Mays.
This dryad looks way different that the other dryad who gathered around them. This dryad looked way more like a human than a dryad. If only she was not wearing those clothing made of leaf, this girl would be mistaken as a human for sure.
"Greetings, kind human. I am Irina, the Dryad Queen."
"It's an honour to meet you, esteemed queen of the dryad."
Instinctively bowing to the queen, Mays replied respectfully. Mays who had a great memory tried to imitate the cut scene he once saw in HeavensTale from back when he was questing a long time ago. He figured that being polite at times wouldn't hurt, especially when he was figuring something out.
"On behalf on my people, I am rewarding you this elixir as a token of appreciation for your kindness."
"Thank you so much your esteemed queen."
Mays thanked the queen with another respectful bow. Just before Mays raised back his head, the dryad queen dispersed into flower petals and disappeared from the scene. Not just the queen, even all the other dryad was no more in sight.
"How did they disappear?"
Dumfounded, Mays asked Hallel for a confirmation but he was met with a question instead.
"You asked me?"
"Haha, never mind."
If he himself didn't know, there was no way Hallel would know either. Mays then let it go as it was not something he could think of at the moment. These dryad never disappear in front of players back in HeavensTale. Mays stared at the elixir in his hand for a while before he smiled.
"What? You thought of something?"
Intrigued by Mays's action, Hallel pressed for answers. She who was on top of her mount the whole time even when they were surrounded by dryad immediately jumped down and walked toward Mays. She totally want to know what made Mays smile.
"Hehe nothing important. It's just this. Catch."
"Oooppss… Got it."
Caught off-guard by the sudden toss, Hallel was about to miss the elixir yet her good reflect made it possible to catch it even at an impossible angle.
"Damn, warn me faster at least."
"Hehe, sorry. Check it out."
"Emm… Dryad Dew Elixir. What about it?"
"Do you remember how to get in back in HeavensTale?"
"How would I remember something from eh wait… I GET IT! IT'S OREN KERNEL!"
"Gosh, don't shout. I'm just beside you."
"Ah sorry. But really… something like this was possible?"
"Rather than possible, I think that everything is actually connected. From this exchange alone, I can confirm that everything which happened here in the world and in HeavensTale was identical. Not just the quests, even the personality of those bosses we meet in HeavensTale was the same as described in their cut scene."
"Whoaaaa…. FOR REAL?"
"Of course duh. Have I ever lied to you?"
"Meh, how would I know? We never talked to each other before, dumbass."
"Ah yea I forgot. Well you somewhat reminds me of Ria so I accidentally said that. But yea, the point is, what I said before is true. But still, there are several discrepancy which I need to confirm though."
"Oh, like?"
"Nah you wouldn't understand it if I explained. Don't bother with… ouch!"
A solid punch landed on Mays's torso before he finished his line. He just had the innate talent to irritate Hallel at every given opportunity.
"Jerk! I'm not that stupid."
"Haha, sorry."
As the mood became better, the two of them continued their journey without stopping. They were not in a rush but they were not planning on dallying too much either. The only reason why they couldn't sped up even if they wanted to was because they didn't have the means to.
If only Mays's curse had been lifted, he could easily summoned his dragon and they could arrive at their destination within hours. The curse he got from the vampire lord lasted for one whole week. There used to be seven star shaped tattoo on his left arm but there were only five left. Two days already passed by and he was steadily moving forward toward their destination.
Maybe because of the fact that Ria was safe, Mays himself was at ease as he traveled the continent together with Hallel. The only important person in his life were San and Ria. As long as the two of them were safe, he couldn't care less on whatever happened to the rest of the world.
The only thing that worried him most was the person behind the whole thing, the one who planned everything from the very start. Mays barely knew the existence of that person thanks to the slip up from the phoenix own mouth.
The more he thought about it, the more he stumbled. He just couldn't come up with the perfect explanation by himself. Who was the master of Shalala, Drasca and Kokakola? Why could Kokakola use all those event bosses skills? Why were insane bosses the only exception with lots of difference?
He needed someone on his level to talk about it with. Drasca was still hibernating hence he didn't try to ask her anything yet. Deep in his heart, he knew that the best person for this kind of conversation was none other than Stan.
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