Ch.175175. Invasion, Harbinger (5)

After arriving at the bustling Druid Conclave headquarters.

“Didn’t the Conclave Leader seem to react strangely…?”

“I think she was just surprised to see that we’re both Superior rank. Being Superior is… you know?”

“…Yes, that’s right. I understand that well.”

After meeting Drona Malkaden, the Conclave Leader of the Druid Conclave for the first time in a while, we were immediately led by Minerva to our lodgings where we would stay for the duration of the expedition.

“Who would have thought of this?”

“…I suppose our Tarask might look similar to others.”

“…I can’t deny that.”

A colossal magical beast that literally carried a mountain on its back.

The Conclave Leader’s animal friend and an enormous magical beast I had coincidentally met during my first visit to this great forest.

I’m referring to the magnificent facility built on the back of Behemoth, the King of the Earth.

Behemoth, resembling a turtle if one had to describe it, could be categorized as the largest species among “land-dwelling magical beasts.”

Its massive body, covered in mountain peak-like carapace, is supported by six thick and heavy legs. Its head, buried within the shell, is similarly protected.

Since only a single specimen has been confirmed to exist, there are speculations that it might be a variant of a specific magical beast. Nevertheless, this gigantic creature has been identified through ancient documents and testimonies of ancient people…

‘…Is that really just a Superior rank?’

Honestly, if that was Superior rank, it made me wonder what other Superior beings might be like, given its imposing presence.

An overwhelming amount of life force and magical power. Incredible durability that made me doubt whether it would fall even if I unleashed my full magical power against it.

And… while it didn’t seem to possess any unique special abilities, with a body that size, perhaps it didn’t need any.

To put it bluntly, just by walking, it could cause powerful earthquakes strong enough to collapse nearby castles. If it deliberately stomped on something, the monstrous strength supporting its massive frame combined with gravitational force would crush any opponent.

If it simply sat down, it could instantly compress thousands of troops into dried meat. With a body that enormous, even its mere breath could become a weapon.

Rather, I thought that Behemoth’s ability to maintain such an abnormally gigantic physique might itself be a kind of special ability.

“Let’s go, Sophie.”

“Yes.”

Anyway, after being momentarily awestruck by its magnificent presence, we gradually moved onto the back of the enormous magical beast… and soon arrived at our assigned location.

“This is… as expected.”

It was basically a part of the mountain marked with a stake driven into a pile of dirt accumulated on Behemoth’s back.

On Behemoth’s back, there were large amounts of soil and rocks that had adhered to it over time as it lay sprawled out. These natural materials, while forming an otherworldly realm of their own due to their enormous size, actually had nothing to do with the magical beast Behemoth itself.

However, using magic to create a “Natural Hut” was certainly possible.

“This is what we’re supposed to do, right?”

“It… seems so.”

The identity of our provided accommodation on Behemoth’s back turned out to be an empty space.

A certain area enclosed by a fence, with a sign in the center that read “Please build it yourself.”

That sight, which felt not just absurd but almost brazen, momentarily left me dazed, but that feeling didn’t last long.

‘Alright, let’s do this.’

In any case, rather than having something inadequately prepared for us, it might be better to be able to create something ourselves.

With that thought, I began to gradually draw upon my internal magical power, then extracted one of the blueprints stored in my mind, appropriately modified it, and infused it with magical power.

Thus, a “Natural Hut” arranged to accommodate troops was completed.

“Come in. Ah, you all can stay in the guest rooms on the second floor.”

“””Understood!!!”””

The first floor, except for the staircase, is mostly space for literally “stacking” natural bodies possessed by animal spirits, while the second floor is a space for humans with a total of 40 “guest rooms.”

Each guest room is modeled after the single rooms in the apartment village on my estate, so they should be perfectly suitable for spending time in. The third and fourth floors above are mansion areas created for Sophie and me.

After constructing this building that had an atmosphere closer to an urban mansion, I distributed my troops across each floor…

“Sophie, let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

We climbed the stairs to the third floor for a pleasant and exciting “rest.”

※ ※ ※

For several days afterward, nothing particularly noteworthy happened.

“Lancelot. I entrust you with the command of our troops.”

“My lord, please leave it to me!”

While entrusting the command of the cavalry to Lancelot, who is both an animal friend and officially a knight under my command, I was able to live comfortably, moving between the third and fourth floors with my various animal friends.

“Is Hydra not coming?”

“No. She has children now. It’s time for her to focus on raising them.”

Except for Hydra who needed to care for her children, all my animal friends were with me in this situation. Thanks to the Conclave Leader’s various considerations, I was able to enjoy a relatively leisurely daily life.

Of course, this “consideration” goes beyond simply allowing me to rest—it’s also consideration for other druids.

In fact, from an objective perspective, I’m probably like a walking nuclear mine.

My mentor and adoptive mother is among the world’s strongest beings (excluding divine entities)—if one were to name the strongest non-divine powers, she would undoubtedly be among the top five. Moreover, as the famous (or infamous) “Aleinos,” she is also the founding hero of the Frankish Kingdom, which means she has reached the pinnacle of political influence as “Dalia Aleinos.” If anyone tried to harm me, she would personally intervene and eliminate the threat.

Additionally, I myself am the youngest Superior Druid, possessing enough power to single-handedly destroy a small nation, and I’m accompanied by Sophia, also a Superior rank, as both my lover and companion.

But what truly completes my status as a living nuclear mine, beyond these characteristics, is the fact that I am a Superior who is not politically tied to any particular faction.

Typically, most Superiors in this world are affiliated with some nation or group… and often hold high positions within them.

The current king of the Great Frankish Kingdom is a Master-class knight known as the Swordmaster, and the Empire’s highest court magician is a Superior archmage who once served as the dean of the Attack Faculty at the Magic Tower.

Others include the Saint or Pope of the Pantheon, the current head of the Adventurer’s Guild Headquarters who is the only Mithril-ranked adventurer, or the leader of the famous Golden Branch Mercenary Group in the Southern Kingdoms—all leading their respective organizations.

While these affiliations provide their members with “societal” power that they couldn’t possess as individuals, they simultaneously act as shackles that prevent Superiors from fully exercising their power.

In exchange for social position, power, wealth, and fame—things everyone desires—these Superiors are placed in positions of responsibility that prevent them from acting as they please…

Yet I am almost free from such social constraints.

Although I currently own an estate and hold certain titles, I could abandon my position as the owner of the estate or the small zoo-cum-amusement park if necessary.

Therefore, I’m highly susceptible to suspicion that I might go berserk and do something unpredictable at any time. Even if I have no such intentions, it would be foolish for others to expect the same from everyone else.

Even if you know that a released grizzly bear will never harm you, who wouldn’t be afraid when facing one?

For these reasons, the Druid Conclave keeps me at a distance to prevent me from getting entangled in politics, while I also deliberately distance myself from such matters, signaling in all directions that “I’m not interested.”

This intentional distance from politics had been my stance until now, and thanks to that, we were able to spend relatively peaceful days even after Behemoth began to move…

However, having the power of a Superior rank, I eventually had to show some interest in political matters.

“Oh, so our genius has arrived.”

“So, you are…”

“…Very, very young.”

“Ahaha… Seniors, hello! I am Gregory Aleinos, who has undeservedly risen to such a high position at a young age!”

“…Ahem. Hmm.”

“Ah.”

Thus, I participated in a meeting of Superiors who had decided to join this war through the Druid Conclave, to familiarize myself with how we and the Western Continent Alliance would deal with the Orc invasion.