Administrator

《So… you’re like my mother too, right?》

As soon as I saw Rico’s letter, it brought back old memories.

From when I was a hatchling, in the cold ice nest…

Cold dragon mothers who only take care of the young ones.

They only care for them out of duty, and once they grow up, all ties are cut…

I didn’t like that kind of relationship.

“Huh… but then we can’t get any closer, right?”

At first, I thought I had just acquired a peculiar subordinate to boast to Nis about.

But seeing Rico learn a language in a month and control insects, I changed my mind.

My only subordinate and the second-in-command of Shia Kalt.

Rico will take that position in this place, one of the Eight Great Labyrinths that didn’t have an administrator, or an intermediate ruler.

Then, Rico suddenly released a massive amount of iridescent pollen and collapsed.

“Rico?”

There was no response, as if she had fainted.

Hopefully, it’s not like three years ago when she wilted…

Well, if I give her some nectar, I can tell how she’s doing.

‘Hehehe…’

A happy will, tinged with pink, seeped into my mind.

Did she faint from happiness?

Happy about becoming an administrator?

‘Hmm… did Rico know about the administrator’s existence?’

She wrote words like “traits,” “status window,” “star,” and “level.”

She seemed to understand concepts I didn’t even know.

Of course, she would.

Rico is a genius.

‘Indeed, she’s special.’

‘But I need to find other blood. ‘

Looking at Rico’s collapsed form, I fell into thought.

Blaze Gargan’s blood was a failure.

As a subordinate worthy of Nis and to raise her as my administrator, I needed another method.

‘Hmm…’

‘And Rico said she wanted to polymorph…’

I told her she could do it naturally in a thousand years, but I wasn’t sure.

Should I catch a monster that can polymorph, use it if it helps, and feed it to Rico if it’s useless?

Oh, even if it helps, I can just extract the information and feed it to her.

It seemed like a perfect plan to fulfill Rico’s wish and make her grow.

“Hoot.”

A soft smile naturally formed.

***

‘Ugh…’

When I came to, the sky shimmered so brightly it felt like I was in a rainbow.

What is that?

Is that all my pollen…?

‘Ah, right! Close friends!!!’

What exactly is going on!

Is this what I think it is?

I glanced at the master stealthily.

“Hoot.”

‘Huh!’

Almost released pollen involuntarily again!

That lethal smile!

If I had a heart, I would have died of a heart attack!

《Master! I’m awake!》

“Okay. Rico, how about becoming an administrator?”

‘Huh?’

What is that?

I’ve never heard of that word, even in games…?

《What is an administrator?》

“Hmm? Didn’t you faint from joy about becoming one?”

‘Wait?’

Being close means becoming an administrator?

It feels like a position managing the labyrinth.

Perhaps it’s like a mid-boss under the ruler.

《If it’s an administrator… is it a being that manages the labyrinth?》

“An administrator… is the second-highest position in the labyrinth. The highest among the ruler’s subordinates.”

After a brief pause, the master added,

“But my only subordinate is you.”

‘Oh…’

My whole body stiffened.

What was I thinking earlier!

How embarrassing!

For a moment, I realized something was odd.

‘How can a ruler and an administrator become closer than family?’

I… at least in my previous life, I had a family.

Though we had a big fight and parted ways, I knew what warmth from family felt like.

‘Maybe… cultural differences in this world…’

But I won’t give up easily!

‘Fine… someday… I’ll seduce the master!’

I gently swayed my petals and made up my mind.

《Then… what do I need to do to become an administrator?》

“Don’t worry.” The master smiled softly.

“You don’t need to do anything, Rico. I’ll handle it.”

Gulp!

This isn’t a romance, what is it?!

‘Ah? Is it just a different name?’

Is that how rulers and administrators are supposed to be?

Like how in dramas, the boss and secretary are always like that!

‘Hehe!’

With the thought of becoming an administrator, I was excited.

Then, I suddenly felt a warm presence.

‘Oh, right. That guy…’

I looked back at the small life form I had forgotten while talking to the master.

Squish-squish

Blaze Lava was crawling towards me.

This creature, like a living flame, approached me.

『 ☆☆ Blazing Lava LV1 』

‘Uh… are you going to set me on fire?’

Caught up in the forbidden love between the ruler and administrator, I had forgotten about this little life.

Not a child, but a larva to raise?

‘But why isn’t its level rising despite eating so much blood?’

Like me, it was born from blood and should grow by drinking it.

Does this thing not have blood absorption ability?

What a disappointment…

Squish-squish

Blaze Lava slowly crawled up my stem.

‘It’s warm…!’

It’s like a biological hot pack!

Cute and warm, you’re actually useful.

Hmm… maybe because of the level difference?

As it eats my petals, I don’t feel anything.

Just a gentle scratching feeling?

『 ☆☆ Blazing Lava LV2 』

Oh!

Its level went up!

Since it’s a larva, does it grow by eating leaves?

Then, the larva started to squirm in agony.

What’s wrong?

Squirm-squirm!

“Rico! Why is it doing this!?”

The master looked more flustered than me.

‘How should I know?’

『 「Deadly Poison LV3」 skill level has increased. 』

‘Ah, right! My body has poison!’

I didn’t have time to explain to the master.

Immediately, I released a burst of healing pollen over the larva.

Squish-squish

‘Phew.’

It should be fine now… right?

“It seems fine now. Good thing.”

《My body has poison! I saved it with healing pollen!》

“Huh… Rico is really versatile, as expected.”

‘Huh!’

‘Versatile… versatile…’

The word sent shivers down my spine!

Indeed, the boss and secretary were right…!

As I was about to show the heart-shaped root to the master, the larva started eating my petals again.

‘No! Why are you eating again!’

Squirm-squirm!

‘You foolish creature!’

I healed it and pondered.

Maybe it’s not intelligent because it’s a bug?

But it’s from a butterfly…

…

『 ☆☆ Blazing Chrysalis LV10 』

Finally, the larva, which ate the poisonous petals and leveled up to 10.

As it ate more poisonous leaves, my Deadly Poison level rose, and this creature maintained balance by gaining poison resistance.

It was literally a game of infinite lives!

If I hadn’t healed it each time, who knows what would have happened.

Thanks to this, my Deadly Poison and healing pollen levels rose quite a bit.

This creature probably gained a lot of poison resistance too.

‘Oh… so it’s a win-win?’

As a butterfly, did it predict this and aim for extreme benefits?

Suddenly, the larva appeared again.

‘Are you a genius…?’

Squish-squish!

The genius larva began to spin silk from its tail and form a cocoon.

It’s evolving!

Evolved just a day after birth!

“Look, it’s already forming a cocoon.”

《Yes!》

I also watched with interest at the master’s words.

The larva, which had wrapped itself in white silk, quickly created a red cocoon.

『 ☆☆ Blazing Chrysalis LV10 』

‘Wow…’

It was like a cocoon cut from a ruby, transparent and shimmering.

My petals, which I thought resembled rubies, were in perfect harmony with it.

The surface was covered in diamond-like crystals, and inside, red magma swirled like a heartbeat, emitting heat at regular intervals.

The warmth was incredible…!

***

Soft moonlight filtered through the stained glass of the temple, illuminating two figures kneeling before the altar.

One was a saintess in white robes with pink hair shimmering in the moonlight, the other a hero in silver armor with golden hair flowing down.

“Seraphina.” The hero sighed, calling her old friend’s name.

“We meet again after five years, and you ask me for this…”

The moonlight cast a silent glow.

The saintess gently took the hero’s hand.

“Beatrix, I know. I know this isn’t a good time.”

“But I heard about the situation in Geomun Gorge. The monsters are rampaging. If I don’t go…”

“But this is a revelation from Michel.” Seraphina’s violet eyes shone with longing.

“I see it every night in my dreams. The snowy mountains of Shia Kalt, and the flower that bloomed there…”

“That dream again.” Beatrice grasped the saintess’s hand.

“But people are dying.”

“I can’t go alone.” Seraphina’s voice trembled with desperation.

“The path to Shia Kalt is too dangerous… Beatrix, please…”

Beatrice looked at her friend’s face.

Had Seraphina, always so confident, ever looked so desperate?

Not even when she suddenly became a saintess during their knight training days.

“… what was that flower called?”

“It’s a flower shining with Michel’s divine power.”

“I see it every night in my dreams. It prays in Michel’s name, and… it calls me.”

The hero sighed deeply.

She knew well that Seraphina’s revelations were never wrong.

But now…

“Geomun…” Beatrice made a last attempt to resist.

“There are other heroes besides you.”

“But I… I must meet that flower. My soul feels it. And that meeting will bring hope to all of us.”

Beatrice grasped her friend’s hand tightly.

The moonlight gently illuminated her silver armor.

“… fine. Let’s go together.”

Seraphina’s face lit up with a relieved smile.

“Thank you, Beatrix…”

“But.” The hero’s voice turned firm.

“If there’s nothing there, we’ll head to Geomun immediately.”

“Yes.”

“It will… it will definitely be there. The flower that will save us…”

The moonlight quietly illuminated the two figures.

As if Michel himself watched over their journey.