Chapter 22

An uncomfortable silence descended.

The Gardener held my hand, seemingly to prevent me from escaping, while staring at me intently.

There was Muyeon, breathing heavily from exhaustion, and the beautiful flowers that would look like corpses to others.

It was truly a state of ecstasy.

Even after quite some time had passed, the Gardener wasn't doing anything. Was she waiting for my answer?

But I didn't know anything either.

What did she mean by her follower, and moreover, originally just approaching would turn someone into a flower?

When the Observer pounced on me, or when the Gardener showed hostility and attacked me, she clearly couldn't exert much force on physical actions.

Could there be some hidden function in this Chicken Mod?

As time passed, the Gardener's aura was becoming sharper, so I decided to speak up.

"Ah, no. I'm not sure, but it's probably not what you're thinking."

However, the Gardener frowned as if my words were even more frustrating.

"...So you're trying to gloss over it with vague talk. Usually, self-proclaimed mystic scholars or worshippers talk like that."

Perhaps because I spoke too ambiguously, it seemed the Gardener didn't believe my words at all.

It was clearly different from the Observer who had shown me unconditional goodwill.

I racked my brains, but it was obvious that stalling would only deepen the Gardener's suspicion.

At this point, let's just see what happens.

"Look! If you're an Outer God, you should be able to tell if these are the eyes of someone lying!"

I decided to use the element that Outer Gods are semi-omnipotent beings.

Thinking about the Observer and Lesser Outer Gods I had encountered so far, they were all Outer Gods who could interfere with others' minds.

So I thought the Gardener might be able to read thoughts as well.

But I couldn't help but be alarmed when the Gardener showed no reaction.

Ah, was that not it?

That's a big problem then.

"S-so..."

"...Hmm."

I tried to make some excuse, but I felt the threatening aura from the Gardener diminishing.

The proof was that Muyeon, who had been trembling behind me, now looked a bit relieved.

Ah, hahaha.

That's a relief.

I thought it was a bit of an extreme method, but fortunately, it seems to have worked out...

"...But there's quite a strong dog smell. And that Recorder too... For the smell to be this strong, it means you must have rolled around together."

...or so I thought.

I thought I had just calmed the Gardener down, but that aura started to flare up again.

Could it be that getting licked by the Observer is the problem?

No, this is too unfair!

At least give me time to wash up!

And what's this about a Recorder? It seems to be referring to the Recorder.

I haven't even met the Recorder in the first place, what on earth...!

Complaining like this won't make the other party understand.

Right, let's think about this.

Through this conversation, I learned that the Gardener is an Outer God who at least doesn't attack humans who aren't hostile to her.

The fact that she's not leaving her domain confirms this.

But she's still quite wary of humans who enter her domain.

While no one would be friendly to someone who entered their home uninvited, her level of caution seemed a bit excessive.

As I was thinking about this, I remembered something the Gardener had said.

'No one can touch my friend.'

And something that had spread around her.

Wait a minute.

Come to think of it, why is she standing outside the circle she spread out?

That means...

"I..."

"...?"

"I can solve your friend problem!"

All of the Gardener's actions pointed to the fact that they were to protect that 'friend' she had mentioned herself.

Like a cheetah mother who would even charge at a bear to protect her injured cub.

If not for that, considering the personalities of the Outer Gods I've met so far, there's no way she would be this hostile to humans.

And as if my words were correct.

"...How did you know that?"

Despite her calm tone, the Gardener's pupils trembled like aspen leaves.

At the same time, as if reflecting the Gardener's mood, the dense trees around us started to change rapidly.

"Hee, heek...!"

I wonder if this sound is chilling to Muyeon's ears.

But to my eyes, as the space changed, the trees disappeared somewhere, and it just looked like it was turning into a cute flower garden.

Fortunately, as if she didn't intend to attack, the Gardener just turned around and started walking.

"...Follow me."

Did she decide to believe my words?

Phew.

That really took years off my life.

So if this is her state when not being cautious, maybe Muyeon can remove her handkerchief now?

"Ms. Muyeon."

"...Yes?"

"Come here for a moment."

I removed the handkerchief from Muyeon, who approached me following my voice, and she immediately opened her eyes.

And I immediately covered her eyes with the handkerchief again, reading the reaction she was about to show.

"...Eek!... Aaack? Eh, huh? Just now, something like... tentacles... Huh?"

"Y-yes. Just keep it covered."

"As I heard, humans are all trash after all."

So it was only okay to my eyes.

It was quite embarrassing.

We walked following the Gardener's guidance.

We were passing through a catacomb made of plants.

Even with the Chicken Mod, there was a slightly damp and eerie feeling, which was strange.

"I-I'm sorry. That I can't do anything..."

As I was holding Muyeon's hand and guiding her, Muyeon said that.

"It's okay. If it weren't for you, Ms. Muyeon, we wouldn't have even made it this far.

Thank you."

Muyeon didn't say anything to my words, but she seemed slightly happy, which was a relief.

"This was the safe path. The path you came from is a road that ordinary humans can't take."

"Ah, I see. I understand."

Ah, is this what the 'Gardener's Garden' written in text before we entered was referring to?

No wonder there were only bright red flowers on the path the Lesser Outer God guided me through, so that's why.

It seems the Lesser Outer God used the fact that I'm immune to mental effects.

Looking at the Gardener's back as she walked, I felt awkward for no reason.

"Um, it looks like you've decorated it nicely. It's atmospheric and nice."

I tried to speak first, but the Gardener didn't give any answer.

As I let out an awkward laugh, the Gardener finally turned her head slightly and said:

"...I don't completely trust you yet. Just... Never mind, just follow me."

"Y-yes, sir."

Well, how could you show kindness to someone you still consider an enemy in the first place?

I should think about it after solving the problem first.

We walked for quite a while like that.

A narrow passage made of vines appeared and stretched straight ahead, and when we reached the end, a space wide enough for people to live in appeared.

It was the space where I first encountered the Gardener.

The Gardener made room beside her as if telling me to stand next to her, so I stood beside her.

Looking to the side, I saw her pointing at something, and when I turned my head in that direction, I saw a rose.

The unusual thing was that it was shining in a silvery-white color.

"A bit unusual rose... huh? Haha, it's pretty."

"W-what is that?"

Muyeon asked in confusion, but there was no answer.

After confirming that I had observed it, the Gardener sighed and lowered her arm.

"...If you looked closely, you should be able to see what the problem is."

Huh, was there a problem?

I squinted my eyes slightly due to the distance and observed the rose again, and then I could finally understand what the Gardener was talking about.

"That black thing, it's eating away at my friend. I'd like to solve it with my own power if possible, but it's something even I can't do anything about.

Because of that, even the humans who tried to deal with my friend first died en masse before I could do anything."

Probably you'll likely end up the same way.

At the following brutal words, I involuntarily swallowed dry saliva.

I could tell that the Gardener wasn't lying by her depressed expression.

I-is it that serious?

Because to my eyes, it just looked like a caterpillar eating a flower.

The only difference might be its deformed appearance like a character and its legs that were stretched out long unlike a caterpillar.

When I showed signs of confusion, the Gardener sighed with a dejected expression.

"...I guess I brought you here for nothing after all. How could a human solve something even I can't..."

"Let's give it a try, why not."

"What?"

Come on, why are you so surprised when I say I'll solve it?

Ignoring the Gardener's reaction, I walked towards the rose.

Hmm.

Even up close, it still just looks like a bug.

Twisting my mouth as if it was nothing, I reached out towards the bug.

"Wait, you fool...!"

I reflexively jumped back at the Gardener's shout, and I could soon understand why.

The caterpillar that was eating the rose suddenly raised its tail high into the sky and spat out a blue liquid in my direction.

Although I saw it with my eyes, it was already too late to avoid the liquid that had flown over.

"Ugh...!"

I felt my whole body becoming sticky and my clothes were dyed blue.

Could it be a substance that corrodes humans?

Is this a big problem?

As I was thinking that and feeling tense.

I-is this all?

Nothing happened, it just made my clothes more damp.

"...So this is how it ends up."

For some reason, the Gardener was shaking her head as if she had already given up.

"Why, why. What is this?"

"If a human gets hit by that, they can't maintain their sanity... Huh?"

The Gardener, who had been reciting in a gloomy tone, raised her head as if something was strange and started to check me.

She clearly looked confused.

"W-what? Why are you fine?"

The Gardener asked in confusion.

Y-yeah, I wonder too.