Chapter 42
Dog-eared humanoid, fairy, deer mask, restaurant momma.
All of them had appearances that made sense according to their settings, so even if they changed drastically, it was understandable.
'Above all, they were pretty too.'
But to turn a dragon into a reptilian maid.
While not entirely implausible, isn't this going too far?
'Of course, she was pretty though.'
This level of change could only be seen as blasphemy towards Outer Gods.
'I understood because she was pretty, but still.'
"Customer, have you decided on your order? If not, we'll place an order for the menu we recommended!"
When I only heard that voice, it was indistinguishable from a typical maid, but the sphere that started to glow brighter in her opened mouth indicated that this was no ordinary thing.
Soon, when the sphere began to writhe while emitting an intense light, I felt that something bad would definitely happen if we didn't dodge.
"Ms. Muyeon, dodge!"
"Uwah!"
As soon as I grabbed Muyeon, who had frozen stiff in a defensive posture, and threw our bodies to the side, something was fired simultaneously in the direction where we had been.
Pyoong!
Star-particle-adorned flames flew by, accompanied by a special effect sound.
Was this what it felt like when that pink blob swallowed enemies and fired shooting stars?
Despite its unimpressive appearance, a huge explosion occurred at the point of impact, accompanied by the sound of something massive collapsing.
"Ugh!"
Although we were caught in the explosion and our bodies were flung away, fortunately, the terrain was covered in snow, so we just ended up buried in it.
With Muyeon's help, I emerged from the snowball, and before I could fully regain my senses, I realized something was flying towards us.
"Mr. Tanton!"
This time, Muyeon reacted to it, picking me up like a princess and immediately leaping away.
Although I couldn't hear much due to the snow, I could tell that something had crashed into where we had been.
Damn it.
That White Mask bastard.
Does she come here alone to deal with these crazy creatures?
No wonder she's on par with the Vice Captain in the Knight Order.
"A-Are you alright?!"
Muyeon put me down quickly, her face red.
"Yes, I'm fine for now."
The lesser dragons looked down on us with sneers, seemingly amused by our panting and struggling.
With an infinitely leisurely attitude.
"Master! Shouldn't you taste the menu you ordered?"
"If you don't, our prepared feelings will be too sad."
Those bastards.
They're blatantly toying with us while saying cringeworthy things without a care!
It reminded me of the nightmare I experienced when I lost a bet with a friend and had to go to a maid cafe alone.
"Blow the flute."
At that moment, I heard the Gardener's voice.
Right, fundamentally, White Mask dropped me here to maximize my ability to use this horn flute.
It meant that just dodging wouldn't accomplish anything.
With that in mind, I put the party flute to my lips, thinking about borrowing a part of an Outer God's power rather than summoning them.
Piriri!
In my mind, the Gardener's finger touched the hole.
"Show your power to the crow's servant intoxicated by its ash-covered appearance."
A ripple occurred inside.
As I scratched it with a hand motion like scooping water, the empty space instantly turned into flowers.
Is this what it feels like when your head becomes a flower bed?
Certainly, this time, unlike before, there was no space opening somewhere, or dimensions breaking, or anything like that happening.
However.
Thud.
I only felt something very soft, squishy, and warm wrapping around my neck.
W-What is this?
I was startled and tried to turn around immediately, but.
"...Don't look now."
My body stiffened at the sudden voice.
Not just my shoulders and neck area, but my entire back was experiencing a soft sensation.
As if the Gardener was piggybacking on me.
That kind of sensation.
I definitely didn't try to summon her, so why...?
"...This is a phenomenon similar to what you call 'divine possession' in your world. The masked woman referred to it as a contract, but it's like forming a relationship with us. It's like saying I'll give you my body, so please be with me."
After hearing that, I realized.
This is totally like marriage....
"...What are you thinking about? Focus on what you're doing now."
As I was thinking that, stems wrapped around my body.
Flowers climbing up my skin.
They tightened around my arms to prevent me from leaving, whispered sweet voices into my ears, and bloomed upon touching my face.
A fully bloomed flower on one eye.
Yet my vision was fine.
...Is this what it means to be assimilated?
"Mr. Tanton...! Strange lumps of flesh are...! They're crawling up, hii, hiik!"
Muyeon started to distance herself from me.
Is that how it looks to Muyeon?
If so, I must look grotesquely misshapen like something out of a gore film right now.
Well, whatever.
As long as I'm okay, it's fine.
I was just surprised by the sudden soft sensation, but it's not dangerous.
"Now, listen carefully. There are many seeds around here. They seem to be well-preserved due to freezing, so we can use them effectively."
Seeds.
It's a euphemism, but its essence probably refers to corpses.
This place called Geumgu.
How many humans must have died for it to be named this?
The Gardener's hand came into view, and as I looked at the places she pointed to, they were areas covered in snow.
Some of them were even places where we had been buried while dodging the lesser dragons' attacks.
Did we not realize it because we got out quickly?
...I felt I should keep this a secret from Muyeon.
"Right now, you've borrowed a part of my authority. It's the power itself that's responsible for landscaping the world. Now, try to decorate it as you wish. Flowers will bloom in your hands."
The Gardener's hand positioned itself right in the center of my sternum.
Her small hand entwined like vines, transmitting its warmth.
"...Stop having strange thoughts. Focus, because I'm not sure if you can use it properly with your current mental strength."
Hearing the Gardener's words, I remembered that even the Observer had trouble summoning properly at first.
Every time the Gardener traced over my body, her hands glowed subtly.
It seems she's taking something from my body.
While using such a high-level authority probably won't end up being free, it's better to ask about that later.
"...I can feel the seeds. Stop glancing at my hand."
Ahem.
Right, she said there were so many seeds around here.
A corpse here, a corpse there....
For some reason, it felt like I was sharing sensations with those seeds, feeling cold and receiving information about their locations flowing into my brain.
I asked those monsters with only beautiful exteriors.
"Do you know what it means to kill someone?"
At those words, the dragon maid tilted her head.
"The master is speaking? Oh my, we didn't have reorders on the schedule."
"Wasn't the young lady's order to make all humans here food?"
The Gardener whispered in my ear as if refuting.
"Even though they look like that, they're Lesser Outer Gods under the Dragon Slayer's command. So they don't need to eat food. They just feel ecstasy from killing humans."
That means these beings are killers by nature.
Even if there's no superiority of good and evil in predator-prey relationships.
Even if I can't bring death that devours everything like the Hunter.
Then I will punish them in my own way.
"M-Mr. Tanton! W-What are those things!"
At Muyeon's voice, I carefully opened my eyes to see the scene I had materialized.
A snowy field of white falling snow.
Life regenerates within the sheer cliffs.
Various flowers beautifully bloom in places where there were only seeds before.
Flowers blooming in the bitter cold, awakening from the light and shallow nightmare of death.
I was mesmerized by the ecstasy coming from the contrast.
"Can you feel my authority?"
"...It's amazing."
I personally felt that the ability of the Gardener I saw in that garden was just a small part.
It was a royal-like authority that could control everything in the 'garden' in exchange for returning seeds bound by death, sorrowful souls, back to being part of the world.
Perhaps due to the greatly increased duration.
The feeling of omnipotence doesn't break.
"Master? It seems you've finally decided to taste it since you're standing still. We'll serve you right away!"
Even amidst all this, the lesser dragons were preparing to attack again, their mouths glowing with spheres.
Can they not see these flowers?
Along with the Gardener's words, I felt like all the nerves of the blooming flowers in front of me were connecting to me, and soon I was certain that I could move those stems directly.
Yes, I should say something like this.
"Bloom."
Whish!
As I thought that, there was a sound like cracking whips all at once, followed by the loud sound of something being entangled.
"Kyaa! S-Stems!? Where did they suddenly come from?"
"Why won't they come off...!"
The stems that sprouted from the flowers all flew towards the lesser dragons at once, successfully binding them.
But why?
The way they're tied doesn't look like they're just wrapped, but tied in a specific pattern....
Well, that's probably just my imagination.
They were struggling to escape and speaking in very angry voices, but given that I had borrowed the power of a Greater Outer God, it was futile.
I stepped towards them.
Maybe because the Gardener hadn't fully manifested, Muyeon, who was still in her right mind, managed to witness the scene and her voice grew louder.
"T-This is what White Mask was talking about...."
A kind of awe rose in Muyeon's eyes, and she just stood there blankly watching my actions.
There's a gaze, but I won't mind it.
Yes....
I decided to deal with Outer Gods in my own way.
"Wh-What...?"
"Master...? What on earth are you doing...."
A huge shadow fell over the tied-up dragon maids.
Sometimes, it might not be bad to enjoy things in Laydan Tanton's way.
It was the moment when 'that guy's' mind would awaken.
A high mountain with a desolate atmosphere, unnaturally eroded by erosion.
In the central area of Geumgu, maids are lined up in a row.
Maids wearing antique clothes different from the fake maids in maid cafes.
"Young lady, we have news that the usual masked one has entered the domain."
One of them walked over with a neat posture and bowed to a being.
"Raise your head."
As the bowing dragon maid lifted her heavy head, a woman was sitting cross-legged on a chair, reigning over them.
Black hair tied in twin tails.
Long horns protruding from her head.
Black attire that brings to mind the image of a noble lady.
And yellow eyes shining as if they could burn everything at any moment.
Her gaze, licking across the audience, demanded new information.
"That's not all, is it?"
"Yes, two more humans were discovered besides that."
"I see. Hmm, so that's how it is."
The young lady nodded and spread her hand towards the maid.
Before the maid could make any expression, she instantly disappeared from that spot.
Only smoke remained where she had been standing.
"From now on, speak faster before I ask. You're wasting energy on unnecessary things."
"""Yes, young lady."""
Then, as if nothing had happened, she stood up and started walking.
As if it were natural, the other maids remained unmoved, silently keeping their positions.
The name given to her for erasing her own kind with just a gesture despite being a dragon.
Dragon Slayer.
She reached the skyscraper of the mountain and looked at the distant scenery.
Tapping her fan on her chin, the Dragon Slayer's eyes narrowed.
"Hmm, I sense the energy of that damn weed in my domain."
The long dragon tongue licked her lips.
"Let's see what they're up to."
She slightly closed her eyes to observe beyond.
A new maid stood beside her to assist, looking at her dragon face.
But isn't the great dragon king blushing?
The fan cracked.
"Wh-Wh-Wh-What such an indecent act!"