The air is thick, almost suffocating, with the scent of earth, rot, and something else—something magical. It hums with a dark, foreboding energy, like a creature bound by chains it can never break.
“We heard your voice,” I call out, my voice low. “Where are you?”
“Quinlan… This entire thing is a living monster.” Ayame states worriedly.
‘Oh. Oh! What the hell?!’ I wasn’t aware of the existence of tree-type monsters at all.
“I am the tree itself. I don’t have an organ to speak, so I use a form of telepathy.” He answers, confirming Ayame’s words. It seems he can’t understand human speech.
I can only assume that my primordial ‘compatible with all races’ effect is at play here, somehow letting him understand my words while also allowing me to hear his voice.
“May I see your features without your mask?” He asks.
I hesitate for a second but at this point I see no reason to refuse. Whatever this thing is, we are not beating it, especially not in our small time window.
I remove my mask.
“A-a primordial! I knew something was strange! Y-your majesty, this lowly one apologizes for the casual tone it had used thus far!”
Well, that’s odd. A giant monster is talking to me like I’m a deity. However, I don’t wish to enter a lengthy theoretical conversation right now, which I know would happen should I ask for an explanation. “That’s right. Can you tell us what you are doing here in a cave?”
“Of course. In case Your Majesty isn’t aware, I’m what people call a Geim. We are one of the rarest and most valuable species in the entire world. It is said that our materials rival the value of an adult true dragon’s corpse, and we number much less than they do. However, unlike dragons, we don’t have to be slain to provide bountiful harvests.
We, Geims, reproduce by creating a single seedling inside ourselves, which can only happen once in our lifetime and once we plant the seed, we will begin withering away, allowing the next generation to take over. As it happened, my parent had planted me only a few months before the humans found me.
In my weakened state I had no chance of resisting them. They subjugated me, uprooted me, and replanted me here, because they knew that if they plant me in ideal circumstances, such as in a nutrient rich soil and a spot where the sun reaches me, I would grow to be so strong that they couldn’t defeat me any longer, let alone control me.
Doing so has ruined my body. I’m so incredibly small, stuffed in this tiny cave with zero sunlight and a soil made up entirely of stone.”
‘This is small?! How big would he be normally…? And what do you mean, soil made of stone? You can siphon enough nutrients out of it to sustain such a big body?’ What a magical creature this one is.
Absolutely full of logical fallacies.
“But in the act of planting me here, they’ve also ruined my value. I should be producing so many products, but I only manage to grow a few Geimroots, the worst possible items I could output, once every hundred years.”
‘Damn… This guy is a living, talking money printer.’
“I see. I’m sorry to hear that humans have ruined your life, and I wish I could help you, but I’m afraid we are far too weak to break you out of here. Instead, could you spare us some of your roots? I promise that we will raise hell for the kingdom in your name once we are strong enough.”
“But of course, Your Majesty.” He states, then one of the branches began moving. Instead of going for its actual roots, it seemed to reach into the main trunk, which opened itself up. Soon it came back out and arrived at us, and handed us three extremely small branches.
My primordial eyes have been active ever since I upgraded them so I can already see that they are what we have been looking for; [Geimroot].
So it seems this ingredient is not his actual root, but more so his crafted product.
“I’ve been hiding these three as an act of defiance against the humans, hehehe.” He laughs mischievously.
I grab them and hand them over to Ayame who places them in our backpack. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
“Well, it’s been a pleasure, Geim. I would love to stay, but we are about to be ambushed by who knows how many level 40+ supersoldiers. I hope you understand.”
“Naturally. But, Your Majesty. I have a request that would serve you greatly as well. If you remember my story-”
“You have a seed you wish me to replant somewhere?” I interrupt his monologue.
“Your Majesty is really quick on the uptake. Yes, I do. I’ve the last five hundred years cultivating this little seedling of mine.”
‘Sadly I don’t even have a permanent base of operations, so I don’t know where to plant it, but it’s basically a free, perpetually self replenishing diamond mine. There’s no way I would ever refuse such a gift.’
“I accept.”
“I’m forever grateful.” He states and begins the same process of opening himself up and searching for something with its branches.
“What can you tell me about caring for a Geim?”
“As much sunlight as possible, copious amounts of water, or even more nutritious liquids if available, and as rich a soil as Your Majesty can manage. I’ve been told by my parent through their passed down knowledge that dragon manure works wonders.”
Well, that’s a bit out of our range, but I’m sure we can manage something ‘tasty’.
“Also. If Your Majesty wishes to have bountiful Geim product harvests, I recommend treating my child well, or they might decide to act defiantly just as I did towards the humans.”
Hehe. He is trying to ensure the best possible circumstances for his offspring by inadvertently threatening me.
I absolutely respect it.
“I understand. I don’t have a location in mind yet, can I keep your child in a pot for a while?”
“Yes, in fact, please allow me.”
Soon his branches once again arrived in front of us, this time also carrying a pot-like object made of his wood, with some material already filling it to the brim. “This is the rich soil I’ve painstakingly extracted from deep below to keep my seedling in. Your Majesty, I recommend that you replant my child to a permanent location within a few months. It will outgrow the pot rapidly.”
“I understand.”
“Then… It’s time.” He states in a somewhat somber tone, reaching into himself once more.