Dark Fantasy Guide for the Summoner - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 19.
Woodman Breeding Ground Ⅳ
“You’ve read an ancient text about catastrophe?”
“I have.”
Like any game, PopOp scatters its crucial world-building information in fragments across the map.
It might be carved in ancient script upon some forgotten ruin, or stand as a solitary signpost jutting from a danger zone.
Or, as I’d told Kazen, it might be sleeping somewhere in the corners of antiquarian bookshops or curio dealers in the Royal Capital.
‘And that’s exactly what happened.’
A warning concerning Wood Revenge.
It had been lodged in a root cavern formed beneath a special tree in this field.
‘How did it start again?’
There was definitely some preamble about the Ash-colored Moon and the Frost Sun, but I’d decided to skip that part.
Only those who’d dug deep into PopOp would know such lore, and these people probably wouldn’t. Same went for the mention of the Sun Worshippers that followed.
I organized my thoughts and began reciting from the next point onward.
“……’From the heart of the forest, a black tree shall rise, and their master shall appear as a small thing, licking the verdant branches.'”
There had actually been a mention of Sacrifices in that passage, but I’d cut that part out.
I continued the prophecy’s remainder in an even tone.
“‘Until the forest’s wrath abates, there shall be no way out, and no way to return.'”
⁝
“‘Those who seek escape shall be cursed—living but not truly living, dead but not truly dead.'”
The wording might have been slightly different.
Even I couldn’t memorize every line written in that old text. As long as the meaning got across, it didn’t really matter.
“Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
Like any cautionary text inscribed in ancient writings, most of it was vague prophecy, but people in this world seemed oddly accustomed to such manner of speech.
“Their master shall appear as a small thing, licking the verdant branches.”
Just as I’d expected, the knight had pinpointed the exact passage I’d wanted to emphasize.
I nodded and spoke.
“That part troubled me too. It’s only speculation, but what if the black tree that’s grown in the center is merely a form—a shell—and the true body exists elsewhere? If it’s called a small thing, it could be hiding in the shape of an insect.”
“So to escape this catastrophe, we’d need to find that small creature, that insect, and destroy it.”
The knight murmured as if organizing the situation, then looked at me.
Those eyes were cold, searching for truth, but I had nothing to fear. Everything I’d just said was factual.
“…….”
My face was burning.
Could this person possibly have some skill for discerning truth from falsehood?
Just as I was beginning to feel unease, Lorang turned his gaze elsewhere—toward the black tree.
‘What is he doing?’
About ten seconds passed in confusion before Lorang spoke.
“I don’t see any form of insect at all.”
“……You were examining the tree just now?”
“I was.”
I let out an involuntary laugh.
‘We’re hundreds of meters away.’
And there’s dense undergrowth too. What kind of eyesight does this man have?
“……In any case, simple observation alone won’t suffice. My guess is it might be hidden using some form of camouflage.”
I was forced to divulge another piece of information.
I’d deliberately kept this hidden, worried it might raise suspicion if I said too much.
“Then we’ll need time to conduct a thorough search.”
“That’s right.”
“Searching won’t be easy in itself, either.”
Quick comprehension is admirable, but my spine keeps crawling with unease.
It’s because this person is someone I can’t fully trust even in a situation like this.
“As you say, there will certainly be interference. The red Woodman Avengers won’t be easy to handle, even for you.”
I didn’t know Lorang’s level, but even if this man’s level were sixty or higher, he couldn’t hold back a swarm of Woodman Avengers alone.
“Red Woodman Avengers……. You mean those unpleasant puppet-like creatures?”
“You’ve seen them?”
“I have. They didn’t seem immediately hostile, so we didn’t engage. One of them noticed us, watched for a moment, then passed by.”
As expected of someone experienced. He understood that encountering a monster doesn’t necessarily lead to combat.
Of course, from my perspective, that was an unfortunate turn of events.
‘If that nobleman had been a Sacrifice, things might’ve gone better.’
The White Knight is certainly a person of note.
But having sworn a knight’s oath, it would be difficult for him to act recklessly with his charge to protect.
In that moment, the young noblewoman whose eyes had met mine furrowed her brow.
“You’ve been saying ‘listen, listen’ this whole time—hey, you commoner. What gives you the right to lecture Lorang about anything?”
……
Her name was definitely Seigrena, wasn’t it?
Her family name was longer, but I’d let it slip from one ear to the other.
Since I didn’t recognize the house, it was probably a baronage at best. Though her demeanor was almost like an only daughter from a duke’s family.
“And what? Even if you call yourself that, it wouldn’t be easy to handle? Ha. Does the low-born ear of a commoner not even reach rumors of the White Knight Lorang?”
I ignored the screen’s words without bothering to respond.
Hiss—!
Her face flushed and darkened further at that, but what could I do about it?
Entering the forest meant that wretch’s status was that of a Delver as well. And among Delvers, there was no distinction of rank.
‘The kingdom itself established this law, so even nobles have nothing to say about it.’
There were many reasons why such a law came to exist, but I had no leisure to reflect on them now.
Besides, ordinary nobles would have no business coming to the Eternal Forest in the first place, so there was no reason to raise my voice at them.
“How disrespectful! Lorang, let’s just abandon any cooperation with these wretches! Whatever calamity this is, we can manage well enough on our own!”
“That’s not possible.”
“Ah. Y-yes? Then perhaps we should……?”
The young noblewoman, who had been speaking so boldly, crumpled in an instant at Lorang’s firm refusal.
‘She’s not from a particularly successful noble house, then.’
If she were, she wouldn’t have come to the forest in the first place.
She was probably positioned as a third or fourth daughter within her family.
Long since pushed out of the succession race, with no backing or influence, her only possession was a well-maintained appearance.
‘Well, at least that’s fortunate.’
A noblewoman so clearly divorced from logic was a worse conversation partner than the White Knight. Though he was something of a time bomb himself.
Lorang looked at me.
“How much time do we have?”
“Not much, I’d wager. The Woodmen that scattered will soon regroup and come at us.”
“Are they currently tracking another party?”
“Probably. Once they find them, they’ll kill them.”
At this, Lorang fell into thought.
“Those red Woodmen…… they passed us by without attacking. There must be some condition for them to attack.”
“Exactly. The party being hunted now has probably killed far more Woodmen than we or you have.”
This caught me a bit off guard as well.
I’d actually thought the White Knight’s party had killed the most Woodmen.
‘Is something amiss?’
Woodmen are weak monsters.
Compared to other monsters of the same level, they are distinctly so.
Even a relatively weak party can hunt them in great numbers if they know the strategy.
“I’d like to propose something.”
I broached the most critical part.
“Could you leave the search for the small fry to us?”
“To you?”
“Yes.”
Ha!
I didn’t care about the sound of that snort from the brat.
The problem was, the uncomfortable reaction this time came from more than just that one.
“Why should we trust you? You could be planning to use us as bait and escape.”
The spirit mage, who had been listening quietly, asked in a strained voice.
I nodded and spoke.
“‘Until the forest’s wrath subsides, there is no exit, and no path of return…….’ Those are the words from an ancient text I just recited—have you already forgotten?”
“How are we supposed to trust that? You could have manipulated the contents yourself.”
She struck at the heart of the matter unexpectedly. I hadn’t actually fabricated that part, but I couldn’t say so.
Instead, I nodded readily.
“A fair assumption.”
“Your counter-argument?”
“None, really. There’s nothing to prove it with.”
……
“But if you only harbor suspicions, then cooperation itself becomes impossible from the start.”
“……I don’t know what gives you such confidence. Surely you don’t think our forces are equal to yours?”
The Elementalist spoke in a tone of disbelief.
Well, of course he would.
He couldn’t possibly understand why a novice party—clutching nothing but Lowest-grade Crystals—would have the audacity to carry themselves this way.
It didn’t matter.
After all, he wasn’t the one I needed to persuade.
“…….”
The true decision-maker remained silent, offering no quick response to our exchange.
As the tension gradually settled and all eyes naturally turned toward him, he spoke.
“I’ll accept it.”
“Pardon?”
“L-Lorang?!”
Murmurs rippled through the gathered group.
Seigrena in particular looked ready to bulge her eyes clean out of her skull in protest.
“However, there is a condition.”
“Which is?”
“We’ll intertwine our parties.”
“…….”
I was puzzled by his meaning, but Lorang continued.
“Allon’s argument isn’t without merit. So if we intertwine our parties to keep either side from acting recklessly, wouldn’t that solve the problem?”
Allon is the Elementalist’s name. And what Lorang was proposing meant…….
‘He wants us to chain ourselves to each other.’
With someone from their side among us, neither party could easily flee.
It was uncomfortable, but I couldn’t think of a better solution in this situation.
“Fine. Then how shall we arrange it?”
“Each side picks one person.”
He’d go this far?
Since I’d proposed the idea, I thought he’d take the lead in the selection, but Lorang’s expression remained serene. Inwardly, I was thrown off.
I looked away from Lorang and swept my gaze across their entire group.
‘They have five people total.’
The party composition: knight, warrior, rogue, Elementalist, and finally Seigrena, who was essentially decoration. Minus the decoration, they had four capable members.
“…….”
Honestly, it wouldn’t matter much who came. Finding a “bug” depended more on persistence and luck than keen eyes.
So then.
“Would that person work?”
Without much hope, I pointed to Seigrena.
According to the Elementalist’s own logic, we could abandon the White Knight’s party and flee at any moment.
But conversely, they could do the same to us.
In other words, if combat ability wasn’t the criterion, the most valuable person as a shackle was the best choice.
“How dare you, a lowborn commoner, presume to……!”
“I agree.”
“Sir Lorang?!”
Seigrena had now called Lorang’s name for the third time.
This time, her voice seemed to tremble slightly. Meanwhile, Lorang’s face remained composed.
“But my father said so, didn’t he? That you must always stay by my side and protect me……! Are you now forsaking your duty as a knight?”
“According to Kaindel’s own assessment, the most dangerous location in this operation will be where I am.”
“We’re still at the beginning! And if you’re there, surely you can protect me in any situation…….”
“Miss.”
Seigrena flinched at the White Knight’s measured tone.
“Your father said more than just that, I believe.”
“What……?”
“In the Eternal Forest, he instructed you to follow my orders, as I recall.”
“B-but……. Still.”
“I’ll rejoin you shortly. Don’t worry.”
“…….”
Seigrena’s face had gone pale, yet even with her expression full of protest, she eventually nodded.
Lorang looked back at me.
“How long do you think it will take?”
“It’s hard to say for certain.”
“If you had to estimate conservatively.”
“…About ten minutes?”
In the game, the ‘Worm’s’ spawn locations had been fixed.
There were dozens of them, sure, but you could find one in two or three minutes.
‘It won’t be that easy now.’
Climbing trees myself and inspecting branches—it would take at least several times longer.
“Ten minutes. Understood.”
Lorang nodded without further comment.
“…Tsk.”
“Can’t be helped.”
The rest of his party looked far from pleased, but they deferred to their leader’s decision.
“What about our group?”
“Hmm.”
Lorang’s eyes shifted between Kazen and Cria.
“If you don’t mind, would it be acceptable for me to join?”
Lorang noticed the Crossbow strapped to Kazen’s wrist. “Can you use that?”
“I can.”
“Good. Let’s do it that way.”
Ranged dealers get preferential treatment everywhere.
Lorang’s party was clearly understaffed in the back line, so he’d probably had his eye on Kazen from the start.
‘Against a Woodman Avenger, he’ll barely pull his weight.’
Still, it was better than relying on Cria.
With the situation settling into place, I moved the conversation forward.
“The moment we dash toward that area, the Woodmen will swarm us. Their numbers will keep growing. So…”
“You said ten minutes,” Lorang cut in.
“We’ll hold the line. Do our best.”
Lorang could manage that without trouble. Unless something unexpected went wrong.
“Hah.”
I exhaled softly and looked at the black tree.
“Then let’s begin.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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