I Became an Ancient All-Host Lifeform - Chapter 35

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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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035 The Spider’s Garden

“Welcome! Come right in!”

A large welcome sign hung directly in my line of sight.
Why would anyone post such a banner in a forest teeming with monsters on all sides?
It was thoroughly suspicious.

‘You have any idea what that sign is about?’
— Hmm. Hard to say. Spider monsters sometimes possess intelligence. If one of them were strong enough, it wouldn’t be impossible for it to fashion a structure of this size as a nest.

That much I can see for myself. Really not helpful at all.
I approached the entrance cautiously in Bokgu’s form.
Fortunately, there were no sentries guarding the way in.

‘Hmm… Doesn’t look that dangerous on the surface. Which is exactly what troubles me.’

I stood before the gate bearing the “Welcome!” sign and pondered for a long moment, but in the end, there was only one option.
Go in and have a look.
Circumventing this web-wall would take far too long. I’d been running hard, but there was still no end in sight.
Besides, attempting to breach the web-wall outright carried too much risk.
Without knowing the internal layout or the scale of these spiders, charging ahead blindly would be foolish.
If there was a massive army of spiders inside, it would be a disaster.
So I had no choice but to slip inside and scout carefully. If it felt too dangerous, I’d retreat immediately.

‘Let’s go, Bokgu. Gyusik.’
Squeak!
Woof!

We stepped carefully inside.
But what greeted us was utterly different from the spider’s lair I’d imagined.

‘Huh? It’s much cleaner inside than I expected.’

What lay before us was no dingy cave, but a meticulously maintained “spider garden.”
Trees and shrubs were neatly trimmed, and the ground was swept clean.
It was clear that someone was tending to this place with great care.

At the center of the garden was a spacious clearing, with eight passages opening in all directions.
Like a labyrinth extending outward in spider-leg patterns.

‘Well, which way should we explore? Let’s just pick one…’

We chose one of the eight passages and entered.
Bokgu and I took the lead, sniffing ahead, while Gyusik trotted along beside us.

— Whoever built a garden in a place like this, there’s no doubt they’re quite powerful and intelligent. To construct something of this scale so precisely with webbing…
‘Yes. That’s why I’m pushing my senses to their limit.’

I was running Bokgu’s Keen Nose and my own Vibration Sensing at full capacity, detecting any signs of danger in the surroundings.
So we should be able to catch most threats before they reach us.

Woof!

That’s when Bokgu caught a scent.
Hmm… it’s almost human, but there’s something else mixed in. A monster’s presence, maybe?
I felt its location through my own senses too.
It was approaching us at considerable speed.

‘Something’s coming. Get ready!’
Woof!
Squeak!

We hugged the corner tight, waiting for it to approach.
Holding our breath, ready to ambush.

Boom—boom—boom!

The ground trembled suddenly, and a massive wall shot up from the earth in an instant.

Squeak?! Crackle!
‘Damn it! Gyusik!’

In a moment too quick to react.
Gyusik was separated off by the wall that had shot up so suddenly.

‘Gyusik!’
Arf arf!

Just as I was scratching at the wall with my front paws, a woman’s voice came from behind.

“My, what a lost little puppy. Come now, good doggy. Follow me quietly, won’t you?”

Standing there was a woman dressed as a maid.
Well, to be precise, she wasn’t quite ordinary.
Her upper body was dressed neatly in maid’s clothes, but below her skirt sprouted six grotesque spider legs.
Come to think of it, I’d seen plenty of monsters that looked like this in RPG games.
A monster they called an Arachnid, wasn’t it?
A monster with the upper body of a human woman and the lower half of a spider.

Grrrr! Growl!

Bokgu bared his sharp fangs and barked aggressively.

“Eek! Why are you being so scary?”

As Bokgu made to lunge at her, she gasped in alarm.
From her reaction, she doesn’t seem to harbor any ill will toward us.
Besides, judging by her outfit, she doesn’t appear to be the master of this labyrinth either.
So let’s gather information through conversation first.
But Bokgu can’t speak due to his body structure, so I’ll have to go myself.
I’ve been training Bokgu in advance to spit for situations like this.
It’s crude, but there’s no other way right now.

‘Bokgu, I’m counting on you!’
[Parasitism on the host has been deactivated.]
Hack hack! Ptui!

Bokgu spat me out toward the maid.

“Aaah?! What’s happening all of a sudden?”

As the maid flinched, I slipped into her ear canal.

[Activating skill Parasitism Lv. 3 on target.]
[Parasitism successful!]

With a tingling sensation, I connected to the maid’s nervous system.
In that moment, the status window flickered erratically.

[An unexpected reverse horizontal gene transfer has occurred.]
[You have acquired the skill Spider Web lv1.]

Interesting. A new skill is always welcome.
Spider Web? Does this mean I can swing through the air like some sort of acrobat now?
Then I won’t need to resort to this filthy method of parasitism anymore.
I should test how to use it somewhere safe, later.
Next, the host’s information appeared before me.

【Emily (Arachnid Maid) lv 11】

【Traits】
“Handmaiden,” “Housekeeping Mastery”

【Skills】
“Spider Web lv5,” “Restraint lv2”

【Status】
“Spider Web Nerve Network”

Hmm. A Monster, yet she already has a name.
That means there’s someone else she serves as master, just as I suspected.
And what’s this Spider Web Nerve Network?
While I was examining the status window, she let out a cry.

“Eek! What—what is this? What’s happening?!”

She seemed to be in shock from the sudden situation.
I’m starting to find it rather amusing, the way everyone panics whenever I parasitize them.
It makes sense, though—a sudden electric sensation followed by the awareness of another presence in your mind would startle anyone.
Then a cool, elegant voice echoed through my thoughts.

– Hm? Emily! What’s wrong? I’m sensing something unfamiliar in the Spider Web Nerve Network.

Whoa! That startled me!
Wait, what? Where’s this strange voice coming from all of a sudden?
Could this be the function of the Spider Web Nerve Network? It’s similar to the Collective Consciousness of the Morhugul.

‘Your Majesty, help me! Something has entered inside me!’

I’d better try to communicate. No sense in causing a misunderstanding.

‘Let’s all remain calm. I entered your body because I wanted to have a conversation.’

The spider queen’s laughter reached my mind.

– How amusing. A creature that has seized the body of my daughter. Who are you?

Before I introduced myself, there was something I needed to secure first.
I had to guarantee the safety of Gyusik and Bokgu.

‘First, I need you to guarantee the safety of the rat and wolf who came with me.’
– Ah, so they’re your companions? Of course, don’t worry. I’m rather generous with unexpected visitors. In fact, I was planning to send them back through the entrance. But now that I see you, it appears you’re a true guest.

She added in a curious tone.

– Well, never mind. Emily, bring them here. I’d like to meet them and hear what this is about.
‘Really, Your Majesty?’
– Yes. There’s something quite intriguing about this.

The maid nodded in acknowledgment.

‘Yes, I understand. I shall treat you as honored guests.’

Soon enough, the maid had regained her composure and began leading us somewhere.

* * *

Leaving the commotion of Denbri behind, Elina and the Diocese investigation team made their way directly to the Diocese Headquarters in Astel.
They needed to meet with the Bishop to have him judge the matter.
The investigation team reported to the Bishop everything they had experienced in Denbri, laying it all out honestly and without embellishment.
The Exorcist Priest concluded the report with a rueful expression.

“As a result of this incident, one Holy Knight was killed. Beyond that, there were no other casualties. And at present, Priestess Elina is asserting that a divine descent has occurred. That concludes my report.”
“Hmm….”

The Bishop stroked his beard while studying Elina intently.
There was something almost sacred in her bearing—her beautiful face radiating holiness.
After gazing at her in a daze, the Bishop finally opened his mouth.

“A saint, surely.”
“Pardon?”

At the Bishop’s sudden pronouncement, Elina’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A—all at once, Your Grace?”
“Yes. Quite so.”

Despite her bewilderment, the Bishop pressed on with unshakeable confidence.

“A priestess as beautiful as she is could never tell a lie, wouldn’t you agree? And the publicity value will be tremendous. It was already a blessing when we received the divine revelation some time ago, but now to have such a beautiful saint descend upon us! Clearly, the Goddess of Light continues to favor us!”

The Holy Knight standing nearby interjected.

“But Your Grace, this is an incident in which monsters killed one of the Church’s Holy Knights! Without any proper field investigation, to make such a decision so hastily….”
“Ah.”

The Exorcist Priest added his voice as well.

“Your Grace. If you proclaim it a miracle without offering any explanation, questions about his death will surely arise.”
“Hmm….”

The Bishop pondered for a moment, then broke into a thin smile.

“Well then. We simply declare that he was possessed by a demon, wouldn’t that suffice?”
“Your Grace?”

Everyone in the room gasped at the Bishop’s interpretation.

“The deceased Holy Knight dragged a child away roughly, you said? He was attempting to strike an innocent child, and divine spirits appeared to stop him. The Goddess sent her saint and the divine creatures to save a child of deep faith. There—resolved. Any other objections?”
“Ugh….”

The Holy Knight and the Exorcist Priest could not hide their displeasure at his logic.
Elina’s face flushed crimson—the situation was profoundly awkward and shameful for her.
A saint, suddenly thrust upon her. The title felt far too much.
Seeing her expression, the Bishop smiled with satisfaction.

“Ha ha. The Goddess of Light chooses her saints well indeed! A discerning eye, as I suspected!”

As the Bishop continued to heap praise upon her, Elina grew flustered, waving her hands in protest.

“Your Grace, a saint? That’s far too great an honor for me. Please, I beg you to reconsider.”

Though she demurred repeatedly, the Bishop only smiled wider.

“Now, now, what are you saying? Priest Elina, please do this for us. Frankly, these days the young people have grown careless about faith. But if you were to step forward, I’m certain we could turn their hearts back toward the Church!”
“Me? No, that’s not… how could I possibly—”

The Bishop approached her, grasping both her shoulders, his expression earnest.

“Don’t say such things! You underestimate yourself far too much, Priest Elina. Or perhaps you intend to stand idle and watch the Church crumble before your eyes?”
“No, that’s not it at all…”

Then the Bishop began to plead with her.

“Then please, I’m begging you—be our saint! Never mind if you’re not actually one—just accept the title! For the Church! For the Goddess!”
“Ah…”

In the end, unable to withstand the Bishop’s relentless pressure and her own sense of duty to the Church, Elina found herself accepting the position of saint.
And so she became bound for the official sainthood of the Central Church.

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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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