I Became an Ancient All-Host Lifeform - Chapter 37

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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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037 A World of Difference

Truth be told, Beladona’s proposal gave us no real reason to refuse.
Not only would she grant us passage through the Black Forest, but she’d keep our secret from the Magic Tower as well.

So what exactly was Beladona asking of us in return?
I decided to ask her directly.

“I think we ought to hear what you’re asking for first.”

She nodded in agreement.

“Of course. It’s a fairly personal matter, really. No reason to hide it, so I’ll tell you straight away.”

She crossed her arms and spoke.

“I want you to recover something my sister left behind.”
“Your sister?”
“Yes. Someone I grew up with as a child. I can’t see her anymore, but….”

Ah, so this was a request concerning a deceased family member.
I felt my tone shift to something more careful.

“I’m… very sorry to hear that.”
“Well, it was a long time ago. But I do want to recover the Necklace she left behind.”
“Who has it now?”
“A bastard named Malcado. An absolutely wretched one at that.”

According to her explanation, he was a corrupt merchant who controlled the local trade in this region.
Beladona conducted regular business with him, and a transaction was scheduled to take place in a few days, she said.
Yet she seemed unable to sever ties with the man who held her sister’s keepsake, for reasons that appeared quite complex on her end.
In that moment, a question occurred to me.

“Wait—why not recover it yourself? Why ask me instead?”

At my question, she gave a small shrug.

“I’d like to. But that bastard has connections to the Magic Tower. Making an enemy of them would be practically suicidal for someone like me. He knows it, which is why he exploits it for all it’s worth.”

I see. So even a monster as powerful as Beladona is, in the end, still a monster.
Surviving in a world ruled by humans really isn’t easy when you’re not human yourself.

“So I’m asking you—please recover my sister’s Necklace for me.”

After outlining the situation, she made her request once more.
I nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, I will.”
“Oh! Really? Thank you!”

In truth, the task seemed far simpler than expected—and that was fortunate for us.
Without her aid, there was no way we could navigate the Spider Garden, convoluted as a labyrinth though it was.
Even a simple maze would be difficult to escape, but since she could reshape its very structure at will, passage was impossible without her consent.

In any case, we now had several days of breathing room until the transaction with Malcado. We decided to stay in the Spider Garden during that time.
I’ll admit, at first I was uneasy—it was a den of spiders, after all—but once we settled in, it proved quite pleasant.
In fact, it was better than merely pleasant—it was genuinely wonderful!
Beladona’s claims about the welfare of her collection were apparently no exaggeration.
She had even prepared rooms for us in her manor and assigned us our own dedicated maid.
The Arachne maids brought lavish feasts every day, providing service that rivaled the finest hotels.

“Lunch is ready.”

An Arachne maid entered the room carrying a tray laden with various dishes.
Heh—how long had it been since I’d lived under a proper roof and eaten actual food? The memory had grown so distant I could barely recall it anymore.
Wait, why are my eyes watering?

Squeee!

Of course, Gyusik was the most delighted of all.
He’d spent so long scavenging highly toxic rations that would corrode his very skin, and now in a single day he was gorging himself on premium cheese and sweet fruits until his belly was fit to burst.

Munch-munch-munch. Purrrr!

Watching Gyusik stuff food into his cheeks until they bulged, rolling around on the floor in contentment, I found myself smiling.

Snore…

Bokgu, too, was enjoying the luxury.
The maids carefully groomed his lush bluish-gray fur as he lay sprawled out, belly full and fast asleep.
Each time their soft hands passed over his fur, Bokgu exhaled contentedly through his nostrils.

Ah, they’re all having a perfect vacation—warm backs and full bellies.
Of course, everyone but me.
Sure, I’d like to rest as they do, but I can’t afford to drop my guard and lounge about in peace.
Soon enough, when we venture into the Black Forest, a real, blood-soaked survival struggle will be waiting for us.

Besides, the fact that the Spider Queen Beladona is an avid collector of flora and fauna is an enormous opportunity—I can’t waste it sitting idle!
Just as she’d promised, the Spider Garden was a genetic buffet brimming with rare and useful monsters.
There were creatures common to this region—rats, deer, wild boar—and insect monsters like mantises and wasps besides.
It had everything.
Of course, I couldn’t just carelessly catch them or hurt them. Not with Beladona standing by with eyes wide open, genuinely concerned for her collection’s welfare.
So the method I devised was elegantly simple.
It was theft without taking.

[Using skill Parasitism lv 3 on target.]
[Acquired genetic information from Black-Horned Deer.]
[Released Parasitism from host.]

I’d cast Parasitism on the monsters, and the moment the genetic acquisition notification appeared, I’d slip out immediately.
In other words, I harvested their genetic information without letting a single hair on them come to harm.
Honestly, that’s harmless, right? It’s not like they lose anything from a little genetic sampling!

[Skill Parasitism has leveled up. lv 3 → lv 4]

Excellent! Using Parasitism extensively while wandering the Spider Garden had leveled up my skill at just the right moment.
Now I could infect even higher-level monsters.

Pop!

I emerged from the deer’s nostril and used Spider Web to propel myself skyward in search of my next target.
Thanks to the Spider Web skill I’d acquired from an Arachne maid yesterday, my mobility had improved considerably.
Now, as long as there were trees or pillars nearby to cast the web across, I could fly about the surrounding area.

[Using skill Parasitism lv 4 on target.]
[Acquired genetic information from Spined Raccoon.]
[Released Parasitism from host.]
…

While roaming through the Spider Garden filling out my Genetic Information catalogue, I stumbled upon something remarkable.

‘Oh! That’s…!’

A truly worthwhile creature.
An enormous lizard sprawled contentedly in the grip of slumber behind thick iron bars.
Its scales gleamed a dark crimson, hard as forged steel, and heat shimmered from its nostrils with each breath.
At a glance, it was no ordinary beast.
I pulled up its Status Window at once.

【Steel-Scaled Flame Lizard Lv 28】
【Traits】
Steel Scales, Fire Affinity Lv 5
【Skills】
Tail Whip Lv 4, Flame Breath Lv 3, Scale Hardening Lv 2, Lizard Tail

Damn, a level 28 with fire skills? My mouth was watering.
If I’m being honest, I wanted nothing more than to claim this beast as my new Host.
Riding something like that, the common monsters of the Black Forest wouldn’t dare approach me.
Should I just close my eyes and slip away with it?

But I soon came to my senses.
A high-level rare monster like this was almost certainly one of Beladona’s prized ‘favorite collections.’
If I walked out with it, there was a good chance the enraged Spider Queen and her Arachne legion would hunt me all the way to the edge of the Black Forest.

Well, it’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.
Since it’s Her Majesty’s precious collection, I’ll just quietly copy its genetic data and be on my way.

[Using Skill Parasitism Lv 4 on target.]
[Genetic Information from ‘Steel-Scaled Flame Lizard’ acquired.]

The moment the notification appeared, I released the parasitism without hesitation and slipped away.
Good. Should I call it a day here? I opened my Status Window and checked my Genome Archive collection list.

【Genome Archive】
– Steel-Scaled Flame Lizard
– Gore Roach
– Gluttony Shadow Cat
– Bloodhorn Black Ox
…

The list of species I’d gathered so far came cascading into view.
Damn, I’ve really collected quite a lot over time.
Hmm. This is excellent! Just looking at the list is satisfying.
Of course, collecting alone does nothing. I need to implant them into Hosts and actually use them.
Which is why I saved up some Genome Points from capturing that Holy Knight before.
So should I head back to my quarters and put those saved points to use?
When I returned to the lodging after finishing my genetic farming, the sight before me was pitiful.

Snore…
Whimper…

Gyusik lay buried in Bokgu’s arms as the latter sprawled flat on his back in blissful sleep.
Good grief, you two wouldn’t even wake if someone carried you off.
A few more days like this and they’ll probably fall for Beladona’s proposal and end up settling here permanently.
Though I wonder—what would they think if I implanted genetic information into them while they slept without knowing?
I doubt they’d be thrilled about it. Not that they’d have a choice even if they were awake.
Either way, I decided to hold off on using the Genome Points for now.
Understanding what kind of environment the Black Forest is—that comes first.
There’s no point in recklessly equipping better offensive skills without understanding the terrain.

Snrrrrgh….
Kyuuuu….

…Those creatures are sleeping quite soundly.
Right then. I’ll rest a bit myself. When I get the chance to indulge like this, I should make the most of it.
The Black Forest is waiting for us, after all….

* * *

The Subjugation Party dispatched from the Third Magic Tower finally arrived at Debri Village after days of forced marching.
The exhausted group’s first destination was a weathered tavern and inn at the village entrance.

Murmur, murmur….
Ding-!

The moment the Subjugation Party pushed open the door, all eyes in the bustling tavern turned toward them.
The tavern keeper greeted them warmly with a cordial smile.

“Welcome in!”
“Yes. Do you have any vacant rooms?”

The tavern keeper nodded at the mage’s question.

“Yes indeed, our finest room happens to be available. But what brings you to this remote village?”

The hunter Bern answered at once.

“We’ve come to subjugate a monster notorious in these parts. Have you happened to see any suspicious creatures nearby—a small rodent and a wolf with grey fur?”

At his question, the tavern keeper’s eyes widened.

“A rodent and a wolf? Oh, how strange—they sound just like the divine beasts who saved our village not long ago!”
“Divine beasts, you say? Oh! Is that so?”

Bern’s eyes gleamed with the thrill of discovery, and he pressed forward eagerly.

“They appeared in the village? Where have they gone now?”
“Hmm…. Just a moment.”

At that moment, one of the villagers nursing a drink approached the keeper and whispered something in his ear. The keeper’s bland smile stiffened noticeably.
He stroked his beard, his gaze traveling slowly up and down the Subjugation Party.
Then, in a cold tone, he spoke.

“I’m afraid I was mistaken—we have no vacant rooms after all. It’s closing time, so you’ll need to leave.”
“What? Why the sudden change?”

The bewildered Bern protested, and the mage rose indignantly.

“Now hold on! You just said a moment ago you had rooms available!”
“We have no rooms for you. We’re closed. Out you go—now!”

The keeper waved them away as though expelling plague victims, roughly shoving them out the door.

Slam!

Standing before the tavern door as it slammed shut, the Subjugation Party stood dumbfounded.
Elite members of the Magic Tower, turned away from a simple country inn—it was unthinkable.

“What the—this is ridiculous! Is there nowhere else to stay in this town? Let’s try elsewhere!”

The mage huffed indignantly and shouted at the innkeeper.
At once, they set out to find another inn.
But the other establishments proved just as unwelcoming.

“No rooms! Out with you, go on!”
“We’ve nothing for the likes of you—be off!”

At every door they knocked, the answer was the same cold refusal.
In the end, the Subjugation Party found themselves turned away from every house in the village and forced into a miserable night under the open sky.
The mage, kindling a campfire in the forest with magic, could only mutter in frustration.

“Sleeping rough when there’s a village right there… What kind of mess is this?”

His complaint drew Bern’s sharp gaze, and the knight spoke up.

“Now that I think of it, didn’t the innkeeper call those creatures spirits? They’ve clearly bewitched the whole village. Vile things, the lot of them.”

The knight nodded in agreement.

“Ah, of course! Monsters that drove a holy knight to his death deserve no less respect!”
“That’s right—we can’t afford to be careless. These creatures bewitch men and lead them to death, so we must be doubly wary!”

At Bern’s warning, the Subjugation Party mentally raised their threat assessment of the ghost-rats and phantom wolves by another tier.
And so the party settled into their sleeping bags, gazing down at the lights of Debri Village, and sought what rest they could.
The night air felt unusually cold.

* * *

At last, the day of my transaction with Malcado arrived.
We took position near the entrance of the Spider Garden, waiting for his caravan to arrive.
Just then, the jewel embedded in Gyusik’s forehead began to emit a grumbling sound.

– Hmph, in all my years, I never thought I’d resort to thievery at a spider’s behest. Truly, the old saying proves right—live long enough and you’ll see everything.

‘There he goes again with “live long enough.” Though strictly speaking, Morgul isn’t exactly alive anymore, is he? A talking skeleton without even a body—that’s rich.’ I kept the observation to myself. The old man would only sulk if I let that slip.
Better to hold my tongue and avoid his pettiness.
How long we waited for them to arrive, I couldn’t say.
Then, from deeper in the forest, I felt multiple presences drawing near.

– There. Are those the ones?

Soon the caravan appeared, pushing through the undergrowth in the distance.
Massive ox-like Magic Beasts trudged forward, laden with enormous cargo on their backs, while mercenaries on horseback led the procession.

‘Interesting. Larger than I expected.’

I’d imagined something more modest—the size of a delivery wagon, perhaps—but this was a proper caravan.
Nearly thirty Magic Beasts trudged past in single file, each heavy with goods, and a dozen or more guards flanked them on horseback.
It made sense, though. The Spider Garden wasn’t merely Beladona’s estate.
With all the monsters and collections living in this vast garden, the creature feeding needs alone ensured that trade scaled accordingly.

And at the very front of the caravan was today’s target: Malcado.
He was dressed so garishly that I spotted him at once—practically advertising himself as the caravan master.
At that moment, a large crimson gem Necklace glinted on his chest, catching the sunlight.
That was the heirloom left behind by Beladona’s elder sister.
Steal that Necklace, and the task would be complete.
Beladona’s instructions had been simple enough.
Recover the Necklace by any means necessary, but keep hidden any connection to her.
I immediately issued my orders to Gyusik and Bokgu.

‘All right, everyone take your positions!’
Snap!

At my command, Bokgu slipped into the forest to wait in ambush.
‘Come on, Gyusik. Let’s head back to the mansion.’
Click!

Gyusik and I made our way back to Beladona’s mansion.
The real operation to recover the Necklace had begun.

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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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