This was the first time I had experienced teleportation through a portal in this world…
And not just any portal, but one crafted with ancient spatial matrices—artifacts so old, their remnants exist only in these rare gates.
The feeling of spatial transfer was strangely familiar, though it had been ages since I last experienced it…
But I had overlooked one simple thing—the two girls had never gone through spatial travel before. They could easily faint mid-teleportation.
A quick glance told me they were barely holding back their urge to vomit…
Honestly, I hadn't expected them to remain conscious during such a spatial leap. After all, space is among the most complex forces in existence—feeling it is like sensing the presence standing behind the fabric of the world.
There are some prodigies who've mastered the Path of Space to the point they can weaponize spatial rifts and leap vast distances in a single step.
Only they are unaffected by spatial travel, mainly because they're not only experts in the path but also constantly exposed to its violent energy as if it were nothing.
It seems I underestimated these two. Sure, they've become stronger, but they're still young, so I logically assumed their willpower wouldn't be that solid.
In any case, it looks like we're almost there. I just hope we arrive before my back gets decorated with all sorts of substances from their stomachs…
...
As the blinding teleportation light faded, I opened my eyes to a colossal tree towering before us—as if the world itself stood in its place.
The warm breeze had a subtle tremble to it, and the surrounding mana was of a purity unmatched.
Golden plains stretched before us to the horizon, seemingly endless. Silver-haired farmers bent over the golden fields, harvesting with joy and laughter lighting their faces.
They sang an unfamiliar group song as they worked—a tune that, if listened to for a while, filled one with vitality.
"Hello?? I don't recall seeing you in our tribe before. Are you new travelers sent by our old friends?"
I had lost myself in the atmosphere until a young-looking girl—though her words carried maturity and nobility—called out.
Her silver hair was like the others', with long pointed ears and strange combat garments.
"Yes, if you mean the dragons, then I came here through them."
"Oh wow, it's been hundreds of years since a guest from afar—especially one of their guests—arrived. Excuse me a moment, I'll go call the tribe elder."
As soon as she finished, she vanished as if she had never been there.
From her strange and swift movements, she must at least be at the Sovereign level…
A Sovereign standing guard in the fields—what kind of elder do they have then?
At first, I thought the High Dryads were a reclusive race that disliked outsiders. But as we walked through the fields, no one paid us any mind. They simply continued harvesting and singing joyfully.
The atmosphere among them oddly made me feel like I belonged…
Was it because of the High Dryad aura emanating from me? Or was it just their bizarre nature?
As we wandered the fields, a little girl spotted us. She rushed toward me and handed me a strange rice cake.
"Being hungry is sad, big brother. Eat!"
Then she dashed back to the field.
I don't know what this feeling is… like she's family. Like protecting her is my life's purpose. Like this rice cake is the greatest gift I've ever received.
Damn it… is this the effect of the High Dryad body??
"We welcome our guest from afar, wishing you happiness and comfort in our care. I wonder, does our guest have ties to anyone in our tribe?"
A… Half-Virtue?
This elder the girl called—she's a Half-Virtue?
But… where's the age? I look older than her!
What a strange race. Her words carry enormous weight, yet her aura is calm like water. But the age of her bones far exceeds her appearance…
To an outsider, she'd seem in her twenties. But she must've lived for centuries—perhaps millennia.
"This young one came hoping to meet your ruler. After consulting with the Dragon King about some concerns, he mentioned that the current High Dryad of this generation might be related to me. So, I came to confirm my doubts."
The elder smiled strangely, and I sensed a subtle movement of sacred mana around her…
Seems she activated some sort of skill.
"Sir Telodeos, yes? I see… though your hands are soaked in the blood of millions, that doesn't change the fact that you bear the body of our kin."
This is what I was afraid of.
She must possess an analysis skill on par with mine—able to see just how many souls my hands have taken…
What now?
"No worries. If the honorable Dragon King sent you without hesitation, that means he trusts you. Come, I shall guide you to the ruler."
"Why do you trust that old man so much?"
"Well… our two tribes have shared a bound destiny since the age of our ancestors. That's why you'll notice some similarities among us."
"Similarities?"
"You'll understand soon. But I'm puzzled—why do you call him an old man?"
"He's my master, so I can call him whatever I want."
"What?? I see… hahaha! So the Dragon King finally took on a disciple and approved of someone! He rejected every prodigy who ever appeared, never accepted a single one—not even our ruler, despite having taught her a few things, he never made her his disciple."
"It's just that pervert was too busy building his harem and used 'not good enough' as an excuse."
The more time I spend with this race, the more I see they're just as normal as anyone else.
My wariness stems from what happened with them in my first life…
Gulp
"Are you okay?"
"Ah, I'm fine. Just a bit nervous to meet her."
Though we walked slowly through the golden fields, time felt like it was flying by.
"In truth, she's been waiting for you for years since your bond was cut…"
"What? You mean I know her?"
"Could it be… you forgot? You came to meet the tribe's ruler—your mother, didn't you?"
"My… mother?"
Forgotten memories began to flow back slowly, passing before my eyes as if they had simply slipped my mind…
Happy memories. Unpleasant ones. Terrifying ones.
Things I once wished to forget forever… returned to me.
Damn it—why did I come here?!
If that crazy mother sees me, I won't escape her ever again!!
"Yes… my mother. But how did you know?"
"Of course I'd know. I'm the one who raised her—taught her everything from her childhood until now. I made her a proud High Dryad worthy of the title~"
"Then you're—!"
"Yes, I'm her teacher. And I too am a High Dryad—the former ruler of the tribe."
To think there would be two living High Dryads at the same time…
That's not what my mother told me.
"I know what you're thinking. But the rule of there being only one High Dryad applies only to males. That's why the partner of a High Dryad never lives long…"
Though she said it calmly, the sorrow on her face explained many things.
A… partner, huh…
"We've arrived. There is our ruler—the High Dryad we call the Autumn Ruler… your mother, Telodeos."
Those are… horns????