## Chapter 1015 – Aristocrat Kim Kat

Looking back, I even fought Dryads when I got lost in the jungle back then. They were all acting under Alaune’s orders.

There were so many of them that it was a real pain in the ass, so seeing those bastards acting so docile now is unbelievably amazing.

Is this really our Ari?

This is proof that Ari’s abilities are becoming more and more developed. It’s truly an extreme power to freely control all kinds of plants. Of course, Ari isn’t a warrior type, so her direct combat power is low, but it’s clear that she has tremendous utility.

Alaune is a monster in a position like a monarch.

Ari’s characteristics will become more amplified as she develops her abilities. She’s growing fast even now, so it’ll probably happen before long.

I still get chills when I think back to when I defeated Alaune. Back then, Alaune had just been resurrected and was weakened from creating the jungle, so I was able to win.

Still.

ㅡRealmic Severance.

It was amazing.

That was when I manifested the true potential of the Heavenly Demon.

“…”

I’m filled with mixed emotions.

“Father, how is it? Do you think this will be useful?”
“Yes. It will be very useful. Good job, Ari.”
“Hehe, I’m happy.”

Ari smiled with a truly innocent smile, covering her mouth with her hand. There’s nothing to think about now. Ari is mine, isn’t she? I suck on her milk every day, so that’s enough.

Ah, but Alaune suddenly reminds me of Copson.

I wonder if that bastard is doing well?

I guess he’s still stuck in D-rank, but the biggest problem is that the kid is addicted to gambling. More than anything, the situation in the outskirts is bad these days, but if he could just quit gambling, he could make some serious money.

Well… he’ll take care of himself.
He’s that kind of guy.

“They’re not moving at all!”
“Their skin seems similar to humans.”
“Right? And look, these big breasts…!”
“Hehehe, they’re exactly Kat’s size.”
“Eek! What should we do!”

Claudie and Hilde were touching the Dryads, marveling at them. They were fondling them and poking them with their fingers, having fun. Ari had given them orders, so they were just standing still without showing any emotion.

To think that she can command them to this extent.

“Father? Should I tell them to carry bags or something? They’ll keep following me if I tell them to.”
“Use them as porters?”
“Yes. They’re like my slaves. They’ll do anything if I tell them to.”
“Wow.”

Slaves.

But it’s okay to enslave monsters.

Ari explained to me about the usefulness of the Dryads. These moving plant-human monsters have the ability to manage the plants in the forest. They don’t get lost, so they can be guides, grow rare medicinal herbs, and do various things that are beneficial to the forest.

The most representative of these is murder.

Basically, Dryads who hate humans are very hostile to them and keep a close eye on humans who enter the forest.

But Ari can do all of this anyway.

“They consider it their greatest joy to be loyal to me. Look.”

Ari, who was speaking in a gentle tone, reached out her hand.

“You.”
“…!”

When she pointed at one of them, the Dryad who was pointed at stood up. Seeing this, Ari nodded slightly, and suddenly the Dryad put her hands together, made a blissful expression, and then slumped down in her seat.

“They’ll be happy no matter what they do.”

Ari approached me as if asking for praise.

What can I do?

She wants to show off her abilities like this.

“Hehehe, then shall I leave it to you?”

I immediately stroked Ari’s head and said I would leave it to her, and another Dryad stood up and took my bag.

“Ari, what about their wildness or intelligence?”
“Hmm… that. It varies from individual to individual. I could make them stronger if I wanted to. But I don’t think I can do that right now… no. I can’t do it yet.”
“Do you need to increase your power more?”
“Yes. Right now, I’m just controlling them with my will.”

That doesn’t sound like “just” anything.

Anyway, having Dryads that she can control as she pleases seems very useful. Of course, they weaken or die if they go outside the forest, but when they’re in a place like this, they’re truly all-purpose workers.

Objectively speaking, Dryads are stronger than ordinary adult men. Their combat power itself is higher than that of ordinary orcs, which is a pretty good level to have as servants.

“Ari. Can I give them orders too?”
“Is there something you want to tell them to do?”
“I’m just curious if it’s possible.”
“…”

As soon as I finished speaking, Ari reached out her hand and created a sphere of light with a greenish-yellow color emanating from her grasp.

ㅡZhiiiing.

“…Now they will listen to Father’s orders too.”
“Oh! Really!!!”

ㅡPaaat!

I immediately did a somersault in the air and jumped in front of the Dryads. I have a lot of resentment towards these bastards. I can’t miss this opportunity…!

“You bastards!!!!”
“Kat? What are you planning to do?”
“Watch!”

I ordered the lined-up Dryads.

“Stand up!”

ㅡChaak!

As expected, Ari must have done something, because they stood up from their seats in unison. Now they will listen to my orders!

“Attention!”

I immediately showed them the movement and shouted. The Dryads all took the attention stance at the same time. I taught them the movements and shouted.

“At ease! Attention! At ease!”

ㅡChaak!
ㅡChaak!
ㅡChaak!

The Dryads with expressionless faces repeated the attention and at-ease stances. It was a very pleasing sight. Should I make them do PT exercises? But now that it’s been proven that they listen to orders, there’s no need to make them do that.

“Ari. Make me a palanquin.”
“A palanquin?”
“Yeah. Make it for four people.”
“Ah… don’t tell me you’re thinking of riding in it?”
“That’s right!!”

I’ll make a palanquin and ride in it.
This is the correct way to use Dryads.

“Ah! Kat-nim!!! That’s a great idea!!”
“Right! Ari! Can you do it!”
“Of course.”

ㅡSsssk.

When Ari reached out her hand, the trees around her stretched out their branches and wrapped vines around each other, forming the shape of a palanquin. It was as if it was signaling the end of cottage industry. Wooden furniture made just by giving orders?

Soon, a four-person palanquin was made, and we got in.

“Kat, really. How did you come up with this idea?”
“This is what you call an idea. Dryad platoon! Lift up the palanquin!!!”

When I gave the order, the Dryads all gathered and grabbed our palanquin and lifted it up. It was a very stable feeling.

“Oh!!!!!”

Is this what it feels like to be a king…!

“To think that this is possible! It’s really amazing!”
“I didn’t even imagine it. Something like this…”

Hilde made a fuss, and Ari was also amazed.

“Hurry up and go, you Dryad bastards!!!”

I ordered them to move forward, venting my hatred for the Dryads. With that, the Dryads began to move quickly. As monsters living in the mountains, they had great strength and agility, and they carried us forward.

“Kekekekekeke!!!”

I, who was getting great pleasure, immediately burst into laughter, leaned back on the backrest, and relaxed my whole body.

ㅡSararak.

The surrounding scenery changed rapidly as we steadily moved towards our destination. It was a mountain path, but there were no miscellaneous branches or vines that hindered us.

Who is here?
It’s the Queen of the Forest, Alaune.

“Kat, are you really having that much fun?”
“If Father is having fun, I have nothing more to wish for.”

It feels like I’m on a ride…!

“I’m having so much fun right now!!!”

This is me, the Heavenly Demon Kim Kat.

* * *

It was literally a trip.

If it weren’t for the fact that the purpose of this trip was murder and massacre, it would be a perfect picnic.

“This is as comfortable as my own home.”
“Hehe, you’re right.”

We rode in the palanquin pulled by the Dryads, ate fruits and nuts, washed in the valley, made a nice place to sleep, and had a very comfortable time.

We were moving in that way.

“Father. There’s a mandrake nearby.”
“Mandrake?”

I know roughly what it is, but I’ve never seen it before. It was definitely a root plant that screams, and it seemed to be used as a high-quality magic ingredient.

We were interested and approached it.

When we approached, we could find a plant with purple flowers and small red berries.

“Is this a mandrake?”
“Yes. It will scream if you pull it out. But I can make it not scream.”
“Scream?”

Claudie showed interest in those words.

“Yeah. It’s a plant that screams.”
“Like Kat?”
“Why are you bringing me up?”
“You know.”
“Tsk.”

Damn it.

“Anyway, Ari. I’ve heard that it’s harmful to the body to hear the scream.”
“If it’s Father, Claudie-nim, and Hilde-nim, it’s okay.”
“I guess so.”

A mere plant can’t harm us.

“Shall we pull it out once?”
“The scream…”
“Let it scream. I want to test it. Claudie. Hilde. Step back a little and cover your ears.”

When I said that, they answered.

“What kind of scream will it be!”
“Whatever it is, it’ll be smaller than Kat’s.”
“Ah! That’s right! Then it’s okay! I’ll watch from here!”
“I want to see too.”

If that’s the case.

I immediately grabbed the stem of the mandrake.

“Then I’m pulling it out!”

As I gave it strength.

ㅡSsuuk!!!

The roots covered in dirt were pulled out.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!!!!”

The scream burst out as it was. When I grabbed it and looked at it properly, the roots really looked like chubby humans. Wow, what kind of life do you have to live to end up looking like this?

The guy screamed like crazy as if he was so sad.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak!!!!!!”

But right now.

This bastard.

Dares.

To act old in front of a master?

ㅡHaaap.

I took a deep breath.

“Kkieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!”

I screamed loudly at his face and countered.

“Wooreook!!”

Perhaps shocked, the mandrake let out a dying breath and drooped down.

This is a mandrake?

It’s below expectations.

I’m disappointed.

“Hehehe, you look like a pushover. Hey. That’s not how you scream… if you’re going to scream, you have to scream like me.”

It’s not something to be proud of, but when it comes to screams and wails, no one can follow me. Anyway, is this all there is to a mandrake? It was just noisy and nothing else.

“After all, is there no one in this world who can beat Kat in screaming?”
“It’s Kat-nim’s victory!”

Anyway, when the mandrake drooped, they came over and said.

“Again, it’s because I’m too good!”

Then shall we eat it?

ㅡChwareuk.

I immediately washed the mandrake with water and bit off its lower body.

ㅡAsak, asak.

“Hmm…”

It doesn’t really taste good. It’s just bitter, but as I chewed and swallowed it, I started to feel like my mana was slightly filling up.

“Oh. It has some effect. Let’s eat this together.”

I divided the rest into three equal parts and gave it to them. They were also impressed, feeling something similar to me.

“Ah… mana. It’s circulating in my body.”
“It’s a mysterious plant. It looks like a person… is there a reason? Maybe there’s a secret hidden in it.”
“Well? I don’t know. Risha would know a lot about this.”
“Risha-nim might not even know…”
“Maybe?”

Anyway, this seems pretty useful.

If I take a few and bring them, Risha and Winia will like it.

“Ari. Can you make something like this too?”
“Yes. I could make it. But this consumes the power of the forest. So I can’t make it infinitely.”
“Ah, you’re using the energy of this forest? Not Ari’s power?”
“I have to use my power too. The forest will also be devastated. Shall I make it?”

If so.

“No. Is there any need to do that? Let’s just use what we have.”

It looks like it’ll take some effort, so there’s no need to waste it. I’ll just have the Dryads find a few roots before we go back.

“I don’t care about the forest. I can make as many as you want.”
“Hmm? What?”

What?

“Weren’t you worried about the forest and gave up?”
“What are you talking about? I didn’t do it because you said Ari would have to use her power.”
“Ah.”

Ari nodded as if she had realized something.

No… our Ari thinks the forest is too trivial. I’ll have to educate her separately later.

We were moving while talking about that.

“Father, I think we’ve arrived.”
“Finally.”

We reached a place where people live.