The Druid Who Devoured the Great Nature

A siren wailed loudly. The Parchene Research Institute was a research institute equipped with top-notch facilities and personnel in District 10. Although they did not plan projects on their own, they had accumulated wealth by specializing in contract research for corporations.

“What’s going on?”

“The Parchene Research Institute was attacked by the Brotherhood.”

“Ah, really? I knew something like this would happen someday.”

That’s why the collapse of the Parchene Research Institute was often talked about by the people of 4th Street, and it also bought a lot of criticism. The fact that the Parchene Research Institute had a shady side was a fact known to those who knew.

Did the corporations of Gellerg City care about laws, order, and regulations? In order to cater to their tastes, they had no choice but to get their hands dirty.

In that sense, it was the law to know what you shouldn’t know, see what you shouldn’t see, and touch what you shouldn’t touch. In that sense, the collapse of the Parchene Research Institute was not surprising.

It was just a question of why the Brotherhood, and not a corporation, had drawn the sword. Various speculations circulated, but it was impossible to confirm the truth.

“Please step back.”

“This is a restricted area!”

Unusually, the Public Security Bureau stepped in. Police lines were drawn around the research institute, patrol cars blocked the streets, and public officials pushed back the onlookers.

It was only after the situation had ended and the Brotherhood members had poured out that they were dispatched, but the fact that they were dispatched at all was surprising to people. The truth of the Parchene Research Institute attack was thus thoroughly kept secret without being disclosed to the public.

“Don’t worry about the inside of the building, just go out and patrol.”

“You absolutely cannot go inside. I’m really asking you.”

“……”

It was a minor problem that it was treated as a secret not only to the public but also to the internal personnel of the Public Security Bureau who had been dispatched. The less people who knew about the public enemy of the continent, the vampires, the better.

The number of people who were allowed to enter the building was small, even among the dispatched Public Security Bureau officials.

“Don’t make excuses like you accidentally went in or you got lost and ended up inside. Not only us, but also the security officer will be marked by the higher-ups.”

“……Stop talking. I get it.”

However, Hazel Walnut was dissatisfied with why she was among the few who were denied entry to the building.

A security officer, the core force of the Public Security Bureau. That was her position.

It was a position where she had to know what she shouldn’t know, even if it was on purpose. But after calling her because there was work to do, they made her wait for a thousand years, and when she was finally dispatched, they told her to do menial work.

The attitude of repeatedly sending people to tell her to stay put was as if they were handling a time bomb. It was an order, so she had to listen, but Hazel’s pouting lips stuck out like a child’s.

“I know what’s inside.”

The popularity and information network within the Public Security Bureau that came from being the number one in the security officer’s military power ranking! It wasn’t like that.

She just happened to hear it while wandering around. It was said to be a civil war of the Brotherhood. A battle between the vampire Blood Alliance and the werebeast Shadowfang.

The Public Security Bureau was worried that she would find out the truth. They were worried that if she found out that vampires were involved, she would try to fight them for no reason.

“I won’t cause any trouble.”

Because she was so unnecessarily diligent, they had judged that there was a possibility that she would act rashly regardless of the higher-ups’ deal. For the Public Security Bureau, it was a rational judgment based on her past behavior.

Hazel herself was just frustrated. She was not a maverick who would just charge in without considering the circumstances.

The Brotherhood was a big shot that even the city government was reluctant to antagonize. She knew that it was better to cover it up, even if vampires were involved.

“I’ll just beat up any guys that are left.”

Hazel had no intention of revealing the identity of the vampires to the whole world. She would just beat them up if she saw them.

Hazel, who had been treated like a problem child, just wandered around the research institute with a sullen face.

“So you were here.”

It was when she had entered a deserted alley. Hazel’s intuition tingled at the voice that called her.

It must be the remnants of the research institute. No, was it the remnants of the Blood Alliance?

Whatever it was, it was good timing. She, who had been bored, immediately got into a fighting stance and turned around.

“……?”

Unfortunately, her intuition was wrong. It was a familiar face.

The facial features that shone even under the dark shadows. It was the contractor, Allen, who was also her acquaintance.

“This is a restricted area for civilians. Leave quickly.”

“Didn’t you hear from the Public Security Bureau? I’m a person involved in this case.”

“Really? I didn’t hear. They just told me to patrol the area and not to get involved in this case.”

“……I was wondering why a security officer was loitering outside.”

Allen expressed his regret, but he did not comment on it. Recalling Hazel’s past behavior, it was her own fault.

“It’s a good thing.”

It was an unfortunate thing for Hazel, but it was a stroke of luck for Allen. Thanks to that, he could hand over the item directly to the security officer.

“Take it.”

“What is it?”

“The minion of the partner company that instigated Shadowfang to rebel against the city government.”

“……!”

Hazel, who had been holding the garbage bag by the edge, was startled and grabbed it again.

“Are you giving me the credit again?”

Hazel’s pupils shone brightly. Allen avoided her gaze and answered.

“Well, something like that.”

“What’s the price?”

“Just investigate and share the results.”

“Okay.”

“There might be some interference, but you should block it well… no, it’s meaningless to say this.”

It wasn’t because she was a security officer, but Hazel had secured her own position within the Public Security Bureau through her actions. Would she even bat an eye if pressure came from the higher-ups or from the outside?

That’s why he was asking her to investigate, not the Brotherhood.

Allen didn’t say much and waited for her to contact him.

***

Centream. It was, in name and reality, the best corporation in Gellerg City. There were many corporations in the other city-states of the continent, but few could compare to Centream.

To exaggerate a little, it was no exaggeration to call it the best corporation on the continent. It was the general opinion of the public that Centream’s solo run would not stop, as they succeeded in every business they touched and exercised their influence through aggressive investment in collusion with the city government.

…That evaluation was now a story of the past. Centream’s solid fortress was crumbling.

The beginning was when they had bet on the outbreak of war in the negotiations with the southern city of savages. If all the corporations that had gambled on the future situation at that time had suffered losses, no one would have belittled Centream’s success story for being broken.

But while Centream had suffered losses, Sylvester had made a huge profit. After that, Centream had not failed greatly.

But people valued Sylvester’s success more highly. The fact that Sylvester had jumped into the arms industry of District 17 and had dominated the industry in one fell swoop was decisive.

A rumor circulated that Sylvester was on the verge of achieving its goal of overthrowing Centream. Of course, it was public opinion guided by the Sylvester public relations department.

Externally, it was to inform that Sylvester had improved its constitution and to reconsider its image, and internally, it was to declare that the long internal competition had ended. However, contrary to the public’s attention being focused on Claire, the attention of the underworld, including the contractor industry, was focused on one contractor.

“How many times has this been, collaborating with Sylvester?”

“It’s not the number of times, but the meaning of each of those requests is enormous.”

“In reality, he played the role of a kingmaker. A mere contractor.”

A single contractor was involved in all the achievements that Claire had made as she came to the fore.

The new star of the industry, Allen. He was a mysterious figure.

He had appeared in the industry as if he had fallen from the sky. At first, he didn’t seem to be carrying out any great requests, but at some point, he had achieved great results.

An achievement made in just over a year. It was a growth rate that was logically impossible.

It would have made more sense to say that he was a complete talent from the beginning. And such a person had even gained the protection of the city’s highest authorities.

It was impossible to even guess how far he could go.

“But has he completely turned his back on the Mad House?”

“The pride of the monsters, who even the city government is reluctant to intervene with, is not a joke.”

The notoriety of the Mad House was close to a legend. It was a fact that was not exaggerated at all, as even the powerful people secretly watched their every move.

In the contractor industry, it was considered a wise move to give up a request, even if it meant paying a penalty, the moment their name came up. Allen did not follow this.

He had faced the Mad House head-on. The mad dog Buggy Vile, the shadow empress Bianca Melbrick, and this time, although it was just a rumor, even the leader Isaac, whom the Mad House had offered to recruit.

“There might be retaliation.”

“No matter how individualistic they are, they’ve been humiliated by a single person several times.”

It was the first time. That’s why a situation where the Mad House responded at the organizational level might occur.

A tense and strained atmosphere spread throughout the industry.

“Will Sylvester just stand by?”

“They said there’s a city councilor who looks favorably on her. And that she’s also close to a Public Security Bureau security officer.”

“The city will be in an uproar.”

Since when was it? A wind of change was blowing in the quiet city.

The negotiations between cities, the crackdown by the Public Security Bureau, the civil war of the Brotherhood, the competition between Centream and Sylvester, the confrontation between the Mad House and the contractor…

It was a fire that no one knew how far it would spread or how it would end.

***

The outside world was bustling. Everywhere I went, they were talking about the same topic and sharing the same atmosphere. Although they were bound by one name, it was extremely rare in this city where there was little exchange between districts.

That’s how big the aftereffects of my success in Sylvester’s request were. There was even talk that there would be a seismic change in the power structure of this city.

At the center of it was Claire, and I was there.

“You should hide for a while.”

Cromwell had even advised me. He said the window was about to explode.

With the ominous rumors about the Mad House circulating, he said I should avoid the downpour for a while, as I didn’t know what would happen.

I took Cromwell’s advice and hid myself for a while. But that didn’t mean I was cooped up at home.

“……”

The nameplate shone in the office. Head of the Sylvester Plant Growth Research Team.

Arman Hessen. This identity was also prepared for times like this.

Although I had made a name for myself as a contractor, it was essentially a means, not a goal. I had no grand ambition to become a legend of this city.

What was important to me was to uncover the secrets of the druid profession and the World Tree, and furthermore, to improve the natural environment of this world and revive Mother Nature.

That’s why the importance of this identity, Arman Hessen, which had no roots, was by no means inferior to that of a contractor. Based on the results of this research team, I could have pioneered another path to reach the revival of Mother Nature.

I tended to pay less attention to it, but I was determined to do my best when I had the time.

“Chief Researcher Harry Wist.”

I broke the silence and said. He was the number two who had practically led the team while I was away.

He was a capable person. It was a fact that anyone would admit if they had checked his personal information.

He was more suitable for the team leader position than me, who was a parachute, both in terms of ability and justification. A bizarre situation where the head of a project team personally organized by the heir of a corporation was often away.

It would be strange if there were no problems in the direction of the team, its unity, or in any other aspect. The fact that there had been no trouble so far was all thanks to him.

Of course, a competent subordinate is not such a welcome human figure. Especially if he was a wolf-like guy who was polite on the outside but burned with ambition on the inside.

For a parachute, he was a threat that had to be eliminated, even if it meant finding fault. It would not be strange if I, who had come to the office for the first time in a long time, had been kicked out after having all my real power taken away.

“There have been some auspicious events in the company recently. I’m sure you’re aware of the news that Director Claire, the person in charge and sponsor who formed our team, has finally become the top person in charge of the head office.”

“……Yes.”

Although she had not yet ascended to the position of chairman, Claire was the supreme authority of Sylvester, whom no one could deny. As long as the plant growth research team was a project team she had created, our future was bright.

I heard that our department was the first to cheer when the news was delivered. In fact, even from what I saw, the atmosphere in our department was noticeably cheerful.

To the extent that the people who had openly expressed their dissatisfaction with me at the first meeting were now smiling brightly and welcoming me.

“You said you would take care of the results, so I should just trust you and leave it to you.”

Harry, who was the number two and had practically played the role of leader, would have been on cloud nine.

“Is this the result?”

But Harry, who was standing in front of me, had a miserable expression, as if he were about to jump out the window.

“……”

“I’m not trying to point fingers. I’m just asking how it came to this.”

It was a question uttered in a flat tone. I was not angry, nor was I sneering or mocking.

In fact, my heart was the same. I had entrusted it to him, knowing that it would fail.

Since the result was as expected, it was not something to be angry about. But Harry seemed to feel differently.

“……I’m sorry.”

His voice trembled. Shame, humiliation, disgrace… it was a gaze that was a mixture of complex emotions that could not be described.

“What is there to be sorry about? If it was a research project that was easy enough to succeed in one go, we wouldn’t have formed a project team.”

Originally, such a project had to repeat the process of gradually moving in the right direction while failing dozens or hundreds of times, rather than a miraculous success. Since the top person in charge of the company was supporting us both materially and spiritually, there was no need to be impatient.

It was the right direction to produce definite results, rather than hastily presenting a result with doctored figures to the higher-ups as the deadline approached. Harry, a self-proclaimed elite, would not have been unaware of this principle.

But why was Harry making a long face in front of me just because there were no results?

“I was just lucky.”

Because I had succeeded. I had produced results. I had found the right direction for our department to move forward from the beginning.

“……”

The elite, who had been pushed aside by a parachute, had an expression as if he were about to go crazy with frustration.

(End of Chapter)