Chapter 299: White Wolf spring

Haurvatat and Carol looked at that Goddess Statue even more closely.

There were a few differences compared to the Goddess Statues in other dungeons.

First, it was growing moss probably because it has not been maintained.

Next, in a dungeon, one must pass through the boss room in order to enter a Goddess Statue room but there wasn’t a boss room here.

“Metias-sama’s Goddess Statue … Quince-sama, this … is not a dungeon?”

Carol asked timidly.

“Oya, you know about Metias? The places where this Goddess Statue remains around here would be … Yomizuki or the hidden dungeon in the Cat Sith village. Carol, why do you think this isn’t a dungeon?”

” … The moss is the most curious.”

Dungeons have the ability to absorb foreign matters and plants are also considered.

As such, it is impossible to create a field in dungeons.

Because the seeds would be absorbed by the dungeon the moment they are planted.

“Only this room is located outside the range of the dungeon. If this were part of the dungeon, this Goddess Statue would be absorbed by the dungeon as a foreign matter too. It is bright here also because the light from the dungeon spills in from various locations. It’s seriously well made.”

“It will be absorbed even though it is a Goddess Statue?”

“Precisely because it is a Goddess Statue.”

Quince said but it didn’t look like she intended to explain any further.

“Follow me, that isn’t what I wanted to show you.”

She said and proceeded even further back into the passage.

“Haurvatat was part of the 『White Wolf Spring』 in Florence, right?”

“Yes, you are correct.”

“Then, have you heard of the origin of that name.”

“I have. 『Around the Spring in Fenrir’s territory, all monsters are forbidden from fighting.』 I heard that legend was the origin.”

The Slave Dealership 『White Wolf Spring』 was named such with the desire to serve without discrimination according to race.

“You know a lot. However, that is the wrong legend. Even if it is Fenrir, it can’t suppress the basic instinct of monsters with low intelligence to feed. Or rather, ordinary monsters won’t even be able to get near to the spring in Fenrir’s territory.”

“Quince-sama, if you claim that is the wrong legend, then do you know the correct legend — no, the correct truth? And is the real White Wolf Spring ahead?”

After hearing Carol’s question, Quince inhaled from the pipe she held and exhaled the smoke out.

Then, she nodded with satisfaction.

“Carol is truly sharp. That is right. We are now heading toward the real White Wolf Spring — or rather, I should say it is the spring that the White Wolf Spring was modeled after. Haru, Carol. I do not know much about the current Demon Lord Army. But I know what they are looking for.”

As they walked, the conversation gradually shifted to the information that Haurvatat and Carol were seeking.

“First will be the reincarnation of Demon Lord Famiris‧Raritei, Miryuu.”

The Demon Lord Army was looking for Miri.

That was within expectations.

“Does the current Demon Lord Army intend to place Miri-sama on the Demon Lord seat again?”

“No idea. I don’t know what they intend to do. It would be more convenient to place an obedient sheep as a puppet king in order to unite the demon race but that personage is not such a person.”

Quince commented with a tinge of nostalgia.

Haurvatat and Carol knew that she was speaking of the past Famiris‧Raritei rather than Miri.

“Next, before Famiris‧Raritei became the Demon Lord, there were three races called the Three Great Demon Lords in this world and they are now looking for their descendants.”

“Three Great Demon Lords?”

That was a term they had never heard before.

“The kings of the strong races in this world. It was defined by the religious organization that is the predecessor of the Goddess Church and it was a term that was used during the early stages of the Goddess Church. Well, those races have disappeared from history for a long time. The long-lived dwarves and elves may know but I guess Carol doesn’t know about them.”

“Sorry, Carol did not read up enough. So what are those three races?”

“The Devil race, Dream Demon race, and Black Wolf tribe.”

” … Black Wolf tribe.”

As Quince answered Carol’s question, Haurvatat muttered the third race name.

“I believe you should be aware but the Dream Demon race are the Succubus. The males of the Dream Demon race are called Incubus but they chose to copulate with the other races even earlier and disappeared. The Succubus disappeared in a similar manner.”

By copulating with the human race, they lost their uniqueness as a race.

Even if they are no longer a race, their blood would remain — Quince told them that was the path they chose.

“The Devil race is similar. They were good with Illusionary Magic and they hid the horns on their heads and black wings that grew on their backs and living secretly among humans. And then the Black Wolf race —”

“In the war 12 years ago, after the death of Demon Lord Famiris‧Raritei, they refused to stop fighting and continued the war with the Church — and is now extinct.”

Haurvatat spoke with a sense of inferiority.

“That is correct. They did not stop fighting until everyone died, from children to the elderly. The casualties from that war were uncountable. However, the Church did not want to tell that truth to the citizens that were in festive mood from the defeat of the Demon Lord so they made it seem as though it didn’t happen. The Black Wolves that were caught alive were sentenced to death in secret with the front that they had to take responsibility for their race — in order to conceal the evidence.”

Haurvatat heard about that from Alessio as well.

The war with the Black Wolf race possessed with fighting after the death of the Demon Lord. The war saw a large number of casualties and it was more of a riot than war and Alessio wanted to suppress them but the Church forbade him.

After all, if the Hero that defeated the Demon Lord was injured during the cleanup, it would tarnish the Church’s reputation. At that time, Haurvatat was still a child when she was taken by Alessio as a slave but she still remembers his expression of regret.

Hearing Quince’s talk, one question came to Carol’s mind.

“If they are looking for descendants but the Black Wolf race is extinct, then isn’t it impossible for them?”

“That’s correct. The Black Wolf race no longer exists. Even the babies that did not fight were captured and killed.”

“In that case …”

“But Black Wolf race descendants do not necessarily have to be of the Black Wolf race, right?”

Haurvatat, as a child who inherited the blood of the Black Wolf race, could be called a descendant.

Carol thought of that possibility.

But Haurvatat understood that was not the case.

” …… They are looking for the White Wolf race.”

Carol looked at Haurvatat in surprise at her answer but Quince didn’t show any change in expression as she nodded.

“I heard about it from Demon Lord-sama. A thousand years ago, the White Wolf race did not exist. At that time, perhaps due to the weather or due to influence from the food, many Black Wolf race was born with white hair at the same time.”

“Haru-san … is an albino?”

“Yes, Famiris-sama told me that. At that time, the White Wolf race was said to break off relations from the Demon Lord Army. In other words, the White Wolf race is the descendant of the Black Wolf race.”

“Quince-sama, why is the Demon Race gathering the descendants of the Three Great Demon Lords? And any descendant is fine?”

Carol asked.

“I don’t know the reason why they are gathering them. But I am certain that not any descendant is eligible.”

Carol stroked her chest after hearing that not anybody would suffice but Haurvatat seemed a little disappointed.

Until now, she still didn’t know if the new Demon Lord Army is her enemy or her ally.

However, she thought that if they were aiming for her, she could get caught and find out their goal.

Quince walked even further in.

“We can see it now — this is the place.”

She said that was the place … but Haurvatat was confused as to what to do.

In that large empty space, there was a large number of monsters.

In the center was a spring.

Within the monsters were ten tree monsters — Treants. The other monsters were eating the nuts from the Treants.

” … White Wolf Spring.”

Haurvatat muttered.

Unlike the animals and monsters in the wild, there was no conflict within that space.

Even after Haurvatat entered, the monsters did not become vigilant or attack.

However —

“I don’t know why but I don’t find it a place of peace. In contrast, I feel a sense of insanity …”

“You’re sharp. Yes, this is not a place of peace. The monsters have all been charmed — the reason is behind that door.”

“Behind the door? What is behind that door?”

After Carol asked, Quince exhaled the smoke out from the pipe she held.

“The Queen of Succubus. The monsters here were all charmed by the Queen of Succubus and gathered here. Not because of her beauty or because of pheromones like Carol. It’s mere just because the Queen of Succubus is here.”

Quince looked at Haurvatat and Carol and spoke.

“Because of the ability to gather monsters, the Demon Lord Army most probably know that the Queen of Succubus is here. Because although the majority of the monsters here come from the dungeon, there are some monsters that are from outside the dungeon.”

Regardless of the illusionary walls and camouflage, if they witness the monsters entering then it would be the end.

“So, I wish to collect materials to counteract this effect. In the meantime, I will use my connections to gather the information you want.”

Haru and Carol made eye contact to convey and check their thoughts on the matter and nodded.