Chapter 61 – Dryad

Chapter 61 – Dryad

---From now on, expect 5/6 chapters a week (It'll be either Saturdays and/or Wednesdays missed), reason being I've probably been overdoing it and will give me the odd day off if I need it. Still might get 7 in a week as well, just probably expect 6---

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"You alright Ikarus?"

"Urgh, should be. Just need a while to sort my head out"

Petra is still holding me after I fell on the ground after that fight, there's no reason for me to feel this way other than the fact I just gained thirty levels, maybe my body is going into overdrive rapidly levelling me up that much? I guess the curse did have a similar effect but that wasn't straight away after, maybe my body still isn't used to this just yet.

"You sure you're okay Ikarus-sama?"

"Yeah, you do look a bit pale"

"I'm honestly fine, just give me a minute and I'll get back up"

Both the other two have now joined us it seems. While I'm recovering, might as well use this chance to check.

'Status'

[Name: Ikarus | Species: Phoenix | Level: 97]

[Health 28,862*/30,000*]

[Stamina 7,182*/10,000*]

[Magicka 18,492*/20,000*]

[You currently have 18500 unassigned points]

'I swear, I feel like I've just won the lottery looking at that, shame I feel light headed. I'm basically a level nine-hundred and seventy compared to human growth now, my health is a little lower than it should be by at least a few hundred but I did just take on that trash wind attack after all. I also knew my stamina was more than high enough'

It really makes me think just how bullshit my levelling actually is, all it took was two somewhat high levelled elves for such a rapid increase. Oh my God, I've just realized how much EXP I'll get from killing the prince and the mage, that'll be at least fifty levels just from that alone, that might actually make me pass out if this is the reaction I get from such a level increase.

'Wait, isn't this a perfect time to buy a gambling ability or two? Sighhh... I feel like in the space of one fight, I've gone from being pretty powerful to being damn right OP, I can't help smiling but there's more important things going on right now'

"Your friend just needs some rest; she did just gain a load of power"

Wait a second, I thought we killed that dryad? Where the hell did she come from?

All the other three-party members didn't expect the busty half naked dryad to have revived herself, she's even walked over and is now looking over me.

"I'll use a sleeping spell to help"

"Wai-..."

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"*Snore*, zzz, *Snore*, zzz"

"Heh, you're snoring"

"Wha-... where am I?"

"We're still in Yggdrasil, you're safe by the way Ikarus"

I awaken from my forced slumber with my head upon Petra's lap, it's actually really comfortable this lap pillow but that is not a focus for right now. I'm not going to get up just yet though.

"How long was I out?"

"Just ten minutes or so, didn't want to wake you"

She could've but knowing Petra, she was probably enjoying watching me sleep. I'm not even against it, I'd probably enjoy watching her sleep as well but she barely sleeps most nights and when I do catch her, she's doing the meditation thing cultivation users do. The sitting cross legged thing with your eyes closed circulating your ki or whatever crap that is, Petra says it's different from what I'm thinking of but it's kinda the same thing, cultivation is way too complicated for me to understand anyway.

Damn it, focus Ikarus! Stop thinking about Petra for one goddamn minute!

I look around still on Petra's lap and find that dumb dryad woman sitting cross legged talking to Charlotte and Nathan, I'm pissed right now not for the fact she knocked me out, more the fact that was probably the best sleep I've ever had. That knockout spell combined with Petra's lap is better than any sleeping experience I've ever had, it's bloody infuriating!

"Hang on a second, you literally just attacked us so why are you so calm now!?"

"Apologies for that, those two elves you butchered made me lose my composure. If I knew you four had no such foul intentions, I wouldn't have used such a dangerous attack to defend the holy grail"

A dangerous attack? Does she seriously think that was dangerous? It didn't sound like sarcasm, she might just be stupid, she is basically a hippy tree spirit after all, I bet she likes to hug and mate with trees or something dumb like that.

I need to compose myself now, she's going to be irritating to deal with so let's try and relax.

"How are you even alive anyway? We just destroyed you"

"That's because I'm the caretaker of this holy tree, a thing like a mortal death doesn't really have any long-lasting effect to me"

Well... that isn't really an answer to why she's immortal but forget it, tis tree things this bird cannot understand. I'm not going to ask since she's just going to annoy me.

"She was telling us a little while you were out Ikarus-sama"

"Yeah, I'm not really sure what she was on about though"

Looks like the tree nymph dryad has made two friends, good thing I'm not all that close with those two, Petra seems to have a look of annoyance staring at her as well. Those two don't look that friendly with her if I'm being honest, I'm just being grumpy.

"Your black haired friend didn't make it easy though, she killed me four more times before allowing me to explain"

Petra killed her four more times? I really hope it was painful for that dryad... Damn, I am slightly justified in my dislike, she did just drug me out and put me to sleep.

This stupid dryad looks disappointed at all of us flat out rejecting her, it's more than deserved though. I guess a lot of people would love the idea of doing the deed with a dryad who has the figure of Goddess, none of us have such an intention though.

We're all too loyal for such a thing and even if we weren't, annoying people can be so unattractive at times, ain't no cheating going down here. I mean, none of us are technically couples yet since we're still kinda in the stage just before that but it's still cheating, I think. It doesn't matter, this bird is one hundred percent loyal to Petra, I'm such an idiot for thinking like that...

"Well then... this fucking sucks, I'm unsure what to give you now for completing this place, you were supposed to get an ability for sleeping with me but now I'm confused what to do. Erm... The leaves up here kinda taste alright if something like that is suitable for a reward, make a nice salad or something"

Wait a second, that's literally this dungeons reward? Kill the boss, sleep with her and then you get rewarded with an ability? Okay, I very much don't want that ability, it's probably something perverted as well, something sexual I bet. None of us want anything like that.

"Can't you give us it without doing the deed?"

Petra wants that ability? She's being real sus right now, I won't call her out on it but still, it might just be she's an ability hoarder though.

"Not possible, it's only something you can have by sharing your soul with nature. Mating is the only possible way, at least what I know of"

Looks like we're not getting rewarded then, sighhh...

"Shall we just leave?"

"Probably for the best Ikarus"

(Nathan) "There doesn't seem like much we can take from this"

"My Lord is also tired of this encounter"

That holy grail chalice thing had already been put back on the pedestal so there's no worry about us walking away with it, she can just live up here or inside her tree or whatever it is she does. Screw this dryad, we're done and outa here now.

"Wait, don't leave me alone up here!"

Best ignore the pervert dryad, we've come across many different types of personalities in our journeys, we were bound to come across someone like this at some point. She can just live in her own little part of the tree, best forget about this experience, at least it's another dungeon marked off. Up to seven now if we count the other one which we didn't actually complete.

She'd like whoever created the pervert dungeon thinking about it, I'm also guessing this isn't going to be the last we see of her, it better be though...

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"So... what do we do next then?"

I could spend the next few hours staring at my status deciding what I want to do with the points but it'll be better to focus on that another time. Dealing with that woman for so long has made me want to do something kinda fun.

We've all just walked down the never-ending tree of Yggdrasil and have just arrived back on the floor of Aurora, it's always easier to walk down then up. It's a shame this place doesn't light up like the sky like an actual aurora but there's got to be some stuff to do or see here.

"Heh Ikarus, it might be best to go a find a bath first"

"You do reek a little"

"Even my Lord says he can smell the blood"

Ah crap, I forgot about the exploding elf, that's definitely a drawback from using that ability. Thinking about it, I do reek.

"Looks like we're heading to a bathhouse then"

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"I swear, this feels as good as the hot springs"

"Elves do value comfort, pretty sure they put salts in the water"

"This place is nice despite it being a little sinful with all this nakedness"

All three of us women are currently in an elven bath house, the knight had to go find his own since shared gender houses are very much not a thing in this city. Heck, we struggled to even be allowed into this place since we're not elves but if you put a bag of money to any intelligent species, they're not going to say no. We're still getting a few looks in here from the other elven women but it's not blatant racism so it's easy to ignore, still ain't great though.

This place is actually beautiful looking, it takes a mixture of the fancy elven architecture and combines it with shrubbery, leaves and vines. Despite it being inside, it actually looks like we're not.

No idea why nakedness is sinful, that God has really given priestess some weird thoughts but with her, it might just be her own misguided beliefs. They are misguided, there's nothing wrong with being naked in a public bath house, people do have to clean themselves.

"Petra, did I ever tell you what happened one time I went into a place like this?"

"A woman groped you, correct?"

Oh, I guess I did tell her then, that kinda spoils recapping that story. Would I even mind if... No, get your mind out of the gutter Ikarus, this is not the time or place for that type of thing.

That's still a long way away from that type of development...

"Ikarus, turn around and I'll give you a clean"

While we're chilling relaxing in this bath house, Petra has that odd suggestion. When I do decide to clean my back, it's more than easy enough to just do it myself. Putting a sponge against my back isn't exactly difficult.

"Huh? I can do it myself"

Did she seriously pout from me rejecting that!? Wait, is that a normal thing women do while bathing together, clean each other's backs? I don't think it is, or am I just being dense since it's Petra? With her, I never know...

I'll just toss her a bone then; it gives me an excuse to be lazy after all.

"Urgh, fine then. If your hands wander, I will punch you"

"I have a little more class than that Ikarus"

I'm lying, I wouldn't actually hit her but I've got to set some ground rules, she's helping me clean myself before we've even kissed yet. Charlotte has gone away from us, this isn't anything going on like that succubus-sama, she literally is just giving me a helping hand. Nothing is going on, especially in a public place like this.

Then I feel the feeling of a sponge up against my back, I shouldn't have agreed to this now. This might be a little too intimate, it's not like there's anything perverted going down though, I swear! It's just my heart is racing now, fucking stupid human looking bird Ikarus!

Let's just get this over and done with, my face is probably returning to my red as a tomato days right now...