Chapter 275: Return to the Flower Garden

Chapter 275: Return to the Flower Garden

Having returned Antares to the flower garden, the Mountain God pondered while caressing the seed resting in his palm. He was thinking about where to plant this seed and how to reward Antares.

Hmm What should I bestow upon him? Do you have any suggestions, Sir Trickster?

Oh, have you noticed me?

Even though you are a greater ancient god than my mother, I am not so senile that I wouldnt notice someone entering my body.

The spherical space to which Antares was invited was crafted by the Mountain God weaving together the roots of his lower half. Even though it was detached from his main body, it remained a part of the Mountain God that shared his sensations. No matter how much one concealed their presence, it was impossible not to be detected within it.

When the Mountain God turned around, he saw a long-haired man wearing a straw hat, a worn T-shirt, frayed jeans, and mud-covered rubber boots. He was carrying a well-used hoe over his shoulder and he looked as if he had just been working in the fields.

However, in this world, T-shirts, jeans, and rubber boots did not exist. The attire was bizarre to the extreme, but the Mountain God was unfazed, as if this were nothing out of the ordinary for him.

Ah, truly fitting for the Mountain God. Theres a reason youre considered one of the highest-ranking gods, aside from the ancient gods themselves.

Coming from an ancient god, that almost sounds like a backhanded compliment.

The Mountain God stated this in a matter-of-fact manner, but the long-haired man merely chuckled in response. He then casually pulled out a small blue crystal ball from his pocket and tossed it into the air.

As the crystal ball came to a halt mid-air, it began to emit a faint glow. This glow slowly took the form of a figure the figure of the god who had tasked Antares with crossing the mountain, the God of Wisdom Aiwass.

Its been a while, Mountain.

Wisdom, eh? So you were involved in this as well.

The Mountain God was acquainted with Aiwass and had sensed his presence from Antares. Neither Antares nor any of his companions were aware of this connection, nor could they sense it. So, how did the Mountain God come to realize it?

The answer lay in the name of Antares. His name was bestowed upon him by Aiwass, and this was synonymous with gaining the blessing of the God of Wisdom. It was this connection that the Mountain God had sensed.

I have tasked him with establishing my research base beyond the mountains. I understand that you have no intention of interfering, but I thought it best to inform you directly.

I have no interest in what lies beyond the mountains. Do as you please.

Aiwass had made a point of contacting the Mountain God as a way of showing respect. It was a matter of principle to inform a peer or superior when setting up a base of operations in their vicinity. Silence could be taken as a lack of sincerity, and relationships without sincerity are prone to complications. This principle held true among both humans and deities alike.

The Mountain God showed no particular reaction to Aiwasss plans to establish a base nearby. This was not because he was tolerant, but because he had no interest in anything other than his own domain, the Shumie Mountain Range and the forests at its base.

Always the same, huh~? Well, given the expanse of your territory, its among the largest not just on this planet but among others as well, so humility isnt exactly your strong suit.

Thank you. If youre troubled about what gift to give Antares, I have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?

Hmm, lets hear it.

Button and Woodsorrelt watched over them with amused smiles. Even in the short time before I would leave this place, I preferred to be on good terms over discord.

By then, adult animals had also joined in the interaction. Today, it had been decided that we would gather for a feast. The forests bounty provided ample ingredients. Our role was to cook them.

Mmm, delicious indeed.

Really, its just as the Great Mother says.

Humans should not be underestimated.

Typically, the animals feasted on dishes prepared especially for them, but the demon foxes who could use transformation techniques alone shared our meals. Their ability to transform their physical structure into that of humans made this possible.

However, the demon foxes were fewer in number than I had expected. Including Button and Woodorrel, there were only eight who could transform. Along with twelve like Gardenias who were yet to master the skill, there were only twenty in total.

Furthermore, every one of them was female. It wasnt that they were disguised as women; it appeared that the demon fox tribe consisted solely of females. This raised the question of how they continued their lineage. Button provided an explanation.

We absorb the spiritual power of selected males and use it as a seed to conceive our offspring.

So, the child matter that Woodsorrel mentioned

Remember Antares at that time? He was already strong, wasnt he? I had an intuition that a child born from his spiritual power would surely be a powerful daughter! Ill go for seconds!

With that, Woodsorrel ran towards Mika and the others, who were tending the pot. Meanwhile, those of us who had heard Buttons story couldnt help but marvel at the unique biology of the demon fox race. The trait of being able to conceive with any creature, despite only females existing within their kind, was unheard of.

The demon foxes sharing our meal also mentioned that their fathers varied widely. Some had bears, others had wildcats, and there were even those with fathers from the Furu race, whom they encountered when descending into human territories.

Even with their strong sense of kinship, the demon foxes seemed to lack a traditional sense of parent-child relationship. While they recognized their mothers as such, their relationship felt more like that of sisters. Instead, they all revered Button as the Great Mother and placed her, the founder, at the apex, with everyone else treated as equals.

By the way, how long are we allowed to stay? We plan to leave as soon as weve replenished our supplies and checked the carriage.

Oh? Why not stay a bit longer?

Even if you say so, I have promises to keep.

Woodsorrel tried to persuade me to delay our departure while I was asking Button about when we should leave. I was happy to be reunited with her again, but this was a different story. We should leave as soon as possible.

However, Button furrowed her brows in concern at my question, which was unexpected. This should not be troubling her at all, so what could be the matter?

Regarding that matter our Lord is thinking about a gift to bestow upon you. We wish for you to remain here until a decision is reached.

I-Is that so?

Though I didnt expect to be asked to leave right away, I also didnt expect that the other party would ask me to stay. And just like that, we found ourselves spending several days in the care of the Mountain God.