I'm Not an Earthworm, I'm an Earth Dragon

The Elven forest truly lived up to Akash’s description of a green hell. At the forest’s entrance, one could still see the sunlight, but the deeper one went, the more it felt like entering a cave made of trees.

Trees stretched out their branches and leaves so densely that not a single ray of sunlight could reach the ground. The forest floor was littered with dead, decaying logs that crumbled under cart wheels, and on those logs grew unknown, glowing mushrooms.

Glowing stones were embedded in the tree trunks, providing some visibility. Without them, it would have been pitch black.

Naturally, hunting for food in such an environment was out of the question. We sat near the stopped carriage, gathered rotten wood to build a campfire, and cooked food.

… if you could call it food. It had a strange grassy smell, an indescribable, peculiar taste with a hint of sweetness. It wasn’t inedible, but the slimy texture was unpleasant with every swallow.

“It seems we haven’t gained the trust of our benefactors. I swear on the Mother Tree, we will not mix seedlings into the meals unless requested. And boiling it worsens the taste and texture, so it’s better to eat it raw.”

“… Keheuk, ugh… How can you eat this…? It feels like eating slime’s mucus…”

“Slime? This is the sap bestowed by the Mother Tree. It’s full of essential nutrients for living beings.”

“… It’s tasteless. I’d rather gnaw on slime.”

Yuna was swallowing each mouthful as if she were dying, and Altera seemed to be barely holding back from throwing up.

I was only eating it because I had no choice. Only Akash was gulping it down, saying it was delicious.

“… Akash. Weren’t you the one who told me not to just eat whatever they give? But why are you eating it so well…?”

“Huh? It’s boiled, so it’s fine. But from what they’re saying, it seems like there’s no need to. When they swear on the World Tree, it’s genuine. That’s why the demons didn’t touch them. What would have happened if they swore on the World Tree to exterminate the demons?”

The elves, for some reason, were not swept up in the great war waged by the demons. Was this why?

It seemed plausible. Even now, the elves were creating paths made of wood in the air with a wave of their hands. If they could create barriers or thorns instead of paths…

“Really…? Then maybe… we can just eat it from now on…”

“There’s no need. We’re almost there. In a few more hours, we’ll arrive at the capital where the Consensus, the Mother Tree, resides. I’ll inform the other terminals to prepare meals in advance. So please bear with the current discomfort.”

That was the most welcome news I’d heard. I swallowed the slightly bitter sap with a frown. Yuna’s expression darkened at the mention of our imminent arrival, and she quietly muttered something.

“… Arrive? Arrive where? A village? Or some kind of base…?”

Altera didn’t understand the word ‘capital’ and was tilting her head, wondering where we were arriving. After quickly teaching her the word, I told her we would arrive in a few hours.

“Ah, the capital… But from the looks of it, it doesn’t seem that special…”

“The World Tree is there. Maybe it’ll be a bit different? Maybe we can see the sunlight or walk on the ground.”

“That would be nice. I didn’t think I’d miss the ground this much, let alone the sun”

Altera didn’t have any particular reason to fight, but every time she went outside the carriage, she would express her dissatisfaction and anxiety, saying that she couldn’t feel anything.

“Even if she is alive… well, we won’t know until we get there. Sigh, it’s complicated.”

Yuna still seemed to have a lot on her mind. She had told me before that she was following me to find her parents, even though she didn’t have any money to give me.

It was only natural for her to have many thoughts as the moment approached. Even if I wanted to help, I couldn’t fully empathize with her worries, so I decided to leave her be.

… The stones embedded in the trees looked like eyeballs for some reason. I still couldn’t tell if it was just paranoia or reality.

Using the spare time to teach Altera words, we entrusted our bodies to the carriage. Soon, I felt a slight change in the air.

The concentration of phytoncides in the air seemed to have decreased. It felt like something, a bit more like breathable air, was gently entering the carriage.

“Let go of me, you crazy bastards…! I’m just taking some rotten wood…! Eek, how are these girls so strong?!”

“We have arrived… but the timing isn’t great. Please stay inside the carriage for a moment. It will be over soon.”

What were they doing? I slightly lifted the curtain on the window to get a glimpse outside. In the distance, I saw an elf forcibly kneeling a man.

The elves didn’t say anything. They simply suppressed the man further, completely immobilizing him, and then took out something… a small plant from somewhere on their bodies.

They didn’t have pockets, so where did it come from?

“Hey… hey. No way, right…? I was just trying to pick up some rotten wood, okay? I never touched any trees or plants! L-let go! I have a family…! No, no!!!”

Despite the man’s desperate cries, the elves were trying to shove the plant into his mouth matter-of-factly.

The elves kicked the resisting man’s temple with their heels to force his mouth open, and in that brief moment, they shoved the plant in and released him.

The man suddenly twisted his whole body as if possessed by something, then went limp.

The man, who had been lying there as if dead, stood up unnaturally, starting from his lower body, and made direct eye contact with me.

It wasn’t the same person from before.

Startled, I quickly turned my eyes away from the outside. The elf in charge of communication, who had been looking at me until just now, said it was okay to get off now.

… If I mention what I just saw, something will definitely happen, right?

I kept my mouth shut and quietly followed the elves who had come with us. I almost screamed a few times after seeing things I shouldn’t have, but the elves didn’t pay much attention.

“Welcome, this is our capital and the place where we originated. Kie Gi Comensigis. Stay as long as you like. If you need to find me, just grab any individual nearby and tell them. Then I will come to you.”

“… Ah, excuse me! If I want to ask the World Tree something… should I look for you as well?”

“That’s correct. The Consensus will surely welcome a conversation with you. Then I’ll take my leave. Enjoy your stay.”

The elf, whose name I never learned until the end, disappeared as if melting into the floor made of tree roots. No matter how I think about it, I don’t think I can enjoy this.

Even though it was the capital, there were no buildings or walls. People were leaning against tree trunks, sleeping, or staring blankly into space with creepy smiles.

The most horrifying thing was the people with plants protruding from their skin.

It was more shocking than the way they wove trees and plants with their hands to create an inn for us to stay in.

Having an entire arm made of plants was one thing, but seeing a human face embedded in what I thought was a tree made me scream just a moment ago.

Even Altera’s eyes were shaking, and she didn’t scold me for being unmanly, which meant she was also quite shocked.

“These guys never change. The only thing they’ve developed in all this time is their territory. Pfft. Well, they’re just pieces of grass, so what can you do?”

While we were all frozen in place, Akash leisurely entered the inn made of wood. Fortunately, the inside wasn’t that dark.

There were many of those glowing stones that looked like eyes, making it feel like a real inn.

The only difference was that we were the only ones there. A place that should have been noisy and smelly was eerily quiet and clean, which felt unsettling.

“Yuna, let’s ask about your parents and the information about the Great Worm’s nest that Altera is looking for tomorrow… I don’t know what time it is, but it’s best to rest first and then move.”

“… I agree. I need some rest too. Being here for too long is driving me crazy.”

“I’ll rest too. This place is strange. And… there’s still no ground.”

Altera seemed particularly tired from not being able to step on the ground. Come to think of it, didn’t they say they would prepare a meal?

No matter how I looked around, I couldn’t see anyone preparing a meal.

“Then… good night. Just in case, don’t wander around alone. Who knows what might happen.”

After giving a sincere warning, I entered the same room as Altera and taught her some more words. She seemed tired, so we just went to sleep.

“… What is this.”

The next morning, a caterpillar pie was prepared on the table, though I had no idea who made it.