I Became a Druid in Another World

"This isn't just an external force."

"..…!"

"It looks like there's an insider involved. Someone who makes this possible from within."

He's quick-witted. Definitely not a relative of Darion… that guy was hopelessly clueless.

I silently stared at Callisto and started weighing how much I should reveal to him. It wasn't easy to give an immediate answer. Then—

"If I make an 'oath', would that put you at ease, even just a little, Sir Theodore?"

Before I could say anything, Callisto drew his dagger. The blade was glowing with a soft ivory light and he pressed it against his wrist.

An oath.

It wouldn't have the same binding force as one made in a temple, but even a simplified oath like this held power. Especially when blood is involved. If broken, while it might not lead to death, it would bring pain close to it. Very few people dared to break even a simple oath.

It meant Callisto was serious. I glanced between him and the dagger at his wrist…

"All right."

I nodded my head. Without hesitation, Callisto sliced his wrist with the dagger. The blood that flowed from the wound didn't fall to the ground; instead, it hovered in the air and formed small droplets.

I too drew the dagger from my waist and made a thin cut on my left wrist. My blood floated in the air in droplets just like his.

"I, Callisto of Lysette, swear that I will not speak a word of any secret shared in this room."

"..."

"If I break this oath, I shall live in the most miserable, horrifying, and disgraceful agony."

The blood droplets in the air began to spin, swirling like a dance. I took a deep breath and quietly responded.

"I, Theodore, accept this oath."

The droplets spun faster and then merged together before evaporating into nothing. The oath had been sealed.

Typically, the god overseeing such informal oaths was the nameless god of death. A faceless entity, perhaps stronger than Arzan, Donar, or even all other gods combined. Because of this, even a simple oath carried immense weight. It was the same reason I never answered when Legion playfully asked if I would swear never to die.

Now that the oath was made, it was time to tell Callisto about the crows.

His oath along with his demeanor and gaze made me feel that he could be trusted.

…Perhaps he could become a valuable ally.

Haha, maybe that's too early to tell.

I carefully explained to Callisto everything that had happened so far. Not just about Lysette, but also Rabata, the Swamp of Death, the Deep Sea Dungeon, Dehid, the Silver Mountain Range, and even the village where the Dawson couple had lived. I told him about the crows' actions, their methods, and the vague understanding I had of their identity.

Callisto listened with a serious expression the entire time and followed the story intently. After hearing everything, he looked at me with eyes that somehow seemed to shine even brighter than before.

"As I thought…"

As you thought?

"There's a reason Her Majesty the Queen bestowed the 'Flower Token' upon you, Sir Theodore."

"…Huh?"

"Sir Theodore, I have long awaited the day I would meet someone like you. Someone who would save the world from those who devour life! At one point, I desperately wished to become that person myself, but eventually, I came to the painful realization that I wasn't fit for such a role."

"..."

"But I haven't abandoned that desire. Under Her Majesty's command, I've wandered across the continent, continuing my training to become her 'sword'."

Is that so? But this guy was definitely just gathering "sweet requests" off the square's bulletin board…

Of course, I heard about Lysette's "Queen's Sword". To become the Queen's Sword, one had to travel the continent and accumulate both experience and virtue. Apparently, there was a specific mission involved, but as someone who wasn't an elf, I couldn't know the details.

So, in short, he's not just a regular mercenary but an elf wandering the continent to become the Queen's Sword.

It explains why he was so moved when he saw the "Flower Token" that Dianta gave me.

To sum it up, he wanted to become the Queen's Sword, but after experiencing the messy reality of humans outside of Lysette, he hit a wall and now spends his time doing "sweet requests"… Is that it?

What a situation. Should I say the gods helped me or that they abandoned him?

"I think that helping Sir Theodore is the only way I can prove worthy of being the Queen's Sword,"

Callisto said in a voice that was subtly filled with emotion as if he knew what I was thinking. Well, if someone who's a candidate for the Queen's Sword wants to help me… it's not a loss, rather, it's a huge gain for me.

"In that case, I could lead you to the secret passage they're definitely using—"

"I've already sent my companion, Lloyd, there."

"As expected of you, Sir Theodore. You've already thought that far ahead."

"…It's not really that impressive."

Somehow, the conversation was heading toward putting me on a pedestal. It was starting to feel a bit burdensome. I scratched the back of my head and pointed at the map on the table again.

"Actually, I was going to ask you for something simple. Like protecting us in Sequoia Forest or something…"

However, now that Callisto had learned everything, it seemed like I could entrust him with something even more important. The task was a bit vague for me to handle personally, and I felt slightly uneasy about leaving it to El.

"If it's to help you in any way, Sir Theodore…"

Before Callisto could continue with more praise, I quickly cut him off and interjected.

"Cal, I want you to join the lord's orc subjugation team."

"The orc… subjugation team?"

Callisto looked at me; he barely managed to suppress the disappointment rising in his expression. His face clearly showed he had no idea why I was assigning him such a trivial task. Before his disappointment could grow any further, I quickly added more.

"I'm not asking you to kill orcs. To be precise, I want you to keep an eye on Corin's heir, Dawood."

Someone as skilled as Callisto would immediately stand out the moment he joined the Orc Subjugation team and in a good way. Once Callisto caught Dawood's attention, Dawood would go to great lengths to keep him close. Securing a noble elf from Lysette, especially one like Callisto who wasn't a mere mercenary or an easily found dark elf, would mean an enormous gain in power for him.

"Demand an outrageous sum of money. That way, he won't suspect anything. It's important to give the impression that you're only by his side for the money, nothing more."

"So you want me to get close and gather information on the Crows."

"Exactly. I was actually going to assign this to El, but that one is still a bit too young, so I wasn't confident. I could do it myself, but that's a bit…"

"Of course. There's no need for you to handle this personally, Sir Theodore."

…No, that wasn't the point. I only said it because I'm the type who easily draws suspicion. Well, whatever. It doesn't matter.

"The first subjugation is in a week. According to my sources, the first one is likely to be a real operation this time. They're planning to sweep through the orcs in Sequoia Forest, just like they've been doing."

"And that's when I'll prove myself, so I can catch Dawood's attention."

"That's right. Dawood will definitely single you out. After that, during the second subjugation, he'll probably assign you a different mission."

There was a chance he would give him a special task, or if things went well, he might even assign Callisto as his personal guard. Callisto nodded his head as if he understood.

"In that case, I should apply to join the subjugation team."

"Sign up right before the first subjugation begins. You'll stand out among the mercenaries, so there will definitely be people who ask why. Why are you only joining now?"

"Should I quietly deal with anyone who asks those questions?"

"…No. That would be problematic. Just say this: You made a bet with a druid, and it seems you were scammed, so you lost all your money."

"A druid…?"

"Use my name. It'll be even better if you treat me like an enemy."

"...."

Callisto hesitated; his expression was far from enthusiastic, but eventually, he nodded his head in agreement.

"There are plenty of mercenaries who lose their money due to gambling or betting. So no one will suspect anything. If Dawood asks for a reason, tell him the same story."

"Yes."

"Show some remarkable skill, Cal."

At that, Callisto looked at me and flashed a cool, almost mocking smile.

"Killing orcs is easier than having breakfast."

***

-Cawwww!

I heard the distant sound of a crow's cry.

It's earlier than I thought.

Blackie had returned. I shot up from my sleep and headed for the window. The sky beyond the breaking dawn was tinged with a bluish light.

-Tap! Taptap!

A faint sound of a beak tapping at the window echoed. When I opened it, Blackie flew in quickly. It circled the room once before perching on the windowsill, slightly off balance. Its body was leaning to one side. I picked it up and examined its body.

As expected, a letter was tied to its one intact leg, while the other leg was missing. A typical tactic used by the Crows. I placed my hand over the missing leg and used [Breath of the Forest]. Thanks to the roots still remaining in its body, the limb quickly regrew. After trimming the new branch, I placed Blackie in its cage. It perched on the roost, let out a quiet caw, then ate some food and water before soon falling asleep.

I unfolded the letter Blackie had brought.

[Suitable Sacrifice]

Suitable… sacrifice?

Piecing together everything that had happened so far, the term "sacrifice" seemed to refer to…

An inevitable offering required to summon an entity that should not and cannot exist in this world.

Like the hydra that appeared in the Swamp of Death, or the demons that surfaced in Rabata and Dihid.

If that were the case…

What are they trying to summon this time?