The Druid Who Devoured the Great Nature

“When can I expect the payment?”

I stopped by the office to report after finishing the request.

Cromwell, the broker, answered without even sparing me a glance.

“The client needs time for a meeting. You should have it in no more than three days.”

Including confirmation of the request’s success, three days was quick.

As expected, he was a competent broker.

But I hadn’t asked about Cromwell’s speed for its own sake.

“I need the money a little urgently.”

I pulled out a chair and sat across from him at the bar table.

His eyes, which had been reflecting the light off the inside of a glass, slid over to me.

“I don’t want to waste time. I’ll show the client the results myself and take my cut directly.”

It was a way to reduce tedious procedures, supposedly saving him the trouble.

And I could get paid faster, so it sounded perfectly reasonable.

“You’re making an unreasonable request.”

But Cromwell calmly refused my veiled suggestion.

“I’m offering to take care of a hassle while we’re both busy.”

“You’re denying the very purpose of a broker. If you mess something up, I’d have to quit this industry altogether.”

“……”

I washed down the bitter aftertaste with a sip of water.

‘Not biting, huh.’

It was a long shot anyway.

‘If he were that careless, he would’ve gone under long ago.’

Expecting to deal with normal people in this business was too much.

Trust wasn’t won by appearances or character—it was earned by results.

And there was no way a rookie who had only just succeeded at his first request had any trust to his name.

“Then I guess there’s no choice. But you can pass on a message to the client, right?”

Plan A had failed, so it was time for Plan B.

Truthfully, I had pinned more hopes on this one.

When I framed it as a compromise, Cromwell sighed.

He looked like he was dealing with a troublesome customer.

“……I’ll hear it first.”

“Ask if they knew their target was unusual.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some of the goblins went berserk.”

“Berserk, you say?”

“There was even one strong enough to smash buildings. Ever heard of a fat goblin with gigantism before?”

For the first time, Cromwell’s eyes gleamed with something besides irritation—interest.

“An experiment of a dark sorcerer, perhaps……”

“I can’t say for sure, but the residents all knew about it. They even seemed to know when it would happen. So it’s not something new.”

“Hm……”

Cromwell set his glass down and stroked his chin, his expression thoughtful.

“If it’s true, that’s a problem.”

Naturally.

The payment should have been adjusted, and the difficulty of the request itself was a different matter.

If they had deliberately hidden it, it was a trick that would tarnish even a broker’s reputation.

“I’ll bring it up. The payment will be adjusted to a reasonable level.”

“And if they play dumb?”

“Then there’s nothing I can do.”

What followed was the important part.

“But in future dealings, they’ll run into plenty of trouble.”

In any industry, they said the circle was small.

In this one, it was especially true.

‘If someone threatens their livelihood, competition or not, they won’t let it slide.’

Once rumors spread, it was over.

At best, no one would take their requests. At worst, backdoor tactics would restrict their activities.

Even major companies would struggle under that pressure.

For a powerless environmental group, it would be fatal.

‘I don’t want Greenwood falling apart.’

More than resenting their secrecy, I was curious.

And since I had reaped plenty from this request—including spirits—I’d come out ahead.

It was necessary to put a brake on Cromwell’s thoughts, which might be heading toward extremes.

“There’s no need to blow this up. Adjust the payment as you see fit, and I’ll make you a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

Since it came from me, Cromwell didn’t dismiss it lightly.

“From now on, if they post a request, make sure I get first priority on it.”

Had Greenwood really known nothing?

That was impossible.

‘They were the first to even mention spirits.’

And now their request just happened to involve spirits?

Too contrived to be coincidence.

‘And in games, coincidences are rare.’

They were usually inevitabilities rooted in the setting.

This was just some hidden lore even veterans like me didn’t know.

‘It was suspicious from the start that an environmental group would make this request.’

If Greenwood had known the goblins in District 7 were tied to spirits, the puzzle made sense.

“You don’t care, right? Brokers only take commissions. So?”

“……”

Since I left the payment adjustment to him, it wasn’t a proposal that would cause him any loss.

“……If that’s what the client wants.”

After a pause, Cromwell agreed.

But to someone unaware of the circumstances, my proposal would make me look like a madman.

‘It’s like asking the guy who cheated you to cheat you even more.’

Cromwell’s impassive face wavered.

He was reassessing me.

Surely not in a favorable light.

“See you in three days, then.”

It was necessary, but it left behind an unpleasant misunderstanding.

I left the office.

“An interesting rookie has appeared.”

After Allen left, Cromwell sent someone to confirm the results and then contacted the client.

While waiting for the client to deliver the payment, Cromwell stroked his chin and pondered.

About this rookie named Allen.

“To suffer a setback yet welcome it……”

There were occasionally such types.

Not those who entered the industry to make money, but to test themselves.

In a city obsessed with money, they usually came from elsewhere.

But in Cromwell’s eyes, Allen was different.

“Greenwood. So that’s where his aim lies?”

Seeking out overdue requests, trying to deal with the client directly instead of through the broker.

His actions all revealed a very deliberate purpose.

“Hm.”

Truthfully, such circumstances were none of Cromwell’s concern.

Few who took mercenary work were free of a backstory.

……But some were worth giving leeway to.

“Judging from his demeanor, he’ll last.”

The way he spoke as though versed in the industry, and the skill he had shown.

Cromwell trusted his own judgment.

And Allen, in his eyes, was a promising investment.

“He really did demolish a whole building.”

The photos he’d received showed a collapsed structure.

Not from age, but clearly by force.

The culprit was obvious—Allen.

“No traces of magic, no signs of martial arts either.”

Even if it was only a fragment, it had clearly been a power that controlled plants.

Unique, yes—but could it really wield such force?

Even Cromwell, who had seen countless experts, couldn’t quite gauge its worth.

……Which only made it all the more valuable to keep an eye on.

“If it’s a connection that’ll last, there’s no harm in lending a little help.”

The greatest value in a broker was his connections.

Not only with clients, but with mercenaries as well.

Skilled mercenaries were rare.

Proud, well aware of their own worth, and often difficult to deal with.

The best way to maintain steady dealings with such people was to show favor early on.

“Greenwood, huh.”

If they were to become frequent clients, there was no harm in looking into them ahead of time.

Cromwell picked up the phone connected to the floor below.

“Jack, I have something I want you to investigate.”

A restaurant in District 3.

I chewed on the last piece of tough synthetic meat while staring out the window.

Crowds of people, each with unique appearances, flowed by without end.

It felt like peering into another world, and it was entertaining to watch, but I wasn’t doing it just to pass the time.

After spacing out for a while, I let the focus slip from my eyes.

‘Fragments of the Spirit Cocoon aren’t the kind of thing you’d just stumble upon.’

If they were, I would’ve found them in one of the countless playthroughs I’d already done and researched them long ago.

Of course, I had some reasoning behind what I was doing now.

‘I thought maybe this little guy would help me find one.’

A small cluster of light drifted above my palm.

A spirit that had not returned to nature, but remained entrusted to the World Tree.

Just as the fragments had resonated with one another before, I hoped for something similar.

But no.

‘Still, a spirit, huh.’

That breathtaking scene of nature’s restoration still came to mind often.

It had been the moment of the spirit’s release.

There were a few things I could deduce from that.

‘The absence of spirits led to nature’s decline.’

The instant the spirit was freed, District 7’s nature had begun to recover.

The inverse was also true: for some reason, the spirits had waned, and because of it, the city had grown barren.

‘So, to restore nature, I need to complete the fragments of the Spirit Cocoon and revive the spirits.’

And as for clues about spirits, I only had to wait for Greenwood’s next request.

What once felt far off suddenly seemed within reach.

But.

‘What was that circuit?’

The strange circuit covering the fragment still bothered me.

It had been an artificial mark.

‘Someone other than me tampered with the fragment.’

And that had likely caused the berserk state.

‘A rival, no doubt.’

Their approach to the fragments was opposite mine.

Cooperation was impossible.

Conflict was inevitable.

In that case—

‘I need to grow stronger.’

Separate from the World Tree’s growth, I had been offered another path.

I skimmed through the system messages I had skipped before.

「Spirits each hold unique powers within them.」

「Affinity with nature stimulates spirits and promotes awakening.」

Right now, the spirit was like a reckless child—but it could become another weapon for me.

I had to raise my affinity with nature. To do that……

“Is something bothering you, sir?”

“Hm?”

Just then, the proprietress of the restaurant asked with concern.

“You’ve been frowning the whole time. Is the food not to your taste……?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it.”

The quality of the food wasn’t bad.

The seasoning was strong, but considering it was low-grade synthetic meat, that was expected.

“That’s a relief. I was worried it might’ve been our mistake.”

“It’s fine. These things happen.”

The woman pressed a hand to her chest in relief.

Out of politeness, I smiled, but inwardly I was puzzled.

‘That’s strange. I’ve never had the owner strike up conversation here before.’

It was a restaurant I knew from previous playthroughs.

I had eaten here dozens of times as a customer, and never once experienced an event like this.

“Here, this is an apology.”

“There’s no need……”

“Regardless, it seemed like you didn’t fully enjoy your meal.”

A black liquid in a cup, carrying a subtle aroma to my nose.

Coffee.

‘This stuff’s expensive.’

People joked about coffee being worth its weight in gold, but in this world it was no joke.

With plant cultivation so poor, coffee beans—and coffee—were naturally a luxury.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could I ask you a few things?”

“Of course.”

I took a sip.

The taste and aroma I hadn’t experienced in a long time warmed my chest.

If the price of such an expensive bribe was just a few questions, that was practically free.

“Do you live around here, sir?”

“I haven’t settled yet. I’ll be in the area for a while.”

With no house, I had no choice but to move between hotels and inns.

Not that I could stay just anywhere, either.

‘Even if I moved to District 5 or 6, I couldn’t afford a house with my funds now.’

No matter how much Cromwell squeezed from Greenwood, it wouldn’t be much.

Even pawning off the goods I’d looted from the goblins wouldn’t change that.

Until I earned real money, staying in my first lodging was best.

“And what about meals?”

“If I’m not too busy, I’ll cook for myself.”

“Perfect. But how about coming here often instead? I’ll give you free meals.”

So here was the real point.

The woman’s voice dropped, almost to a whisper.

“Why?”

“I think it’d be good for business.”

Her eyes sparkled, gazing at me as though she wanted to devour me.

“With you here, I’m certain sales will go up.”

I understood her intent.

She really did mean to sell my face.

‘So that’s why it’s been so noisy.’

The restaurant was packed, and customers kept sneaking glances at me.

Maybe they weren’t gossiping out loud out of the last shred of decency.

Either way, it was uncomfortable.

“The terms are negotiable. Name anything.”

The woman was passionate.

But I stayed cool-headed, weighing it carefully.

‘Constant attention at every meal versus saving money on food.’

No need for a scale to know which way it tipped.

“Alright.”

“A wise choice.”

The woman beamed.

‘Attention? I can get used to it.’

I’d been drowned in it back in the factory anyway, even if in a different form.

With how tight my funds were, saving on meals was worth the trade.

“I’ll be in your care.”

“And I in yours.”

A satisfying deal.

As she happily tallied things up, she suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Oh, right. Just a word of caution—keep an eye on your wallet when you come and go.”

I raised a brow, so she explained.

“Lately, pickpockets have been on the rise.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

I checked my already-thin wallet and stepped outside.

‘Why would I only need to watch out for pickpockets here?’

In this city, pickpockets were something to always watch for.

There were so many small-time crooks that it was impossible to count.

‘Still, I saved more money than expected.’

Anyone who’s lived alone knows—food expenses eat up a huge part of the budget.

And if you want quality on top of that, the cost isn’t small.

‘First I need to secure my livelihood. Only then can I do anything else.’

In this city, convenience began with money.

Above all, food, clothing, and shelter came first.

Thud!

While lost in thought, someone bumped into me.

It was common on these overcrowded streets, but this time was different.

Slick!

A hand slipped naturally into my pocket.

And then emerged, wallet in hand.

The whole process played out before my eyes in slow motion.

「The World Tree detects a crime and issues a warning!」

I calmed the World Tree, which urged me to give chase.

I could have caught him instantly.

But I let him go for a reason.

‘It’d be a hassle to worry about pickpockets every time I came to that restaurant.’

Instead, it’d be easier……

‘To wipe them all out at once.’

That pickpocket would serve as my perfect guide to their hideout.

(End of Chapter)