Chapter 71

Before entering the village, he handed a black robe to Kanabis, saying it was necessary to disguise himself, just in case.

"I don't recommend going to the training center. The security will be tight today because of the attack."

He took note of the direction he was looking at. If the security was tight, it was only natural to go there.

"This way…"

He led me to a more secluded area. Since my dryads were already swarming, I had nothing to fear anymore.

"This building has been empty for a long time. Go inside and leave through the back door, then bypass the market to a large inn with expensive accommodation. Stay there for three or four days to avoid being tracked. If you leave the terrarium too early, you'll get caught. Since Kanabis' druid hasn't died yet, you can't recover her with an artifact, so carrying her around openly will draw attention."

"That's fine. I sent someone else to take care of that druid."

Kanabis shuddered. Of course, it was a lie.

"And from here on, I'll handle it. Our side has already sent someone to meet me."

He gestured to a random passerby in the alley.

"It's best to run far away. If you don't want to get caught, our boss will speak well of you since you seem quite skilled."

"Thank you. About the completion fee…"

"Of course, you'll get it."

He said this while emptying 7,000 diamonds into the cart he had sent.

"The communication method will change. The previous method was too insecure."

"Ah… Yes, that makes sense. Then, what method…?"

"You know. That thing. You might have a job worth ten thousand diamonds next time."

What do I know? Just say something plausible first.

"Ah, are you talking about using hornets?"

In this world, butterflies are like pets that serve as dryad navigation, so bees would probably be different too. But why hornets? Not honeybees.

"Right, that."

"Yes, I'll prepare a hive in my wallet. Just send one of the pair to me by midnight today. I'm now marked as a traitor and my life is in danger, so I plan to leave here soon."

"Right… Right, the hive."

What is this hive?

"I wish you the best of luck. Please come back again next time."

He quickly disappeared.

He recommended going out the back door. When I pushed the door of the empty building, dust fell and it opened.

The inside was peculiar. It was long and narrow. The furniture was arranged in a way that forced a specific direction of movement, making it feel like a maze as I walked around to avoid them.

When I came out of the door, I understood why he recommended this route. I was standing in a completely different alley from where I had been. It felt like I had teleported.

"My master, Jay. I understand that you are in a very dangerous situation now. What do you plan to do?"

Whether to achieve the original purpose of coming to the 18th terrarium or to bring Kanabis to the master. It's quite a dilemma.

"Let's go to the orchard. I need to meet the administrative manager."

To hide a tree, go to the forest. I mixed into the bustling crowd.

Indeed, it felt much more prosperous and crowded compared to the 26th terrarium, which had a different number in the tens place. I wondered how the single-digit terrariums from 1 to 9 would be.

The orchard was much larger and more splendid than the 26th one. It was like a stadium with a huge glass dome in the center of the town.

I barely found the information desk, pushed through the crowd.

"Hello, do you need help?"

"I'm here to meet the administrative manager."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Um… I think so?"

The attendant flipped through the papers on the desk and gave an awkward smile.

"I'm sorry, but the administrative manager has no official schedule today. If it's a complaint, could you please take a number and wait?"

Wow… In the 26th terrarium, I was treated like a VVIP. There, they immediately welcomed me when I entered the orchard. Was it because I was a high-ranking gardener there?

"Could you at least let them know that the temporary administrative manager of the 28th terrarium, Jay, is here on official business?"

"Oh! In that case! Please wait a moment!"

His attitude suddenly changed. His gestures at the desk became faster.

"Please follow me this way."

Another attendant bowed and appeared from somewhere. Yes, this is how it should be. Power is...

We went up to the third floor via the stairs. The number of people walking around decreased as we went up. When we finally arrived at an open lobby with a separate room, I was checked. It was simple; I just handed over my wallet for a moment.

"I'm afraid we need to have the dryad not belonging to Jay wait separately."

The attendant looked at Kanabis, who was deeply hooded in the black robe. The security was very strict.

"I need to bring her along to meet the administrative manager for related business."

"It's difficult according to the guidelines."

Hmm, I crossed my arms and thought. It's awkward. I wanted to completely hand over the Kanabis problem to the administrative manager.

"Alright, then."

I took off Kanabis' robe.

"This is Kanabis. That's what I should say, right?"

A voice came from behind the closed door.

"Bring them in."

The response was immediate. The door opened before the attendant could say anything.

Inside, it looked like a huge conference room. At the far end, one person, that man must be the administrative manager. And five people sitting sporadically. Are they like the executives of a company?

"I need to hear about the Kanabis dryad first. Your identity is confirmed, but under normal circumstances, you would have been arrested and taken to a holding cell."

"Oh, the training center was attacked, you said."

He started with the main topic without even greeting or asking me to sit.

"I saved her. The reward is fine. More importantly, can you help me find her master? According to Kanabis, there is a master in this terrarium."

"Yes, that's right. I can sense the druid nearby."

Kanabis quickly added to my words.

"And my situation is not good. There are still many people outside who are after her."

The administrative manager nodded to the person sitting closest to him. He stood up and walked over with a stern face.

"Excuse me for a moment."

He then grabbed my hands, flipped them over, and examined my wrists.

"Nothing."

"If it were visible, it would be a low-level one. But since it passed my management network, it's not a high-level one either."

"Are you suspecting this druid? No! He really saved me!"

Kanabis exclaimed in surprise.

"Go ahead and suspect me. I have nothing to hide. I just want to find her master before I get more addicted to Kanabis' power."

After that, they discussed sending patrols outside the terrarium and contacting the druid on Kanabis' side.

The real master was in the hospital due to the attack on the training center. He was in critical condition and had received a special attack on the artifact, preventing him from summoning Kanabis.

Kanabis left with the protection of a group of people who came into the room later. She looked very happy to be returning to her master. I felt I had done my part. Well done.

"On behalf of the training center and the medical association, I would like to express our gratitude. We apologize for not treating you with due respect due to the tension caused by the attack. Kanabis is a valuable asset to our terrarium. We plan to provide appropriate compensation for rescuing her."

Immediately after, I received a notification that I had become a 6th-level gardener in the 18th terrarium. I had risen three levels from the initial 9th level. But honestly, this was getting old. What was more important was getting rid of my temporary badge.

"I'm not really interested in discounts or such things, but I appreciate it. I have something more important. I'm here to remove my temporary badge. What is the procedure?"

As Kanabis moved away, I felt the effects of the potion wearing off. Seeing the formally dressed people looking at me solemnly, I started to feel a bit nervous. Where did my earlier confidence go? Telling them to suspect me… Why did I say that…?

My cheeks burned as they exchanged words with each other.

"Let me explain the procedure. First, the 28th terrarium will go to auction. Individuals, groups, or other terrariums can bid as administrative manager hopefuls. Of course, the initial auction price will start from the amount you paid to acquire the 28th terrarium."

What? I wasn't the owner? Suddenly, it's going to auction? The procedure waiting for me was different from what I had expected, which was just signing some papers.

I had already imagined building a department store and a hospital in my terrarium. How disappointing. I had been so proud of being a temporary administrative manager!

I won't let it be taken away! I accept the challenge!