Chapter 45: “I Can Do It”
“As you can see, our proposal regarding the animals has surprised many of you. We Druids value balance above all else, but we’ve carefully considered this,” Ambrosius said, calmly addressing the Druids’ concerns. He had anticipated their surprise.
“Since we haven’t found a way to reverse the animals’ mutations, I believe the best course of action is to take control of them, to manage their behavior. It’s not as difficult as it might seem,” he continued.
He was right. High-ranking Druids could monitor vast areas, observing the flora and fauna, not with their eyes, but with their magic. If the entire council mobilized, they could monitor the Elven Kingdoms and even the surrounding regions.
“For the sake of our world’s ecological balance, we must make a small sacrifice, taking control of the animals. There’s already evidence suggesting they’re consuming each other, defying the natural order, to enhance their powers. We must prevent any of them from becoming too powerful, from causing an ecological disaster.”
“But Master Ambrosius, the affected area is expanding. Even if your method is effective, we can’t monitor the entire world,” a Druid objected, raising his hand.
“We’re aware of that, but it’s our only option for now,” Ambrosius replied seriously. “We must maintain control over the Elven Kingdoms, where the mutations first appeared, to observe the animals’ behavior and identify the cause.”
Indeed, the cause of these mutations remained unknown. Understanding how the animals had acquired magic might be the key to solving the problem.
The Druid who had raised the objection nodded slowly, considering Ambrosius’s words.
“We’ve shared our proposals. Now, let’s hear from the others,” Ambrosius said, sitting down.
The other Druids, seemingly well-prepared, began presenting their ideas, a variety of solutions, both practical and outlandish, emerging from their discussions.
Most focused on the sacred tree’s withering.
Some suggested taking cuttings from the sacred tree and planting them elsewhere, hoping they would take root. This was quickly rejected. Although the Druids valued balance, they didn’t want the sacred tree to thrive in other lands, potentially diverting mana away from the Elven Kingdoms. The elves, once naive and easily exploited, had become more cautious, less willing to share their resources.
Others believed the sacred tree was withering due to a lack of divine favor. Agnes, the former Grand Sage, had been blessed by the God of Nature. Perhaps, with her death, his favor had waned. They suggested praying to him, asking him to restore the sacred tree’s vitality. This seemed plausible, but also a bit far-fetched. The God of Nature wasn’t a vending machine, dispensing blessings on demand. And such a specific request? He might respond with a simple, “Don’t tell me how to do my job.”
Few offered solutions for the animals’ strange behavior.
Some suggested surgically removing the magic-granting crystals from their brains. Others proposed culling the most powerful animals. And one even suggested letting nature take its course, even if it meant the collapse of civilization—this suggestion was met with widespread disapproval.
Other ideas, equally outlandish and impractical, were also presented. The Druids, their focus on communing with nature and their reliance on meditation rather than rigorous experimentation, often lacked the logical thinking of mages from other schools.
But their creativity, their unconventional perspectives, fascinated Abyss and Rebecca.
“Master Arcaiste, what are your thoughts?” Ambrosius asked, turning to the melancholic Grand Sage. “We’ve heard many suggestions. Do you have any ideas to share?”
“Yes, but my ideas are quite simple: for the sacred tree, we can try fertilizing the soil. For the animals, we can use parasites to extract the crystals from their brains,” Arcaiste said, his voice somber.
“Those aren’t exactly groundbreaking solutions, Master Arcaiste. I expected more from our Grand Sage,” Ambrosius said, shaking his head, his disappointment evident.
“You’re right,” Arcaiste said, nodding meekly.
Ambrosius was about to continue his criticism when Abyss raised his hand. “I have an idea, regarding the sacred tree.”
Ambrosius, his attention now diverted, stopped his verbal assault on Arcaiste, who looked at Abyss with a hint of gratitude. “Please, Master Belator, share your thoughts.”
“I believe we should drain all the mana from the area around the sacred tree. This will reduce the mana density, allowing us to observe the flow of mana and identify its source. I suspect there’s a problem with the sacred tree’s mana source, causing it to wither,” Abyss explained, his voice confident. “What do you think?”
“That’s… a bit far-fetched, isn’t it? The sacred tree’s mana capacity is immense. No one is powerful enough to drain it, not even all of us combined…” Ambrosius said, his voice hesitant.
“I can do it,” Abyss said, patting his chest.
“…What?”
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