340 – Experience Points

I decide to check their levels right away.

As I look up, I see the petit nightmare clinging to the base of the chimera lich’s throat, held in place by a red thread.
There’s no way it hasn’t noticed me, but it ignores me and continues to focus on sucking up the chimera’s body fluids.
Does it not taste rotten?

…It doesn’t really look like it’s very interested in evolution.
Well, anyway, I’ll start with the petit nightmare.

I use [Status Inspection] on its back as it greedily devours.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Species: Petit Nightmare
Condition: Normal
Lv: 45/45 (MAX)
HP: 163/190
MP: 18/177
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

W-woah! 8 level ups in one go! Could it actually be gathering nutrition in preparation to evolve? If the next evolution goes straight forwards, will it be a nightmare next?

…I would be bad if it got too big for me to handle… There’s no way I can release it to the wild.
Now that I think about it, I’m not sure raising its level was for the best.
There are various downsides.
If I take my eyes off it, I get the feeling it might attack travellers.

Now then, next I’ll check Aro’s level… But as I think that, treant-san comes toward me, fidgeting restlessly as though to say 『Look look!』.
The petit nightmare is preparing so calmly, yet a fellow monster displays such a difference in attitude.
Treant-san, are you an angel?

…But seriously, are you not going to use [Telepathy] a bit more? Since you’ve become able to use it and all… The fact that I missed my chance to get it is vexing.

I don’t really need any attack magic other than [Wind Slash], but if I had [Telepathy] I could send my intentions to Aro and the others more precisely, and, depending on the circumstances, I could avoid some fights with monsters or even get their cooperation.
It would also be helpful for coming to an understanding with humans.
Also [Gravity] seems like it would have all sorts of useful applications… Since I specialise in magic, if I used it would probably be enough to completely seal the movements of monsters around me.

Well, I suppose there’s nothing that can be done about what’s lost.
In the first place, the one who stopped my partner from eating was me.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Species: Lesser Treant
Condition: Cursed

Lv: 25/25 (MAX)
HP: 86/141
MP: 3/92
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

11 levels up! All right! Its level was low at the start, so raising it is easy… I’m happy for you… Treant-san, I’m happy for you…

With this, no one will look down on treant-san as unevolved any more.
It’s been a long time… I never would have thought just going up 24 levels would be this draining.
It’s thanks to the fruit of wisdom, I guess.
It’s good you ate it, treant-san, really.
So maybe it’s a good thing that I didn’t eat it.
I was worried you’d stay a lesser treant forever.

『……』

For some reason, the treant looks at me with a complicated expression.
W-what is it? Celebrate more openly.

Now then, Aro… She fought hard from the front, so she should easily be at MAX level.
She put up such a good fight against a B rank opponent.
If anything, since she was so close to the maximum already, a lot of the experience might have been wasted.

“Dragon-god-sama! Dragon-god-sama!”

Waving her hand, she runs up to me and hugs my face.
Hey, if you’re that close, checking your level is hard… Hmm?

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Name: Aro
Species: Revaana Lowlich
Condition: Cursed
Lv: 63/65
HP: 362/378
MP: 88/397
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐

…O-only four levels up… H-huh? Just that much? Huh? I thought for sure she’d get half of the total… Huh? 

I…have my experience doubling skill, so I might have been underestimating it a bit.
Certainly, after passing level 50, raising your level suddenly becomes a lot harder.

“……?”

Aro stares at me with a strange expression.
I reflexively look away.
She tilts her head to the side and follows me.
M-my heart aches…

Sorry, Aro… Sorry… It looks like it wasn’t quite enough… Well, if it’s just this much, then the next monster you hunt will be enough to get back on track… Okay? So… Right? 

Watching my expression, she’s able to work it out and hangs her head in dejection.
Aro… The treant’s branch pats her shoulder.
She turns to look at it with an unreadable expression… It might have meant to cheer her up, but with the treant as it is now, it might have the opposite effect.

Hanging from a thread, the petit nightmare rams into the treant as though to tell it to read the mood.
The treant flips over with a crash.
I-I understand its feelings, but there’s a big difference in the stats of the petit nightmare and the treant, so I hope it won’t become a fatal wound…

Uninterested in the petit nightmare and treat messing around behind her, Aro sits sadly with her arms around her knees.
Y-you’ve already got a completely human form, so there’s no need to hurry, right? Besides, now that I think about it, if your evolution goes badly there’s a risk you could look more monster-like, so it’s fine if you want to just stay that way…

“…I thought I’d finally be strong enough to help dragon-god-sama.”

She mutters quietly.

I-I feel guilty… Y-you can do it! You’re only 2 levels away after all! Alright, let’s go find the next one! The next one!