The Lone Colony

“Master, they’re ready.”

I had just finished grilling mushrooms over our campfire. It was late at night, and we were deep within the Demon Forest. I took the mushroom skewers off the flame and sprinkled Krauhen’s famous rock salt over them. Getting enough sodium was vital to wilderness survival. Though, Master didn’t really need a proper balance of minerals and vitamins to survive. She had long since passed the boundary of life and death and was more a giant mass of mana than a properly living creature. Right now, she was in the middle of setting up our campsite.

“It smells delicious.”

“Master, the net is sagging.”

“I know.”

She had spread a magical rug over the soft ground of our campsite and was currently in the process of rigging a magical net over us. While that sounded impressive, she was basically just making a mosquito net. Convenient though it was, she was hardly doing anything earth-shattering.

“Anyway, let’s eat dinner first.”

I piled some mushrooms and deer meat that I’d grilled earlier onto a plate of leaves and brought it to Master. She sat with her back straight in front of the food, her legs folded neatly beneath her. Ages might have passed, but she still retained a lot of the habits she’d learned during her time as an Old Dynasty princess.

“Mmmm, grilled food really whets one’s appetite.”

“It must be nice, being able to get full off of just mushrooms.”

Werewolves were unable to properly digest mushrooms. This was true for humans to a certain extent too, but werewolves couldn’t get any calories from them at all. We practically needed meat to get enough energy to survive. I dug into my deer thigh, relishing the taste of animal flesh.

“Man, meat’s the best...”

“It must be difficult, needing so much meat just to survive.”

“I’ve had to transform every day since we started exploring, so I’ve been expending more energy than usual too. It’s gotten to the point where I could eat a whole deer in three days.”

“Hrmm, even the largest carnivorous beasts rarely eat that much.”

Transforming drained a lot of mana and a lot of protein. If I wanted to keep transforming constantly, I needed to eat a ton and get plenty of sleep. Werewolves were one of the strongest demon species, but we paid the price in inefficient energy consumption.

Frowning, Master muttered, “Perhaps I should be using my magic to hunt after all then.”

“If you’re stuck hunting for me, you’ll have less time for your research. No one’s ever investigated this deep into the forest before, so it’d be a waste if you couldn’t make the most of your time.”

It was commonly believed that the forest west of Meraldia was demon territory. But the deeper you went into the forest, the more dangerous the monsters became, so even demons didn’t dwell this far in. Master was almost certainly the first researcher to set foot in this region. Someone of her caliber would surely be able to learn a great deal from the ecology of the area. Honestly, I was excited to see what discoveries she would make.

Just then, I sensed an unfamiliar presence in the vicinity. Whatever it was, it had an unnaturally high density of mana. At the same time, the overwhelming scent of mushrooms, of all things, filled the clearing. What’s going on?

“Master.”

“Mmm.”

I got to my feet, and Master’s mana enveloped me. She was using her strengthening magic on me.

“Something’s weird. The same smell’s coming from all directions. Are we surrounded by one giant thing? And why does it smell like mushrooms?”

Raising her staff, Master replied in a calm voice, “I think it is more likely that we have been surrounded by a large quantity of mushrooms which possess mana.”

“And they managed to sneak up on us without either of us noticing?” I was having trouble processing this situation.

“Indeed. Never put too much confidence in your abilities, Veight. The world is full of mysteries far beyond even the greatest sage’s understanding.”

I couldn’t really argue with that. As hard as it was to believe, we were surrounded by something that smelled like mushrooms, but had mana. Oddly enough, whatever it was, or they were, an attack never sprung. After a few seconds, something walked out of the darkness. As it reached the light of the campfire, I noticed it was about the size of a canine.

“Hello. You came a far way. Can you understand my words?”

The owner of the resonant voice resembled a mushroom in many ways. A shimeji mushroom, to be specific.

The people surrounding us introduced themselves as fungoids. They had round, childlike eyes and tiny limbs. All of them spoke in Old Dynastic, which fortunately was a language every mage had to study.

“Their Old Dynastic has no accent to speak of. I suspect they have not interacted with any other cultures since the fall of the dynasty.”

Master was already in full scholar mode. The fungoids huddled around us, waddling over on their tiny legs. Their bodies didn’t seem too balanced, and their heads swayed back and forth like a baby who was first learning to walk. It was surprisingly cute.

“Movwi and Vweight, we welcome you.”

“Thank you.”

How are they talking? I don’t see mouths anywhere. Upon closer inspection, I realized the inside folds of their mushroom-cap heads vibrated every time they spoke. Those folds probably served as vocal cords. Fascinating...

Master conversed cheerfully with the fungoids, floating languidly in the air. “We have come here to investigate the depths of this forest. Would you be willing to allow us to examine your home? We promise not to be too intrusive.”

“We don’t mind, Movwi and Vweight.”

“Hm? Ah, thank you.” Smiling, Master started pelting the fungoids with questions, “What did you mean when you said we are distant cousins earlier?”

“We, Movwi, and Vweight, all walk on two legs. We are not plants or beasts. We are distant cousins who branched off from each other long, long ago.”

Hang on. Have these guys figured out the theory of evolution already? Damn, these are some smart mushrooms.

“I see.” Master nodded in understanding. “According to my disciple, Veight, humans and demons were the same species long ago as well. But over time, we developed different traits and became different races altogether.”

You make it sound like I came up with that theory, but I just learned about it in school. I’d pretended like it was an observation I’d made because I hadn’t wanted to explain that I was reincarnated. Sorry, Darwin.

Trembling in excitement, the fungoids whispered, “Is ‘my disciple Vweight’ different from ‘Movwi and Vweight’?”

“Hm? My disciple is that young man over there. As I mentioned earlier, his name is Veight.”

“Is that not Movwi and Vweight?”

“No, no, no. I am Movi, and he is Veight.”

We could understand each other’s words, but it felt like something was getting lost in translation still. The fungoids all cocked their heads at exactly the same angle and started vibrating simultaneously.

“Movwi? Vweight? Movwi and Vweight?”

“Hmm, what is it that I am failing to explain properly?”

After a few seconds, Master and I arrived at the same theory.

“Veight, do you think...”

“Yeah, the fungoids don’t distinguish between individuals. To them, ‘I’ and ‘we’ are the same thing.”

Even though there were dozens of them in our campsite, they all had the exact same smell. They all looked and sounded identical too. From the sound of it, they thought Master and I were a singular unit. They didn’t realize we were separate individuals with distinct names. My guess was that they were like ascidians—individual fungoids linked together to form a colony that functioned as a single unit.

Excited, I tried explaining how other humans and demons worked to them. “Most humans and demons all possess individual wills. They can’t share those experiences or emotions with other individuals, even of the same species. So everyone has their own distinct name.”

“You all have many wills?”

“Yes. That’s why sometimes people of the same species even fight with each other.”

In retrospect, it was pretty stupid that humans and demons fought amongst one another, but the Sonnenlicht Order and the Mondstrahl Church were distinct entities, as were Meraldia and Rolmund. Even commoners and nobles were clearly different groups. It was hardly surprising that various classes and organizations came into conflict all the time.

Swaying back and forth, the fungoids tried to process my explanation. “Then do deer have many wills too?”

“Deer? Yeah, they do. As far as I know, everyone but you guys are all individuals with distinct consciousnesses.”

Confused, the fungoids asked, “Then why do big deer protect little deer? If they have different wills, the big deer can choose not to protect the little deer, and escape on their own, right?”

Oh boy, this is uhh, gonna be hard to explain.

Placing a hand on her chest, Master smiled sadly and took over. “Even if we cannot share each other’s thoughts, we still wish to protect our friends and family. That is why humans and demons of all different species can come together to support each other.”

“That seems... difficult to understand.”

I smiled ruefully at the fungoids and said, “Truth is, we don’t really understand it too well ourselves. But the fact of the matter is even if it means putting ourselves in danger, there are people we want to protect.”

“How strange...”

Yeah, it really is strange. I wondered what kind of evolutionary process the fungoids must have gone through to end up as a species that shared one will. The tiny mushroom-like creatures huddled together, ruminating on my words. What thoughts are going through their heads, I wonder? Eventually, the fungoids said, “You are very different from us. But that is what makes you interesting.”

“Agreed. The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same,” Master replied with a smile.

“Rivers would not flow if this world was perfectly level. It is only because there are variations in elevation that we have rivers. And it is because we have rivers that people can invent wonders like water wheels.”

“We are starting to like you, Movwi and Vweight.”

Master was surprisingly good at getting people to open up to her. “Would you like to stay and talk a while longer? I am sure we can learn a lot about each other.”

Master’s eyes were brimming with curiosity. Granted, mine were too. The fungoids milled about for a few seconds, then said, “Yes, that sounds splendid.”

The fungoids—or should it be fungoid since they were technically one entity?—were a fascinating species.

“I see. So you normally remain in one location and move around only rarely,” Master mused.

“Yes. We spread our spores to grow the colony. But if danger threatens our home, we leave.”

As always, there was a certain resonance to the fungoids’ voices. While she enthusiastically took notes, Master pointed into the distance.

“Then are the fungoids living over there a different species?”

“Those are our warriors.”

“Warriors, you say? So you each have different roles?”

“Sometimes when we spread spores it doesn’t grow the colony. So we make the fungoids at the outside of the colony warriors.”

The only time spreading spores wouldn’t lead to new fungoids joining the colony would be when those spores got eaten by any of their natural predators, or destroyed by a rival colony. It made sense that the fungoids would create a specialized warrior class within their colony in such an instance.

“Warriors cannot grow the colony, but they are very strong. They defeat our enemies.”

I turned to Master and whispered, “I’m guessing the warriors have toxic spores instead of reproductive ones.”

“That seems likely. I am curious what they are like, but they might be too dangerous to investigate carelessly.”

It didn’t look like the fungoids could fight using conventional means, considering their builds. Their limbs were tiny, and they had no fangs or claws. But the fact that they were thriving this deep in the forest meant they had to be at least as powerful as werewolves. They might look cute, but these fungoids were a force to be reckoned with.

Moreover, they were highly intelligent. Their analytical abilities rivaled that of the dragonkin, which were generally considered the smartest demon race. But while the dragonkin were more mathematically inclined, the fungoids’ intelligence had more of a philosophical bent to it. Their mode of thinking was alien to most other species, too.

“We wish to get along with other demons.” With a hint of uncertainty, they added, “But will we be able to?”

Master carefully put her notebook away and nodded solemnly to the fungoids.

“Well, the way your consciousness and your society is structured is vastly different from most other demons. Naturally, your values and lifestyles differ as well.” She glanced over at me. “But my disciple Veight is far more knowledgeable about the trials of coexistence than I. You should ask him.”

“Me?”

Master had no interest in politics or diplomacy, so I shouldn’t have been surprised she’d throw the ball into my court. That also explains why she picked me to be her assistant. The fungoids turned to stare at me, and I hurriedly organized my thoughts.

“It’s true that our society is built differently than yours,” I said. “Our worldviews are different, but eventually other humans and demons will come here, just like we have.”

The fungoids started trembling. My primary negotiation strategy was to speak to the other party’s fears, then make it seem like the only out was joining my side. Of course, I couldn’t go too far, or I’d just make enemies. Choosing my words carefully, I added, “The Demon Lord Gomoviroa... who introduced herself to you as Movi, aims to protect all demons and find a way to live together in harmony with humans. No human or demon living under her rule will harm you guys.”

“We see.” The fungoids stretched their heads up and down. Is that their version of nodding? I guess they must really trust Master if they’re taking those words at face value.

“But even if you find some of those other races unpleasant or a threat, they won’t disappear. You’ll have no choice but to find some way to compromise.”

Of course, completely eliminating a group you didn’t like was technically a viable solution as well, but that carried with it a lot of risk, and a low chance of success.

“If you join us, we can help you deepen your understanding of other races, and vice versa. We’ll help you get along with everyone else if that’s what you want, and if that seems impossible we’ll help you find a way to live in the same forest without bothering each other.”

Using the demon army to create a protected zone where other races were forbidden to enter wouldn’t be too hard.

“What do you say? Sounds like a pretty good deal, right?”

“It smells like a great deal.”

The fungoids did their strange head stretch nod again. Their body language and gestures were fundamentally different from ours. Honestly, I found them fascinating. I absolutely wanted to bring them over to our side so we could study them more thoroughly. However, it seemed I hadn’t convinced them just yet.

“We need to test you to see if we can truly entrust our future to you, Movwi and Vweight.”

“What do you have in mind?”

Please don’t be anything scary.

In the end, we decided to undergo whatever trial the fungoids had in mind. The next morning, they led us to their home colony. It was a massive fungal growth that covered the roots of multiple large trees, creating a sea of mushrooms as far as the eye could see. These are all fungoids?

As Master poked and prodded the fungoids around her I turned to her and protested, “Why are you making me do this trial, Master?”

“You are my vice-commander, are you not?”

This is abuse of authority! Though I guess a Demon Lord is supposed to be evil. The fungoids huddled around Master asked, “Are you sure about this, Movwi? You want to let Vweight do this?”

Master blew on the cup of hot water she’d warmed with magic and grinned. “Of course. He’s my beloved disciple. If this trial is something he cannot clear, then no one can clear it.”

Well if you have that much faith in me, I guess I’ve gotta give it a shot.

“You can count on me, Master.”

“Good, good.”

Wait, did I just get played? Whatever, let’s see what this trial is.

“This way, Vweight.” One of the fungoids—or would it be part of a single fungoid? Either way, one of them led me deeper into the colony.

“Hm?” There were still mushrooms everywhere, but a few of them looked slightly different. “Are those fungoids too?”

“No.” The fungoid trembled. “They are stopping our colony from growing.”

“Ah, so they’re a competing species.”

“Yes.” The fungoid did its stretch-nod thing. It then looked up at me and asked, “What would you do, Vweight?”

“If I were in your place, you mean?”

“Yes.” It nodded again.

“If they’re just regular mushrooms, this should be easy.”

I could just strip off the bark the fungi were growing on and get rid of them all. That way the colony could grow again. It wouldn’t be hard for me.

“Hang on a second.”

I rummaged through my pack and pulled out a machete. Wait. Is this really the right answer? As a conqueror, it was only natural to eliminate rivals by force. But these fungoids weren’t conquerors. They only produced warriors when absolutely necessary. Otherwise, they lived peacefully in the depths of the forest. I needed to approach this problem from a different perspective.

“On second thought, I might need more than a second.”

I put the machete back and sat down among the fungoids. I was a foreigner who’d only just arrived in these lands. At the moment, I knew practically nothing about them, or the world they lived in. Until now, they’d lived side by side with these other mushrooms. When I’d conquered human cities, I’d been extremely careful not to harm the residents’ culture or lifestyles. I needed to do the same here.

“Hmmm...”

I examined the two mushroom colonies. Next, I looked up at the thick branches growing overhead. In plains or copses, small plants that grew quickly like shrubs or grasses had an advantage; but in deep forests like these, large trees were able to monopolize sunlight. Smaller plants couldn’t find a niche to thrive. That was simply how the ecosystem of this forest had evolved, so it wasn’t a bad thing. This just happened to be the domain of large trees and fungi. Large trees and... Hang on, I just realized something. The trees towering above the fungoid colony were a different species than the one used by the other mushroom colony. The two species fed off of different trees. I see now. This was a trick question. Smiling wryly, I got to my feet.

“I’d do nothing, at least for now. That’s my answer.”

“Nothing? For now?”

“Yes. The trees you like are different from the trees those mushrooms like, right? There’s no point in stealing their habitat when you can just find more trees that you like.”

The only thing I would consider doing is planting more of the types of trees the fungoids liked. Let’s see if that was the right answer.

“What do you think?”

“Your answer smells wonderful.” The fungoids started vibrating. Even the ones still attached to their host trees were vibrating. “You are the forest’s ally, Vweight.”

“Thank you.”

To be fair, I was technically born in this forest too. After a few seconds, all of the fungoids got up. It looked like the ground had just risen up a few feet.

“We will follow you, Vweight.”

“I-I see...”

Don’t tell me you guys are literally going to follow me all the way back to Ryunheit?