A Beekeeper in a Magical World

Hua Mi learned that being the "Guardian of the Black Forest" was basically an honorary title.

It wasn't like a title in a game with any special functions, nor did it impose any specific rules.

Accepting this title meant he was officially "settling down" in the Black Forest, representing it to some extent.

The so-called "guardianship" didn't involve harmonizing with the flora and fauna of the forest like a druid, nor did it imply forming bonds beyond friendship.

It was a broader concept.

Take the Seven Little Ones, for example; they didn't oppose the law of the jungle, as it was the forest's rule. While individual losses saddened them, it was limited. As long as it adhered to the natural order, they deemed it reasonable.

The same applied to the Guardian.

For him, guardianship was more like a duty than a responsibility. And if it was a duty, there wouldn't be any salary involved.

But, it wasn't entirely without benefits.

Upon accepting this title, he could acquire an extraordinary item.

Weighing the pros and cons, and under Little Red's persuasion, Hua Mi nodded and accepted the title.

The Forest Spirit, towering at over two meters, was bathed in a soft glow.

Her right hand reached into the air, grasping a beam of light.

As the light faded, a black vine staff appeared, topped with a structure resembling a tree stump.

The Guardian's Staff, a symbol of the Guardian's identity.

It appeared as ordinary wood but was impervious to elements.

Its power intertwined with the Black Forest; simply put, the higher the forest's magical level, the stronger the staff could become.

Impressive as it was, to Hua Mi, it was just a glorified stick. He thought of taking it back for Little White's use.

With this staff's blessing, he believed Little White could handle most intruders.

The Forest Spirit held the staff against Hua Mi's shoulder.

"As the representative of the Black Forest, I bestow upon you the title of 'Guardian of the Black Forest.' This will be a lifelong honor and duty..."

After the ceremony, Hua Mi received the staff, feeling its weight, akin to regular wood.

They couldn't stay in the spiritual realm for too long.

Before leaving, Little Red collected some pond water, capable of instantly restoring the Pseudo-Flower Spirits' health.

Hua Mi, afflicted by his professional habits, scanned the realm for flowers almost unable to resist the urge to pluck them.

Little Red informed him that these flowers couldn't be taken out.

"The environment and most events in the spiritual realm are symbolic. They manifest to align with the perceptions of external beings, facilitating understanding."

Hua Mi dispelled the thought of plucking flowers.

---

The centaur suffered considerable damage, and even with his robust physique and spirit, he wouldn't recover quickly.

It wasn't solely due to the excessive drain from the blood bees, which was more 'plunder' than 'suction,' a process not gentle at all...

It was akin to the contrast between a gentle nurse drawing blood and a rough vampire biting your neck.

Hua Mi intended to offer him some honey as gratitude, but the centaur declined.

Not out of arrogance but out of habit or nature. The centaur clan never accepted gifts from outsiders nor did they give any. Gifts didn't align with their solitary way of life.

"I'm just passing through," he said. "Once my body recovers, I'll leave the Black Forest to continue seeking other withering curse anomalies."

"Anywhere else?" Hua Mi asked.

"From the signs I've interpreted in the wilderness, this isn't an isolated incident," the centaur frowned, looking troubled. "The curse energy in the Black Forest is just a fraction of a larger phenomenon. Summarizing the curse's distribution pattern and, if possible, finding its source is the ultimate goal."

"Then, good luck," Hua Mi paused before adding, "Thank you for your help in the Black Forest. You're welcome here anytime."

"The credit belongs to you. I merely provided what assistance I could," the centaur replied. "As the Guardian here, do you mind if I establish a portal in the Black Forest?"

"A portal?"

The centaur explained, "Our centaur clan has established portals in various parts of the world for swift travel. Otherwise, limited by our pace, we might be stuck in one place for long, which is quite inconvenient."

"That's..." a portal was indeed a good thing. There was no reason to refuse. However...

"Are the portals built by your clan usable only by centaurs?"

"In theory, any race can use them, but..." the centaur hesitated, "the condition is proficiency in the centaur language and an intellect at least equal to that of an adult centaur."

This narrowed down the possibilities significantly. Language might just be a matter of time, but intelligence posed a challenge.

Even the average intelligence of elves fell short of an adult centaur's.

The Human Beings or the Advanced Humans might have a chance, but ordinary humans were out of the question.

"This clan's unique; they have an IQ requirement for using a portal."

Yet, Hua Mi ultimately agreed to the centaur's request to construct a portal.

Regarding accommodations for the night, the centaur assured Hua Mi not to worry. He was accustomed to camping in the wilderness and felt uncomfortable under a roof.

Hua Mi offered some honey pills to aid his recovery, not as a gift but a gesture. Coupled with the Forest's blessing, he would likely recover overnight.

The centaur set off to find a suitable location for the portal's construction, deciding against placing it near the Bee Speakers' cottage, considering it presumptuous.

While the centaur's portals were spread worldwide, they were mostly in the wilderness, deliberately distanced from inhabited places.

Returning home, Hua Mi immediately entered the greenhouse.

With the curse dispelled, the Pseudo-Flower Spirits had stabilized.

Little Red distributed the pond water from the spiritual realm to them. Upon drinking it, their radiance swiftly returned, celebrating their survival by holding hands and dancing.

Rushing towards Hua Mi, they expressed gratitude by clutching his fingers, collar, and wherever they could.

Observing these seven colorful little beings, Hua Mi suddenly felt... like a grandparent.

Little White, on the other hand, stood quietly, showing no expression and yawning.

Though younger and smaller than the Pseudo-Flower Spirits, she appeared the most mature.

"I have something for you."

Hua Mi retrieved the staff from his ring. "Try it; see if it suits you."

A glint of curiosity flashed in Little White's eyes as she transformed into her fire deity form and approached, taking the staff.

In her hands, the staff emitted wisps of pale flames, spiraling around it.

"Oh?"

For the first time, a flicker of emotion appeared on Little White's otherwise indifferent face.

A surge of intense heat radiated from the staff's tip.

Hua Mi hurriedly exclaimed, "Stop, stop! Don't try it outside; the flower field is innocent."

"..."

So, Little White went outside.

Hua Mi breathed a sigh of relief, glancing at the flower field.

Their growth was thriving.

Honeybees buzzed busily among the flowers

.

Unfortunately, from an initial twenty-odd Azure Fire Bees, only a few remained in the intact bee colony.

The loss was considerable.

The only consolation was the emergence of a new bee species amid the withering curse.