Noah hugged the wailing girl and looked at Queen Marva with a raised eyebrow.

  “Is this about her family?” Asked Noah and saw Queen Marva nod in reply.

  “Please help them.” Kept muttering Firria almost hysterically.

  “Firria, this kind of thing needs time.” Said Noah but saw Queen Marva shake her head.

  “They said….they said… They said they will never get better. Please!” The girl said, starting to cry harder.

  Noah looked at her in confusion, before turning his gaze back to the Dryad Queen. Seeing an embarrassed look on her face, he understood there was a reason for Firria breaking down like that.

  “Sorry, she overheard my daughter's discussion. I admonished them for bbbering what they should not have.” Said Queen Marva apologetically.

  “Is this true?” Asked Noah.

  “I will be honest. The cruelty they suffered at the hands of that monster, has hurt their mind. Irreparably, I’d say. But there is one thing we might try.” Said Queen Marva and Noah felt Firria increase the strength of her hug.

  Noah pulled Firria slightly away and pushed her chin up gently so she would look him in the eyes.

  “Of course I’ll help however I can, but let's hear what Queen Marva has to say, so we can think up how to help them. Alright?” He said, wiping her tears with his finger.

  The girl nodded slightly rexing.

  Noah sat her down on the couch near him and rubbed her back, while she wiped her still streaming tears.

  “Try what?” He asked, looking at Queen Marva.

  “Erase their memory before trying to repair their minds once again. With trauma like that, until we erase everything that is hurting them, it would be impossible to mend their minds.” Said Queen Marva. “And as I know, you have a skill that allows you to do it.”

  “That skill allows me to erase just a short time. Also erasing the memory of someone a lot stronger is impossible.” Said Noah.

  “I think we may go around these limitations. First, they are in a coma-like state right now. In this state the mind can’t put up much resistance, so I think it is possible for you to invade. Even then, we can help lessen any resistance their mind might still put up.” Offered Queen Marva.

  “As for the short time that you can erase. We don’t really need to wipe out all the memory, only some parts of it, so I thought of an idea.” She added thoughtfully.

  “My theory is that if you use your skill at the moment when these memories are at the front of their consciousness, we will erase exactly these memories.” Queen Marva expined. “Within the month this month, we already mapped their minds and found all the traumatic memories. We can try raising the bad memories to the surface. Flood their minds with them anew and erase them at that moment.”

  “If this succeeds, we will be able to repeat this process several times. This will solve the problem of the amount you can erase within a single use of skill.”

  “Ugy? What do you think?” Asked Noah inside his head with a thoughtful expression.

  “Ugy?” Asked Noah once more when he did not hear a reply.

  “Ugy!”

  “Yes? Oh… Give me some time to think. This is a quite interesting proposal. Theoretically this should work. But we can’t be sure until we try.” Said Ugy.

  “Can there be other consequences?” Asked Noah, the way Ugy deyed his answer felt strange, as if he was busy with something, but Noah put this thought away for now.

  “Absolutely. But not as bad as what their state right now, if what Zinnia described about their torture was even half as bad as it sounded. In my opinion, they have nothing to lose, so why not try.” Concluded Ugy.

  “Name them.” Said Noah.

  “Well, disorientation, confusion, from a huge memory gap, disbelief and doubt, outrage from knowing you messed with their memories. Stuff like that. But these are things Dryads can mend in time. They can live with that, unlike how they are now.” Answered Ugy.

  “Anything else?” Asked Noah with suspicion, knowing Ugy is the kind that might not lie, but he would definitely omit something important.

  “Nothing else comes to my mind. At least, at the moment.” Said Ugy, feeling annoyed by Noah’s over-suspiciousness.

  “Alright.” Said Noah, looking at Queen Marva after finally being satisfied with Ugy’s answer. “Let's try.”

  “Thank you," whispered Firria, holding his hand with both of hers, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

  *****

  When Noah, Firria, and Zinnia, following Queen Marva, walked down the stairs of Pce Tree, they noticed a group of dies who stood at a distance, watching them and whispering to each other with worried faces.

  They thought that they could not be heard, but after upgrading his basic five senses, Noah could increase his hearing slightly when he concentrated.

  “You think he agreed?” Whispered one of the beastwomen.

  “I think he did.” Whispered the second woman.

  “You think? Why would he help?” Asked yet another dy.

  “He’s the one that saved us.” Said the first dy.

  “Will it work though? You think he can do it?” Asked the fourth dy.

  “What would he ask in return?” the third dy asked.

  “He has plenty of women, I heard. Why would he ask anything of you?” Whispered the first dy.

  “Men can’t be trusted in that they are all…” The third dy said in defense.

  “So what if it is so? If he has the skill to save your girl, would you not do it with him?” Said one more dy, putting others to silence with her statement.

  “If it does work, I don’t mind him doing whatever he wants with me if he can erase what those bastards did to me.” Said the girl standing a bit from the side of the group, drawing several nods from other dies in the group.

  Noah turned to look at Firria and saw her long furry ears tremble slightly. She looked down but he could clearly see her cheeks flushed. She obviously could hear the group talking as well.

  Once they went out of the group's sight, Noah patted Firria's head gently.

  “We are friends, Fi. Friends don’t need anything in return when they help out.” Said Noah.

  Firria looked up at him, surprised he heard the women’s whispers and her face flushed even more.

  “Thank you.” She muttered shyly.

  “Don’t. I haven’t done anything yet. We will still have to see if this works." Said Noah.

  “Even if it doesn’t work. I am still grateful to you for trying, Your excellency.” Said Firria.

  “Friends also call each other by name, so call me Noah.” He said, smiling.

  Firria looked at him for a few seconds as they walked.

  “Thank you, Noah.” She whispered, looking down with an embarrassed look once again.

  Noah looked forward with a smile and saw Queen Marva looking over her shoulder with a smirk. “Lady pleaser.” She silently formed the words with her lips, making Noah roll his eyes.

  But as she turned away to walk down the halls in a seemingly nonchant way, Noah noticed how enticingly her hips moved. She moved regally and elegantly, yet her gorgeous ass was painting figure eights with every step, attracting his gaze like a fragrant spring flower attracts a bee.

  “If you noticed how sexy Dryad is, it means she wants you to notice.” Pyed in his head the words that Queen Marva said just a few minutes ago.

  As if she could feel where his gaze lingered, Dryad Queen turned to look over her shoulder with a knowing smirk.

  Noah moved his gaze away, scratching his cheek in embarrassment, but now and then his gaze kept returning to the enticing pendulum movements of the Dryad Queens hips, as if the pull attracting his gaze was too strong to resist.

  As their group exited the Pace Tree, Noah noticed that the group of beast women came after them but kept at a distance behind them.

  They followed Noah’s group right up to the Gardens; however, when Queen Marva, Firria and Noah went through the Gardens gate, Zinnia turned toward the group of women and stopped them.

  “I am sorry, but you are not allowed to go any further. For your own safety, please stay here and don’t approach any further, or you will agitate a guardian High-Dryads. Believe me you do not want to make them angry.” Said Zinnia before bowing slightly and walking into the Gardens.

  Noah, Firria, and Queen Marva stood in the Gardens gazing at the three cocoons made of vines and roots while one of the Dryads stood at their side.

  “This is Oleandra, she is responsible for this part of the nursery. She has mapped the memories and brain patterns of Firria’s family, so she will be helping us to conduct this experiment.” Said Queen Marva introducing her daughter.

  The girl bowed slightly toward Noah gazing at him with infatuation, but her mother clicked her fingers and whispered “concentrate” making her quickly assume a serious face.

  “Alright,” said Queen Marva, waving her hand over the cocoons and pnts slithered around, opening to the view the heads of the people inside. “Let us start.”

  Oleandra sat down near the women and spread her hands, turning them into whole bushes of vines that moved like tentacles. These vines connected with the vines that cocoons were made of and then slithered over the heads of the sleeping women, attaching to their skin with small, transparent, fragile-looking twigs.

  “Please use your ability as soon as Oleandra gives you a signal.” Said Queen Marva.

  “I understand. Everyone, please turn away or cover your eyes from the light.” Said Noah, and Zinnia pulled worried-looking Firria slightly aside, making her cover her eyes.

  After a few seconds, Noah noticed that the sleeping women became fitful. Their bodies began to shake, their eyes began to quickly tremble behind their eyelids, and sweat appeared on their skin as if they were seeing a nightmare.

  “Get ready.” Whispered Queen Marva, sensing that the moment was approaching.

  “Now.” Said Oleandra as her vines pulled at the women's eyelids, forcing their eyes open.

  “Please, look at this light.” Said Noah, his skill’s activation chant with his full concentration. He usually made it in his head to quicken the skill activation but this time he wanted to make it right, to make sure he did not cut any corners and did his best.

  Just as the bright white light fshed, the women noticeably rexed, returning to calm sleep.

  After a few seconds of silence, Oleandra opened her eyes and looked at her mother, nodding slightly.

  “It seems like it works.” Said Queen Marva confirming the good news.

  “How many more times do we need to repeat it?” Asked Noah. Queen Marva looked at her daughter with a raised eyebrow.

  “I raised just a few of the memories and it still did not erase all of them. I’d say we would need a couple of hundred uses with this output.” Said Oleandra.

  “Couple hundred times.” Muttered Noah. “This would take a lot of time, and as I understand the women outside wish to go through the procedure or ask to do it for their retives as well, right?” He added looking up at Queen Marva. He then looked back at Firria and saw her pleasing face.

  “This would take days.” He muttered thinking it over. “How about this…” He said, pulling out his special medallion. “Zinnia, take this and try to use the skill.”

  “That is…?” Asked Queen Marva, looking surprised at the medallion.

  “It’s my new version. Allows the one holding it to use some of my skills as my representative.” Expined Noah.

  “May I?” Queen Marva asked.

  “I am sorry, but it has the same principle as my mind realm. Only a select few have access to the skill.” Answered Noah.

  “I see.” Still if you don’t mind I wish to study the magic enchantment.

  “Let's see if this works first.” Said Noah, nodding.

  They repeated the same procedure, and waited for Oleandra‘s verdict.

  “It works,” said Dryad. “But its power is slightly lower.”

  “I see. In this case we would have to go with this solution, as I am unable to stay here that long. I have pressing matters waiting for me at home.” Said Noah.

  “Indeed, however, Zinnia, Dahlia, or Aster would have to stay behind, though.” Said Queen Marva.

  “Or…one of my companions. As I remember you promised to let some of my people come over for training in the barrier. If we combine their training with this task we will do two things at once, plus they’ll earn their keep, so-to-say. Of course, if you allow them here, Your Majesty.” Said Noah.

  Queen Marva kept silent for a few seconds, weighing the idea.

  “Who did you have in mind, Master?” Asked Zinnia. Firria looked a bit surprised, hearing her call him this way.

  “I believe Kate would gdly agree; she did mention she’d like to try.” Said Noah.

  “Some of our sisters expressed a wish to study human magic, if I remember correctly, Mother. But we had no one we could trust to invite into our core forest. I think this might be a good chance. She might not be a master mage, but she is a very talented, self-educated mage. Said Zinnia.

  “I see. This is indeed a good idea. What do you say, Count? May we ask her to share her knowledge?” Asked Queen Marva.

  “I will have to consult with her, but I think she will agree.” Said Noah thoughtfully.

  “May…May I too?” Asked Firria quietly.

  “What?” Asked Noah.

  “Magic…May I study it with Dryads too?” Asked Firria once again, looking at him hopefully.

  “Looks like we would have to organize a whole css.” Said Queen Marva with a mysterious smile, while tapping her chin with an index finger in a thoughtful manner.

  She seemed to have some idea, but did not voice it.

  “It’s alright. We will do it, just that it will take slightly more time.” Said Noah patting Firria and the girl hugged him with force crying into his shoulder once again, only this time with gratitude instead of despair.

  When they exited the Gardens, a group of beastwomen quickly surrounded Firria, dragging her aside.

  “How was it? Did he succeed?” They asked all in one voice.

  “Dryad said it was a success, but it can erase just a bit at a time. It takes a long time with many repetitions.” Said Firria.

  “Your Excellency!" Said one of the women turning to Noah.

  “I know what you wish to say.” Said Noah, raising his hand to stop her.

  “We have already discussed it. I need to leave today…” He added and instantly saw disappointment on the women’s faces. “However, we found a solution. Dryads will be able to do it now without my intervention. So please give them a bit of time.

  “But it works, right?” Said the woman with tears in her eyes. “We…We can forget the nightmare we’ve been through?”

  “The skill works.” Said Noah. “But please understand, there may still be side effects, so we need to test it.”

  “I don’t care. If you need test subjects, I agree. I don’t want to remember it anymore. Don’t want to see all this horror everytime I close my eyes. Don’t want to remember…” She said through tears. “My babies…” she wailed, falling down on her knees. The group of girls quickly surrounded her, hugging her from all sides.

  “I understand.” Said Noah clenching his fists. “I will do what I can.” Said Noah bowing to the girls before leaving. Soon he heard the whole group break down in wails as they comforted each other.

  “I’ll send Kate as soon as possible, but until then, please stay and start the procedure as soon as possible." Said Noah looking at Zinnia.

  “I understand, Master. I’ll do my best. But please control your mana amount. After all, the one using the skill is still you.”

  “Yeah.” Said Noah. “Guess we need to send the girls out for a new hunt. How many groups of adventurers had the beastwomen formed?”

  “Four groups of five people.” Said Zinnia.

  Two of them operate around our Labyrinth, two others went to other cities to not bring much suspicion.

  “Alright. Please take care of the girls. I’ll make sure to have enough mana.” Said Noah.

  Zinnia nodded and walked back to the Gardens.

  As Noah turned around, he saw Queen Marva gazing at him in silence, as if she wanted to say something.

  “I know, Your Majesty. Our agreement comes above all; I will make sure to commit to it above everything else.” Said Noah.

  “I know you will, dear Noah. That’s not what I worry about. I just wish to say that you must not overdo it. If they all wish to undergo the procedure, it will take years, if not a decade, to do it for all of them. There are just too many of them. No sense in hurrying. All it would achieve is harming your own health. Farewell, my dear. See you in two weeks.” Said Queen Marva before turning away and walking back to the Pace Tree; her hips seemed to sway even more enticingly than before, but Noah was not in the mood to gaze. He turned away and walked toward the core forest exit.