Although their trip to find the Father of Oaks hadn't secured the god's help, they had learned more information. Because of the Warlock Divine Artifact's unique characteristic, Daphne suggested, "Perhaps we can have people from the tribe come here to sign the Contract, if they're willing."
Currently, the Warlocks guarding the Father of Oaks were too few to spare anyone, as they needed to watch over every part of the massive tree. If they could temporarily increase the number of Warlocks, the extra personnel could participate in any battles that might arise.
Douglas wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "If they're willing..."
Even though the Pixie claimed the Contract had no restrictions or side effects, the mere act of turning into a young girl was already a massive side effect in Douglas's eyes!
Yes, he was certain of it. A man as masculine as himself would absolutely turn into a young girl if he signed the Contract. He couldn't accept that
And so, led by the Pixie, Daphne first went to find an outfit suitable for a young girl. After all, she couldn't possibly travel back wearing just a top and nothing else, right?
Once Daphne had changed, the group of five finally set off on their return journey. Along the way, Douglas would occasionally glance at Daphne and mutter under his breath, "I have to admit, she's... actually pretty cute now..."
Daphne was now dressed in a pink one-piece dress with a hemline just above her knees, revealing her slender, fair calves. On her feet were pink shoes with a slight platform heel. Her long golden hair was tied into twin ponytails. From any angle, she looked like an ordinary seven or eight-year-old girl.
The only thing was, the fashion in the Great Forest was a bit outdated. A pair of white stockings would have made her even cuter.
Cipher shot Douglas a look. "What, you're interested in young girls? That's a crime, you know!"
Douglas's first reaction was, "She's definitely not a young girl! She's an old hag in her seventies or eighties."
Cipher raised an eyebrow. "So you're not denying you're interested in her?"
Douglas finally snapped back to his senses. "What? No! Of course not! How could I possibly be interested in a young girl? Do I look like that kind of person?!"
Their initial exchange had been whispered, but in his agitation, Douglas forgot to keep his voice down. Daphne naturally overheard him. She paused mid-stride and turned to stare at Douglas in astonishment.
Douglas's face twisted as if he'd just eaten a bitter melon. "Uh..."
Fortunately, Daphne said nothing. After a silent glance, she turned and continued on her way. But Douglas wiped away the cold sweat that had reappeared on his forehead and muttered, "Uh, why do I feel like she just looked down on me...?"
Since they didn't need to find their way—simply retracing their steps—the return journey was much faster than their initial trip. It was worth noting that although Daphne's body had shrunk, her physical abilities hadn't diminished at all; in fact, they had even improved significantly.
The two-meter-long greatsword looked like a toy in Daphne's small hands. As luck would have it, on their return journey, the group encountered another wave of Mutated Animals. Cipher watched as the young girl unleashed a Divine Smite, smashing one of the creatures into a bloody pulp.
Then, with a casual flick of her wrist, Daphne cast another spell. In the distance, a ferocious three-headed wolf transformed into a seemingly harmless little sheep.
However, this Polymorph spell wasn't permanent. It could be dispelled by other wizards, and a target with sufficient mental fortitude could even break free on their own. As Cipher watched the sheep, she saw it tilt its head. Then, one of its eyes suddenly swelled like a balloon and burst.
Immediately, tentacles writhed out from the blackened eye socket.
Though its appearance had changed, the corruption from the Outer God remained. Still, the Polymorph spell had managed to incapacitate the Mutated Animal for a significant amount of time, long enough for Daphne to rush over and finish it off with a single sword strike.
The outcome of the skirmish was unremarkable. What truly impressed Cipher was Daphne's sheer power. If Daphne had been a Legendary-grade Paladin before, she was now a Legendary-grade Paladin and Warlock. The two classes didn't interfere with each other, and it was no exaggeration to say her strength had effectively doubled.
This was one of the remarkable aspects of the Warlock class: its compatibility with any other profession.
After the battle, Daphne began cleaning up the battlefield—incinerating the Mutated Animals' corpses—and spoke with a grave expression. "The situation seems to be getting worse."
They were now very close to the Druid Tribe's territory. Encountering Mutated Animals here meant their numbers were rapidly increasing. "We need to hurry and find the source," Daphne urged. "I wonder how the others in the tribe are faring with their investigations."
Once the battlefield was cleared, the five of them resumed their journey. After some time, they returned to the Druid Tribe. As they approached, Cipher's ears twitched. She detected faint, almost imperceptible breathing from several nearby trees. People were hidden there, seemingly standing guard and watching for something.
Recognizing them, a Catgirl Ranger leaped down from the nearest tree. "You're finally back!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "The tribe has been attacked at least four times in just the last few days!"
Then, her gaze swept over the five of them, and she asked in confusion, "Wait, where's the Great Druid?"
"I'm right here," Daphne said, crossing her arms and tilting her small head up slightly. She put on a serious expression, but to everyone else, she just looked like a child trying to act mature, which was strangely adorable.
The Catgirl Ranger stared blankly. "What?"
"I am the Great Druid," Daphne repeated.
The Catgirl looked even more bewildered. Cipher could see her tail, which had been swaying, now droop limply to the ground. "Huh... huh?"
Daphne thought for a moment. "Angela, I remember when you were five, you woke me up in the middle of the night because you'd wet the bed. You asked me to help you hide it from your parents..."
Before she could finish, the Catgirl Ranger cut her off. "I believe you! I believe you! Please don't say any more!"