The Mad Lad of Russia 2 - or 'I refuse to be just a Mad Monk, I shall become the Maddest of Lads' (Wholesome Rasputin, Historical Gamer!SI)

Being in a dungeon can be quite… intense.

But I am not referring to the foes.

The low-level Ghouls that were lurking in the area were easy to slay and provided little EXP considering how weak those were. This wasn't a dungeon that favored necromancy, especially with the slow increase of vines and roots creeping by the walls, ceilings and then floor.

The Siberian Cold was felt harshly in this place where light was mostly absent. Some of the crystals glowed naturally, a rather interesting phenomenon that allowed me to soon no longer need to rely on a torch as those started to get more prevalent the deeper I went.

By the time I reached the end of the underground corridor, I couldn't help but stop and stare at the large chamber that was filled with vines and saplings intertwined in a semi-harmonious mess that reached through the corridor but also shifted through small openings that led to the upper layers of dirt leading to the village.

I looked around, trying to find the dryad and-

- Natural Events -

Difficulty: 2

Conditions:
-Peacefully resolve the situation;
OR
-Kill the Young Dryad;

Time Limit:
-24hrs;

Reward:
-50 EXP (For Either Conditions);
-Obtain a Familiar: Young Dryad;
OR
-Obtain 'Life-Drain' Spell;

Failure:
-The Demise of your Village;

I found the Dryad- Also, the game is giving me a choice. Odd considering how one-sided those quests tended to be but… I guess the Pacifist Route was possible.

The Dryad was nestled in a self made cage formed from the various wood-like vines, she was asleep at first glance, sitting on a small pedestal as some of the saplings were tied to her back and arms, providing her with nourishment.

As I got close, avoiding touching the vines too much out of fear of disturbing the slumbering Dryad, I realized how young she was and how the feeding wasn't giving her enough to sustain her body's needs.

I wasn't sure how this worked, but maybe the way she was draining water was just too inefficient. We were in Siberia and most of the available water that wasn't frozen was kept in warm and secure places. So, maybe she just didn't know how to gain those liquids and was struggling with just the process she was using.

After moving carefully through the vines, I finally managed to get into the cage and stand right in front of her. She looked soft-faced, rather suave-looking in her disturbed rest. Her hair was made by green leaves, kept short as a slight red tint manifested by her eyes' sides. Leaves and wood covered her frame- not perfectly, but still enough to leave on wondering how such an union of human and nature was possible.

I was tempted to reach out and caress her pretty green hair, but refrained as I saw her flinch once more, her body growing upset with the lack of proper nutrients and… I paused by her lips. She had those parted just slightly, and not much teeth covering it.

So, water could be passed through her mouth.

Humming, I fished one of the iron flaskets with water, uncorked it and then carefully pressed the opening against her lips. She stirred rapidly at the feeling going through her main body, but any harsh retaliation stopped and died as she realized what was now pouring inside her mouth.

Her wide blue eyes were stunning and stunned, her brief lack of reaction was followed by her softly suckling against the flask as if she was a baby to a mother's breast. I held back a snort, but my smile was followed by my hand reaching for her head.

I felt how soft her leaves were, and she briefly glanced at me. She finally watched me, mesmerized by both the feeling of proper water and being caressed like that. She eased down a bit, clearly appreciating the combined care she was getting and… soon the flask was emptied. I thought it would have been it, but she tried to 'squeeze' more out of it.

Without losing my current momentum, I retrieved my second flask, and the look of irritation on her face vanished right as she heard the cork removed and the flasket's opening within reach. Lips puckered forward, she proceeded to down the content of it with ease, further allowing me to pet her hair and ears.

It was an intense few minutes that I could tell made the difference. Plants had started to recede, with vines slowly backtracking into the earth and emptying the cave entirely by the time the Dryad was done with this second flasket.

From water her focus was on my hands. She grasped them, rubbing them along her cheeks and face in a loving way and, only as I passed by her skin with my palms I realized how cold she was.

Perhaps it was the somewhat peace that was around us, but I slowly pulled her for a hug. The dryad was surprised for a moment, and then was overwhelmed by the warmth produced by my body. She instantly had her arms and legs wrapped around me, her chin and cheek nuzzling against my face as she tried to sponge all that heat off from me.

I patted her upper back, humming as-

Ding!

Hm?

The Young Dryad wishes to become your familiar? Do you Accept? Y/N

Wait, wasn't that the Reward for the Quest? Am I getting this early or-

No, your method just got you the reward without the Quest Completion. Thus- The reward is now different.

I see… Well, I accept.

Right as the Game confirmed this, I heard the Dryad squeal.

"Thank ya, Mastah!" Her excited if not broken accent was utterly adorable but… there was an issue.

"What should I call you…"

"Mastah? You wanna name me?"

I nodded and she pulled back a moment, looking quite giddy at the notion and, as I looked at her hair, I decided to go for something simple.

"List."

She blinked. "List?"

'Leaf' in Russian. It was simple but it was something memorable at least.

"Yup, that's your name."

List smiled widely. "Thank ya again, Mastah!"

She hugged me again, and I returned the embrace. It was a pleasant development- one I would have to plan how to keep a secret from the rest of the village but… maybe I had an idea.

After all, who was going to really pay attention to another child running around if everyone is busy ogling at the big gold ore that had been revealed on the side as the plants had receded?

I just had to get her some clothes, get her to stay in the unused hut near the garden and… it should work as intended.


From, 'The Chronicles of the Mad Lad, a Biography of Grigori Y. Rasputin, 1991':

The name 'List' may grab different people for two main reasons. The famous musician was Liszt and the young woman known to have been Rasputin's first associate and close friend, List.

To say that the latter was to become a far more famous individual would surprise many, but the truth was just that- the girl that was once a wonder due to her general politeness and unique green leaf-like hair would end up revealing her nature by the time she reached adulthood. It would be Rasputin himself that would coax her to do it, and not without reason.

Mature and strong enough to hold her ground, the High Dryad List would reshape the view of peculiar entities in the world for decades to come. The notion that Dryads were indeed a species that existed would stun many scientists and biologists that believed such a being was to be forsaken within books of fantastic details and tales.

Yet, it would also pave the road to reveal more of the world's own secrets- and of Rasputin's incredible deeds that only a few or just him were aware of. After all, no historian can pinpoint when List joined Rasputin, but they can all agree that it happened at a time when both very young as it unfolded well before a year Rasputin and his friend decided to make the trip to Moskva and then Sankt Petersburg.

An important event for those studying Rasputian History as it would define Russia's destiny… starting with an assassination attempt going… weird.