It was incredibly hard to find sticks on the ground in the second ring. The trees here are just too durable to break apparently.

In the end I only managed to get enough sticks to make a chest plate. That is accounting for the fact that I am only a little over 4 feet tall and have little to get in the way of scaling down the chest plate. A shame really. Better for combat though. At least that is what I tell myself.

Shaking off such depressing thoughts I look down at the thin wooden armor wrapped around me. It took a lot of mana to force the wood into the right shape and that is even with me mixing in flexibility runes. Nearly emptied my tank just making each piece. I run my fingers down the smooth grayish brown plates admiring the intricate runes made of golem cores pulsing with faint green light.

I managed to pack a lot of strange crap into this one piece of armor. I learned a lot from making Alice’s body, enough that I can confidently say this chest plate would set me up for years if I sold it. Not that I have any plans to, considering that A. There are no shops in this forest, B. Money is worthless to a forest hobo like me, and C. I keep getting hit really hard in the chest and It is getting annoying to cough up so much blood.

So, now that I have more protection than a single layer of cloth I decide to head out and continue our list. But before I can start walking I get a chat bubble to the face.

[ If you are so great at crafting why don’t you make me a weapon. I am kind of defenseless right now. ]

I direct my vision towards the wooden doll standing next to the wooden pack I had laid out on the ground.

Staring up at me with shining blue eyes I can’t help but think of her like a needy child, or a little puppy.

Narrowing her nonexistent eyelids at me Alice demonstrates her incredible intuition.

[ You are thinking something rude aren’t you! I can see it all over your face. ]

Shit, I really need to work on my poker face. I have been told too many times now that I am terrible at hiding what I am thinking.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Turning away I do my best to keep the grin off my face. “And what kind of weapon would you even be able to use in that tiny body?”

I can feel the glare on the back of my head, but I ignore it.

Alice takes a moment to think things over before smacking her fisted wooden hand on top of her palm.

[ I want a bow. You could make a small one with a lot of power using runes and golemancy, right? ]

Now that has me interested. Turning back towards her I sit down on the ground and pick up the two small sticks I had as leftovers. Ordering the golems to start dismantling the monkey boss I get to work.

I could make a simple small bow but that would be lame in my opinion. Not when I can automate some small things with golemancy.

Pushing the cores into the wooden sticks I begin to craft the image from my mind. The wood slowly bends and flattens, morphing into a tiny wooden crossbow that can fit perfectly in the wooden spirit's hands.

It takes about an hour to complete the whole thing, runes and all. The most complicated part was using one of the tendons from the boss monkey to make a bowstring. I couldn’t use golemancy to work with it because it is from a living creature, and that made cutting and shaping it a whole lot harder.

Eventually though it was done. I even disassembled the broken spear from my earlier testing and turned it into a bunch of tiny wooden arrows. Arrows that could pierce enchanted steel when fired from the golem crossbow that can draw itself.

I must say I am really enjoying the crafting and creation aspects of golemancy. My imagination runs wild with all the things I might be able to do as I get stronger! However my revelry is interrupted by someone else's.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

[ Wow! This is crazy. Normally a weapon like this would be sold at auctions for thousands of gold, but here you are making it out of sticks and monkey bits… ]

“I really am getting a lot of use out of these monkeys, aren't I?”

Nodding at that, I scoop up Alice and put her in the backpack after attaching a small quiver to the side for her.

Finally, we are ready to continue the hunt. I really wish we could go back to the cabin to rest but… Lucadon unilaterally decided that we would get more out of it if we camped out during our hunt.

I am really starting to question how much I can “command” the stupid demon when I never seem to get my way anymore.

Well, at least this forest doesn’t know what winter is. I would have put my foot down harder if The Sea of Trees wasn’t warm all year round. The thick magic and endless tree cover makes the area its own little ecosystem separate from the outer world.

Now it is time to hunt.

----------------------------------------

It had been months since the universal announcement that shook the world. The Demon Lord had returned.

It took some digging but there were some ancient tomes that still contained some descriptions of the last time the Title of Demon Lord was given out. And the stores don’t paint a flattering picture.

Death and destruction rained down upon the lands, many kingdoms fell, and hordes of monsters streamed out of The Sea of Trees attacking everything in sight. The kingdoms of humanity needed to prepare.

And that is why King Alcott was at the conference he was at today.

“This so-called Demon Lord has done nothing in months! I am starting to think that your fear mongering about a terrible threat is nothing more than a delaying tactic. Your kingdom is hoarding the resources from The Sea of Trees and know that your neighbors were rearing to take it from you before this announcement went out.”

“Yeah! How do we even know that this announcement is real? It could be something faked by that crafty oracle of yours!”

And the obnoxious shouts just keep raining down on the young king.

The same complaints have been shouted for months now, but everyone is still too afraid to actually be the first to abandon the temporary alliance that was formed.

Just because the Demon Lord has not done anything yet, does not mean it will sit around doing nothing forever. It had only just gained its Title, so it must be prepping for war and consolidating its strength while everyone here quibbles with each other.

The King of Alcott and The Oracle have stated this to the group many times but logic and reason has never once won out against panic. Especially not for a selfish group of rulers who can only think of themselves.

The King just sighs and looks down at the communication orb that is projecting this space around him and the other representatives of their nations, despite all being far far away from each other.

This nuisance is only going to get worse the longer the Demon Lord does nothing. I know it is a cruel thought, but I wish the monster would hurry up and attack already. Just so I can use this time productively instead of wasting several hours each week. I am already behind on my duties as it is.

Finally the pointless meeting came to a close and the King tapped the large blue crystal in front of him to exit the mind space.

Sighing for the millionth time today the King leans back in his chair rubbing his temples.

“You could really sit in for me at these meetings more often you know? You always nag me about my work but it is your fault I am so behind since you organized this alliance.”

The silver haired woman simply sips her tea from the couch in the King's office, pointedly ignoring the King’s words.

“You just don’t want to deal with how annoying they all are.”

“Correct.”

Sitting up from her relaxed but dignified position the Oracle relays a concerning report she had just received.

“It seems the Tuskan Kingdom can’t keep their greed in check and are back to skulking at our borders.”

The King’s eyes narrow at this news.

That bastard was constantly fanning the flames of disbelief and his conspiracy theories at the meeting today. I can tell he intends to strike soon.

“He can’t do anything while the alliance is in place without being condemned by the other nations. So we don’t have to worry about anything for now. Though if the Demon Lord continues to wait like it has, then I fear the alliance will break and we will have more than just a single greedy kingdom to worry about.”

Nodding at this, the normally stoic woman forms a thin smile on her face.

“Indeed. I am glad to see you are finally starting to think more like a king. Now if only you could catch up on your paperwork.”

The King flinches at that.

“Must you bring up such matters when we are having a serious discussion?”

“How else will you learn, unless you want me to discipline you like I did when you were a child?”

Looking at the woman who doesn’t appear to be a day over 20 despite having looked the same since he was a child. The man pales at the mention of such punishments.

“Please no.”

The woman lets out a light chuckle at that with a devious look making its way onto her face.

Standing up, the woman who is older than his kingdom makes her way to the large wooden doors. Doors made of enchanted spirit wood from The Sea of Trees that borders their kingdom.

“Oh, and your secretary came by saying that Baron Knight would like a meeting with you.”

That has the King stop for a moment. The knight family just lost their only daughter in a tragic accident not too long before the whole Demon Lord issue popped up. He had wanted to offer his condolences but was unable to at the time.

The one time he had met the child she seemed like a kind young girl. It was truly a shame, and the loss is very problematic for the Knight family having lost their line of succession. A callous thought, but one he must consider as King.

“I see, thank you. I have been meaning to speak with him for a while.”

Not replying to the King's words, the Oracle pushes open the doors and leaves the king behind.