A few days had passed since the investigation began. I spent that time watching Ielo-san and the others as they moved about busily.
Finally, Ielo-san gathered us in the lounge of the inn to deliver his report.
「To start with the conclusion, it is just as Master-sama said. The Superior Yggdrasil currently lacks the strength to produce a manifestation.」
「…Wait a moment. How did you know that?」
「Ah… I will tell you about that later. So, what exactly is the situation?」
Had she not heard about it from Hayato? Or perhaps Hayato was being considerate of me?
If I said right here that I somehow went to the realm of the gods and heard it directly from her older sister, the conversation about the Spirit Tree would be completely derailed. I told her I would explain later, but I wondered if I had already told Wendy and the others. This feels like it might cause a bit of trouble.
「This is only a guess, but it seems the decrease in spirits has had a major impact.」
「…Which means the earth lacks sufficient power.」
「Hmm. Is it hungry? Then it cannot find any strength.」
In other words, because the spirits have decreased, the earth is no longer receiving enough nutrients….
Just as Shiro said, it is difficult to produce a manifestation when one is starving.
「Simply put, that is the case. To be more specific, it is lacking Earth-element magic power and vitality. As for magic power, many Elves possess Earth-element magic, so we can manage that somehow. However, finding something that matches the vitality of the earth is quite difficult. For now, our only choice is to try restoring it with magic power and see how it goes.」
「That is all we can do…. Mii. You can use Earth-element magic, right? Help them out.」
「Yes, nanodesu!」
「I can use it toossu! I think I can be of great help! Master will be fine with it too, right!」
「Yeah. I have a large supply of magic power recovery potions, so I will cooperate.」
If magic power is all that is needed rather than specific spells, then leave it to me.
It is time for the magic power ball I received from Eliodart to make its appearance.
「We cannot use Earth-element magic, but is there anything else we can do?」
「Hmm… Let me see. I would like materials from golems or monsters that dwell underground. I believe we can supplement at least a small amount of vitality with those.」
Can vitality be supplied in that way?
It makes me wonder if one must capture monsters alive and drain their life force… No, that sounds gruesome once I imagine it.
Yes. If materials can solve the problem, it is better to handle it with materials.
「Golems… If that is the case, there was a dungeon nearby. I believe I recall golems being on the lower floors.」
「Then we shall head there. Shiro, you come too.」
「Hmm? Shiro will stay by Master’s side——」
「Whether you are there or not changes our efficiency entirely. My lord will be fine if we leave Shion behind.」
「Oh? Am I being left out? Ah, no! This means you trust me enough to leave the m’lord in my care!」
「Is it not simply because you are the weakestssu?」
「Is that reason not too cruel!? Can we not just stick with trusting me to handle it!」
And so, those with an aptitude for Earth-element magic, the non-combatants, and Shion remained behind, while the other combat-oriented members headed for the dungeon. However, before that…
「Well? What is the meaning of this?」
「…U-Um.」
「Now that I think about it, you mentioned talking to my ane-sama directly, did you not? Was it again? Are you meeting her frequently?」
「Well, it was again, but it is not as if I can meet her of my own will. I do not know the reason myself, but every now and then, my spirit is sent to the realm of the gods…」
「Eh, Itsuki-san. You can go to the world of the Goddesses?」
「Mmm… I can go, but it feels more like I am being taken there? Like I just end up there…?」
It is difficult to explain something to others when I do not even understand it myself!
Furthermore, explaining that my spirit goes to that world while my body remains in this one makes it even more complicated!
「Wendy-san, Wendy-san. Did you know about this?」
「Yes, well… I heard that Atros cooperated with him when I was captured…」
「Oh… What about you, Mizera-san? Is there a chance this is all just the m’lord’s delusion…?」
「I… Come to think of it, he mentioned before that Reidianna-sama told him directly that the skills of Half-Elves only seem to grow slowly because their lifespans are long compared to Humans.」
Ah, the story from when I went to the church for advice.
That was when Reidianna-sama was stuffing her face with Paripari Choco Vanilla, and I thought to myself that I wanted to become a silver spoon.
「Oh… So it is not that you took some dangerous substance here in the Elf village.」
「What exactly do you think of me?」
「No, but you are saying something quite far-fetched, you know? It is only natural to suspect you might have taken some strange medicine.」
…Well, I can understand why you would say that.
Even I might think that a person who says 「I was meeting with a Goddess!」 is someone I should probably avoid getting involved with…
「A-Anyway, I do not quite understand it myself, but I had an opportunity to go to the Goddesses’ realm, and Atros-sama told me about it then.」
「Sigh… I see. From ane-sama… …Did she seem to be doing well?」
「Yeah. But she did seem rather bored.」
「Fufu. Serves her right.」
Emily smiled with a complicated expression, though she seemed to be in a slightly better mood.
While she appears to get along with her older sister, Atros-sama, she evidently still has her own thoughts on the matter and looked satisfied to hear about the current situation.
「By the way, you did not happen to lay a hand on my ane-sama, did you?」
「Emily? That is a rude way to speak to Itsuki-san.」
「But he is the man who laid hands on Wendy-sama so quickly, you know? Just how many lovers does he have now…?」
「True… I also heard that he has partners like that other than his lovers.」
Hey, Letty, wait a second. Who did you hear that… Wendy? Wendy-saaan? Not just Mizera, but Sorte and the others too? Hmm? Why are you all looking away? Just how much do you talk about during your girls’ chats!?
「Well, I am joking. Ane-sama is quite oblivious to such things. If you even mention anything suggestive, she gets all red-faced and flustered, so there is no way, right?」
「Eh? No, she was actually quite proactive, or rather, like a beast… Ah!」
「…You are certainly easy to read.」
Damn it, she tricked me!
She did not even look triumphant; she was laughing because I was such an easy target!
If I had thought about it for a moment, I should have realized she was lying!
As expected of Emily… she is a scholar and a woman of wisdom, so I cannot let my guard down!
「Master… Not content with being a seducer of mortals, you have become a seducer of gods as wellssu…」
What on earth is a ‘seducer of gods’?
Mizera told me recently that I seduced the spirits, and now it is the gods…? Seducer is such a scandalous word… I have never once thought about seducing anyone.
「As expected of my lord… We have no choice but to accept it as something to be proud of.」
「Indeed. If he even seduces the gods, then it is not a level where we can compare ourselves…」
「People, spirits, and gods. He seduces them all. He is invincible against Beastkin. Lord is the strongest.」
Shiro lifted me up with a look of joy, but I did not feel happy at all…
Um, Wendy-san?
It was a spiritual body. It was only a conversation between spirits, you see?
My physical body was right here, so it should not count… though it did not exactly feel that way either.
「Ahaha. That is just like Itsuki-san!」
「Why do you look so happy about this, Hayato…」
「Because you did not just meet a Goddess, but you are favored by her as well! Itsuki-san truly is amazing!」
「So you care about that more than the reason why I was able to meet her…」
「Hayato-sama occasionally becomes strange whenever it concerns onii-san, nanodesu…」
Do not look at me with such suspicious eyes.
Do not give me that same look you gave me at the Alchemy Guild when we parted ways after we first met.
「L-Look, shouldn’t Hayato and the others be heading out soon? I have packed your Magic Bags with recovery potions and the like, so make sure to fill them with plenty of materials on your way back.」
「He is dodging the question.」「He is dodging it, nanodesu.」「He dodged the subject, didn’t he?」「I wonder if he really thinks he can distract us.」
「Now, now. We really do need to hurry, so let us all get ready and head out.」
They are harsh… Hayato’s party members are truly harsh.
Hayato is the only one who is willing to let me get away with it…
「Well then, shall we be off?」
「Shiro. I am counting on you to take my place in the Red Linessu.」
「Hmm. Leave it to me-rolin.」
「You have taken a liking to that lately, haven’t you? Even though you refuse to eat the Makacelorin itself.」
「It is easy to say. Leaves are bitter and do not taste good.」
It certainly had a very strong and distinct flavor, so I can see why Shiro would dislike it even more than most.
「Now, I have received the Magic Bag from my liege. Is everyone ready?」
「Hmm. I will gather more than Hayato and the others.」
「Is it a competition? Well, we shouldn’t have any trouble with golems, so it sounds like fun.」
And so, we split into two groups to take action for the sake of the Superior Yggdrasil.
Even so, Atros-sama said that we could resolve this with something we already possess, but I wonder what I should use?
Will the magic power ball alone be enough to manage it?
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