In order to collect the required number of Midnight Crystals I need, I used my Sympathy Magic, took a break when my magic power ran out, and then, used my Sympathy Magic again to search…… When I couldn’t find them anymore, I changed mountains and continued searching, making me take two full days to collect the number of Midnight Crystals I required.
At first glance, I might have looked a bit too optimistic about this…… However, if I’m going to make it anyway, I want to make it as good as possible. Compromising with this makes me feel like my feelings for Lilia-san is only to such an extent, so I want to gather the best materials I can, even if the others think I’m being strangely fussy about it.
And now, on the 29th day of the Earth month. As I was feeling a horrible muscle ache all over my body, I came to visit a certain place.
“…… A good wood?”
[Yes. I don’t mean to be rude for barging in on you out of the blue…… but could you please lend me some wisdom? Lillywood-san.]
Yes, I’m currently visiting the forest city called as the largest city in the Demon Realm, Yggfresis…… I’ve come to the place governed by Lillywood-san.
I came here to obviously ask Lillywood-san, who seems to be the most knowledgeable about plants and trees among the people I know, to see if she could find a good wood for the music box.
Hearing my words, Lillywood-san nodded with a gentle smile.
“Of course, I don’t mind…… Let’s see, hmmm. I’m a little embarrassed to say it, but when it comes to wood, I think the “branches of the World Tree” are the best.”
[J- Just the name sounds amazing…… However, why did you say you’re embarrassed about that?]
“No, you see…… It’s like I’m bragging about myself……”
[Bragging about yourself?]
The World Tree that Lillywood-san is referring to is probably the huge tree that rises through the clouds that sits in the middle of Yggfresis.
A tree straight out of fantasy, far taller than a mountain, piercing through the skies. However, I still don’t know why that makes Lillywood-san embarrassed, so I tilted my head.
Thereupon, with a slight blush on her cheeks, as if she was having a hard time saying it, Lillywood spoke.
“……No, ummm, errr…… The World Tree…… is my “real body” after all.”
[……Ehh? Eh? Ehhhhhh!?]
“You see, I’m a tree spirit…… and as a matter of fact, the real Lillywood Yggdrasil is the World Tree. You can think of this me that is speaking to Kaito-san right now, so to speak, is a humanized tree.”
[I- I see……]
In other words, Lillywood-san is a humanoid version of the World Tree, or something like that huh.
Since she couldn’t move in her tree form, she transfers most of her magic power to the spirit body and makes it move by her will, but her real body seems to be the World Tree.
Wouldn’t that mean that the largest of the Six Kings…… isn’t actually Magnawell-san, but Lillywood-san? I mean, that World Tree…… It looks tens of thousands meters tall……
While I am surprised, I am also convinced that it is true. Lillywood-san produces the Fruit of the World Tree on a branch she once grew from her own body. Thinking about that, it makes sense that Lillywood-san is the Spirit of the World Tree.
[H- However, doesn’t that mean I shouldn’t think about that branch?]
“Eh? No, it’s perfectly fine…… If you cut if off anyway, it will just grow back after a few seconds.”
[……I- Is that so.]
It’s easy to forget because of her calmness and her grasp on common sense, but this person is also someone beyond human intellect, and there’s no way that common sense applies to her.
Anyway, I thought I could get a branch of the World Tree with this, but for some reason, Lillywood-san seems to be wavering about something.
“……It’s just that, ummm…… Kaito-san, you’re going to get the branch yourself?”
[I- If it’s possible, I would like to do it……]
“Hmmm. Don’t you think it will be really difficult? But still, do you not mind that?”
[Y- Yes! I’ll do my best!]
I didn’t really know what she meant when she said it would be really difficult, but when I told her that I was going to try as hard as possible for now, Lillywood-san nodded, levitated me with magic, and took me to a thick branch around the middle of the World Tree.
Even though it’s just a branch, it’s the branch of the tens of thousands of meters World Tree….. Frankly speaking, it looks really thick, and just sawing from one side to the other seems painful.
However, as expected, I don’t think I would be able to cut a branch of this size, and just as I was thinking about that, a branch that fits just right appeared…… A branch the size of a Japanese cedar just sprung out like it was normal.
“You can cut this branch. I think this should be enough.”
[Thank you very much. This really helps.]
“Well then, Kaito-san…… Here.”
[This is…… a saw?]
Lillywood-san handed me a golden saw…… This looks like an amazing piece of jewelry, but does that mean I have to cut off the branch with that?
“……It’s an “Orichalcon Saw”.”
[……Eh?]
Orichalcon? Isn’t this like a really amazing thing? Isn’t that like one of the most powerful equipment in games?
“I’ll leave “10 saws” in case it’s not enough. If it isn’t enough, please tell me.”
[……Huh?]
“Well then, I wish you good luck.”
[……Ehh?]
For some reason, Lillywood-san just left me some outrageously ominous words, telling me that she would come for me later and left, leaving me to compare the legendary saw in my hand with the branch of the World Tree.
What is this, I’m kind of feeling like this is something really difficult again……
And thus, that premonition came true, the sky turned to dusk as I struggled against a single branch.
[……I- I can’t cut it…… It’s too tough.]
Yes, I don’t know how long it’s been since I started trying to cut it…… but I’ve already broken four Orichalcon Saws. However, I didn’t even reach halfway through.
After frantically moving the saw dozens and hundreds of times, I finally understood what Lillywood-san meant when she said that it would be really difficult…… because with the time I spent sawing it, I’ve only been able to cut the branch a few inches from where I started.
[I mean, even if I cut this off…… wouldn’t it be impossible to process it with this branch……]
[Ahh, that part’s alright. It’s impossible for Kaito-san to make the branches into wood, so I’ll do that. I’ll adjust the size and cut them into pieces, so Kaito-san will just assemble them.]
[I- I see……]
Hearing Alice’s words as she came out of nowhere, I nodded my head, feeling a bit of despair.
I was thinking that it isn’t necessary to use this outrageous wood…… And since I’m much more familiar with how to use a saw, I should now be able to cut a normal thin wood……
I mean, to begin with, can I at least buy the wood…… No, this won’t do! I decided to make the best I could possibly give to Lilia-san!!! Don’t lose heart with just something like this! Get out of my mind, lazy thoughts!!!
If I’m halfway through in half a day or so…… Wouldn’t that mean I could cut it in half after another half a day more!!!? My manly willpower, burst foooorrrrttthhhh!
[By the way, Kaito-san…… That magic tool knife that produces a blade of wind that you bought in my shop back then…… If you pile that on top of the saw, the wind blade will spread out to the saw and make it much sharper. It’s just a trivia.]
[……Hey? Alice?]
[What is it?]
[Why didn’t you tell me that earlier? I’ve almost cut halfway through, you know? That took me hours, you know? You’ve been watching me for a while, haven’t you? You must be doing that on purpose huh’?]
[……Whoa there, come to think of it, I still have a really urgent meet——- Fugyaaahhh!?]
[Wait…… Before I go back to cutting this branch, we need to talk.]
Catching Alice by the scruff of her neck as she immediately tried to run away, I decided to take a break and give her a sermon.
After that, thanks to the wind-blade strengthened saw, the speed at which I cut the branch has been doubled…… In about six hours, I was finally able to cut it off…… I feel like my arms just died.
[Ugghhh…… Uuuuhhh…… My arms hurt…… It feels as if they’re surrounded by concrete.]
[You worked really hard huh? That’s amazing, Kaito-kun…… However, don’t push yourself too hard, okay?]
I started sawing after feeling muscular pain from mining…… I can’t feel my arms anymore, and I really can’t lift them at all.
When I was working, I was able to fool myself thanks to my motivation, but when I returned to the mansion, I immediately felt the fatigue rush into my body.
As I lie down in her lap, Kuro gently puts her hand on my arm and casts a healing spell on me.
As I felt my stiff arms loosening with her massage, I enjoyed Kuro’s lap pillow.
[……Or rather, even though there’s Body Strengthening Magic, the difficulty of these materials…… It’s too difficult for the normal human me…… However, I have to try my best…… Ughhh, I’m tired.]
[Unnn, it was difficult, isn’t it? The Kaito-kun who is doing your best looks really cool but…… you’ll probably keep on doing this, right? So, how about you just take a break for now.]
[……Yes, you’re right.]
[Don’t worry…… I’ll be right here with you.]
[……Unnn.]
Muttering this, as I felt like I’m able to move a bit more, I put my arms around Kuro’s waist and lightly hugged her.
This is bad, staying like this might turn into a habit…… I don’t know if I should say that I feel relieved when I’m pampered by Kuro, but I felt like she’s very gently catching me with her arms…… My mind and body feel soothed with her embrace, and I know that I’m ready to get back to doing my best tomorrow again.
[Kaito-kun…… I will always be rooting for Kaito-kun…… Do your best.]
[……Unnn, I’ll do my best.]
Dear Mom, Dad——- The second material I needed is wood made from the branch of the World Tree. It was absurdly hard and took an outrageous amount of time, but I somehow managed to obtain it. However, the music box-making process has just begun, and for now, I need to heal my mind and body——— And start doing even better than today.
<Author’s Notes>
Kaito’s always sounding weak and acting spoiled only around Kuro…… Was the lap pillow of a little girl that good!!!?
And also, let me show you the “fan art I received ②”.
It was filled with an outrageous amount of killing intent, directed towards Kaito. Go explode!!!