It was a quiet night, in a room in a large wooden inn. I was lying on my bed in the room assigned to me, thinking.
I guess that’s to be expected, but Lilia-san and the others were still acting strange at dinner.
On the surface, they were acting like normal, but from the emotions read by Sympathy Magic, I could feel quiet determination from Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san, and mixed emotions from Sieg-san.
It seems that Rei-san and Fia-san will also participate in the hunting tournament, but the two of them also have something in their mind, and I’m feeling something’s out of place behind their cheerful appearance.
I’m sure the reason for that is due to the reward for this tournament…… The Fruit of the World Tree.
A mysterious fruit that is said to heal all wounds, there must be something big behind why they reacted like that to that fruit.
Whatever those reasons are….. I may be curious about it and I’d also like to know, but I don’t think it’s a good topic to barge myself in, since I’ve only known her for a month or so.
That said, I don’t think I’ll get an answer if I’m just thinking about it by myself like this.
(Should I tell you about it?)
As I agonize over my unanswered questions, a voice echoes in my head.
……I appreciate the thought, but I think it would be unfair to ask Shiro-san that, but I’m thankful for your concern.
(I see. By the way, Kaito-san. Please hold out your palms up and in front of you.)
When Shiro-san offered to give me the answer, I gently rejected it.
Thereupon, Shiro-san doesn’t seem particularly bothered as she quickly changed the subject.
My palms up and in front of me? I wonder why?
I didn’t really understand why, but I followed her words and held out my palms up and in front of me, and after my palm momentarily lit up, a small white ball about 1cm in diameter appeared.
(I’m giving this to you.)
What is this? It just looks like a white marble to me, but since it was Shiro-san who gave it to me, is it something special?
Or rather, why is she giving this to me now?
(Sorry, it’s late, but I’ve decided that our previous meeting in the temple was an event. So, this is my present.)
……Shiro-san. You too huh…… I mean, I should have expected it huh. Shiro-san was the one who taught Kuro those strange information after all.
W- Well, putting that aside, what is this?
(A magic crystal.)
It seems that this orb is a magic crystal.
Mhmm, I’m honestly happy to hear that. I’ve been getting used to magic lately, and although I’m still not able to create my own magic techniques, I’ve been able to use the magic that Kuro taught me without any problem.
So, I think it’s really good timing since I wanted to make a simple magic tool on my own as well.
The white color means that the magic crystal isn’t that pure, but since I’m still starting out, t’s probably better to just use this level of purity. I’ll gratefully use this.
(I’m glad that you like it. Well then, I’ll be off.)
It seems that as she talked to me so that she could give me this, Shiro-san stopped our conversation right there.
Thanking Shiro-san in my heart, I put the magic crystal I received in the magic box.
(Just doing it with Kuro is unfair, so please go on a date with me next time.)
……Huh? What the, Shiro-san? What are you suddenly saying…… Wouldn’t having a date with the God of Creation, Shiro-san be something really outrageous for me to do?
I asked her back, surprised at the words she said in the end…… but she’s not replying anymore.
When Shallow Vernal finished her conversation with Kaito in the hanging garden in the Garden Realm, Chronois, who happened to visit the hanging garden on her errand and was waiting for Kaito and Shallow Vernal to finish their conversation, approached.
[Shallow Vernal-sama. May I ask what you talked about with Miyama?]
[We had an event, so I gave him a present.]
[A present……? Miyama is fortunate to receive this from Shallow Vernal-sama. If you don’t mind, may I ask what it is?]
[A magic crystal.]
[Hoohhh, that is…… And how pure is it?]
When Shallow Vernal said that she had given Kaito a present, Chronois was quite surprised, and asked her what her present is, to which Shallow Vernal simply replied.
[I dunno?]
[……W- Why did you tilt your head in that question?]
[That’s something I “created”, so that one doesn’t have the concept of purity.]
[……S- Something you created? U- Ummm, what kind of magic crystal is that……]
When she heard Shallow Vernal saying that it was “created”, she understood that she created a magic crystal that’s different from the ones currently existing in the world, so Chronois was really anxious when she asked.
[……………..]
[Ummm, Shallow Vernal-sama?]
However, Shallow Vernal didn’t respond to her words, ignoring Chronois, a table and chairs appeared before she started to drink tea.
[With that item, “he won’t die”.]
[……Die? Are you talking about Miyama? Does that mean something is going to happen?]
[He will be injured. But whether it will be a serious injury or a minor one is still uncertain.]
[……Is it alright even if you didn’t warn him about it?]
Shallow Vernal possesses power that can be described as almost omnipotent, and is naturally capable of predicting the future. However, the future that she saw is one of the many possibilities, uncertain and shifting, and Shallow Vernal herself described it with the word “uncertain”.
However, as for the part about Kaito getting injured, she spoke about it with certainty, so Chronois asked, judging that it’s a future that is almost certain to happen.
[Even if I were to warn him, Kaito-san would still act the same way.]
[……Is that so.]
For Chronois, Shallow Vernal is her absolute master, and she will not dispute her decision.
And the fact that Shallow Vernal is unwilling to give any more details about it is something that she can immediately understand as her long time servant, and she doesn’t ask any more questions.
[Also, I’m going to the Human Realm sometime soon.]
[……Huh?]
[I will be going on a date with Kaito-san.]
[P- Please wait a moment!? If Shallow Vernal visits the Human Realm, all hell will break loose……]
[I’ll leave it to you.]
[Wha-!? Y…… Yes. A- As long as Shallow Vernal-sama wills it……]
Receiving Shallow Vernal-sama’s unconcerned words, Chronois twitched for a bit but she just bowed her head.
The one who drew the short end of the stick this time is the God of Time and Space again……
As Chronois had her head in her hands, Shallow Vernal slightly smiled as she sipped her tea and looked into the distance.
Because of the conversation I had with Shiro-san, I couldn’t fall asleep, so I went out of the inn to catch some night breeze.
It’s the night before the Sacred Tree Festival, but the night in Rigforeshia is a quiet one, and the cold wind feels good on my cheek.
As I lay in the night breeze for a while, I heard a faint sound coming from the back of the inn.
When I became curious about the sound and went around to the back of the inn, I found Lilia-san silently wielding her sword there.
[……Lilia-san?]
[Eh? Kaito-san? What’s the matter? For you to be awake this late in the night.]
[No, I just couldn’t sleep for some reason…… Lilia-san too, are you training your swordsmanship?]
[Yes, just for a while……]
She’s probably lying. The atmosphere around her doesn’t look anything like “just for a while”.
Has Lilia-san been swinging her sword here ever since we finished dinner?
Why would she go to such lengths? I want to know. I want to ask her what exactly is happening.
However, I’m sure that would be an act of delving into the depths of Lilia-san’s heart. It’s not something I should ask just out of curiosity or any kind of trivial reason like that……
If it’s something I shouldn’t be listening to, all I can do is support Lilia-san. Lilia-san has always been a kind person who has taught us many things, and the only thing I can do for her now is……
After gathering my thoughts in my head, I removed the black necklace around my neck and held it out to Lilia-san.
[Lilia-san, here.]
[Isn’t this the necklace Kuromueina-sama gave you? Why are you holding it out to me?]
[This necklace has been imbued in Search Magic by Kuro. I don’t know much about magic yet, but I thought it might help you in the hunting tournament…… You’re aiming for victory, right?]
[……Thank you very much.]
I thought that if they were going to hunt in the forest, looking for prey, it would be useful if they have Search Magic in hand, so I handed her the necklace Kuro gave me.
Lilia-san looked a little puzzled, but after a little while, she took it and said her thanks.
[Well then, I’ll go back to my room. As for the tournament…… please do your best.]
[……………….]
Unable to say anything else, I turned away and was about to go back to the inn after I said what I needed to say to Lilia-san, but right after that, I heard a small voice from behind me.
[Kaito-san, may I have a few minutes of your time?]
[Eh? Yes, I don’t really mind……]
[……It might sound unpleasant, but I’d like you to keep me company and hear a bit of my past.]
Her voice was quiet, I could somehow feel preparedness from her.
It seems that Lilia-san is going to tell me about it. The story of Lilia-san and this year’s prize, and the history behind it……
Dear Mom, Dad—— the night of the day I came to Rigforeshia arrived. Under the moonlight—– I’m about to know about Lilia-san’s past.
T/N: 2/9… Last one for the day.