At the time the movements of Sydnia in Valkyra and Lomaria quieted down, we still made regular visits to the Spirit Tree.
That place that centers around the Spirit Tree changed in appearance with each passing day.
The main actor, the Spirit Tree, has already grown into such a huge tree that you’d have to look up. It uses two layers of concealment, Concealer MD and Perception Inhibitor MD, so the outside doesn’t perceive the location.
Furthermore, creating simple Stone Golems from a rocky mountain, I assembled a file of troops and brought them to that location of the Spirit Tree. I then removed their cores to use the stones.
I changed the form of the stone with Earth magic and Alchemy, and after guaranteeing its strength, I constructed a stone house.
Digging out a cellar with Earth magic, I established a Transfer Gate, connecting it to Volton so we can come freely anytime.
Of course, in terms of security, we’ve registered our magic power so others can’t use the gate.
The house made of stone was constructed with Laeva’s help. It uses tempered glass-like wings of the Great Armored Dragonfly that boast its strength for windows. The interior uses Treant Wood extravagantly, affixed on walls, floors, and furniture like tables and chairs.
「We won’t live here so this much is probably enough.」
「No, it’s more than enough, I believe.」
When I said such as I looked at the stone house that wasn’t different from the mansion in Volton, Sophia looked astounded as she retorted that I overdid it.
In a short amount of time, the exterior of stone house built with free use of magic was covered in an ivy-like plant before we knew it, and it melded together with the surrounding landscape.
While Sophia and I were looking at the completed house, Sophia suddenly started running towards the spring in a panic.
「! Takumi-sama! It’s a sign of a high rank spirit!」
「?! A high rank spirit?」
Unable to understand what she meant, I followed after Sophia.
Catching up to Sophia, we finally reached the spring filled with clean water, when water whirled in the center of the spring and began to well up.
Since I couldn’t sense danger even with Insight Skill, so I decided to watch the development with Sophia.
Before long, the figure of a person began forming in the swelling water.
And what materialized was a beautiful woman wearing a blue dress who appeared to be in her mid-20’s, with blue hair that reached until her waist, and unworldly good looks.
That woman walked over the water as if she were gliding as she approached.
「Wha! ……a high Water Spirit!」
Sophia was so surprised, she froze.
「I am the Water Spirit, Undine. What is your name?」
「…………Takumi Iruma.」
The being Sophia called a high water spirit, who seemed like she were gliding over the water, came before me and talked to me.
Asked for my name, I gave my name to the being called a high spirit despite my nervousness.
「So you’re called Takumi.
Thank you for saving the Spirit Tree. Not only did you save the World Tree seed seized by the undead, you even helped it to bud.」
「……N-not at all, it’s all because Sophia heard the voice of the World Tree seed.」
「Even so, you cleansed this land overflowing with miasma and the spring water that had been corrupted. Changing this land into a sanctuary overflowing with sacred magic power was your influence, you know.」
The High Water Spirit smiled at me proudly.
「U-Undine?!
Great Water Spirit-sama!!」
Hearing the name Undine, the frozen Sophia fell to her knees and bowed there and then.
「Might you be Sophia? You may greet me normally. You helped the Spirit Tree as well, thank you.」
「Y-your words are more than I deserve, this is too great an honor.」
Our other members watching the sudden manifestation of the Great Water Spirit Undine at a distance.
「So, I have something to talk about with Takumi therefore I made an appearance in this place.」
「…… Is it a request?」
A request from a high ranking entity called a Great Spirit, I readied myself for what kind it would be.
「There is no need to be that on guard.
I would like for you to continue continue doing the requests of the Spirit Tree for a while longer.」
Undine’s request was that she wanted our cooperation to make this land a true sanctuary.
Aside from the location of the World Tree in Yggurle Kingdom, land where the Great Spirits like Undine can manifest apparently do not exist. The vicinity of the World Tree is a prominent environment dense in magic power and spirit energy. However, the pride of the elves is high and their disposition of scorning the other races in the shadows is hated by the Great Spirits. And so, they have not manifested for several hundred years.
「We know that the elves honor us spirits. Nevertheless, we spirits exist/live together in Mildgard.」
The influence of the several hundred years that the Great Spirits did not manifest was enormous. Monster nests spread, and the unpurified miasma ruined lands.
Land where people can live in are few in this continent. Undine said that the speed in which land is purified and reclaimed, and the speed in which miasma overflows and monster nests expand are somehow balanced, but the current situation is one where it is unknown when that balance will break.
「And so, a sanctuary carries significance. A sanctuary will be made here, and we Great Spirits will manifest. At first the sanctuary’s influence would affect the land around the sanctuary, but its influence would eventually expand to the entire continent.」
When I asked in what way, it was explained that when the balance of Mildgard tilts to the negative energy, the monster nests enlarge, while monsters increase and become stronger. Conversely, the sanctuary where the Great Spirits live in would turn Mildgard’s energy to a positive, then monster nests and would reduce and strong monsters would lessen.
「If it’s for the sake of the people of this continent, I am willing to cooperate. However, Undine-sama, will you live in these lands too?」
「You can call me Undine. That’s right, I will live in that spring. This land will soon be bustling too.」
Though spirits with the ability to manifest are few, from the way Undine was talking, they’re probably going to increase from here on. The reason being that I was told to construct a smithing workshop.
「This land gathers Water, Earth, Wind, Plant, Light, and Dark Spirits, but Fire Spirits are few.」
It seems Undine wants a place where the Great Spirits of other attributes are able to manifest. At least Great Spirits of three attributes are the condition for a sanctuary. The current state of this place is apparently Sanctuary ( Provisional ).
As a result, in addition to the Spirit Tree’s, we will run about to meet the requests from Undine.
***