It was a quiet night in a room at a large wooden inn. I was lying on the bed in the room assigned to me, deep in thought.
I guess it’s to be expected, but Lilia-san and the others were still acting strange at dinner. On the surface, they seemed normal, but through Sympathy Magic, I could sense 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 seemed to have something on their minds. Behind their cheerful facades, there was a sense of unease that didn’t sit right.
I’m sure the cause of this tension has something to do with the reward for the tournament… The Fruit of the World Tree.
A mysterious fruit said to heal all wounds—there’s definitely something significant behind their reactions to it.
Whatever their reasons are… I’m curious, and I’d like to know, but it doesn’t feel like a topic I should pry into, especially since I’ve only known them for about a month.
That said, if I just sit here and think about it, I’m not going to get any answers.
(Should I tell you about it?)
As I agonize over my unanswered questions, a voice echoes in my head.
……I appreciate the thought, but it feels unfair to ask Shiro-san about it. Still, I’m grateful for the concern.
(I see. By the way, Kaito-san, please hold your palms up and in front of you.)
I gently rejected Shiro-san’s offer to answer my questions, but she didn’t seem bothered.
Instead, she swiftly changed the topic.
My palms up and in front of me?
I’m not sure why, but I decided to follow her instructions. I held my hands up, and after a brief moment, my palms lit up. A small white ball, about 1cm in diameter, appeared in my hands.
(I’m giving this to you.)
What is this? It just looks like a white marble, but since it’s from Shiro-san, it must be something important, right?
And more importantly, why is she giving it to me now?
(Sorry it’s late, but I decided that our previous meeting at the temple was an event. So, this is my present to you.)
…Shiro-san. You too, huh… I guess I should’ve expected it. After all, she’s the one who taught Kuro all those strange things.
W-Well, putting that aside, what exactly is this?
(A magic crystal.)
It seems this orb is a magic crystal.
Mhmm, I’m honestly glad to hear that. I’ve been getting the hang of magic lately, and while I’m still not able to create my own magic techniques, I’ve been able to use the magic Kuro taught me without any problem.
So, this is perfect timing, especially since I’ve been wanting to make a simple magic tool myself.
The white color indicates that the magic crystal isn’t entirely pure, but since I’m still just starting out, this level of purity is probably better for me. I’ll gratefully put it to use.
(I’m glad you like it. Well then, I’ll be off.)
It seems that, after saying this to pass the orb to me, Shiro-san wrapped up the conversation right there.
I silently thanked Shiro-san and placed the magic crystal into 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 saying all of a sudden…? Wouldn’t going on a date with the God of Creation, Shiro-san, be a little too outrageous for me?
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 of the God Realm, Chronois, who had been waiting nearby on an errand, approached after seeing that the conversation had ended.
[Shallow Vernal-sama, may I ask what you discussed with Miyama?]
[We had an event, so I gave him a present.]
[A present…? Miyama is fortunate to receive something from Shallow Vernal-sama. If you don’t mind, may I ask what it was?]
[A magic crystal.]
[Hoohhh, I see… And how pure is it?]
When Shallow Vernal mentioned giving Kaito a present, Chronois was quite surprised and immediately asked about the gift. Shallow Vernal responded casually.
[I dunno.]
[……W-Why did you tilt your head when answering?]
[That’s something I “created,” so it doesn’t have the concept of purity.]
[……S-Something you created? U-Ummm, what kind of magic crystal is that…?]
Upon hearing that it was something Shallow Vernal had “created,” Chronois quickly realized that the crystal was unlike anything that currently existed in the world, and her anxiety grew as she asked for more details.
[……………..]
[Ummm, Shallow Vernal-sama…?]
However, Shallow Vernal didn’t respond. Instead, she ignored Chronois completely, and a table with chairs appeared before her. She then began drinking tea, as if nothing had happened.
[With that item, “he won’t die.”]
[…Die? Are you talking about Miyama? Does that mean something’s 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 that you didn’t warn him about it?]
Shallow Vernal possesses a power that could be called almost omnipotent and, as such, is naturally capable of predicting the future. However, the future she sees is one of many possibilities—uncertain and constantly changing. She herself describes it as “uncertain.”
But when it comes to Kaito getting injured, she spoke with certainty, so Chronois, understanding this as a highly probable outcome, felt the need to ask.
[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 does not question her decisions.
The fact that Shallow Vernal is unwilling to provide any further details is something Chronois understands without needing to be told—her long-time servant knows better than to press her for more.
[Also, I’ll be heading to the Human Realm sometime soon.]
[……Huh?]
[I’m going on a date with Kaito-san.]
[P-Please wait a moment!? If Shallow Vernal visits the Human Realm, all hell will break loose…]
[Leave it to you.]
[Wha-!? Y… Yes. A-As long as Shallow Vernal-sama wills it…]
Chronois flinched slightly at Shallow Vernal-sama’s nonchalant words but ended up bowing her head.
Once again, the one stuck with the worst end of the deal is the God of Time and Space…
As Chronois buried her face in her hands, Shallow Vernal sipped her tea, a faint smile playing on her lips as she gazed into the distance.
Because of the conversation I had with Shiro-san, I couldn’t fall asleep, so I decided to step outside the inn for some fresh night air.
It’s the night before the Sacred Tree Festival, and while Rigforeshia is usually quiet at night, the cold wind feels refreshing against my cheek.
I stayed there for a while, enjoying the breeze, when I heard a faint sound coming from behind the inn.
Curious about the noise, I walked around to the back and found Lilia-san quietly wielding her sword.
[…Lilia-san?]
[Eh? Kaito-san? What’s the matter? Why are you awake at this hour?]
[No, I just couldn’t sleep for some reason… Lilia-san, are you training your swordsmanship?]
[Yes, just for a little while…]
She’s probably lying. The atmosphere around her doesn’t feel like “just for a little while.”
Has she been swinging her sword here since we finished dinner?
Why would she go to such lengths? I want to know. I want to ask her what’s going on.
But I’m sure that would mean probing into the depths of Lilia-san’s heart, and that’s not something I should do just out of curiosity or for some trivial reason…
If it’s something I shouldn’t be overhearing, all I can do is support Lilia-san. She’s always been so kind to us, teaching us countless things. The only thing I can do for her now is…
After gathering my thoughts, I took off 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 handing it to me?]
[This necklace has been imbued with Search Magic by Kuro. I’m not too familiar with magic yet, but I thought it might help you in the hunting tournament… You’re aiming for victory, right?]
[…Thank you very much.]
I figured that if they were going to hunt in the forest and search for prey, having Search Magic would be useful, so I offered her the necklace Kuro had given me.
Lilia-san seemed a bit confused at first, but after a moment, she took it from me and expressed her thanks.
[Well then, I’ll head back to my room. As for the tournament… please do your best.]
[……………….]
Not knowing what else to say, I turned away and started heading back to the inn after offering my words of encouragement to Lilia-san. But just as I was about to leave, I heard a quiet voice behind me.
[Kaito-san, may I have a few minutes of your time?]
[Eh? Yes, I don’t mind at all…]
[…It might be unpleasant, but I’d like you to keep me company and listen to a bit of my past.]
Her voice was soft, but there was an unmistakable sense of resolve behind it.
It seemed Lilia-san was about to share something with me. The story of her past, and the history behind this year’s prize…
Dear Mom, Dad—The night of my arrival in Rigforeshia had come. Underneath the moonlight—I’m about to know about Lilia-san’s past.
T/N: 2/9… Last one for the day.