Chapter: 18 Small life
We finally came to the base where the Spirit Tree is rooted。
Like the plaza of moss、the surroundings old trees suddenly cuts off away from the Spirit Tree as i looked like a vacant land where the weeds started to grow。
I looked up at the trunk of the Spirit Tree that has grown so big vertically。It has grown isn’t a term that can be used on it though。It is towering all over it’s surroundings so I can’t find any word the could describe its size。
If we tried to encircle its surrounding trunk、I wonder how much time would it take us? Since some of its roots have already come out from the ground as it crawled everywhere then it would take us a considerable amount of time to do that。
「So、what are we going to do here？」
I asked Mistral who is also looking up at the Spirit Tree。
Maybe Mistral is also feeling the grandeur of the Spirit Tree。
「That’s right……For the time being、let’s have a stroll around the trunk while looking at the surroundings」
「EEEHHHHH、around THIS TRUNK！？」
From the situation that I was just thinking about a moment ago、I got a bit pulled out of it。Since if you would think about it then wouldn’t it take us a large amount of time to do that is what I thought about but it would actually take physical strength and time to walk around it。
「Are you really really sure？」
「I’m really really sure」
Mistral radiantly a.s.serted。
「Did we come here for the purpose of looking at the surroundings of the Spirit Tree & its trunk?」
「You’re wrong。It is for the purpose of finding something」
「What are we searching for then?」
「I don’t know、maybe it depends on Ernea」
Well now、I wonder what she meant by it depends on me? Since I’ve only come here for the first time then of course I wouldn’t have lost anything here。
「For the time being、let us go」
She didn’t bother with my doubt as Mistral began to walk。
I followed after her in a panic。
「While were walking、tell me if you feel something strange, okay? For instance、if you’re anxious about the skin of that trunk over there or that branch over there」
The thing that I’m really currently anxious about is this situation。While thinking of that、I started to walk with Mistral while letting my gaze upon anywhere in search of something that will catch my interest。
……I’m not especially curious about anything。
Would it be bad if I’m not anxious about anything?
「Does Mistral often come here？」
Since it would be a waste if we would just walk like this then I talked to Mistral。
Look for the thing that makes you anxious without talking、 is what I thought she would say while being angry but Mistral didn’t seem like she was 。
「Me too、this would be my second time coming here。Each care taker from the past up to now would come here for only once」
「Ohh。So Mistral also hardly comes here。So this place is really an amazing place huh」
「That’s right。Since this is the main place where the Spirit Tree is rooted so this place is really a special sacred place。We would be able to go here if we didn’t have the permission of the old man」
We conversed while looking at our surroundings with curiosity as we kept on strolling。
So this is a really sacred place huh。The atmosphere in here is certainly very clear。I could also feel the overwhelming aura of the Spirit Tree from the side as I feel it’s majestic figure。
Though the Temple that Ruiseine & the others are residing at also has a sacred atmosphere around it but that feels like it was man made。The temple which is made out of stone feels like it has a man made feeling in it。
However in this place、I can really feel the pure sacredness here。I feel like I should never be clumsy in here。
「Mistral can also feel the sacredness of this place after all?」
「Yes、of course。Though the place where the old man is in feels sacred too but this place is more special。This place is where the Spirit Tree with a strong and large amount of vitality and the Dragon pulse can really be felt in here」
「Ohhh。So this place is really an amazing place after all」
I somehow agreed & breathed deeply。
The scene of the early morning here is like time has stopped & the dust that flutters everywhere isn’t in sight which makes this place really feel clean。
When I deeply took a breath、I became totally refreshed。
「At the last time when Mistral came here、what did you do at this place?」
「It’s the same as you today。I was here to look for something」
「No。I didn’t lose anything at this place。Is this a place where things that are lost can be found？」
「Fufufu。You’re entirely wrong。For the time being、just believe in your instincts as you search for something that would tickle your curiosity」
Mistral smiled on me who was inclining my head & she continued to move forward。
「Though I’ll also be cooperating but your intuition will be the most important above all」
「My intuition is more important than Mistral’s？」
「Correct」
For mine to be more important than Mistral’s who excels at me in everything so I’m beginning to be doubtful about this。
While I enjoyed having a conversation with Mistral afterwards、I looked up and down。I looked at the fat roots of the Spirit Tree while also staring at the bark of its trunk & I also concentrated my eyes on the far distant branches in the sky。I would occasionally glance at the direction of the forest of old trees as I strolled。
Though I’m sure that we’ve walked an excellent amount of distance now but since talking with Mistral is fun & I couldn’t feel tired since I’m being filled with strength by the holy atmosphere of this place。
And did I not find anything that’s bothering me is what I muttered as I continued to walk but near my ears、I felt a soft wind like a presence is calling for me。
Since this plaza has nothing but weeds growing here with the exception of the Spirit Tree but a clear wind would sometimes blow at this place。However、I felt that the wind a while ago has a different feeling than a normal breeze so I halted。
What might it be。I feel like someone is stopping me and trying to call for me。
Mistral noticed my change as she also stopped walking near me。
*Fuwari*。
I felt the presence again。
I somehow turned my gaze to the thing that I’m anxious about。
The trunk of the Spirit Tree、that place where the roots of it has stretched out。Ahead of that place which is an open field filled with weeds、there was a single small sapling growing over there。
Compared to the Spirit Tree、it doesn’t feel like a normal sapling。
There were several leaves on the tip of some of it’s branches。There were two cute ivies twisted upon its roots。
「Mistral、that」
I pointed at that small tree。
Mistral turned her gaze at where I’m pointing at。And she showed a surprised expression。
「For such a place to have an infant tree like that……Though I was attentive of the surroundings while looking everywhere but I didn’t notice that at all」
Moreover、Mistral said so while walking to the infant tree。I also walked with her。
「This is exactly an infant tree of the Spirit Tree。This is the first time I’ve ever saw one」
When I & Mistral went near to the infant tree、we crouched down and looked at it。
The height of the small tree is the same as from my feet to my chest while I’m crouching。Its trunk might be thinner than my arms。Its branches would seem to break if a strong wind blew。The several leaves that is desperately clinging to the branches looked lovely。
「Is this small tree the one that you’ve become anxious with in your intuition？」
「Well」
Was it my intuition? I don’t have any good confidence in saying it。
「I felt its soft presence near my ear。Thereupon、I turned my gaze to the place where I felt it and the small tree was there」
To my vague explanation、Mistral nodded which seemed like she’s convinced about it。
「Okay。That’s alright。However、for you to find this one」
Mistral looked at me and the small tree while being deeply moved。
「Then let’s take this home」
「Eeehhh。We’ll be taking this home？」
We’ll be taking this cute small tree home？ Wouldn’t it snap if we did that？ is what I thought while being surprised but Mistral spouted out。
「We’ll properly dig out the roots too and bring it home。With that、this small tree wouldn’t be able to grow more in this place so it would also be for its sake when we bring it home」
「It wouldn’t grow up in this place？」
「Correct。Because the Spirit Tree is in this place。Since it would take up all of the nutrients and the Dragon pulse in this place so the share of this small tree would be gone」
「Is that so?」
The struggle for nourishment。The mother tree wouldn’t hold back since this child tree is in its territory as I realized the strictness and severity of nature’s law。
「Now then、Let’s dig it up and take it home」
Mistral nodded at my decision & we began to dig up the soil around the small tree。
The soil is very soft & it’s really good that our hands wouldn’t hurt even when were just digging it up with our bare hands。
When we dug it up a bit deeper、the roots have already appeared。
Thereupon, Mistral uprooted the infant tree with each of its ivy that is twisted at it from the soil。
「Ernea, return the soil that we dug up back to its place」
Mistral began to take off her coat as she said that。
WaaWaa。I got fl.u.s.tered。Why are you suddenly taking it off! I’ll be bothered if you do it at a place where I can see it。
I averted my glance while in panic、I who was pretending like that, tried to take a glimpse of it。
「Ernea」
Mistral glanced at me with frozen cold eyes。
「You’re really a boy」
Mistral gave off a wry smile。
「Ahahaha」
I also gave off a bitter smile。
Though Mistral took off her coat but there’s another clothes in it that she has worn。Since the hot season has slowly coming now so I thought that she would have only wore a single clothes。
Though I felt a little bit of disappointment but isn’t it good that I didn’t have to avert my glances。Let’s not deeply think about disappointing things。
I re-gripped my senses so I buried the hole we dug up。
Mistral placed the soil and the Small tree in the coat that she took off and poured the remaining water in her flask on it。
When we finished both of our works、we went back to the plaza of moss。
Mistral carefully held and carried the small tree。
Honestly speaking、I felt relieved。
Since、it’s roots has reached the bottom of the soil even if you say its a small tree。It really looked heavy。I think that the I already failed since I’m incompetent。
Though Mistral is a girl is what I’m thinking while feeling useless but a Dragonian like Mistral clearly is more powerful。
When she looked upon me who had a face like I failed on something、Mistral kindly smiled。
「This time、well。Just leave it to me。So just become a reliable man in the future」
Mistral smiled while muttering her fufufu as she saved my soul yet again。Surely someday、I’ll become a man that Mistral would rely on。
I returned to the forest of old trees with my determination and empty hands。
「Hohou。For thine to be able to find a small tree of the Spirit Tree」
When we reported to him after returning to the plaza of moss、Old Sleigstar seemed a bit shocked。
So Old Sleigstar would also be surprised huh。
When Mistral put out the small tree in front of Old Sleigstar、Old Sleigstar got interested and narrowed his eyes as he brought his face up close to it。
「Fuuuuuuuu」
「Aaaahhhh、What are you doing?」
「Old man」
When I thought that he was just gazing at it closely、this grandfather。He suddenly breathed like a gale at the infant tree。
It blasted on the infant tree and it got blown off。It flew up to the edge of the forest of old trees。
Mistral & I were in panic as we went to pick up the infant tree。
「Kakaka。You two have gotten closer it seems」
He didn’t appear to be worried about the frantic me and Mistral as Old Sleigstar looked at us and pleasantly laughed。
This isn’t a situation where you should be laughing。
We chased the infant tree and protected it。
It’s good that it’s safe。There wasn’t even a single wound on the infant tree。Even a single leaf didn’t fall。The ivies on the root is safe。It seems to be a strong child。
I held and carried the infant tree and returned to the plaza。
「Ernea。Return for today after leaving the infant tree there」
As Mistral returned to the plaza、she unsheathed the one handed lacquer black rod。
「Wa、waitwaitwaitwait。Do not jump into a hasty conclusion。Thine should be able to understand one’s own if thine converses with one’s own」
He is panicking as his feet began to make a commotion、Old Sleigstar was fl.u.s.tered。
That is the consequence of your deeds。Even I too am looking at Old Sleigstar with white eyes。
Other than that、I wouldn’t be able to go home without Old Sleigstar’s s.p.a.ce transfer magic。
「Old man、transfer Ernea first of all。We’ll be having our slow conversation afterwards」
Mistral slammed the one handed rod at the ground while saying so。
So-、SO SCARY。
Old Sleigstar withdrew his face、as he still obediently tried to transfer me as he kneaded the Dragon ki。
After I placed the infant tree at some distance、I was teleported by the s.p.a.ce transfer magic。
I was wrapped in a shining gold light。
Before I closed my eyes from its brilliance、I saw Old Sleigstar who was running away and the approaching Mistral。
……Let’s not make Mistral angry from now onward。
Inside the light、I determined that decision of mine。