Prologue

My name is Chelsea. I’m the adopted daughter of Margrave Sargent and the fiancée of His Highness Prince Glenarnold, the younger brother of the king of Chronowize.

After awakening to the new Skill [Seed Creation] on my twelfth birthday, I was rescued from the abusive barony where I had been born and brought to the Royal Research Institute to become a research fellow. [Seed Creation] was a unique Skill that let me create any seed I wished for. I could easily replicate seeds that already existed, but creating entirely new ones required me to first prepare a detailed blueprint.

Not only could I make seeds that filled one’s belly or enriched the world, but I could also create ones capable of killing. Knowing this potential danger, I made a promise to Lord Glen never to use my Skill to harm others. It was also decided that I would work alongside Lord Tristano, son of Marquis Forium, dedicating ourselves to studying my Skill.

After planting the Spirit Tree Seed I’d developed during our research, my life became far more eventful than I ever could have anticipated. I became the contractor of the Spirit King Element, was targeted by the Worshippers of the Proxy, Driven by Envy, and began traveling across the world, planting Spirit Tree cuttings in hopes of one day meeting the true Proxy herself.

“What should I do...?” I muttered, sitting in my quarters—a reward for becoming a research fellow. Just then, Cyril and Root appeared, sharing Cyril’s small floating cloud.

Cyril was a Nightmare, a young girl with powers related to dreams. She kept her bangs long and wore a hood to hide her gender, an effect enhanced by her baggy top and bottoms. She traveled around on the cloud she created with her Nightmare abilities. Root was a Communication Spirit who looked like a little boy. He wore green pants and a purple hooded shirt that stopped under his chin. Butterfly-like wings sprouted from his back, and he was almost always flying around.

Both spirits were only about the size of my thumb and remained invisible to most people, though I and a few others could see them.

“What’s wrong, Chelsea?” Cyril asked.

«Are you worried about something, Lady Chelsea?» Root added.

The two, who had become good friends before I even realized it, peered into my face expectantly.

“Actually... Lord Glen wants me to give him a necklace-shaped seed...” I said with a frown, explaining what had me so troubled.

Until now, most of the seeds I made fell into two categories: seeds that produced immediate effects when planted—like trees that bore cookie-filled fruit or ones that grew into treehouses—and seeds filled with liquid that took effect when consumed, such as the Elixir Seed that healed Emperor Royz of the Radzuel Empire or the mana restoration seeds. But recently, I had created a new kind of seed—one that activated its effects simply by being worn. To protect my personal maid, Gina, from poison, [Charm], and other status ailments, I’d designed a seed that took the form of a necklace. It looked like a real accessory, crafted to resemble metal and gemstone, so it wouldn’t draw attention when worn. I later made a similar necklace for my fellow researcher, Lord Tris. When I gave it to him, Lord Glen, who happened to be present, mentioned that he would like one as well.

It was rare for Lord Glen to ask me to create anything for him. If possible, I wanted his to be different from the ones I’d made for Gina and Lord Tris.

“I’ve been trying to decide what design to use...” I confessed.

As I spoke, Root tilted his head. «Why do you want to make his present different?» he asked.

“B-Because I... Um...”

While I struggled to put my feelings into words, Cyril grinned. “It’s because she doesn’t want to see her fiancé wearing something that matches someone else’s! Chelsea’s got a maidenly heart, you know!”

My face instantly flushed red when she said it so directly, while Root gave her a blank look, tilting his head once again.

«What’s a maidenly heart...?»

“Don’t worry about it, Root. It’s too complicated. The important thing is that Chelsea wants to make him something special!”

A special gift... Just hearing it put so bluntly made my cheeks burn even hotter. I nodded, pressing my hands against my face.

Then Root suddenly gasped. «If you want it to be special, maybe it doesn’t have to be a necklace at all?»

He had a point. I’d made the necklaces to suit Gina’s needs, blending into her usual appearance. There was no reason I had to stick with the same design for Lord Glen.

“What about a ring, or a bracelet?” Cyril suggested, pointing first to the ring on my right hand, then to the bracelet on my left wrist.

The ring was a magic tool that Lord Glen had given me to mark our engagement; it would automatically cast defensive magic to protect me in times of danger. The bracelet, a gift from Ele, was crafted from a Spirit Tree branch and connected to my special storage space in the Spirit World. By simply willing it, or whispering to it, the assigned Spirits could retrieve or store items for me.

“A ring would feel a little too serious,” I said shyly, glancing at my engagement ring, “but a bracelet might be perfect.”

“Besides that...you could make him an earring, an ear cuff, or maybe even cufflinks,” the little Nightmare continued, pointing first to her ear, then to her wrist.

Now that I think about it, anything wearable could work... Which only made it harder to choose.

While I fretted, hand on my chin, Root fluttered off Cyril’s little cloud and hovered in front of me. Flapping his wings, he used both hands to draw a big square in the air.

«If it were for me, I’d want a seed that looked like a cookie and smelled nice and sweet! I’d carry it with me everywhere!» he said, miming holding the imaginary cookie before nuzzling it and inhaling deeply, savoring its nonexistent scent.

Seeing this, Cyril gave him an exasperated look. “A cookie your size wouldn’t even count as an accessory. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to eat it. Could you really carry something that smelled that good without eating it?”

Root froze, clearly struck by the thought, then shook his head vigorously. «I could never stand it if I couldn’t eat it!»

Seeing his reaction, Cyril sighed, and I couldn’t help but giggle.

+++

A few days later, I visited the Chief’s office at the Royal Research Institute. It was about the same size as my laboratory, furnished with a wide desk and chair near the window, and a set of sofas and a low table near the entrance. Bookshelves lined both side walls, crammed with books and research materials.

I sat across from the Chief on a three-seat sofa and asked, “What did you want to speak with me about?”

Lady Clementina, a marquise and the Chief of the Institute, was also a mother of three grown children. She had always looked after me kindly.

“Now that you’re an adult, I was wondering if you might be interested in going out on an inspection,” she said.

“An inspection...?” I repeated, tilting my head in confusion.

She nodded. “The Royal Research Institute sends staff each year to inspect research facilities and observation sites across the kingdom. Since you were underage before, you weren’t eligible.”

“I see.”

“Which brings me to the point,” she continued. “I’d like you to inspect the observation team at the Karya Megaflora Cluster.”

I vaguely remembered hearing of a place by that name in the Bazrack Duchy, on the eastern side of the kingdom.

“It’s an area where plants have grown to enormous sizes due to an overabundance of mana,” Lady Clementina explained. “The Royal Research Institute has been monitoring it for years, watching for any changes in the plants or the environment.”

Plants growing massive from excess mana? Her description caught my attention. “Um... Wouldn’t an overabundance of mana usually cause the soil to rot?” I asked, recalling what Lord Glen had taught me.

“You’ve studied well,” Lady Clementina said with a bright smile. “Normally, too much mana in the soil would cause it to rot and turn swamp-like. But somehow, the plants in the Megaflora Cluster grew massive instead. We still don’t understand why.”

“What a strange place...”

“Each year, we send a researcher specializing in plants to conduct the inspection,” she continued. “Tristano has handled it for the past few years. However, due to his current circumstances, he had to decline this time,” she said with a sigh.

I gave a wry smile, immediately understanding why.

During our visit to the Holy Country of Celesark, Lord Tris had formed a contract with Halnark, the Spirit of Water. Halnark had appeared to protect the Spirit Tree cutting we planted there, and she couldn’t be away from it for more than half a day until it fully matured. As a result, Lord Tris, though still a researcher at the Royal Research Institute, now lived beside the Spirit Tree and commuted daily to the Institute through our Spirit Tree network. Because a Spirit and its contractor couldn’t normally be apart for long, Lord Tris was limited to spending only half a day at a time in the royal capital, making the ten-day carriage journey to the Karya Megaflora Cluster impossible.

“So when I asked who should take his place, he insisted it had to be you.”

Why me...? I wondered as she continued.

“Given what the Karya Megaflora Cluster is like, he thought seeing the massive plants firsthand might inspire you to create new seeds. I agree; it would be a valuable opportunity for you. What do you think?”

Inspiration for new seeds... Hearing her words reminded me of a visit to my friend Lady Noel Wisteria’s home. After seeing the Venus flytraps in their botanical garden, I had created a seed for a giant Venus flytrap, imagining a plant that could capture monsters. Drawing inspiration from things outside my encyclopedias and textbooks always helped me imagine new kinds of seeds. This inspection would no doubt help deepen our study of the [Seed Creation] Skill.

“Please, let me do the inspection!” I answered resolutely, clasping both hands together.

The Chief smiled warmly. “I’m glad you’re so enthusiastic. Since this will be your first inspection, you’ll be accompanied by someone experienced—someone who’s conducted inspections there before. And, one more thing...”

She rose from the sofa, crossed to the bookshelves lining the right wall, and pulled out a thick stack of documents. Returning to the table, she set the pile down carefully in front of me.

“Here’s the inspection guide. If you have any questions while you’re reading through it, you can ask Tristano.”

The cover read Inspection Guide (Karya Megaflora Cluster Edition). I picked it up and gave her a firm nod. “Understood. I’ll read through it right away.”

“You’ll be departing in ten days. The inspection is expected to take about six days, including an extra day to allow for any unexpected delays. I’ll contact you again once we have more detailed arrangements. I’m counting on you, Miss Chelsea.”

“Okay!”

Carefully hugging the inspection guide to my chest, I left the Chief’s office and headed toward my personal laboratory, located on the same floor of the Research Institute. The lab was furnished simply; a dining table I used as a desk, four chairs, a three-seat sofa, and a low table. Through the window, I could see the sparkling, crystalline branches of the Spirit Tree.

Setting the guide down on the dining table, I took a seat and began flipping through its pages.

Just as I started, Ele appeared in his silver-furred cat form.

«You look quite pleased,» he said, his low voice resonating in my ears. When in cat form, only Spirits, their contractors, and those with certain special Skills could hear anything beyond his usual meows.

“I’m being sent on an inspection to the Karya Megaflora Cluster as a researcher,” I said, smiling.

Curious, Ele floated across the room and landed on the table across from me. «The Karya Megaflora Cluster? I do not believe I have ever heard of it.»

“It’s a place where all the plants grow to enormous sizes,” I explained, pointing to the page I had opened.

It showed an illustration of a researcher standing beside a colossal tulip.

“If this picture is accurate,” I added, spreading my arms wide to mime the size of a petal, “you could probably make a cradle out of one of these petals.”

Ele’s jaw dropped in shock. «I have seen places where plants grew to twice their normal size, but never anything towering over humans. To think such places still exist today...»

“So there are places even you don’t know about,” I said, surprised. It was rare for Ele to be unfamiliar with anything.

Ele pouted. «Of course there are places I do not know. I spent ages away from this world. Most places have different names now.»

“I see.”

Ele, the Spirit King, had once brought prosperity to the world alongside Sakura, the Proxy of the creation god. However, when his vessel, the Spirit Tree of Origin, was burned down under certain circumstances, he had been forced to return to the Spirit World. It wasn’t until many years later, after I planted the second Spirit Tree of Origin, that he regained his vessel and returned to our world. I’d never asked exactly how long he had been away, but it was likely several thousand years.

“Are you going to come with me to the Karya Megaflora Cluster for the inspection?” I asked.

Just like Hal, who stayed near her Spirit Tree in Celesark, Ele was bound to protect the Spirit Tree of Origin near the Royal Research Institute. Thanks to Lord Glen’s Barrier, the tree was impervious to damage or fire, and since it had fully matured, Ele could leave it unattended for longer periods.

Still, he shook his head. «It has not been very long since I returned from Celesark. If I leave the tree alone too long, it will sulk, so I will stay home this time.»

I glanced out the window toward the Spirit Tree. Though there was no wind, its branches shook as if protesting. The Spirit Trees had wills of their own; it seemed to have overheard our conversation and was pleading for Ele not to leave. It was almost like an upset child.

“I guess there’s no helping it, then,” I said, stifling a giggle.

«Ah, that reminds me. Have you told Glen about your plans yet?» Ele asked, crossing his small, furry arms.

“No, not yet.”

Before, Lord Glen and I had met daily for study sessions—part lessons, part tea parties—to help expand my mana pool. But after I completed my studies and my mana reached an ordinary adult’s level, those meetings ended when I turned fifteen. Now that I lived in the royal family’s quarters instead of the Research Institute’s dormitories, we shared breakfast together every morning. I’d considered visiting Lord Glen’s office to tell him about the inspection, but I worried I would only disrupt his work.

“I’m planning to tell him tomorrow at breakfast,” I said. At my answer, Ele sighed softly.

«Be sure you do,» he said, a hint of worry in his voice, before settling down on the table, curling up like a cat for a nap.

Seeing him like that, it was hard to believe he was the Spirit King. Smiling, I gently stroked his back, then turned my attention back to the inspection guide and resumed flipping through its pages.

+++

The next morning, after getting ready, I made my way to the dining hall in the western wing of the royal quarters.

“Good morning, Lord Glen.”

“Good morning, Chelsea.”

When I entered, Lord Glen was already seated at the table. I took the seat across from him just as Miss Micah, my foxwoman personal chef, arrived with our breakfast.

“Today’s menu is Japanese food~!” she announced cheerfully.

She placed before us steaming bowls of wakame seaweed miso soup, boiled spinach seasoned with soy sauce, seared white fish fillets, rolled omelets, and triangular rice balls wrapped in nori. Seeing the array of his favorite dishes, Lord Glen’s eyes lit up with joy.

“Enjoy your meals~!” Miss Micah sang out before leaving the room.

“Thank you for the meal,” we said, bringing our hands together in gratitude.

After offering a silent prayer to the earth gods, we began to eat.

I started with a sip of miso soup, the warmth spreading through me and naturally drawing a soft breath of relief. Then I picked up a piece of the seared fish with my chopsticks. Lately, I had gotten used to using them and could neatly split the fillet into bite-sized pieces.

Across the table, Lord Glen was already digging into his rice balls, a blissful smile on his face as if thanking fate itself for letting him be born into a world where this food existed. Judging by his expression, they must have been filled with his favorite chopped katsuobushi.

Ingredients like seaweed, miso, and katsuobushi could only be produced in a certain region of the Radzuel Empire, so it was rare for us to enjoy this kind of “Japanese food.” I made sure to savor every bite.

Once the after-meal tea was served, I straightened up, gathering my courage.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” I said, nervousness making my heart pound.

Sensing my seriousness, Lord Glen raised a hand, dismissing all the maids, attendants, and knights from the dining room.

“U-Um, it’s not anything so urgent that you needed to clear the room...” I protested, flustered.

But Lord Glen simply shook his head and smiled. “Don’t worry. I just wanted to be alone with you.”

He stood from his seat across from me and moved to the chair beside mine, scooting closer until we sat side by side. Tilting his head slightly, he gave me his full attention.

“So, what is it you wanted to tell me, Lucy?”

Hearing him say my nickname in such a disarmingly sweet voice made my heart flutter and my cheeks burn. My deepening blush only made Lord Glen smile more warmly as he waited patiently for my answer. Knowing this wasn’t the time to get flustered, I took a small, steadying breath and looked him straight in the eyes.

“I’m being sent out on an inspection as a researcher for the first time. I’ll be away from the capital for a while,” I said, managing to get it all out in one breath.

The happiness on Lord Glen’s face instantly faded. He fell silent for a moment, resting his hand thoughtfully near his mouth, before asking carefully, “You wouldn’t happen to have been assigned to the Karya Megaflora Cluster, would you?”

“Yes, I have,” I replied with a nod. A look of relief immediately washed over him.

“Thank goodness,” he said with a soft laugh. “I’m actually on the inspection team for the Karya Megaflora Cluster too.”

“Really?!” I cried out in shock.

He nodded. “It seems the Chief was considerate enough to arrange it.”

“I’m so glad we’ll be going together, Lord Glen,” I said, clasping my hands together in happiness. But as I spoke, his expression shifted, his smile turning into a slight pout as he stared intently at me.

Did I say something wrong? I wondered, mentally replaying my words in a panic. As I tilted my head in confusion, he finally spoke, sounding just a little sulky.

“You’re not going to call me by my nickname, Lucy?”

“Ah!” Realizing I had called him “Lord Glen” out of pure habit, I rushed to correct myself. “...Arnie.”

The moment I said it, he gave me a smile so sweet it made my heart skip a beat.

“I’m so happy I got to hear you call me Arnie first thing this morning,” he murmured, savoring the moment. Then, without warning, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.

Our faces were so close we could feel each other’s breath. It all happened so suddenly that I froze in place, my gaze darting everywhere but at him. Meanwhile, he stared directly into my eyes...those aqua eyes that seemed to draw you in, framed by dark blue hair the color of the night sky and an angelic face I couldn’t look away from, no matter how much I tried. The longer I stared, the redder his face grew.

“Uh... It’s a little embarrassing when you look at me like that for so long...” he whispered, turning his head away bashfully. Even his ears were bright red. Despite him being a man, I couldn’t help but find him utterly adorable.

Just then, a polite knock sounded from the door, followed by the voice of Lord Glen’s attendant.

“It is almost time, my lord.”

“It’s already that late, huh...” Lord Glen said with a reluctant sigh. He turned back to me, held my gaze for a moment longer, and then pressed a light kiss to my cheek.

The instant I realized what he’d done, my face went up in flames.

“Let’s work hard today too,” he said with a chuckle, his own cheeks still faintly pink.

I nodded back at him several times, feeling as red as a ripe tomato.

1. Departure

The day of our departure for the Karya Megaflora Cluster had finally arrived.

In preparation, I’d read through the inspection guide cover to cover, pestered Lord Tris with every question I could think of, and done everything possible to ready myself. For anything not covered in the materials, I was instructed to rely on Lord Glen, who had prior experience with inspections there. Accompanying us as a guardian knight was (shockingly!) my biological cousin and Deputy Commander of the Second Order of Knights, my brother Marx.

My brother Marx had a long and storied history of missing all my major trips. When I went to the Radzuel Empire, he’d been tied up with a high-priority mission only he could handle. When I traveled to the Martec Republic, he was away on a monster subjugation expedition. During my visit to the Holy Country of Celesark, only female knights had been permitted to accompany us, making it impossible for him to even volunteer. Even for smaller journeys, like the overnight lodging trial and my visit to Lord Glen’s territory in the Snowflake Duchy, he had been trapped by other obligations so immovable that it sometimes seemed like someone was intentionally keeping him away.

Thinking back on it now, I could still picture how he came barreling into my lab the moment he learned he could finally accompany me somewhere, practically radiating joy...

“I’ll finally get to accompany and protect Chelsea—now my sister—on her travels!” he had declared. “When I first met her, she was so small and frail I worried she might break with just a touch. Even though she wasn’t yet my sister back then, I felt a knight’s instinctive urge to protect her! And after we discovered she was my cousin and she was adopted into the Sargent Margraviate as my little sister, my desire to protect her grew even stronger; not just as a knight, but as her family—as her older brother...”

...And he had just kept going, and going, until eventually, his fiancée—Stacey, who also served as his aide in the Second Order of Knights and would soon become my future sister-in-law—had to physically drag him out of the room.

Smiling at the memory, I glanced out the carriage window. There was my brother Marx, riding his horse beside us, proudly guarding the carriage. When he caught me looking, he beamed at me with a bright, almost boyish grin.

“Marx looks really happy,” Lord Glen said with an exasperated sigh from his seat across from me in the carriage. “I heard he also caused quite a scene in your lab.”

“Yes, he did. But it made me happy to see how much he cared,” I replied with a small giggle as Lord Glen gave me an unreadable look.

“Lucy, if he’d heard what you just said, I’m pretty sure he would have started monologuing again.”

“Quite possibly,” I agreed, giggling at the thought of Marx happily rambling on again.

The carriage rolled out of the royal capital, heading east. As we passed through the gates into the first regional capital on our route, I suddenly heard cheers from outside.

Puzzled, I leaned out the window and saw a large “WELCOME” banner strung up across the street. People lined the roadside, waving flags and hands enthusiastically at our carriage.

As I sat there in shock, having never experienced anything like this before, Lord Glen chuckled. “They’re all celebrating the fact that you’re here.”

“Huh?” I gasped. Me? Not Lord Glen, a member of the royal family...but me?

Our plan was simple: pass through the territory on our way to inspect the observation team at the Karya Megaflora Cluster. As nobles, we would stop for some shopping to support the local economy, then receive a formal greeting at the lord’s manor before spending the night.

Is there some other reason they’d welcome me like this? I wondered, tilting my head in confusion.

Sensing my puzzlement, Lord Glen pulled a map of the Kingdom of Chronowize from his Item Box and unfolded it.

“You remember how you were received while traveling through the western territories on your way to the Sargent Margraviate, Radzuel Empire, and Martec Republic, right, Lucy?” he asked, circling the western region of Chronowize on the map.

“Yes. Since I was still a minor, they only held a simple, alcohol-free dinner party for me.”

The territory lords’ families in each region had warmly welcomed me, sympathizing with how exhausting it must have been to travel long distances by carriage.

“And when you visited the Holy Country of Celesark in the north, and the Snowflake Duchy, my own territory in the south, you received warm receptions there as well, didn’t you?” Lord Glen continued, circling the northern and southern regions on the map.

Listening to him point each place out, I realized this was my first time traveling to the eastern side of the kingdom.

“The truth is,” he said, “the lords of the eastern regions have been petitioning strongly for a visit from you, Lucy.”

I understood that they wanted to welcome me simply because the east hadn’t had the chance yet. But why me specifically? I still couldn’t quite grasp it, and I tilted my head in confusion.

Seeing this, Lord Glen smiled kindly. “Lucy, you’re a research fellow—the highest rank at the Royal Research Institute. You’ve received titles from both the Radzuel Empire and the Holy Country of Celesark, and you were even given an alias in the Martec Republic. Even without being the fiancée of the king’s younger brother, you’re already a highly important figure in the kingdom.”

I had three titles: “Savior of the Radzuel Empire,” granted by Emperor Radzuel and Micah’s adopted father, Lord Royz; “Friend of the Grand Saintesses,” from the three Grand Saintesses of Celesark; and “Grand Saintess of Cherry Blossoms (Hidden),” bestowed by Sakura, the First Grand Saintess and the Proxy. I also had an alias, “The Saintess of Abundance,” which the Martec Republic had given me after I revived their barren lands.

“Old, young, male, female, noble, commoner... All kinds of people want some connection to you,” Lord Glen said with a wry smile. “To be honest, it’s been especially bad since you returned from Celesark. A flood of young nobles and merchants’ children have been petitioning to become your personal guardian knights or maids.”

“Arnie, could the reason you’ve been so busy lately be because of that...?” I asked.

He nodded. “Not only have I been handling matters related to my territory and trade, but I’ve also had to deal with endless complaints about who gets assigned to work near you.”

“I’m so sorry for causing you so much trouble...” I said, feeling guilty. I hadn’t realized any of this was happening.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Lucy. It’s part of my duty as the king’s younger brother, and honestly, it gives me a good opportunity to assess the nobility.”

Hearing that, I felt a bit relieved.

That evening, a grand garden party was held at the regional lord’s manor, with a formal meal as the main event. Large round tables were set up across the gardens, each surrounded by men and women dressed in extravagant outfits. The guests included not only the lord’s immediate family, but also his extended relatives, local nobles, and their families—far more people than I had ever imagined.

“Don’t worry. Only this party and the one in the Bazrack Duchy will be on this scale,” Lord Glen whispered to me before we took our seats.

He had arranged things so that we would only attend large parties in select territories, explaining that constant grand events could risk my health. Knowing he had gone to such lengths in the mere ten days before our departure warmed my heart, and a natural smile rose to my lips.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

He responded with a smile and a nod, as if to say, “Think nothing of it.”

Once we were seated, the people at our table began introducing themselves. As the evening went on and more dishes were served, others from across the garden came by to greet us as well. Some I recognized from our engagement announcement, while others were new faces. I stumbled a little over my words, struggling to keep track of everyone, but Lord Glen was always there to quietly remind me of their names and backgrounds. Thanks to his support, I was able to enjoy the party without any trouble.

+++

Stopping to rest at the manors of local lords in each territory we passed through, and occasionally at inns in smaller towns, we eventually arrived at the capital of the Bazrack Duchy, home to the Karya Megaflora Cluster. Like the royal capital, it was a fortified city enclosed by high walls, with a castle-fortress built on elevated ground to the north.

“We need to pay our respects to Duke Bazrack first, right?” I asked, recalling what the guidebook had said.

Lord Glen nodded with a smile. “He usually conducts his affairs from the castle, so that’s our first stop.”

“Oh, right. But why is the capital of the Bazrack Duchy built like a fortress?” I wondered aloud. At that, Lord Glen’s expression grew more serious.

“Because the duchy borders the eastern sea, it’s always been vulnerable to attacks from marine monsters. A few generations ago, a royal family member was appointed as governor of this region and had the city fortified to protect its citizens. At least...that’s the official story,” he added with a chuckle. “The truth is, he adored his wife so much that he built the walls and erected powerful barriers just to ensure her safety. Monster defense was more of a convenient excuse.”

“They must’ve had an incredible bond.”

“They were also highly skilled in magic. Even today, the duchy is filled with ancient magical texts thanks to their legacy.”

As we chatted, the carriage rolled through the heart of the city and passed through the gate leading into the northern fortress. Not long after, it came to a halt before the castle.

“Let’s go,” Lord Glen said, offering his hand as he helped me down.

A row of servants stood in front of the castle entrance to receive us. Standing at the center of the line was none other than Duke Bazrack.

“Your Highness, Prince Glenarnold. Lady Chelsea. Welcome to the Bazrack Duchy—or should I say, welcome home, Your Highness?”

Lord Glen grimaced. “I’m fairly certain I made it clear that we’re visiting as Researcher Glen and Research Fellow Chelsea... So why are you personally here to greet us, Your Grace?”

Traditionally, when hosting someone of higher rank, the head of the household was expected to greet them at the entrance. But Lord Glen had sent word ahead, requesting to be treated as a regular researcher, not a royal.

“And would it not be strange of me not to greet my own nephew upon his arrival?”

“I suppose the absence of your entire family from this reception is your idea of a compromise, dear uncle?”

“Your understanding is appreciated,” Duke Bazrack said with a wry smile, earning a small sigh from Lord Glen.

“Well, nothing to be done about it now. Let’s skip the formalities if we can.”

At Lord Glen’s request, the duke gave a nod and raised his hand in a subtle gesture. Instantly, the servants sprang into action—some heading back into the castle, others unloading our luggage from the carriage, leading the knights away, or taking their horses to the stables.

Watching them move with such quiet efficiency, I couldn’t help but be impressed.

“We may not receive as many guests as the royal palace,” Duke Bazrack explained, “but the castle still sees its fair share of visitors. The staff is well accustomed to it.”

I nodded in understanding as Lord Glen extended his hand to me.

“Shall we?”

“All right.”

As soon as I placed my hand in his, he gave it a gentle squeeze. Startled, I looked up at him, only to see him grinning mischievously, like a boy who’d pulled off a harmless prank. Duke Bazrack, meanwhile, watched us with a warm, amused smile.

After passing through a spacious entrance hall that opened up like an atrium, we moved into a corridor lined with paintings of landscapes. Though I didn’t recognize any of the scenes, each canvas stirred something strangely nostalgic in me. They were so captivating, I found it hard to look away. We continued down the hallway until we reached a parlor.

“Your trip must have been tiring. Please, have a seat,” the duke said as we entered.

A maid began preparing tea while Lord Glen and I were shown to a three-seat sofa. Remembering the guide’s instructions, I knew I needed to formally announce our arrival and length of stay.

Taking a steadying breath, I spoke. “The team assigned to inspect the Karya Megaflora Cluster’s observation unit has arrived safely. We’ll be staying in the duchy for six days, including today and our departure day. We look forward to working with you.”

Lord Glen gave me a small, approving nod, and Duke Bazrack smiled warmly from across the table.

“I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I heard you and Glen would be handling the inspection, Miss Chelsea. I’ve had rooms prepared for you both here in the castle. Please, make yourselves at home.”

Wait... Here in the castle? According to the guide, the inspection team was supposed to be based in a detached building to the east. Were our rooms and the team’s base going to be in separate locations?

Confused, I tilted my head slightly, and Lord Glen spoke up.

“As I mentioned when we arrived, we’re here as researchers from the Royal Research Institute. We’d prefer to stay in the same detached building the research team used last year.”

While Lord Glen wore a serious expression, Duke Bazrack responded with a barely suppressed smile. “What? Am I not allowed to prepare rooms for my son and his fiancée?”

I blinked. Son...? But Duke Bazrack is the younger brother of the previous king, and Lord Glen is the younger brother of the current one. That wouldn’t make him the duke’s son, unless...

“Since when have I been your son, Uncle?” Lord Glen sighed, his tone turning casual.

“You were as good as one, back then,” Duke Bazrack said with a chuckle, the same teasing tone I’d heard His Majesty use when speaking with Lord Glen. I couldn’t help smiling.

“Glen lived here for a time when he was young,” the duke explained, clearly speaking to me now. “At three, he regained the memories of his past life and could already read, write, and do arithmetic without issue. The royal family occasionally produces children like that—either reincarnated or just unusually brilliant, so no one questioned it. But there was concern among the nobility. If word spread, some might demand he be made crown prince instead. To avoid sparking a succession crisis, he left the palace under the pretense of recovering from illness and came here.”

The duke’s eyes softened with nostalgia. “As a boy, Glen spent every spare moment in the library, poring over magic books.”

I pictured the adorable five-year-old Lord Glen I’d once seen in one of Cyril’s dreams, and I could easily imagine how cute he was at three.

“Thanks to that time here, I was able to master magic,” Lord Glen said, an indescribable look on his face. “I’m grateful for it.”

Duke Bazrack smiled. “Knowing you since you were that small, you’re like a son to me. So please, use the rooms in the castle.”

With that gentle but firm tone, it was clear there would be no refusal. Lord Glen let out a long sigh.

“You’re just like my brother, Uncle. Once you make up your mind, there’s no talking you out of it... Fine. We’ll stay.”

“Thank you very much,” I added with a small bow, doing my best to stifle my laughter.

“I’m sure you’re tired from the journey. Please rest until dinner. Tonight’s meal will be a small gathering with just my family. You’ll be dining in the castle’s main hall, while the rest of the inspection team will eat in the eastern building. But don’t worry; you’ll all be served the same dishes. I hope you’ll enjoy it.”

With that, Lord Glen and I left the parlor.

Once we were back in the hallway, a middle-aged butler was waiting for us.

“Allow me to show you to your rooms.”

“Please do,” Lord Glen replied politely.

With a respectful bow, the butler led us to the eastern wing of the castle’s second floor.

“This room here is for Your Highness,” he said, indicating the first door, “and the young lady’s room is just two doors down.”

It seemed our rooms were separated by a single room in between.

“I’ll see you later, Chelsea,” Lord Glen said with a gentle wave before stepping into his room.

Following his lead, I walked down the hall and entered mine. The first thing I noticed was the large bed, its delicately embroidered blanket a soft, subdued color.

“Thank you very much for preparing such a lovely room for me,” I said sincerely.

The butler smiled. “If you need anything, please ring the bell inside. I will return to escort you to dinner when it is ready.” With a neat bow, he quietly shut the door behind him.

Realizing this would be my home for the next six days, I couldn’t help but feel a little thrill of excitement. I wonder how things are laid out... There were two more doors inside, one on each wall. The one on the left led to a dressing room, which itself branched into three more doors—a walk-in closet, a bathroom, and a toilet.

Curious, I opened the door on the right. Inside was a spacious room with a large table and two chairs. There were also two more doors—one that led back into the hallway, and another that seemed to connect to Lord Glen’s room.

But what is it for? Just as I was wondering about its purpose, the opposite door opened and Lord Glen peeked in.

“Huh?”

We both jumped in surprise at seeing each other and let out startled gasps, then promptly burst into laughter. He didn’t seem to have expected to see me either, because his jaw dropped.

After the moment passed, I asked, “What is this room for?”

“It’s a dining room,” he explained. “Except on nights like tonight, when we’re invited to dine elsewhere, we’ll be eating together here.”

“So we’ll have our meals together... I’m glad,” I said, smiling. Lord Glen nodded, clearly pleased.

+++

After removing my travel clothes, I took a long bath to wash away the fatigue of the journey. Once I was clean, the maids assigned to my room helped me change into a simple, unadorned dress. With everything in place, I settled onto the sofa and waited quietly until a knock at the door signaled someone’s arrival.

The same middle-aged butler who had shown us to our rooms stepped inside and bowed politely. “Dinner will be served shortly. I have come to escort you.”

I nodded in acknowledgment and followed him out into the hallway, where Lord Glen was already waiting for me.

“Shall we go together?” he asked, offering his hand.

“Yes,” I replied, taking it as we walked side by side.

“This way to the dining room,” the butler announced, opening a door.

Inside, we found Duke Bazrack already seated, along with three others—a poised woman who I assumed was the duchess, a young man around Lord Glen’s age, and a petite woman who appeared slightly older than me.

After a maid showed us to our seats, the duke made the introductions.

“Glen already knows them, so let me introduce you, Lady Chelsea. This is my wife, Lala; my granddaughter’s husband and the future duke, Seigrett; and my granddaughter, Euphoria.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lala Bazrack,” the duchess said, sitting with elegant posture. You could tell she had been the duchess for years, because she gave me a smile with no openings whatsoever.

“I’m Seigrett Bazrack, the future duke. Please, feel free to call me Seigrett.” Though he had married into the family, his warm smile bore a strong resemblance to the duke’s.

“My name is Euphoria Bazrack. I’d be honored if you called me by name as well,” she said.

Lady Euphoria was small and graceful, with a delicate air. Her gentle, almost enchanted smile gave her the charm of a blooming flower... Or rather, she smiled with a sort of spellbound look on her face. She didn’t resemble either her grandfather or grandmother, so she must have taken after her late parents.

I would later learn that Duke Bazrack had two sons. His eldest died young from illness, and Euphoria’s parents had both passed away in a carriage accident when she was still a child.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” I said with a nervous smile. “My name is Chelsea Sargent. Please, call me Chelsea.”

At that, Lady Euphoria clasped her hands as if in prayer, gazing at me with a look of delight.

“At last... I’ve finally been granted an audience with my angel. I’ve dreamt of this day for so long...”

“Angel?” I echoed, tilting my head in confusion.

She had spoken the words like a sigh, her voice full of emotion. I wouldn’t have found it odd if someone called Lord Glen an angel—with his deep navy-blue hair like the night sky and those mesmerizing aqua eyes—but she had been looking at me, not him.

“Lady Chelsea, you’re like an angel to me. You saved my life when I was on the brink of death,” Lady Euphoria said, blushing softly.

Lord Seigrett gave a solemn nod. “It was thanks to the seed you created, free of side effects, that Euphoria recovered fully without any lasting damage. Since then, she’s referred to you as her savior—her angel.”

Duke Bazrack and the duchess nodded in agreement.

“We are deeply grateful. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”

Their sincere gratitude filled me with warmth. “I’m just glad you made a full recovery,” I replied with a smile.

Lady Euphoria beamed, and Lord Seigrett gently placed an arm around her shoulders. Watching the two of them so close, I noticed the matching brooches they wore. Each featured a design of a bird and a flower.

Maybe I could make something matching for Glen and me... I thought idly to myself.

“Now then, let’s eat,” said Duke Bazrack.

We all bowed our heads in thanks, first offering our thanks to the earth gods, then Lord Glen and I quietly added a private thanks for the meal.

The dinner was a feast of beauty and flavor: spoonfuls of shredded cheese and chopped nuts served in perfect bites, canapés with cherry tomatoes arranged like tiny flowers, a rich corn potage, tender herb-grilled lamb, a colorful diced vegetable salad, and for dessert, peach jelly paired with a light apple mousse. Each dish was as exquisite in taste as it was in presentation. It made me wish I could eat it all again.

As we were finishing dessert, Duke Bazrack suddenly spoke.

“Ah, I nearly forgot to mention. On the fifth day of your stay, we’ll be hosting a formal gathering with the local nobility. Please make arrangements to attend.”

“If it’s the day before our departure, we should still be able to complete our inspection work,” Lord Glen said thoughtfully. I nodded in agreement.

“Please be careful during your investigation,” the duke added. “And take care not to get hurt.”

With those parting words, our dinner came to a close.

2. The Inspection Begins

The next morning, after getting ready, I entered the dining room to find Lord Glen already seated.

“Good morning, Lucy.”

“Good morning, Lord Arnie.”

Since we were alone, we used each other’s nicknames. Just that small exchange made me both happy and a little bashful—I couldn’t help but smile. Lord Glen must have felt the same way, because he returned my smile with one that was enchantingly sweet.

Breakfast was simple but satisfying. It consisted of bread, salad, bacon, omelets, and a consommé soup. We sat across from each other, gave our thanks, and began eating. Lord Glen started with his soup, while I quietly thanked the earth gods and took a bite of the salad. The lettuce was crisp and refreshing, dressed in a tangy orange vinaigrette that made it especially tasty.

“Let’s go over our plans while we have a quiet moment,” Lord Glen said.

I quickly swallowed the bite in my mouth and nodded.

The inspection was scheduled to span six days. The first day had been our arrival, and the sixth would be our departure. That left three full days for fieldwork, with one extra day reserved as a buffer—for rest or in case of unexpected travel delays.

“So, what’s planned for our second day here?” Lord Glen prompted.

Recalling the itinerary from the guide, I answered, “We’ll be visiting the village where the Karya Megaflora Cluster observation team is based. We’re to introduce ourselves and check in on anything the team might need, either for their research or their day-to-day living.”

He nodded with an approving smile. “Exactly. Since you’re likely still recovering from the journey, we’ll keep things light and return to the castle once we’ve had a look around. What about day three?”

“Tomorrow’s our day off,” I said, “and I’ll be accompanying Lady Euphoria.”

Lady Euphoria had requested the outing during dinner the night before, hoping it would serve as practice for her future role as duchess. I didn’t know where she planned to take me or what we’d be doing, so I’d simply have to find out tomorrow.

On the fourth day, we would review the observation team’s data and conduct a field inspection inside the Karya Megaflora Cluster itself, observing the team’s work with the massive plants firsthand.

When I explained that plan, Lord Glen nodded. “Good. All in line with the guide. And our fifth day?”

“Normally, we’d return to the Cluster in the morning for a final inspection, followed by a party to recognize the observation team’s efforts,” I replied. “But this time, we’ll be attending a different event—the party for the local nobility. So we’ll be preparing for that instead. What about the observation team’s party?”

“They’ll still hold it,” Lord Glen said. “We just won’t be attending.”

Relieved that the team’s celebration wouldn’t be canceled on our account, I let out a quiet sigh.

After breakfast, Lord Glen and I made our way to the eastern building, where the guard knights were staying. As we stepped into the garden, my brother Marx was the first to rise, followed by the rest of the knights lining up behind him.

“Morning, Chelsea,” he greeted with a grin, flashing his teeth.

“Good morning, Marx,” I replied, smiling back.

“Looks like everyone’s ready,” Lord Glen said. “Let’s head out.”

With that, we made our way to a structure beside the eastern building. Inside was a large teleportation circle, easily twice the size of the one at the Royal Research Institute. According to the guide, this circle would take us directly to Karya Village, located on the edge of the Megaflora Cluster.

I couldn’t help but wonder aloud, “Couldn’t we have a teleportation circle that connects directly from the Royal Research Institute to the Cluster, like the one that takes us outside the fortress to the research fields?”

Lord Glen gave an awkward smile. “The amount of mana required to activate a teleportation circle depends on how far you’re trying to go. The greater the distance, the more mana it takes. If we made a circle connecting the Institute straight to the Cluster, it’d require more mana than most people can handle.”

I realized then how easy it’d always looked when Lord Glen and Lord Tris used those circles. I’d completely forgotten that they required mana at all.

“I see,” I said, nodding as we stepped onto the circle and prepared for departure.

Once Lord Glen, the four knights (including Marx), and I were inside the teleportation chamber, Lord Glen spoke. “I’ll handle the activation for our trip there. Marx, I’ll leave the return trip to you.”

“Understood,” my brother replied with a firm nod.

“Everyone, hold on to one another,” Lord Glen instructed, offering me one hand while his other gripped his sheathed sword. I took his hand so we wouldn’t be separated during the teleportation, and he gave mine a gentle squeeze in return. Each knight touched their own sheathed sword to Lord Glen’s. Once he confirmed we were all connected, he tapped his heel three times against the floor to activate the teleportation circle.

A bluish-white light enveloped us, and when it faded, the white walls had transformed into ones made of wooden planks. We had arrived, and I exhaled in relief. The knights removed their swords from contact with Lord Glen’s and moved to guard the doorway, opening it cautiously.

I started to release Lord Glen’s hand, but he tightened his grip, holding on. I gave him a questioning look, wondering if we were really going to walk out hand in hand. In response, he smiled and led me forward, fingers still intertwined.

Outside, a large group of people had gathered.

“Welcome to Karya Village!”

“We’ve been expecting you!”

An elderly man with deep smile lines and a younger man in the Royal Research Institute’s uniform stepped forward, while the rest bowed respectfully.

“Mayor, Captain, everyone—it’s been a while,” Lord Glen said with a courteous nod. “This time, I’ve come as an aide to Chelsea, the research fellow leading this inspection. I look forward to working with you all.”

It seemed the old man was the mayor of the village, while the man in the uniform was the observation team captain.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, stepping forward. “I’m Chelsea. This is my first inspection, so there may be things I’m still unfamiliar with, but I look forward to working with all of you.”

They responded warmly, saying they were eager to work together.

“Well then, shall we begin the day with a walk through the village, as usual?” the mayor asked. “I’ll guide you today,” he added, gesturing for us to follow.

As we walked, he explained more about Karya Village. It had originally been founded by people who were fascinated by the enormous flora of the Megaflora Cluster, long before the Royal Research Institute began its formal observations.

“Over here is the housing for the observation team members and their families,” the mayor said, gesturing to a modest set of buildings. “And this is our school, taught by retired researchers and former team members.”

Following the mayor’s gesture, I looked toward the building he indicated. It was a small but sturdily built school, with children playing energetically nearby. Having never attended school myself, the cheerful sight of the children filled me with a kind of wistful warmth.

We continued down a road lined with shops and workshops until, beyond the edge of the forest, a massive structure came into view.

“Those are the animal stables,” the mayor explained.

“Animal stables...?” I echoed, puzzled.

Stables that hold animals, not horses? Then I remembered a brief mention in the guidebook, something about a special kind of animal used for transportation within the Karya Megaflora Cluster. What kind of animal could it be?

I tilted my head in curiosity, and Lord Glen chuckled. “It’ll be quicker to show you than explain it. Let’s head there next.”

“Okay,” I said, nodding, and followed the mayor toward the stables.

As we entered the stable, my eyes widened at the sight before me. A massive creature with large ears, a long trunk, and soft, light-pink fur—almost the exact color of my own hair—was staring right at us. It resembled the elephants I’d seen in encyclopedias, but this one was far, far larger. It had to be the size of a two-story house.

“This is a Pink Mammoth,” the mayor explained. “It’s a species that exists only within the Karya Megaflora Cluster.”

The enormous creature gracefully lifted its trunk and waved it in a gesture that looked surprisingly like a gentleman’s greeting. It moves like a person! It must be really smart.

“The Pink Mammoth has an innate understanding of the entire Megaflora Cluster,” Lord Glen added. “It helps us navigate through it.”

As if it understood his words, the mammoth lifted and lowered its trunk in a nod-like motion. I stood frozen, mouth slightly agape in shock, until Lord Glen gently tugged on my hand.

“We should get you acquainted with it now so you’re ready for the day after tomorrow,” he said with a smile.

With the knights in tow, we approached the mammoth.

“I’ll go first,” Marx offered, stepping close enough for the creature to reach him with its trunk. The mammoth lowered its long snout and began sniffing the top of his head.

“That’s...how you get acquainted?” I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

“It’s checking each of us to see if it’s comfortable carrying us,” Lord Glen explained.

My brother Marx didn’t seem fazed at all. If anything, he seemed used to this process. The Pink Mammoth proceeded to sniff the other knights and Lord Glen without hesitation. Then, it was my turn.

This time, the mammoth moved slowly, cautiously inching its trunk toward me. It seemed as though it was trying not to frighten me. As I stood still, its massive snout reached my belly and began to sniff gently.

The sheer size of it made me nervous. I glanced toward Lord Glen and the knights for reassurance, only to see their expressions had turned serious. They, too, had noticed the mammoth’s unusual behavior. Still, since my ring-shaped magic tool hadn’t activated its protective magic, I figured there was no real danger. For now, it was best to remain calm and wait.

The mammoth’s trunk gradually rose above my head. Then, to my surprise, it gently pressed the tip against me before pulling away.

“What was that?” I asked, surprised.

The mayor gave a warm smile. “When it presses its snout to someone like that, it’s a sign of affection. It seems to like you!”

“I don’t remember doing anything special to earn that...”

The mayor crossed his arms thoughtfully, then his eyes lit up as he pointed to his own head. “Maybe it feels a sense of kinship because your hair and its fur are the same shade of pink?”

“Oh!” I nodded, beginning to understand. The mammoth responded with an up-and-down motion of its trunk, as if to confirm.

“What happens if it decides it doesn’t want to carry someone?” I asked curiously.

The mayor let out a sheepish laugh. “It’ll start stomping its feet to scare them off. When it does, the ground shakes so violently that everyone nearby usually ends up flat on their backs.” He mimicked the motion with an exaggerated stomp.

“That would be scary...” I murmured, picturing the earth trembling beneath us.

“But it seems fond of you,” Lord Glen said reassuringly, giving my back a gentle pat. “So we probably won’t have to worry about that.”

+++

The next day, after a restful sleep and a light lunch, one of the maids led me to a fountain in the castle gardens.

“Please wait here for a moment,” she said politely.

I nodded, and we waited together in the garden. Before long, Lady Euphoria appeared, hurrying over to us with quick, light steps.

“I’m so terribly sorry for keeping you waiting!”

“Oh, not at all. I just arrived,” I replied with a smile.

Relieved, she let out a small breath and gave me a slightly awkward smile in return.

“Thank you for spending time with me today. Now, then! As the future duchess, allow me the honor of showing you around the castle.”

She was clearly nervous, and that made me feel a bit nervous too.

“Thank you very much. I’m looking forward to it,” I said, offering her a graceful smile—the kind my aunt and my mother, Ariel, had taught me.

“To begin, this is the garden fountain, where I asked you to meet me,” Lady Euphoria said, gesturing toward it. “In fact, there’s a little tradition tied to it. If you toss a flower into the water, something a little lucky will happen to you before the day is over.”

“Something a little lucky?” I repeated, tilting my head slightly.

She smiled. “Yes, like your favorite dish being served at supper, finding something you thought you’d lost, or even a shy cat letting you pet it. Little things, but lovely ones.”

“That’s really interesting,” I said, as I covered my lips with both hands while gazing at the fountain. At first glance, it looked completely ordinary.

“Would you like to try it, Lady Chelsea?”

“Yes, please!”

At my answer, Lady Euphoria raised her hand slightly. A nearby maid approached, holding a tray lined with a selection of fresh flowers.

“Please choose one,” Lady Euphoria said warmly, “and toss it into the water.”

The tray held five varieties of flowers—roses, gerberas, tulips, ranunculus, and cosmos—in a rainbow of colors like red, yellow, and purple.

“There are so many beautiful ones...it’s hard to choose,” I murmured, overwhelmed by the selection.

Lady Euphoria giggled softly. “The flower you choose won’t affect the outcome, so please follow your intuition.”

“Okay,” I replied, encouraged by her words.

I reached for the flower closest to me—a red ranunculus with roselike petals—and gently tossed it into the fountain.

“There! Now, something small and wonderful is sure to happen to you today,” Lady Euphoria said with a bright smile. “Next, let me show you the room where our family portraits are displayed.”

We left the gardens and strolled through the castle’s elegantly decorated hallways.

“Most of these paintings were done by a duke from several generations ago who loved to travel,” Lady Euphoria explained, gesturing to the artwork lining the walls. “He painted scenes from every region he visited across the kingdom.”

She spoke easily now, her earlier nervousness gone.

“Since I was often ill as a child, I’ve never traveled beyond the Bazrack Duchy...” she continued. “Scenic paintings don’t mean much to me, but people who’ve visited those places say they bring back fond memories.”

Perhaps that was why I’d felt such a wave of nostalgia earlier; one of the paintings must have depicted the Sargent Margraviate. We chatted as we walked, until we reached a door leading to a large, well-lit room.

“This is where the portraits of the current Duke Bazrack and his family are displayed,” Lady Euphoria said.

Following her gaze, I saw a stately painting of a young Duke and Duchess with two small boys seated in front of them. Those must have been their sons they lost, the first to illness and the second to a tragic accident.

“One day...” she said quietly, eyes lingering on an empty space along the wall, “my husband and I will have our portrait here too, along with our future children.”

“That is something to look forward to!” I said warmly.

I could easily imagine Lady Euphoria and Lord Seigrett looking at their children with the same gentle affection they shared between themselves. As I pictured it, I recalled the matching brooches they’d worn at breakfast.

“Lady Euphoria, forgive the sudden question, but...”

“Goodness! Lady Chelsea, you have a question for me? Please, ask me anything!”

Just as I was about to ask about the brooches, Lady Euphoria’s graceful demeanor suddenly gave way to a blooming, youthful smile. Clasping her hands together as if in prayer, she beamed at me with such joy that I instinctively stepped back in surprise.

Her maid quickly intervened. “Lady Euphoria, please. You mustn’t startle Lady Chelsea.”

At the maid’s gentle warning, Lady Euphoria gasped and immediately composed herself, returning to the elegant poise she had just moments before.

“My sincerest apologies,” she said, clearing her throat delicately. “When I heard that my savior had a question for me, I got a little too excited and lost my composure. Please, allow me to try again... What was it you wished to ask?”

“Um...yes,” I said, hesitating for a moment before continuing. “At the dinner a few days ago, I noticed that both you and Lord Seigrett were wearing brooches with the same bird and flower design. Was there a special meaning behind that?”

Lady Euphoria’s fingers moved gently to the brooch pinned to her chest. “Ah, this?”

I nodded. “It’s rare to see matching accessories between two people, so I was curious if there was a story behind them.”

With a bashful smile, she replied, “These are quite popular in our duchy. A lady gifts a gentleman an accessory that matches one of her own. It’s believed that couples who wear matching items will live together in happiness for the rest of their lives. Wearing matching accessories can be a bit embarrassing...but it comforts me. It’s like carrying a little piece of my husband with me, wherever I go.”

I imagined what it would feel like if Lord Glen and I wore something matching. If he wore a piece that was the same mine, I’m sure I’d feel the same warmth Lady Euphoria described. If he wore something to match someone else...that might bother me. But if it was something we matched, then...

“And,” she added in a low voice, “it keeps other women away from him, as well.”

“Huh?” I blinked, not quite hearing her. She quickly waved a hand with an innocent expression, as if to say never mind, and changed the subject.

“Oh, yes. This brooch actually has a secret. The clasp on the back can be removed or swapped out to transform it into a necklace, earrings, or even a hairpin.”

She unpinned the brooch from her chest and demonstrated, separating the bird and flower components before placing them delicately against her ears.

I wasn’t exactly sure how the mechanism worked, but it was clearly designed to adapt to any outfit or occasion. A piece like that, versatile and worn every day, felt like a true symbol of their enduring affection for each other.

“You must truly love Lord Seigrett, Lady Euphoria,” I said softly.

Her cheeks turned red, and she gave me a small whisper. “...I do.”

I wanted to live just as happily with Lord Glen. I hadn’t yet chosen a design for the seed I planned to give him, but seeing this made me realize I wanted it to be something he could wear every day.

Huh? Maybe...my “little luck” was getting a little bit further with something I was worrying about.

“I think the fountain’s charm already worked.”

“Goodness. Already? What happened?” she asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Well...” I began, then told her about the seed I was planning to give Lord Glen, and how I had been struggling with the design.

“If that’s what you were worrying about,” she said with a smile, “then let me show you the accessories passed down in our family.”

She took me to the room where her family’s heirlooms were kept—earcuffs, necklaces, and ornate brooches, each piece with its own history. Then, she invited me to her personal room, where she showed me her own charming and modern accessories. Seeing all those varied designs gave me so much inspiration for the gift I wanted to create. I was grateful, both for the time she spent with me and the guidance I hadn’t known I needed.

+++

It was now our fourth day in the Bazrack Duchy.

This morning, we were scheduled to review the observation team’s logs on the Karya Megaflora Cluster. In the afternoon, we’d head into the cluster itself to observe their work firsthand.

After finishing breakfast, Lord Glen and I used the teleportation circle to travel to Karya Village, where the researchers welcomed us to their base and presented their observation records.

The Megaflora Cluster remained stable. There were no signs of expansion, and the plants inside hadn’t grown or changed in any noticeable way. Although the earth there was saturated with mana, which raised concerns that it might someday rot or become unstable, there had been no such developments. The logs also included updates on the condition of various structures within the cluster, as well as a record of recent visitors.

“In other words, nothing has changed. It’s the same as it’s been for the past few years,” one of the researchers concluded. The captain and other team members nodded in agreement.

Once our review was complete, we had a light lunch of sandwiches at the observation base. Just as we were finishing our after-meal tea, Lady Euphoria arrived, accompanied by a maid carrying a basket.

“Your Highness, Lady Chelsea, may I have a moment of your time?” Lady Euphoria asked, a tinge of nervousness in her voice. We both nodded, and she stepped forward. “I heard you’ll be entering the Karya Megaflora Cluster this afternoon, so I had some sweets prepared for you. Please, share them with everyone.”

“Thank you very much,” I said, accepting the basket with a smile. She returned the gesture with a warm smile of her own and a graceful bow before leaving with her maid. She must have taken time out of her busy day just to bring these to us.

“Let’s share them during our break,” Lord Glen suggested.

“Okay.” I nodded, and with a thought, transferred the basket into the storage linked to my Spirit Tree bracelet on my left wrist. It vanished in an instant. “I’m looking forward to it already,” I added with a small giggle.

Lord Glen smiled gently. “Then let’s head to the Megaflora Cluster.”

At his words, the captain of the observation team, who’d been inside the base, snapped to attention. “I’ll be leading the way today!” he declared proudly, thumping his chest with such force that I flinched a little in surprise.

With the enthusiastic captain at the front, Lord Glen and I followed, flanked by our escorting knights. When we arrived at the animal stables, the Pink Mammoth was already waiting outside.

“Hello. I’m looking forward to working with you today,” I said as I approached. In response, the mammoth gently tapped me on the head with its trunk.

“You’re the first person I’ve seen it this attached to!” the captain exclaimed with awe.

The Pink Mammoth then laid its trunk flat on the ground in front of me.

What is it doing? I tilted my head in curiosity as the captain draped a large cloth over the mammoth’s trunk.

“Please have a seat, two at a time, on the cloth,” he instructed. “Once you’re seated, it will lift you up to its back.”

The Pink Mammoth’s trunk is just about the same height as the chairs we usually use. Just as I was thinking that, Lord Glen took my hand and helped me onto the trunk, settling beside me.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. He gave me another of his gentle smiles in return.

After confirming we were securely seated, the captain raised his hand in a signal the Pink Mammoth seemed to understand. Slowly, it lifted its trunk, raising us up to the top of its head. There, we found a surprisingly comfortable setup—four sofa-like seats arranged in a row, a driver’s seat, and safety railings surrounding the entire platform.

“All of this, including the seats and railings, is made from the Pink Mammoth’s own fur,” the captain explained.

“Huh?!”

He was right, they were all the same soft pink color. Fascinated, I marveled at the detail as Lord Glen and I made our way to the second row of plush seats. The captain settled into the driver’s seat, while my brother Marx and another knight took the front row. The rest of the guard knights filled the third.

“And we’re off! Watch out for the swaying,” the captain called out.

Right on cue, the Pink Mammoth began to move. Its lumbering steps rocked us gently side to side, but not so much that we lost our balance.

We began ascending the winding path as if spiraling counterclockwise around a steep mountain. Soon, enormous plants came into view, rising like towers all around us.

“They’re so tall...!” I breathed.

What would normally be small, ankle-height plants had grown into towering giants—some nearly as tall as the five-story Royal Research Institute. Their stems were thick as tree trunks, with equally large leaves and flowers.

“I’ve seen them a few times during past inspections,” Lord Glen said beside me, “but their sheer size never fails to leave an impression.”

I nodded, equally awestruck. Even though I had read about them, the scale far exceeded what I’d imagined. We were now fully inside the Karya Megaflora Cluster, and with the plant canopy stretching far overhead, the area was as dim as a dense forest at dusk.

“...Light.” Lord Glen cast a spell, softly illuminating our surroundings. Startled by the sudden glow, small creatures hidden behind stems and foliage scattered in every direction.

“Just like the guide mentioned, these are all plants that are normally quite small,” he remarked.

Indeed, I could see enlarged versions of pansies, violas, and daisies—flowers usually found in modest garden beds, now transformed into botanical giants.

“There was a time, quite a while ago,” Lord Glen continued, “when they tried growing trees here, hoping they’d become massive too—useful for building materials. But every tree or flowering plant withered once it reached a certain height, so the experiment was abandoned.”

“So they tried growing other things here too...” I murmured, imagining the effort and disappointment that must have followed.

“They also tried growing small edible plants, like strawberries and watermelons. They certainly got bigger, but most of them turned out flavorless or hollow, completely inedible.”

“How strange!”

As we talked, the Pink Mammoth gradually slowed to a stop. When I looked ahead, several giant tulip stalks had collapsed across the path, like fallen trees after a storm.

“We’re going to shake a lot here, so make sure to grab a seat or railing!” the captain warned.

I quickly latched onto the seat in front of me, gripping it tightly. Lord Glen grabbed the railing with one hand and gently wrapped his other arm around my waist.

“All right, you’re up,” the captain called out.

At his signal, the Pink Mammoth began to clear the path with its trunk. It carefully moved the first two stalks aside, but then let out a heavy huff and started stomping forcefully on the rest. The sudden jolt nearly sent me flying, but Lord Glen’s hold kept me steady through the rocking.

A short while later, we arrived at the perimeter of the Karya Megaflora Cluster.

“That over there is one of the markers we use to monitor the Cluster’s growth,” the captain explained, pointing to a cylindrical pillar about the width of my arm standing at the border. “It’s a magic tool. If the mana inside gets depleted, it shoots a fireball signal into the sky to alert us that the area of mana oversaturation has expanded.”

So that’s how they check it?! I’d always imagined they did something like planting test flowers around the edges, and if they started growing abnormally, then they’d know. The use of magic tools surprised me.

“So you rely on magic to monitor the border,” I remarked.

“Exactly. We inspect each one regularly and drain the mana from the markers twice a year to ensure they’re functioning properly,” the captain replied proudly.

We continued our slow, swaying ride on the mammoth until we emerged into an open clearing. Beneath us was a stretch of normal-sized cobblestone paving, scattered with enormous fallen petals. I’d heard that members of the observation team worked together to move the petals into a designated pile to help maintain the environment.

“We’ll be walking from here onward,” the captain announced as the mammoth came to a stop.

Just like before, we climbed onto its trunk, and it gently lowered us to the ground. Once everyone had disembarked, the captain turned to the mammoth.

“Can you come back for us before sunset?”

The mammoth responded by raising its trunk, as if acknowledging his words, before lumbering off in a direction different from where we had come.

“Does it actually understand what we’re saying?” I asked, tilting my head curiously.

“It seems so. It can’t speak, but it understands us just fine,” Lord Glen replied.

“Then maybe I could talk to it with telepathy.”

“That would be interesting,” he said with a smile. “Want to try on the way back?”

“Yes! Absolutely!”

The two of us continued chatting as we walked along the stone path. At its end stood the crumbled remains of a shrine, with a basin-like structure made of blue-green stone at the center of its ruined foundation. As I approached, I noticed it was filled with clear, colorless water that shimmered gently in the light.

“This is the site of the old shrine, believed to be where the Karya Megaflora Cluster originated,” the observation team captain explained, stopping just short of the ruins. “I’ll wait here while you offer your prayers.”

I remembered the guide had included a note: “Offer a prayer for safety at the spring within the shrine grounds.”

“But why do we need to pray to it?” I asked aloud, curious.

Taking my hand, Lord Glen led me across the broken foundation. “A long, long time ago, well before the Royal Research Institute began its research here, there was once a large shrine built at this location. But then came a catastrophe, something so unnatural that it defied explanation. The shrine was destroyed, but the spring remained. The people who survived believed the spring protected them, so we honor that by offering our prayers for safety.”

“I see,” I murmured, taking in the story as we reached the center of the ruins.

The only thing that stood out was the spring contained in the stone vessel. There were no pipes or visible openings, yet water flowed steadily from within.

“Is this vessel some kind of magic tool?” I asked, tilting my head.

Lord Glen nodded. “It is. It’s a water-producing magic tool, and the basin itself is carved from a single block of magic stone.”

I stared, impressed. The blue-green vessel was about the size of a large circle formed by both my arms. To think it was carved entirely from a chunk of magic stone that large...

“The original stone must have been massive,” I said, walking around it slowly.

“All right, let’s offer our prayers to the spring,” Lord Glen said with a gentle smile, stepping forward and placing both hands into the clear water. “The way you pray might seem a little strange; just follow my lead. Put your hands in like this.”

I gave a small nod and dipped both hands into the water...

“Ah?!” I gasped as a frigid jolt shot through my fingers. The water was much colder than I’d anticipated.

Lord Glen glanced over with concern. “I should’ve warned you. It’s freezing.”

“I’m okay,” I said quickly. “It just caught me off guard.”

“Next, clasp your hands together beneath the water.”

I did as he instructed, interlacing my fingers beneath the surface. To my surprise, warmth spread across the back of my left hand. That was where the hidden crest of the Grand Saintess was, bestowed on me by the Proxy, Sakura. I glanced down at it, puzzled.

“Now close your eyes.” Lord Glen continued. “Repeat the prayer—O great water that links the heavens and earth, give we who visit on this auspicious day your guidance.”

Still wondering about the warmth on my hand, I closed my eyes and repeated the words. “O great water that links the heavens and earth, give we who visit on this auspicious day your guidance.”

The moment I finished, startled voices rang out around us. I opened my eyes and gasped. We were no longer standing in the ruined foundation. Instead, we were inside a stone building.

“Huh...?”

The transition had been seamless, as though we’d passed through a teleportation circle. Yet my hands were still submerged in the spring water, so it didn’t feel like we’d actually gone anywhere.

“What just happened?” Lord Glen asked, just as confused. He turned to the knights who had been standing behind us. “Did you see anything?”

“When you both began the prayer, the spring started to glow!” Marx exclaimed excitedly, using his whole body to emphasize. “Light shot upward, then scattered in all directions like falling stars—and suddenly, this building appeared around you! It was like something invisible had revealed itself!”

The other knights nodded in agreement. Behind them, through the now-open doorway, I could see the observation team captain and several researchers who had been nearby. They were curiously circling the structure, examining it from every angle.

After listening to my brother Marx’s account of what happened, Lord Glen turned his gaze toward the newly revealed structure. “I gave it a light [Appraisal]. The building is called the ‘Shrine of Nox.’ It was created by the Proxy for the sake of the Nox tribe.”

“The Nox tribe...? I’ve never heard of them before,” I said.

“Neither have I. Okay, I’ll try a deeper [Appraisal] this time.”

He began examining the structure again. While he worked, the other knights fanned out, scanning the area and the building’s perimeter for potential threats.

“It looks like this is the only structure that appeared,” one of the knights reported to Marx.

Beads of sweat formed on Lord Glen’s brow as his breathing grew labored. Finally, he spoke, his voice strained. “The Nox tribe... They were a race with black hair and pallid skin, resembling humans around fifteen years old. They were also known as the Tribe of Shadows. With no homeland of their own, the Proxy created this shrine as an entrance to their underground refuge. The Shrine of Nox served as a place for them to interact and trade with other races, and...”

His explanation cut off as he nearly collapsed.

“Lord Glen!” I rushed to his side and tried to support him, but he was heavier than I expected. Luckily, Marx caught him from the other side, and together we kept him from falling.

“I... I just used too much mana,” Lord Glen muttered. “I’ll be fine once I’ve had a little rest.”

Lord Glen possessed a Sage-level [Appraisal] Skill, allowing him to bypass misinformation and uncover hidden truths at the cost of considerable mana. I’d never seen him push himself to this point before. The sight of him drained and stumbling left me stunned and deeply worried.

What do I do? What can I do?!

“For now, let’s find somewhere to let His Highness rest,” Marx said, looking around.

Just then, the ground trembled beneath us with a loud clack. A large, circular crest resembling a teleportation circle lit up beneath our feet while a barrier surged to life, surrounding us. The knights outside the circle tapped the barrier, but quickly realized they couldn’t reach us. They pounded on the barrier with fists and weapons, but nothing made it so much as flicker.

Too much was happening too fast. My thoughts scrambled, and my body tensed, fighting the urge to scream. Lord Glen, still recovering, looked startled but couldn’t speak. Marx held him steady with one arm while drawing his sword with the other, his posture tense and ready.

Then the ground beneath us began to sink.

The knights continued to attack the barrier, their expression dumbfounded as we slowly descended. One by one, they disappeared from view. The opening above us—the only source of light—closed shut, and we were engulfed in near darkness.

Now alone in the silence, Marx let out a sigh. “I don’t know what’s going on, but panicking won’t help.” His tone had shifted to something more casual, likely because the other knights were no longer present. “Your Highness... Can we rest here for now?”

Lord Glen gave a weak nod. With that, Marx gently lowered him to the floor and sheathed his sword.

3. Down Underground

As the floor slowly sank, a low rumbling echoed around us, accompanied by the sound of Lord Glen’s labored breathing. Beyond the barrier, the surrounding walls were packed earth. If not for the soft glow from the crest beneath our feet, we would’ve been swallowed by total darkness.

A building appearing out of thin air, Lord Glen collapsing from mana exhaustion, being cut off from the rest of our group, and now the floor sinking deeper underground... So many shocks in such a short span. Strangely, the sheer overwhelming nature of it all had the opposite effect—I calmed down. Worrying wouldn’t help; I had to focus on what I could do right now.

With that in mind, I was filled with determination. Lord Glen was clearly in pain. If I could help, I would.

“I’ll make an Elixir Seed—[Seed Creation]!”

With a soft pop, a small round seed appeared in my palm. Orange in color with a tiny cork stopper, the Elixir Seed was one of my most powerful creations—it could fully restore mana and cure any status ailment.

“Lord Glen... Please drink this.”

I knelt beside him and uncorked the seed, offering it to him with both hands. He accepted it without hesitation and drank it in one swift motion. The effect was immediate. His breathing evened out, and moments later, he rose to his feet with renewed strength.

“You’ve saved me, Chelsea. Thank you,” he said, taking my hand as he stood.

“I just did what I could...” I answered bashfully.

Marx was still eyeing Lord Glen with concern. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

He hadn’t joined us on our past journeys and hadn’t seen me use this Skill before. Since Marx didn’t recognize the Elixir Seed, he probably hadn’t expected such a fast recovery.

As I watched him, Lord Glen let out a confident laugh and puffed out his chest. “Chelsea made it. Of course it’d be super effective.”

“Oh, right...!” Marx blinked, then gave a sheepish nod.

Is the fact that I made it really the reason he accepted it so easily? The question flickered through my mind, but I kept it to myself.

“Anyway, now that Chelsea’s restored my mana, I’ll take a look at this,” Lord Glen said, focusing his gaze downward as he activated his [Appraisal] Skill. “The floor we’re standing on—more specifically, the area within this circular barrier—is a transport mechanism between the Shrine of Nox on the surface and its counterpart underground. The barrier is for our safety, and it’ll disappear once we arrive at either destination. It’s essentially an elevator...”

He trailed off at the end, mumbling something I couldn’t quite catch. When I glanced at him questioningly, he gave a subtle shake of his head, as if to say, “Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh, I forgot to mention, it’ll take nearly an hour to reach the bottom.”

“We’re going to keep sinking for an hour?!” Marx blurted out in disbelief.

Lord Glen offered a wry smile and nodded. “It moves very slowly to minimize strain on passengers and cargo. Since we’ll be here for a while, we might as well make ourselves comfortable.”

With that, he pulled out three plush, armchairs from his Item Box.

“You...really still stuff everything under the sun in that thing, huh,” Marx quipped, sounding both annoyed and impressed.

Ignoring the comment, Lord Glen took my hand and gently guided me to one of the sofas. “If you don’t want yours, I can always put it back,” he teased.

Marx quickly shook his head and dropped onto his seat with a resigned thud. I couldn’t help but giggle at their back-and-forth.

“One question though,” Lord Glen said as he sat down, nodding toward the Spirit Tree bracelet on my wrist. “Can you still access your items?”

“Let me try.”

I nodded, then focused on retrieving the basket of baked sweets Lady Euphoria had prepared for us. In a moment, it appeared in my lap.

“Looks like I can,” I said, opening the lid.

Inside were individually wrapped baked doughnuts, their sweet aroma wafting up immediately. Marx eyed them and swallowed hard.

“We can still use our Skills, and your connection to the Spirit World is intact. That means we should be able to handle whatever comes our way,” Lord Glen said.

“Right,” I agreed. I remembered how, when Cyril had pulled us into her dream, we couldn’t use our Skills or Magic, and my link to the Spirit World had been severed. I’d even felt hunger then too, but couldn’t eat anything. Compared to that, this was much more manageable.

Noticing how intently my brother was staring at the doughnuts, I let out a soft giggle. “We’ve been hit with one surprise after another. Since we have some time, why don’t we take a break?”

I pulled out a few doughnuts and offered them to the two of them. Lord Glen accepted his with a resigned smile, as if giving in, while Marx grinned broadly, clearly delighted.

“This one’s maple flavored, huh?”

“I thought this was chocolate, but it’s brown sugar... I feel slightly betrayed, but it’s really good.”

I watched them enjoy their treats before biting into my own light-brown doughnut. A fragrant aroma of tea filled the air, and the soft, springy texture melted in my mouth with just the right touch of sweetness.

“Mine’s tea flavored!”

It seemed Lady Euphoria had given us a variety of flavors. There were also light-pink strawberry doughnuts and green matcha ones among the assortment.

The three of us sat there, nibbling on our doughnuts, sipping freshly brewed tea from Lord Glen’s Item Box, and enjoying a much-needed moment of peace.

“All right... Let’s talk about our next steps,” Lord Glen said, prompting both Marx and me to sit up straight and listen. “Personally, I’d like to explore, since we don’t know where we are, but...”

“Absolutely not,” Marx cut in firmly, shaking his head without hesitation.

Lord Glen chuckled. “Fair enough. That would make people worry on a few different levels. Let’s prioritize getting back to the surface.”

We nodded in agreement.

“From my [Appraisal], it seems this lift should be able to return us to the surface. But there’s a chance it might not activate for us. If that happens, we’ll need to search for another way up.”

“We don’t have any intel on what’s underground,” I added. “So...we won’t know anything unless we start exploring.”

“In that case, let’s at least decide our formation in case we have to move out,” Marx suggested, his expression serious.

“Good idea.” Lord Glen nodded. “I’ll take the lead, Chelsea can stay in the middle, and Marx will guard the rear.”

Lord Glen’s [Appraisal] Skill would help us understand our surroundings, and he could use magic to defeat enemies or clear paths. Marx’s [Swordsmanship] made him our fighter, and his knight’s training allowed him to detect presences and stay alert. As for me...I could use attack magic, but only reliably on still targets. Fortunately, I had a ring-shaped magic tool that would automatically cast defensive magic if I was in danger, so I wouldn’t be completely defenseless.

I might not be much help to them...but I’ll make sure not to slow them down. Just as I thought that, the dirt walls surrounding the lift vanished—revealing a breathtaking scene. Countless bluish-white lights sparkled like stars all around us. Looking closer, I realized they were glowing minerals embedded in the ceiling and walls of an enormous cave, sparkling like the night sky.

“Wow.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Whoa.”

The three of us couldn’t help but let out murmurs of awe. The underground space felt like something out of a dream. It was vast enough to hold an entire village, maybe even a forest, and easily stood five times taller than the Royal Research Institute.

We rose to our feet and moved closer to the edge of the circular barrier.

“What a strange and beautiful place...” I whispered, and both Lord Glen and Marx quietly agreed.

“Looks like there are buildings down there,” Marx said, his eyes fixed on the view below.

While I was still gazing at the sky-like ceiling growing more distant, I followed his line of sight and peered directly beneath the lift. Sure enough, there was a stone shrine nestled at the center, with clusters of stone, house-like buildings spaced out nearby. Faint bluish-white lights, like streetlamps, illuminated paths connecting the buildings.

“It looks like there are enough homes to house a fair number of people,” Lord Glen murmured thoughtfully.

I nodded and continued scanning the area. In the heart of the stone settlement was a plaza with a stage, surrounded by open fields. Farther off was a lake, with small rivers weaving between the houses. There wasn’t any visible vegetation, and the lake didn’t seem like it held any fish. Still, the houses showed no signs of decay, and the paths were well maintained, lit by glowing streetlights.

“I wonder if the Nox tribe lives here,” I said softly. But without seeing anyone, it was impossible to know for sure.

The three of us continued to look across the landscape, but we didn’t spot a single person. Just as the ground grew closer, our view was suddenly blocked by a solid structure surrounding the lift.

“It looks like we’ve entered the underground Shrine of Nox,” Lord Glen said after using his [Appraisal] Skill. “We should be arriving in about five minutes.”

“If we’re almost there, you should probably put the sofas away,” Marx said.

Without a word, Lord Glen returned the sofas to his Item Box.

As we waited, I watched the walls shift, the exterior view fading into what appeared to be the interior of a stone building. There was no one inside.

“We don’t know what might happen once we land, so don’t move until I give the all-clear,” Lord Glen instructed.

“Got it,” I said, nodding. Marx, ever cautious, drew his sword and kept a close watch on our surroundings.

The lift began to slow even more, finally coming to a gentle stop. As it settled, the glowing crest on the floor and the circular barrier around us vanished. Marx sheathed his sword—apparently satisfied that we weren’t in immediate danger.

“It’d be nice if we could just ride this back to the surface,” Lord Glen muttered as he looked around. Then he shook his head. “No good. I appraised the lift again—it’s out of mana. I don’t see any nearby mana sources either. For now, we’ll have to leave it behind and explore on foot.”

“Okay,” I replied, stepping off the lift with a deep breath.

The underground Shrine of Nox was about the size of the palace’s grand hall, with double doors decorated with rusted metal and gems. A large opening in the ceiling marked the spot where the lift had descended.

“It looks a lot like the shrine on the surface,” I commented. I hadn’t seen that one clearly, just a quick glimpse, but Lord Glen nodded in agreement.

“It’s constructed exactly the same as the surface shrine,” he confirmed, eyes fixed on the architecture. He must have used his [Appraisal] Skill.

The three of us searched the interior, but there was no sign of a mana source anywhere.

“Looks like we’ll have to head outside,” Lord Glen murmured, his expression tightening as he turned to face the doors.

At that moment, Marx drew his sword. “I sense someone just beyond the entrance. They seem to be alone.”

Seeing the change in Lord Glen’s face and Marx’s immediate reaction, I knew I should be on guard as well. I quietly moved back, positioning myself where I wouldn’t get in their way but would still be close enough if something happened. As I stepped aside, both of them glanced back at me in surprise.

“You really keep changing, don’t you?” Lord Glen said with a warm smile.

“You’ve definitely got that Sargent blood,” my brother added with a grin.

It seems I made the right call.

While I stood there, feeling quietly reassured, Lord Glen approached the doors. “I’m gonna open it,” he whispered, then swiftly pushed the doors wide and stepped back. At the same moment, Marx moved forward, slipping into the gap with his sword ready.

I held my breath and peeked past them, praying everything would be okay, only to see a startling sight.

A girl lay collapsed just outside the shrine. She had jet-black hair tied into a ponytail, pallid skin, and a thin, frail frame. Her clothing wasn’t made from fabric, but from small, interlocking pieces of metal. She looked to be about my age, but she didn’t so much as flinch when the heavy doors swung open.

I stared in shock, my mouth slightly open. I hadn’t expected to find someone unconscious at the entrance.

“I used [Appraisal] on her,” Lord Glen said, stepping forward. “She’s a member of the Nox tribe. Her status shows that she’s severely emaciated. Honestly, the healer in me wants to help her right now.”

No sooner had Lord Glen said that, Marx lowered his sword and rushed to her side.

“Are you okay?!” he called, crouching beside her.

At the sound of Marx’s voice, the Nox woman slowly opened her eyes, her gaze vacant and unfocused. “I’m...so hungry...” she whispered.

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, pulling me straight back to the cruel days I’d endured in the barony where I was born—whipped, starved, and constantly tormented by hunger. I knew too well how painful that kind of emptiness could be.

I want to fill her belly as soon as possible! Before I even finished the thought, my body moved on its own, already calling on my Skill.

“I’ll make her a delicious Fruit Water Seed and a Cookie Seed—[Seed Creation]!”

With a soft pop, two seeds appeared in my hands: one round with a cork stopper, filled with sweet fruit water, and another shaped like a baked cookie. I dashed past the Nox woman and dropped the Cookie Seed on the ground. Instantly, it sprouted, grew, and bloomed into a vine, which produced a thick fruit as long as my arm. The plant withered into the soil the moment I plucked the fruit.

I split it open horizontally, and the warm, rich scent of freshly baked cookies wafted into the air.

Behind me, I heard a loud gurgling...from her stomach. “Something...smells good...?” she murmured.

The emptiness in her eyes began to fade, replaced by a faint sparkle of life. She slowly pushed herself up, reaching toward the cookie-filled fruit.

“Wait just a moment,” Lord Glen said, stepping between us. He raised his hand and cast a spell. “Heal her emaciation—[Cure]!”

I remembered when I’d first met him, and how he’d stopped me from eating a sandwich while I was emaciated, warning that eating solids in that state could make me violently ill. It felt like so long ago now.

The gentle glow of his magic wrapped around her, and the hollowness in her frame seemed to ease.

“She can eat now,” Lord Glen confirmed.

I approached and knelt beside her, gently offering the fruit full of cookies and the water seed. She looked down at them, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Am I...dreaming...?” she whispered, then took a tentative bite. “It’s delicious...!” she gasped, her expression full of astonishment.

She eagerly devoured the cookies, pausing only to drink from the fruit water. The desperation in the way she ate made my heart ache; she must have been starving for a long time.

When every last cookie and drop of water was gone, she composed herself, sitting properly with her knees together. Bowing her head low, she spoke with quiet grace.

“My name is Carnelian. Thank you so very much for sharing your food with me. May I ask the names of my saviors?”

The sincerity in her voice, paired with her refined tone, showed us she was truly grateful.

Lord Glen stepped forward. “I am Glenarnold, younger brother to the King of Chronowize. This is my fiancée, Chelsea, a research fellow at the Royal Research Institute. And this is Marx, a knight and Chelsea’s older brother.”

Pleased to be introduced as his fiancée, I pinched the edges of my skirt and offered a polite curtsy. Marx straightened up beside me, placing a hand over his chest in a formal knight’s greeting.

“The younger brother of a king...a knight...and a noble lady...” Carnelian’s eyes widened briefly in surprise before her expression settled once more.

“And just so you know,” Lord Glen added with a smile in my direction, “it was Chelsea who gave you the food. Marx and I didn’t do anything.”

“Being hungry hurts, after all...” I said, trying to hide my embarrassment. But Carnelian looked at me with newfound seriousness.

“I, Carnelian of the Nox tribe, hereby recognize Lady Chelsea as my master. I swear, by this contract, to devote myself to your protection and service. If there is anything I can do within my power, all you need do is ask. I will be at your side whenever you require.”

As she spoke those words, the nail of my right middle finger glimmered. “Huh?” I gasped, startled by the sudden manifestation of a contract.

Lord Glen narrowed his eyes at her. “There’s a proper order to these things. You can’t just bind someone into a master-servant contract without their consent.”

I nodded in agreement, but Carnelian showed no sign of regret. “Yes, I admit it was sudden... But it’s rare to find someone worthy of serving. Our crops have failed for over three hundred years, and everyone in the village is on the brink of starvation. Yet Lady Chelsea shared her precious food with me. I simply wanted to repay her kindness,” she said, smiling brightly at me.

One part of her explanation struck me deeply. “Wait... Your whole village hasn’t been able to eat? You mean...they’re all starving as well?”

Carnelian nodded solemnly. “Yes. Every single person is suffering from hunger.”

“I can’t allow anyone to go hungry!” I exclaimed, leaning forward. “Please, take me to your village. I want to help!”

“Understood.” Perhaps because of the contract, although it had clearly been one-sided, Carnelian didn’t question me. She simply stood and pointed down a stone-lined path. “The village is this way.”

The buildings and glowing streetlights we had seen from the lift must have belonged to her people. Without hesitation, we began our descent. Carnelian led the way, followed by Lord Glen, with me close behind and Marx taking up the rear.

Back when we were on the lift, we’d agreed that our top priority was to find a way back to the surface. And yet, here we were—heading toward the Nox tribe’s village, all because of my selfish wish. Still, no matter how I tried to reason with myself, I couldn’t bear the thought of abandoning people I knew were starving. I had to say something to Lord Glen and my brother.

I lowered my voice and whispered to the two of them, Lord Glen walking ahead of me and Marx behind. “Lord Glen, brother...”

“What is it?”

“Did something happen?”

They both replied softly, without breaking stride.

“I’m sorry. I know we agreed to search for a way back, but I dragged us toward the Nox village...all because of my whims.”

At that, Lord Glen let out a quiet chuckle, and Marx flashed a toothy grin.

“You’ve always been someone who can’t turn a blind eye to suffering,” Lord Glen said. “Honestly, it reminded me of when we first met. It hurts to think of that...but I’m glad we’re going.”

Marx added, “There’s no way we could sleep easy knowing people down here were starving. As a knight, I can’t walk away from that. Let’s help however we can, and then worry about heading back up.”

Their words washed over me like a warm breeze. I exhaled, relieved. “Thank you,” I murmured, and they each gave a little wave, telling me not to worry.

The boulder-lined path eventually opened into a wide clearing.

“This is the plaza where villagers usually gather,” Miss Carnelian explained. “That’s the stage over there.”

The plaza was larger than any ballroom, with a slightly raised platform at the center. Other than that, it was bare and completely empty.

“There’s no one here...” I murmured.

Miss Carnelian looked down, her expression pained. “Most of the villagers are resting in their homes, trying to conserve what little mana and strength they have left.”

So they’re all suffering from the same emaciation as she had been... My heart clenched. I had to act quickly.

As I balled my hands into fists and silently steeled myself, Miss Carnelian turned toward me. “I’ve brought you to the center of the village,” she said. “What do you plan to do now?”

I met her gaze and smiled brightly. “I’m going to pass food out to every villager!”

Miss Carnelian blinked in surprise, while Lord Glen and Marx exchanged amused, approving smiles.

4. Pumpkin Potage

“May I use the plaza?” I asked.

“Yes. There’s nothing here, so please use it however you like,” Miss Carnelian replied without hesitation. She then stepped back a few paces, and with the quiet precision of a well-trained maid or knight, all but erased her presence. If I didn’t consciously keep track of her, I might have forgotten she was even there.

I was curious about her behavior, but there was something more urgent on my mind—feeding the starving villagers.

“Lord Glen, Marx. May I ask for your advice?” I said, turning to them.

Lord Glen offered me a gentle smile and nodded, while Marx gave me his usual toothy grin.

“I’d like to hand out fruits with prepared food inside them,” I explained. “But I’m not sure what kind of food would be best.”

Both of them fell silent as they thought.

“When we knights deliver meals in the capital’s slums,” Marx said, “we usually hand out soup—thick and packed with hearty ingredients. It’ll warm people up, and the chunks make it feel more filling and satisfying.”

Lord Glen nodded, then added, “From what we’ve heard, the villagers here are severely malnourished. They need something nutritious...but it also needs to be gentle on their stomachs. If the food’s too heavy or hard to digest, it could do more harm than good.”

He was right. It wouldn’t help if the food just made them sick.

“Hmm... So something rich in nutrients, but soft and easy to digest,” I murmured, thinking back to my own time bedridden with mana fever. Miss Micah had served me simple, comforting meals—bread porridge, pumpkin potage, minestrone with the vegetables stewed until they practically melted.

She had chosen everything with my condition in mind. I should do the same now.

“Oh!” I turned quickly. “Miss Carnelian, are there any foods that members of the Nox tribe can’t eat?”

She shook her head. “We each have our own preferences, of course, but unlike some other races, the Nox tribe have no foods we cannot eat.”

That was a relief.

“In that case, I’ll make pumpkin potage!” I declared.

Lord Glen and Marx both nodded in agreement, their expressions firm and supportive.

I took the blue pen-shaped magic tool I always carried and held it in my hand. It had been a gift for my fifteenth birthday—a special pen that could write and erase anywhere, even in the air. I raised it and wrote midair: “Pumpkin Potage Seed.”

“I’m thinking I’ll base it on the Cookie Seed,” I said. “It’s easy to carry and pick.”

“That could work for the leaves and stem,” Lord Glen replied thoughtfully. “But I’d recommend changing the shape of the fruit itself.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Well, the fruit that holds the cookies splits open horizontally, right? If you used the same design for something filled with potage, it would spill everywhere.”

Of course! I gasped. The cookie fruit popped open neatly, but pumpkin potage was liquid. If it opened the same way, it would definitely pour out.

“Then what shape should it be...?” I muttered, frowning.

Marx chimed in. “What about making it like the Fruit Water Seed you gave Carnelian earlier? With a little cork or stopper?”

That made sense; it would keep the potage from spilling. I was about to nod when Lord Glen shook his head.

“If they drink it directly from the fruit, they’ll probably burn themselves.” The way he said it made me wonder if he was speaking from personal experience. “Yeah...burning your mouth really hurts. And if they’re malnourished, their bodies might be more sensitive. It’d be safer if they poured the potage into a bowl and ate it with a spoon.”

“How about you make the fruit into a bowl shape?” Marx suggested, cupping his hands before flattening them to mimic a bowl.

“But if they open it the wrong way, it might still spill,” Lord Glen countered, rubbing his chin. Marx let out a groan.

As the three of us continued puzzling over the best design, Carnelian, who had been quietly suppressing her presence behind us like a seasoned maid or bodyguard, finally spoke.

“Um...what exactly are you all talking about?” she asked, clearly suspicious. “It doesn’t look like you’re preparing food.”

“You might not remember since you were still starving at the time, but the Fruit Water Seed and the cookie-filled fruit you ate earlier were both created using my Skill.”

“You...made food with a Skill?” Carnelian’s suspicion didn’t waver. In fact, her expression grew even more wary.

“It’d probably be faster to show her than explain,” Marx suggested.

“Agreed,” Lord Glen added with a nod.

Taking their advice, I stepped forward and used my Skill. “I’ll make a Madeleine Seed—[Seed Creation]!”

With a soft pop, a seed the size of my thumbnail appeared in my palm, shaped like a tiny madeleine. Carnelian’s eyes widened in surprise.

“This is a Madeleine Seed,” I said as I dropped it to the ground. Just like before, it sprouted instantly, growing rapidly into a plant with the appearance of a chocolate vine. A blossom unfurled and formed a fruit the length of my arm. Once I plucked the fruit, the plant withered away, becoming fertilizer.

I cracked the fruit open horizontally, revealing a sweet, warm aroma—just like the madeleines Miss Micah bakes. I held it out so Carnelian could see the contents for herself.

“Th-That’s incredible! You really did create food with your Skill... It’s truly amazing!” Her voice echoed in the empty plaza, full of wonder.

“I’m going to use my Skill to make food and distribute it to the villagers,” I explained.

At last convinced, Carnelian lowered her head respectfully. “Forgive me for doubting you, my mistress.”

“Don’t worry. No need to apologize. It’s my fault for not explaining sooner. Anyway...” I extended the fruit filled with madeleines toward her. “Would you try these for me?”

“Can I?! Thank you so very much!” she said.

Unlike earlier, when she devoured the cookies in a frenzy, Carnelian now ate the madeleines slowly, savoring each one.

“I’ll make a Fruit Water Seed too—[Seed Creation]!” I added, realizing she might need something to drink in case the sweets were too dry.

As she took a sip, her expression softened even more. “I wasn’t wrong to choose you... I will serve you with all my heart for the rest of my life.”

Then, after finishing the last of the madeleines, she looked up at me and asked, “May I ask one more thing?”

I tilted my head as I looked at her, listening.

Straightening her posture, Carnelian pointed at the air in front of me. “What are you writing there?”

“It’s still a work in progress, but it’s the blueprint for a new seed that doesn’t exist yet.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion.

“When I create a seed that hasn’t existed before, I need to design it carefully. If I don’t plan it out in detail, the result can be...unpredictable,” I said. “So I’m thinking everything through first.”

Her eyes widened in realization. “So you’re designing an entirely new seed for our sake?”

I nodded. “Yes...”

“You would go to such lengths for our tribe... Thank you so much! I may not be of much use, but please, let me help however I can.” With that, she turned her attention to the blueprint suspended in the air, hand thoughtfully resting on her chin. “How much soup will each fruit contain?”

“I was thinking of making it one serving per fruit,” I replied.

Both Lord Glen and Marx nodded, apparently having had the same idea.

Carnelian frowned slightly. “If each fruit only contains a single serving, wouldn’t it be difficult to carry enough for every household?”

She had a point—I hadn’t thought about that!

“We’d been so focused on how they’d eat it, we forgot to consider how it would be delivered,” Lord Glen admitted with a wry smile.

“In that case, we should make each fruit hold more,” I said, raising my pen, then paused. “But...how much more? What’s the right amount?”

Lord Glen chimed in. “Why not make each fruit large enough to serve an entire household? That way, you only need to deliver one per home.”

“Ooh, great idea!” Marx added. “But the number of people per house would change how much each fruit needs to hold...”

“Currently, no household has more than four people,” Carnelian said, answering helpfully.

“Then I’ll make each fruit hold eight servings of potage, two per person,” I said, noting that into the blueprint midair. “If we want the fruit to be easy to carry with that much soup inside, then...what shape should it be?”

“Something round might roll and spill,” Lord Glen pointed out. “So it should have a flat bottom.”

His comment gave me a flash of inspiration. “What if I shape it like a pot?” I exclaimed, quickly sketching an image of a pot with a flat base and slightly high sides. “If I add handles on each side like a basket, it’ll be even easier to carry.”

“So the villagers would ladle the soup into bowls from the pot itself,” Marx said.

“Yes!” I nodded at him with a smile, and he grinned back at me.

“As for the lid,” Lord Glen said, pointing at my sketch, “why not design it so the fruit grows with a lid attached? That way, even if it’s flipped over during transport, the soup won’t spill. And once they take the lid off, they can reuse it.”

“That’s a great idea!” I said, quickly jotting it down. “Anything else we should decide on?”

“How many fruits will grow from a single seed?” Miss Carnelian asked.

When I’d designed the Cookie Seed, it had only needed to feed Root and me, so I’d made it produce one fruit containing ten cookies. But this time, we needed to serve an entire village—and one fruit would only contain eight servings of soup. That meant a lot more fruit.

“It depends on how many houses we’re supplying,” Lord Glen said.

Miss Carnelian did a quick calculation in her head. “There are about forty-six people living in fifteen houses.”

“Then we’d need fifteen fruits,” Marx reasoned.

I shook my head. “We should make extra; double won’t be enough. Just in case, let’s go with triple. I’ll have it grow fifty fruits.”

Lord Glen and Marx looked momentarily surprised, but then both smiled warmly. Carnelian gave me a deep, grateful bow.

After reviewing the blueprint several times to ensure nothing had been missed, I finalized the design. A gentle, nourishing pumpkin potage that even the severely malnourished could eat without discomfort. With fifty fruits to grow, it would likely sprout into a large tree with thick, sturdy branches.

Once I’d committed every detail to memory, I used my Skill.

“I’ll create a Pumpkin Potage Seed according to the blueprint—[Seed Creation]!”

With a light pop, a pumpkin-shaped seed with little handles appeared in my hand, no larger than my thumb.

“A pumpkin with handles—what a peculiar shape,” Lord Glen said with a chuckle before examining it with his [Appraisal.] “It’s called the ‘Pumpkin Potage Seed.’ When planted, it will grow fifty fruits, each filled with nutritious pumpkin potage. After all the fruit are harvested, the plant will wilt and return to the earth as fertilizer. It only lasts one generation.”

I let out a breath of relief. The seed had turned out just as I designed it.

“Let’s get it planted!” Marx cheered.

Nodding, I walked away from the plaza stage and gently placed the seed on the ground. In the blink of an eye, it sprouted and began to grow. Its thick branches reached high, blooming with bright orange flowers. Almost immediately, those flowers transformed into pumpkin-shaped fruits with small handles.

“Huh?” I murmured, blinking in surprise. The fruit looked more like little pumpkins than the pots I’d imagined. Curious, I reached for one within my grasp. It fit neatly between both of my hands and was smaller and lighter than I expected.

“It’s a little small...” I said, giving it a gentle shake. I could hear liquid sloshing inside.

I turned to Lord Glen and held it out. He gave it a reluctant look before appraising it. “It’s called ‘Fruit Containing Pumpkin Potage.’ It’s filled with highly nutritious and delicious potage that aids recovery from emaciation. The space inside is...larger than the outside. It contains eight full servings of soup.”

“What?!” I gasped.

As far as I knew, only the [Cure] Skill could immediately reverse emaciation. Normally, recovery required proper meals, rest, and sometimes medication over a longer period.

“Well...” Lord Glen said, giving me a look of disbelief mixed with amusement, “it seems your Skill has surpassed even [Cure].”

“Wait, wait. Isn’t the inside being bigger than the outside kind of weird?!” Marx shouted.

But Lord Glen and I had already seen the Treehouse Seed do the same. We gave Marx a pair of awkward smiles, completely unfazed.

“Anyway,” I said, “how about we try it?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Lord Glen pulled items from his Item Box one after another—a dining table, a soup ladle, several bowls and spoons—and neatly set them out. I placed the pumpkin-shaped fruit on the table. Just below the top was a faint line. With a gentle push from both hands, the fruit split into two parts: a lid and a pot. The moment I lifted the lid, a rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the air.

I heard Miss Carnelian’s audible gulp from across the table.

Marx scooped out potage with the ladle into bowls. Wary it might tip, I held the pumpkin-shaped pot with both hands. The soup was a soft, creamy yellow. Since the seed produced eight servings, there was still plenty left after ladling out four bowls.

We each lifted spoons and bowls, exchanged nods, then sipped. A gentle sweetness...the sort that makes you feel relieved, spread through my mouth. It wasn’t quite like the potage at the Institute’s lodgings or Miss Micah’s version, but it was every bit as delicious.

Lord Glen and Miss Carnelian savored theirs slowly. Marx, however, set his spoon aside, lifted his bowl, and drank his entire serving in one go. When he finished, he beamed at us, no doubt impressed.

Satisfied that it tasted as good as we’d hoped, we set to harvesting the rest. After stowing away the table and utensils in his Item Box, Lord Glen laid out a large, thick cloth on the ground.

“You really do keep almost everything in there,” Marx remarked, echoing his earlier lift-bound comment.

Lord Glen smiled. “You never know what you’ll need, so I prepare for everything.”

I see! Note to self, stock my Spirit-world storage more thoroughly.

“Lay the fruit here as you pick it,” Lord Glen instructed.

We nodded and spread out to gather the remaining pumpkins. After a few more were collected, Miss Carnelian spoke up. “Lady Chelsea, may I deliver some of these to the nearest houses?”

I agreed at once. “Yes. Leave the harvesting to us and go ahead. They need these now.”

She bowed and hurried toward the closest home, a short walk from the plaza. From there, I could see her enter. After explaining the purpose of the lid at the doorway, she stepped inside.

By the time we’d harvested ten pumpkins, she returned accompanied by two women. Both shared her black hair and pallid skin, and appeared around my age, wearing the same linked-metal clothing.

“Thank you so much for sharing your food with us!” one of them said.

“We thought we’d all fade away at the rate we were going,” the other added. “We’re truly grateful.”

Both Nox women gazed at me, their eyes sparkling with emotion.

“There’s plenty for seconds and thirds, so please eat as much as you like!” I said, gesturing toward the pile of fruit resting on the thick cloth. They both swallowed hard, but then shook their heads.

“Your offer is tempting, truly,” one said, “but we’d like to make sure the others have a chance to eat first.”

“We’ve heard about your plan. Please, let us help with the distribution.”

Their earnest expressions left no room for protest. Miss Carnelian stepped closer and added softly, “We know where every home is. We can handle the deliveries.”

“Oh, right. We wouldn’t even know where to begin,” Marx said, folding his arms and nodding.

“Then we’ll leave the distribution to you,” I said.

“Thank you for your help,” Lord Glen and I said together.

With nods, Miss Carnelian and the two Nox women each picked up some of the fruit and set off.

+++

By the time we’d finished harvesting and delivering all the fruit, two hours had passed. Every villager had eaten and recovered, completely cured of their emaciation.

Strangely, once everyone was well, all forty-six villagers, including Miss Carnelian, gathered in the plaza. They clustered together, glancing at us and speaking quietly among themselves. Every one of them looked to be around fifteen years old, with the same black hair and pallid skin. It was clear this village was home only to members of the Nox tribe.

“You can’t really tell their actual ages, but they look to be about the same age. It reminds me of my academy days,” Lord Glen murmured. Marx nodded.

I’d never gone to school, so I just stared at the Nox villagers, unsure what that comparison meant. Still, there was something unified and solemn about them.

Then, Miss Carnelian stepped forward, stopping in front of me and kneeling. The other villagers followed her lead, forming neat lines behind her and kneeling as well.

“Thanks to Lady Chelsea,” she said, “our village survived this crisis without losing a single life. On behalf of the entire Nox tribe, allow me to express our deepest gratitude. Thank you.”

She bowed deeply.

And then, in perfect unison, the rest of the villagers raised their voices. “We, the Nox tribe, hereby recognize Lady Chelsea as our master, and swear by this contract that we shall devote ourselves to protecting and serving you!”

“Huh?!” I stood frozen in shock. Then, the nail on my right middle finger began to shine.

“Chelsea... Are you all right?” Lord Glen asked, placing a hand gently on my back, his voice filled with concern.

“I’m fine. My nail just sparkled,” I replied, holding up my hand to show him the glittering fingernail.

He examined it closely for a moment, then sighed in relief once he confirmed I was unharmed. His gaze shifted to Miss Carnelian, now kneeling. “I told you earlier—there’s a proper order to things. If you were acting on behalf of the tribe, couldn’t you have shown a little restraint?” he said in a low voice, his eyes narrowing.

Miss Carnelian shook her head. “And I told you before as well: Opportunities to meet one’s destined master don’t come often. What were we supposed to do when that master finally stood before us?”

Lord Glen sighed heavily and gave me a reassuring pat. “The contract doesn’t seem to contain anything dangerous. But if anything strange happens, you tell me right away. Understood?”

“I will,” I said. His concern warmed me. After a moment, I tilted my head and asked, “Now that I think about it...why did my nail sparkle?”

Still kneeling, Miss Carnelian answered, “We of the Nox Tribe are blessed by the Spirit of Darkness. We are a people born of the shadows.”

The Spirit of Darkness? I glanced at my right hand thoughtfully. When I contracted with Element, the Spirit King, my right thumbnail had glowed. When I contracted with Root, the communication Spirit, my right index fingernail sparkled. And now, after this contract with the Nox Tribe, my middle fingernail glowed. Could that mean...?

“Um... Does that mean the Nox Tribe is deeply connected to Spirits?” I asked, showing her my nail.

Miss Carnelian nodded. “We are. And if our mistress is willing, we would like to share the story of our tribe. Will you listen?”

“Yes, of course,” I said without hesitation.

A joyful smile spread across her face. She turned to the others behind her and raised her voice. “Lady Chelsea has given us permission! Let us share the truth we’ve held in our hearts for so long!”

“Right!” came their unified response, as the other Nox tribe members broke into smiles and nodded in unison.

5. The Tribe of Shadows

Led by the people of the Nox tribe, we were guided to the front of the plaza’s stage. At some point, a large stone bench big enough to seat five had been set up there, and we were politely urged to sit.

Just as I was about to take my seat, Lord Glen pulled a cushion from his Item Box and placed it where I was meant to sit.

“You might catch a chill sitting directly on the stone,” he said. “Use this.”

“Thank you.”

With Lord Glen on one side and my brother on the other, I settled onto the bench. Thanks to the cushion, the seat was neither hard nor cold.

I turned my gaze toward the stage, where members of the Nox tribe bustled about, preparing for something.

“What do you think they’re doing?” I murmured.

“Since they’re using a stage...maybe a play?” Lord Glen guessed, sounding unsure.

Before long, Miss Carnelian appeared onstage. She held a softly glowing white-blue lamp and was adorned with fancy, glittery accessories. She stood off to the right, then gave us a respectful bow. As she raised her head, she took a deep breath and began to speak.

“The history of the Nox tribe has been passed down for generations through a play!”

Her voice rang out, clear and dignified. As she spoke, an image of a large sparkling tree appeared at the back of the stage. In front of it stood a woman with long black hair and a tall man with long silver hair. The woman wore a flowing garment made of interlinked black ore that reached the ground, while the man wore a gold ore necklace and a lower garment crafted from white ore.

“Long ago, the Proxy and the Spirit King joined hands to bring prosperity to the world,” Miss Carnelian continued.

The man and woman joined hands and spun in a joyful dance. The glowing tree behind them, clearly a Spirit Tree, shimmered with light. The woman was the Proxy, and the silver-haired man was the Spirit King.

Knowing both Proxy Sakura and Spirit King Ele personally, I couldn’t help but find the sight a little surreal.

“But then...people appeared—intent on disrupting their harmony and halting the world’s prosperity,” Miss Carnelian went on.

As the Proxy and the Spirit King danced joyfully, several figures dressed in linked black ore emerged from the wings of the stage, surrounding them. Undeterred, the two continued to dance, weaving around their pursuers and occasionally tripping them up.

“Neither the Proxy nor the Spirit King understood these people’s intentions,” Miss Carnelian narrated solemnly. “All they could do was try to avoid them.”

The dark-clad figures definitely reminded me of the worshippers of the Fake Proxy, Driven by Envy. I couldn’t help but wonder if that resemblance was intentional or just my imagination. Then, the sparkling image of the great tree faded from the backdrop, replaced by a picture of a castle-like structure. It seemed to be a scene change. The figures in black disappeared, leaving only the actors portraying the Proxy and the Spirit King standing center stage.

“What are they thinking, getting in our way?” asked the Proxy, her voice tinged with sadness.

“I know not,” the Spirit King replied with a troubled frown, folding his arms. “And without understanding their motives, we cannot respond.”

Just then, a child with black hair dashed onto the stage from the side and placed himself between the two of them.

“I’ll find out what they’re thinking!” the child declared, hands on his hips and an arrogant look on his face. I couldn’t help but smile at his adorable manners.

“Spirit of Darkness, you are still young and weak,” the Spirit King said sternly, shaking his head. “You lack the strength to fight, and you cannot protect yourself.”

At those words, the child—the Spirit of Darkness—visibly drooped and his shoulders sagged in disappointment.

The backdrop changed again, the castle fading into an image of a mountain. The actors portraying the Proxy and the Spirit King exited the stage, leaving the Spirit of Darkness alone.

“I want to help too!” the child cried out.

In response, a group of performers poured onto the stage from both sides. Some had pointed ears like elves, others were small and adorable like Kyewts. There were dwarves with long beards, beastfolk with animal ears and thick tails, winged ones with delicate wings on their backs... Even more fantastical beings appeared—those with bat wings, multiple arms, or bodies that were half-human, half-fish. It was a gathering of many races.

“We want to help bring prosperity to the world too!” they declared. “We want to fight alongside you!”

“Do you all have the strength to fight and the means to protect yourselves?” asked the Spirit of Darkness.

“We do!” they responded in unison.

“Then I will give you all my power—as the Spirit of Darkness!”

As the child proclaimed this, the entire group dropped to one knee in a show of reverence. A moment later, the Spirit of Darkness faded away, dissolving like mist.

“The various races were blessed with the power of the Spirit of Darkness,” Miss Carnelian narrated from the edge of the stage. “Their skin turned pale, their appearances changed to resemble youthful boys and girls, just like the Spirit himself. Thus, they became known as the Nox Tribe.”

At her words, the kneeling figures slowly rose. Their features had changed; each now appeared to be around fifteen years old, with pallid skin and humanlike traits. The distinctive characteristics they once had—the long ears of elves, the small statures of Kyewts, the flowing beards of dwarves, the furry tails and ears of beastkin, the wings of winged folk—had all vanished.

“We are the Nox Tribe, chosen and transformed by the Spirit of Darkness!” they all declared in unison, and then, as if responding to a silent cue, they melted into the ground.

“Huh?!” I gasped, startled.

Miss Carnelian’s calm voice rang out again. “We, the Nox Tribe, were granted the Spirit of Darkness’s power. Transformed into a people of shadow, we gained the ability to vanish into darkness, to shift our forms, and to wield unique Skills that made us masters of espionage.”

“Masters of espionage...?” Lord Glen echoed.

As he spoke, the backdrop changed once more; the image of the mountain was replaced by the grand, castle-like building. The actress portraying the Proxy stepped forward to the center of the stage, looking directly toward us.

“Your appearances have changed too drastically for you to return to your homelands,” she declared. “So I will create a hidden, underground village for you—the Nox Tribe, who aided us in bringing prosperity to this world.”

With her proclamation, the castle backdrop faded away, revealing the Nox village as the final setting.

“Thank you! We swear our eternal loyalty to you!”

Shocked, I spun around at the sound of voices behind us. The Nox tribe had silently gathered behind our bench.

“This concludes the tale of the Nox Tribe’s origins,” Miss Carnelian announced, stepping to center stage. As she spoke, the Nox behind us melted into the shadows once more, only to reappear instantly beside her.

The curtain fell on the performance with the actors portraying the Proxy, the Spirit King, and the Spirit of Darkness waving warmly to us. The entire Nox Tribe lined up and offered a deep bow as the bluish-white lamp in Miss Carnelian’s hands dimmed and went out.

+++

After the play ended, Miss Carnelian and the rest of the Nox tribe made their way back over to us.

I stood up from the bench, hands clenched in excitement. “That was amazing! Your performance was so dignified, Miss Carnelian—your voice especially!”

Flustered by the praise, Miss Carnelian’s cheeks flushed a deep red. “I-I’m...glad you enjoyed it,” she said shyly.

She was so adorable that I couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

Then Lord Glen spoke, tilting his head in thought. “So, in the end, what were those people trying to stop the world’s prosperity thinking?”

Miss Carnelian grimaced. “It was mostly people competing for the Proxy’s favor, or others seeking the Spirit King’s attention. We eventually learned their reasons, but...we weren’t able to reform any of them.”

“There’ll always be selfish people like that,” Marx muttered, earning a solemn nod from Miss Carnelian.

Lord Glen narrowed his eyes. “Something’s been bothering me. If you’re all so skilled in espionage, why were you locked away underground? The Spirit of Darkness gave you powers to move through shadows, transform, and disappear, right? Couldn’t you have gone to the surface and gathered information?”

At that, Miss Carnelian averted her gaze and sighed. “The truth is...we didn’t realize we were locked away. Not until you all arrived.”

“Huh?” I blinked, tilting my head in confusion.

“You came from the surface, didn’t you, Lady Chelsea?”

“Yes,” I replied. “We traveled here from the Kingdom of Chronowize, on the surface.”

As soon as I said that, the Nox tribe erupted in shocked voices.

“The surface hasn’t been destroyed...?”

“There are still people living up there?!”

“Was... Was that prophecy a lie?!”

“Calm down, everyone!” Miss Carnelian called out, quieting the tribe as their surprise gave way to panic. “About a thousand years ago, we were told the surface had been destroyed, consumed by miasma.”

I hadn’t expected to hear that word in the Nox village. Miasma was a noxious fog that withered plants, poisoned water, and drove both people and animals mad. Thankfully, the Blue Lily and Sky Lily Seeds I’d created with my Skill could absorb it, stopping it from spreading.

“But why did you believe the surface had been destroyed?” Lord Glen asked, his expression serious as he rested a hand on his chin.

Miss Carnelian answered, “A thousand years ago, the Proxy’s male attendant visited us. He spoke of a prophecy...that in a few hundred years, the miasma would flood the surface, making it uninhabitable.”

“The Proxy’s attendant?!” I gasped in shock.

Miss Carnelian turned to me, puzzled. “Do you know of him?”

“Um...”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, so Lord Glen stepped in for me.

“It’s a long story,” he began. He explained how we had learned about the Proxy’s attendant while interrogating the fraud who tried to spread miasma across the Radzuel Empire. The black-robed men he commanded—the Worshippers of the Proxy, Driven by Envy—had attacked me and even the Spirit Tree in Chronowize.

I’d met the true Proxy, Sakura, in Celesark through a magic mirror. She hadn’t been attended by any man, only by lifelike humanoid golems so intricate they could be mistaken for people. Which meant the Proxy living in that grand manor near the center of the Demonic Forest had been a fake, and her so-called attendant serving her.

When Lord Glen finished recounting the story, cries of dismay rose from the Nox tribe.

“There’s clearly much we don’t know,” Miss Carnelian said gravely. “We’ll need to investigate this further. But at the very least, we now understand what kind of person that attendant truly was.”

She straightened, then continued, “After hearing the prophecy, we sent scouts to the surface to verify his claims. But none of them ever returned. Then the lift stopped working. No one came down. Eventually, we lost all contact with the surface...and assumed it had perished.”

Considering that no messengers returned, and no visitors arrived, their conclusion made sense. What else could they have believed?

“So we were deceived by that attendant...” Miss Carnelian muttered, clenching her fist and scowling.

A heavy silence settled over us. The mood was difficult to describe—equal parts frustration, disbelief, and determination.

Eventually, Lord Glen broke the tension. “I understand the situation with the Nox Tribe now. So, what do you all plan to do next?”

“We will live for Lady Chelsea’s sake,” Miss Carnelian declared firmly, with the rest of the Nox tribe nodding in agreement.

“Then you’ll return to the surface with us?”

“Yes,” she replied without hesitation—only to gasp a moment later. “Ah, that’s right... We of the Nox Tribe can travel through shadows to reach the surface, but you three would need to use the lift, wouldn’t you?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“But the lift won’t move since it’s out of mana,” Marx added.

“We searched inside the shrine for a mana source, but didn’t find anything. Could there be one outside?” Lord Glen asked.

Miss Carnelian shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

“Can we check again, just in case?”

“It’s possible we missed something. Let’s go back and make sure,” she agreed.

With that, we left the plaza and returned to the shrine housing the lift...the very place where we had first found Miss Carnelian collapsed.

+++

Retracing our steps along the rock-lined paths, we made our way back to the building that housed the lift device.

“Now that I think about it, why were you collapsed out here, Miss Carnelian?” I asked, recalling the moment we found her.

She looked up. “When I saw the lift moving for the first time in nearly a thousand years, I knew I had to see what was coming from the supposedly ruined surface... I managed to leave the village, but ran out of energy before I could make it here.”

Looking closely, I noticed a faint blush on her ears. She must’ve been embarrassed about collapsing. I decided not to pry any deeper than that.

“Let’s take a look around outside,” Lord Glen suggested.

We all nodded and began circling the building.

“There’s nothing but rocks,” Marx observed.

“If there’s nothing out here that looks like a mana source... Wait...could the rocks themselves be a source?” he added, half-joking.

Lord Glen began examining the surrounding stones. “I just checked. They’re all ordinary... No, actually—they all have the ‘Mana Drought’ status.”

“So that’s why no plants are growing,” I murmured.

It reminded me of what happened in the Martec Republic. Devices had been wrongly installed to draw mana from the land, causing a mana drought that killed all vegetation. When I mentioned this, Lord Glen rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought.

“Let’s check inside again...”

Lord Glen seemed to be onto something, because without another word, he stepped into the building. Marx, Miss Carnelian, and I followed close behind, carefully searching every corner. But despite our efforts, we found nothing that resembled a mana source.

“It must have something to do with the lift device itself...” Lord Glen murmured, staring intently at it. A moment later, beads of sweat formed on his brow, and he looked visibly strained.

He’s running out of mana again!

“Lord Glen! That’s enough!” I cried, rushing in front of him to block his gaze and grabbing both of his hands to stop him.

Breathing heavily, he gave me a weak smile. “Looks like closely appraising things made by the Proxy drains a lot of mana... Sorry for making you worry.”

“Please don’t push yourself any more than you already have,” I said softly as our eyes met. He gave a reluctant nod. His complexion wasn’t too pale, but I figured it might be a good idea to prepare another Elixir Seed just in case. I let go of his hands and turned to make one, only for him to gently grab mine again.

“That’s top secret, remember? Don’t,” he whispered so only I could hear.

I gave a reluctant nod in return. Still, if he pushed himself too hard again, I’d find a way to sneak one to him.

After a few deep breaths, Lord Glen turned to all of us. “This lift was designed to run indefinitely by drawing mana from the land. But like the rocks outside, the soil here has a ‘Mana Drought’ status. It can’t absorb anything.”

“In that case... What if I plant some Soil-Improvement Seeds, like I did back in the Martec Republic?” I offered.

Those seeds drew mana from the surrounding air, then released it into the soil when they withered. It had fixed the drought before, so maybe it could work here too.

But Lord Glen shook his head. “The air here in the Nox village also has the mana drought status.”

“Oh no...” I muttered. If even the air lacked mana, then my seeds were useless.

“Nothing we can do, huh?” Marx said with a frown.

“If there were a device like a teleportation circle that allowed us to manually infuse it with mana, we might be able to force it to operate. But this lift was made to passively absorb mana from the land, so that won’t work. Which means...we’ll need to come up with an entirely different solution.”

At his words, we all let out a collective groan.

6. Food, Clothing, and Lodging

With the lift device unusable, we had no choice but to consider alternative ways to return to the surface, but...

“It’s about the time night would fall up above. We should get some rest and think more clearly tomorrow,” Lord Glen said.

Since sitting around and worrying wouldn’t help us come up with a solution, we agreed with his suggestion and decided to rest for the night.

“My apologies,” Miss Carnelian said, her face growing even paler. “We don’t have proper accommodations for the three of you. Our beds are made of stone, and we have no linens at all.”

She explained that the famine had been so severe, they had resorted to consuming anything even remotely edible—wooden bed frames, blankets, pillows... Anything they could eat, they did.

The desperation they must have endured left me speechless. Thinking back, the signs had been there. The Nox village had a ceiling painted like a starry sky, a cold stone floor, and stone buildings. The villagers wore clothing fashioned from interlinked metal pieces, likely salvaged from whatever remained.

“It’s all right,” Lord Glen said reassuringly. “I have camping gear stored in my Item Box, and we also have Chelsea’s Treehouse Seeds. As long as there’s space, we’ll be fine.”

My brother’s eyes lit up with excitement at the mention of the Treehouse Seeds.

The Treehouse Seeds had become a popular topic among the guard knights and maids. My brother had even said he wanted to try sleeping in one just to see how comfortable it really was.

The first Treehouse Seed I created had simply produced a building with no furnishings. But the inn-type variation I created later came fully furnished and could accommodate about thirty people. If I expanded the number of rooms to house over fifty, then even the entire Nox Tribe could stay there with us.

“Since we have the chance, why don’t all of you sleep in the inn-type treehouse with us?” I said.

When I explained that it had a kitchen, bathrooms, and proper beds—though the rooms would be shared—everyone in the Nox Tribe looked hesitant and apologetic.

“Your offer is very generous, but if we slept in real beds wearing what we have on now, we’d either ruin the linens or tear them...” Miss Carnelian said.

Since the rooms weren’t private, they couldn’t exactly sleep in the nude, nor while wearing their current outfits made of metal links...

“If you had clothes made of fabric, would you wear them?” I asked, curious if they would be willing to change, at least for sleeping.

“Of course!” Miss Carnelian answered at once. “Before the famine, we all wore cloth garments regularly.” Her response was met with vigorous nods from the rest of the tribe.

So their current attire, cobbled together from interlinked pieces of metal, wasn’t by choice, but born of necessity. I couldn’t help but recall the time I left the barony where I’d been mistreated, and how Lord Glen had given me food and a dress. The Nox Tribe’s situation reminded me of my own back then.

“In that case...would you be willing to stay in the treehouse with us if I made clothes for all of you?” I asked.

Miss Carnelian looked a little puzzled but nodded. “Yes, we would.”

“Then I’ll make you all some clothes with my Skill—just like I did when I made food for you!”

At my declaration, Miss Carnelian’s face lit up with relief. The rest of the tribe looked stunned, their jaws dropped, clearly unsure they’d heard me right.

“You should reserve clothing seeds for special situations, so you don’t disrupt the clothing industry on the surface,” Lord Glen warned gently.

“Right,” I agreed. “Just like with the food seeds, I’ll only use them when truly necessary.”

With that short exchange settled, I took the blue pen-shaped magic tool—the manastone stylus—into my hand.

“If we have proper clothing tailored for them once we’re back on the surface, then I can create a version that replicates those clothes for everyone,” I said. “I’ll design a seed that produces clothing of the same style for the whole tribe.”

Using the concept behind the Pumpkin Potage-filled fruits, I imagined a seed that would grow fruit shaped like small square pouches instead of pots. Inside each would be a full outfit with clothing, underwear, and shoes, all of the same design. The size would automatically adjust to fit whoever opened the pouch. I added everything I could think of into the instructions.

“What kind of design should it be? Is there something you’d like to wear, Miss Carnelian?”

“If it’s possible...I’d love for us to wear the clothes we used to wear...”

If she already had something in mind, it would be much quicker for her to draw it herself.

“I’m not very good at drawing,” I admitted, offering her the pen. “Would you mind sketching it for me?”

“R-Really?!”

“Absolutely. Please go ahead.”

“Understood!”

Beaming, Miss Carnelian eagerly began to sketch the clothing she remembered. Her design included simple underclothes and socks suitable for both men and women, white shirts, black vests with plenty of pockets, sturdy black trousers, and tall black boots with thick soles—possibly hollow inside to conceal tools. She added a long reddish-black jacket with a large hood and a mask that covered the lower half of the face.

Once she finished, she turned the page toward me with a proud smile. “How about this?”

“It looks great,” I said with a firm nod, impressed by the detail I never would’ve been able to draw myself.

“Whoa... That’s awesome. I wanna wear that too!” Marx said, his eyes sparkling like a little boy.

“When you said espionage, I pictured you more like ninjas,” Lord Glen murmured, examining the sketch. “But this feels more...assassin-like.”

I didn’t quite catch everything he said, but I moved on, jotting down the final specifications for the seed. I made sure to include that the plant would wilt and decompose into fertilizer after all the fruit was harvested, and that it would only produce one generation like always.

This time, instead of rereading the blueprint repeatedly and trying to imagine the result, I decided it would be better to simply wish for the seed to come out just as the blueprint stated.

“Okay, I’ll make the seed now,” I declared, closing my eyes briefly as I activated my Skill. “I’ll make a seed that produces fruit containing the exact clothing from the blueprint—[Seed Creation]!”

With a soft pop, a coin-shaped seed appeared in my palm. One side bore an engraving of the upper half of Miss Carnelian’s outfit design, while the other displayed the lower half.

“It’s called a ‘Clothing Seed,’” Lord Glen announced, using his [Appraisal] Skill to examine it. “When planted, it will grow fruit containing clothing specifically designed for the Nox Tribe. The garments will automatically adjust to fit the size of the person who opens the fruit. However, if anyone from a different race tries to wear them, the clothing will crumble to dust. The plant is single-generation only and will wither into fertilizer once all the fruit has been harvested.”

“So only the Nox Tribe can wear them?!” Marx cried out, visibly deflated. “I can’t...?”

Lord Glen ignored my brother’s disappointed whine and continued, “It looks like this’ll grow into a large tree, similar to the Pumpkin Potage plant. We should return to the plaza.”

“Then let’s go!” I said enthusiastically.

Everyone nodded, and we made our way back to the plaza. When we arrived, I noticed the remaining Pumpkin Potage fruits still resting on a thick cloth. I wondered if everyone was getting hungry again...

“Why don’t we have dinner before planting the seed?” I suggested.

The members of the Nox Tribe eagerly nodded in agreement, and so did Marx.

“The potage might not be enough for all of us,” I added, “so I’ll make some pound cake too.”

I created fifty seeds that would grow fruit filled with pound cake and handed them out. The others planted the seeds on the spot, harvested the fruits, and began enjoying their meal together.

+++

After dinner, I walked to the edge of the plaza and planted the Clothing Seed. It immediately sprouted, growing rapidly before blooming with reddish-black flowers. Soon after, it bore thin, square-shaped fruit, each just the right size to hold with both hands.

With each seed I planted, the members of the Nox Tribe let out cries of excitement. Their enthusiasm made me feel a little self-conscious, but then I realized this was the first time I’d ever created fruit shaped like squares. I’d definitely have to present this to Lord Tris once we were back at the Royal Research Institute...

I picked the nearest fruit and handed it to Miss Carnelian. “When you open it, it should create clothing tailored to your size. Would you try it out?”

“Understood.”

She knelt slightly, accepting the fruit with reverence, then stood and snapped it cleanly in half.

You can break them like a wooden board?!

I stood there, shocked, as clothing began to spill out from the broken fruit. Underclothes, socks, a shirt, vest, pants, tall boots, a long jacket, and a mask... One piece after another emerged, far more than seemed possible from something so compact. Once everything had come out, the thin, square fruit shell vanished entirely.

“Huh? It disappeared?” I murmured in surprise.

Up until now, every seed, fruit, or shell my Skill had created would eventually turn into fertilizer. But this...simply vanished. I looked around Miss Carnelian, searching for any sign of it, but the shell was truly gone. Where did it go?! Could it be because I forgot to write in the blueprint what should happen to the shell after the fruit is opened...?

As I puzzled over it, Lord Glen let out a dry laugh while appraising the garments in Miss Carnelian’s hands.

“Ha ha ha... This is another one we absolutely cannot let out into the public. ‘Nox Tribe-Exclusive Clothing.’ It’s very elastic, keeps the wearer at a suitable temperature, and doesn’t get dirty, so it doesn’t require washing... That’s what it says.”

Miss Carnelian glanced between the clothes and me, clearly overwhelmed.

“If they don’t get dirty, that’s really convenient,” Marx said, admiring the clothing in her hands with barely concealed envy.

“Thank you so much for these wonderful clothes!” Miss Carnelian said, hugging the outfit to her chest as if cherishing a treasure.

One by one, the rest of the tribe followed her example, breaking open their own fruit.

“It’s probably best to change after you’ve had a bath in the treehouse,” Lord Glen suggested. The women of the tribe responded with joyful cheers.

“I’ll make the Treehouse Seed next,” I said, summoning the blueprint for the inn-style Treehouse Seed from my Spirit World storage. I made a few tweaks to it, then activated my Skill. “I’ll make an inn-type Treehouse Seed that can house fifty people—[Seed Creation]!”

With a gentle pop, the seed appeared in my palm. After having Lord Glen appraise it to confirm it matched the blueprint, I moved to the center of the plaza.

“I’m going to plant it now!” I called, dropping the seed to the ground before stepping back. The seed immediately took root, sprouting and growing taller and broader before our eyes.

As I watched the treehouse rise, a sudden idea struck me. “What if we planted a seed that grew all the way to the surface? Could we use it to return topside?”

Both Lord Glen and Marx gasped at the thought.

The Treehouse Seed continued to grow before our eyes, a spiral staircase forming along the outside of its thick trunk.

“We might fall if the stairs are on the outside...” I commented.

“Then why not put the staircase inside the tree?” Lord Glen suggested.

“A staircase... But would Chelsea be able to climb one that reached all the way to the surface?” Marx asked.

“Probably not...” I replied.

“I think you’re the only one who could manage that, Marx,” Lord Glen added.

“Even I’d need to rest halfway,” Marx admitted with a sheepish laugh.

“What if there was something inside the tree that could lift us to the surface?” I suggested.

“Would it take an hour like the lift thing did?” Marx wondered.

“If it moved too fast, it would put strain on our bodies,” Lord Glen warned. “There’s no helping the slow pace if we want it to be safe.”

“If only there were a way to travel quickly without stressing our bodies...” my brother sighed.

“Maybe I could design it so that once we entered, we’d instantly arrive at the surface?”

“That’s it!” Marx said, eyes lighting up.

As we continued brainstorming different ideas for a new seed, the treehouse finished growing behind us. The members of the Nox Tribe looked up at it, letting out awed cries of amazement.

“Now that we have somewhere to sleep, how about we leave the seed for getting back to the surface until tomorrow and get some rest?” Lord Glen suggested.

“But...wouldn’t it be better if I just made it now?” I asked hesitantly, not quite ready to agree.

He gently rubbed my back. “You’ve had a long day, haven’t you?”

He wasn’t wrong. I’d ridden a Pink Mammoth, been dragged underground without warning, and made a ton of seeds. I was tired, even if I hadn’t noticed it until now.

“Yes, I guess so...”

Lord Glen had also collapsed earlier from mana exhaustion after trying to appraise something in too much detail. Even though the Elixir Seed had restored his energy, he’d nearly overexerted himself again just a short while ago.

“If you try to write a blueprint while you’re this tired, you might overlook something important,” Lord Glen said gently. “Let’s get a good night’s rest and save it for tomorrow.”

“You need to rest well too. All right, Lord Glen,” I replied.

He gave me a soft smile in return.

With Marx leading the way, we entered the inn-type treehouse.

“Whoa... It’s bigger on the inside,” he said, eyes wide with amazement.

He wasn’t the only one surprised—the members of the Nox Tribe stared around in awe as well.

We guided Miss Carnelian and the others through the treehouse, showing them the kitchen, toilets, and baths. They thanked me over and over, then hurried off excitedly to be the first ones in the baths. After getting cleaned up, they changed into their new clothes and offered even more heartfelt thanks.

As for me, the moment I flopped down on the bed in the same three-person room on the third floor I’d used last time, I immediately let go of my consciousness and fell asleep. I hadn’t realized how exhausted I truly was until sleep took me instantly.

+++

“Chelsea, it’s morning. Time to get up.”

Lord Glen’s gentle voice woke me the next morning while I was still groggy with sleep. As I slowly sat up, still half dazed, I saw him approach with a brush in hand.

“I’ve always wanted to do this at least once,” he murmured with a soft, enchanting smile as he began brushing my hair until it gleamed like silk. “Your hair is so shiny and beautiful.”

Then he looked directly at me and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

“Are you awake now?”

That finally jolted me into lucidity.

“Hwah?! Huh?! Why are you— I mean, g-good morning, Lord Glen!”

I shot up from the bed in a hurry, prompting a quiet chuckle from him.

“You must’ve been exhausted last night,” he said, still smiling as he stepped closer and gently wrapped his arms around me. “You were flopped face-first on the bed. Marx was convinced you were sick and kept panicking until I checked with my [Appraisal] Skill. You didn’t wake up at all.”

He held me close as he spoke, and when he leaned in to whisper, his breath tickled my ear, sending a shiver through me.

“Everyone’s already awake, so let’s head out together.”

“O-Okay.”

Still flustered, I nodded, my heart pounding as we laced our fingers together and walked out of the room.

Outside, all the members of the Nox Tribe were lined up in perfect formation. Dressed uniformly in the same new outfits, they looked almost like an elite order of knights awaiting inspection.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, Lady Chelsea!” they all replied in cheerful unison.

“Did you sleep well?” I asked, hoping the beds I’d created with the seed had lived up to the wish I’d made for comfort and ease of use.

But instead of a direct answer, they averted their gazes, some scratching their cheeks awkwardly.

“Was something wrong...?” I asked, a little worried.

Miss Carnelian gave me a sheepish smile and shook her head. “No... Not at all. It’s just... It’s been so long since any of us last slept in a soft bed, we were so overwhelmed we could hardly sleep.”

I completely understood how they felt. The first night I stayed at the Royal Research Institute’s lodging house, I’d been so nervous in my fluffy new bed that it had taken me hours to fall asleep...

While I was lost in that nostalgic memory, a chorus of stomachs growled around me.

“I’ll make breakfast for us right away!” I announced. All eyes from the Nox Tribe lit up at once, Miss Carnelian included. “Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

I really wanted to make something they actually wanted. But when I asked, they all glanced at one another uncertainly. No one spoke. What’s going on? I wondered, until Miss Carnelian stepped forward, looking apologetic.

“Ever since we moved to our underground village, we’ve survived on fish from the lake, moss growing near the streams, and mushrooms we managed to cultivate in the fields. Once the famine began, we were only allowed one of the nutritious, supplement-like fruits from the stone tree the Proxy created for us...once a month. We’ll gratefully eat anything that’s edible.”

“You only ate once a month?!” I gasped.

Lord Glen and Marx were just as shocked.

“Since we of the Nox Tribe have become closer to Spirits, our bodies changed—we gained long lifespans, strong bodies, and ceased aging. We also lost the ability to bear children. As long as we ate once a month, we wouldn’t die.”

They might not have died...but they were still painfully thin. Which meant...

“You still felt the pain and discomfort of hunger, didn’t you?”

Miss Carnelian looked away, unable to answer. That was all the confirmation I needed.

I’m going to feed them yummy food. I want to make them full and happy again! I vowed silently.

“We’ve got a big crowd,” Marx chimed in. “Wouldn’t sandwiches or rice balls be good?”

“Rice balls...!” Lord Glen repeated, turning to me with stars in his eyes.

Rice balls it was. They were more filling than sandwiches, and easy to customize with different fillings. Plus, Glen loved rice, so I wanted to make them especially for him.

“I’ll make rice balls, then.”

Lord Glen gave me a delighted smile in return.

Pulling out my magical blue pen-shaped tool, I began drafting a blueprint in the air. I used the Cookie Seed as a base so it could grow fruit that held multiple rice balls inside. I modeled the rice balls after the ones Miss Micah used to make for us, wrapped in nori and packed with flavor.

Now, for the fillings... Pickled plum was sour but strangely addictive. I loved the salty-sweetness of konbu too... Shredded salmon, tuna, roe—they were all yummy options. And I remembered Miss Micah once making novelty versions with fried chicken, shrimp tempura, or sweet and salty steamed fish...

As I scribbled all the different filling ideas into the air, Lord Glen let out a laugh.

“If you can’t decide on just one, why not make the fillings random based on the kinds you’ve eaten before?”

“That’s a great idea!”

Not knowing which flavor you’d get until you opened the fruit... That made it kind of like a game! I noted in the blueprint that each fruit would contain four rice balls, with the fillings chosen at random.

“Also, you could grow more fruit than we have people, and hand them out ahead of time so everyone can eat whenever they get hungry,” Lord Glen added.

I nodded at the suggestion.

“Eat whenever? Like rations?” Marx asked.

“Less rations, and more like a lunch box,” Lord Glen clarified.

“If they’re like lunch boxes, then I should make a lot,” I said, deciding to have the seed grow two hundred fruit in total. Since that would be quite a lot, the tree would need to be thick and sturdy like the treehouse’s. More than anything, I just wanted everyone to enjoy their meal.

After double-checking the blueprint, I used my Skill. “I’ll make a seed that grows fruit filled with rice balls—[Seed Creation]!”

With a small pop, a brown, thumbnail-sized triangular seed shaped just like a rice ball appeared in my hand.

Lord Glen immediately used his [Appraisal] Skill to check it. “It’s called a ‘Rice Ball Seed.’ When planted, it’ll grow two hundred large fruits that look like chocolate vine pods, each containing four rice balls. The fillings will be chosen at random, but they’re all delicious, with no disappointments. Once all the fruit is harvested, the tree will wither and turn into fertilizer. Looks good to me.”

With his approval, I moved a short distance away from the inn-type treehouse and planted the seed. Just by dropping it to the ground, it sprouted like always and quickly grew into a thick, sturdy tree that resembled a chocolate vine. Tiny flowers burst into bloom, followed by large fruit hanging from the branches. I picked one, split it open, and revealed four freshly made triangular rice balls wrapped in crisp nori.

“There we go!” I said proudly, holding them up for everyone to see.

Miss Carnelian swallowed hard as she stared at the food.

“You can each take up to four,” I said. “And if you don’t eat them all now, feel free to save the rest for later.”

As soon as I said that, everyone hurried to harvest the fruit, eagerly cracking them open and enjoying the rice balls inside.

“To think we would ever eat to the point of fullness again... I’m so grateful.”

“All the different flavors are delicious!”

“I can’t thank Lady Chelsea enough...”

Hearing their voices filled with joy and gratitude brought me a sense of relief. “I made enough for you two as well, so please, eat up!”

“I suppose I will,” Lord Glen said with a smile.

“You made some for us too?!” Marx said, pleasantly surprised.

The two of them grinned and joined the Nox Tribe in gathering the fruit.

7. To the Surface

Once everyone had eaten their fill of rice balls, we turned our attention to designing the seed that would take us back to the surface.

“Let’s start by reviewing what we discussed last night,” Lord Glen said. He recapped our schematic: a towering stalk that would stretch to the surface, with a portal-like entrance at its base that would instantly transport anyone who stepped through it to an exit aboveground. “Did I get all that right?”

“Yes.” I nodded, pulling out my magical blue pen-shaped tool and beginning to draft the blueprint midair. “Since we don’t have an existing seed to base this on, we’ll need to create it entirely from scratch.”

Marx tapped a finger to his chin thoughtfully. “Didn’t we come up with the idea while planting the inn-type treehouse seed? Why not use that one as a base?”

“I originally created the treehouse seed with the intention of growing something like a home,” I explained, gesturing toward the still-standing structure in the plaza. “If we used it as a base, it would probably still include the house and the exterior staircase.”

“And since we’re trying to avoid having to walk up stairs, using the treehouse as a base won’t work,” Lord Glen added.

“That’s right,” I confirmed.

“Ah, got it now,” Marx said, nodding in understanding.

In truth, I had originally considered using the Spirit Tree seeds as a base instead of the treehouse seed. But if we went that route, we’d have to plant one seed underground and another on the surface, which made the idea too complicated, so I nixed it.

“We’ll probably want the seed to grow a tree that stretches all the way to the surface in one go once it’s planted underground,” Lord Glen suggested.

I was about to sketch his idea, but then hesitated and turned to Miss Carnelian instead. I wasn’t exactly confident in my drawing skills, and since she had designed everyone’s clothing, I figured she’d be much better suited for it.

“Um, Miss Carnelian... Would you be willing to draw the tree for the blueprint?” I asked, offering her my magical pen tool.

“Please leave it to me!” she said with a bright smile, and immediately got to work. She drew the diagram from a side view—an oval shape to represent the underground, a horizontal line for the surface, and a long, sturdy stalk reaching from below to grow into a large tree above. Her rounded, slightly stylized lines gave the whole drawing a warm, friendly feel, while keeping it easy to understand. Once she was done, she handed the pen back to me.

“So we’ll want the stalk to be wide enough for an adult to stand inside and stretch their arms out,” I murmured as I wrote that note into the blueprint.

“Oh yeah, what about the entrance?” Marx interjected. “If it instantly brings someone up to the surface, is it one-way? If it isn’t, people could come and go as they please...and someone might eventually come down here and ruin the Nox Tribe’s village.”

That was a fair point, especially coming from Marx, whose work often involved handling security and exterminating monsters.

“But if it’s one-way, then we won’t be able to come back down here at all,” I said, frowning. Wouldn’t it be hard on the Nox Tribe, having to leave the home they’ve lived in for nearly two thousand years?

I glanced at Miss Carnelian uncertainly, but she gave me a reassuring smile.

“We’re all planning to move to the surface with you, Lady Chelsea,” she said warmly. “This village may have been created for us by the Proxy, but there’s always a chance we’d end up trapped down here again. Honestly, we’d feel safer living aboveground.”

The other members of the Nox Tribe nodded in agreement.

It would be no good if they were trapped down here with empty bellies again! I quickly added to the blueprint that the entrance would be underground, the exit would be on the surface, and the passage would function as a one-way route only.

“That way, no one can misuse the space beneath the Bazrack duchy,” Marx said with a satisfied nod.

“Right,” I agreed. “Now, I’ll just add that the tree turns into fertilizer once it withers—”

“Wait just a second,” Lord Glen interrupted. “If the tree withers or burns away completely, wouldn’t that leave a massive hole in the ground?”

“That wouldn’t be a good thing to fall into. And if, by some slim chance, someone managed to reach the bottom, they could end up misusing the underground, just like my brother warned...” I said.

I started to fret, worried by the thought, but Miss Carnelian spoke up calmly. “What if the space between the surface and underground turned back into solid ground—just hardened soil?”

“So it would return to how it was before planting the seed...or at least close to it. That sounds like a good solution,” Lord Glen said, nodding approvingly. Miss Carnelian looked visibly relieved.

“Let’s go with that,” I agreed, quickly writing the idea down in the blueprint. “Is there anything else I should add?”

I looked around, but everyone shook their heads. No one had anything more to suggest.

“All right, I’ll read over everything once more, then create the seed,” I announced. I carefully checked each line of the blueprint, making sure every detail was clear. Then, silently wishing for all of us trapped underground to safely return to the surface, I used my Skill. “I’ll make the seed that brings us back to the surface—[Seed Creation]!”

With a gentle pop, a brown, broad-bean-shaped seed about the size of an egg appeared in my palm.

“‘Jack and the Beanstalk,’ huh... I guess it kind of is,” Lord Glen murmured, eyeing the seed.

I tilted my head at him in confusion, but he just shook his head as if to say it wasn’t important and moved on to appraising it.

“It’s called ‘The Nox Tribe and the Beanstalk Seed,’” he read aloud. “When planted, it immediately grows a tree that reaches the surface. Stepping through the door at the base instantly brings you to the matching door on the tree’s upper portion. Travel from the surface back to the underground isn’t possible. And if the tree withers or rots, it won’t turn to fertilizer or ash. Instead, the roots and stalk within the ground will become solid earth again and harden.”

I let out a breath of relief; it had come out just like the blueprint.

“No problems then? Let’s get that thing planted!” Marx said enthusiastically.

“Please use the plaza once more,” Miss Carnelian offered graciously.

That’s when something occurred to me. “If we plant the seed in the plaza, where exactly will the tree emerge on the surface?” If it happened to sprout somewhere the observation team was working, someone could get hurt.

I explained my concern, and Lord Glen nodded thoughtfully. “You still have the inspection guide the Chief gave you, right?”

“I do,” I replied, glancing down at the bracelet made from a Spirit Tree branch wrapped around my left wrist.

As I did, the guide materialized on its own without any prompting. It seemed the Spirits who managed my personal storage in the Spirit World had picked up on what I wanted. I silently thanked them, and the Spirit Tree bracelet sparkled in response.

“I think there’s a simple map of the Karya Megaflora Cluster in the guide somewhere.”

“If I remember correctly, it’s near the back,” I said, flipping through the pages until I found the map.

“Karya Village is here, and the ruins of the shrine—or rather, the lift—are here,” Lord Glen said, pointing to various spots on the page. “Judging by their positions, the plaza should be somewhere around this area.”

He pointed to the northern part of the map...where a small flag had been marked.

“If we’d planted the seed in the plaza, it would’ve come out right in the middle of one of the observation sites. Nice catch, Chelsea!” Marx said, flashing me a wide grin.

If there was an observation site there, then depending on the timing, members of the observation team might have been present. I let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness I’d realized in time...!

+++

After that, Lord Glen compared the map with the layout of the Nox Tribe’s village and pinpointed a safe spot to plant the seed that wouldn’t cause issues when the tree sprouted on the surface. Aboveground, it was located farther east of the shrine site, clear of any observation posts and well away from the path the Pink Mammoth usually took. Underground, though, the spot sat atop a rocky hill, which made it a little tricky to reach.

“All right, I’m going to plant it!” I announced. I dropped the seed onto the ground and stepped back.

The Nox Tribe and the Beanstalk seed began sprouting more slowly than the others I’d planted. After it grew two large leaves taller than me, thick vines started stretching upward toward the surface with a low, slithering sound. As they climbed, the vines thickened and intertwined until they formed something more like a tree trunk. When I looked up, I saw it had already grown taller than the five-story Royal Research Institute.

“It’s a bit different from the other seeds you’ve used so far,” Lord Glen observed.

I nodded. “It kind of looked like a vegetable at first, but then it started turning into a tree partway through.”

“That’s pretty accurate.”

As we traded our puzzled impressions, the vines continued to grow steadily upward.

“Judging by how fast it’s going, it’ll take a while before it breaks through to the surface,” Lord Glen said.

“That reminds me...” I said, turning to Miss Carnelian. “Are all the members of the Nox Tribe ready for the journey to the surface?”

She gave me a confident nod. “Yes. We all finished our preparations last night, so we’re ready to go.”

“Thank goodness,” I sighed in relief, only for the slithering sound to suddenly stop.

“Did it finish growing?” Marx asked, stepping toward the beanstalk. But just as he approached, two slender vines shot out from the ground, blocking his path.

“Huh?” he exclaimed, instinctively reaching for the sword at his hip, his mouth agape.

The Nox Tribe members froze in surprise. Lord Glen narrowed his eyes at the beanstalk, clearly using his [Appraisal] Skill to check what was happening.

I remembered how the large Venus flytrap I had created once bowed with its leaves to show it meant no harm. Maybe this tree was doing something similar?

“It might be warning us not to come too close until it’s done growing,” I guessed.

At that moment, the vines moved in a nodding gesture.

“That’s it,” Lord Glen confirmed. “I just appraised it. The tree says not to approach until it’s fully grown. It’d be too dangerous otherwise. Looks like those vines popped out to keep Marx from getting any closer.”

In response, the vines nodded again, confirming his explanation.

“I see... So you were protecting me,” Marx said, offering the tree a respectful knight’s salute. The tips of the vines swayed gently, as if telling him not to worry about it.

“I’ve never seen a plant like that before...”

“Everything Lady Chelsea creates is a first for us, huh?”

“You’ve got that right!”

The Nox Tribe took it all in stride, chatting casually as they admired the towering beanstalk.

Some time later, the tree finished growing, and the two thin vines twisted together into a door-like shape on the trunk.

“It’s really done this time, right?” Marx asked, taking a cautious step past the point where he’d been stopped before. The vines didn’t react, and he was able to approach the trunk without issue.

“Hold on a second,” Lord Glen said, just as Marx was about to touch the door. “Let me appraise it again.”

He paused, scanning it once more. “It’s called ‘The Nox Tribe’s Beanstalk.’ It connects the underground to the surface and won’t allow anyone who poses a threat to Chelsea to pass. The rest matches what you wrote in the blueprint—entering the door underground will instantly transport you to the one aboveground. It’s one-way only. If it ever withers or rots, the parts underground won’t become fertilizer or ash, but will turn back into soil and harden.”

“Sounds perfect!” Marx said, his eyes sparkling. The moment he reached out and touched the door, his body vanished.

“Um... Since he hasn’t come back, that must mean he made it to the surface, right?” I asked, a little nervously.

Lord Glen chuckled, giving me a reassuring smile. “You designed a solid blueprint before creating the seed. I’m sure he’s fine,” he said, holding out his hand. “But if you’re still worried, let’s go together.”

His confident grin and the warmth of his outstretched hand melted away my doubts. Just placing my hand in his didn’t feel like enough; I couldn’t stop the rush of emotion welling up inside me, so I gave his hand a firm squeeze. He blinked in surprise, then smiled before slipping his fingers between mine.

“Let’s go, then,” he said.

“All right,” I replied, blushing, as we stepped toward the door in the Nox Tribe’s Beanstalk.

In the blink of an eye, we were back on the surface, surrounded by the heady scent of plants. Overhead loomed an enormous tulip, its petals the size of my bed. When I turned around, I saw the beanstalk towering two stories high, a large flower blooming at its crown. Nearby, Marx was pressing his hand to the trunk.

“No matter how much I touch it, I can’t go back down. Looks like it really is one-way,” he said, glancing over and realizing we’d just arrived.

One by one, Miss Carnelian and the rest of the Nox Tribe emerged from the tree behind us. Most hadn’t been to the surface in ages, and it showed. They wandered around wide-eyed, breathing in the fresh air, stretching their limbs, and soaking in the sunlight. They looked like they were having a blast.

As he watched them, Lord Glen spoke up. “We never actually decided what we were going to do once we made it back, did we?”

Now that he mentioned it, we’d been so focused on reaching the surface that none of us had thought much about what came next.

“I think we should head to the shrine site first,” he continued, then glanced over at the Nox Tribe as they stood basking in the dappled sunlight between the towering tulips. “But...there’s probably a search party out there looking for us. Showing up with this many people would raise more questions than we’re ready to answer.”

Forty-six new faces appearing out of nowhere would definitely cause a stir. I wasn’t the only one who nodded in agreement; Miss Carnelian, standing nearby, did too.

“Don’t worry,” she said gently. “We can travel from inside your shadows. We won’t come out unless you call for us.”

“That would be a huge help,” Lord Glen replied with a relieved sigh. “And as for the explanation...leave that to me. That way we avoid contradicting each other. If anyone asks questions, just tell them to speak with Glen.”

“Got it.”

“Understood.”

Marx and I both nodded.

“We’ll hide in your shadows, then,” Miss Carnelian said, and one by one, the members of the Nox Tribe began to vanish. Some sank into the ground, others drifted away like mist, and a few melted like ice in sunlight. Last to disappear was Miss Carnelian, who bowed deeply before quietly sinking into the earth in that same position.

“They all have different ways of merging into the shadows, huh...” I murmured, just as I felt a subtle shift, like the shadow nearby had given a small nod. Was I imagining things?

As I stared, trying to confirm what I’d seen, Lord Glen tilted his head. “Something wrong?”

“It feels like someone’s still standing right where Miss Carnelian vanished.”

At my words, both Lord Glen and Marx turned to look at the shadows.

“I couldn’t tell just by looking, so I used my [Appraisal] Skill. All it tells me is that there’s a shadow there,” Lord Glen said.

“I only noticed something was there after you mentioned it,” I replied.

“Do you sense anyone else nearby?” he asked.

“Um...” I looked around, then pointed to another shadowy spot.

“There’s just a shadow,” Glen reported.

“I don’t feel anything from this one,” Marx added.

What’s going on? I wondered, just as Miss Carnelian emerged silently from the first shadow I’d pointed to.

“I was not called, but I felt I should explain,” she said. “Because Lady Chelsea has formed a contract with us, she can now sense our presence, even when we’re hidden in the shadows.”

“Oh, that makes sense!” I exclaimed.

Lord Glen mused, “So it’s like a perk from the contract.”

Marx nodded. “I get it now.”

With our confusion cleared up, Miss Carnelian sank back into the shadow, disappearing once again.

“Well, now that that’s settled, let’s head out,” Lord Glen said.

I nodded, and the three of us began making our way toward the shrine site. As we went, Marx used his sword, and Lord Glen used his magic to clear away massive tulip petals, collapsed stems, and withered leaves from our path.

Eventually, we reached a wide clearing—the stone-paved area near the shrine site. There we found a large crowd already gathered. Guard knights scanned the area, bags under their eyes, and members of the observation team were examining the strange new building that had appeared. Lord Seigrett Bazrack, the future duke, stood among them, and his eyes widened the moment he saw us. Also present were the mayor of Karya Village, several villagers, and soldiers from the Bazrack Duchy.

I barely had time to take it all in before Lord Seigrett shouted, “They’ve returned!”

At his call, all eyes turned our way. In an instant, the crowd rushed over and surrounded us.

“Are you unhurt?”

“Thank goodness you’re safe!”

“What a relief!”

The flood of concern washed over me, and though I was touched, I couldn’t help but feel guilty for making them worry.

“We’re all uninjured,” Lord Glen said, speaking on behalf of the group.

Lord Seigrett gave a small nod of understanding. “You must all be exhausted. Please, return to the manor and rest for now.”

“Thank you for your consideration,” Lord Glen replied.

At his words, Lord Seigrett exhaled in relief, then turned to issue instructions. “Observation team, continue your inspection of the building. Mayor, please summon the Pink Mammoth.”

“Understood! We’ll resume our investigation at once,” said the team leader.

“I’ll call for the Pink Mammoth immediately!” the mayor added.

With synchronized nods, the observation team and villagers quickly dispersed to carry out their tasks. That left only Lord Seigrett, the Bazrack Duchy’s soldiers, and the capital knights who’d escorted us. The knights and soldiers moved into formation behind their respective lords, standing at attention without obstructing the area.

I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been until the crowd thinned. As the noise died down, I finally let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding.

+++

After riding the Pink Mammoth—summoned by the villagers—back to Karya Village, we used the teleportation circle there to return to Duke Bazrack’s manor.

“Before we head to our rooms, I’d like to report to my uncle,” Lord Glen said to the butler waiting at the entrance.

“Understood. I shall escort you at once.”

With a respectful bow, the butler led us straight to Duke Bazrack’s office.

“I was terrified when I heard you had all vanished,” the duke said the moment we entered, a look of relief washing over his face. “But seeing you safe, and here to see me right away, must mean something’s happened, doesn’t it?”

His gaze drifted over our appearance. I hadn’t thought we looked too bad. We’d stayed in a treehouse-inn just last night, after all. But now that I looked closer, I noticed the dirt on the hem of my skirt, the edge of Lord Glen’s cloak, and the dust caking my brother’s boots. Realizing we’d come straight to the duke like this, my face turned pale, but Lord Glen didn’t bat an eye.

“Something urgent has come up,” he said evenly. “We’ll be departing for the capital as soon as we’ve made our preparations.”

At that, the duke brought a hand to his chin, eyes narrowing slightly in thought. I still wasn’t sure why we needed to return so soon, but I knew better than to ask here.

“So something has indeed occurred...but you cannot share the details with me yet?” the duke asked.

Lord Glen gave a firm nod. “I intend to request an audience with His Majesty as soon as we arrive.”

The duke sighed, clearly not thrilled but understanding. “If it’s a matter for the king, then I have no right to press. You may return at once.”

“Thank you. I promise to explain everything once I’ve spoken with His Majesty. I understand the inspection is ongoing, but for now, we must take our leave.”

With their formal exchange complete, we exited the office to begin preparations for our journey back to the capital.

Interlude: Glen and the Nox Tribe

After I finished reporting to my uncle Rodrick, the current Duke Bazrack, we each returned to our rooms to prepare for the journey back to the capital.

The attendant my uncle had assigned to me was already waiting inside when I entered, but I asked him to leave. Since I planned to store all my luggage in my Item Box, I didn’t need any help. I packed up my belongings quickly, then double-checked to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything. With that, I was ready to go.

Chelsea, Marx, and the guard knights would probably need more time, so I sat on the edge of the bed to think through what I needed to do next. That’s when something unusual caught my eye.

I used my [Appraisal] Skill to scan the room and noticed something strange. The shadow of a decorative plant by the window displayed the phrase, “Has a shadow.” That shouldn’t have happened. Shadows usually returned no result. Which could only mean one thing...someone from the Nox Tribe was hiding there.

As I stared at it, Carnelian emerged from the darkness, her reddish-black robe trailing behind her. She looked genuinely surprised. “How did you know I was there...?”

I simply smiled. “Did you need something?” I asked, tilting my head.

Straightening up, Carnelian spoke with formality. “I have heard that you are Lady Chelsea’s fiancé. Please allow me to determine whether you are truly worthy of our mistress,” she said with a bow. There was no hostility in her voice or presence. She simply wanted to confirm it for herself.

“Okay... But how exactly?” I asked.

“If you’d be willing to answer a few questions,” Carnelian replied.

“Questions? Sure,” I said, resting a hand on my chin.

She fixed me with a serious gaze. “Very well. My first question—do you have the wealth to support Lady Chelsea?”

“Huh?” That caught me completely off guard. I let out a flat, dumbfounded noise. After clearing my throat to recover, I said, “Shouldn’t the first question be about how I feel about her?”

Carnelian gave me a look that clearly said, “What is this guy even talking about?”

“I can already tell how deeply you care for Lady Chelsea. Your actions make that clear.”

“Am I really that obvious...?”

“You’re always watching over her, worrying for her safety, and looking for excuses to touch her whenever possible. It’s plain to see.”

My face flushed at how bluntly she put it. Did she really have to say “touch her whenever possible”?

“So,” she continued, “are you wealthy?”

“Of course.”

I explained that I was the younger brother of the King of Chronowize, an advisor to the nobility, a nationally certified Appraiser, a skilled healer, and the current Duke of Snowflake—lord of the duchy that came with the title.

“I see.” She nodded, seeming satisfied. “You have a proper position, and even if you were to lose it, your Skills would let you find work elsewhere. I have no concerns about your financial stability.”

It wasn’t uncommon for a [Reincarnator] to be born into the royal family of Chronowize. Since most of us came with useful knowledge, the kingdom made sure to keep us close. In other words, losing my position was practically impossible.

Carnelian moved on. “My second question is...Lady Chelsea possesses an incredibly rare power. There will undoubtedly be those who try to exploit or harm her. Can you protect her?”

“I gave her a ring-shaped magic tool as an engagement ring. It automatically activates defensive magic if she’s ever in danger,” I explained. “And if someone were to attack her while I’m present, I’m more than capable of protecting her myself.”

Not only could I use magic in battle, but I’d also received formal sword training, as was expected of a noble.

“A magic tool like that... It must be a national treasure,” Carnelian said, her eyes wide in shock.

“If you’re still unsure, I could spar with you to prove it,” I offered.

“There’s no need,” she replied. “I can tell that Lady Chelsea will be protected, even in the face of the unexpected. What matters now is ensuring such situations don’t arise at all.”

“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I said, shifting to a more serious tone. “I’d like us to work together to keep her safe.”

At that, Carnelian’s expression turned thoughtful.

“I want the Nox Tribe to act as my network of spies—discreetly, under my command—for the sole purpose of protecting Chelsea.”

Chelsea had formed a contract with them, becoming their mistress, but I doubted she’d ever feel comfortable issuing covert or morally gray commands.

“I’ll handle all the darker decisions. Everything I ask will be in her best interest,” I said.

More than anything, I wanted Chelsea to live in peace, far away from anything violent.

“So in other words, you don’t want Lady Chelsea’s hands to be dirtied?” she asked.

“Exactly,” I said, smiling at how precisely she’d phrased it.

“Understood. From this moment on, we will act at your command, Your Highness, to protect Lady Chelsea.”

“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”

And just like that, an alliance was formed between me and the Nox Tribe—for Chelsea’s sake.

8. Multiplying Shadows

Once we were ready, we began the journey back to the capital, but...

I couldn’t help asking, “How are all the members of the Nox Tribe getting there?”

Standing in front of the carriage, I glanced around. Lord Glen and I had ridden in it on the way to the Bazrack Duchy, while Marx and the other guard knights had traveled on horseback. Would we need additional carriages for the forty-six members of the Nox Tribe? Or would Miss Carnelian ride with us as their representative while the rest stayed behind at Duke Bazrack’s manor?

“They’re coming with us,” Lord Glen said casually.

“But...how?”

I tilted my head, puzzled, and Lord Glen chuckled. “It’s probably better if you hear it straight from the source.”

Right on cue, Miss Carnelian emerged from the shadow at my feet.

“Please excuse my sudden appearance,” she said, bowing lightly in her reddish-black robe. “We are able to move with the object or person casting the shadow we inhabit. For instance, if we hide in the shadow of the carriage, we travel as if we were inside it. If we hide in a person’s shadow, we follow wherever they go, as long as their shadow remains unbroken. And rest assured, our presence puts no strain on the horses pulling the carriage, nor on the people themselves.”

“Do you get tired while inside a shadow?” I asked.

“We cannot sleep, but we don’t grow fatigued. We can see the world from within the shadows, and we can also sense nearby presences.”

“Then that means you’ll be traveling with us after all,” I said with a nod.

Miss Carnelian offered a wry smile. “However, if you were to teleport, and your shadow was left behind, we wouldn’t be able to follow.”

“I see.”

“This time, we’ll be hiding in the carriage’s shadow. But it seems someone is approaching, so I’ll retreat for now.” With another polite bow, she melted back into my shadow.

“So you knew about this already, Lord Glen,” I murmured.

Lord Glen smiled softly. “I had a bit of time after I finished getting ready, so we spoke then.”

Oh, that makes sense. Just as I nodded in understanding, the Bazrack ducal family arrived to see us off.

“Lady Chelsea... Please visit us again sometime,” Lady Euphoria said, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

“I will. When I have some free time, I’d love to come back for a proper visit.”

I truly meant it; it’d be nice to explore the Bazrack Duchy at a more relaxed pace someday.

Hearing that, Lady Euphoria let out a small cheer and clenched her fists in excitement. Even Duke Bazrack looked visibly pleased.

I tilted my head, a little confused by their reactions...until Lord Glen leaned over and murmured in my ear. “We were supposed to host a party for the local nobility on the last day of our inspection. Since we’ve promised to return, they’ll likely ease off for now.”

Oh, right—the party! I’d completely forgotten.

“Well, we didn’t finish our inspection anyway,” I said. “I really do want to come back when I can.”

The duke gave me a warm, approving smile.

With farewells complete, we boarded the carriage and departed the Bazrack manor in a hurry. The ride was bumpier than usual, and as I looked out the window at the passing scenery, Lord Glen spoke from across the seat.

“I know it’s a bit of a burden, but I’m hoping we can rely on your seeds for this trip home.”

Lately, my mana pool had expanded enough that making plenty of seeds didn’t tire me out anymore. In fact, it barely felt like an effort.

“Rely on my seeds... How, exactly?” I asked, tilting my head.

Lord Glen gave me a more serious look. “We need an audience with His Majesty as soon as possible. That means no stopping to be hosted at noble manors, and we’ll be avoiding as many towns as we can. We’re going to push the pace faster than usual, but still within what the horses can manage.”

So that explained the unusually rough ride.

“I was wondering why you sounded so urgent when we reported to His Grace, but...why exactly do we need to meet with His Majesty right away?”

At that, Lord Glen nodded, his tone turning more grave. “There are a few reasons...”

The first issue was the hidden Nox village beneath the Karya Megaflora Cluster. Although it was built by the Proxy, its location placed it within the borders of the Bazrack Duchy—and therefore, technically, the Kingdom of Chronowize. That raised several questions. Should the village be considered part of the kingdom? And if so, would the Nox, who had lived there in secret for over two thousand years, now be recognized as citizens?

“These are decisions my uncle can’t make on his own,” Lord Glen said. “We need an audience with His Majesty to determine how to proceed. If that were the only concern, we wouldn’t need to rush back, but...”

He trailed off, hesitating before meeting my eyes with a more serious expression.

“The Nox Tribe can hide in shadows and alter their appearance. It makes them ideal for espionage, and for assassination.”

I’d gathered as much from the stealthy gear Carnelian designed, so I gave a slow nod.

“By contracting with them, you now command a force capable of eliminating His Majesty...at least in theory.”

“Huh?!” I blurted, eyes widening.

“You’re the fiancée of the king’s younger brother,” he reminded me. “If anyone learned forty-six expert assassins answer to you, they might claim I’m plotting to overthrow my own brother.”

The color drained from my cheeks.

“I have no desire for the throne. My brother and uncle know that, but outside the royal family, ambitious nobles will twist anything to their advantage.” He let out a breath. “That’s why we need to report this personally, and in complete secrecy, before rumors get ahead of us.”

“So that’s the urgency...” I murmured.

Glen nodded, wearing a rueful smile.

“I understand. If there’s anything I can do to help, please tell me,” I said. Let’s get back to the capital as soon as we can!

That’s what I meant, but Glen gave me a slightly troubled smile in return.

“I appreciate the sentiment, but maybe don’t say anything until we’re in front of His Majesty.”

+++

We needed to return to the capital as quickly as possible, but not at the expense of our health. Having just come back from the underground today, we decided to turn in early and get some rest.

Later that evening, in a forest clearing off the main road, Lord Glen addressed the gathered guard knights and the elderly coachman.

“As I mentioned before our departure, this mission is of the utmost urgency. We’ll be traveling back to the capital while avoiding detection. Along the way, we’ll rest in inn-type treehouses that Chelsea can create with her Skill.”

The knights and coachman must have already heard about the treehouses, because they cheered at the idea of a proper rest; no need to pitch camp, and even the horses could recuperate in comfort.

“Chelsea, could you prepare the seed?” Lord Glen asked.

“Of course.”

I nodded and focused on the seed I needed to create. The one I made in the Nox Tribe’s village could house fifty people. This time, we had the knights and the coachman too. Just to be safe...I should make one that can hold around a hundred.

“I’ll make an inn-type treehouse seed to house a hundred people—[Seed Creation]!”

With a soft pop, a coin-shaped seed appeared in my hand—though this one was the size of my fist.

“It’s a bit big this time...”

“Looks like it scaled up to match the capacity,” Lord Glen said, appraising the new seed.

I pressed the seed into the ground, and it immediately sprouted and grew. In no time at all, a massive inn-style treehouse stood before us.

We opened the carriage shed and stables on the ground floor, and the horses calmly walked in. They didn’t hesitate at all. Maybe they recognized the place? Perhaps some of them had stayed in one of these treehouses before, like the one I made on our return from the Holy Country of Celesark.

With that thought in mind, we climbed the staircase and stepped into the second floor. Just past the entrance was a spacious hall, complete with tables and chairs for a hundred people. It was so large it could easily host a formal dance. But as a side effect of the expanded capacity, the hallways were...long. Very long.

Lord Glen let out a thoughtful hum. “Looks like we should make some changes to the blueprint. Add some stories, change the room layouts... We can think about it later, like how we thought it up in the carriage before.”

“All right,” I replied to Lord Glen with a smile, recalling how fun it had been last time.

Once the knights and the carriage driver had gathered in the hall, Lord Glen stepped forward to make an announcement.

“I’d like to introduce our traveling companions.”

My brother Marx and I already knew who he meant, so we remained composed, but the others exchanged puzzled glances.

“You can come out now,” Lord Glen called.

At his signal, members of the Nox Tribe emerged silently from the shadows cast by the tables and chairs.

“These are all members of the Nox Tribe. They’ve formed a contract with Chelsea,” Lord Glen explained. “As long as you don’t pose a threat to her, they’re allies you can trust.”

The knights were clearly startled by the sudden appearance, but they quickly composed themselves. The old carriage driver, on the other hand, stood frozen with his mouth agape.

Considering there were nearly fifty people with us besides Miss Carnelian, their shock was understandable. As I scanned the group, something caught my eye—one figure stood out in a navy-blue outfit, different from the others’ reddish-black robes.

“Huh?” I murmured, tilting my head.

A male Nox in the back stepped forward quickly. As he approached, I noticed his clothes closely resembled the traditional garb worn by the underground Nox Tribe members.

He stopped in front of me and bowed. “Allow me to introduce myself, Lady Chelsea. I am Heliodor, elder twin brother of Carnelian, and representative of the Nox Tribe members who have lived aboveground.”

He looked just like Miss Carnelian, down to his youthful features—around fifteen years old, like the rest of the tribe.

“Aboveground?” I echoed, my head still tilted in confusion.

Heliodor nodded. “We’ve been unable to return to our underground village for many years. Only recently did we learn the reason, but even knowing, we couldn’t make it back.”

“What was the reason?” Lord Glen asked.

“The flow of mana had stopped.”

As Heliodor gave us a more detailed explanation, the full picture came into view. The village the Proxy had created for the Nox Tribe had been built in an unnatural location deep underground. To support life there, special devices had been installed to circulate mana, air, water, and other vital resources from the surface. But someone had deliberately destroyed these devices, cutting off the mana flow below. As a result, the underground environment dried up, and no mana meant no plants could grow. Meanwhile, the excess mana accumulating aboveground caused vegetation to grow abnormally large.

“The Nox Tribe can travel by hiding in the shadows of moving things. But when the shadows don’t move, we follow the flow of mana instead. Without mana flowing to the village, we had no way to return to it,” Heliodor explained, raising his eyes to meet mine. “I’ve heard that you saved our kin who were trapped underground. I’m deeply grateful for you saving my sister...for saving everyone.”

“Allow me to express my thanks once more as well, Lady Chelsea,” Miss Carnelian added. As she spoke, all the members of the Nox Tribe present bowed in unison. Then, rising again, Heliodor stepped forward and knelt before me.

“I have a request, Lady Chelsea. Would you consider forming a contract with the remaining members of the Nox Tribe living on the surface?”

“Um...” I hesitated, unsure how to respond. What should I say?

Sensing my uncertainty, Lord Glen raised a hand. “Can I ask a question first?”

“Go ahead,” Heliodor replied with a nod.

Resting his chin in his hand, Lord Glen asked, “How many surface-dwelling members are we talking about?”

“Sixty-two.”

“That’s quite a lot... Would it be possible for them to contract with me instead?”

Heliodor shook his head.

“I’m afraid not. The Spirit of Darkness can only contract with one individual.” He placed a hand over his heart as he continued, “The Spirit of Darkness split itself into one hundred eight fragments, each entrusted to a member of the Nox Tribe. That power within us is the Spirit itself.”

“So there are one hundred eight Nox Tribe members total,” Lord Glen reasoned. “And they can only form contracts through that single Spirit. Since the ones underground already contracted with Chelsea, the rest would be bound to her as well.”

“Correct,” Heliodor confirmed.

“Then...is not forming a contract an option at all?” Lord Glen asked.

“To be quite honest, if we don’t form a contract with her, we won’t be able to sense her presence,” Heliodor replied. “That would make it difficult to protect her from the shadows. So, not only for the sake of gathering intelligence, but to ensure Lady Chelsea’s safety—we humbly ask that she contract with us as well.”

Lord Glen gave a small, satisfied nod. “If it’s to protect Chelsea, then I have no objections.”

“All right. I’ll form the contract,” I said, returning the nod.

Heliodor, still kneeling, visibly relaxed with relief. “Then allow me to declare it. From this moment forward, including those not present, all members of the Nox Tribe recognize Lady Chelsea as our master. By this contract, we swear to protect and serve her with our lives.”

As he finished speaking, a soft glow shimmered on the nail of my right middle finger—the sign that the contract had taken effect.

“I’m looking forward to working with all of you,” I said warmly.

The members of the Nox Tribe bowed in unison.

9. An Audience and Jealousy

We traveled as quickly as we could without overworking the horses, arriving at the capital three days earlier than usual. Because of the urgency of our situation, Lord Glen used his authority as the king’s younger brother to secure an immediate audience with His Majesty. As long as we were willing to meet in our travel clothes, we could see him right away.

When we were escorted into the royal office, His Majesty greeted us with a puzzled expression.

“You’re back much sooner than expected. What sort of report do you have for me?”

From the casual way he settled onto the sofa, it seemed he hadn’t yet heard anything about the Nox Tribe. Lord Glen and I gave our formal greetings, then stood at attention.

“We bring confidential information regarding the Karya Megaflora Cluster,” Lord Glen said. “May I request that the room be cleared?”

Noting the unusual tension in Glen’s expression, His Majesty’s brow rose slightly. With a swift gesture, he ordered the attendants and royal guards to leave. They obeyed without hesitation.

“If you’re asking for privacy, it must be serious,” the king said, now looking directly at Lord Glen. “Speak plainly. We can drop all pretenses.”

“All right, brother,” Lord Glen said, exhaling the tension he’d been holding. He met the King’s gaze and gave a firm nod.

“So, what has happened?” His Majesty prompted.

“There are two urgent matters,” Glen began. “First, beneath the Karya Megaflora Cluster we discovered an underground settlement called ‘the Village of the Nox,’ constructed long ago by the Proxy. The Nox Tribe, endowed with fragments of the Spirit of Darkness, had been trapped there for over two thousand years.”

“Oh?” A faint, curious smile crossed the King’s face.

“While we were at the shrine site, a dormant transport device activated and pulled only Chelsea, Marx, and me underground,” Glen continued. “We found the tribe in a state of famine. Chelsea created food, nursed them back to health, and even supplied clothing. The return mechanism was broken, so Chelsea used her Skill to raise a new beanstalk-like plant that brought everyone safely aboveground.” He paused before adding, “And by the way, scholars from the Royal Research Institute and the local observation team are inspecting the site now. I recommend asking Uncle Rodrick, the Duke of Bazrack, about how to use this underground space.”

The King rested his chin on one hand. “So the decision is whether that territory becomes autonomous or part of Chronowize—”

“No,” Glen interjected. “The Nox have abandoned the village entirely; the cavern is empty.”

“In that case, designate it as an official research zone, like the Cluster itself, under the duchy’s management. We’ll settle the details later. What is your second issue?”

Glen drew a deep breath, slipped an arm around my waist, and stated it plainly. “All one hundred eight members of the Nox Tribe have contracted with Chelsea and sworn themselves to her service.”

The King arched an eyebrow. “This isn’t a mere matter of numbers, I presume?”

“Yeah.” Glen nodded. “Each Nox was once a different race, but the Spirit of Darkness granted them three gifts—the power to vanish into shadows, near-immortality, and the ability to change their appearance. In the wrong hands, that combination could threaten the throne itself.”

The King’s eyes widened, then he let out a dry chuckle. “So Chelsea now commands a corps of master assassins? No wonder you rushed home.”

When the laughter faded, His Majesty fixed his gaze on me. A dozen dire possibilities flashed through my mind. Is he angry? Will he order me imprisoned? Or even executed?

Sensing my worry, Lord Glen’s arm tightened around my waist. He leaned close and murmured, “Whatever happens, Lucy, I’m on your side. It’s going to be all right.”

Hearing my private nickname and his reassurance was heartening and gave me courage.

“Thank you, Arnie,” I whispered back, and he hugged me tighter in response.

The King’s grin returned. “Well, I see you two are really close. In any case, this changes little. With her [Seed Creation], Chelsea could level a kingdom if she wished; adding a few assassins hardly tips the balance.”

“I would never do such a thing!” I protested at once.

“Nor do I have any intention of becoming king!”

“I know,” His Majesty said, smirking at us again. “You both prefer peace to power. As long as the Nox Tribe causes no harm to Chronowize, handle them as you see fit.”

“Thank you, brother.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I echoed, and we bowed.

Just as relief washed over us, Ele—in his humanoid Spirit form—materialized in midair. The King started, but Ele ignored him, arms folded and gaze stern.

“Why did you not come to see me the moment you returned?” he demanded, voice deeper than usual.

“We had to report the Nox situation to His Majesty first,” I explained.

Ele’s lips pressed into a thin line, clearly displeased.

“Another problem remains. Why did you not report the discovery of a tribe empowered by the Spirit of Darkness directly to me, the King of Spirits?” He turned away in obvious displeasure.

Across the room, His Majesty stiffened in astonishment. “The Spirit King...?” he whispered, straightening at once.

Ele kept muttering, still facing the wall. “And on top of that, you’ve gone and signed yet another contract. So careless...”

Huh? Is he sulking rather than angry? I wondered.

“I’m sorry, Lord Ele,” I said gently. “We planned to come to you right after seeing His Majesty.”

At that, Ele peeked over his shoulder. “You haven’t forgotten that I was your first contract, have you?”

«And you haven’t forgotten I’m contract number two, right...?» Root’s voice chimed in silently as the little Communication Spirit fluttered closer.

“Root... Let Lord Ele speak first,” Cyril scolded, materializing beside him atop her tiny cloud.

“I remember all of you,” I assured them, raising my right hand. My thumbnail—the mark of Ele’s pact—sparkled first, followed by the glimmer on my pointer finger for Root, and on my middle finger for the Nox Tribe. “And of course I haven’t forgotten my contract with you, Cyril.”

Cyril beamed.

“Then it’s fine...” Ele exhaled, then moved—still faintly pouting—to an empty sofa. Root perched on one armrest, Cyril on the other.

At last His Majesty lifted a hand. “May I speak?”

Though he outranked everyone here, he waited politely, as if sensing the delicate balance in the room.

“You may,” Ele replied, crossing his legs with regal nonchalance.

The King’s gaze flicked to Ele. “Glen tells me you are the true King of Spirits. I wish to confirm that for myself...”

Ele gave His Majesty a pretentious, almost theatrical nod. “That is correct. I am Element, King of the Spirits. I traveled here from the Spirit World through the Spirit Tree of Origin. And you must be one of the kings of the human realm?”

“My name is Alexiskevin Chronowize, King of the Kingdom of Chronowize,” His Majesty said, standing to introduce himself before bowing deeply. “It is an honor to meet the King of Spirits—one who aided in the founding of our nation.”

Wait... Ele outranks His Majesty?! I stared, stunned.

Lord Glen chuckled beside me. “It’s been ages since I saw my brother bow to anyone.”

His Majesty’s expression was difficult to read; it was something between pride and discomfort.

“I find formalities tedious,” Ele said casually. “I understand you cannot treat me as Glen does, so do not trouble yourself, King of Chronowize.”

“Thank you,” His Majesty said with a relieved sigh, settling back into his seat. Then, with a wry grin, he added, “So Glen treats the Spirit King informally?”

“Glen is often rude,” Ele said flatly. “And he has a habit of placing himself between me and my contractor, Lady Chelsea. But Spirits cannot develop romantic feelings toward their contractors, so there is nothing to worry about.”

His Majesty raised an eyebrow, then gave Ele a knowing smirk. At the same time, both of them turned toward Lord Glen.

“So he’s jealous of the King of Spirits... He must truly be in love with Chelsea.”

“In that regard, Glen is indeed a good man,” Ele said calmly.

Lord Glen tried to hide his face behind one hand, but it was already too late—his ears were bright red. I’d suspected he might be a little jealous of Ele, but hearing it said aloud like that...it made me both embarrassed and happy. My own cheeks flushed as red as his.

“It seems we’ll get along well, King of Chronowize,” Ele said with a smile. “You may call me Ele.”

“I was just thinking the same. Please, call me Alexis,” His Majesty replied.

The two shared an amused smile.

“Now then,” Ele said, his tone shifting back to business, “I believe it’s time we meet the Nox Tribe.”

His Majesty glanced toward the office doors. “They’re already nearby, aren’t they?”

“Huh?!” I cried out in surprise as, in the very same instant, Miss Carnelian and Mister Heliodor emerged silently from the shadow of a tall vase near the office door. Both of them blinked, startled and clearly just as surprised as I was.

“How did you know they were there?” I asked, bewildered. As their contractor, I could sense them, but His Majesty shouldn’t have been able to. He responded with a mischievous smirk, like a child who’d just pulled off a successful prank.

“They showed themselves without hostility, right? That meant they’d likely position themselves as far from me as possible to appear nonthreatening.”

“Your instincts are as sharp as ever, brother,” Lord Glen said quietly, impressed.

“Are the rest not going to show themselves?” Ele asked, shifting how he crossed his legs.

Miss Carnelian and Mister Heliodor glanced nervously at one another. “We thought that if all of us appeared in this room at once, it might cause alarm,” Carnelian explained.

“Carnelian and I came as representatives,” added Heliodor, both of them still stiff and formal. The presence of the Spirit King must have made them especially tense.

“If you want to meet everyone, it would probably be best to do it in a larger space,” Lord Glen offered.

Ele nodded in agreement, then His Majesty turned his attention back to the pair. “In that case, let’s begin with these two representatives.”

The twins immediately straightened their posture.

“I am Carnelian,” said Miss Carnelian, stepping forward in her reddish-black robes. “I serve as Lady Chelsea’s personal guard.” She bowed gracefully.

“I am Heliodor,” said Mister Heliodor, clad in navy blue. “I manage intelligence gathering across various regions.” He bowed as well, their movements strikingly in sync. It was uncanny that after a thousand years apart, they still moved in lockstep. As I watched them, quietly impressed, His Majesty turned to Ele with a more serious expression.

“Let me confirm one thing. The Nox Tribe possesses powers granted by the Spirit of Darkness. Should they now be treated as Spirits? Or, given their village was located within Chronowize territory, should they be considered citizens of our kingdom?”

He was right to ask. The Nox Tribe had been granted powers by the Spirit of Darkness and were beings bordering on the nature of Spirits themselves, so it wasn’t unreasonable to question whether they should be treated as such. Judging by their blank expressions, Miss Carnelian and Mister Heliodor clearly hadn’t anticipated the question.

“From my perspective, the Nox Tribe are a type of Spirit, but they’re also a race native to this world,” Ele said calmly. “Given that they’ve formed a contract with Lady Chelsea, I see no problem in recognizing them as citizens of the Kingdom of Chronowize.”

His Majesty rested a hand on his chin, mulling it over.

“I see... Then we could consider them both—Spirits in nature, but citizens by law. Does that sound acceptable?” he asked, turning to the twins.

“Yes, that would be fine,” said Miss Carnelian.

“Please do,” added Mister Heliodor.

His Majesty gave a satisfied smirk at their responses. “As for the future of the Nox Tribe, I’d like them to temporarily assist the kingdom.”

“What would you need them for?” Ele asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Simply put—they need training,” His Majesty replied, glancing up at the ceiling. “Come down.”

At his signal, a man clad entirely in black descended swiftly from above, landing in a crouch just behind the throne. Only his eyes were visible beneath his veil.

“Our kingdom has a family who has guarded the royal bloodline from the shadows for generations. The man behind me is one of them. I propose placing the Nox Tribe in their care to retrain and share information.”

Miss Carnelian and Mister Heliodor’s eyes widened with surprise, then quickly lit up.

“We couldn’t ask for better.”

“That would be a great help...!”

“You’ve been underground for nearly a thousand years. It makes sense to have a place to strengthen your bodies, retrain your skills, and update your knowledge,” Lord Glen added.

Both twins nodded emphatically.

“Then it’s settled. I leave the matter in your hands,” His Majesty said.

“Understood,” the man in black replied curtly.

“Ah, that reminds me,” His Majesty added. “Once their training reaches a good stopping point, I order that the Nox Tribe establish a new home in Glen’s territory—the Snowflake Duchy.”

I blinked in surprise. “Why the Snowflake Duchy?”

Lord Glen’s domain was in southern Chronowize, a five-day carriage ride from the capital. If the Nox Tribe settled there, I wouldn’t be able to see them often.

“You’ll be living in the Snowflake Duchy once you and Glen are married,” His Majesty explained, with Lord Glen nodding in quiet agreement.

Living with Lord Glen in the Snowflake Duchy... The thought made my heart flutter with a mix of joy and embarrassment.

“If their mistress will be living there, it only makes sense that they stay there as well,” His Majesty continued. “They should begin building their new home in preparation for that future.”

In preparation for the future... That makes sense. I nodded, cheeks tinged a little red.

“That is a good idea. And even better, we can plant a Spirit Tree cutting in their new settlement, so they can travel freely between the duchy and the capital,” Ele added.

“We can?!” Lord Glen asked, shocked by the suggestion.

“Lady Chelsea created the second Spirit Tree of Origin, did she not?” Ele said. “If I tell it that we would like to plant a branch in the place she will eventually live, it will happily offer one. Alexis, would that be all right?”

Did the king know only those with proper qualifications could use the Spirit Trees? I glanced over at him.

“Yes, that’s fine,” he said with a simple nod, not even asking for clarification. Given that Lord Tris was already using the Spirit Trees to travel between Chronowize and Celesark, I suppose it made sense that the king would understand.

“Are you also fine with this arrangement, Glen?” Ele asked.

“I have no objections. Once their training and information exchange are complete, I’ll speak with them and begin making preparations,” Lord Glen said.

And so, the path forward for the Nox Tribe was set.

+++

Since Lord Glen still had matters to discuss with His Majesty, I left the king’s office on my own and made my way to the Royal Research Institute to meet with the Chief.

“You’re still in your travel clothes. Did something happen?” she asked, eyeing me with suspicion as I stepped into her office.

“Actually...”

I gave her a quick summary of everything that had happened during our inspection.

Her jaw dropped. “There’s a massive space beneath the Karya Megaflora Cluster? The underground has a mana drought while the surface has an overabundance? And a shrine appeared aboveground? That’s...way too much to process all at once,” she muttered, then glanced back at me. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“No, I’m fine,” I said, shaking my head.

She let out a relieved sigh. “Just to confirm... What did the observation team members say they’d do after the shrine appeared?”

“They were all excited to investigate it.”

She paused to think. “If they were that motivated, then we can consider the investigation underway. I’ll need you to submit a formal report soon.”

“Understood,” I said with a nod. The guide had mentioned I’d be writing one.

“Also—you’re off for five days starting tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“Researchers who return from fieldwork are required to take a five-day break,” she explained. “If you kept working while exhausted, it would affect the quality of your research.”

“I see.” It had been my first time on an inspection, so I hadn’t known.

“That’s that. Go home for now.”

“Thank you very much.”

With a grateful bow, I left the office.

+++

Though I was exhausted, I couldn’t seem to fall asleep. As I lay in bed, tossing and turning, Cyril appeared on her little floating cloud.

“Can’t sleep?”

“No...” I sat up with a sigh, and she floated closer, stopping right in front of my face. “A lot of surprising things happened during the inspection.”

I started recounting the events at the Karya Megaflora Cluster bit by bit. As I spoke, Cyril nodded and gave soft little hums to show she was listening.

“You must’ve been on edge the whole time.”

“Maybe... Now that I think about it, you weren’t there for the inspection, were you?”

Cyril wasn’t the only one missing; Root hadn’t been there either. When I asked about it, a mischievous smile curved across her face.

“You said it was a work trip, so we stayed home. We had too much time on our hands, so Root took me to the Spirit World and gave me a little tour.”

As she spoke, she projected an illusion onto the wall.

There was a forest with glowing blue ground and tree trunks that looked like glass, just like the Spirit Trees. A flower field where tiny Spirits danced in a flurry of petals. An orange waterfall poured from a floating island into a sparkling lake below. Every scene was more magical than the last—beautiful, dreamlike, and completely unlike anything I’d ever seen.

“Oh, right! Did you give Glen a seed yet?” Cyril asked once the vision faded.

“Ah...”

So many things had happened that I’d completely forgotten!

“You haven’t? Then, have you at least decided on the design?”

“Um... I was thinking about something that could change between a brooch, a necklace, or an earring, depending on the metal fittings...”

I told her about Lady Euphoria’s brooch for inspiration, and she nodded enthusiastically. “That’s so cool! So, what design are you going with?”

“I want it to be something Lord Glen and I can wear as a matching pair...”

“Yeah, but what design?”

“Urgh... I haven’t figured that part out yet...” I confessed, slumping my shoulders.

“Then it’s time to get thinking. You’ve already heard my and Root’s opinions—why not ask a friend next?”

Lady Noel came to mind. “That’s a great idea. I’ve got the next five days off, so I’ll ask Lady Noel for advice!”

“Well, now that’s settled—you’d better get some sleep. Come on, under the covers.”

At her urging, I snuggled back into bed.

“Good night, Chelsea. I’ll pull you into the dream world so you can drift off nice and easy.”

“Thanks, Cyril. Good night.”

And with that, I was asleep before I knew it.

10. The Tea Party

The next morning at breakfast, I mentioned to Lord Glen that I was thinking of inviting Lady Noel to a tea party during my time off.

“I think that sounds like a lovely idea as long as you’re not still tired, Lucy,” he said with a nod. But then, his expression shifted slightly, a faint frown appearing as he gave me a look I couldn’t quite read.

“What is it?” I asked, tilting my head curiously.

He gave a wry smile, almost as if embarrassed. “Can I invite you to a tea party too...?”

“O-Of course!” I blurted out, louder than I intended.

I hadn’t expected him to ask something like that, and I could feel my cheeks burning. Seeing my flustered reaction, Lord Glen smiled warmly, clearly pleased.

Trying to compose myself, I continued, “Um... I was thinking of holding my tea party with Lady Noel at the Sargent Margraviate’s villa here in the capital.”

This time, it was Lord Glen’s turn to look confused.

“But you live in the royal residences now. As a research fellow at the Royal Research Institute and my fiancée, you could easily host the tea party in your private quarters, a guest salon in the castle, or even the parlor at the Institute. Why choose the Sargent villa?”

I had originally considered holding it within the citadel, but then I remembered something my mother, Ariel, had once told me: “If you ever want to have a proper private chat with a friend, use the villa.” That had convinced me. Still, I wasn’t about to tell him that, so I shared the other reason I’d come up with.

“Well, last time, Lady Noel invited me to the Wisteria family’s villa for a tour of their botanical garden, so I thought it would be nice to return the gesture and show her around our villa this time.”

It was something I’d genuinely thought about before, so it wasn’t a lie.

I smiled as I said it, and although Lord Glen looked like he still had something on his mind, he gave a small, reluctant nod.

+++

After breakfast, I returned to my room to begin preparations for the tea party.

First, I wrote a letter to Lady Noel inviting her.

“I’ve been given a five-day vacation. Would you like to come to the Sargent Margraviate’s villa for tea? If the timing is inconvenient, perhaps another day instead?”

Once I sealed the letter, I handed it off to my maids for delivery.

Next, I found Miss Micah and asked her if she could prepare the food and sweets for the tea party.

“Leave it to me~!” she said, her tail wagging as she clenched her fists with enthusiasm.

Finally, I made my way to the Sargent family villa to inform the estate’s butler of the event. I told him that I’d be hosting a tea party there, that the only guest would be Lady Noel, and that Miss Micah would be in charge of the food.

“Understood,” he replied with a bow. “Where would you like to hold the tea party? You may choose from the gardens, the greenhouse, your personal quarters, or the parlor.”

“Lady Noel enjoys plants, so...”

“Both the gardens and greenhouse are surrounded by greenery,” he offered. “Since the exact day has yet to be confirmed, might I suggest you choose based on the weather? If it’s sunny, the garden would be ideal; if it rains, the greenhouse.”

“What a wonderful idea. Please have both prepared—whichever fits the weather on the day.”

“As you wish. I’ll see to all the arrangements.”

When I returned to my quarters at the royal residences, Lady Noel’s reply had already arrived.

“I’ll visit you in the afternoon, two days from now!”

Her handwriting was cheerful and full of energy, and I couldn’t help but laugh reading it.

The next day, Miss Micah and I finalized the menu, and I also took time to hand out the souvenirs I’d brought back from our trip to the Bazrack Duchy.

Then, at last, the day of the tea party arrived.

Right after breakfast, I headed to the villa to get ready. I changed into the dress I’d set aside for the occasion, had my hair done, and even put on a little makeup.

It was my very first time planning and hosting a tea party by myself, so I was incredibly nervous. As I paced around my room, wondering if I’d forgotten something, my maids Gina and Martha—who had come with me—gently patted me on the shoulders to reassure me.

“Lady Chelsea, your preparations are perfect.”

“If anything unexpected happens, we’ll handle it right away. So no need to worry.”

“Thank you,” I replied. Their confidence eased my nerves a little.

I chatted with them to keep myself from overthinking until word came that Lady Noel had arrived.

When I hurried to the entranceway to greet her, I found her standing there with a great big grin, her hands clasped in front of her chest like she was praying to the heavens.

“Lady Noel, thank you very much for coming,” I said. Is this the first time I’ve ever welcomed a guest like this...?

“Lady Chelsea, thank you so much for inviting me! Oh wait, that sounds way too formal, doesn’t it?”

“Ah—”

Ever since we’d become friends again, we’d dropped the stiff, ladylike politeness between us. But the moment I became the host, I’d automatically slipped back into it.

“Um... Thanks for coming, Lady Noel?”

“Thanks for having me?”

We tried to redo our greetings more casually, but neither of us was sure we got it quite right. When our eyes met, we both burst into laughter.

“I was really looking forward to this!” she beamed.

“I was looking forward to having you over too. The weather turned out lovely today, so I had the garden prepared for lunch. Let’s take a walk through it on the way,” I said, offering her my hand.

“Okay!” she replied brightly, placing hers in mine without hesitation.

“Let’s go, then.”

When I visited Marquis Wisteria’s villa, Lady Noel had pulled me by the hand to show me around. Now it was my turn to lead. Hand in hand, we strolled through the vibrant garden paths.

Miss Micah was already waiting for us when we arrived, her tail wagging excitedly.

“This is Miss Micah, the chef who prepared our lunch today.”

At the simple introduction, Micah gave a little spin and a spirited Radzuel Empire-style bow, her smile beaming with pride.

“I’m Micah, Chelsea’s personal chef from the Radzuel Empire~!”

“I caught glimpses of you at Chelsea’s birthday party, but we’ve never met properly. I’m Noel, daughter of Marquis Wisteria.” She offered a graceful curtsy, then shot Micah a playful glare. “You called her just ‘Chelsea.’ I’m jealous!”

Micah blinked, ears twitching. “But you’re her friend too, right~? Just use her name as well~!”

Noel sucked in a breath and whirled toward me. “We’re friends! Can I just call you Chelsea?”

“S-Sure,” I said, wilting under her eager stare. Noel’s cheeks glowed as she flashed me a big smile.

“Great! Then call me Noel, okay?”

“O-Okay, um...Noel,” I managed.

Noel squealed and hugged me like an overexcited puppy.

While I tried to keep my balance, Martha cleared her throat. “Shall we serve lunch?”

Noel and I laughed, released each other, and slipped into our seats. I nodded to Martha, and the maids brought soup, salad, and warm bread.

At a nearby outdoor stove, Micah raised her voice. “I’ll fry up the main dish right now so it’s extra hot and tasty~! Please wait just a moment~”

Oil sizzled as a delicious aroma drifted over. Soon straw-shaped croquettes were set before us.

“Cream croquettes today~! They’re piping hot, so be careful~!”

Noel and I offered our thanks to the earth gods. I forced myself to start with soup and salad while the croquettes cooled. Noel attacked hers at once, cutting off a bite and blowing on it twice before popping it into her mouth...

“...!!!”

Apparently still scalding, she waved her hands in silent agony.

“Are you okay?” I asked once Noel had stopped fanning her mouth.

She gave an enthusiastic nod. “It was super hot, but soooo yummy!”

Hearing that, Miss Micah beamed and wagged her tail with delight.

Once my croquettes had cooled enough to eat safely, I took a bite. The crispy coating gave way to a creamy, savory filling. It tasted so good, I felt like I could keep eating them forever.

For a while, Noel and I fell into content silence as we ate.

“I’ll be starting on dessert now~!” Miss Micah called cheerfully, moving around the small outdoor kitchen with ease.

“Ooh, what’s she making?” Noel whispered to me.

“I’m not actually sure,” I admitted, shaking my head.

“Really?!”

As we spoke, Miss Micah ladled thin batter into a hot pan, cooking up crepe-like sheets. After stacking a few of them, she poured a mysterious liquid into the pan and brought it to a simmer.

Then, she returned the crepes to the mixture, her mouth curving into a smirk as she announced, “Today’s dessert is crêpe Suzette~!”

The moment she added another ingredient, a burst of brilliant blue flame shot up from the pan.

“Huh?!”

“Whoa, amazing!”

Noel and I both yelped in surprise as Miss Micah looked incredibly pleased with herself.

Once the flames died down, she plated the crepes, topping them with a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of orange sauce, and a sprig of mint, then brought them over.

“Please enjoy~!”

I cut into mine with a fork. The chewy crepes, slightly bitter citrus sauce, and sweet, cold ice cream blended together perfectly into a far more delicious combination than I’d imagined.

“Miss Micah’s food is just too good...” Noel mumbled between bites, fully entranced by dessert.

When we’d finally eaten our fill, I brought up the real reason I’d invited her.

“So, about this tea party...” I began. I skipped over the details about how the necklace-shaped seed came to be and explained that I wanted to give Lord Glen a seed in the form of an accessory but was completely stuck on the design.

“It’s a taste-related dilemma, huh?” Noel said with a dramatic groan, tapping her chin in thought. “Hmm... Have you and His Highness gone anywhere together recently?”

“We did. We traveled to the Bazrack Duchy for work.”

“Wait, don’t tell me... You went to the Karya Megaflora Cluster?!” When I nodded, she practically leapt across the table. “No way! That place is filled with enormous plants, right? I’ve always wanted to visit! How big were they?!”

“The tulip petals were about the size of my bed.”

“They were that big?!” she shrieked, before slumping back into her chair with a sigh. “Okay, okay, focus... So, if you two went somewhere together, maybe you could tie the design to that trip.”

“You mean...use it to represent our memories from the journey?”

“Exactly! Flowers, animals, scenery—you must’ve seen all kinds of beautiful or unique things together.”

I hadn’t thought of that. My mind raced through everything: the intricate artwork in Duke Bazrack’s manor, Lady Euphoria’s matching brooch, the towering plants, the pink mammoth, the strange transport device, the Nox Tribe... And then, it came to me.

“The beanstalk...”

The giant beanstalk with its elegant white flower blooming at the top had left a strong impression on me. It was beautiful, striking, and not too flashy for Lord Glen to wear.

“Did something come to mind?” Noel asked.

“Yes,” I said with a decisive nod.

Noel grinned. “You’ve got a totally different vibe now! You’re not stressed anymore.”

“It’s all thanks to your advice, Noel. I really appreciate it.”

“We’re friends! I’ll give you advice anytime, so you’d better do the same for me, okay?”

“Of course!”

We laughed together, and with that, our warm, cheerful tea party came to a close.

Epilogue

I’d planned to sketch out the blueprint for the accessory-shaped seed today, but there was one problem. Not only was I on vacation, but so was Lord Glen, and over breakfast, he’d casually asked what I had planned. If I try to work on it now, there’s a real chance he’ll walk in and see everything...!

Since I wanted to keep it a surprise, I decided to sneak off to my private lab at the Royal Research Institute. It was the perfect place—quiet, tucked away, and the only other person around would be the knight stationed outside.

“I’d like to concentrate today. Could you make sure no one enters the lab?” I politely asked the guard.

“Understood,” he replied with a nod.

Once inside, I spread a fresh sheet of paper across the worktable and took a deep breath.

“First, I need to decide on a design...”

Murmuring to myself, I pulled down an encyclopedia I’d left behind during an earlier project and flipped to the section on beans. Let’s see... Something that resembles that giant beanstalk’s flower from the Karya Megaflora Cluster... After scanning a few pages, I found an illustration that closely resembled it.

I wasn’t the best artist, but this time, I wanted to sketch the design myself. Using the reference image, I drew a flower with rounded petals and leaves. I redrew it a few times until I finally had something I was proud of. The design was simple, elegant, and versatile—something Lord Glen could wear as a brooch or pendant, and something I could wear in my hair.

“Next... I need to write the effects...”

Around the sketch, I carefully wrote out the accessory’s abilities. In addition to warding off status ailments, I added a few more protective effects. After checking and rechecking the blueprint to make sure I hadn’t left anything out, I placed my hand over the page.

“I’m going to make special matching seeds for Lord Glen and me to wear—[Seed Creation]!”

With a soft pop, two delicate necklaces appeared on the table. The pendants looked just like the design, made in what appeared to be precious metal, and didn’t resemble seeds at all. I let out a long sigh of relief.

I didn’t have the [Appraisal] Skill, so I couldn’t confirm their effects, but just seeing them made me smile. Lord Glen is so incredible... For a fleeting moment, doubt crept in... Am I really worthy of being his fiancée? But I pushed it aside.

“Let’s see if the top opens properly...”

I unhooked the chain from the necklace-shaped seed to test whether the pendant could also work on its own as a brooch. Thankfully, it did so without issue, just as I’d hoped.

Now, all that remained was giving it to Lord Glen. But then I realized something...

“I forgot a gift box...!”

I’d been so focused on creating the seed itself that I hadn’t prepared anything to present it in—not even a ribbon. I couldn’t just hand it to him unwrapped!

What do I do? There aren’t any boxes or ribbons in this lab... Should I run back to my room and ask Gina and Martha?

Just as I started to panic, Cyril and Root popped into the room.

“We figured this might happen...”

«So we brought one for you!»

A small box, just the right size to fit in my hands, appeared before my eyes.

“Huh?!” I gasped in surprise as Root struck a proud pose, hands on his hips, while Cyril grinned.

“When we asked Gina and Martha, they gave us the perfect box and ribbon,” Cyril said cheerfully.

Wait... Cyril, who always insisted she wouldn’t appear in front of anyone unless it was really important, actually went and asked for help?!

«They were really surprised when I said thank you!» Root added.

Normally, Spirits could only be seen or heard by those with contracts, blessings, or specific Skills. But Root, as a Communication Spirit, could speak to humans if he really put effort into it—though he’d told me before that doing so was difficult and he preferred not to. And yet, he had gone out of his way to do it for me.

My heart swelled with gratitude.

“Cyril, Root... Thank you so much.” I smiled and took the box and ribbon from them gently. “Next time, I’ll make some seeds just for the two of you.”

“Really?!”

«Yay!»

“So start thinking about what kind of seeds you want, all right?”

«I want a seed that grows into a fruit filled with cookies!» Root declared.

“That kind of seed would disappear once it sprouts. I want something that lasts, like an accessory seed,” Cyril countered.

Smiling at their playful argument, I quietly placed Lord Glen’s seed into the gift box and tied it with the ribbon. Then, I clipped my own seed pendant back onto its chain, fastened it around my neck, and tucked it beneath my clothes.

Thanks to everyone’s help, the gift was finally ready.

“I want to give it to him right away...” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. At that, Cyril and Root turned to me with eager expressions.

“Want to know where Glen is? We’ll go find him!”

«Let’s race to see who gets there first!»

Before I could even respond, the two of them vanished.

“Um... Should I just wait here...?” I wondered aloud, unsure of what to do.

As I stood there, idly staring at the Spirit Tree’s glass-like trunk, Cyril reappeared.

“Glen’s in his room, reading a book.”

“Thanks for letting me know,” I said, just as Root arrived too.

«His Highness is in his room— Ah, wait, Cyril beat me...»

“I win!” Cyril grinned.

«Next time, I won’t lose!»

“Thank you for helping too, Root,” I said warmly.

After watching their cheerful exchange, I left the lab, the gift tucked safely in my hands.

+++

I stood in front of Lord Glen’s room, three doors down from mine on the third floor of the royal residence’s west wing. When I knocked and asked if I could come in, it was Lord Glen himself who opened the door, not one of the guard knights.

“It’s rare for you to come to my room, Chelsea. Is something the matter?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Um... I have something I’d like to give you. May I have some of your time?” I asked, my heart pounding.

His eyes softened with a warm smile. “You can have all the time you want, Lucy. We have the day off, after all.”

“Thank you.”

He took my hand and led me inside. Since it was a rest day, he was alone. He gestured for me to sit on the sofa, but I shook my head gently, choosing to stand in front of him instead.

“It’s a bit late, but...” I began, summoning the small gift box I’d stored in my personal Spirit World space. Holding it with both hands, I bowed slightly and offered it to him. “This is the seed you asked me to make, Lord Arnie. Please accept it.”

He froze, clearly surprised.

“Wait... You mean the necklace-shaped seed? The one you said you’d make for me someday?”

“Yes,” I said, nodding. His expression shifted—his eyes drifting as if recalling something distant.

“I thought you only said that because you didn’t actually want to give me one.”

“What? No! I really did want to,” I said quickly. “I just wanted it to be something special, something designed just for you... But it took me a while to figure out what that should be.”

As I explained honestly, he looked at me again.

“You designed it yourself?”

“Yes.”

“For me?”

I nodded again. His cheeks flushed pink.

“I’m...really happy. Thank you!” he said brightly, accepting the box with both hands. “Can I open it?”

“Of course.”

At my answer, his face lit up with excitement. He carefully untied the ribbon and opened the lid. The moment his eyes landed on the seed, he went still, then silently used his [Appraisal] Skill. A moment later, he brought a hand to his mouth.

“This is...incredible. I’m honestly at a loss for words.”

He explained the necklace-seed’s properties. Like the original, it blocked status ailments completely. But beyond that, it carried two additional effects: If the wearer ever found themselves in mortal danger, the matching seed would immediately alert its partner. And if separated from its owner for too long, it would quietly return to them on its own. It would never tarnish, never rot, and when no longer needed, it would simply wither away like a flower at the end of its bloom.

“A matching pair... So you and I really do have the same one, right?” he asked softly, seeking confirmation.

I nodded and pulled out my own pendant to show him its twin. His face turned even redder.

“W-Wearing matching accessories is a little embarrassing,” he mumbled, though the warmth in his eyes made it clear he was happy.

“You can take the pendant off the chain too,” I added, gently lifting mine and pinning it in my hair. “It works as a brooch, or even a hair ornament.”

“That means I can wear it all the time.” He reached into the box, fastened the chain around his neck, and ran a thumb over the pendant. “It matches you, and it keeps me safe. I’ll never take it off.”

The happiness in his smile made my heart flutter. I was so glad I’d taken the time to make something just for him.

“Lucy... Thank you. I’ll treasure it.”

He pulled me into a warm, secure hug. I wrapped my arms around him, and just as I started to relax, I felt a soft touch against my head. Then another on my forehead. One more on my temple—and finally, my cheek.

“—?!”

I froze, completely overwhelmed. And then, Lord Glen leaned back just far enough to look into my eyes, his smile as sweet and dazzling as the sunrise. Everything blurred. My knees gave out, and I slipped gently into unconsciousness, heart full.

Side Story: Micah’s Past

“Go away!”

Three hundred years ago, on a bright, sunny day, a young girl named Micah was running for her life through a forest, pursued by a pack of wolf monsters.

Though she was eleven, her appearance was that of a three-year-old. She belonged to the foxpeople, a long-lived race said to survive a thousand years, and her slow aging marked her as something unnatural in the eyes of her village. Feared and shunned, she’d been locked away in a secluded manor for as long as she could remember. But when a traveling fortune teller warned that the village would face ruin unless they freed the hidden child, her father, the village chief, did not bring her home. Instead, he abandoned her in the forest, alone.

Because she looked like a toddler, the wolf monsters seemed to treat her more like a toy than prey. They stalked her, nipping and driving her forward with cruel precision—never striking hard enough to kill, but never letting her escape, herding her deeper into the woods toward their lair. She knew what awaited her if this kept up. But their movements were so coordinated, she had no choice but to keep running.

Scratched and breathless, she caught sight of a massive tree ahead with a hollow carved into its wide trunk. If she could just get inside...

She leapt, darting into the narrow opening. The wolves snapped and clawed at the entrance, but the space was too tight for them to enter.

It’s scary... But I have to hold out...

Curling up inside the hollow, Micah hugged her knees to her chest, trying to steady her breathing. She didn’t know how much time had passed. The wolves kept barking and growling outside. Then suddenly, their growls stopped, followed by thuds, snarls, painful yelps. And then...silence. Something had changed.

Heart pounding, Micah cautiously peeked out. Standing just beyond the tree was a thin man surrounded by the motionless bodies of the wolf monsters. His hair was a dark green so deep it bordered on black, and his eyes were a matching shade. Long, black horns curved beside his pointed ears, and a scaled tail swept behind him, ending in a tuft of fur the same color as his hair. He was no beast, but that didn’t mean he was a friend.

As she pulled back inside the tree, trying to decide what to do, the man suddenly crouched and peered into the opening.

“The monsters are gone, so you’re safe now,” he said gently.

Micah flinched. She hadn’t expected him to speak, let alone look for her.

“Or...can you not get out?”

He didn’t sound dangerous. Slowly she shook her head to show she was okay and stepped out of the hollow. Her eyes flicked to the bodies behind him. The birds had resumed their chirping, and the forest seemed peaceful again. For now, at least, she was safe...

As Micah cautiously scanned their surroundings, she realized the man was watching her.

Oh no... I wasn’t acting like a normal three-year-old!

Panic fluttered in her chest. If he noticed something was off—that her behavior didn’t match her appearance—he might look at her with the same suspicion and disgust the adults in her village always had. Quickly, she forced her expression to go blank, the same vacant look she’d worn during her years locked away in the manor. She began fidgeting with her fingers, trying to mimic the mannerisms of a toddler.

Right... But I haven’t thanked him yet...

“Th...ank...you,” she rasped out, her voice barely audible. Her throat was dry from all the running, and she could hardly force the words out.

The man tilted his head, visibly puzzled, then said, “Sorry, I’m gonna use my [Appraisal] on you.”

She blinked. She’d heard of that Skill—it let someone read information about a person. She wasn’t injured, so she simply stared at him dumbly, continuing her act.

After a moment, he muttered, “You’re a kid with way too much info...”

Micah didn’t understand what he meant and kept quiet, just watching him.

“Let’s see... Your name’s Micah. You’ll be twelve soon. You’re starving. And you’re an avatist with slowed aging.”

“A...va...tis...t?” she echoed, tripping over the unfamiliar word.

He crouched a little, explaining gently that “avatist” referred to those born with dormant ancestral traits. In her case, increased longevity from her foxpeople bloodline.

“I’ve got a Sage-level [Appraisal],” he added. “If I spend more mana, I can see almost everything. So you don’t have to pretend to be a toddler anymore.”

Micah’s eyes widened. He wasn’t angry. He didn’t flinch at her true age or treat her like something unnatural.

“First things first, let’s get you cleaned up and fed,” he said.

After saying that, he used magic to wash the dirt and grime from her skin. Her matted, bloodstained clothes became clean in an instant, and she felt a little lighter—like a weight had been rinsed from her body. At the same time, the wolf monsters’ corpses around them vanished, leaving no trace of the earlier encounter.

Then, from a glowing ripple in the air, he pulled out a flask of cold water and a freshly cooked hot dog from his time-stopped Item Box.

Micah took the flask first, drinking in quick, eager gulps, but carefully, so she wouldn’t spill. The cool water soothed her aching throat. Then she took the hot dog with both hands, opened her mouth as wide as she could, and bit into it.

The moment the flavor hit her tongue, something inside her snapped. She hadn’t eaten in so long—her hands and mouth moved on their own, desperate and unstoppable.

“You don’t have to eat so fast,” the man said with a gentle laugh as he watched Micah devour the food. “I’ve got more where that came from.”

But the moment the words left his mouth, Micah suddenly froze. Her eyes went wide, and before either of them could react, she vomited everything she’d just eaten.

“Whoa?!”

Startled, the man rushed to her side, quickly casting magic that wiped away the mess.

“I-I’m sorry,” Micah whispered, tears welling in her eyes once she was left clean again.

“No, that was my fault,” he said with a sigh, patting her gently on the head. “When someone’s starving, you’ve gotta start with something easy. You know, soups and liquids. I completely forgot.”

Without missing a beat, he raised a barrier around them for protection, then pulled out some supplies from his Item Box: bread, a bottle of milk, a small jar of honey, and a simple set of cooking tools. In no time, he was stirring together a warm bread porridge.

Once Micah had slowly eaten her fill, the man sat across from her and asked, “So, what do you want to do now? Go back to your village? Or would you rather head to an orphanage in another town?”

Micah stared at the ground, her little hands clenching in her lap. If she went back to her village, they’d either throw her away again or lock her up until she withered away. And an orphanage...who knew how they’d treat her once they learned she barely aged? In the end, there was only one person she could turn to.

“I’ll do anything... So please take me with you,” she said, the words spilling out before she could second-guess them.

The man frowned. “Don’t say you’ll do ‘anything.’”

Her ears and shoulders drooped instantly. But then, he let out a soft chuckle and smiled.

“I never said I wouldn’t take you with me.”

Micah’s eyes lit up. “You mean...?”

“You’re coming with me.”

The moment he said it, her tail wagged furiously.

“Name’s Royz,” he continued. “Starting today, you’re my daughter. Call me ‘daddy.’”

“‘Daddy’...?”

“Yep.”

Micah had never once called her real father “father.” But now, as she quietly repeated “daddy” to herself, her heart felt full in a way it never had before.

+++

Half a year had passed since Royz had taken Micah in.

After finishing breakfast downstairs at the inn, they returned to their second-floor room. Once the door closed behind them, Micah bounced slightly on her toes and asked cheerfully, “What’re we doing today~?”

She still looked no older than three, but in that time, she’d become far more expressive—smiling often, speaking brightly. Watching her grow more animated each day had made Royz’s life a lot livelier than when he used to travel alone.

“First thing today, I’m gonna use [Appraisal] on you again. Just need to recheck a few things.”

“Why~?” she asked, tilting her head.

“Because today’s your twelfth birthday.”

Micah gave him a confused look, clearly not seeing the connection between her birthday and getting appraised again.

“Ah, right. You probably don’t know yet. When kids from the humanoid races hit twelve, they usually awaken with some sort of Skill.”

“A Skill~? Like your [Appraisal] one, daddy~?”

“Exactly. So, I wanna see what kind you got.”

But the moment he said that, her cheerful face dimmed. “I’m an atavist, so I don’t know if I’ll awaken one for a while...”

“Which is exactly why I’m checking with [Appraisal]. Otherwise you’ll just keep stressing over it,” he said, ruffling her hair.

Before she could respond, Royz activated his Skill. Reading the results, he blinked, doing a double take.

“Whoa...seriously?! You’ve got a High-level [Cooking] Skill and a Sage-level [Interrogation] Skill... Both rare, and already high-ranked.”

Micah’s ears twitched in nervous surprise. “Umm... What do those Skills do~?”

“[Cooking] lets you identify ingredients and make delicious meals. Basically, you’ll be able to tell which mushrooms in the forest are safe to eat, and even turn them into something tasty.”

During their travels, most of the food they ate came from what they foraged. Since Micah didn’t have [Appraisal], she’d always struggled to tell edible mushrooms from poisonous ones, making mealtimes a challenge. But now, even though her Skill only worked on food, it would still show her information about ingredients—much like [Appraisal]—and help her cook with confidence.

“That makes me so happy~!” Micah beamed, her tail wagging so hard you could hear it whooshing behind her.

“Now, the other one, [Interrogation], is a bit more intense. When you use it, anyone you ask a question will have to answer truthfully. And since yours is Sage-level, they can’t lie at all.”

Just like Royz’s [Appraisal], her [Interrogation] could cut through even mental blocks—like deeply held false beliefs, magical concealments, or binding contracts. It was, essentially, an unstoppable truth serum. In the wrong hands, it was dangerous and highly sought-after.

“For now, if anyone asks what Skills you have, just tell them about [Cooking].”

“Why~?”

“If people find out you have [Interrogation], you’ll end up in trouble. Some shady group might try to kidnap you, or worse—you could get dragged off to the imperial capital and locked up for life as an official interrogator.”

“I don’t want that~!” she squeaked, shoulders shrinking and ears drooping.

Royz chuckled and gave her a comforting pat on the head. “Then make sure you never tell anyone you don’t fully trust, okay?”

“Okay~!”

It warmed her chest to know he was looking out for her like this. She wanted to say how grateful she was, but she knew if she did, he’d either wave it off or tease her for getting sentimental. So she just smiled and said nothing.

“Anyway, try using [Interrogation] on me,” Royz said with a grin.

“Huh~?!” Micah yelped, her eyes going wide.

He was serious. But if she asked something really awkward, he’d have no choice but to answer. Is it really okay to test it on him?

“You’ll need to know how to use the Skill when it matters,” Royz said, walking her through the steps.

Micah fidgeted. “You’re the one who suggested this, daddy, so don’t blame me whatever happens~”

She summoned her courage and activated her Skill. The moment she did, a cool emptiness drained through her limbs.

“I will now begin my Interrogation. Please answer in detail. Where were you planning to go today after appraising my Skills?”

Her voice came out flat, stripped of its usual lilt.

“I was on my way to the clothier on Main Street,” Royz answered at once.

“For what purpose?”

“To pick up your birthday present and dress you up— Gah, so much for surprising you!”

He clutched his head, half laughing, half groaning. A faint dizziness told Micah the skill was still consuming her mana.

“Why did you hide that from me?”

“Because I wanted the reveal to make you happy... Good grief, this really forces everything out.”

Royz’s shoulders sagged under her Skill.

“[Interrogation] complete.”

The drain stopped; warmth rushed back, and her tail thumped the floor again.

“I’m so happy you got me a present~!” she squealed.

Royz studied her, gauging her strength. “That ability drinks mana fast. The moment you feel lightheaded, cancel it.”

“Okay~!”

“And when you’re using it, you drop the cutesy talk, can’t smile, and your tail goes still. If that happens, I’ll know the Skill’s active. I’ll need to watch out for that.”

“I’ll only use it when absolutely necessary~!” Micah beamed, holding back the question she had in mind: What’s there to watch out for?

Royz ruffled her hair, relieved the test was over.

After that, Micah and Royz headed to the clothing shop. There, Royz retrieved the birthday gift he’d secretly ordered in advance and handed it to her on the spot.

“Happy birthday.”

“Thank you~!”

It was the first time in her life anyone had congratulated her on her birthday, let alone given her a present. Her tail wagged so vigorously she worried it might fly off, and her face beamed with joy.

“Go on, get changed.”

At Royz’s gentle urging, Micah slipped into the dressing room. The outfit he’d chosen was sturdy on the outside, but lined with soft fabric to be gentle on her skin. Feeling the care behind the choice warmed her heart.

When she stepped out of the shop in her new clothes, she asked, “What are we going to do now~?”

“I figured we’d pick up something to eat and head home...but you’ve got that [Cooking] Skill now, right? Let’s have you make something.”

“You’re always so sudden, daddy~!” she huffed, puffing out her cheeks.

Royz only grinned in response, clearly not backing down. Micah let out a long sigh.

“What do you want me to make~?”

The Radzuel Empire, being largely home to beastfolk, leaned heavily toward meat-based cuisine. But with the memories of his past life—memories filled with Japanese, Chinese, and Western dishes—Royz found the food in this world woefully dull. Now that Micah had awakened her [Cooking] Skill, there was no way he wasn’t going to take advantage of it.

“I’ll walk you through it. Just follow my lead.”

“Okay~!”

Back in their inn room, Micah stood in front of the small kitchen as Royz pulled a variety of ingredients from his time-stopping Item Box and laid them out in neat rows.

“I’ve never seen most of this stuff before~!” Micah said, eyes sparkling as she examined each item.

Then, she began cooking under Royz’s guidance. With the [Cooking] Skill constantly active, her hands moved with a precision and grace completely at odds with her toddler-like appearance. In no time at all, the dish was ready.

“I’m done~! But I don’t know what it’s called~ What is it~?”

“It’s a dessert called flan,” Royz replied.

Since they didn’t have a proper mold, they’d used a cup instead, but that wouldn’t affect the taste. Swallowing back a bit of drool, Royz scooped up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth. The moment the creamy custard and caramel touched his tongue, his eyes widened. It was the first time in over four hundred years since his reincarnation that he’d tasted something so nostalgic. He trembled from the sheer wave of emotion it brought.

“This is amazing! Seriously, the best thing ever. Micah, you’ve gotta try it too!”

Micah eagerly followed his lead. The flan’s jiggly texture, delicate sweetness, and the contrast of the slightly bitter caramel sauce all melted together in her mouth, gliding smoothly down her throat. Before she realized it, her cup was already empty.

“That was so good~! I want to try cooking all kinds of new things now~!”

“Leave it to me. I’ll teach you every recipe I know,” Royz said proudly.

Micah bounced up and down with excitement, her tail wagging hard.

“Oh, right. Since I’m your instructor now, call me ‘Teacher’ when we’re cooking,” Royz added with a sly grin, clearly pleased with himself.

“Okay, daddy~!”

“No, call me ‘Teacher’ now.”

“But we’re not cooking anymore~”

“Yeah, and?!”

That set them both off. They looked at each other and burst out laughing in unison, their voices ringing through the little inn room.

Afterword

Hello, long time no see. This is milli-gram.

Thank you so much for picking up I’ll Never Set Foot in That House Again! Volume 7!

In this volume, Chelsea used her [Seed Creation] Skill in all sorts of new ways, expanding its possibilities. For the side story, I wrote about Micah and Royz’s first meeting—please enjoy their introduction!

There was quite a long gap between this volume and the last one, and a lot happened in the meantime. I fell into a slump while struggling with both mental and physical health issues, and also had to cope with the loss of my father. I deeply regret the trouble this caused for everyone involved. Even so, I’m incredibly grateful to have been given the chance to publish this book under those circumstances.

My heartfelt thanks to Yuki Kana-sensei, whose illustrations are always so lovely; to my new editor, S-san, who kindly encouraged me to prioritize my health; to the sales team, proofreaders, designers, printers, and bookstore staff who supported this release. To my family and friends, who worried not only about my health but also about my writing—and to every single reader who picked up this book—thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart.

I wish good health to everyone who helped bring this book to life.

And to my father, who loved books—may you rest in peace.

—milli-gram