Chapter 571: The Sacred Straw Rope

I managed—barely—to stop the knights from dropping to their knees, and hurried them along toward the great tree.

Beneath its towering trunk already stood Giovanni-sama and his group.

They were all gazing upward.

What were they looking at so intently? The branches? The crown? The sky framed between its leaves?

Perhaps I should look up as well.

Just as I tilted my head back, Giovanni-sama seemed to notice our arrival.

“Julius-sama, I have heard from the gardeners. They say this… outcome… occurred after testing the fertilizer you created?”

“Well, yes. That’s correct. But it wasn’t solely my fertilizer. A considerable portion of the growth is thanks to the Forest Spirit’s power. It certainly wasn’t my strength alone.”

I repeated the same explanation I had given the knights earlier.

In truth, I had no precise way of measuring how much of this explosive growth was due to the Forest Spirit and how much stemmed from Rapid Growth. But if I could emphasize the Spirit’s contribution as much as possible, then comparatively, my fertilizer would be regarded as something far less extraordinary.

That was the goal.

“I see… the power of the Forest Spirit, you say. Even so, this is a magnificent cedar. Within the Kingdom of Spencer Kingdom, one would have to venture deep into the remote frontiers to behold such a sight.”

He lifted his gaze skyward once more.

Ah. So he was committing the spectacle to memory.

I had once looked up at the World Tree itself, so I couldn’t muster quite the same awe. I suspected Fabienne and Nero felt similarly.

Still… it was large.

Extremely large.

“At this rate, it may become an obstruction. It would be more practical to fell it and make use of the timber. If it must be cut down, please leave it to me. I’ve done similar work before when constructing a campsite.”

“To cut down this tree would be unthinkable!”

The reaction was immediate—and overwhelming.

It wasn’t just Giovanni-sama. The knights beside him and even the nearby gardeners all moved at once to stop me, as though I had suggested burning down a temple.

Too late.

Far too late.

I should have cut it down yesterday—before it could be elevated to the status of sacred tree.

Now, all I could do was laugh weakly.

Ha… ha ha…

As Fabienne and I exchanged strained smiles, the air around us suddenly grew restless.

What now?

Ah.

Sophia-sama and Erwin-sama were approaching.

In their hands, they carried something that looked very much like a sacred rope—thick and braided.

Wait.

Don’t tell me that’s—

“Julius-sama, Fabienne-sama, so this is where you were. How fortunate.”

“Fortunate…? Um… what exactly is that in your hands?”

“This is a sacred rope used when enshrining a spirit. We intend to affix it to that great cedar. I thought you should witness it as well, Julius-sama.”

“I… see…”

Oh.

Oh.

No wonder everyone had thrown themselves in front of me earlier.

If they had brought the sacred rope only to find the tree missing, that would have been a disaster of divine proportions.

Why was my back suddenly damp with sweat?

How had this spiraled so far?

Had I—without meaning to—just created a sacred tree for the Kingdom of Raven Kingdom?

And so, we stood and watched as Sophia-sama and Erwin-sama solemnly fastened the sacred rope around the massive trunk. The thick cord contrasted sharply against the dark bark, transforming the cedar’s presence from merely grand to undeniably holy.

The knights who had accompanied us dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in prayer.

Should I… follow suit?

“To think it would come to this…”

The complaint slipped from me before I could stop it.

“If it becomes a pillar of support for everyone’s hearts, is that not a good thing?”

Fabienne answered gently, her brows tilting in a soft, consoling expression.

She was right.

Of course she was right.

But the fact that I was entangled in the origin of that support made it difficult to breathe.

I had wanted this to happen through the collective effort of everyone—through Rapid Growth produced by the gardeners’ hands. Then it would have been, “Thanks to the royal gardeners,” not “Julius-sama did it again.”

“You’re right. What’s done is done. I’ll change my mindset. But the two of you must report properly that I was deeply reflecting on my actions.”

“Y-Yes…”

“I do not believe reflection is necessary… I am sure the master will, as always, resign himself—no, accept it.”

“Lionel?”

Lionel averted his gaze with suspicious speed.

Ah.

So this would be the sort of report that left a hole in Father’s stomach.

Perhaps I should enclose some stomach medicine with my next letter.

I’m sorry, Father.

The thought of returning home was suddenly terrifying.

Perhaps I should elope with Fabienne instead—flee into the horizon on a grand romantic escape.

We eventually made our way to the gardeners’ hut and resumed fertilizer production.

While instructing the knights, I had them carry in the base fertilizer materials. At present, I was the only one capable of using fire magic here, so I was stuck in the role of perpetual water heater.

After a while, it grew tedious.

So midway through, I began conjuring boiling water directly with magic.

“Julius-sama, what spell is that?” Lionel asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Hot Water. You don’t know it, Lionel?”

“That is the first I have heard of such a spell.”

He said it plainly.

Very plainly.

Was it just me, or had he grown less reserved lately?

Had Father perhaps given him specific instructions? If Julius-sama behaves suspiciously, confirm the details and investigate thoroughly, or something along those lines?

Yes… that seemed plausible.

Which meant bluffing wouldn’t work.

“…Actually, I just created it. Don’t you know any similar spells?”

“…Not to my knowledge. Let us categorize it as an advanced application of water magic.”

“Yes. Let’s do that. Simply a spell that alters the temperature of water. Nothing more.”

Lionel closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose, kneading slowly.

He had clearly encountered a headache-inducing problem.

Which, admittedly, was entirely my fault.

But honestly—fetching water and then heating it separately is such a hassle.

If I can skip steps, why shouldn’t I?

I can use magic, after all.

Right, Julius?