Chapter 253 - Chapter 20: Forest Recovery Operation
In November, the third investigation of the mountain was completed. There were no strange intruders, and we returned safely to Stephen-san's mansion.
As expected, what we discovered pertained to the system of holy magic. In essence, it seems to be kind to healthy living things and harsh toward those that are not. The reason it had no effect when cast on a worm-eaten tree is apparently because the effect is brought to both the tree and the insects, resulting in them canceling each other out. Furthermore, since it does not promote growth, the tree will not grow larger no matter how much one continues to cast it.
Well, it is the same as the research results thus far.
"Based on the quantity, there are enough for two more times."
"Yes. Even if we cannot come during the winter, at this rate, the investigation should conclude in April and May."
"The remainder consists of magic currently classified as 'others'?"
"In a sense, it is the area where research is most delayed."
Beside James-sama and Price-sama who were talking, Harris-sama was lost in thought.
"What is the matter, Bishop Harris? Is there something you do not understand?"
When Gwyn-sama called out to him, he said, "Hmm," and crossed his arms.
"I have two doubts. First, Holy can be layered onto attribute magic or the Light magic that Jeanne uses, correct? However, if the five magics Jeanne uses are Light magic in the sense of being the polar opposite of Darkness, then wouldn't it be the other way around? In other words, Holy magic is Light magic, and the black-colored magic used by the Demon Race is Dark magic."
"I see," Price-sama agreed.
"In that case, shall we test it?" Gwyn-sama suddenly drew a knife and wounded his own left arm in two places.
I understand the sentiment, but isn't that a bit too sudden?
First, Harris-sama healed him with Heal. Next, he combined Light with Heal.
There was no change.
Then, a third wound was made, and even when the order of illumination was changed, it remained the same. Even the light from a Firefly struck by Holy was merely warm; the recovery speed did not change.
"Hmm. It may be as Bishop Harris thinks. It would mean that Holy magic is indeed Light magic."
"If that is the case, then Dark magic would be magic that heals the wounds of monsters, ghosts, and the undead."
Price-sama and James-sama's words reminded me of something.
"I cannot speak of it in detail, but I once fought a Revenant. At that time, I cut off its head with a Wind Cutter. When I did, the man who was cut chanted something like a magic incantation and reattached it as it was before."
"That's it!"
Harris-sama bit onto the idea.
"In other words, the people of the Ruined Town use Dark magic. Could it be Forbidden Magic?"
It might be as Gwyn-sama says. Turning people into Revenants, manipulating hearts and bodies—no matter how you look at it, it's darkness. My Light, too, without the layering of Holy, only illuminates and deals no damage to Revenants or monsters.
"If that is the case, it explains why the spirits do not call magic other than Light 'Light magic.' It is the same in our country."
"Indeed, that is true," everyone agreed.
That means, in other words, it proves that the barriers that can be dissolved by Light are not Dark magic.
The magic used by the First King, Dune, and the person who created the barrier here is not Dark magic. I felt relieved.
"My other doubt is that, normally, in documents like these, one would expect to find not only classification systems and effects but also instructions on how to learn them."
At Harris-sama's words, everyone's expressions changed.
"If that is so, then the reason the people of the Ruined Town are after it becomes clear. The nation that obtains it would stand at a military advantage. For those who have a monarch to whom they must offer tribute, it would surely be a most welcome prize."
Gwyn-sama seemed strangely amused. He likely intends to counterattack when they strike. He is far too bellicose.
"Bishop Price. How did that internal investigation turn out?"
"We have a lead. We are currently considering how to leak false information."
Both James-sama, who asked, and Price-sama, who answered, looked like they were having fun. Surely, even if Eleanor-sama were here, she would be enjoying this as well.
Looking at Harris-sama, he had a grim face. Good. I found a kindred spirit.
"Gwyn. For now, let us act as if we did not hear that last part. If possible, since the investigation is progressing slowly and proving difficult, shall we make it so that we must come five or six more times?"
"So we shall meet them after completing all preparations."
"Precisely."
"That would be for the best. Understood. I shall add a bit of 'flavor' to this report. There were many difficult characters, after all."
When I nudged Harris-sama with my elbow, he whispered a small "Sorry" to me.
"Um, I should tell the three of you, it is not certain that it is written there just because I thought of it now."
"We know. It is better that way."
"Eh?"
Harris-sama made a foolish face at Gwyn-sama's words.
"Indeed. It shall be granted by the Goddess through the Priestess. Otherwise, it would lack grace. Even if what Bishop Harris said were written there, it would likely be strictly sealed in this land."
"Umu. It is not something that should circulate in the world. We shall keep it hidden within our hearts and take it to our graves."
Harris-sama, who had been making a grim face, broke into a smile.
"As expected of you all, you are worthy of being chosen as the main candidates. You are thinking deeply about the future of this island. I have misjudged you."
Harris-sama also seemed relieved.
"What are you saying? War is something decided by the sword."
"Gwyn. I am a mage, you know."
"Even as you say that, I know your sword skills are first-rate. You spar with Roberts from time to time, do you not?"
"So that Roberts... he blabbed. Well, fine. Currently, it is sixty-five losses and thirty-five wins."
That is amazing. I can't believe he's a mage.
"What, in our country, there is a man who, though only for one match, fought Roberts to a draw."
"Was that not a drinking contest?"
"You caught me."
"Caught you? I was watching right in front of you."
They were laughing loudly.
"Well, it seems there is no need to worry."
At Price-sama's smiling words, Harris-sama scratched his head.
When we went to the fortress of the Eastern Plains Corps to return to Nakanohara via Teleport, Harris-sama and I were suddenly placed in the bowl and taken to the Black Forest. They told me to try illuminating the black trees with Light.
"Sorry to trouble you, Jeanne. When you illuminated me with your light, my hair and such changed. I thought that perhaps these trees might also return to normal."
The mountains look quite close. Apparently, this is the former Dryad's Forest.
Before my eyes is a thick, large, but twisted tree. Seeing the pitch-black acorns fallen there, it seems to be an oak tree. It must be Renata's tree.
In that case, I had Harris-sama strike a Firefly with Holy and tried to illuminate it.
Since intermediate Holy would be dangerous all of a sudden, I had him throttle the output to the level of basic magic.
Even after illuminating it for half an hour, nothing changed. Even when the output was increased, the leaves only fluttered down. It might actually be making things worse. The surface of the tree is covered in black bark that looks like scales.
As a test, I went inside and tried it. The tree only trembled, and there was no effect.
"No good, huh. Sorry, Renata."
"Don't apologize. We didn't know if it would work from the start."
I stepped outside feeling disappointed, but the Jaegers who had transported us in the bowl and Gladys-sama seemed to have found something, as they were repeatedly pointing at the ground here and there.
"Did something happen?"
"Look. It's the acorns. They've sprouted. Just when I thought the tree trembled earlier, they fell and immediately sprouted."
"It's true. Green cotyledons... green cotyledons?"
Renata came running over.
Looking around, several of the acorns fallen around the black oak tree were germinating. The leaves were all green.
"The tree... the tree was doing its best. And then, with Jeanne and Harris-san's magic... I'm sorry. Even though I had given up..."
She was clinging to the tree, weeping.
"N-No, my magic is ordinary. It was definitely Jeanne's magic."
"Oh, Harris-sama, your eyes are red."
"W-What are you talking about? Some dust got in them. And look at yourself, you're crying your eyes out."
"In Harris-sama's case, would it be 'tears in a demon's eyes'? (T/N: A play on the idiom 'tears in an ogre's eyes,' meaning even a cold-hearted person can be moved to tears.)"
"That's rude to say to a priest! Ah, everyone is laughing! Even Gladys-sama... I am a Bishop, despite how I look!"
After making a fuss through our tears, we had the tree do its best a few more times to produce green sprouts from the acorns.
Afterward, we went via the black trees in the Flatlands and called Serena. I dragged Serena, who appeared with a melancholy air, over without letting her refuse and showed her the sprouts.
"My, my, my! Sister! This is proof of your revival!"
Where had her usual quiet atmosphere gone?
Restraining her excitement, I had her chant a spell as she had before to turn them into one-year-old trees. There were twenty-seven of them.
"This might be faster than I thought."
She was wiping her tears with the sleeve of her black clothes, but...
"Sister. I have been thinking since then, and I have a good idea."
"A good idea? What is it? Exactly?"
"Actually, humans want the black wood."
"Ah! For the Cursed Highway!"
It was certainly a good idea. We could move the black trees from here to the Cursed Highway in Regnentes and move the trees from the planned site of the dried meat factory here. Though small, a green forest larger than a single village would be created. Moreover, it would be full of broad-leaved trees. We could use that as the foundation for restoration.
I could well understand why Serena was looking so triumphant.
Taking the two spirits with me, I returned to the fortress of the Eastern Plains Corps. Fortunately, Roberts-sama seemed to know about it, and as a result of him contacting Eleanor-sama immediately, she came flying over promptly.
"It is indeed a good idea. Then, let us first move the area around Renata's tree."
"For my forest, I'll work with Jeanne and Serena to increase the acorns and restore it. So, first, could you restore the monster territory on the outskirts that has looked after me until now? I know I'm being selfish. But, you see, I've been cared for by those Demon Race and Cait Siths."
"I am sorry, but we must restore Renata's forest first. Of course, we do not have to use green trees; we can grow them from your seedlings. In that case, we shall move the green trees to the monster territory as Renata says. Therefore, as for the order, we shall move the black trees from your forest where the young trees will be raised, and then move the trees in the location Renata desires. However, Renata, you must handle the communication with the Cait Siths."
"Thank you. I owe you one."
Eleanor-sama contacted Harold-sama. For Harold-sama, this was much better than just using expensive magic stones to turn things black. He could cover it with actual monster-fied trees. He seemed to have given his ready consent. He told us to teleport as many as we could.
The arrangements changed. The trees from the dried meat factory site would be teleported near the entrance of the highway on the Regnentes side to serve as a blind. Once that was finished, Renata and Serena would move the black trees and fill the highway with them.
To the place where the black trees had been, we would move the trees from the highway connecting the Northeastern Forest and the Royal Capital region. At the same time, Renata would raise the young trees grown from acorns. Tending to the seedlings became the elves' job. The location would be Renata's forest and near the hunting grounds recognized by Henry-sama—that is, they would be planted little by little from the northwestern edge opposite where the Elf Village once was. The period would be until spring.
Incidentally, I was to receive one gold coin per trip. That said, it would be meaningless if acorns weren't produced. I couldn't push the trees too hard either. It was decided that I would go whenever Renata called me.
The one who had it hard was Alex. What was a round trip between two points increased to five points. Moreover, in two locations simultaneously. Of the seven brothers, three would handle the trees, and four would work on the construction to plug the holes from which magical power gushed out.
"Fine, but you'd better increase my pay!"
"Let's make it double."
"Double? Do you know how many logs I'm carrying? Make it five times!"
In the end, it seems it settled at three times. Surely, it fell within the range Harold-sama had specified. The wine from Finis would surely sell quite well.
"Even if it's small, a green forest is coming back."
"Yes, Sister. Your hair color and skin have also returned quite a bit to normal."
"Yeah. Jeanne and Marcelo-san have been looking after me. I just have to sit in a chair in the room, drink something, and talk."
In short, all we had to do was combine Light and Holy. Marcelo-san would strike the Light attached to the ceiling with a Holy Lance, and she would simply sit beneath it. Since Dune told us it should be once a week for one hour, we spend that time chatting. After it's over, it's a banquet.
"Jeanne. Please take care of my sister."
"It's alright. Don't worry. Dune is always checking Renata's physical condition."
"Truly, thank you."
"More importantly, are the trees alright?"
"Seeing as the acorns have put out green young leaves, they should be fine. I don't know if they'll return to how they were, but they are my trees. We'll be together from now on."
"I see. I hope the acorns grow quickly. Otherwise, your location might be discovered."
"Thank you for your concern. But you see, the monsters are protecting me now."
"It might be 'from now on' as well."
Renata's eyes widened.
"You're a strange person. Are you not afraid of monsters?"
"I am afraid. I've thought I was going to be killed many times. But there are monsters like Violet. Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama also promised me. Though it's for a limited time."
"Now that you mention it, that's true. Well then, we'll have to make sure the Demon Lord doesn't revive for a while."
"Indeed."
It's a pity for the outcast, but well, it can't be helped.