Chapter 79

A month had passed since Lucian started attending the summoning class.

Today, too, it was a practical session of summoning, the success of which was uncertain.

The incantation, which was initially awkward, had become much smoother. The ancient language was difficult to pronounce, requiring various troublesome techniques such as tongue sounds, nasal sounds, and explosive sounds... and many others. However, he had managed to perfect the pronunciation of the simplest incantation.

He thought he had done well.

Again, a figure appeared at the edge of his vision.

Lucian felt he had figured out its true identity.

It must have been drawn to Lucian's summoning incantation.

—Today, I wonder if it will be more clearly visible.

Just as he finished the ancient language incantation, he heard a voice before he could see anything.

"Hey, aren't you going to come over?"

Then, he saw the figure... or thought he did. It was a sapling.

The figure that appeared like a phantom—was it the sapling finally showing itself to Lucian?

—It's really you, sapling...?

He managed to sense the faint magical power of the spirit.

However, as soon as he confirmed its appearance, Lucian regretted his nonchalance.

—It's withered...

The figure was so dried out that he hesitated to call it a sapling.

A small, withered leaf clung to a thin stem, a pitiful sight.

He instinctively reached out, but the phantom vanished.

He could tell that the vague magical power of the spirit was about to fade away.

Lucian returned to his desk, pricked his finger with the pencil sharpener knife, and stood up.

"Vione-kun?"

Teacher Sylia looked at him curiously.

"Sorry, I accidentally hurt my finger. I'm going to the healing room."

Lucian held up his bleeding finger.

"Oh dear, be careful."

As he ran, he heard Teacher Sylia's puzzled voice.

Why wasn't the sapling's spirit in the magic circle?

It had been listening to Lucian's voice directly, without the magic circle.

—My magical power had reached it directly...

The summoning class was held in a large classroom near the courtyard.

The grass where he first saw the spirit.

He ran out of breath into the courtyard.

He looked around frantically. Thanks to the absence of anyone, he could release more magical power than usual. However, he tried to suppress it enough to avoid detection by the security magical devices set up by the academy.

He searched for the faint magical power that lingered in his senses.

Near the trees, in a shaded area.

"There it is!"

No wonder he couldn't find it.

The sapling had been cut down repeatedly, probably every time the grass was mowed. It had been cut so many times that it couldn't grow at all.

As a result, it was on the verge of death.

—This is...

A sapling of a spirit tree.

Spirit trees cannot be transplanted. But if it was this small, its roots must also be small.

Lucian used earth magic. The magical power of earth magic enveloped the sapling, protecting it. He then used earth magic again to dig it up without damaging the roots.

He took off his jacket and wrapped the sapling, along with the soil.

He ran to Professor Seth's room.

It was forbidden to take living things and plants from the royal academy.

It was written in the student handbook. But this sapling was about to die.

It was the academy's fault for not noticing.

Fortunately, Seth was in his room.

"Professor Levania, can I stay here until the Yusei student council meeting is over?"

"Of course. What happened to your jacket?"

Seth looked at the mud-covered jacket in amazement.

"It's because this sapling is about to die."

Lucian opened the wrapped jacket.

"What is this?"

Seth squinted at the tiny sapling.

The soil was dug up in abundance, but in comparison, the leaves were withered, thin, and small, barely distinguishable from grass or dust. It was hard to see the dried, leaf-colored leaves.

"It's a sapling of a spirit tree.

It's on the verge of death. It's been cut many times by the lawn mower.

Even a healthy sapling wouldn't survive..."

Lucian used water magic to generate water and poured it over the sapling.

The water disappeared into the sapling like a dry cloth absorbing it. The sapling shimmered with magical power.

"Wait to spread your roots.

Until I plant you properly in the ground."

When Lucian spoke, the small sapling swayed as if in response.

"Is it okay?"

Seth asked, concerned.

"Probably... Since it drank the water, I think it will recover."

Lucian gently poked the sapling with his fingertips and infused it with the earth magic "nourishment."

The sapling shimmered slightly again.

"Here of all places.

I had a spirit tree at my previous workplace.

But it's gone now."

Seth spoke quietly, as if concerned about the sapling.

"Gone? The spirit tree?"

When Lucian looked up and asked, Seth nodded.

"There was a mine, a mountain where special stones were found.

The stone in this bracelet," Seth pointed to his own bracelet.

"But the mine was just extracting iron ore.

The special stone was very cheap in market price, so it was left alone. However, thanks to that stone, the spirit tree chose that location. In my opinion, this stone has a vibration that makes it easier to convey wishes to the national deity. It's just a hypothesis, but the vibration was similar to the spirit stone, the sacred object of the national deity. That's not a hypothesis, it's the result of measurements."

"So, the spirit tree grew there?"

"When the seed fell, it was able to grow. I don't know if spirit trees grow from seeds.

But at one point, the area was heavily infested with miasma. There was a serial killer.

Many people were brutally murdered, and the spirit tree withered.

I mentioned this before, right? That's the place."

"Really? That's terrible. Couldn't it be saved?"

Lucian realized it was where his mother had been.

"Unfortunately.

We realized the spirit tree was there too late. We also took too long to catch the serial killer.

Besides, a fully grown spirit tree cannot be transplanted. Its roots extend very deep.

This sapling is lucky to have small roots."

"It's because it was weak, so the roots didn't grow."

"Are you going to take it to the Vione household?"

"I am."

Lucian said firmly.

"That's good. How did this sapling end up here?"

Lucian also wondered and looked at the sapling.

'It followed him,' the spirit tree answered.

"Huh?"

Lucian looked at Seth.

No one knows how spirit trees spread their seeds.

However, it was clear that it had followed Seth.

"Probably, it followed Professor Seth.

It seems to have grown from the seed of the lost spirit tree."

Lucian was unsure if he should reveal his ability to Seth and spoke vaguely.

"Ha. Really?

If so, maybe it was because I knew someone who helped the spirit tree spread its seeds."

"Ah, I see..."

When he looked at the sapling, he could hear it saying, 'Happy, happy.'

Lucian thought it must be a sapling with a connection to them.

When Yusei finished his student council duties, he brought Lucian's summoning class notes, textbooks, and other belongings, which Lucian had completely forgotten about.

◇◇◇

On the weekend,

Lucian returned to the Vione household with the spirit tree sapling. As usual, Jeth sent him. It seemed that Jeth's job was to escort Lucian.

The spirit tree sapling had become much more robust and sapling-like.

Since it could no longer be grown in a pot, it would be planted in the Vione household garden. Lucian had asked Zeg to keep its roots small until it was planted at home.

As soon as they arrived at the Vione household, Heine and his father welcomed them.

"You found a spirit tree?"

His father said this before even greeting him, sounding excited.

"Yes.

This is Zeg.

I named it, and it was happy."

Lucian held up Zeg's pot. He had dug it up, but it was essentially the same as finding it.

"It looks healthy."

When his father poked it, Zeg swayed.

"Where will you plant it?"

Heine observed Zeg while asking. It had grown to about five times its original withered size but was still spindly. This was because its roots hadn't spread enough. However, the color of the stem and leaves was a vivid green, slightly glowing and lustrous, making it clear that it was no ordinary plant.

"I'll let Zeg decide."

As he said this, Lucian walked around the garden with Zeg.

Zeg didn't hesitate at all. It chose the center of the backyard.

It was a secluded area, next to a particularly grand chicken coop. The coop was built in the shade of trees to avoid excessive heat in the summer, but it still had good sunlight.

"It's close to the chicken coop. Are you sure? Koot and the others might step on it."

When Lucian expressed his concern, Zeg swayed as if laughing, saying, 'It's okay.'

Lucian infused the chosen spot with earth magic, tilled the soil slightly, and planted Zeg.

When he watered it, Zeg was delighted.

Zeg used magic gently. It was a barrier spell.

—Spirit trees can do this, too.

But it seemed it was too small to use it at the academy.

"...The garden is once again a place no one can see."

Heine, who had followed, chuckled.

"The farm workers come to buy eggs..."

Sariel looked a bit troubled.

"That young worker told his friends that our garden is 'a dull garden with few flower beds.'"

Heine relayed the information he had gathered from somewhere.

"Ha."

Sariel looked around the garden. It was understandable why people thought that.

While the garden was very comfortable, most of the flowers of the magical herbs and medicinal plants were rather dull.

The Gorazi roses that adorned the walls and the mansion were very beautiful, but the garden itself was mostly green.

Lucian knew the garden wasn't visually appealing.

—But it's a good garden for longevity and health, so it's fine.

The spirit tree purifies the air, and its leaves are valuable for medicine.

Heine would probably make tea from the leaves.

The leaves of the spirit tree don't fall. It's an evergreen, and even old leaves remain green and don't age.

But if asked, it would probably drop its leaves.

—I'll ask it to listen to Heine and Father.

I want Heine and Jiet to live long and healthy lives.

After successfully planting it, when he looked at Heine and his father, they both seemed happy but their brows were slightly furrowed in concern.

Thank you for reading.