CH 9

At the Northern Fort V3C9: Tree Spirit Woodbaum (1)

“No.”

Mother immediately rejected him.

So cold!

“Because you are a tree spirit, I do not find your energy to be unpleasant. It is a lot better compared to being by Hilg’s side, but I will feel uneasy having another spirit staying in my territory for an extended period of time. Go someplace else.”

Mother flatly refused and then tried to return to our nest.

“No way, please, I’m begging you. I can’t walk any further. I can’t even use the transfer technique that well either.”

“Like I care. If you are an adult spirit, then do something yourself.”

Mother aloofly turned her back to Woodbaum and started to walk away. While it was very much a Mother-like way of dealing with him, I felt that Woodbaum, whose eyes were growing moist as though he had been abandoned, was pitiful. If he had left the nest at the age of 50, then he certainly was a fully grown male spirit nearing the age of 200, but I couldn’t just leave him alone like this.

“Mother, that person is pitiful.”

I ran with small steps, circling in front of Mother and appealed to her.

“Even when you’re an adult, it’s hard being sick.”

While it didn’t seem like he had a fever, his body was fatigued. Though I haven’t caught a single cold here, I understood how hard it was to be ill from my previous life as a human.

And there was that forlorn feeling when you get ill too.

Being alone when you’re sick makes you anxious. Though that might be a feeling that Mother cannot understand very well herself.

“Mother……”

I whined softly as I looked up at Mother.

Mother kept her mouth firmly shut as she thought for several seconds, until she finally gave a small, troubled sigh.

“It cannot be helped. I have gotten quite soft.”

We turned back and went to Woodbaum’s side, where he timidly asked.

“I-Is it okay if I stay here?”

“I will permit it. However, is your compatibility with the snow not poor? Winter will be coming soon, and the environment on the mountain here will be awfully harsh for trees.”

“It is true that trees cannot live if it is too cold.”

Seeing Woodbaum drop his shoulders despondently, I made a single suggestion.

“Say, then why don’t you go to the Northern Fort?”

The base of the mountain was a little less cold than here. Plus, the earth and water there was just as clean as it was here, so I thought that it would be a very easy environment for Woodbaum to live in.

I didn’t know whether or not it would be okay for Woodbaum to stay there without asking the One-Eyed Knight or Branch Captain-san, but for the time being I might as well try bringing him there to see.

“Fort? The place where the human soldiers are?”

Woodbaum asked anxiously.

“That’s right. Everyone’s a nice person, so I’m sure they’ll be nice to Woodbaum too…….ah, but, um, everyone does cut down trees though. The fireplace needs firewood, and humans will die if it gets too cold after all……”

I gingerly informed him, but Woodbaum did not fly into a rage.

“I know, that’s fine. As long as they do not cut them down in excess, I think it’s okay for the trees to be of use to humans.”

After saying that, he crouched down and met me eye-to-eye.

“It’s quite unusual for a spirit to defend humans. Do you like humans?”

“…….yup, I do. Mother also helps out the King of this country too.”

So that I alone wouldn’t be thought of as an anomaly, I dragged Mother into the matter as well.

Woodbaum appeared convinced as he said.

“I see, so if a parent has connections to humans, then the child will too.”

“Do you hate humans, Woodbaum?”

“I don’t hate them. I may have been disappointed by some humans, but I do not intend on attacking them because of that. If you bring me to the fort, then I’ll be good.”

“Okay. Then, I’ll bring you there. Mother, that’s okay, right?”

When I looked back and asked, Mother nodded. And then, she turned to Woodbaum and said this.

“Woodbaum, do not cause trouble for my child.”

“I won’t, thank you, Snowlea.”

I think the ones who’ll be troubled will be everyone at the Northern Fort, but for the time being the discussion between spirits had finished, so I nimbly jumped to Woodbaum’s leg so that we could transfer together.

However, my claws couldn’t get a good grasp on it, as I kept slipping down his leg slowly.

I jumped up again, only to slide back down. After this repeated several times, I made a request of Woodbaum, who was making a mystified expression.

“Carry me……”

“Ah, so that is what you wanted.”

Having finally realised what it was that I was trying to do, he lifted up my body.

“Wow, you’re so fluffy!”

Seeing Woodbaum begin to rub his cheeks against my white fur, Mother angrily shouted, “Do not stick so close to her!”

“Are you ready? I’m gonna start the transfer.”

“Yup, please do.”

After saying, “I’m off” to Mother, I aimed for the One-Eyed Knight’s location. My body began to transform into a blizzard, bringing Woodbaum into it as it transformed.

And then, in the blink of an eye, Woodbaum and I arrived at the Northern Fort.

“We’re outside. The One-Eyed Knight is…….”

I extended my neck out from Woodbaum’s arms and saw the One-Eyed Knight holding a broom with one hand, looking at us with a surprised expression. Apparently he had been in the middle of cleaning up the fallen leaves.

“Ah, Mil? You surprised me.”

The One-Eyed Knight could only see Woodbaum’s back, so he had been surprised by the sudden appearance of an unknown man.

After staring fixedly at Woodbaum, who turned around, he once again returned his gaze towards me and spoke.

“Who is he? A spirit?”

“Yup, a tree spirit! His name is Woodbaum.”

“I’m Woodbaum, Baum. Hello human. You’re big.”

Woodbaum raised a hand and cheerfully smiled at the One-Eyed Knight.

“What? What is it?”

“Mil brought another new spirit with her.”

“It’s about time we started to get used to that.”

Behind the One-Eyed Knight were about ten other knights. Everyone was carrying brooms, dustpans, and large bags to put the fallen leaves into. They were all equipped to clean up the yard. Further behind them was Tina-san and Rekka-san, and having noticed something going on over here, they had begun to walk this way.

I introduced Woodbaum to everyone and then explained the sequence of events that led to me bringing him to the fort.

“So, until he gets better, I want to have Woodbaum stay here.”

“Please, humans. I won’t get in the way of your work, just let me stay in a corner of the garden.”

After Woodbaum and I made that earnest request, Rekka-san also stepped in an entreatied the One-Eyed Knight.

“Vice Captain Grail, I would also like to ask this of you. We cannot disregard a request made by a noble spirit.”

“I know. We cannot drive away a spirit in distress. I will have to receive confirmation from the Branch Captain, Commander, and his Highness first, but all of them will likely be of the same opinion.”

After saying that, the One-Eyed Knight had another knight go to invite Branch Captain-san over. Woodbaum made a friendly smile as he gave his thanks.

“Thank you, humans.”

Then, he glanced at me and-

“Should I also take upon my original animal form like Milfiria? That form may be easier for humans to accept.”

Saying that as though he were talking to himself, Woodbaum placed me onto the ground and began to transform.

Woodbaum’s animal form was a buck. Like his human form, his body was neither too big nor too small.

His body’s colour was brown, so at a glance he looked like a normal deer. However, his antlers were distinct from other deers, and were made of trees. It was like a tree was growing in the shape of a deer’s antlers from his head. There were also leaves on the branches that were currently dyed crimson in autumn colours.

“Your leaves are red.”

I looked up at the buck, who was smiling like he did in his human form, and muttered.

This was the first time I felt the sight of another person’s head was elegant.

“That’s right, because it’s autumn now. But they’ll fall out soon. In the spring, new leaves will grow abundantly.”

“Wow~”

It happened when Woodbaum and I were having such a conversation. A small red flame alighted upon Woodbaum’s back.

Kugalg was coming here using the transfer technique.