Chapter 66

The bird returned with the familiar fruit in its beak, apparently intending to feed it to me again.

However, upon seeing Fey sitting cross-legged in the nest and Red Dragon perched on a branch outside, the bird tilted its head. It had a look that seemed to say, "There sure are a lot of visitors lately." Yes, that's because you kidnapped me.

"Um, I have something to talk about."

When I called out like that, the bird tilted its head again but didn't try to push the fruit into my mouth. ...Hmm, maybe it understands a little?

"Are you trying to turn me into a spirit?"

When I asked bluntly, the bird... nodded.

It nodded. It can communicate, and it is indeed trying to turn me into a spirit. This bird.

Hmm... No, but this is a big step. If I can communicate with it, there might be some hope. Probably.

"I don't want to drop out of being human, though."

When I said that, the bird chirped. Ah, it probably doesn't understand.

"Um, I don't want to become a spirit."

When I rephrased it, the bird seemed to understand this time. It fluffed up its feathers in surprise and then drooped. ...I started to feel a bit sorry for it.

"I'd be troubled if I were turned into something else without an explanation. I'm scared of things I don't understand."

Even if it's a bit pitiful, I can't back down here. If I back down, I'll drop out of being human. If I back down, I'll drop out of being human!

"So, um, what exactly is a spirit? I'd like to know, if you don't mind..."

I asked the bird tentatively. The bird... tilted its head a few times. Well, it can't speak, so I knew communication would be difficult. Especially explaining something is quite hard. So...

"Alright. I'll ask some questions, and you answer by nodding or shaking your head. Yes is a nod, no is a shake. Got it?"

When Fey said that, the bird immediately nodded.

...Yeah. I guess I have to ask questions one by one.

"First, are you a spirit?"

When Fey asked in a slightly casual tone, the bird nodded. ...Yeah. I see. It's a spirit. As expected.

"...Um, do you dislike it if people like me, Togo, Laocrates, and the woman Celia who came recently, live in the forest?"

When Fey asked further, the bird shook its head this time.

"You don't mind?"

This time, a nod. ...It seems this bird doesn't mind if we live in the forest.

"I see. So, you didn't kidnap Togo because you disliked him, but because you liked him?"

This time, a nod. A happy, repeated nod. It even looked a bit proud. I see. I must have been liked. What should I do? This doesn't feel good.

"By the way, if we warm this egg, will Togo become a spirit?"

Another nod. ...I kept a bit of distance from the egg. Yeah. It's scary. That.

So far, things were mostly as we had guessed... but the problem starts here.

Why did this bird want to turn me into a spirit? Why was it necessary?

What exactly is a spirit? What would happen if I became one?

...I have to ask these things in questions that can be answered with "yes" or "no." This... hmm, might be quite difficult.

"Um, if I were turned into a spirit, would I turn into a bird?"

First, I asked something very important. ...The bird shook its head. It seemed to be smiling a bit. No, this isn't a laughing matter for me.

"But if I become a spirit, I won't be human anymore, right?"

This time, a nod. So, I'll drop out of being human if I become a spirit!

"...I'd be troubled if I couldn't hold a pen in a non-human form."

This time, a shake. Huh? It means I wouldn't be troubled if I couldn't hold a pen, right? Or...

"Would I still be in human form?"

This time, a nod. Yeah, I see. I feel like there's a high possibility that I can stay in human form even if I drop out of being human.

But then... it feels strange.

"What exactly is a spirit?"

Indeed, the encyclopedia page had pictures of spirits in various forms. Maybe spirits aren't a specific race, but other creatures can become spirits.

"Um, then, from me? Do you have a reason to want to turn Togo into a spirit right away?"

When Fey asked, the bird nodded. ...Huh, is it urgent? This.

"Is it urgent?"

Again, a nod. Hmm, I still don't understand.

"Is it because you want to retire?"

This also got a nod. Hmm... So, this bird wants to retire as a spirit.

"Um... So, you brought Togo here to retire as a spirit?"

This time, a shake. What does that mean?

"Because you like Togo, you want to turn Togo into a spirit for Togo's sake?"

This time, the bird tilted its head. It means it doesn't understand, or... it's neither a yes nor a no.

"...If Togo doesn't become a spirit, will something bad happen to Togo?"

But the next question got a nod.

...Huh.

This... is troublesome.

"Um, something bad for Togo? Not something bad for you?"

This time, the bird tilted its head. ...Both, maybe.

"Something bad for me and the spirit, right?"

This time, a vigorous nod.

"By the way, will something bad happen to Fey, Laocrates, and Celia too?"

Again, a vigorous nod. The head shaking was quite forceful.

...Yeah.

"Fey, what should we do..."

"Umm, this is a tough one..."

If something bad will happen to me, the bird, and even Fey and the others, should I become a spirit...?

"No, but I don't want to sacrifice Togo."

"Yeah, I don't want to drop out of being human either."

But I don't want something bad to happen to Fey and the others. Hmm... Is there a compromise?

While I was troubled, the bird suddenly grabbed me firmly and chirped at Red Dragon.

I was wondering what was happening... Red Dragon nudged Fey with its nose and started pushing her onto its back.

"Hey, hey, what's going on?"

Fey and I were confused, but the bird took off with me. Red Dragon also took off with Fey on its back.

"Hey? Red Dragon, where are we going?"

Red Dragon seemed to be chasing the bird. The bird occasionally looked back while carrying me and flew on. Red Dragon followed, and the bird and the dragon flew smoothly through the forest.

...It wasn't a long flight. When we landed in the center of the forest, where I first arrived, the bird released me.

"Is there something here?"

When Red Dragon also landed, the bird hopped on the ground and started moving. ...This bird is quite imposing when it walks on the ground.

"Is it leading us somewhere?"

Fey asked, but the bird kept moving. ...There's no choice. Let's follow it.

We followed the bird for a few minutes and arrived at a large tree.

"The tree is as big as a bird's nest."

Trying to climb it, it felt more like mountain climbing or rock climbing. It's huge.

"...Hey, there are birds? Are they relatives?"

Indeed, there were several bird nests on the tree. The birds poking their heads out... Ah, I recognize them. They are large warblers. Not that huge, but about the size of a human child.

...Probably, they are the chicks I hatched initially. They grew up and started living here. Birds grow up so fast.

The bird chirped and greeted the chicks, who responded with chirps. They seem to be doing well.

...But the bird didn't seem to have any business with the tree or its chicks. After greeting them, it quickly walked towards the base of the tree.

When we caught up with the bird, it looked back and then... fluffed up its feathers.

Then, a path opened at the base of the tree.

...Yeah. A path appeared, leading underground. I don't know how it works, but the tree roots moved, and something like stone slabs moved under them, and an entrance appeared.

"Whoa. What is this? An ancient ruin or something?"

Fey didn't know about this either. Hmm... Is it safe to go in?

The bird chirped and started walking down the path leading underground. Since it's leading us, we have no choice but to follow.

"Let's go in, I guess..."

Fey scratched his head and followed the bird. I followed and started moving underground from the base of the tree.

Under the tree, as expected, there were roots everywhere.

"This is a building made by humans. ...It feels like the roots are embedded in it."

The ceiling and walls of the stone building were slightly collapsed, and roots had grown into them. However, the passage was well-maintained, and the trees seemed to have 'understood' how to grow without causing too much damage.

"It's bright."

"Yeah. Probably a magic lamp or something. The patterns on the walls and ceiling are glowing. ...I wonder where the magic comes from."

The passage was bright despite being underground. The patterns carved into the stone walls and ceiling were softly glowing, and thanks to this light, we could move forward without any issues.

"...What is this place?"

"I don't know. Probably a temple or something built for spirits a long time ago. This bird was probably a spirit before it retired."

Yeah. Now that I know spirits can retire, the mystery of the 'spirit' page in the encyclopedia is solved.

Spirits seem to come in various forms, but that's probably because various creatures can become spirits. ...So, there's a high possibility that I can stay in human form even if I become a spirit. It's a hopeful thought.

"...We're here, it seems."

As we talked and moved forward, the bird was waiting for us at the end of the passage.

There, the ceiling was higher than the passage, and the space was brighter and wider. It was made of stone, with roots growing into it, and...

...In the center of the room, there was a faintly glowing orb.

The faintly glowing orb was on a stone pedestal, softly and weakly shining in a pearly light.

The stone pedestal had something intricately carved on it. The carvings, which looked like both text and patterns, seemed to be infused with the orb's light.

The light from the patterns spread to the floor, forming complex text or patterns.

"What is this? Hey, Fey..."

I was about to ask Fey about the thing in front of us... but Fey was speechless.

"...Fey?"

"...We've seen something incredible, this."

When he finally spoke, Fey sighed in amazement.

"This is a protective barrier spell. And it's a huge one."

A protective barrier... like a wall? For security? So, to break in?

"Oh, right. Togo wouldn't understand. Well, a protective barrier is... a kind of magical wall that mainly works against magic. But this one... is probably even more incredible."

An incredible barrier. ...How so?

"This... Hey, Spirit. Is this barrier to keep bad things out of the forest?"

When Fey asked, the bird tilted its head slightly and then nodded.

"So, this is a spell to protect the forest?"

"Yeah. It seems to be very old. I don't fully understand it... but it's weakening, I think."

Weakening. ...The faint and weak light is probably because it's weakening.

"Whatever it is, it seems a situation that requires a barrier in the forest is coming soon. You were worried and wanted Togo's help, right?"

The bird fluffed up its feathers and nodded vigorously. ...I see.

"You want Togo to become a spirit and take on the role of protecting the forest, right?"

When Fey asked again... the bird nodded vigorously once more.