Chapter 832: Intermission: The Flower of the Earth ② (1/2)

After happily talking with Camellia-san for a while, Lillywood-san, who had finished her work, finally arrived.

”I'm sorry to keep you waiting.”

[Ah, no, thank you for your hard work. I'm the one who should apologize for the sudden visit.]

After seeing that Lillywood-san had arrived, Camellia-san gave up her seat to Lillywood-san and stood up, before bowing towards Lillywood-san and I.

[Well then, I will be taking my leave.]

”Yes, thank you.”

[Camellia-san, thank you. Thank you for the tea too.]

Somehow, I have a feeling that Lillywood-san trusts Camellia-san a lot. No, I do actually think that Camellia-san is a very talented person.

As far as what I heard earlier, although it was a misunderstanding, the fact that Ein-san, an advocate of the ideology that Maids are Omnipotent, called her an ”excellent maid” suggests that the housework she said was her hobby is of a considerable level.

I don't know much about the hierarchy among Lillywood-san's subordinates, but for her to be in charge of cleaning the castle…… Well, even though the person herself claims that it was her hobby, she seemed to have a lot of trust from the people around her.

After seeing Camellia-san off with these thoughts in mind, I began to talk to Lillywood-san about the main topic of my visit.

After leaving the room, Camellia-san went back to the entrance of the castle to go back to cleaning, which she had quit after Kaito's visit. Just as she was about to pick up her cleaning tools and resume her cleaning, she heard footsteps and turned around.

At the end of her gaze was a woman who seemed to be a Spirit walking towards her…… The magic power she was clad in is somewhat good, reaching the level of a Count-rank…… but she's someone Camellia wasn't familiar with.

[……This is World King's castle huh……]

[Hello, are you here for Lillywood-sama?]

With a smile on her face, Camellia asked the woman who stepped in front of the entrance and muttered. It was a visit from a High-ranking Demon, presumably a Count-rank, who isn't a follower of the World King. In this case, there aren't many businesses that she could think of.

The first pattern is that she belongs to the other King's camp, and is their messenger. The second pattern is that she came to visit Lillywood, the World King, to join her camp.

And the third one……

[My name is————–. I've come to challenge the World King, Lillywood Yggdrasil!]

[……………………]

When Camellia heard her words, she nodded once in understanding. At the same time, she had guessed that this Spirit had just risen to Count-rank.

A challenge to one of the Six Kings, Lillywood. That in itself is rare, but such a situation had occurred several times in the past. And most of such challengers were people who had just risen to Count-rank.

In the vast Demon Realm, only a genius that appears once in a century could become a Count-level, High-ranking Demon. And of course, even if you have that much talent, it will still take a long time and they will face many walls before they could become a Count-rank. Most of them grew up experiencing many setbacks and failures before they reached the Count-rank.

However, there are times when people like them appear. There are those who reach the Count-rank without major setbacks or failures, and who steadily improve their abilities over the years……

That in itself isn't a bad thing. However, such people often become conceited. Thoughts like ”If it's this me, I could go even further and eventually become the Seventh King”…… It could be said that this is inevitable. It is difficult for a person who has just risen to the Count-rank to read the extent of a King's power. Their power levels are just too different……

She could sense a great deal of confidence from the Spirit in front of her. However, since she used the word ”challenge”, she must have known that Lillywood, one of the Six Kings, was vastly superior to her. However, Camellia could tell that this Spirit was confident that ”even if she couldn't compete with her, she could still put up a good fight”.

However, unfortunately…… The Six Kings aren't beings that could be easily challenged by someone who doesn't know their place in the world.

[Impertinent it may be…… but from what I've seen, you're not at the level to be able to fight Lillywood-sama.]

[……What?]

[Even if you were to take that out of the question…… Lillywood-sama is a very busy person. She will not make time for someone who doesn't have an appointment.]

There are indeed some people like Kaito, whom Lillywood is currently meeting, who Camellia will act as an intermediary even if they have no appointments, but such people are rare exceptions.

Hearing Camellia's words, the woman crossed her arms and turning her sharp eyes to Camellia, she spoke.

[……I see, so this is what you mean huh. If I want to challenge the World King, ”you'll have to defeat me first”……]

[Eh? No, I'm not saying that…… but errr, yes, I guess you're right. If you couldn't even defeat me, don't think that you'll be able to fight Lillywood-sama……]

[Fine, I'll take you up on that challenge!]

[……Haahhh…… Errr, yes. Well then, if I win, please give up on challenging Lillywood-sama and leave.]

Tilting her head and wondering why the situation had come to this conclusion, she still led the Spirit woman to the training grounds behind the castle, hoping that she would convince her to leave.

Camellia chose a training area that would be relatively uncrowded, and when they got there, there were no other people in the training area and it seemed to be ready for use.

When they reached the center of the training area and faced each other, Camellia slightly bowed.

[Starting things once again, my name is Camellia.]

[Yeah, it might be a short time, but I guess I'll be in your care……]

[H- Huhh…… Well then, I'm ready when you are.]

The Spirit woman seemed to regard Camellia as someone beneath her, speaking to her with a somewhat pompous tone. Perhaps, because she didn't have the aura and the appearance of a powerful person, she ignored Camellia's introduction of her name and didn't even realize that she was an executive.

Thereupon, when Camellia told her that she could begin when she wants, the woman let out a fearless smile and summoned a huge tree behind her.

[……”Spear-branched Tree” huh.]

[That's right! I'm the Spirit of the Spear-branched Tree…… and my strikes are something you should avoid at all costs!]

As the name suggests, the Spear-branched Tree is a tree whose branches grow long and sharp like a spear, and its branches are quite hard and can be used for weapons.

When the woman held up one hand, the branches of the summoned tree were shot out in large numbers and rushed towards Camellia. It was a scene that could be described as a rain of spears.

However, even though the woman is conceited, she doesn't have the hobby of tormenting the weak. She had no intention of injuring Camellia in this fight.

Shooting branches, which would definitely be avoided by Camellia, but would surprise her in the process, she was thinking of having her understand her capabilities and then convey her challenge to Lillywood. Yes, she already imagined herself fighting Lillywood in her mind…… but of course, it was all just in her fantasy……

[……Errr, is that all?]

[……………………Huh?]

Hearing Camellia's voice, the woman couldn't help but dumbfoundedly exclaim. It didn't matter to her that Camellia was unharmed, for she hadn't intended to hit her from the start. The problem was that the branches of her Spear-branched Tree were neatly arranged in a row next to the standing Camellia.

It's not that she couldn't see her movements. She still had the capabilities of a Count-rank, and was able to follow the course of her attacks with her eyes. And exactly because her eyes could follow her…… that she couldn't believe what she had just seen.

That's why, she unleashed another attack. This time, she didn't take it easy and went all out…… The branches that she shot out were so tremendous that it could be called a torrential rain of spears. However, rather than Camellia who was at the receiving end of those spears, it was the attacking woman who looked more astonished instead.

Standing before the rain of spears, Camellia easily grabbed the sharp branches crashing towards her, and placing them beside her, she then grabbed the next one at an incredible speed. As a result, there wasn't even a single hole on the training ground's floor and only branches were piling up next to Camellia.

After such a scene continued without any change, the woman stopped attacking. She realized that no matter how much more she continued to attack, she wouldn't even be able to injure Camellia……

[……Are you done? Well then, I'll start attacking you now.]

Seeing what Camellia had done, the woman looked surprised, but when she heard Camellia's next words, she immediately took a defensive stance. Spirits are basically a race that had a special characteristic of being better at defense than offense. The woman was no exception to this, and her specialty was counter-attacking from defense rather than attacking.

She was confident. That no matter how her opponent attacks, she would be able to defend it…… but immediately after, she felt her instincts screaming danger in her ears. With a sense of unease in her heart, as if she had made a fatal oversight, the conversation she had just had came to her mind.

————-My name is Camellia.

(……Camellia…… Came…… llia……  Ahh…… Ahhhh……)

It occurred to her. The haze within her thoughts that had been clouded by her conceit cleared up, and she realized who the being in front of her was, whom she had thought to be a lackey under the service of the World King.

Thereupon, she felt herself turning pale…… She has lived for a good many years. That's why she had heard the stories about Camellia.

Camellia, the Grass Flower Princess, one of the Seven Princesses, the World King's Executive Subordinates…… and World King's strongest subordinate. While most of the Spirits among the Seven Princesses have excellent defensive abilities, her name has been known for her ”offensive ability”.

Although Camellia's only means of attack is ”a straight punch with her right hand”, her punch shatters everything. Her attacks are said to shatter the land of the Demon Realm if one doesn't have any measures against it, and even when one has counter-measures prepared, the destructive power of her punch that shoots out from her tremendous step that shakes the earth is beyond description.

[……10%.]