Volume 3 Chapter 8 (1/2)

Volume 3 Chapter 8: Knights’ Situation

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

I was shocked upon entering the passageway inside the God Tree.

「What, what is this……」

Since I was presented with a sight I have never seen before.

Perhaps noticing my reaction, Axel-san looked around and then asked.

「Judging by Cecile’s shock, it’s not how it’s always been.」

「Of course! Normally it’s a lot more beautiful, with a pleasant smell to it…… A very magnificent place!」

The pathway in our memories was made of a beautiful arbor with vibrant wooden texture, adjacent to the inner wall forming a path.

It was the path one could climb in serenity, surrounded by the smell of all kinds of trees.

However, the current path not only had noticeable shades of decay, but even holes all over it.

Like the path itself is withering.

「It never withered before, and first of all, the God Tree has self-restoration ability, so it should never get like this… Just why? Wha-what is the meaning of this decay, father!」

As I am overwhelmed with astonishment, I shouted my question, father calmly replied.

「As you can guess from my children’s surprise, it’s something that has never happened before, I will explain everything in order. First of all, this decay spreads all the way to the upper parts. At this point, the way to the upper floors can hardly be used at all.」

Father said, putting his hand on the arbor path near him.

Upon his touch, that part of the stairs turned into wood chips and crumbled away.

「Around the sixty percent of the pathway is in such a brittle state, some parts are even worse. Some intact parts still do remain, but it doesn’t change the danger. As you already know, it’s difficult to use magic here, so using wind magic to get up there is impossible.」

「Fumu, it’s just as difficult to stabilize magic inside as it is outside, huh.」

As Axel voiced his thought, Daisy, that was riding on his shoulder, said.

「Even if you absorb some of the God Tree magic, it just keeps emitting more and more. Well, that’s the God Tree for ya…… But now it complicates the situation a lot.」

「Yeah. This rope ladder is our only way to climb there. After all, that small elevator we have over there cannot bear the weight of a regular person. Small objects are the most those blocks can pull up there.」

Father pointed to a rope ladder hanging from the upper floor.

With a pathway in the inner part of the world tree, this ladder looked quite difficult to use.

And then there was a board hanging on a rope nearby.

It appears quite old. Though, it wasn’t like this when my brother and I were here previously, so it shouldn’t have seen much use—

「Though it’s only for small things, it’s all we have now.」

「Yeah, but with the wither spread to the upper floors as well, there is a constant threat of falling wood. ……But since it’s necessary to transport numerous things up there, we still can’t help but use it.」

「Hm? Deliver goods…… The laboratory of magic science guild was supposed to be up there, are you saying that people still remain there?」

●

When I asked, Sidonius nodded and replied with a serious expression.

「Yes. Dozens of researchers from the guild are working to establish the cause. Then again, not limited to the upper floor, with the help of Daisy-dono,《Tree Surgeons》and《Pharmacologists》that we called under utmost secrecy, we are trying to investigate the tree on the inside.」

「So that’s why Daisy was in this city.」

「That’s right. Under the appearance of request from the Magic Science guild.」

「……And as the investigation by Daisy-dono and the guild’s staff concluded, it’s the result of poisoning from outside.」

「Poisoning?」

Daisy replied.

「A poison, strong enough to seriously doubt that it could result from any conventional mutation or natural processes, found its way inside. The one that moves around like a virus or some living creature.」

「That’s right. I don’t think it could’ve formed naturally, as the top of the guild said, for it to be man made its way too complex even for the pros from the guild, a《High Pharmacist》, to handle it. The manufacture method is unknown, so it makes them think that it’s a sudden mutation exceeding current human knowledge.」

Sidonius said, looking above.

「Anyway, you know that it’s a strong poison.」

「Yes. They tried to compound it, and it seems that such deadly poison would certainly kill anyone. Origins, how it got here, was it intentional or not, all of that is still under investigation.」

Daisy agreed with Sidonius’ words.

「Well, that’s how it is. And so, my friend, I was acting in an attempt to establish that mysterious reason.」

「Yes. For Daisy-dono we made a laboratory on the lower levels, where she can work on her research. 」

「Well, even though it’s called a laboratory, we just remade one of the small deserted houses for my purposes, it’s quite a small building. The laboratory on upper floors is way bigger.」

「Yet, even so, Daisy-dono made an equal amount of progress in her research as the whole of the magic science guild. It’s a really great help for us. And she even goes out on patrol.」

「Ah, which reminds me, Daisy was chasing people away.」

That’s how we met.

「Why were you doing something like that?」

「Well, I think you know, my friend, but I’m sensitive to human presence. I’m going on patrols as a change of pace, and also because I can’t concentrate on research with other people loitering in the area.」

Generally, Daisy goes on high alert mode when strangers come near.

During the war, she also would be distracted whatever anyone approached her lab. So I can understand her plan of wanting to clear the area of people to increase the efficiency of her research. But, it seems that this was not all there was to the situation—

「……Well, to begin with, we aren’t supposed to let people in this area.」

As she said, continuing.

「Weren’t supposed to you say…… Was there a decision of that sort passed?」

「Yeah. Leaving my own problems with the presence of other humans aside, the order and the guild concluded that they can’t let people enter the area where such a thing is going on. 」

While saying that, Daisy looked at Sidonius. Then, he, with his hand still on the tattered pathway, looked towards the entrance.

「Indeed. Withered and crumbling parts just keep falling around the area, it’s dangerous. ……And, also, for the possibility of the main reason behind this being a living being acting out of malice. In case they are still alive and capable of doing additional harm to the tree, we cannot allow them to see our desperate efforts of resolving the situation.」

「You are quite careful. ……Is that also a reason why you won’t put the rope ladder outside?」

Sidonius gave a positive reply.

「Basically. To cover just how bad the situation is, we made it on the inside. And also, with the unevenness of the surface and the wind, it would be very hard to use, so the effectiveness wouldn’t be that great.」

Indeed, looking at it from up-close, the surface of the God Tree appeared quite rough, with fat trunk-like branches and remains of pruning.

Putting a rope ladder there would have the same difficulties as on the inside, but—

「Vigilance and wind aside, there is no point in doing it.」

Sidonius nodded with a smile.