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Chapter 58: Nikolaus, Part 1

Nikolaus sat in the tree-inn created by the Witch, absentmindedly gazing at the green sprout on the table while drinking purification flower tea the Witch had brought.

This tea had been given by the Witch to the knights buried in meetings and to Nikolaus as well. There was no kitchen or fire-using magical tool in this inn, but for a mage, boiling water with fire magic was child’s play.

Since Nikolaus was not someone who woke up particularly well, it was his habit to spend time blankly sipping tea alone until his head began to function, but ever since coming to Bit Village, he had one attendant.

(You’ve been peering into that cup for a while now, what are you doing?)

One of the Witch’s familiars, a mandragora, this green sprout, had been staying by Nikolaus’s side lately. Though technically a monster, it had a certain charm and was not bothersome, and since it caused no particular inconvenience, he let it do as it pleased.

While Nikolaus brewed the purification flower tea, the green sprout had jumped with its short legs and raised its right root-hand as if to say 「me too」, so he had no choice but to prepare another cup. Yet after peering into it, the sprout had not moved.

(…Ah, because it’s hot. Mandragoras aren’t very resistant to heat.)

It was probably waiting for the freshly brewed, steaming tea to cool to a temperature it could touch. Looking closely, the surface rippled, perhaps it was blowing at it with all the breath its tiny body could muster.

Realizing that, Nikolaus let out a snort of amusement and decided to stir up a gentle wind with magic to cool it down.

「【I command. Wind, scatter the heat】… ah.」

He had raised a wind to blow away the steam from above the cup, but perhaps startled by the sudden rush of warmth, the green sprout toppled backward and rolled straight off the table, landing on the floor with a loud thud.

When he cautiously peered beneath the table, he saw it striking a landing pose. It must simply have been heavy enough to make a loud sound; the landing itself seemed successful.

「Sorry about that. I meant to cool it down… It should probably be fine now, so go ahead and drink.」

At that, the small sprout climbed up the table leg. Despite its round body and short limbs, it moved quite deftly.

Approaching the cup once more, the green sprout tilted it little by little and skillfully absorbed the liquid through its mouth. It would be faster to dip its root-hands into it, but the way it tried to imitate humans was what made the Witch’s mandragoras so fascinating and amusing.

(…You never get tired of observing them. I could stay like this forever… though, admittedly… am I avoiding her too much?)

Ever since he had that strange dream, Nikolaus had found it difficult to face the Witch and had been avoiding her. He had not even met her eyes, so she must surely have noticed.

Which was likely why she had left this green sprout by his side out of concern. Given that a familiar sprout was stationed at the entrance of Bit Village, there must be some mechanism by which any abnormality could be reported to its master, the Witch. The green sprout by Nikolaus’s side was probably placed there by the overprotective Witch out of concern for him.

(…I do have something to discuss about their evolution… Maybe it’s about time I go.)

Ritter intended, not as a joke but seriously, to unite with the mandragora wearing purple cloth among the Witch’s familiars, and for that reason planned to obtain the Witch’s permission regarding the familiars’ evolution.

Today, he would finally speak of it. Having resolved himself, Nikolaus suddenly stood at a chill that seemed to race up his spine, a powerful sense of wrongness. The surrounding magical power swayed violently enough to make his skin crawl. He hurried outside, and the moment he saw the plants around him rustling, he understood the owner of this magic.

(That Witch! What is she doing…!?)

He cast flight magic and rose into the sky. From there, the changes to the village were immediately visible. Originally, a plant called Chain Rose formed a fence protecting Bit Village, but its range had expanded and its height had grown remarkably. It was like a castle wall.

He also quickly determined where the Witch herself was. Passing through the village and beyond her house, on the way toward the Demon Realm, at the planned site of a defensive base in preparation for monster disasters. Only that area was still in the midst of plant proliferation, so he hastened there.

(Using this much magic, building a base alone? True, the monsters’ habitat range has been shifting lately, and the walls should be hurried… but this is going too far, even for someone softhearted. It’s foolish.)

As expected, the Witch was there. From above, he could see that plant-made buildings stood arranged almost exactly according to the blueprint he and the knights had assembled. The problem was that another person, who must have secretly exchanged plans with the Witch while showing her the blueprint, was there as well.

(…This guy, again. So you were planning to build a base together at this hour, without even telling me?)

The man serving as captain of the Holy Knight Order’s First Division, Leonhart. Those in this position often became Commander in the future. It was proof of how much trust and expectation surrounded him.

Yet Nikolaus had his doubts about this man, based on how he behaved toward the Witch. …He was probably not as admirable as people claimed.

「What are you two doing?」

His voice came out accusatory. Of course, it was Leonhart who offered an explanation. The Witch merely smiled with her arms crossed, as though watching a troubled child.

But this time Nikolaus had no intention of letting it slide. Did they think someone sensitive to magic like him would not notice just how much magical power had been used?

(This woman has completely overwritten the land’s magic. …If her own magic fills the land, plant magic would be easier to use and defend with, but this is reckless.)

He knew this from a diary left behind by a certain demonkin, among monsters, some possessed their own domains, and by suffusing the land with their own magic, they strengthened themselves within that territory. There had even been demons researching how imitating that method would allow stronger magic to be used more easily.

It had supported the theory that demonfolk descended from monsters, so Nikolaus remembered it well. However, creating a personal domain consumed an enormous amount of magic. Even demons of the past could at most territorialize their home and the surrounding area. To enclose an entire village like this, it would be absurd to think there would be no strain on the body.

So he had thought, but apparently the Witch still had strength to spare. Despite expending that much magic, she was even creating unnecessary plants to gift to Leonhart. She likely wanted to wordlessly convey to the worried Leonhart that she still had magic to use, that there was no problem.

(She may still have some strength left… but she’s still expended magic. And yet she goes out of her way to create plants for that man.)

For some reason, the sight irritated him to the core. More than anything, he disliked the way Leonhart looked at the Witch.

「…Hmph. So you’re saying you still have some to spare. Thanks to you, our plans will need revising. We’d better return to the inn and resume the meeting. I’ll take this knight with me, so go home. …And don’t waste any more magic, rest, you fool.」

In his irritation, he ended up speaking harshly. The Witch turned her back to him with a troubled smile.

Though he had told her to go, his eyes followed her departing back. …No, even if she seemed to have some strength left, she must be tired from spending magic, so letting her rest at home was not the wrong decision. He had said nothing wrong. Probably.

(…What am I even doing?)

He had meant to speak with her normally, yet things had gone off track. …Well, he would think about the Witch later. For now, this man was the bigger issue.