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Chapter 60: Nikolaus, Part 3

「…We’re heading back for now. The situation at the base should also be reported to the higher ups.」

「Yes, indeed. …But we truly must thank Witch-dono.」

Leonhart glanced toward the direction of the Witch’s house. …For Nikolaus, irritation rose before gratitude. Others might not understand, but as one of her own kind, he could clearly see that she had used a dangerously excessive amount of magic.

(That woman sacrifices herself too much. Can’t she value her own life more? …She’s not some Hero.)

A Hero, whose mission was to prevail over disasters at the cost of their own life, was the embodiment of self-sacrifice, but that Witch should not be one. It was said that the Hero who had been among the demons during the subjugation of the Calamity Dragon had died. Therefore, she was not that. She was simply someone with a devoted nature, inclined to sacrifice herself for others.

Being too virtuous was also a problem. Kindness built upon self-sacrifice might appear beneficial to others, but in truth it burdened those around her as well. …So that Nikolaus’s worry would not reach her. His concern was merely brushed off.

(The rest of them don’t matter. …There are only the two of us left.)

There were only two of demonfolk left in this world, and yet she did not value her own life more, that thought left him bitter.

Returning with Leonhart to the knights’ lodging, Nikolaus suddenly remembered what he had left behind when he rushed out earlier.

「Go on ahead and gather everyone.」

「Understood.」

Turning on his heel before the door, he made his way toward his own place. He had dashed outside in response to the turbulence of magic, so the door, which reacted only to Nikolaus, must have shut immediately.

Standing before the tree-house, the vine door opened. As expected, the green sprout that had been left behind in front of the door was trembling as it waited.

「…Sorry for locking you out. I’ve got a favor to ask.」

Inside his sleeve, Nikolaus carried a magical tool that utilized teleportation magic, allowing him to retrieve small bottle-sized items from another storage location. From there, he selected the nutritional tonic he usually used, took it out, and handed it to the green sprout, which tilted its round body as if cocking its head.

「Take that nutritional tonic to the Witch. It’s not as effective as a magic recovery potion… but it’s better than nothing. And that one needs to be fresh, and requires mandragora as an ingredient, so I can’t make it immediately…」

This tonic was something Nikolaus used in place of meals when he immersed himself in research. It was highly nutritious and eased mental fatigue, so he kept a stock of it.

If magic had been expended, a magic recovery potion would be most effective, but that required effort to prepare. Unlike the Witch, who could freely manipulate plants, Nikolaus had to follow proper procedures to compound it, and mandragora was indispensable as a medicinal ingredient. Yet all the mandragoras in this village were the Witch’s familiars, and they possessed free will.

Even now, seeing the sprout cling to the bottle and tremble upon hearing the word 「ingredient」 the thought of grinding and squeezing it would not arise. …Though in the first place, he would not do something so arbitrary with someone else’s research subject.

(It really does understand words… …But it’s not moving. Did the Witch tell it to watch me?)

She would not worry about herself, yet she worried about Nikolaus. That woman truly left him exasperated.

「…If you don’t want to be used as an ingredient, take that and hurry. Go.」

When he tried threatening it, the green sprout saluted once, raised the bottle overhead, and ran off. He had thought that if it understood words, threatening a timid mandragora would be effective, but it was strikingly so.

(Still, threatening it doesn’t feel good. …Unless absolutely necessary, I’ll refrain from doing that.)

Letting out a small sigh, Nikolaus began walking toward the knights’ lodging. At the edge of his vision, a cloud of dust rose. He stopped and looked in that direction, and soon a small figure running toward him came into view.

With layered petals swaying atop its head, making it appear large and splendid, the one who ran up before Nikolaus was a sprout clad in pink cloth.

(…I see. A shift change. That Witch must be terribly concerned about me.)

Perhaps she was also worried because Nikolaus had been in a bad mood just before they parted. With a quiet click of his tongue, he looked down at the pink sprout.

The ones Nikolaus usually saw were the purple sprout who stayed with Ritter, or the green sprout that followed him around. This pink one likely spent its time with the villagers; he might not have seen it since the day he first visited the Witch’s house.

(The purple and green ones have strong wills, but this pink one…)

All the mandragoras were made to wear cloth by the Witch. Each cloth was dyed a different color, making them distinguishable by color except for the purple one, which had a distinctive shape.

However, this pink sprout wore clothing in addition to that cloth. It had on what looked like a white frilled lace apron, like a maid one might see at a royal castle. Holding up the edge of its skirt, it gave a bow, quite different from the green sprout that saluted.

「…You lot really are full of individuality. Well, whatever. You’re following me too, right? Come on.」

Yet instead of trailing behind him as expected, the pink sprout ran ahead of Nikolaus and reached the door first.

It knocked, and by the time Nikolaus arrived, it had gracefully opened the door and held it in place, waiting. …Like a retainer.

(How do they develop such distinct personalities… Honestly. You’d better explain this to me in detail, or I’ll make sure you don’t die until I uncover it through research myself.)

Thanks to her building the base all at once, time had been saved. With preparations laid out this thoroughly, failing to protect it would be unforgivable negligence.

As he ran through what needed to be done in his mind, he briskly passed by the pink sprout, which trembled while holding the door open.

(…Once things settle down from revising the strategy, I’ll finally go speak about the mandragoras’ evolution.)