We walk slowly, as we approach the big tree. Looking up, I can see the branches and leaves stretching and covering the sky.
More than half of this floor is covered by this tree umbrella, so I figured it would be dim here with the sunlight being blocked, but it’s actually not. It’s strange how it’s still bright.
“Incredible. I can’t even see a little bit of the top.”
Says Sera.
“Yes, it’s overwhelming.”
The closer we get, the clearer its sheer size gets. We can see how big it is from the trunk too.
But getting closer also shows us something else.
“Doesn’t it look unwell?”
Asks Chris, because looking at it more closely, we can see the differences in the colors of the leaves.
Maybe it could just be that this tree is like this to begin with it, but I can see withered leaves too.
And looking up like this is making my neck hurt.
“Yes, it isn’t well.”
Chris says again, so I tilt my neck down to look at her, and see her touching the trunk.”
“Yes~. Big trouble~.”
We hear a voice that sounds like it’s responding to her.
Chris immediately pulls her hand back and looks cautious, and Sera and I get ready to draw our weapons.
But we don’t see anyone, and neither Presence Detection or Magic Energy Detection show me anything.
No, there is something on Magic Energy Detection, and it’s coming from the tree in front of us. It’s faint, but it’s all there is.
“Don’t be so wary~. I’m harmless~.”
Then, it suddenly appears right in front of us. A doll that’s about the size of a child’s head.
The first thing that catches my eye are the four wings on its back. They’re like butterfly wings, but thin and transparent, and shine when light hits them.
I also get the feeling that its face resembles Chris’ a little.
It’s wearing a simple one piece dress, so is it a girl? Does it even have a gender?
“What’s wrong~? Hey~…”
I’m at a loss for words. This happened so suddenly.
And the same goes for Chris and Sera.
“…Who are you?”
I ask, still alert.
“Fufufu~. I’m Eliana~! And you~… Wait, why are people here~? This isn’t a place where people usually come~.”
She introduces herself, but quickly tilts her head and asks a question.
“…We came here to pick holy tree fruit to save a friend. We heard about it from the dragon king.”
I say, as I cast Appraisal on the girl calling herself Eliana.
Name – (Eliana) / Job – (—) / Level – (12) / Race – (Spirit?) / Condition – (Weakness)
There’s a lot I don’t understand, but I cast Appraisal on the giant tree while I’m at it.
Eliana’s tree. A tree created by the spirit goddess Eliana.
The first thing I notice is that same name again…So this is a tree that houses spirits? No no, there are a couple of words that catch my eye even more. Spirit goddess?
“Hm~… If Al told you, that means you’re friends of Al~. But~… No, wait, holy tree fruit~?”
She ignores my surprise, and tilts her head at the mention of holy tree fruit.
“Is there such a thing here~?”
Eliana raises her head and looks up.
I also look up, and see a vivid blue fruit hanging from a branch. It’s very high up, and looks very small.
“It might be here~. But was that called holy tree fruit~?”
It doesn’t seem like Eliana knows, but Appraisal does, and tells me it’s holy tree fruit.
“There’s no doubt about it. And this is the only fruit bearing tree on this floor, right?”
She has some divinity to her, but her size and listlessness makes it hard to see her as a goddess.
I don’t think I could revere her as a goddess, even if she told me to. Then again, my image of goddesses is pretty bad, considering the previous example.
But that also means that if she’s a goddess, I need to be cautious. Despite what this one looks like, the power of that goddess was very real.
She looks harmless, but who knows when she could bare her fangs.
“Yes, there’s only that~. I’ve never seen any other fruit~.”
“Then can you let us have it? Like I said before, we need it to save a friend.”
“…And I said it too~. I don’t think it has that big of an effect~.”
That means a single holy tree fruit might not have that much value.
I don’t know much about its effect either. I just want to get it because it’s an ingredient to make elixir.
“Hn~. If you came digging this far, it must be important to you~. But it’s tough now~. It would be different if Al was here~. But why didn’t Al come here himself~? Did something happen to Al~?”
It sounds like people can’t normally get here, and if someone wanted holy tree fruit, Al would be the one who came here to get it.
But Alzahak can’t come here anymore. He’s not even in this world. That’s why we’re here.
Should I tell her that? She’s a goddess, and knows Alzahak, so there’s a very good chance she also knows Elizabeth.
What would happen if I told her Elizabeth died… I’m scared of telling her.
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the clearer its cheer size gets. -> the clearer its sheer size gets.
Thanks.