Honeysuckle finished his story and worried about Winter’s well-being, asking what it meant that he was about to die soon.

“I did research because I wanted to talk to you… and caught… that… rather… serious illness… Miss, if that Siedling were a normal guy, I would have just let him communicate!”

“And I, stuck in the middle, am the only one being stabbed by my conscience!”

“The reason he’s dying is because of me…? Just because he wanted to talk to me?”

Honeysuckle seemed deeply shocked.

“Druid… please tell me now. Is that dryad truly my Cheese reborn? If not… if not, that’s fine too. I just want to know the truth before I die.”

“Well, you see…”

Pressed by Winter, he wanted nothing more than to run away from this place right then and there. They weren’t even soul-linked, so why were they so attached to each other! Oh, forget it. He looked at Winter and shook his head. The wish of a dying man comes first.

“Is that so… But it was a flower with the exact same fur color as our Cheese…”

Unable to bear the sight of Winter, who had hung his head low, he hid behind Elder.

“But… if that’s the case, then I’m relieved. If the dryad really is a reborn Cheese… then I’d be the one leaving our Cheese behind to go first. That mustn’t happen. When I die, Cheese will be waiting for me there… That is truly a relief.”

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a ticket for Earning’s lecture.

“May I ask one last favor? Please tell the dryad that I am truly grateful… and that I said thank you. The distance is far, and my words, as a non-druid, might not reach… right? Dryads are taught to read everything—actions, expressions… to understand ordinary people’s words. This black branch is hiding me… so I beg of you.”

“Oh… yes, that much is nothing.”

“Even if the dryad isn’t my reborn Cheese… it really felt like our Cheese. Kind and gentle. Until this black branch appeared… it would wait for me at Cheese’s grave first, even if I visited every day. When it sat by my side and listened to my stories… it truly felt like Cheese was right there with me. All those actions… are what have kept me alive until now without dying… they’ve been my driving force… Please tell it that I am truly grateful… that I said thank you…”

Oh dear, he must have grown quite attached. Winter’s tearful voice made me feel like crying too.

“It says to tell you that it is very grateful.”

“Don’t tell me… you told him the truth? Why did you do that! If he learns the truth, he won’t be able to hold on. He might even try to die immediately. He’s someone who once tried to hang himself to end his own life. Whatever he believes me to be, if it’s his happiness…!”

“It said that thanks to you, it was able to hold on and not die. So it’s truly grateful. It’s not about to die just because you’re worried. On the contrary… it looks relieved.”

As I finished speaking, Winter handed over the ticket. He was smiling painfully.

“I won’t come here again… Not like Cheese… I won’t bother you with my misunderstandings anymore. I’ll go back, tidy things up, and quietly wait for my chance… Thank you for your help, Druid.”

Then he turned his back first and started descending the mountain. Soon, he gestured for me to hurry down too.

“No… No… If I find out the truth…”

Beyond the black branches, the Dryad muttered, feeling inexplicably anxious.

Anyway, since I got the tickets for Earning’s lecture and my business was done, I followed Winter.

“My master, Jae. That Dryad feels like its soul connection was severed a long time ago. It has lost a lot of power. It’s probably been a long time since all the soul fragments left by the Druid wore away and disappeared.”

Mesquite walked alongside me, looking back with a sorrowful expression.

They say a Dryad whose soul connection is severed, falling into a wild state, suffers greatly. Will the Druid who was its master really come to get it? It feels like it was abandoned…

But the Dryad’s tone seemed to genuinely believe the Druid would return.

How lonely must it have been? Winter, having learned the truth, said he wouldn’t come here again. I wondered if the Dryad’s request for Winter to keep it a secret was not just for Winter’s sake, but perhaps also for its own.

I thought that if the black branches were cleared away, I should come back to see the honeysuckle Dryad again. Whether it wanted it or not, even if just to take it in.

As we came down the hill, Belladonna returned to being the Wilted’s artifact.

Before heading straight to the inn, I went to the orchard of the 16th terrarium. There was something I needed to check.

At the orchard, as expected, Papillion was already waiting to greet us. Dressed in a black suit that suited him remarkably well, he looked even more handsome.

“My beautiful Black Lily! Have you come to see me, my dear? I too thought of your face like the moon last night and missed you dearly. Ah, but you are as unreachable as the moon in the distant sky.”

Cancel the handsome remark. Unlike the way he revealed his true nature in the lounge, Papillion had turned back into a lunatic. The Wilted, remembering the order to protect me from Papillion, stepped forward and blocked his view of me.

“Huh? What brings you here? It’s not class time yet. Are you too like a butterfly that flew in, drawn by that Black Lily?”

“Class isn’t necessary. I’ve already formed a deep bond with her.”

“Hey, you lunatic! Don’t talk like that; people will misunderstand!”

At the Wilted’s words, I saw Papillion’s eyes twitch slightly.

“You’re done. I just came because I have business at the orchard, so get lost.”

“What business could you possibly have at our orchard?”

I ignored Papillion and called the orchard guide.

“Please guide me to the room where the dryad fruits are picked.”

“Druid, I’m sorry, but all the fruits for this season have been harvested.”

“I’ll just look around.”

“If it’s not the fruit, what stirs your curiosity? A curious one like you is lovely too.”

I sensed the guide glancing at Papillion.

“But excessive curiosity can be poison. You are a flower with sweet honey, not suited for poison. Right?”

Papillion leaned in, glancing behind at Siedling, and smirked sinisterly.

“Got something to hide? If not, just show me the fruit-picking room. I’ll only look and leave. I’m just curious as an administrative officer from another terrarium.”

“Ah, if that’s the case. Then I’ll gladly show you around our proud orchard.”

But the way he looked at me suggested he knew my words were just an excuse. He must have seen me at the garden through the wallet. Once Papillion agreed, the guide led me into the orchard. As I followed the guide, Siedling and Papillion trailed behind me.

“By the way, what’s going on? You’ve formed a very ‘deep’ relationship with my Black Lily?”

“She and I have become one.”

“Hey! Who talks about joining the same guild like that?”

Two weirdos are behind me every time I open my mouth.

“Guild… you say?”

Papillion muttered. I hadn’t wanted him to know so soon that I’d joined the same guild as Siedling.

Following the guide, we passed a waiting room lined with long chairs. It looked no different from the 26th terrarium, except it was a bit larger.

The tightly shut enormous door at our destination opened, and we finally entered the fruit-picking room.

Soft lighting and fresh air. And contrary to my expectations… a massive branch of the World Tree, emitting a pure white glow, stood intact. Why is this here? Then what’s that black World Tree branch in the garden?

Wolfsbane, seeing the World Tree branch again, gaped with his mouth wide open, staring at it.

“Here, this is where the 16th terrarium’s World Tree branch is, my Black Lily. How is it? Well maintained, isn’t it? With plenty of diamonds and affection, it rewards us with abundant fruit every month. The certification from the 6th terrarium keeps hitting the highest marks each month. If you want your beautiful terrarium to be recognized by the 8th one, you’ll need to manage it very well.”

“Yeah… it’s well maintained.”

It looks so pristine. When it was screaming in pain and begging for help, where was that? Now it seems perfectly fine, doesn’t it?

I touched the branch of the World Tree, shining white. It was clearly the real thing, not a replica. I looked at Mesquite. As the team’s main and someone bound to me by a stronger soul connection, she would know what I was curious about, right?

She nodded. The branch of the World Tree was unmistakable.

“I’ve seen it, so that’s enough. I’ll be going.”

“How about having a cup of tea?”

“If I drink with you, even tea would make me sick, so I’ll pass.”

“Nothing you want to say?”

He looked at me with a smile that said, ‘There must be something.’ Are you crazy? Would I tell you anything? I dragged Siedling out of the room.

“Well, anyway, we’ll see each other again soon.”

See each other again soon? What a terrible thing to say. As I left coldly, Papillion surprisingly didn’t follow. He just stood still under the branch of the World Tree. If he wasn’t going to bother me any further, it was welcome.

I headed straight to the inn.

As soon as I arrived at the room, Iris greeted me warmly. She said she’d been waiting for me to return safely and checked every part of my body for injuries. I’d have to keep the story of me collapsing in the garden a secret from her.

When I said I got tickets for Earning’s lecture, Loop was very happy. She took the tickets I gave her with both hands and stared at them for a long time. She said she was quitting her research job… but she still seemed to like and hold her major dear to her heart.

Just then, Siedling tried to go back to his room, so I stopped him. I thought he needed to know about the dream I experienced in the garden. After all, as one of my guild members, he was sharing the same boat.

When I stopped Siedling, his dryads seemed quite pleased instead.

In the spacious living room, I sat around with the guild members and calmly started the conversation.

“You might not believe what I’m about to say… but even if it’s hard to believe, please do.”

“I’ll believe everything Master Jae says.”

“Of course! You’re our guild master.”

I was so grateful for Iris’s loyalty as a guild member. Though Zephyr seems a bit excessive. Thank you so much for trusting and following this useless low-level.

“What I saw after following Winter to the garden was….”

I glanced not only at them but also at my dryads’ reactions.

“It was a branch of the World Tree.”

An immense silence fell over the living room.