Here was someone practically an executive of an enemy organization, openly asking about the plan. Earning didn’t even glance at Creacion, and I had no intention of speaking up either, so I kept my mouth shut.

Papyrus had been with us since the moment he entered this empty lab, so he must have heard everything and passed it along. Why is he asking again?

“Since diplomatic issues between the terrariums are involved, if you hadn’t joined hands with Earning and had acted prudently, you wouldn’t have ended up in this state. At the auction deciding the administrator of the 28th Terrarium, our side said someone poured an unimaginable amount of diamonds into the 28th Terrarium. They must be cooperating with someone. If they were that capable, why didn’t they just stay quietly in the 16th Terrarium and leave? Instead, they provoked Papillion and allied with Earning, and not only that…”

Could it be that someone from Inferno was among those at the auction? It’s not true that I allied with Earning—I only approached her to obtain information.

In the end, I got caught up in the danger due to the Inferno leader targeting the 28th Terrarium… But even to get information about Wolfsbane, I had to go to this secret space in the Alchemy Tower. It was entirely my choice that led me here, but to say ‘if I had acted prudently’… In the end, we were bound to clash.

But does that mean I won’t be in danger even if I walk out of the Alchemy Tower?

“However, Papyrus says… you trashed the seed storage, didn’t you? And those were carefully prepared poisonous herbs. I heard all the seeds were poisoned beyond recovery. You’ve learned too much and caused too big a mess to just quietly sweep under the rug.”

“Like you said, if you mess with me, my boss won’t stay quiet.”

Of course, I am my own boss. And those poisonous herbs in the seed storage died because that old bastard of yours struck first, didn’t they? Did Papyrus conveniently leave that part out? Ah, though I admit, if I hadn’t gone to the seed storage, it wouldn’t have happened.

“I can’t tell which organization you’ve allied with, but with that level of financial backing, you’re no pushover. That person has patiently endured to get their hands on the 28th Terrarium, and now they’ve reached their limit. And if the damage you’ve caused in the seed storage reaches their ears, the bomb will eventually go off. They are a walking inferno and a ticking time bomb. Even if you have a backer, whether they take you hostage or start a war, everything will descend into chaos.”

You’re threatening me just as badly as you did with Earning, aren’t you? Why don’t you just outright say you’ve officially turned Inferno into an unavoidable enemy for me.

“But Earning’s fate is sealed, while yours isn’t. The mere fact that what happened in this Alchemy Tower hasn’t reached that person’s ears yet means you still have a chance. Only two people know you, the administrative officer of the 28th Terrarium, are in this tower with Earning: me and Papillion. Papillion hasn’t revealed your true identity to that person yet. Others just see you as Earning’s assistant.”

“So what’s your point?”

“Earning and Papillion can take the fall for everything you’ve done, diverting that person’s attention away from you. It means making the bomb explode elsewhere.”

What the hell is he saying now? Isn’t Papillion on your side?

“I get Earning… but why Papillion? You’re not protecting them, are you? Aren’t they on your side?”

“The position of administrative officer for the 16th Terrarium was originally mine. If I have him removed and become the master of the 16th Terrarium, I’ll not only overlook everything you’ve done but also deflect that person’s interest in your 28th Terrarium. In return, I need something big enough to make Papillion step down immediately.”

I looked at Earning. What the hell is this old geezer on about?

“After all that scheming, it seems smuggling out those poisonous herbs has landed you in quite hot water, huh?”

Earning sneered at him with a smug expression.

“Yes, I was deceived by you and left a great stain. That solidified Papillion’s position. So, I hope you’ll corner Papillion into a plight incomparably worse than my stain.”

Creacion looked at me with a cheerful face.

“So, I hear you’re planning something quite remarkable? Can you really kill the world tree branch in the orchard in a short time without waiting for years?”

“It’s possible. If you provide the materials and facilities generously. But it pisses me off to do something that benefits you.”

“Of course, I will never help you directly. It would be problematic if even a hint of my involvement were revealed. Just understand that keeping the secrets of everything said here, not reporting your location immediately, and turning a blind eye is all I can do.”

What about me leaving the alchemy tower?

“Of course, as soon as you step outside the alchemy tower, your location will be exposed to Papillion. If he senses any suspicious moves, he will eventually tell Him everything. I hope you manage the timing well.”

Creacion spoke as if he had read my inner thoughts. Dissatisfied, Earning listened to various stories about bugs and the fact that I had no concrete plans yet, then left without fuss.

He also said he would leave Winter, who was currently carrying out alchemy according to Earning’s recipe, without stopping him.

Before he left, he asked about my guild members, perhaps out of concern.

Fortunately, he said no one had been detained by Papillion. According to Creacion, Papillion would target my guild members first to use them as hostages when the Inferno leader arrived at the 16th Terrarium.

But the fact that it hasn’t happened yet probably means Iris and Zephyr took good care of Loop and joined the other guild members.

It was truly a relief. I had been worried about my guild members the whole time I was trapped in the alchemy tower. I wish there were a guild chat like in a game, but in this bizarre world where nothing works except what does, sending messages via insects is the best I can do.

Fewer worries meant I could focus more on the plans ahead.

Whether Creacion truly intended to tolerate our hiding place or not, no one stormed in after he left. However, he left behind a papyrus, seemingly for surveillance purposes.

The papyrus, due to its past deeds, seemed more withdrawn than before, occupying a corner of the empty lab. Even if it was reluctant, it seemed like it had no choice since its master ordered it.

“Creacion, that old man has made up his mind, so even after I find my gold coins, there will be problems.”

Earning took out a piece of paper from his bag, wrote something with a pen, and showed it to me.

Protect me for a while in the 28th Terrarium. Just until reinforcements arrive from the 1st Terrarium to pick me up.

Instead, take advantage of the commotion to make a big scene so I can slip away too.

I’ll handle the escape on my own, but if you promise to protect me, I’ll help you strengthen the power of the pest infestation to the end.

It was an act conscious that Papyrus would hear everything. Papyrus looked very flustered as we silently stared at the paper. She seemed to want to come closer and see the paper, but was too afraid of the presence of Mesquite standing beside me to approach.

Creacion says I’ll be excluded from this matter, but what if you hide in my terrarium and we both get implicated together?

I’m bound to die at this rate, before I can even find Honeysuckle or before Honeysuckle arrives. If you really hate it, find another way to kill the World Tree branch other than me.

My reason for contacting her was to learn the truth behind the incident in the 28th terrarium, but after vaguely learning about the organization called Inferno, my curiosity about the information had largely faded. Still, I can’t understand the truth behind the paradoxical actions she has taken.

Would it really be beneficial to hide her in my terrarium?

I’ll tell you why Inferno is targeting the 28th terrarium.

I’ll also teach you about the Gardening Skill. Not every administrative officer awakens the Gardening Skill, so this is a rare opportunity.

It all began when I obtained Honeysuckle and arrived at the 28th terrarium.

I’ll even make sure we get to the 28th terrarium without being detected, just promise me you’ll protect me.

When I still didn’t respond, she kept adding conditions to sway me. They say the mind is a weapon, and she’s certainly using it relentlessly.

Honestly, without her help, I couldn’t execute half of the plan, so I needed her, and I was also intrigued by the Gardening Skill, which only the administrative officers of the terrariums can use.

Scarecrow said he awakened it on his own, but I felt I needed to see a skill book or get help from a skill instructor.

But since Earning said she would come to the 28th terrarium on her own… if things go wrong, couldn’t I just cut ties from this side?

When I nodded in acceptance, she seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief, her face noticeably more relaxed, and she packed the papers into her bag. I managed to get an extra piece of paper before she packed them all away.

I wrote down the signs of the world’s destruction that the Elder had mentioned there. By the way, it would have been so much better if you’d lent me paper and a pen beforehand.

“If the sun isn’t visible, how can the world be hot?”

“The story’s meaning might imply the sun has truly disappeared, but it can also be obscured by dark clouds.”

“How do you control the weather?”

When it rained with the Elder and Graft, dark clouds did gather in the sky. Should I even be considering that?

With the situation constantly changing, it seemed Earning had finally decided to cooperate with me willingly.

“The only thing I can think of right now that emits intense heat is fire… It seems unlikely to recreate the heat by luring a few fire entities into the terrarium…”

“Didn’t you tell me before that there’s something nearby that produces heat like summer?”

“I did?”

“You said the branches of the black World Tree on the hill give off intense heat.”

Right, those deformed branches burning from within and used as charcoal.

“Even though something producing that much heat is inside the terrarium, it doesn’t affect the hill area because the branches aren’t connected to the water vein.”

“Uh… so…”

“If you connect the branches to the water vein properly, the water will heat up and raise the temperature of the terrarium the vein runs through. The problem is finding the water vein, though.”

Earning’s advice suddenly brought to mind Notos’s pines. Those two dryads, who together could read twenty years of the past, might be able to help, couldn’t they?