Iris looked at Papillion with a meaningful gaze and spoke.

“Doesn’t fit the image, does it?”

I agreed with her words. At this point, I couldn’t even gauge what that man’s true appearance really was.

After harassing us so persistently, he suddenly begs for his life in a clean way? I thought he had enough pride to kill himself rather than grovel like a great fool.

“If we just banish him like this, he’ll end up joining that Inferno leader, so wouldn’t that be good?”

The guild members kept a close watch, worried that Papillion inside the cage might try something reckless.

“If I’m banished, I’ll die.”

“Then just banish him!”

Zephyr shouted as if he had been waiting for that.

“Don’t you think he’s playing a trick? Trying to rejoin his boss.”

He, too, was the one who made things very difficult for us by moving multiple Black Dryads.

“He must have realized right away that the administrative manager of this terrarium changed the moment he was banished. And since that was my mistake, given his personality, I’m as good as dead. I’m in no different a position from Earning right now. You of Black Lily, it would benefit you not to banish me.”

Papillion, as if aiming to make full use of his handsome face, looked at me with sorrow-filled eyes, pleadingly, as though he would melt my heart.

I am weak to handsome faces, sure. But he says it would be beneficial to leave him in the terrarium? Having even handled the administrative role in the terrarium, he must have been at least an executive within the Inferno organization. I couldn’t keep a dangerous enemy in my own territory.

“What benefit?”

Having portrayed the 16th terrarium’s image very well to the outside, he must also be exceptionally intelligent. I wondered if he was trying to trick me.

If only Earning were here… She’s a max-intelligence character, so she could have sorted out the rights and wrongs of his words.

“First of all, I have no intention of attacking you. I’m doing this to show the sincerity of my words, so I hope you won’t misunderstand.”

With that, he raised his hand filled with his artifact. Only some of the Black Dryads lining the field returned to his artifact. Although the combat stance had relaxed, many Black Dryads were still staring at us with blank eyes.

“Since I’m no longer the administrative manager, all the Dryads managed through my gardening skills have been abandoned. The flowers had their souls bound to an artifact created by concentrating the blessings of the World Tree branches, but with all gardening skills released, the soul connections have been severed too. As you know, those flowers aren’t Dryads that grew up learning the natural order properly, so they can act unpredictably at any time.”

So, are you saying that the Black Dryads, which previously moved according to Papillion’s will, are now no better than time bombs that could act unpredictably at any moment?

“These are flowers that have been incessantly trained to be ‘strong, to be the strongest.’ Although they never learned loyalty or affection toward druids, they followed me because they knew I held their souls in my grasp. Not just you, but other dryads and even people could become targets of attack if they are looked down upon by them.”

“This is what comes of flowers born through artificial modification. Such taboo beings that defy reason should not tread the land of the World Tree.”

“We must kill them all to elevate the glory of the World Tree.”

Iris had told me that among the dryads who absolutely cannot accept artificial modification, there were two types: the extremely rigid pine and the laurel that upholds the honor of the World Tree.

As Iris predicted, those dryads insisted that the black dryads should be dealt with immediately. If they cannot be controlled, is killing them all truly the right choice?

The guild members showed no particular opposition. Rather, upon hearing that the black dryads could act unpredictably at any moment, they assumed combat stances as if ready to eliminate them right away.

“But if they can be controlled, as you’ve already experienced, they could become an excellent dryad army. However, they can no longer remain in this 16th Terrarium. The Central Administrative Department will visit soon. They’ve likely already heard the rumors you’ve spread about artificial modification. The seed storage can be hidden or disposed of before they find it, but these dryads will catch their eyes immediately.”

“So what are you trying to say?”

“If you still only have one Gardening skill you can handle, there is a way. You’ve acquired two Terrariums. That means you can obtain two Gardening skills. Gardening skills can be passed on to administrative officials. I’ll impart to you the skill I’ve used—turning fields into virtual artifacts—as that remaining one. After learning the Gardening skill from me, you can move those flowers to your other Terrarium.”

Since I’ve absorbed two Terrariums, does that mean I can use two Gardening skills exclusive to administrative officials?

“Then can’t I learn the Gardening skill and deal with you too?”

“As you know, the administrative authority for this Terrarium was not properly delegated to you.”

Papillion was right. The 28th Terrarium, which had an empty administrative official position, allowed me to become the administrative official by acquiring all the shares. However, for the 16th Terrarium, which already had an owner, there was an additional condition that I had to receive delegation from the previous administrative official.

Normally, through the proper route, one would first receive delegation and then fill the shares. This is because supplying diamonds through the World Tree’s branch in the orchard is the privilege of the administrative official. But I, who seized the shares through a different branch, acquired the administrative official position through an abnormal route, as outlined on the guide page.

“The problem isn’t just the black dryads that serve as evidence of artificial modification. Two World Tree branches existing in one terrarium, unstable public opinion within the terrarium, abnormal delegation of authority… and the remnants of the Inferno organization still lingering here. If even one thing is found fault with, the Central Administrative Department could strip you of all your rights. They’re visiting here in person to review this.”

No way. They’d arbitrarily revoke the administrative manager position I earned by feeding over a billion diamonds? I’ve fed so many that the diamond count in <Infinite Diamond> can’t even keep up with MAX in real time. And now I have to lose the 16th World Tree branch, which is sucking up diamonds like a leech competing with the 28th, after feeding it plenty of diamonds.

“So if you allow me to be protected in the 16th terrarium, I’ll help until things normalize. You know that without me, the delegation issue alone will be extremely difficult for you. And only I can identify the Inferno members still lingering in the terrarium. Make me your assistant.”

“That person is untrustworthy. You must not trust him.”

Siedling, who had been quietly listening, stepped forward. He had previously assessed Papillion as a very dangerous individual to me.

Though he said I shouldn’t trust him, all of Papillion’s arguments resonated with me. Even if I’m tempted by other special gardening skills, I don’t want the Inferno organization running rampant like parasites in my terrarium.

Come to think of it, since the 28th terrarium starts from scratch, I can handle the administration step by step from beginning to end… but I’m also at a loss for how to manage the already completed 16th terrarium.

“Why is your organization so lacking in loyalty? Both Earning and you. Are you so utterly devoid of loyalty that you’d instantly betray your own boss and side with the opponent?”

“I don’t know about the beautiful Honeysuckle’s circumstances. But the only reason I had to join Inferno is that their master rules with overwhelming fear and allows his followers to enjoy benefits befitting their loyalty. Many are inspired by his ideology, but that’s true only for those born with an unquenchable ember in their souls.”

Ideology? By those born with an unquenchable ember in their souls, does he mean flame mages?

Since they’re like heretics who kill the World Tree, the god of the world, and try to create a new one, I figured they might unite through ideology. Is there something beyond just worshiping fire like simple demon worship?

“Inferno will only grow larger over time. Just as there are many druids born with the World Tree’s blessing in their souls, there are still many Vestalians born with embers in their souls. They can never refuse the helping hand offered to them in their oppression.”

“Oppression, huh…”

“Vestalians?”

Have you ever heard of it? I asked with my eyes to the guild members who were more experienced than me, but they all looked puzzled. However, Siedling seemed to know something.

He stared at me for a long time with the expression of a puppy who had heard ‘wait’, and only when I subtly nodded did he seem to think permission had been granted and opened his mouth.

“I’ve heard about the Vestalis from the dryad who raised me. They were humans who existed in the world for a much longer time before the druids were born. It was said that among humans born with a spark in their souls, only the women survived. That’s why Vestalis are only women. They could control fire freely using the spark in their souls.”

“Now that you mention it… the people we met when we came out of the Viburnum grove were mostly women too. I didn’t find it strange at the time, but after hearing the Iron Beast’s story, it makes sense.”

“But the terrifying person we fought was a man, right? And there were men among those who attacked us with fire too.”

Following Siedling’s words, Iris and Zephyr recalled the memories of that day and spoke.

That’s right. The leader of Inferno was a man. But among humans born with a spark, it’s said only women can survive—how does that work?

“The Vestalis, who had existed for a longer time than the druids, began to be persecuted after the fire that suddenly burned the world and threatened the World Tree appeared. Not only did negative perceptions of fire strengthen, but there were those who thought the Vestalis had brought the fire. At the center of that persecution was Ash, the leader of Inferno, who could handle the most powerful fire. He gathered the Vestalis, and Inferno was born. Since they believed they were being persecuted because the fire threatened the World Tree, they think all the blame lies with the World Tree. So they aim to create a new World Tree and bring it under their control.”

“You sure know a lot about that guy’s circumstances. With his grumpy personality, I didn’t think he’d share his story with others.”

“That’s because… Ash and I are half-brothers. Of course, he doesn’t see me as a brother at all.”

Siblings? But he attacked you so fiercely… Now that I think about it, you two do look a bit alike.