The Mesquite I saw in the past showed an incredibly high loyalty to her previous master, much like she does to me now.

Although reluctant to accept a new master, Mesquite came to me in the end, following her previous master’s final wish. Are the aspects she shows me genuine? Having been the one I trusted and relied on the most in this world, I was utterly confused.

As if stirred by my turmoil, the golden symbol on my phone—the only light illuminating the darkness—flickered. Gradually, the light dimmed. As it did, my figure melted further into the shadows.

I recalled the apologetic expression Mesquite had worn for me. And the glimpse I had caught of her past. Why does she feel sorry for me? Is something bad about to happen to me because of her?

And… could a dryad, who had a relationship with a previous owner so deep that she was willing to face death and oblivion alongside them, truly forget the past and welcome a new master?

I thought of the most similar case I knew: the honeysuckle that had served two masters. The honeysuckle, where two flower consciousnesses coexisted, was a special case, though.

The dryad who cherished her past bond yet also treasured the new one, ultimately ending her connection with her previous owner. Earning, who had to send away his beloved dryad according to that wish. But that was ultimately the dryad’s own choice.

Mesquite coming to me was purely a result of her previous owner’s wish.

“My master, Jae.”

The phrase ‘my master’ she always habitually attached when calling me. Thinking about it now, it almost sounds like a form of brainwashing. As if she has to think of me that way.

Another question arose. Why could I use Graft with Elder but not with Mesquite?

Why couldn’t I feel the Graft connection with her, the one I thought was closest to me? Was it because her feelings toward me were not genuine after all?

The light grows dimmer and dimmer. Darkness, where I can’t see even an inch ahead, veils my sight.

“But…”

To dismiss all the sides of Mesquite she has shown me so far as mere deceitful acting would be saying that the Mesquite I judged was only that shallow.

“I will devote my whole body and protect my master until I become a handful of ash.”

“My master, Jae. I want to know your worries first.”

Her steadfast and affectionate amber eyes looking at me. Can I dismiss all the comfort I feel from her as a lie?

Mesquite always treated me with sincerity. The reason I accepted without a shred of doubt that everything she hid from me was for my own good was because she truly cherished me.

The light of the golden pattern on my phone, which had weakened, began to regain its strength.

Even if she still hasn’t forgotten her previous owner. Her constant calling of me ‘my master’ is likely to steady her own heart. It must be her firm resolve to regard me as her master.

The light flickered greatly, as if a correct answer had been chosen.

Isn’t the reason her always-secret past was peeled back a layer because she believed I could handle it? So, being confused after seeing Mesquite’s past might be betraying her trust. If she truly missed her previous owner, wouldn’t she have thoroughly hidden their existence and her past from me?

The flickering light surged once more, growing in size until it brightly illuminated the spot where I stood.

No matter what her past was like, Mesquite is my dryad now. I will become the best master so she never regrets her choice to come to me.

The things she entrusted to me, even with her apologies, must have come from her faith that I would ultimately overcome them.

So what if Mesquite and Graft are still unusable? Just as her past has taken a step closer to me, I can slowly build a connection.

I too have secrets I cannot yet tell Mesquite, but that’s not because I don’t trust her—it’s because I lack the confidence to explain. Mesquite must feel the same way about me.

At last, the light dispelled all the darkness.

“Roots don’t always find the right path. They may be blocked by rocks, or dig through dry places with no water at all. Sometimes they reach aimlessly into barren, lifeless soil, or mistakenly enter a swamp full of harmful poison. Yet despite that, the tree that takes root remains healthy because it has such sturdy roots. Even if it goes astray, it can always find a way to extend anew. Going the wrong way isn’t a failed experience, so don’t be disheartened. Just don’t repeat it. Sturdy roots give you the chance to start over anytime.”

A familiar voice came from somewhere. A gentle voice that seemed to patiently teach my ignorant self. A voice that was indistinguishable in gender and came from an unknown direction. It was the voice I assumed belonged to the World Tree, which had spoken to me multiple times in dreams and visions.

The strange place that had separated me from reality vanished, and I returned to the conference room. In front of me, Mesquite was still radiating her aura. As the vision ended, everything that had been frozen—except for Mesquite—began to move again.

“For the trees of the Desert Field, where water veins are hard to find and only dry sand abounds, sturdy roots are crucial. You have a soul’s faith like those sturdy roots, capable of understanding such Desert Field trees.”

With those encouraging words as the last, the sacred voice was no longer heard.

At last, I could read the final part of the inscription on the rock encasing Mesquite.

With sturdy roots, you shall become my blessed sapling.

My heart pounded fiercely. My entire body tensed. I felt as if I were standing before an important choice.

The answer to the choice that the Central Administrative Department people asked me and Mesquite was waiting for.

Though my choice might unfold a path that is far from easy, if through it I can better understand Mesquite, if it’s the responsibility I must bear by accepting her as my dryad—

“Yes, I have been preparing to become the World Tree’s sapling. Everything I’ve done has been possible because of that preparation.”

The time I spent watching the welcome was long, but an unknown force seemed to make it a fleeting moment. Their questions and my answers flowed very naturally.

Only now could I understand why Mesquite suddenly appeared from the artifact and acted that way in front of them.

She willingly revealed her own secret instead, to protect the secret of the Infinite Diamond that I wanted to keep.

Mesquite had closely watched me worrying over making excuses for the source of the diamond. In the end, she made an excuse for me, who couldn’t come up with an answer.

“I understand that someone walking the path to become a World Tree Sapling wouldn’t leave a terrarium plagued by injustice alone. Many druids will support and cheer you on your path. I hope you walk that path to the end and be reborn as a being who can give strength to the great World Tree in this chaotic world.”

The power of my answer was immense. Though I wasn’t sure how great a declaration becoming a World Tree Sapling was, the Central Administrative Department, which had looked down on me, appointed me as the official administrative manager of the 16th Terrarium without further doubt upon hearing that answer.

They left the terrarium, taking Creacion with them. I asked everyone in the conference room to leave us alone for a while. I wanted to talk with Mesquite in private.

“What exactly does it mean to become a World Tree Sapling? Reading the inscription on Stone… no, on Stonehenge, it felt like walking the path to becoming a World Tree’s proxy.”

“My master, Jae. You understood it correctly. But I’m truly sorry for putting your name in a position of great responsibility without consulting you. Seeing you struggle with worries for so long, I wanted to help, and I thought this was the best way. It was just a story I brought up to save you from trouble. If it feels burdensome, you can forget it all right now. You don’t have to bear the responsibility painfully.”

Mesquite looked at me for a long time with worried eyes. Still, it was for me. I felt ashamed for doubting her sincerity, even for a moment.

“No, thinking about it, it really seems like an amazing thing. A proxy of the World Tree? When you used the difficult word ‘pilgrim,’ it didn’t sink in, but this is incredible, isn’t it? You might think I’m using it as an excuse to get out of trouble, but it really seems like the World Tree has acknowledged me as its proxy.”

“It’s only natural, since your consistent good deeds built trust with the World Tree.”

It felt like Mesquite had forced a massive main quest open. And I was willing to accept it. If I completed it, I’d learn more stories and get great rewards.

“What do you think, Mesquite? Do you think I can’t pull it off? If you judge I’m not ready yet, I’ll give up.”

But it’s going to be a very high-difficulty quest. It might take a very long time and a lot of effort.

I didn’t want to give up, but if it was a path he was so reluctant to show me, it might be beyond my current ability to clear, so I had to reconsider.

“But for the Jae I am now, I’m ready, and that’s no empty words. I mean it.”

So, can I finally proceed with the main quest?

“Okay, so what do I need to do to become the sapling of the World Tree?”

“It would be better for Jae’s guild members to hear this together too. Many hands make light work, after all.”

I had asked them to leave in case Mesquite wanted to share the secret only with me. Following Mesquite’s request, I called in the guild members who had been waiting outside the meeting room.

Except for Papillion, of course.