By the time I arrived at the 28th terrarium, the day had already grown quite dark. As soon as I reached the terrarium, Marguerite came running from a distance with a crying face to greet me. Her long twin tails swayed like a puppy’s tail.

“My truth! How can you leave me behind? We’ve only known each other for so long, and you’re already abandoning me?”

It wasn’t that I had left her alone. Mesquite also remained in the terrarium for once, saying she would take charge of her education. After all, the 28th terrarium is practically my artifact, so she can come to me through the artifact at any time in an emergency.

I was prepared, but Marguerite charged in like a bull and hugged me, making my vision go white for a moment. Amidst that, I was amazed that the improved gear greatly reduced the pain of the impact.

“My truth, did you not want to see me? How could you take only that Elder Flower with you? From now on, take only me. Thinking that you two were having a great time alone together made me so depressed that even seeing the sun felt like I hadn’t seen it.”

“I didn’t go alone with Elder. The other dryads were also…”

“From now on, take only me! Just the two of us!”

Being taller than me yet trying to nestle into my arms, Marguerite’s hat brim kept thumping and ruthlessly whacking my chin.

“Marguerite.”

Mesquite, who was approaching this place with slow steps, called out to Marguerite in a low voice. Marguerite flinched, her shoulders trembling, then hugged me even tighter as if trying to suffocate me to death.

“Mesquite is too mean! Why do you keep trying to separate me from my truth?”

“Help…”

“I’m ready to go out into the world! The World Tree knows that too, that’s why it sent me, right? You don’t have to teach me so strictly; I can leave on a journey with my truth anytime!”

“Help… I’m suffocating to death…”

“Ah! My truth is dying!”

The moment Marguerite loosened her grip, Mesquite grabbed her arm and lifted her up. He was rougher than he was with Daisy.

Marguerite was dangled up like a doll, then placed her other hand on Mesquite’s shoulder and performed a nimble tumble over her as if doing a trick. It was amazing how agilely she moved even in her uncomfortable attire.

“Haven’t I taught you time and again that your attitude toward my master is excessive?”

Mesquite didn’t seem to care whether Marguerite used her as a vaulting horse to flip over. He acted as if just separating her from me was enough and took no further action against her.

“I was just happy to see my truth again after she left me behind!”

“It’s only been a day…”

If I had left her in the 28th terrarium for at least a week before going somewhere, I could understand. According to Marguerite’s logic, after forming the soul connection, Daisy 2, who was stuck in the 28th terrarium, would have burst into loud wailing the moment she saw me.

“Give me that.”

“What?”

While Marguerite was venting her grievances toward Mesquite, Elder approached me and spoke.

“The thing we made together.”

“You could just ask for bullets or cartridges.”

It wasn’t made by just the two of us, but we made it together, and it seemed I was quite proud of it. Was I trying to show off to Mesquite and Marguerite?

As I absentmindedly handed over the bullet, a sudden ominous feeling struck me. But the bullet had already left my hand, and it was too late to stop Elder.

Elder walked over to Marguerite with a triumphant look on his face.

“Hey! Don’t provoke that already sulky kid!”

“What is it?”

Marguerite snapped at Elder with a sullen face.

“Jae and I made this together. My power is infused in it, right here.”

“What?”

Elder rolled the bullet on his palm and looked down at Marguerite with eyes full of mockery. She, who I expected to get angry right away, instead opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“Jae’s soul called my power and infused it here. We made this together. Jealous?”

“Elder! Stop teasing him!”

You said you’re all grown up! You told me not to compare yourself to a sapling! Why are you acting like a big kid like Marguerite?

“Truth! Did you really make a seed with Elder Flower alone? That’s so unfair! Make one with me too!”

What is this nonsense? Marguerite roughly pushed Elder aside and ran to me. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently, and I wobbled, unable to withstand the dryad’s strength.

“A seed? That’s just a bullet infused with Elder’s power. You put it in a gun and use it.”

“But look at how she’s talking! And the way it looks—it’s just like a seed you make with any flower!”

Where does that look like a seed? But then again, dryad fruits also look like transparent orbs, so could a bullet that looks like a transparent bead before being infused with power also be seen as a seed?

“Enough. Jae is a druid, not a dryad. You should realize that Elder was just saying that to mislead you and tease you.”

Mesquite tiredly tried to pacify Marguerite. It was refreshing to see her, who usually never falters in any situation, make such an expression.

“Misleading… Then how are real seeds made?”

I was surprised that the method of making a bullet was similar to the method of making a seed.

“But… then next time, make it with me! I’ll make it the most brilliant white, not that murky, dull white like hers.”

“Jae already agreed to make it with me next time. It’s not your turn.”

“Stop fighting. We have to travel together from now on. What are you going to do if you keep fighting every time you meet?”

If the journey ahead is going to be this noisy every moment, it might be lively but also truly exhausting. As I watched the two fighting noisily like cats in a hierarchy battle, no matter what I said, I couldn’t help but sigh.

“It’s like watching Periwinkle and Cardoon when they first met. Isn’t that right, Siedling?”

Kalmia suddenly appeared from Siedling’s artifact and spoke in an intrigued voice. At her words, Siedling nodded.

“Back then, Cardoon was just like that young Marguerite—full of enthusiasm but an uncontrollable troublemaker. Even when Belladonna scolded him, it only lasted a moment, and all of us except Periwinkle found dealing with Cardoon a hassle.”

It suddenly felt like a gathering of attendants sharing the pains of raising saplings. Kalmia crossed her arms, her eyes growing distant as if lost in nostalgia, gazing at Marguerite and Elder.

“Periwinkle always stepped in to subdue Cardoon, but since they were both so full of energy, it always ended in a fight. Those two are arguing with words, but over here, we were wielding weapons. Even Siedling, being a druid, just stood by, so every ten steps, there was a fight that turned the surroundings into a mess.”

If the situation between Elder and Marguerite worsened like them, imagining them fighting with weapons every time made the future look bleak. I’d just taken in a new dryad, hoping for a lively team after a long time.

“That must have been no joke. They’re not like that now, are they? I don’t think I’ve ever seen them fight.”

“They just need to fight together and go through a crisis.”

Siedling said calmly.

“That’s right. Right now, that Marguerite hasn’t been out in the world long enough to see her surroundings. Since her master, the druid, is safe, she’s not paying attention.”

“It feels less like Marguerite isn’t paying attention and more like she’s overly focused on me…”

“That’s only possible in peace. That Marguerite hasn’t experienced a real combat situation yet, has she? When her master is in danger, she’ll realize that her enemy isn’t another dryad from the same bouquet. She’s a naive dryad. It took Cardoon several battles to become what he is now—understanding that dryads must unite to protect their druid.”

So the answer is just fighting together, huh.

Cardoon, who had heard our story, seemed likely to appear, but aside from Belladonna, Siedling’s dryads came out one by one to greet the long-unvisited 28th terrarium, yet he never showed up. It seemed he was quite embarrassed by his immature past.

I hoped that the relationship between Marguerite and Elder would improve in the distant future, like Cardoon and Periwinkle did.

***

Among those hired by the Great Bean Alliance were also cooks. They said they would open a canteen every mealtime using the Golden Pumpkin Merchant Guild’s groceries, so Siedling and I had a late dinner there.

I was eating at a spot far from the workers when Rowella came over with her portion of food, carrying it toward us. We exchanged a brief greeting and she joined us.

After sitting down, Rowella didn’t pick up her spoon and hesitated while looking at me. It seemed she had joined us because she had something to say to me.

As I chewed on the meat for a long time, waiting for her to speak, she finally opened her mouth.

“Um… Jae? I heard from Daisy Dryad that you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Oh, yes. I’m not a long-term administrative officer who stays in the Terrarium.”

“Well… I heard you’re going to a rear-numbered Terrarium, much larger than the 28th…”

“Hmm, that’s right. It seems I’ll be going down to a Terrarium with a number greater than 50.”

And then the conversation broke off again. She stirred her bowl with her spoon, glancing at me warily. What did she want to talk about?

“Um… um… would it be possible for you to take me along too? Even though I’m weak, I promise I won’t be a burden. I originally wanted to join another druid’s stone circle in the 26th Terrarium, but everyone said their numbers were full… and maybe because I only have a normal-grade dryad, they don’t really want to include me…”

Oh dear, she was rejected from joining a party. In games, I’d often see low-spec players being ignored when forming parties.

“I can cook well since I lived on my own before this trip, and I’m good at laundry too. I’ve been exercising in my spare time, so I can lift heavy things. I’m good at walking long distances, and I’m confident I can sleep very little! Even though I’m still weak, I’ll fight with all my might alongside Thistle against the flames! You don’t even need to use recovery abilities on me if I get hurt…”

“You don’t have to go that far.”

“I guess I really am too inadequate to travel with someone as great as you, Jae…”

Thinking I had refused, Rowella’s face quickly fell into a sullen expression.

“That’s not it. If we travel together, everyone will be treated equally—I wouldn’t bring someone along to exploit them. But why rear numbers? Wouldn’t the front-numbered Terrariums be safer for traveling?”

“Because the farther you go into the rear-numbered Terrariums, the stronger the flames are! It’s my dream to go all the way to the 100th Terrarium, where no one has been yet.”

Oh, admirable ambition. After all, the more dangerous the place, the more fun the adventure. Aiming for the 100th Terrarium—turns out she’s a newbie with big dreams?

“And… actually, my Thistle said it wants to invite me to a colony where its ancestors lived…. Normal-grade dryads, unlike higher grades, can rarely sense the location of a place called the First Colony. I’d never heard of it before, but since it’s where Thistle’s ancestors lived, I really want to go…. But since it requires going down to a rear-numbered Terrarium with a huge number, I didn’t dare go alone.”

“Huh? The first settlement?”

“Yes, have you ever heard of it, Jae?”

It was said that Bark Reinforcement could be done at the first settlement. Meeting someone who could guide me to that place, which you could only go to if you were lucky—doesn’t this bullet infused with the Elder’s power really act like a lucky charm?