On the way back, my goal was to minimize rest and cross the mountain before another day passed.

The only difference from before was that, having traveled this path once, I knew the distance, and even walking without rest didn’t feel all that hard.

Could it be that, like in a game, I’ve gained some kind of stamina stat? The kind that increases with level-ups. And if possible, maybe a bit in intelligence too… then I’d understand what the professor says during lectures.

From the point of entering the mountain, I deliberately headed back along the path I had come. It was the fork with a steeper slope, but wide open without obstacles. Although I had already cleared away all the fire during my first trip, I planned to completely tidy it up while I was at it.

Now, like the area that came to be called the Frog Swamp, I should clear all paths leading to the 28th terrarium to increase the influx of settlers!

“Around here, there should be the place where we had the carriage fire and the boss fight…”

“It’s over there.”

While passing by, I also visited some memorable spots along the way, like landmarks. In the direction Mesquite pointed, I could see a clearing turned into a mess by the carriage fire’s rampage.

A circular wall of fire had risen, and the battle had caused heavy damage, leaving trees and rocks in the area toppled and shattered. Yet, fresh green grass was sprouting from the ground, creating a space of subtle contradiction.

Thanks to Elder’s graft, which had poured down a generous shower of diamonds, the land burned by fire had regained its life force. Even though quite some time had passed since the rain, a refreshing energy still lingered.

I had reduced the number of fire entities appearing like minor mobs and eliminated the carriage fire that had been rampaging through the area. If this were under my jurisdiction, it would be nice to set up something like a park. But since the map showed it was closer to the 27th terrarium, I gave up on that idea cleanly.

A little further on, I came across the spot where the carriage had actually overturned. Would it be okay for Wolfsbane to see this? I hesitated a bit. After all, the origin of the incident that left the child alone was the carriage’s overturn. It was also where all the monkshood of the same origin as him had burned away.

“How about clearing away the carriage? I think it’s better if only we know the hidden details of what happened in the 28th terrarium.”

“My master, Jae. Even I agree with Elder’s words. Because Jae’s safety is at stake. Although it was badly burned, just as Jae obtained many clues there, others can too. Including the box that held the mother of the Wolfsbane seedling child.”

“Hmm, yeah. It’s a bit off to have such an eyesore on the way to the 28th.”

The deliberation was short. Could it really be hidden? It was already exposed. The child’s attention was already heavily drawn toward the direction we were looking at and chatting amongst ourselves.

I held Wolfsbane’s hand and headed toward the overturned carriage. Whether no one had discovered it after we left, or if no one had passed through here at all, its state was the same as in my last memory.

The box with the skull design was still wide open, pouring out black soil. Including what seemed to be plants that had been burned and dried out, mixed in with it.

I asked Wolfsbane if he remembered that. Saying it was the place where he was once loaded like a package. The child had a frightened expression at the sight of the dilapidated carriage, but there was no sign of recognition in his face. He was just purely scared.

Does he not fully retain all memories from when he was the mother? But he seemed to remember being carried somewhere.

When Elder prepared to bury the carriage using branches of flowers, I stopped him for a moment. Back then, I had to quickly leave the spot and couldn’t examine it long, but not now. I thought maybe I could get more clues related to the incident at the 28th terrarium.

“What are you looking for?”

“Remember the items we found on the way to the 29th terrarium? Upon closer look, there were traces of a fight not involving fire but between people or dryads. Daisy even discovered the emblem of the 28th terrarium by turning over an item.”

My dryads quickly caught on to my intent. Although the carriage was severely damaged, I thought something might come out if we thoroughly inspected it like before. I dragged along the Wolfsbane child, who still couldn’t take his eyes off the box with the skull design.

“Alright, you move with me. You’re shorter than me, so you’ll be better at spotting things lower down, right? Look closely. I notice things at this height first.”

I bent my knees to match Wolfsbane’s eye level.

“Wouldn’t things at this height catch your eye first? Besides me, Mesquite and Elder are so tall that they’ll miss even more. Can you do it?”

Wolfsbane hesitantly glanced at me, gauging my reaction. I won’t scold you for saying you can’t.

“Wow, this is totally something only you can do! That Elder never bends his knees except when picking up diamonds.”

“When did I?”

Elder snapped irritably. Whether he was pretending not to remember or truly couldn’t recall. If it was the former, I could make his remember again. Just then, I felt the diamond in my pocket rolling around.

“You’ll do great. I need a little help from you.”

I nodded, caught off guard by my own pushiness. Wolfsbane, with his round eyes gleaming solemnly, pushed up his round glasses that had slipped down to his nose with a hand buried in his sleeve, then bowed deeply. In that motion, I saw the long hood slip down to completely cover the child’s head.

Doesn’t it look just like a giant hood opening its mouth to devour the child’s head? Unable to laugh out loud, I bit my lower lip and blinked my eyes tightly shut then open. I must have had a funny expression.

Just then, Mesquite sidled up with a smile on her lips. She bent down and whispered softly into my ear.

“Are you making something to praise?”

Bingo. I was planning to follow Mesquite’s advice and diligently praise Wolfsbane to boost our rapport.

But it’s not like I could just praise her anytime. I couldn’t just blurt out, ‘Your hair is truly blue-purple! Completely blue-purple!’ or ‘Your glasses are really big and round! Amazing!’ now, could I?

I glanced at Elder, who was sulky from being teased a bit. Of course, I could praise his anytime. Because his face just does well at anything. Elder, your eyes are really good! And your nose too!

Anyway, I planned to give Wolfsbane an easy task and praise his when he completed it. I felt I needed to give the child a reason to understand why I entrusted him with that mission.

All my dryads were so outstanding that aside from their traits, there was no particular reason to single out Wolfsbane. So, the only thing I could think of was his small size.

Daisy hesitantly stood by my side, looking at me with an expression that said, ‘What about me?’. The smallest dryad on the team was now Wolfsbane. From the moment we met, he was childlike, and Mesquite and I kept calling him a child out of habit.

I wondered if she might be jealous of losing the position of the youngest… but judging by her expression, not at all. What use is being the smallest one on the team anyway?

“Daisy has grown. Your height is now similar to mine, so let’s leave the lower areas to Wolfsbane.”

I said it loud enough for Wolfsbane to hear. I saw the child bow even deeper. With the hood covering his entire field of view like that, can he even see anything…? I bit my lower lip again.

“It was Daisy who flipped the items last time and found the pattern on the 28th terrarium, so I’m hoping you’ll trust your instincts and take a good look this time too. Since the carriage is already wrecked, you can handle it roughly.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best!”

That’s what I said, though.

*CRRRRUNCH!*

I never expected she’d lift the entire carriage and flip it over.

With that, the Wolfsbane child let out a shrill scream and fell backward. I quickly took cover behind Mesquite.

“What are you doing lifting it like that?”

“But the Druid told me to take a good look!”

The Elder shouted in disbelief, and Daisy cheerfully shot back. A massive carriage that could easily seat six people was hoisted into the air by the small child’s hands and flipped over like a piece of meat on a grill. Amid the dust and ash swirling up, Daisy smiled calmly.

Wait, if she can do it that easily, maybe I could too? I gave it a try with a heave-ho, then gave up. Is she strong because she’s an attack type, or are all Dryads that freakishly powerful?

“Uh… Master Jae!”

A high, clear voice calls me. I mustn’t laugh… I mustn’t laugh…. My lower lip is suffering quite a bit today.

Despite everything, Wolfsbane ran up to me, having found something. The sleeve that had been wrapped around like candy wrapper slid down, revealing a small, white fist. I brushed the dust off the child’s clothes and prepared to shower praise, no matter what he had found.

“I found this…”

What the child found was a bird feather. Though slightly faded, it was a pretty feather, yellow with dark chestnut tips. But a feather, out of nowhere? It’s amazing how it kept its shape even as the carriage blazed.

As I held the tip of the feather and twirled it curiously, the child’s expression visibly dimmed. She had found it but didn’t think it would be helpful, and her confidence dropped. Oops!

“You found something interesting? Where did you discover it?”

“It popped up when the carriage flipped over.”

“Good job! It’s such a small and pretty feather, isn’t it? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have found it!”

I earnestly patted Wolfsbane’s head. The child’s face brightened again. The Elder saw this and snorted.

“It’s just a feather, isn’t it? It’s small here, but wild animals live here. Among them, there might be a bird with that feather. How’s that supposed to help?”

Oh, when I think about it, that’s true. Just then, I saw Daisy hurl a boomerang, hitting and extinguishing a bird-shaped flame soaring through the sky.

Daisy, now capable of long-range attacks, no longer struggled against the flying flames like before. Just like shooting dolls in a shooting gallery, she swiftly threw daggers to snuff out the fires.

Mesquite’s hand landed on Elder’s shoulder as he spoke gruffly.

“You’re the one who’s wrong, little Elder. Isn’t that an ordinary bird feather?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“My master, Jae, said it’s a very small and pretty feather.”

Why? What’s different? But at Mesquite’s words, Elder looked as if he had realized something.

“I think the color of that bird feather stands out far too much for this place, Jae. Though I have little knowledge of birds since they’re rarely seen in my native habitat.”

Mesquite looked around and continued speaking.

“This area, partly due to the fires, has many dark-colored rocks and blackened trees. It’s a harsh environment for a bird with such a conspicuous color to survive. With that color, it would quickly become a target for predators.”

“That means… this feather might have come from outside with the carriage, or…”

“It could also be a clue about the one who attacked this carriage.”

Mesquite pointed with the tip of her spear at the door section of the overturned carriage. The opposite side had relatively fewer burn marks. On the door side, traces of rough cuts, as if made by some kind of saw, could be seen.

“It could be traces of a Dryad who fought the flames, but you never know.”

There’s precedent. Could someone have attacked this carriage, just like they attacked the envoy of the 28th Terrarium?