World Tree

And it wasn’t just Nadja who had come.

“Oh… though small, this tree is splendid indeed.”

“Th-the bird… is talking!?”

Aira’s surprise was only natural.

Before I realized it, a bird had perched upon the tree I’d just planted with Tree Planting.

No—whether it could even be called a bird, I wasn’t sure.

After all, its size… was about the same as the tree itself.

It might be better to call it a bird-shaped monster.

And since it could understand human speech, it had to be very high-ranking indeed.

It must have broken through the Tree Barrier, after all.

“Maid, he is no enemy.”

“If Nadja says so, then it’s fine, Aira.”

“Grrr, such trust between them… (I could already see their closeness skyrocketing, going straight to the finish line, getting married, and raising three children together… and now a powerful rival appears.)”

“Ha ha ha! Woody-dono, you are truly popular!”

Aira, who had been ready to unleash magic at any time, muttered under her breath but lowered her guard.

The enormous bird, watching the two of them, laughed with delight.

Seriously, just what was this bird?

Since Nadja seemed unworried, I wasn’t either… but still.

Seeing my puzzled expression, Nadja thrust her hand dramatically toward the bird as if to announce:

“This bird carried me all the way here! So it’s a good bird.”

“Th-that reasoning is far too flimsy!?”

“What is it, maid, do you object?”

“No, but I simply believe Woody-sama must not be exposed to danger.”

For some reason, Aira was especially sharp toward Nadja.

While the two of them were sparking off against each other, I decided to communicate with the bird.

“Forgive the sudden intrusion, Woody-dono. I am Simurg—humans sometimes call me the Divine Bird.”

“—Th-the Divine Bird!? So you’re a Divine Beast, my apologies!”

In this country, there exist beings known as Divine Beasts.

They were neither mere birds nor monsters.

It was said that Divine Beasts existed alongside the world itself, guardians who protected it.

The Divine Tiger Fenrir, the Divine Bird Phoenix, the Divine Lion Regulus… each bore divine epithets, appearing often in folktales and legends, guiding people at times, admonishing them at others.

All were said to possess unfathomable strength.

But for the most part, they merely watched over the world and rarely set foot into the human realm.

Even in the education I’d received as a lord’s heir, Divine Beasts were never covered.

“But Divine Beast-sama, why would you… bring Nadja here?”

They were so rare they were treated as objects of worship.

As far as I knew, since the kingdom’s founding, there had never been a single recorded encounter.

“It sensed the World Tree Nadja-dono carried. And then, intrigued by you, Woody-dono, who produced it through your aptitude, it came here with her.”

“The World Tree…? —The World Tree!?”

At first I just gaped blankly, but in an instant my eyes flew open.

He definitely just said World Tree, didn’t he?

“What, you hadn’t realized? The tree Woody-dono produces with Tree Planting—it is none other than the World Tree.”

The World Tree was another figure often appearing in legend, much like the Divine Beasts.

And “big” didn’t begin to describe it.

They said entire cities could be built upon its branches.

That it was so vast it sank roots into the very world itself.

The tales passed down about it were almost absurdly fantastical, even for fairy stories.

That climbing to its top would lead to a sky world beyond.

That medicines made from its leaves could resurrect the dead.

That elves built villages beneath it to guard against its corruption.

And the trees I casually summoned for breaks… were World Trees?

“Amazing, Woody-sama!”

“Mm, as expected of Woody. That’s my fiancé for you.”

Nadja’s arrival, the descent of a Divine Beast, and the revelation of Tree Planting’s truth… the sheer flood of information made me dizzy.

“For now… let’s just sleep.”

I decided to treat it all as nothing for the moment and rest.

Yet, feeling oddly stifled, I awoke in the middle of the night.

And of course, nothing had improved just because I slept.

“Gghhh… s-so tight…”

—In fact, things had worsened!?

The Tree Barrier space I’d created was comfortably wide for two.

But last night, with Nadja joining, we had three. It was much tighter.

Still, it shouldn’t have been this cramped…

Looking up, I saw Aira and Nadja had both crawled into my bed.

Beyond them lay an empty futon and plenty of free space… completely unused!

I tried to move, but I couldn’t budge.

The two of them clung tightly to me.

Aira had my lower body, Nadja my upper body—holding me firm.

Pressed so close, I felt a sweet, dizzying scent.

And against my chest and stomach, a soft, yielding sensation… No, I shouldn’t think too hard about that.

Before the beast within me could break loose, I hurried back to sleep.