The miasma that had been swirling around the divine tree, the miasma that had been rolling up the withered sand and swirling around the divine tree, cleared up - the black divine tree's outer layer of bark was removed, and what regenerated from underneath it was a fresh bark the color of wool.

　The miasma that covered the entire discarded garden disappeared at once with the clean air released from the divine tree - the blue sky was visible, and a dazzling sunshine poured down from between the white clouds that floated across it.

　The gray soil that had been spreading continuously stops and returns to its original color - in the blink of an eye, life returns to the soil of the entire garden, and the plants that had been turned into demons stop moving.

　Not everything in the divine tree is back to normal. However, the regeneration is much faster than I had imagined, and I can see green sprouts on the branches that didn't have a single leaf on them. A number of young shoots have already opened and new leaves are about to be born.

'...... Glass brother ...... deal, done ......?'
Oh ...... yes. I was chosen to be a 'plant spirit'. That's why I was able to make a deal with Euceris as well. I wasn't expecting this to happen, though.

　His Highness's hand, which was holding mine, gently pulls away. When I turned around, His Highness fixed my hair after fixing His messy hair, he also fixed my hair.

''So, Your Highness, I'm afraid to ...... such ......
It's okay. You've accomplished more than words can say: ...... It's the only way I can show my gratitude now.

　The dignity she always wore made Her Highness look bigger than she was. But after all, the woman I see in front of me is one who is smaller and slimmer than me.

　If she wasn't wearing armor - no. It's because she has such a brilliant appearance and yet wears metal armor made for battle that everyone calls her a 'saint'.

'...... Lendl ...... No, Leslie. I admire your courage as well. The glass is more important than anything else, isn't it?
...... I just follow my brother Glass around all the time. Just watching him do what he does gives me courage.

　The word, without being pedantic, now slipped into his chest. The way he said 'he', Leslie looked much more mature than he ever had before.

　I knew he wouldn't stay young forever. Leslie decided to follow me on his own - and he's been here when it matters.

'So am I.' Having Glass here has helped me stop the loss I've been feeling all along. I haven't felt this much better in a very long time. ...... No. Maybe it hasn't been that way since I was born.
''Your Highness's magical power has stopped flowing out, but being connected to the divine tree as a 'miko' has been used to regenerate it. However, I never expected ...... to regenerate so quickly.
...... I can see that. The divine tree, Eucellicis, regains its divinity through 'faith'. But it is not necessarily necessary for faith to be directed 'directly' to Euceris.

　By becoming a priestess of the divine tree, His Highness is rapidly gaining knowledge about the divine tree - if that's what she says, it should be safe to assume that it's true.

'...... Because brother Glass has healed so many people. Everyone's feelings for Brother Glass are the same as 'faith' and the power of the divine tree. ...... Is that what you're saying ......?
'Yes. The loyalty of my soldiers and people to me is also akin to 'faith.' ...... But the gratitude directed to Glass for going around healing the wounded is even more precious than that. To the extent that Glass healed everyone, now the divine tree is also healing.

　As a military doctor, he dedicated himself to treating the patients in front of him - and if everyone is grateful to him for that, there is nothing more rewarding than that.

　And if healing leads to gaining faith in the divine tree, then doing your duty as a doctor will make all things better.

　But that alone is not a fundamental solution. To end the battle, General Alejandro's will to fight must be broken.

'...... Your Highness Astina. If you want to sneak into the enemy's stronghold, join me and .......
'Please take me with you, too. We're not trained in combat ...... but if the enemy has mages in their midst, we need to stop them.

　Knowing Leslie's identity - she's the illegitimate child of the Duke of Renklus, His Highness shouldn't be able to give permission easily.

　I can't and shouldn't take Leslie into enemy territory either. But if I remembered her determination and the way she reached out to the divine tree with me, I couldn't say no.

''My magic will always be effective when we infiltrate enemy territory. It will never slow you down.
''I'd like to ask for ...... Glass's judgment. Since this is how the three of us got to the divine tree, there is no doubt that her power is great.

　I can see, even through my glasses, that Leslie is on the verge of tears.

　-- and yet, when she doesn't cry, she's getting stronger, I think. But I can't indulge my sisterhood until the mission is safely over.

'Air magic can be used to break the spirits ...... then, Leslie's power will be essential.
...... that's ......
'Don't take it too far. Follow the instructions of His Highness and those who accompany you ...... and if you can follow them, we'll go together.
Yes ......, thank you, brother Glass ......

　It would be difficult to cross over to a combat-trained court mage just because he had signed a contract with a divine tree.

　I need a new power. Right now I don't have an effective way to attack with magic - I can halt and block the bow, but I have no way to attack against mages.

　I'm going to use my magic for defense and leave the attacking to His Highness the Demon Warrior and Raquel and the others. I thought about that, but the fact that these women would be wielding weapons makes it almost inevitable that Noin would die.

(I want to hear the truth: ...... whether he betrayed our country or not. If Noin has an agenda, if we can 'neutralize him without killing him' ......)

　Yes, that was the moment I thought about it.

　The divine tree emitted a faint light, and the light gathered on the ground. Then, a plant that hadn't existed before heaped up the soil and stretched out its stems, producing four large leaves.

''Is this ...... the Divine Tree's Consort ......?''

　It wasn't any of the plants that had been demonized - I hadn't even seen them in an illustrated book.

　I wondered if the divine tree had summoned the plants from the spirit world. As I touch its leaves, a single name comes to my mind.

''...... Mandrake ...... this plant, for me?''

　Kamiki doesn't respond. It's as if he's telling me to find my own answers.