I know the name Mandrake - and all of the Divine Tree's consorts seem to be in a state of contract with me, so there's no need to make another contract.

　It is not, but this plant does not respond to my call. It seems to be asleep.

'Brother Glass, this leaf ...... makes me want to pull it so badly when I look at it. ......
'Wait ......, there's some kind of illusion going on. I'd better chew the grass on this attention ...... I'm sorry, could your highness please do the same?
Yes ...... ...... pain ......

　His Royal Highness Astina is about to say 'bitter' and stamps out. His cheeks seem to be a little red - he is ashamed to even honestly say he is bitter, is that the pride of royalty?

...... I'm starting to get a clearer head. Thank you brother Glass, thank you ...... for the bitterness.

　There are several plants that can be used as a pick-me-up, but I use the leaves of mannenrou incense. It can be refined and used as an incense oil, but if you chew the leaves as they are, they are quite bitter. However, its strong taste is due to its ingredient that resists illusion, and the bitterer the taste, the more effective it is.

''How could this leaf be a dangerous spirit ...... that can conjure up illusions just by getting close to it ......?
''It looks like the divine tree called me from the spirit world, so I guess that means something. ...... I've never seen this plant before either.

　It's not that this plant is using illusions with malicious intent. Perhaps the plant itself has a powerful hallucinogenic component to begin with, and this is reflected in its ability to be a spirit.

(...... Don't tell me you mean to say that this plant's poison is going to round up all of Zirconia's troops ......?)

　That's an idea that comes to mind, but if it's poisonous, it could be any other plant, which is a weak reason for calling this plant from the spirit world.

　What if the mandrake has some special power? I'd like to see what it is - but for some reason I don't feel like I should pull the leaves out to try it out.　

　I'm the one who understands the emotions of plants, so I know how dangerous this mandrake is. If I talk to it and it doesn't respond, do I have to wait? Or do I have to try to pull it out like Leslie says--''

''No, summoner, you must not pull that boy out of it!

　Perhaps because the demonized plants had quieted down, Presha-san and Alraune were fortunately unharmed and came running down the garden stairs.

''Hey, it's not safe to run, but you're a ...... tomboy,''
I'm glad you're okay, Mr. Presha. ...... We made it, too, in time.

　Preciousha was about to catch Alraune, but when I called out to her, she quickly straightened her back and turned red in the face.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you can't get away with it. I don't want you to look like you're smiling just because you're taking care of your kids.
'No, there may be some ...... of that. You're very caring, Presha.
'So, that's what I'm doing at ...... and, anyway, I delivered Alraune safely.

　With that, she looked around at Kamiki and his surroundings, which had changed completely.

'Wow ...... it's totally changed. Does this mean that Glass-sensei has revived Kamiki ......?
'It will still take some time to regain full strength, but I don't think we need to worry about it anymore. So, Alraune ...... don't just pull it out, do you know what this plant is?
'Yes, they are like my relatives. It's called Demon Flower Alraune, Majin Mandrake, and it's close to where I live.

　I wonder if this is some kind of "evil ginseng". It looks vaguely similar to carrot ginseng in terms of its leaves.

The mandrake makes a 'zetsuin' sound when it's pulled out. When people around the mandrake hear this, their energy is sucked out by the roots. Covering your ears is not enough to prevent this; you must protect yourself with the power of the spirit to protect yourself.

　Alraune is desperate to explain it to me. Thanks to that, I fully understood that it was dangerous.

　If it loses its vitality by the roots, it will 'wither' and fall into a state of suspended animation. It's life-threatening if left untreated - a plant that will die if you pull it out of the ground is very interesting, but I'm not going to bypass it either.

'The Power of the Spirit ...... plant to put earplugs in a plant isn't airtight.
...... I think my magic can prevent this from happening. It's a lot of responsibility, but ...... a little more, and I'll have some magic left to .......
''If it's magic, you can use my stuff too. Having you guys use your magic has given me a sense of how to provide you with ...... no, I'm not going to give it away intentionally.
''Eh ......, does that mean His Highness himself can do that magic-storing gem of a thing?''

　A jewel - you mean a magic crystal? It's true that they look polished and beautiful, but it's a fearful thing to compare it to His Highness.

　However, His Highness is smiling softly. With Presha-san's analogy, His Highness smiles - the impression I had created on my own that he doesn't show much emotion changes at this very moment.

''Presha, I have become the 'Priestess of the Divine Tree'. In other words, I was given the role of hearing and worshipping the voice of the Divine Tree. And Glass has signed a contract with the Divine Tree as a mage. To the one chosen by the Divine Tree, I am also ......
''So, Your Highness, ...... any more than that, please, not here and now, but where sister Raquel and the others are also!　It's not like I can take it all in by myself. ......
'This is the first time I've ever been stopped from speaking by a ...... subordinate, though. Presha, I'm glad you're willing to speak your mind honestly.

　The current His Highness seemed to tolerate and forgive whatever she said - that's how calm the air she was wearing was.

　His Highness was both the "Swordswoman General" and the "Saint" - but the latter was probably closer to her essence. Even if you know that you are not allowed to say that in the midst of battle.

'...... Brother Glass, is it time to go?　Or do you want to try pulling it out on my own?
'No, I can't leave it up to Leslie alone. Then I'll cast a spell on me, and after I've blocked out the sound, we'll all get as far away from each other as possible.
''There's no way Kamiki would think of something like killing Glass. You have nothing to fear.
'Ha, at ......, but this kid is very dangerous ......'

　Even if you say it's dangerous, you have to pull it out anyway to start.

"'Air, respond to my will and be a wall to block the vibrations.'

　With Leslie's chanting, a membrane of air envelops each of our bodies. Blocking out the sound means we can't hear anything.

　In the silence, with everyone watching me, I gripped the stalk firmly so that the mandrake's leaves wouldn't tear off, and pulled it out with my foot on the ground.

　　　◆ ◆ ◆

...... nihii. Brother Glass. ...... Get it together.
Are you okay, Glass?
"Mmm ......, oh, that ......, I'm ......

　I'm flying in and out of consciousness from where I was about to pull out of the mandrake. The next thing I knew I was lying on my back with my head caught in something soft.

'...... Good, you're awake now. You don't look too pale.
I was worried about what was going to happen to me ......, but I'm not going to let you worry too much about it ......
'Brother Glass...... Mandrake's kid, he says he's like a relative of little Alraune after all.

　As soon as I wake up, I'm confused for a while by all the different information coming in. I feel like I'm losing track of what I need to deal with most right now - which is.

'...... glass?'　Do you want to chew the grass on your own?

　--what posture His Highness Astina is talking to me in.

　She was afraid to sit on the ground herself and kneel down.

''I'm sorry, Your Highness ......!

　Without a second thought, I jumped up. And as I was about to get up, I saw Alraune and - in front of me - an unfamiliar girl holding hands with her.

''Demon ginseng, Mandrake. I have come here as a member of the Divine Tree Euselisis. With Lord Glass as your summoner, you ask us to obey your orders.

　Mandrake, who was speaking smoothly - he has a leaf on his head, but otherwise looks like a girl about Alraune's age - couldn't get his tongue to turn at the end, a thread of tension. He let me loose.

'Could it be that this girl ...... is the new power of Glass ......?'
'I'm sure that's what it's supposed to be about. ...... Mandrake, what did you do when I pulled you out of the ground earlier?'
...... The Summoner, who has endured my voice, deserves my respect.

　So the process of pulling out the mandrake and enduring its voice was the process of waking her up - I don't know what Euselisis was thinking, but I guess he was anticipating that we could withstand it now.

(Mandrake's voice that knocked me unconscious, even if I prevented it with the power of an air spirit - which, depending on how you use it, is not a bad idea: ......)　

　Although she looks like a girl, Alraune is also a powerful force. Mandrake is also a great power, depending on me - I had a few ideas for what situations I would use her help in.