Interlude 4: Glen and Spirit King Ele

After dropping Chelsea off at her room, I headed back to the lab. When I stepped inside, I could see a tiny silver kitten curled up on top of the sofa. When he saw me, he stretched before sitting up straight.

«It has been long since I’d last seen a reincarnated being,» said the kitten in an unexpectedly deep voice.

“Can you keep that a secret from Chelsea?” I asked, giving him a fake smile that I wouldn’t give in front of Chelsea.

«I know. I won’t do anything boorish like revealing that, so cease that bloodlust.» Kitten Ele gave a sigh before looking me in the face. «Why have you returned here?»

“There’s something I need to do, and other things I need to ask,” I replied as I walked outside. Ele hopped off of the sofa, following me on his short little legs.

The thing that I needed to do was...put a Barrier around the Origin Spirit Tree that Chelsea grew. From what he’d told Chelsea, it was an easy target, and having it right beside the castle was incredibly dangerous.

“How big is it gonna grow?”

«At full height, it should be just about as tall as this building,» the kitten surmised, gesturing a paw towards the five-story Institute.

“I should be able to manage that... Barrier.” I cast the spell, wishing that the Spirit Tree would be protected from all who could harm it. I could feel a huge amount of mana drain from my body. Since it not only had to be large, but very strong as well, the mana use was ridiculously high. But with this, it’d take someone as strong as me or greater to remove the Origin Spirit Tree that Chelsea planted.

«So you created a barrier...» Kitten Ele was shocked. «I thank you.»

“If you’re thankful, can you tell me something?”

«Alright,» the kitten responded, nodding.

We returned to the lab, and both sat on the couch.

“So, will you tell me everything you couldn’t tell Chelsea?” I asked, a fake smile still plastered on my face.

After looking at me for a moment, Ele looked downward. «These last few years, Spirit Trees have been chopped down, and the spirits could no longer come to this world. I don’t know why it’s being done. But if someone was to be able to plant more Spirit Trees, they would definitely become a target.»

It was the exact reason I’d guessed. “So you contracted with Chelsea to protect her.”

The kitten nodded again. «You aren’t surprised.»

“I’ve heard rumors that large amounts of miasma have been popping up in other countries.”

Spirits were beings who could purify the miasma, and Spirit Trees were the gates from which they appeared. My guess was that whoever was chopping them down didn’t know about the purifying process, and they were being collected only for their beauty. That was probably why the miasma was appearing.

«This world and the spirit world are two sides of the same coin. If the miasma harms your own, it will end up harming ours. As King, I must stop it.»

I nodded at the kitten.

«And it is for that reason that I must have Chelsea plant many Spirit Trees.»

“I dunno about that...”

«What do you mean?»

“With Chelsea’s Skill, couldn’t she make seeds to purify the miasma...or maybe even suck up the miasma?”

«I see...!»

“The problem is how that could put her in even more danger.”

«Hmm...»

“I’ll do everything that I can,” I said, before leaving the lab.