Chapter 64.6: Nikolaus, Part 2

The witch’s request, asking for Nikolaus’s nutrient tonic in return for the Purifying Flowers, hardly seemed like fair compensation. After pondering for a while whether that was truly enough, Nikolaus suddenly had a thought.

(Could it be… she wants to see me?)

At present, Nikolaus was staying in Bit Village, but ordinarily he lived in a chamber within the royal castle in the capital, on standby to deploy from the capital at any time of crisis, or to defend it.

Right now, Bit Village was closest to potential danger. But after overcoming the monster disaster and once peace fully returned, Nikolaus would no longer be needed here and would return to the capital. …And once that happened, there would be fewer reasons to visit Bit Village without cause, to see the witch.

(If it’s a nutrient tonic I made, there’s a high chance I’ll be the one delivering it. …Heh, that’s clever.)

If the amount matched the value of the Purifying Flowers, then a considerable quantity would be required. That would give Nikolaus reason to visit the witch frequently.

In that case, her proposal made sense. In other words, in exchange for taking on the Purifying Flower task, she wanted arrangements that would allow her to see her fellow kind. Negotiations like that would not be difficult. The country must be aware that it was placing a heavy burden on her; it would likely accept conditions that allowed the witch and Nikolaus to meet from time to time.

「Please, have some tea.」

「Mm… Purifying Flower tea? I brought some as a gift the other day. Do you like this?」

「It is Witch-sama’s favorite tea.」

「…I don’t dislike it either.」

While the witch signed the document, Noel brought in Purifying Flower tea. With its rising floral fragrance and nourishing qualities, it was not an exaggeration to call it a specialty that could only be enjoyed in this village overflowing with Purifying Flowers.

When Noel brewed it, it tasted richer and carried more sweetness than when Nikolaus prepared it himself. …Since it was not widely distributed, perhaps Noel had studied how to brew it properly. He seemed to be doing his best as a retainer.

(…Right. There was another matter today. This isn’t the time to relax.)

The witch’s house was strangely comfortable. Thanks to the bellflowers playing soft melodies indoors and the patches of sound-muffling grass growing along the walls, all stray noise was gently suppressed, and the air produced by the plants felt fresh and clean.

The only strongly scented flowers were those worn by the witch herself; the other plants indoors barely gave off fragrance, likely by design so the smell would not become overpowering. She had truly created a pleasant home. He had nearly forgotten his purpose, tempted to linger lazily.

「And on another matter… I have something else I’d like to consult you about.」

As he began, the witch folded her hands together on the table, smiling brightly. She seemed genuinely interested, making it easier for Nikolaus to speak.

He promptly asked whether he might conduct an evolution experiment on her Mandragora familiars. The plant monsters she managed were all low-level and frail. That was likely why she could make them her familiars in the first place, and if increasing their levels caused them to break free of her control, that would be a problem.

(But unless we try, that eccentric assistant’s wish won’t be fulfilled… and personally, I’m extremely curious.)

If a monster possessed intelligence, it could choose its own direction of evolution. Most monsters focused on becoming larger and stronger to increase their survival. But if it could understand human language and had formed friendly bonds with humans, it might evolve in a different direction.

In other words, if the purple sapling was close enough to Ritter to be considered lovers, it might evolve toward being able to leave offspring with a human. …Well, even for Mandragoras with strong wills, it was unclear whether they would desire that much. There was only one way to find out.

(It shouldn’t head in a dangerous direction. The witch forbids harming humans. …As long as they remain under her control, the risk level shouldn’t increase.)

Whether it was possible depended on the witch’s reaction. Yet she showed little hesitation and nodded in agreement. It seemed she was confident that even if her familiars’ levels increased, they would not break free of her control. …And the fact that she readily entrusted them to Nikolaus’s personal experiment meant she trusted him not to cause her harm.

(This is starting to get fun…)

He could tell his lips were curling upward. Lately, Nikolaus had been smiling more often. …Ever since realizing he was not alone in this world.

There had been a time when he felt something close to anger, wondering why she had left him alone for five hundred years. But that no longer mattered. A witch who paid such close attention to him now must have had reasons she could not speak of. And he no longer doubted that she cared for him as one of her own.

After all, there were only two of them in this world. No matter how many humans died in the future, unless there was an accident, the two of them would continue living. …Even if they lost everyone else, they were unlikely to lose each other. Of course they would look out for one another.

(…In the end, I’m the same. …Well, since you can’t honestly say you want to see me, I’ll be considerate.)

There were plenty of reasons to come visit, the Mandragora research, the nutrient tonic she had requested. Surely the witch was expecting that. Surely she had accepted the burdens placed upon her because she hoped Nikolaus would come see her.

「If the Mandragoras show any changes, I’ll share them. …And if you notice anything, I’d like you to tell me as well. Research requires many opinions and perspectives. …I’ll bring nutrient solution regularly.」

When he made it clear he would come visit, the witch’s smile deepened with visible delight. …Honestly, she was easy to read. This older fellow of his kind was troublesome, and yet, seeing her pleased just at the thought of him coming to see her struck him as faintly endearing.