Yuric, seeing the tree and the spirit, roughly guessed the cause of the situation, but he investigated the marquis estate thoroughly for two more days, keeping other possibilities in mind. However, as expected, he found nothing.
“This is the spirit’s desperate plea to save the tree.”
Of course, it wasn’t always this influential from the beginning. As time passed and the spirit’s desperation accumulated, it gradually burdened the human body. Yuric thought that this might be the start of the contagious disease.
Dreams were a form of appeal. Humans considered them nightmares, but to the spirit, they were desperate cries.
Honestly, if Yuric hadn’t seen the tree, he wouldn’t have been able to figure it out like this.
Yuric went to visit Marquis Shriner with the results of his investigation. When he explained the various circumstances, the marquis said:
“Then cut down the tree quickly.”
Of course, Yuric had anticipated that the Marquis might say something like this, so he calmly explained a better solution.
“Your Grace, cutting down a tree inhabited by a spirit for hundreds of years is not a good idea.”
The marquis made a gesture indicating he should continue.
“The tree inhabited by the spirit is called a guardian tree. Cutting down a guardian tree is especially something to be cautious about.”
“Then is there another way?”
“I will try to heal the tree. Then the spirit will repay the Shryner family with even greater abundance.”
“Can you heal it?”
“It’s not a great feat, but I did learn alchemy from a great alchemist. I will try to heal it with this.”
“Then I agree. We’ll follow your advice.”
“Thank you.”
Yuric expressed his gratitude for the marquis’s generous mercy.
Court Mage Strauss came to find Yuric after hearing the cause of the situation from the marquis. If what he said was true, it would surely astonish the academic world.
“A spirit’s plea? That’s truly unimaginable. We need to investigate if there are similar cases.”
“While I can’t say I’m completely certain, I think it’s the most likely possibility.”
“We’ve also been quite puzzled. If water or food was the cause, everyone who consumed it would have problems, but that’s not the case. Moreover, there are no traces of magic or curses.”
Strauss returned to his office, and Yuric went to find Young Master Ifir at the villa. The boy was playing in the backyard when he saw Yuric, and he ran up to him with a bright smile.
“Teacher!”
“Young Master.”
Yuric informed Ifir that the tree was sick and that he would try to heal it. Ifir, who had no idea, was immediately teary-eyed.
“Teacher, please cure it! Cure the tree…!”
“Yes, I will definitely cure it.”
Yuric left Ifir with his nanny and left the marquis estate.
Fortunately, he had a very effective recovery potion formula for plants. He discovered it while making a mana blockage disease treatment potion.
“Of course, it may not be enough on its own.”
Since he had never treated plants before, Yuric planned to use every possible method, including potions and magic.
First, Yuric bought a lot of dried herbs from the market and returned to the marquis estate. Then, he visited the audience chamber again to ask if he could obtain dragon scale. Fortunately, there were many leftover scales from the death of Earth Dragon Alaldur in the warehouse, so the marquis agreed to provide one.
Yuric used dragon scale powder to make the mana blockage disease treatment potion at his alchemy workshop outside the city. This time, it was for creating an agglomeration substance.
After obtaining a considerable amount of the agglomeration substance, Yuric distributed it into several containers for storage. Since it would be used up quickly, there was no need to dry it into powder.
Having completed the work, Yuric carried the potion to the villa’s backyard. He carefully sprinkled the potion around the tree and set up magical runes around it. It was a plant protection spell he had modified based on the one he read in a botanical book. This helped the mana circulate better through the tree’s trunk.
Yuric gently tapped the massive trunk with his palm and looked up.
“Hang in there. I’ll do my best too.”
Although he didn’t know how long it would take, Yuric was determined to give it his all.
Remarkably, after starting the treatment, the patients stopped having nightmares. After about a week, their health visibly improved. Even the young lady, who was in the worst condition, returned to her daily routine.
Upon hearing this news, Marquis Shriner called Yuric and lavished praise upon him.
“Indeed, Yuric’s reputation is well-deserved. Very excellent!”
Yuric solved a problem that had troubled mages for over two months in just ten days. Marquis Shriner was amazed, thinking that the high reputation of the promising mage from Bemberg was not unfounded.
Yuric modestly lowered his head, saying it was too much praise.
“I will do my best until the end.”
“Alright, I understand. I will never forget your help.”
Marquis Shriner, despite being the owner of a vast territory, was also a father with children. Every time his sons and daughters fell ill, his heart ached. Therefore, he couldn’t help but feel grateful to Yuric, who healed them.
Fortunately, the tree was gradually recovering. Twisted branches that had dried at the tips and yellowed leaves were regaining life bit by bit. The bark, which used to crumble at a touch, was becoming firm again. Youngster Ifir noticed the change and his face brightened.
Since the treatment began, Yuric returned to Schleifen. Since the treatment could be conducted back and forth, he spent his mornings teaching Young Lady Ior and his afternoons treating the tree at the marquis estate. During this time, he also played with Young Master Ifir in the backyard or shared amusing stories with him.
For Ifir, who had lived his entire life at the marquis estate, Yuric’s travel stories were like fairy tales. Ifir learned drawing and sculpting from Yuric.
Every day, Ifir eagerly awaited Yuric’s arrival. Whenever Yuric came, Ifir followed him around all day. Even the nanny, who always worried about the young master, now wore a smile.
Thanks to their love and care, the tree improved significantly. Yuric always thanked the tree by touching it with his hands.
“Please wrap Your Grace and humanity in love.”
Ifir also hugged the tree and always said he loved it. Now, even the nanny, the marquis’s children who had recovered their strength after battling the contagion, the servants who heard the rumors, the court mage who found it intriguing, and the marquis himself came to see the tree.
The previously desolate and uninhabited backyard was now receiving people’s love and attention.
The tree inhabited by the spirit recovered very quickly.
Yuric was surprised by the rapid progress and realized something.
Love is a miracle itself.
Perhaps it transcends even will.
And Yuric dreamt.
It was as dark as before in the backyard of that gloomy world. Again, a shadowy figure flew gracefully towards him like a black silhouette. However, as the world gradually brightened, the black figure turned into a radiant white.
Soon, the figure transformed into a woman. She was a beautiful woman with a pure and innocent appearance. She greeted Yuric with a kind smile.
“Thank you. May blessings be upon you in the future.”
The kind woman handed something to Yuric. It was a very luminous small orb. For some reason, he put it in his mouth and swallowed it.
Then Yuric woke up. It was a dream where his heart felt warm and comfortable, causing tears to naturally flow.
Before the image of the woman faded from his mind, he quickly drew it.
When Yuric was preparing for his morning routine after waking up, he received an urgent call from the marquis estate. Yuric hurried to the estate.
Arriving at the villa’s backyard, Yuric witnessed a remarkable sight.
Oh.
The tree was emitting a splendid blue-green color and had grown much larger.
Everyone present prayed towards this holy tree, believing it to be an unbelievable miracle.
The marquis asked Yuric, who had just arrived, “What’s going on here?”
“It seems the guardian tree has truly become a protector.”
“…Heh heh. I never imagined I would witness such a thing.”
Ifir, who had been hugging the tree, ran to Yuric.
“Teacher! I met Mom! She said thank you for helping me grow!”
Yuric smiled and hugged Ifir tightly.
“You must have been very happy.”
“Yes! I was really happy!”
Yuric took out the drawing he had made earlier and showed it to Ifir. The boy exclaimed, “Mom!”
“Our…Mom!”
“Young Master keeps it with him.”
“Thank you, Teacher!”
The boy clutched the picture tightly and shed tears.
Naturally, the boy knew.
That his mother could no longer return.
However, his mother’s will and love remained with her son.
Yuric headed to the audience chamber with the marquis.
The marquis wanted to repay him greatly.
“I can’t express how grateful I am to your teacher. I want to repay him.”
Of course, Yuric politely declined, saying it was unnecessary.
“Seeing such a miracle with my own eyes is reward enough for a mage.”
“But how can that be? People will laugh at me! Think of my reputation.”
Yuric couldn’t keep refusing the marquis’s sincerity, so he finally agreed to accept two dragon scales. Although the marquis wanted to offer a much greater reward, Yuric insisted that a mage needed only that much.
“And your son has exceptional magical talent. I don’t know when I’ll leave, but may I teach him until then?”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to ask.”
When Yuric expressed his desire to teach Young Master Ifir, the marquis readily agreed without hesitation.
Exiting the audience chamber, Yuric returned to the backyard. A white cloth-like object was sitting atop the radiant guardian tree. Clearly, it was a spirit.
While others couldn’t see it, Yuric could see the spirit.
Love and will.
Looking at the tree, Yuric clearly understood that the reason humans could exist was because of those very things.
