Deep within the Spirit Forest, I encountered one of the Six Kings who stood at the pinnacle of the Demon Realm—the World King, Lilliwood Yggdrasil.
The woman, her form merged with the ancient tree, continued to speak gently to my startled self.
"I apologize for startling you. However, it was fortunate in a way. I have been wanting to meet you at least once."
"You wanted to meet... me?"
"Yes. I have heard much about you from Isis and Kuromueina. I was planning to visit you after the Treasure Tree Festival concluded."
"From Kuro and Isis-san... Um, Lilliwood-sama..."
"There is no need for titles. You may call me as Isis and the others do."
Regarding Lilliwood-sama—or rather, Lilliwood-san—I had heard from Lilia-san and the others that she was an exceptionally gentle member of the Six Kings. Those rumors were clearly true; her voice was kind, and she spoke with great courtesy even to a mere human like me.
"Um, well then, I’ll call you Lilliwood-san. As you probably already know, allow me to introduce myself properly... I’m Kaito Miyama. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you for your courtesy. It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I am truly delighted to be able to meet you like this."
"Um, Lilliwood-san, why were you planning to visit me?"
I bowed my head to Lilliwood-san after she returned my greeting so politely. I decided to press her on her earlier comment about intending to visit me after the festival.
By now, it was beyond any doubt that Lilliwood-san was a being of incredibly high status—one of the sovereigns of the Demon Realm—and she possessed a presence worthy of that title. That was precisely why I found it so strange.
While meeting Kuro and Isis-san had been a coincidence, and meeting Lilliwood-san here was equally accidental, she had apparently known about me and sought a meeting from the start. I couldn't fathom the reason.
Sensing my confusion, Lilliwood-san offered a gentle smile and answered in a soft tone.
"There were two reasons why I wanted to meet you. The first was simply out of curiosity. And the second was... because I felt I must meet you once to offer my thanks."
"Thanks? To me? What for?"
"The Six Kings are all on good terms with one another, but among them, I have the most frequent contact with Isis. She is a friend I have known for a very long time."
Now that I thought about it, when Isis-san came to visit, she mentioned she had "heard it from Lilliwood." It seemed the two of them were very close friends.
Lilliwood-san narrowed her eyes slightly, a hint of sadness coloring her expression as she continued.
"I believed I understood the suffering she carried, and yet, there was nothing I could do to ease it. Precisely because I possess power rivaling hers, I could not grant her wish to interact with those who lack such strength, or to meet someone who would accept her despite her nature."
"..."
"I was often occupied with my own duties, and whenever I saw Isis's sorrow and loneliness deepen, I felt a terrible sense of regret. However, you appeared before her."
"Me?"
It was clear she cared deeply for Isis-san. It sounded like Lilliwood-san had been haunted by her own inability to melt the loneliness surrounding her friend.
"Yes. Since meeting you, Isis has begun to laugh with genuine joy. Every time she visits, she talks about you with such happiness. I am truly delighted by that. The fact that she can now smile from the bottom of her heart makes me happier than I can put into words."
"I don't think I've done anything particularly grand..."
"No. It is precisely because you faced Isis head-on that the cold, hard ice that bound her for so many years has finally vanished. I owe you a debt of gratitude that words cannot fully express. Kaito-san, truly, thank you very much."
"Ah, no, please, you don't need to..."
"I would very much like to show my appreciation. If there is anything within my power that I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask."
I watched Lilliwood-san bow deeply to me. I scratched my head in awkward confusion. Now, what was I supposed to do? Being told she wanted to thank me so suddenly was overwhelming.
I didn't spend time with Isis-san because I wanted a reward. I was on good terms with her because she was a kind, wonderful person whom I enjoyed being around; I never considered gaining anything from our friendship.
The "correct" thing to do would probably be to decline, but one thought kept tugging at my heart.
"...Lilliwood-san. Regarding Isis-san... she's a precious friend to me, and I talk to her because I enjoy her company. So, to be honest, I don't really want a reward for that."
"..."
"So, please consider this a request completely unrelated to that matter. If it's not possible, feel free to refuse, and I realize this might be an impudent thing to ask. But, if it’s possible... could I receive one Fruit of the World Tree?"
Yes, the thought weighing on my mind was Sieg-san.
Sieg-san had said she had no intention of healing her old injury and that she didn't mind being unable to speak, but her feelings might change someday. A time might come when she truly needed her voice. If that day ever came, I wanted to have a way to help her. I wanted to give that option to Sieg-san, who was always looking out for me.
I made sure to preface my request by stating it wasn't a "price" for my friendship with Isis-san, then I bowed deeply to Lilliwood-san.
Lilliwood-san remained silent for a short while before responding with a gentle voice.
"Of course. You may have as many as you like."
"Eh? Really? Isn't it something incredibly valuable?"
"To me, they are not particularly rare. The only reason I restrict their circulation is because I fear that a fruit capable of healing any wound might not always lead to positive outcomes."
Lilliwood-san readily agreed to my request, seemingly unbothered by its magnitude. The Fruit of the World Tree—something the rest of the world considered a legendary, priceless treasure—didn't seem like much to her.
"If a fruit that could heal any wound were easily obtainable, those who specialize in the medical arts would lose their livelihoods. Furthermore, it would strip many people of their sense of caution. While the Fruit of the World Tree can heal wounds, it cannot reverse death. If the idea that 'it’s okay to get hurt because the fruit will fix it' were to spread, it would cause massive upheaval in the world. That is why I limit how many enter circulation."
Her reasoning was sound. If healing every injury became trivial, people would lose their sense of danger and act recklessly. It could be exploited in countless ways.
As I nodded in understanding, a single branch extended from the tree she was merged with. It reached toward me, and a fruit that looked like transparent crystal grew upon its tip.
"Here, this is the Fruit of the World Tree."
"Thank you very much."
I accepted the fruit—which felt almost holy to the touch—and after offering my sincere thanks, I tucked it away in my Magic Box.
Lilliwood-san gave a wry, slightly troubled smile.
"However, this doesn't really count as a thank-you gift, does it?"
"Eh? No, I've already made a very selfish request..."
"...I can tell by looking at your eyes. You didn't want that for yourself. It was for someone else, wasn't it? In that case, it still doesn't serve as my thanks to you."
"No, well..."
"So, let us do this. If you ever need my strength in the future, please call upon me. I promise to be your ally."
Lilliwood-san fixed a serious gaze on me. I wasn't sure what to make of it. I couldn't imagine a situation where I would need to borrow the power of one of the Six Kings, but her eyes looked as though she were seeing something far off in the future.
As if sensing my thoughts, she spoke quietly, her expression remaining solemn.
"...Please be cautious of Phantasm King No Face."
"What?"
"No Face has likely already taken notice of you, given your exceptional circumstances. Currently, they are likely measuring your value—trying to determine whether or not you will become a threat to this world."
"..."
"And if they judge you to be a threat, No Face will eliminate you without hesitation. So, if you ever sense anything unusual happening around you, please call for me. For Isis's sake as well, I cannot afford to lose you."
I couldn't find the words to respond. The Phantasm King, No Face—a member of the Six Kings shrouded in mystery. I remembered Chronoa-san mentioning that she didn't really understand what that King was thinking either.
Dear Mother, Father—I met Lilliwood-san and received a Fruit of the World Tree. And then, I was warned... to be careful of the Phantasm King.