It had taken two full days to gather the necessary number of Midnight Crystals. My routine was a grueling cycle: I would push my Sympathy Magic until my mana reserves hit zero, rest to recover, and then resume the search. If one area proved fruitless, I would move to a different mountain and start all over again.
I might have been too optimistic if the very first material was this much of a struggle. But if I was going to make this gift, I wanted it to be perfect. Compromising felt like I was admitting my feelings for Lilia-san were shallow. It might have been a strange obsession, but I was determined to gather the absolute best materials I could possibly obtain.
Then came the 29th of the Month of Earth. Nursing a body wracked with intense muscle pain, I arrived at my next destination.
"Good wood, you say?"
"Yes. I know it’s rude to drop in so suddenly, but I was hoping you could lend me your wisdom, Lilliwood-san."
I was currently in the Forest City, Yugfressia—the largest city in the Demon Realm and the seat of Lilliwood-san’s power. Naturally, I had come to consult her on whether there was any high-quality wood suitable for a music box. She was, after all, the most knowledgeable person I knew when it came to flora.
Lilliwood-san listened to my request and gave a gentle, nodding smile.
"Of course, I don’t mind at all. Let me think... hmm. It’s a bit embarrassing to suggest, but if you require wood, I believe a Branch of the World Tree would be the finest choice."
"The name alone sounds incredible... but why is it embarrassing?"
"Well, you see... it feels as though I am merely praising myself."
"Praising yourself?"
I assumed the World Tree she spoke of was the massive landmark in the center of Yugfressia—the colossal tree that pierced the very clouds. It was far larger than any mountain, a true marvel of fantasy. I tilted my head, still not grasping why that would cause her any embarrassment.
Lilliwood-san’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she spoke with a hint of hesitation.
"...No, um, well... the World Tree is my true body."
"Wait... what?! Eeeeeeeeh!?"
"You see, I am a spirit of the forest. In the truest sense, the entity known as Lilliwood Yggdrasil is the World Tree itself. The 'me' you are speaking to now is essentially a personified manifestation of that tree."
"I... I see."
In other words, Lilliwood-san was the personification of the World Tree. Since she couldn't move while in her arboreal form, she transferred the majority of her magic power into a spirit body to interact with the world, though her core remained the tree itself.
That meant the largest of the Six Kings wasn't actually Magnawell-san, but Lilliwood-san. That World Tree looked like it was tens of thousands of meters tall.
While I was stunned, it also made a lot of sense. I remembered her once growing a Fruit of the World Tree from a branch she produced from her own body. Recalling that, it was easy to accept her as the spirit of the great tree.
"B-But if that's the case, I can’t exactly take one of your branches, can I?"
"Oh? No, I don't mind at all. Even if one is severed, it regenerates in a matter of seconds."
"I... I see. Is that so?"
Because she was so gentle and sensible, it was easy to forget that she was a being who transcended human logic. My common sense clearly didn't apply here.
In any case, it looked like I would be able to obtain a branch. However, Lilliwood-san wore a somewhat conflicted expression.
"...However, um... Kaito-san, you intend to harvest it with your own hands, yes?"
"I-If possible, that’s what I’d like to do."
"I see. It will be quite a difficult task, you know? Are you still prepared to try?"
"Y-Yes! I’ll do my best!"
I didn't quite understand what would make it so difficult, but I stood by my resolve. Lilliwood-san nodded and used her magic to float me up to a massive branch halfway up the World Tree.
Even though it was technically a branch, the tree was tens of thousands of meters tall. It was so wide that just running from one side to the other felt like a marathon. Just as I was wondering how I could possibly cut something of this scale, a smaller branch—about the thickness of a normal cedar—sprouted from the wood.
"Please use that one. It should be more than enough for your needs."
"Thank you. This helps a lot."
"Then, Kaito-san... take this."
"Is this... a saw?"
Lilliwood-san handed me a golden saw. It looked like an exquisite masterpiece, far beyond anything I’d ever seen.
"It is an Orichalcum Saw."
"...What?"
Orichalcum? Wasn't that a legendary metal? The kind used for the ultimate equipment in video games?
"I’ll leave ten of them here for now. Please let me know if you require more."
"...Huh?"
"Well then, I wish you luck."
"...Eh?"
Leaving me with those incredibly ominous words, Lilliwood-san told me she would return to collect me later and departed. I stood alone, looking back and forth between the legendary saw in my hand and the branch of the World Tree.
I had a feeling this was going to be an ordeal.
That premonition proved correct. By the time the sky was painted with the colors of dusk, I was still locked in a desperate struggle with that single branch.
"I-It won't cut... It's way too hard!"
I didn't even know how many hours had passed. Four Orichalcum Saws had already snapped, and I wasn't even halfway through. I had to move the saw dozens, hundreds of times just to make the slightest bit of progress. The wood was impossibly dense. I finally understood why Lilliwood-san said it would be difficult.
"Wait, if it's this hard... even if I cut it, I won't be able to process it."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Turning a branch into lumber would be impossible for you, Kaito-san, so I'll handle that part. I'll adjust the size and cut the pieces; you just have to assemble them."
"I-I see..."
I nodded, feeling a faint sense of despair at Alice's voice, which seemed to come from nowhere.
Maybe I didn't need to use such a ridiculous material. I had gotten quite used to the saw by now; surely I could just buy some normal wood and cut that instead? No, that was no good! I had promised to make the absolute best thing I could for Lilia-san! I couldn't let myself be defeated by this. Begone, my lazy heart!
If I could finish half of it in half a day, I could finish the rest in another six hours! A man needs guts! Let's do this!
"By the way, Kaito-san... remember that magic tool knife you bought at my shop? The one that produces a wind blade? If you overlap that with the saw, the wind blade will spread across the teeth and drastically increase the cutting power. Just a little tip for you."
"...Hey, Alice?"
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you tell me that sooner? I've already cut half of it! It took me hours! You were watching the whole time, weren't you? You did this on purpose, didn't you!?"
"Oops, I just remembered an urgent busine—waugh!?"
"Wait right there. Before I get back to work, we need to have a talk."
I grabbed Alice by the scruff of her neck as she tried to make a break for it and gave her a stern lecture while I took a short break.
Afterward, thanks to the saw being reinforced by the wind blade, my cutting speed doubled. I managed to sever the branch about six hours later. By then, my arms felt like they were ready to fall off.
"Ugh... ow... My arms hurt so much. I can’t move them... it’s like they’ve been set in concrete."
"You really worked hard, didn't you? You’re amazing, Kaito-kun. But you shouldn't push yourself too far, okay?"
First the pickaxe, and now the saw had completely finished off my muscles. I had lost all sensation in my arms, and I couldn't even lift them. While I was working, my motivation had allowed me to ignore the pain, but the moment I returned to the mansion, the exhaustion hit me like a tidal wave.
As she gave me a lap pillow, Kuro gently placed her hands on my arms and cast healing magic. The feeling of my rock-hard muscles being softened and kneaded was incredibly soothing, and I savored the comfort of her lap.
"The materials for this are way too difficult... This is too much for a normal human like me. But I have to do it... Ugh, I’m so tired."
"I know, it’s a lot. You look so cool when you’re working hard, Kaito-kun, but if you never stop to rest, you’ll burn out. So, just take it easy for now."
"I suppose so."
"It’s okay. I’m right here with you."
"Yeah."
Muttering a response, I wrapped my arms—which had regained a bit of movement—around Kuro’s waist and gave her a light hug. This was dangerous; I was going to get addicted to this. Being pampered by Kuro was so relaxing. She accepted everything so kindly that my heart and body felt completely rejuvenated, and the desire to keep working began to well up again.
"Kaito-kun... I’ll always be cheering for you. Do your best."
"Yeah... I will."
Dear Mother, Father—
The second material is wood from a Branch of the World Tree. It was incredibly hard and took an immense amount of time to get, but I managed it somehow. The music box construction has only just begun. For now, I’ll let my heart and body heal so that from tomorrow onwards—I can work even harder than today.