One afternoon, Isis stood before a mountain located near her fortress. She was there to fulfill a request from Kuromueina, performing a routine check of the area.
Deep in the northern reaches of the Demon Realm lay the Land of Death. As the domain of the Death King, Isis, it was a place of profound dread for most, but for a select few, it was a land of immense value.
While the region was famous for the rare gemstones that could be excavated there, such as Ice Crystals and Blue Diamonds, it was also home to some of the finest Magic Crystal veins in the entire Demon Realm. Magic Crystals formed when ambient magic gathered in specific locations known as Magic Power Spots, fusing with the local ore.
The purity of these crystals—and thus their value—depended entirely on the concentration of magic. The Land of Death was already one of the preeminent Magic Power Spots in the world, and its potency was further amplified by the presence of Isis, a being who possessed some of the most powerful magic in existence. Between the land's natural properties and the saturation of her vast aura, the area was a literal treasure trove. Furthermore, because her Magic Power of Death deterred any magic-consuming monsters from settling there, the high-quality veins remained undisturbed.
Because the most valuable veins were located in areas where the magic was densest—specifically, near Isis's castle—ordinary people were unable to even approach them. Furthermore, since the ruler of the Land of Death was widely feared, those who dared to mine there were few and far between. In fact, Kuromueina was the only one who did. The two held an exclusive contract, with mining operations occurring roughly once every few decades. Kuromueina had recently reached out about starting a new excavation, which was why Isis was currently inspecting the status of the veins.
The task was trivial for her. A single, brief activation of detection magic was all it took to confirm the abundance of resources. Her work was finished in a heartbeat.
Isis prepared to activate her teleportation magic to return home and settle in with a book, but something caught her eye and gave her pause.
"How rare... To think one would be blooming... in a place like this."
In the direction of her gaze, a single flower, glittering like blue crystal, bloomed amidst the snow-covered earth. It was a Blue Crystal Flower—a plant that held deep, personal meaning for her.
The Blue Crystal Flower possessed unique properties. While it took root, it did not draw nutrients from the soil or rely on photosynthesis. Instead, it fed on the faint magic present in the air. This allowed it to thrive in environments normally hostile to life, such as frozen wastes or barren lands. However, the exact laws governing its growth remained a mystery; even in identical environments, one might bloom while another did not. They were rare, nearly impossible to cultivate artificially, and appeared sporadically—sometimes solitary, sometimes in clusters.
Ancient fairy tales depicted these flowers as the footprints of an invisible traveler, blooming wherever that wanderer stepped. Because of this, they were often called "Travel Flowers." To encounter one was considered a Small Miracle, which happened to be the floral meaning of the plant. For Isis, it was currently her favorite flower in the world.
"Only one... I see."
Looking at the solitary blue flower in the empty expanse, Isis saw a reflection of her past self—the person she had been before she met Kaito. Perhaps that was why she used her magic to carefully excavate the ground around the bloom, lifting the flower along with its small patch of earth.
"Being all alone... in a place like this... it must be lonely," she whispered.
Isis activated her teleportation magic. While artificial cultivation was nearly impossible, a flower that had already bloomed was surprisingly resilient and would not wither as long as it had a source of magic. Once back at her castle, she transplanted it into a pot and placed it on the windowsill of a room with the finest view. She allowed a gentle smile to cross her lips before quietly departing.
The old tales about invisible travelers were, of course, works of fiction. Yet truth is often stranger than myth, and the author of those stories had inadvertently touched upon a grain of reality.
"Oh dear, oh dear... What is this terrifying aura? Is this that Death King I've heard so much about? I’ve been picked up by someone truly unbelievable... What am I to do?"
The flower Isis had brought home was inhabited by a spirit named Spica. She was the sole Spirit of the Blue Crystal Flower in existence. Interestingly, Spica was the only Count-class High-ranking Demon whose existence escaped even the omniscient Alice. Likewise, Liliwood, the Spirit King, was entirely unaware of her. The reason was simple: Spica had never once manifested in her spiritual form.
She was one of the oldest spirits, second only to Liliwood herself. Among flower spirits, she was the very first. In the spirit race, magic power typically grew with age rather than training, making Spica's mana incredibly formidable. Yet she had almost never exerted it. She spent her time wandering the world as the wind took her, staring blankly at the scenery for centuries on end.
When Liliwood had established her independence and sent out a summons to all spirits across the Demon Realm to register their status, Spica had simply ignored it, assuming it had nothing to do with her. Consequently, even Liliwood believed that Blue Crystal Flowers were plants that hosted no spirits.
"Hmm, an opponent with such ominous magic... If I stay here, there's no telling what she'll do to me. I’ve got to run away fast..."
Even a soul as laid-back as Spica found the Magic Power of Death somewhat daunting at close range. She decided she should flee the castle as soon as possible. But Spica was the most easygoing person in the Demon Realm.
"Yes, I’ve got to go. I’ll make it quick... I’ll leave in about twenty years."
For her, moving within twenty years was a personal record for speed.
"That aside, the view from here really is lovely. Snowy landscapes have a certain charm to them, after all."
And so, guided by fate, the spirit who would eventually be known as the Crystal Flower Star arrived at Isis’s castle. Though she was initially wary, her perception shifted over time. She found herself intrigued by the woman who treated a single flower with such profound tenderness. The castle was surprisingly peaceful, and as she watched Isis come to check on her, Spica felt a desire stir within her for the first time in her long life—the desire to speak.
She finally manifested her spiritual form. As they conversed, Spica was drawn to Isis's character and the warmth of the household. She decided to end her eternal journey, taking root in this land as Isis’s subordinate. To this day, she is the only being in the world who can command the Blue Crystal Flowers to bloom at will.