At a time that could still be described as early morning, Alice stood atop the roof of Kaito’s home. Shrouded in a veil of invisibility, she stared down at the Fruit of the World Tree Kaito had entrusted to her.
(…Things have taken quite a peculiar turn.)
Wearing a slightly troubled expression, Alice shifted her gaze to the garden below. There, Nebula was using magic transformed into the shape of pruning shears to meticulously tend to her main body, the World Tree.
She cut away overgrown branches and leaves, stepping back every so often to check the overall silhouette. To any casual observer, there was nothing out of the ordinary about the scene.
(No matter how many times I look at her, she really does seem like a normal Spirit. But an entity with the same name as the Ultimate God I heard about from Machina appears from a World Tree that mutated in a way never seen before… There are just too many coincidences here to dismiss it as a fluke.)
The transformation of the World Tree in Kaito’s garden was an Irregular event so sudden that even Alice had blurted out, "What the heck is that?" Despite her investigations, she hadn't found a single case of such a change occurring in the past.
Furthermore, even after being examined by Lilliwood—who was an expert on Spirits—and Kuromueina, the only conclusion they reached was: "We don’t really know, but it’s probably a mutation." In the end, they were still completely in the dark.
(But for now, her origin is the only thing that's weird… There’s nothing else suspicious about her at all. She isn’t acting strangely, and she’s friendly to everyone… Hmm.)
As Alice wrestled with her thoughts, Nebula finished pruning the World Tree and moved on to the flowerbeds and the fountain. Once she had completed a full circuit of the grounds and confirmed that the sun had fully risen, she nodded with satisfaction.
(Umu, a job well done. This garden, housing my main body, is as good as this one’s own domain. Therefore, keeping it beautiful is merely the Duty of the Absolute One.)
In truth, Nebula’s gardening skills were magnificent. Without making any drastic alterations, she had maintained the grounds so perfectly that the entire garden looked significantly more vibrant than it had before.
(The one who managed this previously also possessed a fine hand. While they naturally cannot hope to reach the heights of this one, the Absolute One, they clearly possessed a thoughtful eye for scenery and a diligent work ethic. They must be a truly exceptional gardener.)
"Oh my? Might you have… been tending to the garden?"
(…Hm? This one is surely…)
While Nebula possessed the pride and confidence of an Absolute One, she did not necessarily look down on others. She viewed herself as separate from Lower Beings, but she was more than willing to fairly evaluate and praise superior talent.
As Nebula internally lauded the previous caretaker, a voice called out from behind her. She turned to find Illness standing there, carrying tools like pruning shears.
"Good morning, Illness-san!"
"Good morning to you too."
"I am sorry. Did I act out of turn?"
Observing the tools in Illness’s hands, Nebula realized she had interrupted the other woman’s scheduled work and offered a sincere apology.
"No, no… not at all. On the contrary, I was surprised because it looks even more beautiful than when I do it. I was especially impressed by the way you handled the shrubs and flowerbeds; I was quite moved."
"Thank you. However, since your initial maintenance was already so lovely, there was little for me to add. Still, as I am a Spirit, I have confidence that I will not fall behind anyone when it comes to the care of plants."
"I see… If there are any tricks, I would very much love for you to teach me."
Nebula truly was as skilled as her self-proclaimed title of Absolute One suggested. The garden was arranged so perfectly that even in the eyes of a professional like Illness, it was a masterpiece. Hearing Illness’s request for guidance, Nebula’s thoughts began to whirl.
(Fumu, she begs for my tutelage… Very well. It is also the Duty of the Absolute One to teach and lead Lower Beings.)
Quickly organizing her thoughts, Nebula beamed at Illness with a bright smile.
"Yes! If it is something I can teach, I shall provide as much instruction as you like!"
"Thank you very much."
Nebula readily accepted the request and spent the next ten minutes showing Illness several specialized techniques. Since Illness’s baseline skill was already quite high, there wasn’t much to correct, and the lesson concluded quickly.
After smiling in response to Illness's gratitude, Nebula looked as though she had just been struck by a new idea.
"…By the way, Illness-san. I have a proposal."
"Yes?"
"Regarding Master’s Garden—it seems it is currently modeled after Lilia-san’s mansion, but if we adjust the placement of the shrubs and expand the lawn area, wouldn't it be easier for Bellfried and Lindwurm to play?"
"I see… That is a very good idea."
Unlike Lilia, Kaito was not a noble, and he had no need to strictly adhere to aristocratic landscaping traditions. Up until now, the garden had simply been kept in a similar style because Kaito hadn't made any specific requests, but as Nebula pointed out, Illness felt Kaito would be pleased if there was more room for Bell and Rin to run around.
"I will try consulting Kaito-sama about it. If Kaito-sama gives his permission, let us make those changes together."
"Yes!"
"When we begin the redesign, it would be a great help if Nebula could lend her assistance with various tasks."
"Of course! Since I am the Absolute One, you can leave everything to me with peace of mind!"
"How dependable."
After watching fondly as the small girl puffed out her chest in a show of confidence, Illness smiled warmly.
"If you are able to consume food and drink, shall I prepare some black tea for you?"
"Thank you very much! I would love some."
Perhaps because they shared a naturally attentive disposition, Illness and Nebula found themselves to be quite compatible. They continued to chat happily about their plans for the garden as they headed inside the house.
Serious-senpai: "…Why are you agonizing over this?"
???: "It’s not me. From Alice-chan’s perspective, the standard for a God of World Creation is Shallow Vernal-sama or Machina. This one is so rational and decent that Alice can’t wrap her head around her being a God. It’s throwing her off, ssu."
Serious-senpai: "…So because of the airhead and the yandere, being 'sensible and straightforward' has actually become a unique personality trait instead…"