I chatted with Jutia-san while sipping the black tea she had brewed and snacking on the confections she provided. I had given her tea tree and sugarcane seedlings as well, just as I had for Ein-san. She was clearly delighted, and her mood remained exceptionally bright as we spoke.
Like Ein-san, she found these particular leaves to be top-tier, and she readily agreed to help promote the brand to her connections.
"By the way, your home is in the Central Great Forest too, isn't it? Where exactly is it located?"
The Central Great Forest was the largest in the Demon Realm—a vast, sprawling wilderness. Wandering in aimlessly was a surefire way to get lost. However, I’d heard that the local spirits and fairies usually helped anyone who strayed off the path, so disappearances were practically unheard of.
Within this forest sat Yugfressia, the city Lilliwood-san governed, but the Seven Princesses also had their own private residences scattered throughout the woods. Rosmiel-san’s Garden of Myriad Flowers was one such place.
"This spot? This spot is in the eastern part of the Great Forest, right in a cluster of Spirit Trees, you see! Since I’m the Great Spirit of the Spirit Tree, I decided to settle down right here."
"I see... Forgive my ignorance, but how exactly does a 'Great Spirit' differ from a regular spirit?"
"There isn’t much of a difference, really—it’s more like a way to identify us. For example—for example, let's look at the Spirit Trees I just mentioned. Since a Spirit Tree is a tree where a spirit always dwells, there are countless 'Spirits of the Spirit Tree' out there. Among all those spirits, I happen to be the one with the most power and the one who acts as their representative. That’s why people call me a Great Spirit."
"Ah, I see. So you're basically the leader of that spirit faction. But among the Seven Princesses, there are others who don't have 'Great Spirit' in their titles, right?"
Her explanation gave me a general idea of what the term meant, but Jutia-san was the only person I’d ever heard of being referred to as a Great Spirit.
"Yes, yes, that's a sharp question! You see, you see, it all comes down to whether multiple spirits of that kind exist. Spirit Trees are a bit unique, but generally speaking, it's easy for spirits to inhabit trees. It's not uncommon for several spirits to dwell in trees of the same species. But flowers? Flowers are much smaller than trees, so their magic power is weaker. It’s hard for spirits to take root in them. Because of that, there usually aren't enough of the same kind for anyone to claim a representative title."
"I think I follow. So the reason Lilliwood-san is called the Spirit of the World Tree rather than a Great Spirit is because there aren't any other World Tree spirits besides Nebula?"
"Exactly, exactly. First of all, there are very few World Trees in existence. Beyond that, Lilliwood-sama manages most of them herself to ensure spirits don't dwell in them. The magic power within a World Tree is so massive that if spirits were to inhabit them unchecked, they could throw the local ecosystem completely out of balance."
That made sense. I remembered how Lilliwood-san had rushed over the moment Nebula manifested in the World Tree at my house, performing a battery of thorough tests.
"In the case of flowers, the magic from several blossoms usually coalesces into a fairy before a spirit can ever manifest, so it really is rare for them to appear. It's almost like a mutation. That’s why, that’s why, the spirits that do inhabit flowers tend to be exceptionally powerful. Grass spirits are even rarer—outside of Camellia, I don't know of a single one."
"I see. Thank you for explaining all that to me."
"It's nothing, really! Don't give it a second thought. If anything, it makes me very happy to see you taking such an interest in spirits! If there's anything else you're curious about, just ask."
Jutia-san gave me a bright, cheerful smile. Her gentle, kind-hearted nature was palpable, making me feel incredibly relaxed.
Thanks to the comfortable atmosphere, our conversation flourished as we continued our pleasant chat.
Serious-senpai: "In other words, if there were multiple versions of Serious existed, I would be a Great Serious-senpai..."
???: "You're already a mess on your own, so what are you even talking about, ssu?"
Serious-senpai: "Can't a girl dream...?"