On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Three Hundred And Six

“Wait, I can’t let you take the risk, Mayumi-sama!” her elegant bodyguard declared, eyeing me fiercely, moving protectively between Mayumi-san and me, as if to defend her. Bemused, since it was Mayumi-san who was asking me for this favour, I waited for her reaction.

“I appreciate you looking out for me, Tsurugi, but there’s really nothing to worry about. I’ve told Akio-kun to keep the pain levels down, and Hinata has had it done already, Motoko-san too. That reminds me.” She said, curious. “Why can’t you anesthetise us, like you did for your healing surgeries?”

A good question. “Since the Astral body is so tied to one’s consciousness, I think it might be problematic to not be awake when the Chirurgery happens. I can’t say for certain, but it’s a gut instinct, and Shaeula agrees with me.”

“I see. Well then…” the elegant yet dangerous girl said frantically. “I should go first, to absolutely make sure it’s safe! I can’t let you take part in something I haven’t experienced, Mayumi-sama, despite the supposed safety of such a procedure!”

“I see.” Mayumi-san mused. “Well, I think you worry too much, Tsurugi. Akio-kun has no reason to cause me harm. After all, we’re going to be partners in Ichijou House’s new venture. But if it would put your mind at ease…”

“Uh, I don’t have an agreement to perform Chirurgery on any bodyguards.” I protested. I know Chirurgery is important, but I’m getting a bit sick of it at the moment, and there’s still so much more to do.

“Surely it isn’t an issue?” Mayumi-san smiled. “After all, we are business partners, aren’t we? This small favour won’t hurt you, so can’t you spare it to make our relationship stronger?”

“If I might?” Hinata interrupted, her expression impish, and I could see the ambition in her eyes. I see she has an idea. At my nod she continued. “Mayumi-sama, I hope you can excuse my rudeness, but it seems to me that all of these favours only flow one way.”

“Hinata, that’s rude. And wrong!” Mayumi-san argued. “After all, haven’t I brought Akio-kun a stake in a large, no, a world-leading mining company?”

“Yes, but you managed to secure an equal stake for yourself, despite Akio doing all the actual work.” She pointed out, and I found myself nodding. Well, it’s not that I mind, after all, I’d have never known about Miss Lindiwe and her cancer, and it saved her life, so Mayumi-san taking payment from that isn’t necessarily wrong, but still, she’s very demanding.

“Well, Akio-kun is getting a stake in Ichijou house’s industries, which is unprecedented. Even my future husband won’t receive a direct stake, only the ability to use mine.” Mayumi-san protested.

“I see. So you’re saying your future husband could come in and start causing problems for Akio in your joint industry? Interesting.”

“Why are you being so hard-headed, Hinata?” she protested. “Aren’t we friends?” I winced at that, knowing that Mayumi-san’s definition of friend was different to Hinata’s, and that had caused her a lot of anguish. Though some good did come out of it. Hinata admitted her upset that day had pushed her to propose properly to me, with the help of her parents. At the time I found it an imposition, but now… with how cute and affectionate Hinata was, as well as how very helpful she was in supporting my interests, it had all worked out for the best, and I wasn’t letting her go now.

“I like to think we are, yes.” Hinata agreed. “Or at least, we definitely will be true friends one day. But business and friendship are two separate things, right?”

“Well, I hear that the military are paying a fee, so I’ll pay for Tsurugi!” she pouted.

“That’s a separate deal worked out behind the scenes.” Hinata insisted. “There are a lot of hidden concessions and benefits that Akio received as well. So just handing over money is worthless.”

“Well, in that case…” Mayumi-san began, but Tsurugi stopped her.

“No, mistress. In matters of security, not even your word can stall me. I’ll not allow you to have this Chirurgery without me. I know you, Mayumi-sama, next you’ll insist on seeing this other world, and if I’m not there…”

Seeing the obvious distress on the face of the bodyguard, I wavered, but Hinata shot me a look, telling me to keep quiet. “I see, well, then how about this? A favour for a favour.”

“What sort of favour?” Mayumi-san asked, suspicious.

“Oh, it’ll be equivalent, I wouldn’t dream of exploiting you, Mayumi-sama.” Hinata smiled reassuringly, but I could see the plotting in her eyes, as I knew her pretty well now. “Go ahead Akio. I know it must be tiring constantly performing Chirurgery, but Mayumi-sama here is an invaluable partner. I just hope she realises that what you bring to the table is irreplaceable, whereas if it was money or industrial connections, I’m sure Fujiwara house would suffice, or even our Fukumoto house.”

Mayumi-san continued to complain, but now the deal was struck, Tsurugi-san sat down on the bed, muscles tense. “I am ready. Don’t try anything strange, or else…” her gaze was hard.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” I assured her, and Hinata laughed.

“Oh, Tsurugi, you couldn’t do anything to Akio even if you tried.” Hinata giggled. “Stop being such a worrier. I know it’s your job, and you treasure Mayumi-sama, just like Kazumi does me. But know your limits.”

“All right, all right.” I chided them both. “Now, let me work. This is delicate and complicated.” I began by using me Eye. Tsurugi, despite her male clothing, had a rather impressive womanly figure, and her muscles were toned and tight. Her network was pretty typical for an ordinary person though, and after a brief assessment, there seemed to be no issues, so I extended my aether, beginning to open her first chakra. Sweat immediately sprang up on her face as she stifled a groan, biting on her lip, brown eyes flashing with pain.

“Are you all right?” Mayumi-san asked, concerned, but after unclenching her jaw, Tsurugi-san said she was fine, and bade me continue. Some ten minutes later, she was lying down, drenched with sweat, her white shirt sticking to her body, panting heavily.

“All done. Sorry about the pain, I tried to lessen it as much as I could with Ether Healing, but when you are carving the proper pathways and boring the chakras, it isn’t easy to keep it from hurting. The only consolation is it’s not so much physical pain as mental, so it fades quickly. There’ll be discomfort for a few days while your network purges the debris. Kazumi-san, you can teach her the proper exercises for raising aether.”

At Kazumi-san’s nod I turned to Mayumi-san, who had watched with fascination, but her face had grown pale as her bodyguard suffered. I expect as a pampered ojou-sama, a little princess, she’s never had to face any pain…

Hinata must have agreed, as her smile was outwardly kind, but I could sense the amusement within it. “What’s up Mayumi-sama? Didn’t you want this? Surely you aren’t scared of a bit of discomfort? Even I managed, commoner girls as well, some younger than you.”

“No, no I’m not! Who do you think I am?” Mayumi-san declared, successfully goaded. “I want to see this world Hinata talks about. After all, how can I assess your talents and worth as a business partner without the full information? I just… well, it’s only natural to worry!” she declared confidently.

“Mayumi-sama…” Tsurugi-san said warily, concerned.

“Just do it! I don’t like to wait!” Mayumi-san said, lying down, though her eyes were wavering. All right then. Here goes… Moments later the screaming began.

********

“Such a shameful display. If the young ladies at school could have seen you…” Hinata giggled at the red-faced Mayumi-san, who was breathing heavily, her face covered with snot and tears. “As for you, Tsurugi, you knew what was going to happen, and that Akio meant no harm.” The bodyguard had instinctively tried to stop me as I worked, but Kazumi-san and Natsumi had held her down as she struggled. “Besides, if you can’t even beat my Kazumi or Natsumi, how would you stop Akio?”

“She was just concerned.” I said, feeling a little guilty. Still, it looked like my secondary objective had been achieved, as some of her boisterous and pushy nature had been curbed by the experience, at least for now.

“Can you charge them up?” Hinata continued, ignoring the bitter look Mayumi-san gave her. “They don’t have time to gather aether naturally, and I want to give them the grand tour. Show them just what you command.” Her smile was now shading to the malicious.

“I shall do it.” Shaeula said, having watched the Chirurgery silently. “Akio, you wanted to speak to the twins and finish their recovery, did you not-not?”

I nodded. “Yeah, and I’ll probably have time to finish Ren-san too. Then we have to meet Primal Forest, right?”

“Who is this Primal Forest?” Mayumi-san managed, the lingering pain not having completely destroyed her curiosity.

“One of the highest nobility of the Fae.” Shaeula answered for me, as she poured aether into Mayumi-san’s network, causing her to groan as spiritual debris were flushed, and also her skin to redden, as the experience was mildly pleasurable. “Very much like your grandfather, I would-would surmise. The old tree is quite-quite the mercenary one, always looking out for his profit, but we need-need what he has, so I do hope things go well.” Her amber gaze met mine and I knew she shared my desire to protect Kyoto, and Tsukiko-san. Feeling a warm sensation of happiness as Shaeula supported my ambitions, I spoke to Miyu.

“You can take a look around my Territory too, it might give you some ideas for your own. Then I have something I want you to do. It should double as training, but it might be hard.”

Mayumi-san watched with interested eyes as Miyu agreed readily, probably as she was one of the few girls she would ever acknowledge as an equal because of her family lineage.

“All right then. I’ll see you shortly.” Leaving them to enter the Boundary, I entered the room that the twins were staying in. Ren-san was there now, having finished his gruelling exercises, his hair sticking to his scalp and his priest-robes drenched. “Looks like you really overdid it.” I laughed, a breeze from my wind energy quickly stripping the worst of the sweat from him, cooling him down. He looked away, briefly annoyed, but managed an appreciative nod in the end.

“Well, how are you two?” I asked the twins. “I don’t want you pushing yourselves either.”

They exchanged a long glance, probably communicating telepathically, before speaking. “Akio-sama, we appreciate that you worry for us.” Chiaki-san said, before Chiasa-san took over. “But we are fine. After all, we have each other. And we have our pride.”

“We want to support our shrine and Ren-sama. And now we have seen the true darkness that lurks…” Chiaki-san said, and Chiasa-san finished for her. “… in the world that the kami inhabit. How can we, as daughters of Hikawa shrine, step aside?”

Ren-san looked pained at that. “Please, stop calling me Ren-sama. Look at how hurt you got… and it’s all my fault…”

“No it is not.” “It is not your fault.” they echoed each other. “You did the best you could, Ren-sama. We address you with respect because…” Chiaki-san smiled.

“… we earnestly hope that you can take on the mantle of venerating the noble Gods of our shrine. After all…” Chiasa-san joined her, her smile surprisingly bright.

“… you are blessed to have sunlight. It is a mark of the favour of the Gods.”

“… besides, you did your best. And we are alive.”

“… what more can you ask for, Ren-sama? Anything else, considering those who died…”

“…is simply too greedy. Be happy with what we have left.”

As the twins finished, I found myself agreeing with their sentiments. Patting Ren-san on the back, I began to heal the twins. It was a matter of fading and regenerating scars and finishing hastening the repair of setting bones and torn muscles. Once more I considered why I could do that, and not regrow eyes, or heal Shiro’s adherence-polluted wounds. “Your sisters are right. I’m not going to lie to make you feel better, but… you did well. Besides, it’s the job of an older brother to put up with the selfishness of his younger sisters, right?”

“Maybe to you, siscon!” he snapped, but he was scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand, and I could tell he was moved by their defence of him. Yes, this experience could definitely be the making of him. It’d be useful to have another useful ally, and we are sorely lacking males around here…

Soon I was done with the healing, and now it was just the girl from Hoeruokami shrine, and taking care of Keomi-chan’s mental injuries. Then I could focus on Shiro and Eri, my true priorities, selfish though that was. Returning to my room after giving the twins and Ren-san advice not to push themselves, I dived into the Boundary, to find everyone waiting for me.

Hinata was the first to approach, a smug grin on her face, followed by the awestruck Mayumi-san, her eyes wide with shock, and the equally stunned but very wary Tsurugi-san, who despite her wonder was watching every stranger alertly, as if they could be a danger. Which when the strangers were ratkin, weaselkin, trolls and more, that was something she couldn’t hope to plan for or understand yet.

“Akio, how are the twins?” she asked, and I advised her they would be coming to train shortly, now fully healed.

“That’s great.” She smiled. “Eri was telling us about how they helped with learning light element and Ether Healing. Motoko, Natsumi and I want that too! We’ll not be left behind!”

“First, I want the three of you to maximise your levels down at the coast. Might as well make use of the second Rank of Lovers’ Link. It’ll make a big difference.”

“Sure thing!” Hinata grinned, and Motoko and Natsumi looked excited, eager to train as always.

“I guess we are babysitting?” Shiro grumbled. “I did want to see the lands of the Fae Shaeula keeps talking about. That damn idiot the Raven Knight kept going on about them too, though he painted a very… different… picture.”

“You know we can’t today.” Eri warned, walking unsteadily, but on her feet here in the Boundary. “Shaeula and Akio have to negotiate with that bigshot. We can’t mess it up for them.”

“Yeah, I’ll leave the overseeing of the situation to you two. I can trust you both. But take a few troops as backup. The coastal enemies are dangerous enough, but nothing you can’t handle. Even so, I like insurance.”

“Poor protective Aki, always worried about us. Well, when I’m fully healed, you’ll see what this white princess can do when she gets grinding seriously! Speaking of… I had a call from Arisu. She wants to meet you very soon.” She swallowed nervously. “You can do it, right?” her black eyes were urging me to accept.

“Fine.” I agreed. “I expect that airhead Suzu-san will be there too?”

“Oh no doubt. Well, at least you know her a little now, I guess.”

“Speaking of…” Motoko said suddenly. “I do not think you’ve been told, but…” her face was red, and she looked very shy. “We have our first official engagement as a couple soon.”

We do? “That’s news to me. Not that I object. You are my fiancée, and I’m damn proud I have such a refined one.” I smiled, and she blushed harder, some of the girls around me giggling.

“Oh, I was going to mention it too.” Miyu said, surprising me. “It’s the invitation to the gala being held by the Queen in England, right? Grandfather got us invitations. He will be attending along with my father, since he is an influential bureaucrat in the MEXT. Cultural exchange is his forte, though if it was not for the Fujiwara name, he would never get an invite to such a prestigious gala. My cousin Honoka will be attending as well, you remember her too?” she asked, and I nodded, as I met her briefly when I was at the Fujiwara mansion to talk about Miyu being a Candidate.

“We shall be attending together with my grandfather.” Motoko said. “Since he is the head of the Military he has sufficient rank. But it is all a pretence of course.”

“I see. I guess Tsukiko-san’s warnings are being taken seriously. I’m assuming that Princess Eleanor will be there?”

“Yes, she will be. She has been seen attending more events than ever recently, along with a rather strange group of men and women.”

“I think they might well be fellow Candidates. Perhaps her support?” I mused, only for Shiro to cross her arm below her ample chest, frowning.

“Cheating on the princesses you already have with another, huh? Damn, now I’m worried! And jealous. England huh. A Queen.”

As the girls started chattering, Hinata broke in, frustrated. “Hey, don’t ignore me!”

“Sorry.” I laughed, patting her head. “The news was just a bit unexpected. I didn’t think the Prime Minister and nobility would work so fast after our warnings. Besides…” I barely remember England at all, but it’ll be interesting to go back. I wonder if we’ll actually get to meet the Queen. Attending a party where she’s there is very different to a royal audience…

“Well, I just wanted to say… Mayumi-sama has something to ask.” Hinata stepped back smugly, and Mayumi-san now looked more deferential, having seem the magnificent Earth Altar and giant Rhyming Tree.

“Hinata says that you control everything within ten kilometres of here. Is that right?”

I concentrated for a moment, interfacing with my Anchor. “Not quite. There’s still a few gaps to fill in, but Shaeraggo and our forces have been busy. Looks like we have around eighty percent of it. It’ll all be ours soon.” Then we can set up Fae Stones and Warning Bells, as it’ll be a while before we push for Rank 4.

“I see. And… you can travel back and forth like this?” she asked. “What about ordinary people?” Her gaze was intense.

“For now, there’s not much overlap. From what I expect though, sooner or later travel between will be possible for anyone.”

“See?” Hinata smugly gloated. “I know we are on the suburbs of Tokyo here, but how much do you think such a massive plot of land would be worth? To say nothing of the resources that can only be gained here. And you looked down on Akio. Repent!”

“Ugh.” Mayumi-san pouted. “Well, I can accept you are qualified to partner Ichijou house in business. But even so, wealth alone doesn’t make you noble!”

Hinata said nothing, merely pointing to Shaeula, and Mayumi-san flushed, before tossing her head angrily. “Fine. So, what will Tsurugi and I do while here?”

“I think you should just enjoy yourself for now. No point in subjecting you to the training for little gain. That reminds me. Miyu?”

“Yes?” Miyu answered as I spoke up.

“I’d like a favour, please.”

“Well, you are my master.” She smiled slightly, causing Mayumi-san some annoyance, and she was muttering about Fujiwara house being above me. Only for now. Besides, Shaeula’s family has been noble for longer than that…

“I want you to Dance the Returning Dawn as much as you can around the construction we are doing. Tillyae and her musicians can play for you if you need it. Get some of Ixitt’s Mortal Engineers to document the effects of the rate of change. Depending on how strong it is, you could be truly amazing as a trump card.”

“I see. I have no objections.” She declared. “Though my outfit is unsuitable…” she looked down, seeing she was wearing the clothes she had worn to meet us earlier.

“Fine, give me a moment…” After asking around the various Fae that were working, some cloth was found for me, and I quickly crafted a suitable kimono. “Does that help?” I asked, and she nodded. “I will not let you down.”

“Great. Now, don’t look at me like that, Shaeula. I can see you are impatient. We have to go meet Primal Forest now, so if you can excuse us. Shiro, Eri, I’m trusting you two with the levelling. Hinata, keep showing hospitality to Mayumi-san. Miyu, please dance your heart out. If someone could let Kana know to look after the twins when they get here, that’d be great…”

“It’s fine. Go, go! We know what to do!” Hinata laughed, and with that we left for the Ring Gate…

********

“I love what you’ve done with the place.” I laughed, as we took our seats, well, our wooden thrones, at the Spring. All around the lake, decking had been laid down and polished to a rich, dark shine, and the Spring itself, while barely, slowly refilling, was clean and pure, rich water element radiating off it. Scaffolding was up along the walls, and viewing platforms were being set up so people could observe and also bathe in the moonlight reflected from the crystals above.

“Well, it is far-far from finished.” Shaeula said, a touch nervously. “Just like the mansion, it is but-but an outer shell. We require café’s, bars and more-more. But even so, it has come-come a long way.” She then sighed, changing the subject. “Primal Forest should be here quite-quite soon. Do remember, the treekin see all the Rhyming Trees as theirs, do not-not mention our Territory has them. It might cause friction.”

“Got it.” I agreed. “And I need to remember to not take offense at the slow speed of his actions and words. Really, he sounds just like an Ent.”

“Ent?” Shaeula asked.

“Treefolk from a very famous British story. Perhaps the most famous fantasy one.” I looked around. Hyacinth had accompanied us, along with the weaselkin maids Klena and Velna. There were also a few new maids who had been selected for training, as apparently with Shaeula’s lofty status, so few maids was insufficient, and one of them was a black-furred ratkin, possibly one of Ixitt’s many relatives.

“Well, do not-not make assumptions. Primal Forest is crafty. I shudder to think of what price we shall have to pay. He will likely sense our need, and bargain most-most strictly.”

I nodded. “Of course. We need to bring Kyoto into range of our defences. Yes, we’ll have a helicopter on standby soon, and we have pilots in the Black Wolf, and I’ll learn myself, but…” If the attack comes on the Material, the Ring Gates will be useless. If however the attack is as I suspect in the Boundary, then we can react near-instantaneously…

It was then a herald came over, declaring Primal Forest and his entourage had arrived. Shaeula reached out, one hand grasping mine, the small hand warm in my grip, and we waited, trying to look dignified and imposing. So that’s one of the Princes of the Seelie, huh?

Seeing the massive Treekin unfold to his true height after passing through the tunnel in a crouched pose, I marvelled at him, Primal Forest being one of the stranger sights I had seen. He was surrounded by a cloud of what looked like honey-bees, and small sprites seemed to be hiding in his mossy beard and hair, only to jump out and flit about here and there on gossamer wings. When you think faeries, they are definitely what first comes to mind…

Primal Forest was followed by what looked like women made of vines, with long, white petals dangling from their waists like bell-skirts, as well as some smaller treekin. Stopping in front of the Spring, close enough for his roots, which he was walking on, to dangle in the shallow water, he sat on the massive bench we had hastily thrown together for the occasion.

“It is good to see you again, noble Primal Forest.” Shaeula took the lead in greeting him. “This is my chosen husband, Akio Moonstone Oshiro.” She gave it in Western order.

“A pleasure to meet you.” I said as regally as I could, relying on my Majesty and the hasty etiquette lessons Shaeula had drilled into me. “I have heard much about you from Shaeula and Shaeraggo.”

“Har. Har. Har. Nothing good, if your brother has anything to say.” He intoned slowly, greeting Shaeula, before turning slowly to me, his hoary face peering at me, the eyes holding a slow but ancient wisdom. “As for you… mortal, yes. But not wholly so. There is a great deal of Fae about you. Fitting, yes.”

“My thanks. I do hope to be a fitting husband to Shaeula, and support her ambitions here in the Spring and the wider Court” I accepted his compliment, and returned one of my own. “I must thank you for your efforts to reforest and replant the barren area around the Shrine. It would have taken us far longer to even begin, were we to do it ourselves.” The broad expanse was still bare in many places, but small groves had formed, and seeds were spreading, weeds and grasses the first to start returning over the wider expanse. Shaeula pointed out some useful herbs that had started to bloom. Perhaps this land will be a treasure for us in time…

“A great tragedy…” his words were slow, but showed no impatience. “… when the vile Myconids took the Spring, so many fine trees and plants died. Do you know, the Rhyming Trees used to bloom here, earth and water trees towering high above the forests, enriching the lands.”

This is the subject Shaeula didn’t want to touch on. “Well, I fear that any such Trees would have died over the centuries, but perhaps they can rise again.”

“Indeed.” Shaeula agreed. “We would be most-most happy to see Fae trees growing here once more. But Rhyming Trees are not-not common, there are few seedlings.”

“That is why each loss is such a great tragedy.” Primal Forest boomed. “If only you could have struck down the foe sooner. Well, haste makes waste, as they say, and it is not fair to expect miracles.” He paused for longer than usual. “So, Princess. You called me here to make a trade, did you not?”

Shaeula seemed surprised the long-winded and ponderous Treekin cut to the chase, but she nodded regally. “Yes, noble Primal Forest. Just as you traded the mushrooms to create a paired Faerie Ring Gate to my brother, I would ask-ask that you offer Akio a pair, for a fair price. We will not-not forget this favour if you do.”

“Ala…” he turned to one of the plant-women. “Show the Princess.” With that, the petalled skirt of one vine-woman unfurled, and a number of mushrooms were visible, the same sort as Shaeraggo had installed for us.

“Such mushrooms are scarce. Fewer even than the beautiful Rhyming Trees. Only we plantkin can cultivate them.” He boomed. “The price is seldom cheap. I ask, why do you need them?”

Shaeula and I exchanged looks. She nodded, so I explained. “I need to protect a land far from my own. I made Oaths to that effect. Knowing that, I seek a boon of a Faerie Ring Gate I can establish, so that when enemies strike, I can react and crush them as we crushed the Myconids here.” I played that up, knowing how much Primal Forest hated them.

“I see. Oaths. Speaking of Oaths…” He sniffed, sucking in a great rush of air, ruffling Shaeula’s amber hair. “Tell me, where did you meet a Dryad?”

The question gave me pause. “A Dryad?” I asked, and he nodded ponderously, wood creaking, bees and sprites scattering.

“Yes. A Dryad. One that favours you greatly. I smell a Kiss upon you, not-quite-human.” He boomed, and his face twisted into an amused, knowing expression. “You have a long way to go yet, little Duchess.” His laugh was staccato, slow and thunderous. “Your face reveals too much. I understand, as the rumours said, your education was… lacking.”

Shaeula conceded with a nod. “I admit it freely, noble Primal Forest. My attitude was most-most poor as well. But I shall learn. I thank you for your counsel. I shall learn from my father, and my mother.” At that, she grinned, as Primal Forest clearly reacted. “Yes, I did-did find my mother again, in the land Akio wishes to protect. She was most pleased to see me once again. I do so-so hope that this is the start of a rekindling between my mother and father, and perhaps between the Night Parade and the Seelie Court.” She frowned. “While there are no-no doubt many of the Parade who the lower Astral would be much-much better off without, I would rather accept and manage them, than allow the Parade to traffic with our bitter-bitter enemies.”

“Yeah, better to have allies than enemies.” I agreed. “Besides, I guess we already did cull a number of… unsuitable… allies.” I remembered the Kijo that Hyacinth slaughtered with her spores, and she did too, as she had a nasty grin on her face.

“Har. I suspect there is a story there?” Primal Forest said at last, after another long rumination to think.

“There is.” I agreed, and I told an abridged version of the battle against the Night Parade, Shaeula interjecting when appropriate. When done, Primal Forest seemed amused.

“Fierce fighters, the pair of you, it seems. Perhaps you could even give this old wood a challenge. Though do not grow arrogant. Those of us who have endured from antiquity are no weak fools. So, tell me again, where did you meet a Dryad so fond of you, she would give what can only be given once. And to a mortal, of a sort, no less.”

“Noble Primal Forest, if I may-may…” Shaeula began, but he waved one massive branch-covered arm, to silence her.

“I am speaking to your husband. Man to man.”

Fine. I know Shaeula said not to speak of it, but he’s clearly on to us. With my Majesty and League at their maximum, I put on an imperious mien. “Well, in truth, three Trees had survived, well, if you could call it that. The poor Dryad had also endured, mostly insane, by devouring her dead and dying sisters to stay alive. The Trees had barely any time left, the spores consuming them. We took a chance and evacuated them before the final battle with Duke Myrcolaxriath, lest they become the final casualties of war.”

“Evacuated?” he looked at me, unblinking. “To where?”

“To a safe place, with rich earth energies. Alas, the weaker tree couldn’t survive, but two did, the Dryad’s tree as well. Even so, it took a lot of work to save it. I guess she was grateful.”

Shaeula winced, but there was only silence. Eventually it was broken. “I see. Ala.”

“Yes, mighty Lord of Nature?” the plant-woman with the mushrooms responded.

“Go with them and help them set up the Gate. I wish for no problems. The mushrooms should not be wasted.” He looked at Shaeula then, before letting out long gales of laughter, lasting for an uncomfortably long time. When he finally stopped, he snorted, the sound of tearing wood.

“I see you worry I may lay claim to the Rhyming Tree. I do believe such trees should be cared for by the treekin, is it not natural? We are the Fae of the trees, after all. But those blessed by Dryads, noble daughters of King Orion, may his wounds heal swiftly, well… perhaps they should be protected most of all. But a Dryad’s Kiss cannot be compelled. It must be given freely. So I have no right to interfere. However…” his gaze sharpened. “If I find these Trees neglected, my wrath will be terrible. Each Rhyming Tree is a legacy of the lands of the Fae. So few new ones are born, and with war unending, they dwindle.” He spread his branches. “As far as the eye can see, I would have groves and glades. If it takes ten thousand years, I shall still be here to see it done.”

“I assure you, noble Primal Forest, we care for the Trees-Trees greatly, and give them the best-best of everything.” Shaeula hastened to reassure him.

“I do not doubt you, who freed the Spring. But even so… Ala will be my witness, and perhaps when the time is right, I shall see for myself.”

“Right, so what payment do you want for the Ring Gates?” I could return the second Earth Tree if necessary, though Asha might mourn…

“Payment?” he snorted once more. “This time, I shall just ask for a favour, in due course. It would not do to be… hasty… in deciding.” He laughed again, for nearly twenty minutes.

“A favour?” Shaeula asked, and he nodded slowly. “Well then.” Shaeula continued. “I shall not-not allow any favour that hurts our interests, nor goes against my conscience, or Akio’s.”

“So demanding. Just like your father.” He boomed. “I can agree to that. After all, I have seen your plans for the Spring.” He gestured to the strange surroundings. “So unlike before, yet… better than before, as you demanded. You offered participation, mutual benefit, and I can do the same. Just remember, Faerie Ring Gates are special. And your need is great.”

“I understand.” I nodded, accepting the deal. It’s not like I have a choice. Well, at least now I’m starting to feel a little sympathy for Mayumi-san, because we just got Hinata’d…