Eisole Forest.
It was one of the most famous forests on the continent. Only a small part belonged to the Kingdom of Luther and the Duchy of Ansendil; the rest was unclaimed territory. Towering Eisole Beeches clustered together, having grown there for decades or even centuries. The sea of trees rolled in green waves with the wind, layer upon layer, as it swept over sparkling streams and nameless hills. The scenery was magnificent.
Of course, countless dangers lurked within the forest—but that didn't mean no one lived there. In one corner of Eisole Forest stood a small cabin that had been there for some time, its weathered wooden walls marked by the passage of time.
Outside the cabin was a small yard enclosed by a fence. There was a vegetable patch in the yard, and an old man was tending it. His hair and beard were both grizzled, and he seemed a little unfamiliar with the task. Yet it was as though he had some kind of magic touch: each time he did it, he got a little better. He didn't seem to care that he looked far too old for farm work.
This month was hardly the right season for farming. The Month of Wisdom was actually harvest season.
"Good afternoon, Master." The old man stopped working when he saw someone emerge from behind the cabin. She was a pale-faced girl with platinum-blond hair, sweat beading on her forehead, and a sword in her hand. Their relationship was surprising.
An old man was calling a girl "Master," even though she looked no more than eleven or twelve.
"Good afternoon, Darwin." The girl was Fatenai. She greeted him casually, put away her sword, and looked around. "Where's Little White?"
Little White was the hunting dog. Hearing Fatenai's question, Darwin thought for a moment before replying, "It just went out. Maybe it wants to bring back some catnip again?"
Fatenai nodded, then walked over beside Darwin. "Just call me Lonai... Have you made any progress with your research?"
"Of course I have. This is a fascinating world," Darwin said. "Lonai, this world is saturated with mana, but the mana is extremely thin. That creates a delicate balance, and it gives the plants and animals here unusual properties. Everything here is different from any animal or plant I've ever seen... Maybe I can write a new book!"
Fatenai smiled. Though Darwin was an old man, as one of her summoned companions he was unaffected by illness, and his mind was at its most active. He didn't even tire physically. A renowned biologist like him could be put to excellent use here.
The only problem was that he couldn't write a book. Summoned companions could exist for only a month.
"I organized some of my notes yesterday, though there wasn't much," Darwin said excitedly. "This afternoon, I'd like to go farther afield and have a look around. That theory you mentioned last time might actually be true..."
"I'm glad to see you so enthusiastic," Fatenai said.
If they were only living in the forest, Darwin was actually more useful than a summoned companion with combat skills. During his time there, he had studied countless plants and animals, and he had filled in many gaps in Fatenai's knowledge.
"I'm glad to see you smile, too. I don't know what you've been through, but I hope you can be a little happier." Darwin spoke with heartfelt sincerity when he heard her.
Fatenai was stunned for a moment.
Half a month had passed.
The only thing Fatenai knew for certain was that Wickel was dead—he had died saving her from Ed's control. She couldn't understand why Wickel had given his life for her, a friend he had known for only a few days, someone who hadn't even been of much use. But she knew that, in a way, she had caused his death.
The crushing blow had left her despondent for several days.
"Thank you." Fatenai managed another smile. "It's a shame the equipment here is so rudimentary. Otherwise, I think you could do even more with your abilities."
"You're wrong about that." Darwin's words startled Fatenai again. "No matter where you are, all you need is a passionate heart. I can see so much and remember so much. Equipment is just a convenience."
"You're right," Fatenai said.
Over the past few days, she had come to understand these fanatical scientists. They pursued the truth even if it meant defying everyone else's wishes.
"Oh, look! Our adventurer's back." Darwin hadn't noticed Fatenai's expression changing. He waved toward the entrance. Following his gesture, Fatenai saw a figure bounding cheerfully into the yard. Little White ran over and wagged its tail at her, carrying a plant they had never seen before in its mouth.
"Look what Little White brought back. Good dog." Darwin watched Little White with delight—but the dog couldn't see him. Fatenai crouched, took the plant, and handed it to Darwin.
"Thanks for the effort." Darwin happily carried the plant back into the cabin. Fatenai stayed crouched, stroking Little White's head without a word.
Little White seemed to like her. It wagged its tail and rubbed against Fatenai's hand—which only made her feel more ashamed.
If it hadn't been for her...
"Lonai, come and have a look! This is amazing!" Fatenai suddenly heard Darwin call. She answered, patted Little White's head, and went into the cabin. Darwin stood beside the table—the only table in the cabin, piled high with bark sheets covered in notes.
Holding a magnifying glass, Darwin examined the plant closely. It bore flowers of an icy blue, their beauty strangely captivating.
"Looks like another mana-absorbing plant?" Fatenai said.
She had helped Darwin gather and organize his findings plenty of times over the past few days. His enthusiasm had rubbed off on her, and she was no longer as ignorant as she had been when she first arrived in the forest.
"Yes, and its mana absorption is exceptionally strong. It's receiving no nutrients, yet it's still full of life. We can conclude that it survives on mana. My goodness... this seems to be the plant with the highest mana absorption rate we've seen..." Darwin muttered, growing more and more excited.
Fatenai had noticed what made the plant so unusual, too. She couldn't help asking, "Does that mean that people who can't use mana might be able to accumulate it through this plant?"
"In theory, yes," Darwin said.
Fatenai's eyes lit up. Over the past few days, she had learned a great deal about plants, but her understanding of mana had also improved. Gathering mana was one part of it; converting mana through spells was another. Together, those seemed to make up the ways mana could be used.
Most people couldn't even draw on mana, and Fatenai was one of them. But that wasn't an absolute rule. There might be other ways to achieve the same result.
Unfortunately, Fatenai couldn't find anyone familiar with mana to discuss it with—not even Darwin knew anything about how mana was used in this world.
"Let me check the other details..." Darwin rambled on. Fatenai listened carefully and recorded what he said. "...That's about it. We'll have to observe the other reactions for a while longer. It would be nice if we could collect more. Maybe we could even cultivate it."
Fatenai suggested, "Why don't you write up the steps for me? I could try it."
"Are you interested in this, Lonai?" This time, Darwin was the one who looked surprised. In his eyes, Fatenai, who spent most of her days practicing swordsmanship, didn't seem like someone who would be interested in such things.
Fatenai smiled. "I can't just leave the plants unattended."
By now, Fatenai believed what her swordsmanship teacher had told her about her shortcomings. She only needed to be able to protect herself with a sword. As for defeating everyone... Her gaze drifted into the distance, tinged with worry.
"That would be wonderful. You're very clever, and I'm sure you'll do a good job. At least after I disappear, I won't have to worry about all this science dying with me," Darwin said.
After what had happened with Hermes, Fatenai understood that summoned companions wouldn't be with her for long. But Darwin had changed how she thought about them. He didn't care at all about the thought of parting. Every day, he kept busy with the things he wanted to do.
"I'm not really. If I don't work hard, my family will definitely cast me aside." As she leafed through the notes, Fatenai couldn't help thinking of her days with the Wisdom Family.
When she opened her eyes, she saw her mother—but the expression on her face was disappointment. The kind of disappointment that would stay with you for a lifetime.
If she had been just a newborn baby, that look would have left no impression. But she was Fatenai, who had already lived another life for twenty years.
So she had tried to become an outstanding noble in their eyes. In the end, all her efforts had come to nothing at an awakening ceremony.
"Then you should find something you like doing," Darwin said, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Fatenai smiled, but deep down, she had no idea what she liked.
"I'll go cook. If you need help, just ask me," Darwin said. He had been telling Fatenai about his recent discoveries, and before they knew it, dusk had fallen and the day was over. Fatenai had enjoyed listening, but she was hungry, too, so she said goodbye and left the cabin.
Her third improvement was that she had finally learned how to cook.
Lately, night had been coming earlier and the days had grown shorter. Before, she wouldn't have worried so much, but now she had to think about keeping the cabin safe.
Clouds gathered in the sky, dyed deep orange by the dusk. The forest framed the sky in Fatenai's eyes, hiding most of it from view, but it was still awe-inspiring.
"Rose Month... it's almost here..." she murmured, as if already thinking about the days ahead. At the same time, her senses, growing sharper and sharper, picked up on something.
The Month of Destiny was at hand, and two unusual guests were about to arrive.
Before you continue