A girls' dormitory in the Kingdom of Horfath.

　Livia and Angel receive a letter delivered by Cleare, and when they learn of Rion's recent situation, they become worried.

''Rion-san, it's nice to have a pet Noel-chan, but have you made a friend or something?''

　It says that the academy in the Republic is a terrible place, and others say that it is faster to learn a foreign language if you learn it locally after all, and so on.

　Even more than that, there was a detailed description of his pet, Noel.

He is an old dog and 17 years old. It says she's a lovely female but wouldn't she need a lot of care if she were to keep her?

　Creare adds.

'The Master seems to be worried about that area too. I've heard that as soon as the school is over, he's going home to take care of them. And ... you still don't have any friends.''

　Livia's shoulders slump and she looks sad.

'I feel sorry for you, Rion-san,'

　Apparently, Angier agrees with me on that.

'I think it's important to get along with the local students, but I'm concerned about the attitude of the Republic. I think it's important to make friends with the students, but I'm concerned about the attitude of the Republic.

　Livia is also curious.

'I've heard that the kingdom has lost twice in the past, but isn't that still too bullish?

　Angier looks abhorrent.

''They say they are so confident in themselves. You said that the attitude of agitating and making enemies bothered the queen too.'

　In fact, they have won a number of defensive battles, and the surrounding countries are well aware of the strength of the Arzel Republic.

　That's why Milene, the queen, is also taking a cautious approach.

　But it was also a problem that the embassy there was too weak-minded.

　A hand on her chin, Libya thought.

''........If the country is so powerful, I don't think it's surprising that the territory would be more spread out?''

　Angier will tell you the disadvantages of expanding the territory.

'It's hard to govern across the sky, too. It's a country that hasn't struck out on its own for many years. Though, outside of defensive battles, we're not undefeated.''

　It is Angier's opinion that they are too weak to strike out except in defensive battles.

　In fact, they have been defeated when they have invaded in the past.

''It's a strange country,''

　Angel could only nod at Livia's impressions.

''That's right. But Arzel is a country that seems to believe in the Holy Tree in the center of the continent. There is a rumor that they don't want to leave their continent because their continent is a holy place, so they don't want to leave there. Would you like to have Rion confirm that?

　Since it's a good time to do so, Angel was going to ask Rion to look into that area.

　Livia was interested in the term "holy tree".

'A holy tree? Does it mean something?''

◇

A holy tree is like a ball of energy.

　It was in a small area behind the stairs that he was talking to Marie, who was bent down and talking to him.

　We're talking about hiding, because the five disturbed people have been particularly May-like lately.

　They can't allow Marie to rely on me.

　Do you understand that if you guys would just do better, I wouldn't have to feed Marie?　Or rather, I'm not the one who indirectly feeds those guys, either.

　I'm researching about the Holy Tree, since it's a request from Angier and Livia.

　I check with Marie, who has game knowledge, and it seems that a holy tree is a mass of energy.

'No, it's a plant, right?'

'I don't know. I'm the type of person who doesn't care about the setting or anything else, so I only know the parts of the game that were explained to me. And that was more than ten years ago. There's a lot I've forgotten.

You know how to harness energy.

Isn't it?　You know, that thing ... the free energy thing?

　Or should I say "perpetual motion"?

　In a previous life, I think it would have been classified as occult or something like that, but it would be the final form of energy that humanity dreams of.

"The Sacred Tree continues to generate energy, huh?

Yeah. That's how it feels. You don't have to worry about the power, do you?

　The Arzer Republic with no energy problems.

　Now we know the secret of its strength.

''Also ... there was some kind of contractual relationship. The holy tree is rooted in the land of Arzel, so it's a lot of things, and if you make a contract with it, it's enforceable or something.

You have to be clearer than that.

I've forgotten about it.

　When I gave Marie, who was sulking, a piece of bread as a reward, she gladly accepted it and ate it.

　This guy has a bigger appetite than our Noel.

''You're that priestess in the holy tree, aren't you? There's a lot of setting up over here too.''

　Marie, who had finished her bread, asked me, licking the cream off her fingers.

'Is everything okay in there?　How are things going with Mr. Antai?

"Don't call me that. I'm looking at you, not killing you. I feel like I'm looking at a young couple.

'Isn't that a couple of firsts, not a mood?'

　The main character, Lelia, was fine.

　She didn't even look at the five popular foreign students, and she wanted Emile.

　This refreshingly single-mindedness would be the main character.

　I wish some idiot reincarnation would learn from it.

　Like Marie, who seems happy to have finished eating the bread in front of you.

The protagonist is doing well. Just keep watching him and you'll make good progress. Don't mess around with your hands, don't scratch them.

Why are you telling me this?

'Put your hands on your chest and think about it. Whose fault is it that you think you're in so much trouble?

　Marije looks frustrated and leaves the place, probably because her business is done and her stomach is full.

　After seeing her off, I quickly decided to go home and take care of Noel.

◇

　Rion's home.

　Luxion was looking after Noel.

'This is a nutritional diet that I have formulated perfectly. Eat it.'

　Noel obeys Luxion's orders and eats obediently.

　It's as if he still wants to live strongly.

I'm sure you'll be glad to know that your master is now in a coma and in critical condition. But rest assured, he is in good hands. I am here to assist in the healing process and the master is providing financial support.

　Noel looks up and takes a lick at Luxion.

　Luxion looks at Noel's face.

　Noel resumed eating, and when he finished eating, he waddled back to his bed and sat down.

　As soon as she finished eating, she fell asleep.

''She's a good girl.

　After confirming the information from the drones, Luxion quickly left his home and headed down to Leon.

◇

　Behind the school building.

　Brad was dismayed when Pierre called him out to the boys surrounding him.

''I wish you would stop acting like an idiot. We have a lot of positions to fill, too, don't we?

　When Brad arrived at the back of the school building, he hadn't expected this to happen.

(Well, what do we do now?)

　The other party is also a nobleman from another country.

　They called up a foreign student - and the child of a nobleman - and followed him, thinking that they would not assault him.

　But the wooden sticks the cronies are carrying are for pretend play.

　Pierre gave a grinning smile.

'It's an eyesore. You guys think you're welcome here, don't you?'

　It was doubtful that the boys around them knew what they were doing.

　Brad spoke calmly.

'It's going to be a diplomatic issue. Doesn't that bother you too?

　Pierre's cronies laughed.

'They say it's a diplomatic issue,'
This guy doesn't get it yet.
Maybe they think they're on par with Arzel or something?

　Brad had heard about it at the embassy, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad.

　Pierre moved closer to him.

'A diplomatic issue is much appreciated. Do you think that the Fevers, the six great aristocrats, are scared of you mooks like Holfert?　You're taking it too far, man.

　Brad was inwardly impatient.

(What the hell are these guys?)　Do we know what we're doing and are we doing this?　It's like--

　-- they really seem to want a war.

　Pierre says, "Do it," and the boys in his cronies come at Brad.

'The adventurous look!'

　Unlike the Holfert Kingdom, where adventurers became nobles, the aristocrats of Arzel were different again.

　As such, they looked down on the adventurers.

　Against the cronies who wielded wooden swords, Brad

That's enough!

　He dodged the swinging attack and rolled one of them over and took the wooden sword from him.

　He quickly knocked the other one down, and Pierre's cronies took their distance.

(Are these guys weak?)

　Brad also defeated them and was surprised at how unusual the feeling was.

　In the first place, Brad is good at magic and is not good at this kind of close combat.

　The only thing they had was the ability to take on even such a Brad.

　The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it's not a good idea to be able to have a good time.

''What are you doing. Get on with it!

　The cronies point their palms at Brad.

'Fireball!'

　Cronies releasing magic.

　Brad really didn't understand.

'You're using magic in a fight!

　He dropped the wooden sword and used his magic.

　As he bends down and touches the ground, a wall forms around Blood.

　Fireballs - fireballs - disappeared one after another, prevented by the earthen wall.

　Then, Brad exercised a less lethal magic.

'Water Whip!'

　The whip, made of water, beats down the cronies.

　The cronies were getting wet.

　Pierre's cheeks are tugged.

　Brad stands up.

'Sorry about that. 'I'm better at magic.'

　It's not noticeable because he's usually with Julius and the others, but Blood wasn't weak to begin with.

　He is considered weak to be struck by Leon's standards, but from the point of view of the average person, he is strong enough.

　Pierre hides his face with his right hand.

''........You guys are really useless.

　One of his cronies apologizes as he stands up.

'I'm sorry, Mr. Pierre.

　Brad grew wary, but he saw a faint light on the back of Pierre's right hand.

(What?)

　The light grew stronger and stronger, and then a pattern - what appeared to be a coat of arms - emerged.

　That crest that glowed green.

　Pierre laughed as he removed his right hand from his face.

'You got too carried away, you d*mn mongrel.

　Tree roots with pointed tips sprouted one by one from the ground around where Pierre was standing.

　They undulate and then point their tips at Brad.

　Brad immediately tried to prepare an earthen wall with his magic--.

''Nah!''

　Even when he exercised his magic, there was no reaction.

　The reaction of the earth--earth system of magic was particularly bad.

　It was as if it was being rejected.

　As he hurriedly fled from the spot, the roots of the trees pierced the ground one after another.

　Pierre said to Brad with an ugly smile.

I told you. Don't lick the House of Fevers, the Six Great Houses.

　Brad quickly prepares his next spell.

'If the dirt doesn't work!'

　Flames are generated in both of Brad's hands.

　But this one is also less powerful than usual.

(Why?)　(As if we're being interrupted--)

　He tried to burn the roots of one tree after another, but they weren't powerful enough, so he aimed directly at Pierre.

　A fireball shoots from Brad's hand and attacks Pierre, but

What, is that all you got?

　Water spurted out of the ground and created a wall, extinguishing the fireball.

　Brad couldn't understand that.

(You don't seem to be dealing in magic. What the hell does that mean?)

　From Brad's point of view, who knows a lot about magic, he didn't really understand the magic Pierre was dealing with.

　It didn't look like Pierre himself was dealing with magic.

　Brad immediately thought of his next move, but he felt something uncomfortable in his leg.

''Tsk!''

　I look down at my feet and see the plant undulating and wrapping itself around Brad's ankles.

　As I try to tear it off, it grows one by one and entangles itself around Brad.

　Pierre comes closer.

　His cronies were also surrounding Brad with weapons in their hands.

''........You're getting pretty good at this.

　Seeing the grin on Pierre's face, Brad bit down on his back teeth. Brad's stance was close to a bent over position.

　Pierre kicked Brad's head with his thin leg.

''Guh!''

　Then he stomped on Brad repeatedly with his foot.

'What's the matter!　Where's the swagger you had earlier?!

　Brad, being assaulted, glares at Pierre.

　Pierre, looking down at him, ran a hand through his bangs, revealing his forehead.

　He was sweating from the slightest movement.

''Don't think that you pseudo-aristocrats can beat a real nobleman who has received the blessing of the Holy Tree.

　--A nobleman in the Arzel Republic means those who have received the blessing of the Holy Tree.

　That was the difference between them and the nobles of the Horphath Kingdom.

　Pierre orders his cronies.

''Do it.''

　Cronies with weapons approached Brad and raised their weapons.