We defeated the boss.

　Narcissus-sensei-sensei was talking excitedly in front of the holy tree sapling.

''It's the first time I've seen a holy tree sapling too. What do you think of this divinity?　But unfortunately, even if you leave it like this, it will still die. So all of them have been dying even if you get them, but if you get saplings like this, you'll be safe from now on using a growing method that we haven't tried yet--

　I dug around the sapling and then pulled it out and put it in the special case I brought with me.

　I put it in the clear square case and put the lid on.

　Narcissus-sensei sees what I'm doing and shouts out.

''What are you doing?!''

　To me, it's a bit like a shiny houseplant.

　But to Dr. Narcissus and the others, it was an object of faith.

'Oh, I'm sorry. We've been wanting this.

　Narcissus-sensei-sensei's mouth is crunching.

''You know, the Sacred Tree Seedling is so important that the future of this country is at stake--what are you guys doing too!　Listen to me for a minute!

　Looking around, I saw that Julius and the others were digging through the exposed magical stones and other objects.

''It's perfect in terms of purity and size.

I'm sure Marie would be pleased.

　On the other side, Chris was digging up some metal, but it was too big for him.

'I don't know how I'm going to bring this home. But it's such a big metal, I'm sure it will fetch a high price if we sell it.

　In this place, they were able to dig up magical stones and metals one after another.

　It must be a place that was full of magical power.

''You guys!''

　I shout out to the three of them, and Dr. Narcissus gives me an expectant look.

'Yeah, right!　This is where the seedlings of the Sacred Tree were found. I must take good care of it. You should follow Leon's example...

Save some for me. And don't worry about getting it out of there. I've arranged for a pickup.

　A small boat comes down from the ceiling.

　Julius is surprised.

'A small boat?　Why does Baltophalt have it?

　I spit out a lie.

'I had to drop you off from Einhorn. 'Oath of the Holy Tree?　You weren't eligible for that.

'Really?　Then you could have gone down here directly.

If I had to go down every time I found a hole, I'd stand out.

　Dr. Narcissus agrees with me.

''There's a communication failure here, too. I knew I'd have to do it by myself........Huh?　Mr. Leon, how did you get in touch with him?

I can't tell you. You guys, get your asses loaded up!

　Chris happily starts digging through the metal.

'Right!　Then we can take more home with us.

　The same goes for Zilk.

'Your Highness, give me a shovel.

No. I want to look for more.

　They were both fighting for a shovel.

　Dr. Narcissus was slumping his shoulders.

''........Kingdom adventurers are terrible.''

　Let's let me collect the magic stones and metal that are here, both uprooted.

　When I boarded the small boat that came down, it was unmanned, but a note was prepared for me.

　I check it and put it away in my pocket.

◇

　Academy.

　While taking the class, Lelia was growing impatient.

　What she found out as she investigated various things was that detailed information about the kingdom hadn't come into the Republic.

　The Republic, because of its absolute confidence, has little interest in other countries.

　Lelia also did not think that the Republic would lose.

(What shall we do? I don't want the current balance to be upset. What's suspicious is that inconspicuous boy and the small, slightly angry girl. (Those guys are obviously suspicious.)

　I only thought of Rion as an inconspicuous boy.

　I even thought of Marie as a bit annoying in terms of her gestures to the boys.

(Even though she didn't want to have anything to do with the students of the kingdom.)

　For Lelia, who wanted to keep things the way they were right now, she hadn't expected the reincarnations to come aboard as foreign students.

　She was somewhat wary of them, but she didn't think they were deeply involved.

(Normally, I wouldn't aim for a reverse harem. You're crazy!)

　You could call it the law of this maiden game world, but anyway, all the world's crises continue.

　In such a situation, Lelia thought that no one would be stupid enough to try to disrupt the original story with a reverse harem.

　She was brilliantly out of ideas, and she was in a hurry.

　She wanted to talk to him quickly, but the students in the kingdom didn't come to school from Pierre's one incident.

　Even if I went out myself, they were wary of me, and I didn't know what I was doing now.

　Clement, who is teaching the class, cautions Lelia.

'Lelia, you need to focus on your class.

Yes!

　When Clement resumed class, the girl sitting next to him spoke to him.

'What?'　Did you and your boyfriend get into a fight?

No.

　I would never fight with Emile.

　To begin with, Emile is kind, and when it comes to a fight, he pulls back.

　He is not a strong personality.

　That's why Lelia had chosen Emile.

We need to get in touch with him and let him know our situation as soon as possible.

　Lelia was thinking about this when a teacher entered the classroom in a hurry.

''Miss Clément!''

Oh, hi. How can I help you?　We're still in class.

　A flustered teacher hurriedly takes Clément out of the classroom.

'This is an emergency meeting. Anyway, please hurry.'

That can't be helped. Everyone study on your own until the next class. Make sure you read your textbooks.

　As the teachers walked out of the classroom, the students began to buzz.

'They've got a meeting,'

What's going on?

Isn't that unnatural, the way he panicked?　You could have done it after class.

　Lelia felt a pang in her chest.

(Well, no way.)

　Isn't it the international students who are involved?　That's what I was worried about.

◇

　Conference room.

　I was holding a sapling in a case and looking at the contents.

　The shiny, very beautiful case is actually specially made to store the saplings of the sacred tree.

　The teachers and staff who didn't know this were paying attention to me.

''Mr. Baltphalt!　Put the saplings on the table!　What are you going to do if you drop it!

　I smiled at him and showed him a goofy smile.

'Why don't you drop it?　It's my property to begin with, so I'll take care of it.

No, that's not what I mean. If the sapling dies...

'And if it dies?　I suppose that's the end of it.

　I found it.

　He refused to budge.

　The Dean is going to make a deal with me.

"What do you want?　Let's get you what you want.

　I've been working against the school.

'Can I have my belongings back? Could you ask that bastard to hand them over to me?　Then I'll think about giving this guy to you.

　The headmaster looked difficult.

''It ... can't be done. That airship is already the property of the Favell family. We can't interfere.''

　I raise the sapling again and hold it up to the light.

'Then I can't. In the first place, don't take us too lightly. We have your treasure in our hands. That's what we have to think about.

　The faculty and staff are not in over their heads to the six noblemen.

　Dr. Narcissus looked at me.

'I'm sorry, but I don't think you can take the saplings out of the country. Congress would never allow it.

　I can't let you take your treasure out of the country.

　I know that.

'You think you're going to try to trick me into taking the airship away from me and then hand it over to me and say, "Yes, sir?　Don't get carried away. Bring the big man in at once, or bring Pierre's trash to this place.

　Dr. Clement rises from his chair.

'Leon, what on earth are you thinking about?'

'I'll bet you the sapling and we'll fight it out. If you win, I'll give you the sapling. But I'll bet you my Einhorn and Aroganz you'll have to give me back what you took from me.

　"It's going to be a matter of diplomacy," he says to me.

"It's a matter of diplomacy. Do you intend to put the Kingdom of Holfert in danger?

　Absolute confidence.

　No, this is just as well.

　If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't doubt the Republic's victory. I'll take my chances.

"Your students were the ones who fought me first. Call Pierre's trash. If that doesn't work, then this guy will have to wither away.

　The sapling of the Sacred Tree, which is said to be a legend.

　Many descriptions of it have survived, and the sapling I had was definitely that of the Holy Tree.

''Don't get me wrong. All you guys can do is call Pierre's a**h*le. That's right, now we just need to get a venue for the duel.

　I'm afraid of the eyes of the faculty and staff.

　Do they think I'm an aristocrat in a third-rate country?

　...you're right!

　The Kingdom of Horfath is a third-rate state, no doubt about it.

　I can vouch for that.

　But I don't want to be insulted by the fact that I'm in such a country.

　

◇

　It was several hours later that a grumpy Pierre arrived.

　I moved from the conference room to the parlor and waited for several hours.

　Pierre is even more grumpy than the grumpy me.

　His eyes twitch when he looks at me.

'Was it you who called me here?　You don't seem to know your place.

　I put the case in front of Pierre as he said that.

　Seeing that, Pierre's eyes change color.

''.........The Holy Tree Seedling. Are they real?　Hey, Mitsushita. Give me that guy and I can forgive you for this one.

　Apparently the Holy Tree saplings are so valuable that this guy can forgive people. No, if this is a holy tree sapling, is it because Pierre can't do anything about it?

　Either way, I'm not a cheapskate.

"Don't talk in your sleep. You've done Brad a lot of good, so don't think you'll get away with it, a**h*le.

　A vein was floating on Pierre's forehead.

　A crest was floating on the back of his right hand.

　That is the crest of the Holy Tree.

　The reason why the seven great--six great nobles have so much absolute power is because of the blessing of the Holy Tree.

''Do you want to riot here and destroy the Holy Tree Seedling?''

　When he used the sapling as a shield, even the quintessential Pierre was silenced. No matter how arrogant this guy was, it was to be expected that he couldn't choose a forceful method when he had the Holy Tree saplings.

　He clicked his tongue.

''What do you want? I'll never give your ship back to you.''

　He thinks he already owns it.

　What a lovely fellow.

"Duel for what you have taken from me.

Oh?

What's up?　Are the great men of the six great noble families too scared of the count of the third-rate state to compete?　And you're not much of a fighter either.

　Just a little agitation made Pierre's face turn red.

　This one is better than an unhealthy looking complexion.

''........I'll definitely kill you.

　Dr. Clément stops me.

'Wait!　Leon, do you understand what a duel means in this case?

　I challenge Pierre with a thin smile.

'I know. If Pierre is about to die, I'll take it easy on him.

　A furious Pierre will do what I want him to do.

'I'll crush your skull and send it to Holfert. Prepare yourself. I'm not an enemy of a third-rate nation like you, Arzel!

'Oh, I'm scared, I'm scared. So, you'll take the duel, then?

　You can take it or leave it, it doesn't matter to me.

　You can take it or leave it.

All right, fine. I accept the offer. Hey, scary guy and Narcissus. You're the watcher.

　Dr. Narcissus, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, let out a sigh and began to explain.

''........Let's decide on the method of the duel. The place will be prepared by the school. First of all, we have to confirm the conditions, but before that, there is an important confirmation. Do you swear this duel to the Holy Tree?

　Pierre gave an ugly smile.

'Of course, because this guy is not to be trusted.

No credit. I'm serious. That's my motto. Do I swear to this one?

　Dr. Narcissus nodded.

'A Republic-style duel will be a binding force that I swear by the Holy Tree to keep my promise. What kind of duel will you face?　If I were to be present, I wouldn't allow one side to take an oath against the other.

　Pierre answered immediately.

'A duel in armour.

　He was not going to give it up. Alloganz seems to have taken a liking to the guy. That's good for us.

　So I made a deal with him.

Well would you like me to forbid you to use the power of the Sacred Tree?

　Pierre hesitated a little, but nodded in acknowledgement.

'I don't mind this one. My bet is that you're a holy tree sapling and I took it from you, right?

Oh, yeah. Bring it back to me. Bring it in front of me. Allogants, Einhorn, everything in it. And when I win, you must give me everything in it.

　I've got to make sure I say it right.

''You can tell me after you've won. But with this, I'll have the Sacred Tree Seedling. I can even take away my brother's title.

　You're already thinking about what you'll do after you win.

　........enjoy it as best you can.

　Narcissus-sensei-sensei confirms the conditions and says to us.

''Then, both of you swear an oath to Holy Tree.

　The back of Pierre's right hand glowed, and a magic circle arose below us. It's the same sigil as the one that appeared on Marie and the others.

'I swear by the Holy Tree.'

　I smiled, too.

"I swear on the sacred tree.

　I struggled to hold back as I looked at the worried Narcissus and Clement-sensei teachers.

◇

　Temple of the Holy Tree.

　The young head of the temple, Fernand, was at work in his office.

　But when he hears the report, he rises from his chair and the pile of papers on his desk crumbles.

'A sapling of the Sacred Tree has been found!

　The vassal who brought the report also came running, and he looked quite breathless.

''Ha, yes!　It was found in a dungeon by an international student, Count Lyon Faux Baldfalt, in a dungeon. He claims ownership of it, and if you want it, a duel is in order.

Duel?

"I have a duel with Pierre of House Fevers.

　Fernand shook his fist at the desk.

'That boy!'

　That was the word against Pierre.

　Fernand took out the report of Rion, which he had him examine from his desk.

　It said that he had defeated the duchy's fleet in a single plane and led the fleet from a critical situation to victory.

(You don't get this much in the story, either.)

　The reporter also wrote in his preface, "These are facts. They are true! And a note of caution.

　It's a false report.

　You wouldn't believe it if you showed it to anyone.

　But it would be a different story if it was the Lost Item that made it possible.

(They lost the Lost Item in the war with the Duchy, but that doesn't mean they don't still have a few hidden balls. What on earth are you doing against such an opponent, the idiot son of the Favell family)

Does this mean you're going to take the airship back?

'Yes, sir. He asked for the airship and his armor back.

　It's an airship and armor that's good enough to get the Favell family going.

　Originally, they wouldn't want to make it a bet, but it's a different story if the holy tree saplings have come out.

　''The nobles want the Sacred Tree Seedling by the throat.

''Just deal with them honestly. You've gone the extra mile.''

　Seeing that the vassal who reported to him was in trouble, Fernand said.

'I'm heading to the academy as well. Get a ship ready.'

Ha!

　Thus, Fernand headed to the school.