Esena, who had told them that there were ley lines and water veins around the temple, said a few words to Sheryl and then immediately disappeared from the scene.
The World Tree’s influence spread throughout the connected floors.
Furthermore, it seemed to be reaching out to other floors as well, making it busier than it looked. Of course, since its main body was a giant tree, it was natural that it hardly moved.
After Esena disappeared, Sheryl began to mark the ley lines and water veins on the map based on what she had heard from her earlier. However, it wasn’t something that could be done immediately; investigation of the surroundings was still necessary. This was because Esena’s explanation to Sheryl had been greatly simplified and conveyed in unique terms. Therefore, Sheryl herself had to confirm it on-site. Thus, for the next few days, Sheryl was included in the exploration of the surrounding areas to conduct these investigations.
While Sheryl was investigating, Sylvia’s main work was steadily progressing. “Huh? Is this an extract from Katsura’s bark?” “Yes, it is.” “Wow. So that’s how you do it.” Even if the materials used were the same, the processing methods were naturally different if their purposes varied. Kousuke only knew how to obtain materials necessary for magic tools, so it was completely different from the method Sylvia was using. It was only natural, as magic tools used the fibers, while cosmetics and medicines required the active ingredients. The processing methods were bound to change entirely.
Kousuke, watching the drops dripping from above, asked again. “Are you going to mix these extracts?” “That depends. Right now, I’m using plain water, but I sometimes use other extracts.” “I see… Hmm? Plain water?” Hearing Sylvia’s words, Kousuke’s face took on a slightly puzzled expression. Then, seeing Kousuke’s reaction, Sylvia looked at him with a questioning gaze.
“Water… water… Hmm? What is it? I thought of something…” Kousuke muttered, tilting his head. Then, as if remembering something, he snapped his fingers. “Ah, that’s right! I remembered! Holy water!” “Holy water?” “Yes! I was wondering what would happen if we used holy water instead of water for extraction.” Hearing Kousuke’s proposal, Sylvia’s expression changed to one of surprise. “That’s certainly true! …But, is it okay?” “Um, what do you mean by that?” To Kousuke, who tilted his head, Sylvia said hesitantly. “It does feel like it might work well, but conversely, it feels like it might work *too* well.” Given what it was, they had no idea what kind of effects it might produce. If that happened, Sylvia frowned, thinking it might attract attention in a strange way. “…That’s true, I suppose. Hmm…”
Kousuke thought for a moment with his arms crossed, then his expression cleared. “Yeah. That’s fine!” “May I ask why?” Kousuke, as usual, didn’t try to draw attention to himself. Of course, that was different if trouble found him. Kousuke, in his usual manner, tried to avoid things that were obviously conspicuous, like this. However, if someone like Schmidt heard him, he might retort, “What are you talking about now?” “The main reason is that it’s not something that’s widely available, is it?” The cosmetics Sylvia was trying to make this time were intended to be a signature product for the Fox Inn. Since it was an inn that only catered to a limited clientele and hosted a small number of guests per day, the number of people who could actually obtain the product, rumors aside, was not that large. The fact that it could only be obtained in limited quantities might further enhance its premium feel, but that was the same for any product sold at the Fox Inn. Kousuke’s reasoning was that it wouldn’t be a particular problem.
Sylvia, upon hearing Kousuke’s explanation, nodded in agreement. “That’s certainly true. Then let’s do that. Before that, though, I’m not sure if it will really work.” “Well, of course. There’s compatibility and things like that.” Simply using holy water didn’t guarantee it could be used as a cosmetic. They had no choice but to try it first. “So? Do you need the holy water right away?” “If I can get it, I’ll start right away.” “I see. Then I’ll go get it now.” Kousuke glanced at Kouhi, who was standing nearby, and after seeing her nod, he casually said so. If it were just Kousuke and Kouhi, they could go and come back in less than half a day. They had originally wanted to visit the twins as well, but having already accompanied Sheryl once, they reluctantly gave up this time.
After confirming with Sylvia that about one barrel’s worth would be sufficient, they filled an empty barrel from the management layer with holy water and brought it back. Once it was placed in the workshop, Sylvia could use it whenever she liked. It wouldn’t yield immediate results, but this expanded their options for various tasks.
Meanwhile, Shurein and the others were diligently continuing their surrounding investigations. With Sheryl’s addition, the map was being filled with details that Shurein and the others wouldn’t have noticed. One day, during a meal, Sheryl reported with a cheerful voice. “The more I look into it, the more amazing the vegetation, or rather, the biological activities around here are.” What Sheryl referred to as “biological activities” was the food chain. From Sheryl’s perspective, the area around the temple was maintained in an ideal environment for the surrounding plants with a delicate balance. It was a natural consequence, as it was an environment literally created by divine hands. “Huh? Does that mean it’s bad for us to hunt or gather here?” If it’s an environment maintained by a delicate balance, it’s natural for it to collapse with even small changes. However, Sheryl shook her head in response to Kousuke’s question. “No. Even if we hunt monsters or gather things to some extent, it recovers quickly. That’s why it’s amazing.” “I see. So that’s how it is.” Even if it suffered some damage, it could quickly return to a similar state. If the forest wasn’t unnecessarily damaged, there was a possibility of fires breaking out. Maintaining the same state without such events occurring was the ideal environment for elves.
The surrounding investigations with Sheryl included were still ongoing. It was uncertain whether they could continue until they figured out the original objective, the method of spring generation, but based on Sheryl’s current account, it seemed like it would be useful for the future operation of the tower. Kousuke felt that while he wasn’t sure if they could create floors that could utilize this, there were still many things worth observing. The creation of the elves’ ideal environment was a testament to Asura’s skill as the tower’s manager. For Kousuke, the main focus was, after all, town building. Both dealt with monster evolution in the same way.
