Aletha offered to take care, basically to feed my companions, all in exchange for me providing provisions for her own. And while I had no reason to refuse, actually agreeing to it before, she still felt it required to explain.

"Stamina potions are not viable for someone under the effect, as they require a person to be conscious to work as intended as any other potion." I have to say that this was a welcome bit of information, as I had no idea of such.

With that out of the way, I started walking in the indicated direction, inwardly praying to Sepyre for the interaction with the tree and spirit within to be as easy as Aletha said it should.

***

A [Primordial Step] was more-or-less an Earth's mile, but I spent nearly half an hour walking it. Not that the terrain was complicated, with the grasslands being pretty easy to traverse, or that I found any dangers. The extra time came mainly from me stopping to look around every twenty or something steps, as I felt under heavy stress without relying on [Life Radar].

"I have to find where and stock on some mana potions." At one of the scouting stops, I could not help but mutter to myself. And indeed, if I counted with at least one potion, I would not do something stupid like walking in the night with a single torch and none of my usual spells.

Mana 18/46

{Let's hope that it will be enough.} I had no reason to chastise myself for having used up over half of my mana, not knowing that I would require it later, but the thought did not exactly improve my mood or ease the pressure I felt.

"So, that's it..?" I again talked with myself, but to be fair, the difference between my expectations and reality was shocking.

Aletha had described the Tr'axt Tree effects and value, and obviously, I imagined whatever else but the small, shorter than me, and leafless sapling I encountered.

Yet, the tree did look a bit special anyway, with six branches in two rings of three and both upper and lower ones looking in the same direction, growing almost perpendicular to the ground.

The lower, about half a meter from the ground, branch growing towards the south (if I am not mistaken) was the one that carried the fruit, a basketball-sized, pink-colored circle. The oddly-circular fruit grew directly on the branch, and the mentioned flower was right on the other side of it, a darker shade of pink bud the size of a fist, with four whiteish petals extending from it.

Honestly, I had no idea what to do, and the only thought that appeared as a possible action was to approach and touch the trunk, which I decided to be acceptable enough.

"Fuck!" I cried a moment later after deciding on my following action and taking a couple of steps toward the tree. The reason for the exclamation? I slammed into some invisible wall, making me almost see the stars, even though I was walking pretty slowly.

{What the hell is this? A kind of barrier?} Touching what felt like glass after recovering from the impact, I asked myself, but with [Mana Sense] being silent, I could not even be sure it was one. After all, a barrier should be magic, should it not?

With my hand on it, I started walking towards one side and only stopped as I reached my starting point. {So, it extends all around the tree, at the same distance?}

Although it felt unbelievable to find an opening after circling it, I tried touching the invisible barrier down until the ground and to the higher part I could reach. Yet, it was the same, absolutely even, slightly cold to the touch, and not showing any reaction to contact.

{There should be some way towards the tree or to make the barrier react somehow.} Acting on the logic that the secret could not be so hard to discover, otherwise not every mage would serve for the task, at least Aletha's words implied so, I began using method after method, well, the ones that occurred to me.

***

For starters, I selected the most logical choice, infusing mana by touching it and willing some of it to gather in my palm. A small trick and the first thing taught in the magic book Sepyre provided.

Then it was touching, scrapping, hitting.

From using my bare hands, later switching to my sword, and even a [Shaped Mana] stick.

I even went for things so unlikely as throwing some earth on it.

I used all the methods I could think of to make a barrier react. And yet, nothing happened. I mean, even while it was a ridiculous idea, I even shouted at it!

{Think, think! The books I read had some information on spirits. Was there anything about spiritual barriers or anything that could pass as one?} Using the benefit of the perfect memory, I recalled page after page of the books, but I could not find anything useful.

There was always the option of going back, and if Aletha had no ideas, then deciding who would go to Bigradh to get help. {I would like to avoid that, though. Okay, if my local knowledge isn't enough, let's resort to my, ahem, [Uncommon Knowledge].}

I skimmed through all the memories I could think could help. Visual novels, games, books, series, if that could even be called knowledge of any sorts.

Time passed, and I had found no solution until suddenly my mind latched on one I had discarded right away because it would be too bizarre for a spiritual or natural barrier, blood!

"If this works, it will be damned stupid that I didn't try it since the start." I don't know why I ended up saying it aloud, maybe to distract myself from the action I was about to take, but whatever.

Lightly touching the edge would be enough to draw blood from my finger, but I considered that a drop would not be sufficient, so I directly passed my left palm over the blade. I slightly winced, but it was more from the action than from pain. The sword's edge was extraordinarily sharp, and I didn't feel the cut, just a bit of stinging pain from the wound.

As soon blood filled my cupped hand, I smeared it on what I called a barrier.

...

{Well, it seems that I cut myself for nothing?} I thought a minute later. And I was ready to give up but unexpectedly saw that the flowing blood drops stopped around my knee height, not continuing lower.

{What does that mean? Not enough?} I had not closed the wound yet, so I pressed my palm against the invisible wall.

As a small side note, I have to mention that even though blood had flown on it, it was still impossible to see, with no trails or bloodstains appearing.

"Now it's time to infuse mana, you fool." A light, melodious voice entered my ears, making me step back and start looking around. Not finding anyone, I even used [Life Radar], only to confirm that except myself and some small animal halfway to the north, no one else was around. {What the hell? Did I suddenly go crazy? Still, the idea isn't bad, and it's better to use all means before going back, yes.}

***

I can not say what happened right after I infused mana into the bloodied barrier, as in truth after I did, it was as if my mind went blank right away. My next memory after following the advice from before was of me standing near an enormous tree.

A tree that reached the heavens and obscured the sky.

A poetic description?

I had thought so as well, but it was impossible to in such manner now, seeing the one before me.

In my life on Earth, I had seen my fair share of skyscrapers, but none could compare to the massive tree I saw in front of me now. Standing before it, I could not see even the sides of the trunk. And raising my head, I could hardly discern any branches, only a leafy green sky.

I was overwhelmed just by the sight of it, but what about my other senses? I am even now when, using [Record] while organizing the experiences of that day, absolutely incapable of understanding. The smell of life, the sensation of being an ant, the shiver in my body from just standing there, the crazed chimes of my [Mana Sense] going haywire.

Standing before that tree, if it even could be called one, was something I had not felt and probably would never feel again. Yet, in all truth, I only saw, or was near it, for a few moments. My mind went blank again, and I found myself standing before the small [Tr'axt Tree] again, only that now, I knew there was no barrier in front.

***

"Human, what do you want from me? Why did you wake me up?" A cold, slightly mechanical voice that was neither too pitched nor too grave asked.

I did not need to search for the source this time. The voice came from a dark blue orb-like thing floating between me and the tree. It took me some moments to calm down after the previous experience and switch to the current events. Thankfully, the orb only asked once and then remained silent, as if giving me time to think. {A spirit? But [Mana Sense] only reacts to the tree, and [Status Screen] does not reveal any information. Maybe some communication method of theirs? Well, it's something anyway.}

I wasn't aware of how to actually communicate with spirits, Sepyre's information barely explaining their kind even, so I choose the most neutral way possible, the truth.

"I honestly do not know. A woman told me that currently, the area is under the influence of the tree, which is why my companions are asleep. She also said that a mage, or person with mana, would be able to resolve it. If my actions woke you, and it wasn't required, then I am truly sorry."

"Haven't you come for the fruit?"The tone changed. This time I could feel it as if accusing me of something.

"I will not deny I felt interested when I heard about the fruit, but it is not my objective. Neither am I interested in claiming, marking, or whatever mages do to your tree. If the effect can be stopped, or at least paused for us to leave, I believe it will be enough for me." It was what I felt, so there was no doubt I told the truth again. Yet, this time I tried to try and glean at least some information. Thus, I called out the tree as being the spirit's property.

"You are not lying." As the spirit (?) spoke back, I felt it was not just words but a statement that decided what would follow.

I am unsure why it felt so clear, but I wasn't wrong. The following words confirming it, "If you want the blossoming to end but will leave the fruit, you will have to either speed up the maturity of the fruit or wait for seven suns more. In both cases, you will leave unimpeded and unharmed."

"Speed up?" Actually, my first question would be about the last part, about leaving with no problems, but I had to keep my priorities straight.

"Yes, a living being with mana is capable of that. As for how it will be up for the [Lieat De Olier] to decide. Still, I will advise you of it being unwise in response to your honesty." This time the voice was calm and even allowed a warm note.

"I see. Asking why it will be unwise, would it be out of boundaries?" I am unsure how I understood that the spirit shook its head, considering it's a floating orb, but it did feel clear to me, so I immediately continued, "Can I take a few moments to think?"

"Yes, there is no need to rush. The blossoming will subside by itself. And you shall not be harmed even if you do not hasten the maturing of the fruit."

_______

Honestly, I did not see any real options about attempting to ripen the fruit or not.

A week wasn't a lot of time, and it would not make me lose anything. Yet, the amount of stuff that could happen that week was enormous. Beasts, disasters, monsters, and that's to name the ones that came to mind.

Returning to the wagon and then getting a mage to do it? It seemed sensible, but even if I could not understand it, I felt it was not the proper thing to do. Why? I could not even answer. But, if my hunch is accurate, whatever had made me envision the humongous tree from before had shown me a kind of trust.

A kind of trust I had returned by speaking out honestly, which was why I got an actual choice, and a promise of no harm. This latter, I will have to ask the spirit. After all, if it includes my companions for the entire week, then maybe I could wait. Yet, I somehow think that whatever would be the answer, I would still try to help ripen the fruit. But why the hell do I feel like that?!

To clear my mind from the strange sensation of being pulled into some ploy. However unlikely that latter would be for a spirit and a tree, I skipped to another moment of the conversation. One that attracted my attention as it was akin to a revelation.

"As for how it will be up for the [Lieat De Olier] to decide." The spirit, or orb, or whatever it was, had said. Until that moment, our conversation had been in common. The latter being a mix of all racial languages of Lieade and the one that everyone I had met until now spoke.

Yet, [Lieat De Olier] was not. It was Elvish or Elfic, whatever I should call it. A language that I had not heard or spoken yet. One that I only learned from books provided by Sepyre. And still, [Lieat De] were two words I had seen during my truly brief studies in this world. After all, the most accepted theory about [Lieade] meaning was the Elvish for [Living (Lieat) Ground (De)]?

My knowledge of it was rudimentary and unpracticed, but I quickly translated the third word, as it was one that the books definitively mentioned. [Olier] meaning [Incarnate, Body, Self]. And no matter which of the three I used, the results were nothing short of amazing, a consciousness of this world?!

_______

[Perfect Memory] could be said to be the best blessing of mine, and at the same time, it could be called a curse. I could recall any experience, sound, smell, image, or information I felt, but I could never avoid remembering them.

And honestly, there were things to be better forgotten, both in my Earth life and seemingly, on Lieade as well.

And even so, the feeling of not being to remember what happened to me when I wasn't aware of it made me feel that, maybe, Sepyre's boon was not a complete one..?

There is a reason for this note to this part of my memories about that day. After all, just as I thought about a conscious [Lieade] being, I was called out by the spirit, and from there, the events went on, and yet, I have nearly no memories about them.

***

"I loathe interrupting your thinking, human. Still, you have to decide. If you want to do it now or walk away from the tree." The spirit suddenly urged me, even though I had received permission to stay around thinking before.

"Sorry, but didn't you say before that I should not rush?"

"Yes, and it's not rushing you. If you need more time, take it. Just walk away from the tree. Allow the barrier to return. Later, you can open it again." For some reason, I had felt sure the spirit's words before were the truth. But now, I had the same feeling about them being a lie. {But why would it suddenly lie?}

"I have decided to help the fruit mature, so I do not need to walk away. I did plan to ask you if the promised safety applies to my companions, but taking care of them for a week seems hardly a good trade for yet unknown risk." In response to the rushing, I decided to state my decision. It came naturally to me, and I felt no doubt about it being correct.

"..." Surprisingly, the response to my announcement was silence, and the orb only responded an entire minute later, "Then touch the tree."

"Mmm." After nodding, I took a couple of steps towards the tree, preparing to place my bloodied left hand on it. I only stopped a step short of it, and that was only to ask the questions that had occurred to me from the start, "If it is allowed, then sate my curiosity. What exactly are you? A spirit? But why such a strange visage? Aren't spirits supposed to have something like bodies?"

"..." The answer turned out to be a silent denial, or so I thought as I took the last step. But just before my palm touched the strangely soft bark, "Human, you were honest to me, and I will be the same to you. Look, my true visage, and understand the reasons yourself."

Chains were the first thing I noticed, dozens of chains around a human-like body. Not made of iron or steel but wood, the same dark brown color that the [Tr'axt Tree] bark.

A female body, but dressed in bloodied rags and with even bloodier wings, as if broken, behind it. There were feathers on the wings, but I could not even discern their color, so much blood they had.

Both hands and the bare feet had long nails, even claws, each easily the size of a finger. And that's with the figure being hardly a meter tall!

I had left the torch on the ground before as I took out the sword to cut myself, so I could not say much about the face, but I felt that she was neither a beauty nor some nightmare. To be frank with myself, I was shocked by the visage revealed to me.

And because of the unexpected revelation, my hand pressed against the [Tr'axt Tree] bark, even if maybe, or even probably, I had to speak up.

I should have said or asked something, shouldn't had I?