“Wait, I ’t let you take the risk, Mayumi-sama!” her elegant bodyguard decred, eyeing me fiercely, moving protectively between Mayumi-san and me, as if to defend her. Bemused, si was Mayumi-san who was asking me for this favour, I waited for her rea.

  “I appreciate you looking out for me, Tsurugi, but there’s really nothing to worry about. I’ve told Akio-kun to keep the pain levels down, and Hinata has had it done already, Motoko-san too. That reminds me.” She said, curious. “Why ’t you ahetise us, like you did for your healing surgeries?”

  A good question. “Sihe Astral body is so tied to one’s sciousness, I think it might be problematic to not be awake when the Chirurgery happens. I ’t say for certain, but it’s a gut instinct, and Shaeu agrees with me.”

  “I see. Well then…” the elega dangerous girl said frantically. “I should go first, to absolutely make sure it’s safe! I ’t let you take part in something I haven’t experienced, Mayumi-sama, despite the supposed safety of such a procedure!”

  “I see.” Mayumi-san mused. “Well, I think you worry too much, Tsurugi. Akio-kun has no reason to cause me harm. After all, we’re going to be partners in Ichijou House’s new venture. But if it would put your mind at ease…”

  “Uh, I don’t have an agreement to perform Chirurgery on any bodyguards.” I protested. I know Chirurgery is important, but I’m getting a bit sick of it at the moment, and there’s still so much more to do.

  “Surely it isn’t an issue?” Mayumi-san smiled. “After all, we are business partners, aren’t we? This small favour won’t hurt you, so ’t you spare it to make our retionship stronger?”

  “If I might?” Hinata interrupted, her expression impish, and I could see the ambition in her eyes. I see she has an idea. At my nod she tinued. “Mayumi-sama, I hope you excuse my rudeness, but it seems to me that all of these favours only flow one way.”

  “Hinata, that’s rude. And wrong!” Mayumi-san argued. “After all, haven’t I brought Akio-kun a stake in a rge, no, a world-leading mining pany?”

  “Yes, but you mao secure an equal stake for yourself, despite Akio doing all the actual work.” She pointed out, and I found myself nodding. Well, it’s not that I mind, after all, I’d have never known about Miss Lindiwe and her cer, and it saved her life, so Mayumi-san taking payment from that isn’t necessarily wrong, but still, she’s very demanding.

  “Well, Akio-kun is getting a stake in Ichijou house’s industries, which is unpreted. Even my future husband won’t receive a direct stake, only the ability to use mine.” Mayumi-san protested.

  “I see. So you’re saying your future husband could e in and start causing problems for Akio in your joint industry? Iing.”

  “Why are you being so hard-headed, Hinata?” she protested. “Aren’t we friends?” I wi that, knowing that Mayumi-san’s definition of friend was different to Hinata’s, and that had caused her a lot of anguish. Though some good did e out of it. Hinata admitted her upset that day had pushed her to propose properly to me, with the help of her parents. At the time I found it an imposition, but now… with how cute and affeate Hinata was, as well as how very helpful she was in supp my is, it had all worked out for the best, and I wasn’t letting her go now.

  “I like to think we are, yes.” Hinata agreed. “Or at least, we definitely will be true friends one day. But business and friendship are two separate things, right?”

  “Well, I hear that the military are paying a fee, so I’ll pay for Tsurugi!” she pouted.

  “That’s a separate deal worked out behind the ses.” Hinata insisted. “There are a lot of hidden cessions and bes that Akio received as well. So just handing over money is worthless.”

  “Well, in that case…” Mayumi-san began, but Tsurugi stopped her.

  “No, mistress. In matters of security, not even your word stall me. I’ll not allow you to have this Chirurgery without me. I know you, Mayumi-sama, you’ll insist on seeing this other world, and if I’m not there…”

  Seeing the obvious distress on the face of the bodyguard, I wavered, but Hinata shot me a look, tellio keep quiet. “I see, well, then how about this? A favour for a favour.”

  “What sort of favour?” Mayumi-san asked, suspicious.

  “Oh, it’ll be equivalent, I wouldn’t dream of exploiting you, Mayumi-sama.” Hinata smiled reassuringly, but I could see the plotting in her eyes, as I knew her pretty well now. “Go ahead Akio. I know it must be tiring stantly perf Chirurgery, but Mayumi-sama here is an invaluable partner. I just hope she realises that what y to the table is irrepceable, whereas if it was money or industrial es, I’m sure Fujiwara house would suffice, or even our Fukumoto house.”

  Mayumi-san tio pin, but now the deal was struck, Tsurugi-san sat down on the bed, muscles tense. “I am ready. Don’t try anything strange, or else…” her gaze was hard.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” I assured her, and Hinata ughed.

  “Oh, Tsurugi, you couldn’t do anything to Akio even if you tried.” Hinata giggled. “Stop being such a worrier. I know it’s your job, and you treasure Mayumi-sama, just like Kazumi does me. But know your limits.”

  “All right, all right.” I chided them both. “Now, let me work. This is delicate and plicated.” I began by using me Eye. Tsurugi, despite her male clothing, had a rather impressive womanly figure, and her muscles were toned and tight. Her work retty typical for an ordinary person though, and after a brief assessment, there seemed to be no issues, so I extended my aether, beginning to open her first chakra. Sweat immediately sprang up on her face as she stifled a groan, biting on her lip, brown eyes fshing with pain.

  “Are you all right?” Mayumi-san asked, ed, but after ung her jaw, Tsurugi-san said she was fine, and bade me tinue. Some ten mier, she was lying down, drenched with sweat, her white shirt stig to her body, panting heavily.

  “All done. Sorry about the pain, I tried to lessen it as much as I could with Ether Healing, but when you are carving the proper pathways and b the chakras, it isn’t easy to keep it from hurting. The only sotion is it’s not so much physical pain as mental, so it fades quickly. There’ll be disfort for a few days while your work purges the debris. Kazumi-san, you teach her the proper exercises for raisiher.”

  At Kazumi-san’s nod I turo Mayumi-san, who had watched with fasation, but her face had grown pale as her bodyguard suffered. I expect as a pampered ojou-sama, a little princess, she’s never had to fay pain…

  Hinata must have agreed, as her smile was outwardly kind, but I could sehe amusement within it. “What’s up Mayumi-sama? Didn’t you want this? Surely you aren’t scared of a bit of disfort? Even I managed, irls as well, some youhan you.”

  “No, no I’m not! Who do you think I am?” Mayumi-san decred, successfully goaded. “I want to see this world Hinata talks about. After all, how I assess your talents and worth as a business partner without the full information? I just… well, it’s only natural to worry!” she decred fidently.

  “Mayumi-sama…” Tsurugi-san said warily, ed.

  “Just do it! I don’t like to wait!” Mayumi-san said, lying down, though her eyes were wavering. All right then. Here goes… Moments ter the screaming began.

  ********

  “Such a shameful dispy. If the young dies at school could have seen you…” Hinata giggled at the red-faced Mayumi-san, who was breathing heavily, her face covered with snot and tears. “As for you, Tsurugi, you knew what was going to happen, and that Akio meant no harm.” The bodyguard had instinctively tried to stop me as I worked, but Kazumi-san and Natsumi had held her down as she struggled. “Besides, if you ’t eve my Kazumi or Natsumi, how would you stop Akio?”

  “She was just ed.” I said, feeling a little guilty. Still, it looked like my sedary objective had been achieved, as some of her boisterous and pushy nature had been curbed by the experie least for now.

  “ you charge them up?” Hinata tinued, ign the bitter look Mayumi-san gave her. “They don’t have time to gather aether naturally, and I want to give them the grand tour. Show them just what you and.” Her smile was now shading to the malicious.

  “I shall do it.” Shaeu said, having watched the Chirurgery silently. “Akio, you wao speak to the twins and finish their recovery, did you not-not?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, and I’ll probably have time to finish Ren-san too. Then we have to meet Primal Forest, right?”

  “Who is this Primal Forest?” Mayumi-san mahe lingering pain not having pletely destroyed her curiosity.

  “One of the highest nobility of the Fae.” Shaeu answered for me, as she poured aether into Mayumi-san’s work, causio groan as spiritual debris were flushed, and also her skin to redden, as the experience was mildly pleasurable. “Very much like yrandfather, I would-would surmise. The old tree is quite-quite the merary one, always looking out for his profit, but we need-need what he has, so I do hope things go well.” Her amber gaze met mine and I knew she shared my desire to protect Kyoto, and Tsukiko-san. Feeling a warm sensation of happiness as Shaeu supported my ambitions, I spoke to Miyu.

  “You take a look around my Territory too, it might give you some ideas for your own. Then I have something I want you to do. It should double as training, but it might be hard.”

  Mayumi-san watched with ied eyes as Miyu agreed readily, probably as she was one of the few girls she would ever aowledge as an equal because of her family lineage.

  “All right then. I’ll see you shortly.” Leaving them to ehe Boundary, I ehe room that the twins were staying in. Ren-san was there now, having finished his gruelling exercises, his hair stig to his scalp and his priest-robes drenched. “Looks like you really overdid it.” I ughed, a breeze from my wind energy quickly stripping the worst of the sweat from him, cooling him down. He looked away, briefly annoyed, but managed an appreciative nod in the end.

  “Well, how are you two?” I asked the twins. “I don’t want you pushing yourselves either.”

  They exged a long gnce, probably unig telepathically, before speaking. “Akio-sama, reciate that you worry for us.” Chiaki-san said, before Chiasa-san took over. “But we are fine. After all, we have each other. And we have our pride.”

  “We want to support our shrine and Ren-sama. And now we have seerue darkhat lurks…” Chiaki-san said, and Chiasa-san finished for her. “… in the world that the kami inhabit. How we, as daughters of Hikawa shriep aside?”

  Ren-san looked pai that. “Please, stop calling me Ren-sama. Look at how hurt you got… and it’s all my fault…”

  “No it is not.” “It is not your fault.” they echoed each other. “You did the best you could, Ren-sama. We address you with respect because…” Chiaki-san smiled.

  “… we early hope that you take on the mantle of veing the noble Gods of our shrine. After all…” Chiasa-san joined her, her smile surprisingly bright.

  “… you are blessed to have sunlight. It is a mark of the favour of the Gods.”

  “… besides, you did your best. And we are alive.”

  “… what more you ask for, Ren-sama? Anything else, sidering those who died…”

  “…is simply too greedy. Be happy with what we have left.”

  As the twins finished, I found myself agreeing with their ses. Patting Ren-san on the back, I began to heal the twins. It was a matter of fading and regeing scars and finishing hastening the repair of setting bones and torn muscles. Once more I sidered why I could do that, and nrow eyes, or heal Shiro’s adherence-polluted wounds. “Your sisters are right. I’m not going to lie to make you feel better, but… you did well. Besides, it’s the job of an older brother to put up with the selfishness of his younger sisters, right?”

  “Maybe to you, sis!” he snapped, but he was scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand, and I could tell he was moved by their defence of him. Yes, this experience could definitely be the making of him. It’d be useful to have another useful ally, and we are sorely g males around here…

  Soon I was doh the healing, and now it was just the girl from Hoeruokami shrine, and taking care of Keomi-’s mental injuries. Then I could focus on Shiro and Eri, my true priorities, selfish though that was. Returning to my room after giving the twins and Ren-san adviot to push themselves, I dived into the Boundary, to find everyone waiting for me.

  Hinata was the first to approach, a smug grin on her face, followed by the awestruck Mayumi-san, her eyes wide with shock, and the equally stunned but very wary Tsurugi-san, who despite her wonder was watg every stranger alertly, as if they could be a danger. Which wherangers were ratkin, weaselkin, trolls and more, that was something she couldn’t hope to pn for or ua.

  “Akio, how are the twins?” she asked, and I advised her they would be ing to train shortly, now fully healed.

  “That’s great.” She smiled. “Eri was telling us about how they helped with learning light element aher Healing. Motoko, Natsumi and I want that too! We’ll not be left behind!”

  “First, I want the three of you to maximise your levels down at the coast. Might as well make use of the sed Rank of Lovers’ Link. It’ll make a big difference.”

  “Sure thing!” Hinata grinned, and Motoko and Natsumi looked excited, eager to train as always.

  “I guess we are babysitting?” Shiro grumbled. “I did want to see the nds of the Fae Shaeu keeps talking about. That damn idiot the Raven Knight kept going on about them too, though he painted a very… different… picture.”

  “You know we ’t today.” Eri warned, walking unsteadily, but on her feet here in the Boundary. “Shaeu and Akio have to iate with that bigshot. We ’t mess it up for them.”

  “Yeah, I’ll leave the overseeing of the situation to you two. I trust you both. But take a few troops as backup. The coastal enemies are dangerous enough, but nothing you ’t handle. Even so, I like insurance.”

  “Poor protective Aki, always worried about us. Well, when I’m fully healed, you’ll see what this white princess do whes grinding seriously! Speaking of… I had a call from Arisu. She wants to meet you very soon.” She swallowed nervously. “You do it, right?” her bck eyes were urgio accept.

  “Fine.” I agreed. “I expect that airhead Suzu-san will be there too?”

  “Oh no doubt. Well, at least you know her a little now, I guess.”

  “Speaking of…” Motoko said suddenly. “I do not think you’ve been told, but…” her face was red, and she looked very shy. “We have our first official e as a couple soon.”

  We do? “That’s o me. Not that I object. You are my fiancée, and I’m damn proud I have such a refined one.” I smiled, and she blushed harder, some of the girls around me giggling.

  “Oh, I was going to mention it too.” Miyu said, surprising me. “It’s the invitation to the ga being held by the Queen in Engnd, right? Grandfather got us invitations. He will be attending along with my father, since he is an iial bureaucrat in the MEXT. Cultural exge is his forte, though if it was not for the Fujiwara name, he would never get an io such a prestigious ga. My cousin Honoka will be attending as well, you remember her too?” she asked, and I nodded, as I met her briefly when I was at the Fujiwara mansion to talk about Miyu being a didate.

  “We shall be attending together with my grandfather.” Motoko said. “Since he is the head of the Military he has suffit rank. But it is all a pretence of course.”

  “I see. I guess Tsukiko-san’s warnings are being taken seriously. I’m assuming that Princess Eleanor will be there?”

  “Yes, she will be. She has beetending more events than ever retly, along with a rather strange group of men and women.”

  “I think they might well be fellow didates. Perhaps her support?” I mused, only for Shiro to cross her arm below her ample chest, frowning.

  “Cheating on the princesses you already have with another, huh? Damn, now I’m worried! And jealous. Engnd huh. A Queen.”

  As the girls started chattering, Hinata broke in, frustrated. “Hey, don’t ignore me!”

  “Sorry.” I ughed, patting her head. “The news was just a bit ued. I didn’t think the Prime Minister and nobility would work so fast after our warnings. Besides…” I barely remember Engnd at all, but it’ll be iing to go back. I wonder if we’ll actually get to meet the Queen. Attending a party where she’s there is very different to a royal audience…

  “Well, I just wao say… Mayumi-sama has something to ask.” Hinata stepped back smugly, and Mayumi-san now looked more deferential, havihe magnifit Earth Altar and giant Rhyming Tree.

  “Hinata says that you trol everything within ten kilometres of here. Is that right?”

  I trated for a moment, interfag with my Anchor. “Not quite. There’s still a fes to fill in, but Shaeraggo and our forces have been busy. Looks like we have arouy pert of it. It’ll all be ours soon.” Then we set up Fae Stones and Warning Bells, as it’ll be a while before we push for Rank 4.

  “I see. And… you travel bad forth like this?” she asked. “What about ordinary people?” Her gaze was intense.

  “For now, there’s not much overp. From what I expect though, sooner or ter travel between will be possible for anyone.”

  “See?” Hinata smugly gloated. “I know we are on the suburbs of Tokyo here, but how much do you think such a massive plot of nd would be worth? To say nothing of the resources that only be gained here. And you looked down on Akio. Repent!”

  “Ugh.” Mayumi-san pouted. “Well, I accept you are qualified to partner Ichijou house in business. But even so, wealth alone doesn’t make you noble!”

  Hinata said nothing, merely pointing to Shaeu, and Mayumi-san flushed, before tossing her head angrily. “Fine. So, what will Tsurugi and I do while here?”

  “I think you should just enjoy yourself for now. No point in subjeg you to the training for little gain. That reminds me. Miyu?”

  “Yes?” Miyu answered as I spoke up.

  “I’d like a favour, please.”

  “Well, you are my master.” She smiled slightly, causing Mayumi-san some annoyance, and she was muttering about Fujiwara house being above me. Only for now. Besides, Shaeu’s family has been noble for lohan that…

  “I want you to Dahe Returning Dawn as much as you around the stru we are doing. Tillyae and her musis py for you if you . Get some of Ixitt’s Mortal Engio dot the effects of the rate of ge. Depending on how strong it is, you could be truly amazing as a trump card.”

  “I see. I have no objes.” She decred. “Though my outfit is unsuitable…” she looked down, seeing she was wearing the clothes she had worn to meet us earlier.

  “Fine, give me a moment…” After asking around the various Fae that were w, some cloth was found for me, and I quickly crafted a suitable kimono. “Does that help?” I asked, and she nodded. “I will not let you down.”

  “Great. Now, don’t look at me like that, Shaeu. I see you are impatient. We have to go meet Primal Forest now, so if you excuse us. Shiro, Eri, I’m trusting you two with the levelling. Hinata, keep showing hospitality to Mayumi-san. Miyu, please dance your heart out. If someone could let Kana know to look after the twins when they get here, that’d be great…”

  “It’s fine. Go, go! We know what to do!” Hinata ughed, and with that we left for the Ring Gate…

  ********

  “I love what you’ve doh the pce.” I ughed, as we took our seats, well, our wooden thrones, at the Spring. All around the ke, deg had been id doolished to a rich, dark shine, and the Spring itself, while barely, slowly refilling, was and pure, rich water element radiating off it. Scaffolding along the walls, and viewing ptforms were bei up so people could observe and also bathe in the moonlight reflected from the crystals above.

  “Well, it is far-far from finished.” Shaeu said, a touervously. “Just like the mansion, it is but-but an outer shell. We require café’s, bars and more-more. But even so, it has e-e a long way.” She then sighed, ging the subject. “Primal Forest should be here quite-quite soon. Do remember, the treekin see all the Rhyming Trees as theirs, do not-not mention our Territory has them. It might cause fri.”

  “Got it.” I agreed. “And I o remember to not take offe the slow speed of his as and words. Really, he sounds just like a.”

  “Ent?” Shaeu asked.

  “Treefolk from a very famous British story. Perhaps the most famous fantasy one.” I looked around. Hyath had apanied us, along with the weaselkin maids Klena and Velna. There were also a few new maids who had beeed for training, as apparently with Shaeu’s lofty status, so few maids was insuffit, and one of them was a bck-furred ratkin, possibly one of Ixitt’s maives.

  “Well, do not-not make assumptions. Primal Forest is crafty. I shudder to think of rice we shall have to pay. He will likely sense our need, and bargain most-most strictly.”

  I nodded. “Of course. We Kyoto inte of our defences. Yes, we’ll have a helicopter on standby soon, and ilots in the Bck Wolf, and I’ll learn myself, but…” If the attaes oerial, the Ring Gates will be useless. If however the attack is as I suspe the Boundary, then we reaear-instantaneously…

  It was then a herald came over, deg Primal Forest and his ente had arrived. Shaeu reached out, one hand grasping mihe small hand warm in my grip, and we waited, trying to look dignified and imposing. So that’s one of the Princes of the Seelie, huh?

  Seeing the massive Treekin unfold to his true height after passing through the tunnel in a crouched pose, I marvelled at him, Primal Forest being one of the stranger sights I had seen. He was surrounded by a cloud of what looked like honey-bees, and small sprites seemed to be hiding in his mossy beard and hair, only to jump out and flit about here and there on gossamer wings. When you think faeries, they are definitely what first es to mind…

  Primal Forest was followed by what looked like women made of vines, with long, white petals dangling from their waists like bell-skirts, as well as some smaller treekin. Stopping in front of the Spring, close enough for his roots, which he was walking on, to dangle in the shallow water, he sat on the massive bench we had hastily thrown together for the occasion.

  “It is good to see you again, noble Primal Forest.” Shaeu took the lead iing him. “This is my chosen husband, Akio Moonstone Oshiro.” She gave it iern order.

  “A pleasure to meet you.” I said as regally as I could, relying on my Majesty and the hasty etiquette lessons Shaeu had drilled into me. “I have heard much about you from Shaeu and Shaeraggo.”

  “Har. Har. Har. Nothing good, if your brother has anything to say.” He intoned slowly, greeting Shaeu, before turning slowly to me, his hoary face peering at me, the eyes holding a slow but a wisdom. “As for you… mortal, yes. But not wholly so. There is a great deal of Fae about you. Fitting, yes.”

  “My thanks. I do hope to be a fitting husband to Shaeu, and support her ambitions here in the Spring and the wider Court” I accepted his pliment, aurned one of my own. “I must thank you for your efforts to reforest a the barren area around the Shri would have taken us far loo even begin, were we to do it ourselves.” The broad expanse was still bare in many pces, but small groves had formed, and seeds were spreading, weeds and grasses the first to start returning over the wider expanse. Shaeu pointed out some useful herbs that had started to bloom. Perhaps this nd will be a treasure for us in time…

  “A great tragedy…” his words were slow, but showed no impatience. “… when the vile Myids took the Spring, so many firees and pnts died. Do you know, the Rhyming Trees used to bloom here, earth and water trees t high above the forests, enrig the nds.”

  This is the subject Shaeu didn’t want to tou. “Well, I fear that any such Trees would have died over the turies, but perhaps they rise again.”

  “Indeed.” Shaeu agreed. “We would be most-most happy to see Fae trees growing here once more. But Rhyming Trees are not-not on, there are few seedlings.”

  “That is why each loss is such a great tragedy.” Primal Forest boomed. “If only you could have struck down the foe sooner. Well, haste makes waste, as they say, and it is not fair to expect miracles.” He paused for lohan usual. “So, Princess. You called me here to make a trade, did you not?”

  Shaeu seemed surprised the long-winded and ponderous Treekin cut to the chase, but she nodded regally. “Yes, noble Primal Forest. Just as you traded the mushrooms to create a paired Faerie Ring Gate to my brother, I would ask-ask that you offer Akio a pair, for a fair price. We will not-not fet this favour if you do.”

  “A…” he turo one of the pnt-women. “Show the Princess.” With that, the petalled skirt of one vine-woman unfurled, and a number of mushrooms were visible, the same sort as Shaeraggo had installed for us.

  “Such mushrooms are scarce. Fewer even than the beautiful Rhyming Trees. Only we pntkin cultivate them.” He boomed. “The price is seldom cheap. I ask, why do you hem?”

  Shaeu and I exged looks. She nodded, so I expined. “I o protect a nd far from my own. I made Oaths to that effect. Knowing that, I seek a boon of a Faerie Ring Gate I establish, so that when erike, I read crush them as we crushed the Myids here.” I pyed that up, knowing how much Primal Forest hated them.

  “I see. Oaths. Speaking of Oaths…” He sniffed, sug in a great rush of air, ruffling Shaeu’s amber hair. “Tell me, where did you meet a Dryad?”

  The question gave me pause. “A Dryad?” I asked, and he nodded ponderously, wood creaking, bees and sprites scattering.

  “Yes. A Dryad. Ohat favours you greatly. I smell a Kiss upon you, not-quite-human.” He boomed, and his face twisted into an amused, knowing expression. “You have a long way to go yet, little Duchess.” His ugh was staccato, slow and thunderous. “Your face reveals too much. I uand, as the rumours said, your education was… g.”

  Shaeu ceded with a nod. “I admit it freely, noble Primal Forest. My attitude was most-most poor as well. But I shall learn. I thank you for your sel. I shall learn from my father, and my mother.” At that, she grinned, as Primal Forest clearly reacted. “Yes, I did-did find my main, in the nd Akio wishes to protect. She was most pleased to see me once again. I do so-so hope that this is the start of a rekindliween my mother and father, and perhaps between the Night Parade and the Seelie Court.” She frowned. “While there are no-no doubt many of the Parade who the lower Astral would be much-much better off without, I would rather accept and mahem, than allow the Parade to traffic with our bitter-bitter enemies.”

  “Yeah, better to have allies than enemies.” I agreed. “Besides, I guess we already did cull a number of… unsuitable… allies.” I remembered the Kijo that Hyath sughtered with her spores, and she did too, as she had a nasty grin on her face.

  “Har. I suspect there is a story there?” Primal Forest said at st, after another long rumination to think.

  “There is.” I agreed, and I told an abridged version of the battle against the Night Parade, Shaeu interjeg when appropriate. When done, Primal Forest seemed amused.

  “Fierce fighters, the pair of you, it seems. Perhaps you could even give this old wood a challehough do not grant. Those of us who have endured from antiquity are no weak fools. So, tell me again, where did you meet a Dryad so fond of you, she would give what only be given once. And to a mortal, of a sort, no less.”

  “Noble Primal Forest, if I may-may…” Shaeu began, but he waved one massive branch-covered arm, to silence her.

  “I am speaking to your husband. Man to man.”

  Fine. I know Shaeu said not to speak of it, but he’s clearly on to us. With my Majesty and League at their maximum, I put on an imperious mien. “Well, in truth, three Trees had survived, well, if you could call it that. The poor Dryad had also endured, mostly insane, by dev her dead and dying sisters to stay alive. The Trees had barely any time left, the spores ing them. We took a d evacuated them before the final battle with Duke Myrcoxriath, lest they bee the final casualties of war.”

  “Evacuated?” he looked at me, unblinking. “To where?”

  “To a safe pce, with rich earth energies. As, the weaker tree couldn’t survive, but two did, the Dryad’s tree as well. Even so, it took a lot of work to save it. I guess she was grateful.”

  Shaeu winced, but there was only silence. Eventually it was broken. “I see. A.”

  “Yes, mighty Lord of Nature?” the pnt-woman with the mushrooms responded.

  “Go with them ahem set up the Gate. I wish for no problems. The mushrooms should not be wasted.” He looked at Shaeu then, before letting out long gales of ughter, sting for an unfortably long time. When he finally stopped, he she sound of tearing wood.

  “I see you worry I may y cim to the Rhyming Tree. I do believe such trees should be cared for by the treekin, is it not natural? We are the Fae of the trees, after all. But those blessed by Dryads, noble daughters of King Orion, may his wounds heal swiftly, well… perhaps they should be protected most of all. But a Dryad’s Kiss ot be pelled. It must be given freely. So I have nht to interfere. However…” his gaze sharpened. “If I find these Trees ed, my wrath will be terrible. Each Rhyming Tree is a legacy of the nds of the Fae. So few new ones are born, and with war unending, they dwindle.” He spread his branches. “As far as the eye see, I would have groves and gdes. If it takes ten thousand years, I shall still be here to see it done.”

  “I assure you, noble Primal Forest, we care for the Trees-Trees greatly, and give them the best-best of everything.” Shaeu hasteo reassure him.

  “I do not doubt you, who freed the Spring. But even so… A will be my witness, and perhaps wheime is right, I shall see for myself.”

  “Right, so ayment do you want for the Ring Gates?” I could return the sed Earth Tree if necessary, though Asha might mourn…

  “Payment?” he snorted once more. “This time, I shall just ask for a favour, in due course. It would not do to be… hasty… in deg.” He ughed again, for nearly twenty minutes.

  “A favour?” Shaeu asked, and he nodded slowly. “Well then.” Shaeu tinued. “I shall not-not allow any favour that hurts our is, noes against my sce, or Akio’s.”

  “So demanding. Just like your father.” He boomed. “I agree to that. After all, I have seen your pns for the Spring.” He gestured to the strange surroundings. “So unlike before, yet… better than before, as you demanded. You offered participation, mutual be, and I do the same. Just remember, Faerie Ring Gates are special. And your need is great.”

  “I uand.” I nodded, accepting the deal. It’s not like I have a choice. Well, at least now I’m starting to feel a little sympathy for Mayumi-san, because we just got Hinata’d…

  ShipTeaser