Chapter 269.1. The Mysterious Tree Is Mii-chan’s Tree

It’s about to be the rainy season. With her waist-length gray hair half-up arranged, and beautiful ice-blue eyes glistening, the fragile-looking young girl gazes up at the cloudless blue sky and smiles gently.
“Shouldn’t we head back soon since it’s going to rain? They say the weather in the countryside during the rainy season can change instantly.”
Standing on a rural road with fields stretching out before her, Mii-chan utters caution words as she looks at the simple scene in front of her. Shouldn’t we head back before the rain starts?
“We… Won’t… Go.. Home! Mii-chan, you said you could be a good girl to mama today, right? It’s a woman’s prerogative, and it’s a beautiful autumn sky.”
Although I gaze up at my beloved mama standing next to me and suggest we should go home soon with pleading eyes, my mama firmly rejects the idea.
However, she can’t help but be a little upset.
“Mii-chan, are you hurt? Did you fight a strong monster? Are you okay? Any sore spots?”
With a worried and caring look in her eyes, her mama touches Mii-chan’s body to check if she’s alright.
“Yeah, I’m fine. It was just a straw doll-like monster as it appeared, so I easily defeated it with my magic.”
Her heart warms at her mother’s kindness, and she answers with a shy smile. Mii-chan loves her mama so much because she worries about her well-being first and foremost.
“I’m sorry, mama. I got all muddy while fighting, and my clothes got dirty.”
It’s acceptable to say there was a hole in the stomach due to the dirt. Since my clothes turned bright red, I handed them to Nimue for washing.
“Aw, Mii-chan, you’re way more important than clothes. I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“Yeah, the monster had power, but that’s all it had.”
As she hugs me tightly and strokes her head, she giggles. Feeling the love of her family, Mii-chan is filled with happiness.
“I apologize, Countess Takano. Not only did I receive help, but I also left one person behind. I was unconscious, but there’s no excuse!”
Baron Hotta bows deeply to the ground. Indeed, even though she’s a Countess, it’s safe to say that leaving young Mii-chan behind was the worst possible decision.
“I ordered him to do so. That monster was a high-level mage, without someone of my caliber, he would have been more of a hindrance. Your subordinates acted correctly, so please don’t blame them.”
“Oh… Thank you, Countess Takano. I will never forget this kindness.”
I emphasize that it was a Countess’ order. If I don’t, Baron Hotta, with his scruffy beard, might face social consequences.
Understanding Mii-chan’s words, Baron Hotta expresses his gratitude with tears in his eyes. 
…Yeah, I feel guilty. After all, Mii-chan was the one who summoned the monster.
Or rather, that monster was more like…
“But still, the fact that such a monster got in… If we had left it alone, it could have harmed the neighboring residents. That was dangerous.”
“Because it was a straw doll, maybe someone using a curse! But it had only raw power, so I used my wisdom, courage, and resourcefulness to defeat it!”
Baron Hotta wiped the sweat from his forehead and continued his story. While I was trying to answer Hvergelmir’s true nature, I puffed up my chest proudly.
“Huh… Wisdom, courage, and resourcefulness, you say?”
For some reason, Baron Hotta turns his gaze towards Mii-chan with a somewhat ambiguous expression. Is he trying to say something?
Behind Mii-chan stands the sacred tree. After what happened, I planted a substitute sacred tree to conceal it.
Mii-chan’s mama, Grandpa Tobita, and the group surrounding Baron Hotta, including the shrine priest, cautiously approach and speak up.
“Um… My shrine is gone…”
“The monster destroyed it. It was a nasty monster!”
“And there’s no forest…”
“The monster destroyed it. It was a nasty monster!”
“And it’s just barren land now… The monster destroyed it.”
The priest wears a resigned expression. Mii-chan’s battle happened too quickly for them to understand what was going on. All they saw were shockwaves turning into gales, and the land disappearing.
Sorry about that. That straw doll did have a lot of raw power.
“We understand it was the terrifying power of the monster. We get it. But… what in the world is this tree?!”
The priest exclaims in shock, his voice echoing through the forest.
“As you can see, it’s a sacred tree. Defeating the monster seems to have restored its vitality! Isn’t that great?”
“No, no, how could it have become this vigorous?! This isn’t the same sacred tree as before!”
Waving his trembling finger, the priest points at the towering sacred tree.
“I believe it still falls under the category of ‘tree’!”
“I don’t think it even falls under the category of ‘tree’!”
Is that so? I look around, noticing that the new sacred tree looks exactly like the old one.
Mama sighs and places her hand on her forehead, while Grandpa Tobita and the others stand there in shock.
Baron Hotta and his group avert their eyes and sweat profusely.
“Nimue, it’s the same sacred tree, right?”
“Of course. It’s an exact match for the vanished sacred tree, master.”
Mii-chan’s words receive a confirmation nod from the maid, who wholeheartedly agrees.
“See, Priest? It’s identical!”
I tell the priest that nobody feels any discrepancy.
“W-What part of this Great Mithril Tree is the same?!”
The priest exclaims loudly.