758 – Add Nature to Ruins – 4

High-ranking people have descended on the academy during the semester.

“It’s beautiful.”

The emperor decided to create Constantina’s flower garden at the Academy.

“Yes. It is truly a beautiful sight.”

The Minister of Education, nominally in charge of the Academy.

“Even if it’s the same plain, the difference between whether there are flowers or not is so big.”

The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is responsible for checking if anything goes wrong in the territory of the empire.

‘That’s cool.’

Lastly, I followed along out of curiosity.

Honestly, I said, ‘I’m on vacation, so I’ll just rest at home.’ I could have missed it, but how could I give up the sight of God creating a flower garden in real time?

As Constantina said that it is similar to the World Tree, this flower garden could also become a religious symbol and sacred place over time. It’s worth taking a break from your vacation to see the place.

“Huh.”

In the meantime, the principal, who suddenly had a large flower garden next to his workplace and was supposed to assist the emperor and three ministers, let out an exclamation with a blank look on his face.

There was a mixture of admiration for supernatural phenomena and beautiful sights, but there was also a bit of bitterness from a civil servant in his later years who was about to retire. He probably resents his wife who is suffering all kinds of hardships until the very end.

Still, this is a good thing compared to the three years when the royal family of another country and the next saint were in trouble. It wouldn’t be a disaster if a flower garden opened up near the academy.

“Huh?”

I looked with pitiful eyes at the principal, who was slowly beginning to show a look of liberation, and then tilted my head at the strange sight seen in the flower field.

“Your Majesty.”

“Why but, Minister?”

“I can see a small light on the flower side.”

“Light?”

At my words, the emperor even frowned and tried to look as far away as possible,

“I can’t see my luggage.”

Unfortunately, it does not seem to be visible to the ordinary emperor’s eyesight.

If the emperor is the same, then so are the ministers of the Ministry of Education and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. These two are pure administrative bureaucrats rather than trained warriors.

“I see. “I see an unusual light.”

Still, the principal was a wizard who once roamed the battlefield, so he spotted the light as soon as he heard me.

Although I didn’t notice it until I said it, the principal was in a distraught state of mind. It’s completely understandable.

“Red, blue, green, and yellow. There are four.”

“Yes. It is the color of fire, water, wind and earth.”

As I nodded and answered the principal’s words, the emperor’s eyes turned to me again.

“Is it a spirit?”

Then I confirmed the identity of the light. Could it be that spirits appeared in that flower field?

“Yes, Your Majesty. That is so.”

“Hoo.”

When he answered without hesitation, the emperor stroked his chin and raised the corners of his mouth.

Spirits are beings that can only be active around the World Tree. Unless, like our Catlea, you have a heavenly level of spirit affinity and receive the blessings of the spirit kings to become a walking mini world tree—that law is absolutely immutable.

But the truth has been broken. A spirit appeared in a place other than the World Tree.

“Well, just like the World Tree, that flower field is a place where Constantina’s power resides. There is enough room for a spirit to appear.”

“It is truly a happy occasion. Isn’t Constantina and the spirits who suffered from the atrocities of Apels in the past now able to freely carry out their wishes in the capital of Apels?”

Then the emperor, the two ministers, and the principal laughed.

That’s how ironic and interesting this situation is. The Apels Empire, which burned down the world tree, collapsed, and the faith of Constantine, which Apels had trampled upon, bloomed like a flower in the capital of Apels. What would it be like to see the Emperors of Apels in the underworld?

‘At first it seemed like a crazy idea.’

I too smiled and looked at the emperor. When that guy suggested building a flower garden at the academy, I thought it was some kind of bullshit, but after thinking about it, I thought it was a pretty good idea. There is no better place to announce the complete revival of the faith of Constantine.

If it weren’t for the Academy in the first place, there would be no suitable candidate. Trixie’s territory, the Duchy of Servet, is also on the list of candidates, but is Constantina’s grace already inhabiting a territory ruled by a mixed-race elf? Constantina’s faith can rise like crazy. When you try to use up faith, you end up receiving more.

However, it would be a waste to choose a candidate overseas rather than domestically. No matter how difficult it is to decide on a location, it would be a shame to give up this precious opportunity to another country.

‘If you turn your head, you will find the answer.’

I nodded with satisfaction as I looked at the colorful flowers and the spirits wandering over them.

It wasn’t an easy place to choose, but after putting our heads together, we were able to find a suitable place. As expected, the power of collective intelligence is great─

– Wow, seeing a different place for the first time in hundreds of years!

‘Ah.’

The space above the flower garden shook and the Spirit King of Fire appeared.

If the Spirit King appears, it really seems to be a flower garden with a similar effect to the World Tree. At this rate, fairies will also be born in the flower fields.

‘Good.’

It is an academy where spirits and fairies live. It is the perfect educational institution for our Catlea to enroll in.

“Hmm.”

“Your Majesty, is there anything that makes you uncomfortable?”

“No, I mean those flowers.”

“Yes, you say so.”

“What would it be like if I plucked a few flowers?”

The Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport quietly kept his mouth shut at the emperor’s words.

It’s not a big deal to pluck a few flowers from a flower garden with thousands of flowers, but after all, that flower garden was created by God. Depending on the interpretation, damaging such a flower garden can be considered sacrilege.

Of course, Constantina is a god who suffered the spicy sacrilege of arson of the World Tree. I could probably laugh off a few flowers, but it’s still a bit much.

– You can take it.

And the answer to the emperor’s question was the Spirit King of Fire who had already flown in front of us.

– Isn’t that flower field not a single entity like the World Tree, but a collection of thousands of flowers? Moreover, since Constantina’s grace was allowed to dwell in the empire, it was natural to give a gift to the owner of this land.

“…Hmm.”

-You can speak comfortably. I am a guest in this world, so I am not your subject, but you are also not a butler who has to serve me.

“Is that so? Thank you for your consideration.”

The emperor, who was wondering whether to treat him with honor or treat him inferiorly, readily nodded his head at the words of the Fire Spirit King.

– So, which one would you take? It’s a gift to the emperor, so I’ll pick it for you myself.

“A lily is enough. Is that okay?”

– It’s a lily. Just wait a moment.

After saying that, the Fire Spirit King turned around and flew away, soon picking up ten lilies.

It was quite impressive to see a bird with fire all over its body come back carrying flowers.

***

Something strange and sacred happened.

A strange incident that created a huge flower field near the academy. However, it was not a flower garden created by human hands, but a sacred event that was the work of Constantina, the god of vegetation and the mother of the elves.

And as soon as I heard the news, I instinctively calculated the benefits for the imperial family and the empire.

‘Habits are scary things.’

I calmed down by sprinkling feed to the chickens.

Now I am just a retired old man, not an emperor. It is not I who leads the imperial family and empire, but my son and my successor. For me to care about the affairs of the country means shaking up the authority of the emperor.

Therefore, he did not care whether the Constantina faith blossomed in the capital of the old Apels Empire or not, or whether Constantina’s work was similar to the World Tree or not.

That’s exactly what I was trying to do.

“Meet His Majesty Sangwang.”

“Welcome, Your Majesty.”

Until Gilbert came to me first.

“I’m glad you’re doing well. The livestock… Seems to have increased since a few days ago.”

“There were chicks that hatched not long ago. A foal was also born yesterday.”

“I see. It’s an auspicious occasion.”

Gilbert awkwardly and remained silent for a moment.

“God’s grace rests near the Academy.”

Then he spoke carefully.

“They say so. What a happy thing it is that the faith of Constantine, trampled by Apels, blossomed again in the reign of Kpelopen.”

“Yes. As His Majesty said, it was a happy event, but perhaps because it was a flower garden given by God, it was beautiful and amazing.”

After saying that, Gilbert handed me the box he was holding in his hand.

A box that is long and looks like it would store a fountain pen or a sword.

“I brought it because I felt it would be a waste to look at it alone. I hope it will be a good gift for you both.”

When I heard that there were two people, I quietly opened the box.

Then, ten lilies, still fresh despite having fallen from the ground, greeted me.

“Lily, it is.”

“Yes. It’s a lily.”

With those words, both I and Gilbert just looked at the lily in silence.

Yes, something like this would indeed make a good gift.

***

After looking at the flowers at the Academy, we headed to the County of Tylglehen, not the Jedo Mansion.

“Knife? What is this?”

“This is a present for my mother. I chose the prettiest ones possible. Do you like them?”

And when she handed her bouquet of daisies to her mother, who was playing with Teresa, her mother blinked her eyes a few times and smiled brightly.

“It’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

After putting Teresa down from her arms for a moment, she held the bouquet of flowers, so it seemed like her mother’s words her her she were sincere.

I was embarrassed. He was so happy with just a bouquet of flowers, but I couldn’t give it to him a long time ago. I prepared this gift not out of my own will, but under the influence of the emperor.

‘It’s like a broken clock.’

But what can I do? If you didn’t prepare a bouquet after hearing what the emperor said in the flower garden, you were destined to become one of the rarest unfilial sons. How amazing it is that the Minister of Education, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the principal also picked up a lot of flowers from the flower garden.

“Your Majesty. What happened to the lily…?”

“Jim’s mother loved lilies, both before and after she became empress.”

A flower prepared by the emperor for his mother who returned to heaven. As soon as he heard that, the Fire Spirit King turned back to the flower garden and picked out only the lilies that even I, an outsider, would admire.

‘A flower made of God’s grace.’

Moreover, the flowers were carefully selected by the Spirit King.

If you offer such flowers, the queen in heaven will be happy.