'What the heck do you mean? You can't just tell me I can have my first descendant. Give me some explanation.'
'Do it then plant my descendant right next to me.'
'The edge of the tree circle it is. Do it now.'
I was totally overwhelmed by the thought of having a descendant. In my previous life, I had never had a wife or a child. My only partner in life was my research.
Getting a second chance at life I wished to rectify this error. I wished to know the feeling of being a father so desperately that I threw all caution to the wind and did it.
I had been warned.
With a burst of life force a light green, glowing orb left my body. It was nearly time for the evening prayer and the townspeople had already gathered. Before there eyes, this glowing orb traveled to the western edge of the outermost tree circle and transformed into a sapling in the ground.
The prayers that night were slightly more intense than usual.
The following day, a noble arrived. Same procedure as always. However, this time their secret talks would be known to me.
It didn't take long for the noble and Erik to conveniently find themselves at the edge of town.
"I presume you are Erik?"
"Indeed my lord, are you here for the same reason as the others?"
"I have already heard what you have told them. Was there any recent development?"
"There was. He seemed to expend great effort to create a sapling. It must be very precious to him. My lord, you could take advantage of that."
"I will see about that. You have done well."
That didn't sound good. I'd have to make sure to-
'Hum?'
A sound echoed through my mind. It sounded... Cute.
'Was that you system?'
'Hum?'
'So I now have a child talking in my head, what a pain. A very cute sounding pain.'
The voice didn't respond and I could vaguely feel that its owner had fallen asleep.
I should keep my mind voice down, lest I wake it. I had been planning something before this. Hadn't I? Well since I didn't remember, it couldn't have been all that important.
I spent the rest of the day in a daze. A fuzzy feeling in my core engulfed my mind and I felt truly happy. I hardly noticed the evening prayer and the whole night seemed to pass in but a flash.
I was awoken from my daze by none other than the noble. He came early in the morning, followed by Erik and his attendant.
"You there, tree."
"I have a name you know."
"That is of no concern to me. I know that you can produce more iron. Should this be known to Utgard you would be heavily punished. However, I am a generous man. Give me 500 iron ingots every month and I will keep my silence on the matter."
"Are you done? Because I refuse."
Thinking the matter was over, I fired a few leaf blades at Erik and tried to sink back into the comfortable feeling I had before being so rudely awakened.
I still kept some attention on Erik, hoping to see him suffer a bit. But it didn't happen. The leaves were burnt to ash before they could reach him. I began to concentrate again.
What had just happened?
"Ha! Did you really think you could harm someone in my presence with leaves! What a dumb tree you are. You can't follow orders and act violently, I will have to punish you."