After receiving various warnings from Lillywood-san about the Phantasmal King, we engaged in idle chatter for a while.
The content is mainly about Isis-san and Kuro, and just as I heard, Lillywood-san is a gentle and kind person, and as she gently spoke to me, our conversation naturally grew lively.
"Fufu, Kaito-san, you're quite a pleasant person to be around in huh. I can understand why the spirits like you so much. It's really magnificent, being able to win the trust of so many spirits."
[Ah, no... I think the reason the spirits like me are probably because of Shiro-sa... God of Creation's blessing to me. A fairy I know told me how she felt comfortable with my magic power. So it's not really because of my power...]
"No, that's where you're mistaken."
[Eh?]
As Raz-san told me, the world loves me because of Shiro-san's blessing, and it seems that my magic power is very comfortable for the fairies and spirits who were born from nature.
That's also why I've been able to get so many spirits to help me, but when I told her that it's only because of Shiro-san's power and something I can haughtily boast about, but Lillywood-san quietly, but clearly shook her head.
"It's certainly is largely due to Shallow Vernal-sama's blessing. However, it's by no means the only reason. Shallow Vernal's blessing is the kind of blessing that would make those born from nature have a good first impression of you when you're dealing with them... Having just her blessing wouldn't be enough for these spirits to be emotionally attached to you."
[Is that so?]
"Yes, the atmosphere around you and your personality... they were so clear and beautiful, and that's why so many spirits continue to follow you."
[I- I see...]
It's thanks to Shiro-san's blessing that others would have a favorable first impression of me, but she's telling me that making the spirits attached to me is my own achievement.
How should I say this… I'm feeling a bit embarrassed being straightforwardly praised.
Besides, for whatever it may be, having a good first impression is advantageous. So as expected, Shiro-san's blessings greatly influences it, but since it's a compliment, I'll obediently accept it.
"If it's Kaito-san, you would most probably get splendid results in this harvest festival... Ahh."
[Is something the matter?]
"I'm sorry, it's just that... I just noticed we've been talking for a long time. I wonder if you still have enough time?"
[Ahh, errr... If I get back now, I think I should be able to make it.]
Hearing Lillywood-san say that with a slightly flustered look on her face, I also remembered that I had completely forgotten about the harvest festival.
When I looked at my watch, it was already 2:00 in the afternoon, and I had to return to Rigforeshia soon or I wouldn't be able to make it in time.
"I see...then, I'll go with you."
[Eh? Ehhhhhh!?]
As she murmured so, an unusual phenomenon appeared on Lillywood-san's body, or rather, the tree she's attached to.
The tree she's attached to swayed like waves, and her hands and lower body, which had been buried in the tree, came out.
The tree then changed into a single large staff and Lillywood-san, holding it in her right hand, slowly stood up with both of her feet on the ground.
What a surprise... She can have a fully humanoid form...
Lillywood-san, who has taken on the same form as a human, turns to me and smiles.
"Well then, let's go."
[Ah, yes.]
Walking alongside Lillywood-san, we walked towards Rigforeshia.
Lillywood-san moves her gaze as she walks, and as she does so, all the branches grow out of the surrounding trees at once, and a vast number of fruits are produced there.
"Let's put them directly into your harvest bag."
[Eh?]
"I can't let your score drop because you were talking to me. I'll get the trees on the road to Rigforeshia to help me gather as much fruits as possible."
[Ehhhhhh!?]
Following what Lillywood-san said, I took out my harvest bag... and with tremendous force, fruits were thrown into the bag with speed almost as fast as a machine gun.
It's as if the trees around me are playing the ball-toss game with the bag I'm holding as their goal, and just by walking around with my bag, fruits were harvested one by one.
And not only that, it seems that more than a thousand spirits are cooperating with the trees, bringing their own fruits one after another.
I wonder what's happening… This is... kinda, errr, doesn't this look like it had turned into something outrageous? The number of fruits I have now...
I mean, look at the tremendous momentum they have. It looks like the amount of fruit I've collected just now has already exceeded the amount I've spent hours collecting...
Dear Mom, Dad—— I've gotten to know Lillywood-san a little better and she helped me gather fruits on the way back to Rigforeshia but... With the amount of fruits going into my bag—– I think it had turned to a tremendous result.
In the plaza at the entrance of the city of Rigforeshia, the tallying of the harvest festival, which was coming to an end soon, was about to take place.
Aoi and Hina had also returned a step ahead of the others, joining Lilia and the others who had returned after handing over the guard duty to the regular guard force, and the tally of their scores had been successfully completed.
[Aoi-chan and Hina-chan are both amazing! To get over 60 on your first day, that's a pretty impressive score.]
[Thank you.]
[Ehehe, I had lots of fun harvesting.]
Aoi collected 62 fruits while Hina collected 61 fruits, which is quite a good number of fruits in the harvest festival where the average is around 50, and Sylphia generously gave them her congratulations.
Rejnhardt, Lilia and the others also moved their gazes to the center of the square while praising the two of them for their good work.
Currently, the tallying of the previous year's winner, the Spirit Mage, is taking place, and the gazes of the people gathered around them are also focused.
After the results were put a few moments later, they all cheered at the same time.
[2- 210 points...]
[That's amazing, she broke the all-time record by 24 huh...]
Along with the astonished Sylphia, Rejnhardt also let out the same impression.
Words of praises from the people around her were being thrown, for her feat that will definitely go down in history as she had harvested over 200 pieces.
But, however, all of those only turned into an opening performance.
The excitement of the highest score of all time being achieved hadn't diminished, when suddenly, a shout resounded.
[W- What the heck was that!?]
[S- Spirits? W- What's with those numbers... Could that be a herald to an incoming disaster...]
Hearing those voices, Lilia and the others also moved their gazes and saw over a thousand spirits approaching the city of Rigforeshia from a distance.
Sylphia's mouth opened wide at the sight, while Lilia was holding her head as if she had already guessed who was pulling all those spirits along.
However, their shock didn't end there.
[I- I- It's World King-sama!?]
[World King-sama!? She came for the Sacred Tree Festival!?]
[I- It looks like she's walking with a human!]
Lillywood became visible to them, causing a great buzz around the area, and they gave strange looks at Kaito who was walking alongside her.
As they look at such a scene, Lilia whose face had went beyond pale and already turned pure white, called to Lunamaria next to her.
[...Luna, that's Kaito-san, right?]
[Y- Yes, you're not mistaken.]
[...Why is he coming back with World King-sama?]
[I- I don't know...]
The words "ashen-pale face" perfectly applied to Lilia, who looks like she's about to faint, while Lunamaria looked stiff when she replied to her.
Out of the corner of Lilia's eye, the man who is the facilitator of the tournament approaches Lillywood with a panicked look and kneels down on one knee.
[W- World King-sama! W- Why have you come....]
"Why? I'm also a spirit, and I don't think there would be any problems cooperating with him as a participant under the rules, right?"
[Y- Yes!? Yes, that's of course...]
Hearing Lillywood's words, the man repeatedly nodded, looking so horrified that he looked pitiful.
While the people around him froze at the sight, Lilia spoke again.
[...Luna, what do you think?]
[Even if you ask me that...]
[...It's that, all over again, right? He somehow got along with someone outrageous, is what happened again, right?]
[Y- Yes...]
[...Right? So, after this ruckus, Kaito-san will be walking towards me with World King-sama, wouldn't he?]
[T- That's probably what would happen...]
As Lilia muttered so without any expression on her face as if she's wearing a mask, Lunamaria also had cold sweat dripping from behind her neck when she replied, as Lilia slowly held her head in her hands.
[...Why is Kaito-san... I just took my eyes away from him for a few hours...]
[M- My lady. Please keep yourself composed.]
[...N- No...]
[No?]
[No mooooore!!! Kaito-san, you idioooootttttt!!!]
In the city of Rigforeshia, the sorrowful cries of troubled people resounded.