As soon as morning came, we took a carriage to the ‘Flora’ shelter. Security was especially tight since it housed magical creatures needing urgent treatment. Past the heavy iron gates, low buildings lined the path. When we got out in front of a stone building supported by multiple pillars, a man approached, clearly having been waiting.

“You’re here, Professor Asrein.”

“It’s been a while.”

The man, notable for his elegant bearing, greeted Asrein in a gentle tone. As he naturally brushed back his long bangs, his warm sky-blue eyes became clearly visible.

“Introduce yourself, Tae-oh. This is Professor Heim Berke, the head of ‘Flora.'”

Following Asrein’s gesture, I politely greeted Berke.

“Hello, Professor Berke. I’m Tae-oh, studying under Professor Asrein.”

“Nice to meet you, Tae-oh. I left my professorship long ago, so please address me comfortably.”

“Ah, yes! Mr. Berke.”

Berke, wearing a kind smile, turned his gaze back to Asrein.

“Are the banquet preparations going smoothly?”

“For the most part… yes.”

“What do you mean?”

“…Do you remember the ‘Hyperion’ I mentioned before?”

Berke, who had maintained a gentle expression throughout, stroked his mouth with trembling hands. Noticing the uneasy sign, Asrein frowned and asked.

“Didn’t you say all the injuries had healed?”

“Yes. The condition improved significantly, but a problem arose during the process.”

“It must be serious.”

“…I think it’s better if you see for yourself.”

Berke nodded slightly and walked ahead. While quietly following him, I hurriedly checked the Monster Encyclopedia. Since the System embedded in my mind, I didn’t need to speak aloud. Hyperion. As I pondered this unfamiliar name, the Monster Encyclopedia floating in the air quickly flipped pages before stopping in the middle.

Recorded at NO. 57, Hyperion was a Level 1 dangerous magical creature. This tree-shaped magical creature has branches continuously extending from a single trunk, resembling upturned roots. Having settled in fertile land without moving for decades, humans unaware of its true nature considered it a sacred natural object.

A massive tree with branches spreading in all directions. Clearing away the encyclopedia while imagining a banyan tree that looked like several trees merged together, I raised my head to find Berke had stopped and was pointing behind him.

“It’s here.”

Following his finger, I saw a six-story high cuboid greenhouse. Inside the clean glass greenhouse stood just one enormous tree. It was Hyperion. Just as I saw in the encyclopedia, the trunk split wildly, resembling multiple merged trees, and the branches stretched upward, seemingly about to pierce the ceiling. What put the finishing touch on this admirable sight were the vines wrapping around the tree.

“Actually… when treating Hyperion, we grew Phyllis together to help.”

“Phyllis?”

“Ah, Tae-oh might not know.”

When I asked curiously, Berke kindly added an explanation.

Phyllis is a vine plant that absorbs magical power, famous for its symbiotic relationship with the magical creature Hyperion. The massive Hyperion emits magical power throughout its body, causing unwanted harm to forest flora and fauna. That’s when the Phyllis vines wrap around Hyperion and grow, capturing the unnecessarily escaping magical power. Thus, Phyllis gains magical power as nutrition from Hyperion, and Hyperion can protect itself from harmful insects burrowing into its bark thanks to Phyllis.

“But that became the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look at the base of that Hyperion.”

As I slowly lowered my gaze, I saw unnaturally sunken marks on the thick trunk.

“Due to that wound, it couldn’t control the magical power it emitted. Eventually, the Phyllis surrounding its body grew uncontrollably and started absorbing more magical power than necessary. If we try using magic to remove the overgrown vines now, it would be like pouring water into a flooded house, and if we try forcibly cutting them, they react even to the magical power flowing from humans.”

The symbiotic plant had become parasitic. Covered entirely in Phyllis, Hyperion would soon lose its nutrients and wither. Berke anxiously bit his lower lip and muttered.

“We have only days until the banquet. …At this rate, Hyperion won’t be able to go to Kune Forest on schedule.”

When cut with magic, the Phyllis grows more, and attempts to remove it physically trigger reactions to human magical power. It was a situation where they could only watch helplessly. After thinking deeply while leaning my forehead against the glass, I suddenly spoke.

“Um… right now, cutting away the Phyllis is the best solution, right?”

“That’s the conclusion. Someone with extremely low magical power must cut it piece by piece. However, we couldn’t find anyone nearby meeting that condition. Most people at Flora shelter can handle magic, and Royal Angelus University, which we collaborate with, goes without saying.”

Someone with extremely low magical power. Though I didn’t want to admit it, I thought I knew someone meeting that condition and carefully spoke up.

“It’s nothing to brag about, but I… really have no magical power.”

“Would it be alright if we measure how much?”

“By all means.”

When I nodded, Berke hurriedly took out a monocle from his chest. Then he walked around me, examining carefully, like someone appraising a treasure. As I stood at attention with clenched fists, soon a strange groan was heard.

“…Aah…!”

Lowering the monocle with trembling hands, Berke spoke in an emotion-filled voice.

“This magical power so sparse it’s practically nonexistent! How could such a talent…”

“Haha, …I should be happy about this, right?”

“With your current state, you wouldn’t be able to make Phyllis grow at all…!!”

While I’m glad to be helpful, this feels somehow strange. As I let out an awkward laugh, Berke grabbed my hands.

“It will be arduous work. But Tae-oh…”

“It’s fine. Leave it to me.”

“…Are you sure?”

“I came to help with work anyway.”

“Ah, dear gods…”

Berke broke off his prayer to an unnamed god and quickly disappeared somewhere. Soon he returned with a gardening knife that fit easily in one hand and passed me the handle.

Afterward, Berke announced that no one with magical power above a certain level could enter the greenhouse to prevent further vine growth. Only I could directly meet Hyperion.

Unlike my excitement, Asrein was full of worry and spoke with a sigh in his voice.

“Tae-oh. I’m counting on you.”

“Don’t worry. Once enough vines are removed, entry will be free again. Come check before sunset today.”

“Alright, but absolutely don’t overdo it.”

“Of course!”

As soon as they left the greenhouse entrance, I went inside without hesitation. After passing through a short corridor and opening the middle door that served as a screen, the heavy air choked my breath. Coughing slightly, I dragged the ladder and sacks placed on the floor near the base. Even up close, the bark was barely visible beneath the vines covering everything.

“This will take several nights of work.”

It was strange that my heart was pounding despite knowing the arduous work ahead. I crouched down to start removing from the roots and gradually work upward. Using the slightly curved knife tip, I cut the Phyllis stem and pulled it in one motion. However, the tiny leaves attached to the vine stuck like octopus suckers and tore off the tree bark with them.

“…Huh?”

Just as I was dumbfounded looking at the ragged bark, a leaf flew from somewhere and quickly grazed my cheek. No, struck would be more accurate. While rubbing my stinging cheek, I looked up to see palm-sized leaves floating gently in the air.

“What, what is this?”

It was quite strange to see leaves floating in the air without a hint of wind. As I stared with wide eyes, four leaves joined together to form a butterfly shape. I barely had time to think how beautiful it looked with its tips slightly tinged with autumn colors. Hundreds of leaves that had been attached to Hyperion fell and surrounded me. Somehow feeling threatened by the leaves, I stepped back, and a leaf butterfly flew right up to my face. And spoke.

[Who are you?] [What are you doing to the Elder?] [You’re hurting him.]

[Get out while we’re being merciful!] [Intruder.] [Leave!]

Did the leaves… just speak? Chattering voices filled the greenhouse. More afraid of being condemned than the fact they suddenly spoke to me, I hurriedly put down the knife and waved both hands.

“I came to help Hyperion. Calm down!”

[How can we believe that.] [You of all people?] [Liar!]

“It’s true. Trust me just once!”

[Why should we?] [The Elder is already weakened.] [We must protect him.] [We must protect him.]

Getting at least three responses for every statement was overwhelming. This can’t be a dream. I closed my eyes tightly, opened them, and calmed my confused mind by rubbing my face. Better to negotiate with thin air than get attacked by leaves and thrown out of the greenhouse.

“Right. As you probably know, Hyperion is weakened because these vines are stealing his magical power.”

[We know.] [We tried to remove them too!] [But we can’t.]

“I can do it. …If you’re suspicious, keep watching me.”

When I shouted confidently, the erratically flying group of leaves stopped abruptly and started whispering among themselves. Perhaps they were having a debate about my qualifications. The autumn butterfly that seemed like their leader approached my tense self. Then countless leaf butterflies suddenly surrounded me.

[Just one day.] [We’ll watch until sunset.]

[But if nothing changes,]

The group of leaf butterflies spoke in unison.

[You won’t leave here alive.]