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“Alright then… it seems like there’s a lot to teach you two, so make me your master.”

“Master, you say…?”

“Me too?”

Arthur and Vivian looked at me with a hint of unease.

Well, I can’t blame them for feeling that way.

Choosing a self-proclaimed sage wrapped in an old rag to be their master? That would make anyone nervous.

In that case… I have to show them.

“Follow me.”

I led the two of them out of the old stone house.

First of all, they would need a place to stay.

And they would need food and clothing too.

My sage body doesn’t require anything, being made of stone… but they are living humans. For a living being, food, clothing, and shelter are absolutely necessary.

So…

I lightly tapped the ground with the hand of a sage.

At that moment, a small sprout emerged from the earth.

It was a tiny tree sprout.

“What’s this…?”

The two kids looked curiously at the sprout peeking out from the ground.

Kuuuuuurgle!!!

With a deafening roar that shook the earth, the tiny sprout suddenly grew into a massive tree.

Arthur and Vivian jumped back in surprise at the sight of the tree.

“W-What on earth…”

“A tree just appeared out of nowhere…”

“It’s just a minor trick.”

As the tree rapidly grew, fed by the magical power I sprinkled, it began to morph into the shape I desired.

First, it grew into a large tree, then a big hollow space formed inside the trunk, and a hole opened connecting the inside to the outside, growing large enough to fit doors and windows.

Hmm. While I’m at it, let’s add a second floor. I’ll make it tall enough on the inside to support a second floor, then set up walls and ceilings to separate the spaces.

I’ll need to create a door separately and attach it later… but once I cut down an appropriate tree, I can hang a hinge and make the door.

Thus, a somewhat livable wooden house was created, albeit without doors or furniture.

This was not a house made of wood, but a house that the tree grew on its own.

“This… is magic…?”

“No, brother. There’s probably no mage who can do such a thing. It’s more like elemental magic, I think.”

Arthur and Vivian couldn’t hide their amazement at the tree effortlessly shaping itself into a house.

Of course. You’d only see such a thing in the Great Forest where elves reside.

Well, elves don’t grow trees instantly like this. They plant seeds, carefully nurture them, and then use tree spirits to help them grow into desired shapes over time.

From the tree’s perspective, it gains safety and nutrients through the elves, while the elves gain a precious living space, a symbiotic method, so to speak.

The only downside is that it takes a long time…but elves have all the time in the world to spare, living for thousands of years.

Ah, of course, not all elves build their homes this way. Some elves construct homes with stone, while some unique elves dig into rocks and carve caves as homes.

Probably, the only material they wouldn’t use is wood harvested for lumber.

For now, let’s skip the architectural styles of the elves.

“This is an idea inspired by how elves make their homes. Elves regard trees as family, so they can’t just chop them down to build houses. They grow the trees into the shapes they want and then use them as homes.”

“E-Elves… I’ve heard that they get really upset even if a single branch is broken.”

Currently, they don’t make an issue out of dropping leaves or fruit, but breaking branches is still unacceptable for elves.

Honestly, dropping leaves is no different from hair falling out! What’s the difference from balding?

“I’m not an elf, so I can chop down the tree to build a house, but I wanted to show you both that I can do things like this.”

People tend to trust what they see and hear firsthand before anything else.

No matter how many times someone tells you something, the mindset when experiencing it once is completely different.

That’s why I wanted to demonstrate this.

To show what a sage of the deep forest can do.

“I can do many things beyond this. I might be among the most capable beings standing here on the ground with two legs.”

I wasn’t lying. It’s not a lie.

It’s the first thing you can count on your fingers.

“So, don’t doubt that I’m in this form.”

“Ah, okay.”

Alright. Then, shall we get started?

Princess maker… no, thinking about the ultimate goal, I should probably call it emperor maker.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Before that.

“Vivian, you must become the Dragon Priestess.”

I said, trying to ease the pain that Vivian felt as she clutched her chest.

“The Dragon Priestess…? Is that the one who appears in the hero’s legend?”

“Yes.”

“The Dragon Priestess is not just the companion of the nameless hero, but a representative executing the will of the Goddess of Life, correct?”

“The title of Dragon Priestess does not refer to any specific individual. The Dragon Priestess is someone who can hear directly what the Goddess of Life says.”

Since the most well-known Dragon Priestess is the one who was with the hero, people equate Dragon Priestess = Hero’s Partner.

“Can anyone just become a Dragon Priestess if they want to?”

I gently shook my head. You can’t just become one by wanting to.

For now, the girl’s bloodline… it’s mixed up enough that it isn’t of great importance, so let’s skip that. Even just finding out those who inherit a hero’s bloodline would easily surpass tens of thousands.

The most crucial factor is magic. A vast amount of magic sealed within her body. Without that, it’s impossible.

“I’m saying this because Vivian has the talent. If you become the Dragon Priestess, your body that has been weakened by poison and disease will be reconstituted and healed.”

“Reconstituted…?”

“In that process, your appearance will change a bit, but it should be fine. It’ll just be that a few horns will sprout.”

“Horns?”

Vivian made a gesture with her hands near her head to mimic the shape of horns, and I nodded slightly.

To be exact, it’s something I’ll attach.

A Dragon Priestess without horns is not a Dragon Priestess!

“Must it be done?”

“Well. It wouldn’t matter if Vivian doesn’t want it, but… then she might die before reaching adulthood, you know?”

“Excuse me?”

Vivian’s face went stiff at my words.

What’s this? I assumed she’d be prepared for death after eating a poisoned meal, but is she still just a child?

“C-Can’t the powers you have, Sage, cure it?”

“Honestly, being dead and coming back to life would be quicker. Of course, that would mean you’d have to become the Dragon Priestess.”

If she dies, the seal within her body would break, and her body would transform, automatically turning her into a Dragon Priestess.

“Is there no other way?”

Well, if I meticulously changed her body into a new one, it might be possible.

But, if I’m going to do that much trouble, it’s simpler to just overhaul it once and have her reborn as a Dragon Priestess.

“Don’t you dislike becoming a Dragon Priestess?”

“Ah, um… well, if I accept that proposal… I feel like I won’t be me anymore. That makes me uneasy.”

“Not being you…”

It’s not incorrect.

Her appearance would change, and her body would transform anew. Considering the horns I attach, she would feel like a completely different being.

“Your appearance may change, but your soul will remain unchanged.”

Her soul remains the same. No matter how her body alters, her soul won’t change.

“And if you become the Dragon Priestess, you’ll gain tremendous power. That power will surely be a great help to Arthur.”

“A-Arthur’s… help…?”

“Yes. You’d be able to use the revival magic that can bring back those who have just died.”

To be exact, it’s not magic; I’m just asking the Grim Reapers in my name.

“Bringing back the dead… magic!”

“The path that Arthur will take will be fraught with challenges. If there’s someone by Arthur’s side who can turn back a single death… well, you can imagine the rest without needing me to explain.”

Reversing death means regaining lost opportunities. It means nullifying failures.

The significance of this matter is something that sharp-witted Vivian will comprehend instantly.

“I-I will become… the Dragon Priestess. I will!”

“You made a good choice, Vivian.”

“C-Call me Bibi! Please call me Bibi, Master.”

Hmm. ‘Master’. That feels fresh in a way.

“Okay, then let’s do it while we’re motivated. Bibi. It might be a bit painful and distressing… but let’s endure it. After all, there’s nothing else we can do but endure it.”

“Eh?!”

With that, I released the seal within Bibi’s body.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

That day, a revelation was delivered to the Church of Life.

“There has appeared a child who can hear my voice.

Treat this child as my incarnation and serve them.

Welcome the new Dragon Priestess.”

 

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