Chapter 78: The Spirit Tree and the Golden Bugs

Looking up at the Spirit Tree. As expected, the glittering shine seen in the game is not present. A thick vine-like wood is wrapped around the Spirit Tree in a spiral, making it possible to walk up from the base. To get the leaves, we have to walk up there, but…

“Scary.”

Clinging to Kohaku-san, I gazed at the elf village becoming smaller and smaller below my eyes. Because, even if they say it’s wide enough for two lanes, it’s on a raised semi-curved wood, no handrails, and a decent wind is blowing, you know? If you fall, you’re done for. It’s scary. Unlike with Oboro, there’s no lifeline, maybe that’s why this is scarier. Kohaku-san is my lifeline. Commander Patrick and others are walking unperturbed, but Tanya-san and Arisa-san, who are bad with heights, are hugging the Spirit Tree side, walking along the trunk. Bianca and Estelle are the same. Ritsu is walking relatively calmly though. Probably used to heights from riding Oboro regularly.

“We will arrive soon.”

Mutilia-san says looking back, but that’s the kind of ‘soon’ that isn’t soon… Eventually, it took another fifteen minutes to finally reach the top of the trunk. From here, several branches split and extend upwards. Leaves are thick on the branches, and looking up, branches and leaves block the sky. The sunlight filtering through created a green space. Like a dome of trees.

“Please look at this.”

Mutilia-san plucked a young leaf growing from a nearby trunk—puchiri. Then, the green leaf about the size of a smartphone instantly turned brown and crumbled—boroboro.

“Withered…?” “The spiritual power of the Spirit Tree has been depleted. Once cut off from the Spirit Tree, it doesn’t last even a few seconds.” “Muu. I thought I couldn’t sense the spirit’s presence since earlier, but is it weakened that much…”

Because the spirit of the Spirit Tree is weak, the leaves are weak too? So if cut from the main body, they wither immediately?

“Why is the spirit weakened to that extent?” “It is because of the Golden Bugs.” “Golden Bugs?”

When I tilted my head, Chief Rexrum-san pointed upwards. Geh…!? There, hundreds of golden insects were swarming on the branches. What is that? Resembles aphids, but the size is like a baseball!?

“Those Golden Bugs grow by sucking the spiritual power of the Spirit Tree. Dozens come every year, and every time all elves mobilize to exterminate them, but this year the numbers are abnormally high, and we are in a state where we cannot touch them.” “Leaving them as is? Won’t the Spirit Tree weaken further…” “When winter comes, Golden Bugs cannot withstand the cold here. If the Spirit Tree holds out until then somehow…”

Until winter. Still quite a while away, you know? In winter, this forest drops below freezing, so insects can’t live in such extreme cold, apparently. But will the Spirit Tree last until then… In the game, it existed ten years later, so it probably endured, but…

“Shall I blow them all away at once?” “N-No, if you try to forcefully tear them off, Golden Bugs scatter lightning strikes around. If that happens, the Spirit Tree will be damaged further. Usually, we attack prepared for that, but swarming like this, reacting to the lightning strike released by one, other Golden Bugs would also release lightning strikes, potentially causing tremendous damage…”

I see. Certainly, that is troubling. If the Spirit Tree or elf village burns due to chained tremendous lightning strikes, it would be a disaster. Apparently, those Golden Bugs won’t release electricity unless attacked, but we can’t just watch with fingers in mouth while the Spirit Tree weakens…

“Try attacking with the [Holy Sword]?” “Would be useless. If it were a monster weak to holy attributes, maybe, but it’s an insect feeding on Spirit Tree’s spiritual power. Resistance to [Holy Sword] would also be high. I think it won’t differ from attacking with a normal sword. Probably would get hit by lightning strikes.”

Muu. Even [Holy Sword] isn’t omnipotent.

“Umm, if they are weak to cold, can’t you cool this whole area with ice attribute magic or something?” “Not impossible, but elves are bad at ice attribute magic. There are a few users in the village, but keeping them cooled for days is impossible.”

Rexrum-san rejects Estelle‘s proposal. Elves’ specialty magic was water and wind, right? Cooling with water is not impossible, but below freezing seems impossible. Summoning a candy store or liquor store with [Store Summoning], collecting lots of ice from the freezer, and spreading it around the bugs… is impossible. Not nearly enough ice, and no way to keep it cool forever with just that. If I ask His Majesty the Emperor, would he dispatch many ice magic users…? Ah, if I recall, Jean‘s sister Cecil had an ice-type ‘Gift’ called [Ice Sword]… But wasn’t that used to clad the sword in ice to enlarge the blade or something? Then cooling the surrounding air to below freezing might be impossible…

“Muu… I have defeated many large insect magic beasts though… Being this small… I have seen Ruliet-sama repelling insects swarming the fields…” “Ruliet-sama, of the Nine Goddesses? Earth Mother Goddess of Fertility?” “Umu. Ruliet-sama made fields herself and harvested vegetables and such. She was skilled in that kind of thing.”

Cooking, making vegetables, Ruliet-sama has deep obsession with food… No wonder she gathers faith from people related to agriculture. Or rather, there are fields in the God’s world too? My mother in the previous life also had a home garden at my parents’ house, so I intend to understand how hard it is to grow vegetables. Especially pests… If you let your guard down, they immediately munch—mushamusha. Mother was troubled too. That’s why…

“Nn?” “What is wrong?”

Perhaps ‘that’ might be effective. Looks like an aphid. Might fail, but worth a try. I started acting to execute what I thought of.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Kuwa!? “

Kohaku-san grimaced and ran away from my side. Kohaku-san has a good nose so it must be tough. Or rather, it’s tough for me too!

“Patrick-san, can you put up a barrier just around the tip of my hands?” “Can do. Is this fine?”

A round hemispherical barrier was put up from my elbows down, and the smell became much milder. Patrick-san’s barrier can seemingly select what passes through and what is blocked to some extent. Well, otherwise we would have died from lack of oxygen when using it on Oboro’s back. No strong wind pressure came, but there was a breeze. What I am doing is grinding chili peppers and habaneros obtained from the [Store Summoning] greengrocer with a mortar taken from my storage pochette—gorigori. To prevent getting it on my hands, I’m properly wearing disposable plastic gloves sold at the model shop. What I am trying to make is a so-called insect repellent spray using capsaicin. My mother before reincarnation used chili peppers pickled in shochu diluted with water, but for Golden Bugs, I’ll use the undiluted solution. The Spirit Tree’s bark seems hard so probably fine. Putting the bright red liquid ground—gorigori—into a bottle with shochu, shake lightly. In the blink of an eye, a dark orange liquid was completed. Normally would let it age for about a month. If Mother was here I’d have her do it with her ‘Gift’. Well, just testing if it’s effective.

“Next, fill this into the water gun… and.”

At my parents’ house, we put it in a spray bottle, but this isn’t diluted, and if the mist came toward us with the wind, eyes would be done for, so I chose a water gun that can shoot far. Well, planning to have Patrick-san put up a barrier when shooting. The problem is whether this works… well, nothing to lose, better to try. Kohaku-san was a little away from me, seemingly sensing the smell even inside the water gun. For now, go near the Golden Bugs, and have Patrick-san put up a barrier only around us. This isn’t countermeasure for Golden Bug’s lightning strike, but for the super spicy liquid I shoot. Of course, have the elf people enter too. Now, will it be effective…

“Fire!”

From the muzzle slightly out of the barrier, byuu!, super spicy liquid is fired, raining down on one targeted Golden Bug. At that moment, the Golden Bug sprayed with super spicy liquid stopped moving, then eventually fell from the branch—porori—and rolled over belly up—korori—and stopped moving.

“Eh? Died?”

Huh? Chili pepper spray should be repellent, not insecticide. Thinking they would flee from the branch, I was dumbfounded by the unexpected development. Patrick-san pokes the rolling Golden Bug with the tip of his drawn sword.

“Dead… no, paralyzed? It’s moving slightly. Excuse me.”

Asking our permission, Patrick-san thrust his sword into the Golden Bug. No lightning strike was released.

“…Seems okay.” “Amazing! This is amazing! With this, we can exterminate Golden Bugs easily!”

Chief Rexrum-san is excited. Just to be sure, tried spraying super spicy liquid on two or three more after that, but like the first one, they rolled over—koron—and stopped moving. Even when elf people skewered them with spears to finish them off, still no lightning strike released. What is it? Are insects in another world weak to capsaicin? Or just this insect? Result was good though. Paralyzing is amazing… No well, when eating spicy things, we say ‘tongue goes numb’ but.

“Alright! Everyone, split up and exterminate all Golden Bugs!” “Ou!”

To Rexrum-san’s voice, elf people return spirited voices. In their hands, the water guns I brought out were gripped. Of course, super spicy liquid is inside. Just in case, told them to be careful not to get it in eyes or nose, but apparently most elves can use wind magic so no worry there. Seems they protect themselves with wind so it doesn’t splash on them. Eventually, a few hours later, all Golden Bugs had disappeared from the Spirit Tree.

“Lady Sakuraile! Could you please share these fruits with us! With this, we can protect the Spirit Tree from now on!”

Chief Rexrum-san asked for chili pepper and habanero fruits. As a countermeasure for Golden Bugs that might come again next year, they want to sow seeds and grow them now.

“I don’t mind particularly…” “Ah… thank you. You are the savior of the Spirit Tree. As the Spirit Tree Shrine Maiden, my heartfelt gratitude.”

Mutilia-san worshipped me. Being a savior thanked for chili peppers and habaneros is a subtle feeling…