New chapter of Plant Magic Lord is out! (2/3 chapters)

 

 

If One Were to Compare, It’s like a Mountain

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)

Healberry Village.

Wood went out carrying some cotton for some reason. Apparently, he was going to take it to the Large Tree Tower.

Maybe they use it like absorbent cotton?

So, it was just me and Marcosias at home.

“Woof.” (Marcosias)

As I was reading a book on the sofa, Marcosias in her puppy form climbed onto my thigh. Marcosias then flopped her upper body down limply.

“What’s wrong?” (Elt)

“I want to be petted, you know.” (Marcosias)

Marcosias looked up at me with glittering eyes.

Ugh, so cute. Lately, Marcosias has grown fond of me and Wood. Or rather, maybe since we went to the Eastern Country? She started to be openly affectionate. By putting some distance between us once, it became an opportunity for us to reevaluate our relationship.

Though the fact that it led to wanting to be petted is so very typical of Marcosias.

“There, there.” (Elt)

I petted Marcosias from her head to her back with my right hand. It was a moist texture, clinging, yet not clinging. If Dia was like heavenly feathers, Marcosias was like hellish silk. Yes, it felt good enough for such a strange metaphor to come to mind.

“I want to be touched more, you know.” (Marcosias)

Marcosias clung to the arm I was using to pet her.

“There, there…” (Elt)

I set down my book and used both hands to pet Marcosias.

Moist, moist…

It was wonderful, though in a different way from Dia. I might get addicted.

Marcosias had also been trying hard, reading books to Dia, and taking Stella with her and such.

“Wauu, Father’s petting is so gentle, you know.” (Marcosias)

“…Is that so?” (Elt)

“Mother is a bit rough, you know…” (Marcosias)

“Really…? What about Dia?” (Elt)

“Woof.” (Marcosias)

When Marcosias turned this way, she spread her right and left forepaws. Then, she wiggled her right forepaw softly.

“This one is Father’s side.” (Marcosias)

“Hmm, hmm.” (Elt)

Then, she wiggled her left forepaw in the same way.

“This one is Mother’s side.” (Marcosias)

“I see, I see.” (Elt)

Marcosias slowly moved her dazed-looking face from the right forepaw to the left.

…It looks like some kind of gauge.

Marcosias’s head stopped near the left forepaw.

“…Around here, you know.” (Marcosias)

So, it’s a bit closer to rough, huh… Well, Dia does tend to act on impulse.

“I want my belly petted too, you know.” (Marcosias)

Marcosias rolled over and exposed her belly without any defenses.

Hmm, quite forward.

I gently massaged Marcosias’s back and belly.

Funi puni, funi puni.

Hmm…

“…You’ve put on a bit of weight?” (Elt)

“Giku! You noticed, huh.” (Marcosias)

“You need to exercise…” (Elt)

Not that I’m one to talk. Maybe just swinging a wooden sword isn’t enough.

“When Brother comes home, I’ll exercise, you know…” (Marcosias)

“I don’t think Wood’s going to gain any weight.” (Elt)

“No, I mean I’ll climb up and down Brother. He has grooves and branches and such.” (Marcosias)

Marcosias made a smug “fufuun” face.

…So cute.

“Well, Wood probably won’t mind that… Just don’t scratch him, okay?” (Elt)

“Roger that!” (Marcosias)

Marcosias is really obedient. In that regard, she’s quite similar to Dia.

And so, I spent some time playing with Marcosias.

—

 

The Large Tree Tower.

In the grand hall, Anaria, Iskamina, and Lalatoma were sitting cutely. And in front of them, Tetetoka was flailing her hands around busily. Next to her, a large table had been prepared.

“Starting now is the first flower decoration workshop.” (Tetetoka)

Tetetoka said cheerfully.

Of course, this was not something scheduled. It was a sudden event.

“Ugo… me too?” (Wood)

Wood, who had come to deliver the cotton, was also seated. He looked a bit bewildered.

“Just listen while you’re here.” (Tetetoka)

“…Ugo, understood.” (Wood)

Tetetoka’s vibe was rather forceful.

Still, Wood thought…

Let’s just try it out. That’s how Stella is, and Elt too. If they were told the same, they would probably sit in too. Try things whenever possible. That was supposed to be the family policy.

“At first~… it’s best to use materials you can redo easily~” (Tetetoka)

Tetetoka held the cotton Wood brought in both hands.

So, this is what it’s for, Wood understood.

“Heave-ho~” (Tetetoka)

Tetetoka placed the cotton on the table and tore it into small pieces for each person.

“Next~… we need branches and flowers and stuff.” (Tetetoka)

“Ugo ugo, I’ll bring them!” (Wood)

Wood stood up and brought over a wooden bucket filled with branches and flowers from the corner of the hall. They were originally carried by a Dryad, so they weren’t heavy.

“Hawaa…” (Lalatoma)

“…Are you alright, Lalatoma?” (Iskamina)

“What is it~?” (Lalatoma)

“You look dreamy… mogu.” (Iskamina)

“It seems that way…” (Anaria)

Anaria and Iskamina were both adults with proper social awareness. They sensed something was going on… but decided to watch over her warmly.

“Ugo ugo, how’s this area?” (Wood)

“That’s fine~ Thank you~” (Tetetoka)

Wood placed the wooden bucket on the table.

“Okay, let’s get started~” (Tetetoka)

Tetetoka took one branch from the bucket and swung it around. It was a small branch, with a tiny leaf on the tip.

“Something like this~” (Tetetoka)

*Thud*

Tetetoka stabbed the branch into the cotton. Vertically and forcefully. Anaria and Iskamina were startled. It was a much more wild method than expected.

“She did it all of a sudden, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“She stabbed it, didn’t she…” (Anaria)

Then, Tetetoka released her hands—

“This is a no-go~” (Tetetoka)

“…No good, mogu.” (Iskamina)

“It looks like it was a bad example…” (Anaria)

“Ugo ugo, as expected.” (Wood)

Nodding, Tetetoka picked another branch from the wooden bucket. It looked just like the previous one. Tetetoka’s expression became markedly more serious.

*Gulp*

Tetetoka angled the branch and slowly pierced it into the cotton. Then, she gave a firm thumbs-up.

“This one is okay!” (Tetetoka)

Lalatoma also gave a thumbs-up. Apparently, Lalatoma approved too.

“Okay!” (Lalatoma)

The remaining three tilted their heads. They didn’t quite get it.

What was the difference from before?

“…Okay, mogu?” (Iskamina)

“Okay…?” (Anaria)

“Ugo ugo, the difference is…” (Wood)

Tetetoka turned to face them and began her explanation.

“First of all~… a straight vertical stab is bad~. Bending and angling it is the basic approach.” (Tetetoka)

“I see, I see…” (Anaria)

“In other words, we recreate the way things get entangled and tangled. It’s similar to how moss and vines, or sprouts grow from fallen trees.” (Tetetoka)

“That’s a sophisticated concept, mogu…” (Iskamina)

Iskamina quickly took notes. She was earnest.

“Stones are straight~. But forests are different. They are uneven, slanted. You must not arrange them neatly in order.” (Tetetoka)

“…Ugo ugo.” (Wood)

Wood looked at his own body. At his large tree-like form.

“That’s right! That is the ideal!” (Tetetoka)

Lalatoma patted Wood’s body. Then, quickly pulled her hand back, flustered.

“Well, something like that~. The meanings of each branch or flower will come later… First, let’s get used to bending and angling things~” (Tetetoka)

Thus, they began practicing stabbing branches into the cotton for a while.

Anaria had a thought.

“This is… quite deep.” (Anaria)

“Is it difficult, mogu?” (Iskamina)

“There is that, but…” (Anaria)

She stared intently at the cotton filled with branches like a pincushion. If one were to compare it to a mountain, it did feel like something might be grasped.

“This is quite interesting.” (Anaria)

 

—

(Thank you for reading at bayabuscotranslation.com)