The Cute Totori
I stared blankly at the little fallen creature. A pure white, round body. Long, floppy ears hanging limp. A fluffy raccoon tail. How could anything look like that?
It's exactly like Totoro.
I couldn't stop glancing at it. But then.
It's not a dangerous monster, is it?
It was definitely a monster.
— It's okay!
— Totori are good kids!
— Yeah! They're nice!
— And they're not ugly!!
Totori?
— Yeah! That's their name, Totori!
The spirits shouted excitedly.
The name's similar too... I chuckled softly. If the spirits were vouching for it like this, it couldn't be dangerous. But more importantly.
What's wrong with this one?
Up close, its condition looked rough. Dirt caked all over it. Soaked through like it'd been caught in a downpour. And it was shivering.
How did it end up like this?
As I watched the Totori quietly...
Thud.
It collapsed right there.
Whoa! I shot my branches straight up.
It's not dead, is it?!
— I'll check!
The spirits zipped off, circling around the Totori.
— It's alive!
— It's breathing!
They flew back giggling.
Good... I lowered my branches. That was a real relief. Watching something that cute die right in front of me would've been heartbreaking.
I should bring it into the Sanctuary first.
Leaving it out here might attract more trouble. I extended my roots, carefully wrapping around the Totori.
Sorry about this.
Drag, drag. It slid across the ground, fluffy tail sweeping behind. I felt bad, but there was no choice. Soon after pulling it into the Sanctuary.
"Kku-wung..."
The Totori opened its eyes.
Kku-wung? Even its cry is too cute.
It blinked, looking around. I rustled my branches to greet it.
You okay?
The Totori didn't react. Just more blinking.
Oh right. It can't understand me. What a shame. As I thought that.
— Hey, hey, hey!
The spirits swarmed the Totori.
— You okay? Answer us!
— Say something!
— Can you hear us?
The Totori startled and backed away.
"Kku-wung!"
The spirits rushed in again.
— You can hear?! You hear us!
— Can you see us?! You can!
— Answer already!
Hey, hey, be gentle. You're scaring it.
— Okay!
The spirits nodded and tried again, softer.
— Hey~
— You okay~?
— Wanna say something if you can see us~?
The Totori blinked, then let out a small.
"Kku-wung..."
The spirits swarmed back.
— It hurts a bit but it's okay!!
— What a relief!
— It survived!
Oh. I rustled my branches. The spirits were more useful than I'd thought. That's when.
Gurgle.
A rumble from the Totori's belly. It clutched its stomach in panic. Seeing its red-flushed ears, I got it.
Ah, it's hungry.
Of course—to recover, it needed food. But looking around, there wasn't much edible nearby.
Something I can give it... my leaves?
My shiny leaves. Maybe these? I lowered a branch, holding a leaf out to the Totori. Shake, shake. Eat this.
The Totori tilted its head, then carefully plucked one. Sniff, sniff. Then.
Chomp.
Good, it's eating. As I sighed in relief.
Ptooey.
...
The Totori spat out the leaf and stuck out its tongue, grimacing.
Not to its taste, huh.
Yeah, well, not every leaf is for herbivores. Sorry, Totori. But.
— This guy!!
The spirits weren't having it.
— How dare it spit out the gracious leaf!
— Eat it again!!
— No way!
— Rude!
Hey, hey, it's fine. Just not to its taste. As I held the spirits back.
Hm?
A faint glow began swirling around the Totori's body.
What the—?
Then its wounds started.
Slowly healing.
Whoa, whoa, whoa?! I focused on the Totori.
It's healing!
For real! The Totori inspected its body curiously too. Then, feeling better.
"Kku-wuuung!!"
It threw its arms up in joy.
What? How? I mulled it over blankly. It happened right after eating the leaf. It spat most out, but some got in.
I started as a mana-infused sprout.
Now a Primordial Sapling, but I still held mana. So.
Is my mana concentrated in the leaves?
If the mana from absorption and Photosynthesis built up there, eating it would infuse mana into the Totori. And that mana triggered healing...
That makes sense.
I felt a swell of pride. Solid reasoning, if I say so myself. As I basked in that, the Totori dug into its fur.
Rustle, rustle.
Searching for something. Then...
"Kku-wung!"
It pulled out something small and scattered it around.
Huh? What'd it scatter?
Looking closer...
Seeds?
Why seeds all of a sudden? As I watched puzzled.
"Kku-wung~ Kku-wuuung~"
The Totori started dancing. Bouncing its round body up and down. Swinging short arms side to side. Plump, plump. Ears flapping. Tail wagging.
...Kinda cute.
As I watched dazed.
Huh?
Sprouts poked up from the seeded soil.
Whoa?
I blinked. No eyes, but you get it. They were growing. Fast. Every time the Totori raised its arms.
Shooot—!
Stems shot up. When it swung sideways.
Swish—!
Leaves unfurled. Each dance move grew the plant.
Insane...
I couldn't look away. What kind of ability was this? Stems thickened. Leaves bushied out. Then buds formed. Flowers bloomed. Small white ones dotted the tips. They swayed, petals fell. And.
Where flowers faded, tiny green fruits appeared.
Ooh...
Fruits swelled, turning yellow. Then red.
Tomatoes.
Perfect tomatoes. As red ones hung heavy, the Totori stopped.
"Kku-wung!"
It lowered its arms contentedly.
Whoa...
I stared in awe. A monster that grows crops. By dancing.
What a fascinating creature.
Meanwhile, the Totori plucked one fruit and toddled over. Holding it out with sparkling round eyes.
"Kku-wung!"
Like presenting a gift.
Heh. I chuckled. Thanks, but I can't eat. I'm... a tree. Damn. That's when.
The first being to have faith in you has appeared.
...Huh? Faith?
I stared blankly at the window. Faith? Faith?
What the heck.
Did I get a skill or something? I hurriedly pulled up my status.
Name: None
Gender: None
Race:Primordial Sapling (Level 6)
Ma Energy: 25
Spirit Power: 30
Divine Power: 10
Skills:Infinite Growth (EX), Nutrient Absorption (Lv. 3), Photosynthesis (Lv. 3), Spirit Affinity (Lv. 3), Sanctuary (Lv. 2), Land of Abundance (Lv. 2), Spirit Power Enchant (Lv. 1), Fallen Queen's Pheromone (Lv. 1)
Status: Surprised
What? Divine Power at 10. It was 0 before.
No way...
Faith from worship raises Divine Power? I stared blankly at the Totori holding out the tomato.
Jackpot.
A vast conference hall. On the highest throne sat the weary Emperor of the Valtheon Empire. Flanking him were Ashelia and Karen. Below them, the empire's top nobles foamed at the mouth.
"What have you been doing to let it get this bad! We need to expand the search for the Oracle's Protagonist immediately!"
"Search? Don't you know half the knight orders are tied up at the Ma Energy defense lines?"
"That's the problem! With defenses this lax..."
"Lax? Could you say that to the knights' faces?"
"It's the truth! Ma Energy encroaches deeper every year, and the knights can't hold it back!"
Voices tangled in chaos. Nobles raised their tones, none backing down. The Emperor swallowed a deep sigh. Then.
"Enough."
Ashelia's voice cut through the hall. Low and clear. All eyes turned to her as she rose slowly.
"You're missing the point."
Her ruby eyes swept the room coldly.
"Searching for the Oracle's Protagonist matters. Knight defenses matter. But the real crisis now isn't either."
The nobles fell silent. Ashelia continued steadily.
"Land corrupted by Ma Energy."
A brief hush.
"No crops grow where Ma Energy touches. Over three-tenths of the southern farmlands are tainted. This year's harvest will be the worst ever."
She paused.
"Starvation deaths doubled last year. What about next?"
The hall went deathly quiet.
"Stopping Ma Energy, finding the Oracle's Protagonist—those are long-term. But people are starving now."
She scanned the room.
"If anyone has a solution, speak."
The nobles averted eyes. Whispers died. Silence.
As expected.
Ashelia bit her lip inwardly. She'd anticipated this. No way to grow crops on Ma-tainted soil.
Gazing at the mute nobles, she thought quietly.
There has to be something.
Something to make crops grow. She pressed her lips tight. But the empire had none. Not now.