This Time, I Am A Mob's Potions Teacher Who Has Become Engaged To The Mastermind Of The Otome Game - 7

Seen off by Noel, Jill, the fairies, and I headed for the Finis Forest.

Going out in the middle of the night felt like a little adventure, and I couldn’t help but get excited.
The destination being a place we couldn’t go in human form made it even more thrilling—but according to Jill, it’s not a place we can let our guard down.

“You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to, Jill.”

“I can’t disobey my master’s orders!”

He turned his head away with a huff, but seeing his black ears twitching in my direction, I figured—probably—he was just worried about me.

Yep, Jill is definitely a tsundere.

“This is the Back Finis~”

Back Finis was filled with a fantastical light that flowed across the ground, a place truly worthy of being home to spirits.

“Ugh, I hate this creepy atmosphere. My whiskers are tingling.”

Jill clearly didn’t like the vibe here.
Even while grumbling, he remained alert to the surroundings.

Following the fairy that guided us, we came upon a man standing before us.
With long light-green hair, he had an inhumanly beautiful face.

“Treant~! We brought Leticia~!”
“Eh? Wait a sec—”

I hadn’t expected to hear that name.
The only Treant I could think of was the giant tree I met in Finis Forest the other day.

And yet, the man in front of me was tall and handsome—a human, no less.

You’re not even the same species?!

“So, you’ve arrived.”

“You’re really… Treant?!”

“How rude to doubt me.”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t think you could take on a human form. I was surprised, that’s all.”

“This is my true form. Yet humans assume I’ve mimicked their appearance—how arrogant your kind is.”

He’s even speaking more fluently than when he was a giant tree.
He still clearly dislikes humans.

I’m already doubting whether he’ll really cooperate in this state.

“Treant, being mean isn’t nice~”
“We’ll tell Roaek-sensei~”

“Silence! Don’t bring up Edith’s name!”

At the mention of Roaek-sensei, Trent’s cheeks flushed slightly.

It was like seeing a boy blush upon hearing the name of his crush.

“So it’s true that you like Roaek-sensei.”

“He’s got it bad~”

“Turns out it’s a different kind of ‘like’ than I imagined.”

“Enough chatter, or I’ll leave you behind.”

Despite his words, Treant matched our walking pace.

Another tsundere.
Now I’ve got two of them.

“Where can we find the moryu plant?”

“It grows in mist-covered areas. Even if you can’t see it, you’ll recognize it by its scent.”

“Hopefully it won’t take long to find.”

“Your first concern should be the monsters.”

Monsters?!

I assumed there wouldn’t be any in a place inhabited by spirits.

“There weren’t any before, but lately humans have been invading Finis Forest, disturbing the balance. Now monsters come here too. Well, most are dealt with by great spirits or divine beasts.”

Spirits and divine beasts—if we had to fight those, there’s no way we’d make it out alive.
There are just too many dangerous beings around.
We’ve got to find the moryu quickly and get back to the surface world.

“Come to think of it, someone mentioned humans damaging the forest before.”

“Yeah, they barge in and cast bizarre spells or release strange monsters.”

“Who would do something like that…?”

“The royals.”

“You know that?!”

“Royal magic is unique, so it’s easy to recognize. Besides, the current king has repeatedly cast spells over the forest to keep the spirits in check.”

“That’s terrible…!”

That king—what a petty man.
He deserves divine punishment already.

He’s the root of all our problems anyway.

“I hope he gets judged and condemned.”

“Oh? Are you sure you should say something like that?”

Treant narrowed his eyes in amusement.

“It might be a slip of the tongue, but any king who threatens peace deserves punishment.”

He tormented Noël, cursed Roaek-sensei, and did nothing when Alois closed his heart.

“Hmph. You sound like one of us.”

“Oh? Looks like we’re more alike than I thought.”

As we exchanged these lighthearted jabs, the area began to fill with thick mist.

“We’re entering the moryu’s habitat. Be careful—there are many monsters around here.”

“Why here of all places?!”

“Living near a panacea plant ensures they can recover if something happens. It’s instinct.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

“Do your best, Leticia~!”

“Wait, are you saying I have to fight the monsters?!”

There’s no way a poor little kitty like me can fight monsters!

“Treant, I’m counting on you!”

“I refuse. I have no reason to protect you.”

“Didn’t you just call me your comrade?!”

No matter how much I pleaded, Treant just ignored me completely.
What a cold-hearted guy.

Trembling with fear at the thought of encountering monsters, I continued moving forward—
and then, a faintly sweet scent began to drift through the air.