32 – Sap Collection
The next morning.
Bii and I left the village to collect sap.
We packed everything from a chainsaw to various tools, so we were perfectly prepared.
The high elves, including Siz, did not accompany us.
They said they would strengthen the security in case of emergency, so the monsters and beasts hiding around were no different from dead lives.
We just had to relax and collect the sap.
“How’s your condition? Do you think the sap will come out smoothly?”
[Hey! Don’t talk like that!]
“Then what do you want me to say?”
[Just, just don’t say anything.]
As I walked with Bii, exchanging jokes, I arrived at the place where Bii’s main body was.
The spirit tree that I saw under the sunlight looked quite different from the one I saw at night.
It was majestic and dignified, but it also felt friendly as it harmonized with the plants and animals.
It was like seeing a small world tree, a smile naturally came to my face.
“First, I’ll tell you how to collect the sap.”
[Eek!]
I laid out the tools in front of the spirit tree and started to talk.
As I took out the nail and hammer that I hastily made last night, Bii covered his eyes and let out a small scream.
He looked scared, like a child who was dragged to the hospital.
I put Bii down from my shoulder and said.
“Normally, I would use a drill to make a hole, but since I don’t have that, I’ll use a nail and hammer this time.”
[Ow, won’t it hurt?]
“I don’t know that either… I’ll make it as fast as I can, so just bear with me.”
[Okay… I’ll try to endure it….]
Bii nodded with a sad face.
I felt uneasy seeing him like that.
I coughed and continued to explain.
“After making a hole, I’ll insert a tap and attach a glass bottle. Then the sap will flow through the tap and collect in the bottle.”
[So you drink the sap that collects like that?]
“Yes.”
[Phew… At least you don’t drink it directly from me. I’m really glad….]
Bii twisted her body and blushed.
I don’t know what sap means to a tree spirit that she reacts like that.
“What exactly is sap to you, if you were a human….”
[Huh? That’s….]
“No! No. Just don’t say it.”
But even though I was curious, I didn’t have the courage to ask.
Didn’t Wonhyo Daesa drink the skull water deliciously before he knew the truth?
Then I just have to drink the sap deliciously without knowing the truth.
So let’s not dig into it.
I ignored the tree spirit who covered her small chest with both hands, crossed her legs, and reddened her face in front of me.
I turned my gaze away from Bii and lifted up a nail and a hammer.
“Ahem! Shall I pierce it?”
[Uh, yes! You have to pierce it quickly and painlessly!?]
“Okay.”
I placed the nail on a suitable spot and aimed the hammer.
Then I hit the hammer without warning Bii.
It was an act of consideration on my part, so that Bii wouldn’t be scared.
But, the situation that unfolded before my eyes was quite different from what I expected.
– Bang!
Sparks flew as the nail collided with the bark.
It was wood and metal that clashed, but sparks flew.
That alone was surprising enough, but the bark was not even scratched. On the contrary, the nail broke and fell to the floor with a thud.
What the hell is going on here?
I looked at Pii with a bewildered expression.
[Did you, nail it?]
Pii closed his eyes tightly, as if he was scared of the situation.
I gently lowered the hammer and opened my mouth.
“No… I haven’t nailed it yet.”
[Oh why! Don’t scare me and nail it quickly!]
“……”
You have to put the nail in to nail it, you brat.
I tapped Pii lightly and made him open his eyes.
Then I pointed to the spot where I tried to nail it and said.
“The bark is too hard for the nail to go in. Look at this. The nail broke instead.”
[Oh!]
Judging by his reaction, Pii seemed to know the cause of this.
As I frowned and urged him to answer, Pii scratched his cheek and opened his mouth.
[I forgot to gather the mana….]
“Mana?”
[Yeah. We spirit trees protect our bodies with mana.]
“It seems hard to pierce through by force… Can you loosen it a bit?”
[Okay… I’ll try.]
Pii finished speaking and took a deep breath, stretching his body.
Then, the mana flowing from the spirit tree in front of him noticeably loosened.
He could tell at once that the hardness of the bark had subsided.
Fortunately, he had brought plenty of nails.
He picked up a nail that looked thicker and sturdier and aimed at the hammer.
“Then I’ll try to nail it again. Keep it loose.”
[Ugh, yes!]
“One, two!”
[Ouch!]
As he struck the nail with the hammer, this time the nail went deep into the tree.
It didn’t go all the way to the head, but it looked deep enough to extract the sap.
Now he could get the sap by pulling out the nail and attaching the spout.
As he nodded his head satisfactorily, Pii, who had covered his eyes, asked hesitantly.
[Did you nail it this time?]
He didn’t even know that he had been nailed, so the tree seemed to be dull to pain.
I felt a mix of relief and disappointment.
I chuckled and stroked Pi’s head.
“Why are you so whiny when you can’t even feel it?”
[Huh? Did you really nail it?]
“Yes. You can see for yourself.”
[Oh? You’re right. hehehe. It must be too small for me to notice.]
“……”
I frowned slightly as I listened to Pi’s words.
I didn’t know why, but something bothered me and I wasn’t very happy.
But it was good that Pi wasn’t hurt.
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“Then, I’ll pull it out now.”
I had nailed it, so it was time to pull it out.
I grabbed the nail head firmly and pulled it out with one swift motion.
Pi didn’t feel anything even when the nail was removed.
“Now, it’s your turn.”
I had successfully made a hole, so it was time for Pi to exert some force.
The current season of the Great Forest was autumn.
There was no big difference in temperature, so there was no chance of sap coming out. So I thought of borrowing the power of Pi, who was a spirit tree.
If it was a tree that could use magic with its will, it could produce sap regardless of the season.
“There’s not a single drop coming out. Come on, put some more effort into it.”
[Don’t rush me! It won’t come out if you do that!]
Pii seemed to want to meet my expectations and started to twist his body with a whine.
He shook the branch with his arms crossed, and he also tried to vibrate the root by sitting down and standing up.
How long had he been doing that?
From the small hole, a transparent liquid started to drip and flow.
“Oh my!”
I put my mouth to the hole and drank the flowing sap.
It was a reflexive action.
It was understandable, since I couldn’t let the precious spirit tree’s sap spill on the ground.
I didn’t have a cork or a glass bottle to use, so I had no choice but to do that.
[Hey!! Why are you drinking it directly!!]
But Pii looked disgusted by my action.
I was startled by his sharp scream and looked at him.
Pii looked ashamed and glared at me with a sullen face.
[Why… are you putting your mouth on it….]
“Sorry? I didn’t mean to….”
[Sniff! You lied to me! You said you wouldn’t drink it yourself!]
“No! This was reflexive―”
[―Waaah! I’m going to tell Lady Dreia everything!]
In the end, Pii collapsed on the spot and burst into tears.
I had no idea why, but it felt like I had done something wrong.
I was flustered like never before and started to hug and soothe Pii.
[Whaa! Let me go! You’re a liar!]
“I, I’m sorry! Calm down!”
I tried to calm down the struggling Pii and wiped his tears.
I momentarily wondered if ‘these tears were also fluid?’ but I couldn’t bring myself to taste them.
However, it seemed like Pii had caught me looking.
[Eek! Now you’re drooling over my tears!]
“No! You’re mistaken!”
I had no clue what I was being misunderstood for, but it was utterly humiliating.
I sighed deeply as I looked at Pii, who had curled up his body.
[Kyaaa!!]
Pii finally calmed down after a long time.
* * *
“Are you feeling better now?”
[No. The shame I felt this time will never wash away.]
“….”
[So you have to take responsibility until the end.]
“Okay.”
I didn’t know what he meant, but I answered anyway and sat down on the floor.
I looked at the sap spout with a smile and saw the clear sap dripping into the glass bottle.
But the amount was too little.
It would take a long time to collect even a cup of it.
I opened my mouth casually to break the awkward silence and pass the time.
“By the way, Pii. Isn’t that branch over there too heavy for you?”
I looked at Pii’s main body, the spirit tree, and saw that one of its branches was unusually long and thick.
It was bent downward by the weight, and it seemed like it would break soon if it couldn’t support itself.
I had to do something before that happened.
Pii must have felt it too, as it rubbed its shoulder and spoke to me.
[Yeah! How did you know? It’s so heavy and sore.]
There had to be a give and take.
Pii had provided me with sap, so I had to repay it with something.
I picked up the chainsaw I had left next to me and showed it to Pii.
“I’ll prune it for you.”
Pii was startled by my offer and started to run away from me.
[No, nooo!!]
Pii’s scream echoed through the jungle.