"Wow…"
Luciel exhaled softly, watching the faint glow of dusk spill across the ridge.
"You've done your part well," he murmured, gently patting the rim of the wooden barrel. "You've earned a drink too."
He poured the last of the clean water over the newly domesticated tea tree. Its roots greedily drank in the liquid, the once-wilted branches straightening like a living creature stretching awake after centuries of sleep.
When the leaves shimmered faintly under the sunset, Luciel couldn't help smiling.
"Alright, that's enough for now." He sealed the lid of the barrel, not wanting the crystal fish inside to keep gushing out their energy uncontrollably.
Mino's voice chirped right beside him. "Wow! It's actually green!"
The girl with the rabbit ears hopped closer, blue eyes widening in amazement. She circled the tree, staring up at its lush crown like it was the most beautiful thing in the world.
"Luciel," she said, tilting her head, "were trees always like this before?"
