As the leaves on the World Tree began to glow, people were swept up in excitement. The branches were so high that you had to crane your neck at a right angle to see them, but they were showing off a beauty worth the effort.
It was like gazing at countless galaxies shining in the dark night sky. No, the panorama of white lights swaying with the wind held a beauty that words couldn’t describe. People with cameras even took them out to capture the moment.
“Uncle Loop! What’s happening to the World Tree?”
A little kid asked an elf uncle who had been running a stall for 500 years. But even Loop had no idea. This was the first time in his life he’d seen the World Tree’s leaves glowing like this.
If this had happened before, it would’ve been documented in records, but since there were none, this was undoubtedly the first time. But even setting that aside, the spectacle of light was beyond words.
“So pretty!”
“Isn’t this why the elves come to the holy site?”
Non-elf races calmly commented on the World Tree’s glowing phenomenon. But the elves’ reactions were different. They just stood there, mouths agape, watching in awe.
However, after several dozen minutes, the lights suddenly went out. It felt like witnessing an incredible fireworks show. People didn’t understand what had just happened, but the festive atmosphere grew even hotter. After all, this holy site was like a park open 24/7 unless under inspection.
—
“Huh…?”
I couldn’t help but gasp as I held a glowing dust brush. The light it emitted was blindingly bright. I’d never seen anything like it in my life. Linea seemed just as stunned, hesitating before rushing over to me.
“Are you okay, Hana?”
As Linea took the dust brush, the light flickered and went out. It felt like I’d seen an illusion. Only the faint lighting from earlier illuminated the area. Linea, too, seemed confused before suddenly gasping.
“Ah!”
Like a child caught hiding a big secret, Linea panicked and exclaimed, “We need to run… run away, World Tree!”
“Run away?”
Clueless, I was dragged by Linea’s hand as she tried to leave quickly. But then, a voice stopped her.
“Where are you going, Linea?”
A woman with bright golden hair suddenly appeared beside us. I jumped, startled, as if I’d seen a ghost. But Linea’s reaction was even more intense. She stiffened like a broken robot, turning her head awkwardly and stammering.
“Ma… Master…!”
“Master…?”
I was surprised by the golden-haired woman. She didn’t look much older than Linea—more like sisters.
“Trying to run away after causing such a huge mess?”
“Eek!”
Linea, caught trying to escape, had her cheek pinched by her master. As she was dragged away, I could only stare blankly. After some scolding, Linea knelt down in a posture of repentance. Seeing how easily this master handled the mischievous Linea, she must’ve been no ordinary person. Then, the master’s eyes met mine. She seemed to think it wasn’t the right time to scold Linea.
“Uh…”
After making eye contact, she slowly approached me. Remembering what had just happened to Linea, I took a step back, fearing the same fate. But instead, the elf called “Master” knelt before me and said, “World Tree. It’s truly an honor to meet you.”
“Huh?”
Both Linea and this elf seemed convinced I was the World Tree. Do elves have some hidden detector or something?
“I am Amelia, the former priestess who served the World Tree for 500 years.”
“Five hundred years…?”
“Yes.”
I was shocked by the unimaginable length of time. Humans talk about living a hundred years, but few actually reach that age. Most pass away before 80. But this Amelia…
The person called said they had served the World Tree for a whopping 500 years. That’s six times longer than the average human lifespan, all spent solely assisting the World Tree.
I was dumbfounded. Ever since I arrived in this world, my sense of time had gone completely haywire. It felt like everything started at a baseline of a hundred years. Before I could even process this feeling, Amelia bowed her head and spoke.
“I truly have no words for the fact that you’ve come here because of my disciple. I will send you back to your original world as soon as possible.”
“No, it’s fine…”
Spending a month enjoying the culture here was quite an interesting experience. It wasn’t like I couldn’t go back home, and knowing for sure that I could return made living in a place with scenery straight out of a movie feel special.
Floating rocks, endless mountain ranges—it was a great spot to experience the grandeur of nature. But Amelia, not hearing my thoughts, bowed her head and walked over to Linea, who was being scolded, raising her arms.
I wanted to follow, but eavesdropping on a master and disciple conversation didn’t seem like a good idea, so I decided to look around more, thinking they’d sort it out.
This place still had many fascinating things, so it was more than enough to satisfy my curiosity.
—
“Linea… you…!”
Seeing her master’s stern expression, Linea’s shoulders slumped. It couldn’t be helped. Normally, her master was gentle, but when angry, Amelia was scarier than anything.
“What happened?”
Amelia demanded an explanation. She had scolded Linea without hearing anything first, but she needed to know the details to figure out how to punish her.
Linea explained everything in detail, from start to finish. Amelia listened with her arms crossed, then uncrossed them after hearing it all. She had to scold Linea, but there was something she needed to say first.
“That’s a relief, Linea. You almost became a lost soul between dimensions!”
Amelia placed her hand on Linea’s shoulder as she spoke. Linea thought she had been forgiven, but that wasn’t the case.
“That aside. Finding the World Tree was a stroke of luck, but who told you to bring them here?”
Seeing her master’s bright smile, Linea felt uneasy. This was a sign that her master was about to explode.
Linea knew that the World Tree emitted great power nearby, so Amelia didn’t say much about finding it. But bringing the World Tree here directly was a big enough issue to address. And if the glowing phenomenon hadn’t occurred today, Linea would have kept the World Tree’s presence here a secret.
Amelia only noticed after seeing the glowing phenomenon. Still, seeing the World Tree’s avatar with her own eyes was an incredibly honorable moment. If Amelia had been as young and inexperienced as Linea, she might have done the same.
Linea didn’t miss Amelia’s vulnerability. After all, as a priestess, she was blindly devoted to the World Tree, to the point of selling her soul. In modern terms, she was more fanatical than a zealot.
“Ma… Master!”
Feeling the impending scolding, Linea desperately spoke up.
“What?”
Linea realized she couldn’t keep this to herself. It was time to make an accomplice—and that accomplice would be her own master.
“The World Tree said they wanted to stay with us for a month…!”
“A month…?”
“Yes… It’s not coercion or a forceful demand, but the World Tree’s own will!”
Seeing Amelia hesitate, Linea smiled triumphantly.
