So, following Linea’s guidance, I experienced various things. I tried cultivating plants myself, and I also watched the elves working together to dismantle a huge plant. It was such an exotic scene that I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It felt like a movie unfolding right before my eyes. It was like watching a movie, with one mysterious scene after another.
“Can I take one of these?”
I picked up a seed I had been eyeing. It was a thick, plump seed.
“Of course. If there’s anything you desire, feel free to take it.”
It was a plant said to be very effective against hair loss. I heard that elves don’t suffer from hair loss, so I wondered what they used it for. But my question was answered by Linea’s next words.
“Prophesia is a plant very effective against hair loss. Of course, since elves don’t suffer from hair loss, it’s useless to them, but humans are different. Half of the men, if not the women, will suffer from hair loss at some point.”
“Really?”
“And since humans can’t grow this plant themselves, it’s in such high demand that they can’t get enough of it. When human merchants come here to trade, the first thing they buy is Prophesia. The supply isn’t that abundant, of course. We could mass-produce it, but we lack the space to grow other plants…”
“Other plants?”
“Yes. Medicinal plants and those that take care of the elves’ health come first. Plants sold only to humans are lower priority. There are plants that only grow here, after all.”
“Then, do you think I can grow this plant well?”
At my lack of confidence, Linea exclaimed excitedly.
“There’s no plant that God can’t grow! As long as God is by your side, any plant will thrive!”
If I could bring this plant to the modern world and grow it, it would clearly bring enormous profits. A plant that could solve hair loss, a problem that even modern science hasn’t conquered, would surely make the boss drool just hearing about it. Hair loss is a disease that even the pinnacle of modern technology hasn’t been able to conquer.
After walking around so much that my feet were sweating, the sun had set and it was getting dark. Of course, just because the sun had set didn’t mean the forest was dangerous. It was an area well-managed by the elves. But since it was hard to see, I could trip over plant roots, so Linea took me back to the city.
“Ugh…”
I dragged my tired body and followed Linea.
“Linea, where are we going?”
After getting off the carriage, I couldn’t tell exactly where we were going. Seeing me like this, Linea smiled and said.
“God seems tired, so we’re going to the hot springs! There’s nothing better than soaking in warm water, right?”
Hot… springs…?
It’s not that I dislike hot springs, but there was another problem. If it’s a hot spring, you have to take off your clothes, right? I’ve never bathed with Maru, Bora, and Haru before, and now I have to do it…
“Do we have to go…?”
“You don’t want to? I really want to enjoy the hot springs with God…”
Seeing Linea’s sullen expression, my heart softened. Linea has been working hard for me every day, and if I don’t grant her wish, I feel like something would hurt. And thinking about it again, going to the hot springs didn’t seem like a bad choice.
“If Linea wants to go, then we should! Let’s go to the hot springs!”
“Really?”
“Yeah!”
Linea jumped up and down with joy. Seeing her like that, I thought I made the right decision to agree to go to the hot springs. After all, it’s just me going into the hot springs, right? But this thought of mine was proven wrong when I saw Linea’s behavior after arriving at the hot springs.
————————————————-
Including Linea, the female elves who were escorting me also followed me. I wanted to go into the hot springs alone, but an unexpected situation arose. Everyone was making a fuss to get in.
“I… I can go in alone!”
But my words were just empty cries. I was already being carried by the elves into the hot springs. I struggled to break free, but the elf priestesses were too strong. I couldn’t resist at all.
“Taking a hot spring with the World Tree…!”
“Hehe…”
Seeing the elf priestesses with their strange expressions, I realized the mistakes I had made until now. As a god, I should have shown godly dignity, but I…
It was because she didn’t show such dignity. And no matter how strict and serious she tried to look with her tiny body, it just came off as a cute tantrum.
“Ugh…”
Seeing the flesh-colored scene, I had no choice but to close my eyes. To make matters worse, Linea was also entering the hot spring with just a towel draped over her. But I couldn’t enter the hot spring with my eyes closed. I slightly opened them. The only saving grace was that everyone had towels wrapped around them. It didn’t seem like they were completely naked.
And so, guided by the elves, I was able to enter the hot spring. The temperature was just right. As soon as I got into the water, I felt the fatigue from the earlier journey melt away. This is why people take hot springs—it completely washes away the fatigue built up in your body.
“God! I picked the best hot spring here, isn’t it nice?”
Linea came up beside me and asked. Indeed, as the best hot spring here, it was incredibly spacious, and the water was clear and transparent. It looked like they had used top-grade water for the hot spring, and seeing the crystal-clear water naturally lifted my mood.
“Yeah. It’s really nice.”
Saying that, I was able to enjoy the hot spring. Though, it’s a secret that I finished quickly and rushed out because some elf priestesses started throwing off their towels. I’m not a pervert who peeks at women’s naked bodies!
—
Kim Sehee happily prepared a bouquet of flowers. It wasn’t for a proposal. She had received word from the research institute that Hana had returned.
Seeing the bouquet filled with flowers that Hana would surely love, Kim Sehee’s heart naturally felt lighter. Hana would definitely be overjoyed and smile when she received this bouquet. Seeing that smile would also be a delightful experience.
With her fluttering heart calmed, she boarded the elevator. By the way, even though Hana had returned, there was no one at the research institute. Last time she came, it was bustling with people. It felt like everything happening now was just a dream.
When she arrived on the 10th floor, a quiet hallway greeted her. Shouldn’t there be people in the office? Suppressing the creeping unease, Kim Sehee walked toward Hana’s room. It was strange that she didn’t see a single person while walking around.
But that worry soon disappeared. When she entered Hana’s room and the room with the bed, there was Hana sitting on the bed wearing dinosaur pajamas! Of course, since she was sitting with her back turned, only her back was visible. Still, Hana looked adorable. Kim Sehee prepared to give the bouquet to Hana. Hana would surely smile brightly and call her the best.
But even as Kim Sehee walked toward her, Hana didn’t turn around. She even made some noise while walking, but Hana still didn’t react. Kim Sehee cautiously called her name.
“Hana…?”
She spoke loudly enough for Hana to hear, but Hana still didn’t turn around. Kim Sehee slowly approached and gently grabbed Hana’s shoulder. Then, Hana’s head slowly turned.
“Gasp!”
Hana’s face was grotesque beyond belief. It was a horrifying sight, covered in blood and pus. The grotesque-faced Hana slowly opened her mouth and spoke. Kim Sehee was so shocked that she dropped the bouquet.
“Boss… why did you abandon me?”
“AAAAAHHHH!”
Kim Sehee woke up from the nightmare. Looking around, she was in a hospital room with white walls. It seemed that after hearing Hana had disappeared, she had fainted and ended up here. It was a VIP room, so it was quiet with no one around.
Kim Sehee managed to calm her pounding heart with deep breaths. But thinking about the missing Hana, tears suddenly poured out. Not knowing where Hana had disappeared to made her feel even more helpless.
