I waited for time to pass. Today was the day I was going to watch the fireworks. I was planning to go with Maru. I had to start getting ready when it got a bit dark outside.
“By the way, a good spot is essential for watching fireworks…”
Even though fireworks are shot into the vast sky and you can see them from anywhere, the spot still mattered. Because where you sit determines how well you can see the fireworks explode. My worries ended when Maru came into the room.
“Hana, let’s get ready? We need to leave a bit early from here.”
Maru said while holding a white paper bag.
“Okay. But Maru, do we have a spot?”
“Right here. Our Starlight Guild specially prepared a great spot for you, Hana.”
Maru showed me a golden ticket. The ticket had “VIP Seat” written in big letters. Seeing that, I thought I didn’t have to worry anymore. It seemed like I didn’t need to stress about the spot. They prepared so perfectly! But soon, I had no choice but to turn away because of Maru’s next move.
“Ah!”
Maru took out some clothes from the paper bag and locked the door. Then she started changing. Of course, the clothes she wore to the company weren’t great for going out, so changing was natural, but I never imagined she’d change here.
I freaked out and had no choice but to close my eyes tightly. Maru was changing into her going-out clothes. Of course, she wasn’t taking off her underwear, so I wondered if I should close my eyes, but it still felt polite not to look.
“Hana, you should change too.”
Maru said while changing. I wanted to ask Maru why she wasn’t hurrying to get dressed, but it seemed like she didn’t care at all about me being there. Well, from Maru’s perspective, since we’re both girls, she probably didn’t feel uncomfortable changing in front of me.
It’s probably the same as changing clothes at the bathhouse.
“Uh… uh…”
Thankfully, Maru didn’t take off her underwear, so I moved to change my clothes. If Maru had changed her underwear too, I wouldn’t have known where to look, but she only changed her outer clothes.
“Hana, hurry! Do you need help?”
Maru, who had already finished changing, stood behind me and said. To avoid becoming a doll being dressed by Maru, I started putting on the outfit she had prepared. It didn’t take long to get dressed, so I successfully changed into my going-out clothes.
“Let’s go, Hana!”
The Maru who looked like a company worker during work hours was gone, and in her place was a Maru who looked like a college student in her mid-20s, greeting me. I hesitated at Maru’s transformation. It didn’t feel like her usual self. They say clothes make the person, and Maru in proper going-out clothes was no joke. She was the kind of woman who would make guys on the street turn their heads.
If I were still a guy, I wouldn’t even dare to talk to a woman like her, let alone be with her. That’s how stunning Maru’s looks were. But now, it didn’t really matter. Ever since I ended up in this tiny kid’s body, things had changed.
Whether it was guys or girls, they looked at me with affection. In a way, it was a good thing, but it also felt a bit like being treated like a kid. It was like becoming a pet or something. Having an adult’s mind in a child’s body seemed to cause this phenomenon.
Still, holding Maru’s hand and going outside made me feel better. I couldn’t wait to see the fireworks. Just imagining the colorful fireworks exploding in the sky made me excited. Today’s clear, cloudless weather meant I’d get to see the fireworks vividly.
The weather was nice, and the temperature wasn’t too high. It wasn’t a tropical night, so I could watch the fireworks in a cool state. So, I got into Maru’s car. Maru fastened my seatbelt and started the car. I could’ve fastened the seatbelt myself…!
————————————————————–
“So many people~”
Maru said, looking at the endless line of cars. I was worried too. What if the event ends before we even park? I never imagined the cars would be lined up like this. But Maru didn’t seem to care much. Unlike me, who was anxious, Maru seemed content just being in the car to watch the fireworks.
If that’s the case, there was no reason to get the ticket today. The reason for Maru’s confident behavior soon became clear. Maru, who had gone a bit further, showed a golden ticket to the employee at the entrance. Upon seeing the ticket, the employee was startled and quickly opened a path blocked by a barrier, not the road where vehicles usually pass.
“Ohh…”
The path blocked by the barrier was wide open. Maybe it’s a VIP-only road, I thought. If they went to the trouble of setting up a separate space, it was likely. Maru, seeing me looking around in confusion, said:
“VIPs have their own parking lot. These tickets are really hard to get. Probably harder than booking tickets for the most famous trot singer. They don’t sell these to the general public, and the price is no joke.”
“Really? Then how did you get it, Maru?”
“There’s a way Hana doesn’t know~”
Maru hummed a tune as we arrived at the parking lot. The separate parking lot was indeed unique, with space for only a few dozen cars. People were standing guard here and there. The cars parked here all looked expensive, probably worth over 100 million won each.
“Let’s get out, Hana!”
Maru smoothly parked the car and spoke. I carefully opened the door to avoid scratching the car next to us. If I dented it, it would cost a fortune. Of course, I could afford a few dozen of these cars, but it’s better to be careful.
“Hmm…”
Maru stood for a moment, looking at her mobile phone. Probably to find our reserved spot. She soon turned off her phone and grabbed my hand.
“Let’s go, Hana!”
“Okay!”
I didn’t refuse Maru’s hand. The sun had set, and it was dark, though a bit of twilight remained. They wouldn’t set off fireworks just yet.
Fireworks shine brighter in the dark night. We still had plenty of time. Without this VIP ticket, we wouldn’t have been able to park and would have ended up watching the fireworks from the street. The Starlight Guild is indeed impressive, wielding such influence even at events like this.
—————————————–
Linea opened her eyes. A pure white room greeted her.
‘Was I captured…’
Linea grew increasingly wary as she looked at the unfamiliar surroundings. She tried to draw mana, but the bracelet on her wrist interfered. Of course, the bracelet wasn’t perfect; she could still use minor magic.
She felt like self-destructing. Falling into an unknown dimension and being kidnapped—she felt unworthy to face the World Tree.
But then, Linea sensed a very familiar energy.
‘Huh…?’
It was the trace of the World Tree, something she felt every day. Realizing this, her eyes filled with joy. Could it be that she was about to meet the World Tree, not as a spirit but as an avatar?
In the original world, the World Tree had no physical form and couldn’t be touched, but in this dimension, the World Tree had a physical body! Linea quickly changed her mind about self-destructing. If the World Tree was here, she couldn’t cause chaos. Her goal was to cooperate and reach the World Tree.
Linea, who had beaten impossible odds, felt like bowing in gratitude to the mysterious humans who had kidnapped her.
Meeting the World Tree in another dimension was like winning the Powerball jackpot ten times in a row. Considering the infinite number of dimensions, meeting was nothing short of a miracle.
