“It seems like there’s nothing else except for a very faint trace of mana.”
“Right. She looks similar to Hana, but she doesn’t seem to have any special abilities. I even tried putting in some hair, but it had no effect at all.”
As I walked around the lobby, I overheard the researchers talking. A girl who looks like me? I couldn’t help but feel curious. I dashed over to the researchers, still covered in dirt, of course.
Haru was already knocked out from all the labor I made her do. She worked with me, but she seemed seriously out of shape. She barely did anything and still ended up collapsing. I guess I need to make her exercise more. Bora and Maru, on the other hand, don’t seem to struggle much even when farming with me.
“Hey, Hana, hello!”
“Hi!”
I greeted the researchers. At first, they were a bit wary when I came here, but after living together for a few months, they’ve become as familiar as next-door neighbors. One thing I noticed is how incredibly kind the staff is. Of course, in the very beginning, they weren’t that friendly, but after I started sharing the fruits I grew and living together, it feels like we’ve become family.
Well, it’s probably because my charm is just that outstanding. And let’s be honest, the people working in this building rely on me to keep things running. Without me, they’d go bankrupt in a day. I’ve heard they’ve got a lot of projects going on, but if I were gone, the Starlight Research Institute’s operations would come to a screeching halt.
They seem to trust me way too much. Not that I’d ever betray them, but still, what if? Yet, looking at the progress of the Starlight Research Institute and its food projects, it feels like they’re planning for me to live for thousands of years.
Of course, it’s nice to have so much freedom. The more influence I have, the more I can do. Living at the Starlight Research Institute feels like building my own kingdom. I’m the king, and the other employees are my subordinates! Though I’m not sure how they feel about that.
As I chatted with the staff, the researchers casually spilled some information about the newly discovered life form, which didn’t seem too classified. I listened carefully. It seemed like the researchers had eaten a lot of the fruits I made too. The vibe they gave off felt very familiar.
“An elf, you say?”
“Yeah. I mean, it’s kind of pointless to categorize the life forms coming out of the Gate, but…”
Not all the species coming out of the Gate were the same. Even if they looked similar, their lifestyles were completely different. It’s like saying there are countless parallel world elves. Even if they look like elves, their languages are different.
“Hmm…”
As I listened to the researchers, I had an interesting thought. It might be fun to go check it out later. I heard they moved it to a low-security area since it wasn’t dangerous. Sneaking in for a quick look at night seemed totally doable.
Or I could just ask the staff to show me. They’d probably be happy to oblige. Of course, if it were a high-security area, even I’d have trouble getting in, but since it’s low-security, it should be easy.
With a mischievous smile, I said goodbye to the researchers. I planned to sneak in tonight. Luckily, the researcher on duty was someone I knew, so getting in should be a breeze.
—
It was past overtime hours, and unless you were on night duty, it was way past quitting time. I slowly stepped out of my room at 9 PM, ready to carry out the plan I had earlier. I was really curious about what this new elf looked like. They say curiosity kills the cat, but I couldn’t help it—I was just too curious.
I took the elevator and walked slowly. The research institute was next door, so I had to go outside. I timed it to match the guards’ shift change. Even if I got caught, it wouldn’t be a big deal. I could just say I was out for some fresh air. After all, the perimeter was fenced, so as long as I guarded the building entrance, it seemed fine.
Slipping outside, I walked for a while before reaching the research institute. I swiped Bora’s access card at her desk and slipped inside. The institute was quiet, probably because it was late.
I followed my instincts and headed toward the area that smelled like grass. I was pretty sure that’s where the elf the researchers mentioned would be.
Following the scent of grass…
I arrived at a vibrating room and opened the door. Inside, there was no one. It seemed like they had just stepped out for a moment. This place didn’t seem to be a high-risk spot, and it looked like there was only one guard. For a big corporation, it felt a bit sloppy.
When I was first captured, the security didn’t seem this lax, but the longer I stayed here, the more it seemed to loosen up. Even now, there’s no one around.
I turned my head around, sniffing for the smell of grass. This was definitely the place, but the space was so vast that it was hard to find. The lab was almost the size of a sports field. Of course, it might’ve just looked big because I’m small.
Then, I finally found the Elf the researcher had mentioned. She was a bit bigger than me, about the size of a middle school third-grader to a high school first-grader. She was incredibly beautiful.
My ears are round, but hers were pointy. She had the same hair color as me. Standing together, we could’ve been mistaken for sisters.
Our eyes met as she sat on the bed.
At that moment, I felt something—like our minds connected. It was a first for me.
“Huh?”
I was so stunned by this unfamiliar sensation that I couldn’t help but make a sound. It felt like I had gained a sixth sense. The mana around us was surging. Ever since I locked eyes with that Elf, the mana had been boiling around us. It felt like the amount of mana you’d see when an S-rank Gate appears.
The girl sitting on the bed opened her eyes wide, as if she’d seen a ghost, and stared at me. Soon after, she got up from the bed and started walking toward me. I couldn’t help but shrink back. It wasn’t because she looked like one of those popular girls from school or anything.
As she slowly approached me, she was blocked by a glass wall. But she didn’t care and knelt down toward me. I was shocked by her sudden action. If you saw someone suddenly kneel and start shedding tears, you’d be stunned too!
[World Tree…]
Then, a voice echoed in my head. Was it the girl in front of me? I didn’t know how to make my voice echo in someone’s head, so I just spoke out loud.
“World Tree…?”
She looked older than me, so I had to use polite speech. This definitely wasn’t like anything I’d experienced in school. But the girl kneeling in front of me didn’t seem to be paying much attention to what I was saying. It was like a priest who had prayed their whole life finally seeing their god in person.
She seemed to think I was some kind of god. But I’m just an ordinary person.
[We’ve finally met!]
The kneeling Elf girl stood up and started muttering something.
The glass that had been separating us disappeared without a trace. No, the glass was still there, but the Elf girl had crossed through it. Was she using some kind of magic? How could someone pass through glass? It made no sense.
I tried to run, but the Elf girl was faster. She picked me up and held me. I struggled to break free from her embrace, but it was impossible.
[Let’s return to our homeland together, World Tree!]
What did she mean by homeland? This is my homeland! But soon, I understood what she meant.
The Elf waved her hand and began to create a Gate. Then, she looked at me with a smile.
[With the World Tree by my side, I’m invincible!]
The Elf girl charged through the shimmering Gate.
And I couldn’t adjust to the sudden change in scenery.
In my vision, a massive tree stretching endlessly into the sky greeted me.
