“Hmm…”
I was holding my bulging belly inside the carriage. The cooking skills of chefs with five hundred years of experience were truly exceptional. Even I, who rarely eat until I’m full, had overeaten to this extent.
“Did you enjoy it, God?”
In front of me sat Linea. Hearing her words, I nodded and replied.
“Yeah! This is the tastiest duck meat I’ve ever had!”
It was true. Even in modern times, I had never tasted duck this delicious. It seemed like the culinary skills here weren’t much different from modern times. Or maybe this place was even more advanced.
“I’m glad to hear that! I was worried it might not suit your taste!”
“Really? No need to worry… I eat pretty much anything.”
Honestly, I wasn’t picky. Although, since coming into this body, fresh vegetables were a bit of a challenge, but they were still edible when paired with meat. Everything else was fine.
As we chatted, we arrived at the next destination. The carriage was incredibly fast. But thanks to the soft cushioning, the ride was very smooth. It felt like riding in a car with top-notch suspension, gliding silently over a smooth asphalt road.
“God! Let’s get off!”
Linea took my hand and gently helped me out of the carriage. I could have managed on my own, but Linea seemed overly protective. What could possibly happen if I went alone? This was the safe kingdom of the Elves, and I was the World Tree here.
Unless some lunatic or outsider showed up, there was no threat to me. Yet, Linea clung to me like a cicada.
I stepped out of the carriage, lost in such pointless thoughts. The place we arrived at was a restricted area, accessible only to authorized personnel. It was said that only Elves could grow the plants here. If planted elsewhere, the plants would wither and die.
“You’re going to love this place, God!”
It reminded me of the jungle from that movie, Avatar. Vines hung between towering trees, and the area was densely packed with plants, as if it were a botanical garden. I had thought the Elves’ kingdom would be like a modern city, but it was fascinating to see such a pristine natural area.
“Follow me, God!”
Linea led the way, guiding me somewhere. Of course, other Elf priestesses followed closely behind. Ever since I arrived here, it seemed like Elves were always around me, except when I slept. Were they worried I’d wander off like a child left by the water? Or was there another reason? Curious, I asked, but Linea just laughed it off, avoiding the question.
As we walked, I saw Elves hard at work.
“Heave-ho!”
A muscular male Elf pulled on a rope. The veins on his arms bulged as he strained with all his might.
As he pulled, a massive plant tied to the other end of the rope rose into the air. It was an enormous plant. I stared, mouth agape, at the spectacle. Linea had said she’d show me where the Elves worked, but this was beyond my imagination.
The male Elf used a pulley system installed on a large tree to pull the massive plant with minimal effort. It was a plant that would be difficult for an average man to even budge, but this male Elf was pulling it alone, showcasing his incredible strength.
As he pulled the rope with the pulley, the tangled roots of the plant became visible. Originally buried underground, the roots were being forcibly uprooted.
“What is that…?”
I asked Linea, watching the Elf engaged in what seemed like farming. Linea explained patiently and in detail.
“It’s a magical ingredient that only grows in the Elves’ forest. It’s called Dreaming. After drying and grinding the roots, you can mix it with water and drink it to have the dream you desire.”
“Really? But is there a reason to dream like that…?”
“There are so many people who want to dream their desired dreams that we can’t keep up with the demand. Of course, Elves rarely use it; it’s mostly humans. Humans are a species that want to fulfill their unattainable desires, even if only in dreams.”
“Do you trade with humans?”
“Yes. Unless it’s a secret material managed by the state, we usually sell it to humans.”
The effects of Dreaming seemed almost like a drug, didn’t they?
The idea of being able to dream whatever you wanted already had a tremendous effect. Everyone has a desire to become a hero or a person of power, and this seemed to fulfill at least half of that desire.
But looking at Linea, it didn’t seem like she had much on her mind. I decided to focus on the strange ingredients instead. After all, I was someone who would be leaving in a month, so I had no intention of getting deeply involved in this world. Whether Linea understood my feelings or not, she tried her best to show me as much as possible.
As we wandered around, I could gaze at the mysterious plants. It felt like watching a movie. Seeing plants that looked completely different from anything in my world made me want to take something back. It would be great to grow these plants in my greenhouse…
“Linea, can only elves grow these plants? Can’t I grow them?”
At my words, Linea got all excited and said, “No! There’s no plant that God can’t grow! If God is around, these plants will grow like crazy!”
“Really?”
I licked my lips as I stared at the plants. I felt like sneaking one away to grow myself.
After wandering around like that, I got thirsty. I had eaten a lot of duck dish earlier, so my stomach was full, but I hadn’t had any water yet. Feeling my throat burning, I told Linea I was thirsty. Hearing this, Linea’s eyes widened, and she dashed off somewhere, disappearing in a flash.
Soon after, she returned with something resembling water. With a triumphant look, she handed it to me.
“Chug it down, God!”
I gulped down the water Linea handed me. Then, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes in surprise.
“Huh…? What is this?”
I thought it was just water, but it was incredibly sweet and delicious. Unlike sugar water, it had a refreshing taste that lifted my spirits. The coolness swept through my stomach and intestines, leaving me feeling amazing.
“It’s water made by collecting dew from Lanin flowers and mixing it with valley water. The dew from Lanin flowers loses its flavor and aroma after just two hours, so this is a water you can only taste here. Some humans even pay a fortune just to try it!”
If water tasted this good, I’d probably pay a fortune for it too. After drinking this, I wouldn’t even want to touch other beverages. They’d probably taste like sewer water in comparison.
“Can I have more?”
“Of course! God can drink as much as you want! It’s hard to find outside, but here it’s as common as water!”
—
“Hana… where did Hana go!”
Kim Sehee rushed to the Starlight Research Institute as soon as she got the call. No, “flew” would be more accurate. She sped down the national highway like it was a freeway.
The office was gloomy. Manager Kim Jaeman had no choice but to speak up, as the responsibility for Hana’s disappearance fell on the department that was supposed to take care of her. Of course, Hana’s disappearance was an act of nature.
“She’s missing… We’re doing our best to find her, but we don’t know what will happen…”
Manager Kim Jaeman couldn’t say anything more because Kim Sehee had fainted.
“Call 119!!!”
“Ahhh! Boss, snap out of it!”
The Starlight Research Institute became even more chaotic due to the untimely fainting incident.
It had only been a day since Hana disappeared, but seeing how things were already falling apart, I couldn’t imagine how much worse it would get over time. If this continued, the Starlight Research Institute, along with its food and cosmetics, would be ruined.
The business had been running under the assumption that Hana would always be there, but with her gone, the void felt enormous. Everything, from start to finish, depended on Hana.
