Haru, Maru, and Bora’s faces came into view. I was about to approach them with a smile, happy to see familiar faces after so long.
But I was trapped somewhere. It was a tiny iron cage, so small that I had to crouch.
“Bad kids should be locked in the chicken coop.”
Maru, with a cold expression, locked the latch on the cage. I was now stuck with no way out.
Struggling to escape, I suddenly woke up. It was a very realistic dream. Realizing I was lying in a soft blanket, I sat up and looked around. Linea was nowhere to be seen since dawn. In her usual spot, there was a neatly folded blanket.
Lying back down, I thought to myself. Was a month really too long? I came here without saying a word to anyone in that world, and it was obvious that those waiting for me would be worried. But after that dream, I was scared to go back.
What if they really lock me up in a prison-like place and don’t let me leave? Of course, as a citizen of South Korea, they wouldn’t use such forceful methods, but still, the anxiety was real.
After staring at the ceiling for a while, I fell back asleep. Even if a month seems long, it’s not like the company would collapse without me. If it were a year, things might be different, but the Starlight Research Institute isn’t weak enough to fall apart just because I’m gone for a month.
—————————————–
“Ugh…”
I woke up to the morning sunlight. Next to me, someone had left clothes. Probably for me to change into. After washing up and changing, I headed to my next schedule.
This schedule was something Linea had requested. She asked if I could receive an audience with the World Tree Church followers. Seeing her hesitant, I readily agreed. After all the hospitality I’ve received, I couldn’t refuse. Plus, it didn’t seem difficult.
“God, please come this way!”
Following Linea’s guidance, I entered a room prepared by the World Tree Church. It looked like a shrine, and Linea told me to sit on a chair with a mix of elaborate designs.
On the way here, I heard that many influential figures wanted to see me. Ordinary followers could only see me from a distance, but it seemed that socially influential elves wanted to meet me up close.
“Please take care, God. If you feel tired at any point, just let me know!”
Linea said that and stood at a reasonable distance beside me. Soon, a white-haired elderly elf entered amidst the murmuring outside.
What followed was simple. The elves, moved by seeing me, offered tributes. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they left with a look of reluctance.
It felt like an idol fan meeting. According to Linea, meeting me required an enormous amount of money, and the fact that they still offered tributes after paying that much made me wonder just how rich they were.
After meeting the followers like a sushi conveyor belt, I was completely exhausted. I had only been playing around until now, but doing proper work once really took a toll on my body.
Of course, sitting and exchanging a few words isn’t hard, but meeting nearly a hundred elves today made my mouth hurt.
The elves who came to see me only exchanged a few words, but I had to repeat that a hundred times.
“You’ve worked hard, God!”
Linea, who was by my side, helped me successfully finish. Occasionally, when I made a mistake, Linea intervened appropriately. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if Linea hadn’t helped.
—————————————–
Finally, the last day arrived. I had planned to stay for a month but decided to leave a bit earlier. After three weeks of intense sightseeing, I felt like I had seen everything worth seeing. It was time to return to the original Starlight Research Institute.
Of course, there was an additional church festival before the last day. Even if I disappeared, there might be some melancholic elves, but none would be despairing or wailing. After all, the World Tree itself remains. If the World Tree were to be engulfed in flames and disappear, I don’t know what would happen, but that’s unlikely.
We decided to have a modest farewell at the shrine where Linea stays. I…
Carrying a bag filled with various seeds, I was waiting to step through the gate that Linea would open.
“God…”
Amelia, Linea’s mentor, had also joined. Amelia was an elf who had helped me a lot during my time here. Although, after I washed up, there seemed to be a hint of greed in the way she applied cosmetics, but that was probably just my imagination.
“Can I come back here again?”
I spoke with a tinge of regret. This world wasn’t bad, after all. Of course, living here forever would be too much, but visiting occasionally was actually nice.
As if waiting for my words, Linea handed me something. It looked like a ring, with a large gem set in the center. Just by looking at it, it seemed incredibly expensive. Linea slipped this ring onto my finger.
Curious, I asked about the ring. I needed to know what it was for.
“What is this, Linea?”
Linea explained briefly. It was a ring that could create a gate to return here from the original world. However, due to mana limitations, only I could come through, she added.
She said it was a ring made from the only magic stone in this world. The value of this ring alone was such that even half the wealth of the World Tree Church couldn’t buy it.
“The time axis that was off has been corrected, so there won’t be any issues like time passing too quickly.”
After Linea’s final words, a tremendous swirl of mana unfolded. Soon, a small gate opened before me, just big enough for me alone.
“It was an honor to serve you, God.”
Amelia and Linea watched with reverent postures. Even though I could come back, they acted as if it was a final farewell, which felt awkward. I awkwardly waved goodbye, thinking my face would flush when we met again.
“I had a great time!”
And with that, I stepped through the gate.
“Ugh!”
I realized I was back in the original world. This was where my greenhouse for farming was located. However, instead of being full of vitality, it now had a desolate atmosphere, with crops dried and twisted.
Had I been away too long? I should have said something before leaving, but the situation didn’t allow it. Hesitating, I missed the timing. Carrying my bag, I trudged along. It was dark outside, but thankfully, the building was lit. It was a bit far, so it took a while to walk.
But I brought back plenty of gifts, so maybe they’d forgive me? Last time, the boss mentioned that even if I were gone for a month or two, it wouldn’t be a problem. That meant we had plenty of reserves.
I entered the building. It felt like returning to my familiar room, akin to entering my barracks after a march. The security guards were nowhere to be seen. I wondered where they were but decided to set that aside. First, I needed to let the office know I was back.
It was well past quitting time, so no one was around. I took the elevator and pressed the button for the 10th floor where my room was. I tapped my feet in anticipation. The thought of seeing my office mates after almost a month made me feel good.
No matter how nice the other world with elves was, modern society felt more familiar. I had lived here for decades; a month away wasn’t enough to grow attached.
Ding dong!
With the elevator’s arrival notification, I rushed to the office. The lights were on, so someone had to be there.
What expression would they have when they saw me? I hoped they wouldn’t scold me. After all, I disappeared without a word.
