Ella was strolling through the garden with the Gaming Owl.
No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she was being led on a walk by the Gaming Owl.
She went wherever the Gaming Owl pointed, and under its guidance, she thoroughly enjoyed the garden’s scenery. Sometimes, when they came across a particularly lovely view, she paused to admire it.
The garden, now completely transformed under Odilia’s supervision, was undeniably beautiful, each landscape holding an allure rarely seen elsewhere.
But was it because of the sudden change?
The consideration for visitors who might want to view the garden was perhaps a little lacking.
Therefore, one had to stand or stroll slowly to appreciate the scenery.
However, Ella didn’t need to do either.
Even if her magical prowess wasn’t exceptionally high, she was still a witch. Creating a temporary chair through witchcraft wasn’t a difficult task.
She could plant seeds to grow into chairs, bend branches to form a seat, or twist vines into a swing for rest.
Insects? That, too, was nothing to worry about.
Using witchcraft, she could emit scents repulsive to insects, and even if any tried to approach, the heat emitted by the Gaming Owl would incinerate them in an instant.
Although her powers might be limited now compared to dreams, killing insects was hardly a challenge.
The Gaming Owl, dutifully fulfilling its role of protecting Ella, emitted laser-like beams of light, destroying all the living drones foolish enough to approach. The drones, akin to mosquitoes, were always the primary targets.
“Oh, thank you.”
Ella, grateful for the Gaming Owl’s steadfast protection, gently patted its head. The Gaming Owl seemingly enjoyed her touch, relaxing its body and leaning into her hand.
Thus, Ella and the Gaming Owl spent a peaceful time together.
Such calm and tranquil moments, filled with serenity, almost evoked the feeling of being in a serene countryside.
But this peace was fleeting.
Shwoosh.
Tuuu-woooong!
Clank!
From far in the garden came an odd sound.
An unusual sound for a garden.
It was similar to the sound of something sharp being swung through the air, or perhaps like cutting into a tree. It could also resemble the ground being dug up, or even the dull thud of something heavy hitting the base of a tree.
‘Could it be a gardener?’
Ella briefly wondered if it was a gardener working, but quickly dismissed the thought.
The sounds were too crude to be the work of a gardener.
Managing a garden was undoubtedly a physically demanding task. Working from ladders, using large scissors that could easily cut through a person’s neck, and then cleaning up afterward all required strength.
But needing strength and using it with brutish force were different stories.
That sound was less like maintaining the garden and more like destroying it with something massive.
Ella quietly rose from her seat and slowly moved toward the source of the sound.
But soon, she regretted allowing her curiosity to lead her there.
Because instead of a gardener or a worker, there stood a strange individual.
someone wearing an odd mask and wielding an axe.
The golden mask had an eerie appearance, akin to overlapping animal skulls, and was paired with deep green robes. In his hand, he held an axe, its metallic portion glowing with a yellow light.
The axe’s handle appeared to be made of intertwined vines, and at its end, what seemed to be blood dripped. That blood flew around as the man swung the axe in the air, creating a curious pattern across the ground.
It was a bizarre yet mysterious sight.
Shwoosh.
Tuuu-woooong!
The man, swinging his golden and vine-encased axe, occasionally performed strange movements, almost like a dance. And at the end of that dance, he would slash the axe horizontally, carving into the tree, and after leaving a wound, he’d strike the roots with the handle as if performing some kind of ritual.
That scene could be interpreted as either the act of a deranged person thrashing about or a bizarre ritual conducted by an unknown priest.
Ella, clutching the Gaming Owl tightly, watched the scene quietly, her breath held.
The sunlight hit the golden mask and axe, creating a shimmering yellow light that scattered across the ground, forming a mystical spectacle.
Clank!
The man swung his axe at the air, at the tree, and at the roots. He even danced with his axe stuck in the tree, grinding his feet into the ground.
Tuuu-woooong!
Each time he stamped his foot, the ground was dug into. Hollow pits formed as if a strong man had used a large shovel.
Tuuu-woooong!
Every time he moved, another pit was formed—circular trenches, much larger than mere footprints, carved neatly like inverted pots.
Gradually, those pits formed a strange pattern.
A mysterious pattern that didn’t look man-made but carried an otherworldly allure.
This must be what they called “Fairy Circles.”
As the fairy circles were complete, the man stopped.
No more dances, he stood still, slowly turning his gaze toward the tree where the axe was embedded. Instead of walking to it, he extended his hand toward it.
Creak.
The axe, seemingly pulled by an invisible hand, made a noise as it was twisted out of the tree and floated slowly into his own hand.
With the golden axe in one hand, the man tilted his head slightly, gazing upward toward the sky. The sunlight striking the mask scattered beautifully, its light eventually reaching Ella’s eyes hidden in the bushes.
Flash.
The reflected light blinded her momentarily.
Caught directly in the reflection, her vision was briefly obscured. But it wasn’t a pitch-black night; she had merely encountered an intense burst of sunlight, so she wasn’t seriously harmed.
Her vision quickly returned, and when it did, the first thing she saw was…
The shimmering golden mask.
“AAAAH!”
In the moment between closing and reopening her eyes, the man wielding the golden axe and performing a strange ritual had moved right before her.
The small holes on the mask stared directly at her face, and the grotesque mask seemed to open its mouth as if to devour her.
Ella screamed in terror.
Upon hearing her scream, the man slowly raised his hand to the mask and lifted it off, revealing his true identity.
It was a face reminiscent of a rabbit.
“Huh?”
It was a face Ella knew very well.
Whenever she looked at it, it always gave her a slightly ticklish feeling.
“Hair Park?”
“I apologize for startling you.”
Jinseong grinned as he stood before Ella, who had fallen onto her bottom, offering her a hand.
“H-Hmm.”
Ella, embarrassed, averted her eyes. But realizing that staying in this position would be even more awkward, she hesitated before grasping Jinseong’s extended hand. He gently pulled her up, helping her regain her footing.
“I was conducting a small ritual. Did you find it… entertaining?”
“Yes. It was… mysterious…”
“Haha, that’s a relief. I was worried it might be too stimulating for a lady to watch.”
Jinseong slowly inspected Ella’s face before smiling again.
“It seems you’re feeling a bit dizzy.”
He chuckled softly.
