Day 16 of Summer.
It was a refreshing morning.
Maybe it’s because I haven’t been sleeping properly lately.
I feel unusually full of energy today.
“Beep.”
Waking up to Su-ri’s eyes feels oddly endearing.
A smile naturally forms at the corners of my mouth.
Part of this good mood definitely comes from completing the greenhouse yesterday.
The number of seeds to plant every morning has increased, but I’ve long finished fine-tuning my time management, including that factor.
After finishing work that continues until early afternoon, what remains is my free time.
Even though having “free time” usually means more work anyway…
Thinking like that gives me a sense of ease.
Entering the greenhouse I didn’t fully explore yesterday.
It felt completely different from a vinyl house – a wooden building.
As soon as I step in, I feel the warm temperature.
The moist, glossy soil.
Sunlight streaming in through the windows on all sides.
Even without installing glass, there’s a reflective shine like from glass windows.
The temperature and light with special properties are quite impressive.
I plant Musk melons and Kingsberries in suitable spots.
Dividing sections for clarity is only natural.
I brought out two sprinklers embedded in the yard.
Since the field hasn’t grown to enormous proportions yet, using them here instead of spraying water endlessly in empty spaces is more efficient.
Su-ri is perched on my shoulder as usual.
Nodding off occasionally, preening feathers with her beak, she shows no signs of leaving my shoulder since that incident last time.
When I stroke her forehead, she closes her eyes, fully enjoying the sensation.
She tilts her head slightly, subtly asking for more strokes.
So I gave Su-ri all the attention she wanted.
Her delightfully wiggling feet were adorable.
“I think I’ll take it easy today.”
Planting seeds is already long done.
If there’s work to do, then it’s time to rest.
Sitting on the steps in front of the house, I leisurely gaze at the fields.
Though the sunlight is somewhat harsh, watching life sprout vividly is a beautiful sight.
Even when resting, visions of leveling up skills by fishing at the lake or logging naturally come to mind.
What used to be work has now become rest for me.
The feeling of growing stronger through consistent effort is addictive.
Effort turning directly into results brings immense joy.
Just as I was about to grab my fishing rod and head to the lakeside…
A golden shimmering figure approached my house.
“Hi!”
“Hello.”
It was Anne.
“Su-ri, hi?”
With an umbrella shielding her from the sun, her face beams with a bright smile.
Anne tilts her head as she looks at Su-ri.
At eye level while perched on my shoulder, Su-ri mimics Anne’s action.
Anne tilts her head the other way, and Su-ri slowly follows suit to the left.
Back and forth they go.
Their innocent behavior is undeniably cute.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m bonding with Su-ri. Look, she likes it.”
Hmm.
She’s probably just curious and going along with it.
Deciding against voicing that thought, I swallow it down.
“Where were you heading?”
“Yeah. Just going fishing at the lake for a bit.”
“Can I come along?”
Anne’s question carries an unmistakable undertone of non-negotiation.
Nodding, Anne leans closer to me.
Close enough that our hands could touch.
We walk toward the lake, chatting (mostly between Anne and Su-ri’s playful banter).
Though the weather is hot and humid, Anne’s umbrella shields us from the sun, making it bearable.
“You’re using the chair I gave you well, huh?”
“Of course, who gave it to me?”
“Hehe.”
Arriving at the lakeside, I set up the chair.
Looking pleased, Anne dips her feet in the water.
She had already quietly removed her shoes and neatly arranged them beside her.
“It’s cool.”
“The weather is a bit hot, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it’s pretty hot.”
Fanning herself with her hands, Anne splashes water with her feet, looking exceptionally carefree.
Was she always like this?
I remember her as someone with a fox-like image.
Then she subtly pulls the chair closer to her side.
Soon enough, she stealthily snuggles up next to me, asking softly:
“Don’t I have a chair?”
Looking up at me slightly,
Her neatly folded hands,
Combined with the splashing water create a mysterious atmosphere.
“Should I make you one?”
“Can you?”
“With wood, I can probably make something similar.”
“Please do!”
“Alright, wait a moment.”
Putting away the fishing rod, I pull out an axe.
Anne’s eyes gleam brightly like Su-ri’s.
“Making it right here?!”
“Yeah.”
Holding the axe, I effortlessly chop down a tree.
The dull sound echoes through the forest.
The tree sways, shedding its leaves which gently flutter and accumulate on the ground.
Thud-
Thud-
Chopping trees has become incredibly easy.
Skill combined with strength makes each strike visibly effective.
One slash diagonally from above,
Another from below,
Creating triangular cuts along the grain.
I hollow out the tree following these grooves.
Finally, the tree crashes down, revealing the damp log within.
Honestly, it would’ve been easier to use the wood already in my bag and quickly assemble it.
But doing it this way adds to the spectacle and fun.
“Wow.”
Clap clap clap-
This extra reaction is a bonus.
Anne enthusiastically claps her hands in response to my actions, making my shoulders subconsciously rise.
Pulling tools from my bag, I swiftly cut and shape the wood.
Shaping it into the desired form is second nature after constructing various buildings.
Though imperfectly shaped pieces require some adjustments, the final result remains the same despite taking a bit longer.
Without specific skill levels, crafting comes easily.
My personal abilities seem to have reached a certain standard, bringing a private smile to my face.
The chair itself is generously sized.
Considering it will stay outdoors for a while, I design it similar to a park bench.
I smooth out the rough surface by tapping it, and use wooden pins to secure the joints.
For the seat and backrest, I thoroughly oil and polish them with cloth.
All those useless items bought from the system for money have finally proven worthwhile.
Saving things does pay off eventually, doesn’t it?
I continue refining the chair until no more wood shavings fall.
The overall design is very simple.
Initially envisioning slanted square park benches.
Making two or three comfortably-sized chairs, I place them by the lake.
Gently tapping them into position, a sturdy bench is instantly completed.
“Wow…you really made it so fast?”
“Pretty quick.”
“Thank you.”
Anne carefully sits down, examining the chair from all angles.
Her emerald eyes roll around curiously.
She taps the chair base with her hand.
An invitation to sit beside her.
Smiling faintly, I stand and sit on the handmade bench.
“You did a great job.”
Slowly inching closer, she’s now practically touching me.
Our shoulders connect, and any movement is immediately felt.
Anne beams before falling silent.
I continue fishing quietly.
Only the occasional soft splashing of water breaks the serene lakeside atmosphere.
Before I know it, her head tilts toward me.
With Su-ri on my right shoulder,
And Anne’s head resting on my left shoulder.
Summer is almost over, yet the scent of spring lingers strongly.
The fragrance of spring flowers.
The aroma reminiscent of narcissus.
“Hey,”
“Hmm.”
Anne’s voice whispers ticklishly in my ear.
Her soft, low tone spreads quietly through the tranquil forest.
“Remember that counseling session we had before?”
“When we worked together?”
“Yeah. But I still haven’t found something I really want to do.”
Anne’s words trail off faintly.
“But still…I think I can start something. Your work seems tougher than what I’d do, right?”
“That’s fortunate.”
“So I’m thinking of starting horticulture. You like flowers, don’t you?”
Anne’s expression lights up radiantly.
The most vibrant and beautiful expression I’ve seen recently.
Her already pretty face shines even brighter with a smile, exuding incredible charm.
“Did you always like flowers?”
“Just a little, before someone gave me one as a gift.”
Anne’s sentence ends on an upward note.
Someone giving flowers as a gift…
Narcissus suddenly comes to mind.
“Narcissus?”
“Hee, maybe.”
An ambiguous statement leaving room for interpretation.
Anne tilts her head up slightly while leaning on me, meeting my gaze.
From anyone else’s perspective, we’d look like lovers.
Does Anne realize this proximity?
Is it intentional or unintentional behavior?
“I’ll visit your flower shop when it opens.”
“You must come.”
“Of course.”
“Good.”
That single word “good” carried a strange sensation.
Languidly,
Softly,
With a gentle tone,
Somehow emotion-laden,
Making my previously indifferent heart soften inexplicably.
Lifting a crucian carp with my fishing rod.
Being small, I give it directly to Su-ri instead of putting it in my bag.
She catches it with her beak and starts munching noisily on my shoulder.
“Aww, she’s cute.”
“Su-ri?”
“Yeah.”
While saying that, she pinches my cheek.
What kind of action is this?
Smiling sweetly, she pinches my cheek two more times.
“So soft.”
“It’s a cheek.”
“My shoulder is hard though.”
“Because muscles are there.”
Maybe because of my dry reply,
Anne’s lips pout slightly.
Seeing her emotional changes clearly is amusing.
Perhaps because of that,
Her fingers pinch my cheeks harder than usual.
Anne absentmindedly fiddles with her ear, presses my cheek, and slowly extends her hand toward my face.
In the middle of fishing,
When lifting the rod, her head naturally lifts off my shoulder.
But when lowering the rod again, her head naturally tilts toward me once more.
Apparently, being called “hard” wasn’t entirely accurate.
Listening to her soft whispers near my ear,
Continuing fishing for a while,
Despite the heat and humidity by the lakeside,
Thanks to Anne’s parasol,
Direct sunlight doesn’t reach us, allowing us to stay much longer than expected.
“What do you want to do later?”
“Are you asking about dreams?”
“Mhm. Dreams? Similar. Just something you want to do. Doesn’t have to be grandiose.”
Anne asking about dreams.
I slowly contemplate what I want to do.
Dreams, huh.
Originally, I would have answered going home as something obvious.
With just one change of seasons,
Though I would return if sent home,
Thinking about what I’ve accomplished here and what I will accomplish makes my heart strangely restless.
“Hmm…”
This “hmm…” feels closest to the truth.
I’m already busy dealing with immediate tasks,
And countless things to do pile up like mountains.
House expansion.
Buying livestock to raise.
Making aged products like wine or fruit liquor.
Maxing out all skills.
Learning magic.
Farming.
Restoring the warehouse.
Exploring based on achievements gained.
Listing them makes it seem endless, but I stop there.
The vast scope of the game means new tasks keep appearing.
“That’s such an uninspired answer.”
“Too busy to think.”
“Umm. Do you like being busy now?”
“Not bad. It feels like growing, and everything’s progressing well.”
“I see…”
“What about you?”
“Me? I want to do many things. Try horticulture first, travel too. Follow Luna to try idol work, volunteer service too. And…”
Anne’s bucket list of things she wants to try keeps going.
I nod casually while listening and cheer her on, finding it interesting.
Anyway,
I’m too busy to join her unless our schedules perfectly align.
Idol work suits her well.
Starting with her appearance,
Her personality seems perfect for leading fans.
If someone with this talent was born in 21st century Earth,
Their life would have been different.
Now she’s just a beauty in the countryside.
The world feels strangely ironic.
Anne suddenly declares she’s hungry and dashes home like the wind.
Her sudden arrival and departure feels very characteristic of her.
I continue fishing alone before returning home.
As the sun sets and moonlight rises,
I retire to bed at an appropriate time.
It was a pleasant night.
![[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come](https://i3.wp.com/darkmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/1737407792-8993-TS-The-end-of-magical-girls-has-come.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The End of Magical Girls Has Come")
