Proofreader: Chaddude
She had thought there would be a difference of at least six years between them.
As Katarina scaled up Shedia’s age in her head, Shedia looked up at her and said, “Hey… thank you.”
“Um? For what?”
“T-The elemental… for allowing me to touch it…”
Shedia’s voice sank.
Was she shy?
Katarina smiled, finding the short girl cute.
“Sis.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t call me ‘hey,’ call me Sis.”
Shedia’s expression hardened for a moment.
Katarina fanned her hand in embarrassment.
“No, no. I don’t mean to enforce it on you or anything… I thought we have known each other for quite some time, so I figured it would be better to be more friendly in… you know… If you don’t like it, don’t…”
“Sis.”
“Uh?”
“Thank you, Katarina.”
Looking at Shedia again, Katarina found her face didn’t have the gloom she had shown a moment ago. She was smiling brightly, and after pausing a moment, Katarina also smiled happily.
After that, Katarina got in to making contracts with the rest of the four ancient elementals in next four hours.
* * *
“They’re here.”
The World Tree suddenly said.
No additional explanation was needed.
Moments later, Katarina came up the steps, gasping for breath. Around her, four elementals of different shapes hovered around.
I propped myself up and ambled towards Katarina.
Looking at me, she trudged over and leaned into my arms.
“Was it hard?”
“Very. I can’t measure how much I have ran around inside…”
“You did well.”
“Um.”
Katarina hummed, rubbing her face in my arms.
I gently brushed the back of her hair and said to the World Tree, who had returned to the body of the male elf.
“Since we have had our conversation and Katarina’s business is over, don’t you think we should be leaving?”
“Why are you being so hasty? You all can stay for a few days if you all want.”
“No. We have distance to catch up. The reason we ended up here in the first place is because the ship sailing to the Principality of Polycia sank, leaving us stranded. Originally, we had no intention of stopping by.”
“Is that so? Then I shouldn’t be holding on to you guys any longer.”
The World Tree made a very sad expression.
What exactly is this old tree trying to pan out?
Without hesitation, I turned my back to the World Tree.
“Then we should be going. I would appreciate it if you could get us a guide to show the way.”
“Oh, wait a moment.”
The World Tree said so and he stretched out his hand below the ground. A tree trunk — almost — rose from under the ground, sundering the dirt ground. The Elf King cut it off and threw it languidly at me.
The chopped part sailed through the air and landed gently in my hand.
“Is it what I think it is?”
“A twig of the World Tree.”
“You’re giving it to me?”
“That’s right.”
“You have a surprisingly big heart.”
“You all are but my guests. I’m the one who brought you all here as guests, if I can’t present even this much hospitality, I’m letting myself lose face.”
“Thank you, then.”
I carefully stuffed the World Tree’s twig into my backpack.
“I would like to talk a little more, but that will perhaps only be possible something later. I hope you all will stop by again someday.”
Saying that, the World Tree waved his hand at once.
Branches rose from the ground, intertwining and lacing, to create a faux cave that surrounded us.
“Huh? What??”
“It’s okay, calm down.”
I calmed Katarina down by grabbing her by the shoulder.
Moments later.
The entangled branches untied and went underground again, the scenery around us had completely changed.
We were out of the woods.
The pristine fields were nowhere to be found, only a smelly dirt road and hard stones littered around us.
Katarina and even Shedia were surprised, their eyes wide open.
“We… weren’t we just in the middle of a forest?”
“It’s the Elf King’s hocus pocus. Not too surprising.”
“No, do you think this all whatever for whoever’s sake it is can be boiled down to him being the King of Elves?!”
I nodded without speaking.
“…is the Elf King really that great?”
“Probably, even if all three Kingdoms attacked together, they wouldn’t be able to win. Maybe even add The Empire.”
Katarina’s complexion turned pale.
“That’s gotta be a lie. How’s that even possible?”
“I know, right.”
And why so.
“Then, the twig that the Elf gave me earlier…? Is it something amazing?”
“This? It’s a twig of the World Tree. Not only is it a material with zero resistance towards mana channeling, but it can also amplify magic. I don’t know if it will sell, but if it does, I might be able to buy a county.”
Katarina’s complexion turned blue from pale, as if she might start hyperventilating.
I laughed and wrapped my arms around her waist.
“Katarina, our journey is just beginning.”
Hicck.
Katarina began to hiccup.
* * *
Northern part of the Continent.
A woman strided in to a castle in the Principality of Polycia, a barbaric land of danger and blood.
Her white dress and long white hair fluttered behind her.
She was a pure beauty on the outside, with skin as white as snow and eyes blue like jewels—like a heroine—but in reality, she was Leslie, a villain. A tyrant known for her cruelty.
However, that nickname was not matching as she ran down the aisle with a desperate yet pitiful face.
Arriving at her destination, she opened the door vehemently.
“Father!”
In the room she opened, a skinny old man was staggering up from his bed with the help of his maid. The old man, hearing Leslie’s voice, turned his attention to her.
“Huh?”
Tears dripped from Leslie’s eyes at the sound of the old man’s murmur.
Gasping, she murmured.
“Oh thank you, Goddess Iris…”
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