Growing Well (2)

Growing Well (2)

A massive factory where everything was burning without leaving a trace, as if volatile substances had been forcibly injected and set on fire.

Due to the toxic smoke spreading everywhere, it was a place ordinary people wouldn’t dare approach.

However, the personnel assigned by the association to tackle this level seemed unaffected by the smoke and entered the factory without much concern.

“Interesting.”

Han A-rin looked around and chuckled dryly.

She briefly spoke to the people following her inside.

“As expected, it seems they used a mana bomb to erase all traces related to mana, so we don’t need to exert ourselves too much. We can just look around casually and leave.”

“But if we don’t find evidence here, it could disrupt our plan…”

“There’s no need to worry about that. We have another way to solve this anyway.”

After briefly replying to her team member, she scattered mana in all directions and raised her staff.

Normally, this wasn’t her preferred method.

But now that the evidence had been obliterated, this was the only option left, so she calmly drew up mana and checked the surrounding mana.

‘Mana comparison.’

When using an object containing mana, ‘traces of mana’ are usually left behind.

Whether big or small, these traces tend to stick to the user’s body for several hours, leaving a trail.

‘Of course, since those traces are very faint.’

It was nearly impossible to use this to find culprits or missing persons.

But nearly impossible didn’t mean completely impossible.

So she decided to give it a try, closing her eyes and calmly searching for those traces.

‘……’

Was this what it felt like to scatter a grain of sugar in the desert and try to find it?

From the numerous mana-related objects to the traces of countless people with mana and those who had used magical tools even once, everything was intricately tangled.

It seemed extremely inefficient, as finding even a fragment of the culprit’s trace was too difficult, let alone the actual trace.

But just in case, she didn’t want to miss any important clues by overlooking this.

‘I didn’t want to miss an important trace of the terrorist organization that caused massive damage to Ha-eun.’

Even though it’s inefficient, I’m continuing to search.

I don’t know if it’s because Ha-eun hugged me this morning, but I feel like my mana manipulation ability has become easier than usual.

‘Is it just my imagination?’

There are research results showing that psychological stability affects manipulation ability.

But even so, I was thinking it’s somewhat strange to have this much of an effect when.

I succeeded in finding what appears to be a trace of the culprit.

Even if it’s just a small fragment of a trace, once we find it, it’s not too difficult to follow it.

So I decided to track the terrorist organization based on this and told the team members nearby.

“I found it. Follow me.”

With those words, I’m running towards the straight line of mana that’s stretching out, when.

A tremendously loud explosion is heard from ahead.

The power is so strong that the ground shakes momentarily.

I was wondering if Perseus had personally come out to smash things, when.

I see Seo-rin coming out, expressionless, brushing off the ashes on her sword.

‘Could Seo-rin have done this?’

The power is too abnormal for a rookie hunter to have done it.

So I looked around thinking someone else might have done it, but.

I’m struck with bewilderment as I don’t see any hunter capable of such power.

‘Did Seo-rin really do this?’

Although I had heard about her exceptional talent, I never expected it to be this much, so I’m struck with bewilderment.

Usually, the rookie hunter period is considered the lowest point, as abilities haven’t fully blossomed yet.

 

But Seo-rin was showing combat prowess no different from top-ranked hunters, even though she couldn’t fully manifest her abilities yet.

Seeing this, I let out a hollow laugh and shrugged, thinking that I couldn’t even guess how much stronger Seo-rin would become in the future.

 

“Woaaah!”

With Chae-a’s cheer, the sprout grew vigorously into a small tree as tall as me.

 

No, wait, since it’s as tall as me, is it not small?

While I’m internally insisting that it’s not small because saying it’s small feels like I’m calling myself small, Chae-a next to me urgently calls out to me.

 

“Now apples will grow vigorously, I want to eat apples”

At the mention of apples, I stare blankly at the tree.

 

It was a small tree that could be better described as a sapling, but I was amazed to see that it had grown many green leaves.

Suddenly, Somteol leaped forward and started enhancing the apple tree.

 

“Beep!”

A blue light swirls in the air.

I blink in confusion at this sudden occurrence.

 

The blue light is completely absorbed by the tree, and it grows to twice its previous size, starting to produce red fruits one by one.

“Apples!”

 

Chae-a smiles brightly at this sight, raises her hands, and starts struggling to pick the apples.

As I watch this scene with a blank expression, muttering ‘Is this really happening?’ in my mind,

 

The counselor standing behind us speaks to us in a very flustered voice.

 

“How did you do this?”

That’s what I’d like to ask.

I’m feeling dizzy, not really understanding what this situation is all about.

Chae-a speaks to the counselor in a very proud voice.

“Ha-eun and Chae-a and Somteol made this grow!”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. It grew vigorously. I’ll give one to the counselor too!”

Chae-a manages to pluck one of the open apples by lifting Somteol.

After handing it to the counselor, she looks at the counselor with eyes that seem to be expecting something.

It seemed like she wanted to be praised, so just as I was about to compliment her instead.

“Thank you, Chae-a. And Somteol and Ha-eun too?”

The counselor beat me to it, patting Chae-a’s head vigorously while praising her.

Seeing this, I was admiring how amazing the counselor is, thinking that she’s indeed remarkable.

Then Chae-a looks at me with a proud expression and says.

“Then this time I’ll give one to Ha-eun…! Ha-eun is a baby, so Chae-a has to take care of her!”

Baby…?

That word was a bit shocking, so I was wearing a blank expression.

The counselor starts praising Chae-a again while patting her head.

“Chae-a, you’re not only pretty on the outside, but you also have a beautiful heart. Is it because you’re an older sister?”

“Yes! It’s because Chae-a is an older sister! The counselor is like an older sister too!”

“Really? Why does Chae-a always say such pretty things? Come here, teacher will give you a kiss.”

With those words, Chae-a giggles and runs far away.

I think I’ve shown a pretty good adult-like image, but I still don’t understand why she treats me like a baby.

As I’m sulking and fiddling with my tail for a while, Somteol rubs against my leg and says something.

“Peep!”

(Cheer up!)

Just one word of encouragement.

It seems even Somteol could see that I was feeling down.

Thinking that it’s not very adult-like to keep moping around, I pulled myself together and looked at the tree.

‘Anyway, I can now actually grow ingredients to use in cooking.’

Determined to put in effort and cook, I pondered what to do.

‘Since Chae-a is here, it’s probably best to avoid using knives if possible.’

Thinking it would be better to find recipes that can be made by cutting ingredients with scissors as a compromise, I was racking my brain.

Just then, Chae-a returned, threw herself into my arms, and held out new seeds.

“I brought these…!”

Seeds of various colors.

Seeing this, I blinked my eyes wondering where on earth she got these from.

Chae-a placed them in my hand and started whispering quickly.

“This is a secret…! My squirrel friend gave them to me!”

“Squirrel?”

“Yeah. I live over there.”

The direction Chae-a pointed to was the small resting area in front of our lair.

I was blinking in amazement that living creatures could live there too.

Chae-a spoke to me in a very excited voice.

“This is a dandelion, and this is a sunflower…! They said they’re all delicious!”

“…?”

Were they edible?

I was staring blankly at them, then decided to plant them for now, carefully planting them one by one on the ground.

The counselor looked at us and said.

“Kids? Shall we go eat soon? Today, I…”

Before she could finish speaking, Chae-a thrust her head towards the counselor and said.

“You know, Chae-a can cook…!”

“Huh?”

“Chae-a cooks well…!”

At Chae-a’s claim that she cooks well, I could only blink in surprise.

Well, in all the time I’ve spent with Chae-a, I had never once seen her cook.

So while I was wondering about this, the counselor, perhaps wanting to give Chae-a a cooking experience, nodded and said.

“Then shall we try cooking?”

“Yeah! Thank you!”

Chae-a lay flat on the ground, imitating me.

Then, with a bright smile, she talked about what she would make.

“I’m going to make ice cream, and cake, and army stew…!”

That’s quite an unusual combination. Will it be okay?

I’m determined to help Chae-a do what she wants as much as possible, so as not to crush her childlike spirit.

The counselor clapped her hands approvingly and said to us.

“Then shall we try making it in the nearby kitchen? I’ll order the ingredients, so let’s go and make it.”

At those words, I took out the money that many people had given me as pocket money and held it out to the counselor.

But the counselor quickly waved her hands and said, ‘Use this to buy snacks for Ha-eun and Chae-a,’ avoiding taking it.

I thought I couldn’t do that, so I tried to put the handful of bills into the teacher’s pocket.

‘… I can’t reach.’

I’m too short to reach.

As I was feeling disappointed, wishing I could grow taller like I made the plants grow,

The counselor looked at Chae-a and me and asked a question.

“Is there anything Ha-eun and Chae-a want to eat?”

At that question, I thought for a moment and then softly opened my mouth.

“Ramen…”