episode_0022

There are two things I hate the most in the world.

One is when my salary is delayed,

and the second is when my salary is delayed a lot.

‘How dare you… take away my money, well, not my money but my goods?’

How hard did I work to ‘correct’ Merina!

Unable to contain my anger, I trembled and packed my bags.

-Rummage, rummage

“Se, Serena. Are you really going to the World Tree?”

My teacher asked me with a worried tone.

I nodded as if it were obvious and said,

“Yes.”

“Hoo… instead of that, how about waiting a little longer?”

My teacher tried to persuade me with a troubled expression.

“Right now, I have to attend the Magic Tower regular meeting, so I can’t accompany you to the World Tree.”

“I see.”

“I see~ This is not the time to say such a carefree thing! Wouldn’t it be too dangerous?”

My teacher is worried about my safety.

But I had no intention of backing down.

“I’m sorry, but I think I must go this time.”

“…Haa. Of course, the Tears of the World Tree are important, but what’s more important is yourself.”

“So.”

I continued with a serious look.

“So, it’s necessary. I think I can develop myself further.”

“…..Haa.”

After pondering, my teacher sighed and said.

“Okay. How can I win against you?”

“Yahoo!”

“Come to think of it, instead of worrying about you, I should be worrying about the opponent who will try to hit on you.”

My teacher smiled with a helpless expression.

In fact, it was as my teacher said.

After the sparring with Flora in the past.

Having realized the need for various magics to some extent, I

have been steadily learning things other than the magic needed for music.

As a result.

The appearance was that of an 11-year-old girl, but

as a magician, well.

Perhaps, unless it is an opponent at the level of my teacher, they can be suppressed without problems.

Four years were enough time for a genius to make that much difference.

With my teacher’s permission given, I pulled Merina’s shoulder and said.

“Well, shall we go then?”

“Ye, Yes.”

Let’s go.

To get my Tears of the World Tree.

* * *

At that time, the World Tree.

The situation here was chaos itself due to the unprecedented situation of the ‘Tears of the World Tree’ being stolen in its entirety.

Naturally, unkind gazes were poured down on the academy students who were on the list of suspects.

Some weak-hearted students were even about to shed tears due to the overly malicious gaze.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

“Damn it. They’re blaming us for their own mismanagement.”

“Aren’t these guys staging a self-directed drama?”

“Logically, there’s no way that so many elixirs could have been stolen entirely.”

Elves distrust humans,

and humans distrust elves.

Hatred and distrust towards each other were gradually building up.

However, there was one student who was calm even in this chaotic situation.

“Everyone, please calm down.”

The Star of the Empire,

the Emperor’s only daughter.

Only Flora was keeping her head cool.

“Your Highness. But isn’t it too unfair? This is treating the Empire with contempt!!”

“Calm down. Their treasures have all disappeared, so even if it’s unfair, there’s nothing we can do for now.”

“But to be treated like criminals without any evidence.”

“That’s right. This is too much, no matter who they are.”

Even with Flora’s mediation, the students did not easily calm down their anger.

Flora, who had been waiting for their words to subside for a while, said.

“Don’t worry. Soon, someone will come to solve this case.”

The faces of the students, who had been angry until a moment ago, brightened a little at the unexpected news.

“Um, Your Highness, who did you call, by any chance?”

“Did you call the Imperial Court Mage Division or something?”

The Imperial Court Mage Division.

A super-elite group of magicians that the Empire boasts of,

with several departments under its command, solving many magical incidents within the Empire.

Flora’s confident attitude made the students expect that someone at the level of the Imperial Court Mage Division would come.

However, Flora wore a meaningful smile.

“Not quite the Magic Tower Master… but perhaps he may be comparable to him by now.”

A skilled person comparable to the Imperial Court Mage Division!

This made the students feel relieved.

“Hoo. If it’s someone of that level, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Haha. As expected of Her Highness the Princess.”

A somewhat relaxed atmosphere.

Flora quietly gazed somewhere far away and thought.

‘It’s been a while, Serena.’

If you hear that the Tears of the World Tree have disappeared, you’ll rush over here, right?

‘Perhaps it’s a really necessary item for you now.’

If it’s you after 4 years,

I have no doubt that you have fully bloomed.

‘Don’t let my expectations down?’

* * *

As a result of diligently moving for several days,

we were finally able to set foot in the territory of the elves.

Here, we are naturally me and Merina.

I pointed to the huge tree visible in the distance and asked Merina.

“Merina. That’s the World Tree, right?”

“Yes. There’s no doubt about it.”

“Hoo… It was really a rough road.”

Honestly, there were really many things that happened.

Swindlers trying to scam us after seeing only little kids.

Human traffickers running after us because they saw two pretty girls.

Perverted people wanting to do this and that kind of stuff.

After seeing these kinds of guys countless times,

I naturally had a thought.

“As expected, I feel like there are a lot of crazy people in the world.”

Merina also quietly nodded next to me as if agreeing.

What happened to those guys?

Well, of course, I made sure they couldn’t do bad things again and handed them over to the guards.

Let’s skip the gloomy talk and move on to a cheerful story,

Right now, my heart was more excited than ever.

The reason for this excitement was, of course, the reunion with someone I missed.

‘I’m finally meeting Flora.’

Reunion after 4 years.

The 7-year-old girl became 11 years old,

and the 10-year-old girl became 14 years old.

I think I’ve grown quite a bit too,

I was looking forward to how much Flora would have changed.

‘I hope she doesn’t recognize me?’

If that happened and Flora didn’t recognize me, I felt like I would cry.

Even in the midst of all this, we were steadily getting closer to the World Tree.

When the tree that I had seen from afar became so close that it couldn’t all fit in my eyes even when I looked up at the sky.

“Stop.”

Two elves with pointy ears blocked us.

Seeing them, I definitely felt that Merina was still young.

-Stare.

Merina, feeling my gaze, flapped her arms and protested.

“Eek! You thought I was small just now, didn’t you!”

“I didn’t think anything. Mmm.”

“Ponse and Luke are just too big!”

Ponse, Luke?

Maybe those are the names of the guards.

When I kept ignoring Merina’s words, she cried out with a tearful look.

“I, I’m going to grow up too as time passes!”

“Yeah, yeah. Your sister believes in our Merina.”

“You don’t believe at all, do you!”

Listening to our bickering,

Ponse and Luke whispered something and then asked.

“Um, are you perhaps Merina and her party?”

Oh.

They recognize Merina.

‘Well, she’s the daughter of the tribe leader, so they shouldn’t not recognize her.’

Here, Merina stepped up instead of me.

“Yeah! I’m back!”

“Um. It seems that you are indeed Merina.”

After confirming our identities,

their expressions changed strangely.

What should I call that expression?

An expression that welcomes us but is also ambiguous?

‘Why are they making that kind of expression.’

“Please follow us for now. We will guide you to the tribe leader.”

“Yes.”

-Swish.

When I nodded,

an elf named Ponse handed me an eye patch.

“It’s a passage that cannot be revealed to outsiders, so please wear it.”

It seems like they’re going to use a secret passage.

I obediently put on the eye patch and followed them.

How long did we walk?

“You can take off the eye patch now.”

He told me that we had arrived and that I could take off the eye patch.

When I took off the eye patch,

a scenery different from what I had expected unfolded.

“Oh.”

I thought the place I had arrived at would be an audience chamber, but

the current scenery was a wider space than I had expected.

A scenery closer to a reception room than an audience chamber.

What was even more unique was the people gathered here.

‘What. Why are there so many people?’

There were many people in this place besides me and Merina.

Maybe they are academy students.

Of course, there were also many elves.

The elves were all glaring at the students as if they were their enemies.

‘The tribe leader… is over there.’

The tribe leader was sitting on a chair with his head in his hands, as if he had a headache.

As I was sorting out my thoughts for a while,

“Daddy~.”

Merina ran towards the tribe leader.

-Pat, pat.

“I missed you!”

Seeing Merina run straight and hug the tribe leader,

his expression, which had been full of worries, seemed to ease a little.

“Yes. My daughter. Was human society fun?”

“Yes! It was so much fun!”

“I see. Um, perhaps….”

The tribe leader hesitated to say something.

Merina, who noticed what he wanted to ask, said.

“Yes. Humans seem like a more beautiful race than I thought.”

“!! I, is that so?”

“Yeah. I also met a really pretty sister.”

“Sister? Ah, perhaps….”

The tribe leader raised his head and looked at me.

“Is it that child?”

“Yes. My sister is the best! She’s really good at magic and she’s also good at playing music!”

“Playing music? Hmm. Well, anyway, she’s amazing.”

After roughly nodding, he now turned his gaze to me.

‘Oh.’

He looked to be about middle-aged,

but I could feel the tremendous experience of time in his eyes.

A voice that was completely different from the voice he used when talking to his daughter,

a dignified and majestic voice headed towards me.

“So, you are the human who took care of our daughter.”

I answered confidently.

“Yes. I was with Merina.”

But the tribe leader’s reaction after hearing my answer was somewhat strange.

“Ugh….”

He showed a troubled expression,

and then turned his gaze towards the students.

‘Who is he looking at?’

Following his gaze, there was a familiar face.

‘Sister!’

Flora standing in the middle of the students.

She looked quite mature, maybe it’s because it’s been a long time since I last saw her.

No, she actually seems to have matured?

‘4 years is a long time for a girl.’

The crybaby I remembered was nowhere to be seen,

and there was a mature girl of the cool student council president type standing there.

Noticing my welcoming gaze, she smiled and gently waved her hand.

‘Hehe. She’s gotten even prettier.’

However, the tribe leader’s sigh deepened even more after seeing our reactions.

“Hoo….. Ugh…….”

‘What is it.’

A situation I don’t understand.

But I heard another sigh.

No, this time it wasn’t just once.

“Haa…….”

“Ugh…….”

Suddenly, the academy students also started groaning collectively.

‘No, seriously what is it.’

I haven’t done anything yet?