The reason Grace was called an empire was because many nations and peoples were subjugated beneath that name.
Among them were not only humans, but also other races—elves and dwarves—who possessed language and intellect like humans and enjoyed civilizations of their own.
During the Great Cataclysm, they had crossed over to this world together with the Grace Empire, and for the most part, they were closed-off by nature, living within territories guaranteed to them by the empire.
For that reason, it was exceedingly rare for ordinary people living normal lives to encounter them.
Things were not all that different even for Hunters, who had one foot in the extraordinary.
They merely had a slightly higher chance of meeting them than ordinary people did.
If there was any other race one might be lucky enough to encounter at least once in one’s lifetime, it would be…
‘Elves.’
The twelve World Trees scattered across the world, including those in the Grace Empire and Academy City.
Elves, who proclaimed themselves the guardians of those World Trees, were at least not impossible to come across.
Though that was only relative compared to other races.
That was why, even if this was all following the flow of the game, I could not help but feel excited by the fact that I was seeing an elf for the first time.
The others were so surprised when she approached and introduced herself in a warm, friendly manner.
“I thought I sensed a welcome aura…. As expected, one who carries on the name of Grace has come to visit. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Odelia, the guardian who tends to the World Tree of Academy City.”
“…”
Though she must certainly have lived for long years, her appearance seemed to deny that, making her look no older than her thirties at most.
Light green hair and yellow eyes that suited her jade-white skin.
And long, pointed ears, the representative trait of elves.
Odelia, the guardian of the World Tree in Academy City.
Looking exactly like her illustration from the game, she greeted us politely.
Her smiling eyes passed over us and turned toward Lisa.
“If it would not be rude, may I ask Your Imperial Highness’s name?”
Odelia asked in a gentle tone.
Then Lisa, flustered by the unexpected meeting, calmly composed her expression and responded to the request.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Guardian Odelia. I am Lisa Evangel Ange Lumiere Lu Grace. I am glad to meet you.”
“So you were the Twenty-third Imperial Princess. I have heard much about Your Highness. Though belatedly, congratulations on entering the academy.”
“You don’t need to be so formal. This isn’t the empire, and I came here not as an imperial princess, but as a student. I am not someone who should receive such extreme courtesy from a guardian of the World Tree, either. It’s all right, so please treat me comfortably.”
The reason the Grace Empire had been able to cross dimensions and come to this world was because, along with the abilities held by the imperial family, the power of the World Tree had been at work.
For that reason, it would not be strange at all if the guardians who communed with the World Tree were considered, in effect, to be on the same level as the imperial family.
Though Lisa might be higher in terms of formal status, in terms of actual authority, she could not compare to Odelia.
As someone low in the line of succession, Lisa could never ignore the standing of Odelia, who must have devoted herself as a guardian for a very long time.
To begin with, Lisa was not the sort of person who wanted to be exalted simply because she was of imperial blood.
She spoke with a humble attitude.
Odelia nodded.
“If Your Highness says so, then I suppose I may treat you more comfortably. Thank you. From the looks of it, Your Highness seems to have come to the World Tree for a tour…. Am I correct?”
“Yes, that’s right. We came here for a tour as part of our club activities. Together with everyone here. Would that… perhaps be troubling to you, Guardian?”
“No, troubling? Of course not. Tending to those who come to see the World Tree is also part of my work. So long as no harm is done to the World Tree, visitors are always welcome. The World Tree is welcoming you now as well. Not only the princess who carries on the name of Grace, but the others too. Especially…”
Odelia, whose gaze had been resting on Lisa, slowly looked over the rest of us.
Soon, she pointed out Kang Hanbyeol and Cha Eunsol.
It was exactly as things had unfolded in the game.
“It seems to have taken a liking to you two.”
“Me?”
“Yam?”
“Yes, the two of you. I sense the aura of a spirit master from the young lady. I take it you are one? You seem to possess quite a powerful affinity…. It is no wonder you would draw the World Tree’s interest. The World Tree is also a kind of spirit, after all. And as for the young man… it seems to like your refreshing presence.”
“Yam…. It does seem friendly toward me.”
“A refreshing presence? Me? I’m not even a spirit master…. Before that, does the World Tree talk?”
“It cannot speak, but it can briefly convey the emotions it feels to me, its guardian. That is also how I knew Your Highness had visited. There is no need to be puzzled. You can simply accept it. May I know your names?”
“Is that so? My name is Kang Hanbyeol!”
“Cha Eunsol.”
“Kang Hanbyeol, Cha Eunsol…. Yes, I will remember your names. And lastly…”
At that moment, Odelia’s gaze suddenly stopped in front of me.
She drew a curve at the corners of her lips.
“It seems to like you as well.”
“Yes?”
This had not happened in the game.
Meeting Odelia’s eyes, I could not help but find it unexpected.
There was only one possibility that came immediately to mind.
‘The World Tree likes me? Don’t tell me….’
Does it know that I was reincarnated?
Since the World Tree was a transcendent existence, it was not an impossible hypothesis.
As if to render my doubts meaningless, Odelia readily gave me the answer.
“You visited once before, didn’t you? I remember seeing you, albeit from afar…. Weren’t you taking a walk around the World Tree together with the young lady beside you?”
“…I did come to see it in January.”
“Yes, that’s right. I came with Gyeonu back then, and we walked around….”
“I remember because the World Tree was especially excited that day. It seemed to quite like the sight of you two walking together like an affectionate married couple. It said you were very fresh and innocent.”
“…”
“Pardon me, but are you two lovers?”
“We’re just childhood friends, for now.”
“Yes, we’re just childhood friends. We’re not dating yet….”
What, so that was it?
I had nearly barked up the wrong tree.
Having had what happened in January exposed to my friends by Odelia, I felt awkward and cleared my throat.
Yeon Haneul beside me was flustered as well, repeatedly smoothing down her hair.
Seeing us like that, Odelia let out a small laugh.
“I see. So it is ‘not yet.’”
“Well, yes…”
“Yees…”
“As the manager of the World Tree, I hesitate to speak of such rumors, but… they say lovers who circle the World Tree once are bound together in eternal love. So if you have time, do try walking it together, just the two of you. Even if it is only a rumor and does not truly come to pass, the surrounding scenery is very tasteful, so that alone will be worth it. Though you would already know, since you have come once before.”
“Ah, yes…”
“Thank you…”
We just said we’re not dating yet….
It seemed Odelia had badly misunderstood something.
Having received a strange misunderstanding from her, we could only feel embarrassed around each other.
I rolled my eyes to check Yeon Haneul’s reaction.
Perhaps she felt the same way as I did, because she was glancing at me too.
‘She says it’s scenic, so should we walk around later?’
‘Just the two of us? Wouldn’t it be awkward with the others here?’
‘Then should we come together next time?’
‘Yeah, okay.’
There was no way that we, childhood friends of five years, could not converse with our eyes.
Yeon Haneul had definitely said that.
No doubt about it.
As proof, she and I gently bobbed our chins.
Then Odelia made an offer.
“Meeting all of you like this must be fate, so I would like to show you a better view. Follow me. I will guide you to the shrine where you can look out over Academy City.”
* * *
The shrine leading to the source of the World Tree could not be approached without the guardian’s permission.
It was only natural, since if someone with malicious intent were to touch the source, a great disaster could occur.
That was why, when Odelia offered to guide us to the shrine, we could not hide our excitement.
Kim Samo, the president of the Mystery Exploration Club, was so overwhelmed that he could not collect himself for a while.
“I-I’m going to see the shrine… Is this a dream or reality…. Everyone, the shrine is an extremely important place, so absolutely do not do anything there that could become a problem. Don’t even create the possibility of it. Especially you, Gyeonu and Hanbyeol. Gyeonu, don’t try to get close even out of curiosity, and Hanbyeol, please don’t even dream of plundering anything.”
“…Madam Samo, don’t you distrust us a little too much?”
“That’s right, Madam Samo! Do you think I just go around snatching anything and everything?”
“It’s not that I distrust you. It’s just hard to warn every single person one by one, so I’m singling you two out. Everyone understood, right? When we get there, just quietly enjoy the scenery. And I’ve told you over and over, don’t call me Madam Samo, call me President.”
“Yes, Madam Samo!”
“I said call me President….”
I felt bad for Kim Samo, but Madam Samo rolled off the tongue far better than President, so there was nothing to be done.
As if we had all tacitly agreed, we pretended not to hear him and headed toward the shrine.
‘The path really is dangerous.’
The shrine was said to be located in the upper part of the World Tree.
To get there, we had to cross suspension bridges connecting one branch of the World Tree to another.
Because of that, we were stepping forward carefully in a single file.
The suspension bridges were narrow, and their stability was greatly lacking.
As we climbed higher, the wind grew stronger, and the bridges shook violently as well.
Holding on to the rope so as not to be blown away by the wind, I asked Yeon Haneul, who was walking ahead of me.
“Haneul, are you okay? Aren’t you scared?”
“Yeah…. I’m a little scared, but I’m okay.”
“Don’t rush, just go slowly. No one’s hurrying you. Tell me if you don’t think you can make it.”
“Why? Will you carry me on your back then?”
“If it’s hard, should I?”
“No, thanks. What if we make a mistake and fall down? I can go by myself.”
“All right, got it.”
Yeon Haneul spoke bravely.
I followed at a relaxed distance so that she would not feel unnecessarily rushed.
As I did, her tail, swaying whenever she moved, caught my eye.
‘That tail is dangerous.’
The roundly curled white tail moved as though tempting me.
If I could, I wanted to swiftly reach out and grab that wicked tail tightly in my hand.
But in a situation where there was a risk of falling, I could not touch her.
I had to suppress, as much as possible, the urge to touch her tail.
I even felt regret over having ended up standing behind Yeon Haneul of all people.
‘No. If I hadn’t stood here, then someone else would be looking at Haneul’s tail instead, wouldn’t they?’
I could not let anyone else see Yeon Haneul’s twitching rabbit tail.
Just thinking about it made me feel unpleasant.
I decided to sincerely consider it fortunate that I was standing behind her.
From now on, I would have to become her screen.
With that resolve, I climbed the remaining path.
At last, after following Odelia, we were able to arrive at our destination.
“You did well coming all the way here. This is the shrine of the World Tree. It is also where I live.”
“…”
“This place is closely connected to the source of the World Tree, so please do not approach the shrine.”
We stepped down from the suspension bridge and onto a branch.
The surface of the branch was wide enough to build a small house on it.
In fact, at the point where the branch began, a cabin had been built with the trunk of the World Tree serving as its wall.
Odelia pointed to it and kindly explained that it was the shrine.
Then she turned our attention elsewhere.
“I did not guide all of you here to introduce the shrine. I wanted to show you this view.”
Odelia struck the ground with her staff.
It was then that the surroundings, which had been covered by the greenery of the World Tree, began to stir.
As if obeying her command, the green foliage started to move.
Before we knew it, a gap had opened in the greenery on one side of our view, revealing Academy City below.
“What do you think? Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Wow…”
Against the backdrop of a blue landscape where the distant sky and sea met.
Buildings of all shapes and colors spread out like miniatures.
I could also see the Grim River, which possessed special properties through the power of the World Tree.
The sight of the stream cutting across the heart of Academy City, sparkling as it caught the light, was strikingly beautiful.
If there was one thing to regret, it was only that the Gates floating in the sky spoiled the scenery.
Even so, as I took in the view, I felt as though something inside me had opened wide.
My friends seemed to feel the same, because not one of them failed to exclaim in admiration.
“It’s so pretty… right?”
“Yeah….”
“Gyeonu, let’s take a picture.”
Yeon Haneul eagerly tried to take photos so she could preserve this scene.
I went along with her as she wished while checking on Gang Hanbyeol’s condition.
‘It should be around now….’
According to the flow of the game, Gang Hanbyeol, guided by Odelia to the shrine, would receive the blessing of the World Tree while admiring this scenery.
The World Tree’s blessing, which raised all physical abilities by 1 and increased the recovery speed of health and mana, was unquestionably an indispensable fortuitous encounter for Gang Hanbyeol’s growth.
‘I don’t know why the World Tree gives Hanbyeol a blessing in particular, but if it’s giving, he should gratefully accept it.’
It wasn’t explained in detail in the game, but there was a reason that made sense.
Players of the game, including me, had speculated that it was related to Gang Hanbyeol’s Gift.
A Gift that allowed him to become proficient with any tool handled by hand to a level close to mastery was certainly enough to draw the World Tree’s attention.
After all, the World Tree was fundamentally a weapon.
But if one thought about it simply and one-dimensionally, it was probably because Gang Hanbyeol was the protagonist.
Fortuitous encounters naturally followed protagonists, and they were extraordinary in ways others were not.
In the end, thinking too deeply about it was meaningless.
I decided to simply wait for a meaningful change to occur in Gang Hanbyeol’s status window.
At last.
‘Looks like he received the blessing.’
Gang Hanbyeol himself didn’t seem to realize it.
But I was able to confirm that all of his physical abilities had increased by 1 in his status window.
There was no doubt he had received the World Tree’s blessing.
With this, the episode of visiting the World Tree’s shrine was over.
I decided to stop paying attention to it now and simply enjoy the view at ease with Yeon Haneul.
‘Huh?’
It was right then.
Suddenly drawn by an inexplicable feeling, I turned my head toward the shrine.
“…Gang Hanbyeol?”
“Gyeonu? What’s wrong? Hanbyeol is over there….”
“….”
Just as Yeon Haneul said, Gang Hanbyeol was clearly nearby, admiring the scenery and looking moved.
And yet, apart from the Gang Hanbyeol standing there, I could see another Gang Hanbyeol standing in front of the shrine.
‘What is this? Hanbyeol is here, so what’s that Hanbyeol over there?’
Judging by the fact that Yeon Haneul, who turned her head after me, didn’t perceive him, it seemed that the Gang Hanbyeol standing in front of the shrine was visible only to my eyes.
‘Did I see wrong? Is something wrong with my eyes?’
Unable to understand the situation, I blinked blankly.
Perhaps it was just my imagination, but Gang Hanbyeol, who was smiling at me, seemed translucent.
Then he moved his lips.
‘What did he say?’
I couldn’t hear a sound.
At some point, when I blinked, Gang Hanbyeol had vanished.
It was enough to make even a ghost howl.
Thinking that, I read the messages that appeared next and had no choice but to doubt my eyes all over again.
“…What the hell is this?”
[The blessing of the World Tree takes root.]
[Vitality has increased by 1.]
[Strength has increased by 1.]
[Endurance has increased by 1.]
[Agility has increased by 1.]
[Magic has increased by 1.]
[Luck has increased by 1.]
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss