Eat The World Tree

Chapter 201: Let's Pick Stars (1)

-Byeol is Dancing: ……genius?

A praise message from Byeol.

I replied with a smile.

-Me: Was it okay?

-Byeol is Dancing: ㄹㅇㅋㅋ

-Byeol is Dancing: Seyeong is asking me how to use a pregnancy test right now. But why is she asking me… I’ve never tried it either.

-Me: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I was scheduled to meet Byeol next week. It’s a reunion, and she asked me to help boost her morale. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I had to play the role of boyfriend as best as I could.

“So many things to do.”

When I entered the Forester Selection Competition… I needed to warn Byeol about the dangerous people in advance. Personally, I also planned to investigate Flower and destroy it from within.

From there, I would have to move under the identity of Lee Dowon, not Lee Shiheon.

I submerged myself in the tub, gradually sinking my face into the water. Gurgle—air bubbles rose from my nose.

‘Master, I hope you’re doing well.’

Cheondo. The girl who always smiled in front of me and guided me to regain my composure.

……I hope nothing happens. She was not someone who couldn’t take care of herself.

-Katok!

At that moment, my phone chimed with a notification. I lifted my head from the water and brushed back my hair. I checked the screen with a touch on the phone next to me.

-Sansuyu: Do you have a moment?

Though the name was Sansuyu, the message was definitely not typed by her, judging by the tone. I quickly tapped out a reply.

-Me: Who is this?

-Sansuyu: Sansuyu’s personal secretary. This is Seong Jiho. We met last time, right?

-Me: Ah, I remember. What is it?

-Sansuyu: Please delete this message immediately. It’s a matter that could cause problems if the lady finds out. Do you have time right now?

-Me: Yes.

I immediately pressed and held the phone to delete each message one by one.

-Sansuyu: I will call you in 10 minutes.

The other party left only that message and deleted all the conversation records. If someone tried to find our conversation, they might be able to, but Sansuyu would consider it a minor issue.

I got out of the bathroom, dressed, and left right away. Jin Dallae was curious about where I was going, but I said it was personal business. She understood when I said it was about money, not a woman.

[Is this Lee Shiheon?]

Seong Jiho’s young voice came through the phone.

“Yes.”

[Sorry for calling so late.]

I couldn’t guess what this call was about, but I knew something big would happen to Sansuyu soon.

I didn’t know what it was, whether it was an accident or a disappearance. We had only known each other for a few months, but I couldn’t just ignore it.

“Is there something wrong with Sansuyu?”

[…The lady is fine. But Mr. Shiheon… you should probably stay away from her.]

Stay away?

Seong Jiho’s voice was filled with confusion. He seemed unsure if what he was saying was right.

“…Excuse me?”

[I’m sorry. I don’t have all the details yet. Are you available on the 30th of this month?]

The day before the Forester Selection Competition. Just over two weeks away.

“I can make time, but what’s the problem?”

[The situation is complicated.]

The Cornus family was so large and vast that it was no surprise problems arose. No matter how promising I was as a student participating in the Forester Selection Competition and a disciple of Cheonma, I was just an ordinary person to them.

To the Cornus family, I was insignificant.

“…There’s no problem with Sansuyu?”

I didn’t know what the issue was. They wouldn’t tell me not to associate with nobles because it would lower their dignity. Knowing the future, I guessed there were some internal circumstances.

The important thing was Sansuyu’s safety and well-being. Waiting for two weeks to hear the story was easy, but I might miss the right time in that wait. If things went wrong, I even considered storming the Cornus family by force.

“Just tell me if it’s only me who needs to stay away.”

[There are no issues yet.]

Yet.

A secretary of a global family heir was leaving room for interpretation in his words. Why was he telling me this? Was he asking for help?

[I’m still figuring things out. Sansuyu… has been ordered to return to her family’s main house.]

Sansuyu, who was diligently attending classes until a few days ago.

“Can I investigate the matter personally?”

[…It would be better if you didn’t.]

This time, it was a sincere warning. No matter my strength, it was clear that a lot of trouble would follow.

But what could I do? I couldn’t stand still when someone I knew was involved.

I was about to hang up without saying anything.

-Beeeep!

【 'World Tree of Purity' warns you. 】

【 This time, wait. 】

A warning sound echoed through my mind like a strong strike. I frowned and stared at the status window floating before my eyes.

‘…What is this? Why now?’

The World Tree of Purity. A being that never moved no matter what suddenly blocked my path.

The status window flashed red.

The World Tree of Purity was clearly using all possible means.

Two weeks. In two weeks.

There’s no harm in listening to this message. However, if anything happened to Sansuyu, I don’t think I’d be able to view Purity the same way.

“Yes, understood. Please contact me again then.”

I casually gave my final farewell and closed the phone.

-Click.

A sigh escaped me.

“So, what kind of wind blew for you to answer now when you never did before?”

【 ‘World Tree of Purity’ sends you a heart. 】

What is this?

It was talking so well earlier. If only it could speak again.

Just this once, wait. Didn’t it passionately send that message through the status window?

And now it’s back to using the status window.

I put my phone back in my pocket and stretched my neck as I entered my apartment.

At that moment, there was a sudden beep of a warning sound.

Thinking back, it somewhat resembled Shiba’s voice.

---

‘So she really went back to the main house.’

Just as I had heard.

Entering the academy and looking for the class preparing for the Forester Selection Competition, the seat where Sansuyu should have been was empty.

‘It doesn’t feel comfortable.’

I decided to hide my thoughts and wait for the right time.

Well… there’s today’s schedule to attend to.

I took out my phone and checked the messages exchanged with Byeol last night.

-My Heart’s Star: Hey hey hey hey.

-Me: Yes?

-My Heart’s Star: I’m excited!

-Me: ……It’s 3 AM now? Why is your chat nickname like that?

-My Heart’s Star: I steeled my heart in anticipation for today.

-My Heart’s Star: I can’t sleep!

-My Heart’s Star: Are…?

-My Heart’s Star: Are you asleep?

-My Heart’s Star: (Crying emoji)

-Pft.

Just reading the chat was enough to catch Byeol’s energy.

Seeing her messages was exhilarating.

No one around me had as much spirit as Byeol.

“Today is another good morning.”

Just then, a mechanical voice echoed from the translator.

As the instructor entered the class, all the students faced forward.

Since I had missed academy classes for a while, I had to catch up.

Information about the dungeons frequently appeared in the Forester Selection Competition. Essential magic to learn, and so on.

I absorbed knowledge through intensive classes.

Of course, even at that moment, I had other thoughts.

‘The tea is what Master gave me.’

I also bought proper luxury clothes.

Fashion sense… honestly, it’s not great. But there was a charm that’s been built up, so as long as my appearance wasn’t bad, there shouldn’t be any complaints.

Spending hundreds on one outfit. Each swipe of the card felt like my soul was leaving.

‘Considering I used to wear cheap factory clothes while living alone, I’ve come a long way.’

Anyway, once this date was over, I had to return to my main job.

The last day of the holiday.

Thinking that way… I felt like I should enjoy it properly.

If I don’t enjoy it, Byeol will surely have a lot of complaints.

---

-Beep beep beep beep.

-Thud!

As soon as the alarm rang, Byeol moved mechanically.

“…….”

4 PM. Time to get ready.

Byeol blinked her sleepy eyes and yawned.

“Yawn….”

Like a cat, she stretched and flipped her body.

Sitting on the bed, she rubbed her eyes and realized what she had done.

“I’m screwed.”

She had set the alarm just in case, but to actually wake up at this time…

Sleeping until 4 PM on the day of a date was something only a crazy person would do.

‘Not a kid… couldn’t sleep until morning because I was excited……. I’m really crazy.’

Still, it wasn’t too late, so she decided to get ready diligently.

She got up and opened her wardrobe.

“Underwear. What should I wear?”

Sexy? Cute?

For today, Byeol laid out two prepared sets of underwear on the floor and pondered.

Yellow… Was this too childish?

But wearing something sexy would catch Lee Seyeong’s eye.

There’s no way to beat that woman in physical strength.

She also had to decide on clothes.

An expensive suit that would make one gasp. What kind of reunion required such attire?

Lee Seyeong rejected it outright.

Still, she decided to wear something moderately priced that suited her best.

She would flaunt.

She was a hotshot these days~!

She dressed up to the point where it felt like that. She thanked her one and only friend who helped her pick out clothes while wandering around the department store.

-Why do you always call me when you pick out clothes?

-Seyeong-jang is the best.

-Crazy girl.

“Hoo.”

In fact, it would have been right to pick out clothes and go to sleep the day before.

But making such plans was not her way.

If she craved ramen in the middle of the night, she ate it first. That’s Byeol.

She quickly picked out clothes and tossed them aside.

She went straight to the bathroom and started showering.

-Swoosh!

“Hm hm, hm.”

As the hot water touched her body, she naturally hummed a tune.

She used plenty of starfruit-scented body wash.

After washing, she generously applied lotion.

-Squeak.

Without wrapping herself in a towel, she came out and dried off while blow-drying her hair.

Mixing a bit of magic made drying hair easier.

One of the reasons women envied sorceresses was because it made drying hair so convenient.

Tap tap.

Dressing up and putting on makeup, time flew by, and it was past 5 o’clock.

Reunion.

They called it a reunion, but it was actually more like an expanded noble social gathering.

There weren’t many cases where salespeople would come looking for you with eager eyes…

Nor was it purely about reminiscing the past and having fun.

It was more of a reunion aimed at boasting and matchmaking.

“Great.”

She smiled while looking at her perfectly made-up self in the mirror.

The rest was up to the heavens, no, to Lee Shiheon.

Byeol grabbed her handbag and got on the subway.

The meeting place.

‘…I wonder what I’ll be teased about today.’

Byeol sighed with a bitter smile.

Come to think of it… hadn’t she received quite a few advances?

Recalling other classmates she met before, there were men who subtly tried to get along with her.

‘I was such a fool.’

She didn’t know.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested in men… but thinking of them as classmates scared her first.

Knowing her awkward middle school days, she felt very reluctant.

As a result, her body naturally put up a barrier.

But thinking that it led her to meet Lee Shiheon now… wasn’t it a godsend?

“Keek keek.”

Byeol shyly laughed and stepped towards the open door of the arriving subway station.