Chapter 199
Baek Yu-Seol lived in Seoul during his time on Earth. However, just because he was from Seoul didn’t mean he visited all the tourist attractions there.
Deoksugung Stone Wall Road, Yeouido Underground Secret Bunker, Han River Yeouinaru, Yanghwa Bridge...
There were many tourist attractions, but how could they compare to the capital of the Elf Kingdom's Cradle of the Heavenly Spirit Tree?
The capital, Cloud Flower Cradle, boasted an immense size that couldn't even be adequately described as a metropolis. This was not due to its width but because of its extraordinary vertical height.
It was said that the atmosphere of Cloud Flower Cradle changed according to the temperament of the reigning Elf King.
When a stern and rigid Elf King was in power, the city appeared monotonous. Conversely, when an Elf King with great artistic sense was in power, the city came alive with a beautiful and vibrant atmosphere.
The current Elf King, Florin, belonged to the latter category.
True to her nature, she loved beautiful and pretty things and was always steeped in melancholy. Cloud Flower Cradle was also decorated beautifully, which was why, even during the time Aether World Online was played, it was frequently visited by players as a screenshot hotspot.
So, in a distant future, if Baek Yu-Seol ever found himself with free time... He had thought about enjoying travels by visiting such places.
“Hoho. You came quickly.”
“Yes.”
But he never dreamed that he would end up touring these attractions with Elf King Florin.
“Then... Shall we go?”
She spoke with an excited voice. Even her face was flushed with anticipation. She was wearing a black dress and a veil that covered her face, so there was no worry about the curse. Moreover, she had stayed up day and night preparing just for today, so it was understandable that Florin was excited.
“Of course.”
Although he was a bit flustered, it wasn't entirely unpleasant.
This was one of the ways to properly utilize the first sacred relic.
Just like the 'Heart of Winter' of New Moon Bronze and the ‘Hwaryeong Flower' of Scarlet Summer, Yeonhong Chunsamweol also possessed a sacred relic called 'Petal of Gentle Heart.'
It didn’t grant the power to freeze all of the Levian coast or to set the entire land ablaze, but it had a very special ability to calm the mind.
Of course, knowing well that mishandling a sacred relic could lead to a disaster, he had never properly touched it since obtaining it.
However, Yeonhong Chunsamweol said, "Feel the same emotion in the same space and time while holding the sacred relic."
When Baek Yu-Seol first heard that, the first thing that came to mind was PVP.
One can feel intense competitiveness in the same space and time. And the excitement and thrill brought by PvP, where the fighter’s magic classes couldn’t be compared.
But Florin had a different opinion.
"Then, shall we tour the city together?"
"A city tour?"
"Yes! It's like a date."
"Oh... okay..."
It was the first time he realized that Florin could show such a pure and blissful smile.
And even now, she had a face full of happiness.
"Let's go quickly."
Where had the dignified and solemn queen gone? Florin kept peeking out from under the veil. She was like an excited girl at the thought of touring the city.
"Yes. Well... Let’s go."
He wasn't sure if this would truly activate the effect of the first sacred relic, but he decided to follow her, thinking it was a way to spend the summer vacation.
After all, there was nothing urgent to do right now.
"I know the tourist route well so just follow me."
"Oh, good. It's my first time."
For the queen of Cloud Flower Cradle to be proudly walking around her own city for the first time... It appeared quite pitiable.
“… But, are you sure it's okay?"
Just before stepping out of the white castle, Florin hesitated one last time.
If the Anti-curse dress didn’t function properly, a disaster could occur.
"You lived just fine in the castle, didn't you?"
"That’s true, but..."
"Or what? You snuck out and now you want to go back without doing anything?"
"No... I can’t. I snuck out from Lime Siblings, so I can't turn back now..."
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In the end, Florin mustered her courage and stepped out into the city. She walked down the middle of the avenue, as if to show herself off to the people. She was very confident.
"Wait. That’s a road for carriages."
Sure enough, the driver of an automated carriage soon honked the horn.
"Hey lady! What are you doing in the middle of the road?"
"Ah! Lady?"
Florin was visibly shocked by their reaction and froze.
"Ah! Really."
Baek Yu-Seol quickly rushed over and pulled her onto the sidewalk.
“Huh? Oh? Huh?”
“Your Majesty... That road is for carriages only.”
“Huh...? But when I was on my tours, I used to walk there alone...?”
“That’s because they cleared the road for you back then.”
But now, that was not the case. They didn’t recognize her as the queen at all. They just saw her as an ordinary lady passing by.
“Oh...”
Finally, Florin could take in her surroundings.
No one was paying attention to her. Despite walking among so many people, no one was mesmerized or lost in thought.
“Oh...”
Only then did she truly realize that her curse had weakened.
Thump!
Her heart raced.
The feeling of being alive.
Yes, from the beginning, Florin liked walking through crowded places like this. She had dreamed of this every day, and finally, her dream had come true.
"... Follow me for a moment.”
“Pardon?”
Florin grabbed Baek Yu-Seol’s wrist and quickly walked somewhere.
She navigated through the crowds, weaving in and out of the bustling streets.
Amid the summer festival, there were people singing and dancing in the streets, drunk with joy. The couples, families, and friends of different races were enjoying themselves.
Through the throngs of people, Florin finally found a quiet place.
At the end of a Heavenly Spirit Tree branch, a spot slightly away from the urban area.
However, it was a beautiful place where the horizon stretched far and beyond and the radiant moonlight shone down.
There...
Slip!
“Phew. That’s refreshing.”
Florin suddenly took off her veil. Though she was continuously checking in real-time through the messages of fairies and the Heavenly Spirit Tree that there were no people around, it was still quite a bold action for her, and Baek Yu-Seol couldn’t help but be surprised.
“Wait a minute. Are you sure that’s okay...?”
“Hoho. It’s refreshing and so nice.”
“I’m glad you like it, but...”
Her smiling face under the moonlight was so beautiful that if she were to declare she would destroy the world right now, he felt like he would have to bow his head and say, 'Yes! I will follow your wishes, Your Majesty!'
“Haah...”
As her hair gently danced under the mischievous breeze, Florin stood against the horizon lit by moonlight while looking at him.
“Baek Yu-seol.”
“... Yes.”
“I feel incredibly happy right now.”
“Do you?”
“I’m not sure. This is the first time I’ve felt this way… I wonder if this is what happiness feels like.”
She turned her head and quietly looked down at the Cloud Flower Cradle.
People sang joyfully, some danced, and everyone altogether appeared happy in the city. And now, she could quietly blend into that world.
“Maybe it is.”
“That must be it, right? There's no way this feeling could be anything other than happiness.”
She smiled bashfully and twisted her hair.
The more Baek Yu-Seol looked at her, the more the image of the 'Elf King Florin’ started to crumble.
The kind yet resolute and charismatic Elf King was revealing such a pure smile. At that moment, she had let go of all worries and concerns.
He couldn't tell if the Florin he knew was the real one, or if the Foorin in front of him was her true self.
He didn’t know anymore.
“Ah… It feels so refreshing.”
She closed her eyes and savored the cool breeze for a long time.
Perhaps, as Baek Yu-Seol expected, even if someone saw her bare face, they wouldn't be immediately cursed. After all, the first artifact's effect was about to activate soon.
So he let Florin stay there as long as she wanted. After a while, she started putting on her veil again.
“Shall we really enjoy a tour of the city now?”
“Yes.”
That night, he guided Florin through every corner of the Cloud Flower Cradle.
They ate skewers sold on the streets, blew and released sparkling balloons into the sky, and set off fireworks.
They savored the simple yet profound joys of life.
He stayed with her until the moonlight, which had lit the night sky like a blanket, faded away.
———-
… The Far East, the barren wasteland.
More than a hundred expedition members suddenly arrived in this abandoned land, which no adventurer with any regard for their life would seek out.
Crack!
- Ah, this is Team Shoot 2.
The newly developed and revamped radio was being used in actual combat for the first time. It crackled harshly with noise.
It looked as if it might explode if they pushed it any further.
However, the girl receiving the transmission was Jeliel. She unemotionally squeezed every bit of life out of it.
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It had been almost a month since they set out, leading an expedition team from the Star Cloud Guild.
- We have detected magic that matches exactly with your data, Miss. Analysis results confirm that part of the ruins is buried deep underground. We've sent in three infiltration teams.
“… Is that so?”
Upon confirming the report, Jeliel felt her heart sink.
“Oh, oh!”
“Oh, my God.”
“It’s real..!”
The archaeologists and many explorers who had been listening to the transmission around her embraced each other and danced.
The barren wasteland was bustling with demons and subject to extreme climate changes. It made the journey very harsh, but they couldn't help but feel elated at the results.
Jeliel was just as happy, but she did her best to remain calm.
*'Not yet.'*
They had only just discovered the entrance to the ancient ruins of Carmen Set.
Baek Yu-Seol.
The journey that had begun because of that boy was slowly reaching its end.
Though he... had cast the most terrible curse upon her, he was also the boy who had given her the most desired blessing of her life.
“Miss Jeliel, do you intend to enter the ruins yourself?”
“Yes. To obtain what I desire, I must defeat the vengeful spirit of Carmen Set in a game of Soul Chess at the final gate.”
She had spent her life honing her skills in Soul Chess for this moment. Even though there was one person in the world whom she could never defeat…
Despite that, it remained true that she possessed world-class skill.
*‘I can do it.’*
No.
*‘I must do it.’*
After searching all her life, she had finally reached the destination. Now, she couldn’t be defeated by soul chess.
*‘I will definitely do it.’*
Jeliel stood up with a firm decision. Her eyes revealed a unique splendor.",
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