I had spent nearly a full day in bed, and was reluctantly forced to get up by Iris's insistence.
As much as I wanted to enjoy the same leisurely pace as yesterday for another three days or so, I couldn't deny that time was running short.
Inevitably, I washed up roughly by the lake to shake off the drowsiness.
'I should carry a portable shower stall.'
Even if I could heat water with magic, washing by the lake was more inconvenient than I thought.
Still, just being able to wash with Iris was enough to keep me from complaining too much. The person herself didn't show me her front, leaning her back against me because she was shy, but didn't she know that only made it more arousing?
My lower body throbbed at the stimulating line from Iris's neck down to her hips, and I was only able to get dressed after shooting three times in a row inside her while washing.
Of course, I didn't tell Iris to wear a tank top and dolphin shorts. From my perspective, it was everyday wear, but from Iris's perspective, it felt like a shocking event outfit a girlfriend would wear for a special occasion.
I took out a few decent dresses and shirts and let Iris wear what she liked.
"Hyunwoo, how is it? Does it suit me?"
The moment I saw Iris gracefully turn around in a white off-the-shoulder shirt and a black high-waisted skirt, applause burst out automatically.
"Hehe, thank you."
Iris's refreshing smile made my lower body throb again without me realizing it, but I didn't want to ruin the mood, so I endured it with superhuman patience.
There was no need to rush in the first place.
As long as the 'Otherworld Dating App' didn't disappear, I would make memories with Iris until the end of my lifespan.
'Until the Otherworld Dating App disappears…'
I wasn't too worried about my lifespan.
When my cultivation level increased, my lifespan would automatically increase as well. Right now, I could easily live to 120 years old.
If I took elixirs along with increasing my cultivation level, it seemed possible to reach 200 years old. There were many other ways to extend my lifespan as well, but I couldn't help but worry that this app I had suddenly obtained might disappear overnight.
That alone planted a seed of anxiety in one corner of my heart.
"Hyunwoo?"
While I was lost in thought, Iris, who had come right up to me, gave me a look full of concern.
"Is something wrong?"
"…No, it's nothing."
At Iris's concern, I steadied myself.
Right, let's not worry about things that haven't happened yet.
Let's not waste time being attached to conclusions that won't come out no matter how much I worry.
What was important was the time I spent with Iris now.
In that way, the seed of anxiety disappeared before it could even sprout.
We held hands and went back to the temple.
The moment we set foot in the temple, the golden tree, which had clearly been slightly withered until yesterday, radiated a brilliant light once again.
At the same time, I could feel the surrounding air changing slightly.
[Have you come?]
"Mother!"
Iris ran to the golden tree in a flash at the message that seemed to be hammered directly into her brain.
I felt a strange jealousy as I looked at my lonely right hand, but I soon gave up.
'Right, it's weird to be jealous of my girlfriend and her in-laws.'
Rather, thinking of her as my future mother-in-law, my nonexistent faith seemed to well up.
However, judging from Iris's excited voice and expression, it didn't seem like that conversation would end anytime soon.
Having no choice, I decided to kill time by checking what I had learned yesterday.
In fact, one day was a very short time to learn anything.
All I learned were a few new fire elemental spells?
In the first place, Iris wasn't a fire elemental mage. She mainly used earth and wind elements based on spirit magic.
That didn't mean I had an aptitude for earth and wind elements.
My aptitude was only for fire and lightning.
I hadn't even used lightning properly because I couldn't control it properly.
Lightning had the most bizarre power among the elements, but it was also the hardest to control. If I made a mistake, my magic circuits would easily be damaged.
Still, I kept practicing.
Iris had advised me that repeated practice was the best way to use the lightning element freely.
I quietly closed my eyes and focused the lightning element in both hands.
Crackle-
Before long, rough sparks rose, but that was it.
Even with my strengthened magic circuits, it wasn't easy to handle more output. Still, if I pushed myself, I felt like I could use high-powered lightning magic once or twice.
Compared to before, I could definitely feel that I had grown.
I was feeling a sense of accomplishment, convinced that I would be able to handle even more powerful lightning in the near future.
[Kang Hyunwoo.]
A familiar message came.
[I can't help but admire your performance. I never imagined that you would defeat the gatekeeper on the first floor and return with the key.]
The will of the World Tree was directed at Kang Hyunwoo.
Clearly, the tree didn't have eyes, but Kang Hyunwoo felt like he was receiving the World Tree's gaze.
[To be honest, I didn't have even a shred of expectation for you.]
"M-Mother?"
Iris was startled at her mother's harsh words to the boyfriend she had brought home, saying they would get married soon.
[But now, I don't think I can help but believe it.]
The World Tree's golden tree stretched its branches towards me. At the end of the branches, a small fruit grew.
"What is this?"
[This is the last fruit that this tree can bear.]
Iris couldn't help but be shocked at the sight.
The fruit of the World Tree, which emitted enormous divine power, was one of the best elixirs in the world, comparable to sacred objects.
Of course, since it grew from a symbolic object with weak authority, its efficacy was somewhat inferior.
Nevertheless, it was clear that it would be the best move for Kang Hyunwoo's growth.
Kang Hyunwoo, who didn't know this, only roughly guessed that it was an elixir.
And it was an elixir bestowed by a god.
I was convinced that it would be better than anything you could buy on the market, so the corners of my mouth went up.
I glanced at Iris, then put the fruit in my mouth in one bite.
It tasted pretty good.
Still, it wasn't as good as high-end fruit sold on Earth, but who eats herbal medicine because it's delicious?
You eat it for your health.
I chewed roughly and swallowed it whole.
"…Huh?"
The problem happened after that.
Suddenly, my vision blurred, and I heard ringing in my ears.
Thud-
My memory cut off there.
***
The World Tree looked at Kang Hyunwoo, who had fallen to the floor.
To be exact, it saw through his inner self, his essence.
However, even with the eyes of a god, the 'Otherworld Dating App' that Kang Hyunwoo possessed was completely hidden. That's why the World Tree couldn't help but conclude that he was a genius, seeing how much he had grown in such a short period of time.
Although it felt uneasy that he was a human and not an elf, it had no choice but to compromise with reality, as it was impossible to find someone more suitable than him in the current situation.
[Child.]
"…Yes, Mother."
Iris laid Kang Hyunwoo, who had fallen to the floor, on her lap and wore a worried expression.
At the sight of her sincere appearance, the World Tree was able to erase a little of its anxiety about the fact that Kang Hyunwoo was human.
[Do you love him?]
"Yes."
The World Tree murmured at the answer without the slightest hesitation.
[Does he love you too?]
Knowing that this wasn't a simple question, Iris couldn't help but pause for a moment.
However, Iris was able to firm her resolve as she recalled the image of him who had appeared here through the loneliness of the past 200 years, showed her a new future, and taught her warm love.
Even if he didn't truly love her, she was also confident that she would win his heart with her own efforts.
"Yes!"
The World Tree was satisfied with its most precious child's energetic answer.
It wasn't yet certain whether its decision could save the entire elf race.
Even a god wasn't omniscient.
Therefore, it squeezed out the authority it could exercise on the ground, believing that firmly believing in its child was the best it could do.
Once again, a golden wave surged through the underground temple.
***
Ding-
[Nine Fruits: Magic Power has been consumed]
[Magic Circuits are extremely activated]
[Mana Circle is extremely activated]
[The body detects changes and prepares for new changes]
·
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"…Where is this?"
I frowned slightly at a slight headache, and then pushed aside the screen that had risen densely between my heavily raised eyelids.
Then I closed my eyes again.
Closing my eyes seemed to lessen the headache.
Besides, the touch of the pillow I was lying on was so good that I stroked and touched it here and there.
'…Why is it warm?'
I touched it more actively at the chewy texture that couldn't be felt from a pillow.
After touching it here and touching it there, it was clear that this was Iris's national treasure-level thigh.
Naturally, this led to the question of why I was doing this, and I carefully opened my eyes again and turned my head.
"Have you woken up?"
"Huh?"
I made eye contact with Iris.
But in the eyes of Iris, who I was meeting with my eyes, I could catch a glimpse of something I couldn't usually see.
"Iris…?"
A sense of discomfort and alienation stabbed at my instincts.
Not the vibrant green eyes I usually saw, but the brilliantly glowing golden eyes fueled my suspicions.
At that time, a hypothesis flashed through my mind.
"Could it be, the World Tree…?"
Iris, no, the World Tree nodded briefly.
Only then did I jump up from my seat.
"It's the first time I've met you from a human's perspective."
I felt an unknown pressure from the World Tree, who had taken the form of Iris, who was dusting off her knees and getting up from her seat.
A distant divinity, a being called a god by mankind, had descended upon this land by borrowing the body of a believer.
The golden tree in the middle of the temple was so dry that it was completely rotten.
"I have something to tell you, so I've temporarily borrowed this child's body."
"Um… is it really necessary to do that? Can't you just say it?"
The World Tree shook its head.
"The golden tree is also a weak symbolic object of mine. In order to intervene on the ground, I have to use quite a lot of authority, but if I borrow the body of this child, who is strongly connected to me, I can minimize the consumption of authority."
I knew the reason why she borrowed Iris's body, but what was she going to say that she even descended on the body of a believer who could minimize the use of authority?
"I believe that you are the hero who will save the entire elf race."
"…A hero?"