New Paradise (3)
"Th-this strange bird... what in the world is it?"
"That one is a divine beast sent by the deity, just like the black bull. It's versatile and clever."
Serenian explained the world inside the flowerpot to Leon, their newest recruit, where he would spend the rest of his days. To him, just as he'd sensed at first, everything was shrouded in mystery. The miniature houses were one thing, but so was the drone now buzzing in circles around his head.
"...Ah, h-hello?"
He flinched at the words divine beast and tentatively waved at the drone. Watching through its camera feed, I made it bob up and down in response, as if to say it understood. Leon let out an involuntary sigh and nodded in amazement.
"I've heard tales from a few elves who communicated with the outside world—stories of countless gods from other races' myths and legends—but I've never heard of a deity like this."
"That's fortunate for us."
After showing him around the village interior, Serenian led him to the barrier wall. Leon fell speechless at the majestic sight. The pristine white wall, coated in something shiny that reflected the light, stretched endlessly from one end to the other.
"The chieftain made this... all by herself with just those kids? Out of stone this solid?"
"Yes. Though it's hardened now, it's not actually stone."
Serenian stroked the wall as she explained to the awestruck Leon, then pointed to the warehouse beside it. This one was also built by stacking clay, its roof covered with large sheets of coating paper. Inside were stacks of hardened clay blocks.
"This material from the deity softens when wet, so you can shape it freely."
"Ooh..."
Leon played with a wet lump of clay in his hands, sighing in wonder. He'd known about making pottery or bricks from earth, but those weren't part of elven culture.
"Still, there must be a reason they went to such lengths for this grand barrier."
"Correct. The trials we must overcome that I mentioned—the competition essential to turning this place into a true paradise."
Serenian took him atop the wall and pointed to the distant ant den. The monsters crawling out from there were their enemies, rivals in the food chain they had to conquer to survive.
"...Understood. I vow to dedicate this body to protecting this land and the World Tree."
"You're not alone."
As Leon bowed his head, Serenian gripped his shoulder, drawing strength from her own past anguish and despair to bolster him.
"So, how's the new resident settling in?"
"No issues with adaptation. He's a seasoned elf with plenty of experience. He'll do better than me."
"Good to hear."
The conversation had drifted to the new resident, Leon, so Serenian nodded, expressing her trust in him.
"Let me know if you need anything. I'll pass it on to the deity."
"For now, just restocking some basic supplies."
"Got it. Then let's continue the lesson."
I chuckled and shifted my gaze. What we were doing right now was teaching her Hangul—or rather, not quite. I was only showing her how to read and interpret the notes I'd sent so far. Just that much.
To be precise, it was more like memorizing pictures that looked like letters than learning to write. Her intelligence clearly outstripped mine, so it didn't take long. Direct communication could happen in meetings like this anyway. Hearing her needs, wants, or discards in advance cut down on trial and error.
"I'll head out then. Thanks as always."
The brief session ended. I always sent her off casually, but once she was gone, a strange emptiness settled in. I climbed out of the empty herb pot and returned to the living room, then headed to the bonsai pot on the balcony.
There, besides Serenian who'd just emerged from the rift, other elves were hard at work.
"---."
"--..."
Especially eye-catching were Ren and Leon building a house from clay next to the tent-like temporary shelter made of cloth. The two-story miniature house was plenty big, but he apparently didn't plan to live with the chieftain and high elf Serenian.
I considered sending a new miniature house but decided against it. If those houses symbolized the chieftain's authority, it might be best not to hand them out too freely.
The chieftain's authority seems pretty important.
I watched Leon grunt as he split toothpick-sized lumber, growing more convinced. He could've used the hand axe they'd been fine with so far, but he'd refused it, instead hammering away with a crude hammer made from a bent syringe needle.
The items I'd scale-adjusted and sent from this world had hit usage limits, turning them into rare treasures. The elves seemed to view them as badges of qualification or divine relics.
I couldn't send more even if I wanted to, and I had no intention of disrupting their customs. Still, seeing them struggle tugged at me, so I sent over a few new things from the convenience store.
"--- ---."
"--?"
The elves came running, clustering around the items I'd sent and chattering excitedly. Through the drone feed, I saw them standing before blades bigger than themselves—massive utility knives—with grave expressions.
Serenian caught on first. She focused on the sharp edge, ignited her hand axe with blue mana, and smashed the side of the blade to break off usable pieces.
She handed one to Leon. Staring in bewilderment, he fitted it perfectly to the wood, crafting a greatsword that doubled as an axe.
Anything else they need?
I pondered as I watched, wanting to help more now that I knew their plight.
The ant den is vibrating.
"About twenty of them."
I counted the ants and fiddled with the battle bot controller. I could've rolled out the still fully charged bot to crush them, but I held back again. Serenian always valued overcoming and growing through their own efforts.
With Leon joining as instant firepower, I decided to trust them and watch the fight.
The World Tree's increasingly concentrated sap is stimulating the mana beasts.
Mana Beast Mosquito
"Huh?"
But in that instant, something I hadn't anticipated happened. Another monster targeting the World Tree emerged from a rift in the air—a tiny mosquito.
But in the pot world, it was a mana beast clad in spines and armor, charging straight at the elves.
I hadn't seen this coming, and neither had they. Panicking at this new enemy synced to the World Tree's growth, the elves flailed about. I hurriedly deployed the battle bot to at least block the ants.
Can we hold it off?
Serenian, spotting the battle bot move, shouted something to Leon and dashed across the ground, luring the mana mosquito to her. Its stinger—like a massive spear to her—grazed her as she leaped and tumbled, making me flinch.
Gripping a bent syringe needle like a spear, she latched onto the mosquito's leg and was dragged skyward. I held my breath.
The mosquito flailed its legs, battering her to shake her off. But she endured the one-sided beating, blue power surging from her body, until the staggering insect reached the World Tree's canopy.
Got it.
The moment she saw the leaves and branches below, Serenian slammed the needle into the mosquito's underbelly weak point. She bent backward, kicked the half-embedded needle with her foot, and plummeted.
She crashed into the World Tree's leaves and branches, dangling there precariously. The mosquito, pierced through the chest, couldn't fly far and plummeted to the ground.
On the plain before the battle-bot-rampaging barrier, Leon and Ren's combined assault shook off the ants too.
Suddenly, I recalled Serenian's words about the World Tree: "Trials are inevitable. When our kind first appeared in ancient times, countless evils targeted the World Tree, symbol of life and verdure. Our ancestors triumphed in that war, safeguarding it—and that's why we thrive today. It is our duty, our mission."
The World Tree naturally drew myriad foes. The elves believed it birthed the twelve spirits to create their race as a defense against such threats. If so, the escalating assaults on the bonsai pot were inevitable.
For this pot world to become a true paradise, the current elves, led by Serenian, had to overcome those threats like their forebears.
They need to advance further.
To do that, they needed more population growth and supplies.