Spirit Realm and Human Realm (2)
Terra's usually impassive, languid face brimmed with childlike vitality.
[Oh……! Oh……!]
Terra popped an almond chocolate into her mouth. Then she kept shaking her head. It seemed the sudden surge of energy was too much to handle. As if embarrassed by her own excitement, Terra flapped her arms awkwardly.
[Hehehe…….]
Uluru let out a soft chuckle and pulled Terra into a hug. Uluru looked a bit uplifted after eating the chocolate, but she didn't show the dramatic changes the other earth spirits did.
[Why am I like this?]
Terra asked in a startled voice.
[We earth spirits' senses expand when we eat chocolate.]
[Chocolate…….]
Terra, still stunned, panted in and out while nestled in Uluru's arms. Uluru kissed her forehead, as if finding the sight utterly adorable.
The other gnomes had fallen into a state of awakening, darting about energetically. Some ran races, others suddenly climbed trees, and a few burrowed into the innocent ground at top speed. These were sights impossible to see from their usual sluggish selves.
"Hehehe……."
I chuckled softly, watching the spirits enjoy their snacks. The baby spirits, who had never left the Spirit Realm, were especially moved by their first encounter with human-world treats.
'Nothing harmful about it for their bodies.'
Spirits were beings of pure nature from the start—they could expel anything harmful right away.
'Well, one potentially harmful thing.'
The sheer addictiveness that made you crave more.
That was when it happened.
[No snack time is complete without this!]
The sylphs, who had flown off somewhere moments ago, returned carrying something. It was a massive leaf.
Under the lead of a large sylph, they placed the leaf on an empty table. The concave leaf held a purple liquid.
"This is……."
A fragrant, spicy aroma teased my nose.
[Fruit wine!]
The sylph declared proudly, hands on hips. I gave a wry smile.
'Alcohol is the sylphs' favorite, after all.'
Jeong Ri-on's sylphs loved wine, didn't they?
'I hesitated to bring booze to feed the spirits myself, so I didn't…….'
I hadn't expected the sylphs to procure it themselves. This wine was probably naturally fermented from fruits fallen into rock crevices.
[Oh! That aroma!]
[Fruit wine!]
[Where'd you find this much?]
[You hid it well!]
Drawn by the sweet scent, sylphs gathered around the leaf one by one. Being from the World Tree, it held plenty for everyone to share.
The large sylph used two small leaves to pour two servings of fruit wine.
[Here! This is for you two!]
The sylph fluttered over and handed one to me and one to Sia.
"Us?"
[Of course! You worked hard for the Spirit Realm—this is the least we can do!]
Sia and I exchanged glances. She looked just as stunned. Being served alcohol by spirits in the Spirit Realm was an honor too profound for words.
The sylphs made a fuss at our hesitation.
[Good job! Drink up!]
[Just one shot!]
[Quit dancing around!]
[Can't down it? No wedding bells for you!]
I burst out laughing at the singing ones.
"You guys are way too human-world savvy, aren't you?"
[Nah! It's humans getting used to us!]
[Exactly! We embody nature itself—they gotta adapt!]
Rowdy and illogical. Perfectly sylph-like.
I raised my leaf with a grin.
"Cheers! To the Spirit Realm's peace!"
Sia lifted hers too.
"May it stay pure and beautiful forever!"
We shared one last look and downed it. Spicy-sweet fruit notes, with a slightly bitter finish. Rough and unrefined, but hands down the best booze I'd ever tasted.
* * *
The sun was setting before we knew it.
[Hiiiis…….]
[Druuuunk…….]
Sylphs zigzagged through the air.
[Nippa nangpa morgai-!]
The undines, buzzing from the dogbane tea, held hands and spun in circles, singing. Aqua danced with them, her body tinged light brown.
[Heeheehee!]
The spirits' song, sung only at their happiest. With new family, reconciled friends, and loads of dogbane tea, Aqua was surely on cloud nine.
The undines around her shimmered in varied hues from the drinks, like a disco ball in a karaoke room.
Sia, me, Uluru, and Niagara sat on a nearby rock, taking in the scene.
'Glad we could protect this sight.'
No massive battle, no sinister plot. Pompeii hadn't fallen to corruption—he'd blackened out, triggered by the Wind Spirit King's leftover comic.
'Still outside meddling, I suppose.'
With pained Pompeii back in the light, everyone would comfort him.
As I smiled at our peaceful creation, something firm yet soft brushed my arm.
[Fwaa…….]
Terra, just emerging from her chocolate high. She leaned her head on my arm tiredly, then rubbed it against me.
I chuckled softly and stroked her head with my other hand. Terra looked up, rubbing her crown against my arm. Her usual stoic face bore a faint smile only I could spot.
Her sudden affection disarmed my lips into a grin.
[Maybe humans really are a drug.]
Terra murmured calmly.
[I already love my spirit master too much.]
I covered my mouth with my right hand. No need to see—I knew my face was beaming idiotically.
One poke, and happiness would overflow from my heart. "Me too, Terra."
Terra's smile deepened.
[Hehehe…….]
Uluru smiled at us, joyful yet wistful.
Sia, quietly watching me and Terra, spoke up. "Hyunwoo, you're amazing."
"Me?"
Sia hugged Niagara tight like a teddy bear. "With Niagara before, and now. You resolved it all so peacefully, like magic."
Peaceful resolution. I glanced at the spirits playing. Pure, transparent beings. They could get swept in momentary emotions, but ultimately, endlessly clean.
"Not me."
I smiled at Aqua laughing innocently with the undines.
"Spirits are pure and good. That's why it worked."
I'd done nothing. At best, reminded Pompeii of his forgotten inner goodness.
A low, satisfied chuckle came from Uluru and Niagara.
[Aqua's eye for spirit masters is spot on.]
[You're the contractor for Terra—truly fortunate.]
They saw my modesty. In moments like this, any words sounded humble, so I just smiled it off.
[Human.]
I turned at the voice. Pompeii stood beside me.
[……What's your name?]
Come to think of it, we hadn't even introduced ourselves.
"Kang Hyunwoo."
"Sia Clearwater."
Pompeii nodded. Was it from our recent fight, or struggling with his own change? He fidgeted awkwardly before speaking.
[Um…… There's something I want to hear.]
From that alone, I knew. The tale of the Wind Spirit King.
The sun was setting, plenty of time till bedtime.
"Sit here. I'm about to tell you an incredible story."
Time to share the most intense, moving chapter in the brief history of spirit-human exchange.
* * *
The next morning, Aqua and I, Sia and Niagara, Pompeii and Uluru returned to the Spirit Tree.
To sit at the round table nestled between its fifth-layer roots, reserved for Spirit Kings and their contractors only.
The many spirits who'd followed us watched curiously from afar on the roots.
[Why'd you suddenly call us here?]
Aqua asked Uluru, who had summoned the gathering.
[Something important to discuss.]
Uluru smiled as always, surveying us.
[First time we've gathered here since the first human-realm passage opened.]
This table was for major matters only. Niagara's face grew serious.
Confirming our eyes on her, Uluru got to the point.
[The rule banning human entry to the Spirit Realm is broken.]
The rule the Wind Spirit King set to shield young spirits from bad influences. Pompeii had pushed it harder these five years, hating humans. Sia and I shattered it.
[Word's spreading in the human realm about your visits.]
Probably.
[So, we must decide: Open the Spirit Realm henceforth, or seal it as before.]
Reporters, spirit scholars, contractors must be buzzing now. As qualified parties—Spirit Kings and contractors—we needed to set and announce new rules to ease the chaos.
I looked around the table. Niagara was gravely serious. Sia pondered her place here. Aqua beamed at the recognition but looked a tad downcast.
'Feeling sorry for absent Terra and Mandu.'
I stroked Aqua's cheek with a small smile.
Pompeii wore a confused expression.
Uluru stood, drawing our focus again.
[To start the real meeting, we need one more.]
Clatter. Stones gathered at her spirit power's call, forming an arched stone gate.
Uluru reached toward the empty archway. A flash—and a passage to the human realm opened.
Whoosh—!
Hot wind blew from the crimson desert beyond. Under blazing sun and endless sands stood a single rock. No—immensely majestic, beyond "giant."
Against that backdrop, someone crossed the arch into the Spirit Realm.
"You're……."
I stared in surprise.