The Exceptionally Sweet Night Breeze from the Tree
The night breeze sent by the tree was unusually sweet. It wasn't just a cool wind—it felt like the refreshing breath of a life reborn with vigor.
I stood up from the bench and straightened my clothes. "Maybe I'll wander a bit more." Crossing the square, I headed deeper into the city center.
Once I strayed from the bustling streets, buildings far older than those around the square came into view. The wooden pillars embedded between the stone walls groaned more deeply than the street trees in the square.
I couldn't just pass them by. The rough texture of the wood transmitted through my palm. Each time my energy seeped in, a faint vibration tickled my fingertips as the creaking structures settled into stability.
After walking like that for a while, I came upon a quiet clearing with a small fountain. In the center stood a massive tree. But this tree had something different about it.
Someone was beneath it. From behind the tree's thick trunk, shrouded in shadow, a figure slowly stepped out.
She wore loose pants for easy movement, layered with a long garment that had wide sleeves reaching her knees. Delicate patterns embroidered in red thread adorned the collar and cuffs—clearly not cheap rags. If I wasn't mistaken, it looked like the kind of expensive attire worn by the heirs of this city's noble houses.
Her gaze turned to me. For a moment, the air seemed to freeze. Only the soft trickle of the fountain filled the silence.
Then she spoke first. "...What are you doing here?"
I blinked once. "Just passing through."
"At this hour?"
I shrugged. "I like the night."
My reply was light. She didn't answer right away. Instead, she glanced around the clearing—fountain, the central tree, then back to me.
"...There's nothing much to see here."
I looked at the tree in response. "There is."
"What?"
"The tree."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. The fountain's murmur was all that remained.
She alternated her gaze between the tree and me, as if my answer had caught her off guard, then let out a short breath. "A tree... You came all the way here in the middle of the night to see this old thing?"
"Yeah. It's pretty."
She let out a hollow chuckle at my words. Leaning lightly against the trunk, she tilted her head skyward. Moonlight faintly reflected off the embroidered patterns on her collar.
"Pretty? More like ancient. They say it's been here since before the city was founded."
She reached out and tapped the bark. Her touch wasn't rough, but it carried an undercurrent of emptiness.
"Everyone heads to the square for the fancy lanterns. No one cares about an old tree tucked away in a forgotten corner."
"I do."
I slowly approached the tree. This giant stood silently in the midst of people's indifference, holding up the entire clearing.
I gently brushed a small wildflower blooming near the roots. As my energy touched it, the flower's leaves shivered pleasantly.
"What's your name?" Her voice was softer now, lower.
I stood and brushed nonexistent dirt from my clothes. "You first."
She paused, as if chewing over my response. Then she pulled a small pouch from her bosom and tossed it lightly to me.
Thud.
The pouch was light in my hand. Instead of the clink of heavy metal, I felt soft fabric and something hard like a seal pressing against my palm.
"That'll do instead of my name." She stroked the trunk as she added quietly.
Imperial Crest
The pouch's surface bore an intricate emblem embroidered in red thread—a mark anyone would recognize as belonging to a prestigious house, even if I didn't know much about this world's nobility.
I fiddled with the pouch while looking at her. "This tree... it was my grandfather's favorite."
Her gaze lingered on the treetop, where moonlight clung to the branches.
"The day they announced the Demon King had fallen... Grandpa danced like a child. He'd spent his whole life cowering in the Demon King's shadow."
By the way, he was part of the Imperial Mage Corps.
Her voice trembled faintly. "He was too happy. More than he could handle. Yesterday, he passed away under this tree, smiling. Like he'd burned up every last bit of his life force."
The fountain's sound felt especially cold. The news of the Demon King's death had been the final spark for someone.
I silently looked up at the tree she leaned against. The old tree that had witnessed her grandfather's last smile. Now I understood why it groaned more deeply and sadly than the others.
"Is that why you're here?"
"Yeah. I just wanted to see the last view he shared with it."
She stood, straightening her clothes. The rustle of fine fabric filled the quiet clearing.
She glanced at the pouch in my hand and smiled faintly. "Bring that pouch to the palace sometime. Since we've crossed paths, I'll be your friend."
With those words, she slowly walked into the shadows.
I stood there until her silhouette vanished completely.
Grandfather...
Did he pass seeing a world in bloom?
I crouched again and stroked the small wildflower. I infused it with a deeper touch of my energy—so this tree could hold onto her grandfather's memories a little longer. Warmth reaching all the way to its roots.
The night breeze returned, heavier now, wrapped in a richer tree scent that enveloped me.
I extended my roots and slowly rose. I left the soil clinging to them untouched. The cool earth felt nice against them.
I stared at the pouch in my palm. The embroidered pattern over the soft fabric. The word "friend" she used lingered slowly in my mind.
I looked up at the tree again. Leaves aglow with moonlight sparkled silver.
The old man who'd danced in joy at the Demon King's death was gone, but the scenery he loved still guarded the night here.
"Good night."
My whisper to the tree sank into the clearing's silence. Just like her grandfather.
I turned and left the clearing, heading back toward the bustling streets. The sounds of people had quieted a bit, but the city was still awake.
Suddenly, I remembered the half-eaten honey bread bag. I'd left it on the bench.
Wonder who ate it.
I wasn't regretful or angry. If it filled someone's stomach, that was fine.
Back at the square's center, the street tree by my bench glowed faintly green—thanks to my touch—swaying in the breeze.
As the night deepened, it grew quieter, the air clearer. Standing in the middle of the square, I breathed deeply.
Smells of people, earth, and distant forest. The city's night, all mixed together, wasn't bad.
The night drags on. Time to lie down.
I'd always needed just ground before, but now I wore human clothes.
Scanning the square's edge, I spotted a large building with ornate magic lanterns illuminating the entrance.
Moonlight Haven
High-Class Lodging
Cool air brushed my skin as I entered—it seemed magic blocked the outer heat.
"Welcome, miss. Looking to stay the night?"
A neatly uniformed staff member smiled and asked. I handed over one of the bills I'd traded with the merchants earlier.
"The best room you've got."
The staff checked the money deftly and handed me a palm-sized crystal plate. "Third floor, room seven. Channel a bit of mana into the plate, and the door will open. Have a pleasant night."
Up the stairs to the door. The lock was familiar—a modern card key, but magic here.
Touching the plate with my finger and trickling in a tiny bit of energy, light swirled around the handle, and it opened smoothly.
"Whoa."
Stepping inside, I couldn't help letting out a small gasp. I'd imagined a rough medieval inn, but this was far more comfortable.
A soft-glowing lamp hung from the ceiling, and a lever on the wall released cool air from a device—like a modern AC.
I perched on the bed. The plush mattress cradled my body gently.
Reaching for the glass by the headboard, I touched the small shard beside it. A magic circle activated, filling it instantly with cool water.
Plumbing's magic too, huh.
The city's nightscape glittered through the window. My visions of creaky wooden beds and candlelight felt outdated—this place oddly resembled the modern world. No, the mana-infused air made it even more pleasant.
I carefully removed my skirt and draped it over a chair. My roots spread freely, sensing the room's pure mana.
"Not bad."
Spending money like a human, renting a room like one, lying in softness like one. The most luxurious night since arriving in this world.
I closed my eyes and sank deep into the bed. Lulled by faint sounds from outside, I drifted into a strange peace—neither plant nor human.