Chapter 39: Moderator Appointments Announced!

* [Mod: Eat up and hit the chat ]

"Eek... I hate the Moderator, thing is. I don't wanna do it, thing is..."

The serene Eldrassil. The city had grown even quieter lately due to the recent dispatch of personnel. Taelia Isilva, the guardian captain protecting it, was suffering from the sudden Moderator appointment thrust upon her.

"I absolutely refuse ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠CashewGirl. I gotta take the reward and reject it right away, thing is."

She wasn't particularly busy. Her duties consisted solely of managing the 1,000 guardians, maintaining the city, and protecting the World Tree.

Even so, she really didn't want to take on the role of Moderator.

"Uncas too much, thing is... Even Galkas won't leave my head, thing is..."

The World Tree guardians, the gallery dwellers, said the fresh-faced elf had zero immunity to Cas.

Contrary to the Moderator's assessment that her 'level was low,' it was still a huge shock to the people of this world. In places he didn't know about, countless gallery dwellers were already writhing in agony.

The reward for the Moderator appointment that the Moderator had mentioned arrived for the writhing elf.

"What a weird name, thing is. Never heard of food like that, thing is."

The unfamiliar food name made the fresh-faced elf forget about Cas for a brief moment.

Very brief.

"Hup..! No way, thing is! I absolutely can't accept it, thing is!"

If she accepted the Moderator role, could she keep getting stuff like this? Chicken was great, but what if she could enjoy even better things nonstop?

Shocked at how her thoughts had flowed that far, the fresh-faced elf quickly recalled Cas to steel her resolve. She vowed never to accept the CashewGirl promotion.

"Phew, food's innocent anyway, thing is. He said eat first then talk, so I'll scarf it down and reject, thing is."

Determined to snag the reward and bail, the fresh-faced elf accepted the Moderator's gift.

A message from the Moderator that seemed to say, 'Think you can still reject after this?'

She figured his confidence came from this food.

"What kinda food makes you so cocky? I'll check it myself..."

Her words caught in her throat at the intense aroma assaulting her nose.

What was this smell? Wasn't the World Tree's fragrance the most alluring?

How could anything in the world be more stimulating than the World Tree's scent?

Drawn in by the intensity, the fresh-faced elf unwittingly opened the box lid.

Revealed was a beautiful landscape of yellow and red harmony.

Inside the box sat not mere food, but a work of art too grand for such a label.

"No wonder you're confident, thing is. No courage to reject after eating this, thing is..."

Having foreseen her own future, the fresh-faced elf gave up everything. She picked up a slice of pizza and shoved it into her drooling mouth.

*

"Woof woof!"

"I see. So that's the situation around the bunker. We'll need to clean it up soon. Good work. Here's a treat."

"Woof!"

Sora training Hero and GreatHero. Could she understand the doggos?

I read messages from the newly confirmed moderator candidates against that backdrop.

"What? New flirting style?"

Unlocked booze and bam, marriage proposal. WorldTreeGuardian must've rushed off to post. Pizza was for next fall harvest anyway, so preview's fine.

OneMealADay's food quest wasn't easy, asked about work hours pre-acceptance. Seemed chill wandering for meals, no biggie.

Everyone'd love the CashewGirl appointment news.

I drafted the notice to inform the gallery dwellers.

*

Suspicious youth. Gallery dwellers cheering mod appointments. Low-rank slaves blinded by rewards accepting mod life.

Truly beautiful.

I admired the scene I created and opened my notebook of future plans.

From top dwarf mask sales to bottom new booze fix.

Working hard, but fixing one adds two-three more.

This diligent, dragons won't housecall, right?

Hope they like my work.

Wanna finish fertilizer tests and escape this worry.