Chapter 7 - Isekai Separation Anxiety Gallery
[Remaining Time 35:59:59]
Why is this 36 hours...? Sora said it would only take about a day, right?
"Sora, Sora! What the heck is going on?"
I tugged on Sora's ring like I always did, but
[Remaining Time 35:59:26]
I got no answer.
"Oh right, functions suspended..."
She'd explained that all functions would be completely offline during the upgrade. It had only been two days since I met Sora, but already the emptiness hit hard with no response.
> Upgrade in progress. Functions suspended.
> Estimated completion: 36:00:00
Maybe there was a reason for those unexpected extra 12 hours? To do something, I picked up the notebook I'd set down on the floor, and it hit me right then.
"It's my fault."
After asking about the upgrade time, I'd gone and added a bunch of extras. Those 12 extra hours were entirely my doing.
I worried if the gallery users complaining about separation anxiety could hold out.
First thing when the gallery reopened, I needed to post some new items to soothe them.
"Okay, note note."
'Register something in the shop that can prevent it from turning into a separation anxiety gallery.'
I jotted that on the last page, then flipped back to the front.
Ark Gallery
I'd named it to sound kinda cool, but now I wondered if I should've bothered.
'Elves are confirmed in hibernation except for a tiny minority.'
'From the sundial talk, technological progress seems extremely slow.'
'→ But it's a world with mana, so variables definitely exist.'
'Crown Princess has separation anxiety.'
'High Elf World Tree Guardian's speech is super cute.'
I organized all the info I'd gathered from the gallery before the shutdown.
"Info's way too scarce."
To dodge a house call from Dragon Lady, I needed to get a ton done. But there just wasn't enough intel. Even after agonizing over it to sort what little I had,
[Remaining Time 35:52:32]
"Only 8 minutes..."
A day later, around 3 p.m.
Krantz Empire's old palace garden.
Everyone in the palace had gathered at the current Crown Princess's farming lab.
"It's already been 3 hours past the announced completion time for the expansion! The Moderator must be in serious trouble!"
Eleonora raised her voice before Emperor Ethelricus and Empress Seraphina, who wore bitter smiles. The ministers and maids around her looked anxious, nodding in agreement.
"We must use every means to find the Moderator's location right now! From past records, the Moderator's authority is immense. With that kind of power, he'll surely exert influence on his surroundings— if we can just pinpoint any recent sudden changes...!"
"But Eleonora, didn't the Moderator advise stocking three days' bread just in case? It's surely within predictable bounds. Why not calm down a bit, dear?"
The Empress understood why her ever-enthusiastic, people-loving daughter had suddenly grown so urgent. But it was too hasty. She did her best to soothe Eleonora. It was just 3 hours past the expected end time.
"The Moderator is our empire's lifeline...! You both know we can't hold out the moment that lifeline snaps, right!?"
"Hmm..."
Eleonora's words had merit. But the Moderator had advised three days' rations. To try locating him before that? If it turned out there was no crisis, he wouldn't look kindly on the empire.
The Emperor pondered, then issued a command.
"Crown Princess, hear me."
"...! Yes, Your Majesty."
"I understand your feelings and intent, but the Moderator specified up to three days—and that's still far off. If we recklessly try to pinpoint his location? What if we act and find no crisis at all?"
Eleonora was speechless. True... she'd been too hasty to think that far. When was the last time her vision had narrowed like this? Since before she matured, when she heard Grandpa the Retired Emperor had collapsed.
The Emperor gave his daughter a loving smile and continued.
"Eleonora, my daughter. It's been ages since I've seen you this frantic. Now you understand your mother's and your foolish father's feelings, don't you?"
Eleonora bowed her head in shame, barely replying.
"...Yes. I'm sorry. I judged too hastily."
"Good, that's enough. But your thinking isn't entirely wrong."
"Pardon? What do you mean...?"
"Three days... two days from now, by today's count, and you'll be right. It's still premature, but we should prepare."
All the palace folk awaiting orders lifted their heads to hear clearly.
"All of you, hear me."
"""Yes, Your Majesty."""
"Prepare all magic tools for tracking or observation for immediate use in two days. Also ready the palace conference room. If the Moderator hasn't returned by noon then, everyone loyal to the imperial family will mobilize maximum resources to find him."
"""We shall obey."""
The wise Emperor, the Retired Emperor watching proudly from behind, the loving Empress, the passionate Crown Princess, the prince with sparkling eyes taking it all in, and the loyal vassals kneeling with bowed heads.
For an empire that had endured 50 years of great calamity, its pillars remained sturdy and unyielding. The backdrop was a palace field, their attire mere work clothes, but their majesty could not be suppressed.
The Krantz Empire stood tall once more today.
The same time, in the elves' city Eldrassil, where the World Tree towered.
High Elf World Tree Guardian Taelia Isilva was bored out of her mind again today.
"Today is boring too. It would be nice if someone came and talked to me..."
Most elves in hibernation for species preservation. And 1,000 elves who volunteered as guardians to protect their kin. Sleeping under the World Tree's care was nearly risk-free, so they'd minimized numbers to conserve resources. The vast forest city was perpetually wrapped in silent stillness.
"It's so quiet. I can't even remember the bustling city."
Just 20 years. For this 436-spring veteran elf, she muttered nonstop to keep her sense of time from fading.
"No gallery makes it even more boring. It was the best for killing time, even without much fun."
This wasn't just her problem. Over half of the 1,000 guardians suffered extreme loneliness; half of those were unfit for duty and confined to quarters.
Why wouldn't they listen when she, the top boss, ordered them to rest? The sick ones cried, "We can't abandon our duty! That's the greatest shame for a guardian...!" and even tried armed rebellion.
But she was the strongest guardian. She beat them just enough and tossed them into quarters. 436 years old for a reason. Broken legs meant at least a month of recovery.
Stacking them together would ease the loneliness too; they'd be fit for duty after healing, she figured.
"Idiots. I can't understand why they pick fights with me."
Taelia's grumbling went on endlessly. Truth was, she wanted in there too.
"If only I'd listened to the elders saying 1,000 was too few..."
With 1,500, they could've rotated and felt less lonely.
"When will the gallery reopen? The announced end time is way past...!"
Taelia Isilva, who always saw herself as calm. Did it really take just 20 years to break her? She sank into self-loathing and gloom.
Then someone approached from behind.
"Captain Lia, at it again? Feet on the table, slouching—you'll never grow tall, y'know?"
"Eek..! I'm 436 years old! My height's done growing!"
"Pfft, this is grown? Your head barely reaches my chest."
The elf teasing Taelia with a chuckle was Vice Captain Bellora Antesil.
"Eeeek..! Don't tease about height! You know I hate that most—why always?!"
Taelia flailed her arms wildly as she closed in. It looked comical, but getting hit meant joining the rebels in quarters for sure.
Bellora pressed down on Taelia's head with her hand to block, apologizing.
"Urk... Sorry, sorry. So sorry I even brought baguette to make up? Eat this and cool off, Captain."
Obvious kid treatment. Not fitting for a 300-something to a 400-something, but Taelia, eyes locked on the baguette, didn't notice.
"Heehee. Thanks! I'll eat it good!"
The captain's childlike, bubbly vibe overflowed—no adult here. Confirming it was her usual self, Bellora relaxed and continued.
"You saw the notice too, right Captain? Moderator said stock three days' bread just in case."
"Munch munch om nom—"
"You bought it? Then why were you so mad?"
Taelia gulped down World Tree leaf tea to swallow the bread, then answered.
"'Cause... it's boring. Can't remember the lively city, and sitting like this every day is wearing me out. ...You okay?"
Even venting her own woes, she worried for her subordinate. Kid or adult? Bellora smirked.
"Of course it's tough. If not, we wouldn't be elves, right?"
So it is... Taelia deflated, and Bellora went on.
"But seeing you makes it better. So fun—our itty-bitty captain~"
Taelia blanked a sec, then flushed red and charged.
"Eeeek!! Out! Get out!"
"Whoa, Captain! Stop stop! I'll be confined!!"
Bellora dodged nimbly, smiling inwardly. Helping her lonely captain was why she'd come today.
Thus flowed the time for all awaiting the gallery's return.