Mama!
Everyone had gathered at the flower garden on one side of the village.
Khan and Hylen, Tabu and Tori. Lin and Genie, along with the other elves, goblins, and even the Totoris.
They were busy erecting a tombstone made of branches.
It was the tombstone for the late Queen of the Honey-Ring tribe.
The Honey-Ring tribe members were gathered in front of it.
"Kkurong..."
"Kkuriing..."
The Honey-Ring tribe members wept sorrowfully.
I learned this later, but apparently, the Honey-Ring Queen had been poisoned by magi for a long time.
Yet, she had never given up, fighting against the corruption so she wouldn't harm her kin.
I looked at the tombstone in silence.
'This is all I can do for you... but please, rest easy now...'
Our meeting was brief, but... honestly, it was such a shame.
We could have been good friends.
'If only I had been a little stronger...'
No.
'If only I had met her a little sooner.'
Could I have saved the Queen?
This sense of self-reproach kept rising up.
'And...'
I muttered, looking at the cocoon I had placed on one of my branches.
'I will do my absolute best to raise your child.'
Soon, those who had finished the tombstone approached me.
'Everyone, thank you for your hard work.'
At my words, Khan shook his head.
"Not at all. What did we even do?"
Hylen also smiled faintly and said,
"You have worked the hardest, World Tree."
Lin flew over, rubbed her face against my trunk, and shouted,
-That's right! You worked hard! My friend!
-Mm-hmm. Good job...
As Genie giggled, Tori, who was next to her, nodded vigorously.
"Kku-ung!"
Seeing them like that, I chuckled to myself.
'Thank you for saying that.'
They were likely trying to cheer me up because I looked so down.
'Right. I need to pull myself together.'
What's done is done.
'I should set aside this regret for a moment and do what I can.'
That would be the right thing to do for the departed Honey-Ring Queen.
'First, the Honey-Ring tribe...'
At my words, the gathered Honey-Ring tribe members looked up at me.
Having lost their Queen, they had nowhere else to go.
I made a suggestion to them.
'The next Queen is here, too. How about moving your habitat here?'
The village population would increase, and thanks to the strong Honey-Ring tribe, security would improve as well.
'And I'll make sure to provide you with fruit, too!'
It was a win-win condition for both me and the Honey-Ring tribe.
The Honey-Ring members looked at each other and soon nodded.
"Kkurong!"
"Kkuririing!"
A sign of agreement.
Now, all they had to do was start moving and build their homes.
'Now I just have to wait for the Queen to hatch.'
Good. Perfect!
Just as I was thinking that, Genie, who had been watching the cocoon intently, tilted her head.
-Hmm?
'Yes? What is it, Genie?'
-Umm... well...
Genie narrowed her eyes and continued,
-The cocoon is moving...?
'...What?'
I was slightly flustered.
The cocoon is moving?
'Don't tell me... is it hatching already?'
No, already?
I urgently shouted to Genie,
'Genie! Bring the cocoon here!'
-Huh? Oh, okay!
Genie hurriedly flew over with the cocoon in her arms, and I caught it with my branch.
'It really is!'
The cocoon was indeed twitching slightly.
As if it were about to be born at any moment.
'Uh... what do I do?'
Should I just hold it steady?
That was the moment.
Rip.
One side of the cocoon tore open.
'Oh! It's coming out!'
At my shout, the residents nearby widened their eyes and scrambled to gather around.
"Is it being born?"
"Right now?"
-Whoa! Amazing!
-Oh, wow...!
The Honey-Ring tribe also fluttered over in a hurry, hovering around the cocoon.
"Kkuroong!"
"Kkuririing!"
"Kkurong!"
And then.
Rip. Rip.
The cocoon tore a little more.
And something poked out from the gap.
A long, black thing.
It was an antenna.
The antenna wiggled back and forth.
'It's kind of cute.'
But wait, is it not coming out any further?
Should I wait a bit longer?
I was watching anxiously when—
*Swoosh!*
A hand shot out.
'Yes! Good job!'
It wiggled and squirmed, and then—
*Swoooosh!*
It pierced through the cocoon, and a face popped out.
"Kkuririing!"
The child with sparkling yellow eyes was incredibly cute.
Her soft cheeks looked as squishy as mochi, and her warm, yellow hair, which seemed to hold the sunlight, swayed gently.
Small honeybee wings were attached to her back.
She looked about five years old.
Having emerged from the cocoon, the child tilted her head as she looked at me.
"Uung...?"
It was a clear voice.
Similar to the Honey-Ring tribe's voice, but cleaner and more resonant.
I lowered my branch and gently stroked the child.
'Nice to meet you... I am...'
The moment I tried to introduce myself, I hesitated.
Uh. Wait a second.
How should I introduce myself?
Am I a tree?
That's a bit strange.
Or should I say I'm the one taking care of you for your mother?
That sounds too harsh.
Well... am I the World Tree...?
Of course, I don't really feel like a World Tree yet.
But since the elves are already calling me that, should I just say that?
'Hmm... this is ambiguous.'
After a brief pause, I slowly continued,
'I... I am your guardian.'
Yes. Guardian.
Since I'm taking care of her, that's correct.
"Kkurung?"
At my words, the child closed her eyes and opened them again.
Once. Twice.
She blinked, then slowly curled the corners of her mouth into a wide smile.
"Mama!"
...Huh?
Mama?
Is she calling me Mom?
'No... I'm not your mom...'
Before I could even finish my sentence, the child leaned her body against my branch.
"Mama!"
The child giggled.
Seeing the child hug me so tightly that her chubby cheeks were squashed, I was momentarily speechless.
Damn it.
'She's too cute!!!!'
This is crazy. Absolutely crazy.
Yeah. Whether I'm Mom, Dad, or the World Tree, what does it matter?
The point is that I've become this little one's guardian.
Then, a window popped up.
A new resident has been born.
Please give the new resident a name.
A name, huh.
I watched her quietly.
"Mama?"
The child giggled and tilted her head.
Her chubby cheeks wobbled.
Ahhh! So cute!
'Right. A name... names are important.'
Don't they say a person's life follows their name?
I felt even more pressured because it felt like I was deciding the life of a newborn child.
'Let's see...'
This little one is the new Queen of the Honey-Ring tribe.
'In that case...'
I recalled the Hanja I had learned in my past life.
'Yes. That's it.'
Ri for govern/rule. Ri for village.
Since she has to rule the Honey-Ring tribe village.
'Riri.'
The sound is nice, too.
I stroked the child with my branch and said,
'Your name is Riri.'
At my words, the child's eyes sparkled.
The Honey-Ring tribe members nearby also flew around Riri, looking delighted.
The child shouted with a wide smile,
"Mimi!"
It seemed she was trying to follow what I said.
Hmm. It's Riri, not Mimi, but...
Still, her trying to follow the pronunciation was just too cute.
The resident's name has been set.
Resident Name: Riri
You have acquired a talented individual.
At the same time, the resident window popped up.
[Midgard Resident Window]
Name: Riri
Race: Honey-Ring Tribe Queen
Rank: S
Health: Good
Status: Very Happy
'...Huh?'
The rank.
'S...?'
Amazing!
Even Khan is Rank A.
This child is S?
Then she must be incredibly strong!
'This is insane!'
As I giggled to myself while looking at the window, Riri tilted her head.
"Mama?"
The Honey-Ring tribe members also looked at each other.
"Kkuring?"
"Kkuroorong?"
While I was naming Riri and checking the window, the others slowly crept closer.
"Um... World Tree. May we take a look?"
"A new Queen. I am curious as well."
-Me too! I want to see!
-She looks like she'll be cute...
"Kkuu-ung!"
Starting with Hylen, Khan, Lin, Genie, and even Tori looked at me with desperate eyes.
'Of course.'
At their request, I lowered my branch to show them Riri.
Lin's eyes widened at the appearance of the adorable child.
-Uwaaaa! She's too cute!!!
Genie also giggled.
-She's pretty... her eyes are like wildflowers...
Khan and Hylen had different reactions.
"Uh... she's very small, perhaps because she was just born."
Khan felt awkward.
"Greetings. Honey-Ring Queen. I am Hylen."
The Elf Elder greeted her with a gentle smile.
And Riri...
"...Kkuring!?"
Seeing so many people all of a sudden, the child froze, then—
"Mama!"
She hid right behind my branch.
'She must be scared because she was just born.'
At my words, they all wore strangely hurt expressions.
It was as if they had been rejected by their first love.
Then Lin shouted with a pout,
-It's because Khan looks scary!
At that, Khan replied as if he were wronged,
"What am I supposed to do when I was born this way!"
-Well, you could have been born cuter!
"I can't help it. Appearance is also a source of strength..."
Then Khan said very seriously,
"Or... maybe I should decorate myself with flowers..."
-That would just be a scary goblin among flowers!
"......"
Khan became dejected.
I laughed awkwardly at their conversation.
'You'll be fine once she gets used to you.'
That was when—
"Kkurung..."
Riri peeked her face out from behind my branch.
And shyly waved her hand.
"Kkuriri..."
Her bashful smile was quite lethal.
Everyone clutched their hearts at the sight of her.
"This is insane!"
"Ha. She is so cute..."
-Kyaaaa! She waved! She waved at me!
-So cute...
"Kkuu-ung! Kku-ung!"
Riri tilted her head at their behavior.
"Ma...?"
And so, in that lively atmosphere, the new Queen was safely born.
