Surprise Neighbors and the Revived Tree

"Is it okay to use this place?"

"...Sorry. I guess the people next door heard everything. Was it too noisy?"

"I was a little startled, but it's fine. More than that, I move in and my next-door neighbor turns out to be Jihye unni's place! So exciting!"

"Yeah, what a coincidence. No wonder that old guy next door suddenly vanished... I was out all day, so I didn't even notice someone had moved in."

I move in, and the neighbor's someone I know. Can coincidences like this really happen?

"Chorok-nim, do you know her?"

"Yep! I got to conquer my first gate thanks to Jihye unni. She's Namrim Guild's 1st raid leader, so she helped me out a ton."

"You've done Chorok-nim a great favor. Thank you sincerely."

"No big deal... As a senior hunter, that's the least I could do. But are you Chorok's relative or something?"

"Ah! This is the awesome unni I've been looking for!"

I should introduce them properly! We're neighbors now. Gotta get along.

"Awesome unni? The one you've been desperately hunting down? Did you find her on Jeju Island? I couldn't tell you anything in the end..."

"Yep! It's okay. I found her!"

"Pleased to meet you. I am Chorok-nim's third seed, Diabolica. Since Chorok-nim seems to like you, I hope we can maintain a good relationship going forward."

Rica unni gathers the hem of her dress—the one made of sha-la fabric—and introduces herself like a noble from a medieval movie.

That's kinda embarrassing! I'll have to tell Rica unni later.

"She's quite unique... Chorok, is she from overseas?"

"Something like that."

"I see. Well, since we're neighbors now, let's get along."

"Likewise, please take care of me."

Their handshake is firm. But why was Jihye unni so mad earlier?

Lately, her behind-the-scenes posts have been full of rants like quitting and giving up. Is it related?

"Ah, Jihye unni, why'd you block our 1:1 chats? No reply to texts either..."

"That? Did you message me? Sorry, I blocked 1:1s, and I ignored texts after quitting Namrim..."

"Eung...? But 1st raid leader was super successful, right? What happened?"

She really quit? Namrim's a huge guild that even attends expos.

"It's got nothing to do with you. Don't worry about it. Things weren't great to begin with, and it all blew up."

"Eung... Still, fighting!"

She can't end up crying like those high-school-grad forum sobbers. Better to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bounce back quick and start fresh.

"Yeah. I'll rest a bit and get back to hunting. Couldn't help with Jeju, but I've got connections, so I'll keep raiding gates. Hit me up if you wanna join."

"Yep! Awesome!"

"Never expected to be neighbors. Take care from now on, Chorok."

"You too!"

***

"...Munch munch."

The next morning. I'm eating the muffin Rica unni got from the nearby bakery. Freshly baked—yum!

But Rica unni's cooking is way better. She made dinner last night, and it was sooo good! Way tastier than this muffin!

"My apologies. Breakfast is a bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠modest. Chorok-nim has a schedule soon."

"That's fine. Schedule?"

"Yes. Chairman Lee of Yusung Group contacted us. He'll introduce the garden plot as promised."

"Ah, that."

I asked Seo-ah's grandpa. Gotta make space for my new plant friends.

"Rica unni, one thing I'm curious about. How do we find the other friends?"

"Probably sealed in some domain... like a gate, most likely. But Chorok-nim will find them easily. Just like you found me."

"You think? I actually got help from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kkumteuli and Deobseok-i... status window too... and the mirror."

"The first and second seeds are sensitive to that sort of thing. But a mirror...? What is it?"

"I'll show you. Kkumteuli, can you get it from inside?"

Twirl twirl. Out comes the mirror on a vine.

"This is... the mirror of a certain Egyptian queen. How did you acquire it?"

"Found it in the gate we went to with Jihye unni yesterday. Kkumteuli sensed your energy there."

Eung? Rica unni's face darkens a bit. Is there a problem with this thing?

"Second seed, is that true?"

Twirl twirl. Kkumteuli waves vines around, but I can't understand.

"Indeed... Even examining it, the energy isn't chaos. That accursed being's aura is utterly repulsive."

What? Rica unni gets it? Wish my empathy kicked in right now.

What's the condition for that anyway?

"Its function is detecting forgotten existences. Very useful. Since it found me, it might help locate other seeds... your plant friends, Chorok-nim."

"You can tell? Cool!"

"Yes. Long ago, when serving my mother, mana operation was one of my specialties. I can even sense mana flows through it."

I don't get the details, but Rica unni's amazing, right? Hidden powerhouse, dark mastermind—kekeke, checks out!

Right as we finish talking about the mirror, the doorbell rings. Seo-ah's grandpa's people?

The screen shows the guy at the door—intercom, right? Sunglasses dude.

Saw tons like him on Jeju. Same when hanging with Seo-ah.

"Yes. Let's go, Chorok-nim."

"Yep!"

...

Riding in the black car with sunglasses dudes takes about 40 minutes.

We passed a big sign saying Gwacheon...

Flower scents everywhere here. Saw lots of florist signs on the road.

"You two are Yeon Chorok-nim and Diabolica-nim? We've been waiting."

"Yes."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm the head of Yusung Special Purpose Farm Research Institute. We have a guest already, so let's head in."

Following the new friendly uncle, there's a familiar face.

"Huh? Seonhwa unni?"

"Chorok-ssi, I arrived first. I've been waiting."

"Eung? How'd you know I was coming?"

"Ah, I requested it. Since learning isn't complete yet, I needed Officer Bong's cooperation."

"Diabolica-ssi is registered in the Awakener Protection Program, so I'm here for support. Regarding this contract."

"Not busy? You help us every time."

Love the constant help, but doesn't she have other work? Kinda worried about Seonhwa unni.

"It's fine. Director ordered prioritizing your activities."

Iron Fist Grandpa? Management Bureau helps a lot too. So grateful.

"...Now that you're all here, let's tour inside."

—Creak!

The door the head uncle opens resembles the greenhouse I saw before.

But way bigger! Like 50 times? Glass ceiling everywhere! Warm sunlight pours in!

Thump thump. Twirl twirl.

Deobseok-i and Kkumteuli love the warm sun too. I do too!

"We used to cultivate gate-sourced plants here. As you see, it failed..."

All dried brown plants. Weeds everywhere.

Scary if you get lost in here.

"But to see light again is fortunate. Chairman ordered reactivation and lease."

"Lease means paying monthly fees?"

Rica unni asks while uncle talks.

"Yes. Actually, Chairman said no charge if Yeon Chorok-ssi wants."

"Eung? That grandpa?"

I figured I'd buy land with my money. It's expensive, but necessary.

"What are the fees?"

"Just cover maintenance partially. Here's the lease. If terms are bad, free per Chairman."

"Hmm... Lease... Officer Bong, your thoughts?"

Rica unni shows the contract to Seonhwa unni.

"Better than buying. This size land means heavy taxes."

"I see. I checked fees—very generous."

Eugh... Complicated adult talk. Struggled with my old apartment lease too...

"Chorok-nim, this seems good. Fees up to you."

"Hmm... We'll pay the usage fees!"

Grandpa's generous, but free stuff makes you bald—shiny dome alert.

Still, great sun here. Paying fees feels right.

"Understood. Contract on these terms."

"Good. Use facilities freely, reclaim as you like. We'll clear dead plants and weeds in a week."

"Got it."

Stamp stamp. Sign sign. Now this is Yeon Chorok's domain!

"Um... Can I look around a bit more?"

"If Chorok-nim wants."

Warm sun's nice. But... something else warm. Clearer now.

"Huh? Suddenly here?"

Ears perk up. Specific entity? Nothing from Deobseok-i or Kkumteuli?

Death? Ominous! No way.

Voice means it's nearby.

"...Found you!"

Easy to spot. Withered tree with fruit still on.

What fruit? Never seen it.

"That's the friend talking to me?"

"Don't say that! I'll fix your wilted state!"

Reach for fruit. Worked for Deobseok-i, Kkumteuli, Rica unni—why not this?

Green light bursts from my hand, soaking the fruit and branches.

"Eung!? What! It's growing super fast? Whoa? Stop! Stop growing!"

—Boom! Crash!

The surging tree punches through the sunlit ceiling!