The Staring Contest

Elsia's house wasn't originally here. Her parents had apparently tried their luck with some gift options, only to lose everything and get the house mortgaged, forcing them to move into this cabin. That was her explanation. Parents are gacha addicts... their daughter is a coin addict...The power of genetics, huh.

Meanwhile, the inside of Elsia's house was piled high with freshly foraged greens and fruits. The animals staying with her had prepared it all. After we roughly filled our stomachs, it was already time to sleep.

"Sleep here, everyone!" Elsia guided us to our rooms and assigned our spots. My room was right next to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hers, with Hye-ji and Jung Ayeon on either side of me. Since there were still plenty of rooms next to Jung Ayeon's, Hye-ji asked, "Hey, pointy-ears. There's another room over there, isn't there?"

"That room is occupied!"

"Miss? Could you tell this one who resides there?"

"It's a secret!"

Wondering if it might be empty, I pressed my ear to the door and focused on the sounds coming from inside.

Looking closer, strange talismans were plastered all over each door.

....... I didn't see a thing. These are just decorations.

A room possessed by vengeful spirits, huh.

Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up.

Ghosts are scary, dammit.

We obediently filed into our assigned rooms. The rooms themselves weren't bad at all. Not a speck of dust, and the bedding carried a faint, soothing scent of wood. I lay down in a drowsy haze, and just as I did, Elsia's voice drifted in from outside the door.

"I hope you all have a peaceful night!"

Something felt vaguely ominous, but I tried to sleep anyway. I must have been more exhausted than I realized, because I slipped under almost immediately.

This is it! Elsia wasn't sleeping. Her eyes were wide open, waiting for the perfect moment. Kim Shinu had come to her home ground and fallen asleep. If this wasn't an opportunity, what was?

Cheetos! I will devour them no matter what!

Once everyone was asleep, she quietly opened her door and slipped out. Her target was obvious: the room where Shinu slept.

This time, I will absolutely claim husband's first time!

Elsia moved with ghostly silence. Despite the old cabin, not a single floorboard creaked. She glided like a ninja. Yet even though she advanced slowly, her pace was deceptively fast. At the same time, the fire of her longing burned hotter and hotter.

If not tonight, there won't be another chance!

Suppressing the excitement and desperation surging inside her, Elsia crept forward. Perhaps the World Tree had recognized her effort, because she soon found herself right outside Kim Shinu's door. Of course, she'd stopped believing in the World Tree a long time ago.

Thinking back to all the suffering it had caused her before the regression suddenly soured her mood. The moment she shook it off and took another step, she collided head-first with a massive clump of raw emotion.

Wariness, worry, possessiveness, obsession—countless feelings slammed into her all at once. They scattered in every direction without focus, but the sheer weight of them nearly broke her will. Elsia staggered.

Who the hell is it? What bastard!

Her outrage didn't last long. Right beside the door she was targeting, Hye-ji stood leaning against the wall in her pajamas, eyes closed.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck.

Cold sweat broke out across Elsia's body in an instant. She might be a Gold-rank hunter, but the monster in front of her treated that rank like chewing gum and devoured everyone in her path. Fortunately, she seemed to be in a deep sleep, breathing softly.

Just to be sure, Elsia nudged nearby objects, knocking a few over to test her. A clatter. A thud. A tap. Even when the last object bonked Hye-ji squarely on the head, there was no reaction. She really did look like a corpse.

Feeling slightly relieved, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Elsia strode confidently up to Kim Shinu's door and grabbed the handle—

"What are you doing?"

Hye-ji's eyes snapped open. The confidence in Elsia's steps vanished. She shriveled on the spot.

"I-I was going to the bathroom..."

"The bathroom's the other way. What are you doing?"

"Ahaha... It's been a while since I came home, so I got lost..."

Faced with overwhelming violence, Elsia had no choice but to turn away. She was just wondering whether she should slink into the corner bathroom and wallow in defeat when—

That fucking bitch!!!!

Hye-ji suddenly glanced around, checking for watchers, then stood up and reached for the door to Kim Shinu's room.

Burning rage jolted Elsia's exhausted body into motion.

This time I'm taking his first time!

She thrust out her hand and summoned every butterfly she could, sealing Shinu's door completely. Hye-ji flinched at the sudden swarm, manifesting a blade and slicing through them one by one. Every time she cut one down, Elsia simply summoned more to fill the gaps. The endless exchange continued until Hye-ji's eyes flashed and she stared straight toward where Elsia was hiding.

But the glare only made Elsia rebel harder. The wall of butterflies grew even denser.

If I can't have it, no one can!

Hye-ji didn't want to cause a huge commotion in the middle of the night either, so she refrained from summoning her usual firearms and simply stared at the door. Elsia planned to wait until the other girl got tired and left, but Hye-ji had already read that thought. She plopped down right in front of Shinu's door and kept her eyes wide open, glaring silently in Elsia's direction.

Let's see who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wins!

Their petty standoff continued until the night was gone. Even until the morning sun rose.

I felt incredibly refreshed. The academy beds were decent, but with everything I'd had to worry about lately, sleeping here without a single thought in my head had been surprisingly easy. I stretched, staggered out of the room, and felt a bit of resistance on the door. I pushed harder and it opened without trouble. Hye-ji was sitting right beside it, so I greeted her.

"Morning!"

"Shut up. I'm fucking exhausted right now."

Unlike her usual self, Hye-ji openly displayed her fatigue and shuffled back to her own room. The dark circles under her eyes made it obvious she hadn't slept properly.

Tsk. You should actually sleep.

Piece's venom was especially sharp today for some reason. Then I saw Elsia staggering over from the far side of the house.

"Hus~band~..."

"What the hell, why do you look like you're about to drop dead?"

"I had a fierce battle. Against one crazy dog."

Elsia's condition wasn't much better. She had the same dark circles as Hye-ji, and her eyes were bloodshot. It looked like neither of them had slept at all. Pointing it out felt like a bad idea, so I changed the subject.

"Do we have any set plans for today?"

"Yes! Of course we do! Though it's only for you, husband!"

Elsia clapped her hands and answered with a bright smile. Even with those dark circles, she was so beautiful it looked like a painting. Elves really were something else. Suddenly feeling awkward, I looked away and replied.

"What is it?"

"The World Tree wants to see you, husband!"

We were back to the root of the problem. The World Tree wanting to meet me. In the end, that was the whole reason we'd come to the Great Forest.

"You can go anytime!"

Elsia spoke with an ecstatic smile, but I thought I saw some unknown anguish lurking in her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"...Yes! No problem at all!"

She clearly didn't want to explain. Instead of pressing her, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I decided to follow her suggestion and meet the World Tree.

"Alright. Let's go. I'll wash up quick and be right out."

"Yes! I'll be waiting!"

After a quick wash, I grabbed my Defensive Coat from the room and stepped into the living room. Hye-ji and Jung Ayeon were already there waiting. Jung Ayeon wore her usual black martial arts uniform, but Hye-ji's outfit was completely different from yesterday. She'd tied her hair into twin tails. Instead of her academy uniform, she wore a yellow tank top, a black culotte skirt, and a white jumper on top. It was a casual look I rarely saw on her, and it felt refreshingly new.

"Hye-ji, isn't it hot outside? Why the jumper?"

"This is a jumper modeled after the Defensive Coat. So? How do I look?"

Hye-ji put her hands on her hips and looked at me, clearly wanting an evaluation.

.....With literally no chest, that confident pose is kind of—

If you say that out loud, you'll really die.

"You look pretty."

"Th-thanks..."

Hye-ji lowered her head and muttered quietly. Then Elsia turned to her.

"Oh my! Sister Hye-ji! It looks like you didn't sleep well at all. You should go back to bed right away!"

"I'm fine. You look tired too, so I can't let you and Shinu go alone."

Both of them wore forced smiles as they faced each other. Then, still staring each other down, they began exchanging the most poisonous "compliments" imaginable.

"......Fucking bitch. Flat as a board."

"......Bitch who's older than this cabin."

After their brief standoff, we all stepped outside Elsia's house together.