Chapter 81
When I opened my eyes, what I saw was a vast land.
And flowers scattered endlessly across it.
The fragrance of the flowers spread so widely that it could be felt without approaching them.
Their colors were so vibrant and varied that it felt as if a rainbow had been painted onto the ground.
But that wasn’t the only amazing thing.
“A stream…?”
Below the hill where we stood, a gentle stream flowed through the meadow.
It felt as though we had stepped into a masterpiece.
Would it feel like this if one went to heaven?
The soothing sound of the flowing water reached my ears.
As I watched the gentle stream, my eyes shifted.
“A sacred tree?”
They were drawn to a large tree planted nearby.
A sacred tree.
Strictly speaking, this was a tree used in rituals.
But not for honoring the dead.
It was a tree used in rituals to honor the guardian deity of a village.
Typically, red, yellow, or blue silk is hung on it to conduct rituals.
Because such trees are often found near secluded rural homes, they frequently appear in horror movies or stories meant to be scary.
“But the pale colors make it look beautiful.”
I stared quietly at the soft-colored silk draped over the branches.
When the wind blew, the silk fluttered wildly.
It looked just like the hem of a dancer’s skirt moving gracefully in the breeze.
Almost like watching a dance performance.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”
My companions, seemingly mesmerized by the breathtaking view of the Western Flower Field, relaxed their guard and looked around.
I, too, couldn’t help but be captivated.
“As expected, this place truly lives up to its reputation as the most beautiful location in Three Lives Chronicle.”
If the Wind’s Stronghold ranked among the top 10 best scenic spots, this place was on a completely different level.
Out of countless beautiful landmarks, this place proudly claimed the number one spot.
“It’s a shame I can’t take a picture.”
I suddenly felt a pang of regret, realizing how advanced Korea’s technology really was.
Not being able to create memories with my loved ones in such a beautiful setting felt a bit regrettable, but it wasn’t a big deal.
“Let’s just capture as much of it as I can with my eyes.”
That thought made me widen my eyes to take it all in.
“Hey, what’s that?”
Darwin, wearing an unusually frightened expression, tugged at my sleeve.
“What is it?”
Following his lead, I turned my gaze to see a tall object standing not far away.
It was a guardian post with a benevolent expression.
Most of the guardian posts had a gentle, welcoming appearance with downturned eyes.
But strangely enough…
“That one looks like it wants to punch someone.”
The guardian post Darwin found was the only one wearing a fierce expression, glaring at us.
Of course, it wasn’t actually glaring at us.
It had been there all along, and we just happened to stop in front of it.
“It’s a guardian post.”
“A guardian post?”
Darwin frowned, clearly puzzled by my words, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.
It was understandable.
There was no way someone who had lived his whole life in this world would know about guardian posts.
As Darwin continued to look bewildered, I opened my mouth to explain.
“A guardian post is a protective deity that wards off evil spirits and brings peace to a village. That’s why it looks so fierce.”
While I wasn’t particularly knowledgeable, I knew enough to satisfy Darwin’s curiosity.
Listening intently, Darwin furrowed his brows in thought before slowly nodding.
“I see. But how do you know about something like that?”
His innocent question made my shoulders flinch for a moment.
Honestly, this guy was way too sharp.
Letting out a quiet sigh, I smiled brightly and replied.
“Well, the constellations told me…”
This explanation wouldn’t raise any issues.
Sneaking a glance, I saw the indirect messages from the constellations, who were reminiscing.
[Constellation: The Abandoned Child recalls fond memories.]
[Constellation: The Last Companion glares at the culprits who obstructed the bureaucratic duties of the afterlife.]
[Constellation: The Dancer of the Eastern Sea boasts about a guardian post modeled after their own face.]
The timing was perfect.
The constellations associated with the Western Flower Field seemed excited to visit their hometown again, chattering away.
“What the…? Why didn’t I notice that?”
Darwin, finally noticing the constellations’ conversation, scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
“Anyway, that’s one crisis averted.”
Turning my head, I spotted Lyria and Eden playing in the flower field.
The children, who had been fiddling with something on the ground, made eye contact with me and sprinted toward me.
“Big sister! Look at this!”
“Hey, I found it first! I’m the one giving it to her!”
The children argued as they rushed over and simultaneously handed me a small, pretty red flower.
“Here! Doesn’t it look like your hair color?”
Lyria, her eyes wide, looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for praise.
“Myaow!”
Mew, who had come along, also gazed at me with sparkling eyes.
Lowering my gaze, I looked at the flower resting in my palm.
Ten crimson petals, with black stamens.
And bright red leaves reminiscent of the sun…
The long, dark roots that stretched out like tendrils reminded me of something.
No, it wasn’t just a reminder…
“That’s a Calamitous Despairflower!”
Startled, I shouted instinctively.
The Calamitous Despairflower.
Its official name is Sura’s Calamitous Despairflower.
It’s the same seed listed in our quest log.
A flower ten times harder to grow than any other flower.
True to its name, when fully grown, just looking at the Calamitous Despairflower is enough to drive a person insane.
A flower that is both immensely powerful and terrifying.
Fortunately, this one doesn’t seem to have matured yet.
It appears to still be in its juvenile stage.
Maybe that’s why we’re still safe.
“…Lyria, where did you pick this up?”
And not only that—she had plucked it, roots and all, and brought it back so perfectly.
Could it be that Lyria has a knack for farming?
“Well, I just… went over there and noticed it…”
Lyria hesitated, mumbling, thinking she was about to be scolded.
“…I’m sorry.”
Lyria, already looking gloomy, glanced up at me.
Ah, geez.
Seeing her so downcast made me soften immediately.
“You can’t bring back strange things anymore, okay?”
With my expression easing, I gently patted Lyria’s soft pink hair.
“Okay, I understand.”
Relieved, Lyria nodded slowly.
Watching us nervously, Eden bit his lip before stepping forward.
“Lyria didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who suggested we give it to you as a gift…”
It seemed he felt guilty about Lyria being the only one getting scolded.
As always, even though they bicker the most, Eden takes care of Lyria better than anyone else.
I chuckled softly and pulled Eden into a hug along with her.
“Alright, you adorable little troublemakers. Just don’t get into any more mischief, okay?”
Eden’s ears flushed red as he nodded faintly.
“…Okay.”
Alright, that settles this incident.
‘Now, what should I do with this?’
I glanced at the Sura’s Calamitous Despairflower, which still exuded an ominous aura.
Although, truth be told, I couldn’t actually feel any aura.
“…”
It just looked that way.
Even as a juvenile, the flower’s reputation preceded it.
More than that, its colors were disturbingly reminiscent of a century-old poisonous mushroom.
“Maybe it’s best to get rid of this…”
As I moved to dispose of the flower—
“Huh?”
A sound unexpectedly came from my palm.
More precisely, it came from the juvenile Calamitous Despairflower I had uprooted.
‘Uuu…’
Its roots wriggled, and its stem bent in half as if bowing toward me.
‘Uuuu, uuuu…’
Was it… looking at me?
Its leaves folded in, giving it a pitiful and feeble appearance.
“…Huh?”
I stood there, frozen, in a daze.
“Ahhh!”
And then I threw the flower away in pure panic.
What was that?! The flower—it spoke!
“Big sister! What’s wrong?”
“What happened?”
Startled by my scream, my companions began gathering around me.
“Is there a problem?”
Xenon, Nia, and even Darwin approached.
I shakily pointed at the flower lying on the ground.
“T-That flower! It spoke!”
At my words, everyone’s eyes turned toward the flower.
Of course, the flower lay perfectly still, unmoving on the ground.
Utterly motionless.
“…”
“…”
A brief silence followed before Yeriel broke it.
“Wendy, it’s okay. Why don’t you take a break…”
His eyes, slightly red, revealed his concern.
He probably thought I was overworked and hallucinating.
The others seemed to think the same.
“Your condition seems critical.”
Xenon scrutinized me with a grave expression.
Meanwhile, Sylvester and Celestine had already prepared a carriage…
…Wait. Were they seriously planning to cart me away already?
“…Sigh.”
As much as I felt wronged, insisting on what I saw would only make me look crazier.
“…It’s fine. I think I just imagined it. So really, I’m okay now. You can stop with the carriage!”
Hearing that, everyone paused what they were doing.
Thankfully, I avoided being hauled off in a carriage.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I looked down at the Sura’s Calamitous Despairflower lying on the ground.
Still, it remained completely motionless, exactly where I had thrown it.
It seemed clear now that what I had seen and heard earlier was nothing more than stress-induced hallucinations.
Convincing myself of this, I started walking past the flower.
‘Uuu… Uuuu…’
And then the sound came again.
—
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