Chapter 48: To Earth!

Suyeon, who had collapsed into sleep, woke up, seemingly recovered to some extent.

Now, it was time for all of us to return to Earth.

The Elves gathered to see us off.

Their eyes were filled with sincere gratitude.

“Humans, thank you truly.”

“Thanks to you, many Elves were able to keep their lives.”

“We Elves will never forget your kindness.”

Although the circumstances didn’t allow for a grand farewell, their sincerity was felt in full.

The other healers had already finished their preparations to leave.

Just then, Kasia’s gaze caught my eye.

That look, mixed with regret and worry, weighed heavily on my heart.

In that moment, I made a decision.

“Go ahead first. I’ll stay here a little longer before heading back.”

Everyone looked at me in surprise.

“I still have something left to do.”

The healers hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded in understanding.

After they left, I approached Kasia.

Kasia’s dark expression brightened for a moment, then clouded again, as if she hadn’t been able to speak first.

“Kasia, let’s stay here a bit longer. That’s okay, right?”

Kasia’s expression quickly brightened and then darkened once more.

“You’re not busy…?”

“It’s fine. Time flows more slowly on Earth anyway.”

I did have an appointment in Seoul in two days, but staying a little longer in Eliya wouldn’t be a big problem.

Relief spread across Kasia’s face in a smile.

“Then let’s stay in Eliya a bit longer before we go!”

A week had already passed since I started living in Eliya.

At first, none of the food suited my taste.

After all, the only things in Eliya were plants.

I wanted meat so badly that I searched the village outskirts, but aside from dangerous insect monsters, there wasn’t anything edible in sight.

“Kasia, is there really no meat here? Did Elves avoid eating meat out of choice, or is there just none to eat…?”

“There are fish, but they’re waaaay out there.”

“How far?”

“About an hour running nonstop?”

I guess you need to be in good shape to live in Eliya…

There was a reason they craved meat.

The harder something is to get, the more you long for it.

Just a bit more patience.

I could eat my fill when I got back to Earth anyway.

The only relief was that the plant-gathering groups were divided up, so it wasn’t dangerous to follow them around.

And after a while, I found even the plant-based food here to be fairly edible.

“There really are all sorts of plants besides Porti and Ainmosni.”

Because Elves don’t analyze or research plants, any effects the plants had were passed down only through oral tradition or old records.

Among them, there was a plant called ‘Soliya’ with the only fruit that tasted sweet.

“Try it. I think you’ll like it.”

When Kasia first offered it, I didn’t really want to eat it.

It looked… unappetizing.

“This pitch-black fruit is a bit much… I’ll try something else.”

“Soliya is a precious plant! Even in Eliya, it only blooms rarely in the densest parts of the forest!”

“Ugh. Fine. But you don’t even know what effect it has, right?”

Apparently, it was so rare that there weren’t any well-known effects compared to other plants.

At best, it was just safe to eat and wouldn’t make you sick…

It kept surprisingly well, so they’d store it and eat it from time to time when they lost their appetite.

“Do Elves avoid it just because of how it looks?”

Soliya was about the size of a cherry tomato, pitch-black and round, resembling a sea urchin.

But unlike sea urchins, it didn’t have spines; instead, it had dense, hair-like bristles about 3cm long. The idea of eating it was… not appealing.

“Hehe. You’re such a coward. It’ll be different if you try it. It’s really tasty.”

“Kasia isn’t trying to prank me, right?”

To check Kasia’s sincerity, I tried to ‘understand’ her emotions.

‘Serious, amused, expectant. At least she’s not playing a prank.’

As I picked it up to eat, I felt the unpleasant sensation of the bristles.

Like a thin silicone brush.

“Haa. Do I really have to eat this?”

“Of course. I secretly brought it just for you! I have to see your reaction!”

“Fine, I’ll… eat it…!”

You had to eat it with the skin on.

Hesitating, I squeezed my eyes shut and popped the fruit in my mouth.

Ugh, I could feel the bristles even inside my mouth.

“There’s a seed inside, so chew carefully. If you’re not careful, you could crack a tooth.”

Munch, munch.

When I bit through the tough surface, soft pulp inside burst with a sweet-and-sour juice.

Oh… hm.

Not bad?

Surprised by the unexpected sweetness, I kept chewing to savor the taste.

“Mmm! Mm! This is good! It’s called Soliya?”

“That’s right, it’s Soliya. Didn’t I tell you it was tasty?”

“It’s juicier than I thought. And the flavor isn’t from the bristles. It’s this tartness here, right?”

I was totally satisfied.

Why did I throw a fit and refuse to eat this before? I wanted to give my past self a piece of my mind.

As I grinned in satisfaction, Kasia’s expression grew a little flustered.

“Well… it’s probably best to keep your mouth closed… It’s not a pretty sight.”

At Kasia’s sudden comment, I pulled out my smartphone to check.

In the dark, unlit screen, I couldn’t tell if I even had teeth.

“What, what! Where did my teeth go?!”

Nothing was visible between my lips.

Fumbling urgently, I checked with my fingers, and sure enough, my teeth were right where they should be.

Bringing my face closer to the screen, I could faintly see the outline of my teeth, all dyed pitch-black.

Geez, that gave me a fright.

“It’s like I ate squid ink or something?”

All I could do was hope the color faded quickly…

I rolled the seed around with my tongue and slipped it into my pocket.

It didn’t look great, but it tasted so good that, if possible, I wanted to try growing it.

“Ch- Chieftain has woken up!”

At the voice from outside, Kasia and I stepped out.

Just in time, I saw the Chieftain coming out of his house, supporting himself with a staff.

“Father…!”

Embracing Kasia, who burst into tears, the Chieftain smiled gently, then turned his gaze to me.

“How are you feeling?”

“Thanks to you, I’m well. I heard you worked hard to save the Elves.”

“I only did what had to be done.”

“Humility is a virtue, but too much of it only lowers your own value. In times like this, it’s better to simply accept the thanks.”

Recently, I’ve heard more often that I don’t value myself enough.

I am a humble Korean, but also probably haven’t adjusted yet to my suddenly elevated status.

I still need some time.

“I’ll be careful from now on.”

“I say this for your own good, so don’t take it too badly.”

“I understand.”

“Sorry, but would you mind waiting inside the house for a moment? I plan to hold a brief tribal meeting.”

He meant they wanted to discuss something privately among the Elves.

Saying I would, I left the village.

I didn’t plan to go far.

I just wandered around the village outskirts, hoping to spot some Soliya.

Maybe two hours passed.

“Minho-nim. Let’s go.”

It must have taken longer than expected with much to discuss, because Kari Nu came personally to get me, sweat beading on his forehead.

Despite searching the thickest spots, I couldn’t find even a trace of Soliya—truly a rare plant.

When I returned to the village, it seemed the tribal meeting had ended well.

Kasia looked particularly cheerful.

As I approached her, I noticed something felt organized; upon closer inspection, I realized the Elves weren’t just standing around but were lined up in neat rows.

“Reminds me of standing at attention during the principal’s speech at school.”

Then, the Chieftain spoke up.

“There’s something from the tribal meeting you need to know.”

Up until then, I’d thought it would be about a reward.

After all, I’d saved more than a few Elves here in Eliya.

Not that I planned to accept anything.

To me, the Elves were now like family, and I’d done my best for them.

Who expects something from family?

“Yes, please tell me.”

“From this day forth, our Elf tribe of Eliya has decided to do anything for you, Do Minho.”

“Eh…?! Just like that?”

Thud!

The Chieftain struck the ground with his weapon and bowed his head.

I let out a dumb sound without realizing, but who could blame me? I hadn’t expected even a speck of this outcome.

Weren’t they a proud race known for excluding outsiders?

“Anything, you say? Just considering me a benefactor would be enough.”

“That won’t do. We remember everything you’ve done for us. Ever since meeting you, our tribe has started changing for the better.”

But, well, is there any reason for me to object?

If they treat me well, that’s great for me.

“Thank you for thinking that way. I’ll treat you Elves as comfortably as family.”

At first, I was flustered and sweating, but now, thinking I’d gained a reliable ally, I felt good.

Thud!

Maybe because I’d accepted their pledge, the other Elves followed the Chieftain’s lead, striking the ground with their own weapons.

“From now on, you hold the same status within the Elf tribe as I do.”

Looking around at the Elves lined up, I saw they all wore resolute expressions, waiting for my reply.

“Uh… so that’s how it is?”

“We are a tribe that never forgets a favor or a grudge. We’ll live in harmony with you for life.”

Well, Kasia had said she spent a hundred years trying to repay her debt.

They really are a tribe serious about gratitude.

It was a bit overwhelming, but not bad to have around.

Neighbors helping each other out.

And if the Elf tribe is close by, Kasia will be happier too.

“Ahem! Oh, did you hear from Kasia? That the migration has been approved.”

“I heard. Thanks to the Potion, everyone has fully recovered, so we can migrate right away.”

Since the Chieftain had been treated with the one and only mid-grade Potion, he actually looked even healthier after waking up.

“In that case, let’s just pack what’s needed and regroup here.”

“Let’s do that. Everyone, pack up and gather here!”

A short while later, all the Elves gathered again in the village center, each carrying their own belongings.

The assembled Elves wore all sorts of expressions.

Some felt overwhelming anxiety, while others were excited or expectant about a new world.

After a headcount, the Chieftain stepped forward before the Elves.

“Elves! Today is the day we make a decision that will go down in our history. We are leaving Eliya, where our ancestors have lived for generations, to migrate to a world called Earth. Life on Earth, this unfamiliar land, will not be easy, but let us all move forward with courage to a brighter future!”

“Waaah!”

“Though we depart, let us never forget our homeland, Eliya!”

“Meat! Meat! Meat! Meat!”

Already, it looked as though they were leaving behind meatless Eliya just to eat meat.

But whatever the reason, if the tribe was united, that was good enough.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Kasia and I, who had crossed between Earth and Eliya multiple times, took the lead.

Behind us followed the warrior Elves, then the regular Elves, the guards, and lastly the Chieftain.

We stopped in front of the Portal of Elia, located under Kasia’s house.

“We’re going in now.”

Swoosh—

I went through first and quickly opened the warehouse door.

Since there was no way to fit a thousand people inside the warehouse, I had to send them outside as soon as they arrived.

Although we’d spent over a week in Eliya, only six hours had passed on Earth.

I’d left for the portal with a Potion during the day, and it was evening when I returned.

Not even the date had changed.

“It’s… night. Beware of monsters!”

At the cry of one Elf who had exited first, the Elves quickly gathered together and scanned the area for danger.

Having survived in a world full of monsters, they were well-trained.

“There are no monsters here. You don’t need to be so tense.”

“Really? This is a peaceful place. Just like Eliya in the old days.”

Eliya, too, used to be free of Monster Waves, just like Earth.

But then, the Waves began and repeated endlessly, tormenting the Elves.

With a thousand Elves gathered outside, the open ground looked even smaller than when it was crowded with journalists a few days ago.

“We chose your settlement deep in the mountains, reflecting the Elves’ preferences as much as possible. And since you said you didn’t need separate houses, we left things as they were.”

Leading the Elves into the mountains, I explained about the prepared location.

Basically, I’d just bought the mountain and left the rest alone.

Even so, the Elves seemed satisfied.

“The new territory for the Elves extends as far as the fences go.”

It wasn’t small, more than big enough for a thousand to live in.

“What happens if we go past the fence?”

“Nothing in particular, but you’ll encounter humans.”

“What should we do if we meet humans?”

“Communication will be difficult since you don’t speak the same language. The Elves will now have to coexist with humans, but for your safety, it’s best not to go past the fence unless necessary.”

With curious questions coming from everywhere, I answered them all kindly.

This place was so different from the lush Eliya… Would they be able to adapt well?