Chapter 73: Fairy Garden (6)

As I walked onward thinking about Loretta, the trees became denser and the number of elementals decreased. The sound of birds chirping rang out along with the cries of other animals. It was truly a mystical place.

In an instant, the forest's atmosphere changed again. The warm, peaceful atmosphere became more uneasy.

'I'm here.'

Thinking like that instinctively and pushing myself through the trees, I found a small log cabin in the woods. It was almost as if it popped out of a fairytale. I approached the cabin and knocked on its door. Loretta's answer was swift and concise.

[Not working. I'm resting. Go away, and don't come back.]

"Loretta?"

[Kyak!]

Crashing and clattering sounds rang out from the inside, followed by an absolute silence. I was lost for words as the silence continued, before the door quietly and slowly opened.

From inside, two golden eyes peeked out. So Loretta had golden eyes. They were truly big and beautiful.

"Uh, mm, Shin-nim."

"Hello, Loretta."

"Uu, uuu... Pretend you didn't hear what I said."

"That would depend on Loretta's reception."

"... Come in."

The inside of the cabin was exceedingly normal. Although the living room was too small to even be called a living room, it was extremely clean. Other than a tea cup on a table, there was nothing inside that seemed like decorations. I could see two rooms, but they couldn't have been big considering the size of the cabin from the outside. Unlike the grandiose title of Fairy Garden's Master, the house was humble.

Loretta was the only special part about it.

Perhaps realizing that I was staring at her, Loretta blinked her big eyes and asked.

"Um, do I look that different?"

Loretta from the Floor Shop was an extremely lively girl. However, other than her voice, Loretta's real self did not share any similarities with the Loretta I knew. The Loretta I was looking at right now was a beauty exuding nobility and elegance.

"N-No, that's..."

She was an incredibly beautiful elf with snow-white skin, and was tall enough to look me in the eye. Considering that my height was over 190 cm, she was also just as tall.

However, her perfect body proportions did not make her height stand out. In fact, it added to her mystical appearance. Her slender waist, her arms, her legs, and her voluptuous chest all seemed to suggest that she wasn't human. After all, a human couldn't have a figure of such proportions.

Her big, golden eyes, shapely nose, and pink-colored full lips made her look like a piece of art. Her flushed cheeks made her look healthy, and her long-ears added a magical charm to her otherworldly atmosphere.

Her long, soft black hair flowed down to her waist, tied loosely by a ribbon, revealing its abundance. She looked like she just woke up, as she was wearing a see-through nightgown. Because of it, I didn't know where to direct my gaze. Her figure was shown fully, and her half-opened gown revealed her... uuuuu!

"L-Loretta, can you wear some proper clothes?"

"Yes? Kyak!"

After hearing what I said, Loretta looked down at herself and screamed. She then hastily ran into her room. Before I could talk with her, wearing her usual clothes, a bit more time had to pass.

"I, I apologize, Shin-nim. I've shown you a shameful sight."

"No, not at all. In fact, I would have wanted to see more of... hiik!"

"That will be 10 million gold, customer."

"Sorry."

Because she had an incredibly embarrassed expression, I had no choice but to apologize.

"The reason I invited Shin-nim to this place is..."

"Like I said, I'm sorry."

"The reason I invited Shin-nim to this place is...!"

Loretta didn't seem to want to accept my apology, as she continued without facing me. I was at a loss for what to do. Although she looked completely different on the outside, because the way she acted was the same, I couldn't help but smile as I watched her.

"As you know, it will be convenient to find a place to stay in the dungeon's Residential Area. At the Residential Area, you can sell equipment or consumables, or buy items you need from other explorers. There are places where you can relieve fatigue built up from the dungeon as well."

She picked up the teacup in front of her and took a sip. Although she looked graceful, her head was still turned away from me. She was very cute.

"Although Shin-nim had no problem climbing alone thus far, it won't stay like that forever. There is no place like the Residential Area to get closer to other worlds' explorers. When you make friends here, even though you might not party with them as you climb the dungeon, they might invite you to Event Dungeons or Raids, or vice versa."

"I see."

"But Shin-nim should know, if you entered the mansion. Unless Shin-nim gets authorized using a Mana Stone, Shin-nim cannot freely go back and forth between the dungeon and the Residential Area."

"Right."

"But finding a Mana Stone that's suitable for a Special Mansion like Marianne's Garden probably will not be possible for a while. So..."

Loretta hesitated slightly, then continued.

"So if Shin-nim is okay with it, I'd like to invite Shin-nim as Fairy Garden's temporary guild member."

"Yes?"

"Temporary guild member."

She faced me. From the front, her explosive beauty came into view once again and made me flustered.

Pointy ears, thin facial lines, a sharp nose and long neck. Such features made her look nonhuman, but they only added to her charm.

Her sparkling golden eyes shone as if something was lighting it up from inside. I felt like staring into it would suck me in.

"A temporary guild member is... Shin-nim?"

"Ah, yeah. Continue your explanation."

"... Huhu."

Loretta's expression became slightly haughty. Damn, this elf found out!

"Why were you staring at me so fixedly, Shin-nim?"

"It's nothing, nothing at all."

"Huhung... huhu. Why were you looking at me so much? Why?"

Loretta's eyes darted around my face as she spoke with a humming voice. Even if you do that, I won't tell you honestly! Saying that I was too enchanted by her beautiful eyes... Unless I wanted to confess to her and get rejected, I couldn't say it out loud.

She continued making fun of me, trying to get me to confess, but because she lost her mystical beauty the more she did so, I was able to regain my composure. Eventually, she clicked her tongue and continued.

"A temporary guild member isn't anything special. It's just someone who's registered with Fairy Garden's guild area and can thus stay here."

"Ah, so that's why..."

"Yes. Although you can't become a full-fledged guild member because of your status as an explorer, it can at least help you go back and forth between the dungeon and the mansion since Shin-nim cannot get authorized for now. Of course, it won't be for free. In exchange for becoming a temporary guild member, Shin-nim will have to help with the paperwork of Fairy Garden's Master..."

"Mmm... but Loretta."

"Yes?"

Loretta stopped her explanation in the middle and blinked her eyes as she looked at me. Since she already looked so excited to put me to work, I delivered the fatal blow.

"I already got authorized. For Marianne's Garden."

"... Yes?"

"I got authorized. There was an Event Raid on Earth. I got the entire corpse of an Event Raid boss, and it had a Mana Stone."

"Ah... is that so...?"

Loretta shoulders drooped. I didn't know for sure, but her long ears seemed to have drooped as well. With a slightly disappointed expression, she spoke.

"Then, that's good. Yep, it's good... Stupid Shin-nim."

I definitely heard it. She called me stupid. It wasn't like obtaining a Mana Stone was my fault. I answered Loretta with a bitter smile.

"You must have a lot of work to do. So much that you need an assistant."

"No, that was just a preten... Ah, nothing! Yeah, I have lots!"

"There's not much I can do if you're busy with work, but if you have time, come visit my mansion. I haven't even looked around it yet, but I'm sure there's at least a teahouse where Loretta and I can drink tea."

Loretta's ears perked up. As she blinked her golden eyes, she asked.

"I can go visit?"

"Of course."

"T-Then... can you add me to your friend list?"

"That's possible!?"

I shot up from my seat in surprise. Loretta covered her mouth with her hands and snickered.

"Of course! We also belong to the dungeon."

"Really, what exactly is Loretta's identity?"

"That's a secret, for now. But I hope I can tell you one day."

"Will you?"

At my question, Loretta smiled lightly and nodded her head. Placing her index finger on my mouth, she quietly whispered.

Although her fingers were tickling me, I couldn't open my mouth. Her golden eyes, which seemed to suck me in, were staring right at me.

"One day, to you only. It'll be a secret to anyone else."

I left Loretta's log cabin. Loretta saw me off at the door.

"Take care, Shin-nim. Make sure to answer me when I message you."

"Don't worry. I'm off then."

"Ah, um, Shin-nim."

When I was about to turn away, Loretta stopped me. She held both of my hands, while her eyes wandered around me without being able to look at me directly.

"My real appearance. Is it strange?"

"You're saying that now?"

"B-But... you didn't say it properly before."

She really was a cute noona. For someone who had a noble charm on top of incredible beauty, she really should be more confident in herself. I thought she knew that by the way she acted, but I didn't think she'd waver all the way at the end.

Of course, I felt that this made her even more charming. As such, I decided to tell her how I felt without a hint of deceit.

"Not at all. You're incredibly beautiful. I was almost entranced."

"Hik!"

Loretta made a strange sound and plunked down on the ground. Girls really were weak to compliments. At her picture-like reaction, I snickered and turned away.

"I'm going. Message me."

"Y-Yes. I'll message you, I'll definitely message you! Even tomorrow!"

"I thought you were busy... I should call Peika too... Eh?"

Strange. When I tried to pass on my intent through our mental connection, it was severed in the middle. Thinking our contract had been severed, my heart skipped a beat, but that wasn't it. The contract was still there. What was wrong? Why couldn't I communicate with her? When I tried to unsummon her in confusion, a series of messages rang out in my ear.

[Your contracted elemental, Peika, and the fairies she was playing with discovered a hidden area of 'Fairy Garden!']

[An Event Dungeon, 'Frozen Elemental's Prison,' has been created! As it was discovered by a contracted elemental, the contracted master will automatically receive the right to enter the dungeon! Would you like to enter the dungeon? This dungeon can only be entered by you.]

[A quest has appeared!]

[Quest - Save the Contracted Elemental!

Description - While playing with the fairies and elementals at your request, your contracted elemental opened the entrance to Fairy Garden's sealed hidden area, almost as if guided by fate. The moment the hidden area was opened, the contracted elemental was sucked into the hidden area along with other fairies and elementals. Quickly save her! Otherwise, the mad ice elemental may freeze your elemental along with the other elementals and fairies!]

... What!?