It was a group of three. The petite young girl seemed to be the leader, speaking with a mature and forthright tone. She usually wore only elaborate and ornate clothing, frequently spouting elegance and etiquette, like a graceful lady straight out of a period mural. She knelt to one side, patiently wiping away the stains from her severed head and limbs. The younger girl, with beautiful light blonde hair and clear eyes, stood uneasily in place, occasionally glancing around timidly.
Without thinking much, I immediately rolled up my sleeves and blasted the unexpected intruder to smithereens. I had finally managed to escape my mentor's constant pestering and wanted to sneak away for a little rest in the miniature garden. I thought no one would find me easily, but my sweet dream was interrupted by a loud noise halfway through, just as it reached a crucial and exciting moment.
It was an incredibly loud noise. I even thought it was an explosion at some nearby testing ground, or that some dangerous monster had escaped from its containment facility, or that the lord of a neighboring city-state had finally lost his mind and wanted to join in the chaos. I was so scared that I didn't even have time to put on my coat. I rushed out of the bedroom in my pajamas.
When the warm breeze blew away the cold sweat and cleared the confusion in my mind, I realized that this was the miniature garden I had created, and I wondered where this calamity had come from.
Of course, although this place is called a miniature garden, if judged strictly, it can only be considered a very basic prototype. This is because after I pointed out the basic changes of the sun and moon and sketched a simple outline of the earth and streams, I quickly felt bored and tired, so I simply left it aside and treated it as a temporary hiding place. I was too lazy to even set up doors and other security measures.
This also caused the trio, who had lost their coordinates due to unknown interference, to smash through the fragile miniature garden barrier without any hindrance, directly creating a large hole in the very center of the earth, which was also the center of the jade forest that I had put the most effort into during its construction.
Of course, how could I possibly admit that I was lazy during the construction process? Since there are already easy targets, I'll definitely demand compensation from them!
"...At the time, you claimed that you were commissioned to find the body of the World Tree that had suddenly and mysteriously disappeared and the reasons behind it. As a result, you encountered an accident and were led astray by your confused sense of direction, and ended up falling into my little garden." I extracted the corresponding memories from my mind. "And I have also made it very clear that none of this has anything to do with me. I just need you to compensate me for the damage and loss you caused to my little garden."
"Yes."
Why bring this up all of a sudden now?
Yao looked at me and said, "I found what appears to be traces left by the World Tree."
Her tone suddenly became unusually serious and solemn, and the words she uttered were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, leaving me frozen in place, speechless for a long time.
I know perfectly well what she meant by the World Tree.
Though not as exaggerated as the main branch that supports heaven and earth in ancient myths, it is still a great creation with independent life and consciousness, capable of supporting a vast land and the prosperity of countless races. Its size is enormous even when viewed from a distant mountaintop. The city-states built around it are renowned far and wide, and extremely prosperous. Whenever its city lords talk to people from other cities, they boast about the generous gifts of the divine tree and the abundance of the surrounding soil, making people grit their teeth in hatred and giving rise to some dark and filthy thoughts. However, they are reluctant to part with the affordable food that the other side provides, so they can only offer a few smiles and praise.
The sudden disappearance of such a remarkable object naturally attracted a lot of attention. Some people gloated, but many more expressed their deep concern. Therefore, it is not hard to understand why a large number of talented people were hired to track down its whereabouts and the reasons behind it.
I don't want to get involved in this.
Indeed, if I could find any clues, or directly confirm its location, or even go further and safely return it to its original place, I would undoubtedly become that city-state, and even all the many cities that depend on it for survival, the closest partner and the eternal honored guest.
But all I crave is a peaceful and tranquil life.
There are no ever-increasing coursework, no worries about tutors or job hunting after graduation, and no unexpected disasters.
It wouldn't be bad to just stay in a small garden and live out my whole life like this.
“No way,” Yao stood up, leaning forward with his hands on the table, forcefully interrupting my daydreams about the future. “Without your help, we can’t find it on our own.”
"But I'm actually just a student who hasn't graduated yet..."
I tried to resist her oppression, but the voice I made was even softer and weaker than I had expected, and even trembled a little.
Before I could even voice my next excuse, a cold hand gently lifted my chin.
“Master of the Small Garden,” Yao narrowed his eyes, which shone with the light of jewels, “you will help us, won’t you? Hmm?”
"So that your sand garden can become more perfect and safe..."
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