Instinctively, I grabbed the branch that was slowly pulling back and rubbed its smooth surface repeatedly. Suddenly, I heard a faint voice, as if it were coming from it: "Ugh... Brother Ulie, could you please let go for a moment? You've pulled the end of my hair."
I:"……"
I listened intently for a few more seconds before finally confirming that the voice coming from the vine I was holding was indeed Sheng's neutral yet extremely soft voice.
This wasn't intentional! I was just curious about the structure of these strange vines, so I wanted to pull them closer to examine them! There was absolutely no other meaning behind it!
However, the fact that she claimed those were the ends of her own hair... what exactly has become of Sheng now? This became my next question.
The class of Elf Slayer is also something I've never heard of before.
Judging from the literal meaning, it seems to be related to those long-eared creatures that like to hide in deep mountains and forests and are rarely seen.
But this is just my wild guess.
As I released my hand, the illusory tendrils instantly retreated into the house as if fleeing. After a long while, I gradually felt the rich life force within them calm down and recede back into the very center of the being.
If I were to find a suitable description... perhaps calling the current state of the area the "pillar of life" would be the most appropriate.
Even just being near him, one can feel an inexhaustible supply of energy within their body, effectively recovering from minor physical injuries and mental fatigue, and even slightly increasing the speed at which magical energy circulates within the body.
The closed door quietly opened.
I pushed open the door and walked in. Sheng stood with his back to me in the middle of the empty room, which was almost entirely dyed green, seemingly busy tidying up his clothes. A hoodie that was so big it almost completely covered his small frame was lightly draped over his body, with the hem just above his knees, revealing the edges of his loose shorts.
Her short, light blue hair was now dyed brighter, and compared to its previous roughness and messiness, it now showed a texture like the veins of a leaf, swaying in a messy yet orderly fashion. The ahoge (cowlick) on her head seemed to have a life of its own, swaying from side to side, before being pressed down by the small cap that was put back on her head.
"Ah, brother, you've already come in. Please pause for a moment."
Sheng turned around halfway, blinked, and hurriedly tied the blue ribbon back around his neck, covering the faint scar on it. He gently patted the hem of his clothes a couple of times before turning to me with his hands behind his back and a bright smile on his face: "Hehe, although I've kept you waiting, I succeeded! With such a good start, things will definitely go even more smoothly from here on out!"
I nodded slightly, shifting my gaze from the azure notification window that had unfolded in mid-air, and watched him hop and skip over to my side, naturally asking, "Aren't you going to ask me how the first defensive battle outside went?"
Sheng shook his head lightly: "I believe in everyone. Besides, isn't it my eldest brother who has been standing guard outside in place of me, who is incompetent? And so many people are working together for the same goal... No matter how difficult the situation, I'm sure we can overcome it smoothly, right?"
"...It's not exactly difficult. At least not right now." I nodded, tacitly agreeing with him.
Sheng blinked again, and in the depths of her verdant eyes, it seemed as if tender buds were swaying gently in the breeze: "It's alright. The worst-case scenario hasn't happened yet. Besides, my plan is halfway successful, and I can handle the rest of the defense work!"
He puffed out his chest smugly, adopting a "leave it to me" attitude.
In the palm of his other raised hand, verdant branches sprouted from the air, intertwining and weaving into a knot less than a hand's width in size. He then grabbed my right hand and placed it in his palm.
I raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"Well, how should I put it..." Sheng scratched his cheek, his gaze wandering, "It's like a simple talisman? Mainly, it's an expression of my gratitude for the journey."
It is indeed quite beautiful, and inside there is a concentrated life energy that is neither too much nor too little.
I thanked him for his kindness and accepted it, putting it into the shoulder bag I always carry.
Glancing at my movements, Sheng puffed out his cheeks, then suddenly remembered something, turned around and went back to where he had been. He rummaged around in the pot on the ground for a while, then took out half an apple with a golden-green exterior and handed it to me.
"Is this a golden apple? Isn't it supposed to be an essential material for job advancement?"
"Can't there be some left?"
He casually shook off the golden honey wine residue and stuffed it directly into my pouch without waiting for my permission. "It's useless to me now, but it's still good stuff. Keep it, brother; you never know when it might come in handy." He paused, then squinted at me and quietly added, "If you ever feel hungry, you can eat it. I can tell it's a great tonic for you too. Hehe~"
I had no excuse to refuse, so I could only agree and say that I would keep it safe for them.
"So, you can just eat it directly! It's a waste not to eat good food!"
Sheng shouted loudly, pushing my back and turning me halfway around, walking out through the open door: "Alright~—isn't it almost time for Big Brother's daily rest? You've used up so much energy, even though you didn't directly participate in the battle, you must still be tired, right? Go and rest, go and rest!"
"Leave the rest to me! I've been worried about having so much ability but nowhere to use it!"
Based on past experience, this delay has probably made Hikari and Miyuki impatient, right?
After being repeatedly told not to push myself too hard, I quietly closed my eyes as I was forcibly stuffed into a pile of soft pillows.
Here's some congratulations to my friend, who is also the author, M, on the successful heart surgery! Wishing him a smooth recovery as well! *★，°*:.☆(￣▽￣)/$:*.°★*.
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