She returned to the place where it all began.
May, who hadn’t changed at all, smiled softly and said,
“Welcome back, Ms. Doah.”
“Uh-huh….”
Doah felt dazed at first.
She stepped off the magic circle.
Everything that had just happened felt like a dream.
When she touched the gifts from her masters in her pockets, she realized it wasn’t a dream.
She lightly placed her hand on her head and felt the ribbon of her headband vividly.
“So, is it over now?”
“Yes, you really worked hard.”
“Wow….”
Doah mumbled, not knowing what else to say.
Only an exclamation escaped her lips.
She closed her eyes and placed her hand over her heart.
Nothing from the gifts she received from her masters was missing, nor was anything lost.
‘Good.’
She opened her eyes, which sparkled with new determination.
“Shall we move on now? You’ve been waiting for quite a while.”
“It hasn’t been that long. Just about ten seconds or so.”
“Ten seconds?”
When Doah opened her eyes wide, May snapped her pocket watch shut and smiled.
“Yes, time isn’t really an issue for us. But you’re the first traveler to last more than ten seconds.”
May held up three fingers.
“Usually, three seconds is the limit.”
“…Ah, it didn’t feel like time was passing over there, but when I thought about it, it seemed like 30 years had gone by. That was eerie.”
“But you endured.”
May examined Doah carefully.
“Yes, somehow.”
Doah shrugged as if it was nothing.
May stared at Doah and asked,
“Even though you probably want to collect your items right away, don’t you think you should freshen up first?”
“Sounds good.”
The answer came quickly.
May smiled and began leading the way.
Doah looked around.
“Nothing has changed at all.”
She murmured.
May glanced at her.
Most customers couldn’t endure staying there.
That space was where time’s flow couldn’t be felt.
Repeating something in such a place was the perfect condition to go mad.
Of course, the instructors did their best to prevent that, but it was hard for humans to endure.
It had been a long time since someone endured as long as she had.
‘Moreover, she remained quite stable.’
Most couldn’t even endure the first lap and would run away, returning to an ordinary life with their memories erased.
Doah proved she had the mental strength to withstand extreme conditions.
“How were the lessons?”
The question slipped out unintentionally.
Doah blinked and answered,
“The training was terrible, but it was fun.”
“Can those two coexist?”
“They can.”
Doah grinned and continued,
“Of course they can.”
“What about the instructors?”
“Ah, the masters.”
Doah pondered for a moment before giving a short answer.
“I endured because of the masters. I couldn’t have done it alone.”
May blinked at the gentle words.
“Of course, they are excellent instructors.”
Doah shook her head at May’s words.
“They’re more than just excellent. Aren’t they legendary figures?”
May chuckled softly at Doah’s remark.
She couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity about Doah’s unusual reaction.
“Weren’t you angry at all?”
“Angry?”
“Most of our customers get angry about having to learn something so difficult for so long. They think it’s a scam. They say they don’t want to go through such training and that they should be able to learn easily.”
Doah scratched her cheek.
“Well, I was more bewildered than angry at first. Then, as the training got tougher, I did get mad. I cried a lot too….”
Doah smiled slightly.
“But later on, rather than being angry, I just wanted to master the skill quickly. It was the first time I worked so hard on something. It was fun, and I enjoyed being with the masters.”
Doah never forgot her childhood resolution.
No matter what environment or hardship she faced, she would strive to remain herself.
At first, she started almost reluctantly, but later she worked hard because she liked the masters and found it fun.
“Now, I don’t want to conjure up hatred or seek revenge.”
May admired her once again.
This person might actually complete the main quest.
“This way to the sauna. Please enjoy your time. I’ll put the clothes you’ll change into inside.”
“Okay, my belongings….”
“I’ll take care of them.”
Doah gently stepped into the sauna.
“Wow.”
It was a large modern public bathhouse, beautifully decorated.
Using a huge bathhouse alone was a luxurious and enjoyable experience.
She scrubbed herself clean, applied a pleasantly scented lotion—which she subconsciously checked and saw was labeled ‘World Tree Lotion’—and changed into the clothes May had prepared.
Doah dressed and smiled faintly.
Her reflection in the mirror looked like a true adventurer.
Sturdy boots, leather gloves.
‘This is great.’
From now on, she would collect items.
And she wanted to leave for another world as soon as possible.
May was waiting for her when she exited the spa.
“Let’s head to the item warehouse.”
They took the elevator down this time.
When she got off the elevator, Doah’s mouth dropped open.
‘It’s like a big box store.’
It resembled a large warehouse store like Costco or IKEA.
Hundreds and thousands of items filled the space.
“Shall we start on the first floor and then go up to the second floor?”
May said, bringing over a cart.
“Do you have toilet paper rolls?”
Doah asked in surprise, and May smiled.
“Some people insist they can’t go without it.”
“Wow….”
Doah picked out several sets of clothes.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Defense Blouse / C-Rank
▸ A blouse woven from giant spider silk.
▸ It prevents cuts from blades but doesn’t absorb impacts, so be careful.
🍓🍓🍓
‘Good. I’ll take a few of these.’
She also grabbed some elastic leather pants—which seemed funny but practical.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Frost Fairy’s Cloak / B-Rank
▸ A cloak worn by frost fairies.
▸ It withstands temperatures down to -15 degrees Celsius.
🍓🍓🍓
After passing the clothing section, they came to the armor section, and next to it was the weapon section.
“These are the weapons we provide.”
May pointed to a sword displayed in the center.
Doah approached to read the description.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Sword Blessed by the World Tree / SS-Rank
▸ A sword blessed by the World Tree, resistant to monsters and corruption.
▸ It always returns to its owner and cannot be drawn by anyone else.
▸ It can transform into any shape the owner desires.
🍓🍓🍓
May took the sword from its stand and handed it to Doah.
Doah drew the sword.
The silver-white blade gleamed beautifully under the showroom lights.
As Rakshasa had taught her, she knew it was an excellent sword without having to examine it closely.
“It’s beautiful.”
She sheathed the sword again.
Doah expertly attached the sword to her belt and asked,
“Do you have bows too?”
“Yes, this way.”
The bow section contained various bows, and in the center were long cylindrical rods.
“Is this also a bow?”
“Yes, it’s just the handle. Shake it like this.”
May picked one up and shook it lightly up and down.
Pop!
Suddenly, limbs appeared on both ends of the handle, and a bowstring was strung.
“Wow.”
Doah couldn’t help but be amazed.
May smiled and said,
“You’ll need to get arrows separately though.”
“Still, this is great. No need for maintenance.”
Doah tried various bows and chose the strongest one she could draw.
It had a white handle with beautiful vine patterns engraved on it.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Magic Bow Carved by Elves / S-Rank
▸ A bow carved by the now-extinct elves.
▸ Occasionally found in ancient dungeons.
🍓🍓🍓
Doah secured the bow to her belt and picked up a matching quiver.
As her load increased, May said,
“I’ll get you a backpack first.”
May ran to the backpack section and quickly returned with a bag.
It looked like an ordinary bag but had a tag attached.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Dimensional Bag / SS-Rank
▸ Can hold items in 25 slots.
▸ The total weight of the bag remains at 2kg, no matter how heavy the contents.
▸ Conveniently allows you to check the contents at any time.
▸ Cannot hold living things.
🍓🍓🍓
“Is there a bigger bag?”
25 slots seemed limited.
As Doah murmured, May brought several small pouches.
“We also have these pouches.”
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Weight-Reducing Bag / SS-Rank
▸ Can hold up to a total weight of 500kg.
▸ The bag’s weight always remains at 500g.
▸ Be careful not to forget what you’ve put inside.
▸ Do not put living things inside.
🍓🍓🍓
“Then I’ll take one of these too.”
She attached a small pouch that looked like a wallet to her belt.
It seemed that she shouldn’t attach anything else to her belt now.
Having secured the bag, Doah started filling it with various items as she turned the corner.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Purifying Glass Kettle / A-Rank
▸ Purifies any liquid into potable first-grade water.
▸ A must-have for adventurers who suffer from stomachaches.
▸ Be careful not to deplete its magic.
🍓🍓🍓
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Star Shard Lantern / A-Rank
▸ A lantern made from a shining star shard.
▸ The darker it gets, the brighter it shines.
🍓🍓🍓
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Soft Sleeping Bag / C-Rank
▸ A sleeping bag made from the fur of the beast Lolo, very fluffy.
▸ Guarantees a pleasant sleep.
🍓🍓🍓
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Herbalist Set Blessed by the World Tree / SS-Rank
▸ Looks similar to ordinary herbalist tools but is made with the sap of the World Tree and blessed.
▸ Produces high-quality medicine.
🍓🍓🍓
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Cooking Set Blessed by the World Tree / SS-Rank
▸ Food made with this blessed cooking set never diminishes.
🍓🍓🍓
Various other items were acquired.
She placed an instant tent (A-Rank) on top of her backpack and attached a cute wreath-shaped badge (A-Rank) the size of a 500-won coin that repels insects and animals within 15 meters when activated.
In the tent section, May showed her a treehouse the size of a cherry tomato.
It was intricately crafted, and when May placed it on the ground and stepped back, she extended her hand.
“Open.”
Suddenly, the treehouse expanded to the size of a real house.
“This is amazing!”
“Right? You can expand it or add furniture by completing sub-quests.”
“Sub-quests?”
“Yes, you can collect World Tree points from sub-quests to buy the furniture or expand as you wish. You currently have a basic 1,000 points.”
“Wow.”
Doah entered the house.
The scent of fresh wood greeted her.
The interior was as clean as an empty studio apartment with a 1.5-room layout.
The points shop was filled with dazzling interior products.
She bought a queen-sized bed (100 points) and expanded the outside porch (600 points).
She preferred a porch with a roof to a terrace without one.
She used the remaining points to install a water heater that provided hot and cold water (300 points).
‘It requires Water Crystals and Fire Crystals, but…’
Still, having it is better.
‘Wow, this is really nice.’
A tent had its romantic appeal, but having a house to deploy anytime was wonderful. Doah asked,
“What happens if you put regular furniture inside?”
“Since regular furniture doesn’t shrink, it would break into pieces.”
“I see…”
So regular furniture can’t be used.
The small hut had a keychain attached so it could be hung somewhere.
🍓🍓🍓
Item
Expandable Treehouse Made by the World Tree / SS-Rank
▸ An expandable treehouse made from the World Tree’s branches.
▸ Uninvited guests cannot enter.
▸ Its size can be adjusted at will.
▸ Can be set up anywhere.
▸ Collect points to grow it into a mansion!
🍓🍓🍓
‘I don’t need a mansion, but a two-room setup should be enough. Or should I just grow it into a mansion?’
Let’s do as much as possible. Doah attached the keychain to her belt. May handed over the treehouse key, which melted into Doah’s palm as soon as she received it.
“Now you’re the owner, Doah. Only the owner can open the door and invite others. Invitations can be revoked too.”
“Got it.”
Finally, she gathered various accessories.
Although it wasn’t in her nature or very adventurer-like to carry too many things, she couldn’t resist the temptation.
She could always give them as gifts to friends she might meet later, couldn’t she?
Lastly, she carefully collected gold, silver, and copper coins.
“Then lastly, we’ll move to get your steeds.”
Doah nodded.
A steeds, huh.
What kind of steeds would it be?
In fantasy settings, it’s usually a creature, right?
She imagined a cute bird that walks on two legs, then a majestic wolf.
Perhaps it would be something like a dinosaur design…
As she was thinking of various possibilities, what she found at the steeds section was unexpectedly a pool of blue water.
